Stacking the Shelves (#3)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and gives us a chance to share with you what books we have recently bought, won, been given, or stole. ;-)

I decided to hijack Stacking the Shelves this week ;)

I have been pretty slow reading lately.  Why?  I have a booming (well I like to think so) new Baby Boutique.  An incredibly active 6 month old.  Plus, I recently enrolled in my program to become a Labour Doula!

In addition to Family Friday I needed to contribute somewhere in this wonderful world we have created!  Then I thought to myself...well when I was pregnant I often used Google to find book reviews to help select books on breastfeeding, labour, pain methods, post partum and more!  So why should I leave my newest additions out?  Since I am required to write reviews on the books anyways I might as well post them here too!

Here they are!

Jenn C <3





Family Friday # 2: Review - The Gruffalo

The Gruffalo - Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler - MacMillian Children's Books



The "Facts": Paperback, 32 pages, 20 minutes

Summary: From Goodreads

Walk further into the deep dark wood, and discover what happens when the quick-thinking mouse comes face to face with an owl, a snake "and "a hungry gruffalo . . .

Review:

Oh how I love The Gruffalo!  This was one children's book I had never heard of.  When at the bookstore I loved the bright colours on the cover and decided to add it to Emmett's book collection.

I am so glad that I did.

The Gruffalo is about a clever little mouse making his way through the forest.  At the bottom of the food chain, he encounters many animals who see him as lunch!  He develops a clever tale of what he thinks is a mythical creature - a Gruffalo - to keep these predators from eating him!

Then to the mouse's surprise he meets a real gruffalo! Of course the Gruffalo wants to eat the little mouse. 

Little mouse uses his quick thinking and tells the Gruffalo that he is the biggest creature in the forest!  He dares him to follow him through the forest to see.  When all the animals see him coming with the Gruffalo they run and hide.

I love that this story has a nice rhythm to it.  Even though it seems like it may be long for a younger child it is an easy read with a nice flow.

The illustrations are colourful and fun. 

Although the moral of the story may be to advanced for younger children it does teach about the food chain and animals in their habitat.

Rating: 4 stars

Jenn C

Review: If You Find Me

If You Find Me – Emily Murdoch – St. Martin's Griffin

The “Facts”:  Hardcover, 256 pages, 3 days

Summary: (Taken from Goodreads):  There are some things you can’t leave behind… A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency. Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and two strangers arrive. Suddenly, the girls are taken from the woods and thrust into a bright and perplexing new world of high school, clothes and boys.

Now, Carey must face the truth of why her mother abducted her ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go… a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.

My Review:  Have you ever read a book and finished with appreciation for the author? It's a weird feeling to have this sudden 'I need to thank this author' feeling, especially when you've never met and the book isn't a 'life-changer.' So, why am I appreciative?

This author, Emily Murdoch, gets it. She understands a true character's crisis and keeps the characters real. For example, the main character in this book was raised to believe her father was abusive. She knows her mother allowed and encouraged nightmareish things to happen to her, however when she is 'rescued' and given back to her father, she isn't necessarily happy. This character is not trusting, and still hangs on to her mother. Even though her mother was a bad woman, she was her mother and that was where her loyalty would lay.

Not only that, but her characters show range. They grow, they have flaws, they are not flat and predictable. They feel real. 

This is the story of Carey, and her return to normalcy after being abducted by her mother, living in terrible conditions ferreted away in a camper in a park. This story could have easily drug on. It could have easily been distracted with side-stories, and details. Emily Murdoch was able to tell a story without bogging it down with details or extraneous information. Emily Murdoch is a story-teller, a true craftsman, and I thank her for that. It isn't often I come across a book where I was left satisfied and still wanting more. I thought about this book, days after finishing it. I didn't feel like all questions were answered, and with this topic, it felt right that way.

If you haven't checked out this book yet, I HIGHLY recommend you do so. You won't regret it.

Rating: 5 stars

Review: The Selection

                                       The Selection - Kiera Cass - HarperTeen

The “Facts”:  Paperback 327 Pages - Took about a week to read between tasks

Summary: (Taken from Goodreads): 
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

My Review:

When I picked this book up at the bookstore, it immediately caught my interest. Then a worker told me it was her pick of the month because it had a Bachelor like feel to it. That comparison almost made me put it down because I'm not a fan of the show. I decided to still give it a try, and I am very happy that I did.

America is already one of my favourite female protagonists. She seems strong, but she is also humble and relatable. The caste society really made me sad. There were so many people that were struggling and it seemed like they weren't cared about. 

When the author first introduces Aspen, I was on board with Aspen and America as  a couple. The fact that he was a caste lower than her played on my heart strings and I was rooting for him. Even after she first arrived at the Palace for the Selection, I was still trying to come up with a way for them to be together, then we met Prince Maxon.

Maxon is a such a lovable character and I really started to like his interaction with America. As time went on, I found myself no longer shipping Aspen and America, but now Maxon and America. They are really cute together and they seem to really understand each other. 

There was a pretty big shocker near the end and I cannot wait for the Elite to come out to see what happens!

Rating: 5 stars

Teaser Tuesday! (#2)

Good Morning!

Even though I've got a bunch of books from the library that I should be finishing, I HAD to read this one first. This is a YA series that I had heard about from numerous people and I decided to give it a try. I really love it so far and I already cannot wait for the next one!

Teaser Tuesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading, in which we post a little *non-spoiler* teaser of the book we are currently reading.

"I promised myself that, if I could help it, Lucy wouldn't have to go through that again."

"Tears welled in Anna's eyes as Celeste whispered something to her and swiftly left the room."

I had a hard time finding a teaser that didn't give very much away! I really like this book. You should definitely add it to your to-read list.

-Jenn D

Stacking the Shelves (#2)

Welcome to our second Stacking the Shelves post!

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and gives us a chance to share with you what books we have recently bought, won, been given, or stole. ;-)

Jenni: 
So, this week was pretty busy for me, book-wise. As I've mentioned before, I'm a middle school 'librarian.' When I first took the job in March, my local Barnes and Noble told me I was not eligible for their educator discount card, because "It is ONLY for teachers." I argued with him, and in the end called their customer service. Oh my goodness, people. Reading comprehension is a difficult skill, I know. However I couldn't believe the craziness I was about to go through. On the website, you can find the following:

"The Barnes & Noble Educator Program is eligible to: Educators employed by an accredited pre-K through Grade 12 public, private, or parochial school. Those eligible include but are not limited to teachers, guidance counselors, principals, and reading coaches. (Substitute, student, and retired teachers are not eligible.)"


The man I talked with asked me where it specifically said school librarians were included. I then reiterated the above, in which it states "NOT LIMITED TO". Then, I went on to the next paragraph on their website:


"What discount will I receive by joining the Educator Program?
Barnes & Noble offers pre k-12 educators, librarians, and homeschoolers a 20% discount off the publisher's list price on select items that we consider suitable for use in the classroom or with the student population, including most hardcover and paperback books, toys, and games."

At this point the man on the phone, who admitted he did not know anything about this program and was using the website as his guide told me they would have to look into this and call me back, as their website is "confusing" and "contradictory." 

Guess who never received a phone call back?

Well, this week I visited a different location, and once again inquired about the educator discount card. They smiled and gave me the application form. One of the first sections on the form is where the applicants needs to mark off which profession they are in. Guess what? Librarian was one of the options. While I'm very grateful I finally received my card and I can buy books for my school at a much nicer price, I'm still saddened and disappointed with their customer service. If a company takes my number and e-mail and tell me they will call me back, I expect them to actually do it!

With that being said, I bought the following books this week for my library, but I will be reading them this summer first.

 

Family Friday Review: Zen Shorts

Zen Shorts – Jon J Muth – Scholastic Press

The “Facts”: Hard Cover, 40 pages, 20-30 minutes

Summary:  From Good Reads

Jon J Muth, author of the best-selling book, THE THREE QUESTIONS, has crafted another profound and winning picture book.

"Michael," said Karl. "There's a really big bear in the backyard." This is how three children meet Stillwater, a giant panda who moves into the neighborhood and tells amazing tales. To Addy he tells a story about the value of material goods. To Michael he pushes the boundaries of good and bad. And to Karl he demonstrates what it means to hold on to frustration. With graceful art and simple stories that are filled with love and enlightenment, Jon Muth -- and Stillwater the bear -- present three ancient Zen tales that are sure to strike a chord in everyone they touch.

Review:  I love children's book that have a lesson.  Even though Emmett is not old enough to understand this yet I feel better knowing that someday our beloved story time will also teach him things.

Zen Shorts does exactly this.  Three siblings befriend a Giant Panda named Stillwater.  Stillwater in the spirit of Zen teaches each child a life lesson about a situation that has presented itself to them at that time. 

The illustrations in this book change with each story and are vibrant and captivating for a young child.  They are also quite cultural.

This book keeps the characters simple and has a humble story line, allowing young readers to follow along with ease.

Anyone can enjoy this book.  Even an adult that needs a time out or a lesson in morals!

 Rating: 4.5 stars

While I enjoy reading this to Emmett at bedtime it is not designed for children his age.  Children 5 and up would likely be the best audience.

 Jenn C