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wolfiegrrrl's reviews
241 reviews
All Tucked in on Sesame Street! by Sesame Workshop
informative
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
4.0
This cute bedtime story for kids provides a rhyming list of things to do before bed to help you feel cozy enough to sleep.
Tuba Lessons by Monique Félix, T.C. Bartlett
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
This cute story is told through beautiful illustrations that encourage kids to use their imagination and tell their own version of the events unfolding on the pages in front of them.
Zia by Scott O'Dell
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This sequel to Island of the Blue Dolphins is a sad glimpse into what living at the Santa Barbara mission would have been like. Scott O'Dell does a good job of making it clear how each character feels about their situation and why; and even though the story is told through the lens of an opinionated young teen, his writing allows the readers to pick at a deeper truth behind the words so as to not sway anyone to one side of a multi-faceted issue. The way the characters interact with each other is telling enough and it certainly provides a lot to think about.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Racism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Colonisation
Minor: Animal death, Death, Slavery, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This story has stuck with me ever since I first read it as a child and, rereading it as an adult, it's easy to see why. There's something so striking about a child protagonist who is left to survive alone on an island that echoes with the whispers of everyone she has lost. Her anger, loneliness, grief, and even her eventual happiness are all so beautifully written. I smiled, I cried, and I held my breath in suspense from beginning to end. For a child who was fascinated by what I could learn from historical fiction, this book fueled my imagination and it still brought me back to that place all these years later.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Grief, Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Death, Death of parent
Minor: Violence, Blood, Colonisation
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I'm pretty sure this book was assigned reading in middle school because of its message about environmentalism, which is what I loved so much about it as a kid, but there is so much more jam-packed into this story about bullying and broken homes and different forms of child abuse.
It would have been so easy to simply write a story about children who only have good intentions and are always right while all of the adult characters are jaded, selfish, and bad; but Carl Hiaasen does a decent job of showing that life is usually mixed up in more complications than what first appears on the surface. Due to the heaviness of the topics involved, they are presented in a way that mostly spells everything out for its intended middle grade audience, but there are nuances aplenty for older readers to analyze as well.
I also really appreciated Hiaasen's colorful descriptions of the geography and wildlife - perfect for nature-lovers who like to be pulled into the scenery of the story.
It would have been so easy to simply write a story about children who only have good intentions and are always right while all of the adult characters are jaded, selfish, and bad; but Carl Hiaasen does a decent job of showing that life is usually mixed up in more complications than what first appears on the surface. Due to the heaviness of the topics involved, they are presented in a way that mostly spells everything out for its intended middle grade audience, but there are nuances aplenty for older readers to analyze as well.
I also really appreciated Hiaasen's colorful descriptions of the geography and wildlife - perfect for nature-lovers who like to be pulled into the scenery of the story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying
Minor: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail
A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
This is a very cute book for teaching kids to recognize colors and animals. Plus, there is also a section about autumn, winter, and spring that can be helpful when teaching kids to recognize the changes that happen during the year. The illustrations make me think back to the sponge stamps I used to play with when I was little, so flipping through the pages feels very comforting to me, and I love the message about finding friends you can be yourself with!
A Man and His Cat, Volume 4 by Umi Sakurai
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"The bath-peeping goblin at the man's house" is another extremely relatable cat moment! (I call mine a gremlin~)
As for the main story, I love getting to see how Kanda and Hibino bond over their shared experiences with being first-time cat owners, and Kobayashi is such a good friend for helping to make it happen! It's a great joy to experience the main cast growing closer the more they open up to each other, so I'm super excited to see what new characters wind up joining Kanda's (and Fukumaru's) circle next.
As for the main story, I love getting to see how Kanda and Hibino bond over their shared experiences with being first-time cat owners, and Kobayashi is such a good friend for helping to make it happen! It's a great joy to experience the main cast growing closer the more they open up to each other, so I'm super excited to see what new characters wind up joining Kanda's (and Fukumaru's) circle next.
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A charmingly simple story about two kids finding adventure and mystery within themselves at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
I think I loved this book so much as a kid because the idea of running off on an adventure was something I could never do myself, so I invested myself in stories where the main characters were kids who got to do just that. Rereading it as an adult who has had the privilege of visiting the Met many times through the years is such a treat! New York and the Met may have both changed a lot since 1967, but this book allows me to close my eyes and imagine a child's-eye view of what it was like back then. The fact that this adventure is based on just the right amount of realism for the time it was written provides the immersion that makes the story feel almost believable.
Never forget that the best adventures are the ones that allow you to come home with a few secrets of your own~
I think I loved this book so much as a kid because the idea of running off on an adventure was something I could never do myself, so I invested myself in stories where the main characters were kids who got to do just that. Rereading it as an adult who has had the privilege of visiting the Met many times through the years is such a treat! New York and the Met may have both changed a lot since 1967, but this book allows me to close my eyes and imagine a child's-eye view of what it was like back then. The fact that this adventure is based on just the right amount of realism for the time it was written provides the immersion that makes the story feel almost believable.
Never forget that the best adventures are the ones that allow you to come home with a few secrets of your own~
A Man and His Cat, Volume 3 by Umi Sakurai
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
So many more relatable cat moments and enough tragic backstories to go around! I love how the characters are developing now that the creator has been able to expand the format of the story. Moriyama has fallen so hard for Kanda and honestly who can blame him. The boy's got it bad and I love to see it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief
Minor: Bullying, Death, Abandonment
I Am a Little Cat by Helmut Spanner
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A short, sweet, and simple story about a little cat facing the world of its own backyard. Great for introducing young kids to new vocabulary!