Tag: NetGalley

Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel – Mariah Marsden (Adapter)

Illustrations – Brenna Thummler

When orphan Anne (with an e) Shirley is sent to live with siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert in place of the boy they had requested to assist them with the farm work, neither could have imagined how this redheaded, freckled spit fire would impact their lives. Spirited, passionate and a chatterbox with a heart of gold who manages to accidentally get herself into trouble quite frequently, Anne transforms Green Gables and Avonlea with her presence. Kindred spirits with best friend Diana and ruthlessly competitive with Gilbert, who she’d swear she despises, Anne is one of those characters that never leaves your heart once she takes up residence.

While I fell in love with Megan Follows’ Anne in the 1985 miniseries of Anne of Green Gables and have watched it, along with its sequels, more times than I can count, and own the most beautiful hardcover 100th anniversary edition of the book, I feel I need to admit my utter failure to ever manage to be able to get into the book. I’m so sorry, L.M. Montgomery! I absolutely adored this graphic novel edition of Anne of Green Gables so much that I’m now determined to move Ms. Montgomery’s novel higher up my TBR pile and attempt it again.

Kindred spirits the world over, those long time friends of Anne and those meeting her for the first time, are going to be entranced by Mariah Marsden’s graphic novel adaptation of this classic. Faithful to the story and characters I know and love, Mariah has made Anne accessible to those who may not have come across her otherwise and reminded those of us who already love her why she will always have a place in our hearts.

Brenna Thummler’s whimsical illustrations match the story perfectly. She brings out the individual quirks and characters of each person she illustrates. Her bright, cheerful images transport you to Avonlea and make you want to take up residence.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this graphic novel. I hope to see Mariah and Brenna team up again in the near future to tackle Anne sequels in the same format.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Schoolyard rivalries. Baking disasters. Puffed sleeves. Explore the violet vales and glorious green of Avonlea in this spirited adaptation.

The magic of L.M. Montgomery’s treasured classic is reimagined in a whimsically-illustrated graphic novel adaptation perfect for newcomers and kindred spirits alike. When Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert decide to adopt an orphan who can help manage their family farm, they have no idea what delightful trouble awaits them. With flame-red hair and an unstoppable imagination, 11-year-old Anne Shirley takes Green Gables by storm.

Anne’s misadventures bring a little romance to the lives of everyone she meets: her bosom friend, Diana Barry; the town gossip, Mrs. Lynde; and that infuriating tease, Gilbert Blythe. From triumphs and thrills to the depths of despair, Anne turns each everyday moment into something extraordinary.

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Body Parts – Jessica Kapp

There’s a medication you can take to be stronger. Another one to make you smarter. Another to make you more beautiful. Another to make you faster. In fact, there’s a medication for anything you want to change about yourself. You can take your pick and you have money to burn so you can take as many different types as you want. You continue taking them all because they work so well. Then you find out your liver is failing and you need a transplant or you’ll die. Do you question where your new liver is coming from? Do you brush aside any ethical dilemmas you might stumble across in the process and decide to go ahead with the surgery anyway? After all, your life is on the line.

I’m not quite sure how she did it but Jessica Kapp reeled me in by the end of the first page and had me on her hook until the end of the book. Body Parts provides a very interesting (and quite scary) commentary on both the organ transplant and pharmaceutical industries.

In the beginning of this book we meet a group of children at the Centre who are being trained to be as healthy as possible in order to increase their chances of being placed with a foster family. Each child has lived in hope that their dream of belonging in a real family will come true. We follow Tabitha as she’s given the news that a family wants to foster her and when she subsequently learns that nothing at the Centre is as it seems. Who can you trust when everything you’ve been taught growing up turns out to be lies?

I loved a lot of the characters, especially Mary, but felt like some of the peripheral characters blended into each other a bit. I enjoyed the uncertainty I felt along with Tabitha regarding who she could trust, and liked that some characters had motives that weren’t always immediately apparent. Some minor irritations, such as the ending feeling rushed and finding the Insta-love annoying at times, didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this book. I found myself wanting to rush through to find out if my suspicions about certain characters were valid and who would be saved from getting slaughtered for spare parts.

I kept thinking as I was reading that a scenario like that described in this book isn’t so far fetched that it’s not within the realms of possibility. Is it really that much of a leap, when there’s already distrust surrounding big drug companies and so many stories about black market organ theft, to believe they could easily merge into one hugely profitable venture?

Partway through this book and with questions like this playing in my head, the X-Phile in me accidentally escaped and thought it would be fun to go all conspiracy theory on me. My favourite outlandish conspiracy theory? What if this book isn’t fiction but is actually a memoir and one day far into the future, Jessica Kapp is going to come clean and reveal at long last that this is actually her story, that she is indeed Tabitha… Yeah, I know. I should be banned from watching The X-Files for life and perhaps conspiracy theory me should not be allowed out in polite company, but I love playing with what ifs. They make life much more entertaining.

Yes, I’m still happy to be an organ donor, but not until I’ve finished using them. Young adults and adults alike will enjoy this book and I’ll be looking out for future books by Jessica Kapp. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Diversion Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

People would kill for her body.

Raised in an elite foster center off the California coast, sixteen-year-old Tabitha’s been sculpted into a world-class athlete. Her trainers have told her she’ll need to be in top physical condition to be matched with a loving family, even though personal health has taken a backseat outside the training facility. While Tabitha swims laps and shaves seconds off her mile time, hoping to find a permanent home, the rest of the community takes pills produced by pharmaceutical giant PharmPerfect to erase their wrinkles, grow hair, and develop superhuman strength.

When Tabitha’s finally paired, instead of being taken to meet her new parents, she wakes up immobile on a hospital bed. Moments before she’s sliced open, a group of renegade teenagers rescues her, and she learns the real reason for her perfect health: PharmPerfect is using her foster program as a replacement factory for their pill-addicted clients’ failing organs. And her friends from the center, the only family she’s ever known, are next in line to be harvested.

Determined to save them, Tabitha joins forces with her rescuers, led by moody and mysterious Gavin Stiles. As they race to infiltrate the hospital and uncover the rest of PharmPerfect’s secrets, though, Tabitha finds herself with more questions than answers. Will trusting the enigmatic group of rebels lead her back to the slaughterhouse?

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Where Is My Coat? Farm Animals – Anita Bijsterbosch

This adorable board book is aimed at toddlers from 12 months old. The farm animals in this book have lost their coats and need your child’s help to get them back. One page shows the animal and its young in silhouette and asks the child what animal it is. The animal is revealed in full colour on the next page.

I can imagine a toddler’s joy at saying the right answer and the page turning to magically reveal a coloured picture of the animal and its young. I’m sure I’d be following the correct answer with an, “And what does the duck say?” I’m getting clucky just thinking about it!

The coloured illustrations are lovely and make the animals look happy and friendly. I love young children’s books that are interactive and really like that this book engages the child by asking them to guess what animal the silhouette shape represents. Anita Bijsterbosch has created a really sweet book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Clavis Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. If I knew anyone with a child in the right age group I’d be purchasing this book for them and would probably insist on being the first one to read it to them!

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

The farm animals in this book need your help. Will you help them find their coats and give them their colors back? Turn the page and discover who they are. Pigs, ducks or cows? Or maybe horses? An animal book with black-and-white and color pictures that stimulate visual development.

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Poetry for Kids: Robert Frost – Jay Parini (editor)

Illustrations – Michael Paraskevas

Poetry for Kids: Robert Frost is the latest in a Poetry for Kids series, with previous books featuring poetry by Emily Dickinson, Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman. This book contains 30 of Frost’s poems, prefaced by an introduction of Frost’s life and inspiration for his poetry, and followed by short explanations of each poem’s meaning in a section titled ‘What Robert Was Thinking’. There are definitions included with each poem for words children (and adults) may not be familiar with.

This book is part of an established series so obviously there must be a children’s market for this type of book but personally I would have preferred to see this book marketed as a gift book. Without the ‘for Kids’ branding I think the market would have opened right up for this book.

The audience for this book is listed as 8+ but I know I wouldn’t have appreciated this book as a child. At 8 I was reading Roald Dahl, not poetry books, and I don’t think that’s so unusual.

My fear for this book is that it may be used in schools to teach poetry at kids instead of to kids, and that could ruin Robert Frost for them. I say this because the only poetry I’ve ever hated with a passion have been poems taught to me. I always baulked at a teacher telling me emphatically what the poet meant by each word, line by line. I wanted to have the opportunity to think about the poem myself and decide what it meant to me, and always wondered if the poet actually intended the poem to be interpreted the way my teacher said was the only way, the right way.

Digressing, that reminds me of a story about Alfred Hitchcock helping his granddaughter write an essay for film school about his movie Shadow of a Doubt. Her grade? C. So the story goes, he shrugged and said, “That’s the best I can do”.

Anyway … I grew up adoring The Road Not Taken but that was mostly because my Nan used to quote it all of the time and I’d often read the photocopied poem stuck to a wall in her house with Blu-Tack. I don’t know I would have liked it as a kid without my Nan’s influence.

Michael Paraskevas’ illustrations are absolutely wonderful! They complement the poetry beautifully. I think adults will like them better than kids though. It’s only as an adult that I appreciate artwork like this.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – MoonDance Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

A collection to be read, experienced, and treasured. 

Whether capturing a cold New England winter’s evening, or the beauty of an old, abandoned house, four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Robert Frost left an indelible mark on our consciousness. This stunning celebration of his best-loved work includes 35 poems specially chosen for children ages 8 to 14 by author and historian Jay Parini.

Illustrator Michael Paraskevas brings the poems to life with his pitch-perfect scenes, infused with majestic color and quiet simplicity. Poems include “Mending Wall,” “Birches,” “The Road Not Taken,” “Fire and Ice,” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,”

This gentle introduction also includes commentary, definitions of key words, and an introduction to the poet’s life.

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Everybody’s Somewhere – Cornelia Maude Spelman

Illustrations – Alea Marley

I had hoped this would be a book I could recommend to psychologist friends for use with their younger clients experiencing separation anxiety or grief. Based on the blurb I expected Everybody’s Somewhere to be focused on bereavement or to be aimed toward children who may live with one parent and be missing the other, or perhaps who have a parent that has had to go away for a work trip. Given that the book was written by a social worker my assumptions were strengthened.

That’s not what this book is though. It’s basically saying that people are everywhere – up trees, under the stars, in cars, etc. Based on the reality of what the book is instead of what I hoped it would be, it’s a cute book. It would be a nice bedtime story. The rhyming and easy words are appropriate for the young target audience.

Alea Marley has done a beautiful job with the illustrations. The colour scheme is soft and comforting. I liked the diversity of the children featured in the pictures and think children as well as adults will enjoy looking at them.

I received an ARC from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Seagrass Press for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

UPDATE: If the blurb was fixed to reflect what the author intended then the story works perfectly. I still believe this will make a lovely bedtime story that children will enjoy.

Once Upon a Blurb

Everybody’s somewhere, where are you?
I’m right here, I’m somebody, too.
Some are in the country, some are in the town.
Everybody’s somewhere, up or down.

Everybody — mums, dads, grandpas, grandmas, friends, and people you’ve never met — is somewhere in the world, doing something right now, even if you can’t see them.

Everybody’s Somewhere is a fun, colorful introduction to the idea that everyone you’ve met, or haven’t met, is somewhere. Written perfectly for young minds that might not fully comprehend how big the world is, or the number of people on it, this fun children’s book will plant the seeds of the ideas in their minds.

With its playful poetry, bouncy rhymes, Everybody’s Somewhere asks children to expand their perspective, and follows up with fun illustrations. Award-winning author Cornelia Maude Spelman invites children to imagine other people in other places doing different things, to be delighted by new ideas, and to be reassured that everyone is important and sharing the same world.

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Human Tribe – Alison Wright

Beautiful! Just beautiful! I can definitely see this photography book featuring people from all over the world making its way to my coffee table. I want to look through it over and over, and show specific photos to specific people:
“Look at those amazing eyes! They seem to look straight into your soul.”
“Check out the incredible composition of this shot.”
“Oh, that lighting…” satisfied sigh
“How cool is that?!”
“That depth of field of that one is perfect.”

I saw stories in the eyes of these people – humility, laughter, hardship, hope, pain, joy. Some even appear to have a slightly amused look on their face as if surprised that the photographer chose them as subjects.

Now, more than ever, we need to be reminded that as people we are more alike than not. We may look different and have varying world views and experiences, but the human experience ultimately remains the same. We’ve all had struggles, fears, sadness and pain, we’ve all (I hope) experienced happiness, love and the comfort and joy of friendship. We all have dreams, goals and ambitions for our life. Although maybe not everyone has quite as many soapboxes as I do…

The only things I would personally liked to have seen added to this gorgeous book are the first name of each subject and perhaps a sentence or two about who they are.

Human Tribe would make a lovely gift and would be a great talking piece as a coffee table book. Aspiring photographers could use this book to learn about what makes a captivating portrait, experienced photographers can appreciate the technical expertise of Alison Wright and anyone who loves photos will enjoy poring over this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Schiffer Publishing Ltd. for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

A page-turner in the most exquisite sense, this book of over 160 portraits expresses the emotive beauty and grace of the human face. Documentary photographer Alison Wright traveled to every continent to capture the diversity of the human tribe, from toddlers to those who’ve lived a lifetime, and from South America to Africa, Asia, and points in between. Some of the people photographed are privileged, some live ordinary lives, and others live close to the land and in communities that may not last another generation. Collectively, these surprising studies of the human face remind us of our common bond and the inherent dignity in being ourselves.

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Superhero Harry – Rachel Ruiz

Illustrations – Steve May

OK, so on the cover Harry has rockets attached to his shoes and his shirt has a picture of Einstein sticking his tongue out on it. I’m in!!! Harry wants to be a superhero and loves to make superhero inventions to make himself more superhero-ish, although they don’t always work quite the way he plans. Superhero Harry has four stories.

In The Superhero Project Harry’s teacher, Ms. Lane, gives his class an assignment to give a presentation at the end of the week about how they are a superhero in their everyday life. Harry is determined to make his best superhero invention yet. Will Harry win the prize for the best presentation?

In The Recess Bully a new boy, Jeremy, joins Harry’s class at Parker Elementary. Jeremy is mean to Harry and his friends at recess each day. Harry tells his parents about Jeremy’s bullying and they suggest Harry try talking to Jeremy again, but Harry thinks he can solve the bullying problem and reclaim recess for himself and his friends with a brand new superhero invention.

In The Runaway Robot Harry is fed up with doing chores. His solution? Super Roby, his latest invention. Super Roby works so well Harry decides to bring him to the class science fair. Can Harry find a solution when something goes wrong?

In The Wild Field Trip Harry’s class is going on a field trip to the zoo. His latest invention will make him a super swinger like monkeys, his favourite animal. You know by now that where Harry is, adventure is sure to follow.

While each story can be read separately, they’re best read in order. Children and parents alike will love Harry and Macy, his best friend, classmate, next door neighbour and superhero sidekick. Amongst other things, Harry is funny, clumsy, adventurous, smart, and a good friend.

Rachel Ruiz has created a superhero whose optimism and determination will endear him to readers, and whose exploits will keep them entertained. Steve May’s illustrations are brilliant! They’re so bright, colourful, full of life and draw you in. Just seeing the cover or flipping through the book, you just know the story has to be fantastic if the illustrations are this good.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read this book. Apprentice superheroes everywhere are going to love Harry. I’m going to be rereading this book and hope to see future books featuring more of Harry and Macy’s adventures. Mission complete! Over and out!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Harry is a bit messy and a lot clumsy. But he truly believes he is a superhero. He constantly leaves messes and chaos in his wake, yet he still manages to make every situation better. So who’s to say he isn’t a superhero? This comical early chapter book series will prove that having a positive attitude and energetic spirit are just as heroic as fighting evil villains.

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Holo #2: Contribute – Kristy Acevedo

Major nerd points to Kristy Acevedo! This book took me such a long time to finish, not because I was bored but because I didn’t want it to be over! I wanted to spend more time with Alex and the crazy lady. My favourite characters in this book were the crazy lady (she was also my favourite from the first book but I admit I was wrong about who I thought she’d turn out to be), the loveable cuddly bear Dr A., and SIDEKICK.

When I received a copy of Contribute from NetGalley I took a closer look and realised it was the second book of a two book series. I was so excited about Contribute but made the decision to take the plunge and buy the first book (Consider) and read that first. I’m so glad I did! While Contribute could be read as a standalone if you really, really wanted to, you gain so much from having experienced Consider first. The first book was a 5 star book for me and this one has to be as well. It’s not often that second books in a series don’t fall flat on their paperback faces.

I won’t wreck either book for you because you need to read them for yourself but during the first book the world is counting down to an apocalypse and individuals are given the choice to stay on earth and hope for the best, even though it’s an extinction level event, or take a chance on the unknown by travelling through a hologram (vertex) to a parallel world. During the second book you follow the final person through the vertex to whatever is on the other side. The blurbs give you more information than this but I’d recommend reading the first book before looking at the blurb for this one.

While the first book had a large focus on Alex’s mental health and it’s still explored in this book to a lesser degree, the overall feel of this book felt darker than the first book to me. I loved the darkness and felt it was necessary in this book. There was a war to fight after all.

Reading this book reminded me of one of lines from Powder (love that movie!!!) that Jeff Goldblum’s character says, “It’s become appallingly clear that our technology has surpassed our humanity.” This quote is generally attributed to Einstein although there’s no evidence he ever said it, but that’s not my point. Contribute offers one possible outcome for society when technology beyond our wildest dreams becomes available and raises so many questions.

Do you trust what the leaders of another society tell you if you never see them in person, only as holographic representations?

If you had the chance to live a life of leisure with free food, free accommodation, free entertainment, free everything, and no work, and all you had to do in exchange was pledge that upon your death your mind minus emotions would be used to power the society for a set period of time, would you do it?

If it sounds too good to be true, is it?

Possibly most importantly, if you had clothes that allowed you to change their holographic design at whim, could you pull off an ocean themed design with sharks swimming across it?

Just like in book one, I spent most of my time reading a few paragraphs, then highlighting either a sentence or a paragraph, then rereading my highlighted passage, then reading a few paragraphs, then highlighting … You get the point. Lots of wonderfully thought out sentences that made me pause and want to think about them and save them for future rereads.

My only real quibble with this book is that the final act felt a bit rushed to me. There was such a lead up to it and yet it felt like, we’re fighting, we’re fighting, we’re winning, we’re losing, we’re … What? It’s over? Although to be fair, maybe I just didn’t want the series to finish.

Ms Acevedo, I really hope you’re hard at work writing your next book. No pressure or anything but I’m sitting here waiting for it!

Oh, and a review of this book wouldn’t be complete without a creepy “May your contribution lead to freedom”.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Flux for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

The holograms lied to everyone on Earth and only Alexandra Lucas knows the truth. Now she’s trapped in the year 2359 without family or friends —worse, without her anxiety medication. Alex attempts to reconcile the marvelous scenery, technological advances, and luxurious living with the knowledge that the holograms weren’t being completely honest — what else are they lying about?

With a secret that could shatter her society, Alex tries to find her place among strangers, convicts, and a rebellion striving to bring the holograms down. Alex struggles to find the best way to reveal the truth and reunite with those she loves. But when surrounded by beauty and every convenience, Alex wonders if truth becomes irrelevant in a perfect world.

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Good Night Mr Clutterbuck – Mauri Kunnas

Mr. Clutterbuck is reserved and quite boring during the day, consistently turning down offers from people to join them in fun activities. However during his sleepwalking expeditions he becomes a town hero by singlehandedly putting an end to the rivalry between two biker gangs, preventing the impending bankruptcy of the sausage factory and helping a rock band out of a rut, amongst other exciting things. Gus, Mr. Clutterbuck’s faithful guinea pig, tags along to ensure Mr. Clutterbuck remains safe while he wanders around the town asleep.

Translated from Finnish by Jill Timbers, I don’t know if anything was lost in the translation but if it was it didn’t matter. The names of the characters are a hoot! Rip and Roar are leaders of rival biker gangs, Wally Wurst is a hippopotamus that owns a sausage factory and one of the policemen is called Constable Fuzz!

Kids are going to love hearing the jumbled words that come out of Mr. Clutterbuck’s mouth when he’s sleepwalking. I couldn’t tell you why but Mr. Clutterbuck’s voice in my head sounded exactly like Wallace from Wallace & Gromit.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy finding new things in the pictures each time they open the book, like a car on a roof or a snake playing drums in a rock band. Even if you had no interest in this book based on the story I’d still recommend it for the illustrations alone. They’re detailed, quirky, funny and the animals are fantastic!

I’ve already spent a lot of time looking closely at all of the pictures to try and ensure I haven’t missed anything but even so I’m sure I have. There’s just so much to look at! Keep your eye out for the cutest fuzzy little spider with a top hat and cane in the majority of illustrations, adorable bats, and the spoon thief who’s lurking around throughout the book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Archipelago Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Mr Clutterbuck is blissfully unaware of his reputation as the fittest and busiest sleepwalker in town.

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Nelly Jelly and the Magnificent Tree – Lisa Limbrick

Illustrations – Jemima Trappel

When Nelly gets annoyed with her four year old sister Alice for calling her ‘Nelly Jelly’ and embarrassed that her friend Hannah is there to hear it, Nelly impulsively grabs her sister’s favourite doll and throws it in the air. It gets stuck way up high in a tree and Nelly is forced to confront her deepest, darkest fear, a fear she’s kept secret until now. She is afraid of heights. Will she decide to be brave and overcome the soggy, sticky and squishy things in her way or will she let her fear win?

Hannah is a good friend, using empathy by telling stories to Nelly about situations where her Nana felt the same way to distract Nelly from her fear. The book was full of terrible jokes and puns but young children may find them funny. I would have loved to have read the part where Nelly apologises to Alice for throwing her ‘best friend’ into a tree but it didn’t happen.

This book shows children that by using perseverance and determination you can overcome obstacles and conquer your fears. Hannah and Alice both encourage Nelly as she climbs and celebrate her accomplishment with her. It’s a nice story but I don’t think it will stay with me, unlike some other children’s books I’ve read recently.

The illustrations by Jemima Trappel are really cute and I liked that there was a small picture at the beginning of each chapter showing what the doll experiences in that chapter.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wombat Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

There’s only one thing that Nelly dislikes more than jelly, and that’s heights. In fact, she’s terrified of high places!

But when she has to climb the magnificent tree to rescue her younger sister’s doll, Nelly has to not only face her greatest fear but a series of unexpected … soggy … squishy … and sticky things.

Join Nelly Jelly and her friends for what will be a hilarious, fun and GROSS adventure up into the magnificent tree. 

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