Book Review of Berkley, A Nose Tale by David Hillman

 

Berkley is a Basset Hound who has an unusually big nose. His oversized honker often gets him in trouble wherever he goes. He’s fond of garbage cans, skunks and honey – the last causing him a great deal of pain when a hoard of angry bees chases him off. But his favorite of all is sniffing Jeremy’s stinky socks. Berkley’s sniffer finally comes in handy one day when Jeremy’s friend Becky needs an important favor. Berkley saves the day!

This is an adorable story. Somehow, it reminded me slightly of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but maybe that was just me spinning the story in my mind. In any event, Berkley, A Nose Tale works well. It’s cute, funny and teaches children a charming lesson.

The illustrations are fantastic. They’re colorful, expressive and detailed. Combined with the storyline, I’d have to say that this book is definitely worth the download. Kudos to Mr. Hillman. I’ll be recommending this book to friends and family!

5 Stars, Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Top Ten Books for High School Graduates Guest Post by Author Amy Reade

Award-winning author Amy Reade joins me on the blog today with an AWESOME and timely post. I'm sure there are moms (and dads and other gift-giving family members) who'll find this piece super informational. Books make great graduation gifts and Amy's post is packed with some great book ideas and summaries to help you decide. So on with the post...

Top Ten Books for High School Graduates by Amy Reade

I don’t have a child graduating from high school this year (two more years!), but there are millions of people who do, so I thought a bookish gift guide might be a useful post for this graduation season.

Many high school graduates have had their fill of books for the last four years, so the items on this list have to tread a fine line: they have to contain lots of useful advice, but they also have to be compelling enough to make a grad want to delve back into reading. And bonus: many of these are great for parents, too.

We’ll work our way from #10 to #1. Ready?

10. The Schmuck in My Office: How to Deal Effectively with Difficult People at Work by Jody Foster, MD. All high school grads have to enter the real world at some point, and this book teaches them how to deal with the schmucks that are in every workplace.

9. Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You by Lin-Manuel Miranda. What started out as a collection of Twitter posts to inspire his followers every morning and evening has taken on a life of its own. Lin-Manuel Miranda (yes, THE Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame) has compiled this lovely book of self-affirming “pep talks” that are perfect when someone needs a little lift. And we all know that there are going to be days that your grad needs a little lift.

8. Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania by Frank Bruni. It can be hard for kids to see the big picture when they graduate because it’s been a heady last semester and they’re headed off into the unknown. For kids going to college, this book serves as a reminder that it’s not where you’re going that’s important—it’s what you do with your opportunities that matters.

7. Very Good Lives: the Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination by J.K. Rowling. Most people know J.K. Rowling’s story by now: she was down-and-out when a publisher took a chance on a main character by the name of Harry Potter. This book derives from a Harvard graduation address Rowling delivered in 2008, and it highlights the importance of failure and what failure can teach us. Sometimes it’s good for kids to know that it’s okay to fail.

6. The 5-Ingredient College Cookbook: Easy, Healthy Recipes for the Next Four Years and Beyond by Pamela Ellgen. Even though the title suggests that these recipes are for the college-bound, they’re really for everyone.

5. Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School?: 99 Personal Money Management Principles to Live By by Cary Siegel. This teaches some real-world lessons about money management, which many kids are sorely lacking when they graduate from high school. You’re never too young to learn the practicalities of money or the lack thereof.

4. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. The last thing you want to do is make your kid cry, but this is a beautiful book that is well worth a read. Written by a professor who had recently learned he had terminal cancer, this is his last lecture to his students, his last gift to them. Once your child has read it, make sure you read it, too. It’s a lesson we can all take to heart.

3. The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College by Harlan Cohen. I actually had a naked roommate, and I wish I had had this book those many years ago. It’s full of tips and advice for every step of the way through college.

2. Make Your Bed: Little Things that Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. This book derives from a commencement speech given at the University of Texas at Austin. I’ve seen the speech online, and it’s fabulous and powerful. I would highly recommend the book to anyone, not just grads.

1. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss. You knew this was coming, didn’t you? This is hands-down my favorite book to give high school graduates because it’s fun, it’s both childish and grown-up at the same time, and it’s perfect for every kid, whether they’re off to college, the military, trade school, or the work force. It’s a classic. 

Are there other books you would recommend? A hearty “Congratulations!” to all the grads and families out there.

Author Bio:

Amy M. Reade is a recovering attorney who discovered, quite by accident, a passion for fiction writing. She has penned eight mysteries and is working on two more, plus a Cape May County historical mystery series. She writes in the Gothic, traditional, contemporary, and cozy mystery subgenres and looks forward to continuing the two series she has begun since December, 2018. She also loves to read, cook, and travel. 

She is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Secrets of Hallstead House, The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, House of the Hanging Jade, the Malice series, the Juniper Junction Holiday Mystery series, and the Libraries of the World Mystery series.

Connect with Amy on the following sites:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Instagram

Amazon

#BookReview of #ChildrensBook Mr. Hoopeyloops Meets Rex by Andi Cann

Mr. Hoopeyloops meets Rex, A Very Clumsy Boy by Andi Cann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rex is an accident prone little boy with good intentions. When he hears that Mr. Hoopeyloops needs an assistant, Rex decides he wants the job. Will the arrangement work out for everyone? Read along to find out…

This is a cute story about overcoming adversity, finding confidence and making friends. The illustrations are colorful and attractive. The story is a positive one.

The one thing I’d say is that this book is a little heavy on text, which might make it difficult to hold the attention of younger children. The intended age level, according to the book info, is 1 – 11, which in my opinion is a big age span. I plan to read this to a library group, so I’ll find out if toddlers appreciate the illustrations enough to follow along. However, I feel that older children should enjoy the story and have no trouble with the vocabulary included in the text. I think the book is worth the download.

4 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, https://ebookreviewgal.com

View all my reviews

A Stairway to Danger by Ben Woodard - A Shakertown Mystery Series Book One

I took a break from my Great American Read challenge to read a mystery book I recently downloaded to my Kindle. A Stairway to Danger is written by children's book author Ben Woodard of Bubbles the Frog fame. 

In 1923, fourteen-year-old Tom Wallace and his fifteen-year-old cousin Will stumble on a decayed body in their small Kentucky town. The boys recognize the victim as a sheriff’s deputy and they immediately report it to the sheriff. Tom and Will are surprised by the sheriff’s rush to downplay the suspicious death and they realize there’s a mystery brewing.

This book was reminiscent of Mark Twain’s Huck Finn adventures and Franklin W. Dixon’s Hardy Boys series. There’s mention of Mark Twain’s books within this story, so I got a sense that this is what the author was going for.

There’s sufficient suspense and mystery for both children and adults to find here. I was fairly sure I knew where the mystery was going early on, but that didn’t take away from the story for me. The characters are likable and, for the most part, relatable and realistic.

I would have much preferred that the swear words were left out, and I’ve noticed that other reviewers mention this as well. While this might be considered genuine dialogue for characters in this age group (even in 1923), I honestly feel this might be a deal breaker for young readers. On the other hand, if this book is geared toward the YA crowd, those readers might find the story slightly juvenile. Just something to keep in mind.

I appreciated that the author included some background on the story at the end of the book. As an avid reader, I enjoy knowing how an author came up with the elements of a story. I found the author’s brief history of Shakertown interesting. Well worth the read!

4 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

The Great American Read Quest Continues with Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya Book Review and Thoughts

My quest to read as many of the 100 books on The Great American Read list continues with Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, which is a book that was originally written in 1972 and at one time was banned in several U.S. states.

I grabbed a copy from my local library. My copy was the 1999 edition and truth be told it was an absolute wreck. It was filled with scribbles, underlined words and rips. I'm definitely going to bring the condition of this book to the attention of the librarian. They might want to purchase a replacement copy. In any event, below is my book review and thoughts. 

