Listen with me

 

The Wonderful World of James Herriot

When I started listening to this book I expected to get the most entertainment from the stories collected from the Herriot novels. The humor and straightforward tone of the writing is soothing and engaging. I figured the connections to Alf Wight's life experience might add some interesting context but it would take a back seat to his tales. In reality, the book nicely blends the two. We get snippets of the books of course but always as a method of discussing Alf's real life and more importantly, the greater context of life in the Yorkshire Dales. Most interesting of all is the historical picture we gain from the assorted stories. Alf's career was poised at a turning point in science and medicine and we can see the changes as we read the stories. The narration of the audio is personable and reflects the accents we expect from Herriot stories. Even if you've read All Creatures Great and Small or the other books a dozen times before, this audio is a worth addition to your collection.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Punch needle

 Have you ever tried punch needle? Its fairly easy to learn and you don't need much in the way of supplies. And there are some nice beginner kits on the market (I learned from this one). When I found myself in need of something do do with my hands last week I threw together this little balloon dog.

Listen with me

 

The Wonderful World of James Herriot

I wouldn't say that I'm a devoted fan of the James Herriot books, but I did enjoy All Creatures Great and Small, so this collection seems like a nice, calm listen. Let's give it a try together.

Book review - The Amazing Beef Squad

 

Title: The Amazing Beef Squad Never Say Die

Author: Jason Ross

Genre: humor

Similar books: The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett

                      The Capybara Conspiracy by Erica S Perl

Rating:

 

clever chaos

Summary (provided by publisher): Meet the Beef Squad: a group of unforgettable kids who are serious about pranks but also about doing whatever it takes to help the people and places they care about.
Nick Rhodes and his friends Pratchett, Hogue, and Jared--together known as Beef Squad--have got seventh grade totally hacked. They make perfect grades by day, pull spectacular pranks by night, play video games in between, and do it all with a zany sense of humor only they find funny. (Because someone has to celebrate National Asparagus Appreciation Day.) But seventh grade is about to strike back! Trouble at school and a secret from their town's Gold Rush past put Beef Squad on a collision course with Leonardville's most powerful forces. Now, with the help of robotics teammate Karla Woo, they decide to reveal what's going on, no matter the consequences.

My opinion: Stories about pranksters can be a tricky thing. As adults, we don't exactly want to endorse "bad" behavior. Yet these things are incredibly appealing to young readers. We love to read about characters getting away with something. The Beef Squad finds a decent balance. While a lot of their activities are about having fun without consequences, they also have a strong sense of justice. They go from simply trying to cause chaos to righting a wrong and keeping the true "villains" from destroying the town the love out of simple greed. With a cast of solid characters and a relatable small town setting, this is a book worthy of a middle grade audience.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Maggie Sparks and the Alien Invasion

 

Title: Maggie Sparks and the Alien Invasion

Author: Steve Smallman

Genre: humor

Similar books: Operation Bunny by Sally Gardner

                      Monkey Me and the Golden Monkey by Timothy Roland

Rating:

 

mostly silly

Summary (provided by publisher): Maggie Sparks does NOT fit in!
Especially not with Arthur’s new friends, who all love SCIENCE.
Maggie tries everything she can think of to be like them – even reading BORING science books. But nothing works! Then things go from bad to worse when an angry astronaut upsets Arthur. Thankfully, Maggie is a super powerful, super smart, super talented WITCH. She plans to use her powers to fix things, fit in and make Arthur’s dreams of exploring SPACE come true.
All she needs is a little magic … 

My opinion: I like the way Smallman combines friendship issues with chaotic magic. Children make split second decisions without considering consequences all of the time. When you add magical abilities to the mix all kinds of humor ensues. The plot progression, while strange, follows and internal logic so the reader can accept events without question. It's designed for early independent readers so the writing is simple and easy to follow.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - With or Without You

 

Title: With or Without You 

Author: Eric Smith

Genre: realistic fiction/teen romance

Similar books: Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love by Jared Reck

                     How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love by Ken Baker

Rating:

 

a decent twist on some standard elements

Summary (provided by publisher): All’s fair in love and (food truck) war.
Everyone knows Jordan Plazas and Cindy Ortiz hate each other.
According to many viral videos of their public shouting matches, the Plazas and Ortiz families have a well-known food truck rivalry. Jordan and Cindy have spent all of high school making cheesesteaks and slinging insults at each other across their shared Philadelphia street.
But the truth? They’re in love, and it’s all just an act for the tourists.
When the fake feud lands them a reality tv show pilot, Jordan and Cindy find themselves having to lie on a much bigger scale. Trapped between pursuing their dreams or their love, can they find a way to have their cheesesteak and eat it too?

My opinion: Individually, the elements of this novel are somewhat played out. You'd think we'd seen every variation on a family rivalry. Or a food truck rivalry. Or a reality tv rivalry. By combining all three, though, Smith has elevated the plot to something new and innovative. Especially since at the outset all of the rivalry is an act. They're playing the system to get what they want most. As the plot progresses, though, the act reveals true sentiment and a once clear relationship is muddied. While the arc of the plot is predictable it remains highly entertaining. Don't expect a lot of deep thinking with this one but if you're looking for something cozy and heart-warming this one probably fills the bill.

More information: With or Without You releases November 7.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - 15 Secrets to Survival

 

Title: 15 Secrets to Survival

Author: Natalie D Richards

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Paradise on Fire by Jewell Parker Rhodes

                      Out of Range by Heidi Lang

Rating:

 

one to think about

Summary (provided by publisher): When classmates Baxter, Abigail, Turner and Emerson break a school rule, they’re forced to travel to the middle of nowhere for an extra credit project. They think things can’t get much worse. After all, how will learning to survive in the wilderness help them stay out of trouble in school?
   What starts off as a weekend of team building takes a scary turn when their instructor goes missing and they are given nothing but pages of a survival guide to complete a series of challenges.
     They soon learn the woods around them have unexpected surprises. Will they discover a way to work together to find their teacher and overcome the dangers of winter in the mountains?

My opinion: As a rule, I'm a fan of survival stories. Personally I prefer the solo survivalist but when you get a book like this one, where a survival scenario forces disparate kids to work together, it achieves something different. Now, this book differs from the genre standard in that their scenario is, at least initially, organized. It's planned. This adds in elements of a puzzle plot, a type that tends to go over well with young readers. It's also the element of this book that give me the most pause. Because the book is built on the idea of these kids put in a potentially dangerous situation by someone they barely know. For an adult reader, it's full of red flags. The plot itself is decent, not terribly unexpected or complex. So it's a decent read that might spark some conversation but not one that would be my go-to first choice.

More information: 15 Secrets to Survival releases November 7 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley