Masters of Disaster by Gary Paulsen

Three young boys decide they want to have a fantastic adventure that everyone else will admire. What could go wrong?

Wendy Lamb Books sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you) and I was interesting in seeing what Gary Paulsen was writing now. My favorite of his earlier books is "Hatchet", which is a story of survival. This book is a story with humor, which is different from anything I'd read of Mr. Paulsen's work.

They're twelve and they are bored. Henry has the brains, Riley is the researcher, and then there's fearful Reed - who always ends up implementing the plan, against his wishes. They reassure him he won't get hurt, but nobody talked about how much he'd smell...

Boys will love this book! Lots of far fetched adventures with unexpected results and boy-type jokes make it a fast read and very enjoyable for ages 8-12.

Once you introduce them to Mr. Paulsen's work, he has written over 200 others that they can check out. Hatchet is still my favorite, but this was a very good book and should please children universally. Check for it at your local bookstore.

What Really Happened to Humpty by Jeanie Franz Ransom

Did Humpty really fall off that wall? Or was he pushed? It's up to Joe Dumpty to find out.

Charlesbridge publishes the best children's books. There's something for everyone, whether it's poking fun at Mother Goose rhymes or teaching a child facts about Monks illustrating books. I choose this one for review (thanks for a copy, Charlesbridge) because I had previously read a children's book entitled "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" where the wolf was innocent (or say he says). This children's picture book appeared to be written in the same tongue-in-cheek form.

Stephen Axelsen illustrations add to "hard-boiled" feel of the story as Joe Friday, oops, that's Joe Dumpty, goes about his investigation.

There are corny lines in the story such as: "At least he landed sunny-side up." Ms. Ransom uses a whole batch of nursery rhyme characters such as: Miss Muffet, the three little pigs, Little Bo Peep, and more.

I'd suggest this for reading for ages 6-9. If you use it for reading aloud, have the children tell the original nursery rhymes after you're through with the story. This is a good humorous read that should make your child smile.

This book is currently available at your local bookstore - and you won't have read a nursery rhyme like this before...

Fiona's Luck by Teresa Bateman

Would you be lucky enough (or smart enough) to fool a leprechaun?

Charlesbridge sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you) and it's a lovely book. Kelly Murphy has created enchanting illustrations that will catch your eye and add to your reading pleasure.

This is an Irish folktale that talks about how much luck there was in Ireland until the big people arrived (humans). When they started using up the luck faster than the King of Leprechauns liked, he collected it all and hid it. Soon the hens didn't lay, the cows went dry, and the potatoes rotted in the field and things didn't look good for the Irish. But Fiona was not going to give up so easily...

This book is written for 6-9 year olds and is a treat to read even if you're an adult. If you would enjoy watching someone outwit the King of Leprechauns, this book is for you.

I highly recommend this children's picture book. The story and illustrations make it outstanding.

Samuel's Baby by Mark Elkin

Show-and-tell gets a lot more interesting when Samuel blurts out that he's going to have a baby!

Tricycle Press sent a copy of this cute book to review (thank you). The illustrations are by Amy Wimmer and the book is available now for purchase.

This is a silly, fun story that would be great for any sibling worrying about a new addition to the family. It is written for children ages 3-6.

Once Samuel says he's having a baby, the whole class goes around pretending they are pregnant with everything from dolls to stuffed toys to pets. They also practice the skills they'll need to take care of their new baby - which will make you laugh.

If you have a child who is insecure about the thought of a new baby, this book will help take the trauma away and give you opportunities to talk about any concerns they may have.

This book will also work well for reading aloud. Get yourself a copy at your local bookstore and share it with the children in your life.

Mercy by Eleri Stone

If you're a shape shifter who can turn into a jaguar and have trained to fight to the death, why would you submit to your male opponent? And what future can you have now?

Carina Press is publishing this book this month as a Mobipocket Reader or Adobe Reader edition. I downloaded the galley from Net Galley for review.

The thought of shape shifters has always intrigued me. There are enough conflicts in human relationships without throwing animal instincts into the mix. Ms. Stone does a very good job of making her characters strong and showing the differences in their training and backgrounds.

There is graphic sex in this novel, so don't read it if that will offend you. However, the story line is strong enough that you will keep reading and wondering just who Iada will side with - her tribe or her new husband.

Get ready for lots of action, a character you can't predict, and a fight between the pure and the mutant.

The Cold Water Witch by Yannick Murphy

Ever wanted to be a princess of a snowy land? Here's your chance.

I received my copy of this book from Tricycle Press, and the illustrations by Tom Lintern made me feel very cold - even a nice hot summer day!

It's the coldest day of the year and the cold water witch wants to imprison another young girl in her land of ice and snow. But the girl is smarter than that. She tries hard to outwit the witch and the story has an unexpected ending.

This picture book is for younger readers and while it has a fearful part to the tale, it ends up happily for all. It is worth purchasing to just admire the artwork of the illustrations. And I really enjoyed the story.

Visit your local bookstore and check it out for yourself. I bet you leave with a copy...

Because I could Not Stop My Bike by Karen Jo Shapird

"Because I could not stop my bike
it kindly stopped for me.
Unluckily, it did not stop
until it hit a tree."

Charlesbridge has provided me a copy of this marvelous book of poetry for grade school children (thank you). Matt Faulkner is the illustrator, and he does a very job of creating colorful and fun pictures to go with these romping poems.

Ms. Shapird takes 26 classic poems and reworks them for children using the same rhythms and meters of the originals. It works very well, and children will love reading them.

How can you not like poems like: How Do I Love Ketchup? Let Me Count the Ways; or A Red, Rose Nose?

Introduce your child to poetry that is fun to read and teach them that poetry has a charm of its own.

This book is available now at your local bookstore.