Clearing Up a Backlog of Reviews

Sorry I have been missing from action for the last couple of weeks.  Some medical issues, coupled with the last weeks of school have put me behind. I had these typed up but never got around to posting them.   With only eight more days of school left I am now playing catch up.



A Flag for the Flying Dragon by Carole P. Roman

This is another Captain No Beard Story.  Captain No Beard is off on another voyage with his crew.  Each of them is doing their chores. Linus the lion polishes the lamp to light their way. Matie the goat cracks coconuts for them to have a snack, Hallie swabs the deck, Cayla stuffs torn up burp rags in the ships cracks  and Mongo was in the crows nest with the newest member Zach.  Mongo didn’t want him there because he was too little and couldn’t talk yet.  On top of all of these problems the captain has been unable to find a flag for his ship The Flying Dragon.  How will he unite his crew and find a flag?  Read this wonderful book where a young boy and his friends use their imagination along with the toys in his room to find adventure.

The Disappearing Dolphins by Jennifer Kelman

When twins Jackie and Kevin take a trip to the beach, Kevin is sure that  it is going to be a special day.  As he and his sister build a sand castle he thinks he sees a dolphin in the water.  A little while later he sees them again,  Every time he sees them he tells his sister who just can look up in time. For this reason she doesn’t believe her brother.  Suddenly there are five dolphins playing in the water. Kevin gets so excited. His sister looks up just in time to see them.  But, for Kevin this isn’t enough he wants to do more for them.  Read this wonderful book to find out how Kevin helps his new friends the dolphins.

Battle of the Grandmas by Anthonette Klinkerman

What happens when three grandmas send the same gift to their granddaughter? A battle to find the best gift happens.  She is flooded with all kinds of gifts.  They just keep coming until she can’t take it anymore.  What she wants more than anything else is to have her grandmas spend time with her.  I loved this book because as a grandma I know how we often compete to get our grandkids the “best” gift.  I hate to admit that I have been guilty of this.  The other great thing about this book is the illustrations and the illustrator.  The illustrator for this book is a young man named Justin Acquavella.  He is a senior in high school.  This was a wonderful addition to his art portfolio for art school.  This young man has a lot of talent as does the author who is also a teacher.   This is a book every grandparent should read. I loved that it was based on a true story.

Harold & Louise Troll Trouble by Maria Kercher

 This was a wonderful story. Louise receives a toy dragon that she names Harold.  When she goes to sleep that night, Harold grows real big.  He takes Louise to Dreamland.  In Dreamland Harold and Louise meet a King who is sad.  He has been told a terrible troll is bothering one of his villages.  Louise says they will help him.  When they arrive they find the troll is the one in trouble.  The villagers don’t like him because they think he is ugly.  There is actually more to this troll than meets the eye.  A visit to a fairy queen will have unexpected outcomes.  This is a wonderful book. 

The author of this book is a teen who created this story as a creative writing assignment.  She not only wrote the story, but she illustrated it as well.  Her mother, author Kristine Kercher published it for her.  Maria has plans to create many more adventures for Harold & Louise.  I for one am looking forward to reading them.

The Growing Up of Princess Eva by Rhoda Feuer

Princess Eva is a very positive Princess.  She loves the way her land is beautiful and joyful.  Her father the king wishes he could give his family and people more, but his is a poor kingdom.  One day a man arrives and speaks with the king.  When he is finished the king has more riches.  He has given a piece of land to this man to create an Aerodome.  He tears up flowers and trees and chases off the animals.  Eva realizes that the level of happiness goes down.  She wants to find supreme happiness.  She meets a bird named Harry.  He tells her about a place where one can learn to fly.  She wants to go there.  He tells her he will return within a year and if she hasn’t found her true love he will take her there.  She finds her true love, but her father won’t let them marry.  He is listening to Gustav who owns the Aerodome.  Harry takes Eva to Madame Hardy’s flying school.  Here she will learn to fly.  When she returns home will she be able to save her kingdom?  This  was a great fairy tale.  It came at the right time as we were working on fairy tales in my classroom. Definitely proud to put this on my shelves.

Discover the Jungle with Bangle the Lion by Aleksandra Godfrey

Bangle the lion cub wants a friend who will play with him and do what he wants, when he wants, again and again.  He tries out several friends and becomes disgruntled until he learns he has to BE a friend to have a friend.  This is a great story for teaching about friendship.

Raru’s Gift by Mike Kazmark

This is a wonderful story about the gift of adoption.  Raru has 14 wonderful puppies. The month before her husband a search and rescue dog rescued a lost puppy and ended up dying.  She’s trying to raise the puppies on her own.  After attending a wonderful barbeque at Buddy and Betty Blue’s house, Raru begins to feel sick.  She goes to the doctor and learns she’s going to have more puppies.  She doesn’t know what to do. But Grandma does and she tells Raru her plan.  This is dedicated by the author to the mother who provided a child to their own family through the gift of adoption. This would be a wonderful way to bring up the topic of adoption.

Cody and the Fountain of Happiness  by Tricia Springstubb

Genre: Children, Middle Grades, Realistic Fiction

I received an ARC to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Cody has her whole summer ahead of her.  She is supposed to go to camp but her campground is found to be a toxic wasted dump.  Her brother Wyatt is her hero and in love with a girl named Payton.  Mom is trying to move up in her she selling job and dad drives a truck long distance.  With camp for her cancelled Cody makes a new friend named Spencer.  He is staying with his grandmother and having fun with her cat called Mew-Mew.  Cody is one of those bubbly people who chooses to see the glass half full. Can she pull everyone together when her brother faints at doctor camp, her mother is being watched for a promotion, The girl his brother likes becomes her babysitter and Mew-Mew disappears?  This is a short quick read.  I really enjoy this author’s work. I am so glad that I was given the opportunity to read this book .