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Astrid and Apollo
Astrid and Apollo and the Starry Campout
Astrid is afraid of the dark and doesn't want to go on her family camping trip. But her twin brother, Apollo, is excited. When they encounter scary things such as crawly bugs and the creepy dark, Apollo helps his twin through them. And when they encounter the scariest thing of all, Astrid might just be the one to save the starry campout.
65 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2020
5 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
October 20, 2020
That is so freaking cute!
All the family goals!
I absolutely love this book. It gave me all the right kind of feels when it comes to family and siblings.
This is a series. But I can rest assure you that you can read this as a standalone. In this one, Astrid and her family is going for camping and stay a night outside.
The cover is just eye-catching and adorable, the content illustration is no less! It gave me all the anime/animation vibes because you will know why it is so when you read this book!
This book gives me the feeling that if a child starts a book series, he or she should start from this one! It's cute, sweet, interesting and adventurous.
The family dynamics has been represented well.
The description about the Hmong people is educational. And yes, the description regarding the Hmong dishes! Wow!
The book is interactive as well.
Without a doubt, you can go for it.
As for me, I am planning to get all the books in the series.
Thank you #NetGalley for the book #AstridandApolloandTheStarryCampOut
All the family goals!
I absolutely love this book. It gave me all the right kind of feels when it comes to family and siblings.
This is a series. But I can rest assure you that you can read this as a standalone. In this one, Astrid and her family is going for camping and stay a night outside.
The cover is just eye-catching and adorable, the content illustration is no less! It gave me all the anime/animation vibes because you will know why it is so when you read this book!
This book gives me the feeling that if a child starts a book series, he or she should start from this one! It's cute, sweet, interesting and adventurous.
The family dynamics has been represented well.
The description about the Hmong people is educational. And yes, the description regarding the Hmong dishes! Wow!
The book is interactive as well.
Without a doubt, you can go for it.
As for me, I am planning to get all the books in the series.
Thank you #NetGalley for the book #AstridandApolloandTheStarryCampOut
July 7, 2020
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, V.T. Binadia, Picture Window Books, and Capstone for providing Neo and me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
It’s always nice to be able to sit down with someone else and share the wonders of a good book. When Neo and I found this short chapter book by V.T. Bidania, we were pleasantly surprised at how well it flowed and held our attention. Astrid and Apollo are two children who love to have fun. When their parents decide that it’s time for a camping adventure, the children have mixed feelings. Apollo is very excited to be outside in a tent and breathing in the fresh air, while Astrid is quite put-off by the idea and refuses to go unless she has her trusty glow-in-the-dark wand. Astrid was told about camping from her cousin and the list of bad things is piling up. However, with a little help from her brother, she agrees to go, hoping for the best. The family gathers in the vehicle for the long journey to the campsite. When they arrive, it’s an adventure to get things ready and Astrid is forced to face some of her fears. Working with Apollo, she discovers that some things are not as she expected and that with the love of her family, nothing is too scary to face head-on. A great piece that tells a story both of courage and about the Hmong (Laotian) community, it would be perfect for any child who has a little time on their hands.
We went into this story not knowing much about the author, the series, or the Hmong people. V.T. Bidania offers up some great aspects of how some children come up with ideas and forget to wait for things to happen. Astrid was given some memories that her cousin had, but leapt into thinking they would be the same for her. Bidania creates a story that has enough detail so that the reader can understand and care for the reader, without getting too hung up on trying to ensure every piece of backstory is known. The lessons in the book worked really well, using decent length chapters to offer some depth to the story paired with wonderful illustrations, making the reader want to push on and see just what Astrid and Apollo would experience. Adding some cultural flavour in the form of the Hmong people and some Laotian food choices added an educational aspect that Neo really liked. It made for a wonderful experience and kept us wanting to see if we could find more of the series to discover new and exciting aspects to these characters and their background. Neo asked that we read more of this series to see what other adventured Astrid and Apollo discover, opening our minds to more fun in a brief reading experience.
Kudos, Madam Binadia, for such an easy to understand book that touches on all the great aspects of a young reading experience. We will definitely be back for more!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Did you know Neo’s has his own GR account for reviews? Check him out: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
It’s always nice to be able to sit down with someone else and share the wonders of a good book. When Neo and I found this short chapter book by V.T. Bidania, we were pleasantly surprised at how well it flowed and held our attention. Astrid and Apollo are two children who love to have fun. When their parents decide that it’s time for a camping adventure, the children have mixed feelings. Apollo is very excited to be outside in a tent and breathing in the fresh air, while Astrid is quite put-off by the idea and refuses to go unless she has her trusty glow-in-the-dark wand. Astrid was told about camping from her cousin and the list of bad things is piling up. However, with a little help from her brother, she agrees to go, hoping for the best. The family gathers in the vehicle for the long journey to the campsite. When they arrive, it’s an adventure to get things ready and Astrid is forced to face some of her fears. Working with Apollo, she discovers that some things are not as she expected and that with the love of her family, nothing is too scary to face head-on. A great piece that tells a story both of courage and about the Hmong (Laotian) community, it would be perfect for any child who has a little time on their hands.
We went into this story not knowing much about the author, the series, or the Hmong people. V.T. Bidania offers up some great aspects of how some children come up with ideas and forget to wait for things to happen. Astrid was given some memories that her cousin had, but leapt into thinking they would be the same for her. Bidania creates a story that has enough detail so that the reader can understand and care for the reader, without getting too hung up on trying to ensure every piece of backstory is known. The lessons in the book worked really well, using decent length chapters to offer some depth to the story paired with wonderful illustrations, making the reader want to push on and see just what Astrid and Apollo would experience. Adding some cultural flavour in the form of the Hmong people and some Laotian food choices added an educational aspect that Neo really liked. It made for a wonderful experience and kept us wanting to see if we could find more of the series to discover new and exciting aspects to these characters and their background. Neo asked that we read more of this series to see what other adventured Astrid and Apollo discover, opening our minds to more fun in a brief reading experience.
Kudos, Madam Binadia, for such an easy to understand book that touches on all the great aspects of a young reading experience. We will definitely be back for more!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Did you know Neo’s has his own GR account for reviews? Check him out: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
March 11, 2020
That is so freaking cute!
All the family goals!
I absolutely love this book. It gave me all the right kind of feels when it comes to family and siblings.
This is a series. But I can rest assure you that you can read this as a standalone. In this one, Astrid and her family is going for camping and stay a night outside.
The cover is just eye-catching and adorable, the content illustration is no less! It gave me all the anime/animation vibes because you will know why it is so when you read this book!
This book gives me the feeling that if a child starts a book series, he or she should start from this one! It's cute, sweet, interesting and adventurous.
The family dynamics has been represented well.
The description about the Hmong people is educational. And yes, the description regarding the Hmong dishes! Wow!
The book is interactive as well.
Without a doubt, you can go for it.
As for me, I am planning to get all the books in the series.
Thank you #NetGalley for the book #AstridandApolloandTheStarryCampOut
All the family goals!
I absolutely love this book. It gave me all the right kind of feels when it comes to family and siblings.
This is a series. But I can rest assure you that you can read this as a standalone. In this one, Astrid and her family is going for camping and stay a night outside.
The cover is just eye-catching and adorable, the content illustration is no less! It gave me all the anime/animation vibes because you will know why it is so when you read this book!
This book gives me the feeling that if a child starts a book series, he or she should start from this one! It's cute, sweet, interesting and adventurous.
The family dynamics has been represented well.
The description about the Hmong people is educational. And yes, the description regarding the Hmong dishes! Wow!
The book is interactive as well.
Without a doubt, you can go for it.
As for me, I am planning to get all the books in the series.
Thank you #NetGalley for the book #AstridandApolloandTheStarryCampOut
March 26, 2020
I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
This is an adorable book (part of a series but this is the first book I've read in the series) about twin siblings Astrid and Apollo and their family. They are everything a family should be - encouraging, comforting, full of praise and nurturing.
Astrid is scared about going camping as she thinks there will be mosquitos, bears and she is also afraid of the dark.
My daughter and I really enjoyed this and will be reading it again and doing the activities at the back too.
This is an adorable book (part of a series but this is the first book I've read in the series) about twin siblings Astrid and Apollo and their family. They are everything a family should be - encouraging, comforting, full of praise and nurturing.
Astrid is scared about going camping as she thinks there will be mosquitos, bears and she is also afraid of the dark.
My daughter and I really enjoyed this and will be reading it again and doing the activities at the back too.
March 14, 2020
Cute easy reader with Hmong theme. Astrid and Apollo are twins. When the family decides to go camping, Apollo is excited, but Astrid is afraid. Friends have told her there are bears, it is dark, and the bathrooms are smelly. Things go well, but when night comes Astrid hears some strange noises. When she and her father check it out, they are surprised.
Back matter talks about popular Hmong foods and there is a glossary of terms.
Good story for overcoming fears, trying something new, and courage.
DRC from Netgalley and Capstone
Back matter talks about popular Hmong foods and there is a glossary of terms.
Good story for overcoming fears, trying something new, and courage.
DRC from Netgalley and Capstone
March 16, 2020
This is a great book for middle-grade levels and multicultural classrooms. I would even read this with my high school English Learners. There are cultural variations that make the book important when learning about the Hmong culture as well as Hmong students to identify with. The story is easy to read and understand with a connection to learning and deep conversation. The definitions at the beginning and end of the book are great for preteaching. The questions as the end are a little too easy and need to be more of a progression to higher-level thinking. This doesn't distract for the book. The content is warm and welcoming. I enjoyed this book.
May 21, 2020
4.5 stars
This was a really cute book with Hmong characters that had me smiling ear-to-ear. Although I am not Hmong (I am Taiwanese American), I am always happy to find books by Asian Americans that celebrate their culture and tell a good story while they're at it. This book is aimed at early readers (I'd say 1st-3rd grade) and is about Astrid and Apollo going camping with their family. I love the theme of Astrid being afraid at the beginning but learning how to face her fears through this experience. At the end, they have some discussion questions that would be great for the classroom. I love the illustrations throughout and at the end, there are facts about the Hmong, as well as a vocabulary list of popular Hmong foods with illustrations! Yum! I think this book would be a perfect addition to any elementary classroom.
Thanks to #VTBidania and #DaraLashiaLee for a lovely book, and to #NetGalley and #PictureWindowBooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really cute book with Hmong characters that had me smiling ear-to-ear. Although I am not Hmong (I am Taiwanese American), I am always happy to find books by Asian Americans that celebrate their culture and tell a good story while they're at it. This book is aimed at early readers (I'd say 1st-3rd grade) and is about Astrid and Apollo going camping with their family. I love the theme of Astrid being afraid at the beginning but learning how to face her fears through this experience. At the end, they have some discussion questions that would be great for the classroom. I love the illustrations throughout and at the end, there are facts about the Hmong, as well as a vocabulary list of popular Hmong foods with illustrations! Yum! I think this book would be a perfect addition to any elementary classroom.
Thanks to #VTBidania and #DaraLashiaLee for a lovely book, and to #NetGalley and #PictureWindowBooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2020
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, V.T. Binadia, Picture Window Books, and Capstone for providing my dad and me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
It’s always nice to be able to sit down with someone else and share the wonders of a good book. When my dad and I found this short chapter book by V.T. Bidania, we were pleasantly surprised at how well it flowed and held our attention. Astrid and Apollo are two children who love to have fun. When their parents decide that it’s time for a camping adventure, the children have mixed feelings. Apollo is very excited to be outside in a tent and breathing in the fresh air, while Astrid is quite put-off by the idea and refuses to go unless she has her trusty glow-in-the-dark wand. Astrid was told about camping from her cousin and the list of bad things is piling up. However, with a little help from her brother, she agrees to go, hoping for the best. The family gathers in the vehicle for the long journey to the campsite. When they arrive, it’s an adventure to get things ready and Astrid is forced to face some of her fears. Working with Apollo, she discovers that some things are not as she expected and that with the love of her family, nothing is too scary to face head-on. A great piece that tells a story both of courage and about the Hmong (Laotian) community, it would be perfect for any child who has a little time on their hands.
