Coquette Maman

Coquette Maman Blog Archive

Hi Everyone,

Thank you so much for reading Coquette Maman over the years! I am archiving this blog for now and will not be doing anymore reviews or posts here. Please find me back on my personal blog, Coquette!

xoxo,

Natalie

 

Little Women: The Complete Novel, Featuring Letters and Ephemera

Little Women: The Complete Novel, Featuring Letters and Ephemera from the Characters’ Correspondence, Written and Folded by Hand

By Louisa May Alcott and Barbara Heller

352 pages, Hardcover 

Ages: Teen & YA

Published by: Chronicle Books

$27.63 on Amazon

 

Chronicle Books brings us back into the magical world of the March sisters with the special edition of the classic Louisa May Alcott novel, Little Women.  This book is like a treasure chest filled with beautifully designed hand-folded letters, newspaper clippings and other notes that are strategically placed in transparent sleeves throughout the book  to bring the characters and historical setting more to life. If you are old enough to remember the Griffin and Sabine books (published also by Chronicle), this book reminds me a lot like those wonderful books where you open up envelopes to read the character's letters to each other. I love how Chronicle takes that element of interactivity to classic novels in this new series. It's so exciting to open up the letters throughout the reading the novel. Author Barbara Heller does an amazing job creating letters and notes by the March sisters, Marmie and other characters. It really helps bring the novel to life!

The physical book itself is a design wonder. I love the hardcover and thin pages that allow for the entire novel to be printed in one book that isn't too heavy either! Each letter, note and ephemera is so gorgeously designed and written that it makes me want to write with a fountain pen and practice my calligraphy. The spine design is beautiful and will look great on any bookshelf.

My 13 year old daughter is ready to read Little Women over the holiday break. This makes such a wonderful gift to introduce a tween/teen to this Louisa May Alcott classic. 

 

If you are wondering if there are more books like this, there are! You can pick up the first classic novel in this Chronicle Book series featuring my favorite novel of all time, Jane Auseten's classic, Pride and Prejudice.  Author Barbara Heller works her magic in this book as well. This is the book I am currently reading and I can't wait to dive into letters from Mr. Darcy and Lizzie. Another classic Austen novel is in the works to be published for 2022. I will be eagerly anticipating that one and will let you know when it's out.

 

 

 

 

Shop now for these deluxe classic novels from Chronicle Books, Little Women and Pride and Prejudice on Amazon.

 

 

Review copies provided by Chronicle Books

 

 

The Magnificent Book Series: Birds and Horses

 

The Magnificent Book of Birds

by Tom Jackson

Hardcover,  80 pages

Ages 8-12 years old

Published by: Weldon Owen

$17.91 on Amazon

 

The Magnificent Book of Horses

by Tom Jackson and Diana Ferguson

Hardcover,  80 pages

Ages 8-12 years old

Published by: Weldon Owen

$17.99 on Amazon

I am loving this new series of animal books called The Magnificent Books. Each book deep dives into a particiar animal. I was able to review The Magnificent Book of Birds and The Magnificent Book of Horses which deep dives into each animal and features 36 different kinds of birds and horses, respectively. The illustrations are gorgeously detailed and take over the large-format book. I love that pages are also displayed in portrait mode to let the reader move and interact with it. There are lots of fun facts with easy-to-read type for kids.

Watch the video (3 min) for flip throughs and my thoughts for each of the books. You can see our STEM Chat Summer Reading List from our August newsletter. You can sign up for our monthly STEM Chat newsletter with your email address at www.stemchatclub.com.

 

Review books provided by Weldon Owen

New #STEM Books from Chronicle Kids Books

 

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Elements

by Lisa Congdon

Hardcover, 148 pages

Ages: 10-15 years old

Publisher: Chronicle Books

$22.99 on Amazon

 

Unconventional Vehicles

by Michael Hearst 

Hardcover, 104 pages

Ages: 8-12 years old

Publisher: Chronicle Books

$15.49 on Amazon

 

Star Wars Mazes

by Sean C. Jackson 

Paperback, 

Publisher: Chronicle Books

$14.95 on Amazon

 

Here's another STEM Chat book video review (5 min) that I did recently for three amazing books that came out this spring and summer from Chronicle Books.  Watch the video for flip throughs and my thoughts for each of the books. If you would like to see the full list of our STEM Chat Summer Reading List we just launched our August newsletter. You can sign up with your email address at www.stemchatclub.com.

