A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Book Review

BenBee and the Teacher Griefer

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One of the things I talk about on my blog frequently is how our perspective changes what we take away from a situation.   Our perspective helps us to see the good, or helps us understand another viewpoint, or teaches us something new.  Perspective matters.   In BenBee and the Teacher Griefer we get to see the perspective of four distinctly different youths and their summer school experience.   Affiliate links will be used in this review. 

BenBee and the Teacher Griefer

The Basic Details

K. A. Holt in conjunction with Chronicle Books brings us a 344 page non-fiction read for youth aged 8-12.   One youth identifies as other than their birth gender.  Three boys, one girl, each having issues affecting their ability to learn easily within the school system.   Summer school has been deemed the answer.  BenBee and the Teacher Griefer is part of The Kids under the Stairs series featuring Ben Bellows. 

K. A. Holt also wrote KnockOut, another book I reviewed.    Reviewed for Raincoast books I received an Advanced Readers Copy. 

BenBee and the Teacher Griefer, what you get

Each chapter goes through the four different perspectives of each of the youth involved in the under the stairs summer school class.  Four youth, one teacher, one goal, learn to read.   How will they reach that objective?

Enter in Sandbox.  A game all four youth like to play.  Enter a deal with their teacher.  Can they find a way to make it work?  You’ll have to read this intriguing book yourself!  🙂 

Four Students: BenB, BenY, JordanJ and Javier.  Each with their own style of communicating, through poetry, prose, or pictures.  Each with their own home situations, learning challenges, and needs.  

Through each student, despite how they communicate, the story progresses.  

I loved how the book starts and ends with a report card.  You can see their challenges, and through their conversation, by the end, see how their divergencies helped each. 

Even as they played Sandbox, and got their teacher to play, we saw their growth as individuals.   

Should you get it?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading BenBee and the Teacher Griefer.  I loved reading the inner thoughts of the youth and then seeing their interaction with each other and their teacher.   Ms. J was just what these youth needed, and they are just what she needed. 

By the end, we saw how divergency can be something to celebrate, and therefore be turned into a strength.  With that difference, we see self-esteem levels rise dramatically for each of these marginalized children.  Well done by  K. A. Holt. 

Other Books by K. A. Hold

InvestiGators

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Mango and Brush are Gators, yes, InvestiGators!  They are agents of S.U.I.T, and they are on the case!  Will they solve the mystery?  Children who like Captain Underpants and Dog Man will enjoy this series by John Patrick Green.   I’ll be using amazon affiliate links in this review. 

Investigators

More about Investigators

Raincoast Books sent me an advanced reader’s copy of InvestiGators.   This graphic novel was produced by First Second books.  Investigators is the first installment in the adventures of Mango and Brash.  You’ll find my review of InvestiGators Take the Plunge coming up this weekend. 

Written for children 7-10 years old, InvestiGators introduces us into the zany world of investigation through the sewer network!   

From the cover: With their Very Exciting Spy Technology and their tried-and-true, toilet-based travel techniques, the InvestiGators are undercover and on the case! And on their first mission together, they have not one but two mysteries to solve! Can Mango and Brash uncover the clues, crack their cases, and corral the crooks – or will the criminals wriggle out of their grasp?

One of the things I like about the graphic novels from First Second books is that the graphics are well done.  Not the grainy pics I grew up with. You’ll find the inking clean and clear. 

As an adult reading this story, you’ll find it silly and a bit corny, but kids… my son would have LOVED THIS back in the day.  He’s a bit beyond the age range now, but he loved Captain Underpants and the like.   InvestiGators with it’s misunderstandings of words, method of travel, and silliness is perfectly suited to elementary aged children. 

Should you get it?

InvestiGators is a fast-paced, fun read.  It’s goofy, silly and filled with the mystery that children love. The word-play is quirky but decent, it’s fun for children, and will draw them in.  The bright illustrations will encourage them to keep reading.  Getting children to read… it’s a good thing eh?

Me and The World

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raincoast FTC

I don’t know about you but I like looking at well-done infographics.  They can convey so much information in an engaging format.   Me and the World is filled with really good infographic that tell kids all about this wonderful world we live in. Bright colours and facts that interest children fill the pages.  Come on, let me tell you all about it.  Amazon Affiliate links will be used in this review. 

