Children's/Young Adult Book Reviews

Over the past several months, I've read quite a few selections from our Children's & Young Adult book collection. 

First, I completed the remaining books in the Trixie Belden series. Since my last update on these books, I read books #16-22, 25 & 32. Again, some of these books are not as believable as the first ones in the series, although #16, The Mystery of The Missing Heiress, does bring in some of the characters and activities more in line with the initial stories. 

However, the consistency which characterizes the first books is missing: for example, book #19 (The Secret of the Unseen Treasure) occurred at the end of the school year, then book #20 (The Mystery Off Old Telegraph Road) is set in the spring (rather than the summer after that school year). And some of the main characters exhibit traits contrary to their personalities. (I'm sure much of this is due to the fact that the later books were written by a variety of authors.) Of course, I still enjoyed re-reading these books that I've owned for over 35 years!

I also re-read/worked through the Trixie Belden Mystery-Quiz Books 1 & 2.

It was so FUN to see my handwriting in these books from all those years ago! I have to admit that I did a great job on the quizzes, then & now. :)

   

I also read the two sequels to Richard Peck's A Long Way From Chicago (which I reviewed last December HERE). In A Year Down Yonder, 15-year-old Mary Alice returns to spend an entire year with Grandma Dowel. This is a great sequel; I actually listened to it as an audio book several years ago. Grandma's antics are embarrassing to Mary Alice at first, but she eventually sees that Grandma is taking care of others and showing love in her own very unique way. 

Grandma Dowel returns in the third book, A Season of Gifts, however, this time her antics are observed by new next-door-neighbors. The minister, his wife, and two kids eventually learn what a gift of a neighbor she truly is, however, I didn't think this book was as FUN as the first two. (Robbie read all three of these books and felt the same way.)

Have you read any good children's/young adult books lately?