A Very Grimm Adventure

Elizabeth has no idea what she's getting herself into when she gets an after-school job at the New York Circulating Material Repository, a lending library of objects.  Seeking any opportunity to make friends and stay as far away as possible from her stepmother, Elizabeth eagerly throws herself into tracking down call numbers for some very unique requests.

And then she discovers the Grimm Collection, which contains magical items from fairy tales told by the legendary brothers, like a truth-telling (albeit snarky) mirror, seven-league boots, and a mermaid's comb.  Elizabeth can hardly believe her luck as she, along with the other library pages Marc, Anjali, and Aaron, experiences the wonders of these magical objects.

With magic however, there's always a dark cloud.  Someone is stealing the objects from the Grimm Collection and Elizabeth is determined to catch the thief and restore the valuables to their home in the Repository.  In the blink of an eye, she gets whirled up in an adventure beyond her wildest imagination, containing pneumatic tubes, a golden key, and an extremely large bird.

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman is a story of fairy tale magic unlike any I've read before!  I not only enjoyed reading about Elizabeth's adventures, I was also jealous of them.

Enjoyably Enigmatic

It's been two months without blogging and in that time, my life has changed in the best way possible.  I've landed my dream job in children's book publishing, settled into a charming apartment in Boston, and am soaking up the last glorious rays of summer.

So picking right up from where I left off, I'm going to tell you about this sensational book I just can't get enough of.  The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin contains so many elements that excite me in a children's book.  Are you ready for this?  Prepare yourself.  Layers upon layers of paintings supplying a series of worlds to explore.  Labyrinths that either act as portals or harbor dangerous monsters.  Mythical creatures, pirates on the high seas, an evil counterfeiter, and magical passwords.  And, to top it off, some Italian art history.

The three-second plot: Sunni, Blaise, and Dean find themselves accidentally yet irrefutably inside a Renaissance master's oeuvre and getting home is no easy feat, especially as the action picks up and villains come out of the woodworks.

This is such a quick and enjoyable read that kept me guessing and finally reveling in the cleverness of its conclusion.  Flavin's vision is intricate, mysterious, and undeniably alluring.  If you like losing yourself in someone else's world, The Blackhope Enigma should be at the top of your list!

Your 5 Summer Must-Reads

Okay, okay, so I haven't been blogging. But I do have a pretty legitimate reason! I'm currently part of a very intense 6-week program at the NYU Summer Publishing Institute and I've barely had time to read before bed (let alone have a minute for myself). But honestly, it is so worth it. Even if I'm embarrassed to say that Ally Condie's Matched is being consumed at a glacial pace.

So until I can read children's books again at my usual speed and create more reviews, you'll just have to settle for some great suggestions.

Your Spectacular Six Week Reading List (Teen Edition)

1. Okay For Now by Gary Schmidt.

Doug Swieteck is stuck in a dismal town with no friends and a miserable family. His peers think he's a chump, his teachers think he's a thug, and everyone else judges him based on his cad of a brother. The way Doug sees it, he's got nothing going for him...until he meets Lil Spicer, an unanticipated force propelling him to find something he cares about. Throughout the story, Doug is pulled between his passion for drawing birds and living an apathetic existence, between finding happiness and giving up. The deeply embedded tension is what I like best in this coming of age story as it's a remarkably realistic take on the complications of growing up. Very compelling and nearly impossible to put down.



2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

I really can't say it enough. Read this book! I don't know how many times I've tried to explain the premise of the story only to feel as if my words fall flat. I simply can't do it justice - it's that good. In an annual deathly lottery, the lives of 12 children are placed in the hands of the Hunger Games, a ruthless and gruesome fight for survival in a meticulously manipulated arena. This year, it's Katniss's turn and she's not going down easy.



3. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan.

Carter and Sadie Kane thought they saw it all when their dad blew up the British Museum, but that's before they realized that the Egyptian gods were walking among them. Besides, it really didn't help that their dad accidentally released Set, an evil god determined to increase his own power and unleash chaos across the globe. The best part of the book is that it's formatted like an audio recording as Carter and Sadie, much to the reader's amusement, bicker constantly while telling their story. Very addicting. I admit, I may have been inclined to read up a little on Egyptian deities...but for the juicy stuff, you really should consult the Kanes.