 

 

Review books provided by Chronicle Books

Book Review: Big Questions for Little People Animals & Space by Claire Philip

Big Questions for Little People Animals

by Claire Philip

Hardcover, 64 pages

Published by: Weldon Owen

$12.99 on Amazon

 

Big Questions for Little People Space

by Claire Philip

Hardcover, 64 pages

Published by: Weldon Owen

$12.99 on Amazon

I am starting to do my book reviews now on STEM Chat's You Tube channel. We have previously included reviews in Favorite Things for our episodes, but thought that quick little reviews may work better for busy people. There are also so many cool books that are out, I can now review them all properly for you. As part of STEM Chat's Summer Stem Book series, I've been reviewing a lot of amazing STEM books for kids.

This new book series, Big Questions for Little People, published by Weldon Owen is amazing! There are two books in this series by Claire Philip out now: Animals and Space. I love the large format of the book and big questions lots of kids ask. Each page includes real photographs of the subject. I love that there are lots of facts and related subjects and trivia for kids to explore further.

Watch the review above (4 min) for my thoughts and a flip through of both books!

 

Review books provided by Weldon Owen

Book Review: Why She Wrote - A Graphic History of Classic Women Writers

Why She Wrote: A Graphic History of the Lives, Inspiration, and Influence Behind the Pens of Classic Women Writers

by Lauren Burke and Hannah K. Chapman

Illustrated by Kaley Bates

ISBN-10: 179720209X

Hardcover, 256 pages

$17.79 on Amazon

 

The new book, Why She Wrote by Lauren Burke and Hannah K. Chapman and illustrated by Kaley Bates does an amazing job at telling true untold stories of famous women writers. Authors Burke and Chapman host the Bonnets of Dawn podcast and do an amazing job of sectioning the book into different  6 different chapters as categories: The Horror of the Everyday, Finding their Voice, Activism as Art,  Private Lives, Public Identities, Public Identities and Protection and Profit. There are three women authors profiled in each chapter.

For all of these women authors the road to publication was one of perseverance -- and for some, even after publication, things were not so easy. Their stories are inspiring to young girls today to realize the importance of following one's passion, the art of creative writing and how it can empower movements and women who thrived despite the gender biases of their time.

I highly recommend this book to middle school and high school readers. Readers can choose to skip around the book to read about their favorite author or read by topic chapter. It's a great companion book to have at home as a tween or teen starts reading classic literature.

 

Here are some interior shots of the book featuring some of my favorite authors, Charlotte Bronte, Beatrix Potter and Jane Austen.

 

Shop for the book Why She Wrote on Amazon.

 

Review book provided by Chronicle Books

Graduation Gift: You Will Leave a Trail of Stars by Lisa Congdon

 

 

You Will Leave a Trail of Stars

by Lisa Congdon

ISBN-10: 1452180288

Hardcover, 136 pages

$14.36 on Amazon

One of my favorite artists and writers is Lisa Congdon who I have been lucky to know since my CRAFT magazine days. Congdon has a new book out right now, You Will Leave a Trail of Stars that is so beautiful and perfect for any new graduate in your life wheher it's  middle school, high school and university. Each page feature her colorful and inspiring artwork along with positive messages and advice.

I love that some of the inspirational art takes over a full spread (see "Stretch Yourself" below). The artwork is beautiful, clever and humorous. Congdon presents these as life lessons she's learned and that she hopes to inspire us to "live with intention." 

Here are more interior pages from the new book, You Will Leave a Trail of Stars: 

 

 

Shop Lisa Congdon's Book, You Will Leave a Trail of Stars on Amazon.

 

Review book provided by Chronicle Books.

Book Review: Just Between Us: Mother & Daughter Journal

Just Between Us: Mother & Daughter

a no-stress, no-rules journal

by Meredith & Sophie Jacobs

ISBN-10: 0811868958

Published by: Chronicle Books

$14.68 on Amazon

 

My daughter is now 12 years old, a tween soon to be teen later this year which is still hard for me to believe. During this past year during the pandemic it's been fun to bond over our love of crafting, playing games/puzzles and our favorite thing is long walks where we can get fresh air and talk. I recently discovered the book, Just Between Us: Mother & Daughter, a no-stress, no-rules journal by mother and daughter team, Meredith and Sofie Jacobs.

First off I love the style of this journal. It's a great size (not too big and not too small) and the prompts inside look fun and not intimidating. There are named pages for mother with the opposite page for the daughter. My daughter and I for sure have different styles and tastes and no matter how much I play Madonna or Depeche Mode, she will not like that 80's/90's music at all. I love our differences and I also love our similarities. Sofie Jacobs (the daughter) and her mother Meredith have been journaling together for 5 years since this book was published back in 2010 (from 3rd to 8th grade). Meredith explains that even as they journal together, they still talk in person and that it's mutually beneficial to also have their paper journals. Journaling has helped them deepen their relationship. 

The design of the journal is something I love and Chronicle Books the publisher, is know for their amazing design and eye for details. The small illustrations and the patterns along the edges or top/bottom, these details make it all fun! The pages vary in question length and it can go from simple lists to deep questions where mom or daughter will need more time to write and explain. There are also fun pages for both of you to draw! (see interior pictures below.)

When I first received this book for review, I wasn't sure my tween girl would be up for it. When I asked her about it, she wanted to see the journal first before she would agree to it. Once she saw it in person and looked through the pages, she liked the style and agreed that we could do it together like a long-term project. The concept so simple is pure genius! Sometimes kids are afraid to ask things in person and I think having a book where they can write and wait for a reply is also exciting for them. It's perfect for topics they may be uneasy with aka boys or puberty. It's also a great way for them to learn about what you went though in middle or high school days. This journal is perfect for older tweens and teen girls. For younger girls, there is a new Interactive Mother & Daughter version that has more illustrations, list type prompts and also has stickers.

It's no wonder that this journal is a series. You can pick up other versions such as Mother & Son, Grandmother & Grandaughter and Sisters.  This journal also makes a great gift for Mother's Day which is coming up earlier in May on Sunday, May 9th.

Here are more images of the Just Between Us, Mother & Daughter Journal: 

Shop the book, Just Between Us: Mother & Daughter: A No-Stress, No-Rules Journal on Amazon.

 

 

Review book provided by Chronicle Books

Book Review: The Extraordinary Book that Eats Itself

The Extraordinary Book that Eats Itself

by Susan Hayes and Penny Arian

Illustrated by Pintachan

Flexibound, 64 pages

SBN-10 : 1681885476

$14.99 on Amazon

 

I have spent over 15 years reviewing kids and craft books. The Extraordinary Book that Eats Itself by Susan Hayes and Penny Arian is the most creative and ingenious I have ever seen. The colorful illustrations by Pintachan just call you in. Just in time for Earth Day next month, this book inspires our young ones to become conservationists and to think about our planet in a time of climate change. I love that this entire book can be cut up and made into a project. Every morsel of the book is re-usable!

There are 30+ projects inside this book. Projects include: seed writing papers, a planter box, seed markers, bird feeder, rug loom,  a bug hotel and more. All kids need to complete the projects are everyday household items and a batch of the eco-friendly glue recipe included on the back cover In addition to projects there are also activities ike eco-quizzes, nature games, organic recipes, and diaries to plan plastic-free days that make learning about the environment fun.

If your child is doing homeschool or remote learning. This is a great screen-free activity book where kid can learn about nature and the environment and how they can make a different to save mother earth.

 

Here are some interior pages inside the book:

 

Watch the book trailer here:

Buy the book The Extraordinary Book that Eats Itself on Amazon.

 

Review book provided by publisher.

Book Review: The Renegade Spy Project #STEM

The Renegade Spy Project

by Terri Selting David

Paperback, 381 pages

Ages: 8-12 years old

Publisher: Spiderdust Studios (self-published)

$9.99 on Amazon

(This book review is also posted up on the Adafruit blog.)

 

The Renegade Spy Project by Terri Selting David is a new kind of middle grade fiction book that will inspire and entertain young maker girls and boys. Terri herself is no stranger to STEM having co-founded the Renegade Girls Tinkering Club back in 2015, a non-profit organization in San Francisco that runs summer camps and after school programs for girls and boys.

As the person in charge of content development for her camps, Terri knows STEM projects for kids really well and does an amazing job of weaving in nine projects into the novel. The book also introduces the engineering process and the concept of prototyping in an entertaining way with diagrams and sketches peppered into it. This really makes the reader feel like she/he is a part of the Tinkering Club.

This first novel in her series follows four 6th grade maker girls (diverse characters) who attend the fictional Ada Lovelace Charter School in SF: Wren Sterling, Amber Rosenberg, Kaminia Doyle and Ivy Rose Park. The girls have their own Renegade Girls Tinkering Club which meets after school in the Greenhouse behind main character Wren’s house. When their club microscope is broken, the girls put their tinkering chops into the forefront and decide to make and sell spy goods at school to fund the repair. Some of the projects the characters make are: periscopes, slime, cipher code wheel, secret message kit complete with homemade LED flashlight and UV ink.

All the projects made by the characters in the book are also available for readers to make too. Each project is in a comic book style layout of illustration with clear text directions and arrows so it’s easy for kids to follow along. Terri also does an amazing job at helping kids think further when they engineer with questions like, “how can you make it better?” I love how the projects are weaved into the storyline so you are introduced to the project just as the characters in the story are done making them. In the back of the book, there are some project templates and a glossary for definitions of technical words.

This book is self-published and was a labor of love for Terri who spent years working on it. I found the content and storyline to be refreshingly different from mainstream published books because finally girls were being smart, diverse, working together through minor conflicts and also accomplishing goals through their skills in making. Terri is currently working on the second book in the series which focuses on the character, Amber Rosenberg who loves to sew and design. Kids will be introduced to STEM in fashion/fashion technology in this second novel. (There is currently no set release date for this book but I will keep you posted.)

The Renegade Spy Project is a great book to add to your homeschooling lesson plan and it will also help fulfill any independent reading novel your child may need to currently have for English class. It’s perfect for kids age 8-12 years old and is available in paperback or Kindle format.

Terri has also included one of the projects from the book for our blog readers. You can download the Catapult Project PDF via the Adafruit blog or click the thumbnail image below.

Shop for the book, The Renegade Spy Project on Amazon.

 

Review book provided by author.

Book Review: The Art of Ramona Quimby

 

The Art of Ramona Quimby 

by Anna Katz

Hardcover, 256 pages

ISBN-10 : 1452176957

Published by: Chronicle Books

$40 on Amazon

Oh Ramona! How I love her so! If you talked to my 8 year old self, you would know that Beverly Cleary was my favorite author (along with Judy Blume) and that I loved reading the Ramona books, over and over. In fact, my daughter has my copy of Ramona The Brave from the 80's. There's something about the illustration style that takes me back to the carefree days of childhood. In the new book, The Art of Ramona Quimby by Anna Katz (published by Chronicle Books) you get an amazing collection that spans sixty five years of illustrations of Beverly Cleary's most famous girl.

I'm a huge fan of art books because I love to see the behind the scenes and artists' process. The book starts with a brief background of each of the five illustrators: Louis Darling, Alan Tiegreen, Joanne Scribner, Tracy Dockray and Jacqueline Rogers. It then goes in order of the Ramona book series starting with Beezus and Ramona and you are able to see how each illustrator interprets different scenes of the Ramona books as well as how the style of illustration feels more modern, adapting this classic character as time evolves. There are also essays from other children's book authors Annie Barrows (another favorite of mine) and Jacqueline Rogers.

Here are some interiors from The Art of Ramona Quimby:

 

 

The book also includes letters in the back Appendices between Beverly Clearly and illustrator Louis Darling in the 1950's. It's amazing to see the friendship and how they both work together to build and show the character of Ramona and Beezus, starting with the first book where Beezus and Ramona are introduced in the book, Henry Huggins. I love this letter showing how Ramona clearly rolls off the pen for Darling to illustrate because he sees "the courage and imagination with which she deals with her many problems..."

This is the only Ramona book that was saved from my collection as a kid. It's the version illustrated by Alan Tiegreen. Most of my books though were the ones illustrated by Joanne Scribner and were one of those classic Dell Yearling paperback books. I think my other books were so worn out and tattered my mom threw them away! It is so fun to see all the different Ramona drawings that all show her independent spirit!

This would make a great gift for the holidays! I for one plan to shop earlier and love giving books as gifts so don't forget to put this book on your holiday list.

Shop The Art of Ramona Quimby at Amazon

 

 

 

Review book provided by Chronicle Books.