Rusty and the Circus of Doubt

Written by G. Russell Reynolds

Illustrated by Sherrie Molitor

Rusty The Elephant lives in the circus. As a young boy, Rusty believed that he was destined for greater things. The Circus Boss berates Rusty when he doesn’t act like a “normal” elephant. All the other animals bully him. Over time, Rusty begins to lose confidence in himself. One night he cries out for help. A monkey appears and informs Rusty that he has the key to Rusty’s freedom. This monkey works step by step to encourage self-confidence and independence in Rusty. Soon Rusty no longer cares what the other animals think of him. Will Rusty ever achieve his dreams?

This International Book Excellence winner contains beautiful illustrations and a message to encourage children who experience a lack of self-confidence and fear of not fitting in with the crowd. While the book is targeted at children in the six to nine-year-old age group, I feel it is appropriate for older children as well. Well-written and highly recommended for all ages.

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Alicia and the Light Bulb People in Star Factory 13

Written by Barbara Roman

Illustrated by Vladimir Cebu

Ten-year-old Alicia is shopping with her mother for new lamps. Her mood is upbeat as she walks through Walker’s Furniture store two weeks before Christmas. Suddenly, she is mesmerized by a beautiful Christmas tree which appears in the middle of the floor. Alicia stares at its beautiful star and is whisked away to the 13th floor on an elevator that opens to a light bulb factory. She finds herself in a factory where light bulbs are retired after they stop working. Alicia meets Carelia, the fairy goddess who oversees the factory. Carelia informs Alicia that the light bulbs must pass a test to determine whether they might become stars and that she needs Alicia to help her. Alicia is confused and upset. She doesn’t understand why she is needed and how she wound up in a place where there is no past or tomorrow, but she will learn much about unique personalities, utilizing our talents, and working cooperatively. What is expected of her and why was she chosen? Will Alicia ever get back to her world? Did she ever leave it?

This book is a charming fantasy, mystery, and science fiction read. It might be considered both a chapter book or a short story. The fifty-page length makes it a good choice for reluctant readers. Cebu creates dazzling illustrations and the large font size make it a good choice for beginning readers, while the intricate plot and well-developed characters will appeal to middle-grade and young adult audiences.

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The Rocking Horse

Written by Karrie Loomis

I enjoyed reading this chapter book centering on Michaela and Sylvia, two ten and eight-year-old sisters who appear to have little in common. One day while playing in the backyard, they decide to take a walk and get lost. They encounter a ghostly, creepy house. Sylvia persuades her older sister to investigate and the adventure ensues.

While inside the girls discover a rocking horse. Upon riding it, a young ghost named Cindy taunts and threatens them. Michaela tries to calm her sister by spinning a tale, but both girls are afraid they will never see their parents and baby brother again. Throughout the ordeal, the sisters uncover little-known truths about themselves. Cindy reveals a compassionate side of herself and a lesson about strangers the girls will never forget.

This short chapter book of approximately one hundred pages has a powerful safety lesson for its young readers. It is most appropriate for children in the eight-to twelve-year-old age range but certainly an enjoyable read for any age.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/prnewswire/press_releases/Kentucky/2018/10/01/UN14952

We are proud to announce that the Little Miss HISTORY book  series won a Gold, Silver and Finalist designation in three separate children’s book categories

Press Releases > PR Newswire

Readers’ Favorite Announces Its 2018 International Book Award Contest Results

Readers’ Favorite is proud to announce the winners of their 2018 International Book Award Contest, which consisted of thousands of entries in over 150 genres from all over the world.

Oct 1, 2018, 2:00pm EDT

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 01, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Readers’ Favorite has become the fastest growing book review and award contest site on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.

In addition to reviewing for some of the biggest names in the literary industry, as well as the first time independent author, they host a respected award contest which receives thousands of entries from all over the world. Because of their large submission numbers, they are able to break down their contest into 150+ genres, where each genre is judged separately, ensuring authors only compete against books in their specific genre for a fairer and more accurate competition.

Their contest attracts submissions from independent authors, small publishers, and publishing giants such as Random House, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, with contestants that range from the first-time, self-published author to New York Times bestsellers like J.A. Jance, James Rollins, and #1 best-selling author Daniel Silva, as well as celebrity authors like Jim Carrey (Bruce Almighty), Henry Winkler (Happy Days), and Eriq La Salle (E.R., Coming to America).

Over the years, Readers’ Favorite has caught the eye of industry leaders who have graciously offered to support their contest by providing services free of charge. Readers’ Favorite contestants have a chance for the opportunity to have their book made into a movie or TV show, to be published by a multi award-winning publisher, to be represented by a renowned publicist, and to be represented by a respected literary agency. In addition, all authors are automatically entered to win one of more than 200 prizes worth a combined total of $50,000 just by entering the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest.

Please visit the 2018 Award Contest Winners page to view all of this year’s award-winning books. Each award winner features reviews and detailed information about the author, including contact information. Most authors offer free copies of their book to schools, libraries and charities.

SOURCE Readers’ Favorite

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Dragon Grammar Book: Grammar for Kids, Dragons, and the Whole Kingdom

Written by Diane Mae Robinson

I love the way this book makes it simple for children and adults to learn, review and refresh the rules of the English language. The author uses a chapter book approach to highlight parts of speech, sentence structure, modifiers, word agreement, punctuation, and confusing words. Robinson strives to leave no stone unturned. She even tackles ellipsis, brackets, braces, quotation marks, and em and en hyphens, which most readers of this book probably never knew existed.

Who doesn’t love a challenge? At the end of each section, the author provides a mini quiz to test comprehension. When the reader finally reaches the end of the book, there is a mastery test on the contents of the entire book. Robinson links her content to her children’s book series based on Princess Petra and her dragon friend. Illustrations spice up the lessons and make them fun. Readers are invited to sign up for a free coloring book.

I would highly recommend this book for ages nine through ninety-nine. Keep it on your shelf to sharpen your skills and make your writing sparkle.

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Teamed up with Christine Calabrese to discuss

how to make your dream really happen.

If you enjoyed this post, please check out my other videos on youtube. You can find my book series at http://www.LittleMissHISTORY.com or on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or independent bookstores.

Here’s to your success!

THE FLYING FROG

Written by David Yair

Illustrated by Ilana Graf and Natalie Jackson

This is book five of The Flying Frog series, but it stands alone as an interesting approach for children to understand Alzheimer disease. The Rimon children are a clever pair of siblings who are adept at solving mysteries. They accomplish this task with the help of a flying frog named Quack.

In Book Five of the series, Adam Shor is a retired carpenter who is beloved in his town. He is now in the advanced stages of Alzheimer disease. His wife. children and grandchildren watch over him. One day, he walks out of the garden gate. gets confused and lost. The whole town mobilizes to search for him. The Rimon children enlist the aid of Quack. They tie balloons to him and launch him into the forest.

As the story unfolds, children begin to understand the complexities of the disease and the emotional upheaval that it evokes in the family and friends. This story is an excellent way to introduce a discussion about the topic to children. There are a few endearing illustrations that portray the emotional impact of the tale. The book is short at under forty pages, but I would have liked to have seen larger print for the targeted middle-grade audience. Recommended especially for readers in the eight to twelve age range.

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