The One That Got Away and other short stories

Written by Margaret Lynette Sharp

Three short and charming stories set in Australia. In the first containing the book’s title, Amanda writes to her sister Sonya from overseas about the love of her life, Thomas, a fisherman who has literally just “got away.” This story is poignant, yet contains humor and an optimistic bent. In the second story, a grandmother struggles with a change of fortunes and the realization that she will have to sell the piano that has given her granddaughter such pleasure. Grandma’s daughter, Angela seems cold and indifferent to her dilemma. The last story brings Caroline back to the beach where she met her true love twenty five years ago. She meets Barry, a young artist, and strikes up a conversation. He reminds her of the man she left behind long ago. A surprise ending brings the story full circle.

The author does a good job of developing her characters and creating the mood for each of these short stories. They are a quick and delightful read. Recommended for anyone age ten and older who enjoys clean well-written short stories.

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War on a Sunday Morning (Home-Front Heroes)

Written by Teresa R. Funke

I really enjoyed this narrative told from the point of view of a thirteen-year-old girl whose life changed forever on the morning of the Pearl Harbor attack. Rose is part of a military family recently transferred to Oahu from San Diego, California. She is missing her friends and still adjusting to life in Hawaii. Her father is assigned to the USS Oklahoma. Rose has an older brother, Lee, who constantly harasses her. She is spending the morning sketching the boats in the harbor. After a morning spent with her new neighbor, Leinana, a meeting up with a Japanese classmate, and an evening of music competitions, the stillness of the following Sunday morning, is broken by an aerial attack.

Suddenly, life on the island is shattered. Rose, her family, and neighbors are placed in terror mode. Families wait to hear about their loved ones, the Japanese are rounded up. No one knows whom to trust and communication lines are broken. The author does a wonderful job of portraying the fear, uncertainty, and human suffering, as well as developing the humanity of the individuals that are affected by the tragedy.

I would certainly recommend the book to young adult and adult audiences. The author targets the book for audiences age nine and older. This book would be an excellent choice for homeschooling parents or teachers of World War II history.

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Hands (a short story)

Written by Joe Bunting

This is an interesting short story. Bunting manages to do a fairly good job of developing the plot and characters in just fifteen pages. As the story opens, Jim is an aging musician who plays for senior citizens in a nursing home. The somber mood is set. Jim has lost his true love, several years ago. His son is grown and living away from home. Jim’s memories and music are the only connections that keep him alive.

The setting switches to a restaurant where Jim has dinner with his best friend, his son, and fiancee. There is a brief discussion about politics that in some ways disrupts the main plot. Nevertheless, the author succeeds in writing a deep, thought-provoking piece filled with metaphors and interesting life scenarios.

Recommended for young adult and adult audiences.

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Zombie Books for kids: Princess of the Dead (from Cinderella)

Written by Dina T. Seth

Do you like classic fairy tales? Maybe you can’t turn down a good horror story? Not the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name of Cinderella. This book is a macabre twist on the fairy tale.

The first scene opens with Cinderella working feverishly tending the home at the edge of the forest. Familiar characters include the wicked stepmother, two ugly stepsisters, fairy godmother and the prince. But in this version the fairy godmother is not the kind-hearted hero, the prince no heroine, and the major players become zombies who are victims of a disease that Cinderella actually initiates. Will Cinderella and the Prince live happily ever after?

This book is cleverly written, though the amount of violence, gore and detail are too probably way too much for elementary school readers. Recommended for middle-school, young adult and adult readers who enjoy fantasy and horror stories.

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Writing Affirmations: A Collection of Positive Messages to Inspire Readers

Written by Rob Bignell

The author describes his own writing journey and uses his experience to motivate and inspire aspirational writers. As a child, Bignell was plagued by an illness that kept him inside at recess time. Consequently, the books in the library became his good friends. Bignell used the knowledge he found in them as an inspiration to act out and create new scenarios. By the time he reached fifth grade, Bignell had written a freelance article leading to positions on his high school and college newspapers. Soon he was teaching writing in college and setting up his own editing service. Struck by the number of excuses for failure and the lack of confidence he noticed in his writing students and editorial clients.

Bignell set out to find a simple and manageable system to remedy these problems. As a result, he published this book to encourage success as a writer. He offers one affirmation per week and urges the reader to follow through with it before moving on to the next task the following week. At the beginning of this program, affirmations are broad in scope. Week 1 says, “I am a writer.” Week 2 follows with, “ I am always ready to write.” As readers move deeper into the program, the affirmations get into the craft of writing. They involve character writing, drafting, outlining, and the amount of energy placed in one’s writing. The last week’s affirmation brings the reader full circle, “ To write is to realize one’s destiny.”

This book provides an interesting and effective motivational tool for budding writers that will maximize results without exerting unreasonable demands on the reader. Recommended for young adult and adult readers.

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Announcing TWO NEW AWARDS for the seventh book in the award-winning Little Miss HISTORY Travels to….book series

THE BRAG MEDALLION

INTERNATIONAL BOOK EXCELLENCE AWARD 2018 FOR CHILDREN’S NONFICTION

Little Miss HISTORY Travels to MOUNT VERNON

Who was George Washington?

Washington is best known as America’s first president, but he was also a military hero. If you asked George Washington what he really wanted to be, he would reply, “a farmer.” Seeking to revolutionize antiquated 18th-century farming methods, Washington experimented with crop rotation, fertilizers, plowing, and plants. The Mount Vernon Ladies Association began restoring his estate to its former glory in 1853. Today the buildings, grounds, and The Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center reveal the real Father of the United States of America.

Amazon Purchase Link: http://amzn.to/2de0vXV

For interviews, review copies, school visits, free printables or book signing events please email Barbara@littlemisshistory.com or use the contact information below:

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACTS

Barbara Ann Mojica
PO Box 112
Craryville, NY 12521 0112
Tel/Fax: 518 325 5199

Email: Barbara@LittleMissHISTORY.com
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Publisher: eugenus STUDIOS, LLC
Contact: http://www.eugenus.com

HOPE TO CONNECT WITH YOU SOON!

3-in-1 Jokes, Riddles & Tongue-Twisters for Kids

Written by Rob Hilario

This book contains roughly one hundred pages filled with one line jokes, riddles, and fun tongue twisters. It is written mainly for an elementary school age audience, but it would be enjoyed by kids of all ages. The book is divided into categories such as animals and pets, school and science, holidays, ghosts and monsters.

The book would provide lots of entertainment for children’s parties or fun for siblings and friends to quiz each other. Any child who loves jokes or practicing tongue twisters would enjoy this book as a gift. Recommended especially for ages six through twelve.

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Alien Kid

Written by Kristen Otte

Charlie Baker is the new sixth grader in Silver Lake Middle School. Middle school is a difficult period in any child’s life, but for Charlie, things are especially tough. Charlie and his family tell everyone that they have just moved to upstate New York from Cleveland, but they are aliens from Jupiter’s moon, Europa. A revolution led to a militaristic faction gaining control. Charlie’s family had to flee in order to survive. The family struggles to blend in on Earth, but their ability to read minds is both a blessing and a curse.

Charlie is bullied by Caden and Jordan. He falls in love with a fellow student named Maya, to whom he reveals his secret. But Maya wants Charlie to use his gift to help others. Charlie is having enough problems trying to understand the culture and the language. He says things like “hot spaghetti” and “oh pug” leaving his fellow sixth-graders mystified. The book focuses on middle-grade issues like bullying, peer-school relationships, and first love. This tale will appeal to students struggling to fit into a new school or neighborhood. The characters are believable and realistic.

Recommended especially for readers in fourth through seventh grades, but the story is well-written and appealing for any age.

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Monsterland Reanimated

Written by Michael Okon

This book follows Monsterland, which was written by Okon under the pen name, Philip Cash. The story begins on the first night after the Monsterland catastrophe. Death and destruction had reigned over the theme park. There were few survivors. Wyatt and his family struggle to find food supplies and clean water. World leaders had been murdered; governments had collapsed. Wyatt will need to move beyond his hometown to contact the outside world and warn them about a traitor.

Meanwhile, inside Monsterland an army of mummies and a strange, gelatin-like ooze, nicknamed the Glob has arisen. Can anyone survive the terrors which haunt the community?

The characters are well-developed. I could not put the book down. Be prepared to be frightened. Looking forward to reading more thrillers from this author. Recommended for young adults and adult audiences.

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Hazelita And The Magic Broom

Written and illustrated by Hope Finning

Hazelita is a destitute, lonely old woman. Every day she wanders from village to village with her only valuable possession, an old broom passed down to her from her mother. At night she knocks on the door of a local inhabitant seeking a warm meal and a place to state. In return, she promises to sweep their home in gratitude for their kindness. Hazelita cries herself to sleep each night because she has no family to care for her. After a while, word spreads around that her broom is magic and that it will grant any wish the family requests.

One evening she comes to a family headed by Thomas who goes out of their way to shower kindness upon Hazelita. The next day, they refuse to allow her to sweep as she is their honored guest. But Hazelita is horrified to discover the next day, that her broom has lost its magic. What will happen to Hazelita now that she cannot pay for her room and board? The answer lies in kindness rewarded. Read the book to find out how.

This book teaches children the value of community responsibility and the lesson that we should not expect rewards for everything we do. I would recommend the book to elementary and middle-grade students.

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