Children's Review: The Night Parade

{On Goodreads}

I tend to lean towards European literature, so when an opportunity to read Katheryn Tanquary's The Night Parade popped up, I thought I'd better indulge in a new culture. I'm so glad I did because The Night Parade was among my favorite children's books read this year. The story follows Saki, a typical thirteen year-old girl who's forced to accompany her family on a trip to visit her grandmother for Obon, a three-day festival in which families honor the spirits of their ancestors. That's the first thing that I love about this book: it highlights and celebrates Japanese culture in such an interesting way. Tanquary wove the culture into the book so seamlessly that the reader can follow Saki's journey as she moves from resenting the antiquated traditions to celebrating the unique way in which the small village has remained true to its culture, all while learning an incredible amount about Japanese family structures and traditions. 

Saki carelessly (and accidentally) invites a maleficent spirit into her world with the opening ceremony on the first night of Obon. For each night of the festival, she ventures into the spirit world in an attempt to lift the curse. While she navigates the rules of this strange new world, she is guided by a series of spirits. During the day, Saki must also navigate the social scene in her grandmother's small village-- this is where Tanquary does an excellent job of capturing the young teen mindset and writing from that perspective. Saki's encounters with the other children her age force her to reflect on her friendships at home in Tokyo. From the lessons she learns in both the real and spirit world, Saki has a change of heart and finds herself more in touch with her family and her heritage. I loved the resolution of the book and found that the lessons hidden within were ones that young readers could identify with and reflect on after reading. The spiritual elements of this book place it under the fantasy category, but I felt that it was an unconventional type of fantasy. The connection with the Japanese folklore reminded me a lot of the films by Hayao Miyazaki, so if you've enjoyed those films I suggest picking up this book after it's publication on January 5th!

Bottom Line Rating: 4/5

Title: The Night Parade

Author: Kathryn Tanquary

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
ISBN:1492623245
Price: Pre-order from Amazon for $12.98
Format: e-ARC
Source: Netgalley

Expected Publication Date: January 5, 2016

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this text by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Children's Review: Max the Brave {with Giveaway!}

{on Goodreads}

You may remember my excitement (way back in July) over a little picture book called Max the Brave. Sometimes the best picture books are the simplest, and I can tell you that this is one book you want on your shelf, whether you're an early childhood teacher, a parent of young children, or just a children's literature lover. In this, we meet Max, a little kitty who's so cute that sometimes people even dress him up in bows. But don't be misled by his sweet appearance, because Max is actually a fearless kitten who chases mice. The only problem is...he's not sure what a mouse looks like. He goes on a quest to find a mouse to chase, and along the way runs into quite the cast of characters. He asks each one, "Are you mouse?" and each time he is told no, until he comes across a very large, green, and hairy creature who he concludes must be mouse. In this case, curiosity gets Max in a spot of trouble.

The text in this story is very simplistic, great for young listeners and even good for emerging readers to practice their skills! There's repetition throughout and a few moments that are sure to make kids laugh as they listen or read along. I also love the colors and the style of art (Ed Vere is both the author and illustrator) and I can certainly see Max becoming a staple character in early childhood classrooms. It's an excellent book for classroom or library displays as well, as the colors are eye-catching and that illustration of brave little Max makes readers want to learn more! This would also make a great gift for new parents and for children, as it's sure to be one of those bedtime stories that gets requested over and over again.

Bottom Line Rating: 5/5

This book has a ton of resources to go with it -- I love how the team has worked to make this book a really big experience for young readers!

View the trailer here.

View the Max the Brave website here (where you can find the cutest wallpaper downloads!)

Download an activity kit here.

Download educator resources here. (And yes, they're CCSS aligned!!)

Buy the book on Amazon

Buy the book on Barnes & Noble

Something really exciting? The team behind this book is giving away five copies of Max the Brave, along with Max's red cape for one lucky reader to win! The giveaway runs until October 31st, and you can earn up to five entries!

 Enter the giveaway below, and good luck! 

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Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and participation in the Max the Brave blog tour. All opinions are my own!

Review: The Sisters of Versailles

{on Goodreads}

Before I begin to tell you how this book completely pulled me in and left me dreaming of life at Versailles, let's take a minute to appreciate that cover. A little mysterious, beautifully colorful, and perfect for displaying on your bookshelf. The Sisters of Versailles isn't just pretty on the outside though-- the story inside is captivating, enticing, and full of strong female characters. The Sisters of Versailles also just happens to be a true story: of the five Nesle girls-- sisters who grew up in the early 18th century. Four would become mistress to a king, causing scandalous shockwaves to rip the kingdom of France, the citizens of which believed their king to be a pious and faithful man. This historical fiction account puts the reader alongside the family as the Nesle sisters grow from innocent young girls to powerful figures behind the throne, and as King Louis XV's reign blossoms, we see the sisters' campaigns against the citizens, members of the court, and each other.

The book has a frame narrative from the perspective of Hortense, now an old woman, but once the most beautiful of the five sisters. The story that Hortense tells, of her four sisters and how they each became the mistress to the king of France, begins when the five girls were all young -- innocent of the ways of the court and eager to be included in its luxury. I liked that we got to glimpse each of the sisters before she discovered what the world was truly like, this made them relatable as they navigated their new positions at court and found influence in the king's bed. One by one, the sisters find their way to Versailles, and in each case, they catch they eye of King Louis XV, one of the most beloved kings of France. This is where the book had the potential to turn into a terrible romance, but Christie took the relationships between the sisters, and between each sister and King Louis XV, and shaped them in a way that made them more meaningful to the reader. 

Whether or not you like romance novels (I do not, by the way), you will fall for the romance in this book. As a reader, I found the triumphs and heartbreaks easy to connect with, and I came away with a unique sense of empathy for each of the sisters. The story comes to us through the perspective of each sister and through the sisters' correspondence, and Christie did an excellent job of giving each sister her own voice so that the authors of letters were immediately recognizable. The different relationships between the sisters -- from reverence to tension -- came to be an integral part of their motivations and actions at court, and I found those dynamics to be both interesting and not so different from sibling relationships in modern times. That the story is true only made it more compelling, and although I felt like there was a certain sense of finality at the end of this book (it could certainly stand alone), I am quite curious to find out what comes next in the trilogy. If you're a fan of Marie Antoinette, this period in historical fiction, or if you liked this book, I'd keep my eye out for this one when it hits bookstores tomorrow!

Bottom Line Rating: 5/5

Title: The Sisters of Versailles (Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy)

Author: Sally Christie

Publisher: Atria Books

Expected publication date: September 1, 2015

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ISBN: 1501102966

Format: E-book

Source: Advanced Review Copy provided by Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with an advanced copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Children's Review: The Day the Mustache Took Over

{on Goodreads}

When I first saw the cover and premise for this book, I was so excited. Finally! A book for boys that's goofy, funny, and full of mischief. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I've been seeking suggestions for "boy" books to add to my classroom library collection, and I thought that this was going to be a winner for sure. However, after struggling to get through this book (honestly, I had to talk myself into finishing it!), I can say that it is full of mischief, but I didn't find it the least bit funny. I normally don't like to publish negative reviews on here (after all, it seems silly to tell you all about a book and advise you not to buy it) but I decided to share it for a few reasons: first, I want to be fully transparent, because I don't actually love every single book that I read (although I have to say I do love the majority), and second because if I were in a bookstore, I would definitely be motivated to buy this book for a young reader.

I connected with the premise because I've worked so many years as a nanny, and I find that caring for children is way more fun and easy when I can put on my silliest of hats (figuratively speaking) and let fun guide our way. In The Day the Mustache Took Over, which makes its debut on September 1st, twin boys Nathan and David are faced with yet another new nanny to take care of them. The boys are so terribly behaved that they've left a trail of nannies in their wake and their parents are out of options. That is, until Martin Healey Discount shows up at the door. Martin becomes the boys' new "manny," and though he puts on a stern face for their parents' sake, it turns out that Martin is more trouble than even the boys. In the end, he tricks the boys into doing their chores by pretending that they're defying their parents.

While the premise was of interest to me, the biggest problem for me in reading this book was the writing style. I could not follow anything that was going on, and I felt like the dialogue was so fast and disconnected that nothing made sense. It almost felt like I was hyped up on sugar while reading it (if that makes sense) because everything was disjointed and the whole premise turned from funny to outrageous in the space of the first chapter. Though I understood why the parents played minor roles, I also felt like their lack of discipline and boundaries for the boys was completely unrealistic, and I felt unsure about how the message in this book would translate to young readers. Would they find it funny? Would they try to follow the footsteps of Nathan, David, and their crazy manny? The latter possibility had me flinching from the trouble that could ensue in real life. From a teacher perspective, at times the language that was employed by the manny character could also have been out of reach for some young readers-- the character used unusual vocabulary in order to convey silliness, but I could see some of the language being inaccessible for some audiences. Though I certainly wouldn't stop a young reader from picking up this book of their own volition (after all, what they're reading is less important than the fact that they are reading), I won't be buying this for my classroom library and I don't see myself recommending it to parents.

Bottom-Line Rating: 1/5

Title: The Day the Mustache Took Over

Author: Alan Katz

Illustrator: Kris Easler

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's

Expected Publication Date: September 1, 2015

Price: $13.99

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ISBN: 1619635585

Format: E-book

Source: Advanced Reader Copy provided by Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Review: A Curious Beginning

{on Goodreads}

A Curious Beginning is the first in a new series featuring Veronica Speedwell, who just happens to have made it onto my ever-growing list of favorite cheeky heroines. In this, we are introduced not to a demure and proper young lady, rather, we are met with a woman who is outspoken, highly intelligent, and audacious. That is, she is outrageously out of place for the tight-lipped and easily shocked society of London in the late 19th century. Though I do enjoy reading more traditional historical fiction, Veronica hooked me with her fearlessness; she had no problem causing a scandal and was easy to connect with as she navigated society's expectations and her own desires. Veronica is a lepidopterist, a collector of butterflies, and known by her clients as a lady unafraid to travel to the most dangerous of places to secure the rarest specimens.

 At the start of the story, Veronica is left with a choice to make after the death of her beloved aunt: accept the suitable match presented by concerned members of her town, or take off on a new adventure? It's not hard to guess which one frightens Veronica more, but just as she's about to flee town, danger comes to her. She is rescued from an abductor by a kind old Baron, who claims to know the secrets of her past and promises to tell her in good time. The Baron deposits her with a friend, and from there Veronica embarks on an adventure greater than any of her most far-flung travels. She is forced to throw in her lot with an unlikely companion-- a reclusive man by the name of Stoker-- and while the two of them work to unveil the plot against Veronica they also must face truths about themselves and the secrets of both their pasts-- all while being chased by more than one potentially dangerous opponent! What I loved most about Veronica through the whole process of solving the mystery was her calm and collected manner. I loved the way that Stoker and Veronica played off each other, and boy was there some tension simmering there throughout the story.

Not only were Veronica and Stoker both excellently crafted, but the other characters in the story were excellent as well, each character unique in revealing that there's more behind the mask of polite society than one might think. I'm always drawn to female-led historical fiction, and often the mystery aspect is of second concern to me, but I have to say that when the mystery is finally unveiled, my reaction was one of total surprise. I did not see that coming! And I loved the way that it was resolved, leaving me anxious for the next in the series! In fact, I was so wound up after finishing the book that I tweeted at the author, Deanna Raybourn (whose twitter is actually hilarious -- I can see how her humor translated into Veronica's personality) and she replied that she's turning in the manuscript for the second installment at the end of this month! I will be anxiously awaiting news on that one. In the meantime, though, if you're a fan of brazen heroines and fast-paced mysteries, pick up A Curious Beginning, which will make its debut on September 1st!

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5

Title: A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell #1)

Author: Deanna Raybourn

Publisher: NAL/Penguin, 2015

Expected Publication Date: September 1, 2015

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ISBN: 0451476018

Format: E-Book

Source: Advanced Review Copy provided by Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with an advanced copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Children's Review: The Mister Max Trilogy

This review is going to be a little out of the ordinary, because today I am here to rave about more than one book. Today, I want to tell you about my new favorite middle grade trilogy!

The Book of Lost Things (Mister Max #1)

It seems like middle grade books all have the same start: our main character is just another ordinary kid, until something extraordinary happens and forces him/her into a wild and unpredictable world. That's pretty much what happens to our main character in this trilogy too. Max finds himself alone in the world when a planned trip to India with his parents goes awry and he is left to stand at the docks, wondering where his parents have disappeared to and how he's going to live on his own. Thankfully, Max isn't entirely alone, as his grandmother just happens to live right next door. She offers to take him in, but Max suddenly realizes that this is an opportunity to become independent (never mind the fact that he's only twelve years old). While Max and his grandmother work to uncover the mystery of where Max's parents went, he establishes his own business. It just so happens that Max is quite good at disguising himself, and he's so resourceful in helping the townspeople to solve their problems  that he soon transforms into Mister Max, mysterious Solutioneer. Max uses the vast array of costumes from his parents' theatrical company, and while he solves many mysteries, his identity stays successfully hidden. 

The Book of Secrets (Mister Max #2)

In the first two novels, Max establishes his business as a Solutioneer and forges friendships with some unlikely characters (another great element of middle grade fiction). Though these books follow the typical middle grade plot, I felt myself drawn in by Voigt's style. Specifically, I loved the way that she described Max's unusual eyes. For every character introduced, Voigt gave a beautiful description of the strange color of Max's eyes from that character's point of view. I thought that this was a rather unique strategy in conveying Max's mysteriousness and it resulted in some of the strongest imagery that I've come across in my middle grade reading. I just loved the way that Voigt used descriptive and figurative language and I felt like I was reading a book that could quickly become a favorite for both adults and children. There is nothing childish about the way that Voigt writes. I wanted to share a few favorite quotes from the first two books that demonstrate Voigt's talent:

"The Baroness's mouth worked but no more words came out, the ones she wanted to utter being so huge and hard that they couldn't make their way up her throat, as if those words were bricks or stones or chunks of wood."  (The Book of Lost Things p.166 )

"She shrugged, and grimaced. She had a wide, flexible mouth, good for grimacing and grinning, and probably sneering, too." (The Book of Lost Things, p. 186) 

"The idea floated to the surface of his mind like a photograph appearing in developing liquid, a clear image where just seconds ago there had been blankness." (The Book of Lost Things, p. 356). 

"Do you fear danger?" she asked. "Yes!" answered Max Starling, before either of his other two roles could silence him, and then he laughed. "I'm afraid I do. But I can forgive my fear, even if I can't approve of it, or want to be in its company." (The Book of Secrets, p. 329) 

Can you tell why I think this could be the kind of book that teaches a young reader to love the written word?  

In The Book of Kings, the third (and final) installment of the Mister Max trilogy, Max sets off to find his parents. Max is uniquely gifted in crafting situations so that the people involved feel as though they've arrived at realizations and decisions all on their own, when really he has been carefully and strategically putting the puzzle pieces into place. In The Book of Kings, which will make its debut on September 8th, Max finds out that his parents have been taken to a tiny South American country called Andesia. There, they've been forced to play the role of king and queen under the scrutiny of a mutinous and menacing military general. Max and his grandmother intend to arrive in Andesia disguised as...well, that's the problem. They can't decide on a pair of roles that would explain there arrival without arousing suspicion. Though Max doesn't like the idea of arriving in Andesia with a group of people, eventually he concedes that the best plan includes the band of characters he's picked up along the way, all of whom feel more like family than friends. The group sets off to Andesia and there engages in a risky improvisation with the "king" of Andesia, who is of course Max's father and who needs rescuing. Along the way there are shifty characters, intrigue, mystery, and lots of guesses to be made by the reader. I can honestly say that I did not correctly predict the villain in this story, and I was genuinely in suspense as I waited to see if Max would achieve success in his rescue mission, or if his penchant for disguise would be uncovered and his plans ruined. Again, Voigt's style is just fantastic and I drank in her writing with all of the fervor that I could. I felt myself wanting to get to the end but drawing out the reading experience so that I could let the language simmer. I would definitely recommend this for readers who don't need a lot of fast action to hold their attention; though the bulk of the action occurred in this third installment, it was more of a slow and stealthy action than anything else. I think that Voigt's writing would capture the interest of readers who enjoyed The Mysterious Benedict Society, as there are some riddle and puzzle aspects to the plot (although this book is less whimsical than that series). Though this book marks the end of the trilogy, there seemed to be a hint of a story yet to come, and I have to say if Voigt ever chose to continue Max's story I would be first in line to read it. 

Also, I just need to say a quick word about the illustrations in this book. They are fantastically detailed. I loved that my advanced copy had sneak peeks of the unfinished art and I cannot wait to see the final product. Bruno has real talent for making Voigt's characters come to life in his illustrations.

Bottom Line Rating: 5/5 

Want to buy the first in this series? 

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Want to buy the second in this series?

Amazon

Better World Books

Barnes & Noble

Title: The Book of Kings (Mister Max #3)

Author: Cynthia Voigt

Illustrator: Iacopo Bruno

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2015

Expected Publication Date: September 8, 2015

Pre-order on Amazon 

Pre-Order on Barnes & Noble

ISBN: 0307976890

Format: E-Book

Source: Advanced Reader Copy provided by Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with an advanced copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Max the Brave Trailer!

Just a quick note today to let you all know that the trailer for Max the Brave is out and that it is going to have you running to the nearest bookstore to pre-order your copy for its release in early September!

From the publisher:

“Are You My Mother?” meets “I Want My Hat Back” in the hilarious new picture book, Max the Brave, by author and illustrator Ed Vere. Follow fearless Max as he encounters every other creature except the one he’s searching for…mouse.

Check out the trailer below! I love the colorful (yet simple) illustrations and the mystery to be solved. I think Max will quickly become a character both recognized and beloved for classroom read-clouds and bedtime stories alike!

You can find out more about Max on his website, print an activity kit here, follow the fun on social media with #maxthebrave, and find educator resources here!

Just a Note:

This promotion is published on Top Shelf Text on behalf of Sourcebooks Publishers. 

Top Shelf Text received an e-ARC copy of this book for review. 

All opinions are my own.