A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf

Genre: Adult, Christian, Historical Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

In simplest terms this is a creative retelling of the story of Esther from the Bible. The author has taken some creative liberties that do not destroy, but enhance the original story. We see Esther as a woman who reluctantly marries a man she never would have because of their differences in beliefs. The author took this opportunity to explore the love between Esther and the King. This is important because during that period in history we know that the King had many wives. Yet we see how much he loved Esther.  The author also shows the king as a wise man and a kind man.  Haman is a man with a hate for Jews and a grudge against a Jew the King likes named Mordecai. Mordecai is the uncle of Esther. In this book Mordecai is shown in a different light. His reasons for Esther’s marriage to the king come across as self-serving. The Bible shows him as a calm and peaceful man who is very loyal to the king. If I had one complaint that would be it. However, this was not enough to take away from the book. It is well written  and I really enjoyed it.

Three Books By Sarah Read

Often children don’t know how to handle emotions. Sarah Read has come up with books that discuss several emotions. If you have been reading my blog for a while you know that lately I have posted reviews of several books dealing with emotions. This seems to be a time when we need it the most. With the recent quarantines, schools and daycares being closed down, children have had problems expressing their emotions. I know my middle school students at the end of the school year expressed how stressed they were. This was often added to by them having to take care of younger siblings and they didn’t know how to deal with the younger child’s fears and emotions. Books like these would have helped. These are simple reads that anyone can use when dealing with a child who doesn’t know how to handle or understand a new emotion they are feeling. I highly recommend this author’s books.

The Impatient Dinosaur by Sarah Read
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Danny the dinosaur is like a lot of young children. They don’t want to wait for anything. They want everything now. They get upset and frustrated when they are told they have to wait. Danny is the same way. He has a birthday coming up and his parents tell him he will have to wait for a big surprise. He tells them that they know he hates waiting. Will he learn to be patient and wait for his surprise?  I love the book and its message. The illustrations are wonderful. I have a grandson who loves dinosaurs and is a lot like Danny. This is a book I know he will love.

 

The Moody Monster
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Source: Purchased

When Monster wakes up after a bad dream he finds himself mad. He doesn’t understand why. To make matters worse his mom isn’t home. His aunt fixes him a breakfast he doesn’t want and he decides he’s not going to school. When his mom comes home he tells her about his dream and the way he feels. His mom helps him learn to calm himself to make himself feel better.

 

The Worry Unicorn by Sarah Read
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Source: Purchased

When Lily has to start at a new school she worries about all of the things that could go wrong. She worries about it so much that she can’t sleep. When she tells her parents about her feelings her mom talks to her about the positive side. She reassures her that her feelings are normal and that she will do just fine.

Mythical Girls by Alex McGilvery

Genre: Young Adult, Adult, Fantasy

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I really enjoyed this anthology. All of the stories are about girls who find a magical object. I found it interesting that two of these stories had characters that found an object that was a version of Excalibur.  One of my favorites was a world where magic had been outlawed. When the young girl finds a magical bracelet and is found out, the bracelet is to be destroyed. Fortunately, it isn’t and the girl has to use it to help save her land.

One of my favorites was “An Unexpected Weapon” by Kandi J. Wyatt. Kandi has long been one of my favorite authors. Her story resonated with me for several reasons. Her main character had previously gone through a tornado that destroys everything she loved. Her character and her behavior when a storm comes up reminded me of a former student. Mallory had gone through a tornado over the summer while visiting relatives up north. The terror haunted her. Since we get a lot of storms in Florida she lived in constant fear. She needed to sit facing a window to watch the sky. I would have to have my students pull out a book to read and then sit and talk with her until she calmed down. Kandi’s character Karli reminded me of my student Mallory. Both of them had to face their fear to overcome it.

Each of these stories empower girls. Each of them has a relic of magic. There is a wonderful look at different cultures and beliefs through this book. I really loved how these authors demonstrated both the good and bad sides of magic. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers.