Score: 95+/100 (9.5+ out of 10)
“You know what happened to Tim?” In 1982, 15 years before the start of this book, a boy named Tim went missing from a little English town. A few of his former boy scout buddies recall him talking about a treasure hidden somewhere close by, a treasure which apparently resulted in his tragic disappearance and apparent demise. What really happened to Tim and his supposed treasure? And it's with the revelation of that mystery that we are plunged into this incredibly entertaining and enjoyable book! We join the charismatic, dynamic duo of Carol and Beryl, two 12-year-old next door neighbors and BFFs, who are frequently feuding with two school bullies in Simon and Gimpy. Now, when we say that Carol and Beryl are charismatic and dynamic, we aren't exaggerating! These two have more personality than the 1985 Chicago Bears! They're cute, they're funny, they're sarcastic, they're imaginative, they're creative, they're resourceful, they're wise and intelligent (at times), they're naive and ignorant (at other times), they're sympathetic, and they're JUST. SO. COMPELLING! You can't help but get behind these girls and hope that they get everything they want. Another thing that goes without saying is that the chemistry between the two characters is astronomical! They have code-names for each other in case there's an emergency. They generally know what the other one is thinking or feeling without even having to ask. In life and literature, there are friends and best-friends, then there are true BFFs like these two! With the exception of maybe one misunderstanding, they're virtually inseparable! You really get the sense that nothing, no matter how insurmountable, will stand in their way. Now, getting back to the story, this book takes a turn when the house of the girls' second-mother, Mrs. Ecclestone, goes up for sale. Soon, there are “FOR SALE” signs everywhere in town. The girls soon learn that the textile factory that has kept the town afloat is now closing. Many of the townsfolk who were employed by and relied on the factory are out of work and seemingly out of luck. This includes Carol's dad, who is leaning toward moving away to pursue new opportunities (not too dissimilar from Michael in Tough Trail Home by Marie Watts, now that we think of it). This would spell the end to Carol & Beryl being neighbors, putting the final nail in the coffin to all of the amazing adventures they have together including their adventures around the river into the nearby secret garden. To make matters even worse, the family of Gimpy, one of the bullies, is interested in buying Carol's house. This could potentially mean that Beryl would be trapped in town with a hateful, despicable bully living next door and always breathing down her neck. She would be left alone without her tough, brave, fearless friend, Carol, to fight alongside her. That's quite a plight! And, as you might have guessed, this is when the book really takes off! Carol & Beryl come up with all sorts of wild, crazy, funny, and amusing ideas on how to make enough money to buy and save Carol's house. For example, they calculate that it would take 19 years to make enough money from a lemonade stand to buy the house. They also calculate that it would take 108 years to save enough money if they went without ice cream. And herein lies one of the most charming and awesome things about this book: the childlike wonder and innocence. Yes, these girls are a bit naive, but there's a cuteness and humor to that. For example, to them, 15 years (since the disappearance of Tim) is ancient history, as are events like the Falklands War. To them, 10000 British pounds is a fortune capable of buying a house. To them, being deprived and starving means not eating ice cream that day. It's hilarious! They also consider doing things like dog-walking, babysitting, and tutoring. After a while, they basically decide to build their own house at the other side of the river near where they love to adventure. The problem is, to get all their building materials there would be very inefficient. So, what do these resourceful, imaginative girls decide to do? They decide to build a boat! Well, it's more like a raft, but they do it anyway. They name it the Kentucky. With the raft, they're able to bring some makeshift building supplies and materials across the river and to their secret place. Adorably, they sing songs while they're building like “Our house is a very, very, very nice house.” See what we mean by this book being so charming? It's like watching Christopher Robin and Winnie the Poo do stuff. As fate would have it, they make a huge (albeit convenient and kinda cheesy) discovery believed to be related to Tim Marston, the missing boy. They investigate using library resources and try to figure out what may have happened to him. One particular thing sparks their interest: a potential treasure hidden somewhere near their secret place by the town! They consider if maybe they can invite treasure hunters to bring business to the town and potential “save” it, or if they can find the treasure themselves! They face a ton of obstacles along the way like how to convince their parents they're studying for school and not goofing off with the house building and treasure hunting. They also face human obstacles and outright villains like Simon, Gimpy, Mr. Davis, and Hank along the way. Can these girls overcome these obstacles, find the missing treasure, and save their house? This book is phenomenal! We're not even kidding. It's so much fun! It needs to be briefly stated that this book takes place around 1996-1997, and the author did an admirable job of bringing us into that time. For example, Princess Diana is still around for much of this book, expected to help with the opening of a new hospice center. Margaret Thatcher and the Falklands War are talked about, albeit briefly and as a bit of a red-herring. Computers are also less advanced and there internet isn't quite huge yet. Another thing we loved about this book is the writing. Again, it captures that childlike wonder and innocence that we've been missing in literature lately. There are funny lines that deliberately exaggerate the girls' thoughts and experiences like: “All the girls wanted to do was give up, but they had to push on—just one more bend in the riverbank, and another, and one more.” “She abstained from buying any essentials, such as ice cream (except once)” There's also a really great passage about friendship spoken by Beryl's mom: “Friendships need good fights occasionally, just as every child needs a good fever once in a while. Fevers burn out infections, bacteria, viruses, and toxins, so they are an essential part of a healthy life. Fights are similar; they are fires that clean out all the little tensions that build up in a relationship, so they bring true friends closer together. That’s why Dad and I are often closer after a good quarrel. After a fight, it becomes easier to see the other person’s point of view, say sorry, and move on. My motto on this is, ‘Fight, fever, forgive, forget, freedom.’” WOW, just, WOW. That really spoke to us. One minor grievance we had was that it really seemed like Beryl, despite being first-billed in the title, was being completely overshadowed all the time by Carol. Carol is the cool one with the cool nickname (“Carol the Peril”). She's the one who is “daring with a touch of naughty.” She makes all the lists and comes up with a lot of the master plans. She is also the one who acts when there's danger, such as screaming, fleeing, or trying to fight. For much of this book we were kinda thinking: is Beryl going to do anything? Thankfully, our questions were answered. Beryl does have her own uses. First of all, she loves crossword puzzles and can solve problems. She's also smaller than Carol, making her capable of fitting into tight spaces. Apparently, she can also swim and isn't afraid to get in the water. What a great duo! And what a great book! Check it out on Amazon!
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Score: 92/100 (9.2 out of 10)
It's so ironic that we find ourselves writers blocked while reviewing a book about writing! This book is definitely a mixed bag. It's polarizing from a judging standpoint. On one hand, it opens readers' eyes to new and interesting techniques on unleashing their creative energies, something which—in theory—should translate to writing more freely, seamlessly, and with less inhibition. On the other hand, this book ventures into the somewhat bizarre realms of existentialism and esoteric spirituality—some things we definitely weren't prepared or ready for. No, we won't go so far as to compare to Dianetics--it's not that extreme. However, it almost reminded us of Dr. Scott Flagg's self-help book REAL PSYCHOLOGY or The Woo Woo Way by Sandy Evenson, both of which have found prior success in our contest. We make these comparisons because Breathe. Write. Breathe. by Lisa Tener doesn't really take the approach you would expect from a self-help book about writing. It's surprisingly metaphysical, dealing with intangible concepts like ki/qi/chi and chakras (similar to The Woo Woo Way)—things you'd expect to hear about in a martial arts or yoga class, not really a grounded book about writing. Unsurprisingly, Tener is a passionate Qigong practitioner and teacher. She talks about it a lot in this book. Some of the mind/mental/mindfulness practices in this book almost reminded us of the astral projecting that characters were doing in The Madigan Chronicles by Marieke Lexmond or With Love, From Planet B by Dr. Zaayin Salaam. In fact, there's even a section in here about being in touch with your dreams and your dream self similar to what the characters in With Love, From Planet B went through in exploring the dream-state technology in that book. This author does make a great point about this, writing and creativity: “All individuals are profoundly creative because we all dream.” This is an excellent quote attributed to an individual named Kari Hohne. It's definitely in contention for our “Best Quote” Special Award! So, why did this quote resonate with us so much? Well, it's because it says a lot about the imaginations and creativity that's locked away in ALL of us, often lying latent and untapped like a dream. Think about it: so many of us sit on our hands with our figurative tails between our legs saying that we can't do certain things involving our minds. We can't do math. We can't learn a new language. We can't write. We can't think of new things. Well, the truth of the matter is, our brains are capable of so much! The book reminds of this time and time again. Going back to what we were saying... think about it: despite all the negative things you might tell yourself about your inability to think and create, you have certainly dreamed. All people dream. That's literally the explanation for many of the prophetic visions that biblical prophets like Joseph and Daniel had—they were essentially oneiromancers (people who could interpret strange dreams). Likewise, dreams are literally a cornerstone of Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis. Heck, dreams are the foundation of psychoanalysis as a whole. So dreams, despite them not being tangible, physical things, still tell us a lot. It's not quackery. It's not nonsense. It's not having one's head in the clouds and being out of touch with reality. Dreams reveal latent thoughts, desires, and our creative imagination. With that said, this book is about unlocking that creative imagination and letting it flow rather than letting it be locked away like water behind a dam or a tiger in a cage. With that context in mind, this book actually has a phenomenal premise and a lot of promise! Indeed, Lisa Tener offers a refreshing and holistic approach to unlocking creativity and enhancing the writing process. Again, it's very unique and... different. The book's central premise is the integration of mindful movement, breathwork, and creative exercises to help writers overcome blocks, tap into their authentic voice, and maintain a state of creative flow. Tener, a seasoned writing coach, draws from various traditions. As alluded to before, this includes Qigong, yoga, and meditation, providing readers with practical tools that are both accessible and effective. We actually tried some of these techniques! They're pretty fun and interesting. We're not sure if they changed our lives, but they were worth giving them a go. Each chapter is structured around specific breathing and movement practices, followed by writing prompts that encourage exploration and experimentation. For example, practices like Qigong Bouncing and Abdominal Breathing are designed to relax the body and mind, making space for creativity to flourish. The inclusion of QR codes for video and audio guides adds an interactive dimension, making it easy for readers to engage with the exercises. Qigong Bouncing might be the thing about this book that stuck with us the most. Seriously! We found ourselves trying to bounce throughout the day, seeing if it got us more hyped and/or energetic. Honestly, it kinda worked! It reminded us of that hopping thing that Brock Lesnar and The Rock used to do before a match. We experienced a similar habit when we started tapping on random things, suppoedly to become more mindful and unlock our chakras on the advice of Sandy Evenson. The book also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a playful and curious attitude toward writing. Tener's own experiences and anecdotes, such as her encounter with a Buddhist nun during a visualization exercise, illustrate the profound impact that mindful practices can have on creativity and personal growth. The exercises are versatile, catering to writers at all levels, and are designed to be revisited and adapted over time. Now, in all honesty, the visualization discussions kinda made us raise our eyebrows and even laugh a little. It's not that they don't work, they just kinda sound... funny. On a lighter note, some of them are actually kinda cute, especially the ones that involve animals like the groundhog. Seriously, there are sections in here called “Groundhog Fantasy” and “Talk to the Animals.” Anyway, despite our mixed feelings, this is a truly worthwhile read. It is a valuable resource for writers seeking to enhance their creativity and find joy in the writing process. Its combination of practical exercises, inspirational guidance, and holistic approach makes it a unique and enriching addition to any writer's toolkit. The last thing we want to mention is that Lisa Tener is a very qualified person to learn from. Like we said, she's a certified Qigong teacher, but that's not all! She served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and also has bachelor's and master's degrees from MIT! So, she's really someone who provides a wealth of wisdom. Check it out on Amazon! Score: 91+/100 (9.1+ out of 10)
The Adventures of Danny Discus is a friendly, positive, and uplifting children's book series by Kirt Seuchan! The series follows the hopeful, optimistic, and big-dreaming Danny, a discus fish who lives in an aquarium. The aquarium is owned by Mr. Chan, a friendly character in these books, on the island of Trinidad in the West Indies. Well, this book takes our characters a little bit out of their comfort zones by bringing Danny and Mr. Chan to Trinidad's sister island of Topango. It is there where Mr. Chan hopes to participate in an aquatic exhibition to show off some of the most extraordinary fish (including discus fish) in the West Indies. It is a huge opportunity for both of our beloved characters to branch out, experience new things, learn something, and perhaps even accomplish something outside the confines of the aquarium and pet store. Danny's friends, particularly Tina (a tetra fish), are both excited and curious about his upcoming adventure, saying that they've heard all sorts of things about Tobago and the surrounding area including the beaches and coral reefs. Indeed, a lot of extraordinary sea creatures inhabit the coral reef between Trinidad and Tobago including various types of fish, whales, and turtles. Some of these sea creatures (somehow) interact with Danny despite him being in an oxygen-filled bag for much of the journey. You kinda have to suspend your disbelief and just play along with it for the sake of the story. It's not so hard to do considering that this is a book about anthropomorphic talking animals. Anyway, the key animal that talks to Danny is a wise sea turtle named Tito who tells Danny that Tobago and its surrounding reefs need to be respected and taken care of because the ecosystems there are very delicate. Danny also meets a parrot fish named Poly and a seahorse named Sandy. On Mr. Chan's end, he connects with Captain Kurt at Pigeon Point Beach, a veteran of the seas who is able to give Mr. Chan and Danny an eye-opening voyage. This is an adorable and charming book. We do have a few questions and issues, especially as it relates to the previous book in the series, The Adventures of Danny the Discus Volume 2: Love of a Mother. Where was Danny's mother? It was strange and more than a bit of an elephant in the room considering that Danny's mother was a HUGE centerpiece and character in the previous book. Not to mention that her chemistry with Danny was off-the-charts and put over in a big way. So, what happened to all of that? She just seems to have vanished from the series all of a sudden. Kids who may have loved the previous book may be a bit concerned. Did she get purchased by a customer? Did she go the way of the dodo? There really needs to be a bit more continuity. There's also a sense that this book seems rushed. It probably could've been 5+ pages longer, expanding on more of what Danny and Mr. Chan actually did on Tobago. It seemed more like all they did was go to the beach, ride a boat, and see a few creatures in the seas nearby. It's pretty limited considering that the whole premise of the book was built around the excitement of what Tobago was like (and how it differed from Trinidad). The next thing we know, Danny is just back in Trinidad being greeted by his friends. Wow! Did we skip like a week or a chapter full of content? What did we miss between Danny talking to animals and him returning to Trinidad? It seems like a lot got trimmed or cut for time. Or maybe it was cut for a budget because illustrations are, frankly, expensive. Speaking of illustrations, this book's illustrations have the same pros, cons, and overall style of the previous book. It's colorful, bright, and eye-catching. At the same time, it has the same issue with the action being out of focus because the draw distance and scope are too great (arguably).Take page 5, for example. It's a shot of the entire pet store and aquarium. It's nice and all, but where is the main character? Where is Danny? He makes up maybe 1-2% of the page space. On pages 18 and 19, we see so much of the beautiful, colorful coral reef and ocean, but what about he central characters we're supposed to be focusing on like Danny and Tito? Anyway, those are some minor gripes. And, ultimately, it probably doesn't matter to most children who'll just enjoy seeing the fish and the colorful illustrations. At least the author was able to take us on a fun adventure with Danny! Check it out on Amazon! Score: 94+/100 (9.4+ out of 10)
Ready Set Dance is another adorable, fun-filled children's book by Once Upon a Dance, illustrated by Stella Maris! The book features and follows several animal characters during their very first day of dance school! Doing anything for the very first time can be intimidating and even scary! Maybe it's swimming or riding a bike. Maybe it's going to the gym. Maybe it's going to dance class like these characters. Maybe you think that you're not in shape enough. Maybe you think that you're not skilled enough. Maybe you think that everyone will laugh at you or that you'll be scolded for not doing well. The truth is that those are rarely valid reasons for not trying! And, let's face it, we all had to start somewhere. Even the best weren't born with the ability to do flips and tricks. No, they had to learn to crawl, stand, walk, and run the same as everyone else—the same as you! And, who knows? Maybe you'll be surprised. Maybe there'll be others who are trying it for the first time just like you! Those are a few of the realizations that the characters in this book come to. And those are some great lessons to take with you! So, who are these bright, colorful, adorable, and adventurous animal characters? Well, this cast is led by Bella Beak and Quinn Hops, a chicken and a frog, respectively. It does kinda help that the creators of the book used colors (including in the text) to help readers, especially young children, to distinguish between the different characters. For example, when Bella (the chicken) is mentioned, Bella's name is in red (similar to the color of a chicken's comb). When Quinn is mentioned, Quinn's name is in green (similar to the color of the frog's skin). Bella and Quinn experience a lot of the worries and anxieties that a lot of us would have on our first day of dance class. They don't quite feel in-shape, skilled, or knowledgeable enough, but they still want to give it a try. They are pleasantly surprised to learn that many of the other student-dancers in the class (like Betty the Highland bovine; a sloth, a turtle, a pig, an owl, and a bunny rabbit) are still learning and growing just like they are. They're also pleasantly surprised that their new dance teacher, Kittina the cat, is very welcoming, patient, and understanding. Rather than being pushy and having unrealistic expectations like the protagonists had feared, Kittina guides them through each movement step-by-step, bit-by-bit. It also helps that Kittina is absolutely adorable and cute, possibly the cutest and most charismatic character in the book. Despite this, Kittina still shows a human side like when the cat gets irritated with the parents in the waiting room for being too loud and interrupting the instruction in the class. Well, that could also be considered cat-like behavior. Apparently, Kittina doesn't teach alone. Kittina is joined by Mrs. Jitterstein, a spider. But don't worry! She's a cute, friendly, and helpful spider like Charlotte from Charlotte's Web. There are a few really good things about this book. For one, Once Upon a Dance really made an effort to make it engaging, even in the absence of the dance moves typically found in their other books. For example, readers are prompted/invited to show how old they are with a show of fingers. They are also invited to spot/find different things like different articles or pieces of a dancer's clothing (like tights or a leotard). Another thing that's excellent about this book is that it actually educates young people about different types of dance moves/stances and the aforementioned parts of the uniform. They're also learn about different parts of a dance studio like the barre and the mirror, elaborating on what purpose(s) they serve. Something else that we really, really enjoyed and appreciated about this book are the shenanigans. The little animals are constantly getting themselves mixed up, lost, and buckered out. They soon realize (along with the reader) that dance class isn't always rigid, straightforward, and all about dance. Sometimes, it's a mixed-bag of experiences! Sometimes, one of you might forget your uniform and have to improvise. Sometimes, you might not have the flexibility, height, endurance, or coordination to do things exactly the same way as the person next to you is doing it. You sometimes have to adjust, adapt, and even improvise until you can ease your way in and/or catch up. It's also just fun to see the animal characters do things like get dressed and eat together. The illustrations by Stella Maris are also some of our favorites in the series, looking a lot like what we saw in Dance Stance. We did miss Ballerina Konora's dance panels, but at the same time realize that this book already had a lot going on and it could've been distracting otherwise. Speaking of a lot going on, a part of us did feel like there was a bit too much going on and that the flow of the book was a little choppy. For example, the scene in which Kittina reprimanded the parents for being too loud—while possibly a familiar situation to the author and possibly an inside-joke—also pulled us away from what was already going on, thus interrupting story flow. Something different seemed to be happening on every page that didn't quite flow from the last one. However, we eventually realized that this was kinda the point. Not everything is going to go to plan, not in dance class and not in literature. Sometimes, you're going to have random, unexpected things come up. Sometimes, you have to slow down, stop, and start again when one of your students gets lost or confused. All in all, this book is so much fun! Check it out on Amazon! |
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