Stu Truly By Dan Richards
(On sale date: 7/3/18) Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. In this hilarious middle-grade novel a sixth-grader’s life is turned upside down by the arrival of a new girl. Stu is a video game loving, meat-eating guy who has never paid attention to girls. The arrival of vegetarian Becca changes everything. Suddenly Stu finds himself doing crazy things like stapling his finger, eating raw Brussel sprouts, pretending he is vegetarian, and spending a great deal of time lost for words with his heart thumping and stomach twisting. His best friend, Ben, is also distracted by a girl— Becca’s friend, Kirsten. By day, Stu finds himself helping Becca plan a protest to encourage more vegetarian lunch options at school. By night- he gets pulled into his father’s plans to create a float for the annual town parade, promoting meat consumption and his butcher shop. As expected, tension rises to a laugh-out-loud level. A perfect book for middle-schoolers navigating first crushes and anyone wanting some comic relief in their life. Fast paced and delightfully witty. Enjoy! @kidlitexchange #partner #bookstagram #kidlitexchange #kidlit
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@kidlitexchange #partner #bookstagram #kidlitexchange #kidlit
Where The Watermelons Grow By Cindy Baldwin Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Where The Watermelons Grow takes us on a journey with twelve-year-old, North Carolina girl, Della Kelly who tiptoes from her bed one steamy summer night only to discover her mother hearing voices that aren’t there. As the days progress, Della watches her Mama fall deeper under the veil of an acute episode of schizophrenia. Initially it’s just small things like her mother fearing watermelon seeds are toxic and air conditioners are bad for your health. But these irrational concerns and non existent voices become stronger until Della can no longer recognize her mother in the body of the woman who stands before her. Desperate to prevent her mother’s downward spiral, which has previously ended in a hospitalization, Della takes it upon herself to shoulder an increasing amount of responsibility - from household chores to caring for her eighteen month old sister, and helping her daddy on the struggling, drought-ridden farm. And when that doesn’t work, she seeks some medicinal honey from the legendary, local Bee Lady- who, much to Della’s despair, advises Della to heal her own aching heart and let the medical professionals care for her mother. Throughout the book, Della’s journey continues to be heart achingly sad but Cindy Baldwin’s beautiful writing gently wraps around your heart and mesmerizes, compelling you to read on like only a master storyteller can. And Baldwin’s secondary characters are just as rich and alive as her heroine. Especially Della’s exhausted but loving father, her loyal best friend, Arden, and new neighbor, Miss Lorena. Where The Watermelons Grow is a must-read story full of love and hope despite the seriousness of the mental illness portrayed. Grab an ice cold plate of watermelon, a patch of summer sun, a box of tissues, and get ready to walk in Della’s shoes. It’s an experience not to be missed. @kidlitexchange #partner #bookstagram #kidlitexchange #kidlit
Sticker Girl Rules The School by Janet Tashjian (Illustrations by Inga Wilmink) Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Sticker Girl is a chapter book series about Martina, a Hispanic girl who finds a magical sticker sheet. When peeled off, the stickers come to life – which may or may not be a good thing depending on who or what the sticker is, the sticker’s personality, and the situation. In this book in the series, we see Martina campaign for a place on the student council. Thanks to various stickers (including a talking cupcake and zombie D.J!), she ends up being elected class president. As president, her duties include organizing an important class trip, a role which her shy personality isn’t comfortable with. To make matters worse, one of the stickers appears intent on becoming best friends with Bev, Martina’s closest friend. In this page-turning adventure, age appropriate text is paired with super cute illustrations. The possibilities are endless when unpredictable, difficult to control stickers are involved! @kidlitexchange #partner #bookstagram #kidlitexchange #kidlit
Don't Forget Dexter By Lindsay Ward Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. The moment you see the cover of this book, which features a close up of Dexter T. Rexter, you’ll fall in love and want to know more. And if that isn’t enough to draw you in, the “Hello?” which begins the story certainly will. Dexter, a toy dinosaur, finds himself alone in the doctor’s waiting room, unsure where his friend Jack (a young boy) is. He asks for the reader’s help in finding his friend and so from page one, the reader embarks on a page turning collaboration to help Dexter reunite with Jack. My four-year-old was captivated from the first reading and instantly started stomping around the house reciting the tune Dexter sings to entice Jack back. Even now, days after reading the book, that song keeps bursting forth from my son’s lips at random times of the day. This book is a must read for all dinosaur lovers and will be guaranteed to be a read-again favorite in no time! @kidlitexchange #partner #bookstagram #kidlitexchange #kidlit
Paper Chains By Elaine Vickers Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Katie recently moved to Boston and became unlikely friends with Ana. Katie seems perfect. She has a loving family, exemplary school grades, and always knows the right thing to say. Ana isn’t even close to perfect. Her family’s falling apart, and her fast temper and adventurous spirit seem to land her in trouble far too often. But perfect Katie hasn’t told Ana the whole truth- she is adopted and longs to learn about her birth parents and birth country, Russia. Plus, she had a heart transplant as a young girl and must take medication and be careful not to get overexcited or push her body too much. All Katie wants is to feel like she belongs: to learn about her heritage and birth parents, and go ice-skating with the other fifth graders. Meanwhile, the weight of the world seems to be bearing down on Ana. Her Dad, a professional hockey player, left her family a few months ago and barely calls. And since then, her mom has spiraled down into depression and her younger brother cries all the time. The house is a mess and family mealtime has become non-existent. When her Russian grandmother, Babushka, arrives to help, Ana doesn’t think things could get much worse. The foreign food tastes funny and the household chores seem never-ending. She has to think of a plan to reunite her parents and fast. Ana longs for Katie’s perfect life. Katie longs for Ana’s freedom. Jealous of each other and engrossed in their personal struggles, their friendship falls apart. But luckily the girls realize, before it’s too late, that they are stronger together and can help each other. Paper Chains is a sweet, page-turning story about fitting in and finding your place in the world, with beautiful elements of Russian heritage woven in. Cozy up with a hot chocolate and enjoy! Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Patrice Barton
(Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.) From Maria Gianferrari, author of Coyote Moon, comes this delightful tale of a wheel-chair-bound girl and her doting dog. A must-read for animal lovers! Zara is a sweet girl, so sweet that her dog, Moose, wants to be by her side all the time, including while she is at school. Moose is all about the warm hugs and love that accompany "hello," "goodbyes" on the other hand, are a struggle. We follow Moose through these "hello" highs and "goodbye" lows. Finally, reaching an ending that is...all smiles! An author’s note about therapy dogs is an informative inclusion. With beautiful illustrations, by Patrice Barton, and a heart-warming portrayal of the bond between a girl and her dog, this story will quickly become a "read-again" favorite. |
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