Warriors Roundup

This series seems to have a bit of everything that makes up a good story. There's an invented world in which cats live in clans in the forest. They live by their own warrior code, which values honor, courage, respect, and discipline. Among the clan, there are loyalties and enemies, alliances and betrayals. Even StarClan - a spiritual clan in the night sky - provides a supernatural flair. The series follows a "kittypet" - a cat born in the human world and raised as a pet - who gives up his life of comfort to join ThunderClan.

Throughout the epic tale, there is action and mystery, love and hatred. Friendships form, relationships get complicated, some cats leave their clan, others die. It's a remarkably compelling read, and I was surprised by how much it drew me in.

• Into the Wild (#1) ★★★★★
• Fire and Ice (#2) ★★★★
• Forest of Secrets (#3) ★★★★½
• Rising Storm (#4) ★★★
• A Dangerous Path (#5) ★★★
• The Darkest Hour (#6) ★★★★★

After reading this series, I absolutely did not feel ready to leave the forest! I was thrilled to find out that there is actually a huge Warriors franchise. There are series about the next generations of cats, and also Super Editions featuring characters from the original series. I don't know how many other Warriors-related books I'll read, but of course I'll list whatever I do read here.

Super Editions

• Firestar's Quest (#1) ★★★½
• Yellowfang's Secret (#5) ★★½
• Tallstar's Revenge (#6) ★★★½

Firestar's Quest (Warriors Super Edition #1) by Erin Hunter

★★★½

*** Warning: This review contains spoilers!! ***

Okay... I don't know if I'm actually starting to get tired of the series, or if maybe I shouldn't have read two other super editions before reading this one, but I wasn't as blown away by this book as I was by the original series.

Even though this was the first super edition published, I actually read it after having already read Yellowfang's Secret and Tallstar's Revenge. In this book, the big quest involves Firestar going on a long journey, with Sandstorm accompanying him. But I actually found Tallstar's travels - which he undertook alone - much more interesting, making Firestar and Sandstorm's trip somewhat less impressive. In Yellowfang's Secret, ShadowClan tried to take down a bunch of rats, but despite being a large, well-trained clan, they actually lost the first battle. In light of that, it seemed unlikely that a young SkyClan - with fewer cats and less battle experience - would be able to defeat a sea of evil rats that had previously dominated over the first SkyClan.

I really liked the whole idea of Firestar building a clan from scratch, but many of the supporting details bothered me. From the beginning, it just didn't make sense that StarClan would allow four clans to gang up on and chase out the fifth clan. I just don't see how StarClan could have allowed such a major violation of the warrior code! Then, once Firestar understood his quest, I was annoyed that he was so wishy-washy about it. Sandstorm had to keep reassuring him that he was doing the right thing. I think it would have been more in character for Firestorm to complete his quest with conviction, never wavering from the goal, even if he felt unsure about himself along the way. Furthermore, as soon as the Shining / Whispering Cave was discovered, it was so clear that it ought to have served the same purpose as the Moonstone - a place for cats to speak with their warrior ancestors. Yet, in the end, the SkyClan cats communed with StarClan at Skyrock - so what was the point of the cave? Even when Echosong came along, it still wasn't clear. Why could some cats hear voices, and others couldn't? Would the cave only be used by medicine cats? Finally, I really thought Rainfur should have given a life to SkyClan's new leader!

Even the ending was unsatisfying for me. I wanted to read a bit about how the other clan members - and the other clans - reacted when Firestar told them the whole history of the fifth clan. I am assuming Firestar would have shared the entire story at a Gathering, since it was not actually a ThunderClan secret and was information that all clans were entitled to know. In fact, in hindsight, I think Firestar should have told the other clans before he left, giving every clan a chance - if they wanted it - to go with him to help repair the damage that all their warrior ancestors had done. Seems to me that once Firestar returned, the other clans might not have been happy, and might have accused him of trying to form an alliance with another clan!

But, I did enjoy reading about the process by which Firestar built the clan, having to recruit members and teach them about the warrior code, and having to be patient as some lessons couldn't be learned except by experience.

The Secrets of Droon Series by Tony Abbott

★★★½

I usually prefer to rate books individually, but this series seems to be so much like the Magic Tree House series that I think I will rate this series similarly - as a series.

So far I've only read the first book, The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet, and I will update this review if anything new worth mentioning comes up as I read additional books.

I came across this series at the library while looking for a chapter book series for Sebastien. When Isabelle first started to read independently, she got hooked into reading by devouring the Ivy + Bean series and the Rainbow Magic series, among others. There were so many beginner chapter books about little girls or fairies or magical animals, that Isabelle never had to look far to find a new book to read. Now that Sebastien is ready for chapter books, however, I am having a hard time finding an appropriately leveled non-girly series that will interest him! The Magic Tree House books would be an easy choice, except that we already read most of them together out loud, and he's not interested in going back to continue the series on his own.

Enter The Secrets of Droon. So far, it seems to be just like the Magic Tree House, only different. Instead of a brother and sister pair, it's a trio of friends consisting of two boys and a girl. Instead of a tree house that magically transports the children to both real and imaginary places, there's a magical staircase that leads to the fictional world of Droon. The kids have their adventures, and when they return to their own world, it's as if no time has passed at all.

Like the Magic Tree House books, these books are divided into short chapters, and the reading level is perfect for emerging independent readers. Oddly, this first book is also similar to the early Magic Tree House books in its inexplicably cavalier use of sentence fragments. For example:

Page 4: He stepped into the other side of the basement. The room on the left side of the stairs. The side his father was going to remodel.

Anyway, Sebastien happily read the first two books of the series, and he's keen on reading more. We'll see if it holds his interest!

Update - 12/10/14: Well, I've just finished book #11, and I think I will upgrade my rating to 3 1/2 stars. While the books continue to have a bothersome number of incomplete sentences, I have been impressed by the overarching narrative that drives the series. In fact, there are two major story lines, perhaps somehow related: the effort to defeat the evil Lord Sparr, and the effort to find Keeah's mother and free her from an evil spell. Each book is a stand-alone adventure in which we meet new characters in Droon - sometimes a new species, sometimes an evil-doer, sometimes a friend - but at the end of each book there is always a nugget of foreshadowing about the next book. It took me a while to get through the first several books, but a friend of mine whose taste in books I respect assured me that even though the series starts kind of slow, it really is a worthy read. So, I won't give up on the series yet!

Tallstar's Revenge (Warriors Super Edition #6) by Erin Hunter

★★★½

*** Warning: This review contains spoilers!! ***

In many ways, I really enjoyed this book. I thought the moor runner versus tunneler dynamics were intriguing, and Tallpaw's struggle to please his parents and make them proud while also following his own destiny was relatable. Talltail's adventures beyond the WindClan borders were great, and I especially enjoyed his friendship with Jake. I also liked the whole idea that Talltail had to follow his heart and go on a journey before realizing that WindClan really was his home, and home was where he belonged.

Unfortunately, I also felt the book was plagued with under-developed ideas. Based on what we saw in the book, it really did seem as if Palebird didn't love Talltail as much as Finchkit or her other four kits that came later. Yet, when Talltail became Tallstar, we're just supposed to accept that her mother's love for him was just as strong as her love for all her kits, even though she never showed it?

Also, I couldn't figure out what the rogues were all about. WindClan seriously allowed a band of rogues to stay with them all summer long just because "they've always come"?! They let the outsiders train with their apprentices, and share dens with their warriors and elders?! It just didn't make sense, having read the Warriors series and knowing how Clan cats supposedly feel about non-Clan cats.

Overall, a good story about how revenge isn't the answer, and home is where the heart is. As usual, it's especially satisfying to see cameos made by other known Warriors cats, and there's a real gem of a connection in this one, if you make it to the end.

Yellowfang's Secret (Warriors Super Edition #5) by Erin Hunter

★★½

*** Warning: This review contains spoilers!!! ***

Maybe as a standalone book, this one would have been 3 stars. But in comparison with the original Warriors series, I felt I had to lower its rating relative to the other books in the series.

Fans of the Warriors series will know who Yellowfang is, and this book follows her life from the time she was a kit up until the point at which we first met her in the series, when she meets Firepaw. You don't need to have read the Warriors series to enjoy this book, as it introduces clan life assuming the reader does not have any prior knowledge of it. In that way, I actually felt the book had a slow start, as I was already well-versed in the ways of the clans.

Overall, this book has a more mature feel to it. Even though it's about talking cats, it seems like the target audience ought to be upper elementary school kids, or even middle schoolers. We have a fatherless kit who struggled with feelings of abandonment. Clan cats are pitted against kittypets, and the prejudice runs in both directions as neither group understands or accepts the other - except for a select few. There is an outright vengeful murder of passion, plus a lot of meaningless deaths later on. Yellowfang makes one difficult decision after another, and suffers painful consequences.

Mostly, I didn't know what to make of Yellowfang's pregnancy. On the one hand, she abandoned her kit, even knowing how much being abandoned affected Raggedstar as a kit. On the other hand, she was trying to do the "right thing" in terms of being disciplined and loyal and following the warrior code. Her dreams from StarClan seemed to indicate that there was no possible way to divert the evil for which Brokentail was destined - so is there no free choice in this world of forest clans? (In the Warriors series, we did see evidence of free choice when the united clans defeated BloodClan despite the omens Fireheart had received.) If there is free choice, are we to believe that the evil could have been avoided ONLY if Yellowfang had chosen motherhood over being a medicine cat, or worst yet, if Yellowfang had had an abortion? I don't know if this was the intent, but it sure felt like Yellowfang was being punished by StarClan for having broken the warrior code with Raggedstar. Frankly, in those extenuating circumstances, would it have been so bad if Yellowfang spent six moons mothering a kit?

Anyway, what I liked most about this book was when it tied into what I already knew from the Warrior series. I liked that the characters of Nightpelt and Runningnose were fleshed out, since we only saw glimpses of them in the Warriors series.

Secrets According to Humphrey (Humphrey #10) by Betty G. Birney

★★★★★

One of the better books in the series!

In this installment, secrets run amok. First, Mrs. Brisbane and Principal Morales have a big secret that will be revealed eventually, but Humphrey is dying of curiosity in the meantime. Then, small groups of kids start forming secret clubs, feelings get hurt, and we all get a good lesson about not excluding others. One student has a bit of a problem that he keeps secret, and Humphrey plays a significant role in helping him to overcome it. Even Aldo has a secret, but it's not very important, just one more thing for Humphrey to wonder about. I liked that the secrets were all reasonably believable and relatable.

Sebastien was pretty bummed about this being the last Humphrey book in the series. He has absolutely LOVED reading about Humphrey!! Luckily, he saw a "Coming soon!" advertisement in one of the books about Imagination According to Humphrey, which will be published in 2015, so at least we have that to look forward to.

The Darkest Hour (Warriors #6) by Erin Hunter

★★★★★

*** Warning: This review contains spoilers!! ***

This book was awesome!

From start to finish, this book was action-packed, suspenseful, and emotional. I LOVED the scene when Fireheart received his nine lives! There is a bit of a spiritual angle in this book, with belief in StarClan being kind of like a religious faith. It's not exactly like religion, though, because the fact that clan leaders do actually get nine lives makes the existence of StarClan kind of incontestable.

I almost gave this book 4 1/2 stars because I was so disappointed in the way Tigerstar died. It was a shame, and not at all fitting, for such a fierce warrior to die in such an ignoble way. And I just couldn't fathom how any one injury could cause him to lose all nine lives at once! But, after seeing what happened to Firestar after he lost his first life, I could imagine a scenario in which Tigerstar faced StarClan but refused to repent, and his insistence on fighting caused him to return to life before he had fully healed, meaning that he started each new life with a mortal injury. I guess it still bothered me a little that I had to come up with that explanation myself, but also, by the end of the book, it became clear that it was important to the story that Scourge not know about the nine lives of leaders until he faced Firestar.

Like Forest of Secrets, this book really struck me as being more appropriate for an older age group - like middle school. There's quite a bit of gore, and a lot of explicit descriptions of killing. Again, I find myself intrigued at the idea that somehow, certain things like violence are less objectionable just because the main characters are cats.

In the end, I couldn't let a couple misgivings stop me from giving this book 5 stars. I just couldn't put it down, I wanted to see what would happen next!

Now that I've finished this series, I'm hooked. And given my wariness when I started the first book, I'm pretty darn shocked at how much it won me over. When I lamented to Isabelle that I was so sad to not have any more books to read about cats, she said, "Well, there are the super editions." What! A quick search brought me to this page, which lists a whole bunch of Warriors books! A lot of them are about the next generation of cats, and I don't know if I'll read them all, but the super editions are all about the cats in the original series, so I'll definitely read those!

Winter According to Humphrey (Humphrey #9) by Betty G. Birney

★★★★

A solid installment in the Humphrey series!

It's winter, and Mrs. Brisbane's class will be participating in the school-wide Winter Wonderland production. As usual, Humphrey plays a role in helping a few classmates sort out some issues. Valuable lessons are learned, and everybody has some fun. There's nothing objectionable in this book, and it's a very pleasant and entertaining read. But, there's also not much to make it particularly memorable, or a stand-out in the series, which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.

A Dangerous Path (Warriors #5) by Erin Hunter

★★★

*** WARNING: This review contains spoilers!!! ***

In many ways, the two halves of this book felt like 2 different books entirely. I spent the first half of the book feeling frustrated and infuriated at the inexplicable complications being contrived. Tigerclaw is a murderous traitor roaming the forest, and ThunderClan does not think that information is worth sharing with the other clans? Not even with RiverClan, when Tigerclaw helped cause Graypool's death? Then, StarClan blesses Tigerclaw's leadership of ShadowClan?!? Why would StarClan approve of someone who had so blatantly violated the warrior code?!?!

Even though the series is, of course, focused on cats, it didn't sit right with me that dogs were characterized as a cave-dwelling, barbarous, unevolved species that could only grunt single instinct-related words. I'm not a huge pet lover or anything, but still I was put off by the distinct contrast in the way dogs and cats were represented.

I was also bothered by the continual fretting over kits who had parents in another clan. In this book, we had three sets of kits who were separated from one parent's clan: those of Bluestar, Graystripe, and Tigerstar. It seemed like a pretty common occurrence that didn't deserve the stigma it carried. Also, it seemed strange that none of the cats involved reached out to the others for support. Like Bluestar could have bonded with Graystripe, Mistyfoot and Stonefur could have taken Graystripe's kits under their wings, and Graystripe could have sympathized with Tigerstar's kits. And the sexism! Bluestar could not be both a parent and a leader (which led to their separation in the first place), yet no one bat an eye at the idea of Tigerstar having kits, even when he became a leader.

Also, I didn't understand why such a big deal was made out of ThunderClan being hugely indebted to RiverClan for helping them during the fire. Didn't ThunderClan perform an equal service when they helped RiverClan during the river flood? Each saved the other from a natural disaster. You'd think they'd consider themselves even.

Bluestar's mental decline was just a bit too much to take - what a long way to fall for such a noble leader! And I really didn't get why killing the lead dog would automatically negate the threat of dogs in the forest. When a clan leader died, another took over. Why wouldn't another dog step up as leader of the pack, and seek revenge on the cats?

Well. With all those complaints, I thought I'd end up giving this book only 2 stars. But, really, I have to admit, the second half of the book was quite exciting, lots of action and surprises, and I really did enjoy the book more and more as the book progressed. By the end, I thought maybe it was a 4-star book, so I comprised and went with 3 stars.

Rising Storm (Warriors #4) by Erin Hunter

★★★

*** Warning: This review contains spoilers!! ***

This book had kind of a slow start. On the one hand, Fireheart had a lot of problems to deal with - including Tigerclaw, Bluestar, Cloudpaw, and the sick ShadowClan cats - but at the same time, I frequently just felt like I was waiting for something to actually happen.

For much of the book, Cloudpaw's evolution was the most interesting subplot to me. As much as his story's twists and turns surprised me, I couldn't help but feel that his character was poorly developed. He held such promise as a young kit, so what made him change? He was acting like a lazy and rebellious teenager, yet none of the other kits or apprentices seemed to go through such a phase.

Three-quarters of the way through the book, it was like we finally got rewarded for sticking it out. Lots of action and emotion, and more than any of the other books so far, it ends on a real cliffhanger.

Forest of Secrets (Warriors #3) by Erin Hunter

★★★★½

I was really conflicted about what to rate this book. On the one hand, I was riveted! As the title suggests, this book is just chock full of secrets! In some cases, enough hints were dropped so that the reader could feel self-congratulatory for figuring something out. But, there were also a couple of unexpected twists that did surprise me. Developments happened at a pretty good clip, and there was just the right amount of suspense between action-packed battles.

So even though I was thoroughly entertained by this book, I just couldn't give it a full 5 stars. I felt the first two books were appropriate for kids in the upper elementary grades (e.g., grades 3-5), but the content of this book seemed to fall squarely in the middle school camp. In fact, Amazon lists the first two books as appropriate for grades 3-7, but this third book is labeled for grades 5-7! It seems a bit much to expect a third grader to read the first two books, and then wait a couple years before finishing the series. Especially since Amazon has books #4-6 of the series going back to listing grades 3-7 as the target audience!

Anyway, here are the concerns I had. There was a bit of romantic drama involving queens having kits and who fathered whose kits, though I have to say, the book skirted the issue of mating pretty effectively. There's also a whole lot of violence, including a crippling injury, murder, attempted murder, and treachery. Not to mention a death of a sad and sensitive nature. I don't think the events of this book would fly as a children's book if the characters were all humans - but I guess that's the point, right? They're cats. I guess by making up a fantasy world of talking cats, you can get away with more than you could with actual people.

It's an interesting question, though. Why am I okay allowing my 3rd grade daughter to read about anthropomorphized cats killing other anthropomorphized cats, when I certainly would not want her to read a book about people killing people? I guess the whole point of creating fantasy worlds is to open up the realms of possibility.

Fire and Ice (Warriors #2) by Erin Hunter

★★★★

In this installment, we follow Fireheart as he takes on new responsibilities as a warrior of ThunderClan.

Fireheart continues to find himself in the middle of all kinds of action. Along with his courage and intellect, Fireheart is characterized by his generous nature and his willingness to help others. With Fireheart now acting as a mentor, we get a good lesson in the importance of not allowing eagerness to turn into foolhardiness, though it was a little disappointing to see this lesson laid out twice in the same book, with two cats exhibiting the same behavior.

As Fireheart struggles to be accepted as a full member of the clan - some cats still hold his kittypet roots against him - he finds that clan life is not entirely satisfactory. The other cats share a bond of kinship, and having been born outside the clan, Fireheart feels like an outsider. It was good to see Fireheart exploring his conflicted emotions, but I wondered why he never confided in Yellowfang, who was also not born into ThunderClan. Also, with all the added talk about kin and kits in this book, it didn't make sense that none of the other young cats - like Graystripe, Sandpaw, or Dustpaw - had any kind of relationship with their mothers. Who were their mothers, anyway?

I also thought it was kind of strange that in this book, it became apparent that grown cats aren't supposed to play. At one point, Graystripe played briefly with a leaf, but then he felt guilty for doing so. That seemed weird to me. Apparently, clan cats are supposed to be serious and strong, but aren't they ultimately still cats? I don't know much about cats, but I always figured they were keen on playing.

The mystery surrounding Tigerclaw took something of a backseat in this book, but the questions continued to linger. He actually struck me as something of a Professor Snape character! Fireheart (like Harry Potter) has seemingly strong evidence that Tigerclaw (like Professor Snape) is evil. When he presents his evidence to Bluestar, however, she (like Dumbledore) re-affirms her faith in her trusted deputy. Is Tigerclaw really up to no good? Or has Fireheart completely misinterpreted all the evidence, and Tigerclaw is actually loyal to ThunderClan after all? I'll just have to keep reading to find out!

Before I sign off, though, I want to mention a couple more things that didn't sit right with me in this book. First, in the beginning, it seemed that the Twolegs who made a brief appearance were homeless drunkards! They slept out in the open under a road overpass, it sounded like they threw a glass bottle, and the cats reported that they "can hardly stand"! I know Twolegs aren't exactly looked upon positively in this series, but this portrayal made humans out to be downright vulgar.

And finally, very early on, I was put off by an egregious editing oversight. On page 12, we learn that "Redtail had been the ThunderClan deputy before Tigerclaw. Fireheart had never met him, but he knew Redtail had been deeply respected by all the clan." A mere 6 pages later, on page 18, we again read that "Redtail had been the ThunderClan deputy before Lionheart. Fireheart had never met him, but he knew Redtail had been deeply respected by all the clan." I know editing mistakes happen, but that one seemed particularly bad.

Lago - Meredith, NH

★★★★

We drove from Weirs Beach to Meredith, looking for a place to eat. Our first two choices had closed their doors for the season, so we literally just drove around looking for a place that was actually open. Lago turned out to be quite a good find!

We were seated in an area that appeared to be a closed-in porch. I imagine the view must be beautiful during the day, but it was night time during our visit, so we didn't really get to enjoy it. Despite the potential view, our table wasn't really that great. There was a draft coming in from the windows so that I had to wear my jacket throughout the meal, and the space was awfully cramped so that the people sitting in the aisle had to consciously sit close to the table, or else they would block off the traffic behind them.

I ordered "balsamic and brown sugar braised short ribs" with risotto. It was delicious! The meat was amazingly tender and flavorful. The risotto, however, was a bit on the mushy side.

Ken ordered spaghetti with "shrimp, scallops, tomatoes and spinach sautéed with a garlic butter sauce". We each ate half of our dishes, and then switched plates, so we both got to enjoy two orders. This seafood scampi was light yet well-flavored, with a generous amount of shrimp and scallops.

My dad ordered "pan-seared Atlantic salmon with a garden-fresh radish relish", and he said it was cooked perfectly.

Isabelle and Sebastien shared a flatbread cheese pizza - not on the menu, but a request they were able to accommodate. (They offer various flatbread pizzas, but the ones on the menu were all fancier than plain cheese.) Sebastien enjoyed the 3+ pieces that he ate, though when I tried it myself, I thought the flatbread crust was kind of chewy. Isabelle ate a piece or two as well, but she actually much preferred the bites of salmon, beef, and shrimp that she ate off of the adult plates. Maybe it's time for Isabelle to move away from kids' menus!

Garwoods Restaurant & Pub - Wolfboro, NH

★★★


We made a weekend jaunt to New Hampshire just as the fall season was ending. We literally rode the M/S (motor ship) Mount Washington on its very last day of service for the year. We were lucky to get the boat ride because, as it turned out, many establishments had already closed their doors for the winter. We ended up eating at Garwoods because it was one of the few restaurants that was actually open when we visited Wolfboro.

The dining room has a fantastic view of Lake Winnipesaukee.

While we were looking over the menu, Sebastien loudly whined because mac 'n cheese wasn't listed. The bartender - who couldn't help overhearing - got my attention and let me know that they actually could accommodate a mac 'n cheese order. Yippee!

Ken and I split our dishes. He ordered fried clams, and I ordered fish tacos. We each ate half, then exchanged plates. In both cases, I felt the food was good, but I had certainly had tastier fried clams and fish tacos before.

My dad ordered the hamburger, and I was surprised when it arrived without any lettuce, tomato, or onion. My dad pointed out that those were listed as toppings that would cost extra. I didn't think that was cool, especially since my mom's crab cake sandwich did come with both lettuce and tomato. She said her sandwich wasn't anything special.

Over all, a decent meal with a great view, and I SO appreciate their flexibility in accommodating Sebastien's request, but it's not necessarily a place I would go out of my way to recommend to others.

Mysteries According to Humphrey (Humphrey #8) by Betty G. Birney

★★★★★

I enjoyed this book. I think it's one of the best in the series!

As the title indicates, there's a mystery in this installment. One morning, Mrs. Brisbane does not show up for school, and no one knows why! All the humans find out the reason soon enough, but nobody thinks to tell Humphrey. To him, it's "The Case of the Missing Mrs." The class has a substitute called Mr. E. ("Mister E", "mystery", get it?), and it's also a mystery why he continually leads the class in games instead of teaching them! Mr. E.'s teaching really was an effective portrayal of ineffective teaching. Both my kids (ages 6 and 9) weren't fooled by all the fun, and they quickly realized that a good teacher ought to be organized and clean, keep discipline in the classroom, and actually teach lessons.

The class also spends some time in this book reading "The Red-Headed League", a Sherlock Holmes story. I am almost ashamed to admit that I have never read a Sherlock Holmes book! The references to "The Red-Headed League" sufficiently piqued my interest that I dare say I might try to pick up a Sherlock Holmes book soon.

Into the Wild (Warriors #1) by Erin Hunter

★★★★★

Well! When I first picked up this book to see what all the fuss was about - Isabelle is devouring the series - I was skeptical. I must also admit, I was perhaps even a bit turned off when I read on the back cover that the world the author created was "shaped by her interest in astrology and standing stones." I never suspected I would give this book 5 stars!

Actually, I wavered quite a bit between 4 1/2 and 5 stars. I hesitated with the 5-star rating because from the beginning, I just wasn't comfortable with the idea of characters fighting to the death, even if the characters are all anthropomorphized cats. Truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of books about anthropomorphized animals to begin with.

But, in the end, this world of cat clans living in a forest on the edge of human civilization just won me over. Right off the bat, the book starts with an extensive character list and a couple of maps. I love it when books have maps! And, it helped that we eventually learn that the ThunderClan warriors - the ones the book is mostly about - "do not kill unless they have to."

I love that the book offers up some valid lessons amidst the adventure and suspense of Firepaw's introduction into the ThunderClan. Firepaw learns to honor the warrior code, but he's not just a blind follower, he's praised for being a "thinker." He learns to not back down when faced with a challenge (unfortunately, this lesson is taught through physical fighting, but as I said, I had to move past that); that every member of a community has a useful role to serve; that you should respect your elders and be conscientious in your training. Even the importance of good, honest, fair leadership is made clear.

There were a few unexpected twists, and by the time I got to the end of the book, I was surprised at how much I had been drawn in. Knowing that this book is only the first of a series, I should have realized earlier that not all loose ends would be tied up by the end! I'll just have to read the next one.

Seasons 52 - Burlington, MA

★★★★½

Sarah and I went here for lunch, and I loved it! My sea scallops with butternut squash risotto was perfectly prepared, and utterly amazing! And the espresso I had with my dessert was delicious and remarkably smooth.

Still, I give this place 4 1/2 stars, instead of 5, for two minor reasons.

First, I think they messed up my drink, but they did make it right when I asked them to. I had ordered the Mango Jalapeno Crush cocktail. I really enjoyed the jalapeno kick, but I just could not taste any mango at all. Sarah convinced me to say something, so giving the bartender the benefit of the doubt, I asked the waiter for "more mango" in my drink. The original drink I got was perfectly clear, but the new drink I got back was light yellow. I'm convinced that the bartender forgot to put the splash of mango in my original drink, so it's good Sarah encouraged me to speak up.

Second, I wish the portions were a bit larger. :P Sea scallops usually tend to be smaller-portioned than other entree dishes, so this critique may be out of line. Still, I actually left the restaurant feeling like I could have eaten more, and that shouldn't happen.

I did order one dessert, a Mocha Macchiato. Their desserts are miniature versions of regular desserts served in small glasses about the size of shot glasses. It was delicious, but I wish I had known that I ought to have ordered two or three different kinds. As I said, small portions!

School Days According to Humphrey (Humphrey #7) by Betty G. Birney

★★★★½

I really enjoyed this installment!

I loved that Room 26 had a whole new class of students, with a whole new set of problems. I also appreciated that it took time for Humphrey to get used to his new classmates. Even as an adult, sometimes I have to remind myself that you can't compare people you've just met with people you've known for years and years. Friendships take time to develop.

I especially liked the way Mrs. Brisbane handled the two students whom Mrs. Wright accused of misbehaving. I have very strong childhood memories of feeling like I was treated unjustly by a teacher, usually because the teacher made an assumption based on a moment's observation, and I was too shy or too scared to speak up for myself. I so very appreciated the way Mrs. Brisbane took the time to calmly speak with the students to get their sides of the story.

While I read this book with the enthusiasm of potentially giving it a 5-star rating, in the end I had to go with 4 1/2. One reason was the annoying overuse of the word "unsqueakably". When Humphrey first used that word in previous books, I thought it was cute! But suddenly, in this book, he seems to be using it all the time.

Also, I get that Humphrey is supposed to help out the class, but maybe the way he helped out Mrs. Brisbane in this book would have gone over better if Mrs. Brisbane had been a new teacher, like Ms. Mac. I just thought it was ridiculous that Mrs. Brisbane, a 30-year teaching veteran praised for being a great teacher, wouldn't herself know how to best match up students for classroom jobs!

Summer According to Humphrey (Humphrey #6) by Betty G. Birney

★★★★★

Finally! A Humphrey book that lives up to the first book! I dare say this is my favorite book in the series so far.

It's summer, and Humphrey and Og find themselves at Camp Happy Hollow. (It was especially fun reading this book to the kids because their school is named Happy Hollow, too!) Some of the counselors and campers are familiar faces from Longfellow School, but there are plenty of new faces as well. I particularly liked reading about Humphrey's new friend Goldenrod!

With the new camp setting, this book has a lot of opportunities for all kinds of new lessons. One camper has a bad attitude because he doesn't think Happy Hollow is anywhere near as great as the camp he went to last summer. Another camper is homesick, and yet another isn't happy with the competitive nature of the Clash of the Cabins contest. I have to admit, in this day and age when every child gets a trophy just for showing up, I really liked that the Clash of the Cabins had one winning cabin that earned a prize that none of the other cabins got. There were lots of related lessons to learn, like how competitors can still be friends, and how a team should not rely on just one person to do all the winning, and how even when you aren't favored to win, you should still try your best and your hard work just might pay off. The author even managed to include a small bit in the end that allowed the losing cabins to not feel so left out, without actually taking anything away from the winners.

A really fun read!

Adventure According to Humphrey (#5) by Betty G. Birney

★★★½

*** Warning: This review contains spoilers! ***

Another solid 3 1/2 star reading for me, but Sebastien for sure would give it 5 stars, just like all the others!

Humphrey continues to be an entertaining character, and in this book, he certainly did get himself into some adventurous exploits. As usual, he's able to assist a few of his student friends and help them through their troubles.

For me, this installment fell short of a potential 4-star rating because I thought Humphrey acted out of character in a couple ways. First, even though Mrs. Brisbane actually explained why hamsters shouldn't get wet, Humphrey dreamed of being on an actual boat, despite the possibility of coming dangerously close to water. It was especially odd because in a previous book (I can't remember which one), Humphrey had a pretty frightening incident involving almost getting wet while at a student's house, and I seem to remember Humphrey stating pretty clearly in that book that he didn't like water.

Secondly, for a clever hamster who is always big on Plans, I found it really hard to believe that he would accidentally fall asleep while out of his cage. He's much too cautious and careful to do something like that! It would have made a lot more sense if Humphrey actually came up with the idea of stowing away on one of the boats in order to go on the field trip.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (#2) (2013)

★★★½

I forgot to review this movie right after watching it, and now I can't remember much. I guess that's a bad sign. Actually, my rating is probably skewed because we watched this on video late at night after the kids went to bed, and I kept falling asleep! I remember being kind of confused about the man character - I had almost forgotten about him from the book - and it was kind of weird to see Legolas thrown in there, too.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

★★★★

Entertaining and suspenseful. I even teared up a few times in the beginning.

It's been a while since I've read the book, but I think I like the movie better. I remember being not entirely comfortable with all the explicit violence in the book, but the violence depicted in the movie was not over-the-top or especially disturbing.

Surprises According to Humphrey (Humphrey #4) by Betty G. Birney

★★★½

At the start of each new Humphrey book, I feel like I'm in store for a solid 4-star book. But, along the way, something comes up that doesn't quite sit well with me, and I end up giving it 3 1/2 stars. In this book's case, Humphrey's runaway imagination annoyed me. He is usually such a smart, clever, and resourceful little fellow that it was completely out of character for him to think that a substitute custodian could be an alien! It was just too ridiculous, even for a book about a thinking hamster who can read and write English.

Other than the crazy alien bit, the book did have some nice developments, plus a few surprises. Mostly it was more of the same, with Humphrey going home with different students on the weekends and finding ways to help out in the classroom.

Just Grace (Just Grace #1) by Charise Maricle Harper

★★★★

This book is a quick read consisting of short chapters and many small illustrations. It's just the right level for a lower-elementary school reader who is just getting into chapter books.

I have to admit, I had a bit of a shaky start with this book. I was a little put off by how Grace got her classroom name of "Just Grace". When Isabelle first explained to me the title of this book - before I read it myself - I thought Grace liked her fun and unusual nickname! As it turned out, though, it was all a big misunderstanding, and she hated it. It seemed like Grace was setting a poor example by complaining about her nickname rather than simply approaching her teacher to clear everything up and choose a new nickname. If the series really hinged on her nickname being "Just Grace", I would have preferred it if Grace at least didn't mind her nickname.

I was also bothered by a passage near the beginning of the book in which Grace categorized certain likes and activities as "boy things". Even though Grace declared that she likes some "boy things", I thought it was really unfortunate that this book reinforced at all the notion of gender dictating likes and dislikes. Why can't she just like what she likes?

After getting past those hurdles, I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed Grace's matter-of-fact first-person perspective. I think her literary voice was spot on, just what young children might be thinking if they really were that articulate. Sometimes the way she first described others was a bit harsh... But it was realistic, and by the end of the book, she learned some lessons in getting to know others. I loved that Grace fancied herself a superhero with the power of empathy! In that regard, she is a great example of how one can be thoughtful and compassionate.

Friendship According to Humphrey (Humphrey #2) by Betty G. Birney

★★★½

This is the third Humphrey book I've read with Sebastien, but the second in the series. In this book, Humphrey finds himself trying to befriend a frog!

In many ways, this book is great. As the title suggests, friendship is a theme. Through the children in Room 26, from Humphrey's perspective, we see that sometimes, making new friends can be difficult. Sometimes, even the best of friends will argue. And, sometimes, even a bully just wants to have friends, but needs some help. Humphrey himself tries to make a new friend out of the new frog in class, and he learns a bit about himself in the process as he struggles through feelings of jealousy when everyone suddenly showers the new frog with attention.

I actually think my rating may be unfairly skewed. I'm reading this series to Sebastien, who is absolutely LOVING it, but I think this book is supposed to be geared towards older kids. Amazon has it being recommended for ages 8 and up, or grades 3 and up. Indeed, I think there is nothing objectionable about the book for Isabelle, who is just on the lower end of the target audience. But for Sebastien, who is just starting first grade, I fear some of the descriptions of discord between friends - or potential friends - is less a reflection of what he already knows and probably more of an introduction to questionable behavior! Maybe it's fine that Sebastien is being exposed to all kinds of behaviors, especially since in the end, the book very nicely wraps everything up so that everyone gets along and learns some kind of lesson about how friendships work. Still, there were times when I just felt not entirely comfortable, like when Humphrey described Og in negative ways, even disparaging his appearance.

All in all, if you read the book through to the end, meaningful lessons in friendship will be learned. As a read-aloud book, it works great. Even without pictures, Sebastien was always eager to read another chapter, to find out what happens next.

The World According to Humphrey (Humphrey #1) by Betty G. Birney

★★★★½

What a delightful read!

Humphrey is a kind, open-minded hamster who makes friends easily. He is fiercely loyal and quick to go out of his way to lend a helping hand - or paw, as Humphrey would say!

Through this first-person narrative from the perspective of a classroom pet, young readers will see that first impressions are not always accurate; that people are multifaceted, and you can't really understand a person until you see all aspects of his/her life; that sometimes, when people have problems, it takes an outsider - like Humphrey! - to open their eyes to a solution.

I love that this book is multicultural and inclusive. There are all sorts of ethnic-sounding names - Art Patel, Sayeh Nasiri (whose mother doesn't speak English well), Aldo Amato - and there's even a physically handicapped character. It's just nice to see diversity being matter-of-factly represented.

I think I alone would have given this book 4 stars, because I really liked it, but I didn't LOVE it. Still, since it was able to hold Sebastien's interest - despite having no pictures - I think it's worth an extra 1/2-star.

Overall, this book was a pleasant read with nothing objectionable to worry about. It's just the first in a series, and it'll be fun to see what other adventures and lessons are in store for Humphrey!

Confectionately Yours Roundup

I really enjoyed this series! I would even go so far as to recommend them! The main character, Hayley, "keeps it real". She has realistic problems, and everything doesn't just fall together nicely in the end.

The format of the book is particularly fun. Cupcake recipes are interspersed among the chapters, and every now and then, a "Confession" chapter sheds light on how Hayley REALLY feels in reaction to some events that are unfolding in her life.

• Save the Cupcake! (#1) ★★★★★
• Taking the Cake! (#2) ★★★½
• Sugar and Spice (#3) ★★★★
• Something New (#4) ★★★★

Something New (Confectionately Yours #4) by Lisa Papademetriou

★★★★

In this installment, we follow Hayley as she finishes up seventh grade.

One of the things I liked best about this series was how relatable Hayley and her friends were. They were just average kids, and unlike the protagonists of many other books, they weren't particularly "special". Hayley did have a talent for baking cupcakes, but that point was central to the theme of the series. Now suddenly, Hayley was excelling two years above grade level in Spanish. And we knew that Artie could sing, but along the way, she turned into a natural performer of all kinds of stage talent, plus she was exceptionally artistic! And boy-next-door Marco became a brilliant photographer and videographer. That's all good and fine, but they all just became not quite so relatable as before. They're only in 7th grade, after all. They could have remained more relatable, if say, Marco showed an interest in photography, without automatically being incredibly talented at it.

As usual, the author works in some kind of angle to open young readers' minds. This time, volunteering makes an appearance. I like that the series seems to make a point of highlighting diversity and well-roundedness.

I also continued to be impressed with how well the author was able to capture the essence of being a teenager. Even though Hayley makes some bad decisions, I kind of felt I could understand why she made them, even though it was clear she knew what she ought to have done.

Surprisingly, Hayley showed a real lack of ambition, and at first I couldn't decide how I felt about her attitude. Was it a bad thing if she didn't want to pursue every potentially positive opportunity presented to her? After a while, I realized that I found Hayley's priorities remarkably reasonable. In a world where students are constantly over-scheduled, trying to maximize their commitments in order to pad their transcripts for college, it was refreshing that Hayley knew what she liked - baking cupcakes and helping her Gran at the Tea Room - and actually prioritized her commitments so that she wouldn't have to give up those interests. It's not like she was passing up opportunities out of laziness.

Anyway, overall, this book - and the whole series - is just a really fun read about middle school life. Seventh grade ends on a good note for Hayley. A lot of loose ends are tied up, and my only disappointment at the finish was not understanding why Gran was so unhappy about the poetry book Mr. Malik gave her.

Sugar and Spice (Confectionately Yours #3) by Lisa Papademetriou

★★★★

Lisa Papademetriou delivers again with another fun book about Hayley and her 7th grade existence.

Diversity continues to be a theme. This time, we have a foster family and a charity fundraiser. However, as much as this series makes an effort to open readers' eyes to various differences of people within a community, I can't get past the inaccurate portrayal of anaphylaxis. In this book, Hayley's allergic reaction in the last book was recapped, and still there was no mention of an ER visit, which is standard procedure in case of anaphylaxis. A "shot" is mentioned, but there's no indication that Hayley was prescribed an EpiPen, which is also standard procedure if someone is diagnosed with a life-threatening allergy. It just seemed like the author was trying to spread some allergy awareness, but spreading incomplete or misleading information really doesn't help. I think I would have given this book 5 stars if the depiction of anaphylaxis, and its treatment and aftermath, had been fleshed out more.

Anyway, other than that one shortcoming, I really enjoyed this book. Annie doesn't make an appearance, and I found myself feeling glad about that.

Hayley continues to "keep it real". Having given up on her crush, she finds herself confused by her own emotions in regards to Marco and Kyle. Her relationships with Artie and Meghan continue to develop, and she realizes that while she's been going through a lot of big deals herself, so have the people around her - like Artie and Chloe. As Hayley points out on page 118 of my edition, "What may be a big deal to one person isn't a big deal to another. Or maybe some people are good at handling one kind of big deal, and bad at handling others."

I was really pleased to follow the evolution of Hayley and Artie's friendship, and a revelation was made that really shed light on the whole situation.

There was one development that bordered on over-the-top. I think it was meant to be an unexpected twist, but since it was actually predictable, I didn't mind it.

There are definitely loose ends that I hope will be tied up in the next installment!

Trouble According to Humphrey (Humphrey #3) by Betty G. Birney

★★★½

Sebastien really enjoys reading Humphrey books! Or at least, he enjoys having them read to him. He gives this book 5 stars for sure! I'm not exactly sure what it is that Sebastien finds appealing, but I know that he thinks the picture of Humphrey on the cover is super cute. More than once, when we read a particularly well-described scene, he lamented the lack of pictures in the book.

This book is the third in the series, but we read it first because it was the earliest book in the series available at our local library. It does make mention of people and events from the first two books, and though we weren't by any means confused, I think it would be more fun to read the series in order, starting from the beginning.

I really appreciated the empathy and compassion that Humphrey showed for the children in his classroom. What a great way to introduce young readers to a wide variety of individual troubles and family dynamics. I love the idea that some readers may see themselves in the book's characters, while others may have their eyes opened to what other kids might be going through.

