Written by Neil Gaiman

Illustrated by Dave McKean

Nobody Owens, or "Bod" to his family and friends, cannot remember who his real parents are, and is never told. He grew up in a graveyard with his adoptive parents, Mr. and Mrs. Owens, his guardian, Silas, and many other ghosts who had died long before Bod was  born. Life is as normal as it ever is in the Graveyard, and because Bod has the Freedom of the Graveyard, he is able to walk through walls and fade pretty easily from sight. He doesn't clearly understand the world outside the Graveyard, but that doesn't stop him from being curious.

Later on in his life, Bod finds out that the man who killed his parents and sister is still looking for him. Bod does not like this. Before he knows it, he is in the middle of a mystery. Something's not right, and what Bod finds out will keep you reading all night!

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I loved this book. It took me a record breaking 5 hours to finish, and I do not anticipate that happening again in the near future. The Graveyard Book; sounds spooky, doesn't it? Don't worry, it's not. I had a blast reading it, and I'm sure any child who picks it up will enjoy it immensely. It's a great book to read together. When I was little I remember reading a chapter or two a night of some classic books like Charlottes Web, or Heidi. I believe this book will become a classic as well. I was impressed to learn that it won the Hugo; and this is not the first Hugo for Mr. Gaiman either. His Novella Coraline, won a Hugo in 2003, and in 2004 A Study in Emerald won the Hugo for Short Story. (If you would like to know more about the Hugo, look forward to my post about it that should be up in a day or two!) I was surprised to read in the Acknowledgements that a "Mr. Riddell" was attributed by Mr. Gaiman in illustrating some of the book. I wondered if it was the same Mr. Riddell who wrote and illustrated "The Emperor of Absurdia" so I looked it up. I was right, though in the copy I bought, the illustrations were done by Dave McKean. I admired his work as well. It fit perfectly with the story. I devoured this book, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Written by Daniel Pinkwater

Illustrated by Jack E. Davis

Morty and Ray watch a movie at night about a man who has a painting made of him. As the man does more and more mean things, the painting becomes uglier. Morty and Ray think this is neat, and paint a picture of themselves. They do bad things too, to see if their painting becomes ugly. Do you think their painting will become ugly, like the one in the movie?

I liked the use of cunning in this book. It's easy to read, and even though you know Morty and Ray are going to do bad things, you wonder if their painting will change the same way the man's did. It's a simple, fun story. It has a sort of quick, muddled ending, but overall it's a "what if..." story that concludes the only way it really can. Pinkwater is a clever writer.

Written and Illustrated by Andrea Beck

Elliot is a moose on a mission. He's found a map, and wants to find the treasure he knows is buried at the big X. He starts to dig, and soon all his friends are helping. They dig a really great hole, but there's just one problem. How are they going to get out?

This is a cute book, illustrations and all. Digging a hole to find treasure is more fun when you have friends to help you. Elliot's friends help him dig the hole, and also help him get out. I did find the story a little common, but endearing nonetheless. There are many Elliot Moose stories, and as a set, I think they would make a wonderful addition to any child's library.

Written by Linda DeMeulemeester

Cover Illustration by John Shroades

Cat is thrilled she's been picked to be on the Darkmont soccer team. Finally, after starting at her new school, she's becoming popular, her teachers love her, and she's quite the soccer player to boot! Everything seems to be going very good for Cat until her little sister, Sookie, starts acting weird, and telling Cat she should not play in the Halloween soccer match. Does Sookie know something Cat doesn't? And why does Sookie always hang out with the creepy girl in black clothes on the bleachers? Soon, Sookie disappears, and Cat finds herself caught up in mysteries both in her world, and a world not her own! Will Cat be able to find Sookie? Or will the mysterious Fairy world capture her forever?

Winner of the Silver Birch award - an award where children read the nominated books and cast the votes themselves - it's no wonder The Secret of Grim Hill made its mark on the children who read it. It is fun, intriguing, and mysterious. The characters are relatable, smart enough to figure out what's going on, and yet real enough that readers aren't left in any doubt as to whether, or not, this could have played out the same had it been happening to them. It's frustrating in the right moments, and relieving in the next. I really liked this first book, and was even lucky enough to have it signed by Linda herself! The Secret of Grim Hill is a great adventure, and I'm thoroughly looking forward to starting the next book.

Written by Pamela duncan Edwards

Illustrated by Rebecca Harry

Have you ever been lost or scared? Did you ever think "I can do this! I'm big!"? The little elephant in this story thinks she's big enough to do everything on her own now, but she gets into some scary trouble without her mum!

This is an endearing book - one I will cherish forever. I am in love with the illustrations, and the cute little elephant on the cover is what caught my eye at first. This book has a timeless lesson, and it is clear Pamela Duncan Edwards knew what she was doing when she wrote it. I honestly can not think of a single thing I would change. Bravo!

5.0 baby elephants out of 5.0

Written and Illustrated by Duncan Weller

Imagine you are sitting on the sidewalk with your friends and you are bored. The world is grey, and you have nothing to do. Then imagine that a boy comes down out of the sky and puts light and colour into your life!

The Boy From the Sun was one of the first books I read after deciding to create InkyThink. Unfortunately, I didn't buy it at the time, and forgot the title. Lucky for me, my sister worked at a book store, and her co-worker knew which book I was talking about just from my description. It was the last copy, so I bought it right then and there. I adore books like these; where something bad is happening, or someone is having a bad day, and something comes along to turn the world up-side-down, and make it magical again. As you might already know, the inspiration for InkyThink was from wanting never to grow up. I think the reason I like The Boy From the Sun so much is because it is a metaphor for that. I see the sad kids sitting on the sidewalk as adults who have lost their imagination and wonder, and the boy symbolizes what they lost and hope to gain again if they would just let it be a part of their lives. Read The Boy From the Sun when you're having a bad day. It is definitely the book I turn to when I feel blue.

4.7 suns out of 5.0

Written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Illustrated by Jen Corace

Little Pea likes doing a lot of things. He likes playing with his friends, being flung into the air by his dad, and listening to his mom tell him stories about when she was a little pea. There's one thing Little Pea does not like though. You'll be surprised to find out what it is!

Little Pea is one of those super cute books that you'll always remember. The illustrations are not confusing or loud or busy. They are perfect alongside the story of peas. If you sit a pea on the table and stare at it, it is not confusing, loud, or busy either. The look of pure joy on Little Pea's face throughout the book makes this story all the more enjoyable. Along with being an Amazon.com Best of 2005 Pick, it is also a 2005 Children's Book Sense Pick. I think there are two lessons in this book. I won't spoil the book and blurt out the main lesson, but I think its underlying lesson is that of enjoying time with your parents and knowing they are just doing what they think is best for you.

4.8 little peas out of 5.0

Written by Audrey Penn

Illustrated by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak

Chester the Racoon is sad because he doesn't want to go to school. He would much rather stay at home with his mother and play all day and read books. His mother reassures him that he will like school; he will gain more friends and more interesting books to read. That's when she tells him about The Kissing Hand.

A very sweet book, The Kissing Hand is a New York Times #1 Bestseller, and it's clear why. This book gives us a glimpse into the life of a special relationship between a mother racoon and her son. It's a great book to read to any child who might be scared of starting school, or going someplace new and strange. Of course, any book that can make me weepy in twenty-four pages is a winner. Either that or I'm just a big softy. I do, however, love the illustrations. This is a book I expect will always be on my shelf.

4.7 kissing hands out of 5.0

Written and Illustrated by Melanie Watt

Scaredy Squirrel is scared to leave his nut tree. He's scared of a lot of things: sharks, poison ivy, bees. He is content to just stay there and eat nuts all day. But what happens when a bee comes to visit him? Will he make it out of his nut tree alive?

Scaredy Squirrel is a perfect example of why many people don't try new things; they're scared. It's okay to try things you might be scared of. Scaredy Squirrel never left his nut tree until he was scared by a bee and accidentally dropped his emergency kit. As it turns out, there wasn't much outside of his nut tree to be scared of. I liked this book mainly because it teaches a lesson with a very mellow humor. It doesn't try to be flashy, or make anyone like it. It simply tells the story from Scaredy Squirrel's perspective, and lets you decide for yourself what to make of his adventure. Melanie Watt does the illustrations herself, and I have to say I am beginning to see a certain special quality to books that are written and illustrated by the same person. There are other books that feature Scaredy Squirrel including Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, and Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach.

4.4 nuts out of 5.0

Written by Nicola Grant

Illustrated by Tim Warnes

Posy is a very nosy little piglet! She wants to know everything, even if it gets her into trouble. One day Posy hears something from across the field. It sounds scary, but she decides to investigate anyway. What will she find? 

Such a cute book. Posy is the definition of inquisitive. As I've grown, I've learned the importance of asking questions if you want to know something. Posy is still a piglet, and has it down to an art. I like this book because of its daring, adventurous spirit. Posy isn't afraid, and I think that's something a lot of us lose as adults. Reading this book to children will, I hope, let them know that wondering how things work isn't a bad thing! Inquisitive minds are what children are all about.

4.6 piglets out of 5.0