BookBunnies

Caramel reviews The Hidden Kingdom (Book Three of Wings of Fire) by Tui Sutherland and Mike Holmes

Caramel reviews the graphic novel version of The Hidden Kingdom (Book Three of Wings of Fire) by Tui Sutherland (with art work by Mike Holmes).

Caramel has already reviewed the graphic novel versions of the first two books of Tui Sutherland’s Wings of Fire series. (See Caramel’s review of The Dragonet Prophecy here; his review of The Lost Heir is here.) Today he reviews the third book in the series that appeared as a graphic novel: The Hidden Kingdom (adapted by Barry Deutsch and Rachel Swirsky, art work by Mike Holmes, color by Maarta Laiho). As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions as needed.

Caramel reviews The Hidden Kingdom (Book Three of Wings of Fire) by Tui Sutherland and Mike Holmes. — Caramel reviews *The Hidden Kingdom* (Book Three of Wings of Fire) by Tui Sutherland and Mike Holmes.

Sprinkles: So this is the third book of the series you have read, right, Caramel?

Caramel: Yes. But I am not done. I’m still keeping busy flipping through the pages.

S: But you have read it at least once all the way, right?

C: Yes, I have. But I like reading these books over and over again.

S: Why is that?

C: I think these Wings of Fire books are really awesome. I love the pictures, the books are really very colorful.

Caramel enjoys reading and also looking at the pictures of The Hidden Kingdom, (Book Three of Wings of Fire) by Tui Sutherland and Mike Holmes. — Caramel enjoys reading and also looking at the pictures of *The Hidden Kingdom*, (Book Three of Wings of Fire) by Tui Sutherland and Mike Holmes.

S: What about the story? What is happening in this third book?

C: All of the books are about the five dragons we met in the first book. But of course there are always some new characters.

S: Tell me more. Who is the central character of this book?

C: Glory. She is a RainWing. They are supposed to be lazy and almost stupid, but Glory is smart. RainWings have venom, and can camouflage. They can also turn invisible.

S: So what is happening to Glory in this book? Is she also destined to be the queen of her tribe, like Tsunami from the second book?

C: She is.

S: So is trouble awaiting her when she comes home, like it did Tsunami?

C: Yes and no. Not quite trouble but there are some challenges she has to face.

S: Like what?

C: She has to find a specific flower in a flower hunt. They go through these challenges in teams.

S: So does Glory also make some good friends along the way?

C: Yes. Glory makes at least two good friends. One of them is Kinkajou, who is at some point in this book kidnapped, but they eventually find her. And another new friend is Mangrove. He is grumpy at first because his partner is missing.

S: So some RainWings are going missing. And Glory and her friends try to find them, right?

C: No, Glory has to do it alone. And she has another friend, too. I forgot. Her name is Tamarin. She is blind, but she wins the flower hunt. She has a very good sense of smell.

S: These books seem like a lot is going on in each of them. Lots of action, lots of mystery, right?

C: Yup. Do you want me to tell you who is kidnapping the RainWings?

S: No! We should not spoil it for our readers!

C: Well, ok. Then I guess we can just wrap things up. Stay tuned for more book bunnies adventures!

Caramel is still reading and rereading The Hidden Kingdom (Book Three of Wings of Fire) by Tui Sutherland and Mike Holmes. — Caramel is still reading and rereading *The Hidden Kingdom* (Book Three of Wings of Fire) by Tui Sutherland and Mike Holmes.

Marshmallow reviews The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd

Marshmallow reviews The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd.

Marshmallow often enjoys reading books about young people with interesting powers. Today she reviews The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd.

Marshmallow’s quick take: If you like books about magic and fate, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s summary (with spoilers): Emma Pearl Casey is part of a unique family. Every girl in her family has a Destiny Dream, in which they see what their purpose in life is and what their mark in history will be. The Destiny Dreams appear to them, and then they follow their destiny.

“For Emma, her own Destiny Dream can’t come soon enough. Right before her mother died, Emma promised that she’d do whatever it took to fulfill her Destiny, and she doesn’t want to let her mother down.”
https://natalielloyd.com/books/the-key-to-extraordinary/

In her Destiny Dream, Emma sees a field of flowers. In the middle of the field there is a bundle of flowers, a violet, a daisy, and a rose. In the bundle she sees a key. Different people see different things in their Destiny Dreams. For example, Daphne Prescott, another member of her family, saw in the field of blue flowers a mirror, and in the mirror, she saw herself holding a sign saying, “WOMEN GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE!” and an American flag.

The Destiny Dreams do not come at a certain age. Daphne Prescott got her dream when she was seventy-four, and Emma has hers when she is twelve.

Some Destiny Dreams are clearer than others. Emma’s is confusing.

Emma lives next to a graveyard and her family owns a café, called Boneyard Café. They are famous for a special drink called the Boneyard Brew. It has the mysterious ability to make people feel hopeful. The secret magical ingredient is revealed before the end of the book.

While Emma is trying to make sense of her mysterious dream, a man named Warren Steele comes to buy their town. Eventually she realizes that her destiny is to find the Conductor’s treasure, and I can’t tell you what that is without spoiling things. The bad news is that Warren Steele also wants the treasure.

Who do you think will get it first? And what is the treasure?

Marshmallow is reading The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd. — Marshmallow is reading *The Key to Extraordinary* by Natalie Lloyd.

Marshmallow’s review: This is an interesting book. It is a little eerie and is sort of scary, but it is still a good book. I think that it is more appropriate for kids eight and up because it is a little confusing at times. But all in all, it is a great read.

I like this book because it has an interesting plot and has interesting events. In the book they sometimes have Gypsy Rose summers. Apparently, these occur very rarely. In a Gypsy Rose summer, rose petals start to fall from the sky. The theory in the book is that the spirits are trying to get the people’s attention. (This is not a real phenomenon, nor is it a known legend. I looked it up.)

The author Natalie Lloyd did a good job of making the book an exciting read that will make everyone wonder what the treasure of the Conductor is and who the Conductor is to begin with.

Happy Reading!

Marshmallow’s rating: 95%.

Marshmallow rates The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd 95%. — Marshmallow rates *The Key to Extraordinary* by Natalie Lloyd 95%.

Caramel reviews We Are Growing! by Laurie Keller

Caramel reviews We Are Growing! by Laurie Keller, a book in the Elephant and Piggie Like Reading Series.

Caramel has already reviewed three books from the Elephant and Piggie Like Reading series (see his reviews of The Cookie Fiasco by Dan Santat, The Itchy Book by LeUyen Pham, and Harold and Hog Pretend for Real! by Dan Santat). Today he reviews a fourth book from this collection: We Are Growing! by Laurie Keller. As usual Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Caramel reviews We Are Growing! by Laurie Keller. (Can you see the little beak behind the book? Who is hiding there??) — Caramel reviews *We Are Growing!* by Laurie Keller. (Can you see the little beak behind the book? Who is hiding there??)

Sprinkles: What is this book about Caramel?

Caramel: Hmmm, I’m busy, I’m flipping through the pages.

S: Yes, you can do that of course, but you should also tell us about the book.

C: It is about eight leaves of grass.

S: The book is about grass?

C: Not exactly. The characters are grass leaves but the book is about one particular leaf.

S: So what is interesting about this leaf?

C: He doesn’t know what he is. Until the end.

S: What does that mean? He is a grass leaf. So he knows that, right?

C: Yes, but among his friends, there is the tallest one, there is a silliest one, there is a curliest one. There is a crunchy one, for some reason. And two pointy ones.

S: I see. So our hero leaf wants to be special like them too?

C: Yes! And in the end he figures out that he is the …

Caramel and his mysterious penguin friend are reading the preamble of We Are Growing! by Laurie Keller, where Elephant and Piggie tell the readers that reading this book is like watching grass grow ... because it is! But in the best possible way... — Caramel and his mysterious penguin friend are reading the preamble of *We Are Growing!* by Laurie Keller, where Elephant and Piggie tell the readers that reading this book is like watching grass grow … because it is! But in the best possible way…

S: Wait! Don’t tell. You’ll spoil it for our readers!

C: Aww…. That’s too bad… I really wanted to give it away.

S. Alright, let us not give it away though. Let us go back to what this book is really about. It is not quite about grass, is it?

C: No not really.

S: Can you think of the grass leaves as little bunnies in second grade?

C: Hmm, maybe.

S: Is there a tallest in your class? Is there someone who is the funniest? Is there someone who is the messiest?

C: Hmm… I don’t know. We don’t really compare ourselves to each other. And there is definitely not the pointiest. Or a curliest one.

