Book Review - Small Game Hunting

Small Game Hunting: Rabbit, Raccoon, Squirrel, Opossum, and More

By: Tom Carpenter
Publisher: Lerner Publications
Publication Date: August 2012
ISBN: 978-1467702249
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: November 2012

When young people first start to hunt, one of the best ways to start their “hunting career” is with small game. When we talk about small game we usually think about “squirrels, possums, raccoons, rabbits, and hare.” If you think they are easy to hunt, you may have to rethink your strategy because hunting a white hare in snow takes quite a bit of skill to say nothing of having a sharp eye. You have to be a skillful hunter, learn how to track, and ultimately spot your prey. Native American boys and girls often joined in the hunt by “hunting squirrels and rabbits” while adults hunted larger game. The youngster hunted for food with bows and arrows as well as “traps and snares.”

European settlers also “relied on small game for food,” but instead of the bow and arrow, they used the flintlock rifle. Trapping was also a way they caught their food. You’ll also learn about how and why the small game population increased upon their arrival. Although in this day and age people still hunt small game it is also protected. For example there are hunting seasons and bag limits. When you purchase a hunting license it will “help fish and game agencies keep track of who is hunting what game.” You’ll read about small game habitats, limitations on licenses, conservation efforts, and why we study small game.

Before you even can consider hunting, you must learn about “hunting laws and practices that will help you have fun and stay safe.” Most states do require anyone who will be hunting to take hunter safety courses. If you are uncertain, some states do offer mentored hunting programs. State laws and available hunting lands vary from state to state, something the young wannabe hunter will have to look into. You’ll also learn about where you can hunt (or not), key hunting regulations, the code of ethics you should follow “beyond what is in a regulations booklet, the type of guns you might opt to use, firearms safety, other equipment you’ll need, suggestions for hunting an assortment of small game, you’ll be able to take a look at a small game guide, and will learn a bit about field care, and cooking small game.

This is an excellent look at hunting small game for the young hunting enthusiast. Although there are many young wannabe hunters, I’ve never seen one book specifically aimed toward the juvenile age group save those aimed toward actual licensing law. The overview is basic, yet the information on small game is a perfect introduction to the sport. The book has numerous photographs (both black and white and full-color), diagrams, and informative sidebars. For example, they cover topics such as blaze orange, firearms safety, and snowshoe hare hunting. This is one in a series of six in the “Great Outdoors Sports Zone.” In the back of the book is an index, a glossary, and additional recommended book and website resources to explore. There are additional free downloadable resources on the publisher’s website.

Quill says: If you want to introduce hunting or fishing to the young wannabe sports enthusiast, the "Great Outdoor Sports Zone" series is the perfect place to start!

Book Review - Snakebite

Snakebite (After the Dust Settled)

By: Jonathan Mary-Todd
Publisher: Darby Creek Publishing
Publication Date: August 2012
ISBN: 978-0761383277
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: November 2012

Once upon a time they all lived in the Frontier Motel, “a place where people would stop and rest for a night or two before they got where they were going.” There was no rest any more for Martin, Hector, Malik, Beckley, and her sister Emma. They’d been on the road, so to speak, for several seasons. First the phones died and right on top of that, so did all the adults, including their parents. Yeah, dead, the lot of them and places like the Frontier were dangerous as anyone left would fight for a place to stay. It was better to keep on the move. Beckley would pore over “Gene Matterhorn’s Wilderness Survival Guidebook,” a guide that would keep them ... well, living.

They stuck to the woods, but that wasn’t always safe. “Back away,” Malik calmly told Hector, “Don’t look it in the eyes.” The snake didn’t care and it was already too late for Hector, who’d gotten bitten. Beckley looked into her guide and found out that it was a checkerback. That snake wouldn’t kill anyone, but could disfigure them. Those puncture marks weren’t going to be a picnic for Hector, but that snake would make a nice meal if properly prepared. It wasn’t a half bad meal, but soon Hector’s arm would look pretty nasty. Foraging for food wasn’t easy, but Martin looked ahead and actually had prepped a Radio Flyer wagon. It was kind of a “garden on wheels.”

There weren’t any people to be seen as they headed east, except for dead ones now and then. Beckley was always ready for any kind of circumstances and she even read about bear attacks in the guidebook. Be prepared could have been her motto, but soon things would take a change for the worse and preparation was useless. The sun was beginning to set and Malik urged them on when they saw “blood moving downstream past [them] in the water.” It was yet another dead body, but who knew when he died? It could have been minutes before. All of a sudden the group found themselves under attack by a disfigured band of boys dressed in black. Arrows began to fly though the air. They rushed in to steal their backpacks and provisions, but stole something even more valuable ... Emma. Would they be able to get her back? Would the survival guide give them the clues they needed to find her?

This is a fast-paced survivalist adventure that will thrill the young reader. Reluctant readers, the target audience for this tale, will be enticed by this short, action-packed read. The scenario for this series, “After the Dust Settled” is one in which the world as we know it has ended and only the young survive ... if they can. The tale moves along quickly as this band of teens stick together as they move east. Malik, their apparent leader, tells their story in a matter-of-fact way as survival has simply become their way of life. The flow of the narrative is smooth and I definitely was able to “recognize” different personality types in the group. For example, Hector is the impatient, sensitive type while Malik is a strong, quiet leader. If you have reluctant or newly independent readers who want short, but exciting novels, this is one series you may wish to add to your library or classroom shelves.

Quill says: The "After the Dust Settled" series is perfect for the young, reluctant reader who wants an exciting read, but not a lengthy one!

Book Review - The Mysterious Manuscript

The Mysterious Manuscript (Mortensen's Escapades)

By: Lars Jakobsen
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Publication Date: August 2012
ISBN: 978-0761378839
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: November 2012

Agent Mortensen’s job was to make sure that history was kept “in the right order” and to make sure that “valuable artifacts” stayed in the proper time. If he didn’t do his job properly, chaos could ensue. On a dark rainy night in Denmark in 1929, he followed a map drawn on a piece of notebook paper. It led him to Havne Kroen, an unusual establishment where a strange man sat sipping a beer. He demanded that Mortensen sit down and declared “I collect ancient books and illuminated manuscripts. A few days ago I found a book from Scotland ... from a rare book collection.”

When Motensen glanced at the pages, he was astonished to see an illustration of an airplane. How on earth did an airplane get to the year 1512? The rare book collector knew that Mortensen could travel through time, but it was not something he would discuss. The book had to be destroyed! It was however, necessary to get to Scotland to find out why that plane had ended up in the Middle Ages. He boarded the ship, the A.P. Bernstorff, as he began his journey. Professor Wonmug had invented time travel and Mortensen would have to use his Time Gun to do some sleuthing. When he arrived, he figured he would wait until dark to enter the castle and grab the illuminated manuscript.

“I’ve got to find that book!” Mortensen exclaimed to himself. The only logical place was in a library, but the search would be daunting. Once he had the book he’d go back through time, but soon he would discover that he had more problems than he bargained for. A creaky door slowly began to open and a creepy ogre-like man stared at him under the light of his candle. “THIEF!” The only way to escape was to use his Time Gun, but Mortensen just might have a fight on his hands. Was he going to be able to escape the clutches of that creepy guy? If so, could he find out why a plane ended up in medieval Scotland?

This dark and mysterious time travel mystery, set in the Middle Ages, will entrance young mystery buffs. Mortensen is like a futuristic Sherlock Holmes who has to figure out how and why a plane was able to travel back through time. Once he did that it was critical to rectify the problem. This graphic novel has several elements that are alluring, including Blossom, a mute damsel in distress (a witch), Mandrake, an unusual scribe from Loch Ness, and characters like the greedy rare bookseller. Time travel adventures, as a rule, have many quirky twists and turns and this one is no exception. The artwork, keeping in tune with the tale, is dark and mysterious with splashes of color to illuminate it. In the back of the book are several historical dialogues that include “Illuminated Manuscripts,” “The First Bicycles,” “Witch Hunt,” “Dungeons,” and “The Libraries of Way Back When.”

Quill says: This exciting new series, Mortensen's Escapades, combines just the right elements of mystery and time travel that young graphic novel enthusiasts will love!

Book Review - Ghost Town

Ghost Town

By: Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson with Tim Waggoner
Publisher: Gallery Books, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Publication Date: October 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4516-1382-7
Reviewed by: Diane Lunsford
Review Date: November 2012

On the heels of Ghost Hunting, Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson strike while the iron is hot and collaborate with Tim Waggoner on their next paranormal novel: Ghost Town. The town is Exeter, the most haunted town in America and the story opens at the Forgotten Lore book store. Tonya Jackson, a college kid trying to make ends meet just wants to get rid of the last customer so she can get on to more important matters. Her friends are hosting a girls' night of tearjerker movies. However, until the annoying tourists make their purchase, Tonya is stuck and her patience is wearing thin. She hates October in Exeter. This is the month every year when the largest paranormal festival, Esotericon, invades Exeter. All it did for her was subject her to the craziest of the crazies in search of that opportune moment to party with the afterlife. Little did Tonya know it would be her last October in Exeter.

With their introduction of Tonya out of the way, Hawes and Wilson waste no time in shining the spotlight on three more characters: Amber Lozier, Trevor Ward and Drew Pearson. Fifteen years beyond high school, they reunite and return to Exeter to face down their demons. After a horrific experience thanks to their mutual interest in paranormal phenomena (and the burning to the ground of the Lowry House), it seems the plot is anchored for the story to take off. The event: Esotericon - an annual freak-fest frenzy for paranormal enthusiasts.

While the pace of this story doesn't necessarily drag, there is a fair amount of obvious cheekiness that tends to weigh it down in places. Some of the character descriptions; particularly Greg Daniels, are a little too overstated. Greg is a person from their past who has since passed over to the other side. When his spiritual self is introduced and resurfaces, his persona is overkill with his arrogant and know-it-all deliveries. Hawes and Wilson also spin a subplot of: does the guy get the girl the second time around when they introduce yet another character, Jenn Rinaldi, an Asian-American beauty who happens to be a former lover of Trevor's.

Even though the read itself is fairly fluid, there is a needless complexity throughout that is attributable to the overabundance of star characters. I found myself on more than one occasion pausing in order to refresh who was who and what their role was in the story line. The authors achieved what they set out to do in the writing of Ghost Town. It is a novel that plants the distinct question in the reader's mind of what goes on in life after death? I do have a fascination with that very wonder. However, I struggled with the premise because the writing jumped around among too many characters and the scenes didn't seem to flow in a natural progression before I was redirected to another part of town.

Quill Says: What does lurk on the other side?

Book Review - Do You Know Dewey?

Do You Know Dewey? Exploring the Dewey Decimal System

By: Brian P. Cleary
Publisher: Millbrook Press
Publication Date: August 2012
ISBN: 978-0761366768
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: November 2012

Melvil scratched his head as he stood on a stool and looked at the piles and piles of books on the shelves. It was just a big mess and there wasn’t any way he could find what he was looking for. When he grew up he was able to “make a system to organize those stacks of books and classify and list ‘em.” What Melvil did was make it easy for us to find where nonfiction books are in a library. “The Dewey decimal system keep nonfiction in its place. / Books are grouped by subject, such as art or outer space. / This system mainly covers books on topics that are real: / people, things, and places jammed with factual appeal!” In other words, when you go into a library you’ll be able to find what you are looking for instead of looking at a jumble of books.

If you think you want to learn more about the Internet you’d simply head to the shelves that are “labeled with the zeroes, or the Os.” You can see the labels on the ends of the shelves and on the spines of the books. Easy peasy! If you head to the 100s you can find out all about us, even those unusual things like ghosts and people like Harry Houdini. When you want to learn about the religions of the world “and probe beliefs and faiths of people living around the globe,” it’s off to the 200s. Anything you need to know about can easily be found if you know how the Dewey decimal system works. What section do you think this book would be in?

This is a fun, informative book about the Dewey decimal system the young reader will enjoy. This vibrant book makes the system come alive as Cleary’s inimitable rhyming scheme helps children learn where to find nonfiction books in a library. This is not an in-depth look at the system, but rather an introductory one for the younger student. The artwork is particularly vibrant as it dances throughout the pages. For example, when we take a peek at the 400s, we see a youngster in a darkened library. He is holding a torch aloft as he “explores” an Egyptian tomb. In the back of the book is a section on how to use the Dewey decimal system and a basic one on its actual numerical sequence.

Quill says: This is a perfect introduction to the Dewey decimal system, a "must have" for every library!

Book Review - Being a Model

Being a Model (On the Radar: Awesome Jobs)

By: Adam Sutherland
Publisher: Lerner Publications
Publication Date: August 2012
ISBN: 978-0761377825
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler

If you’ve seen models on the covers of magazines, on television, or walking the walk down the catwalk and want in, perhaps becoming a model is a career choice for you. Not everything about modeling is glamorous, but most models would say it’s worth it. Of course modeling, like many other jobs, “involves a lot of hard work and dedication to reach the top.” Models don’t usually work solo, but rather have several people behind them. They are “represented by model agencies” and have a model booker to schedule their jobs. Sometimes “fashion agencies send scouts to large events, such as music festivals, to search for new faces.” You never can tell if you just might be the person they are looking for!

Of course there is one thing that you do have to have. If you are a woman you “must be 5 feet 8 1/2 inches (1.7 meters) or taller and men 6 feet (1.8 meters) or taller.” Naturally, if you still have your heart set on that catwalk, you’ll have to add some inches to those numbers. There are several different types of modeling including editorial work (magazines), catalog modeling, catwalk, and advertising. If you want to go for the money, the best-paid work can be in TV commercials. Just a day’s work “can end up being worth hundreds of thousands of dollars” if the ad runs for several years.

Modeling can be a “record-breaking business.” Take for example model Carmen Dell’Orefice. Now she’s been modeling for 66 years. You’ll read about several other record-breakers in this book. You’ve probably seen several Hollywood models if you’re checking out the field, including former child actresses. Some of the most successful models include Gisele Bündchen, Heidi Klum, Kate Moss, Tyra Banks, and Naomi Campbell, all of whom are featured in this book. You’ll also learn about successful male models Tyson Beckford and Joy Fatoyinbo, Gemma Howorth (a hand model), you’ll read about some “Vital Statistics,” and you’ll learn many other interesting things about one of the best jobs in the world ... modeling!

This is a fascinating look at modeling, one of the more glamorous jobs in the world. If you think this is a book that will teach a youngster how to become a model, you’ll need to look elsewhere. Rather, it’s one that provides an overview of modeling as a career, including getting down to the nitty gritty of the lingo or “Model Speak.” Short paragraphs define words/terms such as photo shoot, go-sees, commercial modeling, and tear sheets. The layout is quite vibrant with loads of full-color photographs and sidebar-like blocks scattered throughout the text. There are a few interviews to pore over and a debate that focuses on “Size 0 on the Catwalk: Yes or No?” In the back of the book is an index and additional recommended book and website resources to explore.

Quill says: If you have a youngster who is an aspiring model, or is thinking about modeling as a career, you might want to add this book to your list!

Book Review - Being a DJ

Being a DJ (On the Radar: Awesome Jobs)

By: Lisa Regan and Matt Anniss
Publisher: Lerner Publications
Publication Date: August 2012
ISBN: 978-0761377757
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: November 2012

If you have a passion for music you don’t have to wait until you’re grown up to begin a career. In fact Club DJ Tom Thorpe started when he was only sixteen. Granted, it wasn’t easy and he really had to practice, but for Tom it was well worth the effort. In his interview for this book he has a lot of hints for the aspiring DJ, but also tells you how to be a stand-out. “Good DJs will show their passion and flair not only through their music but also with their body language when they play.” Do you think you have what it takes to be a DJ and give it your all like Tom did? If so, you just might get your inspiration by reading about the art and those who practice it.

Historically, people always loved to dance, but it wasn’t until the 1940s that anyone thought of becoming a disc jockey (DJ). In 1947, Jimmy Saville “experimented with two turntables and the idea quickly caught on.” In the 1950s and 1960s people were still dancing up a storm, but in the 1970s Djs took it one step further. The art had become a career for some as they became performers. The first one, DJ Francis Grasso “became the first to mix records together in a nightclub.” It was on these simple turntables along with their ingenious ways with mixers that new forms of music such as hip-hop were born.

Naturally when something becomes popular, it grows and changes with the times. Do you have a favorite Internet DJ? You may still see Djs at weddings and dances, but some of the most famous ones can be streamed into your home though an assortment of electronic devices. Djs such as Pete Tong are superstars! Throwing a record onto a turntable or pumping up the jam with a CD is a thing of the past as technology has taken over. “Techno wizards” are now turntabalists in their own right. They’re hot and their remixes are garnering awards. For example, David Guetta won a Grammy “Best Remixed Recording” for Madonna’s Revolver. How much better can you get than that? In this book you’ll read about some hot Djs, the equipment they use, the history of the art, you’ll read about some of the best turntablists, suggestions as to how to succeed, and you’ll learn many more interesting things about being a DJ, the “best job in the world!”

This is a fantastic look at the history of the DJ and those who work in the field. Perhaps one of the best features of this book is the eye-popping layout. The book explodes with photographs, artwork, and sidebars that almost literally dance through its pages. Many of the people discussed or interviewed in this book can be found on YouTube for a little added excitement. Included are Dj Kool Herc, DJ Pete Tong, DJ David Guetta, Grandmaster Flash, DJ Rafik, TheScratch Perverts, DJ A-Trak, DJ CashMoney, and others. A two-page spread gives the young reader a lingo lesson with BEAT SPEAK and a glossary that defines words included in the text. In the back of the book is an index, a debate section (Musicians or Jukeboxes?) and additional recommended book and website resources to explore.

Quill says: If you have a youngster who is passionate about music and would love being a DJ, this is one eye-popping book you might want to add to your list!