Eyes of the Enemy – Kelly Hess

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: I received a copy from the author/publisher to help facilitate my review.  I received not compensation. The review is my opinion alone.

Blurb:

When a rogue band of the dreaded Sorak attacks his village, twelve-year-old Beynn Firehand escapes into the darkness of BlackMyst Forest to find help. During his quest, Beynn discovers his own powerful magic abilities. 

The price of his newfound powers, however, may be higher than he ever imagined.

My Thoughts:

This book has great characters and a great setting.  The world building is not over done in this book. The main character Beynn Firehand is the twelve-year-old who has set out to save his village.  The story is not over the top which is what will draw most of my middle school fantasy readers into the story.

The story is not just one magic spell after another. There is so much to like about this book.  For me I believe the fact that I would just get myself to believing something was going to happen a certain way and then the author threw in a twist.  I happen to love stories that have more twists than a rollercoaster.

It is this unpredictability that keeps me reading. Beynn develops his powers slowly so it isn’t like the author decided, hey I think I give him powers and just let the character loose with them. I loved his best friend Fritz. It was obvious that he didn’t understand what was happening to his friend Beynn. He also demonstrated what a true friend was. I loved the ending.  If you want to know what I am talking about then you most definitely need to read this book.

You can learn more about the author here.

Shabbat Monsters - Jennifer Tzivia MacLeod

Genre:  Children's Picture Book

Source:  I received a digital copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

The illustrations in the book will appeal to children everywhere.  For me a Christian, who knew little about Jewish customs and religious beliefs it was an opportunity to learn more.  Shabbat is a celebration of the Sabbath.  It is a holy time.  In the book four little monsters are all enjoying this day, when a fifth monster asks to join them.  They refuse and ignore him.  He reminds them what Shabbat is truly about.  They reflect on this and decide to allow him to join them. This is a great way to teach children about other religious beliefs.

About the Author

Jennifer Tzivia MacLeod is a proud mother of four (two big and two little) who lives in northern Israel. A freelance writer for magazines and newspapers, she also loves writing stories for her kids and their friends.

Charlie Glass's Slippers: A Very Modern Fairy Tale - Holly McQueen

Charlie Glas'ss Slippers
Genre: Adult, Contemporary
Source: I received a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Book Blurb

When Charlie’s beloved father, iconic shoe designer Elroy Glass, dies after a long illness, everyone expects that he’ll leave his business to his glamorous wife and eldest daughters. After all, they’ve been running the company for years. But Elroy surprises everyone from beyond the grave: at the will reading, it’s announced that his fashion empire has been left to Charlie, his youngest—and plumpest—daughter.

Before she can run the company, Charlie decides she needs to make a few changes in her life. After several weeks at a California boot camp, she returns to London a new woman: thinner, blonder, and ready to revitalize the Elroy Glass brand. But as she’ll soon discover, a good esthetician and a killer pair of stilettos can only go so far, and there’s more to reinvention—and running a fashion empire—than meets the eye.

 

My Thoughts

Holly McQueen has taken one of my favorite fairy tales and created a wonderful modern day story.  Let me tell you some of the things that made this really stand out in my mind.  First we have Charlie which is short for Charlotte.  She is the plump member of the family.  She gets walked on by her sisters.  She is a peacemaker. She is not exactly a fashionista.  Her sister Gaby is all show and about as snooty and uppity as they come.  Robyn tries to put on airs. She definitely has some problems. She’s just come back from getting help from having a break down.

Charlie has a small dinner and ends up trying to keep peace the entire time. When two of the guests, one of whom was not originally invited complain they can’t eat the food and order food in, she takes it in stride.  She is definitely someone who needs to stand up to others. I love that she considers her step-mother the “Ice Queen”, “High Priestess of Mordor”, She Who Must Not Be Named.”  It gives us an idea of what she thinks of the woman. Something else unique about this story is the way she became Charlie’s step-mother.  Charlie’s father was married to Gabby and Robyn’s mother.  They got a divorce and later he married Charlie’s mom and they had her.  Charlie’s mom died when she was run over and Charlie went to live with her Step-family. She was always considered lowly because her mother was a domestic and not high society like her step-mother. Charlie’s step mom is so verbally abusive to her. In front of other people she tries to put on a good act.  I believe that is one reason I really could not stand her.  I took great pleasure in learning Charlie’s dad had left 51% of the shares to her because she had given up her own life to take care of him, while the other members of his family only took from him.

Revenge might not be what Charlie set out to get when she takes a leave and comes back with a new look and a new idea for moving the business forward. That is exactly what she gets. 

I loved the book.  The characters were so well developed that you could not help loving some and really despising others.  I really look forward to reading anything else this author puts out.  I would highly recommend this book with a lot of quirky twists.  It is one you have to sit and read cover to cover.

About the Author:

Holly McQueen is the author of four novels—The Glamorous (Double) Life of Isabel Bookbinder, Fabulously Fashionable, Confetti Confidential, and There Goes the Bride. She lives in London with her husband.

The Repurposed and Upcycled Life - Michelle Rayburn

The Repurposed and Upcycled Life Blog Tour
 

 

 

About the Book

Life is frustrating sometimes. It can be hard and ugly. Hurt, frustration and regret can make everything seem hopeless. But, God has a plan for everything in our lives. He offers unconditional love and grace, despite our imperfections. He offers hope where we see only despair. 

Discover the repurposed and upcycled life. This is a life where no experience is wasted. Like the best trash-to-treasure decorating project, it's alife where God repurposes our juky experiences. It's where he upcycles---turns hopeless situations into something so much better than we ever imagined---when we let him work with the trash. When we surrender to his leading, god demonstrates his creativity in revealing how our greatest disappointments, mistakes, and painful experiences can be priceless treasures.

Through humor and stories, Michelle Rayburn addresses how to unpack emotional baggage and let go of the past. Readers will learn how to confront perfectionism and negative attitudes, change perspective on circumstances, and let go of regret and shame. It's an opportunity to learn how to build positive healthy relationships, and dream big and live with purpose. Through inspiration from God's Word and examples from everyday life, readers will discover the joy–filled, hope–rich way of viewing their past, present, and future.



 

My Thoughts
The title of this came at just the right time.  We were going through things in our house to see what we could get rid of and what we could recycle or repurpose.  This book does the same thing with events in our life.  The whole gist of this is that when you look at your life and things you are holding onto you need to  ask yourself if you need to continue to hold on to it. Is it important? Chances are it is not. Can you use it to change things in your life to improve things?  I have always seen myself as a fairly positive person.  However, there are areas in my life that when I bring them back up, turn into something very negative.  I had to ask myself if it was doing good or harm in my life?  I had to give myself permission to let go of it.  It definitely was not something God wanted me to hold on to.  It is like holding on to a grudge.   God has so much more for us.  This book is full of ways to help you do just that.  If there is one book you need to read this year it is this book.  I will recommend it to all of my readers and my family and friends.

ABOUT MICHELLE

Michelle wants to help you connect the dots between faith, creativity, and everyday life and discover the joy of finding God in the most unexpected places. Years ago, she left her career as a registered nurse to raise her family, and along the way, she discovered her true passion for writing, speaking, and singing.

Michelle has written more than 100 articles for publication, and this is her debut book. Her writing has also appeared in Christian Communicator, Focus on the Family, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Vista, Queen of the Castle Magazine, and more. She has also written several Bible studies for ChristianBibleStudies.com, and does freelance editing and copy writing.

Spark: Kindled Book One by Ginger Lee Malacko

Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade
Source: I received a review copy from the author to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

From Goodreads:

Nathan Christopher Coville has always been certain of two things: that he is the most popular kid to have ever lived in the town of Temple Hills, and that he deserves to be. But that was before he was plunged head first into a gorge. Now that he’s freshly dead, Nathan isn’t certain of anything except that the afterlife isn’t so heavenly. Instead of waking amidst trumpets and sunlit clouds, Nathan finds himself deep underground, in the middle of an invisible world of guardian angels. With an impossible mission, a head angel with an unnerving secret, and a host of demons who want nothing more than to destroy him, fame and glory seem forever just out of Nathan’s reach. And to top it all, he is somehow thrown in with the most notorious misfits of the guardian training center. It’s a far cry from his easy mortal life, and Nathan finds himself homesick for his friends, his family, and his fan club. But the greatest challenge of all comes when Nathan accidentally discovers a dastardly demon plot to take over his hometown. And since the angel authorities refuse to believe that a demon army is secretly amassing under their noses, the fate of thousands of people is suddenly resting on Nathan’s inexperienced shoulders.

My Thoughts:
I like the main character Nathan from the very beginning.  I thought he was kind of stuck on himself.  However, I deal with kids like that all the time as a teacher. I could overlook that character trait.  I saw how much he really cared about his brother Sam.  I knew there was something special about Nathan when he described the stranger on the baseball field before he had ever reached it.  It was obvious he has some gift that allowed him to tell that things were not right. Shade was definitely a demon and  Nathan was aware that there was a major problem with Shade. Nathan loses his life after saving the life of his friends and his younger brother who refused to listen to Nathan. He had told them not to listen to Shade. So the story starts out in a depressive way, but it sure keeps the ball rolling all the way through.  Sam was a hero in life, and now it seems he must become a hero in death.  I would definitely recommend this book.  It only took me two sittings to read this book.  If I had not had other things I had to do I could have read it in one sitting.  Definitely need this for my students at school.  I think they will really enjoy this.
I received a copy from the author to help facilitate this review.  I received no compensation. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Fractured Dream Review and Giveaway

 

Fractured Dream by KM Randall

Published by: Booktrope

Published On: June 21, 2014

Genre: Fantasy

Blurb:

Have you ever wondered where fairytales go once they're created?

It's been eight years since Story Sparks last had a dream. Now they're back, tormenting her as nightmares she can't remember upon waking. The black waters of Lake Sandeen, where her Uncle Peter disappeared decades before, may hold the secret to Story's hidden memories, or a truth she'd rather not know. On a bright summer afternoon, Story and her two best friends, Elliott and Adam, take a hike to the lake, where they dive into the cool water and never reemerge. What they find is beyond anything they've ever imagined could be possible, a world where dangers lurk in the form of Big Bad Wolves, living Nightmares and meddlesome witches and gods.

Now Story must remember who she really is and somehow stop two worlds from ultimate annihilation, all while trying not to be too
distracted by the inexplicable pull she feels toward a certain dark-eyed traveler who seems to have secrets of his own. The fates of the worlds are counting on her.

My Thoughts:
If you love dark fairy tales, mysteries, and fantasies then this is the book for you. There is something for everyone in this book. The author did a great job of world building.  For those who like romance in their stories the author has even covered that base.  I am not a big fan of romances.  However, the romance in this book is not over the top.  I especially loved the idea of the character, appropriately named Story.  She is not only a hero in the world of Tressla, but also in her earthly world. Story is one of those characters I had trouble liking in the beginning of the book.  As the story progresses we see lots of growth in the character.  This made her more likable further into the book.  This is a really great book that I know young adults and adults will both like.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

About the Author As a girl, K.M. always wished she’d suddenly come into magical powers or cross over into a Faerie circle. Although that has yet to happen, she instead lives vicariously through the characters she creates in writing fantasy and delving into the paranormal. When K.M. is not busy writing her next novel, she is the editor-in-chief of a blog covering the media industry, as well as an editor with Booktrope Publishing. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in English-Lit from Nazareth College of Rochester. K.M. lives in Upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region with her husband and her extremely energetic little boy. Fractured Dream is her first novel.

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Twisted Reflections by Shay West

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Source:  I received a copy to help facilitate this review. The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

Back Blurb:

Alexis Davenport is learning to come to grips with her ability to travel through time, but she still hasn’t been able to stop the evil Drifter and his Master from trying to alter the past.

When she travels back to ancient Egypt, Alex gets a most unexpected surprise; she meets someone who can help her figure out how to use her powers, another Traveler like herself.

But can Alex learn how to control her gift before Drifter finds a way to stop her from meddling in his Master’s plans?

My Thoughts:

First let me say I thought the cover of the first book was gorgeous.  The second one is equally gorgeous.

In this sequel to Dangerous Reflections” which I posted a review on here, we find Alexis Davenport’s life is beginning to look up.  In the first book she and her mother had to move into her aunt’s guest house because her father deserted them and cleaned out the bank account while he was at it.  She has survived her first year of high school and being bullied.  She has a gorgeous boyfriend named Drake and her mom is actually letting her date, in a way. She’s not allowed to go to dances, she’s not allowed to get her learners permit, and she is spending a lot of time working for her aunt.  Her social life is beginning to go down the tubes. Worse than all of that is the Drifter is trying even harder to kill her. In this book Alexis meets someone like her and finds a way to travel to Scotland so that she can meet this boy and his master.  She’s after some answers since she has learned that she has no master.  Who is the Drifter and just what is his or his master’s ultimate goal?  I was really surprised by a couple of things that occurred in the book.  I was shocked by the way it ended. I flipped the page and realized there was no more.  Talk about a cliff hanger.  It was tied up neatly enough; there were just several questions I wanted answered. 

Summer Extravaganza Day 3

This is the final day of massive picture book reviews.  I believe I have most of them caught up.  The rest I will just sprinkle throughout my reviews.

 

 

Baffin’s Desire for Fire – Josephine Young

Baffin is a dragonasaurus who can’t breathe fire from his snout. He visits the firebird who lives on top of fire mountain. Read and find out if Baffin gets fire. This is a cute book about a young dragon who feels different because he is told he is different.  He wants to grow up too fast.  He learns a valuable lesson while up on the mountain.

 

 

Boo & Doo and the Crazy Clouds – Michael Yu

Boo and Doo live in the town of Oobaoo. Their houses are made of sugar. Every time it rains they lose their homes. One day an angry rain cloud came in and destroyed their homes. The town meets in a cave to figure out a way to stop the angry cloud. Boo and Doo step forward with a plan.  The question is, will it work?  Read this wonderful and brightly colored book to find out how they save their town.

 

 

 

 

 

The Bath Time Book – Michael Yu

It was bedtime and Alfie wanted to continue playing. As he prepares to take his bath his imagination is turned to high. This is a wonderful book to read to your child before bed time after they have taken their bath.

 

 

 

Emma Learns to Sprout – Shir Guez

This is a cute book about Emma and her mother who teachers her all about sprouting. I’m ashamed to say, growing up on a farm I was clueless about sprouting. I had never even heard of sprouting. The story explains the process so that it is simple yet fun. The best part is that the whole process encourages children to eat what they sprout, which is healthy for them.

 

The Honk of Zagonk – Pat Hatt

This cute story is about dragons gathering for the dragon games where they will learn what kind of flame they will get.  Zagonk waits patiently. When his turn comes all that comes out is a honking sound.  Of course all of the other dragons laugh at him.  He flies off ashamed of himself.  Trouble visits the other dragons.  It will be up to Zagonk to use his gift to help them all.  This is a fun read about using the talents you are given.

 

If You Were Me and Lived in Portugal – Carole P. Roman

This is a book that follows along I the same way the author’s other books do. In Portugal you learn the capital, what your parents are called, popular boy and girl names. The author always talks about where you would go on vacations and what you would see. My favorite part is learning about some of the foods you would eat. These are great books for getting children interested in learning about other countries.

 

 

 

 

 

Animal Friends: Floating Orange Cubes – Rob Towner

This is the story about a cicada and other creatures who accidently get on the bad side of a group of birds. By trying to get revenge on each other, something catastrophic happens. There is only one way to fix this situation.  It will require a sacrifice.  Read to find out what must be sacrificed and if it is enough to bring everyone together.

 

 

 

 

 

Matzo Frogs – Sally Rosenthal

This is a wonderful story of helping your neighbor.  A woman prepares some matzo soup for company that will be joining her later in the evening. She ends up spilling it.  She has promised to help a neighbor with something else and knows she won’t have time to remake the soup.  She leaves disheartened.  Imagine her surprise when she returns and finds new batch of soup made. Who could have done such a special thing for her and her company.  This was a fun book to read and can be enjoyed by young and old alike, whether you are Jew or Gentile. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous

 

 

 

The Little Seed – Martha Wolfe

A little seed drops from heaven and begins to grow. It grows strong and beautiful. Many things are made from the plant. One day the government comes in and destroys the plants.  Then it rains and more of the plant has grown.  Man can’t stop what God has started for a purpose. This is a great book teaching how plants start and mature.

 

 

Stars in the Pool and Other Stories – D. R. Tara

This book was filled with real short stories that had morals or lessons at the end of each one.  It starts off with a story of three brothers. Ned is the oldest and works hard. Ted and Zed are lazy and play all day.  One day Ned decides to go out into the world to seek his fortune so that he can bring it back and share it with his brothers.  Ted decides to do this as he has never been a help.  He finds an old woman and asks her for shelter.  She gives him a task to do and he decides it is impossible so he goes home.  Ned goes out and meets the same old lady.  He is given the same task as the other brother.  Ned sets to work to fulfill the task.  This story teaches we must use our hands if we want to reach our dreams and goals, we can’t sit around and wait for things to happen.  A second story tells of a man who has great riches.  He hears some robbers in his garden and tells his wife to listen to him and to answer yes to what he says.  Speaking loudly he tells his wife that it was a good thing that he hid all of their riches at the bottom of the well where no one would be able to get to them.  The robbers empty the well trying to get to the riches.  In the process they have watered the crops of the owner and find themselves arrested. The moral of the story is not to believe everything you hear.  The rest of the book is filled with similar stories. It was very enjoyable.

 

 

 

Billy’s Most Peculiar Hike – Sophia Aguilera

Billy is a young boy who loves to be outdoors. On this particular day of hiking he decides to walk a trail up a mountain. Along the way he sees many strange creatures. The book is written in rhyming form Much like Dr. Seuss the illustrator has used a limited color palette which actually enhances the story. This was a fun book to read. This would be great for a pre-writing book where you have students create their own blended creatures.

 

 

 

If I Were a Robot – Scott Gordon

A young boy describes what his life would be like if he was a robot. He has quite an imagination. This is a fun way to teach kids about using their imaginations.

 

 

 

 

Leading the Way: Darby's Ranger Noel Dye by A.H. Durshimer III

Genre: Biography, WWII

Source: Purchased a copy

 

I had the privilege of meeting the author at a summer workshop. We work in the same district. When I overheard him discussing his book, I looked it up online. I immediately did two things. I ordered the book and scheduled it’s review. I then took my card to him and told him what day the review would be posted.  I was that interested in the book.

Art is extremely knowledgeable about the Vietnam War and the World Wars. Through a friend he had the opportunity to meet Noel Dye, who was one of Darby’s Rangers.  I had heard of Darby’s Rangers. I had watched the movie.  I did not know who Noel Dye was.  Art has skillfully taken this man’s story and told it in a way that you feel like you are sitting in on the interviews.  For me that is important.  I have limited knowledge of wars.  When some part or some person in a war peaks my interest then I dig deeper and learn more.  This book has once again set me on that path and made it easier for me because it included a bibliography.  With all of the facts I was afraid it would read like a list of battle facts.  This is so far from the truth.  I was very impressed with not only the story, but the writing of the story.

Noel is a very down to earth person.  One thing that was obvious as he was telling the story to the author was how vivid his memories were.  My mother and I were discussing this. Her father fought in WWI.  She said the one thing that haunted him was sitting in a fox hole with his buddy having a conversation. When his buddy didn’t answer he looked over and saw his head had been blown off.  She remarked that he had said it just so matter-of-fact.  This is how Noel talks of his injuries and losing his buddies.  These are memories that never leave you.  Hopefully the soldier finds a way to deal with them so they no longer haunt them.

Two other things I loved about this book.  There are a collection of letters that Noel’s family had saved for him. In this way we see what was going through his mind, and how little he was able to relay to his family.  The other thing was the pictures he graciously allowed the author to put into the book. I am very pleased I overheard his conversation mentioning his book.  The funny thing in all of this is that you would think that with such a love of history that Art would teach that subject.  He teaches English.  In my book this makes his students extremely lucky.  When he has to find extra reading materials, be it books, essays, letters, etc. to go with his lesson, he is in a position to do so. He has a wealth of knowledge in his hands. Any parent would be lucky to have him for a teacher. He is currently working on another book. I look forward to reading it when he has it finished.

 

About the Author

Art Durshimer is a high-school English and journalism teacher in Bradenton, FL. He is married and the father of three children. Durshimer, 56, spent 25 years in various newsrooms as a reporter and editor. He began teaching 11 years ago, fulfilling a longtime goal of working with young people. His wife, Meg, also is a former journalist who now teaches elementary school. Durshimer is a lifelong history buff, a habit he indulges through historical re-enactments and presentations of World War II and the Vietnam War era. He, his wife and children all are Florida natives; his sons Ben, 18, and Jake, 20, are the fourth generation of his family born in the state. Durshimer’s daughter, Amy, and his three grandchildren live near Athens, Ga. His hobbies include historical re-enactments, reading (favorite author is Pat Conroy), writing and beachcombing with his wife on Florida’s gulf and Atlantic beaches.

Summer Extravaganza Day 2

This is the second day of picture book reviews.  Sit back and see what is available for your little one.

Caterpillars Don’t Check Email – Calee M. Lee

This is a simple story that explains how caterpillars become butterflies. It is full of beautiful photographs. This book is short and simple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Queen and the Cats – Calee M. Lee

This is the story of Empress Helena, mother of Constantine. In the story when she visits Cypress with a holy gift she realizes the people are unable to worship in their church because of snakes. The Empress sends a gift to Cypress that will make it possible for people to worship once again.  Read this historical book to find out what gift she sends and with whom she trusts the gift.

 

We Love Bugs – Calee M. Lee

This is a book of thirty-one poems about bugs. These range from nursery rhymes we remember as a child, “Little Miss Muffet”,  to those I was not familiar with. Read wonderful poems by well  known poets like Emily Dickinson and John Keats. This is a great book to share with your children or grand-children.

 

Harley the Alligator – Stacie Murphy

Harley was an alligator who loved to swim as fast as she could through the water. One day she was going so fast she couldn’t stop. She slammed into a tree and knocked out a tooth. She was afraid of what the other alligators would think. Read to find out what Harley learns about teeth.

 

The Nutt Family – Angela Muse

Nutt family Hazel and Fillbert, along with their children Chess and Praline lived in an old Maple tree. The children tied leaves around their necks like capes and pretended to be superheroes. One day a woodpecker, pecking on their home caused Chess to fall from his knothole. His sister Praline jumped out to help him. Soon they found themselves in a real life adventure. This is a wonderful story. I loved the way the author gave each acorn the name of a different type of nut. When I read about them tying leaves around their necks, I was reminded of my sisters and I tying scarves around our necks pretending we could fly as we jumped off of the porch. I also loved the facts at the end of the book about acorns.  Even though I grew up with lots of oak  trees, yet I was still able to learn a lot from this book.

 

Sparkly Me – Ally Nathaniel

This is a cute book for four to five year olds. This is perfect for the girl who likes all things sparkly. This book teaches them that all the glitter on the outside doesn’t matter. It’s what is on the inside that matters.

 

Happypotamus – Jason Plassard

This is the story of two very different animals, Walter the Whinceros and Hailey the Happypotamus. Hailey and Walter had similar life experiences. Hailey chose to look at the positive while Walter always looked at the negative. Hailey also trusted God to take care of her.

 

Carnivors – Aaron Reynolds

I have to say that the book cover is what drew me to this book. The lion, great white shark, and the timber wolf are carnivores. They eat other animals. It bothers them that the other animals talk bad about them. They come up with several plans. When they try them out they discover they need a better plan, How will they solve this problem?

 

 

 

Fumbulgumbul – Jason Sandberg

Mister Gumbul makes delicious cookies. They smell so good he’s followed by a poodle just waiting for him to drop one. When he comes to a puddle he gets a ladder to climb over the puddle. The poodle returns. What will happen? Will the poodle finally get some cookies?

 

Silly Tilly – Eileen Spinelli

Tilly we learn is a silly goose who does silly things like bathing in apple juice. She combed her feathers with a rake. After all the silly things she did the other barnyard animals had finally had enough. The question you must now discover  is what will happen around the farm with Tilly no longer acting silly.

 

Tinky and the Baby Butterflies – Susan Spira

Mommy butterfly needed a babysitter and asked if Tinky would do it. Tinky was to keep the babies safe at home. What do you think will happen when they play a simple game of hide-and-seek?

 

How Oakley Lost His Spots – D.C. Swain

One day Rover asks Oakley where his spots are. Both dogs are dalmatians so Oakley knows he should have spots. He looks all over for them thinking he has lost them. His mother explains when the time is right, he will get his spots, but Oakley doesn’t want to wait. This is a great story about trying to grow up too fast.

 

I’ll Follow the Moon  Stephanie Lisa Tara

This is a very vivid book full of sensory words that help you understand what happens when turtles hatch. It is told from the baby turtle’s point of view. The common thread is that they follow the moon to get back to the ocean. The language is as beautiful as the pictures. Great way to teach young and old about sea turtles.

 

Kitty is Looking for Friends – Anat Umansky

This is the story of a kitty looking for a friend to play with. Each animal that offers to play with her is rejected for one reason or another. Will Kitty learn what it takes to be a friend or will she forever remain lonely?

 

The Camera Shy Monster – Susette Williams

Brooke didn’t like having her picture taken. She makes friends with Nessie the Loch Ness Monster, who also hates to have her picture taken. They decide to hide all day and night. When she gets hungry Nessie tries to bring her food. When they hear people coming they hide again. Soon they realize they can’t stay hidden forever. Read to find out how they solve their problem.

 

The Day My Parents Got Lost – Susette Williams

A trip to the fair causes distress for a young boy when he loses his parents. He was checking out a game and when he turned around his parents were gone. He checks everywhere and finally stops security for help finding them. This was a wonderful twist on parents losing their child. Great way to teach a lesson.