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The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Glaser is a wonderful book that's positively overflowing with charm. The Vanderbeeker children are hilarious, and I fell instantly in love with each one of them and with the happy chaos of their household of 5 children, one dog, one cat and one bunny.

The five Vanderbeeker children range from age 4-and-three-quarters to twelve; four girls and one boy. They also have a dog, a cat and a rabbit which all adds up to one bustling household. When they find out their lease will not be renewed for the new year, the kids all come up with their own ways to convince their landlord to let them stay.

Each of the kids are endearing in their own way, as are the the various neighbors who are such a big part of life as they know it. The Vanderbeekers face troubles, misunderstandings and heartaches, but in their lives there is also beauty, music, ingenuity, teamwork, and love.

I received this ARC from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group and HMH Books for Young Readers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 
  
The Wind in the Willows
The Wind in the Willows
Kenneth Grahame | 1908 | Children, Fiction & Poetry
7
7.3 (15 Ratings)
Book Rating
The language is beautiful (0 more)
Perhaps a little slow (0 more)
I was pleasantly surprised by this book
I was surprised by this book. I did a bit of a skim read to begin with because I intend to use some of the books content as part of an essay that I'm writing for children's literature. My skim read put me off reading it for a few days. When I did start reading it I was enthralled by Grahame's use of language and imagery. I have to say that his use of language to describe the countryside and the changing seasons is perhaps some of the most beautiful language I have ever read. He captures the scenery so perfectly that you can almost touch it.
The characters were good, toad in particular. It is clear to see that Grahame was talking about hysteria in the character of toad. Written in the early 20th century, the novel is typical of its slower pace when compared to modern literature for children. The humour and sentiment may be enough to grip even the 21st century child. As an adult though, this is a delightful little book that should never be skimmed.
  
Think Big (The Live Big Series #3)
Think Big (The Live Big Series #3)
Kat Kronenberg | 2020 | Children, Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I love the way the pictures can tell a story. Think Big is adorable. It tells a story of helping each other out and along with believing in yourself. The way this story is told is just unique to anything I have seen in a children's book.

Children will love it. The big words around the page will have little one say them. I loved that it a fun way for some children to repeat them. The animals are relatable. I enjoyed the story. Each animal and living thing has to find their way to see how are the best that they can be.

Kat Kronenberg can does this though the animals need to learn to work together and help to survive. Will they do it. Will their hearts and minds connect and they Think Big to get what they need to grow and be the best they can be?

Parents and Grandparents will love reading this to their children and grandchildren. It makes me want to read and reread the book myself if I had children. It is adorable and cute. I hope to pick up the first to books of this series.
  
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins | 2014 | Young Adult (YA)
8
8.5 (277 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Hunger Games is a trilogy of YA dystopian novels written by American author Suzanne Collins. The story is set in an unspecified future, in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic nation of Panem located in North America. The country consists of the Wealthy Capital surrounded by the twelve (Originally thirteen) poorer districts, each one in various states of poverty. The story follows Katniss Everdeen as she takes her sisters place in the annual Hunger Games. The games are a televised event created as punishment for a past rebellion. Over the course of the books Katniss and the rest of Panem are plunged into Civil War thanks to Katniss inadvertently fuelling a hidden rebel fraction led by President Alma Coin of (the previously thought to be destroyed) District 13. After going through hell, loosing friends and the sister she tried to protect Katniss is eventually tried for killing Coin at the execution of Ex-President Snow and sent back to District 12. Katniss eventually marries fellow tribute Peeta Mellark (whom she was tied to during the games as the pair of star-crossed lovers) and eventually have two children a boy and a girl. Author Suzanne Collins stated that the inspiration for the story came to her after channel surfing through TV channels, having seen a reality show on one channel then saw footage of the Iraq invasion. The two began to blur in an unsettling way and the idea started to form. The Greek myth of Theseus also served as a basis for the story, with Collins saying that Katniss could be called a future Theseus and The Hunger Games being an interpretation of the old gladiatorial games.

The Hunger Games the titular book was released on September 14th 2008 under the publishing house Scholastic Press. The book had an initial print run of 50,00 copies eventually being bumped up twice to 200,000 copies. By February 2010 the book had sold 800,000 copies and rights to the novel have been sold in 38 territories. In November 2008 The Hunger Games was placed on the New York Times best seller list where it would remain for 100 weeks (just over three months). By the time the books film adaption released in march 2012 the book had been on USA Today's best seller list for 135 weeks (Four months) and sold over 17.5 million copies. The book received several awards and honours such as Publishers Weekley's “Best book of the year 2008”, the New York Times “Notable children's book 2008” and was the 2009 young adult fiction category winner of the Golden Duck award. The book also received the California Young Reader medal in 2011.

Catching Fire, the second book was published on September 1st 2009 under Scholastic. As the sequel to the Hunger Games book it continues the story of Katniss Everdeen and the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem as rebellion begins. The book received mixed reviews but was placed on Time Magazines Top 100 fiction list of 2009. Catching fire had an initial print of 350,00 copies but was (Like its predecessor) had grown to 750,00 by February 2010. The book has sold over 10 million copies.

Mocking-jay the third and final book in the Hunger Games Trilogy and was published August 24th 2010 by Scholastic. The book had a 1.2 million copy print that was bumped up from 750,000 copies and in its first week sold over 450,00 copies. Reviews were favourable with the book and notes that it thoroughly explores the themes of the other books.

I really love the books and regularly read them. Whenever I do read them I tend to read all three of them in the space of a week. To be fair whilst I had heard of them before the first movie release I didn't start reading them until I'd seen the first movie. I did read Catching Fire and Mockingjay before their movie equivalents hit the screens. Whilst The Hunger Games was a brilliant opener and Mockingjay was a brilliant ender, I agree with a few reviewers that Catching fire had a delayed start and it took a bit of time to get into the action of the story at large.

Suzanne Collins was born in Hartford Connecticut on the 10th of August 1962 as the youngest fourth child to Jane Bradley Collins and Lt. Col. Michael Jon Collins a decorated U. S. Air Force officer. As a daughter of a military man she was constantly moving with her family and spent her childhood in the eastern united states. Collins went to the Alabama school of fine arts in Birmingham 1980 as a theatre arts Major. Collins went on to complete a Bachelor of arts from Indiana University in 1985 and telecommunications and in 1989 Collins earned her M. F. A. in dramatic writing from NYU Tisch school of arts. Collins began her career in 1991 as a writer for children's television shows and won a nomination in animation for co-writing the critically acclaimed Christmas special Santa, Baby!. Collins after meeting James Proimos whilst working on a children's show felt the urge to write children's books and spent the early 2000's writing five books of the Underland Chronicles; Gregor the Overlander, Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane, Gregor and the curse of the Warmbloods, Gregor and the Marks of Secret and Gregor and the Code of Claw. The influence for those books came from Alice in Wonderland. During the late 2000's she ends up writing the Hunger Games trilogy which went onto a famous movie trilogy. As the result of the hunger games trilogy popularity Collins was named one of Times Magazine's most Influential people of 2010. On June 17th 2019 Collins announced she was writing a prequel to the Hunger Games and is scheduled to be released on 19th May 2020, the book is to focus on the failed rebellion 64 years before the Hunger Games trilogy.

I highly respect the Author Suzanne Collins for both her work as a writer of Children's media and for her creativity in creating both the Hunger Games and the Underland Chronicles. Her creativity has been awarded with her books popularity and being announced amongst Time Magazine's 2010's most influential people and Amazons best selling Kindle author in 2012.

