Monkey Magic: The Great Wall Mystery
Author: Grant S. Clark
Publisher: Monsoon Books
Genre: Children / Animals
ISBN: 978-981-08-6132-2
Pages: 160
Price: $9.95
The mysterious appearance of a group of monkeys at the Great Wall of China has scientists baffled. These monkeys are not native to China, so where did they come from? And why are they there?
Monkey Magic worked before for 11-year old Romy, allowing her to communicate with orangutans in The Curse of Mukada. Now she uses it to discover the monkeys’ story, but what they tell her isn’t pleasant. She will need all her wits to help them, while also keeping herself out of danger. Her new friend, Pei, shares part of her adventure, as well as some intercultural humor. And when she learns of the possibility of using Monkey Magic whenever she wants, Romy is determined to know more.
Monkey Magic: The Great Wall Mystery shows us how human greed hurts wild animals, and why we need to take immediate action to try to protect them. I highly recommend this delightful, magical tale with a great environmental message.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Montooth and the Canfield Witch
Author: Robert Jay
Publisher: Montooth Press
Genre: Mystery / Suspense
ISBN: 978-0-615-29645-6
Pages: 441
Price: $27.99
Author’s website
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Carty Andersson grew up as a tomboy in the Florida swamps, learning how to safely navigate through the dangers lurking there. When she finds out that one of the residents in their swampy neighborhood, Sally Canfield, is believed to be a witch, she is curious but unafraid.
One night, taking a detour past the witch’s house, she encounters some men obviously plotting with evil intent. A few days later Carty and her partners in The Crew head out on a school project collecting plant specimens. When their search leads them to Sally’s house, they find themselves caught in a snare they didn’t anticipate. Only quick action and sharp shooting save Carty and her friends from perishing.
Although this book feels like it should be geared towards the middle-grade audience, due to the age of the protagonists, it presents some truly evil “bad guys” with a violent streak that I found surprising. While none of the murders were graphic, the methods used in committing them gave me chills, and I’m not sure how an 8th grader would feel reading them.
But aside from the amount of violence in these criminal actions, Montooth and the Canfield Witch is a well-written novel that’s full of suspense, with some really great characters. Carty shows a lot of courage and spunk, and her male classmates are unique individuals with well-developed personalities. Even Sally Canfield turns out to be something quite unexpected, in a great twist at the end.
Warning: Rated mature due to violence.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
The Skinny On Bullying
Author: Mike Cassidy
Publisher: Rand Media
Genre: Self-help / Children
ISBN: 978-0-9824390-1-2
Pages: 128
Price: $12.95
Publisher’s website
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Billy and Beth are best friends. They’ve just turned ten years old and have graduated from elementary school. But attending Stickville Middle School is so much different. Now they also have to deal with bullies. And since Gretchen arrived at their school, their lives are becoming more and more difficult, as she bullies them and their classmates.
Bullying comes in many forms, as this stick-figure illustrated book reminds us. While we may only think of bullying as physical intimidation, it’s possible to find it as verbal, indirect and cyberbullying. But there are ways to minimize being bullied and stand up to someone if they’re bullying others. Sometimes even the person who feels bullied can be guilty of bullying, as Billy and Beth find out while dealing with Gretchen. They are also surprised to find out that even bullies sometimes have problems of their own, and a little understanding can go a long way toward everyone getting along better.
Bullying has always been a problem for kids. The Skinny On Bullying addresses this issue in a way they can easily understand. These simple stick figures have expressive mannerisms and sometimes go a bit over-the-top in making a point. And the text provides clear lists of bullying behavior as well as how to handle it, so kids can refer back to them easily.
Reading The Skinny On Bullying will take only a short while, and will feel more like spending time with a comic book. But the powerful anti-bullying message will stick with kids for a long time.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
I, Emma Freke
Author: Elizabeth Atkinson
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Genre: Children’s fiction
ISBN: 978-0-7613-5604-2
Pages: 234
Price: $16.95
Author’s website
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It isn’t easy having a name like Emma Freke – which when said out loud sounds like am a freak. But it’s even worse that Emma is too tall, has too red hair, and suddenly finds herself a social misfit in sixth grade. She has no idea who her father is, and her mom is too New-Agey and insists on being called by her first name.
So when Emma is invited to the Freke family reunion, she’s finally given the chance to find out more about the other side of her family – the one she knows nothing about. And for the first time, she realizes that she’s not as freaky as she thought.
Now that Emma has been accepted by her new family, she embraces her mother’s wisdom in raising her, and returns home with a new sense of self-confidence. After being judged herself, she learns an important lesson about what it means to judge others, and that sometimes it’s better to keep an open mind.
I, Emma Freke is an enjoyable read for all middle-schoolers, but especially those who just don’t seem to fit in, no matter how hard they try. Elizabeth Atkinson has a great understanding of the trials and tribulations facing pre-teen kids, and it comes through in Emma’s thoughts and actions. I highly recommend this fun and well-written story.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
The Prometheus Project: Stranded
Author: Douglas E. Richards
Publisher: Paragon Press
Genre: Science-fiction
ISBN: 978-0-9826184-0-0
Pages: 320
Price $7.95
Author’s website
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Ryan and Regan Resnick are excited to spend a weekend with their parents and other Prometheus scientists on the planet Isis. But as soon as they arrive, one of their team abandons them, taking a hostage and leaving the rest stranded. When the animals of Isis turn predatory, the scientists have little hope of making it home alive.
Luckily, Ryan manages to escape and attempts to get help for the stranded party. He and Regan can communicate telepathically, and the two share ideas and strategies in dealing with their unique situations. They will need to use some determined effort and quick thinking to survive. And when the girl Ryan admires suddenly gets herself caught up in their problems, things get more and more complicated.
Once again Douglas E. Richards has crafted a well-written and enjoyable science fiction novel. All of the information these two smart kids need is provided in the storyline, well before they need to know it. So when they use their reasoning ability to figure out what to do next, the reader already has the knowledge along with them.
I continue to be impressed with the suspenseful story-telling and great characters in The Prometheus Project. Science, logic, and adventure all come together in these wonderful books. I highly recommend this series.
See reviews of: Trapped and Captured
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Summer Sanctuary
Author: Laurie Gray
Publisher: Luminis Books
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-1-935462-34-7
Pages: 200
Price: $11.95
Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon
Matthew’s best friend, Kyle, has gone away to spend the summer at a farm. His younger brother has reached a growth spurt and is now bigger than he is. And his mom is pregnant. Again. Since Matthew is being home-schooled, he doesn’t even get the summers off, and he has to write a research paper on Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. It was going to be the worst summer ever – until he met Dinah.
Dinah is on the run from Child Welfare, waiting for her mom to come home and get her. But until then she needs a place to hang out and hide. Matthew takes an instant liking to Dinah, and offers her his friendship and a sanctuary. The two new friends share ideas, laughter, music and companionship over the next few weeks, forging a strong bond in the process.
Matthew never expects to get so close to this homeless girl, and their time spent together is all too brief. Will they stay in touch by email, as Dinah suggests, or will time apart bring inevitable distance? But in the moments they do have together, they touch each other in ways neither could anticipate.
Summer Sanctuary is a warm and tender story of two teens who find true friendship in a world that is often much too harsh. Matthew and Dinah are interesting and deep characters, and I enjoyed getting to know them both. I highly recommend this beautiful story for all who long to still find caring and goodness in humanity.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Brigitta of the White Forest
Author: Danika Dinsmore
Publisher: en theos press
Genre: Fantasy
ISBN: 978-0-9754042-5-6
Pages: 210
Price $12.95
Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon
A terrible spell has been placed on the fairies of the White Forest. All except Brigitta and her little sister, Himalette, have been turned to stone. The ceremony of resetting the Hourglass of Protection must take place as scheduled or the White Forest will be in danger. But the High Priestess will be unable to perform it as a stone statue.
Brigitta knows there is one fairy who might be able to help. Hrathgar hasn’t been affected by this stone spell, since she lives outside the White Forest. Brigitta and Himalette head out to find her in the hopes that she can offer assistance. But the area they need to travel through is treacherous, and Hrathgar has been banished from the White Forest for something evil she did a long time ago. Even though they know they are in great danger, the two young fairies are determined to save the White Forest and restore everyone back to normal.
Brigitta of the White Forest is fantasy and adventure in a delightful combination. Readers will love Brigitta’s bravery in facing Hrathgar, while trying to protect her little sister. She is also clever in determining if their unusual companions, Minq and Gola, are allies or enemies in their quest. The story is fast-paced, with lots of imaginative elements to keep the reader interested until the very end. I highly recommend this enjoyable novel.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
The Silent Sphinx
Author: Michael Khort
Publisher: Excursion Press
Genre: Adventure
ISBN: 978-0982632505
Pages: 244
Price: $9.49
Robby is on a field trip with his fifth-grade class when he sees the black sphinx for the first time. Along with his teacher, Mr. Reynolds, they talk to a mysterious stranger, who has sinister plans for them. They soon find themselves on a journey to Egypt, in search of the lost tomb of the pharaoh Setmesses.
Mr. Reynolds holds an important clue the Greek smuggler, Straticus, has been looking for all his life. Now the teacher and student are key players in this dangerous quest. Can they find the missing tomb before Straticus determines they’re irrelevant and decides to eliminate them?
As an avid student of ancient Egypt, I was fascinated by the turn of events in this story, leading to this unknown tomb. It’s always fun to imagine how it would feel to make such a discovery, and this aspect of the story didn’t disappoint. But I did have questions about why Straticus would decide to take these two people with him. It seems it would have been simpler to just steal the necessary fragment from Mr. Reynolds and go without them.
While the fast-paced adventure and fascinating discovery in The Silent Sphinx would appeal to a reader of Robby’s age, Robby himself was not a very admirable character. He played such a small part in the story, being more of a spectator than a participant, and he showed very little courage. Kids prefer to read about strong main characters who become major players in adventure, not just sitting on the sidelines watching the adults handle things for them.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Dream Share
Author: Rita Milios
Publisher: Cypress
Genre: Tween
ISBN: 978-0-9822337-2-6
Pages: 108
Price: $12.95
Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon
A baseball game turns tragic, and fifteen year-old Nathan is left in a coma. Sam idolizes his older brother, and spends as much time as possible at Nathan’s side. Suddenly Sam is pulled into his brother’s thoughts and experiences, entering Nathan’s dreams.
In this dream state, Nathan and Sam experience a whole different world. In this alternate reality, their thoughts influence the things around them, and how they react will determine if they can survive. But can Sam make it out, and will he be able to bring Nathan with him? Will Nathan recover?
Dream Share is an interesting look at the dream state, especially when in a coma. It also explores the idea of being able to enter another person’s dreams and share that dream experience. The story is told in a fast-paced and engaging style that pulls the reader in to see what will happen next. There is also a section at the back that explains certain dream phenomena, and helps to interpret some dreams.
Reviewed by: Alice Berger
The Haunting: Ebram’s Story – Book 1
Author: Esther Locascio
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Genre: Tween / Mystery
ISBN: 978-1-61566-164-0
Pages: 212
Price: $13.99
Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon
The Casas-Treski family has just moved into a new home in a new neighborhood. Ebram is having more trouble than his siblings in getting used to their new surroundings. But soon they all find themselves settled in with new friends and new schools. Although it’s not the home they left behind, Ebram starts to accept it. Then the family notices strange things happening, as someone called Mazie starts talking to the children.
One of Ebram’s new friends, the family babysitter, calls herself a shrouda. The members of this youth group wear distinctive items of clothing, and strive to live their Christian faith by doing good in the world. Ebram like this idea, and wants to also do his part in helping. When he attempts to do something for the community, it backfires, but who is the one who thwarted him?
The author pulls off a nice surprise ending, when we find out who Mazie is – and she’s not at all what we expect. It’s also great to read about kids who want to help others, rather than focusing only on their own wants. But these characters are very hard to relate to. Although this is called Ebram’s story, it’s told from multiple perspectives, and we don’t get to know Ebram as well as we could. And the constant use of the parents’ proper names, Mrs. Casas-Treski & Mr. Treski, rather than simply “mom and “dad,” pulls us out of the action and feels tedious. Overall, this is an interesting plot, but it would have worked better if written entirely from Ebram’s point of view.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
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Coming Soon:
- Down Load Basketball by Alison Hawes
- Graphic Classics: Edgar Allen Poe’s Tales of Mystery
- Healing Touch by Dorothea Hover-Kramer
- A Lamp in the Darkness by Jack Kornfield
- A Love Story by Samantha Ryan Chandler
- Oscar Did It by Joy Cowley
- Right Where You Are by Lisa Montierth
- The Skinny on Networking by Jim Randel
- Songs of Mary
- Untie the Strong Woman by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
- Wired by Douglas E. Richards
- Your Daily Walk With the Great Minds by Richard A. Singer, Jr.
“Who’s Taking a Bath?” by Alice Berger
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