Picture Book Review: The Sweater

Hazel is heading out for a hike when she notices a little bird having some trouble. Instead of hiking, she goes to tell her friends that their new neighbor needs some help. They all pitch in. The next day, she drops off the present. It's a lovely present, but what's even better is what happens next.

What a wonderful story about community, sharing, and helping others. We really are stronger together. Connections do make all the difference. I loved this book. It carries such an important message that's desperately needed right now. 

* Must have book for your school and public library. 

Picture Book Review: Kittybunkport

 

The kitties of the town are afraid of the lighthouse, because it's haunted. But they are even more afraid when the light goes out. Chowder and Crackers are elected to go fix the problem. But they are scared.

This was a cute about cats and dogs in Maine. While this is a funny book, it also has a great message about facing your fears. 

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your picture book collection

Review: Ex Marks the Spot

 

A swoony rivals-to-lovers romance . . .
Family secrets that can't stay buried . . .
A globe-spanning treasure hunt with puzzles to solve . . .

This latest YA novel by acclaimed writer Gloria Chao takes readers on a soaring adventure through love, loss, and the lively streets of Taiwan.

For Gemma's whole life, it has always been her and her mom against the world. As far as she knew, all her grandparents—and thus her ties to Taiwanese culture—were dead. Until one day when a mysterious man shows up at her door with two shocking the news that her grandfather has just recently passed, and the first clue to a treasure hunt that Gemma hopes will lead to her inheritance.

There's just one major problem: to complete the hunt, she has to go to her grandfather's home in Taiwan. And the only way she can get there is by asking her ex and biggest high-school rival, Xander, for help. But after swallowing her pride, Gemma finds herself halfway across the world, ready to unearth her life-changing prize. Soon Gemma discovers that the treasure hunt is about much more than money—it's about finally learning about her family, her cultural roots, and maybe even finding true love.

Filled with ingenious puzzles, a vibrant Taipei setting, and a delicious romance, Ex Marks the Spot is an exciting adventure by award-winning writer Gloria Chao, perfect for fans of Loveboat Taipei, The Inheritance Games, and Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes. - Summary from the publishers

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I loved the TARP program and having Gemma travel Taiwan. I loved how she and Xander unraveled the clues i nthe scavenger hunt. I loved how each clue brought her closer and at times further from her family. There were a lot of twists and turns. The banter between Gemma and Xander was spot on. This takes place directly after high school graduation. 

Cover Thoughts: Perfect

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A great romance for your school and public library

Hand this to readers who enjoy armchair travel books

Middle Grade Review: Bletchley Riddle

 

With the war ramping up in England, Lizzie is supposed to traveling by ship to her grandmother in America. But at the last moment, she gets off the ship. She's too focused on discovering the truth about her mother. Lizzie doesn't believe that her mother's dead. She shows up at the address her brother gave her - an office in London. Her brother is actually at Bletchley Park working on breaking codes.

Lizzie gets herself a job as a messenger in the park. During her nonworking hours, she's desperate to uncover information about her mother's whereabouts. She must work fast because there's someone from MI6 hanging around the Park talking as if her mother were a spy - a traitor. Lizzie's determined to get answers and she's not afraid of asking for help - even if her brother isn't interested.

When a coded message appears, Lizzie knows the truth. Her mother isn't dead. A meeting is set. Could it actually be her mother or is it a trap?

My Thoughts: I loved this book! It's the perfect blend of mystery/thriller and historical fiction. It's set-up as a dual narrative between the siblings. I loved how different they were - and yet how they did come together. I loved the moments at Bletchley Park. I found them fascinating. I loved reading about the real people and how things worked at the Park. While this is a longer book, I didn't want to put it down. I needed to see how everything turned out. 

Cover Thoughts: Fantastic

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have middle grade historical mystery for your school and public library's collection. 

Review: Every Time You Hear That Song

 

When country music legend Decklee Cassel dies, her televised funeral unveils the much talked about time capsule. It's supposed to have all kinds of pictures, a full album, and so many memories. But when it's opened, the capsule is empty. Instead Decklee sends her fans on a scavenger hunt to find the hidden memories.

Darren Purchase has always loved Decklee Cassel. She and her mom spend hours singing her songs. She's determined to uncover the treasures left behind. Stuck in a small town that she can't wait to leave behind, Darren doesn't have many friends. She does convince a co-worker to drive her the first stop. If they win the prize, she could leave this town in the dust, and he could open a restaurant. 

My Thoughts: This was a great book. I love how it moved back and forth between present day and Decklee making her mark in the country world. She sacrificed so much for stardom. She was terrible, but I felt sorry for her. I loved the idea of the scavenger hunt and having fans search for items. I love how Darren and Kendall became friends during the trip. I liked the idea of escaping a small town - that makes sense to me. But I did also love how it played out. I enjoyed the twist; I did not see that coming.

Cover Thoughts: ok

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A great book for your collection

Picture Book Review: Help Wanted One Rooster

The farm animals are falling asleep. They need a rooster to help them. They have some interviews lined up. But none of the other animals can make the rooster noise. Can they find someone to help?

My Thoughts: This was a funny picture book. There's a lot to unpack in this book in terms of animals around the farm and their jobs. The animals are spending their time with hobbies. I love how everything came together. The ending is funny, and it sets the book up for s sequel. 

 Perfect for your public or school library's collection.

Picture Book Review: A Girl Can Build Anything

Girls like building and using tools - so they do. And it's awesome. 

This is a great book about empowering girls. There is not a lot of text, making this a great storytime reader for older kids. I love the ending! 

Spooky Read: Daybreak on Raven Island

No one wants to be on the 7th grade field trip to Raven Island - a remote island that used to host a prison. Tori's missing a soccer game because of poor grades, Martin would rather be filing a movie for a film festival with his best friend who moved away. Noah would rather be anywhere with his mom who died recently. Instead, the three of them are paired together.

They spend the day seeing the old prison, hearing ghost stories, and witness something pretty creepy. They meet the rest of their class by 2 pm to catch the last ferry off the island. But Melvin wants to film something spooky for the movie festival. He knows the island will provide and amazing backdrop. At the last moment, he leaves the ferry. Noah and Tori go with him. Neither are pleased with the situation.  

There's a ghost hunting team on the island - hoping to make an amazing show. Something happened on the island years ago - three prisoners escaped, and the warden died. No one has solved the mystery. But Marvin, Tori, and Noah witnessed a ghostly glimpse of the moment. No one wants them to uncover the truth. Obstacles and spooky moments force them to decide what's important. Are they going to uncover the mystery of the island before it's too late?

My Thoughts: I wouldn't want to spend the night on this island - especially after witnessing all the creepy moments. A great story about finding friends. I loved how the trio came together. I felt badly for each other them as they all were dealing with significant trauma - grief, anger, and feeling alone. My heart went out to Tori's brother who was sent to prison. I really liked the author's note about incarcerated loved ones. Lots of action, danger, and mysterious happenings in this book. Part horror and part mystery, this book will leave readers on the edge of their seat as they try to figure out what happened. 

Cover Thoughts: Spooky

Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: Highly Recommended for your middle grade section.

Book Giveway: Daybreak on Raven Island

A thrilling new middle grade mystery novel inspired by Alcatraz Prison.

 About the Book:

Tori, Marvin, and Noah would rather be anywhere else than on the seventh-grade class field trip to Raven Island prison. Tori would rather be on the soccer field, but her bad grades have benched her until further notice; Marvin would rather be at the first day of a film festival with his best friend, Kevin; and Noah isn't looking forward to having to make small talk with his classmates at this new school.
 
But when the three of them stumble upon a dead body in the woods, miss the last ferry back home, and then have to spend the night on Raven Island, they find that they need each other now more than ever. They must work together to uncover a killer, outrun a motley ghost-hunting crew, and expose the age-old secrets of the island all before daybreak.

About the Author:

I grew up in the Netherlands, where I spent my childhood riding my bike, catching tadpoles, and reading Pippi Longstocking and Roald Dahl books. I loved to read, and I loved to draw, too. My very favorite book was The BFG by Roald Dahl. I would read under the covers well past my bedtime, secretly hoping for the BFG to knock on my window. 

But somewhere along the way (around my high school years), I sort of lost the passion for reading. It wasn’t until I was given a paperback thriller many years later that I caught the reading bug again. After reading many, many mysteries and thrillers, I decided to try my hand at writing (I was pretty bad at it at first, to be honest). It took a long time before some of my short mysteries started appearing in small press magazines, which encouraged me to keep writing.

Book Trailer:

Doesn't this look fun?

There's even a wordsearch.

This book comes out tomorrow.

And you can win a copy! 

(US only please)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas Book Review: So This is Christmas

 

Finley's spent the last half of the year at boarding school in Connecticut - but she's floundering at school and she's unsure if she wants to stay. Her small town Ohio is not how she left it - including her best friend and her ex-boyfriend, her parents, and how she feels being at home.  

Plus there's the problem where she changed the town's website to impress the snooty people at her boarding school. That backfires when one of her classmates arrives at her Grandmother's inn expecting a quaint hometown Christmas to discover that the town of Christmas isn't exactly what is advertised. 

Finley's not sure where she's going - and where she fits in. Things are hard everywhere. Could Christmas magic show her the right path?

My Thoughts: I love Christmas Romances and I'm happy they are coming back to the YA world. I was really excited to read this one and it was cute. It did take me a little bit to get into it. I loved the Christmas adventures Finley cooked up for Arthur and his aunt - from the reindeer adventure to the parade. I loved the banter between Arthur and Finley. Finely and her family kept a lot of secrets from each other that all came spilling out. Lots of talk about food - I loved the kitchen chef. I really enjoyed Finley's relationship with Ayisha. I loved Grandma Jo. I'm so curious to see how everything turns out in the sequel.

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: A fun YA Christmas romance for your collection!

Picture Book Wednesday: Camp Books

 

Ok, so I fully admit that this post would be better in the beginning of summer. But these books are still fun to read and share any time during the year.

Have you ever wondered what to pack for your next sleepover or the first day of school? The alpactory is here to help! (mostly)

A funny story about being brave enough to try new things and knowing just what you need to help get the job done.

It's the first day of camp and EVERYONE is nervous. They all have unique quirks and they're all scared no one will like them. 

I love how they come together as a team when something goes wrong.  A great book about fears and being nervous but discovering that everything's going to be ok.

Would you like to go to camp on the moon?  One child is not pleased that their parents signed them up for moon camp. It's awful there - until they make a friend.

Camp isn't going well but then it turns around with a little kindness and a new friend. I love how they match each other so well. Moon Camp sounds like a really fun idea and I love how they capture different activities. 

Graphic Novel Review: Puppy Problems

 

Crackers the dog and Butter the Cat find themselves at a loss when Peanut, the new puppy arrives. The new puppy isn't exactly welcome. He needs so much attention. And he doesn't understand anything. But he does get all the attention.

Crackers and Butter are fed up. Butter does something that's not nice. Can the two reverse his actions?

My Thoughts: On the service, this graphic novel might just seem like a cute story. And it is. But it goes deeper than that. It's about new friends, bullies, and helping others. It's funny and sweet. And super fun for anyone who likes animals. Hopefully this is the start of a new series!

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My library

Library Recommendation: A great book for your school and public libraries.

Author Interview: Fleur Bradley

I'm chatting today with Fleur Bradley, the author of Midnight at the Barclay Hotel. 

This book was a delightful read. Check out reasons it should be on your radar.

Would you spend a night in a haunted house? And do you believe in ghosts?

I would absolutely spend the night in a haunted house! Honestly, I’m a deep sleeper, so I’d probably sleep through any haunted activity… I’m not sure if I believe in ghosts. I’ve never seen one, though I have heard noises in our house I can’t explain. I really hope I see a ghost someday…

Do you have a favorite mystery you read as a kid?

There were a few—I loved Enid Blyton books (the Secret Seven series), but otherwise there weren’t a whole lot of mysteries in the children’s section when I was growing up (in the Netherlands). I ended up moving on to Agatha Christie books when I was about twelve, and absolutely fell in love with the mystery genre. Midnight at the Barclay Hotel is a bit of an ode to Agatha Christie.

Have you ever solved a mystery in real life? Or would you make a good detective?

Other than solving DIY problems around the house, I’m not much of a detective. I think I could make a good detective in real life, though… I’m pretty tenacious and curious. And I love a good puzzle. I watch my share of true crime TV, and I’m always fascinated by detective work, and the dedication it takes to solve a crime.

What book have you read recently and loved?

I loved Keep This to Yourself by Tom Ryan, a YA mystery I recently picked up. In middle-grade, I loved American As Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar and A Home for Goddesses and Dogs by Leslie Connor—both not really mysteries, but great summer reading.

What's your favorite writing snack?

Peanut M and Ms! But since that’s not the healthiest snack, I divert to baby carrots—not as fun, but better for me. When I really, really get wrapped up in my writing, I sometimes forget to eat… That’s when I know I’m on a roll.

Anything else you want to share about the book?

Midnight at the Barclay Hotel is a great introduction for kids to the traditional mystery: it even goes over investigative techniques, like how to determine motive, means, and opportunity for each suspect. The book is really an ode to those Agatha Christie mysteries I love so much—but in a safe, kid-friendly way.

For teachers, I have a teacher guide and info on Zoom/Skype visits at www.ftbradley.com. I hope everyone enjoys Midnight at the Barclay Hotel as much as I enjoyed writing it!

About Fleur Bradley:

Fleur is passionate about two things: mysteries and getting kids to read, and she regularly speaks at librarian and educator conferences on reaching reluctant readers. Originally from the Netherlands, Fleur now lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and two daughters, and entirely too many cats.

For more information on Fleur and her books, visit www.ftbradley.com, and on Twitter @FTBradleyAuthor.

About Midnight at the Barclay Hotel:

Hunting ghosts and solving the case before checkout? All in a weekend's work.

When JJ Jacobson convinced his mom to accept a surprise invitation to an all-expenses-paid weekend getaway at the illustrious Barclay Hotel, he never imagined that he'd find himself in the midst of a murder mystery. He thought he was in for a run-of-the-mill weekend ghost hunting at the most haunted spot in town, but when he arrives at the Barclay Hotel and his mother is blamed for the hotel owner's death, he realizes his weekend is going to be anything but ordinary.

Now, with the help of his new friends, Penny and Emma, JJ has to track down a killer, clear his mother's name, and maybe even meet a ghost or two along the way.

Want More? Follow along with the Midnight at the Barclay Hotel blog tour:

Aug. 3^rd: Book review at Always in the Middle

Aug. 11^th: An interview at MG Bookvillage

Aug 14^th: Book review at Charlotte’s Library

Aug. 16^th: Guest post: Fleur talks about reaching reluctant readers at Unleashing Readers

Aug. 17^th: Review at Secret Files of Fairday Morrow blog

Aug. 18^th: Review and giveaway at MG Mojo

Aug. 19th.: Interview and giveaway at From the Mixed-Up Files

Aug. 21^st: Book review at Our Thoughts Precisely.

Aug. 23^rd: Interview and giveaway at Spooky MG

Aug. 25^th: Writer’s Digest Author Spotlight

Sept. 4^th : Fleur talks about getting out of your comfort zone on Kirby Larson’s blog

Sept. 8^th: Fleur outlines how to develop a compelling MG concept at Writer’s Digest

On Your Radar: Midnight at the Barclay Hotel (44)

Title: Midnight at the Barclay Hotel

Author: Fleur Bradley

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Release Date: August 25, 2020

Reasons It Should Be On Your Radar:

* Ghost Hunting

* Unique Invitation

* Haunted Hotel

* Friendship

* Secrets

 * Fun Librarian

* Family

* Murder

* The hotel's Library

* Murder Mystery Weekend

* Detectives

** ACR sent for review 

Library Recommendation: An excellent choice for your middle grade mystery section - both for school and public libraries.

Picture Book Review: Llama Llama Mess Mess Mess

Llama llama doesn't want to clean, he wants to keep playing. But what would happen if no one cleaned?

A cute story about cleaning, messes, and always having fun. A neat way to share with little why cleaning is important (sometimes). This sweet story contains the rhymes and tempo of the original llama llama books, even though it's written with a new author. The art work is fun too.

A must have for your public and school library collections.

Picture Book Review: Tea Party Rules

Cub wanders out of the forest and discovers a tea party. He can't wait to eat the cookies, but the girl returns and she has Rules.

A cute, funny story about rules, imagination, and playing together. And the things we will do for cookies. A fun book to share. 

Picture Book Review: Corduroy Takes a Bow

Corduroy and Lisa got to the theater. Corduroy gets lost and ends up backstage, on stage, and taking a bow.

Corduroy was one of my favorite books as a child. I still have my teddy bear that resembles him. He wears overalls too. This new book by actress turned author Viola Davis gave me all the feels. I felt nostalgic for the first book. It made me so happy to read this one. I loved seeing the moments behind the stage and behind the scenes of the production. Of course, this one had a happy ending as the bear's reunited with Lisa.

Library Recommendation: A great picture book for the collection

Review: The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

Arturo can't wait for summer - until a business developer moves into town and threatens to ruin everything.

He's working at his family restaurant a few days a week; he's proud of the restaurant. And he's proud of his family.

The new developer wants to create a mega apartment building, complete with shops, entertainment, and restaurants. He cares nothing about the small family business.

When Arturo learns that the restaurant is in serious trouble, he becomes determined to save it.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I loved Arturo's big family and how they argued, laughed, and loved. I loved all the talk about food and the restaurant bits. I loved how his family and friends tried to save the restaurant - from the protests to the town meeting. I really loved his grandmother. Lots of family, friendship, and food mixed together for one enticing read.

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: My library
Read for the Cybils Middle Grade Award
Library Recommendation: Grab this one for your school and public library

Review: Once and For All

Louna's mom owns a wedding planning business with her best friend. Louna's seen it all - couples that won't last, couples that argue over the silliest things, and couples that just might stand a chance. Combined with that knowledge and the fact that Louna's first love ended in tragedy, she's not sure she believes in love.

When the annoying brother of a bride Ambrose worms his way into the planning business, Louna isn't thrilled. Ambrose, a serial dater, flirts with everyone.

The two of them come up with a bet. Louna needs to go on lots of first dates, but only first dates while Ambrose needs to date only one girl for seven weeks. Both of them think it will be easy - but both are wrong.

My Thoughts: I adore Sarah Dessen books and this one was amazingly good. I love few easter eggs I saw and I'm sure there are more that I missed. I liked the banter between Ambrose and Louna. I loved William and the dog. Both of them added humor to the story. I liked learning more about Louna's first great love and how that changed her. I loved the terrible first dates. I loved the writing, there were many spots where I went back to re-read the sentences because they packed a punch both in sentiment and in craft. Another winner from Sarah Dessen.

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: My Library
Fun Fact: My boss got me a signed copy at ALA!

Library Recommendation: Buy this one for all libraries. It's a must have. 

Picture Book Review: Say Hello, Sophie!

Sophie has a hard time talking in front of people. Words get stuck and she can't force them out - until her Grandmother needs her help.

I really enjoyed this one - mostly because this story could have happened between my Gram and I. The personal connection but the wonderful illustrations from Rosemary Wells make this one my new favorite. I think it's a great growing up story for younger ones who are a bit shy themselves.