Tonja Drecker

This book tackles simpler questions kids might have when seeing someone from the Muslim religion head on in an open manner. Gabe doesn't mean to hurt Sofia, but it happens anyway. And he isn't sure why. Through discussion and explanation, Gabe learns that there's more to Sofia than he knew. And there's more to life than he knew too. This is probably one of the most direct books I've run across, when it comes to explaining Islam to kids. It takes the point of view of Gabe, a boy who doesn't realize that what he's saying/doing is hurting others and is actually a result of his own lack of knowledge. He learns the basics about several aspects of the religion, and through this, young readers/listeners gain a better understanding and more background information than they probably had themselves. The text is a little heavy for younger readers, but for slightly older ones, it does a nice job at opening up to discussions and getting those thought gears turning. The illustrations are nicely done and make the various happenings clear. For anyone who wants to learn more about the religion or better understand why some practices are the way they are, this might be just the read to grab.

Colorful kitties making their way home to bed invites young readers to learn colors in a subtle, night time read. The illustrations in this one are very simple and yet quick to the point, while not ignoring the needed cuteness and fun to grab young readers. Cats are artfully shown in a single color, while presenting very natural cat poses. And they only take a small corner of a white page. The house, while large, is simple white with a very basic black outline, allowing the windows to hold attention. A single, little window appears every time a cat approaches, and the cats color is added to the rest who've already been introduced in the previous pages until a rainbow of windows appears. It's a sturdy enough book, and the increasing windows adds a touch of discovery and fun. There's also a nice verse, which accompanies each page. It's cute, sweet and has a repetitive last line, which only varies enough to highlight every cat's color. Young listeners will learn to join in on this part. That helps them to remember the colors even more. I received a complimentary copy and found the story cute as well as a great way to teach colors. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts.

This is the partner book for How I Met My Monster and is such a cute, fun read! Ethan makes a drawing of his monster. After all, only one monster is the monster for him. One by one, the monsters appear, and Ethan goes down his checklist to see if they are the one he's looking for. Sharp teeth, a long tale, green and... some criteria are met. Others not. As the monster go by and none seem to fulfill his entire list, the question of whether or not he'll ever find his monster arises. Not only are the monster super sweet (in a scary, monstery way, of course), but the check list is something readers are sure to enjoy. Every two-page spread has a monster on one side, and Ethan and his list on the other. It's a simple concept and that's exactly what makes it fun. Young listeners will easily be sucked into Ethan's search and join in as each aspect of the monster is explored. The illustrations are bright and bring across the right atmosphere. Each monster packs their own personality, and young readers are sure to find their own personal favorites. They'll probably want a monster of their own too. I was lucky enough to received a complimentary copy and enjoyed reading this so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.

This book belongs to a series but is written so that it can be read as a stand alone. I did read the other books first and would highly recommend doings so as it allows this read to carry more depth and understanding of the characters. Elle is a fairy with a Cinderella template, which means her life will play out as the well-known fairy tale. Basically. She might have the template, but Elle isn't stupid. She builds up a sturdy foundation through her clever thievery so that when the time comes for her to play poor Cinderella to her step-mother and step-sisters, she can ditch out, hide and live a life on her own. And that's exactly what she does. She's so good at it that she even ends up at a well respected high school. Everything is running splendidly until she meets her supposed prince charming. Then, the real trouble begins. This is a fun twist on the original Cinderella tale...and I do mean twist. Elle is a gem. She's loving, kind and everything a princess needs to be—and even packs an extraordinary amount of fairy magic—but she's super clever, too. When it comes to jewels and theft, that is. Still, it's hard not to root for her in every way because she has a lot to swing. It's a cute, quick paced read, which is sure to draw in all fairy tale and magic fans. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed it quite a bit. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts.

