Friday, May 28, 2021

Guy Friday- Various Guys

Gutman, Dan. Wait! What? Muhammad Ali was a Chicken?
May 4th 2021 by Norton Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

I can't say enough good things about Dan Gutman's efforts to promote books in the last year. I was a fan before, and loved his Baseball Card Adventures and other titles, but man, he has really stepped it up. From reading from his books on Facebook Live to posting fun pictures from around New York City to making it onto the local news with his quest for bran flakes, he has been a ray of much needed light during the last year of darkness. How he has done all of this AND come out with fun new titles like Houdini and Me, I don't know. 

The only thing that makes me sad is that his books are a little young for my readers. His sweet spot is really elementary school; I would have been enthralled with his work in about third grade, as my own daughter certainly was. 

Definitely take a look at this new Wait! What? series. (The first book is about Albert Einstein.) The books are a great choice for readers who can't get enough of Penguin Randomhouse's Who Was?  or She Persistedo biographies or Meltzer's Ordinary People Changed the World.

I find myself being oddly conflicted about how many biographies there are about Ali, and this article is a good example of why. Most books address this a little, in an age appropriate way, but I still have a hard time getting my head around the idea of Ali as a philanthropist and cultural icon. 

Greenwald, Tommy. Duckscares: The Nightmare Formula 
May 4th 2021 by Amulet Books
Copy NOT provided by the publisher

Yep. Sometimes I'm not able to get ahold of a book. So I am all kinds of confused about why this book even exists, but IT'S BY TOMMY GREENWALD. Therefore, I would normally read it and review it, even though it looks a bit young for my students. My public library is open now, so I'll try to find a copy. Greenwald certainly did a great job at mysteries with his Crimebiters series

From Goodreads.com:
Introducing an all-new series of spooky middle-grade mysteries starring Disney’s world-famous troublemaking triplets Huey, Dewey, and Louie

Huey, Dewey, and Louie—the world-famous nephews of Donald Duck—are off on a globetrotting adventure! When the boys are suddenly (and confusingly) selected for a prestigious exchange program, they head off to Germany, where they learn about soccer, the local culture . . . and a spooky plot plaguing their new friends. What’s all this about a haunting? Written by acclaimed author Tommy Greenwald and featuring two-color illustrations throughout, this series starter is perfect for young mystery fans.

Dougherty, Brandi and Pooler, Paige (illus.) Scouting for Clues (Bark Park #2) April 20th 2021 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
Copy provided by the publisher

What a great book for emerging readers! The illustrations are adorable. Of course, now that we've read it, Pongo wants to go to a dog park!

At Bark Park, Scout’s a little dog with a big appetite for solving mysteries! In Book 2 of the series, join Scout and her friends as they hunt for new clues!

Everyone's favorite canine sleuth is back with three new mysteries! Follow along with Scout and her friends as they search for clues to track down missing blueberries, explain why there’s a puppy on a leash in Bark Park, and figure out what Sprinkles is wearing!

1 comment:

  1. I was working for his publisher when Honus and Me came out, and I just loved it (apart from my dislike of books that perpetuate bad grammar). I am glad he has been able to expand his subject matter.

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