The Family Romanov

On the day the 2015 Newbery winners were announced, I read Shannon Hale's blog post and saw that she mentioned that Candace Fleming won a Sibert Honor (most distinguished informational book for children) for her book The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia. I decided to get the book from the library because I've always been intrigued by the Romanovs (mainly because all I know is from the movie Anastasia, which I knew was completely inaccurate historically). This book tells about Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (an incredibly wealthy monarch who was somehow chose to ignore the greatest needs of his people), his wife Alexandra (obsessed with the mystic faith healer Rasputin), and their five children Olga, Tatiana, Marie, Anastasia, and Alexei. The book also describes the lives of others in Russia, the political uprisings, and what eventually brought about the downfall of the Romanovs.

This book was fascinating, and I learned so much. It was incredibly well-researched but didn't feel like a slow, nonfiction read. I was engaged and interested and was anxious to see how things would turn out for this family. The author did a good job presenting both sides--I could see the Tsar and his family in both a super positive light and a super negative light. I love books like this that give me a great history and education in a readable format--not too long and not too boring. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in this time period in Russia or in the Romanov family.

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

Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters

Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters is the third book in Shannon Hale's Princess Academy stories. I am a big Shannon Hale fan and loved the two other books about Miri, so I was excited to get this one from the library. This book follows Miri after she is asked to start a princess academy for three royal cousins who live in a faraway swamp. The experience turns out to be very different than she expects,  but Miri becomes close to Astrid, Felissa, and Sus. When trouble comes, the new friends must work together to save the kingdom.

This was another great read. I loved how the plot came together, and it's always fun to reunite with loved characters from previous books. The writing was beautiful with lots of great details and lots of little humor hidden in the dialogue. I was continually engaged and wanted to see if my predictions would turn out how I expected. And based on how the book ended, I'm hoping Shannon Hale writes another continuation book.

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

(Book 1 review, Book 2 review)

How to Be Like Walt

I recently decided I wanted to read a biography about Walt Disney, and after some research, I chose How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life by Pat Williams. This book tells the story of Walt Disney's life--his background, the beginnings of his animation studio, his movies, Disneyland, and his death.

I really enjoyed this book. I have always loved Disneyland, and I love so many Disney movies, so it was fascinating to learn the background on Walt Disney. I especially liked the way this book focused on the admirable traits of Walt Disney and how we can apply them into our lives to be better people. The book didn't act like Walt Disney was perfect--it definitely admitted his faults, but I liked that the book didn't dwell there. Instead, it used the words of dozens of people who knew him to show us what an amazing person he was. Not only did he dream big dreams and never give up, but he was a man of true compassion who cared about people. I really felt like I came to know Walt Disney in a small way after reading this book, and it made me even more admire and appreciate him and what Disney stands for. In the end, I was tearing up as I read about his death. The shock felt by those who knew him was just heartbreaking--one said, "We couldn't imagine living in a world without Walt Disney." Another quote I loved was this: After Walt's death, Walt Disney World was finished, and someone said, "Isn't it too bad Walt Disney didn't live to see this?" A Disney employee and friend of Walt's replied, "He did see it--that's why it's here."

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