AUGUST 2017 Book Haul, Wrap Up and September TBR

Hello, friends!

It's been a wonderful, long and summery month filled with good family memories... I am a little sad to see it all go! But - the fall season is in my blood! And I am craving it all with what I imagine it would be like to crave coffee in the mornings (I am not a coffee drinker, so I am purely speculating, lol!) 

I love fall! The colors, smells, cooler weather, back-to-school shopping, kiddos going back to school... and this is from someone who also doesn't enjoy pumpkin spice anything, lol! 
I'm also looking forward to cozy days and nights reading all the amazing books that will be released soon... including the ones I've managed to haul this month! And on that note - here are all the books I've read and managed to get throughout August :) 

I am participating in Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews :)

My AUGUST Book Haul

*What I received to review...
- LEAGUE OF AMERICAN TRAITORS by Matthew Landis (YA/HB) from Sky Pony Press 
- THE ALCHEMY OF MASQUES AND MIRRORS (The Risen Kingdoms #1) by Curtis Craddock (YA/HB) from Tor Books 
- A MOONLESS, STARLESS SKY: Ordinary Women and Men Fighting Extremism in Africa by Alexis Okeowo (Adult/ARC) from Hachette 
- WEIRD BUT TRUE DAILY PLANNER: 365 Days to Fill with School, Sports, Friends, and Fun! by National Geographic Kids (MG/PB) from Media Masters 
- NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS UNITED STATES ATLAS by National Geographic Kids (MG/PB) from Media Masters 
- IMAGINE THAT! HOW DR. SEUSS WROTE THE CAT IN THE HAT by Judy Sierra (E/ARC) from Random House Kids 
- IMAGINE THAT! HOW DR. SEUSS WROTE THE CAT IN THE HAT by Judy Sierra (C/ARC) from Random House
- SCION OF THE FOX (The Realms of Ancient #1) by S.M. Beiko (YA/ARC) from ECW Press 
- INVASION OF THE SCORP-LIONS! (A Monstertown Mystery) by Bruce Hale (MG/HB) from Disney-Hyperion 
- BRUCE'S BIG MOVE by Ryan T. Higgins (C/HB) from Disney-Hyperion 
- MURDER AMONG THE STARS by Adam Shankman and Laura L. Sullivan (YA/HB) from Simon and Schuster 
- THE DAM KEEPER by Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi (HB MG/Graphic Novel) from First Second (Macmillan) 
- CAST NO SHADOW by Nick Tapalansky and Anissa Espinosa (YA/PB Graphic Novel) from First Second (Macmillan) 
- HEAD GAMES by Craig McDonald and Kevin Singles (YA/PB Graphic Novel) from First Second (Macmillan) 
- THE VAN GOGH DECEPTION by Deron R. Hicks (MG/ARC) from HMH Kids

*Books I received as gifts or from giveaways...
- FUTHERMORE by Tahereh Mafi (MG/HB) 
- MS. MARVEL, Volume 3: CRUSHED by G. Willow Wilson (YA/Trade PB) 
- UNCLE TOM'S CABIN by Harriet Beecher Stowe (Softcover) - Knickerbocker Classic Edition
- CAN'T AND WON'T (STORIES) by Lydia Davis (Adult/PB) from Picador 
- THE SHARK CLUB by Ann Kidd Taylor (Adult/HB) from BookSparks 
- PASHMINA by Nidhi Chanani (YA/Graphic Novel PB) 

*Books I received through #BooksForTrade via twitter...
- WHITE FUR by Jardine Libaire (Adult/HB)
- THE SISTERS CHASE by Sarah Healy (Adult/HB) 

*Books I purchased this month... 
- FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD by Thomas Hardy (PB) - Penguin English Library Edition 
- PENGUIN CLASSICS: CATALOGUE by Penguin Classic (PB) 
- WOMAN MUCH MISSED by Thomas Hardy (PB) - Penguin Little Black Classic No. 14 
- MATILDA by Mary Shelley (PB) - Penguin Little Black Classic No. 116 
- THE WAVES by Virginia Wolf (PB) - Penguin Modern Classic Edition 
- TED HUGHES: POEMS SELECTED BY SIMON ARMITAGE (HB) by Ted Hughes (HB) - Faber 80th Anniversary Classic Editon 
- T.S. ELIOT: POEMS by T.S. Eliot (HB) - Faber 80th Anniversary Classic Edition 
- JOHN BETJEMAN: POEMS SELECTED BY HUGO WILLIAMS by John Betjeman (HB) - Faber 80th Anniversary Classic Edition 
- W.B. YEATS: POEMS SELECTED BY SEAMUS HEANEY by W.B. Yeats (HB) - Faber 80th Anniversary Classic Edition 
- W.H. AUDEN: POEMS SELECTED BY JOHN FULLER by W.H. Auden (HB) - Faber 80th Anniversary Classic Edition 

- SYLVIA PLATH: POEMS SELECTED BY TED HUGHES by Sylvia Plath (HB) - Faber 80th Anniversary Classic Edition 
- ARIEL by Sylvia Plath (HB) - Faber Classic Edition 

Vintage books!!!...
- ALICE IN WONDERLAND and THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS by Lewis Carroll, Illustrated by John Tenniel (C/HB) - Published in 1946
- A BEAR CALLED PADDINGTON (Paddington Bear #1) by Michael Bond (C/PB) - Published in 1962 
- MORE ABOUT PADDINGTON (Paddington Bear #2) by Michael Bond (C/PB) - Published in 1963
- PADDINGTON HELPS OUT (Paddington Bear #3) by Michael Bond (C/PB) - Published in 1965
- PADDINGTON ABROAD (Paddington Bear #4) by Michael Bond (C/PB) - Published in 1967
- PADDINGTON AT LARGE (Paddington Bear #5) by Michael Bond (C/PB) - Published in 1966

What I read in AUGUST

- LOVE AND VANDALISM by Laurie Boyle Crompton (YA/PB) 
- BONAPARTE FALLS APART by Margery Cuyler (C/ARC) 
- UNI THE UNICORN AND THE DREAM COME TRUE by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (C/ARC) 
- DOG DAYS OF SCHOOL by Kelly DiPucchio and Brian Biggs (C/ARC) 
- CAN YOU FIND MY ROBOT'S ARM? by Chihiro Takeuchi (C/HB) 
- DECEPTION SO DEADLY by Clara Kensie (YA/PB) 
- CAN'T AND WON'T by Lydia Davis (A/PB) 
- THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin (Adult/PB) 
- THE HISTORY OF BEES by Maja Lunde (A/ARC) 
- MURDER AMONG THE STARS by Adam Shankman and Laura L. Sullivan (YA/HB) 
- ELIZA AND HER MONSTERS by Francesca Zappia (YA/HB)

What I plan on reading in SEPTEMBER

First, I hope to finish reading and perusing... 
- THE GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO VICE AND VIRTUE by Mackenzie Lee (YA/HB)
- WEIRD BUT TRUE DAILY PLANNER: 365 Days to Fill with School, Sports, Friends, and Fun! by National Geographic Kids (MG/PB) from Media Masters 
- NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS UNITED STATES ATLAS by National Geographic Kids (MG/PB) from Media Masters 

And then, I hope I have enough time to read all of these... which I should be able to get through since most of my pile consists of adorable Children's Picture Books... 
- GIRLS MADE OF SNOW AND GLASS by Melissa Bashardoust (YA/ARC)
- A COOKED-UP FAIRY TALE by Penny Parker Klostermann (C/HB) 
- THE PERFECT SCORE by Rob Buyea (MG/ARC) 
- THERE'S A MONSTER IN YOUR BOOK by Tom Fletcher (C/ARC) 
 - IMAGINE THAT! HOW DR. SEUSS WROTE THE CAT IN THE HAT by Judy Sierra (C/ARC)
- THE BOOK OF GOLD by Bob Staake (C/ARC) 
- SPINNING by Tillie Walden (YA/PB) 
- COOKIESAURUS REX by Amy Fellner Dominy (C/ARC) 
- THE SCARIEST BOOK EVER by Bob Shea (C/HB) 
- THE MIDNIGHT DANCE by Nikki Katz (YA/ARC) 
- THE VAN GOGH DECEPTION by Deron R. Hicks (MG/ARC) 
- A MOONLESS, STARLESS SKY by Alexis Okeowo (Adult/ARC) 
- BRUCE'S BIG MOVE by Ryan T. Higgins (C/HB) 
- THE DAM KEEPER by Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi (MG/HB Graphic Novel) 
- THE ALCHEMY OF MASQUES AND MIRRORS by Curtis Craddock (YA/HB) 
- THE HUSH by Skye Melki-Wegner (YA/HB) 
- SCION OF THE FOX (The Realms of Ancient #1) by S.M. Beiko (MG/ARC) 

Please let me know in the comments what you're reading... and leave your blog or book haul links too!

Happy reading!!!

P.S. Just a reminder that I am a rep for Otter Nonsense Designs!!!
Jamie-Leigh has the CUTEST bookmarks ever!

Check out her shop! And, use my coupon code to save 15% off your order:
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ENJOY!!! And, thanks for stopping by today!!!
xoxoxo

Blog Tour (Review): MURDER AMONG THE STARS (Lulu Kelly Mystery #2) by Adam Shankman and Laura L. Sullivan (YA)

MURDER AMONG THE STARS

Lulu Kelly Mystery #2
by Adam Shankman and Laura L. Sullivan

Release date: June 13th, 2017

Published by: Antheneum Books for Young Readers (Simon & Schuster)

Genre: Young Adult Mystery (12yo+)

Format available: Hardcover, eBook

Format read: Hardcover from the publisher 

SUMMARY

After being framed for attempted murder, Lulu Kelly has earned a rest.

Unfortunately, there is no rest in Hollywood for a rising starlet.

Lulu and her boyfriend Freddie are invited to post Hearst Castle, where Lulu will be competing against other young actresses for the role of a lifetime. But what's a house party without a little murder? 

After a rival actress is found dead under the dining room table, Lulu makes it her mission to solve the mystery. But the illusion is this town's number one export, and it's hard to tell the ambitious from the truly evil. As the clues pile up, Lulu and Freddie race to find the killer, even as Lulu becomes the next target. 

MY REVIEW

First, I was not aware that this was/is the second book in a series - I failed to be thorough in investing time in what I agreed to read and review... Second, I've learned a valuable lesson in being more aware and thoughtful when accepting books to read, review, etc. And to be more forward in asking for more details, questions, etc... And lastly, though I strongly feel that by not reading the first book and getting the main character's backstory I may not have understood the story completely which may have affected my reading experience, opinion, and rating of this book. However, with patience and pacing, it does/did seem that the book can be read as a standalone... so, here are my thoughts based on it being thought of as a standalone story:

All the up-and-coming starlets have been invited by the owner of the biggest film studio to come to his mansion and participate in a contest of sorts for the opportunity to win the lead in the next box-office-hit... as soon as the guests start settling in for their first dinner together, our main character Lulu discovers that one of the young actresses has been murdered. From there we get to see the true colors of every single guest, how materialistic and odd Hollywood can be, and many secrets start to unravel and controversial truths are revealed, ones that can easily destroy many reputations and lives. 

Although we aren't told, I believe that the story seems to take place in the 1930's or 1940's with the mention of Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, and Joan Crawford, and most definitely by the way they speak using words like 'skedaddle' and 'abso-tutely'... also, the unfairness of women being weak and single-minded, and also many having to hide their true lineage and heritage because of segregation and bigotry.  

Lulu's character was quite interesting - she played her role perfectly! She was able to stay in character and be professional and try her best to stay in the game while showing genuine concern over everything that was happening around her. While others were busy with their own worries and problems, Lulu took it upon herself to care and try to help solve the mystery before more people were hurt. She was an equal to her boyfriend Freddie, also a security guard for the mansion, who in turn, treated her as an equal as well and often sought her out and consulted with her on the mystery while other men would just brush her off as just a curious women who should mind her business. I find that this era must be quite difficult to write about since times have changed so much, it was sometimes surprising to see how much women have modernized and changed. 
The one character that I found extremely intriguing but very confusing was Sal. He and Lulu have a history together where he tried to control her and quite possibly may have attempted to kill her (in the first book). Meanwhile, now, it seemed as if none of that mattered anymore and that Lulu may have even misread him...? That didn't quite make sense to me, I feel that she would have still harbored bad feelings toward him and should have been more guarded... which brings me back to the fact that I really need to read the first book to answer these questions!

Although I did guess as to who the murderer is/was, it did have me doubting my choice a few times - Lulu was quite convincing in a few of the clues she found that pointed the finger to others. But in the end, I really enjoyed everyone's quirky "who cares" Hollywood attitudes and how these cliches still show up in today's modern world.

*I've been told that the first book in this series, GIRL ABOUT TOWN, is "original, savvy, fun and a page-turner" where you'll fall in love with Lulu and Freddie as you get to see the two meet, join forces and get to know each other... fall in love! And that you too will fall in love with them throughout it all! Knowing their story is a huge plus and would more likely make you enjoy MURDER AMONG THE STARS even more!!!

I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves Old Hollywood style stories and movies and for those who really enjoy murder mysteries with lots of twists and a touch of old-school 'whodunnit' glamour! 

*A copy was sent to me by the publisher for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts here are my own. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Adam Shankman

LINKS:  GOODREADS 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Laura L. Sullivan

LINKS:  GOODREADS / WEBSITE / TWITTER

Blog Tour (Review): A SHORT HISTORY OF THE GIRL NEXT DOOR by Jared Reck (YA)

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE GIRL NEXT DOOR

by Jared Reck

Expected release date: September 26th, 2017

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers (Random House Teens)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Format: Hardcover, eBook, and Audiobook 

Format read: ARC provided by the publisher.

SUMMARY

The unrequited love of the girl next door is the centerpiece of this fiercely funny, yet heartbreaking debut novel.

Matt Wainwright is constantly sabotaged by the over-dramatic movie director in his head. He can't tell his best friend, Tabby, how he really feels about her. He implodes on the basketball court, even though no one cares about the JV team. And the only place he feels normal is in Mr. Ellis's English class, discussing the greatest fart scenes in literature and writing poems about cantankerous candy-cane lumberjacks. 

If this were a movie, everything would work out perfectly. Tabby would discover that Matt's madly in love with her, be overcome with emotion, and fall in his arms. Maybe in the rain.

But that's now how it works. After a tragic accident, Matt finds himself left on the sidelines, spiraling out of control and in danger of losing everything that matters to him. 

From debut author, Jared Reck comes a fiercely funny and heart-wrenching novel about love, longing, and what happens when life as you know it changes in an instant.  

Humorous and heart-wrenching, A Short History of the Girl Next Door is perfect for readers who fell in love with All the Bright Places' Finch or Stargirl's Leo. 

FAVORITE QUOTES

"I put my bag in the spare bedroom where I always sleep, then start setting the table in the kitchen while Gramma tends to the griddle. Because that's just what you do at Gramma's. You can suck at being a human in your daily life, but at Gramma's you set the table without being asked." - page 223, ARC 

MY REVIEW

I really don't know how to start this review, other than it is everything! And I hope that this book gets the recognition and praise that it deserves! This is an outstanding debut and I am already looking forward to reading more by this author soon... 

A word of caution, be prepared for some major gushing and I apologize ahead of time if some things may not fully make sense -  it's been 2 months since I've read this book, but it feels like I read it yesterday! The love I have for this story is strong... 

Told from a basketball-playing-poetic-big brother-best friend forever-teen boy, Matt's inner monologue is by far the truest psyche and temperament that I have ever seen in a book! Matt knows who he is and how he feels at all times, unfortunately, that doesn't all come out well whenever he tries to put it into words or actions, especially if he's upset or put on the spot. If he could, he would scream out to the world how much he adores his Tabby - his childhood best friend. So imagine how he feels when Tabby starts dating a guy named Liam, the guy that Matt is aspiring to be - the star player on the basketball team. Matt knows that Liam is a good guy, but feels threatened and unworthy and does not know how to deal with this new situation. He feels like he's lost Tabby already when she's clearly still there, but he just doesn't know how to deal with his emotions. But when an unexpected tragedy occurs and Matt's life is flipped upside-down, everything for Matt feels like a lie and unreachable. He doesn't know what to do except to act out and make things worse...  

This book has EVERYTHING you could ever want! The entire cast of characters is so wonderful, heartwarming and real! The author captures everyone's personality and delivers such genuine people - I can't express how wonderful it was to read such authentic personalities. The family dynamic, how they all relate and truly love each other. Matt's relationship with Tabby and Trip, how hard it is to be a teen boy nowadays, his true feelings for Tabby, his family and teachers; and then, how he deals with the shock of loss and finally seeing things in a bigger perspective and accepting that there is more than just what is in front of him... I can't say more or give specifics because I fear I may spoil important parts of the story. Just trust me when I say that every person, moment and feeling in this story is important and palpable! 

The writing is exquisite, insightful, beautiful... divine! 
And Matt's story will melt you and make you think twice about slowing down and appreciating every moment in your life, even the smallest ones. And how differently everyone deals with anger, loss and grief.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good laugh and a tissue-worthy heartfelt story! 

*I received an ARC copy of this book for a book tour from the publisher and my honest review. All thoughts here are my honest opinion and words.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Jared Reck

Jared Reck lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania with his wife and two daughters. 

He teaches 8th grade Language Arts, where he has been reading awesome books and writing alongside his students for the past twelve years. 

A Short History of the Girl Next Door is his first novel. 

Links: Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

Amazon / Book Depository

Review: NIGHT NIGHT, GROOT by Brendan Deenan (C)

NIGHT NIGHT, GROOT

Written by Brendan Deneen

Illustrated by Cale Atkinson

Release date: April 4th, 2017

Published by: Marvel Press (Disney-Hyperion)

Genre: Children's Picture Books

Format: Hardcover, eBook

Format read: Hardcover

SUMMARY

It's been a long day for baby Groot and he's ready to be tucked in for bed.

Just as his eyes start to close, Rocket Raccoon bursts onto the scene!

Groot can't go to sleep yet, there's a whole galaxy that needs to be defended and they must work together to save the day! Then maybe, just maybe, Groot will finally get the rest he deserves! 

MY REVIEW

Who can resist little baby Groot??? 

In NIGHT NIGHT, GROOT, little Groot is getting ready for bed... until Rocket pulls him back into one more adventure for the day! 

Groot and Rocket soar through space running into other well-known Marvel characters - an amazing way to introduce your little ones to the franchise and also give them a sweet, fun-filled and adventure-packed story before bedtime... everyone will surely be sleepy-eyed once this epic story is done.

The illustrations are so inviting, full of energy and warm colors - engaging enough to keep you going, but soft enough to let you settle in and hope that Groot gets through his story before dozing off and leaving Rocket behind.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who not only loves Guardians of the Galaxy and Marvel comics, or comics in general, but to everyone who loves amazing illustrations and an easy to follow bed time story to share with the family! 

*I received a finished hardcover copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Brendan Deenan

LINKS:  Goodreads

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR - Cale Atkinson

Cale Atkinson is an illustrator/writer/animator currently residing in Kelowna Canada.

Believing in tea more than sleep, Cale is constantly working on numerous projects.

His work can be found in children's books, animated shorts, television, and games.

Companies Cale has worked with inculde:

Disney Hyperion, Tundra, Owl Books, Grosset & Dunlap, Scholastic, Pearson and Marvel.

LINKS: Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Tumblr 

Review: WINDFALL by Jennifer E. Smith (YA)

WINDFALL

by Jennifer E. Smith

Release date: May 2nd, 2017

Published by Delacorte Press (Random House)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Format: Hardcover, eBook, UK Paperback

Format read: ARC acquired by another book blogger
My rating: 2 1/2 stars

SUMMARY

Alice doesn't believe in luck - at least, not the good kind. But she does believe in love, and for some time now, she's been pining for her best friend, Teddy. On his eighteenth birthday - just when it seems they migh be on the brink of something - she buys him a lottery ticket on a lark. To their astonishment, he wins $140 million, and in an instant, everything changes. 

At first, it seems like a dream come true, especially since the two of them are no strangers to misfortune. As a kid, Alice won the worst kind of lottery possible when her parents died just over a year apart from each other. And Teddy's father abandoned his family not long after that, leaving them go grapple with his gambling debts. Through it all, Teddy and Alice have leaned on each other. But now, as they negotiate the ripple effects of Teddy's newfound wealth, a gulf opens between them. And soon, the money starts to feel like more of a curse than a windfall.

As they try to find their way back to each other, Alice learns more about herself than she ever could imagined... and about the unexpected ways in which luck and love sometimes intersect. 

MY REIVEW

I had such excitement going into this story... as this is one of my favorite authors, the whole concept and summary of this book sounded exactly what she would write and it would be dreamy and amazing! Unfortunately, that's not how it went for me... 

Alice is a very intelligent teen who works hard at everything - after the loss of her parents and having to move in with her uncle and his family, she has done nothing but to continue to try to make her parents proud of her by doing the things that she thinks that they would have liked her to do - excelling in school, volunteering, tutoring... Her best friend Teddy lives with his single mom in a modest one-bedroom apartment and is seemingly happy and content with what he has. When Alice gifts Teddy a lottery ticket for his birthday, and he wins, you can just imagine the excitement that ensues! Everyone wants to know Teddy and be his friend, even his father, who abandoned him, shows up on his doorstep... it takes Teddy a little too long to realize what everyone really wants from him and the truth comes out. Meanwhile, Alice sits on the sidelines waiting for Teddy to get a clue... 
In the end, the one person, besides his mother, that Teddy wants to share his winnings with doesn't want it... confusion, miscommunication, and drama arise from there... 

Parts of the story and the characters were too predictable. Alice is a goody-goody who has had a very sad and traumatizing past and is crushing on her best friend; Teddy is your typical popular/cute boy who gets by on personality and sports who then turns into an attention seeking and self-centered brat (as if he didn't already have enough attention by being popular, etc.); and Leo, the gay artist best friend who understands everything, is supportive and always says the right thing.

Overall, the main characters felt flat to me. Alice was just too good to be true. Even though things are explained, it still didn't seem right; and with Teddy, I just can't put it into words. He just didn't sit well with me. I wanted more from both. The "romance" connection wasn't there... I know that they could have been so much more, especially with their histories - their emotions just didn't reach me... the topics that arose could have been so much deeper and meaningful and it wasn't. I always expect so much when it comes to this author (she's one of my favorites!). Perhaps my expectations were too high... 

Tthe overall moral of the story is thoughtfulness and kindness - and everyone magically delivers in the end. A perfect happy ending... again, predictable.

The one good thing out of this story is Leo. I would LOVE to have a WHOLE book on Leo, please! Leo is quite the teaser - he was mysterious, aloof and gave as much as was needed for Alice and Teddy's story, but kept his own story to himself. His relationship, how he truly felt about everything that was happening around him, his past... I really felt drawn to Leo and feel that his story would definitely be worth knowing about and reading! I hope that this is something that the author is thinking of writing considering that she has only ever published standalone books and not companions or series.

I would recommend this book to all who truly love contemporary's with quick happy endings! Those who need a smile and are looking to just get lost in a story for genuine fun!

*I acquired an ARC from another book blogger through #booksfortrade via twitter.

All thoughts are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Jennifer E. Smith

Jennifer E. Smith is the author of eight books for young adults, including WINDFALL and THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

She earned her master's degree in writing in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and her writing has been translated into 33 languages.

LINKS: Goodreads / Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr

Review: SUPER SAURUS SAVES KINDERGARTEN by Deborah Underwood (C)

SUPER SAURUS SAVES KINDERGARTEN

Written by Deborah Underwood

Illustrated by Ned Young

Release date: June 27th, 2017

Published by: Disney-Hyperion

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Format: Hardcover, eBook

Format read: Hardcover

SUMMARY

Arnold has a plan.

The evil genius Zorgo - disguised as Mr. Zachary - will never stop him.

That's because Arnold is...

SUPER SAURUS!

No kindergarten in the universe can hold him. 

Or can it?

MY REVIEW

There are so many amazing facets to this book!!!

Arnold aka Super Saurus is making plans and packing his things up to escape Kindergarten - he is convinced that his teacher will be the Evil Genius who will feed the school kids to his pet T-Rex! And Arnold is determined to take on his Super Saurus persona to save all of his classmates... When Arnold meets his teacher and introduces himself as Super Saurus, it is quite clear that they will have quite an adventurous day! 

The great thing about this picture book is that it not only shows Arnold as Super Saurus trying to do what Super Saurus should do to take precautions with his new teacher and surroundings, but it also lets the readers know that one has the right to feel what they feel when they need to feel it... Arnold is anxious and hesitant, but as the day goes on, his teacher continues to not only help Arnold feel safe in school by giving Arnold the reassurance he needs, he also doesn't push him to immediately follow along nor does he exclude him from any of the activities that the rest of the class are doing. Not all children are ready to go to school when they have to; some are anxious and scared, for some it is the first time they in such a setting without a loved one close by. It is so important to allow children to adjust in their own time.

Another wonderful thing about this story is its illustrations - they are so bright, engaging, inviting, funny and amazing! The pictures were so vivid my almost 4 year old kept touching the pages thinking he would be able to feel the texture... Arnold's crayon drawings on the end-pages are our favorite! 

And by the end of the book, Arnold is quite happy with how his day went and is excited to go back... as Arnold!

I highly recommend this for the little one in your life who is either hesitant, excited or over-confident to starting any type of school setting! It will definitely help get the nervous jitters out and give everyone a good happy vibe and even laugh out loud!

*This book was sent to me from the publisher, Disney-Hyperion, for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts here are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Deborah Underwood

Deborah Underwood has written numerous picture books, including Interstellar Cinderella, Part-time Princess, and the New York Times best sellers Here Comes the Easter Cat, The Quiet Book, and The Loud Book!

LINKS: Goodreads / Website 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR - Ned Young

Ned Young is a self-taught painter and illustrator. 

He illustrated Jamie A. Swenson's Big Rig, and is the author and illustrator of the Zoomer series.

He lives in Brigham City, Utah.

LINKS: Goodreads / Website / Facebook