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The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley

The Sisters Grimm (Book One): The Fairy Tale Detectives introduces us to two orphaned sisters, Sabrina and Daphne, who are sent to live with their mysterious grandmother, Relda Grimm. Grandmother Grimm lives in a strange town in New York State, known for it's extraordinary number of unexplained and unusual crimes. As soon as the sisters arrive, they begin to unravel a mystery that leads to their ancestors' magical beginnings. Sabrina and Daphne learn they are descendants of the Brothers Grimm, who were actually detectives of the magical phenomenon perpetrated by the Everafters, a parallel race of magical beings. They soon discover it is the Grimm family's legacy to keep the Everafters in line and the two sisters are the sole heirs to this challenge! The Unusual Suspects and The Problem Child follow after this one.
I have to be honest, I have not read these books yet. That is why I cut and pasted the books' descriptions. But my ten year old son can't put them down. He just finished the fourth, Once Upon a Crime and is recommending it to his 12 year old brother as well as his eight year old sister. There is a fifth as well, Magic and Other Misdemeanors for him to enjoy when we get back to the States. The books are beautifully bound. So, if you liked the original Bad Beginning covers and end papers, you'll love the look and feel of these.

Happy New Year 5768

My house cleaner kept asking me what year is it this year. She was disturbed that I did not know. I will not forget for this year and next because of the eights on the end of 5768 and 2008. That is my little secret of the day.
My second is a handy little website if you have children who want more than just pictures to colour in. Babaganewz which is based on the American magazine is a terrific resource and worth a look for grown ups to print things and children to linger.
For the hard facts Judaism 101 will give you the low down.

We, at the Junior Book Worm would like to wish you a very happy new year and to remember that if you do onto others as you would wish them to do to you, then world peace will be in sight! And remember as Rosemary Wells says, "Read to Bunny often, it is twenty minutes of fun, twenty minutes of moonlight and twenty minutes of sun..."

Blokus

The game Blokus should come with an addiction warning. It is a terrific game for children and adults. The addiction warning should only be for grown-ups. I think besides Monopoly, children rarely dwell over one game. The same is true with Blokus. They will tolerate playing it two or three times in succession. But when my partner and I play it, the plants die from not being watered, he grows a beard and our children plead for our attention. My friend Anne, who recommended the game, said she played it every night at the beach this summer, after the children went to bed. To understand how to play, check out the Blokus website.
It is easier to learn than chess and it is not always the genius in the room who has the advantage.

Harry Potter and Fan Mail

The final Harry Potter was birthed this summer. We were lucky enough to be Salzburg that fateful weekend when JK Rowling was released in the millions for one last time. We popped into a bookshop and bought it from the stack at the counter. We pushed and shoved one another just to share the authentic feel of those buying the book in the English speaking world. We did not camp out. We did not wake up early. We bought the book and went to a beautiful garden around the corner from the Mozart conservatory of music. My thirteen year old sat in the middle of the others and myself and he read to us. He read for an hour until he was thirsty and we got up to find some bottled water.
    It was the loveliest Harry Potter hour I had had in years, in two books worth of hours. All who read it, in my family, declared it a comeback, a return from overwriting, from unnecessary pages.
    When we were in Lakeville, Connecticut in August, we basked in the beauty of the Scolville Library. After burning through a load of good books, I decided that we ought to write some fan letters. There are some excellent children's writers who must have been burning with annoyance this summer, when Harry Potter was the only thing on the menu. So, we wrote letter to the likes of Jenny Nimmo and Nancy Farmer, just to give them a boost.
    It is not too late. Write to your favourite authors and remind them not to give up yet.