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The Amazing Adventure of Paddy Platypus
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was enjoyed this book. It tells about how Platypus are. They tell as a bit about them. We find out how fast he is and what he good at. It also teaches us about good at and what they do not like.

It a really good book for young readers and children. It funny as well. It quite a cutie book and really enjoy it. Paddy goes for adventure and to find out where and what happens at the end you should read the book. The pictures are good for children that can not read for it quite entering along with it being a chapter book style.
  
SA
Sun and Shade
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sun and Shade by Mary Lindeen is an early level reader science book. The photographs are beautiful and show the difference between sun and shade. Showing the difference helps young readers understand what they are reading easier. The pictures show the difference between sunshine and shade, moist and dry, the position of the sun in the solar system. High frequency words are used which helps the reader add to their vocabulary.  

I would love to have this book in my classroom library. 

I give this book 4.5/5 stars. 

I received this book from Norwood House Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter, #1)
Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter, #1)
Virginia Boecker | 2015 | Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>

The sixteenth century is a dangerous time for wizards and witches to live – a place where magic is illegal. Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Grey spends her time disguised as a kitchen maid as she goes around hunting down witches. However when she is accused of witchcraft after being found in possession of herbs, her life is over. Suddenly the most wanted wizard in Anglia, who claims she can help him as much as he can help her, rescues her. Finding herself surrounded by the enemy, Elizabeth must decide whether she should escape and turn them in, or begin to trust people she has been raised to believe are evil.

<i>Witch Hunter</i> is a young adult fantasy novel targeted at those with a love of both historical and magical stories. Initially Elizabeth wants to capture and send all wizards and witches to their deaths, but after her rescue begins to realize that not all she has been led to believe is true. Magic is neither inherently good nor bad; it is what someone does with the power that matters. This story is full of action from beginning to end as Elizabeth learns who to trust and who needs to be destroyed.

At the beginning of the book there was a particular reference to something that felt inappropriate for young readers, however the remainder is exactly what the reader expects to find within this genre. Underneath the magical storyline is a message that urges readers not to jump to conclusions and be judgmental, particularly about things that they do not fully understand. Substitute magic for mental illness, disabilities or different cultures, and you have something that readers of all ages can relate to today.

<i>Witch Hunter</i> is the first in what promises to be an incredible series by the author Virginia Boecker. Although the key issue was resolved within this first book there is an even larger issue that still needs settling. Readers who enjoy this novel will be eagerly waiting to find out what Elizabeth and her new friends do next.
  
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BTPBookclub (18 KP) rated Inborn in Books

May 11, 2019  
Inborn
Inborn
Thomas Enger | 2019 | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is bloody brilliant! A real sleep stealer, page turner of a read. I read this in one sitting and stayed up very late just to finish it, was well and truelly hooked. I seriously did not want to put this down.

Such a clever story, I was constantly trying to guess who the murderer was and was wrong each and every time. The outcome… I would have never expected that in a million years. Truelly shocking and jaw dropping.

Brilliantly written, clever how the story was told through the past and the present all linking into one straight storyline. Would appeal to young adult readers and crime readers. This has to be his best book yet! Very impressed.

I did feel sorry for Even though, poor lad. A must read. A must buy. I absolutely loved this and devoured it. A well deserved five stars from me and a place in my top twenty of 2019! Highly recommend. You won’t regret reading this one, plenty of twists and turns during the case bound to keep you reading until the end.
  
Who is The Mystery Reader?
Who is The Mystery Reader?
Mo Willems | 2019 | Children
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Reading is a Superpower!
This book is broken up into many parts. The main story involves Zoom Squirrel who gets some help in reading for The Mystery Reader, a costumed superhero. But who is the masked man, er squirrel? And can Zoom enter the world of masked superheroes? After the main story, we get a couple of terrible (and by that, I mean delightful) puns and jokes related to reading. There’s also a section where we see the work that goes into creating a book.

As an adult, I don’t find these picture books as delightful as some of Mo’s other works. They are missing the humor and charm. However, I can see the appeal to young readers, and if the addition of superheroes to reading encourages kids to read, I’m all in favor of it. The multiple sections can make the book disjointed, especially if you are reading the book to a group of kids, but it would be great for kids ready to expand their reading beyond the traditional easy readers.
  
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lurkykitty (3 KP) rated The Only Good Indians in Books

Mar 25, 2020 (Updated Mar 25, 2020)  
The Only Good Indians
The Only Good Indians
10
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Only Good Indians is a well written and superbly crafted horror story. (0 more)
A well written and superbly crafted horror story
The Only Good Indians is a well written and superbly crafted horror story which takes place in the northwestern US and has characters from the Blackfeet and Crow tribes. Four young Blackfeet men embark on a badly planned and illegal elk hunt which results in a violation of tribal values and the desecration of nature. Ten years later, an entity exacts her revenge in a chilling, suspenseful and brutal fashion. The characters are incredibly well developed given the length of the novel, and the reader develops sympathy for them. The reader also empathizes with the perspective of the entity who pursues the four men. This story has great depth in its exploration of themes of cultural identity, tradition, social justice, revenge and respect for the natural world. Horror readers will love this, but I would also recommend this book for readers of fiction in general. I can see why this The Only Good Indians is receiving so much critical acclaim.
  
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Kyera (8 KP) rated Amina's Voice in Books

Feb 1, 2018  
Amina&#039;s Voice
Amina's Voice
Hena Khan | 2017 | Children, Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Amina’s Voice is a powerful middle-grade novel that I believe is so important for young readers to experience. Amina is a Pakistani-American, so we are given a wonderfully diverse, young voice to understand her world and it is so important in the current world climate. We, as a people, need to foster a sense of understanding and acceptance rather than fear and hate.

One of the events that happen in the books is heartbreaking and you wonder how people could behave in that manner. Unfortunately, these things happen in the real world and it’s dismaying to see people treat other fellow human beings in a less than honourable and respectful manner. It was so wonderful to see the community come together after the event, no matter their race or religion to help their neighbors. It is a ray of light in the darkness.

This short book follows Amina’s life from her sixth-grade classes and middle school friends to her time at the Mosque with her Muslim friends and family. The tale is honest and heartwarming, allowing us into her mind and connecting with her family. Although it is a short tale, it is no less important to read. I would highly recommend it to middle-grade readers (and really anyone else who is open to middle-grade fiction) because it is such a powerful and important read.
  
TB
The Big Burn
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
[The Big Burn] by [Jeanette Ingold] is an excellently written historical fiction that deals with an interesting topic. The plot is focused around three young people: Elizabeth, a homesteader with her sister, Jarret, a fire fighter, and Seth, and African American soldier. The even that brings them all together is the forest fires of 1910 in Idaho and Montana know as the Big Burn.

[Ingold] tells a fast moving tale through the various perspectives of those involved. The fact that she chose very different characters but remained historically accurate says a lot about the skill of the author. This book is a welcome addition to any classroom library, especially for those reluctant readers.
  
I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005
I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005
Lauren Tarshis | 2011 | Children, Young Adult (YA)
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Great Middle Grade Read
This book follows the story of a young boy and his family when hurricane Katrina hit. The writing style is simple and easy to read; while keeping the story interesting. This makes it perfect for younger readers.
I also really liked that the author did her research. The book depicted events as accurately as possible. She also include a section at the end that was facts about the hurricane. Many of these facts were things I never knew, so it was nice to learn something new from an unexpected place.
 This book would be a great way to teach kids about natural disasters, and introduced them to the history of hurricane Katrina.
  
CA
Cats Aloft (Anton and Cecil #3)
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Anton and Cecil, Book 3, by Lisa Martin, and Valerie Martin is the third book in the Anton and Cecil historical fiction series. After traveling by ship and train in the first two books, they get an opportunity to travel in the air in this outing. Anton and Cecil hook up with a bloodhound, Ruby LaNez in Chicago, to try a solve the mystery of the stolen white puppies. After helping to capture a bank robber, they head off to the fair to track down half a dozen missing white puppies. When they think they know who the culprits are, Cecil accidentally ends up in a hot air balloon. After a disaster in the sky, he ends up at the circus where he locates the missing puppies. With the help of some of the circus animals and a group of overgrown rats, he comes up with a plan to free a Siberian tiger and rescue the puppies. Anton and Ruby follow their noses and also end up at the circus.
What an enjoyable adventure for a pair of adventurous cats. The illustrations are scattered throughout this early chapter book and add just enough visual appeal that children will enjoy. For readers who love animal adventurers this is a fun series. This is an early chapter book that would be great for those late primary, junior readers to enjoy.

I received an advanced copy this book via NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers. Thanks so much.