Owls: A Children’s Book About Owls: Types of Owls, Owl Facts, Owl Life, and Owl Images

Written by William Widman

There are more than 200 species of owls living on every continent except Antarctica. They live in forests, deserts and the tundra. Owls are raptors or birds of prey. They might be as small as six inches or as large as three feet. Owls are territorial and tend to reuse their nest. They have huge eyes and excellent hearing. Their specially designed wings enable them to be silent in flight and their feather colors help them to camouflage themselves. Sharp and powerful talons and claws assist in capturing and holding prey. Many owls have names determined by their environment like barn owls and snowy white owls. Different types of owls emit different calling sounds; the Great Horned Owl makes the familiar, “Hoo, Hoo sound, while the Barred Owl vocalizes a call similar to a monkey.

The author includes photographs of each type of owl, as well as nesting pictures and owls in flight. They are colorful and detailed. He suggests that you carry binoculars and a journal pad while owl watching in the woods. I really enjoyed the links provided within the book that allow the reader to hear and experience the sounds that various owls emit.

Recommend this book for children ages six and older who enjoy reading about animals. Librarians and teachers should consider adding this nonfiction kindle book to their reference collection.

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The Black Pearl of Osis (Osis Fantasy Trilogy Book 1)

Written by Ingrid McCarthy

Jonathan Alexander Fenton is visiting his Aunt Josie who has just given birth to a baby girl. He is ambling around her studio and glancing at the posters on the wall when he spies one that he does not recognize. The poster shows a girl skipping rope on a cobblestone street surrounded by a tall tower. As he moves closer, Jonathan is literally drawn into the poster. Immediately he engages in a conversation with the girl. He discovers her name is Magenta, she is the daughter of King Cadium, Jonathan has been taken against his will into a fantasy world. Everyone here bears the name of a color, time is governed by the cycles of sun and moon, and danger looms over the kingdom.

Jonathan soon learns that he is destined to free the kingdom from the evil of the black pearl. A sage old teacher named Master Cobalt trains Jonathan. He is able to turn Magenta’s skipping rope into a deadly weapon that can be used to fight their enemies. Magenta, Jonathan, and her dog Monte face all manner of obstacles on their adventure. They meet threats of torture, deadly traps, and must learn to distinguish between friends and foes. At the end of the long journey, the two friends will grapple with the ultimate test of courage and loyalty.

The author keeps the plot interesting by using clever characters and imposing lots of twists and turns. Middle-grade readers who enjoy fantasy, adventure, and magic-tinged with dark overtones should find this first book of the trilogy an entertaining read.

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Gift of Gift: Super Amazing Princess Heroes

Written by Sanjay Nambiar

Illustrated by Sedi Pak

A picture book or early chapter book centering on a trio of princesses who use their super powers to accomplish great things. Kinney, Sammie, and Oceania have just completed building a much-needed school in Uganda. Suddenly Kinney becomes ill; Doctor K’s diagnosis is a hole in her heart. Because the hospital in Uganda is not equipped for the surgery, Kinney along with friends return to the United States. When the girls learn that their friend Gift in Uganda has been diagnosed with the same medical problem, they decide to enlist the help of Betty, their mentor, who is the Fairy Mother Superstar Queen. They return to Uganda resolving to use their super speed, super strength, and flying powers along with the doctors and engineers in Uganda to construct a modern hospital. Gift’s heart surgery is successful, and the princesses’ Fairy Mother has a special gift in store for Gift.

This book is beautifully illustrated with bright,  multicultural photos that will appeal to non-readers. The text is done in large print and is easy to read for the beginning reader. While the story is clearly fictional, the lessons of empathy, selflessness, and friendship will inspire little girls who want to be princesses in their own right.

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THREE COMPLETE HISTORICAL ADVENTURES FOR LESS THAN THE PRICE OF ONE BOOK!

So excited to announce that my newest book, The Adventures of Little Miss HISTORY, Volume 1 is now available in Kindle format as well as paperback on Amazon and in independent bookstores. This book contains three of Miss HISTORY’S New York City adventures to The STATUE OF LIBERTY, ELLIS ISLAND, and INTREPID Sea, Air & Space Museum. Now readers can travel along with their favorite wannabe park ranger to three destinations in one book! Witness in beautiful illustrations and easy to read text the origin, design, construction, and significance of the Statue of Liberty. Walk along the path of the immigrants as they land on the shores of America for the first time at Ellis Island and take part in their experience. Step on the aircraft carrier that participated in World War II, the Vietnam War, the space age and the war on terror. Get immersed in hands-on history. I invite you to come aboard and experience a journey back in time.

Link for KINDLE https://amzn.to/2G3gJh6

Link for Paperback http://amzn.to/2oPu3LY

Sign up for my newsletter to check out the whole award-winning series, find free resource materials, reviews, updates, information on school visits and more on my website:

http://Littlemisshistory.com

If Lou were Me and Lived in… the Ancient Mali Empire

Written by Carole P. Roman

Illustrated by Mateya Arkova

Take a step back in time to the 1300’s into The Kingdom of Mali, the most powerful empire in the Western Sudan. Imagine yourself as a child in a wealthy family living in the capital city of Niani at the crossroads of the caravan road that led to Mecca. Your grandfather and father are important advisers to the king. There is no written language. As the griot, your grandfather’s job is to hold in memory and recite the history of the people.

This book details the story of the Mandinka people. Learn about the culture and religions of the people, the farmers, artisans, and slaves who kept the economy functioning. The roles of family members differed greatly according to gender and order of birth. Foods, customs, and manner of dress are examined. At the end of the story, the author provides portraits of many of the individuals discussed as well as vocabulary words unfamiliar to readers from other parts of the world.

Arkova does a marvelous job of capturing the essence of the text in simple, colorful illustrations that portray its meaning in visual terms. There is an extraordinary amount of information packed into this picture book. Younger children will enjoy the illustrations, but I highly recommend it for children in grades five through eight as well. Wonderful classroom reference resource for teachers to place in their bookcase.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and voluntarily chose to review with my honest opinions for no monetary compensation.

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Margot gets an unexpected visit Nature in Quebec, Pictures of Astonishing Wildlife Book 1

Written and photographed by Lieve Snellings

http://smarturl.it/e7uowx

A charming picture book that combines a heartwarming tale of friendship between a groundhog named Margot and two sisters, and amazing facts that feature the wildlife of Quebec. Lowieske and Marie are two sisters native to Belgium who vacation in Quebec. They share their feelings and enjoy adventures together. Margot keeps her own journal. She shares information about her distant relatives, the squirrels. Readers become aware of the many similarities among humans and the groundhog families.

I found the tale of Eufrazie, the squirrel hairdresser, particularly amusing. Margot enlightens us with photos of the hairdos Eufrazie creates for all the animals who are cheering for the Canadian women in the World Hockey Game. I won’t reveal the winner, but as the sisters get ready to depart for Belgium, they are already looking forward to more adventures with Margot and her animal friends next year.

This beautiful book can be used as an introduction to nature for younger children. There is quite a bit of interesting information about the wildlife of Quebec. As such, the book is a good beginning reader that will sustain interest due to the nice blend of fiction and nonfiction. Children can easily empathize with Margot and her wildlife friends. I would particularly recommend it for children in the six to nine age bracket.

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The Rise of the Olympians Book One

Written by Belle Ward

First book in a middle grade short story series. Lilah is about to celebrate her thirteenth birthday. Her father surprises her with her favorite breakfast of pancakes and bacon. As she departs for school with her older brother, Jay, Lilah looks forward to her first class in which she is studying about Ancient Greece. Mr. Fisher is discussing the Olympians. For some reason, Lilah can’t stop thinking about the lesson.

When Lilah gets home she is surprised by the gift of an angel-winged necklace from her dad. But when she prepares for bed, strange things begin to happen. The necklace heats up, her rainbow colored extensions suddenly become attached to her head, and she experiences a strange dream. The next day, Lilah is invited to join a special dream club. She is astonished to learn that the other members are Apollo and Hades. They think she is the goddess who will help them find the Father of the Monsters. A sudden crash, and all must run for their lives…..Will Lilah cast her fate with these strangers? Will she wake up from this nightmare?

This short story is a good length for reluctant readers. The characters are believable and interesting enough. What some readers may not like is that the tale ends in a cliffhanger. Readers will be left disappointed unless they immediately get a hold of Book Two.

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Today, I have a special treat for my readers, an interview with Carole P. Roman, award winning children’s book author featuring her new release If You Were Me and Lived On…Mars as part of The Children’s Book Review Blog Tour.

1. Why do you choose to write children’s books? I think they chose me. My son’s dared me to write a book. When I couldn’t think of anything but a game I played with my oldest grandson, Captain No Beard was created and the books started taking off. I also wanted to explain about the concept of cultures and customs around the world and so began the If You Were Me series… . It was a natural to start doing the histories. I have a nursery series that I wrote for my grandchildren. Actually, all the books were written for each of my own diverse group. We are big stargazers and this summer spent a lot of time watching Mars make its way across the sky—so I wrote about what it might be like to live there.

2. What do you like best about being a children’s book author? Hearing how much the kids enjoyed the books. Knowing they are reading with their parents, bringing them closer. Hearing that I made something easy for them to understand or how to deal with a problem.

3. What is the most difficult part for you personally in the writing process? Editing. I never see the errors and have had some costly do overs.

4. What is your personal favorite from all the books you have written and why? No favorites! I love them each like they are my babies.

5. You have written books about countries around the world and some of the great past civilization periods. Why did you decide to change course and write about a planet in outer space to which no human has ventured? It seemed sensible. We love learning about space in our household. We have telescopes and we look for meteor showers, comets, and planets. When we travel, we compare the night sky. It’s only a matter of time before one of the young readers in my family makes my book a reality.

6. Will you be writing more books about places that have not yet been explored? Every book for me is exploration. I haven’t been to half the countries I write about and certainly I’ve never time traveled. It’s all about exploration, discovery, and learning to me.

7. What exciting plan for the future are you willing to share with us? I’ve just published a book about Ancient Mali. It was fascinating. The Ancient Mayan Empire is next. Finished Germany and Cuba in the cultural series, and I’d like to do a chapter book. Maybe I’ll explore a desert island…

Thank you so much Carole for stopping by to chat today.

Enter To Win An Autographed Copy Of If You Were Me And Lived On … Mars, By Award-Winning Author Carole P. Roman, And A Stomp Rocket: Ultra LED To Light Up The Night Sky.

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

A copy of If You Were Me and Lived On … Mars, autographed by Carole P. Roman
A Stomp Rocket: Ultra LED set

A bonus autographed picture book selected from one of the 35+ books written by Carole P. Roman

Four (4) winners receive:

A copy of If You Were Me and Lived On … Mars, autographed by Carole P. Roman

A bonus autographed picture book selected from one of the 35+ books written by Carole P. Roman

Age Range: 4-8

Giveaway begins February 7, 2017, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends March 7, 2017, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
Giveaway open to US and Canadian addresses only.
Prizes and samples provided by Carole P. Roman and The Children’s Book Review.
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In the Land of Broken Time

Written by Max Evan

Illustrated by Maria Evan

Translated by Helen Hagon

Charming tale mixing elements of fantasy, magic, adventure, and time travel. Christopher is looking out his window when he sees the circus passing by. He desperately wants to go out and investigate, but his mother refuses because he has been ill with a cold. Christopher sneaks out and arrives at the circus tent. A young girl his age named Sophie helps him gain admission. Their adventure begins when they are chased by a cleaning woman who looks like a witch. They hide in a hot air balloon basket and discover a golden retriever circus dog named Duke sleeping inside. Suddenly the fugitives find themselves aloft. What an adventure lies before them!

The three become friends and allies. Landing in The Forest of Chornos, they discover a magic sundial, and a professor called Temporis Certus who experiments with hourglasses and time.. He gives them advice on how to escape by sailing down a river into the town on the other side of the forest. There the trio encounter a gnome, a nefarious regent and the time machine that could allow them safe passage home. Duke finds himself in a strange predicament. Will Duke ever find his way back to the circus? How will Sophie and Christopher solve the shifts in time and adjust the time machine to return to their past?

This book is targeted for ages six through twelve; it is a chapter book most appropriate for children in grades three to six. The book is well-written, fun and fast paced. There are plenty of surprises and intriguing characters. Nice blend of fantasy with a bit of science intertwined. I hope to see additional books written by this talented couple.

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You can draw Military Aircraft

Written and illustrated by Mike Artell

I was provided a copy of this book and voluntarily decided to give my honest, unbiased review.

Artell has written and illustrated more than 35 books for children and adults. This book is much more than an I Can Draw book. It does include step by step instructions for drawing helicopters, prop planes and jets, which are easy to follow and simple enough for the targeted audience of seven to twelve year old plane enthusiasts.

For me even more important is the explanation of letter codes that the military use to describe the function of each machine. For example, A indicates attack fighter and M signifies that the aircraft has multiple functions. Each aircraft is preceded by an actual photograph along with statistics about size, speed, altitude and function. These are followed by several pages of step by step easy to follow drawing instructions. Perhaps the best feature is the QR code available as an app for each plane. Readers can use it to access videos of actual flight and tons of additional information on each of the fifteen selections. At the end of the book, the author supplies an extensive bibliography which the military aircraft aficionado may access for detailed information.

I learned a lot about military aircraft from this easy read. Even though my artistic ability is generally limited to stick figures, this guide is so easy that I am tempted to make a serious try to draw them. Recommended for ages seven and older.

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