Book Review: Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Different versions of fairy tales intrigue me. This one has Red being fearless, unless there is magic involved. Now she has to turn to it to try to help her granny, who is ill.
She asks Goldie to help her. Goldie is blond and likes trying porridge. Together they go through the dwarves' caverns to come to a haunted well and a castle that belongs to a beast. Unbeknownst to them a wolf and a  huntsman are on their heels.
I love this take on the story. I know my grandchildren would take to it right away. There are enough surprises to keep them reading to the end.


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Book Review: The Palace Library

The Palace Library is set in an old house. This special place is visited by three children who happened on it expectantly. Along with an deerhound and some magical books they discover a doorway which takes them to the past. They find a kingdom which is missing their Great Sword of State. This article is not only gone but it was totally destroyed. The queen tell the children they must find a replacement for the sword so they go on beyond world's end to find one. 

This book takes the reader on a spectacular journey with the children. Along the way the author, Steven Loveridge, leaves the reader wanting to continue on with them. I believe children will be captivated by the story while they find it fun. The author has a creative writing style which I loved.

I was given this book by NetGalley and Cameron Publicity and marketing Ltd. in exchange for my honest review. 

Children's Book Review: Chickadees, Bumbelbeez, Pussy Willow Trees and Two-And-A-Half

The cover of this book gives a good idea of the illustrations that are waiting the readers inside. They are bright and beautifully done.

The story begins with a monkey that wants to explore the world beyond where he lives. So he saves his money and heads off on an adventure. On the trip he comes across a little cat and a pelican. Each has the desire to explore. Once they reach their designation they make friends with a dog.

The animals learn how each friend has some skill that is useful to the others. The cat is able to talk the local language, the pelican brings fish, monkey is able to find bananas and coconuts, and the dog teaches them about their surrounding and how to ride horses.

There are so many easy to learn lessons in this book such as the importance of explorations, culture, friends, skills, respect for new surroundings and languages.

From the first page, I could see how my own granddaughter is going to enjoy this book. She already loves books, but when she finds the animals that this book is about and the illustrations she is going to be enthralled. Any one that knows someone that enjoys being read to, or even independent readers, should look for this book for them.

I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Children's Book Review: Milo Speck, Accidental Agent

Milo Speck looks for a lost sock in the dryer and then his life changes. Milo finds himself an ogre snack in Ogregon. He also discovers that his father, a salesman for Tuckerman Fencing, is the focus of a search by the ogres. Milo begins looking for his father and comes across many adventures along the way.

This is such a fun book. In my mind I could imagine reading this book with my children when they were younger. Then when I read that Linda Urban finds inspiration in Roald Dahl, I understood why. He wrote some of our favorite books. Now I can add this one to the shelf to read to my grandchildren someday.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Children's book review: A Pink Boat Adventure by Kathleen Ivan

This book was disturbing to me. When two friends, Kathlean and Crustina, set off on a sailboat trip a rather unusually event takes place that transforms one of the friends into bread and the other friend is left alone.

As I read children's books, I think if it is a book that I would like to read to my granddaughter. In this case I would not. It traumatized me and I am afraid it would do the same to her. Usually when an unexpected twist comes in a book the reader expects it to right itself if the end and this story did not come to that conclusion.

Because of these things I would not recommend this book.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.