Ferris

I follow Kate DiCamillo on Facebook and saw she had a new book coming out--Ferris--and so got it from the library. The book description says, "It’s the summer before fifth grade, and for Ferris Wilkey, it is a summer of sheer pandemonium: Her little sister, Pinky, has vowed to become an outlaw. Uncle Ted has left Aunt Shirley and, to Ferris’s mother’s chagrin, is holed up in the Wilkey basement to paint a history of the world. And Charisse, Ferris’s grandmother, has started seeing a ghost at the threshold of her room, which seems like an alarming omen given that she is also feeling unwell. But the ghost is not there to usher Charisse to the Great Beyond. Rather, she has other plans—wild, impractical, illuminating plans. How can Ferris satisfy a specter with Pinky terrorizing the town, Uncle Ted sending Ferris to spy on her aunt, and her father battling an invasion of raccoons?"

I loved this book. Kate DiCamillo's books just have a certain feel to them, and this book just felt so familiar and peaceful and happy from the start. Kate creates the most distinct and hilarious characters (Raymie Nightingale series, Mercy Watson series, etc.), and this book was no exception. Ferris's little sister Pinky was hilarious, and I also loved Ferris, Charisse, Billy, Ted, Shirley--everyone! I love how Kate created a story out of just a few days' time with all kinds of mishaps and adventures. I was laughing during the book and teared up toward the end. Just a great read.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Matilda

Our family listened to Matilda by Roald Dahl on audiobook on our recent road trip. We thought it'd be fun since my daughter was recently in the musical at school. The book description of Matilda says, "Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she's just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a menacing, kid-hating headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It'll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!"

This was a fun book to listen to. I loved the narrator and all her voices, and while listening, I looked up who it was--and it was actress Kate Winslet! I'm sure I've read Matilda in the past (as a child or something), but I didn't really remember it. It was fun to compare it to the 90s movie and to the musical. (Like there's a scene with a parrot that's in neither. Or there are a lot of lines from the book that are the exact same in the musical.) I enjoyed the read but probably won't say "loved" it since it wasn't fresh and novel.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Elf Dog & Owl Head

I got Elf Dog & Owl Head by M.T. Anderson from the library after seeing it won a Newbery honor this year. The book description says, "Clay has had his fill of home life. A global plague has brought the world to a screeching halt, and with little to look forward to but a summer of video-calling friends, vying with annoying sisters for the family computer, and tuning out his parents’ financial worries, he’s only too happy to retreat to the woods. From the moment the elegant little dog with the ornate collar appears like an apparition among the trees, Clay sees something uncanny in her. With this mysterious Elphinore as guide, he’ll glimpse ancient secrets folded all but invisibly into the forest. Each day the dog leads Clay down paths he never knew existed, deeper into the unknown. But they aren’t alone in their surreal adventures. There are traps and terrors in the woods, too, and if Clay isn’t careful, he might stray off the path and lose his way forever."

This book took me a little bit to get through at first, but once I got toward the end, I was definitely engaged and interested in finishing. I thought it was fun that the book took place during the pandemic (relatable for kids nowadays), and there was lots of unique fantasy and adventure. I also liked that the book had some illustrations throughout. In the end, I was happy with how the author tied things up, and I think the book had some good subtle messages about family and friendship. I think this would be a read aloud that my kids would really enjoy and be super into.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Eyes and the Impossible

I got The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers from the library after seeing it won the Newbery Medal this year. The book description reads, "Johannes, a free dog, lives in an urban park by the sea. His job is to be the Eyes—to see everything that happens within the park and report back to the park’s elders, three ancient Bison. His friends—a seagull, a raccoon, a squirrel, and a pelican—work with him as the Assistant Eyes, observing the humans and other animals who share the park and making sure the Equilibrium is in balance. But changes are afoot. More humans, including Trouble Travelers, arrive in the park. A new building, containing mysterious and hypnotic rectangles, goes up. And then there are the goats—an actual boatload of goats—who appear, along with a shocking revelation that changes Johannes’s view of the world."

I loved this book so much! The book engaged me pretty much right away and just had the best characters (all animals). I loved the story and found myself laughing out loud several times and tearing up at the end. It was just a beautiful story with characters you're rooting for the entire time, and it's a story that makes you want to keep reading. Highly recommend this one. I'm passing it onto my husband and daughter next.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Ollie and I are continuing on our Roald Dahl kick, so I read him Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The book description says, "Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!"

This was such a great read. I know the story well, but Ollie didn't know pretty much anything except for Willy Wonka from the new Wonka movie (a prequel story). So it was so fun to read together. The story was engaging and entertaining, and Ollie and I both enjoyed it all the way through. I am excited for us to watch the classic movie from my childhood now. I liked how this book introduced 6-year-old Ollie to some hard things in life (like a family not having enough money to buy food and being hungry) but also had a nice happily ever after.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

My Antonia

I read My Antonia by Willa Cather for my book club with friends from church. The book description says, "Set during the great migration west to settle the plains of the North American continent, the narrative follows Antonia Shimerda, a pioneer who comes to Nebraska as a child and grows with the country, inspiring a childhood friend, Jim Burden, to write her life story."

I felt super out of the loop not really knowing about Willa Cather and her books before this (since lots of others in the book club had already read or were familiar with her books), so this was one of those books that I came away from being glad I read even if only to "educate" myself and be more literary. :) I wasn't overly engaged in the book but did enjoy the story and really loved the character of Antonia. There were some sad parts of the story, but I thought the end was satisfying. I probably won't pick up another one of her books on my own, but I wouldn't mind reading another someday if another book club picked it.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

Fantastic Mr. Fox

I read Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl to Ollie this past week. Ollie wrote a letter to a favorite author/illustrator (Kevin Sherry) and got a letter back that included a recommendation of Roald Dahl books. So Ollie wanted to give one a try--so I figured we'd start with this nice short one. The book description reads, "Someone's been stealing from the three meanest farmers around, and they know the identity of the thief—it's Fantastic Mr. Fox! Working alone they could never catch him; but now fat Boggis, squat Bunce, and skinny Bean have joined forces, and they have Mr. Fox and his family surrounded. What they don't know is that they're not dealing with just any fox—Mr. Fox would rather die than surrender. Only the most fantastic plan can save him now."

This was such a fun read. Ollie loved it from the start and was always happy to keep reading more chapters. The illustrations matched perfectly with the text, and I loved the goofy characters and clever ideas of Mr. Fox. Glad we read this one.

* * * (3/3 = Loved it)