THE HUMAN BODY: AN ALIEN'S GUIDE: A Graphic Novel Review by Guest Blogger Brooke Leela-Ann White

The human body… more like the heroic body!

The Human Body: An Alien’s Guide, written by Ruth Redford and illustrated by Leandro Cunha, is a graphic novel about human biology. This book features two aliens, Zag and Zog, who go on an adventurous mission to learn about the human body. 

I read it to my 5-year-old brother, Noah-Austin.

 REVIEW

I recommend this book for kids in grades 3-4 since it is interesting, fun, and an easy read. Zag and Zog break down the human body into percentages:

“The alien has three big eyes and the other guy looks like an oval!”- Noah-Austin White

The aliens fly through seven systems of the body on their spaceship.

In the skeletal system, the curious aliens learn about the bones of the body, cartilage, how bones can heal themselves, and the joints' functions. 

I taught Noah-Austin about his funny bone.

In the muscular system, Zag and Zog learn about the different types of muscles and their location.

 

“Why is an alien in the body? They should be on the moon right now!”

- Noah-Austin White

 

Zog talks like an alien: "That’s it? Do they ever just feel zorpy?” he says when the two learn how many muscles the face uses.

The two aliens discover the nervous system and learn about electric signals sent to the brain notifying the brain what action it needs to perform. They also discuss how nerves are needed in different places for different movements.

In the circulatory system, these cool little monsters learn about blood, blood cells, germs, blood vessels, arteries, the heart, and blood clots.

 

The cells mistake them for enemies and start to attack them! Luckily, the extraterrestrials escape. 

In the immune system, they learn about oxygen, carbon dioxide, lungs, mucus, viruses, and, infected cells. But real trouble awaits in the digestive system. 

“The stomach mush looks like poop.”-Noah-Austin White

In the digestive system, the one-eyed and three-eyed aliens are educated about the process of how the body digests food, the small intestine, the large intestines, feces, heartburn, stomach ache, urination, infections, and lots more! Then, the aliens start to get trapped by the stomach acid made when the human experiences heartburn, but they find a way out (phew!) without any chaos, or digestion drama in the mix.

      ”Why does he have so many arms?” Noah-Austin asked.

Lastly, in the endocrine system, the spacelings learn about puberty, hormones, the pituitary gland, the pineal gland, the parathyroid, the thymus gland, the pancreas, the adrenal glands, and the thyroid glands. I had no idea these were such things--I can’t even pronounce them! The octopus-like aliens also discover how emotions affect hormones.

I find this story fascinating because the facts are formatted in a way that’s easy to understand. This story differs from other biology books because it is a graphic novel and kid-friendly. I also enjoyed how in each system the aliens don’t only learn about the parts of the body, but they also have an adventure/exploration!

I recommend THE HUMAN BODY: An Alien's Guide to any kid who wants to learn about human biology. I love this book because it helped me learn a lot of important information quickly. The illustrations helped me better understand what the parts of the body look like, and the cartoony art style gave it a fun feel. 

Brooke Leela-Ann White is an 11-year-old 5th grader who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has written two books, “ Cupcake the Lying Unicorn” and “Cookie Cat and the Tagalongs”. When Brooke isn’t reading or writing you’ll probably spot her sewing, scootering, swimming, or studying. This is Brooke’s fourth book review, She has been dreaming about becoming a book reviewer ever since she could read!

GIVEAWAY

If you are interested in adding this book to your home or school library, leave me a comment by March 19. If you are new to my blog, make sure you leave your email address. If you are a new subscriber to my blog or an educator or librarian, I'll put your name in twice. 

Don't forget to check out Greg Pattridge's great MMGM blog every Monday!  

Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Giveaway of VALENTINES FOR ALL by Nancy Churnin

 It seems as if we just celebrated New Year's and now it's time for Valentine's Day! To help celebrate, I have the perfect book for your child, grandchild, classroom or library-- VALENTINES FOR ALL: Esther Howland Captures America's Heart by Nancy Churnin and illustrated by Monika Rosa Wisniewska. 

REVIEW

From the opening of the story where Esther Howland gets the idea of creating valentines, to the end where she is a woman in a wheel chair watching a young couple read one of her valentines, each page is decorated with a fictional "Rose are Red, Violets are Blue" rhyme. How can you not love a book that is historical, sweet, and poetic all at the same time?

                          Roses are red. Violets are blue.  

I've got an idea for something new.

