The House Pet - an exciting new style of fairytale and adventure

I am so excited about this book! It is a soon to be released "narrative adventure poem" by D. M. Lovic. I first Mr. Lovic over fifteen years ago and among other memories, I remember distinctly that he was always a very talented, imaginative, and amusing story teller. This novel sounds perfect as a read-aloud for young children, or to be enjoyed by young readers, young adults, and even adults who young at heart.

After watching this little clip I became even more excited. I cannot wait for the book to be released (it'll be available this fall) so I can read it in its entirety. I highly encourage you to take a few minutes to check out this 6 minute clip and consider perhaps even contributing something to make my friend's dream a reality.

Thanks!

The House Pet by D. M. Lovic

The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton

184 pages
First published by Newnes in 1939 
Reprinted by Mammoth in 1997.
London, England

"They unlatched the gate and stood in the lane. they could see the trees in the wood, and hear them talking their strange tree-talk: 'Wish-wisha-wisha-wisha!'

'I feel as if there are adventures about,' said Jo. 'Come on! Over the ditch we go-- and into the Enchanted Wood!'"

The Plot:
"Jo, Bessie and Fanny move to the country and find an Enchanted Wood right on their doorstep! And in the wood stands the magic Faraway Tree where the Saucepan Man, Moon-Face and Silky the elf live. Together they visit the strange lands which lie at the top of the tree, and have the most exciting adventures -- and narrow escapes!" (Summary courtesy of the publisher.)

My Thoughts:
I first learned of Enid Blyton and The Enchanted Wood series from Australian author Kate Morton. They are listed on her website as some of her earliest literary influences. Curious as to why these books are so dear to Ms. Morton I decided I needed to read them myself. Because they were originally published in England and Australia I found they were a little difficult to locate within my library system here in the United States. But eventually I was able to track down two versions -- one, an omnibus, that contained all three books under one cover and then through ILL a single volume of the first book, The Enchanted Wood. Further research revealed that the books are still in print and available for great prices through online stores like Amazon.

My intial thought upon finishing The Enchanted Wood was that I wished I had discovered these books as a young reader when my imagination was actively creating my own make-believe worlds. Sadly, I believe a little of this magic is lost when one becomes an adult -- and even more so if as an adult you read The Enchanted Wood for the first time.

Still, I found The Enchanted Wood a charming, entertaining, very imaginative... and yes, at times very silly read that I will gladly share with my own daughter in a few year's time. Which brings me to my next point, because The Enchanted Wood was written and published more than 70-years ago there is a level of innocence that is lacking in many middle-reader children's books today. This innocence gives a feeling of nostalgia to the adult reader, but not in a disruptive way so that in the end I believe the books can appeal to more than one generation -- so long as the reader has a love for fairy-tales, far-away magical lands, and just simple fun.

So Who Exactly Was Enid Blyton?
Enid Mary Blyton (also known as Mary Pollock) was an English author of children's books who lived during the first half of the last century (1897-1968). She is considered one of the most successful children's authors of the 20th century and is currently listed as the seventh best-selling fiction author of all times alongside the likes of William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, and Dr. Seuss.

Unfortunately, as can sometimes be the case with some authors (i.e. Myrtle Reed), Ms. Blyton's personal life was at times far from the happy and peaceful stories she wrote about in her children's books. From what I've read about Ms. Blyton she may not have always been the nicest of people, but she definitely had a gift for story-telling and creating worlds that children could escape to and in the end that has become her legacy.

I believe that fans of books like The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit, The Tune is in the Tree by Maud Hart Lovelace, and The Racketty-Packetty House by Frances Hodgson Burnett might likewise enjoy The Enchannged Wood. I plan to finish reading the series, but will probably wait to read them when I share them with my daughter in a few years. I am glad I took the time to explore this author and hope that some of you will too.


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Related Links:

• A Complete List of Books by Enid Blyton
• The Enid Blyton Society
• An Unofficial Enid Blyton Website
  

The Tune Is In The Tree by Maud Hart Lovelace

177 pages
Published in 1950 by
Thomas Y. Crowell Company
New York, NY

The "tune is in the tree,"
The sceptic showeth
"No, sir! In thee!"
~ Emily Dickinson

Most readers who recognize the name Maud Hart Lovelace know it for her stories of Betsy, Tacy, and Tib. But in addition to the ten books in the Betsy-Tacy series, Maud Hart Lovelace also wrote three Deep Valley books, a countless number of short-stories and 11 other novels (ranging from children's stories to novels for adults).

The Tune Is In The Tree is one of these lesser-known eleven novels. Published the same year as Emily of Deep Valley, The Tune Is In The Tree is a children's fantasy story. It tells the story of a little girl named Annie Jo who spends the early months of one summer living with the birds while she waits for her father and mother's return.

The attentive reader will be rewarded by recognizing this story plot as one Betsy Ray decides to write in the final Betsy-Tacy book, Betsy's Wedding: "I think I'll write a story about a little girl going to live with the birds." While it's left to the reader to know if Betsy ever writes the story, Maud Hart Lovelace did in 1930, though it wasn't published for another two decades.

The Plot:
It all begins one evening when Mr. R. B. Robin discovers Annie Jo in the garden outside her cottage crying. Mr. R. B. Robin soon learns that Annie Jo is alone and uncertain of her parent's return. Her father, who earns his living as a pilot, has gone missing and her mother has left to find him. A neighbor was expected to come and take care of Annie Jo during her parents' absence, but a sprained ankle has kept the neighbor at home and now Annie Jo is alone. However with the special assistance of Miss Ruby, a hummingbird and a little magic straight out of a fairy-tale, Annie Jo is shrunk and given a pair of wings which permit her to go and live with Mr. R. B. Robin and his family and friends.

My thoughts:
The Tune Is In The Tree is a charming children's story that weaves subtle lessons in ornithology and nature with a fairy-tale perfect for any bedtime reading. The reader cannot help but cheer for Annie Jo as she learns to fly, or feel badly for the birds as they must face the "perfidious Mrs. Cowbird", and of course readers will wait with anticipation for the Oriel's Midsummer ball. The story's sweetness is only increased by the inclusion of black-and-white illustrations by Eloise Wilkins.

I first became familiar with the works of Eloise Wilkins as a child as she illustrated over 100 children's books, including several Golden Books. Her beautifully detailed and realistic drawings and paintings always seem to capture the essence of the story. And although the pictures within The Tune is in the Tree are all black-and-white they are just as delightful to the eye as any of her other works.

But then there's the bad news. As is the risk that must be run when reading an author long gone there is almost always a book or two that is out of print and difficult to locate. The Tune Is In The Tree is one such book. As far as I can tell it has been out of print for over fifty years and the only copies currently available range from $50-$250 a copy. And the value only increases as sellers realize the value of a Maud Hart Lovelace/Eloise Wilkins book. (Big sigh.) What a shame because this book is a treasure. But thanks to Inter Library Loan I was able to borrow a first edition copy to read. I can only hope the library will hang onto it long enough that I will be able to borrow it again in a couple years when my daughter will be old enough to enjoy it for herself.

In Summary
The Tune Is In The Tree is a delightful story for any young child, but especially those who have a love for fairies, animals, and make-believe. If you are so lucky as to have a library (or ILL) that possess a copy I highly recommend that you add it to your list to borrow and read.

As for me... I'll keep looking and wishing and hoping that one day it can be added to my own personal library. Who knows, maybe one day a publisher will reprint this work of art just as HarperCollins Publishers did with the Betsy-Tacy and Deep Valley books.

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Other Maud Hart Lovelace reviews

Emmaline and the Bunny by Katherine Hannigan - A reivew & children's pick of the week

94 pages
Published 2009
by Greenwillow Books
An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

As I have mentioned in the past, our library is currently under construction and as such has moved to a temporary location. This location is far too small, but it is better than no library at all. Story time is held in a corner of this new space tucked in between the non-fiction children's books and the juvenile literature. Occasionally while I am sitting with my daughter listening to the librarian read a story or introduce a song I will glance around and see a book I want to examine. Last week Emmaline and the Bunny by Katherine Hannigan caught my eye. I'm a sucker for bunny rabbit stories (but more on that later) so I added the book to our pile to borrow and read it over the weekend, immediately fell in love with the muted watercolor illustrations.

The illustrations are by no means Beatrix Potter-like. They are more dream-like in their depiction than they are real life-like. Still, the fit perfectly with the type of story that Emmaline and the Bunny is and I couldn't help, but have my heart melt at the sight of the little bunny with notch in his right ear and two very big and very dark eyes.

The Plot:
Emmaline and the Bunny is the story of Emmaline, a little girl who lives in a very tidy town called Neatasapin (neat-as-a-pin). Unfortunately Emmaline is NOT a tidy child. She likes to hop like a bunny, jump in water puddles until she's sopping wet, and cry out words like "Hoopalala!" and "Dinglederrydee!" But the trouble all begins when Emmaline decides she would like a bunny rabbit for a pet.

Orson Oliphant, the mayor of Neatasapin is a very tidy, very unhappy man who had banished all things untidy, dirty, or otherwise wild from the town limits including bunny rabbits.

Suddenly one day Emmaline sees a wild rabbit and follows him through a hole, much like Alice in Wonderland, and discovers a place called Untidy where all things dirty and wild live -- be they animals, weeds or dirt. Here she becomes friends with the rabbit whom she names "No More Only" and learns that in order to continue her friendship she must return home and create an "invitation" -- not a card, but a place that invites the bunny to live in comfort and peace. This means dirt, untidiness, and permitting things like weeds and bushes to grow. Is such a thing possible in a town like Neatasapin? What about Mayor Oliphant?

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this little book and there were several things I loved in addition to the aforementioned water color illustrations.

For starters, I loved the simplicity of this story. It's the type of story that could easily be read aloud to a young child or enjoyed by a new reader (it was published for readers 9-12). There are chapters, but they are all short. For an adult this story could take less than an hour to read, but its brevity and simpleness doesn't detract from creative and almost magical setting.

At the same time the setting of Emmaline and the Bunny is a little bizarre. A town where everything is tidy and dirt is not permitted? A man like Orson Oliphant who yells and stamps his feet and orders everyone around? A place where people want to live, but must remain quiet, unemotional and clean as a whistle? No such place could ever exist in the real-world, but that's what is so magical about this story. It's not supposed to be real to life. Even the writing style doesn't exactly follow proper grammar. The entire story reads as a story one might hear told aloud. It is a story that one might hear a child telling. And it is a fun read.

Perhaps a big reason that I enjoyed this little book has something to do with the fact I have always loved rabbits (as mentioned above). As a young girl, and over the course of ten years, I had my own pet rabbits, five to be exact (Whitey, Snowball, Flowers, Shiner, and Mocha). I loved my bunny rabbits. And even today, decades later I can still identify with Emmaline's love for these little creatures with their long ears, their cute little hop hop hopping, and their and fur so soft and warm it reminds one of "tickles and bedtime hugs" and "summer clouds."

One last thing I liked about this book has nothing to do with the story, but everything to do with the book. Emmaline and the Bunny was published in 2009 by Greenwillow Books whose purpose is to publish only books that are "green." Green meaning not that the book is the color green (although Emmaline and the Bunny does have a green book cover) but that their books are published on recycled paper and with recycled materials. Emmaline and the Bunny is a delightful size (measuring roughly 7"x6"), the paper feels like real paper and yet trees, water, and energy were conserved even in the making of this first edition. What a great idea! I am all for recycling. It is the perfect example of practicing conversation. From the start of time people have been commanded to take proper care of the earth and everything on it -- plants, minerals, animals, and fellow human-beings I love when this is carried out in practical ways.

