tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20661935731436365942024-02-19T04:59:06.256-08:00Jean's Book ReviewsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-35958605499160774272015-04-22T17:35:00.001-07:002015-04-22T17:35:10.202-07:00“Big Machines Float!” by Catherine Veitch<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: 3-5 years<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: non-fiction picture book<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Does your
preschooler like vehicles? How about BIG vehicles? Part of the Heinemann “Read
and Learn” collection, the Big Machines series uses real photographs to show
some of the biggest vehicles on land, sea, and air. In <i>Big Machines Float!</i> the reader explores things that travel on water
including ice breakers, cargo ships, galleons, and cruise ships. Each ship is
rated on a scale of big, super, or mighty and is described in basic terms
suitable for the young reader. My three-year-old loved seeing the variety of “big,
big boats” featured in this book, and I’m sure we will enjoy exploring the
other books in this series, including <i>Big
Machines Build!</i>, <i>Big Machines Drive!</i>
and <i>Big Machines Ride Rails!</i> Look for
the Big Machines series at your local library or bookstore.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Veitch, Catherine.
<i>Big Machines Float!</i> Chicago, IL:
Heinemann Library, 2015.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/big-machines-float-catherine-veitch/1118400711?ean=9781484605875" target="_blank"><i>Big Machines Float!</i> </a>on
BarnesandNoble.com<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-40276199736754184792015-03-27T12:05:00.002-07:002015-03-27T12:05:40.353-07:00“Jacob’s New Dress” by Sarah & Ian Hoffman with illustrations by Chris Case<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780807563731_p0_v1_s600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780807563731_p0_v1_s600.JPG" height="320" width="256" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: 3-5 years<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: picture book<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The title of
this book caught my attention when I saw it on the shelf at the library. I used
to teach 2-3 year olds, and the boys in my class loved wearing dresses for make
believe time. I’m not sure how their parents felt about it, but it’s all part
of exploring their world. When I saw <i>Jacob’s New Dress</i>, I thought, <i>Ooo, a picture book about boys who like to
dress like girls!</i> So I read the story and found a unique and relevant tale
that takes a nurturing and non-judgmental look at a boy who likes to wear
dresses.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jacob is a
preschool boy who loves to play dress-up with his friends. Though he could
dress up as anything, including the more traditional boy costumes of a dragon,
firefighter, or cowboy, he chooses a “sparkly pink dress” and a crown. His
classmate, Christopher, has a problem with this and asks Jacob, “Why do you
always wear the girl clothes?” Luckily
for Jacob, he has an understanding teacher, Ms. Wilson, who steps in and says
Jacob can use his imagination to dress up however he wants. When Jacob gets
home, he talks to his mom and dad about wearing dresses. The next day Jacob
creates a dress for himself out of a towel and belt, and his mother reluctantly
lets him wear it to school. But Jacob gets teased again. When he tries to talk
to his mom about it, he feels like he can’t breathe waiting to see what she
will say. His mom tells him, “There are all sorts of ways to be a boy,” and
then helps him make his own real dress to wear whenever he wants.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Jacob’s New Dress</i> tackles the issue of
gender nonconformity in a realistic way. The authors don’t shy away from the
fact that Jacob gets teased for his choices, but they surround him with adults
who are able to keep an open mind and be supportive. The authors of the book
have their own gender-nonconforming son, Sam, and their expertise in the subject
matter shines through and feels real. Jacob’s New Dress shares an important
story that many children could probably relate to, whether they dress up sometimes
just for fun or every day. This book would be well-suited to being read in a
classroom setting where the teacher could talk to the children about the issues
raised in it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hoffman,
Sarah & Ian. <i>Jacob’s New Dress</i>. Chicago,
IL: Albert Whitman & Company, 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jacobs-new-dress-sarah-hoffman/1116819608?ean=9780807563731" target="_blank"><i>Jacob’s New Dress</i> on BarnesandNoble.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-73598248666240904112014-11-01T15:16:00.000-07:002014-11-01T15:16:13.017-07:00“Toot Toot Beep Beep” by Emma Garcia<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: 1-4<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BrUKRT8DNgCtvt3uBC_GBT153Mes2V_VECp-lIUhiro8tYeIE0lhYlAMpAofdEJ5XXRmb-f41329EDAYctn1iDqcbVTjiZWtCkvFBGseN_-zez8tojHqsV7nLRsUWDHX5eca4-BOU3qJ/s1600/toot+toot+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BrUKRT8DNgCtvt3uBC_GBT153Mes2V_VECp-lIUhiro8tYeIE0lhYlAMpAofdEJ5XXRmb-f41329EDAYctn1iDqcbVTjiZWtCkvFBGseN_-zez8tojHqsV7nLRsUWDHX5eca4-BOU3qJ/s1600/toot+toot+cover.jpg" /></a><i>Genre: Fiction, Picture book<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My two-and-a-half year old boy continues his obsession with
cars, trucks, and all vehicles, so many books we read fall into that category.
