Young Fredle by Cynthia Voigt (2011)
Length: 227 pages
Genre: Children's Books
Started: 16 August 2012
Finished: 16 August 2012
Where did it come from? The local library
Why do I have it? The idea of a mouse being enchanted by the moon thrilled me. (cover picture)
Reading Challenges: back-to-school readathon
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars 
{Image source: HERE}

Next Time Won't You Sing With Me?

Okey-doke, so I got this idea from the fabulous Somer over at A Bird's Eye Review (what a clever name!) and I will try to list the books that I have recently read that begin with each letter of the alphabet. The books which I would like to read yet haven't started are in red.

P.S. I definitely recommend you go to Somer's blog. Her list is SO much better than mine, because mine doesn't have any pictures. Okay, so I got lazy. But anyway, besides for X and Z, I think I did a pretty good job (just kidding).

Readathon!!!!

It seems I am behind the times on everything, but luckily not this! Today Katie at Katie's Book Blog put up a linky for a readathon, and I am definitely hooked! You, my faithful reader, will absolutely see more updates in the few days to come as the readathon kicks off!

Now in case you are wondering what the heck a read-a-thon is:

A Readathon is where you set a goal for yourself to read more books that is beyond your average number of books you read. There is no minimum, it's all up to you! Push yourself to get some of those books read that have been sitting on your shelves for awhile! You can read any type of book you choose!

(Definition taken from Angela at Reading Angel!)

Here are my books for the readathon:

1. The Redheaded Princess
2. Princess of the Wild Swans
3. Young Fredle
(4. A Writer's Notebook)
(5. It's Like This, Cat)
(6. GRUM!)
(7. Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers)
--Dana
 

Update 1:
Okay, so undoubtedly I read much, much faster than I expected. Now I'm thinking it will take pretty long to actually post the reviews but I did already finish Young Fredle and Princess of the Wild Swans (Of the two, I enjoyed Princess of the Wild Swans more, though). As you can see I have added another book because I am almost certain I will be done with the books before the time limit is up. But then again I have the reviews to consider and then I am not so sure. Okey-doke, I am off to start my first review. But I have read the first pages of The Redheaded Princess and so far I think it's a snore. But that's my opinion, and I'm hoping it will change, or else I will be sorely disappointed. :-(

Update 2:
I completely ditched The Redheaded Princess (a novel about Elizabeth I) but good news! I am very close to finishing Young Fredle's review and I have finished another book, It's Like This, Cat, by Emily Neville, on my Kindle. 5 books in 5 days! Oh boy, but I can definitely do it. But soon I may be facing 6 books, and then 7.... oh well. Anyway, today is Day 2, and I wish everyone good luck! I'm going to go and try to get into the Redheaded Princess.

Update 3:
I am sorry for all I have ever said against The Redheaded Princess. But I would not recommend it as a read aloud. It is merely controversial in the way that makes Julie of the Wolves controversial; but you should know why (Otherwise, please go and read it up.)
For that reason, I will not be able to write the review within the timeframe of the readathon. (Very sorry for any disappointments.)

Update 4:

Today is the last day because I forgot to update yesterday and I have finished each and every book on my list. I will try to do a maximum of 6/7 reviews on my list. That means that today I'll have to do 5/7. It's a stretch, and so probably I'll only manage 4/7 or 3/7, but oh well. Can't stop to talk today! Plus, it's time for Recommend A so look out for that later on!

Day 1:
Books finished: 2

Day 2:
Books finished: 1

Day 3:
Books finished: 2

Day 4:
Books finished: 2

Day 5:
Books finished: 0 :'(

Recommend A.... First Book In a Series

Recommend A… is a great weekly feature hosted by Shanyn at Chick Loves Lit. Each Monday there is a different prompt starting with Recommend A… Once you post your response you can link up over at Chick Loves Lit.

