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 --- Charlie Hernández & the League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo [Review + Giveaway]

Title: Charlie Hernandez & the League of Shadows
Authors(s): Ryan Calejo
Publication Date: October 23, 2018
Edition: Hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook; 330 pgs
Publisher: Aladdin Books
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Kindle - Barnes & Noble  - iBooks - Kobo - The Book Depository - Audible
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:

8/19/2019- BookHounds YA- Interview

8/20/2019- Savings in Seconds- Excerpt

8/21/2019- Twirling Book Princess- Excerpt

8/22/2019- Country Road Reviews- Review

8/23/2019- Lifestyle Of Me- Review

Week Two:

8/26/2019- Rhythmicbooktrovert- Review

8/27/2019- Wonder Struck- Review

8/28/2019- Two Chicks on Books- Interview

8/29/2019- Aunt Addie's Bookshelf- Review

8/30/2019- The Desert Bibliophile- Review

Week Three:

9/2/2019- The Layaway Dragon- Review

9/3/2019- Random Bookish Banter- Review

9/4/2019- Eli to the nth- Review

9/5/2019- Novel Novice- Guest Post

9/6/2019- Fyrekatz Blog- Review

Week Four:

9/9/2019- Nicole's Novel Reads- Review

9/10/2019- Marshmallow Pudding- Review

9/11/2019- Nerdophiles- Review

9/12/2019- PopTheButterfly Reads- Review

9/13/2019- two points of interest- Review

The Summary

“This is a perfect pick for kids who love Rick Riordan’s many series, particularly for those eager for mythologies beyond Greek and Roman stories.” —Booklist (starred review)

“A winner for all kids, but it will be especially beloved by Latinx and Hispanic families.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)


The Lightning Thief meets the Story Thieves series in this middle grade fantasy inspired by Hispanic folklore, legends, and myths from the Iberian Peninsula and Central and South America.

Charlie Hernández has always been proud of his Latin American heritage. He loves the culture, the art, and especially the myths. Thanks to his abuela’s stories, Charlie possesses an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the monsters and ghouls who have spent the last five hundred years haunting the imaginations of children all across the Iberian Peninsula, as well as Central and South America. And even though his grandmother sometimes hinted that the tales might be more than mere myth, Charlie’s always been a pragmatist. Even barely out of diapers, he knew the stories were just make-believe—nothing more than intricately woven fables meant to keep little kids from misbehaving.

But when Charlie begins to experience freaky bodily manifestations—ones all too similar to those described by his grandma in his favorite legend—he is suddenly swept up in a world where the mythical beings he’s spent his entire life hearing about seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Hispanic folklore and into his life. And even stranger, they seem to know more about him than he knows about himself.

Soon, Charlie finds himself in the middle of an ancient battle between La Liga, a secret society of legendary mythological beings sworn to protect the Land of the Living, and La Mano Negra (a.k.a. the Black Hand), a cabal of evil spirits determined to rule mankind. With only the help of his lifelong crush, Violet Rey, and his grandmother’s stories to guide him, Charlie must navigate a world where monsters and brujas rule and things he couldn’t possibly imagine go bump in the night. That is, if he has any hope of discovering what’s happening to him and saving his missing parents (oh, and maybe even the world).

No pressure, muchacho.

(Goodreads)

My Review

While people may think that Rick Riordan has cornered the market on young kids adventuring through the different myths of the world, there are plenty amazing authors out there doing the same thing.  The best part is there is always room for fresh new voices, and a deeper dive into specific cultural myths.  This time it is Ryan Calejo and Hispanic/Latinx mythology in Charlie Hernández & the League of Shadows.

Calejo, as stated in his bio, comes from a family of immigrants, and this heritage is clearly embraced within CHLS.  The titular character of the book, Charlie, has been told a multitude of stories told straight from Hispanic/Latinx culture by his abuela.  Just the density of the stories, the sheer amount of legends/myths that Charlie's abuela tells is indicative of the rich history of the Hispanic/Latinx people.  The added layer that Calejo brings is making all of those myths come to life on the streets of Miami.

As with most middle grade books, relatability is the key component in CHLS.  Charlie and Violet are well-developed kids, meaning I can envision them as flesh and blood children in our world.  I enjoyed reading about them trying to figure out all the craziness that has descended upon their home, and doing so with the awe and courage that kids that age can possess.  The concrete mixed with the fantastical is always a favorite of mine, and it really sucks you into the story quickly.  Relying on their wits and the legends from abuela, Charlie and Violet often find themselves against foes who are stronger than them.  But that doesn't stop them.  Plucky and intrepid, these are kids you want on your side!

But the real gem of CHLS is the myths themselves.  Introduced in a very smart way, with a glossary of terms in the back of the book to help bridge cultural divides, Culejo has chosen amazing myths from all over the Hispanic/Latinx communities to include in this book.  This is so important: (a) it adds one more book to the underrepresented Hispanic/Latinx children's section; (b) introduces others to the wonderfully diverse world of mythology that exists outside of their own experience.  Well-crafted, the myths and the plot flow in and out of each other wonderfully.

Just a beautifully written, adventure-packed, coming-of-age story, I think that Charlie Hernández & the League of Shadows will capture the interest of anyone, child or adult, who picks it up.

Final Rating

Excerpt

Chapter One

Myths, my abuela used to say, are truths long forgotten by the world.

Which is probably why she collected them the way some people collect stamps. Or mugs with pictures of kittens on them. She gathered tales of enormous, horned, snakelike sea creatures, of two-headed vampire dogs with glowing red eyes, of terrifying man-eating ghouls that stalk the night, searching for naughty children to kidnap.

The myths came from all over the Spanish-speaking world. From Madrid to Quito. Mexico City to Buenos Aires. Most of them were hundreds of years old, almost as old as the cultures that had inspired them. Some had spread quickly around the globe, spread like wildfire. Others never even left the tiny rural towns where they’d first been told.

All her life my grandma had been obsessed with Hispanic mythology, with all the legends and stories and folklore, and had spent years teaching them to me.

When I was little we used to hang out in the kitchen on lazy Saturday afternoons, me in my Power Rangers pj’s and chancletas, my abuela telling her favorite tales from memory, making the epic battles and ghoulish monsters come to life with every gesture of her brown and wrinkled hands.

Afterward, she would quiz me on what I’d heard; we played this little game, sort of like Pictionary, where she’d draw a quick sketch of one of the characters, and I would have to guess who—or, in most cases, what—it was. If I got four in a row, she’d let me eat leche condensada right out of the can, which might’ve been the only thing I enjoyed more than listening to her stories.

At the time I thought it was all just for fun, a cool little game between the two of us. But I should’ve known better; my abuela hated party games.

About the Author

Ryan Calejo was born and raised in south Florida. He graduated from the University of Miami with a BA. He’s been invited to join both the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Golden Key International Honour Society. He teaches swimming to elementary school students, chess to middle school students, and writing to high school students. Having been born into a family of immigrants and growing up in the so-called “Capital of Latin America,” Ryan knows the importance of diversity in our communities and is passionate about writing books that children of all ethnicities can relate to. His first novel was Charlie Hernández & the League of Shadows.

Website | Twitter  | Goodreads

Giveaway

1 winner will win a signed hardcover of CHARLIE HERNÁNDEZ AND THE LEAGUE OF SHADOWS, US ONLY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tweet

BLOG TOUR --- Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks [Review + Giveaway]

Title: Sanity & Tallulah
Authors(s): Molly Brooks
Publication Date: October 16, 2018
Edition: Hardcover, paperback, ebook; 240 pages
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & 
Noble - iBooks - The Book Depository

Tour Schedule

Week One:

10/8/2018- A Backwards Story- Review

10/9/2018- Christen Krumm, Writer- Review

10/10/2018- The Layaway Dragon- Review

10/11/2018- Here's to Happy Endings- Review

10/12/2018- The OWL- Review

Week Two:

10/15/2018- Rhythmicbooktrovert- Review

10/16/2018- Beagles & Books- Review

10/17/2018- Utopia State of Mind- Excerpt

10/18/2018- YA Books Central- Interview

10/19/2018- Eli to the nth- Review

The Summary

Sanity Jones and Tallulah Vega are best friends on Wilnick, the dilapidated space station they call home at the end of the galaxy. So naturally, when gifted scientist Sanity uses her lab skills and energy allowance to create a definitely-illegal-but-impossibly-cute three-headed kitten, she has to show Tallulah. But Princess, Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds is a bit of a handful, and it isn't long before the kitten escapes to wreak havoc on the space station. The girls will have to turn Wilnick upside down to find her, but not before causing the whole place to evacuate! Can they save their home before it's too late?

Readers will be over the moon for this rollicking space adventure by debut author Molly Brooks.

(Goodreads)

Review

Sanity is not your typical kid; she is a science prodigy and has bio-engineered a very illegal, very cute creature: a three-headed cat named Princess Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds (or more specifically, Princess, Sparkle, and Destroyer of Worlds -- the full name usage is a funny joke that readers will smile at).  Of course, Sanity's best friend, Tallulah, is mixed up in it, helping Sanity keep the cat hidden from her own mother, Dr. Vega, senior scientist on board the space station Wilnick.

Of course Princess Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds is discovered and quarantined, but you can't have a sci-fi adventure without something going wrong, so soon enough the girls discover PSDW has gotten loose.  Right after, things start to be nibbled on around the space station wreaking havoc.  Right away, PSDW is pointed to as the culprit.  Sanity and Tallulah must race against the adults on the station to find PSDW to both keep her safe, and save their home.  But not everything is as it seems.

Sanity & Tallulah has it all: friendship, hijinks, science, humor, a diverse cast, and love.  Love for family, love for their home, and love for each other.  Love pours out from this book; both from the author's writing and from the characters themselves.  Mix that together with a science experiment on the loose, and a high-stakes search to save their home, you'll fall in love with Sanity Jones and Tallulah Vega-Davisson.

The writing was full of humor and felt very real, even with the setting being a space station.  Sanity and Tallulah are great leading ladies, who have a total synchronicity that only BFFs can get.  All the adults on board are also great!  Dr. Vega, Tallulah's mom, is a whip-smart, no-nonsense lady who clearly loves both girls.  The girls' fathers are both featured prominently as well, Sanity's being the head of the space station and Tallulah's being a supply runner.  All of the characters are well delveoped and the illustrations are used to hint that there's more to all of them then we have been told.  This will make the readers want more stories set in this world.

But what really makes this book feel grounded, even in the midst of the sci-fi shenanigans, is that the author showcases diversity in her characters. Sanity is black, Tallulah is biracial (Latinx/white), Dr. Vega is a Latinx woman in charge of the whole science department, Sanity's father is a black man in charge of the whole space station, and her mom is part of the military in this world.  There is another department head who is Asian.  There are both gay and straight couples.  And Tallulah's dad has a prosthetic leg.  All of this diversity is refreshing and makes the story come alive even more.

This is one of the best graphic novels I've read in a while.  I couldn't put it down, and was so sad when it was over.  Molly Brooks hit it out of the park with her debut novel, and I can't wait to see what else she has in her.  Hopefully, it is more of Sanity & Tallulah!

Don't forget to enter below for your chance to win a finished edition of the book, and Sanity & Tallulah is out in stores now, so pick up a copy!

The cutest lab experiment you ever did see!

Final Rating

About the Author

Molly brooks is a freelance illustrator/comics-maker in Brooklyn by way of Nashville.

Website | Twitter | Tumblr | Goodreads 

Giveaway

3 winners will win a finished copy of 

 SANITY & TALLULAH, US Only.

Tweet