"Dexter: The Stand Up Dog" by Bonnie Kelso & Kentee Pasek

 

"Dexter: The Stand-Up Dog" by Bonnie Kelso & Kentee Pasek is an uplifting true story that shows how far love, hope, resilience, and perseverance can carry you—even on two legs. I love dogs and have had them all my life, so the blurb immediately captured me. This was my first Camp NetGalley book, and what a great choice it was!

Dexter was adopted by his family when he was just a puppy. Like all puppies, he was energetic, curious, and mischievous. After a tragic accident, he lost one front leg and couldn’t walk very well on the other. His family gave him a two-wheel wagon, but it was too slow for his taste. Determined to go faster, he practiced and practiced—and it paid off. He learned to walk on two legs to the amazement of his family. Pretty soon, he was a social media sensation, and rightly so.

I looked him up on social media and was amazed. It’s hard to believe until you see it with your own eyes. I especially related to his story, as I had a dog who also went through a similar accident and became disabled. My dog didn’t lose his leg, but after surgery, he couldn’t bend it.

Dexter’s journey was both touching and inspiring—it made me feel for him and want to hug him. I loved the message of the story: that any challenge can be overcome, one step at a time. We could all take a leaf from Dexter’s book. With minimal text and charming illustrations, the book shows that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.

The illustrations were lovely—simple but very effective—and helped me connect emotionally to the tale. There were a couple of pages where the dark background made the text hard to read, so the author may want to adjust that before publication.

Overall, I loved the book! It’s a great choice to read to children or have them read on their own. It teaches important life lessons, empathy, and an appreciation for life. Full stars from me! Dexter is surely one lucky dog!.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Dexter: The Stand Up Dog" by Bonnie Kelso & Kentee Pasek

"The Witch in the Woods: Volume 1" by Michaelbrent Collings

 

What a great tale! "The Witch in the Woods: Volume 1" by Michaelbrent Collings is a wonderful middle-grade fantasy story corresponding with the Grimm's stories. I love the Grimm's stories, so I was sold on the premise of this book. This is the first book in the series and a great start to it.

The book follows the adventures of the almost eleven-year-old twins, Willow and Jake Grimm, in the Grimmworld. When the twins' parents are offered a job at the Think Tank Company based in New Marburg, Idaho, they relocate there, but the kids aren't happy with the move. Meet the family:

* Pun-loving father named Phil, a quantum physicist.
* The mom, Dorothy, is a mechanical engineer and a genius inventor.
* Willow - a social kid. She loves to read fantasy and Sci-fi, easygoing, smart, athletic, artistic, and advantageous to boot.
* Jake - the quiet one and lacks confidence. He is kind, full of book smarts and science smarts, and has a good memory.

Even before they start the long drive to their new home, odd things start to occur. The twins are attacked by a weird man spitting garbage words. When they try to tell their parents, their parents ignore them. There are bizarre things in the new town as well, such as flying cars, talking robots, and other wonderful inventions they haven't seen before.

The twins start a new school and have to deal with a mean teacher who hates them for reasons unknown (at first) and makes their life a living hell. They befriend two kids, Hank and Pearl, and try to make the best of a worse situation. The plot thickens when their school turns into a medieval castle, the horrible hall monitor turns into a giant, and they are whisked into the world of tales, Grimmworld, into the story of Hansel and Gretel, no less. Thus starts a fantastic adventure featuring neat tidbits, a mysterious wizard, an evil witch, and a talking naked mole rat.

This book is the perfect example of why I love children's novels so much. It is creative and full of imagination, and, as with all fables, there is a moral at the end. I loved the puns and riddles and the twist the author took on the original tales.  I also enjoyed the way the main characters grew and developed as the tale unfolded.

It is a beautifully written book with great world-building that captures the imagination of the reader from the first chapter. The technical explanation of the worlds slows up the pace a bit and should be shortened, as it interrupts the flow of the story. That was my only issue with the book.

Although written for children, it is also a delightful read for adults who are young at heart. The author certainly knows how to capture your imagination. I loved the book although I am not the target audience. The author ties most of the loose ends, but he ends the book with a cliffhanger. I would love to read the second book in the series when it is out. Anyone who loves fairy tales with a twist or fantasy adventure will enjoy reading this book.
 
*  Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "The Witch in the Woods"

"Baby Dragon's Big Sneeze" by Sheryl Bas

 

What a charming book! This is a delightful picture book about dragons. I 
absolutely love books about these mythical creatures. So,when I saw the title,
I knew I wanted to read it.

What happens when a dragon sneezes? Exactly what has happened here. A young 
dragon has a cold and when he sneezed, he accidentally burned down a 
village. The people wanted revenge, but one girl is brave enough (or 
perhaps foolish enough) to enter his cave and ask him why he did what he did. 
When she finds out he is ill, she tries to help him.

This is a fantastic children's book that teaches kids that there are two 
sides to every story and that sometimes compassion can go a long way.
The illustrations in this book are stunning and perfectly complement the rhyming
story and its message of empathy, kindness, and friendship.

A sweet read for younger readers and highly recommended!

For more info about the book: Baby Dragon's Big Sneeze

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. 
All opinions are my own.