In My Mailbox

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

FROM NETGALLEY:

I Hate Picture Books Written & Illustrated by Timothy Young
The Man with the Violin by Kathy Stinson; art by Dušan Petričić
Lilly Traps the Bullies (Formac First Novels) by Brenda Bellingham

Review: Zebra Stripes Go Head to Toe by Sheryl and Simon Shapiro

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

This little book shows children / That squares are here and there. / And if they keep an eye out, / then stripes are everywhere.
A perfect companion to Ladybugs Have Lots of Spots, the fun, simple text and vibrant design of Zebra Stripes Go Head to Toe explore the concept of squares and stripes. Using words such as "cube," "block," "line," and "band," short poems encourage readers to spot the similarities (and differences) between the shapes of the stripes on a zebra and a colored striped sock, for example, or between a square soda cracker and cubes of cheese.
Whether paired with Ladybugs Have Lots of Spots or read independently, this innovative book is a great way to introduce the concept of shapes to young children.

MY TAKE:
This book was cute, but I liked Ladybugs have Lots of Spots more.

In Zebra Stripes Go Head to Toe, rhymes and pictures are used to help kids learn about square and stripes.

The rhymes don't feel forced or haphazardly put together. The pictures also perfectly complement the rhymes. As with Ladybugs have Lots of Spots, I felt that the editing of the pictures and the layout were professionally done.

I didn't like it as much as the other book, though. I guess it was because it focuses on two things: squares and stripes. As such, the focus was divided between the two and it felt a little confusing. Perhaps it would have worked better if stripes and squares had their own individual books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Annick Press Ltd. for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. The pictures match the rhymes well.
2. The rhymes don't feel forced.
3. The layout is nice.

THE BAD:

1. Focus is divided between stripes and squares.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Crispy crackers
thin and flat,
cubes of cheese go
great with that.

READ IT IF:

1. Your child is learning about squares and stripes.
2. Your child likes books with rhymes.
3. Your child learns better with pictures.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: Ladybugs Have Lots of Spots by Sheryl and Simon Shapiro

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Circles can be fat or thin / There can be lot--or one / And round things can be big or small / And learning can be fun.
This innovative new picture book encourages children, through poetry and photographs, to explore the idea of what is round--from the spots on a ladybug's back to a ring on a finger or a wheel on a bike. Using words such as "dot," "spot," "loop," "hoop," and "ring," it shows that round things aren't all alike, but can be anything!
A perfect companion to Zebra Stripes Go Head to Toe, the simple text and vibrant design of Ladybugs Have Lots of Spots encourage children to look for and identify similarly shaped objects in their own environments.

MY TAKE:
It's tricky to come up with rhyming children's books that have the perfect accompanying pictures or designs.

In Ladybugs Have Lots of Spots, kids are introduced to different things that are circular, via rhymes and their corresponding pictures.

With some rhyming children's books, the rhymes feel a little forced or amateurish. With this book, though, I didn't feel that at all. The rhymes work and the examples are creative. I also liked that though pictures are used, instead of illustrations, they look professionally edited instead of just slapped on, like some children's books tend to do.

Thanks to NetGalley and Annick Press Ltd. for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. The pictures are well-edited and appropriate.
2. The layout is nice.
3. The rhymes work.

THE BAD:

1. The font and use of pictures may not work for everyone.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

A cylinder's
both round and flat-
the bottom of
a baker's hat!

READ IT IF:

1. Your child is just learning about shapes.
2. Your child likes rhymes.
3. Your child learns better with pictures.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: It's a Feudal, Feudal World A Different Medieval History by Stephen Shapiro; art by Ross Kinnaird

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Enter a medieval world unlike any you've seen before.
Welcome to an innovative and reader-friendly approach to medieval history, one that combines visually appealing infographics, whimsical cartoons, and lively, information text. Each spread offers a snapshot that highlights an aspect of the diversity and intercultural dynamics of the medieval world, from Europe to the Byzantine, Ottoman, and Islamic empires.
Readers get the inside scoop on crusaders and caliphs, Mongols and midwives, as they read about expanding trade routes, power shifts, conquests, adventure, and persecutions. The result is a colorful and varied picture of what life was like a thousand years ago.

MY TAKE:
I've always found medieval history fascinating.

In It's a Feudal, Feudal World, information about the Middle Ages is presented through a mix of illustrations, infographics, and text.

The book is illustration/infographic-heavy, which really helps keep the reader's interest. The dialogue and the comments in the illustrations are also quite funny. This means, though, that it reads like an almanac, instead of some nonfiction reference books that are mostly paragraph after paragraph of information.

In terms of information provided, some of the information should be familiar to anyone who likes medieval history or has watched documentaries or movies about it. There are plenty of facts, though, that most people probably wouldn't be familiar with. For example, I know about fiefs, but this was the first time that I've read about allods, pronoias and timars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Annick Press Ltd. for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. The infographics are funny .
2. There are plenty of new information to be found, even for those who are familiar with the Middle Ages.
3. It covers a lot of material.

THE BAD:

1. Some may find the sequence of information to be random or not clearly structured.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

I can't wait until they invent supermarkets.

READ IT IF:

1. Your child likes the Middle Ages.
2. Your child likes learning new facts.
3. Your child likes infographics.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: Before the World Was Ready Stories of Daring Genius in Science by Claire Eamer; art by Sa Boothroyd

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Eight fascinating tales of scientists ahead of their time, from Copernicus to Rachel Carson.
Earth revolves around the sun. Washing hands helps stop the spread of disease. Poisons in the environment affect the entire ecosystem. Today, these ideas are common knowledge, but at one time they were all rejected. It can take years for people to accept a new idea or invention that changes the way they see the world.
In this thought-provoking book, you'll find out what happened when people weren't ready to listen to innovators who came up with revolutionary ideas. Discover why "mad scientist" Nikola Tesla's futuristic ideas about electricity were dismissed, why Charles Darwin delayed publishing his controversial theory of evolution for decades, and how Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace nearly invented the first computer in the 1800s. Nowadays, we think of these scientists are heroes, but they all endured great personal hardships for daring to think differently.

MY TAKE:
The most challenging part of non-fiction books for kids is making the book interesting yet informative.

In Before the World Was Ready, we are presented with the stories of eight scientists who made revolutionary discoveries.

I found the language used in the book to be funny, interesting and accessible to kids. It also helped that the book was colorful and there were plenty of humorous illustrations. While I was familiar with most of the things mentioned in the book, there were some details that were new to me. For example, I wasn't aware that Charles Darwin took a long time to publish his theory of evolution and that another scientist came up with the same idea.

The book also has short features peppered throughout the book which are related to the chapter wherein they are contained. Because the facts are presented like stories, it doesn't appear boring at all. It doesn't feel like information overload either.

Thanks to NetGalley and Annick Press Ltd. for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. The illustrations are funny.
2. The facts are presented like stories.
3. It's jam-packed with information.

THE BAD:

1. The illustration style might not work for everyone.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Charles Babbage designed the Analytical Engine, but Ada Lovelace was the visionary who understood what it might do.

READ IT IF:

1. Your kid likes science.
2. Your child dreams of being a scientist.
3. You like reading about pioneers of science.

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!

The person who comes along and explains the idea clearly is more likely to be listened to- and often gets credit for the idea itself.

Review: A Big Year for Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

As Lily settles into the routine of school and home, she learns valuable lessons about making new friends.

MY TAKE:
Ever since I saw Meet the Hutterites, I've been fascinated with the Amish lifestyle.

In A Big Year for Lily, readers follow a year in the life of Lily, her family, and her friends.

While the chapters are told in chronological order, for the most part, each part feels like a separate, stand-alone anecdote. It worked for me anyway, because it was like watching episodes of a TV show. I could stop after any chapter and still know the complete story.

Each chapter was able to show different facets of Amish life. While I don't think I would be able to last long in Lily's community, some of Lily's adventures seem fun and interesting. The Amish, or at least Lily's family, are incredibly self-sufficient, and it makes me realize how much those of us in the city take for granted.

I liked Lily well enough, although there were moments when she wasn't exactly nice. The character I disliked the most was Effie. What a horrible little girl. I was pretty surprised that the adults were so lenient with her. If ever there was a kid who needed to be disciplined, it's Effie.

Thanks to NetGalley and Revell for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. It's a great way to read about Amish life.
2. The characters are realistic.
3. Even the more mundane events are interesting to read about.

THE BAD:

1. The anecdote-type style might not work for everyone.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Mama had made all of Lily's favorit3e foods: fried chicken, fluffy mashed potatoes topped with browned butter and sprinkled with parsley, fried green beans with bacon bits, and golden flaky biscuits.

READ IT IF:

1. You are curious about Amish life.
2. You like books with stand-alone chapters.
3. You are looking for books with interesting female protagonists.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?