The catwings feathers made me think of Feather Ball. He came with Bubble's scratching wave. He usually lurks under one of the humps, but sometimes he flies right out (when she whacks him real hard). He can fly, he has feathers and he lives in a dark place just like the alley were the catwings were born, so he's a lot like them. Anyway, I have caught the mousies hiding under there with Blue Fuzzy Ball and Feather Ball. I smell a conspiracy. I better go keep an eye on them. |
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There's even a whole book of Star Wars origami instructions and doodles and activities from the kids at McQuarrie Middle School (and Tom Angleberger, of course). 75 activities and more stories from the McQuarrie kids. And later this year (can't tell exactly, though one website says as soon as August!) There will be another entry in the series! Watch for it. The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet. Looking forward to it, but you should probably start with the first book if you haven't read the series. Let me know what you think! Banjo's Book Recommendations -- Guinea PI(g) "Raining Cats and Detectives" by Colleen A F Venable7/18/2013
I don't want to spoil this with much of a synopsis. Let's just say that Zita is tiring of fame and she finds her solution isn't the easy fix she thought it was. She gets to save the universe again...or at least one planet. There's a "to be continued" at the end (squeee!), and Ben Hatke's art and imagination are again delightfully in evidence. As I stayed up late last night to gulp this down in one sitting, I was reminded again and again of the work of a certain Japanese author/animator I love...this is like an outer-space Miyazaki tale. It's Ponyo in outerspace. It's Kiki's Delivery Service in the stars. Just lovely (and a page-turning adventure). Ready for the next one, Ben! I loved the first one too. If you haven't read it, start there. We passed the first on to our ten year old niece in Northern Maine...as the niece of two booklovers one of whom writes children's book reviews for a (partial) living and goes to American Library Conferences, and has been on the Newbery twice--she gets a LOT of books as gifts. On our visit in June 2012, we asked her what her favorite book from Uncles Tim & Trent was. the speedy answer: "Zita Space Girl" Guess where this one went when I finished it? Banjo's Book Recommendations and Mousie Recon-- Miss Annie by Frank Le Gall and Flore Balthazar7/6/2013
Happy Fourth of July! Since many Americans will be hearing booms tonight (it's raining in Dayton...so not so much here,) I thought of this book. This is an updated edition of a book originally published in Britain in 1992 as "Gridzbi Spudvetch." My knowledge of children's literature is not that encyclopedic (not even pertaining to authors whose books I have enjoyed in the past), it just says so in the foreword. I reviewed one of Haddon's picture books years ago, and I quite liked "Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" (a big boy book he wrote a few years ago). All that's beside the point. This is hysterical. I read a lot of middle grade and YA titles that indicate they are "hilarious" "uproarious" "laugh out loud." Many of them make me smile. This one is a stitch! Starts out completely in the realm of possibility and then, as Jim would say, "goes pear shaped." Jim is just a regular kid. With a slight-slag of an older sister who is dating a real loser. His dad is out of work and his mother has a great job. Jim's not so great at school. When his sister tells him the teachers are talking about sending him to a reform-type school, Jim becomes paranoid. His best friend Charlie's there to save the day with a plan & walkie-talkies...but what they hear listening in to the teacher's meeting blows them away. Two of their most regular teachers are talking in gibberish. Charlie becomes obsessed--to the point of breaking into one of the teachers' house...then a weirdo with a glowing blue finger threatens them at a chicken shop-- And that's all you're going to get out of me. I DID laugh out loud several times. This reminds me most of Terry Pratchett's "Johnny Maxwell" series crossed with Hitchhiker's Guide sprinkled with Doctor Who (or maybe "The Sarah Jane Adventures"). If you know a young fan of humor or science fiction or books of any nature, this is the book for them. One caveat: it is not one of those "translated" British novels; the slang is intact and can be a bit thick (that's the American thick, rather than the British thick where it can mean "stupid"). Heck, I think adults should read this too. And I really want to see animated versions of the monkey faced spiders of Plonk!
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About MeTim is a writer, book reviewer and Librarian. He has a Master's of Library Science and was on the Newbery Committee twice. Technology scares and often annoys him, but he is always game for a silly costume! Archives
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