Book Review: Last Day on Mars by Kevin Emerson

Author: Kevin Emerson

Pages: 336

ISBN: 0062306715

Recommended for ages 8-15

Its 2213 and its been 5 years since the burnt remains of Earth fell into the growing Sun. The human race has fled to Mars as a temporary home until they could completed the necessary steps of traveling to their new home, a one hundred and fifty years away.

This story follows Liam and his friend Phoebe as they prepare to board the starliner, Scorpius, and leave Mars before it follows Earth's fate and falls into the ever growing Sun. Liam and Phoebe, the children of a team of scientist in charge of finishing the terraforming technology they need to make their new home livable, are scheduled to be on the last shuttle up to the Scorpius before it leaves. After a series of mysterious discovers and unfortunate luck, Liam and Phoebe (along with their unconscious  parents) find themselves left on Mars and alone.

First, let me just say, I love all things SciFi so this book was my cup tea. Second, I found myself going are you crazy? You are about the left on Mars don't do that!! This book has it all, space travel, time travel, aliens, spaceships, awkward 13 year old feelings and a completely unexpected surprise at the end!

Book Review: Restart by Gordan Korman

Author: Gordon Korman

Pages: 256

ISBN: 1338053779

Recommended for ages 8-15

If given the choice, would you  choose your the life you have now or would you Restart? This is the choice in front of 13 year old Chase Ambrose because after a fall from his roof, he forgets everything about his life.

As Chase starts putting the pieces of his life back together, he doesn't like everything he learns. While he was the captain of the footbal team and one of the most popular boys in school, he was also the biggest bully at his school and made many student's lives miserable. One student in particular was terrrorized to the point that his parents sent him to another school and Chase ended up serving community service as a result of his actions. If it were up to Chase's dad and his friends, Aaron and Bear, Chase would slip right back into this "King of the School" role but Chase has a hard time coming to terms with this past actions. The new Chase is sympathic and kind and becomes friends with the video club, the very kids he used to terrorize.

First, I love Gordon Korman. Bullying and Anti-Bullying is a subject that can feel preachy when reading about it but Korman does a great job of providing a fresh voice on this subject. A little bit of humor, a little bit of mystery and a lot of amnesia. I’ve been recommending this book to the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders I teach and they have loved it!

Book Review: The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt

Author: Drew Daywalt

Illustrator: Adam Rex

Pages: 48

ISBN: 0062438891

Recommended for ages 3-8

I have to start by saying I read this whole book in old school kung fu movie voices. 

This story is about 3 great warriors. Rock, from the Kingdom of Backyard, Paper, from the Empire of Mom's Home Office, and Scissors, from the Kitchen Realm, in the tiny village of Junk Drawer. Having already proved themselves, they travel outside of their own realms looking for worthy opponents. They have some very intense battles, Rock vs Clothespin, Paper Vs Computer Printer, Scissors vs Roll of Tape but they always emerge victorious. 

They start to lose hope and become sad that they will never find a worthy opponent until a fateful meeting in the great cavern of Two-Car Garage. You can probably guess what happened at this epic battle because children all over the world still honor these great warriors by playing....

ROCK  PAPER  SCISSORS

This book was so fun to read. I seriously read it in kung fu voices. I loved The Day the Crayon Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home. Drew Daywalt does a great job of taking every day objects and giving them a fun personality. 

Book & Audiobook Review: The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

Author: Christopher Healy

Pages: 436

ISBN: 0062117459

Recommended for ages 8-14

Who is Prince Charming?

When did the princes from our favorite fairy tales lose their names and become "Prince Charming". According to The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom you can thank the barbs from their kingdoms for the generic title of Prince Charming. Healy mashes up the stories and characters of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Rapunzel to finally give Prince Charming a voice in his own story.

To start, we find out a little background about our Princes. Prince Frederic saved Cinderella but he is having a hard time keeping up with her adventurous spirit. He would rather have a safe ball and show off his impressive dance skills. Prince Duncan awoke Snow White with a kiss and they were married but he is having a hard time settling into married life (they by far are the most suited for each other). Prince Liam also awoke Sleeping Beauty with a kiss but she turns to be more like one of Cinderella's evil step sisters than the Briar Rose we know and love. And poor Prince Gustav. Before he could even get to Rapunzel she rescued herself from and the tower AND made it worse by healing Prince Gustav with her magical tears. Between his manly pride and his horde of brothers, he is having a hard time coping. 

The story actually starts after all of this has happened when its discovered that the barbs of the kingdoms have been kidnapped. The witch from Rapunzel is tired of being a secondary character in these stories and has concocted an evil plan to finally have her time in the spot light. The Princes stumble and fall their way through this adventure to save the barbs of their kingdoms.  

I listened to the audibook version of this book and I can not recommend it enough!! Bronson Pinchot did such an amazing job with all the character voices! My 8 year old and I listened to it together on our commute to and from school and there were times we were laughing out loud at some of things the characters said and did. My daughter and I both love fractured fairy tales and this one did not disappoint. The only downside to the audiobook is that we didn't get to enjoy the graphics in the book. Its not a picture book by any means but the graphics that are spread out in the book are great!

Book Review: Harlem Charade by Natasha Tarpley

The Harlem Charade

Author: Natasha Tarpley

Pages: 297

ISBN: 1536681474

Recommended for ages 10-16

Harlem is a beautiful community with people from all backgrounds. Jin spends most of her time either at school or helping her grandparents in their bodega. Alex spends her time helping people in the neighborhood to make up for the fact that her wealthy parents seem to ignore those less fortunate. Elvin has spent the last few days scared and living on the streets after his grandfather's mysterious attack left him homeless. 

Big changes are in the works for the Harlem community and not everyone is excited about them. A politican is trying to push a theme park, Harlem World, on the community and it results in some historical sites in Harlem closing. When a painting from a lost famous artist is found, it starts a series of events that lead Jin, Alex and Elvin on a harrowing adventure to find the rest of her paintings. These paintings could be the key to save Harlem! Jin finds the adventure she has been craving, Alex finds a way to help her community, and Elvin gets the learn about his grandfather's past. Will they find them in time to save Harlem?

I listened to the audio version of this book and loved the narration. This book is on the 2018-2019 Texas Bluebonnet Reading List (for elementary students) and while I enjoyed the book, I think it would have been more successful on the Texas Lonestar Reading list (for middle school students). I thought  the plot was good and the setting of Harlem was beautiful. I loved hearing about all the art and history of Harlem. However, I don't think the story is something that will hold the attention of an 8 or 9 year old.