Chapter One Again by Keelia Clarkson

 After living in NYC for a decade, Jane feels compelled to return to her teeny Colorado home town, Avila Falls, for her mother's birthday. The town she dreamed of escaping throughout her high school years. . . 

She thought she had her career path figured out in NYC-ghostwriting memoirs for famous actors/actresses/musicians and writing her own novel. Upon returning to Avila Falls,, however, she begins to question the identity she has formed for herself. Meeting her old crush and seeing how her parents and also her mentor are aging cause her to ponder anew if the life she has been living is truly fulfilling.

A very predictable novel-Hallmark-like (Jane's friends even equate her weeks at home like a Hallmark movie 😀💖) I would have no issues sharing this novel with a teen. It is a very clean, sweet romance.

This genre is not my favorite, but I did enjoy reading (even though it was very predictable) & immersing myself into Jane's world and the beautiful Colorado setting. Mrs. Clarkson has created likable characters and a setting that you want to visit.

A great, light read with an uplifting tone. 

-Borrowed from the library.

*The author is Sally Clarkson's daughter-in-law. 

Page Two With You , the 2nd book in the series, is forth-coming.

The Outermost Mouse by Lauren Wolk illustrated by Kristen Adam*

 Sarah Mackenzie recently recommended this picture book on RAR. 

The Outermouse Mouse loves her life along the ocean in a small cottage. One day she notices the tide coming closer & closer to her home. Even though she tries to block the ocean with a line of sand and a wall of shells, the ocean just devours and scatters them. Eventually the man even leaves. A storm descends upon the house and mouse. Will our mouse find the courage to endure?

I love the illustrations as much as the words, especially the depiction of shells and sea glass.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Book #1-The Roman Britain Trilogy The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff*

 After Marcus is injured & can no longer serve in the Roman military, he travels to northern Scotland to seek out what happened to the Ninth Legion, the one his father led. The Ninth Legion, four thousand men, simply disappeared. Marcus also hopes to recover the eagle standard. With his former slave Esca, he enters the unknown and experiences an adventure of a lifetime!

Ms. Sutcliff immerses the reader into this time period and bonds them with Marcus, Esca, and Marcus's uncle, Aquila. I like her writing style and word choice.

Some facts were not correct-Romans giving "thumbs up" & "thumbs down" in the manner we do today & salting the fields in Britain. 

*Highly recommend.

-I own this book plus the other two in this series.

The Bremen Town Musicians text set

 The Brothers Grimm recorded this fairy tale. It takes place during the medieval era. 

1. The Bremen Town Musicians retold by Louise Simonson illustrated by Lisa Weber

A donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster are no longer useful to their owners. Fearing that their owners will put them to death, they leave their homes, meet each other along the way, and form a band. On their way to Bremen Town, they encounter a group of bandits rejoicing over their recent thievery success. They scare the robbers out of the house & secure a home for themselves.

Warnings: People believe the house is haunted. The thieves think ghosts,monsters, a witch, and a werewolf chase them out of the house.

2. The Musicians of Bremen retold & illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat

The illustrations in the retelling are beautiful. 

Warning: The one robber reports that a witch scratched him, a troll stabbe him in the leg, & a demon hit him with a club.

-Borrowed both from the library.

Reynard's Tale by Ben Hatke

 I was researching tales that were written during the medieval era and read about Reynard the fox. The library system in my county only owned this graphic novel version of the tales. I was not impressed. I would not want kids reading it. I THINK the library has it shelved as a juvenile book. The publisher has it labeled as young adult. But the cover, book size, sentence & book length make it appealing to younger kids.

Reynard avoids an evil king's summons by fleeing & returning to the place where he stays for the winter. Along the way he encounters danger, pursuers, and former lovers. A surprise ending.

Warnings: Most of the women  show at least cleavage. The mermaids' chests are somewhat or fully exposed. One woman has a dress with a long slit-shows lots of leg. Reynard gets drunk with a woman & spends the night with her. An illustration shows him waking up in the bed beside her. She is on her stomach with the blanket pulled down halfway down her back. The reader can tell she is naked. The reader will infer he had a relationship with another woman & produced an offspring with her. He says the word "dn" & bstd". 

-Borrowed from the library.

Saving the Liberty Bell by Megan McDonald illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington

 Ms. McDonald illuminates how the bell (eventually called the Liberty Bell) was hidden from British soldiers during the Revolutionary War. A farmer & his son haul it to Bethlehem, PA, where their wagon breaks down. Another farmer carries it to its final hiding destination-Allentown's Zion Reformed Church. I found the author's note interesting.

The bold illustrations and first person narration will make this story appeal even more to kids.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning illustrated by Kate Greenaway*

 While preparing for my son's history course, I read about how this poem is based on some historical truth. This addition defines archaic words. My son will be reading this poem & researching the different theories on this event.

I love the old-fashion illustrations.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.