Burgs Sunday book review

In honor of Children’s Book Week, the book reviews were turned over to the kids this week. Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in the country. Each year, books for young people and the joy of reading are celebrated for the transformative power that literacy has in one’s life.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente, Feiwel & Friends, 2011.  Reviewed by Erin Hansbrough, from Blacksburg, a 5th grader at Kipps Elementary School.
One of the really good books I have read is The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente.  It is about a girl named September who is invited to Fairyland by the Green Wind.  Soon she meets some witches and is sent on an adventure to get a magic spoon back from the evil ruler of Fairyland, the Marquess.  Along the way she meets two new friends, a Wyvern named A-Through-L and a Marid named Saturday.  But when she gets to the Marquess, she is sent on another quest to retrieve something for her.  Along the way her friends get captured and to save them she has to sail to the bottom of Fairyland!  Read the book to see if she makes it!  This book would be good for readers who enjoy adventure, fantasy and humor!

The Hunger Games by Susanne Collins, Scholastic Press, 2009.
Reviewed by Samantha Hopkins of Christiansburg.  Samantha is in the 7th grade at Christiansburg Middle School.

The Hunger Games is a story of action and adventure. It starts with a sister’s difficult choice that sets off an unstoppable chain of events. The area that they all live in are districts and many are poor. The President and other richer people live in the Capitol. There are 12 districts in all. Katniss, the main character, her family and friends live in district twelve.  Katniss is a really strong female character, which is nice to see when so many books have girls in it that need to be rescued. She also isn’t perfect. I think that everyone should read the book before seeing the movie and may the odds be forever in your favor.

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Suess, Random House, 1957.
Reviewed by Diamond Graves, from Christiansburg, a 4th grader at Falling Branch Elementary School.

The cat comes and tries to play with the children but instead, destroys their house.  The children have to clean up the mess before their mom gets home.  They get help from Thing 1 and Thing 2 and the mess is gone!  This book teaches children that they need to do the right thing.

Horton Halfpott or The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor or the Loosening of M’lady Luggertuck’s Corset by Tom Angleberger, Abrams, 2012.
Reviewed by Daisy Slusher, of Floyd.  She is in 4th grade at Floyd Elementary School.

Tom Angleberger’s 2011 book, available at your branch of the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library, is entitled Horton Halfpott or The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor or the Loosening of M’lady Luggertuck’s Corset.  Even though that is a very long title, it is a quick read. You will love the plot which gets thicker and thicker when the Luggertuck Lump (a diamond) is stolen and the prime suspect is the lowly kitchen boy, Horton Halfpott.  It all starts when the corset of M’Lady Luggertuck is just a smidge loosened and that causes all the rules at Smugwick Manor to get loosened right along with the corset.  Stable boys snoop! Firewood is dropped!  Chaos reigns!  This book is the most exciting book that Tom Angleberger has written!

Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger, Amulet Books, 2012.
Reviewed by Emily Hemphill, from Ellison.  She is a 4th grader at Roanoke Catholic School.

Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger is a fantastic, hypnotizing book. It’s a story about a devious boy named Casper who uses a Heidelberg Handlebar Number 7 mustache to try and become a millionaire and President of the United States. He uses the handlebar mustache to hypnotize people into believing and doing everything he says. He even convinces people to think that his former best friend, Lenny, was the thief who robbed the banks that, in fact, Casper did. What will it take for Lenny and his new-found friend, T.V. star Jodie O’Rodeo, to stop Casper and his evil plans? Find out in the latest book by the author of the Origami Yoda series. Tom Angleberger will launch his new book at the Meadowbrook Library on Tuesday, May 15. at 6 p.m.

-To be a guest reviewer, e-mail palston@mfrl.org.

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