We went into this story not knowing much about the author, the series, or the Hmong people. V.T. Bidania offers up some great aspects of how some children come up with ideas and forget to wait for things to happen. Astrid was given some memories that her cousin had, but leapt into thinking they would be the same for her. Bidania creates a story that has enough detail so that the reader can understand and care for the reader, without getting too hung up on trying to ensure every piece of backstory is known. The lessons in the book worked really well, using decent length chapters to offer some depth to the story paired with wonderful illustrations, making the reader want to push on and see just what Astrid and Apollo would experience. Adding some cultural flavour in the form of the Hmong people and some Laotian food choices added an educational aspect that I really liked! Who does not like a book about camping and everything you can do?! It made for a wonderful experience and kept us wanting to see if we could find more of the series to discover new and exciting aspects to these characters and their background. I want us to read more of this series to see what other adventured Astrid and Apollo discover, opening our minds to more fun in a brief reading experience.
It’s always nice to be able to sit down with someone else and share the wonders of a good book. When my dad and I found this short chapter book by V.T. Bidania, we were pleasantly surprised at how well it flowed and held our attention. Astrid and Apollo are two children who love to have fun. When their parents decide that it’s time for a camping adventure, the children have mixed feelings. Apollo is very excited to be outside in a tent and breathing in the fresh air, while Astrid is quite put-off by the idea and refuses to go unless she has her trusty glow-in-the-dark wand. Astrid was told about camping from her cousin and the list of bad things is piling up. However, with a little help from her brother, she agrees to go, hoping for the best. The family gathers in the vehicle for the long journey to the campsite. When they arrive, it’s an adventure to get things ready and Astrid is forced to face some of her fears. Working with Apollo, she discovers that some things are not as she expected and that with the love of her family, nothing is too scary to face head-on. A great piece that tells a story both of courage and about the Hmong (Laotian) community, it would be perfect for any child who has a little time on their hands.
We went into this story not knowing much about the author, the series, or the Hmong people. V.T. Bidania offers up some great aspects of how some children come up with ideas and forget to wait for things to happen. Astrid was given some memories that her cousin had, but leapt into thinking they would be the same for her. Bidania creates a story that has enough detail so that the reader can understand and care for the reader, without getting too hung up on trying to ensure every piece of backstory is known. The lessons in the book worked really well, using decent length chapters to offer some depth to the story paired with wonderful illustrations, making the reader want to push on and see just what Astrid and Apollo would experience. Adding some cultural flavour in the form of the Hmong people and some Laotian food choices added an educational aspect that I really liked! Who does not like a book about camping and everything you can do?! It made for a wonderful experience and kept us wanting to see if we could find more of the series to discover new and exciting aspects to these characters and their background. I want us to read more of this series to see what other adventured Astrid and Apollo discover, opening our minds to more fun in a brief reading experience.
July 2, 2022
Astrid & Apollo are twins who live in Minnesota who are going camping for the first time. Astrid isn't too sure she's going to like the experience, especially when she's told a lot of bad things about camping by one of her friends at school. Will she have any fun at all?
I LOVED this book. Wow, this was fun. The illustrations are awesome, but the story is even better. First, this was a wonderful glimpse into Hmong culture (foods!) which was great because I find I don't know a lot about it. But even better was how the author so delicately handled very real fears any child would have without minimizing them, or making the child appear foolish. How her parents help her to be comfortable with the situation is very sweet, especially when something goes wrong on the camping trip. Overall, I saw a wonderful tale about a very wholesome and supportive family who love each other, having an adventure. This would be the perfect book for any kid going camping for the first time. Great series!
I LOVED this book. Wow, this was fun. The illustrations are awesome, but the story is even better. First, this was a wonderful glimpse into Hmong culture (foods!) which was great because I find I don't know a lot about it. But even better was how the author so delicately handled very real fears any child would have without minimizing them, or making the child appear foolish. How her parents help her to be comfortable with the situation is very sweet, especially when something goes wrong on the camping trip. Overall, I saw a wonderful tale about a very wholesome and supportive family who love each other, having an adventure. This would be the perfect book for any kid going camping for the first time. Great series!
June 11, 2020
ASTRID AND APOLLO is a great book for early readers - it’s relatable and fun! The story is about Astrid facing her camping fears with her twin brother, Apollo, and their family. With Hmong details woven into the story, kids will be exposed to small details of Hmong culture, from the characters’ names to the food they like to eat. I read this with my 4yo and 6yo boys, and they both thoroughly enjoyed it.
March 29, 2020
I received an electronic ARC from Capstone through NetGalley.
Astrid and Apollo are twins who have their own interests. In this book, the family is going camping. Apollo is excited for this adventure; Astrid is scared and doesn't want to go. They both discover that camping is full of unexpected adventures and familiar family fun.
Bidania has created relatable characters that elementary readers will relate to. She defines some Hmong words to begin the book and provides information text at the end explaining history since the Vietnam War and provides further information about their culture. Simple to read text in a short chapter format works for intermediate readers to read independently or as a family read-aloud.
Realistic illustrations capture the fun and joy of this family's camping adventure.
Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Astrid and Apollo are twins who have their own interests. In this book, the family is going camping. Apollo is excited for this adventure; Astrid is scared and doesn't want to go. They both discover that camping is full of unexpected adventures and familiar family fun.
Bidania has created relatable characters that elementary readers will relate to. She defines some Hmong words to begin the book and provides information text at the end explaining history since the Vietnam War and provides further information about their culture. Simple to read text in a short chapter format works for intermediate readers to read independently or as a family read-aloud.
Realistic illustrations capture the fun and joy of this family's camping adventure.
Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
May 3, 2020
A sweet & funny early cb for young readers about twin siblings who go on a family campout for the 1st time. Introduction of Hmong words & foods made this story even more special.
March 19, 2020
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Recommended for grades 2-4. I can't think of many children's books that explore a Hmong-American family--I feel like I learned something while reading this because the author includes a list of Hmong words and facts at the beginning and the end of the book. The writing is concise in a way that would make this appropriate for younger readers, and the vibrant illustrations are compelling and add to the "kid appeal."
Recommended for grades 2-4. I can't think of many children's books that explore a Hmong-American family--I feel like I learned something while reading this because the author includes a list of Hmong words and facts at the beginning and the end of the book. The writing is concise in a way that would make this appropriate for younger readers, and the vibrant illustrations are compelling and add to the "kid appeal."
March 8, 2020
Review copy: Digital ARC via Netgalley
I will write a full review soon, but am so excited for this entire series. The first book is a simple family camping adventure complete with a few animal visitors. As the first traditionally published early chapter book series focused on a Hmong American family, this is sure to be popular in our community.
I will write a full review soon, but am so excited for this entire series. The first book is a simple family camping adventure complete with a few animal visitors. As the first traditionally published early chapter book series focused on a Hmong American family, this is sure to be popular in our community.
June 25, 2020
Thank-you to NetGalley and Capstone for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I’m always on the lookout for engaging books with teachable lessons for the young readers in my home. The first in the series, Astrid and Apollo and the Starry Campout by V.T. Bidania accomplishes both and enhances the story with Dara Lashia Lee’s vibrant illustrations.
On the cusp of a family camping adventure, Astrid finds herself distressed over being the woods in the dark - with bears. With the help of her brother Apollo, Astrid overcomes her fears realizing they were not as big as she originally believed.
I am looking forward to reading this series and learning more about the Hmong-American community.
I’m always on the lookout for engaging books with teachable lessons for the young readers in my home. The first in the series, Astrid and Apollo and the Starry Campout by V.T. Bidania accomplishes both and enhances the story with Dara Lashia Lee’s vibrant illustrations.
On the cusp of a family camping adventure, Astrid finds herself distressed over being the woods in the dark - with bears. With the help of her brother Apollo, Astrid overcomes her fears realizing they were not as big as she originally believed.
I am looking forward to reading this series and learning more about the Hmong-American community.
November 17, 2020
ASTRID AND APOLLO AND THE STARRY CAMPOUT is a marvelous chapter book about twins, Astrid and Apollo. It is the first book in this wonderful series. Astrid is nervous about her family's impending camping trip. As Astrid's fears about camping in great outdoors get the best of her - her twin, Apollo tries to calm her nerves. In the end, Astrid finds when she focuses on enjoying her family and all the fun adventures, her fears don't seem quite so big. Bidania beautifully weaves the Hmong culture and language, sibling relationships and the importance of family into an engaging story all kids with enjoy. Lee's lovely illustrations complement the thoughtful text. I highly recommend this delightfully fun series for all chapter book readers!
November 24, 2020
Astrid is anxious about her family's camping trip but the rest of her family - especially her twin brother Apollo - can't wait! This fun, adventurous chapter book is a wonderful, gentle introduction to the Hmong culture. All children will relate to the universal themes of family, bravery, and encouragement. As a mom of twins, I also love how this book shows the special bond between twins - competitive but supportive, and with individual personalities. There is a distinct contrast between anxious Astrid and confident Apollo. As a reader, I could feel the special bond this Hmong family had and the emotions Astrid felt. This book is part of a series, which means there are more family adventures for readers of all ages to enjoy and learn from!
April 15, 2022
Astrid's family is all set to go on their family campout. Astrid's one challenge... she is afraid of the dark. Since this is her first campout, what will she do if her special glow-in-the-dark wand doesn't have enough light for camping?
With the help of her twin brother, Apollo, Astrid will discover that camping out has many new adventures, sausages under the stars, and night-time "scratching" noises.
Step into reading stories can be the most delightful chapter books. Astrid and Apollo are characters that every young reader will relate with. Their sibling relationship emphasizes compassion, humor, support, and acceptance. This is a great series for second grade pass-arounds!
MrsK https://mrskbookstogo.blogspot.com/
With the help of her twin brother, Apollo, Astrid will discover that camping out has many new adventures, sausages under the stars, and night-time "scratching" noises.
Step into reading stories can be the most delightful chapter books. Astrid and Apollo are characters that every young reader will relate with. Their sibling relationship emphasizes compassion, humor, support, and acceptance. This is a great series for second grade pass-arounds!
MrsK https://mrskbookstogo.blogspot.com/
October 9, 2020
Couldn't have loved this more! Not only is it set in Minnesota (win!) with Hmong characters (WIN WIN) but the story is engaging enough that I read it to six of my classes (first and second grade) without getting bored! The majority of my students loved the book, too, and the Hmong students I have were excited to see characters that represent them. Astrid and Apollo is a perfect example of what I call "Everyday Diversity" in books, not calling too much attention to cultural differences but sliding in examples of cultural norms in a natural way. I will definitely be purchasing Astrid and Apollo books for my school library!
October 20, 2020
This was a great beginning chapter book about a first camping trip. It reminded me so much of the one and only time I went camping haha. I loved that this featured a Hmong family and great detail about Hmong names, food, culture etc. The font size is large and sentences are shorter, so I think this would be a good read for readers transitioning from early readers to very basic chapters. Full color illustrations are a nice touch as well. Both V.T. Bidania and Dara Lashia Lee are Hmong, adding a great note of authenticity to the representation in this title. Included back matter: Hmong foods section, a Glossary, facts about the Hmong, discussion questions and writing prompts.
