Review: Nature Squad-Bluebird Finds A Home by Ryan Jacobson

  • Reading level: Ages 4-8
  • Paperback: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Adventure Publications (January 4, 2011)
  • ISBN-10: 9781591933113
  • Source: Publisher
  • The Nature Squad’s purpose is to save the planet, one adventure at a time.  In Bluebird Finds a Home , the squad is out to help a bluebird, Skylar, whose tree home has been leveled by workers set out to remove dead trees from the forest. B.B., a helpful and always-hungry black bear points out these dead trees to the workers, who in return give him scraps of food. He’s a little torn about the whole thing…if they stop trees from being removed who will bring him human food?

    Ultimately, B.B. learns the results of his actions; dozens of animals that nest in dead trees are losing their homes.  So, B.B., and the rest of the Nature Squad go on a hunt to help Skylar find a new home. 

    They start with the nest of a wood duck.  That goes well until the following day when the Woodra, the wood duck mother, pushes Skylar & her hatchlings out of the nest.  Ducklings are ready to jump out a day after hatching & so should Skylar!

    B.B. then takes Skylar to nest of a blue-jay family.  That lasts only a few minutes; Skylar can’t stand the sound of the blue jay’s singing.

    Skylar then takes him to Sheldon…a turtle…and suggests that they share a shell.  Unfortunately, it was a little crowded (and smelled liked lily pads) so that idea didn’t work either.

    B.B. rounds up the rest of the Nature Squad and they all build nest boxes (little homes for birds) to hang in the few remaining dead trees in the forest. Skylar finally finds a home, along with other animals displaced by the workers’ actions!

    Bluebird Finds a Home is yet another wonderful book to read as part of your Earth day celebrations, or any other day as well.  The illustrations, by Joel Seibel (Emmy-winning animator of ”Pinky and the Brain,” ”Scooby-Doo” and ”Smurfs”), are colorful and cheerful.  Who wouldn’t want to learn from the adorable creatures that make up the Nature Squad.

    In the back of the book, instructions are provided for how to build a nest box with the help of an adult. Also listed are several conservation tips for children, including recycling, picking up litter, saving water, and conserving energy.

    Overall, Bluebird Finds a Home is a delightful book, destined to be enjoyed by any young conservationist! Highly recommended!

    Check back later for a special giveaway!

    Posted in 4-8 years of age, Picture Book | 2 Comments

    Review: Promise Not To Tell by Jennifer McMahon

    • Paperback: 250 pages
    • Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (April 10, 2007)
    • ISBN-10: 9780061143311
    • Source: Publisher

     

    “One potato, two potato, three potato four

    She used to live here long ago

    She doesn’t anymore”

    Forty-one year old Kate has returned to her small Vermont hometown to tend to her mother, suffering from Alzheimer’s. The very night she arrives, a young girl is horrifically killed in a manner similar to one that took place three decades earlier.

    Del Griswold was a poor, skinny girl referred by her classmates as “Potato Girl” due the crops her family sold.

    “There isn’t a soul in town who hasn’t heard of the Potato Girl, though.  She is, by all accounts, the most famous resident of New Canaan–which is funny because, back when she was alive, she was just a skinny kid with scabby knees who, you could tell just by looking, would never amount to much.

    How wrong we all were.”

    Del was brutally killed the last day of fifth grade.  Her murderer was never found.  Kate was Del’s friend, but never admitted as such to her classmates.  In the last hours of her life, Del was shunned by those close to her.  Now an urban myth claims that she isn’t really gone, she comes back to seek revenge on those who were cruel to her so long ago.

    “It’s like a potato: you cut it up into pieces, bury any of those pieces-even  a little bit of peel if it has eyes-and another plant grows.”

     

     

    Kate’s past begins to rear it’s ugly head & make itself known in the present. The police begin to question her relationship with Del in an attempt to understand the most recent crime.  The uncanny similarities lead them to believe that Kate is somehow responsible; it was only after her return that things started going very wrong.

    As she tries to deal with her dementia-ridden mother, Kate begins to wonder just how much her mother really knows about what happened all those years ago.  When secrets kept hidden are forced to be revealed, it is apparent that Del’s murder is related to the most recent crime. Can Kate & those from her past put an end to the strange happenings in this small, quiet, Vermont town? Can the Potato Girl finally rest in peace? A phrase Kate heard from a patient years ago comes back: The dead can blame.

    Promise Not to Tell was McMahon’s debut novel back in 2007. What a debut it was!  She skillfully weaves a story of family secrets & betrayal into an astounding piece of fiction. Not just a murder mystery, the characters in the novel are forced to face secrets long kept hidden. 

    It would be an understatement to say I loved this book.  I first discovered McMahon’s books when I read Dismantled nearly a year ago.  She’s quite skilled at capturing the reader, pulling him/her into the book.  Promise Not to Tell gains your attention before you even turn a page; McMahon’s book covers, terrifying and stark, send chills down your spine.  The chills continue as you turn the pages.  As a fan of the supernatural, I find myself desensitized to scenes intended to shock or scare the reader. However, while reading this book, I found myself shuddering in fear, the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck raising. I don’t proclaim this to frighten you, but to encourage you to read this book. You won’t forget it. Highly recommended.

    Thank you to TLC tours for providing me the opportuntiy to review this book. All of McMahon’s backlist books are being featured in this tour.  Check out the other participants below:

    Tuesday, April 19th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom (Island of Lost Girls)

    Wednesday, April 20th: Life In Review (Promise Not to Tell)

    Tuesday, May 3rd: Book Journey (Promise Not to Tell)

    Wednesday, May 4th: Rundpinne (Promise Not to Tell)

    Friday, May 6th: In the Next Room (Promise Not to Tell)

    Monday, May 9th: Reading Through Life (Promise Not to Tell)

    Tuesday, May 10th: Tina’s Book Reviews (Promise Not to Tell)

    Wednesday, May 11th: In the Next Room (Island of Lost Girls)

    Thursday, May 12th: Book Journey (Island of Lost Girls)

    Monday, May 16th: Sara’s Organized Chaos (Island of Lost Girls)

    Monday, May 16th: Stephanie’s Written Word (Promise Not to Tell)

    Wednesday, May 18th: Rundpinne (Island of Lost Girls)

    Thursday, May 19th: Iwriteinbooks’s blog (Promise Not to Tell)

    Friday, May 20th: Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books (Island of Lost Girls)

    Monday, May 23rd: Stephanie’s Written Word (Island of Lost Girls)

    Be sure to check out the author

    Posted in Crime Fiction, Harper Perennial, Mystery/Suspense, Paranormal Fiction, Review | 16 Comments

    It’s Monday! What Are You Reading This Week?

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    It’s Monday! What Are You Reading This Week? This is a weekly event to list the books completed last week, the books currently being reading, and the books to be finish this week. It was created by J.Kaye’s Book Blog, but is now being hosted by Sheila from One Person’s Journey Through a World of  Books so stop by and join in!

    Books Completed Last Week

    The Bird Sisters by Rebecca Rasmussen
    The Priest’s Graveyard by Ted Dekker
    Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon

    Currently Reading

    The Taker by Alma Katsu
    Storm Front: Dresden Files #1 by Jim Butcher
    (audio)
    Precious Blood by Jonathan Hayes

    Books to Complete This Week

    A Hard Death by Jonathan Hayes
    The President’s Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth

    What are you reading this week?

    Posted in It's Monday What Are you Reading This Week | 14 Comments

    TSS: Spring Is Here!

    Living in the DC area, we don’t judge spring by the temperature but instead by the amount of pollen found on our cars each morning!  Judging by the amount of yellow dust (and the amount of sinus pain!) I’ve noticed over the past several days, Spring is here!

    Spring, to me, is a sign of new life & new beginnings.  A new beginning that is really flourishing this spring is my home away from home, One More Page Books in Arlington, VA.  Open only a few months, OMP already has a great following of “regulars” and has brought in some really great authors!  One of my favorite events they host is a wine & choc0late tasting.  The most recent one was last night and I thoroughly enjoyed the new wines & chocolates we tasted but most importantly the wonderful company.  The one thing I missed about having an indie bookstore before OMP was the feeling of family; that’s definitely something I feel when I walk through the doors.

    On Friday night, I attended a visit at Hooray for Books, an independent children’s bookstore, by A.S. King, author of the fabulous Please Ignore Vera Dietz (see my review here).  She discussed what it was like writing a YA book, including some of the things she’s received criticism for including in her books.  A.S. is a wonderfully hilarious & intelligent writer it was an honor to meet her!

    Although it took me an hour and a half to get to this event, this, and the events at One More Page Books, remind me of the wonderful literary community we have here in Washington, D.C! I’m excited for the rest of this spring & the wonderful bookish events!

    Yet another sign of spring for me is BEA, Book Expo America.  That, and Book Blogger Con (BBC) that immediately follows BEA, are two events I look forward this spring.  I’m excited to be on one of the panels at BBC this year! These are two great events that bring together the booking community!  If you have a chance to attend one, or both, of these events I highly recommend you do so!

    Here’s what happened on the blog this past week:

    This week, look for reviews of Jonathan Hayes’ two forensic thrillers, A Hard Death and Precious Blood as well as The President’s Vampire the next book in Chris Farnsworth’s vampire series of the same title.

    But until then, it’s off to do some spring cleaning!  Have a great Sunday!

    Posted in The Sunday Salon | 10 Comments

    Review: Planting the Wild Garden by Kathryn O. Galbraith

    • Reading level: Ages 4-8
    • Hardcover: 32 pages
    • Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (April 1, 2011)
    • ISBN-10: 9781561455638
    • Source: Publisher

    In Planting the Wild Garden, young readers learn how humans, plants, & animals all help great the lavish wild garden known as the planet Earth.    Starting with a gardener and a boy, readers follow the path of plants from seed to full grown plant through vivid, colorful illustrations (by Wendy Anderson Halperin) and light, lyrical prose.  Young children learn the many ways seeds are spread and plants grow.

    My five year old son loved to read this book aloud with me.  The text was easy enough that he could read most of it himself, requiring minimal assistance.

    As with A Place for Fish, which I reviewed earlier this week, Planting the Wild Garden is the perfect book to add to your Earth Day reading list. Highly recommended!

    Thank you once again to Peachtree Publishers for providing me the opportunity to participate in this tour!

    Posted in 4-8 years of age, Kid-Lit/Middle Grade, Peachtree Publishers, Review | Leave a comment

    Frightful Friday: So Close the Hand of Death by J.T. Ellison

    Frightful Friday is a weekly meme in which I feature a particularly scary or chilling book that I’ve read that week. Feel free to grab the button & join in! Be sure to include a link to your post in the Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post!

    This week’s book is So Close the Hand of Death by J.T. Ellison:

    In Ellison’s sixth book in the Taylor Jackson series, Taylor is left with no time to recover from the horrible Snow White case before she is forced to hunt down The Pretender, Snow White’s “apprentice.”  The Pretender has created his own army of sadistic killers, ordering each to commit crime all over the country, mimicking the killings of serial killers like the Boston Strangler, The Son of Sam, & The Zodiak.

    Taylor’s ready for revenge: The Pretender abducted her father figure & horribly tortured & disfigured his body.  He’s seeking out those she loves in an attempt to weaken her. It’s evident that she is in the killer’s scope now & she’s willing to risk whatever it takes to not only bring him to justice, but rid him of his life.

    As indicated above, SO CLOSE THE HAND OF DEATH is the sixth book in a series (previous books: All the Pretty Girls, 14, Judas Kiss, The Cold Room, The Immortals) and while I don’t recommend it, this could serve as a stand-alone.  The reader continues to learn a great deal about the main character, Taylor Jackson, and her relationship with her FBI boyfriend, Baldwin.  However, since I started with the first book in the series, I enjoyed seeing the progression & growth in Taylor’s character.  She’s one tough chick!  I enjoy seeing a strong character like this in thriller novels, a genre that, until recently, was riddled with male main characters.

    Additionally, I really appreciated learning about the killer’s childhood, his motives for his behavior.  I studied psychology & criminal justice in college; this was one of the many topics that fascinated me.

    The momentum & hatred between The Pretender and Taylor has been building up over the past few books and I felt this relationship came to an intense conclusion.  It was a given Taylor was the only one who could really bring down The Pretender and, based on how he had tormented her so, it was only right that she be the one to determine his fate.

    A second smaller storyline was Taylor & Baldwin’s relationship.  Both are extremely strong-willed & minded individuals, therefore often causing strain in the relationship.  When Taylor learns of a secret Baldwin has been keeping from her, the anger she experiences affects her judgment out on the field, putting her life in danger.  I’m anxious to see where this relationship leads!

    Bottom line: if you are looking for a new thriller series, this is one you can’t afford to pass up!  Highly recommended.

    Don’t forget to link up your frightful posts below!

    Posted in Crime Fiction, Frightful Friday, Mira Books, Mystery/Suspense, Review, Thriller | 1 Comment

    Review: The Third Rail by Michael Harvey

  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Vintage (March 22, 2011)
  • ISBN-10: 0307946584
  • Source: Kaye Publicity
  • In Harvey’s third Michael Kelly novel, former Chicago PD turned private investigator Michael Kelly witnesses a murder on the platform of the L train. He pursues the suspect but is rendered unconscious by a blow to the head.  The killer strikes again, this time shooting two riders on the L and follows up by calling Kelly directly, taunting him.  Despite no longer being a part of the Chicago PD any longer, Kelly becomes involved in the case. The killer’s third killing spree (a shooting of several drivers on Lake Shore Drive) directly involves Kelly as his girlfriend, Judge Rachel Swanson, comes close to being a victim herself. The crimes become a little too personal for Kelly and he’s willing to stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice.

    The killings are not random; they seem to be linked to a horrific train accident Kelly survived as a child three decades ago. Local politics become involved well, almost impossible to avoid in a city like Chicago. The book is loosely based on a true train accident. In 1977, four cars came of the L and landed on the street below.  Nearly a dozen people were killed and horrific images of the trains hanging off the track covered the front page of local papers for days following. Operator error was found to be the cause.

    Several pretty frightening incidents are alluded to in this book, including domestic terrorism & crimes of the Catholic church. Harvey is one of those authors who can skillfully interweave his opinions about social issues & top news stories without seeming to be preachy or overbearing. It’s pretty obvious that another book is in the works; I can’t wait to see where Harvey takes us next!

    The Third Rail is an extremely stunning piece of crime fiction.  Dynamic characters, a well-defined and structured storyline, all set in the city of Chicago.  As a former resident of “da Region”, I felt as if I was returning home.  Harvey describes Chicago to a “t”, especially the shady mayor. The action quite literally starts within the first two pages and runs non-stop through the entirety of the book. Be sure to set aside time to read this book; you’ll start it and not want to stop.

    While this is the third book in a series, it could serve as a stand-alone.  Although once you’ve finished reading it I guarantee you’ll rush to pick up the others, as I did.  Highly recommended.

    Posted in Crime Fiction, Review | 2 Comments

    Review: The Priest’s Graveyard by Ted Dekker

  • Hardcover: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Center Street (April 19, 2011)
  • ISBN-10: 159995334X
  • Source: Publisher

  • Renee Gilmore, a heroin addict, was running from her pimp, Cyrus, a dangerous drug runner with plans to torture and kill her, when she was rescued by Lamont, a seemingly kind man. 

    Two weeks after her “rescue,” Renee awakens in Lamont’s excessively clean & sterile home. Frightened for her safety, she accepts Lamont’s invitation to stay with him, protected from her evil & deadly past. She’s welcomed in his home as long as she follows his simple, yet obsessive rules.  She’s not allowed to walk barefoot in his home; she must wear slippers to prevent her feet from making marks on his pristine floor.  She’s not allowed to touch the glass walls that make up the entire house; if she decides she must touch the glass she has to wear white cotton gloves to prevent fingerprints.

    It is here that Renee remains, eventually becoming Lamont’s lover.  While he works, she remains locked in his home.  This fact doesn’t seem to bother Renee at all.  Lamont’s home is her salvation, full of serenity. Her mind is foggy from the drugs Lamont has given to aid in her “rehabilitation.” Again, this doesn’t phase Renee at all.

    Lamont leaves Renee and heads out of town for a business trip.  When he doesn’t return when scheduled, Renee becomes concerned.  It is then she realizes she’s unable to leave the house as the doors are locked from the outside.  It isn’t until two men come into the house that Renee is able to escape by hiding in the trunk of their car.

    Meanwhile, Danny Hansen is an immigrant from Bosnia who has come to America to escape the memories of a horrid war that took the life of his mother and sisters. He is now a priest, bound by God’s law.  However, Danny sees himself as an avenging angel; it is his duty to punish powerful business men for their wrongs.  He does so using any means necessary.

    Danny & Renee cross paths, both seeking a man who has supposedly committed horrible wrongs. When the truth is revealed, however, it could tear them both apart.

    Both characters experience a great deal of self-discovery.  Danny is forced to come to terms with the man he’s become.  Renee is forced to deal with a reality that is so horrid and tragic that it forever changes her.  The question is whether they are strong enough to take accountabilty for their actions, or will they forever be tortured by the things they’ve done?

    I’m a long time fan of Dekker’s thrillers, particularly Boneman’s Daughters (how can we forget the Noxema scene?). The Priest’s Graveyard is a bit of a depature from the norm, while still considered a thriller I didn’t feel it was as dark as his previous books.  That said, I think it’s the perfect leap into the world of Dekker’s thriller fiction writing for readers who want something chilling, but not excessivly dark. As always, Dekker presents a high adrenaline, fast-paced storyline guaranteed to suck you in.  I’ve never been able to put a Dekker book down once I’ve started it and this rang true with The Priest’s Graveyard as well. Highly recommended!

    Be sure to check out the other blogs participating in this tour:

    April 13
    http://thehiddenbibliotheca.wordpress.com

    April 14

    http://UrbanBachelorette.com
    http://fablefreak.wordpress.com

    April 15
    http://wall-to-wall-books.blogspot.com/
    http://www.livelearnwithsally.blogspot.com

    April 16

    http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com
    http://writesprite.wordpress.com/

    April 17

    http://books-movies-chinesefood.blogspot.com/
    http://quiverfullfamily.com

    April 18
    http://wordlily.com/
    http://www.wakelarunen.com/
    http://www.onedesertrose.wordpress.com

    April 19 – PUB DAY
    http://overweight-bookshelf.blogspot.com
    http://detweilermom.blogspot.com

    April 20

    http://www.tinasbookreviews.com
    http://violethourbr.blogspot.com
    http://www.fictionstateofmind.blogspot.com

    April 21

    http://www.reviewsbymolly.com
    http://www.katieslegacy.blogspot.com
    http://quilldancer.com

    April 22
    http://composingcat.blogspot.com
    http://midnightbookgirl.blogspot.com/

    Posted in Center Street, Mystery/Suspense, Review, Thriller | 6 Comments

    Review & Giveaway: A Place for Fish by Melissa Stewart

  • Reading level: Ages 4-8
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (March 1, 2011)
  • Source: Publisher
  • Fish make our world a better place.

    But sometimes people do things that make it hard for them to live and grow.

    In A Place for Fish, Melissa Stewart explains to young children how certain acts of humans can affect the fish population.  For example, scientists discovered the migrating paths of hammerhead sharks.  They notified fishing crews to avoid this paths during the sharks’ migration time and now the sharks have a better chance of surviving.

    If farmers find new ways, other than dangerous chemicals, to improve crops, fish can thrive.  In the Chesapeake Bay,  chemicals the farmers used to increase their crops seeped into the bay, causing algae growth to increase, taking away valuable oxygen from the seahorses & fish that lived there.   In 2003, the farmers started reducing the amounts of fertilizer used.  It’s still too early to see how this has affected the creatures living in the bay, but scientists are hopeful.

     A Place for Fish is the perfect book to read during Earth Day celebrations. Not only does it introduce children to fish life around the country, it shows the impact that humans have on their survival. As with her Stewart’s previous books, the colorful & detailed illustrations (by Higgins Bond) really add to the book.

    The book concludes with some fascinating fish facts, a few of which my eleven-year-old science genius was unaware of.  Here are a few:

    • Most brands of lipstick contain ground-up fish scales (ew!)
    • Most young fish are caled fingerlings, but young shark and sawfish are called pups.
    • The smallest fish on Earth is the stout infantfish.  It is so small it could sit on top of a pencil eraser.  The largest fish is the great whale shark, larger than a school bus.

    A Place for Fish is the perfect addition to your home, school & public library!  My boys & I enjoyed this book so much we plan on donating a copy to their school library.

    Thank you to Peachtree Publishers for providing me a copy of this book.  To celebrate Earth Day, Peachtree has organized a two week tour entitled “Fins, Wings and Other Things!”  Following are the stops on this week’s portion of the tour:

    Tuesday 4/12:
    A Patchwork of Books – Guest post by Melissa Stewart, author of A Place for Fish
    Abby the Librarian – Review of Bring On the Birds

    Wednesday 4/13:
    Simply Science – Review of At the Sea Floor Café
    Book Dads – Review of Planting the Wild Garden
    Archimedes Notebook – Interview with Kathryn O. Galbraith, author of Planting the Wild Garden
    There’s a Book – Review of A Place for Fish

    Thursday 4/14:
    Book Dads – Interview with Wendy Anderson Halperin, illustrator of Planting the Wild Garden
    A Word’s Worth – Review of About Habitats: Grasslands
    Abby the Librarian – Interview with Susan Stockdale, author/illustrator of Bring On the Birds

    Friday 4/15:
    There’s a Book – Interview with Melissa Stewart, author of A Place for Fish
    Jenn’s Bookshelves – Review of Planting the Wild Garden

    Saturday 4/16:
    Devourer of Books – Review of Bring On the Birds
     

    Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of the book to give away! To enter, please fill out the form below.  As this is a publisher-sponsored giveaway, entries are only open to US residents.  The winner will be announced on Earth Day, Friday, April 22nd.  Good luck to all who enter!

    Posted in 4-8 years of age, Kid-Lit/Middle Grade, Peachtree Publishers, Review | 2 Comments

    Going to BEA/Book Blogger Con? Let’s Meet Up!

    It’s just a little over a month away: the event book bloggers, authors, & publishers all look forward to! Book Expo America!

    One of the most important things about BEA is not the free galleys but the networking!  I’ve made some great friendships & working relationships with people I met at BEA.  Unfortunately, I typically plan these meet-ups/meetings at the very last minute and I’m unable to squeeze in as many as I’d like.

    This year I’m doing it differently; I’m planning my meetings with publicists/publishers before scheduling the other activities (author signings, etc.)  Hopefully this way I can maximize the amount of time I have available. In the three years I’ve been blogging, I’ve come to learn that these meetings, this individual time with publicists, is invaluable.  I’ve been able to meet people I’ve only conversed with via email, nurtured relationships formed at previous conferences, and really formulated a “strategic plan” as far as my blog goes.

    I’ll be at BEA the entire week of May 23-28th.  Will you be there? Want to meet up?  Either fill out the form below or email me at jennsbookshelfATgmailDOTcom!

    Posted in Bookish Chatter | 8 Comments