The Story of Diva and Flea “As Told” by Mo Willems “As Shown” by Tony DiTerlizzi Hyperion Books for Children 10/13/ 2015 978-1-4847-2284-8 80 pages Ages 6—8 “Diva, a small yet brave dog, and Flea, a curious streetwise cat, develop an unexpected friendship in this unforgettable tale of discovery. For as long as …
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By: Casey (The Bookish Type),
on 7/31/2011
Blog: The Bookish Type (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Review, fairy tale, Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, debut author, Five Stars, Hyperion Books for Children, Victoria Schwab, The Near Witch, 2011 Debut Author Challenge, early review, Add a tag
There are no strangers in the town of Near -- until now. When a ghostly boy appears outside Lexi's bedroom window and the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, the entire village is on the verge of a witch hunt. Yet, though the smoky stranger refuses to talk, Lexi's instincts tell her to trust him. To clear his name, Lexi and the stranger must go in search of a secret known only by the wind, a legend older than Near itself -- but what they find might just tear their world apart.
In The Near Witch, debut author Victoria Schwab creates an original, haunting fairy tale that will capture readers imaginations -- and hearts. Her lyrical prose reads like a lullaby, with a rhythm and cadence bewitching to the senses, and sets the scene for a tale of children lured from their beds to vanish across the moonlit moor. The world Schwab constructs is richly atmospheric, with its own history and customs and bedtime stories, blending a coming-of-age story with the myth and magic of folklore. The town of Near will feel as familiar as the reader's own neighborhood, its inhabitants as endearing and frustrating as family.
Lexi is everything a heroine should be, unhindered by the archaic constraints of custom or the close-minded disapproval of society. Her father raised her to be independent and maybe a little bit wild, part of the natural world around her. She is brave and compassionate, defiant and intelligent -- unwilling to sit idly by and let mistrust and panic take its course. She won me over from the start.
One of my favorite aspects of the story is Lexi's family. The love between Lexi and her family is unconditional, their faith in her unwavering. Though her mother is broken in the wake of her father's death, echoes of the strong, commanding woman she once was peek through and give readers hope that the sun will shine on them again one day. Wren is Lexi's bubbly and birdlike little sister, and Lexi's adoration of the spirited sparrow is palpable on the page. Wren is a bright spot amid the eerie, misty moor, and gives passion to Lexi's drive to save the children of Near.
Then there's Cole -- enigmatic, elusive Cole. He is the stormy center of the story, alluring Lexi (and readers) with his mystery, and winning their sympathy with his tempestuous past. Though this sounds like the same old story, it's not. There's an ethereal, untamed quality to Cole that likens him to the wind-tossed moor -- more than just a brooding, beautiful boy. He is bowed by secret trials beyond his years, an old soul to keep pace with Lexi's own spirit. Though the novel is more folklore than love story, the streak of romance gives an edge of softness to an otherwise ominous tale.
Magda and Dreska -- the gnarled, weathered witches that lurk on the outskirts of Near -- were two of the most fascinating characters in the novel, their commanding presence demanding attention even on the fringes of a scene. Their wisdom, hidden behind riddles and half-formed phrases, gave the novel its air of mystery and impugned the town's hate and fear. The rest of the village is infuriating. Their small-minded prejudice creates the drama and emotional tension that drives the plot, and will keep readers fuming with the injustice of it all. Yet, they are just one of the evils Lexi must face. Though the villain may be foreseeable, the outcome is not -- there is no promise of happily-ever-after in the town of Near, and readers will be up until the wee witching hours to discover whether justice prevails or beloved characters ta
By: Brimful Curiosities,
on 9/30/2010
Blog: Brimful Curiosities (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Book Review, Picture Books, Science, Hyperion Books for Children, Add a tag
By: Brimful Curiosities,
on 7/29/2010
Blog: Brimful Curiosities (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Picture Books, Animals, Crafts, Hyperion Books for Children, Disney Book Group, Book crafts, Add a tag
We're in frog mode this week, hopping and croaking and reading frog books. It all started after bringing home a new Mo Willems' book from the library. I hadn't read any reviews of City Dog, Country Frog before bringing it home from the library to read with my kids. When I see a book by author, Mo Willems, I snap it up without thinking twice and anticipate a fun, lighthearted read. However, with City Dog, Country Frog, Willems takes a completely different direction. Touching, poignant, bittersweet - those are the words that have been used to describe the story about friendship between two unlikely friends, a frog and a dog. They meet one spring day and continue to play together through the seasons, teaching each other new games and finding companionship and conversation. Winter arrives and friendships change, but the big froggy smile remains.
The first time I read the book aloud, my husband was listening in a nearby room. As a finished the book, he walked toward me with a confused, concerned and surprised expression wanting to see the book for himself. It takes a special kind of picture book to get a response from an adult like my husband, and this one certainly has that quality. I don't want to say too much, but this book has the power to invoke a deep emotional response in the reader. The passage of time is clearly evident - friendship and loss is dealt with in an original way. The writing is simple, Muth's watercolor illustrations are exceptional. It's a great exploration of friendship and the seasons of life, written in an easy, gentle way for children to interpret in their own way and question.
