Unclouded Day by William Woodall

Source:  I received a copy for review

Genre:  Young Adult, Fantasy

From Goodreads:

Brian's life is a hard one. Abandoned by his father, abused by his alcoholic mother, and mocked by his classmates, his only treasures are his beloved little brother and his old guitar.

Then Brian finds a magical amulet in his attic, and things begin to change. Soon he has more power and wealth than he's ever dreamed of, and for a while all seems to be well. 

But Brian has made a terrible mistake which may cost him everything, and his only hope is to seek out the Fountain at the Heart of the World, wherever that may be.

A beautiful tale of what it means to have faith even when God seems to be asking the impossible.

My Thoughts:

This was another one of those books that once I started it I sat up until I finished it.  I was so engaged I thought I had read a short story.  The time flew by so quickly.  I felt so sorry for Brian and his younger brother.  The story starts off with such heartbreak when we learn what type of mother they have.  She is the type of person you really want to hate.  You don’t hear much about the father until later on. This story, although fantasy has so much to teach us.  When Brian finds the amulet he kind of lets the power go to his head.  I have been a fan of the TV show “Once Upon A Time”.  Mr. Gold aka Rumplestiltskin has a saying every time someone comes to him for magic.  He reminds them that they need to remember that “magic comes with a price”.  It seems that Brian never thought about the price of using the amulet until it was almost too late.  What I didn’t understand was why his mom waited so long to let him know she knew he had it.  It added another layer of hardness and uncaring to her character.  This story has a redemptive side.  This is an allegorical novel.  It can be read by young and old, Christian and Non-Christian and be enjoyed by all.  I read this as an e-book.  This is a book I most definitely want to get for my classroom.  I even know which student is going to get to check it out first.  This is definitely an author that needs to be recommended more often.  I look forward to reading and reviewing another of his books I have called “Tycho”.  Go ahead and check him out.

You can find his website here.

Collapse: A Survival Thriller by Scott Carleton

Genre: Adult Thriller

Source: Purchased

Pages:  108

From Goodreads:

Based on real-life events this part action-thriller, part cautionary tale, Collapse is the story of one man’s fight to save the ones he loves when the tenuous fibers that hold society together become strained and begin to snap.

Matt Avery is put to the test as his entire city experiences a loss of electricity, failure of lines of communication, and civilian looting and violence. With a wife, daughter, and small circle of friends in his company, Matt’s survival skills and nerve are tested as he fights to protect his home and feed his family in the wake of disaster.

Matt must make difficult life and death determinations that no one ever hopes to face. Matt has been planning for this moment for years, but now that it is upon him, does he really have what it takes to survive?

My Thoughts:

Once I started this book I could not put it down.  I had to read it from beginning to end.  I have my students complete a creative writing assignment each year that puts the world in a position where things do not work and they must find a way to survive.  In this story when power goes out and civilians are told to stay home we see what can really happen.  It is scary to think that people will behave the way they do in the story. Unfortunately, whenever we have had any major catastrophe we see the ugly side of humanity.  The question is, are we really prepared?  I live in Florida and we have hurricanes.  We are told to keep a hurricane kit ready.  I know for a fact that the more time that goes by without a major hurricane the less we follow that directive.  The same goes with people who live in earthquake or fire prone zones.  History has demonstrated that when society hears the tornado sirens or tsunami sirens and nothing happens they get complacent.  With all of the technology we have today, do we rely on it so much that we won’t be able to function or survive?  I recommend this book to everyone.  It is terrifying on one hand and an eye opener on the other.  

Picture Book Extravaganza

Kojo the Sea Dragon Gets Lost – David Chuka

It is important for children to follow their parents directions. Parents are looking out for the best interest of their children. Kijo is a large, one eyed, double tailed, big toothed sea dragon. His mom and dad told hi to never go to the south side of the Zakari River. He loved playing hide-and-seek with his best friend Kofi the sea turtle. He had only one problem when playing with his friend. He was so large he couldn’t win at hide-and-seek. Kojo decides to find a place to hide so that he can win once and for all.  His decision is one that could put his life and the life of those he loves in danger.  Read this great book that teaches children the importance of listening to their parents and find out what happens to Kojo.

 The Adventures of Two Little Ducklings – K.K.

Enter the world of two little ducklings and the adventures they have.  This

books has five charming stories.  Find out why there is no better place than home, why patience is a virtue, how the person who dares is the one to win, why you should be thankful for what you have, and how the Easter Bunny came to be.  This author has done an excellent job of telling stories with wonderful morals attached to them.  These were stories that I was pleased to share with my grandchildren.  They are so wonderfully written that children, and adults of all ages will enjoy them.

You can follow the author on her Facebook page.

Pop! Pop! Bam! Bam!  - Sally O. Lee

For the first time ever, I found myself having a difficult time reading one of Sally’s books.  Tis book, in its simplest form speaks to children about the toughest topic of all, school shootings. This is a wonderful way to speak to children about these terrible events. I found it difficult because it is such a heart-wrenching topic. Sally has handled this topic in the most delicate way. With school shootings in the news, especially those involving the youngest of children this is a way to calm the fears and discuss the topic when your young children ask those heart-wrenching questions. I highly recommend this book to parents and teachers everywhere.

Katie Did Learn the Five Senses – Betsy Kirbo

Katie Did is a simple picture book that takes the reader through the many ways and activities that we use for our senses. This is not only great for teaching about the five senses to younger children, but a great way to prepare an older child to do some sensory writing.  This is great for a refresher.

We're Going to the Farm – Nancy Streza

This is a great book to share with toddles. There is lots of repetition to keep the youngest child engaged. Another great thing about this book is that it can be sung to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell.” This is a fun way to teach children about the farm.