Today's read... The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson

Summer isn't summer without a read surrounding summer camp (a lot of summer going on, huh?). Today's read promises to be quite the adventure and take readers to pure outdoor fun, while solving a mystery and more. The cover has me dreaming of our own kayak adventures...and reminds me that I really do need to take the kids on some before school starts again. 

But first, let's take a peek at this read!

THE FIREFLY SUMMER

by Morgan Matson

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Middle Grade Mystery

400 pages

ages 8 to 12

The Penderwicks meets The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street in a story about a young girl who gets to know her mom’s side of the family and hunts for hidden treasure over the course of one chaotic summer.

For as long as Ryanna Stuart can remember, her summers have been spent with her father and his new wife. Just the three of them, structured, planned, and quiet. But this summer is different. This summer, she’s received a letter from her grandparents—grandparents neither she nor her dad have spoken to since her mom’s death—inviting her to stay with them at an old summer camp in the Poconos.

Ryanna accepts. She wants to learn about her mom. She wants to uncover the mystery of why her father hasn’t spoken to her grandparents all these years. She’s even looking forward to a quiet summer by the lake. But what she finds are relatives… so many relatives! Aunts and uncles and cousins upon cousins—a motley, rambunctious crew of kids and eccentric, unconventional adults. People who have memories of her mom from when she was Ryanna’s age, clues to her past like a treasure map. Ryanna even finds an actual, real-life treasure map!

Over the course of one unforgettable summer—filled with s’mores and swimming, adventure and fun, and even a decades-old mystery to solve—Ryanna discovers a whole new side of herself and that, sometimes, the last place you expected to be is the place where you really belong.

GOODREADS   /    BOOKSHOP    /     AMAZON    /    B&N

MY TIDBITS

Family, summer camp, and treasure maps...this book holds all the ingredients to form the foundation for a wonderful read.

Ryanna is an only child with an amazing step-mother and a very loving father, who just happens to be a movie director and script writer. Although her mother died several years before, Ryanna's as happy as can be...until she receives a letter. Her grandparents, the ones from her mother's side which she forgot exist, have invited her to stay with them for the summer. At first, she refuses but when realizing that she'll have a chance to learn more about her mother, decides to give it a go. What she doesn't expect is to land in the middle of cousins, aunts, and uncles, she didn't even know she had. Worse yet, the ex-summer camp that belongs to her grandparents is in danger of being torn down...and when if that happens, all the clues surrounding her mother would disappear, too.

The setting is every reader's dream: an empty summer camp with lake, docks, forests, kayaks, and the freedom to run around almost however the kids please. Plus, Ryanna's relatives pack tons of personality and fun. Even the adults (for the most part, anyway) take life in stride and handle things with patience, humor, and finesse. It's the perfect setting to launch Ryanna's search for more about her mother, especially since this involves a treasure map with all sorts of clues. While some of these were obvious (not to Ryanna, though), the search adds to the excitement.

The mystery left behind by Ryanna's mother plays along between adventures with the cousins and worries about the neighbor, who is threatening to bulldoze the camp to the ground. Then, there's the side problem of the father's not-so-smooth relationship with the grandparents. In other words, there's always something going on. It creates a rich read but makes for a longer one, too. Still, it's fun to follow every moment of shenanigans, and there are quite a few. 

This is a fun summer camp adventure that will have readers wishing they could join Ryanna and her cousins, and go on as many adventures as they do.

And here she is...

Morgan Matson is the New York Times bestselling author of six books for teens, including Since You’ve Been Gone and Save the Date, and the middle grade novel Firefly Summer. She lives in Los Angeles but spends part of every summer in the Pocono Mountains. Visit her at MorganMatson.com

Today's read... The Case of the Missing Tarts by Christee Curran-Bauer

Readers of all ages can enjoy a good mystery. So, when I saw today's read, which is aimed toward chapter book readers, I grew giddy...okay, it might also have been because the detectives are pigeons. (Isn't that Sherlock Homes hat adorable?) Let's head off and see how this case turns out and if these sleuths are as amazing as they appear.