In March 2009 Lions Gate Entertainment entered into a co-production agreement with Nina Jacobson's Production company Color Force for the Hunger Games. Novel writer Suzanne Collins adapted the book in collaboration with screenwriter Billy Ray and Director Gary Ross. Actors Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutchinson and Liam Hemsworth were hired for the roles of Katniss, Peeta and Gale respectively. Lawrence was four years older than Katniss was in the books but Collins said she would rather the actress be older than the character since it demanded a certain maturity and power. Collins also liked Lawrence stating she was the “only one who truly captured the character I wrote in the book”. The Hunger Games Movie was released on march 23rd 2012. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was released on November 22nd 2013 with Francis Lawrence being hired as Director and actors Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone and Sam Claflin being hired as Plutarch Heavensbee, Johanna Mason and Finneck Odair respectively. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay was split into 2 and Part 1 was released on November 21st 2014 and part 2 on November 20th 2015 Francis Lawrence remained Director for the final movies with Actor Julianne Moore joining the cast as President Alma Coin.

I loved the movies point blank and whilst it has its flaws like most movies often do I think its redeeming quality has been it faithfulness in sticking to the books as closely as possible and the actors representation of Suzanne Collins characters such as Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Donald Sunderland and President Snow, Stanley Tucci as Ceaser Flickerman, Woody Harrelson as Haymich Abernathy and Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinkett. Whilst all the actors were very good and were chosen well for their characters. These actors in particular I feel did exceptionally well in bringing their characters to life especially Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci and Woody Harrelson but then I am a very big fan of theirs so I may be a little biased.
  
Home For Christmas (Texas #9)
Home For Christmas (Texas #9)
RJ Scott | 2018 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Home For Christmas (Texas #9) by R.J. Scott
Home for Christmas is the ninth book in the Texas series, and we reunite with the Campbell-Hayes clan. It starts with Christmas (obviously) and Connor ready to make his way home. Before he goes though, he has to rescue a friend from a roof. River is blind drunk and speaks about things he had wanted to keep from Connor. Connor decides to throw an intervention, and the story starts.

Connor admits to being a fixer, and he thinks River needs fixing. The only trouble is, he doesn't really know River that well, and therefore has no idea on what to fix.

It was good catching up with the clan again, and I love how Jack and Riley still have their say, and insights, in their children's lives. Personally, I would have liked a bit more about River and his past, his condition, and what it took to move him forward, but this is only a short novel so I guess I can't have everything.

As with all of R.J. Scott's books, this was smoothly written, with some angst, and definitely some sexy times. The characters are wonderful to return to, and the scenery is breathtaking, making me want to see their ranch in real life.

Another winner for this author, and the series. I know this is supposed to be the final book, but is it really...? I hope not! Definitely recommended by me.

* I received a copy of this book with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
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Lindsay (1693 KP) rated What Bug Am I? in Books

Nov 27, 2020  
What Bug Am I?
What Bug Am I?
Skye Wade | 2020 | Children
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What Bug am I? is a well-written book. It uniquely teaches STEM. It combines nonfiction and fiction. It a cute and funny book. You learn about many different bugs while to find out what this new bug is trying to find out what he is.

You get some real facts about different bugs throughout the book. Those you get a funny story about the bug looking for someone like him. It like he just does not know who he is. Children will learn all about the different bugs. This is a neat idea and a clever way to teach children.

The pictures are well done and enjoyable. I was somewhat creeped out about the real pictures of some of the bugs. But not creeped out where I closed the book, the look of them had me wanting to turn the page. It is really good for all kinds of children that can learn about bugs and other things. If you are what STEM means well I will put the explanation in for you below.

STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — in an interdisciplinary and applied approach.

Parents will want this for their children if you like bugs or some teachable moment about nature. We get to learn about nature and the different bugs we have in our backyard and house. These kinds of books are enjoyable for young readers and school-age children. I love children's books and sometimes learning about the different bugs or learning something new about bugs I knew about them.
  
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The Exact Location of Home
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Exact Location of Home by Kate Messner is a story that will pull at the readers heart. In the story Zig and his friends spend a great deal of time together going to garage sales, skipping rocks, and just being together. When Zig gets a gps, they begin geocaching. But Zig hides a secret from his friends that has changed his entire world. As Zig grows, he finds support from an unexpected ally and gives support to a young boy, both facing similar circumstances as Zig. 

Messner has given us a compassionate and necessary middle grade story about the reality of homelessness for many children today. This story has a unique premise with the geocaching theme and I love that while the main character is in 8th grade he will be relatable for students both much younger and much older than he is. I would love to get this book into the hands of all teachers and administrators who struggle to understand how difficult school can be for children without a stable home life, and who make well-intended but thoughtless comments about the homeless population.

I received this ARC from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and Bloomsbury USA Childrens via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 
  
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Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Coraline in Books

Jul 15, 2019  
Coraline
Coraline
Neil Gaiman, Chris Riddell | 2013 | Children
8
8.4 (41 Ratings)
Book Rating
Spooky Kids Book
I listened to the audio book narrated by Gaiman himself, which I think helped enhance the experience as he does a great job. Despite really being a children's story I was still able to enjoy this and have little doubt if I’d come across it as a child it would of been a favourite, up there the my Dahl books.

It’s a spooky story about the young girl Coraline, she’s a likeable character with plenty of sass. When she discovers a door to a secret world where she has another Mother and Father who seem more loving and attentive then her own, it seems like a good place to spend some time despite their odd black button eyes. Coraline is rapidly pulled into a game of high stakes with her other Mother.

The sinister nature of the button eyed creatures was rather ruined for me because I had previously seen a bit of a Simpsons Halloween episode based on this. I did keep having flashes of Marge with button eyes which spoiled the atmosphere. The spooky rats singing on the audio version did send chills through me and along with Gaiman’s narration I would recommend the audio version.
  
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From the Dark (Bewitch the Dark #1)
2
2.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
From the Dark has some interesting ideas, nothing original but good still the same; it's just too bad the story couldn't come together. I got to the end of page 170 and just could not go on. I hate to be so harsh but I was not going to force this torture onto myself anymore.

The main problem with the book was how hurried it was; the book had too much going on and was light on a decent plot, yet it still ended up boring. For the most part the story consisted of parts that were redundant, cheesy, weird, and/or ludicrous, which in turn made me cringe. The characters were one-dimensional, boring, and unsympathetic; I can't say I hated them and I can't say I liked them, although Ravin got on my nerves. Not to mention, what was up with the counting thing? What is Michael, Sesame Street's the Count? I mean if that was used in a children's book or a comedic PNR than fine, but in a supposedly serious paranormal romance? It's not funny, it's bloody ridiculous.

I'm sorry to say this, but this whole disaster made me think the author just half-heartedly wrote the book by filling in blanks around a few ideas. I sincerely hope Michele Hauf's other books are much better than this.
  
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Poppy (Poppy, #1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Poppy by Mary Hooper is a sweet novel. The book gives a look at the lives of English nurses of World War One who took care of soldiers who wounded where their injuries were to the extent that caused the soldier to be returned home. Poppy shows World War One in a fresh and touching perspective.

Poppy takes a look at some of the less talked aspects of war. The book foxes on returned soldier who had facial injuries leaving them disfigured and cause damage to themselves to get away from the fighting and being strong. The topics discussed are series and sensitive issues but the author, Mary Hooper, does a great job of addressing and dealing with the issues in Poppy.

One aspect I enjoyed was the letters that were interspersed throughout the story. The letters brought the voice of the character into the story. I felt the story was an enjoyable and quite touching. They writing style flows well and was easy to slip into the story. It was great to see the novel tackle some of the less well-known aspects of the First World War and I only hope the second book does the same.

I give this story 4/5 stars.

I received this book from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books via Netgalley in exchange of a honest review.