BEA Picturebook Reviews: The Summer Fairy

Three of the four picture books I got at BEA 2014. 

So, I decided to try and review my BEA books in some kind of order that actually made a little sense... both to me and hopefully to all of you! The next few blog posts will all be about the picture books that I received at BEA, then we'll move on to some of the middle grade, etc. etc. Enjoy!

The Summer Fairy

by Elizabeth Kelly Gillihan 

Illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin 

Each year on the last day of school, the Summer Fairy bestows her seasonal gifts and poetic wisdom to families everywhere! This magical story tells the tale of the Summer Fairy and reminds children how to have fun while being safe during the summer season. A reusable flower vase that is stored in the back pocket of the book inspires this new family tradition. Children will relish the magic of summer as they pick a flower in anticipation that the Summer Fairy will soon find her way to their home. (Description from website)

Similar to the "Elf on a Shelf" book, this picturebook features a small fairy that brings gifts to good children.  Unlike the "Elf on a Shelf" (which I personally happen to find a creepy way for parents to SCARE their children into good behavior before Christmas) this book is adorable and features a creature that shares love and good times and encourages good behavior, but only through spending safe and fun time with family and friends.  There are no threatened repercussions for any sort of behavior and this book presents gentle reminders about summer safety in a fun way.

She awakes... 

The reusable vase. 

The Summer Fairy, who awakens just as the school year is ending, brings small gifts to children who plan a fun, happy summer and leave a pretty flower for her (children can
do this at home with the small plastic, reusable vase that comes with the book) before the first day of summer. Only parents who plan to adopt this tradition will want to get this book, as after the fairy's visit, children are to expect some sort of small gift for their summer fun.

However, the Summer Fairy also gives out LOTS of great reminders to children about summer safety.  Things like to play outdoors and use their imagination...but not to talk to strangers or toads!  To swim and get exercise...but always with a parent or buddy.  Great illustrations make these little lessons appealing to read about and sounding less like parental reminders.


A winsome and colorful book that would have captivated me as a child.  One that reminds children of all the wonders of summer, but also helps to teach safety.  A great addition to family collections, as long as parents are willing to play the "Summer Fairy."

As a side note - I was also really excited to get to meet the author, Elizabeth Kelly Gillihan, in person at BEA this year.  She's very sweet and it was so nice to hear about how this story developed from her husband's family tradition...one that they now keep with their children.  







Full disclosure: Received from the author at BEA 2014.

Gold Star Review - Arclight

Arclight 
by Josin L. McQuein

The Arclight is the last refuge in a post-apocalyptic world consumed by terrifying monsters called the Fade. No one crosses the wall of light that keeps the last human survivors safe. There's nothing else left and nowhere to go. Or so they thought, until Marina, a lone teenage girl, stumbles out of the Dark.

Marina doesn't remember who she is, where she came from, or how she survived. And the Fade want her back. When one of them infiltrates the compound and recognizes Marina, she begins to unlock secrets she didn't even know she had. Marina knows she's an outsider in the Arclight, but she'll do anything to protect those who saved her. Whether they want her help or not. (Description from Amazon.com)

I could not put this book down (or in reality because I was listening in the car, I really, really just wanted to drive around forever and ever and ever...)!  From the opening pages, I was totally sucked into Marina's world.  McQuein's writing is very suspenseful.  Similarly to Pearson's The Adoration of Jenna Fox, Marina learns things in bits and pieces as she deals with amnesia.

It's been a little while since I've come across a book that just literally sucked me in so hard that I did not want to stop reading...especially when the book ended.  I want more of Marina's journey.  I want to find out where the humans will go from here.... It's hard to describe what I want to see without giving things away, but there are characters that I'm totally intrigued to see more from and I want to jump back into this world.  

I'm giving this one a gold star for being completely fascinating.  Danger, mystery, romance, and more...in my opinion, this is a great example of post-apocalyptic science fiction! 

*I also really loved the audio book version. The narration was great.  

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for AudioFile 

Under the Never Sky

Under the Never Sky 
by Veronica Rossi

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers. (description from Goodreads.com)

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. We've had so many dystopias come out lately that I've kind of become leery of new ones. A few of my friends really enjoyed this one, though, so I decided to give it a good shot.

I'm glad I did! This one has a very cool world where the upper cast of human society has gone to live in sealed domes, protecting them from the elements...and from the less desirable portion of humanity. These people engage in a whole virtual world to keep them from being bored. That technology aspect was pretty cool.

What was even cooler, though, was seeing what had happened to the humans that lived outside the domes. Perry and his tribesmen had some neat abilities. Watching Aria adapt to surviving amongst them was fascinating and I found her to be a surprisingly strong character in the end.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing how things progress in the second book, Through the Ever Night.

Full disclosure: Purchased on my Nook

Remembering... and a tie to Flesh and Blood So Cheap

September 11th has become a very sad day in American history. It is a day of remembrance. While I sometimes get very, very frustrated with the way that politicians will try to tie this day to blind patriotism, I try never, ever to forget the people who lost their lives eleven years ago. Not only were there the people who died trying to escape the two towers that had been hit, but there were also many rescue workers who sacrificed themselves to help save others. This is a day, one of many, unfortunately, around the world (because we Americans sometimes forget that others in the world have suffered similar, or even worse, days in their history) that should remind us that HATE is something that truly does kill.

It is sort of serendipitous that I just recently finished a book that dealt with another American tragedy and discussed not only how it transpired, but also how it has shaped history and US workplaces since it occured.

 

 

Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy

by Albert Marrin

 

On March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City burst into flames. The factory was crowded. The doors were locked to ensure workers stay inside. One hundred forty-six people—mostly women—perished; it was one of the most lethal workplace fires in American history until September 11, 2001.

But the story of the fire is not the story of one accidental moment in time. It is a story of immigration and hard work to make it in a new country, as Italians and Jews and others traveled to America to find a better life. It is the story of poor working conditions and greedy bosses, as garment workers discovered the endless sacrifices required to make ends meet. It is the story of unimaginable, but avoidable, disaster. And it the story of the unquenchable pride and activism of fearless immigrants and women who stood up to business, got America on their side, and finally changed working conditions for our entire nation, initiating radical new laws we take for granted today.

With Flesh and Blood So Cheap, Albert Marrin has crafted a gripping, nuanced, and poignant account of one of America's defining tragedies. (description from Amazon.com)

 

It was extremely interesting to learn more about a tragedy that I'd heard of, but never really researched.  The fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory (a sweatshop in New York City) was one of the most devestating fires in US history.  It was the largest loss of life in New York City's history until the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. 

 

This book discusses how the conditions came to be such that when the fire broke out on the top the floors of this building that all of the workers on one floor and about half of the workers from another floor were unable to escape the building safely and thus lost their lives.  It talks about the horrible working conditions that used to be found in the US for immigrant workers until the creation of unions.  It also goes on to discuss how working conditions in the US have been improved through the actions following this tragedy and how in other parts of the modern world there are still plenty of sweatshops and similar fires have claimed hundreds of lives. 

 

In my timely reading of this book, I cannot help but connect the Triangle Fire to the 9/11 tragedy.  In both cases far too many people lost their lives.  It also made me curious about what other major (non-natural disaster related) tragedies occured in the US's history.  I picked out just a few more (from the fairly long list available at wikipedia) and wanted to highlight them today, as well.

 

In chronological order:

1865 - The Sultana sinks due to a boiler explosion, killing approximately 1700 people.

1889 - A dam burst in Jamestown, PA causing a huge flood that killed 2209 people.

1911 - The Triangle Fire in NYC kills 146 people.

1912 - The Titanic sinks after hitting an iceberg, killing approximately 1500 people.

1941 - The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii kills 2403 US citizens and 55 Japanese pilots.

1944 - The Hartford Circus Fire in CT kills 168 people.

1995 - The bombing in Oklahoma City kills 168 people.

2001 - The terrorist attacks in NYC and two other sites in the US caused 2973 US deaths, as well as the deaths of 19 hijackers. 

 

Today is a day to remember, to pass on the ideals of tolerance and safety, and to consider our place in the larger world. 

 

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