Early Book Review: The Branch by Mireille Messier, Pierre Pratt

The Branch is a picturebook written by Mireille Messier and illustrated by Pierre Pratt. It is currently scheduled for release on September 6 2016. When an ice storm snaps a small girl's favorite branch from the tree in her yard, she's crestfallen. The girl's mom says it's just a branch. But not to her! “That was the branch I sat on, jumped from, played under. It was my castle, my spy base, my ship.” Luckily, her neighbor Mr. Frank understands. He says the branch has “potential.” And so, with imagination and spirit, and Mr. Frank's guidance and tools, the girl transforms the broken branch into something whole and new, giving it another purpose, and her another place to treasure.

The Branch is a beautifully illustrated picturebook that inspires creativity and looking for solutions rather than dwelling on the bad things in life. The young girl used the now broken branch to climb and sit in the tree, it was her special perch. Without it she is at a loss. The neighborhood is working together to clean up after the storm, and her neighbor takes notice of her distress and works with her to find a solution. I like that the little girl takes part in the solution, learning how to use tools and help create a new use for the branch rather than the older gentleman just doing the project on his own. I loved the spirit of  people working together, for no other reason than to be helpful and kind. This is a beautiful lesson that not only encourages a feeling of community, but also encouraging creativity, ingenuity, and hard work.

Book Review: Daring in a Blue Dress by Katie MacAlister

Daring in a Blue Dress by Katie MacAlister is a contemporary romance that is part of the Matchmaker in Wonderland or Ainsle Brothers series. the first book in the series was The Importance of Being Alice which was great fun. The series is tied together by the family of the main players, but each can also be enjoyed on their own.

Stranded in England without money or a ticket home, Mercy Starling takes a job working for a medieval reenactment company. After all, who wouldn't want to pretend to live in the past, wield swords and long bows, and dress up in armor? And the best part of her summer job is Bestwood Hall, or rather, its intriguing new owner. The painfully shy Alden Ainslie is overwhelmed by the medieval reenactors who invade the Tudor house he's renovating, but he's drawn to the bubbly Mercy. And he valiantly joins in the fun, dodging not just arrows, lances, and the odd sword thrust, but also some pretty suspicious—and potentially deadly—attacks on himself. Someone wants him to give up on the house. But Alden is desperate to prove himself—and win the heart of his lady fair.

Daring in a Blue Dress is a romance with a heaping spoonful of suspense. Mercy is a character with a money problem and a strange solution. Taking a job that was offered on a train by the person backing out at the last minute is a desperate solution, but one that she is willing to take. Alden is a perpetual student with few social skills, but the need to restore Bestwood Hall and keep the former owner, who still lives on premises reasonably happy. When Mercy's job just happens to be working for medieval reenactors that unexpectedly set up camp in Alden's back yard hilarious missteps and compromises ensue. several cases of assumptions, mistaken identity, and social awkwardness keep readers happily reading and enjoying the story. The chemistry between Alden and Mercy have is wonderful, and their banter is highly entertaining. The mystery.. danger, and action of the story are a great bonus- however I was just thrilled to see another book where MacAlister concentrates on fun, quirky characters that engaged me and kept me interested through the entire book. Now I need to go back and read the couple books I missed between Alice's book and this one, especially if MacAlister is back to the awesome characters that originally made me a fan.

Daring in a Blue Dress is a fun and fast read with plenty of laughs and romance, but a significant amount of mystery endanger as well. I think fans of MacAlister’s quirky characters and readers that have never read her light hearted romance will all enjoy this entertaining mix of mystery and sweet romance.  

Early Book Review: Doodle Adventure: The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate by Mike Lowery

Doodle Adventure: The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate by Mike Lowery is the second book in the Doodle Adventure series, which invites, no actually requires, readers to add their own artwork and ideas to the story. It is currently scheduled for release on September 6 2016. The first book is The Search for the Slimy Space Slugs, which I now own two copies of- because each of my children wanted their own. 

