Claudia Davila

http://shesgotbooksonhermind.blogspot.com/

Luz is having a grand old time making a brownie, singing, and dancing when.... out goes the light. After some initial confusion her mother explains it's a blackout. This is the beginning of Luz's ultimate journey to improve the community and environment.

Throughout the book Luz is getting knowledge from her mom or Gord, the crazy neighbor who is preparing for more blackouts to come, about how everything works. How gas is getting too expensive and why, how food that's imported from other places so it's cheaper to buy locally, and not driving in your car to get a couple of blocks from where you're at can mean less pollution. It's all about the environment and community.

Luz finds this plot of land that she decides she can do something with it. Her friends don't believe in her so she just gives up which is the one thing that bothered me about the book. She says she tried but all she did was talk until her friends came around. That's not really taking initiative.

So I had no idea what this book was about when I requested it. At least I don't remember. All I know is I loved the cover and the play on words with the title. Luz=Light for people who don't know. It's in comic book format which I thought was a great idea. This book is very positive and very instructional so I don't think your average kid will be entertained by it but I know younger kid's maybe 2nd or Third grade will love this book. I mean who wouldn't want a comic book when they are that little? It'll benefit them. As for me I thought it was interesting that Dávila came up with this idea. I thought it was cute basically and fairly entertaining for myself.

Now to introduce Luz's friends. Robert is the new kid in town who brings with him a bunch of computers, loves designing t-shirts, and seriously freaks out whenever anyone talks about blackouts. Video games are pretty key in a kid's life and also mine. I'm surprised Dávila didn't talk about how solar panels can produce energy. It was probably because she was going for the-you-really-have-to-get-out-more-because-it's-fun type of feeling. It's a small community but here where I live. It doesn't work that way but again it's a positive feeling type of book.

Anika is her other friend who always gets embarrassed when Robert comes near her. She also kind of makes fun of Luz's idea which is pretty rude for a friend you've been friends for a while but I digress. This is a series if you are wondering called The Future According to Luz and the only other book is called Luz Makes a Splash. Overall I thought the book was cute, informative, and positive. Kids will love the comics aspect of it and it'll probably be a winner for young children. But one last thing. There's a cat that gets walked around with a leash. Um... I don't know what type of cats you guys know but my past cats would have scratched me vigorously or would have simply refused to go.… (mehr)

The Candy Conspiracy: A Tale of Sweet Victory is a delicious book that's setting takes place in a candy filled land with powered sugar snow and root beer rivers. Candyville is a land ruled by Juice Jelly Worm. Juice Jelly Worm is not a nice creature, he is very selfish and doesn't let the children of Candyville share any of the delicious candy. Juice Jelly Worm is eventually out smarted by the children of Candyville and agrees to swap Candyville with the children's vegetable land. This book would make a great book for predicting what will happen next in the story. Because the story is told from the view point of the children of Candyville;this book would be excellent text to explore point-of-views and cause and effect. I thought this was a unique book with bright, delicious looking illustrations, a great read for all ages.… (mehr)