Tag: friendship

REVIEW: J vs K by Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft

REVIEW: J vs K by Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

J is an amazing young artist who doesn’t like to read.
K is an amazing young writer who couldn’t draw a straight line if his life depended on it.
And they are both entering their school’s annual creative storytelling contest. And that makes them rivals.

J’s confidence wavers when he sees how his friends respond to K’s writing. What if he can’t deliver on a good enough story to compete? J’s friends loved his latest comic, though, which leaves K feeling flustered.

When J tries to subtly get some writing tips from K, K deliberately gives him terrible advice. And J tricks K into using his equally terrible “drawing secrets.” So they both create terrible stories that leave all of the other kids stunned.

Then a game of 2-on-2 basketball shows them what they can accomplish when they team up. What might happen if they tried that for the storytelling contest?

Review

This was fun, and I think kids will enjoy it. The illustrations weren’t 100% complete in my review copy, but what I saw was fun. The tone of the book is sassy, keeping with the rivalry of the two main characters – and the two authors. There are also great moments celebrating art, words, stories, and family. There’s a lot here for readers to enjoy.

There are tons of asides throughout the book from the two authors, Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft. Those could become a distraction for some readers as they break the flow of J and K’s story. Other readers will likely enjoy the banter. I found them distracting, but they did keep the “rivalry” theme up throughout the book.

This would be a great mentor text for readers who love art, writing, and storytelling. And many classroom libraries would be well served by having a couple of copies of this on hand!

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: Hilo: The Great Space Iguana by Judd Winick

REVIEW: Hilo: The Great Space Iguana by Judd Winick

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

DJ, Gina, and Hilo are together again for an adventure involving space dinosaurs, space pirates, and a very important space iguana. And several alien armies who want that important space iguana!

It’s a good thing DJ has been getting in shape and Gina has been doing magic for “years.” (It’s a time travel thing.) And Hilo of course has all sorts of super gifts.

That space iguana seems to know things about DJ and about Hilo that none of them know. Sadly, they aren’t going to get to dig into those mysteries until they resolve the interstellar war.

Review

This is a WACKY story! All of my favorite characters from the series are back, and I loved the space adventure. But this also feels like a transitional story. Not much “progress” is made, and nothing much is revealed. Gina is told she has to pass a test so she can go home for good, but that’s not even resolved by the end. And the next book in the series is going to be a holiday special. While I am ecstatic about getting a fun holiday story, that means we have to wait even longer for the story arc here to move forward.

Series fans will enjoy spending time with their favorite charactes. But readers hoping to see the current arc advance could be a bit disappointed. On the plus side, this story might be random enough to work for newcomers who can enjoy the wacky story and then go back to book 1 and learn more about these characters.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

REVIEW: Story of My Life by Lucy Score

REVIEW: Story of My Life by Lucy Score

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Once upon a time, Hazel Hart was a best-selling romance author. But these days she’s not writing – and sometimes not even showering. It’s been a tough season. At a recent author event with 600 rabid readers, she had less than 20 come by her table. And she’s five days away from losing her home thanks to her recent divorce. The hits just keep coming.

When she comes across a news article from Story Lake, PA in her idea file, everything changes. A story starts flowing in her brain like they used to. And the thought of a fresh start in a small town like the ones she used to write sets her heart pounding. So on impulse she buys a house – the house from the article –  sight unseen, in an online auction.

What Hazel finds in Story Lake – the house, the townspeople, the gorgeous yet grumpy contractor – isn’t at all what she expected. But it could be just what she needs.

Review

Not only is Lucy Score the undisputed queen of rom-coms in my opinion, but she is also the queen of brother trios. I thought the Knockemout guys were amazing, but they have nothing on the Bishop brothers (the whole family, really). I am in love.

This was a home run from the begining. I loved everything – the main characters, the quirky town, the Bishop family, the bantering brothers, the raccoon. All of it. This is the perfect sort of book for me. I’d read things like this every day. My only complaint is discovering this perfection on book 1. I discovered Riley Thorn when there were three books in the series. And I found Knockemout when the whole trio was done. I could blitz through multiple treats in a row with those. With this, I’ll have to settle for re-reads for a year. But the wait will be worth it!

Lucy Score fans and rom-com fans should not miss this! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ – Outstanding!

REVIEW: The Cranky-Verse by Katherine Battersby

REVIEW: The Cranky-Verse by Katherine Battersby

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Cranky Chicken and her pal Speedy are back with a few new adventures:

  • First, the two friends try to figure out why their turtle, Wags, keeps saying, “Beep!”
  • Then, when Speedy gets hurt and becomes Cranky Worm, Cranky Chicken wonders if she has to become Cheerful Chicken.
  • Finally, their little family goes camping! And… fishing!?

