Beekle by Dan Santat

This is my first book of 2015 for the Picture Book Challenge.  It really isn't very fair of me to enter this challenge -- I read picture books to a 4 year old every day.  I have an advantage.  

This book, "Beekle" is about an imaginary friend who doesn't have a person. He was born where the imaginary friends are born but it takes him a while to find his person -- or his person to find him.  He is adorable, he is little and he is brave and courageous.  He finally finds his person in the form of a little girl named Alice.  They know from the beginning they belong together.  It is a beautiful story.

My granddaughter received this book for Christmas from her uncle, aunt and cousins.  It is one of her new old favorites and I would recommend it.

The Giver by Lois Lowry


I just finished my first book of the new year -- for the Newbery reading challenge.  I chose "The Giver" by Lois Lowry.  It is a children's dystopian novel.  It is my understanding that this book is given to youngsters in approximately the 5th grade to read.  I have never believed in book banning and I don't believe in censorship -- I never really stopped my children from reading whatever they wanted but if a teacher told me that my 5th grader was required to read this book, I would be challenging the teacher for sure.  At age 11, I would not have been able to handle this -- no wonder a large proportion of our children are depressed if this is what they are reading.

I have read adult dystopian novels like "Anthem" and "The Handmaid's Tale" -- even "The Lottery" and they have always been disturbing and depressing.  I was hoping this one would be different.  While it had a relatively positive ending it was just yucky - well written but yucky. 

If a person was looking for this type of book, I would recommend it -- it is well written but for me -- I am moving on to my next Aunt Dimity novel.