Tea Time Chaps!

Saturday we had a birthday party for my friend, Raquel, who was turning seven. We were invited to her tea party, which was a blast! It was so much fun to dress up, grab our dolls, and drink tea. So we dressed up, I in my Kit Kittredge dress and the others in nice summer dresses. We arrived with our dolls. I brought Kit and Ruthie mini dolls, Noel brought a big Josefina doll, and 'Lina a mini Samantha doll, which is very rare. We got there and were able to choose some party favors, made by our hostess, Mrs. A-. We had tons of fun playing and making crafts, like rings, fans, and headbands for our dolls (I got to make mini ones for Kit and Ruthie), then we ate. Pizza is usually not a normal tea food, but who makes the rules? Anyway, after eating we got to play a lot more and spend time together. Finally, came dessert. I chose not to have any sweets, but just to drink tea; most nibbled on the cookies. We all discovered one thing though: We are serious tea fiends! After having several (maybe a good ten) cups of tea, we played games based on historical American Girl characters. Then we enjoyed the rest of the night together, having fellowship as friends. Mrs. A- did an excellent job and we all think that the party was a great success. The Lord really blessed us with this special night, and we have even more coming up!

Zac and the Dream Stealers

Zac and the Dream Stealers is an entertaining read! Zac's grandmother was never completely normal, but as an epidemic of nightmares sweeps the nation, she becomes even more on edge! One night he follows her out into a snowstorm and finds out that she is going to a special place called Nocturne, where dreams reside! Through turns and twists, battles, and different escapades, Zac and his grandmother must battle nightmares, werewolves, vampires, and other nightmarish creatures of the Dream Stealers.

A great read, I think this book was a good idea to pick up! The interesting cover enchanted me, and so did its contents. To all who would like to know where dreams come from, and who gives nightmares, well, here are a few magical answers. The funny characters, heart-pounding chases, and witty dialogue makes this book truly worthwhile.

The Mystery of the Missing Everything

The Mystery of the Missing Everything was a great book! Bethesda, an eighth grader, has loved mystery ever since she mistakenly uncovered the past of one of her teachers. Since then, watching black-and-white movies of Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, and others has inspired her to become a detective. When someone steals a trophy, the kids are sentenced to a week of quizzes, quizzes, and nothing but quizzes. Bethesda is instantly on the case. Along with her old friend, Tenny, and her trusty notebook ("Sherlock Holmes can keep the magnifying glass," she states), Bethesda is going to try and figure out the case before all their hopes of the upcoming field trip are dashed! Can she do it?

A great read, The Mystery of the Missing Everything held funny characters, an interesting plot, and mystery all around. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants the style of Sherlock Holmes and the humor of a comedian.

A Nest for Celeste

A Nest for Celeste is a great book about a mouse who goes through trials, trying to find a true home. Celeste is a timid mouse who makes her own baskets. When the cat eats up a bully (one of two rats) and leaves the other one scurrying away, it realizes, they weren't the only ones there. Hungry, the cat blocks the entrance to Celeste's home, and she, without a doubt, is homeless. Of course, she can always find a new home. But what makes a place home? The good food? The comfy beds? No, for Celeste, like the old saying goes, "Home is where the heart is" and her true home is very far away. Joseph, the apprentice of a painter, John James Audubon, finds Celeste and puts her in a cage she can slip out of anytime. Joseph and Celeste are soon good friends. But when Cornelius, a bird that Joseph finds, is put in the cage, he asks if Celeste, on a food scrounging trip, will pick up some dogwood berries. Eager to help her new friend, Celeste sets out, only to find herself caught up in a huge storm and lost. Meeting a friendly osprey named Lafayette, she rides in her own hand-crafted basket that Lafayette takes her in back home. Celeste loses Cornelius to winter, where he must go south. She is alone again, and must find a home. Will she?

This was a sweet, enchanting book that I loved. It was funny and the characters were rich. Thanks to the librarian, I found this book when asking if she would help me find a completely different one! I am very happy with this book. Until tomorrow...

The Blackhope Enigma

The Blackhope Enigma was an awesome book! A labyrinth, a girl named Sunni, her stepbrother Dean, her friend Blaise, and a painting by an amazing artist, Corvo. When Sunni goes to the Blackhope tower to write about Corvo, she meets up with her new friend Blaise. Sunni's brother, Dean, looks at the painting Mariner's Return to Arcadia and he reads about it. Making fun of the Italian word chirascoso, he begins to walk around the maze chanting the word, when he suddenly vanishes. Sunni and Blaise follow; traveling the world that lies beneath the original painting. Can they find a way to get out of the world they're trapped in or will they stay there forever?

A great read, I enjoyed this book a lot. It was creative, mysterious, and wonderful for anyone who loves art and mystery.