Category: Reviews

Caramel reviews Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World by Tui T. Sutherland

After over a year, Caramel finally got his paws on a new-for-him Wings of Fire book. So today he is talking about Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, written by Tui T. Sutherland, illustrated by Joy Ang, with additional art from Mike Schley and Maarta Laiho, and published first in 2023. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Caramel reviews Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, written by Tui T. Sutherland and illustrated by Joy Ang, with additional art from Mike Schley and Maarta Laiho.
Caramel reviews Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, written by Tui T. Sutherland and illustrated by Joy Ang, with additional art from Mike Schley and Maarta Laiho.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, this book just arrived today, and you just had to read it, right?

Caramel: Yup. Just had to.

S: I know how you still keep reading and rereading all of your Wings of Fire books. So I knew you would enjoy this book too. Please tell our readers about the book. Is this the sixteenth book you were waiting for?

C: Not quite, but it is definitely enough to satisfy my hunger for new Wings of Fire stories.

S: So this is a collection of new stories then, right?

C: Yes, but it is actually even more than that.

S: What do you mean?

C: There are ten main chapters, one for each dragon tribe: MudWings, SeaWings, RainWings, NightWings, SandWings, IceWings, SkyWings, SilkWings, HiveWings, and LeafWings. And in each chapter, there are some documents and short historical bits and always a short story about or a letter from a dragon from that tribe that we have met before. So for example, in the chapter on RainWings, they have a datasheet, a map of where they live, they have a letter from StarFlight, a letter from Glory, a story about a sloth made up by Kinkajou, a bit about the dangers of the RainForest, an explanation of how the challenges to the RainWing throne work, a guide to how RainWings change colors depending on their feelings by Jambu, and so on.

Caramel is reading Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, written by Tui T. Sutherland and illustrated by Joy Ang, with additional art from Mike Schley and Maarta Laiho.
Caramel is reading Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, written by Tui T. Sutherland and illustrated by Joy Ang, with additional art from Mike Schley and Maarta Laiho.

S: All that sounds fascinating, Caramel. I bet you really enjoyed the book.

C: Yes, and I am still enjoying it, and I think I will keep enjoying it forever! Or at least, for a very long time.

S: I can see that. I think it is a beautiful book.

C: Yes! The pictures are amazing! They have pictures of the dragons, and the things they are talking about. Like in the story about the sloth, there is a picture of a sloth. They have maps, too.

S: Yes, and this is all on really nice paper and in full color, so all in all, it makes for a really pretty book to behold.

C: Totally what I was going to say.

S: I know, right? Okay, so would you recommend this book to other bunnies who liked the Wings of Fire books?

C: Yes!

S: So do you think someone has to read all fifteen books before this one?

C: Yes, because so many characters from all the books keep showing up.

S: But looking over it, I thought that the book could also be a nice way to introduce a bunny to this world.

C: Maybe. They would not know who is telling the stories or their backstory, but they would learn a lot about the world the dragons are living in and a lot about each of the tribes. That could be fun too; you are right. Of course I will never know what it would be like to read this book first.

S: True, but I have a feeling it was a good experience, finally reading a new Wings of Fire book, after all these years.

C: Yes! But I would still like a sixteenth book. A real book that maybe starts a fourth story arc.

S: That could be wonderful, I know. But for now, this is what we have. And it is rather wonderful, isn’t it?

C: Yes!

S: So maybe we should wrap this up so you can continue to cherish your new book.

C: I agree!

S: What would you like to tell our readers in closing?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel loved reading Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, written by Tui T. Sutherland and illustrated by Joy Ang, with additional art from Mike Schley and Maarta Laiho, and recommends it to all bunnies who love all things dragon.
Caramel loved reading Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, written by Tui T. Sutherland and illustrated by Joy Ang, with additional art from Mike Schley and Maarta Laiho, and recommends it to all bunnies who love all things dragon.

Marshmallow reviews Sapiens – A Graphic History: The Birth of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, David Vandermeulen, and Daniel Casanave

Today Marshmallow reviews Sapiens – A Graphic History: The Birth of Humankind, the first volume, published in 2020, of the multi-volume graphic novelization of Yuval Noah Harari’s 2011 book Sapiens – A Brief History of Humankind. Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Marshmallow reviews Sapiens - A Graphic History: The Birth of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, David Vandermeulen, and Daniel Casanave.
Marshmallow reviews Sapiens – A Graphic History: The Birth of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, David Vandermeulen, and Daniel Casanave.

Sprinkles: I know you enjoy graphic novels, just like Caramel does, so I was not too surprised when you decided to pick up this book.

Marshmallow: Yep, and I actually enjoyed reading it too. And I think that, if you like books that ask deep questions or investigate human history, then this is the book for you! 

S: Hmm, I see what you did there. You begin all your reviews with this kind of an invitation. I think it works well here too! So what is this book about?

M: It is basically about the entire history of humanity’s origins.

S: That sounds ambitious!

M: It is. So I think this will take him four or five volumes, but he is trying to tell in graphic novel form what he writes in his original book from 2011. It’s pretty novel I’d say.

S: I see. Tell me more.

M: So in this book, human evolution is portrayed as a reality TV show. And mass extinction becomes a crime investigation. We follow the author Yuval and his niece Zoe as they investigate the meaning of labels like “species” and “genus” with Professor Saraswati. Each character is drawn as a little caricature. Then we see Yuval and Zoe watching “The Greatest Show on Earth!”, or “Evolution!” This leads to an investigation of why and how the species of Homo Sapiens dominates the Earth today. After all, there were several other species in the human genus. 

S: I can see that you are using some big words, maybe from your biology class?

M: Well, not quite. The book uses them, so I think it makes sense for me to use them too.

S: Makes sense to me.

Marshmallow is reading Sapiens - A Graphic History: The Birth of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, David Vandermeulen, and Daniel Casanave.
Marshmallow is reading Sapiens – A Graphic History: The Birth of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, David Vandermeulen, and Daniel Casanave.

S: So I know that after reading this book, you also followed up with some reviews of it to see how it was received.

M: Yes. Because the author intends to share some possibly controversial ideas about the history of humanity, there was a lot I did not know about in the book, so it was really interesting to read. But I wanted to know if what he was saying was really correct. This is a graphic novel after all, and though some graphic novels have extensive footnotes and such, this one has none, and it has no references. So I wanted to check to see what others who know more about the topic thought.

S: So what did you find out?

M: Well, our readers can start by checking the Wikipedia article on the original book. The original book sold really well and got a lot of great reviews from well-known and highly regarded people. But it seems like some of the more scientific takes on the book are not as complimentary. A lot of them do like it actually, but there are some folks that say that there is not that much that is new in the book and whatever is new and original is not accurate.

S: I see. Now it is not terrible if there is nothing new for scientists, because no matter what they all know, their knowledge is not always accessible to the general audience.

M: Exactly. The graphic novel format is a really good way to reach a lot more people. So some apparently called it “infotainment,” but maybe that is actually not a terrible thing. I think the Lucy & Andy Neanderthal series that I read and reviewed is also kind of infotainment but I still found it extremely educational.

S: I agree with you there. Those books are a lot of fun and teach you a lot too.

M: Even our reviews are probably infotainment – fun yet informative, I hope. The accuracy concern is more difficult to dismiss though. Not being a scientist, I am not great at gauging that. So my advice for curious bunnies is to read this because it is a great story, and you will learn a lot, but still take it with a grain of salt, because if some parts of it feel really out there, maybe they are. So it might be worth double-checking things out on your own.

S: I think that is a very prudent and thoughtful recommendation, Marshmallow.

M: I’m a very prudent and thoughtful bunny. And now we are both using big words!

S: Yep, it must be this book!

M: We must be smarter or something! Maybe we are evolving.

S: Okay, okay, hold it there. Maybe this is a good place to end this review. So if you were to rate this book what would your rating be?

M: I really really enjoyed it, and I’d say 100% but then again the accuracy question makes me say 95%.

S: That’s fair. Okay, thanks for your neat review, Marshmallow. What would you like to tell our readers as we wrap it up?

M: Stay tuned for more amazing reviews from the book bunnies!

Marshmallow rates Sapiens - A Graphic History: The Birth of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari, David Vandermeulen, and Daniel Casanave, 95%.
Marshmallow rates Sapiens – A Graphic History: The Birth of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari, David Vandermeulen, and Daniel Casanave, 95%.

Caramel reviews Closet of Dreams by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon

Today Caramel reviews Closet of Dreams, a 2024 book written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

The book bunnies received this book as a review copy.

Caramel reviews Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer.
Caramel reviews Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, can you start by telling us a bit about this book?

Caramel: This book is about a kid named Child. Strange name, right?

S: Yes, quite.

C: But I guess the book Marshmallow reviewed this past Saturday has a main character who is a bunny named Funnybunny, so maybe it is not that weird.

S: Alright, then.

C: Okay, so there is this kid named Child, and he lives with his grandma. He calls her Gamma. I am not sure if that is her real name or if that is what Child used to call her when he was little and could not say Grandma.

S: Your conjecture makes sense to me Caramel.

C: Okay, so this Child loves baseball. And he wants to try out for little league. And he has some friends at school but there are also some bullies at school and he is really scared of them.

S: Well, bullying is serious so I can understand why he would be scared.

C: So whenever Child is scared, he goes into the closet in their house and can calm down and feel safe.

S: And that is the Closet of Dreams from the title of the book?

C: Yes. And he sleeps there sometimes and has some good dreams that comfort and encourage him.

S: I see.

Caramel is reading Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer.
Caramel is reading Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer.

S: So I will admit that I read this book too. And it was quite interesting, but also kind of unexpected.

C: You mean, the book sounds like it is all about real things, but then some really unreal things also happen, right?

S: Exactly. There is a quote at the back cover of the book: “a charming mix of both the everyday and the fantastical.” I think that description fits the book well.

C: I think so. But I did like the fantastical part a lot.

S: I know you would. You love talking animals!

C: Well, that is what we are, so of course! And by the way, you are giving away some of the plot!

S: Okay, okay, you are right. I think I will stop talking about the plot now. So tell me about how the reading went.

C: I read it quite quickly. It is for younger bunnies, so the writing is easy to read. There are almost thirty chapters, and each is only a couple pages long. And there are lots of pictures in the book too.

S: What did you think of the pictures?

C: I liked them. They were not in color, but they were still good.

S. The authors are working on a sequel, apparently. Are you curious about reading that too?

C: Yes. They talk about some baby elephant in the book but it goes nowhere in this book. But apparently that will come up in the next book. So I want to read that. And by the way, we still did not read or review The One and Only Ruby, which is also about a baby elephant, and it is supposed to be a sequel to The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate. So we also need to read that.

S: Yep. You are right. So this is probably a good time to wrap up this review. What would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer, and is curious about the second book the authors are writing about Child and Gamma.
Caramel enjoyed reading Closet of Dreams, written by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon and illustrated by Donna Dyer, and is curious about the second book the authors are writing about Child and Gamma.

Marshmallow reviews It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler

Tomorrow, many people around the world will celebrate Easter. Marshmallow wanted to commemorate this holiday with a cute book about bunnies, so today she is reviewing It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, a little book written by Marilyn Sadler, illustrated by Roger Bollen, and originally published in 1983. Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Marshmallow reviews It's Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen.
Marshmallow reviews It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen.

Sprinkles: So Marshmallow, we are talking about a picture book today.

Marshmallow: Yes. I thought it would be appropriate given that this weekend a lot of people are talking about bunnies and egg hunts and such.

S: I agree. This is a sweet book, so why don’t you tell us what it is about?

M: First of all, I should say that the book is not about Easter at all. But it is a book about a bunny, a bunny named P.J. Funnybunny.

S: That is a funny name for a bunny.

M: Yes, it is not as cool as my name, but it is a funny one. It is definitely fun to say. It just rolls off your tongue.

S: Agreed. So tell us a bit more about P.J. Funnybunny.

M: P.J. is not very happy at the beginning of the book. He does not like the cooked carrots his mommy gives him. So he runs away from home to try and not be a bunny anymore.

S: Aw, that is so sad! A little bunny running away from home…

M: Let me just say that it does not work out great.

S: Well, how could it? But what do you mean? Does he get hurt?

M: No, not really. But he does meet some different animals and he tries to join them. But in the end, he decides that maybe being a bunny is not so bad.

Marshmallow is reading It's Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen.
Marshmallow is reading It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen.

S: Do you like being a bunny Marshmallow?

M: Well, most of the time. I’m one of the lucky ones though. According to the Humane Society of the United States, “[m]ore than half the world’s wild rabbit species, such as South African riverine rabbits, are endangered or threatened. Domestic bunny species, like Angora or New Zealand White, are subject to the abuses of cosmetics testing, the pet trade and the fur industry.”

S: You are right Marshmallow. Sometimes it can be rough to be a bunny.

M: But at least P.J.’s story ends well. He figures out that he belongs with his family and goes back.

S: Yes, it is in the end a sweet story of coming back home and appreciating it more, maybe for the first time, right?

M: Yes. I think it would be really nice for little bunnies and their grownups to snuggle together and read this book.

S: I agree. I know you are all grown up and stuff, but maybe we can do that too?

M: I think I would like that.

S: Okay, then. Maybe this is a good time to wrap up this review. What would you like to tell our readers?

M: Stay tuned for more amazing reviews from the book bunnies!

Marshmallow recommends It's Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen, to all the little bunnies around the world and their grownups.
Marshmallow recommends It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, written by Marilyn Sadler and illustrated by Roger Bollen, to all the little bunnies around the world and their grownups.