Review: Dancing Queen by Marci Peschke

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Kylie Jean wants to dance the main role in Swan Lake. For ages 6-8.

Part of the Kylie Jean series. From dancing to spelling, third grader Kylie Jean wants to be the queen of everything! But in her quest to be the best, this young southern belle learns a few lessons of her own. Mischievous, delightful and fun, this series will be at the top of every young girl's list!

MY TAKE:

Despite the imagery that the title might evoke for those of us who grew up before the year 2000, this book is not about a young and sweet seventeen-year-old girl. Kylie Jean is a young girl who dreams of becoming a beauty queen. When her cousin Lucy tells her about auditions for Swan Lake, Kylie Jean adds a new dream to her list: swan queen.

While I'm not a fan of pink, which is Kylie Jean's favorite color, we did have a couple of things in common which made her very relatable and believable to me. One is her relationship with her best cousin Lucy. I also have a best cousin, and we practically grew up together. The other thing we have in common is ballet. As a kid, I studied ballet too. It's not as easy as it looks, but if you really love it, the occasional pain and fatigue is not a problem at all. The author was able to paint a very accurate portrait of what it's like for ballet students, and it sort of makes me want to try ballet again, but probably just for a day. :P

Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone for providing me with an e-copy. Publication date for the paperback edition of Dancing Queen is on February 1, 2012.

THE GOOD:

1. The illustrations. There's nothing spectacular about the illustrations, but it was perfect for the book. The drawings are also in black, white and pink, which highlights the fact that Kylie Jean's favorite color is pink.
   
2. The voice. She's much more girly than I was at that age, but I had no trouble believing that the story was narrated by a child.
3. Discussion points and recipe at the end of the book. You don't see these often in books these days, so they're a welcome addition.

THE BAD:

1. There were a couple of flashes of brattiness from Kylie Jean. Not a turn-off-worthy brattiness, just what you would expect from kids these days.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

I make sure my feet are in the correct position as I bend low. In my head, I'm thinking plie one, plie two, plie three.

READ IT IF:

1. You or your kids love ballet.
2. You or your daughter like the color pink.
3. You're looking for a fun, quick read.

RATING:

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Review: The Amazing Mini-Mutts by Donald Lemke

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

On planet Earth, KRYPTO, ACE, SWIFTY, and other SUPER-PET pooches visit the Bowwow Boot Camp, a school for up-and-coming pups with powers. They're ready to show this new breed of heroes a few old tricks. Unfortunately, Brainicat, an evil cyborg kitty from the planet Colu, wants to teach these canine cadets a lesson as well. Using his hyper-forces, the villain shrinks the Bowwow Boot Camp to microscopic size and traps the mini mutts inside a glass bottle. To escape, these prep-school pups must step up and discover their own super hero identities.

The Amazing Mini-Mutts features our national kid contest winner's two pets! For ages 6-8. Part of the DC Super-Pets series.

MY TAKE:

Puppies are cute, so obviously this book is cute too. In The Amazing Mini-Mutts, some well-known dogs of superheroes (super-pets) are training a new batch of doggie superheroes. The focus of the book is on two tiny pups, Luna Moon and Sprightly Steve. They're not as strong or have superpowers like some of their puppy classmates, but as these two discover, sometimes, their weakness is also their strength.

I found the illustrations to not only be cute, they were also strategically placed throughout the book in order to enhance the story.

One thing that I found charming, but some people might find annoying, are the dog-related quips (pawpicked, top dog, pup quiz) which pepper the book.

Overall, though, The Amazing Mini-Mutts is worth a read, and I would definitely recommend it for a read-aloud session with your kids.

Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone for the e-copy. Publication date for the paperback edition of The Amazing Mini-Mutts is on February 1, 2012.

THE GOOD:

1. Highlighted texts and illustrations. This helps to break the visual monotony.
   
2. The underdogs win! I can't help but cheer for the underdogs.
3. There's a moral to the story.

THE BAD:

1. I think the story could have benefited if it had capitalized more on the dogs-of-superheroes concept.
2. The story was a little bit predictable.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

The ground shook like the back of a wet dog.

READ IT IF:

1. You like dogs and puppies.
2. You like colorful books.
3. You like superheroes and superpets.

RATING:

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Review: How to Slay a Dragon by Bill Allen

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS.COM:

Ruuan is a very large dragon. Twelve-year-old Greg Hart can't slay a dragon. He'd be lucky to win a fight against one of the smaller girls at school.

Now the magicians of Myrth have mistaken him for a legendary warrior, so they've yanked Greg into their world of sorcery and danger. Nothing will stop the people of Myrth from believing Greg will rescue King Peter's daughter from Ruuan the dragon. After all, Greg has been named in a prophecy, and no prophecy has ever been wrong before.

Until now.

MY TAKE:

My first thought when I opened my copy of How To Slay A Dragon was "Wow, this is longer than I expected." I guess I kind of expected that since this book was aimed at the younger set, that it would be the typical big-font, 100+ page book. This book clocks in at around 212 pages plus a sneak peek at the second book The Hero Who Slayed Ruann.

Greg Hart is your typical 100-pound weakling, the type that gets bullied a lot. Definitely not what you'd expect a hero to look like. However, by fate, he's transported to the kingdom of Myrth wherein he's expected to slay a dragon to fulfill a prophecy.

The thing that I enjoyed most about this book was its witty, snarky tone. Even the characters' names had a tongue-in-cheek theme (Lucky Day, Witch Hazel, etc.)

I definitely enjoyed the characters and their relationships. My favorite character would have to be Greg or Lucky. Princess Priscilla has a lot of promise as a character but I felt like she didn't get as much screen time and responsibility as she could have so I didn't connect with her as much.

The plot was definitely entertaining. It has all the elements we've come to expect from medieval stories (quests, dragons, princesses, heroes, and monsters), but the book doesn't take itself too seriously and so nothing feels as cliche as it should.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bell bridge Books for providing me with an e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. Lucky's magic backpack ala Mary Poppin's magic bag. Awesomeness, enough said.
2. Characters. The characters were interesting. The group that is eventually formed had a very The-Fellowship-of-the-Rings-meets-Friends feel to it. :)
3. Writing style. The style and tone of the book is very conversational, and it feels like it was being narrated by a sarcastic guy friend.

THE BAD:

1. Some of the characters weren't as well-developed as I would like. Of course, there's gonna be a second book, so maybe we'll get to know more about them there.
2. There were parts where I found it hard to focus on the book because the action slowed down a bit.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

True, Manny was in Greg's grade, but he seemed bigger than all the other boys at school combined. Surely he'd have graduated high school by now if he hadn't been let back so often - perhaps even got a good star on a technical vocation, provided he found one where he didn't need to think.

READ IT IF:

1. You like action-adventure books.
2. You enjoyed the Harry Potter series and other similar book series.
3. You like your characters and books snarky. :)

RATING:

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Review: Mooshka, A Quilt Story by Julia Paschkis

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS.COM:

Karla loves Mooshka, a quilt composed of scraps of fabric from many members of Karla's family. But Mooshka is more than a quilt it can talk, comforting Karla at bedtime. Each square or schnitz, tells her stories of her ancestors and their lives. When new baby sister Hannah arrives, Karla's routine is upset and Mooshka falls silent. Only when Karla shares Mooshka with her sister does the quilt begin to speak again and tell Hannah stories of Karla's early life.

MY TAKE:

I enjoyed this book a lot! :)

Karla's constant companion is her quilt Mooshka. Mooshka is a patchwork quilt created by Karla's grandmother. Each schnitz represents a different story of her family's history and when Karla touches each schnitz, she hears that specific story. Everything is fine until Karla gets a new baby sister and Mooshka stops talking to her.

I enjoyed the story and the concept of the book. Since I live in a tropical country, I've only been able to use quilts a few times in my life. I enjoy them, though, because staying underneath the covers while it's cold outside is a good way to spend a lazy day. Reading books in bed is fun too, and having a magical quilt that tells stories as you fall asleep wraps those two things in one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree Publishers for the ARC. :) Publishing date for Mooshka, A Quilt Story is on March 1, 2012.

THE GOOD:

1. The coloring. There's a certain whimsy to the coloring of the book. I also liked that for each schnitz, the borders and pages were colored to match that schnitz.
   
2. The concept. A magical quilt that serves as a girl's companion: a pretty cute and original concept.
   
3. The flow of the story. Some children's stories can feel hurried and the continuation between the story and its ending can feel disjointed. With Mooshka, A Quilt Story, this was not a problem at all.

THE BAD:

1. I'm not a big fan of the style of the illustration. It's not because it's not pretty. It's more of because I have a certain preferred style when it comes to children's book illustrations.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

She puffed Mooshka in the air and let it float gently down on Hannah. "Sister." said Mooshka.

READ IT IF:

1. You're looking for a cute children's book about sisters.
2. You like colorful children's books that your kids will enjoy looking at.
3. You like reading children's books.

RATING:

SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Blog Tour Review and GIVEAWAY: Bridger by Megan Curd

Welcome to the Bridger Book Tour! Read on for my review of Bridger and to join the GIVEAWAY!

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS.COM:

Ashlyn McVean doesn't believe in fairy tales. That is, until Ashlyn is thrown into the crosshairs of grudges her grandmother created long ago. After finding out she is one of two people able to cross between faerie realms, Ashlyn is faced with trying to understand her abilities, along with navigating a new relationship with her boyfriend, Liam. As if being on a centuries old hit list and dealing with crazed pixies isn't enough, her new abilities mean trouble for Liam. Knowing her new life puts everyone she loves in danger, Ashlyn must decide what's most important in her life between friends, family, love, and ultimately, realms.

MY TAKE:

Ashlyn McVean is not like anyone else. The stories her Irish grandmother told her about supernatural beings and myths and folklore? It's all real and Ashley is more a part of it than she could ever imagine.

I liked Bridger a lot. I think this is the first novel I've ever read that plays around with Irish folklore, and I was definitely entertained. Megan Curd does a masterful job of creating a world that feels real even though it's also a bit nuts and unbelievable at the same time.

Ashlyn is a cool chick. She kind of reminds me of my bad-ass friend who can kick the crap out of most guys I know. :) I liked that even though Ashlyn is vulnerable sometimes and needs to be rescued by some of the characters, there are still occasions wherein she can fight her own fights. There's nothing as annoying as heroines who do all the fighting in their head and just sit in the corner while everyone else fights around her.

Ashlyn's grandmother Memaw is another character to watch out for. She's the grandmother you almost wish you had. ;)

This book certainly needs to be read by a lot of people because I think this could do for Irish folklore what Twilight and The Vampire Diaries did for vampires.

THE GOOD:

1. The characters are well-written.
2. The location, the settings and the story itself are believable, despite the fact that the premise of the story is not that realistic.
3. It's perfectly paced.

THE BAD:

1. There was one character who would have been likable if he had not repeatedly hit on Ashlyn despite the fact that she had a boyfriend. To me, that's just rude and unforgivable.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Liam made it nearly impossible to feel human, even before knowing that I wasn't.

READ IT IF:

1. You like mythology and folklore.
2. You like strong heroines.
3. You like romance and action.

RATING:

I am the 22nd stop on this book tour. Next stop is Ya-Aholic.

And now for the GIVEAWAY: To win an ebook copy (you can state your preferred ebook format) of Bridger, just comment below with your email address. Giveaway ends on October 29. Keep following this tour as there will be a grand giveaway wherein you can win a signed copy and some swag!

SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS.COM:

The Tipping Point woke us to the wonders of Malcolm Gladwell; Blink, bringing us up with a start, confirmed his talents of discernment, and Outliers proved that this conscientious outsider was still watching us, picking up clues to how we all tick and synchronize our tics. In this batch of inquiries, Gladwell covers the world: from insurgent warlords to ketchup makers; from canine whisperers to ethnic profilers; from NFL signal callers to high school teachers. Most of us don't fit into any of those categories, but that doesn't lessen our interest in his observations. What the Dog Saw challenges us to think like other people and see like other species.

MY TAKE:

Until I read this book, I have never read anything by Malcolm Gladwell. Maybe I should have.

The book is basically a collection of articles by Gladwell and published in The New Yorker. The book is divided into three parts. The first part is about minor geniuses (like the inventor of the Chop-o-Matic). The second part is about theories. The third part, on the other hand, is about the way we judge and assume things about people.

The articles are all quite interesting, but I have two favorites. The first one is the title article (What The Dog Saw), which is about dog whisperer Cesar Millan. I watch the show every now and then, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite show. This article, however, made me see Cesar Millan in a slightly different light. It talked about his background, what he's like outside of the show, and what his childhood was like. It's a must-read for every fan.

The second article that fascinated me was "Million-Dollar Murray: Why Problems like Homelessness May Be Easier to Solve than Manage". Homeless people and panhandlers are not an uncommon sight here in the Philippines. The Department of Social Welfare and Development does what it can to help out, but there's only so much they can do. The article discussed how in one U.S. study, it was shown that most homeless people are not homeless for very long. It also showed that the chronic homeless can end up with hundred of thousands of dollars in hospital fees, etc. and it would cost the government less to rehabilitate them than it is to just manage their situation. In order to try and solve the homelessness problem, one city tried a program that offered to give homeless people a place to stay, and for the most part, the project has been a success. The arguments are logical and it makes me think if this can work in our country too and what the response to such a project will be.

THE GOOD:

1. All the articles are interesting.
2. The book will make you think. :)

THE BAD:

1. It could be boring, if you're not a fan of non-fiction.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Illusion remembers Cesar scribbling furiously on a pad. "He wrote that down. He said, 'That's it! It's like the dogs. They need exercise, discipline and affection.'" Illusion laughed. "I looked at him, upset, because why the hell are you talking about your dogs when you should be talking about us?"

READ IT IF:

1. You like non-fiction books.
2. You like literature that makes you laugh and think at the same time.
3. You like Malcolm Gladwell's style.

RATING:

SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Pinoy Fridays: Superwoman si Inay!

*photo is taken from lamparabooks.com.ph

SUMMARY FROM LAMPARA BOOKS:

Mommy Doris is well known in town because she does manicures and pedicures. She is also popular of her big bayong filled with items she sells on installment basis. But she can also do better. As a mother, Mommy Doris has a quality that makes her capable of providing anything her children need. Read in this story why Mommy Doris is really awesome.

MY TAKE:

In celebration of the many great Filipino books out there, I have decided to dedicate my Friday posts to books written by Filipino authors. For our very first Pinoy Fridays, the Filipino book in focus is a Tagalog/English book entitled "Superwoman si Inay! (Mommy is Superwoman!)".

Superwoman si Inay! is told from the point-of-view of a young boy whose mother seems to be able to do some very amazing things like produce things that they need, seemingly out of thin air.

The illustrations are very whimsical and perfect for the story. They wouldn't be out of place in an art gallery either. :P

What I love about this book is how it managed to accurately portray the innocence of children. Things that seem ordinary or easy-to-explain to adults appear wondrous to kids. I can't say any more about the plot without giving the story away, but this would make great bedtime reading for kids of any age.

THE GOOD:

1. The story is written in Tagalog and has an English translation, so you can choose which one you would like to read. Kids who are just starting to learn English can benefit from this too.
2. It's a nice tribute to supermoms who do everything in and out of the house.

THE BAD:

1. Nothing. :P

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Lagi akong kasa-kasama ni Inay tuwing hapon. Naglalakad siya sa buong baryo habang kipkip niya ako sa isang braso. Isang malaking bayong naman ang bitbit niya sa isang kamay.

Mommy always takes me along with her every afternoon. She walks all around town while carrying me under one arm. And in one hand she carries a big bayong.

READ IT IF:

1. You are a "supermom" or know one who is.
2. You want to buy a book that you can read over and over again to your child.
3. You love children's books.

RATING: