Ally the Dolphin Fairy By: Daisy Meadows

Meet Norah, today's "Friday Friend".  I love her reading tent and I'm sure she has spent a lot of time in this tent as she is an avid reader.  I was thrilled that she reveiwed a book written by Daisy Meadows, these fairy books are very popular among young readers, especially girls.  

I read Ally the Dolphin Fairy by Daisy Meadows.  This book is the first book in the ocean fairy series.  Kirsty and Rachel go to the beach and end up helping Ally the dolphin fairy find the missing piece of golden conch shell.  They also help her find Echo, her dolphin.  Kirsty and Rachel get to turn into fairies, go underwater, ride on dolphins, and fight goblins. 

I liked this book because it was about dolphins and fairies and would recommend it to little girls who like dolphins and fairies.  I can’t wait to read the next ocean fairy book.

Norah (1^st grade)

The School for Good and Evil by: Soman Chainani

Author Soman Chainani has written a wonderful book.  The School for Good and Evil is a book that will enchant readers who love fairy tales.

Sophie and Agatha are the best of friends.  Sophie has always tried her best to be good in hopes that one day she will have her very own fairy tale with her very own happily ever after.  The girls live in Gavaldon, deep in the forest.  Every few years two children are taken in the middle of the night to the school for Good and Evil.  Sophie really wants to go and does her best to be selected.  Agatha doesn't want Sophie to go and while she tries to stop Sophie from leaving she finds herself in the school of good and Sophie ends up in the school of evil.  This is not what either girl wants.  Agatha wants to go back home to Gavaldon and Sophia wants to be in the school of good.  They try to switch schools and they try to go home but none of their plans work.  When their fairy tale begins to be written there is nothing they can do, they must live out their fairy tale.  Sophie still believes that they are in the wrong schools but as they continue to attend classes and face challenges they start thinking that perhaps they are in the right schools after all.  They learn that true friendship can last even if one is a witch and the other is a princess.  They learn it isn't who you are, rather it is what you do that really matters.

This was a great story and with so many twists and turns you will not want to put this book down until you finish the story.  There is some good and bad in all of us and we need to learn how to choose the good and create our own stories and create our very own happily ever after.  For most of us, what we think our happily ever after should be is usually not what it actually turns out to be.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Fablehaven by: Brandon Mull

This is my friend Evelyn and she will be entering the fourth grade when school begins in August.  A new feature at Books Children Treasure is my "Friday Friends"!  Enjoy....

I just finished reading Fablehaven by Brandon Mull.  This is the first book in the Fablehaven series. I met Brandon Mull at my school assembly and was able to hear him talk about all the Fablehaven books, the other books he has written, and how he began writing.  I was also able to get my book autographed. 

Seth and Kendra (brother and sister) went to visit their grandfather’s house.  Their grandfather told them there were certain places they couldn’t go, but they went away.  This leads them on an adventure through an enchanted preserve filled with magical creatures, such as Batmah, Muriel the witch and the Naiads. Bahumat is a devil locked up in the forgotten chapel, who tries to rule Fablehaven.  Muriel is the wife of one of the owners of Fablehaven who tries to help Bahumat.  The Naiads, are water fairies that try to drown people.  These characters and many others lead Seth and Kendra on a dangerous trip and in the end, Kendra does something unexpected and is rewarded with a magical gift.

                  I really enjoyed this book because of the adventure the kids go on, but if you don’t like scary stories, this may not be the book for you.  I’m looking forward to reading Brandon Mull’s next book, The Rise of the Evening Star.

                  Evelyn  (4^th grade)

A Snicker Of Magic by: Natalie Lloyd

This is a Spindiddly book!  What is spindiddly?  It is a word created by Felicity Pickle that means awesome!  A Snicker of Magic is the first novel by Natalie Lloyd.  I just finished it today and had to share it with you.

This is a story about the Pickle family.  Felicity, her mom, sister and their dog Biscuit move around the country never staying in any city for very long.  When they enter the town of Midnight Gulch, Tennessee Felicity feels that it is a magical place and maybe they can finally be home.  It is in Midnight Gulch that Felicity meets her aunt Cleo and learns about the magic that used to be all over the town.  The magic disappeared when the brothers Threadbare held a duel. The brother who lost the duel was banished and with that the magic ended.  There are a few in the town that still believe there is some magic left, especially the do-gooder "Beedle".

Felicity has a bit of magic herself.  She sees words everywhere and with these words she creates poems that help her little sister face her fears.  When Felicity's teacher tells the class they are going to hold a duel, showcasing talents of the students at their school, Felicity feels it just might be just the thing that will keep her family in Midnight Gulch.  However, Felicity is afraid to talk in front of crowds.  She learns that "words matter more than you know" and because Felicity loves Midnight Gulch, she is determined to do what she can to stay.  She finally has a best friend, she feels at home and she does not want to leave.  She learns that she is a distant relative to the Threadbare brother who was banished and thinks that is the reason why her mom likes to move around so often.  Perhaps at the school duel Felicity can break what she calls the "family curse", that of being a wanderer, never settling down in a town.

In Midnight Gulch there is an ice-cream factory where they make 45 marvelous and mysterious flavors of ice cream.  Some of the flavors are unique, such as cake, bacon, Chocolate Chip Pork Rind, pancake and blackberry sunrise.  When you eat blackberry sunrise, you recall memories -- some good and some bad.  Felicity is afraid to taste the blackberry sunrise ice cream until she learns a secret "you can choose to replace a bad memory with something good.  You can choose to think of the good parts".

Can the ice cream help Felicity break the curse? Can she learn to share her words with others?  Will she get to stay in Midnight Gulch?  You will love this story and the characters will stay with you forever.

I hope when you finish reading this story you will discover what your own magic is and share it with others.  Now go and enjoy your favorite flavor of ice cream!  Perhaps you can spread some Beedle magic as well!

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

The Miniature World of Marvin & James by: Elise Broach

A few years ago Elise Broach wrote a wonderful book about the friendship of Marvin and James.  That book was entitled Masterpiece.  She has now written the first book in the Masterpiece Adventures series, entitled The Miniature World of Marvin and James.  While Masterpiece was written for older readers the Masterpiece Adventure series is intended for beginning chapter book readers.  Your reader can begin with the series and then read Masterpiece when they are older.

Marvin is a Beetle who is also an amazing artist.  James is a young boy who befriends Marvin the beetle.  The two friends learn how to communicate with each other through Marvin's drawings.  When James is leaving to go to the beach for a week, Marvin is sure James will forget all about him.  Marvin is very bored while James is gone.  He ends up spending time with his cousin, a girl named Elaine.  Elaine has found a magical place where they can jump and play in tiny bits of wood.  Marvin and Elaine are having a great time until they find themselves stuck in this amazing place.  You'll never guess where they are and you should read the book to find out more about the amazing adventure Elaine and Marvin share.   Even when Marvin spends time with Elaine, he is thinking of James and worried if they will still be friends when James returns.  

Marvin is excited when it is almost time for James to return.  For a coming home gift he draws a picture of a beach.  James loves the picture and gives Marvin a present too.  Marvin comes to understand that "the feeling of being someone's best friend" is wonderful, "because it means nobody can take your place".

After enjoying this adventure, I think you should spend sometime at the beach!

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young Selected by: Jack Prelutsky

Every home should have at least one book of poetry.  I have had this copy for many years and it is one of my favorites.

Jack Prelutsky selected the poems for Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young and Marc Brown did the illustrations.  I love all the poems that are included in this book.  Plus, the illustrations are great.  There are poems about animals, friends, holidays and so many others.  I am sure that you and your family will enjoy this book.

Take the time to memorize a few poems and teach them to your children.  Have a poetry night where you can all share your favorite poem.  Be creative, act out a poem or even write your own!

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna