Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up on a school bus bound for the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids.” When a strange creature attacks, he and his friends discover that they are demigods and the adventure begins.
Oscar, the Orca Whale takes kids on a journey through pictures to discover Orca’s habits, characteristics, strength and speed to their communication skills, family bonds, and unique traits.
Humorous and charming with vibrant illustrations of animals in preposterous settings. It captivates the mind with its interactive storytelling and delightful blend of humor .
An impressively diverse range of topics and illustrations in a multiple-choice format that will engage the whole family. Presented in a simple and clear style that will ensure younger family members can easily participate and enjoy.
After being cursed by the Witch of the Waste, Sophie Hatter sets out to find her destiny. She comes upon the Wizard Howl and his moving castle. To break her curse, she has to help the Fire Demon, Calcifer, break his contract with Howl. Sophie has to unravel the puzzles around the contract in order to help Calcifer break it, thus saving herself.
“My name is Mika Moonwind, and I am no longer prey. I am a hunter.”
Mika Moonwind – The Night Raven by Johan Rundberg (2023)
AUTHOR
Johan Rundberg is an award-winning author of children’s books who lives in Stockholm. He has written picture books, early readers, and middle grade, including Kärlekspizzan, Knockad Romeo, and the series Häxknuten. In 2021, he was awarded Sweden’s most prestigious literary prize, the
August Prize, in the children’s and YA category for Nattkorpen, the original edition of The Night Raven, which was first written in Swedish. Nattkorpen was also the winner of a Swedish Crimetime Award in the children’s and YA category. There are now four books in this series published in Sweden.
Excerpt taken from Amazon.com
SYNOPSIS
In 1880 Stockholm, 12-year-old orphan Mika gets entwined in the search for the notorious serial killer the “Night Raven.” She is a very intelligent, determined and caring young girl. Not only does she help look after all of the other orphans at the Public Children’s Home, but she also works at the Chapel, a local bar.
Late one night in the orphanage, Mika answers the door to find a young boy with a new born baby. He quickly puts the child in Mika’s arms, but before he runs off he says, “The Dark Angel knows I’m the one who took her.” The boy disappears before Mika can stop him. That’s not the only odd thing happening in Stockholm that night – there is a murder! Not just any murder, but a murder that fits the modus operandi of the “Night Raven!” However, the Night Raven was supposedly dead; “The executioner’s axe made sure of that.”
Detective Valdemar Hoff, who is investigating the murder, is impressed with Mika’s uncanny ability to remember explicit details and how well she makes deductions based on her observations. He takes her to the murder scene and asks her opinion. Impressed with her analysis, he enlists her help in solving the crime. Together, they have to work in opposition to the local government and overcome police corruption to locate and apprehend the villain before they can hurt someone else.
Who was the boy that left the baby behind and who’s baby was it? Who is the “Dark Angel?” Is the Night Raven truly dead or is he on the rampage again? Can a 12-year-old orphan really help the police solve such a horrific crime?
CONCLUSION
The Night Raven is an enthralling fast-moving period crime mystery. Rundberg’s writing is well rounded, the characters are well defined, and the plot is multi-faceted and easy to follow. The descriptions of 1880’s Stockholm are detailed and allow the reader to formulate the scenes in their mind easily.
I really like this book. Even though I find a 12-year-old orphan a stretch working with the police on a gruesome murder investigation, Rundberg creates a believable justification for her involvement. She is pretty much a young Sherlock Holmes, or Holly Gibney (Stephen King).
Overall, I think this book is great for all audiences, even though it is marketed for 10-14-year olds.
There will be 4 books in The Moonwind & Hoff series: The Night Raven (November 1, 2023) , The Queen of Thieves (March 5, 2024), The Angel of Death, and The Blood Pact. I can’t wait for the other 3 books to be released in english.
One final note; SF studios has acquired the film rights to the Moonwind and Hoff series. They are expected to start filming the first movie based on “The Night Raven” in 2024 with a projected film release in 2025.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Johan Rundberg, Amazon Crossing Kids, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to review The Night Raven.
Taryn Souders was born in Texas. She didn’t plan on being a writer. She worked as a middle school math teacher prior to trying to be a poet. However, serendipitously she turned her poetry into books. She now lives in Florida with her husband and three kids.
When Eudora “Kooky” Klinch passes away, she leaves Grady a 300-year-old tapestry and a note that reads: “To Whom It May Concern: This is no ordinary piece of needlework. It’s a treasure map. Riddles and clues. To the victor go the riches. Don’t forget to feed the cats.”
Grady and his father are down on their luck. Living very poorly after his mother passes away and the huge debt left from her medical bills, they are forced to sell their last possession; the trailer and 5 acres of land they live on. Grady doesn’t want to leave his friends and everything he knows behind. This is why when they receive the tapestry, Grady feels as if it could fix all of their problems. Only he isn’t the only one interested in obtaining the treasure. Someone else wants the treasure and is willing to steal and even kill for it.
Grady, with the help from his friends Thadddeus Carlton (Thad) and Clementine Powell (Clemmie) race against time and a killer, to discover the treasure and save his home. They have to investigate the images on the tapestry, research the ancient inhabitants of the town, study the local history and remain one step ahead of the villain.
Can they save Grady’s home? Will they unearth the treasure? Can they avoid the killer?
CONCLUSION
The Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle is a suspenseful, action-adventure tale. It has drama, mystery, crime, suspense, thrills and murder mixed with a little history. It also has a bit of a “Goonies” feel to it.
The characters are diverse, well composed and the interplay is superb. “Kooky” Klinch, and Ophelia add little bits of unique characteristics to the tale. The plot is easy to follow with plenty of twists and turns.
The War of Jenkins’s Ear features heavily in this book. I must admit, I had never heard of this particular war and so I did some research and learned some interesting history.
Although the book is advertised for reading ages 8-12, I found this book entertaining and enlightening for all ages. Anyone with a little bit of kid left in them will enjoy this book. I highly recommend this book.
To find out more about Ben Gartner and what he is up too, check out his website here.
SYNOPSIS
Written mainly through the eyes of Fin, the teenage main character, One Giant Leap is his story. He starts by talking about how he is drifting through space with a leak in his suit and water from his cooling system seeping around his face and mouth. He knows he is about to die drifting forever in the dark void, but then he goes back in time and tells the story of just how and why he ended up in this particular predicament.
Four teenage kids, Fin, David, Kal and Mae, win the ultimate worldwide competition and the grand prize: an all expenses paid trip into outer space!
After all of the physicals, psychological assessments and training; Fin, David, Kal and Mae are on their way to the International Space Station (ISS). Mission plan: stop and resupply the ISS, then move on to the Gateway outpost orbiting the moon to drop off two astronauts, and then slingshot around the moon and head back to earth.
After visiting the ISS the four kids move back into their launch vehicle, Aether, to await the adults; then BAM! The whole space station is turned topsy turvey and sent spinning out of orbit. With holes in the space station, air leaking out and the whole thing spinning uncontrollably the kids are on their own. Separated from the flight crew and their guardians, the kids have to work together and think fast to save themselves and hopefully, the adults.
Will they make it? Can they save themselves? What about the adults trapped on the ISS slowly falling out of orbit to burn up in Earths atmosphere? How long can the astronauts survive on the ISS with all of the oxygen slowly leaking out into space? Can Fin, David, Kal and Mae save themselves? Can they save the adults? Can Mae even fly a spaceship? Will Fin’s body drift forever in the cold dark void of space?
CONCLUSION
One Giant Leap is Space Camp (1986) meets Gravity (2013). It is an intriguing tale of heroism, overcoming insurmountable odds, faith and courage. Ben Gartner has once again written a story that ignites the imagination and fuels the passion.
It is obvious that Ben did a lot of research for this book. The story plot is solid and the characters are well rounded and established. The interplay between each character is stable and believable. There is plenty of suspense, thrills, sorrow, excitement, danger and mystery in the story to keep the reader riveted to the book.
I not only enjoyed the story, but I really enjoyed all the little tidbits of education that is strewn throughout the book. Ben includes a section at the end that separates the facts from fiction and a glossary. He discusses future space missions and mentions some of the important milestones in space exploration. This book is not only enthralling, but it is educational as well. I highly recommend this book to young and old alike.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Ben Gartner and Crescent Vista Press for affording me the opportunity to review One Giant Leap.
Brad McLelland was born and raised in Arkansas and spent several years working as a crime journalist in the South. In 2011, he obtained his MFA in creative writing from Oklahoma State University, where he met his writing partner, Louis. A part-time drummer and singer, Brad lives in Oklahoma with his wife, his stepdaughter, a mini Aussie who gives hugs, and a chubby cat who begs for ham. He is also the co-author of the Legends of the Lost Causes series.
Louis Sylvester is a professor at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. He and his wife spend their free time playing tabletop games from his collection of over a thousand card and board games. Louis enjoys watching Western films and reading fantasy novels. He has two dogs that go wild when they hear the word treats. He is also the co-author of the Legends of the Lost Causes series.
Excerpt taken from The Crooked Door.
SYNOPSIS
Thirteen year old Ginny and her family are moving to a new state and a new town. They are forced to take a detour off the main highway when their troubles begin. Bernard, their crusty old pick-up truck, breaks down just outside of picturesque Pottsville. It is a story book town; clean, no traffic, happy people, with kids playing and riding their bikes in the streets.
While the local mechanic takes a look at Bernard, Ginny is taken away by some of the local kids for a tour of the town. Toy stores, ice cream shops, and bike shops are everywhere but there is something disturbing about the town. The lack of cars on the streets, the aged dress of the locals and the distant looks on their faces give Ginny a bad vibe. When the kids take her into the Town Hall basement, she really gets spooked. There, in the middle of the floor is a crooked door. She’s told to knock twice, donate some blood and the thing most dear to her and she will receive a wish. Her wish comes true but what is the price?
After Ginny gets back to the hotel, things really get spooky. The town at night transforms into something twisted with demonic creatures roaming the streets. Her parents are no where to be found, and Ginny is frantic. She learns that picturesque Pottsville is really a dimensional realm for twisted fairies and creatures of the night. The creatures demand sacrifice and Ginny’s parents are next on the menu. No one can escape Pottsville; everyone that tries to leave always end up back where they started.
Will Ginny find her parents in time? Can they escape Pottsville? Can she avoid the creatures of the night and the ghouls that are tracking her? Can she save her family and the kids of Pottsville?
CONCLUSION
The Crooked Door is a slow starter; about half-way the book took off and I couldn’t put it down once things got going. Reminiscent of Stephen King, it has just the right creepy feel to it. As I read the book, it reminded me of the Twilight Zone episode “It’s a Good Life,” featuring Bill Mumy. It also has a “Children of the Corn” vibe throughout the story, and it even takes a little from “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson. A really good combination of horror and creepy.
Although the first half of the book was slow and the story and characters weren’t fully developed, the second half more than made up for it. In the second half the characters really come to life and the suspense is palatable. You can feel the fear and anxiety in the prose. The authors take the reader on a fantastic but scary journey filled with suspense and excitement. The horror seen through a young desperate girls eyes trying to save her family and escape demonic beings is an intense and adrenalin fueled journey.
Suitable for all ages, I highly recommend sticking with the book once you start it. You will not be disappointed. I really enjoyed The Crooked Door.
Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. Former freelance writer for the Philadelphia Bulletin.
Excerpt taken from Amazon.
SYNOPSIS
In a far away land up in the clouds, a herd of young unicorns play and laugh out loud. But one little unicorn so sad and shy, was left all alone when the other unicorns went by. They would not play with the Girly unicorn, she had a great big purple horn. Then one day the clouds turned dark and grey, the rain threatened to wash them all away. The Girly unicorn danced and danced, she chased the clouds away as if by chance. All of the other unicorns were so happy and glad, they hugged the Girly unicorn and she was no longer sad.
CONCLUSION
A cute book well animated. The colors are bright and the pictures are great for young children. The plot is pretty much Rudolph the Red Nose reindeer adapted for a girly unicorn instead. The story is told through rhyme and is quite short. A good bedtime story for children 2-5 years old.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank J. Pedicini, NetGalley and Newhall Publishing Co for affording me the opportunity to review My Girly Unicorn.
The Little Prince’s flower is sick. He decides to travel around the world and take some pictures of tourist attractions in order to cheer up his flower. The end.
Come with us aboard the London bus. Let’s take a fantastic ride, through the streets both narrow and wide. Let’s see the sights that stimulate and thrill. Aboard the bus, excitement you will feel.
Anthony and the Gargoyle by Jo Ellen Bogart and Illustrated by Maja Kastelic is a graphic based novel. What evolves for Anthony is experience of love, loss and mortality. The Journey is tinged with both happiness…
Herbie and the T. Rex is a short children’s story about “Herbie the Herbivore” and his friends. They go out together to get some nice leaves to eat when they are set upon by…
ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY, the “Winged Poet,” was born in Lyon, France, in 1900. A pilot at twenty-six, he was a pioneer of commercial aviation and flew in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. His writings include The Little Prince, Wind, Sand and Stars, Night Flight, Southern Mail, and Airman’s Odyssey. In 1944, while flying a reconnaissance mission for his French air squadron, he disappeared over the Mediterranean.
SYNOPSIS
The Little Prince’s flower is sick. He decides to travel around the world and take some pictures of tourist attractions in order to cheer up his flower. The end.
CONCLUSION
Although the graphics are nice and the historical data included for each landmark is accurate, there is no plot and no story. The Little Prince Around the World is simply a bunch of colorful drawings of landmarks with a small blurb of information about each one. I would give this one a miss, there are much better books out there for your children.
⭐
Rating: 1 out of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry estate, NetGalley and CrackBoom! Books for affording me the opportunity to review The Little Prince Around the World.
Badger is alone and at a loss to find a distraction for his listlessness. Soon however, a cast of animal characters arrives and together they manage to conquer tedium through group participation and collaboration.
My Little Green Umbrella is a cute short story for kids. It describes the circle of life in an imaginative and entertaining way. The plot and wording are designed in a manner fitting for…
A Dragon Named Egg is written for children 4 to 7 years old. The tale revolves around Egg and makes up a wholesom morality and ethical tale. A Dragon Named Egg not only entertains…
Turkey Goes to School is the story of how a barnyard full of animals try to go to school. They try multiple ways to get into school, but they are constantly thwarted. Turkey Goes…
Come with us aboard the London bus. Let’s take a fantastic ride, through the streets both narrow and wide. Let’s see the sights that stimulate and thrill. Aboard the bus, excitement you will feel.
Sandy Little Is an award winning children’s book author. Her last book “Montgomery Rabbit” enjoyed five star reviews and inspired an enthusiastic fan base. Sandy has also enjoyed a long career in the entertainment business.
Excerpt from Amazon.
ILLUSTRATOR
Tom Lintern is a freelance illustrator based in New York City. He has had a varied and successful career creating original artwork for a broad range of clients in advertising, publishing and video games.
Excerpt taken from Amazon.
SYNOPSIS
A lonely young girl wandering through a thrift shop discovers a green umbrella. She decides to take it home, and with her imagination they go on many adventures together. As the girl grows older, she slowly outgrows the umbrella and puts it away.
One day, a young boy finds a little green umbrella in the back of an old closet. Using his imagination, the boy and the umbrella embark on fun and adventures for many years.
Many years down the road, an old woman finds a little green umbrella in the closet and decides to go for a walk. She meets a young man, and they walk on together, each remembering their own childhood adventures with the umbrella.
CONCLUSION
My Little Green Umbrella is a cute short story for kids. It describes the circle of life in an imaginative and entertaining way. The plot and wording are designed in a manner fitting for young children.
I found this book easy to read and just right for a quick bedtime story. The illustrations were very nice. The colors and images fit the narrative perfectly. The drawings were entertaining and beautiful to view.
Currently, this title is available for free with Kindle Unlimited.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank Sandy Little, Outskirts Press, Inc. and NetGalley for affording us the opportunity to read and review My Little Green Umbrella.
Author J. Scott Savage is the author of 19 published novels. He has been a teacher and presenter at writing conferences for adults and youth, and has developed Common Core-aligned projects for elementary school writing curricula. He has presented at more than 3000 schools across the country, inspiring students to read,
write, embrace their own creativity, and change the world. He is represented by Michael Bourret of Dystal, Goderich, and Bourret.
Scott is the author of The Lost Wonderland Diaries, which is the Juvenile Fiction Bronze Medalist for the 2020 Foreword Magazine Indie Book of the Year.
Scott lives in Utah with his wife of 34 years, Jennifer. He has four amazing children, and nine perfect grandchildren. He enjoys reading, watching movies, camping, traveling, and spending time with his family.
The Secrets of the Looking Glass is the second installment of The Lost Wonderland Diaries series. In this episode our protagonists, Celia Lofton and Tyrus Weller, are tricked by the Bandersnatch and part of their id’s are stolen. Celia has all of her logic taken and Tyrus loses his imagination to mirror images of themselves. The Bandersnatch whisks the two doppelgängers through the looking glass into another dimension.
Celia and Tyrus follow their mirror images and the Bandersnatch through the mirror and find themselves in a strange and conflicted world. In order to become whole once again, they have to convince their other halves to rejoin with them. What follows is an adventure across another dimension, a war between the White and Red Queens, a trip across the uncharted seas and a journey through dangerous mystical lands.
Celia and Tyrus have to overcome a continuous array of obstacles in the search for their other halves. Not only must they pursue their doppelgängers, but they have to keep themselves and their images alive long enough to reunite. Can they do it? Read the book to find out.
CONCLUSION
Secrets of the Looking Glass is another exceptional book in this series. The author has outdone himself once again in this installment. He has created another world full of imagination and imagery. He filled that world with suspense, thrills, charismatic characters, and a hefty dose of conflict and tension. The plot is well thought out and proceeds along an established, yet exciting pathway. Along the way there are several side plots that have to come together in order to not only save the characters but to also save the Looking Glass world.
If you have not read any books in this series, I strongly recommend that you do. The Lost Wonderland Dairies(Book 1) is a masterpiece in itself. These books will appeal to all reading ages. WARNING! Once you start reading it is very difficult to stop.
Refe Tuma is an author in his own right, and a Co-author with his wife. He lives in Kansas City with his family and their plastic dinosaurs.
SYNOPSIS
Frances is a super-smart scientist little girl. Her mother and father are great scientist and she wants to be just like them, only better. Raised in an overprotective environment, Frances couldn’t even leave the house. She spent her days studying and doing experiments with her mother and father. When her parents leave to go to a symposium; Frances, left on her own with just the robot nanny, finds her grandfathers secret laboratory.
Studying her grandfathers notes, she quickly picks up his experiments where he left off. She wants to succeed where her grandfather failed. She uses the robot body from her nanny to enhance the cadaver left in the laboratory. Then BOOM! The monster awakens! He goes on a rampage and escapes the laboratory and starts to terrorize the town. Frances has to catch him and bring him back. What follows is an adventure through a town she has never been in. Being chased by the local constable, Frances has to stay one step ahead of him while trying to track down and capture the monster. Can she stay out of jail? Will she capture the monster before it kills someone? The chase takes her through seedy alleyways, in the sewers and over the rooftops. Her adventure has just begun.
CONCLUSION
Frances and the Monster is targeted at kids 8-12 years old, but will appeal to most ages. It is a high paced thriller with a bit of horror; especially at the end. The prose is appropriate for anyone 8 or older, while the plot is both interesting and engaging.
Refe has done a great job with this story. I was unable to put it down and almost finished the entire book in one sitting. The last 2 chapters really threw me for a loop. The plot twist and the horror element was surprising and disturbing (in a good way).
I definitely recommend this book. If you like thrills, suspense, excitement and a little horror, then you will love this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Refe Tuma, NetGalley and HarperCollins for affording me the opportunity to review Frances and the Monster.
Badger is alone and at a loss to find a distraction for his listlessness. Soon however, a cast of animal characters arrives and together they manage to conquer tedium through…
A Dragon Named Egg is written for children 4 to 7 years old. The tale revolves around Egg and makes up a wholesom morality and ethical tale. A Dragon Named…
Jubilee: The First Therapy Horse and and Olympic Dream is a book about courage, determination, overcoming insurmountable obstacles, and a love for horses. This book is an inspiration to all…
