Life in the Gumball Machine

Written by Maureen Bartone

An interesting chapter book targeted for readers in the seven to eleven year age range. On her tenth birthday, Daisy goes for a bike ride with her two best fourth grade friends, Patrick and Michael. Daisy is often considered a tomboy, but one thing her two friends have never persuaded her to do is to play football. When the three friends pause to investigate an old shed, they discover an abandoned gumball machine. Daisy decides that she must have one so she deposits a coin. Soon the machine rumbles and sucks all three of them inside. Little do they realize the adventure awaiting them inside.

Bartone uses lots of human and kid friendly dialogue to describe how the three humans shrink and meet the gumball people and their exciting world. Our three human friends will discover that outside appearance matters little, the real person is wrapped inside. Daisy will experience that football game and face her hidden fears. Lessons learned include how we behave and what we do are a lot more important than how we look.

Daisy is looking forward to her birthday party that afternoon, but things are looking grim that the three friends will free themselves from the gumball world and return to their normal size. The only way to escape is for another person to come along and discover that abandoned candy machine. That does not appear to be a likely possibility. Will the three friends keep their cool and figure out a way to return home? What will happen to their newly found gumball friends? How will Patrick, Michael and Daisy’s lives be changed forever?

The plot of this middle grade chapter book is simple and the text straightforward with enough excitement, surprises and humor to keep the reader entertained and the advice from becoming preachy. A surprise near the end sets the scene for a new adventure. Recommended for children in grades two through six.

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The Tree Within the Tree

Written and Illustrated by Sally Huss

Sally places her message for this story right on the cover: The Importance of Appreciation. Alexander and Charlotte have only two dollars between them. They are walking through a Christmas tree lot on Christmas Eve. The owner informs them that they only have enough money to consider a tree on a pile of rubbish in the corner. There the two children discover a scraggly tree that desperately wanted to become a Christmas tree to make a family happy. The family is poor but determined to embellish their tree. As the tree gazes at the worn furniture and scanty possessions, it is amazed by how family members gather popcorn, aluminum and personal possessions to transform the scrawny tree into the most beautiful tree inside and outside.

Illustrations are simple and classic; this book will not only place smiles on the faces of preschoolers and primary school children, but remind children and adults alike to appreciate the little things and not become embroiled in the materialistic side of Christmas. Recommended as a bedtime story or read aloud for students and families to share.

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The Tiniest Tumbleweed

Written by Kathy Peach

Illustrated by Alex Lopez

Beautifully told tale with two protagonists. The story opens with a Mother Tumbleweed discussing her tiny baby with her husband who is concerned that the tot will be too small to make seeds. At that same time a young baby sparrow is hatching; his father is concerned that the baby will be too small to fly and spread seeds. Both the sparrow and tumbleweed experience sadness as they watch their siblings grow and they remain smaller than their peers. Their respective parents continue to reassure their children that size does not really matter as they teach their young the skills needed to reach their own full potential. When the desert rains come, tumbleweed works hard to make seeds, while tiny sparrow learns to flap his wings and hop. One day as fate might have it, a rainstorm brings the tiny sparrow and the tiny tumbleweed together. They learn how to work together to make each other reach their goals.

This is a beautiful book on many levels. The fictional story teaches children a lot about disabilities and strength of character as well as the value of family support. Targeted for preschool through grade three, the book works on many levels. Beautiful yet simple illustrations enhance the text as a read aloud for preschoolers. Lessons embedded within the text are appropriate for primary grade children. I like the lesson plans included for teachers to supplement interdisciplinary curriculum. Fun Facts could be the start of science projects, and the curriculum questions provide many avenues of exploration for the teacher or parent of a home schooled child. As some other reviewers mentioned, I noted some spelling and editing errors, which is the reason I gave the book four instead of five stars.