THE CASE OF THE MISSING TARTS

Pigeon Private Detectives, #1

by Christee Curran-Bauer

Union Square Kids

Children's Mystery

ages 6 to 9

80 pages

COMING...

AUGUST 29th!!! 

The Pigeon Detectives are looking forward to devouring a delectable platter of jam tarts—until the tasty treats are stolen from right under their beaks! With tummies grumbling, the PPD are on the hunt for clues, but can the detectives recover the tarts in time before they are all eaten—or worse—stale? As the list of suspects grows longer, our heroes wonder if they’ll ever catch the thief jam-handed.

Pigeon Private The Case of the Missing Tarts, Christee Curran-Bauer’s author-illustrator debut, pokes fun at detective procedurals with kid-friendly humor!

GOODREADS    /    B&N    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

A delicious mystery takes on all sorts of unexpected and silly twists and turns.

Mama Pigeon makes the most yummy tarts, but before the Pigeon Detectives can bite in, the entire batch is stolen. It's definitely more than enough reason to launch into the case and discover who the horrible, pastry thief is. As the clues pile up, the detectives know they are getting close to finding the culprit and, hopefully, they can do it before the thief strikes again.

This is a cute mix between a beginning chapter book and a graphic novel, and perfect for those readers who are just diving into slightly more difficult reads. The graphics bring across the birds, animals, and scenes very well with fun details and characters with quite a bit of personality. While these moments keep the text lighter and let the graphics take over the tale, other pages glide in with more text, which gives the tale added depth and information. There are also more difficult words scattered in here and there to broaden the vocabulary. Some of these terms are defined at the end of the read.

These detectives are quite the trio. Each one has their strengths, and each one has an opinion. All three work well together, even when some of their thoughts and actions lead to giggles rather than solid clues. But when the clues come, these are well-laid. Especially since the reader also learns the basics of solving a crime along the way. There are several surprises to keep the reader guessing and except for one or two slower moments, the entire read moves along nicely.

The end of the book also adds a fact page about chipmunks. I do wish there had been a simple recipe for the cookies, since Mama Pigeon bakes a batch of these, at one point, with more detail. But that's just my thoughts. It's a fun read, which is sure to help even more reluctant readers slowly work their way to more difficult reads.

And here she is...

Christee Curran-Bauer has a BFA from Pratt Institute in communications design/illustration, and is a proud member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Christee is a Jersey girl currently living in Virginia Beach with her family and spoiled French bulldog. She invites you to visit her at christeewithadoublee.blogspot.com and on Twitter at @ChristeeDoubleE.

Today's read... Always Sisters by Saira Mir

Today's read hits a more serious tone but promises to be beautifully crafted. I do find the cover quite lovely and am curious how this one swings into the topic. So, let's take a peek!

ALWAYS SISTERS

A Story of Loss and Love

by Saira Mir 

Illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING AUGUST 22nd!!!

This much-needed picture book about navigating the difficult experience of pregnancy loss meets young readers at their level to offer a tender look at grieving someone who never entered the world.

Raya can’t wait for her baby sister to arrive. She’s already got a name—Nura—and Raya is certain they’ll be best friends. She’s got all kinds of plans for things they’ll do together like run through the sprinklers, play dress-up, and give piggyback rides.

But one day, Mama returns from the doctor with tears in her eyes. Nura won’t be coming home after all. Raya feels confused and sad, like all the love she has for Nura is trapped inside her. With the help of family, friends, and her school counselor, though, Raya finds a way to grieve this loss and to share the love she’ll always feel for her sister.

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON    /    B&N

MY TIDBITS

Each page and moment carries love and warmth with lovely illustrations to fit the mood.

A young girl is very excited to learn that she's going to have a younger sister. Sure, she has an older brother, but that's definitely not the same. She dreams of all the wonderful things her sister and her will do in the future, each moment more special than the last. But then, news arrives that something went wrong and her sister isn't going to come after all.

The book starts out with amazing positivity. It's cute to see all the things the girl hopes to do with her sister one day, and since the illustrations build the sister right into these scenes, it's almost as if she's really there. This is a clever way to make emotions and hopes come across and let the disappointment and feelings of loss come across clearly when things don't turn out as planned. It's potent, yet gentle and brings across the point in a meaningful way. Even the moments of dealing with the disappoint and acceptance afterwards are done with care and leave on a hopeful note.

