Reviews written by CJ Redwine, Site and Staff Manager

What I Loved: SO MUCH. Velveteen is smart, sassy, damaged, brave, terrified, and startlingly self-aware of the breadth of her own psychological shortcomings. She walks a fine line between sociopath and goth girl (at least in her own head), but truly, she possesses more honor and courage...

There's a talent show, and everybody has a special talent to showcase except for Penguin. Kids will enjoy Penguin's disastrous attempts to copy his friends' talents. I think the message that while his talent might not be something you can win a trophy for, it's still unique and valuable is...

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book with fabulous illustrations and a nicely repetitive structure that early readers will love. In each chapter, Fox and Crow make a three step plan to trick the other out of a piece of cheese. There's a nod to Goldilocks and the Three Bears, which...

I really enjoyed this book, and think it's a great mystery for young readers just entering the chapter book genre. Themes of respect, friendship, and community are very strong throughout the story. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the accurate historical information! Readers will learn about King...

The description of this book says that the contents have a light dose of science, but to be honest, the dose is so light, I had a hard time finding it. The story tells a child that she came from the stars and she and the stars are one. Then...

What I Loved: I love a good genre mash-up, and Lia Habel delivers. The steampunk, Neo-Victorian, and science aspects of the world are very well done. I also particularly loved the way she explores the themes of prejudice and political intrigue through the various zombie factions (and...

I love this book to pieces. I nearly cried as I read it. It's *that* amazing. Charlie's grandpa told him one amazing story after another when Charlie was little (A pirate lives in the attic! A gnome lives in the basement!), but now his grandpa doesn't recognize him or talk...

This is an absolutely lovely little book. It feels like a pretty, magical fairy-tale from start to finish. There's even a unicorn! I think kids who enjoy castles, princesses, and fairy tales will love it. As soon as I opened the book, my daughter (who is a toddler) instantly rushed...

This is a fun story destined to be a favorite on many a bookshelf. Fox is determined to try the new toad recipes in his cookbook, and all of them call for young toads. But Mama Toad isn't about to let him eat her children. (And her vast brood are...

This was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery for young readers. I love that themes of strong community and family are prevalent throughout the story. The four young kids who take on the responsibility for solving the mystery of the masked acrobat are careful of others' feelings, excited to help, and take...

I'm a huge fan of the Girl of Fire & Thorns series, and this is another fabulous addition to the canon. It's a really quick read,(A 43 page novella) and I'm amazed at how much Ms. Carson managed to put into the story! We have tension, mystery, political intrigue, action,...

What I Loved: This is a fast-paced page-turner of a book! From the very first page, the reader is thrust into a tense, atmospheric ride that never lets up. I enjoyed the suspense, and I liked that the uncluttered style of writing doesn't get in the way...

What I Loved: This is a well-paced, chills-up-the-spine horror book that kept me turning pages as fast as I could. The suspense is strong (and creepy and scary!), and I was desperately trying to figure out how it would end. (Especially after I got my first real...

What I Loved: The world. I mean ... holy seriously epically amazing world, Batgirl. It's a steampunk dystopian commentary on post-Industrial Revolution consumerism set against a backdrop of epic Asian fantasy. It's very different from most of what is being marketed to YA right now, and...

I love this book so much. Almigal is spunky, fun, and actively involved with her friends and her family. She uses bubblegum pink hearing aids, but she still misses quite a few of the things she wants to hear. I love that the author was honest about Almigal feeling lonely...