I recently brought home for him <i>Toot Toot
Beep Beep</i> by Emma Garcia, and he immediately fell in love with it. This is
a simple book with simple text and bright, colorful paint-and-collage
illustrations. Each vehicle has two eyes on the front to help give him or her
some character. The book features seven different vehicles, each of which makes
his or her own sound. Whether it’s the jeep going “beep beep” or the van going “chugga
chugga,” children will love hearing this book read aloud and repeating the
sounds after you. In about a week, I was surprised to find my son could recite
almost the whole book from memory. Now he loves “reading” it aloud to me. If
your child is interested in cars and trucks, you should pick up <i>Toot Toot Beep Beep</i> and share it with
him or her for a fun read.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Garcia, Emma. <i>Toot
Toot Beep Beep</i>. New York: Boxer Books, 2008.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/toot-toot-beep-beep-emma-garcia/1009185692?ean=9781906250218" target="_blank">Toot Toot Beep Beep on BarnesandNoble.com</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-90343325770102468682014-09-21T18:59:00.004-07:002014-09-21T18:59:47.730-07:00“Madeline and the Old House in Paris” by John Bemelmans Marciano<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: 3 and up<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Picture book<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I recently
attended a wonderful yearly event, the Princeton Children’s Book Festival. This
is a day when over 50 authors and illustrators come to Princeton, NJ and sit
outside the library at tables with big stacks of their books just waiting to be
signed for eager children (and adults). While maneuvering through the crowds,
which seem to get bigger every year, a <i>Madeline</i>
book caught my eye. I grew up reading about the French orphan and her many
adventures, and I thought <i>surely the
author isn’t here. He can’t still be alive. Those books were old when I was
young.</i> But there was a gentleman sitting at the table in front of several
Madeline books, so while he chatted with a child and parent, I picked a book up
and flipped to the “about the author” portion on the back flap. Here I read
that this man, John Bemelmans Marciano, is grandson to Madeline’s original
creator, Ludwig Bemelmans, and “carries on the Madeline legacy.” So I purchased
a copy of <i>Madeline and the Old House in
Paris</i> and thought I’d see how it compared to the Madeline stories I knew
and loved. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Marciano has
used the familiar characters, including the titular Madeline, Miss Clavel, and
neighbor boy Pepito. In this story, the head of the school where Madeline lives
(“the old house in Paris” referred to in the title), Lord Cucuface, comes to
visit and takes a telescope he finds in the attic. Later that night, awakened
by a strange noise, Madeline leads her classmates back to the attic and finds a
ghost. The ghost reveals himself to be Felix de Lamorte, and the telescope Lord
Cucuface took belongs to him. He needs it back so he can witness a comet that
only comes every 221 years. Madeline and Pepito devise a plan to scare Lord
Cucuface and return Lamorte’s telescope to its rightful owner in time to see
the comet. I enjoyed having a new Madeline adventure to read and was pleased
with Marciano’s creation. His artwork is very similar to Bemelmans’, including
some illustrations entirely in yellow, black, and white. He uses the same
rhyming style in his text, and it reads well. Reading this book put a smile on
my face as I recognized the rhythm and characters of my childhood. Though the
story involves a ghost, he is not in the least bit scary, and I doubt that
young children will be frightened by this book. Fans of Madeline should welcome
this and the other new stories Marciano has lovingly created. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Marciano,
John B. <i>Madeline and the Old House in
Paris</i>. New York, NY: Viking, 2013.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/madeline-and-the-old-house-in-paris-john-bemelmans-marciano/1114829683?ean=9780670784851" target="_blank">Madeline and the Old House in Paris onBarnesandNoble.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-20142155593950379362014-07-31T11:13:00.003-07:002014-07-31T11:13:34.106-07:00“My Bus” by Byron Barton<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: 2-5 years</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: picture book<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The newest
book from author/illustrator Byron Barton is sure to delight fans of his
previous transportation books, such as <i>My
Car, Airport, Trucks, Trains</i>, etc. Using bright and colorful block
illustrations that resemble cut paper (but which the book notes were actually
done using Adobe Photoshop™), the text follows a bus trip with bus driver Joe.
As Joe drives around town, he picks up dogs and cats at each bus stop, and then
drops them off at a boat, train, and airplane to continue their journeys
elsewhere. At the end of the day, one dog remains on the bus: Joe’s dog, which
he takes home. Children will enjoy seeing the animals and various modes of
transportation, and parents may appreciate that the book allows practice in basic
counting, addition, and subtraction. <i>My
Bus</i> is a great new edition to Barton’s repertoire and would fit well on any
young child’s bookshelf.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Barton,
Byron. <i>My Bus.</i> New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-bus-byron-barton/1115440681?ean=9780062287366" target="_blank"><i>My Bus</i> on BarnesandNoble.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-82648691482408429172014-07-09T08:37:00.003-07:002014-07-09T08:37:47.694-07:00“My No, No, No Day!” by Rebecca Patterson<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: 2-5 years<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: picture book<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This book
came across my desk at the library on a day my two-year-old son was having a
particularly hard time doing anything. He didn’t want to eat, or get dressed,
or ride in the car… every parent has been there. <i>My No, No, No Day! </i>tells the story of Bella, a young girl who is
having a bad day. She doesn’t want to eat the egg her mom made her for
breakfast, doesn’t like her shoes and kicks them off, doesn’t want to ride in
the grocery cart at the store, and on and on. All the while her patient mother
and baby brother try to go on with their day without Bella’s bad temper
catching up to them. At bedtime, however, Bella decides to let her mother read
her a story, even though Bella doesn’t really want a story. The story calms Bella down and she tells her
mom, “Today was a very bad day, Mommy. Sorry.” Of course Mommy understands that
some days are just like that, and the next day, Bella has a much better time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I like that
this story acknowledges Bella’s feelings and doesn’t just make her out to be
“bad.” The incidents the author creates seem very believable, and the reader
feels for Bella (and her family) as she tries to make it through a day when
nothing seems to go her way. I’m not sure I believe that in the end Bella would
apologize to her mom, but I would like to hope that actually happens sometimes.
Parents and children alike should relate to <i>My
No, No, No Day! </i>and reading it could open up a good conversation when a
child is feeling grumpy. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Patterson,
Rebecca. <i>My No, No, No Day! </i>New York,
NY: Penguin Group, 2012.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-no-no-no-day-rebecca-patterson/1106567471?ean=9780670014057"><i>My No, No, No Day! </i>on BarnesandNoble.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-54666598756591799202014-07-09T08:37:00.002-07:002014-07-09T08:37:34.378-07:00“Mighty Dads” by Joan Holub with illustrations by James Dean<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: 2-5 years<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: picture book<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In this
colorful and bright picture book, we see big “Daddy” trucks and little “child”
trucks as they work together to build a city. The story is told using rhyme,
and though the meter doesn’t always read smoothly, the text flows overall. Each
truck makes its own sound or completes an action, such as the bulldozers that
“roar, roar, roar” or the dump trucks that “fill, drive, dump.” It can be a
little confusing for the reader since the sentences start with “They go…” which
to me implies it is a sound they are making, but “roll,” “dump,” or “lift” are
not sounds. I think it would have been better to stick to sounds for
consistency in the book and not throw in actions as well, but maybe I am being
picky. After we have watched all the trucks work, we see the Mighty Dads say
they are proud of their little ones, a positive message to send to any child.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My
two-year-old son, who loves trucks and construction equipment, really enjoys
this book because of the variety of vehicles pictured. He wants to know what
each one is called. He points to the Daddy and child trucks on each page, so he
is also learning “big” and “little.” <i>Mighty
Dads</i> is a great read-aloud for parents with truck-obsessed children.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Holub, Joan.
<i>Mighty Dads</i>. New York, NY: Scholastic
Press, 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mighty-dads-joan-holub/1116995778?ean=9780545609685"><i>Mighty Dads</i> on BarnesandNoble.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-45902098898458333572014-05-26T11:27:00.001-07:002014-05-26T11:27:37.478-07:00“Around the World” by Matt Phelan<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: Middle Grade<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Graphic novel; historical adventures<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A friend purchased a copy of <i>Around the World</i> for me because she remembered how much I enjoyed
another of Matt Phelan’s works, <i>The Dust
in the Barn</i>. I am glad to say that I enjoyed <i>Around the World</i> just as much. It is actually three different
stories told in one graphic novel. The stories follow Thomas Stevens (a cyclist
or “wheelman”), Joshua Slocum (a mariner), and Nellie Bly (a news reporter) on
their individual journeys around the world. Each trip was a real adventure and
took place in the last two decades of the nineteenth century. Travel was very
different in those days since people didn’t yet fly in airplanes. For example,
to cross an ocean, you had to take a boat – a long and sometimes perilous mode
of travel. If you were working against the clock, as was the case with Nellie
Bly, waiting for boats to even leave harbor sometimes added not just hours but <i>days</i> to your travel. Stevens wasn’t
going for any type of speed record during his trip around the world, but he was
the first to do so on the newly-invented bicycle. Slocum sailed his way around
the continents, struggling with the perils of the sea as well as loneliness.
Phelan does an excellent job of showing what made each individual’s trip unique
and exciting. He is a very talented illustrator and tries to make every panel
meaningful for the story. I especially enjoy the expressions he gives his
characters as they display a lot of emotion. This book was more light-hearted
than <i>The Dust in the Barn</i> due to the
different subject matter, and young readers should enjoy the adventures of the
three people portrayed. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Phelan, Matt. <i>Around
the World</i>. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2011.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/around-the-world-matt-phelan/1100054276?ean=9780763669256"><i>Around the World</i> on BarnesAndNoble.com</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-71172109135199574192014-04-17T15:38:00.003-07:002014-05-26T11:28:37.447-07:00"The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Age: Middle
Grade</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Genre:
Fiction, Fantasy</span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the fifth installment of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heroes of Olympus</i> series, we find Percy and Annabeth making the
deadly journey through Tartarus while their friends fight monsters across the
Mediterranean Sea and surrounding lands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Both teams are on their way to the doors of death at the House of Hades.
The doors must be closed both above and below ground to slow the flow of
monsters into the mortal world. While on their separate journeys, each one of
the seven demigods (plus Nico) faces new challenges and must learn to use his
or her powers in more advanced ways.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Though I enjoy reading this series, each successive book
feels more and more overwritten. Part of the problem is the large cast of
characters: besides the seven main demigods on the journey (who take turns
narrating the book), there are two camps full of people, the gods (in both
their Roman and Greek forms – which I will admit I can’t keep straight), and
all the various monsters and spirits they encounter. No wonder the books keep
getting longer. And do the heroes really need to encounter <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so many</i> problems along the way? I feel like Riordan is just trying
to cram in as much mythology as possible, whether it is necessary to advance
the story or not. This bothers me. Also, the heroes seem to use the same tricks
to defeat their enemies again and again and it is getting predictable. Such as
when someone refuses to help them and they taunt him/her by saying he/she isn’t
powerful enough to do what they need until hubris takes over and the
God/demon/whatever does exactly what the heroes want. I mean really, is this
trick going to work every time they try it? According to the author, it will.
So though I read the entire book, I am hoping that the next book is a tighter
story with fewer new characters to try to follow. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Riordan, Rick. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
House of Hades</i>. Disney Hyperion, 2013.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-house-of-hades-rick-riordan/1114974701?ean=9781423146728">The House of Hades on Barnes and Noble.com</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-19362529789308175552014-02-21T11:08:00.002-08:002014-02-21T11:08:05.053-08:00“Maple” by Lori Nichols<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: Picture Book (2-5)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Fiction<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Before a
little girl named Maple was born (“When she was still a whisper”), her parents
planted a maple tree in her honor. As Maple grows, so does her tree. She loves
to play with her tree, or simply watch its leaves dance. But Maple sometimes
wishes she had someone else to play with. One day she is surprised to find a
new tree growing…and a new baby on the way! Maple is going to be a big sister! And
she will share with her sibling the joys of trees. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When I
stumbled across this book at the store this week, I read it and had to buy
it. I loved this story of the friendship
between a girl and her tree. The pictures are cute and warm and green and show
the joys of being outside. I especially like the illustrations of Maple lying
under the tree, looking up through the green leaves. I thought the author was
very creative to use the growing of a new tree as a symbol for an upcoming
birth. This book takes the usual new sibling story and gives it a wonderful,
leaf-twirling spin. Maple will make you smile and want to take her home with
you, too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Nichols,
Lori. <i>Maple</i>. New York, NY: Nancy Paulson Books, 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/maple-lori-nichols/1115700133?ean=9780399160851"><i>Maple</i> on BarnesandNoble.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-30483857870690201902014-02-05T19:14:00.004-08:002014-02-05T19:14:49.738-08:00“Dino Pets” by Lynn Plourde and illustrated by Gideon Kendall<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: 2-5 years<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: picture book<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I recently
came across this book at the library and remembered using it in my classroom
when I was a preschool teacher. I had used <i>Dino
Pets</i> with one- and two-year-olds during our unit on dinosaurs, and they
always enjoyed it. Dino Pets follows a young boy who takes home all different
kinds of dinosaurs for pets, but none of them works out. He picks the biggest
dino, the smallest, the longest, the scariest, but either they don’t fit in his
house, they run away, or they frighten his family. He runs out of dinosaurs to
get from the pet shop and is sad, but in the end, all the dinos come back to
him because, “No one likes to sleep alone.” This is a cute story about trying
to find just the right pet that adds in the clever turn of the pets being
dinosaurs. I like that it shows an assortment of dinosaurs that are not often
used in other books, and an author’s note at the back tells the name of each
dinosaur featured in the book as well as some information about it. Kids may
enjoy listening to the rhyme in <i>Dino Pets</i>
and seeing the funny scenes when the dinosaurs interact with humans. Kendall’s
bright and friendly illustrations really bring the story to life and don’t make
the dinosaurs seem scary. This is a fun, imaginative, and educational book.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Plourde,
Lynn. <i>Dino Pets.</i> New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Books, 2007.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dino-pets-lynn-plourde/1100475264?ean=9780142413029"><i>Dino Pets</i> on BarnesandNoble.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-6502035828286493542014-01-14T18:51:00.001-08:002014-01-14T18:51:24.638-08:00“The Ocean at the End of the Lane” by Neil Gaiman<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: Adult<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Fiction, Magical Realism/Fantasy<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Have you
forgotten incidents from your childhood? Of course. But what if you had
traveled with a magical girl to a world beyond the one we know and accidently
brought back a harmful spirit who tried to ruin your family? Surely this would
stick in your memory. But when the narrator of <i>The Ocean at the End of the Lane</i> travels to the site of his
childhood home as an adult, he has to grasp at memories of the little girl
named Lettie Hemstock and the evil they faced together when he was only a boy
of seven. During his visit home, he travels down the lane to the Hemstock farm
and begins to chat with a woman he vaguely remembers. The longer he talks, the
more memories come back to him of the thing that nested in his foot from the
world beyond and took the form of a housekeeper and nanny calling herself
Ursula Monkton. As the story unfolds from the perspective of the man as a young
boy, the reader is taken through a strange world and asked to believe many
things that lead to questions about the nature of reality, magic, and memory.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
First of
all, I recommend listening to this as an audio book because it is read by the
author. Gaiman reads it like a true storyteller, giving it a flavor only the
creator of this world can provide. When I began this book, I was unsure why it
was classified as an adult book when the narrator is a seven-year-old boy. Most books narrated by children are written
for children. However, I believe the adult classification is mostly due to some
adult themes in the book. If not for the sexual references (light as they are),
it would likely be enjoyed by children. Perhaps not seven-year-olds, but it
would fit into middle grade easily. The tone of the story is hard to describe.
You could call it magical, but that would sound too happy. You could call it
sinister or dark, but that would sound too harsh. It is somewhere in between. The
characters are all well-formed, and the author makes sure we know who the villain
is and hate her just as much as the main character does. His descriptions are
so clear that you feel as if you are in the fields running from the carpet
monster with the narrator. This book fits well into Gaiman’s other writings and
will leave you with feelings of suspicion, wonder, and perhaps fear of the
unknown.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Gaiman, Neil. <i>The
Ocean at the End of the Lane</i>. New York: Harper Collins, 2013.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-24557331492560262062013-12-29T19:37:00.004-08:002013-12-29T19:37:47.942-08:00“Tuck Me In!” by Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: birth to 2 years old</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: picture book<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This book
starts with a simple line: “It’s time for bed. Who needs to be tucked in?” This
is followed with a different animal on each page and a half-page blanket that
the reader flips over the animal to tuck it in. The book ends with asking if
the reader needs to be tucked in. There is not much to this book. There is no
theme that unites the animals chosen unless it’s that they are mostly difficult
to make up sounds for (What does the hedgehog say? How about the moose?). I
like that it provides a variety of animals, and my son (who is 1.5 years old) seems
to enjoy “tucking in” the animals. But overall, not too exciting of a book to
read. No story, no characters, no anything, really. More of a game than a
story.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hacohen,
Dean & Sherry Scharschmidt. <i>Tuck Me
In!</i> Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press,
2010.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tuck-Me-Dean-Hacohen/dp/0763647284/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388374436&sr=1-1&keywords=tuck+me+in">Tuck Me In!</a></i> on
BarnesandNoble.com<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-51421417232349254062013-12-29T19:22:00.001-08:002013-12-29T19:22:02.805-08:00“You Are My Baby: Farm” by Lorena Siminovich<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: birth to 2 years old</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: board book<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This book is
advertised as “two books in one” because it has a little book inside a bigger
book. (It’s a little hard to explain, so see the picture<a href="http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-My-Baby-Farm/dp/1452106436/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388373095&sr=1-1&keywords=you+are+my+baby+farm"> here</a>). The illustrations
are very cute and cover many of the usual farm animals, so the reader gets an
opportunity to teach animal noises as well as names. Though the book is
designed to let the adult turn the big page and the child turn the small page,
my son (who is 1.5 years old) turns the little pages before I’m done with the
big one, so the animals don’t usually match up like they are supposed to. The only
way for us to enjoy it “correctly” is if I do all the page turning. We enjoy
reading the book together either way. My main complaint with this book is its
shoddy construction. Because of the little/big book format, the binding is
compromised. I have used packing tape up and down the spine, but it’s still
falling apart. We haven’t even had it for more than a few months, so this is
just poor quality. Board books need to hold up to young hands and vigorous page
turning, and this is the first one we’ve had a major problem with. I recommend getting
a different farm book instead.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Siminovich,
Lorean. <i>You Are My Baby: Farm</i>. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2013.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-My-Baby-Farm/dp/1452106436/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388373095&sr=1-1&keywords=you+are+my+baby+farm">You Are MyBaby: Farm on BarnesandNoble.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-54509454052586392402013-12-29T18:54:00.003-08:002013-12-29T18:54:54.794-08:00“City Cat, Country Cat” by Patricia Cleveland-Peck with illustrations by Gilly Marklew<div class="MsoNormal">
Here's my review of another cat book that caught my eye. Remember ratings are out of a possible 4 paws.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“City Cat, Country
Cat” by Patricia Cleveland-Peck with illustrations by Gilly Marklew<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ8Xf2OQ2WYadjeRGOqpkEa1w8oGS9oJJV6u86zdLMjLg6LSNG3NIFw8sJnvDiN7tRY3GISWfeYkoUBFtWxqJkNfMKNPClssVq9qCTKirnQQRjveTfdixrgLu00P4DeRkwyWLv_fgK4BY/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ8Xf2OQ2WYadjeRGOqpkEa1w8oGS9oJJV6u86zdLMjLg6LSNG3NIFw8sJnvDiN7tRY3GISWfeYkoUBFtWxqJkNfMKNPClssVq9qCTKirnQQRjveTfdixrgLu00P4DeRkwyWLv_fgK4BY/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ8Xf2OQ2WYadjeRGOqpkEa1w8oGS9oJJV6u86zdLMjLg6LSNG3NIFw8sJnvDiN7tRY3GISWfeYkoUBFtWxqJkNfMKNPClssVq9qCTKirnQQRjveTfdixrgLu00P4DeRkwyWLv_fgK4BY/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ8Xf2OQ2WYadjeRGOqpkEa1w8oGS9oJJV6u86zdLMjLg6LSNG3NIFw8sJnvDiN7tRY3GISWfeYkoUBFtWxqJkNfMKNPClssVq9qCTKirnQQRjveTfdixrgLu00P4DeRkwyWLv_fgK4BY/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ8Xf2OQ2WYadjeRGOqpkEa1w8oGS9oJJV6u86zdLMjLg6LSNG3NIFw8sJnvDiN7tRY3GISWfeYkoUBFtWxqJkNfMKNPClssVq9qCTKirnQQRjveTfdixrgLu00P4DeRkwyWLv_fgK4BY/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ8Xf2OQ2WYadjeRGOqpkEa1w8oGS9oJJV6u86zdLMjLg6LSNG3NIFw8sJnvDiN7tRY3GISWfeYkoUBFtWxqJkNfMKNPClssVq9qCTKirnQQRjveTfdixrgLu00P4DeRkwyWLv_fgK4BY/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /></div>
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<i><i></i></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;">
<i><i><i><br /></i></i></i></div>
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<i><i></i></i></div>
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<i><i></i></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;">
<i><i><i><br /></i></i></i></div>
<br />
<i>Age: 3 and up</i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Fiction, Picture book<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Freckle the cat lives in the country on a farm with a boy
named David. Charlie the cat lives in the city with a girl named Sarah. Both
cats enjoy eating, sleeping, and playing with their owners (when they feel like
it). Both cats disappear, sometimes for days, but always come back. Where do
they go? We soon find out. Freckle and Charlie have something else in common,
which the owners are surprised to discover in the story’s end. Though the text
is a little long at times, this story is overall one young readers will enjoy.
It’s a quiet story with not a lot of action, but much like a cat’s day, full of
everyday joys. I think readers who like cats will have fun following the lives
of Freckle and Charlie. Recommended for ages 3 and up. This book is currently
out of print, so look for it in your local library.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cleveland-Peck, Patricia. <i>City Cat, Country Cat</i>. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1992.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-17808984899370549142013-11-23T06:31:00.000-08:002013-11-23T06:31:13.953-08:00A Collection of Cat Books<div class="MsoNormal">
I recently read a handful of cat picture books, so I thought
I would review them all together. There are of course dozens, possibly
hundreds, of other cat picture books out there, so maybe I will do some more in
the future. I rated them on a scale from 1 to 4 paws. Though none reached the
four-paw pinnacle, they each held some merit. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“Leo the Magnificat”
by Ann M. Martin with illustrations by Emily Arnold McCully<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One day a stray cat shows up at a church and makes himself
at home. Mrs. Moody, the church secretary, cares for him and names him Leo the
Magnificat. Everyone at the church loves Leo, and he keeps them all company
during church services and at covered-dish dinners. Leo even has a special spot
on the front pew and sometimes “sings” with the choir. Though Mrs. Moody is
worried he will wander away, Leo never strays far from the church, his home for
twelve years. This heartwarming tale, which is based on a true story, of a
friendly cat that came to stay shows how one animal can touch many lives. The
illustrator captures the cat’s facial expressions and personality well. Because
of the sad ending to this story, I would recommend it for older readers (ages 7
and up).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Martin, Ann. <i>Leo the
Magnificat</i>. New York: Scholastic, 1996.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“What Cats Want for
Christmas” by Kandy Radzinski (author/illustrator)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This picture book is a collection of cats’ letters to Santa,
each accompanied by a drawing of a cat enjoying the present they asked for. The
cats ask for very cat things, such as birds (“something sweet, that went tweet
tweet”), food (“a big silver dish filled with little silver fish”) or a nice
place to sleep (“A soft blanket of fowl wings”). The final cat asks for a home
so he won’t be lonely any more. The illustrations in this book are beautiful,
and readers may enjoy all the different colors and patterns of cats portrayed
here. However, I didn’t particularly like the text of the book. Each letter is
written in rhyme, and the meter is often uneven so it doesn’t read smoothly. I
also don’t like that some of the cats want things made from dogs. I assume the
author intended it to mean just the dog’s hair, but I’m not sure why a cat
would want a dog’s hair sweater or rug. The cats also frequently wish for
deceased snacks, and I’m not sure a child reader would like imagining dead mice
and birds being devoured by a cute kitty. All in all, I loved the pictures but
not the text of this book.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Radzinski, Kandy. <i>What
Cats Want for Christmas</i>. Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2007.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“Cross-Country Cat”
by Mary Calhoun with illustrations by Erick Ingraham<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I picked up this book at the library while shelving one day
because I remember it from my childhood and haven’t read it in years. It is the
story of a cat named Henry, who is described as “a hind-leg walker.” While on a
ski vacation with his human family, “The Kid” (as Henry calls him) makes Henry
a set of cross-country skis out of some old roof shingles. When The Kid puts
Henry into the skis, Henry falls face first into the snow and thinks the people
are crazy for wanting to pursue such a hobby. However, when Henry is accidently
left behind at the cabin and can’t get back inside, he realizes the only way to
get home is by learning to use those blasted skis. Ingraham’s soft
illustrations detail Henry’s journey through the snowy forests and hills as he
skis along with pine boughs for poles. Cross-Country Cat is a fun adventure
story of a cat overcoming a challenge and learning a new skill. I don’t know
that this book would get published today, however, because it has a lot of text
and the current trend is to make picture books as short as possible. I can see some
spots an editor could cut for space, but the story is still a good one for a
read-aloud to an older child with a longer attention span or for an advanced
independent reader.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Calhoun, Mary. <i>Cross-Country
Cat</i>. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1979.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“Chester” by M</b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">é</span>lanie
Watt (author/illustrator)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uDFuOaQHrikndQlCDCr1BOEwrokkwq9eACZnnPJ3Bjaq7fnVSJteVMxwlJWMtyvgcvOS1mwTl6dJB9_2_h4w9-FKfOs1vpl0kgceVigSCVcjipo6kTWNvwDg3xFwrHxORKRFiElSsqlu/s1600/paw_print.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chester is a trouble-maker. All M<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">é</span>lanie wants to do is write a nice little
story about a mouse, but Chester comes in with his red marker and changes
everything. He wants the story to be about himself, not some boring mouse. But
in the end, M<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">é</span>lanie
will have her revenge by giving Chester exactly what he wants…plus a little
something extra. In this creative picture book, we see a strong-willed cat duel
it out with the book’s author for control. Young readers will likely laugh out
loud at the selfish Chester and his need to be the star. Readers who enjoy
“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” by Mo Willems should like the humor in
this book. Reading this book could even encourage children to create their own
stories (though hopefully not by writing in other books with a red marker). This book seems like it would be difficult to
read out loud, however, since the author and Chester interrupt each other and
speakers are never attributed, so young listeners could get confused about what
character is talking at a given moment. The reader would have to be careful to
distinguish the two voices well for the listener. This book is probably better
suited to an independent reader.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Watt, M<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">é</span>lanie.
<i>Chester</i>. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can
Press, 2007.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-91039545839399123092013-11-12T17:34:00.000-08:002013-11-12T17:34:01.705-08:00“The Lost Hero” (The Heroes of Olympus #1) by Rick Riordan <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: Middle Grade/ Young Adult<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Fiction, fantasy<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After
finishing the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the Heroes of Olympus
series is the next step. It is a continuation of the stories of the demi-gods
at Camp Half-Blood and beyond. I thought it would directly follow the same
characters, but this was not the case (as anyone can tell by reading the book’s
synopsis). Instead we start the story with Jason, who has woken up on a school
bus next to a girl who claims to be his girlfriend. He has a bad case of
amnesia and though everyone knows him, he has no idea who he is. The guy
claiming to be his best friend, Leo, and his girlfriend, Piper, prove
themselves to be friends to him quickly when they help him fight some evil storm
spirits during a field trip. All three know something is different about them,
but they don’t know what until they are taken away to Camp Half-Blood and
filled in on the whole Mount Olympus in America and godly-parent thing.
Meanwhile, our friend Annabeth from the Percy Jackson series is trying to find
her boyfriend (Percy), who has suddenly and inexplicably gone missing. With
many familiar characters and a whole new problem to figure out, <i>The Lost Hero</i> proves an easy transition
into this new series.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wasn’t
crazy about Riordan’s choice to use three points of view in this book.
Switching point of view is a difficult task for the writer and the reader as it
can easily lead to confusion. However Riordan carries it off well. A few
changes were not as clear as they could have been, but otherwise he kept the
voices different enough for us to understand and recognize the individual
characters. I didn’t feel as connected to these characters as I had to Percy,
and I think that’s because I was trying to focus on three instead of just one.
I would say that was the biggest sacrifice when sharing the main character’s
spot. The back and forth with Roman and Greek names was a bit confusing at
times as well. But the story moved well and I wanted to keep reading until the
last page. I am more excited about the next book as it goes back to Percy’s
point of view.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A note on
the audio version: I had listened to the entire Percy Jackson and the Olympians
series on audio, but when I tried to do the same with the Heroes of Olympus, I
was disappointed. The company switched narrators, and I didn’t like the changes
the new one instituted. He changed the pronunciation of some character’s names
slightly (but I found it annoying) and made Annabeth’s character sound
completely different, which I couldn’t get past. She used to be very spunky and
he made her sound sad and wistful. I realize she is dealing with worrying about
Percy in this book, but it didn’t come off in the right way. So I gave up after
the first CD and switched to reading the hard copy of this book.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Riordan,
Rick. <i>The Lost Hero (The Heroes of
Olympus #1).</i> New York, NY: Disney Hyperion Books, 2010.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lost-hero-rick-riordan/1100048294?ean=9781423113393">Link to book on bn.com</a></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-65024423766151427712013-10-20T13:30:00.004-07:002013-10-20T13:30:35.545-07:00“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” by Ransom Riggs <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: Young Adult<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Fiction, fantasy<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The creepy
black-and-white photograph on the cover of this novel caught my attention, as I’m
sure it did many of this book’s readers.
The photo is of a young girl dressed in very old-fashioned clothing who
appears to be levitating perhaps a foot off the ground. As I flipped through
the book, I found it contains other old photographs, such as a girl standing
alone by a pool with two girls reflected back, a girl who holds a ball of
glowing light in her hands, and a young boy lifting a large boulder with one
hand. I was interested to see what a book containing such strange photos was
about. It had the unique ability to pull me in before I had read a single word.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children</i>
is the story of sixteen-year-old Jacob, who is struggling with the sudden death
of his beloved grandfather. Jacob witnessed his grandfather’s death at the
hands of a monster in the woods, though no one believes him when he describes
it. They chalk the story up to all the stories his grandfather told about a
children’s home on an island he stayed in during World War II and its strange
inhabitants. His grandfather even saved photos of some of the children from the
home, which he shared with Jacob before his death. Jacob’s parents send him to
therapy, where the psychiatrist convinces Jacob he imagined the whole thing and
that his grandfather’s stories were all fiction. Jacob is left trying to move
on with his life, but he remembers his grandfather’s last words about how he
must find the bird on the island. Jacob convinces his father to take him to the
island off the coast of Wales, and what he finds there leads him on a very
strange adventure indeed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
While
reading this book, I found myself questioning what is real and not right along
with Jacob. The author presents a unique scenario dealing with freakshow-type
children, time travel, and monsters who dwell in the island’s mist. Though this
book wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be, it was still an entertaining
read and kept me turning pages. I found the photographs used throughout the
book to be a fun addition, but sometimes it felt like the author was writing
the story to include them and not because they really needed to be part of the story.
