59. The Phantom Tollbooth

59. The Phantom Tollbooth. Norton Juster. Illustrated by Jules Feiffer. 1961/2011. Random House. 272 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, children's fantasy, children's classic]

First sentence: There was once a boy named Milo who didn't know what to do with himself--not just sometimes, but always.

Premise/plot: Milo, our hero, is about to have an "impossible" adventure. His day starts out very ordinary, however, by the end of the day Milo will be quite transformed!

It starts with a mysterious gift-box. It holds a tollbooth for him to construct, also included are instructions, rule books, and a map. He randomly chooses to go to Dictionopolis. But though that is his original destination, Milo finds that travels--magical or not--take some thought and intention.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved this one! I first read it in September 2013. I'm only now rereading it, but, this should be one I read again and again more frequently.

The writing is AMAZING. It is clever, rich in meaning and symbolism. And it is oh so quotable! One of those rare books where you could almost open up the book to any page and find a gem worth quoting!

Loved the writing, loved the creativity, loved the characters!

Favorite quotes:

“Expect everything, I always say, and the unexpected never happens.”

“You may not see it now," said the Princess of Pure Reason, looking knowingly at Milo's puzzled face, "but whatever we learn has a purpose and whatever we do affects everything and everyone else, if even in the tiniest way. Why, when a housefly flaps his wings, a breeze goes round the world; when a speck of dust falls to the ground, the entire planet weighs a little more; and when you stamp your foot, the earth moves slightly off its course. Whenever you laugh, gladness spreads like the ripples in the pond; and whenever you're sad, no one anywhere can be really happy. And it's much the same thing with knowledge, for whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer.”

“So many things are possible just as long as you don't know they're impossible.”

“Everybody is so terribly sensitive about the things they know best.”

“And remember, also," added the Princess of Sweet Rhyme, "that many places you would like to see are just off the map and many things you want to know are just out of sight or a little beyond your reach. But someday you'll reach them all, for what you learn today, for no reason at all, will help you discover all the wonderful secrets of tomorrow.”

“In this box are all the words I know…Most of them you will never need, some you will use constantly, but with them you may ask all the questions which have never been answered and answer all the questions which have never been asked. All the great books of the past and all the ones yet to come are made with these words. With them there is no obstacle you cannot overcome. All you must learn to do is to use them well and in the right places.” 

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

35. The Bad Beginning

35. The Bad Beginning. (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) Lemony Snicket. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. 1999. 162 pages. [Source: Library] [j fantasy, mg fantasy, j fiction, mg fiction, 5 stars]

First sentence: If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book. IN this book, not only is there no happy ending, there is no happy beginning and very few happy things in the middle.

Premise/plot: The three Baudelaire orphans--Violet, Klaus, and Sunny--star in Lemony Snicket's over-the-top Series of Unfortunate Events. The book opens with the three learning that their parents are gone and so is their home--in a mysterious fire. They soon find themselves "living" with their "closest" relative, Count Olaf.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Tim Curry and a full cast. I've also seen the feature film and a few episodes of the series.

My thoughts: I love the writing, the narration. The story itself is extreme and over-the-top. I loved the movie--which I believe combines the plot of the first three books. I do plan on reading more in the series.


© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

14. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass

14. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Lewis Carroll. Illustrated by John Tenniel. 1865/1871. 247 pages. [Source: Bought]

ETA: I listened to these two books on audio narrated by Christopher Plummer. The first book was AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING. The second book had some characters that were very obnoxious to hear narrated. I am not saying Plummer did poorly, just, that it is easier to take obnoxious characters when you don't have to hear them.

First sentence: Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, ‘and what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice, ‘without pictures or conversations?’

Premise/plot: Alice follows a white rabbit down a rabbit hole and has several fantastical seemingly impossible adventures before waking.  
 
First sentence: One thing was certain, that the white kitten had nothing to do with it – it was the black kitten’s fault entirely. For the white kitten had been having its face washed by the old cat for the last quarter of an hour (and bearing it pretty well, considering): so you see that it couldn’t have had any hand in the mischief.

Premise/plot: Alice doesn't follow a rabbit on her second adventure; no, she crawls through the looking glass into the looking glass house. Just as she always imagined, life is very different on the other side of the mirror. (For one thing, the chess pieces are alive.) Readers follow Alice's adventures as a pawn as she journeys towards being queened. Like the first book, this one is full of fantastical impossibilities.

My thoughts: I love, love, LOVE Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I couldn't begin to tell you how many times I've read it in my life. It's a magical read filled with silly characters--quite a few I'd deem unforgettable. What stands out to me--even more than the characters--is the writing. There is just something quotable and ever-relevant about the narrative.

Favorite quotes from Alice in Wonderland:

‘Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?’ and sometimes ‘Do bats eat cats?’, for, you see, as she couldn’t answer either question, it didn’t much matter which way she put it. She felt that she was dozing off, and had just begun to dream that she was walking hand in hand with Dinah, and was saying to her, very earnestly, ‘Now, Dinah, tell me the truth: did you ever eat a bat?’, when suddenly, thump! thump! down she came upon a heap of sticks and dry leaves, and the fall was over.

Oh, how I wish I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if I only knew how to begin.’ For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things had happened lately, that Alice had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible.

She generally gave herself very good advice (though she very seldom followed it), and sometimes she scolded herself so severely as to bring tears into her eyes; and once she remembered trying to box her own ears for having cheated herself in a game of croquet she was playing against herself, for this curious child was very fond of pretending to be two people. ‘But it’s no use now,’ thought poor Alice, ‘to pretend to be two people! Why, there’s hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person!’

Let me think: was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I’m not the same, the next question is “Who in the world am I?” Ah, that’s the great puzzle!’

‘Perhaps it doesn’t understand English,’ thought Alice. ‘I daresay it’s a French mouse, come over with William the Conqueror.’ (For, with all her knowledge of history, Alice had no very clear notion how long ago anything had happened.) So she began again: ‘Où est ma chatte?’, which was the first sentence in her French lesson-book. The Mouse gave a sudden leap out of the water, and seemed to quiver all over with fright. ‘Oh, I beg your pardon!’ cried Alice hastily, afraid that she had hurt the poor animal’s feelings. ‘I quite forgot you didn’t like cats.’

‘It was much pleasanter at home,’ thought poor Alice, ‘when one wasn’t always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about by mice and rabbits. I almost wish I hadn’t gone down that rabbit-hole – and yet – and yet – it’s rather curious, you know, this sort of life! I do wonder what can have happened to me! When I used to read fairy tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one! There ought to be a book written about me, that there ought! And when I grow up, I’ll write one – but I’m grown up now,’ she added in a sorrowful tone: ‘at least there’s no room to grow up any more here.’

‘It’s really dreadful,’ she muttered to herself, ’the way all the creatures argue. It’s enough to drive one crazy!’

‘I didn’t know that Cheshire-Cats always grinned; in fact, I didn’t know that cats could grin.’
‘They all can,’ said the Duchess; ‘and most of ’em do.’ ‘I don’t know of any that do,’ Alice said very politely, feeling quite pleased to have got into a conversation. ‘You don’t know much,’ said the Duchess; ‘and that’s a fact.’

‘If it had grown up,’ she said to herself, ‘it would have made a dreadfully ugly child: but it makes rather a handsome pig, I think.’ And she began thinking over other children she knew, who might do very well as pigs, and was just saying to herself ‘if one only knew the right way to change them –’ when she was a little startled by seeing the Cheshire-Cat sitting on a bough of a tree a few yards off.

 ‘Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’ ‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat. ‘I don’t much care where –’ said Alice. ‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat. ‘– so long as I get somewhere,’ Alice added as an explanation. ‘Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, ‘if only you walk long enough.’

‘In that direction,’ the Cat said, waving its right paw round, ‘lives a Hatter: and in that direction,’ waving the other paw, ‘lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they’re both mad.’ ‘But I don’t want to go among mad people,’ Alice remarked. ‘Oh, you ca’n’t help that,’ said the Cat: ‘we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.’

‘How do you know I’m mad?’ said Alice. ‘You must be,’ said the Cat, ‘or you wouldn’t have come here.’

‘Then you should say what you mean,’ the March Hare went on. ‘I do,’ Alice hastily replied; ‘at least – at least I mean what I say – that’s the same thing, you know.’ ‘Not the same thing a bit!’ said the Hatter. ‘Why, you might just as well say that “I see what I eat” is the same thing as “I eat what I see”!’

‘You might just as well say,’ added the Dormouse, which seemed to be talking in its sleep, ‘that “I breathe when I sleep” is the same thing as “I sleep when I breathe”!’

Alice thought she had never seen such a curious croquet-ground in her life: it was all ridges and furrows: the croquet balls were live hedgehogs, and the mallets live flamingoes, and the soldiers had to double themselves up and stand on their hands and feet, to make the arches.

The players all played at once, without waiting for turns, quarreling all the while, and fighting for the hedgehogs; and in a very short time the Queen was in a furious passion, and went stamping about, and shouting ‘Off with his head!’ or ‘Off with her head!’ about once in a minute.

“Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.” ’ ‘I think I should understand that better,’ Alice said very politely, ‘if I had it written down: but I ca’n’t quite follow it as you say it.’ ‘That’s nothing to what I could say if I chose,’ the Duchess replied, in a pleased tone.

‘I make you a present of everything I’ve said as yet.’

‘A cheap sort of present!’ thought Alice. ‘I’m glad people don’t give birthday-presents like that!’

‘He taught Laughing and Grief, they used to say.’ ‘So he did, so he did,’ said the Gryphon, sighing in his turn; and both creatures hid their faces in their paws. ‘And how many hours a day did you do lessons?’ said Alice, in a hurry to change the subject. ‘Ten hours the first day,’ said the Mock Turtle: ‘nine the next, and so on.’ ‘What a curious plan!’ exclaimed Alice. ‘That’s the reason they’re called lessons,’ the Gryphon remarked: ‘because they lessen from day to day.’

Favorite quotes from Through the Looking Glass:

‘Kitty, can you play chess? Now, don’t smile, my dear, I’m asking it seriously. Because, when we were playing just now, you watched just as if you understood it: and when I said “Check!” you purred! Well, it was a nice check, Kitty, and really I might have won, if it hadn’t been for that nasty Knight, that came wriggling down among my pieces. Kitty, dear, let’s pretend –’ And here I wish I could tell you half the things Alice used to say, beginning with her favourite phrase ‘Let’s pretend.’

Oh, Kitty, how nice it would be if we could only get through into Looking glass House! I’m sure it’s got, oh! such beautiful things in it! Let’s pretend there’s a way of getting through into it, somehow, Kitty. Let’s pretend the glass has got all soft like gauze, so that we can get through. Why, it’s turning into a sort of mist now, I declare! It’ll be easy enough to get through—’ She was up on the chimney-piece while she said this, though she hardly knew how she had got there. And certainly the glass was beginning to melt away, just like a bright silvery mist.

She was out of the room in a moment, and ran down stairs – or, at least, it wasn’t exactly running, but a new invention for getting down stairs quickly and easily, as Alice said to herself. She just kept the tips of her fingers on the hand-rail, and floated gently down without even touching the stairs with her feet: then she floated on through the hall, and would have gone straight out at the door in the same way, if she hadn’t caught hold of the door-post. She was getting a little giddy with so much floating in the air, and was rather glad to find herself walking again in the natural way.

‘It’s a great huge game of chess that’s being played – all over the world – if this is the world at all, you know. Oh, what fun it is! How I wish I was one of them! I wouldn’t mind being a Pawn, if only I might join – though of course I should like to be a Queen, best.’

‘Well, in our country,’ said Alice, still panting a little, ‘you’d generally get to somewhere else – if you ran very fast for a long time as we’ve been doing.’ ‘A slow sort of country!’ said the Queen. ‘Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!’ ‘I’d rather not try, please!’ said Alice.

‘He’s dreaming now,’ said Tweedledee: ‘and what do you think he’s dreaming about?’ Alice said ‘Nobody can guess that.’ ‘Why, about you!’ Tweedledee exclaimed, clapping his hands triumphantly. ‘And if he left off dreaming about you, where do you suppose you’d be?’ ‘Where I am now, of course,’ said Alice. ‘Not you!’ Tweedledee retorted contemptuously. ‘You’d be nowhere. Why, you’re only a sort of thing in his dream!’

‘Well, it’s no use your talking about waking him,’ said Tweedledum, ‘when you’re only one of the things in his dream. You know very well you’re not real.’ ‘I am real!’ said Alice, and began to cry. ‘You wo’n’t make yourself a bit realler by crying,’ Tweedledee remarked: ‘there’s nothing to cry about.’ ‘If I wasn’t real,’ Alice said – half-laughing through her tears, it all seemed so ridiculous – ‘I shouldn’t be able to cry.’ ‘I hope you don’t suppose those are real tears?’ Tweedledum interrupted in a tone of great contempt. ‘I know they’re talking nonsense,’ Alice thought to herself: ‘and it’s foolish to cry about it.’

‘The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday – but never jam to-day.’

‘It must come sometimes to “jam to-day”, ’ Alice objected. ‘No, it ca’n’t,’ said the Queen. ‘It’s jam every other day: to-day isn’t any other day, you know.’ ‘I don’t understand you,’ said Alice. ‘It’s dreadfully confusing!’ ‘That’s the effect of living backwards,’ the Queen said kindly: ‘it always makes one a little giddy at first –’ ‘Living backwards!’ Alice repeated in great astonishment. ‘I never heard of such a thing!’ ‘– but there’s one great advantage in it, that one’s memory works both ways.’

‘Consider what a great girl you are. Consider what a long way you’ve come to-day. Consider what o-clock it is. Consider anything, only don’t cry!’

‘Can you keep from crying by considering things?’ she asked. ‘That’s the way it’s done,’ the Queen said with great decision: ‘nobody can do two things at once, you know.

Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

‘I never ask advice about growing,’ Alice said indignantly. ‘Too proud?’ the other enquired. Alice felt even more indignant at this suggestion. ‘I mean,’ she said, ‘that one ca’n’t help growing older.’ ‘One ca’n’t, perhaps,’ said Humpty Dumpty; ‘but two can. With proper assistance, you might have left off at seven.’

‘they gave it me – for an un-birthday present.’ ‘I beg your pardon?’ Alice said with a puzzled air. ‘I’m not offended,’ said Humpty Dumpty. ‘I mean, what is an un-birthday present?’ ‘A present given when it isn’t your birthday, of course.’ Alice considered a little. ‘I like birthday presents best,’ she said at last. ‘You don’t know what you’re talking about!’ cried Humpty Dumpty. ‘How many days are there in a year?’ ‘Three hundred and sixty-five,’ said Alice. ‘And how many birthdays have you?’ ‘One.’ ‘And if you take one from three hundred and sixty-five, what remains?’ ‘Three hundred and sixty-four, of course.’

‘When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.’

‘The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.’ ‘The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master – that’s all.’

‘I can repeat poetry as well as other folk, if it comes to that –’ ‘Oh, it needn’t come to that!’ Alice hastily said, hoping to keep him from beginning.

‘I see nobody on the road,’ said Alice. ‘I only wish I had such eyes,’ the King remarked in a fretful tone. ‘To be able to see Nobody! And at that distance too! Why, it’s as much as I can do to see real people, by this light!’

‘Who did you pass on the road?’ the King went on, holding out his hand to the Messenger for some more hay. ‘Nobody,’ said the Messenger. ‘Quite right,’ said the King: ‘this young lady saw him too. So of course Nobody walks slower than you.’ ‘I do my best,’ the Messenger said in a sullen tone. ‘I’m sure nobody walks much faster than I do!’ ‘He ca’n’t do that,’ said the King, ‘or else he’d have been here first. However, now you’ve got your breath, you may tell us what’s happened in the town.’

‘I was wondering what the mouse-trap was for,’ said Alice. ‘It isn’t very likely there would be any mice on the horse’s back.’ ‘Not very likely, perhaps,’ said the Knight; ‘but, if they do come, I don’t choose to have them running all about.’

‘Always speak the truth – think before you speak – and write it down afterwards.’

 What do you suppose is the use of a child without any meaning? Even a joke should have some meaning – and a child’s more important than a joke, I hope. You couldn’t deny that, even if you tried with both hands.’ ‘I don’t deny things with my hands,’ Alice objected. ‘Nobody said you did,’ said the Red Queen. ‘I said you couldn’t if you tried.’ ‘She’s in that state of mind,’ said the White Queen, ‘that she wants to deny something – only she doesn’t know what to deny!’ ‘A nasty, vicious temper,’ the Red Queen remarked;

‘It’s too late to correct it,’ said the Red Queen: ‘when you’ve once said a thing, that fixes it, and you must take the consequences.’

 It is a very inconvenient habit of kittens (Alice had once made the remark) that, whatever you say to them, they always purr. ‘If they would only purr for “yes”, and mew for “no”, or any rule of that sort,’ she had said, ‘so that one could keep up a conversation! But how can you talk with a person if they always say the same thing?’

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

125. Peter Pan

125. Peter Pan. J.M. Barrie. 1911/2008. Penguin. 207 pages. [Source: Library book][mg fantasy, j fantasy, children's classic, 4 stars]

First sentence: All children except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs. Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, 'Oh, why can't you remain like this for ever!' This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end. 

ETA: I listened the Tim Curry's narration of Peter Pan. It had been eleven years since I'd last read the novel. It was in many ways like experiencing it for the first time. Sure I remembered the highlights, the best bits that have often made it into adaptations. But there was plenty that hadn't. I enjoyed this on audio.


Peter Pan may be far from perfect when all things are considered, but, it certainly can prove a delightful reread now and then. Though I haven't seen the musical in years, I first became familiar with this story through the musical: the dialogue and the songs. So when I first read it fifteen years ago (or so), it felt familiar from the start. Tinker Bell was fierce, a very jealous and very stubborn fairy. Peter Pan was oh-so-arrogant and a bit obnoxious, quite thoughtless. Wendy and her brothers, well, I had to admit they were a bit thoughtless as well. But there was something touching about Wendy. And then there are all the other inhabitants of Never Never Land: the Lost Boys, the Indians, and the pirates led by Captain Hook, to name just a few.

The book is dated, very dated, and to modern readers it may not hold up well. The place is sculpted, in a way, by the dreams and fantasies of children. Wendy and her two brothers, for example, imagine a lot of things: playing Indians, playing pirates, visiting with mermaids, playing with wolves, etc. It is an island, a land, like no other. All fancy--make believe, if you will. I find it delightful, very delightful at times. It is not my favorite, favorite children's book by ANY stretch of the imagination. But I think it's a fun one to know.

Quotes:

Mrs. Darling loved to have everything just so, and Mr. Darling had a passion for being exactly like his neighbors; so, of course, they had a nurse. As they were poor, owing to the amount of milk the children drank, this nurse was a prim Newfoundland dog, called Nana, who had belonged to no one in particular until the Darlings engaged her. (4)

Mrs. Darling first heard of Peter when she was tidying up her children's minds. It is the nightly custom of every good mother after her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many articles that have wandered during the day. (6)

Of all delectable islands the Neverland is the snuggest and most compact; not large and sprawly, you know, with tedious distances between one adventure and another, but nicely crammed. When you play at it by day with the chairs and table-cloth, it is not in the least alarming but in the two minutes before you go to sleep it becomes very nearly real. That is why there are night lights. (8)

"Why, what is the matter, father, dear?"
"Matter!" he yelled; he really yelled. "This tie, it will not tie." He became dangerously sarcastic. "Not round my neck! Round the bedpost! Oh yes, twenty times have I made it up round the bedpost, but round my neck, no! Oh dear no! begs to be excused!'
He thought Mrs. Darling was not sufficiently impressed, and he went on sternly, "I warn you of this, mother, that unless this tie is round my neck we don't go out to dinner tonight, and if I don't go out to dinner tonight, I never go to the office again, and if I don't go to the office again, you and I starve, and our children will be flung into the streets."
Even then Mrs. Darling was placid. (17-8)

"That is not Nana's unhappy bark," she said, little guessing what was about to happen; "that is her bark when she smells danger." (24)

It was a girl called Tinker Bell, exquisitely gowned in a skeleton leaf, cut low and square, through which her figure could be seen to the best advantage. She was slightly inclined to embonpoint. (26)

"You see, Wendy, when the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. And so," he went on good naturedly, "there ought to be one fairy for every boy and girl."
"Ought to be? Isn't there?"
"No. You see, children know such a lot now, they soon don't believe in fairies, and every time a child says, "I don't believe in fairies," there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead." (33)

"Second to the right, and straight on till morning." That, Peter had told Wendy, was the way to the Neverland; but even birds, carrying maps and consulting them at windy corners, could not have sighted it with these instructions. Peter, you see, just said anything that came into his head. (45)

Tink was not all bad: or, rather, she was all bad just now, but, on the other hand, sometimes she was all good. Fairies have to be one thing or the other, because being so small they unfortunately have room for one feeling only at a time. They are, however, allowed to change, only it must be a complete change. At present she was full of jealousy of Wendy. (57)

The lost boys were out looking for Peter, the pirates were out looking for the lost boys, the redskins were out looking for the pirates, and the beasts were out looking for the redskins. They were going round and round the island, but they did not meet because all were going at the same rate. (58)

One could mention many lovable traits in Smee. For instance, after killing, it was his spectacles he wiped instead of his weapon. (67)

"Aye," the captain answered, "If I was a mother I would pray to have my children born with this instead of that," and he cast a look of pride upon his iron hand and one of scorn upon the other. Then again he frowned.
"Peter flung my arm," he said, wincing, "to a crocodile that happened to be passing by."
"I have often," said Smee, "noticed your strange dread of crocodiles."
"Not of crocodiles," Hook corrected him, "but of that one crocodile." He lowered his voice, "It liked my arm so much, Smee, that it has followed me ever since, from sea to sea and from land to land, licking its lips for the rest of me."
"In a way," said Smee, "It's a sort of compliment."
"I want no such compliments," Hook barked petulantly. (68)

There was not a child on board the brig that night who did not already love him. He had said horrid things to them and hit them with the palm of his hand, because he could not hit with his fist; but they had only clung to him the more. Michael had tried on his spectacles. To tell poor Smee that they thought him lovable! Hook itched to do it, but it seemed too brutal. (159)

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

109. Lost Evangeline

109. Lost Evangeline. Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. 2025. 160 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, j fantasy, j fiction]

First sentence: There was once a boy who longed to go to the sea.

Premise/plot: An unhappily married man--a shoemaker--finds a little girl the size of a thumb. Together these two dream of going to sea. Perhaps one of them or even both of them believe it. His wife--remember how unhappily married he is--despises the girl, Evangeline. She sells Evangeline as an oddity to a rich neighbor. Evangeline escapes via a cat. (She convinces the cat that sea life is the best life.) By the time she returns home, her father has gone. Gone where? To look for her. So she sets off in search of him who is searching for her. Will anyone who is searching find the person they are looking for?

My thoughts: I did not like this one even slightly. As a kid, I would have despised it. It was weird--which could be good or bad depending on the reader's perspective. If this one wasn't Kate DiCamillo would anyone give it a great review? I'm not convinced. Would it be selling as well as it has? Probably not. It isn't that the writing is poor. It's not. That's why three stars. But the plot is just all kinds of weird. And the whole book is just absurdly whimsically melancholy.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

96. How To Train Your Dragon

96. How To Train Your Dragon. Cressida Cowell. 2003. 214 pages. [Source: Library] [audio book, 3 stars, children's fantasy]

First sentence: A Note from the Author: There were dragons when I was a boy.

Premise/plot: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is the 'hero' of Cressida Cowell's How To Train Your Dragon. He's the son of a chief, a viking, but among his peers--among anyone really--he's not the strongest, brightest, best. The novel opens with him hoping that he can manage to steal a baby dragon--any kind of dragon. He ends up with the smallest dragon anyone has ever seen. And the training manual isn't all that helpful. The book merely says: YELL AT YOUR DRAGON. THE END. Is there a better way? Will Hiccup get thrown out of his clan?

My thoughts: The book is nothing like the movie of the same name. NOTHING. I was actually disappointed that the book is so very different from the movie. (I really liked the characters from the movie and the premise of the movie.) That being said, I did like it. There were a few scenes that were enjoyable. I wish I'd not had the movie to compare it to.

ETA: I listened to this on audio in August 2025. The narrator was David Tennant. I thought he did an excellent job narrating the book. 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

86. Pocket Bear

86. Pocket Bear. Katherine Applegate. Illustrated by Charles Santoso. 2025. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy] [5 stars, J fiction, J fantasy, animal fantasy, toy fantasy]

First sentence: The sign posted outside my lair read: OUR CAT IS A BURGLAR. PLEASE ACCEPT OUR APOLOGIES. Its very existence vexed like a tick in my tail. "OUR" implied ownership. But a feline can never be owned. Admired from afar, perhaps. Never owned. "CAT" brought to mind a spoiled, mewling ball of fluff. But I am not a mere cat. I am a tiger trapped in a kitty costume. I am pure stealth and sinew and swagger. I've lived nine lives and dozens more. And as for "BURGLAR"? Burglars merely burgled. I redistribute. I recycle. I rescue. I am the Robin Hood of felines, a force for good. I am Zephyrina, honorable thief.

Premise/plot: Zephyrina, our narrator, is a cat who 'rescues' unwanted toys and brings them to a new home to be given second chances. Pocket Bear, the oldest resident, is a bear who has SEEN and HEARD just about everything--he has been around since the first world war. The other toys come and go--as new chances bring new homes, new owners, and new opportunities for toys. But Pocket Bear and Zephyrina have a good thing going, right, a forever thing. She brings the toys and Pocket Bear leads them all.

The book opens with Zephyrina's newest discovery: Berwon. Berwon may just be as old as Pocket Bear. This extremely super special rare bear may just be the salvation for the owners of the shop--Elizaveta and Dasha. But at what cost? Every toy deserves a happy ending, right?! 

My thoughts: Katherine Applegate's newest book is a fantasy novel for young readers. Toys and animals are brought to life. I loved, loved, loved the narration of Zephyrina. I loved the stories of Berwon and Pocket Bear. It had plenty of adventure! There were villains and heroes. It was a satisfying, compelling read!

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

72. The Wild Robot

  

72. The Wild Robot. Peter Brown. 2016. 282 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, j fantasy, j fiction] 

First sentence: Our story begins on the ocean, with wind and rain and thunder and lightning and waves. A hurricane roared and raged through the night. And in the middle of the chaos, a cargo ship was sinking down down down to the ocean floor. The ship left hundreds of crates floating on the surface. But as the hurricane thrashed and swirled and knocked them around, the crates also began sinking into the depths. One after another, they were swallowed up by the waves, until only five crates remained.

Premise/plot: Roz [a robot] finds herself on an island, an island inhabited by wildlife. The animals are scared of her--she's a MONSTER, of course, right?!?!--but as she observes the animals, slowly but surely, she learns their ways and becomes a wild robot. Her first friend is her 'son' Brightbill, a goose. The book follows several seasons...

My thoughts: The book The Wild Robot is not at all like the movie The Wild Robot. I loved the movie having never read the book. It was exciting, dramatic, well-paced, intense. The book, however, is much slower-paced, more heart and soul, quieter, subtler. The characters come across differently if you're comparing and contrasting. I enjoyed both. I did. But the book definitely is better....in my opinion.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

71. Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes

 

71. Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes. Jonathan Auxier. 2011. Abrams. 397 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, j fantasy, mg fantasy, coming of age, quest]

First sentence: Now, for those of you who know anything about blind children, you are aware that they make the very best thieves. As you can well imagine, blind children have incredible senses of smell, and they can tell what lies behind a locked door--be it fine cloth, gold, or peanut brittle--at fifty paces. Moreover their fingers are small enough to slip right through keyholes, and their eyes keen enough to detect the faintest clicks and clacks of every moving part inside even the most complicated lock. Of course, the age of great thievery has long since passed; today there are few child-thieves left, blind or otherwise. At one time, however, the world was simply thick with them. This is the story of the greatest thief who ever lived. His name, as you've probably guessed, is Peter Nimble.

Premise/plot: Who is Peter Nimble? Who are his parents? Where did he come from? What does Peter know about his past--if anything? What do readers know about his past? Yes, he's an orphan who raised himself on the streets. Yes, he's a thief by necessity and manipulation. (Peter "being taken care of" by Mr. Seamus.) But is he destined for more than that? What does his future hold for him?

My thoughts: Did I enjoy reading Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes? Yes. Definitely. Or rereading as the case may be. There are two more books in the series--one a reread for me, Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard--and one BRAND NEW, JUST RELEASED. I think--if memory serves--I enjoyed the Sophie Quire book MORE than this first book. That's not to say I didn't like it. I did. I just didn't love it.

I liked Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes because it is a fantasy, a grand old-fashioned fantasy. The concept of his "fantastic eyes" is just intriguing. Pairs of magical "eyes" that he can put in and take out that do unusual, fantastic things--though not without risk and danger! And the adventure he lands in and the people he meets...it's just a compelling story, one that's easy to recommend.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

68. The Magician's Nephew

68. The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia #6) C.S. Lewis. 1955. 221 pages. [Source: Library [4 stars, audio book, children's fantasy, children's classic]

First sentence: This is a story about something that happened long ago when your grandfather was a child. It is a very important story because it shows how all the comings and goings between our own world and the land of Narnia first began.

Premise/plot: In this sixth book in the series, Lewis takes us back to 'in the beginning.' The Magician's Nephew introduces readers to the Professor when he was just a young boy, Digory. The adventures concern Digory, his friend and neighbor, Polly, and Digory's very foolish and slightly wicked uncle who sees himself as a MAGICIAN. The magician manipulates and tricks the children into taking part in his experiment--yellow rings and green rings, traveling to other worlds. Digory gives into temptation and awakens an evil queen named Jardis. This one has plenty of action but also a great deal of beauty. Readers witness the creation of Narnia, witness Aslan speaking--or singing--the world into being, witness Aslan establishing order and making provisions for his creation.

My thoughts: I really do like this one. I hate that some people want to make this the first in the series. But the story itself is well worth reading. It has so many great scenes, in particular the creation of Narnia is quite mesmerizing.

ETA: I listened to this one on audio in June/July 2025. I listened to the audio by Kenneth Branagh.

Favorite quotes:

“Oh, I see. You mean that little boys ought to keep their promises. Very true: most right and proper, I’m sure, and I’m very glad you have been taught to do it. But of course you must understand that rules of that sort, however excellent they may be for little boys—and servants—and women—and even people in general, can’t possibly be expected to apply to profound students and great thinkers and sages. No, Digory. Men like me, who possess hidden wisdom, are freed from common rules just as we are cut off from common pleasures. Ours, my boy, is a high and lonely destiny.”

“Silence, sir!” said Uncle Andrew, bringing his hand down on the table. “I will not be talked to like that by a little, dirty, schoolboy. You don’t understand. I am the great scholar, the magician, the adept, who is doing the experiment. Of course I need subjects to do it on. Bless my soul, you’ll be telling me next that I ought to have asked the guinea-pigs’ permission before I used them! No great wisdom can be reached without sacrifice. But the idea of my going myself is ridiculous. It’s like asking a general to fight as a common soldier. Supposing I got killed, what would become of my life’s work?”

“Very well. I’ll go. But there’s one thing I jolly well mean to say first. I didn’t believe in Magic till today. I see now it’s real. Well if it is, I suppose all the old fairy tales are more or less true. And you’re simply a wicked, cruel magician like the ones in the stories. Well, I’ve never read a story in which people of that sort weren’t paid out in the end, and I bet you will be. And serve you right.”

“There’s not much point in finding a magic ring that lets you into other worlds if you’re afraid to look at them when you’ve got there.”

“Don’t you understand?” said the Queen (still speaking to Digory). “I was the Queen. They were all my people. What else were they there for but to do my will?” “It was rather hard luck on them, all the same,” said he. “I had forgotten that you are only a common boy. How should you understand reasons of State? You must learn, child, that what would be wrong for you or for any of the common people is not wrong in a great Queen such as I. The weight of the world is on our shoulders. We must be freed from all rules. Ours is a high and lonely destiny.”

Children have one kind of silliness, as you know, and grown-ups have another kind.

In the darkness something was happening at last. A voice had begun to sing. It was very far away and Digory found it hard to decide from what direction it was coming. Sometimes it seemed to come from all directions at once. Sometimes he almost thought it was coming out of the earth beneath them. Its lower notes were deep enough to be the voice of the earth herself. There were no words. There was hardly even a tune. But it was, beyond comparison, the most beautiful noise he had ever heard. It was so beautiful he could hardly bear it.

The earth was of many colors; they were fresh, hot and vivid. They made you feel excited; until you saw the Singer himself, and then you forgot everything else. It was a Lion. Huge, shaggy, and bright, it stood facing the risen sun. Its mouth was wide open in song and it was about three hundred yards away.

THE LION WAS PACING TO AND FRO about that empty land and singing his new song. It was softer and more lilting than the song by which he had called up the stars and the sun; a gentle, rippling music. And as he walked and sang the valley grew green with grass. It spread out from the Lion like a pool. It ran up the sides of the little hills like a wave. In a few minutes it was creeping up the lower slopes of the distant mountains, making that young world every moment softer. The light wind could now be heard ruffling the grass. Soon there were other things besides grass. The higher slopes grew dark with heather. Patches of rougher and more bristling green appeared in the valley. Digory did not know what they were until one began coming up quite close to him. It was a little, spiky thing that threw out dozens of arms and covered these arms with green and grew larger at the rate of about an inch every two seconds. There were dozens of these things all round him now. When they were nearly as tall as himself he saw what they were. “Trees!” he exclaimed.

IT WAS OF COURSE THE LION’S VOICE. The children had long felt sure that he could speak: yet it was a lovely and terrible shock when he did. Out of the trees wild people stepped forth, gods and goddesses of the wood; with them came Fauns and Satyrs and Dwarfs. Out of the river rose the river god with his Naiad daughters. And all these and all the beasts and birds in their different voices, low or high or thick or clear, replied: “Hail, Aslan. We hear and obey. We are awake. We love. We think. We speak. We know.”

“Creatures, I give you yourselves,” said the strong, happy voice of Aslan. “I give to you forever this land of Narnia. I give you the woods, the fruits, the rivers. I give you the stars and I give you myself. The Dumb Beasts whom I have not chosen are yours also. Treat them gently and cherish them but do not go back to their ways lest you cease to be Talking Beasts. For out of them you were taken and into them you can return.

For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of person you are.

Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed.

“Foolish boy,” said the Witch. “Why do you run from me? I mean you no harm. If you do not stop and listen to me now, you will miss some knowledge that would have made you happy all your life.” “Well I don’t want to hear it, thanks,” said Digory. But he did. “I know what errand you have come on,” continued the Witch. “For it was I who was close beside you in the woods last night and heard all your counsels. You have plucked fruit in the garden yonder. You have it in your pocket now. And you are going to carry it back, untasted, to the Lion; for him to eat, for him to use. You simpleton! Do you know what that fruit is? I will tell you. It is the apple of youth, the apple of life. I know, for I have tasted it; and I feel already such changes in myself that I know I shall never grow old or die. Eat it, Boy, eat it; and you and I will both live forever and be king and queen of this whole world—or of your world, if we decide to go back there.”

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

66. The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk

66. The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk. Thornton W. Burgess. 1918. 96 pages. [Source: Online] [5 stars, animal fantasy, children's fantasy, children's classic, j fantasy]

First sentence: The Imp of Mischief, woe is me, is always busy as a bee. That is why so many people are forever getting into trouble. He won't keep still. No, Sir, he won't keep still unless he is made to. Once let him get started there is no knowing where he will stop. Peter Rabbit had just seen Jimmy Skunk disappear inside an old barrel, lying on its side at the top of the hill, and at once the Imp of Mischief began2 to whisper to Peter. Of course Peter shouldn't have listened. Certainly not. But he did. You know Peter dearly loves a joke when it is on some one else. He sat right where he was and watched to see if Jimmy would come out of the barrel. Jimmy didn't come out, and after a little Peter stole over to the barrel and peeped inside. There was Jimmy Skunk curled up for a nap. Peter tiptoed away very softly. All the time the Imp of Mischief was whispering to him that this was a splendid chance to play a joke on Jimmy. You know it is very easy to play a joke on any one who is asleep. Peter doesn't often have a chance to play a joke on Jimmy Skunk. It isn't a very safe thing to do, not if Jimmy is awake. No one knows that better than Peter.

Premise/plot: Though Jimmy Skunk is perhaps the central character in this classic animal fantasy novel by Thornton Burgess, plenty of other characters get their moments to shine as well. (INCLUDING UNC' Billy Possum). Over half the novel features JIMMY SKUNK and UNC' BILLY POSSUM together getting into trouble--chiefly having to do with their love for EGGS. (The first half of the novel focuses on Peter Rabbit and Jimmy Skunk pranking each other.)

Burgess' animal world is DELIGHTFUL.  

My thoughts: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. Did I love it more than The Adventures of Unc' Billy Possum???? Good question. Fair question. I think I loved them both equally. Because they share main characters--Jimmy Skunk and Unc' Billy Possum.

Quotes:

Jimmy Skunk ambled along down the Lone Little Path through the Green Forest. He didn't hurry. Jimmy never does hurry. Hurrying and worrying are two things he leaves for his neighbors. Now and then Jimmy stopped to turn over a bit of bark or a stick, hoping to find some fat beetles. But it was plain to see that he had something besides fat beetles on his mind.
Up the Lone Little Path through the Green Forest shuffled Unc' Billy Possum. He didn't hurry. It was too warm to hurry. Unlike Jimmy Skunk,62 he does hurry sometimes, does Unc' Billy, especially when he suspects that Bowser the Hound is about. And sometimes Unc' Billy does worry. You see, there are people who think that Unc' Billy would make a very good dinner. Unc' Billy doesn't think he would. Anyway, he has no desire to have the experiment tried. So occasionally, when he discovers one of these people who think he would make a good dinner, he worries a little.
But just now Unc' Billy was neither hurrying nor worrying. There was no need of doing either, and Unc' Billy never does anything that there is no need of doing. So Unc' Billy shuffled up the Lone Little Path, and Jimmy Skunk ambled down the Lone Little Path, and right at a bend in the Lone Little Path they met.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

65. Old Mother West Wind

65. Old Mother West Wind. Thornton W. Burgess. 1910. 96 pages. [Source: Bought] [3 stars, children's classic, animal fantasy]

First sentence: Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills in the golden light of the early morning. Over her shoulders was slung a bag--a great big bag--and in the bag were all of Old Mother West Wind's children, the Merry Little Breezes. Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills to the Green Meadows and as she walked she crooned a song: "Ships upon the ocean wait; I must hurry, hurry on! Mills are idle if I'm late; I must hurry, hurry on."

Premise/plot: Old Mother West Wind is a children's classic; this children's fantasy novel was first published, I believe, in 1910. There isn't a central character--not really--nor a central plot. Each chapter is its own story. There are overlapping characters, but, in this one--at least--the characters don't have a tremendous amount of depth or substance. This classic does introduce characters that Thornton Burgess will feature in many, many, many more fantasy books through the decades.

My thoughts: I didn't love this one. I did LOVE The Adventures of Unc' Billy Possum. I did love the characters in that one. By the time that one was published, Burgess' characters had more life and liveliness to them. I do plan on reading more of Thornton Burgess's novels.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

16. The Great Good Thing

 

The Great Good Thing (Sylvie Cycle #1) Roderick Townley. 2001? reprinted 2025. 224 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, mg fiction, books about books]

First sentence: Sylvie had an amazing life, but she didn't get to live it very often. What good were potions and disguises if no one came along to scare you or save you or kiss you behind the waterfall? Week after week nothing changed. Years went by. The sparkles on Sylvie's dress began to fade, and a fine dust coated the leaves, turning the green woods gray. Once in a while, it looked as though something might happen.

The Great Good Thing is a book about books, or perhaps the self-awareness of fictional characters OF their human readers. This is a book about lasting impressions and dreams. It's an odd little book that doesn't necessarily fit many molds. It does celebrates stories and storytelling and LEGACIES of stories.

