Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Book Review & Giveaway: Here Where The Sunbeams Are Green by Helen Phillips


Published by: Delacorte Press
To Be Released on: November 13th, 2012
Ages: 8 & up
Source: ARC from publisher to review
4 Stars: I Enjoyed It
Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Mad's dad is the Bird Guy. He'll go anywhere to study birds. So when he's offered a bird-tracking job in Central America, his bags are packed and he's jungle bound.


But going bird tracking in the jungle and disappearing completely are very different things, and when the Very Strange and Incredibly Creepy Letter arrives, Mad can't shake the terrible feeling that her father is in trouble.

Roo, Mad's younger sister, is convinced that the letter is a coded message. And their mom is worried, because the letter doesn't sound like Dad at all. But Mad is sure it's a sign of something sinister.

The only way to get to the bottom of it is to go to Lava Bird Volcano and find their dad themselves. Though they never could have imagined what they're about to discover.

From new talent Helen Phillips, Here Where the Sunbeams Are Green is the story of what can happen when two sisters make some unusual friends, trust in each other, and bravely face a jungle of trouble all to bring their family back together. -quoted from Goodreads


Middle grade readers will enjoy this exciting mystery, adventure book. Traveling to the heart of a Central American rain forest, sisters Mad and Roo, along with their mom and traveling companion, are on a mission to find out what's happened to Mad & Roo's father, who was offered a job to track and find rare birds. This lush jungle offers more than beauty, and the sisters find themselves face to face with villains, a mystery, and form an amazing bond during the process. 

I love it when authors can write a book for kids that's full of adventure, danger and excitement by incorporating bites of realism with that of magic and a lot of imagination. This is a book I think young readers will really enjoy as they get to know more about Mad and Roo, and feel like they're right along side them on their mission to solve the mystery behind their father's absence and what's really going on within the canopies of this rain forest. I adored the relationship the two sisters have and form during this trip. While Mad is the more serious, insightful one, Roo is a little bit less uptight and a bit more fun. She brought the humor to all the right parts of the book. Together these two are fabulous. It's hard not to love them for who they are. 

I thought this was a great read. I think it's one MG readers are going to enjoy. There are things they'll be able to relate to, other things they'll enjoy discovering, and over all it's a fun story to read about. I also liked the age appropriate crush that is woven into this story, the mystery, and the moments of danger and adventure this story has. It's one I'd recommend picking up.



Thank you to the publisher, I've got one copy of the book to giveaway. To enter, please fill out the form below.

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I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~