Welcome to the Dream Team Blog Tour, Day 1! Today I'm highlighting two amazing books by Tom Percival, the Attack of the Heebie Jeebies and A Case of the Jitters! When a girl named Chanda travels into her dreams and can't get out, it's up to the Dream Team to save her! Unfortunately, dreams are harder to fix than they thought, will Chanda ever sleep better again? These books are filled with truly interesting and unique characters and creatures. I really like how it tackles anxiety, depression and overcoming fears for children in a way that doesn't hit you over the head. It really is a perfect book for reading aloud to children. It also has a powerful message about refusing to give up no matter what the odds are and believing in yourself throughout your life. The illustrations are powerful, fun and completely immersive. The Dream Team series is an essential escape for children and parents alike, check it out here!
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Knight Sir Louis is a hilarious romp through a seriously strange land. With his trusted steed, a mechanical Sir Clunkalot and his magical sword, which has a face and is called Dave and can trap things in its reflection, he sets out to become the bravest knight in the land. With dastardly villains like the Stripey Knight and Bazook Harry and unlikely allies like Mr. Catalogue, Knight Sir Louis is on an adventure of a lifetime. This story is perfect for ages 7+ and begs to be read aloud with silly voices, it's very, very funny. If you're like me and unexpectedly fell in love with the Mr. Gum stories, then you should add this to your bookshelves, your students and your own children will love it! Donte wishes nobody could see him, especially Alan, the bully at school that taunts him. As one of the only black students in his new private school, nobody looks like him and everybody seems to notice him for the wrong reasons. Even his teachers subconsciously select him as the "problem" student even when he isn't. When Alan gets Donte into trouble, and then arrested, Donte is led out of school by the police. Released from jail, his parents furious at the system and completely broken, Donte discovers redemption through fencing and a coach that teaches him a lot about life. This is another powerful book by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Donte's arrest highlights a real threat in America, black students going from high school to prison in a highly organised and deliberate system. Donte's struggle is one that many black students face in the United States. This is an important book, like her previous work, Ghost Boys, and I'm very excited to introduce it to our students in September. Highly recommended for ages 11+. Frankie is a teen who loves astronomy, she does well in school and has had an amazing best friend, Harriet, since primary school. When Frankie notices Benjamin, he notices her back. Although he's athletic and a "guy's guy" kind of dude, he's very nice and charming. When the pair walk home from school one day, things get heated and Frankie's first sexual experience ends in humiliation when it coincides with her period. It's not something she should be humiliated about, but the current culture dictates that this is somehow abnormal and should be locked away where no one can talk or hear about it. Benjamin tells her it's no big deal, he seems genuinely concerned for her welfare more than he's grossed out. This makes Frankie fall for him even more. Then things start to change at school. There are whispers, accusations and gossip that spirals out of control and Frankie finds that she's been reduced to a meme. She starts to get targeted by strangers online, the abuse, the humiliation, it's all too much. Frankie is desperate to find out who created it, she keeps it from her parents and tries to weather the storm on her own. Blood Moon is a timely, powerful YA story that frankly all teens should get their hands on. It brings a topic to the forefront that is always taboo, Cuthew does not hold back, and she shouldn't. Frankie is a great character with flaws just like everyone else and how she endures the abuse is admiral. And the abuse, man oh man it is harsh, just like real online trolling can be. In a time of cancel culture, slut shaming, sexting and the very real dangers of online over indulgence, Blood Moon is a necessary read. |
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