How to Build a Kitten Caboodle (maybe)

 

Clara Humble and the Kitten Caboodle 
by Anna Humphrey; illus. by Lisa Cinar 
232 pages; ages 8-12
Owlkids, 2020 (paperback; originally published 2018)

Clara and Bradley are best friends. They liked the same things (creamsicles and comic books) and went on adventures together. “But things took a turn for the worse when we began building the Kitten Caboodle…” she reflects.

To be honest, things had been changing. Bradley took up a new hobby (treasure hunting) and developed a friendship with another guy from treasure hunter camp. Still, Clara expected him to be just as excited as she was about their new project. She had discovered a lovely, and very pregnant, stray cat. In addition to food and water, the cat and her kittens needed shelter.

There was only one problem. Okay, there were a bunch of problems. But here’s the big one: the cat and kittens had taken up digs beneath a bench in the overgrown churchyard. And Clara wanted to build them a Kitten Caboodle – she had heard her dad talk about kitten caboodles. And she borrowed (without permission) tools and boards from her dad. And a construction company is getting ready to demolish the church to build new apartments.

Can Clara and Bradley keep the cats secret? Will Clara’s internet cat video raise enough money to save the day? Who does the mama cat belong to? And what the heck is a kitten caboodle anyway?

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

A Collie Called Sky

 Jasmine Green Rescues: A Collie Called Sky 
by Helen Peters; illus. by Ellie Snowdon 
160 pages; ages 7-9
Walker Books US,  2020

By now you know I have a soft spot for dog stories. Even better if they are rescues. 

Jasmine Green’s mother is a veterinarian and her father is a farmer. So when she finds an animal in need, not only does she know what to do but she also has room to care for it. One day Jasmine discovers a tiny pup hiding under a hedge on her family’s farm. The pup is dirty and hasn’t had anything to eat or drink in a long time. He is so weak he can barely lift his head.

Of course, Jasmine takes him home. With help from her mom and other vets she nurses the puppy back to health. This includes more than providing food and pats; Jasmine has to figure out to help the collie regain strength in his legs so he can stand. 
Meanwhile, the vet clinic is trying to locate the pet’s owner. Jasmine can only keep the dog if, after the allotted time, no one steps forward to claim him. 

What I like about this book: I love Jasmine’s compassion for animals, and her relationship with her family. She has a goal for her life: create an animal rescue sanctuary. I also like how she solves problems. There is, of course (this being a story of a collie) the obligatory rescue scene. And there are lots of ethical conundrums: should an owner who mistreats an animal be allowed to reclaim the dog? 

This book is part of a series, as Jasmine has also rescued a pig and duck. Look for another book this spring – Jasmine Green Rescues: A Goat Called Willow.

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

AstroNuts Blast Off Again!

 

AstroNuts Mission Two: The Water Planet 
by Jon Scieszka; illus. by Steven Weinberg
228 pages; ages 8-12
Chronicle Books, 2020

Wildfires, floods, more hurricanes than we can name in a summer … in the midst of Climate Chaos wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could find a solution? Maybe a superhero to help us out?

Fortunately, the four super-powered animal astronauts who launched into space last year – and got captured on the Plant Planet – are belted in and ready for blast-off. Well, at least three of them have fastened their seatbelts.

Again, Earth narrates: “Time is wasting. And my climate is getting worse … And a lot of your human activities are messing with my water, which, as you know, is 71% of my surface.” 

So with ice melting, sea levels rising, coral reefs dying, and plastic pollution blemishing the oceans, the four brave and accident-prone heroes set off to seek a water planet. Something with enough land for terrestrial species. Something not too hot, not too cold, just right. A goldilocks planet.

Upon their arrival at a water planet they are heartily welcomed by a committee of clams. They are wined and dined and toured around (the best parts of) the planet. The clam committee (why, is that Senator Clam McConnell I see?) insist that their planet is perfect in every way. So why are they terribly eager to trade planets? Why are they plotting to cut off AlphaWolf’s paw? And why won’t they let the Astronuts conduct their scientific study of the planet?

And now, a word from our sponsor - Earth.

What I like about this book: I love the nuggets of science tucked into the nooks and crannies and sometimes splashed across entire spreads. I love the glitch computer and NNASA reports. And I really love that the clams have one leg, and represent historical figures: Susan B. Clamthony sports a delightful full-length boot and remains as activist as ever.

As with the first book, there’s a couple pages at the back that describe how the collage illustrations were created. And there’s a challenge for readers to create their own collage artwork, along with a link to an Astronut website where you can download some helpful printouts.

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

On Wings of Words

 

On Wings of Words: The Extraordinary Life of Emily Dickinson
by Jennifer Berne; illus. by Becca Stadtlander
52 pages; ages 5-8
Chronicle Books, 2020

theme: biography, poetry, nature

 Soft moonlit snow draped the Dickinson house in white.

Emily Dickinson explored her world with her eyes and her ears and her thoughts. Bees, butterflies, birds … she found words for everything she discovered. And she wrote it down in poetry. She found words for the dark and scary things, too. She called her poems letters to the world. Some people thought Emily was weird, but she didn’t care – she just kept on scribbling poetry.

What I like about this book: I love the snippets of Emily’s poems lettered on the pages. And how, says author Jennifer Berne, in her poetry you can “hear Emily’s voice echoing through the years” and speaking to all of us who, with pen in hand, look deeply and write about what we discover.

Beyond the Books:

Read some more Emily Dickinson poems here and here.

Go on a poetry hike. When you see something you want to write about, take a few minutes to jot down some words. Emily Dickinson wrote about insects she saw, and birds tugging worms from the ground. Use all your senses - what you see, smell, feel (touch), hear – to write about your nature discovery.

Try writing different kinds of poems. Here’s one place to start.

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.