Today I have a treat for our young fans of science fiction and fantasy! Take a peek inside of Elvia and the Gift of Passion by Ruthy Ballard with this exclusive excerpt. Follow the tour to read even more. Best of luck entering the giveaway!
Showing posts with label Goddess Fish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goddess Fish. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
The Mermaid and the Unicorns by LT Getty
I don't know about you, but when I was in the middle grades, unicorns and mermaids were all we needed! If you or someone you know feel the same, check out this excerpt from The Mermaid and the Unicorns by LT Getty. You can also read her thoughts on making her character Daphne both flawed and likeable. Be sure to let her know what you think in the comments as you follow the tour for more! Best of luck entering the giveaway!
Thursday, August 4, 2022
Review of Sophie Washington: Treasure Beach by Tonya Duncan Ellis
Hey, y'all, there's a new Sophie Washington book out! And if you follow the blog at all, you know that these books are among my favorite contemporary reads for elementary/middle grade kids. Today you get a sneak peek inside with an excerpt and then get to read all of my thoughts. Let the author know your thoughts in the comments section. Check out the rest of the tour and best of luck in the giveaway!
Thursday, July 28, 2022
Review of Tucked In by Corey Wainman
It's a flash back in time to the late 1970s and all of the crazy growing up things that happen. Read an excerpt and my thoughts on Tucked In by Corey Wainman. Follow the tour for even more and remember to let him know what you think. Best of luck in the giveaway!
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
The Secret Benefits of Invisibility by C.W. Allen
I may be a grown adult, but I still love to read middle grade novels and then share them with others. There's just something special about that age group and level. Today, author C.W. Allen talks about her love for writing this genre as well as shares an excerpt from The Secret Benefits of Invisibility. Let the author know your thoughts in the comments section. Be sure to follow the tour for even more! Best of luck entering the giveaway!
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Beyond the Birch by Torina Kingsley
Fantasy is one of the most popular genres in the middle grade years. And this one has faeries. Check out an excerpt from Beyond the Birch by Torina Kingsley and then follow the tour for more. Best of luck entering the giveaway!
Monday, May 9, 2022
Friends to the End by C.L. Colyer
Friendship and adventure are the name of the game in Friends to the End by C.L. Colyer. Read an excerpt from this middle grade action adventure book and then learn a bit more about the author in a special guest post. Follow the tour for more! Best of luck in the giveaway!
Twelve-year-old Zach is convinced he'll never be happy without his best friend Jeremy by his side. But both of their lives changed with a bang five months ago, and as far as Zach's concerned, it's his fault Jeremy will never see his twelfth birthday.
When Zach moves with his family to a Chicago suburb, he quickly becomes friends with a group of thrill-seeking kids trying to find a disappearing haunted house. But Zach's not worried. He doesn't believe in ghosts, so he follows them into a wild, dangerous encounter that becomes a battle to decide what's real and what's not.
Read an excerpt:
My bewildered gaze slithered from Dom to Josh, finally coming to a stop on Morgan as I tried to decide if they were crazy.
“If the house is invisible, how do you expect to find it?” I asked.
Morgan sat on the stoop next to me. “It’s not always invisible. My brothers saw it once. They said it’s a big house with a long porch. It vanished before they could set foot on the first step, and I’m glad, too.”
“Why? What would have happened if they were on the steps?” I asked. Not because I believed an old ghost story had any truth to it, but I was curious to know what she’d say.
Morgan had to pick her jaw up from the walkway before she could answer, and when she did her voice came out in a high-pitched squeak. “If they had been on the porch or worse—” she swallowed loudly “—inside, they would have disappeared with it.”
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I love this question.
- At the top of my list is a book on how to survive in the wild. Journey to the Center of the Earth might do, too. There are a lot of tips woven into the story.
- My husband or friends. I’d really hate to be stranded alone.
- Fresh water.
- Coffee. Please let there be coffee beans. I’ll learn how to roast them if it means a fresh cup of coffee each morning.
- Based on my recent experience lighting logs in a fireplace, I’m going to need help building a fire, so multiple lighters.
- Hairbands, because without my shampoo and conditioner my hair is going to be an uncontrollable wild mass of curls and frizz.
- My favorite pair of hiking boots. They’re warm, comfy, and grip the ground no matter the surface.
- A warm blanket in case it gets cold.
- A chest full of great fantasy books. I might not even notice I’m on a deserted island if I have enough reading material.
- Pens and journals. Just think of how much writing I could get done with all that free time!
Thanks, Andi, for having me on your wonderful blog. And thank you for stopping by!
This sparked her love for writing essays. It wasn’t until she was an adult that she sat down and penned her first novel. This story has a special place in her heart because it’s the story that helped her discover her passion for writing. She has since written several books, many of which may never see the light of day, but all of which helped her learn to combine her passion for writing with her fascination with all things mythical. You’ll find examples of this in her novels.
She lives in Illinois with her family.