Sylvie, the main character, is a fictional book character that--for better or worse, mostly for better--has a special relationship with a family of readers--a grandmother/granddaughter. She is able to "crossover" from the fictional world--the literal pages of her book--into the readers' dream world. When her book suffers a horrible fate--a fire--she is able to help the other characters transition into her readers' dream world where they exist--barely, minimally--for decades. 

The book is more abstract and philosophical than young readers may appreciate? In other words, this might 'touch' adults more than children. Though if it's read aloud by an adult who absolutely loves the story, I wouldn't be surprised if young readers catch the enthusiasm and love it as well. I just don't personally see it as a book that kids will discover on their own and absolutely fall in love with. It would need some hand-selling or "blessing."

The book has a heaviness to it which I think might vary from reader to reader to reader. It has a lot of things--directly and indirectly--to say about death.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

103. Velveteen Rabbit

103. The Velveteen Rabbit. Margery Williams. Illustrated by William Nicholson. 1922/2014. Random House. 48 pages. [Source: Review copy] [5 stars] [fantasy, children's classic]

 First sentence: THERE was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid. He was fat and bunchy, as a rabbit should be; his coat was spotted brown and white, he had real thread whiskers, and his ears were lined with pink sateen.

Premise/plot: Do you know what it is to be real? One little Christmas bunny will learn this and plenty of other life lessons in Margery Williams' classic tale The Velveteen Rabbit.

The Velveteen Rabbit opens with a young boy receiving a rabbit for a Christmas present. All is lovely for the rabbit that first day. But the toy is quickly forgotten. He becomes one toy of many, many, many toys. He's not exactly special to the boy or the other toys. In fact, I'd say the other toys bully him a bit. All except for the Skin Horse, the oldest toy in the nursery. It is this horse that tells the Rabbit all about being real, what it takes to be real, what it feels like, how it changes you, etc.

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." "Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?" "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." "I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive. But the Skin Horse only smiled. "The Boy's Uncle made me Real," he said. "That was a great many years ago; but once you are Real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always." (5-8)

My thoughts: The Velveteen Rabbit is one of my favorite Christmas books. I love the nursery magic. I love the ending. It was originally published in 1922. The story and illustrations in this edition are original. This is a beautiful edition of the book. One of the best I've seen.

The Velveteen Rabbit was published several years before A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh and House at Pooh Corner. Chances are if you enjoy one, you'll enjoy the other.

Do you have a favorite toy-come-to-life fantasy?

 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

79. The Hotel Balzaar

The Hotel Balzaar. Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Julia Sarda. 2024. [October] 160 pages. [Source: Library] [illustrated chapter book; magic realism; j fantasy] [4 stars]

First sentence:  In March of that year, Marta and her mother arrived at the Hotel Balzaar. They were given an attic room that contained a bed, a sink, and a battered chest of drawers. The small room had a round window that faced east, and the sun, when it rose each morning, shone into the room with a beguiling brilliance--lighting up the bed frame, the porcelain of the sink, and the faded flowers on the wallpaper.

My thoughts (preview): I was NOT a fan of the first book in the "Norendy Tales" series). My expectations were low. Would I love it? Would I hate it? Would I be bored? Charmed? I can say that personally I liked it BETTER than the first book in this series. And that as far as I could tell, there was no real connection with the other book.

Premise/plot: Marta, a young child, lives a quiet, sheltered life. She's the daughter of a maid at a hotel. She's to be invisible, quiet and inoffensive. But one guest--an elderly woman (a countess) with a parrot--arrives and notices Marta, welcomes her, encourages her. Marta and the countess become friendly. Every day of her stay, Marta goes to her room to listen to a series of stories--fantastical stories. Marta hopes that there is some truth in these stories. That somehow, someway these stories will bring her father back to them. 

My thoughts: I liked this one. The writing was good. The story had me intrigued. I wanted to keep reading. There were some great quotes. 

Quotes:

Life always wins. Life and its crooked lines will always win.

Marta, I want you to know that war destroys everything, always. That is its intent, its only intent.

"It takes no courage at all to doubt, Marta," she said. "And we are not beyond rescue. We are never beyond rescue."

"The parents," said the countess, "loved the boy beyond all reason. They lived in fear of losing him. They were happy. They were terrified. This is what it means to love.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

20. Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint

Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint. (Danny Dunn #1) Jay Williams. Illustrated by Raymond Abrashkin. 1956. 154 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Space Captain Daniel Dunn stood on the bridge of the Revenge with his eyes on the viewer screens. He could see the fiery trails that were the rocket ships from Jupiter. Adjutant Dan Dunn ran up to report. "Sir," he cried, "They've got us surrounded!" 

Premise/plot: Danny Dunn is a daydreamer. His current obsession is space [the final frontier]. Should he be spending class time daydreaming about exploring space? Probably not. Is he punished by his observant teacher? Yes. Does that lead to a real adventure in space? Perhaps. Danny's mom is a housekeeper who works for a scientist professor, Professor Bullfinch. Danny finds the Professor fascinating. Danny "accidentally" helps the Professor invent something unexpected and unintended--anti-gravity paint. This discovery will lead them [and two others, I believe] into space in a ship of their own, a ship not powered by rockets but by anti-gravity paint. Will they arrive on earth in time for Danny to turn in his homework??? Will they return at all????

My thoughts: It's silly, but it's vintage silly. Vintage science fiction can be a hoot. This is the start of a long series. I'm not sure I'm up to reading them all. But I definitely enjoyed this one. Does it deserve to be widely read today? Probably not. Though I don't recall anything particularly offensive or inappropriate.  Though to be fair, it has been over a week since I've read it. I enjoyed it because of the glimpses into the imagination. It captures a time and place where ANYTHING was possible in terms of space exploration. It isn't grounded in science but in fantasy. I do imagine that there were a LOT of young children [boys and girls] who were interested in space in the 1950s and 1960s. This children's book isn't set in the future. It doesn't star adults, it's an ADVENTURE story starring a young child that probably many original readers could relate to.

 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

16. Not Quite a Ghost

Not Quite a Ghost. Anne Ursu. 2024. [January] 288 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The house stood a little apart from the rest of the block, as if it did not quite fit in. Perhaps it was wary of the other houses, or perhaps it was the other houses that wished to keep their distance from it. If only houses could talk, then one of them could tell us which it was. Of course, if houses could talk, they could also lie.

Premise/plot: Violet Hart is struggling--struggling with her health, with her friend group, with starting middle school, with getting along with her older [oh-so-moody] sister, with her new house, with her new attic bedroom. It seems the world is out to get her--no lucky breaks. But is the world truly out to get her? Or is it merely her YELLOW WALLPAPER out to get her?

