Reviews written by Jan Farnworth, Staff Reviewer

240 results - showing 46 - 60
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Ordering
September 16, 2023
Overall rating
 
3.7
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
3.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Young Adult Fiction
Heromaker

What I liked: Champion of Fate tells the story of Reed, an Aristene who has a bitey horse and who is destined to make a hero no matter how much she might doubt that. Aristene are mythical female warriors, part of a legendary order. Though heroes might be...

September 16, 2023
Overall rating
 
3.3
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
3.0
Writing Style
 
3.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Kids Indie
The right book at the right time

What I liked: A bookshop that has a mission for its owners takes these books and waits for the owner to arrive so you can share this perfect book with them. Each day, when the family opens the shop, a stack of books will be waiting, but one...

September 14, 2023
Overall rating
 
4.7
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Young Adult Fiction
For the chiildren, for life

What I liked: Historical fiction is an opportunity to take a piece of our nightmarish history and shine a line on it through a different lens than just the war itself. This time, Sharon Cameron is looking at the battle and sharing information through the art of forging...

September 12, 2023
Overall rating
 
4.5
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
4.0
Middle Grade Fiction
Finding the right thing

What I liked: What if you found a Santa bag and found out that it would grant you infinite toys? What if you wanted a puppy and knew a greedy toy company was trying to control Christmas? The Naughty List meets Elf in this beautiful book...

September 11, 2023
Overall rating
 
4.5
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Undercover bookworms

What I liked: The Hardy Boys series was a classic when I was younger, along with Nancy Drew. If you were into a mystery, spy books were the go-to ones to pick up. Now, a new set of Hardy Boys is geared for an even younger crowd but...

September 10, 2023
Overall rating
 
4.7
Writing Style
 
5.0
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Young Adult Indie
Fair Folk real or myth

What I liked: Tannin made this story worth the read; she is crude, brave, spits fire, and everything you want in a character. The Fair Folk are believed to be a myth, stories told about monsters and old magick. But like all fairy tales, they are rooted in...

September 06, 2023
Overall rating
 
4.5
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
4.0
Is being Flat cheating?

What I liked: Children are naturally competitive and will jump at the chance to point out what they deem unfair. That happens when Stanley can fly to win a swing jumping contest. Soon, he is questioning his self-worth and whether or not his flatness is fair....

September 06, 2023
Overall rating
 
4.3
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Middle Grade Fiction
The Fate of the Tribe

What I liked: The Bigfoot Queen is the third book in a series about a tribe called the Yare. Don't worry if you did not pick up the first two books in the series when they came out. The author does an incredible job of weaving the previous...

September 05, 2023
Overall rating
 
4.8
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Two are better then one.

What I liked: Stanley is back with new adventures as he starts second grade. For those unfamiliar with Flat Stanely, he is a character flattened by a bulletin board that fell off his wall. Flat Stanely is a loveable and unique character that parents will remember and enjoy...

September 04, 2023
Overall rating
 
4.7
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Young Adult Fiction
Either you trust the forest or you don’t?

What I liked: Diving back into the world of The Luminaries was like putting on my favorite pajamas. It was like I never left it. I picked up right next to Winnie Wednesday as she embraced being accepted back into The Luminaries and all the crazy stuff like...

September 04, 2023
Overall rating
 
5.0
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Kids Fiction
Libraries can make a big difference in lives

What I liked: Patricia loves birds, and growing up on her grandparent's farm, she learns a lot about birds. Being an artist is her dream, and she draws a lot of birds and even depicts the life of one she finds outside her bedroom window. While moving to...

September 04, 2023
Overall rating
 
4.8
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Kids Fiction
We all need someone

What I liked: A scrappy stray kitten brought home with no reason to trust its new owner is prickly, scratchy, and not at all the loveable kitten that was anticipated. But as the story progresses, the owner learns that the stray soon becomes her best friend if she...

September 04, 2023 (Updated: September 05, 2023)
Overall rating
 
4.8
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Hide and Seek Picture Book

What I liked: A sequel to the author's previous book, Have You Seen Elephant? This time, he and his elephant and dog are looking for dinosaurs in the city. You have to be very observant to find dinosaurs, but on every page, you will find one hanging out...

September 04, 2023
Overall rating
 
4.8
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Kids Fiction
The most unlikely friendship

What I liked: One of my favorite class assignments when I was younger was exchanging letters with a pen pal. Our class was paired with another type, but that class was based in another part of the world. The excitement of learning what they liked, what...

September 02, 2023
Overall rating
 
4.8
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Save The Garden

What I liked: Betty and the Mysterious Visitor is a debut Children's picture book about an exceptional garden. Betty and her grandmother rely on the crops to help them make jam to sell at the local market. Betty is a determined child with a big imagination,...

240 results - showing 46 - 60
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