TRAVEL all the pages
  • Blog
  • Book List
  • Travel List
  • Amazon Pairings
  • Links
  • Favorites
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Blog
  • Book List
  • Travel List
  • Amazon Pairings
  • Links
  • Favorites
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

travel all the pages

Crushing the Red Flowers                                    by Jennifer Voigt Kaplan

6/10/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Crushing the Red FlowersCrushing the Red Flowers by Jennifer Voigt Kaplan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a solid middle grade historical fiction, but I do feel like there are better options. This book has unique perspective from the lives of two German boys living among the growing anti-Semitism that led to Kristallnacht and eventually the Holocaust. Emil is a funny, tubby kid that just likes to explore and get dirty in mud puddles, trying hard to ignore the growing stress among his Jewish family. The other, Friedrich, is a member of the Hitler Youth. Friedrich questions his cruel leader and the group's drastic changes from what started as fun scouting experiences to hate-filled speeches and brutal attacks against Jews. The boys eventually cross paths and have to determine what truths they really believe in. "The Night of Broken Glass" is a peak moment in the book, and it was chilling to read how the characters experienced this awful event. The main issue I have with this book is that the boys' voices read much younger and felt more childish than what a middle grade book deserves.

View all my reviews
0 Comments

Lancaster Cupcake

4/18/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture

Prologue

One of the things we've been doing at home a lot more than normal during the stay-at-home order is cooking and baking. Lancaster Cupcake and many other local businesses are offering carry-out and delivery. They even have take-home decorating kits that would be perfect to battle the boredom with kids.
Lancaster Cupcake Online Shop

Turning Pages

Picture
The girls had a really good time, and it was a much needed break from the regular grind of running around to various activities. When things return to normal, make a reservation!
I took the girls on a mommy/daughter date night this past January to Lancaster Cupcake at their Granite Run location. After a super busy basketball season, we just needed some time together. They each got a half dozen cupcakes to decorate with a succulent theme. We were grouped up at tables with other people, and everyone shared icing bags.  An employee demonstrated how to create different icing techniques.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Picture
I have a confession to make. I didn't read this book. GASP!! However, both of my daughters did, and they give it glowing reviews. So instead of my input, I'm going to sum up their review of the first book in this middle grade Wendy Mass series. It's a perfect combination for a blog entry about sweets. I debated using Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as it's an absolute old favorite of mine, but ultimately decided to give my kiddos the opportunity to be the book reviewers.
Kid Review Summed Up:
Four kids enter a competition to make their own candy. The winner gets to have their candy creation made for the public. Each of the kids narrates his or her own view of the competition. One kid, Phillip, is really snobby. Daisy is a spy. Logan is the real candymaker's son. Miles is shy and appreciates the way words sound. It's really cool the way it's written because you learn secrets about the characters in each new part.  This book is exciting and makes you want to turn the pages quickly.
0 Comments

One False Note: The 39 Clues - Book #2        by Gordon Korman

4/5/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Looking for a middle grade series full of adventure and treasure hunting? Although the 39 Clues is not my cup of tea, my girls, ages 8 and 11, absolutely love them and highly recommend them. If you don't have access to the print versions, look for digital copies in Libby by adding your local public library's digital collection or if in PA, set up a free account at the Free Library of Philadelphia. 
One False Note (The 39 Clues, #2)One False Note by Gordon Korman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really didn't think I could handle another one of these books, but my kids love them. As much as I dislike the characters and dialogue, I can appreciate the adventure. They forced me to listen to another one, and it was slightly more tolerable than the last. This time Amy and Dan Cahill travel with their au pair to Vienna and Venice to continue tracking the clues leading to their family's powerful secret. All of their adventurous locations revolve around the famed composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The interesting thing about this series is that each book is written by a different author. I was hoping they'd get bored with it, but they already begged to start number three. Clearly the series holds major appeal to the younger set.

View all my reviews
0 Comments

    Author

    Travel All the Pages is inspired by my two loves - travel and reading, a combo I can't resist.  Enjoy these little pairings.

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Categories

    All
    Adventure
    All-Inclusive
    Assateague
    Budapest
    Christmas
    Classic
    Contemporary
    Cusco
    Diverse
    Dog
    Dystopian
    Fall
    Fantasy
    Fiction
    Hiking
    Historical Fiction
    Horror
    Humor
    Hungary
    Iceland
    Lancaster
    LGBTQ+
    Louisiana
    Maryland
    Memoir
    Mexico
    Middle Grade
    Miraflores
    Mystery
    New Orleans
    Nonfiction
    Pennsylvania
    Peru
    Retelling
    Riviera Maya
    Romance
    Salt Dough
    Science Fiction
    Series
    Social Distancing
    Supernatural
    Thriller
    Travel
    Verse Novel
    York
    Young Adult

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.