Despite Esther's brothers' skepticism that her business wouldn't take off--it did! She believed that people couldn't always express big feelings in words and that cards would help them communicate how they loved another person.

When her first order was for five thousand cards she enlisted her friends to help make them.

Roses are red. Dahlias are lime. How can I make so many in time?

When the Civil War began in 1861she was surprised how many wives asked for cards for their soldier husbands.

Roses are red. Pussy willows are gray.
When people are hurting I know what to say.

Eventually, Esther realized that she could create birthday and holiday cards that would help people convey their feelings throughout the year.

Roses are red. Night tulips are black. Looking for words? They're in my card rack.

Esther had to use a wheelchair after she slipped, fell, and injured her knee.  That didn't stop her card-making business though. She printed a poetry book so that her customers could cut and paste words and create their own cards. 

Esther is a great model of perseverance to make your dream come true. As Nancy Churnin's last poem states:

Roses are red. Forget-me-nots, blue. Why don't you make your dreams come true?

BACK MATTER

The Author's Note includes wonderful information about how Esther was a successful woman entrepreneur many years before women earned the right to vote. At the height of her business, she earned more than $100,000 per year--which is the equivalent of two million dollars today.

There is a page dedicated to creating your own valentines and how to send them to Nancy's website or to the Worcester Historical Museum in Worcester, MA where Esther lived.

CURRICULUM RESOURCE

This book can be used as a resource when teaching American history, women's changing roles, writing, and art. Since the author frequently mentions Esther Howland's desire to strengthen relationships, VALENTINES FOR ALL can also be a SEL resource. The illustrations inspire readers to create their own valentines.

GIVEAWAY

Albert Whitman is giving away a copy of VALENTINES FOR ALL to one fortunate reader. To get this in the mail ASAP, this giveaway ends February 3. As usual, if you share on social media, sign up for my blog, or are an educator or librarian, you will get an extra chance. Let me know in the comments and make sure to leave your email address if you are new to my blog. U.S. addresses only.

A STUDY IN TERMINAL: A YA THRILLER BY KARA LINABURG

 Please welcome Amanda Moyer, my guest blogger for a review of Kara Linaburg's suspenseful novel, A STUDY IN TERMINAL (Monarch Educational Services, June 2022). 

REVIEW

A Study in Terminal by Kara Linaburg is a young adult novel telling the story of Sean Brogan, a young man trying to face the demons of his past that have haunted his nightmares since he was a kid. The book broaches intense topics such as self-hatred, depression, and suicide but concludes with hope, healing, and letting go.

We meet Sean first through a page of his journal and a flash-forward to the climax, where we discover that his mother ended her life ten years ago and that he intends to do the same. He has been haunted his entire life by the bad luck of watching people die because he either arrived too late or didn’t have the courage to save them.

His goal is to return to the small town he lived in with his mother before she died and finish writing his novel before following her. His plans change when his motorcycle breaks down just a few miles shy of town, and he gets picked up by the Kenzies, a family he’d known well. Throughout the book Sean reconnects with his childhood friends, Joe and Rina Kenzie, but he never explains that his mother’s death isn’t the only thing bringing him here. He is also being hunted down by his New York gang for betraying them.

Rina delivers a touching theme when she and Sean are talking about Sherlock Holmes. Sean doesn’t think much of the detective because “Sherlock only solved murders—never prevented them,” which echoes his own despair over bad luck. Rina counters: “True, but he had to learn to care for the people first before he could save them.”

When the gang members finally catch up with him, they choose to take their vengeance out on him by kidnapping and threatening Rina. Sean is terrified that she’ll just be one more person he couldn’t save, but his luck finally changes, and they all make it out alive. Despite the victory, the events solidify his determination to end his own life to prevent more people from being in danger because of him.

But this time, Rina saves him.

When she follows him into his abandoned childhood home, he suddenly remembers this wasn’t the first time. She had been there when they were kids, the day his mother died. Since then she has struggled with the same nightmares and the same guilt. She saves him by being present and caring for him. He allows her to meet him in the darkness, a darkness she knows well, and he begins to see hope and freedom he didn’t know was possible. She gives him the power to save himself by showing him that he is worth caring for.

I appreciate that the author set the tone and theme for the book from the very first page which helped me mentally prepare for the rest of the story, but also root for Sean and identify with his darkness. Sean walks out of his childhood home with a different perspective and a second chance at life. He realizes that moving forward and creating a life worth living is the only way for him to let go of the past. The story does mention Christian themes, but never directly says he found faith. In a way, it doesn’t need to. It ends with the beautiful feeling that the story isn’t over, that there is more healing to be done and that Sean will continue moving forward. 

The intense themes and vivid storytelling do warrant a caution for those who, like myself, have personally struggled with mental health, but the ending could not have held as much hope if the story had not held so much darkness. In Rina’s words: “Sunsets remind me that the darkness won’t last forever, that the light will come if I only wait for it.”

GIVEAWAY AND READER'S GUIDE

If you are interested in receiving an E-book, please leave me a comment with your email address by December 4. Remember, I need to approve your comment before it goes live. 

As you can tell from Amanda's review, this book is full of sensitive issues. Click here for the reader's guide that will help parents, teachers, or counselors use A STUDY IN TERMINAL with teen readers struggling with depression and/or suicidal thoughts.

Amanda Moyer lives in Pennsylvania where she works as an accountant. She has always had a love of young adult fiction and fantasy and enjoys writing and worldbuilding with her cousins.

Congratulations to Rebecca Dollins who won THE ORANGE HORSE.

THE MEMORY QUILT by Lori Keating: A Picture Book Review by Guest Blogger, Georgie Bartlett

 Today I am happy to bring you a forthcoming book from Monarch Educational Services. Lori Keating's debut picture book, THE MEMORY QUILT sensitively deals with a child's grief. But I want Georgie to tell you about it, not me.

REVIEW

The Memory Quilt is a meaningful, beautifully written picture book by Lori Keating, and Illustrated by the talented Alyssa Grizenko. This book focuses on the compassionate Grace, and her desire to gift something special to her neighbors, the parents of her late best friend. 

 

Grace loved her neighbor Jason. He was like a big brother to her, and they made many fun memories together. 

They were best friends, but after Jason’s sudden passing, Grace and his parents miss him terribly. Grace sees that Mr. and Mrs. Davidson haven’t smiled and laughed like they used to since their son’s death. She wishes she could think of something very special to do for the Davidsons to make them feel better—and to honor Jason. She has a few ideas and is considering getting them a beautiful bouquet of flowers or making them a card. Nothing seems quite right, though. One day at school, during show and tell, a classmate proudly displays a memory quilt her grandmother made for her out of her old baby clothes. Grace suddenly has an idea.

 

‘That’s it! I will make them a memory quilt using Jason’s clothes,’ Grace decides. There’s only one problem. Grace doesn’t know how to make a quilt.

 

She tells her mom her idea, and they decide to get out the old sewing machine. With mom’s help, the quilt is soon finished. Grace packages it up and gives it to the Davidsons. They are so grateful, and thank her for this special gift. She knows they will love and cherish it just like she did her friend.

 

“Grace knows it isn’t perfect, but her heart is in it. So are all the memories captured in every stitch. But Grace can’t say all that with the lump in her throat. She feels her friendship like a comforting embrace, radiating warmth like the sun.”

A SPECIAL BOOK FOR CHILDREN

There are so many admirable qualities about The Memory Quilt. I especially enjoyed the friendship of Grace and Jason, and how compassionate Grace was towards his parents after his passing. It is a gentle and thought-provoking picture book for kids that tackles tough subject matter with respect and sensitivity. It also boasts beautiful illustrations that engage young readers and capture the sense of love and kindness in Lori Keating’s words perfectly. I thought the pacing was perfect for a younger audience and would hold their attention. The ending was delightful and heartwarming. 

 

Grace is a great role model for readers! Every one of the characters in this book had realistic struggles and emotions. Children who may have been in a similar situation will relate to Grace’s sorrow and find solace in the pages. Grace grieves for her friend and remembers many special moments she spent with Jason and his parents. Much can be learned from this wholesome, unique picture book, and it’s sure to touch readers' hearts. 

GIVEAWAY

If you are interested in winning this book, please leave a comment with your email address if you are new to my blog. If you prefer, you can email me. Since the book is coming out on January 9, the winner will receive her copy after that date. The giveaway ends on October 18. REMEMBER! Pre-orders help authors. 

Congratulations to Danielle Hammelef who won the LULLABY FOR THE KING.

DINO PAJAMA PARTY: A Picture Book Review and Giveaway

It probably comes as no surprise to you, but not only do I enjoy giving books alway--I like winning them too! I was delighted to win Laurie Wallmark's new picture book, DINO PAJAMA PARTY (Running Press Kids, 2021) from Kathy Temean's wonderful blog. I recently featured Laurie with her other new book, Code Breaker, Spy Hunter. Which just goes to show--talented picture book authors can write in a variety of genres!) 

Move over Sandra Boynton (Dinosaur Dance)! DINO PAJAMA PARTY, featuring a cast of rollicking dinosaurs, is sure to be an equally asked for bedtime book. Illustrations by Michael Robertson provide humor which enhances the text. 

REVIEW

This opening stanza sets the stage:

Dinos rock, and dinos roll.

Dinos stomp and dinos stroll.

 

And what else do these pajama-dressed dinosaurs like to do?

They roar, they shriek, they boom, and squeak.

They sing, they dance; they plunk, and strum. "Dinos toot and dinos drum."

They even "come from all around just to play that rocking sound." (Note the band's name!)

Worn out from all that swinging and shaping, 

Dinos yawn,

and dinos drag.

Dinos droop,

and dinos sag.

Dinos toes are getting sore

All the dinos leave the floor.

Finally,

"Fast asleep, 

the dinos snore."

I've tried writing a rhyming picture book and Laurie Wallmark makes it look simple! The text is memorable and incorporates a great beat. Children will develop pre-reading skills as they chime in with the rhymes. 

For more information on the backstory behind this book, please see Laurie's description of her book journey on Kathy Temean's wonderful blog.

GIVEAWAY

To win a copy of this cute bedtime book, leave me a comment (with your email address if you are new to my blog) by noon on December 16th. If you decide to follow my blog or share on social media, I'll enter your name twice.  Continental U.S. addresses only. 

Congratulations to Antoinette Martin who won A FRIEND LIKE YOU from last week's blog. 

A Friend Like You: A Picture Book Giveaway

As promised on my last blog, here's another book in Frank Murphy's "Like You" series published by Sleeping Bear Press.  A FRIEND LIKE  YOU is co-authored with his dynamic friend Charnie Gordon. The bright, colorful illustrations are once again created by Kayla Harren. 

REVIEW

Here is the opening spread:

You'll meet thousands

and thousands

and thousands

of people in your lifetime.

Some you will only meet once.

Some you'll get to know a little.

And you'll get to know some friends so

well that you'll call them friends.

 "Go out into the world and make friends. The world needs a friend like you!"

Some friends will look just like you...but others will look and believe differently. Some will wear different types of clothes, eat different foods, have different presences. 

Good friends forgive,

share toys, games, laughter, and dreams.

I think this text and illustration summarizes the message of this book:

                                            

Back matter includes why friendships are important and a letter writing activity. In a day of emails and FaceTime, it's great to see a plug for old fashioned letter writing!

GIVEAWAY

To enter this giveaway, please leave your name and email address if you are new to my blog. U.S. addresses only. Giveaway ends on Monday, December 13th at noon. 

Christian parents, teachers, and caregivers should be aware of the pro LGBTQ+ agenda communicated in some of the text and pictures.

Congratulations to Danielle Hammelef who won A Teacher Like You.

 

CODE BREAKER, SPY HUNTER: Picture Book Biography, a Mini-Author Interview, Plus a Giveaway!

Don't you love this cover? 

Besides being captivating, the title informs the reader EXACTLY what to expect from Code Breaker, Spy Hunter  (Abrams Books, 2021). Written by Laurie Wallmark and illustrated by Brooke Smart, this book will be good for students from 7-10 years old. As you look through these illustrations, make sure you read Elizebeth's quotes that are cleverly "hidden" within the illustrations!

REVIEW

Similar to many picture book biographies I have reviewed, Code Breaker has a brief glimpse into Elizebeth's childhood.  But there's a catch: this glimpse is provided after the reader meets Elizebeth as an adult working as a cryptanalyst and a spy catcher. In some ways, the book is a flashback from that introduction on the first two pages. 

This glimpse into her childhood comes next. 

Elizebeth loved languages and studied English literature, Latin, Greek, and German in college. After going to Chicago to get a job in research or literature, she met George Fabyan, an eccentric millionaire who hired her to prove that Shakespeare's play were written by someone else. Although she never proved his hypothesis to be correct, she shared her conclusions with a scientist friend, William Friedman. Not only did he agree with her conclusion, but their friendship turned to love, and within a year they were married.

After the United States entered WWI in 1917, the government needed people to decode spy messages. Elizebeth and William set up the country's first code-breaking unit, the Riverbank Department of Ciphers. Their ground-breaking techniques became the basis for cryptology--the study of secret codes. 

The couple moved to Washington, DC to work as code breakers for the Army's Signal Corps. Together, Elizebeth and William invented a scientific method to create ciphers--complicated codes--using only a pencil and paper. This was a necessary invention in order for field soldiers to send secrets.

After the war ended, Elizebeth stopped working full time in order to write books and start a family. 

Elizebeth was hired by the Coast Guard hired her to catch bootleggers, she testified at criminal trials, and she trained the staff for the Coast Guard's first code-breaking unit. 

But her home and family were also important to her. 

When the United States entered WWII, the Office of Strategic Services had gathered communications from around the world, but they were unable to break their codes. Enter Elizebeth. She created another code-breaking unit and hired and trained mathematicians, physicists, and chemists. 

After Elizebeth helped capture Nazi spies, the U.S. Postal Service asked for her help. They had seized letters from an American spy; on the surface they appeared to be about buying and selling dolls. But Elizebeth decoded the real message. 

The war's "Number One Woman Spy" was sentenced to ten years in prison. Elizebeth wrote, "It is obvious that even a casual examination of these letters, indicates their suspicious nature."

Elizebeth's work was top secret. She was even threatened to be put in prison if she spoke about it to anyone--even her family! Thirty-five years after her death her secrets were finally declassified. 

BACK MATTER

Five pages of interesting back matter concludes this book. The first is dedicated to "Codes and Ciphers" and includes instructions on how to decode the Caesar cipher written on the ribbons throughout the book. The second page is step by step directions for cracking a code, the third is information on Cryptology today--including hints for creating online passwords. The last two pages, a timeline and bibliography, are the end pages--what a clever use of space in this 42-page picture book!

Teachers and home school educators: Click here for a teacher's guide. 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

CAROL: How did you get interested in Elizebeth?

LAURIE: I have always found codes and ciphers fascinating. As a child I would create them and write notes that no one else could read. I found out about Elizebeth in Jason Fagone’s book, The Woman Who Smashed Codes. After reading her story, I knew she had to be a subject for one of my women in STEM picture book biographies. There’s also an excellent new YA book about her by Amy Butler Greenfield, The Woman All Spies Fear. 

CAROL: This book seems longer than most picture books with a longer word count. In a publishing world of tight word counts, how did you swing that? 

LAURIE: I seem to be able to get away with longer word counts than others. I can’t tell you why. This book, at 48 pages, not only has more text words, about 2,200, but quite a bit of back matter, too. It was quite a trick fitting it all in.

CAROL: What was your favorite part about writing this? 

I think most of us who do any writing of nonfiction love doing the research. It’s delightful finding that special nugget of information that you know adds a little extra something to your book. The hard part is know when to stop researching and start writing.

LAURIE: Can you speak a little bit about the research involved?

I always start my research by reading books. That gives me a good overview of the person’s life and helps me figure out how I’m going to structure my book. Then it’s time to dig deeper. With Elizebeth, I’m lucky that many of her papers and photographs, both personal and professional, are archived in the George C. Marshall Foundation collection. I’m especially lucky that even during a pandemic, the librarian was able to help me with my questions. (Thank you, librarians everywhere!)

CAROL: It was fun to discover that Elizebeth’s quotes are hidden in the illustrations. Was this your idea or your illustrator’s?

 

LAURIE: I had used quotations in the illustrations with two of my previous books, GRACE HOPPER: QUEEN OF COMPUTER CODE and HEDY LAMARR’S DOUBLE LIFE. I believe the original idea was mine, but I wouldn’t swear to it. What’s different in this book is the ribbons of code that swirl around several of the pages. The illustrator had put in random letters to represent coded messages. I suggested that the letters should actually be coded messages. It was a lot of extra work for me to give Brooke the codes, her to hand letter the ribbons, and me to check them. I live in fear that a ten-year-old will find I’ve made a mistake. If you look closely at the cover, you'll see the ribbon of code.

 

Here is my husband's uncle, Robert Toupal, proving that
picture books are for all ages! 
(Don't tell anyone, but he turned 92 yesterday!)

GIVEAWAY

Leave a comment by 6 PM on November 6 to enter this giveaway. Educators and librarians--you will get an extra chance if you tell me where you work. US addresses only. I am featuring this book in the January issue of Talking Story on "Behind the Scenes of War" and if you're a subscriber (if not, follow the link above and hit "subscribe") you'll have another chance to win the book if you don't win now. Please leave me your email address if you are new to my blog--if not, I can't enter your name!

Congratulations to Esther Bandy, a new follower, who won Kathleen Burkinshaw's audiobook of THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM.