I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young octopus must traverse the fears and worries of how his peers view him as his mother encourages him to learn to ride his bike in author Lucinda Grapenthin’s “Toby, Toby, Worry Free”.
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The Synopsis
When Toby is faced with learning to ride his bike so he can play with his friends, he begins to worry and worry and worry.
“What if I fall?” “What if other kids laugh at me?” “What if I can’t ride my bike?!”
Mommy pauses, attuning to his behavior. She accepts his emotions and calmly engages with him, encouraging his discovery of positive steps to solve this dilemma.
Toby learns a better way to manage his feelings by using his can-do thoughts. Now, he can have fun!
The Review
The balance of whimsical and wonder-like illustrations with the heartfelt and emotional storytelling and an underlying tone of confronting fears and stress in childhood made this book shine so brightly. The fast pace and steady rhythm of the narrative itself made for an easy read, perfect for children and the time they share with their parents when reading.
The character growth and theme of this narrative both fueled the heart of this children’s book. The heartfelt bond between Toby and his mother was emotional and did a great job of kindling the emotional depth of the reader with their child (or vice versa). The theme of confronting one’s fears, letting go of negative thoughts, and accepting that the fears exist while still pushing forward and acknowledging the ability to overcome those fears are all fantastic messages to impart to children as they grow up.
The Verdict
Captivating, heartfelt, and engaging, author Lucinda Grapenthin’s “Toby, Toby, Worry-Free” is a must-read children’s book. The wonderful imagery and thoughtful approach to the story’s theme made this a book any parent would be happy to read with their kid. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Lucinda Taylor Grapenthin, PhD, is a Licensed Psychologist in private practice and Assistant Professor at Brenau University, also serving as Clinic Director for the Brenau Center for Counseling and Psychological Services and Director of the Brenau University Play Therapy Training Institute. Dr. Grapenthin has over 20 years’ experience working with children and families as the founder of the Family and Child Development Center. She also presents at academic conferences and professional institutions on topics related to mental health disorders, such as trauma and attachment, as well as play therapy and parenting.
Dr. Cindy lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Richard, and golden retriever, Currier. Their adult children, Alex, Kristi, and Trevor, float in and out of their home, adding delightful chaos.
Kevin Gosselin is influenced by sci-fi and fantasy art, comic books, anime, the masters and too many contemporary artists to fully list. Amongst the most influential are Richard McDonald, Frazetta, Darrel K. Sweet, Thomas Eakins, Norman Rockwell, and J.W. Waterhouse.
Kevin lives in Lake Stevens, Washington with his wife Jennifer and their two daughters Alex and Emma, as well as dogs Ollie and Maple.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young girl’s pet dog takes readers on a tour of the city center of the moon’s largest crater in author Diann Floyd Boehm and Katherine Louise Floyd Boehm’s “The Little Girl in the Moon: Moxie & Tycho Town”.
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The Synopsis
The Little Girl in the Moon author, Diann Floyd Boehm, has teamed up with her daughter, Katherine Louise, in the third book in the series, The Little Girl in the Moon – Moxie & Tycho Town. Together, they have created the imaginary town nestled in Tycho Crater, which is located on the Earth’s moon. Katherine and Diann’s collaborative artistic talents have brought the town to life. The colorful illustrations are sure to spark young readers’ imaginations. Moxie, the little girl in the moon’s pet dog, takes us on a tour of Tycho Town’s City Center, which the Moonlings have built to resemble towns on Earth. Moonlings love the Earth as much as Earthlings love the moon! This story, the first of many adventures in Tycho Town, introduces children to the Moonling vocabulary. Diann and Katherine hope the readers’ curiosity will grow and they’ll want to learn more about the Earth’s moon and Tycho Crater. Watch for the next adventure of The Little Girl in the Moon, when the rest of Tycho Town will be unveiled!
The Review
This was a brilliant and fun children’s read. The authors found a great balance between thought-provoking teaching moments in the narrative and fun and exciting illustrations to keep children invested in the story.
What stuck out to me about this story was both the educational moments the author took in developing otherworldly storylines to help teach children about different aspects of our own world’s society and the playful and fun way the authors introduce sci-fi story elements and themes into the narrative for younger readers to get engaged with. As a sci-fi fan, it was fun to see a new approach to the children’s book narrative that included some other genres like this.
The Verdict
Happy, creative, and entertaining, authors Diann Floyd Boehm and Katherine Louise Floyd Boehm’’s “The Little Girl in the Moon: Moxie & Tycho Town” is a must-read children’s book. The heart and warmth for which the authors wrote this story, as well as the great world-building the authors employed here in this narrative made for a great introduction to the sci-fi genre for young readers, as well as the perfect read for parents to enjoy with their kids. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Diann Floyd Boehm is an award-winning international author of children books and has published a young adult historical fiction. addition, Diann writes books to inspire readers to be kind, like themselves, and to “Embrace Imagination”. You can find all her books on Amazon.
Diann’s Story Garden YouTube Channel gives children the opportunity to hear different children authors read their stories.
Diann a co-host for several shows with Dr. Jacalyn’s USA Global TV.
Diann continues to be involved in various humanitarian projects with multiple organizations.
Diann was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but grew up in Texas with five brothers. She has traveled extensively to many parts of the world and has lived in the Philippines and Dubai.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A horror tale as iconic as the genre itself takes the story fans to know and love and gives it a gender reversed turn as readers take in the story that is Vlada, A Dracula Tale by author Chris Denmead.
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The Synopsis
Gender Swapped the Cast of Dracula in a new and unique take on the characters with some new twists.
The Review
This was such a fantastic twist on the iconic horror story. The author found the perfect chord of harmonious storytelling between classic scenes from the original Stoker version of the narrative and updated details from the author himself. The artwork that accompanies this read is stunning, taking on that iconic and classic gothic horror feel that felt so close to the original novel’s era while maintaining a more updated setting.
The obvious yet still engaging change to this narrative was the gender-reversed roles of many of the characters. Turning Vlad Dracula into Vlada was such an important new direction to take the character, exploring the dark yet seductive nature of the character and yet giving readers a host of powerful female heroines and villains to face off against in this retelling, making the narrative feel more alive. Even the inclusion of some new characters really elevated the drama and familiar yet still entertaining narrative.
The Verdict
A mesmerizing, haunting, and delightfully chilling read, author Chris Denmead’s “Vlada: A Dracula Tale” is a must-read horror story that will delight those unfamiliar with the tale and yet engage with longtime fans of the lore of this narrative. The balance of nostalgia and updated horror and action and a twist ending to the narrative will leave readers eager to read more from this incredible author, and one can only hope we get more updated twists on iconic horror tales in the future. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Christopher Denmead is a passionate horror fan who wants to bring more awareness to the beauty and rawness of female vampires and treat them like the queens they are.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
The stakes have never been higher as the group of young kids who have survived three separate missions in the wild are faced with their most dangerous challenge yet in author Karl Steam’s novel “Surviving Cougar Mountain”.
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The Synopsis
Another day, another wilderness mission. That’s life for these sixth graders. The first three missions weren’t easy, but mission number four is about to crank up the intensity and challenge them in ways they didn’t think possible.
Surviving Cougar Mountain is book 4 of the Kids vs. Nature series, continuing a story that has captivated fans of the wilderness survival genre.
The Review
The four young kids are put in even more dire situations this time around. The fourth novel in the Kids vs Nature series from author Karl Steam, the author does a great job of showcasing the dangers of survival and the importance of teamwork in the face of that danger.
Witnessing the power of nature and the beauty yet dangerous aspect of the creatures who call the outdoors their home was felt in every chapter of this book. While a quick read, the author does a great job of drawing the reader into the narrative and creating characters that are relatable and worth caring about, making the lessons the kids learn along the way more impactful as well.
The Verdict
A well written, powerful and overall great book, the author continues to establish this middle school level read is a great series that not only entertains but educates young people on the beauty and danger of the great outdoors, and the tools they’ll need to survive out there. With memorable characters and important life lessons, this is not a book to be missed. Be sure to grab your copy of “Surviving Cougar Mountain” by Karl Steam today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Karl Steam is a children’s author and illustrator. Some of his works include Purple Pup, How Santa Changed, and the Kids vs. Nature series. He resides in the Lakes Region of the Upper Midwest with his wife and four children. Karl enjoys fishing, camping, and traveling. Oh yeah, he likes writing too.
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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young Crane finds adventure and must learn to work cohesively with her family in author Anna Levine’s All Eyes on Alexandra. Here is the synopsis.
The Synopsis
Alexandra Crane is terrible at following her family in their flying Vee. She can’t help it that the world is so full of interesting and distracting sights! When it’s time for the Cranes to migrate to Israel’s Hula Valley for the winter, Alexandra is excited but her family is worried. Will Alexandra stay with the group? And might Alexandra discover that a bad follower can make a great leader?
The Review
This was a fantastic children’s book and contained a truly memorable theme. The illustrations done by artist Chiara Pasqualotto were phenomenal, creating warm water color artwork that beautifully illustrated the emotions of the story. The author perfectly conveys both an entertaining story children will love and a simple yet essential message that too often gets lost in our chaotic world.
Highlighting the ease in which Alexandra explores the world and interacts peacefully with various other birds outside of her own family, the story mirrors our own world, teaching children (and sometimes adults as well), that it is possible to live in harmony with one another. It doesn’t matter how loud or chaotic the world may seem, peace and harmony amongst people of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds is possible, if you only seek it out.
The Verdict
This is a fantastic read that children and parents alike will delight in reading together. A fast read at 32 pages, the story conveys an important and heartwarming message in a beautiful way, and is almost poetic in the story’s approach. This is a great book to start out our new year, so be sure to grab your copy of All Eyes on Alexandra by Anna Levine and Illustrated by Chiara Pasqualotto today!
Rating: 10/10
Book summary
In All Eyes on Alexandra, young Alexandra Crane is terrible at following her family in their flying Vee. She can’t help it that the world is so full of interesting distracting sights! When it’s time for the Cranes to migrate to Israel’s Hula Valley for the winter, Alexandra is excited but her family is worried. Will Alexandra stay with the group, and what happens if a dangerous situation should arise? Might Alexandra—and the rest of the flock—discover that a bad follower can sometimes make a great leader?
Based on the true story of Israel’s annual crane migration.
Anna Levine is an award-winning children’s book author. Like Alexandra Crane, the character in her latest picture book, she loves to explore new worlds. Born in Canada, Anna has lived in the US and Europe. She now lives in Israel, where she writes and teaches.
Chiara Pasqualotto was born in Padua, in northern Italy, currently teaches illustration and drawing classes to children and adults, in particular in Padua during the summer at the Scuola Internazionale di Comics and in Rome. Since 2008 she’s been living in Rome and working with illustration professionally: her first picture book, Mine, All Mine! was published in 2009 by Boxer Books (UK), since then she published with Oxford University Press, Giunti, Terranuova and some American publishers (Paraclete Press, Tyndale, LearningAZ, Kar-Ben Publisher).
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Make sure you visit WOW’s blog today and read an interview with the author and enter for a chance to win a copy of the book All Eyes on Alexandra.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing/illustration?
My name is Courtney Huddleston, and I illustrate children’s books for a living. Like so many others, I’ve had a fascination for good art and writing, since childhood. I was never the best at either, but countless hours of practice mixed with persistence, eventually lead to me becoming a professional.
2) What inspired you to work on these books?
Whether it’s a kid in class daydreaming or a professional writer, everyone has ideas. I’m no different than either, and Audrey’s Magic Nine happened to be my latest idea. I started with the idea of bringing hand puppets to life. From there, I listed as many stories as I could in today’s pop culture with a similar vibe. Jim Henson’s creations, Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes, and Pinocchio are just a few that I listed. I tried to steer my story as far away from those iconic stories as much as I could, in hopes of putting a different spin on an old idea. And, that’s how Audrey’s Magic Nine came to be.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your books?
I didn’t initially try to establish a message or theme when I came up with this story. I was focused mainly on making it as unique and entertaining as possible. That said, the protagonist is a genuinely kind and selfless person from start to finish, despite having many physical, mental, and emotional obstacles in front of her.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
As an elementary school teacher, my wife has no shortage of stories to tell. One of the more recurring stories is how much graphic novels motivate her students to read. Combine that with the fact that I’m a life long comic book lover, and the rest is history.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your books, what would you ask them and why?
I would sit down with Asa from Audrey’s Magic Nine, because he’s just one of the coolest characters I’ve had the honor of creating. But I wouldn’t ask him anything, because as his creator, I know the answer to any question I ask him. I’ve never been asked this question, but it made me feel very powerful for a moment. Ha.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Audrey’s Magic Nine was a webcomic before it went to print. The webcomic had a more followers than any of the social media outlets.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors/illustrators out there?
As cliche as my cliched answer may sound, the answer is to be persistent. The internet has leveled the playing field, making it easier to showcase your work, connect with publishers and agents,research industry trends, and much much more. All you have to do is always try to improve and never give up.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I recently wrapped up Book 3 of Audrey’s Magic Nine, and it will soon go through the editing stages. I am also doing freelance work for another kids book series, while developing a new story that I plan to share in 2019.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
My great-grandmother came to Canada in the late 1880s. She shares a passport with my great-grandfather. Beneath his photo is written Issac Yaphe. Beside him, my great-grandmother, a stern looking woman, is frowning at the photographer. Beneath her photo the passport inspector wrote, “Wife does not write.” Some years later I ended up at a writer’s residence in Eastern Canada, a few miles from where my great-grandmother had settled and farmed a small piece of land. Though I’ve been writing since my teens, keeping journals (that crowd my office space) I have that photo of my great-grandparents on my desk to remind me that I’m the great-granddaughter of the woman who immigrated to Canada as the wife “who does not write.”
What inspired you to write your book?
Curiosity. I often think the topics I write about find me. I have a series of archaeological-themed picture books about a young girl who is fascinated by history. Archaeology is one of my passions and when I can, I join a dig. I have a book for middle-grade readers that takes place in an olive grove, and last year I spent a day raking olives off the trees onto mats and scooping them up into crates. My writing has been labeled ‘realistic fiction.’ Research is my way of discovering new experiences.
What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
“Birds without borders.” I live in a country where there is a lot of conflict between people. And yet, when I visit the Hula Nature Reserve and I see all the different birds from all over the world swoop in to chat with each other (imagine a family dinner where everyone has to have their say), sharing food and finding a place to rest, I think of how we could learn from nature about living together peacefully even if the ‘peace’ can get quite noisy.
What drew you into this particular genre?
Writing a picture book is like writing poetry. I have published a few poems and when I’m stuck on a project I always reach for my poetry anthologies. I enjoy the challenge of finding just the right words to create an image. One of my favorite books growing up was Madeline. I loved Madeline’s independent spirit and the illustrations that accompany the text. The combination works for me.
If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I’d love to chat with Alexandra and ask her what it feels like to sail above looking down on us. She’s been to places I’ve always dreamed of going to see.
What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I’m really enjoying this WOW blog tour (and someone has already written me to ask how to join one). I use Facebook but the contacts I have all know me. This blog tour has allowed me to get in touch with people outside my circle. I’m on Instagram and Twitter but in truth don’t know how to use them all that well. I find that social media takes a lot of time and it’s time taken from my writing. I haven’t figured out the balance yet.
What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Perseverance! It’s less about ‘write what you know’ (the old adage) but write about what excites you and what you want to learn about. Challenge yourself and discover new experiences.
What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I’m working on a cozy mystery for adults that is set in Canada. It’s presently in submission through my agent. Lots of plotting goes into constructing a mystery and it’s a new genre for me, but I’m loving it!
In All Eyes on Alexandra, young Alexandra Crane is terrible at following her family in their flying Vee. She can’t help it that the world is so full of interesting distracting sights! When it’s time for the Cranes to migrate to Israel’s Hula Valley for the winter, Alexandra is excited but her family is worried. Will Alexandra stay with the group, and what happens if a dangerous situation should arise? Might Alexandra—and the rest of the flock—discover that a bad follower can sometimes make a great leader?
Based on the true story of Israel’s annual crane migration.
Anna Levine is an award-winning children’s book author. Like Alexandra Crane, the character in her latest picture book, she loves to explore new worlds. Born in Canada, Anna has lived in the US and Europe. She now lives in Israel, where she writes and teaches.
Chiara Pasqualotto was born in Padua, in northern Italy, currently teaches illustration and drawing classes to children and adults, in particular in Padua during the summer at the Scuola Internazionale di Comics and in Rome. Since 2008 she’s been living in Rome and working with illustration professionally: her first picture book, Mine, All Mine! was published in 2009 by Boxer Books (UK), since then she published with Oxford University Press, Giunti, Terranuova and some American publishers (Paraclete Press, Tyndale, LearningAZ, Kar-Ben Publisher).
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Make sure you visit WOW’s blog today and read an interview with the author and enter for a chance to win a copy of the book All Eyes on Alexandra.
I am proud to share with you guys the official blog tour promotional post for author Anna Levine’s “All Eyes On Alexandra”. Take a look at this amazing book and mark your calendars as this tour visits not only some truly wonderful bloggers and websites, but also returns to my website throughout the tour with an exclusive interview, review and guest blog post in the weeks to come. Enjoy!
Book summary
In All Eyes on Alexandra, young Alexandra Crane is terrible at following her family in their flying Vee. She can’t help it that the world is so full of interesting distracting sights! When it’s time for the Cranes to migrate to Israel’s Hula Valley for the winter, Alexandra is excited but her family is worried. Will Alexandra stay with the group, and what happens if a dangerous situation should arise? Might Alexandra—and the rest of the flock—discover that a bad follower can sometimes make a great leader?
Based on the true story of Israel’s annual crane migration.
Anna Levine is an award-winning children’s book author. Like Alexandra Crane, the character in her latest picture book, she loves to explore new worlds. Born in Canada, Anna has lived in the US and Europe. She now lives in Israel, where she writes and teaches.
Chiara Pasqualotto was born in Padua, in northern Italy, currently teaches illustration and drawing classes to children and adults, in particular in Padua during the summer at the Scuola Internazionale di Comics and in Rome. Since 2008 she’s been living in Rome and working with illustration professionally: her first picture book, Mine, All Mine! was published in 2009 by Boxer Books (UK), since then she published with Oxford University Press, Giunti, Terranuova and some American publishers (Paraclete Press, Tyndale, LearningAZ, Kar-Ben Publisher).
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Make sure you visit WOW’s blog today and read an interview with the author and enter for a chance to win a copy of the book All Eyes on Alexandra.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Audrey’s incredible journey continues in author Michelle Wright’s “Audrey’s Magic Nine Book Two: The Pencil and the Dream”. Here is the synopsis.
The Synopsis
In Audrey’s Magic Nine: Book 2 the unwavering Audrey Hinkle proves that an extraordinary imagination cannot be easily vanquished. Even as she continues her quest to discover all nine magic puppets and defeat an evil queen in another realm, she finds that Earth provides its own set of challenges, requiring the sort of creativity and ingenuity that only Audrey can conjure. As she faces bullies, posers, carnies, and a terrifying enchanted dog, Audrey transforms hardship into unconditional love and acceptance through the power of her art. In the process, the truths of her time in foster care reveal themselves, and though Audrey faces the difficulty of these revelations, her fierce individuality helps her stay her course. Critically acclaimed for its originality, charm, and stunning art, Audrey’s Magic Nine, introduces readers to a dauntless heroine who encourages her audience to indulge fearlessly in creativity. Featuring over 140, full-color pages and bonus short stories Audrey’s Magic Nine: Book 2 celebrates whimsy, innovation, and the artist in us all.
The Review
The story of a young girl adjusting to life as an adoptive daughter while trying to help find a group of puppets who are in reality heroes and members of an elite council from another world, who were banished by an evil witch who dubbed herself the queen of the realm. The illustrations are beautiful as they highlight the protagonist’s dual life of saving these magical beings and learning what it’s like to be a daughter in a loving family for the first time in her life.
The protagonists’s strength and will are something everyone can admire. Embracing her mission and bonding with parents she never thought she could have, the story highlights the struggles of children lost in the foster care system and the adjustment that comes with finding a family. Mix that with the often hilarious and always magical fantasy elements of the core story, and young readers everywhere will fall in love with Audrey’s tale.
The Verdict
This was a fantastic sequel to this children’s book. Filled with action, humor and creative storytelling filled with important life lessons and themes of family and hope, this book built upon the first book immensely and solidified the growing mythology of Audrey and the Magical Nine. By book’s end, the mystery behind why Audrey is connected to these beings and how she got into the foster care system to begin with will be answered, and it will leave readers on the edge of their seat, eager for book three to be released. Be sure to preorder your copy of Audrey’s Magic Nine Book Two: The Pencil and the Dream today.
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