Book Review: Mouse Scouts (1-2) by Sarah Dillard

Summary:  
For fans of Ivy and Bean and Junie B. Jones comes a brand-new chapter book series: Mouse Scouts!

Brimming with lively black-and-white illustrations—including pages from the official Mouse Scout Handbook, plus diagrams, games, activities, and more—this darling new series is just right for chapter book readers. 

Mouse Scouts (#1) 
Meet Violet, Tigerlily, Hyacinth, Petunia, Junebug, and Cricket, six new Mouse Scouts who are trustworthy and strong, thrifty and brave . . . and destined to be friends to the end! Best friends Violet and Tigerlily can’t wait to start earning their merit badges. But their troop leader, Miss Poppy, is one strict rodent. And earning their first badge—planting a vegetable garden—is hard work. Will the troop drive unwanted pests from the garden and earn their Sow It and Grow It badge? And will they ever get Miss Poppy to smile?
 

Mouse Scouts (#2) Make a Difference
Violet, Tigerlily, and their friends are ready to earn their Make a Difference badge. If only they could agree on what kind of difference they want to make. But when the troop decides to clean up a local park, they find themselves facing an unusual rescue mission. Will the girls be able to make a real difference, or will this badge prove more than the Mouse Scouts can handle?

 


Release Date: January 2016
Age Group: Middle Grade
Source: Review Copies from Publisher
Reviewed By: Macy Kate

1. Who are the main characters? Did you have a favorite and why?

My favorite characters in both books were Tigerlily and Violet. I like Tigerlily because she is adventurous and daring. I really like Violet because she's careful around danger and is a good friend. 

2. What is the story setting?

The story takes place at a Mouse Scout camp 

3. What was one main event?

The main event in the first book "Mouse Scouts" was planting a garden. The mice had to work together to plant the garden and keep pests and animals from messing up the garden. The main event in "Making a Difference " was that the mice work together to make a difference by cleaning up a park that is important to them. They figure out a way to keep the trash in the trash can. 

4. What didn't you like? 

I really liked it all!

5. Was the book easy to follow (understand)?

Yep. 

6. What is your overall opinion of the series? Will you continue? 

I really loved these books! I hope the author writes more Mouse Scout books. I have told my friends about them because I loved them so much. The books made me want to be a better friend and help others.

 

Note from Nat:

These books are so visually attractive that I instantly wanted to use them as decorations in my daughters room! But I held it together and gave them to Macy Kate. {They are such a cute size too.} 

After reading Macy Kate's review, I wanted to recommend this series to parents for a few reasons.

1. Bullying is so bad in our schools and this is a series that encourages strong, healthy friendships. And most importantly teaches appropriate ways to resolve conflicts.

2. Obviously this series appeals to girls especially those that: love animals, are in girl scouts and those that love a little adventure.

3. Whether you have an avid middle grade reader or a hesitant one, this is a series that is fresh and just beginning to roll out. This will give young readers something to look forward too and begin to develop those feelings of anticipation (and sometimes distress :). It is best to start them young and really develop these intense book habits-- really it's good for our society.

The next installment, Mouse Scouts: Camp Out is set to hit shelves this October and you can bet Macy Kate is ready!

A Letter from Ally Condie

I really love Ally Condie and this week is the release of her new middle grade book, Summerlost. I just got my copy in the mail and am eager to read it! Below is a sweet letter from Ally to her readers:

____________________________________________________________________________

Dear Readers,

I think most of us have had our hearts broken. Sometimes we can see it coming, and sometimes it comes down with the unexpected force of a sudden gale of wind or a rising of waters that we thought were still and safe. Loss is universal to human experience, but the way we each feel and recover is one of the most personal things we do.

In Summerlost, Cedar is dealing with the loss of her father and younger brother. And my intent was to show how hard their deaths are for her. But this is also a book about the healing power of friendship. Most of us have been broken-hearted; I hope that most of us have also discovered the miracle of friendships that were just what we needed. Cedar and Leo’s friendship is based on someone I met when I was twelve. Like Leo, my friend was fun and liked to enlist me in crazy adventures (although we never gave a secret guided tour of our town the way they do in Summerlost). And, like Leo, he thought I was wonderful and of worth at a time when I needed it most.

SUMMERLOST is my attempt to pay tribute both to the pain we feel and the friendships that save us. Thank you so much for supporting this book, and for your willingness to give Cedar’s story a try. I hope it makes you think of a wonderful friend of your own, whether that is someone you met in the pages of a favorite book or outside, in the world where it is often hard and beautiful to live.

Best wishes and happy reading always,

Ally Condie

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If you want a copy and a chance to win two other goodies from Ally, fill out the giveaway form for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway    ____________________________________________________________________________

And if you are like me and lack the "luck" for giveaways, here is where you can grab a copy:

Penguin Random House
Amazon
Barnes & Noble  

Indiebound

____________________________________________________________________________ 

Thank you Word Spelunking & Penguin Kids for hosting this giveaway and putting Summerlost on my radar!

Still not convinced or want more on Summerlost? 

Read the first 19 pages here: Summerlost Excerpt

And visit one of the following blogs:

Novel Novice 

Mundie Moms

A Southern Girls Bookshelf

Bloggin' 'bout Books

The Book Cellar

The 100 #SHOWHOLE

I waited and waited and waited.... FOR 10 MONTHS for season 3.

I had my mom, my brother and even my grandma anticipating the season opener.

I. Got. Burned.

The very graphic sex scene was where we shut it off. I'm pretty sure my face was bright red as my grandma said "We've had enough of that crap". 

If I am watching HBO or Showtime I know what I'm in for--> naughtyness. But this is The CW for crying out loud!
So farewell to a series that I was totally into. You embarassed me in front of my old lady and I ain't havin' it!

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses by KN Smith

The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses is an action-adventure story about five teen boys who are mysteriously exposed to a foreign energy source that gives them extremely heightened senses. Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell become hypersensitive gifts that forever change the world!

The story chronicles their effortless interrelations and later exposes the testing of their deep bonds, and introduces the reader to an array of supporting characters who alter the boys’ lives forever. The Urban Boys offers young and mature readers central themes of loyalty, responsibility, honesty, fear, and triumph, which become artfully integrated with cinematic-level action and high drama.

We wonder, will they pass the test of fate, and will each of us pass the test of our very own lives? Intriguing, intelligent, and full of action, The Urban Boys offers a memorable, emotion-packed, thrilling ride for traditional and digital readers of all ages!

Buy the book:  

Amazon    Barnes & Noble

About the Author K.N. Smith is an American author and passionate advocate of childhood and family literacy programs throughout the world. She continues to inspire students of all ages to reach their highest potential in their literary and educational pursuits. Her creative, lyrical flair sweeps across pages that twist, turn, and grind through elements of paranormal and action-adventure in diverse, exciting, edge-of-your-seat narratives. She lives with her family in California.

Connect with the author:   

Website    Twitter    Facebook

Want a prize?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want more?! Follow the trail and hop over to the next blog.

Tour Schedule:
March 14 - Amie's Book Reviews - review / guest post / giveaway
March 14 - I'd So Rather Be Reading - book spotlight / giveaway
March 15 - Bookworm for Kids - review / giveaway
March 16 - The Autistic Gamer - review
March 17 - Bound 4 Escape - review / giveaway
March 18 - Splashes Into Books - review / author interview
March 21 - bookmyopia - review / giveaway
March 21 - Reading Authors - review / giveaway
March 22 - Library of Clean Reads - review / giveaway
March 23 - JBronder Book Reviews - review / guest post
March 24 - Readers' Muse - review / guest post
March 25 - Room With Books - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
March 25 - Christy's Cozy Corners - review
March 28 - Ali - The Dragon Slayer - book spotlight / guest post
March 28 - Comfort Books - review
March 29 - The Page Unbound - book spotlight 
March 30 - Over the hills and far away - book spotlight / giveaway
March 31 - Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers - book spotlight 

Blog Tour hosted by:

Book Review: Hooray for Kids! by Suzanne Lang & Max Lang

Summary:
Every kid is a one-of-a-kind kid!
Suzanne and Max Lang (Families, Families, Families!) bring us another joyful ode to diversity in this zippy rhyming celebration of kids of all stripes. Whether you’re a play-a-lot-of-ball kid, a hang-out-at-the-mall kid, a bake-delicious-pie kid, or an always-asking-why kid . . . when you read this book, you’ll be a laughing-till-you-cry kid! Children can find themselves in the hilarious menagerie and recognize their friends and classmates. The subtle anti-bullying message will make this a welcome addition to classroom libraries.

Release Date: March 2016
Age Group: Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Reviewed By: Nat & The Boys

Review:
I was really excited to read Hooray for Kids! to the boys because they are total one-of-a-kind-kids! For example, #hurricane is very bright and asks about 74,529 questions each day and can be identified as an asks-a-lot-of-questions-kid in the book. He thought it was pretty cool that the book identified a kid like him and then asked "mom, there are other kids like me?!" with a sly grin.  My reply:

Yes wild man, there are other moms out there that fight the good fight. Every.Day.All.Day.
Yes there are other handsome little devils out there just like you.  
{Just} yes. Yes there are. Next question...

It was entertaining to read through the ryhming-text and listen to my boys trying to decide who they knew that was that kind of kid being described. The unique colorforms mixed with photographs was immediate eye candy for both myself and the boys (especially the monkey kids-- super #GROSS but super funny & TRUE). It's nice when the illustrations are enjoyable for both the parent and the child and Lang hit the mark.

Overall, this is one of the coolest young reader's I've gotten in a while! With Scholastic's partnership with We Need Diverse Books, this is one that could easily be added to that list.

"Featuring award-winning titles, beloved classics, and new releases, these special edition Scholastic Reading Club flyers will reach millions of students during the 2016-17 school year. The collection will showcase a wide variety of titles representing many types of diversity, including race and ethnicity, religion, LGBTQ, disabled characters, and more." 
 
"Together, we’ll be able to broaden the breadth and scope of the books we’re putting into the hands of children, presenting them with both the necessary windows and mirrors through which they explore the world." -- Dhonielle Clayton, COO and Sr VP of Librarian Services for We Need Diverse Books 

Hooray for Kids! is simply a fantastic celebration of diversity as seen through the eyes of kids and is both creative and fun!

Book to Movie Review: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

Spencer Cole is one of our favorite guest reviewers that loves to focus on book to film adaptations.  Today he's here to talk about an adaptation of an adaptation.

A movie adaptation of a book adaptation of a classic novel - it sounds a little bit like a game of telephone, but actually works surprisingly well in the case of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. In a year with a huge number of worthy films, this quirky action movie is nevertheless carving out its own niche. The book itself was a fun and lighthearted read when it came out in 2009, taking a very prim and proper storyline and turning it on its head. It also took advantage of a longstanding interest in the fantasy genre and zombie phenomenon, while adding a nice helping of girl-power on top of it. The film both succeeds and fails for many of the same reasons - it is a familiar story but with a whole new twist.

The core plot is essentially unchanged. Elizabeth Bennet, played by Lily James, still takes an almost instant dislike to the haughty Darcy, who still advises his much more mellow friend against marrying Elizabeth's sister. Unlike the original plot, all the Bennet girls are also talented warriors who like to blow off stress by killing zombies. Also unlike the original book, Elizabeth decides that the best response to Darcy's slight of her family is to kill him too. He eventually is able to make amends and the couple works together to not only help their friends and family find similar happiness, but to also fight back the zombie hordes.

The movie is fairly true to the modern book adaptation however, there are a few changes. It goes even further in its depictions of battle, choreographing fast-paced fight sequences alongside the more sedate ballroom scenes. The ending also embraces the warrior concept even more deeply than the book, letting the women take the lead in battle and even having the more traditional Jane, played by Bella Heathcote, save her beloved Bingley. Though Darcy, played by Sam Riley, proves himself to be a very capable fighter, there is no implication that Elizabeth is any less handy. This ramping up of the violence from the book works well, since movies are by their nature more visual and less cerebral, and it keeps the plot moving quickly.

The movie, despite working hard to stay true to both the original novel and its adaptation, doesn't always connect. There are a few reasons for this. True Austen fans may be offended at the implication that Pride and Prejudice needed spicing up to begin with. There was also the fact that some plot points were breezed past fairly quickly in order to make time for the battle scenes. Similarly, zombie fans may not appreciate that the film is more of a parody than a real horror staple. It is noticeably more fun than frightening.

The timing also worked against it to a degree. There has been an influx of thoughtfully done zombie movies in recent years, including the romantic Warm Bodies and the zany Fido, both of which can still be seen on cable TV. This has both raised the bar for the genre and taken away the novelty factor that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies would have otherwise benefited from. It may simply be that the film needed to commit to one direction or another. It needed to be more frightening or more funny, rather than trying to walk the line in between.

Regardless of its flaws, this adaptation directed by Burr Steers will likely do better on the small screen than it has on the big screen. It is certainly a fun enough film to enjoy with a group of friends and popcorn, if you don’t compare it to the original or other parodies. While the quirkiness may not have quite been enough to carry it to box office success, it seems like there will be a certain niche of fans who will continue to appreciate it as a stand-alone film.


*image sources: google.com

Birthday Facelift

In April I'd So Rather Be Reading will turn 6 and in blogger years that's like her 40th Birthday! (yes, I think ISRBR is a she) And like most women she needs a little pick-me-up and that will come in the form of a blog facelift. 

So, the next few weeks we may look a little wonky and jumbled but in the end I (the blog surgeon) will have given ISRBR a new look for her birthday and new year.

#fingerscrossed

Cit Chat: Book Turn-Offs

Book Turn-offs

Just for laughs and giggles, we decided to list our favorite book turn-offs. 

• Love at first sight
• A poor editing job: poor grammar, misspelled words, inappropriate use of punctuation
• Poorly concealed plot devices 
• When medical related references are either dead wrong or just not plausable <--- Really buggy! Enough to make us quit the book.
• So tired of the typical love triangle
• Wrapping up an entire story arch in 2 pages *cough* #mockingjay.
• When the leading guy is a wuss.
• When facts are wrong.
• When a story is so closely identical to another hit series.
• The odd spelling to character names. You know, when you say the name allowed thinking the whole time that you have been pronouncing it right in your mind, only to find out you were way-off. #palmtohead

What are your turn-offs?