Concert and Sister Beck

So I'm pretty excited! Sister Julie B. Beck is doing a special conference meeting type thing on campus tomorrow. All the stakes on campus are invited, all the Rexburg stakes, the Rigby stakes as well and I think a few others are all invited to attend. It is in the new BYU Idaho Center. It truly feels like you're sitting in the conference Center in there. It is pretty cool. This is such a neat experience and I am super excited to go! :) One little fact, it wasn't put together by the school, but the Relief Society of a stake in Rigby if I remember correctly. So that makes it even cooler.

I also had a concert tonight for University Choir. Well actually Women's Choir, Men's Choir, and Women's Glee were also involved and there were two shows as well. That was tough to do two in one night, but it was still fun. I enjoy singing in choir so much, but I think that this will be the last semester that I take choir. It is so much fun, but it really fills up your schedule with tons of rehearsals and performances, and not to mention all the practice that goes into it. Though it is a very enjoyable and spiritually uplifting experience. It will be hard to not participate, but I'm going to need more time for my major and a family eventually.

Anyways...choir is tons of fun and our concert was pretty good tonight. And Sister Beck is speaking tomorrow to all the Relief Society sisters in the area so I should get to bed if I'm gonna get a good seat to see her in the morning.

All our love :)

When the Root Children Wake Up Book Summary

When the Root Children Wake Up
By: Audrey Wood and Ned Bittinger
Publisher: Scholastic Press; 2002
Reading Level: ~ 8yrs
Number of Pages: 30
Genre: Fantasy
Summary: This is a story of the seasons and the earth. It starts with Grandfather Winter returning to his ice palace as all the snow melts at the end of winter. Then Mother Earth wakes the Root Children from their long slumber and they begin making beautiful spring clothes, paint all the bugs to "make them sparkle like jewels, and run to go wake up Aunt Spring. The Root Children run around the land making plant bloom and the air smell sweet. But once the days get warmer, Aunt Spring gets very tired and returns to her slumber. Then their Cousin Summer comes out to play. Each day is filled with dancing and music and fun. But then Uncle Fall comes and it gets a little colder and quieter and the Children hear the call of Mother Earth to return home. Once all home, she sings them a lullaby and Grandfather Winter returns. 
Problems: I saw no problems with this book.
Reaction: I really enjoyed reading this book and scouring the illustrations. The illustrations were done in oil paints on linen. Oils are by characteristic rich and energizing. I was just so deeply drawn to the illustrations. They are just beautiful. Not to mention the story is neat.
Recommendation: I wold recommend this book to a second or first grade class to teach the seasons and the different things you can do in the different seasons and what the Root Children really are.

Children From Australia to Zimbabwe Book Summary

Children From Australia to Zimbabwe
By: Maya Ajmera and Anna Rhesa Versola
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing; 1997
Reading Level: ~ 5-8 yrs
Number of Pages: 64
Genre: Informational/Nonfiction
Summary: As the title suggests this is an alphabetical guide of countries and all the different types of children and people there are around the world. The main countries they use are Australia, Brazil, China, The Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Japan, Kenya, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Oman, The Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, Turkey, The United States of America, Vietnam, West Samoa, Xanadu (a country that children have made up), Yemen, and Zimbabwe. Each country has a description and talks about the pictures of the children on that page.
Problems: I don't think there are any problems with this book. I thought they handled it very nicely.
Reaction: I thought it was a very good book to see all the different kinds of children all over the world and their different cultures. I also like that it was in alphabetical order and it also gives other countries by that letter.
Recommendation: I think this would be good in a classroom when teaching about different countries around the world and help kids know that there are children all over the world just like them. I think you could also read like one country a day or something in the classroom.

The Spiderwick Chronicles Book Two The Seeing Stone

The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Seeing Stone (Book Two)
By: Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For  Young Readers; 2003
Reading Level: ~ 9-12 yrs
Number of Pages: 108
Genre: Fantasy
Summary: In this book the story continues with Simon's cat going missing and Thimbletack basically giving Jared a seeing stone to see the all the creatures. P.S. goblins like to eat cats. Thimbletack is also trying to get Jared to destroy the book by sabotaging basically everything that Jared owns (like his bed). Simon is taken captive by the goblins and Jared and Mallory go after him to save him. While searching for Simon they meet a troll. They continue on their search for Simon and the goblin camp. They finally come to their camp and see Simon up in a cage high in a tree. Jared leaves Mallory in a safe ditch and climbs up the tree to save Simon. While up in the tree there is another cage with a hobgoblin in it named Hogsqueal. Jared saves Simon and Hogsqueal and Hogsqueal gives them "the sight" by spitting in their eyes. They no longer need the seeing stone to see the creatures now. But they aren't home free yet. The goblins notice them as they try to escape and they chase them and follow them, but luckily they know where that Troll is who eats all the goblins up. Once the children are safe, they return to the camp to save a griffin the goblins had injured. They bring him home and he lives in the carriage house in the backyard and they name him Byron. It turns out the goblins wanted the book, but why they don't know yet. 
Problems: Vicious creatures. Might be scary depending on the child.
Reaction: I LOVE SPIDERWICK!! Again these books will be in my library from now on.
Recommendation: Again I would recommend this series to children who don't necessarily like reading. they are quick reads and very easy to get into, and the illustrations provide great detail and break up the text a bit so it isn't too tough o fa read.

The Spiderwick Chronicles Book One The Field Guide Book Summary

The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide (Book One)
By: Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
Publisher: Simon &Schuster Books For Young Readers; 2003
Reading Level: ~ 9-12 yrs
Number of Pages: 107
Genre: Fantasy
Summary: The Grace children and their mother move into their great aunt Lucinda's old house after the divorce. It is a scary old house and the kids think they hear a squirrel in the walls. they find this animal's nest in the wall and a dumbwaiter that goes to a secret room. In this room Jared Grace finds a "field guide" about the "fantastical world around you". It has information on tons of different faeries and their world. The kids meet the house brownie named Thimbletack who turns to a boggart when he gets angry (this was the "squirrel"). He tells them that they need to destroy the book and get rid of it, that it's not safe for them to have it. To find out what happens next you must read book two.
Problems: Mythical creatures and stick situations. Could be a little scary depending on the child.
Reaction: I LOVE SPIDERWICK! I found the story very appealing and very interesting. These books will definitely be in my collection when I have children!
Recommendation: I would recommend to young readers to get them reading more. These books aren't really stand alone books. the problem is never solved in one book. They could easily have been put into one book and read as parts, but I think it was done the way it was done to get kids reading more and have that sense of accomplishment finishing a book and reading and finishing the next and so on. I even think that older kids in like middle school would enjoy these books as well.

The Princess Test Book Summary

The Princess Test
By: Gail Carlson Levine
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers; 1999
Reading Level: ~ 8 yrs
Number of Pages: 91
Genre: Fairy Tale
Summary: Lorelei is a girl who if she does too much work she gets really sick. Her mother and father take good care of her, but her mother dies when she is very young. Her father has to work so he gets a maid to help take care of Lorelei while he is away. The maid thinks it is ridiculous that the girl can't take care of herself so she plans an evil way to get rid of her. She takes her into the forest and leaves her there. Lorelei gets lost and it starts raining. she starts to get a little sick with sneezes. she stumbles upon a castle where they are having a princess test to marry off the prince. They think she is another princess so she is admitted and given her own place in the test. The prince is a boy she had seen a few times in the village and they are in love. Since Lorelei is so picky and can notice every detail she is the only one to pass the test and she marries Prince Nicholas. And they all lived happily ever after.
Problems: The girl may seem spoiled, like she doesn't do any work.
Reaction: I thought I would enjoy this book more than I did. I honestly thought it lacked so plot and story. I guess a child would like it, but even for a children's book it seemed really dry to me.
Recommendation: I would recommend this to younger girls who like the fairy tales and want a different story to spice it up.

The Berenstain Bears and the Ghost of the Auto Graeyard Book Summary

The Berenstain Bears and the Ghost of the Auto Graveyard
By: Stan and Jan Berenstain
Publisher: Random House; 1997
Reading Level: ~ 8-12 yrs
Number of Pages: 102
Genre: Animal Fantasy/Mystery
Summary: Beartown is having a Classic Car Show. Papa wants to put the red roadster in the show, but it is missing some vital pieces if they want it to be a winner. So, Brother and Bonnie go to the "auto graveyard" to see if they can find the missing pieces. And you guessed it, they found them! They get the car all nice and fixed up and entered into the show, but on the day of the show, eight cars are MISSING! Including Papa's Red Roadster. The police put the "Bear Detectives" to work to solve this mystery. The team of children get together and start finding and following clues. The clues lead them straight to the "auto graveyard" which is the business "Parts R Us" owned by the father of a boy from school named Too Tall. They go into the graveyard to try to see if they can do anything else. But Too Tall found them and begged them not to tell the police yet because he knows it wasn't his father that did it. So they make a deal to stay the night and keep watch of the place. Late into the night they see ghost looking creatures drive the cars away. They follow them and discover they had been using a boat house to get the cars out of town. They inform the police and the car thieves are caught. It turns out that the thieves were escaped prisoners of Bear Country Jail. The cars are all returned to their owners and the show goes on and Papa wins third place in the show.
Problems: There is quite a bit of name calling and threatening by children.
Reaction: I thought this was a good book for children to read. I feel like reading it would give them a sense of accomplishment. It was really enjoyable and had me at the edge of my seat the whole time.
Recommendation: Children who may be struggling to get into reading. The story is fun, there are illustrations on almost every page, so it breaks it up a little. Not to mention the good morals.

Bridge to Terabithia Book Summary

Bridge to Terabithia
By: Katherine Paterson
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers; 1977
Reading Level: ~ 9-12 yrs
Number of Pages: 128
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Summary: Jess is a fifth grader who lives with his mother, father, two older sisters and two younger sisters. Jess likes to run and he practiced running all summer so that he could be the fasted kid in the fifth grade when school started. Jess also does a lot of the chores around the house becasue he is the only boy. A little family moves into "The old Perkin's Place" down the road from where Jess and his family live. The girl/boy (Jess is unsure) tries to talk to Jess one morning while he is running, but Jess doesn't really care about him/her. So at school this girl (Jess later discovers) Leslie is in his class. She wants to run with all the boys but they don't want her to. Jess lets her run and she beats EVERYONE in the race. So through many experiences with bullies, helping Leslie and her parents fix up the old house, and many others, Jess and Leslie become best friends. They create this world called Terabithia. The only way you can get there is to swing on the rope on the crab-apple tree across the dry creek-bed. Jess and Leslie are the rulers of Terabithia. Jess was never really happy until he and Leslie became friends and the king and queen of Terabithia. One day when there was no school, Jess' music teacher Miss Edmunds (whom he had a crush on) invited him to go to the museums with him in Washington DC. He didn't tell his parents about this because his dad had already left and his mother was sleeping. Jess and Miss Edmunds have a wonderful day in DC. But when Jess returns he is told some very bad news. Leslie went missing that day and they found her body in the flooded creek-bed (near Terabithia). His family had thought that he had been with Leslie also and was missing too. Jess has a hard time, as any child would, to come to grips with and understand what had just happened to this poor little girl. After the viewing and funeral and all that, Jess decides to build a bridge to Terabithia because the rope and broke, which is what sent Leslie into the overflowing river. His little sister May Belle always wanted to play with him and Leslie, so she followed Jess this day and got stuck on the bridge that Jess had built. Jess came running when he heard her calling for help and helped her across the bridge. Jess decided that Terabithia could not exist with out a queen. He realizes that his sister needs friends and an escape from the real world too and he makes May Belle the Queen of Terabithia.
Problems: Children curse a few times. Jess' sisters are mean and ungrateful to their mother and father. There is death in story as well.
Reaction: To be honest, I didn't really like it that much. I thought the ending was a little morbid for a children's book. I think the moral is great and that the book is very well written, I just didn't enjoy it like I thought I would. Like Jim Trelease said, just because it won an award doesn't mean you will like it.
Recommendation: I think this would be good book for a teacher to read to a class probably like thrid or forth graders.

Little Cottontail Book Summary

Little Cottontail
By: Carl Memling
Publisher: A Golden Book/Western Publishing Co; 1961
Reading Level: ~ 7 yrs
Number of Pages: 22
Genre: Animal Fantasy
Summary: Little Cottontail wants to be a Big Cottontail. He lives in a safe little nest made of grasses and fur. One day he asks his mother if he is grown up, and she says that he needs to leave the nest first. So, he leaves the nest. Then he asks if he is grown up now. and his mother says that he needs to learn to wash himself. Then he needs to learn what big rabbits eat. Then a woodchuck tells him that he needs to learn about foxes before he can be grown up. His mother then teaches him about foxes and what and how to do things if you come into contact with a fox. While Little Cottontail is practicing what he learned about foxes, he sees one and his knowledge is put to the test. He does what he was taught and the fox ends up in a brier patch. And now Little Cottontail is a BIG COTTONTAIL.
Problems: The rabbits steal food from the farmers and some of the story could be viewed as animal violence.
Reaction: It was alright. Not one of my favorites, but it does teach that you have to work hard and learn new things in order to obtain a higher standing in society.
Recommendation: I would recommend this to younger audiences, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

Benjamin McFadden and the Robot Babysitter Book Summary

Benjamin McFadden and the Robot Babysitter
By: Timothy Bush
Publisher: Crown Publishers, a Random House Co; 1998
Reading Level: ~7-8 yrs
Number of Pages: 30
Genre: Science Fiction
Summary: One night Benjamin McFadden's parents go to a "Rings of Saturn Preservation Dance" and Benjamin is left home with a robot babysitter. The Robot states the time and says that it is time for Benjamin to go to bed, but Benjamin wants to stay up and play. The Robot will not have it and takes him into his room to get ready for bed. Benjamin then does something you should never ever do. He opens the the Robot's back and tries reprogramming it to be more fun. The Robot doesn't understand what "fun" is so Benjamin explains it by playing games, reading books, playing music, eating cookies, cake, waffles, burgers, milkshakes, and fries. After all this "fun" Benjamin is tired and tells the Robot Babysitter that he wants to go to bed, but now the Robot only cares about fun and turns the everything into robots that only do "fun" things. Benjamin doesn't know what to do so he calls the Babysitter Help Line, but the Robot took the phone away before the lady could tell him the "ultimate password". He tries every password he can think of and nothing works. It is quite comical. But when the Robot Babysitter picked up his robot cat he threatened to tell the Robot on his parents. "Parents" was the ultimate password and the Robot returned to normal and sent Benjamin straight to bed while it cleaned up the giant mess it made. Benjamin's parents finally get home and he pretends to be asleep when they come in to give him a kiss. When they leave he says to his cat, "What a weird night!" To which the Cat replies, "FUN!"
Problems: Benjamin doesn't seem to obey his parents or babysitter.
Reaction: I remember having this book in our home as a kid, but i never read it or even looked at it. I was very surprised how much I actually enjoyed it! The illustrations are very warm and rich in color which give the book a feeling of high energy. It's a really fun read with a good moral too.
Recommendations: I would recommend this to children between the ages of kindergartners to about 8 or 9 year olds. 

Flat Stanley Book Summary

Flat Stanley
By: Jeff Brown
Publisher: Harper Collins; 1964
Reading Level: ~ 10-12 yrs
Number of Pages: 40
Genre: Fantasy/Humor
Summary: Stanley is a sweet, kindhearted little boy, who while sleeping has a bulletin board fall on him, causing him to be flat (he measures at 1/2 an inch thick). Being so thin allows him to slide through grates to find his mother's missing ring, fly like a kite for his brother, travel in a mailing envelope to visit a friend that moved away, and even help solve the mystery of the sneaky thieves by pretending to be a painting in the art museum. Even though Stanley has had a very adventurous time he wishes he could be normal again. one night his brother Arthur has an idea  to get him back to normal. Arthur pumps Stanley up with a bike pump and he is blown back up to normal size.
Problems: Stanley's parents don't seem to be that concerned about Stanley being flat.
Reaction: I think this is a good book to teach children to be grateful for what they have and not to wish they were different.
Recommendations: I know this is a fun book to read to a class and have them send "Flat Stanley" all over the place.

The Secret Shortcut Book Summary

The Secret Shortcut
By: Mark Teague
Published: Scholastic Press; 1996
Reading Level: ~10 yrs
Number of Pages: 30
Genre: Adventure/Fantasy
Summary: Wendell and Floyd are always late for school and their teacher never believe their stories of aliens, pirates and frogs. The boys plan on leaving for school earlier than ever before. Wendell tells Floyd he knows a "secret shortcut" so that they won't be late for school. Floyd goes along with it and they start their journey. After a while they come to this jungle. they see all the different animals and at one point try to swing from vine to vine like the monkeys are doing. It seems to be working until they run out of vines and fall into a giant mud puddle. While sitting in the mud, they hear a faint ring of a bell. they are almost to school! they start running and running and make it there just as the tardy bell rings. their teacher is impressed and wants to ask why they are so muddy, but decides against it. But even then they never found a good shortcut.
Problems: The main characters are truant, they could be lying to their teacher, and there is no parent involvement.
Reaction: It was a very enjoyable, fun read. I'm not quite sure if they were pretending or if it is true. I loved it!
Recommendations: I would recommend this book to boys. Boys would definitely enjoy it more than girls. Or maybe even to illustrate the importance of being on time to school.

The Butter Battle Book Book Review

The Butter Battle Book
By: Dr. Seuss
Published: Random House; 1984 
Reading Level: ~ 9 yrs
Number of Pages: 42
Genre: Comedy/Humor
Summary: The Butter Battle Book is the story of to groups of people. The Yooks who eat their bread with the butter side up and the Zooks who eat their bread with the butter side down. These two people have been feuding for years. A grandfather tells the story to his grandson. Each time they meet they come up with new technology to fight the other off when finally both sides have a means of destroying the other, but who will do it first?  
Problems: It might be a little violent for your children.
Reaction: My dad used to read us this book all the time when we were young. Such a fun read! I think this can be related to countries and cultures in our world today and how they rival with one another and discover ways to destroy them while they do the exact same.
Recommendation: Again I think that this book is good for all ages of children. The colorful pictures are fun to look at for younger kids, and the story is complex enough for older children to enjoy.

If I Ran the Zoo Book Summary

If I Ran the Zoo
By: Dr. Seuss
Published: Random House; 1950
Reading Level: ~ 9 yrs
Number of Pages: 54
Genre: Fantasy
Summary: The story of If I Ran the Zoo is the Story of young Gerald McGrew and his dream of running the most outrageous zoo. he would let all the animals go and get animals of the more unusual kind. He'll get Elephant-Cats and Zoomba-ma-Tants. He'll have an Iota and a tizzle-topped Tufted Mazurka. He'll have keen-shooter, mean-shooter, bean-shooter bugs. Young Gerald McGrew would have the most outrageous zoo.  With Dr. Seuss' fun clever rhymes and creative animals, Gerald McGrew dreams of scouring the globe for unusual animals so he can have the best zoo.
Problems: No parents seem to be present. Nonsensical words could create poor vocabulary.
Reaction: Fun, creative, imaginative read that promotes creativity.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to all ages of children. The story is complex enough for older kids to enjoy yet simple enough (with rhymes and rhythms) for younger children to enjoy.

Corduroy Book Summary

Corduroy
By: Don Freeman
Published: The Viking Press; 1968
Reading Level: ~5-9 yrs
Number of Pages: 28
Genre: Fiction/Picture Book
Summary: Corduroy is a teddy bear in a department store. One day a little girl asks her mother if she can buy the bear. her mother says no and points out that his overalls are missing a button. When the store closes Corduroy goes in search of his newly discovered missing button. He wanders into the furniture department and sees buttons on all the mattresses. He tries to pull several off, but realizes they are all sewn down. He tugs on a button a little too hard and pulls it off and goes crashing to the floor with the button, taking a floor lamp with him. The security guard hears the crash and goes to see what the problem is. He finds Corduroy and returns him to the toy department. The girl came back the nest morning with a piggy bank and buys Corduroy. She brings him home, makes him a bed and sews on a new button for his overalls and they become best friends.
Problems: Corduroy sort of wanders off and doesn't seek the help of others.
Reaction: This was my favorite book as a child. I think it is a good book and teaches a good moral that you shouldn't judge people based on their outward appearance.
Recommendation: I think that younger children would enjoy this more than older children.

Wedding Days: Celebrations of Marriage Book Summary

Wedding Days: Celebrations of Marriage
By: Anita Ganer
Publisher: Peter Bedrick Books; 1998
Reading Level: ~9-12 yrs
Number of Pages: 30
Genre: Informational/Nonfiction
Summary:
This book is an informational book about different types of weddings and wedding rituals in six different religions around the world. The six religions/wedding ceremonies are Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim. In the Hindu culture, they don't wear rings, they wear necklaces. The woman also wears a red dot on her forehead to signify that she is married. There really is no set ceremony or rituals in the Buddhist religion. In the Sikh wedding, the man wears white and the woman wears pink, red or orange. In the Jewish wedding they stand under a canopy that symbolizes the new home they are creating, they sign a special marriage document in Hebrew, they drink a glass of wine then stomp on the glass, and there is lots of dancing at Jewish weddings. In Christian weddings they make vows, throw confetti, and eat cake. And at Muslim weddings there is a dowry, the couple never sits next to each other the whole day of the wedding, they can marry multiple women and are encouraged to stay away from divorce.
Problems: Children may make judgments about other religions/cultures/people because of current political events/wars.
Reaction: I love weddings, so it was a fun interesting read to learn of other traditions in different cultures.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book to those who are interested in learning about different cultures around the world. It is an angle of learning about different cultures I knew nothing about.

Miss Nelson is Missing! Book Summary

Miss Nelson is Missing!

By: Harry Allard 

Illustrated by: James Marshall 

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1977 

Reading Level: ~6-8 yrs

Number of pages: 32 

Genre: Humorous Fiction Picture Book 

Summary: Miss Nelson's class is very misbehaved. She can't get them to settle down and listen during story-time. One day Miss Nelson doesn't show up to school. The class's new teacher is Miss Viola Swamp. She is very ugly, strict, and mean. After a few days with Miss Swamp, the kids get worried that they will never see Miss Nelson again. They come up with all kinds of crazy ideas about how Miss Nelson went missing. But none of them could really have happened.Just when the class thinks they will be stuck with Miss Viola Swamp forever, Miss Nelson is at school the next day. The children missed her and from that day on the kids behaved themselves. It turns out Miss Nelson had the same ugly dress in her closet and a wig that looked oddly like the hair of Miss Swamp...

Problems: Misbehaved children and deception by an adult. 

Reaction: This was one of my favorites as a child. I think it teaches a good moral and lesson to be grateful for what you have cause you never know when it will disappear. I love it and will read this to my children.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to younger audiences. Also for teachers to read probably towards the beginning of the school year.

The Eleventh Hour Book Summary

The Eleventh Hour
By: Graeme Base
Publisher: Penguin Books (Australia) , 1988; Abrams Books (America), 1993
Reading Level: ~9-12 yrs
Number of pages: 32
Genre: Mystery/Fiction Picture Book
Summary: Horace is having a birthday party for his eleventh birthday. He made a marvelous feast for all his eleven friends that he invited, but they aren't allowed to eat this feast until the 'eleventh hour'. So all morning they played lots of fun and different games. But when it came time to eat (11 am) all the food was GONE! Everyone denies that they were the one who ate all the food. But someone had to have eaten it.  Who was it? it's your job to follow all the hidden clues on each page to find out who the culprit it.Problems: Someone eats all the food that was meant for the entire group that could be considered stealing. Gluttony is a potential problem. And obviously lying and deceit. 

Reaction: I know I shouldn't say that I love every book, but I really loved this book. It was so fun to read. The illustrations were very intricate and filled with rich colors. Mike and I were up almost all night trying to figure out the mystery of who ate the feast.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to older children and even adults who like solving mysteries. 

Clara and Asha Book Summary

Clara and Asha
By: Eric Rohmann

Publisher: Roaring Book Press, 2005

Reading Level: ~5-10 yrs

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Fantasy Picture Book

Summary: Clara is a very imaginative girl. it's time for Clara to go to bed, but her friend Asha comes to visit and play. Clara recounts the story of how they "met". (Asha is an imaginary fish). Clara tells about all the fun they've had together at the park, in the woods and even at Clara's house. The story then continues to tell of their adventure that night. But Clara's mom insists it's bedtime. They say goodnight, but another friend comes to play...

Problems:Clara doesn't obey her mother.

Reaction: This is a very neat book! Being an art major I was 'drawn' :) to the beautiful illustrations. The story is very imaginative and fun and encourages children to be more creative and imaginative.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those who love art firstly. And also all those wishing to encourage and inspire children to be creative and imaginative.