This fantasy novella just short of one hundred pages is set in medieval times amidst dark alleys, cobblestone streets, a wizard’s den and raucous taverns. Gaspar has just spent the night at one of his favorite haunts, The Bag O’Silver Inn where he could pick up gossip on who to target and who was after him. Shortly after, two assassins named Sloat and Weasel confront him in a dark alleyway. An unknown intruder saves his life.
The Council of Guild Masters run the city. These guilds are arranged in a hierarchy of power. Strangely enough the City did function. The wizards had a monopoly of magical artifacts. Gaspar is a petty thief who is a freelancer not a member of any guild. How does he get involved in a dangerous caper? The women of the Merchant’s Quarter had taken a liking to wearing hats that were decorated with magical objects. Some of the wizards began taking bribes, while the milliners took advantage of the fad. Eventually magical artifacts became scarce. Gaspar is enlisted to steal a magical artifact for one such hat. His friend, Hubris, the Spell-broker is recruited separately to steal another. They break into the Wizard’s Hall where they are confronted with a golem, a giant living stone statue. Both thieves must steal an artifact and successfully escape the golem. These partners will discover that appearances are deceiving; the plot twists and turns to reveal new deceptions, and the reader does not foresee the conclusion.
The characters are interesting and the plot well developed in this novella even though the sentence descriptions can be wordy at times. The combination of fashion, mystery, adventure and intrigue are nicely balanced in the right amount for a middle grade reader that will appeal to boys and girls. The golem’s riddles are a nice touch; they will encourage young readers to ponder and philosophize This book can easily be read in a couple of hours or broken up into sections for discussion as a class read aloud.
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.
The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool, 2nd Edition
Written by P.J. La Rue
Illustrated by Aristides Rodriguez
Harmonie and Eros are teenage sister and brother living in New York City. One day a group of teenagers on a subway platform attempt to kidnap Harmonie. Mysteriously, they bear the same tattoo as her brother on their arm. Eros reveals a family secret. They are children of Ares, the god of war, whose children are tattooed at one year old. Most of the children of Ares strive to make life difficult for others, but he is the god of love and Harmonie is the goddess of peace. Their mother, the goddess Aphrodite, whisked Harmonie away before the age of one and gave her to Eros for protection. Eros is determined to safeguard her and tells her they must now live apart to avoid detection.
Eros has arranged for his sister to live in Hawaii. She will live and go to school with four princesses. Each have special powers derived from one of the four elements, earth, air, water and fire. This new group of five decide to call themselves the Mystic Princesses. Alongside the traditional school subjects, they are taught self-defense by Sandi Swordfish. In the afternoon the girls practice their individual powers, always on the watch for their enemies, children of Ares.
Sure enough, Ares was getting impatient; his children find their way to Hawaii. They cause much damage around Coral’s reef castle. Her parents King Neptune and Queen Pearl decide that all the princesses must move for their own safety. Their next adventure will take them to New Orleans where they will live with Princess Catie and her parents. What new adventures await them?
This early chapter book is perfect for children ages six through ten. It does not portray wimpy princesses, but strong, respectful and independent female role models involved in many adventures in which they learn to overcome their weaknesses, act against bullying, and cooperate with friends and family to promote human welfare and peace. Short chapters interspersed with illustrations will maintain interest if the book is read aloud for younger children. Introduce your little princess to this one.
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.
This collection of fairy tales consists of many from collections familiar to readers like Grimm, Arabian Knights, Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Perrault. Some are less familiar such as The Light Princess from George MacDonald.
There are no illustrations in the collection. Certainly some of these tales will inspire the reader to visualize many terrifying characters that might defy illustrations. In any case, I would not recommend them to young children because there is a great deal of violence and some morbidity. The language of these tales is not always twenty-first century and many prejudicial attitudes are displayed within. There is no formal table of contents: the reader must go to the chapter headings to find the name of the tale. Readers will be familiar with many of these, The Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood,Tom Thumb, and Hansel and Gretel. Allow me to preview two of those less well-known.
In One Eye Two Eyes, Three Eyes we meet a woman who has three daughters. The daughter who had two eyes was shunned because she looked too much like ordinary people. She was treated much like Cinderella by her mother and sisters. But one day she meets a woman who gives her a magical phrase to say to her goat every time she is hungry, “Little goat, if you’re able, Pray deck out my table.” So from that day on, Two Eyes never went hungry and her family became very jealous. When they find out her secret, they kill the goat. Two Eyes retrieves the goat’s insides and buries it in front of the house. It produces a tree with leaves of silver and apples of gold that only Two Eyes is able to retrieve. Will there be a happily ever after ending?
The Light Princess tells of a king and queen who are childless for a long time. When a long-awaited daughter is born, the king forgets to invite his sister, Princess Makemnoit, who happens to be a spiteful witch. She appears at the palace without invitation and puts a “light” spell on the princess. This spell deprives the child of all her gravity. The baby floats up and down and has to closely watched. As the child grows, the child develops a love of water and swims in the lake for hours on end. The princess has no sense of balance. The King’s Council of Metaphysians urge her to become knowledgeable of all earthly sciences like history and geology. One day a prince comes along who is determined to woo her. Will he be victorious or will the Aunt’s spell continue to plague her?
The tales are entertaining, if sometimes dark and unsettling. Reading them provides a fascinating base for discussion of similarities, differences and themes in this genre. If you like fairy tales, you will be intrigued by a study of this collection. Be forewarned that these stories are not for the feint-hearted reader. In general I would recommend for children ages ten and above or a reading of selections chosen by adults for younger children.
If you enjoyed 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.
Ruby Lee is a fifth grade student who has just won a contest. The problem is the prize she had hoped to gain was not something she wanted; it was to deliver a speech about her town at the first event ever held to celebrate life in Ruby’s town. Her friends and family congratulate her, but Ruby is terrified. The only time she had appeared on stage at age six had been a disaster because she had forgotten all her lines! Ruby wishes she could vanish into thin air.
Great Aunt Alice comes to the rescue. Alice is a bit of an eccentric who is rumored to have been a somewhat successful actress way back when. One day while Alice is sitting under the tree in the backyard with her dog, Thumbelina, Alice reveals that she will share her Nine Secrets of Becoming a Star with Alice. Over the next week’s time, Alice gradually shares them. Here are the nine secrets:
Be yourself
Practice, practice, practice
Don’t even try to be perfect
What the audience doesn’t know won’t hurt them
Take charge
Give yourself credit
Have fun!
Get ready to do it again
Feel the love
Alice boasts that she has worked with some of the greats of the acting world. One evening she drops a picture signed by Johnny B., which Ruby picks up and places in her pocket for good luck. The big day has finally arrived. Has Ruby been able to internalize her Great Aunt’s tips in her quest to overcome her fears? How will the big speech go over?
This book can be used a guide for anyone, child or adult, who is afraid to speak in public. Ruby’s story is in the format of an early chapter book and is an entertaining read for young readers. The author, who was once just like Ruby, is now a public speaking coach. The cast of characters included at the end of the book is a nice little time capsule of acting greats at the beginning of this century and is a bonus for those interested in the theater and the movies. I recommend this book as an interesting chapter book that promotes self-confidence for those who are shy. Children and adults ages seven and up will enjoy the read.
If you enjoyed 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.
Title: Lobo Goes to the Galapagos (The Adventures of Lovable Lobo) | Author: C.L. Murphy | Publication Date: August 27, 2014 | Publisher: Peanut Butter Prose | Pages:32 | Recommended Ages: 3 to 7
Summary: Lobo returns in this adventure, sweeter and a bit salty this time. This lil’ wolf pup finds that there’s nothing like a little sea air to bring out the best in him and his unlikely tag-alongs. Take a trip to the Galapagos with Lobo and his right-hand raven, Roxy, as they help an injured, new feathered friend return home. Lobo faces some fears and witnesses the joy that comes from helping others in this “birds of a different feather DO flock together” tale.
Book Preview
MY REVIEW: LOTS TO LOVE
What an adorable tale of friends helping friends in need! Lobo, the wolf pup, calls out to his friend, Roxy Raven in his tree when he observes that a creature with blue feet has just fallen from the sky. After patching the creature’s broken wing with a band aid, they learn that his name is Bobby Bobo. They decide that they will help Bobby get back to his home beach..
That leads them on an exciting adventure where they will meet new friends like Sunny the Seagull and Coconut, the sand crab. After visiting several beaches, the friends are still unsuccessful. Will Bobby ever find his home and what will happen to his new friends?
The illustrations are bright, bold, colorful and cleverly laid out to appeal to even the youngest reader. A simple map included at the end is a plus. Murphy uses alliteration and repeat word phrases effectively to make the story lyrical and appealing. There are lots of cute touches like Sunny doing “sand angels.” Children will enjoy this story of animal friends and the lessons they teach about persistence, safety, loyalty and devotion.
I highly recommend this beautiful book as a bedtime story, class read aloud or as a gift to a special child in your life. Appropriate for all ages but especially for preschoolers and children in early elementary grades.
“Who knew geography and learning about animals could be this much fun? Lobo Goes to the Galapagos is my new favorite children’s book and is highly recommended. ” ~ Jack Magnus, Readers’ Favorite
“While Ms, Murphy’s uniquely whimsical and vibrant illustrative style is perfectly suited for the wild, tropical feel of this colorful book, and easily captures young readers’ attention, there is also a subtle, quiet beauty to the storyline’s overarching themes of friendship, trust, perseverance, and goodwill. Lobo’s tenacious and giving spirit are delightfully captured in this fifth installment of puppy-fueled fun. In fact, it’s sincerely so easy to fall in love with “Lovable” Lobo that I’d happily follow this well-meaning, big-hearted, wolf pup to the very ends of the earth!” ~ 5 Star Review, Indie Author Girl, Amazon
“What an adorable story! I read this to my nephew and he couldn’t stop giggling at the silliness of Roxy as well as Lobo’s cute friends Bobby, Sunny, Coconut and Sandra. The author was very clever in portraying a tale of friendship, adventure and excitement that is sure to enthuse young minds around the world.” ~ 5 Star Review, Gina D., Amazon
About the Author: C.L. Murphy
While new to the children’s book writing and illustrating scene, C.L. Murphy (Cathy) has been doodling her way through life since she won a school wide poster contest in the third grade. She’s had the pleasure of working as an artist in residence, creating cartoons and painting murals with the children at local elementary schools. She adores the wonder and curiosity of young children.
She feels that creating picture books is something that she was destined to do, after years of filing away so many ideas, while raising her two sons. She is a member of SCBWI.
She lives amongst the wildlife in an enchanted forest in the beautiful Oregon wilderness with her husband and menagerie. She has always appreciated nature and animals have always played a major role in her life. The inspiration for the Lovable Lobo character came from a wolf that she raised for over 14 years.
Check out her book series and discover that you, too, will find Lobo lovable.
Prize: One winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash prize (winner’s choice)
Contest Ends: October 23, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. The winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If a winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by C.L. Murphy and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
I was invited to take part in the Meet The Character Blog Tour by friend and talented fellow author, Kimberly Sentek
Kimberly Sentek has spent her entire life telling stories–so much so that her parents swear she was born talking. A lifelong resident of New Jersey (and a huge fan of Bon Jovi), Kimberly is owned by two cockapoos, Nico and Tugger. Her first book, Oh Brother!: A Nico and Tugger Tale, was inspired by them, and she hopes to continue writing a series of books about her two furry children.
The fourth book in this series Little Miss HISTORY Travels to FORD’S THEATER is COMING SOON!
What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or a historic person?
Little Miss HISTORY is the name of my character. She is a wannabe park ranger wearing camping clothes and hiking shoes that are three sizes too big. Little Miss is an optimist who views the world with rose-colored glasses guiding her readers on adventures to historic events and places that make learning about history a fun experience for readers of all ages. The character is a real one based on a younger version of myself.
What should we know about him/her?
Little Miss HISTORY is always up to a challenge. She might be skydiving, scuba diving, or repelling. She will do whatever it takes to reveal little known facts in a humorous, pictorial and fun to read format. Adults who come along on her adventures will be amazed at the knowledge they will be discovering along with their children. Teachers will find the series easily accommodates common core curriculum standards.
What messes up his / her life?
Miss HISTORY reveals all the challenges, problems, risks and dangers that the real historical characters encountered in the planning, construction, and events that occurred in the monuments and places that she visits.
What is the personal goal of the character?
Her goal is to make learning about historic events and places a fun experience. Miss HISTORY’s motto is “If you don’t know your history, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” She wants her readers to understand that by learning about the past, you can better shape the events of the future. Of course she would also like children and caretakers to be encouraged to visit these sites in person to explore and learn on their own.
Is there a working title for this novel, and can we read more about it?
All the books in this nonfiction picture book series begin with Little Miss HISTORY Travels to….So far she has journeyed to MOUNT RUSHMORE, THE STATUE OF LIBERTY AND SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK. Next destination will be FORD’S THEATER, which is currently in production.
When can we expect the next book to be published?
Little Miss HISTORY Travels to FORD’S THEATER will be released around the end of this year.
This chapter book is targeted for eight to twelve year olds; the easy going storytelling style and charming illustrations interspersed throughout make it visually appealing as well. I can’t make up my mind which character I love the most, Olivia, the seven year old mistress of the monster’s house or Burrufu, the melancholy monster.
At the beginning of the adventure, Olivia is about to move from the city to a home four hours away in the country. She immediately endears herself to me when I read the note she left to the new tenants asking them to take care of the house and sending them hugs and kisses. Upon arriving at the old three story house, Olivia and her dog Tula begin to explore the home’s nooks and crannies. They hear noises in the attic; her father, Steve, tells her jokingly that maybe it is a monster. Olivia thinks he is making fun of her, and when he assures her that a monster in the house is good luck, she feels relief.
Olivia can’t sleep and goes down to the kitchen to have some milk and cookies. To her surprise she spies a furry white claw stealing cookies! So the adventure begins….Olivia is determined to lure the creature out by setting a cookie trap. She discovers that the monster lives in the attic and is a writer like her father. Because Olivia’s dad spends lots of time in his study writing, she has lots of time on her own. Olivia learns that her friend Burrufu can make himself very large when he frightens people; he is fearful of going outside and scaring people. Olivia wants to make him feel wanted and secure so she tries to provide him with courage. One day Burrufu is discovered and chaos ensues. Will Olivia be able to remain friends with her monster, who is really a talented and sensitive writer or will they both be forced to relinquish their friendship due to the fears of others?
This book contains approximately one hundred pages and ten short chapters. It can be used as a classroom read aloud or read independently as a chapter book for readers in the middle grades. There is plenty of humor and adventure. The plot contains enough twists and turns plus thought provoking issues to challenge the middle grade reader. Highly recommended.
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.
Meet the Velociraptor: Fun Facts and Cool Pictures
Written by Julian Hawking
The author sets out to set straight the facts about velociraptors made famous in the Jurassic Park movie, which are in many ways misleading. They were not huge animals, probably the size of a large chicken; they were appear to have been solitary animals, and they were warm blooded, not cold blooded like the large dinosaurs roaming the earth at that time.
The velociraptor’s name means swift seizer and it flourished in the Cretaceous period about 75 million years ago, shortly before the dinosaurs were wiped from the earth by some disaster, probably a meteor. It probably did not live in the United States but in a hot, arid climate like central Asia because no skeletons have been found in the U.S. Their bones are hollow like that of a bird They probably had feathers, not the scales of cold blooded reptiles. The animal probably stood only two or three feet tall and weighed about 30 pounds similar to the size of a human toddler. Characteristics that the movie presented accurately include the over-sized back feet claws and the serious teeth. The velociraptor had a large brain compared to most dinosaurs and fairly sophisticated sight, hearing and smelling. They probably foraged and hunted for food and had a lifespan of about twenty years. With their long back tails, velociraptors probably had a good sense of balance and could jump very well.
So are we surprised that Hollywood actually modeled the dinosaur in the movie on the larger deinonychus, but changed the name to velociraptor because it had a better ring to it? Children and adults who are into dinosaurs now have the real scoop. I read the kindle version on an HD Fire, but the photos could not be fully appreciated. Print versions show better detail. Recommended for ages eight and up.
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 post.
This book is an interactive adventure for children age ten and above. The setting is Serengeti National Park. A young boy traveling in a Land Rover on safari is our protagonist. He is standing beside the truck taking photos when suddenly it zooms off. No one appears to notice that he is missing. Suddenly he is alone being chased by hyenas faced with his first decision. Should he climb an acacia tree or follow a dried creek bed to get out of viewing range? At the end of each chapter, the reader is given the opportunity to determine the outcome of the story. Each section has two choices. Readers may decide to go back and change their mind or reread the story an entirely different way.
Students will enjoy being in control of the outcome of their adventure. The author provides tips on how to navigate the story on different types of devices. The size of the chapters make them perfect for teachers to use as a short classroom read aloud over a period of several days. Topics are interesting for adventure lovers, environmentalists, animal lovers and enthusiasts of African culture. Highly recommended for reluctant readers. The complexity of text is just right for middle school readers, but is not condescending. As an adult, I found it pleasurable to read as well.
This is a wonderful and innovative book for children in middle grades and older. It serves as an introduction to one of Plato’s works, The Allegory of the Cave, as well as a bird’s eye view of ancient Greece and its importance to the Western world today.
At the beginning of the book, the reader meets the philosopher Socrates and his student, Aristotle just finishing a lesson. Portraits of Socrates and Aristotle are given as well as thumbnails of the poem which has Plato visiting the oracle in the cave to discern its mystery. Side by side with the allegorical tale, the author presents what he calls, “Bites” of Greek knowledge. These include the government of Athens, Mount Olympus and its gods, the Library of Alexandria, Greek education, the Oracle of Delphi, notions of Arete, and Greek architecture, Greek theater, art, religion, and geography. These small bites pack an abundance of material on each page.
The black and white pencil drawings of the allegorical tale are combined with humor to contrast nicely with the colorful photos of sculpture, paintings, and Greek artifacts. Students are introduced to a plethora of subjects in an easily digestible format. Teachers have an unlimited field of possibilities when using this book as jump off point of discussion for history, literature, philosophy, government, art and science. Any child age nine and older should be able to find an area of interest for further exploration. As a historian, I was impressed by the succinct but pithy descriptions and the well balanced text. Highly recommended to parents, librarians, teachers and budding scholars who want to learn about ancient Greece in a nutshell! I am confident that most readers will be encouraged to explore to learn more.
If you enjoyed 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.
October 12, 2014
bamauthor
6 Comments
Barbara Ann Mojica's BLOG 
You must be logged in to post a comment.