Picture Book Review: Spooky Scouts

 

Luna LOVES being a Spooky Scout - especially the camping trip. But this camping trip, there's a full moon. Something happens to Luna during a full moon - something secret. Could this secret ruin the trip?

This was a funny book where Luna desperately tries to keep her secret. I love how Luna loves s'mores. The secret is a clever twist, and it contains a great message that being yourself is very brave. While this book is NOT a Halloween book per se, it's perfect for the Halloween season.

* Book sent for review

** This book publishes on Tuesday

Review: Roommate Agreement

 

Blair's excited about her summer experience with coding at college. She's going to be living with her two best friends and it's going to be amazing. Until she discovers last minute that they don't want to live with her. They don't want to be friends anymore.

Blair's devastated. This was supposed to be the perfect summer; they had it all planned out. She searching for any last minute housing, thrilled to discover an apartment that still needs a roommate. She's less than thrilled to discover that her brother's best friend is living there. 

She begs Jamie not to tell her brother as he will tell her parents and ruin everything. Jamie is not happy keeping a secret, but he reluctantly does, after blackmailing Blair. 

Blair struggles with her intensive class. The only bright spot in her life is her art class. But even that is stressing her out. Can she survive the summer?

My Thoughts: I really felt for Blair. She went through it this summer. But I loved her new relationships with her roommates. I love how she stood up for herself. Blair's fat and she owns it. Her family is terrible - her mother sides with the no nonsense step-father. Her computer class has a terrible teacher and terrible classmates. I hate how the class is set up for failure; that's no way to teach. All this drama made me cry at the end. But the book does have some bright spots. I love Blair's relationship with Jamie. Don't sleep on this one

Cover: Not my favorite 

Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your public library teen collection

Review: By Invitation Only

 

Piper Woo Collins is not a debutante. Her single father works as an EMT. She's worked really hard to earn scholarships to college; she's something of a science whiz. After receiving a prestigious prize, Teen Vogue shares her profile. 

When an exclusive ball needs to find a replacement ASAP after one of the debutantes becomes a scandal, they pick Piper. Because Piper is not from the wealthy world, they place her with a roommate.

Chapin is not thrilled to play babysitter to a girl who doesn't understand anything - especially the importance of this week. Because she wants to win Debutante of the Year, she agrees to show Piper the ropes. But she makes it clear to Piper they are not friends.

The competition for Debutante of the Year is fierce. Piper becomes involved in one or two small mishaps. But anymore could ruin her future. And someone is looking for more...

My Thoughts: The tagline for this was Emily in Paris meets Princess Diaries - and I'm a sucker for anything Princess Diaries related. It was a good comparison; there was a lot of fashion and Piper was definitely a fish out of water in high society. I loved Piper's relationship with her Dad. I loved her best friend: Seb. I felt terrible for Chapin and her relationship with her mother.  This did make me want to go explore Paris for a few days! The shopping scene was charming. There was romance, intrigue, double crossings, and lots of secrets.  I did not see the end coming. This wasn't a book I wanted to put down, so make sure when you start it, you have time set aside to read! 

Cover Thoughts: Very Gossip Girl

Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: 

Review: Heart Check

 

Harper hates the hockey team; they're just a bunch of cocky sports guys. They get all the funding, and the rest of the school gets close to nothing. When the hockey coach gets fired, rumors fly that Harper's responsible. Now her jewelry making business is in jeopardy. 

Dawson knows he's a hockey superstar. But that won't mean anything if he can't get a scholarship to play hockey. He doesn't want to end up like his father, reliving his glory days while stuck in town. The loss of his coach and all his contacts is stressing out Dawson. The new coach isn't interesting in making him feel special. He's giving other guys on the team a chance. Dawson doesn't like his odds.

Harper and Dawson get thrown together. They start talking and realize that first impressions aren't always right. As they catch feelings for each other, they have to learn to trust each other. Or their new relationship just might be over before it started.

