#Elaine Dimopoulos

[whimsicaldragonette]

ARC Review: The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Manor by Elaine Dimopoulos

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Publication Date: May 16, 2023

Synopsis:

This timeless early middle-grade adventure about friendship and community will charm animal-loving fans of The Tale of Despereaux and Clarice the Brave. “With the confidence of a maestro, Elaine Dimopoulos breathes vigor and beauty into a tale of a brave and thoughtful young rabbit . . . A chorus of woodland cheer for such a remarkable rescue." —Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked and Cress Watercress Butternut lives in the burrows of Milkweed Meadow with her nine rabbit brothers and sisters. Together they practice strategies for survival and tell stories. With disastrous scenarios blooming in her mind, Butternut embraces the lesson of her families’ stories: stick to your own rabbit-kind. But after befriending an incorrigible robin and a wounded deer, Butternut begins to question what she has been taught. When the three friends discover other animals in crisis, Butternut must decide whether she can help, rally her friends and family, and be as brave as the heroes in the stories she tells. Beautiful and arresting black-and-white illustrations bring the animals to life in this heartwarming story about friendship, community, and doing what is right

My Rating: ★★★★★

*My Review Below the cut.

My Review:

This was a charming story about a warmhearted but overly anxious rabbit from a colony of storytellers who learns what it means to be brave and the power of friendship. I read the first quarter to kiddo (8) who loves rabbits, but the suspense was too much for him and so I read the rest alone. I really enjoyed how Butternut (the rabbit) would break the fourth wall mid-story to give mini lessons about storytelling. It was clever and cute. Butternut makes a very engaging heroine and her adventures are just the right amount of exciting - and contain a surprising number of tips on how to tell an effective story. I also really enjoyed how the rabbits had a daily schedule of lessons on storytelling as well as on other important subjects like plant identification. The characters were wonderful and the story was well-told and kept me interested. I never much liked Watership Down, but in some ways this reminded me of that but much gentler and meant for a younger audience. *Thanks to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for providing an early copy for review.

[umbramauroraeexortu]

Something I wrote many years ago:

It's funny, isn't it. We are told from when we are younger that we have the impact to change the world, the future lies in our hands. While to an extent, this may be true, we never really deviate from what came before us. By the time we learn to make our own decisions their thoughts and ideals have been repeatedly hammered into our heads. There are always those who somehow manage to rise above it and protest what they see as a crime against the, but rarely do they achieve their goals.

We are silenced by the world around us. We get the "option" to change our ways or lose all we've worked for. The saints chose to lose, and we, the winners fail to stand in the end for our hopes and dreams. I mean it when I say we for I am one of the weak. I hide behind a screen to show my support of a cause. When I was younger I was told I could be anything I wanted. Then I grew older. My dreams were now just that, something that would disappear when brought to light.

I was openly mocked for my actions and beliefs. While some was from others outside my family my brothers were the worst. I can't even stand up to them or makes when they get angry. I was taught it was my own fault for antagonizing them, and after it was done and I told the accusers the same story months or years later they would tell me I was being a pushover.

So now I hide. I don't like the things I want on social media because I was told they didn't want to see it and I'd get in trouble. I don't wear what I want(though that's not always a bad thing) because Im scared I will either be told I look horrible/trashy or that people will think that and not tell me.

Now here I am hidden behind a name, where you can't find me. Laying what I have to think out there. I was told I matter, I'm beautiful, and that I could do it. Only to be torn down as soon as I tried. I don't have it as bad as a lot of people. In fact based on society's standards I'm pretty well off. But this does not make my point any less valid.

I know there are ways to get out there and many people have. It's just that these things are made hard to do. You can say you hate the system, that you don't like how things are going. But why the hell are you telling me this? I can't change anything, in fact I'm one of the least likely people to be able to make a difference. Instead of going to someone who actually gets a say in how things are done you just complain among yourselves until it becomes bad enough that the "high and mightys" notice.

I'm not able to change things. No matter how much I want to, or how hard I try. But I hope against all odds that whoever you are, that you can change things for the better. I don't just mean for a temporary selection of people. I mean for the future generations. To end this I'm going to quote a book I just finished called "Material Girls" by Elaine Dimopoulos.

"Change doesn't happen overnight, [insert name]. Sometimes it takes a hundred years, sometimes more. Believe me, people saw what we did. For three days the whole world stopped and paid attend. So they shut us down ---- so what? I'll do my time, but they can't lock me up forever for giving [someone] a couple of broken bones. And if they do, then there will always be someone else to pick up the fight, and that person will make another small dent. And so on. We pound and we pound until everything comes crashing down."

I guess what I'm trying to say is don't lose faith. Even if people like me have. There will always be those out there willing to stand against all for what they believe. Stay strong, and may you have to best of luck.

[clarislam]

Material Girls Book Review

The newest book review here is for none other than "Material Girls" by Elaine Dimopoulos!

Warning: If you have not read the book “Material Girls” by Elaine Dimopoulos and wish to avoid spoilers, do not read this review. If you have read it or don’t mind spoilers, feel free to read it! Another book review is here, and this time I’m reviewing “Material Girls” by Elaine Dimopoulos! Here’s a summary so we know what it’s about: “In Marla Klein and Ivy Wilde’s world, teens are the…

[khaleesimermaid]

Material Girls - Book Review

Material Girls – Book Review

Plot:

In Marla Klein and Ivy Wilde’s world, teens are the gatekeepers of culture. A top fashion label employs sixteen-year-old Marla to dictate hot new clothing trends, while Ivy, a teen pop star, popularizes the garments that Marla approves. Both girls are pawns in a calculated but seductive system of corporate control, and both begin to question their world’s aggressive levels of consumption.…

[thebookwars]

The Cover Wars

Samantha may be falling for the beloved of the princess she is sent to save in this start to a hilarious, adventurous, and sweetly romantic trilogy.

When Samantha is summoned to the royal court of Nova for a secret mission, it’s her chance to put her training to the test: Princess Evelyn has taken an illegal love potion with disastrous effects, and Samantha, like her ancestors before her, is…

[roesolo]

Material Girls: Pop Culture Gone Wild!

Material Girls: Pop Culture Gone Wild! @netgalley @ElaineDimop @HMHCo

Material Girls, by Elaine Dimopoulos (May 2015, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Group), $17.99, ISBN: 9780544388505

Recommended for ages 12-18

Imagine a world where teenagers’ tastes drive commerce. Fashion trends? Voted on my teen judges. Tween programming and music stars rule the day, setting trends and acting out carefully crafted roles and personas. But guess what? A handful of adults…

[booktwister]

Book Review: 'Material Girls' by Elaine Dimopoulos

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers Pages: 336 Format: ARC eBook, Kindle Edition Publication Date: June 5, 2015 Series: N/A Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia Synopsis:

In Marla Klein and Ivy Wilde’s world, teens are the gatekeepers of culture. A top fashion label employs sixteen-year-old Marla to dictate hot new clothing trends, while Ivy, a teen pop star, popularizes the garments that Marla…