ISBN: 9780063018433
Publisher Synopsis:
Enter the world of Charlie's four unlikely friends, discover their story and their most important life lessons. The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse have been shared millions of times online - perhaps you've seen them? They've also been recreated by children in schools and hung on hospital walls. They sometimes even appear on lamp posts and on cafe and bookshop windows. Perhaps you saw the boy and mole on the Comic Relief T-shirt, Love Wins?"Life... frightening sometimes but beautiful..."
MrsK's Review: Fantasy Read Aloud
In the springtime, a boy meets a mole. "In their wanderings," they discover that size is relative. They discuss what success might be. They ponder if there is a "school of unlearning." Do you know what is the biggest waste of time? What is the greatest freedom? "Is doing nothing with friends, doing nothing?"
Beautifully crafted wisdom. The quiet and gentleness within these pages ignites a desire to ponder, to share, and enter into a reflective moment or two. This is a book that every grandparent, educator, and homeschooling parent should read... because it is a perfect gift for graduations, birthdays, and especially for Christmas. I believe that the giver should personalize this book journey with little comments here and there between the pages... that would be my definition of loving gift in action,
MrsK
"This book is for everyone...
whether you are eighty or eight...."
Meet the Author:
Charlie Macksey was born during a snowy winter in Northumberland. He has been a cartoonist for The Spectator and a book illustrator for Oxford University Press. He has collaborated with Richard Curtis for Comic Relief, and Nelson Mandela on a lithograph project, 'The Unity Series.' Collectors of Mackesy's works include Elizabeth Gilbert, Whoopi Goldberg, Roger Waters, Richard Curtis, The Murdoch Freuds, Tim Bevan, M. Night Shyamalan, Bear Grylls, Howard Goodall, Harry Enfield, and Sting. He has lived and painted in South Africa, Southern Africa, and New Orleans. He co-runs a social enterprise, Mama Buci, in the Zambian copperbelt, which helps families of low and no income to become beekeepers.
ISBN: 9781955550413
Publisher's Synopsis:
A Town Worth Defending is a children's book written by David J Harris Jr. BRAVE Books has partnered with David Harris Jr. to write A Town Worth Defending, a children's book that teaches kids about patriotism. In every BRAVE Book, we partner with people of moral integrity, like David Harris Jr., to teach complex Christian and Conservative values."To the Defenders of Freedom..."
MrsK's Review: GR. 1-2 Fantasy
Rowdy Raccoon has written a Dirt Creek letter to inform all citizens that a posse of possums is attacking all the towns. His request is to save Dirt Creek. With a high noon, rubber-band shoot out, Rowdy faces down Greasy the Possum. With the help of the Defenders of Freedom, the villains high tail it out of town. But will that be the last show-down?
Greasy has proclaimed that he and his gang will be returning with a train of dynamite if the town isn't turned over to them!
Written with delightful characters, a rowdy gunfight and showdown, as well as entertaining artwork by Andre Ceolin, this is an Americana western that will inspire many re-readings...
Gather around a flashlight campfire and spin this tale of a dust-uppin' peck of trouble!
MrsK
Meet the Author:
Unapologetically patriotic, David Harris Jr. endeavors to help society discover what it truly means to keep America great. David Harris Jr. is an entrepreneur, author, and podcast host who delivers thought-provoking and engaging presentations that challenge audiences to pay attention to important political, social, and economic issues. Listeners appreciate his honest and relatable approach to topics focusing on the conservative culture and pro-life movement. Using his own life experiences and faith-based direction, he brings a passionate and unique message tailored to each event.
ISBN: 9780307977243
Publisher's Synopsis:
Chicago sixth graders Ruthie and Jack think they’ve learned everything about the magic of the Art Institute’s Thorne Rooms. But the magic starts to act strangely when Ruthie and Jack discover two rings that are out of place—and out of time—and a portal that shouldn’t be open but somehow is. Ruthie and Jack follow the clues to seventeenth-century England and the Brownlow house, where they meet the Brownlow’s governess, Rebecca. But Rebecca has a few secrets of her own—and she might even be in the wrong century! Can Ruthie and Jack discover the truth about Rebecca’s mysterious past, or will they end up stuck in the wrong century themselves? Their quest for answers takes them from 1930s New York City and San Francisco to turn-of-the-century China. The only one who can truly answer their questions may be the woman who started it the room’s creator, Narcissa Thorne. But to talk to Mrs. Thorne, they’ll have to go back in time and find her!MrsK's Review: GR 3-4 Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Ruthie and Jack are excited to be working for Mrs. McVittie's Rare and Antique Bookshop during the summer. Besides their new summer job, Ruthie and Jack will be encouraged to revisit the Thoren Rooms at the Art Institute. While unpacking an antique box, they discover an old newspaper with an article about an unsolved missing teen case. Could they travel back in time and try to discover a clue about what really happened with Becky Brown?
Once they've discovered a hidden letter from Narcissa Thorne, they learn more about the mysterious key. Even though the letter was written in 1939, it sounds as if it was directly written to them... especially since they now have the key. What places in time will they travel? Will they discover the truth about Becky Brown? Should they try to return the key to an elderly Narcissa Thorne? It's up to you to open the covers...
If you haven't met Ruthie and Jack and their amazing journeys into the 68 rooms, well this book will be an excellent exploration. Each book can be a stand-alone, or you can begin with the first title... The Sixty-Eight rooms, simply pic one and enjoy the journey...
MrsK
Meet the Author:
I wanted to create the kinds of books I would have loved when I was young, the kind of books that would have made me stop what I was doing, the kind of books I couldn’t put down. I had to work hard to learn how to turn these stories that lived in my head into books that young readers would enjoy. But that was half the fun of it – learning a new way to be creative!
ISBN: 9781951305215
Publisher's Synopsis:
Heather and Picket are extraordinary rabbits with ordinary lives until calamitous events overtake them, spilling them into a cauldron of misadventures. They discover that their own story is bound up in the tumult threatening to overwhelm the wider world. Kings fall and kingdoms totter. Tyrants ascend and terrors threaten. Betrayal beckons, and loyalty is a broken road with peril around every bend. Where will Heather and Picket land? How will they make their stand?"All right, my dears, ... I will tell you of...
The Rise and Fall of King Jupiter the Great."
MrsK's Review: GR 3-6 Fantasy
Meet Heather and Picket. They have been raised in the Hollow, in an Elm tree, in the meadow between West and East Wood. While playing their game of catching a star, neither of them worried about anything, nothing could take away their joy as they leaped and dashed through the meadow... not even the rolling rumble of a storm. Sure, their father had warned them about not entering East wood, but right this moment they needed to get Heather's ribbon from the old maple tree.
Once morning, a visitor had arrived at their home, she was introduced as Lady Glen, yet Heather had never heard of her. Why was she there? Why did their mother decide to send them to pick berries when they had company? Unfortunately, Heather and Picket would never see their home, their mother or father, nor Baby Jacks. That was the day that Nick Hollow was attacked by Redeye and his wolves. Heather had only one decision... to send Picket to the hidden cave and then to distract the wolves by out running them. Would Picket stay hidden, even if she didn't meet him?
A harrowing escape, a boat ride with an uncle they never met, Heather and Picket have made it to the Mended Wood and Lord Rake. Heather wasn't sure about trusting these rabbits, yet she had no option. Picket needed medical help. She would have to learn what she could about these "heralds" of Mended Wood.
Who are the exiles, the orphans from the Great Wood? Will the Forest guard protect all of them who dwell in this city above the clouds?
Green Ember isn't just captivating; it is a powerful page turner. There are swash-buckling sword fights, dangerous escapes, heroes and heroines, a legend worth fighting for, and a secret search that must bring an heir to the Kingdom of Jupiter. With delightfully crafted characters, detailed visualization, and hope this is a perfect read aloud for any family gathering and or classroom,
MrsK
"... this community has had to learn the hard way to be
cautious with our trust."
"The Green Ember burns; the seed of the New World smolders.
Healing is on the horizon, but a fire comes first.
Bear the flame."
Meet the Author:
Though packed with old school virtue and moral imagination, Smith doesn't merely create "safe" stories, but bold, daring, truthful tales of light that help shape children who become dangerous—dangerous to the darkness.
Smith is a founder and owner of Story Warren, a publishing, events, and IP development house based in rural West Virginia. Story Warren exists to serve families as “allies in imagination.”
ISBN: 9780593707944
Publisher's Synopsis:
Do you have what it takes to be the new owner of Mr. Lemoncello’s epic gaming empire? Find out in this fantabulous finale to the beloved, New York Times Bestselling Mr. Limoncello's Library series! Mr. Limoncello's ENTIRE game-making empire is up for grabs! It's time for one last fantabulous challenge with Mr. Lemoncello-the world's most famous gamemaker! This time everything is on the line—literally! Mr. Lemoncello has invited thirteen lucky 13-year-olds—including his biggest fan, Kyle Keeley— to compete in the final games. The winner of these games will become the new owner of Mr. Limoncello's ENTIRE GAME MAKING EMPIRE!!! But uh-oh--someone is trying to destroy Mr. Lemoncello empire and all it stands imagination, games, books . . . knowledge! Can Kyle Keeley stop them and make his dreams come true? Get ready for a whirlwind adventure that takes us from the lions of the New York Public Library to the Choose Your Own Thrill-Venture Roller Coaster inside the brand-new Lemoncelloland amusement park, filled with codes and clues, adventure and mystery, and surprise cameos from across Chris Grabenstein's many series. So, sit back, relax and prepare to have your imagination take flight...you are on your way to Lemoncelloland!MrsK's Review: GR 4-7 Fantasy
Have you been to Mr. Lemoncello's library? Do you enjoy competition? Are you a reader who enters into the world within any book's cover? This, the finale book that will ignite your imagination of possibilities.
Meet Kyle, at thirteen, he is now on the board of trustees for Mr. Lemoncello's Library. He's already won a titanium ticket which allows him to automatically be entered into the finale "ultimate" game. A game in which he could become the one heir to all Mr. Lemoncello has created. When all is said and done... will he emerge as the one who is loyal to Mr. Lemoncello's vision of his heir?
Out of 13 contestants, who will be the winner? Of course, it will be the one who plays the game to win!
Why 13 players who have turned the age of 13? It all began when Mr. L turned 13 and realized his "true calling." "Hidey-Ho!"... Let the games begin...
Are you ready for a rollercoaster ride through storybook lands? Maybe a book-rafting ride through rapids on the Plot Twist River is more adventurous. Could flying game pieces carry you off on the Speed Reader zip lines? Expect haunted characters, giants, dragons, gadgets, robotic authors, space rockets, and fairy-tale characters.
Are you ready to riddle your way through the fantabulous finale? So much to enjoy, a wealth of reading extension titles... delightfully tantalizing puzzling connections... extraordinary inventions... characters to root for or to be leery of... and a story so well woven that you know you've entered the library that is beyond your wildest imagination...
MrsK
Enter into Mr. Lemoncelloland...
where "books and games from all over this wondermous
will come to life."
Meet the Author:
ISBN: 9780312368586
Publisher's Synopsis:A flash of lightning, quivering ground, and, instead of her grandparents' farm, Polly sees mist and jagged mountains—and coming toward her, a group of young men carrying spears.
Why has a time gate opened and dropped Polly into a world that existed 3,000 years ago? Will she be able to get back to the present before the time gate closes—and leaves her to face a group of people who believe in human sacrifice?
A quiet visit with her grandparents turns into a lesson in the fluidity of time for Polly O'Keefe when she meets several strangers from overlapping temporal planes and, with them, plays a key role in a prehistoric confrontation.
Why has a time gate opened and dropped Polly into a world that existed 3,000 years ago? Will she be able to get back to the present before the time gate closes—and leaves her to face a group of people who believe in human sacrifice?
A quiet visit with her grandparents turns into a lesson in the fluidity of time for Polly O'Keefe when she meets several strangers from overlapping temporal planes and, with them, plays a key role in a prehistoric confrontation.
"...words have power,
intrinsic power.
I love you.
What could be more powerful than that small trinity?
On the other hand,
malicious gossip can cause horrible damage."
MrsK's Review: GR 6+ Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Once upon a time, I entered into a Winkle in Time, and for this moment... I have returned to a family I once knew so well. This journey began with a sense of excitement for characters I've missed throughout my seasoning years. Of course, the characters have grown up. The farmhouse has been expanded, and the Grandfather Oak has been "disease resistant."
Meet Polly, she has returned to her grandparent's farm, a place that brings her contentment. She is on her way to her mother's favorite place... back to the "star-watching rock."
Meet Zachary, a young man Polly had meet in Athens, last summer, while she was attending a literature and literacy conference. He had been charming and volunteered to drive her around Athens. Why had he decided to seek her out on her grandparent's farm. He should have been at UCLA.
Meet Bishop Nason, since he has retired, he enjoys walking in the woods while his wife is at her clinic. He has found another stone by the ancient stone wall on the Murry's farm... he has discovered that some of the stones have Ogam petroglyphs (a Celtic alphabet0. How did it get to this location? Who brought it or carved it here in America over 3,000 years ago?
Meet Anaral, a young girl that will befriend Polly. Their friendship could lead to an old custom that might endanger Polly's life. A long with Anaral, Polly is introduced to Karralys, a druid that is concerned about his ancient village. And then there is Tav, another strong druid who is sure that Polly is the key to saving his people from the attacks of the ancients.
Who will survive? Has a tesseract reopened the circles of time?
Return to the Murry's farm...
MrsK
"Our books are like keepers of the memory.
In them we have the stories of many people,
many times,
many cultures."
Meet the Author: