Parents and Grandparents.....

Here you will find book reviews for Tweens, ages 8-12. The goal here is to introduce you to books that would be appropriate for kids who are between 8 and 12 and who love to read. Since I tend to look for books that are Newbury and Caldicott winners, most of the books I've read tend to be gems. But there are also some that were suggested to me by others who enjoy a good kids' book, too! If you enjoy these books, don't hesitate to send me an email and let me know! Or suggest books for me to read before you purchase it and I will review it for you. Thanks!

After reading "Holes", I was happy to come upon another Sachar book. And having not had a lot of experience with kids, it took me a minute to get a lot of what was going on. Once I did, I enjoyed the story a lot more. The story was laugh-out-loud fun and the kids, innocent in their thoughts and the words that come out of their mouths, were loveable and often unpredictable.

Another fun read by Roald Dahl, The Witches, although similar in plot to The BFG, stands on its own with its own surprises and story twists.

The main character, a boy who lives with this grandmamma, is told many stories about witches and their evil deeds, particularly concerning children. It seems that witches are not only not fond of children but are trying to get rid of all of them, one child at a time.

I recently visited our local bookstore, one of my favorite places to hang out, and found a display rack of Roald Dahl books. Although most of the books I’ve read recently have been determined by the free books I find at our local swap shop, I decided to purchase a couple of these paperback treasures. Although I am in the middle of one novel, I started to read “The BFG” and before I knew it, I couldn’t put it down.

Another free book from our swap shop, I'm always thrilled when I see an author's name that I recognize, particularly one as well-known as Roald Dahl.

As I started reading this little gem, I had to laugh. Full of life's lessons and words of wisdom, sometimes it is so obvious that although it is a book for kids, and I'm sure they would enjoy the book, it is also a book for adults. It reminds me of many of the animation movies that Jim and I enjoy so much. There are so many references that only an adult would get. But it is also an enjoyable movie for kids.

 Since my sister-in-law, Kathy, and I both enjoy reading children's books, we are always sharing the latest book each of us have read. Therefore, I was pretty excited when I received "Ghost Knight" by Cornelia Funke in the mail from Kathy.

I had just read a book by Funke, that Kathy had recommended, so I was a little familiar with her writing. This one was different. Ghost Knight was based on mostly real characters from the 1500's and before. Even the main characters of Jon and Ella were taken from real-life characters that Ms. Funke knew.