On this cloudy Sunday in April (may it rain!), where we’re all kind of dragging because of the WSU Shockers loss last night (I know: we’re not really basketball fans, but it was WICHITA STATE in the Final Four. That so rarely happens, that one has to watch the game. Though, truth be told: I’m glad I don’t have to choose between them and Michigan in the final), my daughters still have a few books they’ve recently read (and/or are reading) that they’d like to recommend.

K, who turned 7 this week, is reading The Secret Garden with her dad, and loving it. I have to admit that I bullied her into this one: we had just come back from vacation, and she wanted to read some Grand Fantasy, but I talked her into reading this one. She says, “It’s fun and I’m really glad that Mary Lennox became nice. I really like the robin, too.” I love it when I can share books I loved as a child with my children, who love them, too.

I also kind of bullied A into reading her book this month, The One and Only Ivan. See, I’m starting a book group for 3rd-5th graders at work, and this is the first month’s choice. And, since I’m mostly requiring my daughters (who can) to come, I suggested A read this one. She really liked it, enjoying the fact that the chapters were short (she kept commenting on that), and the humor in it. She didn’t cry at the end, but she was touched by Ivan and his story.

C was into rereading this month, and in between a couple of other books picked up an old favorite: Savvy. She did comment on finishing the book that she’d forgotten how good it was. Even though Mibs’ lack of awareness about her savvy drove C batty this time around. She kept wanting to shout at the book: “You know it already!!” But, still: she plowed through the book.

Nothing from M this month: she’s knee-deep in The Invisible Man, attempting to understand what it all means, and trying not to have an existential crisis in the process.

Both C and A have read the ARC I snagged from work of The School for Good and Evil (publish date: May 14, 2013), and both have REALLY liked it. (I’m putting this out there because, from what they’ve said, I’m not going to read it.) It’s the story of two girls — 12-year-old friends Agatha (the dark-haired, gothy girl) and Sophie (who’s life goal is to be a princess ) — getting into the School for Good and Evil (is where everyone goes before they get placed into a fairy tale). Except they defy stereotypes: Agatha gets into the School for Good; Sophie into the School for Evil. This is basically the source of conflict between the two friends: neither one wants to be where they are placed. The book follows the school year, as they have adventures and experiences. C says that she doesn’t know why this is slated to be a trilogy: the ending is a pretty solid one. At the very least, it’s a good stand alone. As I mentioned: both the girls have been really talking it up: they like the characters, there’s a slight bit of romance in it, and there’s a great twist ending. In short: it’s a lot of fun.

Now you’ll pardon me as we all get back to our books.