WORD DRAGON: ( A FUN & FAST-PACED CHAPTER BOOK SERIES FOR KIDS 8-11) JUNKYARD ADVENTURES 1
Word Dragon is the first book in an interesting adventure book series for elementary and middle-grade readers. When siblings, Eli and Grace visit an antique store owned by “Uncle Larry,” a nonstop fantasy adventure ensues.
Their dad is searching for a second-hand lawnmower. Eli and Grace meet the lovable but absent minded store owner who loves telling stories to children. Larry gives them a hubcap, a length of rope, and an old Scrabble game with a missing letter. He informs the children they they can use these to go on an adventure, but once begun they cannot return until they solve the mystery to find their way back.
Challenge accepted! The brother and sister head off. They will meet a Word Dragon and avoid fireballs thrown at them along the journey. I particularly enjoyed the word vocabulary list that encourages young readers to expand their vocabulary. Readers will definitely want to sign up for a return visit to Uncle Larry’s store.
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Weeny Meeny is rather young for a witch just passing the 1000 year mark. She enjoys newfound independence as she can now consider herself a mature witch. One thing bothers her. All the other witches fly about town never considering the litter in the streets. Weeny Meeny is environmentally conscious and wants to do something about it so she teams up with her pets, a black crow and a black cat.
Weeny Meeny strives to combine her magic with some hard work. The three friends enlist the aid of some unlikely allies and set to the task. Will the streets of the town be clean for Halloween?
The illustrations are child-like pencil drawings etched in Halloween colors. They add a unique aspect to the tale. While the book is targeted for readers ages three through ten, there is quite a bit of text on each page, which makes me feel it more suitable for a bit older reader or as a child’s beginning reader rather than a picture book for the younger child.
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Publisher’s Book Summary: Vivienne in Paris follows a young Parisian girl on a journey through Paris to find what makes her tick. Join Vivienne as she discovers the sights, smells, tastes, and sounds of the city that make her feel alive. What better place to explore, observe, and delight in her senses than Paris?
This book tells a story of mindfulness and insight into how the surrounding world can really move you. It unites curiosity, wonder, and marvel to enlighten, surprise, and tickle your deepest spirit. Sometimes it’s the smallest things that bring you the greatest joy.
Owner Entrepreneur, first-generation American, writer, and mother to four children. Maria Castellucci Moore strives to bring passion and enthusiasm to all her endeavors. A lover of all things European, María has found great passion through her travels to Paris, Italy, Spain, and South America. Her affection for winemaking, foreign languages, the arts, ballroom dancing, and traveling has given María a unique and grateful perspective on life. Her love for her family and helping others through charitable giving has enabled María to thoughtfully curate purposeful life adventures.
María Castellucci Moore earned her bachelor of arts degree in finance from Dominican University on a tennis scholarship, and later pursued studying at New York University and the London School of Economics with a focus on global affairs. In 2016, with her siblings, Maria founded Castellucci Napa Family, a luxury wine and real estate brand. María runs her wine label and a family real estate development company in the greater Bay Area. She is a board member of the San Francisco Opera Guild and is enthusiastic about building opportunity and community through the arts.
María resides in Saint Helena, California, with her husband and four young children. She enjoys writing; traveling; attending the opera, ballet, and symphony; flower arranging; winemaking; ballroom dancing; and playing tennis and the piano.
Come tour Paris through the eyes of a child. Vivienne takes the advice of her grandfather who counsels her to experience her favorite places by opening her mind and heart.
Vivienne sets off on her bicycle to revisit her favorite friends and places in Paris. This time she allows her senses to totally immerse her. She smells the food, the flowers, touches the fabrics, feels the wind, sees the beauty of its buildings, and hears its voices. Suddenly, ordinary surroundings flood her body and mind with rich imagery. Vivienne’s readers magically accompany her on a journey that feeds their imagination.
I appreciate the way Moore challenges her readers with new vocabulary, exciting verbs, and fanciful forms. The beautiful illustrations complement the text perfectly and entice elementary school age readers to travel to Paris on an armchair adventure they will want to repeat over and over.
GIVEAWAY
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win a signed hardcover copy of Vivienne in Paris and a Kindle!
One (1) winner receives:
– A hardcover copy of Vivienne in Paris signed by Maria Castellucci Moore
The Haunted Lighthouse: Tales of the Lost and Found
Written by Shana Gorian
Thirteen-year-old Noah Wright and his twelve-year-old sister, Oakley have just begun summer vacation in Westport Harbor, a coastal town in Maine. Noah’s best friend, Andre, and the family dog, Cooper are ready to have some fun. What could go wrong?
Noah possesses insatiable curiosity and takes too many risks. Oakley demonstrates more caution but enjoys action. Andre’s personality tends to be more cautious, but he is also ambitious. Cooper, like most dogs, never hesitates to jump into an adventure.
It takes little time for the friends to snoop around and uncover a decommissioned lighthouse where they find clues about a mystery that has haunted the sleepy fishing village for the past century. An antique boat store, a mysterious shipwreck, and scares from the supernatural combine to create an intriguing novel for middle-grade and young adult readers.
I received an advance review copy from the publisher and voluntarily chose to read and review it with my honest opinions for no monetary compensation.
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Publisher’s Book Summary: Thirteen-year-old Emma Murry has three goals for summer vacation: finish her art terms project, land an ollie, and help the environmental club save the monarchs.
But then her Instagram crush Jeb Scott and his celebrity dad Chester make a surprise visit to Black Mountain. At first, Emma is thrilled, but then she overhears their plans to destroy the monarch butterfly garden to build a ski resort. She and her best friend Sophie add a new summer goal: STOP. THE. SCOTTS.
Emma ignores Sophie’s warnings and makes friends with Jeb, convinced she can change his mind. Then when Chester receives a mysterious death threat, Emma teams up with Jeb to investigate. She slowly discovers people are not what they seem as she attempts to untangle friendships, organize a protest, and uncover supernatural secrets hiding on the mountain.
Emma will have to go through her own metamorphosis by overcoming her fears and facing what she dreads. If she fails, she could jeopardize everything—butterflies, friendships, and her family.
Rebecca Laxton has served school communities as an afterschool program director, reading specialist, and school psychologist. While working for Boone County Schools, she was named the Kentucky School Psychologist of the Year for collaborating with teachers and administrators to write and evaluate an emotional intelligence curriculum.
Rebecca is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Charlotte Literary Arts, and the North Carolina Writers Association. Her short memoir, “Throw Like a Girl,” about playing on a mostly boys Little League team can be found in The Love of Baseball (McFarland 2017). Currently, she is a dyslexia practitioner and enjoys reading, writing and spending time in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband, four kids, and three dogs.
Gracie Laxton is a freelance graphic designer and dance choreographer from North Carolina but is currently based in New York City. A 2021 graduate of Central Academy of Technology and Arts in Monroe, NC, she studied art as part of The Savannah College of Art and Design’s high school joint enrollment program. Currently, she attends Marymount Manhattan College, pursuing degrees in dance and art.
MY REVIEW OF THIS BOOK:
The Metamorphosis of Emma Murry
Written by Rebecca Laxton
Illustrations by Gracie Laxton
Thirteen-year-old Emma Laxton plans three goals for her summer. Emma needs to complete an art project, perfect her skateboarding skills, and plant a garden for the migrating monarch butterflies. She is spending the summer at Black Mountain with her family and best friend, Sophie.
Things rapidly get complicated when the Scotts come into town with a plan to develop a ski resort that will endanger the eco system. To make matters worse, young Jeb Scott develops a romantic interest in Emma. She is determined to get closer to Jeb to derail their family’s plans.
The dialogue in this novel fits perfectly with the characters who represent coming of age teens struggling to find their own identity and express their interests within their communities. Laxton manages to teach art lessons through her chapter introductions. That is an unexpected bonus to reading this novel. This book covers topics that may be of particular interest to middle grade and young adult audiences. I learned about the ollie in the art of skateboarding and the world of the monarch butterflies. The elements of a budding romance and hints of the supernatural keep the plot unpredictable and appealing to a struggling, coming of age audience.
The book kept a baby-boomer engaged; I predict that it will be a page-turner for the targeted pre-teen and young adult audience.
GIVEAWAY
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
A SWAG bag that includes:
– A signed hardcover copy of The Metamorphosis of Emma Murry
– A tote, puzzle, word search, small skateboard sticker, small butterfly sticker, and large vinyl butterfly sticker made with the illustrator’s graphics.
Five (4) winners receive:
– A signed paperback copy of The Metamorphosis of Emma Murry
Do you know anyone who seems to be bulletproof? You know, that friend of yours that takes failures in stride and is always smiling and moving forward in life. How do they do it? You know they’re not immune to setbacks or hardship. They just seem to be able to bounce back quickly. Life’s inevitable difficulties don’t keep them from living the life they desire.
By the way, that person can be you. Mental resilience is something that can be developed. It’s not a character trait you have to be born with. Every time you suffer some type of loss or failure, you have an opportunity to respond with resilience and emotional control.
“Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.”
That is such a powerful reminder that your outlook is everything. The person with resilience chooses a positive outlook. They understand that negative things are going to happen in their life. Yet they don’t allow that to be the end of their journey.
They don’t embrace any single failure or loss as the final declaration of who they are.
Just Take One More Step
Resilience means persisting. You keep going. You push forward and see life’s difficulties as nothing more than challenges. You can either become stronger and more capable or allow a defeat or failure to be a statement of who you are.
This can seem like simple advice, but the truth is, sometimes, the hardship we encounter in life can be truly debilitating. We simply don’t see a way out. The worst of possible things has happened, and there’s simply no way that we see any good coming from this.
When this happens, as it inevitably will in life, just take one step forward.
Don’t worry about some big end result. You may be in a terrible situation. If you are, just make one positive movement.
Have one positive thought. Move in the direction of a positive outcome. Even if it’s miles away, don’t worry about that end result. Just take the first step that moves you a little bit away from the difficulty you encountered.
Never let any single defeat be your final defeat. The instant you decide to relentlessly push forward, you show the world and yourself that you are a resilient human being. You won’t be kept down for long because your unbreakable mental resolve won’t allow you to be defined by defeat.
You can learn to bounce back and help others do the same.
IT IS NEVER TO EARLY TO START DEVELOPING RESILIENCE FOR WHAT LIFE WILL THROW OUR WAY!START TODAY!
Publisher’s Book Summary: Phoebe loves anything that involves brainstorming, like jigsaw puzzles, riddles, and word searches. Her lifelong dream is to solve mysteries like her detective father—or ND, her favorite girl detective. So when a friend’s prized autographed book disappears, Phoebe immediately offers to take on the case.
Enlisting the help of her BFF, Phoebe gets to work searching for clues, interviewing witnesses, and compiling a list of suspects. But when the evidence implicates a friend, she realizes being a detective isn’t all fun and games. Phoebe must find concrete evidence before she points the finger. Can she do it, or will the book bandit get away with the dastardly deed?
Caron Pescatore was born in the United Kingdom. She spent her childhood in Jamaica before migrating to the United States. After practicing as a registered nurse for several years, she entered law school, getting her J.D. in 2001. She worked as an attorney for years before leaving the profession to become a stay-at-home mom—her most challenging career to date. Ms. Pescatore recently returned to law and now works for Legal Aid. Her favorite pastimes are reading, writing, and watching true-crime shows. At present, Ms. Pescatore lives in Florida with her husband and children.
Eight-year-old Becky and her best friend Luana belong to a soccer team. When Becky, a teammate, loses her treasured autographed book, Becky immediately decides to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a detective to solve the mystery and find the thief. The two best friends interview all the members of the team to uncover clues as to the identity of the bandit. They soon realize that the evidence may lead to an unfortunate conclusion.
One of my favorite parts of this chapter book is that the author takes pains to present both sides of the story teaching young readers that it is important not to jump to conclusions without looking at all sides. The black and white illustrations within the chapters are fun to look at and incentivize reluctant readers to sustain interest. Characters are age appropriate and relatable.
I highly recommend the first book of this mystery series to beginning readers and middle-grade readers.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a paperback copy of The Book Bandit, autographed by Caron Pescatore.
Four (4) winners receive:
– A signed paperback copy of A Phoebe Chen Mystery: The Book Bandit
A beautifully written rhyming picture book that captures the imagination of a child and the adult who reads. it.
A child views time through the days of the week, the months of the year, and its seasons. The lovely color pastels complement the mood of the text perfectly. While all of us never seem to have enough time, seeing the concept envisioned through the eyes of a child is refreshing and perceptive. After reading this tale, the mood felt is restful and calming just like the beautiful illustrations.
Recommended for a child of any age, but I feel adults will enjoy it just as much.
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Publisher’s Book Summary: Ten-year-old Molly has always loved having a sister, but sisters are supposed to live together, right? Molly certainly thinks so. Unfortunately, her older half-sister Alison lives on a whole other continent. Their video chats are great, and Molly is thrilled when Alison’s hand-written letters arrive in the mail like surprise gifts.
Still, it’s not enough, not compared to what other siblings have. That’s why when Molly finds out that Alison is finally coming to visit over the summer, she devises a plan to get her sister to stay. But then Alison arrives with plans of her own, a fragile heart gets broken, and Molly stumbles upon a painful piece of her sister’s past. Molly has always loved having a sister, but this is the August when she’ll learn what it really means to be one.
Ona Gritz is the author of two previous children’s books, including Tangerines and Tea, My Grandparents and Me, a Nick Jr. Family Magazine Best Alphabet Book of the Year and Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine Teacher’s Pick. Her essays and poems have been published widely. Recent honors include two Notable mentions in The Best American Essays, a winning entry in The Poetry Archive Now: Wordview 2020 project, two 2021 Pushcart nominations, and a 2022 Best of the Net nomination.
Ten-year-old Molly is excited that Alison, her older stepsister, will be leaving her home in London to visit upstate New York. Throughout the years Molly has carried on a virtual relationship with her sister, meeting only once years ago. Now Alison has graduated university and Molly devises a plan to ensure her visit becomes permanent.
This tale is narrated in first person by Molly. Perhaps she loves Alison too much. Each of the girls have experienced troubles and losses. Molly needs to learn to recognize her sister’s needs as well as her own.
Gritz develops the characters in detail, using apt dialogue that conveys their emotions. She explores family bonds including complex issues like love and loss. The chapters are short and easy to follow. While the book targets a middle-grade audience, it also strikes a chord among adult readers. A great book for a book club or classroom discussion; the author includes starter questions at the end of the story.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a paperback copy of August or Forever, autographed by Ona Gritz, and a glass heart necklace (like one that figures prominently in the story)!
Amy’s dad is ill and she must temporarily move in with her grandmother. She cannot anticipate the adventure that awaits her when she discovers the fairy land of Titania.
This is the first book of a well-written series. The characters, whether human or fantasy, are carefully detailed and endearing. Language is descriptive and appealing with enough twists and turns to keep the plot lively and interesting.
I would highly recommend the book to its middle-grade target audience, but I must admit adults will find it just as enjoyable.
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May 28, 2023
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