I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison

The year is 1791. Jane Austen is fifteen years old. Her cousin and best friend Jenny Cooper is sixteen years old. Jane scribbles away even then. Jenny is embroiled in her own romance that may one day inspire one of Jane's novels.

What I thought: An enjoyable book. Jenny makes a compelling narrator. Her opinions and thoughts show how different life was two centuries ago. Mostly I've heard how close she was to her sister Cassandra. This book shows another side to Jane--a younger, playful, more temperamental side. Harrison's knowledge of Austen's writing (both published and unpublished) is vastly evident. The historical detail is top notch. May thanks for the author's note that clarifies what was true and what was altered.

I read I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend for the YA Historical Fiction Challenge.

(Delacorte, 2010)

Little Mist by Angela McAllister

Little Mist is a snow leopard. He's just a cub so his mother introduces him to the wonderful world they live in. She also tells Little Mist what he will be like when he grows up.

What I thought: A lovely book. The story is sweet and the illustrations are wonderful. My favorites are Little mist playing in the snow, Little Mist looking at his reflection, the red panda, and the moon bear. This story will appeal to parents who often introduce their children to the world in the same way Little Mist's mother does for him.

Story Time Themes: Baby Animals, Mothers, Other Countries, Exotic Animals (This book features snow leopards, red pandas, gray wolves. moon bears, yaks, musk deer, and blue sheep.)

(Illus. Sarah Fox Davies. Knopf, 2009)

Dream Big Little Pig by Kristi Yamaguchi

Poppy may be just a pig, but she has big dreams. From ballet to modeling, she tries it all. But she's not good at any of it. With supportive family and friend, Poppy doesn't give up. She just looks for something else. Could ice skating be her thing?

What I thought: A beautiful book with a great message. Poppy is an endearing character. I like her determination and spunk. The support she receives from her family and best friend Emma is great. I was pleased when Poppy finally found her niche. The illustrations are lovely--bright and colorful with good use of white space. My favorites are Poppy dancing, Poppy singing, Poppy being a model, and Poppy asking to fly.

Story Time Themes: Pigs, Dreams/Aspirations

(Illus. Tim Bowers. Sourcebooks, 2011)

Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Johnny Marco is a shoe repair guy. Nobody special. He'll tell you he's not a hero. But when a princess gives him a quest, how can he resist? Johnny's world goes from humdrum to fantastical in a flash. He encounters things he thought only exited in fairy tales. The quest isn't as easy as he imagined, but Johnny's more heroic than he gives himself credit for.

What I thought: I liked this one. Cloaked seems to confirm for me trend in fairy tale retellings. It began back in 1942 when Eudora Welty published her novella The Robber Bridegroom. Welty borrowed from a total of seven fairy tales. Then there's Polly Shulman's The Grimm Legacy and Adam Gidwitz's A Tale Dark and Grimm. Cloaked is a fast paced adventure. Johnny makes the perfect hero because he thinks he's not one. Meg is a wonderful friend and sidekick. I love how Flinn blends the different tales together. I will definitely be reading the originals. I also like the Florida setting. It grounded the story and helped tie the different tales together. Johnny as narrator adds guy appeal to the book. I always find it refreshing to get a male perspective (see also Flinn's Beastly and Donna Jo Napoli's Beast). This is Flinn's third fairy tale novel. Beastly is now a movie. I haven't read A Kiss in Time but plan to soon.

(Harper Teen, 2011)

The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

The Contest: Candymaking

The Contestants:
Logan, the Candymaker's son- He can taste and correct any candy, but can he make his own?
Miles, allergic to the most unusual things- Will his candy win?
Daisy, strong for a girl with a horse for a best friend- Can she concoct a winning candy?
Philip, rich man's son- What's he scribbling in that notebook, recipes or something more sinister?

Will these four kids be friends or will the contest drive them apart?

What I thought: Okay, after reading this book, I'm seriously craving something sweet. The format of The Candymakers is intriguing. You only get one character's point-of-view at a time. This adds to the mystery. I thought I had the story figured out and then I'd get the next character's perspective. Though I haven't read Dahl's Charlie and Chocolate Factory (Gasp! Yes, I know my admission is quite shocking. ), I have seen the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The Candymakers puts me in mind of that magical film. I enjoyed this book. It just might be my favorite of Wendy's thus far.

(Little, Brown, & Company, 2010)

The Queen of France by Tim Wadham

Rose likes to play dress up. Today, she's the Queen of France. When she's the Queen, she pretends not to know herself or her parents. When she's Rose, she doesn't know the queen.


What I thought: A lovely book that showcases the wonder that is imaginative play. I like how Rose's parents don't discourage her (very similar to Roslyn Rutabaga & the Biggest Hole on Earth). The illustrations are beautiful--soft colored and very girly. My favorite illustrations are Rose as the Queen (prancing) and Rose feeling scary. I wouldn't mind seeing more books about Rose and her dress up.


Story Time Theme: Imagination


(Illus. Kady MacDonald Denton. Candlewick, 2011)

Little Black Crow by Chris Raschka

A boy sees a little black crow. He questions what the crow might wonder about.

What I thought: The premise of Little Black Crow is certainly a novel one. The questioning format will appeal to my story time crowd. I can just imagine the answers they'd give. I love the illustrations. I never knew how much I liked watercolor until I looked at this book. My favorite illustrations are the crow family and the boy with the crow.

Story Time Themes: Birds, Fall, Imagination

(Atheneum, 2010)