BLOG TOUR --- Real Pigeons Fight Crime written by Andrew McDonald and illustrated by Ben Wood --- MIDDLE GRADE FICTION [Review + Giveaway]

Title: Real Pigeons Fight Crime

Author & Illustrator: Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood
Publication Date: January 7, 2020
Edition: Hardcover, ebook, ; 208 pgs
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Kindle - Barnes & Noble  - iBooks - Kobo - The Book Depository 
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tour Schedule

Week One:

1/6/2020 - BookHounds - Interview 

1/7/2020 - Abellafairytale - Review 

1/8/2020 - onemused - Review 

1/9/2020 - Do You Dog-ear? - Review 

1/10/2020 - Fazila's Book Review Corner - Excerpt

Week Two: 

1/13/2020 - Popthebutterfly Reads - Review 

1/14/2020 - Twirling Book Princess - Excerpt 

1/15/2020 - Fictitiouswonderland - Review 

1/16/2020 - Not In Jersey - Review 

1/17/2020 - She Just Loves Books - Review

Week Three:

1/20/2020 - DJREADSBOOKS - Excerpt 

1/21/2020 - Lifestyle of Me - Review 

1/22/2020 - Eli to the nth - Review 

1/23/2020 - Little Red Reads - Review 

1/24/2020 - fictitious.fox - Review

Week Four:

1/27/2020 - Cuz I’m a Nerd - Review 

1/28/2020 - Nerdophiless - Review 

1/29/2020 - Wonder Struck - Review 

1/30/2020 - Lori Murray - Review 

1/31/2020 - A Dream Within A Dream - Excerpt

Week Five:

2/3/2020 - Nay's Pink Bookshelf - Review 

2/4/2020 - wordsandruin - Review 

2/5/2020 - Books_andPoetrii - Excerpt 

2/6/2020 - History from a Woman’s Perspective  - Review 

2/7/2020 - Two Points of Interest - Review 

The Summary

Ever wonder why pigeons act so weird? Because they are secretly chasing bad guys and flying around saving your butt! This hilarious illustrated series is perfect for fans of BAD GUYS and DOG MAN.

What do REAL PIGEONS do? They fight crime, of course! Wait, what? You didn't know your town is protected by a secret squad of crime-fighting feathered friends? Well, you are about to get schooled. REAL PIGEONS solve mysteries! REAL PIGEONS fight bad guys! And REAL PIGEONS won't stop until your neighborhood is safe and the questions are all answered: Like, why have all the breadcrumbs disappeared? And which food truck smells the best?

(Goodreads)

My Review

A book that is perfect for reluctant readers, Real Pigeons Fight Crime is a fast-paced, hijinks-filled romp, following a team of crime fighting pigeons as they solve one mystery after another in this chapter book hybrid.

Bold drawings accompany engaging text, as Rock, the new recruit to this crime-fighting squad started by Grandpouter Pigeon, leads the charge with his ability of disguise.  The pigeons encounter a "haunted" park, a bat trapper, and some danger at a food truck rally.  Each of these encounters are their own contained story, easy for younger readers to pick up and put down, or for more advanced readers to breeze through.

The illustrations back up the humor in each story.  Showing the uniqueness of each pigeon (who all exist in real life---the pigeons are actually named after their type: Rock, Tumbler, Frillback, Homing, and Pouter), the individual pigeon embodies what that type is known for, and lends their talents to round out the crime fighting team.  Seeing the world through Rock's eyes is fun since he is newly experiencing what the "big city" has to offer along with the reader.

Cute, quick, and engaging, Real Pigeons Fight Crime is a great start to a very fun series!  The next book in the series, Real Pigeons Eat Danger is coming out May 5, 2020, so look out for that next "Very Coo" adventure!

Final Rating

Excerpt

About the Author/Illustrator

Andrew McDonald is a reader and writer of books for young readers. His brand new series, Real Pidgeons, debuted in 2018, with hilarious illustrations by Ben Wood.

His first children’s novel, The Greatest Blogger in the World featured the story of Charlie Ridge, a young blogger navigating family, friends and the perils of internet life. His second novel Son of Death, a black comedy about a family of modern grim reapers, was named by The Age as one of the ‘best books of the year’ in 2015.

Andrew is an avid reader of children’s and YA literature. He has worked for Readings bookshop in Melbourne and at the flagship Foyles bookshop on Charing Cross Road in London, where he was thrilled to put his knowledge to work as a children’s bookseller. He has previously judged the Young Adult category of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards and the Centre for Youth Literature’s Inky Awards.

Andrew is a graduate of RMIT’s Professional Writing and Editing diploma and his writing has taken him around the world. He completed an artist residency at Caldera Arts in Oregon, USA and a May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust fellowship in Adelaide.

Website | Twitter  | Facebook | Instagram  

Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

Ben Wood is a children’s illustrator based in Victoria, Australia. He has been commissioned to work with clients such as Hardie Grant Egmont, Penguin Random House, and Scholastic Australia.

Ben is able to offer clients a wealth of illustration styles and techniques in both digital and traditional mediums. Recent publications include Blast Off! by Shelly Unwin and the Squishy Taylor series, by Ailsa Wild. He is currently illustrating the Real Pigeons series by Andrew McDonald. “It’s super coo!”

Ben also runs presentations or workshops in schools, public libraries and bookstores. His sessions can vary from small to large groups, depending on what suits best. He is more than happy to work with Prep-Year 9 students, and adults too. Please contact Booked Out Speakers Agency to inquire about a booking.

Website | Twitter  | Facebook | Instagram 

Giveaway

3 winners will win a finished copy of REAL PIGEONS FIGHT CRIME, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tweet

BLOG TOUR --- Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex [Review + Giveaway]

Title: Are You Scard, Darth Vader?
Authors(s): Adam Rex
Publication Date: July 3, 2018
Edition: Hardcover, ebook; 48 pages
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & 
Noble - iBooks - The Book Depository

Tour Schedule

Week One:

10/22/2018- YA Books Central- Review

10/23/2018- Oh Hey! Books.- Excerpt

10/24/2018- BookHounds YA- Excerpt

10/25/2018- The Pages In-Between- Review

10/26/2018- What A Nerd Girl Says- Review

Week Two:

10/29/2018- Eli to the nth- Review

10/30/2018- Do You Dog-ear?- Review

10/31/2018- Such A Novel Idea- Review

11/1/2018- Novel Novice- Review
11/2/2018- Two Points of Interest- Review

The Summary

It's midnight and the moon is full, but Darth Vader isn't scared.

OF COURSE I AM NOT SCARED.

Nothing can scare Lord Vader!

CORRECT.

Not monsters or witches or ghosts, and especially not the dark.

So what is Darth Vader scared of?

Read on in Adam Rex's hilarious and spooky Star Wars tale to find out!

YOU WILL LEARN NOTHING.

(Goodreads)

Review

This is the perfect mash-up of Halloween and Star Wars.  Featuring creepy monsters, and everyone's favorite Sith Lord, Darth Vader, both fans and non-fans will fall in love with Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex.

As with any picture book, the illustrations really make the story come alive.  All of the colors are muted, except for the text of the narrator, which appears in bright neon yellow.  This contrast makes the book both easy to read, and lends it an eerie quality, which is perfect for a story that features werewolves, vampires, and ghosts (check out an except below).

As the reader follows the journey of the narrator to scare Darth Vader, you find out that is a pretty tall task for one of the most feared villains in the galaxy.  Super humorous, and just on the right side of creepy for the little ones, this will be an enjoyable story for both kiddos and parents.

And don't worry, you totally find out what Darth Vader is afraid of, but SHHH no spoilers!

Final Rating

About the Author

Adam Rex grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, the middle of three children. He was neither the smart one (older brother) or the cute one (younger sister), but he was the one who could draw. He took a lot of art classes as a kid, trying to learn to draw better, and started painting when he was 11. Later he got a BFA from the University of Arizona, and met his physicist wife Marie (who is both the smart and cute one).

Adam and Marie live in Tucson, where Adam draws, paints, writes, spends too much time on the internet, and listens to public radio. Adam is nearsighted, bad at all sports, learning to play the theremin, and usually in need of a shave. He can carry a tune, if you don't mind the tune getting dropped and stepped on occasionally. He never remembers anyone's name until he's heard it at least three times. He likes animals, spacemen, Mexican food, Ethiopian food, monsters, puppets, comic books, 19th century art, skeletons, bugs, and robots.

His first picture book, THE DIRTY COWBOY by Amy Timberlake, was published by FSG in 2003. His picture book FRANKENSTEIN MAKES A SANDWICH, a collection of stories about monsters and their problems, was a New York Times Bestseller. 2007 saw the release of his first novel, THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY, which was adapted into the DreamWorks film HOME in 2014. He has illustrated the work of many authors, including Jon Scieszka, Mac Barnett, Neil Gaiman, Jeff Kinney, David Lubar, Kate DiCamillo, Eoin Colfer, Christopher Paul Curtis, and Paul Fieg.

Garlic and crosses are useless against Adam. Sunlight has been shown to be at least moderately effective. A silver bullet does the trick. Pretty much any bullet, really.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads 

Giveaway

3 winners will receive a finished copy of Are You Scared, Darth Vader?, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tweet

#WONDERTHEMOVIE

I am so ready to see this amazing book be made into an amazing film!  I think that all the actors cast are spot on, and I tear up just watching the trailer (which is embarrassing when you're at work).

If you don't know what Wonder is, it is a film adaptation of the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio, a New York Times Bestseller that will steal your heart:  

My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August Pullman wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things. He eats ice cream. He plays on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside.

But Auggie is far from ordinary. Ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids don't get stared at wherever they go.

Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life, in an attempt to protect him from the cruelty of the outside world. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school - and he's dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all?

Narrated by Auggie and the people around him whose lives he touches forever, Wonder is a funny, frank, astonishingly moving debut to read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page.

And if that didn't convince you, or you need some visual encouragement, check out the trailer for the movie: 

You can also get in on the fun, but creating your very own Wonder Portrait!

As always, I am an advocate of reading the book BEFORE you go see the movie, but either way you must go see this movie when it opens November 17, 2017!!

Tweet

Top Books of 2016

Hello everyone!  I know it's been radio silence on this blog, but I HAVE been reading, I promise!  I have read some AMAZING books this year!  Not all of them were published in 2016, but I discovered them in 2016.  

As a fun little round up for the end of the year, I thought I'd list some of my top picks of the books I've read in 2016!

I got to start the list off with the latest book from my favorite author ever!

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson

This book leaves you on a razor's edge keeping you teetering though moments of joy and moments of pain; an uncomfortable journey to be had, but one worth traveling. 

Next up

Half Bad by Sally Green

Like nothing I've read before, this is not the typical "boy discovers he has magic" book.  Harsh and desperate, this world keeps you on your toes as you hope the main character survives.

Next up

George by Alex Gino

Necessary, heartbreaking, inspiring. I hope that this finds its way into the hands of everyone. The struggle that George is going through can open everyone's eyes & see that love is love is love. And that loving yourself is the most difficult step of all, especially when loving yourself might alienate the others you love.

Next up

Wax by Gina Damico

Hilarious and quirky, delivered in a quick-pace, this "waxy" adventure will keep you in stitches the entire time!

Next up is another amazing book by a favorite author

Local Girl Swept Away by Ellen Wittlinger 

An examination of the power people can wield over others and how one event can thoroughly rock the reality of a friendship. Set in the beautiful wilds of Provincetown, the sea and art are just as much characters in this story as the humans.

Next up is the very first audiobook I've ever listened to

Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto by Eric Luper

Hilarious and rough, just like being in love is like. Really fun and a quick read. Enjoyable for all those who've experiences the trials and tribulations aid love and so relatable to those just going through it. A perfect main protagonist, you can't help but fall a little in love with Seth Baumgartner!

Next up

Learning to Swear in America by Katie Kennedy

An amazing debut by Katie Kennedy.  Super funny, surprisingly deep--examining the big questions in life: girls, math, and the end of the world!

Next up

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown

Powerful story about faith, love, truth, and trust. A robust examination of the walk with faith that LGBTQIA+ individuals deal with every day, and how to be true to yourself and stand up for the love you believe in.

Finally, the last book up

Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes

this book was beautiful and heartbreaking and inspiring and tremendous. A journey that gives weight to the tragedy of 9/11, and creates a way for everyone, but especially kids who didn't experience it first hand, to connect

Obviously, I read MANY more books than these, and they were all excellent in their own way.  But what each of these particular books had in common was that they all impacted me either through humor, heartache, or insightfulness.  

Let me know what were some of your top books in 2016, and if you've read any of my picks, what you thought, in the comments!

Happy New Year everyone!  Hopefully 2017 will be a fresh start for my blog and reading!

Tweet

BOOKTUBE-A-THON 2016 WRAP UP

BookTube-A-thon 2016 is officially over!  July 24th was the last full day of the event, and boy was this a looooong 7 days.  I have never read that many books in such a short amount of time.  Especially as it doesn't really work out to 1 book a day in practice; so books take longer than others do (I'm looking at you Wax, I'm looking at you).

Just to refresh your memory from last time (check out my update post) here are the challenges:
1. Read a book with yellow on the cover
2. Read a book only after sunset
3. Read a book you discovered through BookTube
4. Read a book by one of your favorite authors
5. Read a book that is older than you
6. Read and watch a book-to-movie adaptation
7. Read seven books

(books correspond to the challenges from left to right)

I officially finished ALL the challenges!  Wooh!  I read every single book listed above!  Smashed it for sure.  Of course I'm sure some people read waaaaay more books, but with the fact that I have a full-time, 40 hour a week job, I am very pleased with my accomplishment!  

With the BookTube-A-Thon, there were three other places to do "challenges or activities: Twitter, Instagram, and, of course, YouTube.  I, unfortunately, rarely participated in the YouTube or Instagram challenges--I need to re-vamp my YoueTube Channel and I'm just not a good Bookstagamer yet.  BUT, I totally participated in the Twitter Sprints!  These are blocks of time when hosts for the BookTube-A-Thon issue reading "sprints", designated reading times, and offer challenges/activities to do during the blocks as well.  They were super fun, and while I only really got to do the 10:00PM to 1:00AM ones, I did participate!  

I LOVE this event, and really applaud Ariel Bisset for all the hard work she puts in to, first, create the BookTube-A-Thon, and then second, run it every year!  I also enjoyed the myriad of guest hosts, popular BookTubers from all over the interwebz; super fun to see everyone's different style in Tweet form!

Since I'm so pumped, and I finished all my challenges, I figured I'd do a little wrap-up going over the books I read as a celebratory "I DID IT!"!

FAVORITE BOOK READ!

My favorite book read was Wax by Gina Damico!  I can't say enough good things about this book; it was hilarious and horrifying, and hilariously horrifying all at the same time.  Definitely a book you want to check out (also look for my review and a giveaway coming Tuesday, July 26th)!

LEAST FAVORITE BOOK READ!

My least favorite books read was definitely The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway!  This book was picked for the "read a book that is older than you" challenge, and I regret that decision.  I know that as far as a literary achievement, this is touted as one of Hemingway's best novels, but it has a lot, and I mean a lot, of fishing in it.  Too much fishing.  All the fishing.  I couldn't handle it.  Good for a literary analysis, stinky for reading for fun!

FAVORITE CHALLENGE!

I really enjoyed the "read and watch a book-to-movie adaptation".  For this one I chose How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, which when the movie came out, I did not know it was a book.  So I saw the movie first, which in this case was fine because I didn't find them to be all that similar.  The very base of the plot is there in the movie, but the book and movie have a TON of differences.  Both enjoyable for sure, but I think I like the movie adaptation better, sorry to say!

LEAST FAVORITE CHALLENGE!

This is a toss up between "read a book that is older than you" and "read a book only after sunset".  The former because being 28 makes the genre that I typically like to read, Young Adult, pretty slim pickings to find a book, and one I hadn't read yet.  Hence, looking for those classics, and hence, winding up with "The Old Man Who Fished A Lot".  The later was problematic because right now it doesn't get dark until 8:30PM!!!  And remember that 40 hour a week job?  I'm tired by like 9:00PM!  I had to do some major caffeination in order to read my pick for that challenge, but it was still fun!

FASTEST BOOK TO READ!

That honor would have to go to How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell. This is the last book I read, as I wanted to be able to watch the movie right after, so I read it all in one go on Sunday, July 24th.  Super short book too, so that obviously helped! The actual shortest book I read was really, George by Alex Gino, at 195 pages, but I read that over two days due to work.

LONGEST BOOK TO READ!

This honor has to go to Wax by Gina Damico.  This book took 5 days...well nights...to read!  That's only because sleep kept defeating me!  My body was so weak in the face of all this after sunset only reading!  This books was also the longest in page length at 368 pages.  So worth it though!!

MOST GENRES READ!

I read, out of the 7 books, 4 "contemporary" books: You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan, George by Alex Gino, Local Girl Swept Away, and Flying Lessons & Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh.  Each of them were very different books, but all fell within the contemporary genre.  And it just reinforces the fact that contemporary has a lot of different books within it!

Overall, I had sooooo much fun!  And I'm proof, along with many other participants, that you don't have to have a (active)BookTube channel in order to take part in the BookTube-A-Thon.  So definitely consider participating next year, and make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel in order to get all the updates.

Tweet