Reviews, Etc.

REVIEW: Slugfest by Gordan Korman

REVIEW: Slugfest by Gordan Korman

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

A group of 8th graders have to take summer school PE in order to move on to high school. Kids call summer PE “Slugfest.” The “slugs” this year are:

  • Yash – He thought playing on the high school’s JV teams in 8th grade would meet his PE requirement, but it didn’t.
  • Cleo – She missed three months of school for medical reasons and has to make up ALL of her classes in the summer in order to move to high school – including PE.
  • Arabella – She hasn’t been to a gym class since elementary school out of protest.
  • Kaden – He also skipped gym all year, but for different reasons.
  • Fiona – She refuses to put her face in the water even though she CAN swim, so she “failed” the swim unit and has to retake PE.
  • Stuart and Sarah – Twins who seem to be trying to kill each other every day, not just in PE.
  • Jesse – The prank king is in summer PE as punishment.

And their “coach” is Mrs. Finnerty, a former 2nd grade teacher who is old enough to have had Fi’s DAD as a student!

As Yash watches his summer slip away while he tries to make the best of a bad situation that wasn’t his fault, he keeps his eye on the prize of being QB of the high school team when PE is over. But that goal starts to slip away too – and he begins to wonder if any of his sacrifice and “good attitude” has even been worth it.

Review

If you are EVER looking for a great middle grade book, I think you can blindly pick up any book from Gordon Korman and feel confident with your choice. He writes kids – and teachers – you will love. Some of my favorites of his books are:

And now, Slugfest. This was great! I loved watching the Slugs come together over the course of the story. While they were different and quirky, none were off-putting to the point of making the book hard to enjoy (which has happened to me with other books – but NOT this one!).  And when the group starts clicking and becoming a team, it’s even more enjoyable. Yash is an especially likeable character. While he’s really been unfairly treated and is at the mercy of the adults he trusted who have made things worse, he never becomes “that kid.” He’s frustrated and disappointed and angry. But he also works through that with maturity.

This would make a fantastic classroom read aloud or book group selection where kids can talk about teams, friendship, handling disappointment, etc.. There’s a ton here to love. Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan

REVIEW: The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Dorothy Gibson was the sort of politician everyone knows – no matter where they’re from – even before she ran for president. But after the election, when her run as an Independent split the ticket and the country ended up with “THAT guy,” she’s infamous. Which means it’s the perfect time for her to write her memoir. Thus, the ghostwriter.

The ghostwriter begins work at Dorothy’s home where they are when they hear Dorothy’s neighbor has died. As Dorothy and the ghostwriter had met the woman the day before her death, they go to pay their respects. And they find a curious collection of people as well as a death with more questions than answers.

Review

This was wild! The ghostwriter’s voice in this is spectacular! It’s the first thing I noticed when I started the book. And it continued to shine – and make me laugh – all the way through to the end.

The core cast around Dorothy and the writer was fascinating. I’m curious if they will stay on in the series or if the ghostwriter will move on to another sleuthing partner in the next book.

The mystery itself was twisty from start to finish. I didn’t predict or expect any of the final reveals. The mystery wrap up was stunning. I wanted something different from the book’s overall ending, but that’s just a matter of preference. This is an excellent mystery in the vein of Christie. Fans of the genre should not miss this one! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

BOOK NEWS: March 12, 2024

BOOK NEWS: March 12, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Bird Brain – A girl who always wanted a pet ends up petsitting her uncle’s parrot and finds out the bird is more special than she ever would have guessed.
Get Your Hopes Up: 90 Devotions and True Stories for Young World Changers (Nonfiction) – A devotional for middle grade readers.
Not Your Average Jo – A girl is sidelined at her performing arts school for being “too Asian” and her replacement in her band takes credit for her original song. Another student who is working on a documentary about the band leaks the truth. This sounds fantastic!

Books for Adults

Happily Never After (Trade Paperback) – Two individuals start working as “objectors” at weddings when one party needs to break off the relationship but is not in a position to do so themselves. This sounds amazing!
Have You Heard from God Lately? (ebook, March 15) – Devotional focused on messages from the Bible – from God to the reader.
How to Walk Into a Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away (Hardcover Nonfiction) – How can you know when it’s time to leave a “room” (situation) you are in? I could have used a book like this many years ago. I’m curious to read what the author recommends.
Really Very Crunchy: A Beginner’s Guide to Removing Toxins from Your Life Without Adding Them to Your Personality (Trade Paperback Nonfiction) – A starter guide to building a “crunchier” life.

REVIEW: Wombats! Go Camping by Maddie Frost

REVIEW: Wombats! Go Camping by Maddie Frost

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Albert and Pickles have planned a camping trip. But while Albert has planned a light load to walk to the campsite, and a night in a tent under the stars, Pickles has been imagining a resort with all of his favorite things.

The friends’ miss-matched expectations, however, are nothing compared to what happens when Pickles makes a new friend along the way and they take a side trip to find a “monster.”

Review

This chapter book/early reader graphic novel is a hoot and a half! Hand this to young readers – 7 to 10 – who love friendship stories, camping, and silly tales. I got such a kick out of these friends, and the illustrations here are fantastic.

The beginning of the story would lead to an awesome conversation with kids about expectations. But that’s only the first quarter of the book. The rest is a fun, silly adventure, and I think kids will love it!

This is the first book in a series, and I’ll be posting a review of book 2 soon. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: Wisdom for Faithful Reading by John Walton

REVIEW: Wisdom for Faithful Reading by John Walton

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

Walton, Old Testament professor at Wheaton College, presents his overall approach to Old Testament (and in some ways Biblical) interpretation here. Readers of his Lost World books like The Lost Word of the Prophets, will be familiar with the general concepts. While the Lost World books apply these principles in a deep dive with a specific section of scripture, this book presents the overall approach. Many examples are given from Walton and other scholars.

I set an intention for 2024 to read one nonfiction book per month, and this was my January book. And then it became my February book as well. While I was tempted to blitz through to the end in order to check it off the list as “done” and meet that goal, I LOVED digging into this content, and I didn’t want to fly through it just to say I finished. I wanted to read and consider each section. I often read a few “chapters” at a time – or just one longer one – and made notes and dog-earred pages and then set it down for awhile so I could absorb it in polite-sized bits.

This rocked my world. It went into excellent, readable details of things I have encountered in other places about the care necessary when approaching Biblical texts with a 21st century mindset. The writing is conversational and easy to understand. I was challenged by what I read and saw familiar passages in new ways. While I could see using this with Biblical scholars, it doesn’t feel “academic.” (Although if your general approach to scripture is a verse or two at a time through a devotional, this will feel academic.) I think readers will need to approach this like any other scholarly work. Take your time with it; read carefully and closely. It may completely change your approach to reading and studying – and understanding – the Bible. I highly recommend it!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

BOOK NEWS: March 5, 2024

BOOK NEWS: March 5, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy March! Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Kids

