Month: August 2016

Friday Fun Reads

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Happy Friday!

Hope you all had a wonderful week!

I’ve spent the week thinking about all the reviews I do and I’ll likely be making some changes. I’ve been reviewing four books each week for my newspaper column and I’m thinking of changing that to two books.

Reviewing four books takes quite a bit more time than I realized, and I feel I can do each book more justice and provide a longer review if I focus on just two each week. I’ve struggled with the format of my reviews because I personally hate spoilers and I find the line between saying too little and saying too much, to be very thin.

So with the change to two books a week, I’m going to increase the length of my reviews while not spoiling anything. Wish me luck 😉

As for today, I have a few reviews for you from my favorites over the last couple of weeks. Do you have any books lined up for the weekend? What are you kids reading at school?

If you ever read any of the books I review on the blog I would love to hear from you! Commenting is a fun way to make connections and build community 🙂

thud and blunder

Thud & Blunder: The Not-So-Deadly Dragon (2016, Stone Arch Books/Capstone, Chapter Book)

When the town goes up in flames, Thud and Blunder dash in to save the day! Then when they discover a dragon is to blame, they head out to slay the dragon. When the heroes encounter the dragon though, the great beast bursts into tears. Is the dragon evil or not? Thud and Blunder are still determined to save the town from destruction but there may be more to the dragon than they realize.

Thud & Blunder: The Not-So-Deadly Dragon, written by Sean Tulien and illustrated by Pol Cunyat, is an action-packed beginning chapter book perfect for beginning and reluctant readers. The illustrations are vivid and give the book a comic-book feel. The heroine, Thud, and the hero, Blunder, are fun, non-traditional hero types which children will love. The story itself is funny, unpredictable and sometimes silly, making this an overall great choice for young readers. Lucky for young readers, this is part of the Thud and Blunder series so they can join these characters on many more adventures.

norberts big dream

Norbert’s Big Dream (2016, Sleeping Bear Press, Picture Book)

Norbert is not a regular pig. Norbert is a pig with a dream. While other pigs sleep and eat slop, Norbert is preparing to make his dream come true. One day he will swim the English Channel! But when the big day comes will Norbert be able to find the English Channel?

Norbert’s Big Dream, written by Lori Degman and illustrated by Marco Bucci, is a charming read about chasing dreams and what it means to reach one’s goals. This is a great read anytime, but especially during the Olympics as children watch athletes compete and live out their dreams. Norbert is just a pig but that doesn’t stop him from dreaming big or working hard. Children and adults will love Norbert and his great attitude. Beautifully rendered illustrations round out this exceptional book.

dino mike and the dinosaur doomsday

Dino-Mike and the Dinosaur Doomsday (2016, Stone Arch Books/Capstone, Chapter Book)

Dino-Mike has traveled the world digging up dinosaur bones with his Dad, but he didn’t expect to look for bones in Antarctica! Tracking the evil Dr. Bones, takes Mike, his friends, and his Dad to the coldest continent in search of more fossils. But Mike and his friends aren’t alone, soon the Bones siblings arrive and make lots of trouble. With the ability to call up living dinosaurs, the Bones siblings hope to make Mike and his friends extinct!

Dino-Mike and the Dinosaur Doomsday, written and illustrated by Franco Aureliani, has a fun premise and great layout for young independent readers, but the execution falls a bit flat. This is just one book out of the series, so reading the first books may make the story more compelling. The adventure and inclusion of dinosaurs will be a hit with readers, but the conflict-resolution aspect feels rushed. The build-up to each conflict is short with a resolution following almost immediately. The reader does not have time to feel any real sense of danger or nervousness for Mike since the dire situations are resolved neatly and immediately. Start with the first book in this series, Dino-Mike and the T. Rex Attack!, and see if Dino-Mike’s adventures are a hit with your independent readers ages 6-8.

pyramid hunters iron tomb

Pyramid Hunters: The Iron Tomb (2016, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Middle-Grade Adventure)

Sam Force is expecting the usual, boring visit to his Uncle Jasper in Egypt. What he isn’t expecting is to find his Uncle missing. Narrowly avoiding arrest at the airport, Sam discovers clues left by his Uncle, and finds himself relying on new friends to follow the trail. Using his knowledge of ancient Egypt, and with Hadi and Mary’s help, Sam embarks on a wild adventure to find his Uncle and uncover the secrets of The Iron Tomb.

Pyramid Hunters: The Iron Tomb, written by Peter Vegas, is a wild chase through Egypt’s streets and her history. Starting with an action packed teaser, the book then picks up with Sam en route to Egypt. Shortly thereafter, the action starts and never stops. Combining crazy action sequences with a smart and capable main character, make this a great choice for young readers. This adventure is sure to be a hit. Appropriate for children ages 10 and up.

Thank you to all the publishers for providing copies of these books in exchange for my honest review.

Happy reading to all!

Book Review: Miracle in Music City

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Hello all!

Time got away from me! I have been busy reading and reviewing and getting new things lined up for the blog, and I completely forgot to put up posts last week.

I’ll get caught up with a few posts today and tomorrow full of new books!

In September, I will be participating in two blog tours for fantastic new picture books from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky. I continue to be impressed by the content and quality of picture books from this publisher. As part of the blog tour, the publisher will be providing links to enter a rafflecopter for giveaways. I will also share a book trailer and author interview during the tour as well! Exciting times! 🙂

In other writing news, I registered for the SCBWI Middle of the Map conference in Overland Park, KS this fall.

Anyone else attending?

The last conference I attended was in Pittsburgh and I absolutely loved it! My excitement will be off the charts by the time November arrives.

Now, what you came here for….the book review!

miracle in music city

 

Miracle in Music City (2016, Zonderkidz, Middle-Grade Mystery)

The Glimmer girls have spent all summer on tour with their Mom. Now they are home and trying to readjust to normal life. The girls soon find out that might be easier said than done. Then their Mom asks them to help her with an annual benefit and auction, and the girls find themselves drawn into another mystery they are determined to solve. It seems life may never get back to normal for these smart and sassy sisters.

Miracle in Music City, written by Natalie Grant, is the third book in the Glimmer Girls series. The series is reminiscent of older, popular mystery series such as Boxcar Children and Babysitter Club, through the structure of the book and the situations the young characters find themselves in. This series is likely to be more popular with girls than boys as the plot often focuses on the dynamics of sisters, and female friends. As this is published by a Christian publishing company, the book does make reference to God, Jesus, and praying several times throughout the book. Overall, a sweet tale with a mystery and great message of helping others.

Though this is considered a middle-grade book, younger readers might enjoy it as well. Strong independent readers should have no trouble reading this book on their own.

Thank  you to Zonderkidz and Book Look Bloggers for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Back to School Books!

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I can’t believe school is starting already! It doesn’t affect me directly, but it’s fun seeing all the kids getting ready for their first day of school.

I did do a back to school theme this week for my newspaper column and I have some great book reviews to share with you all. Trying to keep with the theme, I do have a back to school specific book, but overall, all books are great reads for the back to school crowd 🙂

Do you have any young readers headed off to their first day of school?

What books did they read in their classroom on their first day of school?

time for earth school dewey dew

Time for (Earth) School Dewey Dew (2016, Boyds Mills Press, Picture Book)

Dewey Dew doesn’t want to go to school. Not on his planet, not on any planet, and certainly not on planet Earth! Earth kids aren’t like Dewey Dew and Earth words are hard to say. Dewey Dew thinks school is hard and scary, but maybe he will learn school can be fun too.

Time for (Earth) School Dewey Dew, written by Leslie Staub and illustrated by Jeff Mack, is a fantastic read for young ones starting school for the first time or just nervous about going back to school. Dewey Dew is an adorable alien facing all the normal first-day-of-school jitters in a new way. He is comically different from Earth kids and worries about fitting in, which young ones will easily relate too. With charming illustrations and fun, simple text, this is a great read for parents to share at home or teachers to share with their students.

5 stars

counting barefoot critters

Counting with Barefoot Critters (2016, Penguin Random House Canada, Picture Book)

Kids can count to twelve as they follow an increasing number of critters on an outdoor adventure. Each activity brings a new member to the group, and so the group moves on to bigger and better things each time. You can count on these critters to make counting fun!

Counting with Barefoot Critters, written and illustrated by Teagan White, teaches the numbers one through twelve to children in a fun and engaging way. Presented with fun critters portrayed in beautiful illustrations, children won’t even realize they are supposed to be learning their numbers. Love the layout of the book, and presentation of each number. More than just a book about counting, this is a lovely story book to be enjoyed by parents and children.

