Top Ten Tuesday: Paris

 This week's topic is destinations. I chose Paris. I have been once a long time ago, but I would love to go back. And I love reading about it.

Read and Enjoyed:

On my TBR list:

Bonus:

Have you read any of these?

Middle Grade Review: Crushing It

 

Mel's the captain of her soccer team - and they are so close to going back to the championship game. Last year, they lost the game. It crushed Mel. She's not sure why the team made her Captain this year, but as the games get more intense, the team starts falling apart. It's up to Mel to get them back on track. But there's a lot going on with her team.

Tory's having a hard time at home. Her mother's remarried and barely has any time for her. Just when Tory thinks she's found an ally in her step-brother, he joins the Army. And she's crushing over a girl she met online. 

Tory's not one to share her feelings and it's clear something is very wrong with her. Her best friend Chloe is frustrated that Tory won't talk to her. 

Mel's having trouble with her best friend Rima. Rima's running for student-body President and she doesn't have time for Mel. She's so focused on the election that she doesn't see that Mel is struggling. Mel also doesn't like some comments Rima's been making about her lately. Is there a reason they are still friends?

Will all the drama off the field, can they come together on the field?

My Thoughts: This debut crushed it! There's so much in this sports book: all the DRAMA (friendship, family, romance, and school), a little romance, poetry, and public speaking. I didn't want this to end. Middle school friendships are hard, and this book captured all of it. I loved the sports parts and the question of what makes a good captain. I love how everything turned out. Looking forward to whatever Erin Becker writes next! 

Cover Thoughts: Fantastic

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have sports book for your school and public library collection.

Review: Gotcha Day

 

This is a book filled with stories about dogs - it's heartwarming and a little sad at some points.

The pictures are lovely and adorable.

This is a perfect book for any dog lover.

They ask the same questions to all the owners, so I thought I would fill them out for our rescue:

Knightley:

Shephard/Black Mouth Cur Mix

2.5 years

Nicknames: Knighley Bitely, Knight Bite, Bobba

Tell us about Gotcha Day:

I had been looking at pictures for a while. He was in a littler of three. It was timed entry - we took a later time because the place was far from our house. When we got there, "Mason" was the only one left of his litter. We met him - he chewed shoelaces and licked my glasses. I knew he was coming home with us. I held him in the car all the way home - which is where the first picture was taken. It's one of my favorite photos of us. 

What are his favorite things to do?

He loves being outside: going for walks, racing around the backyard, or being on the porch. He loves going to doggy day camp. And he loves peanut butter and cheese. 

Does he have any silly quirks?

So many! He will bark at objects that are new in the room. He always wants to be outside, but if he's on the porch alone, he will bark to come back inside. 

What does he mean to you?

Our first dog had died. We had Emma, but the house was too quiet. I lasted a few months before I started looking at other dogs. I found this place on Facebook and looked at several puppies. After a little bit of time, I found the M litter. We made an appointment. And he became ours.

Knightley is a giant goofball. He was a fussy baby - needing lots of attention especially when he was overtired. He filled the hole in our heart. He's adorable, sweet, and smart. He completes our family. It's not quiet anymore! 

Anything else we should know?

Our older dog, Emma, wasn't thrilled about this new addition to the family. It took her about two weeks to warm up to him. Now they race around the backyard, chasing each other. They don't snuggle in the traditional sense, but often lie near each other. 

Review: Mini Architects

 

20 Projects Inspired by Great Architects

Each project has a little bit of history about the building/creation and then step-by-step pictorial instructions on how to re-create the work of art. There are discussion questions and different ideas to try out.

I love how the projects are so different - from mediums to places in the world to time of creation.

The one thing I would have like to see was a mini biography of the architect that inspired the work. I feel like that was missed opportunity.

This book makes a great gift!

* Last year I reviewed another book in this series - Mini Artists - which I also enjoyed.

** Book sent for review

Mini Review: The Third Gilmore Girl

 I've loved Gilmore Girls for years, so when I was excited when I learned about this book:

Confession: I didn't know much about Kelly Bishop except for Gilmore Girls and Dirty Dancing. 

