Monday, March 15, 2021

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday #MMGM Book Review: Bots and Bods!


I was so excited to see the display of new books in my school library and Bots and Bods: How Robots and Humans Work From the Inside Out by John Andrews drew me in right away. 

Each chapter in this book shows how certain parts of human or animal bodies function. The comparisons between robots and bodies is fascinating! Explanations are given for how parts are similar, yet different. I learned a ton, and I've marked certain pages to go back and explore more. I like how there are things robots do better, and things humans and animals do better. For example; robots are good at walking, but not running. Wonder why? You'll have to check out Bots and Bods!




The illustrations are modern, colorful, and appealing. There are diagrams throughout the book helping to explain structures and other scientific parts. The way the text and information is displayed is easy to read. I enjoyed looking at the pictures and thinking about all the cool facts.

I recommend this book to people interested in how bodies work and for those who are curious about robots. You can skip around and read the parts that interest you most- or jump in at the beginning and read the whole book. I'll have to see what other books my library has on robots. They are way more complicated than I thought. 🤖

Here's to searching out answers!
~ L

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog.

Friday, March 12, 2021

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: Mechanical Moves...

Bravo to Boston Dynamics for their amazing robotic skills!

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! Tune in Monday to collect more data, and find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block. ~ F

Mechanical buzz; click clack sprocket, taller than a building or fits in your pocket. Enter Data for computing the measure, or press for refreshment at your pleasure.  Metallic moves and electric veins, sparked by those who steer tech reins. 

What am I referring to? Answer: Robot

Monday, March 8, 2021

Fairday's Riddle: Gearing Up...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme? I am a fan, and always find them to be (head tilt), "Interesting." 😉 

Mechanical buzz; click clack sprocket, taller than a building or fits in your pocket. Enter Data for computing the measure, or press for refreshment at your pleasure.  Metallic moves and electric veins, sparked by those who steer tech reins. 

What am I referring to? Stop by Friday for the answer.

I gave you a clue!

Monday, February 22, 2021

Margo's Musings: Are Little Girls and Unicorns Real?

Do our local librarians know my little sister, Margo, or what? The library is still doing curbside pickup and we look forward to the surprise books they add to our bag each week. They know that Margo loves unicorns and the picture book they shared has been read aloud at least ten times this week. Luckily, the book is so beautiful none of us minded all the readings! 

Uni is a happy unicorn. While she's a typical unicorn, she has her own special differences. She also believes that little girls are real. Everyone else believes they are only made up characters in stories, but Uni just knows in her heart that real girls exist, and she's determined to find one. Everyone talks about Uni like she is silly, but they know she will grow out of her thinking. Not too far away there is a little girl who just knows unicorns are real. Like Uni, people think the little girl will grow up and change her mind. Margo loved looking at all the pictures of Uni. She's been looking for unicorns everywhere since we stopped reading the book. She also seems very proud of being a little girl, like the one in the story. 

Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal is an adorable picture book that will beg to be read again and again. Uni is so sure of her belief that little girls are real, just like the little girl is so sure that unicorns are real. I do hope the two will find each other in the books that follow. The illustrations by Brigette Barrager are bold and beautiful. I love the bright colors, as they add even more magic to this sweet story. I love the way Uni and the little girl have similar experiences. I know this will be a big hit with anyone who loves unicorns. I have enjoyed many books by Amy Krouse Rosenthal in the past and this was another winner. I already know that Margo will be asking for a Uni the Unicorn book next week! Personally, I am excited to read one too. 


Has anyone else read Uni the Unicorn? Or have you read another book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!

~ F

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Find Yourself on Unicorn Island

We're excited to feature Unicorn Island by Donna Galanti this week. Read our review here, and take a look at some of the exciting news about this new middle grade book. 

Book Excerpt

In New York City, lights twinkled across Sam’s ceiling all night long. She had never felt lonely there, knowing the city was awake with her. She could already tell Foggy Harbor was different. It looked like the loneliest place ever. Why would anyone live here on purpose? she wondered.


The driver pulled into the bus station. A neon sign that should have flashed Foggy Harbor Parking was missing most of its letters. BOR . . . ING. Some sign, she thought. I’m already bored here.


“You got someone picking you up, Miss?” the driver asked as he pulled her suitcase from the luggage compartment.


Her t-shirt clung to her in the heavy, muggy air. Sam checked her phone for the address Mom had given her: 1 Foggy Way. 


“My uncle lives a block from here,” she said, pointing at the street sign.


The driver nodded and pulled out of the station, leaving her under the broken sign. Sam texted Mom one word out of duty: ARRIVED. With no choice but to find her new home, she adjusted her backpack and popped up her suitcase handle, dragging it along. It clickety-clacked all the way down the quiet street.


Uncle Mitch’s stone house sat at the end, alone and secluded, hugging the ocean. Its sloped roof pierced the murky sky. One light glowed in a back window. Crickets trilled around the house, creating an eerie buzz as waves lapped the shore.


Sam crunched over the walking path made of shells, then thumped up the front porch steps and rang the doorbell, eager to escape the empty night.


After a few minutes, the door was yanked open. A tall man with curly black hair and a bushy mustache loomed over Sam, the porch light deepening his frown. “Yes?”


Sam swallowed hard. “Uncle Mitch?”


His eyes grew wide and he pulled her inside, slamming the door. “Samantha? What are you doing here?”


Cool air washed over her from a ceiling fan that whirred above, and she shivered, shrinking under his glare. Then she remembered what Mom had said: He’s the only family we’ve got.


Beyond the mist lies a magical secret waiting to be discovered. Unicorn Island is a middle-grade illustrated novel series about a young girl who discovers a mysterious island full of mythical beasts and darker dangers!  When Sam arrives in Foggy Harbor, population 3,230, all she can see is a small, boring town that’s way too far from home. And knowing that she’s stuck there all summer with her grumpy Uncle Mitch only makes things worse. But when Sam discovers a hidden trapdoor leading to a room full of strange artifacts, she realizes Foggy Harbor isn’t as sleepy as it seems. With the help of a new friend, Sam discovers an extraordinary secret beyond the fog: an island of unicorns whose fates are intertwined with hers.

“An accessible and fast-paced magical adventure.”

– Kirkus Reviews


“An all-too-human, enchanting middle grade fantasy novel.”

– Forward Reviews 


“What begins as realistic fiction turns to a fantastical tale of magical rescue. Fans of unicorns and magic in the real world will enjoy this adventure.”

– School Library Journal


Book information
Grade Level: 4 – 6
Hardcover: 224 pages
ISBN-10: 1524864706
ISBN-13: 978-1524864705
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (February 9, 2021)
Reading level: 8 - 12 years

Find the book here!

Read the reviews on Goodreads

About the Author

Donna Galanti is the author of the middle grade adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road, which the Midwest Book Review called, “A heart-pounding thrill ride full of unexpected twists and turns from start to finish”. She’s also the author of the follow up, Joshua and the Arrow Realm, and writes the popular Unicorn Island series for Epic, the leading digital platform for kids 12 and under. Donna is a writing contest judge at nycmidnight.com, a member of From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors blog, and regularly presents as a guest author at schools. She also loves teaching at writing conferences on marketing and craft and through her Udemy online courses. Donna has lived in England as a child, her family-owned campground in New Hampshire, and Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. Visit her at donnagalanti.com.


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Monday, February 8, 2021

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday # MMGM Book Review: Unicorn Island by Donna Galanti

 

Twelve year old Samantha Sea Wells is happy to have finally settled down in one place for a whole year and is getting ready to spend the summer with her friends. Her excitement is soon dashed when she finds out her mother is working in Europe for the summer. With her mother gone, Sam will have to leave home and go stay with an uncle she doesn't know in Foggy Harbor. As soon as she arrives, she's disappointed by the boring town, which is so small compared to Brooklyn. Uncle Mitch is grumpy, and Sam feels out of place. She meets Tucker, and they become fast friends. Hanging out at her uncle's she and Tuck find a trapdoor, which leads to a secret room. Of course they have to explore! They find some artifacts that puzzle them and they have all kinds of questions. Then Uncle Mitch comes home, and he's very angry to find them snooping. He tells Sam she will have to leave and she's not allowed to see Tuck again. Later, she looks out over the water and notices the constant fog is lifting. Sam sees her uncle rowing toward an island that wasn't there before. Where is he going? And where did the island come from? What lies behind the fog? Sam and Tuck decide to find out. Are their eyes deceiving them? Should Sam and Tuck explore or stay away? You will have to read the first book in the Unicorn Island series to find out what happens next. 

I was so excited when I found out that Donna Galanti had a new book coming out. I have read other books by her and loved them, so I knew I was in for a treat when I picked up Unicorn Island (Volume 1). The cover drew me in right away- I love the colors and the sparkly title. Throughout the book there are many color illustrations by Bethany Standcliffe, which made the story even more magical. I think kids will be able to relate to Sam, and the fact that she was happy to finally be settled somewhere. I know visiting relatives can be fun, but it can also be stressful to go where you really don't know your family or anyone else. I was glad Sam made friends with Tuck, because he seemed nice and they got along. I could relate to exploring the room under the trapdoor, since I know I can't resist a good mystery. I would love to get to see unicorns in person, and I think anyone who enjoys magic will fall right into this story and want to go beyond the fog. I recommend this book to anyone eight and up who likes fantasy and mystery. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series! 

Has anyone else read Unicorn Island? Or has anyone read anything else by Donna Galanti? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~L

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog.

Stop back here on Tuesday for a special spotlight on Unicorn Island!

Friday, February 5, 2021

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: The Mysterious Unicorn

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! We're on the lookout for unicorns. Tune in Monday to find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block. ~F

Mystical and pure, with a horn of white. Ride off with your imagination on a moonlit night.


What am I referring to?Answer: Unicorn!