Chanterelle is a squirrel who lives in the park. She possesses an unusual passion for music. Chanterelle longs to hear musicians play each summer.
One day she hears music in the distance. Chanterelle is hesitant to leave her surroundings, but the sweet sounds lure her on. A raven gives her some advice. He encourages her not to be afraid. Chanterelle timidly ventures forth into the city.
Chanterelle meets Nina and her handicapped father. Nina plays a balalaika, the source of that sweet sound. But Chanterelle will also encounter bandits, bullies, and other dangers. Will she succeed in returning to the forest? Can this plucky squirrel achieve her musical dreams?
I consider this book a beginning chapter or middle-grade tale that inspires young readers to stand up for their rights, maintain their dreams, and oppose bullies. Recommended for readers ages seven through twelve.
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This is the first book in a series for middle-grade readers who enjoy sci-fi, adventure and fantasy. Patrick and Trish are the male and female protagonists. They have been selected along with ten other children to travel to the planet Grimline-8..
All participants under the age of seventeen will spend the five year journey in cryogenic sleep. While in their pods, the children will be playing video games. That may sound like a dream come true for some middle-grade students. On the other hand, Patrick and Trish will be facing zombies, pirates, wolves, and the like in their virtual world. In theory, the skills they acquired would help them to cope in their new world.
The action moves quickly. Perhaps a little bit outlandish for some adults, but an enjoyable adventure read for its audience in grades three through six.
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Subscribe now to get in on the fun! See a preview of available episodes below.
Dorktales Storytime Podcast is classic children’s fairy tales told with a geek-ish twist! Jonathan Cormur is the host (and storyteller) of the family-fun podcast that featuring geeky-retellings of fairy tale classics and true tales about the Hidden Heroes of History. Think Fractured Fairy Tales meets Big Bang Theory and the History Detectives!
Find more on Podcast website: https://jonincharacter.com/dorktales/ You may recognize Jonathan from his work with his mom, Jodi, from Geek Club Books and Zoom Autism Magazine. His new podcast for kids, Dorktales Storytime Podcast, showcases his career as a successful voice actor who also happens to be on the spectrum.
CURRENT EPISODES:
Dorktales Storytime Podcast EP1: What are Dorktales?
Jonathan Cormur introduces himself as the host and storyteller of the Dorktales Storytime Podcast and answers the question you may be pondering, “What ARE Dorktales?”
Dorktales Storytime Podcast EP2: Three Little Hogs?! By Karen Simpson Gardiner
The Three Little…HOGS? Who’s heard of that? According to Mr. Redge, our Dorktales sidekick, it’s a classic tale from the fairy tale cannon! Come hear our storyteller recount the story of hedgehogs Porky, Percy and Peregrin, and their ultimate triumph over the dastardly wolf using a glue pot, rapier and a wheelbarrow. According to Percy, “It’s epic, man!”
Dorktales Storytime Podcast EP3: Little Red By Karen Simpson Gardiner
La, la, la, la-la! Have you heard the tale of Little Red Riding Hood? You know, the one about the sweet, innocent little girl in the beautiful red cloak who out foxes the big bad wolf? Well forget that one and think ninja granny with a stealthy rescue plan and fierce tranquilizer dart skills.
Dorktales Storytime Podcast EP4: RumpleTaleSpin By Amy Thompson
“Rump, who?” asks Mr. Redge as Jonathan spins the tall tale of Daphne, the Miller’s daughter, who must spin thread into gold for a greedy king. It’s an epic yarn involving a magical lawn gnome, a clever guessing game and a Wizard of Oz ending!
Dorktales Storytime Podcast EP5: Mary Golda Ross Hidden Heroes of History By Molly Murphy
The true tale of a woman who reached for the stars! Mary Golda Ross was one of the first women to rise in the ranks of engineering and one of the first Native Americans in the field. Her work in the early days of spaceflight was very important and is still to this day.
Dorktales Storytime Podcast EP6: The Prickly Duckling By Amy Thompson
After the quacks and croaks of laughter from his siblings and bullying bullfrog, the poor little duckling waddles off through the marshes to find someone who will accept and love him. What about the gaggle of goslings? Or the brood of chicks? “No one understands me! I’ll never fit in,” he cries until he bumps into the best version of himself.
Dorktales Storytime Podcast EP7: The Emperor’s New Quills By Amy Thompson
Is the fancy fabric for the emperor’s new clothes really invisible to those who are not worthy? Or is this a case of double-dealing dupery by two wily weavers for the right boy to blurt out the naked truth.
Dorktales Storytime Podcast EP8: Louis Armstrong Hidden Heroes of History By Molly Murphy
A tale of Mississippi river boats, parasol parades and breaking racial barriers! A man that built a music legacy and a legacy beyond music—Louis Armstrong transformed jazz music and became the beloved “Ambassador Satch” who performed all over the world! So much of his life was about a deep passion for music and using it to bring people together.
The Adventures of Tweet Tweet: A really awesome Penguin
Written and illustrated by Eleanor Wint and Lois Wint-Rose
This sweet little story is coauthored by a grandmother and nine-year-old granddaughter. It is based on a stuffed penguin who is personified in this tale.
Tweet-Tweet, the young penguin, brings beginning readers on a journey that explains how he broke his wing. Along the way, readers learn a bit about life in the Arctic, how penguins move and communicate, and an accident that lands Tweet-Tweet in the hospital.
Children learn about family bonds, adapting to change, and being resilient. The color illustrations add charm to the story. Readers will enjoy the dialogue format and personification of the characters. Two more books are in progress to continue Tweet-Tweet’s adventures.
Recommended especially for children ages five through eight.
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This book encourages children to be positive and enthusiastic about life and their role in it.
Hawkes uses a little acorn as a metaphor for human growth and potential. The young reader watches a little root pop out of an acorn shell and then traces its path of growth from the earth into a sapling and finally an acorn tree.
I like the use of alliteration and body movements to encourage the reader to participate in the little acorn’s growth cycle. Children are encouraged too find Snippy Snail hidden in each picture. Hawkes includes interactive activities that readers may use to relax and stay calm.
This book may be particularly useful during the pandemic when children are feeling unsettled. Recommended for elementary school readers.
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This book is part of a series that features eleven illustrated character profiles. In this volume, Bram Abrams a twelve-year-old foster child is the protagonist. He has bounced around in foster care since his parents were allegedly killed in a house fire.
Bram has a penchant for getting into trouble. He stays up all night and eats only red food. What Bram does not realize is that he is the world’s last living vampire. After escaping a pack of werewolves, Bram is recruited into a clandestine school for monster kids. His enemies are determined to enlist him in their nefarious causes. Will Bram succeed in outwitting them?
The characters in this series are funny, smart, and outrageous. Just the ticket to attract middle-grade readers seeking a fast-moving sci-fi adventure. Bram learns to face adversity and find the inner strength to solve his problems. Recommended for any age reader, but especially for ages nine through twelve.
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Adelbehrd and his family live in the Roman provinces. Their simple life is suddenly turned upside down when Roman soldiers come to exact revenge for a rebellion in which they played no part.
They randomly choose men to be examples. Adelbehrd’s father is crucified. He and his sister are singled out to be sold as slaves because of their blond hair. Torn from their grieving mother, the two terrified children are carted off to a far-off villa to be enslaved.
For many years, their monotonous life continues. One day, Adelbehrd discovers that his sister is about to be sold. A friend tells him about a group of Britons who rescue slaves. Adelbehrd is determined to protect his sister and hatches a plan to escape. Will they be successful, or will they suffer the dire consequences?
The book appears to be well researched. The plot moves along and keeps the reader’s interest. I would recommend it to those who enjoy history and intriguing characters.
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Princesses Don’t Have Sticky Hair: A Fairy Bedtime Story
Written by Angela Castillo
Illustrated by Cher Jiang
This picture book for young children features princesses displayed in unusual roles. Can they mix with mermaids, brownies or fairies? Do they do homework?
This book explores the potential to assume roles that are not typical and presents beautiful illustrations. Preschoolers and primary grade children might enjoy this short bedtime story.
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The Night the Monsters Came: A Fun Way to Teach Kids Healthy Habits as Part of Their Bedtime Routine
Written by Junia Wonders
Illustrated by Lisa Ciccone
Siblings Jack and Joy are getting ready for bed when Jack warns his sister, the monsters are outside and hungry. He dresses as a wizard and Joy puts on her fairy dress and crown.
As the monsters barge through the door, the children are steadfast. They warn the monsters they are not appealing targets because they follow good hygiene. Why does that turn the monsters off? Read the book to find out.
The rhymes are clever with extensive use of onomatopoeia and bright colors outlining new vocabulary. Illustrations are appropriate and colorful. I highly recommend the book for toddlers and primary grade children.
Publisher’s Synopsis: In the stand-alone companion to the New York Times–bestselling A Wolf Called Wander, a young orca whale must lead her brother on a tumultuous journey to be reunited with their pod. This gorgeously illustrated animal adventure novel explores family bonds, survival, global warming, and a changing seascape. Includes information about orcas and their habitats.
For Vega and her family, salmon is life. And Vega is learning to be a salmon finder, preparing for the day when she will be her family’s matriarch. But then she and her brother Deneb are separated from their pod when a devastating earthquake and tsunami render the seascape unrecognizable. Vega must use every skill she has to lead her brother back to their family. The young orcas face a shark attack, hunger, the deep ocean, and polluted waters on their journey. Will Vega become the leader she’s destined to be?
A Whale of the Wild weaves a heart-stopping tale of survival with impeccable research on a delicate ecosystem and threats to marine life. New York Times-bestselling author Rosanne Parry’s fluid writing and Lindsay Moore’s stunning artwork bring the Salish Sea and its inhabitants to vivid life. An excellent read-aloud and read-alone, this companion to A Wolf Called Wander will captivate fans of The One and Only Ivan and Pax.
Includes black-and-white illustrations throughout, a map, and extensive backmatter about orcas and their habitats.
This book drew me in from the opening chapter. The personified characters make you feel you a member of the whale pod. A compelling adventure that also provides readers with a wealth of knowledge about the dangers of life in the ocean. I highly recommend this beautiful book for elementary and middle-grade audiences. That doesn’t mean adults won’t enjoy it just as much!
A Whale of the Wild is at the top of my book list on the subject of whales. You will find other suggestions as you read on in the blog post.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rosanne Parry is the author of the novels Heart of a Shepherd and Last of the Name, among other acclaimed titles. She lives with her family in an old farmhouse in Portland, Oregon, and writes in a treehouse in her backyard. www.rosanneparry.com
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Lindsay Moore is an artist and writer with roots in Northern Michigan. She studied marine biology and fine art at Southampton College on Long Island and figure drawing at the Art Students League of New York, and earned her master of science in medical and scientific illustration from Medical College of Georgia, now Augusta University. Lindsay Moore lives with her family in Bowling Green, Ohio.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a copy of Rosanne Parry’s A Whale of the Wild!
Five (5) winners receive:
A copy of A Whale of the Wild, by Rosanne Parry
Giveaway begins September 1, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends September 15, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
Interested in finding additional great books about whales?
Here are a few suggestions:
Song for a Whale
Lynne Kelly
Ages 8-12
In the spirit of modern-day classics like Fish in a Tree and Counting by 7s comes the Schneider Family Book Award-winning story of a deaf girl’s connection to a whale whose song can’t be heard by his species, and the journey she takes to help him.
National Geographic Readers: Great Migrations Whales
Lynn Marsh
Grade Level : 2 – 4
Over the course of their 70-year lifespan, sperm whales will easily travel the circumference of the Earth in search of food and the need to breed and find a mate. Males will travel as far north as the Bering Sea and as far south as Antarctica in order to find enough food to sustain their ways of live—up to 700 squid a day! Along the way, these massive beasts battle 30-feet-long giant squids, and each other, to sustain their ways of life.
Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises
Mark Carwindine
Illustrated Martin Camm
Reference book for all ages
Authoritative text, detailed illustrations, and a systematic approach make DK’s Smithsonian Handbook of Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises the most comprehensive and concise pocket guide to cetaceans. With more than 900 illustrations, this visual recognition guide is designed to make identification as simple and accurate as possible.
This book is one of a series covering plants, animals, and other natural phenomena from around the world and is published in association with the Smithsonian Institution.
Baby Belluga (Raffi Songs to Read) Board Book
Written by Raffi
Illustrated by Ashley Wolff
Age one through preschool
Raffi’s most popular and beloved song about the “little white whale on the go” is available in a sturdy board book edition–just the right size for babies and toddlers!
Singing supports and encourages even the youngest child’s speech and listening skills, which makes Baby Beluga perfect for early learning. Join this adorable baby whale in a busy day at sea, culminating in a warm mother-child bedtime ending. With its delightful illustrations, this is the ideal sing-along for a whole new generation of readers.
Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail: A Book about Happiness
Written by Kim Linette
Illustrated by James Loram
A Multicultural Book for Elementary Readers
At least that’s what Koa hears, and so he sets out in search of Wally Whale and the valuable knowledge that he hopes Wally will share.
Determined to discover Wally’s secret to being mighty, Koa follows the whale through waves and reefs, never knowing the truth was inside him all along!
Wally the Whale helps Koa – the little island warrior – learn the real secret to being mighty! And you already have it inside!
It’s a lesson of emotional intelligence that is essential for any child—including Koa, who learns as he journeys through the Pacific with Wally Whale.
Get to know the entire EQ Explorer’s Series—including how we donate 100% of profits to help underserved kids around the world.
November 1, 2020
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