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.
Barnaby, a young badger, is eager to explore the wonders of his environment for the first time. As he awakens to face the night, he marvels at the moon. His mother takes him on a tour to explore the woodlands at night.
Barnaby discovers marvelous sights and sounds. He finds owls, insects, mice, grasshoppers, and flowers. Then his mother introduces him to a puddle and he discovers the greatest gift of all.
A cute book with beautiful illustrations appropriate as a bedtime story for toddlers and preschoolers.
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Millie the Mouse decides she wants to get a birthday gift for her grandfather. When she asks her grandmother what to get for him, Grandma suggests something magic.
Millie takes her grandma’s suggestion and searches everywhere for magic. She enlists the aid of a badger, a chicken, and a frog who try to direct Millie. At the end of the day, Millie is tired and exhausted.
Will Grandfather be disappointed that Millie does not have a birthday gift? What special message does he have for her that she will remember for the rest of her life?
Cute illustrations with easy to read text make this book a good choice for a bedtime or read-aloud tale for preschoolers and early readers.
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Publisher’s Synopsis: When the survival of their hometown is threatened, two unlikely comrades join forces on a quest to defeat a dangerous enemy and bring back the only one who can save them all.
Beyond the frozen mountains there lies an oasis from the frigid cold and the howling winds. A place the animals call Lake Zuron. What a wonderful place, happy creatures of all kinds, living in harmony and warmth thanks to their very own fire-breathing dragon named Daniel.
But one day everything changed when the unthinkable happened. The Dragon fire goes out and immediately the air begins to chill. Things were not looking good but just when all hope was lost, an unlikely hero steps up. Join Spark the mouse on an adventure of a lifetime as he and his friends do their part to save their town from an icy demise.
With the magical power of Daniel, the Dragon there could be hope. But first, they must face and defeat a dangerous enemy, the vile beasts who own these mountains where nobody passes through.
Along this journey maybe you will discover that it’s that little Spark in each of us that really matters, and that a little Spark could save them from the coming cold. The story reminds us that we all need something in life every day to ignite our passion and spirit – to help the world be a “warmer” place and to look for ways to “Be That Spark.”
Ages 7+ | Publisher: Zuroam Media | October 1, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1735145501
About the Author
Chris Parsons grew up in the small fishing village of Flatrock, Newfoundland where he was surrounded by storytellers. When he became a father, he began creating his own children’s stories, and soon he was sharing them with a wider audience.
Over time, his audience grew up, but he continued to create his stories and colorful characters mostly for his own enjoyment. One day he had a flash of inspiration about a little mouse named Spark and began to create the world of A Little Spark.
Today, Chris lives in Dallas. He has left the high-tech world of innovation and business development behind and is focused on his real passion – to create new meaningful experiences for children centered around powerful and engaging stories like ” A little Spark.”
Together with his wife, Kathleen, daughter, Maggie, and son, Kealan, they share a love for all God’s creatures.
Mike Motz is a children’s book illustrator and publishing professional based out of Toronto, Canada. Motz has helped writers around the world fulfill their dreams of publishing their works. To date, Motz has been responsible for the creation of the artwork for over 300 self-published children’s books.
About the Narrator
Brandon McInnis is a voice actor and singer known primarily for his work on animation and video games. He voices Sir Nighteye in My Hero Academia, Ganos in Dragon Ball Super, Finral Roulacase in Black Clover, Asagiri Gen in Dr. Stone, Yuna D. Kaito in Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings Online, Patrick Phelps in Black Butler, Sonosuke Izayoi in Danganronpa 3, Erlang Shen in SMITE, and many more.
With a deep love for music production and originally trained as an opera singer, Brandon also produces music for release on YouTube and Spotify. He can be followed on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram: @BranMci.
About the Music Producer
Bruce Faulconer is a musician, composer, and record producer based in Dallas, Texas. He is the owner and founder of Faulconer Productions Music, and CakeMix Recording Studio. Faulconer writes music for orchestra, various instrumental and choral groups, along with the music for feature films, and TV series, including the anime Dragon Ball Z. He recently completed twelve songs for A Little Spark, included in a new audiobook, an interactive children’s book, and an animated feature film in development. He resides in Dallas with his wife Lisa and is the father of two sons.
My Review of A LITTLE SPARK
SMALL BUT MIGHTY
A Little Spark
Written by Chris Parsons
Illustrated by Mike Motz
This interactive book is a valuable resource for young children’s minds on so many levels. It is innovative, inspiring, and entertaining.
The target audience range is a wide one. This book contains rich illustrations that could place it in the picture book category. But with a length of more than one hundred fifty pages, it also might be considered a chapter book or a middle-grade reader. What it delivers is a range of fascinating animal characters which are personified with a range of human emotions and aspirations. There are fire-breathing dragons, bears, mice, weasels, goats, cats, and raccoons. They live in Lake Zuron, an oasis on the edge of a frozen world. Their world survives only because of the warmth provided by Daniel, a fire-breathing dragon. Lake Zuron is not an ideal society. The “Supervisors” contain the stronger animals, a ruling class. Far below them, “The Streeters,” perform all the work.
One day, Daniel loses his ability to produce fire. Lake Zuron faces extinction. But Sparky, a tiny mouse, finds within himself the courage to make the perilous journey over the frozen wasteland of their enemies, the Scabes, to follow a rumor that another land survives on the other side of the mountain. He and Veen venture to the other side. Will they discover salvation or face extinction?
Young readers learn many lessons from the colorful cast of characters as the adventure unfolds. Hope, courage, friendship, equality, fairness, and responsibility are exemplified in the faces and actions of the characters, both large and small. But Parsons provides much more than an excellent book. Embedded within its pages are a collection of twelve songs, private video messages from the characters, the ability to take a photo with your favorite character, or an opportunity for readers to share their personal opinions on the interactive lesson pages at the end of the book.
I highly recommend this unique educational resource for readers age eight through eighty-eight.
PURCHASE LINK
Before October 1st, pre-order your copy, email the team at Zuroam Media, and they’ll give you the audiobook free so you can enjoy it while you wait for the book to arrive. You can find all the email address and links to your favorite bookstore here:https://bethatspark.com/shop/.
Book 4 continues the adventures of Carlo, the intrepid mouse, on his adventure in the hospital where he lives. Carlo spends most of his time dodging the hospital administrator who is determined to eliminate him. When Carlo spies a poster on the wall labeled “most wanted mouse,” he becomes indignant because he feels it doesn’t do him justice.
Carlo’s parents have repeatedly warned him to follow the rules, but Carlo continues to taunt the hospital chef by stealing food from the kitchen by night and watching cooking shows in the patient’s rooms during the day. One day Carlo breaks out in hives “…like popcorn bursting in a hot pan.” Carlo fantasizes how he got this disease. His mother figures it out. Carlo has spent too much time in the infectious disease part of the hospital and has contracted chicken pox. Poor Carlo takes this literally and fears that there are chickens under his skin.
The book is written with humor, colorful language and vibrant illustrations by Chanoa. Elementary school-age readers will be truly entertained. Carlo learns the hard way once more why it is important to follow the rules. Maybe his young readers will take note.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and voluntarily decided to read and review the book giving my honest opinions for no compensation.
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Interesting short chapter book centered on a pet white rat who seizes the opportunity of an open cage door to escape and see the world. After Heather leaves for school one day, Ruby, her pet rat, discovers the cage door ajar. Now Ruby has never been outside, but she is a determined, talented, and resourceful rat.
After deciding to make her move, Ruby avails herself of the cat’s food and gnaws a hole through the screen door to escape into the back yard. There she encounters Crafty, a fellow rat, and Digger, a gopher. Ruby almost drowns in a swimming pool, gets trapped in a dumpster, and meets a group of mice living in the garage. When Heather arrives home and discovers that Ruby is missing, she and her cousins search far and wide. Does Ruby want to return to her cage? Will her hiding place be discovered?
While this book is short, it is fun and humorous. Ruby recites some clever poetry and can turn a clever phrase. Beginning readers will love the quirky plot and clever animals. Recommended especially for readers in the six to nine age range.
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A delightful chapter book consisting of ten stories that revolve around a fearless family of mice facing the dangers and challenges of winter. Geraldine is the protagonist who was born in April, but now in October is facing the end of the gathering season. She and her brother Nigel have much to learn and experience. Readers are introduced to their friends in the forest, Penelope, the sparrow and Cheddar, a white rabbit. The children love to hear their father Nigel read to them stories from the Book of Tales. These adventures teach them about common sense, trust, gratitude, empathy and sharing. As October wanes, the family and friends celebrate Thanksgiving and the joys of Christmas. On the other hand, the children’s curiosity put them in danger of being eaten by wolves and ravens, swept down the river on a log and being destroyed by a forest fire. Charlotte is a sensitive and inquisitive mouse who desires to read, write and explore the world around her. She and her brother share sibling rivalry, but at the same time deeply love and care for one another. Their parents teach them to have faith that Very, Very Big Hands will be there to guide and protect them.
This chapter book is geared toward readers in grades three to six. Some younger children may enjoy individual stories as a read aloud. There are no illustrations; a few simple drawings would add appeal to younger children. I would thoroughly recommend the book as a gentle, sweet read for children who love animals. The many lessons learned and bravery in facing adversity allow for lots of discussion on the topics of developing strong character and interpersonal skills.
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Luna is an emerald green butterfly who was different from all the other butterflies. While they invited her to play, Luna felt dull and listless in the light, but in the night she glowed and came alive. A wise old owl tells her the reason why; Luna is not a butterfly but a beautiful moth. Luna decides that it is fun being different and special.
Five other stories about familiar children’s characters like pumpkins, mice, ponies, ducklings, and the tooth fairy, each in their special way teach children the values of cooperating, taking care of their health, self-confidence, and finding one’s own particular niche in life. Young children will learn, “It’s okay to be different,” and “Be the best that you can be.”
Targeted for preschoolers, some of stories are written in rhyme, and others in prose. All together totaling a little more than one hundred pages, the book is best read in sections as a bedtime story or as a circle time classroom discussion. Parents with children who are experiencing problems like the characters in the stories might choose and discuss one to help a child cope. I read this book on my kindle HD fire and did not experience the formatting problems that some reviewers mentioned. Recommended as a nice add on to a preschoolers library.
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Title: The Trees Have Hearts | Author: Mrs. D | Publication Date: March 31, 2014 | Publisher: Mrs.D. Books Publisher | Number of pages: 41 | Recommended age: 6 to 10
Summary: A Mom’s Choice Award Winner
The story of a young girl, left friendless because she could not speak a new language, will touch your heart. It will take your child into the imaginary world of a little girl who moved to America from a different country. Unable to speak English, the lonely girl could not find friends. She lived in an old house with a small garden, where three blooming trees and the mysterious wind became her first imaginary friends. The garden friends developed a wonderful friendship with the lonely girl, and helped her overcome her fears and worries. Through the story, they taught her how to make real friends and helped her cope with difficult moments while adapting to new surroundings. Unforgettable characters will open a beautiful imaginary world to young readers, inviting them to share the fears, tears and joys of a little girl. The story will teach the true meaning of friendship while showing readers the beauty of nature. This book will open an unknown imaginary world through the eyes of a child…
This book is beautifully written and illustrated. The delicate colors and fine lines will prove satisfying to the eye just as the lyrical language is soothing to the ear. I urge the reader to pay particular attention to the Preface in which the author reminds us that we should look at things through the eyes of a child and enjoy this period of wonder and imagination because it is a fleeting moment in time which soon disappears.
As the story begins a sad little girl is gazing out her window at the spring garden. She sees the trees just beginning to bloom. The little girl does not go out to play because she has just moved from another country and does not know the language. She feels lost and alone. One day she goes out into the garden and the trees speak to her. Sassy is the wise magnolia tree, Shadow, the weeping cherry tree and Chance, the beautiful plum tree. They become the little girl’s friends who introduce her to the wonders of nature and the creatures in her garden. She rushes home after school to play with them. But when summer comes, her mother sends her to camp. She is afraid to tell her tree friends and disappears. The tree friends are distraught. They send the Wind to look for her. The Old Wind finally finds her by the ocean building sandcastles on the beach. But she is not alone, the little girl is laughing with her friends. The tree friends are afraid that she has forgotten them. When the little girl arrives home, she surprises them with a gift that she has specially chosen for each of them. Chance welcomes her friends and shares her plums with them. The seasons change and the trees evolve just as the little girl has blossomed and matured,
We all know that things never stay the same. One day the little girl arrives home and her mother has a surprise for her. Will the bond between the little girl and her tree friends be able to survive this new crisis?
Read this charming story suitable for children of ages to find out.
About Book 2
Title: The City Kittens and the Old House Cat | Author: Mrs. D | Publication Date: July 11, 2013 | Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing | Number of pages: 37 | Recommended age: 6 to 10
Summary: This story revolves around Christmastime and a family who once adopted a lost kitten, naming it Nyda. Nyda has now grown old and has settled into a calm, uneventful life with her new family-until the day before Christmas, when the family’s older daughter brings two playful kittens, Mickey and Jack, home for the holidays. The two kittens from the big city are a change for the family, and for Nyda. The old cat likes her settled life and is not happy about the new arrivals. She’s also very protective of her belongings. The city kittens annoy her, and the old cat grumbles about the new additions to the family- until she hears a story one night that makes her feel bad. The kittens aren’t the soft or spoiled brats she had thought they were . .
The Trees Have Hearts: “This is a lovely book for young girls, and especially young girls who face loneliness because of being in a new place. They are sure to find peace and encouragement in the special values taught in The Trees Have Hearts. Mrs. D does a wonderful job of reaching out to kids in a unique way in this book. The beautiful trees give warmth and peace as they spread their blooms throughout the garden and into the hearts of those who read this book.” ~ Joy Hannabass, Readers’ Favorite
The Trees Have Hearts: “In The Trees Have Hearts, Mrs. D. demonstrates love, compassion and a touch of mystical ability as she manifests what the trees might say, if they spoke to a lonely little girl. Then again, maybe she writes to alert us all to listen with our hearts. I highly recommend this book.” ~ 5 Star Review, sunnyrock, Amazon
The Trees Have Hearts: “The author writes a lovely story about a lonely little girl with a great big imagination. She turns her beautiful garden into her sanctuary of imaginary friends that remain in her heart and follow her into adulthood. The lessons to be learned in this story is love of nature, respect for nature and changes of nature from one season to the next. Just as children go through many changes from season to season. This would be a good bedtime story. reading a few pages each night nurturing your child’s imagination and leaving them with sweet dreams.” ~ 5 Star Review, It’s Time to Read Mamaw, Amazon
The City Kittens and the Old House Cat: “The City Kittens and the Old House Cat is an inspiring story written from a cat’s point of view. The story can be understood by all pet lovers. The book has some beautiful and colorful illustrations. That makes the book very attractive and visually appealing, something which all the kids love. Children’s books should be colorful and bright. The message of tolerance is very important in the current living situation. The book has a nice moral which can be explained to children and they can be asked to practice it too.” ~ 5 Star Review, Mamta Madhavan, Readers’ Favorite
The City Kittens and the Old House Cat:“Snuggle up in front of the fire and share this sweet kitty tale with your little ones. Bright, richly detailed illustrations bring the story to life as the old cat learns to accept two little intrusions. Fun book to put on your wish list, especially around the holiday season. A delight for any cat or animal lover!” ~ 5 Star Review, CLMurphy, Amazon
The City Kittens and the Old House Cat:“Mrs. D. weaves wonderful lessons of acceptance, adoption and not judging other people without getting to know them into this sweet children’s picture book. I highly recommend it for young children.” ~ 5 Star Review, P.J. LaRue, Amazon
MY REVIEW OF THE CITY KITTENS AND THE OLD HOUSE CAT
The City Kittens and the Old House Cat
by: Mrs.D.
Illustrated by Mike Motz
Okay, so it’s only July….why are we talking about Christmas? Well, this charming children’s book was just released about a somewhat cantankerous old cat who is forced to celebrate Christmas with a relative’s city kittens.
This is a new book written by Mrs.D. She has previously released, Carlo the Mouse on Vacation and The Trees Have Hearts. In this charming book, the old house cat named Nyda feels out of her comfort zone because this year some new intruders have appeared to celebrate Christmas with the family.
Nyda is accustomed to the hustle and bustle that the Christmas season brings along with the sometimes annoying visitors who come to disrupt her peaceful lifestyle. Normally she can retreat to her secret lookout spots and watch from afar. She eagerly gazes at the sparkling tree and nostalgically remembers the ornament given her the first Christmas that Nyda spent with Mrs. D. Nyda loves the holiday goodies that she bribes Grandma to feed her. Unfortunately, this year when the oldest daughter came home to visit, she brought with her a box with two kittens. These two rambunctious kittens are annoying Nyda. When the kitten named Jack goes after her food, she reaches her wit’s end! Then we are introduced to the story of how these two little kittens came to be adopted . Now Nyda feels ashamed and contrite. What was it that changed her mind about them and why?
The tale is one of a close and loving family sharing holiday traditions and memories as well as a first person narration by a beautiful cat who thinks and acts like she is human. The reader is given a glimpse into the life of a beautiful family with a big heart. This story is written with compassion and warmth. The illustrations are dramatic and vivid. Some of them look more like portraits. These complement the book’s story line well even though my personal preference is for softer images. This book is a nice addition to a family holiday reading library for both adults and children. It is available in hardcover, paperback and e book additions.
About the Author: Mrs. D
Mrs. D. (Olga D’Agostino), an award-winning children’s author, was born in western Ukraine. She lived in the historical city of Lviv, where she studied business in Lviv Business College and worked in the food industry. In 1992, she immigrated to the USA with her two small daughters and for years worked in her own business. In 2011, she began her career as a writer, focusing on writing children’s books that have meaning and provide valuable lessons. Two of her children’s books, The Trees Have Heartsand Good Morning, World!, won Mom’s Choice Awards in 2013. She is a member of SCBWI and speaks a few languages fluently. She lives in the famous town of Smithville, NJ, with her husband Patrick and a meticulous old cat named Nyda.
Published books by Mrs. D. include Carlo the Mouse on Vacation, The Trees Have Hearts, The City Kittens and the Old House Cat, Good Morning, World!, and Carlo the Mouse, Book 1: Too Many Rules for One Little Mouse and The Little Girl Praying on the Hill(a short story for an older audience).
Coming in 2014: The Royal Palmand Carlo the Mouse, Book 2: Now We’re Talking!
The full series of Carlo the Mouse and her new books, The Mysterious Life Inside a Closet, That Is How Things Are (two connected stories): The Autumn Wind, and The Kitten and the Sparrow, and three rhyming stories in Who Is Most Important in the Fridge? will be published in the near future. Her books are available in print on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and as e-books for most popular electronic devices. For updates on Mrs. D.’s books, please visit her website: www.mrsdbooks.net.
Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest ends: June 10, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Mrs. D and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway
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