Today's read... Halloween in the Orchard by Phyllis Alsdurf

Finally, I'm getting to my first October read, which hits upon the upcoming spooky holiday...although this read won't be spooky in the least. This one circles around pumpkin patch fun. Actually, we hit our first pumpkin patch about six years ago, when my kids were definitely on the older side because in Germany, these don't exist. They weren't around when I was growing up in the middle of a very big city, either. But I loved visiting the pumpkin patch was was surprised at how much other things are going on. Actually, I'm going to see if I can visit one again this year...even if I have to go myself.

 

HALLOWEEN IN THE ORCHARD

by Phyllis Alsdurf

Illustrated by Lisa Hunt

Beaming Books

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

From the author of Thanksgiving in the Woods and A Simple Christmas on the Farm comes another fall holiday story. The apples are ready for harvest and Halloween is here! What better way to celebrate than by donning homemade costumes and going to the local apple orchard? In this charming story, a boy and his family enjoy everything the orchard has to offer, including searching for scarecrows, getting lost in a corn maze, and going on a hayride. Phyllis Alsdurf's nostalgic storytelling and Lisa Hunt's cozy illustrations will have you counting down the days until Halloween and apple orchard season! Backmatter includes a search-and-find key for finding scarecrows in the book and instructions for decorating a homemade trick-or-treat bag. Halloween in the Orchard is the third in the beloved Countryside Holidays series, along with Thanksgiving in the Woods and A Simple Christmas on the Farm .

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MY TIDBITS

Halloween activities get an apple tree twist of fun and a few great ideas, too.

It's Halloween and time to visit the apple orchard. After dressing up in a wonderful costume and creating a treat bag, the family heads out. At the orchard, there are all sorts of scarecrows with treats hidden among the trees and other activities as well. But that's only the beginning of the fun.

After reading this, it's hard not to wish that this apple orchard existed nearby. The Halloween activities will have readers wishing they could join in on the fun: treats, hay rides, corn mazes, and more. And they can, at least a little bit, thanks to the easy-to-understand directions at the end of the book. Then there's the scarecrows, which are unique and scattered through-out the illustrations on each page. These, also, turn into a search-and-find activity.

Excitement radiates from each page right along with the lovely, family warmth. It makes for a wholesome atmosphere, which invites in. The illustrations carry autumn colors and have many details to entice readers to come back and look again and again. The text is a little heavier, making it great for story time or those readers, who are pretty sure of their words.

It's a delightful read, which not only holds an enjoyable story but will have readers getting ready for their own festivities.

Today's read... Peter and the Dragon Forest by R.A. Douthitt

Believe it or not, we've reached the beginning of a new month and with it, another Wednesday for IWSG! This is a writer's group founded by the amazing Alex J Cavanaugh, which offers a place for authors, writers, and others to offer thoughts, concerns, support, information and more. Every first Wednesday of the month, there's a blog hop, so we can touch base with each other and say 'hi'. 

Special thanks goes to this month's cohosts: Natalie Aguirre, Kim Lajevardi, Debs Carey, Gwen Gardner, Patricia Josephine, and Rebecca Douglass!

I'm going to just offer a quick wave this time, since I'm off to visit my son and daughter-in-law before he heads for another year's deployment overseas. See everyone next month!

*******

Today's read heads towards castles, dragons, and royalty...and happens to be from an author, whose works I've enjoyed before. I'm expecting quite a bit of fantasy with an interesting twist with a picture book atmosphere? Or something like that. Let's just dive in and find out.

 

PETER AND THE DRAGON FOREST

by R.A. Douthitt

Illustrated by Scott O. Douthitt and R.A. Douthitt

Middle Grade Fantasy

69 pages

ages 6 to 10

Prince Peter dreams of being a real prince, but he's never had the chance to prove himself.
He's surrounded by people who tell him what a real prince should brave, courageous, strong, and able to slay dragons.
One day, he decides to enter the dangerous Dragon Forest to slay the fiercest dragon that ever lived. That'll prove he's a real prince!

Once inside the Dragon Forest, Peter discovers that things aren't what he thought they'd be. The Dragon isn't the terrifying creature he'd been warned about, and the forest contains secrets and mysteries that he never knew existed. Instead of slaying dragons, now it's up to Peter to save the forest, his father's kingdom, and himself from the dangers of looming war. Peter learns that being a real prince involves more than slaying the dragon—it involves being kind and compassionate, too. With its vivid illustrations, Peter and the Dragon Forest is a must-read for all aspiring princes and princesses.

Join Peter as he discovers that there's more to being a real prince than meets the eye.

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MY TIDBITS

A prince with a good heart will have readers dreaming of their own dragon adventures.

Peter is a prince, who knows what a prince should be like but hasn't had the chance to help his father, the king, out and prove that he is prince-worthy. When problems arise, Peter decides to secretly head out and solve the problem for his father...after all, that's what a good prince should do. That means sneaking into the cursed forest, and that means that he might not ever return again. But one thing is certain, he is going to face the beast and become the prince he is meant to be.

This is a perfect book for either a story-time setting or for those individuals, who are pretty good with their words but still enjoy the full-sized illustrations on every page. The text is only a paragraph on every page, keeping it relatively light. Still, this is a full-developed plot with danger, surprises, and heart. The prince's bravery is inspiring, but it soon becomes clear that he might be in over his head. It allows readers to connect with him and cheer him on as he tries his best to do that which he knows he should. And who doesn't dream of being a hero?

The illustrations are colorful and fill the entire page, every page. This makes it more accessible to beginning readers and helps to understand the scenes. The emotions come across well enough, and it's fun to see the dragon. 

There are a few unexpected twists to keep this one from growing 'too' scary, while tension stays high enough to make it interesting. The ending puts a smile on the face and adds a nice touch of dreams and adventure. 

And here she is...

Former writing teacher Ruth A. Douthitt is an award-winning multi-published author who puts her heart and soul into her work, hoping to encourage others through her stories. Winner of the 2022 Christian Indie Award-First Place in YA, and the 2017 Moonbeam Children’s Books Award-Bronze Medal for Best Book Series, Ruth is  a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and hosts A Writer’s Day podcast.
Ruth lives in Arizona with her husband and their little dog. When she isn’t writing, Ruth loves to run, draw, paint, and garden. For more information about Ruth and her books, visit her website: http://www.artbyruth.com and find her on Facebook and Instagram

Today's read... Superpowered Animals by Soledade Romero Marino

It's time for another nonfiction read! Today's book takes a peek at the animal kingdom and should showcase several animals with unexpected superpowers. I'm curious to see what's inside, which animals are chosen, and how well everything is explained. And I really hope the illustrations pay each creature justice. In other words, I'm placing high-expectations on this one, since there are quite a few animal reads out there, and that means it has to shine.

So, let's see if my expectations are met or not.

SUPERPOWERED ANIMALS

by Soledad Romero Marino

Illustrated by Sonia Polido

Phaidon France

Children's Nonfiction

60 pages

ages 4 to 10

COMING...

OCTOBER 13th!!!

Inspired by books of world records, children are invited to learn fascinating facts about 22 of the most incredible animals on Earth Over thousands of years of evolution, certain animals have become masters of survival. They are capable of exceptional abilities, from perceiving sounds and smells that humans can't detect, to creating powerful chemical formulas

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MY TIDBITS

Twenty very different animals show their superpowers and hit the spotlight in this information-packed read.

This book is all about animal facts—super animal facts. Before the parade begins, the author lists the various animals and the page on which they will appear with a small illustration to keep things clear. Then, the types of superpowers are quickly presented with a short description and a symbol for easy classification and search purposes. After this, the animals are presented, one-by-one, each on a two-page spread with the animal in full color on the right and the information on the left.

The presented animals include a few lesser known ones but, for the most part, ones the reader has probably run across before. But that doesn't mean that this book doesn't pack many surprises. A short description of each creature is followed by a column of its powers (clearly symbolized and explained), and then, there's a column holding all sorts of other facts concerning the highlighted animal. Each explanation is written at an appropriate reading level and keeps the sentences worded with the readers in mind. It's interesting and will offer more than a few things readers probably didn't know. Plus, each animal is very well-illustrated and easy to identify.

It's a great read for animal fans or even to gain a bit more insight. Unfortunately, there isn't a list of which animals have which powers (for simple referencing purposes), but the rest is very well laid out and works great for libraries, homeschoolers, and group lessons as well.

And here they are...

Author Soledad Romero Mariño is an experienced children’s non-fiction author who specialises in ‘best of’ round-up style books. Her works include Awesome Accidents: 19 Discoveries that Changed the World and Famous Robberies: The World’s Most Spectacular Heists.

Illustrator of the international bestseller What a Shell Can Tell, Sonia Pulido has proven market success with Phaidon books. Her illustrations have appeared in publications globally, including the New Yorker and the New York Times. In 2020 Pulido won the Spanish National Illustration Award.

Today's read...Persona 4 Arena by Atlus

I haven't been hitting many graphic novels in lately, and it's time to change that. Or at least, get another one in. I really don't know much about this one. It's the first volume in this new series, but if I understood correctly, this is a spin-off from another series, Persona 4 Arena (?). If you know all the details, please feel free to fill me in below in the comments.

Anyway, I'm all in for some action and great artwork...and I have a feeling this one might deliver.

PERSONA 4 ARENA

by Atlus

Illustrated by Aiya Kyu

Udon Entertainment

Young Adult Fantasy / Graphic Novel

160 pages

The casts of PERSONA 3 and PERSONA 4 collide!

A dormant anti-shadow suppression weapon named Labrys has been stolen! Mitsuru Kirijo and Aigis begin investigating its whereabouts. Meanwhile Yu Narukami returns to Inaba to reunite with his friends, the Investigation Team. What he finds waiting for him there is a strange fighting tournament held inside the TV World!

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MY TIDBITS

Worlds collide in a deadly battle tournament, where friends are scarce and the circumstances are a mystery.

I had not read Persona 3 before picking up this one, which was a mistake. While I was able to pretty much figure this out and sink into the story, I found it so interesting that I wished I had read the other series first. So, I'm going to have to correct that mistake.

As to this read, it is exciting. It shifts locations and characters, mostly concentrating on two groups, Mitsurr Kirijo/Aigis and Yu Narukami/Investigation Team. The first scenes snag attention as the first of these groups investigates the theft of a secret weapon. The other group, as a sharp contrast, snuggles into a reunion after a longer split. When both are drawn into the TV World, everything which was settling gets thrown upside-down. I felt as lost as the characters as they tried to figure out what was happening and are faced with their first battles. As the last scenes of the book hit, it was terrible to be left to wait to see what happened next. So, this tale does draw in and keep tension high.

While the action is addicting and there is enough character depth to draw in (without hurting the pacing), it's the graphics which make every scene sit. These filled in the tale very nicely while building up the characters' emotions and quirks. They especially work well during the quicker pacing to keep the plot understandable and exciting. It was a nice balance through-out and one I plan to continue to follow... because I do wonder what happens next.

Today's read... SmART by Amy E. Herman

Years and years and years ago (am I aging myself? Maybe)...when I was a little whipper-snapper (yes, there are people in our area who still use that word.), my father would take us to the library every Saturday during our summer vacation. Our favorite and most visited section of the library was the nonfiction shelves. So, when I saw the number of nonfiction reads in this month's pile, I did a little happy dance. Okay, there are a ton of spookier reads fitting to the season, too, but I wanted to start this month on a great note. So, here we go!

    SMART

Use Your Eyes to Boost Your Brain

adapted from Amy E. Herman

with Heather Maclean

Simon Schuster

Middle Grade Nonfiction

208 pages

COMING...

OCTOBER 25th!!!

I Spy and Where’s Waldo? get a revolutionary twist in this self-directed, interactive book that teaches young readers how to fully engage their brains to think critically and creatively.

What would you say if I told you that looking at art could give you the confidence you need to speak up in class? Or that learning the history of donuts could help you think like a super spy and train like the CIA?

smART teaches readers how to process information using paintings, sculptures, and photographs that instantly translates to real world situations and is also fun!

With three simple steps (1) How to SEE, (2) How to THINK about what you see, and (3) How to TALK about what you see, readers learn how to think critically and creatively, a skill that only requires you to open your eyes and actively engage your brain.

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MY TIDBITS

Meant for more than just kids, this book stretches those mind 'muscles' and explains how to increase those cognitive functions.

I'll admit that I expected quite a few search-puzzles and such, when I first got my hands on this book. That's not what this is...although there are plenty of exercises to give that brain a workout. Instead, this book leads the reader through various activities and explains what each one does and why it works along the way. Readers will leave these pages knowing more about why certain things improve our thought-speed and detail recognition as well as how to practice these abilities and improve. And it's a very interesting read, too. 

This is broken down into eight chapters, which lead the reader step-by-step down a path to 'improve' the brain. There is quite a bit to read, but the explanations are geared for young audience and use correlations they'll be able to connect with (like popsicles, detective work, games, etc). It is interesting, and I was surprised how much it draws in, although the topic seems as if it'd be dry. I do think that most middle graders won't want to dive into this much depth, yet, but it's great for young adults (and adults) too. 

I was happily surprised at the use of famous artwork in these pages. The author gives readers many opportunities to practice the skills on their own, and that mostly through the use of art. These exercises are fun, easy to understand, and use the art in a clever...and very successful...way. Sometimes, the reader needs to turn a few pages forward or back to do the exercise (which is too bad but not really an issue) and these photos do not fill the entire page (which is also too bad, since it'd make the exercises easier to do). Still, each of these does make the tasks entertaining, and they definitely fulfill their purpose.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed diving into this read and I can see especially teens enjoying this one quite a bit. It'd also add a great theme to the classroom setting or even for homeschoolers.