February 2020 Wrap Up

Goodbye February!

I feel like I didn't read a lot this month but I did do a lot of creative writing as well as writing and reviewing here on the blog. I posted seventeen reviews this month and kept up with the weekly Sunday Post, though I posted one of those later in the day.
We fit in a few fun adventures, including a zoo, a wildlife park, and a wildlife refuge. We saw manatees at all three and took my aunt who visited from the west coast to see them as well. I didn't get to do any real hiking this month thanks to schedules and the weather but hopefully, I'll be able to make up for it in March!

Books I Finished in February:

Chapter Books I Read Aloud in February:

Started but haven't finished:

Reviews I posted this month:
I would usually add the book covers but I'm going to be quick this month and list them instead. 

Picture Books:
Bruce's Big Storm (Mother Bruce #5) by Ryan T. Higgins
Most Marshmallows by Rowboat Watkins
Thomas the Tank Engine: The Very First Stories by Rev. W. Awdry
They All Saw A Cat by Brendan Wenzel
Duncan, the Story Dragon by Amanda Driscoll
Night Animals by Gianna Marino

Children's Nonfiction
The Bat Book by Charlotte Milner
Adventures on Earth by Simon Tyler
Little Leaders: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison
Nat Geo Readers: Harriet Tubman by Barbara Kramer
Nat Geo Kids: We Love Babies by Julie Esbaum
Pluto Gets the Call by Adam Rex
Mario and the Hole in the Sky by Elizabeth Rusch
Sun! One in A Billion by Stacy McAnulty

Other Fiction Reviews:

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry
Come Tumbling Down (Wayward Children #5) by Seanan McGuire
Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' by Peter Kuper

Challenge Progress:
I didn't make progress in every challenge so I'm just recapping some of my numbers here.

ABC Challenge
8/26

New Release Challenge
3/25

PopSugar Reading Challenge
5/50

1001 Books to Read Before You Grow Up List
158/1001
7 new in February


FEBRUARY MUSIC
I love music. Music heals.
I'm always on the lookout for something new and would like to keep track somewhere besides my bujo so here are my latest faves!

links to youtube

Seven  by  Tash Sultana
Verite  by  Claire Laffut
Adelaide  by  Requin Chagrin
My Love Was Like the Rain  by  Lapsley



How was your February?
What was your favorite read of the month?
See you tomorrow!

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Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness by Peter Kuper (Graphic Novel Adaptation Book Review)

Joseph Conrad's
Heart of Darkness
Adapted by Peter Kuper
Published by W.W. Norton Company

on November 5, 2019
Genre: Adult Fiction, Classics, Graphic Novel
Length: 160 pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Acclaimed cartoonist Peter Kuper delivers a powerful interpretation of this controversial classic.

Heart of Darkness has unsettled generations of readers with its haunting portrait of colonialism and brutal exploitation in Africa. Now award-winning illustrator Peter Kuper reimagines Conrad's masterpiece for a new generation, transforming this dramatic tale of madness, greed, and evil into something visually immersive and profoundly complex. Drawn in pen, black pencil, and ink wash reminiscent of the etchings and lithography of Francisco Goya and Honore Daumier, Kuper's Heart of Darkness captures the ominous atmosphere and tempo of Charles Marlow's journey up the River Congo.


My Thoughts:
This may be a bit more of a ramble than a review.

Heart of Darkness was one of those classics that wasn't popular enough to catch my attention in my early classics phase. The title really appealed to me but I hadn't seen or heard anyone talking about it, ever, and sometimes that is what motivates me to read something so I kept passing it over. I love crossing off books I've read from popular lists though so I was determined to get to it sooner or later and my motivation came with the PopSugar Reading Challenge which had a prompt for a book set in a country that starts with a 'C'. When I saw that my library had this graphic novel adaptation, I decided to read both.

I started with the graphic novel which had a foreward (by Maya Jasanoff) and an author's note that explained how Conrad's book has been declared a racist work and how Kuper tried to work around that but still capture the darkness of the story in the graphic adaptation. I read the graphic novel and enjoyed the illustrations more than the story. It was vaguely familiar but in a way I couldn't place. (Turns out that I've seen the movie adaptation in the past without really knowing it was based on this book.)

