Review of Blubber by Judy Blume

 

Blubber is a good name for her, the note from Wendy says about Linda. Jill crumples it up and leaves it on the corner of her desk. She doesn't want to think about Linda or her dumb report on the whale just now. Jill wants to think about Halloween.

But Robby grabs the note, and before Linda stops talking it has gone halfway around the room.

That's where it all starts. There's something about Linda that makes a lot of kids in her fifth-grade class want to see how far they can go -- but nobody, least of all Jill, expects the fun to end where it does.
A New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year

Goodreads * Amazon

(affiliate links included)

**My thoughts**

Judy Blume's books were a staple of my childhood reading. Her books were so relevant to us at the time and she was actively publishing during my childhood. I remember reading Blubber when I was in about the 4th grade and really felt like I related to Linda because I was that chunky girl in my class. In fact, the title of this book likely did encourage some of the kids to give me the same moniker, though I somewhat ignored them. And I also sort of related to Jill and her friends, because I know I was a part of making fun of other children as well.

Fast forward to me being a middle-aged adult. I almost cringe reading this now. Narrator Jill is much nastier about Linda than I remember reading when I was a kid. If that isn't bad enough, I can hear her words in my own voice, reminding me of how mean I could also be as a kid. [I feel like we all had our moments.] And I don't think it hit me as hard back then how bullied Jill was as well, particularly for not following along with Wendy and her crew all the time. I'd like to think that in the past several years, we've been working on teaching children to act better. But the problem continues to persist, at least as bad as depicted in this story.

For the first time, I realized that this book also tackles children bullying adults, as they go after their neighbor, Mr. Machinist, on Halloween. This is something that we don't often think about when we are talking about kids and how they treat others.

And then there is my teacher side. I've been an educator my entire adult life. It also hurts me to see teachers portrayed as not noticing the bullying going on. And yet, I know that's a sad fact of life, even today. I like to think that I'm more on top of it than my peers in the field. But I also work with younger children, so it's different. Even worse is how some of the teachers are also doing some of the bullying. I know everyone would like to think that teachers don't do that, but I continue to witness some appalling behavior and comments out of teachers to this day.

But I'm glad that it hurts and has an impact on me, even as an adult. It just proves to me that this book is still important. Bullying is sadly an ongoing issue among children [and adults], and something that I'm not sure we'll ever completely eradicate. But reading a book like this could easily provoke some good conversations between adults and children. Some children may recognize themselves in the story, which is also important. My hope is that they would be more aware of their own words and actions and make the appropriate adjustments. 

 

Review of #GrowYourCircle (Mila on Purpose Book 1) by Professor Stork

   

Mila is a young girl with a strong sense of purpose. She also listens and pays attention to the words and thoughts of wise advisers, like her parents and teachers. Through everyday actions imbued with kindness and consideration, Mila is intent on fostering positive change in her community and across the globe.

#GrowYourCircle is a trailblazing graphic novel for children 6-10, their parents and teachers. The book nurtures children’s innate sense of purpose and helps build strong, positive leadership skills.

On Amazon

Kindle * Paperback * Hardcover

(Affiliate links included)

**My thoughts**

This book has a great message for kids about how doing one small thing can actually lead to something tremendous. Mila is fascinated by the new girl in class, but isn't sure how to approach her. She has a wonderful conversation with her mother, strategizing about how to reach out and to "grow her circle" of people in her life. It's something that we all need to learn how to do - get to know other people outside of our comfort zone of the usual suspects. And the two girls learn a lot about becoming friends, their similiarities and differences. The intertwining of their worlds makes their worlds grow and thrive. Parts of their story reminds me of my own childhood, meeting new people from diverse backgrounds and having our families get to know each other.

The story really does seem to come from a young girl, as the accompanying illustrations are more juvenile than you usually see in books. It makes me feel like a child actually did the bulk of it. I think that could inspire children to maybe make their own friendship stories and books.

There's also the social media aspect where the kids come up with the hashtag #GrowYourCircle. If appropriate, it could turn into a class project to see if they could create their own special project to fulfill this hashtag and its ideas. At the very least, there are activities at the end of the book that could be used in the classroom or even at home.

I received a requested review copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Professor Stork is on a mission to write and publish books that help children build and nurture self-worth, creativity, compassion, leadership skills and a sense of purpose. He believes children are catalysts for positive change, and that reading is a way for them to begin the journey leading to a fulfilling, purposeful life.

Review of Sophie Washington: Treasure Beach by Tonya Duncan Ellis

 

Hey, y'all, there's a new Sophie Washington book out! And if you follow the blog at all, you know that these books are among my favorite contemporary reads for elementary/middle grade kids. Today you get a sneak peek inside with an excerpt and then get to read all of my thoughts. Let the author know your thoughts in the comments section. Check out the rest of the tour and best of luck in the giveaway!

Friends to the End by C.L. Colyer

 

Friendship and adventure are the name of the game in Friends to the End by C.L. Colyer. Read an excerpt from this middle grade action adventure book and then learn a bit more about the author in a special guest post. Follow the tour for more! Best of luck in the giveaway!

Twelve-year-old Zach is convinced he'll never be happy without his best friend Jeremy by his side. But both of their lives changed with a bang five months ago, and as far as Zach's concerned, it's his fault Jeremy will never see his twelfth birthday.

When Zach moves with his family to a Chicago suburb, he quickly becomes friends with a group of thrill-seeking kids trying to find a disappearing haunted house. But Zach's not worried. He doesn't believe in ghosts, so he follows them into a wild, dangerous encounter that becomes a battle to decide what's real and what's not.

Read an excerpt:

My bewildered gaze slithered from Dom to Josh, finally coming to a stop on Morgan as I tried to decide if they were crazy.

“If the house is invisible, how do you expect to find it?” I asked.

Morgan sat on the stoop next to me. “It’s not always invisible. My brothers saw it once. They said it’s a big house with a long porch. It vanished before they could set foot on the first step, and I’m glad, too.”

“Why? What would have happened if they were on the steps?” I asked. Not because I believed an old ghost story had any truth to it, but I was curious to know what she’d say.

Morgan had to pick her jaw up from the walkway before she could answer, and when she did her voice came out in a high-pitched squeak. “If they had been on the porch or worse—” she swallowed loudly “—inside, they would have disappeared with it.”

Buy on Amazon

(affiliate link included) 

You find yourself on a deserted island. What 10 things do you most wish to have?

I love this question.

1. At the top of my list is a book on how to survive in the wild. Journey to the Center of the Earth might do, too. There are a lot of tips woven into the story.
2. My husband or friends. I’d really hate to be stranded alone.
3. Fresh water.
4. Coffee. Please let there be coffee beans. I’ll learn how to roast them if it means a fresh cup of coffee each morning.
5. Based on my recent experience lighting logs in a fireplace, I’m going to need help building a fire, so multiple lighters.
6. Hairbands, because without my shampoo and conditioner my hair is going to be an uncontrollable wild mass of curls and frizz.
7. My favorite pair of hiking boots. They’re warm, comfy, and grip the ground no matter the surface.
8. A warm blanket in case it gets cold.
9. A chest full of great fantasy books. I might not even notice I’m on a deserted island if I have enough reading material.
10. Pens and journals. Just think of how much writing I could get done with all that free time!

Thanks, Andi, for having me on your wonderful blog. And thank you for stopping by!

C.L. Colyer found her love for writing in first grade when her class was sent to the library and asked to find a book for their first book report. While she doesn’t still have this book report, she’s very proud to say she got an A on it. Her favorite thing about the book was that it had no words. That’s right, not one! That gave her the freedom to interpret the pictures in any way she wanted and write her own story.

This sparked her love for writing essays. It wasn’t until she was an adult that she sat down and penned her first novel. This story has a special place in her heart because it’s the story that helped her discover her passion for writing. She has since written several books, many of which may never see the light of day, but all of which helped her learn to combine her passion for writing with her fascination with all things mythical. You’ll find examples of this in her novels.

She lives in Illinois with her family.

Keep in Touch:

Website: https://cheriecolyer.com/children/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cherie-Colyer-author-250631921629169

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CherieColyer

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cherie_colyer/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21748654.C_L_Colyer

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/C-L-Colyer/e/B09C6JPT3X/

Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cherie-colyer

Cherie Colyer will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Review of A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee

 

From debut author Lisa Moore Ramée comes this funny and big-hearted debut middle grade novel about friendship, family, and standing up for what’s right, perfect for fans of Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give and the novels of Renée Watson and Jason Reynolds.

Twelve-year-old Shayla is allergic to trouble. All she wants to do is to follow the rules. (Oh, and she’d also like to make it through seventh grade with her best friendships intact, learn to run track, and have a cute boy see past her giant forehead.)

But in junior high, it’s like all the rules have changed. Now she’s suddenly questioning who her best friends are and some people at school are saying she’s not black enough. Wait, what?

Shay’s sister, Hana, is involved in Black Lives Matter, but Shay doesn't think that's for her. After experiencing a powerful protest, though, Shay decides some rules are worth breaking. She starts wearing an armband to school in support of the Black Lives movement. Soon everyone is taking sides. And she is given an ultimatum.

Shay is scared to do the wrong thing (and even more scared to do the right thing), but if she doesn't face her fear, she'll be forever tripping over the next hurdle. Now that’s trouble, for real.

Book Links

Goodreads * Amazon * BN * Kobo * iBooks * Google Play * Indigo 

**My thoughts**

I remember prior to this book's release, there was a lot of hype surrounding it, especially among the various book tour companies I blog for. But there was never a review option, and I knew I wanted to read it. So I put it on my TBR.

I finally read it for the first time about a year ago and was blown away. There's so much going on here that I think a lot of readers could relate to it.

The story tackles the embarrassment of puberty, bullying, first real crushes, parental rules, and the complicated dynamics of middle school friendships. I totally flashed back to my middle school days.

And then the book goes a little deeper into things like racial identity. Shayla is Black, Isabella is Puerto Rican, and Julia is Asian. They have always called themselves the United Nations, but are now more aware of some of their cultural differences. Naturally, some of the kids are starting to gravitate toward those with the same backgrounds at this age as they are developing more of a cultural identity. (Example: It's nice to be around people who understand that Chinese, Japanese, and Korean are not all the same.) But then there is also that desire to stay with your friends whom you love for being who they are. I appreciated them getting into the stereotypes and trying to dispel them while also embracing themselves for who they are and eventually seeking unification again. (Example: Not all Latinx people are from Mexico.)

Shayla also describes a lot of the problems that we are still facing in schools with some teachers being tone deaf to diversity and being so quick to stereotype or assume the worst of a student. [I keep thinking of Bernard. I love Bernard. I've taught many students like Bernard.] And she does highlight those teachers who are setting a good example. Plus there's some commentary of how teachers need to diversify what they're teaching and exposing kids to, because there's more out there than the dead white man's books. (I totally agree.)

And then there is the trial of an officer who shot and killed an unarmed Black man who was walking away from her. This is something we've been seeing quite often in the news, making this situation quite relevant. The book masterfully explains what Black Lives Matter actually means and how you can actively support the cause, even if you are not at a protest blocking traffic, for example. 

The important lessons Shayla learns are how to find her inner strengths, to be a good friend, a good leader, and how to find the good kind of trouble to really make a difference.

I think a lot of kids will find recognition in this story. I think reading it can lead to a lot of reflection and great conversation, whether at home or at school. And I think teachers could learn a lot about themselves by seeing that middle school world through a student's eyes.

I would love to catch up with Shayla again. But at the very least, I am adding author Lisa Moore Ramee to my perpetual reading list. Great debut book. 

Review of Trygg the Dinosaur by Paula Louise Salvador illustrated by John Bindon

 

Welcome to the review tour for Trygg the Dinosaur, written by Paula Louise Salvador and illustrated by John Bindon. Today I am sharing my thoughts about the book with you as well as an excerpt. You can also read an author interview at my site Candrel's Crafts, Cooks, and Characters. Please follow the tour and leave your questions and comments along the way. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

Trygg and Alta are two young dinosaurs from opposite sides of the floodplain.

He's small in size and all alone in the world. He's looking for some meat to eat.

She's large and tall, and she hasn't seen her parents in days. She's looking for some plants to eat.

Could they really become friends?

This story takes place seventy-six million years ago, but good friendships can last forever.

Not that it is ever easy.

The hardest part is to stay loyal to each other in spite of what the rest of the herd thinks.

Read an excerpt:

On the other side of the lake, the surrounding cliff quivered. A chunk of dark grey earth slid off the slope and gushed through the water. Barely ahead of the mud, another Troödon was running, kicking water into the air. He jumped onto the sand just before the sludge buried the shore behind him. The animal lurched forward then pulled up short. He was huge, bigger than the whole nest.

The little Troödon stretched both arms out. “Take me with you!”

The big Troödon leaned over, but instead of lifting him up, he placed a long clawed finger on his small head and pushed him roughly down, right on top of the closest egg.

“Hey!” the little dinosaur sputtered from the mess of smashed shell and sticky yolk. “That’s no way to help a friend.”

The big Troödon fixed his fierce yellow eyes on him, quickly sizing him up. “I got no time for friends,” he yelled as he sprinted off the island. His deep voice carried back over the water.

“You’re on your own, runt.”

The little Troödon knew that he had to save himself. A mass of clay, stones and broken sticks was rising fast around him. He planted one foot in the base of his nest, then he hooked the strongest toe claw of his other foot into the rim. He pushed off and jumped out just before the mud surged over the edge and buried all the other eggs.

“Run!” he cried. “But where?”

PURCHASE LINKS

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AMAZON * KINDLE * BOOKSHOP * INDIGO CHAPTERS * BARNES & NOBLE * BOOK DEPOSITORY * RAKUTEN KOBO * SMASHWORDS * APPLE BOOKS

**My thoughts**

This story reminded me of a Land Before Time installment for older kids. You have these two young dinosaurs who have been orphaned soon after they hatch. Trygg is a meat-eater and Alta is a plant-eater. There's no way that they should be friends, and yet they strike up a friendship in spite of what their respective herds believe. And it's not easy to do so. You learn a lot about friendship and being kind.

I also learned some new dinosaurs! Even after 20 years of teaching, I'm still learning new dinosaurs. So that was fun for me. At the back of the book, you get some facts about the various ones represented in this story.

And the illustrations are just stunning. I have one friend who is able to draw like that and I am always blown away by them. It's a talent I'll never have! 

Chapters are nice and short which will keep children's interest. I think it could make for a good read aloud.

Thank you to the author and Goddess Fish for providing me with a requested review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Paula Louise Salvador has had great adventures as a documentary film maker and writer. The scariest was when she stood under the ribs of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton – in the dark! The most fun was filming dinosaur dig-sites from a helicopter. On the dangerous side, she had to dodge alligators in Mississippi – and keep all fingers and toes out of the water.

Paula has met fascinating people, particularly jazz legend Oscar Peterson and composer Philip Glass, who performed in her show on electronic music.

In “BUILD GREEN” for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s “THE NATURE OF THINGS”, Paula and Dr. David Suzuki visited rock star Randy Bachman’s super sustainable house. (He played his guitar for us.)

Finally, it was a tiny dinosaur that captured Paula’s heart. For her documentary “DINOSAUR BABIES The North American Story”, Paula held the fossilized egg of a little Troödon. He was curled up inside, just about to hatch. (His leg bones looked like a chicken’s.) That’s where Paula’s story of Trygg begins.

Paula has a Masters in French Literature from l’Université de Provence, France and a Bachelor of Arts (including Children’s Literature) from McGill University, Canada.

CONNECT WITH PAULA

WEBSITE: https://tryggthedinosaur.com/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/paulalouisesalvador/?hl=en

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-louise-salvador-44b92711/?originalSubdomain=ca

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/paula.salvador.31521

Paula Louise Salvador will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Review of Sophie Washington: My BFF by Tonya Duncan Ellis

Welcome to another stop on the tour for one of my current favorite middle grade series! The latest Sophie Washington book is My BFF, and it's one that I think kids of all ages are going to relate to. Read more of my thoughts after an excerpt and then be sure to grab your own copy. Leave comments and questions for the author as you follow the tour. And of course, there's a great giveaway!

Review of Rating Your Bunkmates and Other Camp Crimes by Jennifer Orr

Twelve-year-old Abigail Hensley is a socially awkward aspiring anthropologist who has always had trouble connecting with her peers. Abigail is hopeful that a week at sleepaway camp is the answer to finally making a friend. After all, her extensive research shows that summer camp is the best place to make lifelong connections. Using her tried-and-true research methods, Abigail begins to study her cabinmates for friendship potential. But just when it seems that she is off to a good start, her bunkmate's phone gets stolen, and Abigail is the main suspect. Can she clear her name, find the real culprit, and make a friend before the week is done?

Book Links

Goodreads * Amazon * B&N * IndieBound

(affiliate link included)

**My thoughts**
Friendships are complicated, especially when you are in your tween years. Add to that being someone who is an academic genius who has skipped a couple of grades, and you really have your work cut out for you. Abigail has always struggled to have friends in her life. She knows what she is supposed to do on paper, but has a great deal of difficulty applying those concepts in real life. She also is extremely literal, which means she is often confused by her interactions with her peers. Honestly, she reminded me of someone on the autism spectrum.

Abigail is determined to make friends at summer camp this year. She goes about doing so in a methodical, scientific manner, attributing scores to her bunkmates via a matrix she has created to determine their worth as a friend. As expected, this does not go over too well, especially when the other girls find out what is going on. And add in a mystery as to who stole the forbidden phone brought in by one of the other girls, as well as some other shady happenings, and you get some interesting results.

From the friendship standpoint, I think a lot of kids will be able to relate to the difficulties of finding true friends during this trying years. Most of them are not going to go about it in the same way that Abigail does, but I think they will understand some of her confusion. I think they may also learn to be more tolerant of those kids whom they peg as "different" because of their intelligence or poorer social skills. Maybe they will learn how to communicate with some of those kids and find the value in befriending all kinds of people. The other girls at the camp learn how to do this. It's my favorite part of the whole book.

The mystery part is also a lot of fun, and definitely would have been right up my alley in my younger days. I admit that I didn't quite figure out who the culprit was until the end.

Overall, it was quite an enjoyable read. I gave it 4.5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for my review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review of The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee by Deborah Abela

The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee

India Wimple can spell. Brilliantly. Every Friday night, she and her family watch the Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee on TV. When the Wimples suggest she enter the next Bee, India feels nothing but trepidation. She's sure she's not good enough – but with the support of her family, India finds the courage to sign up.

There are plenty of obstacles to reaching the finals, like Summer Millicent Ernestine Beauregard-Champion, a spoiled rich girl who isn't afraid to step on anyone who gets in her way of winning.

The whole thing seems rather calamitous to India. But with hope, hard work, and a little bit of heart, something splendiferous might be on the horizon...

Book Links

Goodreads * Amazon * B&N

**My thoughts**

India is a girl after my own heart. She loves words and spelling and dreams of a winning a spelling bee. But she also has horrid stagefright. But she finally decides to take a chance and enters the spelling bee that she and her family regularly watch.

India has amazing support from her family, the Whimples, and all of Yungabilla. And she is fiercely devoted to them, willing to sacrifice her dreams for her brother Boo's health and her family's financial status. It shows how she has a big heart and how doing good for others can lead to others doing good for you.

The book also gives a peek into how parents can be completely overbearing in the name of winning and how much pain they cause when spoiling and ignoring their kids. India is one who is able to step up and be a friend to these kids, in spite of their treatment. It's a great lesson for kids on kindness. And parents should take note of the horrible behavior of these other parents and what they do their kids' self esteem.

Each chapter is headed by a vocabulary word with definition and sentence example. It's a great not-so-subtle unconscious way to impart some new vocabulary on readers. I got a kick out of that part.

Overall, a fun read for elementary kids that they could enjoy on their own or that could lead to some good classroom discussions.

Thank you to NetGalley for my review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review of Sophie Washington: Secret Santa by Tonya Duncan Ellis

The holiday season is upon us, so of course we have a new holiday-themed Sophie Washington book to read and enjoy! If you follow this blog at all, you know that I am a big fan of this series, and this installment is no exception. Please enjoy my review and then follow the tour to get the thoughts of others. Be sure to leave Tonya any comments or questions you may have. And of course enter the giveaway!

Review of 'Eclair Meets a Gypsy' by M. Weidenbenner

Éclair Meets a Gypsy

M. Weidenbenner, Author
Melody Duval, Illustrator

AWARD-WINNING and BEST-SELLING AUTHOR

Kay Kline, retired first-grade teacher, “A fun chapter book with just enough magic and reality. Adults will enjoy it too!”

Vie Herlocker, author and editor, “Funny...entertaining... Éclair resembles a modern-day Junie B. Jones.”

“Kid-friendly… page-turning fun… adventure with real-life challenges,” said Crystal Bowman, best-selling children’s book author and speaker.

Early Reader for girls first – third grade. (6-8 years old)

Eccentric Grandma Stella is taking in boarders. Not the kind that talk, but the kind that neigh. Horses. When seven-year-old Éclair meets the first boarder and its owner, a girl Éclair’s age who’s dressed like a gypsy, the girl says her horse can read minds and will cast a spell on Éclair. Does the horse really have magic? If so, maybe the horse could make Éclair’s secret wish come true.

**My thoughts**

Eclair is starting to slowly adjust to living with her eccentric grandmother, but still doesn't understand a lot of the world around her. You can tell that she didn't spend a lot of time out in the country with her grandmother, prior to having to move in with her. 

I love that she is young enough that she still has complete faith in the possibility of magic and making wishes. With everything going on in her little world, she needs that innocent trust and magic. She also needs some friends, and not just of the horse kind. Lina seems to need the same in her life. I feel like these two little girls are going to become the best of friends and have all kinds of adventures. I would love to see how Eclair later handles the balance between her best friend back home and her newfound best friend in Indiana.

These stories are very sweet. They go by quickly, throwing in little life lessons while also bringing a smile to your face as you read about Eclair's world. I agree that she will be as appealing to little girls as Junie B. Jones, but definitely prefer this child over Junie. (I have never been a fan of Junie B. Jones.)

Buy on Amazon | B&N

Put Eclair Meets A Gypsy on your TBR list

Eclair Goes to Stella's

Chapter Book for first-third grade girls. Early Reader.

"Humor...action...and emotion. A great read!" Crystal Bowman, bestselling children's author. 

"Funny, sad, heart-warming and genuine--all at once." Renee Gray-Wilburn, Co-author of "Grandparenting Through Obstacles."

When Eclair's mother leaves home, Eclair and her little sister must go live on a farm with Stella, their eccentric grandma.

"More and more, grandparents today are assuming the role of part-time or even full-time caregivers for their grandkids. In Eclair Goes to Stella's, we see how one grandmother bravely and creatively steps into this role to help her family through a difficult situation. I'm certain that children everywhere will be able to relate to the range of emotions that little Éclair faces as she struggles to adjust to her new living arrangements then begins to welcome the love and care her grandmother offers." ~ Renee Gray-Wilburn, co-author of Grandparenting Through Obstacles: Overcoming Family Challenges to Reach Your Grandchildren for Christ (Pix-N-Pens, 2012).

There is a growing trend in America--grandparents raising grandchildren. According to the AARP's Grandfacts, "Across the United States, almost 7.8 million children are living in homes where grandparents or other relatives are the householders, with more than 5.8 million children living in grandparents' homes and nearly 2 million children living in other relatives' homes. These families are often called grandfamilies."

**My thoughts**

Unfortunately, Eclair's situation is starting to become more and more prevalent. Parents are suffering from mental illness or other disorders and must go get themselves some help. All that Eclair knows is that Mommy has gone somewhere so that she won't be sad anymore. Her father needs to find a different job, so that he can support the family. So, Grandma, who prefers to simply be called Stella, is going to take care of the kids while their parents try to rebuild their family.

As an adult, my heart was aching for Eclair and her sister. I have fond memories of hanging out in Indiana and on family farms in the summers, but that was for fun, not necessity like in this book. The girls have been completely uprooted, are living with someone who is essentially a stranger, and are trying to make sense of this crazy new world.

I was almost reminded of Ramona Quimby when reading this first book. Eclair has some silly notions about her little world, which are completely believable and understandable at her age and in her situation. Ramona is one of my all-time favorite characters in chapter books for kids. I feel like Eclair will quickly join her ranks.

 

About the author:

Michelle grew up in the burbs of Detroit with five brothers. No sisters. Each time her mom brought the boy bundle home from the hospital she cried, certain her mom liked boys better than girls. But when her brothers pitched in with the cooking, cleaning, and babysitting, without drama, she discovered having brothers wasn’t so bad. They even taught her how to take direct criticism without flinching, which comes in handy with book reviews.

When she’s not writing she’s winning ugly on the tennis court. She’s known as “Queen of the Rim Shots.” No joke. It’s ugly.

Where to find Michelle:

Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Literary Addicts | Goodreads | Website | Pinterest | LinkedIn

Blog link: http://www.randomwritingrants.com Random Writing Rants Teaching adults and teens how to get published

Follow the Tour

Chinese Heritage Tales by Camille Picott

Chinese Heritage Tale Tour

by Camille Picott

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Raggedy Chan (novelette)

Emma Chan-McDougal receives a special gift from her Auntie Gracie: a rag doll named Raggedy Chan. But Raggedy Chan is no ordinary doll. She is a beautiful Chinese princess who lives in a jasper palace on the enchanted isle of Kunlun. The peace of her island home is threatened when Drought Fury steals Winged Dragon, bringer of rain. Without Winged Dragon, Kunlun will wither and die.

To save her stricken homeland, Raggedy Chan sets forth alone. Her quest leads her to America, where she meets people who distrust her because she’s different. Can Raggedy Chan adapt to the strange ways of this new land and rescue her beloved dragon?

In this modern fairy tale, Chinese-American author Camille Picott draws on her heritage to weave a story of magic, adventure, and sacrifice.

Read an excerpt:

“What do you have in there?” Emma eyed the large canvas bag hanging from Auntie Gracie’s shoulder.

Auntie Gracie smiled. “I show you. Come sit on couch.”

Emma scrambled up, pulling the red-haired rag doll into her lap. Auntie Gracie sat beside her, picking up the doll.

“This your favorite toy?”

“It’s from Grandma McDougal,” Emma said. “She had a raggedy doll just like this one when she was a little girl.”

Auntie Gracie pursed her lips and placed the doll on the coffee table. She reached into the canvas bag and pulled out a new rag doll. The yarn pigtails hung long and black. She wore a bright red dress and a white smock. Her black eyes, stitched of thread, had a distinct almond shape.

“She for you.” Auntie Gracie plopped the new doll into Emma’s lap. “Her name Raggedy Chan.”

“Raggedy Chan?” Emma burst into giggles, hugging the doll to her chest. “Wasn’t that Mommy’s last name before she married Daddy?”

Auntie Gracie nodded. “You like her?”

“I love her.”

“I tell you about Raggedy Chan. She from China, like me. You like to hear how she come to America?”

“Oh, yes, please.” Emma snuggled up next to Auntie Gracie, pulling a throw blanket over her legs. “I love stories.” She cuddled Raggedy Chan. Her other raggedy doll lay facedown and forgotten on the coffee table.

Auntie Gracie arranged part of the blanket over her own legs. “One time, far away, there mountain kingdom called Kunlun . . .”

Buy links: Amazon

Nine-Tail Fox (novella)

When fifth-grade Emma Chan-McDougal is ridiculed by her classmates for being part Chinese, she's devastated. To ease Emma's wounded self-esteem, her aunt, a Chinese immigrant, spins the mythical tale of a brave little Nine-Tail Fox named Ainu who lives in San Francisco.

In a parallel animal world that comes to life when humans slumber, Ainu Nine-Tail and her mother face off against Chih Yu, an ancient demon who feeds on hatred. As the last of their clan, the Nine-Tails are honor-bound by a family oath to defend the Chinese animals from the demon. When Chih Yu kills her mother and leads an angry mob against Chinatown, Ainu is left to complete the task alone. Raw with grief and only partially trained for battle, Ainu must reach deep inside herself to find the wisdom and courage to save her people.

Will the journey of Ainu Nine-Tail help Emma find the strength to confront the school bullies and win back her confidence?

In this modern Chinese fable, Chinese-American author Camille Picott draws on her heritage to weave a story of courage, truth, and adventure.

Read an excerpt:

A young nine-tail fox stood at the railing of a freighter steamship, white fur ruffling in the nighttime breeze. Her real name was Lang-Dao, which meant “bright leader,” but everyone called her Ainu. It was her mother’s nickname for her, meaning “sweet girl.”

Most of the humans on the ship slept in their bunks, leaving the deck swathed in silence and darkness. Hiding from those few humans still awake, Ainu and Mama Nine-Tail stood in the shadow of a big coiled rope.

The ship rode the ocean’s deep, even breaths. Ainu stared at the lights spangling the silhouetted city. The tall buildings yawned up at the sky like jagged teeth, seeming on the edge of violence.

The moon, three-quarters full, hung crookedly in the night. It shed light on a small island between the city and freighter. No plants grew on that mound of bronze-colored earth. Two long arms of land sprouted on either side of it. In the rippling light, those narrow peninsulas gave the island the appearance of having wings.

Studying that harsh landscape and, beyond it, the massive mainland city, Ainu shivered.

“San Francisco doesn’t look very welcoming,” she said, leaning against Mama.

“That is because Chih Yu is there,” Mama said. “He spreads his hatred for the Chinese among the American animals.”

“Which is why I must begin my training as soon as we get to shore,” Ainu said. She hoped she didn’t sound too eager. It wasn’t good to be excited when her fellow animals suffered. “So I can help protect the Chinese animals,” she added.

Mama nodded. “Master Zheng sent me word of events in America before we boarded,” she said. Master Zheng was Mama’s longtime friend. He sent her regular reports on Chih Yu’s activities in America. “We could very well find ourselves part of the greatest battle against Chih Yu since the time of the Yellow Emperor. Chih Yu has become corporeal, my daughter.”

Buy links: Amazon

**My thoughts**

I enjoyed reading this series. Folktales from other cultures have long fascinated me, because there are so many ways to tell similar stories. I love the Camille is sharing her cultural and family heritage by penning the stories that have been passed down in her family.

'Raggedy Chan' introduces young Emma to her Chinese heritage as she learns how to play Mahjong and to properly hold her chopsticks (both of which I have apparently been doing wrong all of these years, despite what I had learned). It also tells her the story behind her new doll, who is also struggling to find her way in a mixed culture with a mixed heritage. This story alternates between Emma's discussions with her auntie and Raggedy Chain's story, which shows how the two go together.

'Nine-Tail Fox' also features Emma at the beginning. She is struggling with a "Mean Girl" at school, who makes fun of her for being half-Chinese. She is distraught and turns to her auntie for advice. Auntie Gracie tells her the story of Ainu, the nine-tail fox, who must fight against the evil Chih-Yu. It is an epic tale with a message, that Emma takes with her when she returns to school and has to face her own enemies again. Emma is empowered to take on Melissa. While I don't like Emma being mean to Melissa to make her point, I think it shows that you can stand up to bullies and sometimes even work things out again. The focus of this book is on the fable as inspiration for life, as opposed to interspersed life lessons like in 'Raggedy Chan.' 

Both of these books are enjoyable for kids, as well as adults. You can learn a lot from them, no matter your heritage. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Camille Picott is a fifth-generation Chinese American. She writes science fiction and fantasy books with Asian characters and/or Asian settings. Camille grew up reading speculative fiction stories largely devoid of Asian characters and culture. This, coupled with a passion for her heritage, is the reason she strives to bring some aspect of Eastern myth, legend, culture, and ethnicity to all of her writings.

Website: www.camillepicott.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camille.picott

Twitter: https://twitter.com/camillepicott or @camillepicott

You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/camillepicott

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/camillepicott

 Camille will be awarding an autographed Raggedy Chan bookmark to every commenter; a Chinese Heritage Tale illustration signed by the author and illustrator to two randomly drawn commenters during the tour, and a grand prize of a Limited Edition Raggedy Chan Doll to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. A choice of a Raggedy Chan doll or signed Chinese Heritage Tale print will be awarded to a randomly drawn host. (ALL ITEMS US ONLY) Follow the tour for more chances to win!

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'Oliver and Jumpy: Bedtime Stories' by Werner Stejskal on YouTube

This is a paid post, via my Featured Fiverrs. Click on the page above to find more about these kinds of posts.
Children like to watch animated versions of their favorite stories, just as much as they like to read them in books. Werner Stejskal has created a series of stories about Oliver and Jumpy, a cat and a kangaroo, who are friends who have all kinds of adventures.

Eventually there will be at least 40 stories available to viewers on YouTube. Right now, four are available to watch on YouTube. Werner is looking to eventually convert the stories into books and hopes to create an app.

Werner narrates each story himself. You can also read along below each YouTube video if you watch directly on the site. Check out the first story:



Here is a message from Werner Stejskal:

 There are lots of fairy tales and bedtime stories around and many of them quite violent. This made me decide to try writing something different. On a flight from Europe to Australia I watched the movie Magic on Belle Island with Morgan Freeman, where he teaches a little girl to have imagination and write her first story. This inspired me as well and in the following sleepless nights because of the West to East flight, which somehow always seems to have this effect on us, the first stories with my two characters Oliver the cat and Jumpy the kangaroo made their appearance. I have written over 40 stories by now. There is no violence worth talking about but enough adventure to keep them interesting. These are 1000 word short stories and would suit pre-schoolers to primary school. I had incredible luck to find a great young artist who is illustrating my stories successively. There are three stories available on Youtube now and the fourth will come on presently. Depending on the illustrator, I will publish further stories in intervals of about three weeks. I hope very much that many children will find access to my videos. Please enjoy and let others know about my videos. God bless! Regards Werner 

Visit the website here.   

'The Odd Job Squad' by Karl Fields

THE ODD JOB SQUAD

By

Karl Field

BLURB:

Thirteen-year-old Ander Cartwright is an expert on two subjects: fortune cookies and payback.

Especially payback.

When he’s not struggling with algebra, Ander is the leader of an anonymous revenge club that operates within the walls of Marina Middle School. Got a beef with a classmate? Shoot Ander’s crew an email and, if your case if legit, they’ll deliver some retribution on your behalf.

It’s not easy to right wrongs and stay under the radar at the same time. That’s why Ander developed three simple rules designed to keep him and his friends from blowing their cover.

But when Ander spots the opportunity to settle an old score of his own, he ignores his own rules, setting off a chain of events that threatens to blow his cover, and it’ll take all the butt-kicking, detention-dodging skill he can muster to keep a lid on his secret.

Read an excerpt:

I chuckled. “Sounds extreme, don’t you think?”

After basketball, making fun of Christian was Shooter’s favorite sport, but when I looked her way, she wasn’t even close to paying attention, sitting off to the side and staring at the floor.

“Yeah,” Joe said. “I don’t like Greg either, but all he did was trash the guy’s shirt.”

Christian nodded back to the email. “A brand new shirt and Alan’s mom made a huge deal out of it.”

Alan had skinned one of his elbows pretty good, and when his mom saw what had happened, she wanted to call the school, but Alan begged her not to do it. Joe had a point. On the one hand, it was just a shirt, but then again, we’d all been Snots – that was when we got the idea for the revenge club. I wouldn’t have wanted word getting around that I needed protection from my mom, either.

“Okay. I’m in.” I raised my hand, calling for a vote. If it wasn’t unanimous, no go. We didn’t have a lot of rules, but “All In” was one of them, and nobody messed with the Big Three.

Christian’s hand shot up next. “Definitely. Even Snots don’t deserve to be treated like that.”

“As long as we keep it even,” I reminded him.

Joe and Shooter voted in favor, and that’s how we ended up outside the gym two days later for a Drive Thru.

The pounding of a basketball and squeaking of tennis shoes against hardwood were good signs: game on.

**My thoughts**

This book was a lot of fun! Middle school sucks. Bullies abound. Girls are snotty. Boys are dumb. Everyone does stupid things that hurt each other. So, enter the Odd Job Squad. Their goal is to get revenge on kids who are acting like total schmucks. Those who do the embarrassing end up getting embarrassed themselves. Only, eventually even those supposed do-gooders who are plotting revenge are going to get themselves into trouble.

I usually try to take mini breaks while reading books, but the adventures of Ander and his friends kept me snickering and glued to the Kindle. Before I knew it, the book was over! 

While their antics are quite unlikely to happen in real life, Ander, Shooter, Christian, and Joe are entertaining as they plot ways to retaliate against their nasty classmates, particularly Stacia. I wish I could have been so creative back in the day!

It sounds like there could easily be more adventures with this crew. I hope to read more of them some day!

Buy links: Amazon \ Barnes & Noble \ Kobo

 

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Karl Fields is a writer of fiction for teens and young adults. His other interests include jazz, golf and collecting flash drives, the more unusual the better. He was an army brat and by the seventh grade, he had attended six different schools on three continents. His first book, The Odd Job Squad, is about the exploits of three eighth graders who operate an anonymous revenge club at their school. He recommends that you not attempt the stunts portrayed in this book. His second, Instant Preplay, is about a boy who discovers that his DVR records shows before they air. He recommends that you get one of those if you can.

One commenter from each stop will win a box of "Pinks," which are pink fortune cookies that Ander, the main character has a fondness for. One $25 Amazon gift card given to one random commenter at the end of the tour. One $15 Amazon gift card given to a tour stop host. Follow the tour for more chances to win!