Review

This graphic novel reader was a HOOT! I loved the sweet addition of Wags to the group. Each of the stories was a wonderful exploration of aspects of friendship – loving nicknames, seeking understanding/communication, feelings, helping hurting friends, sharing – along with an outdoorsy adventure.

The humor here is subtle but prevalent. I didn’t even know I needed to see Speedy’s version of “fishing.” (Speedy is worm…) This was a delight from start to finish! Hand this to your young readers – or cozy up with your lap readers – for these fantastic friendship tales.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Very Bad at Math by Hope Larson

REVIEW: Very Bad at Math by Hope Larson

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Verity Nelson has it all – she’s running for her third term as class president, she has the highest grade in both English and Social Studies, she’s undefeated in debate club, first chair clarinet, AND is determined to follow in the footsteps of her idol, Representative Hazel Shaw. The only place she’s NOT top of the heap?

Math.

Very and her VP, Bree, have worked all year to deliver on Very’s campaign promise of a class trip to Danger Hollow. In fact, they’ve been so busy, Bree had to give up her successful – and tasty – Pizza Wizards business. But Very is in danger of losing her spot on Student Council if she doesn’t pull up her grade in math. She gets assigned to a math help group.

But Very’s extra hours devoted to math aren’t making a difference. She’s still failing, and her role as class president is slipping through her fingers. And she takes her feelings out on her closest friends.

Review

This was fantastic! I loved Verity. The author does a great job showing how skilled and gifted she is at many things while also struggling at not only math but she also struggles with inscecurity and shame.

Very’s teacher, parent, and friends surround her with love and support – and also call her out when they need to. The ups and downs of Very’s story are super normal and realistic for middle schoolers. But Very is still held responsible for her choices.

I loved this from the start, but I was over the moon when Very’s idol shows up in a “grass roots,” person-of-the-people way. It left me with a warm feeling of hope and possibility. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Unicorn Book Club by Dana Simpson

REVIEW: Unicorn Book Club by Dana Simpson

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

In the latest Phoebe and Her Unicorn book (#21), Marigold tries to join her sister Florence’s book club, Dakota becomes friends with Lord Splendid Humility, and Phoebe has to find Marigold when she goes missing.

This is a fun collection of stories starring Phoebe and her unicorn friend, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils. There’s plenty of unicorn shenanigans and snark but also heart and friendship. I especially enjoyed the book club pieces, but there’s lots here to enjoy.

Series fans should check this collection out. Newcomers may not catch on to all of the humor as a good amount is based on history and relationships. I have loved Phoebe and Marigold from the beginning and would encourage newcomers to just start from book one and work your way here. This is a fun series!

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

REVIEW: The Wondrous World of Violet Barnaby by Jenny Lundquist

REVIEW: The Wondrous World of Violet Barnaby by Jenny Lundquist

Posted on by Jaymie

[I recently discovered some unpublished reviews I wrote several years ago. I’m posting these now as they were originally written.]

Summary

The Charm Girls (from The Charming Life of Izzy Malone) are back, finishing up their month of grounding. (Things in the last book got a bit out of hand!) Aunt Mildred has challenges for the girls to undertake as their club continues.

Violet’s life has taken a humongous turn in that month. Her dad has remarried which means they are moving in with her new step-mom and her kids. Violet’s mom has been gone for a year and a half, and now everything is changing again.

Violet’s trying. She really is. Her mom always said if you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all. So rather than spew her frustration over all she’s had to give up, she keeps it all inside. She’s not even sure she can tell the Charm Girls how she really feels. They complain about their moms, but at least they still have them.

When Violet finds a final letter from her mom, with a Christmas To Do list, she decides to try to make this Christmas a little better by focusing on her mom’s list. But with everything going on at the new house, the Christmas To Do list might not be enough.

Review

This was a delight. I loved spending time with the Charm Girls again. And I adored Violet’s story. Violet is my kind of kid – an only child, a word nerd, and I could identify with her grief. Her struggles with her loss and the huge changes to her family were completely realistic. Violet tries to manage these major life changes on her own. That’s hard to do for an adult, much less for a middle schooler. I love the coping mechanisms she learns – writing letters, and sharing the burdens with friends and family.

I hope there will be more Charm Girl books in the future. The entire community is a delight. And I’d like more stories so I can see how Violet and her new family are doing as they continue to negotiate their new life together. I can’t recommend this series highly enough. Both books are an absolute treat!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: The Not-So-Boring Letters of Private Nobody by Matthew Landis

REVIEW: The Not-So-Boring Letters of Private Nobody by Matthew Landis

Posted on by Jaymie

[I recently discovered some unpublished reviews I wrote several years ago. I’m posting these now as they were originally written.]

Summary

Oliver is a major history nerd – and proud of it. He loves all things Civil War.  He reads Civil War books and even does battle reenactments. His room is decorated with flags and other memorabilia he has found online. When his history teacher announces a Civil War project, Oliver is thrilled.

He’s less thrilled about the details of the project. First, he has to have a partner. And his teacher puts Oliver with Ella, an unkempt girl who seems to be failing all of her classes. Second, they have to research Private Raymond Stone – a guy no one’s heard of. It’s bad enough to Ollie that he has to work with a partner he doesn’t want. But he doesn’t even get to focus on one of the generals or battles he already loves.

Everything about this project is going to challenge Oliver – challenge his concept of friendship, his understanding of history and the Civil War, and his understanding of himself.

Review

Outstanding! I absolutely adored this book! It’s smart and informative and SO funny! The premise is excellent. There are some great history lessons worked in around an engaging story with great characters. The three kids at the center of the story are fantastic. Ella is maybe the most complex, but Ollie and Kevin have some fun depth and interesting stories. Mr. Carrow, the history teacher, is a hoot! He’s my favorite kind of teacher – he knows his material, he’s committed to keeping his students engaged with creative lessons, and he’s funny. The English teacher plays an excellent role in the story, too.

Family is another fascinating theme in this book. Ella’s family is the obvious one that first comes to mind – distracted parents, perfect older sibling, and Ella feels invisible. Ollie’s family, by contrast, is committed to helping Ollie and his sister pursue their own interests. And there are hints at other interesting families throughout the book.

The Civil War sections of the story are fascinating. The author is a history teacher, and he does a great job of making the information accessible and interesting to readers.

This book is the full package – terrific story, characters you care about, and lots of laughs and heart!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Bear in a Bathrobe by Maddie Frost

REVIEW: Bear in a Bathrobe by Maddie Frost

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When Bear’s friends invite him out to go ice skating, he always has an excuse. Bear is not a big fan of the outdoors – especially because he gets to wear his cozy bathrobe when he stays inside!

But Bear’s friends have special things that help them when they feel scared – a special scarf or a lucky hat. Maybe if Bear had a cozy special something he could feel brave enough to join his friends!

Review

This is super cute!! I fell in love with Maddie Frost’s illustrations when I read her Wombats series earlier this year. So I had to check out this picture book  – and it is gorgeous! I love her art style and the cute touches in her spreads. The liner papers in this are rows of coffee/cocoa mugs, and they are darling.

The story here is both funny and inspiring. It’s a friendship story while also being a story about being scared and trying something new anyway. And Bear’s ice skating adventure isn’t perfect. But he’s okay and able to roll with the ups and downs.

This would be a lot of fun to read aloud. And I think kids will want to get up close so they can pour over the artwork in this one. Don’t miss this darling winter story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ – Great! Might re-read

 

REVIEW: The Sherlock Society by James Ponti

REVIEW: The Sherlock Society by James Ponti

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Alex and Zoe Sherlock have decided to live up to their last name. Instead of babysitting or mowing lawns for money, they start a detective agency. With their friends, Lina and Yadi, and their grandfather serving as Director of Transportation and Logistics, they are ready to take on their first case.

After a couple of false starts, the Sherlock Society stumbles onto an environmental case. The kids use the reporting skills they learn from Alex and Zoe’s grandfather to start looking for a suspect. They also use Yadi’s film experience and drone skills to look for clues. Zoe’s understanding of people comes in handy, as does Alex’s understanding of the law and Lina’s grasp of the big picture, when their case literally explodes out of control.

Review

This is so fun! There’s great balance between the kid pieces – friendships, family conflict, learning to investigate – with  the case pieces. There’s tons for readers to learn – about investigating, about Al Capone, about Florida, about videography – and it’s all modeled by the characters in the book. It’s “showing, not telling” at it’s best.

The kids and the family feel authentic – conflict, confrontation, support, teasing, and teaching, all on a foundation of love. And the case is grounded in some details real middle schoolers would or could do. This is a terrific series kick off from a tried and true middle grade mystery author, James Ponti. His fans should not miss this one. Mystery lovers, kids who care about the environment, and readers who like ensemble stories should pick this one up, too!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.