Sea Rex

I'm back from the beach! So it only makes sense to review this book...

Sea Rex
Written and illustrated by Molly Idle

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 978-0670785742
Publisher: Viking Books
Date of publication: May 26, 2015
Age: 3 - 5 years

Themes: beach, friends, fun, surprises

Cordelia and her Cretaceous companions are headed out for a fun day at the beach! They're prepared with sunscreen, a picnic, and lots of beach gear. With the lifeguard watching over, the friends enjoy cannon balls and surprise swimming buddies. Because life's a day at the beach when you have good friends!

It's the illustrations. Honestly, Molly Idle is a Caldecott honoree for a reason. The text for this book is cute and educational/informative (though the flow is interrupted with a number of ellipses), but the story is really told through the many different scenes of play at the beach. My favorite favorite detail, by far, is the little boy tan line the T-Rex ends up getting after some sun bathing. It's just darling! Really cute, and I'd recommend it for sure, especially when preparing for a trip to the beach. And I like that it's good for boys and girls alike.

As another companion book to Tea Rex, it's obvious readalikes would include Idle's other books. Also, look for other beach books with favorite characters, such as Duck & Goose Go to the Beach and Curious George Goes to the Beach.

Find it at your library or on Amazon

Happy Holiday

Welp, not only is it a holiday tomorrow, but I'm taking my own holiday. I'll be off for the next week basking in the sun at the beach. With a few choice books of course.

So cheers, my friends. In the mean time, feel free to browse past reviews, library-isms, and my just for fun posts.

(Gatsby and fireworks...great literature celebrating the 4th, right?)

Lost in the Sun

Lost in the Sun
Lisa Graff

My rating: ★★★½

ISBN: 978-0399164064
Publisher: Philomel
Date of publication: May 26, 2015
Age: Grades 4 - 8
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Themes: guilt, friendship, anger, family relationships, baseball

After a freak accident in 5th grade that left one kid dead, Trent is left with a brain full of terrible thoughts he can't get rid of—he’s pretty positive the entire disaster was his fault. So now that middle school is starting, he feels like he's getting a fresh start, a chance to prove to everyone that he's not the horrible screw-up they seem to think he is. But it isn’t until Trent gets caught up in the whirlwind that is Fallon Little—the girl with the mysterious scar across her face—that things begin to change. Because fresh starts aren’t always easy. Even in baseball, when a fly ball gets lost in the sun, you have to remember to shift your position to find it.

Trent has a lot to deal with—emotionally and socially and mentally. Which is understandable, considering it involves guilt over the death of one of his friends. But once again, it is tough to read. There's depression, anger, and a whole-heck of a lot of guilt. While it is realistic, it can be tedious. What I did appreciate is the ending. Which, let's be honest, is not going to be the case for everyone; it's a pretty up-in-the-air ending. But it was very realistic. It marks the beginning of Trent's fresh start, so not every question and conflict is answered yet. Graff's writing and the story is extremely well done, it's just the content that may or may not be fun for every reader.

The main characters were extremely well done as well, especially Fallon Little. Her depth of character is amazing, and that's even without finding out the story behind her scar. Trent's dad however? A total jerk with no apparent reason for being such. I was bothered by him and their whole relationship. So overall, I can appreciate the talent it took to write, but I would be pretty selective in my recommendation.

Readalikes would include Umbrella Summer (which is the companion novel, actually), and Finding Audrey (for the slightly older middle-schooler)

Find it at your library or on Amazon

Storytime on Unshelved

Ever feel that drag right before a vacation that makes working impossible? I leave Friday and I'm sure getting stir crazy in here!

Luckily, I can look at comics to make me feel better. And since I normally talk about storytimes on Wednesdays, I made sure that they're all storytime comics.