Me and the World

Reviewing Me and The World

Put together by Mireia Trius, Me and The World: and infographic exploration, is published by Chronicle Kids.   Raincoast Books sent me a lovely hardcover book which is oversized quite needfully so since it’s jam-packed with information.  

Hosted by Lucia from Spain, we are walked through 25 infographic areas highlighting different aspects of the world we live in.  You’ll discover the most popular pets, favourite names, bestselling books, traffic patterns and so much more. 

Each page contains lots of colour and illustrations which are done by Joana Casals.  I loved the broad use of hue and shade and valued the scope the images covered.  There is so much to look for and be inspired by on most of the pages.  Other pages were more statistical in nature, containing rows of people or different shaded circles. The statistics given in the infographic style are enlightening and help us see the world more completely. 

I was admittedly surprised by some of the topics covered such as the most visited museums and playground games.  I expected topics such as, and received, popular sports, most famous cities, food and traffic.  So the variety of topics was excellent.   

The font is perfect for sitting down and reading.  The style is consistent throughout.  Sometimes for my old eyes, the font was a bit small, but for the middle schoolers this is intended for, it’s just fine.  🙂 

How to Use Me and the World

Me and the World would be an excellent resource in a homeschool room.  For use as conversation starters, story starters, writing prompts, as an addition to learning about the world, cultural studies and so much more. 

I can well see a family using it as.. see all the options for studying the world’s people, what area would you want to know about? 

Should you get it?

YES!  Me and the World: An infographic exploration shows us how we as people are the same and yet different, within our cultural differences.   Seeing who can eat pork, and who can’t.  Learning how many other people play your favourite sport or speak your language.  It’s so fascinating to see our similarities as well as our differences. 

Unstoppable: True Stories of Amazing Bionic Animals

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Who would have thought that the advent of 3D printers would create unstoppable animals?   Here, let me give you an example!

Would you like to know more?  In Unstoppable you will meet 13 animals that haven’t let a disability stop them from living life.  They’ve needed some people to help them along the way.  with the advent 3D printers and bionics  it means nothing slows them down now. 

Unstoppable

What do you get?

Full colour pictures fill every page of the 128 page book.  You’ll meet lambs, goats, cows, puppies, birds, turtles and more.  So many ways that animals can be helped! I was rather surprised myself.  Imagine seeing a little guinea pig on wheels!   I’ve seen dogs on wheels so I suppose I shouldn’t have been too surprised, but imagine the fidgeting you’d need to do for a wee guinea pig.

Written by Nancy Furstinger and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. You may recall another book by Furstinger called Mercy.  I am reviewing this book on behalf of Raincoast Books.   13 chapters complete with along with a note from the author, glossary, bibliography and photo credits.  A page is listed with websites to learn more about the animals talked about. 

Unstoppable, the details

Written for children 8-12 years old, Unstoppable: True Stories of Amazing Bionic Animals, you’ll find the text easy to read.  The font was very clean and clear. It is a fairly large font that suited the size of the book excellently.  It comes in kindle, trade paperback or hardcover.   

unstoppable sample page

I was very surprised at the types of animals represented: Cows, goats, sheep, ducks, guinea pigs,geese, rabbits, cats, turtles, elephants, guinea pigs, horses, sandhill cranes, alligators, dolphins, llamas, bald eagles and donkeys.   

As a farmers daughter I rather wonder about the expense for providing bionic prosthetics for farm animals but have come to understand that some individuals turn them into pets.  Pets of all shapes and sizes should be provided with good care should they not?

Just look at these really well done images!  Being able to see them in use and how these different animals can now lead full lives, rather cool isn’t it?

The stories are well-written showing the need of each animal, the challenge in creating the right prosthetic and how it has impacted the animal life.   Can you imagine the challenge in making a prosthetic for an alligator? 

Should you get it?

I found Unstoppable: True Stories of Amazing Bionic Animals to be an absolutely fascinating book.   The efforts people go to in order to help their disabled pets amazes me. 

The science behind making the prosthetics intrigues me, and knowing that people can make these aids for their animals using a 3D printer surprises me.  What a cost-effective way to help more animals!

If you have children with a love for animals, science, and engineering this would be an excellent book to share with them. 

Not all the links posted at the close of this book worked. Be advised that some links lead to sanctuaries and rescues that twist the truth. 

Little Fox and the Wild Imagination

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You know how when your child is having a bad day you just want to cheer them up?   Papa Fox has the same desire, and in Little Fox and the Wild Imagination, we see just how far a cheering up can go. 

Little fox and the wild imagination

The basics of Little Fox

Raincoast Books has sent me a fun read that extols the virtues of having an excellent imagination while showing the love of a dad for his boy. Little Fox and the Wild Imagination is a rollicking ride through after-school events between Dad and son.  40 pages of explosive action, with the wild imagination of dad and son fueling events. Roaring Brook Press sent me an Advanced Readers Copy, the released copy will be a jacketed hardcover. 

Learning more about Little Fox and the Wild Imagination

You will love the crazy imaginations of dad and son.  Jorma Taccone does an excellent job of showing the love between parent and child.  Dan Santat does an excellent job of bringing that story to life.   Just look at this illustrations!   I love the excellent use of colour and those facial expressions aren’t they just the best?

The font size is great, lending itself well to reading easily while a child in sitting with you, or for engaging a group of children. The text itself varies in size, shape, and colour depending on what’s going on. 

While this picture book is geared to 3-6 year olds, I think that children up to 8 will thoroughly enjoy the antics of Poppa and Little Fox.

I should have taken a picture of the roaring dinasaurs tumbling out of the fun, but alas I just have this precursor to the dinosaur excitement. 

Should you get it?

I love how everyday events are filled with excitement when imagination takes central stage. A walk home, a bus ride, and even bedtime.  Fun, lovable, thoroughly enjoyable.   Little Fox and the Wild Imagination is a sure fire winner.  The bond seen in families is a wonderful thing indeed. 

The Runaway Shirt

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The Runaway Shirt is one of the cutest books I have read in a long time.  You have just GOT to get this book to enjoy with your child.  A mom and child having a hoot doing regular household stuff.  Stuff that you’d see in any home, and that is what makes it the cutest book.  It’s a book that most any mom (or even a dad) could relate to. 

the runaway shirt

The Runaway Shirt, the details

Kathy MacMillan has written an adorable book featuring a mom, a pile of laundry and cute youngster.   It’s a story that hopefully will be played out in thousands of homes everyday around the world.    Julia Castano has done a wonderful job illustrating this fun story. 

Published by Familius, I am reviewing this book on behalf of Raincoast Books.  Meant for preschool and kindergarten children, this book will hopefully inspire laughter!  I received a soft covered edition, but on amazon, it sells as a kindle book or hardcover picture book. 

The Joy of The Runaway Shirt

I love the look and feel of The Runaway Shirt.  Between the colours of the illustrations, and the sweetness of the story, the reader feels drawn into the story.  Running and having fun with a little child while engaging in regular household chores.  Such fun!

The font is great for reading with a group of children. It is dark and well formed to stand off the pages for ease of reading. Always on a light background.

Should you get it?

I remember having fun with my lad while I did the laundry, the giggles and relationship building that occurred.   It was a lovely way to introduce him to helping mom with the chores AND having fun at the same time. 

The Runaway Shirt brought back happy memories, but not only that, it’s a fun, sweet story about the relationship between parent and child.

Enjoy a sweet, fun read with your child today!

 

On Account of the Gum

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Silliness, that’s what you get with On Account of the Gum.  Silliness in pink gum and brown hair and laden with cats and aunties.  Adam Rex must have had a hoot writing and illustrating this grade school picture book.  Come on and laugh with me!  Affiliate links will be used. 

On Account of the Gum

About “On Account of the Gum”

Adam Rex wrote a hilariously fun read with On Account of the Gum”.  Written kinda like the books “If you give a mouse a cookie” where one action leads to another.  A fun read where you wonder just what pit-fall will happen next.  Your children will enjoy the unexpected consequences of good intentions. 

Published by Chronicle books, this 56 page picture book will delight children 5-8 years.  The bright colours will draw them in, the silly antics will bring out the laughter.   Can you imagine a rabbit in your hair?

The font is huge!   So great for reading with a group of children.  I can well imagine a circle of children giggling away.   Wouldn’t it be fun to stop at the end of a page and ask “what do you think will happen when they bring in the cat?”  Wouldn’t it be fun to hear all the answers?

Should you get it?

If you are looking for a silly book to enjoy with your children, On account of the Gum will fit the bill marvellously.

The full-colour images fill the pages and just add to the humour found within.  Wacky ideas, improbable solutions, and bizarre mishaps.  You never quite know what might happen next.   It was my pleasure to review this picture book for Raincoast Books.