My Thoughts: I loved this book. It totally made me cry. I loved the slow burn between Dawson and Harper as they fought against their feelings. I loved Harper's jewelry business and I want to see pictures of the jewelry described. I loved Dawson's sister. I loved Sabrina. The hockey moments were great. I loved watching the team come together. This debut novel impressed the heck out of me and I can't wait read what Emily Charlotte writes next. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Why I Read This Book: I love sports romances

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your school and public library collections.

Picture Book Review: Best Buds

Spencer is new to town and his mom is worried about him making friends. But right away, he makes friends with a plant. He learns about plants and finds new friends everywhere. Does he really need human friends?

This is a cute story about friendship and being yourself. All the plants have different traits and personalities. Spencer knows what he likes...and what he doesn't. The pictures are lovely. The ending is very sweet. 

Picture Book Review: Are We There Yet?

 

Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson made a bet about driving crossing country. He thought it would be possible to do in under three months. He took the wager and took the next four days to plan the drive. He didn't drive, so he hired a driver - Sewall Crocker. They found a dog on the road. The trip was far from easy; they lost items, parts broke, and they had to wait for parts. Jackson wasn't sure they were going to make it.

This was such a fun book, written in a diary format. I loved the story - reading about the hardships they faced but how the team decided they weren't going to give up. Also love that Jackson was from Vermont. I love the map at the back of the story. 

Middle Grade Review: Out of Range

 

Abby, Emma, and Ollie have not been getting along lately. Their parents have had enough. They girls have been sent to camp this summer. But it's not your usual kind of camp. Instead, they go hiking for hours and are supposed to be learning discipline. 

But the prank war between the sisters hasn't eased up. If anything, it's gotten worse. 

On the last day of camp, when they are supposed to be packing up and heading back to civilization, the counselor has had enough. The three sisters and the counselor leave for a punishing hike. But the sisters and the counselor get separated. The three girls find themselves alone; they're going to need each other in order to survive. But can they put their differences aside? 

My Thoughts: I really love survival stories. This middle grade read was fantastic. Lots of action and danger from the survival portion but also lots of drama from the fights between sisters. All three sisters have reasons to be annoyed at the others, but those reasons are slowly built into the story. Each of the sisters has a perspective in the story and the timeline weaves back and forth between present day and the past. This was a great read.

Cover Thoughts: Perfect - I like how it leans into the danger

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Perfect for summer reading's theme. Highly recommended for your school and public library. 

Picture Book Review: Snow Horses

Tim and Tom are always excited on New Year's Eve as they pull their sleigh around town giving everyone a wonderful experience. First the kids take a sleigh ride, then the adults get their turn. 

I love how everyone in town comes together to celebrate - the young and the old and the old and the new. This is a wonderful story for New Year's Eve -and it makes me wish I was in that town for the night. So much fun and joy spread amongst everyone. 

* Book sent for review

Review: Those Summer Nights

 

While it's no longer summer, I had to read this one!

Hannah had a rough year. Her parents shipped her off to boarding school after behavioral issues. Now she's back for the summer. She's allowed to return to high school this fall if she meets certain conditions.  She needs to find a summer job - luckily her younger brother has her covered. 

She gets a job at an entertainment complex where she meets a cute boy and hides from her former BFF. It seems she might get off easy until the employee Olympics are announced.

And then her worlds collide. Hannah had hoped to make the Olympic soccer team until an accident ended her dream. In addition, the death of her beloved grandmother was too much for her to bear. She floundered, drowning in grief and not knowing who she was without soccer. 

Now, she's trying to pick up the pieces of her life. She doesn't need this reminder, but according to the rules from her parents, she can't quit her job. 

My Thoughts: I loved this one - for many reasons. I liked how we learned about Hannah's behavior over time. I liked her parents' rules and how she went about accomplishing them. I loved the entertainment complex. It sounds like a great place to work with fun co-workers. The Olympics were a great addition. I loved Hannah's brother and his best friend Ethan. I liked the bowling moments. I loved the older ladies in the bowling alley. They made me laugh. There's so much packed into this book - lots of layers and lots of feelings. 

Cover Thoughts: Fun

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your romance collection.

Graphic Novel Review: Party Animals

Cranky Chicken's birthday is here. Speedy the Worm wants to throw him a surprise party - but Cranky Chicken isn't sure if he likes surprises.... or parties. But Speedy the Worm has an idea on how to make it better.

My Thoughts: So, I loved the first book - couldn't wait for the second one. And it did not disappoint. Loved it. So much friendship and kindness, funny moments, and trying new things with a twist. I hope there are several more stories in the works!

Also this is just a funny page - but of course my favorite is the Pride and Prejudice one! 

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your graphic novel collections. 

Also I hand this one out a lot to people looking at the graphic novels. And they also enjoy it! 

Interview with Katherine Battersby

 Today, I'm excited to be chatting with Katherine Battersby, the author and illustrator of Cranky Chicken!

About Katherine:

Katherine is a fan girl of comics, ice cream, tea and travel. In her spare time she is the president of the Cranky Club and can be found grumbling about bananas, loud music and exclamation marks. She is also the critically acclaimed author and illustrator of eleven picture books and one chapter book, including Cranky Chicken, Trouble and the popular Squish Rabbit series, which have been published around the world. Her books have been reviewed in The New York Times, have received starred Kirkus reviews and have been shortlisted for numerous awards. She is regularly booked to speak in schools, libraries and at festivals and she is a passionate advocate for literacy and the arts.

About the Cranky Chicken:

Cranky Chicken is, well, cranky. With one cranky eyebrow, cranky eyes, and even cranky, scratchy feet. But then one day, Cranky meets a very friendly worm named Speedy who wants nothing more than to be friends. Young readers will love seeing the mismatched friendship grow over the course of three charming and laugh-out-loud short adventures as Chicken and Speedy become BFFs (Best Feathered Friends) and Speedy shows Chicken how to look on the bright side. 

My Thoughts:

I loved Cranky Chicken. Because...he's cranky. But he's also trying. Sort of. He meets a new friend who doesn't give up on him. This book is all about friendship, emotions, and being yourself.  I loved the bookish humor. It's funny and sweet and so much fun. I would love more from this BFF duo!

The interview:

I really enjoyed getting to know more about Cranky Chicken and Katherine. Hope you do too!

What was your inspiration for CRANKY CHICKEN?

 

So … I’m actually scared of chickens. Embarrassing, maybe, but I know something others don’t - ALL chickens are cranky chickens. I was chased by a lot of chickens in my youth. But then, one day during one of my author talks I met this tiny girl who was the biggest fan of chickens. She told me, “They’re not scary - they’re hilarious!” I couldn’t stop thinking about her, so I decided to spend some more time drawing chickens. CRANKY CHICKEN is what emerged. It turns out we were both right - chickens are cranky AND hilarious.

The story itself is inspired by the ridiculous antics my best friend and I used to get up to as kids. She was an extrovert who was an only child, so she was always turning up on my doorstep just like Worm – full of excitement and ready to play. I, on the other hand, was an introvert who was part of a big blended family. I never had any time to myself, so I could be a bit of a cranky chicken. Even now, we often laugh at how different and yet similar we are. Chicken and Worm are a lot like that, too.

 

 

What makes you cranky and what makes you happy?

 

Cranky Chicken and I have a lot in common, so we share a lot of our cranks and joys. I seem to have a very sensitive nose and tastebuds, so a lot of things that make me cranky are food related. Bananas and papaya and tinned fish and pickled things all make me cranky. Also road rage, windy days, sand in my shoes, people not waiting their turn, mansplaining, loud music, too bright lights and ill-fitting underwear. I am a very specific person, so apparently I like things just so. But there is so much that brings me joy. Sunshiny days, the sound of my daughter’s voice, everything perfectly lined up on my desk, dog smiles, an organized pantry, a favorite song on the radio, the smell of my childhood home, a perfectly timed joke and getting into my made bed at the end of the day.

 

 

What's your favorite song to sing?

 

I LOVE to sing. Not publicly, not even in Karaoke, but at home (or in the car). Music calls to me in the same way that books do. Which is a way of saying I have a lot of beloved songs - songs that came into my life at the perfect time and intertwined with my heart in some way. But if I’m to name just one I think it would have to be Fake Plastic Trees by Radiohead. I love crooning songs that are nostalgic and emotive and even a little melancholy. My daughter is three and she always requests I sing certain songs. Current favorites on her rotation are Rocket Man by Elton John and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds by the Beatles (only I replace Lucy’s name with hers!). Singing brings me so much joy.

 

 

What scares you?

 

So I’ve already confessed my fear of chickens. But I do have another fear which also inspired another book of mine (I’m starting to sense a theme, here…). I grew up in Australia but moved to Canada about eight years ago and it’s only once I was here that I discovered I’m terrified of bears. Bears are not really something I’d given much thought to, living in Australia. But my Canadian partner loves to hike, so bears were suddenly something I had to seriously consider. That said, we live in the city, so you’d think bears wouldn’t have to be on my radar too much. But as soon as Canadians hear I’m scared bears they love to tell me stories of all the times a bear has wandered into their city. Then one day I woke to the news that a bear had been discovered up a tree just blocks from where I live, in the heart of downtown Ottawa. I started to feel like I could just open my front door and run into a bear. This inspired my picture book, Trouble, where a suburban squirrel is scandalized when a bear moves into the house next door. Writing a picture book about a ridiculous version of your fears is a good way to laugh at yourself.

 

 

What's your favorite friendship activity?

 

What a lovely question! I believe it’s still the exact same thing I used to love to do with friends when I was a kid, which is to read the same book together. My school girlfriends and I used to all get the same novel and then read it page by page together, so we could discuss it as we went. There is nothing quite like being inside the heart of a character and their emotions and getting to talk all about it with your favorite people. I don’t get to do it quite like that anymore, but I love handing a novel or picture book that I’ve loved to a friend so I can discuss it with them.

 Thanks for chatting Katherine!

Review: Curse of the Phoenix

 

Zac and Lu's father is having a hard time parenting them after their mother died. He's spending them to England to spend the summer with relatives they've never met. When he leaves them at the airport, the twins are certain it's going to be the worst summer ever.

But then they discover the stories their mother told them were not just stories. The creatures from those stories are real. And their family must take care of them all - it's their curse.

For the first time ever, Zac can spend time outside - without feeling sick and miserable. Lu vows to watch over him. But the two of them get into more trouble together than apart. Will their trouble cause a rift in the family and change everything?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book - I loved how the twins had to learn about this new world bit by bit - layer by layer. I loved meeting the new creatures - even if they were harmful and a bit scary. I loved how the twins came together after being apart for so long - they were really sweet even when they were annoyed with each other. I felt bad for the family - who didn't want the curse and didn't enjoy being caretakers. I really liked the ending!

Cover Thoughts: Perfection - very eye catching 

Source: ARC sent for Review

Library Recommendation:  A great middle grade fantasy for your school and public libraries. Highly recommended. 

Picture Book Wednesday: Bear Can't Wait

Bear is throwing a party, but time is moving SO Slowly! He's having a hard time waiting.

Tomorrow is my half birthday, so this was a great day to talk about the newest BEAR book. I love this series. And waiting for something special is really hard. I loved how bear's friends came together to celebrate - even though it didn't go as planned. Another great addition to this charming series.

My Thoughts: Highly recommended for your picture book collection

*Book sent for review

Holiday Book Review: Recommended For You

 

For Shoshanna, the bookstore is her happy place. She works at Once Upon and it's her own away from home. With the holidays approaching, things have gotten very busy in the indie book store. When she's asked to show a new employee around, she can't help but be disappointed that he's not a reader. How is he going to recommend books to shoppers?

When her boss announces a  competition between all the staff to see who can generate the most sales, Shoshanna knows she's a shoo-in to win. Her reader's advisory skills are off the charts. But she wasn't expecting Jake, the new guy. to give her a run for her money. 

The bonus that comes with winning the competition will help her fix her run down car and solve her transportation problems.  But the more time she spends with Jake, the more she begins to understand him. Maybe she was too quick to judge him...

My Thoughts: I really liked this book about two Jewish teens working in an indie bookstore over the holidays. I loved the banter between Shoshanna and Jake. And how they took time to warm up to each other but did become friends. Of course I loved the mentions of books and the reader's advisory scenes. I felt bad for Shoshanna as she struggled with doing the right thing (which rarely happened) with her friends and her family. I loved all the moms in this story. A heartwarming read that soothed my bookish soul.

Cover Thoughts: Adorable

Source: My library

Library Recommendation: A fun romance story with books! Highly Recommended for your school and public library collections. 

Blog Tour: Journey of the Pale Bear

About the Book:

The polar bear is a royal bear, a gift from the King of Norway to the King of England. The first time Arthur encounters the bear, he is shoved in her cage as payback for stealing food. Restless and deadly, the bear terrifies him. Yet, strangely, she doesn’t harm him—though she has attacked anyone else who comes near. That makes Arthur valuable to the doctor in charge of getting the bear safely to London. So Arthur, who has run away from home, finds himself taking care of a polar bear on a ship to England.

Tasked with feeding and cleaning up after the bear, Arthur’s fears slowly lessen as he begins to feel a connection to this bear, who like him, has been cut off from her family. But the journey holds many dangers, and Arthur knows his own freedom—perhaps even his life—depends on keeping the bear from harm. When pirates attack and the ship founders, Arthur must make a choice—does he do everything he can to save himself, or does he help the bear to find freedom?

My Thoughts: I really like this book. I felt so terrible for the bear. I loved the friendship between the bear and Arthur. I love how Arthur found his courage, his footing, and his sense of purpose. I like that he created a life for himself because his home life wasn't great. I enjoyed his interactions with the King. As a person of Welsh descent, I enjoyed the mentions of Wales and the use of the Welsh language. A tale that will tug at your heartstrings and make your heart race with the action. 

About the Author:

SUSAN FLETCHER is the acclaimed author of the Dragon Chronicles as well as the award-winning Alphabet of Dreams, Shadow Spinner, Walk Across the Sea, and Falcon in the Glass. Ms. Fletcher lives in Bryan, Texas. To read about the fascinating story behind the inspiration for Journey of the Pale Bear, visit her website, SusanFletcher.com

Praise for Journey of the Pale Bear

★"A stupendous coming-of-age tale stuffed with adventure and laced with deeper questions."

— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Doesn't this book sound good?

You're in luck! One lucky winner will receive a copy of Journey of the Pale Bear, courtesy of Margaret K. McElderry Books (U.S. only please).

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Review: The Essence

 * Sequel to The Pledge*

Months have past since Charlie changed her world. She's now the Queen - learning etiquette as well as horse riding and hand to hand combat. She's not sure which she's worst at learning.


While laws have been changed for the benefit of her people, there are moments when Charlie wishes everything was back to normal. Things won't ever be normal for her again - and not just because she's now the Queen.  It's because Sabara and her legacy. She's keeping Charlie from being at peace, from resting, from finding confidence in her new role.


Not everyone's pleased with Charlie as the leader. After a riot, it becomes quite clear that something needs to be done with the rebels. It's also clear there's a traitor in Charlie's camp. Can she and her team uncover the identity before it's too late?

My Thoughts: I really liked the sequel to the Pledge. I did have a hard time keeping track of all the Queens (probably just like Charlie). I liked the multiple perspectives with Brooklyn, Charlie, and other minor characters. There were so many emotions in this book.  

I felt horrible for Charlie and her restlessness, horrified at some of her behavior, and my heart ached for her at times. The tension surrounding Charlie made for a fast read. I wanted to find out what happened next, who had it in for her, and what the rebels were going to do next. The action and the danger heightened all the other emotions.  I can't wait to see how everything turns out.

Cover Thoughts: I like how it ties into the first book
Source: My Library