What We’re Reading ~ January 2020 #MySillyLittleGang

Author: Silvie January 30, 2020 5 Comments

We love to read and the current books we’re reading are so good that we just had to share them with you. We hope you like these books as much as we do. Here’s what we’re reading ~ January 2020.

What We’re Reading ~ January 2020

Reading makes up a big part of our day. The boys, my hubby and myself always make sure to dedicate some time in our day to wind down and relax with a good book. Not only does it help us mentally wind down, but it has also helped the boys tremendously in school. All three of them read at a higher level than their peers. If you’ve followed my blog then you know that we are always sharing great books with you. This year however we want to share with you what we are reading at least every other month. What do you think? Would you like that? Let us know in the comments below. Since we will be sharing what we are all reading in this post you will find books for kids and adults.

Shooting for the Stars: My Journey to Become Ireland’s First Astronaut

by Norah Patten

Matt started off the year reading this book and it has become one of his favorites. You may think that because the main character is a girl he wouldn’t be interested. But the main goal of this book is to teach the reader that no matter how big your dream is, you can achieve it. Matt got that message loud and clear. Which is why he likes it.

In 2017 Dr. Norah Patten, from Ballina in Co. Mayo, was one of 12 participants from around the world selected to take part in a unique scientist-astronaut training program, Project Possum. She is now on course to become Ireland’s first astronaut!

Follow Norah as she brings you on a journey high above the earth and into space. You will learn about space travel, astronaut training and life without gravity. Norah will answer those all-important questions such as how long does it take to become an astronaut and where exactly astronauts go to the toilet?!

• Did you know that our sun is a star, just like all the stars we see at night?

• Did you know that, in space, the astronauts have to use special ropes to hold themselves down while running on the treadmill?

A fun and engaging book about space and becoming an astronaut but most importantly a book about following your dreams no matter how big!

Available on Amazon and your favorite bookseller.

The U.S. Constitution: An Owner’s Manual

by Stuart Matranga

This book couldn’t have come at a better time for several reasons. Aaron is studying the U.S. Constitution in school. It has helped him understand it as he says ” better than my teachers.” He has also been following the impeachment trial so understanding the U. S. Constitution has been great for him. This is truly a wonderful book.

The recent impeachment news has left a lot of parents wondering how they can explain this to their child. For kids to understand the real hard-hitting issues at hand, they must first understand the very foundation of our country, The Constitution.

A new one-stop sourcebook, The U.S. Constitution: An Owner’s Manual will help youngsters and adults fully understand the creation and operation of this foundational document that helped sculpt American democracy. It is presented in a clever and engaging way that will help engage and enlighten readers.

The Owners’ Manual is part of a revolutionary curriculum available to teachers and schools around the country that also includes diverse and UPDATED books on American, world history, and civil discourse. The complete package of six textbooks and supplemental teachers’ guides are offered through Midgard Education.

Written as an instruction guide to a valuable and complicated product, this innovative textbook is primarily intended for any middle school or high school American history or Civics course. But in these times, students of all ages are finding it a useful guide. The U.S. Constitution: An Owner’s Manual provides information and insights into the creation and operation of the American Constitution. Chapters on the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, and other historical precedents, all seven articles of the Constitution itself and the amendments, as well as key Supreme Court decisions, are all presented with embedded questions and exercises to involve and challenge students.

Available on Amazon and your favorite bookseller.

The Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted: A Novel

by Conor Grennan

Diego recently finished reading this book and enjoyed it tremendously. It’s full of action, excitement, and great characters! He loves books with twists and turns. So this one was definitely a great hit for him.

Young readers will find action, suspense, and a perilous battle between good and evil in The Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted from New York Times bestselling author Conor Grennan. For ages 10 and up, this dystopian fantasy novel follows a boy’s unlikely journey to save humanity as he unravels his true identity and the responsibility it comes with.

Jack Carlson is dreading a class presentation when he suddenly finds himself transported to the Hadley Academy, a secret institution that tracks teens with unlikely gifts and trains them to protect the world from an unseen squad of killers. But Jack isn’t the only one who doesn’t know what he’s doing at Hadley. Despite indications that he is the one prophesied to end the ancient Reaper War, Jack appears to have no extraordinary abilities.

So when dark, mysterious forces grow, Hadley is in a confused panic. Much to everyone’s dismay, humanity seems to depend on Jack and his new teammates. Can Hadley’s rawest recruits push past personal struggles and enormous doubts, develop their dormant powers, and stop the spreading evil? And are they willing to commit to Hadley’s motto, “One Life for Many,” and make the ultimate sacrifice? The Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted might be just the place for Jack after all.

This action-packed novel will captivate readers with its riveting plot, relatable characters, humorous dialogue, and dynamic illustrations. Fans of the Hunger Games, the Chronicles of Narnia, Divergent, Maze Runner, and Rick Riordan’s books will find themselves at home in the battle for good at the Hadley Academy.

Available on Amazon and your favorite bookseller.

Charlie Hernández & the Castle of Bones

by Ryan Calejo

Here is a book that all three of my boys were looking forward to reading! Ever since late 2018 when we finished reading Charlie Hernández & the League of Shadows (check out our review here) we couldn’t wait to read this book. This book is the second of this series and it’s just as good as the first. Charlie Hernández & the Castle of Bones like book 1 is also inspired by Hispanic folklore, legends, and myths from the Iberian Peninsula and Central and South America.

After waiting so long for this book I must admit that I was afraid of being disappointed as it’s often the case of a sequel not being as great as the first. We were all so glad that this book totally exceeded our expectations. Charlie is such a lovable and relatable character that you’ll want to follow wherever he goes. With all the excitement that this book has it kept us on the edge of our seats and not wanting to put it down. My oldest read this book in just one day as he said he just didn’t want to stop reading it! All four of us (the boys and myself) absolutely loved it! So much so that now my husband is reading it. We absolutely recommend both books as they compliment each other perfectly.

Charlie Hernandez still likes to think of himself as a normal kid. But what’s normal about being a demon-slaying preteen with an encyclopedic knowledge of Hispanic and Latino mythology who can partially manifest nearly any animal trait found in nature? Well, not much. But, Charlie believes he can get used to this new “normal,” because being able to sprout wings or morph fins is pretty cool.

But there is a downside: it means having to constantly watch his back for La Mano Peluda’s sinister schemes. And when the leader of La Liga, the Witch Queen Jo herself, is suddenly kidnapped, Charlie’s sure they’re at it again.

Determined to save the queen and keep La Liga’s alliances intact, Charlie and his good friend Violet Rey embark on a perilous journey to track down her captors. As Charlie and Violet are drawn deeper into a world of monstruos and magia they are soon left with more questions than answers—like, why do they keep hearing rumors of dead men walking, and why is Charlie suddenly having visions of an ancient evil: a necromancer priest who’s been dead for more than five centuries?

Charlie’s abuela once told him that when dead men walk, the living run in fear. And Charlie’s about to learn the truth of that—the hard way.

Available on Amazon.

Kitties Don’t Eat Quesadillas: An A-to-Z Picture Book for Picky Eaters

by Patty Adams Martinez

This is an absolutely adorable book. If you have a picky eater in your life as I do, this is a great book for them. It’s fun and entertaining. It keeps my 8-year-old and my nieces (ages 6 & 3) interested. We loved the story and that the illustrator is the author’s 7-year-old son.

Izzy the cat explains why kitties don’t eat quesadillas (Too ooey! Too gooey!)–and 24 other A-to-Z things this finicky feline won’t even consider swallowing (and one she happily will!).

Picky-eater Logan, age 6, thought maybe his picky-eater cat Izzy would like quesadillas–like he does. When his mom said “Kitties don’t eat quesadillas,” he said that would be a good book title. So they worked together on this book, with all illustrations by Logan, who is now 7.

Many kids have very–ahem–discerning palettes that their caregivers have to learn to understand and to live with. Logan and his mom, author Patty, hope this book will help start those conversations of why being picky isn’t always a choice.

Available on Amazon, B&N.com, and on the Kitties Don’t Eat Quesadillas website. Ebooks are available through Apple. Also, for each book sold, we are giving 25% of profits to Rock n’ Rescue and 25% to North Shore Animal League America.

The Book of Flying Machines & The Book of Diggers and Dozers

by Neil Clark

Here are two super adorable and entertaining books. In these books, you’ll find the robot dog Cogz, and his little mice sidekicks, Nutty and Bolt. The first book covers STEM themes of engineering, physics, and inventions. The second book shows you how diggers, bulldozers and other machines work.

Both of these books are perfect for curious minds as they are written in a way that they will understand and keep their attention. Both books are also full of vibrant and adorable pictures!

The Book of Flying Machines

Cogz, and his mice sidekicks, Nutty and Bolt, are up in the sky, looking at different flying machines. But how do they work? Discover all about forces, learn about wings, find out about the fastest planes in the world, and much more! Covering key STEM themes of engineering, physics, and inventions, and with a fun quiz to test your knowledge, this book will get your child engaged and hands-on with learning.

Helicopters
Airplanes
Jet Engines
Fighter Jets
Hot Air Balloons
Jumbo Jets
Drones
Jet Packs

Perfect for vehicle-mad pre-schoolers, the Clever Cogz series lets you discover different vehicles, from space rockets to racing cars. Bite-sized text and colorful, informative illustrations introduce the transport topics in a simple, engaging way for young readers with a passion for machines.

The Book of Diggers and Dozers

Cogz, and his mice sidekicks, Nutty and Bolt, are at a building site, looking at all the different parts of a digger. But how do they work? Discover all about hydraulics, learn about tractors and the jobs they can do, find out about the biggest machines ever made, and much more! Covering key STEM themes of engineering, physics, and inventions, and with a fun quiz to test your knowledge, this book will get your child engaged and hands-on with learning.

Diggers
Tractors
Cranes
Road Rollers
Bulldozers
Excavators
Robot Diggers

Perfect for vehicle-mad pre-schoolers, the Clever Cogz series lets you discover different vehicles, from space rockets to racing cars. Bite-sized text and colorful, informative illustrations introduce the transport topics in a simple, engaging way for young readers with a passion for machines.

Both books are available on Amazon.

You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth

by Jen Sincero

Here is a book that I have picked up more than once. It’s a brilliantly written self-help book that’s also entertaining. Trust me you won’t be disappointed with this one.

You Are a Badass at Making Money will launch you past the fears and stumbling blocks that have kept financial success beyond your reach. Drawing on her own transformation—over just a few years—from a woman living in a converted garage with tumbleweeds blowing through her bank account to a woman who travels the world in style, Jen Sincero channels the inimitable sass and practicality that made You Are a Badass an indomitable bestseller. She combines hilarious personal essays with bite-size, aha concepts that unlock earning potential and get real results.

Learn to:

• Uncover what’s holding you back from making money
• Give your doubts, fears, and excuses the heave-ho
• Relate to money in a new (and lucrative) way
• Shake up the cocktail of creation
• Tap into your natural ability to grow rich
• Shape your reality—stop playing victim to circumstance
• Get as wealthy as you wanna be

Available on Amazon and your favorite bookseller.

Find more reviews on my blog here.

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