Lost in a Book by Chris Brett

It's time for a humorful picture book...at least, I believe that's what today's read is.  I mean, do you get any other vibes from the animals on the cover and the two boys and mom (?) peering around with a bit of amazement and surprise? 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that it's about the ability of books to immerse readers into another world...and maybe, even keep their minds churning long after the last page has been read. That is an amazing thing, actually. Think about it. The human mind is so easily steered into its own reality. I was just talking to a friend about that last night. She'd used an Oculus headset and experience 3D games for the first time, and said that she could see how people might get lost in that reality...especially if (when) games like SIMS and such improve far enough to let players really sink into the world.

So, that got me thinking about the power of books. Not much different, really. And it's a complete coincidence that today's book is on my schedule right after that conversation.

Ready to experience the thought around switching realities? Because off we go!

LOST IN A BOOK

by Chris Britt

Abrams Books

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING JUNE 17th!!!

An interactive, playful picture book about getting lost in a book—literally!

Two best friends, Chad and Oliver, take a leisurely stroll through a book, but when Oliver disappears, they soon find out that some books can be an adventure!

With each turn of the page, things go hilariously from bad to worse as everyone who comes to help slips into the same situation—that is, until a librarian comes to the rescue.

With a creatively spare design, this highly original, interactive picture book from nationally syndicated cartoonist Chris Britt is not only laugh-out-loud funny, but also a great primer for kids on the anatomy of a book.

GOODREADS    /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Tons of silliness, more than a little chaos, and constant adventure make this a read that is anything but boring.

Two friends love to do everything together. One day, they decide to walk through a book...but the one accidentally falls into the book's gutter! Screaming for help from somewhere in the dark line between the pages (the gutter), the other friend is determined to come to the rescue. But dealing with a book is anything but easy, especially since everything and anything is possible.

From start to finish, these pages are packed with silly adventure. From the moment the one boy falls into the 'gutter', the rescue begins...and it includes all sorts of chaotic ideas. But then, the boy stuck in the dark gutter is also facing the most imaginative things. This provides tons of fun for the illustrations, which bring the fantastical adventure to life with tons of details and chaotic energy. The text also alters formats and sizes, allowing each moment to hit with power, which also makes this a lovely and fun read-aloud.

While the silliness is definitely the main drive of this book, there's also friendship goodness, willingness to help others, and the wonders of a librarian. Of course, there's also a bit about the physical aspects of a book...although the gutter theme did confuse us at first. It takes a moment to realize what the gutter is, and I do think this aspect could have been introduced a bit better in the illustrations for clarification. But that's really the only tiny, weeny aspect which threw us a bit. 

Otherwise, it's a fun read for laughs and giggles. It isn't calming, so be prepared for energy pure when picking this one up.

Sea Change by Susan Fletcher

 It's been quite awhile since I've picked up a fairy tale retelling. Remember when there were quite a few of them hitting the market? Now, that I think about it, it's really been quiet on that front. Well, it's time to change that with today's read, which is based on the Little Mermaid. I believe it takes a sci-fi twist with gene editing and hangs in the dystopian direction. But that's all I know, so let's open it up and see what this tale holds.

SEA CHANGE

by Susan Fletcher

Amulet Books

YA Fairy Tale Retelling

352 pages

COMING...

JUNE 3rd!!!

An original and timely new YA novel from acclaimed author Susan Fletcher, set in a near-future where rogue gene editing has changed humanity—loosely based on The Little Mermaid

A girl torn between two worlds . . .

Turtle is scavenging a drowned town when she saves a stranger’s life. There’s something special about Kai—an attraction she’s never felt before. She would do anything to see him again.

But Turtle can never truly be with Kai, because Kai is Normal, and Turtle is one of the Mer, kids whose genes were illegally hacked before birth and who now have working gills as well as lungs. Turtle lives on an old cruise ship with the other Mer in order to be close to the water she needs to survive.

Yet she sneaks away and lies to her friends to spend more time on land with Kai. And the pull of the shore grows even stronger when Turtle reconnects with her sisters and learns that her father, who has been in prison for having her genes modified, has escaped and may be hiding out nearby.

When scientists come up with a way for the Mer to surrender their gills and live as Normals, Turtle faces a terrible choice. Turtle loves her life with her Mer friends, but she desperately misses her family. And then there’s Kai . . .

Should she give up her Mer community and their way of life, along with the joy of living freely under the sea? Or give up the guy she’s falling for . . . and any hope of reconnecting with her family?

GOODREADS    /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Set in a dystopian reality, this read strongly ties to the Little Mermaid while creating a world of its own.

Thanks to gene mutations before her birth, Turtle had to leave her family as a child and live with the Mers, individuals who illegally were changed to have lungs and gills. Since the Normals look down on those like her, Turtle is forced to scavenge in those areas, where civilization has been flooded and remains underwater, to survive. When she saves a Normal, she grows increasingly curious to learn more about him and soon is doing everything she can to spend time with him. Her friends want her best but aren't all for this pursuit, especially thanks to their very differing worlds. But there's more trouble as her own family's past reveals secrets that could harm her more. In the end, she needs to choose where she belongs, and who she wants to be.

This book slides right into the same plot line as the Little Mermaid, but in the direction of the original and not the Disney version. While the world and circumstances are very different from the original fairy tale, Turtle faces many of the same basis problems. The parallels are obvious and will delight fans of the original story. Still, the characters and surroundings give the tale a very original setting and create a more scifi atmosphere which draws in. So, the foundations which made the original fairy tale are still very present and stay true to the tradition.

Unlike the original fairy tale, Turtle is pulled between two worlds, which really shouldn't exist in the first place and do each make up a part of her. So, her desire to be a part of both is understandable. It's also no problem to sympathize with her as she attempts to juggle her feelings and desires, especially when the circumstances change around her. Her wish to stay true to her Mer friends is endearing, while her desire to reconnect with her siblings is very understandable. And through all of this, she also wants to follow her heart on the romance end. While the balance remains an impossible battle, her struggle makes her easy to cheer for the entire way through. 

While the links to the original tale are clear, the author makes sure to weave in several aspects, which cause food for thought and hit upon modern issues. First, there's an environmental side as rising tides have placed earlier areas of dry land under water. Then, there's the entire argument surrounding gene mutation and the moral questions surrounding it's use and dangers. Both of these build the backbone for the world and struggles, and are fairly well based. There is a bit of lack of depth in the world building, but this is more on the details surrounding the society, history, and such. All in all, though, it flows nicely to create an enjoyable read and the logic doesn't offer large hiccups, either.

This is a lovely read for those, who enjoy fairy tale retellings, and want to take a slightly different twist without losing footing of the original tale. The characters are easy to enjoy, the plot is quick-paced, and the themes do lead to some thought. In other words, it's worth taking a look at.

The Kiss Bet Volume Two by Ingrid Ochoa

I'm going to stay in the graphic novel lane and take a peek at the 2nd book in The Kiss Bet series. I read the 1st one (see review HERE) and found it cute. So, I was glad to get my hands on this next read in the series. I'm curious what will happen and hope it doesn't get too silly. 

Off we go! 

THE KISS BET, VOL. 2

by Ingrid Ochoa

Webtoons Unscrolled

YA Romance   /    Graphic Novel

288 pages

COMING...

AUGUST 5th!!!

In this adorable coming-of-age comic for fans of This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki and Rainbow Rowell’s Pumpkinheads, Sara Lin has decided now is the time: she’s going to make her first kiss, something special and magical, happen.

It’s senior year and Sara Lin just turned eighteen. She’s got great friends, a cool dad (or so he thinks), and a whole lot ahead of her. The last thing she needs to worry about is her first kiss.

But that’s all about to change because her good pal Patrick just challenged her to a bet that will either lead to love, heartbreak, or embarrassment . . . or maybe all three. Along the way, as Sara explores her relationship options with three different boys, she discovers life isn't a fairytale and romance is inherently complex. It's messy and complicated, but boy, it sure can be fun.

In this second volume of the series, Sara Lin might have lost all her romance-related bets with her friend Patrick so far, but she’s determined to make something happen with her crush Joe at the upcoming school festival. First she has to pass her math exam, which means dealing with her tutor, Oliver, who instantly recognizes Sara from their almost kiss at the subway. And Patrick’s not quite done, he challenges Sara to the highest-stake bet yet: kiss someone by the end of the festival or be forced to quit the newspaper club. And Sara understands that some lessons can’t be taught, and that life must be experienced.

Then Patrick challenges Sara Lin to his highest-stakes bet yet: have her first kiss by the end of the festival or quit the newspaper club.

This volume collects episodes 19 to 36 of the charming WEBTOON comic The Kiss Bet.

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

High school romance fans, who love sweet moments with confusion, are going to want to grab this one up right away and enjoy.

Sara's unsure about everything. Oliver, her tutor, knows she was the one who tried to kiss him in the subway, and now, he's upset. Which isn't great. since he helped her grades, but she's got a back-up plan on the tutoring front, her best friend Patrick (who also started the kiss bet in the first place). But the tutoring session doesn't go well and her next test produces the worst score yet, so she turns to her secret crush for help...who just happens to be Oliver's older brother.  Her secret crush is perfect in so many ways, and he might just be as interested in her as she is in him. But Patrick causes issues again and makes another kiss bet—she needs to kiss a guy by the end of the evening of the festival or quit her favorite club. As soon as she lets her temper get the better of her and agrees, it becomes clear that this new bet might be her doom. After all, she already lost the first one.

The blurb states that this is an adorable read, and it's right. These pages hold high school, romance drama pure with silliness and misunderstandings to make every moment unpredictable and ridiculous. Sara is super sweet and friendly but constantly blunders from one situation into the next. She's a bit clueless but determined, and it makes her easy to root for while rolling the eyes at her at the same time. Somehow, none of this is frustrating but remains funny. Plus, her good nature makes her sympathetic...even when she's misguided in other respects. The other characters appear more grounded, but are clueless in their own ways and round off each moment with accidental and unplanned blunders.

It's a very easy read without a ton of depth, but then, it is more about the humor and awkwardness than anything else. Even the romance isn't straight-forward and overly heartfelt. Rather, it's all over the place...much like Sara herself. It's very unclear, who Sara will end up with...or if she'll end up with anyone at all. And this makes it that much more fun to read.

I'm already looking forward to seeing what silliness is still to come.

Aurora Vol. 1 by Red

It's graphic novel time, and today's read is the first in a brand new series for young adult readers, who love magic and adventure. I'm getting the feeling that it will involve friendship, tough decisions, secrets, and more. And tons of magic, since that's mentioned quite a bit in the blurb. But the only way to know is to read the book.

So, let's get started!

AURORA

Vol. 1

by Red

Andrews McMeel Publishing

YA Fantasy  /   Graphic Novel

384 pages

COMING...

JULY 29th!!!

Fans of the hit webcomic Aurora will delight in the first series installment in print, which follows a found family of heroes on a journey to save a god from an immortal witch.

The shining city of Vash in the world of Aurora is protected by a great and powerful god of the same name, but even Vash’s incarnation cannot withstand the Collector, an immortal sorceress bent on unmaking the world. Vash’s city is destroyed and his soul abducted, leaving only ruins and the wounded, empty body of his incarnation. When newborn soul Kendal awakens in the body, he is driven to rescue the imprisoned Vash. Now Kendal must grapple with living as a mortal and defeating a force powerful enough to sunder the gods.

Kendal is aided by the friends he makes along the way: Alinua, a volatile elven hermit terrified of her uncontrollable life magic; Erin, the prideful Elemental Magus, master of all six elements, who is burdened with a world-shattering curse; and Falst, a surly beastman trying to find his way in a world that hates him. Together, they will journey through magic and mystery, explore perilous environments, and confront ancient forces. Stars dance beyond the shimmering curtains of Aurora; it is time to draw those curtains back . . .

With exclusive author commentary and bonus story content, Aurora (Volume 1) has plenty for both fans and new readers to enjoy.

PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

A rich, fantasy world opens the door to heroes, who have tons of potential, and unpredictable dangers, which could destroy the world.

After a lovely foreword from the author, this tale begins with a basic rundown of the world and its beginnings. While I'm not always a fan of information dumps to get things started, this worked remarkably well and allows the reader to drift into the complex magic system and the relationship between the various races and gods with ease. The author keeps it concise and direct while creating a magical atmosphere. After this, it dives straight into action with Vash as he takes on the monsters attacking his city and falls prey to a Collector, who wants to absorb his spirit for her own power...which she does. That should be the end of the mighty hero, but while the powerful Vash is trapped in her clutches, his vassel (the body) takes on a life of its own as Kendal, and Kendal has one goal: to free Vash. Luckily, he immediately has a powerful mage at his side, and soon, will form a group of special friends, each one trying to find their own place in the world. But this hodge-podge group isn't nearly prepared for the quest they've taken on in hopes of helping each other.

It is a fairly complex world but not hard to sink into thanks to the author's beginning information. Plus, there are shorter information summaries scattered into the story as necessary to keep the reader up to date and confusion at bay. While the story mostly follows this forming group of heroes surrounding Kendal, there's also another story running on the side with another hero on another part of the world and a very occasional letter from a traveler of sorts. These other two story lines offer crumbs for the upcoming tales and make it clear that this adventure is by no means over with the first book.

The characters hold a nice variety of personalities, talents, and issues to make each one complex enough to enjoy and learn more about as time goes on. Their reasons for attaching to the original pair of Kendal and the mage vary quite a bit and create lovely sub-plots with all sorts of potential to blossom and bloom. While these character arcs do create character depth, this read is by no means slow paced and boring. Action keeps the pace very high as the heroes run into one difficult situation after the other. After all, they are on the tail of a very powerful and dangerous being and cross the paths of many others, who aren't exactly kind. These battles aren't predictable, which makes each one that much more fun to enjoy.

The graphics are well done and draw into each scene. The author has added little bubbles of thoughts, here and there, to show her process in character creation or drop in some side thoughts to her own story. It adds a personal touch, which is endearing and makes the story that much more enjoyable. 

I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with this band next, since it is sure to pack tons of suspense and surprises.

And here she is...

Red is an artist, writer, and voice actor. She enjoys cartoons, push-ups, chocolate, cool pictures of space, and yelling about her opinions on the internet.
Red uses her YouTube channel, Overly Sarcastic Productions, to incessantly discuss her special interests without boring her friends and family to tears.
Sometimes she remembers to sleep.

How to be a Color Wizard by Jason Logan

 Today, I'm heading into the realm of nonfiction and colors with a book about finding and creating colors from things found in nature. I'm more than a little curious to see how this author handles the topic and hope it will be fun as well as informational. If it holds several interesting activities for kids to do during the next weeks of school break, that's even better. 

Before I babble on, let's just take a look and see if we should become color wizards too.

Today's post is also part of the weekly MMGM (Marvelous Middle Grade Monday) list, where fans, lovers, and knowers of middle grade literature place their recommendations for the week. If you're looking for literature for this age group (around ages 8 to 12), it's worth taking a look. You'll find that HERE.

HOW TO BE A COLOR WIZARD

Forage and Experiment with Natural Art Making

by Jason Logan

MIT Kids Press

Middle Grade Nonfiction

176 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING JUNE 10th!!!

“One of the most important messages you can tell young people is that their work is legitimate—that it counts. This book and its spirit take that message one step further and say that anything you can think to make your work from also counts.” —Jon Klassen, Caldecott Medal winner

What colors might await in a leafy forest, a berry-stained back alley, a seaweedy beach, or even the dark corners of an ordinary fridge? With this book as a guide, curious young wizards can make natural confetti, unlock the hidden color power inside a leaf, and craft a paintbrush wand. They’ll brew magic potions from beets and acorn caps to produce their own colors, from the darkest black to the palest pink to invisible ink, then share their discoveries with friends, family, and the whole color-hungry human race. With whimsy and infectious enthusiasm, master ink maker Jason Logan explains the science of color while presenting “quests,” recipes, and hands-on activities using materials kids can find in their own homes and neighborhoods. Featuring both photographs and the author’s own gorgeous homemade-ink illustrations, How to Be a Color Wizard is an ideal blend of art and science—plus a little bit of magic.

GOODREADS    /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Imagination combines with the world of colors to inspire creative fun and the joy of foraging.

This book inspires readers to become color wizards. After a short introduction, it dives right into the creative 'how-to' of various activities. Readers learn to make their own cloaks, wands, and more as they open their imagination and take a deep dive into the idea of being a wizard. But that's just the beginning. This playful side opens the door to the art of foraging and learning to use the colors found in nature. There are directions on how to create colors from various things found in nature and what to do with them. Even science and a little social sciences slide into the spotlight to give greater depth.

Not only does this book open up to new ideas, but it inspires to an entire project or new hobby. There are symbols, which help readers know how difficult an activity will be and other symbols to show when adult assistance is necessary. In general, the book tries to steer to as much independent work as possible...after all, creativity is an individual wonder. It can be used in all sorts of environments, and this is explained during one of the first sections. There's also a cute section about readers discovering their magical affinity (air, earth, and so on) as it guides through the many places potential colors can be found.

Readers will be inspired to head outdoors and discover the area around them, seeing it from a new perspective. It's something which can be used for group projects, neighbor activities, or individually. There are enough activities to be used for several days or can expand into weeks or more, and works especially well when readers can visit various environments (like on day trips or vacation). 

This is a fun read, which not only builds a new appreciation for nature, but opens the door to so much more. 

You can learn more about Jason and his work HERE