Month: December 2020

#Bookexcursion, Bit About Books Winter Reading Challenge, Middle Grade Literature

Bit About Books Winter 2021 Reading Challenge

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Bit About Books

Happy New Year!  I am excited to participate in Bit About Books 2021 Winter Reading Challenge. Special thanks to Kathie MacIsaac for creating the challenge and hosting with Laurie Hnatiuk on their Bit About Books blog. The prompts have given me the opportunity to prioritize reading middle grade books that have been on my TBR list as well as upcoming 2021 releases.  Thanks to the generosity of authors, publishers, and publicists, I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to read and review some novels before they are published.  If you would like to learn more about the Bit About Books reading challenge which runs from January 1st-March 31st, click here.

The Prompts: 

BAB Reading Challenge

My Choices: 

  • Read any book of your choice (5 points):  We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly (May 2020)
  • Read a book with 100-200 pages (10 points): Some Place More Than Others by Renée Watson (September 2019)
  • Read a book with one word in the title (10 points):  Allergic by Meghan Wagner Lloyd  Illustrated by Michelle Mee Nutter (March 2021)
  • Read an author’s debut book (10 points): The Gilded Girl by Alyssa Colman (April 2021)
  • Read a book with an animal main character (15 points):  The Hedgehog of Oz by Cory Leonardo (February 2021)
  • Read a book that has a direction in the title (15 points): Almost There and Almost Not by Linda Urban (April 2021)
  • Read a book published in 2021 (15 points): The Magical Imperfect by Chris Baron (June 2021)
  • Read a book set in a country that is not where you currently live (20 points): A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus (February 2021)
  • Read a book that’s won an award (20 points): Other Words From Home by Jasmine Wargas (May 2019)
  • Read a book with a person’s first or last name in the title (20 points): Lily’s Promise by Kathryn Erskine (May 2021)
  • Read two books by the same author (30 points): I Can Make a Promise (October 2019) & Sea in Winter (January 2021) by Christine Day

Bella and I look forward to sharing our progress and reviews!

beagles & books

#Bookexcursion, Early Readers, Graphic Novel, It's Monday! What Are You Reading?, Picture Books

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 12/21/20

lauramossa

Bella and I are excited to share our latest reads in It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR is a community of bloggers who link up to share what they are reading.  Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers and Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give it a #kidlit focus and encourage everyone who participates to visit at least 3 of the other #kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Continue reading “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 12/21/20” →

Blog Tour, Giveaway, Picture Books

Blog Tour & Giveaway for Comet The Unstoppable Reindeer by Jim Benton

lauramossa

 

About the Book:
Title: Comet The Unstoppable Reindeer
Author/Illustrator: Jim Benton
Pub. Date:  September 15, 2020

Beagles and Books is excited to be part of the blog tour for Comet The Unstoppable Reindeer.  Special thanks to Two Lions and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

My Review:

After breaking up an elf fight (tensions rise when elves don’t get a day off),  Comet is sporting a sling and cast.   And to make matter worse, the doctor grounds him from his annual Christmas ride with Santa.  Poor Comet is feeling pretty down and alone but then realizes Santa forgot his sack of toys. It’s 2020 so he calls Santa’s cell but with all the noise, Santa doesn’t answer.  

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Comet tries to lift the bag but it’s way too heavy.  Attempts using a lever and a hoist are unsuccessful.  Comet feels defeated until he reads a sweet letter from a boy who asks for a pig on a bike for his little sister.  After seeing that toy at the top of the sack, Comet is now determined to deliver it to the bright yellow house with a bright blue roof. 

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Circling the world, Comet searches for the house and realizes that flying and delivering gifts is a true skill.  He has to battle chimneys, minivans,  geese and hard landings.  Riddled with scrapes, limps, pains, and lumps, Comet is distraught.  How will he ever find the little boy’s house? 

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With a hilarious rhyming text, I laughed out loud after reading each page.  Benton did a fabulous job of keeping the plot moving with each stanza. Comet’s positive traits of helpfulness, diligence, perseverance, and empathy shined through both in the text and bold and energetic cartoon illustrations.  Comet’s feelings are very evident from looking at his expressions.  I especially loved the illustrations showing how moved Comet was when he read the little boy’s letter and later, finally figured out the location of his house (spoiler, but hey, Christmas stories must have a happy ending).

If you are looking for a humorous holiday book with a feel good message, look no further than Comet The Unstoppable Reindeer.  Looking forward to sharing it as a read aloud next week with my students!

 
Praise for Comet The Unstoppable Reindeer!
 
★“Along with being lit up by themes of caring for others and shouldering responsibility, this hilarious seasonal outing offers great read-aloud potential for its regular but natural-sounding metrics and rhyme.” —Booklist (starred review)
 
“You might want to gift this one a little earlier than Christmas so you can read it to your little ones every night leading up to December 25. It’s the adorable (and all-too relatable) tale of Comet, an unstoppable reindeer.” —Parade
 

About the Author/Illustrator:

Jim Benton is the award-winning creator of the New York Times bestselling series Dear Dumb Diary and Franny K. Stein as well as the popular It’s Happy Bunny brand. His books have sold more than fifteen million copies in twenty-five countries and have garnered numerous honors. Like Comet, Jim knows what it’s like to hobble around in a cast; however, he is still learning to fly. Find out more about him at JimBenton.com.

