Sep 25 2023
Vivian Van Tassel is an angry young teen. Part of this is justified: her mom recently died and she blames herself. But as we quickly learn, Vivian has had a temper for a while (and as a parent, I’m genuinely concerned that she’s never been in therapy for this, either before or after what happened …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/09/25/vivian-van-tassel-and-the-secret-of-midnight-lake-by-michael-witwer/
Sep 15 2023
Children are, at once, natural simplifiers and complete over-complicaters, so books like this charming title are totally up their alley, as our anthropomorphic cast uses the power of teamwork to make sure that they’re all fed and happy. Bambi Edlund opens her picture book with a list of all the things you’ll need to make …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/09/15/how-to-make-a-peanut-butter-sandwich-in-17-easy-steps-by-bambi-edlund/
Aug 31 2023
The first volume of The Queen’s Favorite Witch turned out to be an unexpected surprise, combining historical fact with an empowering tale of believing in yourself, and ending with a shocking twist. I’m genuinely impressed with how Benjamin Dickson and Rachael Smith have continued this series with a book that, while not as big on …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/08/31/the-queens-favourite-witch-2-the-lost-king-by-benjamin-dickson-rachael-smith/
Aug 28 2023
a Choose Your Own Adventure in the Dragonlark series for younger readers, so no death endings (tho the one pterodactyl ending was pretty ominous, IMO!) I love the CYOA company’s kid’s line, which makes the classic game books that much more accessible, to both younger readers and the squeamish. I’m a big fan of interactive …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/08/28/dino-lab-by-anson-montgomery/
Aug 18 2023
I came home last night to discover that someone had stuffed my Little Free Library with ten assorted children’s books to go with the adult mysteries I usually carry. I wonder if I’m the only person who arranges strictly by size when it comes to their LFLs? I wasn’t a huge fan of how my …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/08/18/ballet-bunnies-1-the-new-class-by-swapna-reddy-binny-talib/
Aug 07 2023
I adore Art Baltazar’s artwork, with its bright neon colors and cute, expressive characters. Little wonder that his Tiny Titans comics have become a New York Times bestseller, showcasing his excellent interpretations of DC Comics stalwarts. His original creations lack that household familiarity, but are just as worthy of checking out, especially for young readers …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/08/07/yahgz-the-craynobi-tales-1-by-art-baltazar/
Jul 28 2023
Jms really wanted to read this installment of the Diary Of A Wimpy Kid series together, and I was happy to continue the sports theme here and oblige! I’m actually really glad we got a chance to, and for more reasons than just one. In Big Shot, our hero Greg Heffley details his various disastrous …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/07/28/big-shot-diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-16-by-jeff-kinney/
Jul 26 2023
Between watching Arsenal play in person (twice!) and the Women’s World Cup, it has been a satisfyingly sports-mad week for me. Why not keep the streak going with this adorable graphic novel featuring anthropomorphic animals getting together to play baseball? The Fernwood Valley Fuzzies are enjoying the start of their off-season before they figure out …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/07/26/fuzzy-baseball-vol-5-baseballoween-by-john-steven-gurney/
Jul 17 2023
My eldest child has had his computer taken away from him this summer so he’s been spending a lot of free time not only re-reading his Diary Of A Wimpy Kid books, but also pestering me about my opinions of them. I’ve been trying to get him to read some new books, to no avail, …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/07/17/the-meltdown-diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-13-by-jeff-kinney/
Jul 11 2023
Growing up, I never thought I’d be the mother to three boys. I always imagined having daughters whom I would try to guide through life with grace and thoughtfulness based on my own experiences. While my sons are a delight, there are certain subjects I feel less than perfectly equipped to advise them on. Unsurprisingly, …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/07/11/the-p-word-a-manual-for-mammals-by-david-hu-ilias-arahovitis-giveaway/
Al Singh
Doug Merrill
Doreen Sheridan
John Pitzel
Lars N. Goldschlager
Laura Eilers
Professor X
Robert Maedgen
Sylvere Ap Leanan
The Shire