Related links:
Booklist Online : The Story Behind the Story - Mo Willems’ City Dog, Country Frog
❖❖❖❖❖❖ stART Craft - Painted Rock Pet Frogs ❖❖❖❖❖❖
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By: Sue Morris @ KidLitReviews,
on 1/11/2016
Blog: Kid Lit Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Disney, Paris, Tony DiTerlizzi, Hyperion Books for Children, Library Donated Books, 6-Stars TOP BOOK, Top 10 of 2016, The Story of Diva and Flea, Children's Books, Mo Willems, friendship, cats, dogs, Chapter Books, Add a tag
Blog: Kid Lit Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Disney, Paris, Tony DiTerlizzi, Hyperion Books for Children, Library Donated Books, 6-Stars TOP BOOK, Top 10 of 2016, The Story of Diva and Flea, Children's Books, Mo Willems, friendship, cats, dogs, Chapter Books, Add a tag
By: KidLitReviews,
on 2/2/2013
Blog: Kid Lit Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: bullying, Shakespeare, Middle Grade, Wimpy Kid, middle grade book reviews, nerds, Hyperion Books for Children, Dork Diaries, 5stars, Michael Fry, new middle grade series, Odd Squad, safety patrol, school counseling, Add a tag
Blog: Kid Lit Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: bullying, Shakespeare, Middle Grade, Wimpy Kid, middle grade book reviews, nerds, Hyperion Books for Children, Dork Diaries, 5stars, Michael Fry, new middle grade series, Odd Squad, safety patrol, school counseling, Add a tag
. The Odd Squad, Book 1: Bully Bait Written & Illustrated by Michael Fry Hyperion Books 5 Stars . From Website: Nick is the shortest seventh-grader in the history of the world (he’s pretty sure), doesn’t fit in with any groups or clubs (who needs ’em?), and spends more time inside than outside his locker …
By: Casey (The Bookish Type),
on 7/31/2011
Blog: The Bookish Type (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Review, fairy tale, Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, debut author, Five Stars, Hyperion Books for Children, Victoria Schwab, The Near Witch, 2011 Debut Author Challenge, early review, Add a tag
In The Near Witch, debut author Victoria Schwab creates an original, haunting fairy tale that will capture readers imaginations -- and hearts. Her lyrical prose reads like a lullaby, with a rhythm and cadence bewitching to the senses, and sets the scene for a tale of children lured from their beds to vanish across the moonlit moor. The world Schwab constructs is richly atmospheric, with its own history and customs and bedtime stories, blending a coming-of-age story with the myth and magic of folklore. The town of Near will feel as familiar as the reader's own neighborhood, its inhabitants as endearing and frustrating as family.
Lexi is everything a heroine should be, unhindered by the archaic constraints of custom or the close-minded disapproval of society. Her father raised her to be independent and maybe a little bit wild, part of the natural world around her. She is brave and compassionate, defiant and intelligent -- unwilling to sit idly by and let mistrust and panic take its course. She won me over from the start.
One of my favorite aspects of the story is Lexi's family. The love between Lexi and her family is unconditional, their faith in her unwavering. Though her mother is broken in the wake of her father's death, echoes of the strong, commanding woman she once was peek through and give readers hope that the sun will shine on them again one day. Wren is Lexi's bubbly and birdlike little sister, and Lexi's adoration of the spirited sparrow is palpable on the page. Wren is a bright spot amid the eerie, misty moor, and gives passion to Lexi's drive to save the children of Near.
Then there's Cole -- enigmatic, elusive Cole. He is the stormy center of the story, alluring Lexi (and readers) with his mystery, and winning their sympathy with his tempestuous past. Though this sounds like the same old story, it's not. There's an ethereal, untamed quality to Cole that likens him to the wind-tossed moor -- more than just a brooding, beautiful boy. He is bowed by secret trials beyond his years, an old soul to keep pace with Lexi's own spirit. Though the novel is more folklore than love story, the streak of romance gives an edge of softness to an otherwise ominous tale.
Magda and Dreska -- the gnarled, weathered witches that lurk on the outskirts of Near -- were two of the most fascinating characters in the novel, their commanding presence demanding attention even on the fringes of a scene. Their wisdom, hidden behind riddles and half-formed phrases, gave the novel its air of mystery and impugned the town's hate and fear. The rest of the village is infuriating. Their small-minded prejudice creates the drama and emotional tension that drives the plot, and will keep readers fuming with the injustice of it all. Yet, they are just one of the evils Lexi must face. Though the villain may be foreseeable, the outcome is not -- there is no promise of happily-ever-after in the town of Near, and readers will be up until the wee witching hours to discover whether justice prevails or beloved characters ta
5 Comments on Review: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab, last added: 8/1/2011
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By: Brimful Curiosities,
on 9/30/2010
Blog: Brimful Curiosities (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Book Review, Picture Books, Science, Hyperion Books for Children, Add a tag
Tonight is an exciting night for the online children's book world! Nominations open for the Cybils (Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards). Starting after midnight, anyone that has an interest in children's books is welcome to nominate their favorite kid's books from the last year, published between Oct. 16, 2009 and Oct. 15th 2010. Even if you don't plan to nominate anything, the site is worth checking out for book recommendations. The book featured in this post today is a sure bet for a picture book nomination. Oh No!: Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Dan Santat has received a ton of buzz so far this year, most deservedly I might add. A giant robot and toad, mass chaos, smart little girl responsible for it all -- what's not to like? Read on for our take...
Oh No!: (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World)
Book Source: Copy from public library
"Oh No ... Oh Man ... I knew it. I never should have built a robot for the science fair."
A brainy little girl, with visions of blue ribbons and accolades, submits an advanced robotics entry into her school science fair. She ends up receiving a blue ribbon for her project, but quickly learns that while she slipped off to the fair, her unattended, giant robot (120 yards tall) took over the city, and is destroying everything in sight. In a frenzied state, the girl rushes out and tries to control her crazed creation, only to discover a huge flaw in her design -- she can't communicate with the machine and apparently there's no off switch. She returns to her lab to work on a fix and enlarges a toad to fight the robot. (Maybe not the most well thought out plan but a valiant attempt, nonetheless.)
The high-action illustrations in the book look like a classic Japanese monster movie in the making. Black edges create a filmstrip feel and you can spot the graininess and lines in the pictures, with plenty of Japanese signs in the background. There isn't a lot of text in this book. It reads a little like a graphic novel, and the eye naturally is drawn to all the awesome illustrations. My kids loved the hilarious dogs in robot gear (the robot has the ability to control canine minds). I geeked out over blueprint endpapers showing schematics from both the robot and toad projects. The book jacket has a poster printed on the underside, but sadly we couldn't view it as we checked our copy out from the library and the poster is hidden safely from view under the plastic cover. I need to give a thumbs up for the leading girl choice - so great to see an intelligent female in a book like this! The whole book sends my geeky girl heart a pitter-patter. My toddler son is naturally drawn toward anything about
9 Comments on Oh No!: (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World) by Mac Barnett - Book Review and Robot Craft, last added: 10/2/2010
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By: Brimful Curiosities,
on 7/29/2010
Blog: Brimful Curiosities (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Picture Books, Animals, Crafts, Hyperion Books for Children, Disney Book Group, Book crafts, Add a tag
"What are you doing?" asked City Dog. "Waiting for a friend," replied Country Frog with a smile. "But you'll do."
City Dog, Country Frogby Mo Willems, illustrated by Jon J Muth; Hyperion Books for Children (June 2010); ISBN 9781423103004; 64 pages;
Book Source: Copy from local library
We're in frog mode this week, hopping and croaking and reading frog books. It all started after bringing home a new Mo Willems' book from the library. I hadn't read any reviews of City Dog, Country Frog before bringing it home from the library to read with my kids. When I see a book by author, Mo Willems, I snap it up without thinking twice and anticipate a fun, lighthearted read. However, with City Dog, Country Frog, Willems takes a completely different direction. Touching, poignant, bittersweet - those are the words that have been used to describe the story about friendship between two unlikely friends, a frog and a dog. They meet one spring day and continue to play together through the seasons, teaching each other new games and finding companionship and conversation. Winter arrives and friendships change, but the big froggy smile remains.
The first time I read the book aloud, my husband was listening in a nearby room. As a finished the book, he walked toward me with a confused, concerned and surprised expression wanting to see the book for himself. It takes a special kind of picture book to get a response from an adult like my husband, and this one certainly has that quality. I don't want to say too much, but this book has the power to invoke a deep emotional response in the reader. The passage of time is clearly evident - friendship and loss is dealt with in an original way. The writing is simple, Muth's watercolor illustrations are exceptional. It's a great exploration of friendship and the seasons of life, written in an easy, gentle way for children to interpret in their own way and question.
Related links:
Booklist Online : The Story Behind the Story - Mo Willems’ City Dog, Country Frog
16 Comments on City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems Book Review & a Painted Rock Frog Craft, last added: 7/30/2010
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Yes! A thousand times yes. I completely agree with everything you mentioned. The Near Witch has been my favorite book of the year so far; it's just so, so amazing. <3 Beautiful review, Casey! :)
Great review! I'm so excited to read this one. It sounds absolutely amazing :)
sounds like good book! And I love the cover! it is beautiful
Great review! :) I've started reading this one a week ago but I stopped to read a book for a blog tour! It sounds great. All of a sudden, I'm hyped-up about this again!
Another beautifully written review :) I agree, I loved this book. I'm really looking forward to reading what Victoria Schwab writes next.