The illustrations are pretty and have a dreamy flair. The colors remain bright and cheery, not allowing this one to sink into depression. Instead, the scenes offer support and encouragement the entire way through.

While this isn't a book which will resonate with every reader, those who do need the extra support will find this to be a wonderful read.

And here they are...

Saira Mir is a physician and author of the award-winning picture book Muslim Girls Rise, which she wrote for her daughter and other children to have Muslim feminist role models. As an OB-GYN, she has cared for many families through pregnancy loss, but could not find the book she needed to help support her daughter through grief over her own family’s loss, which inspired her to write Always Sisters. She lives in the DC area with her kids and is always on the hunt for the next best playground and bubble tea.

Shahrzad Maydani is an illustrator and storyteller based in Maui, Hawaii, where she lives with her family. She was raised in Africa by an Iranian mother and an English father, and she spent her childhood collecting and telling stories. Shahrzad is the illustrator of the picture books Poetree by Shauna LaVoy Reynolds, Always Sisters by Saira Mir, and Sourgrass by Hope Lim.

Today's read... Thomas Creeper and the Purple Corpse by J.R. Potter

Today's read dips into the macabre but should be a treat. I've been looking forward to this one, since it promises to be quite original and carry a balanced mix of horror and humor.

THOMAS CREEPER AND THE PURPLE CORPSE

by J.R. Potter

Black Rose Writing

YA Paranormal Mystery

327 pages

Fall arrives in the miserable seaside town of Gloomsbury, Massachusetts like a fresh corpse—cold, gray, devoid of life. After vanquishing an undead Victorian monster with his best friend Jeni Myers over summer break, the last thing Thomas Creeper wants is another supernatural mystery to solve. There are caskets that need polishing at his family's funeral home, and all that new homeschooling work his mother keeps piling on. But Thomas has a big secret: he's a Fixer, a detective for the dead, and his powers are just beginning to sharpen. When corpses start washing up on Gloomsbury's shores, dyed head to toe in strange purple ink, Thomas realizes he might be the only person alive who can stop the killer's reign of terror. And he won't be alone. After the most important person in his life bails on him, a new core of allies—both living and undead—arrive on the scene, showing Thomas Creeper that there is one force greater than friendship. Dive into the series Booklist hails as "marvelously macabre" and follow the clues along with Thomas as past and present, horror and humor collide on the page, brought to life from the wild and unsettling mind of J.R. Potter.

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/149090156-thomas-creeper-and-the-purple-corpse

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thomas-creeper-and-the-purple-corpse-j-r-potter/1143444131

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1685132138

MY TIDBITS

Delightfully dark twists with clever humor in a tale, which invites to dig deeper with every page.

Thomas lives in Gloomsbury, Massachusetts, which is as cursed as its name suggests. But then, he does spend his life at his parents' funeral home helping out, homeschooling, or just living...unlike the corpses around him. Or the ghosts. As a detective for the dead, Thomas has more than his fill of those and would, sometimes, like nothing more than to be normal. Or go out on a date. Instead, he finds himself drawn into a deadly mystery as purple inked corpses wash up on shore, and only he has a chance of finding the cause.

This was an exciting dive into a world packed with imaginative details and, yet, sticking close enough to real life to make it wonderfully haunting. The author masterfully creates a town, where all sorts of horrors and gloom wait in the shadows, but even as death and danger hang in the air, humor pokes in its head with perfect snorts and snark. Imaginative details punctuate at the right times to draw in, while the characters and their quirks add needed depth. It's well-crafted and a treat for goth fans, who enjoy a heavy dose of humor to keep things lively and unexpected.

The mystery tangles right in between all of this and promises more than a few unexpected turns. Thomas makes a detective to root for as he sinks into his role, while dealing with several usual problems this age group tends to face. It's a read to get lost in and one, where it's hard to guess what will happen next.

And here he is...

J.R. Potter is the award-winning author and illustrator of the Thomas Creeper series about a reluctant mortician’s apprentice turned detective for the dead. Thomas Creeper and the Gloomsbury Secret, Potter’s debut novel, won the 2019 Kraken Prize for Middle Grade Fiction and is now featured in libraries from San Francisco to Saudi Arabia and included in two teaching curricula in the United States and the Dominican Republic. His graphic novel work has been published by Image Comics (The Glimmer Society), and his short fiction has appeared in The Portland Review and various fiction anthologies. When not working on the next Thomas Creeper mystery, Potter writes and illustrates teen fiction for educational publishers Pioneer Valley Books and Heinemann Publishing, helping to boost literacy, empathy, and wonder in schools across the world.

Also, coming soon...

The upcoming educational series for Pioneer Valley Books, COWBOTS, is a leveled reader series that follows a group of cowboy robots as they explore Mars, take care of a herd of "space cows," and help each other. The series follows the Flesch-Kincaid reading scale, allowing young readers to build literacy and understand concepts in a gradual and cumulative way. I had a blast taking real names and characters from the American West and turning them into fun-loving robots: Billy the Lid, Annie Spokely, Wide Phil Thick-Lock, the Clone Ranger, Chef Fry-It Earp, and Fizz "the Robot Reporter" who records all the adventures and narrates the stories. Coming to schools early 2024.

Today's read... The Bubble Kiss Adventure by Lynnette Adair

THE BUBBLE KISS ADVENTURE

Finley and Grandma Goldy

by Lynnette Adair

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 2 to 5

Finley the fish makes a HUGE bubble
when he tries to blow a kiss
to his Grandma Goldy.

Grandma Goldy gets the giggles
as the bubbles grow SUPER fast
and even come out in different colors!

As Finley blows more and more bright bubbles,
the room fills up to the ceiling
and he can’t find his Grandma!

The Bubble Kiss Adventure is fun to read
and even more rewarding to watch,
as little ones learn to finish the sentences
and “POP” the bright bubbles
while identifying each color.


This interactive book will excite young readers
as they help Finley the fish find his Grandma Goldy.

This lyrical, rhyming book is perfect for children ages 2-5.

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Hugs and kisses from Grandmother become even more colorful and fun in this adorable read.

Finley loves his grandmother, and she gives the most wonderful kisses. When he decides to return the favor, he accidentally creates a gigantic bubble instead. But if there's any embarrassment, it's cut short thanks to games these colorful bubbles create.

This is a read for grandmothers and their grandchildren, and will invite to cuddles and smiles galore. Thanks to Grandmother's big lips, these kisses carry tons of warmth and love. But even kiss-shy readers will be drawn in as the bubbles form and overtake each and every page in a rainbow of bubbliness. Not only does this slide into a cute chance to learn the basic colors, but holds a whimsical atmosphere as the bubbles offer chances for hide-and-seek and more. 

The illustrations radiate family love and invite with their carefree scenes. The fish are made with tons of care and appear as if they sparkle and shine. This especially fits well to Grandma and her wonderful, puffy lips...a little bit of extravagance which slides into her personality perfectly. The text changes and mixes right into every scene, making a great read-aloud. When it doesn't flow with pretty smooth rhyme, the playfulness takes over to guarantee, at least, a smile or two.

It's a fun read with a simple plot, which invites to cuddles and play...which is just right for the age group.

And here she is...

Lynnette Adair is a beach-loving, empty nester who feels as though she has lived a thousand lives and confident that she will never run out of ideas. She is the successful author of a Women's Fiction novel, The Sea Sprite Inn. Now, with the arrival of THREE grandbabies in one year, Lynnette's interest in Children's Picture Books has blossomed.

After writing three stories - one for each baby - Lynnette couldn't resist learning how to illustrate too! This decision has made her question her own sanity. The Bubble Kiss Adventure is her debut picture book.

She has tried her hand at an incredible list of jobs including an insurance agent, city planner, professional ballroom dancer, and Air Force veteran, but her favorite reinvention is becoming an author.

Her short story “The Magical Suit” was published in Beach Days, where it caught the eye of the publisher and led to her novel,The Sea Sprite Inn.

Lynnette lives with her husband in Venice, Florida.