Book Review: Rocket Man – by Jan L. Coates

Book: Rocket Man
Author: Jan L. Coates
Publisher: Red Deer Press
Date: May 2, 2014
Genre: Middle grade (age 9-11; gr 4-6)
Pages: 120, paperback
Price: $12.95
My rating: many youngsters will relate

Rocket Man is a story I’m sure both male and female MG readers will really enjoy. Jan Coates‘ books are always appealing, and this one covers more than one topic to which many readers will relate.

Her main character is an eighth grader named Bob who is awkward around girls, bullied by a couple of guys at school and on his basketball team, feels he has to live up to his older brother’s example as an athlete. All that, and his dad, who also was a basketball legend, is fighting cancer. Bob considers himself to be Mr. Invisible.

The reader gets to like Bob right away. He practices hard to try to move up to the Division 1 basketball team, but things just don’t seem to go his way until one of his bullies gets into trouble. Bob’s brother starts paying more attention to him, impressed by his earnest efforts, and comes up with a more positive nickname for him – Rocket Man. You have to read the book to find out the reasons behind that.

Bob also puts a lot of work into an idea for a major fundraiser because of his dad having cancer, and that has exciting results.

Jan Coates has created a story of hope. She has touched on family dynamics and the emotions of a young boy in the midst of the struggles going on in his life, in a way that makes the reader care. If your pre-teen boy (or girl) is a reluctant reader, give him/her a copy of this book – even if he/she is not into basketball. Don’t let the cover fool you, it’s not really a book about basketball but the main character finds a way to make the sport work for him. Rocket Man is a good read.

You can find Rocket Man on my BUY THE BOOK page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Book Review: Great Falls – by Steve Watkins

Title: Great Falls
Author: Steve Watkins
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Date: April 12, 2016
Genre: young adult (ages 14 & up)
Pages: 256
Price: $17.99 US; $24 CD
My rating: a gripping, realistic story

I received this book from Library Thing in exchange for my honest review.

This seemed a story quite different from what I usually read, and the topic was of interest to me. It says on the cover “One brother home from war. The other desperate to save him. A river that will change them forever. ” – and it had my attention immediately. This book was not a disappointment.

Shane is his older brother’s biggest fan, but Jeremy has done three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and is not the same as he used to be. He’s troubled, very troubled, and can’t even function around his wife and two very young children. He’s drinking too much and seems to be paranoid and nervous all the time. Jeremy has PTSD and needs help.

Jeremy manages to show up at Shane’s high school football game, but when Shane suffers a concussion resulting in his making a very bad play, Jeremy offers to take him away for a night to escape the humiliation. Shane agrees, hoping it will also be a turning point for Jeremy, that he can convince him to get the help he desperately needs. That’s where the adventure really begins, and things go from bad to worse, with Shane never giving up on his brother.

Great Falls is a novel that is gripping, raw at times, and that takes the reader on a worthwhile journey. Even though there is some violence and strong language in it, one must remember this realistic story is about a war veteran who suffered horrific things that just won’t leave his mind. Once you start reading you may not want to set it aside until you finish the book. I didn’t, honestly!

You can find Great Falls on my BUY THE BOOK page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Read, or sleep, or … read; what to do??

Here’s the scenario.

It’s late. I’m reading an amazing story, one of those hard-to-put-down books. I am so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open. I rest my eyes a moment, my book slips and my head jerks up. Really, I was just resting my eyes! I try to read more but then … yawn. Heaviness. I shake my head, find where I left off reading, try to continue. … Oh darn. What did I just read? Blink blink. *sigh* ohhh, I give up. 😦 I like this story and I don’t want to miss anything, so, *yawn* I give up. Time for sleep.

I crawl into bed, snuggle down and …

BOING!! my brain jolts into overdrive! My eyes fly open, my mind will not shut down, yet I know I’m too weary to read. What to do?

Ever been there?

All that to show you this great quote:

What’s your experience?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

My 8th giveaway of 2016; your chance to win … a BOOK!

Yes, okay, this time I gave away the surprise in my subject line. I just couldn’t help myself. 🙂

My August giveaway is this book:

A Room of One's Own — A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

I hadn’t yet read any of Virginia Woolf’s work, so when I found this book in a secondhand shop I had to buy it. As you have figured out, this is not a new copy but it’s in very good condition, nothing wrong with it.

If you want the chance to win this classic book, please leave a comment telling me if you have read any of the author’s work before.

Even if you already won something in an earlier draw, please feel free to enter again. I am offering this giveaway to my readers anywhere in the world!

I will use an automated name picker to find out which of you is the winner; therefore, repeat winners are by chance and fairly selected. Watch here the morning after the draw for the announcement, and don’t forget to check your email. This could be yours!

Draw date for this giveaway is at 10 PM AST, that’s 9 PM Eastern, on Wednesday, AUGUST 17. This gives you time to pass the word on to others, too. I will post the winner’s name on AUGUST 18.

Remember, you have until August 17 to get your name into the draw, but don’t put it off!

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

We have a winner of Darlene Foster’s book Cerdito a juicio (Pig on Trial)!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the draw/left comments for a chance to win a copy of Cerdito a juicio – Pig on Trial – by Darlene Foster.

Thank you, Darlene, for offering a copy to one of my readers.

I’m happy to say that random name picker selected the winner …

Congratulations to Sue Slaght who thinks this book is “a great way to teach children history with such a unique experience!”

Sue, I’m sure you will enjoy Pig on Trial – in English and Spanish! I’ll mail your copy to you this week.

Thanks, everyone! You can purchase your own copy of Cerdito a juicio by finding it on my BUY THE BOOK page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

A reminder, and another giveaway coming!

The day is almost over, and with it goes your chance to enter the draw for a copy of Darlene Foster‘s bilingual children’s book Cerdito a juicio — Pig on Trial. This book is as good for adults learning Spanish as it is for children to enjoy.

Perhaps you know someone who would like this book. You can enter the draw for them, or direct them here.

Tonight at 9:00 EST a winner will be determined (thanks to an automatic random name picker), so check your email. I will make the announcement here tomorrow morning.

The next day, August 2, I will be offering my eighth 2016 monthly giveaway!

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!

Book Review: Cerdito a juicio; comment by author Darlene Foster; & book giveaway!

Book: Cerdito a juicio 
(translation: Pig on trial)
Author: Darlene Foster
Publisher: Ediciones Camelot SRL
Date: March 24, 2015
Genre: children's
Pages: 30; paperback
Price:  $12.00
My rating: enjoyable bilingual medieval tale

Poor Fredrick! He was innocently minding his own business when soldiers showed up and arrested him, and ten-year-old Sebastian could do nothing about it. When Father came home, immediately the decision was made to go and sort out the misunderstanding. He took Sebastian with him, and what transpires is not quite as easy a rescue as expected. Fredrick was slated to be executed, and Fredrick is the family’s pet pig!

Imagine medieval times, bizarre accusations, a pig on trial and the efforts to rescue him – as told by a ten-year-old boy. Now you have an interesting story. Plus it’s in two languages – English and Spanish.

When I asked author Darlene Foster if there was anything she wanted to tell me about the story or the writing of it, here is what she said:

“I got the idea for the story a few years ago when I learned that animals were put on trial and sometimes executed in medieval times. I thought that children might find that interesting. Then, I met someone who, when he was a child, had a pet pig called Frederick, and I loved that name for a pig. As often happens, I couldn’t sleep one night, so I got up and scribbled down the first draft of the story. When I moved to Spain, I was introduced to a publisher here. He offered to translate the story into Spanish so we could offer a bi-lingual book to children (and adults) who wanted to learn either language. I am pleased with how the book turned out and will be doing readings at four outlets in Spain this summer.”

Congratulations, Darlene! 🙂 This is a wonderful book.

Here’s an inside view to show you how it’s laid out in two languages:

Now, to my readers located anywhere in the world I am offering one copy of Cerdito a juicio. If you want to put your name in for your chance to win this book, all you have to do is leave a comment about anything mentioned in this post. Easy peasy.

You have until July 31 at 10 PM AST, that’s 9 PM Eastern, to get your name in. Don’t put it off! I will use an automated random name picker to select one winner. The next day, August 1, I will make the announcement of who won Darlene Foster’s Cerdito a juicio.

You can find Cerdito a juicio on my BUY THE BOOK page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