Probably one of the most appealing things about this book, for me, is that it teaches life lessons while keeping the reader entertained. Young readers of this book may learn a thing or two about kindness and caring from the way Humphrey looked out for his friends. Also, Humphrey went through quite an ordeal as he came to realize the importance of taking responsibility for his own actions.

Still, I must admit, I feared that perhaps Humphrey was TOO concerned about his friends! The poor hamster didn't eat, for all his worrying over Miranda! As a chronic worrier myself, I'm not sure I liked the idea of any young readers finding validation in the act of worrying. Maybe I would have preferred it if Humphrey cared, but just didn't dwell so much - if he didn't experience so much anxiety. True to its title, this book is about all sorts of "troubles", and at times, the trouble seemed to go on just a little too long, making it kind of a downer.

I especially liked that this book explored the difficulty of doing the right thing, even when you already know what the "right" thing is. I liked how, in the end, Humphrey made the right decision, even though it meant sacrificing something very important to him. I thought it was unfortunate, then, that after Humphrey made the sacrifice, it turned out that everything worked out so that actually, no sacrifice was necessary. The sequence of events certainly made for a happier ending in the book, but given that this Humphrey series is big on teaching real world lessons, it seems like it would have been a worthy lesson to learn that real world sacrifices are not so easily replaced. If Humphrey had been forced to live with his sacrifice for just a little while - it could have been restored in a later book - I think it would have made for an even better lesson.

Taking the Cake! (Confectionately Yours #2) by Lisa Papademetriou

★★★½

In this sequel to Save the Cupcake!, Lisa Papademetriou continues her commitment to diversity. Besides fleshing out some characters with autism and food allergies, she also introduces a new character who is Latino.

I liked that Hayley continued to be relatable. She's just a regular kid, trying to deal with regular middle school problems. Okay, she has a particular talent for baking cupcakes, and happens to be able to sell them in her grandmother's cafe, but otherwise she really seems normal. While struggling through her parents' divorce, she loses her two best friends, she pines over a crush, and she finds herself the victim of mean girl behavior. She just doesn't know what to do. To be honest, there really isn't a lot of cheer in this book, other than the hope that comes with a couple budding friendships.

I found it particularly interesting that in this book, Hayley made a series of bad decisions, the kinds that are probably typical among teenagers. Papademetriou did a great job depicting the way a teenager might really justify engaging in behavior that they know to be wrong. I also liked that Hayley doesn't really get away with anything, and has to face the consequences of her actions.

Finally, I will note that while I totally appreciate the author's efforts in promoting food allergy awareness, I think the incident of anaphylaxis as described in the book doesn't really do a good job of spreading accurate information. In the book, when a character has an anaphylactic allergic reaction, she is taken to a doctor's office. In real life, it is generally recommended that 911 be called immediately, and the patient be taken to an ER. Ideally, an EpiPen would have been administered if one had been available, and it's unfortunate that the author didn't at least include a mention of EpiPens. I dare say I might have given this book 5 stars if not for this sketchy portrayal of how to deal with anaphylaxis.

Save the Cupcake! (Confectionately Yours #1) by Lisa Papademetriou

★★★★★

*** WARNING: This review contains spoilers!!! ***

I am surprised myself that I am giving this book 5 stars! There are so many cupcake-themed books that I honestly never stopped to consider that any one or other might really be a worthwhile read. I can't keep up with all the books Isabelle brings home from the library, but she found a recipe in this book that we tried - the Spicy Mexican Chocolate "Hotheads", sans the spices so that we actually made regular molten chocolate cupcakes - and they were amazing!! So, I figured I'd give the book a shot.

First, let me commend the author on her commitment to diversity! Not only is the protagonist's grandmother British, but her sister has an African-American friend, her father has a Thai girlfriend, they have a Pakistani neighbor, a Jewish friend with a gluten allergy has a crush on a Muslim, another friend has a sister with autism, and a classmate is BLIND! Seems like that's a pretty impressive cast considering the main characters are Caucasian.

Second, I really liked the authenticity of Hayley's voice. I could totally appreciate her perspective. The "Confession" chapters strewn throughout the book were very effective in illustrating how kids growing up have to reconcile their past experiences and real emotions with new experiences that they aren't sure how to process. Hayley is entirely relatable in the way she has to put up a front with her friends and classmates, not because she is in any way "fake", but because life is complex, and she's still figuring things out.

I was surprised that this book dealt with real issues that many middle schoolers could probably identify with. While other books in the same genre may tend towards the over-the-top, this book seemed to keep it real. Hayley struggles with her parents' divorce, and she needs to come to terms with friendships that are evolving and devolving. Plus, when Hayley and Meghan fight to "save the cupcake", we actually got a realistic ending, not the fairy tale ending that I feared.

In fact, it was interesting that the story was set in Massachusetts. This book was published in 2012, and though many readers may not be aware, MA actually passed a law in 2011, in response to health concerns, to restrict the foods that can be distributed and sold in schools. While the plot of the story required a confrontation between those for and against the ban, it sort of seemed to me that the author didn't really want to take a side on the issue. The main arguments for each side were delineated, but not especially fleshed out. Both sides had good points, and events unfolded probably much like they would in real life. I will say, though, that as the mother of a child with life-threatening food allergies, I have seen the look of disappointment when my son (still in elementary school) can't eat the birthday cake that everyone else is eating. He always gets his own safe special treat, but it's not the same as the birthday cake, and like Hayley said (on page 147 of my edition), "Not everyone can handle [being different]."

Fudge Roundup

This is a great series for kids with younger siblings! Peter Hatcher is wholly relatable, and Judy Blume keeps it real with Sheila Tubman's drama and Fudge's misbehavior. A few more "out there" elements (e.g., Jimmy's father's fame, the Howies) make the series as a whole kind of less realistic, but it's entertaining nonetheless.

While Fudge is certainly one of the most memorable characters in these books, I do sort of wish the series wasn't named for Fudge. All the books except Sheila the Great are narrated by Peter, and it's really his experiences and perspective that we're reading about.

• Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (#1) ★★★★
• Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great (#2) ★★★½
• Superfudge (#3) ★★★½
• Fudge-a-Mania (#4) ★★★★
• Double Fudge (#5) ★★★

Double Fudge (Fudge #5) by Judy Blume

★★★

Well, here we are, at the finish. Our visit with Peter and Fudge started in 1972, and though we followed them through four years of their childhood, it took 30 years to tell their stories. Published in 2002, this book keeps up with modern times, including references to Harry Potter and instant messaging.

Fudge continues with his antics, though he gets a taste of his own medicine when the Hatchers meet their long-lost relatives, a family with a little boy who gives Fudge a run for his money. Peter's friendship with Jimmy Fargo continues to develop, but mostly this book is about Fudge and the Howies, as Peter calls the long-lost relatives. Following the trend of the last couple books, the whole business with the Howies and the Heavenly Hatchers was just so over the top! Entertaining, yes, but not quite as relatable as the earlier books in the series.

Fudge-a-Mania (Fudge #4) by Judy Blume

★★★★

*** Warning: This review contains spoilers!! ***

I have to admit, it does seem like Peter wasn't treated entirely fairly by his parents. They really ought to have told him about the shared summer home!

For the most part, what I've really liked about this series is its relatability. Characters are realistic, and events are more or less believable. (Even when Fudge swallowed Dribble, I had read that it was inspired by a true news story!) In the last book, Frank Fargo's painting just happening to show up in Peter's new neighborhood was a little out there, but a coincidence within the realm of possibilities. But now they have a retired Red Sox player for a neighbor, and a wedding just three weeks after the couple meets... It's all happy and fun, but more over the top, more along the lines of "only in a book" instead of "fiction reflecting real life".

Still, I think Judy Blume did an excellent job depicting Peter's emotions. He's just a kid, and he doesn't always think rationally, but his perspective is valid. I think many young readers would be able to relate to how he felt like a loser for having made mistakes in front of what seemed like the whole world, or how he felt jealous and left out when his best friend actually got along with his sworn enemy, or just how disappointed he was when nothing was going the way he imagined it would.

But hopefully, readers would also see how Peter came to realize that having a good friend and a supportive family are more important than most other things, and they really can cheer you up.

Superfudge (Fudge #3) by Judy Blume

★★★½

Just as with Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, I was disappointed that this book had clearly been updated for modernity. Despite being published in 1980, this book has Peter Hatcher asking for a laptop computer and an MP3 player for Christmas! The charm of reading well-written books is knowing that they are timelessly relatable, regardless of when they were written, and I would really have preferred to find out what a sixth grade boy growing up in 1980 would have wanted for Christmas.

I was also a little put off by the title of this book - and the two following books in the series as well. Yes, Fudge is probably the most dynamic and memorable member of the Hatcher family, but the book is still written in Peter's voice. The book explores Peter's emotions as the eldest child, and we follow him as he learns to navigate old and new friendships. More than once while reading this book, I thought, "Poor kid! Peter really does get unjustly overlooked by his parents!" His parents expect a lot from him, hardly ever asking how he feels about the changes and responsibilities foisted upon him. I almost feel bad for him because even "his" books are named after Fudge!

Anyway, Peter tells it like is. So much so that one chapter in this book makes it clear that Santa doesn't exist! Isabelle, at age 8, had suspicions about Santa, but I dare say this book actually confirmed them. Since this book is recommended for children ages 7 and up, it's worth noting that a child probably should not read this book - or have it read to them - if they don't already know the truth about Santa.

Also, there is a great deal of talk about "Where do babies come from?" The book brings up the question, but doesn't actually answer it. Isabelle knows a bit, but certainly not all the specific details. I was surprised that she didn't ask more questions after reading this book...I would actually recommend this book for ages 10 and up - or whatever age you think is appropriate for potentially fielding questions about procreation!

Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great (Fudge #2) by Judy Blume

★★★½

First of all, I have to say, I really enjoy it when books hint at the time period in which they were written. I think it gives the book charm. So, imagine my surprise when, reading this book that was published in 1972, I came across references to CD players and personal computers! Clearly, the version I read had been updated for modern technology, and that bummed me out.

I think Sheila Tubman offers a lot in terms of giving young readers a character to relate to - her volatility and flair for drama rang true to me! - and yet, I didn't find her very likable. But maybe that was the point? On the one hand, her tendency to over-compensate for her perceived short-comings, and to flaunt her perceived talents, was annoying and obnoxious. On the other hand, she was confident! She was bold! Despite her stubbornness, she conquered a fear! Part of me wished she learned a lesson about being humble and honest, but then again, it was satisfying to see her being true to herself - she is who she is! As she pointed out (on page 93 of my edition), "sometimes it is better to sing loud and be heard [even if you don't sing well] than to sing very nicely like Maryann, who nobody could hear."

I liked that Mouse didn't fall for Sheila's lies and exaggerations, but she also didn't judge her. She called Sheila out on her behavior without making it into a big confrontation. She seemed like a really good friend.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (Fudge #1) by Judy Blume

★★★★

I have clear memories of reading this book as a kid. Isabelle borrowed the whole series from the library, so I picked them up for a re-read. It turns out, the last two books were published well after my childhood years, so I think I must have only read the first three growing up.

What I like best about this book is just how very relatable Peter Hatcher is. Even though Isabelle is not yet in fourth grade, and her little brother is a few years older than Fudge, I could see elements of their relationship in Peter and Fudge's. I am sure that Isabelle identified with how annoyed and frustrated Peter was by his little brother! And I think the book's first-person narrative from Peter's perspective was really convincing.

I like how Peter "knew better", so that whenever he was in a difficult situation with grown-ups, he remained well-mannered. He set a good example for proper behavior.

Despite thinking of himself as a "nothing", Peter actually had a very important role in the family as Fudge's big brother. Even though the book didn't explicitly discuss any epiphany on Peter's part, I hope even young readers will come away with that realization.

I really enjoy it when books hint at the time period in which they were written, so it was fun to see this book make mention of supermarket trading stamps - which I am mostly familiar with because of a Brady Bunch episode. Also, a drop-off party for 3-year-olds! It's just not so common these days. :P

Another thing that surprised me was a casual mention of "dope-pushers". This book was published in 1972, and it reminded me of how From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, published in 1967, also made mention of "dope addicts"! I think it's strange that books that are recommended for kids as young as 7 or 8 would make mention of drugs. So far, I think the only exposure that Isabelle has had to drugs is from these two books, though my sister says that her kids' school system starts DARE in kindergarten!

Finally, I'm no germaphobe, but I researched pet turtles for Isabelle a couple years ago, and found out they put people at risk for Salmonella. So, in light of that, I had difficulty suspending my disbelief in terms of how casually everyone (especially Fudge!) handled Dribble!

Epic (2013)

★★★★

Super kid-friendly! A fun and entertaining movie.

There's not much to scare a little one. Characters do die, but not in very scary ways. Bad guys do look ugly, but they are more "yucky" than frightening. The only weapons - other than magical powers - are swords and bows and arrows.

There is a bit of romance, but the story doesn't revolve around love like a Disney princess movie.

Occasionally, I laughed out loud. There are some pretty hilarious bits of humor ("I hurt my elbow!"), and the comic reliefs Mub and Grub - a slug and a snail - were my favorite characters.

Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye (Geronimo Stilton #1) by

★★★★

Isabelle came home from the library with a book in a companion series about Thea Stilton, so I asked her about the original series featuring Geronimo Stilton. They looked and sounded like something that might interest Sebastien, so we gave it a shot. The short chapters were perfect for him - me reading aloud to him since he can't read yet - and he liked it!

The series is about anthropomorphized mice who live not in the real world as we know it, but in an imaginary mouse world. I think I am bothered when anthropomorphized animals live in a human world, but anthropomorphized animals living in their own world is fine. This book - the first of many in the series - was certainly entertaining. It felt like a cartoon. Small illustrations were scattered about, and a few words on every page were printed in different fonts, sizes, and colors, which made for fun reading.

The story is a light-hearted adventure, and it doesn't exactly tackle any issues. Still, there's a sense that Geronimo Stilton is "keeping it real". For example, he gets annoyed when other people don't call him by his real name, and he begrudgingly remains friends with his cousin Trap, who generally proves himself useful even though he is annoying.

Boyhood (2014)

★★★

*** WARNING: This review contains SPOILERS!!! ***

I had such high hopes for this film, and I know it's getting rave reviews all around. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from Richard Linklater, but I expected to be impressed. Of course, I was intrigued by the idea of main characters aging 12 actual years during the course of the movie, but that is pretty much where my fascination with the film ended.

First of all, I think the title is misleading. I expected the film to focus primarily on the boy. Mason probably did get the most screen time, but the movie could have just as easily been called Parenthood or Siblinghood. In fact, I thought Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke played the most compelling characters, and I was much more interested in them than in their two stereotypically reticent, angst-ridden, monotoned children. Moreover, I associate "boyhood" with childhood, perhaps up to age 12 or 13; I knew that this movie spanned 12 years, but I was surprised that the majority of the focus was on adolescence.

While it's true that in real life, people tend to have patterned behavior, I couldn't help but feel that Patricia Arquette's bad luck with husbands seemed forced. As a psychology student, and then as a psychology professor, shouldn't she have seen some red flags before marrying the men who turned out to be drunken jerks? We in the audience only saw snapshots, but I admit I assumed that both weddings occurred after a reasonable amount of dating time. Also, I found it odd that both marriages started as student-teacher relationships.

Also in real life, people tend to come and go. But when Patricia Arquette escaped from an abusive marriage with her two children, we didn't see the fall-out. After the family had bonded for several years, surely both the mom and her two children would have felt some sense of obligation to ensure the safety of the ex-husband's biological children! Apparently, one phone call to the biological mother and one phone call to social services was all that they felt was necessary. Whatever happened to those step-siblings? Didn't they care?! Even in real life, I think extensive follow-up would have occurred.

The one time we did see what happened to a supporting character was when the immigrant worker approached the family in a restaurant. I loved that - but the timing of the encounter seemed contrived.

Still, continuing with the assumption that the point of the movie was supposed to be its honest depiction of real life, I actually left the movie feeling depressed. This is what becomes of families? The sweet, curious, active little boy turned into a brooding, slow-moving, greasy-haired teenager who dabbled in recreational drug use. The vibrant, out-spoken young girl became a brooding young woman of few words and little personality, and she had an air of being perpetually stoned. Yes, they were, generally speaking, good kids, and Mason had a talent with photography, but they were not entirely inspiring as the face of America's youth.

The parents fared no better. Ethan Hawke was a free soul with an anti-establishment bent who couldn't pull it together to be a responsible family man, yet he was clearly a good father who loved his children. Even he ended up wearing khakis and settling down with a woman from a Bible-thumping, gun-toting family while his good friend Jimmy lived the dream of making music. And Patricia Arquette - she was the most depressing character. Towards the end of the movie, in a state of despair, she rattled off a list of her milestone accomplishments, and the last time we see her, she has her heads in her hands and she is crying, "I just thought there would be more!" Seriously. I suppose that rings true, but how totally depressing.

And what was with Mason's boss popping in for his graduation party!? How random was that.

Overall, I did not feel the connection to my own experiences or the sense of nostalgia that I was told I would feel from all the positive reviews. The most familiar scene to me was in the very beginning, when Patricia Arquette was driving while trying to keep her kids from fighting by telling them to put a barrier between them. That scene hooked me in, but then I never felt as invested again.

I can't help but wonder: Did this movie not speak to me because my childhood was actually non-standard compared to a "typical" American childhood?

The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) by Lemony Snicket

★★★½

Previously, all I knew about this book was that it was made into a movie starring Jim Carrey. Just from the commercials, I thought Jim Carrey's character looked so unpleasant that I had no desire to see the movie or read the books! But when I came across this series at the local library, I figured I'd give it a chance.

I very much enjoyed the actual writing. The narrator's voice is kind and reassuring, and the story unfolds as if the narrator is telling the story out loud to a group of children. He even has an amusing way of defining potentially difficult words.

The children, too, I grew to like. Though Sunny is just a baby and has little personality beyond her tendency to bite things, I appreciated Violet's inventiveness, and Kraus's love of reading. The only time I felt disappointed in any of the children was when Kraus uncovered Count Olaf's nefarious plan, and instead of discussing next steps with Violet, he went ahead and confronted Count Olaf by himself, which clearly was not a wise thing to do.

So, why the middling rating? I have to admit, I like to feel uplifted by what I read. True to its title, this book really is about a series of unfortunate events. The poor Baudelaire children! But, more than just disliking this book's lack of cheeriness, I was really put off by Count Olaf. He was a villain through and through, and honestly, he creeped me out. He wasn't just mean and greedy. His actions skirted the edges of pedophilia.

Now, I am curious to know what becomes of the Baudelaire children, and so I think I will probably pick up the rest of the series in due time. However, I am in no rush, and I don't think I will be recommending this book to my children. If they pick it up themselves, at least I'll have read it already, and will be able to have some conversations with them, as necessary, about death or the law or whatever.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

★★★★

I dare say, the title of this book was half the fun of reading it!

I was first made aware of this book when another book made an oblique reference to it. This book had an impressive fan base, and I was intrigued. I finally got around to checking it out of the library, and I read it aloud to both Isabelle and Sebastien. We all enjoyed it!

Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler's third-person narration in itself is not especially noteworthy, but her asides to Saxonberg, her lawyer, were entertaining, and it was fun to consider that the entire book was an account being outlined in a letter.

I admit, I didn't really understand why Claudia wanted to run away in the first place, though I did understand her reasons for delaying her return. I identified with her knack for organization, as well as Jamie's budgeting skills. I can see the draw this book would have for many children - Claudia and Jamie have an exciting adventure living rather comfortably all on their own. Though the siblings fight, they clearly have a supportive, loving relationship. The statue they encounter in the museum adds an element of mystery. And having it all take place in New York City, with a recurring risk of being discovered by museum guards, just made the story all that more interesting.

In the end, everything was wrapped up in a nice pretty bow, but Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler's presumed ongoing relationship with Claudia and Jamie just seemed a little too perfect, especially since it came on rather suddenly. And it bothered me that the kids - who were otherwise exceptionally well-adjusted and reasonable - never felt any remorse for having run away, never even gave a minute's thought to how their parents must have been feeling during their absence. Also, even though the book was clearly portraying a type of fantasy for runaways, it still came across as just a bit too easy.

Finally, it's worth mentioning that this book includes a short conversation about "dope addicts". I ended up having to give my kids a watered down explanation of drugs. The recommended age range for this book is 8-12 year olds, but because of the dope reference, I think it might be better suited for the upper end of that range.

Gravity (2013)

★★★½

*** Warning: This review contains spoilers!! ***

With its dramatic soundtrack, Gravity was certainly suspenseful, but mostly, it was a visual film.

Big words come to mind in describing this movie. Existential... Metaphorical... Sandra Bullock's character died a metaphorical death when her daughter died, but still she managed to cheat actual death. Given a second chance, she had a re-birth (complete with in utero imagery) in overcoming her daughter's death. Given new life - literally and figuratively - she physically takes her first steps on earth as a new person.

The images of people actually being "lost in space" - in more ways than one - was pretty unsettling.

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

★★★★½

I remember this book being very popular when I was a kid, but I had never read it. As it was with all those Beverly Cleary books, I just felt it was high time I read this one.

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure, at first, if I would like Harriet. She was certainly precocious, but came across a little know-it-all-ish. Also, since her family is wealthy - they employ a cook as well as a nurse / nanny for Harriet - I wasn't sure if she'd be relatable. But, the more she wrote in her notebook, and the more she behaved like any other kid, the more I appreciated her.

Summaries of this book usually focus on how Harriet's notebook gets into the wrong hands, but she actually doesn't lose the notebook until a little more than half-way through the story. Mostly, I find this book is about people. Just people. As Ole Golly, Harriet's nurse, says, “There are as many ways to live as there are people.” And Harriet is keen on trying to understand all the people she encounters. Her astute observations and insights, the social commentary and self-reflection, all had quite a lot of depth, especially for someone who is supposed to be 11 years old.

I liked that this book takes place in Manhattan. When I sat down and thought about it, I don't think any of the other children's books I've read recently take place in a big city! It's always a suburb, or a farm, or a small town set in the old days. It was nice to have a setting with a bit more excitement.

What really impressed me about this book, though, was how it was able to depict, in a way accessible to children, the true horrors of bullying and the cycle of abuse. Certainly, when Harriet lost her notebook and all hell broke loose, there was plenty of blame to go around; Harriet was not blameless. However, there is no denying that Harriet was mercilessly bullied, and then what happened? Being bullied made Harriet angry, and made her lash out in retaliation, despite that type of behavior being entirely out of character for her. All too frequently, those who are abused will turn around to become abusers. Luckily, Harriet's parents did care about her (even if they did mostly outsource her upbringing), and Ole Golly came through with her spot on child-rearing expertise.

So, why not 5 stars? Well, as with other books I've rated 4 1/2 stars, the book on the whole was great, but there were just a few small things that didn't sit right with me. I mean, I understand that Harriet was practicing her spying in preparation for becoming a spy when she's older, but I was a bit uncomfortable with the idea of her actually sneaking into other people's houses, and looking into the windows of strangers!

Also, this book was published in 1964, when there wasn't the hypersensitivity to gun violence and terrorism that there is today. I'm definitely a product of current times, because it did give me pause when guns were mentioned early on, even though it was mostly harmless, in the context of bad guys in a story Harriet was making up. But also, Harriet's friend Janie really gave me the creeps. Not only was she always talking about blowing things up - and doing dangerous chemistry experiments in her room to reach her goal! - but the illustrations of her really made her look disturbing. Oh, and, the word "stoned" was used twice, and that didn't seem appropriate for the lower end of the recommended age range for this book, which is grades 3-7.

The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen

★★★½

This version of the classic fairy tale was retold by Amy Ehrlich and illustrated by Susan Jeffers.

Perhaps obviously, I was inspired to read The Snow Queen after watching Frozen, which was loosely based on this story.

Certainly I can see how Frozen was seeded by ideas from The Snow Queen. In this book, there is a brief mention of trolls, a child's heart is frozen by being pierced by a sliver of a broken mirror (in the movie, a child's heart is frozen by being pierced by ice), there is a Snow Queen, there's a reindeer, and in the end, someone is saved by someone else's love.

That's pretty much where the similarities end, though. In The Snow Queen, a young girl named Gerda leaves in search of her childhood friend Kai, who was lured away from home by the Snow Queen, and she has lots of adventures along the way. It's kind of rambling, and maybe her search even comes across as kind of a quest. She encounters more than one old woman who knows magic, but luckily none of them are evil. She crashes the honeymoon of a princess and her new prince, she runs into a band of robbers in a forest, and she teams up with a friendly reindeer.

Happily, the story ends well, and it had all sorts of elements that made it fairy tale-ish: magic, talking animals, flower gardens, something of a lesson in stranger danger. I guess I didn't give it a higher rating mostly because the title character remained a mystery. She wasn't exactly good - she did basically kidnap Kai - but she wasn't exactly evil, either. Who was she, really? Also, the young robber girl confused me, too. She wanted to play with Gerda, and she ultimately helped her on her mission, yet she liked to see animals suffer, and she threatened to kill Gerda herself. I just didn't get her.