My thoughts: Not my cup of tea. Oh how I WANTED this one to be my cup of tea. Definitely has Twilight Zone vibes. A blend of super-creepy and supernatural WITH your typical angsty coming of age novel. It's this back and forth between the supernatural AND the super realistic that is conflicting me. On the one hand, it doesn't embrace the haunted-ness and pure creepiness of the house. On the other hand, the slightly supernatural elements are at odds with the very real struggles of her invisible illness. At least to me. The author shares how she struggled (struggles) with her invisible diseases, and as a kid/teen it was impossible (or nearly so) for doctors to validate her symptoms, take her seriously, and diagnose her. This could have been compelling--alongside her friends not understanding why she's so tired and unable to join in on their daily activities--on its own. But the direction is an adaptation of the short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper." YET the conclusion isn't really the same if my memory is accurate. (Which to be honest it's been a LONG time since I last read it.) 

I think like the wallpaper itself this one is a little too busy/chaotic for my own personal liking. BUT I could see how this might be a good fit for another reader. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

13. Elf Dog & Owl Head

Elf Dog and Owl Head. M.T. Anderson. Illustrated by Junyi Wu. 2023. 240 pages. [Source: Library] [MG Fiction; MG Fantasy; J Fantasy; J Fiction]

First sentence: It was Monday, so they were hunting wyrms in the petrified forest. That's what the Queen Under the Mountain always scheduled for Monday. The pack of elf-hounds bounded past stone trees, barking and howling. They poured through the wood like a tide. Behind them rode dukes and duchesses, lords and ladies, servants and sorcerers. Huntsmen blew huge, curling horns.

Premise/plot: Would I have read Elf Dog and Owl Head if it had not been named a Newbery Honor last week? Probably not. So what is it about? What should YOU expect? Elf Dog and Owl Head is set during the late spring/early summer of 2020. Clay, our main character, is struggling. His parents are worried about COVID, finances, and supplies. Clay and his two sisters are struggling with a) getting along with each other b) missing their social lives (no school, no seeing friends in person), c) monotony of their lives. Clay comes across a stray dog (an elf hound) whom he brings home. He subsequently has adventures (and misadventures) with his new dog in the nearby woods. The magical dog can travel between worlds and so long as Clay is following behind her, he can too. He sees much, hears much, gets into some trouble. One of the worlds he visits has OWL PEOPLE. People with human bodies and OWL HEADS. Almost all the worlds have super-strict rules about NOT interacting with humans and harming those that do stumble into their world. So Clay's adventures are not without consequences--or potential consequences. But he does make a few friends. His sister even joins him once or twice in these adventures. But traveling worlds isn't exactly safe...will Clay live to explore another day?

My thoughts: This book would be a good fit for young readers who enjoy visiting OTHER worlds. Some fantasy novels are set exclusively in one fantasy world. This one features the "real world" (of 2020) and a handful of other worlds. These worlds are, I believe, "layered" upon one another. All exist in the same woods, but travel between worlds is rare--except for Midsummer. The fantasy world(s) to me were odd. This is something completely subjective. Other readers may greatly enjoy these other worlds. 

Because this one is "about Covid" in a way, it is interesting that this will be a lasting legacy. I'll try to explain what I mean. Newbery winners and honor books tend to stay in print longer and be kept in libraries longer. They have a longer shelf-life. Not indefinite. Books can fall out of favor even if they win awards or are named honor books. But this one will be read by children decades from now who did not live through 2020. This may be their "exposure" to this time in history. This one is not the first book about this time--nor will it be the last. But I do *think* (and correct me if I'm wrong) it is the first book about Covid to get attention from the Newberys.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

177. Once There Was A Bear

Once There Was a Bear: Tales Before It All Began. Jane Riordan. 2021/2023. 128 pages. [Source: Library] [prequel to a children's classic]

First sentence: Not so very far away there is a forest. You've probably been there. It's the sort of Forest with trees to hide behind, sticks to bend and snap, streams to wet your toes in, and steep running down-y bits to run down. In this Forest, two friends sat in a patch of sunlight.

Premise/plot: This is the official prequel to A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh. These are stories that take place before the first book. For example, ever wonder how Winnie the Pooh came to be Christopher Robin's bear? Ever wonder about Pooh's experiences in a department store? The stories mainly seem to stand alone. 

My thoughts: I had very high expectations. This one mostly lived up to those high expectations. I wouldn't say that it was completely and totally magical from cover to cover. But there were two or three stories that really stood out to me as wonderful. Most were pleasantly good and solid--nothing disappointing. I loved Eeyore's origin story, for example. And Piglet's story with the boot was also great. 

Is this one necessary for every Pooh lover? Maybe. Maybe not. The originals are SO wonderful, marvelous, memorably epic. This prequel is solidly good and pleasant enough. I definitely enjoyed it more than not. I don't know that it is something that would be an absolute must for every fan.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

175. The Puppets of Spelhorst

The Puppets of Spelhorst. Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Julie Morstad. 2023. [October 10] 160 pages. [Source: Library]

 First sentence: There was once an old sea captain who lived in a small room above a tailor shop. The captain's name was Spelhorst, and he had no wife, no children, no family. He was alone in the world and took his meals at a cafe down the street from the tailor shop. There, the old man would sit at a table and stare past everything and everyone as if he were on the prow of a ship, looking out to sea.

Premise/plot: The Puppets of Spelhorst is an unusual, odd novel for children. [Is it really for children? Or is it for adults who love children's books???] It stars old puppets--a king, a wolf, a boy, a girl, and an owl. These puppets are mostly forgotten and 'unwanted.' An old sea captain buys them all--though he only wants the girl puppet with the violet eyes. The toy shop owner is insistent that the puppets have a great story to tell and must remain together. The captain dies that very night, and the puppets fate remains unknown....and they know it. Eventually the trunk of puppets finds its way into a new home--with children--and one of the girls is desperate to write and perform a play for all the puppets. The sister is less sure. Many misadventures occur that threaten this 'great story' from being performed. But all obstacles eventually are overcome...but is this great play the beginning or end???

My thoughts: This one is decidedly odd or eccentric. I think it is theme-driven perhaps. And since it takes a special kind of child reader to discern wisely what themes are [in the first place] and what the main theme of this one is, I don't know that children will "get" this one. Will adults get it? Probably they have a better chance of putting in the effort to decode the deeper themes and meanings. On the surface, sure, it clearly is celebrating words and stories. But I think it goes beyond that. Yet, for me, it didn't quite work. The characters were eccentric but not deeply or richly fleshed out. The plot seemed intentionally and purposefully random. Misadventures are a good word perhaps. I never settled into the text and felt WOW this is home. Perhaps readers are never meant to. The characters are self-aware to know that they may never fulfill their great destinies and their stories may never be realized or told. One character does have great hope. And perhaps that too plays into the greater theme of this one? 

It isn't action-packed enough to be a classic adventure or quest story. I couldn't personally decipher it as a fable.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews