Corky Tails: Tales of a Tailless Dog Named Sagebrush: Sagebrush and the Warm Springs Discovery by Joni Franks

October 22, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Corky Tails: Tales of a Tailless Dog Named Sagebrush: Sagebrush and the Warm Springs Discovery by Joni Franks
Publisher: Xlibris
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (54 pages)
Age Recommendation: 8+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Sagebrush felt as if the world had gone to sleep and that she was the only one awake as she peered out the window of the little mountain cabin she called home. The sound of the wet falling snow was as quiet as feathers landing on the ground as the magical landscape of the Rocky Mountains and the cattle ranch became enveloped in a blanket of white snow. Follow Sagebrush and the Young Miss as they discover the secret warm springs hidden deep within the mountains and teach the moral lesson of sharing Mother Earth’s precious resources with a homeless man and the tiny people known as the Shuns, who are seeking a forever home. The fifth book in a multi-award-winning collection, Sagebrush and the Warm Springs Discovery is a memorable and extraordinary fairy tale.

Even adults have trouble sharing sometimes.

One of the Shuns had a medical condition that isn’t generally talked about in children’s books. I appreciated the fact that the author introduced someone who was dealing with that problem. While I won’t say what it was to avoid giving away any spoilers, it’s always nice to see representations of characters who are dealing with health issues.

I would have liked to see a little more conflict in the plot. The one problem the characters faced was solved pretty quickly. As happy as I was to see how they resolved it, there is also something to be said for encouraging characters to work a bit harder to reach their goals. Seeing how they struggle through things that don’t come easily to them can make all sorts of plot twists possible. With that being said, this was a minor criticism of something I enjoyed reading.

Once again, I was impressed with the kindness woven into this story. It was something I noticed the first time I read about this world, so I was pleased to see that theme pop up again. All of the main characters looked out for each other, especially the friends of their who were smaller or weaker than most folks. That’s always a lovely thing to read about, and it’s making me hope for more sequels soon.

This is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone work.

Corky Tails: Tales of a Tailless Dog Named Sagebrush: Sagebrush and the Warm Springs Discovery should be read by anyone who enjoys spending time out in nature.

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Mr. McGinty’s Monarchs by Linda Vander Heyden

October 11, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Mr. McGinty’s Monarchs by Linda Vander Heyden
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Genre: Childrens, Nonfiction, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Mr. McGinty and his dog Sophie love checking in on the monarch caterpillars and butterflies on their summer walks. But one day Mr. McGinty is shocked to find that all the milkweed in town has been mowed down! And monarch caterpillars, he explains, can’t survive without milkweed. Can Mr. McGinty come up with a plan to save the monarchs? This is a tale that is informative, a call to action, and a sweet story time pick.

Our world wouldn’t be the same without insects in it.

The protagonist, Mr. McGinty, was a genuinely kind person. He showed proof of this personality trait not only to the monarchs he rescued but in his interactions with his dog and everyone around him as well. I really enjoyed getting to know him and would happily read more stories about him if they’re ever written. There was so much more I wanted to know about him!

There were a couple of plot holes in this tale that I found distracting. They both involved how the main character tried to save the caterpillars after their home was destroyed. He needed a great deal of equipment and assistance from others to keep these little creatures safe, so I was surprised by how the narrator brushed all of this over. I certainly wouldn’t expect the same level of detail in the logistics of this that something written for adults would contain, but it would have been nice for him to briefly explain how it all worked.

While the plot itself was fiction, there were a lot of nonfiction elements to the storytelling that I found fascinating. Monarch butterflies are such a beautiful species. I’m glad the author took the time to explain a little bit about what they need to stay healthy and happy. That information was critical to the plot, and it was also just plain interesting to read as well.

I’d recommend Mr. McGinty’s Monarchs to anyone who loves butterflies or nature.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Lion Dance by David Seow

October 11, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Lion Dance by David Seow
Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di #5
Publisher: Epigram Books
Genre: Childrens, Holiday, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di are three siblings who love doing things together. Today is extra-special because they are going to see a lion dance. Doong doong chang went the lion dance band. Doong doong chang went the lion dance gong.

Doong doong chang!

But where is the lion? Is he still at the zoo? Or stuck backstage? When the siblings open the curtain to find the lion, they are surprised to see a lion costume. They decide to put on the costume and start performing for everyone. And no one is more surprised than their parents to see that the lion dancers were none other than Sam, Sebbie, and Di-Di-Di.

What could be a better way to celebrate the new year than with some dancing?

This tale did a wonderful job of explaining what the Lion Dance was to preschoolers. It gave exactly enough information to keep up with the plot without slowing down the pacing with details that kids this age probably wouldn’t appreciate. I loved the fact that it spoke to young children on a level they could understand while still treating the audience with respect. There were a few parts of this celebration that were left up to readers to figure out, but it was done in a very appropriate manner for little ones.

Sam, Sebbie and Di-Di-Di were adorable kids. It was fascinating to see what they imagined this performance would be like before it began. They all knew what lions were, but they couldn’t quite figure out how such a creature would dance. I won’t give away what they discovered, but I will say that it was as endearing as it was heart warming.

There was a twist at the end that made it impossible for me to choose anything but a five-star rating. It was exactly the sort of thing that this age group might imagine, and yet it was also something that I wasn’t expecting to find. It was delightful to be surprised by it.

This is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone story.

I’d heartily recommend The Lion Dance to anyone who loves dancing or is interested in learning more about how the Chinese New Year is celebrated.

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I Was a Gay Teenage Zombie by Alison Cybe

October 10, 2019 By Leave a Comment


I Was a Gay Teenage Zombie by Alison Cybe
Publisher: Deep Hearts YA
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (164 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

“Y’know, if I was a sexy type of undead, like a vampire or something, I’m sure I’d have some kind of supernatural power to bring any guy I liked under my charismatic control. Best I can hope for is to not decompose over someone’s shoes. How romantic.”

And you thought it was hard coming out as gay… Jay was a perfectly normal teenager, like any other awkward, antisocial, gay teenager. Until he was bitten by a mysterious zombie boy.

Now, Jay has far more on his mind than he can handle. Not only is he struggling to keep his troubled family together and deal with his unfulfilled love for the hottest guy in school, he also needs to keep in check his urge to devour human flesh. All the while making sure his decomposition doesn’t show. As if he wasn’t already enough of an outsider…

This unique story offers a fresh and exciting new twist on the young adult LGBT coming-of-age comedy horror tale. Shockingly aware and witty, this thrilling tale by acclaimed horror and dark fantasy author Alison Cybe dishes up side-splitting laughter, stomach-churning horror, heart-rending drama and everything you’ll need to know about growing up when you just don’t fit in.

Some zombies are full of surprises.

Jay’s character development was marvelous. Like many teenagers, he dealt with moods that sometimes changed rapidly and often felt like no one in the world understood him. Ms. Cybe captured what it’s like to be a teenager perfectly. If that wasn’t enough, Jay also changed in all sorts of delightful ways as his body continued to look less like the person he’d been before he was bitten. He felt real to me, and that’s always something to praise.

There were some parts of the storyline that weren’t well developed. This was especially true when it came to some of the things the protagonist did to hide his injury, illness, death, resurrection, and undead afterlife from the people closest to him. I was surprised by how oblivious his parents were to all of these developments, and it would have been nice to have more reasons for them missing such blatant signs that something had dramatically changed in their son’s life. If they’d been included, I would have given this book a much higher rating. Everything else about it was great.

The descriptions of what it felt like to be zombie were well done. Every universe has their own rules about how this process works and how long it takes. This was definitely one of the longest transformations I’ve ever read about, so I was fascinated by how slowly Jay changed after he was bitten. It was also interesting to see all of the ways he didn’t conform to the typical stereotypes of this monster. Sharing specific details about them would give away too many spoilers, but the author did a great job of putting her own twist on traditional zombie lore.

I Was a Gay Teenage Zombie should be read by fans of the young adult and horror genres alike.

Filed Under: Horror, Other, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Seacity Rising: A Tale of Unwatery Adventures by Elika Ansari

October 9, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Seacity Rising: A Tale of Unwatery Adventures by Elika Ansari
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Genre: Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (232 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When the underwater animals of Seacity pond learn that their home is in danger, they decide to investigate further by doing something no one has ever done before – go up to land to seek the answers they need. An unlikely team of two royal turtles, a genius goldfish and a timorous frog are then assembled to embark on a series of adventures. Whether they are racing the fastest tortoise on earth, falling in love with travelling mice theatre, or bringing peace to warring ant colonies, each unique experience is taking the group of friends closer to the heart of what is really going on. But will they make it back in time to save Seacity before the Winter’s Slumber?

Failure isn’t an option. The only way to save Seacity is to complete this quest and get all of the answers the citizens of that pond need to survive.

This book was filled with plot twists. I was impressed with how imaginative they were, especially as Babak the Frog and his friends went further into their journey to discover why their home is in danger and what they should do to try to keep it safe. It was fun to be surprised by all of the wonderful and sometimes frightening things they learned along the way.

There were pacing issues in the beginning. While I liked getting to know all of the pond inhabitants so well, this didn’t leave as much room as I would have liked to see for plot development. I had trouble remaining interested in what would happen next because of that. The pacing did eventually pick up, but I do wish the beginning had been easier to get into.

One of the things I enjoyed the most about this tale was how much empathy the characters had for each other. Life wasn’t always easy in the pond or the land that surrounded it, but so many of the creatures who lived there were committed to helping each other when they had troubles. I’m always interested in reading about characters who are that compassionate and kind. Luckily, there were plenty of them to be found here!

I’d recommend Seacity Rising: A Tale of Unwatery Adventures to anyone who cares about animals.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Stone Soup by Heather Forest

October 8, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Stone Soup by Heather Forest
LittleFolk
Publisher: August House
Genre: Childrens, Historical
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Two hungry travelers arrive at a village expecting to find a household that will share a bit of food, as has been the custom along their journey. To their surprise, villager after villager refuses to share, each one closing the door with a bang.

As they sit to rest beside a well, one of the travelers observes that if the townspeople have no food to share, they must be “in greater need than we are.” With that, the travelers demonstrate their special recipe for a magical soup, using a stone as a starter. All they need is a carrot, which a young girl volunteers. Not to be outdone, another villager contributes a potato, and the soup grows as others bring corn, celery, and other vegetables and seasonings.

In this cumulative retelling of an ancient and widely circulated legend, author Heather Forest shows us that when each person makes a small contribution, “the collective impact can be huge.” Susan Gaber’s paintings portray the optimism and timelessness of a story that celebrates teamwork and generosity. This story about community teaches readers the importance of sharing, generosity and vegetables!

Not everyone can turn a pot of plain water into a nourishing meal.

I thought the two main characters were clever men. The fact that they chose not to reveal anything about their backstories only made them more intriguing to me. It was easy to imagine a few of the places they might have first learned how to create stone soup and why it’s something that can only be done after you’ve made everyone irresistibly curious about what this meal is and why it’s a little magical.

The message of this retelling was heavy handed, and I’m saying that as someone who really enjoyed the traditional story it was based on. This sort of soup can only exist if its made with more than just physical ingredients. Spelling out what those things were wasn’t necessary. The plot itself made it very clear. As much as I liked seeing how the author approached this topic, I do think it would have been more effective if she’d allowed her audience to come to their own conclusions about the meaning of it.

With that being said, I did enjoy the multicultural take on this tale. The original version didn’t mention the ethnicities of any of the characters involved. Even if it had, I always find it interesting to see how a familiar plot might unfold if it’s transplanted from the culture that created it to an entirely new home altogether. Ms. Forest did a good job of showing how the same twists could happen anywhere.

Stone Soup should be read by anyone who enjoys retellings of famous legends

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The Long Island by Drew Beckmeyer

October 8, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Long Island by Drew Beckmeyer
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: Childrens, Action/Adventure, Historical
Length: Short Story (64 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Some of us like the comfort of familiarity—staying close to the home we’ve always known, making a life, building a community. For some, the intimacy of the old routine is satisfaction itself. But the known is not for everyone. When our 5 protagonists get to wondering what’s on the other side of their island, they can’t stop until they find out. What follows is an epic journey of discovery, danger, imagination, and ultimately, bittersweet fulfillment. Is this sophisticated picture book about man versus earth? Man versus man? Or man versus self? Like our protagonists, every reader will find their own right answer in this haunting and deceptively simple modern fable.

Adventures can be found anywhere you roam.

This was one of those tales that can appeal to adults as much as it does for the age group it was originally written for. That’s something I always appreciate finding in a picture book. It’s just rare enough that it’s a real treat to read something that will mean one thing to an elementary-aged reader and quite another to an adult who looked at the same words.

There were barely any explanations at all about what was going on in this plot. I’m comfortable reading about nameless characters, but not knowing anything about them at all was tricky. They were described in such a way that it was impossible to know their ages, genders, or any other details that could round them out as individuals at all. The fact that this pattern repeated again with the plot only made it harder for me to get into it. While I appreciated the attempt to create something that anyone could relate to, I personally need at least a few concrete details in order to connect with the characters and become invested in what will happen next in the storyline.

With that being said, I did enjoy the questions the characters asked about whether it’s best to stick to the places you know or move on to seek adventure somewhere else. Not only will the answer to this be different for each person, what someone wants in one stage of life could easily flip a few years or decades later as their circumstances change and they yearn to reconnect with their roots or explore a new place. It was nice to see such an open-ended approach to what makes for a good life.

The Long Island should be read by anyone who enjoys coming to their own conclusions about the meaning of a story.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Great Dragon Warrior by Swee San Ng

October 7, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Great Dragon Warrior by Swee San Ng
Publisher: Epigram Books
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Historical
Length: Short Story (33 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Basmi the dragon has always dreamt of becoming a great dragon warrior. Now it looks like his dream might come true, as a great dragon warrior is living in the cave right by him. Oh, the things he could learn from this great dragon warrior! But Basmi learns an unexpected lesson from this dragon warrior when he finally reveals himself.

Courage comes in many forms.

Basmi was a fantastic role model. Not only was he brave and kind, he was selfless as well. One of the most interesting things about him had to do with how these strengths of his were tied into his greatest weakness. I’ll leave it up to other readers to discover that weakness for themselves in order to avoid sharing spoilers, but it was refreshing to meet a picture book character who was so well rounded. He genuinely felt real to me.

There was so much adventure poured into these thirty-three pages. The pacing couldn’t have been written better. It kept me guessing what might happen next all the way through to the final scene. I adored the fact that Basmi and his friends kept so busy as they tried to help the great dragon warrior in his recovery.

As if all of these other things weren’t enough, I was also thrilled by the plot twist that happened near the end. It was something I’d wondered about, but it was written in such a way that there was still plenty of room for an audience to come to other conclusions right up until the big reveal. All of the scenes connected to this twist were as well written as they were a pure joy to discover.

Yes, this was the sort of story that came with a message woven into it. I liked seeing how the narrator created references for the point they were trying to make. Ms. Ng did a wonderful job of pulling all of these hints together into a coherent storyline while still staying true to what the characters and setting were trying to do.

The Great Dragon Warrior was one of the best fables I’ve read in ages. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Weaver by Qian Shi

October 7, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Weaver by Qian Shi
Publisher: Andersen Press
Genre: Childrens, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 4 Stars
Review by Astilbe

Stanley is a spider, a weaver and a collector. On his web he collects seeds, twigs, leaves and all kinds of precious things he cannot name. Stanley is very proud of his collection, but what can one tiny spider do when it is washed away? In this stunning, deceptively simple and thoughtful debut from animator, illustrator and writer Qian Shi we discover the difference between what you collect in the world and what you collect in your heart.

Some bugs are downright cuddly.

As soon as I met Stanley, I wanted to give him a gentle hug. He was such a warm and friendly little spider that I liked him immediately even though I’m a little afraid of his species in real life. It was fascinating to watch him build his web and collect all sorts of treasures in it as time went by. I wanted nothing but the best for him.

The ending didn’t quite make sense to me. After his web was destroyed by a strong rainstorm, Stanley rebuilt it. What happened after that felt slightly out of place in the storyline. While I understood what the author was attempting to say, I suspect his point would be harder to grasp for preschoolers. It would have been nice to have a more concrete explanation of what he was trying to do there given the fact that he was writing for such a young audience, and I’m saying this as someone who enjoyed everything else about it quite a bit.

I loved the message of this tale. It was never heavy-handed, but it did make its point clear to the audience as the plot unfolded. There’s something to be said for story books that have a lesson to teach, especially if they always do so in a way that feels genuine. It was like listening to a friend talk about how their day had gone. The message was unmistakable, but the journey to reach that point was even more important than where Stanley and the reader ended up in the final scene.

Anyone who likes spiders should check out The Weaver.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Foolish, Timid Rabbit: An Indian Folk Tale by Charlotte Guillain

October 2, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Foolish, Timid Rabbit: An Indian Folk Tale (Folk Tales From Around the World) by Charlotte Guillain
Publisher: Raintree
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Length: Short Story (24 pages)
Age Recommendation: 3+
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

This book tells the story of the Foolish, Timid Rabbit, a traditional Indian folk tale. In it, the animals learn that you should always remember to think for yourself before you believe a rumor or follow a crowd.

Sometimes fear is contagious.

Rujul was such a relatable character to me because of how difficult it was for him to ignore the scary things his mind came up with. I had a great deal of empathy for him, especially once I realized that he didn’t necessarily know yet just how much he was over reacting. That can be an easy thing to do for both rabbits and people alike.

As much as I enjoyed the beginning and middle, the ending didn’t quite make sense to me. Rujul the rabbit was the character who kicked off the series of events that make this story happen. I was surprised to see how he reacted to meeting a more sensible character after he stirred up a panic in the forest. There were certain developments in his personality that had been hinted at but then never followed through on. It would have been nice to have some closure in that area.

The message of this book was short and to the point. That’s exactly what should happen with this age group, so I was glad that the narrator cut to the chase and made sure her readers knew that Rujul needed to be kindly reminded that his fears about what could happen weren’t predictions. He knew just as little or as much about what the future holds as anyone else in the world.

I’d recommend The Foolish, Timid Rabbit: An Indian Folk Tale to anyone who has ever assumed their most anxious thoughts are also the ones most likely to come true.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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