The Jellyfish by Boum

The Jellyfish by Boum

228 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Odette is a hip, young twenty-something with her own place, a steady job at a local bookstore, an adorable pet rabbit, and a burgeoning crush on a cute girl in the neighborhood. But Odette is haunted by something only she can see... A jellyfish. A jellyfish that floats in her eye, blocking her vision. It's a seemingly minor annoyance... Until one day there are TWO jellyfish. Showcasing stunning and inventive artwork by Boum ( Boumeries ), The Jellyfish is a tour-de-force of graphic storytelling, a powerful, occasionally terrifying story of facing the thing that we fear the most, and finding a light to guide us through the darkness.

The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright

The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright, 149 pages

Amy Treloar seeks solace with her Aunt Clare, only to discover a dollhouse in the attic that keeps playing out the details of the grisly murder of her grandparents. 

As a kid, I thought the adults behaved abominably. Their actions didn't make sense and seemed to make Amy's life harder purposefully. As an adult, I can read between the lines. Some of what the adults feared seemed so silly, but now I understand; for example, Amy's mother's fear that she is responsible for Luann's brain damage.  The mystery itself seemed a little underwhelming, but after all, this book isn't aimed at me anymore. I still loved it. Reading this book again was a little like watching an old home movie the child version of myself.

 

Attack of the Mutant (Goosebumps #25) by R.L. Stine

Attack of the Mutant (Goosebumps #25) by R.L. Stine-117 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

 Skipper Matthews has an awesome comic book collection. His favorite one is called The Masked Mutant. It's about an evil super villain who's out to rule the universe!

Skipper can't get enough of The Mutant. Until one day he gets lost in a strange part of town. And finds a building that looks exactly like The Mutant's secret headquarters. A building that appears and disappears.

Has Skipper read one too many comic books? Or does The Masked Mutant really live in Riverview Falls?

Thoughts: I enjoyed reading this one quite a bit. I like comics and this one features a boy who collects them and reads the new issue of "The Masked Mutant" every week. This was one of my favorite in the Goosebumps series that I've read so far. 

I Eat Poop. A Dung Beetle Story by Mark Pett

I Eat Poop. A Dung Beetle Story by Mark Pett - 42 pages

Goodreads: 

Dougie has a secret: he’s not a ground beetle.
He’s a dung beetle, and he loves eating poop.

Dougie knows he should be proud. Dung beetles help process waste and do other extraordinary things! But Dougie also knows that if anyone at school saw his lunch, he’d be an outcast.

One day, the lunchroom bugs out over a classmate eating poop, and Dougie must make a choice. Can he stand up for his friend—and for his true self?

I Eat Poop. is packed with important social emotional learning themes and is great for classroom or at home discussion. Read I Eat Poop. for conversations about:

*Bullying and being kind
*Standing up for your friends and speaking up for your beliefs
*Being proud of your culture and heritage
*Embracing diversity and accepting and celebrating differences

The book also includes incredible, STEM-related facts about bugs.

THE PENDERWICKS: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by JEANNE BIRDSALL

 

THE PENDERWICKS: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by JEANNE BIRDSALL (Pgs 262)

Goodreads Review: The Penderwick sisters busily discover the summertime magic of Arundel estate’s sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. Best of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel’s owner, the perfect companion for their adventures. Icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is less pleased with the Penderwicks than Jeffrey, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Is that any fun? For sure the summer will be unforgettable.

Go Eat Worms! (Goosebumps #21) by R.L. Stine

 Go Eat Worms! (Goosebumps #21) by R.L. Stine-122 pages

⭐⭐⭐

Obsessed with worms? That's putting it mildly. Todd is so fascinated with worms, he keeps a worm farm in his basement! Most of all, Todd loves torturing his sister and her best friend with worms. Dropping them in their hair. Down their backs.
Until one day, after cutting a worm in half, Todd notices something strange. The rest of the worms seems to be staring at him! Suddenly worms start showing up in the worst places for Todd. In his bed. In his homework. Even in his spaghetti!
What's a worm lover to do when his own worms are starting to gross him out?

Thoughts: This was alright. It wasn't my favorite Goosebumps book, but not bad. It's definitely one of the least scary (although none are too scary). I'm not mad that I read it, though. 

How To Spot a Mermaid: A Field Guide to Magical Sea People by Sarah Glenn Marsh

 How To Spot a Mermaid: A Field Guide to Magical Sea People by Sarah Glenn Marsh, 129 pages

This field guide helps to identify all sorts of mermaids that populate our wonderful world's oceans, rivers, and streams. With wondrously rendered color illustrations, How to Spot a Mermaid breaks down each type of mermaid, its preferred habitats, favorite music, and how they chose to interact with the world.