Dad of Divas' Reviews: October 2022

Thursday, October 20, 2022

Movie Review - We Baby Bears: The Magical Box

We Baby Bears: The Magical Box



About the Movie
Get ready for adorable for adorable baby bear hugs, as TV's most hilarious and heartwarming bears journey to faraway lands when Warner Brothers Home Entertainment brings you We Baby Bears: The Magical Box.

In this Cartoon Network series, We B aby Bears follows lovable siblings Grizz, Panda, and Ice Bear on whimsical adventures in their magical box in search of a place they can call home. Along the way, they meet new friends, learn a few lessons and discover the "home" can mean wherever they are, as long as they're together. 

My Take on the Movie
This DVD contains the first 20 episodes of We Baby Bears. If you have never seen it before, it is a fun show that has some great characters. You will get lost in the episodes with your kids and you will have fun too. The characters are fun and the plot even more so. 

 ----------------------------------------
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 18, 2022

Book Review - Happily Ever Island

Happily Ever Island



About the Book
Welcome to Happily Ever Island, the most pixie-dusted vacation a Disney fan could ever imagine.

Head-in-the-clouds romantic Madison and driven pragmatist Lanie are unlikely best friends, but the two would do anything for each other. So when Madison’s life starts to fall apart, Lanie agrees to join Madison for the test run of Disney’s newest resort experience during their first college spring break: Happily Ever Island―an immersive vacation destination, where guests can become their favorite Disney character for a week. Madison decides to go as the iconic princess herself, Cinderella, with Lanie as bow-wielding Merida. It’s not Lanie’s idea of fun, but she knows Madison needs her, and besides, she could use the break from her strenuous courseload anyway. Plus, maybe she’ll get to shoot things.

But once on the island, Lanie and Madison begin to drift apart. Madison finds herself either missing out or messing up all the enchanting moments she has dreamt her whole life about, and is forever running into their annoyingly perfect (and distractingly cute) vacation’s coordinator, Val. Meanwhile, Lanie unexpectedly finds herself swept up in the magic of it all. She strikes up a secret romance with Prince Charming―but there’s no telling whether he’s just playing a part.

In this delightful YA rom-com inspired by Disney fandom, get swept up in a whirlwind of laughter, tears, and more than just a touch of Disney magic.

Learn more about this book on Amazon!
 
My Take on the Book
This was a fun book that allows you to see a Disney fan on a trip of a lifetime to test out a new Disney park (talk about a dream come true). This book brings a fun story that any Disney fan will love with characters that are well-developed and in the end you get a book that grabs your attention and keeps it from the beginning to the end! 

----------------------------------------
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 - Prince of Song & Sea

Prince of Song & Sea



About the Book
For fans of Twisted Tales and Villains is a brand new YA series that retells the classic Disney stories you thought you knew from the Disney Princes' perspectives.

Before Prince Eric’s mother, the Queen of Vellona, went missing two years ago, she reminded him about the details of the deadly curse that has plagued his entire life. The curse? If he were to kiss someone other than his true love, he would die. With a neighboring kingdom looking for any excuse to invade their shores, and rumors of ghost pirates lurking the seas, Eric is desperate for any information that may help him break his enchantment and bring stability to Vellona. The answers he has been searching for come to him in the form of a letter left from his mother that reveals Eric must find his true love, the one with a voice pure of heart,or kill the sea witch responsible for cursing him in the first place.

Now Eric is on a quest to find the Isle of Serein, the witch's legendary home. But after he is rescued by a mysterious young woman with a mesmerizing singing voice, Eric’s heart becomes torn. Does he enter a battle he is almost certain he cannot win or chase a love that might not even exist? And when a shipwrecked young woman with flaming red hair and a smile that could calm the seven seas enters his life, Eric may discover that true love isn’t something that can be decided by magic.

Find out more about the book on Amazon!

