Early Book Review: Gruel Snarl Draws a Wild Zugthing by Jantzer Studios

Gruel Snarl Draws a Wild Zugthing by Jantzer Studios is currently scheduled for release on September 28 2017. Modeling-clay character Gruel Snarl is driving his mom zonkers! Just an ordinary kid with an extraordinary imagination, Gruel spends his days doing all kinds of things but always seems to find his way into mischief. Desperate to find something to keep Gruel out of trouble, his mom offers him paper and crayons. Find out what happens when his imagination takes an unexpected turn in this story as the main characters merge and jump right off the page.

Gruel Snarl Draws a Wild Zugthing is a fun story about an alien kid driving their mother up the wall. After being handed the tools to draw things only get worse as the creatures jump off the page. I liked that things are turned around and Gruel and the boy he draws switch roles. It leaves the book with an interesting twist leaving readers wondering who is drawing who. The artwork is interesting, with a combination of clay creatures and drawn cut outs leading the majority of the action. At first the artwork left me a little apathetic, but by the end I was a little more impressed. It was an interesting and reasonably unique story, however it still left me content but not overly impressed. I think there is definitely a market for the book, and highly imaginative kids (and their families) are likely to appreciate it the most.

Early Book Review: If My Dogs Were a Pair of Middle-Age Men by Matthew Inman (The Oatmeal)

If My Dogs Were a Pair of Middle-Age Men by Matthew Inman (also known as The Oatmeal) is currently schedule for release on September 26 2017.  This charmingly absurd gift book about man’s best friend is the kind of humor and art that one fully expects from the mind behind The Oatmeal and books like How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You. In If My Dogs Were a Pair of Middle-Aged Men, Matthew Inman imagines what life would be like if his dogs were a couple of old men running around his house. The result is a pitch-perfect gift for any dog owner, animal lover, or fan of The Oatmeal.

If My Dogs Were a Pair of Middle-Age Men gives readers exactly what they should expect from this author, with this title. Inman draws his two dogs as middle age men and puts them in everyday doggy situations. Not high brow humor by any means- but anyone with dogs (or pets of any kind really) can relate to the adventures of this two, and the reactions of their owner. They are suitably silly and occasionally gross- like any animal is bound to be. The book is amusing and hits all the right notes, at least the ones that anyone with any prior knowledge of the Oatmeal would expect. It was short, but I think that is better than dragging on the jokes to the point where they are no longer quite as amusing. 

Early Book Review: Sticks 'n' Stones 'n' Dinosaur Bones by Ted Enik, G.F. Newlan

Sticks 'n' Stones 'n' Dinosaur Bones written by Ted Enik and illustrated by G.F. Newlan is currently scheduled for release on September 28 2017. This is the first book in the Unhinged History series brings to life the best-known public spat in all of paleontology: the bitter rivalry between Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh. This frenzy of discovery and one-upmanship—known today as the Bone Wars—was a gold rush–like scramble to find the most and “best” dinosaur fossils, thus bringing to glory to their respective home-base universities. Lively and witty rhymes plus wonderfully demented illustrations reveal how the paleontologists’ infamous rivalry began, and how—despite making genuine and lasting contributions to the field—their mutual obsession with outdoing one another spun out of control.

Sticks 'n' Stones 'n' Dinosaur Bones is a nonfiction picturebook in rhyme. I have always been interested in paleontology, and this book brought the initial rush to find and identify dinosaur bones to life. While there was some exaggerating and silliness to make the picturebook my engaging, the facts and fascinating tidbits of information I had not known were included as well. I think that this is a must read for children (and adults) interested in American history and paleontology.The trouble Cope and Marsh cause for themselves is entertaining, but rather sad, that adults would cheat and lie to gain notoriety for themselves and their employers, but it is not all that surprising when you see what some are still willing to do in the name of money or fame. I found the factual parts to be well written and accessible, and the story of Cope and Marsh's rivalry was entertaining and engaging. The artwork is just as entertaining and attention grabbing as the text and story, keeping readers turning pages. I think this would be a great addition to school and public library collections. It could inspire future scientists and historians as well as starting discussions on how rivalries can get out of hand and cause the participants more trouble than it is worth. 

Early Book Review: How to Make Friends with a Ghost by Rebecca Green

How to Make Friends with a Ghost by Rebecca Green is a picturebook currently scheduled for release on September 5 2017. What do you do when you meet a ghost? One: Provide the ghost with some of its favorite snacks, like mud tarts and earwax truffles. Two: Tell your ghost bedtime stories (ghosts love to be read to). Three: Make sure no one mistakes your ghost for whipped cream or a marshmallow when you aren't looking! If you follow these few simple steps and the rest of the essential tips in How to Make Friends with a Ghost, you'll see how a ghost friend will lovingly grow up and grow old with you. 

How to Make Friends with a Ghost is a fun and original picturebook which outlines what you should to in order to meet a ghost and be a good friend to it. I liked the quirky information given, and think it could be a perfect book to give a child that is currently scared of the things that go bump in the night. The story describes ghosts as shy but loyal, with some interesting dietary favorites. A ghost friend likes most of the same things a child does, but needs some protecting in the world. I enjoyed seeing the ghost stick around the young girl as she grew up, had a family, and eventually grew old. The ending did have a slightly dark leaning, making it clear that a ghost will be a forever friend, but it worked for me. 

Book Review: Moto and Me: My Year as a Wildcat's Foster Mom by Suzi Eszterhas

Moto and Me: My Year as a Wildcat's Foster Mom by Suzi Eszterhas is a children's non fiction book. It tells the firsthand story of wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas’s care for an orphaned baby serval (a small, spotted wildcat) in Kenya. When a grass fire separates the serval from his family, a ranger asks Suzi, who is living in a bush camp and is skilled with animals, to be the serval’s foster mom. The book chronicles Suzi’s tender care of Moto, including how she feeds, bathes, and plays with him, and helps him develop hunting skills. Her goal is to help him learn how to survive on his own in the wild. After 6 months, he is ready to leave—a difficult good-bye, but exactly what Suzi had worked for.

Moto and Me is a story that combines emotion and information to nearly perfect effect. I enjoyed reading about the attachment and struggles Suzi faced in balancing the love she had for little Moto with her goal to help him grow up to be able to fend for himself. It was interesting to see how serval are both similar and different from the domestic cats that have always been a part of my life. The photographs of Moto's journey were simply beautiful and the icing on the cake. The information about how servals live, and how we can support the survival of the species was an important bonus. I think that the fact that the proceeds of the books sales going toward protecting the preserve where Moto now lives is a wonderful touch and makes me even more eager to get my hands on a paper (rather than digital) copy.

Moto and Me is a good combination of information and heart warming story. I loved learning more about how a serval grows, and how Suzi lived in Kenya. I need to buy this book for my daughter, who is still determined to live much like Suzi did in Kenya in order to care for wild animals. 

Book Review: Freckle Stars by Jackie Leduc

Freckle Stars by Jackie Leduc is a children's book about Clementine, who hated her freckles and that they made her different.  Other children poked fun at her in school, and she didn't want to be different. But one day, her mother teaches her an important life lesson she will never forget.

Freckle Stars is a cute story about a girl dealing with being bullied about looking different. She has red hair, fair skin, and freckles. Honestly, while I know some kids will tease others about anything- she is described to match exactly what I wanted to look like at that age, but I digress. I love that Clementine spoke her her mother about her bullying issue, and her concerns about being different. This is awesome and something we need to encourage our kids to do, share their problems and concerns with the adults in their lives. However, it is in the conversation she has with her mother that the book went sharply downhill for me. Instead of supporting her daughter's body image, how different is beautiful, or that everyone has a different version of beauty her mom goes to magic. Freckles are really stars, so you are special and your skin magic is her answer rather than addressing the bullies or her daughter's self esteem in a healthy way. Yes, it is a sweety, fun idea and young children would love the idea of stars hanging out on their skin. I just wish that the validated Clementines individual beauty rather than telling her she is special in a fairy tale way.