You can learn all about Wendi Silvano and all of her different children’s books on her website
Lee Harper is an author, illustrator and farmer. You can learn all about him, his books, and upcoming projects on his website.
SYNOPSIS
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. However, they are not easily dissuaded and try more and more imaginative ways to sneak into the school. Do they ever get in?
CONCLUSION
Turkey Goes to School is an imaginative tale and designed for children 4 to 7 years of age. I found the book a bit blasé and the puns a little too much for the age group. The book feels as if the wording is for children 8 to 12 but the story is for kids 4 to 6.
The illustrations are wonderful and colorful. Lee Harper does and excellent job portraying the story. His illustrations are appropriate for the age group, vivid in color, and very nice. I must say that the pictures are the best part of this book.
As a Kindle Unlimited free book, the price is right. It is something that the pictures will entertain young children even if the story doesn’t.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank Wendi Silvano, NetGalley, and Two Lions Publishing for affording me the opportunity to review Turkey Goes to School.
The Eye of Ra is the first book in the saga of Sarah and John. They are a preteen sister and brother who travel through time and experience all sorts of adventures and life challenging situations. Sarah is 12 and believes she is worldly. Whilst John is 10 and is more reserved and the “Little Chef” of the house. Together they make a great team of adventurers.
In this first installment, we are introduced to the siblings and their upcoming move from Colorado to Maryland. They experience all kinds of reservation about the move; the loss of friends and the unknown that lies before them in a new state. Sarah, the more adventurous of the two, is looking forward to the move. While John doesn’t want to leave his best friend and the only home he has ever known.
Prior to the move, the family goes for a hike up the mountain behind their house. Sarah and John go off on their own and find a cave. Of course Sarah wants to explore the cave while John thinks that is a bad idea. In the cave, they are astonished to find ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs on the wall. While tracing the Eye of Ra with her hand, Sarah accidentally transports the two to ancient Egypt.
Lost in the time of the Pharaohs, Sarah and John have to find a way back home. They meet a local boy, Zach, who takes them in while they are trying to figure out what happened and how to reverse it. While in Egypt they meet all kinds of people, learn about ancient Egyptian culture, and even help build the first pyramid! They even become temporary sleuths and uncover a local criminal. Along the way they have to deal with cobras, scorpions, and Nile crocodiles.
Will Sarah and John ever make it home? Will the criminal come after them? Will they ever see their parents again? Are they stuck in the land of sand forever?
CONCLUSION
The Eye of Ra is the introduction into the series. It is an entertaining and exciting historical science fiction story. In this first installment Ben Gartner sets the stage for the future adventures of Sarah and John. While it doesn’t have as much adventure as the later two books, it is a great beginning. Sarah and John experience life and death situations, criminals, venomous snakes and scorpions, and crocodiles. Along the journey we learn about ancient Egyptian culture, beliefs and their religion. Sarah and John learn valuable life lessons and more about their own strengths and weaknesses.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While it isn’t as fast paced or as crammed packed with adventure as the next 2 books in the series; I found it gripping and hard to put down. I read it in less than 2 days.
The Eye of Ra is recommended for children 8-12 years of age, but I believe people of all ages will be entranced by this series. If you like science fiction, time travel, ancient history, travel and adventure; then you will enjoy this book.
#Children’s European Books #Children’s Friendship Books #Children’s Fantasy & Magic Books
AUTHOR
Jo Ellen Bogart studied education and psychology at the University of Texas, Austin.
SYNOPSIS
Anthony and the Gargoyle by Jo Ellen Bogart and illustrated by Maja Kastelic, is a revelation. The story begins with the enigmatic image of a small house with a tiny garden in a semi-rural setting; and just like that the scene is set for Anthony’s adventure. The story revolves around the friendship between a young boy, Anthony, and a recently hatched Gargoyle.
We quickly learn that Anthony is part of a traditional French family unit consisting of his Mother (Mère), Father (Père) and Anthony (Antoine). His home environment is comfortable without being extravagant. Going to bed one night his favorite rock metamorphosis’s into something rare. On waking he discovers a surprise that leads him into a close relationship with his new-found friend. Recognizing that his new pal is different from him, Anthony questions his mother in order to better understand his bon ami. An unexpected phone call requires his mother to go to Paris. She takes Anthony and the Gargoyle with her. What follows is a journey of discovery for both Anthony and his Gargoyle. Anthony experiences love, loss and mortality. The Journey is tinged with both happiness and sadness; with new beginnings and endings.
CONCLUSION
Bogart’s work relies heavily on the graphics of Kastelic and together they have managed to infuse what could have been an average children’s book into a sparkling gem. Anthony and the Gargoyle exudes warmth and magic previously only seen in works of great authors such as Lewis Carroll. Whilst the styles are diametrically opposed, they both share the ability to tell a captivating story and include illustrations as a central part of the process.
The illustrational nature of the book is compelling from the outset. The plates are so finely sculpted that they capture the natural inclination of the child to continue exploring until the end. In this kind of word-free novel the synergy between the writer and the illustrator are crucial and Bogart and Kastelic together have created a rare synergy here. Nothing less than a literal feast for the child’s eye and mind. The pictorialization is exquisite throughout and the force of Bogarts illustrated narrative are enhanced through the symbiosis of their collaboration. The quality of their mutual creativity and the visualization of their work stands alone and speaks for itself.
The story seems to be inspired by an allegoric theme, that is to say in the style of a morality play. The absence of text frees the child from the encumbrances of reading whilst enhancing the child’s ability to stretch their comprehension and their imagination simultaneously. Additionally the concepts of love, responsibility, and mortality are all covered providing a realistic view on life and its challenges.
The work may be especially valuable to challenged children and their guardians. Children who find communication difficult could benefit greatly from the lack the print in this wordless novel.
Bogart’s story is recommended for ages 6-9 years but it could easily be enjoyed by younger or older children. It would not be hard to imagine that Anthony and the Gargoyle could easily become a favorite of any child.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Jo Ellen Bogart, NetGalley, and Groundwood Books (October 5, 2021) for affording me the opportunity to review Anthony and the Gargoyle.
5 CHILDREN’S FREE TO READ
BOOKS FROM KINDLE UNLIMITED
Skelton Skars Viking Boy Book 1 The Great Jewelry Heist By Chris Bolsover
The Good Mood Book By John Arvai lll
Piperlicious Goes to Hawaii by Teresa Hunt
The Little Labradoodle – Puppy Pickup Day by April M. Cox Illustrated by Len Smith
1 2 3, Can you find me? A number search book by Jakki Tauer
Sue Fliess, pronounced “fleece,” is an award winning author. She lives in Northern Virginia with her family and English Labradors. Find out all about her, her books and upcoming books here.
ILLUSTRATOR
Annabel Tempest is a freelance illustrator living in Somerset, England. She received her fashion/textiles degree in Bristol in the 90’s. You can learn more about her or contact her here.
SYNOPSIS
Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket is an adventure in imagination for children aged 3-7 years. Sadie, a very young girl, wants to be an astronaut some day. So she decides to become the first person on Mars. In her imagination she builds her own rocket and crews it with her stuffed animal friends. Once the rocket is built, she blasts off to explore Mars.
Once on Mars, Sadie and her crew conduct all sorts of scientific experiments. But when the weather starts to turn bad, they have to leave in a hurry. However, all does not go well with the take-off! The rocket gets stuck! Sadie and her friends have to think fast if they want to get back to earth safely.
CONCLUSION
Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket written by Sue Fliess and illustrated by Annabel Tempest is a little jewel of a book. The story flows well with a lot of rhyming and the illustrations are splendid. The combination of the story and the pictures make this a great read for young children.
The story itself is cute and shows the power of imagination. The story and the depictions are age appropriate. The rhythm of the tale is perfect for this type of book. It is easy to read and understand.
The illustrations are fabulous! Annabel did a great job bringing this story to life. Her depictions are bright and colorful. They fit the story and the tempo. I especially like the drawing of Sadie and her crew trying to play cards in zero gravity.
Sadie’s Notebook at the end was a very nice touch. It has information on Mars and some women who were pioneers in space.
Overall, I must say this is a fabulous little book. This is a great book for a bedtime story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank Sue Fliess, Two LionsPublishing, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to review Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket.
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR
CHILDREN’S BOOKS FREE TO READ ON KINDLE UNLIMITED
Have You Ever Wondered What You Will Be? By Junia Wonders Chiapas Nassi
National Geographic Kids First Big Book Of Why by Amy Shields
The Vanishing At Loxby Manor takes place in Kent, England during the dark and distant days of the Regency Period (1811-1820). Charity Halliwell returns to Loxby Manor following a 5 year absence. Full of trepidation, she is hiding a personal secret and anticipating meeting Piers Cavenanagh again. Piers was her former love interest in whom she still holds feelings of unrequited love.
Filled with tragedy, drama, and suspense, the tale revolves around Charity and Piers and their none reciprocated romance. Charity returns to a world filled with secrets, an elite society, and the disappearance of a beautiful, flirty but popular old friend, Seline. Seline vanishes the same evening Charity arrived at Loxby. Her disappearance spawns a plethora of theories. Nothing is as it seems, and Charity and Piers unite in an attempt to discover the truth.
NARRATOR
The narration by Laura Kirman complimented and enhanced the listening pleasure. Her timing, intonation, pace, volume, and tone definitely provided a superior experience to simply reading a text version. Kirkman managed to invoke strong character personalities with her vocal range, cadence and inflection.
CONCLUSION
The Vanishing At Loxby Manor is filled with twits and turns worthy of a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Wilson’s practiced writing skills provide a cast of fully formed characters who inhabit an all too real world. The plot twists compliment the gothic feel of the story and together create a perfect symphony. The narrative is so well formed as to conceal the details of the mystery until late into the book. It is a compelling love story wrapped in a seemingly elusive mystery. Wilson has managed to combine the multiple story threads so skillfully that it is difficult to see the surprising outcome. Filled with equal amounts of: dark, dread, political intrigue, secret society, and the potential for romance; The Vanishing At Loxby Manor exceeds all expectations. The culmination of the elaborate plot ends in a crescendo of action and some unforeseen revelations with a genuinely surprising outcome.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
SELECTION OF WORKS BY THIS AUTHOR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Abigail Wilson, NetGalley, and Thomas Nelson Publisher’s for affording me the opportunity to review The Vanishing At Loxby Manor.
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“I want to tell you about the end of war. The degeneration of mankind, and the death of the Messiah.”
The End Of The Whole Mess, Stephen King, Simon & Schuster Audio Unabridged September, 29, 2009
Author
The seemingly infinitely creative Stephen King is the author of The End Of The Whole Messand Other Short Stories.
Synopsis
The End of the Whole Mess is a short science fiction story by American writer Stephen King, first published in Omni Magazine in 1986. It was collected in King’s Nightmares & Dreamscapes in 1993 and in Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse in 2008. The story is written in the form of a personal journal. It relates the story of the narrators’, Howard Fornoy, genius younger brother’s attempt to cure humanity’s aggressive tendencies.
Key Character’s
Narrator: Howard Fornoy
Brother: Robert, the ‘Messiah;’ 7 year age difference.
Plot
In an apocryphal tale set in a pre-apocalyptic era sometime in the near future; a gifted narcissistic philanthropist and his older talented brother engage in a plan to improve society and fix its ills. The apparent failure of their plan triggers the very apocalypse they had sought to curtail. As often happens with quick fixes, the medicine proves worse than the sickness, and as a result humanity’s future again hangs in the balance.
Author’s Purpose For The Story
King challenges the audience to re-assess their own zeitgeist from the perspective of the two key characters: Howard Fornoy and his autodidactic younger brother Robert. His cautionary fable encourages the reader to asses the decisions made and the resultant consequences. King presents us with the dichotomy between allowing a failing system to continue unchanged and falling to the lowest point naturally; or to do something so outrageous that your actions precipitate a more dire situation. King cleverly convinces us of the primacy of Bob’s theory in a world lacking hope. Once the process is set in operation, the unforeseen and irrevocable consequences begin to unfold.
Narrator
MATHEW BRODERICK
Mathew Broderick provides a first person compelling and skillful narrative. He immediately engenders the character with his eloquent delivery and managed to add tone and texture in a perfect tempo throughout. Broderick manages to paint the characters in full 3D, techno-color on the canvas of the mind. He expertly annunciates every emotion, with impressive levels of expertise. All these combine to produce a totally enjoyable journey. Broderick’s narration enhanced and improved the story bringing it to life fully formed and entrancing.
Conclusion
The perfect storm of the author and narrator combines to create a thoroughly enjoyable distraction from the woes of the world in 2020. It may only take just over an hour to listen to this apologue, but the story will continue to resonate with you for days.
Steven Konkoly is a Naval veteran. He attended the US Naval Academy and served eight years on active duty. He earned his degree in English literature. He is a Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and USA Today bestselling author. His chosen genre for his work is thrillers.
SYNOPSIS
The Raid is the second book originally in a trilogy; but on Amazon there is now a fourth book expected May 11, 2021. This book follows a year after The Rescue ended. Ryan, Brad, and Harlow find themselves once again at odds with a paramilitary organization south of the border.
When they go to investigate a suspected child trafficking organization, they stumble across an elaborate scheme to shuttle US military grade weapons into Mexico. What follows is a fuel driven fight for their lives. The Cartels want them dead; the military wants them dead, and the only one they can really trust is Senator Steele. Running for their lives while trying to counter the killing teams sent after them makes for an adrenaline pumping book.
CONCLUSION
The Raid is full of political backstabbing, cruel Cartel murder, a US military organization striving for military dominance and human trafficking. The Raid has everything, and more, a thriller needs to be successful. Steven Konkoly has crafted another masterful book which will keep the reader engaged from beginning to end.
In Tom Clancy style, Steven Konkoly has written a book on equal footing with some of the great thriller authors. This series is very well written. The plot is believable and exhilarating. The author does a great job creating the protagonist, the deuteragonist, the antagonist, and a variety of tertiary characters. The characters are well constructed and fully developed. The plot in conjunction with the characters flows well and guides the reader on an exciting expedition of mystery, murder, treason and much more.
My only complaint would be the ending fell a little flat. After an entire book of excitement and intrigue, the ending was a bit out of context with its origins and characters. However, the ending leaves open for another book with the same antagonist.
I heartily recommend this book to any readers who enjoy spy thrillers.
Does Your Dog Speak Hebrew: A Book of Animal sounds Series: Very First Board Books
Author
Ellen Bari
Illustrator
Holly Clifton-Brown
Publisher
Kar-Ben Publishing ® (September 1, 2020)
Format
Audiobook, Board Book, Kindle
Time / Pages
1:26:00 / 14 Pages
Genre
Children’s Animal book, Children’s Language Book
Language
English and Hebrew
ISBN 10/13
1541560892 / 978-1541560895
AUTHOR
Ellen Bari has created award-winning museum exhibits and programs for clients including The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, Sesame Workshop, PBS, Nickelodeon and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Ellen, a fluent Hebrew speaker, lived in Israel and enjoys writing about a variety of Jewish topics. She lives in New York.
SYNOPSIS
Does Your Dog Speak Hebrew? is the most recent offering from the acclaimed children’s literature author Ellen Bari. This book is meant for parents of very young children who wish to ensure they begin learning Hebrew linguistically as soon as possible. Research supports the proposition that in order to increase the success of learning multiple languages, it is best started as early in a child’s life as possible. As you would anticipate from a book directed towards children 1-4 years of age, the content is purposefully short, simple and repetitive. This is no accident, but is done purposefully in order to hold the child’s attention; and through repetition, improve their retention of the story and thus the nuances of the language.
The narration is clear, concise and delivered in an accurate manner accent free. I would acknowledge the narrator’s name, but I was unable to establish it on this occasion.
I am reviewing the audiobook version, so I am unable to comment on the illustrations; beyond stating that if the front page is anything to go by, the images will be every bit as exciting and interesting as the narration and the dialogue.
CONCLUSION
Does Your Dog Speak Hebrew? is fun for children and parents alike. What better gift to give your child than a better understanding of the world through the languages we speak. I enjoyed it and I am completely confident that you and your children will also.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
SPECIAL MENTION – ILLUSTRATOR
Holly Clifton-Brown was born in London and attended Chelsea School of Art, Media, and Design; and Bristol UWE Faculty of Art, Media and Design, where she attained a B.A. in Illustration. Her work has been exhibited at The London Transport Museum. She is the author and illustrator of Annie Hoot and the Knitting Extravaganzaand has illustrated other picture books including Big Bouffant and Big Birthday.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank Ellen Bari, NetGalley and Kar-Ben Publishing ® & Lerner Audiobooks for affording me the opportunity to reviewDoes Your Dog Speak Hebrew?
LITERCURIOUS CHILD FRIENDLY JOKE
Q. What goes tick-tock bow-wow, tick-tock bow-wow?
A. A watch dog.
OTHER WORK BY THIS AUTHOR
Jenny loves to jump. But when jumping gets her in trouble, she decides to retire her pogo stick. Then her school decides to hold a fundraising fair, and she discovers that her skill can be used for a good cause.
The Tattered Prayer Book, winner of The Mom’s Choice Award, is a gentle introduction to the Holocaust for children ages 6-10. Ruthie discovers a secret about her father while looking through a box of mementos from “the old country.” As her father tells his surprising story, Ruthie learns a slice of Jewish history and the circumstances under which the family fled Nazi Germany. A burnt prayer book taken in secret from a destroyed synagogue after Kristallnacht offers solace to a young boy at the most difficult time in his life.
Catching Fireflies is a children’s fiction publication. It is the debut work of the Lagnado’s. The sole character is a hoarder of beautiful natural things. The story involves Monster as he follows his whim to track down and acquire a selection of insects and objects for his personal collection. He is curious, and acts from a sense of wanting to possess nature.
Once he decides to secure his chosen items, he first gathers together a set of jars in which to display them. Then the hunt is on to discover those things which he finds fascinating. His travels take him from woods, to snow covered fields and to the beach. Eventually Monster has his very own array of nature.
He quickly discovers that nature is best left in its natural habitat and learns a valuable lesson. Nature is best enjoyed out in the open where it is at its best and most beautiful.
CONCLUSION
The character Monster clearly has a love for all things natural and his love is so great he wants to own them. He quickly discovers that nature can’t remain beautiful unless it is allowed to live free.
It is a morality tale for little children and a tool to teach that you can’t have everything you want, and that sometimes it is better to enjoy things without possessing them.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Celina & Leo Lagnado, NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for affording me the opportunity to reviewCatching Fireflies.
LITERCURIOUS CHILD FRIENDLY JOKE
Q. Why was the mother firefly upset with her children?
Vicki Whiting was a third-grade teacher and now enjoys reaching children through the Kid Scoop page.
Jeff Schinkel illustrated Super Silly Jokes for Kids. He attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and loves teaching children how to draw.
SYNOPSIS
Super Silly Jokes for Kids is exactly what the title implies. The book is full of silly jokes, puns and riddles. The book covers a wide variety of topics. There are knock-knock jokes, jokes about animals, food jokes, school jokes and riddles.
CONCLUSION
SuperSilly Jokes for Kids is a great starter book for anyone looking to learn child friendly jokes. As with most silly joke books, there are some good jokes and there are a few lame jokes. Kid Scoop did a really good job of compiling these jokes and Vicki did a great job of editing.
The layout of the book is perfect for kids. Some jokes are straightforward; joke – answer. Some of the riddles have to be matched with the correct answer. Topics are generally combined together in sections.
The art is fabulous. The design is pleasing and entertaining.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank NetGalley and Happy Fox Books for affording me the opportunity to review Super Silly Jokes for Kids.
