Blood Ties (Spirit Animals, book 3) 3.25.14

I read Spirit Animals Book 3: Blood Ties by Garth Nix and Sean Williams
I received a free ARC from Scholastic through NetGalley
4 stars

After giving up the last talisman, the crew must forgive each other, come together, and move on. With the Conquerors right on their tail, Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan are in a race to find the next talisman. They are continuing to build their skills and their bonds with their spirit animals while becoming a strong team. Meilin and her home are featured in this installment.

This book continues the series nicely. It follows a similar style even though they are all written by different authors. There is character building, foreshadowing, some new characters introduced, and the ultimate fight scene at the end. I loved the first book in the series. It took me a bit to get into the second, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. This one didn't have quite the same captivating charm, but it is still a good addition to the series. I am sure that the many kids that love the series will devour this one and be eagerly awaiting the next. Hopefully I will be drawn into the next one a bit more than I was this one.

Pig and Small (8.1.14)

I read Pig and Small by Alex Latimer
I received a free ARC from Peachtree Publishers through NetGalley
5 Stars

Pig hears a squeak on his nose. What could it be? Ah yes, a little bug, and that bug wants to be his friend. Unfortunately, there are many activities they cannot do together because of their sizes. After deciding to part ways, Pig figures out just the right activity for the two of them to do together. Then, they can think of a lot of other activities they can do. Sure, they don't like all of the same things, and they can't do everything together, but that doesn't mean they can't be friends.

I love Alex Latimer. Lion Vs. Rabbit was adorable.Penguin's Hidden Talent had adorable illustrations and a wonderful lesson in the sweet story. I love his illustrations. I love his stories. The pictures are cute, simple, and colorful. The stories are sweet and have a good meaning, while still being fun for kids to read or listen to. I especially loved this one because of the theme. I took it to mean that everyone is different, and that is okay. There are many things you may not agree on or both like to do, but that doesn't mean there are no similarities. You can use your differences to your advantage in some situations, and you can find common interests enough to be friends. Ignore or even celebrate the differences. In the end, there is always something there that will work. A+ book that I am excited to share with others.

Julia's House for Lost creatures (10.14.14)

I read Julia's House for Lost Creaturesby Ben Hatke
I received a free ARC from First Second Books through NetGalley
5 Stars

This story starts out with Julia's house coming to town and settling down by the sea. How adorable is that!? Once Julia is settled down, she realizes she needs some company. She makes a sweet sign displaying "Julia's House for Lost Creatures" and the creatures start rolling in. As you can imagine, a large number of random creatures can be a bit chaotic. She quickly figures out how to get them under control. From there, she runs into another slight problem and then gets her happy ending.

Told in a slight graphic (comic book style) format, this is an adorable picture book. The illustrations are beautiful and fit the story well. The story itself does a good job of making somewhat scary creatures not really seem so scary. The knocking on the door gives this story a little extra fun for read-aloud story times. I really can't wait to try this one out, probably close to Halloween.

There's a Mouse Hiding in This Book! (9.1.14)

I read There's a Mouse Hiding in This Book! by Benjamin Bird
I received a free ARC from Capstone through NetGalley
5 Stars

 

Tom and Jerry star in a very interactive story book that would be a lot of fun in story time. Jerry is ruining Tom's book by getting footprints all over it, so Tom wants some help catching him. From closing your eyes to listen closely for him to shaking the book to make him fall down, kids will be laughing in between participating. The ending isn't quite what I expected, and I'm sure the kids will like it as well.

Some of the fun of this story has been done before, many times before, in many other books, but it really is a fool-proof method. I'm not sure how many small children know Tom and Jerry anymore, but it is still fun. If they know them or not, the kids will love participating with this one.

Goodnight Football (8.1.14)

I read Goodnight Football by Michael Dahl
I received a free ARC from Capstone through NetGalley
5 Stars

This book is going to be just what so many little boys (and some girls!) want, a fun rhyming bedtime story about football. I love rhyming stories, and I love bedtime stories. When the two come together nicely, you end up with awinner. The rhymes flow well, something very important in a picture book. The story gets to the point, describing the game and then saying goodnight to fun stuff such as the bleachers, the fans, and the concession stands. It even gets "Goodnight moon" in there. I am sure people will see Sports Illustrated and expect the best. Thankfully they will not be disappointed by this story.

Cinderella Stays Late (Grimmtastic Girls #1)

I read Cinderella Stays Late: Grimmtastic Girls#1 by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
I received a free ARC from Scholastic through NetGalley
5 Stars

Cinderella is pretty excited to be starting at Grimmtastic Academy. Sure, her evil step sisters are there, she was extra late on her first day, and a new prince is starting on the same day (that causes major drama!) but she is still happy to be there. No new prince starts at the academy without a fancy ball. Cinder, as she prefers to be called, really wants nothing to do with the prince, but of course she is around him everywhere. Her step sisters want Cinder to talk them up every chance she gets. When they start to think she is flirting with the prince, they decide to sabotage her. Thankfully she has some new Grimmtastic friends and some magic glass slippers to help save the day, all while uncovering a new mystery.

Ah, this book series is going to be such a hit at the library where I work. So many girls love the Goddess Girls from the same authors. The whole "modern take on fairy tale" fad is pretty popular too. The name Cinder really got to me, but that is just a personal opinion that had very little to do with the story. That was really my only gripe with the story. It is cute, has a good moral, and has all the fun fairy tale characters everyone loves to read about. Also, it is a good, clean story. Amazon says grades 3-7. I think 7th grade seems a bit old, but parents can feel comfortable giving this series to good readers younger than 3rd grade. I can't wait to read the next one and pass this great series on to young readers.