Emmaline and the Bunny is the second book by author, Katherine Hannigan. Her first book, Ida B... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster and (Possibly) Save the World is on my "look for" list during a future trip to the library. I enjoy Ms. Hannigan's imaginative story-telling and look forward to sharing her books with my daughter in a few years.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

200 pages
Published 2006, First Edition
Candlewick Press
Cambridge Massachusetts

I'm trying to remember when I first discovered The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. I think it must have been shortly after the book was published in 2006 and I think I saw it on a shelf at B&N. At any rate I remember the cover art distinctly as it interested me and the plot summary printed inside was very intriguing... And yet, for some reason I tucked the book away as a "I'll check this out another time." And then I promptly forgot all about it.

I was reminded of it when I picked up The Tale of Despereaux last year, but once again I filed it away to read at a later date.

And then... As "chance" would have it one day during story time I looked up at the bookshelf above where my daughter and I were sitting cross-legged on the floor and there it was: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. I remembered how much I had enjoyed The Tale of Despereaux, so I had high hopes for Edward Tulane when I got it home and began reading. I was not disappointed.

The Plot:
"Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who treated him with the utmost care and adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
I just loved this book. Perhaps I'm a softy when it comes to anything rabbits. As a child I had several pet rabbits, a rabbit puppet and some stuffed animal rabbits. But I had nothing like Edward Tulane.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is such a touchingly beautiful tale of love, friendship, sacrifice, and humility. Kate DiCamillo has received numerous awards for her children's novels and from what I've read I believe they are well deserved. DiCamillo is a gifted storyteller. As with The Tale of Despereaux I found Edward Tulane a creative and unique story. It was fun to read and had beautifully corresponding illustrations. It taught morals without being preachy or passe. It was charming and cute and yet also addressed some darker aspects of life in a delicate manner that made the book an appropriate read-aloud even for young children. I find that there's something about DiCamillo's storytelling that make the stories seem to have come from the early part of the last century -- and yet, they don't feel old or out of date. There's something almost magical about this book. It's certainly not Watership Down, but then it's not exactly The Velveteen Rabbit either. It's a fantsy with charm and it's a delightful read.

One thing is for certain, this book is going on my "Wish List" and I am adding it to the ever growing list of books I want to read aloud to my daughter. If you have not given this or any of DiCamillo's books a chance I'd highly recommend you begin with The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Of course it might also be fun to read The Tale of Despereaux, especially considering there's an animated adaptation available to watch after reading the story, but that... is for another review, which can be read here.

DiCamillo has three other children's novels I have yet to read, but having enjoyed these two so immensely I am adding the others to my TBR list and hope to get to read them within the next year.

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

304 pages
PLUME, Published by Penguin Group

Published 2008 (2007)
New York, NY

Ok, so I have a confession to make... Actually two confessions.

Confession 1: While I do enjoy the works of Jane Austen I wouldn't go so far as to call myself an "addict." Yes, I have read all of her novels, but I do not read them over and over and do not rely on them as a compass to my life's decisions. I have also seen several of the film adaptations over the last 13 years and even own a copy of the 5+ hour A&E adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, but they aren't on my weekly play list and I could care less whether Mr. Darcy dives in a pond or not. To add to this I steer clear of any so called "sequel" or "continuing story" novels by modern authors, they just haven't been worth my time though I realize many people enjoy them. Likewise, with the exception of Austenland by Shannon Hale (which by the way, was really good.) I haven't read any of the Austin-themed chick-lit. Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict was an exception, which leads me to my second confession.

Confession 2: I didn't actually mean to read this book. I actually thought I was reading a different book, titled Jane Austen Ruined My Life, which had come highly recommended by my friend Alison and also by Carrie at Reading to Know. I guess it's understandable how I could mix up two completely different titles what with all the Austen-themed literature out there, but I admit it's really my fault for not stopping to double check with either of these ladies as to the title of the book before I began reading. By the end of Confessions I was really puzzled at how differently this book turned out than what they'd told me and it was then I finally realized my mistake. Funny, but true story.

All that to say, next time I will double check the book title and author before proceeding with reading. But now to get to the real point of this post -- my review of Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict.

For starters, Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict is, as I mentioned above, a novel that might be classed as Austen-themed chic-lit. It's the tale of a Courtney Stone, a single woman in her 30s, living in Los Angeles during the 21st century. Courtney, who while nursing a very broken heart, is also extremely obsessed with Jane Austen and the romances within her novels. One day Courtney wakes up to discover she has some how time traveled from the 21st century Los Angeles to the early 19th century England, and most shocking of all she is no longer Courtney Stone in her own body, but living in the body of some other woman named Jane Mansfield. Confusing? A little, but the author does a good job explaining.

What ensues is a story of self-discovery and romance. Courtney must pretend to be Jane and call upon her knowledge from the Austen novels she's read and what history she can remember from school all the while trying to figure out how to return to her own body in her own time.

Overall it's a cute story. The plot is clever and unique. I especially liked the chance to learn more about the day-to-day life of the 19th century that is left out in any novel of that era. Of course I could easily learn this by reading a history book, but I admit it was fun to have these details woven into an easy-read like this novel. But honestly, that's about all I liked about this book.

I often found Courtney's 21st century attitude and worldview annoying and in such stark contrast from the 19th century way of life. As typical of modern chic-lit there was a definite focus on sex in relationships, which thankfully went without too much detail (excepting one scene). To add to this I wasn't completely sold on the romances in this book. But as I have said in the past, authors today try but cannot capture the same spark and passion of the romance that Austen had in her novels. Their focus is too much on the physical and not enough on the psychological and emotional aspects of the character's relationships.

Oh! And to add to this there is one scene where Courtney (as Jane) runs into the real-life Jane Austen. The scene and conversation that follows made me want to smack Courtney/Jane. So irritating! And yet, because I was certain this was the book my friends raved about I read on. (LOL!)

As for the story plot itself, at times it lagged a little and the ending was rather predicable, but I found the author's method/answer for how Courtney ended up in another woman's body and in another time and place satisfactory. It worked reminding me a little of the 1980s movie Big.

