Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Don't Check Out This Book! by Kate Klise & M. Sarah Klise

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616209763/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&linkCode=ll1&tag=doyoudogear-20&linkId=1c9c60be6a1294d04ba797598ce1504c&language=en_USSynopsis (via Goodreads): Is the sweet town of Appleton ripe for scandal? Consider the facts:
  • Appleton Elementary School has a new librarian named Rita B. Danjerous. (Say it fast.)
  • Principal Noah Memree barely remembers hiring her.
  • Ten-year-old Reid Durr is staying up way too late reading a book from Ms. Danjerous's controversial "green dot" collection.
  • The new school board president has mandated a student dress code that includes white gloves and bow ties available only at her shop.

Sound strange? Fret not. Appleton's fifth-grade sleuths are following the money, embracing the punny, and determined to the get to the funniest, most rotten core of their town's juiciest scandal. Don't miss this seedy saga from the creators of the award-winning Three-Ring Rascals and 43 Old Cemetery Road series!

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I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Don't Check Out This Book! was something I read in a single sitting while putting the girls down for a nap (it usually takes about 45 minutes before they're completely conked out). I hadn't anticipated finishing this one so quickly, but the story was short and interesting, which made for a speedy read. The formatting helped too, since it's mostly told with letters, notes, and emails. 

When books include emails, I skim the headers and whatnot and jump to the juicy bits. It starts to feel repetitive after awhile, and this one was no different. When people respond to emails, the subject line gets longer and longer, and then you're dragging your feet through barely-altered information. I liked how it looked, but it was unimportant to my reading experience. I sort of wish I'd read this one with my son, and plan to do so at some point in the future. I think he'd really like it!

I thought the concept of the Green Dot Collection was amazing, and liked that it encouraged children to read books that were about important (if somewhat embarrassing) topics. They could borrow the books without officially checking them out (honor system), which is brilliant. You're showing them that they can be trusted, and it teaches responsibility and accountability. Additionally, this method allows students to educate themselves without the hassle of discussing something they're not comfortable with, and I think all schools should employ similar strategies. Kids still need access to the information they're too embarrassed to ask about.

Large portions of the story felt too simple, even knowing this book was meant for a younger audience. There are a lot of really great points made throughout the book, but the delivery was often unremarkable. I wish we'd seen more from the children's perspectives, and less from a very irritating female character (she's the worst). I think having more younger voices would make this book more relatable for children, even though they'll likely have no trouble following along.

Don't Check Out This Book! encourages kids to ask questions, and to occasionally challenge the rules when they don't make sense (investigate, make smart choices). It shows children how to educate themselves and pursue topics they're passionate about. They shouldn't feel limited by what they're comfortable sharing with an adult. I think a lot of kids will resonate with these characters and what they're going through, but nothing about this book made it stand out. If I saw this book a few months from now, I probably wouldn't be able to recall anything specific about its contents. (★★★⋆☆)

20 comments:

  1. Sounds like an interesting book. I'm sorry to hear it didn't really stand out to you though. I'm curious to find out what you son thinks.

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    1. It was enjoyable, but not something I'd personally want to read again. I just think my son would like it, so I'll suffer through a re-read! ;) #momlife <3

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  2. Bummer this wasn't some how more but still, it doesn't sound bad. ;) Great review!

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    1. It's hard to explain... It just felt like the story was lacking something. There was no oomph! I need oomph! ;)

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  3. The title of this book does make me curious... When people tell me NOT to do something...
    It's like NOT thinking about a pink elephant...

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    1. Right?? When there are signs that tell you not to touch, or not to enter, it's like something compels me to challenge those statements. I wouldn't have cared about touching or entering until it became something I was forbidden from doing. ;)

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  4. Even though you didn't love it, it still sounds like an interesting premise for a book.

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    1. It was! I'm sure a younger audience will be less critical of the content, haha. They'll enjoy the story for what it is. <3

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  5. LIIIIIIIIIIIIIINDS!
    I love the concept of this one and it sounds as though it's quite charming but there's something missing... I can't put my finger on it either. Maybe a little more depth and character development? It sounds like a great teaching tool but needs a little more oomph. Great review Linds, hope the little one enjoyed it a little more than you did darling.

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    1. Darling, I've missed you! We're like two ships passing in the night... ;) <3

      I do think more depth and character development would have been beneficial, but I think the format forced everything to remain very surface-level.

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  6. I love books told in different formats, but yeah, the beginning of emails really do get repetitive. lol The Green Dot Collection sounds like a fab idea though!

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I love, love, LOVED TO NIGHT OWL FROM DOGFISH, which is told in a similar format. However, I listened to the audio version, and I one point it was just "Re:re:re:re:re:re:re:" times 100. It was seriously 5 straight minutes of the narrators saying "re" before speaking a full sentence, and then it would start all over again with the next response. I think I would have enjoyed reading a physical copy of that book, but the narration was amazing.

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  7. I love the concept of the Green Dot Collection. It's a great learning opportunity for children.

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    1. I agree! I think children need access to books they're embarrassed to talk about. If they can discreetly borrow, read, and return the books, I think it would be beneficial for everyone. :)

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  8. It sounds like a worthwhile read even if it didn't stand out. It will be interesting to see what William gets from it.

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. He's currently on a Goosebumps kick, so I don't think we'll get to it anytime soon. ;)

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  9. I like the emails/notes/texts/letters format of story telling. :)

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    1. Have you read To Night Owl from Dogfish?? I think you'd love it! <3

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  10. I agree with the green dot books, too! If I see this on Hoopla or as ebook sale book, I'll give it a whirl. ๐Ÿ‘✨

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    1. I hope you enjoy it! When I go back to teaching (when the kids all start school), I want to implement something like the Green Dot Collection. I think it's a worthwhile endeavor, and I believe a lot of kids would benefit from it. :)

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“Stuff and nonsense. Nonsense and stuff and much of a muchness and nonsense all over again. We are all mad here, don't you know?”
― Marissa Meyer, Heartless