From Belle's Library | Peter & The Shadow Thieves

This month's installation of Belle's Library revisits Peter and Tinkerbell and their further adventures. Peter and the Shadow Thieves is the second book in a wonderful series by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. I have been utterly captivated by it and the second book was no slouch to it's predecessor.

In the first book we discover the origins of Peter Pan, Capt. Hook, Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys; and we leave them all to their own adventures on Neverland. In this second adventure we leave Neverland for England. The Others (the evil villains) have plans to spoil The Return of the starstuff and Peter has to warn Molly and her family before it's too late! I assure you, this book is just as mesmerizing as the first with a host of new calamities and characters to keep your imagination soaring.

I think one of the best parts about this series is its extremely short chapters. It would be an excellent draw for any reluctant reader to be able to finish a chapter, possibly two, in one sitting. You could feel so accomplished! (Some of these chapters are less than a page long.) And the story keeps a good pace with just the right amount of action to draw in the reader and keep him reading. This is young adult fiction worth reading!

This series will have a permanent place on our shelves, right beside Harry Potter. Both make great read-alouds and both have the appeal for boy and girl adventurers alike. I highly recommend this series.

Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

From Belle's Library | Peter and the Starcatchers

It's been a while since we've reviewed any Disney books - the holidays can do that to a reading schedule! But now it's the new year and we are ready to share our love of Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (of the Kingdom Keepers series). As many of you know, I am a fan of audiobooks. I'm not sure I'd get anything read if it weren't for listening to them with the kids! And here's where the first little delights comes in.

I must confess, I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter books (we're not talking about the movies here); I read them all as they were released, and then listened to ALL of them again on our various road trips. I think Jim Dale must have envisioned the same thing I did when reading these books, as his voices and cadence were perfect. I was DELIGHTED to hear the familiar narration of Jim Dale again as he read Peter and the Starcatchers! What a treat. His voice is one of my very favorites for audiobooks.

And the story delighted me as well. If you've ever wondered how Peter Pan and the lost boys, Captain Hook and Tinkerbell came to be, this story will tickle your imagination! I throughly enjoyed the twists and turns, the adventure and the magic of this first book in a series of (what I imagine will be) fantastic books. I do love young adult fiction (especially fantasy and adventure), and while reading the Kingdom Keepers I was recommended this Peter and the Starcatchers series by an Instagram friend, Kaifers. I am so very glad I took the recommendation to heart! And I hope you will too. This is a marvelous series; I highly recommend it! I think it's perfect for both boys and girls (and certain young-at-heart adults!).

If you have a book that is (if loosely) related to Disney in some way, I would love to know about it. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

From Belle's Library | Kingdom Keepers Book I: Disney After Dark

This month's column, From Belle's Library, features a new(ish) Disney series for young readers: Kingdom Keepers. I feel like I am coming a bit late to the party on this one, after all, the series has been out since 2009. (That's what happens when you stop teaching middle school!) But the good news is that there are now 6 books out and a 7th available for pre-order. I like not having to wait for the next book to be released!

You should know, I am a large fan of young adult fiction aimed at boys. It can be a challenge getting some kids to read, and an adventure is always a good call for most boys. That being said, I would highly recommend these books to ANY reader (boy or girl) who has ever been to the Disney parks. They are a blast! And if you happen to have a reluctant reader at home, these books could be just the thing they need to get started. Best of all, it is a series, so if they do get hooked, there are seven books to read. I love when Doc gets going on a series. It makes it so easy to just hand him the next book and keep on going!

Disney After Dark is the first book in Ridley Pearson's series. I was sucked in from the first chapter. This is a high-tech, fantastical romp through the parks with questions to be answered right from the beginning. There is a group of 5 kids who have all been used to create holographic hosts for the Disney parks. They start having some strange experiences and you get the idea that there is a lot more going on here than just a new sort of "magical experience" in the Disney resort. I won't spoil it for you, but there is a lot of fun to be had with these kids - especially when they get to experience the Magic Kingdom after closing!

I highly recommend this first book (I have yet to read any of the others) for grown ups and kids alike. They have a fantasy quality about them (which is hot right now with many young audiences) and a Disney magic that really meshes well. If you give them a try we'd love to hear how you like them. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!