Oh, and Bunheads. 

So it was nice to learn more about her.

And I tore through this book. 

Of course it was a memoir, but I did and take to heart a few life lessons:

It's never to late to learn something

Put your wishes out into the universe

Work hard and play hard 

There wasn't a lot of tea in this book, but it was still a fascinating read. 

Picture Book Wednesday: Making the World a Better Place (2)

Just a few more books about making the world a better place, speaking up, and spreading kindness.

Everyone has a voice and your voice can do many things! This book shares all the things a voice can do and inspires readers to use their voice.

The message in this book is great. Your Voice is Important so Use It! I love how it shares all the things a voice can do - from singing to writing a post card to speaking up about an injustice. 

Kanzi loves library time. But one day she walks into the library and all the books about people who look like her are missing. The books have been banned. She is devastated. Her classmates come up with an idea to host a bale sale to purchase more books.

In theory, this book is lovely. It explains banned books and the unfairness of it all. The children speak up at the school board meeting and everyone wins. It's charming and delightful and inaccurate. 

* What the book does not explain is that it's not a matter of repurchasing the books. The books would still be banned from the school library. It's so close to being a great book. The book doesn't say what the money raised was used for - I'm assuming more diverse books. 

It's a gloomy cloudy day and Mya isn't happy. But her grandfather asks if she could make the day brighter. Her idea (along with her brother and friend) is to create a kindness booth. Together, the three of them help out their neighbors. 

This is a sweet story about helping others, spreading job, and the power of being kind. I love the ending. There is a list at the back of the book for ways to be kind. 

Asking children what they wish for and sharing some potential ideas. Hope can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. 

This is a sweet story about hopes and dreams. The illustrations are super cute. This book will make a great conversation starter - what do you hope for?

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Covers

 This week's topic is all about book covers. I'm choosing book covers with books on them.

Read this year:

Upcoming books:

Do you like books about books too?

Middle Grade Review: Pearl

 

Amy is a Japanese American who lives in Hawaii. When word reaches her parents about her great-grandmother's illness, she's sent to Japan for a visit. And then Japan attacks Pearl Harbor. Amy can't go home. 

She's forced into translating radio transmissions for Japan. She's not sure what to feel; she's torn in two directions. Which should her loyalties lie? She hears rumors that all the Japanese Americans are forced to abandon their homes and live in internment camps. If that's true, why should she be loyal to that kind of government?

The most important question on her mind: Will she ever get home?

My Thoughts: This was a really great graphic novel. I felt so bad for Amy. She was caught between two worlds - two countries and two families. I can't imagine being in her shoes and deciding what to do next. What a horrible choice. This one sits with you for a bit....

I do like how this WWII story is from a different perspective. This is a great jumping off point for readers; I would want to read more about the war after reading this graphic novel.

Cover Thoughts: I like the wave.

Source: ARC sent for review

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your school and public library

For the American Side:

Picture Book Review: Porcupine and Cactus

 

Porcupine thinks he meets a new friend - but cactus isn't too talkative. Porcupine tries all the tricks but Cactus doesn't say anything. He's so disappointed that they are not friends, but he has to come back because he left his hat. Under the hat, there's a surprise. 

My Thoughts: This is a cute story about an unlikely pair who despite the odds become friends. I love the ending.

Event Pictures: Jack-o-lantern Spectacular

Every year, on Halloween, we like to go to the Jack-o-lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo. We make a date out of it with dinner out and then a viewing of the pumpkins.

Here are some photos I took of the night:

I loved this camping scene

This Celtics scene was great! 

Lots of pumpkins in the trees

And lots of face pumpkins

I loved the way they worked the fountain into this one

Scary!

A cute tiger

This was probably my favorite pumpkin - can't you just imagine a Hallmark movie in the backgrounds

Paris is always a good idea

The wonder of Stonehenge 

A different sort of pumpkin

Niagara Falls 

I loved this face

An Owl

More faces

So many pumpkins up high

I love the lights here

Funny Grave

Funny Grave

Finale

Finale

Finale

Have you ever been? What do you normally do on Halloween?