Blog Tour Stop for Daisy Woodworm Changes the World

I’m so excited to participate in my first Book Tour with TBR And Beyond Tours and to help spread the word about this wonderful book!

Book Info:

Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart

Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary

Publishing Date: November 8, 2022

Synopsis:

When her social studies teacher assigns each student a project to change the world for the better along with an oral report, Daisy fears the class bully—who calls her Woodworm— will make fun of her lisp. Still, she decides to help Sorrel fulfill his dream of becoming a YouTube fashion celebrity despite their parents’ refusal to allow him on social media.

With the help of her best friend Poppy, and Miguel—the most popular boy in school and her former enemy—Daisy launches Sorrel’s publicity campaign. But catastrophe strikes when her parents discover him online along with hateful comments from a cyberbully.

If Daisy has any hope of changing the world, she’ll have to regain her family’s trust and face her fears of public speaking to find her own unique and powerful voice.

My review

We need more books like Daisy Woodworm Changes the World. It has such a positive message about how everyone can make a difference. It doesn’t have to be a huge change that affects the entire world, but can be something as simple as helping someone else achieve their goals. There’s also an emphasis on working together.

I also loved the way diverse characters were represented in this book. The book features characters from different racial backgrounds, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ parents. But, that’s just part of who the characters are, not the focus of the plot. It was nice to see a diverse community that felt natural.

My rating: 5 stars

Favorite Quotes

“But any etymologist worth her microscope would tell you people-like insects-went through metamorphosis all the time.”

“I hated that, how you could be going about your business, and then you caught sight of yourself-not just your reflection, but your eyes-and it was like meeting upwith your conscience, or something. Creepy.”

“…if you know what your goal is, and you know to ask for help in a way that makes people care, it doesn’t matter how young you are. You really can change the world.”

“If you want to change the world…cross-pollination is key!”

Book Links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59656807-daisy-woodworm-changes-the-world

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Daisy-Woodworm-Changes-World-Melissa/dp/1631636375/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daisy-woodworm-changes-the-world-melissa-hart/1140942756

Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Daisy-Woodworm-Changes-World-Melissa-Hart/9781631636370

IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781631636370

About the Author:

I’m an Oregon-based author, journalist, and instructor for the MFA in Creative Writing program at Southern New Hampshire University. My essays and articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, Real Simple, Orion, High Country News, The Rumpus, Brevity, Woman’s Day, The Advocate, Parents, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Hemispheres, and numerous other publications.

I’m the author of The Media Adventurer’s Handbook: Decoding Persuasion in Everyday News, Ads, and More (World Citizen Comics, 2023), Daisy Woodworm Changes the World (Jolly Fish, 2022), Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens(Sasquatch, 2019), the award-winning middle-grade novel Avenging the Owl(Sky Pony, 2016), the memoir Wild Within: How Rescuing Owls Inspired a Family (Lyons, 2007), and the memoir Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood(Seal, 2005).

I’m a contributing editor at The Writer Magazine, and I teach frequently at writing conferences, libraries, universities, and bookstores. I grew up near Los Angeles with my younger brother, who has Down syndrome. I live in Eugene with my husband and teen daughter, where I love to run and hike long-distance, cross country ski, kayak, cycle, cook, and roam the Pacific Northwest as an amateur naturalist.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.melissahart.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WildMelissaHart

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildmelissahart/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13645.Melissa_Hart

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OregonMelissaHart

Tour Schedule:

November 7th
Stuck in Fiction – Promotional Post
Jen Jen Reviews – Review

November 8th
Confessions of a YA Reader – Promotional Post
Emmamustread – Review, Favorite Quotes

November 9th
Writing Rose Reads – Promotional Post

November 10th
Kait Plus Books – Promotional Post
Hijabi Reads – Review

November 11th
Nine Bookish Lives – Promotional Post

November 12th
The Clever Reader – Review
Nicole’s Nook – Review Favorite Quotes

November 13th
The Book Dutchesses – Promotional Post
Booky Cat – Review, Playlist

November 7th
dreaminginpages – Promotional Post
jenjenreviews – Blogger’s Choice

November 8th
jacleomik33 – Review
emmamustread – Blogger’s Choice

November 9th
nurse_bookie – Top 5 Reads to Read Daisy Woodworm Changes the World
writingrosereads – Blogger’s Choice

November 10th
allielovestoread – Favorite Quotes
gryffindorbookishnerd – Review
lia8.43 – Blogger’s Choice

November 11th
hodophile_z – Review
ninebookishlives – Blogger’s Choice

November 12th
mulberryreads – Review
thecleverreader – Blogger’s Choice

November 13th
tbrandbeyond – Promotional Post
bookycatbooks – Blogger’s Choice

TOUR SCHEDULE: Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart

November 12, 2022

Middle Grade Book of the Week: Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Summary

“With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering,” announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he’s got mad beats, too, that tell his family’s story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood.

Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story’s heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family. – Goodreads

My Thoughts

I only read this book because it was added to a novel unit we were teaching in eighth grade. It was not something I would have picked to read. I’m not a fan of novels in verse and don’t really like basketball. Therefore, I was shocked by how much I loved this book. The poems were engaging and unique. Even though Josh’s experiences are very different from mine, the struggles we all go through during adolescence are relatable. I’m so glad I read it.

October 23, 2022

Middle Grade Book of the Week: Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park

Summary:

Hanna is a half-Asian girl living in California during the 1880’s. At a time of extreme prejudice against Chinese people her simple dreams are nearly impossible: graduating from school, becoming a dressmaker and making a friend. As the story progresses, Hanna finds ways to fight for what she wants.

My Thoughts:

If you’re a regular reader, you know that I love Laura Ingalls Wilder. But, even as a young white girl in the 1980’s I recognized how insensitively Native Americans were portrayed in the novels. Park gives readers a more realistic view of pioneer life, while still paying homage to Wilder. Hanna faces prejudice ranging unintentional microaggressions to legalized racism. At the beginning of the novel, she is very timid. I love the way she finds ways to quietly stand up for herself. Rather than focusing on a major historical protest or legal case that promoted change, Prairie Lotus small ways change individuals hearts and the power of friendship.

October 3, 2022

Favorite Read of September 2022

The ones that speak to me are those whose final pages admit there is no going back. That every good thing must end. That every bad thing does too, that everything does.

That is what I’m looking for every time I flip to the back of a book, compulsively checking for proof that in a life where so many things have gone wrong, there can be beauty too. That there is always hope, no matter what.
Emily Henry, Book Lovers

Goodreads Synopsis:

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

My Thoughts

I read a lot of great books this month. So much so that I am planning on adding and honorable mentions post. Book Lovers took the honor because I felt the deepest connection. I love Hallmark movies, but I keep thinking that I want a twist where they don’t want to stay in the small town. That’s what this is, a look at the other side. The person who usually gets dumped in the movies because they love their jobs and city life. Even though I’m more of a small-town girl, I loved the way Nora and Charlie were so dedicated to helping their family. As someone dipping her toes into the writing world, I also really liked the behind-the-scenes view of the publishing industry.

What I liked about this book

Nora and Charlie are both great characters
The book is a good mix of humor and sentiment
Even though Charlie and Nora had bad first impressions of each other, they didn’t drag it out too long once they finally realized they had a lot in common
The relationship between Nora and her sister Libby

Middle Grade Book of the week: The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey

Summary

Mr. Wolf is tired of always being the bad guy and decides to make a change. He recruits Mr. Shark, Mr. Snake and Mr. Piranha for a mission to rescue 200 dogs from a pound. But it’s not as easy as he thinks. The public thinks of them as the bad guys, not heroes. The other bad guys aren’t as enthusiastic about the change, and Mr. Snake keeps trying to eat Mr. Piranha.

My Thoughts

I love this entire series. Going in, I picked this out expecting it to be like other graphic novels such a Captain Underpants or Dogman. All three series are funny and appealing to kids. However, I think Bad Guys has more adult appeal. The humor is a little more subtle, and the characters are more complex. Even though I was reading it with a student because I thought they’d like it, I found myself wanting to continue reading on my own.

September 26, 2022

Middle Grade Book of the Week: New Kid by Jerry Craft

Summary:

Jordan wants to go to art school, but his mom is convinced Riverdale Academy Day School will provide him with the best opportunities for his future. The exclusive private school, with little diversity, is a whole new culture for Jordan. He struggles to balance two worlds while staying true to himself.

My Thoughts:

Many teachers, myself included, are often guilty of picking books we find meaningful rather than books that are interesting to kids. New Kid is a perfect mix of both. The graphic novel format and humor make it appealing to kids. At the same time, it deals with relevant social issues. While it’s specifically about microaggressions that students of color face, anyone who has ever felt like they don’t belong can relate.

September 19, 2022

Middle Grade Book of the Week: Area 51 Files written by Julie Buxbaum and illustrated by Lavanya Naiou

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publication Date: September 13, 2022.

Summary:

When Skye’s grandmother moves to a retirement community, Skye is not allowed to go with her. Instead, she is sent to live with her Uncle Anish in Area 51. Yes, that Area 51. Rumors of alien landings in Area 51 are true, but there’s a lot more to the story. It’s not some UFO crash site, it’s a place where beings from the entire universe can live in peace. The catch is you can’t leave or communicate with the outside world; it would be too dangerous if the truth ever got out.

The same day Skye arrives a group of zdstrammers go missing. It seems like too much a of coincidence for everyone to believe that they happened to disappear at the exact time Skye appeared. Skye’s uncle soon becomes the first suspect, but she knows he’s innocent. Skye teams up with her new alien buddy, Elvis, a mean kid from school, Zane, to solve the crime. Her pet hedgehog, Spike and Elvis’s dog, Pickles come along for the ride.

My Thoughts:

This was the perfect book for engaging middle grade readers. It’s filled with action, aliens, fart jokes and funny illustrations. I love the characters names. What kid won’t laugh at Agent Belcher and Agent Fartz? The story itself is very entertaining, but the drawings really enhanced the book. In most of the illustrations, Spike, the hedgehog, holds up signs with his own commentary (usually asking for pizza).

September 5, 2022

My Favorite Read of August 2022

“Libraries are like a net, there to catch those of us in danger of falling through the cracks.”
Freya Sampson, The Last Chance Library

Goodreads Synopsis

June Jones emerges from her shell to fight for her beloved local library, and through the efforts and support of an eclectic group of library patrons, she discovers life-changing friendships along the way.

Lonely librarian June Jones has never left the sleepy English village where she grew up. Shy and reclusive, the thirty-year-old would rather spend her time buried in books than venture out into the world. But when her library is threatened with closure, June is forced to emerge from behind the shelves to save the heart of her community and the place that holds the dearest memories of her mother.

Joining a band of eccentric yet dedicated locals in a campaign to keep the library, June opens herself up to other people for the first time since her mother died. It just so happens that her old school friend Alex Chen is back in town and willing to lend a helping hand. The kindhearted lawyer’s feelings for her are obvious to everyone but June, who won’t believe that anyone could ever care for her in that way.

To save the place and the books that mean so much to her, June must finally make some changes to her life. For once, she’s determined not to go down without a fight. And maybe, in fighting for her cherished library, June can save herself, too.

My Thoughts

There’s no lack of books featuring an introverted millennial who spends their life absorbed in books, avoiding real life. That is until their beloved bookstore or library comes under threat, and they must step out of their comfort zone to save it. Naturally, a handsome potential love interest will show up as well, and they must learn to risk their heart. While it might be turning into a cliche, there’s a reason these books are so popular. They leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling and a sense of belonging with the reading community. The Last Chance Library was both funny and touching. I really liked the way it emphasized the role of a library in a community beyond just providing books.

What I liked about this book:

the group of “pensioners” occupying the library was so funny
the way June and Alex shared books with each other to convert the other to their favorite genre
even the minor characters were well developed and showed different sides
it’s about the love of books!

Book Review: Thumb Fire Desire by Carol Nickles

I received a free ebook copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Description

In the Spring of 1881, indigent seamstress Ginny Dahlke arrives in one of the earliest Polish American settlements—Parisville, Michigan.

Deemed charmless and awkward by her mean-spirited sister-in-law, Ginny disparages her chance of securing love.

But sought-after widowed farmer Peter Nickles is enamored by Ginny’s perseverance, her pioneer spirit and, her inclusive acceptance of the indigenous peoples of Michigan.

The seductiveness of a buxom heiress, a twisted story of an old-country betrothal, and the largest natural disaster in Michigan’.s history—The Great Thumb Fire of September 5, 1881, challenge their fledgling attraction and ultimate committal.

My Thoughts

Thumb Fire Desire is set in the “thumb” of Michigan during the late 1800’s. Ginny Dahlke comes to live with her brother and sister-in-law in a Polish American community. I was not very familiar with the area or culture and liked how the author included lots of details about Polish culture. While the characters are fictional, it is based on a real event, a fire that devastated the area. The perseverance and faith of these people shown through in Nickles’ writing. While I knew nothing of the Thumb fire, I was pleasantly surprised that there were many references to the town of Dansville, NY which is a small town in the same county where I grew up. It was a cool connection for me.

I liked Ginny a lot. She was caring and hard-working, but also had a sense of humor. Peter, her love interest, was also a good person liked to play jokes. Peter has suffered the loss of a wife and infant daughter and is naturally hesitant to start another relationship. I enjoy a romance where the relationship really develops and the characters get to know each other. You definitely get that in this story, but I would have preferred that it go a little faster. Peter’s indecisiveness grew tiresome at times. Overall though, it was a sweet, slow-burn romance.

August 28, 2022

Middle Grade Book of the Week: Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

Summary

After his father loses his job, Georges’ family moves to a Brooklyn apartment building. The first day there he notices an invitation to join a spy club. He thinks it’s a joke, but then he meets Safer and his sister, Candy. Safer pulls Georges into a mission to spy on their mysterious neighbor, Mr. X. As the mission continues the lines are blurred between lies and reality, and Safer and Georges both face problems they’ve been avoiding. Meanwhile, his science class is the middle of learning about taste, and the entire class is anxious to see the results of a taste test. According to school legend, your future is determined by whether not you can taste a certain chemical.

My Thoughts

I listened to this book while on a road trip. I think that affected my experience of the book. I liked the plot and the characters but found my mind wandering, as tends to happen to me when I listen to books. I really liked the story with Safer. He’s an interesting, quirky, character from a Bohemian family. He gets Georges into some very comical situations, but also teaches him a lot about friendship. While the story at school was very important and had a great scene where bullies get what they deserve, it didn’t capture my attention as much. I think it was partly the idea that kids would put so much stock in a science experiment (or that a seventh-grade teacher would have the luxury of spending an entire week, just teaching about taste). I do think it would be a great book for class discussions. There are so many cross-curricular activities that could be tied into this book. I loved that she tied in some lessons about the history of spelling, which I find fascinating.

August 14, 2022