Karla's Reviews

The Chicken Dance
by Jacques Couvillon

I never knew chickens could be so interesting...or at least Don, the 11-year-old protagonist of the story, makes them interesting. Don's mother is a self-absorbed former Vegas showgirl who hates living on a chicken farm in a po-dunk town on Horse Island. Don's father is mostly absent. Neither pays Don any attention until he becomes the youngest person to win the local chicken judging contest. Suddenly, he is a minor celebrity. Don is such a charming, funny, sincere boy that you just find yourself rooting for him to be valued by his family and community. A funny, poignant read with surprising twists for middle grade readers.

The Looking Glass Wars (Book 1)
by Frank Beddor
Oooo, I am always intrigued when a book has such mixed reviews. Some people just hated it! I really enjoyed the premise and thought it was a rather clever twist on the traditional "Alice in Wonderland." I liked the character of Alice when she was a little girl with so much imagination, and I loved Hatter Madigan's portrayal. But now I want to re-read the original books, and re-read this one in the light of the comments made by other readers. Looking forward for number two!

~ Karla Giraldéz, BCL, East Branch