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Giveaway!

One lucky winner will receive a copy of Comet The Unstoppable Reindeer courtesy of Two Lions (U.S. addresses only). This giveaway is open from Friday, December 11, 2020 through Friday, December 17, 2020 ending at 10:00 p.m. EST.   Please note that book may take longer to ship so patience is appreciated.  Enter below or head over to my Twitter account, @lauramossa and retweet my Comet The Unstoppable Reindeer blog tour post.

 
#Bookexcursion, Early Readers, Giveaway, Graphic Novel, It's Monday! What Are You Reading?, Picture Books

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 12/7/20

lauramossa

Bella and I are excited to share our latest reads in It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR is a community of bloggers who link up to share what they are reading. Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers and Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give it a #kidlit focus and encourage everyone who participates to visit at least 3 of the other #kidlit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Continue reading “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? 12/7/20” →

Blog Tour, Giveaway, Picture Books

Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Snow Dancer by Addie Boswell Illustrated by Mercè López

lauramossa

 

About the Book:
Title: The Snow Dancer
Author: Addie Boswell
Illustrator:  Mercè López
Pub. Date:  December 1, 2020

Beagles and Books is excited to be part of the blog tour for The Snow Dancer.  Special thanks to Two Lions and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

My Review:

No matter your age, there is nothing like waking up and seeing snow blanket your neighborhood.  Sofia is one of the first awake and basks in the quiet.  As she ventures outside, all she can hear is the sound of her feet on the snow–CRINCH, CRUNCH and SLISH SLUSSSSSSSSSSH.  Sofia stops abruptly and her face beams when she sees that the snow on the soccer field has not yet been disturbed.  

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Sofia wastes no time gracefully dancing a whole ballet on the beautiful coating of snow, but her silence is short–lived when a pack of loud and excited kids slide down the hill interrupting her solo.  Fortunately, Sofia’s annoyance is calmed by a small, younger girl wearing fairy wings who sweetly asks “Are you a Snow Fairy?”  Sofia replies “I’m not a fairy. I’m a dancer.” She takes the little girl’s hand and shows her that snow dancers can do ANYTHING.  

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The duo twirl, leap, skate, and slide but a snowball halts their snow dance.  Well, if you can beat them, why not join them?  Tired after the snowball fight, Sofia bids adieu to her new friend. She dances back to her warm home to sip hot chocolate and reminisce about her glorious snow day. 

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With lyrical text and lively illustrations, The Snow Dancer is not only a joy for the ears but also for the eyes. Boswell uses a lot of rich vocabulary to convey Sofia’s actions throughout the story.  For example, she bundled out of her sleeping house.  She hopscotched down the invisible sidewalk.  As a reading specialist, exposing children to robust words supports their oral and written language.  Onomatopoeia is also peppered through the text which brings the story to life. As I was reading, I could actually hear the sounds that Sofia was making in the snow.  López’s gorgeous illustrations make the story leap off the page, for Sofia’s movements stepping into the new snow and dancing in the field were both graceful and playful.  I especially love the interaction between Sofia and her young friend which completely changes Sofia’s mood from peeved to pleased.  And the smile on the little fairy’s face when she grabbed Sofia’s hand is so sweet.  

What I love most about The Snow Dancer it is reminds us all of the sheer joy of a snow day.  Being a teacher, I am fortunate to still experience that delight even as an adult.  Here’s hoping that there is snow in the future forecast so we can all enjoy the true magic of a snow day (even if it happens on the weekend)!

Praise for The Snow Dancer!

“A spirited paean to the snow day that will appeal to children and their parents.” —Booklist

“Vivid imagery, onomatopoeia, and supple blue-gradient typography enliven Sofia’s journey as she learns to share her snow day. A dynamic tale of cooperation, adaptation, and friendship.” —Publishers Weekly

About the Author:

Addie Boswell is an artist and writer living in Portland, Oregon. She specializes in murals and picture books that focus on family, community, and the creative power of children. Her recent titles include Go, Bikes, Go! and Go, Boats, Go!, both illustrated by Alexander Mostov, and Five on the Bed, which she both wrote and illustrated. Her debut book, The Rain Stomper, illustrated by Eric Velasquez, was the winner of the Oregon Spirit Award. Learn more about the author at www.addieboswell.com.

About the Illustrator:

Mercè López is an artist from Barcelona, Spain. She holds a degree in illustration from Llotja Art School in Barcelona. Her recent title Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons by Laura Purdie Salas received multiple starred reviews and was named a Center for Children’s Books Gryphon Honor Book, an NCTE Notable Poetry Book, a Kirkus Best Picture Book, and a Parents Magazine Best Kids’ Book, among other accolades. Learn more about the artist at http://www.mercelopez.com and Instagram @mercelopez

 

The Snow Dancer low-res

Giveaway!

One lucky winner will receive a copy of The Snow Dancer courtesy of Two Lions (U.S. addresses only). This giveaway is open from Friday, December 4, 2020 through Friday, December 11, 2020 ending at 10:00 p.m. EST.   Please note that book may take longer to ship so patience is appreciated.  Enter below or head over to my Twitter account, @lauramossa and retweet my Snow Dancer blog tour post.