Daisy Griffin - Samantha Loses the Box Turtle

Samantha Loses the Box Turtle
by Daisy Griffin
Illustrations by Matthew Griffin

Kindle Edition Available



Product Description (from Amazon)
When Samantha's grandfather finds a box turtle on a busy street the only thing to do is bring him home. Sam's mom says that he has to be let go, but not before some zany drama ensues. You'll have to read to find out how Samantha Loses the Box Turtle!


Samantha Loses the Box Turtle is a children's chapter book filled with fun and adventure while teaching about the lovable critter, the Eastern Box Turtle. It is broken up into 11 chapters, which contain 15 wonderful illustrations by Matthew Gauvin.

Also included at the end of the book are Box Turtle Fun Facts and a Quiz to help further your child's reading enjoyment.

About the Author (from Amazon author page)
I am a mother of 3, aunt of 7. My degree is in zoology and my heart tends to love all things natural. I love animals and plants and gazing at the stars at night. I am an avid reader. I am married to a technophile who lovingly bestowed a Kindle upon me for my birthday one year. I love it. I love reading on it, and am now enjoying creating books for children to go on it.

This biography was provided by the author or their representative.

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Kendra
Growing up with a younger sister who loved animals, we had a few turtles … or more like lots of turtles. Four of these turtles were box turtles, and three of those came from the wild. I really enjoyed this book, as it brought back so many memories from those days.

     The story starts with them finding the turtle on the way home from a trip to town one day. They bring it home in a plastic sack because they found it in an unsafe location, and when they get home, their mother tells them they could not keep the turtle as it was wild and would not survive properly in captivity, something I can attest to because we had to release all three of the box turtles we got from the wild rather soon after my sister acquired them. They decide to take the turtle to the local nature preserve.
     Samantha is also studying the Food Chain in school and, with permission from both her mother and teacher, brings the turtle to show her fellow students. While at school, the turtle gets out and they have to re-find him again, and after school they take the turtle to the Nature Preserve.
     It was a good story, and flowed pretty seamlessly. There were plenty of turtle facts peppered throughout, but they were never annoying. To my surprise, there was no mention of evolution. All facts were the hands-on type that you can prove. The pictures were naturally black and white, so that should not be an issue on the black and white Kindle.
     Samantha did not get along with her sister as well as I would have liked her to, and I found the baby’s speech a tad bit unrealistic, but not much.

All in all, this is a good book, one I’m sure my younger sister would have devoured back during her turtle days, and one I’m sure my younger brother will enjoy reading.

Genre/Theme: Chapter Reading Book, Animals, Children
Reading Level (by appropriateness): CHILD Children's Literature
Profanity: One Gray Area word
Sexuality: NONE - although some parents might ahve issues when, in explaining the difference between girl and boy turtles, it is mentions that tboy turtles get on top of girl turtles

Brenda Ponnay - Secret Spy Numbers

Super Agent Josephine's 
Secret Spy Numbers
by Brenda Ponnay

Available for Kindle

 and in Paperback


Product Description (from Amazon)

Secret Agent Josephine is willing to reveal the contents of her stealthy, super expanding spy bag -- but are you ready? In this fresh and funny book, Brenda Ponnay, aka Secret Agent Josephine, gets kids counting spy glasses, micro-cameras and more super-secret spy gear. Little ones will love the bright colors and big numbers, older children (and their parents) will delight in the detailed descriptions of the spy paraphernalia.

About the Author (from Amazon author page)

Mother by day, Secret Agent by night! Or at least that's what I've been telling everyone on the internet for the last five years. The reality is I juggle motherhood and a bustling graphic design and illustration business all day long and deep into the night. The lines are blurred and that is what makes me a Secret Agent or a super hero, either one.

My daughter is my muse and she creeps into my art in the most unexpected ways (sometimes literally).

This biography was provided by the author or their representative.

O.Scarlett! GUEST REVIEW by Kendra

I read a review for the print version of this series on a blog I follow, so when I noticed that my Mom had managed to get this one for our Kindle, I pulled it up at once.

The book itself was every bit as good as I had remembered the review saying it to be.  It gave a detailed inventory of all 55 items in her bag. Who would have guessed that she carried around a stick of lipstick that was really super glue?  Or a rubber computer?

Now I want a rubber computer …

However, this book is in color, and on a black and white Kindle, it just wasn’t as brilliant. In this book of the series, it wasn’t so bad, but one of the books in the series is about colors.  Also, a good deal of the charm of this book was in the descriptions of the objects, which was part of the image, and in super tiny print.  I could barely read it on the Kindle.

So I pulled it up on my laptop. It was some better. The colors were now there, but the print was still tiny. Pulling it up on my Mom’s larger computer was better, but still not much. Perhaps if I could get my hands on Josephine’s secret spy magnifying glass, I would be able to read it …

However, all in all, it was a great read, and I look forward to reading it to my younger brother and sister. I plan to suggest this series to my local library.

Genre/Theme:  Children, Educational (numbers), Spy/Mystery

Reading Level: CHILD 
Profanity:  NONE 
Sexuality:  NONE 

Other: None 

Janet Smith - Colandra's World

Colandra's World
Caress the Sun - Embrace the Thunder
by Janet Smith

Kindle Edition & Paperback Available through Amazon

Book Two – Colandra’s World: Her Journey Continued is also available


Product Description (from Amazon)
THIS IS A STORY about the the Ayore Village in Paraguay, where Colandra, a ten-year-old mute resides. Pastor Youngblood, the American missionary, has returned to the field, along with his staff. They minister to the Ayore people and teach them the Word of God. This book reveals God's work in Colandra’s life. Salvation and faith are the focus of this story.

About the Author (from Amazon)
Janet Smith is a native of New London, Connecticut. She now resides in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
          She was very active in the community during the Johnson administration. Ms. Smith was the first woman appointed to the New London Redevelopment Commission. She was hired as a program manager with the Model City program. Ms. Smith wrote programs for the education, recreation and public safety departments. Under her leadership, the first hot lunch program was implemented in all the cities' elementary schools. Later, she was employed by the Department of Defense as the Federal Women’s Program Manager. She assisted in writing the documentary "Extraordinary Women of Rhode Island in the 20th Century," which won the PBS best documentary award and the Department of the Navy Best Women’s Program.
          Her first novel, Squeeze My Hand, written in both English and Spanish, has received an award from USA Book News. She is a member of the Treasure Coast Writers and The National League of American Pen Women, Inc.

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Rachel

I enjoyed this book - at least the parts about Colandra and the missionary work in the village. I have many missionary friends and relatives, and have always enjoyed their stories. So it was with great anticipation that I curled up with this book.
          Unfortunately, the book was not as wonderful as the story that it is telling.
First, I never figured out what the sun and thunder had to do with the story. Maybe I missed something. But I usually expect the title to be inspired by or be the inspiration for a story that I read. At the very beginning of the book, Colandra runs out to greet the rising sun, a poetically beautiful bit of prose that will sweep you up and make you want to run with the small girl, and it isn’t long before you realize that the girl is smart, but deaf.
          Second, the dialogue was frustrating. The voice in my head sounded like I was reading from a 4th grade reader. The conversations were choppy and flitted around without structure much of the time. I found this frustrating and nearly put the book down. I found myself skimming many of the conversations. Many of them felt rushed, out of place, or filler to run up the word total. This was a jarring change from the beautiful prose of the first chapter.
          Third, since I don't like sports and baseball, the long chapters about the baseball games were skimmed over, and I likely missed a few important parts of the story doing this. If you love baseball, or understand the game well, it is very likely that you will enjoy the lengthy descriptions of the missionaries starting up a village team and Colandra’s trip to a major league game. Several chapters are spent describing a game that Colandra umpires shortly after she returns from the USA.
          Fourth, very few of the characters had any depth. Names and quips of conversations - but you never got to know any of them. Colandra was fairly well developed, it was easy to cheer for her. You also got to know a few of the leaders, but only at an acquaintance level.
          Personally, I feel this book would have been much better executed as a series of short stories, with each theme it's own story, or at least it's own chapter. .... Dividing the story into smaller bites would have been a great way to tell the stories - Meet Colandra and her People, Returning Home, Colandra's Ears and a Trip to the USA, Fun with Baseball, Starting a School. ... Many of the sub stories, I would have loved to have heard more about - like the school. I do understand that the author was trying to tell a story chronologically.
It was a beautiful story ... with a lot of baggage to read.
          One thing I found frustrating was how easy it made it sound to live as a missionary. There was no struggle, everything just happened in such a positive way. This left the story feeling flat. For instance, every time the missionaries needed something, somebody knew just the right person, like a doctor for Colandra’s operation and a baseball player who was willing to set up teams with quality equipment. Computers ran with few problems, boxes of curriculum were purchased, shipped, and arrived on time. The only "challenge" in the story was leading the rest of the tribe to Christ, which happened quickly and easily once the missionaries arrived back in their country.
         I feel like this is a wonderful story .... trapped in poor writing, even though there are many moments of brilliance. I wondered if the story was true, it might be, but I was unable to confirm that it is an actual true account.

Notes:
This would make a good read aloud to children who enjoy baseball. It would also make a good learning platform for a homeschool family. The book lends itself well to learning more about Colandra’s country, the village, and so much more.

Genre/Theme:  Missionary, Christian, Baseball, Special Needs
Reading Level:  CHILD
Profanity: NONE
Sexuality: NONE

Ben Woodard - The Boy Who Flew With Eagles

The Boy Who Flew With Eagles
Mythic Adventure Collection #1


by Ben Woodard
illustrated by Laura Leikona

Kindle Edition Available




Product Description (From Amazon)
Famine. A giant eagle. And a boy who would be prey.

The book combines excitement, adventure, and the dream of all humans. To fly. Naa'ki, a boy snatched by a giant eagle, must use his wits and knowledge to survive. And to save his people and animals from starvation. To succeed, he will have to give up his future.

O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Tenya

Having been raised in the Pacific Northwest, I have a great appreciation for these kind of Native American tales, full of wisdom and a true appreciation for the natural world.

Ben Woodard has woven this story beautifully. It's easy to read. As an adult, I enjoyed it immensely. What human has not wished to soar on the wind? I was charmed from the first sentence. Wonderful!

As a homeschooler of 13+ years, I recommend this book as an example of Native American folklore and as a thought-provoking, unobtrusive invitation to wildlife conservation. Most third or fourth graders should be able to read this book on their own, and even those into their teens will probably enjoy it. Even though it is aimed at boys, which is fantastic, I think many young ladies will value it as well.

Notes:
Additionally, the illustrations by Laura Leikona which highlight each chapter are simple and beautiful.  Between the lovely aesthetic of this book and the good writing, it's a must read for all families, and especially for boys.  One of Ben Woodard's goals is to create books which excite young men about reading.

Genre/Theme:  Native American Tales, Children's Literature, Wildlife Conservation
Reading Level:  CHILD to ADULT - Most 3rd graders should be able to read this book independently.
Profanity: NONE
Sexuality: NONE

Kendra E. Ardnek - Sew, It's a Quest

Sew, It's a Quest
The Bookania Quests #1

by Kendra E. Ardnek


Kindle Edition Available
Paperback through CreateSpace

 

Product Description (from Amazon.com)

Robin and Robert are royal twins. They are the only two to have received a Fairy Godmother gift in nearly a century, an amazing honor. Soon it was clear that their gifts had been switched and a search began to find the Fairy Godmother to right the mistake. When she is finally sighted by a knight, the family learns that the pair must find her for themselves and they only have until their 18th birthday ... only 4 months away. Will they be able to find her in time?

About the Author

Kendra E. Ardnek has been writing her own stories since she was a toddler. She fell in love with books, drama, and fairy tales at a very young age - and has been filling notebooks with her stories for years. Joining NaNoWriMo and writing Sew, It's a Quest at age fifteen gave her an opportunity to be a published author by age sixteen.

She writes her own blog (knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com), homeschools, cooks, knits, and crafts when she isn't writing stories and acting them out with her younger cousins and siblings.


O.Scarlett! REVIEW by Tenya

Take every traditional thing you know about fairy tales, dump them in a sack, shake them up, and dump out this very fun read. This book, a delightfully quirky and humorous story, is filled with unexpected plot twists and down-right funny cliche' to make you chuckle every time it comes to mind.

The author wrote this at age sixteen, and I look forward to following her career as she matures and her writing skills are refined. Kendra has created fun, unique characters with a story line that captivates the attention.

A safe and entertaining read for anyone, especially as a read-aloud book for family, "Sew, It's a Quest" stirs the imagination for what else will follow in the next installment of the Bookania Quests. After all, with enchanted princesses who wield swords; fairy godmothers with strange habits; and brave princes who never disappoint in the bravery department, what else could a reader want?

Pick up your copy, print or digital today, for a delightful read. But, whatever you do, don't let the cat out of the bag; that's a pesky situation for sure! (You shall have to read the book to findest what I doth mean by that.)

Notes:

This is truly a fun read, but you will have more than a few formatting and typographical errors in the eBook version.  These do not detract from the charm of the story, which shall continue, as I understand very soon in the second installment of The Bookania Quests.  Kendra claims a family of truly talented writers and is currently working on a book of short stories, co-written with her mother.

Genre/Theme:  Fantasy, Fairy-tale, Comic

Reading Level:  Child to Adult (Children under age 12 may need assistance for vocabulary reasons.)

Profanity:  NONE

Sexuality:  NONE