booksinckids's blog

Books Inc. Kids Review - Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Roller Girl Victoria Jamieson
Publication Date: March 10th, 2015
Publisher: Dial Books
Genre: Graphic Novels, Friendship, Humor
Ages: 9-12

For fans of Raina Telgemeier's "Smile," a heartwarming graphic novel about friendship and surviving junior high through the power of roller derby.
For most of her twelve years, Astrid has done everything with her best friend Nicole. But after Astrid falls in love with roller derby and signs up for derby camp, Nicole decides to go to dance camp instead. And so begins the most difficult summer of Astrid's life as she struggles to keep up with the older girls at camp, hang on to the friend she feels slipping away, and cautiously embark on a new friendship. As the end of summer nears and her first roller derby bout (and junior high ) draws closer, Astrid realizes that maybe she "is "strong enough to handle the bout, a lost friendship, and middle school in short, strong enough to be a roller girl.
In her graphic novel debut, real-life derby girl Victoria Jamieson has created an inspiring coming-of-age story about friendship, perseverence, and girl power.

A perfect graphic novel for fans of Raina Telgemeier, set in the rough-and-tumble world of roller derby. 13-year-old Astrid is instantly enamored with roller derby after seeing a bout with her mother and best friend.  She signs up for roller derby camp for the summer ready to kick butt and take names.  Then, turns out, roller derby isn't as easy as it looks.  On top of that, Astrid's friend grows apart as their interests diverge - a refreshingly realistic look at growing up.
Marie from Books Inc. in the Marina

Books Inc. Kids Review - The Lost Track of Time by Paige Britt

The Lost Track of Time by Paige Britt
Publication Date: May 31st, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genre: Fantasy and Magic
Ages: 8-12

A magical fantasy, an allegorical cautionary tale, a feast of language, a celebration of creativity--this dazzling debut novel is poised to become a story for the ages
Penelope is running out of time.
She dreams of being a writer, but how can she pursue her passion when her mother schedules every minute of her life? And how will she ever prove that writing is worthwhile if her mother keeps telling her to "get busy " and "be more productive"?
Then one day, Penelope discovers a hole in her schedule--an entire day completely unplanned --and she mysteriously falls into it. What follows is a mesmerizing journey through the Realm of Possibility where Penelope sets out to find and free the Great Moodler, the one person who may have the answers she seeks. Along the way, she must face an army of Clockworkers, battle the evil Chronos, take a daring Flight of Fancy, and save herself from the grip of time.
Brimming with clever language and masterful wordplay, The Lost Track of Time is a high-stakes adventure that will take you to a place where nothing is impossible and every minute doesn't count--people do

Penelope’s mind wanders. Her mom is disturbed by this and makes sure her every moment is spent wisely. Miss Maddie though, her auntly friend down the street, encourages “moodling” - sitting around drinking tea, thinking, gazing out the window, and talking about ideas, alone or with friends. Finding herself inexplicably with a free day on her usually very full schedule, Penelope falls into an adventure in The Realm of Possibility. There she befriends Dill, who’s searching for The Great Moodler, and trying to avoid the evil controlling Chronos and his army of timekeepers. This book is full of delightful word play, tons of time puns, and whimsy galore. The occasional art is a light and lovely. Those things combined with strong women, character diversity, and a pervasive message about the need for personal unscheduled time make this my favorite middle of the moment. And all the art is purple!
Cheenie from Books Inc. Burlingame

Current Obsession - Alphablock by Christopher Franceschelli


Alphablock by Christopher Franceschelli, Peskimo (Illustrator)
Publication Date: August 6th, 2013
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Pages: 104 pages

With thick pages cut into the shape of each letter, children and parents will enjoy this peek-through guessing game around the letterform itself. Sprinkles, hot fudge, and cherries hint at I's ice cream sundae, while aquarium accessories hint at F's fish. As readers interact with the pages, they will familiarize themselves not only with the 26 letters and associated words, but also with each letter's physicality--angles, holes, and curves, both front and back. With Peskimo's animated, stylish visuals, this fresh ABC book encourages readers to manipulate the alphabet in a whole new way. Note: illustrations have a retro feel, with imperfect variations in color and texture.

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