In My Mailbox

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

FROM NETGALLEY:

Mousemobile by Prudence Breitrose

Review: The Art of Flying by Judy Hoffman

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:'

Fortuna Dalliance is practical. Rational. Clever. But when she finds herself at the doorstep of an adventure, she discovers something that has been inside her all along: the courage to step through.
The old Baldwin sisters are in trouble, and they've asked Fortuna to help them out of a fix. The sisters have accidentally turned a swallow into a boy, and he refuses to be turned back! But if Martin doesn't return to his original form within five days, he'll remain a boy forever . . . and the Baldwin sisters will have a lot to answer for. Fortuna's not sure she believes in magic, and once she's gotten to know Martin, she's not sure she wants him to be changed back. As Fortuna figures out what it truly means to be a friend, she must decide whose side she's on-before it's too late!
Judy Hoffman's debut, with delightful illustrations by Stephanie Graegin, weaves an enchanting tale of loyalty, freedom, and feathers.

MY TAKE:
The novel's premise sounded interesting and new so I decided to give this one a try.

In The Art of Flying, Fortuna finds herself helping out two witches who have unintentionally turned a bird into a human. However, as Fortuna becomes friends with Martin, the bird-boy, she realizes that the strange story she finds herself in is about to get stranger.

The Art of Flying had some high points and low points for me. At first, I didn't like the witches at all. However, once it became clear why they were acting the way they did, it was easier to like them. Most of the characters were likeable enough, as well. I found the progress of the plot to be a little bit slow at first. It took a while before the plot twists came together but once all the pieces fit, I was able to appreciate how the story was written.

However, I found the speaking style of the birds to be quite strange. It was like watching Yoda converse with himself. I also didn't connect with Fortuna at all. For most of the book, I found her okay but not really interesting. Near the end of the book, she seemed very selfish so that pretty much turned me off. It's a good thing that this book has other nice qualities that make up for Fortuna's sometimes irritating attitude.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the e-ARC. Publication date of The Art of Flying is on October 29, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. The plot is original.
2. Most of the characters are believable and likeable.
3. The book has interesting plot twists.

THE BAD:

1. Fortuna can be annoying.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

She didn't know what Martin's eating preferences were now, but it seemed like eating fowl would be kind of cannibalistic.

READ IT IF:

1. You like birds.
2. You've always dreamed of flying.
3. You like books similar to the books that inspired Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: The Good Garden How One Family Went from Hunger to Having Enough by Katie Smith Milway

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

From the best-selling author of One Hen comes the inspiring story of one struggling farming family in Honduras and their journey to growing enough food to meet their needs. Based on the real story of farm transformation underway in Honduras and many other countries, this book offers children ways they can be part of the movement to grow "good gardens" and foster food security. Eleven-year-old Mar?a Luz and her family live on a small farm. This year their crop is poor, and they may not have enough to eat or to sell for other essentials, such as health care, school uniforms and books. When Mar?a's father must leave home to find work, she is left in charge of their garden. Then a new teacher comes to Mar?a's school and introduces her to sustainable farming practices that yield good crops. As Mar?a begins to use the same methods at home, she too sees improvements, which allow her family to edge their way out of the grip of the greedy "coyotes" -- the middlemen who make profits on the backs of poor farmers. Little by little, the farms -- and the hopes -- of Mar?a and her neighbors are transformed as good gardens begin to grow.

MY TAKE:
I can't believe that this book and other books in the series aren't required reading in schools.

In The Good Garden, Maria and her family have a farm wherein they grow crops for their consumption and for selling to the market. The other families in their community do the same thing. However, sometimes they don't get enough produce because of things like drought and pests. Thanks to a knowledgeable teacher, though, the village starts learning techniques that can help them out in their farm,

The story of Maria's family is similar to the stories I've heard about some of the farming communities in the Philippine provinces. Middlemen are known to undercut these farmers, which leaves them in a lot of debt.

