Big Nate Hug It Out! by Lincoln Peirce

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Sixth grade is no picnic for Nate Wright. His pal Francis won’t stop bombarding him with useless trivia. A wild pitch knocks him out of a ballgame and into the emergency room. And the only thing standing between Nate and summer school is a study session with the worst possible tutor: his too-obnoxious-for-words arch enemy, Gina. But a chance encounter on an amusement park ride could change everything. Meanwhile, the troubles are piling up in this hilarious new collection of Big Nate comics, and there may be only one thing for Nate to do: HUG IT OUT! In this brand-new collection of comics from the New York Times bestselling series Big Nate, everyone's favorite sixth-grade prankster is back for more hilarious misadventures — and even a little romance!


Today my 9 year old son Noah, a huge Big Nate fan, will be a guest blogger for this review!

Noah's thoughts-

WOW! That Big Nate book was good. I liked the part where he was at home and listening to a tape and it said "I am Junie B. Jones"! I think any Big Nate Fan would like this book. 

As a big nate fan, it's GOOD in many ways-
https://www.gocomics.com/bignate/
That's the BIG NATE SITE.
Note that there were some references to 
things OTHER THAN the Big Nate
Cookie Monster, eta.
On this link: https://www.amazon.com/Big-Nate-Hug-Lincoln-Peirce/dp/1524851841
it says that it will come out on MY BIRTHDAY!
How cool is that?
--NOAH

Big Nate Payback Time by Lincoln Pierce

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

In this brand-new collection of the NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING series Big Nate, everyone's favorite prankster takes on everything from epic snowball fights to sixth-grade crushes, with plenty of hilarious misadventures along the way.

Look out, Big Nate fans—it’s payback time!

In this brand-new collection of Big Nate comics, Nate develops a mysterious allergy to Mrs. Godfrey, wages epic snowball fights with Teddy and Francis, and even takes a nervous newbie under his wing during detention. But after a disastrous run-in with Randy in the cafetorium, our hero faces a dreaded after-school showdown on the soccer field.  Will Nate survive or get kicked around?

From wedgies and food fights to Halloween pranks and sixth-grade crushes, Big Nate: Payback Time! has got it all.

*My kids LOVE Big Nate, so I thought I would let one of them review it for us. Here are the thoughts of one of my 9 year old boys Noah-

Noah's thoughts-

I was always a fan of the Big Nate book series, so I enjoyed the book a lot. I really liked when the people said "Behold the power of Chad" at different times of the book. I also loved the good illustrations. This will be the 38th(?) book in the series. (I just googled 'Big Nate books in order', counted them all, and then I counted this book on the list [because it was not on the list yet.]. That would be the 38th book.). The last thing I want to say is "Thank you for letting us look at this book".

The Monster at Recess by Shira C. Potter

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Meet misfit Sophie, too used to being bullied at Grey Stone Day School. Her classmates Julia and Molly tease her to no end and her teacher, Mrs. Cook ignores the bullying.

The playground at Grey Stone has a special secret though: it's shared with the students of a monster school! Craving acceptance and diversity, and trying to defeat her feelings of fear towards these strange and colorful monsters, Sophie bravely steps into the unknown and meets a little monster at recess--and makes her first friend. Through her friendship with the monster, she develops stronger feelings of self-confidence and self-esteem.

My thoughts-

I remember growing up in the late 80's and early 90's that there was always a group of kids no matter what school I went to who would ostracize the other kids from their world. 

Maybe it was because the other kids weren't playing sports like them, or maybe it was because they looked different, or maybe even because they didn't grow up in that place their whole lives that these kids wouldn't be friends with you. I never understood this as a kid. I always tried to interact with all of the other kids, but I found myself on the rejected end of things every now and then and that is so difficult for a kid. Fast forward to current day and I have seen with my own eyes my own kid get bullied by other kids. Yes, you read that right, I have seen a kid say mean things to her with me standing there right next to her. It is one thing to not include a kid in your group, I totally get not everyone can be friends with everyone), but I do not understand why the bullying epidemic has become as bad as it has. The Monster At Recess is a children's book that I think should be in the hands of every kid. This book should be in every young elementary classroom from Kindergarten to Second Grade. It is a short book, but makes a great point about how it doesn't matter how someone else looks or how different we are from each other, that we can still get along, and even be friends. I don't  know what the answer to the bullying epidemic is, but I think books like this one are a great start.

Beatrice Zinker Upside Down Thinker by Shelley Johannes (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Beatrice does her best thinking upside down.Hanging from trees by her knees, doing handstands . . . for Beatrice Zinker, upside down works every time. She was definitely upside down when she and her best friend, Lenny, agreed to wear matching ninja suits on the first day of third grade. But when Beatrice shows up at school dressed in black, Lenny arrives with a cool new outfit and a cool new friend. Even worse, she seems to have forgotten all about the top-secret operation they planned!

Can Beatrice use her topsy-turvy way of thinking to save the mission, mend their friendship, and flip things sunny-side up?

My thoughts-

When I read the description to this book (after it caught my eye with that beyond adorable cover!) it reminded me so much of my 10 year old daughter. She feels so out of place within our family, at school, everywhere. She feels like she is the only one like her. I try to tell her that is a positive thing and books like Beatrice Zinker Upside Down Thinker help echo that sentiment. This is a good book for older elementary age kids, particularly those who feel like they don't belong or are different than everyone else. 

Piper Green and the Fairy Tree: The Sea Pony (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Move over Junie B. Jones! Get to know Piper Green as she discovers the ordinary magic right outside her front door.

Piper Green is in for another adventure when she finds an unusual whistle hidden inside the Fairy Tree in her front yard. But Piper doesn't want a whistle... she wants a pony! On a trip with her dad to check the family's lobster traps, the whistle attracts the attention of an unexpected friend. Could the fairy whistle working its magic after all?

My thoughts-

It took my 8 year old a while to get into reading. When she finally did it was all Junie B. Jones all of the time. She has read every book in that series about 10 ten times by now and I thought Piper Green sounded like another series she could get into. She read this book in about half an hour. She said she liked the part at the beginning when Piper was making her brother cinnamon snakes when he didn't feel well, when she gets to ride a pony and she also loves that Piper rides a boat to school. Her verdict was that Piper Green is not quite Junie B. but she did enjoy this book and I think she would be open to trying more in the series. 

Tillie & Clementine Noises in the Night (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.


About the book-

Tillie and Clementine lived with their parents in an old brick house down in Benton Park. One night Mommy had to go to a neighborhood meeting, so it was up to Daddy to feed the girls and get them ready for bed. But the girls are later awakened by strange noises coming from outside their window! What could it be and what will they do?!

My thoughts-

Since one of my favorite things to do is read, I have a ton of books readily available in several rooms of our house for our kids to read. I even had books for them years before they were even born. Needless to say, each of them are big fans of reading and they love a good story. The first time I sat down to read Tillie & Clementine it was for my twin boys, who are 5 years old. They were both immediately interested, I think largely due to the vibrant colors on the cover, along with the darling drawings of the little girls. They are just now getting to an age where they will sit for longer books and this one definitely had their attention. I think they enjoyed the story because they could relate to the girls having to be put to bed by daddy, that happens every now and then at our home as well, and they wanted to know what was going to happen in the fairytale that Tillie and Clementine's dad was weaving for them. They both really enjoyed the action packed ending! Tillie & Clementine have several other books as well and I know we will look forward to reading about their other adventures! 

Connect Tillie & Clementine on Facebook
tillieandclementine.com

Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

From the author of the acclaimed bestseller Holes, winner of the Newbery Award and the National Book Award, comes a new middle-grade novel with universal appeal. Combining horror-movie suspense with the issues of friendship, bullying, and the possibility of ecological disaster, this novel will intrigue, surprise, and inspire readers and compel them to think twice about how they treat others as well as their environment.
 
Be careful. Your next step may be your last.

Fifth grader Tamaya Dhilwaddi and seventh grader Marshall Walsh have been walking to and from Woodbridge Academy together since elementary school. But their routine is disrupted when bully Chad Wilson challenges Marshall to a fight. To avoid the conflict, Marshall takes a shortcut home through the off-limits woods. Tamaya reluctantly follows. They soon get lost, and they find trouble. Bigger trouble than anyone could ever have imagined.
 
In the days and weeks that follow, the authorities and the U.S. Senate become involved, and what they uncover might affect the future of the world.

My thoughts-

Louis Sachar (pronounced SACKER) has been entertaining children for decades with his wonderful books. You would be hard pressed to find a kid from my generation who didn't devour Sideway Stories From Wayside School, a personal favorite of mine or There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom, another book I remember reading over and over again in elementary school. Fast Forward a decade or so and the kids of that generation will tell you that Holes is one of their very favorite books (rightfully so, as it is a Newbery winner and even spawned a movie version!) Sachar has penned over 20 books over the years and now he is back with Fuzzy Mud, a great children's novel that I think my children's generation will cherish. Tamaya and her neighbor Marshall take a shortcut through the woods one day to avoid a bully which sets off a series of events. Tamaya touches the fuzzy mud and immediately her hand feels weird. I like the writing style Sachar uses in this novel switching back and forth between the events that started with the fuzzy mud and a court case taking place that is related to those events. As in many of Sachar's books there are lessons weaved throughout. Fuzzy Mud focuses mainly on bullying, something pretty prevelant these days. It doesn't just focus on the bullied, but also shed's some light on the person doing the bullying. This is a great conversation starter about to broach the subject with your children or to get them thinking about bullying and what they can do to prevent it or that things aren't always what they seem. I definitely recommend Fuzzy Mud for any elementary aged children and I also recommend it to their parents. This would be a great book to read together and discuss!

Fuzzy Mud will be available on August 4, 2015. You can pre-order it on Amazon.com.

Connect with Louis Sachar on Goodreads
www.louissachar.com/