A.J. likes a girl.
A girl who is obsessed with vampires.
Conclusion: A.J. must become a vampire. Or at least, dress up like one.

Haha! I knew right away that this would be a funny graphic novel, and I was NOT disappointed! A.J. has a crush on Nia, and pretends to be a vampire to get her attention. But he gets the wrong kind of attention, because Nia dreams of becoming a vampire slayer, and comes after him with a stake!

Oh, I almost died laughing, this was so funny!
I loved the dynamic between A.J.'s two best friends. I loved the sweet flirtations between A.J. and Nia. I loved the colorful cartoony artwork. And I loved the hilarious plot and relatable characters.

But I especially loved the silly "Twilight" references hidden in the text and drawings. For example, A.J.'s middle school is named "Spoons Middle School". Haha! Get it? Because Twilight is set in the town of Forks.
A.J. even has to convince his friends that "Vampires don't sparkle!" when they want to cover him in glitter as part of his vampire disguise.

The only thing I didn't like was the ending. It was a little too Deus Ex Machina for me, and wrapped things up too cutesy and sweet. A little bit of a cop-out. Still funny, but could have been better.

This graphic novel follows an overview of Hamilton's life, his service in the Revolutionary War, and his involvement in constructing the financial laws of the new American government.

It's difficult to squeeze an entire life into 96 pages, and I thought the balance of story-telling could have been better. Interesting parts of Hamilton's military career were skimmed over, and a lot more time was dedicated to his political battles to establish a federal government with a national currency, etc... I thought the book would have been more engaging if they had spent slightly less time on the politics, since it doesn't have as much action.

The art style is cartoony and bright, with a lot of funny details in the background. The art is unpolished, and I think it could have been a little more refined. But still, it's cute, and the panels have lots of energy.

I was interested to see that this biography doesn't ignore the ugly things in Hamilton's, like his sad family past and his cheating on his wife. The book mentions them briefly, and even makes jokes about them, then moves quickly to the next subject. I don't think it's appropriate to make a joke in a children's book about adultery, but I do think it's good that they include Hamilton's faults to show that he was not a perfect person, maybe not even a good person. The subjects weren't badly handled, but they weren't exactly handled well either.

There are several little historical jokes that are hidden in the artwork and text. For instance, there are posters on the wall of the Pennsylvania State House (where Congress wrote the Declaration of Independence) that say "Silence!" and a poster of Ben Franklin saying, "Do Good!". It's a joke about the Silence Dogood letters that Ben Franklin wrote and published in a newspaper. But if you didn't already know that little tidbit of history, the joke would fly right past you.

So there were a few things in the book that didn't make sense to me, because I guess I just don't remember those little anecdotes from history. For instance, young Theodosia Burr asks her father for a glass of water. This is odd because she has very few bits of dialogue in the book. She's a very minor character. So why waste an entire panel on a little girl asking for water? I had to look her up to find out that she was lost as sea later on when she was 29. So I suppose it's funny to reference water in connection with her? Doesn't seem that funny. More like tragic. Or maybe it's a reference to her father's Manhattan Water Works company that served as a front for his new bank? That might make more sense.

I enjoyed reading this sketch of Hamilton's life, but I think it could have been better organized. I think they were trying to cram so much information into a small amount of space that it didn't flow as smoothly as it could have. Still a good book for ages 7-17.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via Media Masters Publicity in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

This graphic novel tells the history of Abraham Lincoln, from his childhood to his death, how he became president, his tragic family grief, and how he guided the American nation through the Civil War, and was ultimately assassinated.

I loved this overview of Lincoln's life! The cartoony artwork is colorful and bright, with lots of funny details in the background that bring the story to life.

I think the writers did a wonderful job of condensing such a rich life story into so few pages, but still highlighting the most important and memorable aspects of Lincoln's presidency and personal life. There were many details that I found interesting and engaging, as well as some cute jokes and anecdotes that were entertaining to read.

I only found one mistake in the book. John Wilkes Booth is described as having a brother, named "Edmund" Booth, but I looked it up, and his brother's name was Edwin Booth.

I would recommend this book to readers aged 7-17. Any student of history would enjoy reading this excellent sketch of Lincoln's incredible life and his impact on the American nation.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via Media Masters Publicity in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

Cecilia is a young heiress entrusted to three guardians; the spendthrift Mr. Harrell who only cares about keeping up social appearances at parties, the rich miser Mr. Briggs who lives in squalor and won’t give Cecilia a penny of her fortune until she comes of age, and the haughty Mr. Delville who is determined to keep Cecilia away from his handsome son, Mortimer.

After growing up in the country, Cecilia must learn to navigate the demands of London society, and guard her heart against the numerous suitors who are only interested in her vast fortune. She looks forward to the day when she will come of age, and be able to control her finances and living situation by herself. But the moment she is no longer a minor, all her circumstances become even more complicated, and her relationships spiral out of control. Cecilia must rely on her own inner wisdom and her good heart to salvage a happy life from the wreckage of her youth.

I adored this book! The characters are incredibly real and fascinating. The plot is full of astonishing surprises and dramatic turmoil. There is a duel, and a suicide, financial ruin, mystery, betrayal, secrets, madness, grief, and love, and a lot of hilarious humor. I was laughing and crying and gasping in shock!

The writing is intelligent and weaves a complex tapestry of moods and ideas. Once I reached the end, I was interested to look back and recognize several foreshadowing themes and characters that connect in unexpected ways. Many of the ideas are universal subjects that reflect social interactions and anxieties in any century, and are still applicable today. It was strange and funny to see how people never really change, despite the hundreds of years of history.

Cecilia herself is a wonderful main character. I was completely invested in her story, emotionally attached to her, and engaged with every aspect of her life. She is generous to a fault, and that gets her into trouble. She values her honor and integrity more than anything, willing to sacrifice her happiness in order to fulfill her duty. She is sensitive and smart, preferring the quiet of the country to the bustle of the city. She is also trusting and naïve, believing in the wrong people who take advantage of her, but later in the book she learns some wisdom and begins to take charge of her own life. She is resourceful in the face of tragedy, sensible when others are foolish, and forgiving when people hurt her. She suffers so much in all the drama of the book, but remains strong no matter what happens, and finds purpose and comfort in assisting the poor, donating to good causes, and personally connecting with worthy people who are grateful for her help. Oh, I just love her!

The supporting characters, both men and women, are complex and well-developed. They are memorable and unique, with their own style, their own way of talking and looking and moving. The details are what make these characters so special.

One of my favorite scenes was a masquerade event in London where Cecilia tries to guess who the masked people are, and meets some wild characters. Some of the masked revelers are easy to distinguish because their personalities are so vibrant and unique, and others are shrouded in mystery until later chapters when we learn their true identities.
I was intrigued to find that many of the characters reveal their deepest personalities when their identity is safe behind a mask. The masquerade was like seeing all the madness of society without the thin veneer of refinement. Seeing society as it truly is without the restraints.
And we see the characters as they truly are without their masks of politeness, as they wear a physical mask to hide their faces and their identities. The characters are revealed by their behavior when they think no one knows who they are. There are no consequences, because in the morning, no one will know who was who. Brilliant writing!

My one complaint is that many of the plot devices dragged on for too long. It could have been a much shorter book without losing any of the power of the writing. A shorter story would have kept the momentum going much better.

I loved this book, and I can’t wait to read more from Fanny Burney!

This graphic novel gives an overview of the life and disappearance of Amelia Earhart, focusing on her courage and daring as a pilot, but also honoring her generous spirit and kindness to the poor.

I liked the cartoony artwork, but it sort of looked hastily drawn. It could have been a little more polished. But I liked the bright colors and energetic panels!

This is a good synopsis of Amelia Earhart's life, from her childhood when she constructed her own roller coaster in her backyard, then through her education and early adulthood, through her growing fame as a pilot and many accomplishments, and following her final record-breaking flight until her disappearance. It does a wonderful job of capturing the spirit and enthusiasm of Amelia, and inspiring the reader to do amazing things!

I was interested to see that this book briefly includes mentions of her father being an alcoholic. It is only briefly mentioned, and still appropriate for children.

I thought it ended much too abruptly. I was expecting a statement about her legacy at the end to sort of wrap things up, but the book just says that she disappeared, search parties were sent out for weeks, and there are many theories as to what may have happened. The End. They could have ended on a high note with at least some mention of how she paved the way for women's rights, inspired pilots all over the world, and how people still love her story. But it just ended. I was disappointed in that. It left me feeling flat.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Media Masters Publicity in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Little Vera dreams of a place where she can fit in with other children like her- Russian/American children. She is thrilled when she gets to attend a Russian summer camp, but soon discovers that finding a sense of belonging is hard no matter where you go. It's not until she learns to look past outward appearances, that she can appreciate the true friends in her life.

I related very much to Vera, since I also grew up bilingual (English and Spanish), and grew up in a country other than my native/ heritage country. Being bi-cultural comes with its own blessings and problems, as Vera finds out.

I adore the crisp lines of the expressive artwork, and enjoyed reading this graphic novel so much! Vera is a relatable and adorable character. She makes mistakes, does stupid things, and ultimately has to forgive herself for not being perfect. I just loved her, because is a completely beautiful mess of a child.

I laughed several times during this book! There are many funny circumstances, and anyone who has ever attended summer camp knows the insane things that can happen out in the wilderness with a bunch of pre-teens.

This colorful book of recipes for children has clear instructions for simple food made from scratch. Each recipe includes a little blurb from the authors about why they love the food and how their parents or grandparents taught them to cook.

The photographs are beautiful, with bright colors and mouth-watering food on every page.

This cookbook includes recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, Appetizers, Main Dishes, Sides, and Desserts. With easy recipes for pancakes, omelettes, grilled cheese sandwiches, hummus, breaded chicken, pizza, potatoes and veggies, chocolate cake, apple pie, and many more, this cookbook is simple enough for children or teens to learn to cook on their own or with the help of an adult.

As long as the child is old enough (and responsible enough) to use a knife and an oven, they will enjoy cooking these recipes for their family and friends! The book includes warnings about using a knife properly, how to clean your cutting board, how to handle raw meat and avoid bacteria, and how to be careful using an oven or skillet.

I tried the recipe for Crispiest Breaded Chicken and it was delicious!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

I love all the Delilah Dirk graphic novels! Delilah is contrary and tough and always jumping into adventure. Her sidekick Selim is always by her side, a little more cautious, but loyal to the last.

The two intrepid friends come across the path of a Dutchman who has a clue to the lost ruins known as the Third Pillar of Hercules, and the trio set off looking for treasure. But the Dutchman has his own agenda, and Delilah and Selim must learn who they can truly trust.

An old enemy shows his face at the worst possible moment, putting everything in jeopardy, and the friends must fight and claw their way through to emerge triumphant in the lost cities and tombs of the ancient past.

I enjoyed the non-stop action, the mysteries of ancient civilizations, and the camaraderie between Delilah and Selim. Wonderful graphic novel, with beautiful artwork and strong colors!

Tom, known as The Great Brain, is up to his old tricks again, fooling the neighborhood kids into sucker bets, tricking his brother into doing all the chores, blackmailing his adopted brother out of his allowance money, and generally making trouble for the town.

But when a few kids nearly lose their lives in one of his pranks, will the shame and fear of death be enough to get the Great Brain to reform his ways?

I enjoyed this funny story about the mischievous schemes of Tom and how he drags his brothers along for the ride. He definitely reminds me of Tom Sawyer, only he's WORSE!
The wholesome atmosphere of the old town and the simple quiet people who live there, are stirred up by the wild and crazy scenarios that Tom cooks up. There is never a dull moment!

The characters are hilarious, and I loved reading how different people react to Tom's cunning. Sometimes there are serious consequences to Tom's shenanigans, but he always manages to come out on top.

I would recommend this book to anyone ages 7-15.

As a little fawn, Rannoch is born with an oak leaf mark on his forehead that signals the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. When his father is murdered on the very night of his birth, Rannoch must be hidden and kept safe from the eyes of the tyrant deer lord, Drail. As Drail gets closer to discovering Rannoch's true identity, Rannoch and his friends must flee to the North, propelling them on an epic journey towards freedom and healing for all the deer in Scotland.

It took me awhile to get into the flow of the story. There are far too many characters, some of them with similar names, making it difficult to remember them all, and the writing spends way too much time explaining boring details ad nauseum. But once the story began to move, I enjoyed the adventure, the characters, and the world-building of the deer herds and their culture. But then I was disappointed in the ending. It needed more flair, and it didn't deliver quite the epic conclusion I was looking for.

A good read, but not amazing. The writing could have been more polished, and the plot needed better pacing to keep the story moving forward.