YA and younger

[snugglekitty]

srl recommended Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. A picture book for smallish people. The cows get a typewriter. They go on strike for better working conditions. It's totally adorable. Four stars.

In the same vein, I also read And Tango Makes Three by by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson. I looked for a news story on the topic, and found that Roy and Silo, the gay penguins of the tale, broke up. One of them is now mated to a girl penguin. People are making waaay too much of this, saying that the bird is an ex-gay. But birds aren't smart enough to have identities. And I think that's putting way too much on animals, anyway. I just thought it was a really sweet book. Four stars also.

7j loaned me Fly By Night by Francis Hardinge. This is like a lighter, longer version of Lloyd Alexander's Westmark Chronicles. It follows the saga of a runaway orphan and her pet attack goose. The characters are both believable and likeable. I was unable to anticipate many of the plot twists. It also delved into some deeper themes (such as betrayal, beliefs, politics) without being too issue-heavy or upsetting. Really amazing. Five stars. If you like YA, you should read this book.

Amazon.com recommended the book The Decoy Princess by Dawn Cooke. I am a bad amazon apple, as I read reviews there and use it to pick out books, which I then request from the library or buy at a local independent bookstore. Anyway, I read this, and liked it bunches. The princess is about to be married. She hopes her suitor will be smart enough to play strategy games with her. But wait - she's not really the princess! _I_ can't wait to read the sequel to book #114. Again with the four stars.