This is the second post in my Precocious Princesses series, reviews of inspiring alternatives to traditional princess fairy tales. The Apple-Pip Princess by Jane Ray Candlewick Press, 2007 32 pages Inspiration is a funny thing. It's hard to come by, but highly contagious. It has an inexorable power but works according to the choices of … Continue reading Precocious Princesses: The Apple-Pip Princess
Banned Books Week: Olive’s Ocean
Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes Greenwillow Books, 2003 217 pages If you've visited your local library or bookstore this week, you may have seen a display commemorating Banned Books Week. Sponsored by a variety of national organizations, Banned Books Week is an annual campaign to draw attention to literary censorship and other First Amendment issues … Continue reading Banned Books Week: Olive’s Ocean
Girl Sleuths and the Boys Who Appreciate Them
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stuart; ill. by Carson Ellis Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2007 485 pages As a girl, I loved mysteries, and I especially loved Nancy Drew. Most of the mystery stories and TV shows of my childhood starred heroes, not heroines (think Columbo, Encyclopedia Brown, and Magnum). But … Continue reading Girl Sleuths and the Boys Who Appreciate Them
Read Like a Girl 