Danny's Doodles Blog Tour {Review, Interview, Giveaway}

I'm excited to have the Danny's Doodles: the Jelly Bean Experiment Blog Tour stopping by today! You can read my review of this cute book, check out my interview with David Adler, and win a copy...

Danny's Doodles: the Jelly Bean Experiment

by David Adler

Pub Date: 9/3/13

Pub: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Format: ARC

Source: pub

Danny Cohen's new friend is 100% weird.

New to Danny's fourth grade class, Calvin Waffle has a knack for following his classmates around to collect data for his science experiments. He carries jelly beans everywhere, and claims his father is a spy. Danny isn't quite sure just what to make of this quirky newcomer until Calvin reluctantly agrees to help the baseball team. His ability to correctly predict each pitch before it's thrown leads his team to victory and makes him a hero to his new friends.

David Adler, author of the popular Cam Jansen mystery series, creates another memorable character for his readers to befriend. Sure to be a publishing event.

**************************

add on goodreads

purchase: amazon /b&n

*********************************************

I received an ARC copy of this title in exchange for my honest review

David Adler’s Danny’s Doodles: The Jellybean Experiment is a cute, lower middle-grade read about friendship, acceptance, and the power of being weird. David Cohen’s new fourth grade classmate, Calvin Waffle, is different. Very different. Calvin gets Danny to participate in his “jellybean experiment”, by having Danny place jellybeans in all of his pockets and carry them around school all day, while Calvin takes mysterious notes. Calvin also claims that his absent father is a spy, but Danny’s not so sure that’s true. The other kids are reluctant to hang out with Calvin, but his amazing predicting skills make him a huge asset to their baseball team.

Danny’s Doodles: The Jellybean Experiment is a quick read with a great message, silly humor, amusing doodles, and a memorable character. The mysterious “jellybean experiment” is quirky and fun, and I was genuinely tickled by Calvin’s masterful thinking behind his experiment and the surprising results. Adler explores the themes of friendship, acceptance, and celebrating peoples' differences in simple, but heartwarming and age appropriate ways. This is definitely meant for the younger middle-grade crowd, as the sometimes too over-the-top silly humor and simple writing will appeal to readers ages 7-10.

The narrator, Danny Cohen, is a relatable, likable guy and his messy doodles are fun. But, Calvin Waffle is the truly memorable character in this book. Calvin’s uniqueness and weirdness are endearing and oddly charming, but at times, it does stray a bit far into the too over-the-top and strange. Calvin’s mother, while colorful and definitely not boring, was a little too much for me.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I enjoyed Danny’s Doodles: The Jellybean Experiment, especially the character of Calvin and the great message at the story’s core. And, while this book was a little too over-the-top and the writing too simple for me at times, I think its intended audience will be amused and entertained by it.

MY RATING

Q1. What three words best describe Danny’s Doodles The Jelly Bean Experiment? 

Fun--weird--satisfying.

 Q2. Can you give us your best one sentence pitch to convince readers, especially reluctant readers, why they should give this book a try?  

You've got to meet Calvin Waffle.

 Q3. Who is your favorite character in Danny’s Doodles: The Jelly Bean Experiment and what do you love about them?  

Calvin Waffle is unpredictable, talented, and fun. 

 Q4. Fill in the blanks:

I’m really awesome at playing with blocks.

I’m really embarrassed to admit that I still play with blocks, even though it's with my grandsons.

The last great book I read was "Mostly Monty" by Johanna Hurwitz.

 Q5. If you were to create and bake a cupcake inspired by Danny’s Doodles: The Jellybean Experiment what would it look and taste like, and what would you call it?  

Jellybean cupcake

Website + Goodreads

Win a copy of Danny's Doodles: the Jelly Bean Experiment!

Thanks to Sourcebooks, I have one copy of this middle-grade book to give away.

DETAILS

-US/CAN only

-will end 10/24

-there will be one winner

-must be 13+ to enter

-one main/free entry per person

-winner will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours

-I am NOT responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen prizes

Fill out the Rafflecopter form:

a Rafflecopter giveaway