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Showing posts from September, 2015

PICTURE BOOK REVIEW: The Perfect Percival Priggs by Julie-Anne Graham

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THE PERFECT PERCIVAL PRIGGS by Julie-Anne Graham Running Press Kids, 2015 ISBN: 978-0-7624-5506-5 Ages 4-8 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Percival Priggs seems to be the perfect child. His parents are perfect, his grandparents are perfect, and even his pets are perfect. Percy’s shelf is packed with gleaming trophies. But with all the practice and preparation needed for his competitions, Percy never has a free moment. Percy worries that his parents will not love him if he does not smile his prize-winning smile and perform perfectly in every competition. But after his rocket experiment turns into an imperfect mess, Mr. and Mrs. Priggs reveal their own funny imperfections and show Percy they are proud of him exactly as he is. The message of reassurance and acceptance in THE PERFECT PERCIVAL PRIGGS is timely in our age of helicopter parenting, overscheduling, and increased testing standards for young childr

MIDDLE GRADE HISTORICAL READS BLOG TOUR w/ GIVEAWAY!

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2015 Jabberwocky Time Warp Tour Great writers bring history to life for young readers. Whether it’s a daring story of heroism during the American Revolution, a tale of the timeless and transcendent power of art set in WWI era Hollywood, or the general ability to present events in history though different lenses and perspectives, educators and parents rely on these writers to connect kids to the past. Historical middle-grade authors Eric Pierpoint, J.B. Cheaney, and Stephanie Bearce are helping us turn back the clock by answering the questions: If you could spend a day anywhere and anytime in the past, where and when would you go? What would you do on your excursion? Eric Pierpoint (The Secret Mission of William Tuck): This is a tough question! Would I like to land on the moon? Be present at the signing of the Declaration of Independence? Could I have the knowledge to change history? I could perhaps prevent the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln, John Kennedy or Martin

FANTASTIC FRIDAY: Fires of Invention by J. Scott Savage

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FIRES OF INVENTION Mysteries of Cove #1 by J. Scott Savage Shadow Mountain, 2015 ISBN: 978-1-62972-092-0 Middle Grade Fantasy/Spec Fic Source: ARC from publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Trenton Colman is exceptionally creative with a knack for all things mechanical. But his talents are viewed with suspicion in Cove, a steam-powered city built inside a mountain. In Cove, creativity is a crime and "invention" is a curse word. Kallista Babbage is a repair technician and daughter of the notorious Leo Babbage, who died in an explosion—an event the leaders of Cove point to as an example of the danger of creativity. Working together, Trenton and Kallista learn that Leo Babbage was developing a secret project before he perished. Following clues he left behind, they begin to assemble a strange machine that is unlike anything they've ever seen before. They soon discover that what they are building may threaten every

MMGM: Westly: A Spider's Tale by Bryan Beus

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WESTLY A Spider's Tale written and illustrated by Bryan Beus Shadow Mountain, 2015 ISBN: 978-1-62972-068-5 Ages 8-12 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK When Westly emerges from his cocoon, not as a beautiful butterfly, but as a spider, he is rejected by the butterfly kingdom and undertakes a journey to discover who he really is. But not even the dirt eaters can offer him answers. Not the dragonfly, the centipede, the moth, or even Zug Zug, the fly. None have ever seen an eight-legged creature who can spin webs. However, Westly's new friend the Raven has offered to help. If only the Raven could get inside the glass menagerie where Westly and the other bugs live. Yes, yes, the Raven is sure he could change everything. But sometimes things don't turn out the way we plan. Delightfully illustrated by the author, Westly: A Spider's Tale is a story about discovering one's true potential, learning that b

CYBILS 2015: I'm a judge again! New Category!

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2015 Elementary/Middle Grade  Speculative Fiction Judges Round 1 Charlotte Taylor @charlotteslib Charlotte’s Library Brenda Tjaden @LogCabinLibrary   Log Cabin Library Melissa Fox @book_nut Book Nut Kristen Harvey @bookgoil The Book Monsters Stephanie Whalen @TesseractViews Views from the Tesseract Annamaria Anderson @bookstogether Books Together Katy Kramp @alibrarymama   alibrarymama Round 2 Kim Aippersbach Dead Houseplants Hayley Beale @bibliobritish bibliobrit Heidi Grange @GeoLibrarian GeoLibrarian Guinevere Thomas @aravere   Twinja Book Reviews Mark Buxton Buxton’s Fantasy and Science Fiction Novels Hayley Beale @bibliobritish     Bibliobrit    

MIDDLE GRADE REVIEW w/ GIVEAWAY: The Secret Mission of William Tuck by Eric Pierpoint

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The Secret Mission of William Tuck Eric Pierpoint September 1, 2015; ISBN 9781402281747 ABOUT THE BOOK Book Information: Title: The Secret Mission of William Tuck Author: Eric Pierpoint Release Date: September 1, 2015 Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky Summary: William Tuck is set on justice. For his brother killed by British soldiers, for his friend Rebecca’s father held prisoner by the redcoats, and for the countless other rebel Americans struggling beneath the crushing weight of British rule. The whispered words of a dying soldier and a mysterious watch give William all the ammunition he needs: a secret message for the leader of the rebel army. Rebecca disguises herself as a boy, and she and William join the American troops. They embark on an epic journey that pulls them into a secret network of spies, pits them against dangerous gunmen, and leads them on a quest to find General George Washington himself. Can William and Rebecca determine friend