The Sunday Post - 2020 Week 14 - Time to Read

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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

Hey there, bloggers!

 Covid19 Thoughts
It's mostly been an uneventful week but the trauma of the situation is constantly wearing on me. I've spent a lot of time worrying and agonizing over every ache and pain as well as spending as much time as possible cleaning and disinfecting because it's difficult to keep a young child aware of what they're touching. Having an essential employee in the house is nerve-wracking. Knowing that my area is getting hit hard and our healthcare system can not handle bigger numbers is scary.

Positive Thoughts
I finished Station Eleven last week and then read a graphic novel and it really helped me with whatever reading block I was in. I'm trying to read and write more now, partly to normalize things a bit. I'm still keeping up with my yoga flows and I was able to grab a quick bike ride this week as well.

Our garden is growing really well. Our pole beans are already topping our bamboo teepees and we have got cherry tomatoes starting to grow! We spent the week fixing up an old garden bed for our pepper plants and another to plant sunflowers and pumpkins in for autumn!

How are you all doing? Any good happening during these difficult times?

Currently Reading:

Recently Finished:

Chapter Books We Are Reading:

We read an abridged version of The Secret Garden in March, which my daughter loved, and then she chose A Little Princess because we have the double film and she wants to read it so we can watch that movie as well. 

Recently Posted Reviews:

We read and reviewed Bo the Brave by Bethan Woollvin and My First 100 Science Words by Chris Ferrie for Netgalley.
I also got my review of Fred Fordham's graphic novel adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee posted!

Other posts:
March 2020 Reading Wrap Up
Stacking the Shelves 2020 #1

What I'm Watching:

I haven't had time for tv this week but ended up spending my Saturday night watching All the Bright Places. The book broke my heart.

What I'm Listening To:

 "Phoenix" by Rhye
(This one is an upbeat oddity but I love Milosh's music.)

Have a great week! Stay home and stay safe!

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Stacking the Shelves 2020 #1

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews & Reading Reality


Hello readers!
I haven't done a Stacking the Shelves in forever but realized I really should have kept up with them! They help me keep track of what I've received and have to read so I'm going to try to make it a habit again from time to time.

In My Mailbox

Purchased

I made a BookOutlet order at the end of Feb/beginning of March when Covid19 was just starting to get around the US, and I kind of wish I had made it a bigger order because I'm a little nervous to order again at this point but I made this order half for me, half for my daughter. We got some picture books, activity books, journals, How to Draw books, etc (some not pictured) to keep us a little busy through all the self-isolation.





Goodreads Giveaways

Many thanks to Farrar Straus Giroux & Celadon Books!
Review Copies

Special thanks to Tailwind Publishing, Amulet Books, Abrams Books, and National Geographic Kids!! 


Amazon Freebies

These are the popular authors / books I've come across in the past couple of days but I don't keep up with the freebie lists very often so I don't know what's new and what's been free for a while! 


That's it for now!
What did you get in the mail this week?

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To Kill A Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel adapted by Fred Fordham (Graphic Novel Book Review)

To Kill A Mockingbird:
A Graphic Novel
Written by Harper Lee
Adapted/Illustrated by Fred Fordham
Published by Harper
on October 30, 2018
Genre: Graphic Novel, Classics
Length: 288 pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

A portrait of race and class, innocence and injustice, hypocrisy and heroism, tradition and transformation in the Deep South of the 1930's, Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird remains as important today as it was upon its initial publication in 1960, during the turbulent years of the Civil Rights Movement.

Now, reborn as a graphic novel, Scout, Jem, Boo Radley, Atticus Finch, and the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, are all captured in illustrations by artist Fred Fordham.

My Thoughts:

I read To Kill A Mockingbird at least twice in middle or high school as required reading. I remember thinking it was a good book with an important message. I remember the debates and discussions it brought up in my small town classroom. I remembered the popular characters, too, but I couldn't really remember the story itself. It's been over a decade, after all.

I'd been planning to reread this book for quite some time when I came across this. It's a full-length graphic novel that is very true to the original prose. Most graphic novel adaptations I read seem to summarize the story into a short story-sequence but this one followed the entire story, giving us all the details and dialogue paired with lovely illustrations that brought the story to life and reminded me very much of the film adaptation that I also remember seeing in high school.

I won't go into detail about the plot or my thoughts on it but I'm glad to have revisited this important read in this particular format. Fred Fordham has done justice to this classic. I especially enjoyed the soft color palette and well-done characters' expressions and body language. If you like To Kill A Mockingbird or graphic novels, I would definitely recommend this!

 

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My First 100 Science Words by Chris Ferrie (Children's Nonfiction Picture Book Review)

I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

My First 100 Science Words
(My First STEAM Words)
by Chris Ferrie
Illustrated by Lindsay Dale Scott

Published by Sourcebooks Explore

on April 1, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 1 - 3 years


Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:

The perfect primer from the #1 science author, Chris Ferrie, to get your little genius ready for their first words related to all things STEAM!

Chris Ferrie's latest offering is the perfect way to introduce basic concepts to even the youngest STEAM-enthusiasts. After all, it's never too early to become a scientist!

Our Thoughts:
This cute educational book will give your toddler/s a head start on everything science, from astronomy to zoology! 

My First 100 Science Words has bright and colorful illustrations with simple smiley faces added to nearly every illustration to make them extra friendly and interesting for little listeners.
This fun book is grouped into categories that include physics, biology, geography, astronomy, chemistry, sociology,  geology, ecology, thermodynamics, zoology, medicine, and climate. Each of these categories includes a handful or more words paired with illustrations to help littles recognize and understand science.

It's never too early to learn! If you're looking for vocabulary-boosting books, look no further!

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Bo the Brave by Bethan Woollvin (Children's Picture Book Review)

Many thanks to the publisher for providing an ecopy of this book via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bo the Brave
by Bethan Woollvin
Published by Peachtree Publishing Company
on April 1, 2020

Genre: Children's, Picture Books

Length: 32 pages

Ages: 5 - 9 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:

A feisty little girl learns who the real monsters are in this brilliantly funny medieval adventure. Once, there lived a little girl called Bo. Bo wanted to be just like her brothers and capture a fearsome monster. Bo is small, too small to catch a monster--or so her brothers say. But Bo isn't one to take no for an answer, so she sets off on a quest to catch a monster of her own. 

Author-illustrator Bethan Woollvin, the creator of the New York Times Best Illustrated Little Red, employs her signature style in this original fairy tale with a clever twist. Readers are sure to fall in love with Woollvin's newest vibrant and sassy protagonist.

Our Thoughts:

Bo is a little girl who lives with her two older brothers in a medieval land of forests and mountains. Her brothers, Erik and Ivar, go hunting for monsters but won't allow Bo to join them. They say she is too small, but Bo says otherwise. She sneaks out to look for monsters all by herself but soon learns who the real monsters are. 

I've had the pleasure to read a couple of Beth Woollvin's picture books before and love the message to girls that they can do anything they put their mind to and can certainly save themselves rather than wait for someone to come along and save them. 

In Bo the Brave, Bo is told she is too small to do what she wants to do, so she bravely goes out in search of adventures and monsters anyway. She soon encounters the creatures of the forest, learning that they aren't monsters at all, and then sets out to help and protect them. 

We really enjoy Woollvin's bold but cute illustration style. The color schemes are often a little strange (not basic colors) but it makes the artwork really stand out. I especially loved all the extra detail in Bo's room and in the natural elements in the story!

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March 2020 Reading Wrap Up

Goodbye March!
This month has been stressful. I had a hard time concentrating on anything. It took me all month to finish Station Eleven and I could not start anything new while reading it because my attention span has suffered thanks to CV19. I think my reviewing has suffered a bit through this as well but here's all my stats!


Books I Finished in March:

Chapter Books I Read Aloud:

Started but didn't finish (yet):

March Reviews:

Picture Books
How To Read A Book by Kwame Alexander
We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
How to Catch A Dinosaur by Adam Wallace
How to Catch A Dragon by Adam Wallace
The Bad Seed by Jory John
The Cool Bean by Jory John
Stick and Stone Beth Ferry
Tree Song by Tiffany Stone

Children's Nonfiction
Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor by Patricia Valdez
How to Make A Better World by Keilly Swift
NatGeo Readers: Susan B. Anthony by Kitson Jazyncka
StarWars: Be More Leia by Christian Blauvelt
Coral Reefs by Gail Gibbons

Other Fiction
Born A Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
The Conference of the Birds by Ransom Riggs


Challenge Progress:

ABC Challenge
10/26
Read Q & S

Beat the Backlist / Tackle My TBR
+3
Warleggan
Station Eleven
Queen of the Sea

New Release Challenge
3/25

No new releases read this month.

PopSugar Reading Challenge
7/50

1001 Books to Read Before You Grow Up List

160/1001
7 in February

2 in March
Pinocchio
What Do People Do All Day?

MARCH 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

Gloria  by  The Midnight
Sunset  by  The Midnight
Phoenix  by  Rhye
Feel Your Weight  by  Rhye



Here's to hoping that April is not as bad as predicted.
Stay safe, my friends!
Happy reading!

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The Sunday Post - 2020 Week 13 - Stay At Home

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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

Hey there, bloggers!

How's everyone doing? Stir crazy yet?
It's getting crazier out there and I'm in Florida so that's saying something. The local groups are all sharing their 10+ people boat parties and kids' corona parties (as if treating this like chickenpox is a grand idea). People asking where to take their infants out to play or swim. People licking things in public to prove a point?! 
I'm just over here shaking my head.
I'm missing my outdoor adventures but I'm lucky to have a yard and a garden to play in. That and yoga are saving my sanity. We've got dandelions starting to sprout up and lots of veggies started but we're in a drought and it's been extra hot this week so I have to water often. 

This whole ordeal has changed quite a bit in our daily routine and I spent the week sorting it out rather than reading or writing so I have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to reviews! I'm making the rounds around the blogs now since I didn't have a moment last week!


New to our shelves:
One good thing from all this is the Amazon Kindle freebies! I've been seeing a lot of popular authors sharing their children's books. 
Here are a few I've come across in the past day or so! 
These were free at time of posting!

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale
(Amazon)
The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler
(Amazon)
Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate Dicamillo
(Amazon)

My First I Can Read! series
Pete the Cat's Train Trip (Amazon)
Clark the Shark and the Big Book Report (Amazon)
Digger the Dinosaur (Amazon)
Biscuit in the Garden (Amazon)


Currently Reading:


I'm still struggling to read anything but kid lit but I'm determined to spend a chunk of today finishing Station Eleven and I plan on reading The Invisible Man next.

Recently Posted Reviews:

I posted Coral Reefs by Gail Gibbons on World Water Day last Sunday and finally got around to finishing up my review of The Conference of the Birds by Ransom Riggs but otherwise haven't had time to write a lot!

What I'm Watching:

So this show is all anyone is talking about around here right now so I started it and wow. I don't usually watch stuff like this but it's set in Florida and has its particular brand of crazy. Plus big cats.


Happy reading!

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