The Elephant's Girl By Celesta Rimington

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

I read this aloud to my 9 and 12 year old and we all loved it! Packed with adventure, mystery, a friendly ghost and facts about elephants, this book has something for everyone. Great character development and perfect pacing. If you're a fan of "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate or "The Magician's Elephant" by Kate DiCamillo you don't want to miss "The Elephant's Girl". Thank you to Crown Books and #NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. This title is scheduled to be released on May 19, 2020

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackay

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Love, love, loved this sweet story and will continue to read it again and again. Not only do I want to frame every gorgeous illustration but it was also brimming with insights into life and the importance of mindfulness. I read this with my 9 and 12 year old as part of a Family Book Club event with our local bookstore and we all agreed that we couldn't decide which page was our favorite because we loved them all.

Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

A fantastic middle-grade read aloud especially if you frequent Cape Cod or are a lover of weather or sharks as there are lots of mentions of all three. My kids also enjoyed that there are anagrams hidden throughout the story that she details in the author's notes and gives hints about on her website. This was a great quarantine-homeschool activity! Perfect for 3rd-8th graders.

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Twisty and dark! Told from the viewpoints of Rose Gold and her mother Patty, we learn the story of how Patty ended up in prison for munchausen by proxy and follow the events that occur after her release. I was concerned that this was going to be too dark for me but it was just right. Perfectly paced and chilling conclusion. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to read a pre-release in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (Audio Version)

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Reminiscent of The Heart's Invisible Furies and Mrs. Everything, this sprawling novel spans the lifetimes of Maeve & Danny Conroy against the backdrop of the home that they were exiled from. I listened to this on audio book and I highly recommend it. I may need Tom Hanks to read all of my future audiobooks.

A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Oak Knoll is a good neighborhood. Everyone has always gotten along fairly peaceably, but when the Whitmans move into a giant new home they constructed in Oak Knoll, trouble begins to brew. 

This novel raises interesting questions about race, family and how easy it can be to jump to conclusions. Fast paced and cleverly written with the collective "we" of the neighborhood narrating.

Thank you to Reading with Robin and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Everyone who lives in the Protectorate has always lived in fear of the witch. Each year they leave an infant in the woods as an offering so she will leave them in peace. The witch, however, is kind and gentle and every year goes and rescues the baby that the Protectorate has abandoned. This is the story of one of those children.

My 9 and 12 year old and I simply adored this book. We fell in love with Luna, Xan, Glerk and Fyrian. Great for grades 4-8.