Unwind

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Reviewed By Milly, 12yrs. old - Teen Book Reviewer and Sometimes Baker

Unwind by Neal Shusterman is a magnificent book. Theres so many things I want to tell you, but I can't because it will ruin the story.

This is a science-fiction story with three teenagers on the run for their lives. They must stay safe from all adults until they turn 18, then they will be allowed to own their bodies and nobody will be able to 'unwind' them. Parent's are choosing the unwind option for problem children. There's a lot of action and you will wonder if they are going to make it.

It is a little scary and a little sad. This is my new favourite. Please read this book! It's a book for everyone (my age, older teens and adults - not for younger kids), my mum loved this book and so did my friends. This book almost made me cry, but it also made me laugh. I also read it on my new kindle!

I love this book. I defiantly rate it out of 5 paper dolls:

I haven't been baking because I have a cold and nobody wants to eat food I touch, but I found a cute science-fiction recipe on the net for you to try:

The Lion Drummer

The Lion Drummer by Gabrielle Wang

Reviewed by Tilly 9yrs. old - Tween Book Reviewer and Sometimes Writer

The Lion Drummer is about a girl named Lulu.

She dreams that one day she will be a lion Drummer.

Lulu can't get a drum because she lives in a apartment and the people upstairs will hear her, even though they make a lot of noise.

Then the day of the Chinese dragon parade comes up and Lulu wished on Da Long the Dragon. She wishes that When she gets home she starts her school project all over again but this time it's not about the rhythm of the bees it's about the lion drummer.

One day Lulu goes to the grocery shop and asks the man where she can find the lion drummer (the man says the lion drummer's name is Master Li.) He takes her to this tunnel and then he told her that Master Li is in a gongfu school, so she goes to the school.

You'll have to read it to find out if Lulu gets to become the drummer.

I enjoyed this book, I liked the Chinese parade. It was nice and short, but it was a little bit too easy for me. I think younger kids would really love this book. I am looking forward to reading The Garden of Empress Cassia from Gabrielle Wang, because this book looks a bit thicker and has magic in it!

I rate this book...

click on the dolls to print the picture.

Today I've got a Chinese paper doll.

Hunger Games

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Reviewed By Milly, 12yrs. old - Teen Book Reviewer and Sometimes Baker

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, is a book about a girl that lives in a poor town and takes her sister's place in the games. These games are a fight to the death, which the mayors of the different areas hold for their own amusement.

This was a great book at the beginning but it got boring to me because it took too long until the games actually started. But that was my opinion. You might still want to read it, a lot of people have liked this book.

I rate this book out of 5 paper dolls:

This week I'm giving you one of my favourite cookies recipes, I don't think I've already posted it:

Apple Pie Cookies

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup softened butter

2 tspns vanilla Extract

2 beaten eggs

1 tspn treacle

1 tspn golden syrup

1 tspn baking powder

2.5 cups plain flour

1 cup chopped dried apples (large chunky pieces)

2 tspns cinnamon

Place sugar, butter and vanilla in mixer and beat on high until soft, light and fluffy.

Add eggs and treacle and beat on medium.

Put mixer down to low and add remaining ingredients.

Make balls of dough, we use an ice-cream scoop for nice big cookies, and place on a paper-lined tray. Bake at about 200 deg. C. for up to 15 minutes or until they are just starting to go golden. If you don't over-bake them, they are nice and chewy.

These are yum on their own, or you could even serve them for desert with ice-cream.

NaNoWriMo

Reviewed by Tilly, 9yrs. old Tween Book Reviewer and Sometimes Writer

The Greek gods and demi-gods need help! How can they save each other?

NaNoWriMo is coming up people so you should start to plan! NaNoWriMo is a writing task, well sort of, you have to write a novel in one month every November.

Lots of adults write 50,000 words for their novels in November. But, there is also a kids group called NaNoWriMo's Young Writers Program.

This is what I've joined. You get to choose how many words you will write. Last year I wrote 3,000 words with The Horse, The Dog and The Wizard. This year I will try to do 4,000 words.

NaNoWriMo has a rule though (which I don't like) - you can't write any of your story before November (which is NaNoWriMo month), but you can plan it.

I'm going to write a book of short stories about the Greek gods and demi-gods! In each of the stories one or more of the Greek gods will be facing danger (one might even get murdered!).

Why don't you join NaNoWriMo with me?

SECRETS OF EROMANGA

Secrets of Eromanga by Sheryl Gwyther

Reviewed by Milly, 12yrs. old - Teen Book Reviewer and Sometimes Baker

Secrets of Eromanga by Sheryl Gwyther, is a book with two great stories. The 1st story is about a young 12 year old girl named Ellie, who knows so much about dinosaurs, but when it comes to illegal fossil smuggling will she know what to do? The 2nd story is about a tiny little dinosaur that lived beside the ancient Eromanga sea and must face all her fears.

I was sooo lucky that I got the book signed by the author!

I thought this was an excellent book, that I love and adore because I want to be a palaeontologist when I grow up. But, if I had to choose I'd say the little dinosaur was my favourite character.

I'd give this book out of 5 dolls:

if you would like to read more about sheryl Gwyther go to my mum's blog at:

Wagging Tales: Secrets of Sheryl Gwyther

Digging for Dinos

To make this you must buy yellow jelly mix (to look like amber) and make it up and put it in the fridge. In 1 hour you can put in the dinosaur lollies and put back in fridge for 3 more hours to set properly. Now you can go on your own dinosaur dig - they are ready to eat!

POND MAGIC

Pond Magic by Angela Sunde

Reviewed by Tilly, 9yrs. old - Tween Book Reviewer and Sometimes Writer

Pond Magic by Angela Sunde is a book about a 12 year old girl called Lily Padd and she can't stop burping! Because she is turning into a frog and she thinks someone put a spell on her - and she's right!

Lily hates french stuff but her mum loves it! (good on her mum, so do I). Poor Lily, she has an exchange student from France living at her house! His name is Rainier.

Now Lily has a green face, keeps burping, webbed feet and Rainier has come to her house - She is annoyed! Lily gets her friend Maureen to help with the frog problem. Will Lily ever be a normal girl again? You will have to read this book to find out.

I love the eiffel tower!

I rate this book out of 5....

Ooh la la, this week I have a French frog girl for your paper doll! Just click on the picture and it will take you to the printable link.

pictures found at:

http://lisaperrin.blogspot.com/

STORMBREAKER

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

Reviewed by Milly, 12yrs. old - Teen Book Reviewer and Sometimes Baker

STORMBREAKER by Anthony Horowitz is an entertaining book about a spy, just like James Bond, his name is Alex Rider. Alex is just 14 years old. It is an action story (of course).

Alex's uncle acted as a spy for the government, but when he dies, it seems only Alex can fill his shoes. All the way through this story, Alex is always in trouble or danger. I listened to this one on my iPod as an audio book and it kept my attention. But, I love James Bond movies too (so this one is just closer to my own age).

It is a pretty good book but some parts weren't as good (but I would read another) so I gave this book out of five dolls:

Dear Readers

I'm very sorry that I haven't had enough time to post a blog recently I hope you will forgive me and my sister (Tilly). We are going to try to get more posts up now :-) 

from
Milly
PS - I also owe you a yummy recipe! I'm heading off to my cookbooks now.

THE BAD BOOK

The Bad Book by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton

Reviewed by Tilly, 9yrs. old - Tween Book Reviewer and Sometimes Writer

The Bad Book was a good book!

It had stories, poems and pictures of bad things like kids doing naughty things. It was funny! At the back of the book there is a blurb about: a bad bad house, in that bad bad house was a bad bad room, in that bad bad room there was a bad bad shelf, on that bad bad shelf was bad bad book and this is it.

I think all kids would love this book, my big sister also liked it and boys would like it too. I got this book as a Christmas present from Santa and I love it.

I rate this book out of 5...

This week I found a dinosaur paper doll - because my sister (Milly) loves dinosaurs!

DOG

Dog by Daniel Pennac. Translated by Sarah Adams.

Reviewed by Tilly, 9yrs. old - Tween Book Reviewer and Sometimes Writer

Dog is a book about... a dog named Dog.

Dog's puppyhood was horrible! He was half-drowned at birth, abandoned on a rubbish dump and chased by dog catchers. Poor Dog. Dog has a friend at the rubbish dump who teaches him how to survive. Through this friend, Dog learns about the town and what it is like to have a mistress. Dog goes in searh of a well trained owner but not many people like him. Everybody calls him ugly except Plum.

This book made me feel happy and sorry for him. I probably would love Dog, I think he's cute. I thought this was a sweet story and I liked reading it. Dog was a french book and has been translated.

I rate this book out of 5...

This week I found another doggy paper doll for you to print and cut out!