Do you know Pete?

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2010. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Pete the Cat was walking down the street in his brand-new white shoes. Pete loved his white shoes so much, he sang this song:
"I love my white shoes,
I love my white shoes,
I love my white shoes."

I love, love, love, REALLY REALLY love Pete the Cat. He is my kind of cat. You should definitely download the free song(s) as well, so you can really sing right along with the book(s). True, you could make up your own tune, but, the song is so perfectly catchy.

So. Pete the Cat has white shoes which he loves. But, when he steps in some unpleasant things: strawberries, blueberries, a mud puddle, a bucket of water, does Pete cry?! Goodness no! He just keeps on walking and singing his song! Is this a concept book about colors (white, red, blue, brown)? Is this a book teaching necessary coping skills to preschoolers and kids? A bit of both. But. It is also just a really fun, very entertaining story about a groovy cat! I absolutely LOVE the repetition, and the fact that this is a book everyone can participate and join in on!

To get the full experience, watch this video with the narration/song!

Pete the Cat: Rocking In My School Shoes. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2011. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Here comes Pete strolling down the street, rocking red shoes on his four furry feet. Pete is going to school, and he sings this song: I'm rocking in my school shoes, I'm rocking in my school shoes, I'm rocking in my school shoes."

I really liked this one. I loved seeing Pete go to school. I loved seeing him read in his school shoes (the library), eating in his school shoes (the cafeteria), playing in his school shoes (the playground), etc. (There is also singing, painting, adding, and writing). I loved the descriptions of the school environment, the participatory way in which it's written so it gets everyone involved, and most of all the repetition. DOES PETE WORRY? Goodness no!!!

Here is a fan video of the book, I loved seeing the Pete the Cat doll.

Pete the Cat And His Four Groovy Buttons. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2012. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Pete the Cat put on his favorite shirt with four big, colorful, round, groovy buttons. He loved his buttons so much, he sang this song: 
"My buttons, my buttons,
my four groovy buttons.
My buttons, my buttons,
my four groovy buttons."

This one was the first Pete the Cat book I read, and I must say it is probably my favorite. I love, love, love it so much!!! If I Love My White Shoes was "teaching" colors, then Four Groovy Buttons is "teaching" subtraction. For, Pete the Cat loses each of his four buttons one by one. But does Pete cry?! Goodness no! I absolutely love the end of this one!!! And the moral this time: "I guess it simply goes to show that stuff will come and stuff will go. But do we cry? Goodness, NO! We keep on singing."

I'll share two videos this time. One with the HarperCollins narration, and the second of a teacher reading it aloud.

Pete The Cat Saves Christmas. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2012. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Twas the day before Christmas and Santa was ill. In the cold winter wind he had caught a bad chill. Will Christmas be canceled? Will it come to that? "NEVER!" cried Santa. "Let's call Pete the Cat!" Santa asked Pete to deliver the toys to all the good girls and to all the good boys. "I'll do it!" says Pete. "And though I am small, at Christmas we give, so I'll give it my all."

I definitely liked this one! In this adventure, Pete the Cat helps Santa and thereby "saves" Christmas. It's a cute story. Not my favorite from the entire series, but, it's got a redeeming message all the same.

A video read aloud.

Pete the Cat And His Magic Sunglasses. Kimberley and James Dean. 2013. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Pete the Cat did not feel happy. Pete had never, ever, ever, ever been grumpy before. Pete had the blue cat blues. Then, as if things were not bad enough, along came Grumpy Toad. Grumpy Toad was never happy! He always wore a frown. But Grumpy Toad was not grumpy today. He said, "These cool, blue, magic sunglasses make the blues go away. They help you see things in a whole new way." Pete put on the cool, blue, magic sunglasses. He looked all around. "Right on! The birds are singing. The sky is bright. The sun is shining. I'm feeling alright!"

If only it were this easy to get rid of bad moods! Pete the Cat has the blues, but, a friend soon shows him a new way of looking at things. Not content to keep this to himself, Pete the Cat is soon helping everyone he meets cheer up. Lots of folks need magic sunglasses....

I enjoy this series very much. This book doesn't have an official song, but, this video gives you a tune to sing with it.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

The Hero's Guide to Saving the Kingdom (2012)

The Hero's Guide to Saving the Kingdom. Christopher Healy. 2012. HarperCollins. 448 pages. [Source: Library]

Perhaps I was not in the right mood to appreciate Christopher Healy's The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. The things that delighted me in the first two or three chapters, became exceedingly annoying by halfway through the novel. I persevered perhaps when I should have set the book aside for another time. The premise is fun and playful. Readers are introduced to four princes all named Prince Charming. Cinderella's prince, Rapunzel's prince, Sleeping Beauty's prince, Snow White's prince. All have proper names and distinct personalities. That being said the princes mostly blended together for me with the exception of Snow White's prince and Cinderella's prince. These two weren't exactly memorable because I loved what Healy did with their stories. I didn't see characters being developed so much as quirks being displayed again and again and again and again. I never really connected with the princes on their (long) journey.

What this MG fantasy has is plenty of action and adventure...also a great deal of humor. For readers who love fairy tales and action/adventure quests with plenty of humor, this one may prove quite pleasing.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Meet Olive!

Olive And The Big Secret. Tor Freeman. 2012. Candlewick Press.  32 pages. [Source: Library]

Molly told Olive a secret. "You mustn't tell anyone," said Molly. "I will never tell," said Olive. So now Olive had a secret. Olive knew she should keep the secret to herself. She knew she shouldn't tell anyone. But...

I really loved Olive and the Big Secret. Olive may just be a new favorite character of mine. I think it is something--at least--that Olive didn't tell the first person she saw, or even the second person she saw. But the third friend she saw--Joe--well, she just couldn't contain it one minute more! I like how the book follows multiple characters, and how all of Olive's friends "struggle" with keeping this secret--with any secret. I did notice that Olive's friends aren't shown showing any restraint at all in telling. (At least Olive didn't tell Jessie and Ziggy). I also liked it that not everyone who heard the secret cared enough to pass it on!

I would definitely recommend this one! I love the text and the illustrations.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

Olive and the Bad Mood. Tor Freeman. 2013. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

Olive was in a bad mood. This was not a good day. "Hello, Olive!" said Molly. "Do you want to play dinosaurs with me?" "No," said Olive. "Dinosaurs are for babies."
"They are not!" said Molly. 

Olive is back for a second adventure in Olive and the Bad Mood. In both Olive and the Big Secret and Olive and the Bad Mood, readers need to pay attention to the end papers, for the story starts before the text. I liked seeing Olive again. I liked seeing Olive's friends again! If Olive and The Big Secret is about SPREADING secrets, Olive and the Bad Mood is ALL about spreading grumpiness. Olive's bad mood is definitely contagious! Every friend she meets catches her sourness. What can cure her sourness? How about some sweet, sweet candy?! When Olive passes the candy store, well, she buys something: a bag of giant jelly worms. With the very first bite, it seems, Olive's bad mood has disappeared. The text reads, "What a lovely sunny day! Look at that pretty green bush! Look at those sweet little butterflies!" Now that Olive is happy again, can she do something about her friends?

I really LOVED Olive and the Bad Mood. I think it's a story adults and children can both relate to! I want more Olive books!!!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Outcasts United (2012)

Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team. Warren St. John. 2012. Random House. 240 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

I did not know what to expect from Outcasts United. On the one hand, I do not like sports--watching sports or reading about sports. On the other hand, I do like compelling personal accounts, people working, struggling, hoping, believing. The hero of Outcasts United is Luma Mufleh, a woman soccer coach. Mufleh was born and raised in Jordan; she came to the United States for college and decided that this is where she wanted to live. Staying in the U.S. meant breaking apart the family, and angering her family. But she'd had a taste of freedom, and wanted more. She knew it would be work, work, work. She knew it would not be easy, but she knew this would be her best chance. This isn't her story alone, it is the story of lives touching and connecting--immigrant stories. Readers learn a handful of stories about boys mainly, these are those Luma came to know in her role as coach. She wasn't just teaching soccer, she was also teaching discipline, self-control, responsibility, and respect.

Mufleh's three teams are mentioned: her under 17, her under 15, and her under 13 teams. But for the most part, it is the two younger teams that are the focus of the book. The book highlights specific players from specific seasons of the game.

This one has a definite sports emphasis. It is a book dedicated to the sport of soccer. If you have zero interest in that subject, you may or may not get enough satisfaction from the other stories. I liked some chapters better than others.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Rereading Insurgent (2012)

Insurgent. Veronica Roth. 2012. HarperCollins. 525 pages. [Source: Library]

I wake with his name in my mouth.
Will.
Before I open my eyes, I watch him crumple to the pavement again. Dead.
My doing.

Reading Insurgent the first time was an experience. A book that is felt and not "just read." (My first review.) I am so glad I decided to reread both Divergent and Insurgent before the release of Allegiant later this month.

Some novels stand on their own; Insurgent is not one of them. Divergent MUST be read first. Readers may remember that Divergent had quite an ending! The last third of the novel was so intense, so action-packed, so emotional; it was impossible to put down. Insurgent picks up right where Divergent left us.

If you've not read Divergent, this review will be full of spoilers. 

Tris, Tobias (Four), Peter, and Marcus (Tobias' father) on the run, on the way to unite with the Abnegation refugees seeking the mercy of the faction Amity. Tris is definitely in shock, and with good reason!!! Her mother was killed; her father was killed; she was wounded; she had to kill one of her friends, Will; she saw most of her friends mindlessly killing her old faction; she accomplished her one mission: to get the simulations shut off, but, it came at a high price. Yes, she's got Four back, but, still...a physically, mentally, emotionally overwhelming day! But her stamina cannot sustain her forever; the thoughts are coming. She is haunted by what she's seen and heard; she's haunted by what she's done, what she's chosen to do. And it's not over. She knows it. She knows the worst is still to come. There will be no easy peace. There will be no time to rest. Hard decisions will be demanded of her for days, weeks, perhaps months to come. And Tris isn't sure she's dauntless enough to handle it.

Insurgent is a thoughtful novel. It is suspenseful, dramatic, action-packed. It is emotional with plenty of surprises. But it is a thoughtful novel as well. What is right? What is wrong? Who is trustworthy? Who is telling the truth? Who is telling lies? Who is being the most manipulative? Who is twisting the truth? Can Tris discern the truth? Is she brave enough to act on what she perceives to be true even if it means going against those she loves?

Insurgent was a WOW novel for me. I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Tris. It's a complicated situation--very messy. And Tris is courageous and vulnerable. She's her own person. And being in love with someone else isn't going to make her mindless and compliant. 

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

The Last Dragonslayer (2012)

The Last Dragonslayer. Jasper Fforde. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 296 pages. [Source: Review copy]

I liked The Last Dragonslayer. It definitely wasn't love, love, love.

Jennifer Strange is the heroine of this playful fantasy novel. This foundling may not want the job ahead of her, to fulfill her destiny that has been decreed for her for hundreds of years, but she may be the best chance for the world.

The Last Dragonslayer is peopled with some quirky characters. The writing was light and playful, the pacing tended to be just right as well. If I could have finished it in just one sitting, perhaps, I might not have realized the lack of connection I had with the characters and the story.

The characters were just substantive enough to be quirky and interesting at least from a distance. But I didn't feel there was much depth and substance to them beneath the surface. The exception probably being Jennifer Strange, our heroine.

Fantasies depend on world-building, great premises, and good storytelling. Characters are crucial as well. As is pacing. The Last Dragonslayer was entertaining and pleasant but it didn't really make itself unforgettable or memorable.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Five New(ish) Picture Books

Little Bear's Little Boat. Eve Bunting. Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter.  2003/2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 30 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Little Bear loved his little boat. 

Little Bear loves sailing his boat on Huckleberry Lane. He loves, loves, loves his little boat. It is just perfect for him. But, as Little Bear begins to grow--slowly but surely--his little boat loses its just right-ness. Little Bear doesn't understand why it is his destiny to grow and his boat's destiny to stay exactly the same. But he does accept this truth and adds to it. It is the boat's destiny to find a new little bear. And it is equally important to let that new little bear know that he too will one day have to part with the oh-so-perfect little boat.  This is a charming story of growing up and letting go.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

Big Bear's Big Boat. Eve Bunting. Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. 2013. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

When Big Bear grew too big for his little boat, he gave it to Little Bear. Now he was building a big boat for himself. 
"I want it to be just like my little boat, but bigger," Big Bear told his mother. His mother smiled, "You loved your little boat, and now Little Bear loves it. You will love your new one just as much."

Big Bear's Big Boat is a sequel to Little Bear's Little Boat. He is now a proper "big" bear, and when the book opens he is hard at work building a brand new boat--a big boat of course. And he does build a perfect boat--just the way he wants it. But. After he's finished, he begins listening to his friend. All of his friends have ideas and give him advice on how to make this boat even better. And Big Bear listens and follows... But will he be happy with his friends' vision of the perfect boat?! This little picture book has a good moral to it: "a bear should never let go of his own dream."

I definitely enjoyed both books!!! I would recommend both books!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

The Invisible Boy. Trudy Ludwig. Illustrated by Patrice Barton. 2013. Random House. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Can you see Brian, the invisible boy? Even Mrs. Carlotti has trouble noticing him in her classroom. She's too busy dealing with Nathan and Sophie.

I definitely liked this picture book. It deals with the question: which is worse--being laughed at or feeling invisible?

Brian, our young hero, is the invisible boy. He's friendless. This is noticeable even in the classroom, but especially so in the lunchroom and at recess. But when a new student comes, Brian reaches out to him--via note, I might add--and soon Brian begins to lose his invisibility. It starts with the new kid, Justin, but soon expands to include others. It has a happy ending that may seem sudden and a bit too good to be true. But it makes for a satisfying conclusion. I liked Brian and Justin. I liked the fact that Brian had strengths, that he definitely was worth knowing and worth noticing.

The book is intentional. It is packed with social lessons. It is inviting the visible and invisible kids to think about their actions, their words, their choices. None of the children are "bad" children; some are thoughtless and impulsive, but nobody is vilified into a BULLY, which I thought was a good thing. The focus is on the little things. The little things that are more accidentally thoughtless than purposefully: I'm out to HURT you.   

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

Tiny King. Taro Miura. 2013. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a Tiny King. The Tiny King lived all alone in a big, big castle. 

If I had to describe The Tiny King, I would say it was unusual, but unusual in a mostly good way. This picture book was first published in Japan. Candlewick is publishing it for the first time in the United States. It has a one-of-a-kind feel to it. And you'll pick up on this from the start. The cover says: THIS IS THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE TINY KING.

The Tiny King is sad and lonely. At least he is in the beginning. But this is a happy fairy tale. He meets a BIG queen and they marry. He's soon the father of ten tiny children. And with the Queen and all ten children: his life isn't so empty and he doesn't feel so tiny after all.

The illustrations are interesting and fun. Very bright and bold. Original storytelling is complemented by original artwork.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

The Silver Button. Bob Graham. 2013. Candlewick. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

At 9:59 on Thursday morning, Jodie drew a duck. she gave the duck a top hat, cane, and boots of the softest leather. On the boots, she put silver buttons: one...two... Her pen hovered in the air before the final button.
Jodie's brother, Jonathan, pushed slowly to his feet. He swayed, he frowned, he tilted forward...and took his first step. He took that step like he was going somewhere.

Some people really LOVE Bob Graham. I am not one who "loves, loves, loves" his books. The Silver Button is an interesting look at one minute of time in the city. In that one minute, many things happen. Some, like the baby's very first steps, seem momentous. Others are very ordinary. For example, in that minute a soldier says goodbye to his mother (definitely emotional) and a little boy stops and has his shoes tied for the second time that morning (definitely not emotional). The book is seeking to capture life: a blend of simple and complex. One review calls it existential. I think this is a hit or miss book. You'll either really like it and think its brilliant or you won't. It has received plenty of starred reviews: Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 2 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 10

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

The Wild Queen

The Wild Queen. Carolyn Meyer. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 420 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

Mary, Queen of Scots, has every reason to sing the Blue-Blooded Blues...and I'll tell you for why...

Mary's story is a tragic one for many reasons. It isn't that Mary was a pure, innocent saint. It is the fact that from the time of her birth she was almost always manipulated, used, and abused; she was surrounded by power-hungry people who wanted to grasp power and control through Mary's so-called power. Surrounded by people who wanted to dictate and rule over her. Mary was crowned Queen of Scots before she was one.

The first half of the novel focuses on Mary's time in France. She was betrothed to the French dauphin from a very young age. She was raised in the French court. (She was half-French.) She was well-educated, became quite familiar with the royal household. She also got to see her French relatives (her grandparents, uncles, cousins, etc.) She marries young. All seems to be relatively fine until her husband dies leaving her a widow at age seventeen or eighteen. Then the pressure builds. Who will marry Mary next? Who will decide? Will it be her French uncles? her Scottish brothers? her cousin Queen Elizabeth? Will she decide the matter for herself?

Here, I believe, is where the tragedy begins. For Mary makes some fateful decisions with horrible consequences. Blinded by love, perhaps, or maybe just misplaced trust she chooses abominable husbands, one after the other. The good news, if there is good news to be found, is that Henry Stuart, her second husband, at least left Mary with a baby, James, destined to be James VI of Scotland and eventually James I of England. (And all monarchs ever since have descended from this line.) The last half of the novel traces her fall. If Mary betrayed the trust of Queen Elizabeth, it is perhaps the direct result of almost everyone in Mary's life betraying her first. Every person in Mary's life had an agenda. Mary's tragic flaw is that she didn't see people's not-so-hidden agendas. She trusted those who were unworthy.

I love historical fiction. I do. Carolyn Meyer happens to be one of my favorite writers. I've enjoyed so many of her historical novels! While The Wild Queen isn't my absolute favorite, it is a very good novel, a bit more mature, however, than some of Meyer's previous novels.
 


© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Middle Ground (2012)

Middle Ground. Katie Kacvinsky. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 336 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

Middle Ground is the sequel to Awaken. Maddie, our heroine, has had her one last chance to conform. So when she brings attention to herself in L.A. by speaking out against virtual school, she ends up in a detention center; her sentence is for six months. Most of the novel focuses on the detention center, and on how corrupt the system is. Will Maddie survive the torturous rehabilitation process?! Can she hold onto who she is and what she believes in most?

I really have enjoyed this series of books. I liked Kacvinsky's focus on the dangers of technology and addiction. It isn't that technology is bad if used responsibly, but, it can be so addictive. In this future world, technology is used to keep the populace content and conformable--to keep them from thinking, questioning, and possibly rebelling.

There is a romance, but, to me this is a secondary story almost.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Below Stairs (1968)

Below Stairs: The Classic Kitchen Maid's Memoir That Inspired Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey. Margaret Powell. 1968/2012. St. Martin's Press. 224 pages. [Source: Library]

Below Stairs is one of two memoirs by Margaret Powell. As a young teen--fifteen, I believe--she entered service. (She left school to begin working to support her family a year or two earlier however.) Her first positions in service were as a kitchen maid. She later promoted herself to cook and sought out other positions with other families. The book tells of her experiences and shocks. One shock, for example, was when she found out she was to iron the shoe laces every morning in addition to polishing the shoes. It's a detailed look at work. Work as a maid is anything but fun, glamorous, exciting. Dreary, repetitive, exhausting comes more to mind. This memoir does not focus on any particular wealthy family; it is not a dramatic romance like Downton Abbey. 

I enjoyed reading Below Stairs. I found it to be a quick read. I liked that Powell enjoyed reading and tried her best to read what she could, when she could, even though there wasn't always a lot of free time. She worked very long hours, had very little time to herself, and was at times discouraged from seeking out books and wanting 'more'.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Twelve (newish) Board Books

Not That Tutu! Michelle Sinclair Colman. 2013. Random House. 20 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

Taylor loved her tutu.
She wore it everywhere.
She wore her tutu to school. 
"Not again," her mother sighed.
 She wore her tutu in the pool.
"Not again," her father moaned.

Not That Tutu is a cute story (maybe even a cute, cute story) about a little girl named Taylor and the family who loves her. (Attention being paid to mother, father, brother, grandmother, and a grandfather!) Taylor loves, loves, loves her pink tutu. She will never give up wearing it...or will she? What will her NEXT favorite clothing item be?!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

My Pretty Princess Dress: A Fancy Color Book. Ilanit Oliver. Illustrated by Genevieve Leloup. 2013. Scholastic. 12 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

I'm going to a fancy party! Can you help me find my perfect party dress? My dress has puffy sleeves like this red one. But this is not my dress.
This orange dress sparkles like mine! But this is not my dress.

Little ones can dress up this pretty princess by turning the pages. Each dress is a different color. There are six dresses in all. Which dress will be HER favorite? The red one? The orange one? The yellow one? The green one? The blue one? The pink one? I liked the premise and design of this one!

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

Shoe-La-La. Karen Beaumont. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. 2011/2013. Scholastic. 32 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

Scholastic has released a board book version of Shoe-La-La. This was a picture book that I loved a few years ago!

Party dresses, party hair...
Need new party shoes to wear.
Emily, Ashley, Kaitlyn, Claire! 
Let's go find the perfect pair!
Shoe-la-la!
They're everywhere.
Rows and rows!
These or those?
Up, up, on our tippy toes.
Can't wait to choose new shoes. 
Here goes!

Could I really be liking a book with SO MUCH glitter on the cover? I'm not a glitter-loving girl after all. But. I was pleasantly surprised by Karen Beaumont's Shoe-la-la! I found this book about four friends to be so much fun! The rhythm-and-rhyme of it worked for me. (I can be a bit picky, I know!) And the illustrations by LeUyen Pham, well, they were fantastic!!! I just love, love, love her work so very much!!! I don't know that I've ever read a book she's illustrated (or written) that I didn't end up loving!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

A Kiss for You! Joan Holub. Illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church. 2011. 14 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

A little hand can wave hello. And pat a puppy softly. A little hand can high-five.

How much can a little hand do? Quite a lot in this interactive novelty board book. The die-cut (magnetic) hand on the cover can interact with each spread of the book. My favorite? Probably the peek-a-boo or perhaps the blowing of a kiss.

It is a cute book though perhaps not the most exciting.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

I Love You! A Cloth Book with Mirror. Caroline Jayne Church. 2012. Scholastic. 6 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

I love my eyes.
I love my nose. 
I love my fingers.
I love my toes.
I love my arms and belly, too.
But most of all...

There's a small window of opportunity for cloth books and babies. But cloth books can be the perfect choice at times! So soft, so easy to chew, with easy pages to hold. This one would make a sweet choice perhaps for a baby shower or welcoming home gift! (It is never too early to start reading aloud!!!)

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

Horsey Up and Down: A Book of Opposites. Caroline Jayne Church. 2013. Scholastic. 12 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Horsey up.
Horsey down.
Horsey jumping all around.
Horsey white. 
Horsey black.
Horsey rolling on the track.

Opposites are explored in this rhyming board book. Horses are the subject: toy horses and real horses. Opposites explored: up/down, white/black, big/small. It may not be the best concept book available. But. For little ones showing an interest in horses, well, it may satisfy. A few of the pages interact. I like the up/down action on the cover for the merry-go-round horse. But the horse-jumping wheel was very tricky. I don't know if little hands could manage it.

Cute but not perfect.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

Baby and Me. Emma Dodd. 2013. Candlewick. 16 pages. [Source: Review Copy] 

This is me. And this...is my baby doll. Isn't she pretty? And I change her diaper. I play with her in the bath. Then I wrap her in a cozy towel and give her a big hug. 

I love this one. I do. It is cute. It is precious. It is sweet. It is recommended by the publisher for 3 years and up. This little girl (love her pigtails!) loves playing mommy with her doll. The book is very interactive. The reader can help rock the baby's cradle, change the baby's diaper, wrap the baby in a towel, etc. Each spread reveals a new aspect of the baby routine. The last spread holds a surprise: she's just as eager to "help" her mom take care of her new baby brother or sister. (The text doesn't tell us).

Love the illustrations in the details and the interactive features are just so precious!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

Giggle! Caroline Jayne Church. 2013. Scholastic. 10 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

Laugh out loud or just giggle!
Feel a tickle in your middle!
Roll around and touch your toes!
Give a grin! Wiggle your nose!

Will the sound of giggling be contagious? Some board books or novelty books have sound. This one has a giggle. At the press of a button, little ones and parents can hear a baby in giggly glee. The text, well, it rhymes and it's cutesy. (Caroline Jayne Church also wrote Potty Time, a board book with a flushing sound.)

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

Kiss, Kiss Good Night. Kenn Nesbitt. Illustrated by Rebecca Elliott. 2013. Scholastic. 12 pages. [Source: Review copy]

When baby bunnies go to bed,
their mothers kiss them on the head.
Inside their burrows, warm and deep,
they close their eyes and fall asleep.
When little kittens need to nap,
they snuggle in their mother's lap.
And, bundled up in fluffy fur,
they shut their eyes and start to purr.

Love baby animals? Love bedtime books? Love sweet rhymes? There's plenty to satisfy in this gentle, soothing board book by Ken Nesbitt. I really enjoyed this one!
The bunnies, the kittens, the lambs, the bear cub, and the baby chicks, they are all super-sweet.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

Whose Toes are Those. Sally Symes. Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. 2012. Candlewick. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Whose tail?
Whose toes?
Whose twitchy nose?
Mouse!
Whose tail?
Whose toes?
Whose cold, wet nose?
Dog!

Can your little one solve the mystery and guess the right answer to these questions? It's fun, cute, playful. The flaps reveal the right answers. I like the repetition and predictability of it.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

Away We Go! A Shape and Seek Book. Chieu Anh Urban. 2013. Scholastic. 20 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Away We Go is a celebration of transportation, shapes, bold colors and designs. It uses die-cuts on every page. New pictures are constructed in a very creative way. Every spread is very bold, bright, colorful. The shapes explored are: squares, triangles, hearts, circles, stars, diamonds, octagons, rectangles, and ovals. Some of the vehicles: a truck, a train, an ice cream truck, a sailboat, a spaceship, etc.

Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

Rain, Rain Go Away. Caroline Jayne Church. 2013. Scholastic. 12 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

Rain, rain go away.
Come again another day.
The little children want to play,
so rain, rain -- 
Please go away!

Caroline Jayne Church has illustrated a handful of songs now. Other board book titles include: This Little Light of Mine, You Are My Sunshine, and The More We Get Together. The illustrations are in her usual style: very cute and adorable in a sweet and precious kind of way. If you love Church's illustrations, then this one might be worth picking up. The text itself is not surprising.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

The Year of the Book (2012)

The Year of the Book. Andrea Cheng. Illustrated by Abigail Halpin. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 160 pages. [Source: Library]

The Year of the Book has a cozy feel to it, perhaps because of the hopeful outlook. Though Anna, our heroine, isn't absolutely loving all the changes that come with being in fourth grade, she has much to be thankful for. Anna gets great joy out of reading. Almost every chapter in this one includes Anna reading a new book or talking about a new book. Sometimes she's sharing memories of a book she loved, loved, loved long ago like Little Blue and Little Yellow (by Leo Lionni), and other times she's talking about her newest favorite-favorite book like A Wrinkle in Time or From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. I love her approach to life, if she has vacation, of course, she's going to spend it reading a new library book each day?! What else would she do?! But a love of book isn't all there is to Anna. She also loves to sew and make crafts. And it isn't hard to see that Anna cares about people deeply too. Sure, at the beginning, Anna seems like she is guarding herself a bit, hesitant to trust her old friend, Laura, since Laura has seemed so different, not quite herself since the start of the new school year. I love how open her heart is, though. How Anna takes time to care for people that may not receive a lot of attention or notice or care. There is something real about Anna and that is what I appreciated most in this tender novel.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass (2012)

Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The Story Behind An American Friendship. Russell Freedman. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 128 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

I do enjoy Russell Freedman's nonfiction works for children and teens. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass includes a brief biography or introduction to two well-known men; each man, of course, deserving fuller treatment than this one book allows. The book begins with Frederick Douglass waiting to meet the President, Mr. Lincoln. The president has visiting hours every day, and Mr. Douglass is hopeful that he will get the chance to speak with him. Though Douglass hasn't always supported Lincoln's politics completely, or his policies completely. It is because of certain grievances that he is visiting there. He wants the president to be aware of certain conditions facing black soldiers. He wants the president to do something, to act. After that first brief glimpse of a meeting, readers then get the opportunity to learn about both men. There are chapters devoted to Frederick Douglass and chapters devoted to Abraham Lincoln. Through the biographies of both men--well partial biographies bringing the reader up to date, up to the Civil War--readers get a glimpse of the problems facing the nation. There is a definite focus on the war years 1861-1865.


© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon: Reading The Jungle Book (1894/95)

The Jungle Book. Rudyard Kipling. 1894/1895/2012. Random House. 320 pages. 

The Looking Glass Edition published by Random House in 2012 and featuring an introduction by Neil Gaiman includes the following stories and poems in its edition of The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Brothers, Hunting Song of the Seeonee Pack, Kaa's Hunting, Road Song of the Bandar-Log, How Fear Came, The Law of the Jungle, Tiger-Tiger!, Mowgli's Song, Letting in the Jungle, Mowgli's Song Against People, The King's Ankus, The Song of the Little Hunter, Red Dog, Chil's Song, The Spring Running, The Outsong, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, and Darzee's Chant. Essentially readers get nine stories and nine poems that were originally published in the Jungle Book and the Second Jungle Book. These stories were published in 1894 and 1895.

For better or worse, this publication excludes The White Seal, Lukannon, Toomai of the Elephants, Shiv and the Grasshopper, Her Majesty's Servants, Parade Song of the Camp Animals, The Miracle of Purun Bhagat, A Song of Kabir, The Undertakers, A Ripple Song, Quiquern, and Angutivaun Taina. These stories and poems were also included in the original publications of the Jungle Book and the Second Jungle Book. I haven't read the excluded stories, so perhaps the editors did choose the best of the best to represent Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book.

If I had to choose just one word to describe the Jungle Book, it would be DIFFERENT. It is an adventure story, and adventure stories are not uncommon. But even in its writing--the language, the sentence structure, the flow, etc.--it is different, or, unique. Almost all of the stories in this newly published edition are about Mowgli, a young boy raised by a pack of wolves in the Indian jungle. He was accepted into the wolf pack and two other animals had a hand (so to speak) in bringing him up: Bagheera, a black panther, and Baloo, a bear. Many stories stand on their own as separate adventures. Some stories focus on the dangers within the jungle that Mowgli faces--the monkey, the tiger Shere Khan, the cobra king, the dhole, etc. Some stories focus on the dangers Mowgli faces from outside the jungle, mainly the nearby villagers led by Buldeo.

The main animals readers get to know are: Bagheera, Baloo, Kaa, Hathi, and Akela.

The Jungle Book isn't exactly my kind of book. These are not the kind of stories that excite me.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

In A Glass Grimmly (2012)

In A Glass Grimmly. Adam Gidwitz. 2012. Penguin. 192 pages.

I loved the first book, A Tale Dark and Grimm, a fairy-tale inspired novel starring Hansel and Gretel. The second book focuses on Jack and Jill. This one is inspired by a smaller number of fairy tales, a few nursery rhymes, and The Goblin Market. I'm not sure why this one didn't work for me quite as well as the first novel; perhaps the disappointment comes from having such high expectations?! The first novel surprised and wowed me, this one not so much. In a Glass Grimmly has a definite moral to it. Both Jill and Jack struggle with self-confidence. Both rely solely on others' opinions of themselves. If people like them, then they feel fine. Otherwise, they both are miserable. Jill is always being criticized by her mother, the selfish Queen. Jack is always being teased and bullied by the other boys in the village. Both crave approval and praise from others. The adventure is all about how they learn to see themselves truly and accept themselves just the way they are. Though I was more annoyed than entertained, it could just be a matter of bad timing.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

The Bronte Sisters (2012)

The Bronte Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. Catherine Reef. 2012. Clarion. 240 pages.

This is a young adult biography of three Victorian writers: Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte. While it is titled Bronte Sisters it is in all honesty a look at the whole Bronte family, plenty of attention is given to their father, aunt, and brother. Beyond giving biographical details, the book focuses on the creative writing and creative world-making of all the Brontes. The author does discuss the works of each sister in some detail. For better or worse, the book discussions involve major spoilers. It was interesting to see how each book was received by the reading public or by the reviewing public! And how perceptions changed with each additional publication! For example, how perceptions of Jane Eyre changed a bit after Wuthering Heights was published!
Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books, so I just loved reading about its publication and initial impressions.

The book is a personal look into their lives. It also provides some context for readers interested in this time period. I liked this one. I would recommend it for those looking for an introduction to these writers.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

A Dangerous Inheritance (2012)

A Dangerous Inheritance. Alison Weir. 2012. Hutchinson. 515 pages.

I didn't exactly like Alison Weir's A Dangerous Inheritance. Yet I have to admit that I found it compelling. This is historical fiction. A Dangerous Inheritance tells the story of two young women: Kate Plantagenet, the illegitimate daughter of Richard III, and Katherine Grey, the younger sister of Lady Jane Grey. Politics is heavy in the alternating narratives. Both narrators seem doomed or trapped to live unhappy lives because of their families, because of who they are.

Kate's story is set in the 1480s. Her narrative provides some glimpses of Richard III. Mainly readers get plenty of scenes with Kate overhearing gossipy things about her father. Kate doesn't truly believe that her father is capable of murdering his two nephews, though she might be convinced that some of the others are murder: men being accused of betrayal and killed without trial. Towards the end, readers get to see Kate unhappy but passionate love affair. (She is in love with one man and married to another).  Not much is known about Richard III's daughter, and Weir's portrait is completely fictional.

Katherine's story begins in the 1550s, I believe. Her story remains tragic throughout the book. In a way, it is her story that makes this novel compelling. Yet, at the same time her sections could be infuriating because of the way the characters talked about Richard III! One element of her story was her curiosity to discover what happened to the two princes in the tower. The focus was also on romance and politics. If Katherine had been born into another family, perhaps, she could have married and been happy. If Katherine had been born into another family, perhaps, the Queen wouldn't have cared if she married. But Katherine served unto two Queens, Mary and Elizabeth. And Elizabeth did not want Katherine married, forbid her to marry actually. So Katherine's story of defiance is bittersweet.

There were many things I didn't exactly like in this one. Yet there were elements in both stories that I did care about to a degree.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Cross My Heart (2012)

Cross My Heart. Sasha Gould. 2012. Random House. 272 pages.

Cross My Heart is an enjoyable historical romance set in Venice in 1585. Laura, our heroine, was miserable in the convent, but her sister's tragic death changes everything: for her sister's death means Laura is now her father's pawn. Her sister's future husband is now her future husband. The thought disgusts her. Laura doesn't really appreciate her father's politics and his scheming to always make the best deal, the best alliance. Laura's options are few: she can choose to trust her father OR she can choose to trust a secret league of dangerous women. Women holding secrets--big secrets at times--that try to manage things behind-the-scenes. If Laura tells them a secret, they assure her she won't have to marry that repulsive man. But are these women especially trustworthy?

Cross My Heart IS a romance. Laura meets a young man, a painter. The attraction for both is very strong. But Laura is having a hard time trusting anyone as she discovers that secrets are ever-abundant and no one is quite as they appear...

I definitely liked this one.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Deadweather and Sunrise (2012)

Chronicles of Egg #1: Deadweather and Sunrise. Geoff Rodkey. 2012. Penguin. 288 pages.

What I enjoyed most in Geoff Rodkey's novel, Deadweather and Sunrise, (the first in the Chronicles of Egg series) was the writing or storytelling. For example, I loved how this pirate-adventure (set in an alternate--though at times familiar--world) began:

 "Nobody lived on Deadweather but us and the pirates. It wasn't hard to understand why. For one thing, the weather was atrocious. Eleven months out of twelve, it was brutally hot and humid, with no wind at all, so on a bad day the air felt like a hot, soggy blanket smothering you from all sides. And the other month was September, which meant hurricanes. Then there was the volcano. It hadn't actually blown in ages, but it belched smoke and shook the earth enough to scare away anybody who might've overlooked the pirates and the weather." 

There are plenty of descriptive details in this coming-of-age adventure quest.

Egbert (Egg) is often mistreated by his immediate family (his father and older brothers). Kindness and compassion being foreign concepts to him. He's only known one way of being treated, only one way of "being" or "belonging" in a family. So when life as he knows it changes dramatically, he's at a loss. His ENTIRE family went up in a hot-air balloon, never to return. They are presumed dead after several weeks of presumed searching. The man who takes Egg into his own home and introduces him to his own family has layers of secrets as Egg discovers. There is one person that Egg comes to love dearly during his stay. The daughter, Millicent. She's an interesting character, in a way. And I appreciated her perhaps a little more than the other sidekick, Guts.

If you enjoy action-adventure stories with secrets, mysteries, pirates, and an ultimate hunt for treasure, then this may be a good match.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Whatever After: Fairest of All (2012)

Whatever After: Fairest of All. Sara Mlynowski. 2012. Scholastic. 170 pages.

Abby and Jonah are modern day children traveling--at least in this first book--through a magic mirror to the land of fairy tales.   Abby and her brother Jonah accidentally ruined the story of Snow White when they prevented her from eating the witch's poisoned apple. Now, they must come up with a way to set things right, and introduce Snow White to her Prince Charming (Prince Trevor). Of course, this won't be an easy task, but with a little teamwork, anything can be accomplished.

I liked this one. After reading heavier books like Sever and The Wall, it is nice to have something so deliciously light and completely non-serious.

Read Whatever After: Fairest of All

• If you're looking for a new series to introduce to young readers (age 8+)
• If you are looking for a new fantasy series for the youngest of readers 
• If you enjoy fairy tale retellings AND children's books (this is NOT a YA book; it is clearly a children's book.)

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews