Star Wars: Jedi Academy

I read Star Wars: Jedi Academy by Jeffrey Brown
I received a free ARC through NetGalley
4 Stars

Roan wants to go to Pilot Academy. He has dreamed of it his whole life. When he doesn't get in, he is sure he will be heading to Plant School. Then, unexpectedly, he gets accepted into the Jedi Academy. This is odd because he is much older than most kids that are first years there. The Force must be strong with that one! This is a fun tale of going off to a new (middle) school, making friends, dealing with not being exactly where you want to be, but learning to hopefully love it.

Fans of Star Wars will like this completely original story. There are many detailed drawings, one of the joys of this author/illustrator. There are fun extras throughout the book like letters from his brother and newsletters at school that will keep the kids reading it entertained. Thankfully there is plenty of Yoda, as observed from a middle school child. 8-year-olds might get a little bored with this one, but die-hard Star Wars fans well into middle school will breeze through it. Hopefully they will learn to be themselves and enjoy the life they have while they are at it.

The Alphabet Parade

I read The Alphabet Parade by Charles Ghigna, illustrated by Ag Jatkowska
I received a free ARC through NetGalley
4 Stars

This was a very cute book with colorful illustrations and great rhyming. There was a fun variety of different animals, from dogs and leopards to Kinkajou and unicorns. There were also acrobats and queens along the way. I absolutely love the illustrations. They look just like the ones on the cover. 

I don't normally read ABC books in story time, but this one would probably work well. The rhymes make it great for that purpose. I really wish it had an ending similar to the beginning. The beginning of the book says "The Alphabet Parade! Oh, what a sight to see! A big parade of letters all the way from A to Z." The book ends with the line about Z, and that's it. A simple last stanza would have made this book perfect. 

Rose Under Fire

I read Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth E. Wein
I received a free ARC through NetGalley
5 stars!

Rose Justice is an American pilot for the ATA during WWII. She is captured and sent to an all women concentration camp, Ravensbruck. Just like all concentration camp stories, Rose is in for a very horrible and difficult time. Told through her journal from before and after the concentration camp, mostly after, we get an intimate look at life inside the camp, learning to live afterward, and even a glimpse at the trials that took place once the war was over.

Rose Under Fire is a companion to Code Name Verity. You do not have to read Verity to understand this book, but I think everyone should read it anyway. Maddie is back in this one as Rose's friend. Some people in Maddie's past are referenced, but you aren't told what happened. If I were reading this book without having read Verity, I would absolutely want to go back and see what happened in Verity. There are a lot more surprises in Verity that might not be as shocking if Rose is read first.

I felt that Verity was a more powerful story, but I enjoyed reading this one more. I do have a soft spot for concentration camp stories, and it made it even better that this was fictional. I could really get into the characters and root for all of them, but at least I know in my heart that the specific casualties were fictitious. Verity was full of technical information about airplanes, so much that I found myself skimming over those parts. That was definitely not the case this time. Rose's flying passion was part of her, but it didn't take over the story. There was a lot of poetry this time, something else Rose was passionate about. I am not a big fan of poetry within stories. It didn't ruin the book for me, as I understand that her poetry was necessary in keeping the morale up for so many girls in the camp.

Wein did a wonderful job portraying life in a concentration camp. She developed the characters so amazingly, and the story was detailed, accurate, believable, and compelling. I was not shocked by it, as I have read plenty of biographies from concentration camp survivors, but I still learned from it. Before this story, I had never heard of the Ravensbruck "Rabbits."

Thankfully there is quite a bit of closure in this story. I am not left wondering who survived and who did not. There are so many emotions that ran through me while reading: sorrow, happiness, disappointment, hope and anger just to name a few. Any book that can give me so many emotions and make it almost impossible for me to put down is a definite winner.

Unfed

I read Unfed by Kirsty McKay
I received a free ARC from NetGalley
4 Stars

Unfed is the sequel to Undead. If you haven't read Undead, go read it before you read this review! Unfed starts out pretty much right where Undead leaves off. Bobby wakes up in a hospital after narrowly surviving the bus crash. As you can guess, zombies aren't far behind, and chaos is about to ensue. Thankfully she meets up with some familiar faces, has some cryptic messages she guesses are from her mother to help her find another close friend, and has a new companion to help out. The action starts almost instantly and goes non-stop until the end. Just like in Undead, the ending answers some almost unexpected questions and leaves it wide open for another book.

These books intrigue and infuriate me! I love the story behind the outbreak, and I love the ending of this one also. Bobby's teenage wit really entertained me. I was glad it carried over into this book. My biggest issue is how predictable it was that there would be zombie action followed by easily or unbelievably getting away from the zombies. Yes, it isn't a realistic book necessarily, but the way they escaped all of their encounters seemed way too contrived. And it was also very obvious who would or would not die. I'm usually not very good at predicting these type of things, but I got it all right this time.

This was a very intense read for me. I tore through the first book expecting an ending. I kind of got one, but was left knowing there would be more. I wanted to know Bobby's adventure was over, ready to move on to her warm bed at home, but it didn't happen. Then I had to wait for this one to come out. And now, after reading this one, I have to wait some more! If you read the first one and loved it, you will love this one too. Anyone that likes heavy action in a zombie book will like this series as well. While it isn't the best zombie book I have read, it is funny enough and sucks you in to the story. Plus, the reason people are infected was a pretty interesting take on it, and that was extended on in this installment of the series.

Spirit Animals: Wild Born

I read Spirit Animals Book One: Wild Born by Brandon Mull
I received a free ARC from Scholastic through NetGalley
5 Stars

All over the lands (that seem to represent very distinct lands in our true world) at the age of 11 kids drink a nectar to see if they will be connected to a spirit animal. It is rare but not unheard of to have a spirit animal, a special connection between the child and a wild animal. This bond only gets stronger as they get older and learn what special powers come along with their animal.
4 kids from 4 different corners of the land happen to connect to 4 very powerfully symbolic animals. These kids are now tied together to a greater destiny of trying to figure out who is good and who is bad so that they can save their world of Erdas.

I very quickly became engrossed in this book. The first quarter of the book introduces the main characters and describes the day they discover their animal bonds. It draws the reader right into the story. Then there are some transitional chapters before the action starts. There isn’t too wordy of a transition, so readers won’t get bored. It seems rushed as an adult, but I know that it is good writing for the target age group. There is just the right amount of action and story to keep kids wanting more, and more they will get!

I did not realize when I read this that the series would be written by different authors or that it would also go along with a game series. In these ways, it is very much like 39 Clues with a little more fantasy and an animal twist. Children constantly ask for books similar to 39 Clues, so I am sure this will also be a hit. I will have no problem recommending this book series to children, feeling confident that they will enjoy it. It is perfect for ones who liked 39 Clues, ones who love fantasy books, or even maybe some crossovers from those who like animals like the Warriors series. While these animals don’t necessarily lead the show, they are a very big part of it. Overall, so many kids will like this new series for so many different reasons.

Sophie's Squash

I read Sophie's Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf
I read it in my library
5 stars

Sophie's squash is about Sophie and the squash she picks up at the Farmer's Market. Most people buy squash so they can do something like cook it, which is what Sophie's mom planned on doing. How could she possibly cook it after Sophie starts toting it around like a baby doll and names it Bernice? Well, she can't. As most people (not Sophie) know, a squash won't last forever. What happens once the squash turns squishy is what turns this from a somewhat funny book to a super sweet story of love and patience.

I love the way this was written. It is a joy for children, especially those with a great imagination like Sophie or ones that form a special attachment to toys or other items. At the same time, it is entertaining for parents to read as well. The pictures are not as cute as most kids would like, but they go along with the autumn theme of the story. I am not sure if this would go well in a story time setting for younger preschoolers, but I know there are a lot of kids out there that will love this story as much as I do. Once you are done reading the book you will understand why Sophie has just one squash on the first end pages and 2 on the last, just another reason why this one is a charming read.

The Line

I read The Line by Paula Bossio

Free ARC provided by Kids Can Press through NetGalley

4 stars

I did not realize this was a wordless picture book when I picked it. I do like some wordless picture books, but it takes a lot of very strong illustrations to make me really love them. This one is a strong story told through very simple pictures. I really did enjoy it. It is sweet and fun, and it really shows a child's imagination. The ending is quite adorable as well. I don't think very young children will appreciate it, and older children tend to want a story. It seems like a picture book that adults will love more than children. To the right kid with a parent that is good at nurturing the child's imagination, it will be a treasure.