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Runaway Smile: An unshared smile is a waste of time (Niditales Book 1)

Written by Nicholas C. Rossis

Illustrated by Dimitris Fousekis

Readers who take the time to read the Prologue will discover the secret of this book. Plot is simple: a little boy wakes up one morning and finds that he has lost his smile. Shortly after, the reader is introduced to a set of quirky characters that will definitely make him smile. The boy’s dog, wears glasses, reads Proust and drives a car. A clothes-eating monster lives in the bedroom closet and ants windsurf across the boy’s breakfast cereal, but the boy is steadfast in his search to find the missing smile.

The boy meets several adult characters on his way to school. A workman, a man walking his goldfish, a king being photographed, the greatest salesman in the world, and a clown, each display smiles that they are unwilling to share with the boy. At school, the boy asks his teacher , but she replies that a classroom is no place for a smile and proceeds to pass out a test! By this time the poor boy is completely disheartened. When he gets home, he asks his mother how to find his smile. She reveals the secret.

The sepia toned illustrations in this book are done beautifully; they capture the spirit and humor of the tale. A poem, “Ode to a runaway smile,” included at the end portrays the cleverness and wit of the author. Adults will understand all the nuances of this story. The simple illustration on the cover is a bit misleading as to the underlying story. Young children will enjoy the pictures but probably won’t grasp some of the concepts without adult guidance. I feel the book is best suited for independent readers who enjoy different kinds of books with an unusual plot so I would especially recommend it for ages ten and older.

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Not Just a Princess! (The Mia Collection)

Written by Mary Lee

Trilogy of books combined into one edition that will empower young girls. Targeted for ages infancy to age six, the stylized, colorful, multicultural illustrations and large simple vocabulary text can grow with a child. Youngest readers will enjoy looking at the pictures and enjoying the read aloud. Children in kindergarten and first grade might use the book as an early reader.

The first book features Mia who generally loves playing princess, but wakes up one morning feeling like anything but a princess. She imagines herself a lioness, a pirate, a starfish and a cowgirl among other things. Mia decides there are many more options a lot more exciting than being a princess. The second books features Mia on her first day of ballet school. Again, Mia discovers a lot more than ballet steps and learns a lot in the process. In the final book of this set, Mia explains that she enjoys eating cookies a lot more than the process of baking them. She uses her imagination to think of other alternatives. The next morning Mia comes up with a surprise for her mom that does not turn out as she expected. But, in the end, Mia learns a much more important lesson about herself and her life.

Parents and teachers who want to delight and inspire their little princesses and instill a strong female role model should check out this collection available in kindle and paperback.

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Rosco the Rascal Visits the Pumpkin Patch

Written by Shana Gorian

Illustrated by Ros Webb

James and Mandy McKendrick live on a farm. They look forward to their annual adventure in late September to the pumpkin patch where they will walk the corn maze, go for a hayride, visit the petting zoo, ride a pony, and of course, find the perfect pumpkin. This year they are bringing their German shepherd pup named Rosco Their mischievous pup promptly finds himself in trouble by stealing another family’s pumpkin. In quick sequence Rosco  gets into more mischief by opening the door and releasing baby sheep. He finds trouble on the hayride, but manages to redeem himself as a hero when James and Mandy get lost in the corn maze. Dad has a reputation to maintain; will he manage to find the children and still have the time to find the perfect pumpkin to carve? After all, every year James has managed to carve the best jack-o-lantern in the neighborhood. When all is said and done, the McKendrick family have an exciting day at the pumpkin patch, while learning valuable lessons in the process.

This chapter book is targeted for children in the six to eight age range. Illustrations add charm to the story, but they are quite small in the kindle version The tale could be broken up into a classroom read aloud or independent reader for second or third graders. Nice change of pace from the more common Halloween spooky story for kids.

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Runaway Clothes

Written by MRS.D

Illustrated by Chanoa

Do you have a young lady in your home who is a less than perfect housekeeper? This book might be just what the doctor ordered.

Nika is a wide-eyed pretty little lass who awakes one morning to find that all her clothes are missing from her closet. Both the metal and wooden hangers are bare. She looks outside her cold window and sees only the mist. Where can her clothes be hiding? Nika is freezing because she is dressed only in her pajamas. She does not know what to do. Then she gazes around her room and observes that all her toys are lying around in disorganized heaps. What if they decide to abandon her as well? Nika panics. So she purposefully sets out to clean and organize her toys and stuffed animals.

That does not resolve her dilemma. It is cold outside; how will she ever be able to leave the house without her clothing? Nika talks to the trees and the sun rays who are both sympathetic. The wind blows her salty tears and they land on her clothing, which it turns out, are closer than Nika is aware. Does Nika ever find her wayward clothing? At the end of the story, Nika’s mom is really impressed with her daughter because she has learned a few valuable lessons.

The illustrations by Chanoa are beautifully done in large computer images with detailed facial expressions in soft pastels. As in another of MRS. D’s previous, books, Good Morning, World!, personification plays a large role in the story. The hangers, clothing, wind, sun rays and fog come to life. There are some guardian spirits looking on as well. The illustrations face the text on the opposite page. While a few vocabulary words like enraged are a stretch for younger children, the illustrations provide context clues. I would recommend the book for little ones in the elementary grades and for parents who might want to impress upon their child the importance of taking good care of their belongings.

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Mrs. Trimble’s Magic Tea-Pot!

Written and illustrated by Steven-Watson-Morris

This book is really an early chapter book which could also be used as a classroom read aloud or bedtime story. All the stories center around Mrs. Trimble, her assistant Rose and her twin nephews, John and Jack. Mrs. Trimble owns a tea shop where she serves tea and delicious home baked cakes. While working one day in her shop, suddenly a giant cloud of smoke arose and a giant tea-pot appeared in the center of the shop. A wizard wearing a pointed cap adorned with stars popped out. Walter the Wizard needs her help because the king’s cook is ill, and he is in need of someone to bake cakes for his party. They all climb into his tea-pot and are whisked away to the kingdom where Mrs. Trimble saves the day by baking the cakes. Walter is so grateful that he gives her a magic tea-pot as a gift that will take her anywhere in the world she wants to visit. The magic words are magic teapot backwards—“Top eat Cigam!” So begins the magical adventures of our characters.

In the first book of adventures, they decide to visit a spooky house and some ghosts where they meet Arthur Halloween, they take a trip to the moon and visit four purple men who are in need of polishing dust to keep the moon shiny and then visit another moon to gather supplies, convince a greedy dragon that he is eating too much and needs to go on a diet, and visit a land of dwarfs where Jack and John receive some surprise birthday presents. Mrs. Trimble even manages to confront an ogre and rescue the key to the city for the mayor. Perhaps my favorite adventure involves her ingenious solution to save the day when Santa Claus is unable to deliver presents on Christmas Day because his reindeer are sick.

There are just enough black and white pencil drawings to hold the interest of young readers just getting accustomed to longer story books. I like the mixture of conversation and prose. Neither one overpowers the other so that the story flows

The Further Adventures of Mrs. Trimble’s Magic Teapot!

Written and illustrated by Steven-Watson Morris

So delighted that the author is giving us a sequel. In Book Two the reader is treated to seven more magical adventures. This time the reader will meet a one-eyed giant, a silver snake, a naughty goblin, the Easter bunny, an alien planet, some bubbles, and a castle of dreams. The children will learn through Mrs. Trimble that we should be kind and understanding toward others even when others are angry with us, but she also teaches us that when we are naughty like the goblin, we need to undo the harm we have done to others, apologize, and make restitution for our mistakes. When Mrs. Trimble meets the Dream Maker, she learns how to drink hot chocolate as well as tea and sees how sweets can be turned into healthy fruits. What child would not like to have a bubble adventure! Mrs. Trimble and the twins are astonished when the Easter bunny oversleeps one year; they must rescue him and save the day! In their last adventure the stalwart group get to land on the Teapot planet where everything is shaped like a teapot, and where they are introduced to Earlgrey who will restore the magic to their teapot. To return his kindness, Mrs. Trimble will leave them with a special gift of her own. As in the first book, there are delightful pencil drawings. At the end of the book, readers will find a special bonus, coloring pages that feature all the characters in the book’s stories.

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HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL!

Miss Quince and The Can Do Crew

Written by Mark and Katie Whyte

This book is a must have addition to the shelves of libraries and school classrooms. It provides an excellent springboard for discussion to explore differences among children that are frequently labeled disabilities but can in reality be strengths. Many children, especially those in the middle grades, seeking to belong to the most popular peer group seize being different as an opportunity to tease and bully. Mrs. Quince and her class sitting “behind the yellow door” are a class of superheroes.

The story begins with a boy named Nate who is speaking to his dad who happens to be physically disabled. Nate tells his dad that the children at school have been implying that his dad is feeble and weak in body and mind because he is in a wheelchair. Dad relates the story of a boy named Marcus who became disabled as a child riding his bicycle, his initial fears, and inability to cope. Then he introduces Mrs. Quince, his new teacher, and the class of superheroes. This teacher forces Marcus to focus on what he can do, rather than what he cannot accomplish. Over a period of time, Marcus realizes he has the power to succeed on his own. In fact, he proves to he a hero when the class takes an excursion one day. Then he slowly discovers the unique power each of his classmates possess. Every child whether blind, deaf, physically or genetically disabled contributes to the well being of the class and the community.

The authors and their family have various types of disabilities or professional skills and training to work with this population. As a former special educator, I can appreciate the feelings of those emotionally or physically disabled as well as the dedicated professionals who work with them. The lesson of this book is a message that needs to be shared with those in the community who must learn to understand not bully this valued sector of the community. This book is well written with large, colorful illustrations. Highly recommended for children and adults age eight and older.

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Sir Princess Petra’s TALENT: Book Two The Pen Pieyu Adventures

Written by Diane Mae Robinson

This is the second book in The Pen Pieyu adventure series. The author provides a synopsis of Book One to get all readers up to speed though the book can stand on its own. Sir Princess Petra is no ordinary princess; she is spirited, stubborn, sensitive, and devoted to her friends and subjects. In the last book, the reader met a nine year old girl who was determined to become the first knight in her magical kingdom. Petra achieved knighthood by slaying the howling dragon named Snarls in a series of adventures; he later becomes her friend and master connoisseur in the palace kitchen.

At the beginning of Book Two, the king and queen summon Petra informing her that she must go away to the Land of Lost Donkeys to attend training in a Talent School in order to become a “proper princess.” This does not sit well with Petra, but she is an obedient daughter and loyal subject and so she acquiesces to her parents’ request. On her journey she meets Prince Duce Crablips who is secretly betrothed to her, but who would really like to go to school to learn how to crochet. The selection of talents available to Petra at the school are all unappealing, sewing, etiquette and knitting are not her cup of tea. Together with Snarls and Prince Duce, they eventually find a satisfactory course and complete certificates before being forced to make a quick exit. The three compatriots become embroiled in an adventure with the ganutes on their way home to the kingdom. Petra assists all her friends in employing their new found talents; Pen Pieyu attains subjects with new talents in the process. Petra enthralls her parents and her subjects with her new abilities, which I suspect might be the start of a new adventure.

This series is the perfect chapter book for new or reluctant readers. Because I write picture books, I have a definite preference for illustration in children’s books; the black and white pencil drawings in this book are a definite enhancement to the plot. The short length of the chapters are perfect for serial read alouds in the classroom or multiple bedtime stories. Petra is a strong role model for encouraging a young girl’s potential. Her strength of character along with the other rich and humorous characters extend the book’s appeal to boys as well. There is humor, adventure, magic, fantasy and just enough silliness to appeal to children and parents of children from early elementary through middle grades. I anticipate a lot more exciting adventures and lessons in store for Petra’s fans as she matures. Another good chapter book by award-winning author, Diane Mae Robinson.

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