COVER REVEAL

In partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Acorn Publishing

SYNOPSIS

WHAT TO DO ABOUT YOUR MONSTERS

Created by Jessica Woo

Publisher’s Synopsis: Meet Kinzie. She has a bunch of fun-loving, slightly smelly, Monsters that live in her room. They never let her sleep at night. But that’s ok, her parents always help her out. Until one day they decide it’s time she learns to sleep on her own. What will Kinzie do about her Monsters?

What To Do About Your Monsters is a heartfelt story about a girl who has sleep issues. At its core, however, the story is not just about having problems sleeping, but about being afraid to try something new.

Ages 0-8 | Publisher: Acorn Publishing | October 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1-952112-10-2

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Woo is an author-illustrator and a mom of two wild things. Her debut children’s book, What To Do About Your Monsters, was inspired by her oldest child. Very quickly after Jessica became a mother, she found that while adults like to sleep, kids are way too busy to ever go to bed. 

Other than convincing her little ones to sleep at night, Jessica’s talents include professional animation, art direction, and illustration. In Illustration, Jessica most recently worked on a concept art piece for Universal. In art direction, her recent project, Dinner Party, was accepted in the exclusive Sundance film festival. Finally, in animation, her work is featured in movies such as Kung Fu Panda, Monster vs Aliens, Shrek 4, Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special, Kung Fu Panda 2, The Croods, and Turbo. 

An active member of SCBWI and 12 by 12, Jessica currently lives in Toluca Lake California with her family.

OFFICIAL LINKS

For more information, visit https://www.acornpublishingllc.com/single-post/2020/05/04/NEW-AUTHOR—Jessica-Woo

GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53494508-what-to-do-about-your-monsters.

This tour is hosted by the Children’s Book Review and sponsored by Justine Avery.

ABOUT THE BOOK

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Written by Justine Avery

Illustrated by Liuba Syrotiuk

Publisher’s Synopsis: For the artist, the free thinker, the uniquely inventive individual in each of us, Think Outside the Box unlocks the key to applying creativity to daily life and turning any problem or worry inside out.

Designed to define out-of-the-box thinking for the youngest of us, this fun and unique illustrative journey reminds us all how simple and practical it can be to apply a new perspective to even the most daunting challenges.

Think Outside the Box is an at-home library must-have for any future idealist, instigator, activist, maverick, or mover and shaker—and every individual.

Ages 4+ | Publisher: Suteki Creative | July 14, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1948124577

PURCHASE LINKS

https://amzn.to/2UBSxdz

MY REVIEW OF THE BOOK

Changing Things Up

Think Outside the Box

Written by Justine Avery

Illustrated by Liuba Syrotiuk

This delightful picture book invites children to explore innovative ways of thinking. It appeals to a wide audience because the illustrations allow young children to grasp the message, while a careful consideration of the message is just as appropriate for middle-grade readers.

Avery encourages her readers to go beyond following the rules. Children might also use their imagination to explore doing things differently. For example, why not examine a problem by standing in someone else’s shoes or looking at it from someone else’s point of view. Take things apart and put them together a new way, stop and wait for inspiration or be brave and do something you are scared to try.

Syotiuk’s unique, bold illustrations combine color and abstract design that align well with the message. I highly recommend this book for children ages four through twelve.

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a Think Outside the Box prize pack!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A hardcover copy of Think Outside the Box.
• A pair of Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablets.
• A Creative Thinking in a Jar set.

Ten (10) winners receive:

• A hardcover copy of Think Outside the Box.

Ten (10) winners receive:

• A paperback copy of Think Outside the Box.

Giveaway begins June 15, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends July 15, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

To Enter click on link below:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3d5cb282172

TOUR SCHEDULE

June 15	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	Book Review
June 16	Tales of A Wanna-Be SuperHero Mom	http://wannabesuperheromom.blogspot.com/	Book Review	Pay
June 17	Life Is What It’s Called	http://lifeiswhatitscalled.blogspot.com/	Interview	No Pay
June 18	Over Coffee Conversations	https://www.gmarciano.blogspot.com	Giveaway	No Pay
June 19	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com	Book Review	Pay – Amazon Gift Card
June 22	Teacher Dance	https://www.teacherdance.org/	Book Review	Pay-Amazon Gift Card
June 23	icefairy’s Treasure Chest	http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/	Book Review	Pay-Amazon Gift Card
June 24	Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog	https://bamauthor.me	Book Review	Pay
June 25	Confessions of a Book Addict	http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.com/	Giveaway	Pay
June 26	Heart to Heart	https://tynea-lewis.com/	Book Review	Pay
June 29	Word Spelunking	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/	Book Review	Pay
June 30	Fairview Elementary School (Library)	https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/	Book Review	Pay
July 1	Shooting Stars Mag	https://shootingstarsmag.net/	Book Review	Pay

This book review and giveaway is in partnership with The Children’s Book Review. Please note that 100% of the profits from book sales are donated to COVID-19 relief efforts.

ABOUT THE BOOK

GROW THROUGH IT

Written by Jay Dee

Illustrated by Jacob Chalkley, Darren Geers, Feras Khagani, Mike Shaposhnikov, Ishmam Ahmed, and Axel Schmidt

Publisher’s Synopsis: Ellen is stuck at home. There’s no school and no friends, and Mom is working all the time. It seems terrible until she learns about the choice each day offers: GET through it or GROW through it. See how starting each day with purpose and gratitude can make all the difference! Created during the CV-19 pandemic, 100% of the proceeds from sales of this book are donated to coronavirus relief efforts.

Ages 5+ | Publisher: Kraine Kreative | May 17, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-0989810876

PURCHASE LINKS

https://amzn.to/36kAr4D

MY REVIEW OF THE BOOK

ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE

Grow Through It

This is the first children’s book on Covid -19, which I have read. Dee writes in a graphic novel style to portray in pictures and words the emotions and frustrations of an elementary school child in dealing with the pandemic.

Ellen feels angry because she cannot go to school and play with her friends or resume the lifestyle to which she is accustomed. Her mother tells her that she has a choice. Ellen can choose to spend her time complaining, watching TV, or hiding in her inside tent. Her other choice is to grow through this crisis by finding new opportunities to learn and help others in her community. Ellen struggles with this decision. She shifts back and forth between the two extremes. How can she stay positive? She desperately wants to see her grandmother to celebrate grandma’s special day.

This book speaks to the disappointments children are experiencing. Ellen’s mother provides a good example as to how parents may assist their children cope with this crisis. I would highly recommend it for elementary school age readers.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and voluntarily agreed to read and review it with my honest opinions.

OFFICIAL LINKS

www.krainekreative.com

www.GrowThroughItBook.com 

Facebook.com/krainekreative

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a copy of  Grow Through It, by Jay Dee and a group of six illustrators!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A paperback copy of Grow Through It.
  
• A $50 donation will be made in the winner’s name to UNICEF for COVID-19 relief efforts.

Nine (9) winners receive:

• A paperback copy of Grow Through It.

Giveaway begins May 25, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends June 25, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

Enter the giveaway by clicking on the link below:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3d5cb282171/

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

May 25	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	Kick-Off
May 26	Word Spelunking	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/	Book Review
May 27	Tales of A Wanna-Be SuperHero Mom	http://wannabesuperheromom.blogspot.com/	Guest Post
May 28	Over Coffee Conversations	https://www.gmarciano.blogspot.com	Guest Post
May 29	Jrsbookreviews	Http://www.jrsbookreviews.wordpress.com	Book Review
June 1	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	Book Review
June 2	Shooting Stars Mag	www.shootingstarsmag.net	Interview
June 3	Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog	https://bamauthor.me	Book Review
June 4	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com	Guest Post
June 5	Fairview Elementary School (Library)	https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/	Book Review
June 8	Heart to Heart	tynea-lewis.com	Book Review
June 9	icefairy’s Treasure Chest	http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/	Book Review
June 10	Younger Family Fun	https://YoungerFamilyFun.com	Book Review
June 11	A Dream Within A Dream	http://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com	Book Review
June 11	Woodpecker Books	https://www.woodpeckerbooks.com/	Book Review
June 12	Confessions of a Book Addict	http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.com/	Giveaway

In partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Kat Kronenberg

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win an autographed copy of Kat Kronenberg’s Think Big and a school visit from the author valued at $650!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A school visit from bestselling and award-winning author Kat Kronenberg*
• The Live Big trilogy, signed by Kat Kronenberg
  • Think Big
  • Dream Big
  • Love Big
• A coveted Heart of Star Light-Up Plush Toy
• All of the downloadable activities and extras from Kat Kronenberg’s website

Two (2) winners receive:

• The Live Big trilogy, signed by Kat Kronenberg
  • Think Big
  • Dream Big
  • Love Big
• A coveted Heart of Star Light-Up Plush Toy
• All of the downloadable activities and extras from Kat Kronenberg’s website

Two (2) winners receive:

• The Live Big trilogy, signed by Kat Kronenberg
  • Think Big
  • Dream Big
  • Love Big

Giveaway begins April 20, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends May 20, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. PST.

*Date, time, and school for the visit is to be worked out between the winner and author Kat Kronenberg. The school must be within 2 hours driving distance to a major airport. Click here for the giveaway rules.

GIVEAWAY CLICK ON LINK BELOW:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3d5cb282169/

OFFICIAL LINKS

www.katkronenberg.com: http://www.katkronenberg.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatKronenberg/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatKronenberg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kat.kronenberg/

ABOUT THE BOOK

Think Big

Written by Kat Kronenberg

Publisher’s Synopsis: In the third installment in her Live Big Series, best-selling, award-winning author Kat Kronenberg takes readers back to the wilds of the African savanna where the animals not only still struggle to find food, but now they face life-threatening situations. They must fight to survive and are terrified.

But when our beloved moody Baboon challenges Kudu on what to do, everything begins to change. One by one, Kudu, Giraffe, and Bee are faced with the dilemma of who they want to be. After watching Bee choose to do good, Baboon figures out a new secret: We can light the stars in our hearts, empowering our lives, once we smile big deep within, truly believing in who we are, our ideas, and the importance of caring for others.

The danger continues to mount and Baboon finally gets so scared that he cries out for help. Luckily, some fun animals and Baobab Tree come to the rescue! Will they try the new SHHH secret so their collective ideas not only help all the animals survive but thrive together so that their dreams can come true?

Once again, Kronenberg creates a mythical evolution story of some of nature’s most fascinating characters to teach young readers foundational skills for life in this case, helping them build a loving community that knows the joy of gratitude, giving, and going for the extraordinary. Through playful dialogue and beautiful illustrations, readers learn to take a deep breath when life gets hard, connect their heads to their hearts, and celebrate their best lives as they problem-solve together. As with Dream Big and Love Big, Kronenberg includes hands-on activities at the end of the book and on her website. Her dream is that the whole experience will inspire young readers everywhere to learn to think big together.

Ages 2-8 | Greenleaf Book Group Llc | May 12, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1626347106

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3agKp7w

TOUR SCHEDULE

April 20	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/
April 21	Word Spelunking	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/
April 22	Over Coffee Conversations	https://www.gmarciano.blogspot.com
April 23	Fairview Elementary School (Library)	https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/
April 24	icefairy’s Treasure Chest	http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/
April 27	Rosco’s Reading Room	https://authorshanagorian.com/
April 28	Tales of A Wanna-Be SuperHero Mom	http://wannabesuperheromom.blogspot.com/
April 29	Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog	https://bamauthor.me
April 30	Life Is What It’s Called	lifeiswhatitscalled.blogspot.com
May 1	Confessions of a Book Addict	http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.com/
May 15	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com

ABOUT THE BOOK

Hosted by The Children’s Book Review and Sponsored by Doodle and Peck Publishing

A Flock of Fun

Written by Raven Howell

Illustrated by David Barrow

Publisher’s Synopsis: A young child discovers the solution for falling asleep is not always quiet and silent, like counting slow, slimy snails. Sometimes, a room full of happy dances, shirts in a tie-dyed swirl, and mischief-making sheep are just the ticket!

Ages 3-8 | Publisher: Doodle and Peck Publishing | February 2, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1733717083

Available Here: https://amzn.to/2HTAo4o

My Review

NO SLEEP FOR THE WEARY

A Flock of Fun

Written by Raven Howell

Illustrated by David Barrow

A little boy can’t get to sleep. He is distracted by the moonlight shining through his window. Rather than getting up to close the curtains, he decides to stay in his warm, cozy bed and count sheep instead.

The poor child has made a big mistake. The sheep decide to wreak havoc, they toss his toys around, echo animal sounds, play games, scribbled on the walls, and ate his snacks. When the next night comes, the boy changes his mind and counts snails instead. Will this poor child ever get a good night’s sleep?

The richly, illustrated picture book is written in rhyme with rich vocabulary. Barrow’s illustrations evoke a calm mood that contrasts well with the active nature of the mischievous sheep and snoring snails.

A delightful bedtime story for toddlers and preschoolers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Raven Howell is an award-winning children’s author and poet of nine picture books. She writes poetry for a variety of children’s magazines including Highlights, The School Magazine, Humpty Dumpty, and Cricket. Frequently sharing book presentations and writing workshops with children in schools and libraries, Raven also serves as Creative & Publishing Advisor with Red Clover Reader. Her family, long dawn hikes, being at the beach, and munching on warm butterscotch chocolate chip cookies straight out of the oven are all sources of writing inspiration. Visit her website: www.ravenhowell.com.

OFFICIAL LINKS

www.ravenhowell.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atpearthkeeper/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/atpearthkeeper

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pickward/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raven-howell-5a813015b/

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a Raven Howell book prize pack!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A copy of A Flock of Fun autographed by Raven Howell
• A copy of Glimmer autographed by Raven Howell
• A copy of Shimmer autographed by Raven Howell
• A copy of So You Want a Puppy? autographed by Raven Howell
• A copy of Greetings! autographed by Raven Howell
• A copy of My Community autographed by Raven Howell
• A Flock of Fun throw pillow
• A Flock of Fun jigsaw puzzle
• A pair of sheep socks

Nineteen (19) winners receive:

• A copy of A Flock of Fun autographed by Raven Howell

Open to legal residents of 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.

Doodle and Peck is responsible for prize fulfillment.

CLICK BELOW TO ENTER :

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE

March 2	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	Tour Kick-Off
March 3	Word Spelunking	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/	Guest Post
March 4	Glass of Wine, Glass of Milk	http://glassofwineglassofmilk.blogspot.com/	Book Review
March 5	Over Coffee Conversations	https://www.gmarciano.blogspot.com	Interview
March 6	Confessions of a Book Addict	http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.com/	Giveaway
March 9	Rosco’s Reading Room	https://authorshanagorian.com/	Interview
March 10	The Children’s Book Review	https://youngerfamilyfun.com	Book Review
March 11	Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog	https://bamauthor.me	Book Review
March 12	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	Book List
March 13	Fairview Elementary School (Library)	https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/	Book Review
March 23	A Dream Within A Dream	http://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com	Book Review
March 24	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	Interview
March 25	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com	Book Review

My Friend Moose’r McDan

Written by Sky Danley

Illustrated by Alli Coate

A bear is out hunting in the woods when he comes across a moose who is smiling from ear to ear. The bear is puzzled by this moose, Moose’r McDan, who requests his friendship.  The hunter decides to think about this and puts his gun aside. Will the hunter and the hunted become friends? Is it possible to turn potential enemies into friends?

This delightful picture book contains charming, colorful illustrations and rhyming text in bold text that is easy on the eyes of young readers. Recommended especially for preschoolers and kindergarten readers but also a fun read-aloud for beginning readers.

I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher and voluntarily decided to read and review with my honest opinions.

If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS Feed button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.

Sponsored by The Children’s Book Review and Carmen Gloria.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Moon Show

Written and Illustrated by Carmen Gloria

Publisher’s Synopsis: This is the very first children’s book that teaches kids about the moons to other planets in our solar system! Take a tour of our solar system with The Moon and meet his other moon friends on THE MOON SHOW. It also includes fun and positive messages for kids! Did you know that there are many other moons in our solar system besides our Moon? Perfect book for budding astronomy and space lovers! The first book in this Kid Astronomy series, Thank You Mercury!, is in the Best New Space Books 2019 list by Books Authority!

Ages 4+ | Uncommon Grammar | November 26, 2019 | ISBN-13: 978-1950767076

Available on Amazon https://amzn.to/2YlkKGq

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Carmen Gloria was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army, now a veteran, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government and International Politics from George Mason University. She was born in The Bronx, New York and moved to Puerto Rico at the age of ten. She is a member of SCBWI and is a writer, artist, award-winning actress, (experimental) short film writer/director, and even co-wrote two songs in the Billboard Dance and UK Pop charts (Emergency & Overload, as Carmen Perez). After moving to Norway in 2017, she decided to focus on creating art and writing/illustrating children’s books. She started with the Kid Astronomy Series, inspired by her love of space, and her mission to motivate kids to learn and empower them. The first book “Thank You, Mercury” made the Best New Space Books 2019 list by Book Authority.

OFFICIAL LINKS

www.carmengloriaperez.net | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

TOUR SCHEDULE

The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	January 8
A Dream Within A Dream	http://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com	January 8
Word Spelunking	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/	January 8
Younger Family Fun	https://youngerfamilyfun.com	January 8
Tales of A Wanna-Be SuperHero Mom	http://wannabesuperheromom.blogspot.com/	January 8
Fairview Elementary School (Library)	https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/	January 8
Over Coffee Conversations	https://www.gmarciano.blogspot.com	January 9
Rosco’s Reading Room	authorshanagorian.com	January 13
icefairy’s Treasure Chest	http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/	January 14
Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog	https://bamauthor.me	January 15
Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com	January 16

#Giveaway for The Moon Show

Enter for a chance to win Carmen Gloria’s The Moon Show!

Click on the link below:

Win a Copy of The Moon Show by Carmen Gloria

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A hardcover copy of The Moon Show
• A Great Exploration 3-D Solar System set. Includes over 200 glow-in-the-dark planets and stars to hang from your ceiling

Two (2) winners receive:

• A paperback copy of The Moon Show

Giveaway begins January 8, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends February 8, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. PST.

Open to legal residents of 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.

Carmen Gloria  is responsible for prize fulfillment.

Bret Baier and Catherine Wiley

Book Launch

Three Days at the Brink: FDR’s Daring Gamble to Win World War II (Three Days Series)

Yesterday, I went to the FDR Presidential Home & Museum to hear Bret Baier speak about his newest book. Mr. Baier is Chief Political Anchor and anchor of Special Report with Brett Baier at Fox News.

Amazon Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Three-Days-Brink-Daring-Gamble/dp/0062905686/

The author explained how and why he chose to write this book Baier discussed FDR, Churchill, and Stalin’s secret meeting at The Teheran Conference. He spoke about their fears and expectations. Baier revealed overlooked “nuggets” of history that often change the course of history.

The book emphasizes FDR’s strength of character but also suggests his doubts and fears. Both Churchill and FDR distrusted Stalin. Still, they realized that they could not win the War without his help.

FDR gambled with his life to travel halfway across the world across enemy lines to talk. Here the three world giants would lay the groundwork to win the War.

I met with Mr. Baier, and presented him with my own book, Little Miss HISTORY Travels to Hyde Park, Home of FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT & Presidential Library.

Mr. Baier and I share common goals to restore teaching history and civics in our schools from a very young age.

Purchase link https://www.amazon.com/Little-HISTORY-Travels-FRANKLIN-ROOSEVELT/dp/0998915459

Edward Torba’s Matt Monroe and the Haunted House blog tour!

Sponsored by The Children’s Book Review and New Shelves Books

GIVEAWAY
Enter For A Chance To Win A Matt Monroe Series Gift Basket!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A copy of Matt Monroe and the Secret Society of Odontology (Book 1)
• An advanced reader copy of Matt Monroe and the Haunted House (Book 2)
• Dental supplies!

Two (2) winners receive:

• A copy of Matt Monroe and the Haunted House (Book 2)

Two (2) winners receive:

• A digital copy of Matt Monroe and the Haunted House (Book 2)
  • This digital prize is open to worldwide entrants

Giveaway begins October 1, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends October 31, 2019, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

New Shelves Books is responsible for prize fulfillment.

Matt Monroe and the Haunted House, by Edward Torba | Awareness Tour

https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/weblog/2019/10/matt-monroe-and-the-haunted-house-by-edward-torba-awareness-tour.html

ABOUT THE BOOK
Matt Monroe and the Haunted House

Written by Edward Torba

Publisher’s Synopsis: A haunted mansion. A community at risk. A group of teens with mysterious abilities. Strange sightings at the Payne mansion and baffling incidents in the countryside place the community of Kingston on edge. Did opening the portal to Paragon draw evil entities to Kingston? In facing this new threat, Matt Monroe soon realizes he is not the only one who has secret talents. Many of his companions have hidden abilities that are exposed as Matt and his friends confront a terrifying, ethereal foe.

Ages 9-12 | Publisher: All Points Press, LLC | October 15, 2019 | ISBN-13: 978-0985082765

PURCHASE LINK
Amazon

OFFICIAL LINKS
https://edwardtorba.com

My Review

Matt Monroe and The Haunted House

Written by Edward Torba

This book is the second in the middle-grade adventure series featuring the Monroe boys and their select group of friends known as The Brotherhood. Matt and his older brother, Josh, live in the town of Kingston located in rural Pennsylvania. In Book One of the series, the boys discover wooden tablets and a mysterious ring in the attic of the family home. Together with their five friends who all have special talents, they move through a portal to a magical dimension, Paragon. Here they battle the evil one, Damien. During the battle, Josh is wounded by a dragon and still suffers from the injury.

Book Two opens with Matt discovering two children, Annabelle and Nathaniel, dressed in early twentieth century clothing, who a hiding from their evil stepfather. Matt has been experiencing strange dreams and is determined to save these children. At school, there are some curious new additions to the faculty. As the story evolves, new friends are introduced, each of which possesses a strange power. Rico Steele, the school bully, plagues and conspires against Matt and the Brotherhood. The parents of the children also have connections to Paragon.

The story contains magic, tarot readings, fantasy, and time travel as well as the usual conflicts of peer and student relationships. When Halloween arrives, they must all meet at the Payne house once again to confront the evil forces of Paragon. Will the Monroe family and their friends be able to overcome them?

There are many different story elements in this adventure that will appeal to a wide variety of preteen and teen readers. Many twists and turns keep the plot exciting and keep the reader in suspense. For me, the only con was it took a while to get up to speed on the characters because I did not read Book One.

If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe to my blog by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper-right hand corner of this page.

I am starting a new feature on my blog. Rather than simply reading and reviewing family-friendly books for my audience, I will be taking a peek behind the scenes at the writer. After all, we all want to know the mysterious person behind the curtain. So without delay, let me introduce you to the talented Eugenia Chu, who has a brand new release tomorrow, September 3.

About the Author:

Eugenia Chu is an attorney, turned stay-at-home mom, turned writer. She lives on a magical beach in Miami with her husband and son, Brandon, who is the inspiration for her stories. She enjoys reading, writing, traveling, yoga and drinking too much coffee. She has been a presenter at numerous schools, libraries and book festivals.

When Brandon was very little, the author couldn’t find children’s storybooks to read to him which touched upon Chinese culture and which included some Chinese (Mandarin) words to teach and/or reinforce his Chinese vocabulary, so she started writing her own. Brandon Goes to Beijing (北京) is her second “Brandon” story and first children’s chapter book. 

Brandon Goes to Beijing (北京), a brand new chapter book by author, Eugenia Chu, launches on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019!As a special bonus, the Kindle Ebook version will be FREE on Amazon that day, too!!! Please download this adorable book and if you like it, please leave a review to thank the author and her illustrator, Eliza Hsu Chen, for all their hard work!

In this story, Brandon and his cousins are on a trip to visit their grandparents in Beijing, China! While bonding with family, practicing Chinese, touring historic sites and feasting on local dishes, Brandon thinks he sees a tiny panda. However, every time he gets close, the panda disappears! Is Brandon imagining this small creature, or is it real? Will Brandon find out before he has to fly back home?

Brandon Goes to Beijing (北京) is a multicultural, multigenerational chapter book. This book includes some Mandarin Chinese (Simplified) with Pinyin pronunciation, adding layers for those learning or interested in the Chinese language and culture. Brandon Goes to Beijing (北京) follows Eugenia’s debut picture book, Brandon Makes Jiǎo Zi (餃子)(a story about a boy and his grandma who bond while making Chinese dumplings, called jiǎo zi (餃子).

For more information about Eugenia or her books:

Website: http://eugeniachu.com

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