Carol says and does

Review: Danny the Dragon “Meets Jimmy”

Before I give you my opinion, I should explain a few things about me. I am a mother, but my two kids are ages 14 and 16 – not the demographic for this book. So I did not read the book to my kids to see how they like it. Also, my “day job” is at a newspaper, where I copy edit 3 days a week, lay out pages and do “other stuff” as needed.

Danny the Dragon “Meets Jimmy” is a sweet book for young children. Jimmy’s family is enjoying a day at the beach when he finds an unusual shell. Jimmy insists that he heard a voice from the shell, but at first, no one else can. Later, Danny and his navigator, Skipper, come out of the shell. They make friends with Jimmy’s family and neighborhood kids.

What I liked about this book: The message is simple and sweet. People are nice to each other. Jimmy’s mom asks Danny and Skipper to stay for dinner, they are pleased to do so. They help put things away afterwards. Jimmy asks his parents if Danny and Skipper can stay, then invites them. I feel that polite manners are an important, yet neglected, part of today’s society. It’s nice to have a book that shows manners so clearly. I also liked the illustrations. They are bright and colorful. There is a nautical theme throughout the book, matching the day at the beach. The illustrations look like they were painted on canvas, giving them a textured look.

What I didn’t like about this book: I really couldn’t find anything to complain about in the book.

About the author: Tina Turbin wrote her first story at 16. She advocates for children and families with intense research and involvement in children’s education, literature, celiac disease, allergies and gluten-free issues.

Links:

http://www.dannythedragon.com

http://www.tinaturbin.com

http://www.glutenfreehelp.info/

More to come: I was also given a Danny the Dragon DVD and CD, as well as door hangers and pencils. My review of the DVD and CD will be up next week, and I’ll have a giveaway of all the items: book, DVD, CD, door hangers and pencils.

I started out on Geocities, moved to Blogspot, tried using Blogger to post to my Geocities account, went back to Blogspot, tried WordPress on my hosted site and went back to Blogspot for my personal blog. This blog will be for other stuff – reviews, designs, and other things that are sort of extracurricular.

My personal blog

Before reading “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” last year, I had never read or watched any Jane Austen novels. Reading that book made me want to learn how it differed from the original, so I read “Pride and Prejudice” and watched a movie and miniseries on DVDs.

I enjoyed all of these versions – they each have their own charms. So I was excited to learn about “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls“ from Quirk Classics. This book is a prequel to “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” taking place four years previous. At this point, the Bennett sisters have no experience with “dreadfuls” or “unmentionables” beyond reading about them.

The author, Steve Hockensmith, was not involved in PPZ, but managed to capture the feel of the original “Pride and Prejudice” and “Price and Prejudice and Zombies.” He threw in a few curveballs, giving a romantic twist to the Bennett sisters’ training with the introduction of Geoffrey Hawksworth, their master in the martial arts. Perhaps he finds one Bennett sister a better student than the others …

There is also Dr. Keckilpenny, who wants to get inside the zombies’ brains, in a manner of speaking. He also finds Elizabeth Bennett fascinating.

There’s a little romance and a lot of zombie hunting. The Bennetts’ neighbors may disapprove, but the training the girls receive gives the town a better chance of survival. Will it hurt their chances at making a good (financially beneficial) marriage? Will the lecherous Lord Lumpley get the chance to get to know Miss Jane Bennett as well as he would like?

These and many more questions can be found by reading “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls.” The good news is that you can win your very own copy, along with these goodies:

Click on over to Quirk Classics and enter.  You have to log in and leave a comment to enter. You will be asked to say where you read this review – you are at “Carol Says and Does.” Good luck and good zombie hunting!