If you've read a book recently that you'd like to recommend to other readers, send your review to nancy@ottobookstore.com. We reserve the right to edit for space, clarity, and content.
Liam, from Pittsburgh, has found a good book and a comfy seat. You can too. Come see us soon, and share a favorite book.
The Mysterious Benedict Society was a great read! The moment you start reading the book, you won't want to put it down. There are so many twists in the plot that keep you interested and on the edge of your seat. This book taught me a lot of fun facts as well as life lessons. I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes mysteries, science fiction or has read the Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.
Noah-age 13
I really enjoyed and highly recommend the book Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children! The book was full of action and many cool events that kept me interested throughout the book. I loved all of the twists and turns, and how the author, Ransom Riggs used very descriptive language, making it seem like I was right there with the characters. I enjoyed reading about Jacob's adventures, as well as all the real photographs that show the uniqueness of the story. Pick up a copy of this book and you will not be disappointed.
Ireland, age 11
Carl and his family moved to a farm and did not know how hard it would be to be farmers. But luckily a bunny, Alice, and her brother,Thistle, started helping grow the plants and weed the garden in secret with help from other animals but Carl's family did not know. One of my favorite parts was when Alice tried communicating with Carl through their dog Foxy and his little sister. My favorite character is Thistle, because he is funny and proud of helping his sister.
If you like animal stories, this is a good book for you.
Matthew,, age 8
I got a book about rocks from Ottos. It was really cool for me because I really like rocks. I know not all people like rocks but Ottos has so many books you will find the one for you. The book I got was an expository text called ROCKS AND MINERALS. I read it front to back. It was a lot of fun learning new things. The staff is really nice too. My sister really liked the decorations. That is why you should go to Ottos...and get books.
Review by Chase K.
In the Hall with the Knife by Diana Peterfreund is the first book in the young adult trilogy based on the board game Clue and I could not put it down. It was chock full of mystery and the characters were fascinating highschoolers from an elite boarding school that was isolated from the rest of Maine. The author was able to examine the six main characters through chapters from each of their perspectives, similar to Rick Riordan's style in the Heroes of Olympus series. There were lots of twists and turns, and a huge plot twist at the end that left me unable to put it down. The second book, In the Study with the Wrench, was just as good and did not disappoint. I am eagerly (and a little impatiently) waiting to read the third one. Overall, I give this book 10 stars
Juliette G, Age 13
Murder Most Puzzling: Twenty Mysterious Cases to Solve by Stephanie Von Reiswitz was a great book. Each mystery was challenging but super fun. We really enjoyed the variety of puzzles. Some included math, science, photo searches, and riddles. There are also clues in the back of the book to help you out if you get a bit stuck - we really appreciated having those to use if we needed them! Our favorite thing about the book was the surprising twists in the stories and the fun illustrations that went along with each mystery. We highly recommend this book as fun for the whole family, it provided hours of entertainment for us and we got so excited with each murder mystery that we were able to solve!
Review by Layla, age 8 & Lisa
I really enjoyed reading Pax, the Journey Home. It gave me more respect for foxes and other animals by learning about what they have to do to survive in the wild. I thought it was cool to read about the relationship between Peter and Pax; I like that Peter can have a close relationship with a wild animal. - Aleah, age 9
Pax, the Journey Home was one of those books where you never wanted to put it down and you never wanted it to end. It had its ups and downs, but the downs were always doused with an up. The result was an excellent book! I would recommend it to adventure lovers. - Gabriel, age 11
I highly recommend Soccer Trophy Mystery. The description of the in-game actionmakes the reader feel like he or she is there in person. The unraveling of the clues makes the reader want ot keep turning the page to learn more and solve the mystery.
Review by Benjamin T., age 12
Pawcasso is a nice book because it teaches you to love someone but then you have to let go of them. When Jo finds Pawcasso shopping for his weekly groceries, she is shocked! What a unique dog! Jo follows him and takes him in as a pet, proudly showing him off for her friends. But once she finds Pawcasso's real owner, she knows she has to tell the truth. If you are looking for a graphic novel with humor, love, and doing the right thing, this is the book for you!
Review by Libby Q
I have a hard time choosing what to like most about this book- the fact that hate can turn to love and respect if people would only be strong, or the fact that true friendship isn’t broken with distance, or the fact that this book showed just how beautiful it is when strength comes from unexpected places.I nearly shouted when Oksana’s mother hit her, and I nearly shouted for different reasons when Oksana was so brave and turned away from that. And when Valentina forgave the hate she used to receive from Oksana with so much grace and kindness, I nearly burst.
I love stories with with Jewish main characters - I’m not sure why. I’m not Jewish - but the religion is so beautiful to me, and so is religion in general.The example of these two girls, of different beliefs, completely defying the odds- blows me away.
Review by Juliet
I liked this book because it was funny! My favorite was the last page with the stork, but I like the racoon too. The pictures are funny too, especially the animals' suspicious faces. My little brother thinks it is funny because all the animals are fishing like people.
