Mom Read It

Animal Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Tristan Hunt and friends return with Stingray City!

Posted on March 4, 2016March 7, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Stingray City, by Ellen Prager (May 2015, Mighty Media Press), $9.95, ISBN: 9781938063701

Recommended for ages 9-12

When we last left Tristan Hunt and his Sea Camp friends, they’d had a rough summer that included being held prisoner by a crazy scientist and being chased by their environment-menacing foe, billionaire JP Rickerton. Camp ended early to get the heat off the kids, but Tristan and his friends aren’t out of action just yet: there’s an emergency by Grand Cayman, where stingrays and other sea life are disappearing. Tristan, Hugh, Ryder, Sam, and Rosina are called in to investigate, but they may end up missing along with the stingrays they’re trying to locate!

This third installment is the most fun Tristan Hunt adventure yet. Ms. Prager has hit her stride with this third book; her writing flows smoothly and she’s as comfortable with these characters as they are with one another. There’s more joking around now; more confidence; the kids are a little more inventive with their strategies and bolder when it comes to taking initiative. Tristan isn’t quite as focused on his on-land clumsiness as he’s been in the past, and, being teenagers now, they’re also starting to notice one another.

The Jamaican-accents are back, too! This time, instead of sharks, we’ve got stingrays calling the kids “bobo” and “mon”, adding some more humor to the storyline. There are some tense moments and some straight-up James Bond-type stunts happening here, courtesy of a billionaire inventor introduced here. (The books take place around Grand Cayman, there are going to be millionaires, folks.)

Readers are going to get some harsh truths in this book: not everyone appreciates life. But that’s why Tristan and his friends work so hard to keep the waters safe. You’re going to read about some pretty terrible conditions that people inflict on sea life and people who try to stop them, but it’s nothing that a kid can’t handle, and hopefully, he or she will come away with a greater respect for our world and the creatures we share that world with.

Lots of great conservation and environmental messages here, some new questions introduced (I still have questions from the last book!), and overall, a big, fun read. A plus to your middle grade realistic fantasy (I know that’s not a genre, but it should be) collection.

Do you want your own Tristan Hunt starter set? Enter a Rafflecopter giveaway for the chance to win books 1 and 2 (The Shark Whisperer and Shark Rider)!
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Early Reader, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Calling All Cars – Fun for Storytime, Fun for Anytime!

Posted on March 4, 2016February 26, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Calling All Cars
Written by Sue Fliess, Illustrated by Sarah Beise
March 1, 2016; 10×10 Hardcover, ISBN 9781492618812
Also available in 8×8 Hardcover, ISBN 9781492638353

Book information:
Title: Calling All Cars
Author: Sue Fliess
Illustrator: Sarah Beise
Release date: March 1, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

This month, I’ve got a spotlight on Sue Fliess and Sarah Beise’s adorable transportation book, Calling All Cars! This brightly colored salute to all kinds of cars is a great addition to libraries who enjoy storytime rhyming books.

Transportation books are huge with toddler and preschool audiences, with good reason: they’re fun! Calling All Cars takes readers on a trip with all sorts of cars: clown cars, trip cars, dogs in back cars, and more! The bold, black text makes for easy storytime reading; the text is as playful as the art, going up hills and through the snow next to their vehicles. The pictures are bold, with fun geometric shapes and cartoony drivers that kids will enjoy.

I read this one with my 3 year-old, who played along with his own toy cars. Could be a great storytime activity: let the little ones drive some cars of their own around after storytime, or let them color in car pictures (I always have a Word document with about 10-15 of Disney’s Cars characters ready to print). There are some great transportation songs and fingerplays on the Web, too – explore!

Enjoy the spotlight on Calling All Cars – thanks to Sourcebooks Jabberwocky!

Praise for Calling All Cars:

“Each double-page spread offers a surplus of amusing sights: three pigs in a convertible, a kitten chauffeuring a royal pair of lions, love-struck snakes hugging and tugging their cars too close together. Beise’s digital illustrations pop with vivid colors…. [Fliess’] rhyming couplets bounce off the page.” —Kirkus Reviews

“This successful collaboration combines brisk and spirited writing with bold, effervescent pictures and will have wide appeal to young readers. Fliess’s punchy rhymes mimic the speed and energy of the cars being described, making for a lively read-aloud… Young car enthusiasts will enjoy the ride through this zippy, robust picture book.” —School Library Journal

About the Book
Big cars, small cars, let’s call ALL cars! This bouncy text explores the wonderful world of cars zipping up, down, fast, and slow. A perfect basic concept books for eager young learners from the author of Tons of Trucks. Then cruise into bedtime!

Rest cars, Hush cars
No more rush, cars.
Cars pull in, turn off the light.
Sweet dreams, sleepy cars…goodnight!

Filled with vibrant art, adorable animal characters, and cars of all kinds from love bugs to the demolition derby, Calling All Cars is for every child who loves to read about things that go! Surprise bonus—follow one long road throughout this vividly imagined world and don’t miss the hidden clues in the artwork!

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27015390-calling-all-cars

Buy the Book
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1WHmpgX
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1QZwx0q
Books a Million: http://bit.ly/1SRWipt
!ndigo: http://bit.ly/1WHmzFf
Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1SRWuVL

About the Author
Sue Fliess is the author of more than a dozen children’s books, including the popular Tons of Trucks and Robots, Robots Everywhere! Her background is in copywriting, PR, and marketing, and her articles have appeared in O, the Oprah Magazine; Huffington Post; Writer’s Digest; and more. Her article from O, the Oprah Magazine was chosen for inclusion in O’s Little Book of Happiness (March 2015). Sue lives with her family and a Lab named Charlie in Northern Virginia. Visit her online at www.suefliess.com.

Connect with Sue Fliess!
Website: http://www.suefliess.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sue.Fliess.Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/suefliess
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/suefliess/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4484623.Sue_Fliess

About the Illustrator
Sarah Beise, a graduate of Minneapolis College of Art and Design, is an innovative illustrator and designer who loves to create fun and unique characters that help tell stories. Originally from Matthews, NC she now makes Kansas City her home along with her two dogs, Maxwell and Mazzie May. For more info visit http://www.SarahBeise.com.

Connect with Sarah Beise!
Website: http://www.colordotstudio.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sarah-Beise-Art-Design-LLC-233477983374912/

Calling All Cars Giveaway: Runs March 1-31 (US and Canada only)! Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!
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Women’s History Month: Ten Days a Madwoman

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the Original “Girl” Reporter, Nellie Bly, by Deborah Noyes (Feb. 2016, Viking Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780803740174

Recommended for ages 12+

In 1887, a 23 year-old woman decided to show her newspaper editor that she had the chops to write more captivating stories than the latest hat and dress styles of the season. Elizabeth Jane “Pink” Cochran, who went by the pen name Nellie Bly, managed to convince a battery of bystanders, doctors, and nurses that she needed to be admitted to Blackwell’s Island, home of an infamous insane asylum, so that she could write an exposé. Sure enough, she was admitted and spent 10 horrific days in the asylum, where she later wrote about the mistreatment she received and witnessed other patients endure. Her career, so she thought, was made.

Ten Days a Madwoman is a biography on Cochran and her investigative journalism. The Blackwell’s Island piece inspired other women to pursue “stunt journalism”, where they would take on often outrageous stunts like boxing the famed Gentleman Jim Corbett, rescuing a child from a burning building, or jumping in front of a trolley car. Bly worked hard at her journalism and championing women and children in particular, but struggled throughout her career with the idea of women being taken seriously as journalists. When she decided to travel around the world in 80 Days, hoping to beat the fictional record set by Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days character, Phileas Fogg, a rival newspaper sent their female reporter on the same trip, setting up a race between the two. (Bly beat her rival and Fogg: she completed her trip in 72 days.)

Noyes explores Bly’s professional and personal life, focusing on her desire to care for her family and attain financial security in addition to gaining professional respect. Pictures and reprinted documents, with additional profiles of people, places, and events influencing or influenced by Bly, round out this must-read biography on a woman whose career may be overlooked in this age of Twitter and 24-hour news, when hard-hitting journalism tends to take a back seat to pop culture.

Ten Days a Madwoman has already received a starred School Library Journal review and includes a rich bibliography, source notes, and index. An important addition to any collection, and a great Women’s History Month spotlight.

Deborah Noyes is an award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction for children and adults. Her author webpage offers more information about her books and links to her social media. Check out an excerpt here!

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Spotlight On: The Black Lotus

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Blog Tour Schedule:
http://yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/2015/12/blog-tour-sign-up-black-lotus-by-claire.html

***
The Black Lotus
by Claire Warner
Release Date:June 29th 2014

Summary from Goodreads:

….though I would dearly love to play court to you, I would hurt you more than any other.

It is 1752.
The year that will change the life of heiress Melissa De Vire. As she makes her first fumbling steps into society, she meets the handsome young cad Justin Lestrade and his world tears her perceptions apart. For Justin is more than he appears, and his secrets and enemies are manifold. Drawn irresistibly to him, she finds herself sinking into a realm of feuds, magic and old curses and her life will never again be the same.
Add to Goodreads

Buy Links:
Amazon│Amazon UK

Excerpt from The Black Lotus:

“Justin?” He turned as she spoke, “I think you should pursue Melissa De Vire.”

He dropped what he had been holding and walked towards her.

“What?” Utter shock permeated his tones and he stared down at her as though he could not believe what he had just heard. “You must be mad.”

“No, just practical.” Unconcerned by the anger on his face, Emily reached down and pulled the gold bracelet back onto her wrist. “You like her, that much is obvious and she seems to have some interest in you, despite her transparent denials.”

For a long moment, Justin said nothing, stunned by the words that were coming out of Emily’s mouth. “Haven’t you just convinced me that this existence is so much hell, that you would lie with someone you don’t care for just to rid yourself of it? Why would you ask me to pursue someone I couldn’t be with? Do you hate me that much?”

Emily turned away and sat down in one of the chairs. “I don’t hate you Justin, but if you don’t take her and make her yours you will regret it.” She picked up her bonnet and began pulling at the flowers set into it. “Alistair already knows about her, give it a little time and she will be linked with us. I’d much rather you drag her along rather than leave her to be fodder for John.”

“So how does my brother know about Melissa?” Justin’s voice was dangerously quiet as he stood opposite her. “Have you stirred the pot again?” He turned and slammed his fist into the wall. “I thought you were past these petty games. Real people are at stake.”

“Yes.” She stood and faced him. “Real people are at stake and if you do not act this time, John will merely take her from you in the same way he took Anna.” She grabbed his fist and brushed the drops of blood from the knuckles. “Do you not realise yet that there is nothing that you can do to hide her from him.”

“I’ve spoken to her once.” He hoped that she did not see through the lie, “And that has been all. God curse it Emily, she may only be intrigued, do not turn this into a grand love affair on the basis of one conversation.” He pulled his hand free and seized the back of her neck. “If you start this, you’d better be prepared to face the consequences.”

Emily laughed in his face. “Don’t threaten me darling, I won’t take it.” Her hand snaked around his wrist and she pressed hard on the joints, causing him to gasp in pain. “I will not spend the next few decades suffering from your ill temper. Don’t forget love, that I know you almost as well as you know yourself.”

Justin allowed his hand to drop from her skin and whispered. “Then why would push this? I am interested yes, but I know that I can’t have her. John need only know that I flirted with her, as I do with many women.”

“I push because John will know regardless. He has his spies and he will find out.”

About the Author
When I was a child, I made up games and characters when my sister and I played with dolls. As I grew older, I would make up scenarios and scenes, fully intending to write them down but never finding the time. In my late teens, I discovered the world of role playing and settled into an avid ‘geeky’ life of D&D, comics, sci-fi and fantasy fiction. Years passed, and I finally gave voice to the stories in my head. I write romance, fantasy, action and adventure. I love tales of steampunk and history, tales of magical powers, and dark curses lurking in the shadows. Though The Black Lotus is not my first attempt at a novel, it is the first I have finished.

And some fun facts about me:

I sew.
My favourite Disney film is Atlantis.
I’ve been a film extra and stood 5 feet away from Sam Rockwell.
Babylon 5 is my fave sci-fi show.
I cried at the end of Toy Story 3.

Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

Enter this Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance at a free copy of The Black Lotus!
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Playlist for The Black Lotus:

Burn: The Cure
The Kill: 30 seconds to Mars
Prayer: Disturbed
Moonchild: Fields of the Nephilim
Gimme Shelter: Rolling Stones
Closer to the Edge: 30 seconds to Mars
In the End: Linkin Park
The Farthest Star: VNV Nation
Bring Me to Life: Evanesence
Sadness: Enigma
We are Glass: Gary Numan
Down in the Park: Gary Numan
Seed of a Lie: Gary Numan
Queen of the Damned Soundtrack: Various
Anyplace Anywhere Anytime: Kim Wilde and Nina

Book Tour Organized by YA Bound Book Tours

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Everyday Advocacy: Take Action Tuesday!

Posted on March 1, 2016March 1, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

My first Take Action Tuesday challenge has been to write an elevator speech: a brief opportunity to tell someone what you do, and why libraries are so important. You know, when someone asks you that question, “So, what do you do?” And you kind of grimace internally for a second, bracing for the look and the answer you’ll get when you say, “I’m a librarian.”

My elevator speech will help head off those inevitable responses: “They still have those?” “Hasn’t the Internet put you out of business yet?” You know, the greatest hits. So here’s my elevator speech:

I’m a children’s librarian. I encourage a love of reading, learning, and creating at the library by making sure my collection has books that kids will love, available in the languages they need. The world is a big place, and having books that speak to kids’ interests and experiences, in their languages, make it even bigger and brighter.

What’s your elevator speech?

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March is Read Aloud Month!

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Remember, everyone – reading time is cuddle time, so get your snuggles in and read to the little ones in your life. Just 15 minutes a day makes a tremendous difference. Want a scary statistic? By 3 years of age, there is a 30 million word gap between children from the wealthiest and poorest families. 30. MILLION. WORDS. (Reading is Fundamental, 2014)

Grab those Pigeon books, the Sandra Boynton books (my little Gozer is currently a huge fan of But Not the Hippopotamus), anything by Karen Katz: just grab a book, snuggle that little one in your lap or wherever you’re most comfy, and read. Just 15 minutes a day makes all the difference in the world.

Got older kids? Read to them, too! Explore Narnia or Hogwarts, join Johnny Tremain or Phoebe the Spy. Make your kid the Mockingjay. Just read and be together.

The Read Aloud campaign has great, bilingual posters and handouts for the 15 Minutes literacy initiative here. Download them, print them, post them, hand them out!

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads

Trudy the Tree Frog tries out a new bed

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Trudy the Tree Frog, by Jennifer Keats Curtis/Illustrated by Laura Jacques (Nov. 20015, Schiffer Publishing), $16.99, ISBN: 9780764349973

Recommended for ages 4-8

A plucky little tree frog decides to broaden her horizons, but learns that the grass isn’t always greener – and the bed isn’t always more comfortable – on the other side in this rhyming bedtime tale.

Trudy the Tree Frog is just about to get comfy in her tree, among her leaves, and fall asleep for the night, when she has an idea. She leaps onto the window of the house next to her tree and gazes in at a little girl who has a bunk bed all to herself. That bed looks so comfortable and soft! Trudy begins croaking and trilling, begging to be let in; not wanting to wake her family, the little girl obliges. Once inside, Trudy discovers that the bed really isn’t comfortable for a frog: she’s sticking to everything! The bed’s too big! She starts to cry again – but this time, she wakes up Daddy! Can Dad and the little girl get Trudy back to her tree so she can sleep?

This is a good bedtime story: it rhymes and has a definite cadence to it when read out loud. Kids may recognize themselves in Trudy, who’s satisfied with what she has until she thinks someone else has it better – and then she finds out that what makes one person happy is subjective; it may not work for another. Trudy happily ends up back where she belongs, and makes a new friend in the process.

Both the author and award-winning illustrator have a wealth of wildlife/environmental storytelling experience. Readers will learn a little bit about tree frog habitats and behaviors, and the illustrations clearly show Trudy’s sticky foot pads and tongue, and how that presents a bit of a problem for sleeping in a bed, but how it would be a big help to sleeping in a tree. The color scheme is perfect for a bedtime story, with sedate, deep blues and purples, and low yellows for the lights. Bold, black, decorative font adds a whimsical touch to storytelling and reading.

I read this story to my toddler storytime class and they really enjoyed it! They loved seeing Trudy leap and the parents got a kick out of learning about her tussle with the bed, too.

A sweet addition to bedtime story collections and nature-centric collections.

Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Our Love Grows: Perfect for Moms and Dads to read-aloud!

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Our Love Grows, by Anna Pignataro (April 2016, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky), $16.99, ISBN: 9781492634188

Recommended for ages 2-6

Pip is a sweet little panda who can’t wait to grow up. He asks his mother, “When will I be big?” and his mother reminds him that he’s already grown from when he was a baby. The story takes place as Pip’s mother remembers important moments: his tiny paw prints in the snow, his blanket covered all of him, playing hide and seek and the passing of seasons; how his tiny face fit in her hands. As she goes back over how Pip has grown, Mother Panda reminds Pip that as he’s grown, so has her love for him.

