Maya and Filippo Visit a Glacier by Alinka Rutkowska

Genre: Children's Picture Book
Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

On this trip aboard their parent’s cruise ship The Fun Princess, Maya and Filippo visit Juno, Alaska.  Their tour guide takes them to see a glacier and tells them that a glacier is a river of ice.   Filippo was concerned when he learned that the ice was melting due to climate change.  The guide told him it would create new places for fish and animals to live.

Next the guide talks to the about bears.  They get to see a mama bear and her cubs and learn that they hibernate in the winter and then in the spring they wake up.  There is plenty of salmon for them to eat.

The kids learn about a plant called fireweed.  In the spring flowers bloom at the bottom of the stem and work their way up.  When they turn white like cotton then winter is almost here. 

They get the opportunity to refresh their feet in the cold water at the base of a waterfall.  They eat lunch that Maya wins when she opens the door and is declared their 1000th winner.  They really enjoy their tour.

What I enjoy about this book is the amount of information in the story itself.  I also enjoy the extra material the author includes at the end of each book to give you additional information.  This is a simple and fun way to learn about new places

Time Square UFO by S.W. Lothian

Genre: Middle Grade, Science Fiction
Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.


From Goodreads:
The effects of the Shift have caused havoc at Time Square. Time itself is in danger of imploding and Operation Slingshot has been activated to save the day. Team ELMR embark on their first mission to locate and rescue the first of the missing travellers.

Mission: ELMR-01
Date: 8-July-1947
Location: Roswell, New Mexico, United States of America

Mission Brief: Readings indicate that the target traveller has possibly been captured by a brilliant, but eccentric, scientist who is investigating reports of extra-terrestrials that have crashed in the Roswell area.

Due to this, it is essential that the target is located and rescued before he unwittingly reveals our secret. If the secret of time-travel is revealed to such a random mind, then it could spell disaster and have a huge impact on the world.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book. this is the second book in the Time Square series. I this adventure ELMR is brought into the Roswell event. They have been sent through time to find Wilber Force who has been kidnapped. Sultan Peppercorn who had stolen the obelisk has frozen it hoping to shatter it. Instead he creates an ice age in Time Square. I was happy to read this book because the author had a "name a character" contest.  I submitted the name Leonard Paxton. Based on the description he had given us I looked for names with certain meanings. Leonard means "Brave Lion" and Paxton means "Peaceful".  Leonard is Sultan Peppercorn's  assistant.  He doesn't necessarily like what the Sultan does or how the Sultan treats him, but as he put it, the job pays his bills.  He is very loyal. This book also included a new problem. Those traveling through time might end up being miniaturized.  This happened to Razer Sharp. The other kids don't know why she was and they were not.  This is just one of many problems they will face.  You really need to read this book to find out what else can go wrong in Time Square.

Granted Wishes Cover Reveal

Granted Wishes by Tanya Vought

Publisher: Booktrope

Expected Release: February 17, 2015

Genre: Contemporary Romance

A decision that will change her life forever. After the loss of her husband, Gracelynn Calhoun has struggled with her life and career. Forced to take a four week vacation or be fired from her job, she surprises everyone including herself and agrees to the vacation. The owner of Antonetti Suites, Giovanni works hard and doesn’t have time for relationships or love. That is until he literally crashes into Gracelynn. She brings back all the feelings he thought he would never feel again. With the odds stacked against them in every way possible, will they forge ahead together or will this be the end of the road for their newfound love? Will the whispers from above bring them together or will misunderstandings ruin what could be an amazing second chance at love?  

About the Author

Tanya Vought is a hopeless romantic who thrives on Dr Pepper. She loves to sing… whether it’s a song off the radio or one she makes up with her kids. Tanya can almost always been seen with a book in hand or reading on her phone. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two imaginative children.

Facebook | Website | Twitter

 

The Swallow: A Ghost Story by Charis Cotter

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery

Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love ghost stories.  They can be humorous, scary, sad, it doesn’t matter.  This is a sad ghost story.

Rose is a girl who has always been able to see ghosts.  She hates it.  She and her family move into her grandmother’s house after her grandmother passes away.  Unfortunately for her the house sits in front of a grave yard. Polly lives in the house next to Rose’s house.  Her mom and dad have taken in many other children, so she feels she is always ignored and has no privacy.  She loves ghost stories and all things ghosts.  Her desire is to meet an actual ghost.  Imagine her surprise when she escapes all the chaos to the attic and hears a voice singing.  She feels a draft yet can see nothing.  Imagine her surprise when the voice answers her back.  She is sure that she is speaking to a ghost.  She learns she is actually speaking to Rose who is in her attic on the other side of the wall.  They agree to meet in the cemetery behind their house to prove that Rose is not a ghost.

These girls become good friends.  They have completely different lifestyles.  Rose is often left home along with a housekeeper, whom she rarely sees.  Her parents are always working.  Polly father is a minister.  However, he seems to be angry all the time.  This story is told in alternating first person point of view.  I happen to be a person that likes this if it is done well.  I believe the author did a great job.  You think you’ve got the mystery of whether Rose is actually a ghost or not when several twists and turns are thrown in.  I loved the way the story ended.  This is one I can’t wait to share with those students who have read all of the ghost stories on my shelves.  They are going to love this one.

Student Saturday: Hunger by Michael Grant

Student Reviewer: Elizabeth B.

Genre:  Young Adult, Science Fiction

I liked the second book in the Gone series quite a lot. I thought it was pretty cool that there was a person with powers to heal. That always helps. Also, it was awesome when Caine and Sam, two brothers, FINALLY got along. I don’t know about you, but I always think that it is cool to get along, especially brothers that were REAL enemies. I am practically itching to read the whole series – and I am also so glad that they are no longer hungry. They have managed to find a way that the flesh-eating bugs will no longer be there. All is well in the FAZ…… for now!

The Miting by Dee Yoder

Genre:  Young Adult, Adult Amish Fiction

Source:  I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I am familiar with a lot of Amish fiction.  You know the kind, all romance and sometimes mystery. There is almost always a happy ending.  I am also familiar with books that talk about people leaving the Amish lifestyle for various reasons.  My former daughter-in-laws grandmother was Amish until she was shunned.  Living in Sarasota, Florida I see everything from Mennonite to all levels of Amish.  Knowing all of this made this novel seem so dark.  Unfortunately from people I know, I understand that there are Old Order Amish that go through situations like this all the time.

A lot of young Amish kids go through a Rumspringa, where they try out the Englisher world. This is done before they decide whether they want to join the church or not.  Leah wasn’t that type of kid.  At age 17 she loved God so much she wanted to know more about him.  In her order she was only allowed to read the German Bible, which she had difficulty understanding.  She also didn’t understand why her order had certain rules that were extremely strict compared to other orders.  She learned very quickly that you didn’t voice those questions aloud.  She also learned that you didn’t read an English Bible and you didn’t question what more God had for you.  To do so in her order was considered being disobedient to her family and her bishop.  The consequence of this was to be counseled. Unfortunately this wasn’t the type of counseling we might go through. The counselor could put her in a hospital and treat her with drugs and other things against her wishes.  It didn’t matter if she was 18 or older.  They would take it so far as to keep her prisoner until the counselor would arrive.  Anyone trying to rescue her would be kept away.  In Leah’s case her boyfriend Jacob stood by her side.  Other members of the order stood guard in the barn and around the property to make sure there was no rescue attempt.

I could identify with Leah.  Their belief system reminded me of a time in Catholic history when Bibles were chained to the pulpit and people were kept illiterate so they couldn’t read the Bible for themselves. They could only believe what they were told.  When my mom became a Christian I was five years old.  She had no one to guide her in her walk so she decided to err on the side of right.  She got rid of all board games because they contained dice and since people used to shoot craps with dice then games with dice might be a sin.  Dancing became a sin.  The worst spanking I ever received was because my cousin and I were pretending to be ballerinas. Most TV shows were a sin.  I had to wear dresses most of the time because to wear pants to church was a sin.  You see where I am going with this.  Sometimes rules and regulations can become more important than God’s word. I applauded Leah for wanting to have a personal relationship with God.  This is a book I would recommend to everyone whether they like Amish fiction or not.

Happy New Year and First Review of the New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Iggy Loomis: A Hagfish Called Shirley by Jennifer Allison
Genre: Elementary, Science Fiction
Source: I received a copy  to facilitate my review. The opinons expressed here are my own.

This is the second book in the new Iggy Loomis series by Jennifer Allison.  Iggy and his brother Daniel live next door to a family of aliens.  Allistair is Daniel's new best friend.  Unfortunately something happened while Daniel and his brother were visiting Allistair and now when Iggy gets upset or super excited, he turns into a bug or his buggy parts start to appear.  They have been able to control it most of the time.  Iggy is super excited because Allistair has a cool pet.  They go to see it and find out it is a hagfish.  This is not what most humans would have as a pet.  Unfortunately things in their life start to go really bad when Iggy drops Shirley the hagfish into the toilet and flushes it.  This is a fun book to read.  You keep wondering how they are going to get out of each situation without getting caught.  You keep wondering what Iggy is going to turn into next.  I would strongly suggest that you take this fun ride with Iggy and the gang and read this series now.  Start you new year off right with a great book.

The Locket by Suzanne Lieurance

Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction
Source: Purchased

If you are looking for a historical fiction that will knock your socks off then this is the book.  This story is a familiar one to many of us. It is the story of lives lost in one of the worst fires in New York City.  Galena and Anya are two Jewish sisters who have immigrated from Russia with their parents.  Anya works on the 10th floor of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Galena is only 14 and works on the eighth floor. Her job is to snip loose threads from the garments. She works six days a week.  Her sister's boyfriend Dimitri is trying to get Anya to join the union.  Their mother is against it. Dimitri wants them to be safe and he knows that working for the union is the only way that can be guaranteed. In March of 1911 a fire broke out in the factory.  Anya runs upstairs to find her sister.  What she witnesses that day is such a horror.  When talking to my students about it they will be able to make connections between this book and the Towers that were hit on 9/11.  It is a book that is hard to put down.  It is a story that must be heard again and again.  It is one I will definitely read to my students.

The (Almost) Perfect Guide to Imperfect Boys by Barbara Dee

Genre:  Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I really loved this book.  Finley and Maya are best friends and eighth graders. They have been studying boys all year.  They have even kept a notebook of their observations. They call it The Amphibian Life Cycle. They have basically divided boys into three categories. The first categories is called Tadpoles.  These are the immature boys who still do and say dumb things that seem so elementary.  The next category is called Croakers.  These are the boys whose voices are beginning to change as are they.  They are no longer tadpoles but aren't up to the final category yet. The third and final category is called Frogs. This is when boys begin to talk intelligently to girls and see like they are more mature and prepared for high school.  As in all schools you have the mean kids, in this case the "mean girls". What happens when the mean girls get hold of the notebook and share it with everyone?  Disaster.  

I've thought about this book a lot. When we return to school I want to introduce the book to my classes.  To be fair I want to read just a little bit of it.  Then I want to to have my students write a very short essay on how they see the opposite sex and if they believe the girls were justified.  I loved the way the last few chapters went. It proves that in middle school the boys and girls are both trying to figure each other out. They are both confused.  I believe this book will give my students and middle school age kids everywhere a look at how similar they all are and may make them think about ways to handle situations like this.

Want to learn more about the author then click here.

Sunday's Hodge Podge of Reading

When I Grow Up I Want To Be a Veterinarian by Wigu

Genre: Children, Nonfiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is the second book from this series I have read.  I have to say that I love the story and the way they mingle non-fiction information to support the story. In this story, Sofia wants a pet.  The answer is always the same NO. Her mom loves animals, but doesn’t believe that Sofia is ready for a pet. There is so much she needs to learn first.  Then one raining night Sofia thinks she sees a cat.  The next day she sets a bowl of leftover food outside and the cat comes back. Her mother isn’t pleased because she knows once you feed a cat it will return.  This cat doesn’t look very healthy.  The father convinces mom to take the cat to their friend the veterinarian.  While there, Sofia learns all about what a veterinarian does and the different types of animal doctors.  The question is, will mom let her keep the cat?  Like I said, there is a lot of great information in here, it is plugged in as part of the story line.  I love these books. 

The Lucky Seven Show by Mary Jo Wisneski Johnston

Genre: Children, Picture Book

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The 

opinions expressed here are my own.

This was a cute book that shows what can happen when chaos erupts and everyone wants their own way. It also shows what happens when there is collaboration,and the importance of compromise. I like the way the language was not dumbed down for kids. When I read a book to my grand kids I want them to ask me about unfamiliar words. That is how we increase their vocabulary.
I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Maus Series 1 & 2  by Art Spiegelman
Genre: Young Adult, Adult, Graphic Novel

Maus I - A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
I have had my eye on this book for quite some time.  I didn't want to purchase it for my shelves until I had read and reviewed it.  I teach sixth graders and this kind of material must be handled properly. I called our school librarian and asked if I could check out the book. She informed me they were used for our 8th grade curriculum and students couldn't check them out.  I informed her they were for me.  She checked both books out to me. My goal was to read something I'd wanted to read for a long time over winter break and to satisfy the graphic novel requirement for my classroom reading challenge.  I always participate in them.  I just usually double the number required for myself. I was intrigued as to why the author used mice and cats to represent the Jews and Nazi's. Then I learned he used dogs to represent the GIs and the Polish people were represented by pigs.  The mice, dogs and pigs where the way the Nazis referred to these people.  For a great video where the author speaks about his writing of this series I offer you the following web address:

http://www.pbs.org/pov/inheritance/photo_gallery_special_maus.php#.VKFg714AKA

The first book is the telling of Art's visits with his father trying to get his story about the Holocaust.  What is unique about this book is that we have two story lines going.  First you have the actual story told through memories of his father's life up until they were taken away.  The second story is the author's story as he interviews his father. He deals with awful events such as the suicide of his mother.  This is a brutally honest look at one of the most horrific events in history and how it affected so many.



Maus II - A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began


This second book is the story of his dad's survival as he is a prisoner of the Nazis.  It is also the story of survival for the author.  No one who has lived through a tragedy goes through it alone.  Think of 9/11. Those family members and especially the children of survivors of that day are forever affected by the way they lived life with those survivors after the event.  This is the case with Art Spiegelman.  We see how affected he was and how difficult life was for him. This is not an easy book to read. I know many of our students will pick it up and think only of it as a graphic novel.  However, I can guarantee you that as they read it, the last thing they will think about is the format.  I am glad our school is using this book for part of its Holocaust unit. I applaud them and recommend this series to Young adults and adult alike.