The Book Review Club (February 2011)

Welcome one and all to our Book Review Club's second meeting of 2011! Grab a mug of java, some calorie-free, cyber cookies and make yourself comfortable. There are links to lots of great reviews below! Including a review by Sarah Laurence of our own Ellen Booraem's middle-grade fantasy SMALL PERSONS WITH WINGS!!!

GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLS' ROOM by Rose Cooper

Middleschoolers Sofia and her BFF, Nona, want to be popular. Things don't go according to plan, especially when Sofia's mother becomes a substitute teacher at their school. Sofia decides to use her anonymous blog to dish the dirt on the popular girls. From Booklist: "Written as a journal with illustrations and asides, this humorous take on trying to fit in will find wide appeal."


Child #4 is a reluctant reader. Which means her mother is beyond thrilled when a book grabs her ten year old's imagination. Here's how it went down with GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLS' ROOM. I hand Child #4 said book. Child #4 flips through a few pages. She flips through a few more pages. She turns the book over and reads the back cover. She sits down and begins to read. And smile. And read. Child #4 read GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLS' ROOM in ONE SINGLE DAY! That is not something that happens too often in our little house!

So, what was it my reluctant-reader daughter loved about GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLS' ROOM?

Straight from Child #4's mouth:
"It's funny." "I love the illustrations." (drawn by the talented Rose Cooper, I might add!) "It's as good as DIARY OF A WIMPY KID** and DORK DIARIES, my favorite books."

(**Reviewed recently by our own Scott Parker and Ellen Booraem)

Thanks, Rose! Hurry up and write the sequel!

Now, people, please, please click on the links below. You'll find thoughtful, interesting reviews about a variety of books.

MIDDLE GRADE/YOUNG ADULT BOOK REVIEWS

Sarah Laurence: SMALL PERSONS WITH WINGS by Ellen Booraem (middle grade fantasy)

Kaye of the Book Review Forum: THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE by Kate DiCamillo (middle grade)

Stacy Nyikos: MOON OVER MANIFEST by Clare Vanderpool (middle grade, Newbery Winner)

ADULT BOOK REVIEWS

Scott Parker: SKATING AROUND THE LAW by Joelle Charbonneau (mystery)

Staci of Life in the Thumb: THE GIRL IN THE GREEN RAINCOAT by Laura Lippman (mystery)

Linda McLaughlin: DISSOLUTION by CJ Sansom (historical mystery)

Alyssa Goodnight of the Writers' Road Less Traveled: AIRS ABOVE THE GROUND by Mary Stewart (suspense)

Jenn Jilks of My Muskoka: MIDSUMMER NIGHT by Freda Warrington (fantasy)

Sarahlynn of Yeah, but Houdini didn't have these hips: THE SPARROW by Mary Doria Russell (literary science fiction)

Stacy of The Cat's Meow: THE JOKE by Milan Kundera (satire)


NONFICTION REVIEWS

Prairie Rose of Prairie Rose's Garden: THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE by Diane Ackerman

Ellen Booraem of Freelance Ne'er-do-well: AT HOME: A SHORT HISTORY OF PRIVATE LIFE by Bill Bryson

Beth Yarnall: JUST KIDS by Patti Smith (memoir)

**Note to Reviewers: Leave a comment or email me if I've made a mistake. For some reason, I had a lot of trouble with blogger this go-around.**