by Howard Temperley

Illustrations by Michael Kline

received from NetGalley

reviewed by Mom

about the book:
The phenomenon of the dinosaur is one that continues to fascinate people of all ages. A fun-filled history of the many species of dinosaurs, their eras, and interesting facts about them, this book is not only informative, but funny and captivating as well. Featuring amusing and attractive illustrations, this unique edition discusses a variety of topics, from the Velociraptor and Pterodactylus to the Jurassic Era and dinosaur extinction.


My thoughts:
What a fabulous book!  If you have a child anything like mine, he or she will love this book.  Most kids have a fascination with dinosaurs at some point in their young lives.  This book perfectly helps with explaining just about everything about dinos.  It is all done in rhyme to make it easy for the kids.  Remember Schoolhouse Rock?  Well, this reminds me of it.  Rhyming songs about dinosaurs.  The illustrations are fantastic.  They are funny without being frightening. 
I loved this book and recommend it to others.  My only complaint, now I can't get some of the rhymes out of my head.

5 stars

Ever have a nightmare?  Of course you have, we all have.

Now you can find out who you should blame for your bad dreams, and who you can thank for your good dreams.

All you need to know about our little-understood world of dreams and nightmares is explained in this amusing fantasy tale, which revolves around the four human members of the Jackson family – together with their cat, Jackson – who all dwell in a house known as “Jacksonville”.

The story introduces you to the Dremlocks (dream releasers) and the Inkybyes (dream demons) and you will discover some astonishing facts about hamsters.

Following a visit to the International Pet Emporium, Pa Jackson and his son, Jacques, return home with a newly-acquired pet hamster of their very own. But there is more to the larger-than-life proprietor, Mister Laurie Van Rentaal, than meets the eye and this will turn out to be not their only meeting with the gigantic Dutchman.

As events unfold leading up to and beyond Fathers’ Day, find out what happens when Pa Jackson decides to celebrate his special day with The Great Jacksonville Cheesefest, whereupon his family’s ultimate dreams develop into their most horrendous nightmares ever…

We loved this book.  I especially love Sjaak the hamster.  He helps keep the Inkybyes away.  The Dutchman with his igvana (iguana) is also a fun character.   

The Jacksons are a great family.  They just need to learn to stay away from cheese.  The cheese celebration on Father's Day was a hoot.  Wait till you find out what happens when the neighbors come over...think a dog and a cat.

A great book, I think all kids will have a good time reading this story.  Not too scary.

we rate it 5 ice cream cones

received from NetGalley for review

about the book

The earth breeds giants and ogres of indescribable horror -- the heavens hold omnipotent gods and goddesses, abounding in courage, strength and wisdom.

Zeus, the almighty king of the gods, who cannot resist feminine beauty -- mortal or divine, and his jealous and vengeful wife, Hera.

Perseus, fearless mortal warrior, who takes on an impossible challenge: slaying the monstrous Medusa, whose glance turns men to stone.

The Minotaur, half-man and half-bull, the horrible fruit of a queen's unspeakable desire, who annually destroys the young victims sacrificed to his terrifying power.

A fantastic world of spells and curses, magic and mystery, forces that create and destroy at will

My Review (Mom)

Good reference for the younger audience.  A bit simplified, It would not be useful if looking for information about one of the lesser known myths.   

Easy and fun to read.  Kids who liked book similar to Percy Jackson will enjoy this book.  It is a quick, fun read.  I've always enjoyed Greek Mythology and enjoyed visiting these old friends.

My review (Lucas)

I LOVED this book.  I love reading about Zeus and the Minotaur.   Mom's right, if you like Percy Jackson (and I do!!) You'll love this book.  

Mom gives it 4 stars because she thinks it's too simple, but I'll give it 5 ice cream cones because I think it's great!

ZUTO: THE ADVENTURE OF A COMPUTER VIRUS

about the book

Zuto: The Adventures of a Computer Virus takes place inside a strange, little-known world: a personal computer, the perfect setting for a fast-paced, funny, one-minute-long story.

Zuto, a smart, sneaky computer virus, leads a happy life in his secret hiding place: the Recycle Bin. There, among heaps of junk full of surprising treasures, he plans his tricks. Everything changes when a far more malicious program invades the computer . . . and threatens to end all life in it. Together with his Recycle Bin friends—outdated, buggy programs—Zuto sets off to save his world.

Readers curious about the truth behind this rollicking adventure story will find it in the Zutopedia appendix, which explains concepts such as computer viruses, IP addresses, and binary numbers.

Zuto was first published in Israel, where it was recommended by the Israeli Ministry of Education and voted in the top ten favorite books by children in grades 4-6 nationwide.

Want to read a cool book?  Zuto is a virus.  I hate computer viruses.  Always seem to get one on my PC.  This book makes me think twice about a virus.  Zuto is a funny virus (Yes, I know he's not a real person, and computer viruses aren't really alive).  This was a funny book.  Mom got it from NetGalley to read and review and she let me help write the review.  I liked the story.  It's fast and fun, also helps kids understand basic info about computers.  

I give Zuto 4 ice cream cones.

Hi, Lucas here.  Today I have the honor of introducing one of my favorite authors.
KAREN POKRAS TOZ
author of the NATE ROCKS books.  She has a new book out

and it is FANTASTIC.  I don't usually like books about girls but Millie is okay!  :)  She gives advice to other kids in her school, only she does it with a fake name.  She calls herself Amanda.  Now, she didn't intend to do this.  Her cool younger brother played a neat trick on her (ha ha) and posted her diary online on a fake blogsite (wish I had thought of that).  Millie at first is mad at him, but she soon discovers it's kind of fun having a bunch of kids follow her blog and ask for help.  

Read this book, even if you are a guy (there are some awesome boys in this story, including Millie's brother) you will like the book, and you'll kind of like Millie, too!

Oh, and there's a contest.  You'll have to ask your parent's permission to enter (you have to be over 18 to win, I think) but they can enter for you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What can you win?  Some really cool stuff:

and

or

or my favorite

Just for the record, I give Millicent Marie 

a great big

5+ ice cream cones

Above is a picture of Karen Toz.  She's a really cool writer.  Check out her Nate Rocks books!  They are just awesome!!!!

EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHADOWS

NIGHTMARE BOOK 2

by

Robert Gray

Ever since encountering The Source and its minions on Halloween, Eve Hallows has found life surprisingly quiet … not to mention adorably boring! So when Dad receives a Ouija message that she must return to Gravesville, Eve couldn't be happier—at least until she discovers the Director of URNS, also known as the Grim Reaper, has a special job for Eve … one that will lead her to New York City and to the true identity of The Source. 

With The Book of Shrieks offering zero help and a new URNS agent driving the school boys—and Eve!—crazy, Eve's beginning to realize this whole saving-the-world nonsense isn't what it's cracked up to be. 

All this and she still has to find The Book of Shadows

My review

Even better than the first book!!!!!!

If one lives in our world, as I do, this book is fabulous.  If one lives in Gravesville, it was horrible- horrible and ten more horribles!

I love the characters in this story.  Eve reminds me of human Marilyn living amoung the Munsters.  She's different but pays no attention to the differences.  Mom is a snake headed, petrifying gorgon.  Dad is a shapeshifter and brother Sam is a ghoul....The family is a tight unit.  You can palpate the love they feel for each other.

Due to recent events, Eve is made to feel 'unwelcome' in her hometown of Gravesville.  Why?  Well, she's human and not a monster.  Humans are scary, they are trying to kill the monsters.  Strange things are happening in Gravesville and Eve must fix them, along with her 'human' friends.  We meet a few new characters, including a succubus.

We also learn more about how Eve came to live in Gravesville. 

This is a perfect combination of YA, Horror, Paranormal and Fun! 

I give it 5/5 ice cream cones and eagerly look forward to the next book in the series.

That's a hint Mr. Gray...please keep me in mind when looking for reviewers for the next book!!

I'm going to do something a little different with this post.

I had to read a book and write a report over the summer.

The book I chose is

THE HITCH-HIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY

by

DOUGLAS ADAMS

I've passed in the report but not yet received my grade.

I'll upload the report.  It contains most of the information I use when I review a book.

NAME: LUCAS                 DATE: SUMMER 2012

SUMMER READING FORM  GRADE 6

TITLE OF BOOK: THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY

AUTHOR:    DOUGLAS ADAMS

GENRE:       PROSE  FICTION

SETTING: The Starship Heart of Gold, modern day.   The fictitious, luxury-planet producing planet of Magrathea in the Horsehead Nebula.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MAIN CHARACTER: 

Arthur Dent:  A human who lived in a house scheduled for demolition before the destruction of Earth.  He is kind and formal.

Ford Prefect:  A human-like alien from Betelguese.  He does research for The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and is quite intelligent.

Zaphod Beeblebrox: A relative of Ford.  He is very cunning and relaxed. He has 2 heads and 3 arms.

Trillian McMillan: Zaphod’s girlfriend.  She is generally a smart, normal human.

MARVIN: a highly intelligent but paranoid and depressed robot.

THESE ARE ALL THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF THE BOOK.  EACH ONE PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE PLOT

PLOT SUMMARY: The book starts off when a normal human, Arthur Dent, wakes up and goes outside to protest the destruction of his house.  His house is being demolished to make way for a bypass.  A bypass in a British synonym for interstate.  Arthur lies in the mud in front of the trucks.  His friend Ford (the alien) comes and brings him to the pub to talk to him about the end of the world.  They then hitchhike onto a VOGAN spaceship as Earth is destroyed to may way for a galactic bypass.  The pair of friends are ejected into space and are picked up by The Heart Of Gold spaceship driven by Zaphod and Trillian.  They think they’ve gone mad when they see non moving water and waving buildings as well as other weird things created by the ‘improbability drive’ in the ship.  Ford gets to see a relative of his, Zaphod, and Arthur gets to see Trillion whom he tried to date once on Earth.  They soon discuss the planet of Magrathea, a luxury planet-producing planet, that stopped producing planets and pretty much shut down 5 million years ago.  They proceed to navigate the ship to the planet.  Upon arrival, they are hit by a missile which results in the creation and demise of a whale and a pot of flowers.  

Soon, they land on the desolate surface and explore.  They find an underground tunnel into which Ford, Trillian and Zaphod explore.  Arthur and Marvin stay behind to guard the tunnel entrance.  Trillian, Ford and Zaphod are captured and brought to a planet catalogue and later to a feast where there is something in the food that affects their sanity.  They are unaware of events occurring around them.  All this is courtesy of two lab mice.  Arthur meets a person named Slartibartfast who teaches him about Magrathea and how the Earth was actually a super computer set to figure out the ultimate question. (They already have the answer, 42.  They just need the question).

Arthur is guided by guards to the feast where he refuses to eat the food.  

The mice attempt to take Arthur’s brain.  It is during this attempt when the effect of the drugs from the food wear off in his friends.  They then attempt to escape.   They hide behind a computer.  The guards are shooting at the computer.  Suddenly the life support systems in the guards suits fail and they die.  Arthur, Trillian, Zaphod and Ford escape to their spaceship via an escape ship left by Slartibartfast. The arrive in the Heart of Gold.  Marvin begins sulking about how bad his existence has become.  They blast off and go to a restaurant at the end of the universe for lunch.  

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS BOOK?

In my opinion, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” was little funny, but very bizarre and difficult to follow.  I wouldn’t recommend it for most people, but those who like science fiction may enjoy this book.