The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse

One of my favorite children's authors is Eric Carle. This latest book is definitely not  disappointment!.
 The colors are amazing! Little children are excited to see the bright animals. Such imagination!

"Rosemary's Baby" by Ira Levin

What hasn't been said about this hallowed work of modern horror? Indeed, the plot and basic structure are familiar in such a general way that most may simply pass the book over altogether. This is a shame, as Ira Levin's work of creeping domestic malaise and encroaching paranoia truly is a masterwork. The movie (also a classic) holds so closely to the book that people who have seen it will likely find themselves picturing the events of the movie as they read. But the book stands alone, and deserves a look for the uninitiated!

For those unfamiliar with the story, young Rosemary and her husband Guy are able to snag an apartment in an incredibly desirable New York building. Once they are established, the elderly neighbors insinuate themselves in the couple's life - particularly Guy. After a particularly horrible dream to which she wakes up with scratches, Rosemary finds that she is pregnant. What begins as a happy occasion slowly devolves into paranoia as Rosemary begins to suspect the worst of her neighbors but finds no sympathetic ears to which she can tell her story. The ending is rightfully legendary, and must be read to be believed.

"If the Witness Lied" by Caroline Cooney

For the Fountain family, the last two years have been like living a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions. First, the matriarch of the family finds out she is pregnant, a bit of happy news tainted by her also being diagnosed with cancer. Her choice is unbelievable - take chemo to save herself (but lose the baby) or try to carry the baby to term (but lose her own life in the process). After she chooses life for her baby, the entire family is thrust into the middle of a firestorm of media attention and a heated national debate.

Baby Tristan is born happy and healthy, and after his mother dies the family tries to move past the pain and get on with their lives. A distant aunt insinuates herself into the family, and Mr. Fountain is more than happy to have the extra help. Just as things get back to normal a tragic accident robs the Fountain children of their father, leaving them orphaned, and placing young Tris squarely at the center of blame. The media has dubbed him "The Baby Who Killed Both of His Parents." Is his future doomed before it even gets started? And can his other siblings band together in time to protect him, or will he be lost to the grinding gears of a heartless media forever?

"If the Witness Lied" is a short, blunt, gripping read. The unification of the Fountain children as they attempt to face their past while establishing their future is incredibly moving - I found myself in tears by the end. Part domestic drama, part horror story, and part murder mystery, the book has elements that will appeal to most, and is an incredibly satisfying read.