Top Ten Tuesday: Animals in Books

 This week's topic is all about animals we loved in books. I do love animals in books, particularly dogs. But I also never grew out of that horse loving phase... Here are a few books I enjoyed where the animals stole the show - sometimes.

Horses:

Canterwood Crest series by Jessica Burkhart

Rose Legacy Trilogy by Jessica Day George

Goats and Parrots and More:

Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Cats:

The Good Ones by Jenn McKinlay

Dogs:

Playing for Keeps by Jill Shalvis - Jill Shalvis writes great animals, but I think Lollipop is my favorite. But it's hard to pick.

Alicorn:

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

That's all I can think of, but I KNOW there are more!

Children's Book Review: Cupcake Cousins

Willow and Delia can't wait until their family vacation this summer!  Their aunt will be getting married. Right now they're stuck wearing hideous dresses as flower girls, but they hope to be allowed to make the wedding cake.

But when they arrives, they find a chef already installed in the kitchen. To make matters worse, every time they try to help, things become a disaster. But when an emergency strikes, can they help save the day?

My Thoughts: I really liked this book and I'm eager to read more in this series. I loved the cousins being together. I loved the busy house with all the people coming together. I wasn't crazy about the two girls getting into trouble every time something went wrong - it wasn't always their fault, but I can see how it was needed. I loved the animals, especially the dog. As a younger sister, I remember those days where the older ones knew more, so I'm glad to see the younger ones take control. A fun read with great illustrations and girls with big hearts.

Cover Thoughts: Really cute
Source: My Library

Library Recommendations: Great for your children's department for both public and school libraries.

Mysterious Saturday Review: Mystery of the Zorse's Mask

 * Book 2 in the Curious Cat Spy Club series *

Becca is torn up about giving Zed back to his previous owner. She's not convinced that the owner didn't hurt Zed. Her gut tells her that everything about the man is wrong, but besides Zed's reactions, she's not sure how to prove it.

Luckily for her, the owner wants to recover the fly mask that was on the animal when he arrived at Becca's family animal refugee.  Becca enlists the help of Kelsey and Leo to recover the mask. She also wants to prove that Zed belongs with someone kind, not his owner.

When Kelsey takes matters into her own hands, she becomes wrapped up in a very dangerous situation. Could the club have gotten in over their heads this time?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed the second book of this series - while the mystery is great, it's the other plot lines that hit me hard. Kelsey wants to make a good impression on people - so much so that she's willing to imitate them to become friends. But I love how Becca told her the truth about her sparkle friends. I love how the three friends are different and yet care so much about the same things. My heart broke for Zed. After reading this story, I wanted to give my puppy a huge hug and hold him tight. It was sad and yet hopeful. The danger scenes were intense. I'm eager to see what happens next to this group of friends and animal lovers.

Cover Thoughts: Cute and I love how it ties into the book
Source: My Library

Final Thoughts: A fun tween mystery that blends friendship, a love for animals, and curious minds.