Reviewed by Olivia (with the help of Oscar)

Rating: High Five

Who We'd Recommend to: We typically don't read comic books, but it seems like anyone who likes comics would love this fantastic series!

About Cartozia Tales (from the website):
Each issue of Cartozia Tales  will feature stories by nine indy cartoonists. Each of us will be bringing his or her separate ideas, imagination, and drawing style to the world that we're sharing. Every issue will be full of surprises, and no one knows where the stories will wind up. 

Cartozia is not quite like any other fantasy world. We might have griffins and goblins, but we've also got vicuñicorns, phibbits, and the Loutra-Merre. And we've planned some secrets that will only be hinted at for the first few issues. 

Reviewed by Olivia (with the help of Oscar)

Rating: High Five

Who We'd Recommend to: Fans of sweet, simple stories with beautiful messages.

Synopsis (from Amazon):
Clearie, a one-hundred-year-old schoolhouse, is fed-up. For so long, he has helped children get educated but been rewarded only by their complaints about how much they hate school. He longs to get away. His dream is to go to France, a country he has heard so much about in geography lessons over the years - but how could a schoolhouse possibly travel? Eventually he comes up with a plan and enlists the help of two students, the Buggy twins; but not everything works out as he had hoped.
With an attic full of crazy crabs, led by the fearless Lancelot, his journey is less than enjoyable and, in his absence, the school system falls apart. Will Clearie's dreams come true and the children get their wish for schooldays to end forever? Or has everyone bitten off more than they can chew?

Reviewed by Olivia

Rating: High Five

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of Ida B., Pinky Pye, A Mango-Shaped Space, Be Light Like a Bird, Odin's Promise, and Mayday.

​Synopsis: Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.
Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

Reviewed by Olivia

Rating: High Five!

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of The Blackthorn Key, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Peter and the Starcatchers.

Synopsis (partly from Amazon):
After the death of his dad, Martin and his mum move into an enormous stately home where they encounter a mysterious being called the Keeper of Portals, who claims to control every portal on the planet, except for the door at the end of Martin's bedroom, which has been sealed for 400 years. One morning, Martin wakes to discover the Keeper of Portals is missing and the door at the end of his bedroom has been opened. Martin steps through the door to find himself in the 17th century where he meets Isabel, the house's maid. Martin and Isabel quickly learn that everything on earth, from time and causality, to pleasantries and buttons, is controlled by its own keeper, but they soon become entangled in a battle against the Keeper of Questions. Their adventures takes them on a journey through time, ending up in London. But when they arrive there they find the town deserted - the Keeper of Questions has control of everyone in London and it won't be long until Martin and Isabel are next.

We just did a guest post with the amazing blog Pragmatic Mom! We wrote a list of our Favorite Diversity Books for Kids, by Kids, and then explained why we picked the books we did. Check it out!

We have some exciting news for you! We have  just done a guest post with Kid Lit Reviews, a fantastic review website for kids and adults alike. Check it out!

The Holidays are an extremely exciting time for us. The lights, the Nutcracker ballet, the two-week long break, the cold, the hot cocoa... what could be better? One of the main reasons we love the Holidays is because of presents. Why? As you can imagine, our Chanukah wishlist is teeming with books, and nothing excites us more than the prospect of new books. Note that we did not include books that are continuations of a series we've already gotten into.

So, without further ado, here's a list of what books we want for Chanukah!

(all synopsises are from Amazon)

Reviewed by Olivia

Rating: High Five!

Who I'd Recommend to: Fans of the Land of Stories, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and the Pegasus series.

Synopsis (from Amazon):
Fourteen-year-old Hannah Bradbury loved her father so much that she worried about him constantly. After all, he was a photographer who traveled to the most dangerous places in the world. To allay her fears, each time he came home he brought her silly gifts, each one with supposed magical powers: the Seal of Solomon, the Ring of Gyges, even Aladdin’s Lamp. It was that lamp that Hannah found most unbelievable, for it looked like an ugly teapot. Nevertheless, her father assured her it was real, and made her promise to save her three wishes for something very special. Then . . . six months later . . . the unthinkable happened. Her father was killed while on assignment to Baghdad. And so on the day of his funeral Hannah did something she never thought she would ever do. She took out that teapot and gave it a rub . . . 

Reviewed by Olivia

Rating: High Five

Who We'd Recommend to: Parents looking for a quick, thorough guide on raising a successful child. 

Synopsis (from Amazon):
33 Traits of Successful children is a short, sweet, and practical no-nonsense guide that gives parents ideas on how to help their children focus on life goals and objectives. Discover what is in a successful child's clothing arsenal, learn what to include in your child's Bucket List, learn what is a successful child's G.O.A.L., learn the importance of a Mastermind Group for children, and so much more!

Reviewed by Oscar


Rating: High Five!

Who I'd Recommend To: Fans of Survivor the TV show and survival books.

Synopsis (from Amazon):
Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single-engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a tattered Windbreaker and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present—and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart since his parent’s divorce. But now Brian has no time for anger, self pity, or despair—it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive.