A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Book Review

King of the Mole People

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I was struggling with how to write this review for King of the Mole People.   It’s a book I didn’t particularly enjoy reading but it has some redeeming qualities.   Knowing that didn’t make it any easier for me to figure out how to write it.  As I was taking a break, reading through the list of words for the Write 31 Days Challenge I saw the word Accept…and like a light bulb I knew how to write this review.  

A big part of King of the Mole People is Doug Underbelly needs to learn to accept himself for who he is. Many of the people in his life also need to learn this truth. You are who you are.  Do not pretend to be someone else.

King of the mole people

What I am Reviewing

King of the Mole People (Book 1).
Paul Gilligan.
Christy Ottaviano Books. Henry Holt & Company.
272 pages, hardcover, 8-12 years.

Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Humour, Upper Elementary, Middle School

Doug Underbelly is doing his best to be normal. It’s not easy: he’s bad at jokes, he’s lousy at sports, and he lives in a creaky old mansion surrounded by gravestones. Also Magda, the weird girl at school, won’t leave him alone. And if that weren’t enough, he recently got crowned King of an underground race of Mole People.

Doug didn’t ask to be king – it’s a job he can’t really avoid, like the eel sandwiches his dad makes for him (with love). If he thought dealing with seventh grade was tricky, it’s nothing compared to navigating the feud between Mole People, Slug People, Mushroom Folk and Stone Goons, not to mention preventing giant worms from rising up and destroying everything. How will Doug restore order? It’s all a matter of diplomacy!

King of the mole people

The Details for King of the Mole People

If you like Captain Underpants and books along that line (or have children who do) King of the Mole People will be highly entertaining for them.   Similar humour, images and writing style.

King of the mole people

Doug Underbelly wants so desperately to fit in, to that end he gets into a whole lot of different situations.  In the midst of all that is Doug’s role as King of the Mole people. I know…go figure…. the mole people?  But they are a real part of this book along with many others who dwell below. 

Can Doug manage the pressures of life above and life below?  You’ll have to read the book to find out.

King of the mole people

As Doug figures things you’ll meet all the characters in simple black/white drawings. I would have to say that 3/4’s of the pages have illustrations on them.  I love the illustrator portrayed Magda.  Such a quirky character.  I liked her from the start.   She was mostly comfortable in her own skin and just needed to learn a bit more.  🙂

Accept

Thoughts/Recommendations

Growth in characters across the board make King of the Mole People a winner. While I am not a fan of the genre, I am a fan of how it all comes together in the end.  One even learns some good science!

I loved how Doug learned to accept himself and work within his own abilities, even learning to use the skills he learned trying to be someone else. 

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Finding Narnia

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Finding Narnia, which is the story of C.S. Lewis and his brother gives me a great opportunity to participate in the Write 31 Days Challenge.  Today’s word is NOT Narnia, but rather person.   

Finding Narnia Review

What I am Reviewing

Finding Narnia: the Story of C.S.Lewis and His Brother.
Caroline McAlister
Jessica Lanan (illustrator).
Roaring Brook Press
48 pages, Grades 1-2, Ages 4-8, trade paperback

Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

Narnia, C.S.Lewis, biography, siblings, boys and men, picture book,

Before C.S. Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia, he was a young boy named Jack who spent his days dreaming up stories of other worlds filled with knights, castles, and talking animals. His brother, Warnie, spent his days imagining worlds filled with trains, boats, and technology. One rainy day, they found a wardrobe in a little room next to the attic, and they wondered, What if the wardrobe had no end?

Years later, Jack began to think about what could be beyond that wardrobe, and about a girl named Lucy and her siblings. This picture book biography introduces the beloved creator of The Chronicles of Narnia to a new generation of children who see hidden magic in the world around them.

Finding Narnia

The Details for Finding Narnia

Beautiful images fill the pages of Finding Narnia.  The reader is introduced to the lives of the Narnia boys from boyhood through to adulthood.

Finding Narnia

Caroline McAlister does an excellent job of bringing the imagination of two young boys to life.  Can’t you just see the knights in action?   We get to see how they worried over their sick mama and how they dealt with it.

Their dislike of boarding school was made apparent, and over time their involvement in World War 1.  The love of family was ever so clear.

The World War 2 came and to my surprise, it was also brought the beginnings of Narnia.  Who would have thought?

Finding Narnia

I loved how illustrator Jessica Lanan started this lovely picture book with a map of England and then closed it with a map of Narnia.  Very clever!

Finding Narnia

Recommendations

Many people chose to read the Chronicles of Narnia with their children.  It’s a wonderful series.  Imagine if you could introduce your children to the author of those books?  Wouldn’t that be wonderful?  

Finding Narnia is a gentle look into the life of C.S.Lewis.  The lovely pictures give us insight into the sights he would have seen, the places he might have biked with his brother. The colours showing the bleakness of war or the joy of starting a good story.  

It is not an indepth biography of this famous person, but picture books can’t be an indepth as a non-fiction book can they?  🙂   For sure it is a great introduction into the life of C.S.Lewis.

Person C.S.Lewis
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The Other Half of Happy

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The word in the Write 31 days challenge is strong.   I was trying to think of something I could do with this word and then I thought of this review book, The Other Half of Happy.  Strength is something this family needed, and though it didn’t always seem apparent, it was something they possessed. 

The Other Half of Happy review

What I am Reviewing

The Other Half of Happy.
Rebecca Balcarcell.
Chronicle Books.
8-12 years, Grades 5-8, 332 pages, hardcover with fly.

Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

middle school, fiction, prejudice, racism, death, family tension, Special needs, Latin America, Cross-cultural, Latino, 

Quijana is a girl in pieces. One-half Guatemalan, one-half American : When Quijana’s Guatemalan cousins move to town, her dad seems ashamed that she doesn’t know more about her family’s heritage. One-half crush, one-half buddy : When Quijana meets Zuri and Jayden, she knows she’s found true friends. But she can’t help the growing feelings she has for Jayden. One-half kid, one-half grown-up : Quijana spends her nights Skyping with her ailing grandma and trying to figure out what’s going on with her increasingly hard-to-reach brother. In the course of this immersive and beautifully written novel, Quijana must figure out which parts of herself are most important, and which pieces come together to make her whole.

The Other Half of happy

The Details of The Other Half of Happy

I have to admit, I was surprised. Much of this book I thoroughly enjoyed, I really did.  Good characters, I could see the struggles that Quijana had.  Being a young teen, learning to hold to her preferences, struggling to understand parental concerns, and trying to be a good sister to a younger brother. 

I didn’t expect the bullying she needed to endure over cross-cultural issues. This issue was a surprise to me.  I wasn’t expecting native language use (or lack thereof) to be a concern among Latino Americans. 

The Other Half of happy

The characters were well-developed.  I feel like I could meet Quijana and her friends and know what to expect from them.  Jayden and Zuri became real people in my mind, good people for Quijana to hang out with. 

I loved the closeness between Quijana and her gramma.  The attention of teachers who noticed struggles.  

This middle school book was an easy read.  The only struggle I was with the bits of Spanish, and some of the Latino names.  

The Other Half of happy

Comments

A good book. Enjoyed reading for the most part.  There was a lot thrown into this book.  Homosexuality, what I think is autism, cross-cultural issues. the death of a family member, and a girl coming to understand herself. 

Family tension was a very solid part of this book.  I saw strength in parenting, strength in Quijana holding to what is solid part of who she was despite familial pressure, and growing strength as she realized more was going on in the world then what she was going through herself.   This story, in and of itself would have been enough.  Watching her mature, even in small ways, was wonderful.

I disliked the need to throw a homosexual character into an already divisive book.  Like seriously, what was the real need to do so?  There was so much going on in The Other Half of Happy already, adding this extra element just seemed pointless.

The focus should have remained on Quijana and the cross-cultural issues she was already dealing with.  Internal strength is a part of this book.

strong
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Spies, Lies, and Disguise

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HA!  I like this one.  The word in the Write 31 days challenge is avoid.  My book is Spies, Lies and Disguise.  What do spies want to avoid having done to them?   Being captured!   Today we get to learn how spies worked to avoid being captured in World War Two. 

Spies, Lies, and Disguise review

Spies, Lies, and Disguise: The Daring Tricks and deeds that won World War II.
Jennifer Swanson.
Kevin O’Malley (illustrator).
Bloomsbury Press
160 pages, 9-12 years, grade 5-8.

Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

World War Two, history, spies, disguise, military, Europe,

In the late 1930s, times were desperate. The world found itself at war again, less than twenty years after the first World War had ended. No one could quite believe it. And no one wanted it. The leaders of every country involved were left with no choice. They had to try to end the war as fast as possible, using whatever means they could.

That meant coming up with secret operations meant to deceive, deflect, and confuse their enemies. …… These were all real tactics attempted with the ultimate goal of defeating Hitler. In this off-center look at history, readers will be captivated by the classified and covert efforts made by each side as they tried to gain the upper hand and win the war. Restricted access is lifted to give the reader a peek into the top secret operations of the daring men and women who fought the war under a cloak of secrecy.

Spies, Lies and Disguise

The Details of Spies, Lies, and Disguise

What a fun read.  I know, might not sound like a fun read but I thought it was GREAT.  Not fun as in ha ha joke, but fun because I learned so much!  It was also written in an “invite you in style”.  Not a dry read but quick moving, draw you in, causing you want to know what job comes next. 

Spies, Lies, and Disguise

Each chapter started with a wanted poster. Stating what sort of people were wanted, and then an intriguing title.  Like seriously…wouldn’t you want to know what type of spy a night witch would be?

Spies, Lies and disguise

We are then walked into a scenario, the need for smart people with a particular skill set.    Actual case scenarios are explained and laid out.  This one made me laugh.  The idea that skipping stones could be a useful skill and then discovering that indeed it was!  I was so surprised that I blurted out “it worked!  Skipping bombs worked!”  This of course got my lad’s interest so over he came where I showed him the picture of how the bombs were used.  He was suitably impressed but demanded I don’t tell him anything more so he could read this book on his own.   No spoilers allowed.

spies, lies and disguise

Many of the chapters closed with a short vignette of a helpful spy or a helpful science scoop that directly connected with the chapter.  Occasionally images would be included like this one of the boats.

spies, lies and disguise

Recommendation

If you have any interest in being a spy, in covert activities, code-making, or world war 2… get Spies, Lies, and Disguise.  It is a fascinating look into the world of being a spy.  Whether it be as a look out, or to set a misleading trail, spies were busy confounding the enemy.   It’s approachable style makes it an easy read, with nothing too complicated to understand.   

Some day I will teach (I hope) from this book  in a co-op class.  I think it would a hoot to engage teenagers in how they could do the work of a spy themselves and avoid being captured in the process. 

avoid
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A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals

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Do you know many of the world’s endangered animals?  In A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals you can learn about 43 animals scattered across the world.  Learn their stories, and in learning them, be prepared to help them. 

A wild child's guide to endangered animals review

A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals.
Millie Marotta.
Chronicle Books.
140 pages.  All ages.

Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

Endangered Animals, plant and animal art, animals, biology, science,

From New York Times bestselling author Millie Marotta comes this gorgeous celebration of the animal kingdom. A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals highlights the plight of 43 endangered species from around the world, including rare and well-known animals living in freshwater, oceans, forests, mountains, tundras, deserts, grasslands, and wetlands. Vivid illustrations bring caribous, axolotls, giraffes, agami herons, and many more to life on these rich and varied pages. Illuminating text relays the story of each species, from how they live and why they are endangered to what is being done about it. Complete with a map detailing where each species can still be found, this visually rich, timely, informative book raises awareness in the most spectacular way.

A wild child's guide to endangered animals

The Details of Endangered Animals

When I first glanced A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals, I thought “Wow, what a pretty book!”.  Every page in this over-sized book is filled with creative plant and animal drawings. 

A wild child's guide to endangered animals

Each full-page depiction of each endangered animal is followed by text that gives clear information about them.   We can learn about the superior swimming abilities of the Scalloped Hammerhead Shark, and incredible survival skills of the Wild Bactrian Camel.  Be surprised at the large size of the Gharial, and about the horned marsupial frog with horns.  So many fascinating animals that are endangered all around the globe. 

A wild child's guide to endangered animals

Learn about animals from 8 different ecosystems of the world.  43 different animals with their own unique abilities and their own needs. 

  • Oceans : Tiger tail seahorse
  • Forests : Black robin
  • Deserts : Gobi bear
  • Fresh Water : Axolotl
  • Grasslands : Chinese Penguin
  • Mountains : Olm
  • Tundra : Caribou
  • Wetlands : Shoebill
A wild child's guide to endangered animals

Helpful tips for getting involved are enclosed at the close of the book.  Ways to be involved include actively being part of wildlife organizations, raises awareness, using social media and learning how to live with the planet in mind.  Books such as Small changes and Ways to change the world are part of this. 

A wild child's guide to endangered animals

It’s good you know, to learn what makes each animal unique.  Be amazed at the pygmy raccoon living on a small island, the wonders of a cat the hunts for fish, and the battling skills of the Nilgiri Tahr. 

endangered animals map

Recommendations

If you have any interest in protecting the animals of this planet and want to learn the stories of just a few of them, A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals will help you.   

If you have a desire to study the ecosystems, or countries of the world, you will find this hard-cover book a great way to expand your learning. 

The beauty of the pages, the informative text, and the encouragement to be involved.  A fantastic book to help you on your journey to protect the things that help make this world great. 

Time Sight by Lynne Jonell

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Time Travel with a twist, Time Sight is an interesting romp back through history using the Scottish gift of second sight.   In this review, I will tell you about a curious book by Lynne Jonell called Time Sight.   Mind, you don’t need to scared to read a time travel book!  🙂  Yes, scared is the word prompt for today’s Write 31 day challenge. 

Time Sight Review

What I am Reviewing

Raincoast BooksTime Sightn.
Lynne Jonell.
Christy Ottaviano Books.
Henry Holt & Company Books.
416 pages, 9-12 years, trade paperback
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

Middle school, history, medieval, time travel, fiction, Europe, Scotland, mystery, upper elementary,

Will’s mother is in danger overseas, and his father must find her, so Will and his little brother are packed off to relatives in Scotland. Will feels useless. He can’t save his mother. He can’t help his father. And when he tries to amuse his brother on the plane ride, he can’t even locate the images in Jamie’s book – the hidden pictures that everyone else can see. Once at the family’s ancestral castle, though, Will tries again. And as he delicately adjusts his focus, suddenly his eyes tune in to a different visual frequency – the past.
Looking back five hundred years is interesting . . . at first. But when Jamie impulsively leaps through the opening in time, Will and his cousin Nan must follow, into a past so dangerous that Will isn’t sure how he will get everyone safely home.

The Details about Time Sight

You know those books where there is a picture hidden inside a picture?  Where to find the second picture you need to look into and yet beyond the existing picture?  Take that idea, add in the Scottish belief in second sight, and voila.. a story is born. 

Time sight

You’ll find maps and other interesting line drawings.  They bring great definition to the story. Some were full page, others just partial, but they all fit the story perfectly. I really liked these drawings and found them so well done. Can’t you just see the fear in the lad running from the cook?  🙂

Time Sight

The characters are believable.  Real kids struggling to understand what is happening.  Real kids wanting to be helpful, making some mistakes, but managing to find their way through.   

Time sight by Lynne Jonell

Thoughts/Recommendations

Initially I was not particularly impressed with this middle school read.  It took until I was about 1/3 the way through before I was hooked. Suddenly the story took an interesting twist.  Could Will control his abilities?  Would he be able to save the day?  What about Nan…. could she help at all?

All these questions were answered as I quickly finished this book.  Would I recommend it?  For sure!  Mystery combined with time travel and a willingness to think outside the box… makes for a good read for most anyone. 

If you were doing a study on Scotland and learning about the belief in second sight, this book might make for a fun interpretation of that ability. 

Don’t be scared by unusual gifts.  Use them for good like Nan and Will did. 

scared
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The Flag Book

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If you don’t know by now I LOVE Lonely Planet Books.  I am currently reviewing The Flag Book and let me tell you… It is SOLIDLY well-done! Flags from everywhere in the world including provinces, states and regions.  It’s flag bonanza! 

The Flag Book

What I am Reviewing

The Flag Book: The amazing stories behind the world’s flags.
Lonely Planet Kids.
184 pages, Ages 9-12 years, hardcover

Geography, Reference book, Explore the World, Flags, Countries of the World, History, Middle school

Reviewed for Raincoast Books. 

In The Flag Book, Lonely Planet Kids introduces you to the flags of every country in the world, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, and tells you what their design, colors, and images represent, along with lots of other incredible facts.
What’s the only country that doesn’t have a rectangular flag? Why does Hawaii’s state flag feature the UK’s Union Jack in one corner? And what do the 13 stripes of the USA’s Star Spangled Banner represent? You’ll find out the answer to all these and much, much more.

And then we’ll show you the other fascinating ways flags are used throughout the world. Learn the International Code of Flag Symbols to communicate with ships at sea; read about flags used in sports, like Formula 1’s checkered flag; marvel at flags commemorating world records and incredible human achievements; and peer with a microscope at the planet’s smallest flag, which is no wider than a human hair.

The Flag book by lonely Planet cover
The Flag Book

The Details of The Flag Book

Reviewing this book brought to mind one of my favourite clips from The Big Bang Theory.

Though not quite as exciting as Sheldon’s fun with flags gig, The Flag book is a cornucopia of flag information.   I learned about pirate flags, country and state flags, flags used in sporting events and more.  Flags are used for so many things.   Flags for ships at sea, flags for racing, international flags, flag record holders, old flags, new flags, this hardcover tome has them all.   

The only thing I didn’t see (and I could simply have missed it in the volume of information) was how flags are used in moving equipment like airplanes from one place to another. 

The flag book

Country pages are about what you’d expect.  Information about the country and then information about each section of the country’s flags.  So for Canada (as pictured above) you have the Canadian flag and then each province’s flag. 

The Flag Book

I love that frequently, full colour images are interspersed among the country pages.  Seeing the vibrancy of those images. brings those countries into sharper relief.  

The Flag Book

Learning about flags, beyond the normal country and state flags was fascinating. Do you know the oldest flag?  What about which country has two flags?   How about the biggest flag underwater?  You get to learn all sorts of information like this in The Flag Book. 

The Flag Book

Thoughts/Recommendations

Such a great book!  The Flag Book is one that I will be keeping around for a few years yet.  At 14 years old I am sure that my lad will be finding a good use for it over the next while.  I am fascinated enough to want to read it through cover to cover.

For instance, did you know that Lesotho is known as the “kingdom of the sky” and this is referenced in their flag.  Isn’t that a wonderful piece of history?  I love this kind of stuff!  🙂  Don’t you?

Intrigue your children, your students today with The Flag Book!

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