WHERE DO the CHILDREN PLAY?

Written by Tom Evans

This book relates the story of Wesley and Rory, two twin boys who were more different than alike. Wesley is curious and impetuous, while his twin Rory is cautious and unassuming. Set in the 1950s, the tale begins when the boys are five years old and residents of an orphanage. Up to this point, they had spent a good deal of time in and out of foster homes. When Mr. and Mrs. Barnes show up at the orphanage and appear interested in the boys, they are not overly optimistic about a permanent placement.

To their surprise, the Barnes couple and their other adopted daughter introduce the boys to a relatively stable environment, although Mrs. Barnes is a strict disciplinarian who puts up with no-nonsense. The first part of the book speaks of their early years, adjustment to middle-class suburbia, and relationship to their peers.

A dramatic event sets the scene for Part Two. A four-year-old boy is kidnapped and murdered. Wesley is obsessed with this case and the suspected murderer, who is a fifteen-year-old girl. Wesley is haunted by her and feels that he knows her. She is the missing link to finding out his identity and family roots. He becomes a self-appointed detective and partners with a newspaper journalist to solve the mystery.

Evans develops his characters well. The reader identifies and empathizes with them. Read this compelling tale to piece together the clues. Recommended for readers ages twelve and older.

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Presented by Michael Okon and the Children’s Book Review

ABOUT THE BOOK
Witches Protection Program

Written by Michael Okon

Publisher’s Synopsis: Wes Rockville, a disgraced law-enforcement agent, gets one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a 232-year-old secret government organization.

The Witches Protection Program.

His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar cosmetics company’s diabolical plan to use witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in witches…and believe in himself.

Filled with adventure and suspense, Michael Okon creates a rousing, tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern-day New York City.

Ages 18+ | Publisher: WordFire Press | June 3, 2019 | ISBN-13: 978-1614759942PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon

Barnes and Noble

TOUR SCHEDULE

July 8, 2019	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com	Book Review
July 9, 2019	A Dream Within A Dream	http://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com	Book Review
July 10, 2019	LitPick Book Reviews	http://www.litpick.com	Interview
July 11, 2019	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com	Book Review
July 12, 2019	Word Spelunking	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com	Interview
July 23, 2019	The Fairview Review	https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com	Book review
July 24, 2019	Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog	http://bamauthor.me	Book Review
July 25, 2019	Tales of A Wanna-Be SuperHero Mom	http://wannabesuperheromom.blogspot.com	Book Review
July 26, 2019	Glass of Wine, Glass of Milk	https://glassofwineglassofmilk.blogspot.com/	Book Review
July 30, 2019	Bites	http://www.litbites.com	Guest Post
July 31, 2019	icefairy’s Treasure Chest	http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com	Book Review
August 1, 2019	Life with 4 Crazy Girls	http://www.4crazygirls.com	Guest Post

MY REVIEW

GOOD WITCH, BAD WITCH

Witches Protection Program

Written by Michael Okon

Wes Rockville is berated by his father, Harris, who is the head of an elite detective division. Wes and his team have just lost a prisoner and Harris is furious about his son’s failure. Wes receives a new assignment, which is to be his last chance. He is disappointed but not surprised. After all, Wes is constantly compared to his successful siblings.

Wes takes the subway to the Dumbo neighborhood in Brooklyn, where he will enter a world he could never imagine. He walks into a room full of high-tech equipment and is shown a film about witches. Wes discovers that twenty-first-century witches are real and that he has been assigned to the Witches Protection Program. He enters a fast-moving world of good witches, Davinas, and bad witches, Willas.

Wes will experience an adventure he could never conceive of. The plot involves an international conspiracy, a bit of romance, steampunk and a crime novel rolled into one. Characters are fanciful but believable and compelling. Readers are gripped as the story evolves with many twists and turns along the way. Recommended for young adult and adult readers who enjoy crime novels, fantasy, adventure, science fiction and romance.

OFFICIAL LINKS
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/iammichaelokon

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/IAmMichaelOkon

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MICHAELOKON.COM: http://michaelokon.com/

GIVEAWAY

Enter For A Chance To Win An Autographed Copy Of Witches Protection Program And A $100 Amazon Gift Card!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A copy of Witches Protection Program autographed by Michael Okon
• A $100 Amazon gift card

Three (3) winners receive:

• A copy of Witches Protection Program autographed by Michael Okon

Giveaway begins July 8, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends August 8, 2019, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

Open to legal residents of Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who are eighteen years of age or older in their state or territory of residence at the time of entry. Void where prohibited by law. Michael Okon is responsible for prize fulfillment.

https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/weblog/2019/07/witches-protection-program-by-michael-okon-awareness-tour.html

I recently had the opportunity to present Little Miss HISTORY  in animation. Thanks to Silas Merlin, who created the avatar, the character has come to life.

• Little Miss HISTORY insists, “If you don’t know your history, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” On the day of our birth, we become a character in history because each of us has an opportunity to create our story and place our mark on history.

 

• As we stand here in the twenty-first century, technology allows us to immerse ourselves in history. In 2003, Linden Lab launched a program called Second Life. Its users, who are called residents, use this technology to create virtual representations of themselves. These avatars can explore the virtual world, socialize and participate with other residents in a group or individual activities. Second Life has its own virtual currency that allows residents to create, shop, and trade virtual property with one another.

 

• In 2014, Linden Lab announced a plan to develop a new virtual world. Content creators began working on the program named Project Sansar. The platform was released in “creator beta” to the public in July 2017. Users create 3D spaces where people can create and share social experiences such as watching videos, playing games, and having conversations. Participants are represented by avatars they create. These avatars contain speech-driven facial animations and motion driven body animations.

 

• Sansar supports virtual reality headsets but can also be accessed with Windows computers. The program is free to use, but like Second Life Sansar has its own economy. Users can buy and sell their virtual creations with the Sansar dollar.

 

• HOW DID LITTLE MISS HISTORY GET INVOLVED IN VIRTUAL REALITY? A few months ago, I was approached by Bernhard Drax to appear on his Book Club Radio podcast. When I heard that Little Miss HISTORY would have an opportunity to appear in virtual reality, I jumped at the opportunity.

 

• Via “draxtor”..and media for all! Drax and his team now offer audio-visual storytelling for many media platforms. Bernhard Drax studied audio engineering at the University of California at Los Angeles and music at the Hochschule fur Musik and Theater Munchen. He is an expert in user-created content in Virtual Reality. His award-winning mixed reality documentary series “The Drax Files: World Makers” is just one of his many video series featured on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/user/draxtordespres

 

I invite you to join us in a discussion about books, education, and history, past, present, and future!

 

Check out Little Miss HISTORY’s journey into virtual reality!

 

If you would like to read the entire interview on the podcast, please go here:

show #222: little miss history is making history

 

 

 

 

 

 

How He Comes Out of the Sun

Written by Carlyle Clark

 

This is a tale focusing on The Nobodies, a team of African-American B-17 flyers who were not supposed to exist. The story opens in the middle of the action, a crew is battling the enemy when a split-decision needs to be made. The language is a bit raw, laced with dialect. Readers need to pay close attention to grasp the meaning.

While I enjoyed the short read and thought the characters well developed for the length of the tale, I would have preferred to see the author embellish the story a bit more. If you enjoy wartime stories, you will be engrossed with this one that has an ending with a twist.

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My First Summer in Sierra

Written by John Muir

Published by Digireads.com

This book is a travel diary written by John Muir, in the summer of 1869. After the Civil War when John Muir returned from Canada, he secured a position with Carlo, a shepherd who was moving a herd of 2500 sheep up to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Muir, who loved nature and the Yosemite region, jumped at the chance to join the group as a naturalist. He would document the journey, the wildlife, and the scenery along the way.
Readers read Muir’s recollections which are sometimes verbatim details, but also feel the emotion in his voice as he describes the grandeur and majesty of his surroundings. Muir’s love and appreciation of life forms in their natural surroundings come through as he excitedly reports his discoveries. This edition includes maps, drawings, and sketches. For those who appreciate the beauty of the planet, but cannot trek 9,000 feet up into the Sierras, one learns to appreciate the wildlife, the majesty of the sequoias, and the beauty of its pristine waters. Recommended for nature and travel lovers.

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STEM CELLS – The Healing Revolution: Chronic Pain Relief and Regeneration without Drugs or Surgery

Written by Dr. Raj Banerjee

I’ve always been curious about stem cells and how they can be used to heal the body. This book is a wonderful introduction and clear explanation of the subject. Dr. Banerjee’s philosophy is to heal the body without pain or surgery. He goes through the steps of traditional medical treatments: diagnosis, further testing, treatment, surgery, and monitoring of the condition. Raj bemoans the fact that most traditional medical treatments only mask the problem or lead to further complications.

I was shocked to learn the wide range of medical problems that can be treated with stem cells: knee, joint and hip inflammation, skin trauma, diabetes, chronic pain, spinal and nerve damage, kidney conditions, thyroid problems, arthritis, autoimmune disease, shoulder, and cardiovascular pain. Stem cell therapy is noninvasive, promotes natural healing, and is results driven.

Dr. Banerjee cites many case studies including those of his mother and aunt. He promises an open, honest approach that is backed by proven medical research. He answers questions that frequently arise and facts to consider in deciding whether it is appropriate for the reader.

This is one reference book that I will keep handy. I am certainly ready to consider stem cell therapy when the need for medical treatment arises.

Lost in Lithuania and other funny stories

Written by Alex Goodwin

 

This is my first time reading a book in this series. Goodwin is a thirteen-year-old author with a wonderful imagination and a creative mind. Bob and Billy are two obese friends who decide that they must get in shape. They abruptly decide to enter a curling contest, even though they have no knowledge of the game. The friends discover a note that they have been fired from their jobs in San Francisco, so they hurry to board a plant to get back. Alas! Bob and Billy board the wrong plane and wind up in Lithuania. Now broke, they answer an ad for a job in a bakery for which they have no background and cannot speak the language. When the disgruntled patrons attack them, Bob and Billy flee for their lives and stumble across an abandoned castle where they become tour guides. The two tell a lot of lies, but they become quite adept at their profession. Determined to return home, at last, they are foiled when all their money falls through a hole in their baggage. So, they write to their uncle and secure employment, only to find they will be making aglets for shoelaces on an assembly line. And so, the stories go on… Will Billy and Bob ever make it back home to their jobs at the nuclear plant in Death Valley?

Goodwin writes crisp, catchy dialogue that is as hilarious as it is preposterous. He manages to weave a link between the short stories to create a cohesive plot. The tales are clean, good fun. Readers ages ten and older won’t stop laughing till the last line.

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The Moth and the Moon

Written by David Kelley

 

This is an intriguing tale that is told in the first person by a newly hatched moth and the friends she makes on the windowsill of a garden shed. Upon opening her eyes, the moth is irresistibly drawn to the light from the moon shining through the window,

Readers follow her development as her friends name her Flutter. She learns quickly from her friends, Horsey the Wasp, her two ladybug friends, and Bumble, the bee. Flutter finds herself in trouble with their arch enemy, Sinister, the Spider. Flutter learns to develop trust and courage that she will one day find her moon.

There are many pitfalls along the way, and some of her friends will be lost to Spider. Will Flutter discover a way to achieve her dream and still retain her bonds with the friends who have nurtured and protected her?

This tale is written clearly and the story flows smoothly. Its length of approximately 100 pages is a bit long for a beginning reader even though the plot sustains interest. I would especially recommend it to middle-grade and young teens, but adults might enjoy it as well.

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UNDERSTANDING BOBBY’S AUTISM DIAGNOSIS: A Social Story

Written and illustrated by Bozena Zawisz

This book explains how an autistic child views his world. It is a valuable reference tool for parents and teachers of autistic children to use to explain autistic behavior. Many autistic children on the higher end of the spectrum are educated in inclusive classrooms. Children can become confused when these children avoid eye contact, have slower speech, and sensitivity to stimuli that other children think normal.

The author uses simple analogies like an abundance of twig branches to explain why autistic children may have difficulty focusing. She talks about teacher adaptations and how they assist an autistic child in learning. Different intensities of the colors of a rainbow is another good example of how all of us are different in the way we behave. Bobby and his friend John have overcome all these difficulties and have become the best of friends. Each of us has unique talents and skills All children need to give and receive respect for these strengths and differences.

I highly recommend this book which contains simple sketches for parents and teachers of elementary school and middle-school children who have contact with children on the autism spectrum.

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