I'm starting the week with dreams of beaches and sunshine. I, actually, woke up to ice on the windshield and had to scrape before heading out to make some early morning runs. Got to love Spring!  I do hope today's read offers fun adventures, tones of friendship, and cute puppies, too. So, let's just read it and find out. THE ADVENTURES US DORI A RESCUE PUP by Kathleen Conway and  Juanita Ellis Illustrated by Tullip Studios Picture Book  34 pages ages 4 to 8 "The Adventures of Dori, A Rescue Pup" is a delightful children's book that promises to take young readers on a fu ..read more

Today, I'm heading into the world of art. While I first thought this book was aimed at graffiti, a second look at the blurb revealed that it covers much more than that. While I've seen quite a few different types of wall art over the years, I've never really brought this thought together under one hat. So, I'm curious to see what this book entails. WALL TO WALL: MURAL ART AROUND THE WORLD by Mary Ann Fraser Getty Publications Upper Middle Grade Nonfiction 80 pages ages 10 to 14 COMING MAY 7th!!! An exciting tour of remarkable wall art around the globe, from prehistoric caves to futuristi ..read more

 Today's read is one I picked up thanks to my youngest daughter. She's a corgi fan (among other animals). So, when I saw this one run across my screen, I didn't even hesitate before snagging a DRC copy. This also means I have no clue what it's about, what to expect, or anything, actually. Only that it's a graphic novel and appears to have done fairly well, since it's a collection of the material brought out in the series. So, without any prejudices or forethoughts, I'm just going to dive right in! KORGI: THE COMPLETE TALE by Christian Slade Top Shelf Productions Children's Animal Fa ..read more

When I first saw this one, I was like 'oh, a cute sounding YA romance'. Then, I noticed it's a middle grade read, which should head more toward humor than melting moments.  Ah, middle grade romance! My daughters hated watching the drama around them during those years. Both of them were a bit too...hmmm...in their own worlds(?) to throw a glance at any of the 'gross' guys. As a mom, it made my life easy. But the stories! The tears they told me about! The gossip wars! The revenge! (At least, on the girls' sides). And all of that within around a week's period before the couple usually brok ..read more

 Today, I have another flap book!!! Yep, these always make me smile...simple minded fun. But this book isn't really 'simple-minded'. These pages hold dinosaur goodness and promise to teach more facts about these creatures, while offering a playful, guessing-game atmosphere. Since I know a few dino enthusiasts, I'm curious to see if this is one they'd enjoy picking up. So, it's time to let that inner-paleontologist come out and see if this is dino fun or not. WHO'S THAT DINOSAUR? An Animal Guessing Game by Gabrielle Balkan Illustrated by Sam Brewster Phaidon Press Picture Book 28 page ..read more

So, I'm super late getting today's post up because I wasn't sure I'd make it to this one in time. But I sat down...and stood...getting this one read in one go to make sure I can present it. And yes, at almost 500 pages, I did need a few hours for this one. And is it worth the read? Well... OF CAGES AND CROWNS The Culled Crown, #1 by Brianna Joy Crump Wattpad Books YA Fantasy 472 pages COMING... JUNE 18th!!! Destined to compete for the throne, Monroe Benson must fight nine girls for the right to rule. If she wins, she will be crowned queen. To lose is to die. Monroe Benson is mark ..read more

One of my favorite teas is jasmine, which isn't the reason why I took a peek at this read (but it might have had a tiny bit of an influence-ish). This seems like it will be a calming read, perfect for those last moments before bedtime. The toss in of jasmine was something I hadn't seen before and promises a gentle, natural aspect. Maybe?  So, let's cozy into a blanket, stifle a growing yawn, and see if this one invites to sweet dreams. NIGHT BLOOMING JASMINE by Diane De Anda Illustrated by Kendra Binney Star Bright Books Picture Book 32 pages ages 4 to 8 COMING... JUNE 11th!!! Ja ..read more

THE DAY I FELL INTO A FAIRY TALE by Ben Miller Illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzinni Aladin Middle Grade Fantasy 240 pages ages 8 to 12 COMING... APRIL 23rd!!! From actor, author, and comedian Ben Miller comes an illustrated middle grade fantasy adventure following a brother and sister who stumble into a magical new world—perfect for fans of Half Upon a Time and Land of Stories! Lana loves stories, especially the ones she and her brother, Harrison, share in their make-believe games. But when Harrison decides he’s too grown-up to play with Lana anymore, she’s too lonely to find th ..read more

The library in the nearby, small town might be...well, not large, but modern technology and things such as library borrowing opens up an amazing wealth of literature. Once a month, I try to explore a read, which I picked up through our library.  Today's read was a suggestion I stumbled across on Twitter. This book first appeared in 2010 and won quite a bit of attention as well as awards. I found the idea of mixing an orphan, a monastery, and fey interesting, and decided to take a peek. THE CROWFIELD CURSE Crowfield Abby, #1 by Pat Walsh The Chicken House Middle Grade Fantasy 322 page ..read more

I was hoping to get to this one earlier, since it came out the beginning of this month, but time got the better of me. I have been really looking forward to this one, since it could be an amazing read for action and thriller fans. I've heard that the first one from this author in this direction was very good.  Also, now that it's out, you can dive in right away too...looking at the bright side! NO ESCAPE by Maren Stoffels Underlined Young Adult Thriller 208 pages Following the success of her unputdownable debut, Escape Room, Maren Stoffels is back with a new standalone horro ..read more