Review: The Dictionary Story by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston #childrensfiction # dictionaries #animals #funny #words

 Synopsis: 

Dictionary is filled with all the words that ever existed, but can she find a way to bring them to life?

My review:

As a reviewer, I read tons of stories and books.  I grew up with a dictionary at the ready to look up words I did not know. Of course now, we have Google but a dictionary can be just as valuable, which is why I picked up this book. The title intrigued me.

The story is about a dictionary. I suppose that is a no brainier since it is in the title and the synopsis. However, in this case, dictionary wanted more out of her life. Side note: I did not know dictionaries were "hers" but good to know. As her pages begin with "A" you expect to see things in alphabetical order. SPOILER ALERT: You do!

That is where it begins as dictionary is thinking about how to have a story like the other books. Essentially, she is bored, but that is in "B" so I am getting ahead of myself here. Anyway, alligator gets hungry and that is where the story truly begins. His pursuit of food causes all sorts of chaos. What is a dictionary to do?

I chortled (a good "C" word) as everything came to life and the alphabet and dictionary herself became one big mess. Oh, did she really want this? Well, no.

The story did go right on through "Z" but got straightened out in the end. Funny how it all happened but of course, I cannot reveal that. Read her! 

If I was to say anything to the authors that helped the dictionary tell her story, I would say, maybe she should have used the "T" word "tape" and things would have been okay. 

This book gets a big 5 "S" word "STARS" from me!

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

Where to find the authors:

AMAZON

#Review: How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg #death #humor #CountdowntoHalloween2021 #middlegradeup

Synopsis: 

Over the course of history men and women have lived and died. In fact, getting sick and dying can be a big, ugly mess-especially before the modern medical care that we all enjoy today. How They Croaked relays all the gory details of how nineteen world figures gave up the ghost. 

My review:

I am not usually not one for explicit horror and this book is not it. I am just going to tell you that up front if you think it is. However, the beginning introduction has a warning and it should be adhered to. The book says, " If you don't have the guts for gore, do not read this book." They mean it and I will explain why. The reason I picked up this book to begin with is the title humored me. So, I suppose I am a little bit morbid.

This book outlines 19 people who most all of us are familiar with beginning with King Tut. Yes, they are all real people.  The book gives a bit of background on all of the characters: who they were, how they came to power, how they lived, and how they died. Nothing is held back in this book and it can be rather gory. Well, you were warned!

An example would be (without spoiling), is King Tut. We all know that he died at the very young age of 19; but do you know how they prepared his body? Well, let me tell you. The book tells in graphic details right down to certain parts being stuffed in jars. Eww...

At the end of descriptions, a follow up page is written. Some, like King Tut again link to mummies, others like Pocahontas, links to people she knew, her nickname, etc. One character leads to simple sign language. Hmm...read the book to find out who that is.

Fascinating stuff!

I have to not the illustrator, Kevin O'Malley. His illustrations only enhanced a terrific book. Each chapter was introduced with a humorous look at each person. The illustrations were all done in black and white but are a funny take on what could be a very gory book.

I would want to say this is for adults only but truthfully, it is not. This book is aimed for the reluctant reader from middle school on. Kids eat this morbid stuff up and if they can read it, all the better.

I actually loved this book and giving it 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

Review of "No Laughing Allowed" Part 2

The long awaited review:

As I previously mentioned in part 1 of this review, I received a free Kindle version of the book,
 No Laughing Allowe (life Well Blogged) by authors Abbey Fatica and Monica Mylet.

I have to say that to not laugh through the reading of this book, you simply just had to be from another planet. What Abbey Fatica and Monica Mylet actually did was gather together some of the most hilarious mom bloggers out there and stuffed them chapter by chapter in a book.

The contents within the pages contained thoughts from no less than 34 bloggers. These ladies discussed their lives of mommy-hood, school drop-offs, womanly stuff, sex or lack there of and the gift of wine with such flair and hilarity. I cannot begin to tell you how I almost choked a couple of times on my large glass of Pepsi with the familiarity of it all.

As a Mom and now, young Grandma, I saw myself in some of these tales.

For example like the one where trying to get in a  quickie while the kids are watching TV. (Just for the record, to my kids: don't roll your eyes at me. You will do it too one day now that you have your own kids.)

I could truly relate to the blogger who felt somewhat defeated because she could not fit in to her little black dress anymore. She tells of getting stuck. Oh my gosh, tears of laughter or is it sadness.

Then of course the blogger who listed the things she had planned to do as the "best mommy in the world". You know, like having dinner at the table, EVERY night. Yeah, that happens. (uh hmm...the kids rolling their eyes at me again)

If you are a Mom, Grand-Mom, wish you were a Mom, or even a Husband (yes, you are included in here too), then you want to read this book! It is in your face truthful and so much fun.

Raise your glass of wine because this book gets:

~Naila Moon

Where to find authors, Abbey Fatica and Monica Mylet:

Website

Facebook

Amazon