Trixie the Halloween Fairy by Daisy Meadow #CountdowntoHalloween2024 #book series #fairies

I picked up a copy of this book from my local library to read for "Halloween." This is a cute chapter book story about a fairy who has lost the magical candy of Halloween and needs help from two human fairies. Adventure is pursued across town and through Halloween.

The story line is rather repetitive but understood for young readers. This book is basically aimed at girls who like pretend play and fairies. The characters are not highly developed and that is the fault of this book. I could have seen more of the girls being much more powerful as detectives on the case and not so one sided.

I would not really recommend it for all kids but a decent book at that, especially for children who need reading practice. It works well for Halloween too as that is the general premise. This book is in a series and written by three authors.  

I give the book 3 pumpkins.

Disclosure: I picked up a copy of this book from my local library. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle, Reading Authors Network

Dracula Doesn't Drink Lemonade by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones #review #bookseries #CountdowntoHalloween2021 #ScholasticBooks

Synopsis:

There's a new guidance counselor at Bailey Elementary School and he's giving the kids the creeps. No one understands why his skin is so pale, why he hides from the sun, or why his skin is deathly cold to the touch. But Counselor Drake couldn't really be Count Dracula, could he? 

My review:

This book series about Bailey School Kids is one of a few about Dracula. The kids in third grade find out they have a new counselor for the school after a fight has broken out. One of the kids, who is in fourth grade, is called into the office and looks a bit paler after meeting Mr. Drake.

Rumors run amuck and the kids think he could be the infamous Count Dracula, C.D. for short. Hilariousness ensues as the kids try different things to find out for sure.

I loved the things the kids tried to do to find out if their counselor was indeed Dracula. Everything you might know about the vampire is in this book one way or the other. Being a Halloween kind of person, this humored me. Kids sometimes are so innocent in their doings and in this book, that is truly the case.

The book also touches a bit on kindness even when you may not particularly like someone. This is an undertone of the book but kid's reading the book will get it.

The other thing I like about this book is it was a chapter book. The print was larger and could help not only emergent readers but those than may have a problem reading smaller print.

This is a cute book and I love this series and look forward to reading more. 4 stars!

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. The review here is 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle

Where to find the authors:

Debbie: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11639.Debbie_Dadey

Marcia: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11644.Marcia_Thornton_Jones

The Best Halloween Hunt Ever by John Speirs #Halloween #Mazes #Scholasticbooks

About:

 Who will win the Halloween hunt? Sara, Roy, Tina, John, and Alexis are making masks, buying pumpkins, and searching all over the neighborhood for treats! 

My review:

This cute little Halloween book is all about the fun side of Halloween. Each two-page spread features a different place where the little trick-or-treaters go to have a good Halloween time. On the left-hand side of the page tells what each character sees and invites the reader to find them and find the bats as well.

This book is for kids who love the "I Spy" series of books. Readers will certainly have fun looking for everything and discussing other things they might see. How fun!  Just in case, in the back of the book, it gives answers to all of the different pages and tells how many bats can be found on each page. Too add to the fun, the book comes with stickers to use.

This is a Halloween winner for me. 5 pumpkins!

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book for my own collections. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle

A to Z Mysteries: The School Skeleton by Ron Roy #Halloween #Skeletons #KidMysteries #ScholasticBooks #bookextensions

 

About:

S is for Skeleton . . . It’s a bona fide mystery at Dink’s school! Someone has stolen Mr. Bones, the skeleton from the nurse’s office. Soon mysterious clues start showing up all over the school. Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose must follow the clues and put those old bones to rest.

My review:

This book comes from a series of A-Z kid mysteries written by Ron Roy. This book takes on the letter "s" in a fun and clever way. 

Mr. Dillon calls a school assembly at the Elementary school where clever kids, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose go to school. He announces that the school nurse skeleton is missing. The class that finds it will win a trip to the local aquarium. What a deal! 

These clever young sleuths use simple math skills, deduction, and reasoning to look for the missing skeleton. When other classes start finding clues as well, the three have to step up their game or become at risk for losing the coveted prize.

But who could it possibly be and why take it to begin with? Ah, see now, my dear readers to read the book you will indeed find out.

I enjoyed  taking on this little mystery and even though I thought I knew, I wasn't anymore sure than the characters in the book. What fun little twists to be had!  

This book is aimed at third graders but younger and even a little older would enjoy this mystery too. All genders of children would love this as well.

If you have a little detective running around then this is surely the book for them. 

NOTE: An extension to this book is set up your own mystery to be solved complete with clues. You could even copy the mystery here and follow the book to help find and figure out clues.  Another idea: after reading the book, engage in playing the clue game.

This book is getting 5 pumpkins from me.

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book for my own collections. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle

#Review: I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis #ScholasticBooks

I have had this book in my collections since I bought it in 2017. My intention since then was to read it on the anniversary of the attack. For some reason or another, I would or did not until this year. I wanted to read it as a pseudo memorial.

The author states in the back of the book that she did not want to even write the book but kids and librarians kept asking her to. So, she relented because it made sense that there were children that were either too young to remember the events or were born during or after that wanted to know.

The book tells the story of fictional characters who witness the very true events of September 11, 2001. The main character is Lucas whose Dad and "uncle" are members of a local firehouse in NYC. Lucas finds himself in downtown Manhattan just as the first plane hits. The horror is revealed but not in such a way that a middle-grade kid would be traumatized but to still understand.

Overall, the book was well written but ends rather abruptly and on a good-feel note. I can understand to some extent why the author did it this way. However, in the same sense those who remember, like myself, it is tough to read and to know the aftermath was not a feel good at all. Still the whole point of the book is so kids who would not know about our yearly memory are able to get at least a partial picture of what happened that fateful day.

One last thought and in the author's defense, she did include a historical timeline in the back and more details that could not be written into her story. This information can and should be talked over with an adult to answer any questions.

4 stars.

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book for my own collections. The views here are 100% my own and may differ with yours. ~Michelle

Zen Ghosts by John J. Muth #Halloween #duality #ghosts #ScholasticBooks

Summary:
It's Halloween. The trees are ablaze in fiery reds. Excited children don colorful costumes. And there's mystery and fun around every corner!

When Addy, Michael, and Karl finish trick-or-treating, their bags are brimming with treats. But the fun isn't over yet. Their good friend Stillwater the panda has one more special surprise in store for them. A mysterious visitor is about to tell them a spine-tingling story --- one that will fill each and every reader with wonder.

My review:
This is a beautifully illustrated book with all the colors you would expect to see in the Fall and at Halloween. It started out fun with the characters deciding what they wanted to be for Halloween. The story carried on right through the sorting and trading of candy. After that, the panda friend was to tell the children a ghost story.

At this point a ghost story is told by a seemingly look-alike panda. It is a real Chinese story ages old. This is where the book turns deep and thought provoking. It was a good story but the problem I had with it was the story was not meant for young children. In fact, if anything, the story was meant to be for adults who are studying Zen practices. 

If you want a book that is for Halloween type illustrations (to a point), then by all means, get this book but be aware of what I mentioned above. I think you might even need to have a bit of pre-talk before reading.

Overall, I still give this book 4 pumpkins.

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle

Where to find the author:

Amazon

Review: At the Old Haunted House by Helen Ketteman/Illustrated by Nate Wragg #Halloween #ScholasticBooks

Summary:
There are all kinds of creatures in the house.  Count along as the creatures prepare for the Halloween Fright. The text, written in the pattern of the popular poem “Over in the Meadow,” makes reading aloud fun, while the cinematic illustrations set the scene for an unforgettable romp through the old haunted house.

My review:
I absolutely loved the rhyming in the book. Each monster had its own rhyme and place they lived in the haunted house.

For example:
"In the old haunted house 
in a vault made of bricks
 lived a vampire 
and his little vamps six."

Children begin to show up in costumes which makes the book even more interesting as the reader wonders what they are going to do when they encounter the monsters. The twist comes about two pages to the end and is fun!

I liked that the book also taught children to count as they turned the pages. As an extension to the read, children can point as the count. Good beginning math for younger ones.

Finally, the illustrations were top notch as they matched the individual rhymes perfectly.Mostly blacks, darker blues, reds, yellow and white gave the spookiness the book was trying to convey.

This book is a winner and gets 5 pumpkins from me.

Disclosure: I purchased this book for my own collections. The views expressed here are 100% mine and may differ from yours.

~Crypt Keeper, Michelle

Where to find the author:
Amazon

Day 2 #Review: Skeleton Meets the Mummy by Steve Metzger #Halloween #CryptKeeper2017 #ScholasticBooks

Summary:

On Halloween night, Sammy has to make a quick trip through the dark woods before he can go trick-or-treating. But someone--or something--is following him. Scritch! Scratch! What could it be?

My review:

I wish I could say that I was overly enthralled with the story line of this book, I wasn't. The story is so-so in my mind and could have been something a bit better. However, that does not mean it is a completely terrible book. 

The illustrations are bold and a bit fun. It is fun to see a skeleton be scared.

Like the story line, the illustrations could have added more but still cute none-the-less.

The twist at the end was actually not predictable as I would have expected and truly was surprised.

I would probably say this book is good for the early reader who likes something a little spooky but not too scary.

I give it three pumpkins.

Disclosure: I obtained a copy of this book from my local library. The views here are 100% my own. ~Michelle aka Naila Moon, Crypt Keeper

Where to find the author:

Amazon

#Review: Emergency! by Joy Masoff #ScholasticBooks #atozchallenge

Summary:
Discusses all aspects of emergency medicine including the medical personnel and equipment needed to successfully help the patient.

My review:
I found this book to be an excellent source for children or even adults who might be interested int the medical field. The author takes a first hand look at every aspect there may be when an emergency happens. She breaks down each piece of the puzzle so that the reader gets a good glimpse of what it takes to help out people when things go wrong.

The photos included in the book show real-life emergency workers as they are doing their jobs: 911 dispatchers, EMT, fire personnel, nurses, and lab technicians. They also show machines, medicines, and items needed. There are also historical photos that show people of old who helped doctor others even when there was no modern medicines or equipment to be had.

The author includes other ways for people to get help when it is needed: Bicycle Red Cross teams, Doctors Beyond Borders, MASH units, and doctors flying planes is just a few of those mentioned.

As I said, a good book of information if anyone wants to know about Emergencies. I give this book 5 stars.

Disclosure: I obtained this book from my local library. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon

Where to find the author:
Amazon

#Review: Angel Child, Dragon Child by Michele Maria Surat/Illustrated by Vo-Dinh Mai #AtoZChallenge #Multicultural #ReadingRainbowBooks #ScholasticBooks

Summary:
Little Ut from Vietnam wins her schoolmates over with kindness and sensitivity.

My review:
This is a story about a young girl from Vietnam who is alone in the U.S. without her Mom for comfort. She endures bullying by the children she goes to school with because of her speech, name, clothes, and traditions. One boy in particular is always mean to her.

Angel child refers to her tolerating others and being good in the eyes of her mother. Dragon child means that she is non-tolerant and does not want to be patient with others.

In the end, the same child who bullies her learns a little bit about her and helps her and her family in a big way.
------------
This was a sweet book and goes to show that bullying can be stopped if we learn about each other. It points out that kindness is key to everything and family holds importance.

The book was done in extremely muted colors with simple hand drawn characters. The illustrations give the feel of simplicity which I believe was intentional.

This book was featured as a Rainbow Reading Book. I give it four stars.

Disclosure: I purchased this book for my own collections. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon

Where to find the author:

Amazon

Review: How Big Is A Million? by Anna Milbourne/ Illustrated by Serena Riglietti #ScholasticBooks

Summary:
Pipkin the smallest penguin is always asking questions, but what he wants to know most of all is how big is a million? So he sets off to find out, and along the way meets a hundred penguins, sees a thousand snowflakes and meets one new friend before being amazed to finally find out how big a million really is.

My review:
Kids love to ask questions constantly. It is easy to ignore these questions but curiosity usually wins out. In this book, the little penguin is full of questions but his biggest is "how big is a million?" Which of course, leads the reader to the title of the book. His momma penguin allows him to explore the answer instead of giving him the answer. I liked that!

Along the way he discovers other things around his world and bigger numbers as he goes. He even finds an unlikely friend who is as curious as he. Eventually, he makes his way back home to discover his answer. Of course I will not divulge what that is but I found it to be simply perfect. I will say though that apparently, there are exactly 1 million but I did not count them. *wink*

This is a cute book to help children learn larger numbers and to discover things for themselves.
The Illustrators pictures were good but I felt did not necessarily add to the book. That could have been intentional though, as this was not the premise of the book to begin with.
4 stars.

This book can be found with the Scholastic books collections.

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book for my own collections. The views expressed here are 100% mine and may not reflect your own. ~Naila Moon

Where to find the author:
Amazon.