Wreck of a Book from the Local Library

Bless Me, Ultima follows the life, culture and family of six-year-old Antonio (Tony) Marez and picks up immediately before Ultima comes to stay with the Marez family. Ultima follows the ways of the curandera, aka shaman healer, and teaches Tony many mystical things. Along the way, hardship, strife, violence, death and disaster strike several of the book’s characters.

As stated, I’ve decided to make my way through the PBS Great American Read book list and chose Bless Me, Ultima because it intrigued me and enticed me, and because my family is from Mexico. There are far too few books written by Chicanos and this one had seemed to ruffle enough feathers to cause it to be banned at one time. I wanted to know why and I can only surmise the reasons.

There is a LOT of violence in this book. In my opinion, Antonio’s schoolmates behaved more like animals than like children. There seems to be little parental/adult influence going on. For example, Tony is viciously pummeled by a gang of his “friends” just prior to entering the church to receive his first holy communion and he simply gets up, brushes himself off and goes about his business. No one notices? No broken ribs after literally being pounced on? In addition to the repeated violence, I also questioned a number of other elements in this “children’s book”. Prostitution in a children’s book just didn’t sit well with me.

Bless Me, Ultima, to me, read like a book that couldn’t decide what genre it wanted to be. Was it a children’s story? Was it written as a YA? Was it fantasy? Were readers really supposed to believe that  the fantastical magical happenings had actually occurred? Were we also to believe that a six year old (what age Tony was by the end of the book wasn’t quite clear since the timeline seemed so muddled) would be capable of having such deep theological meanderings running through his head? I found it highly unlikely that such a young child would come up with the philosophical/religious questions that six (or seven, eight or nine) year old Tony had.

If I’m to be completely honest, I wasn’t at all happy with the way Chicanos were portrayed in this book. Maria Marez’s cries of “Ave Maria Purisima” at the drop of a hat were overdone. For the most part, the characters were depicted as uneducated, ignorant and superstitious. They were supposed to be devout Catholics, but they turned to mysticism and magic much more often than they turned to God. 

Readers should know that this book contains a great deal of Spanish that is not translated. It’s fine to have characters using traditional dialect, but it would have been so much better if the author would have inserted the translations here and there so that non-Spanish speakers could understand. Admittedly, my Spanish is awful. I feel I missed out on a lot of the dialogue because of this… although I was painfully aware of the repeated swearing throughout the book.

There are so many other things I took issue with in Bless Me, Ultima, but I don’t intend to turn a book review into an essay/thesis. I’m sad that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I’d expected I would, but I honestly felt let down in the end.

2 of 5 Stars, Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Bedtime Stories for Kids by Uncle Amon is Another Excellent Book Deal!

Bedtime Stories for Kids: 5 Cute Short Stories to Read Aloud at Bedtime by Uncle Amon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars






Bedtime Stories for Kids is a collection of five terrific tales for kids. Included are:

• Teddy Bear
• Pablo’s Dream Job
• Katie Caterpillar
• Oliver, The Sweet Dreams Owl
• Julie’s New Home

What more can I possibly say about Uncle Amon’s books that I haven’t already said in my previous reviews? I love these books. They’re perfect for beginning readers and enjoyable for toddlers to have read to them.

As usual, Uncle Amon includes a valuable gift inside this book. There’s a link to download the book “3 Books for Children” right at the start of this book. This makes Bedtime Stories for Kids a super value.

Each story is engaging and entertaining. The illustrations at the beginning of each story are cute and colorful. I can’t say enough positive things about Uncle Amon’s book series. Readers can certainly get a lot of entertainment from one download!

5 of 5 Stars, Susan Barton

View all my reviews

The Underground Toy Society Saves Peggy by Jessica D. Adams DIY Mom Book Review

Janice was a little girl who desperately wanted a baby doll for Christmas, so she asked Santa for one in her Dear Santa letter. Janice is thrilled when she receives her new baby doll, Peggy, under the Christmas tree. Janice and Peggy are inseparable as Janice is growing up. But, as is often the case with children and their toys, Peggy is set aside in favor of other interests and activities, until one day when she’s inadvertently left behind.

