From There to Here by Laurel Croza Illustrated by Matt James

from goodreards

3.25 stars

I greatly detest moving. Packing stuff. Unpacking stuff. Making sure you are organized. It isn't too bad if it is just you, but when you add a husband and children into the mix... utter horribleness.

In our first 5 years of marriage we moved 4 times! Blah. Our last move was almost three years ago when we bought our house. I hope we don't have to have another move for a very long time.

Moving can be exciting. I loved moving to university, breaking out on my own. I liked moving into our first apartment and setting up house. The type of moving I like now is when we move the junk we have collected out of our house.

What do you think of moving?

Synopsis

This is a sequel to the book I know Here. A little girls moves from Saskatchewan to Toronto. She reflects on the differences between the new places.

My Thoughts

I didn't read the first book, but I think I will. It is a great book that kids who have moved or changed schools can identify with. It is hard to move to a new place. Change is never easy. The author explores changes not merely in location but in the family dynamic as well. I like how she shows that even if the change is hard, good things can be found anywhere, as, in the end the little girl went biking with a friend she had met.

I like how the illustrator blended the pictures together. I liked how he placed elements of the "there" pictures into the "here" pictures.

This is a great book that shows there are good things to be found no matter where you live. Moving is hard, but it will all be okay.

Curse of the Dream Witch by Allan Stratton

from goodreads

3 stars

I read this book and wrote the review during the fall, but didn't have time to put it up. Since my week has been a bit busy I decided that now was the time to put it up. For those in Canada have a fun and enjoyable long weekend!

Synopsis

King Augustine and Queen Sophia desperately want a child. They are so desperate that they make a pact with the Dream Witch. When they refuse to make their payment, which is their daughters heart, the dream witch makes the kingdom unsafe for all children after dark. On the eve of her 13th birthday Princess Olivia sets out with her pet mouse and her new friend, a peasant named Milo, to put an end to the Dream Witch's power and save the children the witch has already lured into her lair.

My Thoughts

On the whole I enjoyed this book. At times it was a bit abstract, were things dreams or were things real. It was hard to tell. At times the book was a bit disturbing, I am thinking about the children in the grinders.

It was hard to pinpoint the actual period this story was set in. With the descriptions of the castle and the villagers hut I would picture the 16th or 17th century, yet they make references to more modern items. So that was a bit odd. I still say it is fairy talesque.

Stratton does a great portrayal of a bully. He shows the reasons why people bully others, which is often because of their own insecurities which leads them to lash out to compensate for them. It is not an excuse, it is just a way to understand.

Though not as good as The Grave Robber's Apprentice it did hold my interest. The simplicity in the style of writing really worked with the story. It was written for children and that makes it easy to get caught up in its world. I think children 9 and up will enjoy it. It was a very quick read and the pacing was great.

I think you and your children will enjoy reading this book together. I think boys in particular will enjoy this story.

The Grave Robber's Apprentice by Allan Stratton

from wpl website

5 stars

I love this book. This was the book that made me start thinking about doing a book review blog. I want everyone to know about this book. I loved it so much

Synopsis

This is a story about a boy who was washed ashore while a baby. A grave robber found the baby and adopted him to be his son, and to help him rob graves. At age thirteen the boy pairs up with a princess who is fleeing the evil archduke. Through this meeting the boy is flung into adventure and find out his true identity.

My thoughts

This book is the perfect blend of adventure, humour and romance. the pace is perfect. It keeps you engaged and not lost. You can perfectly picture what is going on. For me a sign of a good author/book is when I can see the action playing in my mind like a movie. This book does just that. I could see clearly what was happening, what the characters and locations looked like.

This book would be great for boys and girls. I know that is hard to find books these days that really get boys excited about reading. There is enough adventure and action happening that it would keep a boy's attention.

It is also so nice and refreshing to read an adventure book without having to worry about explicit scenes occurring. You could just get lost in the adventure and not have to read through, swearing, gore, and sexual intentions. Nice and clean.

Although the book is meant for kids 10 and up I think adults would love to read this book. It would be a great one to read together as a family.