Pennygirl is an adorable Lab mix who lived on a farm in Texas with Grandma Adeline. One day Pennygirl is called upon to help Grandma in a time of need. She does not realize it would be the last time she would see her home.
Grandma never returned to the farm, and Pennygirl finds herself in an animal rescue shelter. One day turns into the next, but Pennygirl never loses hope. After a time, Pennygirl learns she will be going to a new shelter, far away in Canada. Does this mean she will find her forever home?
This book is well-written with just enough challenging vocabulary. Though a picture book, it would be suitable as a beginning reader or middle-grade choice for a reluctant reader.
I would suggest it for children ages five through ten.
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A Place for Ace (Charlie Learns to Be a Cowboy Book 2)
Written by Danika Kester
Illustrated by Jeffrey Foster Thomas
A preschool picture book that teachers young readers about life on Grandpa’s ranch.
Charlie is excited because today his herding dog, Ace will begin training for herding cows. Ace accompanies Charlie on his rounds to complete chores. In each instance, Ace appears to be distracted but actually is warning Charlie of danger.
When the time for herd training arrives, Ace appears to again become distracted and undisciplined. Ace teaches children that the traditional pattern of behavior is not the only way to complete the job.
Especially recommended for ages three through five and children interested in ranching and animals.
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This book is written and illustrated by two people who have dedicated their lives to understanding and working with horses. Their passion is evident in the story and illustrations.
The plot features a young boy named Charlie who wants to be a cowboy. When he visits his grandparents’ ranch, Charlie learns the job entails a lot more work than he imagined. A cowboy works hard and trains hard.
The hand-drawn illustrations convery the mood of respect, kindness, empathy, responsibility, and hard work. They are simple and direct allowing preschoolers to visualize the message without understanding the words.
Highly recommended for children who love horses and might want to be a cowboy someday.
Publisher’s Book Summary: Fairytale Land’s baddest girl is about to head to a prince’s ball. A modern, twisted retelling of Cinderella.
Once upon a time in Fairytale Land, there lived Sylvia Locke—the baddest girl around. So bad that her grandparents have shipped her off to live with her uptight Aunt Marjorie and two goody-two-shoes step-cousins. When an invitation to the prince’s ball arrives, Sylvia is determined to attend at any cost, even if it means enlisting the help of an evil fairy godmother (against Fairytale Land laws, but has that ever stopped her?). Along this chaotic quest, Sylvia stumbles into some unexpectedly imperfect friends. But will she also learn to appreciate those who truly care for her?
The second book in the Tairy Fails series of modern, twisted retelling that puts a hilarious, rebellious, new spin on the classic fairy tales. Perfect for elementary school kids and early chapter book readers.
David Horn lives in New Jersey with his wife, two daughters, and a funny dog named Trixie. He is the author of the popular Eudora Space Kid early reader humorous sci-fi chapter book series. He enjoys making kids laugh.
Sylvia Locke’s Cinderella and the Evil Fairy Godmother (Tairy Fails Book 2)
Written by David Horn
Illustrated by Judit Tondora
Sylvia Locke has a reputation for being bad. Her parents disappeared and she lives with her grandparents. In despair Sylvia’s grandparents decided to ship her off to her Aunt Marjorie and twin cousins in the suburbs to learn manners.
Sylvia is distraught. She continues to make mischief. When an invitation to the young prince’s ball arrives at the house, Sylvia weasels an invitation by enlisting the help of an evil fairy godmother, but her plans go awry.
The book contains cute black and white illustrations to appeal to beginning readers. The characters are fun and the humor age appropriate. Cinderella fans will love the twists and turns of this remake of the classic fairy tale.
Although the book is part of a series, this book is independent of the first book. It is not necessary to read them in order.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a paperback copy of Sylvia Locke’s Cinderella and the Evil Fairy Godmother and a $25 Amazon gift card!
September 11, 2024 bamauthorComments Off on NAUGHTY BUT NICE – Sylvia Locke’s Cinderella and the Evil Fairy Godmother (Tairy Fails #2) – VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR AND GIVEAWAY
A young girl visits her grandparents but everyone at the home seems to be too busy to play with her. In desperation, she finds her grandfather dozing on the couch. She takes him by the hand and suggests that they go on a trip. Turns out grandpa has an active imagination as well.
Together, they journey to places on each of the seven continents from the frigid Antarctica to a bustling New York City. Before grandma calls them for dinner, they manage to run through the jungle, swim under the sea, build sand castles and ride on a gondola.
Soft watercolor illustrations, crisp rhymes, and imagination gone wild combine to create a pleasing narrative for beginning readers.
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This book is Part One of a two-part series about a beloved grandpa. Grandpa wants to oblige and help, but he has his way of doing things. When his wife makes a simple errand request, he immediately offers to comply. There is one problem, he has a unique way of achieving that goal.
In this tale, Grandma asks her husband to perform four simple errands to purchase ice cream, pizza, soil, and oranges, but in each case, Grandpa causes great anxiety by disappearing. Grandma is frantic. She calls the family, neighbors, hospitals, and police. Ultimately, Grandpa calls from a different destination each time telling her he is unharmed.
This book has a unique message. Not all people follow the accepted way of achieving our goals. It is okay to be different. Mrs. D’s beginning chapter book contains beautiful, color illustrations, and an important life lesson. I would recommend the book for elementary school readers and would also be an excellent choice for families with members afflicted with early Alzheimer’s disease. Looking forward to Grandpa’s adventures in Book 2.
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.
I am starting a new feature on my blog. Rather than simply reading and reviewing family-friendly books for my audience, I will be taking a peek behind the scenes at the writer. After all, we all want to know the mysterious person behind the curtain. So without delay, let me introduce you to the talented Eugenia Chu, who has a brand new release tomorrow, September 3.
About the Author:
Eugenia Chu is an attorney,
turned stay-at-home mom, turned writer. She lives on a magical beach in
Miami with her husband and son, Brandon, who is the inspiration for her
stories. She enjoys reading, writing, traveling, yoga and drinking too
much coffee. She has
been a presenter at numerous schools, libraries and book festivals.
When Brandon was very little,
the author couldn’t find children’s storybooks to read to him which touched
upon Chinese culture and which included some Chinese (Mandarin) words to teach
and/or reinforce his Chinese vocabulary, so she started writing her own. Brandon
Goes to Beijing (北京)is her second “Brandon” story and first
children’s chapter book.
Brandon
Goes to Beijing (北京), a brand new chapter book by
author, Eugenia Chu, launches on TUESDAY,
SEPTEMBER 3, 2019!As a special bonus, the Kindle Ebook version will be
FREE on Amazon that day, too!!!
Please download this adorable book and if you like it, please leave a review to
thank the author and her illustrator, Eliza Hsu Chen, for all their hard work!
In this story, Brandon and his cousins are on a
trip to visit their grandparents in Beijing, China! While bonding with family,
practicing Chinese, touring historic sites and feasting on local dishes,
Brandon thinks he sees a tiny panda. However, every time he gets close, the
panda disappears! Is Brandon imagining this small creature, or is it real? Will
Brandon find out before he has to fly back home?
Brandon Goes to Beijing (北京) is a multicultural, multigenerational chapter book. This book
includes some Mandarin Chinese (Simplified) with Pinyin pronunciation, adding
layers for those learning or interested in the Chinese language and culture. Brandon
Goes to Beijing (北京)
follows Eugenia’s
debut picture book, Brandon Makes Jiǎo Zi
(餃子)(a story about a boy and his grandma
who bond while making Chinese dumplings, called jiǎo zi (餃子).
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Jessica Wyrd is facing her thirteenth birthday. The last year has been extremely difficult for her. Her parents were both killed in an automobile accident down in Georgia. Jessica is now living with her eccentric maternal grandparents in upstate New York. She misses her best friends, Emma and Hank. In school she is the considered the nerdy newbie, the victim of bullying by students and teachers alike.
Shortly before her thirteenth birthday, Jessica encounters a spiral light and a green haze. A voice urges her to follow the others who are waiting. She meets Dragateen, Torc and Bo, along with other spirits who tell her to shift into another dimension and make the journey to Kiron. Jessica hesitantly walks through an oak tree and enters, but the dark forces of Sartan are waiting to do battle with this new recruit.
Jessica’s journey will lead her to Emerald Pond, Poseidon Pit and mysterious caverns below. She will meet snakes, a slimy octopus, and strange demonic creatures with orange eyes. Jessica has difficulty determining what is reality and what she is experiencing in the “other world.” She receives a special jewel and learns that she bears the mark of the mystic. Still, the decision to use her special powers and whether to become one of the Lightmasters must be her own.
Back here on earth, Jessica is homesick for her friends in Georgia. Wells shifts the story to Jessica’s coming of age conflicts and injects lots of humor in describing the trials and tribulations of a feisty thirteen year old who is intelligent far beyond her chronological age and who must deal with the realities of family, school and death. How does she resolve her conflicts and reconcile two very different lives?
This book of less than two hundred pages is a well written middle grade fantasy adventure that will appeal to readers age nine and up. Lots of twists and turns in plot, humor, and nicely developed characters combined with the kinds of problems kids this age face daily. As an adult, I enjoyed looking back on my early teens through Jessica’s eyes.
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Sweet T is the nickname given to ten year old Tara by her grandmother. Tara has recently celebrated her birthday and has been gifted with a new scooter by her parents. But the North Wind is howling over Kelly Lake; her parents tell Tara that she will have to wait till spring to ride it.
Tara and her two younger sisters are part of a close-knit family. Her grandmother suffers from dementia; and her grandfather has recently moved into the nursing home with her. Tara is experiencing “cabin fever” so she goes down to the basement to look at her scooter. All of a sudden the scooter begins talking with her. The scooter informs her that she has one hour to use her imagination to go outside on a spring day and enjoy her scooter. At first this seems impossible, but soon Tara is whizzing down hills with her sisters on the scooter. Then she goes back in time to imagine a better time with her grandparents in their house on Harriet Lane. A surprise ending makes the reader ask, “What if….?”
This story combines fantasy, whimsy and imagination to tough real life situations like a family dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. The author faces the challenges without belaboring the point. Short chapters and charming watercolors make the book a perfect beginning chapter reader for children in elementary grades. Look forward reading the other books in this series.
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DON’T FORGET TO VOTE FOR THE BLOGGER AWARDS ON NOVEMBER 15. This blog is nominated in the children’s book review category.
December 10, 2025
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