Happy Book Birthday, The Forgotten Lore by Diana Peterfreund!

This one doesn't come out until early next week, either, but since I'm in the partying mood, I'm going to scream 'Happy book birthday', anyway. Today's read might hit with a little familiarity from my regular followers, since it was my Joker Read for March. Obviously, I didn't get to it, which is fine because there is still time. I'm very excited to pick it up and see what is inside, since I happen to enjoy Poe's works. 

This is the first in a new series and should hang heavily in the mystery direction. I'm curious to see how it flows and how dark it gets. So, let's snuggle down into a chair, open it up, and see if it's a series to follow or not.

THE FORGOTTEN LORE

Ellen Poe, Book One

by Diana Peterfreund

Running Press Kids

YA Mystery

304 pages

COMING APRIL 7th!!!

The first book in an exciting YA series about a teen girl, descended from Edgar Allan Poe, who must navigate the haunting legacy of her ancestor while learning to harness her own strength and intelligence, especially as she begins to commune with the dead. 

What happens when your tell-tale nightmares turn into reality and the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe won't seem to let you alone? For as long as she can remember, sixteen-year-old Ellen Poe's family has claimed to be long-lost descendants of Edgar Allan Poe. But when she moves in with her aunt in a Poe-themed B&B, the nightmares that have always haunted her begin bleeding into Ellen’s waking hours. When she stumbles upon a journal in the house, none other than Edgar Allan Poe himself begins visiting her. Has the journal somehow released his ghost? And what does he want with Ellen? Through secret messages in his writings, she learns that the two share the same psychic ability to interact with spirits—which is what ultimately drove him mad. 

This thrilling series for young adult readers follows Ellen on her quest to learn more about her abilities, the afterlife, and the clues Poe has left for her (ciphers and cryptograms galore), in an effort to not suffer his same fate.

PUBLISHER     /     GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

Mystery and riddle fans are going to enjoy meeting Ellen Poe and diving into a mysterious world where paranormal, secrets, and teenage life cross in unexpected ways.

Ellen Poe Reynolds is temporarily living with her aunt while her father works out of town on a construction job, but her aunt's place isn't exactly normal...just like the rest of her family. Her family claims to be direct descendants of Edgar Allan Poe and own a house with ties to the famous poet, which her aunt has been trying to run as a Poe-themed hotel. Sort of. But upon arriving there, Ellen has been having nightmares, and when she discovers a very old book, Poe's ghost appears and speaks with her. Add that a new guy at school is intrigued with her talent for numbers and notices that she's discovered a code in Poe's writings, and her life is about to get very interesting...in a dark and dangerous way.

The author grabs attention right away with Ellen's strange situation. While she comes across as a kind, pretty normal girl with an odd background, which she can't really do anything about, the odd hotel immediately sets the scene. Ellen is just awkward enough while being innocent and kind to capture sympathy and connect with the reader. Her aunt and father might have their own quirks and issues, but the love and care is there. The school life feels natural with usual problems on the teacher and classmate end to fit Ellen's situation. And the new guy's personality adds an intriguing twist of light-heartedness and, yet, a dark past to make him fun but carrying depth. This adds a hint of a developing romance but only as a distant side-dish as a building friendship and trust comes first. And for all things, there are secrets, puzzles, and paranormal surprises.

The first part of the book allows Ellen's situation to sink in, and with her developing abilities to speak with ghosts and discover Poe's riddles, it's anything but boring. The dark tones stay relatively subtle, at first, but hit with a powerful punch about 2/3rds the way in. It's clear that there are sinister plots at play, but exactly what direction they go and who is involved remains a mystery until the end. Even then, only one of mysteries is solved by the end of this book, which promises much more to come.

Readers will get a lot of Poe in these pages as the author mentions the various works, which especially weaves in thanks to the themed rooms and English class, where they just happen to be covering Poe. Plus, the series-arching mystery is, of course, only centered on Poe. So, there's a lot to learn about the author, and he did have a surprising life to keep things interesting. The writing fits nicely to the younger end of the young adult audience, and this book easily works for upper middle graders as well, since the setting and characters hang nicely in a tween direction. Especially fans of paranormal mystery with a sleuth, who needs to solve puzzles, will enjoy this one quite a bit.

And here she is...

DIANA PETERFREUND has published sixteen novels for adults, teens, and kids. Her works have been named to the New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age list, the Capitol Choices reading list, the Texas LoneStar List, and the Sunshine State Young Reader Awards List, as well as Amazon’s Best Books of the Year. In addition, she’s written dozens of short stories and a variety of nonfiction essays about popular children’s literature. Diana lives in Maryland with her family.

Happy Book Birthday, Through the Garden Gate by Sharon Rose!

It's time to shoutout another book birthday! This one hits the shelves early next week, so I might be a bit early, but is it ever too early to celebrate? Plus, this book looks like an ideal read for Spring. The huge amount of flowers on the cover and bird and butterflies...yep, definite Spring vibes. And isn't it wonderful to walk into a blooming, overfilled garden? Or at least, I think that's what this one is about.

Let's sit down, open it up, and find out!

THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE

by Sharon Rose

Illustrated by Erin Brown

The Collective Book Studio

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING APRIL 7th!!!

A classic story for the modern era, Through the Garden Gate is a beautifully illustrated picture book that takes readers on a journey from the mundane to the magical, exploring the wonders of the garden through a child’s imagination.

Miles is bored one summer’s day—until a visit to a neighbor leads to a surprising a mysterious garden gate—and the adventure of a lifetime. What begins as an ordinary afternoon transforms into a magical journey filled with fairies, curious critters, and the most enchanting plants.

Every plant Miles encounters is based on real-life flora, carefully and accurately illustrated by Erin Brown. Readers can learn more about them in the back of the book, too!

Written by debut author and renowned garden designer Sharon Rose, Through the Garden Gate will take root in your imagination, delighting young readers and reminding us all of the magic that lives in the garden.

GOODREADS    /    PUBLISHER

 MY TIDBITS

The wonders of a garden come to life with a touch of fantasy to create a read which inspires and offers something to learn.

Miles is a bit bored and isn't convinced helping the neighbor pull weeds will be exciting, but thanks to a broken leg, the neighbor needs the help. The moment he enters her yard, he meets baby chicks, a dog, and more. Soon, he's learned how to clear crab grass and discovers a tiny door buried behind the weeds in the garden wall. The neighbor encourages him to explore beyond the door when his work is done, which he does. But when he opens the door, he discovers more than just a beautiful place. He meets a bit of magic, too.

The illustrations bring the garden with its flowers and animals to life. Every page is colorful and packed with small details to make gazing enjoyable. The illustrator has also taken time to keep each plant truer to reality, so that readers can learn more along the way. Even the magical moments meld wonderfully into the scenes and will have readers wishing they could spend time in the garden with Miles themselves.

The text is very fitting for a read-aloud during story time and also makes a lovely read for beginner readers, who are mostly sure of their words. It does hold a little more text than some picture books, but the story flows nicely and offers a complete adventure. While the first section lets the reader visit the neighbor's yard and get to know a bit about the plants as Miles pulls the weeds, the rest shifts into a fantastical mini-adventure with animals and more plants to learn about. The plant facts meld with the adventure to make sure that the learning takes place subtly on the side. And the adventure holds tons of goodness as friendship, working together, and helping others comes into play. So, it's a well-rounded read.

The end of the book holds a type of glossary where the main plants are shown again along with a short description about each one. This makes it also useful for themes surrounding plants and gardens or for other activities.

And here they are...

