#Bookaday – June 3 – Twenty-One Steps

Twenty- One Steps Book Review:

Add on Goodreads / Buy on Bookshop.org / Buy on Amazon

Finding picture books that are non-fiction and as beautiful as fiction books is sort of one of my joyful librarian wins. Twenty-One Steps promised to be thoughtful, beautiful, informational, and emotional – and it fulfilled those things.

The history of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier isn’t known by children, unless they perhaps have a military family member or have visited it. This little-known history is both sad and beautiful. The story behind it haunting, yet necessary to our country’s history. This book was so well written and captured these feelings perfectly. The illustrations were gorgeous and I took my time flipping through this book to really soak up these thoughts.

I gave this book 5/5 stars for its uniqueness and for the beautiful writing accompanied by equally beautiful illustrations. The powerful message, fantastic vocabulary, and stunning verse will keep kids engaged with this text more than once. A perfect read aloud for teachers, librarians and parents. Recommended by me for grades 3 to 7.

REVIEW

https://www.bibliophileprints.com/products/the-power-of-libraries-book-a-day-2021-collection-bookmark

#BookaDay June 2 – Code Breaker, Spy Hunter

Add on Goodreads / Buy on Bookshop.org / Buy on Amazon

Picture book biographies are always on my radar because I think they make good read-alouds for all grade levels and they are such a great way for me to learn nuggets of information about people I have never heard of. I have read other picture book biographies by Laurie Wallmark and really enjoyed them so I was really glad to get this one and be able to read it.

Elizabeth Friedman was a code cracker during WWI and WWII when women really weren’t present in the organizations that used code breakers. I didn’t know her story until I read this lovely picture book. The art is so much fun with codes woven into the illustrations throughout the story. This story was just another reminder that women can do anything, even when its something that is suppose to be for boys.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for grades 3 to 7. This is a perfect read aloud for Classroom Book a Day for educators and a great bedtime story for parents. This will grab the attention of kids who love history.

#BookaDay June 1 – Unsettled by Reem Faruqi

Add Goodreads / Buy on BookShop.Org / Buy on Amazon

This beautiful immigration story told in prose is one for every middle grade bookshelf, whether at home, in the library or in the classroom. Nurah, the main character, is just trying to blend in and find her place in her new school in Georgia after moving from Pakistan.

The characters weave this story together in ways that everyone reading it can relate to someone along the way, whether or not they have experienced moving across the world. I related to Nurah so much, because I had moved across the US at her age and felt so different in my new school in Texas. I loved reading Nurah’s story as she found her voice, and found a place to fit in , in her new world.

I highly recommend this to readers who love novels in verse, quick, beautiful reads, and realistic fiction. Recommended for grades 4-6 specifically. Nothing stood out to me as content to be aware of, but this is a good book to read about tackling bullying as well.

#BookaDay Day 2 – May 31 – When You Ask Me Where I’m Going

When I picked this up on May 31, I was already most of the way through this collection as I had started it in February and had slowly been making my way through it.

Jasmin Kaur has a beautiful way with words and art to make this amazing collection of poems and prose. There were a lot of poems I bookmarked because they had such a deep meaning to me and I understood them so well because of things I had personally experienced.

Throughout this book Jasmin explores what it means to be a young woman in today’s society and what it means to be a minority woman in today’s society. Her points of view are powerful and meaningful. I think there is something in this collection that will speak to every young woman who reads this.

I gave this book 5/5 stars because I know I will pick this up again and find something new to love about it. This is definitely a collection for adults, anyone who has enjoyed collections such as The Princess Will Save Herself in This One, and The Sun and Her Flowers.

You can order this collection from Amazon in Paperback for $9.99 or from Bookshop.org for $10.11 (10% goes back to support Indie bookstores). Both links give me a little kickback which I use to add books to our school library!

This is the bookmark that I designed based on this book. Preorders are open on my website.

#BookaDay Day One – May 30th – My Hero Academia Volume 1

For the very first day of #BookADay I selected one of my students’ favorite anime series as a manga to read. I have also enjoyed this anime series and my students are always in the library asking if I have any more of this manga in stock. I really need to get more copies of all of them. Here are my thoughts: My Hero Academia is such a fun manga series that combines a love of superheroes and school stories. The main character Deku is so relatable because the author intentionally made him seem “plain” to the reader at first. This is something I think we can all relate to – not being terrible, but not being great, not standing out, not grabbing attention. Deku doesn’t have a super power like 80% of the evolved population of Earth, but his heart is one of a heroes heart.

This initial book follows as Deku moves from Middle School to High School and tries his best to get into his dream Hero Academy. This is a strong start to a series of unbelievable characters of all sorts and has some great little references to our favorite already known hero stories – Superman, Mario Brothers, etc. 

I gave this series a 4/5 star rating and plan to continue to read this one. Great for manga fans of all ages – rated teen – but I am happy to put this in the library for 6-8th grade. Also great for those that love Marvel and DC movies and comics as well. Order the book Here on Amazon or Here on Bookshop.org – I do get a small kickback which I use to buy books for my school library. You can also preorder the bookmark I designed based on this book. 

New Book Mail – Sourcebooks

Thank you to Sourcebooks for sending me mail!

Once More Upon a Time is 130 pages, adult fantasy romance, and will be released in hardback on October 5, 2021

PreOrder Link for $13.79: https://bookshop.org/a/9858/9781728239828

I’m Not Dying with You Tonight is YA, 242 pages, is currently out in Hardback ( https://bookshop.org/a/9858/9781492678892 ) and will be released in paperback on September 7, 2021 for $10.11
Preorder the Paperback: https://bookshop.org/a/9858/9781728240237

Beaver and Otter Get Along… Sort Of is a Non Fiction picture book for ages 4+ which releases September 7th in hardcover and paperback simultaneously
PreOrder the Paperback ($8.27) : https://bookshop.org/a/9858/9781728232256
PreOrder the Hardcover ($15.62): https://bookshop.org/a/9858/9781728232249

10 Books to Read about the Holocaust in your Lifetime

This is the beginning of a series of book lists that I recommend that you read “In Your Lifetime”. You can shop the “Books to Read in Your Lifetime” lists on Bookshop.org (and support me and small indie bookstores everywhere) or on Amazon.com (still supporting me if you shop from this link)

• Maus: the Complete Collection by Art Spiegelman
  

Recommended for High School and Adults, Graphic Novel format in black and white

• Maurice and His Dictionary by Cary Fagan
  

Recommended for Middle Grades (graphic novel format)

• White Bird by RJ Palacio
  

Graphic novel recommended for Middle School and High School

• Irena’s Children by Tilar Mazzeo
  

For Adults, Although there is a Young Reader’s Edition that is good for Middle School/ High School

• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
  

For Upper Middle School, High School

• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
  

For Middle Grades

• Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl
  

For Middle School and High School

• The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
  

For Middle School

• Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz
  

For Middle Grades

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  

For High School/ YA

YA Review- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Title: The Hate U Give
Author: Angie Thomas
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publishing Date: Feb 2017
Buy on BookShop.org
Buy on Amazon
Add to Goodreads

The Hate U Give is a timely and necessary novel that follows the story of Starr, a Black teen girl living in a rough neighborhood, but attending a private, and mostly white populated school. She often feels like she is split between two worlds. When her best friend is shot in front of her and killed by a cop, her entire world turns upside down – and the two parts of her collide in a poetic way.

Angie Thomas is a master of emotion. She writes her characters with such depth that you feel as if you know them. You will be immersed in Starr’s world, and gain a deeper understanding about Black Lives Matter is so important, why our culture is so divided, and how frustrating it must be to be Black in America in this day and age. This should be a must read for all high school students.

Recommended ages 14+

Trigger Warnings for violence, police brutality, under age drinking, drug use, gangs, sexual consent

The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas – Lone Star Lit Blitz!

The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas

by

Jodi Thomas,

Sharla Lovelace, and Scarlett Dunn

Genre: Romance / Adventure / Anthology

Publisher: Kensington Books

Date of Publication: October 27, 2020

Number of Pages: 336 pages

Scroll down for Giveaway!

The Lone Star State doesn’t have to be lonely during Christmas time!

Legendary author Jodi Thomas headlines a new holiday-themed Western historical romance collection featuring three Texas-set stories of romance and adventure.

The Civil War is over, Christmas is coming—and it’s time for three rugged cowboys to hang-up their spurs and settle down. These authors combine their talents and excel at creating atmosphere and complex characters which infuse these stories with Texas history and evoke the grandeur of a bygone era and the indomitable pioneer spirit of the region.

Prepare to be swept off your feet by these heroic cowboys who will stop at nothing to make sure this Christmas is one to remember. Ideal for gift giving, The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas will be the fan-favorite collection of romance for the 2020 Christmas season!

PRAISE FOR THE COWBOY WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS:

“FATHER GOOSE is a warm, entertaining story, with Trapper and Emery starting with nothing, yet finding love and hoping for a future.” — Rose from Roses Are Blue

“It was a pitch-perfect reading experience that left my heart bursting with joy. This story has become an instant classic in my holiday reading canon.” — PJ Ausdenmore from The Romance Dish

“I love an anthology at this busy time of the year because I can read a complete story in a short time–this book hit the mark.”

— Mary from Bookfan

CLICK TO PURCHASE

║Amazon ║ Jodi Thomas’s Website║

Jodi Thomas is a New York Times bestselling author and fifth-generation Texan who sets many of her award-winning stories in her home state, where her grandmother was born in a covered wagon. A multi-RITA Award winner and member of the prestigious Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame, she’s written over 50 novels with millions of copies in print. Her most recent releases are The Little Tea Shop on Main and the first book in her new Honey Creek series, Breakfast at the Honey Creek Café, which is out now.

║ Website ║ Facebook ║ Twitter ║ ║ Instagram ║ Amazon ║ BookBub ║ ║ Pinterest ║ Goodreads ║

—————————————

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

One copy of THE COWBOY WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS

signed by Jodi Thomas

Giveaway Ends Midnight, CST, 11/30/2020

(US only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CLICK TO VISIT THE LONE STAR LITERARY LIFE TOUR PAGE

FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH POST ON THIS BOOK BLITZ.

blog tour services provided by

Divided Fire Book Blog Tour – Turn the Pages Tour

Book Title: Divided Fire

Author: Jennifer San Filippo

Publisher: Clarion Books

Release Date: November 10, 2020

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52494616-divided-fire

Book Purchase link: https://www.hmhbooks.com/shop/books/Divided-Fire/9780358330844

Description: 

In a rich fantasy world where Songs literally move heaven and earth, one sister must use magic and the other must rely on strength to reunite when pirates, greed, and war tear them away from each other.

Miren has never allowed jealousy of her sister’s magic keep her from taking care of Kesia, and Kesia has always depended on her big sister. When Kesia is kidnapped, Miren will do anything to get her back—even team up with her sister’s aristocratic and seemingly ineffectual boyfriend. Neither sister had ever left their small fishing village before, and now they are plunged into the wider world, minor players in a war between nations. Each sister faces external and internal perils, and each finds surprising allies and unexpected strengths. How will the two find each other again? And what will become of them if they don’t succeed?

Author Bio:

Jennifer San Fillippo is a freelance copy editor who holds an MFA in Creative Writing from San Jose State University. She enjoys cycling, music, and drawing. She lives in California with her family and a small army of pets.

Deleted Scene from Divided Fire:

Click this link to Download the Deleted Scene!

Mood Board:

Author Links:

Welcome!

Tweets by jennifersanflip

https://www.facebook.com/jennifersanflip/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19258786.Jennifer_San_Filippo

Giveaway Details

The publisher is giving away five (5) finished copies of Divided Fire by Jennifer San Filippo. USA only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Start date: Monday, November 9, 2020

End date: Monday, November 16 at 12:00 a.m. CDT