All in all I found Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict exactly as one might expect of 21st century chic-lit. It's all fluff and entertainment, with the exception of one major lesson that Courtney does finally learn by the end of the novel. Not a stellar read, but definite entertainment.

There is a sequel to the story called Rude Awakenings, which is the story of Jane Mansfield waking up to find herself in the body of Courtney Stone and living in 21st century Los Angeles, which in some ways might prove more interesting than its predecessor, but I haven't decided if I will read it or not. When I get a chance to read another chic-lit novel I plan to pick up the book I originally intended to read -- Jane Austen Ruined My Life.

If you're interested in reading this novel I'd advise borrowing a copy from your library, as I did, versus buying.

Eclipse & Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Eclipse -----------------Breaking Dawn

629 pages -------------------- 754 pages

Published 2007 ---- Published 2008

Little, Brown and Company

New York, NY

I've fallen quite behind in the posting of my reviews, so in order to save some time and avoid repetition I am combining the reviews for the last two books in the Twilight Saga, which I read in late November and early December. Please note I have made every attempt to avoid any unnecessary spoilers.

The Plots:
Eclipse: As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob -- knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which? (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

Breaking Dawn: To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fate of two tribes hangs. Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life -- first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and tor in New Moon and Eclipse -- seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever? (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
As I mentioned in my review of Twilight, until this past summer I had no plans to read this series. I just am not into the whole vampire thing. But then around the end of June while I was looking for something fast and easy to read (and after months of persistent recommendations by my sister and a sister-in-law) I changed my mind and decided to give the first book a chance. As is evident by my review I ended up liking Twilight (for the most part) and decided to continue reading the series. Next was New Moon, but I didn't like it as much. It had a much darker story plot... which was the intention of the author (hence the title). And so, because I'd started and the books are very fast reads I decided to finish up the saga. Almost back-to-back I read Eclipse and Breaking Dawn and now I'm done!

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate Eclipse a 2.5 There were aspects of Eclipse that I liked, but for the most part I felt as though the story was just more of the same. While the reader gets more time to get to know the characters the reader also gets more time to know the same things they've already learned, which gets old. Edward loves Bella, Bella loves Edward, but she also cares a great deal for Jacob, who in turn loves Bella. What to do! Garr...

What I didn't like about the Twilight saga is that Stephenie Meyer's is just not a good writer. She's got a great story concept, but her writing is rather poor (i.e. poor sentence structure, repetitive phrases and sentences) and full of melodrama. And then there's the fact that the story really drags in Eclipse. I really believe Meyer's could have cut out about half of New Moon and half of Eclipse without damaging the core of her unique story plot.

On the other hand I actually liked most of Breaking Dawn and would rate it a 3 on a scale of 1-5. The first third of Breaking Dawn was pretty much the same as the two previous novels, albeit one major scene. (Again, I think this part could have been condensed a little better.) The second third of the book was interesting as it returned to Jacob's point of view (which was present in some of Eclipse) and this gave the reader more background and details about Jacob and his werewolf friends that proved interesting, but in the end I felt the best part of the book was the last third when at LONG LAST Bella becomes a vampire and the story reaches the long awaited drama and adventure. I won't go into any specifics (and any spoilers). Suffice it for me to say, the story finally gets interesting when this point of the story is reached and it also gets really far fetched.

Far fetched? Ok, so vampires and werewolves are fiction, so how can anything more be far fetched? I guess it's not really possible to be more so, but some how I felt as though Meyers did with the ending of the saga. By the time I reached the end of Breaking Dawn I had two opinions. First, I was glad that the characters I liked lived to "fight another day" (so to speak), but on the other hand I felt the big action scene was VERY anti-climactic and that Meyers made a mistake when she took extreme efforts to ensure everyone has a "happily ever after" ending. In my opinion, I think Meyers could have taken a few lessons from J. K. Rowling.

All in all I think of the four books I liked the first part of Twilight and the last part of Breaking Dawn the best. They are the beginning and ending of this unique story plot and the best because of that.

Yes, I admit I enjoyed the series, but I am no Twifhard or Twifan. If you haven't read the books but have seen the movies I will say, you should read the books. The movies just don't do the books or the story or even the characters justice. (Although the second movie was definitely better than the first.)

I chose to borrow the series from the library and would advise you borrow versus buy this series until you know if it's worth spending the money to add it to your collection.

In summary, I'm glad I read the Twilight saga because I've heard so much about them, but it is unlikely I will read anything else by Meyers. She is just not a great writer, which is a shame because she had a great idea in the whole Twilight concept.

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Related reviews:
Twilight
New Moon
Eclipse
Breaking Dawn

The Racketty-Packetty House by Frances Hodgson Burnett

90 pages
Published 1906, reprinted 2006
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
New York, NY

I first learned of The Racketty-Packetty House by Frances Hodgson Burnett through my friend Alison. Published in 1906, this children's fairytale story was republished in 2006, but still remains relatively unknown amongst readers. Curious to know if it was as good as some of Burnett's other children's stories (i.e. The Secret Garden, The Little Princess, etc.), I decided to give it a closer look.

The Plot:
When Tidy Castle arrives, brand-new and grand in every way, the Racketty-Packetty House has never looked shabbier, and it is shoved in the corner of Cynthia's nursery. But the Racketty family still dances, sings, and laughs louder than all the fancy dolls combined. When a real-life princess visits the nursery, the Rackettys learn that the humans are planning to destroy their house. Only a miracle--or some very unusual magic -- can save them now! (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
Overall, The Racketty-Packetty House is definitely a classic. One contemporary author praised it saying, "If you believe in fairies -- and if your dolls have adventures when you leave the room -- then Frances Hodgson Burnett has the book for you."

I couldn't agree more. The Racketty-Packetty House is charming, sweet and an enjoyably entertaining read for young readers. It's exactly the type of book I would have loved as a little girl.

Unfortunately as an adult reader I didn't find The Racketty-Packetty House to be of the same caliber as Burnett's The Secret Garden. And yet, perhaps that isn't so much the fault of the story or author, but the reader. Perhaps I was expecting a story fleshed out to the extent of a novel when I really should have been expecting a short story. Or perhaps if I had read this story as a child I would have identified better with the characters than I do as an adult. (If that's so... how sad!) That said, I still enjoyed the story. Burnett's writing is lively and entertaining, whimsical and creative. The story plot reminds me of a mix of fairytale meets Beatrix Potter. I'd recommend it to young readers, parents of young readers (especially girls who love dolls and make believe), or even readers who enjoy dolls-come-to-life stories like The Doll's House, The Doll People, Miss Hickory, or The Borrowers.

Although published for ages nine to twelve, I think this book could even make for a great read aloud to children as young as five or six. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Racketty-Packetty House a 4. It's charming, sweet and one I plan to read aloud to my daughter in about four or five years.

If you happen upon an inexpensive copy of this book I encourage you to add it to your persona library. Otherwise, as it was only just reprinted three (almost four) years ago, you should be able to obtain a copy in the children's section of your local library.

The Tale of Despereaux: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo

269 pages
Published 2003
Scholastic
New York, NY

I admit I am a little behind the times with this review. I'd heard of The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo at some time prior to the 2008 movie adaptation, but never gave it more than a passing glance. And then after seeing some positive reviews by other bloggers I added it to my TBR list. A few weeks ago while browsing the shelves of my local library I came upon it and decided it was time to read the story.

For those of you still unfamiliar with this children's novel, The Tale of Despereaux is an animal adventure and fairytale that is told through four sub-books within the main book.

In Book 1 the reader meets the unlikely hero of the story, Despereaux, a small mouse who was born with his eyes open and with overly large ears. Despereaux lives in a castle along with his family and a rather large mice clan. Throughout the chapters of Book 1 the reader comes to learn that Despereaux is not your average mouse. Instead of doing as the other mice do, (i.e. chew pages of books and chase after crumbs) Despereaux loves to read books and listen to music. It is because of his love for books and music that he meets the beautiful (human) Princess named Pea. And it is because of this meeting that Despereaux must set off on a great adventure and face many a danger to save himself and the Princess Pea.

Book 2: The story switches to the dungeons of the castle where the reader meets a young rat named Chiaroscuro (a.k.a. Roscuro). Through the chapters of Book 2 the reader learns what role Roscuro plays in Despereaux's great adventure and his sad connection to the royal family.

Book 3: Once again the story switches to another character, this time a young peasant girl named Miggery Sow, who dreams of one day becoming a princess. Throughout Book 3 the reader learns about poor Miggery's existence and what brings her to the castle and eventually leads her to play an unfortunate part in Despereaux's great adventure.

Book 4: The last book within the novel brings Despereaux, Roscuro and Miggery together (as well as some supporting characters) to reach the climax of the story and in time the fairytale ending.

Overall I found Ms. DiCamillo too be a good story teller. She weaves important lessons within The Tale of Despereaux and gives a nice twist on what could have been a run-of-the-mill fairytale by having a mouse play the part of the knight in shining armor.

The Tale of Despereaux is a children's story (intended for ages 9-12), but it can make for a charmingly short read for adults too, or even as a great read aloud to younger children (5-8). Because it is a book intended for young readers there are some things I should mention.

First, Ms. DiCamillo, as the narrator, does interrupt the story at intervals to define difficult words, or in some cases encourages the young reader to go look up a word when they don't know its meaning. For the adult reader this method of narrating can distract from the story, but personally I'm willing to overlook it as the novel is after all a children's story.

And second, there is one word of warning I would give with regards to The Tale of Despereaux. Throughout the book the story touches upon some scary and difficult subject matter (i.e. the death of a loved one, the physical and emotional abuse that Miggery Sow endures, the deplorable conditions of the dungeon, etc.). I would suggest parents take the time to preview the book before reading aloud or giving it to a young child to read, so they can be prepared to answer questions or concerns or hold off on sharing the story with too young a reader.

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Tale of Despereaux a 4. I really enjoyed the story and found it to be a cute, charming, fresh, and entertaining read. That said, I didn't run out and buy a copy. I was contented to borrow one from my local library. Although I enjoyed the story it is unlikely that I will re-read the book, at least not until my daughter is older.

As a side note, I still haven't seen the movie adaptation of The Tale of Despereaux, but I plan to borrow it from my library as well, as I'm curious to see if it's as good as the book. And because I enjoyed The Tale of Despereaux so much I am open to reading more of Ms. DiCamillo's works, particularly The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Watch for my review to appear sometime in the coming months.

New Release: Forest Born

Earlier this spring I read and thoroughly enjoyed The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. At the time I planned to read the next two books in the Books of Bayern series, Enna Burning and River Secrets so that I'd be ready to pick up the next book the series, Forest Born when it hit store and library shelves today (9/15/09). Alas, I lost sight of my goal and am no closer to reaching it today than I was two months ago. Nevertheless, I still plan to get there and in the meantime I wanted to let you know.

As I said, I really enjoyed The Goose Girl and have heard great reviews of the other books in the series, thus I have high hopes for Forest Born. If you're a fan of fantasy and fairy tales or Shannon Hale then you might want to check your library for this new book.

Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne

161 pages

Copyright 1926, reprinted 1988

Dutton Children's Books

New York, NY

I've always loved Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends in The Hundred Acre Wood. I can remember watching a cartoon episode of his adventures almost every Saturday as a child. So I don't mind that he has become the most loved stuffed toy that my daughter possesses. Currently she loves anything Winnie-the-Pooh and is quick to point out "Pigget", "Tigger", "Owl", "Eeyore" and "Roo."

So I am glad I took the time to read Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne, as I'm not sure I've ever had it read to me.

