Uncategorized – Page 28

Hit the Election Trail with Monster Needs Your Vote!

Posted on August 14, 2015January 30, 2026 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Monster Needs Your Vote, by Paul Czajak/Illus. by Wendy Grieb (Aug. 2015, Mighty Media Kids), $16.95, ISBN: 978-1-938063-63-3

Recommended for ages 4-8

It’s election season, and Monster wants to get involved! He’s got a bunch of different platforms he supports – longer summers, dessert for dinner – but he quickly discovers a more important cause to stand for, and shows kids that no matter what your age, you can make a difference!

This latest book in author Paul Czajak’s Monster & Me series gives kids a glimpse into the election process – choosing a platform, the power of a grassroots movement, and the campaign trail, in particular. Monster’s focus on education and literacy makes this a great classroom and library read-aloud – never talking down to the youngest of readers, Czajak Grieb use rhyme and adorable, kid-friendly illustration in eye-catching, bright colors to talk to kids. A free, downloadable Campaign Kit from the publisher is loaded with great add-ons, including facts about Presidents and First Ladies, a political vocabulary sheet, Monster coloring sheets, and more.

The coming Presidential election is already heating up, with a huge primary on the horizon and a lot of passionate issues on the table. Monster Needs Your Vote is a valuable addition to educators and parents who want to get kids involved. I can’t wait to see what my preschoolers think of it (although I expect that dessert for dinner will be a key concern)! Monster gets my vote – I hope he gets yours!

Have a sneak peek at Monster Needs Your Vote right here, then hit that campaign trail!

Fiction, Humor, Middle Grade, Middle School, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

The Woe of Jade Doe: Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles Continues!

Posted on August 12, 2015August 11, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: The Woe of Jade Doe, by Meghan Dougherty/Illus. by Alece Birnbach (Aug. 2015, Sourcebooks), $6.99, ISBN: 978-1-4926-01-47-0

Recommended for ages 9-14

The Slugs ‘n’ Hisses are back in their second adventure! Last year, we met Dorothy, her roller derby lovin’ grandma, Shotgun Sally, and the misfits that became BFFs and a butt-kickin’ roller derby team in the first Derby Chronicle, Rise of the Undead Redhead. Picking up immediately where Undead Redhead left off, The Woe of Jade Doe goes further into the story behind Eva Disaster’s untimely demise, the conflict between the Pom-Poms and the Slugs ‘n’ Hisses, and the fate of Galactic Skate.

This book is every bit as fun as the Rise of the Undead Redhead. Dorothy is fighting to keep her life together as the girls work through inner conflict and locking horns with their school rivals; the knowledge that her mother could come in and throw everything she’s worked for into chaos at any moment, a crush that keeps her guessing, and an uncertain future for her roller rink and derby team. On top of all that, she’s got a ghost with a grudge, and Grandma’s keeping secrets. It’s a fun page-turner with a touch of girl power and just enough mean girl strife to keep it interesting.

Add this to your collection, along with the first book in the series and Victoria Jamieson’s Roller Girl, and get your girls (and guys!) reading them. Heck, get a copy of Knockdown Knits and knit yourself a nice ice pack cover while you have a book discussion.

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds is an adorable Fall read!

Posted on August 6, 2015August 5, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds, by Marianne Dubuc (Aug. 2015, Kids Can Press), $17.95, ISBN: 9781771385725

Recommended for ages 4-8

Mr. Postmouse loads up his wagon and goes on his delivery rounds. He visits all the animals on his route, from Mr. Bear, who’s having lunch with Goldilocks, to a special delivery at the end of his route. Each animal household is loaded with fun glimpses into their lives: the Rabbit family grows root vegetables on their roof, so they can just pluck them from the ceiling when they’re ready to eat; they have a warren below the house that includes multilayered bunk beds and a toilet; Magpie’s home is loaded with stolen goods, evidenced by the “Wanted” poster on the tree to his home and the “Lost” poster bearing a ring that looks just like one in his home; Pigeon’s planning his next trip and has luggage stamped and ready.

Marianne Dubuc’s artwork is wonderful for young readers because of all the elements she includes in her pictures. Her book, The Bus Ride, was loaded with little winks and smiles to careful eyes, and Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds is just as rich in visual detail. The animal homes are drawn in cross-section, allowing readers a tongue-in-cheek peek into their homes. Some, like the Birds, are naturally located in trees, but the Fly family is located in what appears to be a giant animal dropping. Mr. Octopus lives in a shipwreck, and the Penguin family lives in an igloo. Mr. Bear has a beehive on his roof, with a pipe that delivers honey straight to his kitchen, and the Yeti knits hats and socks to keep warm in his icy mountain home.

This is a fun way to introduce the idea of animal habitats into a conversation. Start with fiction, and work your way to the actual facts, comparing and contrasting the elements Ms. Dubuc brings into play with Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds, and ask children to talk about their own habitats. Have them draw a picture of their room, for instance.

Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds is an adorable book that will appeal to younger readers. It’s a fun read-aloud, but will be even more fun for readers to curl up with and discover Ms. Dubuc’s little gifts on their own.

Fiction, Historical Fiction, Uncategorized

Take a trip through the decades with My Hometown

Posted on August 5, 2015August 5, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

My Hometown, by Russell Griesmer/Illus. by Priscilla Wong (Oct. 2015, Capstone), $15.95, ISBN: 9781623701741

Recommended for ages 4-8

“Every town has a story…”

A magical newspaper floats through a town ready to celebrate its 150th anniversary, transporting a young boy through the history of the town. We see the evolution of a small American town; from horses and carriages, to buggies, to big-finned cars, to SUVs and minivans. As we move through the decades, we see history unfold: the townsfolk prepare a scrap metal drive for the war effort and a welcome home party for the troops; get a glimpse at the women’s lib movement, a possible recession, and a comeback. It’s a slice of Main Street, USA Americana in a wordless text that lets the illustrations speak volumes.

The art is amazing. We go from a grainy sepia tone, with a grainy feel like an old photo or newspaper clipping, through to a cleaner black and white to highlight the town’s first few decades. During the World War II years, we get a little grittier, like an old photo that’s seen some use. The boy, an outside observer, is always in full color, reminding us that he, like us, is there to observe and learn. As we move from the 1960s into the 1970s, the color goes to a wonderful tinted color, like an old Kodakchrome photo that will make a lot of parents smile and look for their old photo albums. We see some futuristic cars as the town moves into the 1980s, but it also reminds us that there were some hard times, with empty storefronts and the Town Hall holding a benefit breakfast for a repair fund. The architecture evolves with the decades, as do the businesses along Main Street.

We come back to the present, and the newspaper moves on – what will the next child discover?

This is a great book to prompt discussion, whether it’s with grandparents, parents, or an educator, about history and change. It’s a great opportunity to talk to kids about our childhoods, and compare the differences in our formative years. The wordless text allows kids to tell the story and expand beyond the printed page. Who are some of those people? What are those businesses selling? What happened to the businesses that left, and who took their places? What would you do if you went back in time?

My Hometown will be in stores in October, and will definitely find a place on my library shelves.

Uncategorized, Young Adult/New Adult

YA Media Blitz: The Glass Mermaid, by Poppy Lawless!

Posted on August 5, 2015August 5, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless

Release Date: 07/14/15

Love Potion Books

Summary from Goodreads:Kate

I’m the last mermaid.

I’m back on shores of Lake Erie, but the cold waters are silent. There is
nothing here for me but ghosts and the beach glass that litters the rocky
shore. Long ago, I lived below the waves. Now, I am the sole survivor, and at long last, my mermaid glamour is leaving me.

Every day, I walk the beach. Every day, I wonder what happened to my people. The little pieces of colored glass that wash ashore give me simple pleasure. They are gifts from the lake, reminders of home. I fashion them into trinkets: necklaces, earrings, bracelets. They are beautiful things. The humans seem love them.

Every day, I walk the beach. Nothing ever changes, until the day he says hello.

Cooper

I’m dying.

It’s not a question, it’s a fact. The cancer is eating me alive. They told me I have six months to live, maybe less. I came home, back to Chancellor on Lake Erie, to die. The sunsets are vivid there, and I will relish every one.

I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than a Lake Erie sunset until I see her.

All life is fragile as glass.

What would you sacrifice to save the one you love?

Buy Link:

Amazon

About the Author: Romance author. Cupcake connoisseur. Certified herbalist. Beach bum. Fan of all things Starbucks.
Holistic healing advocate. Surfer girl wanna-be. Lost guru. Maker of dandelion wine. Counselor. Paranormal buff. Etsy addict. Secretly Jedi. So not a geek girl. Gifted in sarcasm. Hot wife. Ninja mom. And now, I’m ready to share a whole head full of witty, mouthy, smart, lovely, heart-warming, and hot characters with the world. Are you ready?

Poppy Lawless is the author of the forthcoming series Love & Chocolate releasing in 2015 and The Glass Mermaid. Poppy holds degrees in English and Psychology. She is a counselor in the field of mental health and is a trained herbalist. Poppy’s new series blends the best of romance with a Practical Magic or contemporary Bewitched appeal.

Author Links:

photo iconfacebook-32x32_zps64a79d4a.png

GIVEAWAY: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Bug in a Vacuum takes an interesting look at the five stages of grief

Posted on July 29, 2015July 28, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Bug in a Vacuum, by Mélanie Watt (Aug. 2015, Tundra), $21.99, ISBN: 9781770496453

Recommended for ages 4-8

A bug flies through a window and through a house. He settles on a globe, only to be sucked into a vacuum cleaner! He moves through the five stages of grief, as postulated by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross: denial, bargaining, anger, despair, and eventually, acceptance. In a parallel story, we follow the family dog, whose stuffed toy has also become trapped in the vacuum cleaner; the dog moves through its own stages of grief.

I have to admit, at first, I was a little confused by the book’s message – it’s adorable, and the material is presented in fun manner – but the content is about moving through grief, so how would I position this to kids? After a second reading, I realized that it’s not necessarily about death – it’s about loss, and what better than a lost toy, or a bug’s exaggerated reactions, to explain that to children? My toddler goes through the five stages of grief every night when it’s bedtime, so I really need to open up my thinking when I approach new material.

This is an interesting way of explaining the blues, the grief process, however you term it, to young children. The mixed media artwork gives the art texture and depth, really drawing the reader into the story. Retro advertisements for household products introduce each new stage. The bug’s word balloons and gestures equal the intensity of each stage – anger is big and bold; acceptance is smaller, thinner.

This would provide an interesting read-aloud. Let the kids tell you what’s going on and how they think the bug and the dog are feeling. Ask the kids, when did you feel sad? What made you feel that way? What makes you angry? Phrase each stage as a chance for exploring feelings. This would pair really well with a book on feelings or emotions.

Melanie Watt is the author of the award-winning children’s book series, Scaredy Squirrel, which is also a television show on Cartoon Network.

Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle School, Uncategorized

Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles is Back with The Woe of Jade Doe!

Posted on July 25, 2015July 23, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Last year, I raved a new middle grade series, Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles, about two sisters living with their very unconventional grandmother and forming a roller derby team. This book was too much fun, and I immediately began asking the authors, via Twitter, for more. Well, the time has come – I present to you, a Sourcebooks Jabberwocky spotlight on Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: The Woe of Jade Doe. Review to come!

Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: Woe of Jade Doe

By Meghan Dougherty

Illustrated by Alece Birnbach

August 4, 2015; ISBN 9781492601470

Book Information:

Title: Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: Woe of Jade Doe

Author: Meghan Dougherty

Release Date: August 4, 2015

Publisher Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Summary:

When times get tough, just keep skating…

Ever since Dorothy joined the Slugs & Hisses Derby team, her life has been one adventure after another. Dorothy’s onetime enemy Alex is now a friend, while her friend Jade keeps missing practices. Then the skating rink shuts down, and Dorothy’s life becomes as jumbled as a derby jam. And that’s not to mention the bizarre things happening to anyone who enters the rink (maybe it’s haunted?)…

Can Dorothy restore order to the new life she’s finally settling into, or will her world become a crazy mess she can’t skate away from?

