Jenn Larson

I found this gorgeous picture book incredibly endearing. (It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I teared up at the end of it, so touched was I by the messaging and so deeply did it resonate with me).

From the very first notes, drifting across the park to her little feathered ears, Little Sydney Sparrow has fallen in love, wildly, with orchestral music and is now a bird with a dream - a huge dream - something no other songbird has ever dreamed and could ever hope to accomplish.

Sydney show more wants to be the heart of that music - to feel it ebb and flow in her rhythm and at her direction - she wants to become a music conductor.

With the wide-eyed innocence of the very young, where everything is still an un-tapped possibility, Sydney shares her dream with her family - eagerly, excitedly - and its no surprise to the reader that her parents are curtly dismissive.

Disappointed, but still undaunted, Sydney tries to engage others with her dream, including her teacher at school, and the message comes back loud and clear - her dream is outlandish and no-one in her circle is willing to support her.

I won’t tell you everything about how the story ends - you just have to read it - but it’s enough to say that this book totally captured my heart.

This tiny bird with a great big audacious dream, and the determination to just go for it, is truly delightful. And what a wonderful role model for any child, particularly those who have not yet felt the inevitable push to rein in their own starry dreams and settle, like everyone else, for what the world considers to be “acceptable” or “normal”.

And the artwork! The absolutely gorgeous artwork featured on every page of this book - starting with the brilliant and smudgy-soft bird nestled in red and gold leaves on the cover - every frame on every page is literally spectacular.

This is a book I will need to own - with no young children currently in my life - I do believe my inner child wants (and deserves!) this one all for itself.

A great big thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, the author (and the artist), for an advance review copy of this sublime children’s book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts presented are my bow. show less

Ooh, my heart is a pile of mush right now! This book is so adorable!

Sydney the Sparrow wants to be a music conductor. But her family, friends, and teachers try to redirect her dreams towards more conventional career paths such as nest building and seed gathering. Sydney gets disheartened and wonders if her dream is indeed too farfetched. But with some determination and planning, Sydney finds herself where no one else expected.

Sydney stole my heart. I loved her bravery in listening to what show more her heart desired rather than allowing others to change her thinking. She was amazing. And as a music lover (and a part-time conductor myself), I relished the thought of a little sparrow conducting Bach and Beethoven. What a wondrous sight that would be! The message from the story comes out very clearly: believe in your dreams. Talent will definitely take you places but hard work and determination are a must too.

With this beautiful story, the book would have easily received 5 stars from me. But isn’t it marvellous when the illustrations match and even surpass the story? I loved, loved, loved the sketches. They are so impressive and detailed, right down to the rich hues of nature and the facial expressions of the birds. The vividity of the illustrations makes the book sparkle brighter. I have no doubt they would be even more marvellous in the physical copy.

This would be the perfect addition to every little reader’s personal library.

Thank you, NetGalley and IBPA, for the Advanced Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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This book by Jen Larson was so much fun. In a math class, you're always looking for ways to get your students to think logically and really exercise their minds. This book is perfect for that. There is a variety (about 100) brainteaser puzzles and skill-building puzzles that will get your students engaged and using their brains. There are also instructions and example problems for how to complete each activity. I love how the book is put into sections that start with certain types of show more puzzles, the puzzles start out easy and as you move through the section they get progressively harder. This will help your students build confidence as they work through the section and are able to think logically about the activities. This book is great for helping your students improve problem-solving skills and increase their abstract thinking. I think this book would be a great addition to any class because it gets your student thinking at a higher level. show less

Perfectly Logical by Jenn Larson is a book full of brain teasers and logic puzzles for smart kids, or anyone who likes a challenge. This book has 90 skill-building puzzles, including logic grid puzzles, crossword puzzles and so many more puzzles to challenge your brain. Each puzzle has easy to follow instructions.

A book like this can enhance memory skills, improve concentration and attention span plus help develop patience. This book has 10 chapters, Patterns at Play, Follow that Analogy, show more Simply Logic, Crosswords and so on. The book says that it is for 8-12-year-olds but I think looking at the book that anyone could do these puzzles. It has been a long time since I had to do puzzles like this and I am 66 so I should probably get to it. It would probably help my memory issues, at least that is what my neurologist says!

If you are looking to challenge your child or yourself, give this book a try. It looks pretty challenging for me. Not a boring book as it is very colorful and easy to follow, even though I may not be able to do all the puzzles! show less