Lila Danisa

What a fun book!

My son loved this book so much. This book had been in our reread shelf for long time. The hide and seek part of the book was my son's favorite. He already knew by heart where the animals hide but he still reread this book so many times.

My son already knew almost all the animals mentioned in this book though he didn't know that they were native (?) European animals. His favorites were fire salamander, ibex, and xylocopa.

The illustrations were definitely so good. Especially in hide and seek parts because some animals really blended in with the illustrations and made it (kinda) hard to find.

Thank you to Anna Finch, Finch Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

The story's idea in this book is actually very good. How two kids from (very) different places became friend because of youth program. But unfortunately, for me, the delivery was not good enough. The writing style was so flat and unengaging at all. I don't know how to explain it, but the words used in this book were weirdly disjoining the characters with each other and the story too. I personally didn't like the illustrations neither. Again, I can't explain it, but the illustrations were also giving a weird style for my likes.

The concept of this book is actually good. Especially about Kliptown Youth Program (KYP). However, for me, the authors missed the explanation details on how Alizea and Thando meet through KYP. The book has no detail about Alizea and Thando were parts of KYP and explaining the good sides of that youth program.

Nevertheless, thank you to Alizae Kurtzig, Thando Maluleke, We Are One Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.

While the message of this book is good, which you should never wait until tomorrow to do good things, the delivery was not well enough. I don't think children would understand just by reading the story because my son didn't understand at all. Yes, he is only 5 years old, but usually his comprehension was good if the story of the book was being delivered good. I needed to explain to him many times before he (seemed) to understand the message of the story.

While the illustrations were good enough, I kinda suspect that they were AI generated. I hope I am wrong.

Nevertheless, thank you to Fernando Kirreh and NetGalley for the ARC.

What a funny adventurous read!

This book is so perfect for middle-graders. I loved how true to the real middle-graders the characters were. The story was also so relatable for kids who still looking for their self identities.

I personally loved the writing style in this book. Easy to understand and again, perfect for middle-graders and kids in general. I read this book to my 5 years old son and even him understood the story easily. I just needed to explain some parts where he didn't relate (yet).

The illustrations were also fit the story. Simple yet strengthen the storylines.

The ending was realistic and I also loved it. No glorified ending yet still carrying the messages for the (young) readers.

Thank you to Jenny Pearson, Union Square & Co, Sterling Publishing, Union Square Kids, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Sunny Bunnies were so cute! My son loved them so much. He said they looked so fluffy and perfect for bag charms. Yeah, my son is such as a gen alpha.

The definition of each feeling was actually almost the same like other books my son read about feelings. But in this book, there were example scenarios in which each feeling may be occurred. I discussed it with my son and we made our own examples and scenarios based on why and how we might feel the feelings explained in this book.

This book also provided single acts to regulate each feeling. Most of them my son already practices in his daily life.

Thank you to Carine Laforest, Chouette Publishing, CrackBoom! Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.

What a hard life for 3rd grade kid 😢

I know kids back then built different but still AJ seemed barely enjoyed his childhood. I also understand that everything was hard in The Great Depression era and everyone needed to contribute something for the family. But still it was frustrating to read how AJ's struggle in one full day.

What made it even worse, for me at least, was the writing style. It was so flat and boring. The writing style made me hate almost all characters in this book. AJ's strings of bad events made me sympathize with him, yes, but it stopped there. The writing style didn't make me like him more than that.

I personally also didn't like the illustrations much. They also didn't help strengthen the storyline. For me the illustrations were not significant for the book.

Despite some points I didn't like, this book delivered the messages for the (young) readers to be brave, confident, and responsible. I loved that AJ handled the consequences of his actions like a champion. So proud of him. I also believe middle-graders who read this book could learn many things from how hardworking AJ was.

Thank you to Sherry Roberts, Solander Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

The story was actually really good. Humorous sci-fi. But for me the delivery was not that satisfying. I personally didn't like when the same book, the same story, the same timeline has different styles of illustrations. This comic/graphic novel has (I think) 3 different styles of illustrations. I liked the first one better because it fit the story and the characters. The second one was too dark for my likes. And I don't like the third one at all. It made the story and the characters so different from how they got introduced. It affected my enjoyment in reading this book. For me, the illustrations in the last part of the story disjointed the story and the characters all over.

Ignoring (my) problems in illustrations, this comic/graphic novel was entertaining to read. The characters, especially K, were weirdly funny. I would love to read more of their adventure(s) since the ending was hinting it.

Thank you to Buddy Beaudoin, Dead Sky Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Wow. That was so intense. Short but full of intensity in the story. Though the ending was not my kind of ending. It was open ending that make the readers think and conclude whatever they want to. For me, the ending was bittersweet. Like it served the righteousness in justice side of the story but not good enough in overall end of it.

There were also some plot holes I didn't like. They might be not plot holes, just undetailed background stories of the characters.

The illustrations fit perfectly with the vibe of the story. Suspenseful with mostly black and white colors.

Overall I liked this book a lot.

Thank you to Szymon Kudranski, Image Comics, and NetGalley for the ARC.

What a delightful story! My son (and I) loved it so much!

Winnie, the witch, had black house and everything inside it black too. Her cat, Wilbur, also had black color. She often couldn't see Wilbur because the cat blended in with the house and its furniture. Then Winnie changed Wilbur's color and that were the story began.

The story was simple yet meaningful. My son concluded the story himself that sometimes you need to adapt and change for someone you love. On the note that the changes are in better ways. I also told him, based on the story, changes always have two sides, could be good and could be bad too. He might don't 100% understand what I said yet, but I believe my son is compassion enough to comprehend it when he gets older.

The words used in this book were simple enough. My 5 years old son could read 75% by himself and I am so proud of him.

The illustrations were also good. I personally loved it so much because it reminded me of "old time" illustration. Of course it is, since this Winnie The Witch series originally released in 1980s.

Thank you to Valerie Thomas, Histria Books, Histria Kids, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Though we (my son and I) currently live in tropical country that only has 2 seasons (dry season and rainy season), we kinda feel the summer solstice too. Especially now (end of April to June/July) because the sun was so strong.

The garden this book portrayed was kinda the same like our neighborhood gardens and bushes. The flowers were blooming and so colorful. Though the people around here choose to not come outside after 9 or 10 in the morning because the sun is already full power.

My son mostly loved this book because of its colorful illustrations. He said he felt cheerful because of the vibrant colors the illustrations presented. However, he was complaining a little bit about no hijabi in the illustrations. There was a woman with scarf around her neck, but my son said it's not the same with hijab. Well ok then. As for me, the diversity in this book was good enough. I can’t complain since I easily think the scarf woman is enough to represent the hijabi.

Thank you to Kate Allen Fox (Author), Elisa Paganelli (Illustrator), Broadleaf Books, Beaming Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.

What a refreshing book!

This book presented how a comic artist interpreted poems. I found this book refreshing because the illustrations helped me (a lot) to understand better almost all the poems in this book. It also helped me to dig the meanings behind and beneath each poem.

The illustrations were so good. So fit with each poem. Somehow Julian Peters could easily changed (or adapted) the style of the illustrations to suit the vibe and the messages of each poem.

Some of my favorites, both from the poems and the illustrations sides, are Daybreak in Alabama by Langston Hughes; Truth by Gwendolyn Brooks; Three Haikus About The Moon by Matsuo Bashō, Masaoka Shiki, and Ueda Chōshū; The Eagle by Alfred, Lord Tennyson; Not Waving but Drowning by Stevie Smith; Fog by Carl Sandburg; I Thank You God For Most This Amazing by e. e. cummings; and God's Grandeur by Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Thank you to Julian Peters, Plough Publishing, Plough Publishing House, and NetGalley for the ARC.