Interesting, but unfortunately the illustration stylr don't show the different fashions as all that different from one another, lending a flatbed to the historical ebb and flow of fashion.

The classic "strangers stuck in a hotel and bond" format is beautifully done, and all the alien cultures explored very sensitively and interestingly without a lot of boring exposition which could totally happen in the hands of a less skilled author. I hope the series isn't finished, I want to learn more about the relationships developed here.

I was really interested to see how all the diverging characters and story lines came together, or at least came to their own endings. Instead, disappointingly, neither thing happened and many of my favorite characters were simply dropped at the end, in the middle of doing things and with no real resolution.

Gorgeous artistry. Very true to the Snow White tale, which I appreciated. Told as a period piece about the daughter of a New York stock broker near the beginning of the great depression.

Overview of African American history through the lens of one family. I like the way this is personalized. The clear writing makes it legible at the 2nd or 3rd grade level. Timelines, data charts, and index being included makes this a good resource for classroom use as well.

The pictures are sharp and the recipes look delicious, but this book is not written with children in mind. A young reader would find the small text difficult to read, and the recipes are complex enough to need adult help for almost any child. There are little to no diagrams or pictures showing how to complete the recipes, which should accompany any instructional text for children. Those children who ARE able to follow these recipes would also be able to follow the recipes in any adult cookbook, and don't need this one. I do, however, appreciate that the dishes are tied to seasonal celebrations, that is a nice touch.

Leans a bit too heavily into "magic can do anything" to have coherent plot structure, but still quite fun.

This book has some good advice, but I was surprised to learn that it is extremely Christian, often quoting the Bible, telling children to imagine telling things to Jesus, etc. For this reason, I don't think it belongs in a public library in the mental health section, nor do I think it would be well received in the religions section. It is further a confusing mishmash of text intended for children and text intended for adults. Are adults supposed to read the relevant bits to their children? are children supposed to read it and somehow skip the part for adults? Unclear.

I'm really loving this series. It's riding that line between early chapter and midgrade fiction, and has realistic and achievable wins.

Review by my 5 year old: I like that she saved the program for two more years and no one would ever destroy the fun. Also Sparkles Sanchez