The letters of the alphabet hit an adventure, which takes a small twist into a fun mystery. A,B, and C are in the kitchen and maybe, up to a little bit of nonsense. When C goes overboard and lands in the stinky trashcan, the other letters need to find a way to help him back out. Deciding the 'E' has the most arms and would be the right letter for the job, they head out to find him. But he's seemed to have disappeared! While this book does center around the letters of the alphabet, it is by no means the average 'alphabet book'. Each letter comes into play, some with a passing hello and others are pulled directly into the adventure. While young listeners do get a chance to identify each letter, it's indirectly and allows the story itself to control the pages. At the end, there's a clever surprise which, again indirectly, introduces young listeners to the idea of placing the letters together to form a word. The entire thing is written in playful, easy rhymes and is just right for a read aloud. It's not a serious book, and guarantees some smiles and giggles along the way. But not just in word. The illustrations allow the silliness to gain extra footage as each letter displays a distinct and quirky personality. Young listeners will enjoy discovering each one and flipping through on their own to revisit them. It's a cute way to gain interest in learning the alphabet and reading. I received a complimentary copy and found myself smiling more than once. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts and giving this 4.5 stars and rounding up.

An often overlooked diving and engineering success not only emerges in these pages, but it does so with a whirl of quirky rhyming fun. Will Beebe had an idea and was soon joined by Otis Barton to build a diving sphere, which should go deeper than any possibility of that time. The Bathysphere was created. But things didn't always run smoothly, but they didn't give up. Set in rhymes, this book takes a slightly humorous (and yet, serious) twist into Will Beebe and Otis Barton's invention of the Bathysphere. It's definitely quite a quirky ride and can't be read with paying attention. The word play is speedy and hits with a sense of ridiculousness while still sitting on fact and telling the tale of how the two men achieved their goals. It's never boring and raises more than a few eyebrows along the way. In other words, its a refreshing and fun way to bring across a piece of history. While the poem itself is fast-paced and splashes excitement between the facts, there are several pages of (still entertaining) but more informational diagrams and displays on the last pages. There's also the mention of Gloria Hollister, who collaborated with Beebe and made her own marks in the diving world. I received a complimentary copy and really enjoyed this mixture of fun and facts. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts.

Fans of Fairy, the Unseelie and Seelie Courts, and those who love a bit of unsure romance will enjoy this one. Sylvia is a very usual high school student with a normal life in a small town out West. That is, until her mother tries to commit suicide. While her mother undergoes very necessary therapy, Sylvia and her younger brother move to their father in New York, who happens to be one of the richest and most well-known men in the city. The culture shock isn't an easy one to master as Sylvia is suddenly thrust into a private school with the elite's of the high class, especially when they decide to bully her. Tricked into taking drugs, Sylvia is meets two very strange men while she's high, ones no one but her can see...and even afterwards, she still sees them. Just as she's sure she's going crazy, she stumbles into Fairy and discovers that so much more awaits her. And most of those things are anything but nice and safe. They're down right deadly. I could give two very separate reviews on this book if it were divided somewhere about a third of the way through. In the first third, we meet sixteen-year-old Sylvia as she's dumped by her boyfriend and immediately are drawn in as her life flips upside down. The writing is pretty well done (with only a few stumbles here and there), and it was fairly easy to fall into the scenes. I was a bit thrown by Sylvia's snark and found her a little unkind at times. The side characters also didn't have the depth I would have hoped for, but still, the entire thing was interesting enough to keep me reading. So, I'd give that section three stars. It takes over one third of the book before the fantasy really gets going. During the first pages, the Stranger does pop in with his own section every now and then, but it's always very short and doesn't meld into the happenings with Sylvia...making it almost possible to forget magic is supposed to be involved at all. When Sylvia finally does see Fairy, her talents hit suddenly and without a real explanation (unless the accidental drug use was the cause?). The reasoning behind her being born with such powers is never neared upon, which I found a little disappointing. Once Sylvia is hooked in with the Fairy, the adventure truly begins. Everything she faced with her private school fades away, making the entire drama between new friends and such meaningless...and made me wonder why much of it was necessary. Anyway, the fairy side is simply a fun read. The author develops the two fae men well done as their two very different personalities add amazing tension and bring even more secrets into play. Sylvia has a lot to figure out and deal with, and none of it is crystal clear. This kept me guessing until the last pages and made every twist and turn fun. The scenes and imagery are a treat. The world is packed with fantastical details and each set is vivid. The emotions run high in a mix of black and white as the two opposing worlds of Fairy collide. Even the background history, which the author has created, melds in wonderfully and makes for an exciting and unique predicament. So much happens during this latter section of the book, and it's packed with danger, action, mystery and adventure. The romance adds even extra spice. All in all, I enjoyed the read and will meld the rating together to form four stars. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed it quite a bit. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts.

An irritating hobby unveils itself as a huge success and draws like minded together to raise fun for everyone. Pokko is a little frog, whose parents have given him many presents, which proved to be mistakes. But the present they regretted giving him the most was a drum. When conversation became impossible to due to the noise, the send him outside, but warn him not to draw too much attention to their humble home. Off Pokko goes and, at first, tries to enjoy the quiet, but soon he misses some noise. So he plays his drum. When a new noise joins in, he notices that a raccoon is now tagging along, playing its instrument. And the adventure begins. Firstly, I love the illustrations in this book. They are vibrant and as full of life as the music Pokko seems to play. It's a delight to flip through these and watch as he heads into the forest and meets more and more friends. Although the story centers around Pokko, it's not actually his personality that shines. Rather, the story starts off with a bit of humor, which will guarantee more than a giggle or two. When Pokko is sent outside to play (something many listeners will probably sympathize with), it's fun to watch as he's joined by other creatures and their instruments. There are a couple surprises packed in, which give the story an unexpected twist or two. The excitement and passion of the other animals radiates from the pages, and the ending wraps things up in a wonderful way. It's a fun read. I received a complimentary copy and found Pokko and his adventure so sweet that I'm leaving my honest thoughts.

This is one of the most richly written historical novels for young adults that I've run across, one that truly brings the time frame to life. Charlotte Mason is a young girl living in Russia in 1916. Since her mother passed away, it's her dream to continue the dream of helping others, and she's determined to go to medical school. But with the world around her revolting, chaos is found around every corner. She's told to leave and return to her relatives in America, but with her siblings, her mother's hospital and a man, who isn't what he seems, she's determined to do what she thinks is right. This one surprised me. While many young adult historical novels tend to feel a bit 'light', this one dives in with a very rich and vivid world. Charlotte does have a lot to learn and makes usual mistakes for girls that age. It's easy to connect with her and makes her believable, but never is the atmosphere of the time frame scratched. The tension and the danger growing coming from the world falling apart around her hits from the very first page and holds through the entire read. And while a few handful of moments, especially in the romance end, weren't as smooth as they might have been, these didn't hurt the story by any means. It's an exciting read which not only historical fiction fans are sure to enjoy. I received a complimentary copy and found the tale very engaging. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts.

This dystopian takes a very refreshing twist into a science fiction world, where high-tech, environmental issues, and an cult-like organization run together to form a fast-paced adventure. Dorothy, aka Doro, is a sixteen-year-old girl who's father disappeared a year before, and has taken a bit of a rebellious streak. When her talent to knack codes gets her into trouble, she finds herself with a surprise invitation to join Seneca. While high-tech hits new levels and makes her genius heart beat faster, it comes with the price of separating herself for her mother and everything she knew before. Since her job will be to help save the world, she's game. But when she runs across a guy, who instantly grabs her attention, things take a turn. There is more to Seneca than she first thought, and it might not be good. By taking a modern concern, the destruction of the environment, and adding the idea of a secret society, who's purpose is to save the world from itself, this dystopian spins in a new and refreshing direction. The main character acts and thinks pretty much like a normal sixteen-year-old, despite the string of genius she possess for figuring out codes. Her concerns and worries come across as understandable, and her past makes her sympathetic. She has a nice balance of hesitation and determination, which make her easy to root for and like. As a character, she's simply fun to follow. The world is well done, and although seeping with fantastical, future tech, never runs into the danger of becoming to complicated. This is exactly what was needed to create a world to sink into while allowing the quick paced plot to take control. It's an easy read and holds the reader in the pages from beginning to end. The only criticism I had was on the romantic end. While Doro is fairly level-headed through most of the book, the moment she sees Dominic...and I do mean the very first second...she's attracted to him and does everything in her power to meet him. This insta-romance hits too quick and with odd timing. There's a lack of first hesitations and even solid reasons behind her interest in the guy are missing. Still, it's definitely a well-done novel with lots of excitement, intrigue and surprises. YA dystopian fans who enjoy a bit of scifi should definitely take a peek at this one.