Search Results for: peter reynolds

BOOK NEWS: April 10, 2018

BOOK NEWS: April 10, 2018

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the second week of April. Does it feel like Spring where you live? As I am typing this, we are in the midst of a huge line of storms, so it sure feels like spring here.

Here are some of the books releasing this week that are on my radar:

Books for Kids

Library on Wheels: Mary Lemist Titcomb and America’s First Bookmobile – The story of a Maryland librarian who wanted to reach as many of her patrons as possible, even if she had to take the books to them. Sounds like a great biography!
Max Explains Everything: Grocery Store Expert – A kid’s guide to getting through the grocery store. This looks hilarious!
Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths – Two friends discover their differences in this book about a home-body sloth and an adventure-loving sloth. I love sloths, so this looks great to me!
Judy Moody Goes to College (anniversary covers) – The Judy Moody series is 10 years old, and in honor of the anniversary, they are all getting new covers. I adore this new look for a great series. Be sure to check them out!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Charlie & Frog: A Mystery – A boy left with his grandparents discovers a mystery in his new temporary home. A girl who longs to be a detective is eager to help solve this case. I’ll be reviewing this one tomorrow, so I hope you will come back to read about it. This has a terrific hook that I think kids will love.
The Creature of the Pines – Book 1 in the Unicorn Rescue Society series about a group of adventurers trying to save mythical creatures. This sounds like the Menagerie series by Tui T. Sutherland or the Imaginary Veterinary series by Suzanne Selfors or Guardians of the Gryphon’s Claw which I reviewed last year.
Sunny – Book 3 in the Track series by Jason Reynolds about a group of kids who run track who have a lot to prove
You Go First – Two lonely kids connect online through a Scrabble game. I have already requested this from the library. I can’t wait to dive into this one. That cover is absolutely fabulous!
Ace of Shades – This is another one with an amazing cover. First in the new Shadow Games series about a girl tracking her missing mother to a Vegas-like city. I’m eager to dig into this one, too.
Fall of Grace – A girl on the brink of having everything she wants watches everything fall apart when her mom is accused of theft and the FBI is on her doorstep. This sounds like an awesome suspense story!
Rewind – Recommended for fans of The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (I’m a huge fan!), this is the story of a world where “spinners” can travel back in time and help solve crimes, but it costs them their lives when they turn 20. This sounds promising!
Winter Glass – Book 2 in the Spindle Fire series about a pair of half sisters in fairy tale-like circumstances (Sleeping Beauty in book one and Cinderella in book 2). I have the first book tagged at the library for reading as soon as I work through my backlog. The fairy tale twists of this series sound like a perfect fit for me.

Books for Adults

 

Lord of the Pies – Book 2 in the Kensington Palace Chef mystery series about the personal chef of the royal family. I am eager to read book one – both books look amazing. This series is releasing in hardcover instead of mass market paperback, so this is a library read for me.
Tin Men – Three crooked cops work to find out who killed a detective they all knew – and what happened to her unborn child. This sounds much darker than my usual mystery, but I find the premise really grabs my attention.
Everday Holy: Finding a Big God in the Little Moments – A devotional from Melanie Shankle
One List a Day – A Listography journal, with space to record answers to prompts over the course of 3 years. I currently have a journal like this – one sentence or so a day, for 5 years – which I love. It’s great to be able to look back and see what was going on this time last year – or several years ago. The listing format for this means this is already in my Amazon cart.
The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Health Relationships – For those who are interested in the Enneagram personality system, this book looks specifically at the nine types in regard to relationships. The author of this one was co-author on The Road Back to You which I reviewed last year when I first started reading about the Enneagram.  This is in my Amazon cart, too.

BONUS REVIEW: Hamlet and Cheese by Megan McDonald

BONUS REVIEW: Hamlet and Cheese by Megan McDonald

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

For Spring Break, Stink’s friend, Sophie-of-the-Elves is going to Shakespeare camp at the college. They’ll learn about Shakespeare’s plays, practice Shakespearean insults, and even learn sword fighting. Stink can’t resist signing up for that! Even though he’s the only boy at camp, he’s determined to get the full Shakespeare experience.

