Belle, Belle, where are you? By Jo Alex

Genre: Young Readers (Toddler, Preschool)

Book Synopsis

The story is about a little boy who comes home one day and is looking for his best friend, his dog, Belle. He cannot find her. He searches for her in various parts of the house. Halfway through the story, he is beginning to wonder if Belle is lost, but he doesn’t give up. His worry grows as he continues searching for her. What happened to Belle? You have to read to find out if he finds her or not. May be you can help him look for Belle?

My Thoughts:

This cute little interactive book teaches kids to perservere.  When the little boy can't find his dog he doesn't just sit down and cry.  He continue to look for her until he finds her  With the items that can be clicked, children will enjoy this book.

Jo Alex Bio:

Jo Alex is a resident of Seattle, and was inspired to move here years ago after seeing a magnificent view of Mount Rainier.  She draws inspiration for her writing from many sources, by her travels, and also the many memories of her dog Belle.  An avid Northwest foodie, she loves the eclectic restaurants of the Northwest and enjoys walking the many Seattle

Belle, Belle, where are you? is her first Apple iBook and she is excited to introduce it to children. It is only available for the Apple iPad and purchasable on the Apple iBookstore, and this is because Apple’s special iBook format allows for sounds and clickpoints to be added to the book.

Free coloring printables: http://joalexbooks.com/blog/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/joalexbooks

Website: http://joalexbooks.com

Apple iBookstore link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/belle-belle-where-are-you/id905161357?mt=11&uo=4

Excerpt:

Belle, Belle, where are you?  You are not beside your favorite table. Belle, Belle, where are you?  You are not behind the big red couch, where you like to take naps.  Belle, Belle, where are you?

Lug: Dawn of the Ice Age by David Zeltser

Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads
A hilarious middle-grade novel about a misunderstood caveboy perfect for fans of Ice Age, Happy Feet, The Time Warp Trio, and Platypus Police Squad. 

Lug is a caveboy who would rather paint than club other caveboys. The clan even mocks him, calling him "Little Slug." Like all the other caveboys, Lug must enter the contest to become the clan's next Big Man and attempt to catch the Biggest Beast--even though he would much rather spend his days painting in his secret art cave. When Lug is banished for failing to catch a jungle llama, he thinks he is alone in the world but finds others who believe in him: his clanmate Stony and a new friend, Echo, a girl from a rival clan who can talk to animals and just may be prehistory's first vegetarian/animal rights activist. Together they face even bigger challenges--Lug discovers the Ice Age is coming and he has to bring the warring clans together to save them not only from the freeze but also from a particularly unpleasant migrating pride of saber-toothed tigers. It's no help that the elders are cavemen who can't seem to get the concept of climate change through their thick skulls. With both funny, anachronistic humor, charming characters, and strong themes, Lug, Dawn of the Ice Ageis sure to be a hit with many readers.

My Thoughts:
I knew from the minute I began reading this book that I was gong to love it.  The book starts out like this: "If you are looking at my cave paintings, I have succeeded. If not, we humans are probably extinct. You see, the world began to get colder-- much colder And my clan initially reacted by doing this:



That's right, a whole lot of NOTHING."  The middle of that first page is literally blank.  I kept giggling over it.  The story is about a boy who is not like many of the others in his clan. He is a dreamer, he is artistic and he dares to challenge their belief system. When he is vanished along with another boy, he sees it as somewhat of an advantage. He learns a lot about himself and about true courage. The story, set in stone age time is still very appropriate to kids of today. Themes and issues of friendship,  bullies, fitting in with your peers and your own family are things every kid today can relate to.  I can't wait to put this on my shelf.  I also can't wait for the second book in the series to come out next year.  It is such a quick and easy read.  It is so fun that kids won't realize there are lessons to learn within the pages.  I don't think there are enough stars to give this one, but it definitely goes to the top of my middle grade favorites of the year.

Author Contact:

https://twitter.com/davidzeltser

https://www.facebook.com/davidzeltser

www.davidzeltser.com 

Stranger at Sunset by Eden Baylee

Genre: Adult, Psychological Thriller
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinons expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:

Vacation can be a killer.

Dr. Kate Hampton, a respected psychiatrist, gathers with a group of strangers at her favorite travel spot, Sunset Villa in Jamaica. Included in the mix are friends of the owners, a businessman with dubious credentials, and a couple who won the trip from a TV game show.

It is January 2013, following the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The luxury resort is struggling, not from the storm, but due to a scathing review from caustic travel writer, Matthew Kane. The owners have invited him back with hopes he will pen a more favorable review to restore their reputation.

Even though she is haunted by her own demons, Kate feels compelled to help. She sets out to discover the motivation behind Kane's vitriol. Used to getting what he wants, has the reviewer met his match in Kate? Or has she met hers?

Stranger at Sunset is a slow-burning mystery/thriller as seen through the eyes of different narrators, each with their own murky sense of justice. As Kate's own psychological past begins to unravel, a mysterious stranger at Sunset may be the only one who can save her. 

My Thoughts:
I was grabbed from the very opening.  This book is not as easy to figure out as you would think.  The reader gets involved in the lives of the characters.  You are invested in them to the point you must continue to read, just to find out what happens to them.  You will find characters like Matthew that you don't like because he is extremely egotistical.  You will find characters like Rob that will repulse you because being from the south and acting dumb and not caring is not an endearing quality.  Then there is Kate.  You will want to continue to read just to find out what secrets she is hiding, because obviously there has to be something there.  The setting is so well described and woven throughout the story that the reader feels as if they are sitting on the beach or feeling the wind blow through their hair.  It made me want to visit Sunset Villa.  I have never read any of this author's previous books as she writes a genre I do ot read.  This was a great book and one I will recommend.