The Most Magnificent Maker's A to Z by Ashley Spires

I had read "The Most Magnificent Thing" and really enjoyed it. This book was also a joy. With delightful illustrations, Spires goes through the alphabet with different words related to inventing. Like in the first book, Spires includes ideas around the fact that failure is not bad, it's just a way to cross off a path that didn't work and I love that. 

Four stars

This book comes out September 5, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Kids Can Press and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic by Betty MacDonald

Oh my goodness. I had forgotten how much I loved the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books. Every book is a collection of children with bad manners who are taught how to behave through some magical cure provided by Mrs. P-W. This particular book includes the tattle-tale cure (every time the children tattle, a big cloud with a tail forms above their heads), the interrupter cure (when someone tries to interrupt, their mouth either stays open or opens and shuts without noise), the sloppy eater cure (pig teaches child how to eat)and, one of my favorites, the cure for a heedless child (pills that make the child slow down so she has time to think before she breaks things.

Of course, none of these would work for today's kids (notwithstanding the fact that none of these things actually exist) but it's still a cute lesson for kids on how to behave.

Four stars
This book came out in 1949

Follows Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Followed by Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm by Betty MacDonald

I like the first two books in the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series but after that... eh. The books are usually charming with their magical realism. This book features a lot more magic, a lot less realism.

We start off with the Not Truthfulness Cure. We've got a young gentleman who can't seem to tell the truth and there are a lot of different stories going around town. So he's left with Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle for a month. Yes. His parents just drop him off at a woman's farm, out of town (she's moved since the first two books) and this is someone they don't really know. Okay. 

Next up is the Pet-forgotten cure where a little girl can't take care of her many, many pets. 

In the Destructiveness Cure, we meet Jeffy who likes to take things apart. Of course, being at Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's will show him why that's not a good idea. Suddenly in this book, Penelope the parrot, who was a regular parrot before, talks in full sentences.

There is also the Fraidy-Cat Cure. Phoebe is scared of everything but when Mrs Piggle-Wiggle gets trapped and getting over being a fraidy cat has to happen quickly.

Lastly we have the Can't Find It Cure where Morton comes up with a fabulous treasure... which was how the last book ended.

You can probably tell that I was frustrated with this book as being a retread of a lot of earlier stories.

Two stars

This book came out in 1954

Follows Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic

Followed by Hello Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

A is for Audra by John Robert Allman, Peter Emmerich

This is one of the books from NPR's Best Book that intrigued me. And it's a delightful book though I think you need some Broadway knowledge to really appreciate. Going from A to Z (with a couple of stretches), this book lauds the divas of the Great White Way. The poems are short and easy; the illustrations are delightful. 

Four stars

This book came out November 12, 2019

Hard copy I didn't keep

Opinions are my own

Matilda by Roald Dahl, Sarah Greene

I think that coming to this book later in life may make it difficult to overlook the nastiness of the adults but Roald Dahl generally has his tongue firmly in his cheek while writing and his books have to be taken in with that in mind.
But who can't love a tiny girl, only 4 years old, who toddles herself down to the library. And then, at 5, deciding to get revenge against her parents. And then uses her excess brain power to convince a real baddie that she needs to repent.
Okay, yes, this is spreading dissidence toward parents but even I could tell the difference between these parents and my own while reading this book.

Four and a half stars

This book came out October 1, 1988

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Hayley Mysteries: The Missing Jewels by Hayley LeBlanc

This is a quick and fun read and a nice follow up to the first book in the series. 

Haley and her friends (and Amelia) are back at it, recording episodes for Sadie Solves It. There is another mystery to solve though when a crown goes missing from the set. It's paste but it is an important part of this particular episode where a princess (played by an actor famous for being a superhero) is searching for her long-lost sister. But, unfortunately, it's not the only piece of jewelry to go missing. And all signs point to one of Hayley's favorite people, Vee, being the thief. It's up to the Silver Sleuthios (like Silver Studios) to solve the mystery so Vee can keep her job and get her daughter's surgery underway. 

Four stars

This book comes out September 6, 2022

Follows Hayley Mysteries: The Haunted Studio

ARC kindly provided by Sourcebooks Kids and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Haunted Studio by Hayley LeBlanc

Hayley is starring in a TV show about a girl detective. Her two best friends on the show are her two best friends in real life, Cody and Aubrey. Her little sister on the show, Amelia,  is a diva in real life. Very dramatic; for example, she "faints" every time she forgets her lines. Their show moves to a new sound stage for their second season and one of the first things the trio learns is that there is a a ghost supposed to be haunting the set. Amelia quickly picks up the story and helps spreading rumors. Hayley has experienced some weird phenomena on the set herself. She doesn't want her show to end so she sets out to figure out what's going on. 

