*Review* The Blue Canoe by Sheryl McFarlane

 

Genre: Children's 3-5 years

Published: July 9, 2024

Pages: 32

Join a mother-to-be and her daughter in award-winning author Sheryl McFarlane and illustrator Laurel Aylesworth’s The Blue Canoe, an enchanting picture book adventure filled with love, reassurance, and cherished connections, discovering the wonders of nature while embracing the arrival of a new baby.
 
Every cabin day is a paddle-on-the-lake day.
You’ll be paddling with us too, coming-soon baby.
Mom and me and you in our blue canoe.
 
A mother and daughter spend the day on the lake, admiring the local flora and fauna and considering the way their paddling routine might change when a new baby arrives.
 
For nature lovers with a growing family, The Blue Canoe is a poignant picture book conversation that gently addresses a child’s natural worries about shifting family dynamics while celebrating the unchangeable bond between mother and child. The details of the animal families they encounter bolster the child’s confidence and reinforce the mother’s loving reassurance that even though a new baby will bring change, some things are as reliable as the sunrise.

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

This was a heartwarming story about a young girl canoeing on the lake with her mother who is heavily pregnant. She asks a whole lot of questions about all the things that they see and what the animals they see are doing, and she also asks if the new baby will like these things too. Obviously no one knows what a new human will or will not like, so the mother answers honestly. 

I don't think I'd be able to read this book very many times before I'd want to move on to something different. It wasn't a bad book, but it was silly and fun, and I much prefer those for rereads over slightly heavier topics like this one. The illustrations were soft and wispy. 

Overall I give The Blue Canoe 3.7928 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Sheryl McFarlane is a writer and educator living in Victoria, B. C. She is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for children, including: Waiting for the Whales, Jessie’s Island, I Love Kisses and Welcome Rain! Sheryl has coordinated several book tours for Canadian Children’s Book Week, organized two children’s book festivals, and chaired the Children’s Literature Roundtable in Victoria for more than ten years. She has toured extensively, spoken at numerous literacy, literature, and young writers conferences. She loves reading, gardening, and walking her mini Dachshund, Karl. The Blue Canoe was inspired by canoeing and kayaking with her children when they were young. Sheryl stocks a little free library for friends and neighbors.

As an introverted kid growing up in Vermont, drawing came naturally to Laurel Aylesworth. Instead of going to the mall like most teenagers, you would find her in her room drawing scenes from Lord of the Rings or copying her favorite characters from Elf Quest comics. Later, her career path naturally led to graphic design, but something was missing (namely, Elves and magic). She found her calling as an illustrator after becoming a mother and hence, wading knee-deep in picture books from the library.

*Review* Secrets Never Die by Vincent Ralph

Genre: YA Thriller

Published: August 29, 2023

Pages: 358

Some secrets should never have been buried . . .

We call it the Dark Place. I don’t know who built it or when but, for us, it’s special.

One night every year Sam Hall and his friends hold funerals for their secrets in an abandoned hut in the woods that they call the Dark Place. But this year, their secrets are taking on a life of their own.

Sam is a former child star whose career went up in flames—literally. And no one, not even his best friend knows why. His friends each hold a secret pertaining to the night. A secret they would all like buried.

Now someone from the past is blackmailing them with their dangerous secrets. Sam isn’t sure who he can trust, who’s watching him – or how far he’s willing to go to bury the past once and for all.

I won a copy of this book through a giveaway on StoryGraph (I think, I actually don't remember if it was StoryGraph or Goodreads). This is my honest review. 

Like all good YA thrillers, this book revolves around a mixed group of friends. It has the popular guy and girl who inexplicably hang out with a couple high school outcasts because they've been friends since they were in diapers basically. And that's just a recipe for disaster.

This story hinges on the group's secrets and trying to figure out who knows them, but also not letting them tear the group apart. It felt very I Know What You Did Last Summer to me, and I mean that in the best way possible. 

I found myself anxious to figure out what was going on, and I think I solved it just before the reveal, but I don't actually remember how this story ends now (a year after reading it). But that just means I can reread this book and get most of the excitement that comes with that. 

Overall I give Secrets Never Die 4.9736 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

VINCENT RALPH is the bestselling author of YA thrillers 14 Ways to Die and Lock the Doors. Both novels are New York Times bestsellers and Lock the Doors is also a USA Today bestseller and the winner of the Southern Schools Book Award. Vincent owes his love of books to his mother, who encouraged his imagination from an early age and always made sure there were new stories to read. He lives in the UK with his wife, two sons, and two cats.

*Review* The Day I Had a Dinosaur by Ashley Wall

 

Genre: Children's 3-5 years

Published: June 11, 2024

Pages: 36

From the best-selling and award-winning author comes a dino-tastic adventure sure to entertain all dinosaur fans.

Have you ever had a dinosaur? Neither had Luke nor his friends … until one day, they each showed up with their very own dinosaurs! While having fun at the park, and playing games like hide and seek, one dinosaur, Rex, had trouble with some of the activities. Luke and his friends didn’t want anyone to feel left out, so they came up with games everyone could play and taught Rex new skills. The outcome … the best-osaurus day ever!

Parents, teachers, young readers, and dino-fans will roar with laughter in this imaginative picture book that ensures no dinosaur is left out, and everyone has fun working together.

Engages children to build a love of reading from the very start.

Encourages big imaginations and creativity which are necessary to build thinking skills.

Promotes Kindness, inclusion, perseverance, and teamwork.

Perfect for:

Dino enthusiasts.

Teaching inclusion, teamwork, and kindness.

Kids who love silly pictures.

Parents who want a fun book to read.

Gifts for all occasions.

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

This was a cute little story about a group of kids spending an entire day playing with dinosaurs. They do a series of activities throughout their day, visiting the playground, playing fetch and catch, and also calming down with some fun dinosaur yoga. And at the end of the day, the dinosaurs are just gone. 

I think most children go through a dinosaur phase, so any book about dinosaurs is likely to be a big hit with them. And this was a fun read, so I wouldn't even mind reading it a few times before I'd want the kids to move on to a different book. The illustrations were bold and bight. 

Overall I give The Day I Had a Dinosaur 3.8947 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Ashley Wall, M.Ed., is a former educator and a passionate architect of imagination! With a master’s degree in education and a wealth of teaching experience, Ashley has a unique vision: to empower young minds and develop a lifelong love for reading.

When she’s not busy crafting fun stories and engaging adventures, you’ll find her diving into creative projects with her two children. Inspired by their vivid imaginations, Ashley launched a diverse group of friends who embark on larger-than-life experiences, captivating the hearts of little readers everywhere.

Fueled by the belief that imagination is a powerful catalyst for change, Ashley knows that the journey begins at infancy. Through captivating tales and boundless creativity, she is dedicated to building a brighter future—one story at a time. Join Ashley on this exciting adventure, where every turn of the page unlocks new worlds waiting to be explored!

*Review* Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

 

Genre: Dark Academia

Published: May 12, 2020

Pages: 336

Trust us, you belong here.

Catherine House is a school of higher learning like no other. Hidden deep in the woods of rural Pennsylvania, this crucible of reformist liberal arts study with its experimental curriculum, wildly selective admissions policy, and formidable endowment, has produced some of the world’s best minds: prize-winning authors, artists, inventors, Supreme Court justices, presidents. For those lucky few selected, tuition, room, and board are free. But acceptance comes with a price. Students are required to give the House three years—summers included—completely removed from the outside world. Family, friends, television, music, even their clothing must be left behind. In return, the school promises a future of sublime power and prestige, and that its graduates can become anything or anyone they desire.

Among this year’s incoming class is Ines Murillo, who expects to trade blurry nights of parties, cruel friends, and dangerous men for rigorous intellectual discipline—only to discover an environment of sanctioned revelry. Even the school’s enigmatic director, Viktória, encourages the students to explore, to expand their minds, to find themselves within the formidable iron gates of Catherine. For Ines, it is the closest thing to a home she’s ever had. But the House’s strange protocols soon make this refuge, with its worn velvet and weathered leather, feel increasingly like a gilded prison. And when tragedy strikes, Ines begins to suspect that the school—in all its shabby splendor, hallowed history, advanced theories, and controlled decadence—might be hiding a dangerous agenda within the secretive, tightly knit group of students selected to study its most promising and mysterious curriculum.

Combining the haunting sophistication and dusky, atmospheric style of Sarah Waters with the unsettling isolation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, Catherine House is a devious, deliciously steamy, and suspenseful page-turner with shocking twists and sharp edges that is sure to leave readers breathless.

I won a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway program. But I ended up listening to the audiobook through my library. This is my honest review. 

This book was weird. Like it's pretty clear that Catherine House is basically a cult, but it's not really clear why, even at the end of the book. And I understand the motivation to go to a college where everything is paid for, it definitely alleviates a lot of concern, but that doesn't feel like enough motivation to join a cult for me (so apparently I do have standards). 

I think I have an idea about what goes on at Catherine House during their special ceremonies, it's like hypnotism on steroids, but I'm not completely convinced that I'm right. It seems straight-forward, but the story is told from Ines' perspective, and she doesn't have all the answers. 

The narration was passable, I guess. It definitely annoyed me at times, especially the accent used for Baby's dialogue. The opposite gendered voices were mostly okay, but not always. 

Overall I give Catherine House 3.4864 out of 5 stars. - Katie

Amazon

Elisabeth Thomas grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where she still lives and now writes. She graduated from Yale University and currently works as an archivist for a modern art museum. CATHERINE HOUSE is her first novel.

*Review* Monsters at School by Laura Baker

Genre: Children's 2-5 years

Published: June 25, 2024

Pages: 32

Fluffy monsters, scruffy monsters, monsters on their way. Rucksack monsters, turn-back monsters, off to school today!
 
Children will love this super-fun title packed with hilarious monsters on their first day of school! Follow the sassy little monsters as they have class, go wild at recess, eat a messy monster lunch, and learn and play together – and watch out for the silly dog monster hiding on every page!

• Plenty to point out on every page, with playful, bright artwork and lots of amusing mishaps
• Vibrant, contemporary style by Ukrainian illustrator Nina Dzyvulska
• Energetic, wacky and characterful monsters
• Good role models for little ones—monsters also clean up, do school work and calm down
• See the monsters cause mayhem everywhere: at the school gates, in the cloakroom, in the classroom, on the playground, in the dining hall and in the bathroom

There are so many different monsters to spot within this kooky picture book. Kids can point out their favorites and gasp and giggle at the gobble monster, the yappy monster and the learn monster, to name a few!

The simple narrative with fun wordplay and a gentle rhyme is perfect for reading aloud, ideal for kindergarteners and early readers as they build up their vocabulary and reading confidence. This bold, bright and playful book is sure to be enjoyed time and time again by young readers as they are thrilled by the funny escapades of the monsters at school!

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

This was a short "story" that featured a lot of very short descriptions about what the monsters at school are doing throughout the day. It kind of made me think of the board books that I read to my children when they were really little, but I don't think it is actually a board book. it would still be a great book to read to your littles, just maybe don't let them get their hands on it. 

There were a lot of fun rhymes couched within the brief descriptions, which made the book fun to read. It had a great flow and with the first reading, I was not annoyed. I could definitely read this book several times before I'd want to read something else. Your children will probably want you to keep reading it long after you've grown bored of it, because who doesn't love reading about monsters. The illustrations were bright and bold and a bit silly, but they definitely showed the different things being described quite well. 

Overall I give Monsters at School 4.5928 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Laura Baker grew up in Canada with a passion for stories. She now lives in a lovely coastal town in Wales with her husband, two sons, and big basset hound. She loves finding special stories to tell in the everyday, relatable world of a child (or dog). 

Nina Dzyvulska is an illustrator from Ukraine, who now lives in Colorado, USA. She is passionate about merging the world of motherhood with her art. Nina studied at the Kiev Academy of Arts and Architecture. Her brightly coloured, fun loving illustrations portray a sense of joy and youthfulness.

*Review* Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

 

Genre: Romantic Fantasy

Published: January 21, 2025

Pages: 758

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty.

Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.

They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth.

But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.

This was the book selection for my new Colorado Springs book club in January (because I'm in two of them with the same name, but they have very different vibes). This is my honest review. 

This book marks a turn towards the political for this series. There were definitely background politics at play before now, but the politics were a serious focus for this book. For that reason, I think listening to the audiobook did me a disservice. I don't retain as much information listening as I do reading with my eyeballs, so there is definitely some info I just didn't process completely. 

If you haven't heard yet, the book ends on a cliffhanger, and I was definitely left with some questions and theories about things that were not entirely clear at the end. Even though I hadn't finished the book yet when we met, I'm glad I was part of a pre-planned discussion for those aspects. 

Overall I give Onyx Storm 3.9854 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Rebecca is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, Sunday Times, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifteen novels, including FOURTH WING, and is always ready to bring on the emotions. She's also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence in New Adult for Eyes Turned Skyward from her Flight and Glory series.

She loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for twenty-one years. She’s the mother of six children and lives in Colorado with her family, their stubborn English bulldog, feisty chinchillas, and Maine Coon cat who rules them all. Having fostered then adopted their youngest daughter, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October.

Visit her website at www.RebeccaYarros.com for more!

*Review* Zandi's Song by Zandile Ndhlovu

Genre: Children's 6-8 years

Published: March 26, 2024

Pages: 32

Zandi is a girl on a mission: to bring a message of conservation to the world.

Zandi was always thinking and dreaming about the ocean. Then, one special day, the ocean calls for her. Zandi tentatively approaches the water—and that’s when her adventure begins! She soon finds herself transformed into a mermaid and on an unforgettable underwater journey, where she hears the song of the ocean.

But there is something threatening this magical world. Is the key to protecting it buried in stories from the past? Join Zandi in her mission to protect our beloved oceans, in this inspiring story written by South Africa’s first Black female free diving instructor.

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

This was a cute story about a young girl who is tasked by Mother Ocean to save the ocean from pollution and such. I felt like it had a bit of a Moana feeling to it (mostly because that's the only frame of reference I have for a character that literally talks to the ocean). Zandi takes her job very seriously though, as she should. As a race, we've done some truly horrible things to the world we live on. 

I think it's important to help kids see why it's important that we take care of the planet, and I this book did a good job of illustrating that. It's so much easier to teach them young than it is to correct bad teaching when they're older. I mean, we have people in high levels of government who think that empathy is a weakness. Clearly they are not a reader. The illustrations in this book were very bright and bold, using a lot of cool tone colors like blue and purple. 

Overall I give Zandi's Song 4.3939 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

About the Author

Zandile Ndhlovu is South Africa’s first Black female free diving instructor. After looking beneath the surface of the ocean for the first time in her life at age twenty-eight, she felt at home and decided she needed to help make the seas more accessible and diverse. Realizing it needed to start with young people, Ndhlovu set up the Black Mermaid Foundation, which works to create diverse representation in ocean spaces—in sports, in careers, and recreationally. In 2022 she was named one of the Global Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent. Follow the author on TikTok and Instagram @ZanditheMermaid.

About the Illustrator

Katlego Keokgale is a children’s book illustrator from South Africa. She loves reading and watching anything with magic in it. She’s also a wife and mother of two beautiful girls and loves sharing the work she does with them. She hopes to inspire many more Black creatives to pursue children’s book illustration and grow the industry, because there are so many amazing stories that need to be told. Follow the artist on Instagram @dopeladykady.

*Top Ten Tuesday* Books Featuring Baked Goods on the Cover

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Joood - Hooligan of Platypire reviews bossed me into doing this, so I guess this is a thing I do now. 

This week’s theme is books featuring (my choice). I was drawing a blank on this prompt, so I took to Facebook and asked my friends for help. And because I'm a giant askhole, I didn't end up using any of their suggestions. In my defense, I changed course when I started checking the books on my shelves for some of the items my friends mentioned and was inspired by a book cover. So I went with baked goods, with the caveat that the books could not be cookbooks or Joanne Fluke books. And I thought I might not make it to ten, but managed to pull it out. So let's see what books I found. 

The Modern Fairies by Clare Pollard

Eat Post Like by Emily Arden Wells

Love Like That by Emma Duffy-Comparone

White Christmas Wedding by Celeste Winters

The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler

The Calamity Cafe by Gayle Leeson

The Cookbook Club by Beth Harbison

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

Delightful by Adrianne Lee

Mrs. Perfect by Jane Porter

And now I'm hungry for cake. Thankfully I still have some from my boy-child's recent birthday. I also haven't read any of these books yet. Any of them you think I should make the time to read sooner rather than later? 

What did you choose to feature this week for Top Ten Tuesday? If you're stopping by from the linkup, please be sure to drop a link to your post below so I can return the visit and check out your list. - Katie 

*Review* Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton

 

Genre: Memoir

Published: October 18, 2022

Pages: 305

From the magical moments on set as Draco Malfoy to the challenges of growing up in the spotlight, get a backstage pass into Tom Felton’s life on and off the big screen in this #1 New York Times bestseller. 

Tom Felton’s adolescence was anything but ordinary. His early rise to fame in beloved films like The Borrowers catapulted him into the limelight, but nothing could prepare him for what was to come after he landed the iconic role of the Draco Malfoy, the bleached blonde villain of the Harry Potter movies. For the next ten years, he was at the center of a huge pop culture phenomenon and yet, in between filming, he would go back to being a normal teenager trying to fit into a normal school. 
 
Speaking with great candor and his signature humor, Tom shares his experience growing up as part of the wizarding world while also trying to navigate the muggle world. He tells stories from his early days in the business like his first acting gig where he was mistaken for fellow blonde child actor Macaulay Culkin and his Harry Potter audition where, in a very Draco-like move, he fudged how well he knew the books the series was based on (not at all). He reflects on his experiences working with cinematic greats such as Alan Rickman, Sir Michael Gambon, Dame Maggie Smith, and Ralph Fiennes (including that awkward Voldemort hug). And, perhaps most poignantly, he discusses the lasting relationships he made over that decade of filming, including with Emma Watson, who started out as a pesky nine-year-old whom he mocked for not knowing what a boom mic was but who soon grew into one of his dearest friends. Then, of course, there are the highs and lows of fame and navigating life after such a momentous and life-changing experience.
 
Tom Felton’s Beyond the Wand is an entertaining, funny, and poignant must-read for any Harry Potter fan. Prepare to meet a real-life wizard.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book. This is my honest review. 

I firmly believe that celebrity memoirs should be listened to rather than read, because who doesn't like listening to celebrities tell their story? If you've tried audiobooks in the past and struggled to pay attention, I definitely recommend trying celebrity memoirs first. What does that have to do with my review? Pretty much nothing, but it's advice I've found myself giving a lot lately.

Tom Felton is obviously well-known for his role as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter. But unlike the golden trio, it was not his first gig. And the way he tells it, he probably got the role because of how he treated Emma Watson during the audition process, it was very Draco behavior. I enjoyed seeing his insight into filming Harry Potter, but also really liked hearing about his life outside of HP. I thought it was interesting how differently celebrities are treated in the US than the U.K.

Overall I give Beyond the Wand 4.8369 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Tom Felton is an English actor, best known for playing Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films. He has also appeared in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Belle, The Flash, A United Kingdom, The Forgotten Battle and 2.22 A Ghost Story in London's West End. He lives in London with his dog Willow.