Showing posts with label book genre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book genre. Show all posts

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Book Review: Hotdogger by Karla Oceanak & Illustrated by Kendra Spanjer

Publisher provided a review copy at no charge.

Aldo Zelnick can't figure out why living in Colorado automatically means he should like skiing. It doesn't help to have a jock for a brother who is good at every sport. To make matters worse, even his grandma can show him up on the slopes. Honestly, Aldo would rather stay inside where it's warm. Forget about a ski vacation. A sunny day in Hawaii sounds better and better to Aldo. 

By January, Aldo gets desperate enough to entertain the idea that he could do some successful hotdogging of his own on the ski slopes. After studying about Hercules at school, he musters some of the same courage and takes his brother on in a ski race challenge. Though things don't always turn out as planned, Aldo manages to get a much needed reprieve from the dreary days of winter.

Hotdogger, the eighth installment of the Aldo Zelnick comic novel series will have the reader cheering on a much beloved protagonist while learning some great vocabulary words all starting with the letter H. Each novel follows a new letter of the alphabet in hilarious series of events that young middle grade readers can easily relate too. Bravo to the author for weaving in lively words that fit the situation and not merely building a list to check off. A fun addition to the wildly popular comic novel genre boys have come to love.


Rating: Recommended ****

Publishing Information:


Publisher: Bailiwick Press (Sept. 1, 2013)
Pages: 160
Ages: 9-12

ISBN: 978-1-934649-37-4


This book can be purchased at the following retailers.



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**Publisher provided review copy to facilitate review. No monetary compensation was received nor do I accept compensation for book reviews.


Saturday, June 18, 2011

What is a Book Genre?

A book genre means putting books into categories. There are two main book genres: non-fiction and fiction. Non-fiction are factual books and fiction are made-up stories. Under each of the main genres there are sub-genres or sub-categories. Some of the sub-categories have sub-categories as well. It can get confusing for a child when they are asked to categorize their book into a genre. Sometimes a book will fit under more than one category like a fantasy adventure.

Non-Fiction
 Informational Factual Books - These are books about a variety of factual topics such as animals, science, weather, history, etc. Some examples of these books good for boys are Secrets of a Civil War Submarine and  Candy Bomber: The Untold Story of the Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot"

 Biography - Books about a real person written by another person. Examples include Leonardo Da Vinci and
Who Was Martin Luther King Jr.?

Autobiography - A story of a real person written by that person. Includes: Through My Eyes and Have Heart: David Eckstein

Fiction
 Action/Adventure - A story in which there is an element of danger and risk. Examples include: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Wildfire Run
 Fantasy - A story with elements that are impossible. It often involves magic. Some familiar fantasy books are Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone and  Beyonders
 Historical Fiction - A made-up story that takes place in the past. The setting is real, but the characters are fictional. Examples: Al Capone Does My Shirts and A Single Shard.
 Horror - Fiction where the events cause dread for both the characters and reader. Examples: The  Haunting of Derek Stone and Goosebumps
 Mystery - A suspenseful story that involves an event that isn't solved until the end of the book. Examples include Hardy Boys Series and Ravens Gate (The Gatekeepers) by Anthony Horowitz.
Realistic Fiction - A made-up story that could happen in real life. Examples include: Hatchet and Maniac Magee  
 Science Fiction - A made-up story that involves the use of science and technology. Examples:  Ender's Game and Star Wars 
 Traditional Literature - Stories that are passed from one generation to another and include tall tales, folklore, fables and fairy tales. Examples include: Paul Bunyan and The Ugly Duckling.

Some other terms you might hear that are sub-genres of those listed above, namely science fiction.

Dystopian - Fiction in which the setting is a nightmare world. Examples include: Lord of the Flies and Hunger Games.
Steampunk - World where steam power is still in use. Usually the 19th century and/or Victorian Era. Examples: The Clockwork Three and The Anubis Gates.
Utopian - Fiction in which the setting is the perfect world. Examples include: The Giver