This book is based on the Disney movie Princess Protection Program and is book #1 of several titles within the series.  Even though it is the first installment, the story must pick up from where the movie left off.  The main character, a high school girl named Carter Mason, is off to Washington DC with her father as the very special guest of Queen Rosalinda of Costa Luna.  She became best of friends with ‘Rosie’ when she came to live with Carter and her dad, a security guy for the ‘Princess Protection Program.  It had been up to Carter to teach Rosie how to blend in and be a regular teenage American gal.  Apparently this all happened in the movie, which I never did see.  Anyway, now Rosie is visiting the U.S.  and has invited Carter and her father to be her guest while she is in DC.  Shortly after they arrive there, Rosie and Carter’s father both must leave for some urgent business, leaving Carter on her own with the other security guards.  She befriends Princesses Alice Catherine and Ingrid from Scandia, and uncovers a plot to dethrone the heir to the Scandia throne, Alice Catherine.  She does some sleuthing, her dad comes back and Rosie comes back to pitch in and help, and they solve the case.  Cute, interesting, and totally unbelievable.  I’m sure some girls who adore princesses and who’ve seen the movie will enjoy this adventure.  The characters are predictable as is the plot.  Not too much to think about here.

Milo and Jazz, best friends and detectives, are away at summer camp, one on each side of the lake.  Jazz was having fun, writing every other day to Milo.  Milo was also having fun, except for one kid.  Isn’t it always that one kid can ruin the whole thing?  This kid, Tony, was always giving Milo a bad time, laughing at him, teasing him, and just being a general pain.  Plus Milo kept forgetting to write to Jazz, although he thought of her often.  As part of a camp ritual, each camp has a ‘color war’ and each team makes it’s own mascot.  Milo and his blue team make an excellent version of the dreaded ‘Lake Moose’, a creature so scary that legends had been told of it for years.  A lot of the color war competition and points depended on the mascot.  The day after the blue team makes their mascot, it disappears.  Milo is sure it is the obnoxious kid, Tony, but how did he do it?  Jazz comes to the rescue and saves the blue team from defeat and delivers the Lake Moose by canoe.  It appears that Tony had a twin sister who looks just like him who he coerced into stealing the mascot.  The whole story spills. Kids will enjoy figuring out who is responsible for the missing mascot.

I think of Todd Parr as a contemporary Mr Rogers. His books gently deal with issues important to kids’ mental and social health. This newest title speaks to what can frighten children, acknowledges those fears and offers ways to deal with them. I particularly appreciate his signature bold colored illustrations and his sense of humor. “Sometimes I’m scared to go shopping for new underwear. I’m not scared when I wear them on my head.” The illustration would make anyone giggle…which is what you want to do in the middle of a book which brings up real fears. I appreciate one of his closing points, which is a good reminder for all of us…”Sometimes we are scared of things because we don’t understand them.” (I think of spiders, racism, etc.) Here’s another “must have” for your Todd Parr collection.

Abdo’s Checkerboard Biography Library has a wonderful Children’s Authors series, which includes this title. What I love about it, is that it is a clearly written, and engaging text with interesting anecdotes to give the reader insight into the life of a notable author. It provides just the right amount of information for the elementary reader. Each chapter is a two page spread, complete with accompanying photographs. The glossary has words that are well chosen, and necessary for comprehension. Index and Websites are also part of the back matter.

Emma enjoys romping adventures outdoors and is very surprised when her Uncle Leo sends her a Ballerina outfit.  Taking advice from her mailman, neighbor and brother, she tries to be a proper ballerina but can’t quite get it down.  When Uncle Leo arrives, they figure out that the wrong costume was sent, he had ordered a safari outfit!  I enjoyed the illustrations the most in this book as they are quirky and comical.

This picture book is a fun way to introduce the concept of New Year’s resolutions to young children.  The main character, Squirrel, travels the forest trying to think of a resolution for the New Year.  Along the way, she runs into many friends, each of whom she helps to overcome some difficulty or problem.  By the end of the day, Squirrel is sad and still without a resolution until her friend Rabbit points out that she’s found a way to help someone every day.  What a perfect resolution for Squirrel!  The message is clear and well-presented and the illustrations are colorful and quite detailed.  I will enjoy reading this book aloud at elementary story time and displaying it after Christmas.

This is a story about a young girl named Holly who moved out into the country when her family  bought an old run-down farm.  They fixed it up and Holly quickly fell in love with country life.  Many of her neighbors had horses and she longed for a  horse more than anything.  On her birthday, when her parents said her gift was in the barn, she thought for sure she would have a horse.  Alas, only a bike.  But a beautiful bike and she raced up the country road past the horses off on an adventure of her own.  The illustrations are delightful and vibrant, full of movement.  The characters are sweet and likeable.  This book would appeal to all those little children who would love to own or ride a horse.

Reminiscent of Clementine by Sara Pennypacker, Just Desserts is a sweet little novel about an 8 year-old character nick-named Dessert.  Dessert is the oldest of 4 children in her family and feels tormented by her younger siblings.  Finding that her friends at school are like-minded about their siblings, she forms a club called The Annoying Siblings Club.  Dessert charges a joining fee and gleefully begins spending the money on hot lunches and other treasures.  At first this club seems like the answer to all of Dessert’s problems but it soon backfires as members become dissatisfied with her advice.  The setting of the story alternates between school, home and the family’s gourmet restaurant.  The characters are believable and fun.  Dessert’s quirky teacher Mrs. Howdy Doody is a particular crack-up.  This second book the the Dessert series follows Dessert First but works just fine as a stand-alone.   I enjoyed this little novel and would recommend it for 1st gr. through 4th grade readers.

Older teenager, Nola, travels from Massachusetts to Maine for a summer job.  Nola is seeking to find herself because she has been the caretaker of her little sister who has cancer.  On her way to Maine, she meets another girl on the bus, Carly, and they quickly become friends.  Is Carly really who she says she is?

This is a book about finding one’s true identity.  The author has written a very unpredictable story sure to capture the reader’s attention.  Teens can easily relate to the characters.  Readers are guaranteed drama and conflict.  Readers are left with a strong message about self.

— Briana W.

This is an amazing story!  Reading this story with children from countries where they go to beautifully furnished, comfortable buildings is an eye opening experience.  They learn of children in a country where their school is built by the children and teacher out of natural materials they are able to gather.

The pictures and story are full of love for learning.  It opens your eyes to how much some people do for the priviledge of learning.

This story is an easy read.