#BookReview of #ChildrensBook Mr. Hoopeyloops Meets Rex by Andi Cann

Mr. Hoopeyloops meets Rex, A Very Clumsy Boy by Andi Cann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rex is an accident prone little boy with good intentions. When he hears that Mr. Hoopeyloops needs an assistant, Rex decides he wants the job. Will the arrangement work out for everyone? Read along to find out…

This is a cute story about overcoming adversity, finding confidence and making friends. The illustrations are colorful and attractive. The story is a positive one.

The one thing I’d say is that this book is a little heavy on text, which might make it difficult to hold the attention of younger children. The intended age level, according to the book info, is 1 – 11, which in my opinion is a big age span. I plan to read this to a library group, so I’ll find out if toddlers appreciate the illustrations enough to follow along. However, I feel that older children should enjoy the story and have no trouble with the vocabulary included in the text. I think the book is worth the download.

4 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, https://ebookreviewgal.com

View all my reviews

The Magic of Harry Potter and How I’ve Come to Love the Book Series

I admit that I’m extremely late getting to the Harry Potter Party, but I recently began reading the book series. When Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone came out I was a busy single mom of three young children with a ton of responsibilities and reading just never seemed to fit into the schedule. When the movie was released, I took my youngest son to see it and I was in total awe. Sure, it was long, particularly for children, but it was truly magical.

Now that I have more time to read for my own enjoyment I find myself happily gravitating to children’s books and the Harry Potter series was a natural choice. I decided to read the series, in order of course, and have completed the first two books – the aforementioned Sorcerer’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets.

Regarding Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone, at first I wasn’t all that impressed with J K Rowling’s writing – that is, the mechanics of her writing. What I do think is she’s an amazing world-builder and that’s what makes this series so phenomenal. Readers become completely engrossed in the magical world of Hogwarts, Magic and Muggles. Sure, there are some glaring plot holes that adult readers might find glaringly obvious, but when we remember that this is a children’s book series these things are easily forgivable. And the author's writing improves tremendously as the series progresses.

There’s no denying that J K Rowling’s success with the Harry Potter series has probably far surpassed anything anyone could have ever imagined. It’s not often that a book is turned into a movie, but an entire book series being spun into a movie series is quite an awesome feat. And let’s not forget that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios continues to break visitor records year after magical year. A clear indication that there's no short supply of Potterheads in the world. Affection for the series shows no signs of waning anytime soon.

Would I recommend reading the series? Absolutely! The books are fun, fast-paced, non-wordy, and spectacularly glorious. Readers can quickly find themselves immersed in the tales of Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of J K Rowling’s characters. If you read for the sheer pleasure of it, then I encourage you to begin the series. If you read the Harry Potter books as a child, I encourage you to revisit as an adult. You’ll be seeing things through an entirely different perspective.

Book Review of Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Hollow City begins immediately where Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Book 1 in the series) leaves off. The children are adrift in rowboats on the ocean after rescuing Miss Peregrine from the Wights and Hollows. The only problem is Miss Peregrine is stuck in her current bird form. When the children finally reach land, they discover that Miss Peregrine only has three days to change back to human form or she’ll be a helpless bird forever. Thus begins the long, arduous journey of finding the only other surviving Ymbryne, Miss Wren, who can help.

This book is long and, in many places, it drags on quite a lot. It’s definitely a plot-driven novel, in that the seemingly never ending series of events drag the children along and things simply happen to them while they react. Therefore, we still see the same character traits that we saw in Book 1. Nothing much new is happening with character development.

Basically, this book, from start to finish, is a very long quest to find Ms. Wren. Like I said…long.

I didn’t like that, as with the first book, this installment also ends abruptly with no real resolution. Whenever an author does this, I get the distinct impression this is simply a ploy to get readers to purchase the next book. Therefore, neither Book 1 nor Book 2 is a standalone read.

I doubt I’ll go on to read Book 3. I’m suspicious that it’ll be just more of the same drawn out storyline. The movie, based on Book 1, was TONS better than either book. I’d see Book 2 in movie version if it ever becomes available. Otherwise, I’m pretty much done with this series.

3 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton

Free Kids Book Journal Page to Print and Save

I'm all about getting kids to read. (*See my bookmarks printable here) Here's another FREE printable for you to use to encourage your children to read books and write about them. 

Print this page out, have the kiddos fill in the info and store the sheets in a special binder. Children can use regular store-bought binders, that they've decorated with all sorts of cool craft supplies. What a great activity for the whole family to enjoy!

Instructions:

Click the photo to enlarge in a new window. Save to your computer and then print from there. Super simple! 

*This collage sheet is for your own personal use. Please do not sell or redistribute it in any manner.

Free Bookmarks to Color

I'm sharing this free coloring sheet of four bookmarks to color, from the eBook Review Gal website. Print on standard size white cardstock. Have the kiddos color them in with crayons, pencils or markers, then cut them out to use in books. It's a good way to encourage reading! 

Instructions: 

Click on the photo to open in a new window. Right click to save to your computer, then print. 

Libraries on your Front Lawn

In an age where eBooks are quickly catching up to traditional print books it’s good to know there are ordinary citizens who are making it possible to share books free of charge.

Libraries across the country are feeling the effects of the poor economy like everyone else. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, some libraries have even been forced to close their doors. And, in some cases, several closings have occurred in a single city. All of this is leaving many American cities and towns with no satisfactory way of borrowing books. That’s where the Little Free Library comes in.

The concept is simple. Participants are encouraged to build and maintain mini-libraries on their own front lawn. All that’s needed is a weather proof, box-style compartment on a secure post structure to safely store books. Using recycled materials is also a great idea. Old mailboxes, dresser drawers and even phone booths have been used to create little libraries.

According to the Little Free Library website, “If this were just about providing free books on a shelf, the whole idea might disappear after a few months. There is something about the Little Library itself that people seem to know carries a lot more meaning. Maybe they know that this isn't just a matter of advertising or distributing products. The unique, personal touch seems to matter, as does the understanding that real people are sharing their favorite books. Leaving notes or bookmarks, having one-of-a-kind artwork on the Library or constantly re-stocking it with different and interesting books can make all the difference.

What a wonderful way to promote literacy and build a better sense of community. I encourage everyone to consider building their own little free library.

For more information, visit the Little Free Library website. There are little library structure plans available on the site that are extremely helpful in getting you started.