Truth Cookie by Fiona Dunbar is the story of Lulu, whose father is dating the model Varaminta le Bone. Lulu knows that Varaminta’s son Torquil is a monster who enjoys torturing her, but her father doesn’t believe her. Add to that the fact that Varaminta is cruel to Lulu too, but only behind her father’s back, and you understand why Lulu had to find a way to show her father what monsters these people really were. But how? It is not until she is escaping from Varaminta’s disastrous birthday present that she discovers the little golden book that will give her the solution. Could it be a gift from her dead mother? And how will the cookies made from such strange ingredients work?
This is a light fantasy perfect for young girls. It reads like a movie script, with broad humor, a fast-moving plot and truly villanous characters. There is little depth here. Even at the end the villains stay villains and no new realizations are made by any of the characters. But as a light read with a twist of magic, this book will be popular. The fun cover will help sell it to exactly the right audience. Recommend this one to girls looking for a sweet read.

Indigo Blue by Cathy Cassidy is a book about Indigo, a preteen girl who is hiding a secret. Indigo lives with her mother, baby sister and stepfather in a lovely house, but all is not as nice as the surface. Her stepfather is beating her mother. When the beatings finally get too be too much, her mother flees across town and hides with the girls in a dingy basement apartment. When Indigo confides in her best friend, Jo, she doesn’t find the support she needs. In fact, Jo is becoming more and more jealous of Indigo at school where Indigo gets a starring role in the class musical and has a boy who is interested in her. Indigo’s entire world is falling apart, and as her mother falls deeper into depression, Indigo worries who will look after them and whether her stepfather will reappear in their lives.
This easy-to-read book is a perfect book for girls who will read Lurlene McDaniel in a few years. The violence of the story all takes place out of sight, so that readers onlly see the aftermath. Indigo is a real girl with real issues and real reactions. The adults in her life are also well-rendered characters where the stepfather has a nice side, her mother is often capable, and her stern teacher surprises her. Add this one to your collection if you need more books for preteen girls that read like teen novels without the sexuality and violence.

If You Decide to Go to the Moon by Faith McNulty and illustrated by Steven Kellogg is an amazing book on moon travel. Combining poetry-like prose with scientific facts, the book draws you in so that you actually experience traveling to the moon and walking on its surface. Combine that with Kellogg’s always-wonderful illustrations and you have pure magic in a book.
Even though this is a picture book, the length of the text makes it better for Kindergarteners and older rather than toddlers and preschoolers. This is the perfect book to hand to parents who want something to read aloud to first and second grade classes, or to teachers in those grades doing space units. Simply wonderful.

Mimus by Lilli Thal (1550379240) is not a book that I normally would have picked up and read, but I am very glad I did. It is the story of Prince Florian who travels to meet his father the King at a peace ceremony with a neighboring kingdom. The prince is thrilled to be attending such an important event and intrigued to meet the princess who may become his betrothed. But the entire ceremony is a trap. Florian’s father is imprisoned in chains and tortured in the dungeons. Florian is forced to become the apprentice of Mimus, the court jester, or his father will be killed. Can Florian escape and keep his father alive?
Thal is a medieval historian from Germany, so through her book we learn a lot about medieval life and the societies that kings were able to create. The book is fast moving and fascinating. I enjoyed the historical details as well as the lack of magic. Florian’s struggles with anger and depression ring very true, and the characterization of Mimus is complex and well rendered. Florian is trapped within the walls of the castle, and that setting is brought to life wtih amazing detail. From the Monkey Tower where the jesters live to the bustling kitchens to the royal wing to the darkness and fear of the dungeons, the castle is a society of its very own.
Unfortunately, the cover of this book will not get kids to pick it up. It is the perfect book for teens and good reading late elementary children who enjoyed Avi’s Crispin. Recommend this to kids interested in history, especially the medieval period. It is also good for those who enjoy fantasy, because the setting is so similar and readers will enjoy a book with knights, kings and jesters that does not have magic. Highly recommended.