I would recommend this book for readers old enough to handle some foul language
and gruesome scenes, though these are not a major part of the book. I look
forward to the next installment in this series.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Riggs,
Ransom. <i>Miss Peregrine’s Home for
Peculiar Children</i>. Philadelphia, PA: Quirk Books, 2011.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/miss-peregrines-home-for-peculiar-children-ransom-riggs/1100388567?ean=9781594746031"><i>Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children</i> on BarnesandNoble.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-13699300651852195132013-09-25T12:48:00.003-07:002013-09-25T12:48:37.772-07:00"The Mysteries of Pittsburgh" by Michael Chabon<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i>Age: Adult</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i>Genre: Fiction</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I picked up this book because it was set in Pittsburgh, where I spent four years of my life, and it was on clearance at Borders (before they shut down). It was a departure from my usual fare since it is a Real Adult book and I typically read children's/YA stuff. But I like to make detours every once in awhile to remind myself how serious people write. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i>The Mysteries of Pittsburgh</i> follows recent college graduate Art as he tries to figure out what to do with his life. His father is a mobster, a field which neither Art nor his father wish for Art to get into. Art works at a bookstore and spends the rest of the time trying to have fun, make friends, and move on with life. I would consider this a very character-driven book as for a long time nothing much happens in the story. Despite the lack of an exciting plot, the author got me interested in the characters and their fates, so I kept reading. The book read for me much like <i>The Great Gatsby</i>, an observation I was glad to find was not off base when I read in the end notes that Chabon had intended it that way. I enjoyed thinking of Pittsburgh and envisioning the scenes while reading the book, especially when it came to what Art calls "the lost neighborhood" beneath the bridge. I walked over that bridge many times and wondered about the houses below, just as Art did, and it was cool to see it used in a story. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Chabon writes his characters in a way that feels realistic, and he has an excellent control of language. I felt like I could see the characters in the way he described them and their styles. Overall, however, there wasn't much to the story to keep me interested. Very little suspense or mystery, just a story about a guy who doesn't know who or what he wants from life. But a good story nonetheless.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Chabon, Michael. <i>The Mysteries of Pittsburgh</i>. New York:
Harper Collins, 1988.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-11005102519335067332013-09-20T14:06:00.001-07:002013-09-20T14:06:14.928-07:00“Aquifer” by Jonathan Friesen<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: Young Adult<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Fiction<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have
mentioned before that I like to read dystopian fantasy books (see my review of <i>The Fifth Wave</i>), and <i>Aquifer</i> once again
fits this category. In the future author Jonathan Friesen presents, the Earth
no longer bears fresh water on its surface. The only water safe for human
consumption lies below the ground, hidden in an aquifer (hence the title),
which is guarded by a race of humans who have devolved to the state of being
called “Rats.” Only one person ventures down to visit the rats, and he is
called the “Deliverer.” Once a year, the Deliverer follows a path that only exists
in his brain through rote memorization from his forefathers and exchanges light
rods with the Rats for the promise of another year’s access to water. The story
follows Luca, a sixteen-year-old boy who is next in line to be the Deliverer
behind his own father, Massa. Luca, and all other humans on the surface, live
in a police state where they are not allowed to have any emotions or show any
sign of rebellion against the set order or they will be “undone” (forced to
kill themselves). But Luca senses he is different from his peers, and when his
father goes missing and Luca must keep the connection with the Rats to save the
Earth, he learns why he has always felt apart from others. He learns much else
that blows the lid off the current state of the world as well when he descends
to the world of the Rats.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I thought
this book had an interesting premise and I was eager to find out about the underworld
and the Rat people who lived there. The idea reminded me of the Morlocks in
H.G. Wells’ <i>The Time Machine</i>, and I
wanted to see what this author had done with a similar construct. Friesen
presents a nice twist on the subterranean culture, which I will not reveal
here, that sets this book apart. I enjoyed reading the story as it did contain
many turns, much like Luca’s memorized route, they kept me turning pages. Teens
may find Luca relatable as he is a teenager struggling with his place in the
world and feeling different than everyone else around him. The other characters
help move the story forward and cause changes in Luca, just as good characters
should. My only complaint was that sometimes the Australian phrases thrown in
seemed forced. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I should
also address the fact that this story is printed by a Christian publisher.
However, the Christian elements are few and hardly noticeable. Depending on
what the reader is expecting, this could be a good or bad thing. There is no
mention of God or Jesus, though Luca is guided by a voice that is never
identified. There is a book Luca finds that is more important than any other,
and when quoted, it is The Bible, though not identified (the characters wouldn’t
know what that was). Because the story
is a bit ambiguous, it could easily have a wider appeal among non-Christians as
well as Christian readers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Friesen,
Jonathan. <i>Aquifer</i>. Grand Rapids, MI:
Blink, 2013.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-86153280378411180072013-08-07T12:31:00.001-07:002013-08-07T12:31:09.385-07:00“The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: Middle Grade/ Young Adult<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Fiction, fantasy<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Percy Jackson
is having trouble in the sixth grade. He seems to be failing all of his classes
(again) and has been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. On top of that, he is
always a target for bullies, which to make life even more embarrassing, are
often girls. But strange things have been happening recently that Percy can’t
explain, and when he tries to talk to his only friend, Grover, about them,
Grover acts like nothing is out of the ordinary. Percy’s home life is not
great, either, since his step-dad is a selfish loafer who doesn’t like Percy.
His mom says his real dad went away on an ocean voyage many years ago and hasn’t
come back, but Percy thinks she’s hiding something. When monsters from Greek
mythology attack, he knows something is definitely wrong. But those are just
stories…right?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of my
friends kept telling me I needed to read this series, so I finally picked it up
and listened to the book on CD. I loved it. It started out a little slowly for
me, and I wasn’t always sure where the story was going since it jumped around
to different scenes so much, but no matter what, I wanted to know what would
happen to Percy and his friends. Even though I’m not up on Greek mythology,
that wasn’t a problem. In fact you learn about it as you travel with Percy to
meet the various gods and monsters. I enjoyed watching Percy overcome each
trial put in his path and see him come to trust his instincts and his friends,
despite being warned otherwise. The book broaches some dark subjects that may
be scary for younger readers, so I recommend this book for ages ten and up.
Anyone who enjoys a good adventure or quest story would probably like this
first in a series. I already have the second one ready to read.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Riordan,
Rick. <i>The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson
and the Olympians #1)</i>. New York, NY: Disney Hyperion Books, 2005.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lightning-thief-rick-riordan/1100190320?ean=9780786838653">The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and theOlympians #1)</a></i> on BarnesandNoble.com<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-72446514892321041202013-08-07T12:02:00.001-07:002013-08-07T12:02:23.974-07:00“The 5th Wave” by Rick Yancey <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: Young Adult<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Fiction, post-apocalyptic survival <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Cassie is
running<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">—</span>from
everyone, from no one – and she wonders if she is the only human left alive in
the world. She wanders a bleak landscape, left scarce by the alien invasion.
The aliens killed her parents and the government took her little brother, who
she <i>will</i> rescue. She <i>promised</i>. Sometimes she sees another
human, like the guy in the abandoned convenience store, but she can’t trust
him. When the aliens look just like you, how can you ever trust anyone? She
shoots him and moves on. The only trust she has is in her weapon. The aliens
have already plagued the earth four times, trying to eradicate humanity while
leaving the Earth inhabitable for themselves. But is there a fifth wave coming?
As Cassie tries to survive snipers called “Silencers” (the fourth wave) who are
looking to kill all remaining humans, she wonders about the fifth wave…and
keeps fighting for her life and her brother.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This book
got a lot of positive press before its release, so when it came out, I was
excited to read it. I’m not sure why, but I like novels, movies, and TV shows
about dystopian and post-apocalyptic futures (<i>The Hunger Games</i>, TNT’s <i>Falling
Skies</i>, etc.). As a fan of this genre, I was not disappointed by <i>The 5<sup>th</sup> Wave</i>. It took me
awhile to get into it, mostly because I found Cassie’s character so cold and distant.
It’s hard to like a character you can’t warm up to. I also found it hard to
grasp the comparisons between her old life and the one she now lived, but I
guess she found them hard to grasp, too. Early in the book I felt like her
character was confusing because of the flashes back to her old self that didn’t
click with the current self, but by the end she had established herself as a
strong, tough teenager. Once the author stuck with that and didn’t look back,
Cassie was easier to understand. I enjoyed the intertwining story lines, though
sometimes it took a little while to figure out who was talking in a particular
section of the book. The story moved slowly at times, but once I got to the
last 100 pages or so, it just didn’t stop. It was hard to put the book down
until the end. I recommend this book to readers who like alien invasion or dystopian
literature, and even though it was written for teens, as an adult, I think
other adults would enjoy it, too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yancey, Rick.
<i>The 5<sup>th</sup> Wave</i>. New York, NY:
Putnam Juvenile, 2013.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-5th-wave-rick-yancey/1113594440?ean=9781101598962&itm=1&usri=the+5th+wave">The 5<sup>th</sup> Wave</a></i> on
BarnesandNoble.com<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-9435666440690522102013-06-03T19:52:00.002-07:002013-06-03T19:52:32.756-07:00“The Bulldoggers Club: The Tale of the Ill-Gotten Catfish” by Barbara Hay with illustrations by Steven Walker<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: Middle Grade (third-fifth graders)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Fiction<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What is a “bulldogger,”
you ask? Lucky for those uninitiated into the world of rodeos, author Barbara
Hay explains the term early in this first book of the “The Bulldoggers Club”
series. The club featured in the book is a set of young boys named Dru, Bo,
Cecil, and Scotty who want nothing more than to compete in bulldogging at the rodeo.
Since they aren’t allowed yet due to their age, they focus on the calf-roping
event. However, the rodeo aspect of this story is hardly present. The main
narrative follows the boys as they catch a record-setting catfish somewhere
they shouldn’t have been fishing in the first place (private land owned by an
older woman they call a witch). The boys struggle with hiding the truth about
where the fish came from while also dealing with bullies and trying to fit in
time to practice roping. In the end, the story shows the boys’ emotional growth
and the strengthening of their friendship, both important topics to the
intended audience of elementary-aged children. Though the characters were
likeable, I found myself a little bored by the story. Then again, I am not a
young boy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There was
just not a lot moving the narrative forward. In other words, it’s not a
page-turner. But if you are looking for a wholesome story about country boys,
fishing, and rodeos, then you could give this one a try.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Technical
Note: I read this as a preview copy on my Nook e-reader and the illustrations
kept freezing up the system. I wouldn’t recommend reading it on a Nook.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hay, Barbara.
<i>The Bulldoggers Club: The Tale of the
Ill-Gotten Catfish</i>. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: The RoadRunner Press, 2012.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bulldoggers-club-barbara-hay/1112557241?ean=9781937054151">The Bulldoggers Club</a></i> on
BarnesandNoble.com<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-65388373411988175662013-03-26T12:18:00.002-07:002013-03-26T12:18:02.370-07:00“The Cats of Tanglewood Forest” by Charles De Lint with illustrations by Charles Vess<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: Middle Grade<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Fantasy<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lillian
lives on a farm with her aunt, and she enjoys wandering the nearby forest,
looking for fairies. One day she decides to follow a deer and ends up lost in
the woods. While she lies under a tree to rest, a snake bites her. As the venom
sinks in, Lillian knows she is dying. The world fades away, and cats of the
forest surround her and decide to use their magic to save her by turning her
into a kitten. What follows is a tale of Lillian trying to set her world right
again through the help of magical creatures including a possum woman, a
friendly fox, and some mean bear people. Along the way she learns the
importance of considering consequences and remembering the past.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This book is
filled with folktale-like characters and events, such as magic spells, potions,
talking animals, and people who are part animal. The author uses language that
suits the folktale medium as well. I don’t know that this will necessarily appeal
to young readers, but I suppose it could. I found the story dragged a bit,
especially in the middle, and I didn’t like how it occurred in a non-linear
fashion. I also wanted the cats to be a more central part of the story since
they are in the title. The story is really about Lillian, not the cats, so I
found the title misleading. The book is interesting as a look at folktales and
magic, but not enough to be really good.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
De Lint,
Charles. <i>The Cats of Tanglewood Forest</i>. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2013.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cats-of-tanglewood-forest-charles-de-lint/1111530302?ean=9780316053570">The Cats of Tanglewood Forest onBarnesandNoble.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13497997094103550430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2066193573143636594.post-91255047476349923232013-03-01T17:41:00.003-08:002013-03-01T17:41:39.913-08:00“The Sea of Tranquility” by Katja Millay<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Age: Young Adult<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Genre: Fiction<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>My lungs feel okay,
but my stomach is teetering. I’ve been out of commission for a little while
lately, so hopefully I can tap myself out easily tonight. With every step, I
stomp out the shit in my head until it’s all but gone. It will come back in the
daylight, when I’m replenished enough to think, but for now it’s away and for
now that’s enough.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Teenager Nastya Kashnikov has left her old life behind and
started over, living in a new town with her aunt, who she rarely sees. Every
night Nastya runs. She runs hard and fast, pounding out the memories of what
happened. The day that changed everything. The day that changed her from a pearls
and skirt-wearing piano prodigy to a speechless, angry, mystery of a person dressed
in black. She runs until she throws up, then runs some more. But one night she
finds herself outside a house she’s never seen before. The garage door is open
and inside is a boy from her new school: Josh Bennett. At school he keeps to himself
like she does and no one ever bothers him. It’s like he has a force field
around him, but she doesn’t know why. And he doesn’t know anything about her. But
how can anyone get to know a girl who doesn’t speak? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author Katja Millay presents Nastya and Josh’s story in dual
perspective, which works well because we can see how each truly reacts to the
other. Even though we are in Nastya’s head a lot of the time, we don’t know the
details of what happened to her until just before Josh does. The author teases
the incident so slowly that we spend much of the book playing detective, trying
to guess at what life-shattering incident befell her. This drawing out created
a lot of tension when reading the book, but it was a good tension because it
kept me reading. Millay has created characters that seem very real in the way
they react to being damaged in life, and I wanted them to be happy and healed.
Of course that isn’t easy, but it’s good to watch them grow throughout the
text. I felt the other characters
supported the story well and were very nuanced. The author provided each of
them with his or her own problems and not just as flat stand-ins for family and
friends. Teen and adult readers should enjoy this book as they watch young
lives grow through darkness and light. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Bibliographic
Information:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Millay,
Katja. <i>The Sea of Tranquility</i>. New
York: Atria Books, 2013.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sea-of-tranquility-katja-millay/1112806564?ean=9781476730943">Book on bn.com</a></div>
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