Review of 'Zombie Kid Diaries Vol. 2: Grossery Games'

The Zombie craziness continues in the second installment of the series. Bill's mom now has a job as a greeter at Mal-Mart, thanks to her super-duper zombie reflexes helping to take down a shoplifter. Bill is all excited about the annual "Spanksgiving Day Spectacular" fighting game tournament that is coming up. He needs to save some face after being beaten by a girl who loves Hiya Kitty in the last book. Unfortunately, his plans are almost thwarted by a mandatory class field trip to an overnight camp the same weekend.

His new zombie side effects are claws that grow out of his feet and hands. The only way to cut them is to chew them off. Gross. The school bully is filming a new TV show in which kids have to eat bugs if they lose whatever game he chooses to play. The school staff is even supporting it!

He spends his time plotting how to make a break from camp to the video game challenge while also dodging anything that will out him as a zombie. We also finally hear his theory on how he and his mom were turned into zombies, which was missing from the first story.

I didn't like this book as much as the first one, but it was still entertaining. I think kids are going to enjoy it no matter what. There is a third installment due out called Walking Dad that looks promising.

'The Joys of Writing for the Middle Grade Ages' Guest Post by Diane Stormer

Today I am honored to have author Diane Stomer as a guest blogger. She is the author of Alexander, Spy Catcher, which I reviewed a few weeks ago.

The joys of writing for the middle grade ages

I love the challenge of writing for the middle grade audience. At this age, children are not only learning skills that they will need for their lifetime ahead, but they are also making memories that they will carry with them into adulthood. This is the time in their lives when they will move beyond simple storybooks, and be drawn into more complex plots and concepts. 

I remember my middle school years, although, back then it was called “junior high.” Even though some of my energy was spent focusing on things popular at the time—words fail me in describing how badly I wanted a pair of go-go boots— there were also always books to read, with storylines that fascinated me. When I was reading, I was anywhere the story took me. I might have been living in the Age of Aquarius, but, immersed in a book, I could also be in medieval times, or right there alongside Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe being transported through the universe by means of tesseract (A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle).

The late sixties may not have been a time of innocence for pre-teens, but there was plenty of fuel for imagination. The ongoing Cold War only peripherally affected my life. Although we practiced air raid drills in school, and knew that some families went as far as to build bomb shelters, as a child nearing my teen years, in my perception, the Cold War mainly provided the backdrop for many television shows. Whether it was I Spy, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, Mission Impossible, or even Get Smart, spying was portrayed as exciting and decidedly cool. 

Given the era I grew up in, when I first embarked on a novel for middle school aged readers, an espionage theme was one that still interested me. My goal was to create situations for the main characters that children in this age group could imagine themselves being part of. I wanted it to be a believable escapade.

As I wrote, I became increasingly aware of the responsibility I had taken on. I found it wasn’t enough to just develop an intriguing plot, and characters the reader would grow to care about. Especially due to the age bracket of the intended readers, it was vital that the “good guys” acted ethically. 

When I scrutinized what I had written, even seemingly minor parts of the story needed to be written keeping in mind how easily a child’s thinking can be influenced. For example, as the adventure wraps up, the family makes plans to get a new dog. Rather than simply say that they’re going to get a puppy in the near future, it seemed preferable to have them opt to go to a shelter to adopt one. Would it be wrong to get a puppy from another source? No, of course not, but, it was a small way to infuse the concept of humanitarian values.

Times have changed… How often have we heard that, or stated it ourselves? Yes, children’s lives are different from generation to generation. What’s more, their home life and socio economic circumstances vary greatly. But, what hasn’t changed is their need to be enriched, to be challenged, have their imaginations’ encouraged, and to know the enjoyment of being captivated by a great story.

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Alexander, Spy Catcher

Book Blurb: A seemingly normal October turns into an exciting and terrifying adventure for Alexander and his brother, Ben, when they discover that their uncle Charlie may be in danger because of a secret government project he is working on.

The boys notice strange happenings around their family's home; for example, why is there a clandestine protected Wi-Fi network on their forest covered property?

When Alexander and Ben suspect that their uncle is being spied upon, they agree to warn him about what they've discovered. But on the same night that they tell him about their findings, he disappears without a trace.

