Penelope Positano Sees It All by Katie Cotugno

Today's read suddenly popped up in my mailbox, and luckily, I just happened to have a day suddenly open up for a review. This is part of a series of books about Penelope Positano, a little girl with a big heart...and as far as I can tell, it's the first in a new series. Aimed at beginning readers, I'm hoping to see a little fun, situations readers can connect with, and some animal cuteness...tons of animal cuteness.

Let's see if this one hold all of that or something else!

PENELOPE POSITANO

SEES IT ALL

by Katie Cotugno

Illustrated by Amy Jindra Hodgson

Amulet Books

Children's Fiction

80 pages

ages 6 to 9

COMING APRIL 14th!!!

From bestselling author Katie Cotugno and illustrator Amy Jindra Hodgson comes a charming new chapter-book series about a plucky seven-year-old who can see things other people miss, perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean

For two hours every day, seven-year-old Penelope Positano wears an eye patch. Her eye muscles don’t quite match, and wearing the patch on her strong eye helps her less-strong eye catch up. And whenever she wears her eye patch, Penelope notices things that other people overlook.

The Positanos are getting a dog, and it’s Penelope’s job to find the perfect pup for her family. Her mom thinks they should pick the most obedient dog, and her dad wants the dog that likes his music the best, but Penelope’s not sure. Her best friend Gus said she would know which dog was meant to be hers, but the more Penelope looks, the more she worries that her dog isn’t out there.

It’s only with the encouragement of her grandma—and the help of her trusty eye patch—that Penelope realizes the perfect dog might be closer than she thinks.

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The search for a pet brings unexpected difficulties, which this little girl is sure to overcome with style.

Penelope's parents inform her that she's allowed to have a pet dog, and she's to choose one from the shelter. Not sure how she'll ever know which dog is perfect, she asks her best friend, who already has a perfect pup. He tells her that she'll know when she meets the dog meant for her...which isn't extremely helpful. Each trip to the shelter is proving to be unsuccessful, too, as her mother wants a dog to meet everything on some checklist, and her father wants the dog to enjoy his music. Only grandma seems to be truly willing to let Penelope decide, and even then, it's not simple.

Penelope has tons of personality, and yet, is hesitant enough to make her very approachable and sympathetic. Her family offers  a wholesome foundation, and while she doesn't always agree with each member, the family goodness and care flows. Especially the grandma offers quirky fun with her independent attitude and will have readers wishing they could meet her, too. The author keeps the dog-finding realistic as Penelope doesn't find the right one immediately, and there's a big twist at the end on that end (when she finally finds her dog). The author also weaves in a little tolerance for others as Penelope wears an eye-patch a few hours each day to help strengthen her one eye. This weaves lightly into the plot but doesn't overtake it, either.

The text slides nicely in with those readers, who are sure of their words, and just want more practice with shorter reads. The vocabulary does promote a little word-building on the skills end. The chapters are kept short and the illustrations help show the scenes and add some fun.

It's an enjoyable read with a character to enjoy and opens up to many more adventures to come.

And here they are..

Katie Cotugno is the author of more than a dozen books for readers of all ages. She is also the co-author, with Candace Bushnell, of Rules for Being a Girl. Her books have been honored by the Junior Library Guild, the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee, and the Kentucky Association of School Librarians, among others, and translated into more than fifteen languages. Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The Iowa Review, the Mississippi Review, and Argestes, as well as many other literary magazines. She studied Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College and received her MFA in fiction at Lesley University. She lives in Boston with her family.

Amy Jindra Hodgson is an illustrator from Cleveland, Ohio. Growing up, her parents read to her every night, and she fell in love with the art of storytelling and creativity. She knew at a young age that her imagination and love for the arts would lead her to the world of children's book illustration. Amy's creative inspiration is driven by her wonderful family, friends, and good sushi,

Happy Book Birthday, Just One Oak by Maria Gianferrari!

It's time to shoutout another book birthday! This one also fits wonderfully to this time of year as it heads out into nature, and in this case, takes a look at the life of a tree. At least, I'm assuming that these pages will explore all of the purposes or tasks that a single oak tree fulfills. I'm hoping for inviting illustrations and a hint of the joy of life. Oh, and cute creatures, too! 

Let's open this one up and see what it holds!

JUST ONE OAK

by Maria Gianferrari

Illustrated by Diana Sudyka

Beach Lane Books

Picture Book

48 pages

ages 4 to 8

Explore an oak tree, from its leafy crown to its roots underground, and learn all the amazing ways it supports the animals, plants, and habitat where it lives in this surprising and enlightening nonfiction picture book companion to the award-winning Fungi Grow.

An oak tree is so much more than meets the eye. From tiny fungi to mighty mammals, this amazing tree contains a whole world.

For insects and birds, the oak’s leaves, branches, and bark are a home. For bears and squirrels, the thousands of acorns the oak produces are a nutritious superfood. Owls, deer, foxes, and many more creatures are drawn to the rich and healthy environment an oak creates. Because of a single oak tree, its many neighbors flourish.

GOODREADS    /   PUBLISHER    /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

The wonders of nature meet facts and animal recognition to form a well-balanced read.

These pages look at the life surrounding one oak tree with the broad variety of life surrounding it, its life-cycle, and more. Each two-page spread holds a scene created in watercolor, which showcases an oak tree, but more importantly, the creatures which are connected with it. From birds to worms to frogs and more, the massive variety is showcased in a lightly playful and, yet, identifiable way. For example, there are cicada nymphs nestled underground near the roots or a red fox stands patiently under the limbs, which provide shade. It's not only about season and the growth cycle (although both are covered to a certain extent) but goes beyond to show how busy and intertwined nature can be. 

The main text is written in flowing rhyme, which describes the portrayed scene and situation in a simple and enjoyable way. Combined with the lovely illustrations, this makes it an nice read-aloud for younger groups. In each illustrations, listeners/readers can discover various creatures, and the name for these is written in much smaller font. At the bottom, right corner of the spread is a short paragraph, which explains certain facts surrounding the scene with much more detail. This is thought for the older reader/adult and can be read directly to older listeners or used when explaining the information to younger ones. These information paragraphs go into everything from how many acorns an oak produces over its life to the formation of roots systems and more. This holds interesting tidbits and is sure to bring new information to even little tree experts.

But this isn't the end of the knowledge goodness as the last pages dive into more explanations (such as oak leaf shapes), how to sprout oak saplings, the tree's life cycle, and a list of other places to find more information. So, this can easily be used during an entire theme surrounding trees, nature, ecosystems, and the such.

It's a rich read, which not only works as an enjoyable, short read-aloud but can expand into so much more.

And here they are...

Maria Gianferrari is a picture book reader/writer, tea-drinker, dog-lover, and birdwatcher. Maria writes books that honor our bonds with creatures both domestic and wild and that celebrate the natural world around us, including Fungi Grow and Just One Oak, illustrated by Diana Sudyka; Ice Cycle: Poems about the Life of Ice, illustrated by Jieting Chen; Being a Dog: A Tail of Mindfulness, illustrated by Pete Oswald; Bobcat Prowling, illustrated by Bagram Ibatouilline; and Be a Tree!, illustrated by Felicita Sala. She lives with her family in Massachusetts in a house encircled by trees. To learn more about Maria, visit her website: MariaGianferrari.com.

Diana Sudyka is a Chicago-based illustrator. Early on, she created screen-printed gig posters for musicians but currently her illustration work focuses on young adult, middle grade, and children’s books. She has illustrated several volumes of the award-winning book series The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart and Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley, as well as the picture books Would You Come Too? by Liz Garton Scanlon, Sometimes Rain by Meg Fleming, What Miss Mitchell Saw by Hayley Barrett, How to Find a Bird by Jennifer Ward, and Fungi Grow and Just One Oak by Maria Gianferrari. Visit her at DianaSudyka.com.

The Marsh Fellows by Anna-Laura Sullivan

Today's read caught my attention thanks to the cover. The energetic, elderly couple with an overly excited teen in the background promises silliness and all sorts of unexpected situations. I know that you can't judge a book by its cover, but it can give some insights, anyway. This one is a graphic novel and, which surprised me, a dystopian. It heads off into a world, where nuclear war has changed everything, and a teen is trying to assist the couple in reaching a safe haven only to discover some dark secrets. So, I'm not sure if it will be humorous or darker or...who knows.

Only one way to find out! So, off we go!

THE MARSH FELLOWS

by Anna-Laura Sullivan

Top Shelf Productions

YA Dystopian  /  Graphic Novel

152 pages

COMING MAY 19th!!!

Beloved online cartoonist Anna-Laura Sullivan makes her graphic novel debut with a captivating adventure about misfits exploring the dark edges of their world! After a nuclear war plunged the world into darkness, the last beacon of hope is the island utopia called Slumber City. In this rainy, happy town, one angst-filled urchin doesn’t see what there is to smile about. But after being taken in by the elderly Marvin and Pearl, Urchin is pulled into their quest to solve the dark, damp riddles lurking outside Slumber City—and uncover the plans of its mysterious mayor.

GOODREADS    /    PUBLISHER

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A city survives behind walls with light and positive attitudes keeping the constant rain from wearing down and the citizens alive. Due to the danger in the outside world, no one is allowed to visit the swamps beyond the walls. When Urchin's latest foster parents insist on sneaking out to collect trash from these outer swamps, he's not sure what to think. He already knows they are odd, but they are his last chance before landing in juvie thanks to his lean toward mischief and accidents. When they let him visit the amusement park as a treat for helping them with the garbage, he can't believe how kind they are, but his accident proneness catches up quick. Before he knows it, he accidentally puts the entire city under a blackout. The mayor demands that one of the four lights, which keeps the city alive, be turned off to provide enough energy for the rest of the town, but that also means that an entire section of the city is no longer livable. Urchin decides to convince his mechanically-gifted foster father to head to the light and fix it, but that means an illegal and dangerous trip beyond the walls. Luckily, his foster mother is a pro with experience in the swamps, and soon, the trio finds themselves underway to somehow save the day. But what they find is nothing any of them could ever have suspected and flips everything they thought they knew on its head.

At first, I thought this might be the beginning of a new series, but the entire tale unfolds within these pages. The author dives right into the world, letting necessary backstory trickle in with the plot. This keeps the pacing steady the entire way through. It also guarantees large twists and turns as the characters aren't even aware of many things, allowing the reader to uncover the secrets right along with them. The characters pack visual and personality quirks, making them interesting and adding spice. Especially the grandma holds a sharp edge, which brings her to the border of unlikable...but the author is able to weave in just enough of underlying softness by the end.

The illustrations are bold and carry an unique twist, especially on the color scheme. This fits well to the world and characters, since the entire thing borders on ludicrous while still carrying serious tones and more than a little fuel for thought. The text flows well, sticking mostly to dialogue to balance with each scene. While this is sold for the young adult audience, it is no problem for upper middle graders to pick-up and dive in and is appropriate for this age group as well. It reminded me a bit of City of Embers but with a quicker pace and more quirks.

And here she is...

Originally from Nebraska, now living in bustling Brooklyn, Anna-Laura Sullivan is a traditional artist and graphic novelist. Her storytelling recognizes the magic in the mundane, offers reminders of cosmic nostalgia, and celebrates presence. She has gathered an audience of over a million eager hearts on social media through pint-sized parables.

Happy Easter!

 

Happy Book Birthday, The Forgotten Lore by Diana Peterfreund!

This one doesn't come out until early next week, either, but since I'm in the partying mood, I'm going to scream 'Happy book birthday', anyway. Today's read might hit with a little familiarity from my regular followers, since it was my Joker Read for March. Obviously, I didn't get to it, which is fine because there is still time. I'm very excited to pick it up and see what is inside, since I happen to enjoy Poe's works. 

This is the first in a new series and should hang heavily in the mystery direction. I'm curious to see how it flows and how dark it gets. So, let's snuggle down into a chair, open it up, and see if it's a series to follow or not.

THE FORGOTTEN LORE

Ellen Poe, Book One

by Diana Peterfreund

Running Press Kids

YA Mystery

304 pages

COMING APRIL 7th!!!

The first book in an exciting YA series about a teen girl, descended from Edgar Allan Poe, who must navigate the haunting legacy of her ancestor while learning to harness her own strength and intelligence, especially as she begins to commune with the dead. 

What happens when your tell-tale nightmares turn into reality and the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe won't seem to let you alone? For as long as she can remember, sixteen-year-old Ellen Poe's family has claimed to be long-lost descendants of Edgar Allan Poe. But when she moves in with her aunt in a Poe-themed B&B, the nightmares that have always haunted her begin bleeding into Ellen’s waking hours. When she stumbles upon a journal in the house, none other than Edgar Allan Poe himself begins visiting her. Has the journal somehow released his ghost? And what does he want with Ellen? Through secret messages in his writings, she learns that the two share the same psychic ability to interact with spirits—which is what ultimately drove him mad. 

This thrilling series for young adult readers follows Ellen on her quest to learn more about her abilities, the afterlife, and the clues Poe has left for her (ciphers and cryptograms galore), in an effort to not suffer his same fate.

PUBLISHER     /     GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

Mystery and riddle fans are going to enjoy meeting Ellen Poe and diving into a mysterious world where paranormal, secrets, and teenage life cross in unexpected ways.

Ellen Poe Reynolds is temporarily living with her aunt while her father works out of town on a construction job, but her aunt's place isn't exactly normal...just like the rest of her family. Her family claims to be direct descendants of Edgar Allan Poe and own a house with ties to the famous poet, which her aunt has been trying to run as a Poe-themed hotel. Sort of. But upon arriving there, Ellen has been having nightmares, and when she discovers a very old book, Poe's ghost appears and speaks with her. Add that a new guy at school is intrigued with her talent for numbers and notices that she's discovered a code in Poe's writings, and her life is about to get very interesting...in a dark and dangerous way.

The author grabs attention right away with Ellen's strange situation. While she comes across as a kind, pretty normal girl with an odd background, which she can't really do anything about, the odd hotel immediately sets the scene. Ellen is just awkward enough while being innocent and kind to capture sympathy and connect with the reader. Her aunt and father might have their own quirks and issues, but the love and care is there. The school life feels natural with usual problems on the teacher and classmate end to fit Ellen's situation. And the new guy's personality adds an intriguing twist of light-heartedness and, yet, a dark past to make him fun but carrying depth. This adds a hint of a developing romance but only as a distant side-dish as a building friendship and trust comes first. And for all things, there are secrets, puzzles, and paranormal surprises.

The first part of the book allows Ellen's situation to sink in, and with her developing abilities to speak with ghosts and discover Poe's riddles, it's anything but boring. The dark tones stay relatively subtle, at first, but hit with a powerful punch about 2/3rds the way in. It's clear that there are sinister plots at play, but exactly what direction they go and who is involved remains a mystery until the end. Even then, only one of mysteries is solved by the end of this book, which promises much more to come.

Readers will get a lot of Poe in these pages as the author mentions the various works, which especially weaves in thanks to the themed rooms and English class, where they just happen to be covering Poe. Plus, the series-arching mystery is, of course, only centered on Poe. So, there's a lot to learn about the author, and he did have a surprising life to keep things interesting. The writing fits nicely to the younger end of the young adult audience, and this book easily works for upper middle graders as well, since the setting and characters hang nicely in a tween direction. Especially fans of paranormal mystery with a sleuth, who needs to solve puzzles, will enjoy this one quite a bit.

And here she is...

DIANA PETERFREUND has published sixteen novels for adults, teens, and kids. Her works have been named to the New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age list, the Capitol Choices reading list, the Texas LoneStar List, and the Sunshine State Young Reader Awards List, as well as Amazon’s Best Books of the Year. In addition, she’s written dozens of short stories and a variety of nonfiction essays about popular children’s literature. Diana lives in Maryland with her family.