Journal Spilling: Mixed-Media Techniques for Free Expressions by Diana Trout, A Review

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Book Description

Go ahead--make a mess!  There are no lines to stay inside of here.  You're free to quiet your inner critic and spill color (as well as your thoughts) all over the page.  Author Diana Trout offers a double-dose of encouragement for you to try out new techniques, to ask yourself new questions and to see how safe of a place your private journal can truly be.

Whether you've been carrying around an art journal for years, or have been waiting for just the right push, in the pages of "Journal Spilling" you will learn new ways with mixed media as well as new insights about yourself.  Step-by-step instruction will make the process easy and you'll explore such techniques as: Using salt, alcohol and wax paper as resists for "watercolor spilling" color over your page with the help of watercolor crayons, creating unique lines and shapes with a fun ink-blowing technique, making secret pockets and flaps for storing wishes and private reflections, carving and stamping with hand-carved stamps, making your pages even more personal, getting out of a writing rut with prompts and inspiring exercises and much more.  Find out just how fulfilling using creative expression in your personal journal can be and let "Journal Spilling" be the friend to offer you support for each page you create.

Review

I borrowed this book from my local library.  Here is my honest review.

I thought this was an excellent book into the process of artistic journaling. Trout offers concise and realistic actions to take to begin journaling. There are also very easy techniques that can be accomplished by anyone. This is a book on creating your own art rather than duplicating a specific project.

I gave this book: ★★★★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it

Want to Know More?

You can find Diana's blog HERE and view her portfolio, see other works she has published and read her blog. 

She has a youTube channel HERE.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Adapted by Stacy King, A Review

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Publication Date: August 19, 2014

Book Description

Beloved by millions the world over, Pride & Prejudice is delightfully transformed in this bold, new manga adaptation. All of the joy, heartache, and romance of Jane Austen's original, perfectly illuminated by the sumptuous art of manga-ka Po Tse, and faithfully adapted by Stacy E. King.

Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

I recall enjoying Archie comics when I was a kid but as a teen and then into adulthood, comics and graphic novels have not been a genre that I was drawn to.  Perhaps it was the subject matter that tended to be more dark and violent. Despite my earlier hesitations, I requested this adaptation along with the Les Miserables Manga adaptations by Udon Entertainment.  I am so happy that I did!  

The adaptation of Pride and Prejudice by Stacy King and Po Tse is beautifully done!  The illustrations are gorgeous; Regency fashion is one of my favorite elements from the period and I adored seeing them portrayed so beautifully and accurately.   The text is also well done and flows nicely along.  There are some parts that seem so true to the writing style and language of Austen. At the same time, there were a few times where it seemed the speech was much more modern, a choice that will make this text appealing to younger readers who may hesitate to delve into a classic.  

I gave this book: ★★★★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked 

Want to Know More?

Visit the Manga Classics website for a glimpse at the artwork. 

Eddie and Dog by Alison Brown, A Review ★★

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Book Description

Eddie is looking for a friend - a friend who likes adventure. Then Eddie meets Dog and Dog wants an adventure too. So Eddie takes Dog home and the pair have a lot of fun until Eddie's mum decides that Dog can't stay as Dog needs a garden. Will Dog stay away for long? This wonderful story with stunning artwork celebrates the excitement of a beautiful friendship. The perfect picture book for any child who loves a little adventure and especially for one who loves dogs.

Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

This was an okay children's picture book. It wasn't the best I've read but it wasn't close to the worst either. Many young children long for a pet and the dog's perseverance in becoming Eddie's dog is sweet. 

I enjoyed the artwork more than anything in the book. This would be a quick book to read during those times when you need just a little bit of filler in the classroom.

