Dad of Divas' Reviews: October 2018

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Book Review- Grandpa Magic: 116 Easy Tricks, Amazing Brainteasers, and Simple Stunts to Wow the Grandkids

Grandpa Magic: 116 Easy Tricks, Amazing Brainteasers, and Simple Stunts to Wow the Grandkids



About the Book

From a professional magician and New York Times bestselling author, 116 tricks, stunts, and brainteasers that will engage the grandchildren and provide giggles, jaw-dropping awe , and wonderful memories.

Guaranteed to make grandparenting even more fun, Grandpa Magic is sure to entertain—and crack up— the grandkids. From the old pull-a-quarter-from-behind-a-kid’'s-ear trick and “removing your thumb” to card tricks, stunts for the dinner table, and verbal puzzles that surprise and delight, there’s something for everyone. Step-by-step illustrations make them easy to learn.



My Take on the Book

This was a fun book for any parent to read, whether they are a Grandpa or not. The book is filled with tricks, stunts and more. Each of the activities are well explained and by the end of the book you will have quite the repertoire of things to mesmerize and amaze your kids, their friends and more. I wish I had found this earlier in my own life as a dad!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Monday, October 22, 2018

Book Review - Snoopy: Boogie Down!

Snoopy: Boogie Down!



About the Book

Good grief! The Peanuts gang is back in this new collection of comic strips!

Is your baseball team getting beat sixty-eight to nothing? Are you caught in the rain without an umbrella? Have you finally worked up the courage to call your crush only to get the wrong number? Don't worry! The Peanuts gang has the cure for your worries. Join Linus as he awaits the Great Pumpkin, Peppermint Patty as she faces off against an entire hockey team, and Snoopy as he attempts to eat the largest sandwich he's ever seen. Sally befriends the new girl at school, Eudora, only to find a rival for the affection of her Sweet Babboo. And Charlie Brown searches for a home for Snoopy's mysterious brother, Spike. So put on your top hat, fancy tie and dancing shoes, and join Snoopy and the rest of the gang in this boogielicious new collection of classic Peanuts comics.



My Take on the Book
This was a great book that brought out the great Peanuts characters that you have come to love. I read through this and then had my daughter read it because they are big fans of the Peanuts too. My kids have been huge fans of this comic series and this book definitely allowed them to get into the comic even more. The loved that all of the characters were in the book, my daughters loved seeing them all and so did I!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Friday, October 19, 2018

Book Review - Scholastic 2019 Book of World Records

Scholastic 2019 Book of World Records



About the Book

Another year of amazing world records and all the latest and greatest pop culture crazes!

What is the tallest living animal that can grow up to 19 feet?

Where is the deepest cave on Earth?

Just how fast is the world's fastest roller coaster?

Discover the most impressive and jaw-dropping world records in science, tech, pop culture, sports, nature, and more in the third edition of our world records annual, Book of World Records 2019. Complete with "Trending" sections for every category, this book includes all the social media sensations, spectacular stats, and unique facts you need to know from 2019.


My Take on the Book
This is another great collection of feats, facts, and records that people hold that simply amaze me. The book is filled with great images and write-ups that will fill your brain with information that you may not have known in the past. I love reading these books because I have to marvel at the records that people will work to break! This is another great addition for anyone who loves reading about records being broken!!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Book Review - My Life in Smiley: I Got This!

My Life in Smiley: I Got This!



About the Book
In this second installment of the My Life in Smiley series, Max is back from Summer vacation with his wisdom for future generations in this hilarious Diary of a Wimpy Kid–style journal that is unconventionally illustrated with the internationally recognized emoticons of the SmileyWorld brand.

Age Level: 8-12 Grade Level: 3rd and up

After summer vacation, Max is back at school in France to tackle seventh grade, which turns out to be even harder than sixth grade. In his journal, he recounts his over-the-top crush, fighting with his best friend Tom, his mom losing her mind with yoga and new-age parenting, and his friends’ attempt at making smiley-themed clothing with unique illustrations and plentiful smileys.


My Take on the Book
This is a great second book. If you loved the first book, this one was just as good if not better. My daughter loved to read this. She continue to love the main character, but also the interactions between other characters too. The book was a quick read but it was memorable though. Loved being able to read this with my daughter as well, and even as an adult I found the book to be fun for all!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Book Review - Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theater

Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theater



About the Book
The second Phoebe and Her Unicorn graphic novel! Summer is here, and Phoebe and Marigold are headed to drama camp. Phoebe’s expecting some quality time with her best friend, but in a surprise twist, Marigold has invited her sister, Florence Unfortunate Nostrils! While the unicorn sisters head to camp in a magical rainbow pod, Phoebe is stuck riding with her parents in their boring car, wondering where it all went wrong. But at Camp Thespis, there are more daunting tasks at hand: writing, producing, and acting in an entirely original play! The second Phoebe and Her Unicorn graphic novel is a sparkling tale of sisterhood and summer fun, as well as a reminder that sometimes it takes a bit of drama to recognize true friendship.


My Take on the Book
Another great addition to the series. This series brings you humor, great illustration as well as a great story and my daughter, for one, simply loves reading the books as they get released, and this book was no different. The book itself was a quick read, but I found my daughter reading it again quickly afterwards as she loved the book so much! If you have read other books in the series, you will love this book as well. Even if you have not, you will love the characters and the story throughout!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Monday, October 15, 2018

Book Review - Mini Kawaii Doodle Class

Mini Kawaii Doodle Class



About the Book

Kawaii is a Japanese word that translates to "cute," and popular YouTube artist Pic Candle shows you how to doodle your way to adorable in this miniature, portable, and even cuter version of her best-selling Kawaii Doodle Class.

This master class in cute features nearly 100 lovable, huggable characters and includes simple step-by-step illustrations and instructions, search-and-find puzzle patterns that you can color, inspiration boards that show you how to give your characters different facial expressions and zany accessories, and drawing pages to get your doodle party started. Your adorable drawing subjects include tacos, sushi, smoothies, clouds, rainbows, cacti, and more.

Soon you'll be enhancing your notebooks, stationery, artwork, and more with your own unique kawaii world. Mini Kawaii Doodle Class is now in session!


My Take on the Book
This was a fun book that had very cute images but even better than that, it offered you gstep-by-step instructions on how to create these fun images for yourself. My daughter loves to create images for herself and she truly enjoyed this book because of the fun pictures she could create because of this book. You will be able to create some very fun images with this book too!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - A-MAZE-ING America: 50 Mazes of the 50 States

A-MAZE-ING America: 50 Mazes of the 50 States



About the Book
From the author of A-MAZE-ING Animals and Myths & Monsters comes another wonderful maze-filled book . . . and this time, it's all about the U.S.A. These 50 colorfully illustrated mazes feature themed, integrated illustrations that reflect each state—from New York to California and everything in between—that are fun, playful, and perfect for big kids and grown-ups too. Puzzle-solvers will have to navigate through crazy cartoon features, like a county fair, the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon, and much more. There are dozens of dead ends, illusions, twists, and turns that increase with the difficulty level. It's not just thoroughly entertaining . . . it's another dose of absolutely A-MAZE-ING fun!


My Take on the Book
This is a great book with fun mazes that will keep you and your kids having fun for some time. The book has great images too that you can color in while you do your maze if you want. The book kept us active for a long time and we loved being able to spend time together as we worked through the mazes page by page!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - The Fortnite Guide to Staying Alive: Tips and Tricks for Every Kind of Player

The Fortnite Guide to Staying Alive: Tips and Tricks for Every Kind of Player



About the Book
Proven, fast levelling strategies that will help you win matches and maximize the XP you earn each season.

What do World Cup soccer players, Drake, and 125 million other people have in common? They all play Fortnite! And now with The Fortnite Guide to Staying Alive, anyone can survive the island and take their game to the next level. This must-have guide has something for every kind of player: game mode overviews for Battle Bus beginners, detailed weapon and item stats for initiates, and advanced building strategies for veterans. With The Fortnite Guide to Staying Alive, you have everything you need to max out each season and have fun doing it.


My Take on the Book
If you are a fan of Fortnite, this is the book for you. Even though the book is short it is packed with great information that will definitely help you to survive and thrive in the game. This game is definitely not always easy, but this book does offer practical advice to help you survive which definitely helped me to last longer than I did in the past!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Book Review - Art Studio: Faces & Features

Art Studio: Faces & Features



About the Book
Art Studio: Faces & Features introduces beginning artists and art enthusiasts to the art of drawing and painting heads, faces, and expressions using a variety of mediums.

Drawing and painting heads, faces, and expressions can be an intimidating prospect for a beginning artist. Art Studio: Faces & Features is here to help, with more than 50 tips, techniques, and step-by-step projects that will have you creating expressive faces and mastering textures in all your drawings.

This intuitive guide shows you how to work with graphite and colored pencils; acrylic, oil, and watercolor paints; pastels; and even pen and ink. This range of mediums is the perfect way to experiment, build artistic confidence, and define your own unique style. Art Studio: Faces & Features makes the art of drawing expressions possible for beginning fine artists.

The Art Studio series is designed to help beginning artists venture into fine art; an overview of each art medium helps them determine which they like best.

My Take on the Book
This is a great book for any aspiring artist. For someone working to become a better artist you will find that faces and features tend to be things that take time and practice. The book walks you through activities that will help you to create faces that will get better and better the more that you practice, or at least it helped me. The book looks at so many aspects to faces and features that I know that I did not consider when I first started reading this. I learned a ton and I know that you will too!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - Dude Crafts: The Man's Guide to Practical Projects, Backyard Ballistics, and Glorious Gags

Dude Crafts: The Man's Guide to Practical Projects, Backyard Ballistics, and Glorious Gags



About the Book
Dude Crafts is loaded with more than 50 slightly twisted, but somehow useful, projects that will keep crafty men out of trouble (or, sometimes, in it).

Whether making life easier with ingenious hacks or providing self-amusement, the 50 projects presented in Dude Crafts are sure to get any guy's creative wheels turning. These DIY projects will get you on the path to developing your own creations, and impressing your friends.

You'll learn how to:
  • Craft an iPad cover from an old book
  • Build a metal forge out of a busted microwave
  • Cook a meal in the dishwasher
  • Re-purpose an electric saw into a cocktail blender
  • Fashion a Swiss army knife for your keys
  • Outfit an unsuspecting co-worker’s office chair with an air horn
Each project is accompanied by a parts list and step-by-step photo instructions to get you building; often by hacking subpar stock goods or upcycling discarded objects into functional works of art and conversation pieces. No matter how off-kilter the project may appear on the surface, it's sure to payoff as a useful tool, an art piece, the punch line to a practical joke or, best of all, a combination of all three.

Whatever the motive—to solve a problem, to play a joke, or for self-entertainment—Dude Crafts will get dudes off the sofa and into the workshop!


My Take on the Book
This is a book that will really help you to create some very amazing things that will make your kids see you as the amazing dad that you are. This book has amazing activities and the author has created step-by-step instructions to build some amazing things. I particularly loved the swiss army for your keys as well as the book iPad cover. There are so many amazing ideas throughout this book and I know that all of them combine so many very cool things with found items around the house and some items that you might have to go and find as well.

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - The Hidden Witch




About the Book

Aster and his family are adjusting to his unconventional talent for witchery; unlike the other boys in his family, he isn't a shapeshifter. He's taking classes with his grandmother and helping to keep an eye on his great-uncle whose corrupted magic wreaked havoc on the family.

Meanwhile, Aster's friend from the non-magical part of town, Charlie, is having problems of her own -- a curse has tried to attach itself to her. She runs to Aster and escapes it, but now the friends must find the source of the curse before more people -- normal and magical alike -- get hurt.


My Take on the Book
This is a great book that has amazing story and even more amazing images throughout. The book itself was a quick read, but a great one. The characters are so well defined and my daughter and I loved to see all of the mixture of magic and more within this book. My daughter loved the characters and the story and by the end she was asking if there were more books with these characters. Here's hoping for more in the future!


----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - STEM Adventures: Terrific Technology

STEM Adventures: Terrific Technology



About the Book

Get children excited about the amazing world of Technology!


  • This techy-themed puzzle and activity book includes:
  • High quality contemporary illustrations and graphics
  • Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for the activities and experiments
  • Bite-sized text explaining scientific facts, discoveries, and much more


Kids will enjoy matching illustrations of ancient tools to their modern names, helping a pilot safely fly by navigating an arrow maze, completing a puzzle to create a DNA molecule, and more. It's a wonderful way to inspire future tech lovers!


My Take on the Book
This is a great book that has over 40 activities within it that that look at so many different types of technology from the past and present. This was a great book that challenges and entertains. My daughter learned a ton from this and so did I!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - STEM Adventures: Sensational Science

STEM Adventures: Sensational Science



About the Book

Get children excited about the amazing world of Science!


  • This science-themed puzzle and activity book includes:
  • High quality contemporary illustrations and graphics
  • Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for the activities and experiments
  • Bite-sized text explaining scientific facts, discoveries, and much more


Kids will enjoy connecting stars to reveal constellations, spotting the differences in two space station images, and following bees through a maze to pollinate flowers, and other incredible science activities. It's a wonderful way to inspire future scientists!


My Take on the Book
Another great activity book that challenges kids to explore science in many new ways. The book looks at the world around the reader and starts to show them that Science is all around them. The book really does offer a ton of activities for kids that will help strengthen their science understanding and skills.

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - STEM Adventures: Extreme Engineering

STEM Adventures: Extreme Engineering



About the Book

Get children excited about the amazing world of Engineering!


  • This puzzle and activity book includes:
  • High quality contemporary illustrations and graphics
  • Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for the activities and experiments
  • Bite-sized text explaining facts, discoveries, and much more


Kids will enjoy completing a Roman arch by drawing lines to the missing bricks, planning a design for a green skyscraper using energy-saving features, finishing drawings of tied-arch bridges, and more engineering feats. It's a wonderful way to inspire future engineers!


My Take on the Book
For any child that is intrigued by engineering concepts that will love this book. The book offers some great activities throughout the book and walks the read step-by-step through the activities. My daughter really liked the activities and they really push a child to think outside of the box about STEM concepts that are very important in life for all kids to learn.


----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - STEM Adventures: Amazing Math

STEM Adventures: Amazing Math



About the Book

Get children excited about the amazing world of Math!


  • This puzzle and activity book includes:
  • High quality contemporary illustrations and graphics
  • Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for the activities and experiments
  • Bite-sized text explaining facts, discoveries, and much more


Kids will enjoy drawing rope bridges between equivalent numbers to cross a gorge, color loading screens on smartphones to match percentages, helping a soldier find his way back to camp by following Roman numerals, and more. It's a wonderful way to inspire future mathematicians!



My Take on the Book
This is a great workbook that really challenges kids to get excited about Math. This is not always easy, but through the different activities this book really helps kids to do just that. I was very impressed with all of the activities and my daughter loved working through these activities as well.

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Monday, October 1, 2018

Book Review - Clarity First: How Smart Leaders and Organizations Achieve Outstanding Performance

Clarity First: How Smart Leaders and Organizations Achieve Outstanding Performance



About the Book

Award-winning business performance improvement and Lean management expert Karen Martin diagnoses a ubiquitous business management and leadership problem―the lack of clarity―and outlines specific actions to dramatically improve organizational performance.

Through her global consulting projects, keynote speeches, and work with thousands of leaders, Karen has seen first-hand how a pervasive lack of clarity strangles business performance and erodes employee engagement. Ambiguity is the corporate default state, a condition so prevalent that “tolerance for ambiguity” has become a clichéd job requirement.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

In Clarity First, Karen provides methods and insights for achieving clarity to unleash potential, innovate at higher levels, and solve the problems that matter to deliver outstanding business results. Both a visionary road map and practical guide, this book will help leaders:


  • Identify and communicate the organization’s true purpose
  • Set achievable priorities
  • Deliver greater customer value through more efficient processes
  • Provide greater transparency about true versus assumed performance
  • Build strong problem-solving and critical thinking capabilities throughout the organization
  • Develop personal clarity to be a more direct, purposeful, and successful leader


Eliminating ambiguity is the first step for leaders and organizations to achieve strategic goals. Learn how to gain the clarity needed to make better decisions, lead more effectively, and boost organizational performance.

When it comes to leading an outstanding organization, every great leader needs Clarity First.



My Take on the Book
I really liked this book. The author did a great job at communicating to the reader about great ways in which you can work on changing business principles that will truly change the way that you look at success in leadership. The book is filled with a good mix of practical examples as well as as well as concepts that can be easily implemented. I liked that the examples come from in and out of business. You will find that the book is a powerful book that offers extensive insight into how you can change your own processes. The other thing that is important with this is that the ideas presented are ones that can be used in many different industries which makes this very versatile.


----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - Clementine for Christmas: A Wish Novel

Clementine for Christmas: A Wish Novel



About the Book

Josie usually keeps to herself, but the holidays are her favorite time of year. She comes out of her shell when she and her dog, Clementine, volunteer at the local hospital. Josie loves dressing up in silly costumes, singing carols, and helping to prepare for the big Christmas Festival. That is, until she learns that this year's Festival has been canceled.

Meanwhile, Oscar's parents are fighting more and more -- and so is he. He gets into trouble at school, and his punishment? Volunteer hours at the local hospital.

Gabby's life seems perfect. She's stylish, smart, and everyone looks up to her. But Gabby has a secret, one that could ruin everything.

Then, Clementine disappears, Oscar's parents separate, and Gabby's secret is uncovered. Together, can Josie, Oscar, and Gabby find a way to save the holiday, or will this be the worst Christmas ever?

Daphne Benedis-Grab has created a heartwarming story that sparkles with humor, light, and Christmas spirit.



My Take on the Book
This was a very cute story that really warms your heart. The book is a great story for upper elementary or middle school readers. I loved seeing how Josie and her dog would volunteer and visit patients and cheer them up with their singing. It is a very cute story of a girl finding herself, friendship, kindness and more!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com