book review

Trilogy Review: Lion Boy

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Lionboy by Zizou Corder
Lionboy (Lionboy Trilogy #1) 
byZizou Corder
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

 

Charlie’s parents are kidnapped, and Charlie goes searching for them, traveling with a circus, and becoming the LionBoy for a lion act. But the lion tamer doesn’t know that Charlie can talk to cats! Charlie and his lion friends decide to escape the circus and strike out on their own to find his parents.

What a fun book! Just a romping, rollicking adventure story with lots of layers to it. I read this book all in one day; it’s an easy read and really captured my attention. The plot even surprised me a few times!

I love Charlie’s character! His emotional ups and downs are perfectly timed to the pace of the plot, and give us a feel for his humanity, making him an interesting and endearing character.
I loved Charlie’s parents right away too; such a quirky family with their own little language!
Even the villains are superbly written- creepy and petty and spiteful and sly. Just brilliant!
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Manga Review: The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up

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The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up by Marie Kondō
The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story 
by Marie Kondō (Goodreads Author)
4 out of 5 stars
I love this manga about Chiaki, who hires KonMari to give her tidying lessons, and discovers a new life for herself in the process.
It really inspired me to get tidying and clean out all my junk! I really love the ideas in this book about finding joy, being real about your life, and finding your true self, and then crafting your living space to reflect what really makes you happy.

One of the best things in this book is the advice that while you are sorting through your piles of junk, You are NOT choosing what to get rid of; You are choosing what to keep. That one piece of advice will change your whole perspective on tidying.
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Comic Review: Strong Female Protagonist

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Strong Female Protagonist. Book One by Brennan Lee Mulligan
Strong Female Protagonist. Book One (Strong Female Protagonist, #1-4) 
by Brennan Lee Mulligan, Molly Ostertag (Illustrations)
3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Mega-Girl was a superhero in her teens, saving the world, until she discovered that the world is too big to really save in any permanent way. She wants to make a difference that really counts for something in the long run, so she quits doing the superhero thing and goes to college, to educate herself about the best way to help the world. Along the way, she connects with her arch-nemesis on a personal level, argues with her friends about her decision to quit, and finds it difficult to live a “normal” college life with her non-super friends and classmates. And when the supervillains start showing up again, will Mega-Girl make another appearance, or will plain Alison go back to class?
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Picture Book Review: Wild Zoo Train

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Wild Zoo Train by Carmela LaVigna Coyle
Wild Zoo Train 
by Carmela LaVigna Coyle (Goodreads Author), Steve Gray (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

The Wild Zoo Train is leaving the station, and the conductor calls out, “All Aboard”, while the children pile into the cars. One little girl is very concerned that their stops are not on the Zoo Map, but the conductor safely shepherds the children through the jungle, the desert, savanna, and
Antarctic, with a surprise destination at the end that is definitely NOT on any Zoo Maps.

When the children disembark at each place, the conductor tells them to look out for various indigenous animals, and the cartoon illustrations of the animals are colorful and they each have funny expressions on their little faces.
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Picture Book Review: My Hike in the Forest

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My Hike in the Forest by Neecy Twinem
My Hike in the Forest 
by Neecy Twinem

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

This children’s picture book takes the reader along for a hike in the woods, searching for animal tracks, noticing interesting plants and animals, and exploring through the streams and bushes and trees. Each two-page spread focuses on one animal or group of plants, with a story that follows the hiking trail, and little factoids about the animal/plant written in a border around the edges of the page.  Continue reading →

Book Review: Wait Till It Gets Dark

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Wait Till It Gets Dark by Anita Sanchez
Wait Till It Gets Dark 
by Anita Sanchez (Goodreads Author), John Himmelman (Illustrations)
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


This book introduces the amazing abilities of various nocturnal animals with sharpened senses of smell, sight, and hearing, and also encourages readers to try out their own senses in the night. The illustrations are colorful and interesting, and each chapter gives practical advice about walking safely in the dark, how to find and observe nocturnal animals, and how to enhance your own 5 senses as you explore.
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Book Review: Fairies 1,2,3

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Fairies 1, 2, 3 by Liza Gardner Walsh
Fairies 1, 2, 3 
by Liza Gardner Walsh, Hazel Mitchell (Goodreads Author) (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

So much cuteness!! Adorable baby fairies take a bath, play hide and seek, slide down a mushroom, fly with a bird, and finally fall asleep on their rose petal beds.

Their cute little wings are just as unique and bright as their own little fairy selves. Each baby fairy is diverse and colorfully dressed. Such sweet illustrations with pretty little details will keep any child interested looking for butterflies, inchworms, and ladybugs on each page. The plant-life gives the perfect background for this fairy world with acorn hats and leaf showers for the tiny folk.

A charming board book that teaches little ones to count, and play and fly with the fairies!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are influenced by anyone.

Book Review: The H.L. Hunley Submarine

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The H. L. Hunley Submarine by Fran Hawk
The H. L. Hunley Submarine: History and Mystery from the Civil War 
by Fran Hawk, Monica Wyrick (Contributor)
5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

The mysteries of the Hunley submarine are finally being answered! But even more mysteries remain to be discovered in connection with this Civil War submarine wrecked outside of Charleston, South Carolina. Starting with the story of Lt. George Dixon and his miraculous survival at the Battle of Shiloh, and including the innovative vision of Horace Hunley, this book covers the history of the men who designed and commanded the H. L. Hunley “fish boat” until she sank in 1864.

This book is wonderfully written in a way that engages the reader, and keeps your interest through every chapter. I loved the colorful illustrations, photos, and diagrams in this book, which really brought the story to life.

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Review: NatGeo Kids US Atlas

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National Geographic Kids United States Atlas by National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids United States Atlas 
by National Geographic Kids
5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

I love maps at any time, and this atlas is full of amazing maps! It’s got pictures and factoids and terrain and history, all with colorful lines and photos and interesting little details.
The first thing I did was turn to the page for my state, Georgia, and poured over the pages, finding my town, and looking for nearby national parks and monuments. Continue reading →