Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Adventurous Eaters Club: Mastering the Art of Family Mealtime by Misha and Vicki Collins

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Adventurous Eaters Club: Mastering the Art of ...:   A conversation between Ashley and Kristin Kristin: I picked up this really cool looking cookbook and I think I might do a review on it...

KRL This Week Update for 10/14/17

Up in KRL this morning a review & giveaway of another Halloween mystery, "A Catered Costume Party" by Isis Crawford http://kingsriverlife.com/10/14/a-catered-costume-party-by-isis-crawford/

And a review of "The Adventures of the REAL Tom Sawyer" A Memoir by Tom Sawyer. We also have an awesome giveaway-not only can you win a copy of the book but you can win a signed copy of a script from an episode of "Murder She Wrote" (written by Tom)! http://kingsriverlife.com/10/14/the-adventures-of-the-real-tom-sawyer-by-tom-sawyer/

Also another Halloween mystery short story, this one by Margaret Hamilton http://kingsriverlife.com/10/14/taste-before-you-buy-a-halloween-mystery-short-story/

And a review & giveaway of another Halloween mystery by Kathi Daley,"Trick or Treason" http://kingsriverlife.com/10/14/trick-or-treason-by-kathi-daley/

We also have a review & giveaway of a fun Halloween anthology-"Witch and Treat" http://kingsriverlife.com/10/14/witch-and-treat-a-collection-of-paranormal-cozy-shorts/

And a review & giveaway of another mystery set in the Halloween season-"A Hive of Homicides" by Meera Lester, and a fun Halloween related guest post by Meera http://kingsriverlife.com/10/14/a-hive-of-homicides-by-meera-lester/

We also have a review & giveaway of another perfect book for your Halloween reading, "The Haunting of Dr. Bowne" by C.A. Verstraete http://kingsriverlife.com/10/14/the-haunting-of-dr-bowen-by-c-a-verstraete/

And for those who also enjoy fantasy, over on KRL News & Reviews a review of "The Hunt" by Chloe Neill, and a giveaway of the first book in the series http://www.krlnews.com/2017/10/the-hunt-by-chloe-neill-reviewgiveaway.html

If you are looking for some fun Halloween reading for the kids, up in KRL this morning we have a review & giveaway of "Skoob Revisited" by Clovis author Kathy Goosev Howell http://kingsriverlife.com/10/14/skoob-revisited-by-kathy-goosev-howell/

Happy reading,

Lorie


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Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Fox and the Star by Coralie Bickford-Smith

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Fox and the Star by Coralie Bickford-Smith:   Reviewed by Ambrea Fox found an unlikely friend in Star, who used his light to guide Fox through the frightening forest.   Conte...

Review: The Boy Who Ate Rainbows by Barry Ergang

Christina and her friends like it when there is a summer shower followed by a rainbow. It is one of the things they love about summer. That was until one day when the rainbow slowly began to disappear as it vanished into the ground. The entire rainbow just kept going over until the other end of the rainbow disappeared.

Nobody has ever seen anything like it. None of the kids has any idea why it happened. Nor did the any of their adult family members. It would be awhile before they could talk to their teachers at school about it as that wouldn’t start until September.

The kids decided that when the next shower happened and the rainbow formed they would ride their bikes to where the rainbow was to find out what was going on. When that happened the kids jumped on their bikes. They rode and rode and eventually had to walk into some woods. The last bit of the rainbow led them to a clearing where they found The Boy Who Ate Rainbows.

They also learned his name is Duncan and a lot more in this cool tale for kids written by Barry Ergang. Originally written as a fourth birthday gift for the daughter of close friends, the read is a cool mystery fantasy that has a number of important teaching moments for children. Not only was the book a hit with a birthday girl, the read was a big hit with her fellow Montessori classmates. That led to four pictures by those students being included in this edition. 

A short tale of understanding, compassion, and hope for the future, The Boy Who Ate Rainbows  is a fun read for both kids and adults. While the original tale and artwork may be nearly 20 years old, the message contained in these 18 pages is universal and timeless. 

The Boy Who Ate Rainbows

Barry Ergang

http://www.writetrack.yolasite.com/

Self-Published

May 2016

ASIN: B01FT4OG8S

eBook

18 Pages

$2.99

Barry Ergang provided me a PDF copy back in May wth absolutely no expectations that I would review it.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

Sandi's Hats and Slippers for Kids

Beyond the stuff she has added to her iOffer site, my wife Sandi has these for sale. Quantities are very limited and are first come first served.

The hats come with either one eyeball or two. They fit children age 3 to 10. The cost is $7.50 plus postage.

She also has pairs of slippers. Slipper is five and a half inches long. The cost is $7.50 plus postage.

Sandi will do special orders on request. But, one has to understand there may be delays due to her health issues with chemo and her cancer. Her next round of chemo starts Wednesday. 

Below are two pictures featuring just some of the staff at Texas Oncology at Medical City Dallas Hospital who have been our support these past many months. They are sporting the hats Sandi made them for their Halloween dress up day as they worked to not only save lives, but make folks a little happier while at treatment.

Review: "Gracie The Undercover Beagle and Her Sidekick Boston Blackie: Little Miss Stinky (A Little Book for Little Readers)" by Douglas Quinn

The Undercover Beagle known as Gracie is back in Little Miss Stinky. Gracie has her morning routine that she goes through each day at the farm. She checks around the hen house, then moves to the barn which she checks inside and out, and then she moves to the edge of the nearby woods. She goes up and

down the edge of the woods making sure everything is also okay there. It is while she is there that she is alerted to a horrible smell. A smell that not only Gracie smells, but one that Red the Rooster, the dog Boston Blackie, and others all notice and comment upon.

The search for the source of that smell as well as the hunt for a missing animal are the storylines of the latest adventure Little Miss Stinky. Latest in the line of books in the A Little Book for Little Readers by Douglas Quinn is another good. This book features another charming tale as well as short word list to help young readers build vocabulary. There is a certain melancholy to the read for those of us who are aware that the real life inspiration for the series passed while the author was working on this book.

Little Miss Stinky which is part of the Gracie Undercover Beagle and Her Sidekick Boston Blackie series is another good one. Interesting at times and plenty of illustrations make the read a good one not only for kids but the adults in their lives. 

Gracie The Undercover Beagle and Her Sidekick Boston Blackie: Little Miss Stinky (A Little Book for Little Readers)

Douglas Quinn

http://obxwriter.webs.com/

AAS White Heron Press (Via CreateSpace)

ISBN #978-1515139089

August 2015

Paperback

60 Pages

$7.95

Material supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

Review: "The Truth about Nature: A Family’s Guide to 144 Common Myths about the Great Outdoors" by Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer

When I was a kid we went camping all the time during breaks from school. Not only did my parents love the outdoors, they thought being out in nature was as important as anything we learned in classrooms when school was in session. That important idea was passed along to my sons. That same important idea is behind the very cool book The Truth about Nature.

It is a book designed to get kids outside in the real world learning about nature and their role in it. As the subtitle makes clear this book is A Family’s Guide to 144 Common Myths about the Great Outdoors.

Broken into four sections based on the seasons the book opens with Spring. The first myth is that “Birds sing because they are happy.” The myth is busted as birds don’t have emotions like humans and are singing because that is what they do. Bird song is their way of communication.

Over the next fifty pages in the Spring section are considered such as “Turkeys will drown in rain” (myth 14 on page 19), “Tornados turn clockwise” (myth 22 on page 31) and “Snapping turtles can’t let go after they bite” (myth 36 on page 51) among others. Each myth is rated on a 1 to 3 scale with 3 being absolutely totally false. Along the way there are pages titled “Stranger Than Fiction” with interesting information as well “Be A Scientist” pages geared towards fun experiments kids can do. For example, one can earn how to make a rainbow using a cd, a glass of water, a flash light, and a while piece of paper on page 36 or “Grow Your Own Mold” on page 49. The ideas on the “Be A Scientist” pages might be a good starting point for those science fair projects. 

This same informative text is continued through the Summer, Fall, and Winter sections. We learn that the idea that “Mouthwash will keep mosquitoes away” (myth 62 on page 89) is massively false as is that “Beavers eat fish” (myth 85 on page 120) or that “The brain is the largest organ” (myth 130 on page 186.) According to the book the brain is the third largest organ, coming in behind the liver at number two and skin at number one. The idea that “Ostriches bury their heads in the sand” is myth 135 and can be found on page 193.

While the various myths may not really fit the season section they are in, the myths are all informative and interesting.  All of the preceding leads up to a five page index and a one page of author bios that bring this highly entertaining book to be a close.

Filled with tips, fun facts and more The Truth about Nature: A Family’s Guide to 144 Common Myths about the Great Outdoors is a colorful and fun book designed to make learning about a lot of things fun. Published by “Falcon Guides” the book is a great way to teach kids as well as adults about nature and our place in it while doing so in a fun way. Fun and very cool, The Truth about Nature: A Family’s Guide to 144 Common Myths about the Great Outdoors makes learning fun in many ways.

The Truth about Nature: A Family’s Guide to 144 Common Myths about the Great Outdoors

Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer

http://www.destinationnature.net

Falcon Guides (imprint of Rowman & Littlefield)

http://www.falcon.com

October 2014

ISBN# 978-0-7627-9628-1

Paperback (also available in e-book)

232 Pages

$18.95

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

2015 DFW Teen Writers’ Workshop

2015 DFW Teen Writers’ Workshop

Children's Book Week 2015!

Children's Book Week 2015!

Via DFW Writers Workshop-- North Texas Teen Book Festival

North Texas Teen Book Festival

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Review: "The Adventures of Summer McPhee of Ocracoke Island: The Pink Lady" by Douglas Quinn

The latest in the series The Adventures of Summer McPhee of Ocracoke Island: The Pink Lady finds Summer happily enjoying what she calls “The Big Break.” It is the summer time and with no school she can sleep late or get up early and go fishing on and around the outer banks. In fact, she can do about anything including spending some time feeding the ducks out at Silver Lake Harbor.

That was her plan for this day until, as she rode her bike past him, she was flagged down by Sheriff Caswell. He seems to be a nice enough guy though he is dating her widowed mom and Summer isn't sure just yet what she thinks about that. It is a little weird though he does seem to make her mom happy. It is also a bit weird what Sheriff Caswell wants her to do instead of feeding the ducks. He wants her to watch a certain boat at one of the docks. He wants her to watch it for the next three hours and keep track of who is on board and what they are doing. If she agrees to help him out Sheriff Caswell will pay her 21 bucks and call her mom to let her know what is going on.  Summer has something in mind for the money so she is quite eager to do the job.

Watching a boat where absolutely nothing is going on is boring---even if the boat is painted a very bright pink. Everything seems boringly normal and then Ellie Antonelli shows up. She lives on the boat as the girls get to talking it doesn't take long for Summer to realize Ellie is in some kind of trouble and needs help. Not just because Hurricane Angela is headed toward Ocracoke Island as Ellie's mom and step-dad are not the best parents in the world by a long shot.

As in earlier books in this very well done series, interspersed with the mystery are lessons about caring about others and doing the right thing. The nuances with both are subtle and the characters involved don't preach--- they show by action what it means to be a responsible caring person. The mystery is also well done as Summer works to help Ellie while the adults in her life work to not only protect Summer and Ellie, but to make things safer for all. It’s another good read from the talented author Douglas Quinn and, like the others from this author, a good book you can allow your child to read without worrying about the content or language issues.

The Adventures of Summer McPhee of Ocracoke Island: The Pink Lady

Douglas Quinn

http://www.obxwriter.webs.com

AAS White Heron Press

June 2014

ISBN# 13-978-1499746235

Paperback

132 Pages

Material supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Att...

Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Att...: Tales of A Jailhouse Librarian: Challenging the Juvenile Justice System One Book At A Time: Marybeth Zeman: 9780615953878: Amazon.com: Books...

Review: "The Adventures of Summer McPhee of Ocracoke Island: Kilroy Was Here" by Douglas Quinn

Cousin of Quinn Higgins, Summer McPhee, has plenty of adventures in her own right. She is also well known for helping people. The idea that she needs to help someone is not the first thought that crosses her mind when she is asked to report to the office.

The receptionist, Mrs. Salter, paged for her to come to the school office as she wants her help.  A new student, Jimmy Wade, is being assigned to her class at Ocracoke School. Jimmy is in a wheelchair permanently because of some health issues when he was born. Issues that, over the years, have caused some people to treat him poorly out of ignorance or a lack of understanding.  He and his dad have had some tough times and are hoping for a fresh start in all aspects on the island off the North Carolina coast. Since Jimmy is an expert maybe he can help with the school’s suddenly malfunctioning computer system and the strange message “Kilroy was here.”

The latest in this series for kids is another good one. In the style of the Quinn Higgins Boy Detective series important issues such as compassion, tolerance, and understanding of others are interwoven subtly into a mystery appropriate for young readers as well as adults. This book and series gently makes important points-- “teaching moments” in the popular phrase of the day-- while entertaining readers.  The action moves quickly forward in a matter of fact way while the characters get to know others and develop a greater understanding of why people act the way they do. This leads into understanding how at times they can help. The Adventures of Summer McPhee of Ocracoke Island: Kilroy Was Here by Douglas Quinn is another good one in the series where the titles can be read in order or as a stand alone.

The Adventures of Summer McPhee of Ocracoke Island: Kilroy Was Here

Douglas Quinn

http://obxwriter.webs.com/

AAS White Heron Press (Via CreateSpace)

ISBN #978-1493507047

November 2013

Paperback

128 Pages

$7.95

Material supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Shop Amazon - Gift Ideas in Books

Lady Sandra: Kids Project to make for Christmas

 Sandi's latest blog...
Lady Sandra: Kids Project to make for Christmas: The button project could be turn into making pins by changing the wax paper to wooden design and then glue different buttons and then ...

Her store is here on iOffer.

Review: "Pigtastic!" by Scott Gordon

Charmingly illustrated by Julien Tromeur, Pigtastic! by Scott Gordon gently teaches little ones to accept their own individuality. Facing the reader, the pig explains that though the pig may not be rich, the pig has a heart of gold and that is what matters. The pig stresses through various other examples to consider the

interior of a person and not what he or she is on the outside.

The book concludes with six ads for other books created by the author Scott Gordon. Many of these books have been translated into other languages including Pigtastic.

Colorful and fun, the pig provides a positive role model for little ones ages 3-6 in a very short read that will entertain and educate. Illustrations and text are very simple and tell the thoughts well. While the artwork and text may be very simple, the taught concepts of being positive and accepting of yourself are very important. Like Alphabet All-Stars, Pigtastic! by Scott Gordon is a good one.

Pigtastic!

Scott Gordon

http://segordon.blogspot.com/

Kindle E-Book

December 2011

(Estimated print length 39 pages)

$1.29

Material picked up during the author’s recent free book promotion for my objective review. Pigtastic! was read via the free “Kindle for PC” program.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2012

Review: "CUFFED: Stop, I’ll Shoot and Out on a Beam" by Bill Howe and Suzanne Rorhus

Recently released by Quake, a division of Echelon Press, this short e-book features two stories of police work aimed at the middle school reader. In both cases, humor is present in large amounts, dialogue is minimal, and the details of officers on patrol are many, bringing the reader a long for the ride. Both stories are good ones.

In “Out on a Beam” Officer Kim Brunetti confronts her greatest fear. It isn’t like she can call 911 or admit how scared she is to her fellow police officers.  No matter what happens, and a lot does happen to her, she has to persevere and push through it.

Officer Lance “Quick Draw” Yandell and another officer are sent on a possible burglary call at a local shoe store. While Officer Yandell has pulled his weapon many times, so far he has never had to actually fire it at a suspect. He has made it through ten years on the force that way and hopes to keep it that way on this night.

Written by Suzanne Rorhus and retired Police Officer Bill Howe, the short stories are based on true life incidents. As such, the two stories in this short (approximately 6150 words) e-book give young readers a different side of police work from the high speed chases and shootouts as portrayed in various forms of media. These two strong well written stories remind kids not only to laugh at themselves but to keep going no matter your fears as you can do far more than you think you can.

CUFFED: Stop, I’ll Shoot and Out on a Beam

Bill Howe and Suzanne Rorhus
http://www.rorhus.com/home 

Quake (Echelon Press)

http://www.echelonpress.com/

January 15, 2012

E-book

.99

Material supplied by author Suzanne Rorhus in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2012