📚 Just Finished (6 Reviews)

Simonkidscrew and Simon Elemental

An Octupus named Houdini

4.5 Did you know...? We've learned so much about these amazing creatures, not only it has lots of facts at the end, we learn some of them during the story as well. 9 brains? Lived long before humans existed. This in verse fiction story tells us how an octopus wants to be listened, and return home, and sometimes not all humans are bad and lack empathy, sometimes they know exactly what is to be caged, to not be heard and how to break the rules to do the right thing. Juno has this amazing idea: to create an aquarium tank where the octopuses can leave and return when they want. We were happy to know such tank exists in real life.

I am also glad the community came to the aquarium rescue.

5 stars - Middleschool Disasters and Other... Freakiest Trip Ever

HAHA! When we were at the Field Museum in front of Sue the T. rex dinosaur skeleton and I thought, what would I do if Sue moved, right when the guide said we had no chance of escape. Jodi, the new Canadian student, feels like she has to compete with Heidi for the best place and ends up bringing the T. rex to life. That's not all... she can read minds like Heidi too, and they don't get along at all until their rivalry goes too far. They both acted wrong, and I am glad to see them patch things up.

Did you know Heidi has a younger brother, Henry Heckelbeck? I just read his chapter book recently and put one and one together.

I love this series of Middle School and Other Disasters for the humor, friendship, fun stories, relatable middle school episodes, age-appropriate stresses, and the illustrations are the best. It's very dynamic in the font design as well.

4.5 stars

This is my first Fairy Scout Friends. I couldn't resist the cover art, but when I saw the illustrations inside, I needed it. Very sweet. This volume is even more so with baking and cake flavors and finding our own voice. Perfect for those who look up to older sisters, siblings, or friends and try to please or emulate them. It's good to find a voice, to show who we are and who we can be; it can impress more than trying to mirror what others enjoy.

4.5 stars Making Waves

So sweet. It wasn't easy to go on a first trip/cruise as a family honeymoon. Two families become one but the twin sisters are not all taking it well. Breaking rules and betraying make it all worse. The two older sisters are twins, and the youngest is really tall and wants to be friends with everyone, including Justin. Lucy, one of the twins, is handling the family growing badly. I am glad the parents reassure their children and that the kids take changes and try new things.

5 stars Jen Jenning's Ancient Egypt

The perfect series that teaches and entertains. Every page has some engaging illustration, fact, or activity that makes us want to share immediately.

I didn't know this series, this was my first one, and we think what else there is to know about Ancient Egypt that hasn't been repeated... nope. Four pages into it and we're learning a lot; even the oldest adults in our family did not know some of these facts. Makes learning super fun.

Each chapter addresses a theme, from pyramids to animal worship to ancient medicine and more, with questions. Will definitely collect these.

High heels: Butchers wore them at work to keep their feet clean as they cut meat. Trained monkey? Police officers trained dogs and monkeys to help fight crime, ha!

Love the quiz at the end. Want to get dinosaurs next.

5 stars How Will I Ever Get Through This?

This is a tool I will keep close to me. I define it as a tool because it gives a mind like mine a straight, analytic, even charted process of dealing with the oposite: emotions that overwhelm. It helps me rationalize fear and grief, and I don't use it just for when great losses happen. Sometimes (with my depression and anxiety) I am what is lost, and the exercises and simple, in-your-face writing allow me to get back on track. Here are some examples (just one page: the book is very rich) also recommend the audio. 

"How to leverage positive emotions. One of the toughest parts of healing is believing that what science shows works will also work for you; that and finding time, energy, and inclination to bother doing it. (...) While some of the stuff you see on social media might be rubbish, the strategies below have been tested in multiple studies. (...) Spot the good. (...) Savor, don't rush (...) Find the benefits (...) Say "thanks (and mean it) (...) Get out of your head and into the moment (...) Play to your strengths (...) Focus on small wins for big impact (...) ... "