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Kaylene Hobson decided at the age of ten that she wanted to be a writer. But it took her till she was ”much older” to act on it, she claims. Writing was always just for pleasure.   Now she has released her first chapter book, Isaac’s Dragon, an amusing and captivating story about a boy […]

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From first time author, Kaylene Hobson, who has sweetly dedicated this book to her own sons, is the wonderfully imaginative tale, Isaac’s Dragon. Including gorgeous pictures by Ann-Marie Finn, author / illustrator of books including A Trip to the Moon and Captain Kieron.    An extraordinary young boy, Isaac, is introduced to us as a dragon […]

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Jesper Jinx, Book 1

by Marko Kitti
published by Marko Kitti            4/28/2014
978-1-4974-5822-2
Age 7 to 9               152 pages
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“Jesper Jinx is eleven, and probably the unluckiest person in all of Puffington Hill. Everything he touches seems to end up in sweet disaster. Hence his nickname “Jinx.” In this first book of Jesper Jinx’s wonderfully wicked adventures you’re going to meet Jesper’s family and Snowy the Cat. Also, there’s a mysterious new classmate with a moustache. And it‘s up to Jesper to launch his famous Boredom Breaker. What harm would it do to have a little fun?”

Opening

“Jesper Jinx watched as his older sister Melinda popped her soda an open and took a small sip from it.”

The Story

Jesper Jinx loves his pranks but the pranks have earned him a nickname. Even some of his best pranks are jinxed, like the time he switched his sister’s beloved energy drink, Guaraná Antarctica, with a horrible homemade concoction. She deserved it. She snooped at his diary. At dinner, dad took a swing of Melinda’s “energy drink” and about gagged, no, wait, he did gag and so did Melinda. She was well worth it, but not dad. Jesper ran out of the house before anyone could accuse him and ran into the author of this book. Sworn to secrecy, the author agreed to write a book only Jesper’s eyes would see. This is that book.

Two short stories are included in book 1: Jesper Jinx and the Colourful Cat and Jesper Jinx and the Spanish Shenanigans. For animal lovers, the first story will amuse you, especially if you are owned by a dog. Jesper accidentally causes Snowy, the cat, to turn several shades of red moments before his mother is to show her off to a disliked neighbor. To make matters worse, the cat, named for its pure white coat of fur, disappears, like magic. One minute, she was under a towel and the next, gone. Of course, this is when the dreaded neighbor rings the doorbell.  Is it really magic? Is Snowy a magical cat? Mom believes so, if only for a short minute. Then she realizes Jesper is involved and has him bathe Snowy. Everyone knows cats do not like bathes. Jinxed! With claws!

 

In the Spanish Shenanigans, it is not Jesper pulling the shenanigans. There is a new kid in class, and he has a moustache on his upper lip. His name is José Maria, and he has a moustache, a real one, and a deep voice. José claims everything grows faster in the hot Spanish sun, but Jasper is not inclined to believe him, well, he is inclined enough to show José all of his best pranks. School will not be the same for Jesper and his best friend Oliver. Their teacher, Miss Parrot, who likes to repeat what she hears, has a life-changing experience and leaves school—for good. Jesper and Oliver will get a new teacher. A short-for-his-age teacher who has a deep voice (girls will swoon over), and a real moustache on his upper lip. The new teacher now knows all of Jesper and Oliver’s favorite pranks. Jinxed!

Review

I read Jesper Jinx in one sitting and enjoyed the crazy antics of both Jesper and the author. The author begins by explaining how he came to Puffington Hill, home of Jesper, and how he acquired Jesper’s stories— and the secrecy by which he swore to handle his stories. There is even a certificate of secrecy readers must sign. Running out of the house after dad takes a swing of Melinda’s tampered Guaraná Antarctica energy drink, Jesper runs into the vacationing author. Then the stories begin. Oh, yes, Jesper Jinx is Finnish author, Marco Kitti’s first English language chapter book.

I like the story of the red Snowy cat and its disappearance from under the towel. The cat’s portrayal is realistic. I cannot count the number of times my cat is not where he was only moments before and then suddenly shows up where he could not possibly be at. The behavior is enough to drive a person to dogs. The humor is well timed and Jesper’s reactions are convincing. I love that mom is going to show off a cat she otherwise wants nothing to do with. Snowy belongs to Jesper when the litter box needs cleaned or the cat is in mom’s space. But bring the snooty neighbor comes around Snowy becomes mom’s treasure. I like how the author includes bits of life that are true for many readers. Like dad, engrossed in his newspaper, only coming up for air when he wants something, but don’t try to talk to him.

In the shenanigans story, it is confusing why this new kid is suddenly in class and why the teacher swooned whenever she said his name. The teacher is wacky, repeating what the student said, before answering.

“Yes, Jesper?” said Miss Parrot. “Do you have something to share with us all?”

“No,” said Jesper.

“No,” said Miss Parrot. “Is there something . . . ?”

“No, Miss Parrot,” said Jesper.

“No, Miss Parrot,” repeated Miss Parrot. “Then how about you, Oliver?”

“I can’t think of any questions, Miss Parrot,” said Oliver.

“Think of any questions, Miss Parrot!” said the teacher.

Yes, it can get tiring, but then Miss Parrot quickly disappears. She is busy driving her souped-up Mercedes. The story is about José Maria, Jesper, and Oliver’s budding friendship. It is odd that José has a moustache but then, I can remember certain boys tended to get their hairy lip early. So, I believed this. The deep voice at eleven I also believed. Maybe he is older and flunked a few grades. You must believe or the story cannot go on. Poor Jesper, he is jinxed the moment the man-boy walks into his classroom. Trying to be a nice kid, Jesper and his friend Oliver befriend José. José asks Jesper about pranks, so Jesper shows him the best pranks he an Oliver pull on teachers.

Jesper is a likable character, kids age 7 and up will enjoy, along with all of his the crazy stories. The stories are short, and the vocabulary basic, so a reluctant reader can enjoy Jesper’s antics. Jesper Jinx will entertain both boys and girls who like crazy plot twists you don’t expect. The antics are similar to those in the the Aldo Zelnick alphabet book series.(Reviewed here: “J” “K”) Just remember one important detail, you must keep the contents of these books a secret. Jesper believes the author is only printing one copy for himself only. If he finds out that is not true, he will stop telling the author his stories. Jesper Jinx is a welcome addition to chapter books and books for reluctant readers.

JESPER JINX.  Text and illustrations copyright © 2014 by Marko Kitti. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Marko Kitti,

Purchase Jasper Jinx at Amazon—B&N—Book Depository—CreateSpace—Marko Kitti—your favorite bookstore.

Check out what a local Gargoyle had to say about Jesper Jinx right HERE.

Learn more about Jasper Jinx HERE.

Meet the author / illustrator, Marko Kitti, at his website:     http://www.markokitti.net/en.html

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copyright © 2014 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews

Filed under: 4stars, Chapter Book, Children's Books, Library Donated Books, Reluctant Readers, Series Tagged: Chapter book, children's book reviews, family relationships, humor, Jespar Jinx, jinxed, Marko Kitti, pranks, reluctant reaers, Spanish teacher

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I know what you’re thinking—where has Tara been all July? (Well, maybe you’re not thinking that. Maybe you’re daydreaming about a fro-yo fix. And who could blame you?)

Well, it’s August and I’m back with an extraordinary interview. The talented author-illustrator Sarah Dillard turned what she thought was a picture book into an adorable early-reader chapter book. What did it take to get EXTRAORDINARY WARREN published? Let’s find out while we devour our fro-yo…

Sarah, what exactly made you realize that WARREN was destined for more than a picture book?

When I started working on Warren, I intended it to be a picture book but I felt that the story and ideas that I wanted to tell with him were a little more complex than the picture book format would comfortably allow. This is not to say that there are not complex picture books because there certainly are. But with Warren, it just seemed like he needed a little room to spread his wings. I didn’t worry about chapters though until a few drafts in. At that point it felt like there were natural breaks in the story for chapters. I have to say, when I am working on something I don’t automatically think “I am writing a picture book or this is going to be a chapter book.” I focus on the character and the story and let it unfold and then see what fits it best.

That’s great advice, to focus on character.

Thanks, Tara. I also wanted to add, that as picture books seem to be skewering younger, there is a great opportunity for illustrated early readers and chapter books to fill the gap for the beginning reader.

So what inspired Warren’s creation? How did he hatch?

Warren began as a doodle of a chicken looking at an egg. He looked curious to me and felt like a character who was looking for life’s answers. Did I draw the egg first or the chicken? I’ll never tell!

My favorite spread in WARREN is the one with the hill in separate panels. How did you come up with that unique visual concept?

That is one of my favorite spreads too! When I started thinking about how I would do the art for this book, my art director suggested a limited palette—with three colors plus black and white. I was hesitant at first but when I realized that I could use black as more than just an outline, the art took a fun graphic turn. I felt the use of black for the hill added just the right drama for this spread. I also liked the idea of having basically one hill but several panels that show Warren’s progression up and over that hill. I think it works both literally and figuratively for this part of the story.

How different is it to write/illustrate your own book as opposed to just being an illustrator on a project?

I think it is quite different to illustrate my own book than illustrating someone else’s work. Illustrating someone else’s story is a huge responsibility. It is kind of like having someone say here is my beautiful child, please raise it. I am very conscious of wanting to do justice to the story as the author might have envisioned it while also bringing my own sensibility to the story.

When I am illustrating my own work having the art serve the story becomes the primary focus. I thinking of the images and what part they will have in telling the story as I write, so the art and the words feel inseparable to me. I think when I am working on my own books I have a stronger intuitive sense of what the story will need and am more willing to take risks to give it that. For instance, WARREN is done digitally and in a style quite different than I any I have worked in, but I think it was the best approach for the book.

We’re hearing a lot about how editors want character-driven stories. What about Warren’s character makes him especially appealing?

That is a great question, and I’m glad that you find WARREN appealing! In creating WARREN, I tried to think about things that I thought about as a child, and probably still think about; the big questions—Who am I? What is my place in this world? I think we all want be special in some way but worry that maybe we are not. WARREN taps into that and hopefully it makes him someone that the reader can relate to and cheer on.

And…are there more WARREN books planned for the future?

I’m happy to say YES! EXTRAORDINARY WARREN SAVES THE DAY will be published in October. I don’t want to give too much away, but I can say that this book will deal with another of life’s big questions. Finally, we will learn, once and for all, why the chicken crossed the road.

Thanks, Sarah!

I’ll let my blog readers know that you’re giving away a signed copy of EXTRAORDINARY WARREN: A SUPER CHICKEN—they just have to leave a comment by August 8th. Hey, that’s even better than fro-yo!

Sarah Dillard studied art at Wheaton College and illustration at Rhode Island School of Design. She lives with her husband in Waitsfield, Vermont. For more about Sarah and her books, visit SarahDillard.com.

 

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Congratulations to Julie Anne Grasso, on the release of her third chapter book: Frankie Dupont and the Mystery of Enderby Manor. No cinnamon this time, but there is a strange gnome, a parrot sous-chef, and a clueless inspector who fears Frankie will solve the mystery before he gets his first clue. Enjoy the fun. (Stay out of the pool.)

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Frankie Dupont And The Mystery Of Enderby Manor

Written by Julie Anne Grasso

Illustrations by David Blackwell and Samantha Yallope

Published by Julie Anne Grasso    2014

978-0-9254-3

Age 7 to 10     134 pages

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“When his cousin Kat disappears from Enderby, Frankie Dupont jumps on the scene, only to find bumbling Inspector Cluesome beat him to it. Cluesome thinks Kat simply wandered off. Frankie isn’t buying it.”

Opening

“Frankie bounded across the veranda and down the old wooden stairs.”

The Story

Frankie Dupont is waiting for something important in the mail—a black envelope. He is the son of a private inspector and wants to be an inspector like his dad. The strange black envelope arrives, but Frankie simply puts it in his pocket. When the phone rings, he expects it to be his cousin Kat, who calls him every day. It is not Kat. It is about Kat. Kat has disappeared.

With his father away on assignment, Frankie takes on the assignment of finding Kat. Last seen at Enderby Manor, Kat ate an early breakfast and has not been seen or heard from since. Frankie passes Enderby Manor every day as he walks to school, yet he has no memory of ever seeing the place. Strange for an investigator to miss a large hotel, sitting behind the lake—which Frankie has seen—all of which is situated behind a black iron fence.

Inspector Cluesome is already on the scene when Frankie rides up on his bike. His aunt and uncle are frantically worried. They trust Frankie, which is good since Cluesome is extraordinarily clueless. Without any real detective work completed, Cluesome announces that Kat simply got lost and will come home at any minute.  Can Frankie find his cousin? Why couldn’t Frankie recall a large hotel he passes every day on his way to school? Will this unseen hotel figure into Kat’s disappearance? Where is Kat?

Review

Enderby Manor is a strange place. The hotel itself is outdated, caught in a ten-year vacuum. The six-fingered chef has a parrot for his sous-chef. The maid, also the owner’s wife, keeps waiting for her husband to return and open the hotel—the Grand Opening. He will not arrive since he has been dead for ten years. Out back, a gnome named Gerome cares for the landscaping and the pool—but not the water. No one knows anything about Kat except the chef. He fed Kat an early breakfast, which she ate in the kitchen.

The grounds are as crazy as the people running the hotel are. The pool has  brown-slime covering the top of the water. Kat could not have swum that morning as some have suggested she did. Then there is Myrtle’s Mesmerising Maze, which Frankie felt a pull to enter. He didn’t, instead he went to Evelyn’s Everlasting Cupcakes, a shop with the most delicious cupcakes ever made; yet the place was empty. Frankie even loses it a little. He thinks he sees Kat in a mirror, but only for a nanosecond. Who knew he had a wild imagination.

Kids will enjoy Frankie Dupont and the Mystery of Enderby Manor. For this story, the only place you will find cinnamon is at the cupcake shop, baked into the sticky caramel cupcake. Kids will like the crazy characters Grasso developed. Cluesome is a bumbling idiot, which kids will love. Frankie outwits the inspector at every turn. Igor the Great has the funniest lines in the story.

Grasso laid out the clues in such a way that Frankie will decipher them before the reader. Most of the fun comes from trying to put the mystery together and not being able to until the author wants you to understand. Still we try our darndest to figure out what is going on. What is going on? Frankie seems as confused as we are, until . . . then the story speeds up as the entire world collapses. Oh, what wonderful fun!

Frankie Dupont and the Mystery of Enderby Manor will delight readers. The fun chapter book is a short read at 132 pages. The eleven chapters, skillfully developed, will keep kids hanging on. The Mystery of Enderby Manor is a typical mystery, built layer upon layer, until time is about to run out. Only then, does Grasso let us understand her world. Frankie Dupont will hook even those kids who are reading their first mystery. Enderby Manor is not the biggest mystery. The biggest is a question: When will Frankie Dupont return to solve the next mystery?

FRANKIE DUPONT AND THE MYSTERY OF ENDERBY MANOR. Text copyeight © 2014 by Julie Anne Grasso. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by David Blackwell and Samantha Yallope. Reproduced by permission of the publisher Julie Anne Grasso, Melbourne, Australia.

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Purchase Frankie Dupont and the Mystery of Enderby Manor at Amazon—B&N—Book Depository—Publisher’s Website—at your favorite bookstore.

Free resources from Frankie Dupont

Learn more about Frankie Dupont and the Mystery of Enderby Manor HERE.

Meet the author, Julie Anne Grasso at her website: julieannegrassobooks.com

Meet the illustrator, David Blackwell, at his website:   http://www.kathyanddavidblackwell.co.uk/ 

Meet the other illustrator, Samantha Yallope, at her website:   http://www.samanthayallope.com/

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Also by Julie Anne Grasso

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under: 5stars, Chapter Book, Children's Books, Series Tagged: Chapter book, children's book reviews, David Blackwell, Frankie Dupont and the Mystery of Enderby Manor, mystery, Samantha Yallope, time travel

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Living in New York City, Danny Crane, 11, and his best friend Finn were always in trouble.  Danny's father had skipped out before he was born, so his mother worked as a nurse by day and cleaned offices at night to support them and was often not home.  There are just too many kids in Finn's family for anyone to keep an eye on him  The two boys skip school, sneak into the movies, and pretty soon, they were hanging out with gangster Earl Gasky.

So, in late1941, Danny's mother takes a nursing job at the hospital at Hickam Air Force base on Oahu, Hawaii.  Danny hasn't been living in Hawaii for very long before he hatches a plan to stowaway on a ship bound for San Francisco on December 7th, and from there, he plans to cross the country riding the rails back to Finn and the life he loves and wants.

On the morning of December 6th, Danny meets his new neighbors when toddler Aki Sudo wanders into the Cranes backyard.  The Sudos are a family of Japanese descent that had been born in Hawaii.  And Aki Sudo may only have been 3 years old, but he knew every plane the Americans had in their Air Force, thanks to the detailed drawings his fisherman father drew for him.

Danny likes the Sudos, but he is still determined to get back to Finn and NYC.  Yet, on the morning of December 7th, Danny is having a hard time getting out of bed and setting his plan in motion.  Thinking about his mother and how she will feel when she discovers him gone, Danny is jolted out of bed by little Aki's cries.  Planes, swarms of them, are coming and they aren't American.  Suddenly, as the two boys are heading to the Sudo home, they hear loud explosions followed by fire and smoke.  Pearl Harbor is under attack.

Returning Aki to his mother, Danny decides he needs to get the Hickam, to find his own mother.  But along the way, there is another round of bombing, and shooting.  Then, Danny meets Mack, a  lieutenant and pilot of a B-17.  Mack likes Mrs. Crane, but Danny was resentful of that.  Now, though, with a bullet wound to his arm, he and Danny try to make their way to Hickam together.

But, will the two be able to survive the rain of bullets and bombs the Japanese pilots are unleashing on all of Pearl Harbor?

I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor is the 4th book in this popular, action packed I Survived series for boys about boys living in different time periods and facing different historical disasters and making them real coming of age stories.  And, like the others, it won't let the reader down.  There is plenty of real historical information couched in the fictional story of Danny and since Danny more or less sees the attack on Pearl Harbor from a distance, the descriptions of it are realistic, but not so graphic they will upset the age appropriate reader.

One of the side issues that Lauren Tarshis addresses in this particular story is how easy it was for boys like Danny to fall into the wrong kind of life.  Danny is at an age when friends can be all important, so the reader sees how he is torn between staying with his mother and his loyalty to his friend and partner in crime Finn.  These two friends were on their way to being in real trouble when Mrs. Crane moved Danny to Hawaii.  Juvenile delinquency was a problem back then because so many parents, like Mrs. Crane, had to work long hours, often at two jobs.  Doing little things for someone like Earl Gasky was just the beginning.  Both boys are at an age when they could have gone either way and I wondered what happened to Finn, left in NYC.  

Since I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor is a work of historical fiction, the author has included lots of back matter for further exploration.  There is a lengthy Q&A about the actual attack, a Pearl Harbor Time Line, Pearl Harbor facts and resources for reading other books about kids caught in the bombing of December 7, 1941.

In addition, the publisher of the I Survived series, Scholastic, has put a Teacher's Guide online that is compatible with Common Core State Standards and it can be downloaded HERE

This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was purchased for my personal library

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Katie Woo’s Big Idea Journal: A Place for Your Best Stories, Drawings, Doodles, and Plans

by Fran Manushkin & Tammie Lyon, illustrator

Capstone Young Readers        9/1/2014

978-1-62370-166-6

Age 5 to 7       144 pages

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“Katie Woo has lots of big ideas, and her readers do too! This journal activity book is the perfect place for young writers and artists to capture their best ideas, drawings, and stories. Katie gets in on the action by including some of her best work and inviting readers to do the same with writing and drawing prompts, checklists, and other fun activities.”

Opening

“Anyone who knows me knows that I have tons of big ideas. So I need a place to write them all down. A journal is the perfect place to do that!”

Review

Katie Woo has made a journal for her fans so they can journal like she journals. Katie writes down her big ideas, thoughts, and even some angry writing when she is mad. But it’s okay, as the angry writing always puts Katie in a better mood and she thinks it will help her fans too. In fact, she suggests you try it the next time you are upset. Before you get started, Katie gives you some great pointers on how to journal. You can write in the journal from page one and moving on page-by-page, or you can fill it out in any random order. It is your journal; now make it your own.

I like this journal over many I have seen because of the prompts given on most pages. Page 1 is simple enough. You write about you! Then, to start things out on a great high note, Katie asks you for five things that make you smile. Other pages ask about school, animals, and ideas for ways to help others. and what you would like to do when you grow up. There are also prompts for poetry, writing stories, drawing, and many more.I like this journal because the kid who have never journaled has guides in the form of prompts to help them make a book they can treasure as they grow up. Imagine reading the Katie Woo’s Big Idea Journal in your forties or fifties. Imagine reading your finished journal to your grandchildren.

Mainly, journals are like diaries. You can write your most personal thoughts, your dreams, and explain how your day went along. My journals were nothing more than a notebook. I would have loved to have something with writing and drawing prompts. When I was lost at what to write, I closed the book until the next day. The Katie’s journal helps you get past that “writer’s block” making it fun to journal. The Katie Woo’s Big Idea Journal is the journal I wish I had when I was young. This interesting and unique journal is a great gift for kids age seven and up.

KATIE WOO’S BIG IDEA JOURNAL: A PLACE FOR YOUR BEST STORIES, DRAWINGS, AND PLANS. Text copyright © 2014 by Fran Manushkin. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Tammie Lyon. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Capstone Young Readers, North Mankato, MN.

To get a cop of Katie Woo’s Big Idea Journal click Amazon—B&N—Book Depository—Capstone—or your local bookstore.

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Learn more about Katie Woo’s Big Idea Journal: A Place for Your best Stories, Drawings, and Plans HERE.

Meet the author, Fran Manushkin, at her website:   http://www.franmanushkin.com/

Meet the illustrator, Tammie Lyon, at her website:   http://picture-book.com/author/tammie-lyon/

Find more books at the Capstone Young Readers website:   http://www.capstoneyoungreaders.com/

Capstone Young Readers is an imprint of Capstone

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Also by Fran Manushkin (released in 2014)

 

 

 

 

 

Also by Tammie Lyon (released in 2014)

Also:

Good Morning, God!    &   Good Night, God!

 

 

 

Also by Manushkin & Lyon (released in 2014)

 

 

 

Also in 2014:   Katie and the Fancy Substitute    &    Keep Dancing, Katie

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Filed under: 5stars, Chapter Book, Library Donated Books, Series Tagged: Capstone Publishing, Capstone Young Readers, children's book reviews, Fran Manushkin, journals for kids, Katie Woo series, Tammie Lyon

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I don't feature many early chapter books here, but I had the opportunity to review this one for the June, 2014, issue of School Library Journal.  An excerpt of my review is below.

McDonald, Megan. 2014. Stink and the Shark Sleepover. 2 CDs.  Brilliance Audio.
Read by Barbara Rosenblat. About 1 hour on CD or mp3 download.

Stink's family and several of his friends have won a sleepover at the local aquarium. Everything is going swimmingly until the aquarium guide tells the story of "Bloody Mary," the undead vampire squid locked behind the door marked "Do Not Enter." Between worrying about Bloody Mary and the fact that his best friend Sophie's hermit crab is missing, Stink may never fall asleep!

Copyright © 2014 Library Journals, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
Interspersed throughout are facts on sharks and other aquatic creatures, and a brief history of the "Bloody Mary" ghost story featured in the book.

The first few books in the Stink series were narrated by Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart Simpson).  Barbara Rosenblat is the current narrator.
Listen to an excerpt here.
Read a sample here.

There are now seventeen books in the Stink series, and he even has his own website, Stink Moody. Both are testament to the popularity of the fictional Judy Moody's little brother.


Note:
I don't have a Nonfiction Monday post today, but you can check out all of today's offerings at the Nonfiction Monday blog, always a great resource for the latest in children's nonfiction.

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The Stinkbug Chronicles #1: The Invasion has begun!

By George Reagan

Illustrations by Lucia Benito

Published by CreateSpace           3/18/2014

1-49486752-2

Age 7 to 9         56 pages

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“Nine-year-old Brandon Phillips loves insects of all kinds. When he chooses to study stinkbugs for the 4^th Grade Science Fair, he learns there is more to these peculiar creatures than meets the eye—or the nose! Join Brandon as he begins the exciting journey of learning about and becoming best friends with Walter, a stinkbug that is no pest at all, along the way the two buddies embark on new adventures and learn valuable lessons about life.”

Opening

“Oh no! The invasion has begun! I really hate this time of year.”

Review

Tawny, Brandon’s sister, hates stinkbugs—any insect, really—but Brandon loves this time of year when all things insect embark upon the world. Much to Tawny’s disgust, Brandon begins catching stinkbugs for his science fair project. He plans to study why stinkbugs act differently than other bugs act, yet he has no other bug to compare with the stinkbug. Tawny sneaks a label onto Brandon’s greenhouse stinkbug home—a hamster cage—calling it the Stinkitorium and the name sticks.

Brandon’s science fair does not go as planned, but he does return home with one remaining stinkbug: the stinkbug that followed Brandon around, watching his moves. Walter, the name Brandon gave this mysterious bug, could also speak to Brandon. We find this out more than halfway into the story. From this point on, any physical action stops. The story becomes a conversation between Brandon and Walter. We learn that Walter is not a stinkbug, which would explain why he could survive a flush down a toilet.

In reality, Walter is an alien sent to protect Brandon from alien forces out to destroy Earth. According to Walter, humans are not capable of fighting this alien, but he and the other stinkbug-aliens can. This also means we humans need to stop flushing stinkbugs down the toilet. The story ends with Brandon feeling safe with Walter’s presence and protection. The danger still lurks, apparently waiting for book two.

The Stinkbug Chronicles #1: The Invasion has Begun could become a good chapter book series if the writing—which is rather good—actually told the story, the story the title suggests, rather than meandering with introductions. The Invasion has Begun could have gotten off to a bang-up start. Nothing close to an invasion happens, though Walter does speak of an invasion.

It takes over half the book just to find out Walter can speak. This should have occurred early in the story. All the early chapters—6 ½ out of 8—revolve around catching stinkbugs for a failed science project, which is unneeded backstory. Weave this into the story later, if a reason should present itself. Get right into the story:  Walter can talk, is an alien, and here to protect Brandon from an impending alien invasion. Get on with the invasion that “has begun.”  Yes, I do realize it has a double meaning: the invasion of bug season/invasion by aliens bent on destroying Earth.  The story ends on a down note of Brandon stating he feels safe from an impending invasion. Boring! The ending should have me anxious to read book #2: Don’t Let that Bully Bug You! I should end the story wanting to read more, wanting to know what will happen next. I felt none of those things.

The Invasion has Begun felt like a safe story. A story to test the waters. Granted one of the main characters is a stinkbug, not your everyday leading man. The stinkbug angle gives the story intrigue before a word is ever read. It made me curious. So curious, in fact, that I read the book just minutes after opening the postal bag. I hate stinkbugs, and yes, they go right into the toilet for a one-time swimming lesson that each one fails. Walter would have been back in my living room taunting me, and I would be happy to have him. I like Walter. I believe this is the first story I have ever read with a stinkbug as protagonist and may be the only book ever to have such a co-leading character. Take advantage of this. Get Walter in the story pronto.

The Invasion has Begun, a new chapter book series, is well written, if off topic. Writing a good story takes more than great writing. It takes writing a story that matches the title—or a title that matches the story. I thought the story would climax at the science fair, but that ended without fanfare. As a reader, I feel cheated. Will I believe the next book will finally involve the impeding invasion? No. From what I have read, book 2 is about Brandon and a school bully—not about an alien invasion as referenced in book 1. I’m afraid this entire series, which might be good as standalone books, never addresses the alien invasion that Walter has come to protect Brandon. Instead, the series diverts into message stories. The stinkbug Walter is nothing but an analogy. From a PR Mr. Reagan placed on Piece of Cake PR:

“I’ll be using the stinkbug analogy to draw young readers’ attention to a range of important issues they might encounter at home, at school or in the neighbourhood. These will include bullying, good sportsmanship, protecting the environment and understanding children with Asperger’s Syndrome; everything will be addressed in a fun and light-hearted approach, even if the final message is quite a serious one,” says Reagan.

Would I like to read book 2? Yes, I thought I would, until realizing that the setup in book 1 is nothing but a red herring. As I said, the writing is very good, but kids expect consistency. Tell them the series is about an impending invasion and a little alien who has come to protect a kid, and that is the story they expect to continue reading. Not life lessons. Not school bullies—unless they are the attacking aliens. “Life lessons” may find their way into the story, but as the only the reason for the story? Book 1 sets up an impending invasion. I feel cheated, as will kids.  Kids will feel cheated and not care about book 3. I’m not even sure this is a series as the story does not continue in the next book, and probably goes off subject again in the third book.

The Stinkbug Chronicles could become a new, well-received chapter book series. The idea is different and unusual. But once you state that Walter is there because of an impending invasion and to protect Brandon from that invasion, you must stay on point. Kids will be disappointed.

THE STINKBUG CHRONICLES #1: THE INVASION HAS BEGUN! Text copyright © 2014 by George Reagan. Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Lucia Benito. Reproduce by permission of the publisher, George Reagan, Gloucester MA.

Buy The Stinkbug Chronicles at Amazon—CreateSpace—Author’s website—your local bookstore.

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Learn more about The Stinkbug Chronicles HERE.

Meet the author, George Reagan, at his website:   http://www.reaganwriting.com/

Meet the illustrator, Lucia Benito, at her website:  tuolvidastodo.com

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Also by George Reagan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also by Lucia Benito

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Filed under: 3stars, Books for Boys, Chapter Book, Children's Books, Library Donated Books, Series Tagged: alien invasions, aliens, Createspace, George Reagan, Lucia Benito, science fair, stinkbugs

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When you care enough
to send the very best.
P.S. It's from a ghost.

Greetings from the Graveyard (43 Old Cemetery Road) by Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise. HMH, 2014, 160 pages.

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The master of precision
pens another gem on
family, cows.

Fly Away by Patricia MacLachlan. McElderry/S&S, 2014, 128 pages.

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The Adventures of Jake and Moon Granny: Space Pirate Panic!

by Jaye Seymour

illustrated by Alma Borrego Martinez

978-0-98593783-6              10/10/2013

Age 7 to 9      122 pages

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“Help! Great Uncle Raymond and his pet fire newt, Flamer, have been kidnapped by te smelliest space pirates in the universe. It’s up to Jake and his granny to rescue them, with a little help along the way from some burping green aliens. But first they’ll need to make it through the spaceship-crunching meteor shower in one piece . . . Will the contents of Moon Granny’s favorite red handbag be enough to defeat Blackbeard and his beastly buccaneers? Or will she and Jake be forced to walk the plank…in space? Hold your noses and burp along with Jake and Moon Granny on their stinky, star-crossing adventure. But whatever you do, don’t press the red button! Or was it the yellow one?!”

Opening

“Jake’s grandmother lived a LONG way away.”

The Story

Bloodthirsty Blackbeard the Bad and his Beastly Buccaneers (pirates) kidnapped Jake’s Great Uncle Raymond. Granny stops by to see Jake and then takes him along in her quest to save her brother. Jake pilots Granny’s spaceship for the first time. In a panic, Jake presses the don’t-ever-touch-under-any-circumstances red button, sending them zooming into space. They finally spot Blackbeard’s bullet shaped spaceship and must somehow get Uncle Raymond and his pet fire newt off the ship. Will they call police or find their own way of rescuing Raymond?

Review

Space Pirate Panic contains the meanest, smelliest pirates in space, a granny who is in charge of alien relations, dust control, and cheese tasting on the moon where she lives. Then there is Jake, age unknown, who wishes he had a “normal” grandmother; one that showed up to school functions, knitted him awful sweaters, hands out pocket money, and he could visit every weekend. Until his granny shows up . . . then he realizes he likes his granny just the way she is. I like that beginning. Jake wants a normal life in comparison to other kids, until he realizes—with granny’s visit—that he has the best grandmother.

The action—and humor—are non-stop once Jake sets off in granny’s spaceship. Jake does get one of his wishes when Swish, the family cat, takes off with Jake’s green space gloves. Granny knits Jake new gloves on the way to Zabalon. Jake pushes a button Granny has just told him not to push, the trip to the Zabalon King goes smoothly, they spot Blackbeard’s ship and . . . well, there is no climatic moment. While there is a struggle, it is rather tame and ends too conveniently. The best part of the ending is the twist, but that is easy to figure out early in Uncle Raymond’s rescue.

I liked Space Pirate Panic but hope in the next book things do not resolve so easily—and quickly—for Jake and Granny. I’d like to know Jake’s age. Maybe things occurring so smoothly was appropriate for his age group. In any case, Space Pirate Panic is loaded with action, the adventure is interesting, the enemy is humorous, and Uncle Raymond can cause trouble, making me think Blackbeard kidnaped Uncle Raymond because of more than a desire for one million moon dollars. It is odd to think an old woman flying a not-top-of-the-line spaceship would have one million moon dollars for a ransom. Then again, the kidnappers are space pirates and dirty ones at that. I can’t wait to read the next book in this unusual space adventure. Kids age 7 to 9 will enjoy Jake & Moon Granny: Space Pirate Panic! This is also a great book for Hi-Low readers.

JAKE & MOON GRANNY: SPACE PIRATE PANIC! Text copyright © 2013 by Jaye Seymour. Illustrations copyright © 2013 by Alma Borrego Martinez. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Jaye Seymour.

Buy Jake & Moon Granny: Space Pirate Panic at Amazon—Book Depository—ask for at your local bookstore.

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Learn more about Jake & Moon Granny: Space Pirate Panic HERE.

Meet the author, Jennifer Moore, aka Jaye Seymour, at her website:   http://jennifermoore.wordpress.com/

Meet the illustrator, Alma Borrego Martinez, at her website:

 

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Filed under: 4stars, Books for Boys, Children's Books, Debut Author, Library Donated Books, Series Tagged: aliens, Alma Borrego Martinez, Chapter book, children's book reviews, Jaye Seymour, Jennifer Moore, knowonder, Moon Granny, spaceships, Zapalon

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Hard-luck kid tries to
do the right thing. It doesn't
quite work out that way.

The Life of Ty: Penguin Problems by Lauren Myracle. Dutton, 2013, 128 pages.

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Sisters, sisters, there
were never more dev -- Huh.
(Which is a palindrome.)

Ava and Pip by Carol Weston. Sourcebooks, 2014, 224 pages.

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Welcome to day 2 of Children’s Book Week and another great book is up for grabs.Today is also a Boo Blog Tour date here at KLR for Josh and the Gumshoe News Crew: The Super-Secret by Melissa Moraja, who is also the publisher.The Wunderkind Family Series is a wonderful chapter book series for kids becoming more confident in their solo-reading and ready for longer books.

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The Wunderkind Family Series: Josh and the Gumshoe News Crew: the Super-Secret

by Melissa Perry Moraja

Melissa Productions, Inc.          5/5/2014

978-0-9898293-2-8

Age  6+        156 pages

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“Up until a few days ago, nothing extraordinary had ever happened in ten-year-old Josh Wunderkind’s life—except eating a whole pot of pasta by himself. But that all changed after a mammoth-sized raptor hit him smack on the face with a glob of neon green bird poop, triggering his superhuman Wunderkind ability and leaving him with the responsibility of caring for a baby raptor he named Max. But what Josh didn’t realize was that being super extraordinary wasn’t all fun and games. Especially because he was still living in the shadows of his older brother Jake’s greatness.

“And things only got more complex in Josh’s life when his two siblings and a couple of neighborhood friends persuaded him to lead a super crime-solving, neighborhood news teams—the Gumshoe News Crew. But not before they agree on the Super-Secret and complete Gumshoe Boot Camp. Find out what the Super-Secret is. Will the Gumshoe News Crew complete boot camp? Or will Josh let his team down?”

Opening

“My name is Josh Wunderkind. I’m ten-years-old and up until a few days ago, nothing in my life had been super.”

The Story

Josh Wunderkind finally receives his superhuman powers when a raptor dropped glob of neon-colored poop in his eye. Having finally received his superpower, Josh is overly excited, wanting to it show off in school—until big brother Jake sets him straight about the importance of keeping superpowers a secret. Instead, the three siblings and two friends—and Max—make up the Gumshoe News Crew. Their goal is to keep the neighborhood safe under the guise of a newspaper crew, with Josh as leader, but not until they all passed the Gumshoe Boot Camp Jake set up.

 

Review

I enjoyed the newest story of the Wunderkind kids. The kids make a good group and tell a great story. The arrival of Josh’s super-powers will have kids laughing—a good laugh. The real star of the story is little Max, the baby raptor left behind after Josh receives his powers. The series is a great set for boys.

Max initially sticks by Josh out of fear but then stays there out of a growing partnership that works. Max is cute, resourceful, and quick to understand English and body signals making him a much-needed member of the Gumshoe News Crew. Like the Wunderkind kids, Max is super-powered but not super-perfect. I hope the little raptor grows up slowly and sticks around.

The only problem with Josh and the Gumshoe News Crew: The Super-Secret. The title story does not begin until a bit past mid-story, when it should begin early, if not the first chapter. Though many may not notice, or even care, this is a long time to expect readers to wait for the title story. Change the title or rearrange the chapters. The later would be easiest.

Overall, Josh and the Gumshoe News Crew: The Super-Secret will delight readers. The story is good—really good—and flows nicely from page to page and chapter to chapter. The characters are terrific and you find yourself rooting for all six of them. Kids will enjoy the humor, baby Max, and even dad, who will not tolerate any more animals in the house, and then does. Surprises at every turn will keep kids turning the pages. They will keep reading because the writing will not let them go. Josh and the Gumshoe News Crew adds one more engaging chapter book to the Wunderkind Family Series.

THE WUNDERKIND SERIES:  JOSH AND THE GUMSHOE NEWS CREW:  THE SUPER-SECRET. Text and illustrations copyright © 2014 by Melissa Moraja. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Melissa Productions, Inc., Matthews, NC.

Learn more about The Wunderkind Series HERE.

Buy Josh and the Gumshoe News Crew at Amazon—B&N—iTunes—your local bookstore.

Meet the author/illustrator, Melissa Moraja at her website:   http://www.notyourordinarypsychicmom.blogspot.com/

Find the publisher, Melissa Productions,at companny website:  http://melissaproductions.com/

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Mother Daughter & Son Book Promotion Services Book Blog Tour

The Wunderkind Family Series: Josh and the Gumshoe News Crew: the Super-Secret

Today WS Momma Readers Nook (Review) ~~ The Ninja Librarian (Review) ~~ Kid Lit Reviews (Review)

May 13 Mel’s Shelves (Review) ~~ Heart of a Philanthropist (Review)

May 14 Once Upon a Time (Review) ~~ We Are the DinoFamily (Review) ~~ 4 The Love of Books (Review)

May 15 Dawn’s Disaster (Review) ~~ Purple Monster Coupons (Review)

May 16 Nanna of 3 and Counting (Review) ~~ Musings by Jay Faulkner (Review) ~~ Lisa Cresswell (Interview)

May 17 Jemima Pett, Author (Review) ~~ Storytime Books (Review)

May 18 The Squishable Baby (Review) ~~ Stitch Says (Review)

Check out earlier tour dates

Mother Daughter Book Reviews (Launch & Review)

BeachBoundBooks (Review) ~~ Bookworm for Kids (Review) ~~ A Leisure Moment (Review)

Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys (Review) ~~ Kay LaLone I Love Books (Review) ~~ Brooke Blogs (Review)

Alwaysjoart (Review) ~~ Chris Weigand, Author (Review) ~~ The Hippie Bookworm (Review)

Let’s Talk About Books (Review) ~~ Sunshine, Bubbles & Books (Review) ~~ Adalinc to Life (Review)

The World of ContestPatti (Review) ~~ Oh My Bookness (Review) ~~ Unschooling Mama (Review)

* Global Blog Tour Giveaway *

$25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: June 3, 11:59 pm, 2014

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget:   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Melissa Perry Moraja and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

WE ARE NOT DONE YET!!

ENTER TO WIN a copy of Josh and the Gumshoe News Crew: the Super-Secret  from Melissa Productions, Inc.!

1. Leave a comment.

2. Enter the Rafflecopter (enters you for all 5 giveaways) Click a Rafflecopter giveaway  (opens @ midnight)

3. Check out a blog or two from the CBW Giveaway Blog Hop, then return here and in this comment section, tell me what blog you left a comment and the blog number (A MUST for verification.)

Click HERE for blog list. Over 100 ways to win in this hop!

1. Return tomorrow for more giveaways!

*** For complete rules and Terms & Conditions, Click HERE.

Filed under: 4stars, Books for Boys, Children's Books, Contests-Giveaways, Library Donated Books, Series Tagged: Chapter book, children's book reviews, Inc., Melissa Perry Moraja, Melissa Productions, Mother Daughter & Son Book Promotion Services, neighborhood watch groups, superkids, superpowers, Wunderkind Family Series

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Celebrate Shakespeare's
birthday in dramatic bunny
fashion. Pop-Tarts!

Lord & Lady Bunny: Almost Royalty! by Polly Horvath, illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Schwartz & Wade, 2014, 304 pages.

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I'm still working my way through all the books I picked up at the ALA Midwinter Meeting.  Lulu's Mysterious Mission is the third installment in this illustrated, chapter book series.  I don't know why I never got around to reading the first two, but I'm making it up with a booktalk and a book trailer.  Enjoy!

Viorst, Judith. 2014. Lulu's Mysterious Mission. New York: Atheneum.
(Advance Reader Copy supplied by publisher - artwork not final)

Lulu's Mysterious Mission - a booktalk

Lulu's parents are going away on vacation, and they're doing the heretofore unthinkable, they're going without Lulu! When she meets her babysitter, the militant, Ms. Sonia Sofia Solinsky, and eats her first bean-and-beet omelet (a "taste" of things to come), Lulu begins to hatch some desperate plans.

Eeny meeny miney mo,
That babysitter’s got to go.
Sooner, not later,
Fast, not slow.
That babysitter's got to go.

Funny with frequent asides by the author, Lulu's Mysterious Mission will appeal to humor fans, ages 6-10. Oh, and, yes, there may be a mysterious mission.

On a bookshelf near you, beginning April, 2014.

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Seriously, you
haven't met Violet Mackerel yet?
Shame on you.

All titles by Anna Branford, with illustrations by Elanna Allen. Atheneum/S&S.

Violet Mackerel's Personal Space, 2013, 128 pages.
Violet Mackerel's Remarkable Recovery, 2013, 128 pages.
Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot, 2012, 112 pages.

See also http://www.emilyreads.com/2013/10/violet-mackerels-natural-habitat-review.html.

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Not sure why scientists are so ga-ga over figuring out what black holes really are. I’ve already done that. And I know how they are formed. Revisions = black holes Revisions are formed when first drafts become second drafts, third drafts, fourth drafts, etc. An endless loop of deletions and additions that suck the writer…

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ISBN 978 0 473 26383 6 Pb $24.95

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. The Middle Sheep (Ernie and Maud) By Frances Watt Judy Watson, illustrator Eerdmans Books for Young Readers 4 Star . Back Cover:  The Adventures of Extraordinary Ernie and Marvelous Maud continue . . . but what—or who—is making the usually cheerful and dependable Maud so grumpy? And why are she and Ernie arguing all …

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. . The Adventures of Tomato and Pea, Book 1: A Bad Idea By Erik Weibel CreateSpace 4 Stars .. Back Cover:  For years the evil villain Wintergreen has tried to destroy super crime-stopper, Tomato, and his sidekick, Pea, and take over planet Oarg.  In a plan gone wrong, Wintergreen traps himself along with his …

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Semi-aquatic
egg-laying mammals of action
are on the case!

Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. Walden Pond Press, 2013, 240 pages.

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A reading contestmeans Kelsey must choose: read for love,
or read to win?


Kelsey Green, Reading Queen by Claudia Mills. FSG, 2013, 128 pages.

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Another gem about
our favorite neurotic --
with one big loose end!

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night by Lenore Look. Schwartz & Wade, 2013, 192 pages.

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