Fall Reading 2017 Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win

Arranged chronologically by the year each athlete was born, the profiles in this book show the progression of females being accepted in the world of sports. Of course, it also shows the many obstacles they have had to overcome, and some that are still in place today - like the problem of equal pay. For those looking for role models, women from around the world are included, as well as a wide range of sports. Everything from ice skating, to cricket, to mixed martial arts appears somewhere in the book. And the title is a bit of a misnomer, because there are additional athletes in the book besides the 50 main profiles. Fifteen shorter blurbs are added just before the conclusion, and there are also 4 influential sports teams that are discussed. A couple of infographics cover muscle anatomy, a timeline of sports from the ancient Olympic Games until now, and a spread on pay and media statistics which shows the inequity between the genders. Back matter includes a list of sources, an index, and information about the author.


A good read for young sports enthusiasts, those interested in gender equality, or anyone who enjoys hearing or reading about people who don't accept arbitrary limitations on their dreams. Would be a good addition to any school or classroom library. Visit the publisher's website for more information about the book, or the author.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Fall Reading 2017 Spiders: Strange and Wonderful

For kids who are fascinated with bugs of all sorts, this is a fact-filled book with plenty of detailed illustrations. There are explanations of what type of creatures are in the arachnid group and  the difficulty of finding spider fossils because they don't have skeletons. The book begins with the observation that "As you read these words, there is probably a spider nearby." It is amazing to think that spiders exist on every continent but Antarctica, and the wide variety of sizes, habitats, and adaptations that help them survive around the world are incredible. Everything from trapdoor spiders to diving bell spiders are depicted, along with descriptions of various webs, how spiders lay their eggs, and how they catch their prey. There is also a discussion of arachnophobia, the place of spiders in food chains, and predators that eat spiders.

The watercolor illustrations show the shape of the webs, the various parts of the spider's leg, different arrangements of their eyes, and some of the amazing camouflage (disguised as poop, of all things!). There is a spread that shows a closeup of a spider with all the body parts and their functions described. Back matter includes a glossary, and a list of suggested books and websites to learn more.

Recommended for young naturalists who enjoy narrative descriptions of animals. I received a copy from the publisher for review purposes.

Fall Reading 2017 Space Boy and the Snow Monster

Niko takes his copilot Radar (a toy robot) and his faithful dog Tag, to inspect their spaceship which is buried in snow. While they try to dig it out, they notice a Snow Monster and also realize that Radar is missing. Has the snow monster captured him? They get the ship loose and pursue the monster, but it is hard to find Radar in all the snow and ice. (As readers we can see his feet sticking out of a snow drift with a thought bubble, "This is SO NOT the Planet Ice adventure I had in mind...")

The illustrations transition from the backyard to the surface of Planet Ice. We can see that the Snow Monster looks a lot like Niko's sister, Posh - so much so that Tag deserts Niko and lets the monster pet him. A double-page spread shows the ship taking off as the Snow Monster and a Killer Bunny Spy lob dangerous snowballs at them while fierce-looking snowmen glare at the crew. When the ship finally approaches Planet Home, we can see Niko and Tag both concentrating so hard that their tongues are sticking out the corners of their mouths. And as the story ends, we can see the crew inside the warm house while Posh, the bunny, and the snowman are outside the window stockpiling more snowballs. Could our heroes still be in danger?

This is a perfect story for children who enjoy make-believe and outer space. I received a copy from the publisher for review purposes

Fall Reading 2017 Jasmine Toguchi: Mochi Queen

Most of us can remember a time when we were told, "You're not old enough to do that." It didn't matter what it was that we wanted to do, the feeling of being denied was awful. And that is exactly what Jasmine is going through. As preparations are made for the big New Year's celebration with her family, Jasmine is frustrated that she won't get to help make the mochi because it is tradition to wait until you are 10. Her sister Sophie will get to help this year, and her annoying cousin Eddie will be working with the men, but Jasmine will be stuck in the house with the babies unless she can convince her parents that she is old enough to be included. 

If you are looking for a story about families, holiday traditions, and growing up - Jasmine's adventures are a good place to start. The fact that the Toguchi family are Japanese American helps to provide some diversity in chapter books for middle grade readers. Jasmine is an entertaining character and the black & white illustrations bring her to life, showing her dangling from a tree in an effort to strengthen her arms, scowling at her sister, or slinging spaghetti sauce across the dinner table when she stirs her noodles too enthusiastically.

Recommended for readers who enjoy realistic fiction with believable characters.

Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk Giveaway Tour

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WISHAPICK TICKETY BOO AND THE BLACK TRUNK, an acclaimed Middle Grade Fantasy, awaits its MUSICAL DEBUT.

Enter this giveaway in Celebration of Children’s Musical Theater with MM Allen and Deborah Wynne.

Root for Jack! He enters the land of Wishapick through his father’s trunk, and meets his foe O’Sirus. Jack’s thought; Courage I need some!

One (1) winner receives the grand prize:

• An autographed copy of Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk
• A CD of the Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk soundtrack
• An Echo Dot

Value: $73.77

One (1) winner receives:

• An autographed copy of Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk
• A CD of the Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk soundtrack

Giveaway open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older.

Prizes provided by M. M. Allen and Deborah Wynne.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Wishapick: Tickety Boo And The Black Trunk

Written by M. M. Allen

Highly praised classic fairy tale Wishapick, Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk written by author M. M. Allen; and a CD of Wishapick Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk soundtrack composed by the talented Deborah Wynne. Moonbeam Gold Medal Award and 5 Star Readers Favorite.

Darkness -utter blackness. Was this why his mother had refused to let Jack unlock his father’s old trunk? It had been two years since his dad had died, and all Jack could think about was examining whatever treasures were stored inside the beloved trunk. But when he finally lifted the lid, he didn’t just fall in-he fell through it into a pit of rattlesnakes!

Trying to recall his mother’s stories about the Breath of All Good Things – anything to help him out of his dangerous predicament – Jack wished he had paid attention rather than mock the tales as childish myths… and that he’d waited to enter the trunk with his sister, Lilly. They could at least face this together.

“… a breathy and fantastical storytelling style, imaginations will flourish and the tale will be enjoyed by kids ages 8-12 who enjoy the genre of fantasy.”—The Children’s Book Review

Wishapick: Tickety Boo and the Black Trunk is available on Amazon.

Ages 8-13 | CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform | 2015 | 978-1508437178

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

About M. M. Allen

M.M. Allen author of the acclaimed children’s picture book Let’s Play Ball is the mother of two adult children and aunt to twenty-three nieces and nephews, including ten great-nieces and great-nephews. MM is a former teacher. She has also worked extensively in marketing and communications with varied businesses, including Walt Disney’s Buena Vista records, as well as several non-profits. MM lives in a picturesque northern California town where she enjoys writing, tending to her rose garden, and caring for her West Highland terriers, Pip & Peaches.

www.Wishapick.com | Facebook | Twitter

About Deborah Wynne

MM Allen collaborated with composer Deborah Wynne, who created a companion CD of songs to accompany the novel. Wynne’s primary interests lie in choral singing, and song composition. Her musical projects include the 2013 album Strands of Gold and 2007 musical Moment of Truth. For many years, Deborah sang with the well-known a cappella ensemble, Quire of Voices. She also sang with the female quartet, Champagne. She continues as an active singer and composer in Santa Barbara, California, where she lives with her husband and their sheltie Gracie.

DeborahWynne.com

TOUR SCHEDULE

The Children's Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	10/23
Nonperfect Parenting	http://www.nonperfectparenting.com/	10/24
To Read, or Not To Read	http://www.toreadornottoread.net	10/25
A Dream Within A Dream	http://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com	10/26
icefairy's Treasure Chest	http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/	10/27
Word Spelunking	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/	10/30
Jrsbookreviews	http://www.jrsbookreviews.wordpress.com	10/31
Crafty Moms Share	http://craftymomsshare.blogspot.com	11/1
Tales of A Wanna-Be SuperHero Mom	http://wannabesuperheromom.blogspot.ca/	11/2
The Fairview Review	http://fveslibrary.blogspot.com	11/3
LitPick Student Book Reviews	https://litpick.com/	11/6

The Fairview Review is participating in this blog tour and giveaway in partnership with The Children’s Book Review, M. M. Allen and Deborah Wynne.

Fall Reading 2017 Charlie Bumpers vs. the Teacher of the Year

What do you do when you find out that your homeroom teacher is the same one that you hit on the head with your shoe last year? The one who told you, "If I ever see you throw another shoe in school, you will stay in from recess for the rest of your life!" You try to get your parents to have you transferred to another class.  Your best friend tells the principal there has been a mistake. And then, you prepare for the worst school year ever.

Charlie is not a bad kid. He is friendly. He does okay on his work. But he is messy, impulsive, and even when he is trying to be helpful, he usually makes things worse. Whether it is trying to borrow a soccer ball from the new gym teacher, fairly judging a foot race, or doing something about the white sneakers that he can't stand - the consequences are never what he expects, or what an adult wants to see.

Reminiscent of Hank Zipzer, Charlie is a likable character with very ordinary issues to to deal with. Readers will identify with problems like an older brother who enjoys teasing him, or a best friend who volunteers him to race a bully, or a mother who buys new school shoes that he doesn't want (just think of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day at the show store).

Perfect middle grade realistic fiction with memorable characters, plenty of humor, and a narrative that is easy to read aloud - thanks to master storyteller/author Bill Harley.

Fall Reading 2017 Brave

A wonderful picture book featuring children of various ethnic backgrounds and physical abilities, Brave shows that every child can be brave. They might check under a sibling's bed for monsters or help a neighbor's cat down from a tree. They might lead a hike or push themselves to finish a race. They might even stand up for someone who is being mistreated. Whatever way they show their courage, "Brave kids can save the world. Just by being...brave."

Whether paired with the book Beautiful by the same creators (McAnulty/Lew-Vriethoff), or on its own, Brave gives every child a chance to identify with the characters in some way and see themselves as courageous. The fact that each scene is a routine occurrence, like apologizing for breaking a window during a ball game or facing down a lunchroom bully, adds to the power of the statement. Everyday heroes may not always be recognized for their bravery, but they should be appreciated and celebrated. And readers of all ages can use a reminder to embrace their inner bravery.

Highly recommended for elementary grades, but great for readers of any age.