This tour is hosted by the Children’s Book Review and sponsored by Zuroam Media.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Little Spark

Written by Chris Parsons

Illustrated by Mike Motz

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.

bethatspark.com | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram

About the Illustrator

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/.

Click the link below to enter the GIVEAWAY

“http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3d5cb282179/“

Enter for a chance to win the A Little Spark prize pack.

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A hardcover copy of A Little Spark, autographed by author Chris Parsons.
• A downloadable audiobook of A Little Spark.
• A Little Spark USB drive with the A Little Spark music album.
• One set of Apple AirPods Pro for listening to the outstanding audiobook and music!

Two (2) winners receive:

• A hardcover copy of A Little Spark, autographed by author Chris Parsons.
• A downloadable audiobook of A Little Spark.

Giveaway begins August 24, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends September 24, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

TOUR SCHEDULE

August 24	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	Book Review
August 25	Jrsbookreviews	Http://www.jrsbookreviews.wordpress.com	Book Review
August 26	Over Coffee Conversations	https://gmarciano.blogspot.com	Giveaway
August 27	Heart to Heart	http://tynea-lewis.com/	Giveaway
August 28	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	Interview
August 30	Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog	https://bamauthor.me	Book Review
August 31	Tales of A Wanna-Be SuperHero Mom	http://wannabesuperheromom.blogspot.com/	Book Review
September 1	A Dream Within A Dream	http://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com	Book Review
September 3	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com	Guest Post
September 8	Fairview Elementary School (Library)	https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/	Book Review
September 9	icefairy’s Treasure Chest	http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/	Book Review
September 15	Library Lady’s Kid Lit	https://janemouttet.wordpress.com/	Intervie

The Underground Toy Society Helps Ellie Elephant

Written by Jessica D. Adams

Illustrated by Janelle and Janiece Adams

Janelle and Janiece are on a trip with their parents. Janiece is having so much fun. She forgets and leaves her stuffed elephant, Ellie on the swing. Now Ellie is a very smart stuffed elephant. She knows that the family will depart soon. Ellie desperately tries to run and jump up into the camper before anyone discovers her missing. To her dismay, she is not successful.

Ellie finds a chipmunk who says he can help. Chippy directs Ellie to a mole who tells her about The Underground Toy Society that helps reunites toys with their owners. Ellie discovers it’s not so easy to find Murry the Mole. Along the way, she meets a toy train and a bunny who also try to help her. Readers learn about the kindness of all these toy characters. Ellie wants to get home before Janiece discovers her missing because she does not want Ellie to feel sad. Ellie displays much love and concern for her owner.

Readers get the underlying message that children need to take good care of their toys and develop a sense of responsibility. There are a few wonderful child drawings to personalize this beginning chapter book for early readers.

As You Wish: After Dinner Conversation Short Story Series

Written by Tyler W. Kurt

This book is a charming, coffee table book that can be used to spark conversations with family or friends. An elderly woman dressed in retro fifties clothing discovers an old trunk in the attic. The stuffed animals that are trapped inside have been there since their former owner abandoned them. They are torn, soiled, and tattered. The old woman has the ability to communicate with the stuffed animals. She offers to repair them and make them new once more. Then one of them announces he doesn’t want to change the way he looks or feels.

At the end of this short story, there is a set of discussion questions for readers with open minds and open hearts. I would recommend the book for all ages.

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Just a Stage: A Newfoundland Story

Written by Corey Majeau

The main character of this book is a stage. I believe that the author is referring to the Middle English meaning of stage which is a dwelling or floor of a building. The red stage in this book is personified. At the beginning of the tale, he is situated on a rock where he spends his day fishing. When he becomes bored, the stage decides to try being a logger. Eventually, he becomes dissatisfied once more and decides to try the prairie and finally the frozen North. As the Red Stage travels across Canada, he realizes that satisfaction with one’s life comes from within.

The text and rhymes in this picture book are easy and fun to read. Illustrations are attractive and appealing to the eye. Recommended for preschool and primary grade readers.

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As You Wish

Written by Tyler W. Kurt

This book is a charming, coffee table book that can be used to spark conversations with family or friends. An elderly woman dressed in retro fifties clothing discovers an old trunk in the attic. The stuffed animals that are trapped inside have been there since their former owner abandoned them. They are torn, soiled, and tattered. The old woman can communicate with the stuffed animals. She offers to repair them and make them new once more. Then one of them announces he doesn’t want to change the way he looks or feels.

At the end of this short story, there is a set of discussion questions for readers with open minds and open hearts. I would recommend the book for all ages.

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EGG AND CHEESE

The Cat Detectives in Russia: The Case of the Missing Faberge Egg

Written and illustrated by R.F. Kristi

My first time reading a book in this series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Inca is a Siberian Russian Cat who runs a detective agency consisting of fellow felines, dogs and a hamster. They trek the globe to solve mysteries.

This one begins when Inca’s mom goes abroad promoting her cheese business. Inca and her crew travel to her native land, Russia. Laid out in a diary format, the readers travel abroad and learn a bit of history while becoming embroiled in solving the mystery of a valuable Faberge egg stolen from the museum.

The characters are well developed and engaging personifications of the animals. There are a few illustrations to assist younger readers. I would recommend the book as a chapter reader for elementary and middle-grade students. Readers who enjoy detective stories, animal characters, and travel will particularly enjoy the read.

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Topsy Turvy: Bedtime with a Smile Picture Book (Bedtime Stories with Uncle Willy 3)

Written by Sarah Mazor

Illustrations by Sergii Zavadskyi

I always look forward to a new collection of Uncle Willy’s zany stories for preschool and primary grade children.

In Book 3, Uncle Willy tells the tale of a town named ComeGo where everything is topsy turvy. The children teach their parents basic skills like how to ride a swing or a bike. People say goodbye when they meet and hello when the leave. Animals behave strangely. Bears hang on trees like monkeys and cows play like puppies. Pigeons lick themselves like cats and people pull carts instead of horses. Children learn about opposites while having a good laugh.

The fun continues as readers are urged to create their own fanciful stories. They are presented with fifteen riddles and given four choices. Correct answers are given. These activities can be done with an adult or in a group with other children. I highly recommend the entire Uncle Willy series of books.

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A Family Dinner

Written and Illustrated by Cory Q, Tan

This picture book contains creative and beautifully done illustrations. The plot combines a few traditional fairytales that are given an unusual twist.

At the beginning of the story, the mother asks her husband to go to the store to buy carrots as she wants to make carrot and potato soup. She does not ask him to do so with a respectful tone. Dad obliges her but soon discovers the local grocery is closed. He continues to search for carrots and gets involved in a series of adventures.

Dad meets up with a cast of characters that involve humans and some animals with bad intentions. These adventures invoke shades of familiar fairytales. Will Dad give up or will he pursue his task? Will his wife be grateful for his efforts?

The twists and turns of this tale are interesting, but many children may become lost and confused in the message. This book will probably lead to lots of questions when reading to young children. I recommend that the book be read with adult supervision and guidance.

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Bubbe’s Sweet Surprise

Written by Sherry Dahl

Illustrated by Mike Motz

Three puppies set off to find the perfect birthday present for their Bubbe (grandmother). She speaks in Yiddish and they misinterpret her words. This leads to hilarious consequences as they go to great lengths to acquire these things. They get themselves into trouble and create quite a mess.

Bubbe is not upset. What she really wants from her grandchildren is spending time with them and sharing her love with them. The adorable illustrations of the personified animals and the humor will warm the heart of young readers. Children will learn a bit of Yiddish. (a glossary is included)

At the end of the book, there is a recipe for yummy Chocolate Cherry Pudding Cake. After reading about so many goodies, readers might want to try whipping one up. Recommended especially for elementary school-age children, but can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

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Lucky’s Adventures in Winter Wonderland (Lucky’s Adventures)

Written by Elizabeth Macey

Illustrated by Jenn Kocsmiersky

Lucky Charms is an adopted rescue dog who happily lives with her human family and a cat named Hershey Kisses. She is excited to wake up to a snowstorm. Lucky promptly goes out to play with her neighborhood dog friends. They go ice-skating and skiing. The day ends with barbecuing hot dogs. That night Lucky reflects on how fortunate she is to have such a comfortable life with a loving family and so many dog friends. She figures out a way to help less fortunate dogs and rallies her neighborhood dog friends to assist her.

Children will love seeing these dogs take on human characteristics and do the activities they love participating in themselves. The illustrations consist mostly of two-page spreads featuring many vivid drawings of adorable dog breeds. Macey includes a list of suggestions for her readers to get involved in animal rescue. I would recommend this picture book especially for elementary school readers, but it has appeal for a reader of any age.

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