On break until Friday Aug. 9, 2013

Hello Readers,

In an effort to really enjoy what is left of the summer with my girls I will be taking a brief respite from Whymsy Likes Books until Friday August 9^th.  Hopefully by the time  Aug 9^th rolls around I will be renewed and refreshed, ready to tackle new challenges and review with vigor and spirit.  In the meantime you can take the time to catch up on any reviews you may have missed or might I suggest breaking with your own regular routine for timeout of your own.  Try and appreciate your summer!

I look forward to joining you again soon,

Whymsy

Sarah Elizabeth Plans a Tea Party by Monica Brandner, Lorene Keen, Zac Jones (Illustrations) ★★★★☆

Lovely

Fiction – Children’s

Age Range: 4 - 8 years

Publication Date:  November 10, 2011

Sarah Elizabeth throws a princess tea party for her friend Lexi, but not everything goes according to plan.

I know that this book is much younger than what I usually review, but after purchasing it for my daughter’s birthday I couldn’t help it, I needed to share.  The illustrations are lovely and whimsical, full of color and energy.  The artist really captures the feeling of each scene and the characters personalities brilliantly shine through.  The words are simple enough that a 1^st or 2^nd grader should be able to read them on their own with only a little help, though it would be good to go through it with them to talk through the teachable moments, five of which are listed in the back.

In the book Sarah Elizabeth starts out with good intentions, but then selfishness gets the best of both her and Lexi, making them behave badly.  The story focuses on teaching kids to treat others with kindness and respect and how to forgive; lessons that all little princesses and princes can benefit from.  Personally, as a parent, I am grateful for any tool that I can use to reinforce these attributes in my girls. 

ISBN  0615505333 (ISBN13: 9780615505336)

The Borrowers by Mary Norton ★★★★☆

A joyful foray into the world of possibilities.

Fiction – Juvenile - Fantasy

Age Range: 9 and up

180 pages

Publication Date: 1952

The Borrowers #1

Carnegie Medal in Literature 1952

Arriety is a Borrower, a race of miniscule people who live in the houses of human Beans and borrower from them to live.  Pod, Arriety’s father, wants to teach her the ways of survival, but Arriety rather see what the world outside is like.

I picked up this book with every intention of being delighted and I would have to say in the past sometimes these high expectations have led to crushing disappointment, but not in the case of The Borrowers.  Even after 50 years in print and dramatic shifts in our culture I found this book to be ageless.  The storytelling style is very homey and comfortable and the story just carries you along for joyful little foray into the world of possibilities.  And the idea of Borrower’s living in houses just lit up my imagination with a childlike wonderment.  I loved the delightful descriptions of the things they borrowed and how they used them with detailed illustrations to accompany.  I just adored it.

ISBN  0152099875 (ISBN13: 9780152099879)

I am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert ★★★☆☆

Stephen Colbert for President!

Non Fiction – Humor

230 pages

Publication Date:  2007

Former Presidential candidate in South Carolina and the handsome(if he does say so himself) anchor of the Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert, endows his followers from the Colbert Nation with his hilarious, “enlightened” and in no way well-informed world views that he wasn’t able to elaborate enough on during his show.

Stephen Colbert is either a national treasure or bat crap crazy … or possibly both.  No matter what category he falls in I, as always, found him delightful.  As a fan of his show, I am well acquainted with his humor.  His writing is incredibly clever, witty, deliciously sarcastic and oh so wrong.  Colbert enjoys universally poking fun at pretty much everything and everyone.  Nothing is sacred in the Colbert Nations.  Taken with a good sense of humor, I found even the values I hold dear thrown on the chopping block for comic fodder to be pretty dang funny.  And as I finished this book I realized I would never be the same.  Stephen Colbert’s sage advice of, “Don’t Suck,” is something I will carry with me always.

ISBN  0446580503 (ISBN13: 9780446580502)