Keep in Touch:
Website: https://cheriecolyer.com/children/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cherie-Colyer-author-250631921629169
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CherieColyer
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cherie_colyer/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21748654.C_L_Colyer
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/C-L-Colyer/e/B09C6JPT3X/
Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cherie-colyer
Cherie Colyer will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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Monday, March 7, 2022
Review of Jaxon and the Naughty Secret Monster by Madeline M. Pratchler
Welcome to the book review tour for Jaxon and the Naughty Secret Monster by Madeline M. Pratchler! Today I'm sharing with you an excerpt and my thoughts on this middle grade read. Be sure to follow the tour for even more. Best of luck entering the giveaway!
Jaxon's enthusiasm for the simplest things bubbles out of him, and ideas continually pop out of his very large brain. His delight in helping plant the garden with his family creates a magical learning opportunity, and he's well on his way to being as smart as his dad. But sometimes his zest needs to be clamped down, and his blurting embarrasses others.
When Dad shares a surprise for Mom, Jaxon discovers the secret monster: a naughty guy who lives inside him, waiting to blab as soon as his mouth opens. Jaxon swallows him down and tells him to be quiet inside his head, but will that monster listen? And what about the next time when Jaxon plots a prank on the ice cream man?
Read an excerpt:
Once our groceries were on the belt, I heard a whiny man’s voice. I was shocked because a whiny voice usually sounded like mine, not a deep voice like Dad’s. I turned around curiously, and here was a man with gray hair, holding a plastic bag with just one small thing in it. He was doing big breaths.
“Only one till open, hmmmm, only one till open,” he complained.
I stared at him in disbelief. I had never heard a grown-up act whiny before! I saw him look back and forth, then sigh loudly again.
“HMMMM, only one till open.”
A lady was between us and him. She had a basket slung over her arm with juice, bread, and some fruit inside. She said kindly to him, “You can go ahead of me if you like.”
“Hey, thanks,” he happily stepped right behind us. Now I could see inside his plastic bag. He had one thing only – a green pepper. I hated green peppers. He came into the store for just a green pepper? Seriously? Was he gonna eat that thing?
“Hmmm, just one till open,” he whined again and this time Mom turned around.
“Did you wish to go ahead of us?”
“Oh, thanks, yes!” He squeezed ahead of us and handed his pepper to the cashier who was just about to beep our order.
I felt hot rushing into my head and my mouth came all the way open. Before I could even think, the monster inside of me jumped out of my mouth, “That’s no fair! How come he gets his way when he’s being a whiny pants? You always say we shouldn’t whine, and –“ Mom poked me sharply and her face was super red but I couldn’t stop. “Then you actually totally listened to him!”
The man heard and looked at me. “Just super busy today, thanks.” He pulled out some money to pay.
“But it’s a pepper!” The monster in me refused to be swallowed and quiet, and it just didn’t make any sense! “If you’re so busy, you really needed a pepper? They are gross anyway!”
“Jaxon, HUSH!” Mom’s eyebrows were almost up to her hair.
Luke’s face looked amused…and horrified. “Peppers look like lizards when they’re cut up on pizza,” he said quietly, “I wouldn’t drive to the grocery store on a busy day just to buy a pepper either.”
Buy Links
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The book is free during the tour.
**My thoughts**
This cute chapter book is told from Jaxon's point of view as he contemplates life and the world around him. Some of his vocabulary mix-ups are a little reminiscent of Ramona. He is very curious and very outspoken, much like other young men I have known at that age.
It is a snapshot into his life in the country one particular summer that actually took me back to my own childhood planting the gardens with my own parents. Readers may develop curiosity about starting one of their own!
I will say it did feel more like reading a memoir than the adventures of a child, but it was still cute.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Goddess Fish for fulfilling my review request. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
CONNECT WITH Madeline M. Pratchler
WEBSITE madelinepratchlerauthor.com
FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069545053024
Madeline M. Pratchler will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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Tuesday, February 8, 2022
The Dark Beast by Dave Maruszewski
This one is for all of the kids and kids-at-heart who love epic fantasy. Read an excerpt from Dave Maruszewski's The Dark Beast as well as a guest post about how he crafts his fictional world. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for even more fun. Best of luck entering the giveaway!
Recently knighted squires Raven, Romda, and Ravai are tasked to help a nearby priest. However, this simple errand turns into much more. They cross paths with the Dark Beast. After that brief encounter, they soon realize the Beast’s plans to destroy an entire town. They journey to this town, meeting residents who tell large tales about the Beast. How much of stories are true? The three will find out. The Dark Beast is coming.
Read an excerpt:
The Dark Beast lunged toward Agnew and grabbed him, but his hand smashed into something. The wizard had put up as a barrier, invisible to the Beast.
“A nice spell,” the Beast said, “but there are ways around it, as well.”
“It will be too late,” the wizard said. He then shot out a large burst of blue energy. The Beast jumped out of the way, grabbed onto one of the rafters, and did not come back down.
“Do you know what your problem is?” the Dark Beast asked.
“Right now?” Agnew replied. “You.”
“No,” the Dark Beast continued, “even in my form, you are more than my superior. You have great power.” Agnew almost seemed pleased to hear this.
The Beast continued explaining. “However, you are too vain and unwilling to get your hands dirty. No one turned me into the beast that you see before you. I chose to do it. It made me stronger. You would never do it.”
The wizard released another blast, almost missing, but indeed striking the Dark Beast. He fell to the ground.
“It would appear that you have overestimated yourself,” Agnew proclaimed. “I stand above you, and you are defeated.”
The Beast looked up and said, “But you won’t touch me, will you, even if I am dead?”
“Of course not,” Agnew replied. “That is why I have guards.” He raised his hand to give the final blow.
The Dark Beast rolled and smashed another vial on the ground. The mist penetrated Agnew’s shield. When he smelled it, he immediately got sick and tried not to vomit.
The Beast slowly rose with a glare aimed directly at Agnew. The Beast was unaffected. His form was resistant to the sickly fumes.
Buy on Amazon
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Just $0.99 during the tour!
Once, a very good artist and teacher said to me, “Don’t put every detail into your painting. If you do, the people will have no way of let themselves into it.” Even though I used quotes, this is a bit of a paraphrase. Nonetheless, what he meant was that if I put in too much detail in my painting, viewers won’t be able to use their imagination to “fill in the blanks” so to speak.
The above concept is a method I have kept in a lot of my creative endeavors. It is also what I employ in my Raven, Romda and Ravai series. In these books, you’ll see scant description of the three characters appearance. Furthermore, I practice this pretty much for every personality in the books. I want you, the reader, to make a picture of each person that is specific to you.
When I talk about a sunset, I don’t want to describe it perfectly to you with wonderful style. Instead, I want to take you back to a sunset you remember and put it into my book. This is part of my goal to create a little bit of interaction with the reader.
Another reason that I do this is to engage readers who are less apt to love reading. These type of readers see fiction as a static, impersonal way of presenting material and not a beautiful, expressive way that book-lovers have discovered since written stories were invented.
This style can be scary. My writing may turn off the traditional reader. Even more intimidating, this may gain me low scores with the professional critic, who evaluates books based on traditional methods. After all, I’d like to sell books and make a small living from it. However, what if I don’t choose this way? Who will reach these youth?
We are seeing a decline in reading, and I don’t see it coming back up to levels it was at before. Maybe, it isn’t important to start all children on the classical methods of writing. They are living different times than when reading was more prevalent. They may need different approaches to writing as much as they need different genres. And why not? So, they aren’t ready for Shakespeare or Milton as quickly. If they learn to read, they will learn to read more. Then, let’s see where it takes us.
His stories are created from an accumulation of experiences from careers/backgrounds as a physicist, engineer, teacher, artist, video game designer and software developer. He strives to develop stories with sound moral values that will be enlightening as well as entertaining to youths and adults.
In between writing stories and running his own company, Digital Tumult (DigitalTumult.com), Dave enjoys video games, watching internet videos and hanging out with his family.
Book: www.ravenromdaandravai.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dave-Maruszewski-Books-100693982454237/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21946064.Dave_Maruszewski
Dave Maruszewski will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
Review of KidVenture: Twelve Weeks to Midnight Blue by Steve Searfoss
Welcome to the review tour for Twelve Weeks to Midnight Blue, part of the KidVenture series by Steve Searfoss. Take a peek inside and then learn my thoughts on this middle grade educational story. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for more. Best of luck entering the giveaway!
Chance Sterling launches a pool cleaning business over the summer. Join Chance as he looks for new customers, discovers how much to charge them, takes on a business partner, recruits an employee, deals with difficult clients, and figures out how to make a profit. He has twelve weeks to reach his goal. Will he make it? Only if he takes some chances.
KidVenture stories are business adventures where kids figure out how to market their company, understand risk, and negotiate. Each chapter ends with a challenge, including business decisions, ethical dilemmas and interpersonal conflict for young readers to wrestle with. As the story progresses, the characters track revenue, costs, profit margin, and other key metrics which are explained in simple, fun ways that tie into the story.
Read an excerpt:
If anyone tells you that kids can’t start a business, don’t listen to them. They can. I should know, because I did. People sometimes ask me how KidVenture started and how it got its name. Well, I’ll tell you. It all started the summer before sixth grade. All I remember about that summer is that it was hot, so hot I thought I would melt. That and my sister Addison kept annoying me. You could say I was boiling and steaming that summer.
My dad told me he would pay me ten bucks to clean the pool. It was a pretty good deal. I’d take a net and scoop out all the leaves and dead bugs that had landed in the water. It took me about two hours to clean the pool so I 3gure I was making about 3ve dollars an hour. Not bad for a ten-year-old kid.
I thought it was going to be a one-time gig, but the following week my dad asked me if I wanted to clean the pool again.
“But I already did,” I said. He told me to go take a look. I couldn’t believe it. The pool was full of leaves and dead bugs again. I had spent all the money I made from cleaning the pool the week before on a slingshot, two comic books and an ice cream cone. I needed the cash so I said yes.
Next thing you know, I’m cleaning the pool every week and making an easy ten bucks each time. After a couple weeks, I realized I could save my money and buy that bicycle I had seen one time at that big sporting goods store on Wilson Street. The bike was super cool. When I looked at the sticker, it said the color was midnight blue. I didn’t know what that meant, except that it sounded dangerous and I liked that. I asked my dad if we could get it and he said, which is the grown-up way of saying No, but I want to let you down easy.
The bike, the dangerous one, cost $225. Which is way more money than a ten-year-old could ever hope to get. That is, unless said impoverished ten-year-old had a job, which I now apparently had.
“It’s going to take forever to save up for that bike,” I said, after I had just 3nished cleaning the pool for the second time, and my dad handed me a crisp ten dollar bill.
“No, not forever,” my dad retorted. “You’ll save up $225 in no time.”
“Not when I’m only making ten bucks a week.” I started to feel sorry for myself and walked away.
Then I turned around. “Dad, how long will it take if I save all my pool cleaning money?”
“You figure it out,” my dad said, and handed me a paper and pencil.
“But I hate math!” I protested.
“Well then you’re right. It will take forever,” my dad said and returned to reading his newspaper.
“Oh all right,” I sighed. “Hand me the pencil.”
I started scribbling some numbers.
“Twenty…Twenty-two…Twenty-three! No, wait. Twenty-two and a half weeks!” I shouted excitedly.
“How many months is that?” my dad asked.
“Ugh. More math? Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
My dad has a way with words. I began scribbling numbers again. “Let’s see, four weeks in a month, approximately, so that works out to…” I mumbled.
“Five-point-six-two-five months.” I said triumphantly.
“That’s right,” my dad smiled. “So about five and a half months.”
“Wait…” I said dejectedly. “Oh no!”
“What?” “That’s five and a half months, if I don’t buy any more ice cream.”
“True.”
“Better call it six months.”
“Six months is not a long time,” my dad insisted.
“It is!” I scowled. “At this rate I might was well just wait till Christmas.”
A couple more weeks went by, and even though I dreamed of mint chocolate chip ice cream almost every night, I had managed to save all of my pool money. I had $30 tucked away in my bike fund when I suddenly had an idea.
I went straight to my dad and declared, “Dad! Dad! I have an idea.” He put his newspaper down slowly and raised an eyebrow.
“Yes?”
I could barely contain myself. “How about you pay me $20 for cleaning the pool!”
“$20?”
“Yes! Yes! Twenty buckaroos. I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner. Twenty dollars for cleaning the pool instead of ten.”
“Hm….I like it.”
“You do?” I have to admit, even as excited as I was, I wasn’t really expecting the conversation to go so well.
“You’re negotiating,” my dad said. “I like that.”
“Great!” I exclaimed. “Wait, what’s negotiating?”
“It’s what you’re doing now,” my dad said. “Asking for more.”
“Great! Awesome. So, is that a yes?”
“No.”
“But why not? I’m negotiating, just like you said.”
“Yes,” my dad said. And then he smiled. I recognized that same smile. It was the smile he had when he told me when I was three years old that Santa had made a wrong turn somewhere east of Winnipeg on his way to our house and there would be no Christmas presents that year.
“You’re forgetting that I’m negotiating too.”
My mom had her own smile. It was the smile that immediately told my dad to stop making the children cry on Christmas Eve.
“And I want to know,” my Dad continued, still smiling, “why would I pay more for the exact same pool cleaning service you’re already providing for the handsome sum of $10.”
I had to admit he had a point. Where was Mom? I could really use her help right now.
“You raise an interesting question,” I said, trying to sound as serious as I could. “I’ll have to think about that and get back to you.”
I couldn’t sleep that night. I was thinking about what I could do that would be different than just the same pool cleaning service I offered. What could I offer my dad that would be of more value, so I could charge more?
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**My thoughts**
The teacher in me really appreciates so many aspects of this book! It's an entertaining story that I think kids can relate to. I mean, everyone wants to try to earn money, right? And Chance has to work at figuring out how much money he needs for his prized bike and then how to make his business happen. His father isn't just handing him the money, nor is he handing him the answers to questions. "You can figure it out." I am a firm believer in guiding toward answers and not just giving them. You'll raise better critical thinkers that way.
And does Chance always get his way? No. Is it a super easy ride for him? Of course not. He's going to make a few mistakes. But being allowed to make mistakes actually allows for better learning experiences in the future.
I also like that at the end of each chapter, there are questions for readers to ponder. They can do so on their own, in their head or maybe in a journal. But these also make for some great discussion questions should this book be read with multiple kids at home or in a group setting at school. Lots of possibilities here.
Now I'm curious about other books in the series!
Thank you to the author and Goddess Fish for providing me with a requested review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I try to bring that same spirit of fun, curiosity and challenge to each KidVenture book. That’s why every chapter ends with a dilemma and a set of questions. KidVenture books are fun for kids to read alone, and even more fun to read together and discuss. There are plenty of books where kids learn about being doctors and astronauts and firefighters. There are hardly any where they learn what it’s like to run small business. KidVenture is different. The companies the kids start are modest and simple, but the themes are serious and important.
I’m an entrepreneur who has started a half dozen or so businesses and have had my share of failures. My dad was an entrepreneur and as a kid I used to love asking him about his business and learning the ins and outs of what to do and not do. Mistakes make the best stories — and the best lessons. I wanted to write a business book that was realistic, where you get to see the characters stumble and wander and reset, the way entrepreneurs do in real life. Unlike most books and movies where business is portrayed as easy, where all you need is one good idea and the desire to be successful, the characters in KidVenture find that every day brings new problems to solve.
KidVenture Links
Website
https://kidventurebook.com/
Author Bio
https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Searfoss/e/B08N1K65G1/
https://www.facebook.com/kidventurebook
https://twitter.com/KidVentureBook
https://www.instagram.com/kidventurebook/
https://www.pinterest.com/kidventurebook/_saved/
Steve Searfoss will be awarding one $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC + 10 Print copies to 11 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.
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Monday, December 6, 2021
Review of Ethan's STEM Adventures: I Can Be a Scientist! by Louis J. Desforges
Welcome to the book tour for Ethan's Stem Adventures by Louis J. Desforges! Today I'm sharing with you an excerpt and my thoughts on the book. Then the author tells us about creating an environment that invites curiosity, which is something this educator loves! Be sure to also check out the rest of the tour and enter the great giveaway!
Like the infinite-shade of colors, the richness of life is enhanced by our natural inclination, as creative beings, to hold distinct perspectives on just about any subject. Collectively, however, I believe we all appreciate the profound significance of all the things that influenced and molded us from an early age—the moments and events that are weaved intricately into our memories.
Who amongst us cannot recall a story, no matter what artistic form used to bring it to life: a book, a show, a play, a comic, a song, a movie, or even a real-life character (that family member, teacher, coach, or friend) who shaped the lens with which we view the world then, now, and always.
For this very reason, I believe children should see themselves represented in all areas of human endeavors, cementing deep within their framework the possibilities that await, regardless of prevailing circumstances.
My hope is to bridge the diversity gap in STEM by creating excitement around Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math through diverse representation.
"I see me, therefore I can be."
So it remains, like the infinite shades of color, the richness of life is enhanced by the stories and experiences that holds us.
-Louis J. Desforges
Read an excerpt:
Of all the paths I can explore,
Of all the subjects I adore,
The world of science excites me more.
Science helps us see
What was, what is, and what can be
You’ll get a million questions from me!
I observe, I explore…
I’ll get to the core, that’s for sure.
What will I find...maybe a cure?
Or a giant fossil
Of a DINOSAUR!
PURCHASE LINKS
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**My thoughts**
This is a fun book that I'd read with children kindergarten and above. Ethan's love of science and exploration really comes alive in all of the illustrations and help to clarify some of the ideas in his rhyming prose. The world of science is much more vast than we sometimes realize, and Ethan pretty much covers them all. It's a great way to start a conversation with kids about what they can explore and learn. Read it at home or put it in the classroom library to invite questions and curiosity.
Thank you to the publisher and Goddess Fish for a requested review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Creating an Environment That Invites Curiosity
I wrote this book not from the perspective of an educator or a child psychologist, as I have no relevant credentials to speak of. But rather I wrote it from the perspective of a parent—a parent wishing to instigate in my son a curiosity for the way the world works, both in STEM and in the nuanced interplay of creativity, trial and error, experience, failure, and ultimately success.
I believe my lived experience as a child affords me at least a partially qualified opinion of how to foster a nutritious environment for the growth of ideas and possibilities. And so, for both my writing and my parenting, it is this inner child I draw upon, to guide my thoughts, words, and my actions so that I can sow small seeds of creative possibility.
Of course, if we are to achieve this ideal as parents, then we need to have actionable steps to take, to champion our children in their pursuit of knowledge and fulfillment.
Suspend judgment
I believe a fundamental practice, albeit extremely difficult, is to try to suspend judgment of our children: of their thoughts, their ideas, and their actions. We, ourselves, come with a set of preconceived ideas of how things should be based upon our own upbringing. However, it is imperative we learn to temper this (except where safety is concerned!) to truly allow them space to foster their own imaginations. And of course, this requires monk-level patience and self-control!
Create space for imperfection
We all know the common mantra “no one is perfect.” However, I believe we still intrinsically expect exactly that of ourselves and our children. And so we want our environments to be perfect (read: our messy lounges that are testament to the existence of happy children), our actions, our thoughts, our parenting, and ultimately our children. However, this simply cannot be, and in fact, is mutually exclusive to learning and creating. We, and our children, must fail to succeed.
And so for us, the action here is to make peace with the “messy,” the “imperfect,” and the “failures.” Because therein lies the key to true deep learning and boundless innovation.
Paint your children’s experiences with diversity
It is natural for humans to gravitate towards the familiar and the easy. After all, this is where our comfort zone keeps us well-insulated from anything remotely “threatening.” And we do this especially when we are tired or busy as the familiar is quicker and easier in the moment. However, I believe it is our duty to instill in our children a love of diversity, a curiosity of the differing minds and thoughts of people around them, and a healthy fascination with cultures and beliefs that contrast with their own.
To do this, we must take the time to study the different cultures that comprise our neighborhoods and our world for ourselves, in order to teach them to our kids. And perhaps the first and most important part of this is teaching them to ask respectful questions and to seek answers in a non-judgmental fashion, so that they may gain an understanding of the beautiful diversity of humans.
I really believe changing the world as we know it starts with changing ourselves and how we parent, what environments we create to support unhindered growth and realization of dreams, and what snippets of humanity we impart to our children in the form of curiosity, imagination, love, respect, and confidence. If we sow these little seeds now, who knows what the resulting forest will look like in its time.
With a natural and insatiable drive to build, explore, and understand, one of his fondest childhood memories is harvesting toasters, microwaves, TVs, and other discarded electronics in his Brooklyn neighborhood so he could take apart and rebuild them, or scavenge parts to build his own remote-controlled cars or planes.
He is the first to admit that nothing ever worked as intended, or at all, for that matter, but that never really mattered to him. As long as he was dissecting, constructing, exploring and learning, his cup was always full.
Today, his tinkering looks very different. Louis spends countless hours building and rebuilding Lego sets with his four-year-old son.
With any free time left after work and family life (usually late at night), you can find Louis in his workshop (any available free space with a flat surface) writing, painting, sculpting or toiling over his photography; nonetheless, his deep love for STEM remains, and at its core feeds his endless curiosity and desire to understand the inner workings of everything.
CONNECT WITH LOUIS
WEBSITE: https://louisdesforgesbooks.com/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/louisdesforgesbooks/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21739120.Louis_Desforges
Louis J. Desforges will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Spell Sweeper by Lee Edward Fodi
It's a new entry into the middle grade wizard category! Take a peek inside of Spell Sweeper by Lee Edward Fodi and read my take on it. Be sure to follow the tour for more. Best of luck entering the giveaway!
There's nothing magical about wizard school
. . . at least, not for Cara Moone.
Most wizard kids spend their days practicing spells and wielding wands, but Cara? She’s on the fast track to becoming a MOP (a.k.a. Magical Occurrence Purger). You see, when a real wizard casts a spell, it leaves behind a residue called spell dust—which, if not disposed of properly, can cause absolute chaos in the nonmagical world. It’s a MOP’s job to clean up the mess.
And no one makes more of a mess than Harlee Wu. Believed to be the Chosen One, destined to save the magical world, Harlee makes magic look easy. Which makes her Cara’s sworn nemesis. Or she would be, if she even knew Cara existed.
Then one of Harlee’s spells leaves something downright dangerous behind it: a rift in the fabric of magic itself. And when more rifts start to appear around the school, all in places Harlee has recently used magic, Cara is pretty sure the so-called “Chosen One” isn’t going to save the world. She’s going to destroy it.
It will take more than magic to clean up a mess this big. Fortunately, messes are kind of Cara’s thing.
Read an excerpt:
* * *
How magic works
(and why we have to clean it up)
* * *
In books and movies, wizards stroll around, flicking their wands, turning people into toads or zapping recalcitrant dragons into submission. In reality, it’s not that simple.
Magic is messy.
It’s like when you squeeze toothpaste onto your toothbrush—there’s always a bit that ends up on your brush handle, the counter, or dripping down your chin. Magic works the same way.
The first thing you learn in wizard school is that there is a Field of Magical Matter. When wizards want to perform a spell (or, if you want to get all official about it, a Magical Occurrence), they have to access the Field. Basically, they have to squeeze a giant magical toothpaste tube. And, like I said, it’s messy, always leaving something behind. We usually refer to it as spell dust, but it’s essentially leftover enchanted residue. How much depends on the Magical Occurrence. A wizard utters a simple spell? You just circle your broom around her feet and go for lunch. Someone magically relocates, let’s say for the sake of argument, a giant statue of the school’s founder? You better strap on your full spell sweeper kit because it’s going to be a loooong day.
But you do need to strap on the kit, because spell dust is definitely not the sort of thing you want to leave sitting around for very long. It causes ALL sorts of problems.
Buy Links
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**My thoughts**
I noticed a lot of echoes of Harry Potter right from the beginning. But Lee Edward Fodi adds in his own twists. I mean, have you ever heard of MOPs? I guess you would say it's essentially what Filch does, but these are kids who are still forced to clean up the magical messes of the actual wizards, even when they are good and happy spells. And the common perception of "The Chosen One" is kind of blown out of the water in this one.
Cara is also snarkier than you would have found in HP, which I appreciated as an adult. She does learn a lot and grows a lot as a person, so there are plenty of learning moments within. You get a balance between the heavy and the humor. It's another fun addition to the magical wizard genre.
I received a requested review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Website: www.leefodi.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/leefodi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorleeedwardfodi/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leefodi/
Lee Edward Födi will be awarding a Spell Sweeper prize pack: Hand-made miniature broom, hand-made magical creature egg, spell bottle, and bookmarks to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Interview with Scott P. Southall, author of the Order of Time series
Today I'm bringing to you a middle grade fantasy series featuring fraternal twins who are complete opposites. You'll have an excerpt to read plus a chance to get to know author Scott P. Southall a little bit better as he tells us about himself and his Order of Time series. Be sure to follow the tour for even more. Best of luck in the giveaway!
*********************
About the Series
Picture two twelve-year-old fraternal twins who are like night and day. She is a smart and highly organised MMA fighter. He’s not a fighter, he’s a lover of history, art and Star Wars. Despite their differences they are one formidable team. Together Anastasia and Edward Upston travel through time and navigate ancient civilisations, angry gods and mythical monsters in their quest to protect the integrity of human history.
About The Order of Time
Anastasia and Edward Upston are eleven year old twins who are different in almost every way. Despite this they are inseparable and he best of friends. They tackle the highs and lows of sixth grade together whether they are fending off bullies at the elite Blake Academy or examining rare antiquities at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Then: life gets complicated.
They discover that their friend and mentor, Dr. Gregorian, is part of a secret society called the Order of Time. It turns out that time is not fixed, it’s a fluid continuum where changes to the past can create ripples all the way through to the present. It unwittingly falls to the twins to travel back through time to ancient Egypt where they must overcome deadly assassins, evil high priests and vengeful gods in order to prevent disaster. Together Anastasia and Edward must navigate all obstacles to preserve the past and find their way back home.
Read an excerpt:
The large, blue gem on the top of the scepter started to glow. It transformed from a light blue like the sky to a golden yellow. A beam of the golden yellow light leaped off the surface of the gem and shot straight into the clay pot. The previously dull mixture took on the color of the sun as its light shone from the ceramic container.
“Aten’s rays,” Anastasia said to herself in a mixture of both understanding and wonder. It’s like something from Harry Potter. It’s magic.
“Yes, child. Aten’s rays,” Akhenaten said with a smile.
Akhenaten parted the dead man’s lips and slowly poured the glowing liquid into his mouth. “By Aten’s will, I command you to return to the land of the living to answer my questions.”
Nothing happened at first. Then the dead man’s skin started to change, turning brighter and brighter until it glowed. It was as if sunshine were leaking out through his pores. The man’s eyelids opened to reveal two luminous, white eyes without pupils or irises. Salah grabbed Anastasia’s arm in fright, and she couldn’t help but gasp.
Then the dead man opened his mouth and spoke. “I am here as commanded, Pharaoh.” It was the same voice as when he was alive but empty and devoid of emotion. It was chilling.
Now available on Amazon
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About The Order of Time and Odin’s Door
The orange light bathed the snow-covered fields as the fiery globe began to dip below the horizon. It was strange that something so beautiful could signal the arrival of something so evil. One thing twelve-year-old twins Anastasia and Edward Upston knew for sure was that when mortals were caught between two bickering gods nothing good would come of it. Surviving the Viking Age may be the hardest thing they ever do, if they can…
Preorder on Amazon
Arrives January 20, 2022
Q: Do you ever wish you were someone else? Who?
A: This is a great question. I’ve always been fascinated by history so the hardest part is having to pick just one person. If I do have to limit my pick to one person it would be Leonardo Di Vinci. There was nothing that man couldn’t do. He was an inventor, draughtsman, engineer, sculptor, theorist and painter.
“Hey Leo, can you theorize a machine that can fly?”
“Yeah, I got it.”
“Hey Leo, can you tell me how the human circulatory system works?”
“Sure thing.”
“Hey Leo, can you paint one of the most famous paintings ever?”
“No problem.”
He was the very definition of a renaissance man during a time in which the human race was advancing at an exponential pace.
Q: What did you do on your last birthday?
A: Unfortunately, we were three months into an extended covid lockdown in Sydney, Australia. Luckily, the State government had approved outdoor picnics a few days before my birthday so we were still able to have a wonderful picnic in the botanical gardens with views of the water, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Opera House. After being cooped up for three months it was just great to be able to get out and enjoy a meal and time together. Plus my kids love to feed and pet the long-finned eels in the ponds. It totally creeps my wife out.
Q: What part of the writing process do you dread?
A: It’s definitely receiving the first round of feedback from my editor. Writing, for me, is a very personal endeavour. You’ve poured so much of your heart and soul into the process that it’s hard not to be defensive and protective of what you have done. I find I really have to make an effort to open myself up to any constructive feedback so that I can move the story forward. I know it’s the only way for me to really hone the story but I still have to brace myself when I open the cover notes and edited file.
Q: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
A: I am lucky that I don’t suffer from writer’s block. I think it’s because I don’t have as much time to write as I would like. Between my day job as a banker and my young kids there is not a lot of extra time. I typically write late at night when the rest of the house is asleep. By the time I get writing I usually have more things stored in my head than I have time or energy to type.
Q: Tell us about your latest release.
A: Picture two eleven-year-old fraternal twins who are like night and day. She is a smart and highly organised MMA fighter. He’s not a fighter, he’s a lover of history, art and Star Wars. Despite their differences they are one formidable team. Together Anastasia and Edward Upston travel through time and navigate ancient civilisations, angry gods and mythical monsters in their quest to protect the integrity of human history. This is essentially the premise for The Order of Time series.
In book one, The Order of Time, the twins discover that their friend and mentor Dr. G is a member of a secret society of time-travelling museum curators sworn to protect the integrity of history. The twins learn that time is a fluid continuum where changes in the past can disastrously alter the present. When Dr. G is ambushed at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History by the nefarious Corsairs they are forced to travel back to ancient Egypt. They must foil a plot between the Corsairs and Anubis to assassinate the Pharaoh in order to protect their own future.
In book two, Dr. G and the twins are summoned to the Order’s London headquarters. Dr. G must face charges for breaking Order rules by allowing the twins to time travel to ancient Egypt using the Order’s Refractium Crystal. Needless to say things again get complicated as the twins navigate the politics of the Order and are forced to face an entirely different set of people, gods and mythical beasts in the Viking Age.
Across both books in the series I try to weave my passion for history, archeology, and mythology into a single tapestry. My hope is that I have created a story with heart that educates without forgetting to laugh (a lot).
https://www.scottpsouthall.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-southall-6bab5a4/
https://www.instagram.com/scottsouthallauthor/
https://www.facebook.com/scott.southallauthor
https://twitter.com/SSouthallAuthor
One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Follow the tour for more chances to win!
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Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Review of Trygg the Dinosaur by Paula Louise Salvador illustrated by John Bindon
Welcome to the review tour for Trygg the Dinosaur, written by Paula Louise Salvador and illustrated by John Bindon. Today I am sharing my thoughts about the book with you as well as an excerpt. You can also read an author interview at my site Candrel's Crafts, Cooks, and Characters. Please follow the tour and leave your questions and comments along the way. Best of luck entering the giveaway!
Trygg and Alta are two young dinosaurs from opposite sides of the floodplain.
He's small in size and all alone in the world. He's looking for some meat to eat.
She's large and tall, and she hasn't seen her parents in days. She's looking for some plants to eat.
Could they really become friends?
This story takes place seventy-six million years ago, but good friendships can last forever.
Not that it is ever easy.
The hardest part is to stay loyal to each other in spite of what the rest of the herd thinks.
Read an excerpt:
On the other side of the lake, the surrounding cliff quivered. A chunk of dark grey earth slid off the slope and gushed through the water. Barely ahead of the mud, another Troödon was running, kicking water into the air. He jumped onto the sand just before the sludge buried the shore behind him. The animal lurched forward then pulled up short. He was huge, bigger than the whole nest.
The little Troödon stretched both arms out. “Take me with you!”
The big Troödon leaned over, but instead of lifting him up, he placed a long clawed finger on his small head and pushed him roughly down, right on top of the closest egg.
“Hey!” the little dinosaur sputtered from the mess of smashed shell and sticky yolk. “That’s no way to help a friend.”
The big Troödon fixed his fierce yellow eyes on him, quickly sizing him up. “I got no time for friends,” he yelled as he sprinted off the island. His deep voice carried back over the water.
“You’re on your own, runt.”
The little Troödon knew that he had to save himself. A mass of clay, stones and broken sticks was rising fast around him. He planted one foot in the base of his nest, then he hooked the strongest toe claw of his other foot into the rim. He pushed off and jumped out just before the mud surged over the edge and buried all the other eggs.
“Run!” he cried. “But where?”
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**My thoughts**
This story reminded me of a Land Before Time installment for older kids. You have these two young dinosaurs who have been orphaned soon after they hatch. Trygg is a meat-eater and Alta is a plant-eater. There's no way that they should be friends, and yet they strike up a friendship in spite of what their respective herds believe. And it's not easy to do so. You learn a lot about friendship and being kind.
I also learned some new dinosaurs! Even after 20 years of teaching, I'm still learning new dinosaurs. So that was fun for me. At the back of the book, you get some facts about the various ones represented in this story.
And the illustrations are just stunning. I have one friend who is able to draw like that and I am always blown away by them. It's a talent I'll never have!
Chapters are nice and short which will keep children's interest. I think it could make for a good read aloud.
Thank you to the author and Goddess Fish for providing me with a requested review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Paula has met fascinating people, particularly jazz legend Oscar Peterson and composer Philip Glass, who performed in her show on electronic music.
In “BUILD GREEN” for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s “THE NATURE OF THINGS”, Paula and Dr. David Suzuki visited rock star Randy Bachman’s super sustainable house. (He played his guitar for us.)
Finally, it was a tiny dinosaur that captured Paula’s heart. For her documentary “DINOSAUR BABIES The North American Story”, Paula held the fossilized egg of a little Troödon. He was curled up inside, just about to hatch. (His leg bones looked like a chicken’s.) That’s where Paula’s story of Trygg begins.
Paula has a Masters in French Literature from l’Université de Provence, France and a Bachelor of Arts (including Children’s Literature) from McGill University, Canada.
CONNECT WITH PAULA
WEBSITE: https://tryggthedinosaur.com/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/paulalouisesalvador/?hl=en
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-louise-salvador-44b92711/?originalSubdomain=ca
Paula Louise Salvador will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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