This was a fun start to a new mystery series. 

Four stars

This book come out August 19, 2022

Followed by The Hayley Mysteries: The Missing Jewels 

ARC kindly provided by Sourcebooks Kids and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster,Rainn Wilson

This book is a favorite of many people's childhood and with good reason. Milo is a normal boy who one day discovers a box in his bedroom. The box contains a car and a tollbooth. The tollbooth takes him to mysterious lands where two feuding kings (brothers) have declared that either words or numbers is supreme and they have banished their sisters, Rhyme and Reason, from the land of Wisdom. 

The word play in this book is fantastic and listening to Rainn Wilson tell the story was a cherry on top.  Juster includes a foreward and is funny and self-deprecating, talking about how this book came about as a result of avoid other work.

Five stars

This book came out 1961

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Five Minutes: (That's a Lot of Time) (No, It's Not) (Yes, It Is) by Liz Garton Scanlon, Audrey Vernick, Olivier Tallec

Is five minutes a long time? Well, I guess it depends on what you are doing at the time. 

A cute book that is carried by the illustrations. I think the NPR Best Books description was maybe a little tempered by the author's love of the first book from this duo.

Three and a half stars

This book came out September 17, 2019

Borrowed as a hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own

Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur T. Bradley, January LaVoy

The invitations went out for a weekend at the (rumored to be haunted) Barclay Hotel. One each, delivered by courier, to five people only: a  cowboy, a librarian, a CEO, an actress, and a detective on a Tuesday. From April 3rd to  April 5th, these guests will get to experience an all-expense paid weekend at the newly-renovated hotel. 

J.J. Jacobson works hard to convince his mom to go to the hotel. He loves ghost hunting but wishes that his CEO mother had a little more time for him. He convinces his parents to go but hopes without revealing his secret. In fact, almost everyone going has a secret. The only holdout is Detective Walker because even his granddaughter, Penny, has something she's not talk about. The other invitees include Buck who is a cowboy and a liar, Miss Chelsea who is a librarian and inveterate contest enterer, and Fiona Flemming who is an actress and medium. We also get to meet Emma, the chef's niece, who is excited because she rarely gets to hang out with other children.

All of them are entering a hotel but none of them will be leaving with their secrets in tact. 

I really enjoyed this book. I would take off a half star because there were a few too many zigs and zags but overall a fascinating listen and a large part of that was due to the narration of January LaVoy. NPR Best Books rarely steers me wrong.

Four and a half stars

This book came out August 25, 2020

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery by Ally Carter

Three months after the end of the last book, the children of the Winterborne Home are feeling a little bit desperate. Gabriel Winterborne is back but his abrupt return to life chased off Isabella Nelson, the woman who had been running the home. Everything is falling apart which is not a good time since an agent from Child Protective Services has decided to stop by. And on a day when a new Sadiematic is being tested. And Violet is for sure needing new clothes since Tim had to split the back of her dress in order for her current clothes to fit. It's just not a good time.

But it appears that someone is after April. And, though there are people there to protect her, it might not be how she expects. Or perhaps even wants.

Another interesting book in the series. There is a little bit of character development in this book but it is more about the adventure than anything else. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out March 2nd, 2021

Follows by Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

I adored these books as a child. Kid doesn't want to take a bath? Let her get dirty enough to plant radishes on. Child doesn't want to clean up his toys? Well, let ti get to a point that he can't get out of his room and then throw a parade. I loved this book because Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle was so pragmatic. It was magic and yet not. 

As an adult, I don't like the references to the outdated notions of how Native Americans behaved nor the fact that the mothers defer to the fathers in everything and that the fathers are so quick to mete out corporal punishment. Would a child notice these things? Maybe not. These things are (in my opinion) light and could probably be omitted if read aloud. 

Four stars

This book came out in 1947

Followed by Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook from Libby February 2023

Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter

April is an orphan. She doesn't know much about her past except for the key hanging around her neck. Her mother never told her what it was for but she's sure that all will be explained when her mother returns.  A trip to the local museum finally gives her a clue when she sees the crest on her key in the Winterborne exhibit. Always good at noticing things, April figures out how to get back into the museum that night. She doesn't mean to set the exhibit on fire. But when she wakes up in the aftermath, there is a mysterious woman, Ms. Nelson, who is taking her to a new group home. But first, they pick up two other children, the nearly silent Violet and her apparently self-appointed protector, Tim. When they get to the home, it is Winterborne house and there are two other children already in residence.The first is Sadie, an inventor, the daughter of scientists who used to work for the Winterborne family. The second is Colin who started living in the house after his mother posed as the fiancee of the long-lost Winterborne heir, Gabriel.

Everyone in Gabriel's family died in a boating accident except for his uncle. The fame and the wealth became too much for him and he disappeared ten years ago and is presumed dead. But mysterious happenings in the house make April wonder if the truth is something different.

There is enough time for some character development in this book but it is mostly world building. This might be a very interesting series as Carter has started a story but there is much room to grow.

Four stars

This book came out March 3rd, 2020

Followed by Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Con Quest! by Sam Maggs

Just because your parents are cult favorites, it doesn't automatically mean that their kids will be nerds as well. Fiona sure isn't. In fact, she's been invited to the popular kids camp trip. But she's only going to get to attend if she can keep her brother and sister in line while her parents attend their panel.

But Cat and Alex aren't interested. Instead, they want to compete in the unauthorized Quest that runs in the Con every year. But just because something is fun, it doesn't mean it won't be stressful. By the end of the day, all three of them will have some of their preconceived notions upended.

It took me awhile to get into this book but I did like the way the characters grew over the course of the book.

Three stars

This book comes out June 23rd

ARC kindly provided by Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom by Louis Sachar

The Wayside school is back and strange things are happening. But normal things are too. The children in Mrs. Jewell's class on the thirtieth floor are learning about the number one million. To that end, they are collecting one million nails. They are also having recess and eating Mrs. Mush's food. But they are also operating under the Cloud of Doom. Kathy is... pleasant. Faces are freezing. Gusts of wind blow children all the way up to their floor.
I was obsessed with the Wayside books. I could understand the puns and the weirdness. Every time I read them there was something new to find. And all the old favorites are here. The Erics, Mr. Pickell, Louis... a great addition to the series, fans old and new will enjoy.

Four stars
This book comes out February 5th
ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins and Edelweiss
Opinions are my own

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition but neither does anyone expect the Herdmans to want to get involved with the Second Presbyterian Christmas pageant. The Herdmans are a group of children that are known for running wild doing things like smoking cigars, blackmailing other kids, bringing their one-eyed cat to school, etc. Not exactly the students who you'd expect to volunteer to be the living nativity. Would it have happened if the regular director hadn't broken her leg? Maybe. But her insinuation that it wouldn't've is what sets the narrator's mother (the fill-in) to declare that this is going to be the best Christmas pageant ever.

With an adult's eye, you understand why the Herdmans run so wild and it might break  your heart just a little but at least one of them seems to have a heart by the end of the story.

Four stars

This book came out in 1972

Book from library

Opinions are my own

The Secret of Dinswood by Ellen Alexander

Many years ago a pirate got so much gold that he decided to retire in anonymity. He named himself Lord Dinswood and established a school. His ancestors kept up the tradition and now it is a prestigious place. One that Emma Higsby is delighted to be going to. Her father remarried and the family doesn't seem to have a place for her any more.
Dinswood school is high in the mountains and the students are rich and snobby. At least, a lot of them are. But luckily, Emma makes some friends. And she's going to need those friendships to help save the school from financial ruin. They'll need to solve the riddle of Lord Dinswood to find the treasure, outsmarting the others searching for the same thing.
This book was fun but a little long. Definitely a book for fans of epic tales about finding treasure.]

Three stars
This book came out February 26
ARC kindly provided by publisher and NetGalley

Geeky Fab 5 vol. 1: It's Not Rocket Science by Liz Lareau; Lucy Lareau

The book starts with Lucy preparing for a new day at school. It starts off okay, meeting her friend Zara "Zeke" Kumar in line and then discovering that they are in the same pod (desks grouped together). Unfortunately, a monkey bar breaks, Lucy is injured, and it leads the principal to completely shut down the playground during recess. With the help of her new friends, Lucy decides to raise the funds to get a new playground. But the sixth graders don't want the team to succeed; they like having the playground to themselves.
It's a bit cheesy and the "Girl Power" is a little ... unsubtle, but overall an enjoyable read.

Three stars
This book came out July 31
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Today I'll Be a Unicorn by Dana Simpson

Would've been five stars if this book had been longer (8 pages!). There is a nice story of Marigold deciding that she is going to be a unicorn for a day but then deciding it is not for her. I'd call it an entrance drug to the Heavenly Nostrils series.

Four stars
This book comes out May 8
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Peanut Butter and Jelly by Ben Clanton

I really enjoy the Narwhal and Jelly books and think that people will like this one as well. You definitely don't have to have read the other two books in the series to enjoy this one but it would help. Narwhal discovers that there is food other than waffles and becomes obsessed with peanut butter. Very cute but I felt like it was a lot shorter than previous Narwhal books.

Four stars

This book comes out March 27

Follows Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt