Non-fiction book review

Title: The Constitution of the United States of America: modern edition
Edited by Henry Bain

My library owns a hard cover edition of the Constitution for kids. It's incredibly over sized, in no way fits on a shelf, and rarely circulates. So this book already has the advantage of being a "normal" size. My favorite feature of this book, though, is the side by side glossary. It's nice not having to flip to the back when you don't know a word. I also appreciate the reorganization of it, grouping like concepts together, while also maintaining the original order in the second half for historical accuracy. While this isn't a book most kids will pick up for pleasure reading, it's a great resource likely to be picked up by homeschoolers or kids working on projects.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Book review - Night of the Frankenfrogs

Title: The Creeps #1: Night of the Frankenfrogs
Author: Chris Schweizer
Genre: horror, mystery, graphic novel
Similar books: Chickenhare by Chris Grine
                     Cardboard by Doug TenNapel
Rating:

odd but fun

Summary: The kids of Pumpkins County are used to seeing monsters. The only once who seem to care are the Creeps: Mitchell, Jarvis, Carol, and Rosario. Their efforts tend to get them in trouble but that won't stop them from trying. Someone has stolen the dissection frogs from the biology lab and they're beginning to show up as reanimated monsters. Their classmates don't care as long as it gets them out of classwork. It's up to the Creeps to track down the culprit and save the town.

My opinion: This book is like a cross between Goosebumps and Scooby Doo. Funny and creepy at turns, there is a level of real science backing up the oddness. Visually, it is reminiscent of Nickelodeon cartoons from the mid 90s. The cast of characters is broad and each kid's strength comes into play solving the mystery and stopping the monsters. While this book lacks the heart and complexity of Schweizer's Crogan series, its a fun read likely to appeal to young readers.

More information: Night of the Frankenfrogs releases August 11.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

The Great Owl Repaint Project part 2

Back in February, I told you about a collection of owls I'm repainting. (Check out my first owl, Clara, here). This weekend, I repainted another one.

The Before: 

This owl isn't awful, just a little dull. And I can't stand it's eyes.

The After:

I modeled the color and patterning of this one after an Eagle Owl

 This owl is the father of the family. His name is Leif.

Book review - Saving Mr. Terupt

Title: Saving Mr. Terupt
Author: Rob Buyea
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Zero Tolerance by Claudia Mills
                     The Landry News by Andrew Clements
Rating:

Not my favorite

Summary: Peter, Jeffrey, Alexia, Anna, Danielle, Luke, and Jessica had two great years with Mr. Terupt as their teacher. Now they're moving up to junior high and facing new challenges. Some of these things threaten to tear their tight knit group apart. It looks like Mr. Terupt was the glue that held them together. When they discover Mr. Terupt is in danger, could it be the push they need to work together again?

My opinion: To be 100% frank, I find these books tiresome. I found several of the kid's voices inauthentic, more like adults trying to talk like kids than real kids (in particular, I'm thinking of Alexia, whose chapters over use the word "like" as a Valley Girl would). The plot is predictable with the occasional ridiculous plot twist. The ending is a prime example of deus ex machina, resolution coming from happenstance rather than the efforts of the characters. The series does have it's positive points. There's a wide range of character types coming from different kids of families. The sheer number of perspectives make for quick, if occasionally confusing, reading. And the kids in these books are encouraged to be aware of current events, local politics, and the like which can encourage readers to do the same. So, while I don't care for them, I understand why this series is popular with kids.

More information: Saving Mr. Terupt is the third in a series, preceded by Because of Mr. Terupt and Mr. Terput Falls Again,
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Books on screen

The Boxcar Children

 I probably read this book a dozen times as a kid. It appeals to many for it's portrayal of kids who take care of themselves, much like My Side of the Mountain in that respect actually. I was both pleased and apprehensive when I discovered that it had been made into a movie. Plot wise, it's relatively true to the novel. A few things have been modernized (no references to things like dishes being girls' work, physical labor for boys) and the characters mostly remain together where Henry often does things separately and describes it to the others in the book. My bigger complaint about this movie is the visual quality. The animation is rough, blocky. The voices don't really sync to the mouth movements. It;s basically the definition of low budget. I found that distracting. So, a decent story but don't expect much visually. Worth a view if you have Netflix Streaming.

Book review - Song of Summer

Title: Song of Summer
Author: Laura Lee Anderson
Genre: romance
Similar books: Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid
                     I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
 Rating:

better than I expected

Summary: Robin has always thought that her perfect man would have good taste in music. She's a folk musician and can't stand the thought of her boyfriend listening to pop music. Then Carter walks into the diner where she works. He's attractive, rich, kind, and a good tipper. He's also, she comes to realize, profoundly deaf. Carter never expected to have a hearing girlfriend. It's quite difficult for them to communicate. A hearing girl doesn't understand Deaf culture. Yet, when they meet, Robin and Carter forget all of their previous objections and expectations.

My Opinion: At it's heart, this isn't that unusual a scenario for a romance novel. Two different worlds come together. Can such different people find common ground...and love? I've seen several variations on this over the years, even in the vein of not being able to appreciate your loved one's passions. A few things make this book stand out. 1. Anderson gives us detailed description both of how it feels to create music and life as a deaf person. 2. The difference between deaf and Deaf. Often in a book or a movie a deaf person gets some miracle cure and is "fixed" or finds some way to appreciate the hearing world. Carter is very much a part of Deaf culture. He doesn't want to hear. Because of these two vastly different approaches to life we see Carter and Robin trying and ultimately struggling to fit in and understand one another's worlds. 3. (NOTE: HERE THERE BE SPOILERS) The ending. As expected, their differing views of the world lead to a vast misunderstanding and break-up. While both Carter and Robin have experiences that open their eyes both to how they've misunderstood one another and to some part of the world that is meaningful to them, they don't exactly reconcile. There is the idea that they might sometime in the future, but no promises. The ending is a little abrupt, but that mostly works in this context. 

More information: Song of Summer is available only as an e-book.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Three clay figures

Here are three little figures I've made from polymer clay in the past. All figures are no bigger than two inches tall. I think all of these figures were inspired by some image I'd seen elsewhere, probably a drawing or a photo. The alien in the middle was inspired by a little alien made from grapes and peas and such. The alien uses some translucent clay. The little hot dog fairy uses some glow clay on the wings and the wand.