CLICK HERE TO START for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on December 26, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

This fun mystery is a sparkling debut for author, Denis Markell. It has touches of what most young readers love: Humor, mystery, and video games.clickheretostart

Ted is a gamer, especially escape type games. He takes his skills to real life after his late great-uncle leaves him the contents of his apartment. His final words to Ted are: THE BOX IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. KEEP LOOKING FOR THE ANSWERS. ALWAYS GO FOR BROKE! PROMISE ME!

Ted is joined by best friend, Caleb, and a maybe new friend in spunky Isabel. Together they find clues to try and figure out just what Uncle ‘T’ had in mind, or if he’d lost his mind toward the end. There are numerous twists and puzzling clues (none of which I guessed correctly as to their meaning). It’s a non-stop ride right up to the thrilling climatic scenes.

A hint of a sequel is in the final pages. One that would surely be welcome.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2016   PAGE COUNT: 320

FULL PLOT (From Amazon)  What if playing video games was prepping you to solve an incredible real-world puzzle and locate a priceless treasure?

Twelve-year-old Ted Gerson has spent most of his summer playing video games. So when his great-uncle dies and bequeaths him the all so-called treasure in his overstuffed junk shop of an apartment, Ted explores it like it’s another level to beat. And to his shock, he finds that eccentric Great-Uncle Ted actually has set the place up like a real-life escape-the-room game!

Using his specially honed skills, Ted sets off to win the greatest game he’s ever played, with help from his friends Caleb and Isabel. Together they discover that Uncle Ted’s “treasure” might be exactly that—real gold and jewels found by a Japanese American unit that served in World War II. With each puzzle Ted and his friends solve, they get closer to unraveling the mystery—but someone dangerous is hot on their heels, and he’s not about to let them get away with the fortune.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: CLICK HERE TO START by Dens Markell

  1. Middle grade readers are introduced to a classic detective story–The Maltese Falcon– as it plays a part in solving of this new mystery.
  2. Isabel is a transplant from New York City to the California setting of this novel. She’s a tough cookie and smart beyond her years thanks to her travels and extensive reading. It was a nice to see a more than strong female character stand up to her new male buddies.
  3. Several historical events are woven into the story. The first is the treatment of Japanese in America during World War II. The second is Nazi War art, pieces that went missing after the war. History is so much fun to read when it is a part of a story like this.
  4. Ted narrates the story in his always perceptive way. He’s a mixed race half Japanese/ half Jewish kid with heart. He’s a friend you’d like to have in real life.
  5. The book has wide appeal from boys to girls and their parents. There’s something here for everyone in a witty, fun, mystery.

FAVORITE LINES:

Finally, Caleb, master of knowing what not to say, pipes up. “Ted can burp the entire alphabet.” This is said with exactly the right mixture of pride and awe that Caleb must think will make any New York City private-school girl gasp in admiration.

But somehow, amazingly, Isabel looks less than impressed.

I realize it’s time for me to take back control of the situation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR  (From RANDOM HOUSE Publishers):  This is Denis Markell’s first novel, and he took writing it very seriously, playing hours and hours worth of escape-the-room games for research (or so he told his family). He also cowrote an award-winning Off-Broadway musical revue and wrote a few musical comedies for the stage; various and sundry sitcoms; a play with Joan Rivers; an episode of Thundercats; two picture books illustrated by his wife, Melissa Iwai—The Great Stroller Adventure and Hush, Little Monster—and Poser, a memoir of his years as a male model.

(One of these things is not true.)

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Make a comment below if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them.

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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FAR FROM FAIR-A Cybil’s Nominee

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

To be fair. This is not my kind of story. 12-year-old Odette spends the first half of the book whining about everything. farfromfairYes, I get it. Her almost seventh grade voice is not heard in this family of four. Her dad has quit his job and bought a used motor home. He and her mom have sold the house and most of their belongings. Their plan is to take a road trip north from southern California to visit Odette’s ailing grandmother on Orcas Island, hundreds of miles away.

Making matters worse for Odette–they have to share one cell phone on the journey, she may never see her best friend again, and her annoying little brother is even more annoying in the closed quarters of the RV. She doesn’t even like the stupid mutt her dad bought for her to appease the situation. All I could think at the halfway point: this can’t continue on forever. Characters in MG books change, but this one was taking her own sweet time.

Thanks goodness for Grandma Sissy, Harris–a boy she meets, and yes the little dog. They all bring hope to a hopeless situation and Odette does change in somewhat surprising ways. FAR FROM FAIR is not one you’d want to read during the holidays as sadness is a major theme. Words about cancer and assisted suicide are the main sources, though both are handled with respect and dignity.

Thanks to the few smiles along the way and the final pages, I was glad to have finished Odette’s story.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2016   PAGE COUNT: 240

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Odette Zyskowski has a list: Things That Aren’t Fair. At the top of the list is her parents’ decision to take the family on the road in an ugly RV they’ve nicknamed the Coach. There’s nothing fair about leaving California and living in the cramped Coach with her par­ents and exasperating younger brother, sharing one stupid cell phone among the four of them. And there’s definitely nothing fair about what they find when they reach Grandma Sissy’s house, hundreds of miles later. Most days it seems as if everything in Odette’s life is far from fair. Is there a way for her to make things right?

With warmth and sensitivity, Elana K. Arnold makes the difficult topics of terminal illness and the right to die accessible to young readers.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: FAR FROM FAIR by Elana K. Arnold

  1. The author provides hope in the middle of helplessness, which in the hands of a less skilled writer would be a mess.
  2. Middle graders will see themselves in at least one of the angry feelings and/or unfair situations Odette is put through. They might even discover a new way to deal with their own lives.
  3. There are some very profound messages put forth here in a quiet, acceptable manner.
  4. Grandma Sissy has some of the best lines which serve as lessons for Odette (Little brother Rex also has a few of his own).
  5. The imperfections of life have never been so clearly put down in words for upper MG readers.

FAVORITE LINES:  It could be a zombie. Maybe that’s why the Coach was for sale in the first place. Maybe it was zombie-infested.

Odette opened her eyes. She stood up and squared her shoulders. She pulled back the shower curtain.

It wasn’t a zombie. It was Rex’s ferret, a long white tube of a creature, snuffling around  by the shower drain

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  ELANA K. ARNOLD completed her M.A. in Creative Writing/Fiction at the University of California, Davis. She grew up in Southern California, where she was lucky enough to have her own horse–a gorgeous mare named Rainbow–and a family who let her read as many books as she wanted. She lives in Huntington Beach, California, with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of animals. (From Elana’s Website)

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Make a comment if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them. Click on the comments link below.

 

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FULL OF BEANS for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

The setting of Key West, Florida returns in FULL OF BEANS. Previously the author fullofbeansfeatured the setting in her the funny and endearing 2011 novel, TURTLE IN PARADISE. I spent a few days in Key West about ten years ago so the time period in the story of the Great Depression was a fascinating contrast. You can view a current slide show of images at keywest.com. It will give you a sense of life today before you read this new book.

Ten-year-old Beans Curry is a the narrator and he’s a kid you will grow to enjoy. His insights on life in Key West are honest though sometimes misguided. The town is in awful shape and his family is struggling. Beans tries to help out by doing odd jobs. Unfortunately a few are a bit on the illegal side, but one would probably do the same in Beans shoes–that is if he wore shoes.

Historical references to the Great Depression make this a must read. Child stars, Shirley Temple and Baby LeRoy, Florida and Roosevelt’s New Deal, and the Works Progress Administration artists are each woven into the story. The chapters fly by because it’s hard to put down a good story with humor.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2016   PAGE COUNT: 208

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON)  Newbery Honor Book Turtle in Paradise is beloved by readers, and now they can return to this wonderful world through the eyes of Turtle’s cousin Beans.

Grown-ups lie. That’s one truth Beans knows for sure. He and his gang know how to spot a whopper a mile away, because they are the savviest bunch of barefoot conchs (that means “locals”) in all of Key West. Not that Beans really minds; it’s 1934, the middle of the Great Depression. With no jobs on the island, and no money anywhere, who can really blame the grown-ups for telling a few tales? Besides, Beans isn’t anyone’s fool. In fact, he has plans. Big plans. And the consequences might surprise even Beans himself.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: FULL OF BEANS by Jennifer L. Holm

  1. Beans name is funny enough but it seems every kid in town has a nickname or an odd given name: Kermit, Johnny Cakes, Pork Chop, and Dot to name a few.
  2. This is what makes historical fiction a great way to learn about our past. Sure, you could read about the time period in a history book but when you have fun characters and a superb story, there’s no other way.
  3. I’m still giggling at the way Beans used his grandmother’s girdle to solve one of his problems.
  4. Beans has many visits to the local movie house where he watches young stars in black and white. Beans wants to be an actor, and with his personality he’d be a good one.
  5. The money making schemes are a sad reminder of the times, but they are a perfect reflection  for modern day kids to compare to our always on world.

FAVORITE LINES:
He was our resident writer. Apparently, he was famous. I’d started to read one of his books, but I couldn’t get past the second page.

JENNIFER L HOLM BIO (FROM her WEBSITE):
Jennifer L. Holm is a NEW YORK TIMES bestselling children’s author and the recipient of three Newbery Honors for her novels OUR ONLY MAY AMELIA, PENNY FROM HEAVEN, and TURTLE IN PARADISE. Jennifer collaborates with her brother, Matthew Holm, on two graphic novel series — the Eisner Award-winning Babymouse series and the bestselling Squish series. Her new novel is THE FOURTEENTH GOLDFISH. She lives in California with her husband and two children.

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Make a comment if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them. Click on the comments link below.

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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HOW TO AVOID EXTINCTION for Marvelous Middle Grade EXTRA

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

I’m reading as many of the 108 CYBILS Middle Grade Fiction Nominees before my role as a second round judge kicks in next month. Some very hardy round one judges are currently reading every book and will hand the second round judges a half dozen or so titles so we can make a final decision by Valentine’s Day.

Today is a title with a great cover and an intriguing cast of characters.28697361

Narrated by Leo, our young protagonist misses his grandfather (Pop), his best buddy when he was alive. His mom is somewhat bossy and Leo’s main task is tracking down his grandmother who keeps wandering off. One day Grandma really wanders off taking Leo, his older cousin Abbey, and her old lovable dog for a cross country adventure from Pennsylvania to Utah.

The trip becomes a journey of discovery about family, life, and this beautiful country. It’s a fast, easy to read story with some very amusing chapter headings like How to Strip the Flesh off Squirrel Nutkin or A Tragedy with Knock-Knock Jokes. I could have done without the extra death along the way, but the rest of the tale will have you wanting to get in your own car to see America and also maybe hug your family a little tighter.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2016   PAGE COUNT: 208

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Since the death of his grandfather, Leo’s number one chore has been to chase after his grandmother who seems to wander away from home every few days. Now, Gram’s decided to roam farther than ever. And despite his misgivings, Leo’s going along for the ride. With his seventeen-year-old cousin, Abbey, and an old, gassy dog named Kermit, Leo joins Gram in a big, old Buick to leave their Pennsylvania home for a cross-country road trip filled with fold-out maps, family secrets, new friends, and dinosaur bones.

How to Avoid Extinction is a middle grade comedy about death and food and family and fossils. It’s about running away from home and coming back again. For Leo, it’s about asking hard questions and hopefully finding some sensible answers. As if good sense has anything to do with it. Against a backdrop of America’s stunning size and beauty, it’s also about growing up, getting old, dreaming about immortality, and figuring out all the things we can — and can’t — leave behind.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: HOW TO AVOID EXTINCTION by Paul Acampora (A CYBILS MG Fiction nominee)

  1. Kids who loved dinosaurs in their early years will be thrilled by the inclusion of them here. It’s a hands-on, real life look.
  2. I hope all people in Nebraska are like the family they meet. Caring and helpful and willing to lend a hand to another family.
  3. The humor is not of the laugh out loud belly laugh kind, but more about the smiles it puts on your face while reading.
  4. The dialog exchanges were my favorite part of the book. Tense at times, but always amusing and thought provoking.
  5. A good read-aloud and a perfect story for those in a similar grieving situation.

FAVORITE LINES: 

Mom takes a deep breath. “My father died a year ago. My mother ran away from home. My son’s been wandering around under a black cloud for months.” She leans forward and smacks Abbey in the back of the head.

“Hey!” Abbey protests.

“And I love this one like a daughter, which means I worry about her all the time.”

ABOUT Paul Acampora (from Scholastic)

Paul Acampora is the author of Defining Dulcie and Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face, among other titles. Paul is a former kindergarten teacher and now leads writing workshops for many grades. Paul and his family live in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

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Make a comment if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them. Click on the comments link below.

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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THE THING ABOUT LEFTOVERS for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

First my own leftovers. The winners of my holiday giveaway.

A copy of FRAMED! and ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE goes to Rosi Hollinbeck. You can see Rosi’s reviews along with some helpful writing links at THE WRITE STUFF.

A copy of RISE OF THE LIONESS and ARABIAN KNIGHTS goes to Danielle Hammelef.

Congratulations. I’ll send your holiday gifts out this week.

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I’m filling the final month of 2016 with reviews from the Cybil’s MG Fiction list. I’ll have two per week beginning with this one.

I’ve known many kids in the same predicament as the main character in THE THINGleftovers ABOUT LEFTOVERS. First comes the divorce, then one or both parents eventually remarry, leaving the child with stepparents. Some kids adjust well, but those that don’t will find comfort in reading about Fizzy Russo, who feels like a leftover. She has two homes now and neither seem like home. Her step mom and step dad are strangers Fizzy doesn’t like.

With weekends at her dad’s house and the rest of the time at Moms, Fizzy takes heart in a cooking competition she has entered. She hopes maybe by winning, her leftover status might change. Some day having her own cooking show on TV would also help.

I think I gained a few pounds just reading about  Fizzy’s culinary masterpieces. There are touches of humor, more than enough whining, but in the end you are happy to have gotten to know Fizzy Russo.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2016   PAGE COUNT: 240

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Fizzy is a good Southern girl who just wants to be perfect. And win the Southern Living cook-off. The being perfect part is hard though, since her parents’ divorced and everything in her life has changed. Wary of her too-perfect stepmom and her mom’s neat-freak, dismissive boyfriend, she’s often angry or upset and feels like a guest in both homes. She tells herself to face facts: She’s a “leftover” kid from a marriage that her parents want to forget. But she has to keep all of that to herself, because a good Southern girl never yells, or throws fits, or says anything that might hurt other people’s feelings—instead she throws her shoulders back, says yes ma’am, and tries to do better. So Fizzy tries her best, but it’s hard to stay quiet when her family keeps getting more complicated. Fortunately, the Southern Living cook-off gives her a welcome distraction, as do her new friends Miyoko and Zach, who have parent issues of their own.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE THING ABOUT LEFTOVERS by C.C. Payne

  1. Fizzy’s new friends are the rocks that keep her going. Everyone should be so lucky to have a Zach and Miyoko in their lives. Two great supporting characters.
  2. Just a thing with me–I love short chapters–those you can read out loud or to yourself in less than 8 minutes. Here we have 39 well crafted ones to keep you reading.
  3. Fizzy learns that sometimes the tough teacher is just trying to make her better.
  4. Fizzy’s positive and negatives list about her step parents are spot on as to how a young girl would feel. Here’s one: Gave me a hateful alarm clock for my birthday–which I’m pretty sure he received as a free gift with his Sports Illustrated subscription.
  5. By reading the two pages where Fizzy describes her A.D. Rules (After Divorce), young readers going through the same predicament will know they are not alone.

FAVORITE LINES:  I don’t do ruffles, bows, flowers. or sequins–I am against the cruel treatment of clothes by way of bedazzling. I have flannel shirts for winter, T-shirts for summer, and long-sleeved T-shirts and baseball-type shirts for everything in between–I don’t devote a lot of thought to clothes because I like to think I have more important things to think about. Even so, I wouldn’t mind some designer jeans; only Mom won’t buy them, which probably explains a lot about my situation here in the valley–I don’t have the right stuff, literally or figuratively.

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM AUTHOR, C.C. PAYNE: Perseverance and discipline are the only tricks I know. I’m not an extraordinary person. I’m not even an extraordinary writer. I’m just an ordinary person who perseveres by writing two little pages every day, no matter what. But I am extraordinarily happy.

So, if you want my best advice, here it is: Work hard at what you love, and don’t stop, no matter what! (From her website)

 

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Make a comment if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them. Click on the comments link below.

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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FAMOUS FAILS! from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

6302548Failure happens in everyone’s life–some of us more than most. FAMOUS FAILS brings some of the worst failures, massive mistakes, and fails that accidentally became successes together in this nifty new book. Here’s the official book jacket blurb:

Famous Fails! (ages 8-12, $12.99) – Perfect stocking stuffer! Discover Thomas Edison’s failed inventions, what the Slinky was actually supposed to be, if Michael Jordan really was cut from his high school basketball team and what in the world Smell-o-Vision is.  Along with  the many wacky and weird — and totally true — strikeouts, wrong turns, foul food and pop culture disasters Famous Fails! gives kids the scoop behind what went wrong, what went right and what can be learned from it.

I laughed out loud at several of the failures (Apartment Baby Cages? Yikes), marveled at many of the accidental discoveries (Popsicles), and grimaced at the layout of food failures (McSpaghetti and WaffleTacos). All this and more are spread across the 128 pages. The author included her own nine mistakes purposely put in the book for you to search for (I found seven, but the answers were in the back for the other two).

FAMOUS FAILS! would be a fun read for anyone, but the extras are what made my day. First off were the stories about human failure turning into success in the DOWN BUT NOT OUT feature. I learned how Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Bethany Hamilton, and J.K. Rowling used failure to propel them to greater things.

The second addition, LESSON LEARNED, appeared throughout. Each had a few words for kids to learn from the various types of failure and apply it more positively in their own lives. The final chapter summarizes those lessons in a proactive way with Sports, School, and Public Speaking.

Colorful, fun, and educational, you will not want to let your own copy out of your hands. It’s likely you won’t see it again. I speak from experience.

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Now for even better news… If you missed last Monday’s post, I’m celebrating the holidays with two gift giveaways. Comment on any or all of the four posts from December 5-11 and receive an entry each time. At 2 p.m. EST on Sunday, December 11th, I’ll draw two names.

One person will receive their own hardback editions of (click on any of the titles for my previous review):

51xazp0usyl-_sy344_bo1204203200_                        scienceencyclopedia

The second name drawn will receive their own hardback editions of:

lioness                arabian

Keep these for yourself or use them as gifts for the special person in your life. Good luck to all who enter. I’ll announce the winners tomorrow for Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays.

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THE BOOK OF HEROINES & THE BOOK OF HEROES

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

63025576302553

THE OFFICIAL WORD From National Geographic Kids:

The Book of Heroines and The Book of Heroes (ages 8-12, $14.99) – All kids are heroes in waiting and these two titles are sure to inspire.

In The Book of Heroines (By Stephanie Warren Drimmer) it’s all about Girl Power!  Looking for a leading lady? How about more than 100 of them?  True stories of superstars, war heroes, world leaders, ladies in lab coats ad everyday people who all have two things in common — they were girls and they changed the world.  From Michelle Obama, Jane Goodall and Wonder Woman to Susan B. Anthony, Gloria Steinem and Katie Ledecky, The Book of Heroines not only highlights how girls are just as tough as boys, but also challenges the reader to be a heroine herself and provides tips on how to unleash her inner heroine.

The Book of Heroes (by Crispin Boyer) highlights 100 guys who had the boldness, bravery and brains to meet the challenges of their day. Featuring a very diverse array of amazing minds, heroes from history, sports stars and even action heroes — like Abraham Lincoln, Mark Zuckerberg, Stephen Hawking and Steve Irwin  — boys will be sure to find more than just a few role models in the pages of this book and also perhaps inspire them that they, too, are capable of extraordinary things.

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GREG’S OFFICIAL WORD: This literary celebration of our heroes and heroines is an ingenious idea to bring the stories of the best minds in the world to our young people. These are the women, men, and children who inspire us to reach new heights.

For the gals, the chapter headings will have you already thinking of names you would expect to be included:

  1. LEADING LADIES
  2. GRITTY GIRLS
  3. HEROINES ON THE JOB
  4. LEGENDARY LADIES
  5. DARING DAMES
  6. PEACE HEROINES
  7. LADIES IN LAB COATS

Familiar names from the past like Anne Frank, Marie Curie, and Eleanor Roosevelt are included along with present day heroines–Malala Yousafzai, Emma Watson, Lindsey Vonn, and many more. Their lives are inspiring and enjoyable to read.

My favorites though were the names I’d never heard of before, making them more of a quiet heroine. I was enlightened by the stories of Lt. Brenda Berkman, a heroine of 9/11; Dr. Megan Coffee and her work with in the aftermath of the Haiti Earthquake; and Rigoberta Menchu Tum, a Guatemalan activist.

For the guys, the chapter headings hold a similar slant:

  1. LEADING MEN
  2. LEGENDARY LADS
  3. GAME CHANGERS
  4. HEROES FOR HIRE
  5. PEACE HEROES
  6. ACTION HEROES
  7. INSPIRING MINDS

Presidents, inventors, and heroes of the fictional kind had me at every word. The most memorable were the stories of Taylor Wilson (a 22-year-old nuclear physicist), Sitting Bull, King Arthur, and Desmond T. Doss.

Both books end with a chapter on our furry friends, devoted to the many animals who have done great things.

What a great gift this would make for any youngster in your life. The 175 pages in each hardback edition will become an instant favorite.

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Now for even better news… If you missed last Monday’s post, I’m celebrating the holidays with two gift giveaways. Comment on any or all of the four posts from December 5-11 and receive an entry each time. At 2 p.m. EST on Sunday, December 11th, I’ll draw two names.

One person will receive their own hardback editions of (click on any of the titles for my previous review):

51xazp0usyl-_sy344_bo1204203200_                        scienceencyclopedia

The second name drawn will receive their own hardback editions of:

lioness                arabian

Keep these for yourself or use them as gifts for the special person in your life. Good luck to all who enter.

 

Posted in Giveaways, non fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

ULTIMATE OCEANPEDIA from National Geographic Kids

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

6302550Synopsis From NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS: Ultimate Oceanpedia (ages 7-10, $24.99) – Perfect for the ocean-obsessed, this book is the most complete ocean reference ever. Ultimate Oceanpedia is overflowing with amazing facts, photos, art and diagrams that take the reader on a journey through the ocean. Whales, dolphins, porpoises, turtles, sharks, fish, crustaceans, sponges — from the weird to the wonderful — they are all featured in breathtaking photographs with easy to read captions. Wild weather, underwater exploration and tips and pointers on how to help keep our oceans thriving round out this thick, keepsake volume.

My Take: The visual, ocean loving person in your life may not come up for air after opening this new book. Filled with more than 350 stunning photographs and accompanying text, it’s a guide you can put on your lap. You’ll learn and be amazed at the facts about our oceans.

A  journey of this type may begin on any of the 270 plus pages, but I went the more traditional route and read it from cover to cover. First up for readers is a 50 page look at the four oceans making up the world along with the Antarctic Ocean, which many people consider the fifth. Each ocean is given a few pages of background where location and important facts are displayed. Next are pages devoted to the Wild Places and Wild Wonders from that particular ocean. A great start to set what’s in store.

Chapter 2 is the longest, as it should be. Here you’re face to face with ocean life, from the smallest microorganisms to the polar bears and penguins. In between are the jellyfish, sponges, mollusks, crustaceans, fish and every mammal who spend part of their life in the ocean.  Hands down the best collection of facts on ocean life I’ve ever seen.

The remaining chapters are equally engrossing. Oceans in Motion clue you in on waves and current. Wild Weather of course talks about tropical storms and hurricanes but also delves into the timely topic of climate change. Underwater Exploration, Along the Coast, and When People and Oceans Meet have equally eye-popping photos and info. In the last pages you are treated to a talk with a few of  experts studying our oceans.

This gorgeous addition to the bookshelf would make a perfect gift. It’s not only awe inspiring, but a source you can enjoy for years to come.

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Now for even better news… If you missed last Monday’s post, I’m celebrating the holidays with two gift giveaways. Comment on any or all of the four posts from December 5-11 and receive an entry each time. At 2 p.m. EST on Sunday, December 11th, I’ll draw two names.

One person will receive their own hardback editions of (click on any of the titles for my previous review):

51xazp0usyl-_sy344_bo1204203200_                        scienceencyclopedia

The second name drawn will receive their own hardback editions of:

lioness                arabian

Keep these for yourself or use them as gifts for the special person in your life. Good luck to all who enter. I’ll be back with more engaging new titles from National Geographic tomorrow and Sunday.

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Enjoy your weekend. Have fun, relax, and READ!

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FRAMED! A T.O.A.S.T. MYSTERY for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

I wonder if Florian Bates, the MC of this sharp new series, could help me find my keys? I 51xazp0usyl-_sy344_bo1204203200_have a feeling it would only take him a few minutes. He sees details the rest of us miss, so much so that the FBI hires him.

The story is another one that begins at the end and then goes back to explain how Florian got himself in such a mess. The story telling is crisp and fun as told in first person POV. Florian is wise beyond his years having lived all over the world. His unique way of seeing details had me doing the same in real life.

His best friend, Margaret, makes a great, strong secondary character. Her story is just as important to the story as Florian’s. You’ll enjoy the sites and sounds of Washington D.C. including a look inside the FBI headquarters and The National Gallery of Art.

Some of the twists and turns were a bit too convenient, but with this fast moving plot, readers will most likely be forgiving. I’m looking forward to more from this smart new protagonist as he takes on more cases. I raise a toast to the author! Oh, there’s my keys.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2016   PAGE COUNT: 304

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Get to know the only kid on the FBI Director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists all because of his Theory of All Small Things in this hilarious start to a brand-new middle grade mystery series.

So you’re only halfway through your homework and the Director of the FBI keeps texting you for help…What do you do? Save your grade? Or save the country?

If you’re Florian Bates, you figure out a way to do both.

Florian is twelve years old and has just moved to Washington. He’s learning his way around using TOAST, which stands for the Theory of All Small Things. It’s a technique he invented to solve life’s little mysteries such as: where to sit on the on the first day of school, or which Chinese restaurant has the best eggrolls.

But when he teaches it to his new friend Margaret, they uncover a mystery that isn’t little. In fact, it’s HUGE, and it involves the National Gallery, the FBI, and a notorious crime syndicate known as EEL.

Can Florian decipher the clues and finish his homework in time to help the FBI solve the case?

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: FRAMED! A T.O.A.S.T. MYSTERY by James Ponti (2016 CYBILS nominee)

  1. Florian and Margaret meet for the first time at the beginning of the book and are best friends by the end. It’s a realistic journey of how a friendship develops for kids.
  2. T.O.A.S.T. (Theory Of All Small Things) proves we should look at the small details rather than basing our judgement on big picture first impressions. At first it sounded like a gimmick, but it really does work.
  3. It’s a mystery with comedy throughout. Kids are always asking for both so here it is in one book.
  4. Special Agent Rivers is just the type of adult you want around your own kids. He’s protective and a great mentor.
  5. Two somewhat geeky kids make a perfect pair to carry this mystery on their shoulders. The parents are supportive but in the background most of the time. It’s a combination young readers will embrace.

FAVORITE LINE:  Judging by his glower, I was pretty sure I’d ruined everything. I could just imagine the funeral, with my FBI instructor saying, “I told him not to antagonize his captor.” And Margaret shaking her head and responding, “And I told him not to go behind the Safeway.”

AUTHOR QUOTE:  I worked a little bit in movies (nothing big or cool) but a lot in television. In fact I’ve worked as a writer and producer in television for over twenty years. I started in kids TV. I’ve written for Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and PBS. When I was with Disney Channel I was a writer on the Mickey Mouse Club and at PBS I wrote for Clifford’s Puppy Days.  (Read more at  James Ponti’s Author Web Site)

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Now for even better news…  I’m celebrating the holidays with two gift giveaways. If you’re already stressed about holiday shopping, I can help. Comment today or on any of the upcoming Friday, Saturday, Sunday posts from December 5-11 and receive an entry each time. At 2 p.m. EST on Sunday, December 11th, I’ll draw two names.

One person will receive their own hardback edition of (click on any of the National Geographic titles for my previous review):

51xazp0usyl-_sy344_bo1204203200_                        scienceencyclopedia

The second name drawn will receive their own hardback edition of:

lioness                arabian

Keep these for yourself or use them as gifts for the special person in your life. The books will come to you wrapped and ready to be put under the tree. Good luck to all who enter (U.S. Residents only on this giveaway).

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

 

MMGM2

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SHAKESPEARE–Investigate the Bard’s Influence on Today’s World

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

For young people age 12-15, mention the name William Shakespeare and you’ll get two shakespeare_colorvery different reactions. Some can’t get enough while others find his writing confusing. This great new  title will satisfy both camps.

The format is entertaining and topical. There’s an ongoing cartoon about two kids who use a book portal to visit Shakespeare, but the main focus is on four of Shakespeare’s most famous and beloved works. Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are each given two chapters for readers to explore in a unique way.

You first learn about each story with lines from the play. This is no boring retelling of the tale, but an interactive journey with fascinating facts and insights. A second chapter then looks at how each story has impacted books and movies of present day. Also included are an INQUIRE & INVESTIGATE page giving readers a hand-on task. An example of one from Romeo and Juliet has kids creating a rap song.

Before you reach the first chapter a snappy introduction tells about Shakespeare’s past and present. A four page timeline of events in Shakespeare’s life starts it off. Next we learn about his early years and his works on stage. Did you know 2016 is the 400 year anniversary of his death? I also discovered historians found large chunks of his life where no one seems to know what he was doing.

A full glossary and resources are added at the end. Great extensions with books, websites, and a reveal of the QR codes in case you don’t have a tablet or phone to find them. An index gives further proof how easy it is to find what you need.

I’m a fan from the opening scene to the end. In the words of the Bard himself– “I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is not that strange?”
—Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing

For a closer look inside SHAKESPEARE visit Nomad Press and Amazon.

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Have a great weekend. Relax, have fun with family and friends, and READ!

Posted in non fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments