Book Review - The Royal Treasure Measure

The Royal Treasure Measure: Math Is Fun!

By: Trudy Harris
Publisher: Millbrook Press
Publication Date: August 2012
ISBN: 978-0761368069
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: November 8, 2012

King Balbazar’s kingdom didn’t so much as have a lightbulb and naturally there weren’t any computers lying around. There “were no yardsticks or rulers in those days” and when the queen asked her seamstress to make some drapes that were “ten spoons long,” she was in for a big surprise. The seamstress worked diligently as she measured out the length with her mixing spoon from a bolt of cloth. Clip, clip and a little sewing and she had drapes ... that came down the wall and all across the floor. The queen’s eyes widened at the sight of those oh-too-long drapes. Oh, my!

The drapes were certainly a dud, but surely King Balbazar’s tailors could make him a robe. “Tailors snipped and mended, / stitching day and night. / And even though they struggled / the fit was never right.” Yes, it ‘twas a wee bit short. There were problems all over the kingdom. Measuring with spoons, candles, and sausages made things go awry. What could be done? Ah, King Balbazar thought, they could have a contest. The person who could solve the riddle and find a treasure would win Princess Star’s hand in marriage. Princess Star began to yell, “My hand? NO WAY!” Just who was going to try to solve the problem and win the princess’s hand (maybe)?

This is an humorous little story in rhyme that will teach children about the concept of measurement. King Balbazar’s dilemma teaches young children the pre-math concept of measurement, something his subjects just couldn’t seem to master. Without a concrete, consistent way of using measuring tools, nothing came out right in his kingdom nor anything will come out right in ours. Children will laugh as they see a carpenter trying to measure with sausages and the result of his work. The illustrations are bright, peppy, and have a perfect goofy-like appeal that meshes perfectly with the tale. In the back of the book is a “Foot Note” discussing the history of the “foot” measurement. This is a perfect read and discuss tale for circle and story time!

Quill says: If you are interested in teaching pre-math concepts in a preschool or kindergarten setting, this humorous tale is the perfect place to start!

Book Review - Fly, Chick, Fly!

Fly, Chick, Fly!

By: Jeanne Willis
Publisher: Anderson Press
Publication Date: August 2012
ISBN: 978-1467703147
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: November 8, 2012

In a deep forest an owl peered out from a hole in the middle of an oak tree. Who-o-o! She was sitting on three eggs on a nest she had built. “She sat on the eggs all day and night. / For thirty days and nights. / Every dawn, every dusk, Father Owl went / hunting to feed Mother Owl.” It wasn’t long before the first chick hatched when the trees began to bud. The second came when they had blossomed and the third arrived when the blossoms fell to the ground. The littlest chick struggled to get out of his egg as the older ones looked on. Who-o-o would be the first to leave the nest?

Father Owl hunted and brought back food for Mother Owl to feed her chicks. Throughout the season the “chicks grew and grew,” but the littlest chick was ... well, still the littlest and wouldn’t leave first. When it was time, the first chick left the nest as Father and Mother Owl watched as she struggled to fly over the green blackberries, “but then she flew!” The second chick left “when the blackberries were ripe.” He swirled through the air, tumbling toward the ground, but he too flew. Autumn had arrived and it was time for the last chick to leave, but he declared, “Not I!” Would the littlest chick ever leave the nest?

This delightful, lyrical tale will delight little chicks and children too. Like the little chick, young children sometimes are tentative and frightened in new situations. The littlest chick was afraid a crow or a train might hurt him and children often have similar, somewhat groundless fears. I loved the heartwarming twist at the end of the book, something that will bring a smile to the reader’s face. The whimsical pastels are quite charming and sometimes lightly humorous. One of my favorite scenes is when Mother Owl is seen tugging at the littlest owl’s tail feathers trying to get him to let go of a tree branch and fly away. This is a beautiful little tale that would make a perfect story for circle or storytime!

Quill says: This adorable, heartwarming tale just might prove to be a bedtime favorite!

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Book Review - Wall-To-Wall Dead

Wall-To-Wall Dead: A Do-It-Yourself Mystery

By: Jennie Bentley
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: September 2012
ISBN: 978-0425255568
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: November 5, 2012

Avery Baker and her partner Derek Ellis had barely survived their stint on the show “Flipped out,” especially after the owner of the house was murdered. They were willing to try another flip, but this time as an engaged couple. Avery, otherwise known as ‘Tink,’ and Derek were going to check out a condo that fell in their laps. It wasn’t going to be anything like renovating the Victorian cottage Tink had inherited from her Aunt Inga, but it could be a money maker. Waterfield had a quaint small-town flavor and the residents of the condo association were unfortunately blessed with what every other small town had ... a snoop. “There are no secrets in this place,” claimed Shannon, “because Miss Shaw knows them all.”

Hilda Shaw probably held her ear to a glass on the wall too, but Tink and Derek were just going to have to put up with her poppycock if they wanted to flip that condo. Hilda obviously thought her lace curtains made her invisible, but when no one spotted her peering out from behind them for a while, they became concerned. Barnham professor Amelia Easton noticed it as well and discussed her isolation with Derek. “I’ve lived here over a year, and I’ve never seen her leave the building.” After drilling into the lock on Hilda’s door, the odor of death wafting into the hallway gave them their answer. It wouldn’t be long before Wayne Rasmussen, Waterfield’s chief of police, would be on the scene.

Seriously, nobody even liked Hilda, but when Gregg Brewer started whistling “Ding dong! The witch is dead,” Tink and Derek did feel a modicum of sympathy for her. After Brendon Thomas did his “CSI thing” and the medical examiner did his, there were still a lot of unanswered questions. Amelia had claimed the woman had severe allergies, but where was that EpiPen? Things began to look even more suspicious when someone rifled through her apartment. Tink and Derek would have to take an even closer look when yet another resident inexplicably died. Were some of Hilda’s little secrets actually worth killing for? Would Tink’s predilection for her own brand of snooping earn her a pair of concrete shoes?

This Do-It-Yourself mystery series is definitely proving to be wall-to-wall fun. Jennie Bentley certainly has the small-town characterization of Maine down pat. Of course Waterfield could be any other town U.S. of A, but there was just something about it that rang a bell. Tink and Derek were a charming couple and the situation they found themselves in, save one extra corpse, was quite believable. I liked the interplay between the couple as they worked together to solve the mystery. Hilda might have been a nosy busybody, but somehow she simply became annoying rather than marginalized. The flow of this cozy mystery was perfect and had just the right amount of punch to make it a page turner!

Quill says: If you like your cozy mysteries with a dash of romance and a big dollop of intrigue, you'll love the Do-It-Yourself mystery series!

Book Review - Pride & Prejudice With a Side of Grits

Pride & Prejudice With a Side of Grits

By: Jane Austen & Mary Calhoun Brown
Publisher: Wentworth & Collins Publishers
Publication Date: September 2012
ISBN: 978-0-6156-7583-1
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: November 5, 2012

One of the most loved books of all time is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. This amazing novel has lasted through a century and will last a century more, because of the incredible romance of Lizzy and Mr. Darcy that maintains its fascination, humor and elegance for readers of all genres. Pride & Prejudice was so incredible and so well-loved that it has spawned an abundance of novels that imitate Austen’s memorable characters, with the latest parody being Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. However, there has been no ‘re-telling’ that has ever been as funny as this!

Is the story the same? Basically. But instead of beginning with Mrs. Bennet screaming at Mr. Bennet about how he must go to greet the new gentleman who just came into town by the name of Mr. Bingley, so they can marry off one of their daughters to him, we begin with Flo screaming at her husband Benny, (in the same frantic tone), that the double-wide on the other side of the Park N’ Shop has been rented by a Nashville ‘feller’ named Buford, who is most definitely rich considering he tricked the government into giving him both welfare AND disability checks. Yup, that’s right! Buford is just right for their little Janie.

The girls are still the same: Janie is the pretty one; Lizzy is pretty too, but compared to Janie she’s “uglier ‘n home-made soap.” Lydie is the girl about town. In fact, she likes to wear jeans so tight that if she had a nickel in her back pocket people could see whether it was heads or tails. And, well…you get the point.

Buford is the new buck in town and Benny will have to fold and go meet him. Sending over a free coupon for an oil change just isn’t going to cut it. Soon a party is thrown (by the way, these scenes are so hysterical there isn’t enough room to write about every single one in a review). But, yes, soon Mr. Darcy…oops, I mean Dutch, enters the story, and he turns Flo off in about a second and a half. He’s wearing his Sunday best yet he has the sourest expression on his face. He has a very big farm called Pembrook, has money up to his knees, but Dutch is definitely not an easy guy to get to know. And when he starts romancing Lizzy with his put-downs and insults against her kin, he finally meets the one woman who will not treat him like he’s ‘snot on silver,’ whether he likes it or not.

Yes, Mr. Wickham, the bad guy, is here. His name is Joe and he takes poor Lydie off to Dollywood, embarrassing the family forever. But Dutch jumps in to help Lizzy’s family and figures out that deep down inside Lizzy is the girl for him. Cooter (Mr. Collins) as well as Charlotte, Lizzy’s best friend, are also here to enlighten the reader.

In the end, there will be two factions of readers out there: The die-hard Austen lovers who will find this to be a sin against nature as much as the ‘Zombies’ were; and others who will laugh all night long, share the scenes with their friends, and put this one on their ‘Top Ten’ lists for 2012. Ms. Calhoun Brown deserves an A+!

Quill Says: If Ms. Austen were alive today, she’d sit on the porch with this book in her hand and laugh until she cried! Excellent job!

Book Review - I Saw Zombies Eating Santa Claus

I Saw Zombies Eating Santa Claus: A Breathers Christmas Carol

By: S.G. Browne
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: October 2012
ISBN: 978-1476708720
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: November 2, 2012

Andy Warner is having a very bad day. He’s been poked, prodded, electrocuted, and oh, yes, he can’t scream because his mouth has been sewn shut. Did I mention Andy is a zombie?

Andy was once a normal, somewhat boring “Breather” (human), but that was before the car accident that took the life of his wife and left Andy, er, more or less dead. Reanimated as a zombie, Andy led a zombie civil rights movement that ended in, well, complete failure. Now he’s living, um, existing, in a research facility where he is the organization's prized experiment. That is until a member of PETZ (People for the Ethical Treatment of Zombies) sneaks into the facility and frees all the zombies. Andy is the only one who is able to escape the humans who are sent to capture the escaped zombies.

With Christmas just around the corner, Andy is soon wearing a Santa outfit to try and blend in with the Breathers. He meets a young girl, Annie, who has the same name, and is about the same age, as his own daughter who was left an orphan when Andy and his wife died in the car accident. The catch is that Annie, age 9, believes Andy is the real Santa Claus and who can resist a sweet little girl with a drunk for a mother and no Christmas tree? Apparently, not even zombies can resist such a cute girl. Andy decides to bring cheer to Annie while also helping Patrick, a zombie friend who was re-captured, gain his freedom.

To say this is a dark comedy would be an understatement. It’s about as “black” as you can get and it is fabulously funny to boot. The author has a knack for turning rather gross topics into comical ideas and does it again and again, throughout this somewhat brief tale. The style is engaging, witty, and you'll be groaning and laughing throughout.

Quill says: Dark, bizarre, very funny, and yes, with a bit of sentimentality thrown in, I Saw Zombies Eating Santa Claus is the perfect Christmas read for those who like VERY black comedy in their holiday reading.

Angel Chronicles Giveaway

The angel/warrior team is back! Posters, t-shirts, amazon gift cards - Gilded Wings has an amazing lift-off today! Check it out!! (If you win the t-shirts, you can wear the angel and warrior all the time!) ENJOY! Gilded Wings Giveaway