Book Review - Solar System Forecast

Solar System Forecast

By: Kelly Kizer Whitt
Illustrated by: Laurie Allen Klein
Publisher: Sylvan Dell Publishing
Publication Date: June, 2012
ISBN: 978-1607185239
Reviewed by: Diane Lunsford
Review Date: October 20, 2012

Kelly Kizer Whitt’s Solar System Forecast is a fun ‘out of this world’ read that appropriately targets her intended audience of 4-9 year-olds.

Ms. Whitt has a natural flair when it comes to subliminally injecting learning via an adventurous space travel reading experience. She guides the reader on a journey of celestial travel and teaches the young reader about our solar system. Each page is devoted to a particular planet and to captivate the reader, she explains the uniqueness of each planet by outlining a weather report that is characteristic of the planet she has devoted the page to. Prior to take off, she provides a welcome message to her little reader ‘space explorer’. The narrator assumes the role of weatherman and instructs the young reader to sit back and enjoy the ride. She plants her first of a series of educational messages by describing the varied climates and conditions they will encounter along the way: ‘…This is your weatherman with today’s solar system forecast: hot, cold, windy, calm, rainy, dry, cloudy, clear, and everything in between!...’

I found this book to be captivating on two points: 1) Ms. Whitt has provided just enough detail with age appropriate dialect which makes the story understandable for her young audience; and 2) Laurie Allen Klein’s illustrations have a beautiful balance of warmth together with eye-catching vibrancy to hold a child’s interest throughout the entire story. With this formula, they have successfully collaborated in developing an engaging story while achieving the intent: to educate their readership.

As the story nears its end, Ms. Whitt prepares her space travelers for the end of their voyage and leaves them with a lasting memory of the journey. The book, however, does not end on this note. Ms. Whitt reserved the final few pages for an educational section that recaps what her audience has just experienced with age appropriate learning activities. She poses questions that prompt the reader to engage in discussion toward what they learned which is critical for this particular age group. There is no question toward the concept that reading is a learned behavior. If the work is framed in a light of enjoyment and plants a seed of a pleasant learning experience, it is inevitable the child will want to come back for more of the same. The paring of Ms. Whitt’s words and Ms. Klein’s illustrations is a winning combination for Solar System Forecast.

Quill Says: Looking forward to the next adventure!

Book Review - The Most Dangerous

The Most Dangerous

By: Terri Fields
Illustrated by: Laura Jaques
Publisher: Sylvan Dell Publishing
Publication Date: June, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-60718-544-4
Reviewed by: Diane Lunsford
Review Date: October 21, 2012

The Most Dangerous, written by Terri Fields and illustrated by Laura Jacques, is an educational story that caters to children between the ages of 4-9.

The engagement of this story is instantaneous when a gathering of animals from all over the world come together in order to compete for the coveted title of the most dangerous. Savvy to her audience, Ms. Fields masters the craft of description by devoting a mere sentence or two per creature that enables her young audience to instantly engage. She presents a wide range of animals from box jellyfish to hippopotamus that have traveled from the far reaches of Australia as well as the barren plains of Africa to compete in The Most Dangerous contest. She is concise in describing characteristics that are individual and unique to the animals she depicts and notes traits specific to each animal. Before moving on to the next, she explains why it is considered to be fearful. In essence, she makes it easy for her reader to process the ‘danger.’

Laura Jacques complements Ms. Fields’ story with her creative and detailed depictions of the animals through bold and colorful illustrations. Her images assign a reality and recognition in a ‘come to life’ style that assists the reader in formulating an opinion when it comes time to judge.

Fields reserves the outcome and element of surprise for the very end of the story when the most unsuspecting ‘most dangerous’ achieves the overall title. While the story may be over, Fields provides an afterthought to the book as she coaxes her readership to think about what they’ve learned by including an educational section. There are interactive snippets of information that address topics such as where the animal originates and what makes it indigenous to its domain. She further encourages her young readers to give their creative talents a shot with a section of illustrations and the suggestion they draw their version of the varied creatures. She expands on the challenge by planting seeds that encourage the reader to think about the animal’s natural habitat and diet.

This story brought me back to many years ago when I would read bedtime stories to my daughters. I believe children are a very difficult audience to write for. Their imaginations are vivid and vast, but their insistence toward believability is where they invariably refuse to give an inch. Ms. Fields has done a just job in accomplishing a believable and educational tale for her target audience.

Quill Says: Who would have thought the smallest creature would be The Most Dangerous.

Books Just Arrived For Review

Here's a sampling of the books that have arrived for review over the last few days.  Take a peek, pick your favorites and then stop by soon to read the reviews.



We Sinners by Hanna Pylväinen The Rovaniemis and their nine children belong to a deeply traditional church (no drinking, no dancing, no TV) in modern-day Michigan. A normal family in many ways, the Rovaniemis struggle with sibling rivalry, parental expectations, and forming their own unique identities in such a large family. But when two of the children venture from the faith, the family fragments and a haunting question emerges: Do we believe for ourselves, or for each other? Each chapter is told from the distinctive point of view of a different Rovaniemi, drawing a nuanced, kaleidoscopic portrait of this unconventional family. The children who reject the church learn that freedom comes at the almost unbearable price of their close family ties, and those who stay struggle daily with the challenges of resisting the temptations of modern culture. With precision and potent detail, We Sinners follows each character on their journey of doubt, self-knowledge, acceptance, and, ultimately, survival.

Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd-Jones From Jago and Sally Lloyd-Jones, the creators of the bestselling Jesus Storybook Bible, comes this gorgeous and innovative collection of 101 simple-yet- profound thoughts on faith. Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing shares profound spiritual truths from the Bible told in a conversational tone---drawing insights from creation, history, science, the writings of great thinkers and preachers and writers, and more---to turn the reader's eyes toward the God who loves them with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love. Perfect for family devotions, bedtime, story time, or even as a companion to The Jesus Storybook Bible, this accessible yet theologically rich book reveals biblical truth in word and image-all working together and designed to do one thing: to make the reader's heart sing.

The Prodigal Son: A Carmine Delmonico Novel by Colleen McCullough HOLLOMAN, CONNECTICUT, 1969. A lethal toxin, extracted from the blowfish, is stolen from a laboratory at Chubb University. It kills within minutes and leaves no trace behind, and worried biochemist Dr. Millie Hunter reports the theft at once to her father, Medical Examiner Dr. Patrick O’Donnell. Patrick’s cousin Captain Carmine Delmonico is therefore quick off the mark when the bodies start to mount up. A sudden death at a dinner party followed by another at a gala black-tie event seem at first to be linked only by the poison and the presence of Dr. Jim Hunter, a scientist on the brink of greatness and husband to Millie. A black man married to a white woman, Dr. Jim has faced scandal and prejudice for most of his life, so what would cause him to risk it all now? Is he being framed for murder—and if so, by whom? Carmine and his detectives must follow the trail through the university town’s crowd of eccentrics, no matter how close to home it may lead.

The Bracelet by Roberta Gately Newly heartbroken and searching for purpose in her life, Abby Monroe is determined to make her mark as a UN worker in one of the world’s most unstable cities: Peshawar, Pakistan. But after witnessing the brutal murder of a woman thrown from a building, she is haunted by the memory of an intricate and sparkling bracelet that adorned the victim’s wrist. At a local women’s shelter, Abby meets former sex slaves who have miraculously escaped their captors. As she gains the girls’ trust and documents their horrifying accounts of unspeakable pain and betrayal, she joins forces with a dashing New York Times reporter who believes he can incriminate the shadowy leader of the vicious human trafficking ring. Inspired by the women’s remarkable bravery—and the mysterious reappearance of the bracelet— the duo traces evidence that spreads from remote villages of South Asia to the most powerful corners of the West, risking their lives to offer a voice to the countless innocents in bondage.

Book Review - How to Tail a Cat

How to Tail a Cat: A Cats and Curios Mystery

By: Rebecca Hale
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: September 2012
ISBN: 978-0425251294
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: October 17, 2012

Clive, an awesome amphibian, was ensconced in some pretty nice digs in the Swamp Exhibit at the Steinhart Aquarium. A hot rock, an admiring public, and three squares a day weren't bad. After all, as an albino alligator, he could have been one square for a predator in the wild so he could thank his lucky stars he was at the Steinhart. Rupert and Isabella, a couple of contented cats, weren't all that bad off in their digs. It was sad that Oscar had died a year ago, but Oscar's niece didn't do a half bad job of delivering James Lick's Homestyle Chicken to their apartment above the Green Vase antique shop. Seriously speaking, their people were darn lucky to have them.

The Previous Mayor of San Francisco didn't give a lick for any eating establishment with a "kitchy one-item focus" and stayed well away from Lick's when he wrote his food column. He did, however, have one-item focus on the mayoral race. Things were heating up at City Hall when the supervisors were going to have to select an interim mayor, but soon all eyes would be on Clive, including Hoxton Fin's. Hox was reluctant to write about Clive, but had to admit they had something in common. They each had an "ampu-toed foot" and a woman behind the story. In the meantime, Rupert and Isabella had work to do of their own. They had to give Oscar's niece a little nudge because there was a treasure to be found at the end of the trail of croc crumbs.

While the Current Mayor, who had a major frog phobia, was overseeing the city, things began to go bump in the night and under the streets. Spider Jones, Mr. Wang, Harold Wombler, James Lick (the latest one), Samuel T. Eckles (The Frog Whisperer), and Montgomery Charmichael were on the move. Oh, and so was Clive, the "alligator ambassador." Hox, after smoothing out his unruly mop, had to report the "brazen abduction of one of the city's most famous residents." San Francisco was in an uproar. Rupert and Isabella's person was a little slow on the uptake and would need a few more clues. "I don't care what you say Harold. I'm not going to throw that hunk of frozen chicken meat into my basement." Mrao. There was more work to be done!

This fabulously inventive, zany, and entertaining series is dropping a trail of cat crumbs that will lure in fans. Of course if you haven't yet read the others in the "Cats and Curios Mystery" series, you may wish to head for the beginning as you may be unable to make head nor cat tails of the plot line. This expertly woven tale was one in which I half expected to see Chief Inspector Clouseau round the corner to assist Rupert and Isabella as they threw out some clues or perhaps even take a certain someone's place as they inserted a three-petaled tulip-key into the lock of the Green Vase. The infectious, inane humor was quite appealing and downright goofy. If you're in the mood for a totally crazy cat cozy, this one is the cat's mrao!

Quill says: If you love cats 'n other very unusual critters, including people, How to Tail a Cat will take you on a purr-fect journey you won't forget for some time!

Book Review - Guardian

Guardian: A Halflings Novel

By: Heather Burch
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication Date: October 2012
ISBN: 978-0-3107-2821-4
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: October 16, 2012

When readers were first introduced to Nikki Youngblood in Halflings, they met a Seer; a girl who became an orphan and whose imaginative drawings open up a door to another world - a world where hell hounds are just waiting to destroy her.

In this new release, Nikki is trying desperately to stay away from Mace and Raven - young men who are half-human/half-angels who saved her life and took her out of the clutches of her godfather. One of the few things that can harm a Halfling is falling for a human; in fact, falling for a human can send them straight to hell. So it’s more than a little difficult that Mace and Raven are both fighting themselves and each other to be Nikki’s true love. Nikki has promised their younger brother, Vine, that she will stay away from them both in order to keep them safe. But what makes this an extremely difficult promise to keep is the fact that they are about to be sent on a journey by ship…close quarters to say the least.

Will (the parental figure) is trying to teach Nikki about her supernatural gifts; attempting to keep her on the side of the Throne because he knows that one day she will be tested by the ‘higher-ups.’ Unfortunately, darkness is drawn to Seers and Nikki must be very careful what she brings into the world. Not to mention, when the Halflings save her or accomplish a mission the evil retaliates, and Nikki doesn’t want to be responsible for anyone’s pain or suffering.

Add to this ocean journey the familiar characters of Zero (who is the sneering ‘geek with computer’ who runs the Halflings network) and the icy-cold Glimmer and her sisters, Vegan and Winter, who like to make Nikki feel like one of the girls. In addition to the favs, brand new ‘hotties’ are brought into the story, including three young men who crew the ship: Sky, Dash and Ocean.

As more and more secrets are revealed, readers will soon find out that Nikki Youngblood is far more than meets the eye. This is a great follow-up which will have readers wishing for book number three to be published tomorrow!

Quill Says: To get the full power of this magical series, make sure to start your journey from the very beginning.

Book Review - The FitzOsbornes at War

The FitzOsbornes at War: The Montmaray Journals, Book Three

By: Michelle Cooper
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 2012
ISBN: 978-0-3758-7050-7
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: October 16, 2012

Readers have been following Sophie FitzOsborne and the royal family of Montmaray for a while now. From dealing with their strange yet luxurious beginnings to living in exile, readers are now offered the fantastic conclusion of the series. World War II has been declared and the exiled FitzOsborne family are in the midst of it all. You see, the FitzOsborne’s Island Kingdom of Montmaray was captured by the Nazis and they have been living in London ever since. The children were just teens at the start of the war, but have to grow up very quickly once the Germans start bombing Britain.

Simon and King Toby are in the Royal Air Force; Princess Veronica does something ‘secret’ in the Foreign Office; and Princess Sophie works in the Food Ministry, where she gives out information regarding rationing. It is Princess Sophie’s journal that these books are taken from, and she relates a detailed picture of life during wartime, with all it’s horrors, heartbreak and fear. From the time of blackouts to the Blitz - reality is offered on every page. Readers can almost see Sophie dancing in nightclubs with soldiers on leave, while filling her heart with hope that her brother, Toby, has survived having his plane shot down over enemy territory. She also finds a way to fall in love during a time of pure and utter isolation.

Included in the story are truly well-known figures of that time period, including Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the Kennedy family and several others. As the author writes about the history of WWII, she does it so well that it actually becomes personal for each reader; Sophie’s images will have readers completely caught up in the hideousness and, finally, the triumph of a time that will never be forgotten.
 

Quill Says: This isn’t frilly or sweet, just completely fantastic. Be ready for the truth but, most of all, be willing to listen.

Book Review - Tilogos: Treatise on the Origins and Evolution of Language

Tilogos: Treatise on the Origins and Evolution of Language

By: Sherman P. Bastarache
Publisher: iUniverse
Publication Date: April 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4697-3461-3
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: October 16, 2012

Evolution is a concept that is debated in all different ‘worlds’ - from the scientific community to the religious community. This book, however, takes an in-depth look at the evolution of language, and how the most simplistic noises (grunts, calls, cries, etc.) are actually the basis of how we communicate our most complex words and concepts.

In the very early stages of this author’s life, a brief moment in school set his mind on a path to answer the question of whether or not language can (and did) evolve. Struggling through his early days, he did his best to finish high school in a jobless, moneyless world and, thankfully for readers, exploring the subject of the evolution of language never left his mind.

Many interesting facts and discoveries are involved in this book as the author lays out the actual evolution of the power of speech. Beginning at the ‘beginning,’ Adam and Eve’s communication is spoken about (i.e., was language created for them or, devil’s advocate, was it simply a learning process such as humans still go through today?). Is language an innate gift, or is this something we actually do have to learn? Are we ‘hardwired’ for basic concepts and tasks, or is a simple grunt the basis for communication?

Everything from the Baldwin Effect to phonetics to the subject of animals and how they communicate with us using various types of barks or growls in order to get their point across, is covered. Chapters looking into the root of a word, as well as how words and language differ from country to country are given. And from offering information on the biological aspects of communication to computer technology, no stone is left unturned.

Readers will truly see that this author offers a very investigative look at the evolution of language that explores, identifies and answers the question of how a variety of sounds can be strung together in order to produce complex words and actions. A unique text, this look into language stimulates the brain and will have many in the linguistics community listening and understanding what this author has to say.

Quill Says: An extremely thought-provoking exposition that will open even more lines of communication.