The Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi

When Kikko's father forgets the pie he was taking to Grandma's when he went to clear the snow from her walk, Kikko decides to take the pie to him. As she follows his footsteps through the snowy woods, she sees her father enter a strange house she had never seen before. But, it was not her father she had followed - it was a bear. The animals invited her to their tea party. Lovely illustrations in this cute and fun story. I received this book free to review from Netgalley and I highly recommend it!

Good and Cheap: Eat Well On $4/Day by Leanne Brown

I really like this cookbook! The photos are bright and simple and lovely and appetizing. There is a lot of helpful information and the book is well organized. The recipes are really good and so yummy that you would not think they were low cost recipes! I was pleasantly surprised by the variety and deliciousness of the recipes. I made the corn soup and it was fabulous! There are several fantastic potato recipes - the potato salad and roasted potatoes with chilis included. I like the popcorn ideas and the hot dog ideas and really - it all is great!

M is for Autism by The Students of Limpsfield Grange School, Vicky Martin

This is a fiction story about a 13 year old girl with autism.  The  book was written by an author in collaboration with a group of autistic girls who go to a school for girls with autism.  The girls did all the artwork.  Most of the story is told from the point of view of the girl, who has nicknamed herself "M", but parts are also told from her mother's point of view.  M explains how difficult it is to be in crowds and loud situations and how confusing it can be and how she really wants to be normal, but her anxiety makes it hard to cope.  I think that children, parents and teachers will all benefit from reading this book.  It does a great job of explaining how girls with autism feel.  I received this book free to review from Netgalley.

Lunch Walks Among Us (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist, #1) by Jim Benton

This is a cute, silly, early chapter book about Franny, who is a mad scientist. She does not really know how to fit in with the other kids. The girls like pink frilly things and nice dolls, not dolls that chomp heads or ooze stuff. The boys like bats made of wood to hit balls with, not bats that are black and fly in the air. Franny's teacher tells her to think of making friends as a science experiment and she changes herself so that she is just like the other kids. She makes friends, but is not being herself. Eventually, when their teacher is attacked by a Giant Monstrous Fiend, Franny has to go back to being her old self in order to save the day. After that though, will her friends still like her? The story is fun to read and I am sure kids will enjoy it.

The Brainy Bunch: The Harding Family's Method to College Ready by Age Twelve by Kip Harding, Mona Lisa Harding

I think that Christian homeschoolers will enjoy this book. This family has homeschooled their ten children with the goal of finishing high school by age 12 and they have succeeded at that and their children have entered college at young ages and done fabulous in their educational careers. There are contributions from the children as well as the adults in this book. I received this book free to review from Netgalley.

This Is What You Just Put in Your Mouth?: From Eggnog to Beef Jerky, the Surprising Secrets of What's Inside Everyday Products by Patrick Di Justo

This is a rather humorous look at the appalling chemicals contained in many processed foods. For instance, in Hostess Lemon Fruit Pie, there is "Calcium Sulfate - Plaster of Paris. Used for millennia to congeal soy milk into tofu, this gunk has hundereds of applications - many a school science project (like a baking soda and vinegar volcano) was modeled in plaster of Paris." Each chapter is about one specific food like substance and includes a breakdown of the chemicals and a backstory telling some of the author's thoughts. It is a lighthearted look at the sad state of the US "food" supply.

The Haunting of Gabriel Ashe by Dan Poblocki

If you enjoy creepy, scary stories, then you will enjoy this book. When Gabe and his family move in with his grandmother after a fire destroyed their home, he is befriended by a neighbor boy named Seth. Seth plays a fantasy game with Gabe about an evil Hunter who lives in the woods between their homes. Other kids think that Seth is odd but Gabe feels sorry for Seth, because Seth's brother, David, disappeared the year before. When strange things begin happening, the other kids blame Seth, but eventually, Gabe discovers that the culprit is more sinister than that.