By Piranha T.

There is nowhere in the world seventh grader Coco Hidden loves more than El Corazón, the bean-to-bar chocolate shop she and her mom run in her small Colorado hometown of Heartbeat Springs. Even when her best friend, Leo, stops talking to her, she can find reassurance in her favorite food: chocolate. Nothing in her world seems concrete, but she’s sure she’ll never lose El Corazón.

But then her mom tells her they’ll have to close the chocolate shop. Coco is certain that if she she’ll be able to save it if she can find a ceiba tree which has been haunting her dreams. But she’s never even left Colorado—how is she supposed to get to the Amazon rainforest?

Before long, Coco finds herself on an astonishing trip to the Ecuadorian Amazon with Leo and Gali Gallo, her elderly inventor-neighbor who has secrets of his own. But this small, unexpected bit of hope is deeply threatened. The jungle is being destroyed by loggers and oil-drillers who don’t consider the trees they’re cutting down or the ecosystems they’re destroying. Will Coco be able to find the ceiba tree and rescue El Corazón before it’s destroyed forever?

Tree of Dreams was an amazing book, simultaneously funny and deep. It confronts the damage being done to rainforests in a deeply relatable and unusual way—instead of feeling as though this was the reason Laura Resau wrote this book, it simply read like something which was drawn from it, in a very powerful way.
​
However, you don’t have to be looking for that to love this book! Coco is a funny, relatable heroine with complicated relationships and a deep love of chocolate. The settings—particularly the rainforest—felt completely real to me. All in all, I would highly recommend Tree of Dreams to a wide range of readers ages nine and up: to people who love rainforest conservation, readers who love stories about kids and their adventures, and, of course, anyone who loves chocolate!

By Contributing Reviewer FalconX, Age 11

Thirteen-year-old Ellie Charles is the prettiest, smartest, has the best fashion sense, and is the most popular kid at Lincoln Heights Middle School. She used to be best friends with a girl named Marley, but that fell apart after she moved away. Marley was sweet and understanding, didn't care about fashion, and always knew the right thing to say to comfort Ellie about her parents' frequent fights. Her parent's divorce when she was nine turned Ellie bitter, and she taught herself a lesson she believed was the way to go: The more people feared her, the more people would respect her. Ellie is the head of the most important councils, committees, and clubs at the school, but she uses her power to bully, manipulate, and reduce people to tears; all in order for her to dominate even more of the school. Then, on the night of the big winter dance, Ellie has a terrifying accident, after which she meets a girl, seemingly a ghost, dressed all in black. The "ghost girl" forces Ellie to go through her past, present, and future, reliving the things she has done wrong and the things she will do wrong. The worst memory was not her parents' divorce, but her fight and falling apart with Marley, her former best friend.

Ghosted is a suspenseful, well written book that describes Ellie's past life in amazing detail. Leslie Margolis combines the heartbreak and bitterness of a divorce, realizing what you've done wrong, and what it feels like to have all the power and adoration at your school. I liked this book especially because it was told from the bully's point of view, rather than the other way around, which it usually is. It shows that even though on the outside, bullies seem tough, mean; and like nothing can stop them, but in reality they are scared, or acting that way because of an incident in the past, or maybe because the bullies themselves are being bullied. I would recommend this book to kids age twelve and up, who are looking for a good mystery with a startling reveal at the end.

By Contributing Reviewer FalconX, Age 11

Everyone knows that the Crown Prince Sebastian is hosting a ball to look for the perfect bride. Young ladies squeal over invitations, shops are selling out of ball gowns, and seamstresses are working day and night to keep up with the demand. Frances, a seamstress, is asked to design a dress for Lady Sophia, who is in need of a dress for the ball. However, Lady Sophia is in a bad mood, and she says something to Frances: "Make me look like the devil's wench."

Frances, intrigued by this idea, designs a daringly short black dress of thin chiffon and lace, unlike the colorful sweeping skirts of the other ladies at the ball, and her dress is noticed by all. Including the Crown Prince Sebastian, hidden behind a curtain. Secretly, the prince dreams of wearing something like that.

Frances is offered the chance of a lifetime by Sebastian's personal assistant. She doesn't realize the person she's designing for is a boy, much less the Crown Prince. During the day, Sebastian plays the charming prince, finding a bride, while at night, he goes out in secret in dresses and a wig; and Paris knows him as Lady Crystallia, the "woman" whose dresses and fashion sense is admired everywhere.

Frances is one of the only two people that know Sebastian's secret. But as she keeps designing dresses for the prince, it gets harder and harder to keep his secret. How long can she keep it quiet for her friend before someone finds out?

The Prince and the Dressmaker was a beautifully illustrated graphic novel full of vivid pictures and amazing facial expressions. Jen Wang spins a tale of friendship, courage, and the confidence to embrace one's identity. Frances and Sebastian are characters you will never forget, making you cry and laugh all throughout the book. It mixes suspense, mystery, and just plain fun into the story, making it an unforgettable read. I loved how well the characters' personalities were displayed; through the illustrations, actions, and way they talked. This book explains that no matter who you are, you are free to dress, to act like who you want to be.

I would recommend this book to readers age twelve and up, who enjoy a good, sweet tale set in Paris.

Look at our 'Nonfiction: Crafts and More' tab to find a review of Fly Girls, an inspiring story of female pilots during World War II.