The Imposter – A little girl’s lost stuffy goes missing and then is found – but something about Mr. Snuggles seems…. off.
Just Try It! – A dad tries to convince his daughter to try some new foods.
No Cats in the Library – A book loving cat tries to find a way into the library. I have already pre-ordered this one. It looks perfect!
Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park (Nonfiction) – A picture book biography of the woman who fought for the creation of a national park preserve the desert.
The Fastest Drummer: Clap Your Hands for Viola Smith (Nonfiction) – A picture book biography of a “pioneering female drummer.”
Duck and Moose: Duck Moves In! AND Moose Blasts Off! – An early reader graphic novel series starring unlikely friends.
The Critter Club: Liz’s Perfect Painting – Book 27 in this early chapter book series. Liz tries to paint the perfect picture while petsitting.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Absolute Zeros: Camp Launchpad (Graphic Novel) – First in a new series. Three kids work together to save their space camp from a wealthy rival.
Coyote Lost and Found – A sequel to The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. Coyote is feeling ready to spread her mother’s ashes, but she sold the book where her mother said where she wanted them spread. So Coyote has to track down the book by going back to the places they visited on their first trip – without letting her dad know she lost  the book.
The First State of Being – A boy in 1999, prepping for the looming Y2K crisis encounters a time traveler with a book telling what will happen in the next 20 years, and he’s desperate to get his hands on that book.
Free Period – Two pranksters are forced to join a community action club as punishment, but they discover a cause they actually care about – menstrual products for the kids in their school who need them. I have this one on hold at the library!
Table Titans Club (Graphic Novel) – A new kid at school finds a home in the tabletop gaming club, and then must fight for it and her new friends when the club’s future is put in jeopardy. I have this on hold as well.
The Enigma Girls (Nonfiction) – Middle grade nonfiction from the fabulous Candace Fleming about a secret WWII program using young women to help the war effort.
The No-Girlfriend Rules (LGBTQ+) – In an effort to solidify herself as a “good girlfriend,” Hollis joins a girls tabletop group to learn her boyfriend’s favorite game. (She can’t join his campaign because of the “no girlfriends” rule.) This is on hold at the library, too!
Promchanted – Two quarrelling teens push through a secret door at Disneyland before the prom and find themselves in the middle of Sleeping Beauty’s story – for real. Sounds amazing!
An Unlikely Proposition – Book 2 in the Unexpected Seasons series. Two young women looking to make their own way despite society’s expectations find love in “inappropriate” places. Is there any way for both of them to have the love they want?

 

Books for Adults

Baby X (Hardcover) – In a future world where clones can be made from stolen DNA, a bio-security guard and her client encounter a woman who says she is carrying the client’s baby. This sounds fascinating!
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice (Hardcover) – Book 4 in the terrific Finlay Donovan series. Finlay and Vero plan a girls trip to cover their latest investigation when Finlay’s ex and her mother decide to tag along. I love this series and can’t wait to pick up the latest book!
Kilt Trip (Trade Paperback) – Rivals at a Scotland travel agency find common ground when he creates a private tour for her to places that hold special meaning. I am so grateful to have a fantastic local library – this one is on hold too.
Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man (Trade Paperback) – A woman hopes to break an unwanted betrothal by proving her fiancé is a killer – and she wants his brother to help her do just that. But he has his own secrets to protect. This sounds amazing!
Listen for the Lie (Hardcover) – A woman once suspected of her best friend’s murder must open old wounds when a true crime podcast decides to dig into the unsolved case and find a killer.
Take Two Birdie Maxwell (Trade Paperback) – A Hollywood star in need of a career boost finds a letter from an ex who said he wanted her back. But the letter is unsigned. A reporter looking for a career boost as well, goes along on her quest to find the letter writer so he can tell the story – while keeping his own long-time crush on her a secret.
Three Kinds of Lucky (Hardcover) – Book 1 in the Shadow Age series. A woman with a rare talent for working with dangerous magical byproducts is pulled in to help with a research project when something goes awry and sends her, and the professor she was helping, on the run. Yes, please!
Let’s Read the Gospels (Hardcover) – A guided journal from Annie F. Downs to accompany readers who work through the four gospels in a month.

 

REVIEW: Curlfriends: New in Town by Sharee Miller

REVIEW: Curlfriends: New in Town by Sharee Miller

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Charlie’s glad her dad has retired from the military so they can settle in one community for awhile. But at the same time, everything feels different. Her dad seems to know everyone in his old home town, making Charlie feel even more like an outsider. And after so many years when it was just Charlie and her mom, his daily presence in her life makes things awkward and weird at times.

But Charlie has a plan to make all this change start to feel like home. She’s going to make some new friends! She’s done tons of research, and she’s determined to do all the “cool” things so she can fit in right away.

Review

I can see why this has been getting such positive reviews! This is a lovely friendship story while also being about growing up and about identity (my favorite theme in a book). Some of Charlie’s choices are painful to watch – like her bristling at her dad as she tries to figure out where he fits into the family dynamic she and her mom have had for years. And the lying to her potential new friends because she’s trying not to stand out.

