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Mailbox Monday #676

Mailbox Monday has become a tradition in the blogging world, and many of us thank Marcia of The Printed Page for creating it.

It now has its own blog where book bloggers can link up their own mailbox posts and share which books they bought or which they received for review from publishers, authors, and more.

Velvet, Martha, and I also will share our picks from everyone’s links in the new feature Books that Caught Our Eye. We hope you’ll join us.

This is what my daughter got from her Scholastic book fair:

 

No books for me this week!

What did you receive?

Owl Diaries: Eva in the Spotlight by Rebecca Elliott

Source: Purchased
Paperback, 80 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Owl Diaries: Eva in the Spotlight by Rebecca Elliott, which is the 13th book in the series, and thrusts Eva into a new friendship role once again. Eva and Sue tend to clash on things, and when Sue is cast as the lead in Treetop Owlementary’s new play, Snowy White, Eva is disappointed. But she is cast as the mirror and as Sue’s understudy (which was a new word for my daughter to learn) and she gets to help with making costumes.

Eva’s a creative little owl, but she gets disappointed and jealous like other kids. She even finds that telling a white lie to her grandmother weighs heavily on her, but she learns that telling the truth doesn’t mean that her grandmother will love her less. Her grandmother assures her that she’ll love her even if she’s the mirror and not the lead role.

My daughter really loves this series and while most of it is graphics/illustrations and diary entries, she really feels like Eva is a close friend and she gets to see what Eva is thinking and feeling. This is the kind of book that can help kids learn how to process their emotions. There are some words she has a tough time sounding out, but she eventually gets them down pat, as some of those harder words are repeated throughout the book. Teachers could use this series to teach kids larger compound words in a context.

Owl Diaries: Eva in the Spotlight by Rebecca Elliott is another stellar edition to the series, and my daughter will likely continue reading this one. It’s easier for her to read and it’s a good in-between book when I have her read more on-grade-level books in the evenings. This series has been a real winner.

RATING: Quatrain

Other reviews of this series.

Mailbox Monday #591

Mailbox Monday has become a tradition in the blogging world, and many of us thank Marcia of The Printed Page for creating it.

It now has it’s own blog where book bloggers can link up their own mailbox posts and share which books they bought or which they received for review from publishers, authors, and more.

Leslie, Martha, and I also will share our picks from everyone’s links in the new feature Books that Caught Our Eye. We hope you’ll join us.

It’s my birthday today and I’m thinking about which books I might buy this week in celebration. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Here’s what we received:

Owl Diaries: Eva in the Spotlight by Rebecca Elliott, which I purchased.

This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

Treetop Owlementary is putting on a play! Eva and her friends can’t wait to try out for parts, learn their lines, and build the sets! But when Sue gets cast in the starring role, Eva worries she won’t have a chance to shine. Will Eva have her moment in the spotlight, too?

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, which I won in a giveaway.

Twelve-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl has discovered a world below ground of armed and dangerous–and extremely high-tech–fairies. He kidnaps one of them, Holly Short, and holds her for ransom in an effort to restore his family’s fortune. But he may have underestimated the fairies’ powers. Is he about to trigger a cross-species war?

Frankie Sparks and the Talent Show Trick by Megan Frazer Blakemore, illustrated by Nadja Sarell, which I purchased.

It’s time for the annual school talent show, and Frankie is excited to audition with her magic act! She wants to be just like her idol, Adelaide Herrmann, Queen of Magic. But on the day of the audition, Frankie’s best friend and Magician’s Assistant, Maya, gets a big, scary case of stage fright! How can Maya be Frankie’s helper on stage if she can’t bring herself to speak in front of their audience? It’s up to Frankie Sparks to invent just the perfect thing to help her best friend cope with the spotlight!

The Haunted Library: The Secret Room by Dori Hillestad Butler, illustrated by Aurore Damant, which I purchased.

Now that Kaz can finally pass through walls without feeling all “skizzy,” he can go explore Beckett’s secret room at the back of the library. What he finds there is a mystery he never expected!

What did you receive?

Owl Diaries: Eva’s Campfire Adventure by Rebecca Elliott

Source: Purchased
Paperback, 80 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Owl Diaries: Eva’s Campfire Adventure by Rebecca Elliott is a nice installment in the series of books that have kept my daughter excited about reading. She loves Eva and all her friends. In this book, Eva and her classmates do an overnight camping trip in the woods. Their teacher instructs them to complete a project with materials from the forest to make a useful tool by the end of the week. Eva’s classmates are quick to pair up and seek out material for their projects, but Eva and her best friend Lucy are too excited about the prospect of Nellie Wingdale’s legendary treasure.

My daughter could not wait to start this book after she received it for Christmas. I’m thankful she has more than one series of books that she loves now because there is a long wait for next owl book. She begged me to read just one more chapter on a few nights, which is why we finished this one so fast.

Owl Diaries: Eva’s Campfire Adventure by Rebecca Elliott is definitely one of our favorites in the series because the owl’s work together to find Nellie’s treasure, while striving to finish their class projects using materials from the forest. There are good lessons about cooperation and team work, as well as not taking on too many projects at once because, as Eva found out, you may fail to meet the deadline of one or more projects if you spread yourself too thin. It’s a good lesson for kids and adults.

RATING: Cinquain

Mailbox Monday #560

Mailbox Monday has become a tradition in the blogging world, and many of us thank Marcia of The Printed Page for creating it.

It now has it’s own blog where book bloggers can link up their own mailbox posts and share which books they bought or which they received for review from publishers, authors, and more.

Leslie, Martha, and I also will share our picks from everyone’s links in the new feature Books that Caught Our Eye. We hope you’ll join us.

Here’s what I received:

Diary of a Pug: Pug’s Snow Day by Kyla May for our daughter’s Christmas present.

This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

It’s a snow day, and Bella is thrilled. There’s no school, so she and Bub can play outside all day. Trouble is, Bub does not like the snow – it’s slippery, freezing cold, and wet! What’s even worse, there’s a new kid next door, and he has a scary, monster-sized pet. Can Bub get past his fear of the snow and make a new friend at the same time?

With full-color artwork throughout, this funny and charming diary-format early chapter book is perfect for anyone who believes a furry pal is the best kind of friend.

Owl Diaries: Eva’s Campfire Adventure by Rebecca Elliott for our daughter’s Christmas gift.

This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

Eva can’t wait to go camping with her classmates! They pitch tents, eat yummy campfire treats, and build useful inventions. Best of all, they go on a treasure hunt through the forest. Join Eva and her friends as they work together to find the treasure!

Ali Cross by James Patterson, a gift for my mom.

Ali Cross has always looked up to his father, former detective and FBI agent Alex Cross. While solving some of the nation’s most challenging crimes, his father always kept his head and did the right thing. Can Ali have the same strength and resolve?

When Ali’s best friend Abraham is reported missing, Ali is desperate to find him. At the same time, a string of burglaries targets his neighborhood—and even his own house. With his father on trial for a crime he didn’t commit, it’s up to Ali to search for clues and find his friend. But being a kid sleuth isn’t easy—especially when your father warns you not to get involved!—and Ali soon learns that clues aren’t always what they seem. Will his detective work lead to a break in Abraham’s case or cause even more trouble for the Cross family?

Criss Cross by James Patterson, a gift for my mom.

In a Virginia penitentiary, Alex Cross and his partner, John Sampson, witness the execution of a killer they helped convict. Hours later, they are called to the scene of a copycat crime. A note signed “M” rests on the corpse. “You messed up big time, Dr. Cross.”

Was an innocent man just put to death? Alex soon realizes he may have much to answer for, as “M” lures the detective out of the capital to the sites of multiple homicides, all marked with distressingly familiar details — details that conjure up decades-old cases. Details that conjure up Cross family secrets. Details that make clear that M is after a prize so dear that — were the killer to attain it — Alex’s heart would no longer have reason to beat.

What did you receive?

Mailbox Monday #543

Mailbox Monday has become a tradition in the blogging world, and many of us thank Marcia of The Printed Page for creating it.

