Cool writers stop by

One of the best things about blogging about children's books is that, once in awhile, a writer stops by.

Or, a super hip little creature by the name of Babymouse!* Jennifer L. Holm, of the Newbery honors and the great books (Penny From Heaven, the Babymouse series, Our Only May Amelia), sent babymouse our way along with a the newest Babymouse title, Babymouse: Heartbreaker. Thanks Jenni! And, many thanks to Matt Holm too, who brings the series to life with his humorous illustrations.

In other author news, Anjali Banerjee, whose Looking for Bapu my mother reviewed here, wrote in to say she's working on the websites included in the book. Awesome! Kids really like that type of interactivity.

And writer Liz Wu commented on my mother's review of Rosa Farm. Alice began the review with three questions:

1. Was your favorite book as a child Charlotte's Web?
2. Are you an animal lover?
3. Did you read How the Rooster Stole the Sun

Liz wrote in and answered:

1. Yes, Charlotte's Web was one of my favorite books growing up. I also loved all Roald Dahl.
2. Yes, I love animals. I don't eat them, though.
3. I haven't read How the Rooster Stole the Sun, but now feel like I should!

Thanks for stopping by, everyone. It's great to talk with you.
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*Babymouse is so cool, my snarky 11-year-old daughter is pleased as punch to be seen with her.

Review: Babymouse: Rock Star

Babymouse is back in Babymouse: Rock Star, the fourth volume of the Babymouse series.

This time, school and music are getting her down. Oh, and her number-one enemy Felicia Furrypaws.

How does Babymouse cope? She daydreams, of course. First, she's a rock star. Then, on a boring Wednesday, a tornado whisks her out of school. But, daydreams won't save her from her biggest problem: she wants to play the flute better. She wants to move from last chair in the school band.

Felicia Furrypaws is second-to-last chair and torments Babymouse. Fortunately, Babymouse finds help from a fellow Furrypaws victim and succeeds in the end with a little practice, instruction, and targeted daydreaming.

Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm triumph again with this latest installment in the tales of your average school-aged mouse. Babymouse's daydreams are fun and action-filled, but the beauty of the books is in the everyday. Everyone has angst about their position in the band, everyone fears a school bully, and everyone hates the bus.

The bus is the star of my favorite sequence in Babymouse: Rock Star. The bus screeches up, the driver says, "Let's get moving! What do you think I am anyway? Your own personal chauffeur?" Then Babymouse comments that the bus "was like an obstacle course." The obstacles? "Doesn't open. Talks too much. Gets bus-sick. Soda spill. Bumpy. Rickety. Kind of scary. Gum. Picks nose. Yells." True, true, true.

Babymouse: Rock Star is highly recommended for school-aged children five and up. And, even though Babymouse is written at approximately a third-grade level, I've found young middle schoolers love Babymouse as well.