Duck Soup

This week I stumbled upon the picture book "Duck Soup" written and illustrated by Jacki Urbanovic. It is about Maxwell Duck, a duck who loves to cook for his friends. On day Maxwell finally decides to create his own soup recipe. While making the soup he realizes that it is missing a hint of fresh chives from garden and leaves to retrieve some. His friends arrive and don't find Maxwell and assume he has fallen into the pot! They then dump out the soup and try to rescue him only to have to find out where Maxwell Duck had really been. Although Maxwell was saddened by the fact that his perfect soup was ruined he was just happy not to be duck soup. This book is a cute, funny and shows the importance of looking on the bright side. Recommend age group 4 to 8.

Dingoes at Dinnertime

I read Magic Tree House #20 "Dingoes at Dinnertime" by Mary Pope Osborne. The Magic Tree House series revolves around brother and sister tag team Jack and Annie. In "Dingoes at Dinnertime" Jack and Annie must retrieve a gift from a Kangaroo in Australia in order to free an enchanted dog from a spell They do so by traveling to Australia in a book found in their Magic Tree House which places them in the story. This book was extremely educational. I learned a lot about Australia, it's climate, and the animals that live there. Read the book and find out if Jack and Annie complete their mission while learning some fun facts! Suggested reading level 6-9.

A Bad Case of Stripes

I absolutely ADORE this book. David Shannon tells and illustrates the story of Camilla Cream who catches a "bad case of stripes" when she doesn't eat her lima beans because she fears what her classmates will think of her. The illustrations are absolutely stunning. I'm shocked that it didn't win a Caldecott Medal. I feel compelled to rip the pages out and hang them on my wall. Suggested age group 4-8 although I feel that anybody, young or old, can appreciate the beauty of this book.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" is a comic-book style novel that will have you laughing out loud. The story is written from Greg Heffley's perspective explaining the day to day trials and tribulations of life as a wimpy middle schooler. Greg is a very unprincipled protagonist and completely oblivious to his own faults. Surprisingly this what makes Greg Heffley so charming and amusing. But Greg's disregard for his actions puts his friendship with his best friend Rowley in jeopardy. Can Greg save his friendship and make it through the school year in one piece all while avoiding the "Cheese Touch" ? Read it to find out and laugh along the way! Suggested reading level fifth to eighth grade.

Coraline

I just finished reading "Coraline" written by Neil Gaiman. "Coraline" is a creepy tale of a little girl who unlocks a door leading to a flat that looks just like hers. At first glance everything seems wonderful. There is delicious food and her bedroom is filled with toys that float around the room... but there is the "other mother" and the "other father" who want Coraline to stay there forever. The other mother then kidnaps, or as Coraline said "grown-up naps", her parents and Coraline has to cleverly win them back and escape. "Coraline" is a book intended for middle schoolers but even so you might have to be careful because the book is rather gothic and creepy. The illustrations drawn by Dave Mckean have a way of making you feel uneasy if you stare at them for too long. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes stories with suspense and adventure.