It now has it’s own blog where book bloggers can link up their own mailbox posts and share which books they bought or which they received for review from publishers, authors, and more.

Leslie, Martha, and I also will share our picks from everyone’s links in the new feature Books that Caught Our Eye. We hope you’ll join us.

Here’s what I received:

The Trip to the Pumpkin Farm: A Branches Book (Owl Diaries #11) by Rebecca Elliott, which I purchased for my daughter.

Eva’s class cannot wait for their field trip to the pumpkin farm! On the farm, they pick apples, milk cows, and even make new friends. But then an award-winning pumpkin goes missing! Eva and her friends will have to solve the mystery. Will they find the pumpkin in time for the holiday party… and also help a friend in need? In this sweet fall story, Eva discovers that everyone has something to be thankful for!

The Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox, which I purchased for mom’s birthday.

The Inn at Gloucester stands alone on the rocky shoreline. Its seclusion suits former Boston police detective Bill Robinson, novice owner and innkeeper. As long as the dozen residents pay their rent, Robinson doesn’t ask any questions. Neither does Sheriff Clayton Spears, who lives on the second floor.

Then Mitchell Cline arrives, with a deadly new way of doing business. His crew of local killers break laws, deal drugs, and bring violence to the doors of the Inn. That’s when Robinson realizes, with the help of journalist Susan Solie, that leaving the city is no escape from the reality of evil — or the responsibility for action.

Teaming up with Sheriff Spears and two fearless residents — Army veteran Nick Jones and groundskeeper Effie Johnson — Robinson begins a risky defense. The solitary inhabitants of the Inn will have to learn, before time runs out, that their only choice is between standing together — or dying alone.

What did you receive?

Owl Diaries: Eva and Baby Mo by Rebecca Elliott (book 10)

Source: Purchased
Paperback, 80 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Owl Diaries: Eva and Baby Mo (book #10) by Rebecca Elliott is the 10th book in this series of Branches Books from Scholastic and a favorite series of my daughter. Eva is one curious owl and she’s kindhearted. When she learns about hobbies at her elementary school and she and her classmates are charged with sharing their own hobbies, she realizes that she doesn’t think her parents have hobbies at all. Eva soon learns that her parents once has a dazzling hobby, but with their growing family, they have had little time for it.

My daughter has loved this series since the beginning, and she now is able to read most of these books on her own, which is a delight to hear. She loves reading about Eva and her friends, as well as their plans and projects. In this book, Eva and her friends devise a way for her parents to rediscover their hobby. They offer to babysit Mo. They do not know how hard it will be.

Owl Diaries: Eva and Baby Mo (book #10) by Rebecca Elliott is a delightful book about how sometimes things look easier than they are in actuality. Eva and her friends learn how hard babysitting can be, but they also realize how fun it can be.

RATING: Cinquain

About the Author:

A school project from when Rebecca was 6 reads, ‘when I grow up I want to be an artist and a writer’. After a brief detour from this career plan involving a degree in philosophy and a dull office job she fulfilled her plan in 2001 when she became a full time children’s book illustrator and has since written and illustrated hundreds of picture books published worldwide including the award-winning Just Because, Zoo Girl, Naked Trevor, Mr Super Poopy Pants, Missing Jack and the very popular Owl Diaries series.

She lives in Suffolk in the United Kingdom with her husband, a history teacher and children, all professional monkeys.

Owl Diaries: Eva’s Big Sleepover by Rebecca Elliott (book 9)

Source: Purchased
Paperback, 80 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Owl Diaries: Eva’s Big Sleepover (book #9) by Rebecca Elliott is the ninth installment in the branches book series and Eva is eager for her birthday sleepover to celebrate her Hatch Day. She wants to invite her class, but Sue is not a particularly nice owl all of the time and Eva is reluctant to invite her. Eventually, she does.

Eva learns that you shouldn’t be mean to someone just because they are not nice to you. She also learns that someone could be simply in a bad mood and unaware of how that mood affects how they treat others. Elliott weaves in these lessons skillfully for children, and with the colorful illustrations, it’s hard not to love this series of books.

I am astounded by Eva’s mom’s bravery in allowing Eva to invite her entire class or a sleepover. I’m not sure that I would be that brave.

Owl Diaries: Eva’s Big Sleepover (book #9) by Rebecca Elliott is another solid read in this series. My daughter has grown as a reader with these books, and she loves Eva’s creativity and kindhearted nature. I’ll probably be sad when she no longer wants to read them together.

RATING: Cinquain

About the Author:

A school project from when Rebecca was 6 reads, ‘when I grow up I want to be an artist and a writer’. After a brief detour from this career plan involving a degree in philosophy and a dull office job she fulfilled her plan in 2001 when she became a full time children’s book illustrator and has since written and illustrated hundreds of picture books published worldwide including the award-winning Just Because, Zoo Girl, Naked Trevor, Mr Super Poopy Pants, Missing Jack and the very popular Owl Diaries series.

She lives in Suffolk in the United Kingdom with her husband, a history teacher and children, all professional monkeys.

Mailbox Monday #521

Mailbox Monday has become a tradition in the blogging world, and many of us thank Marcia of The Printed Page for creating it.

It now has it’s own blog where book bloggers can link up their own mailbox posts and share which books they bought or which they received for review from publishers, authors, and more.

Leslie, Martha, and I also will share our picks from everyone’s links in the new feature Books that Caught Our Eye. We hope you’ll join us.

Here’s what I received:

Eva and Baby Mo (Owl Diaries #10) by Rebecca Elliott for my daughter’s birthday.

This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

In the 10th book of this USA Today bestselling series, Eva is excited to babysit her little brother, Mo. She and her friends prepare bug candy snacks, a puppet show, and a song to sing him to sleep. They are ready for ANYTHING! But soon, Eva discovers that taking care of a little baby is a BIG job. Can she put baby Mo to sleep before Mom and Dad get home?

A Whale of a Tale by Debbie Dadey, illustrated by Tatevik Avakyan for my daughter’s birthday.

The third graders at Trident Academy are traveling to the surface of the ocean for the first time ever for a “hugely” exciting activity: They’re going to visit a pod of humpback whales! But Kiki is less than thrilled. In fact, she’s scared from the top of her head to the tip of her tail. After all, the enormous creatures could swallow her (and maybe her entire class) in one giant gulp! Kiki’s pals Shelly and Echo try to help shrink her fears, and when a new friend comes along—a very big, whale-size friend—Kiki’s courage emerges, and the fun looms large.

What did you receive?

Mailbox Monday #499

Mailbox Monday has become a tradition in the blogging world, and many of us thank Marcia of The Printed Page for creating it.

It now has it’s own blog where book bloggers can link up their own mailbox posts and share which books they bought or which they received for review from publishers, authors, and more.

Leslie, Martha, and I also will share our picks from everyone’s links in the new feature Books that Caught Our Eye. We hope you’ll join us.

Here’s what we received:

Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward, a gift for my mother.

With authoritative reporting honed through eight presidencies from Nixon to Obama, author Bob Woodward reveals in unprecedented detail the harrowing life inside President Donald Trump’s White House and precisely how he makes decisions on major foreign and domestic policies. Woodward draws from hundreds of hours of interviews with firsthand sources, meeting notes, personal diaries, files and documents. The focus is on the explosive debates and the decision-making in the Oval Office, the Situation Room, Air Force One and the White House residence.

Fear is the most intimate portrait of a sitting president ever published during the president’s first years in office.

Owl Diaries: Eva’s Big Sleepover (book #9) by Rebecca Elliott, a purchase for my daughter.

This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

It’s almost Eva’s birthday, and she can’t wait for her super-special sleepover. But one of her friends, Sue, doesn’t seem to want to come. It won’t be right without her there! Does Sue really not want to come? Or could she be having first-sleepover jitters? Eva will need to help Sue tackle her fear in time for the big party!

What did you receive?

Owl Diaries: Eva and the Lost Pony (Book 8) by Rebecca Elliott

Source: Purchased
Paperback,
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Owl Diaries: Eva and the Lost Pony (Book #8) by Rebecca Elliott offers lessons in what bravery is and how to be a good community member, but it also offers lessons in how we have a responsibility to listen to our elders and inform them when we’re not coming straight home. Kids need these lessons, especially as they age because they want more independence, but they often don’t realize that independence also comes with responsibility.

In this book, Eva and her friends are preparing to take the Owl Oath to be the keepers of the forest. The kids make projects to demonstrate what the oath means to them, and Eva wants to become a Storm Soldier and help the animals in the forest prepare for an oncoming storm. She creates a series of posters for the animals and tacks them up all around, but the storm comes faster than she expects.

What happens to Eva and the forest animals, and how does she meet the lost pony? Readers will love this adventure that’s full of adventure and some scary moments.

Owl Diaries: Eva and the Lost Pony (Book #8) by Rebecca Elliott is a fantastic edition to the series, and Elliott’s characters are evolving. Kids will love Eva and her friends, as well as their forest adventures. Parents will love the lessons these little owls learn about growing up and being part of a larger community.

RATING: Cinquain

About the Author:

A school project from when Rebecca was 6 reads, ‘when I grow up I want to be an artist and a writer’. After a brief detour from this career plan involving a degree in philosophy and a dull office job she fulfilled her plan in 2001 when she became a full time children’s book illustrator and has since written and illustrated hundreds of picture books published worldwide including the award-winning Just Because, Zoo Girl, Naked Trevor, Mr Super Poopy Pants, Missing Jack and the very popular Owl Diaries series.

She lives in Suffolk in the United Kingdom with her husband, a history teacher and children, all professional monkeys.

Mailbox Monday #469

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at To Be Continued, formerly The Printed Page, has a permanent home at its own blog. To check out what everyone has received over the last week, visit the blog and check out the links. Leave yours too.

Also, each week, Leslie, Martha, and I will share the Books that Caught Our Eye from everyone’s weekly links.

Here’s what we received:

Owl Diaries: Eva and the Lost Pony by Rebecca Elliott, a gift for my daughter.

In the eighth book in this USA Today bestselling series, a big storm is coming to Treetopolis! Eva and her classmates are also getting ready to take their very important Owl Oath — a promise to protect the other animals in the forest by being brave and wise and kind. Eva needs to come up with a project that proves she is ready to take the oath. When the storm hits, Eva tries to help a lost pony. But it’s so rainy and windy that she gets caught in the storm, too! Will Eva be brave and wise and kind enough to save the day?

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy, a gift for my daughter.

Get to know celebrated Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg—in the first picture book about her life—as she proves that disagreeing does not make you disagreeable!

Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has spent a lifetime disagreeing: disagreeing with inequality, arguing against unfair treatment, and standing up for what’s right for people everywhere. This biographical picture book about the Notorious RBG, tells the justice’s story through the lens of her many famous dissents, or disagreements.

Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai, a gift for my daughter.

Malala’s first picture book will inspire young readers everywhere to find the magic all around them.

As a child in Pakistan, Malala made a wish for a magic pencil. She would use it to make everyone happy, to erase the smell of garbage from her city, to sleep an extra hour in the morning. But as she grew older, Malala saw that there were more important things to wish for. She saw a world that needed fixing. And even if she never found a magic pencil, Malala realized that she could still work hard every day to make her wishes come true.

She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton, a gift for my daughter.

Throughout American history, there have always been women who have spoken out for what’s right, even when they have to fight to be heard. In early 2017, Senator Elizabeth Warren’s refusal to be silenced in the Senate inspired a spontaneous celebration of women who persevered in the face of adversity. In this book, Chelsea Clinton celebrates thirteen American women who helped shape our country through their tenacity, sometimes through speaking out, sometimes by staying seated, sometimes by captivating an audience. They all certainly persisted.

She Persisted is for everyone who has ever wanted to speak up but has been told to quiet down, for everyone who has ever tried to reach for the stars but was told to sit down, and for everyone who has ever been made to feel unworthy or unimportant or small.

What did you receive?