Every evening, Moose tells a story to his family. One night he can't think of any new stories, so the next day he travels in to town and goes to the library to get a book to read aloud to the family. Moose's storybook readings are so popular that the animal neighbors want to come listen to Moose reading out loud, but there are too many of them to fit in the house! Bear, Fox, Badger, Hare, Mole, and the Beavers, and the Wild Pigs all bring their children to hear the stories. Moose will have to think of a new solution so that everyone can enjoy reading storybooks.

I LOVED this book so much! It spoke to my soul in a deep way, since I love reading and I think reading together out loud is so important as a family. The way the Moose family came together and connected with all their neighbors was so beautiful! They really help each other out, and they support and celebrate each different family in the forest. What a positive and inspiring story!

The illustrations are so cute! Oh my goodness, all those little beaver and pig children running around, playing and tickling, and learning to read. So sweet! And the little bear and badger cubs are so adorable! I love the soft art style and soothing colors. The whole atmosphere of the forest and the community of animals is wonderful.

This book gave me such warm fuzzy feelings! Every time I saw some little animal in the background with a pile of books in their hands, I had a happy grin on my face. I just love to see reading celebrated and encouraged in this fun and clever book! Plus it's interesting to see how Moose has the idea to start a mobile library! So smart and fun!

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.

Dr. Wortle has hired Mr. Peacocke as a teacher in the boys prep school, but learns that Mr. Peacocke and his wife are hiding a terrible secret. The Peacocke's are not to blame, but circumstances are against them. Dr. Wortle must decide whether to throw them out, or assist them in finding a solution to their difficulties. The ensuing scandal might be enough to close down the school unless Dr. Wortle can act quickly to silence the wild rumors.

I loved this book so much! What an exciting story! One of the characters travels to America and has some dangerous encounters there, while Dr. Wortle is at home having milder adventures of his own trying to keep vicious rumors out of the press. The plot is really interesting and full of surprises.

I adore all these characters so much! Each person has such a well-written and deeply complex personality. Mr. Peacocke is the soul of honor, but more inclined to follow the spirit of the moral law, rather than the letter of the law. Mrs. Peacocke has suffered so much and is so strong and sad. I really admired her courage. Dr. Wortle is indignant and kind and generous. I love it when he rises up in righteous anger to defend the weak! Mrs. Wortle is comfortable and pious and not too bright, but full of love and kindness. Mary is sensible and sweet. I just love them all!

I loved the little side romance between Dr. Wortle's daughter, Mary, and a student at the school. It was just such a sweet and innocent little romance, that gave me all the warm fuzzy feelings!

This book explores many deep themes including religious morality and the Victorian perception of what is right and acceptable in society. In this society, reputation is everything. It was fascinating to see these issues discussed between the characters, and different points raised, and logical arguments made, and emotional pleas made for or against what each character considered to be an acceptable morality. Ultimately, each person is guided by their knowledge of God and by their own conscience to choose what is most Christ-like and good.

The writing style is wonderful! It really shows the delicate relationships between people, and the internal thoughts and emotions of various characters. I loved diving into these complex relationships, and seeing how each character's personal motivations would change the direction of the story. The dialogue draws you right into the scene, and I really enjoyed analyzing each character and their relationships with the other characters.

I was delighted with everything about this book!

Miranda was caught in an interdimensional storm and separated from her parents. She learned to survive all alone on a barren planet, until another storm lifted her onto the decks of a pirate ship. She travels to different worlds, looking for her parents and having adventures with her trusty dog, Noodles. Sometimes, she makes friends, but Miranda has learned to be wary of who she can really trust.

I loved this exciting plot! There are so many imaginative worlds and dimensions with crazy stuff happening. The characters are all so different and weird-looking. It's really imaginative and fun!

Miranda is such a strong character. She has a soft side to her that she learns to ignore, and she tries to pretend that she is battle-hardened. But truthfully, she is always ready to help those in need. I loved her character arc and her complex personality!

Each chapter has a different artist, and it was really interesting to see how they each imagined Miranda and her world a little differently. I loved all the unique art styles, and the vibrant colors!

Warning: These is some violence in this book. A couple of guys get beheaded, and one guy is split right down the middle; another guy has his arm cut off. But there is very little blood or gore, so it didn't gross me out.

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.

A young boy falls in love with the Moon and tries to win her heart by offering her lavish gifts. He slays the dragon and travels down into the deepest ocean, but the Moon is unimpressed. Finally the boy finds one thing that will touch the Moon's heart and win her love.

This book is so imaginative! The plot is like a dream and it doesn't quite make sense. The magic is mysterious and strange. You never quite know what is going to happen, but if you can just let the enchantment wash over you and accept whatever wild things come along, you will enjoy it.

The illustrations are dark and beautiful. The moonlight truly appears to glow and shimmer on the page. I love the soft art style, and the lovely designs for the boy and the scenery. It has a soothing quality, like a soft dreamy pillow. It gives me the feeling that you would have to whisper if you were reading it out loud. It's the perfect bedtime book!

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.

Each type of animal has their own special type of dancing that they are best at, but none of them compare to the flamingo's flamenco. The bears have ballet. The tigers have tap. The hippos can hip-hop, but none of them are as fantastic as the flamingo's flamenco.

This book was so funny and cute! I love the clever way that each animal's dance is alliterative. The camels can-can, and the sloths slow dance. It's so much fun to read!

The illustrations are adorable and brightly colored! I love the cute designs for each animal in their dancing costumes.

The writing is excellent in this book! The rhyming text has a nice little rhythm to it, and all the rhymes are good. I am picky about rhymes in children's books, but these are a delight!

I appreciate that this board book is sturdy and well-made to withstand the destructive forces of little hands.

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.

Horse is plain and frumpy. He's the opposite of the gorgeous Unicorn, who eats pink cupcakes and makes rainbows. Unicorn dances around spreading cheer and sunshine. Horse eats hay, and farts. But despite their differences, they become friends.

This little board book is hilarious! This is a simplified version of the more lengthy picture book [b:Unicorn( and Horse)|36476006|Unicorn (and Horse)|David W. Miles|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508956900l/36476006._SX50_.jpg|58185489]. I love that this sweet story is available for little readers too!

I laughed and laughed at the situations poor Horse has to deal with. The illustrations are a big part of the humor, with silly expressions on the character's faces and background details that make the story even funnier. I just love the soft cartoon style of the illustrations. The artwork is bright and vibrant with adorable animal characters and plenty of cuteness!

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.

This is such a sweet book about a young girl with autism, who uses wiggles and stomps to calm down her nerves. It provides a close look at how her heightened senses make getting dressed, eating a meal, and playing on the playground a different experience for her. Sometimes she gets overwhelmed, but she uses a hum, or a hug, or a tapping to help her calm down again.

What a beautiful book! I love the sweet characters, and the funny writing style. It makes the whole story really fun and relatable.

The illustrations are really cute and colorful! I love the jumping action on every page, and the sweet expressions on the character's faces.

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.

Mr. Prendick is cast ashore on an island, where the evil scientist, Dr. Moreau, engages in animal vivisection and terrifying experiments. Gradually Mr. Prendick begins to realize that the other humans on the island are not all they seem to be. They have animal instincts and strange behavior, and Mr. Prendick has to fight for his life and find some way to escape this island of horrors.

The plot moves rather slowly, with more attention given to analyzing the morality and implications of Dr. Moreau's work. A lot of time is spent scrutinizing different themes and ideas, like interesting explorations of what it really means to be human, but all the philosophizing does slow down the plot. However, when there IS any action, it is exciting and dramatic.... and violent. I did find the themes extremely interesting and well thought out.

I love the writing style! It really keeps your attention and leads you little by little into the horrible circumstances on the island. There are so many gruesome details that are described so powerfully, and that make it a thrilling read. Despite the impressive writing, I didn't come away with any major personal impression. It's a good story, and it's well-written, but it's not really my cup of tea.

I don't usually like horror, but I didn't mind this. It didn't really scare me, but gave me a nice creepy feeling. I didn't like all the descriptions of screaming and blood and gore though. And I didn't really feel any suspense, since the story is fairly well-known in popular culture.

The characters are not that complex, so I didn't relate to them very much. I felt sort of indifferent to Mr. Prendick, and didn't feel that invested in his story.

Jessica Cruz is terrified that her family will be deported, because they are illegal immigrants in the United States. She doesn't think her friends will understand, and is afraid to tell them that her family is undocumented. When she visits the history museum, she begins to have visions of the ancient Aztec gods who guide her in controlling her fear.

I am so angry at this book! This is some of the worst representation of Hispanics that I have ever seen. I grew up in Mexico as a child, and I am a United States citizen. Many of my friends are legal or illegal immigrants. I have an intimate knowledge of these issues and the people who deal with them. I am appalled at the horrible way the Hispanic culture is represented in this book.

It's like the author created their own version of what they WANT you to think about illegal Hispanic immigrants, instead of the actual reality of the issue. There is a very strong political bias in this book that distorts the facts and presents a picture of immigration that does not match the reality in the US today.
Of course, this is a fictional world, but this book is obviously trying to address real life issues and shape the reader's understanding and opinion of real life politics.

This is propaganda, pure and simple.

I was appalled to see that Jessica is violent and ignorant. She's supposed to be the hero of the story, but she encourages others to violence as well. She doesn't take the time to find out about what is really happening with immigration, but instead lives in ignorant fear, assuming the worst.

At one point, Jessica confronts an ICE agent. The ICE agent is depicted in the art with blank eyes and a permanent scowl, as if this officer is the devil himself. The art and the story depict all ICE agents as evil and soulless, utterly without compassion or integrity. It's sickening to see the way an entire group of people are demonized for simply upholding the law.

As if that wasn't enough, then Jessica actually ASSAULTS the ICE officer! I can't believe I just saw a "hero" assaulting an officer of the law. What kind of sick story is this?

Is this a villain origin story? Because the hero of this story just became a villain.
Jessica becomes a criminal in that moment, a menace to society. And she encourages her friends to do the same. Is this the kind of message that is being sent out to young people? That as long as you don't agree with the laws, you can attack those who enforce them? That is so wrong!

Later on, Jessica and her friends organize a peaceful protest. That is the kind of good message that actually brings change. That is how laws get changed. But assaulting officers who are just trying to uphold the law never did any good in this world.

I don't understand what kind of foolish book this is. It makes me sick.

The story is very obviously encouraging the reader to act in violence, and it makes me afraid that young readers will take these violent messages to heart. I worry that our society will be worse off for the way this issue has been so badly handled in the media, and for the way the facts have been distorted. I worry that this type of political propaganda with no basis in reality is hurting my Hispanic friends instead of helping them.

I am throwing this book in the trash, because that is what it is.

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 wish I had a Wookie,
To keep the monsters out.
If nightmares came to get me,
You'd hear Chewbacca shout...

This adorable book has poems about Star Wars for children. Some of them are funny, some of them are a little more serious. Some are short or long or in between. They all have cute illustrations! I just love the light-hearted style of these poems, and the art style reflects that silly and playful mood.

Most of the poems deal with every day childhood things like scraping your knee, playing sports, caring for a pet, going to school, hanging with grandparents, and things like that. It's so cute to see these things through the perspective of beloved Star Wars characters, or children who dress up in costume as their favorite character.

This book would be so much fun to read together with young Star Wars fans. What a delight!

This short poem is one of my favorites...
"Trash Compactor"
My dad yells, "Mae! What have you done?"
He bursts in with a crash.
But how can I create the scene
Unless I use real trash?

Haha! This book will definitely get you laughing!

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.