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Showing posts with label Jon Scieszka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jon Scieszka. Show all posts

Monday, October 25, 2010

The Frog Prince...Continued by Jon Scieszka

Hi there!
Welcome back to a new week here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!
Here's hoping you are having a great day and blue skies are all that await you this week.  What's that?  Why am I so chipper today?  Oh, no reason....


 


 
Hehe.
Yup.
Today's the day and so this post....totally pre-scheduled and probably all by it's lonesome unless I feel like logging in later on...doubtful, but ya never know since I luvs talking with all of you out there in the bloggy world.  But enough about me...let's get this PAR-TY started!  Today's post features a book from my own personal library as in straight from the heart of Mount Book-ulus itself.  It pays a visit to a childhood classic while adding its own unique twist (hmm, sorta like each birthday does if you think about it).  The book of choice for today is....

The Frog Prince...Continued
by
painting by

Once upon a time there was a frog....a girl kissed him (yuck!)...he turned into a prince...and POOF!  They lived happily ever after...or did they?  What REALLY happens to fairytale characters once we close the door on this very small chapter in their lives?  I mean they hardly even know each other!  How could they possibly know if they'd get along...have similar tastes...etcetera?  Is ONE kiss supposed to cement their relationship for all time?  What if it was just a fluke?  Here's your chance to find out....

Okay, I know what you're (probably) thinking....why on earth did she choose this book for Halloween?  You say WHY...I say, WHY NOT?  Let's break it down for a second here.  It has witches (several), magic (good and bad), and a frog...well, a frog prince, but he could still be used in a potion I'm sure since he kept the frog tongue according to the pictures which definitely puts him as more frog than prince in my book.  Also, did you see the cover?  *waits patiently while you scroll up*  The word "continued" is scrawled across the front in red...looks pretty ominous if you ask me (and you did ask, right?  Just making sure I'm not hearing voices now.... *glances around*).  Speaking of the cover...though my copy is a paperback, I love the look both front and back of an old-timey book with a worn leather cover and gilded letters across the front; definitely gets you in the mood for a good story...and it doesn't disappoint.

The characters from the original story are reintroduced to readers after their wedded bliss has reached an end and real life has taken hold.  In an effort to solve their problems, the Frog Prince (or is it more appropriate to say "former-frog-now prince"...) sets out to seek magical aid.  I won't go into too much detail since the story is rather short and thus easy to spoil, but his ensuing adventure takes a Goldilocks and the Three Bears turn as he encounters witch after witch after witch.  A great detail to note about these gals...they are all from other fairy tales!  That's right!  Despite the fact that our now-prince-former-frog was a frog for many a day, he's even heard of them before and was wisely warned to avoid them if possible.  The fun part of this aspect is in discovering which witch is which (say THAT ten times fast), or rather which stories they are from through the meticulous details inserted within the paintings.  See if you can pick them out along the way and then discover through the story itself whether you were wrong or right!  Oh, and the ending...bet you won't see THAT one coming...okay, well you'll see the ending since you'll be turning the pages but what happens, you won't guess.

All in all, a fun read from cover to quick ending; another win for picture and storybook fans in a supposedly declining market (we'll see about that).  Recommended reading fun for all ages.  As this title came from my own bookish treasure trove, there's no one to thank for a review copy....but should you wish to learn more about it, my own version lists Puffin Books as the publisher, so stop by their site for a looksie.

Until next time...happy reading!


Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Spaceheadz by Jon Sciezka and Francesco Sedita

Hello, hello!
It's time for another look into the reading happenings of yours truly, here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.  The feature of today's post should just be making it's rounds in a bookstore near you...and what a round indeed!  New schools, new friends (or not), alien encounters (or not), and a fuzzy little leader?  Yep, this is one for the imagination.  Without further adieu, today's book of choice is...

by
and

Michael K is not loving life.  Right about now he wishes with all his might that he was in his old school with his old friends....and yet, here he remains.  Where is here?  Good question!  Here is Mrs. Halley's fifth grade class at P.S. 858, Room 501-B.  Here is the new town called home for Michael K and his family.  Here is....exactly where he doesn't want to be.  As if starting school in a new town isn't rough enough, Michael K has the fortune (or perhaps misfortune?) of falling in with a rather odd crowd....of two.  Bob, Jennifer, and Mr. Fluffy.  Perfectly normal sounding names, right (well, except Mr. Fluffy, but I mean, he IS a hamster...who is also the leader of this Spaceheadz project apparently...)?  Yes....provided you aren't claiming to be pencil chewing, odd looking beings from outer space that happen to speak in commercials and think you can do anything, which is just what they need.  (Did I lose you?  No?  Good...)  So BITE THE BULLET and be 100% FRESH because this story is GRRRRREEAT!  (No really...it was fun.)

A quick read indeed....this book is filled with situations and events I can picture younger readers being drawn to, but older readers may get some of the puns from the "commercial" language more readily.  (They literally speak in commercial catch phrases, like GOT MILK and TRIX ARE FOR KIDS.  There's a reason for it...but alas, I can not reveal that part.)  Boys will certainly be able to relate to our young "hero" Michael K as he navigates the strange situation he is thrown into while trying to do the right thing by all.  This is definitely a book that requires quite a bit of imagination (a good thing) but also the ability to take things as they are without looking for the bigger picture (a hard thing for most adults).  A unique addition to the genre....although the ending...yeah, it's a good thing it's rumored to be the first in a series as much is left to be revealed. My inquiring mind really wanted to know the meaning of many things only partially revealed at this stage of series, but I shall wait...patiently....sort of (hehe).

A few additional points of interest, there are several pages inserted here and there that provide learning opportunities and activity suggestions for those younger inquisitive readers, making this a great classroom reading addition.  PLUS the websites mentioned within the text such as the Anti Alien Agency and the SPHDZ websites....REALLY exist!  DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE, DOUBLE YOUR FUN!

Special thanks to Lucille at Simon & Schuster for the ARC to review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on their fabulous titles, visit their website, or follow along on Twitter.  This book was scheduled to hit shelves today so be on the lookout in your local stores!  You never know...there might even be an increase in alien activities.  Better read up on how to spot and report them at the agency website.

Until next time....happy reading!



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