Double Trouble Blog Tour

I am part of a blog tour for Susan May Warren's latest release Double Trouble - with her previous novel, Nothing But Trouble, thrown in for good measure!
I have to say - I may not normally pick this style of book up for a read, but I am glad I did.  Warren has come up with a character, PJ Sugar, that is an absolute riot!  She kept me laughing and yet compelled to finish to find out how she solves her mysteries.  What a great series - I am hoping there are more to come!  I know our library patrons will think this one is a hit so I will be waiting to share this hilarious series with them!!  (Thank you to the blog tour for sending me both copies to read and review.)

Dinosaurs

What book can you give a boy to get them to read!?!?!?  Anything dinosaurs of course!  SO when Chronicle Books sent me this new book, Dinosaurs by Dennis Schatz - I knew it would be a hit here at our library!  Oh man!  Give a boy stereo speakers, pictures of dinosaurs fighting and sounds to accompany - I'm thinking that's about all you need - oh, maybe batteries that NEVER run out!!  This one will never be on our shelves!

CONTEST ALERT!!!

I am excited to review both Double Trouble and Nothing But Trouble by Susan May Warren later on this month, but for now you need to know that a contest is in the works!!  Don't miss - it looks like a great one!

 

About the contest!

Be sure to enter the Double Trouble Prize Package Giveaway by clicking on the ‘Double the Sass” button (code for button is above)! Susan’s giving away an iPod prize package that is anything but troubling! Check it out!

Prize Details:
Double Trouble, the brand new PJ Sugar novel by Susan May Warren, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, we’re running a HUMDINGER of a contest!!
One Grand Prize winner will receive a $150 SUPER SLEUTH prize package that includes:

* A brand new iPod Shuffle (perfect for those all-night stakeouts)

* A $10 iTunes gift card (we recommend the ALIAS soundtrack)

* A $10 Amazon gift card (why yes, they do sell spy pens)

* A $10 Starbucks gift card (for fuel, obviously)

* A pair of designer sunglasses (be stealthy AND super chic)

* A gorgeous scarf from World Market (can also be used as a blindfold, and/or for tying up bad guys)

* AND signed copies of both Nothing But Trouble & Double Trouble. (romance! danger! intrigue! sooo much better than Surveillance for Dummies!)

We’ll announce our super sleuth winner on March 1st.

Big Wolf and Little Wolf

Nadine Brun-Cosme and Olivier Tallec's Big Wolf and Little Wolf is one of the most tender children's stories I have read in a LONG TIME!  I just loved everything about it - from the illustrations that are wonderful - all the way to the sweet story line. 

Big Wolf didn't even know what it was to love something other than himself until Little Wolf came along.  At first he thought maybe Little Wolf was something to be jealous of, but he soon learned that no jealousy was needed - just love and care for this Little Wolf.  He began to share things he had never shared before, and look out for Little Wolf like his own - until Little Wolf leaves.  The simplistic nature of this story won't escape the reader - it is truly wonderful! 

My favorite line:  "For the first time he said to himself that a little one, indeed a very little one, had taken up space in his heart.  A lot of space."  And every parent can relate to that!

Ripple Reader

I love this idea!!


The new site www.RippleReader.com enables people to record themselves reading children's pictures books. Grandparents are using it to read to long- distance grandchildren. Soldiers and business travelers are sharing bedtime stories with kids back home. Ripple is also helping libraries raise vital funds! For details, see the lower right of Ripple's home page.  For a limited time, you can try Ripple free, so visit today! 

Beautiful

I was honored to be a part of the blog tour for Cindy Coloma - I was sent a copy of her latest book, Beautiful, and haven't been able to put it down since!  This is a riveting Young Adult read - a wonderful look at what REALLY makes a person who they are - is it how they look or could losing your beautiful looks really not be the end of the world???  It was a truly great read - with Christian underpinnings - I appreciate that in young adult novels - our teens NEED it!

Cindy was also gracious enough to add her thoughts on how to become a writer, which I think some of my readers may appreciate:


Becoming A Writer


“How do I become a writer?” It’s a question that people often ask me. 
There’s the practical response – study writing, get a degree, attend writers conferences, read read read, write most every day, perfect your manuscript, seek a reputable agent, etc. 


Then there’s the impractical – it must be your passion first and perseverance is more important than talent. 
A writer needs to be passionate about stories, about words, about living a life in a creative mode. It’s not a job that you leave at an office. In most careers, a person is not what they do, but for writers, like other creatives, writing is what we are. It’s a way of seeing the world, interacting with others, and living every day both while in front of the computer and out in life. 


Recently, I spent the weekend with a friend from high school who is also a writer. The group of people we were with kept laughing at us because we’d make up story ideas at nearly every topic the group discussed. It’s who we are. It’s a passion that runs through us like blood in our viens.


The other essential part of becoming a writer is perseverance. It’s what keeps you going through rejection, through the long lonely journey of creating a story, through having to continually rewrite and editoral reviews and the hard hard work of growing as a writer. 


How do you become a writer? Start with a writer’s heart and will. 

Cindy Martinusen Coloma
cindycoloma@gmail.com


www.cindycoloma.com
www.cindycoloma-ya.com 

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

One of the recent Newbery Honor Winners was The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly.  This was one I read before the list came out (yeah for me!!) and I was glad I read it.  I enjoyed this character - 11 year old, Callie - she is just a sweet character.  She is not so sure she wants to follow the typical "girl" expectations of the 1800's and so hangs out with her Grandfather and explores science!  This is where Darwin/Evolution comes into the novel - her Grandfather is a strong proponent of Evolution and it's theories.  Even though that might not be something you adhere to, it is still a very tender story of a granddaughter and her grandfather.  It is also wonderful about the struggles of growing up and fitting in in a larger family.  It was a good read - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to our junior high readers.

Scones and Sensibility

Lindsay Eland has written a novel that I just fell in love with - Scones and Sensibility is such a sweet junior high novel.  Do you love Anne of Green Gables?  Do you love Pride and Prejudice?  Well so does 12 year old Polly Madassa and she talks like those characters and even LIVES like those characters!  I loved Polly - she was a character that just drew me in - she made me laugh right out loud - and that doesn't happen often while I'm reading!  She is not to be missed - your junior high readers will LOVE her!!

The Yellow Tutu

The Yellow Tutu by Kirsten Bramsen is a new book we have at our library.  This book is just wonderful!!  I love the child that is not afraid to be just who they want to be - even when others may not see the humor!  That is Margo - she is not afraid to be herself and wear her Yellow Tutu to school because it can be SO many things!!  Too cute and promotes being exactly who you are - and have some fun with it!

Could be great with a colors storytime or friends storytime.

Award Books by Age

This blogger had a wonderful breakdown of the award winning books by age - this is worth the read!!!

Big Day for Awards

It is the BIG day - when SO many great awards are announced:
Newberry Award - pleased to say I've read all but ONE!!!  (That always makes me proud!)  The winner was:  When you Reach Me  by Rebecca Stead - a story I enjoyed - although certainly not one of my all-time favorites for the year - but they do this to me almost every year - I'm not surprised!

Caldecott Award - this one I fell short - but they are now all on order for our library! I had not seen the winner - The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney - but it looks fabulous!

So there you go - now you are "in the know" too!!  Enjoy!

The Magician's Elephant

Is there anything better than a Kate DiCamillo novel???? Nope, I don't think so! SO when I started The Magician's Elephant, I knew I was in for a treat. She just does not disappoint! Once again, a tender story of a little boy who loses his parents and is left with an elderly militaristic man to raise him. Little Peter is convinced his small sister, whom he was asked to care for by his mother before she died, is still alive. When he visits the fortune teller, she confirms to him that his sister is indeed alive and that the elephant will lead him to her. Peter is encouraged and discouraged - he wants to find his sister, but there is certainly no elephant! That is the greatness - an elephant appears magically in his town and the journey begins. I love the way this tender story weaves itself together - each character plays a part in bringing you to the end - the grand culmination of love and family. Yoko Tanaka is a superb illustrator and weaves her spell again with the beautiful illustrations that lend to the mysterious quality in this story. Marvelous!! Visit the WEBSITE too - it is wonderful! And the scuttlebutt is that 20th Century Fox is soon to begin a movie based on the book - I'll take it!

Scared

Tom Davis stands out to me as an author - he challenged me greatly with Fields of the Fatherless and now, with his fiction debut, Scared, I am challenged again. Scared is the story of a reporter sent to Africa to capture photos of the AIDS crisis. He travels thinking it is just another job, but what he finds when he gets there changes his life forever. It is not an easy read - your heart breaks for these children trapped in a country that is torn by AIDS and poverty. If you are touched and want to help visit ScaredtheBook or Hope Chest make a difference.

Scared - A Novel on the Edge of the World from Children's HopeChest on Vimeo.

Pick Me Up

DK Publishers sent me these new books that makes me want to say, "DK's done it again!"

Pick Me Up is a book that will make kids (and adults) want to pick it up!!! It reminds me of "almanac information" but the format is fun and easy to read! TONS of information in here - more than one can catch in one reading FOR SURE! This is a book that kids will check out over and over to find something new! What a fun read!


Open Me Up is a human body/anatomy book that is just "WOW" - it is detailed and intricate and yet will capture kids of all ages. DK is famous for their wonderful illustrations and this book is no exception!

How to be a Genius: Your Brain and How to Train It will be one that I will have a hard time keeping in the library! It is a book that is packed with puzzles, games and optical illusions - all to help kids think creatively and sharpen their minds. Another great title!

Lastly, Children's Book of Art - also by DK - this is an amazing introduction to the world's most amazing paintings and sculptures. Not only does it feature the works, but it gives important background information like - what technique they used in their work, different styles of art, and other art galleries all in one book! I am SO wishing I had this one last summer for our Summer Reading Program, but I'll take it now and pass it all around!!

The Wonders Inside the Human Body

Silver Dolphin Books sent me a copy of The Wonders Inside The Human Body - another great book published by this company. This book makes the study of anatomy quite interesting - the see-through layers create a depth and excitement to this book. It is stunning and will be a hit with students and teachers alike. Another bonus? It is a large book so the drawings are intricate and so interesting - what a fun read.

Spotlight - Ancient Egypt Explorer

I was sent a copy of Spotlight: Ancient Egypt Explorer by Silver Dolphin Books and wanted to share it with you!! This is such a fun idea for learning history! You need a flashlight - be ready!! You shine your flashlight throughout the pages and you discover things hidden in Ancient Egypt in ancient tombs! I love the whole concept! Pages have wheels to turn as well that allow you to see different objects in the pictures. Even with the wheels, I think this will hold up well in our library - and I can't wait to put it out!

Sounds of the Wild - Safari

I was sent a copy of Sounds of the Wild - Safari by Maruice Pledger by Media Masters Publicity and immediately was hooked! What a beautiful book of Safari animals - a giant pop up book with sounds! This might not be one that will be on our library shelves, but it is SO worth owning!!! The pop ups are amazing - there are WONDERFUL explanation pages that give you the names of the animals (great for teachers!!) - and the noises make you feel like you are there! LOVED IT!

Gateway

Just finished Sharon Shinn's latest book, Gateway and what does it make me want to do?? FIND MORE!! I had never heard of her before and now I am off to order more of her titles for our library! This book was such a treat! Not only did I love the whole idea of the main character being a girl adopted from China - but it was a thrilling ride through time travel that kept me excited to turn pages. I was totally wrapped up in Daiyu's story and the romantic storyline with Kalen - in a world where she can't stay. Yep, you will enjoy it - pick it up and enjoy the ride! (It is a Young Adult book but that doesn't stop me!!!)

Books By Release Date Calendar

Want to know when new Teen or YA books are coming out??
Teens Read Too has a wonderful website with forthcoming books listed out for you. Check it out!
Books-By-Release-Date Calendar

AKA: Becky Crocker

And if that doesn't make you want this cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks - then I'll give you MORE!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this cookbook - I know, I can hear you moaning, "Becky, you don't even cook!" And that is kind of true - BUT IF I were to take up cooking, this would be my BIBLE!!! The step by step instructions (and pictures, THANK YOU Pioneer Woman!!) make the recipes do-able. This is what Joe made this morning - French Breakfast Puffs - oh my word YUMMY! And not only do I want to try every recipe in the book, it's also a coffee table book - LOVE the photography!!! SO there, I think I mainly want it for the pictures but hey, it also works to show Joe the pictures - then he cooks what he sees!!! (snicker, snicker!) I have to be honest, I do LOVE this woman - not only is she the world's GREATEST blogger, she's also a homeschool mom! She's got the Marlboro Man - I've got the Modem Man - what's not to love!?!?!?