Rump

Rump

by Leisl Shurtliff

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Fractured Fairy Tale

Synopsis:  In a magical kingdom where your name is your destiny, twelve-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke.  But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change.  Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold-as much gold as he wants!  His best friend, Red, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she's right.  With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen.  The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship-and a cheeky sense of humor-he might triumph in the end.

from the back of the book

Natalie's Review: I really like this book because I like how they solve the problem that Rump had.  This is the true story of who Rumpelstiltskin is.  In the first place Rump didn't have part of his name but at the end he finds out his name.  Other people would like this book because it is kind of funny and that it has fairy tale characters in it like Rumpelstiltskin and Little Red Riding Hood.  There were pixies in the story and they were funny because they would bite people when someone stepped on their nest or when people gold.

Noah's Review:  I thought this book was spectacular because I like mixed up fairy tales and ones that are made funnier and better.  This book is better than Rumpelstiltskin because it tells more about Rump's life and how he learned how to spin straw into gold.  I also liked that he didn't know his name and how he learns his whole name at the end.  People who like made up things and stories that are based on other stories will like this book.  I rated this 4 stars because there weren't exciting events that happened in the first few chapters.

Editor's note: There are many fairy tales and characters that are alluded to in this story but the book never comes out and says that other fairy tale characters are in the story.  These were just passing comments and not connected to the story but it is interesting to see if kids can figure out what character/fairy tale the author is referring to.

Natalie's Rating: 5 stars

Noah's Rating: 4 stars

8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel / 1 Dog = Chaos

8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel ÷ 1 Dog = Chaos

by Vivian Vande Velde

Illustrated by Steve Bjorkman

Genre: Chapter book

Synopsis: Twitch, the school yard squirrel, has really gotten himself into a bind this time. While trying to escape from a hungry owl, he roused the principal's dog and got chased into the school. Now he's locked in for a dangerous and disastrous night. Can Green Eggs and Hamster, Sweetie the library rat, and the other school pets save Twitch from the crazed dog, Cuddles? In this uproarious chapter book, a group of small animals manages to turn an elementary school into a real zoo.

from GoodReads

Natalie's review:  I like the book because it has animals in it and I like animals.  I like the book because all of the animals go crazy in the book.  The book was silly and funny.  The animals got out of their cages and made a mess.  They talked to each other.  I think other kids would like the book because it is funny and the animals make a mess.  If children like animals they should read this book.

Natalie's rating: 5 stars

Noah's review:  I like the book because it was silly.  One pet would go to another pet and they would tell each what the problem was and each pet got out of their cage.  The animals made a mess and the day after that was supposed to be a special day.  Other kids should read the book because it is funny and the book is a chapter book.  If you have one of the pets from the book you will think the book is really cool.

Noah's rating: 4.5 stars

Becky's review:   This book was really cute.  Each chapter is told by a different pet that lives in the school (or the squirrel and dog who came into the school) and each pet has its own personality.  The hamster cracks me up because he's a little scatterbrained.  Some of the pets are quirkier than others and that is what makes the book fun.  My kids didn't laugh out loud during the book but there was some smiling going on during the book.  There were times that I found something funny that went over their heads.  This was a good book for a read aloud but I think it would also be a good book to read on your own. It is a pretty short chapter book so it goes by pretty quickly.

Becky's review: 4 stars

I, Freddy

I, Freddy

by Dietlof Reiche

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis: Freddy is no ordinary hamster.  He's a Mesocricetus auratus, a golden hamster of the highest order.  As part of such a superior breed, he'd sooner go into Eternal Hibernation than mindlessly waste his life in a pet shop.  And so, with the passion of youth and the conviction of the brilliant, he sets out on a daring quest for freedom, literacy, and a more dignified existence.

But enemies both human and animal, his diminutive size, and a few technological challenges threaten to thwart his dream at every turn.  Lo and behold, in the spirit of the most gifted writers, Freddy turns these obstacles into fodder for his witty and heartwarming autobiography.
from the book jacket

Natalie's and Noah's Review:  (Natalie) I like the book because it is about animals.  Freddy is a hamster that can talk and read and write.  He wasn't a regular hamster.  He was smart.  Freddy was my favorite character.  I liked that there were some pictures in the book.  (Noah) I like the book because Freddy is silly.  Freddy could read and write and talk.  Freddy was smart.  I think Amelia would like reading the book because there is a cat in the book.

Becky's Review: I picked this book because I thought Natalie would enjoy the book because this book is told from the perspective of a hamster and I figured that was close enough to a rat.  Noah was very engaged in the story where as Natalie would play a little while the book was being read aloud.  I liked how clever and cunning Freddy was.  The other characters in the book (a cat and guinea pigs) were fun and quirky as well.  The guinea pigs, Enrico and Caruso, were theatrical and sang quite a bit which was a fun addition to the book.  This book was originally written in German and there were a few vocabulary terms that seemed a little advanced for the level of book.  The book also progressed relatively slowly which is why Natalie may have lost interest.  There are other books in the series and I can imagine that my kids will read these as they get older because the first book was fun.