Sharon Rose is an award-winning garden designer and environmental artist based in San Francisco, California. She is the founder and owner of STUDIO SF Landscape Design, established in 2018, where she specializes in revitalizing natural landscapes and crafting distinctive garden spaces. With over two decades of experience and deep expertise in California native and Mediterranean plants, her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Sunset Magazine, and Luxe Interiors + Design. In her free time, she enjoys gardening and inspiring children to discover the magic and wonder of plants.

Erin Brown is an award winning Northern Irish illustrator who lives and works on the beautiful island of Jersey. After graduating university with a bachelors degree in Fine Art, a passion for stories and children’s books took hold. She combines her love for hand drawn lines and traditional techniques with the flexibility and freedom of adding colour digitally. She has worked with clients all over the world but particularly loves illustrating Irish stories and folklore. Her love of stories comes from her Grandad who lived by the sea and was always ready with a tale or two. When she’s not working in her tiny studio, she can be found baking something overly sweet, exploring the forests and cliff paths of Jersey or down at the sea shore, watching the tide roll in.

The Ultimate Activity Book For Smart Kids Ages 8 to 12 by Nathan Fields

 I'm going to start off April with a bit of fun, and something to work those brain gears. I was a huge puzzle fan as a child and even enjoyed creating my own mazes and such. So, this book definitely catches my interest. I'm curious to see what level it's at, since making puzzles to easy always kills the fun. But then, too difficult isn't great either. 

Let's see if this book finds that balance...and really is for 'smart' kids.

THE ULTIMATE ACTIVITY BOOK

FOR SMART KIDS AGES 8 TO 12

by Nathan Fields

Good Vibes Puzzle Books

Middle Grade Puzzles

141 pages

ages 8 to 12

Unleash your child’s brainpower with “The Ultimate Activity Book for Smart Kids Ages 8-12: 101 Fun-Filled Puzzles of Mazes, Sudoku, Crosswords, Word Search, Mine Finder, Word Scramble, Brain Teasers, and More!” This engaging book is packed with a diverse range of puzzles designed to challenge and entertain young minds.

From twisting mazes and clever crosswords to intriguing Sudoku puzzles and exciting mine finders, each activity is crafted to enhance problem-solving skills, boost logical thinking, and promote concentration. Word scrambles and brain teasers offer additional layers of complexity, pushing kids to stretch their vocabularies and think outside the box.

Ideal for both fun and educational moments, this book provides hours of entertainment while helping kids develop critical thinking skills and mental agility. Whether on a long car trip, during school breaks, or as a daily brain exercise, “The Ultimate Activity Book for Smart Kids” is the perfect companion for any child eager to learn, solve, and explore. Grab a copy today and watch your smart kid become even smarter!

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

For rainy days, road trips, or just some simple, quiet hour fun, these pages offer tons of puzzles to challenge the mind.

This book contains 101 puzzles. Word searches, number searches (like word search but with numbers), Sudoku, Kakuro, mazes, mine sweepers, crosswords, and word scrambles make it a varied book to pick up and work through. At the very beginning, the author gives directions for most of the puzzles to make sure readers know what to do. These are mostly clear, and each one has an example puzzle with the answers next to it to help readers understand what is going on. The puzzles are grouped together by type in sections with some repeating later on in the book. For example, there are several Sudoku puzzles, one after the other, and later, there will be another batch. This also adds a nice variety to keep things interesting throughout the book. All answers are found at the end of the book.

Puzzle fans are sure to find more than a few they enjoy, and these pages give them an ample amount of opportunity to sink in for hours and hours. The puzzles work well for the middle and upper end of the age group, and even for slightly older tweens. In general, they are nicely set up and easy to use. The Sudoku could have used darker lines to separate the 9x9 boxes, and the mazes do not have a marked entrance/exit point, which adds a bit of difficulty.

Puzzle fans are sure to enjoy these pages quite a bit.

What's Coming in April?

Ready for April? I think I am. We're just about to hit Easter, which is a perfect way to begin the month. I'm curious to see what the Spring will bring as the weather warms and everything sprouts to life, again. It means more work outside on the farm and more projects to complete, but that's how I stay healthy and limber. 

On the reading front, it's another month with tons of surprises. Looking through my pile, I see there are several mysteries...I do enjoy a good mystery...some fantasies, nature themes, a few humor reads, and a mix of several other genres. As to age groups, it's going to be a little lighter on the young adult end with plenty of picture books (as always) and more than a few middle grade reads. There are some graphic novels in the mix as well as a couple of board books. 

Here's a peek at several books on the list:

THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE

Hello, Spring! This books will hit the season wonderfully as everything outside seems to be growing, blossoming, and ready to bloom. Not only should it take a peek at a garden, but this will hit with a little imagination. I'm curious to see what this one holds and will find out out on the 4th.

Picture Book

THE LEGENDARY ADVENTURES OF DOC COOPER

AND THE MAD DASH OF FIRE FACE

Wow—what a long title! The book isn't short, either, at over 450 pages. But I didn't want to pass-up on this one. First off, there is a male main character...I'm kind of looking for more of these. And it's about a race across the desert, and that could be very interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing what these pages hold and expecting adventure, action, tension, heart, inner-struggles, cultural broadening, and so much more. So, I have high expectations and will be taking a look at it on the 8th.

Young Adult Adventure

SEARCH FOR A MYSTERIOUS MUSHROOM

Nature is waking up as Spring rolls in these next weeks, and this book should prepare readers to head out doors...and that in a choose-your-path format. Readers will be given choices as where to explore for a mysterious mushroom. While not every path leads to the mushroom, each one will introduce readers to interesting insights into the biological realm. I'm curious to see how this one works out on the 11th.

Children's Nonfiction

THE LEAGUE OF DANGEROUS YOUNG LADIES

The moment I saw this title and cover, I couldn't wait to dive in. It's sold as a Emma Holmes meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and that sounds like an exciting mix to me. I'm hoping for personality, historical atmosphere, tons of mystery, and more than a few surprises. And there better be danger. Tons of it. Join me on the 13th to see if this one is as amazing as I hope it will be.

 Young Adult Mystery  / Fantasy

FIVE DAYS AT THE HOTEL ADAMS

I must have a weakness for mystery and historical settings this month because this read heads in that direction, too...just with less fantasy, I believe. It's part of a series, which I haven't visited before, and looks like it could be fun to follow these two friends as they try to solve a mystery. Lets see how well this adventure flows and what secrets lie in store on the 15th.

Middle Grade Historical Mystery

GIRL OF LORE

I've had this read on my pile for a few months and am excited to, finally, have the change to pick it up and dive in. It's the first in a brand new series and promises all sorts of spooks and mystery. There's a mysterious, dead body, evil to be defeated, and some psychological aspects as well. I believe this one leans in the paranormal direction and should hold some darker moments. Maybe, some chills and thrills? Let's find out on the 17th.

Middle Grade Fantasy

THE LAST DRAGON HOUSE

The moment I saw the cover, I was excited to pick this one up. It promises tons of fantasy as it takes place at the last boarding house for dragons and the last two protectors of this disappearing species. I'm expecting tons of imagination, vivid scenes, adventure, and moments to capture and surprise. Maybe, I'm expecting too much? We'll discover what excitement these pages hold on the 22nd.

Middle Grade Fantasy

A FISH LIKE ME

With warming temperatures and Summer vacation sliding closer, dreams of spending time in the water and splashing the days away grow stronger. I'm hoping that this book holds inspiration, some sea life goodness, and illustrations to enjoy. But we'll learn more about everything it has to offer on the 23rd.

Picture Book

NORTHWOODS LULLABY

This is another book, which has been waiting patiently on my reading pile as it's release day slides closer and closer. This is a little book for the youngest readers out there and should invite to nature's goodness while offering calming moments. I'm looking forward to opening this one up on the 28th.

Board Book

MYSTERIES OF THE MOUNTAIN MOON TRIBE

This is my unique read for the month, a graphic novel which dives into a science fiction future of possibilities. I believe the graphics will take on an original direction, and I'm hoping they draw in. It should pack adventure as a girl tries to save her tribe from extinction, too. I'm curious to see what these pages hold on the 29th.

Middle Grade Dystopia Graphic Novel

Every month, I have more books on my pile than days available on the calendar. But thanks to unforeseen changes in the reading realm, I always have a few slots, which open up. That leaves space to slide in some of those reads, which I might not have gotten to otherwise. The Joker Read is the first one on the top of my waiting pile.

THE ATLAS OF SHIPWRECKS

I'm always ready to discover something new and learn interesting tidbits about the world around us. This read takes a look at shipwrecks...and that has my very curious to see what these pages hold. It should tell the tales, maybe show some maps, and inspire to dream of what is on the ocean floor.

Middle Grade Nonfiction.

Happy Book Birthday, Danny Go's Volcano Adventure!

It's time to shoutout another book birthday! Considering how many of these I've been celebrating this month, it seems only appropriate that the last day also hits with a quick party. And I do love to celebrate!

Today's read snuggles up to a popular, online influencer and his show for kids. I haven't watched the show outside of a few minutes here and there. So, I'm hitting this through book-eyes...as should be, right? Anyway, I'm expecting imagination and adventure to hit with fun. So, let's see how this book does.

DANNY GO'S VOLCANO ADVENTURE

Illustrated by Aleksandar Zolotic

Ladybird

Picture Book

40 pages

ages 3 to 5

THIS BOOK IS LAVA!

Hey there! I'm Danny Go, and I'd love to go on an adventure with you!

Magical ice gems hide deep inside a volcano . . . but LOOK OUT for hot lava! Can you help Danny Go decide which path is safe to take? Trace, tap, and turn the pages to find the treasure in this interactive tale for young explorers from beloved children's entertainers and YouTube sensation Danny Go!

With fun challenges, cool science facts, and heartwarming moments, this action-filled story is perfect for kids who enjoy exploring the natural world and having fun with friends, inspired by Danny Go's most popular YouTube video, The Floor is Lava. Whether you're a fan of Danny Go's videos or just love a good adventure, this book will spark curiosity and joy.

GOODREADS    /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Get ready for adventure because avoiding lava and steering through danger will keep everyone on their toes.

This book hits with open imagination and invites young listeners to step right in with their own. The challenge is a volcano and with that comes plenty of lava hat must be avoided to survive. It begins with an erupting volcano and the task to collect ice crystals from deep inside the mountain. So, it starts with fantasy pure...and stays this way the entire way through. Readers/listeners need to work with the main character and help find the safest path up the volcano, steer around rocks in the lava river, and collect crystals by tapping on the pages. The main character speaks directly to the reader/listener to build them right into the story, making it interactive and fun.

The illustrations are well done and draw in with every scene. It's no problem to imagine the lava forming around and sink into the adventure. Of course, this is fantasy, meaning logic isn't always necessary...and that's totally okay and actually desirable because it lets dreams fly. The book is  designed for one-on-one reading sessions, since the directions involve tapping directly on the pages or tilting the book. For group readings...and I could see this making groups smile..., the adult reader will have to alter some of the directions to make it appropriate. For example, tapping the floor for gem collection or the such. Adult readers are going to have to read through it and see what they can do before sitting down with a group, in this case. 

It's a fun read, which keeps imagination high and is sure to gain more than a few smiles, giggles, and laughs along the way.

All about...

Danny Go! is a beloved live-action educational children’s show filled with music, movement, and silliness. Created in 2019 by three childhood friends in Charlotte, North Carolina, the show inspires learning and off-the-couch exercise for kids.