The other downside to camp is Stink’s nemesis, Riley Rottenberger. She seems determined to have a Romeo-and-Juliet kissing moment with Stink before the end of camp. Thankfully, Judy and Sophie help him make an anti-smooching shield! Hopefully it will be enough against Riley.

Review

This is a fun addition to the Stink Moody series for kids transitioning to chapter books for the first time. When my son was in first and second grade, these were some of his favorite books.

The Shakespeare theme was fun. The book covers some of the basics of plays like Hamlet as well as information about how the theater worked in Shakespeare’s day. This could get kids interested in learning more about Shakespeare and his works.

I didn’t care for the kissing emphasis for this age group, but it worked out all right in the book. If kids are reading this with support, this might be a good way to introduce the idea of consent. I know it may seem like an over-reaction to a simple kids story, but no one should have to worry about someone kissing them when they don’t want to be kissed. I’ve worked at an elementary school; it does come up even with kids that young. In my opinion, it’s important to set a good standard for kids early on. I think our culture is bearing that out right now, too.

This is a fun series for younger elementary readers. Thanks to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for the chance to read an electronic review copy of the latest book in the series. The illustrations were not available on my review copy, but Peter H. Reynolds always does a fantastic job. His illustrations are a big part of the charm of the series.

Rating: ♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: January 30, 2018

BOOK NEWS: January 30, 2018

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the final week of January already! Here are some of the new books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

Apatosaurus Would Not Make a Good Spy (Feb 1) – Artie the Apatosaurus wants to be a secret agent. I am so excited to see this book in person!
The Word Collector – The latest from Peter H. Reynolds, The Word Collector is a celebration of words. I am looking forward to this one, too!
Chill of the Ice Dragon – Book 9 in the Dragon Masters series from Branches
D-Day: Battle on the Beach – Ranger in Time book 7. I describe this series as Magic Tree House with a dog. This is a great series!
Super Rabbit Boy vs Super Rabbit Boss – Book 4 in the Press Start series from Branches
Two’s a Crowd – Book one in the new Pug Pals series. In this book it’s two pugs but one toy. This looks like a sweet sibling story.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

 

A Girl Named Hillary AND A Girl Named Rosa – New biographies from the folks at American Girl.
Bitsy – Book 48 in this long-running animal series
Dark Wyng – Book 2 in the Erth Dragons series. I still haven’t gotten to book one, but it is on my list! I love a good dragon story.
The Journey of Little Charlie – A boy cuts a deal to cover his dead father’s debt, but it forces him to decide what actions his conscience can abide.
The Problim Children – First in a trilogy. Seven strange siblings move into their grandfather’s old mansion where the neighbors are trying to uncover secrets and treasures. The premise of this reminds me a little of the Sisters Eight series. I am eager to try this one out.
Smart Cookie – A girl posts a secret profile of her dad on a dating site, hoping to find him a wife so they can have the sort of family they did before her mom died. Twitter has been talking about this book for a year. This is on the top of my list for the week.
Upside Down Magic: Dragon Overnight – Book 4 in this fun fantasy series for kids. I will be reviewing this one tomorrow.
Marley Dias Gets It Done – Explores how kids can get involved in activism in their own communities
American Heart – In a world where America registers and detains Muslim-Americans, a southern teen who never questioned the way things are finds herself helping a Muslim fugitive trying to escape to Canada. Interesting premise.
Losing Brave – A teen haunted by the disappearance of her twin battles to unlock her memories of what happened. Sounds like a great suspense story.
Purple Hearts – The final book in the Front Lines alternate history series. I have this whole series on my TBR list.
Say You’ll Remember Me – A teen wrongly accused of a crime enters a rehab program which is the governor’s pet project so he can try to get his life back on track. The governor’s daughter longs for the freedom to chart her own course. Together maybe they can both find what they are looking for. This sounds great. Looking forward to reading this one.
S.T.A.G.S. – A weekend retreat at an exclusive school turns deadly. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Winner Take All – Academic rivals want to win at all cost. Is their love real or just another game to win? This is on my TBR for this week.
Wires and Nerve: Gone Rogue – Book 2 in the graphic novel series set in the world of the Lunar Chronicles. I’d love to check this series out.

Books for Adults

Arrow: Fatal Legacies – This original story is set between season 5 and 6 of this great show based on the DC Comics universe. This is the third Arrow novel in the series. Great for fans of the show.
Biscuits and Slashed Browns – Book 4 in the Country Store mystery series, this book focuses on a death at a breakfast-themed cook off. This sounds like a series I would enjoy.
Class Reunions Are Murder – Book 1 in the new Poppy McAllister mystery series centered around a class reunion. I can never pass up a class reunion story! This is on my list.
Curses, Boiled Again – Book 1 in the new Lobster Shack mystery series starring an injured dancer who comes home to help her aunt launch her business. I love checking out a new mystery series.
Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake – First book in the Death by Chocolate Mystery series. That title is promising!
Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue – Book 3 in the Wedding Planner mystery series.
Survival of the Fritters – Book 1 in the Deputy Donut mystery series. This series stars a 911 operator and her retired police chief father-in-law. The premise sounds great!
The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life – An issue on many parents’ hearts and minds. Includes research as well as advice of parents putting ideas into practice with their own kids.
No More Mean Girls: The Secret to Raising Strong, Confident, Compassionate Girls – Psychotherapist offers advice for combating “mean girl” behaviors, which are no longer primarily a high school phenomenon. I hear so many stories from friends with daughters about the social pressures and issues their girls face every day. A timely book.
Set Free to Choose Right: Equipping Today’s Kids to Make Right Moral Choices for Life – A guide for parents in helping kids see that God has standards and that “right” and “wrong” are not arbitrary distinctions.

BOOK NEWS: March 28, 2017

Posted on by Jaymie

There’s a HUGE number of books releasing this week. I see a Spring Break trip to the book store in my future! Here are some of the ones I am looking at:

Books for Kids

   

Dad and the Dinosaur – One of my favorite illustrators, Dan Santat, does the pictures for this book about a boy and his dad, and about being brave like a dinosaur. The illustrations alone would get me to pick this up, but the story sounds outstanding. I’ll be looking for this one for sure.
Happy Dreamer – Another of my favorite illustrators, Peter H. Reynolds, brings us a new book about dreaming and creativity
Percy, Dog of Destiny – This sounds like a cute story about a dog and his friends who spend a day at the park with their favorite toys.
Princess Cora and the Crocodile – An over-scheduled princess needs a day off so her fairy godmother sends her some help. This looks awesome!
We’re All Wonders – This picture book shares the message of Wonder – choose kind!
JoJo and the Big Mess – Fancy Nancy’s little sister gets her own Early Reader!
Ready, Set, Blast-Off – Book 15 in the Galaxy Zach series. Wow! I remember when this series first came out. I loved it! Fun stories about everyday things kids deal with, but set in exciting places like new planets! Awesome series for new readers.
Trophy Night – Little Rhino book 6. I’ve talked about this series before – perfect for new readers ready for early chapter books.
Unicorn Crossing – Book 5 in the hilarious Phoebe and her Unicorn graphic novel/comic series. I pre-ordered this months ago! I can’t wait to get this one. This is the kind of book that will never make it to a TBR pile because I will read it cover to cover as soon as I have it in my hands.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

                                    

Army Brats – Three “army brats” living on a base for the first time deal with a bully and a mystery. With all the amazing books on this list that I know I want, this one is at the top of the list. I have adored the other things I have read by this author – The Angel Tree and Clementine for Christmas – and I can’t wait to read this one!
Braced – A girl’s worsening scoliosis pushes her into a back brace – and into re-evaluating how she thinks about herself. I have a kiddo very dear to me who has walked this road. I’m eager to read this story and see if it lines up with her experiences.
Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire – A girl is determined to become a best-selling author before her baby sister is born and steals her thunder. I am a sucker for any story about a kid and writing; this one sounds like a lot of fun!
Defender of the Realm – A reluctant prince and an ordinary girl join forces to battle monsters and conspiracies to defend Great Britain. Sign me up for this one!
Disney at Last – First there was the Kingdom Keepers series. Then there was The Return. This is the third and final book of The Return series. Disney fans should definitely check this out!
The Gauntlet – Three kids get trapped in a mechanical board game. That plot sells itself!
Jake the Fake Keeps It Real – A kid with no discernible creative talent fakes his way into a gifted and talented program for musicians and artists. This sounds like a hoot!
The Princess and the Page – A princess with a gift for writing uses a magical pen with surprising results. This hits all the right spots for me. This is on my list for sure.
Reformed – Ian is wrongfully sent to bully reform school. He and his friends are going to have to work together if they want to make it back to middle school. This sounds like a fun, prankish story along the lines of The Terrible Two with higher stakes. I’m looking forward to reading this one.
Who Let the Gods Out? – Elliot tries to help Virgo (yeah, the constellation) track down the Olympians to fight Thanatos.  This twist on Greek mythology sounds so fun!
You’re Bacon Me Crazy – Tess and frustrating, arrogant (and cute) Asher have to work together to save her family’s food truck
Just Another Girl – Hope wants what Parker has – mainly the boyfriend of Hope’s dreams. Hope assumes that Parker is perfect and has everything together, so she watches her every move to try to achieve what Parker has. But Parker has a secret and it’s hard to keep a secret when someone is watching so closely. This sounds fascinating.
Just Fly Away – Hotly anticipated YA mystery from actor Andrew McCarthy.

Books for Adults

London Calling – Book 2 in the Mirabelle Bevan Mystery series. Look at that cover! I may have to read this series just to see what’s up with that beautiful cover.
Mother’s Day, Muffins and Murder – Book 10 in the Ellie Avery Mystery series
Plain Missing – Book 4 in this Amish mystery series
Tightening the Threads – Book 5 in the Mainely Needlepoint Mystery series
When the Grits Hit the Fan – Book 3 in the Country Store Mystery series
Star Trek Section 31: Control – Section 31 is the shadow covert ops group of the Star Trek Universe. The Section 31 story line has always been a favorite of mine and I’m looking forward to reading this one, too!
Alive in Him: How Being Embraced by the Love of Christ Changes Everything (March 31) – This look at the book of Ephesians looks terrific! I think I will be adding this to my Bible study list for this year.
The Cubs Way – My grandparents guaranteed that this Wisconsin girl would grow up to be a Cubs fan. And 2016 was a fantastic year to be a Cubs fan. This book looks at the rebuilding that led to the Cubs World Series win in 2016.
Let There Be Science (April 1) – Science and faith! I am SO looking forward to reading this! One of my personal reading challenges for 2017 is to read some books that examine science through the lens of faith and vice versa. I hope this is as amazing as it sounds.

 

Which book releasing this week is going on your TBR list?!

REVIEW: The Water Princess by Susan Verde

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

A clean water story based on the life of model Georgie Badiel. The “water princess” is an African girl who walks miles each day with her mother to get water for her family. The day is consumed with transporting water – dirty water. If only there was a better way….

the-water-princess

Review

First of all, this book is gorgeous. Peter H. Reynolds always does phenomenal work and The Water Princess is no exception. The colors are rich. I love the facial expressions he gives Gie Gie! The story is also so well done. The writing is tight, gently communicating Gie Gie’s frustration and longing. There are end notes  with photos of the quest for water in places like Burkina Faso, Africa. In addition, there are also websites cited where readers can go for information on Georgie Badiel’s foundation and a clean water charity called Ryan’s Well. I checked out both sites, and the work being done is inspiring.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

This would be a great book for families to read and talk about charity and service to help others. The two foundations are a great way for families to turn that conversation into action.

This book could do the same thing in classrooms and schools. The Water Princess could be a rallying cry for children to band together and make a tangible difference for children in another part of the world. Ryan’s Well Foundation started with the dream of a six-year-old boy. How inspiring is that!?