5 stars

girl who drank the moon

The Girl Who Drank the Moon (2016, Algonquin Young Readers, Middle-Grade Fantasy)

When the people of the Protectorate abandon a child each year, they think they are paying tribute to an evil witch in the woods. If they pay the witch with a child, she’ll leave their village alone, but Xan is a good witch. She is kind and gentle, and has no idea why the villagers leave a child in the woods each year, but she rescues each one. She delivers the babies to loving families in another village, feeding the children starlight on the long journey. But when she accidentally feeds a baby girl moonlight, a chain of events is set into motion that Xan could never have foreseen. Loving the child as her own, Xan raises the girl and learns more about the Protectorate and the real witch in the woods than she ever imagined.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon, written by Kelly Barnhill, is a lovely new fantasy for the middle-grade crowd. The story is beautifully told through alternating perspectives as each character’s story weaves into the greater story arc. While the characters lacked some depth, they are all enjoyable and the plot is mysterious and magical. This is an original tale told with a nod to traditional fairy tales as it draws on typical fairy tale features such as witches, dragons, and magic. A fun read for fans of fantasies and fairy tales.

4.5 stars

And since school days might feel like the slowest days ever to some kids, I present to you, the slowest book ever….

slowest book ever cover

The Slowest Book Ever (2016, Boyds Mills Press, Non-Fiction Middle-Grade)

From sloths to snails, this book is SLOW! If you were hoping to read about the cheetahs or falcons, this is not the book for you, but slow things are cool too. From front to back, this book is packed full of fun facts, clever narration and entertaining illustrations. Whether you read it very slowly or very fast, this book is sure to make you slow down and think about new things.

The Slowest Book Ever written by April Pulley Sayre is a refreshing book for middle-grade readers. Filled with interesting and unique facts, and presented in a clever style, readers will not feel like they are learning as they enjoy this book. The author’s writing style is lively and engaging with facts presented in clever and humorous ways. The only complaint about this book is in regards to formatting. The text runs into the binding and is sometimes difficult to read. Overall, a fantastic read for ages 9 and up.

4.5 stars

 

What was your favorite first day of school book? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

Happy First day of school to all!

 

Thank you to Boyds Mills Press, Penguin Random House Canada, Algonquin Young Readers and Net Galley for copies of these books in exchange for my honest reviews.

My Writing Prompt Response

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I must thank a fellow blogger for this post. Trisha, over at trishajennreads posted a Wednesday writing prompt , and I felt particularly inspired. You can click through the link to visit her site or I have pasted the prompt as follows:

Write 250 to 500 words on this prompt:

Very little grows in the desert.

Go ahead–get writing! Write whatever comes into your head and just let the words fly. Don’t worry about editing. Just write. Share your scene or story in the comments of tomorrow’s post.

I have several writings in progress (WIPs) but one in particular I have been working on a lot recently. I’m not sure where the story is going and I don’t have all the details ironed out, but this prompt led me to write a scene.

This has been the method to my madness lately, scene by scene writing. The scenes are not necessarily related and I write them in no particular order. When the characters pop into my head doing something, I write it down. I’m letting the characters lead me and I’m hoping it will all come together in the end. And if not, well it’s still been fun 🙂

And now here is a portion of the scene which was inspired by this prompt. This is unedited and just for fun. It may or may not make it into the final version of my story but for now, my two adventurers are discovering very little grows in the desert…

“Very little grows in the desert.”

“I’m forgetful, not stupid Axel.”

“One can never be too sure,” He purred, pleased with himself. Andarra huffed and set off down the dune, slipping and sliding in the deep sand.

“Where are you going?” Axel called, not wanting to leave his perch aboard their ship.

“There.” She pointed, and in the distance Axel could just make out a glimmer of green against the backdrop of black sand. He sighed.

“It is likely a mirage.” He grumbled. “As I said before…”

“Very little grows in the desert.” She mimicked him, adding a growl at the end. He said nothing but leaped from the bow and padded gracefully down the steep slope.

“We shouldn’t be here. There are tales of this planet. True tales. Terrible tales.” He stepped gingerly next to her, the sand hot against his paws. She didn’t acknowledge his words and scarcely acknowledged his presence. “Do you know where we should be?” He growled at her silence and his burning paws. “If you insist on running away, there were other worlds to pick from. Why this world of all worlds?”

“I have a feeling.”

“Oh, a feeling! Your feelings got us into this mess. Maybe you should follow those feelings and return to the High City.” He hopped along the sand, hissing with each step.

“You have boots.”

“You are changing the subject.” He hissed. She shrugged.

“You should wear your boots.”

“Well, we don’t always do as we should.” He glared at her. She held his gaze but said nothing. “Boots are undignified for one such as myself.”

“Shall I carry you?” She smirked. “Or is that undignified for one such as yourself as well?”

He leaped to her shoulders and kneaded his aching paws into her thick shawl.

“A king is often carried by his servants.” He purred. “Quite dignified indeed.”

Technically we are supposed to share our responses to the prompt tomorrow, but I just loved this prompt for some reason and wanted to share it with all of you in the hopes that you might be inspired to write as well.

I would love to hear what you come up with, or head over to Trisha’s blog and share your response there. It’s always great to comment and build the blogging community!

Happy writing!

Interview with Aaron Becker

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I have returned from my journey to Uganda, and have many stories to share in future posts, but today is all about your “Journey” dear readers 🙂

I hope you enjoyed the Journey Trilogy blog posts while I was away and I would love to hear your thoughts on the books.

This is the final post on the trilogy and I will be sharing a short interview with author/illustrator Aaron Becker, but first I am excited to announce the winner of the two book giveaway.

Congratulations to Amanda Kincaid! You have won the first two books in the Journey Trilogy 🙂 A huge thank you to everyone who read the blog posts and commented!

Author Interview

aaron becker

Aaron Becker is the brilliant mind behind the Journey Trilogy. He is an author and an illustrator, so while the trilogy does not have words, he did create the story which is told through his fantastic illustrations.

Mr. Becker was kind enough to answer a few questions from me about life as an author and illustrator, and his Journey trilogy. I am excited to share this interview with you and I hope you all will find his books at your local bookstore or library.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

It’s mostly an internal search – looking into events and places in my life that have moved me and settled into a feeling that’s worth exploring through art. Whether it’s a walk around town or a trip to a foreign country, I always try and stay open to what might move me.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Like most boys born in the wake of the apollo missions, I wanted to be an astronaut. That soon made way to dreams of being an architect. But with both careers, I realized that the day to day work was something that I didn’t have a passion for. Instead, what interested me were the big ideas behind them, and with illustration, I can travel through space or build buildings whenever I want!

What struggles have you faced on your way to becoming an author and illustrator?

Whenever you’re putting yourself out there with your own creation, you always run the risk of your work falling short of your vision – or – your vision not resonating with the audience you hope to find. I think it is this fear of failure that drives me to do the best I can whenever I’m working – and I have to struggle to keep it in check every day I show up at my drawing table.

What do you hope is the greatest takeaway for children after they read the JOURNEY Trilogy?

My hope is that they can find value in their imagination as a tool worth investing in. All too often, kids learn that the only things of value are those things that they can consume, rather than what they can create. My hope is that children (and adults alike) find something inside of themselves while navigating these wordless adventures.

If you’re not quite ready for this journey to be over, check out these links for more information and activities.

Journey Trilogy Activity Kit

Video Interview with Aaron Becker

 

Thank you to Aaron Becker and Candlewick Press for the opportunity to promote this fantastic trilogy and offer a giveaway to my fantastic readers.

 

Return to a World of Wonder…

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Our journey nears its end, both in the world of imagination, and my journey in Uganda.

In Return, our heroes, and we as readers, are allowed to enter the enchanted realm one last time. In an end most fitting to this incredible journey, Return brings in elements of the first two books, while still creating a new and thrilling adventure.

“…a suspenseful and moving finale…”

I’m a bit sad that this is the final book. These have absolutely been my favorite picture books I’ve received to review.

There are many reasons these books stand out. The artwork for one. But I think the reason they keep pulling me back in, is because they make me feel like a kid again. I feel that same sense of wonder I felt reading Chronicles of Narnia or Harry Potter, or watching my first Disney movie. I want to be part of this world, and I feel like I’m part of this world as soon as I turn the first page.

What books do you remember with a sense of wonder?

Which world have you been most sad to leave when the book was over?

Join the discussion and comment below for a chance to win a copy of Journey and Quest! I will randomly select a winner from those who comment on any (or all) of the review posts for the Journey Trilogy. The winner will be announced when I return from Uganda!

return

Return

Ignored once again by her father, our heroine escapes to the world she’s grown to love. Armed with her magical red marker, and surrounded by friends, she has no plans of returning to the world she left behind. But soon, her reverie is shattered by an old enemy. Wielding a new and powerful object, they threaten everything the young heroes have worked so hard to save. Now it will take a great and powerful force to overcome the enemy and bring our heroes home.

Return, by Aaron Becker, is a powerful ending to a wondrous adventure. Bringing together elements from his first two books, this is a fitting and fantastical grand finale. The author is once again able to convey so much emotion through his storytelling style, where words would distract from the powerful images. Children and adults will be sad to see this trilogy end, but the story will continue to grow in young imaginations. This is one journey you don’t want to miss.

Thank you to Candlewick Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.