For those unfamiliar with the book, Winnie-the-Pooh is the first of two children's story books about a young boy named Christopher Robin and his friends who live in The Hundred Acre Wood, including the lovable bear without much brain, "Edward Bear" also known as "Winnie-the-Pooh", also known as "Pooh."

The stories within Winnie-the-Pooh are told through narration, presumably the author (who happened to be the father of the real Christopher Robin). The book consists of ten chapters following the adventures that Christopher Robin, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo share together. I found it interesting to note that in this first book about Pooh Bear there is no Tigger. Perhaps he'll appear in the next book?

While love, friendship, honesty, sharing and other such honorable traits abound in the stories they aren't really the point of the stories. Rather, the stories are meant to be cute, charming, and comical stories that children will love and which make excellent bed time reading. Between the excellent story tale writing and the scattered pen and ink illustrations throughout the pages Winnie-the-Pooh is a wonderful read-aloud for young children.

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh a 5. It is a timeless classic that I can't wait to share with my daughter, perhaps next year after I've had a chance to add it to her personal library collection.

If you haven't read Winnie-the-Pooh be sure to add it to your list. You'll enjoy it as will the children you share it with.

The Diamond in the Window by Jane Langton

242 pages
Copyright 1962
Harper & Row, Publishers
New York, NY

The Diamond in the Window is the first book in the Hall Family Chronicles by Jane Langton. The Chronicles consists of eight books that were published between 1962 and 2008.

The Plot:
Set in Concord, Massachusetts in the present day (present when published in 1962), The Diamond in the Window is a story that involves mystery, romance, adventure, and fantasy. While most of the story is written in prose a few quotes and some poetry is scattered within.

"Eddy and Eleanor Hall have always known that their family was a bit out of the ordinary. After all, they live in one of the most remarkable houses in all of Concord. But they never guessed just how extraordinary their house really is, or what tremendous secrets about their family's past it holds. That is, until they discover the magical attic room with its beautiful stained-glass window, abandoned toys, and two perfectly made-up, empty beds that seem to be waiting perhaps for two children just like themselves...." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
I was intrigued from the first page of The Diamond in the Window. As I quoted earlier this week in my Tuesday Teaser post, the opening paragraphs made for a compelling read. Ms. Langton writes well as a children's storyteller and I found the book both clever and amusing. The characters were fun as well, with some being easily likable and others appropriately despicable. That said, there was a point, about two thirds into the story, where my interest lagged a little. It wasn't really that the story dragged, because it didn't. It had more to do with the fact I wasn't excited to find so much of the story revolved around the 19th century belief of transcendentalism. I kept wondering where Ms. Langton was going with the story and why she focusing on this out-of-date philosophy.

As I read on the answer to these questions became clear. First, it is evident in her writing that Ms. Langton is both fascinated and passionate about Concord, Massachusetts history and its connection with the late 19th century transcendentalist movement. Second, in writing a story that involves beliefs and philosophies from generations past it only makes sense to include some of the local celebrities who played a part in the movement (Enter Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau). In turn these celebrities play a historic part in the story, which ties everything neatly together and makes for a very different type of story.

I was pleased to find when I reached the end of the book that even though Ms. Langton makes the transcendentalist movement a part of her story it isn't the point of her story. There is no "preachiness" in the story, it's just a means to an end. The real point of the story is a tale of mystery and adventure and good overcoming evil. The Diamond in the Window is definitely a fantasy with impossible adventures, some of which are a little weird like a dream... but for the most part the book is just plain fun. It reminds me a great deal of another children's book I read and reviewed, The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit and also a little of a book I started, but never finished, The King in the Window by Adam Gopnik.

My Summary
Overall I can say I enjoyed The Diamond in the Window. It was a fun read, but with a somewhat predictable ending (but probably less so for young readers). On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Diamond in the Window a 3.5. It was a good read, but I will admit the transcendentalism stuff kind of turned me off from giving the book a higher rating; still I might take a look at the rest of the Hall Family Chronicles at some point in the future. In the meantime, fans of The Enchanted Castle may find a winner in this book.

For more information about the series or about Ms. Langton check out this Wiki article.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

563 pages
Little, Brown
Copyright 2006

Introduction:
If you thought the hubbub over Stephenie Meyers Twilight saga was coming to an end now that the saga, consisting of four novels, is complete, well you would be wrong. From the little research I've done online the number of Twilight fans and their excitement just seems to increase as time goes by. Of course it probably helps that the movie adaptation of the second novel, New Moon, is set to arrive in theatres this November.

And yet the fad doesn't stop there. I've noticed more and more authors and screenwriters are turning their attention to the living-dead, the immortal. In the last week I've seen two new vampire novels (i.e. Mr. Darcy, Vampire... Argh!!!! Don't even get me started!) and at least three new television shows about vampires that are set to air this fall.

If this annoys you, as it does me, there's only one thing to do. Find something else to read or watch and just wait. Like most fads, this too will pass.

That said... I make no apologies or excuses when I tell you I went ahead and read New Moon.

The Plot:
"For Bella Swan, there is one thing more important than life itself: Edward Cullen. But being in love with a vampire is even more dangerous than Bella ever could have imagined. Edward has already rescued Bella from the clutches of one evil vampire, but now, as their daring relationship threatens all that is near and dear to them, they realize their troubles may be just beginning..." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts
Like its predecessor, New Moon is a dark romance. Of course because it is a story of vampires it follows that it is also a fantasy and a thriller. And yet as I read I was surprised to find it was also something more than that...

In the midst of the romance/fantasy/thriller Meyers weaves other threads that bring the characters and the story to life. Yes, Bella is a teenager who faces some unusual situations (i.e. vampire boyfriend), but she also faces some situations that are typical of any teenager. In New Moon she struggles with the loss of her first love, with figuring out who she is and what she wants in life, and with where her loyalties lie (family or friends). At the same time she makes new friends and loses some old ones. These are all things that modern teenagers struggle with on a daily basis. The unfortunate thing is Bella doesn't really know where to turn to find hope when all hope seems lost.

While I realize Meyer's doesn't hit a home run on many of these issues (there are things in the book I have problems with), I do realize that was never the point of the books. The Twilight saga is fiction. It's goal is to attract readers by creating a world they can identify with (for the most part) and at the same time entertain, be that through the romance or the thriller.

I found New Moon to be a little darker than Twilight, but I suppose that fits as the title itself not only refers to the darkest time in the moon's cycle, but also to this part of the story being the darkest part of Bella's life. Another subtle reference in New Moon has to do with the love story/tragedy Romeo and Juliet.

In Summary:
While I did end up liking New Moon, I didn't like it as much as Twilight. The story was definitely darker and there was one particular scene that gave me the shivers. At the same time, there were many unanswered questions from the first novel that finally got answered and as a reader I found that satisfying.

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate New Moon a 3. I liked the story. I think Meyer is a creative author. She writes a book that is easy and entertaining to read, but they aren't classics. Her books are pure fluff and entertainment. Still, that's just what some readers look for in books. I enjoy it from time to time... I've especially enjoyed it this summer because my work has been so demanding. When I've read it has been mostly an escape to something that is creative, or mindless, or just fun.

What's Next?
I'm choosing to ignore the latest vampire novels, movies, and television shows that are riding the wave of popularity created by Twilight. So don't expect me to start reading Mr. Darcy, Vampire or watching Vampire Diaries on CW. I still plan to read Bram Stoker's Dracula at some point and I might finish reading the Twilight saga, but that's as far as I'll go.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

498 pages

Published 2005, reprinted 2008

Little, Brown Young Readers

Let me preface this review by saying I have never had any interest in reading vampire stories or any scary monster story for that matter. As a teenager I read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, but I never took the time to read Bram Stoker's Dracula and I never bothered to watch a vampire movie or TV show. They just didn't interest me. And so it shouldn't come as a surprise that until this summer I have not had any interest in reading or seeing Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.

What changed my mind was the fact that both a sister-in-law and my own sister, having read the books and seen the movie, kept telling me I should read the series that it wasn't just a vampire story. After months of hearing this I finally decided to add Twilight to my TBR list with the goal of reading it before the end of the summer. And so, I put a request in for Twilight at my local library. Surprisingly it came in a lot faster than I expected and thus spent over two weeks sitting on my nightstand before I even gave it a second glance. And then last weekend after a marathon reading of Dickens I decided I needed a break and picked up Twilight... The result was a 24 hour period where I didn't read anything but Twilight.

The Plot
As most of you know, Twilight is the story of 17-year old Bella Swann, who moves from Phoenix, AZ to Forks, WA to spend some time with her father after her mother's remarriage. At first Bella hates her new home. Not only is Forks the rainiest part of the United States, but it is a small town with a small school and she's the new girl. But then she meets Edward Cullen, a very beautiful and very mysterious boy in her school. Initially he seems to hate her and goes to great lengths to be as far from her as possible, but over the course of the school year they strike up an unlikely friendship and after he has saved her life twice she learns his secret... he's a vampire. What ensues is a fantasy story of star-crossed lovers -- the human and the immortal -- living in a modern world full of temptation. (*Note: The picture of the fruit on the cover is to symbolize the forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden. Bella and Edward, and others in the book, face various forms of temptations.)

My Thoughts
Overall I was surprised to find I really enjoyed Twilight. While I don't class Meyer's writing as "fine literature," I did find her writing style quick and easy to read, as well as very detailed and descriptive. The story is told in the first-person through Bella's eyes, and this combined with Meyer's creative prose helped to bring the story alive, as if I was watching it played out in my mind's eye while I read.

My overall opinion of the book could probably be dissected into three parts. For the first third of the book I was utterly and completely intrigued. I couldn't put the book down! From the start of the story I was curious to find out what would happen next and I was fascinated by Edward's character. He isn't your average vampire.

By the second third of the book Bella and Edward's relationship is established (i.e. she knows he's a vampire and he's determined not to hurt her) and the story settles down. I almost found the second third of the book a little dull. I know lots of things were happening at that point in the story, but for a while I felt as if it was just Edward and Bella mooning over their their forbidden and almost impossible romance.

Then comes the last third of the story. At this point the mooning takes a back seat to the drama. Bella is in danger and Edward must save her. From the start of this section until the end of the book the story resumes its roles as a fast-paced read and comes to a halt in a temporarily satisfactory ending. (I say temporarily because it is obvious there is a sequel.)

Further Thoughts: objectionable content
I was pleased to find that the vampire theme isn't really the point of the story. Twilight is really a story of love overcoming unreal obstacles. It is a story of people facing and dealing with temptations. It is a story of self-discovery and finding that you can overcome things you don't like if you are determined enough to do so. Overall Twilight was a fairly clean story. It has very little violence: there is one scene where Bella is attacked by a carnivorous vampire, but Meyer's handles it tactfully. There are no love scenes (though there is plenty of chemistry between Edward and Bella). And there is only a couple uses of mild profanity (I think I only remember seeing one or two words, if that). As far as objections to a story about vampires: the immortal living-dead. I know that some might object to the content, but I mark it up there as fantasy right along side books like Dracula, Harry Potter, Frankenstein and the like. Not all are classics, but they are all stories written (and successfully so) for the entertainment of the reader.

My Summary
On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate Twilight a 3.5. I really enjoyed the story. I found it entertaining, comical at times, suspenseful, and the love-story heart-warming. I liked the unique star-crossed lover angle that Meyer's uses in the book and look forward to some more light reading when I pick up New Moon from my library later this summer.

Bonus Review: Twilight, the Movie
Having read the Twilight I went ahead and borrowed the movie from the library. The film, released to DVD in 2008, is fairly close to the book. But that being said, there are some definite plot changes.

While I enjoyed the movie (it was fun to see the characters come to life on the screen), I do have some complaints and they fall mainly with the script/screenwriters.

First, because of the nature of film vs. novel the story does lose some of it's natural intimacy. In the book you're reading the story through the form of first-person (Bella's thoughts, etc.), but in the movie you are only able to view Bella's story as a third-person. A lot of the dialog and thought process is lost in the translation from book to screen and you don't get to know Bella and Edward as well as you do in the book.

Second, due to the condensing factor that happens when a long novel is moved to the big screen a lot of the scenes and dialogue ended up feeling choppy and at times almost corny. Some of my favorite scenes in the book were lost when translated to the screen, which is a shame. And again, this resulted in the viewer not getting to know the main characters and their back story as well.

Third, due to the plot changes there are some scenes of violence not included in the book, which annoyed me. But they are almost all implied and off-screen, so that was good.

Overall the story, the costumes and make-up, the film sets and scenes, and the special effects could each be scaled from good to great. The actors are well chosen and the music fitting. I can see why teenagers are crazy about this movie.

As I said, it was fun to see the story come alive on the screen, but if asked I would recommend viewers read the book before watching the movie. Too much of the story is lost if you only watch the movie.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

435 pages
July 21, 2009
Random House Publishing
New York, NY

I know I said I was on break from reading chick-lit, but I couldn't pass up the chance to read and review British chick-lit author Sophie Kinsella's latest novel Twenties Girl, which was released in the US last week. I had planned to read it later this summer, but some how managed to get my hands on a library copy within days of its publication and then I couldn't resist taking a 12-hour break from Little Dorrit to read and review a brand-new novel. And so here we are...

The Plot
Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they?

When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie -- a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance -- mysteriously appears, she has one last request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, and Sadie cannot rest without it. Lara, on the other hand, has a number of ongoing distractions. Her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, her start-up company is floundering, and she’s just been dumped by the “perfect” man. Sadie, however, could care less.

Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from each other along the way. (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts
When I first heard that Sophie Kinsella's next novel was a "ghost story" of sorts I wasn't the least bit interested in it, but after reading the plot description and remembering that her other books have been quick, light, and generally entertaining reads I changed my mind and decided to give it a chance.

And I found Twenties Girl to live up to my revised expectations. It was a clever and entertaining romantic comedy that had me laughing out loud at times. Excepting the usual amount of profanity and love scenes that are generally found in Kinsella's books, Twenties Girl was overall a good read. I should also mention that in comparing this recent read side-by-side with another British author's chick-lit I can honestly say Kinsella's prose if definitely superior to that of Katie Fforde's, but it is still by no means a "classic".

Although Twenties Girl can be called a ghost story, it really isn't. First, there's nothing ghoulish or creepy about the story. Second, it's really more the story of a twenty-something British girl struggling in life and love, whose encounter with the ghost of her dead great-aunt sends her on a path of adventure and self-discovery, which eventually leads to a happily-ever-after-ending for all concerned. I'd call it a fantasy/romantic comedy more than a ghost story.

As for the characters... Initially Sadie's character really grated on my nerves and I couldn't stand her immature, selfish, and her apparent hedonistic view of life, but gradually her character settles down and if ghosts can learn lessons, learns a few lessons from Lara, which very much improves her. On the flip-side Lara's character seems to have a better grasp of her morals and responsibilities, but is unwilling to take some chances, but with the aide of Sadie changers her outlook on life and some of her relationships.

There were some vaguely familiar aspects to this novel. The ghost story part reminded me of the 1990s film, Ghost, but only a tiny bit. And then there were aspects of Lara and the love interest that reminded me of characters in Hester Browne's The Little Lady Agency and Kinsella's earlier work, Can You Keep A Secret.

My Summary
Still, overall I thought this was a fresh and entertaining story by Kinsella and I am tempted to say of all of Kinsella's novels that I've read (Shopaholic series, Can You Keep a Secret, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, and Twenties Girl) this latest novel is probably a close second to my favorite...

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate this new chick-lit novel, Twenties Girl a 3.5. I am glad I took the time (one afternoon and evening) to read this book and I definitely recommend it to fans of Kinsella's books, but it's still a borrow vs. buy in my opinion.

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

306 pages
Copyright 2009, First Edition
Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books
New York, NY

The Amaranth Enchantment is Julie Berry's debut novel. It was released in March of this year and has already attracted quite a bit of attention amongst readers and bloggers. I first learned of the book through Noel's blog Never Jam Today. The title intrigued me and after a little research (reading the story's description) I quickly added it to my TBR list.

The Plot:
The Amaranth Enchantment is a sort of coming-of-age story that follows the adventures of Lucinda, a 15-year-old orphan, who in her short life has gone from riches to rags and from being an adored daughter to being a servant in her uncle's goldsmith/jewelry repair shop. Life is very lonely and bleak for Lucinda, especially under the oppression of her aunt, a mean-spirited woman who seems to hate everyone, especially Lucinda.

And then one evening everything begins to change... It all starts when a handsome stranger appears in her uncle's shop, followed by a mysterious woman with a likewise mysterious and very beautiful gem, and then later in the evening a fleeing individual begs refuge in Lucinda's bedroom. What follows is a tale of romance and adventure woven together in a fantasy and fairytale setting.

My Thoughts:
The Amaranth Enchantment is a clever, entertaining, and fast-paced read with a somewhat surprising ending. Intended for young readers (ages 9-12) there is no inappropriate language or love scenes, making it a clean and fun read for readers of all ages.

I really enjoyed the The Amaranth Enchantment and I think Berry's unique twist to this Cinderella-story is part of why I liked it so well. It wasn't just another rags to riches story. That said, I must admit there were certain elements or aspects that reminded me of a few pre-existing fantasies such as Enchanted and Stardust. So if you have enjoyed either of those movies it is likely you'll enjoy this story. Likewise, if you are a fan of The White Horse, The Goose Girl, or Ella Enchanted, you are likely to also enjoy The Amaranth Enchantment.

In Summary:
On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Amaranth Enchantment a 4. This is one novel that readers of fantasy and fairytales should check out of their local public library and for certain readers may even warrant the price to add it to their personal library.