Squishy Taylor and the Bonus Sisters

I’ve discovered an amazing new chapter book character: Squishy Taylor. Yep, her name really is Squishy, and she’ll capture your heart!

Squishy got her name when she was very little and would squeeze between her parents when they hugged. She would wriggle in and yell, “Squish me! Squish me!” She has been “Squishy” ever since.

Squishy’s parents are divorced now. Her dad has remarried and has a new baby. When her Mom moves to Geneva, Squishy moves in with her Dad and her “bonus” family. (Stepfamilies get a “bad rap” in fairy tales, so Squishy’s Dad has decided her new family is a “bonus family.”) But her new family doesn’t feel much like a bonus to Squishy.

Squishy’s two new stepsisters don’t talk to her. In fact, the three are engaged in a step-sibling war. The stepsisters shoot glares at Squishy. Squishy responds by sabotaging one of the girls’ backpacks.

When she heads out on an errand for her Dad, Squishy discovers a runaway hiding in her apartment building’s garage. The runaway, who calls himself John Smith, is living in a storage closet. Squishy decides to take care of John.

Squishy thinks she is stealthy when she sneaks food down to John, but she is quickly caught by one of the stepsisters. As the two girls work together to look after John, Squishy discovers that her stepsisters aren’t as bad as they seem.

The story of Squishy and John Smith is a lot of fun. Even more enjoyable is watching the relationship grow between Squishy and her bonus sisters. Before her Dad and “bonus” mother know it, Squishy and her bonus sisters are working as a team to get revenge on one of their neighbors.

I can’t believe I haven’t met Squishy Taylor before—she has been around long enough to have eight books AND her own website! That’s right, Squishy is online at www.squishytaylor.com! On the website, you can find information about all of her books, participate in the Squishy Taylor Competition, and find teaching guides for two of Squishy’s books (including Squishy Taylor and the Bonus Sisters).

I am looking forward to seeing what other adventures Squishy and her bonus sisters have already had, and those that are still unwritten! Many thanks to Ms. Wild and Capstone for giving me an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. I’m so glad they introduced me to this wonderful young girl!

Have you read any great books lately?

Too Much Space!

If you’ve never met Beep and Bob before, you’re in for a real treat when you read Jonathan Roth’s Too Much Space!

Bob is a new student at Astro Elementary, which is a school in orbit around “one of the outer planets.” Beep is an alien who was separated from his 600 siblings while playing hide and seek. The two friends came together when Bob found Beep knocking on the space station’s airlock door. Bob let Beep in, and now Beep thinks that Bob is his mother!

Too Much Space! is told through Bob’s “Splog entries” (Space Blog entries that Bob is required to write for class). Bob is struggling with his new school—not because of the work or trouble meeting new friends, but because he is terrified of space.

This is a problem. Not only does Bob live on a space station and attend a school that is orbiting a planet, but his class regularly takes field trips into space on the space bus. Each time the class travels to new destinations, the students are required to pull on their space suits and float into space to explore.

These trips into space provide plenty of entertainment and humor for readers. On a class trip to Pluto, Bob discovers that one of his classmates, Lani, keeps three spiders as pets. Lani brings her pet spiders on the class trips as experiments. Unfortunately, Bob is afraid of spiders too. He faints when he sees Lani’s pets. A class bully discovers Bob’s arachnophobia and uses it to torment him in a most unusual way!

Too Much Space! was loads of fun to read. My six-year-old and I laughed at Bob’s antics as he searched for ways to avoid going into space. We were on the edge of our seats at times. My daughter covered her face and wailed “I have to know what happens next” each time we hit a cliffhanger at the end of a chapter and had to stop for the night.

This is a definite “must read” for any young chapter book reader! As a bonus, the last two pages of Too Much Space! have fascinating facts about Pluto.

I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. But we’re headed to the store for more adventures of Beep and Bob!

Have you read any great books lately?

Gracie La Roo

If your beginning reader has been looking for a chapter book starring a synchronized swimmer, you have finally found it! Gracie La Roo is here to make your day!

Marsha Qualey’s newest book is a collection of four short stories starring The Marvelous, Amazing, Pig-Tastic Gracie La Roo. Gracie is the youngest pig to join a world-renowned synchronized swimming team.

This book begins with a story about Gracie La Roo doing what she does best—swimming with her team, the Water Sprites. But Gracie is having trouble completing one of their routines and is worried about participating in the upcoming World Championship competition. Even worse, her swim bag disappears, along with a notebook where she has written down the Water Sprites’ secret swim routine. Gracie has to solve both of her problems before the performance!

In the other three tales, the problem-solving, swimming piggy is invited to perform in a movie, hired to perform (with the Water Sprites) on a cruise ship, and asked to give a speech to students at her old school. Each time, Gracie faces a problem to solve.

Gracie La Roo is a character that young readers will love. She is a cute, friendly pig (who can resist a cute pig???) who struggles with fears and doubts just like the rest of us. She entertains readers by creatively finding solutions to her problems in ways that kids will enjoy.

All of the Gracie stories are told in simple text with full-color illustrations on every page. Each story is divided into four chapters, appealing perfectly to the beginning reader’s desire to read a “chapter book.”

Gracie La Roo is Ms. Qualey’s first foray into early readers. Ms. Qualey has published nine young adult novels and one adult contemporary fiction novel.

I am grateful to Ms. Qualey and Capstone for providing an advance reader copy of Gracie La Roo in exchange for my unbiased review.

Have you read any great books lately?

The Royal Rabbits of London

Thank goodness for the Royal Rabbits of London! For centuries, they have worked tirelessly to protect the British Royal Family from evil plots. They work in the shadows and underground and are never seen by humans. But their impact on the welfare and reputation of the Royal Family is immeasurable.

At the start of the Royal Rabbits in London, we meet a young country rabbit named Shylo. Shylo is a scrawny little rabbit who is mocked and picked on by his siblings. He worries that he is a disappointment to his mother. Against the rules, Shylo has started to visit an old recluse rabbit named Horatio to hear stories of long ago.

One day, Shylo is heading to Horatio’s den when one of his brothers chases him through the woods. Shylo escapes by hiding in a hollow tree. While he is hiding, he overhears a dastardly plot planned by three strangely-dressed rats. If the rats succeed, their plan will undoubtedly destroy the reputation of the Queen of England.

Shylo doesn’t know what to do, so he races to Horatio with the news. Horatio explains that these rats are the “Ratzi” (as in, the paparrazi). He says that Shylo must travel to London to warn the Royal Rabbits of London of the plot. Shylo gathers up his courage and sets out on the long and dangerous journey to London.

In this exciting adventure introducing the Royal Rabbits of London, Shylo learns more about himself, gains self-confidence, and grows up as he braves the trek to London and confronts the Ratzis. This is a fabulous book celebrating the hidden talents and skills of a character who is not the biggest, fastest, or strongest. It will resonate with younger middle grade students who are searching to find their own place in the world.

Written by best-selling author-duo Santa Monefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore, this book provides a unique look into Buckingham Palace and the Royal Family. The protective bunnies living under the castle are fascinating and are bound to have many exciting adventures. I hope we see more stories of Shylo and the Royal Rabbits of London. I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

Have you read any great books lately?