September Chapter Books

So, there's only one book in this review for September; but it was an adorable, adorable read!


My Pet Human
Yasmine Surovec

Oliver is an independent kitty. He has his run of the neighborhood and looks at his animal friends with their fussing humans with pity. But when a freckle-faced girl moves into town, Oliver sees the opportunity to train a human to provide him with a few creature comforts. And if he can help her adjust to her life and make a new friend, that's just all in a day's work. The real surprise comes, however, when Oliver needs Freckles just as much as she needs him.

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My Pet Human is freaking adorable!  I love every little bit of it; from the expressive black and white illustrations, to the cat's eye view story about humans.  Oliver is the best kitty narrator as he describes his training of the little Freckles.  His adventures through the neighborhood trying to help his human make a new friend are just the right blend of humor and emotion.  

Definitely a must for any kitty loving child, or any kitty loving adult!  I can't wait for the next installment in Oliver and Freckles' adventures in pet ownership.  Plus, Surovec has some other equally fantastic looking books all about cats, and their shenanigans with us humans, and a website featuring her hysterical comics - Cat vs Human.

-Digital ARC provided by edelweiss, in exchange for a review.
Publication Date: August 4, 2015

August Chapter Books

Mouse Scouts
Sarah Dillard

Meet Violet, Tigerlily, Hyacinth, Petunia, Junebug, and Cricket, six new Mouse Scouts who are trustworthy and strong, thrifty and brave . . . and destined to be friends to the end! Best friends Violet and Tigerlily can’t wait to start earning their merit badges. But their troop leader, Miss Poppy, is one strict rodent. And earning their first badge—planting a vegetable garden—is hard work. Will the troop drive unwanted pests from the garden and earn their Sow It and Grow It badge? And will they ever get Miss Poppy to smile?

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I found Mouse Scouts to be adorable and fun, brimming with cute black and white illustrations of the Mouse Scout's activities.  The very Girl Scout Mouse Scouts brought me back to my years as a member of Girl Scouts, and working to earn those colorful badges.  

Further, I liked that the pages from the Mouse Scout handbook were interspersed throughout the book; especially when they gave useful tips for elementary aged gardeners.  Definitely a series to pick up for fans of Ivy and Bean, or a child who likes animals and getting their hands dirty in the yard.

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-Digital ARC provided by edelweiss, in exchange for a review.
Publication Date: January 5, 2016

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Mouse Scouts: Make a Difference
Sarah Dillard

Violet, Tigerlily, Hyacinth, Petunia, Junebug, and Cricket are back, with another rousing adventure to earn their next merit badge!  This time the Mouse Scouts are working to earn their Make a Difference badge; but how can six little mice make a big enough difference in their community to be noticed by Mouse Scouts Monthly?

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Once again, packed with adorable illustrations, and pages from the Mouse Scout Handbook which encourage young readers to try some of the Scouts activities, Mouse Scouts:  Make a Difference is a cute story about believing in yourself, and the little acts of kindness that can brighten someone else's day.
~*~

-Digital ARC provided by edelweiss, in exchange for a review.
Publication Date: January 5, 2016

To Be Read Pile: August

I'm hoping, since I've got an extensive TBR pile, that if I post a list of titles I hope to read during the course of the month, I'll actually make it through them without getting distracted.

Picture Books