The Clue in the Trees by Margi Preus is the second in the Enchantment Lake series. Francie Frye from the first novel, Enchantment Lake, has decided to remain with her aunts in Minnesota for her senior year at the local high school. On the night before her first day of school, France is awakened by …
Oct 26 2017
Halloween Books for Beginning Readers
Love Monster and the Scary Something by Rachel Bright is the most recent in the well known Love Monster series. Love Monster is struggling with insomnia one evening. The harder he tries to sleep, the more awake he becomes. As the night goes on, his imagination begins to run wild, and Love Monster is convinced …
Jul 11 2017
Review: Superhero books for beginning readers.
The recent deluge of superhero movies has resulted in a marked increase in superhero books and comics. Superman, The Justice League, Wonder Woman, and the Avengers are all slated to have new movies in the next couple of years. In this vein, I decided to look at superhero books for young children. Good Morning, Superman, …
Mar 31 2017
Offbeat Almanac – April 2017
April 1: Of course we all know today as April Fools Day, but did you know it is also Edible Book Day? No joke! Personally, I prefer a more figurative approach to my book devouring but hey, if literal is your thing, then today is your day! Though might I suggest you try a hearty …
Feb 28 2017
Review: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
With the recent resurgence of Marvel’s Thor movies, Norse mythology has become a renewed interest for many. Neil Gaiman has held a fascination for Norse myths and legends for most of his life. As a young boy he read a comic about the Norse god Thor. Throughout his writing for most of his career, the …
Jan 17 2017
Review: The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher is best known for her role in the Star Wars franchise as the iconic Princess Leia. Many of us who are now adults spent long hours of our childhood pretending to be characters in the Star Wars universe. Whether we were the snarky Princess escaping the clutches of the evil Lord Vader, the …
Nov 15 2016
Review: It Looks Like This by Rafi Mittlefehldt
The issue of bullying in teens and children has had an increase in awareness over the last few years, with countless news articles about teens or pre-teens who have been either victims or perpetrators. Statistics show that approximately 160,000 teens skip school every day due to issues of bullying. With those numbers in my head …
Oct 25 2016
Review: Graphic Novels for Halloween
Halloween is on us again, and as in previous years, I thought I would do a Halloween themed review of books for kids, middle schoolers, and teens. I recently discovered a series of classic horror literature converted to graphic novel format. These include Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, …
Jul 12 2016
Review: You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day
You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day is a comedic auto-biography. Well known within the blogging/vlogging community, Day is also something of a minority, as she is a prominent female gamer. In addition, she has gained acclaim for her web series The Guild and is noted for her accessibility within the fan …
Jun 21 2016
Review: The View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman
Over the course of his career, Neil Gaiman has written a number of essays, introductions, and speeches. The View from the Cheap Seats pulls together over sixty of these pieces in one place for the first time. For veteran fans of Gaiman, many of these writings will revisit previously seen works. For newer fans, The …