Blood of a Gladiator: (Leonidas, the Gladiator Mysteries, Book 1
Written by Ashley Gardner
Leonidas is a gladiator who knows nothing about survival. He is tired of fighting and wishes to die. When he is mysteriously freed by an unknown benefactor and gifted to a scribe who used to be a slave, Leonidas must learn to survive in ancient Rome with no marketable skills.
The two major characters could not be more different. Combined with an assortment of minor characters, their journey is unpredictable and touched with tinges of mystery. The author does an excellent job of researching and describing historical details of life in ancient Rome.
This is the first book in a series. It certainly has my attention and I want to read other books in the series.
SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG FOR BOOK REVIEWS EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.
Agent Darcy is a gifted ninja who never misses an opportunity to display her talents. Unfortunately, her younger brother, Steve, does not possess her ninja skills. Darcy never lets him forget it.
Book One in a series portrays Darcy and her cohorts as strong female role models. The sibling rivalry scenarios will ring true with elementary and middle-school readers. I believe the book is a good choice for reluctant readers as well because the characters are authentic and the story moves smoothly and quickly. It also could be an excellent tool for a short classroom daily read-aloud book to open a reading lesson.
Subscribe to this blog to get new book suggestions every Wednesday and Sunday.
Publisher’s Synopsis: Elijah is in Cleveland visiting his grandparents when he finds out that his favorite music band will be performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The tickets are free, but there is a catch: You have to do a scavenger hunt to find band members at various landmarks throughout Cleveland. With the help of his grandparents, will Elijah be able to secure tickets to see his favorite band perform? Pick up a copy of Elijah Goes to Cleveland to find out.
Mark Darden is an author, sports travel blogger, and Chief Content Creator for Buckeye Muscle Media, LLC. Since 2017, Mark has documented his sports travel adventures on his blog, buckeyemuscle.com. Originally from Cleveland, Mark’s first book is IT’S GAME TIME FOLKS!: Quest for 30, a travelogue of his journey visiting all 30 MLB ballparks during the 2017 season. He is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA).
Elijah is so excited to be visiting his grandparents in Cleveland, Ohio. After he arrives, he views a commercial for a concert at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Elijah notes his favorite band will be performing and there is a contest to win free tickets. He immediately asks his grandparents to help.
They will have to scour the city because to win the prize the contestant must follow the clues to a scavenger hunt. During their mission, the family visits the town square, a museum, the zoo, a theater, a park, and the Hall of Fame. Will Elijah win the prize? What does he learn about Cleveland?
I enjoyed the beautiful multicultural illustrations, the map, and the warm family relationships portrayed in the story. Recommended for young children as a picture book, a travel guide for Cleveland, and a beginning reader.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win one of ten autographed copies of Elijah Goes to Cleveland—5 books will have a gift card to one of the following places: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Museum of Art, West Side Market, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Karamu House!
Five (5) winners receive:
A signed copy of Elijah Goes to Cleveland
A gift card to one of the following places: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Museum of Art, West Side Market, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, or Karamu House!
How to Sell a Rock: A Fun Kidpreneur Story about Creative Problem Solving
Written by. J.K. McCoy
Illustrated by Umair Najeeb Khan
Sebastian wants a skateboard, but his father says they don’t have extra money. Does Sebastian give up? No! He decides he will earn the money by selling something. But what? After deciding against his mother’s meatloaf, he comes up with the idea of selling rocks. He is disappointed when none of his neighbors are interested. So he paints them. Still no interest.
Sebastian refuses to give up. A mailman gives him an idea. Will Sebastian get his skateboard? Read about this amazing kidpreneur in this fun picture book. Recommended for readers five through eight.
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.
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books | ISBN-13 : 978-0062838438
Publisher’s Synopsis: As book three of the Greystone Secrets series opens, the Greystone kids have their mother back from the evil alternate world, and so does their friend Natalie. But no one believes the danger is past.
Then mysterious coins begin falling from unexpected places. They are inscribed with codes that look just like what the Greystones’ father was working on before he died. And with the right touch, those symbols transform into words: PLEASE LISTEN. And FIND US, SEE US, HELP US. . . .
The coins are messengers, telling the Greystones and their allies that their friends in the alternate world are under attack—and that the cruel, mind-controlling forces are now invading the better world, too.
After another spinning, sliding journey across worlds, the Greystone kids must solve mysteries that have haunted them since the beginning: what happened when the Gustanos were kidnapped, what created the alternate world, and how a group of mismatched kids can triumph once and for all against an evil force that seems to have total control.
Margaret Peterson Haddix grew up on a farm in Ohio. As a kid, she knew two girls who had the exact same first, middle, and last names and shared the same birthday—only one year apart—and she always thought that was bizarre.
As an adult, Haddix worked as a newspaper reporter and copy editor in Indiana before her first book, Running Out of Time, was published. She has since written more than forty books for kids and teens, including the Greystone Secrets series, the Shadow Children series, the Missing series, the Children of Exile series, and lots of stand-alones. Haddix and her husband, Doug, now live in Columbus, Ohio, where they raised their two kids. You can learn more about her at www.haddixbooks.com.
MY REVIEW OF THIS BOOK
DOUBLE TROUBLE
This book is the conclusion of the Greystone Secrets series. While reading the first two books in the series is not necessary, I would recommend readers do so in to get the full impact of the author’s message.
Book Three begins with the return of the Greystone kids’ mother from an alternate evil universe in which their father has been killed. They all remain in danger. The leaders from that evil world are tying to kill them. Then strange coins start falling from everywhere. These coins are inscribed with messages like please listen and find us. They are messages from the alternate world pleading for help from their evil attackers. The Greystone kids, Chess, Finn, and Emma, partner with their doubles, the Gustano children to slide between the two worlds in a frantic effort to save both worlds and them.
Readers will be intrigued by the notion of mismatched doubles who do not match each other physically but share other familiar traits. They need to overcome their fears and weaknesses, combine their strengths, and use their smarts to defeat the overwhelming forces of evil.
This is a fast-moving adventure that will keep the reader from putting the book down. The characters are believable and richly drawn. Young readers can easily identify with their struggles and empathize with their successes and failures.
Highly recommended for ages eight through eighty-eight.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a set of the Greystone Secrets series, including Greystone Secrets 3: The Messengers.
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
A paperback copy of Greystone Secrets 1: The Strangers
A paperback copy of Greystone Secrets 2: The Deceivers
A hardcover copy of Greystone Secrets 3: The Messengers
The giveaway begins April 6, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT, and ends April 22, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
A very short picture book for preschoolers that teaches young readers not to be afraid to express themselves because their friends might think they are different.
The author uses the scenario of a cat named Dottie who is invited by her friend, Andy to come to a pool party. Dottie loves to swim, but aren’t cats supposed to be afraid of the water? She fears her other animal friends will judge her. How will Dottie solve her dilemma?
Simple, easy to read text and dialogue, accompanied by large colorful illustrations.
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.
Publisher’s Synopsis: Magic is like a dream. Delightful. Terrifying. Unreal.
Rose Alice Anders is Little Luck. Lucky to be born into the Anders family. Lucky to be just as special and magical as the most revered man in town—her father. The whole town has been waiting for Rose to turn twelve, when she can join them in their annual capturing of magic on New Year’s Day and become the person she was born to be.
But when that special day finally comes, Rose barely captures one tiny jar of magic. Now Rose’s dad won’t talk to her anymore and her friendships have gotten all twisted and wrong. So when Rose hears whispers that there are people who aren’t meant for magic at all, she begins to wonder if that’s who she belongs with.
Maybe if she’s away from all the magic, away from her dad telling her who she’s meant to be, who she has to be, Rose can begin to piece together what’s truly real in a world full of magic.
Corey Ann Haydu is the author of Eventown, The Someday Suitcase, and Rules for Stealing Stars and four acclaimed books for teens. She grew up in the Boston area, earned her MFA at the New School, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her dog Oscar.
Rose Alice Anders lives in Belling Bright. Here everyone gathers magic in jars, and it appears that magic can make their world a beautiful place. Her father has the most magic in the town and is widely respected, but as the reader gets to know them better, one learns that appearances can be deceiving.
Rose is called Little Luck by her father. He believes that she will be even more powerful than he. Soon she will reach her twelfth birthday. On New Year’s Day, she will travel with the other twelve-year-old children to Too Blue Lake, where they will gather magic in their jars. Rose’s older brother, Lyle, assures her she will be successful.
Rose has her doubts. Lately, she does not feel lucky. Her best friend Cindy seems to turn away from her, and her father’s mounting pressure on her to succeed fuel her doubts. Things are not going well in the family. Her parents fight often.
When the big day arrives, it brings surprises for everyone. Rose learns about family secrets and the possibility of a vastly different future. What does Rose discover and how will she use this information to create a future for herself, her community, and her family?
This novel brings to light many of the worries and fears middle-grade students experience. As they mature, they begin to question things formerly accepted, learn to manage relationships, and create new friendships based on understanding themselves better.
The author also provides a list of resources for readers who discover themselves in situation like that of Rose. This book is highly recommended as a read-aloud discussion book for classrooms and library book clubs.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a set of books by Corey Ann Haydu, including One Jar of Magic.
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
A hardcover copy of One Jar of Magic
A hardcover copy of Eventown
A hardcover copy of The Someday Suitcase
A hardcover copy of Rules for Stealing Stars
Four (4) winners receive:
A hardcover copy of One Jar of Magic
The giveaway begins February 9, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends March 8, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
Preston’s Positive Thoughts: I Am a Problem Solver Series
Written by Jenelle French
Illustrated by Karina Yasinova
Poor Preston is having an awful day. He is not particularly good at soccer, he gets anxious in math class, and he cannot seem to get the knack of using his brother’s hoverboard. That night Preston reflects about the terrible day and wonders what it would be like if he decided to change his mindset to think he would succeed. Maybe his thoughts would influence his actions and the results?
The next day, he tries out this new outlook. Preston convinced himself he would do well on a test, try his best in art class, and apply himself to learning how to play computer games. Could bad days become best days by replacing negative thoughts with positive ones?
This book is beautifully illustrated with well-executed multicultural illustrations and easy to read text. Parents and teachers of shy, introverted children or those who have trouble thinking before they act will find it a useful tool. Recommended for children in grades one through five.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
This book will go a long way to uplift the spirits of children who feel left out and unappreciated. Louisa is sad because she always seems to be the last one picked for the basketball team. She tells herself she is just as good as the other players. Her guardian angel, Jarnac, suddenly appears. He assures her that it does not matter whether you are chosen first or last. The most important thing is to have fun and treat others the way you would want to be treated.
Jarnac tells her stories of famous basketball players and assures her that having self-confidence and working hard is the key to success. When game time comes around, will Louisa be able to put his advice into practice?
This book is multicultural and richly illustrated. Readers will learn about teamwork, cooperation, and good sportsmanship. I would recommend it for elementary and middle-grade readers who enjoy sports, especially those who need motivation or a boost in their self-confidence.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
September 25, 2022
bamauthor
Comments Off on AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE
Barbara Ann Mojica's BLOG 
You must be logged in to post a comment.