There's A Book

Book Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

the1stdaughter — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:30:05 +0000

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother–or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

Today our guest reviewer is none other than The Baker (ie. The1stdaughter’s hubby & baker extraordinaire)!

After the initial 4 waves of an alien invasion, Cassie finds herself separated from everyone she knows and loves. Many are dead, but she believes her younger brother is still alive. Cassie seeks to save her brother and try and reunite with him before he too is killed. The problem, she is not sure where he actually is.

A word of warning, throughout the book each time there is a section change, the point of view is changed to a new character. I was confused after the first section change, but once I was able to figure out that the point of view had changed, the book then became much easier to read.

In addition, for all those familiar with literary theory, if I was a high school teacher and wanted to teach the class about deconstructionism, this is the book I would use. What is a human? Who is the main person in the book? Etc. It is both a very entertaining read and a great example of a deconstructionist story. Sorry for the boring theory talk, on to the review.

The style of writing is what really stuck with me from this book. Although the book is near 500 pages, the plot does not progress as far as many other books do within the same number of pages. Instead, the plot is analyzed from many perspectives. One of the things that initially drew me to reading when I was younger was the desire to be able to see things from another person’s perspective. Reading allows me to be inside the head of someone else. This book not only allowed me to see inside one character’s head, but inside many. I really enjoyed being able to see and analyze the plot from multiple perspectives.

I love post-apocalyptic/end of the world books and this book fit right in there. This book is along the lines of the Rot and Ruin series, but instead of zombies, there are Aliens. I eagerly await the next book in the series and will definitely read it when it comes out.

The Baker Recommends: Ages 10 and up.

Be sure to visit The 5th Wave site, you simply cannot miss checking it out!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Penguin Teen, for providing a copy of this book for review! Connect with them on Twitter, Facebook and on Tumblr!
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Original article: Book Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Giveaway: The Lovecraft Middle School series by Charles Gilman

the1stdaughter — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:54:54 +0000

Today I’m really excited to bring a great middle grade series to my readers. Inspired partly by the author HP Lovecraft the author of The Lovecraft Middle School series, Charles Gilman, wanted to create a series that kids everywhere would be equally freaked out by and love.

Not only was I an HP Lovecraft fan growing up, but I simply love middle grade books featuring those things that go bump in the night. I first saw this series at Book Expo America last year when it was featured on the MG Editor’s Buzz panels and I couldn’t get over how disturbed and intrigued I was by the cover alone. This is a series that both boy and girl readers will no doubt be creeped out by and love at the same time!

In Professor Gargoyle, we’re introduced to 11-year-old Robert Arthur and the strange world of Lovecraft Middle School. It’s a brand-new state-of-the-art facility—so why do so many creepy things keep happening? Why is the science teacher acting so strangely? And where are all the rats coming from? As Robert explores with his new friends Glenn and Carina, he discovers that the school may be a portal to another world.

In The Slither Sisters, we follow Robert and his friends deeper into the world of Lovecraft Middle School—and its bizarre parallel dimension, the Tillinghast Mansion. Along the way they discover a pair of mysterious twin sisters who may not be exactly what they seem. Can they convince the principal that something is wrong before it’s too late?

TEACHER’S PEST: DON’T BE FOOLED by his friendly smile, his perfect manners, or his shiny red apple. Student council president Howard Mergler is actually a sinister bug-monster in disguise—and he’s summoning swarms of roaches, wasps, fleas, and head lice into the corridors of Lovecraft Middle School! Twelve-year-old Robert Arthur is the only student who can stop him–but he’ll need help from his best friends: the school bully, the school ghost, and an extremely courageous two-headed rat.

This third novel in the Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Professor Gargoyle and The Slither Sisters ended—with more action, more adventure, and more outrageous monsters.

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher, Quirk Books, I have a the fantastic opportunity to giveaway an entire set of the first three books in The Lovecraft Middle School series by Charles Gilman to one There’s A Book reader! Be sure to fill out the rafflecopter form below and good luck to all! Open US/Canadian residents only.

Be sure to visit The Lovecraft Middle School website to learn more about the series, it’s creator and just generally find some fantastic spooky info about this great series!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Quirk Books, for providing a copy of this book for review! Connect with them on Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

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Original article: Giveaway: The Lovecraft Middle School series by Charles Gilman

Book Review and Giveaway: Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos

the1stdaughter — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:53:46 +0000

Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos and Illustrated by Joy Ang
Published by Clarion Books
Pages: 40
Ages: 4-8
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | ISBN/ISBN-13: 0547773579 / 9780547773575
Publishers Summary:

When Baby Billy is born with a mustache, his family takes it in stride. They are reassured when he nobly saves the day in imaginary-play sessions as a cowboy or cop and his mustache looks good-guy great. But as time passes, their worst fears are confirmed when little Billy’s mustache starts to curl up at the ends in a suspiciously villainous fashion. Sure enough, “Billy’s disreputable mustache led him into a life of dreadful crime.

Littlebug Has a Beard Day: Moosetaches! Beards! I read this book every day and it’s the super bestest books I’ve ever had. My brother Turkeybird likes the bad guy mustache the very best, but I like good guy doctor mustache the very very bestest. There’s a part where the bad-guy mustache baby gets locked away in jail, but it’s not really jail it’s just his crib. That’s so silly!

At the end of the book there’s a big surprise and I liked it so super much that I had to draw it on my own face! And I really like my green beard, even if my mom thought it wasn’t a very good idea. This is my favoritest book right now, I super super love the moosetache baby!

Mom’s Two Cents: When your baby is born with a mustache what is a mom to do? According to the nurse, it all depends on what kind of mustache your newborn ends up with. Will it be a good guy mustache or a bad guy mustache? As Billy grows up his mustache changes to match his interests, from ringleader to sword fighter and even a man of the law, but one day to his parents dismay Billy wakes up with a bad-guy mustache. Will his mustache change his life, making him a cereal criminal or will his mom help him understand that everyone has a “bad-guy mustache” day every now and then?

Hilarious, thoughtful, unique, helpful and over-the-top fun is exactly how I’d sum-up this new favorite picture book of ours. Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos was my most anticipated picture book of 2013 and it not only lived up to expectations but exceeded them. Initially I fell in love with the cover of Mustache Baby, but Joy Ang’s illustrations throughout the story continue to astonish me each time I read through this book. There are clever scenarios of all the good-guy “careers” as well as some really fun takes on what it means to be a “bad-guy” that I couldn’t imagine with any other illustrations.

Overall though, what I loved about Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos was the message it sends to young readers. Billy is a pretty typical kid, he plays, makes mistakes and even has a bad day every now and then. What Billy learns is that one bad-guy mustache day doesn’t equal a lifetime with a bad-guy mustache. This is important for kiddos to understand and not something many books focus on in such a unique & fun way. Everyone has bad days, from mom’s & dad’s to kiddos, but it’s what we choose to do after those down days that makes us who we are.

Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos is by far our favorite picture book this year, for everyone in our family. Here is a story that brings a hilarious light to a great theme in one of the most unique ways I’ve ever seen. Now we’re hoping for a sequel to this fantastic picture book so that hopefully we get a chance to meet the surprise bearded character at the end of the book!

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 3 to 12. Our favorite picture book this year! Kiddos will adore this fun story that will help them understand that everyone has a “bad-guy mustache” day every now and then.

Giveaway!

Our entire family loves this book so much we’re giving away a copy out of our own stacks! Be sure to entire below using the rafflecopter form and good luck! Open Worldwide!

Print your own Mustache Goodies:
Bookmark
Your very own mustache!

Mustache Baby by Bridget Heoswas my Nerdy Special List pick for the month of May as well. Please do check out the full list for more May releases you must read.

Thank you so much to the author, Bridget Heos, for providing a copy of this book for review! Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

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Original article: Book Review and Giveaway: Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

the1stdaughter — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:30:54 +0000

This fabulous weekly recap is hosted by Shelia of One Persons Journey Through a World of Books and the kidlit version is hosted by Jen from Teach Mentor Texts. Each week we recap what we’ve read and look at what’s coming up this week. If you’re interested head over to Shelia’s site as well as Jen’s and get involved! It’s a blast and I may even stop by to see what you’re up to!

Here’s what we’ve been up to this week:

I’ve not done one of these posts in a few weeks and I started thinking I need to get back into the grove. I miss connecting with everyone else who participates and it also helps me keep a little bit more organized actually. So, here’s to getting back in the grove of things!

Reviewed (Just click on the title to see the Review!):

Events/Randomness:

Exclusive Reveal and Giveaway: Platypus Police Squad by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

What’s up for the week to come:

Besides all the great reading we have coming up, it’s also Children’s Book Week! How will you be celebrating?

Reading/Reviewing/Listening:

The Turkeybird and Littlebug are Reading/Reviewing:

So, what are you reading this week? Have any suggestions I should add to my reading pile?

Original article: It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Book Review: The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic

the1stdaughter — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:30:24 +0000

The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic and Illustrated by Olivier Tallec
Published by Candlewick Press
Pages: 32
Ages: 5 and up.
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | ISBN/ISBN-13: 0763653411 / 9780763653415
Publishers Summary:

When the boy in this story wakes to find that his mother has died, he is overwhelmed with sadness, anger, and fear that he will forget her. He shuts all the windows to keep in his mother’s familiar smell and scratches open the cut on his knee to remember her comforting voice. He doesn’t know how to speak to his dad anymore, and when Grandma visits and throws open the windows, it’s more than the boy can take–until his grandmother shows him another way to feel that his mom’s love is near. With tenderness, touches of humor, and unflinching emotional truth, Charlotte Moundlic captures the loneliness of grief through the eyes of a child, rendered with sympathy and charm in Olivier Tallec’s expressive illustrations.
A little boy responds to his mother’s death in a genuine, deeply moving story leavened by glimmers of humor and captivating illustrations.

Littlebug Asks Questions: I really like this book a lot and I like to read it bunches. The little boy always seems so sad and I have to ask my mom why a lot. I think it would be super super sad to not have my mom or dad anymore. Where would they go? Do you think they would come back after awhile? Or maybe I could go see them where they go? This book makes me ask lots and lots of questions and sometimes I have to ask the same ones a lot. Even if this is a very sad book, I still like it super a lot. And I love my mom and dad so so much.

Mom’s Two Cents: In the matter of a single night a little boy’s world is changed forever. When he wakes in the morning his mom has died and it’s all he can do to keep the smell of her in the house, to keep her there if only in the air. With only his dad left to care for him morning breakfast isn’t even the same. From sadness to anger and most of all love, The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic is the story of one little boy dealing with the death of the most important person in his world, his mom.

Where to begin with this review? This book was much like A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, at least for me personally. Reviewing it has been equally as difficult and similar to A Monster Calls, it’s taken over a year to find the words to explain how I feel about The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic. Given to me during a time when I worried about a cancer diagnosis, I struggled to get past the first three pages of this heart wrenching picture book. That first experience reading The Scar is still very vivid in my memory and though I sobbed through every last page of this little boy’s struggle I found myself appreciating that Charlotte Moundlic had created such a powerful piece of literature for children. Even if it quickly became one of Littlebug’s favorite books, and to this day when she asks me to read it I still cry.

The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic tackles a subject not often dealt with in picture books. It’s not a subject we like to think about in general. Who likes to dwell on thoughts of losing a parent? No one. Does that mean it doesn’t happen? Sadly no, and children need a source of comfort in such a time. Within the pages of The Scar the story is told through the eyes of a little boy who is raw with emotions that run the gamut from anger to sadness to peace. It’s the rawness of his reactions that make this little boy relatable and comforting. He’s real and he’s dealing with something horrific, the loss of someone his world revolved around. It’s heartbreaking, but poignant and beautifully written.

Also, I must add that the illustrations in The Scar are perfect in every way. Olivier Tallec uses very few colors throughout the book, primarily red, white and black with the occasional use of yellow and green, but the absence of so many other colors makes for another powerful layer to the storytelling. I found the reds within the book to be the perfect medium for eliciting the feelings that the text spoke to. Red can mean so many things from passion to love to fury, making it ideal for a book of this nature.

Together through the illustrations of Olivier Tallec and the articulate & beautiful text of Charlotte Moundlic, The Scar tells the story of one little boy who’s lost the center of his universe, his mom. Here is a story that no matter how heartbreaking, must be told. As this little boy struggles with his loss you feel every bit of hurt and fear he goes through, you wish to be able to take this pain from him. The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic is a book that must be told and shared. For anyone that’s ever lost anyone, parent or child, friend or close relative, The Scar brings comfort and hope through the experiences of one little boy struggling to find his way with his mom resting in his heart forever.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 2 and up. A book for all ages that shares a way to cope with death in a way that is comforting and also realistic, especially for children. A must read no matter your age.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Candlewick Press, for providing a copy of this book for review! Connect with them on Twitter, Google+ and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

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Original article: Book Review: The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic

Book Review: In A Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz

the1stdaughter — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:30:55 +0000

In A Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz
Published by Dutton Children’s Books
Pages: 312
Ages: 10 and up.
Buy It: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | ISBN/ISBN-13: 0525425810 / 9780525425816
Publishers Summary:

More Grimm tales await in the harrowing, hilarious companion to a beloved new classic.

Take caution ahead–
Oversize plant life, eerie amphibious royalty, and fear-inducing creatures abound.

Lest you enter with dread.
Follow Jack and Jill as they enter startling new landscapes that may (or may not) be scary, bloody, terrifying, and altogether true.

Step lively, dear reader . . .
Happily ever after isn’t cutting it anymore.

In this companion novel to Adam Gidwitz’s widely acclaimed, award-winning debut, A Tale Dark & Grimm, Jack and Jill explore a new set of tales from the Brothers Grimm and others, including Jack and the Beanstalk and The Frog Prince.

Every so often a book comes along that is so good that you simply can’t write about it. Such is the case with In A Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz. Last August I had the opportunity to read the story of three characters so vivid and funny that I was left nearly speechless. In A Glass Grimmly is the follow-up to A Tale Dark & Grimm, which I hadn’t yet read at the time, but was still able to be completely lost in. Here is a story filled with adventure, terror, horrors, humor and everything a reader could dream of except perhaps dragons, but that’s just fine.

Jack and Jill are two very different children, from very different backgrounds but yet their shared desire to leave their circumstances lead them on a path that has them battling the whits of giants and goblins among other things. As their companion, a frog, serves as a humorous guide of sorts through their journey. The three characters work together to defeat the merciless narrator who continually puts them in harms way. What was funny about this particular aspect of the story was that the narrator would pop into the story at just the moment something safe and predictable would happen, but turn it on it’s head. For example, the frog would normally be kissed by the princess and turn into a prince, but instead the narrator had the princess pick the frog up by it’s leg and swing him around eventually throwing him away. It’s slightly sick and somewhat twisted, but I loved all of it.

Throughout In A Glass Grimmly each of the character’s friendship, loyalty, intelligence and bravery are put to the test. What is remarkable about the story is that not only do they thrive through their shared experiences, but they pull the reader along on the path with ease. Jack and Jill don’t always get along and they certainly don’t always see eye-to-eye with the frog, but in the end their friendship is stronger than ever. In A Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz is a story young readers will laugh hysterically through to the last page, but that will also find kinship in the bravery and loyalty that Jack, Jill and the frog display. There’s so much more I could say about this book and the series, but nothing more important than simply telling you to go out and read it, you won’t be disappointed.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 10 and up. Gruesome adventure and a humorous take on classic fairytales will have young readers begging for more. A fantastic series and a brilliantly creative author!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Dutton Children’s Books, for providing a copy of this book for review! Connect with them on Twitter and on Facebook!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our various affiliate relationships.

Original article: Book Review: In A Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz