Mishi and Mashi go to Germany: Mishi and Mashi Visit EuropeSeries
Written by Mary George
Illustrated by Lisa Sacchi
This book is part of a European travel series. Mishi and Mashi are two sisters who accompany their parents on travel adventures. The series is intended for elementary school readers.
The author manages to create a pretty comprehensive picture book. Cities visited include Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, and Frankfurt. They visit kid favorites like museums, zoos, castles, and food venues that feature German specialties. Of course, they experience an Octoberfest and Bavarian costumes. Illustrations are pastels done in soft colors.
My first book of the series, but I will definitely come back to read others.
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The Magic Volcano: Molly’s Magical Adventures: BookOne
Written by V. K. May
Although this book is targeted at a middle-grade reading audience with short chapters, it contains all the elements that will please young adult and adult audiences.
Molly Marsh possesses an insatiable curiosity and strong determination to get to the bottom of things. As the book opens, she has departed Australia for Papua, New Guinea. Upon landing, a blue butterfly lands on her nose assuring her things will be okay. Let the adventures begin.
Molly teams up with Michael to explore the island. The characters are well-defined, and the action is continuous. Readers discover all types of useful information. I won’t spoil the plot but will say once you start reading, you will not be able to put the book down.
A delightful chapter book for readers eight through eighty.
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Maya has just died. She finds herself in a heaven very different from what she imagined.
Her spirit guide, Zachariah, whisks her on a tour through her past lives which include ancient Egypt, Greek Sparta, pirates and Vikings, and finally to the plague in medieval London. Maya just wants to be with the family she had before she died.
The book ends with a sneak peek into Book Two of the series which brings her to the papal court in Rome. Characters are interesting enough and the plot moves along evenly.
I found the first book interesting. Recommended for young adult and adult audiences. Not sure if the momentum of the concept can carry on through a whole series.
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!
The author has written a short story based on the characters of his science fiction and fantasy Nsibidi scripts series.
The book series features friends Sasha and Sunny who live in Nigeria. They have special powers that allow them to see lots more than the average person. In this short story, the two friends land at O’Hare Airport in Chicago. They go on a short jaunt to visit the highlights of Chicago. Readers are treated to a tour of familiar sights seen through their unfamiliar eyes.
The book can be enjoyed by those who have not read books in the series but will probably whet their appetite to learn more about life in Nigeria and the mysterious powers they possess.
The series is recommended for ages twelve and older but this book is appropriate for younger children as well.
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Cinnamon the Adventurous Guinea Pig Goes to Devil’s Island
Written by Daniel Turner
Illustrated by Gayle Skinner
This is a delightful beginning reader chapter book. It contains a few simple illustrations peppered throughout to keep the reader interested. The animal characters featuring guinea pigs and Siamese cats are delightful. They provide young readers with models of compassion, kindness, empathy, resilience, and teamwork.
Driven to flee their home because of a volcanic eruption, the animals get lost at sea, captured by the nasty, Captain Blood, and develop a plan to resist their enslavement. Will they be able to escape his clutches? What will the future hold for them?
The book is under sixty pages which makes it a good choice not only for a beginning but also for a reluctant reader. I would also recommend it as a classroom read-aloud that could be used to teach desirable values.
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This novel is an interesting work of historical fiction. It is carefully researched and well-written, though it probably goes a tad too long. Readers are presented with a Blackbeard who may not have been a cutthroat pirate but an early proponent of democracy. Did Blackbeard espouse the cause of the Revolution? Was this the reason the Crown was so desperate to get rid of him? How much of an influence did the pirates’ system of democracy influence the times?
Perhaps Blackbeard’s image as a cruel, inhumane character can be attributed to colorful imagination and oral storytelling passed down through the generations. In any case, Marquis presents an argument that must be considered. Historians spend countless hours sifting through research to form conclusions and these conclusions are often open to multiple possibilities and answers.
I would recommend the book as a thoughtful and interesting perspective on The Golden Age of Piracy and Blackbeard in particular.
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Max, the mouse, is an adorable character. He aspires to be successful in whatever endeavor he tries, Max would like to be a writer, a detective, an inventor, and a hero.
Max’s family is constantly in awe of his adventures. He is empathetic and good-natured, but his enthusiasm leads to trouble no matter what he does. Readers will delight in his exploits both in his barn home and out in the fields where he invents a mouse van to transport his family on a Christmas vacation.
The chapters are short; the vocabulary challenging enough, and the creativity of the plot a real enticement for beginning and middle-school readers. Fans of detective, adventure, fantasy and fairy tales will find the book equally entertaining.
Okapi Loves His Zebra Pants (Endangered and Misunderstood Animals Book 3)
Written by Terri Tatchell
Illustrated by Ivan Sulima
What a cute, rhyming picture book for elementary school readers! Children learn about the okapi, a relative of the giraffe with striped legs. This animal is a native of the Congo.
The fictional tale relates how a monkey makes fun of Okapi’s striped legs. His friend the grey parrot comes to his defense. Still, Okapi is curious about the zebra, who is reported to wear stripes like him. Off he goes in search of the zebra. His journey is dangerous, but he finds friends among the elephants, hippos, and gorillas.
Children learn about diversity and the value of individual differences as strengths rather than weaknesses. The author teaches children how to draw these animals, why they are endangered, and what children can do to help them. Recommended especially for preschoolers to age eight.
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Celebration Babies: Highlighting Special Events for Babies, Toddlers, and Children, from Around the World
Written by Stephanie Seidler
Illustrated by Pete Olczyk
This picture book packs a lot into forty pages. The author covers countries from around the globe and their cultural celebrations. These include celebrations connected with religion, holidays, heritage, and environment.
The description mentions that the book is appropriate for babies and toddlers. While the illustrations will enthrall that age group, the vocabulary and length of sentences are too complicated for that audience. Parents and teachers will need to adapt it to make the concepts clear for them. I would suggest making the font of the text a bit larger so that new readers might be able to handle it better.
Nevertheless, this is a beautiful book to place on a parent or teacher’s bookshelf to celebrate the best of all our cultures and remind children of the beauty of diversity and multiculturalism. I especially recommend it for ages five through nine.
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July 6, 2022
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