*Review* The Great Squirrel Burglar by J. Lawrence Graham and Mary Ellen Wehrli

 

Genre: Children's 3-5 years

Published: October 16, 2023

Pages: 32

In The Great Squirrel Burglar, authors Mary Ellen Graham Wehrli and J. Lawrence Graham present us with an engaging story and charming illustrations for children, parents, and grandparents that teach the importance of multigenerational relationships and the worthy (and delightful!) lessons we learn from family.

Alongside the "squirrely" characters of Grandpa Earl--aka the legendary Great Squirrel Burglar--and his "grandkit" Jack Boy, children and their families will go on a delightful journey to help Grandpa Earl solve the mystery of where he's hidden his missing nuts and acorns. Joining Earl and his grandson are Carl the Cardinal, the fabulous feline Catrina, Spot the hound dog, Babbit the Rabbit, and more!

​This captivating cast of wildlife friends adds color and fun to The Great Squirrel Burglar, which teaches children about the joy (and excitement!) that older generations can add to their families.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This was a story about a squirrel kit who is following his grandfather squirrel around town while he asks everyone where his nuts are. The 12-year-old boy inside me found that part of the story very amusing. Obviously it's important, as a squirrel, to know where you buried your nuts so you don't starve over the long winter. While they are out, a cardinal tells the young squirrel kit a story about the great squirrel burglar, who just now happens to be an old grandfather squirrel looking for his nuts. 

I don't think I'd want to read this book too terribly many times, at least not close together. It wasn't a bad story, but it wasn't a fun story (silly rhymes and things) either. The illustrations looked like watercolor paintings. Overall I give The Great Squirrel Burglar 2.8754 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Mary Ellen Graham Wehrli is a native of San Francisco, California, who now resides in Lewisville, Texas. Her formal art studies began some fifty-plus years ago at San Jose State University and the College of San Mateo. She has exhibited in many juried shows throughout California and Texas and has been a juror for several arts organizations. Her work is exhibited in public buildings, including the Santa Paula Museum, where the painting below is part of the permanent collection. She has also shown in the Newport Museum and the San Diego Museum. Mary Ellen was the fine arts supervisor for the Orange County Fair, the fine art coordinator for the Los Angeles County Fair, and the special events coordinator for the Art-A-Fair Festival in Laguna Beach, California. Mary Ellen does representational and abstract forms of art in various artistic media. Her award-winning works have been presented internationally by firms as cards, calendars, collector plates, puzzles, cross-stitch designs, posters, and limited-edition prints.

J. Lawrence Graham has a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and has taught courses in behavioral sciences at both the University of Southern California and, most recently, at UC Irvine, where he is a professor emeritus. He has published eight other books, both fiction and nonfiction. Lawrence is also an award-winning photographer who has exhibited his work at the Festival of the Arts in Laguna Beach and at other locations in Southern California.

*Review* The Witchfinder's Serpent by Rande Goodwin

 

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Published: September 12, 2023

Pages: 342

Something wicked this way comes . . .
When fifteen-year-old Nate Watson moves to Windsor to live with his mysterious Aunt Celia, the last things on his mind are witches and magick and ancient vendettas. While Nate focuses on building a new life for himself and his younger brother, making new friends and adjusting to a new high school, he can't escape the feeling that something isn't as it seems.

Nate's search for answers leads him to a forbidden, locked door in Aunt Celia's mansion. Inside, he finds a witch’s workshop full of mystical artifacts, some dating back to the time of the earliest Puritan settlers. It's no coincidence that Nate is now living in the very same town where, forty-five years before the Salem witch trials, Alse Young was hanged as America's first witch.

Could magick be real? Nate remains skeptical until he picks up the witchfinder’s serpent--a powerful, demonic bracelet that wraps itself around his arm and permanently imbeds itself into his flesh. Now Nate must confront the truth about Aunt Celia's unlikely ancestry--as well as his own. And with her help, he must find a way to remove the bracelet before the serpent's previous owner returns--an ancient and powerful enemy who will stop at nothing to get it back.

I received an audiobook version of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This story had some serious religious overtones as it connects to the Puritans and the Salem witch trials. It is set in the modern day, but the events currently happening are heavily influenced by events from the past. This aspect of the story kept me engrossed as I was just as excited as the kids in the story to learn about the connections and what they meant. I was most intrigued by the flashback scenes set during the lead up to the witch trials (side note, Alse is pronounced like Alice). 

