The SECOND Post of BOOKMAS!

Season's greetings...

...and welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

It's time for POST TWO of the TWELVE DAYS OF BOOKMAS.

What IS Bookmas, you ask?

Great question!

Bookmas is similar to Christmas, except it brings tidings of great reads, holiday gifting suggestions, and just about all the bookish fun you can imagine from across the genre spectrum.  It's all in one place at one time (sorta) and ready to help you get out from under the yuletide stress, and get back to enjoying the season...one page at a time.  

Just why is it the "Twelve Posts" and not the twelve books?  Simple...I have WAY TOO MANY titles for you to consider, peruse, and read all about to limit it to twelve titles.  These posts are intended to highlight some great titles, give you ideas for your gifting this year, and help me clear up my "read-it-but-need-to-review-it" teetering stack.  Triple focus...yes siree!  So, ready or not, let's get this sled on the road as we unwrap today's featured titles....

Code 7:

Cracking the Code for an Epic Life

by

Bryan R. Johnson

9781940556000

Candy Wrapper Inc

A short but sweet collection showcasing the life and times of several youngsters striving to be the change they wish to see in the world...they just don't know it yet. From well-intentioned money-making schemes gone wrong to artistic challenges grown larger than life, and a little bit of everything in between, these kiddos remind us that taking the easy way out has its own set of consequences, and that the big picture really and truly is bigger than us all. While imparting their messages to us, they also learn the power of many versus one to solve a problem, to be selfless with their time to reap the best rewards, and to never back down from a challenge because without those willing to fight the good fight, nothing would ever change.  An inspiring pick for readers of all ages.

The Tiny Hero of Ferny Creek Library

by

Linda Bailey

Illustrated by

Victoria Jamieson

9780062440952

Greenwillow Books

How can you NOT love a book reading/writing little bug out to save the school library? Exactly. Eddie is a bug living the life, or rather trying to rescue Aunt Min, stop his bitty buggy brother from being squished, and experience the wonders of the library before its too late. The new librarian, if one could even call her that, is nothing short of an enemy of the written word. Good thing there's a ghost of a chance of putting her in her place before it's too late. I mean, who else would the mysterious stickies have been left/written by? Certainly not anyone so small and easy to overlook as a bright green little bug with a penchant for the classics....certainly not indeed.

A great reminder that "a person's a person, no matter how small"...well said, Stuart Little...and very applicable here as we see the might and power of one teeny tiny voice against the forces that be.

Brave Red, Smart Frog:

A New Book of Old Tales

by

Emily Jenkins

Illustrated by

Rohan Daniel Eason

9780763665586

Candlewick Press

A collection of tales we know and love through new eyes...and with the interconnecting piece added, it certainly makes you wonder why ANYONE would EVER venture into or near a frozen forest at ANY time.  Seriously...NOTHING GOOD EVER HAPPENS THERE...well, for the most part anyway.  Think about it...Snow White meeting her untimely end (temporarily)...a prince being cursed to life as an amphibian...a woodcutter turning his wife's nose into a sausage...need I go on?

A great pick for Children's Fiction fans of the middle grade set and beyond...the beyond will especially enjoy the frankness in the telling of the stories as well as the snark that is imparted.

Special thanks to Candy Wrapper Inc, Greenwillow Books, Candlewick Press, and FSB Associates for the copies for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on these titles, the authors, or the publishers, feel free to click through the links provided above.  Be sure to check back for the next BOOKMAS post tomorrow for more bookish fun!

Happy holidays and happy reading!



BLOG TOUR: The Haunted Library by Dori Hillestad Butler

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers, the place to be when the need to read takes over and you just don't know which page to turn.  No worries, we've got your back....or bookmarker.  ^_^

Today, we say HELLO to a brand spanking new Middle Grade series that you're gonna want to take note of.  Why?  Well, because it's a BLAST, that's why!  Whether you're the target audience age or beyond, you're in for a treat, but before I get too far ahead of myself, let's meet book one AND two, shall we?  Guys and gals, join me if you please in a very special library where time is not an issue and all the world's a book.....

The Haunted Library

and

The Haunted Library:  The Ghost in the Attic

by

Dori Hillestad Butler

Illustrated by

Aurore Damant

In book 1, we meet Mom, Pops, Little John, Cosmo, and Kaz...a happy family living in the old school house complete with a library!  Dream come true?  Yes and no....did I mention that they are non-solids aka GHOSTS?  Now don't go running away, covering your eyes, or ducking for cover.  These guys aren't out to scare you unless you're the GIANT swinging ball taking away their home and scattering this little family to who knows where.  Yep...then you'd have a problem.  As it stands, the problem belongs to Kaz.  In his case, at least he drifted into the open window of a LIBRARY.  I mean, can you believe the luck?!  Also lucky for him, he meets a solid (sorry, living human) he can depend because despite his lack of ghostly talents, SHE CAN SEE HIM.  Oh yeah, can we say adventure?  DEFINITELY!  Leave it to the daughter of detectives to find a way to not only befriend a ghostly being but join forces with them to uncover the truth behind paranormal mysteries all around them...

Book 2 picks up just after the first one ends, allowing readers to continue to develop their relationship with both Claire and Kaz...as well as a few others we've come to love, or at least tolerate.  (LOL.)  Now that this dynamic duo has solved one case and formed an agency of sorts, it's time to put their skills to the test and seek out the rest of Kaz's family.  Ah yes, a noble task indeed but don't expect it to be a walk in the park.  There are OTHER cases to solve, neighbors to suspect, winds to avoid, and pets to chase.  Umm, forget you read that last part.  *ahem*  I can honestly say with these two on the case, you've nothing to fear...expect the unknown noises coming from Mrs. Beesley's house that sound PRETTY ghostly!  *-*  But, they've GOT THIS...and so will you!

Overall, I'd give this series an enthusiastic TWO thumbs up for style, idea, illustrations, and follow through.  It's true to the characters and the plotline created with a few twists and turns to keep things interesting.  Remember, just because it's AIMED at Middle Grade readers, doesn't mean it can't grow WITH them. A fine example of imagination at play and a fun read indeed!  (I mean really, how can you wrong!  It's set in a LIBRARY of all places!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Review copies received courtesy of Michele at Provato Events.  (THANKS!)  For more information on THIS TOUR as well as their future promotions, be sure to stop by their site.  These titles are available now via Grosset & Dunlap, a member of the Penguin Group, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.  Thanks again to Dori Hillestad Butler for appearing and for additional stops on the Haunted Library Blog Tour, be sure to stop by her site.

Oh and BEFORE you go...there are MORE books planned in the series so if you've wet your whistle and can't wait for more, here's the release schedule that I sneaked a peek at (at least as it stands today)...

October 2014:  The Haunted Library:  The Ghost Backstage

Spring 2015:  The Haunted Library:  The Five O'Clock Ghost

Summer 2015:  The Haunted Library:  The Secret Room

Fall 2015:  The Haunted Library:  TBD

Until next time...happy reading!