Book Bunnies

Caramel reviews Sugarbush Spring by Marsha Wilson Chall and Jim Daly

Today Caramel picked up a beautiful picture book originally published in 2000: Sugarbush Spring, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Caramel reviews Sugarbush Spring, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly. — Caramel reviews *Sugarbush Spring*, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly.

Sprinkles: It is almost spring here, the spring equinox is tonight, and so today we are talking about a book about spring, right Caramel?

Caramel: Yep. We are.

S: But this is a spring that is quite different from the ones we are used to here where we live, right?

C: Yeah it is still snowy there and we almost never get much snow.

S: I know, right? Seasons are different all around the world. And we are in the northern hemisphere, so when it is our spring, it is fall in the southern hemisphere. So even more different.

C: Yes, Sprinkles. You said it is almost spring here, and yet in Australia, for example, that is not correct.

S: I know, right? It is pretty cool actually. That we live all around this planet, and we experience quite a lot of different things, and yet, we all experience seasons in some ways. So the spring in this book is what kind of a spring?

C: Well, there is still snow on the ground, but during the day it is above freezing.

S: That is quite different from where we are, right? Here, we almost never go below freezing.

C: Yeah, it does not ever get too cold here, at all.

S: Yet, Marshmallow is always cold when it is just a bit cooler than usual.

C: Yeah, it is very funny.

S: I think it is funny because I have lived in places which got a lot colder than here, but also she does not always think about wearing warmer clothes to keep warm. Then again, neither do you. You would go out with shorts and sandals every day if you had your way.

C: That is not funny.

S: Okay, I see how things are. When it is Marshmallow, we can make fun of her, but when it is you, oh, it is not funny anymore?

C: Yep, it was only funny when it happened to Marshmallow.

S: Okay, let us not make fun of anyone then. I think people (and bunnies too of course) get used to where they have been living for a while, and so they notice the changes in the weather where they live even if they are not big changes in comparison to other places. So let us get back to Sugarbush Spring.

C: Yes, let’s. That way at least I won’t be insulted.

S: I was not trying to insult you; I was only teasing. I am sorry.

Caramel is reading Sugarbush Spring, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly. — Caramel is reading *Sugarbush Spring*, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly.

S: Okay, back to Sugarbush Spring. So this story must be about somewhere in the northeast of the United States, or maybe Canada, right?

C: Yeah, they are making maple syrup, and it says that they are in Canada.

S: Cool! Tell me more.

C: When it is time, when it is no longer freezing during the day, they go to a tree and they take some sap from the tree and make some maple syrup from it and at the end they make candy from the syrup.

S: That is cool! Did you know that is how they make maple syrup?

C: Yes I did, but this book has lots of cool pictures showing exactly how they go through the full process of making maple syrup.

S: Of course, you are a little bunny who really knows a lot of things. But you are right, the pictures in this book are quite instructive. But they are not like textbook pictures.

C: Yes, they are very colorful and they are relatively detailed and very pretty.

S: Also quite realistic. I mean they almost look like photos.

C: Yeah. and it is fun to look at them. The details are neat. I especially liked how they made the candy in the end.

S: Of course! Maple syrup candy must taste so good. I have never had one but I can imagine.

C: I bet it tastes even better when you watch it being made. Hmm, now I want some maple syrup candy.

S: Unfortunately we do not have any at home Caramel. And we do not have any maple trees to make maple syrup, either.

C: I know it is kind of sad. But I guess that is why it is good we can find some of those things in the supermarket. Though I am not sure if I ever saw maple syrup candy at the store… Hmm…

S: I am sure there is a benefit to having access to a sugar bush. According to Wikipedia, that means a collection of maple trees used to make maple syrup.

C: Yeah, it sure would be cool. And I see now, that is why the book is called Sugarbush Spring. It is spring and they will make maple syrup from the sugar bush.

S: Good catch, Caramel! That makes total sense.

C: Yep, I’m so smart, aren’t I?

S: Yes, you are! So maybe this is a good time to wrap up this review. If you were to summarize this book in three to five words, what would you say?

C: Hmm, let me think. Colorful springtime with maple syrup.

S: That works! So that is it then. What do you want to tell our readers?

C: Happy Spring Equinox! And stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading Sugarbush Spring, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly, and recommends it to all little bunnies who are curious about spring time in other places, and all those who love maple syrup. — Caramel enjoyed reading *Sugarbush Spring*, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly, and recommends it to all little bunnies who are curious about spring time in other places, and all those who love maple syrup.

Marshmallow reviews Powerful by Lauren Roberts

Last year Marshmallow reviewed Powerless and Reckless by Lauren Roberts, the first two books of her Powerless trilogy. As we are getting ready for the release of the third book in the series, she finally decided to take a look at Powerful, a book published in 2024, which is set in the same world as the books of the trilogy, and placed in between the first two books chronologically.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you liked Lauren Roberts’ previous books or enjoy ‘romantasy’ novellas, then this is the book for you!

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Adena is a seamstress. She and Paedyn found each other whilst living—or trying to continue to do so—in the slums of Ilya. (Both Adena and Paedyn are from Powerless, so readers should probably have read that book before diving into this one.) Since then, they’ve been inseparable. Lauren Roberts’ previous books centered on Paedyn but, in this novella, Adena and Mak are the main characters. Mak is a new addition to the world of the Powerless series. He shows up in this book only (so far), but many fans of the book hope he will make an appearance in the main trilogy. During the main books, Paedyn gets selected to compete in the Trials so Adena is left alone in the slums. Before, Paedyn—an adept thief—would steal food for the both of them, while Adena sold her skilled handiwork. As a result of this arrangement, Adena is unable to procure food alone. So when Mak needs help (and offers to feed her in return), she cautiously accepts. Like Paedyn, Hera who is a person very dear to Mak was also chosen for the Trials. Mak wants Adena’s help in making a guard uniform so he can sneak into the king’s castle and say goodbye to her. He and Adena become allies with a shared goal. Buuuuttt, as expected, they start sharing more than just goals…namely, feelings—the romantic kind. Apparently, their dynamic is regarded as a classic trope: the grumpy sunshine trope. I’m not too into romance, but this was well-executed. Adena is somehow the sweetest person, despite having had to grow up in the slums. Mak is sarcastic, harsh, and (in my opinion) a little too mean to her. But over time, they start to warm to one another and find that they can share things with each other that they haven’t with anyone else. But as the Trials draw to an end, readers of the Powerless series will know, so is Adena.

Marshmallow is reading Powerful by Lauren Roberts. — Marshmallow is reading *Powerful* by Lauren Roberts.

Marshmallow’s Review: This book, along with the Hunger Games trilogy, is one of the few books that have ever made me cry so hard. 🚨🚨🚨 MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT 🚨🚨🚨 In the main Powerless series, we saw Adena die, but I was in no way, shape, or form prepared for this to be so impactful. Caramel actually read this book before me and said it was really sad. But he must have a higher tolerance because this book made me contemplate how cruel the world is, that of Ilya and our own. This was a heart-shattering novella. Adena’s death in this book was much more impactful, partly because we saw her more. It shows that getting to know someone impacts how much empathy you have for them. I think books like these are necessary so we understand how human everyone is, even if you’re from different places with different beliefs. Even if you’re a bunny. Everyone deserves empathy, even if they’re not as pure and kind as Adena. I would definitely recommend this to everyone, because (like The Hunger Games and A Tale of Two Cities) I think this book has really made me think about what kind of bunny I want to be, how I want to act, how I want to live my life, and how I want to make the world a better place for all bunnies.

But this was such an emotionally devastating experience that I would not recommend it to children younger than fourteen. There is some romantic tension throughout, but it doesn’t culminate into anything too inappropriate. There is passionate kissing but nothing at the level of the Me series (which in my opinion, was a little too much). The ending is also very graphic and disturbing. Psychologically and philosophically, I found this to be a very disturbing book. This definitely made me think a lot about how humans can be cruel in ways I literally cannot seem to find words for. Again, I would not give this to a child younger than fourteen, unless they’re able to think about and comprehend the moral and emotional implications. Even without thinking about how this reflects on our world, I think this book is an amazing work of art. Considering the meaning makes this a masterpiece that reveals what is left out in so many stories. How many times has the extra who got killed off in season one gotten a story? Adena was more than that for the series, but this book pays homage to all those people who were an afterthought in the plot.

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates Powerful by Lauren Roberts 100%. — Marshmallow rates *Powerful* by Lauren Roberts 100%.

Caramel reviews The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee

Today Caramel reviews The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum, written by Lisa Yee. First published in 2024, The Misfits is illustrated by Dan Santat. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Caramel reviews The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum, written by Lisa Yee and illustrated by Dan Santat. — Caramel reviews *The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum*, written by Lisa Yee and illustrated by Dan Santat.

Sprinkles: Caramel, today we are talking about The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum. So tell me a bit about it.

Caramel: This book is about a group of kids that are slightly weird, but not that weird, they’re somewhere in the middle.

S: What do you mean?

C: They are scarily smart, but kind of not the smartest when it comes to social things.

S: I see. Okay, and given the title, I am thinking they feel like they do not fit in with the regular kids.

C: Yeah, they are a little different.

S: Okay, so they are a group of kids who are different. And are they now in a new school for different kids like themselves? Kind of like Harry Potter going to Hogwarts?

C: A little, Yes, so they are in this new school for other kids like themselves. And then they get into some unintentional trouble with an enemy that steals some very important gem. Then they are gathered together by some special teachers who train them as an anti-espionage and spy squad so that they can find the one who stole the gem.

S: Wow! When you first started telling me about them, I thought maybe this book was kind of like The Unteachables by Gordon Korman, which Marshmallow reviewed a while back. But then you are telling me makes me think more about another book you reviewed yourself: N.E.R.D.S. by Michale Buckley.

C: Yep. And also all the Spy School books! And you know how much I love the Spy School books!

S: Yes, yes, I do.

Caramel is reading The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum, written by Lisa Yee and illustrated by Dan Santat. — Caramel is reading *The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum*, written by Lisa Yee and illustrated by Dan Santat.

S: So all of that bodes well for this book, I am guessing.

C: Yep! If I was Marshmallow, I would rate it 99% or 100%.

S: Okay, I am so glad you enjoyed this book. But tell me, what did you think of the illustrations?

C: I liked them! They were very sketchbook-y, which I love!

S: They are drawn by Dan Santat! And you have already read and reviewed so many books by him! The Cookie Fiasco and Harold and Hog Pretend for Real! and The Aquanaut. You also reviewed Drawn Together, which was written by Minh Le and drawn by Dan Santat. That was a picture book but it was also a joint project, a collaboration between two people, like this book you are reviewing now.

C: Well, for some reason I had not noticed that! But it sure explains why I loved these drawings so much!

S: I think it does, too. Santat does have a particular style. His drawings look simple but they are very expressive.

C: Yep.

S: So maybe this is a good place to wrap up this review. Would you recommend this book to other young bunnies?

C: Yes, I definitely would. It is a lot of fun to read. But also, everyone feels like they don’t belong sometimes, and then you read this book and feel that you are not alone. A lot of other people feel alone, too. And maybe one day you,too, will find your squad.

S: True words Caramel! Okay, let us end here then. What would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel loved reading The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum, written by Lisa Yee and illustrated by Dan Santat and recommends it to all young bunnies, especially those who sometimes feel like they just do not fit. — Caramel loved reading *The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum*, written by Lisa Yee and illustrated by Dan Santat and recommends it to all young bunnies, especially those who sometimes feel like they just do not fit.

Marshmallow reviews There’s A Hair In My Dirt! A Worm’s Story by Gary Larson

Today Marshmallow is reviewing There’s A Hair In My Dirt! A Worm’s Story by Gary Larson, first published in 1998. A fan of Larson’s The Far Side, Sprinkles is asking questions and taking notes.

Sprinkles: So Marshmallow, tell us a bit about what you thought when you first saw this book.

Marshmallow: I felt very surprised that Gary Larson had written a children’s book. I really like his Far Side comics, and we have a collection of them at home –and maybe we should review them some time!

S: Yes, maybe we should some day. But you are right. Larson is most well-known for his Far Side cartoons. But then you read this book and realized that maybe it is not quite a children’s book, right?

M: Nope. Do not have your children read this book!

S: Wait! Really? I mean, it is a bit rough for younger bunnies, and it is quite long for them, too, at 64 page, but older bunnies like yourself can appreciate it, I thought.

M: Yeah, I guess so. But it is kind of dark and even morbid. Then again, it is kind of a fable, with some underlying messages, which are thought-provoking. You are right, I guess bunnies my age and the like might appreciate the book. But I was definitely surprised and was not expecting how dark it would get.

Marshmallow is reading There's A Hair In My Dirt! A Worm's Story by Gary Larson. — Marshmallow is reading *There’s A Hair In My Dirt! A Worm’s Story* by Gary Larson.

S: Okay, so maybe we should start from the beginning and tell our readers what the book is about.

M: Sure. This book is about a little earthworm who is eating his dirt dinner in his family’s hole in the ground. And he finds a hair in his dirt and starts complaining to his earthworm parents. He hates being an earthworm, he hates living underground. He hates not having legs and having to eat dirt. And so on.

S: Totally understandable of course.

M: Of course. But then his father starts to tell him a story about a girl named Harriet. And then the rest of the book is basically Harriet’s story. Harriet lives near a forest and goes through the forest one day, seeing all sorts of animals interacting with one another, and she always has a positive outlook, thinking about Nature admiringly and yet not really comprehending what is really going on around her.

S: Yes, the foreword for the book is written by the famous biologist Edward O. Wilson and he writes “The maiden, as you will see as the narrative unfolds, might have enjoyed her saunter better if she understood.”

M: And it is not just a matter of enjoying; it costs her dearly that she does not understand. It is a little disturbing actually, because Harriet loves Nature, or what she thinks it is. And she wants to help and she is trying to be a good steward of living things, but since she does not know how things are all connected, she ends up harming the forest and herself.

S: This reminds me of this song “We Are All Connected” which some people made by putting together a few words from four outstanding science communicators:

M: Yeah, I like that song!

S: But let us not go further into the story because I think we might be getting too close to giving away some of the plot. Tell me, Marshmallow, what did you think about the illustrations?

M: It is in full color, and obviously it is Gary Larson, so all characters are distinctive, and they have very evocative expressions. It is very amusing to study them actually. The topic is complicated and nuanced, that we are all connected, and that, as Edward O. Wilson puts it, “Life is tough!” But Gary Larson’s drawings are often hilarious and you can’t help but laugh on almost every single page. Or raise your eyebrows in a shocked and yet amused manner. The mother earthworm is wearing those cat-eye glasses!

S: I know, right? Each page is itself a Far Side comic, almost. But they are all telling a coherent story, and it is an important one.

M: I agree. I do not really love the last page, but I agree. The message is important. And no, if you get a hold of this book, please do not just turn it to the last page to see what I mean! It will work much better if you read the book in the proper way.

S: And I agree with you, Marshmallow. This is a thought provoking book, not as light reading as one might imagine, but definitely amusing to look at, too. So maybe this is a good place to wrap up our review. What do you think?

M: Sure. Let’s.

S: What would you like to tell our readers?

M: Stay tuned for more amazing reviews from the book bunnies!

Marshmallow rates There's A Hair In My Dirt! A Worm's Story by Gary Larson 100%. — Marshmallow rates *There’s A Hair In My Dirt! A Worm’s Story* by Gary Larson 100%.