I gave this book: ★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it

The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell, A Review ★★★★★

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Book Description

Meet the Bird family. They live in a honey-colored house in a picture-perfect Cotswolds village, with rambling, unkempt gardens stretching beyond. Pragmatic Meg, dreamy Beth, and tow-headed twins Rory and Rhys all attend the village school and eat home-cooked meals together every night. Their father is a sweet gangly man named Colin, who still looks like a teenager with floppy hair and owlish, round-framed glasses. Their mother is a beautiful hippy named Lorelei, who exists entirely in the moment. And she makes every moment sparkle in her children's lives.

Then one Easter weekend, tragedy comes to call. The event is so devastating that, almost imperceptibly, it begins to tear the family apart. Years pass as the children become adults, find new relationships, and develop their own separate lives. Soon it seems as though they've never been a family at all. But then something happens that calls them back to the house they grew up in -- and to what really happened that Easter weekend so many years ago.

Told in gorgeous, insightful prose that delves deeply into the hearts and minds of its characters, The House We Grew Up In is the captivating story of one family's desire to restore long-forgotten peace and to unearth the many secrets hidden within the nooks and crannies of home.

Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

I did not want to put this book down. I would read until the wee hours of the morning. The story had my attention - but I was tired, so I forced myself to put it aside. I didn't want to finish it with only half my brain working.  The sacrifice was worth it; finding out how the Bird family becomes so fractured was compelling.  

The story is told through a series of flashbacks and from different family members point of view, in third person. Despite this, the story was not confusing at all. 

Jewell did a masterful job of creating sympathy for each of the characters - flaws (and oh, they have them) and all.

I gave this book: ★★★★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it

The Highest Number in the World by Roy MacGregor, A Review ★★★★

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Book Description

A riff on The Hockey Sweater for girls, an intergenerational story of the shared love of the sport, and a celebration of the storied Number 9 in hockey. 

     9-year-old Gabe (Gabriella) Murray lives and breathes hockey. She's the youngest player on her new team, she has a nifty move that her teammates call "the Gabe," and she shares a lucky number with her hero, Hayley Wickenheiser: number 22. But when her coach hands out the team jerseys, Gabe is stuck with number 9. Crushed, Gabe wants to give up hockey altogether. How can she play without her lucky number? Gabe's grandmother soon sets her straight, though--from her own connection to the number 9 in her hockey-playing days to all the greats she cheered for who wore it, she soon convinces Gabe that this new number might not be so bad after all. 

     A lovely intergenerational tale and a history of the storied number 9 in hockey, The Highest Number in the World is a must-have for any hockey fan

Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Here is my honest review.

There are many layers to this book that draw you in.  Working with preschoolers, one lesson we work on is: you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.  This can be a difficult process to learn, but one that is really important as we go through life.  We have all been disappointed at some point and this book introduces dealing with disappoint in a neat way. Living in Texas, hockey isn't the first  sport that comes to mind; jerseys are common across the spectrum though.

It was also fun to see the main character portrayed as a young woman.  With the introduction of grandma, the story quickly highlights how far acceptance for female athletes has come.  The grandmother also provides insight on how our perception can make a huge difference.  Young children have a fascination with big numbers,  reciting something along the lines of:

six million, three hundred, two thousand, twelve, 8 million, five hundred and forty-two. 

This book shows that even a single-digit numeral can be pretty impressive.

I gave this book: ★★★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it

The Man with the Violin by Kathy Stinson, A Review ★★★★★

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Book Description

"Who is playing that beautiful music in the subway? And why is nobody listening?"

This gorgeous picture book is based on the true story of Joshua Bell, the renowned American violinist who famously took his instrument down into the Washington D.C. subway for a free concert. More than a thousand commuters rushed by him, but only seven stopped to listen for more than a minute. In "The Man With the Violin," bestselling author Kathy Stinson has woven a heart-warming story that reminds us all to stop and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

Dylan is someone who notices things. His mom is someone who doesn't. So try as he might, Dylan can't get his mom to listen to the man playing the violin in the subway station. But Dylan is swept away by the soaring and swooping notes that fill the air as crowds of oblivious people rush by. With the beautiful music in his head all day long, Dylan can't forget the violinist, and finally succeeds in making his mother stop and listen, too.

Vividly imagined text combined with illustrations that pulse with energy and movement expertly demonstrate the transformative power of music. With an afterword explaining Joshua Bell's story, and a postscript by Joshua Bell himself.

Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.  I also borrowed the print version from my library.  Here is my honest review.

A sweet story with a message for all of us to slow down a little and notice things. As with most picture books, it is the art that captures our eye; Petričić has done a phenomenal job with this book. Despite being a 2D flat picture, one can sense movement and hear sound. It's incredible. 

Worth noting: a notice on the back states: "A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to a charity that promotes engagement with music among young people." 

As a mom, I think this is a book we should read often to remind us to pause with our children and discover the world around them. It is so new to them and we have a chance to see the world through new eyes again. As a teacher, this is a book that I would definitely want in my classroom library. It would make a wonderful book to build a writing/illustrating unit around. It is also a great example of a fiction work based on a true event (non-fiction). 

This is a book that I will be adding to our bookshelf.  I believe this book will become a classic.

This book has won numerous awards; you can view the entire list of awards and nominations on the publisher's page.

I gave this book: ★★★★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it

Want to Know More?

Book Trailer

Or watch on youTube here

Kathy Stinson, Author

Dušan Petričić, Illustrator

Joshua Bell, The Man with the Violin

Claude at the Beach by Alex T. Smith, A Review ★★★

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Book Description

In the third installment of Claude's hilarious adventures, Claude and Sir Bobblysock pack their bags and go on vacation to the beach. They rescue a man from a shark, win a sandcastle-building competition, and hunt for pirate treasure. Of course, they make it back home just before Mr. and Mrs. Shineyshoes come in from work.

Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Here is my honest review.

My 7 year old and I read this book together; both of us enjoyed it.  Claude is a dapper dog who enjoys adventures in the human world in the way only animals can. We laughed at Claude's antics and for this teacher mama, the discussion my son led once we finished was terrific. He noticed details, flipped back to check facts and analyzed the text in a very scholarly way.  His teacher would've been so proud of him! 

I liked the vintage feel to the illustrations. That being said, there was one scene that I thought was in pretty poor taste for a children's book.  SPOILER/MAMA ALERT:  I believe in kids being kids and part of that, for our family, is protecting them from early exposure to sexualization.  The bikini swimsuits and curvy figures were (personally) right at the line for me.  The scene that showed a lifeguard helping a lady with her beach balls created concern for me.  My husband also thought it was risque when I asked him if he thought I was being over-sensitive.  For many children, this will not stand out to them, but it will for some and it certainly is not the place to put such exposure.  I would like to see Claude in other books but have to admit to being a bit leery and will certainly keep my guard up.  

I gave this book: ★★★
I would give this book 4 stars for the story and vintage-y illustration; I took away a star for the reason pointed out above.

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it

Manga Classics: Les Miserables, A Review ★★★

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Publication Date: NetGalley listed the date as August 1, 2014.  It is available for pre-order at different dates on the websites listed.

Book Description

Adapted for stage and screen, loved by millions, Victor Hugo's classic novel of love and tragedy during the French Revolution is reborn in this manga edition!

Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Here is my honest review.

I've seen the play/musical production of Les Miserables so when I saw a graphic novel adaptation I wanted to visit the story again.

It is enjoyable to read and I think my rating would be higher if I had had a print copy to review rather than a digital copy. It was difficult at times to read given the size constraints. I would see this as a quick way to cover a great piece of literature in an English class. It would definitely appeal to students who do not consider reading or literature to be pursuits that they especially enjoy. Some may feel that it is a disservice to a classic piece of literature. I believe that as teachers, we should honor all forms of the written word and encourage kids to read what they will find enjoyable. When kids enjoy reading, they read more. The more they read, the better their vocabulary and ability to relate to a wide variety of experiences.

I gave this book: ★★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it

Summer Library Challenge - Library Scavenger Hunt

Library Scavenger Hunt - week of July 22

This challenge ended yesterday but when my library called that a book I had on hold was available we headed over this morning and I took the list with me. As we were getting ready to go I was telling my son about it and he shared that one of his recent reads had a library scavenger hunt in the book. He thought it would be fun to complete them - and then we could switch.

So we did!

1. Go to your favorite section of the library. Close your eyes and feel out, picking a random book. If it’s a book you haven’t read before, see if it’s one you would like and then check it out and read it.

I love to roam the stacks and browse book titles to read. Then I'll look at the cover and decide if I want to read it or not. I don't very often read the synopsis. Weird, but it works for me. I've read some really great stuff with this method. (And some just okay to blah stuff too). Closing my eyes to pick a book was a new twist. I did intentionally pick out a softback book - not sure why, maybe I was already tired of carrying books around? 

 The History of Lucy's Love Life in Ten and a Half Chapters. The tag line says: Who would you date if you had a time machine? Not really sure what to expect out of this one!  

2. Go to a section of the library you’ve never been to and pick out a book you normally wouldn’t.

There is no section of the library that I've never been to. I ended up in the graphic novel section. I've visited it but never really picked up a book there. I requested the first issue of The Walking Dead last summer but the library had to have it sent over so it wasn't the same I guess. My husband and I like that show so wanted to compare the graphic novel to the TV show. Normally I don't go for guts on gore or manga, and at first glance, that is what I see in graphic novels. I did manage to find one that I am willing to try.

 The Plain Janes

My son (who is 7) picked up a biography of Albert Einstein from the large-print section. It's huge but he is determined that he is going to read it. I'm torn between encouraging him and pointing him to a youth version because I don't want him to be frustrated by the reading level.

3. Talk to your reference librarian, ask them a question (or two), skip the computer and go straight to the source to help you find something.

I asked to be put on the list for the next Heroes of Olympus coming out in August (I think - maybe later in the fall though). 

4. If you normally use self checkout, go to an actual circulation clerk to check out. Or opposite.

We only have one option for checkout. I did stop by last week to pick up a book on hold and the beeper went off as I exited. I took the books back and the clerk made sure they all had a card and it still went off. I forgot that I had a book in my purse and was using the card as my bookmark. The card has to be in the pocket to cancel the beeper I guess. I wasn't really bothered or embarrassed by it until another clerk handed me a bookmark and suggested that I use it instead. 

5. Find a movie, CD, or other non-print item to check out.

I picked up a DVD of several children's books - the cover showed Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal who is one of my favorite authors. 

This was a super fun challenge! We also completed the scavenger hunt in my son's Nate the Great Stalks Stupidweed book and had fun with that. 

It is also the end of the summer reading program at our library so we picked up our last prizes. I think it is so great that the final prize is a book. We picked up a Magic Tree House book and a non-fiction book about gravity. The adult options are always pretty sparse so I always pick a children's book to round out our library.

Safe by the Marshal's Side by Shirlee McCoy, A Review ★★★

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Book Description

HER LIFE IS ON THE LINE 

For a year, U.S. marshal Hunter Davis has protected witness Annie Delacorte and her toddler daughter. But now, someone is determined to stop Annie from testifying against the men who killed her husband. To guard Annie, by-the-book Hunter will have to break a promise to himself: to not get emotionally involved. After all, he already cares more deeply than he ever imagined for the sweet family of two…a family he'll do anything to keep safe and sound by his side. 

Witness Protection: Hiding in plain sight

Review

This was a very sweet (and clean) romance thriller.  Hunter is a strong male lead without being the typical super-macho, ex-military type. Annie is...pretty weak....or maybe just weakly developed. She certainly has been through a lot in the past year but I wish she would have come across a little more strong. Despite that, I did enjoy the story.  It is a pleasant read but don't expect too much. 
Source: Purchased

I gave this book: ★★★

★ = I did not like it     ★★ = It was okay     ★★★ = I liked it    

★★★★ = I really liked it     ★★★★★ = I loved it