Summer Reading 2016 The Fox Who Ate Books

I will admit that I am one of those people who gobble up new books. Often I read straight through a new book very quickly, because I am so excited and want to see how it ends. But then I go back and read it again right away, going slowly and savoring it the second time. I do not, however, sprinkle salt and pepper on the pages and actually eat the book. Mr. Fox does. He eats books - chews them up and swallows them and licks his lips. 

Mr. Fox has a problem with his diet. He has such an appetite for books, that he has sold almost everything he owns and there is no money left to buy books. The solutions he comes up involve the library and the corner bookstore, but he forgets to consider the consequences of his plan at each location. Then he is in a real mess. What can a book-loving fox do?

Taking the idea of a voracious reader to absurd lengths provides all kinds of humor in this witty picture book. Mr. Fox with his salt shaker and pepper grinder satisfies his hunger for literature and has plenty of "food for thought." The illustrations of the fox sprawled on the floor of his apartment reading, or casually whistling as he eyes the nearest exit in the library are comical. Younger readers will be rolling in the floor at the scene where "cheap paper upset his stomach." (Yes, it shows him in the bathroom. What kid wouldn't laugh at the sight of a fox atop a toilet?) And when he threatens, "I'll bite you in the bottom!" everyone will be laughing aloud.

Along with the obvious theme of loving books and reading, there are other topics that this story introduces. One big point of discussion could be thinking things through and considering what the results of your actions will be. Another could be the problems with being too greedy, even for good things like books. It could also be paired with another humorous book like Gregory, the Terrible Eater to accompany a lesson on proper nutrition. Young readers may be encouraged to try writing their own stories, as Mr. Fox attempts to do, or create their own illustrations of Mr. Fox eating one of their favorite books. And older students can explore all the vocabulary and the terms that describe hunger of one sort or another.

Perfect for readers who love books such as Judy Sierra's Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf! or Wolf! by Becky Bloom. This is another one of those stories where we are cheering for the character that is really a rascal. I know that kids will love Mr. Fox. Whether you read it at home or at school, children will be chuckling over the fox's antics and adults will be shaking their heads at his single-minded pursuit of books. Everyone will have a good time - which is really the best way to enjoy a good story.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Summer Reading 2016 The Ominous Eye: The Nocturnals Book 2

In their first appearance (The Mysterious Abductions), three very different animals - Tobin the pangolin, Bismarck the sugar glider, and Dawn the fox- work together to save themselves from a hungry snake on the very first night they meet. That success leads to the formation of the Nocturnal Brigade, with the three new friends ready to help others. Although the brigade solved the abductions, there are still plenty of dangers for them to face. In their latest book, they try to find out what is causing the ground to shake, giant cracks to form, and ash to fall from the sky. (Any guesses?) They meet a lizard named Polyphema who claims that there is a great beast who is shaking the ground and that he wants all the animals to leave the area. Polyphema is a tuatara, a type of lizard with a third eye (seen while they are young hatchlings, then eventually covered with scales). She claims that she can see the future with this special eye and that if the animals do not leave their homes, there will be terrible consequences. Should the brigade trust her and talk the animals into leaving? Or is there something more going on, as Dawn suspects?

The Nocturnals features a wide variety of nocturnal animals - foxes,sugar gliders, bats, pangolins, owls, tuatura, jerboas, and kiwis. It also features some wonderful vocabulary, especially from Bismarck (the sugar glider). He wants so much to impress everyone, even though he is such a small creature, that he uses very large words such as stupefying,  precarious, and tardiness. Along with the extra-large words, he also sprinkles words and phrases from other languages into the conversation like absolument, ma cherie, amigos, and mio amore. Tobin is impressed by him, but Dawn sees through the theatrics and just gives him a look or a sigh to show that she isn't falling for his charm. The relationship between the three friends and the other animals has many humorous moments, even while they try to find a way to protect everyone from "the beast."

Readers who enjoy animal adventures such as The Guardians of Ga'Hoole may have a new series to add to their bookshelves. The Ominous Eye is the second book in the series and The Mysterious Abductions was the first featuring the Nocturnal Brigade. It is fun to see the relationships between the friends continue to develop. Bismarck teases Tobin about releasing his defensive scent every time he is scared, Dawn continues to roll her eyes at Bismarck's outrageous flirting, and Tobin wants everyone to get along.  There is a website for readers and educators with plenty of resources at https://www.nocturnalsworld.com/.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Winter Reading 2016 Paths and Portals (Secret Coders, #2 )

Hopper, Eni, and Josh are still working with the turtle robot they call "Little Guy." It actually seems that being put on trash duty as punishment at school has been a good thing. While Mr. Bee has robots blowing leaves and cleaning up the campus, he spends their punishment time actually teaching the kids coding skills. They have learned how to use verbal commands, enter commands with a keyboard and combine simple programs to make the robot do something new. Not everything is going so well, though. Hopper still isn't getting along with her mother. And there is trouble with her basketball career as well. Eni's sisters are still tormenting the friends whenever they can. And for some reason, the entire rugby team now has it in for the coders.

For kids who are interested in computers, robotics, and solving puzzles - this series is wonderful. It explains how each program works, then asks readers to think through what program is needed to solve the next problem. In this second book of the series, Mr. Bee even explains to the kids that the programming language the turtles respond to is Logo (if  anyone is curious about the history of programming languages).

To try out your own coding skills, you may want to visit www.secret-coders.com.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Summer Reading 2016: Groundhog's Runaway Shadow

Have you ever had a friend who did everything with you? Isn't it fun to have a friend like that? Well, it is at first, but sometimes you can get a little tired of never having any alone time. And what about when that friend does things that really annoy you or embarrass you? (It doesn't have to be a friend, it could be a brother or sister.)

Groundhog has his shadow and it is always with him. They laugh and cry and run and jump and eventually grow up. But Phil thinks his shadow is not acting the way an adult groundhog should act, so one day he tells him, "I wish you would just go away." And his shadow does. It's very peaceful and quiet after that, because Shadow is off exploring the world and Phil is at home being a responsible adult groundhog. Will the two of them ever get back together?

This is a great story for anytime of year, not just on Groundhog's Day. It is perfect for anyone who has ever thought that they outgrew a friend or were tired of a friend, then wished they had that friend back. There is also plenty of room for discussion about "Be careful what you wish for."

The illustrations are very funny and add extra pizzazz to a story that is very humorous all on its own. The scenes of Shadow burping loudly at the dinner table, or pointing to Phil and calling out "P U" when he passes gas are hilarious and sure to appeal to those who like jokes involving burps and similar situations. The illustration of Phil enjoying a scary movie all decked out in his 3-D glasses while Shadow is screaming and waving his hands in the air in terror was great. It would also be fun to map out all the places that Shadow visits, like the Great Pyramids and the Eiffel Tower. And, of course, kids will laugh when they see that sometimes Shadow is nowhere to be found on February 2nd. I would love to have kids draw their own pictures with their shadow and see what they choose to have their shadow doing.

Highly recommended for elementary grades and those who are forever young at heart. I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Summer Reading 2016: If You Were Me and Lived in Brazil

The "If You Were Me and Lived in... " series introduces young readers to countries around the world through the eyes of children. The book on Brazil shares many interesting details such as the fact that it is the largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world, or that the capital was moved from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia in 1960. Common names chosen for boys or girls, and the nicknames for mommy and daddy are also introduced. Favorite foods, sports, and games are described. There is an explanation of the Carnival festival, too. In the back is a glossary for the Portuguese words such as churrasqueira, quiejo coalho, and mercearia.

With the upcoming Olypmic Games being held in Brazil, there is bound to be plenty of curiosity and the chance for research projects. Books such as this are great as a first introduction for elementary school students to the various cultures around the world. Teachers and librarians will find it handy to have the entire set on their shelves.

I received a copy from the author for review purposes.

Summer Reading 2016: If You Were Me and Lived in the Middle Ages

Carole P. Roman has added another title to her new series on different historical periods throughout the world. I just finished the book on the Middle Ages. As usual, there are tons of facts and details, including the clothing, foods, and recreation enjoyed by the people of Medieval England during the late eleventh century. Carole has chosen the family of a landed knight as her example, explaining the home they would have lived in, the social customs, and the education the children would receive. But she also compares that family to their servants, pointing out that the wealthy would have worn finer clothing than their servants or the peasants who worked the farmland. She also compares what the family eats to what those less wealthy might have on their table. 

Carole explains that Europe was very fragmented after the fall of the Roman Empire and that the feudal system of kings, lords, knights, and serfs took the place of the vast empire headed by a single emperor. Men like the father of the family she describes were called on to support their lord when he needed soldiers and were rewarded with land and sometimes even a noble title. Life expectancy was not very long, the example given of a man already on his third wife or a woman remarrying after being widowed would be very common. The importance of the church is shown by how many cathedrals were being constructed, how many times a day people were expected to pray, and the way that families sent their children to become nuns or priests and serve in the church. Young readers will probably be shocked by the details of medical practices such as bloodletting.

At the back of the book there is a section which gives brief descriptions of famous people such as William the Conqueror, Joan of Arc, Saladin, and Charlemagne. And there is a glossary of terms to help out readers who may not have encountered terms like almonry, blanchette, or crenelate.

A nice introduction to young readers who are curious about the past and important time periods and people. This series gives a broad overview of each period and location, and enough specifics to answer basic questions while also giving facts that can lead to further research.

Check out the video trailer for the series!

I received a copy of the book from the author for review purposes.

Summer Reading 2016: If You Were Me and Lived in Ancient China

Carole just keeps expanding on her ideas for her "If You Were Me"series - both in modern countries around the world, and now also in historical periods. The book on Ancient China covers the time of the Han Dynasty, almost 2,000 years ago. Young readers will enjoy hearing tidbits about the Chinese zodiac and agreeing that they would not want to be born in the Year of the Rat. Other things like the difference in the diets of people from different regions will probably surprise them. In our time, there is usually a McDonald's to be found, no matter where you travel. The idea that people only consumed the items that were available in their immediate area will probably seem very limited. Another idea that will generate some discussion is that of having the same job as their parents and grandparents and not really getting any choice in the matter. 

While the text shares information about aspects of life during the time of Han Dynasty, the illustrations show the clothing, the houses, and other visual details of the period. Children will probably remark on the way the corners of the roofs curl up or the fact that no one is wearing shoes in the indoor scenes. Points like rich boys having a private tutor, or the public school having over 30,000 students will be a surprise. There are biographical sketches of famous people from the period in the back matter, such as Cai Lun, Sun Tzu, and Genghis Khan. There is also a lengthy glossary of terms such as calligraphy, caravan, and dynasty. This book is sure to be a conversation starter and may begin some youngster's love affair with history as he or she becomes fascinated with all the differences between life then and now.

I received a copy from the author for review purposes.