In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

FROM NETGALLEY:

Juliette Low, Girl Scout Founder by Helen Boud Higgins

GUARDIAN ANGEL: Life and Death Adventures with Pararescue, the World’s Most Powerful Commando Rescue Force by William N. Sine, Senior Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret.)

The Universe of Fair by Leslie Bulion

Review: Old MacDonald Had Her Farm by JonArno Lawson

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Old MacDonald had a farm like you've never seen before!
With a nod to the familiar refrain E-I-E-I-O, a day on this farm is framed by the vowels A-E-I-O-U-and sometimes Y.
Old MacDonald appears in an explosion of color and, starting with the letter A, proceeds to "saw barn planks, stack sacks, crank cranks, and whack gnats." The day progresses as every vowel is featured in action-packed bursts of lively text. Old MacDonald has devised a myriad of tools to make her job if not easier, then a lot more fun.
In chaotic scenes filled with pulleys, catapults, and flying machines, the farm becomes the background for a circus-like riot of fantastic contraptions.
With dozens of details to discover, and hilarious tongue-twisting text, this book is destined to become a favorite.

MY TAKE:

I've always thought that Old MacDonald was a guy, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that Old MacDonald is a woman.

In Old MacDonald Had Her Farm, Old MacDonald had the letters a, e, i, o, u on her farm. When she sees a particular letter, she does actions that have that letter in them.

This is a nice way for kids to learn about vowels and vowel sounds. I liked that the actions all rhyme, for example,"saw barn planks, stack sacks". Additionally, it was a great idea to add the letter y, as it is sometimes considered a vowel as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Old MacDonald Had Her Farm for the e-ARC.

THE GOOD:

1. The illustration and coloring style is perfect for the material.
2. It's a nice twist to the old rhyme/song.
3. It includes the letter y.

THE BAD:

1. The rhymes can get tiring.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Between hen legs - perfect eggs!

READ IT IF:

1. You want to teach your kids about vowels and vowel sounds.
2. You like old stories with new twists.
3. You like rhymes a lot.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: Upside Down: A Vampire Tale by Jess Smart Smiley

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Harold is a friendly young vampire - but he loves candy so much, the dentist might have to pull his teeth!
Now, what if he and the dentist, plus a couple friendly bats, all get caught up in the evil plots of the local witch? It's a wild magical romp for all ages, just in time for Halloween!

MY TAKE:

I thought the cover was cute so I grabbed this immediately.

In Upside Down: A Vampire Tale, Harold is a young vampire who is addicted to candy. His parents want him to go to the dentist in order to have his teeth checked. The dentist sees he has cavities and tells Harold that he has to remove them. Also interworven in the story are the side stories of Professor Adams and Vermillion, a witch who wants to be the ruler of the witches.

I found the first part of the story a little boring, but the second part of the story was a bit more interesting. I liked the little twist at the end, as it puts a new spin on vampires.

The color palette of this graphic novel is green, white and black. I'm not a fan of graphic novels that are midway between black-and-white and colored graphic novels. The illustration style is a little bit cruder than what I would have liked. The bats didn't seem bat-like to me at all. The bats actually look like a cat-bird hybrid. The human-form of the vampires were okay, though, and kind of reminded me of Sesame Street's Count Dracula.

Thanks to NetGalley and Top Shelf Productions for the e-ARC. Publication date of Upside Down: A Vampire Tale is on October 16, 2012.

THE GOOD:

1. It's a new twist on the vampire myth.
2. The action picks up in the second half of the book.
3. There's some potential here.

THE BAD:

1. The drawing style will not appeal to everyone.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Hmm... Needs more lemon juice.

READ IT IF:

1. You're bored of vampires that sparkle or drink blood.
2. You want your kid to read about vampires that aren't scary.
3. You're okay with graphic novels that only have three colors.

RATING:

SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: Pirate Santa by Clay Clement / Mark Summers

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Pirate Santa is a charming illustrated children's storybook that promises a delightful mix of bold buccaneers and swashbuckling good fun. It teaches the universal values of kindness and standing up for what's right.
SYNOPSIS:  "Pirate Girl" and "Ninja Boy" don't meet Santa's definition of good, and are therefore ineligible for the trappings of a Merry Christmas.  Their cause is championed by their dad, "Papa Tal" and the crew of the pirate ship, of which he is a member. Look for Cap'n Slappy (who happens to be Santa's cousin!) They overcome obstacles and work together to make sure that Christmas comes to ALL children, including Pirate Girls and Ninja Boys.

MY TAKE:

I'm more of a ninja fan than a pirate fan, but what's not to like about a book that has pirates, ninjas AND Santa Claus?

In Pirate Santa, it seems that Pirate Girls and Ninja Boys can't get gifts from Santa Claus. Capn' Slappy doesn't want to see the kids sad so he takes it upon himself to make sure that even Pirate Girls and Ninja Boys have a nice Christmas.

This was an interesting and original concept so I liked it immediately. You don't see a lot of children's books wherein there are ninjas, pirates, mermaids and sharks, and Santa's cousin is a pirate.

I thought it was cute that the page numbers had pirate symbols drawn above them. The illustrations remind me of Animaniacs comics I used to read. They're sort of glossy and the range of gradation of colors aren't as wide as in more realistic illustrations.

Thanks to NetGalley and Studio City Tattoo Inc for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. It's an interesting concept.
2. It's a feel-good story for kids.
3. There are pirates, a ninja, a mermaid, tiger sharks and Santa Claus.

THE BAD:

1. Some people may prefer a different illustration style.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

The six tiger sharks then all started to sing. Who knew they could talk? It must be their "thing." They quoted some Shakespeare and played some nice games, then remembered their manners and told us their names.

READ IT IF:

1. Your kid likes pirates or ninjas.
2. Your looking for a nice Christmas story for your children.
3. You like original concepts.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: Becoming Holmes by Shane Peacock

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

In the sixth and final novel in the groundbreaking Boy Sherlock Holmes series, our hero discovers that his rival, the criminal Malefactor, has used nefarious means to place one of his two henchmen in a powerful position in the government treasury offices. But the henchman crosses his superior and is brutally murdered and thrown into the River Thames. Sherlock seeks to implicate Malefactor in the henchman’s death, believing that he can, once and for all, bring down his rival. But is the murderer whom Sherlock suspects? Or is some darker, even more powerful force moving about London? Some will be exposed, some will live, and others will die in this surprising and shocking conclusion to the award-winning, internationally successful series.
     Shane Peacock once again combines brilliant storytelling with fascinating historical detail to conjure a mystery worthy of one of the greatest sleuths in English literature.

MY TAKE:

I'm a big Sherlock Holmes fan so I just had to request this book.

Becoming Holmes is part of a series of novels about the young Sherlock Holmes. In this book, Sherlock Holmes squares off against Malefactor and his henchmen.

I wasn't completely sure how this would stack up against the works of the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who was a master at creating plot twists. While I wouldn't say that I this is as amazing as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work, I think he would definitely approve.

The plot twists were quite interesting, particularly one of the bigger reveals near the end. I would have preferred if the main antagonist was Malefactor, for reasons you'll understand when you read the book, but the outcome wasn't too disappointing.

I liked that the characters in the Sherlock Holmes stories appear in this series too. I especially liked the little cameo appearance that Watson makes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tundra Books for the e-ARC. Publication date of Becoming Holmes is on October 9, 2012.

THE GOOD:

1. It's a good imagining of Sherlock Holmes' history.
2. You get to see a more emotional Sherlock Holmes.
3. The plot twists are worthy of Sherlock Holmes.

THE BAD:

1. Some parts don't feel as tightly written.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

And at the far end, bending over a notepad, doing exactly what his friend Stamford said he would be doing, is the aforementioned John.

READ IT IF:

1. You are a Sherlock Holmes fan.
2. You like mysteries.
3. You like prequels.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Back in the dim apothecary shop, Sherlock is startled by another high-pitched but much more friendly voice.

Review: Change the World Before Bedtime by Mark Kimball Moulton, Josh Chalmers, and Karen Good

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

●  A rhyming story about changing the world by doing little things
●  An ordinary kid becomes a superhero, along with his friends, by learning what’s important in life
●  Educational and inspirational read-aloud fun for Pre K –2nd
Written in simple, engaging rhyme, this story takes an inspirational look into how the little things in life – a smile, a kind word, a simple deed – can help change the world in a big way. Through 18 stunning illustrations, children will read about eating right, cleaning up the Earth by recycling and conserving, helping the sick and those less fortunate, and working in a group to make bigger miracles. Even an ordinary kid can be a superhero before bedtime! For pre-k to 2nd.
About the Authors
    Once upon a time, coincidence, fate, and magic conspired to introduce three big dreamers – Mark, Karen, and Josh. And new friends became forever friends who, separately and together, use their creative talents to change the world a little bit at a time.

MY TAKE:

The first thing I thought of when I read the title of this book was the the tagline for the Powerpuff Girls. However, instead of a trio of supergirls saving the world, this book encourages ordinary children to make a difference.

Change the World Before Bedtime makes use of rhymes to list good deeds that kids can do throughout the day. The good deeds aren't limited to doing good deeds for other people. There are also some suggestions for Earth-friendly activities, like recycling or riding a bicycle. Saying nice things are also mentioned in the book.

I like the illustrations a lot. The coloring makes it look textured and almost 3D.

Parents will enjoy this book, I think, as it's a very inspirational book for young children.

Thanks to NetGalley and Schiffer Publishing Ltd. for the e-ARC.

THE GOOD:

1. The illustrations are very pretty and has a scrapbook feel.
2. It promotes good values.
3. The good deeds are very doable.

THE BAD:

1. The illustrations, minus the coloring, are a little bit simple.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Or perhaps, as a group, we'll sell cold lemonade,
along with fresh cookies and crafts that we've made,

READ IT IF:

1. You have a young child.
2. You want to inspire your child to do good things.
3. You like children's books that have illustrations that have beautiful textures.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?