Non-fiction book review - Mad for Ads

 

Mad for Ads by Erica Fyvie

Never have I read such a comprehensive breakdown of advertising. Fyvie takes us through the structure, methodology, and psychology of ads. We learn about the roles played by various members of advertising teams and technical terms for assorted parts of campaigns. None of this is explored in a great deal of depth but we do get a basic introduction to every aspect. This is an excellent resource for kids with an interest in business or wanting to understand the complex influence of advertising on our decision making. 

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Book review - My Contrary Mary

 

Title: My Contrary Mary

Author: Cynthia Hand, Brody Ashton, Jodi Meadows

Genre: alternate history

Similar books: Jackaby by William Ritter

                     Odd and True by Cat Winters

Rating:

 

fun and compelling

 

Summary (provided by publisher):Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beasts, of mice and . . . queens?
Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when she’s a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is an Eðian (shapeshifter) in a kingdom where Verities rule. It’s a secret that could cost her a head—or a tail.
Luckily, Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But things at the gilded court take a treacherous turn after the king meets a suspicious end. Thrust onto the throne, Mary and Francis face a viper’s nest of conspiracies, traps, and treason. And if Mary’s secret is revealed, heads are bound to roll

My opinion: Most depictions of Mary Queen of Scots don't paint her in an especially positive light. Typically she's shown and ruthless, vindictive. I admire that this book shows all of the royalty as essentially political pawns, especially given their relative youth. This book does, of course, take liberties with the timeline. I mean, we have functional magic in the form of shapeshifters and potions both. There are real prophetic visions (though these are largely played for humor - one of my favorite parts). But these elements are integrated with the historical facts relatively well. The villain dynamic is fairly sharp here. Villains are primarily after power, though some personal prejudice certainly comes into play. While the plot is predictable the characters are dynamic enough to keep us engaged and make for compelling reading.

More information: My Contrary Mary releases June 22.

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Seasonal decor

 Like a lot of people, I've been feeling like my space needs a bit of a refresh. When I found a piece of white cardboard while cleaning out my craft supplies I figured I'd make some decorations to hang on the hooks I put up for garland at Christmas. I cut some simple cloud shapes. Then I used the scraps to make things you might see among the clouds: the sun, a blimp, and a dragon.

Book review - Jo Jo Makoons

 

Title: Jo Jo Makoons - The Used-To-Be Best Friend

Author: Dawn Quigley

Genre: humor/early chapter book

Similar books: Junie B Jones series by Barbara Park

                     Izzy in the Doghouse by Caroline Adderson 

Rating:

 

cute, though it may be trying too hard

Summary (provided by publisher): Jo Jo Makoons Azure is a spirited seven-year-old who moves through the world a little differently than anyone else on her Ojibwe reservation. It always seems like her mom, her kokum (grandma), and her teacher have a lot to learn—about how good Jo Jo is at cleaning up, what makes a good rhyme, and what it means to be friendly.
Even though Jo Jo loves her #1 best friend Mimi (who is a cat), she’s worried that she needs to figure out how to make more friends. Because Fern, her best friend at school, may not want to be friends anymore…

My opinion: There are definitely Junie B Jones vibes in this book. The base concept is very much the same: a young kid at school who consistently misunderstands or misinterprets things that people say. In this case, some of this can be attributed to cultural differences since Teacher is white and Jo Jo is Ojibwe. In fact, I wish the cultural comparison were a larger role instead of being a side element. This series suffers a little from comparison with the Junie B Jones monolith but with time and further volumes it will shine on it's own.

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Graphic Novel Spotlight - The Weirn Books

 

The Weirn Books series by Svetlana Chmakova

In many ways, the Weirn Books series follows standard middle grade plots. The central focus is on school and interaction with peers. Thus we have bullies, popularity, and wanting to gain attention. The surface details make this one stand out from the pack. Sure, it's a magical school. It's also a complex magical world with a lot of associated rules. Magic has a cost, consequences for every spell cast. There is also a horror element, with a creepy building in the woods and a local legend about missing kids, elements that we aren't surprised to learn are associated. The illustrations are fairly cartoony and expressive, keeping this from becoming too creepy for young readers. Just the right level of scary for upper elementary kids. While the plot is fairly predictable, the journey is compelling.

 

More Information: Be Wary of the Silent Woods releases June 16

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Non-fiction book review - Summertime Sleepers

 

Summertime Sleepers by Melissa Stewart

We first learn about hibernation in some of our earliest introductions to animal biology. It wasn't until I reached adulthood that I learned about estivation, though. Personally, I knew that animals other than bears slept for extended periods and may even have grasped that these sleeps don't just happen in the winter. I did not know that it had its own name and process. This book provides the young reader with several examples of animals that estivate, the reasons for it, how they prepare, etc. There isn't much detail here but that isn't the point. The point is to introduce the idea and encourage kids to ask questions about the lives of other animals. It achieves that aim well.

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Book review - Dog Squad

 

Title: Dog Squad

Author: Chris Grabenstein

Genre: adventure

Similar books: Little Claws by Eliot Schrefer

                     Horace and Bunwinkle by P.J. Gardner

Rating:

 

cute and accessible

Summary (provided by publisher): When trouble calls . . . it's DOG SQUAD to the rescue!
Duke is not your average dog. Along with his crew, he fights crime and goes on claw-biting adventures helping dogs in peril in the hit streaming sensation--DOG SQUAD! Fred is a pretty average dog. He's scrappy. He's loveable. But he's not brave like his heroes on Dog Squad.
Fred looks an awful lot like Duke from Dog Squad though. In fact, when Duke needs a stand-in, Fred's the perfect choice. But the Dog Squad action doesn't always stop on screen! When there's danger in real life, can Fred find the courage to step up and save the day?!
It's all paws on deck in this action-packed, middle grade adventure series just right for anyone who loves dogs--and anyone who loves to laugh!

My opinion: Dog squad delivers exactly what it promises. A regular stray dog finds himself thrust into the world of Hollywood due to his resemblance to a famous dog. He learns that the dog actor is self-important and cruel, a sharp contrast to his brave and selfless character. So of course, the reader and the director come to prefer Fred with his humble and helpful attitude. His kindness wins over everyone he meets, including tough customers. It's a bit predictable but should play well with middle grade readers.

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