April 15, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! This is a kids book so it was short and simple but still such a great story. It had amazing artistry throughout the book. With beautiful colors! It was nice to see such a grounded family. To see a little girl with fears that are very normal seems like it can really help growing girls in this day and age! Most kids books now a days are fantasy or something to make them think and I don't think that is a bad thing but I do think they need to see some examples of themselves. I saw this is a series of books so I am looking forward to reading some of the others!
April 18, 2020
It’s good to see books written for children that introduce them to other cultures. I really like that this was a simple adventure of a family going camping - something most kids can identify with. Explaining the unique foods as well as pronunciations in the glossary is very helpful as most kids (and some adults) can be off put by their names alone. We need more stories like this that show how we are all not very different from each other.
I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my volunteer review.
I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my volunteer review.
October 16, 2020
ASTRID AND APOLLO AND THE STARRY CAMPOUT is a delightful chapter book about twins Astrid and Apollo. In this first book of the series, Astrid is afraid of the dark and nervous about going on her first camping trip with her family. With the support of her brother, and buddy bravery at the scariest moment, Astrid puts her family over her fear and saves the trip. This book has lovely illustrations and masterfully weaves Hmong culture and language into the text. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
April 13, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley for this digital ARC. A very relatable tale about how scary it can be to try new things with a lot of support for emerging readers. Astrid and Apollo's family is Hmong and there is some fantastic backmatter as well as a vocabulary and pronunciation guide in the beginning that give cultural information. Looking forward to reading more in the series and sharing with young patrons!
Read
October 6, 2020This is a cute, own-voices easy chapter book series about a Hmong family in Minnesota. Astrid & Apollo have small adventures in each one. Each volume includes details among Hmong culture and really great descriptions of food (or maybe I'm just hungry). Back matter include a pronunciation guide to Hmong words, discussion questions, and additional information about Hmong culture. The reading level's a step up from Katie Woo, but I'd try it on those kids who are ready for the next step.
August 6, 2022
My 6yo read 3 books from this series and loved them! It’s a great early chapter book series, and I love how the main characters are a Hmong American family, so the stories often feature Hmong food. Each story also has a little bit of conflict or something the kids have the overcome, like in this one a fear of camping, in another book it was a fear of performing in public, things like that.
Really great series for kids who are ready to read early chapter books independently!
Really great series for kids who are ready to read early chapter books independently!
August 11, 2022
Astrid and Apollo's family is going camping for the first time. Astrid is a little worried because their cousin just told them scary stories about her camping trip. Will the camping trip turn out to be a disaster or fun?
I really liked all the Hmong food woven into the stories, and the bits about each of the kids' Hmong names. It was a natural way to weave their culture into a camping story that nicely addresses common worries about camping.
No content issues.
I really liked all the Hmong food woven into the stories, and the bits about each of the kids' Hmong names. It was a natural way to weave their culture into a camping story that nicely addresses common worries about camping.
No content issues.
August 18, 2022
Astrid and Apollo are Hmong twins who are going on their first camping trip. Apollo is excited but Astrid is definitely not. She tries to hide out in her closet and fails at trying to be left behind from the trip. Will she get 50 mosquito bites and meet a bear like her cousin said?
I enjoyed how the Hmong culture was interwoven throughout the story, especially all the delicious food that was mentioned.
I enjoyed how the Hmong culture was interwoven throughout the story, especially all the delicious food that was mentioned.
October 21, 2024
Astrid is nervous about camping with the family - bears, mosquitoes, toilets that don't flush, and especially the dark - but Apollo convinces her that they will have fun. The five of them engage in typical camping activities and enjoy some of the Laotian and Vietnamese foods eaten by Hmong Americans, and then Astrid has an opportunity to demonstrate her bravery and love for her family when it gets dark outside. A really nice little entry in a sweet series for young readers.
July 13, 2020
A fun and sweet story about a little girl and her family going camping. I found the story to be quite charming and Astrid to be a really fun protagonist. I really liked the addition of facts and detailed photos of the popular hmong foods! A fun book to read and I am sure a lot of kids will enjoy this family adventure!
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