Book Review: Polly Diamond and the Magic Book

Polly Diamond and the Magic Book by Alice Kuipers is the story of a young girl, Polly, who discovers magic and has many misadventures.   Polly loves to write stories and begins to put them in a special book.  She soon discovers that everything she writes about will appear in real life.  Certainly, all of Polly’s dreams will come true.  Come to the library to check out a copy of this book to see if all of Polly’s dreams are as magical as they seem.

~KF

You can find Polly Diamond and the Magic Book in the Juvenile Fiction section at J KUIPERS.

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Throwback Thursday: Little Women

For this Throwback Thursday you should check out Little Women by Louisa May Alcott!

Chronicles the joys and sorrows of the four March sisters as they grow into young ladies in mid-nineteenth-century New England.

First published in 1868, 150 years ago, this book has truly become a classic. It has also been adapted in a movie. This classic is great for anyone who likes stories about sisters and growing up.

You can find this book in the Juvenile Fiction section at J ALCOTT.

Throwback Thursday: Howl’s Moving Castle

For this Throwback Thursday I recommend: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones.

Eldest of three sisters in a land where it is considered to be a misfortune, Sophie is resigned to her fate as a hat shop apprentice until a witch turns her into an old woman and she finds herself in the castle of the greatly feared wizard Howl.

Most people will recognize as the title as the name of a movie from 2004 directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The movie is one of the highest grossing anime movies and it is based on this novel by Diana Wynne Jones. The book, Howl’s Moving Castle, was published in 1986. This book has all the enjoyable quirky humor and events that you find in the movie. This was such a fun read! Recommended for fans of the movie, and fans of  fantasy novels.

This book can be found in Juvenile Fiction section at J JONES.

~aw

Book Review: Frogkisser!

Today I recommend: Frogkisser! by Garth Nix.

Princess Anya has a big problem: Duke Rikard, her step-stepfather is an evil wizard who wants to rule the kingdom and has a habit of changing people into frogs, and her older sister Morven, the heir, is a wimp–so with the help of the librarian Gotfried (who turns into an owl when he is upset), and the Royal Dogs, she must find away to defeat Rikard, save her sister, and maybe even turn Prince Denholm back into a human being.

This fantasy book has everything you could want: humor in the shape of hilarious talking dogs, the classic fantasy elements in the magic lip balm, newts, otters, a Good Wizard, and a strong main character! It also subverts a lot of fantasy tropes, there is no romance plot for our brave main character, Princess Anya. The book also has some interesting discussions about privilege and how laws should apply equally to everyone. This book is pretty hefty at 372 pages but if you love fantasy this is a book for you! You can find it in the Juvenile Fiction section at J NIX.

~aw

Book Review: Making Bombs for Hitler

Today I recommend: Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

When Lida and her sister are caught by the Nazis they are separated. Lida is sent to a slave labour camp and must work from dawn to dusk on bread and soup, without shoes and wearing only a thin dress. Even if she survives the war, will Lida ever see her sister again?

This book grabbed my attention right away and I couldn’t put it down. This is a fictionalized account of young Ukrainian Lida’s experiences in Nazi work camps but it is based on facts and interviews as explained in the excellent author’s note. It addresses all of the horrors of the Holocaust without being too graphic in its descriptions. The strength of Lida and her struggles will hook you and you’ll feel emotional as you root for her. You can find this book in the Juvenile Fiction section at J SKRYPUCH.

If Making Bombs for Hitler sounds interesting you might also enjoy: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (Juvenile Fiction J LOWRY). For other books about WWII check out: Book Review: Brave Like My Brother

~aw