Review by Brennan, age 6
Pax and Peter were always inseparable, but Peter’s Dad makes him take Pax, Peter's fox, back to the wild. Peter and Pax set out on their own adventures to get back to each other. There are many curves in the road, so will they ever see each other again? PAX by Sara Pennypacker is an adventurous story of persistence and finding your true self. I recommend this to readers who love animal stories. Though the book can be sad in parts, it can be happy too. I would rate the book 5 stars not only because I loved it, but because it shows you things that maybe you never thought of. It can really open up your eyes in different ways. If you want a book about doing what truly feels right, about finding who you really are, about overcoming hard obstacles, about setting out on an adventure you’d think was wilder than wild, this book should be next on your list.
Review by Stella R
I have read this book many, many times and everysingle time, I feel the same excitement. I admire Claudia's wit and ambition - how she plots her runaway and she is very classy with the extravagant places she always plans to stay. And I'll always be in awe of how clever and plain old brilliant Jamie is. With how he plans and saves his money, for example. Both are brilliant kids and I adored reading about the classic schemes and adventures they went through together.
J Harris, a devoted reader.
"I liked Couch Potato because it teaches you that you cannot sit around inside all the time. It helps you see the fun outside."
Enjoy your day!
Review by Alice, age 7
Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman quickly made it to the very top of my favorites list. It was wonderful and I felt completely immersed in the world of Maria Owens from the start. I stayed entranced throughout the entire book because of how beautifully it was written. I loved learning how the Owens family started and all of the intricate twists and turns of Maria's life. This book was pure magic and completely captivating. I could not put it down.
Review by S. Terrano
My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George, is the best book I’ve ever read! It was fun to read because it was like the animals were talking. The book also had adventures, like when Sam climbed to the top of a gorge to meet Frightful, his pet peregrine falcon. Last, it taught me lessons, like how to make a wooden fish hook and a reed whistle. I think you should read My Side of the Mountain because it includes animals, adventure and learning.
Milo, 8 years old
I give the book Dear Little Sister, by Alison McGee, two thumbs up. First, it is very funny because my little sister is kind of like the sister in the book - annoying sometimes! It also has very good pictures, by Joe Bluhm. I liked how it looked like they were drawn with a pencil by the main character. Last, it has a very good ending because the brother realizes something important about his little sister. As you can see, Dear Little Sister is fun to read!
Milo, 8 years old
Yes, I like this book. It was amazing! It was amazing because the Bland Sisters, Kale and Jaundice, go on an adventure that they did not know was going to happen. It was exciting because they got to go on the Jolly Regina and sail with pirates. My favorite pirates were Peg and Fatima. The book included a fight between the Jolly Regina and Captain Anna's ship. I recommend that you read the rest of the story to see how the Bland Sisters escaped from being killed on the Jolly Regina, whether they found their parents, and what happened to Peg and Fatima.
Review by Kerensa
My daughter absolutely loved this book, so much so, that it remains on her pile of coveted books closest to her bed for nightly reading! It has been one of my favorite alphabet books to read to her. She is a curious young lady, and sometimes it is hard to explain to a new reader why there are silent letters in certain words, but not others. This little story effectively helps her understand the complexities of the English language in a fun way.
Review by mom, Hilary
I love this book! I think I act like Tock. I wonder if Milo ever gets bck to Wisdom or Ignorance. My favorite chracter is the Humbug. He makes me laugh. Review by Beret H
I like how all the characters in the book pitch in to help with the finding of the Princess Rhyme and Reason. I think some of my favorite characters are Tock and the Humbug. The book was very fun, thrilling and exciting. Review by Lily H
NOTE FROM BOOKWOMAN If you like listening to books, check out David Hyde Pierce's audiobook of this title. AWESOME!
Bob is a great book. It's a beautiful, bittersweet book about friendship. It is a funny story but it also conveys a great life lesson. If you like books by Sharon Creech you'll like this book a lot! I hope you try it out!
-Naomi, age 10
The name of the book is A DROP OF HOPE by Keith Calabrese. The book is about how Rollo's birthday presents help people. A toy becomes friends with Tommy and Wiston. I liked the book because of the adventure that Ernest, Lizzy, and Ryan have. I would recommend this book to my friends because they will probably like what fun things the kids do in the book.
Review by Noah S
This book is adventurous and emotional because the polar bear cubs (First and Second) have a hard mission and want to save their mom from the Timekeepers who want to harm all cubs from Bear Kingdom. I think some people would be sensitive to some character actions and language used. It is all good at the end when they find a relative to help them in their mission.
Review by Stella; age 8
This is a very fantastic and funny book. Mr Popper is coming home from painting a house and it's almost winter. He gets a present from Admiral Drake! Soon it becomes very ill, or is it?! He gets 11 more penguins! This is a very interesting book. I think this book should be for 2nd graders and up.
Review by Sabra