I found the narrative itself to be a bit juvenile, but as the target audience is about my daughter's age (13) that's to be expected. It would make a great book to read with your middle grade children, or to listen to on a road trip with the family. 

The narration itself was well done. The voices for the characters were distinct enough without feeling like a mockery. Overall I give The Witchfinder's Serpent 4.0378 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Rande Goodwin is a full-time IT professional and part-time raptor trainer (the prehistoric kind). In his free time, he enjoys reading and travel, restoring vintage Borg drones, dusting vamps in Sunnydale, and being one with the Force. Oh, and writing is fun too. He lives in New England with his wife, two daughters and four dogs.

*Review* Nona's Nerves by Modello Brown

 Genre: Children's 3-8 years

Published: December 11, 2023

Pages: 30

Nona was excited!
She'd been practicing, you know.
Tomorrow was the annual
Littlewood Talent Show!

But when Nona's turn came…
Just before she went to sing…
Something stopped her in her tracks…
Her chest began to sting!

Nona had been feeling super-duper great about her singing all week.
But then she saw all the amazing things the rest of the Hip Hop Littles were doing...
She watched Wan share incredible photos…
She watched Zoey model fantastic outfits.
She watched Rain DJ, Alison dance, and Jordan Graffiti.

They were all so wonderful that she suddenly felt very anxious.
She didn't want to sing anymore.
What on Earth was she going to do?

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This was a fun little rhyming story about a school talent show that has Nona feeling very nervous. After all her friends perform their talents, she's too scared to take the stage herself, so her friends tell her about times when they felt nervous too, and that ultimately they didn't need to be nervous because everything turned out all right. 

While this story does technically rhyme, the cadence was a little odd at times, throwing off the flow for me. The illustrations were very colorful and bold, almost anime like. I would be okay reading this book a couple times, but the odd cadence with the rhyming would make me a little hesitant. Overall I give Nona's Nerves 3.8197 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

“I’m looking for a parent to say "I love these books, my kids love them, and all of the characters really teach kids positive behavior… Honestly, the true reward would be a kid saying they did something a certain way because of how one of my characters did it. At that point, I’ll know I've achieved exactly what I’m here for, my reason for writing.” – Modello Brown

AWARD WINNING! Author Modello Brown grew up in the Englewood district of Chicago, Illinois in the early 90s. Being the honest and direct person that he is, he is never afraid to talk about the rough upbringing that he experienced. However, he regards himself as lucky to have been saved by the magic of music and art.

He is passionate about creating ways to teach young people about values, self-belief, and self-worth. The Hip-Hop Little series is one of the ways he hopes to capture the imagination of those children who might feel like they don’t have many options in life, and to provide them with tools Modello did not have himself growing up.

He is also a person who really knows the value of hard work, and believes in his passion. Between creating Hip-Hop Little stories, he also spends his days working on animation. Disney has been a huge inspiration since he was little. An inspiration that has fueled the majority of his artistic pursuits ever since. He also finds time to look up and learn about art, read inspirational books, and drive a truck at night to make a living!

One of the most important elements of Hip-Hop Littles is giving kids role models. His hope is every child who reads his books will see themselves reflected in one of the characters. This will help them to realize that any problem they have, other kids have too. They are not alone. In turn, this should give them the confidence to be themselves and to share their feeling without fear of judgment.

Ultimately, the Hip-Pop Littles series is about entertaining kids whilst teaching them that being themselves is something to be celebrated.

*Review* The Boy in the Red Dress by Kristin Lambert

Genre: YA Mystery

Published: May 12, 2020

Pages: 368 

A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Miss Fisher's Murder Mystery in this rollicking romp of truth, lies, and troubled pasts.

New Year's Eve, 1929.

Millie is running the show at the Cloak & Dagger, a swinging speakeasy in the French Quarter, while her aunt is out of town. The new year is just around the corner, and all of New Orleans is out to celebrate, but even wealthy partiers' diamond earrings can't outshine the real star of the night: the boy in the red dress. Marion is the club's star performer and his fans are legion--if mostly underground.

When a young socialite wielding a photograph of Marion starts asking questions, Millie wonders if she's just another fan. But then her body is found crumpled in the courtyard, dead from an apparent fall off the club's balcony, and all signs point to Marion as the murderer. Millie knows he's innocent, but local detectives aren't so easily convinced.

As she chases clues that lead to cemeteries and dead ends, Millie's attention is divided between the wry and beautiful Olive, a waitress at the Cloak & Dagger, and Bennie, the charming bootlegger who's offered to help her solve the case. The clock is ticking for the fugitive Marion, but the truth of who the killer is might be closer than Millie thinks.

I had an audiobook copy of this book through Audiofile Magazine's summer reading program (which no longer exists, and that makes me sad). This is my honest review. 

Based on the title and cover of this book, I was expecting an LGBTQ+  story. I wasn't expecting it to be set in a prohibition era speakeasy (because I apparently didn't look that closely at the cover). I also wasn't expecting it to be a murder-mystery (again, didn't look that closely at the cover and I basically never read book synopses). I was surprised at how invested I was in the adventure to exonerate Marion. The twists and turns in the story as Millie hunts for the killer were varied and fairly unexpected. 

For the most part, I didn't figure out any of the clues until just before Millie did, although the story was fairly quick paced so there wasn't really much time between finding the clues and figuring out where they were pointing. 

The narration was almost monotonous, but in a good way. Kind of a just the facts sort of accounting. Emotion was absolutely used for dialogue, but the exposition was largely inflectionless. It really helped set the mood of a crime noir type story. Overall I give The Boy in the Red Dress 3.9724 out of 5 stars. - Katie

Amazon

Kristin Lambert studied journalism and creative writing at the University of Alabama and eventually joined the family costume business, making Halloween both her favorite and least favorite time of year. She adores live music, red shoes, David Bowie vibes, and semi-excessive thrift store shopping, which her husband and two daughters tolerate, even when she brings home creepy old dolls. The Boy in the Red Dress is her debut novel, set in her favorite city, New Orleans.

*Review* Who Will Make the Snow by Taras Prokhasko and Marjana Prokhasko

 Genre: Children's 7-11 years

Published: December 5, 2023

Pages: 87

The two newest moles in the forest learn to dig themselves out of their comfort zones and experience the boundless, unpredictable world around them—a Social Emotional Learning adventure

Twin moles, Purr and Craw, are born on the first day of spring. The newest members of their woodland world, they’re curious about everything. What is swimming? Why does mother speak French as she makes pancakes? What does father scrawl in his notebook? Do animals live in the sea? Why do grownups eat smelly cheese? How do we get better when we're sick? What happens when we die? As they start to grow up, every day is filled with another adventure as they explore the peculiar characters that surround them in the forest. Home is always waiting for them, filled with the clacking of father’s typewriter, the sound of mother playing her upright bass, and the smells of quince jam and medicinal moss brews. During their adventures outside the home, they learn that the world is sometimes scarier, stranger and more dangerous than it seemed from the pocket of their father’s coat. Each new encounter leaves Purr and Craw a little braver and wiser and with a few extra friends. Beautifully illustrated with scenes of mischief and discovery by Marjana Prohasko, Who Will Make the Snow? reminds us that the world is always larger and more wonderful than we can see from our own corner of the woods.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This was a short chapter book about a mole family living in the forest, where moles typically live. It didn't really mention snow all that much at all, which seemed odd to me considering the title and cover. Instead it went on several tangents for things to tell that never really felt related to each other. 

The illustrations were kind of wispy feeling with a lot of darker colors (which makes sense for creatures that live in burrows). Overall I give Who Will Make the Snow 2.3865 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Taras Prokhasko is a Ukrainian novelist and children's book author. With his wife, Marjana Prohasko, he wrote several beloved books, including Who Will Make the Snow?, named a BBC Ukrainian Children's Book of the Year.

Marjana Prokhasko is Ukrainian writer and illustrator. She has co-authored several books for children, including How to Understand a Goat and Where the Sea Vanished.

Translator: Boris Dralyuk
Boris Dralyuk is an award-winning literary translator, poet, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Los Angeles Review of Books. He has translated Russian and Polish classics by Isaac Babel, Andrey Kurkov, and Mikhail Zoshchenko. Who Will Make the Snow? is translated with Jennifer Croft, winner of the Man Booker International Prize in 2018.

*Review* Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc by Ash Bishop

 

Genre: Science Fiction

Published: September 6, 2022

Pages: 610

Finding work is easy. Staying alive is a little bit harder.

When Russ Wesley finds an unusual artifact in his grandfather’s collection of rare antiquities, the last thing he expects is for it to draw the attention of a ferocious alien from a distant planet. Equally surprising is the adventurous team of intergalactic exterminators dispatched to deal with the alien threat. They’re a little wild, and a little reckless. Worse yet, they’re so impressed with Russ’s marksmanship that they insist he join their squad . . . whether he wants to or not.

I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This tale was a wild ride through the galaxy. It starts with Russ Wesley returning "home" for his grandfather's funeral. He's basically a loser who can't/won't keep a job or even stay in the same place for long, but he was always close with his grandparents. Through a crazy chain of events, he ends up encountering a group of aliens who are tracking an alien cat thing that has ended up on Earth and they offer him a job, because he's a crack shot. He is understandably hesitant based on the terms of the contract and his general nature. But the job would help him to save his grandparents' bookstore so...

There were a lot of hilarious scenes in this story, kind of reminding me of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. For one thing, Russ is great a short-circuiting  the AI robots the federation uses to police its citizens and non-citizens. I don't know how realistic his methods are, but it seemed plenty plausible to me at the time. 

The narration pleasant, and while it mostly didn't really feel like the narrator was trying to do different voices for the different characters, it was still always pretty clear who was speaking. Overall I give Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc 3.9764 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Ash Bishop is a lifetime reader and a lifetime nerd, loving all things science fiction and fantasy.

Ash was born in Bloomington, Indiana where his dad taught at Indiana University. His family moved to Orange County, California when he was very young, and he spent his formative years among the mean streets of Irvine. He attended college at UCSB, then the National University of Ireland, Galway. Ash is also a graduate of San Diego State University with an MFA in Creative Writing. He currently lives in Southern California with his family and numerous pets.

He spent a good number of years as a high-school English teacher and an adjunct college professor, but he's also done a few less important, though slightly more glamorous, things. He worked in the video game industry, and educational app development; he currently acts as a script supervisor for a major Hollywood studio, and he even used to fetch coffee for Quentin Tarantino during the production of Jackie Brown.

Ash can't get enough of fellow sci-fi authors Philip K. Dick and John Scalzi, but he also likes the classics, thanks to all those years teaching F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edith Wharton. He plays at least an hour of Magic the Gathering a day and considers a revival of Logan's Run and Robotech among his dream projects. He is currently running a very loquacious level-8 Bard through The Rise of Tiamat (alongside three friends and a cruel, unforgiving DM).

Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc. is his first published novel. Horoscope Writer will release Summer of 2023.

For more information about Ash, please visit www.ash-bishop.com or www.linktr.ee/ashlbishop.

*Review* Ninja Kitties: Trouble at the Bridge by Rob Hudnut

Genre: Children's 5-7 years

Published: August 29, 2023

Pages: 49

Kids will love this exciting new graphic novel for children! It's a beautiful day and Zumi, Hana, and Drago are busy bustling about Kitlandia's castle to prepare for a visit from Piglandia's King and Queen, but Zumi is in charge and wants everything just so. Meanwhile, the mischievous trio--Winty Wolf, Cody Coyote, and Jed Jackal--are up to no good; they're destroying the Emerald Bridge! Piglandia's royal family are on their way and they'll get hurt if the bridge isn't repaired in time. The kitties assemble for Ninja Kitty Time to come to the rescue! Find out what happens next in this charming new picture book for kids, where they'll learn about the power of teamwork, listening to others, and working together!

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This was a cute story about royal kittens who are also secret ninjas being trained by their grandmother. They're preparing for a royal visit when the Fang Gang breaks the bridge to the kingdom and they must rush to the rescue, with Hana's flower power ultimately saving the day. The overall message of the story was that listening to others and not judging people before you meet them are important. 

The illustrations were very colorful, and somewhat simplistic. I think this series would make great coloring books as well, as I know I'd find coloring the pages relaxing. This is a story that I wouldn't mind reading several times as it was adorable and I heartily approve of the message it gives. Overall I give this book 4.3854 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Award-winning professional artist Kayomi Harai worked as a commercial art illustrator and animal portrait artist in her native Japan before moving to California. Known for her watercolor paintings of bright-eyed cats in precarious situations, her lifelike artistry has captivated collectors for years. Her works have been exhibited around the world, and are licensed in collectible plates, figurines, puzzles, t-shirts, prints, posters, and greeting cards.

Rob Hudnut is an award-winning writer and storyteller in children's entertainment, and the owner and founder of Rod Hudnut Productions where he specializes in creating play- and faith-based franchises for kids. Some of their global clients include NBCUniversal, Alpha Toys, ICON Creative Studio, Kavaleer Productions, and more. Prior to starting his own production company, Rob was the Executive Producer and Vice President of Mattel's entertainment division for 19 years, where his work included award-winning entertainment for Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price Little People, Rescue Heroes, DC Superhero Girls, Masters of the Universe, and other Mattel brands. An Emmy-nominated songwriter, Rob also co-wrote the first-ever Barbie movie, Barbie in The Nutcracker, and more than 50 songs for the Barbie movies, as well as songs for Hot Wheels and Fisher-Price.

*Review* Coraline by Neil Gaiman

 

Genre: Middle Grade Horror

Published: April 24, 2012

Pages: 212

This edition of New York Times bestselling and Newbery Medal-winning author Neil Gaiman’s modern classic, Coraline—also an Academy Award-nominated film—is enriched with a foreword from the author, a reader's guide, and more.

"Coraline discovered the door a little while after they moved into the house...."

When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous.

But there's another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Coraline will have to fight with all her wit and courage if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life.

Neil Gaiman's Coraline is a can't-miss classic that enthralls readers age 8 to 12 but also adults who enjoy a perfect smart spooky read.

This is one of the rare books that I simply bought and read (eventually, because according to Amazon I bought the Kindle edition in June of 2016, and only just recently read it). I was also far more familiar with the film adaptation before I even picked up the book (or rather my phone) to read. This means I had very distinct images in my head to go with the story based on the movie. From what I remember of the movie, it stays pretty true to the book overall. 

While this book was written with children in mind, I was unfortunately already an adult when it was published. I say that because this is exactly the kind of book I would have loved as a child. It's creepy and a little bit scary and reminds me a bit of the Goosebumps and Fear Street books I loved growing up. 

This book was (obviously) an easy, fast read for me, as it should be considering that I am an actual adult (legally speaking). But that also made it a great palate cleanser after two months of focused reading. Sometimes it's nice to just have a quick, simple read, amiright? 

Overall I give Coraline 4.8732 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Neil Gaiman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including Norse Mythology, Neverwhere, and The Graveyard Book. Among his numerous literary awards are the Newbery and Carnegie medals, and the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner awards. He is a Professor in the Arts at Bard College.

*Review* The River That Flows Beside Me by Charlotte Guillain

Genre: Children's 4-7 years

Published: October 24, 2023

Pages: 20

This richly illustrated concertina book takes the reader from the top of a mountain spring, through varying landscapes, and follows a river's journey from its source to the sea. With a focus on the important role waterways play in human and environmental survival, The River That Flows Beside Me explores the changing landscapes along a river's journey and the habits and ecosystems that call the river their home.

A follow-up to The Street Beneath My Feet, The Skies Above My Eyes, and The Sea Below My Toes, this visually stunning book finds the river in the rocky peaks, and tracks it as it winds its way through coniferous forest, gushes through v-shaped valleys, and roars down magnificent waterfalls. Further downstream, readers will journey with the river past beaver dams, floodplains, oxbow lakes, paddle-boarders, bridges, and more.

On your journey, meet the animals that call the river home, including:

• White-tailed deer
• Grizzly bears
• Otter
• Smallmouth bass
• Dragonflies 

With a primary focus on the river's ecosystems, wildlife, and geological processesThe River That Flows Beside Me also explores the way that humans interact with the river landscape, using it both to survive and also to enjoy. The beauty and variety of river landscapes are bought to life by Jo Empson's rich illustrations. 

This book is part of the Look Closer series, a set of concertina books that help teach us about the mysteries and wonders that are found in the world around us.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This is a story about the trip water takes from the top of a mountain all the way to the ocean, and all the things you can see along the way. It covers animals encountered, changing riverbed characteristics, and surrounding scenery. There were loads of different things to look at and name within the illustrations. 

My issue with the book was that it was annoying to read the way it was formatted for digital use, so I'm happy to see, that's not even a purchasing option, because it was honestly kind of awful. Otherwise, the book was very informative and the illustrations really helped to show all the different things one would encounter if they were actually following water from its source to it's end destination. Overall I give The River That Flows Beside Me 4.1875 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Charlotte Guillain lives in Oxfordshire, UK, with her husband and co-author Adam and their two children. She writes fiction and non-fiction for children, including the picture book Spaghetti with the Yeti, which was shortlisted for Oscar’s First Book Prize 2014 and has featured in CBeebies Bedtime Stories. Her first book in collaboration with illustrator Yuval Zommer, The Street Beneath My Feet, was shortlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2018 and named an ALSC Notable Children’s Book 2018 in the All Ages category, as well as being selected by the Guardian as one of 15 ‘modern classics’. Charlotte and Yuval’s follow-up title, The Skies Above My Eyes, continues with the innovative concertina format of their first book, this time looking up at the sky and universe above us.