Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment by Chris Grabenstein and James Patterson This book is about Max Einstein, a twelve year old orphan. She’s homeless, but still works out ways to get an education. One day, she’s recruited by an organization to participate in a competition. Max would love to win, but she disagrees with the tests and what is considered important. All the time, there is an evil company trying to get her…….What happens is so fun and I got taken on an amazing ride with this book. I loved it!
The Last Bear by Hannah Gold April is a young girl who lives with her dad. She tries to have a normal life, but it’s hard when her dad has changed a lot. Then, one day, her dad gets a notice, saying that he has a new job on Bear Island. April is thrilled, hoping that she’ll get to have fun with her dad. But, nothing has changed. April is bored again, until she meets a polar bear which isn’t supposed to be there. I loved this book and what it talks about so much. It’s an amazing book!
Rea and the Blood of the Nectar by Payal Doshi Rea is a twelve year old girl whose brother has just been kidnapped. Her mother and grandmother seem to take it that he’s gone, but Rea knows she can save him. So she visits Mishti Daadi, an old fortune teller with her sort-of friend, Leela. Mishti Daadi gives her riddles and with these riddles and her dreams, she realizes that it is possible to save her brother. As the story progresses, there are twists and turns around every corner. I loved this book so, so much and I totally recommend it to you!
Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi This is the second book in the Aru Shah series. Aru is a pandava. She’s been accused of stealing the god of love’s (Kamadeva) bow and arrow, but she knows it wasn’t her. Now she has until the next full moon to go on a quest with her two “soul-sisters” Mini and Brynne and her other friend, Aiden. I love the Indian mythology in this book and how everything is so descriptive. I loved this book!
The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao Faryn Liu is a twelve year old girl who has dreams of defeating monsters and honoring her family and the gods, but how can she do that when her family is shunned by almost everyone else? One day, she helps to kill a nian, a mythical beast. From then on, she is proclaimed the Heaven Breaker and has to get on several tasks to prove it. I loved this book so much and all the twists and turns that came with it. It’s so amazing!
The Mysterious Benedict Society: The Prisoner’s Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart In the third book of the Mr. Benedict series, the stakes are higher than ever. Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance are in big trouble when one day, a blackout engulfs Stontown. Constance is missing and they almost find her and are safe, but of course the enemies are one step ahead of them. I loved the thrilling twists and turns and all the puzzles in the book. It’s so fun and I enjoyed it so much!
Blankets of snow cover the ground Millions of people with their power out Houses and trees and cars all covered in ice Doesn’t feel great, but looks somewhat nice.
People without water, their pipes have burst No price gouging is a rule that has been enforced There is a boil water notice on all tap water I hope that it soon gets hotter
I recently received a copy of A Girl’s Bill of Rights by Amy B Mucha to read and review. This book talks about all the rights a girl has and it has fun illustrations to go along with it.
What I enjoyed about this book:
I loved how educative it was. Young girls can learn a lot from this book about who they are and who they can be.
It’s a perfect book for young girls in the 1st to 4th grade.
I can see it being read aloud in classrooms across the country. I can see creative teachers adding in fun discussions and activities to supplement the book.
I also loved the vivid and vibrant illustrations by Addy Rivera Sonda. They conveyed the image well and I thought they were perfect to go along with the book.
This year for Valentine’s Day, I made two things, a strawberry ombre cake and a wreath. Both were very simple, but I loved making them and had a lot of fun.
For my English class, I wrote this essay about where energy first came from. I’ve always wondered about this topic and learned so much about it when I was doing my research.
Where did energy first come from? It’s an almost impossible question to answer since we can’t go back in time. As the Law of Conservation of Energy (or the first law of thermodynamics) states, energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it must have been created sometime to exist in our universe.
Energy is defined as the capacity to do work. It can exist in different forms, like sound energy, chemical energy, potential energy, and more. Energy has to have come from somewhere, so where did it come from. The Big Bang is thought to have created everything, but the Big Bang would have needed energy to happen. This means that it isn’t possible for the Big Bang to have created energy and that energy was created before the Big Bang. The universe is a closed system, meaning that energy levels are always at a constant. The amount of energy in the universe from when it was first created to now has always been the same. E=mc² (or energy= mass x the speed of light squared) says that energy and mass can be converted into each other or that a bit of mass can be converted into a lot of pure energy. Mass is a form of stored energy, which means that if we could figure out where mass first came from, we could figure out where energy originated.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it must have come around somehow. There are many explanations, some of which are possible, yet it is a question which can never be answer.
This is a new feature which I’m introducing on my blog. At the end of every month, I’ll write a list of around 5-7 books which I really enjoyed reading the month. Hope you enjoy!
Best Books I read in January 2021
The Magnus Chase Series by Rick Riordan This series is about Magnus Chase, a 16 year old boy who lives in Boston. He’s homeless and has two good friends, Hearth and Blitz. But when he accidentally dies, he opens up a whole new world of Norse myths and legends. These books are really amazing and they’re definitely one of my top.
The Giver by Lois Lowry This is the first book in a quartet. Jonas, a 11 year old boy, lives in a “perfect” world where there is no poverty, war, or overpopulation. But good things, such as music and color have also disappeared from their lives. When he meets the Giver, he finally learns what his life is, and what it could be. I really enjoyed reading the series, with all of the suspense and twists. It’s an amazing book.
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk This book tells the story of 12 year old Crow, a girl who was abandoned and now lives off the coast of Massachusetts. She wants answers about her past, almost desperately and her two guardians support her, though a bit reluctantly. I loved following Crow in this journey to learn about who she really is. It’s a great book!
Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie This book contains mysteries, some of which have almost never been solved. Miss Marple is a old lady, who has seen and learnt more than anybody could guess. I loved reading about all of these puzzles and how Miss Marple outwits everyone else every time. This is one of those books my parents have also read and enjoyed. It is fun talking to them about it.
Aster’s Good Right Things by Kate Gordon Aster is a young girl who doesn’t feel special at all, but she goes to a school for gifted kids. The only way she copes is by doing her “good, right things”. As a young girl with an anxiety disorder, she believes that the world will fall apart if she stops. Then she meets Xavier and she starts having fun. I really enjoyed the book about finding friends and support.
The Remarkable Journey of Charlie Price by Jennifer Maschari I loved this amazing book about dealing with grief. Charlie has been noticing that his sister’s been acting unusual. He follows her to another world, one where his mom is still alive. He’s happy….at first. He realizes that something is wrong though. With the help of his friends, he comes up with a plan to escape the other world for good. I really loved this book and the magical element to it.
I was gifted a copy of The Last Cherry Blossom by Kathleen Burkinshaw as a part of Multicultural Children’s Book Day. This book is about the nuclear bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima during World War II in the eyes of a 12 year old girl named Yuriko.
Yuriko lives a normal life with her Papa, aunt, and annoying cousin. She goes to school everyday and is, for the most part, happy. Some things are changing though. While they aren’t big changes at first, she knows that there is war, even if it doesn’t directly affect her life. That is, until a bomb is dropped on a town neighboring hers. She is forced to leave her home, but a series of events lead her back to Hiroshima. She is there when the bomb is dropped. The effects are devastating. Her best friend and her papa both died in it and her step mother also dies, though her death is later on. She also has some side effects, including a bloated face and she’s lost both her eyebrows. Yuriko’s life has changed drastically, while she question her true family and her new life after the bomb is dropped.
I interviewed the author, Kathleen Burkinshaw, and here are my questions and her answers.
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT TOPIC TO WRITE YOUR BOOK ABOUT?
“It actually had to do with my daughter when she was in 7th grade. She had overheard kids talking about the cool mushroom cloud picture in the history books and this upset her greatly. She asked if I would talk to her class about people under the cloud that day-like her Grandma. So I actually started by speaking with students for a year or so and then a teacher asked if I might be thinking of doing a book. I had been writing my mother’s story for my daughter to have someday, so with my mother’s blessing, I wrote The Last Cherry Blossom. I also realized that students didn’t really know how children in Japan lived during the war. Two paragraphs and a picture in a textbook is not enough. I wanted to show that just because they were in Japan, the children still loved their family, worried what might happen to their loved ones, and wished for peace-all the same thoughts that the Allied children had. I really wanted to show that the ones we may think are “our enemy” are not always so different from ourselves. I think that same message is needed today more than ever before.”
WAS THERE ANYONE THAT INSPIRED YOUR CHARACTERS?
“The characters are inspired mostly by real people. Obviously my Mom, as well as how she described her Papa, stepmother, her “aunt”, and her friend.”
IF YOU COULD GIVE ANY ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO WRITE SOMEDAY, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?
“First I would say that they should read as many books in the genre they wish to write. Also, that there is no “perfect” time to write, write as much as you can (like a blog, perhaps? Definitely a good start!) ..And not focus on how good it has to be- Just start that first sentence, first paragraph and if you write from your heart you can never go wrong.”
WERE THERE ANY OTHER BOOKS THAT INSPIRED YOUR WRITING?
“Yes, Japanese American author Cynthia Kadohata is a favorite of mine. Her book Weedflower is the first historical fiction book I ever read that had a character like myself in it.(I was in my 30’s) I never had one when I was your age.”
WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS GROWING UP?
“I loved reading as many Nancy Drew Mysteries I could get my hands on! I also loved Little Women. Also any books that were written by Judy Blume.”
ARE YOU CURRENTLY WRITING ANY OTHER BOOKS? IF SO, CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT IT/THEM?
“I am working on the sequel to The Last Cherry Blossom. It takes place 4 years later and deals a lot with the PTSD symptoms and survivor guilt that my mom experienced. Also, how she deals with a new family-her birth father and his wife as well as trying to open her heart to another friend. I’m doing a lot of research on the American Occupation in Japan after the war ended so I can write about how she dealt with it.”
Thank you Kathleen Burkinshaw for giving me a copy of this book and answering my questions!
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.
Eight years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission & History HERE.
MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!
Join us on Friday, Jan 29, 2021, at 9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party!
This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.
We will be giving away an 8-Book Bundle every 5 minutes plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **
Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. See you all very soon on Twitter!
Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.
I decided to try my hand at crocheting and amigurumi a few months ago. I made a penguin with instructions from The Woobles website. It was not an easy project and it took me a long of time. I learned a lot of things about crocheting, like the different types of stitches and how to count them. I also learned how hard it is and the patience necessary to start and complete a project. Regardless of all the kinks there were along the way, I’m proud of the final project. I can’t wait to make more amigurumi!
I wrote this non fictional piece of writing as a part of my school’s English class. It’s about hummingbirds and what makes them one of the coolest birds.
Have you ever seen a hummingbird flitting around, flying in the breeze? Maybe you’ve seen one hovering, flying backwards, or upside down? Hummingbirds are amazing birds that have so many built in features. They are one of the coolest birds in the animal kingdom. Don’t believe me? Let me tell you why.
Hummingbirds belong to the Trochilidae family. This family is made up of the 340 different species of hummingbirds. Out of the 340, 17 species regularly live in the US. You might be asking, well, where do they live? The cool thing about hummingbirds is that they can live anywhere, from deserts to places like Alaska to tropical forests. Many of the ones that live in the US live near the Mexican border, but not all do. Some of the recognizable features of the hummingbird is their long bills and small wings. These long bills help them get nectar from tubular shaped flowers. Another discernible feature is their gorgets. Gorgets are stiff, reflective feathers on the throat and upper chest that look black in the shade. When the hummingbird turns its head to catch the sunlight, the true color is displayed. This color is usually metallic and intense and it can range from a dark magenta to a deep purple. These colors can fade over time with exposure to the sun. Typically, only male hummingbirds have gorgets, but some females do have one. For the males, gorgets are used when mating, and the rare female that has one will use as a way to signal threats. Hummingbirds are the smallest birds and they only weigh around 2-20 grams, meaning they’re about as heavy as a mouse at their biggest. They also lay the smallest eggs, which are about the size of navy beans. Female hummingbirds usually lay 2 eggs which they incubate for around 15-18 days. The chicks leave the nest when they are around 18-28 days old. Hummingbirds’ hearts can beat anywhere from 225 beats per minute to 1,200 beats per minute. Hummingbirds can go into torpor, a mini state of hibernation. The only difference is that these birds can do it whenever they want, not just in the winter. They don’t stay in it for long either, only around 20 minutes to an hour, instead of a few months or weeks. Hummingbirds go into torpor when it gets too cold, as their feather provide poor insulation. They only wake back up when they can regain their body temperature of 105°F. My favorite fact about hummingbirds is how much agility they have while flying. These are the only birds which can hover in one place for more than 30 seconds, fly backwards, and fly upside down. Their wings don’t flap, instead they rotate, which makes them different from other birds. Another difference is that they don’t fly flat, they actually fly upright. Hummingbirds can also fly for up to 18-20 hours straight. Their wings beat about 70 times per second in normal flight and around 200 times per second while diving. These birds can fly at an average speed of twenty-five to thirty miles per hour, and dive at a speed of up to sixty miles per hour.
As you can see, hummingbirds are amazing birds. They can live almost anywhere, they are a huge species, they have many recognizable features which play a big part in their life, they are one of the smallest birds, they are part of the small number of birds that can go into torpor, and they have a lot of agility when flying. Now, when you see a hummingbird, don’t forget what marvelous creatures they are!
Read Your Bookshelf month is where you take a month (or 2 in my case!) and use it to only read books from your shelves. This means no library or e-books at all (at least after I finish my big pile of books to read!). I’ll be doing it through January and February.
I’m also using this opportunity to participate in the #bitaboutbooks challenge.
This is a fun challenge, in which I’m using books on my bookshelf. This is my plan so far, but it’s all subject to change!
I’ve already finished, Miss Marple, and am super excited to read the rest!
