Science Comics Dinosaurs: Fossils & Feathers Blog Tour -- Babies Read Too

Science Comics Dinosaurs: Fossils & Feathers

Author + Illustrator: MK Reed | Joe Flood

Release Date: March. 29th, 2016 | First Second 

Genre(s): Middle Grade, Science

Pages: 128

Edition: Paperback

Source: Publisher

Rating:  

Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic--dinosaurs, coral reefs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, flying machines, and more. These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty-year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these books are for you!

This volume: in Dinosaurs learn all about the history of paleontology! This fascinating look at dinosaur science covers the last 150 years of dinosaur hunting and illuminates how our ideas about dinosaurs have changed--and continue to change.

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REVIEW

Toddler Takeover!

I teamed up with my future Paleontologist to uncover the history of Dinosaurs. 
I may have been harmed in the process.

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As any parent that loves to read, it's the best feeling in the world when your children share that passion as well. Just last year, I started noticing that my son was picking up a knack for reading. He'd often reach for a book before he would a toy, so that was my cue to encourage reading with him as much as possible. We read together all of the time, covering his favorite topics, animals, nature, or cars, but nothing beats his absolutely favorite . . . DINOSAURS. When I say my son is obsessed with dinos, I mean OBSESSED. We started a dinosaur collection on his 3rd birthday, and now just short of a year later, my house is swarmed with these extinct creatures, to the point where I'm tripping over a triceratops one moment, and a Velicoraptor the next. (I could've broken my neck) Natgeo, Animal Planet, and Dino documentaries are constantly watched in my household, so when I got wind from Nori that First Second was putting together a blog tour for this MG series, I hopped on as fast as I could!

You know mama gotta look out for her baby  

What Tihamer and I loved the most about this graphic novel, was the amount of history the author managed to pack into such a tiny book. As I noticed from the beginning, we're given a " timeline " of events and information, starting with tid bits about how dinosaurs walked the earth 165 million years ago, all the way to how fossils are formed and discovered. 

Did You Know:  
Dinosaur poop can be fossilized, allowing Paleontologists to determine a dinosaur's last meal and what they ate? Super gross, but definitely cool right?

It was also nice to discover more dinosaurs Tihamer and I weren't familiar with. He's extra bossy and thinks he knows everything, (something he gets from his Nina, not me lol) so seeing how shocked and excited he was about, " doing more research on these new dinos " made me realize just how much he enjoys learning about them. We were schooled on different scientists, and even found out that animals living amongst us today, birds, frogs, and some mammals, have an ancestry of dinosaurs in their family! If a cat becomes a Catasaurus I'd lose it lol. 

Ever thought about naming a dinosaur? Here's how!

1. Become a Paleontologist. Discover a new species and write about it!

2. Win a contest!

Did You Know:

 In 2005, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis held a contest to name what became " Dracorex Hogwartsia " which means, " Dragon King of Hogwarts? "

In other words, someone cool nerd referenced the hell out of Harry Potter. They will forever my idols. 

Speaking of names, let's listen to my little monster point out a few of his favorite dinosaurs we spotted in this book!

So as you can see Tihamer really enjoyed his very first graphic novel, and you know what? I did too! 

Side Note: The text throught the GN is a bit tiny, even for me. Good thing my son has eyes like a bug haha

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Simon Thorn & The Wolf's Den Playlist - Kick Ass Tunes 4 A Kick Ass Book

Simon Thorn & The Wolf's Den | Aimee Carter
Release Date: February 2, 2016
Genre(s): Middle Grade, Fantasy
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 320
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | TBD
Source: Irish Banana Tours

A thrilling debut in the tradition of Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull about a boy who discovers a secret race of animal shape shifters.
Twelve-year-old Simon Thorn’s life has never been easy or normal, but things like being bullied at school and living in a cramped Manhattan apartment with his Uncle Darrell are nothing compared to his biggest secret: He can talk to animals.

But when his mom is suddenly kidnapped by a herd of rats, Simon finds out that he, his mom, and his uncle are all Animalgams—people born with the ability to change into an animal at will.

In search of his mom, Simon discovers the Animalgam Academy based at the Central Park Zoo. There he learns about the fractured five kingdoms that make up this secret world . . . and realizes he may be the only one who can save it.

This action-packed page-turner is perfect for fans of the Spirit Animals and The School of Good and Evil series.

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PROMO

Kidz Bop: Middle Grade Edition

Turn up your speakers and get ready to jam out to these awesome songs curated by Aimee!

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Aimee: I’m not normally a writer who keeps playlists for their books, but for Simon Thorn, a few songs in particular remind me of the series. Some of them have lyrics that fit well, while for others, it’s just the overall feeling of the song that really works for me. Please don’t judge my somewhat questionable taste in music.

Blackbird – The Beatles. I’ve always loved this song, but it seemed to fit the struggle Simon goes through well. Plus, another animal reference.

Roar – Katy Perry. All of the animal references definitely have a very Simon feel to them.

Young Volcanos – Fall Out Boy. One of the songs I listened to over and over while writing Simon Thorn and the Wolf’s Den. It seemed fitting with all of the animal references and the general upbeat, active feeling to the song, and whenever I hear it now, I’m reminded of Simon.

Wake Me Up – Avicii. Another song I listened to over and over again while writing Simon, and while some of the lyrics may not fit, I do like the overall feeling of the song for Simon’s character in particular.

Out of the Woods – Taylor Swift. This is the song that I listened to over and over while revising the first book and writing the second.

Prey – The Neighbourhood. This is very much a lyrics thing. So much talk about birds and being prey, and a lot of the overall feeling of the song fits.

Jungle – X Ambassadors ft. Jamie N Commons. Even though this song has nothing to do with an actual jungle, I love the energy of it and wrote some of the action scenes to it.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Lorde. Another song I listened to over and over while writing some of the slower, more intense scenes in the story. The lyrics fit the war brewing in the series, and how so many people are strategizing to defeat the others and gain control over the entire Animalgam (ani-MAL-gam) world.

BONUS TRACK: Wide Awake – Katy Perry. This song has pretty much nothing to do with Simon, but I was struggling to come up with titles for the Simon series, and this song came on the radio while I was driving home one night. The line “I am born again / out of the lion’s den” flipped a switch in my brain, and with amazing clarity I knew what all five titles would be, including the first – Simon Thorn and the Wolf’s Den.

Do you spot in favorite songs in Aimee's list? If so, comment down below, and make sure you enter the giveaway to witness what these songs inspired!

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Tell The Story To It's End ARC Review -- 1,2 Eren's Coming For You

Tell The Story To It's End | Simon P. Clark
Publisher: St.Martin's Griffin
Release Date: October 20, 2015
Genre(s): Middle Grade, Mystery
Pages: 208
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating:

People are keeping secrets from Oli. His mum has brought him to stay with his aunt and uncle in the countryside, but nobody will tell him why his dad where his father is. Why isn't he with them? Has something happened? Oli has a hundred questions, and only an old, empty house in the middle of an ancient forest for answers. But then he finds a secret of his own: there is a creature that lives in the attic…

Eren is not human.
Eren is hungry for stories.
Eren has been waiting for him.

Sharing his stories with Eren, Oli starts to make sense of what’s happening downstairs with his family. But what if it’s a trap? Soon, Oli must make a choice: learn the truth—or abandon himself to Eren’s world, forever.

Reminiscent of SKELLIG by David Almond and A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness, EREN is richly atmospheric, moving, unsettleing, and told in gorgeous prose. A modern classic in the making.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.

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REVIEW

I'm Not Scared Of Anything ..

besides a monster that can tell a damn good story.

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Did you ever have an imaginary friend as a child? Like your shadow that you named Penelope, a doll or special toy that you confided in? I most certainly did. I didn't have conversations with the dust specks that floated through the air or anything, but I had teddy bears, dolls, and barbies that I chatted with, told my darkest secrets to. For me, it's almost nostalgic reading stories about children who enter this phase as I once had, witnessing them create pals out of random objects like a toaster, or a paranormal phenomena like ghosts. So when the opportunity came to read Tell The Story To It's End I jumped on it, not only because October called for some creepy reads, but for the simple fact that there was no way I could ever pass up a story involving a monster.

I mean, I like monsters, not enough to talk to them, but I do like them . . .

Something fishy is going on, and 12 year old Oli knows it. 

Is it the fact that his mom dragged him from London to the countryside to stay with her brother he's never met?
Or is it because his father didn't tag along, and no one wants to explain why? 

The answer . . both. After arriving to his mother's childhood home to live with her brother and his wife for an undetermined amount of time, Oli knows from the jump something isn't quite right. His mother is on edge, constantly arguing with a mystery person on the phone, and his uncle and aunt look as if they want to say something, but of course cat has their tongue. As the days turns into weeks his father still hasn't shown up, and whenever he brings up the topic of his missing dad, he's shoo'd away, completely shut out from whatever is going on. So what's a kid to do when he's left in the dark, trapped in a bubble no one seems to be bouncing in besides himself? Well you not only befriend two curious kids from your neighborhood, but you become close pals with the monster that is hiding in your attic.

He was smoke turned into a bat - or a bear, tattered and old. His face was pointed - a wolf, a rat? A vulture? - and his eyes shone, brighter than the stars far behind him. He was big, old, moving, creaking, grinning.

Eren was hauntingly beautiful. He was both real and a figment of your imagination, contorting your reality to lure you into his world of cleverly spun stories. He was both good and evil, friendly - a great companion even, yet sinister. At first I was captured by their friendship, but it didn't take long before I began to fear for little Oli, wishing him to leave Eren to cower in his dark realm of the attic. Because monsters are indeed monsters, and this one had Oli right where he wanted him, pulling him closer and closer from reality, deeper into his pits of darkness. The unexpected ending took me by surprise, and as Eren mentioned, " stories never end " holds so much truth.

'There is no end,' he says. He swoops down and his wings darken my sky. 'No end, Oli. Tales go on and on. They come from before you were born, and they echo on after you leave.

Tell The Story To It's End, surprised me like no other. It was dark, creepy, magical, and shockingly sad, showing us fairy tales don't always have happy endings. Clark used this story about stories to captivate us while opening our minds to the art of storytelling, and I don't think I'll ever be the same.

I think it may be time to warn my three year old about imaginary friends.

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Mini Review Mash-Up -- The Blood Guard & The Glass Gauntlet

The Blood Guard | Roy Carter
Release Date: March 4, 2014 | Two Lions
Genre(s): Middle Grade, Fantasy
Pages: 279
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating:

When thirteen-year-old Ronan Truelove's seemingly ordinary mom snatches him from school, then sets off on a high speed car chase, Ronan is shocked. His quiet, nerdy dad has been kidnapped? And the kidnappers are after him, too? His mom, he quickly learns, is anything but ordinary. In fact, she's a member of an ancient order of knights, the Blood Guard, a sword-wielding secret society sworn to protect the Pure—thirty-six noble souls whose safety is crucial if the world as we know it is to survive. Now all those after-school activities—gymnastics, judo, survival training—she made him take, make sense. For suddenly Ronan is swept up in a sometimes funny, sometimes scary, but always thrilling adventure—dashing from one danger to the next, using his wits to escape the Bend Sinister, a posse of evil doers with strange powers. Falling in with two unlikely companions, Greta, a scrappy, strong-willed girl he's never much liked and Jack, a devil-may-care teenage pickpocket, Ronan is left with only his wits and his mom's last words of advice: Trust no one. That's a lot for an ordinary kid to deal with. But then again, maybe Ronan's not ordinary at all.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.

While composing this review, I couldn't help but to ask myself, " When was the last time I've read middle grade? " Of course my memory is pretty shitty, and I couldn't come up with not one recent title off the top of my head, so I hopped over to goodreads to check my trusty " Read " shelf. Well, the answer to this question is still I DON'T FREAKING KNOW, (LOL) but I'm very pleased to say that The Blood Guard was a pretty decent reunion back into the genre. 