There’s a lot here that a book group could dig into for excellent conversation. I’d love to see a group of kids dig into this. The artwork in the graphic novel is lovely! I hope there will be some more Curlfriend stories in the future. Graphic novel fans are going to love this. Kids who like school stories and friendship stories will find a lot here to enjoy, too.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

REVIEW: The Lost World of the Prophets by John H. Walton

REVIEW: The Lost World of the Prophets by John H. Walton

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and IVP Academic in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

Dr. John H. Walton is a professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College and author of the Lost World series among other books. I discovered this series while reading another book by Walton this year, and I was intrigued enough to request a review copy. I was not disappointed. This book digs into the prophetic literature of the Bible, and Walton applies his philosophy and approach for Biblical interpretation to this portion of the Old Testament.

Walton’s basic premise is that scripture should be viewed through the lens of its original context. Who wrote it? Who was the original audience? What was the author’s intension for writing? (“Writing” being used loosely here as the written Bible we have today was compiled over time from what was originally an oral tradition, etc., etc..) Walton uses a metaphor of a “cultural river” that I found particularly helpful. Our 2024 cultural river of social media and technology, for example, is very different from the cultural river of 1924. That’s easy enough to conceptualize. But it’s even easier to see how the cultural river of Biblical times is different from our own.

The writing in this book is conversational and easy to follow. While I initially read this as an electronic ARC, I definitely would prefer this in print (which is why I pre-ordered a copy a month ago). I am not sure how different the ARC formatting and final e-book formatting might be, but the footnotes alone would push me to a print version, much less my own tactile preferences for writing in and underlining nonfiction. That said, readers of either version will not need a special university or seminary education to follow this material, although I could also see this book working in a classroom setting.

The content includes things like:

  • discussion of how the Covenant between God and Israel makes Old Testament prophecy distinct from prophecy of other people groups of the same time
  • discussion of the role of prophet as God’s spokesperson and not as a predictor of the future
  • differentiation of the oracles initially delivered by the prophet, usually verbally, and the compiled, written scripture we read today

One struggle I personally have with nonfiction in general is perseverance. Without a story to pull me from page to page, I often will set down a nonfiction book part way through and never pick it up again. I can so easily get distracted by other things and lose momentum. Not so here. The writing is engaging and the content is fascinating. I can’t wait to get my print copy in my hands so I can start working through it again, marking up the pages and digging into the rich content. I have been a Walton fan since I watched several of his teaching videos on Zondervan Academic during the pandemic. But haven’t read much of his work until now. I read this while I was also working through his 2023 book,  Wisdom for Faithful Reading (review coming soon). The two together were a perfect pairing.

Walton’s Lost Worlds series is now 7 books long, but this is my first exposure to it. And I loved it! The content made me think in all the best ways, wrestling with new ways of looking at familiar passages and new ways of approaching the Bible in general. I can absolutely see using this in a classroom setting, but I think it could also be interesting as a resource for a small group or Sunday school class. I never felt like I needed to have read the previous Lost World books to understand this one, although I will say Wisdom for Faithful Reading would be an excellent precursor as it lays out Walton’s approach in a more general way. I absolutely think readers will get the most out of this if they have at least an “intermediate” level of scripture knowledge and exposure – I would *not* hand this to a new Christian or someone new to studying the Bible. I think this works best with folks who are familiar with the full arc of the Biblical story. I will definitely be checking out the other Lost World books now!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read!

BOOK NEWS: February 27, 2024

BOOK NEWS: February 27, 2024

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the last release week of February – here are some of the books releasing.

Books for Kids

Sleepy Sheepy and the Sheepover – Sleepy Sheepy is back, and this time he’s going on his first sleepover to his grandparents’ house.
The Wrong Book – The narrator of a book keeps getting things wrong while a bookmark tries to fix things.
Pete the Kitty and the Three Bears – Pete the Kitty visits the Three Bears.
The Case of the Poached Painting (Graphic Novel) – Book 2 in the Pigeon Private Detectives series.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Coyote Lost and Found – Sequel to The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. Coyote feels like she might finally be ready to scatter her mom’s ashes, but she accidentally sold the book that said where her mother wanted her ashes spread. Coyote and her dad hit the road again as she tries to  find the book by tracing their earlier journey. I’m looking forward to this!
Hilo: Rise of the Cat (Graphic Novel) – Book 10 of the fantastic Hilo series! Polly the cat has been sent to a magical boarding school where she finds mysterious things afoot. I adore this series – can’t wait to read this.
The Partition Project – Something new from Saadia Faruqi. When a girl’s Pakistani grandmother comes to live with them in America, she finds out about her grandmother’s experience of the Partition of India and Pakistan. And that story makes an excellent subject for a documentary assignment she has for school. This sounds FASCINATING!
Unicorn Legacy: Tangled Magic – First in a new series set in the world of The Unicorn Quest. A girl at a magical school discovering her magic for the first time tries to figure out why the unicorns are disappearing.
Unstuck – A new book from Barbara Dee. A young writer experiencing writer’s block goes to her sister for help and discovers the struggles her sister is experiencing. I have already pre-ordered this one.
Snowglobe – A book translated from the original Korean. A young woman lives in a frozen wasteland where the least live and work to provide heat to those who live in the Snowglobe. In exchange for their heated home, the residents of the Snowglobe agree to be filmed round the clock. The young woman gets the chance to move into the Snowglobe to replace one of her favorite “stars,” but she finds the life she expected is very different from reality. This sounds AMAZING!
Tender Beasts – A teen charged by her late mother to take care of her youngest brother finds herself having to defend him against charges of murder. This sounds stunning!
Till Human Voices Wake Us – First in a new trilogy. A young woman who could do without other people’s secrets starts digging into some when a friend is found dead.

Books for Adults

A Fate Inked in Blood (Hardcover) – Betrayed by her husband, Freya discovers she has magic when the man sent to kill her can’t. Instead, he becomes her keeper because his father thinks she guarantees him a throne. Spending time together, though, puts them at risk of the chemistry between then derailing everything.
The Other Valley (Hardcover) – A girl living in a town that sits between two identical towns – one that exists 20 years in the past and one that exists 20 years in the future – sees something that reveals the future. What a fascinating set up!
The Partner Plot (Trade Paperback) – High school sweethearts bump into each other in Vegas and wake up married.
Right on Cue (Trade Paperback) – A screenwriter dusts off her acting chops for a role only to find herself playing against the last man on earth she wants to see.
Star Trek Picard: Firewall (Hardcover) – A prequel story covering Seven’s journey into the Fenris Rangers.
Lost World of the Prophets (Trade Paperback) – This new addition to the Lost World series by John H. Walton is AMAZING! I’ll be posting a full review later this week.
Star Trek Picard: The Art and Making of the Series (Hardcover)
Strange Religion: How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous, and Compelling (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Dr. Nijay Gupta. This book looks at the first Christians in their context in the Roman Empire. I’m looking forward to reading this one!

REVIEW: Spider-Man: Quantum Quest by Mike Maihack

REVIEW: Spider-Man: Quantum Quest by Mike Maihack

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Spider-Man and Mark the pigeon, fresh off their last adventure, are given a new quest by the Fantastic Four. Atlantis has gone missing, as has a dolphin talisman that Spider-Man feels is familiar.

When Spider-Man and Mark go to find the talisman, they discover that heroes are going missing. They are getting pulled into the Quantum Realm.

Review

This was an absolute delight! The story is a bit thin – heroes keep disappearing. But it’s funny how they keep blipping out while talking to Spider-Man. I think it will keep kids laughing.

But the roll call of Marvel characters who show up in this book – including She-Hulk, Moon Girl, and Shang-Chi, dazzled me. I couldn’t wait to turn the page to see who showed up next. I’m not sure young readers will get all of the jokes – like She-Hulk’s “missing 4th wall” – but I loved them. There’s a bonus search and find puzzle that I thought was a brilliant way to use the Quantum Realm.

As Mike Maihack is one of my favorite illustrators/artists out there, I of course loved the artwork here. There’s one page where the heroes have “assembled” that is perfection.

This ends on something of a cliffhanger, so I’ll definitely be reading book 3, Cosmic Chaos, which will release in July of 2024. Be sure to check out the whole Mighty Marvel Team-Up series. Hand this to all of the Marvel and graphic novels fans in your life.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.