This is the sweetest book. Pip is actually not assigned a gender in the story; I think of Pip as being a little boy because I have three of my own, and reading this story reminded me of many similar moments in my own children’s lives. Snuggling with my toddler as I read this, I remembered when his blanket covered all of him – the same blanket that his feet now stick out from under; I remember he and his brothers fitting so snugly in my arms; I remember how little their snow angels looked in the winter; and yes, I may have gotten a little teary-eyed. My little guy didn’t notice it, but I did get an extra tight hug when I read the line about my love for him growing as he grows.

Our Love Grows is one of those books I recommend for parents, because it’s a parent’s eye-view of our babies growing up. It’s bittersweet, yes, but books like this remind us of the sweet moments, and when we’re lucky enough to still have the little ones that sit on our lap when we tell stories, books like this also let them know that they’ll get big, eventually – don’t rush it. And we’ll be right there with them.

The art is sedate and intimate, with Pip, Mom, and Pip’s stuffed bird the main focus of the book, surrounded by nature. The text is a plain black font that doesn’t call attention to itself, making the characters the central point of attention.

A good choice for new parents, toddler parents, and preschooler parents whose little ones are desperate to be big, when we want them to stay small for just a little longer.

Anna Pignataro is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. Visit her author webpage to find out more about her books and artwork.

Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Teen, Tween Reads

Ravenous weaves together fairy tales for great middle grade fantasy

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Ravenous, by MarcyKate Connolly (Jan. 2016, HarperCollins), $16.99, ISBN: 9780062272744

Recommended for ages 9-13

After being imprisoned in a neighboring city, forced to witness her friends’ deaths at the behest of a greedy king and evil wizard, Greta is doing everything she can to take care of her brother, Hans. Their parents have disappeared, leaving questions and heartache in their wake. When Greta returns home one day to discover Hans missing, she tracks him to a witch’s house. A witch who lives in a chicken leg house. A witch who eats children, and she’s sizing Hans up for her next meal unless Greta retrieves a priceless artifact for her. The artifact is in Belladoma – the city where Greta was held prisoner. A city of people Greta has vowed never to forgive. She’s joined on her quest by Dalen, a young centaur, who has his own village to save. Can the two unravel the secrets the king and wizard left behind to save everyone they love?

Ravenous is the sequel to Monstrous, a smart retake on the Hansel and Gretel fairytale. We go deeper into that tale here; deftly woven with the Baba Yaga myth, with a sprinkling of Kraken/ancient Greek storytelling. I love Greta, the main character. She’s smart, she’s strong, she’s determined, and she’s vulnerable. She’s been hurt, she feels betrayed, and her loyalty and willingness to do anything for her brother is powerful and bittersweet all at once. They have no one but one another, and their parents remain a huge question mark in their lives. That’s got to be brutal for a child, and here, it is. MarcyKate Connolly digs deep into Greta’s determination and finds her pain, which acts as her engine. Through it all, though, she’s a good person.

I also love that Baba Yaga is making her way into the major leagues of storytelling over the last few years. We’ve seen her take center stage in Gregory Maguire’s Egg and Spoon and the hit graphic novel Baba Yaga’s Assistant, and now she’s here, causing trouble in Ravenous. I’d like to see more folk and fairy tales from different cultures make their way to middle grade and YA literature; it provides a richer pool to draw from.

You don’t need to read Monstrous to enjoy Ravenous, but it’s highly recommended. A prequel for the series, Precious, is said to be in the final edition; I read an ARC, and the copy I bought for my library was gone as soon as it hit the New Releases shelf, so someone will have to let me know!

Give this book to your fantasy and fairy tale fans. Booktalk Monstrous and Ravenous as new ways of seeing existing folklore and encourage your book group to come up with their own ideas for reimagining a favorite book.

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2016 Children’s Book Week Poster Reveal!

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Children’s Book Week is coming! This year’s poster design, by author, illustrator, former animation artist, and 2015 Children’s Choice Illustrator of the Year (Hooray for Hat!) Brian Won, was revealed earlier today, and it’s adorable!

Posters are available, while supplies last, for free (you supply postage) from the Children’s Book Council. Full details are available at their site.

To find out about nationwide events and events in your area, contact your local libraries, booksellers, or visit the Children’s Book Council events page. For a list of Children’s Choice Book Award finalists and judges, click here.