Book Reviews!

Mom! Please read me some …

These reviews do not constitute official Church endorsement of these books, but the books have been carefully reviewed to ensure that Church standards are observed.

Picture Books

Sally Jean, the Bicycle Queen, by Cari Best, pictures by Christine Davenier. Sally Jean really wants to ride with the big kids. Finally, she is old enough to have her own bicycle! But as she grows, her bike doesn’t grow along with her. Sally Jean uses her imagination to solve her problem in true Bicycle Queen style.

Fast Food, by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers. This clever book shows mushroom people, green-onion figures, and even radishes traveling along in style. Whether they are driving a cucumber, sailing a banana, or riding a spaghetti-squash bus, these fruits and vegetables will make you laugh!

The Wildest Brother, by Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Kerstin Meyer. Ben protects his big sister, Anna, from all kinds of scary creatures and bad guys. He is very brave and strong! But when nighttime comes, maybe Ben needs some protection and comfort himself.

Sleepy Boy, by Polly Kanevsky, illustrated by Stephanie Anderson. After spending a long and exciting day watching lions at the zoo, a boy cannot fall asleep. He and his loving father share the quiet of the evening and remember the big cats as darkness falls.

For Children ages 5–9

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Edward the toy rabbit loves nothing and no one besides himself, even though his owner loves him deeply. When he gets lost at sea, Edward begins a journey that teaches him to care for others.

Understood Betsy, by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. Nine-year-old Elizabeth Ann is timid and fragile. She has led a sheltered life with Aunt Frances. But when she has to go live with her awful cousins in Vermont, Elizabeth Ann begins to bloom.

Amanda Pig and the Awful, Scary Monster, by Jean Van Leeuwen, pictures by Ann Schweninger. Every night, Amanda Pig is sure a monster is in her room. Her older brother, Oliver, figures out a way to help Amanda. Enjoy this exciting tale about being brave and growing up.

For Children ages 10–12

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs, by Betty Birney. It is 1923 and Eben wants excitement in his life. But nothing much ever happens in his small town of Sassafras Springs. Then his father gives him the challenge of finding seven wonders right there at home. In his search, Eben learns to appreciate the ordinary and extraordinary people in his life.

Princess Academy,* by Shannon Hale. Miri is surprised when all of the eligible young maidens are sent to be trained to compete for the hand of the prince. Miri’s family and her ancestors have always worked in the stone quarries in their tiny mountain village. Now she has the chance to become a queen!

Nonfiction

R is for Rhyme, by Judy Young, illustrated by Victor Juhasz. Follow the author through a colorful alphabet of poetry as you learn about haiku, ballads, metaphor, and more.

Mammoths on the Move, by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus. Travel with a herd of woolly mammoths as they journey south for the winter and encounter glaciers, rivers, and predators.

• Warning: Occasionally, characters who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will drink coffee or tea. Selections where this occurs are marked with an asterisk (*).

Illustrations by Mark Robison