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25782850-dorothy-s-derby-chronicles-woe-of-jade-doe

Buy Links:

Amazon- http://ow.ly/OHPtn

Barnes & Noble- http://ow.ly/OHPz9

Books A Million- http://ow.ly/OHPPE

iBooks- http://ow.ly/OHQnp

!ndigo- http://ow.ly/OHQvD

Indiebound- http://ow.ly/OHQJN

About the Author and Illustrator:

Meghan Dougherty is a full-time PR consultant. In 2007 she joined the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls roller derby league. She lives in Colorado.

Alece Birnbach owned her own advertising agency before creating designs that appear on more than 100 products. She lives in Colorado.

Social Networking Links:

Website: http://www.dorothysderby.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dorothysderby

Instagram: https://instagram.com/dorothysderby/

Excerpt from Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: Woe of Jade Doe

“You okay, Dorth?” Max asked, squeezing Dorothy’s hand.

Dorothy stared into Max’s chocolate-brown eyes. Words weren’t coming. From the tip-top of her curly red hair down to her hand-me-down roller skates, Dorothy was buzzing with delight. She wasn’t even twelve yet, and she had just been kissed! She had thought the night couldn’t get any better after coaching her team, the Slugs ’n’ Hisses, to a win at the Halloween championship bout. But here she was, hand in hand with the boy of her dreams.

Floating on a cloud of bliss, Dorothy was barely aware of the roller rink under her feet or her nearby team chanting, “I’m a roller derby girl. Derby, derby, roller, yeah!”

And there was another sound too, like a squeal—but not a happy squeal. More like a metallic screech, actually. And it was growing louder. Dorothy’s gaze shot upward and her bliss vanished, replaced instead with heart-pounding terror.

Suddenly, everything and everyone in the dimly lit, outdated Galactic Skate was moving in slow motion. The dusty ceiling fans ticked as slowly as the second hand on a clock. The people in the stands lumbered toward the door like molasses on the faded, star-patterned carpet.

“Get off the floor!” Dorothy screamed. “Now!”

Her team stopped chanting and turned to look at her with puzzled faces.

“Frappit,” Dorothy said, dropping Max’s hand. She rocketed toward her team, her arms waving frantically above her head. “Move it!” A second later, time was in hyperdrive.

“You heard your coach!” Grandma Sally yelled. Her tight, fishnet stockings made Grandma’s thighs look like a pair of misshapen waffles. Unaware that her sexy nun costume was riding up dangerously high, she hooked Jade by the arm and pulled her toward the bleachers.

“Ouch, Grandma! Easy,” Jade complained, hopping on one foot. “My ankle, remember?”

The next few seconds were a blur of confusion with the clack and swoosh of skate wheels, the cries of “Run!” from the few remaining fans standing in the bleachers, and above it all, a metallic banshee shriek growing louder each second.

In the chaos, Dorothy realized she had lost track of Sam. Cold fingers of panic wrapped around Dorothy’s throat and squeezed. Her nine-year-old sister had been there just a minute ago, chanting and celebrating with her team. Where was she now? In the frenzy, Dorothy slowed way down, carefully scanning the people running past the rundown refreshment area and blackened popcorn machine and the restrooms with the groovy guy-and-gal signage. No Sam.

Then it happened. With a bang like a gun going off, the chain that held the giant disco ball to the ceiling snapped. Dorothy turned and watched helplessly as the ball fell. Time slowed again. It was like a horror movie version of the Times Square countdown on New Year’s Eve—a glittering ball of death was plummeting toward the floor, and there wasn’t a single thing Dorothy or anyone could do to stop it.

“Sam!” she cried desperately, but all she heard in return were the screams of her terrified teammates and shattering glass.

Enter here for a Rafflecopter giveaway!

Fiction, Uncategorized

Conspiracy Girl- a new heroine on the scene?

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Conspiracy Girl, by Karen Chacek/Illus. by Abraham Balcazar (Sept 2015, Cinco Puntos Press), $14.95, ISBN: 9781935955986

Recommended for ages 8-13

It all starts when Nina’s born. She’s a girl, which sets off riots, because everyone expected a boy. Then, these mangy, shifty looking birds follow her home from the hospital. All Nina needs is her dad’s laughter, though, to see through grown-ups’ crazy behavior, and a box of cereal and her imagination to fend off the birds. It seems that the birds are out to get Nina, and she’s going to save the world by seeing them for what they really are.

While I enjoyed the art for Conspiracy Girl, the story took several readings to click for me. I’m concerned it will go over many younger readers’ heads, and that older readers – think fans of Emily the Strange -may have a hard time connecting with Nina and her story. That said, it does make for an interesting read, and can spark some interesting discussions about Nina, her father, and how exactly she’s going to save the world.

Conspiracy Girl was originally published in Spanish in 2009.

Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

Roller Girl brings roller derby to tweens! A WhatchaReading review!

Posted on July 7, 2015July 6, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

I love a good roller derby story, and I love a good graphic novel. I got to enjoy both when I picked up Victoria Jamieson’s Roller Girl. I’d read the advance reviews on this one, and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. In fact, I ordered it for my library, and was the first person to borrow it. Since then, I’ve pressed it into the hands of two girls at my library, and my niece has her own copy after I raved about it for an entire lunch date.

Check out what I had to say about Roller Girl over at WhatchaReading!

Teen, Uncategorized, Young Adult/New Adult

Book Blitz: Persuasion, by Janette Fuller (Ambrosial Acres #1)!

Posted on July 2, 2015July 6, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Persuasion
(Ambrosial Acres #1)

by Jannette
Fuller

Release
Date: 04/29/15

Splice
Publishing

160
pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Agent Yagil is a seasoned Guardian
Angel, but his newest assignment is going to take every bit of strength and commitment he has.Seventeen-year old Amber Reynolds is looking for freedom and independence from her rigid lifestyle. Going behind her parents’ back, she takes a part-time job at the renowned Inn located within Ambrosial Acres.As Agent Yagil watches over Amber, he discovers that despite its mysterious
beauty, Ambrosial Acres hides a dark and supernatural secret.Between Amber’s new coworker crushes, her menacing stalker, a mysterious online
stranger, and the evil Agents out to lead her down a path of self destruction, Agent Yagil faces the fight of his career.

Life is all about choices. Can he help Amber make the right ones, before it’s
too late?

Check out an excerpt from Persuasion!

Hallelujah! After five classes, second period lunch, and several bathroom breaks, the last bell of the day finally buzzes. I follow her out of the school and through the student parking lot, waiting for her to hop inside the Jeep. Once she cranks it up, I leap into the air and glide overhead as we leave the school grounds.

She speeds down the Parkway and slams on the brakes, whipping the Jeep onto Coppice Lane. But I, on the other hand, continue to go straight, heading for a group of laurels. Oomph! Ow. That. Really. Hurt. I peel my face off the tree and spit out a few leaves.

I better get a promotion for this.

Holding onto a tree limb, I bend my knees and spring forward, following her down the dirt road for about a mile. The Jeep begins to slow down and then finally comes to a halt—right in front of wrought iron gates. My eyes wander upward, gaping at the cherubim statutes, crisscrossing their gleaming swords on top of one another. They tower over a metal sign that says WELCOME TO AMBROSIAL ACRES.

The gates swing inward and Amber drives through. A tall man with a brawny physique walks out in the middle of the road. His long, jet-black hair blows behind him as he throws a hand up, signaling Amber to stop.

“Welcome. I’m Micah…the groundskeeper.” He studies her for a brief moment, and then continues, “In order to get to the Inn, continue to drive down this road until you reach the four-way intersection. Then follow the sign pointing to the south. Once you see a wooded parking lot, you’ll know you’ve arrived. Park anywhere you’d like, and may your visit go well.”

“Thanks,” Amber says timidly.

Buy
Links:

Amazon│Barnes
& Noble│Kobo
Books│Smashwords

About the Author

Jannette Fuller is the author of Persuasion (Book
One in the Ambrosial Acres Series). She lives in the beautiful and majestic mountains of Boone, North Carolina with her husband and children. And even though she loves coming up with fantastical ideas for her stories, and bringing them to life, she fancies other things as well: exercising, going on nature walks, watching Netflix, recording on
Singsnap, drinking coffee, and she enjoys foot massages too, but that only happens when her husband’s in the mood to give her one.

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Links: