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.

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

THE BOOK OF HEROINES & THE BOOK OF HEROES

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

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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

GHOST for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

The title is not a late addition to the Halloween season. Instead its the nickname for the ghost-9781481450157_hrmain character, Castle Cranshaw. He’s a runner for more reasons than you’d expect. His attitude at school has created a thick file of wrong doings.

His home life does not include a father anymore, but Mom does the best job she can working and doing everything to help her son succeed.

Ghost’s transformation begins when he finds a local track team. He’s invited to join and soon finds it to be the best decision he ever made. He continues to stumble in his life’s choices, but his coach and teammates are there for him.

This book is the first in the Track series about a a fast but fiery  group of kids who have a shot at the Junior Olympics. They have much to prove to themselves and teammates before this will be remotely possible. Told in first person, you’ll feel for the rough life Ghost has had through his street wise words in a tough neighborhood.

I’m ready for the second in the series to arrive ASAP. I hope it comes as fast a Ghost runs the one hundred.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2016   PAGE COUNT: 192

FULL PLOT (From SIMON & SCHUSTER) Ghost wants to be the fastest sprinter on his elite middle school track team, but his past is slowing him down in this first electrifying novel of a brand-new series from Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award–winning author Jason Reynolds.

Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team—a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves.

Ghost has a crazy natural talent, but no formal training. If he can stay on track, literally and figuratively, he could be the best sprinter in the city. But Ghost has been running for the wrong reasons—it all starting with running away from his father, who, when Ghost was a very little boy, chased him and his mother through their apartment, then down the street, with a loaded gun, aiming to kill. Since then, Ghost has been the one causing problems—and running away from them—until he meets Coach, an ex-Olympic Medalist who blew his own shot at success by using drugs, and who is determined to keep other kids from blowing their shots at life.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: GHOST by Jason Reynolds

  1. The characters are multi-dimensional. It’s hard enough to pull this off with the main character, but here you get this engaging cast of characters with a story of their own.
  2. Diversity arrives in two forms. Race and economic status. It was refreshing to read a story that wasn’t set in middle class America.
  3. I’ve known quite a few real life characters like Coach. He brings a sense of hope and realism to a kids life and makes him run for other reasons.
  4. The dialog is exquisite. Surprising and always in character, you’ll remember many of the passages long after reading.
  5. A fabulous story. Period.

FAVORITE LINES:  Castle Cranshaw,” I said, then quickly clarified, “But everybody calls me Ghost.” By everybody, I meant nobody except me. That was my self given nickname. Well, halfway, self given. The night me and Ma busted into Mr. Charles store, Mr. Charles looked at us like he was looking at two ghosts. Like he didn’t recognize us, probably because of how scared we both must’ve looked. So I just started calling myself that. Plus it wasn’t the only time someone had looked at me that way. As a matter of fact, this man, the coach, was looking at me the exact same was as Mr. Charles did that night, stunned, and I couldn’t tell if it was because my real name is Castle or because of my nickname.

AUTHOR QUOTE (From Jason’s Author Web site): Here’s what I know: I know there are a lot — A LOT — of young people who hate reading. I know that many of these book haters are boys. I know that many of these book-hating boys, don’t actually hate books, they hate boredom. If you are reading this, and you happen to be one of these boys, first of all, you’re reading this so my master plan is already working (muahahahahahaha) and second of all, know that I feel you. I REALLY do. Because even though I’m a writer, I hate reading boring books too. 

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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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EXPLORE PREDATORS AND PREY

Posted on November 25, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

Future scientists can rejoice at this new title from Nomad Press. The 90 pages are filled with 25 projexplorepredatorsandprey_coverects, which could be used by homeschoolers, students in lower grades as an independent study, or by a teacher with his or her entire 3rd or 4th grade class.

The format is easy to follow with each chapter having a different focus:

  • Chapter 1–Hide and Seek!
  • Chapter 2–Tools of the Trade
  • Chapter 3–Eat It Up!
  • Chapter 4–Staying Safe
  • Chapter 5– Other Animal Eaters
  • Chapter 6– Living Together

Before you even begin, there’s an introduction describing the scientific method and showing young learners how to make a predator and prey journal. It will be their go to spot for recording everything learned in each investigation.

Every chapter begins with a question to help guide their explorations. Here’s an example from Chapter 5: If mosquitoes disappeared, what effect could that have on other animals and the ecosystem?

Next you read the chapter and  follow through with the projects, easily identified by their green background. The steps are laid out with easy to understand directions.

Support for learning extends to online with QR codes, where the user can use a tablet of phone to view a website or video. No problem if you don’t have access that way as the web addresses are listed in the glossary along with definitions of the scientific words used throughout the book.

Colorful illustrations break up the text and the fun, motivating projects will be sure to entice many new learners to list science as their favorite subject.

Visit Nomad Press and Amazon to see more of this wonderful learning resource.

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Have a Great Weekend! Relax, have fun , and READ!

 

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CLAYTON STONE SERIES for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

I read both books in the fun and exciting CLAYTON STONE series back to back. What an 9780823433896enjoyable time I had following Clayton’s adventures. They stand on their own if you decide to skip the first book, but it would be a choice you’d regret.  First up– my thoughts on CLAYTON STONE, AT YOUR SERVICE (2015) where Clayton is 12, soon to be 13.

It covers the seven days Clayton is enlisted as an undercover kid to catch a mall napper. His family’s history of secretive and dangerous  operations leads him to the role. I say dangerous because his parents were both killed in the line of duty and now Clayton is living with his grandma, who’s also in the business. Clayton doesn’t always know if he’s making the right decision, but it’s spot on how an adolescent would handle such a dangerous line of work. He has to juggle both his regular school responsibilities while keeping his other life a secret.

Awesome gadgets and a fast paced story line will keep readers glued. I was anxious to jump right into the next book.

FULL PLOT (From Holiday House) Twelve-year-old Clayton Stone is shocked when a top-secret government organization recruits him as a decoy in a kidnapping sting. Instantly, he gets drawn into the dangerous world of covert operations. Clayton’s new life is full of excitement, with elaborate disguises and classified debriefings, but soon enough there’s a gun against his neck.

Clayton’s transformation from middle-school lacrosse star to Special Service agent is full of suspense, humor and heart—a thrilling undercover debut!

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clayton_stone_facing_off_jkt_r-681x1024CLAYTON STONE, FACING OFF (2016) picks up just a few weeks later. How do you top his first adventure? You put Clayton in another school where he can shadow the President of the United State’s son who is acting rather strange of late. All does not start off well in this inclusive private school where students are often the offspring of famous politicians. Clayton would rather be at his old school where he played on the lacrosse team, but duty calls and he answers.

Clayton finds much more that just a president’s son to worry about. There’s the manipulative Otto, and James, a quiet boy who provides a mysterious presence. Girls won’t feel left out as Amber, a key to the first book, shows up as a student at the prestigious Sydney Brown School

The ending is a thrilling ride that will have your heart beating quicker as you flip the pages. It all works because of the heart Clayton brings to the story.  I can’t wait to see what Clayton Stone is up to next.

FULL PLOT (From Holiday House) Thirteen-year-old Clayton’s new assignment for the Special Service means adopting a new identity—indefinitely. He has to leave behind his friends and beloved lacrosse team to live as “Max Carrington,” a student at the Sydney Brown School, where the President’s son Kyle is a seventh grader. But Clayton isn’t the only new kid at school and there’s something odd about his fellow outsider, James Scott. Is James hiding something, and is he a threat to Kyle?

The chaos of undercover life keeps Clayton on his toes as he rushes from one crisis to the next, while a cutthroat school election brings out some strong personalities at Sydney Brown. To make matters worse, Clayton’s new lacrosse team is set to play Masters Academy in the in the most important game of the season. It looks like he will face off against his best friends and former teammates!

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: CLAYTON STONE  Series by Ena Jones

  1. You don’t see the game of lacrosse featured in MG books so its a perfect match to have this sport featured here. In my part of the world, lacrosse is hugely popular with the upper MG crowd and they’ll gravitate to Clayton for that reason alone.
  2. I don’t often rave about book covers but these are both winners.
  3. There is almost constant action from the sporting and undercover backdrop. Young readers will not have a chance to use the word “boring” because Clayton’s adventures will not allow it to happen.
  4. Plenty of conflict in Clayton’s life from his friends, Grandmother, and other adults entering his world. He also dearly misses his parents and granddad giving much depth to the storyline.
  5. My favorite character besides Clayton was his grandmother. No typecasting here, Gram is one tough lady who shows up in the most unexpected get-ups.

FAVORITE LINES:  Less than twenty four hours later, I’m in the underwear section at Macy’s. Shopping. Normally, I wouldn’t be caught dead here. Now I might be.

Caught dead, that is.

I lean over and mutter to my shoe, trying to act like bra-shopping with my fake mom is a regular day in the life of me. “Can you hear me? Over.”

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 Be sure to visit Ena’s author web site and Twitter for more insights.

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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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SCIENCE ENCYCLOPEDIA from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Posted on November 18, 2016 by Greg Pattridge

scienceencyclopediaLet’s begin with some math. SCIENCE ENCYCLOPEDIA checks in at 9.5 inches by 12 inches and is a whopping 3.8 pounds. Eye-popping fantastic is the best description I could come up with for the cover and the 304 pages inside. It would make a great gift for the teacher or science loving kid in your life.

Opening the pages for the first time, I had to smile at how far encyclopedias have come. I remember as a kid having to do a report on the moon. I went to our book shelf at home where Funk And Wagnalls 26 volumes had its home. We only had 13 of the 26 at the time since my mom would wait for the weekly grocery store promotion–a new volume each week for $1.99. Fortunately the “M’ volume was a recent addition to our collection. I found a few paragraphs along with a fuzzy black and white image of the moon.

Fast forward to today. I flipped to the handy index in the back of SCIENCE ENCYCLOPEDIA and quickly found many pages referencing the moon, including a two page full color feature, filled with colorful sections containing information and images. There’s even a LOL! joke piece and a GEEK STREAK section delving deeper into facts about the moon’s future. With all this information, any present day student doing a moon report would put mine to shame.

National Geographic found a glowing panel of experts to review the information for accuracy. Everything is arranged in two parts in a splashy, enticing format.

First up are the Physical Sciences like chemistry and physics. The sections include MATTER, FORCES AND MACHINES, ENERGY, and ELECTRONICS. Each of these are loaded with information and pictures on various sub topics. Have an interest in Organic Chemistry, Bending Light, Satellites, or Gravity? You’ll find all of them here plus dozens more. I loved the TRY THIS! feature offered throughout, letting readers do a little experiment to gain further understanding of a concept.

Part 2 is devoted to the Life Sciences. Here you will find sections on THE UNIVERSE, LIFE ON EARTH, THE HUMAN BODY, AND PLANET EARTH. Look further and there are over 50 topics covered in detail. After completing my moon mission, I continued into other areas like Ocean Invertebrates, The Brain and Nervous System, and Volcanoes. I found  this encyclopedia hard to break away from with so much information presented in a colorful way. It’s perfect for today’s visual learners.

Get this classic for your classroom or your home. It is the most comprehensive, up to date, source on Science. What a great world we live in, and National Geographic is making sure we have a thorough understanding of all its wonders.

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Have a great weekend with family and friends, but be sure to find time to READ!

Posted in New Release, non fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments