Review: It's a Big World, Little Pig! by Kristi Yamaguchi

Title: It’s a Big World Little Pig

Author: Kristi Yamaguchi

Publication: March 1, 2012

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Genre: Children’s

Audience: 4 and up

Website/Goodreads/Amazon

Favorite Line: "We all smile in the same language."

Summary

Poppy, the adorable, persistent, dreaming-big pig, has a new adventure in store for her: the World Games ice-skating championship in Paris! Poppy is nervous about meeting so many new people in a new place. But, ever courageous and supported by her family (Emma, too!), Poppy embarks upon this exciting adventure head-on. She meets a snowboarding Panda, a Maltese who skies, and two fellow skaters, a Crane and a Kangaroo. Poppy begins to realize that although these animals look different, act different, and are from different places, they are all the same at heart. They all smile in the same language!

My Thoughts: My 6 year old daughter and I read this together. We both loved it. This is a great encouraging read for young children. Poppy is on her way to the World games in Paris. She is nervous about meeting new people and being in a new place. With the support of her friends and family Poppy is motivated to experiencing new things. Poppy quickly makes friends with other skaters. Each skater she meets are from different countries and they each help each other around the village. Each character gives the other great support and advice. I think this is a great read. My daughter wanted more. We are fans and can’t wait to see what poppy is up to next. 

Review: Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

Title: Sisterhood Everlasting

Author: Ann Brashares

Publication: March 6, 2012

Publisher: Random House

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Genre: Contemporary/Women's Fiction

Audience: 17 and up

Website/Goodreads/Amazon

Goodreads Summery
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ann Brashares comes the welcome return of the characters whose friendship became a touchstone for a generation. Now Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget have grown up, starting their lives on their own. And though the jeans they shared are long gone, the sisterhood is everlasting.

Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.

Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.

As moving and life-changing as an encounter with long-lost best friends, Sisterhood Everlasting is a powerful story about growing up, losing your way, and finding the courage to create a new one.

My Thoughts:I have followed the sisterhood from the beginning and have been excited about this installment. This was an emotional journey for me. The story begins with a retelling of how the “Septembers” came to be, as told by Carmen. I loved learning about how the girls’ lives have changed since freshman year of college. I was saddened to see that the girls had drifted apart a little but that is to be expected when living so far apart. I was excited for the girls to get together again. Tragedy strikes before their reunion really begins. I spent the rest of the book in tears. I wanted the girls to come together and support each other with their loss. They were unable to support each other and it takes Tibby’s planning and foresight to bring the girls together. Even though Tibby is not heard from, first hand, in the book she plays such a major role in the girls lives and she knows just what it will take to get the girls threw the tragic circumstances that they face.

 

Review: The Fairy Ring By Mary Losure

Title: Fairy Ring or Elsie and Frances Fool the World

Author: Mary Losure

Publication: March 27, 2012

Publisher: Candlewick

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Genre: Non-Fiction

Audience: 10 and up

Website/Goodreads/ Amazon

Goodreads Summery
Frances was nine when she first saw the fairies. They were tiny men, dressed all in green. Nobody but Frances saw them, so her cousin Elsie painted paper fairies and took photographs of them "dancing" around Frances to make the grown-ups stop teasing. The girls promised each other they would never, ever tell that the photos weren't real. But how were Frances and Elsie supposed to know that their photographs would fall into the hands of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? And who would have dreamed that the man who created the famous detective Sherlock Holmes believed ardently in fairies and wanted very much to see one? Mary Losure presents this enthralling true story as a fanciful narrative featuring the original Cottingley fairy photos and previously unpublished drawings and images from the family's archives. A delight for everyone with a fondness for fairies, and for anyone who has ever started something that spun out of control.


My Thoughts:The Fairy Ring: Elsie and Frances Fool the World by Mary Losure is the incredible true story of two girls and their encounters with fairies. The story is set in rural England during WWI. Elsie and Frances set out to prove to their family fairies are real. With painted cutouts and a couple of photos their Fairy pictures take the country by storm. Prominent people take an interest in the pictures and request more. Will Elsie and Frances tell the truth or make more “Fairy” pictures? I absolutely loved this story. I had never heard about Frances or Elsie but I had seen one of the pictures before. It was a pleasure to view all of the photos. I had never thought about the story behind the pictures. It was a joy for me to experience how the pictures come to be through the girls own words and corresponding with the key players in getting the photos published.  I like both Elsie and Frances and connected well with them. I feel that Frances truly saw fairies while Elsie was just going along. If it was left to Frances I don't think there would have ever been more than one fairy picture. I do respect that the girls were well into adulthood before they disclosed the true nature of the pictures.

Hello All!

I would like to take the opportunity to say welcome to Wanted Readers! We are a group that just all happen to work together in a LIBRARY. We all have a love of reading ranging from fiction to nonfiction, and variety of genres as well. I personally read a lot of young adult but I read adult as well. Currently, there are three of us and as we begin sharing our thoughts with you, hopefully you'll get to know us better. So, until then...bye.