Book Beat Reviews

The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth

Hello my name is Amariah and I’m a 7th grade homeschooler. Some of my favorite things to do are paint, sing, play my ukulele, read, write, and play volleyball.

The Cat Who Went to Heaven is a story that takes place in ancient Japan. It all starts when a poor artist sends his maid to the market to buy food with the little money he has. He’s furious when his maid comes back with a cat instead! But he soon discovers that this is no ordinary cat.

This cat has good manners, is obedient, kind, but most of all, gentle. Because of this cat’s good qualities the artist decides to keep the cat and names it Good Fortune. Not long after, a Buddhist priest comes to the artist’s house and asks him to paint a picture of Buddha and all the animals for the church. The priest also promises a large amount of money for the painting.

But there is one problem. The cat is not allowed in the painting because according to Buddhist culture the cat is a proud, self-satisfied animal who refused the teachings of Buddha. Good Fortune is broken-hearted by this and meows with grief. The artist sees Good Fortune’s sadness and decides to paint her anyway, even though he knows he won’t get paid for doing so. The Buddhist priest is horrified when he sees the painting that includes the cat. To make things worse, something tragic happens to Good Fortune.

The story ends with a surprising miracle that will leave the reader feeling both sad and happy.

Find it in print here.

Strong is the New Pretty by Kate T. Parker

I am Sarah. I am thirteen years old and an avid reader; it is one of my favorite things to do. Inspired by the multitude of author’s creation of magnificent places and surprising havens built by simple letters, I aspire to be an author and, meanwhile, nurture the love to write.

Maya’s confidence. Ruby’s determination. Tatiana’s smile. Ava’s kindness. Tayla’s fearlessness. Daija’s trust. Ella’s independence. Mia’s creativity. Faith’s joy. All of these qualities are what make these girls strong, and their strength is what makes them beautiful.

Kate T. Parker’s catalog of gorgeous photos illustrates how being strong is much more than just surface beauty, how being a girl goes much deeper than just a pretty face. Through her photographs paired with the quotes from girls all over, from witty and humorous to simply insightful, Strong is the New Pretty clearly shows that real beauty isn’t about what you wear, or what you look like. It’s about being authentic to your true self and owning it. It’s about letting your hair down, about dancing in the fire hydrant, your face smeared with dirt. It’s about slapping war paint and smiles onto helmeted faces, about wrapping pointe shoes around blistered and calloused feet. It’s about never giving up, about doing what makes you happy no matter what. It’s about letting your strength and spirit out and being one hundred percent you. That’s what being a girl is.

As Jordan, 15, says, “Strength is putting all your heart, mind, and effort into what you believe in. Your beauty will shine from this.” And strength, and beauty, do shine through this celebration of girls everywhere.

Find it through Interlibrary loan here.

Once Upon a Toad by Heather Vogel Frederick

I am Sarah. I am thirteen years old and an avid reader; it is one of my favorite things to do. Inspired by the multitude of author’s creation of magnificent places and surprising havens built by simple letters, I aspire to be an author and, meanwhile, nurture the love to write.

Everyone knows about those evil stepsisters—so horrible to the heroes of our fairytales they make milk curdle, only to receive their retribution in the end? Well, with her mom as far as way as the moon—literally, since she’s an astronaut—Cat Starr has to deal with a real-life stepsister of her own, Olivia. But that sweet revenge that she’s wishing for takes a bit of an unexpected turn since Cat’s “occupationally challenged” fairy godmother might need some practice. Now, whenever Olivia speaks she showers her audience with flowers and diamonds, while Cat’s stuck with toads popping out at every word.

But diamonds are valuable, and soon it brings down a whole bunch of trouble for Cat and Olivia’s family when their shared little brother is kidnapped. On the run from jewel thieves and the government, Olivia and Cat must settle their differences, find their brother, and for goodness sakes get rid of all these toads!

Heather Vogel Frederick spins a humorous account of a real-life fairy-tale: the story of sisters, friendship, and carrying true with the message that perfect isn’t everything, and sometimes life needs to get tossed up to forge the bonds that last the longest. Fast-paced and well-written, this is a perfectly imperfect, lighthearted tale for anyone looking for a quick, funny read.

Find it through Interlibrary loan here.

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

I am Sarah. I am thirteen years old and an avid reader; it is one of my favorite things to do. Inspired by the multitude of author’s creation of magnificent places and surprising havens built by simple letters, I aspire to be an author and, meanwhile, nurture the love to write.

Creelisel’s aunt is dumber than two turnips in a rain barrel, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. To save the family from financial ruin, said aunt decides to sacrifice Creel to the local dragon, in the hopes that some marriageable knight will come to rescue the poor damsel-in-distress from its clutches.

Well, Creel’s having none of it. So when she falls into the claws of the mythical beast, she bargains her way to freedom along with a pair of blue slippers, heading off to find work as a seamstress—and a new life—in the King’s City, capital of Faravel. But it’s not as simple as that. As Creel befriends a community of dragons so different from what the fearsome stories always told, she realizes she’s caught up in a much bigger mess than the one she escaped from—a conflict between two countries, and two species, that happens to include her blue slippers at its epicenter.

Told with wit and humor and a certain eye for cultural detail, Jessica Day George weaves a fast-paced story that, much like Creels’s embroidery, is colorful, complicated, and incredibly entertaining. As Creel makes unlikely friendships and is quick to gain enemies, she finds herself the mediator between two sides of a centuries-old rift—and that the chance to prevent bloodshed may land squarely on her unsuspecting shoulders. 

Find it in print, ebook, and eaudiobook here.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Hi, I am Sarah. I am fourteen years old and an avid reader; it is one of my favorite things to do. Inspired by authors’ creations of magnificent places and surprising havens built by simple letters, I aspire to be an author and, meanwhile, nurture the love to write.

This is the story of a witch. A witch who steals babies. A witch who eats babies. A witch who terrorizes the sad, foggy town of Protectorate, which is why they must sacrifice their babies.

Or, it’s the story of a witch who nurtures them. A witch named Xan. A witch who has love in her heart and does all to share it.

Or, it’s the story of a witch who eats the sorrow of those left behind. A witch with a tiger’s heart. A witch cunning and selfish and corrupted.

Or, it’s the story of both. Or neither. It’s the story of a mother who went quite mad. Of a flock of paper birds with uncertain motives. Of an ancient, poetic swamp monster. Of a boy with hope in his heart despite the sorrow surrounding him. Of a very friendly, Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Of children with stars in their eyes. It’s the story of a witch. It’s the story of a wild girl named Luna, a girl who drank the moon.

It’s the story of all of them. Words are powerful things, you know.

Kelly Barnhill writes a powerful, interconnected story about love and sorrow and hope and loss, a story that twists and turns, letting puzzle pieces snap in unexpected but absolutely remarkable ways. Through her original and quirky prose, she weaves her tale with power and starlight and some magic boots and a scattering of stars.

And words, of course, because words are the most powerful magic of all.

Find it in print, ebook, eaudiobook, and CD here.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney

Hi, I’m McCallen. I like skiing and basketball.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Last Straw is a great book that I think everyone should try. One reason is because this book is super funny and the drawings are great. If you love middle school drama and humor this book is for you. For a quick summary, this book is about two middle schoolers, Greg, and Rowley.  Their lives revolve around middle school. They try very hard to be popular. Also, to add to the stress they face, Greg’s dad works super hard to try and get them to toughen up, not be so lazy, and not play videogames all day when they don’t have school. Anyway, that’s a quick summary of what this book is about. The Last Straw is a really good book that should take you one to two weeks to read. I definitely recommend reading it if you have a week or two. It is the third book, in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and you should check out the rest of the series because all the books are great.

Find it in print, ebook, and eaudiobook here.