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This book is different then others I have read. For the format is in Diary setting. Though I understood the story behind it. This was great read. It told more of the history of the Trail. It about a girl that goes though the some hardships and adjustments.

Florrie and her family travel from Arrow Rock, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Florrie and her brother Jem need to adjust to having a stepfather named Mr. Ryder. You learn a lot about the daily life of being on the Santa Fe Trail back in 1848.

Most of this dairy tell you the History of America during that time. Most of the dairy is down on the trail of The Santa Fe Trail. Though that like to learn about America History, this is good for young readers.
  
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Herbie's Big Adventure
Jennie Poh | 2016
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<a href="https://awindowintobooks.wordpress.com">Full Review</a>
Herbie's Big Adventure by Jennie Poh is a cute illustrated book. Herbie, a hedgehog, is content with staying at home but his mom says he needs to go on his first adventure, forging. Naturally, Herbie is worried about being out on his own. He finds himself liking the world outside of his home. As he continues his adventure, Herbie travels farther and farther from home.

This is a cute story about a little hedgehog. The book teaches about the different seasons, going out in nature, and the bond between mother and child. The illustrations are amazing. The pictures have bright colors and make you feel that you are part of Herbie's forging.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Capstone Young Readers via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.
  
Rise of the Hearts
Rise of the Hearts
Antoine Bonner | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
2
2.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am having a difficult time writing a review for Rise of the Hearts by Antoine Bonner. The premise of this book is not new but the summary was worded well enough that I was looking forward to reading it. The cover caught my eye and made me want to read it even more.

Unfortunately, it was a challenge to finish it.

I did not relate to or care about any of the characters. The story did not flow well. I had trouble following the story and was confused about what was going on. I reread sections to see if I could figure out the story. I was never able to follow the plot.

This is NOT a young adult (YA) book. Based on the description, I had mistakenly thought it was appropriate for younger readers. It is not and it is marketed as an adult book. There are several passages that are not appropriate for young adults.

The book was only 198 pages. I was not very far in when I was considering stopping. I continued and struggled through the entire book. On the last few pages I allowed myself to just skim it because I was so lost.
  
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Hair-Pocalypse
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hair-pocalypse by Geoff Herbach is a wonderful, funny picture book of a boy named Aiden who has wild. Aiden is a little boy with hair that has a mind of its own. This story takes us through a day in Aiden’s life with his wild hair and how he was able to deal with it. The overall message of the book is about compromise and understanding.

Aidan has wild and crazy hair. Aidan’s also a bit on the “grubby” side, as young boys are inclined to be. The book opens with Aidan’s hair in full on rebellion. With what appears to be a mind of its own the mop of hair undertakes to make Aidan’s life embarrassing and difficult.After yelling and screaming and fighting with his hair Aidan finally has a calm conversation with the unruly mop and works out an accommodation.

The illustrations are wonderful and help enhance the story. The pictures depict the personality of the hair and show its rebellion, and then it’s eventual abandon. The pictures show the support and energize the story, which helps the reader with getting into the story.

Thank you to Capstone and Capstone Young Readers via NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
  
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Illustrated Stories From Shakespeare
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I recently purchased this book from Usborne and am SO in love with it! I have always had a deep appreciation and fascination with Shakespeare's work. (So much so that one year for Christmas all I wanted was Barnes & Noble's The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.) But I admit that at reading Shakespeare was a challenge when I was younger. Struggling to understand the language, I missed much of what was happening in the storyline. I am thrilled to have found this book for my kids. I thought, if they grow up knowing the stories, then maybe when it comes time to read the original plays, they will have an easier time. So far, my three year old LOVES this book! He has sat through Hamlet and was in high dudgeon that I had to borrow it to write this review. The illustrations are beautiful! And even though all of the plays are written so that young readers can understand them, some of the more famous lines from Shakespeare's works can still be found. I am thoroughly impressed and am so excited to introduce my kids to Shakespeare at a young age. Hoping to nurture and grow their love of literature.
  
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ClareR (5603 KP) rated Underdogs in Books

Jul 2, 2019 (Updated Jul 2, 2019)  
Underdogs
Underdogs
Chris Bonnello | 2019 | Dystopia, Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
7
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A big thumbs up for neurodiversity!
I liked this - it’s such a positive, uplifting book, set in a world where cloned soldiers have taken over the country. The seemingly only free humans (the rest of the population are crammed into overcrowded citadels) are all young people with autism, anxiety, PDA, developmental delays and ADHD (I may have missed some conditions!), and they are fighting to stay alive.

This story shows how these young people’s conditions affect them, and how they cope with them - how they use their conditions, which are seen as a weakness by many, to their advantage. Neurodiversity is so well described by the author, and it was really interesting to be in the heads of the main characters. I honestly think that this book should be read in schools (year 6 and above, it’s a bit too graphic in places for younger readers, I think). With more inclusive education in schools, I think that this book could help students to understand their fellow classmates. And really, as an adult I learnt something about them too.

I’ll be interested to read any other books that follow this, and I’ll be keeping an eye out!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and the author for serialising this book.
  
Hadassah, Queen Esther of Persia
Hadassah, Queen Esther of Persia
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
One of the great heroines of the Old Testament, Hadassah was a beautiful, graceful young woman who put her faith in God and her guardian, her cousin Mordecai.

She dreams of marrying Shamir, a tall, handsome, studious young man who is the rabbi’s son. Her heart beats faster when she hears the sound of his deep voice as he reads the Torah. And she hopes that he will visit Mordecai soon to present a betrothal request. Then, an upheaval in King Xerxes’s palace changes everything. Queen Vashti has been banished and an edict goes out for all qualified young virgins throughout the empire to be taken to the palace as he searches for a new queen. Fear strikes in the hearts of many, including Mordecai, as he realizes Hadassah will be taken. To hide her identity as a Jew, he tells her to go by the name of Esther. Since he works as a record-keeper at the king’s gates, he can keep tabs on how she is doing. Hadassah: Queen Esther of Persia imagines what life was like for the woman who saved her people—and perhaps found love in the process.



The author has done an amazing amount of research for this book. She has brought new life to the Biblical book of Esther. This informative and entertaining novel will touch the hearts of many readers.



I enjoyed this novel greatly, as it did open my eyes to the customs and the history that was custom during that time. The author gives the reader an interesting and accurate look into the book of Esther, from the Jewish viewpoint. It brings the reader into the life of a young Jewish girl in the reign of King Xerxes. I truly enjoyed this book, that teaches us about Gods providence, prayer and trust in God.


This is a read that I highly recommend.
  
Timothy Mean and the Time Machine
Timothy Mean and the Time Machine
William A. E. Ford | 2019 | Children
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What I liked most was the fun rhymes and locations (0 more)
If I absolutely had to pick something I did not like it would have to be the few lines that did not rhyme as they almost upset the flow of the passage (0 more)
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
Contains spoilers, click to show
Timothy Mean and the Time Machine by William A. E. Ford was a wonderful little children's book. Marcelo Simonetti also created some amazing artwork for the book. The rhymes on just about every line would hold a child's attention and the interesting locations would inspire their imagination. The book is very short, with only about ten pages with text on them. This makes it great to prevent young readers from being intimidated by the size of the book. The book also goes through the days of the week, helping to teach children the names of the days in a fun way.

     Being bored one day, a young boy by the name of Timothy Mean decides to build a time machine. He visits Vikings and Pirates on their ships, causing them trouble. He visits his parents while they are children and in school themselves. At one point he even pulls the pants down on am astronaut. No trip in time would be complete without a trip into the future so that is exactly what he does. Timothy also likes playing pranks and being a trouble-maker at each location he visits.
 
     The locations visited and Timothy's pranks open up chances for discussion with parents and slightly older children. Parents could ask their children all kinds of things about the book. They could ask about if their child would want to walk on the moon, or what they think the future will be like. Parents could ask about what their child would do if they were a pirate or maybe what they think life was like in mid-evil times. Almost any children's book that encourages children to think and use their imagination is a good one.

     I loved the book. What I liked most were the fun rhymes and locations. If I absolutely had to pick something I did not like it would have to be the few lines that did not rhyme as they almost upset the flow of the passage. Though in all honesty, it is not a big issue and for a children's book writers are somewhat limited on their options to ensure a child would understand.

  Target readers for this book are anyone. As a mother, I would feel comfortable reading this book to my children no matter how young. I also feel like this would be a good book for a beginning reader, maybe a page a dag. For even more fun and value, parents could have their new readers read the page that goes with the current weekday. Slightly older children and more experienced readers could sit down and read the entire book on their own.

     I rate this book 4 out of 4 and plan on getting a physical copy for my own children (I reviewed a digital copy of the book). The book was wonderful and I hope it gains enough popularly that William A. E. Ford creates an entire line of rhyming Timothy Mean books

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Scavengers
Scavengers
Alessandra Melville | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The book is also well detailed and I can sense a well thought out backstory driving everything. I wanted more out of the book in the end for both parts of the story. (0 more)
Although this is a full length book it still felt more like a teaser than anything. (0 more)
Surprisingly amazing book!!
Scavengers by Alessandra Melville is ideal for those who like post-apocalyptic stories. While readers won’t find zombies in these pages they will discover a world with Fallout tones mixed with Divergent.

Olivia Taylor lives safely within the confines of the Community along with other survivors. This Community was founded after a virus outbreak to protect the survivors from raider attacks. Unfortunately not all is perfect in the Community. Soaring temperatures and a lack of resources mixed with the ever present threat of discovery cause the Community’s numbers to drop, resulting in the need for a Scavenging trip. Olivia and all the other children of the Community that are of age report to volunteer to scavenge and this year she is finally picked. Now along with four others Olivia must leave the safety of the Community in an attempt to bring back supplies, food, and new members or not come back at all.
Before the foundation of the Community disaster struck the world. A virus ran rampant and high temperatures cause drought and dehydration. Out of desperation the entire Taylor family leaves their home, along with many others, in search of a safer place to live. Yet in a world that is falling apart danger is everywhere and the journey is not an easy one. Finally they meet up with others fleeing the city but they have to stop and wonder if anywhere is safe anymore.

I was very happy to find halfway through the book that it changes focus from Olivia to Grace. This answered many questions that I was beginning to forum but was afraid I would never get an answer too, and yet did not explain everything. The book is also well detailed and I can sense a well thought out backstory driving everything. I wanted more out of the book in the end for both parts of the story. The cliffhangers and unanswered questions would easily be fixed with a sequel that I feel this book deserves. Although this is a full length book it still felt more like a teaser than anything.

Teens and young adults will enjoy this book just as much if not more so than adults. While there are hints toward sexual activities both wanted and not nothing happens with any detail and will go over the heads of many young readers. The young readers will enjoy the story and I suppose some of the older readers will start questioning just how these events came to pass. I rate this book 4 out of 4. This book deserves a sequel. It is very well written and an enjoyable book with a style that reminded me of Hunger Games (along with a few others previously mentioned). It could easily make itself at home on shelves right alongside other such dystopian books. This book is so gripping a read that many reader should be able to finish it in just a couple of days.
  Scavengers | Book| Austin Macauley Publishers
  
AE
Amethyst Eyes
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I really enjoyed [Amethyst Eyes] by [Debbie Brown]. In the introduction it states it was written for reluctant readers, which is what I teach. I fully agree that young adults that don't like reading will enjoy the story of coming of age with a twist.

Imagine your world as you know it being turned upside down at fifteen years old. Your mom dies in an accident, you are seriously injured, finally your dad, who you haven't seen since you were little, comes to take you home with him. Here is the twist, his home is a space ship. Yes, your dad is an alien.

It is definitely not as cheesy as I made it seem. The relationship Tommy has with his dad is not that different from that of any teenager growing up and changing. The adventure of getting to know yourself is sometimes the biggest for a teenager.