Okay, okay. I know it's Wednesday. But I particularly like the subject of this weekly feature, so I shall participate, though it was planned for July 30 (lol).
Love this series! I waited forever for book 9 and now it is finally OUT!!!! For all you Sister-Eight- lovers this is a HUGE deal! I read it on my Kindle in about half an hour and it was definitely amazing!

But wait, backtrack a little. You know that you have to read the first book first, right? That's why it's called the first book!

Okay, go ahead now and read it! Enough said.

Morning Girl

 Recently I saw on another blog (So Many Books So Little Time) a different format to review so I guess I'll try it here today.

Michael Dorris, published in 1992. 74 pages.

Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
First sentence:





The name my family calls me is Morning Girl because I wake up early, always with something on my mind.

Last sentence: I knew they were real.

Marie-Grace & Cecile Series

Now I've inevitably gotten a little bit lazy so I decided to kill two birds with one stone (rather, kill 6 birds with one stone) and do a joint review of all six books in the relatively new American Girl series starring Cecile Rey and Marie-Grace Gardner. 

"Foreword": I want to say a few words about the structure of the series. The entire series, like the rest of the American Girl books, is told in third-person limited narrative, but depending on the title of the book, each has a different PoV (e.g. Troubles for Cecile, book #4, is told in Cecile's point of view).

Also, the first two books, Meet Marie-Grace and Meet Cecile tell the same story from different point of views. For example (the first passage is from Meet Marie-Grace):

Cecile had warm brown skin, and Marie-Grace guessed that she was a free person of color. What should I say to her? Marie-Grace wondered. Then she remembered how Papa always said that all people should be treated the same. So Marie-Grace followed Mademoiselle Oceane's example. "I'm pleased to meet you," she said as she held out her hand to the other girl.

The Doll Shop Downstairs

This is a super sweet chapter book (I wouldn't venture to say novel) for kids ages 8~11. I would recommend it to girls, mostly, because the only male characters are adults and do not show up much in the story. The main characters are the three children of a Russian immigrant New York doll repair shop owner: Sophie, Anna, and Trudie Breittlemann.

This story is told through the point of view of Anna, the middle child. Sometimes she feels annoyed because her younger sister can still cry for attention and her older sister shines at everything she does, like a star, yet she, the middle child, can't manage to stand out.

Whenever the three girls feel lonely or bored, they would go downstairs from their apartment to the doll shop. There are three dolls on the shelf that the girls frequently take down to play with, and pretend that they are "their" dolls, although they can't afford any and the dolls actually belong to some wealthy people. Whenever life's trials take a turn for better or worse, Bernadette Louise, Anna's doll, always "hears" about it. Because of various reasons, the dolls have stayed on the shelf for a long, long time.

Then World War I breaks out in Europe and suddenly the doll parts, which are bought in Germany, are out of stock. Mama and Papa worry all the time, and the girls secretly whisper about it at night.

"Maybe we could get jobs," I say.
"What kinds of jobs?"
"We could help out some of the ladies Mama sews for. Wash the dishes or run errands. Mrs. Kornblatt has a baby. We could watch her sometimes." I have seen the baby with her white bonnet, white booties and plump, pink cheeks. It would be fun to look after her for a little while.
"Anna, that is not going to help," Sophie says in that I'm-so-much-smarter-than-you tone that always stings. "We need to make some real money, not pocket change."
"It was just an idea," I say, feeling snubbed.
"Well, it's not a very good one, so keep thinking."

Then Anna comes up with the best idea of all: Instead of repairing dolls, how about making them out of inexpensive materials?

Thoughts: I find this and it's sequel, The Cats In the Doll Shop, very similar to the Doll Hospital series, but only because they both are about repairing dolls. In addition, I do find one critic's comments spot-on:

Mix one part Rumer Godden’s The Story of Holly and Ivy and many parts Sydney Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind Family and you create a standout family-and-doll story.

I have not read The Story of Holly and Ivy but I am familiar with Rumer Godden's work as I have read Tottie: The Story of the Dollhouse which is also by the author.

--Dana