A very satisfying conclusion. Though I always feel like I need some sort of mythology dictionary when I'm reading these.

I admit it--I never would have added this book to my to-read list without the whole Anne of Green Gables connection.
It's a very sweet story of 4 friends on the cusp of turning 13. There's the requisite mean girl (frequently called Pye. As in Josie.), interesting parents, and friendship despite their differences.
Some of it I found a bit unbelievable--a 13 year old fashion designer? A cooking show in one family's home?
But the emotions rang true, and I might have teared up at the end.
Plus, the Anne references were very fun! They reacted to the book much like I did at that age (oh, wait, I was already obsessed by 12), and it was fun to see the moms and daughters connect over a good book.
Enjoyed this, but probably won't check out the others in the series. Unless she does Betsy-Tacy, of course.

Picked up at the Red Ballooon in Minneapolis last summer.

This is an almost book: almost super clever and almost really funny. It's a Victorian madcap adventure, filled with flying machines (I did love that a girl was being scientific), bad guys, funny dogs and funny kids. It's a sequel to a book I haven't read--two girls, including one Asian princess, have escaped from a horrible British girls' school. In this novel, the faceless fiend is after the princes, and adults and kids do all sorts of crazy things to save her.
Parts of it I really enjoyed, but not enough to seek out the first book or see if there are any sequels.

Noir is exactly the right word for this. One of those books that gradually peels back the layers of the onion, so to speak. This is a very different kind of coming of age tale, and one I recommend.

So, when I was in junior high, these authors came out with the Anne of Green Gables Treasury which I devoured and was absolutely thrilled that someone was smart enough to create such a wonderful book. Since then, this team has also tackled Little Women and Little House on the Prairie, as well as adding an Anne Christmas Treasury. But somehow the Secret Garden book was missing something--not quite enough depth, maybe? Not that these are supposed to be particularly deep, but in the othes I've been able to find ideas for museum programming (now you know my secrets!) and this had nothing. But it was fun enough to make me want to reread the book, or at least rewatch the movie.

One of my favorite books ever. And a wonderful book to use when talking to little ones about historic preservation and/or urbanization. Using it at the museum becomes a truly magical experience.

This book was absolute heaven to me.