Review: Moore Zombies by Wendy Knuth

Moore Zombies: The Search for Gargoy by Wendy Knuth
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: September 16h, 2014

You’re not really afraid of zombies, are you? Take a peek into the lives of the Moore zombie family. When Gargoy goes missing, Baby Zom enlists her siblings to help in the search. Follow along with Gothina, the critter loving goth zombie, Broheimer, the nerdy zombie, and Kamper, the messy zombie who enjoys camping. Who, or what, is Gargoy?

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author. This did not affect my review in any way, nor am I being compensated for this post.

To be honest, I'm not really a huge zombie person. I don't watch The Walking Dead, and basically the only zombie-eque thing I've read/watched/enjoyed is Susan Dennard's Something Strange and Deadly series. But this book sounded fun, and the pictures looked amazing.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of this picture book was the illustrations/pictures themselves. They really stood out and were extremely well done. The images matched the words perfectly. The colors are rich and are sure to captivate young children.

The story itself is also pretty engaging and leaves kids hanging until the end. The text is easy to follow but would probably still offer challenges for children learning to read. The plot is interesting and there are parts that kids might not find funny or at least amusing, but anyone reading along with them probably would (like play on words and stuff like that). My only qualm is that there are portions where the zombies are compared to humans, and I don't think it's necessary. It'll be like "this is a little known fact about zombies" etc, etc, but again, it's not necessary and sort of breaks/detracts from the narrative and the rest of the writing.

Overall this is a fun, engaging read that's perfect for kids who love zombies and perfect around Halloween (which was when this was supposed to go up)!

Moore Zombies: Goodreads | Amazon

Wendy Knuth: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Review: Jump! by Julia Dweck

Jump! by Julia Dweck
Publisher: Sleepy Sheep Productions
Release Date: September 1st, 2014

What’s a Jack-in-the-box without his home? Poor Jack has never jumped out of anything before, but his worn out box. Can Barker, the neighborhood dog, prove to Jack that there are many more exciting jumps outside in the great, big world? Young readers will find lots of giggles in the rhyming text and wondrous jumps that Barker and Jack discover together. The full screen art by illustrator, Brian Allen, positively leaps off the page. The author, Julia Dweck, has done a wonderful job of weaving in the subtle message that it’s important to believe in yourself and to think outside of the box in order to realize life’s wondrous possibilities.

"If I were a parent, this would definitely be a book I'd want my kids to read (and hopefully love)."

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author. This did not affect my review in any way, nor am I being compensated for it!

In writing this review, I realize I'm probably not the best person to be writing reviews for children's/picture books as I didn't necessarily progress the same way many of my peers did and because I'm no longer a child nor do I have children, so I'm really out of touch with what a good children's book that's the appropriate level and content would be with the exception of general ideas. In reading some of the other reviews for this book, I found others pointing out bits that never would've stuck out or seemed strange to me. But anyway! Enough blabbing for me and onto the review.

I quite enjoyed Jump! from the very start, and it just got better throughout. There's a very simple rhyme scheme, but I think that works for younger readers. At the same time, the connecting of the ideas seems to be for slightly older readers (6ish?). Seeing as Dweck is a gifted elementary school teacher however, I can definitely see how this could work for more advanced younger readers. I feel like this is a book I would have enjoyed very much in pre-K and kindergarten, though it would have been too easy for me in first grade.

I absolutely love the moral/lesson/theme in Jump! It's an important one for kids--and for everyone--to learn. The moral is very clear throughout the book, at least for me. Personally, I'm not a fan of how she ends with outright stating the moral of the book, but I read somewhere that many children's books actually do that, so I'm not sure! Either way, I did enjoy the way the moral was presented throughout the book, and I love how she uses a jack-in-a-box to show the idea of thinking outside the box!

I also love Brian Allen's illustrations, which really pop and bring the story to life. The images matched the writing extremely well, and it's the perfect complement to the wonderful story.

And I must end by noting/pointing out the activities at the end of the book. They're so fun, and they really make kids think! I can see how being a gifted elementary school teacher actually has affected and influenced the way she writes and the content she includes. The activities are a great way for kids to get involved and engaged, even if they aren't fans of reading. Props to you, Julia!

If I were a parent, this would definitely be a book I'd want my kids to read (and hopefully love).

Jump!: Goodreads | Amazon

Julia Dweck: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | YouTube

Review: Harry and the Hot Lava by Chris Robertson

Harry and the Hot Lava by Chris Robertson
Publisher: Xist Publishing
Release Date: July 15th, 2014

Harry is a little boy with a big imagination. One day, a simple game of "don't step on the hot lava" turns into a adventure he'll never forget! This children's picture book features the iconic art of Chris Robertson and has fun simple text perfect for beginning readers and story time.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author. This in no way affected my review, nor am I being compensated for it.

The first thing I noticed about this book, aside from the great pictures, was the word choice. It's great for children, and it really fits the story. Though the ever changing font was a bit jarring and sometimes unnecessary (in my opinion), it was a huge hindrance.

The ending was incredibly abrupt and felt a bit awkward. I think that was sort of the purpose, but I think it probably could have been done better. I have to say though, the last page of the story was awesome. I absolutely loved that, and I feel like it might stem from Robertson's own adventures and fun times with his son, to whom the book is dedicated.

My favorite aspect of the book would have to be how it made me remember the fun times I had as a child playing "Lava." While that version was a bit different from the one in this story, it was nice to reminisce about those times. To be honest, I didn't even think that kids these days played "Lava" anymore because I see so many of them with cell phones/smart phones already (what?!), so this was a nice way to see that there are some children out there that do still have extremely active imaginations and are learning to play without technology and only with what they have around them.

Another great picture book from Chris Robertson--one that's sure not to disappoint.