My Take on the Book
I was always a BIG fan of the little mermaid, and this book allows you step into the story and understand Eric's side of the story. As you read this, you will better understand some of the things you remember from the movie, but in a different way. As I jumped into this book, I found that I could not put it down, and I finished the book in only 2 days. If you are a Disney fan and love The Little Mermaid, you will not want to miss this book!
 
----------------------------------------
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 - Bravely




About the Book

What if you had one year to save everything you loved?

ONE PRINCESS. Merida of DunBroch needs a change. She loves her family―jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets― and her peaceful kingdom. But she’s frustrated by its sluggishness; each day, the same. Merida longs for adventure, purpose, challenge – maybe even, someday, love.

TWO GODS. But the fiery Princess never expects her disquiet to manifest by way of Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, who appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent to demolish the realm – and everyone within. Only the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient entity of creation, gives Merida a shred of hope: convince her family to change within the year – or suffer the eternal consequences.

THREE VOYAGES. Under the watchful eyes of the gods, Merida leads a series of epic journeys to kingdoms near and far in an attempt to inspire revolution within her family. But in her efforts to save those she loves from ruin, has Merida lost sight of the Clan member grown most stagnant of all – herself?

FOUR SEASONS TO SAVE DUNBROCH – OR SEE IT DESTROYED, FOREVER.

Check out Bravely on Amazon!

My Take on the Book
What I loved about this book is it really took you into what life would have been like in Medieval Scotland. While I thought it would be more of a Disney-related story, and while it is connected, the story is bittersweet and opens the future for more possibilities. The book is beautifully written, and the author has done a wonderful job of drawing in the reader with vivid imagery and solid character development. You will love seeing Merida as a bold woman, but the story really shows you more depth and perspective when it comes to Merida and the woman she is becoming.

----------------------------------------
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 - Bloody Fool for Love: A Spike Prequel

Bloody Fool for Love: A Spike Prequel



About the Book

Bloody Fool for Love A Spike Prequel is a book from New York Times best-selling author William Ritter marks the beginning of an all-new series that explores prequel stories about fan-favorite Buffy characters.

Spike just wants to enjoy the spoils of his new badass reputation. He’s now a legendary slayer-killer, and he’s returning to London―the greatest city in the world. Unfortunately, his new abode is far from ideal (mostly a dank basement), and the rest of his strange little “family” is reeling from the fact that their patriarch, Angel, abandoned them. Spike’s love, Drusilla, seems especially heartbroken over the loss and spends her time lost in her tarot cards and planning their next gruesome family dinner when they all can be reunited.

Desperate to break Dru out of her melancholy, Spike vows to steal a powerful relic that will help her focus on their dark future together. It’s the perfect plan―that is until a monster named Gunnar, leader of the demon underworld of London, steals the relic first. Forced to form his own ragtag group of mercenaries, Spike plans an epic heist against a ruthless gang of undead criminals. Confronted with paranormal plots, royal black ops, and tea (they may be abominations, but they’re British abominations, thank you very much), Spike soon realizes that his homecoming is about to get bloody.

This rompy, action-packed novel inspired by one of Buffy’s most infamous bad boys is part Bonnie and Clyde, part Sherlock and Watson, with just a bit more bloodsucking.


My Take on the Book
For people that loved Spike from Buffy the Vampire slayer or enjoyed the world of Sunnyvale, you will love this book too. The book really allows you to delve into the lives of amazing characters that the author has well developed. As you read this, you will see familiar ones from the screen, but beyond that you get a great story and you get to delve even deeper into the life of Spike! 

 ----------------------------------------
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 17, 2022

Book Review - Long Live the Pumpkin Queen


Long Live the Pumpkin Queen


About the Book

In Long Live the Pumpkin Queen read Sally’s story in this young adult sequel to Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas written by New York Times bestselling Shea Ernshaw.

Jack and Sally are "truly meant to be" ... or are they?

Sally Skellington is the official, newly-minted Pumpkin Queen after a whirlwind courtship with her true love, Jack, who Sally adores with every inch of her fabric seams -- if only she could say the same for her new role as Queen of Halloween Town. Cast into the spotlight and tasked with all sorts of queenly duties, Sally can't help but wonder if all she's done is trade her captivity under Dr. FInkelstein for a different cage. But when Sally and Zero accidentally uncover a long-hidden doorway to an ancient realm called Dream Town in the forest Hinterlands, she'll unknowingly set into motion a chain of sinister events that put her future as Pumpkin Queen, and the future of Halloween Town itself, into jeopardy. Can Sally discover what it means to be true to herself and save the town she's learned to call home, or will her future turn into her worst... well, nightmare?

My Take on the Book
This was an amazing book. As someone that is a big Nightmare before Christmas fan this was a great book that allows you to wonder what would happen if Sally was the Pumpkin Queen and what this means. What I loved about this book is that you get to see Sally in a whole new way, with new adventures and new understanding about herself too. The book is a great read for any Disney or Nightmare before Christmas fan!

 ----------------------------------------
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 - Agents of S.L.A.M.

Agents of SLAM



About the Book
DING DING DING! Enter the wrestling ring in this all-new graphic novel from Wrapped Up creators Dave Scheidt and Scoot McMahon!

In Agents of SLAM the Agents of S.L.A.M. aren’t your average professional wrestlers. They’re led by the fearless and famous Bruno Bravado and work for the president of the United States to protect people from all kinds of threats—both on Earth and in space! And they’ve just been joined by their newest recruit, Katie Jones, a twelve-year-old wrestling vlogger who just might know more about wrestling than the wrestlers themselves. S.L.A.M. will need Katie’s knowledge and skills if they’re going to keep protecting Earth, especially when their toughest rival challenges them!

My Take on the Book
If you love wrestling, you will love this book. It is a fun book that will make you wonder about who are heroes and who are not. The book is a quick read but one that will keep you reading from page one to the very end. Also, if you are not a big wrestling fan you will learn quite a bit about the sport and the lingo throughout the 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 - Ensemble

Ensemble



About the Book
In Ensemble you learn about how most animal species choose to live in a society. From herds of elephants and packs of wolves, to colonies of butterflies and flocks of geese, many creatures prefer to live together, rather than on their own.

This beautiful picture book reveals how and why each group lives in solidarity, as an Ensemble.

Cleverly interwoven, Joanna Rzezak's eye-catching illustrations support the book's theme of individuals coming together to create one beautiful whole.


My Take on the Book
This was a beautiful book that really allows you to see how groups of animals live together. It was a beautiful book that you will love to share with your kids. 

----------------------------------------
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 - Amira & Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds

Amira & Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds



About the Book
In Amira & Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds, from bestselling author Samira Ahmed comes a thrilling fantasy adventure intertwining Islamic legend and history, perfect for fans of Aru Shah and the Land of Stories -- now in paperback!

On the day of a rare super blue blood moon eclipse, twelve-year-old Amira and her little brother, Hamza, can’t stop their bickering while attending a special exhibit on medieval Islamic astronomy. While stargazer Amira is wowed by the amazing gadgets, a bored Hamza wanders off, stumbling across the mesmerizing and forbidden Box of the Moon. Amira can only watch in horror as Hamza grabs the defunct box and it springs to life, setting off a series of events that could shatter their world—literally.

Suddenly, day turns to night, everyone around Amira and Hamza falls under a sleep spell, and a chunk of the moon breaks off, hurtling toward them at lightning speed, as they come face-to-face with two otherworldly creatures: jinn.

The jinn reveal that the siblings have a role to play in an ancient prophecy. Together, they must journey to the mystical land of Qaf, battle a great evil, and end a civil war to prevent the moon—the stopper between realms—from breaking apart and unleashing terrifying jinn, devs, and ghuls onto earth. Or they might have to say goodbye to their parents and life as they know it, forever.…


My Take on the Book
I loved these two siblings that have such an amazing adventure. With this mix of action and mythology as well as adding in some science  these characters are brought on an epic journey that keeps your attention from beginning to end. The author does a great job creating the world for the characters. If you like Rick Riordan novels you will love this story 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 - You Are Not a Sh*tty Parent: How to Practice Self-Compassion and Give Yourself a Break

You Are Not a Sh*tty Parent: How to Practice Self-Compassion and Give Yourself a Break



About the Book
In You Are Not a Sh*tty Parent: How to Practice Self-Compassion and Give Yourself a Break of course you think you’re doing a sh*tty job. Every parent does. It’s pretty much a byproduct of our society, with its incessant demands coupled with the in-your-face competitiveness parents see on social media. Unfortunately, the pandemic only made things worse, as parents juggled the stresses of helping their kids navigate online schooling while they also had to work from home. All of which makes Carla Naumburg’s new book utterly necessary. Author of How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids, with 149,000 copies in print, Naumburg delivers her message right up front—You Are Not a Sh*tty Parent—that all parents need to hear and believe in. And she does it with her singular understanding, relatably funny voice, and keen insights. 

 You don’t react calmly to every situation? That doesn’t make you a sh*tty parent. You’d rather hide in the back of the closet than play dolls with your child (because you hate dolls)—nope, doesn’t mean you’re a sh*tty parent. The fact is, great parenting is not the same thing as perfect parenting. Great parenting starts with true self-compassion, the kind that means you don’t judge yourself. Harnessing this self-compassion is the key to giving yourself a break and embracing your best qualities as a parent. There are four evidence-based elements of self-compassion—noticing, connection, curiosity, and compassion of course—and Naumburg gives tangible steps for how to use each to help parents reduce their anxiety, trust their instincts, move past the guilt and become a calmer, more confident parent. Which, in the end, benefits your child as much as you.

My Take on the Book
This book was a fun way to look at parenting. Any parent knows that there are times where we all will feel like bad parents but that does not mean that we are. This book really makes you look inwards to reinvent the way that you think about yourself and about parenting. The nice thing is that the author really validates parents and lets us acknowledge what it is like to be a parent and helps us to know that it is ok to be the parent that we are and that we can give ourselves the recognition that we deserve. 

----------------------------------------
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 Silent Stars Go By

The Silent Stars Go By



About the Book
In The Silent Stars Go By you get a beautiful, bittersweet WWI romance lights up an English village at Christmas with harrowing secrets, love lost and found, and the breathtaking power of forgiveness.

Vivid and achingly real, Sally Nicholls’s latest historical romance explores the fallout from an unexpected pregnancy during the First World War. It’s Christmastime, 1919. Three years before, seventeen-year-old Margot Allan, a respectable vicar’s daughter, fell passionately in love. But she lost her fiancé, Harry, to the Great War. In turn, she gained a desperate secret, one with the power to ruin her life and her family’s reputation, a secret she guards at all costs. Now Margot’s family is gathering at the vicarage for the first time since the War ended. And Harry, it turns out, isn’t dead. He’s alive and well, and looking for answers. Can their love survive the truth? Based on the author’s family history, this evocative and stirring exploration of the human and emotional side of war is young-adult historical fiction at its finest, written with the immediacy and understanding of the complexities of the human heart that are the hallmark of the author’s work.


My Take on the Book
If you have a child that loves historical fiction, this book will be one you will want to read! The book is a great book that allows you to see and experience WWII in a whole new way. As you read, you will be drawn into the romance of the book and the story. 

What was interesting about the book was that the story is drawn out from the history of the author. The story is a powerful one and one that will resonate. While the story is heartbreaking, you see the struggles of the characters and the author is able to bring up some powerful themes that are not always discussed but definitely should.

----------------------------------------
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 - Smashie McPerter and the Shocking Rocket Robbery

Smashie McPerter and the Shocking Rocket Robbery



About the Book
In Smashie McPerter and the Shocking Rocket Robbery a field trip to the planetarium goes awry when Dontel’s technically correct picture of a working rocket is stolen. Can Smashie solve the trickiest mystery yet?

Smashie McPerter and her classmates from Room 11 are going on a field trip to the planetarium! Nobody is more excited than Smashie’s best friend, Dontel, who dreams of becoming an astrophysicist. In fact, Dontel has even created an accurate drawing of a working rocket, piloted by his and Smashie’s favorite action figure, Brainyon. In a surprise move, Dontel’s grandmother, who’s chaperoning, brings the rocket drawing with her to enter into the planetarium’s science contest. But in a shocking turn of events, the drawing goes missing before they get there! Smashie is on the case (luckily she brought an array of interesting hats to help get into character). But the suspect list keeps growing—prankster Billy, who prefers the Haddock over Brainyon; tight-lipped Tatiana, who’s wearing a NASA T-shirt; and . . . Smashie herself? Nobody is above suspicion in this third hilarious and clever Smashie McPerter mystery.


My Take on the Book
This was a great book that is another great addition to the series. I read this in one sitting because the book is filled with great characters and a great story. As a mystery lover I loved this book and I am excited to see the next book in this series 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 - Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold

Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold


About the Book
In Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold, comics artist Mark Leiknes delivers a laugh-out-loud story set in a fantastic world of dragons, rock creatures, and golden loungewear.

The Quest Kids are ready for their first real quest. This time, they won’t oversleep, they won’t be put off by a little rain, and they won’t accidentally burn down the village that hired them. All they have to do is find the Golden-Fleeced Rage Beast, shave it, and make a really nice golden tracksuit to appease a furious dragon. Simple, right?

Meet the Quest Kids crew: Gil, a wizard (well, wizard in training . . . the beard isn’t his); Terra, a 700-year-old elf kid; Boulder, a rock troll who is more of a cook than a fighter; Ash, a flatulent pig-dog-maybe-lizard hybrid; and, Ned, the intrepid and overly optimistic leader with his own personal quest to find his missing parents. With humor, magic, mystery, and at least one acid swamp filled with skeletal alligators, Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold is a richly illustrated saga of fantasy friendship for readers from all kingdoms!


My Take on the Book

This was a super fun book that I would recommend to all. I would love to see these characters coming back again in the future and I know you and your kids will as well. The book is full of great characters and an even better story. The combination of images and story itself make a book you cannot put down. The book is funny and the characters are so memorable!
 
----------------------------------------
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 - Cat Ninja: Welcome to the 'Burbs

Cat Ninja: Welcome to the 'Burbs



About the Book

In Cat Ninja: Welcome to the 'Burbs, everyone’s favorite feline superhero is back for even more hilarious adventures set in the Cat Ninja-verse. Catch up with Cat Ninja, Master Hamster, and the rest of the family as they face...the suburbs!

When Dad buys a new house outside the city, the kids are less than excited about new neighbors, backyard barbecues, and quiet, tree-lined streets. And they’re not alone—a summer in the suburbs is enough to make Cat Ninja miss the villains of Metro City!

Our hero and his family feel like fish out of water when they arrive in Peaceful Valley, but it won’t be long before Dad’s new neighborhood reveals its scaly, golden underbelly.


My Take on the Book
This is a great fourth book in the series that brings you the characters you have come to love along with the humor you have come to expect too. In this book, you will love the story seeing our favorite superhero having to survive the wilds of the suburbs. Hilarity ensues, and you will come to find that this book draws you in from beginning to end and by the end you will be asking for 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

Book Review - Animal Rescue Friends: Friends Fur-ever

Animal Rescue Friends: Friends Fur-ever



About the Book

In Animal Rescue Friends Friends Fur-ever , Bell, Maddie, Noah, and the rest of the gang are back in Book 2 of Animal Rescue Friends—and they’re about to meet a whole new crew of furry pals in need of a little TLC!

It’s the start of a new school year, and the kids are excited about their new club, Oakville Elementary School’s Club for Animal Appreciation, Education, and Rehabilitation—even if their new club advisor, Mrs. Wen, doesn’t share their enthusiasm. But as they meet a decidedly unusual crew of animals, including a bearded dragon who won’t eat, a therapy pig named Truffles, and a prickly porcupine who needs first aid, the kids and adults alike learn that when people help animals, the animals help them right back.


My Take on the Book
This is a great new addition to this series. You get the whole gang backend they get to introduce you to a whole new crew of animal friends that need their help. This was a fun book that you will love whether you read the first book or not! 

----------------------------------------
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 - Graveyard Girls: 1-2-3-4, I Declare a Thumb War

Graveyard Girls: 1-2-3-4, I Declare a Thumb War



About the Book
In 1-2-3-4 I Declare a Thumb War meet Whisper, Frannie, Sophie, Gemma, and Zuzu, five friends who tell eerie tales by night and navigate middle school drama by day.


MISERY FALLS, OREGON, IS ABUZZ AS the 100th anniversary of the electrocution of the town’s most infamous killer, Silas Hoke, approaches. When a mysterious text message leads the girls to the cemetery—where Silas Hoke is buried!—life can’t get any creepier. Except, yes, it can thanks to the surprise storyteller who meets them at the cemetery, inspires the first-ever meeting of the Graveyard Girls, and sets the stage for a terrifying tale from Whisper that they’ll never forget.

This slightly scary, extremely addictive story is the first in a five-book series by New York Times bestselling authors Lisi Harrison and Daniel Kraus.


My Take on the Book
This was a great first book in a new series! The book was a fun read with some great new characters too. The main characters you meet include
  • Whisper, the track star. Whisper lives with her father and Miles, her ten year old brother. 
  • Frannie, the actress. Frannie has twin baby brothers, Sami and Balthazar. 
  • Sophie, the straight A student. Sophie puts a ton of pressure on herself to be as good as her sister. 
  • Gemma, the leader. Gemma is the Grim Sleeper who truly believes in the supernatural.
These are only some of the characters and there are many more in the book too! 

The book has a ton of twists and turns but in the end is about friendship and more. 

The book moves fast and by the end I know I was hoping to have another book to ready too.

All-in-all this was a great book! 

----------------------------------------
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 Bad Guys in the Others?!

The Bad Guys in the Others?!



About the Book
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE!

"I wish I'd had these books as a kid. Hilarious!" -- Dav Pilkey, creator of Captain Underpants and Dog Man

In The Bad Guys in the Others, they may look like Bad Guys, but these wannabe heroes are doing good deeds... whether you like it or not in this New York Times bestselling illustrated series.

OK. A lot of the stuff we said on the back of the last book was NOT TRUE. We now admit that The Bad Guys is WEIRD. We also admit that it features ALL the weird stuff we said it didn’t. PLUS there’s now a whole bunch of even weirder stuff involving an over-sharing bat, a really scary new character who lives in the woods, and a strangely confident little guy with a mullet. So, uh, don’t relax, maybe FREAK OUT a little and have your MIND BLOWN by the BAD GUYS!


My Take on the Book
This is a great addition to the Bag Guys series of books! Throughout the entire book, you will be laughing like crazy. These "bad guys" get into a ton of situations, and you will find that there is both action and humor throughout that will keep all ages entertained! 



----------------------------------------
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

Saturday, October 15, 2022

Book Review - Amira & Hamza: The Quest for the Ring of Power

Amira & Hamza: The Quest for the Ring of Power



About the Book
In Amira & Hamza The Quest for the Ring of Power, Amira and Hamza are back in this epic sequel, which takes readers on a thrilling magical adventure as the siblings face their most terrifying and formidable opponent yet.
All human and jinn kind shall bow down to me. Control the Ring, control the worlds.

Amira and Hamza have returned from Qaf, the magical Jinn world, as triumphant heroes—and life has been pleasantly quiet. Too quiet. Hamza is determined to have one last monumental, epic adventure before summer ends. But when sneaking off to explore an old, abandoned castle goes from life-changing adventure to potentially deadly, Amira and Hamza find themselves in the middle of another dangerous quest to save the worlds. One they didn’t bargain for.

The siblings are brought face to face with the evil dev, Ahriman, angry and out for revenge. And if Amira and Hamza thought Ifrit was bad, his dad Ahriman, the last in an ancient line of fire spirits, is far worse. Ahriman kidnaps Hamza and forces him to help locate the lost Ring of Power, an ancient and mysterious artifact that will allow him to rule the universe. Desperate to save her brother, Amira must outsmart perilous traps and confounding puzzles in a race against time to retrieve the artifact before Ahriman does or say goodbye to Hamza and their world forever.

My Take on the Book
This was a great sequel! My daughters loved the first book, and this one was even better than the first, in my opinion. The book was action-packed and had a lot of mysteries along the way. One of the things I loved was the way in which the author built a great character dynamic that stays and builds throughout the book. Also, if you have a kid that loves science, this book definitely brings those topics forward.


----------------------------------------
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 - Good Night, Little Bookstore

Good Night, Little Bookstore



About the Book
In Good Night, Little Bookstore you get part lullaby, part love song, this perfectly pitched bedtime book gives a nod to its classic predecessors as it champions the vibrant independent spirit of local bookstores.

Join the Little Bookstore’s friendly staff as they draw the curtain on another busy day of browsing and matchmaking. Choose a bedtime story, say your good nights, and pet the shop’s feline mascot on your way out. Snuggle up to a loved one for a read-aloud, then drift off to sweet dreams of adventure and enchantment to come. Drawing on the best tradition of classic bedtime books, Amy Cherrix’s lilting text brims with sound play, soothing patterns, and repetition, while E. B. Goodale’s bright, inclusive artwork offers people-watching at its best, conjuring the bustling, ineffable mood of a homespun hall of treasures. Penned by a bookseller and illustrated with warmth and zeal, this cozy homage to the neighborhood bookshop ends with a gallery of bookstores around the world, encouraging local engagement and offering a gentle reminder that books are gifts that keep giving, the most comforting treasure of all.


My Take on the Book
This was a great book that loves books and bookstores. You will be drawn into the intimate little bookstore, and you will love watching the store being put to bed and the little rituals that are a part of this process. As mentioned, if you love bookstores, you will love this book, and I know for me, it made me think about and look at the small bookstores that I have visited in the past and that I still visit in a whole new way.


----------------------------------------
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 7, 2022

Book Review - Big Problems, Little Problems

Big Problems, Little Problems



About the Book

Big Problems Little Problems is the story of how a dad teaches his son to solve the daily challenges of life – and, in turn, the surprising ways in which a child can teach a grown-up to remember what is important, too.

We invite you into this charming picture book about a single dad (a rarity in the picture book world) and his little boy, who turns out to be very wise. From their secret handshake to their mutual problem-solving, this father and son have winning ways.

Written with lessons that apply to any family with young children, the book is distinctively told from a father's perspective, and built on how a son and dad listen to and learn from each other. This is a tale of how to conquer frustration no matter what the problem.


My Take on the Book
I know there were many times when I would leave with my wife and then get a call from a babysitter about one of our daughters losing a favorite "friend" that they needed to have right away. I loved the story provided here as it really shares a ton of great messages about how a child can solve problems and get to a point of relying on themselves in many ways. I also loved that it was told from the standpoint of a father as it was a point of view that you do not always see in picture books like this. All-in-all this was a great book, with a great story, characters and images that will be great to read to your kids!

 ----------------------------------------
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 - Charlie Makes a Splash!


Charlie Makes a Splash!




About the Book
In Charlie Makes a Splash! you get the award-winning team who brought us MY BROTHER CHARLIE presenting a companion book that celebrates the power of water for those who have autism.

Like many kids on the autism spectrum, Charlie finds solace and empowerment in pools, ponds, sprinklers, visiting the aquarium, and swimming in the ocean. Through his adventures and discoveries, he shows the world that even though he has autism, autism doesn’t have him.

My Take on the Book
What I love about this book is that it uncovers the world of an autistic child and makes something that may seem different seem more relevant and real to the reader. The characters are great and the author does a great job at humanizing the characters and the world that Charlie lives in to help all kids understand difference and also relate it back to the world that they live in 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 - Finding Fire




About the Book

In Finding Fire, can a young boy find fire for his family—and bring it safely home? An exciting, nearly wordless picture book adventure as visually compelling as a Pixar short.

After a hard rain douses the family fire, a brave young boy sets out to search for more fire to bring home before the cold season sets in. Along the way, he’ll face many challenges, from perilous mountains to fearsome predators to raging rivers, and find something wholly unexpected: a friend. In his picture book debut, artist Logan S. Kline crafts a dramatic tale inspired by prehistoric times and told almost entirely through stunningly detailed illustrations. “Finding Fire started with the sketch of a small boy holding a torch and grew from there,” he says. “A lot of research went into creating the art for this book, yet the look of the boy changed very little over time as he was inspired by my children, from my younger son's wiry frame to my elder son's wild hair that goes in a million different directions.” This gorgeous adventure story just begs to be visited again and again, with each perusal promising new discoveries.


My Take on the Book

This was a wonderful story with great characters and images that really jump off the page. Through the story you will find themes of kindness, bravery and more as well as perseverence. It is a fun, simple story that will be fun to share with your own kids!

----------------------------------------
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 6, 2022

Book Review - Do the Work!: An Antiracist Activity Book

Do the Work!: An Antiracist Activity Book



About the Book
In Do the Work An Antiracist Activity Book are you overwhelmed by racial injustice? Outraged by the news? Find yourself asking, “What can I doooooo?” DO THE WORK!

Revelatory and thought-provoking, this highly illustrated, highly informative interactive workbook gives readers a unique, hands-on understanding of systemic racism—and how we can dismantle it.

Packed with activities, games, illustrations, comics, and eye-opening conversation, Do the Work! Challenges readers to think critically and act effectively. Try the “Separate but Not Equal” crossword puzzle. Play “Bootstrapping, the Game” to understand the myth of meritocracy. Test your knowledge of racist laws by playing “Jim Crow or Jim Faux?”

Have hard conversations with your people (scripts and talking points included). Be open to new ideas and diversify your “feed” with a scavenger hunt. Team up with an accountability partner and find hundreds of ideas, resources, and opportunities to DO THE WORK!

Ready to get started?


My Take on the Book
This is a great book that really makes you think deeper about what you can personally do to learn and grow as an individual and also work to change the world around you. The book has a little bit of everything and makes you think deeply about a number of topics. What I love is that this educates and entertains and in the end you leave the book feeling like you really are taking a lot from the work that you did!

 ----------------------------------------
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 - Twas the Night Before Christmas: Or Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas

Twas the Night Before Christmas: Or Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas



About the Book

In Twas the Night Before Christmas you get an exquisitely detailed drawings by Matt Tavares embody the spirit of a magical night now in a lavish, full-size gift edition marking the two-hundredth anniversary of the classic poem.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

Once upon a time, children imagined St. Nicholas as a stern, skinny bishop who was as likely to dole out discipline as Christmas presents. But thanks to the poem “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas”—written by Clement C. Moore in 1822 and published the next year in the Troy Sentinel—a plumper, merrier St. Nick was born, transformed into the sleigh-riding, chimney-diving jolly old elf we now call Santa Claus. With gorgeous monochrome illustrations by Matt Tavares that are meticulously true to pre-Victorian times, this reissue of the holiday favorite ’Twas the Night Before Christmas Or Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas honors the poem’s original language in a definitive keepsake volume.

My Take on the Book
This was a beautiful retelling of a tale that you know and love. The book itself has amazing images that truly draw you in from the beginning of the book to the very end. I definitely will be including this in my Christmas plans and reading it to my family 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