Search This Blog
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (11)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (3)
- Georgia (4)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (3)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (2)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (4)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (10)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (5)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (2)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (6)
- Austria (1)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (4)
- China (2)
- England (27)
- France (2)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (2)
- Russia (2)
- Scotland (4)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Ever Wonder What It Would Be Like to Be a Wolf? So Did Jala ...
8:22 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
As part of the festivities for Multicultural Children's Book Day, I was matched with author Marti Dumas. Yesturday, I featured the first two books in her upbeat Jaden Toussaint series, which stars a genius kindergartner who uses scientific reasoning (and ninja dance parties) to solve everyday problems.
Dumas' standalone novel, Jala and the Wolves, focuses on another child who uses knowledge to overcome challenges. Jala is a 6-year-old who lives in New Orleans. She hates getting her hair combed, but she loves to eat, read, and learn facts about animals, especially wolves. One day while she's waiting (very hungrily) for her mom to make her breakfast, Jala notices something strange in her room—a magic mirror. Just as she's settling down to read a favorite book, her room starts to change. Then, Jala begins to transform. Suddenly, she can leap and smell and hear like a wolf because somehow, she is a wolf.
When Jala meets Milo, a nervous cub who needs her help to save his pack, she has to use all her skills to figure out what to do. With the pack, which is made up of very young pups, counting on her, she needs to come up with a plan—or else the cubs will die just like their parents did. Can she teach the babies what they need to know to survive? They're looking to her for
help, but what about her family back in Louisiana? Which is her real pack? How can Jala choose? She can't think her way out of this one—this time, it's her heart that must decide.
Like Jaden, Jala is an admirable character. Not only is she kind and loving, but she's also smart, logical, and brave. Throughout her adventures in the wolf world, she has to use all these traits to bring a struggling pack together. Her plight shows young readers the power of compassion, putting another's needs before your own, and using teamwork to solve problems. Not only does Jala and the Wolves teach some valuable lessons, but it's also a fast, exciting story that will appeal to anyone who's ever wondered what it would be like to be their favorite animal. And, really, who hasn't done that? Personally, I very much enjoyed this quick, engaging read.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for a little bit of blood/gore related to hunting
To the FTC, with love: I received a copy of Jala and the Wolves from the generous Marti Dumas as part of the festivities for Multicultural Children's Book Day. Thank you!
3 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
-
Bookshelf Bounty4 hours ago
-
-
Stacking The Shelves9 hours ago
-
Holiday Weekend Book Deals in December15 hours ago
-
Happy Crossword Puzzle Day!!!17 hours ago
-
-
The Shadowed Land By Signe Pike23 hours ago
-
Love Coupons for Bookworms23 hours ago
-
What your inside cats miss1 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
106. Little Christmas Carol2 days ago
-
Swordheart2 days ago
-
-
A Review of The Christmas Mourner3 days ago
-
-
-
-
Review: 1984 by George Orwell4 days ago
-
Hide by Tracy Clark4 days ago
-
-
I have been reading...1 week ago
-
-
-
Sunday Post 5583 weeks ago
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October5 weeks ago
-
Open for Murder by Mary Angela1 month ago
-
Reading Recap September 20242 months ago
-
-
Review: The Duke and I4 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus4 months ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ▼ 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
I would have been all over this as a kid. I love that stories like this are still being written.
ReplyDeleteI would have loved this book as a kid! i love that cover as well! I've always had a thing for wolves!
ReplyDeletegreat review!
Emily @ www.rabbitholereviews.com
Sounds like a great book! I reminds me a tiny bit of Shiver by Maggie Steifvater. It's not close but that's all I can think of! Thanks so much for joining us at Multicultural Children's Book Day! I am so glad that you enjoyed the book.
ReplyDelete