Doodle Adventures: The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate! features Carl, the friendly narrator who happens to be a duck, and the reader, who is drawn right into the story—literally. Together, they embark on the very important mission of finding out who has been stealing all of the pizza in town. Could it be the Dread Pirate Slobberts, the meanest, nastiest pirate ever to sail the Seven Seas? And, more important, how are they going to get all that pizza back? The reader takes part in the adventure, filling in the blanks on each page and making the story their own, and ready to read again or share over and over again.

Doodle Adventures: The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate! is a fun interactive story that appeals to readers that have big imaginations and enjoy more interactive stories. Each page offers a prompt for the reader to draw on object or finish a picture to help the story along. While the adventure of looking for a pizza thief would be enough to capture my son’s attention (since pizza only comes second to cake on the favorite food list) the interactive and adventure aspects of the story keep him interested and actively reading than most books. This is true for newly independent readers that are still getting comfortable with exploring chapter books, but more advanced readers as well. The creativity and fun factors will make this a hit for many. I am off to preorder my two copies now. 

Early Book Review: Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke

Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke is a graphic novel that is currently scheduled for release on September 6 2016. Jack might be the only kid in the world who's dreading summer. But he's got a good reason: summer is when his single mom takes a second job and leaves him at home to watch his autistic kid sister, Maddy. It's a lot of responsibility, and it's boring, too, because Maddy doesn't talk. Ever. But then, one day at the flea market, Maddy does talk, but only to tell Jack to trade their mom's car for a box of mysterious seeds. It's the best mistake Jack has ever made. What starts as a normal little garden out back behind the house quickly grows up into a wild, magical jungle with tiny onion babies running amok, huge, pink pumpkins that bite, and, on one moonlit night that changes everything, a dragon.

Mighty Jack is an imaginative graphic novel that starts with a pair of siblings that are devoted to each other, but like all siblings get annoyed or frustrated with each other as well. While their mom is busy working so that family does not have to leave their home the trouble with the garden starts, and a new friendship begins. I really like the dynamics between Jack and Maddie, and then the neighbor Lilly. Jack both adores his sister and is frustrated with the level of responsibility on his shoulders. In other words he is an ordinary kid facing both perfectly normal, and some seriously unusual challenges.  I think we could have seen more of Lilly's time away from the siblings, since it was clear that she was hiding something. However, my real complaint is that that action really ramped up at the end, only to leave readers with a serious cliff hanger and needing to know what is going to happen next. As always the characters, story, and artwork are all wonderful just as I expect from Hatke. It was not quite as awesome as Zita the Spacegirl, but still an engaging read that fans of all ages will enjoy.

Mighty Jack is an engaging graphic novel, as I have come to expect from Hatke. My only complaint is that it is clearly the beginning of a series, and the ending leaves the reader hanging and waiting for more.

Early Book Review: A Squiggly Story by Andrew Larsen

A Squiggly Story by Andrew Larsen is a picture book that is currently scheduled for release on September 6 2016. A young boy wants to write a story, just like his big sister. Athough he knows his letters, he doesn't know many words. “Every story starts with a single word and every word starts with a single letter,” his sister explains patiently. “Why don't you start there, with a letter?” So the boy tries. He writes a letter. An easy letter. The letter I. And from that one skinny letter, the story grows, and the little boy discovers that all of us, including him, have what we need to write our own perfect story.

A Squiggly Story offers encouragement for developing readers and writers to be creative and take chances. Writing a book can be a daunting task for adults, never mind young children still learning how to read and write. I loved the example his big sister sets, and her encouragement. Like any art form, with writing you need to start with a single word, a single letter, and expand from there. Much like the book The Dot by Peter Reynolds encourages artistic expression by encouraging children to start with a simple mark on the page, this book suggests that inspiring writers start of much the same. Anyone can tell their story with art or words, but only if they get started. The story is told as the young boy writes his book, and while my advanced digital copy has some formatting issues- which I fully expect to already be fixed in the final copy- the fun illustrations and story panels with dialogue bubbles come together to engage the reader and give the pages a nice textured look. I really enjoyed the read and think it will be a favorite among many readers, teachers, librarians, and parents.

A Squiggly Story is a great picture book for encouraging young children to be creative, and to ret new things (like writing their own book). The sibling relationship and persistence of the young author are great examples for readers of all ages. 

Book Review: Reign: A Royal Military Romance by Roxie Noir

Reign: A Royal Military Romance by Roxie Noir is something I bought on a whim, I admit to being intrigued by an Amazon on a Facebook. Thankfully, it was well worth by time. The crown prince Kostya and Hazel have nothing in common. He's a rugged, battle-hardened soldier who spent four years in the Royal Guard, an elite military unit. Hazel met the King and Queen for the first time wearing leggings and a sweatshirt. He's the serious, quiet, straight-laced heir to the throne, and she accidentally got drunk at a formal dinner.  Hazel is the ambassador's daughter and knows better than to mess around with a foreign head of state. His father is threatening to strip me of my title if he touch her, but she makes him want to break every one of his own rules. 

Reign: A Royal Military Romance is a romance that made me laugh, bite my fingernails, and fan myself a little. Hazel and Kostyra have a great chemistry and their banter is fantastic. I like that readers get a glimpse into both their minds, seeing the hardships that Kostya has faced, and the self doubt Hazel has despite her impulsive nature. This is not just a steamy romance, although it is certainly that. There are well written characters, political intrigue, and danger as well. Kostya’s country is not as tranquil as his father likes to portray, and that danger is going to land on their doorstep and everyone is going to have to make some hard choices and take some chances. I like that the characters are not perfect, but perfectly compliment each other. The give and take between Kostya and Hazel is pretty close to perfect, and the secondary characters are not just background noise, I found myself almost as interested in their long term well being as I was in our staring couple. I am impressed and am going to have to explore more books from this author. 

Book Review: Inspector Flytrap and the Big Deal Mysteries by Tom Angelburger, Cece Bell

Inspector Flytrap and the Big Deal Mysteries is an easy chapter book written by Tom Angelburger and illustrated by Cece Bell. On his first caper, Inspector Flytrap heads to the Art Museum’s Secret Lab to discover what important message lies in a mysterious glob on a recently discovered Da Vinci flower painting. The ingenious solution: Da Vinci was allergic to flowers, and the glob is, er, evidence of that ancient sneeze. Next Inspector Flytrap works on cases such as “The Big Deal Mystery of the Stinky Cookies” and “The Big Deal Mystery of the Missing Rose".

Inspector Flytrap and the Big Deal Mysteries is another funny and engaging story that will capture the interest of young readers. Inspector Flytrap is insistent on only working big deal cases, and his assistant and friend, a goat, is clearly not impressed with anything. Together they work cases, and sometimes cause more problems than they fix. I like that Inspector Flytrap is indeed smart and clever enough to solve the cases that come his way, and that in a silly but fun way show readers that his lack of mobility (he is a potted plant after all) is no barrier in making friends or solving cases. The characters and cases are silly on several levels, leaving readers entertained as they attempt to solve the cases before the detective. There is a running theme of friendship and working as a team through out the book along with wonderfully entertaining illustrations that keep readers interested.

 

Inspector Flytrap and the Big Deal Mysteries is a wacky book that will draw in reluctant and newly independent readers and keep them reading happily. The story and illustrations come together wonderfully to make readers laugh, think, and enjoy reading- which is the point, right? 

Book Review: Everybody Loves Ramen by Eric Hites

Everybody Loves Ramen by Eric Hites is a book for everyone that have developed a taste for instant ramen noodles, whether from necessity or choice. This book offers related fun facts, stories, puzzles, and fifty recipes that anyone can make using the packets of Ramen. The combinations range from obvious to “really?” and stem from the experiments of the author and his friends conducted to concoct original, and hopefully taste, ways to cook a staple in their lives. 

Everybody Loves Ramen is a fun gift for students and adults making their way on their own for the first time. Almost everyone on a limited budget has turned to Ramen Noodles at some point, and these recipes are entertaining, and some sound appetizing. I will admit that I was a little disappointed, because I did not read the description and was hoping for a book on making traditional Ramen, but I was still entertained and have considered some taste combinations that had not been on my radar before. The book is fun and humorously written, well worth a look if you have any fond memories of Ramen, or are just starting to branch out into the hungry realm of “I’m broke” cuisine.  

Early Book Review: Roadside Assistance by Marie Harte

Roadside Assistance by Marie Harte is the second book in the Bad Boys and is currently scheduled for release on September 6 2016. You do not need to red the first book, Test Drive, to enjoy this one. However Test Drive was an equally good read, so you will only benefit from reading it first.

Underneath the axle grease and tats Foley Sanders is a gentleman. He always figured he would be content with a life of cars and casual hookups. Until a run-in with Cyn, a statuesque firecracker with a hate-on for men, leaves him bewitched and intrigued-much to her annoyance. Maybe Cynthia Nichols was a little hard on Foley, that muscular, tattooed, super-hot mechanic next door. But she's tired of feeling defensive about her size and has sworn off men. She's got a new job, new life, perfect plan. Foley has trouble written all over him-no way is she going to fall for his charms. What's a bad boy to do when the goddess of his dreams won't give him the time of day?

Roadside Assistance is well paced and has a great deal of character development, which always makes me happy. Foley has found his stride, good friends and no lack for physical relationships. When Cyn walks in his life everything is called into question. His less then stellar history and track record with the ladies are not exactly selling points. However, he is willing to work for a relationship with Cyn, because he knows she is worth it. Cyn has had some horrible relationships and is pondering a future alone, and a house full of cats is looking good. Foley is hard to resist, but has issues of her own to figure out. I like that while Cyn has some body image issues, she is open about them and actually faces them and an underlying source. Rather than the typical curvy girl "woe is me" bit she does (eventually) take some wonderful steps to help herself- and in turn her relationships with others. This is the best handling of the issue that I have seen in fiction yet, and I think the book is more realistic and hopeful because of it.

Roadside Assistance is another high octane romance from Harte. I liked the focus on the characters coming to terms with their own issues, and dealing with those around them. I cannot wait to see what happens in the Bad Boys series next!

Early Book Review: Fuchsia Fierce by Christianne Jones

Fuchsia Fierce by Christianne Jones is a picturebook that is currently scheduled for release on September 1 2016.Fuchsia Fierce is a bold name for a bold girl, but she does not feel brave. Her parents send her to camp where she tries new things and finds confidence in herself. Thanks to her camp counselor, and her friends, Fuchsia finally learns how to live up to her name.

Fuchsia Fierce is a picturebook about breaking out of your shell and trying new things even though it is scary. I like that Fuchsia starts off as a shy girl and that even at Camp Confidence she is not forced into anything. Her camp councilors and fellow campers let her be herself, and join in when she was ready. They let her make her excuses and stand on the sideline until she is ready to take a chance on her own. as a adult that was a shy child and still dreads rooms full of strangers I could relate to Fuchsia.  When she was ready to join in, and face her fears, she discovered that while she might not be good at everything, she could only discover what she was good at by trying. I only wish my childhood camp counselors, teachers, and such had let me make those types of decisions at my own pace as well. I think this is a great read for shy children, and those that love them. While I do not recommend shipping your kid off to camp without talking to them first, giving them every opportunity to shine in their own way and time is wonderful.

Fuchsia Fierce is a great picturebook about being shy, coming out of your shell, and facing the fear that often comes when facing new experiences like school, camp, or activities. I think those that have children that are shy or reluctant to participate could benefit from the read as well, but understanding more about how the child feels and that letting them take steps at their own pace could be the best for everyone.

About the Author: Christianne Jones is an award-winning author of books for younger children. Her picture book Lacey Walker, Nonstop Talker won a 2013 Gelett Burgess Award and was a Midwest Book Award finalist, and Hello, Goodbye, and a Very Little Lie was listed as one of the 100 best children’s books by popular parenting site babble.com. Christianne lives in Mankato, Minnesota, with her husband and three daughters.

About the Illustrator: Kelly Canby was born in London, England, but has lived in Australia since the grand old age of three, which is probably about the same age she started playing with pencils and crayons. And it was probably only a few years afterward that she decided playing with pencils and crayons was something she wanted to do for the rest of her life. With a Bachelor of Art (design and illustration) from Curtin University, Western Australia, Kelly has been scribbling professionally, and much more neatly, since her early twenties, predominantly as a graphic designer and now as a freelance illustrator of children’s books.