S: There might be bunnies with curlier hair than you! But it is good that you and your friends don’t compare yourselves to one another. Do you think the little grass leaf would be happier if he did not compare himself to his friends?

C: Maybe.

S: So do you think the book is about comparing oneself to others?

C: Maybe.

S: Or maybe not.

C: I don’t know really.

S: All the leaves are unique in their own ways, right?

C: Not all! Two of them are the same! Practically. They are both the pointiest.

S: Yes but they too are special in some way and different from one another.

C: Their colors are kind of different I think. One is darker green and the other is lighter green.

S: Yes. So our little grass leaf friend also wants to be unique and special, right?

C: Yes! I think that is what the story is about! Being unique, right?

S: Right. And we are all unique, each of us!

C: Yes! And the little leaf figures this out too. And he is unique because .. ok, I won’t tell you.

S: Good idea Caramel! Readers can read and find it out themselves. Do you think it is time to wrap things up now?

C: Yes! Stay tuned for more book bunny adventures!

Caramel and his mysterious penguin friend really enjoyed reading We Are Growing! by Laurie Keller, and recommend it to all other little bunnies and penguins. — Caramel and his mysterious penguin friend really enjoyed reading *We Are Growing!* by Laurie Keller, and recommend it to all other little bunnies and penguins.

Marshmallow reviews You Have To Stop This by Pseudonymous Bosch (Book 5 of the Secret Series)

Marshmallow reviews You Have To Stop This by Pseudonymous Bosch (Book 5 of the Secret Series).

Marshmallow found the first couple volumes of the Secret series by Pseudonymous Bosch at her school library and then wanted to read all of them. Today she reviews for the book bunnies blog the fifth and last book of the series: You Have To Stop This.

Marshmallow’s quick take: If you like books about mysteries, then this might be the book for you.

The Secret series by Pseudonymous Bosch is about three kids named Cassandra (Cass), Yo-Yogi, and Max-Ernest. Cass makes predictions all the time and no one believes her, just like in Greek mythology, but then again, her predictions don’t really come true. Yo-Yoji’s real name is Yoji, and he has a collection of shoes. When Max-Ernest was born, one of his parents wanted to name him Max, but the other wanted to name him Ernest, so they named him Max-Ernest.

In the first book titled The Name Of This Book Is Secret, the children learn about the Midnight Sun, an organization of alchemists who are trying to become immortal. They are all really really old (over two hundred years!) even though they all look very young. All members of the Midnight Sun wear gloves and they do not hesitate to hurt people if it means that they will be closer to immortality.

Each book is organized around one of the five senses: taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell. The first book, The Name Of This Book Is Secret, is about smell. The second, If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late, is about sound. The third book is called This Book Is Not Good For You, and is about taste. The fourth is called This Isn’t What It Looks Like, and it involves sight.

This review is about the fifth and last book of the series, You Have To Stop This, which is about touch.

Marshmallow’s summary (with spoilers): While on a school field trip to a museum, Cass accidentally breaks off the finger of a mummy. Then Cass, Yo-Yoji, and Max-Ernest have to work at the museum overnight to redeem themselves. When they go to look at the mummy, it is not there. But then they are found next to a missing mummy, so they are blamed for its disappearance.

The friends soon realize that the mummy was taken by the Midnight Sun. Things get a lot more dangerous after that.

Marshmallow is reading You Have To Stop This by Pseudonymous Bosch (Book 5 of the Secret Series). — Marshmallow is reading *You Have To Stop This* by Pseudonymous Bosch (Book 5 of the Secret Series).

Marshmallow’s review: I enjoyed reading this book. One thing I liked about it is that the narrator speaks to the reader and he is very funny. And the author picks titles that seem to want to discourage you from reading it. This is probably because when children are told not to do something, they do it anyways.

This is a confusing book, so I would say that it would be more appropriate for 8 and up. Even then, you might need to reread this book a few times to understand everything, but in the end everything fits in and the author neatly ties every loose string. For one example (spoiler alert!), in the end the author reveals himself as Max-Ernest.

This is a funny book: the narrator is crazy about chocolate and keeps trying to make the reader stop reading the book.

Marshmallow’s rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates You Have To Stop This by Pseudonymous Bosch (Book 5 of the Secret Series) 100%. — Marshmallow rates *You Have To Stop This* by Pseudonymous Bosch (Book 5 of the Secret Series) 100%.