Now, it's up to Alexander, Ben, and their family to solve the mystery about what happened to their uncle and bring him home safely. Although they are determined to rescue Charlie, they don't realize the dangers that lie ahead for them to accomplish this mission. 

Purchase on Amazon: Kindle | Paperback

About the author:

Diane Stormer worked as both an artist and a flight attendant. She retired shortly after being diagnosed with a rare untreatable neurological disease. She then knew it was time to move her dreams of writing from the back burner.

"It became important to finish the story I had begun writing several years before," remembers Stormer. "I wanted to make my contribution to enrich children's imagination." And contribute she did. In Alexander, Spy Catcher, Stormer weaves a story jam-packed with mystery, suspense and life lessons sure to capture readers 8-12.

Stormer originally began this story back in 1989, when her own children were ages 7, 9, and 11. In fact, the main characters of this book are loosely based on their personalities. Over the years she took the manuscript out of storage, and worked on it for a while. But, it wasn't until this last autumn, mainly because her brother was urging her to, that she decided to finish it up once and for all!

Because so much time had passed since she first thought of the idea, lots of things in the story had to be updated. When she began it, technology was not nearly to the place it is now, especially when it comes to things we take for granted such as cell phones. Since cell phones--especially "smart" cell phones didn't even exist back in 1989--play a big part in the plot, it turned out for the best that she delayed finishing the story until she did.

Stormer has two sons and a daughter, and lives in Germantown, Maryland. Alexander, Spy Catcher is her first novel. But she says she has already begun a new book, where Alexander and Ben stumble upon another adventure.

Visit Author's Website

Review of 'The Zombie Kid Diaries Vol. 1: Playing Dead'

I have never been a big fan of zombies and have been somewhat skeptical of these "diaries" series that have been coming out in full force lately. But Zombie Kid Diaries: Playing Dead had me laughing out loud on the very first page. I don't know how many younger readers will understand the concept of the dog Rickrolling as "Never Gonna Give You Up" plays as the ringtone from the phone he swallowed, but it sent me rolling.

Our devoted diary writer, Bill, lives with his mom and is attending middle school. His father is in jail, after a botched arson attempt trying to secure some money after losing his job. Mom's new job is volunteering for medical research for money. His goal in middle school is to be invisible and barely skate by, so that he can stay out of AP classes and fulfill his dream of being a professional gamer.

Middle school is a pain, of course, and his mom is acting funny. She is shuffling instead of walking, her face is droopy, and she is highly uncoordinated. He is starting to notice weird smells at school, like chocolate syrup. He can eat worms, which now taste like candy, and prefers the taste of moldy cereal to regular cereal. His farts cause people to pass out. Yup, he's a zombie.

His new tastes are going to turn a human's stomach, as diced earthworms and roadkill are not a delicacy in my household. You'll find yourself squealing with disgust and snickering as he learns to make his way through his new role in life.



I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review of 'Discovery Channel's Top 10 Deadliest Sharks'

Book Blurb:

Sharks are one of the world's oldest and most ferocious predators. For as long as man has entered the sea, sharks have struck fear in their hearts. This groundbreaking graphic novel from Discovery Channel and Silver Dragon Books examines the world's deadliest sharks and sheds light on their true nature, refuting the notion that they are mindless killing machines, but in reality are among the most amazing and well adapted creatures on earth.


**My thoughts**

This book is great! It's presented in graphic novel format, which is going to appeal to the more reluctant reader who doesn't like a traditional book. It's chock full of facts about sharks, focusing more on their positive attributes than their gory stories. It also seeks to dispel the myths that surround shark attacks. You may be surprised at how few attacks are really recorded by some of these creatures. Some of the pictures are bloody and graphic. Being illustrations, though, seems to soften the gore. 

The book also provides 10 safety tips for swimming in shark-infested waters. The biggest things are to not attract the sharks and to remember that the ocean is actually their home and domain. Be respectful of their territory. 

Shark enthusiasts will love the facts and the stories contained within this graphic novel. I would not recommend it for really young readers, though, as it could scare some of them. You will have to use your judgment with your individual child to determine whether or not it is appropriate for him. 




I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review of 'The Misadventures of Phillip Isaac Penn: PIP Goes to Camp'

Book Blurb:

"It’s not easy being a kid…”

Pip’s parent’s are sending him to summer camp—the one place he absolutely, definitely does NOT want to go! Now he’s in for eight whole days of torture, playing games, making crafts, and boating on the lake.

But worst of all are the people! From Whiner Winston keeping him awake all night with his complaining to Corrector Cora sticking her know-it-all nose into everyplace but her own business. Obviously Pip’s will need to do whatever it takes to get himself kicked out of camp and sent back home where he belongs.

Find out if he succeeds in this adorable chapter book that’s perfect for young readers. Filled with fun comedy, eye-catching pictures, and an easy-to-follow storyline, this book is perfect for young readers and guaranteed to keep the whole family grinning to the very last page.

**My thoughts**

Pip is a little smart aleck, whose parents are hoping he will develop some maturity if he is sent away to camp for a little while over summer. When he is there, he complains about everything and just wants to go home. Instead, everyone around him keeps getting into trouble and is sent home. He has to prove himself to stay out of trouble. As he does, he realizes that these kids, and camp, aren't so bad after all.

Pip has a knack for alliteration as he comes up with his negative nicknames for all of the other kids at camp. It is very easy for him to get sucked into their shenanigans and he struggles with making the right decisions. I like that he thinks "out loud" about some of the choices that he has to make, to demonstrate the process to young readers. Consequences for some of the negative choices are appropriate and will hopefully make kids think twice before they make some of their own. I also like how the camp counselor refuses to give in to the negative behavior to send Pip home. If Pip wants to go home, he will not be rewarded for negative behavior. That is an important lesson for parents and adults to remember about dealing with children.

His grumbling attitude is a little grating for an adult to read. I think that is because I work with children on a daily basis and whining is one of my biggest pet peeves. Kids who read this are going to recognize their own feelings in the grumbles and relate. Every chapter ends with "It isn't easy being a kid," which can feel redundant, yet pushes to get the point across. I do remember having those same feelings around that age.

I love the illustrations in this book. The characters come alive and their shenanigans become even more amusing when drawn out. I see this book appealing to middle grade readers, particularly boys. It is the second book in the series, but you do not need to read the first one to understand what is going on. It looks like even more misadventures are on their way to print! I'm curious to find out what else he is going to do.

I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review for Cedar Fort Books.

About the author:

Donna Peterson has enjoyed writing stories and poetry since the second grade. She is the author of the Misadventures of Phillip Isaac Penn series and has been published four times in the Idaho Magazine. She wrote a weekly humor column, “Kaleidoscope,” for the Three Rivers Chronicle, and she continues to write short stories for the children at Park Intermediate School where she has been employed for the past twelve years. Two years ago Donna took a children’s literature class at TVCC, taught by the popular children’s author, Judy Cox. This inspired Donna to finally publish her own stories.

Donna lives in Weiser with her husband, Brad, and her three-legged cat, Samson. Her eldest son, Erik, lives in Murray, Utah, with his wife, Shawna. David, her other son, just moved out to start his first year of college.

Writing has always been Donna’s favorite pastime, so having her children’s books published is a dream come true.

Purchase in paperback


Purchase for Kindle

Seeking Mommy and Daddy Reviewers for 'Three Lost Kids' Tour in October

Join award-winning author Kimberly Kinrade for the month of October to celebrate Halloween and All Hallow's Read with a big giveaway for her launch of The Three Lost Kids & The Death of the Sugar Fairy.

What's All Hallow's Read? Author Neil Gaiman started this tradition a few years ago as a way to encourage the act of giving a book for Halloween.

Beginning October 2 through October 31st, Kimberly is looking for bloggers to review and/or host an interview, guest post or pre-written promo post for her children's chapter book series (for lower-grade readers 4-9 years old) and post the HTML code for a Rafflecopter giveaway.

The giveaway includes:

GRANDPRIZE:
A $25 Gift Certificate to Amazon.com and signed paperback copies of all 4 Lost Kids books (Lexie World, Bella World, Maddie World, and The Death of the Sugar Fairy) and a Three Lost Kids bookmark

RUNNERUP to two winners:
Signed copy of The Death of the Sugar Fairy and Three Lost Kids bookmarks.

She is offering a free e-book in any version of all four of her children's books to blogs who host her for that month, as well as two blogger awards.

A $15 Amazon Gift Card, signed copy of The Death of the Sugar Fairy and bookmarks to the blog with the most comments, and the blog with the most creative post.

About The Three Lost Kids

The first three books in this series (Lexie World, Bella World and Maddie World) were inspired by Kimberly's three little girls of the same name, who discovered their own worlds where they had magical powers and wanted their mom to write about it!

This special edition trilogy includes full color illustrations and each book is told from the first person perspective of that little girl's world. The paperback editions of these books are 7x10 full color with a coloring book in the back of each. They also include discussion questions to get kids and parents talking about the important themes in each book, such as caring for the planet, emotional maturity and handling
bullies.

In The Death of the Sugar Fairy, the Three Lost Kids start a whole new series of chapter books, told from all three kids' point of view. Moving forward, the series will not include illustrations, but will include the same fantastic stories that have made the special edition trilogy so popular.

About The Three Lost Kids & The Death of The Sugar Fairy

Halloween is here and Lexie, Bella and Maddie couldn't be happier. But why does everything feel so different? Fewer houses are decorated and fewer kids are out trick-or-treating. Still, that's not going to stop the three girls from eating as much candy as they can before their parents can stop them, even if that means fighting each other for it.

When they finally discover a haunted house worthy of their favorite holiday, they forget their parents' warnings and go in alone, only to discover that the house really is haunted, and not only that, but they've been transported to a whole different world!

A dying Sugar Fairy in one of the abandoned rooms send them on a quest to find her Sugar Baby and the magic Sugar Flower in order to save her and Halloween. If they fail, Halloween will be gone forever, and they'll never return to their family.

But with Sugar Bug attacks, the Cavity Caves where they must face their deepest fears, and giant gummy bears armed with candy cane swords, the girls aren't sure they'll make it.

Their only chance is to work together, using each of their strengths to help each other. Can they stop fighting over candy long enough? Or will they be trapped in the dying Sugar Land forever?

About The Three Lost Kids Special Edition Trilogy

Lexie World

On Amazon
(a finalist in the Global e-Books award!)

5-year-old Lexie is tired of getting in trouble for leaving her stuff and trash outside. She doesn’t mean to litter or ruin her shoes, but it’s just so hard to remember sometimes.

When she, her two big sisters and their dog TayTay find a portal to Lexie World, Lexie discovers the consequence littering has had on her special world. Garbage Goblins have taken over and are destroying the Earth!

To save Lexie World, the girls (and TayTay) must travel with their new Unicorn friend through the Waters of Waste and over the Mountain of Lost Clothes to retrieve a piece of the Mirror of Ice in order to remind the Garbage Goblins of their true form and break their curse.

On this journey, Lexie learns about courage, love and the importance of taking care of her world.

Bella World

On Amazon

Bella is tired of getting blamed every time her sisters lose something. It's not her fault they misplaced something important, so why does everyone assume she took it? It makes her blood boil that no one appreciates all the things she does to help and protect people. Sometimes her anger makes her do things she regrets later.

When she, her two sisters, and their dog TayTay find a watery portal to Bella World, they're surprised to discover a town ravaged by Dragon attacks. But not all is as it seems, a lesson Bella learns when they are sent to stop the Dragon.

Together, Bella and Emerald the Dragon learn to control their Dragon Fire, make amends to those they have wronged, and in the process find the appreciation and acceptance they'd sought all along.

Maddie World
Coming to Amazon July 2012

When a girl at school starts bullying Madelynne, she decides she doesn't want to go to school anymore. Too scared to stand up to the bully or tell the teacher, Madelynne confides in the only one who will understand, her best four-legged friend TayTay.

After an especially bad day, Madelynne hides in her room and refuses to play with anyone. In an effort to cheer her up, her sisters  accidently discover the portal to Maddie World, sweeping them all into an epic adventure!

But Maddie World is suffering from some bullying of its own. The Lava Fairies and Bubble Fairies are at war, and now even once nice Fairies have been mean bullies, locking the Three Lost Kids up in the dungeon.

Madelynne and TayTay escape, but can't free the other two until the retrieve a precious necklace that once belonged to the Bubble Fairies.

To save her sisters and make peace between the two Fairy factions, Madelynne must first face her own fears and learn to stand up for herself even when she's scared, but without becoming a bully herself.

Want more information? Read all about it at Innovative Online Book Tours, who will be sponsoring the tour. Or, simply click here to be taken directly to the doc to sign up.

Review of 'Alexander, Spy Catcher'

Alexander, Spy Catcher
Book Blurb: A seemingly normal October turns into an exciting and terrifying adventure for Alexander and his brother, Ben, when they discover that their uncle Charlie may be in danger because of a secret government project he is working on.

The boys notice strange happenings around their family's home; for example, why is there a clandestine protected Wi-Fi network on their forest covered property?

When Alexander and Ben suspect that their uncle is being spied upon, they agree to warn him about what they've discovered. But on the same night that they tell him about their findings, he disappears without a trace.

Now, it's up to Alexander, Ben, and their family to solve the mystery about what happened to their uncle and bring him home safely. Although they are determined to rescue Charlie, they don't realize the dangers that lie ahead for them to accomplish this mission.

Read an excerpt:

Things started off quietly that morning. At first, it seemed like any other Saturday. Looking back, this was the day of the first omen, a whisper of what was to come. There was a vague sense that things weren't right. For me, that Saturday was the beginning, even though it really wasn't....

I walked through the woods past the fort, and climbed the embankment. I sat on the railroad tracks in much the same spot as I'd sat with Charlie only days before. Wind moves through something--and one can feel it on the other end. My heart started to pound. I knew I was very close to what I needed to understand....

I heard a car coming up from behind, so the light must have changed. Prickles went up my spine. What if he were to reach out and grab me? Or worse--what if he went after Ben! Why hadn't Ben caught up with me yet?...The next car whizzed past. I wanted so badly to turn around and look, but I pedaled on. I heard another vehicle approach. This was it. It was the third. It would be him!...

The light was turning green when we neared the van. He still had his window down. I looked at him, and he caught sight of me in his mirror. It felt terrible to know that he knew what I knew. For one horrific moment, we stayed suspended like that--me looking into the reflection of his eyes.

My thoughts:

This was a quick read that would have definitely kept my interest as a kid. I was a huge fan of books where kids were amateur sleuths. This one is different from those classics I used to read, though, as it involves the CIA and government research.

Alex and the other kids in his family definitely know way more about these spy things, thanks to Charlie's involvement in the business. That kowledge helped them to get out of a lot of scrapes! What is fun about what they use to get out of these sticky situations is that you also learn something new. The beginning of the book also includes a short glossary to help with understanding. There is also a bit of history involved, as it talks about tunnels being used as part of the Underground Railroad.

I would definitely recommend this book more for middle grades and up, as opposed to early elementary. It involves kidnapping and concussions. It is not scary, but there is enough suspense to keep the pages turning until you are finished reading it. The epilogue makes it seem like there could be further adventures with Alexander and his siblings and cousins, which would be a lot of fun to read. This book will probably inspire some other spies to seek out hidden tunnels and mysteries on their own. Perhaps some adventurers with an imagination may want to try their hand at creating their own adventure stories!

Purchase on Amazon: Kindle | Paperback

About the author:

Diane Stormer worked as both an artist and a flight attendant. She retired shortly after being diagnosed with a rare untreatable neurological disease. She then knew it was time to move her dreams of writing from the back burner.

"It became important to finish the story I had begun writing several years before," remembers Stormer. "I wanted to make my contribution to enrich children�s imagination." And contribute she did. In Alexander, Spy Catcher, Stormer weaves a story jam-packed with mystery, suspense and life lessons sure to capture readers 8-12.

Stormer originally began this story back in 1989, when her own children were ages 7, 9, and 11. In fact, the main characters of this book are loosely based on their personalities. Over the years she took the manuscript out of storage, and worked on it for a while. But, it wasn't until this last autumn, mainly because her brother was urging her to, that she decided to finish it up once and for all!

Because so much time had passed since she first thought of the idea, lots of things in the story had to be updated. When she began it, technology was not nearly to the place it is now, especially when it comes to things we take for granted such as cell phones. Since cell phones--especially "smart" cell phones didn't even exist back in 1989--play a big part in the plot, it turned out for the best that she delayed finishing the story until she did.

Stormer has two sons and a daughter, and lives in Germantown, Maryland. Alexander, Spy Catcher is her first novel. But she says she has already begun a new book, where Alexander and Ben stumble upon another adventure.

Visit Author's Website

    
**I received a complimentary copy of this book via KSB Promotions in exchange for my honest review.**