What I Liked

Lighting Speed -- This plot was so fast paced and I loved it! The author wasted no time putting things into play, and from the first chapter we witness wild chases, sword fights . . . everything you would expect from a middle grade fantasy!

Lighthearted Goodness -- Another aspect that made this story a pleasure to read was the lighthearted humor of the characters. Ronan was such a sarcastic little cutie, and our secondary characters Greta and Jack Dawkins, kept him on his toes and added their own wit to the story. Greta was definitely the voice of reason of the crew, I mean the girl was literally Hermoine's little sister, and Dawkins was someone's too-cool-for-school uncle who couldn't be killed! Oh and let's not forget Sammy who was most def the " Ron " of the group.

Round One . . . FIGHT! -- If you guys know me, then you know I love a great battle scene! I'm all for guts and gore being spilled, and even though this MG novel didn't take it THAT far, I was still given some pretty awesome battles! Ronan proved to be alot braver than most, (he reminded me alot of Harry's younger self) and even though he was thrown into a war he wasn't prepared for, I thought he handled it pretty well!

What I Disliked

Can I Get A Little More? -- Although I enjoyed the plot for the most part, while reading I kept feeling as if something was missing. There were enough twists and fights to keep me entertained, but it definitely left much to be desired. I can't put my finger on it though . . .

The Obvious -- Going into this, I knew that I would have a SLIGHT problem with the characters. They're super young, 13 to my 26, so decisions, actions, etc, that was displayed felt a little immature to me . . . as it should! This is completely a personal issue, and it isn't a major one at all. I was annoyed at times, the same way my three year old plucks my nerves ya know?

The Glass Gauntlet | Carter Roy

Release Date: August 18, 2015 | Two Lions

Genre(s): Middle Grade, Fantasy

Pages: 272

Edition: Hardcover

Source: Publisher

Rating:  

Ronan Truelove barely survived his first encounter with his father and the Bend Sinister. Now, he’s determined to become one of the Blood Guard, a sword-wielding secret society sworn to protect thirty-six pure souls crucial to the world’s survival.

Eager to prove he’s got what it takes, Ronan is sent on his first mission with his friends Greta and Sammy to visit a weird-sounding school and take a series of tests called the Glass Gauntlet. Paper and pencils and nerdy scholarship—where’s the life-or-death challenge in that?

But the Glass Gauntlet is actually something much more dangerous: head-to-head competitions against ruthless opponents. Nothing and no one are what they seem. Who can he trust, and who will kill him? Ronan has to figure it out fast because his enemies are multiplying, and soon he will have to pass the ultimate test: facing his father again and standing up to those who threaten not only him and his friends but also the world.

Everything that I enjoyed about the first novel was amplified, and all my dislikes improved tremendously in the sequel! The pacing was just as fast, the characters as humorous and witty as they can be, and the battle scenes and plot twists that I love so much were done exceptionally well! The Glass Gauntlet definitely didn't suffer from the " sequel blues " allowing it to be a complete step up from it's predecessor!

What I Liked

Did Somebody Say Academy?-- Yes you heard correctly! AH-CA-DA-ME! Whenever I hear the word " Academy " or " Boarding school " I jump right on it! I absolutely loved the setting, but I'm definitely on the fence with how much it reminded me of Harry Potter. (a good and bad thing) I found myself more intrigued by the story once they entered the academy and begun the tests of the Glass Gauntlet, especially when the competition started, and things got dangerous for Ronan and the gang.

What I Disliked

Inspiration or Carbon Copy? -- I noticed the similarities in the last book, but they were definitely more evident this time around. I've seen plenty of readers mention that they felt this book was heavily themed around the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series, and I must say I agree. I thought some scenes and even concepts MIRRORED both popular series a little too much for my liking. It think it's okay to be inspired of course, but as a reader, I want original work, crafted to stand out from the rest!

All in all, I truly enjoyed both books. Ronan is a character I will continue to root for, the secondary characters kept the dialogue light and funny, and all of the plot twists and battle scenes, turned this series into such a entertaining ride. Both The Blood Guard and The Glass Gauntlet has kick started my new craving for middle grade, and I can't wait to dive into another adventure!