I don't really know much about crop rotations and farming techniques, so it was interesting to read about the things that Maria and her community do to improve their land, farm and yield. It's also good that it mentions that if they had the courage to try or could find a way to transport their goods to the market, they'll get a much better price for their goods.

As with the other book which I read from this series, the illustrations are pretty and quite appropriate to the setting of the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. It teaches kids about farming techniques.
2. It teaches kids about food security.
3. It mentions several organizations that are doing their part in helping solve hunger.

THE BAD:

1. Some kids may not be able to relate to Maria and her family's struggles.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Mama and Pepito bring corn tamales stuffed with chilies for their midday meal.

READ IT IF:

1. You or your child want to learn more about the lives of farmers in other countries.
2. You want to teach your child about food security.
3. Your child is interesting in gardening and farming.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: One Hen How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Inspired by true events, One Hen tells the story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who turns a small loan into a thriving farm and a livelihood for many. After his father died, Kojo had to quit school to help his mother collect firewood to sell at the market. When his mother receives a loan from some village families, she gives a little money to her son. With this tiny loan, Kojo buys a hen. A year later, Kojo has built up a flock of 25 hens. With his earnings Kojo is able to return to school. Soon Kojo's farm grows to become the largest in the region. Kojo's story is inspired by the life of Kwabena Darko, who as a boy started a tiny poultry farm just like Kojo's, which later grew to be the largest in Ghana, and one of the largest in west Africa. Kwabena also started a trust that gives out small loans to people who cannot get a loan from a bank. One Hen shows what happens when a little help makes a big difference. The final pages of One Hen explain the microloan system and include a list of relevant organizations for children to explore. One Hen is part of CitizenKid: A collection of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens.

MY TAKE:
Before this book, I don't think I've read a children's book that discussed micro loans in such an accessible way.

In One Hen, Kojo uses part of his mother's loan from the community in order to buy a small hen. Eventually the profit he gets from selling the hen's eggs allows him to expand his business more and more. In time, he's able to help a number of other people as well.

I found Kojo's story interesting and inspiring. I've always believed that you don't need a lot of capital to start a business. The most important thing is to have a good idea.

The book also shows the positive impact that a successful business has on the community. A business doesn't just help by employing people. Businesses also help by paying taxes that go towards developing the community.

At the end of the book, you can read the story of Kwabena Darko, the inspiration for Kojo; more information about microlending; and a glossary for certain words used in the story.

I enjoyed the illustrations used in the book. The color palette is very appropriate to the setting of the story and the rendering is lovely.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. Kids learn more about microlending.
2. Kojo's story is inspiring.
3. The layout, illustrations and coloring make reading the book more fun.

THE BAD:

1. The length of the book may bore younger kids.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

He thinks the sound of chickens clucking and skittering about their enclosure is better than the beating of festival drums.

READ IT IF:

1. Your child is a budding entrepreneur.
2. You or your child want to learn more about microlending.
3. You want to read an inspiring story.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: The Big Hairy Secret by Thomas Kingsley Troupe

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Flo Gardner isn't exactly thrilled when she and her mom move into Corman Towers, a giant apartment building in the middle of the city. To call their new home strange is an understatement. And things only get weirder when she meets Ferdinand, better known as Furry. It doesn't take Flo long to realize that there's more than one secret lurking in her new home.
For ages 7-8. From the Furry and Flo series.
*Funny, quirky chapter book series featuring two main characters kids can relate to
*Humorous, quirky black-and-white artwork throughout (both full-page and spot illustrations)
*Supernatural aspect with werewolves and other monsters presented in a funny, appealing way (not scary!)
*Combination action, adventure, & mystery stories – kids can follow along and try to solve mysteries and problems with Furry & Flo
About the Author:
Thomas Kingsley Troupe has written more than 30 children’s books. His book Legend of the Werewolf (Picture Window Books, 2011) received a bronze medal for the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award. Thomas lives in Woodbury, Minnesota, with his wife and two young boys.
About the Illustrator:
Stephen Gilpin has been working as an illustrator and cartoonist since 2000 and has around 20 kids’ picture books and chapter books under his belt. His clients include Harper Collins, Random House, Simon and Schuster, Scholastic, and the Wall Street Journal among many others.

MY TAKE:
I wasn't sure how much I'd like this book, but I actually quite enjoyed it.

In The Big Hairy Secret, Flo and her mother have just moved into a new town and apartment. There, Flo meets her odd neighbor Furry. There's something about Furry that Flo can't quite figure out. Just when she finally finds out his secret, they both learn something really strange about their apartment.

Flo is kinda rough around the ages, but she's your typical surly tween and I can imagine lots of girls being able to relate to her. Furry is sort of wacky and childish but he's endearing enough.

The book moves at a quick pace so there aren't a lot of plot twists here. However, the first mystery sets the stage nicely for more tales from Flo and Furry's strange apartment. This is the kind of book that I think would appeal more to young boys, but is entertaining and funny enough to be able to draw in girls as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone Young Readers for the e-ARC. Publication date of The Big Hairy Secret is on August 1, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. Flo is relate-able.
2. Furry is endearing.
3. The plot is not super unusual but it sets the scene nicely for future books.

THE BAD:

1. The resolution comes pretty quickly and easily.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

If there was one thing Flo was really good at, it was making sandwiches.

READ IT IF:

1. You like funny stories about spiders, werewolves and the like.
2. You liked Goosebumps.
3. You like quirky characters.

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!

He wonders how he will know which hen to choose.

Review: Batman is Brave! by Donald Lemke

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Follow BATMAN on this colorful, action-packed adventure about being brave! Illustrated by award-winning artist Ethan Beavers in the popular DC Animated Style, BATMAN IS BRAVE! introduces young children to the character education concept of courage, while appealing to comic book fans of all ages.
Board Book for ages 1-3. From the DC BOARD BOOKS series, featuring DC Comics' Greatest Super Heroes, BATMAN and SUPERMAN!
*Wide appeal - SUPERMAN and BATMAN are the most popular super hero characters in the world!
*Proven track record - Capstone has sold over 600,000 copies in the DC SUPER HEROES chapter book series
*Safe and educational - each book focuses on a character education topic (courage, respect, honesty, responsibility) in a safe and gentle way
About the Author:
Donald Lemke works as a children’s book editor. He has written dozens of comic books, including the Zinc Alloy series and the adventures of Bike Rider, and many chapter books for DC Comics. Donald lives in Minnesota with his beautiful wife, Amy, and their not-so-golden retriever, Paulie.
About the Illustrator:
Ethan Beavers is an American comic book artist from Modesto, CA. Ethan’s comic industry work includes titles as Justice League Unlimited, Teen Titans Go!, Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century, Six, Noble Causes: Distant Relatives #4, as well as pin ups in Savage Dragon #112 and Hellhounds #3. Ethan is also a storyboard artist for Warner Bros. Justice League Unlimited animated show on Cartoon Network. He now illustrates a series called NERDS by Michael Buckley. He also created comic art for George Lucas such as Clone Wars and Indiana Jones.

MY TAKE:
Batman for kids: what's not to like?

In Batman is Brave!, kids get to see Batman in his natural element in Gotham City. They also get to learn about the different tools and weapons that Batman uses.

I enjoyed the illustrations which are at par with what I would expect to see in Batman comics and cartoons. The text, though, is meant for young readers, particularly those who are just starting to learn how to read and learn about concepts like courage. Older readers may find the text a bit repetitive, although they might like the different Batman gadgets mentioned.

Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone Young Readers for the e-ARC. Publication date of Batman is Brave! is on August 1, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. The illustrations are much what you would expect from Batman cartoons.
2. It's a good way to introduce kids to Batman.
3. It's a good book for fathers to read to their kids.

THE BAD:

1. The text may feel repetitive for older kids.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Batman is brave!

READ IT IF:

1. Your child likes Batman.
2. You want to introduce your child to Batman and other superheroes.
3. You are looking for a book that your child and your husband can read together.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?