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Top 10 Favorite Illustrators

Posted on by Jaymie

I am crazy about picture books! And the illustrations are a large part of a picture book grabbing my attention. Certain illustration styles immediately catch my eye. And when you are reading with kids who don’t read on their own yet, the pictures are a HUGE part of the child’s engagement with the book. Here are some of my favorite illustrators, and links to some of my favorite books that include their amazing art work!

dan-santat

Dan Santat – Dan Santat has a great illustration style. I can usually pick out a book he has done from across the book store. I like his work so much. If you want to see great examples of his work, check out his award winning book, The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, or his illustration work on the Dav Pilkey Ricky Ricotta series ( Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot ).  The Three Ninja Pigs is an outstanding story by Corey Rosen Schwartz. The illustrations by Dan Santat work perfectly with this awesome story!

 

mo-willems

Mo Willems – The Elephant and Piggie books are a huge hit with the preschool and early reading crowd. The language is simple, the stories are funny and the illustrations are a major component of the humor. He is also well known for the Knuffle Bunny series and the Pigeon books. A few of my (many) favorite books by Mo Willems are Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, Let’s Go for a Drive! (An Elephant and Piggie Book), and I Will Surprise My Friend! (An Elephant and Piggie Book). If you are looking for something for slightly older readers, try The Story of Diva and Flea. Lovely illustrations of Paris in this book.

 

ashley-spires

Ashley Spires – I fell in love with Ashley Spires’ work when my son and I discovered the Binky the Space Cat (A Binky Adventure)  graphic novel series. As cat people, we thoroughly enjoyed the jokes, many of which were in the pictures. The Most Magnificent Thing  is an amazing book about ideas and perseverance. Ashley’s style speaks to me, and I sit up and take notice any time she releases a new book.

 

 

lauren-child

Lauren Child – Lauren Child is the author/illustrator of the Charlie and Lola books. Disney turned these into a cartoon several years back. We watched it all the time. The writing was smart and fun. The illustrations have a paper piecing feel to them that have fun texture. My favorite Charlie and Lola story is We Honestly Can Look After Your Dog (Charlie and Lola). The New Small Person  is a clever story about a boy who gets a younger brother that he refers to as the “new small person.”

 

kadir-nelson

Kadir Nelson – I wish I could show you the illustrations inside this book because they are stunning! I used to show this book to students while letting the accompanying CD of Dr. King’s speech play. The words and pictures were a perfect  compliment to each other. Check out I Have a Dream (Book & CD)

 

 

don-tate

Don Tate – I met Don Tate at a conference a couple years ago. I was so excited to meet him because he wrote about and illustrated stories of African American history I had never heard before. I love Ron’s Big Mission, a book I would read a lot during Black History Month. It is a stirring story of a boy pursuing his right to a library card. I also like The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch and Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton. The covers are lovely and reflect the illustrations within.

 

alex-latimer

Alex Latimer – I discovered Alex Latimer through the American Library Association conference when I saw a cover and it pulled me out of traffic on the exhibit floor into the publisher’s booth. Lion vs Rabbit is my favorite story of his because of the clever rabbit’s solution to bullying. When you read it the second time  (and you will want to read it again), really explore the illustrations! I also loved to read The Boy Who Cried Ninja  and Penguin’s Hidden Talent  to students.

 

troy-cummings

Troy Cummings –  More Bears! cracks me up every time I read it. And Troy Cummings had an interesting job of illustrating such an unusual story. He did a bang up job at it! Wait until you see all the bears! I also love his work in Little Red Gliding Hood. Lovely pictures and lots to look at and enjoy as you read this one!

 

 

peter-h-reynolds

Peter H. Reynolds – I got to meet Peter H. Reynolds at a conference after I discovered his books and it was a highlight of the conference. I love the message of his books The Dot and Ish (Creatrilogy)  about embracing your art, no matter how imperfect you think it might be. My favorite book of his is So Few of Me which I think could be modeled on my life.

 

 

kazu-kibuishi

Kazu Kibuishi – I have loved the Mary Grand Pre’ illustrations in the Harry Potter books since I first read them. The covers are lovely and so iconic at this point. So when Scholastic said they were releasing the books with new covers, I was not interested. But then I saw them. They are gorgeous! (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Book 1)) The illustrator, Kazu Kibuishi, is the author/illustrator for the Amulet graphic novels ( The Stonekeeper (Amulet 1) ). His work is exquisite. If we didn’t already own three sets of the Harry Potter books, I would totally get this new set. I love the pictures!

 

So, who are your favorite illustrators?

 

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: My Favorite Teachers in Children’s Lit

Posted on by Jaymie

 

Today’s post is all about TEACHERS! I love teachers. I loved being a teacher (One year I taught history and science to a split class of 2nd and 3rd graders. I taught a creative writing club to elementary students for 3 or 4 years.  And I was a teacher/librarian at an elementary school for five years. It was my most favorite job ever!). My father was a teacher for over 30 years as was my father-in-law. Many of my friends are teachers. Teachers are rock stars!

There are several literary teachers that I adore and I wanted to post about them today. Here they are:

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds Vashti’s Teacher in The Dot

The woman never gets a name but she is a key component to how Vashti thinks about art. She challenges Vashti to make her mark and own it. And her encouragement gets passed on to another young artist through Vashti.

Teachers are inspiring.

 

Mrs. Granger in Frindle Frindle by Andrew Clements

At the beginning, Mrs. Granger calls Nick out for trying to distract her at the end of the day. Kids probably aren’t sure they like her at the beginning. Adults might cheer that she gets Nick with a pretty awesome consequence. This is not a soft and sweet teacher. She is tough. Her expectations for her students are high. But as the Frindle story unfolds, you start to wonder what those looks in her eyes might really mean. And at the end, you find out she was rooting for Nick all along!

Teachers see things in their students that the students don’t yet see in themselves and then try to call those things out.

Mr Terupt in Because of Mr. Terupt  Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Mr. Terupt is the rookie teacher for a group of fifth graders including the class clown, the genius, the kid who hates school, the mean girl, the new girl, the “fat girl,” and the outsider. These seven students share the story of their school year together with Mr. Terupt – their struggles, their triumphs, the times they grow, the times they fail, and the accident that changes things for all of them.  And this is just the first of three books where we get to watch these particular students grow. But we also get to see the impact Mr. Terupt has on them. He wants more for his students than occupying space in a classroom. He challenges them to creative projects to really cement the learning for his students. Mr. Terupt is inspiring!

Teachers are creative and innovative.

Ms. Bixby in Ms. Bixby’s Last Day Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson

I posted about this book earlier this week here. You don’t get a lot of information about Ms. Bixby right off the bat, but as you read, you discover why she makes such an impact on her students, especially these three boys.

Teachers care about their students lives outside of the school day. 

 

Mr. Howell in Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett (Origami Yoda 4)   The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett by Tom Angleberger

If you aren’t familiar with this fun series, you should really check it out. It starts out as a series about a kids with an origami Yoda puppet that gives advice. But the series becomes so much more  when the emphasis moves to the school’s program to improve standardized test scores. In this particular book, the students (with a plethora of origami Star Trek characters) stage a rebellion against the school’s inane test prep program. I can’t say too much about Mr. Howell’s role, because that would be a big spoiler. I’ll just say this:

Teachers go to bat for their students.

Mrs. Twinkle in Chrysanthemum  Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Chrysanthemum feels special and loved. She especially likes her name. But when she gets to school, the other girls tease her for being named after a flower and for having such a long name. Poor Chrysanthemum starts to wilt at school. But when Mrs. Twinkle arrives and says how much she adores the name, how she is also named after a flower, and that she might even name her baby Chyrsanthemum, the other girls change their tune. And Chrysanthemum can bloom at school once again.

Teachers are clever, and understand group dynamics and how to diffuse difficult situations.

Do you have a favorite teacher from children’s literature?