Review: Charlie and Mouse Outdoors by Laurel Snyder

CHARLIE & MOUSE OUTDOORS

by Laurel Snyder 

Illustrated by Emily Hughes

Chronicle Books

Early Chapter Book

48 pages

ages 6 to 9

Charlie & Mouse continue their adventures in this heartwarming tale perfect for newly independent readers.

The fourth book in the Geisel Award–winning series!

Young readers will love diving into this hilarious next installment of this award-winning beginning chapter book series. This time, the two brothers and their family are off on a new adventure: going camping! Follow along as they take a long drive, have a quick hike, defeat a big lion, hide in a small tent, and conquer the great outdoors—together. There is so much fun to be had along the way—telling stories, fighting monsters, crashing their tent—but best of all is the joy of sharing it with each other.

• A perfect read-aloud book for families and siblings
• Great book for early readers advancing to more complex chapter books
• Critically acclaimed series called "top notch" by Kirkus

Fans of Mercy Watson, Ling and Ting, Elephant and Piggie books, and Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa will love Charlie and Mouse.

       

MY TIDBITS

This pair of brothers take on the adventure of camping in a way, which invites readers into the pages and is sure to leave them with a smile on their face.

Charlie and Mouse are in the car with their parents and on their way to a camping trip. Driving can be a little boring, but with a bit of imagination and hints from the surroundings, it turns out that the entire ordeal isn't boring in any way. Instead, the two find themselves facing all sorts of creatures, knocking down their tent and learning the art of roasting a marshmallow.

This is the fourth book in the Charlie & Mouse series, and I did not read the others before diving into this one. This was not a problem as each book can be read as a stand-alone.

The book is divided into four chapters, fitting right along with the four different adventures the brothers encounter. The text is just right for readers who are pretty sure of their words and ready to tackle simple chapter books on their own. To make things even easier, there is a colorful illustration on each page, which goes right along with the story.

Charlie & Mouse are great brothers. They joke around a little, fight sometimes, get scared once in awhile, but definitely love to have adventures together. While this book centers around their camping trip, it also brings along several surprises. There's never a boring moment, and it's hard to guess what will happen next. In other words, this is a nice tale first readers are sure to enjoy.


And here they are...

The Author...
Laurel Snyder is the author of many books for children. She lives and writes in a small yellow house in Atlanta, Georgia, which she shares with her husband and two sons.

The Illustrator...

Emily Hughes is an illustrator (and sometimes writer) who lives in windy Brighton, England, while thinking fondly of her hometown in Hilo, Hawaii.

Review: The Alekizou and His Terrible Library Plot by Nancy Turgeon

THE ALEKIZOU

& His Terrible Library Plot

by Nancy Turgeon

Illustrated by Patricia Cullen Raine

Criss Cross Applesauce

Picture Book

38 pages

ages 4 to 8

The Alekizou is a mischievous creature. Join him and his friend the Wise Owl on a rollicking adventure to the library where they unexpectedly learn how important vowels are. Since he can’t read, The Alekizou gobbles up those tasty vowels, ruining the books and making it impossible to speak. Find out how The Alekizou enlists the help of children and American Sign Language to fix the big mess he has made. Celebrating literacy and libraries, The Alekizou makes being a book worm cool.

   Buy directly from City of Light Publishing:

https://cityoflightpublishing.com/product/the-alekizou-and-his-terrible-library-plot/

MY TIDBITS

The bright, bold cover and illustrations were the first thing to catch my interest, and when the rhyming fun started, it was hard not to enjoy this fun read.

The Alekizou is a unique looking creature, who enjoys playing and fun more than anything else in the world. But this has its price. The Alekizou can't read. When he sees people coming out of a library, laughing and having fun, he gets a bit jealous. Wanting the kids to play with him, he eats all vowels and no one can read or speak. This wasn't what he expected would happen, and now, he has to somehow fix it again.

The Alekizou is quite an odd creature, but it's this which definitely grabs attention. His desire to play is easy to relate to...especially for those who maybe aren't so fond of learning themselves. Although he makes the mistake of being jealous and causes a huge problem, the lack of true evil content makes him sympathetic and it's hard not to cheer for him, hoping he can fix things again. His emotions and actions are something young readers will identify with and understand.

The rhymes flow pretty smoothly and weave with clever word play. It's not a book for younger listeners, but works great for those ages 7 and up, since there is quite a bit of text and the word choice as well as the word play are a little too advanced for the younger end of the spectrum.

While this is obviously a tale which celebrates reading, libraries, and words, there's the nice addition of ASL (American Sign Language). This is a rarity for picture books, and I was thrilled to see it used in these pages. This will especially draw young readers is and help increase their understanding of this type of communication as well.

Review: Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry

TIGERS, NOT DAUGHTERS

by Samantha Mabry

Algonquin Books

YA Magical Realism

COMING...

MARCH 24th!!!

The Torres sisters dream of escape. Escape from their needy and despotic widowed father, and from their San Antonio neighborhood, full of old San Antonio families and all the traditions and expectations that go along with them. In the summer after her senior year of high school, Ana, the oldest sister, falls to her death from her bedroom window. A year later, her three younger sisters, Jessica, Iridian, and Rosa, are still consumed by grief and haunted by their sister’s memory. Their dream of leaving Southtown now seems out of reach. But then strange things start happening around the house: mysterious laughter, mysterious shadows, mysterious writing on the walls. The sisters begin to wonder if Ana really is haunting them, trying to send them a message—and what exactly she’s trying to say.
 
In a stunning follow-up to her National Book Award–longlisted novel All the Wind in the World, Samantha Mabry weaves an aching, magical novel that is one part family drama, one part ghost story, and one part love story.

    

MY TIDBITS

Beautiful prose takes on the pain of loss, weaves in a dash of ghostly wonder, and rakes through the ache of family trauma.

This is the story of four sisters, whose lives haven't always been easy. They are torn apart as one of the sisters, Ana, dies by falling from a window. The three remaining sisters try to deal with the loss in their own, strange ways. But as they do, odd and odder things start happening around them. They wonder if their sister is really resting in eternal peace or if she's trying to reach out to them with a message instead.

This book  addresses complex emotions, dark situations, and healing. The sisters' love for Ana is clear in their pain, and each one handles it so differently. In some cases, even creepy and disturbing. It's hard not to ache for each of them as they battle their own inner monsters. Their father, after also suffering the loss of his wife, isn't handling things well, which makes the three sister's lives exceptionally unpleasant. They suffer from isolation as well as scrutiny from those around them. Even the neighbors keep careful watch on everything that goes on. Their struggles are on the inside and out.

The story is told not only from the sisters' points of view but also those of the neighbor boys. It's lyrical, beautiful and yet biting as it explores the questions of loss and shows a path to living on. The paranormal aspect adds a fitting, dark twist, which slides in sometimes more seamlessly than others, and a few questions remain unanswered even at the end. There's also a lovely side-plot which includes a hyena. This is one of those reads which leaves an impression, which is hard to forget.


And here she is...

Samantha Mabry credits her tendency toward magical thinking to her Grandmother Garcia, who would wash money in the kitchen sink to rinse off any bad spirits. She teaches writing and Latino literature at a community college in Dallas, where she lives with her husband, a historian, and a cat named Mouse. She is the author of A Fierce and Subtle Poison and All the Wind in the World. Visit her online at samanthamabry.com or on Twitter: @samanthamabry

Review: Change the World Before Bedtime by Mark Kimball Moulton, Josh Chalmers, and Karen Good

CHANGE THE WORLD BEFORE BEDTIME

by Mark Kimball Moulton

Josh Chalmers

Karen Good

Picture Book

 32 pages

ages 4 to 8

Written in simple, engaging rhyme, this story takes an inspirational look into how the little things in life a smile, a kind word, a simple deed can help change the world in a big way. Through 18 stunning illustrations, children will read about eating right, cleaning up the Earth by recycling and conserving, helping the sick and those less fortunate, and working in a group to make bigger miracles. Even an ordinary kid can be a superhero before bedtime! Grades Pre-K to 2.

      

MY TIDBITS

Inspiration, achievable goals, and lots of sunshine smiles help guide young readers to ideas on how they too can change the world.

The question of whether or not a child can change the world...for the better...before bedtime is the main string in these pages. Written in a nicely flowing rhyme, it bounces from one two-page spread to the next. Each time, a situation or explanation of how a person can react kindly to someone who needs it hits. While most of the ideas are simple—visiting a sick person, for example—others take a little more effort. The suggestions are, in most instances, doable.

This book radiates energy, excitement and an almost hectic atmosphere to get up and do things. This doesn't center on a single kid but incorporates a bouncy group from the first moment on. The phrase 'we' is constantly used which also gives the idea of team work and unity. While a two-or-so line rhyme accompanies each spread, little speech bubbles over the illustrations' heads and sparks of humor, ideas and bring the entire thing closer to the young reader's level.

The illustrations are as busy as the kids' energy and consist of a mixture of water colors and real life materials to give them an interesting depth. There is always something to look at, making this a nice book to flip through time and again.

One thing is clear, this is a message book. There is no attempt at a story (which my family found a little disappointing), but rather it bounces from one situation to the next to illustrate exactly how kids can do things to help others. It's not a bedtime read but would work great in classroom or group discussions as well as an inspiration at home. Especially the ideas of things to do come out loud and clear. The best parts, in our opinion, are the lists at the end of the book. There are two pages where kids can add their own ideas and happy thoughts. Then, encouraging phrases from various languages are offered as well as directions for a 'make-it-yourself' superhero cape...because everyone should be a superhero. Lastly, there are a few pages with lists of exact ideas kids can use to start bigger projects such as donating clothes, growing vegetables for neighbors or even starting a fundraiser.

While this isn't a usual story time book, it's a wonderful read for inspiring kids and giving them ideas on how they too can help others in small or even big ways.

I received a complimentary copy and found it an inspiring way start to encourage kids to help others. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts.

Review: Sully's Glow by Simi Godagama

SULLY'S GLOW

by Simi Godagama

Illustrated by Nicole Bartlett

Clink Street Publishing

Picture Book

294 pages

Harpi the eagle discovers her inner voice that guides her to Sully, a boy with a glow. Sully is unaware of his glow until he discovers he has the capacity to help someone in need. After he meets Harpi, together they meet more friends who each in turn have their own issues that heal and transform through their encounters with one another. Eventually with their combined energy, they transform the world they live in. Sad Sully becomes Smiling Sully, Hopeless Harp becomes Hopeful Harpi, Perfect Parrot becomes Pitch Perfect Parrot, Greedy Giraffe becomes Grateful Giraffe and Cranky Croc turns into Courageous Croc.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52044366-sully-s-glow

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sullys-Glow-Simi-Godagama/dp/191285094X

MY TIDBITS

Packed with radiant illustrations, important emotions are explored with characters one can't help but love.

Harpi is an eagle who has lost her home and doesn't know where to go, but an inner voice compels her to go on the search for someone with a special glow. She finds this glow in a village boy, Sully, who himself is known as Sad Sully. Soon, they become friends and their moods change completely. But they aren't the only ones who need help in overcoming such shadows.

This books does a wonderful job at exposing those sad and not-so-nice emotions. Young listeners/readers will have no trouble recognizing the problems, relating to the various emotions, and understanding how the friends help each other overcome their dark moments. The message is strong but the story is smooth and sweet.

After reading this...or even during...discussions about these themes are sure to open up, which makes it great for classroom or group settings. The length and text are appropriate for readers who are more sure of their words, but it makes a nice, longer read-aloud. It's broken down into a few chapters, creating the perfect pauses to use it over several periods and deepen the topics.

The illustrations invite into these pages. Each one is done with care, pops off the page, and invites to gazing. The situations are clear, which allows young listeners to flip through on their own, which they will most likely want to do.




And here she is...

Born in Sri Lanka in 1979, Simi Godagama moved to England at the age of two and has lived in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, ever since. She studied Osteopathic, Ayurvedic and Chinese Medicine and today runs the Milton Keynes Acupuncture Clinic where she specialises in women’s health, mental health and fertility. Godagama founded the RuRi Foundation in 2019 which supports educational initiatives in Sri Lanka. She is the mother of six-year-old daughters conceived through IVF.

Instagram: http://instagram.com/simigodagamaauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sullysglow/