Then I started the actual classic and realized just how inflammatory the language is. Not only that, but the interactions with the aunt made me cringe. I didn't enjoy the rest of the story, most of which was mad rambling, and forced myself through it in increments so I could cross it off all those lists in the future.
I don't usually 'cheat' with classics and read an adaptation first, but with this one, I'm glad I did. It was a decent adaptation and the illustrations really brought out the darkness of the story, from the faces in the dark on either side of the river to Marlow's mad memories and nightmares later on.

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Sun! One In A Billion by Stacy McAnulty & Stevie Lewis (Nonfiction Picture Book Review)

Sun! One In A Billion
(Our Universe series)
Written by Stacy McAnulty
Illustrated by Stevie Lewis
Published by Henry Holt & Co.
on October 23, 2018
Genre: Children's, Nonfiction, Picture Book, Science
Length: 40 pages
Ages: 4 - 8 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
From the author of Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years comes a new picture book about space--
this time starring our Sun!

Meet Sun: He's a star! And not just any star--he's one in a billion. He lights up our solar system and makes life possible. With characteristic humor and charm, Stacy McAnulty channels the voice of Sun in this next celestial "autobiography."

Our Thoughts:

Not only is Sun the center of our solar system, but he is also one in a billion! He's a star in every way and ready to be in the spotlight! Sun will tell us everything we may need or want to know about him and the universe around him!

In this adorable, fact-filled picture book, Sun tells us all the great things about himself, like how long it takes light to reach us on Earth and exactly how hot he is! There's plenty of information to take in but it also reads like a fun picture book! 

The 'Our Universe' trilogy personifies our Sun, Earth, and Moon in a fun way that really lets you get to know them and their relation to the solar system and the universe around them (and us!). 

This is one of our favorite picture book series of the past few years!
It's a great introduction to the solar system for little listeners or young readers that still prefer lots of cute pictures and easy to absorb information. The illustrations are bright and colorful and our bright, warm star is often the focal point but we also learn a bit about the other planets in our solar system and beyond! They would be a great addition to any library! 

Also, see our reviews for:

Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years
&
Moon! Earth's Best Friend
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Mario and the Hole in the Sky by Elizabeth Rusch & Teresa Martinez (Children's Nonfiction Picture Book Review)

Mario and the Hole in the Sky:
How A Chemist Saved Our Planet
by Elizabeth Rusch
Illustrated by Teresa Martinez
Published by Charlesbridge Publishing
on November 5, 2019
Genre: Children's, Nonfiction, Picture Books, Biography, Science
Length: 40 pages
Ages: 6 - 9 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
The true story of how a scientist saved the planet from environmental disaster.

Mexican American Mario Molina is a modern-day hero who helped solve the ozone crisis of the 1980's. Growing up in Mexico City, Mario was a curious boy who studied hidden worlds through a microscope. As a young man in California, he discovered that CFCs, used in millions of refrigerators and spray cans, were tearing a hole in the earth's protective ozone layer. Mario knew the world had to be warned--and quickly. Today Mario is a Nobel laureate and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His inspiring story gives hope in the fight against global warming.

Our Thoughts:

 This is the story of a boy named Mario Molina, who grew up fascinated by the worlds he could see under his microscope. Growing up in a booming era that mass-produced refrigerators and aerosol spray cans that put harmful chemicals into the air, Mario found that these chemicals were tearing holes in the Earth's ozone layer. Mario worked hard to bring awareness to the problem at hand, and it took a while--and even more research--but eventually world leaders started to pay attention and make a change.

This informative children's nonfiction picture book will fascinate scientifically-minded young readers with the life of one chemist who helped save our planet.

Mario is given a microscope as a birthday present and quickly becomes immersed in the world of science and discovery. He spent his life fascinated by what he found under his microscope and made a career of it. Later he would go on to help save the planet after discovering the link between CFCs and the ozone layer.

Not just a biography, this book covers the chemistry of chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, and how Mario discovered their dangerous effects on the ozone layer. It also points out the similarities in the Ozone Hole and Global Warming and explains them with helpful facts that are easy to understand.

This edition includes an epilogue about Mario Molina and his take on Global Warming, a 'Read More' section with information on both Mario Molina and the Ozone Hole as well as information on Global Warming and what we can do to help!

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Pluto Gets the Call by Adam Rex & Laurie Keller (Children's Picture Book Review)

Pluto Gets the Call

Written by Adam Rex
Illustrated by Laurie Keller
Published by Beach Lane Books
on November 12, 2019
Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Nonfiction
Length: 48 pages
Ages: 3 - 7 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Pluto gets a call from Earth telling him he isn't a planet anymore, so he sets out on a journey through the solar system to find out why in this funny and fact-filled romp that's perfect for fans of The Scrambled States of America.

Pluto loves being a planet. That is, until the day he gets a call from some Earth scientists telling him he isn't a planet anymore! You probably wanted to meet a real planet, huh? So, Pluto takes the reader on a hilarious and informative journey through the solar system to introduce the other planets and commiserate about his situation along the way. Younger readers will be so busy laughing over Pluto's interactions with the other planets, asteroids, moons, and even the sun, they won't even realize just how much they're learning about our solar system!

Our Thoughts:

When Pluto gets the call about no longer being an actual planet, his feelings are quite hurt and he takes us on a journey through our solar system to meet every true planet, from Jupiter to Mercury,  spreading his dreadful news. Pluto introduces us to each planet and explains their identifying features to us. Each planet has its own personality. We even get to meet the sun! 

Have you ever wondered what Pluto thinks about not being a planet anymore? This cute, fact-filled picture book gives us a look into Pluto's feelings and emotions about the matter in a humorous way. He's so downtrodden that he takes us to see 'real' planets, giving us lots of factual information about each of them. 

This heartwarming story about Pluto and the Solar System is a must for space lovers!

Each planet is personified with their own features and personality and hobbies which makes this even more fun. Some are freezing cold while others are hot-tempered and gassy.

The illustrations are bright and colorful with cluttered spacescape backgrounds that will keep you busy with all the detail. 

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The Sunday Post - 2020 Week 8 - Looks like Spring

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
and is a chance to share news, both new and old!

Hey there, bloggers!

It has been another one of those weeks. Some bad, some good. 
I haven't done much reading of my own (lots of KidLit as usual, of course) and I wasn't consistent with my reviewing this week but I was able to catch up a little last night.
The weather went from chilly to warm to rainy to freezing. We went from visiting the zoo to playing zoo games at home where it's warm. But we're also experiencing an early Spring. The trees are already bright green and the wildflowers are starting to pop up everywhere. 

Currently Reading:

I am currently reading the graphic novel adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird by Fred Fordham and just re-borrowed The Conference of the Birds by Ransom Riggs to finish up before the month is over. I'm also reading an abridged version of The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi to my daughter.

Recently Finished:

I finished up Born A Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood by Trevor Noah yesterday and we finished another Disney Princess Beginnings story, Belle's Discovery.

Recently Posted Reviews:

We finally got around to reading They All Saw A Cat by Brendan Wenzel (we read the sequel first! Oops!) and Night Animals by Gianna Marino ended up being a fun night-time story that would be perfect for camping!

Duncan the Story Dragon by Amanda Driscoll is an adorable story about a dragon who is in search of a book buddy and The Willoughbys is a children's chapter book by Lois Lowry that is being adapted into an animated cartoon for Netflix soon!

What I'm Watching:

I started Locke & Key the other night while and am enjoying it! I read the first graphic novel ages ago and wish I had been able to read them all now! There's a beautiful old house and lots of magic involved!

Have a great week! Happy reading!

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The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry (Children's Book Review)

The Willoughbys

by Lois Lowry
Published by HMH Books
on March 31, 2008
Genre: Children's, Fiction, Humor
Length: 174 pages
Ages: 6 - 9 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Literary Awards:
E.B White Read-Aloud Award Nominee (2009)
Massachusetts Book Award Nominee for Children's/Young Adult Literature (2009)
Iowa Children's Choice Award Nominee (2011)

Synopsis:
Soon to be an animated film starring Ricky Gervais, Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews, Martin Short, Jane Krakowski, and Sean Cullen!

Abandoned by their ill-humored parents to the care of an odios nanny, Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane, attempt to fulfill their roles as good old-fashioned children. Following the models set in lauded tales from A Christmas Carol to Mary Poppins, the four Willoughbys hope to attain their proscribed happy ending too, or at least a satisfactory maudlin one. However, it is an unquestionably ruthless act that sets in motion the transformations that lead to their salvation and to happy endings for not only the four children, but their nanny, an abandoned baby, a candy magnate, and his long-lost son too.

Our Thoughts:
The four Willoughby children aren't fond of their parents and their parents are even less fond of them. The children devise a plan to send their parents on vacation...forever! Meanwhile, the dastardly parents are hatching a plan to ditch their irritating children by going on a long, long vacation! A nanny is procured, the house opened to prospective buyers, and a sweet little orphaned baby finds an unexpected family in this humorous chapter book!

I read this out loud to my five-year-old, at her request. I was afraid it would be too advanced for her because this book is filled with large, difficult-to-understand words and concepts but I found that each difficult word was explained quite well within the text and there is also a glossary at the end with more humorous explanations!
The somewhat unpleasant situations in the story did take a little extra explaining at times but weren't at all dark or disturbing despite the parents and children wanting to 'get rid of each other'. There was a lot of humor and even some mystery mixed in!

Something else I really loved about this story is that the four children have extensive knowledge of quality children's stories (having read plenty of books in the absence of loving, caring parents) and use those popular characters and stories to help come up with ideas for their own tricky situations. They ponder orphans like Anne of Green Gables, babies showing up on doorsteps like in the Bobbsey Twins, and much more! 
Each of the mentioned children's classics is listed in the Bibliography at the end with a short description of what the book is about!

I would definitely recommend reading this before the animated Netflix adaptation releases in Spring (2020)!

Want to know what other books are being adapted into movies and television shows? I keep an updated book-to-movies adaptation list with links and release dates HERE!

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Night Animals by Gianna Marino (Children's Picture Book Review)

Night Animals

by Gianna Marino
Published by Viking Books for Young Readers

on July 14, 2015
Genre: Children's, Picture Books 
Length: 34 pages
Ages: 3 - 5 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Literary Awards:
California Young Readers Medal Nominee for Primary (2018)

Synopsis:
Something's out there in the dark!

First Possom hears it. Then Skunk. Then Wolf comes running. "What could it possible be?" asks Bat.
"Night Animals!" the animals declare.
"But you are night animals," Bat informs them!

Children will love the oh-so-funny animals in this twist on a cozy bedtime book.

Our Thoughts:

Possum is hiding from night animals when Skunk happens by and asks what he's up to, so they hide together. Soon they're hiding place is crowded and they wonder what they are hiding from. Night Animals, of course, and the woods are full of them!

This is a great story about nocturnal animals that are a little afraid, and then a little more, until their fear has grown out of proportion! Of course, they finally realize that they, too, are night animals!

A cute reminder that it is easy to let your fear (or other people's fear) get the better of you.

This silly story makes the perfect bedtime story or even better, the perfect story to read at bedtime while camping in the woods at night! Among the Night Animals!  

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Duncan the Story Dragon by Amanda Driscoll (Children's Picture Book Review)

Duncan, the Story Dragon

by Amanda Driscoll
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
on June 9, 2015
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 40 pages
Ages: 3 - 7 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Literary Awards:
CLEL Bell Picture Book Award Nominee for Read (2016)

Synopsis:
A charming story about the joys of reading that is perfect for fans of Dog Loves Books and Stellaluna.

Ducan the Dragon loves to read. When he reads a story, his imagination catches fire! Unfortunately... so does his book.

Fire breath is great for roasting marshmallows, but it's not so great for reading. Duncan just wants to get to those two wonderful words, like the last sip of a chocolate milkshake: The End. Will he ever find out how the story ends?

This bright, warm tale champions determination, friendship, and a love for books. And milkshakes!

Our Thoughts:
Duncan the Story Dragon is an adorable story about a dragon that loves books but when he reads them, his imagination catches fire and every book is destroyed before he can finish. He is desperate to know the endings so he goes in search of a friend to read to him. He asks a raccoon and a possum and a very angry bull but no one is willing to help... until he meets a friendly little mouse who loves to read just as much as Duncan!

This is such a cute story! I love books about books (and dragons!) and this one warms my heart! It touches on loneliness and helplessness and then adds a beautiful friendship and a happy ending.

The illustrations are wonderful! Duncan is an adorable dragon with a big imagination and the author/illustrator has done an amazing job of incorporating lots of dream-like adventures that represent the stories that Duncan is reading or imagining.

This was our favorite of all the picture books we read on World Read Aloud Day this year!

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They All Saw A Cat by Brendan Wenzel (Children's Picture Book Review)

They All Saw A Cat

by Brendan Wenzel

Published by Chronicle Books

on August 30, 2016

Genre: Children's, Picture Books

Length: 44 pages

Ages: 3 - 5 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Literary Awards:
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Picture Books (2016)
NAIBA Book of the Year for Picture Book (2017)
Caldecott Medal Nominee (2017)

Synopsis:
The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws...

In this celebration of observation, curiosity, and imagination, Brendan Wenzel shows us the many views of one cat, and how perspective shapes what we see. When you see a cat, what do you see?

Our Thoughts:

A wonderful poetic story all about perspective! 

The cat walked through the world and they all saw.
The boy saw the cat, as did the dog, the fox, the fish, and many more. Each one saw the cat, from above or below, as it went on its way, and each perspective was different. The bird sees the cat differently than the mouse. The cat sees them all in turn and even himself.
There's a great lesson here about perspective and how unique it can be to each individual! I especially liked the question posed about what the cat sees when he sees his own reflection. It's a good opportunity for discussion.

There's also plenty to learn about the animals and their varying perspectives; snakes sensing heat, worms sensing vibrations, skunks that see in black and white, and bats that use echolocation. You'll notice differences in them all!
  

We discovered and read A Stone Sat Still recently and loved it! I didn't realize until after that there was a book, this book, that came first!  I really enjoyed this one as well but A Stone Sat Still is longer with more perspectives and more of an overall story. It made a much bigger impact on us but we really enjoyed They All Saw A Cat as well! 



A Stone Sat Still

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The Sunday Post - 2020 Week 7 - A Bit Late

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

and is a chance to share news, both new and old!

Hey there, bloggers!

I'm getting this up really late on Sunday night!
The past few days have been extra busy with Valentine's Day, a birthday to celebrate, and a zoo adventure, and I wasn't able to update this post before now! I can hardly remember the earlier part of the week now but I did get some gardening done. We cleaned up our veggie plot to plant our latest seedlings and repotted some ornamental plants for our porch!

Currently Reading:

I'm reading Born A Crime for some challenge or other and enjoying it a lot. I also decided to finish up some of my extra-long series so I'm continuing Poldark with the 4th book, Warleggan. 

Recently Finished:

We finished The Willoughby's and will have a review up for it this week! 

Recently Posted Reviews:

We borrowed Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison to read for Black History Month because we loved her previous Little Leaders books and received Harriet Tubman by Barbara Kramer from NatGeoKids to read and review as well.

We got a little nostalgic with Thomas the Train: The Very First Stories by Reverend W. Audry and cheered on our love of baby animals with We Love Babies! by Jill Esbaum, which we also received from NatGeoKids!
What I'm Watching:My Little is obsessed with Moana again right now. I'll only let her watch it once a day (screentime can be a struggle!) so she sings the songs for the rest of the day. Haha! I haven't had any late night tv time at all this week!

What I'm Listening To:

I can't remember if I've ever shared Tash Sultana here but I'm in love with her energy and talent. This one ('Seven' fron the album, Flow State) is wordless and rather chill but upbeat.


Apologies for the late post and not possibly getting around to blog visits a day late. Have a great week!

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We Love Babies by Jill Esbaum (Children's Nonfiction Book Review)

We received a physical copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

We Love Babies!
by Jill Esbaum
Published by National Geographic Society
on December 31, 2019
Genre: Children's, Nonfiction
Length: 40 pages
Ages: 2 - 5 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
A wonderfully playful picture book showcasing adorable baby animals and celebrating their glorious diversity, from "paws and claws and little flippers" to "feet that look like fuzzy slippers!"

This hilarious picture book with rollicking, rhyming text reads like a crowd-pleasing call, pumping up readers' excitement for the cutest baby animals ever. Illustrated with lively National Geographic photography, We Love Babies! presents furred, feathered, and finned baby animals of all shapes and sizes. Whimsical cartoon cheerleaders add to the fun, popping up throughout the book to lead fans in the irresistible refrain: "We love babies, yes we do, we love babies, how about you?"

Our Thoughts:
Who's ready to spread the love for Valentine's Day?

We Love Babies features animal babies from all over the world along with poetic text that describes them and why we tend to love them! 

Who doesn't love baby animals?!

This super cute book has so many adorable babies to look at--from geckos to hippos to jerboas--to keep your little one busy (and in love)!

There are also little illustrated animals that act as cheerleaders and have their own thought bubbles to jump in from time to time exclaiming what they love about the animals mentioned.

At the very end, there is a 'Meet the Babies' spread that shows each and every featured species paired with their name and what the special baby name is if they have one!

This adorable little book will delight your animal-loving Little Ones!

Many thanks to the publisher for providing us with a copy of this book! We loved it!

More like this:

This Book is Cute! by Sarah Wassner Flynn
Animal Ark by Joel Sartore & Kwame Alexander

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