The Happy Hollisters and The Trading Post Mystery (Volume 7)
Written by Jerry West
Illustrated by Helen S. Hamilton
I love the Hollister series of books. They are vintage mysteries that harken back to a simpler life in the 1950s.
Sue has made a Christmas wish for a donkey. When the family receives a telegram to pick it up at the airport in New Mexico, Sue is elated. Soon they notice a note pinned around its neck.
How will the family use this Christmas gift to help other members of their community? What obstacles will they need to solve both mysteries?
Rollicking good fun with black and white illustrations of the period that will bring back memories to parents and grandparents and lots of questions from young readers.
This book is a good read for any age but especially for middle-grade readers.
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Publisher’s Synopsis: Love knows no distance. I Miss You Most helps children through the heartache of distance by showing them how to hold their loved ones near. Whether exploring the seas as pirates or twirling like ballerinas, imagination can bridge even the greatest distance. Because time with those you love is the most magical thing of all!
Ages 3 and up | 28 Pages | Publisher: Tellwell Talent | ISBN-13: 978-0228836070
You can download lots of free activities for this book by clicking on the link below:
Cassie Hoyt is a children’s author and perfusionist. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two sons. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. Inspiration for her books typically comes from her silly boys or fond memories of her childhood. Learn more about Cassie’s upcoming works at www.cassiehoyt.com.
MY REVIEW OF THIS BOOK:
I Miss You Most
Written and illustrated by Cassie Hoyt
What a sweet and charming picture book for preschoolers and primary grade children! This book is written in short rhymes and contains illustrations that are large and vibrant. They are full of expressive, multicultural faces that nearly jump off the page.
The book helps young children from diverse cultures to understand that separation from loved ones is an opportunity for them to reflect about exactly what makes these relationships special. It makes a great gift for a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or child who is missing that special in person connection with someone, whether that it due to the pandemic, work, or living a great distance apart.
The author connects to a child’s favorite shared pastimes and activities. Some examples are pretend play, sports activities, cooking, reading, travel adventures, and aspirations for future careers.
Recommended as a read-aloud or bedtime story, especially for children ages three through eight. Librarians, parents, and teachers should check this one out.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win an autographed copy of Cassie Hoyt’s I Miss You Most and a $100 Barnes and Noble e-gift card!
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
A hardcover copy of I Miss You Most, autographed by Cassie Hoyt
A $100 Barnes and Noble e-gift card
Two (2) winners receive:
A hardcover copy of I Miss You Most, autographed by Cassie Hoyt
The giveaway begins January 7, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends February 7, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
In partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Harper Collins Book Publishers
My review of the book:
The Sea in Winter
Written by Christine Day
Maisie is a seventh-grade student in Seattle who feels like a fish out of water. Until recently, her entire life has revolved around ballet dancing. She has committed herself to a successful career in dance. That world came crashing down when she torn an ACL muscle. Now she has willingly withdrawn from her surroundings and lives a life of misery.
Maisie is part of a blended family. She is Native American. Her mother is Makah, and her stepfather is Piscataway. Maisie’s mother lost her husband during the war in Afghanistan: she later married and had a son, Connor. They are supportive parents who want to help Maisie. She tries hard to fight against the effects of her unforeseen accident and the love her family shower upon her. One thing she cannot resist is her six-year-old brother who adores Maisie.
The family is about to embark upon a trip to visit nearby Makah homelands. Maisie is hopeful that her recent physical therapy will lead her back to her dreams. But it turns out, this trip will not end the way she expects.
Will Maisie find a way back to complete recovery and fulfillment of her dreams or will she need to find a new course?
Day has a magical way of portraying each character in depth. Her description of the sights and sounds of their journey jump off the pages. This novel is a page turner that will have middle-grade readers gripped by the events and the emotions the characters feel as they each complete their journey. Readers will surely empathize and may find themselves associating those emotions with similar experiences. Highly recommended.
Enter for a chance to win a set of two books by Christine Day, including The Sea in Winter.
GIVEAWAY
A hardcover copy of The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
A hardcover copy of I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
Four (4) winners receive:
A hardcover copy of The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
The giveaway begins January 5, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends February 5, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
Publisher’s Synopsis: In this evocative and heartwarming novel for readers who loved The Thing About Jellyfish, the author of I Can Make This Promise tells the story of a Native American girl struggling to find her joy again.
It’s been a hard year for Maisie Cannon, ever since she hurt her leg and could not keep up with her ballet training and auditions.
Her blended family is loving and supportive, but Maisie knows that they just can’t understand how hopeless she feels. With everything she’s dealing with, Maisie is not excited for their family midwinter road trip along the coast, near the Makah community where her mother grew up.
But soon, Maisie’s anxieties and dark moods start to hurt as much as the pain in her knee. How can she keep pretending to be strong when on the inside she feels as roiling and cold as the ocean?
Christine Day is the author ofThe Sea in Winter and I Can Make This Promise, which was a best book of the year from Kirkus, School Library Journal, NPR, and the Chicago Public Library as well as an American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book and a Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book.
What a charming book to encourage children who have social anxiety fears! This book will certainly benefit children who are moving into new neighborhoods or schools or those who are shy and introverted.
Kayla has just begun class in a new school. She desperately wants to follow her grandma’s advice to try new things and the words, “What’s the worst that can happen,?” echo in her brain. But somehow she is afraid to approach classmates or new situations. She feels physical and mental anxiety.
One day, Kayla is invited to a party that will open the door for her.. Kayla also reveals her kindness toward her younger autistic brother.
This beautifully illustrated multicultural book teaches empathy, kindness and social-emotional skills to primary grade children in an easy to understand format. Highly recommended to parents and teachers.
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This book is a series of short stories to encourage empathy and acceptance of differences among members of the human race. The protagonist is named Flower. She is the daughter of the Sun and Moon.
Flower struggles to find her identity. She has trouble and sometimes disrespects her parents who try to teach her. When Flower becomes a bit older, she goes off to search why others do not accept her. Along her journey, Flower discovers that the most beautiful part of our Earth is the ability to respect and accept our uniqueness.
The illustrations in this book are beautiful. Cortes’ sends her readers many worthwhile lessons. However, young children may be confused and need guidance as to how to interpret them.
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Why We Wear a Mask: How a squirrel is helping to stop the spread of Covid-19
Written and Photographed by Lieve Snellings
I am a big fan of the Margot book series. In this new book, Margot’s family doctor, Dr. Sarah shares her concern about a new sickness affecting all her squirrel patients.
The author uses adorable photographs of squirrels exhibiting symptoms of the virus like headaches, upset stomach, shortness of breath, and sore throats to illustrate effects of the virus in a clear but non-threatening way. Snellings shows them wearing masks because they want to protect vulnerable members of their families as well as themselves. The author explains how the disease is transmitted, and exactly what needs to be done to keep ourselves and others safe.
Young readers will inevitably be enthralled with these adorable, personified squirrel messengers of information needed to assist children in understanding this disease without alarming them. I would highly recommend it to parents and educators of elementary school and middle-grade readers.
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The novel Saving Dr. Warren… A True Patriot answers that question through the eyes of a 14 year old boy.
Steve O’Dell loves to write and does it well. But as an eighth-grade student at Needham Middle School, his talent sometimes seems more an embarrassment than a blessing.
Then, on Veterans Day 2001, Steve’s award-winning essay propels him into an adventure twisting through Revolutionary battles and bloodshed. Thanks to the bizarre bequest of a manuscript and a musket ball from a long-lost family war hero, Steve’s journey with the Revolutionary War hero Dr. Joseph Warren begins.
A time-traveling talisman missing from the archives of one of Boston’s oldest historical societies takes Steve through portals of history, where he walks side by side with a real Boston patriot. He makes house calls with Dr. Warren on March 5, 1770, and stumbles onto the bloodstained streets of the Boston Massacre. From the killings of March 5 to boarding tea ships in 1773, Steve’s history book explodes to life as he helps Dr. Warren and forges a friendship with Boston’s True Patriot. Steve watches Dr. Warren launch Paul Revere on his midnight ride, and he helps Dr. Warren dodge British musket balls in the first battles of the War for Independence. With each adventure, Steve tastes the light that ignites The Revolution.
Steve will eventually convince others that the Revolutionary relic he was given really does open portals through time, but he faces his most difficult quest alone—saving Dr. Warren from the onslaught at Bunker Hill. Can he do it? And if he fails, will he ever return to this century?
Saving Dr. Warren…A True Patriot rips through the pages of history. From the Revolutionary War to the vanishing veterans of World War II, to the ashes of September 11, 2001, Saving Dr. Warren demonstrates to both old and young that patriotism, standing like an old oak tree on a grandfather’s farm, has and will endure.
Jeff Mckenna resides in a peaceful Southern Utah town amidst the red rocks that make up National Parks like Zion and Arches. He loves mountain biking over the brightly colored sandstone that surrounds him, as well as new trails he finds when he goes on cross-country RV trips with his wife. Along with reading entertaining historical fiction novels, Jeff believes a great way to learn to love America is by exploring her beautiful landscape and visiting cities and states from sea to shining sea.
Jeff’s love for his country is what has fostered his love for writing. Uncovering America’s history can be messy, but Jeff dives in with both hands to uncover what lies hidden in our nation’s past. He loves to reveal forgotten heroes and help them come alive for young Americans as they race through the pages of his historical fiction novel, Saving Dr. Warren… “A True Patriot.”
Jeff would love to hear about the American heroes you’ve discovered as you’ve dived into history!
As a historian and educator, I applaud the author’s mission to teach young people history while making their journey an entertaining one. I try to do the same with my nonfiction history series.
McKenna pens a novel of historical fiction in which the reader embarks on a time travel adventure. One learns about 9-11, World War II, and the American Revolution. In Part One, readers meet Steve O’Dell, the protagonist. When his eighth-grade teacher announces a Veterans Day essay contest, Steve’s only interest is winning the $500 prize. He gets his best friend Grace to brainstorm with him for ideas, but he decides to pitch the piece only to what he thinks the judges want to hear. When Steve wins the contest, he gets annoyed about the publicity it engenders.
Then Steve discovers an uncle who was a World War II hero. He has been given a manuscript and a musket ball that will allow him to travel back in time to the American Revolution. He walks alongside Dr. Joseph Warren. Steve will find himself at The Boston Massacre and The Boston Tea Party, watch Dr. Warren dispatch Paul Revere, and dodge the musket balls at The Battle of Bunker Hill. Will Steve survive the carnage and find a way to return to the twenty-first century?
This exciting adventure packs lots of historical knowledge inside a compelling middle-grade adventure that will be enjoyed by adult readers as well.
This children’s picture book is beautifully illustrated with soft colors and detailed images of a close-knit family living in a small cabin on the Canadian prairie at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Belle is one of eight children living with her parents. Christmas is nearly here. She is excited. Each family member receives one small gift. Belle cherishes her delightful wiener treat. When she wakes up the next morning, her gift has disappeared! Will her Christmas be spoiled? Read the heartwarming tale to find out.
This multicultural book entertains and educates children. They learn a bit of history, culture and family traditions. Bonus activities include a find the hidden picture on each page, discussion questions for parents and teachers to use after reading, a Christmas cookie recipe, and instructions for a walnut Christmas decoration.
I recommend this book for elementary school and middle school children and their families or classrooms to share.
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Last month, I posted an article on #World Kindness Day. Then I thought about the lack of it.
It seems life has taken us to a place where we no longer value kindness as a trait. In fact, kindness has been replaced with self-importance and wanting to stay impersonal. The question is why has the world become less kind? Is it that we no longer care about others? Do we believe kindness makes us weak? Is the lack of kindness from some global change?
I believe that kindness has become less important in the world today for many reasons:
We’re in a big hurry. Life has become so fast paced, filled with appointments and places to be that we no longer take the time to simply listen to someone.
Technology has taken place of the human face-to-face, voice-to-voice interactions of the past. No longer do we pick up the phone or meet face-to-face to talk to others. Now we spend our time texting, posting, getting involved in others drama or simply playing mindless games on our cell phones, tablets, computers and even our watches.
Technology has allowed us to say it’s okay to be late all the time. After all, we can simply text our friend we’re running late, and they’ll know. It’s taken away the common courtesies of saying thank you, hello, nice to meet you, please and “how can I help you”.
We no longer smile at others when we see them. We no longer sympathize or help someone who is having a rough day. Instead we place an emoji on our social media post or in a text and call it done.
There’s an app for everything. Want to have a relationship? Use this app. Want to order your dinner? Use this app. Are these apps taking away the connectedness we once had that created kindness? I believe they do.
Self-centeredness and greed is another reason kindness has taken a backseat. Many people are focused on their own lives, on getting ahead and doing whatever is necessary to beat the other guy.
People are more interested in taking care of their own self before they reach out and extend some type of kindness to others. We’ve become a society of “me first” that wasn’t seen as often just a few years ago.
Our environment causes us to withdraw from others. Living in crowded cities among strangers can make you quickly hide your natural tendency to be generous and kind to others. With crime, kidnappings, murders and other fears running wild in many cities, people have found it safer to keep to themselves. Road rage keeps people from stopping to help someone with car trouble.
Family structure has changed. Our upbringingwas different 30 years ago. We believed in helping each other. Neighbors looked out for each other. People weren’t afraid to help the poor and needy. People and children were taught to respect others and to be trustworthy and honest.
Today people are more afraid to show their kindness. Society is deeply divided. There is fear that we will be attacked for what we say or do. We don’t want to appear vulnerable and to get hurt so we attack with words and actions as a way to self-protect ourselves.
Kindness has taken a backseat to greed, technology, poor manners and the environment we live in. Instead of showing kindness we’re afraid to be seen as the nice guy because we might be taken advantage of.
I do not mean to imply all is lost. Like my Little Miss HISTORY character, I prefer to look at the world through rose-colored glasses. There are many philanthropic organizations out there that strive to alleviate suffering and help those in need. But I think we all need to be consciously aware of how easy it is to shut others out because we are too much wrapped up in ourselves.
Eight-year-old Ethan lives with his hard-working dad. Ethan is not looking forward to summer when he will be alone six days a week. Ethan does not make friends easily; the neighborhood kids make fun of him because his last name is Broom.
Life changes when Ethan’s dad comes home with a box that he found. It contains two glass dragons. Ethan’s dad hopes they will entertain his son. Ethan does not think much of this gift until he picks one of the dragons up and is transported to a magical land called Steorra. He gets the opportunity to ride on a dragon, meet a talking penguin, and envision a sky filled with stars.
When Ethan’s neighbor, Amelia, comes to visit, she picks up the orange dragon. They are both transported to Steorra where more adventures and new characters await them. Amelia encourages Ethan to be more outgoing. The book ends with the promise of many more adventures.
I would classify this book as a beginning chapter book. It contains just over one hundred pages filled with black and white illustrations. It is also a good choice for reluctant readers or adults seeking a fun read-aloud that can be utilized as a serial bedtime story for younger children.
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January 17, 2021
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