Holiday Review: A Nancy Drew Christmas by Carolyn Keene

Ready for a little mystery among snowflakes, eggnog and Christmas stockings? I was thrilled to get my hands on this one. Believe it or not, I was not a huge Nancy Drew fan as a kid, bur rather a Hardy Boys one. So, I haven't read more than a couple of the books about her mysteries over the years. Still, I couldn't pass up on the opportunity to mix mystery and snow. 

 

A NANCY DREW CHRISTMAS

Nancy Drew Diaries

by Carolyn Keene

Aladdin

Middle Grade Mystery

343 pages

Nancy finds herself a Christmas mystery in this super special eighteenth book of the Nancy Drew Diaries series, a fresh approach to the classic mystery series.

Nancy is spending her winter vacation at the most beautiful ski resort in Montana. Everything looks perfect, from the spectacular mountain views to the cozy rooms inside complete with fireplaces and holiday decorations. Unfortunately, not all is as jolly as it seems.

Things started to go wrong on her very first day; she hit a bad patch of ice on a run down the slopes and broke her leg in a couple of different places. Then a doctor decided she needed a giant cast and lots of bed rest. It’s been a week of unfortunate events for rest the resort too; there was a sabotaged opening dinner, multiple hotel room break-ins, and a dangerous trap was set for the star chef. And if she thought things couldn’t get any worse, a giant storm is heading her way and may just snow everyone in for days. Trapped in a hotel with someone bent on destruction? Cast or no cast, you know this sleuth is on the case.

It’s almost Christmas and both guests and staff are starting to panic. With all the odds stacked against her, can Nancy solve these crimes in time and save the holiday season? Or is this one Yuletide she’ll wish to forget?

GOODREADS / AMAZON / B&N / BOOK DEPOSITORY / KOBO 

MY TIDBITS

Mystery hits holiday cheer in an exciting edition to the series, which is sure to have young fans on the edge of their seats the entire way through.

Nancy Drew is off on a Christmas holiday at a ski resort. While everything is packed with Christmas cheer, her vacation soon takes an unlucky fall. After breaking her leg on ice and being forced to rest, she realizes that accidents and problems are occurring again and again at the resort. Add the tension of a incoming storm and her own impatience, and she's off on another mystery to find out who's trying to destroy the place.

The biggest bonus for me was the short visit of the Hardy Boys (I was always a fan of their books over Nancy's). Not that this had much to do with the story (and was short), but I appreciated it. Next was the mystery. It is well twisted and placed with lots of wonderful clues. Tensions stay high, secrets lurk in the most hidden places, and it's almost impossible to guess who the real villain is until the end. So, that end offers everything it should and is fun to read.

Nancy solves her mystery well, and the added troubles of dealing with her broken leg slipped in a lovely dose of empathy. I've always had trouble connecting to her, and in this one, she had even a pinch more loftiness. But the other characters are lovely and she was as to be expected.

With all of the solidness of this tale, I was a bit disappointed by the added, heavier preaching on the environmental end. A message is fine, but this was more. Also, some scenes dragged a little thanks to longer explanations, which weren't really necessary. But all in all it's a nice read, and one that Nancy Drew fans are definitely going to want to pick up.

Holiday Review: All the Little Snowflakes by Cindy Jin

Only a few days left until Christmas! And we're dreaming of a white one...dreaming because it's not going to happen.  So, to help with these dreams, I'm throwing in a book which is all about snowflakes, white landscapes, and frosty fun. This one has punch-outs the entire way through and is a board book for even young readers.

ALL THE LITTLE SNOWFLAKES

by Cindy Jin

Illustrated by Dawn M. Cardona

Little Simon

Board Book

18 pages

ages 0 to 5

Celebrate winter in this rhyming board book featuring die-cut snowflakes on every page!

All the little snowflakes fall down to the ground
As bright city lights twinkle all around.

A wintry celebration full of snow and all things that sparkle, this novelty board book reminds us that everyone is one of a kind—just like each special snowflake that falls from the sky.

GOODREADS / AMAZON / B&N / BOOK DEPOSITORY / KOBO

MY TIDBITS

Snowflake and playful dreams join peaceful thoughts in this cute, little board book.

I'm a sucker for board books with the extra, little special something...and this one has small cut-outs/peep holes the entire way through. The book has the usual, nice, sturdy board book sizing and quality, meaning it will hold up in smaller hands. The illustrations are bright and bold, but not overly simplified. For those who enjoy very direct illustrations in board books, these will come across a little more busy. But I, personally, prefer them this way so kids can always discover something new. The scenes do include some which will connect with young listeners, who know snow...or snow dreamers.

The text is just right for ages 2 to 5. It's short and builds the scenes as well as the excitement for snow. This book is all about playing in snow but also slides more along the lines of experiencing the falling snow. Not only as it falls but also when it ends... and the hope it will start up again. Simply said, it's a celebration of snow.

And here they are...

The Author

Cindy Jin edits and writes books for children. She lives in New York City.

The Illustrator

Dawn M. Cardona is a self-taught illustrator who has been cutting out her intricate and playful illustrations by hand since she discovered her love for paper in 2004. She currently lives and works out of her home in Hawaii.

Holiday Review: The Story of the Three Wise Kings by Tomie dePaola

The count-down to Christmas is almost done...yes, it is leaving me snowballed, too. But there's no way I'm going to miss the holiday spirit. So, this week is packed with holiday and wintery reads for all ages. Today's isn't a 'new' book but rather a re-release of an already popular one from a very talented and well-known artist. 

THE STORY OF THE THREE WISE KINGS

retold and illustrated by Tomie dePaola 

Simon & Schuster

Picture Book / Holiday / Religious

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

Three wise men of the East, having seen a new star symbolizing the birth of a great king, follow the star to Bethlehem where they present gifts to the newborn Jesus.

GOODREADS / ABEBOOKS / KOBO / AMAZON / B&N

MY TIDBITS

Sliding into the place of very well becoming a Christmas classic, this is one of those books, which can be revisited year after year and holds a special place as a Christmas read.

The tale of the Three Kings is by no means an unfamiliar one, and yet, this one does give a little extra food for thought while offering a wonderful presentation of the well-known incident. This book starts with the individual kings, each in their own country, and explains why they probably noticed the star and followed it. Their paths cross, and they continue their journey together until they find the babe in the manger. I found it wonderful how the tale takes the time to first dive a tiny bit into the background of these kings...not a lot but just enough to get them going and explain why they followed a star. After all, that is quite the undergoing. And it does it simply, quickly and exactly enough for young readers to understand.

The rest of the tale follows the well-known side and does it with care and reverence. The artwork goes hand in hand with the text and creates a wonderful balance, which draws in and makes it a delightful read. Of course, being from a well-known author/illustrator, this one is a treat. The artwork holds some aspects which remind of a more traditional Christian, middle age form, while bringing in a modern flair as well. The text tells the story but never becomes heavy. Instead, it stays short and keeps to a vocabulary young listeners will understand and enjoy.

It's no wonder that this one has been around for years and continues to be printed again and again. I'm going to be adding it to my own shelves and am looking forward to adding it to the few Christmas reads I share with my own younger listeners in the future.

Review: Lemonade Code by Jarod Pratt

Graphic novels are a huge favorite with my middle grader. So, I'm always excited to pick one up...plus, I just might have a soft spot for these myself.

This one had such a cute cover and a wonderful blurb, that I had to give it a read. After all, I did have a lemonade stand as a kid and my own kids tried their luck with one a few times, too. To see this at the center of an entire story definitely caught my interest. 

LEMONADE CODE

by Jarod Pratt 

Oni Press

Middle Grade Graphic Novel 

Science Fiction

160 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING...

JANUARY 18th, 2021!!!

This is a fully illustrated graphic novel about a middle school super genius who starts a lemonade stand to fund his ultimate top-secret project, only to find unexpected competition right across the street when the new kid starts a rival stand.

Robbie Reynolds isn't just a genius. He's a super SUPER genius! But he doesn't have the cash to fund his ultimate (and top secret) project. That's why he's opening a lemonade stand. Not just any lemonade stand: this one is state of the art, and his automatista can make you any flavor of lemonade your heart desires! Bacon, salsa, potato salad, dirty diaper—anything you want.

Unfortunately, Robbie isn't the only one in the Lemonade Hustle. Daphne Du-Ri, his new across-the-street neighbor, has her own setup going, and something about her lemonade is resonating with people in ways Robbie's can't. Before the week is over, Robbie and Daphne are in a full-on Lemonade War.

BOOK DEPOSITORY / GOODREADS / B&N / KOBO / AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

After reading the blurb, I was excited to give this one a read...but to say it wasn't anything like I expected would be an understatement.

Robbie is a super-amazing, over-the-top genius. But he has a problem. His secret project has run out of funds. So, to help out, he creates a very special lemonade stand, where there isn't a flavor that his automatista can't create. It's an amazing stand, and it catches even more attention...and money...than he could have hoped for. When a cute girl opens a very simple lemonade stand across the street, he declares war, especially when she starts winning over customers with her very simple recipe. 

It took me a few pages to fall into the flow on this tale. The science fiction is heavy, and Robbie is more of a mad scientist than a kid. So, when this one starts out with a blast into high-tech, a genius Dr. Mama, and a boy, who is more than just a little energetic about inventions...it threw me for a bit. But after I got a handle on the direction this book takes, things flowed much better. Just don't pick up this one and expect any sort of normality because it's not there.

This tale is fast-paced and races from one scene into the next. Robbie is all over the place, but it fits his character well, considering his mind must be one busy space. When he sees competition pop-up across the street, it's understandable that he'd be a bit protective and not overly friendly. Unfortunately, Robbie's head is so much in his own realm that he goes beyond normal rudeness, and despite the girl's positive nature, is simply a big, selfish jerk, who only shows kindness to his mother. It makes him very hard to like even when he does help 'save the world' at the end. He starts as a brat and ends as one, too. The girl is cute, though, and the dog definitely earns bonus points..

As to the illustrations, these are bright, bold and do bring the story to life. The scenes are well placed and allow the visual story to build with the written text. Like the tale itself, these sometimes were on the frantic end...but then, this one doesn't have a calm plot. The text blocks on the illustrations, unfortunately, hit the heavy side. I found myself skipping more than just a couple of them. I'm not sure the intended audience will take the time to read all of them, either. Plus, there are more than a couple heavier, scientific terms, which will be beyond what many of this age group can understand. However, I do appreciate how the author filtered these in with a fun plot. They just will go over some readers' heads.

All in all, this is an imagination packed read, which races through an original and exciting adventure. There are more than a few unexpected twists, and lemonade takes on an entirely new meaning after this book is done. Just don't pick it up with the expectation that it will have anything to do with how usual kids might stage a lemonade stand war.

Review: Lulu Llama and the Triangle of Drama by Kim Linette

Today's review comes from a series, which won the Moonbeam Best Series Award...and deserves it (in my opinion). The EQ Explorers series is designed "to educate and inspire" and bring across the "powerful principal of happiness and emotional awareness". And these do...but honestly, I just enjoyed the cute adventure and fun illustrations (I'm not only centered on 'depth' when it comes to kidlit).

Since I've been honored to receive several titles in this series, I'll be presenting them one by one over the next couple of months. This one...being about a llama...is my daughter's absolute favorite. 

LULU LLAMA AND THE TRIANGLE OF DRAMA

EQ Explorers

by Kim Linette

Illustrated by James Loram

Kapalua Cove, LLC

 Picture Book

48 pages

ages 4 to 8

With a trio of high-drama llamas as friends, how will Andi have any fun?

Stuck doing chores on her family’s llama farm, Andi longs to have more fun. She tries to befriend a trio of llamas, but she quickly gets caught up in the triangle of drama caused by Bully Bart, Victim Viv, and Fixer Fred.

It’s only with the help of another, wiser llama—Lulu—that Andi begins to understand the drama-free truth.

This story centers around the powerful EQ principle: Choose to be Drama Free.
It's a lesson in emotional intelligence that is essential for every child.

Get to know the entire EQ Explorer's Series—including how we donate 100% of profits to help underserved kids around the world!

GOODREADS  / AMAZON / EQ EXPLORERS

MY TIDBITS

Llamas fans will love the different personalities and llama drama packed into these pages...and even find a bit of wisdom along the way.

Andi has been helping feed and take care of the llamas for many years and is a little sick and tired of cleaning up after them and all of the other worked involved. When she decides to have some fun and play with them, she discovers three llamas off to the side. But they aren't having fun; they're arguing. Soon, she's introduced to the 'drama llamas', a certain sort of llamas, which engage in drama all over the world. Although she wants to help them bring an end to their drama, she might find herself stuck up in their never ending triangle herself.

I'm usually skeptical about self-help books or ones which are on a mission to teach a lesson. This book, however, manages to balance the realm of fun and messages splendidly. Readers/listeners will like Andi from the first page and completely understand her frustration. Taking care of animals isn't always fun. As she ventures across the drama llamas, the humor rolls in and is sure to have listeners nodding but also smiling and giggling, too. These llamas pack tons of personality, quirks and are definitely anything but boring. 

The illustrations are very well done. Each llama's personality radiates from the page and even displays extra visual traits to make things fun. The emotions are portrayed clear on the expressions. Also, the illustrations clearly show the triangle between the three llamas (it never disappears), and this subtly reinforces the main message.

As to the main message...it's more than clear. The idea of how to avoid drama is very distinctly and bluntly restated at the end of the story. On the last page, there is also a list of several things a person can do to avoid the 'drama llama triangle'. So, it doesn't end only in this lane, though, the author also throws in a list of llama facts.

In other words, this is a lovely book for llama fans and a wonderful way to bring across the message about avoiding drama and how, maybe, to even assist others when they find themselves caught in the triangle.



And here they are...

The Author

Kim Linette is the mother of six wonderful children and an entrepreneur at heart. She founded Kapalua Cove Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering underserved children. She is the author of  EQ Explorers, a children's book series designed to inspire children to live big, happy, emotionally healthy lives. Raised in Southern California, Kim Linette now splits her time between Alpine, Utah and Lahaina, Maui.

The Illustrator

James Loram is an illustrator based in South West England. He attended Plymouth University where he received his BA (Hons) in Illustration. James specializes in children's book illustration, and his work has been feature in numerous galleries and publications throughout the world.