4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Told from the perspective of Death, a witness to the horrors of Nazi Germany, comes the tale of a foster child in the outskirts of Munich. Liesel Meminger lives with a patient, kind-eyed accordionist who teaches her how to read and his sour wife who loads her up with laundry deliveries and calls her a saumensch every chance she gets. As Liesel gets acclimated to the Hubermanns' way of living, three things change her life. First she befriends Rudy Steiner, the boy next door and her partner in crime. Then she befriends Max, a jew hiding in her basement under the stairs. In the midst of this, she steals books and develops an unquenchable thirst for words. Zusak's storytelling is irresistibly poignant. Be prepared with a box of tissues for some heart-wrenching moments!

PLUS...

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. The movie is coming out. Harry Potter is amazing. What are you waiting for?!

This Little Piggy Went To The City

Have you ever heard of a pig that could twirl on its snout? If not, it's time to meet Porkelia - the one and only! Porkelia is an especially talented pig with lofty aspirations of becoming a Rockette. She has the highest hoof kick in town and the sass to go with it. Plus it's preordained. After spicing up her wardrobe and practicing her signature moves, Porkelia sets off to the big city to pursue her dream.

Or so she tries. All it takes is a ramshackle apartment, a dismal job selling blenders, and tired hooves after late-night dancing gigs for Porkelia to realize just how unglamorous life is before you truly make it. As the years go by and loneliness sets in, this little piggy longs for her comfortable sty of warm mud and porcine companions.

And then the unthinkable happens. Porkelia becomes a Rockette! Fame, riches, gossip - the full scope of stardom. (Not that any of us doubted it for a second.) As she's making hoof-snout rotations in a gold lamé leotard and drinking tea with the Queen, will she remember her sty pals back home?

Porkelia, A Pig's Tale is a star in the making. With its charming storyline, rhyming couplets, and plump pink protagonist, Lindy Tucker's book is hard to resist. The pink and gold illustrations twinkle just as brightly as the star spot art on each page, reminding us never to give up on our biggest dreams.

Boarding School Blues

As a boarding school lass myself, I always enjoy reading books that take place in that tucked away, institutional setting. I am often frustrated, however, at how unrealistic it all is. As far as most unfamiliars are concerned, boarding school elicits mental snapshots of teenagers frolicking chaotically about in preppy attire - no parents, no rules, just freedom. I hate to shatter this fantasy, but boarding school was by far the most structured, stressful phase of my existence. Not at all like fiction paints it to be.

Freefall, the high-tension, thought-provoking debut from Dartmouth student Ariela Anhalt, is the first example I've found where students aren't protected from the outside world by the "school bubble". As this book decrees, actions have consequences and serious misdoings aren't necessarily shielded from the law. In a fencing team initiation gone wrong, a student ends up dead - smashed against the rocks after falling from a cliff. Hayden and Luke are the only two students present for the tragedy. In fact, Luke witnesses his best friend shoving Russell over the edge...no, scratch that. Luke isn't sure what he sees. But the event causes him to question everything, especially as the demons he tries to suppress bubble messily to the surface.

While I was reading this book (and quickly, I might add), I was continually struck by Anhalt's remarkable insight into the mentality of a teenage boy who is angry at the world and doesn't know why. As a reader, I experienced frustration towards Luke and the wrath he fails to control, a sure sign that Anhalt did the best job possible of portraying him. A commendable effort!

Super Sleuth Nancy Drew

Having a penchant for mystery novels, it is not surprising that these roots were planted by the infamous Nancy Drew series. As a little girl, I remember thinking Nancy Drew was the most clever "titian blonde" out there - and I wanted to be a private eye just like her, digging up clues and unmasking the bad guys. I found the mysteries ambitious to solve, which placed Nancy high in my esteem. After all, reading mystery novels is like playing Sudoku or tackling the New York Times crossword puzzle - the end result is much more satisfying when a real challenge has been surmounted.

One of my favorite whodunits is The Mystery At Lilac Inn, the fourth volume in Carolyn Keene's series. I devoured the story this Sunday - probably for the first time in over 10 years - while sunning outside, appropriate given that the setting is picturesque Lilac Inn perched on a flowing river and surrounded by quaint little cottages and lilac groves. The book begins with Nancy's visit to her dear friend Emily Willoughby, who is opening the historic inn with her fiancé. Emily's excitement, however, is tainted by her employees' fears that the inn is haunted. To make matters worse, her precious inheritance of beautiful, shimmering diamonds is stolen right out from under her nose at a dinner party. Nancy insists on getting to the bottom of this foul play, which is evidently linked to a serious concern of her own - someone is impersonating Nancy Drew and doing a fine job of it.

Full of adventure and high-risk moments, Nancy Drew's shrewd investigative skills are assayed like never before. Even as a 22-year-old revisiting my childhood sleuth, I found the mystery compelling and was delighted with the 1960's charm incorporated throughout. Nancy is right up there with my favorite, Hercule Poirot, and I can't help but laugh picturing them as associates - a short prying Belgian with a large mustache and a fresh-faced American girl of 18.

When In Rome

If you've got the travel itch, it's high time to join Dodsworth on some of his adventures. With escapades in hot spots New York City, Paris, and London, Dodsworth and the duck - certainly an unusual companion to jaunt around Europe with - take Italia by storm in Tim Egan's latest, Dodsworth in Rome.

As Dodsworth marvels over the Roman aesthetics, the duck indulges his taste buds - proving that Rome has something spectacular to offer everyone. It wouldn't be a true Roman Holiday without sightseeing on a vespa, licking gelato by the Trevi Fountain, and feasting the eyes on the Sistine Chapel (even if the duck has some minor critiques to offer Michelangelo). And the way that duck throws pizzas has one wondering if he's of Italian descent...

As with most grand adventures, trouble isn't too far behind. Egan keeps readers on their toes with surprises on every page, reminding us that travel abroad is a mixed bag of splendid experiences and unforeseen setbacks. The way Egan depicts his characters in both words and illustrations, you can tell he is quite fond of conscientious Dodsworth and the mischievous duck. After reading Dodsworth in Rome, I am too.

Incorrigible...And Proud Of It!

This book should come with a warning. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling claims it's for children ages 8-12. What it should say is, "intended for children ages 8-12 but equally as captivating for readers older by, say, 10 years."  

Maryrose Wood resurrects Dickensian England as the setting for her story starring Miss Penelope Lumley, a 15-year-old graduate from the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females who sets out into the secluded countryside to begin her new position as governess for the children of Ashton Place. With dreams of teaching Latin and geography, it is much to Miss Lumley's surprise to discover three unkempt, tangle-haired children in the stables, howling like wolves and rolling about in the hay. It will take all of her knowledge, resourcefulness, and patience to domesticate the three Incorrigibles, especially in time for Lady Constance's extravagant, all-frills Christmas Party. Will Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia learn to stop chasing squirrels and start declining verbs?  

If you enjoy Jane Eyre, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, and other such charming stories about governesses in the remote English countryside, The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place is right up your alley. The lovable wolf-children, fast-paced adventures in governessing, and sharp, smart-as-a-whip narration à la Lemony Snickett will bind you to your seat, eyes wide and fingers flipping. 

I can't wait to read the sequel, The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Hidden Gallery!

Angelina Tumbelrina? Wait A Sec...

On this gorgeous afternoon in April, I was really craving a little Angelina Ballerina action. Finally - the sun is out, birds are chirping, and tulips are gracing us with their presence. My favorite bit is how colorful everything looks, such a welcome change from the flat, gray tones that unfortunately accompany New England winters. This is exactly how it feels reading the Angelina Ballerina series (written by Katharine Holabird and illustrated by Helen Craig). The stories are lovely, the characters are charming, and the illustrations are detailed and bursting with color. It's a quintessential spring day in a book. Just as beautiful and light as can be.

If you can't already tell, Angelina is an avid dancer. She is delicate, graceful, and always seems to be twirling from place to place. Just as adorable as Angelina is her sweet friend Alice, whom we meet for the first time in Angelina and Alice. Angelina and Alice enjoy the same pursuits - dancing and gymnastics - and become fast friends in the schoolyard. These two mice get along famously as they hang from trapeze bars and swing sky-high in the air. When it comes to handstands, however, things get a bit, well, shaky. Alice's is perfect and "Angelina Ballerina" becomes "Angelina Tumbelrina". So not fair.

How Angelina and Alice regain their friendship is a truly special part of the story, culminating in a spectacle of a happy ending. It's amazing what can be achieved with a little bit of teamwork and a lot of heart. You won't know what to love more - the precious story or the enchanting illustrations. They are simply made for each other and I can't imagine one piece without the other - the mark of an outstanding children's book.

Do You Believe In Magic?

This week, I finally got around to reading the enchanting tale The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo. Having completely adored The Tale of Despereaux, I was very much looking forward to her newest book.

The Magician's Elephant is a story of wonder, hope, and believing in the impossible. When orphan Peter Augustus Duchene espies a fortuneteller's tent in the middle of the Baltese market square, he has little idea that life as he knows it will change forever. To find his long-lost sister, the fortuneteller says, Peter must track down the missing piece of the puzzle, a great elephant. Dejected, the little boy walks home. After all, an elephant in the city is like water in the desert - a wonderful thought, but not going to happen.

By some lucky stroke of fate, an act of sheer impossibility occurs that night, undermining all rational thought and confirming Peter's wildest hope. A magician performs his greatest trick yet, conjuring an elephant who comes crashing through the theater ceiling to the audience's dismay. Suddenly, Peter knows the truth. His sister, believed to be dead, is alive. From that moment on, a sequence of events occur in a dreamlike guise - so simple, yet so deftly interconnected. DiCamillo writes a beautiful story with an extraordinary ending, illustrating how life is comprised of tiny moments and magic happens when these moments sync together in perfect harmony.

That being said, DiCamillo has a way of making her characters speak in riddles through repetition and vague statements. I don't believe this to be an accidental move on her part. The story is remarkable as most dreams are remarkable and the dialogue lends itself decidedly to the hazy landscape of a dream rather than reality. Both the dialogue and narration, fairly poetic in tone, create the impression that the characters all have parts to play and are waiting for the pieces to fall together, certainly adding to its overall magic.

Secrets, Secrets, Are SO Fun

There's nothing I love more than reading about a crumbling old mansion containing secrets within its walls. You get the eerie feeling that they've witnessed more than you could ever know. And, if you wait around long enough, all will be revealed in due time.

It's one thing to read about decaying houses. It's another thing entirely to live in one. Olive Dunwoody has always had a vivid imagination - one that her parents, both absentminded mathematicians, don't really understand. When they move to their new home, a sinister-looking mansion, Olive knows there's something not quite right... How do you explain the fact that cats, patrolling the residence like sentries, can speak? And why do the creepy paintings, permanently mounted on the walls, give Olive the feeling like they're hiding something?

"The painting looks scared.  It's like the houses are trying to pretend they're asleep and stay quiet...like something bad is coming."

In The Shadows: The Books of Elsewhere, Jacqueline West fashions a world with portals that take Olive on a terrifying quest for survival - all within the confines of the house. As she travels inside the dark and dangerous paintings with the help of antique spectacles, she comes closer to unlocking the truth about the mansion's history. Lurking in the shadows, someone wants Olive gone for good. And it's up to a girl afraid of the dark and her unusual allies - an insolent boy with a temper, talking house-cats, and a pair of spectacles - to piece together the mystery and reclaim the house.

This book was exactly what I was hoping for and so much more. Delightfully haunting and deliciously secretive. After reading this book, you'll start wondering about paintings. And whether their insides are really as beautiful as they seem from the outside.

Let's Pretend...I Work At An Ad Agency

When you were young, didn't you ever want to go to work with your mom or dad? As a kid, the grown-up world is an exciting place where you could be whatever you want to be. I know I was fascinated when I saw my mom's beautifully-upholstered office with bridal magazines neatly splayed out on the coffee table (she was an event and wedding planner). I loved "helping out" by sharpening pencils and dog-earing the pages with my favorite wedding gowns.

Well, this is precisely what Lyle the Crocodile does in Lyle at the Office by Bernard Waber. One day Mr. Primm brings Lyle along to visit his office and meet all the people he works with. Lyle is so eager to be of assistance and make new friends. He does important jobs, like delivering memos and making photocopies. He plays with the children in the day-care center. He even sits in on an important meeting. Lyle is a huge hit at the advertising agency!

Before he knows it, this enjoyable jaunt to the office becomes more than just a day of "seeing what Dad does." Lyle makes such a good impression on Mr. Primm's boss, Mr. Bigg, that he gets an offer that people all over New York City - let alone crocodiles - would die for. Will Lyle take the offer and compromise his values or turn down the offer and put Mr. Primm's job in jeopardy?

The story keeps you guessing and the pictures keep you smiling! Although it's impossible not to smile when you're reading about the beloved crocodile who lives on East Eighty-Eighth Street... If you love playing "let's pretend" like I did, you'll get a kick out of this story.

Kickin' It Old School

One of my favorite series growing up was The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids. I used to take these books out of the library all the time! It was exciting to think there could be fantastical creatures walking secretly among us, disguised as unassuming characters, such as school teachers or camp counselors. Adults, of course, wouldn't suspect a thing - even if strange things were happening. It's kids that are the most perceptive, especially Liza, Howie, Melody, and Eddie, our fierce mythical creature detection team. Now whether these grown-ups are actually monsters or not is never truly disclosed. Readers have to decide that for themselves!

In Witches Don't Do Backflips, the Bailey School Kids sign up for gymnastics lessons at the new gym in town (which is kind of creepy). To make things complicated, their gymnastics teacher Miss Brewbaker flips like she can fly, recites rhymes that could be spells, and has a broom that seems to move about on its own. Plus she HATES dogs. The fact that Eddie's dalmatian Prince Diamond enjoys terrorizing her black cat Merlin is not lost on Miss Brewbaker and she might just decide to do something, er, witchy about it.

Fascinating read the whole way through! Perfect mysteries for young readers who like spooky things and believe that sometimes the weirdest explanation is the most logical one.

Good Girls Don't Talk to Wolves

Enchanted by all things fairy tale-related, I know the film Red Riding Hood will be sure to impress. In just a few short weeks, I'll be at the movies, enraptured by Amanda Seyfried's performance as Little Red while chewing away on some twizzlers. What particularly draws me to this film is the fact that it's a darker interpretation of a childhood classic. I love it when someone takes an archetypal story and reinvents it completely, adding unexpected twists that bring the tale to a new level. This being so, I couldn't resist checking out Sarah Blakley-Cartwright's book version of the screenplay written by David Leslie Johnson. Besides which, a recent Barnard graduate with a published novel? Impressive.

As director Catherine Hardwicke explains in her introduction, Red Riding Hood the novel was written to draw out the relationships of the characters in fuller detail, tackling the emotions felt and what it means to grow up in a village crippled with fear of the big bad wolf. A wolf hunter's arrival triggers a witch hunt of sorts where innocent villagers are accused of being werewolves and loyalties are tested like never before. In the midst of this, Valerie has to face the loss of her sister Lucie and choose between two suitors: the golden boy of the village and the town rebel that is wrong for her in all the right ways. Plus she has to sacrifice herself to the wolf before the blood moon wanes. No pressure at all. Don't worry, Grandmother is still in the story, but unlike legend says, she's more than capable of taking care of herself out there in the woods.

My first impressions? Hats off to Blakley-Cartwright. Her descriptions of the surrounding landscape and ensuing events are poetic in tone yet very relatable to the teenage girl. She captures perfectly the struggles of growing up and trying to do the right thing when you're tempted by something else entirely. However, I do wish she had explored the village relationships even more and strengthened Valerie's internal monologue. As a reader, I felt a little too far removed from the characters of the story so that when I finished the book, I still didn't know them well enough and sensed that there was more to tell.

I hope the film will answer my lingering questions!

Think Pink

As Valentine Season dictates, the more pink the better.  Love is in the air, pink is everywhere...and my attempts at being poetic flounder.  Despite practicing on my long distance best friend, I may be lacking in mushy lines this year, but nevertheless can deliver one gem guaranteed to spice up your Valentine's Day.

Pinkalicious, written by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann, introduces a little girl who loves the color pink more than anything else.  She is so devoted to her passion that she insists on eating pink cupcakes (because, let's face it, they taste better when they're pink).  After surpassing her cupcake limit tenfold, Pinkalicious wakes up the following morning to discover that her fleshy hue has undergone a dramatic transformation.  She doesn't mind so much, though.  Just like her favorite cupcakes, Pinkalicious feels more beautiful (and special) in her magenta shade.

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as too much pink, as this little lady is sure to find out.  Will Pinkalicious learn the art of moderation or will she indulge to the point of no return?  Marvel at the supremely fuchsia illustrations that seem to pop out of every page.  Chuckle at the influx of clever pink puns.  Overdose on pink (and love every minute of it).

It's So Fluffy, I Could DIE!

Are you someone who loves fluffy, cuddly animals? Do your parents refuse to bring you to the animal shelter out of the inevitability you're going plead, "Can I pleeeeeeease keep the kitty? Please? PLEASE!"

In Peter Brown's story, this is exactly what happens. To Lucy the bear, that is. Lucy is an exceptionally girly bear who wears a pink tutu and is a sucker for anything adorable. When she is out in the forest one day and discovers a little boy, she simply can't resist bringing him home. Unfortunately, Mom and Dad don't react with the same enthusiasm. Though Lucy is warned that "children make terrible pets," she's so lovestruck by cuteness, she couldn't care less. She and Squeaker do everything together, having just as much fun as she imagined. When playtime is over and it's time to adhere to the household rules, Squeaker goes rogue on the bear family in a hilarious fashion and Lucy quickly learns the difficulties of pet ownership.

If you're looking for a humorous tale about role reversal, Children Make Terrible Pets is the book for you. The trials of domestication - with a twist - had me laughing and wondering what my pets think of me when I smother them with attention...

With Fancy, More is More

Today was a day unlike any other. On this fateful day, January 22 around noon, I discovered Fancy Nancy. 

Today's quest involved going to the bookstore and talking with informative employees about what they consider to be the most popular picture books. After getting sidetracked by the Rick Riordan table, the tantalizing Sara Shepard display, and President Obama's contribution to children's literature, Of Thee I Sing, I finally made it to a source of knowledge. Her immediate pick for little girls, age 4-7? Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor with illustrations by Robin Preiss Glasser.

"Fancy Nancy is about a little girl who loves big words and dressing up," she explained. 

"Sounds like my kind of girl," I replied. 

With one look at sassy Nancy on the cover, decked out in a tiara, pink sunglasses, and high heels with lace socks, I quickly made off to a squishy armchair to indulge.  

If my big smile didn't reveal my enjoyment enough, I'm pretty sure my highly public laughter did. Fancy Nancy prefers to spell her name "Nancée," wants to learn French because it sounds elegant, and says words like "plume" and "posh". Nancy does not understand why her family is so plain. Quelle horreur! So she goes into Mission Makeover Mode and teaches her family what she knows best - how to be fancy. Turns out, even Nancy, Queen of Chic herself, can pick up a thing or two from Mom and Dad!

The illustrations are enchanting and incredibly detail-oriented, corresponding beautifully with everything Nancy embodies. What little girl isn't going to fall in love with all the pink and glitter? As someone completely besotted with sparkly jewelry and gorgeous dresses, I identified with Nancy's enthusiasm and panache. And I want to commission her to bedazzle my room. 

Love, Love, Immeasurable Love

As I was digging through my collection of children's books, I came across a special one that makes me melt every time I pick it up. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney is heartfelt and irrevocably genuine in its simplicity. The Nutbrown Hares - Little and Big - stretch, reach, flip, and hop to try to define love in a quantifiable way. When Little Nutbrown Hare finally thinks he has outfoxed his father, one beautiful line is spoken that will be eternally acclaimed in children's literature.

"I love you right up to the moon...and back," whispers Big Nutbrown Hare.  

That line still moves me to this day (as I'm sure it does a lot of people). With kids, you get one chance to make an impression. They are clever that way. In the world of adult fiction, the plot line can take chapters to develop and most adult readers tolerate it. With picture books, however, this is just not so. You have maybe 30 pages to make an impact through words and illustrations. If a child doesn't like a book, it will be left unread. On the other hand, if a book succeeds in enchanting a child, it will be loved forever. Guess How Much I Love You is exemplary of how the most basic ideas can be the most magical and stay with you always.

I've Got Hungry Eyes

Two and a half weeks. That's how long it took me to spend the entirety of my Christmas Barnes & Noble gift card. I'm somewhat impressed. Granted, I may have gone a teensy bit overboard, but honestly I think waiting this long showed some real self-restraint on my part.

So, most exciting thing I've done all week? Purchasing Catching Fire and Mockingjay, books 2 and 3 of Suzanne Collins' mind-boggling and completely addicting trilogy. Finally I get to see what happens! If you think this is sad, then CLEARLY you haven't read The Hunger Games. It is a brilliant, thought-provoking, and captivating trilogy. Like Survivor for teens, but way more hardcore than you'd ever imagine.

I don't even think I'll be able to review these because I don't want to give anything away...

Which means you'll just have to explore the world of Panem yourself.

Monsters Monsters Everywhere

When I first saw the previews for Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, I was a bit skeptical. To be quite candid, the plot line featuring unknown superpowers and monsters out of Greek Mythology screamed 12-year-old boy to me. The gap being quite large between myself and prepubescent, pimply, squeaky specimen such as the pre-teen boy, I was determined to uphold an objective state of mind and read Rick Riordan’s novel to see what all the fuss was about.

I’ll let you in on a little secret of mine. From fourth to sixth grade, I was a Greek Mythology geek. I have my fatigued copy of D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths to prove it. I loved reading about the big 12 up on Mount Olympus, the playful dalliances of certain gods, and the talented progeny undergoing dangerous quests. I had the thirst to absorb as much of it as possible. As you can imagine, it came as a shock to me when we were learning about the subject in history class and instead of being fascinated, my classroom contemporaries dished about Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and other monumentally riveting topics. That’s when it dawned on me that I was a nerd.

Having been ten years since I last indulged in my childhood hobby, I was somewhat reticent about what I may find in the pages of Percy Jackson. Incredulously enough, it took only one chapter for me to be completely hooked. Riordan’s writing seamlessly echoes a young kid who really doesn’t know what he’s good at, or why he keeps getting into trouble at school. Once Percy discovers the truth about his half-blood heritage, he finds within himself a sense of purpose while retaining the inquisitive and headstrong personality traits that make him, well, Percy. His impulse for action drives the story right along and Riordan introduces monster after monster to keep both Percy and the readers on their toes. I fell right into the pace of the story and marveled at the innovative ways that Riordan chose to introduce the monster of the moment. 

The Lightning Thief is a good example of why I am so keen to work with children’s books. With the flip of a page, I was instantly transported back into the younger version of myself. To the visual eye, I resembled a somewhat put-together 22-year-old, but internally I was a gangly, frizzy, Gap Kids wearing 11-year-old that was a die-hard Greek mythology fan. Amazing how that happens. My passion having been successfully rekindled, I quickly renounced my prior judgment on the series in favor of more positive feedback.