Natalie's Rating: 10 stars

Noah's Rating: 5 stars

Just Grace

Just Grace

by Charise Mericle Harper

Genre: Chapter book

Synopsis:  Here are some things you will find in this book:

1.  Crinkles the cat, at least until he disappears

2.  Fantastic friends like Mimi and the glamorous Augustine Dupre, who is from France.

3.  A boy with some unfortunate habits.

4.  And finally, four girls named Grace, which is entirely three Graces too many.

Here are some things you will not find in this book:

1.  A lost friend.

2.  The world's largest sandwich.

3.  A new neighbor who can do handstands.

Maybe they will be in the next book.  We will have to wait and see.

Natalie and Noah's review: (Noah) I liked the characters because I like what they say.  Grace was my favorite. (Natalie) I liked this book because I liked that there was a cat and the cat pooped in her plants.  I liked the small pictures in the book.  I think people will like the book because there is poop in it and they will think it is funny.

Becky's review:  I have enjoyed pictures books by this author because they are a little quirky and humorous.  I thought the chapter book might be the same way.   The book was definitely quirky but I didn't find humor in this book until towards the end and then it was just a few sentences.  This book was also written in the form of stream of consciousness and was quite difficult to follow along while reading out loud.  There were no chapters but just headings in various places.  There were no ends to any thoughts and the book just rambled on.  I think my kids got bored while listening to the book.  Maybe this book would be better if you are reading it to yourself or if you are much younger!  There wasn't much of a story until part way through the book when the problem finally developed.  I would not discourage my kids to read the book (or the subsequent books) once they are able to read on their own but I am not reading any more out loud.  There is nothing remotely inappropriate in this book and there was a good message.

Natalie and Noah's rating: 5 stars

Becky's rating: 2 stars

Ivy and Bean

Ivy and Bean

by Annie Barrows
Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Genre: Chapter Book

Synopsis:   The moment they saw each other, Bean and Ivy knew they would never be friends.  But when Bean plays a trick on her sister and has to hide-quick!-Ivy comes to the rescue with her wand, some face paint, and a bucket of worms.  Will they end up in trouble?  Maybe.  Will they have fun?  Of course!

Meet Ivy and Bean, a pair of best friends who never meant to like one another.
from the book jacket

Natalie's and Noah's Review:  This was a funny story.  We liked the people in the story.  We liked this book because Ivy and Bean kept doing trouble like putting a dancing spell on Nancy (Bean's sister).  When they would do trouble it made us laugh.  I like how Bean was going to play a trick on Nancy because she wanted her sister to stop being bossy.  Nancy was trying to be Bean's mom and would boss Bean around.  Ivy looked silly because she was wearing a bathrobe with moons and stars.  We liked that this was a chapter book with pictures in it.  You should read this book because it's funny and it will make you laugh.

Becky's Review:  This was a great early chapter book.  It really held my kids' attention especially Natalie's who has difficulty with listening to chapter books without many pictures.  My kids laughed out loud while I read this book to them.  They really liked how Ivy and Bean made mischief in an nontraditional way.  I liked that Bean was not a girly girl and that she loved to get dirty, play outside and cause trouble.  Bean thought Ivy was too girly for her but then the two of them develop a friendship and have similar interests even though first appearances would make it seem like they wouldn't get along.  My kids definitely want to read the next books in the series.

Natalie's and Noah's Rating: 5 stars

Lady Lollipop

Lady Lollipop

by Dick King-Smith
Illustrated by Jill Barton

Genre: Chapter book

Synopsis: Lollipop is no ordinary pig.  According to her young trainer, Johnny Skinner, she's the smartest pig in the entire kingdom.  When people stare into Lollipop's bright, intelligent eyes, it somehow changes them for the better.  But will Lollipop be able to win over the spoiled Princess Penelope-and her not-so-pig-friendly parents, the King and Queen?

from the book jacket

Natalie's Review: I liked the book because it has a pig in it.  I like pigs and stories about pigs.  I like that the pig was called Lady Lollipop like a candy, it is silly.  The boy is nice and he trained the pig.  He trained to pig to poop by saying "busy."  That was silly.  I liked the pictures.  There were a lot of them.  I liked the whole book.

Becky's review:  This book was pretty simplistic but an easy read aloud book for young children.  The book has plenty of pictures to keep young kids entertained while reading.  There is some old fashioned language in this book which made me think the book was written a while ago (like the 1940s) but this book was written much more recently!  The language might need to be clarified for kids.  At first the main characters are not very likable, Princess Penelope is a spoiled brat and the King and Queen don't do anything about it.  But luckily all the characters get better.  It wasn't the most exciting children's book that I have read but if it entertains my 5 year old, then the book is fine with me!

Natalie's Rating: 5 stars