Pomeroy's Postscript by Mary Fitt

When Pomeroy Parker went to stay in the country with old Mrs. Livingstone, his sister Marguerite expected a long letter from him telling her all about the house, the countryside, and Mrs. Livingstone herself (since neither Pomeroy nor Marguerite has ever set eyes on her before). Pomeroy, unlike most brothers, was a very good letter-writer and loved describing things, even if his handwriting was pretty bad.

But the weeks went by and all that Marguerite heard from Pomeroy was in a postscript to a letter written by someone else: a typewritten letter from Cousin Job. Cousin Job was a lawyer, his letter a warm invitation to Marguerite to join her brother as Mrs. Livingstone's guest. Pomeroy's postscript said simply: "Dear Sis, do come."

Why did Marguerite hesitate for a moment before accepting? And why did she find when she arrived?

REVIEW:
I originally read Pomeroy's Postscript as a kid in my local library and the story stuck with me (though the title did not).  Decades later I was able to track down the title and ultimately a copy of the book, but I shelved it without rereading.  I recently rediscovered the book on my shelves and am delighted to report it was as enjoyable a read now as all those many years ago.  I like that it is an adventure story that focuses on a female character (Marguerite) rather than on her twin brother (Pomeroy).  Sort-of cousin Merritt is another great character that rounds out the story - bookish and clever but somewhat uncertain of himself socially.  Though the book was written in the 1950s, there isn't actually much about it that is dated (other than a few lines at the very end about Uncle Sam handling everything as if Aunt Maud wasn't capable of doing so).  All in all an enjoyable reread of a story I very much enjoyed as a kid.

The Vampire Knife (The Witching Hours: Book 1) by Jack Henseleit

Siblings Anna and Max love scary stories, but when they find an enchanted knife on a dark and stormy night in Transylvania, truth becomes stranger than fiction. Suddenly, they find themselves dragged into a world of monsters and magic...a world where it soon becomes all too clear that vampires are not just a fairy tale. And when Max mysteriously vanishes, it's up to Anna to find him. But can the siblings find a way to survive their own scary story?

REVIEW:
This is a great spooky tale for middle grade readers; heck, I’m an adult and I enjoyed it! Anna’s ability to tell a scary story combines well with Max’s desire to be frightened (but not too frightened). When they go on an adventure with their father, the Professor, they find themselves in a real life scary story featuring wolves, fairies, a bear, and a vampire. Thankfully they also make a new friend Isabella whose grandmother makes a mean garlic soup. Scary, funny, and engaging – I definitely recommend this one! 

The Moon Shines Down by Margaret Wise Brown

Developed from a manuscript lost for decades, the story behind the story of this book is almost better than the book itself. Margaret Wise Brown, author of such beloved children's classics as Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny, left behind this manuscript (and others) in a cedar trunk. Now 56 years after her death, The Moon Shines Down was finished by children's book publisher Laura Minchew.

Though there are rough patches in some of the verses, children are unlikely to notice the problems with the rhythm. The illustrations are sure to please children and adults alike, and helped me overlook the issues with the text. One note- the illustrations bear no resemblance to those of Wise Brown’s classic books, so readers hoping to recapture that era may be disappointed.

Because of the frequent mention of God, this book would not be appropriate for many settings; teachers looking for classroom books may want to check this book out of the library for review before making a final decision on purchase.

All in all, this is a wonderful addition to the Wise Brown canon. The charming rhymes and glimpses of children around the world make for a lovely global message of a bedtime story.

Dogfish by Gillian Shields & Dan Taylor

As a lifetime apartment dweller, I loved the storyline about a boy on the 44th floor who has a fish yet wants a dog. I was delighted that at the end, the little boy worked to creatively turn his fish into the type of pet he really wanted (rather than simply replacing the fish with a dog). It is the beautiful illustrations that make this book a real standout; I will definitely keep my eye out for other books by this author/illustrator combination. Highly recommended!

Where Is Home Little Pip? by Karma Wilson

Little Pip is a small baby penguin, one who always listens to her parents when they tell her to stick close and then sing about home. One day though, she chases after a black feather, so lovely against the white snow, and soon finds herself lost and alone. Trying to find her home, she asks a whale and a gull and some huskies how to find home, but none of them can help. Eventually, cold and sad, she sings her song about home to try to feel better and her parents, following the sound of her song, find her and reunite the family.

This book is well written and beautifully illustrated. The penguins are all extremely expressive and the landscape sets the stage perfectly for the story. The rhymes about home capture the attention of younger children and will help older children read along. I lent this book to my mom to read to her kindergarden class and it was extremely popular.

A wonderful book that stresses the importance of home and family and leaves readers with a smile. I hope we see more books about Little Pip in the future.