Snoopy: Beagle Scout Adventures by Charles M. Schulz

Charlie Brown is off to camp. His parents think he'll make friends but he's not so sure. It doesn't start off well with people making fun of his name and finding out that his baseball team is winning without him. 

The next year, Linus goes and also meets Roy. He also has his blanket with him but isn't worried about being teased. Of course, he tells everyone about the Great Pumpkin and gets elected camp president. 

We also get to see Snoopy in the Beagle Scouts and as the various kids apply to NOT go to camp. Of course, Charlie Brown is turned down but he somehow doesn't make it to camp. 

A little more scripture than I remember but still a really enjoyable read.

Four stars

This book comes out April 30, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Andrew McMeel Publishing and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Unicorn Playlist by Dana Simpson

When the book starts out, Phoebe is sad because she saw some of the recent news on her dad's computer. And, well, the world can be a scary place. Luckily, we all have Marigold Heavenly Nostrils who can distract us even for a little while with her charming narcissism and love of Phoebe.

We learn about when the mail used to have more than just credit card offers, we learn what Marigold wishes for, we learn about Phoebe and Marigold's favorite music, some of Marigold's family tree (Infernus, the Unicorn of Death (also known as "Ferny")). There is also an interesting twist between Dakota and the goblins that I did not see coming. Luckily, she still wants to be friends with Phoebe. Lots of little jokes in between with my favorite being Phoebe's father getting a call that says "Scam Likely" and Marigold thinks it's a unicorn with the same name. 

Four stars

This book comes out September 28, 2021

Follows Unicorn Famous

Followed by Unicorn Selfies

ARC kindly provided by Andrew McMeel Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Unicorn Famous by Dana Simpson

Another fabulous book from Dana Simpson. Though the stories show the life of a grade schooler, she doesn't talk down to them and even includes a glossary in every book because her vocabulary might be above their reading level.

Phoebe and Marigold are back again talking about unicorn fashion and going to the goblin awards as well as a water park. We learn more about unicorn lore including what unicorns used to think about thunder and a story about caring what others think. 

One of my favorite storylines is the relationship between Phoebe and her frenemy Dakota. I'm loving seeing how they went from mean girl and the person she bullied to both of them slowly growing. 

Four and a half stars

This book comes out April 6, 2021

Follows Virtual Unicorn Experience

Followed by Unicorn Playlist

ARC kindly provided by Andrew McMeel Publishing

Opinions are my own

Reread May 2022

Big Nate: In Your Face by Lincoln Peirce

As always, Peirce delivers a series of strips wherein we get to see Nate interacting with his friends during sports and at school. We see his delusions of grandeur when it comes to all of the above. Of course, he spars with Gina and Mrs. Godfrey (even on the first day of school.) There are a series of strips related to his playing on the soccer team including wanting to get some music to play pre-game and how that quickly fizzles and also believing that he should be scouted (even in middle school) and figuring out that that will mean some extra training with someone he'd rather not spend time with.

It is also Nate's turn to take care of Sherman, the class hamster, and, being Nate, doesn't do it in quite the way one might expect. 

I am really enjoying the addition of Dee Dee. I can't remember when she was introduced but she's been appearing in more and more of the series. She is a great character and it's nice to see Nate actually relating to a female in a positive manner (not just as a despised teacher or sibling or, on the other hand, as a love interest.)

Four and a half stars

Follows The Gerbil Ate My Homework

Followed by Aloha

This book comes out March 2nd

ARC kindly provided by Andrew McMeel Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Virtual Unicorn Experience by Dana Simpson

Marigold Heavenly Nostrils and Phoebe have been friends for a number of books but their adventures are still fun and fresh. In this book, Marigold gives Phoebe a little bit of unicorn magic to help prove that Phoebe is worth being a unicorn's friend. Phoebe also goes to a meaningless trial but is disappointed with the results. We get to learn more about unicorn traditions and get to see some of our favorite characters like Lord Splendid Humility and Dakota (but no Max or the goblins.)
As always, a book worth reading: fun, fluffy, and with unicorns! Can there be anything more magnificent?

Four and a half stars
This book comes out September 1st
Follows Camping with Unicorns

Followed by Virtual Unicorn Experience
ARC kindly provided by Andrew McMeel Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Camping with Unicorns by Dana Simpson

Phoebe and Marigold are back and at their best. For most of the book, the timing is summer vacation. Phoebe re-learns how to manage her own time. Marigold learns about camping. Everyone gets to meet a unicorn who lives in the forest so he can be "away from it all" (not including video games).  And Phoebe starts to be something like friends with Dakota (since Phoebe is the only person she can talk to about the goblins).
It's impressive how much growth these characters can still have in book 11 yet stay true to themselves (little girl and narcissistic not-so-fictional character.) I thought it was really interesting that, while Dakota seems to have no one to talk to about unicorns, Phoebe and her parents as well as Max and his parents all accept unicorns with equanimity.

Five stars
This book comes out April 7th
Follows The Unicorn Whisperer
Followed by Virtual Unicorn Experience
ARC kindly provided by Andrew McMeel Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Big Nate: Blow the Roof Off! by Lincoln Peirce

Big Nate has a girlfriend! And she's a seventh grader! I wish there had been a little more repercussions for Nate being a little gross about Trudy- or at least some more realization on Nate's part that she might not want to be talked about like she was around just for Nate's pleasure but there is little that pierces Nate's shield of obliviousness.
Overall a fun book.

Four stars
This book came out March 3
ARC kindly provided by Andrew McMeel Publishing and NetGalley
Also downloaded from library
Opinions are my own