The Underground Toy Society Saves Peggy is a sweet story of a little girl and her beloved baby doll, told from the doll’s perspective. It’s clear that the author is relating the story of her own life and her mother's doll Peggy, and the love shines through beautifully. How wonderful that she has these loving memories of her dear mother and is willing to share them with readers.

I LOVED the illustrations in this book. They’re adorable drawings, created by the author’s two daughters (I’m assuming, from what's included on the book description page). What a lovely way to get the entire family involved in this labor of love. There’s even a photo of the famous Peggy at the end of the book and the cover is Janice and Peggy sitting happily together. 

This is the second book I’ve read by Jessica Adams and I have to say she has quite a creative imagination. Her stories are thoughtful, sweet and endearing. I'll definitely read more from this author!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

DIY Mom Blog Book Review of Edelaine's Folly: Book One of the Idoramin Chronicles by Morigan Shaw

Cali is a resourceful, clever girl who lives a carefree farm life in Edelaine with her loving parents Bethal and Erwin. Everything changes when a yet unknown evil unexpectedly swoops in and leaves death and destruction in its wake.

Cali is understandably devastated, but she quickly finds there’s no time to dwell on her losses. She jumps into action and claims her destiny and the family legacy she never knew she had.

Edelaine’s Folly,Book One is a wonderful, action-packed adventure for youngsters as well as adults. I was initially drawn to this book because of the gorgeous, colorful cover and I’m glad I decided to download it. 

The book started ever so slightly slow and I wondered where the author was planning to take the story. However, I realized that this was her way of laying the groundwork for what was to come. I feel it was a clever way to fully introduce readers to the character of Cali and the land of Edelaine. 

As I’ve said many times before in my book reviews, I LOVE books that place female characters in strong, important roles and Edelaine’s Folly definitely does this. This series is an excellent way to encourage young girls to begin reading fantasy books. Although the main protagonist is female, I genuinely feel that boys will enjoy reading this book as well. There’s plenty of action, adventure and strong supporting male characters here too.

This is definitely a series worth getting into and I intend to continue reading on! 

5 of 5 Stars, Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman DIY Mom's Book Review and Thoughts

Since I’ve recently discovered a fondness for the Harry Potter book series, I’ve made it a goal to search out other fantasy books. I’m not sure I’d call Neil Gaiman a true fantasy author per se, since his books really do seem to run the gamut as far as genre, but his books are definitely… let’s say.. out there. 

I’ve had The Graveyard Book in my Audible library for years. Yes, years, from when I still had an Audible account. I could just never seem to listen to the entire book (or any book) all the way to the end – through no fault of the book at all. I just don’t seem to be able to stay connected when listening to a book. My mind begins to wander and before I know it, I’ve missed several chapters of a book. 

From the little I was able to store in my ADD brain, The Graveyard Book was pretty interesting. So interesting that I decided to go out and purchase it at Half Price Books, only because I couldn’t find it at any of my local libraries. How dare they. So I plunked down 8.99 for a ten year old, less than perfect book because I was that determined to read it. For those interested to know my feelings on Half Price Books, I’m not impressed with their habit of paying consumers pennies on the dollar for their used books, but then selling said books at a premium.

So, back to The Graveyard Book. It’s a story about a baby who narrowly escapes being slaughtered by a mysterious man named Jack. His parents and older sister aren’t so lucky. The baby manages to climb quietly out of his crib and toddle his way to the local graveyard, where Mr. and Mrs. Owens, two of the graveyard's inhabitants, discover him. They decide to “adopt” the boy and name him Nobody, Bod for short. Silas is tasked with Bod’s guardianship because he can come and go from the graveyard, since he’s neither dead nor alive (can you guess what Silas is?). Bod grows up in the graveyard and becomes friends with the dead, is given Freedom of the Cemetery, learns how to Fade, pals around with a witch, and has a brief but unsuccessful stint at school.

Illustrations by Dave McKeon

The Graveyard Book was interesting enough to keep me reading. It’s not long and contains some spooky looking loose sketches that I found fit the book nicely. I had my doubts about the slaughtering-the-family business at the beginning. This is a children’s book after all and I wondered if that might be a bit intense for some youngsters. It certainly isn’t told in a graphic manner and doesn’t go on for too long, but the entire book is fairly dark in subject matter. Just something for parents to be aware of I suppose.

Gaiman gives a nod to Rudyard Kipling at the end of the book and many readers might recognize The Graveyard Book's similarities to Kipling’s Jungle Book. Retellings are always popular and Gaiman has definitely taken the idea and uniquely spun it.

Source: Amazon.com

Gaiman seems to be one of those writers who bounce around when it comes to genres. After reading The Graveyard Book I decided to begin reading American Gods, which is definitely NOT a children’s book. I couldn’t get past the second chapter. I knew early on that the book just wasn’t for me.

I would, however, recommend reading The Graveyard Book and can give it a solid five stars. It’s short and entertaining enough to keep kids and adults interested.

The Dark is Rising Children’s Fantasy Book Series by Susan Cooper - Mixed Feelings and Reviews

Since becoming immersed in the wonderful world of Harry Potter I’ve found myself searching for similar books to read. Someone mentioned Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series on a Harry Potter Goodreads thread so I decided to try them. I found that I had mixed feelings about the series and wanted to share them with readers.

Naturally, I began with Book One, Over Sea, Under Stone, which is the tale of Simon, Jane and Barney Drew, three siblings on holiday in historic Cornwall with their parents and mysterious Great Uncle Merry. The children discover an ancient map they eventually come to believe leads to a long lost grail, which is said to be one of the keys to fighting the powers of the Dark. The children embark on a perilous journey to save humanity from evil.

I had so much trouble getting into this book that I stopped after seventy-five or so pages. It was slow moving and uninteresting to the point that I thought I was done completely with the series. When I posted my disappointment with the book on Instagram, I was told by a fellow Bookstagrammer that she too had had trouble with Book One, but she advised that I not give up on the series. She suggested I begin again with Book Two, The Dark is Rising, which she assured me was far better. I did and she was right.

The Dark is Rising (which I couldn’t quite understand why Book Two is the namesake of the entire series…In my mind this would have been better suited for the title of Book One) centers around young Will Stanton, who on his eleventh birthday becomes aware that he is the last of the Old Ones – immortal protectors of Good against Dark. With the help and guidance of the original Old One, Merriman Lyon, Will must collect all six of the Circle of Signs – Wood, Bronze, Iron, Fire, Water and Stone – which must be joined together to help him fight the powers of the Dark.

Book Two was incredibly entertaining and compelling – far better than Book One and I’m happy that I listened to the advice of my fellow book lover. I enjoyed the characters, plot and non-stop action in this one. The relationship between Will and Merriman was wonderful. I was so encouraged to keep reading that I went on to Book Three.

Book Three, Greenwitch, brings the characters from Book One and Book Two together. It’s much shorter than the first two installments and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Book Two. Here’s the thing with these books, and I’ve noticed this popping up in reviews – adults seem to enjoy this series, but children aren’t nearly as impressed. Susan Cooper began writing the series in the 1960s and the dialogue and subject matter is definitely dated. I wondered if this could be part of the reason today’s children are finding the series slow and boring (as indicated by some of the “kid” reviews I’ve read). I can only speculate on this of course. 

Ultimately, I would definitely recommend reading the second book in the series – The Dark is Rising. It's the book that the movie The Seeker was based upon. I feel this particular book is written in a way that it can stand alone and you don’t necessarily have to read any of the others. But, of course, if you do enjoy this one as much as I did then reading the other books in the series is a definite option.

Have you read this series? What did you think? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

The Magic of Harry Potter and How I’ve Come to Love the Book Series

I admit that I’m extremely late getting to the Harry Potter Party, but I recently began reading the book series. When Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone came out I was a busy single mom of three young children with a ton of responsibilities and reading just never seemed to fit into the schedule. When the movie was released, I took my youngest son to see it and I was in total awe. Sure, it was long, particularly for children, but it was truly magical.

Now that I have more time to read for my own enjoyment I find myself happily gravitating to children’s books and the Harry Potter series was a natural choice. I decided to read the series, in order of course, and have completed the first two books – the aforementioned Sorcerer’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets.

Regarding Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone, at first I wasn’t all that impressed with J K Rowling’s writing – that is, the mechanics of her writing. What I do think is she’s an amazing world-builder and that’s what makes this series so phenomenal. Readers become completely engrossed in the magical world of Hogwarts, Magic and Muggles. Sure, there are some glaring plot holes that adult readers might find glaringly obvious, but when we remember that this is a children’s book series these things are easily forgivable. And the author's writing improves tremendously as the series progresses.

There’s no denying that J K Rowling’s success with the Harry Potter series has probably far surpassed anything anyone could have ever imagined. It’s not often that a book is turned into a movie, but an entire book series being spun into a movie series is quite an awesome feat. And let’s not forget that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios continues to break visitor records year after magical year. A clear indication that there's no short supply of Potterheads in the world. Affection for the series shows no signs of waning anytime soon.

Would I recommend reading the series? Absolutely! The books are fun, fast-paced, non-wordy, and spectacularly glorious. Readers can quickly find themselves immersed in the tales of Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of J K Rowling’s characters. If you read for the sheer pleasure of it, then I encourage you to begin the series. If you read the Harry Potter books as a child, I encourage you to revisit as an adult. You’ll be seeing things through an entirely different perspective.

Summer of Spies by Abigail Hornsea is a Tech-Savvy Children's Book that Promotes Girl Power!

Here's another AWESOME book that promotes girl power. I can highly recommend "Summer of Spies" to middle grade girls and boys! 

Isabelle Bright (Belle for short) is an eleven-year-old girl who loves spending time on her computer, which is keeping her from enjoying her summer vacation. That is until Belle and her brother Moz spy a satellite on their shed’s roof. Belle puts her techie skills to work and leads the family on a magical adventure.

This story is told in first person, present tense, which I usually dislike. But since this is a children’s book and a strong sense of action is ideal here, it works. As I’ve stated many times in the past, I love books that place female characters at the center of a story and this one does that nicely. Belle is an extremely likable, strong character.

The plot is full of up-to-date techie matter, which will be easily relatable to today’s tech-savvy kids. The vocabulary is perfect for the intended age group and includes a nice mix of easy and challenging words for children to learn. Some important environmental lessons are included here as well. Highly recommended!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Review of Children's Book "Meeting Grandmom" by Jessica D. Adams

I have another children's book recommendation and this one is from Indie author Jessica D. Adams. Jessica is an occupational therapist, with two daughters. She writes children's books in her spare time. Her Underground Toy Society series includes seven installments. Meeting Grandmom is a standalone book that I can highly recommend to readers. Below is my book review.

Janiece and Janelle never met their maternal grandmother because she passed away when their mom, Jessica, was still a girl herself. One stormy night, when the girls are playing in their mother’s bedroom, they’re suddenly transported to another place and time. Although scared, the girls hold hands and venture forward on an adventure they’d never forget.

What a sweet, charming and emotionally charged book this is. It’s a lovely tribute to the author’s daughters and to her mother. I loved the imaginative way the author presented the story and showed the care and tenderness among the book’s characters. I can highly recommend this book!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Using Your Imagination to Ground Yourself and Focus on What Really Matters in Life Guest Post By Children's Book Author Daniel Linsteadt

I'm all about finding holistic ways to calm and ground ourselves. I'm also a HUGE fan of children's books. When I reached out to children's book author Daniel Linsteadt to request an author guest post, he really nailed it. He managed to give us a post that addresses both of these topics and more. Take it away, Daniel!

The other day, my coworker said in an excited tone, “Come check this out!” There was a colorful image on the computer screen that I was to relax and stare at. As I looked, the colors on the screen faded away. Unable to hold my gaze, I blinked or readjusted my eyes and the color would reappear. The physical world around us is truly a miracle. This is the playground for my stories.

In my new Nila series (Water, Air, Fire), I toy with all our senses. Our first scent of the ocean is exquisite, but quickly fades with each exhale. Taking in your first breath of pine scented air in the mountains is strong and vibrant, but this too dissipates with time. Why does this happen? What other sights or smells am I missing that are right before me? I believe love for another person is the same, which requires us to readjust and refocus on that person to rekindle that sensation back into a flame.

           

I adore nature and all the wondrous sights, smells and textures she provides…life-giving properties that are just as important as water, air and food. Nature grounds me from all the static I absorb throughout a busy day. Our bodies and mind need that calming energy to stay vital, like the first day we opened our eyes to this world and our life.

© 2018, Susan Barton

You only need to watch a child place his fingers in running water for the first time—wow! First, there’s a slight frown from not being able to possess it, then a smile at how it flows over his skin. Water reflects color and light from the world around it, as well as the temperature…another sensation that is acute at first and then dulls—we call it getting used to. The young child then begins to laugh and talk to the water as they splash themselves and others with their newfound water friend. But as we age, water becomes, well, just water.

© 2018, Susan Barton

     

To bring that child back into me, I only need to step out into the sunshine with bare feet and breathe in the fragrant air. My imagination runs rampant with stories as I gaze at colorful flowers, multi-shaped leaves and fluorescent dragonflies darting through the air. Isn’t this what we did when we first arrived on planet Earth?

My second Oaf story, Oaf in Bear River, was born in this way. As I watched dragonflies bouncing off the glinting water’s surface and I rested my back against a log in the middle of the river, an idea began taking shape. A rainbow of light fluttered just beyond my arm’s reach on the streambed, and boom! My mind was off to the races, and the story was practically written before I came ashore.

I have a folder on my computer called “Stories” that contains many Word documents. Each saved with a title, and its contents a budding tale discovered when out in play. If I only had enough time write and give attention to each fantasy that has popped into my head. Going to work is important, but it does get in the way….

ABOUT DANIEL LINSTEADT

Daniel Linsteadt is the author of the Nila children’s book series and the Oaf children’s book series. He has a BA degree in Environmental Studies (emphasis Geology) and a BA degree in Geography (emphasis Remote Sensing) from UC Santa Barbara.

Daniel has spent most of his career as an IT programmer and administrator. His joy has always been creating tales, so now he shares his passion for life with inspiring and uplifting stories.

Daniel can often be found sipping coffee in the foothills of Auburn, California where nature is still wild ... if you know where to look.

Readers are invited to connect with Daniel on his author website.

Book Review of Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Hollow City begins immediately where Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Book 1 in the series) leaves off. The children are adrift in rowboats on the ocean after rescuing Miss Peregrine from the Wights and Hollows. The only problem is Miss Peregrine is stuck in her current bird form. When the children finally reach land, they discover that Miss Peregrine only has three days to change back to human form or she’ll be a helpless bird forever. Thus begins the long, arduous journey of finding the only other surviving Ymbryne, Miss Wren, who can help.

This book is long and, in many places, it drags on quite a lot. It’s definitely a plot-driven novel, in that the seemingly never ending series of events drag the children along and things simply happen to them while they react. Therefore, we still see the same character traits that we saw in Book 1. Nothing much new is happening with character development.

Basically, this book, from start to finish, is a very long quest to find Ms. Wren. Like I said…long.

I didn’t like that, as with the first book, this installment also ends abruptly with no real resolution. Whenever an author does this, I get the distinct impression this is simply a ploy to get readers to purchase the next book. Therefore, neither Book 1 nor Book 2 is a standalone read.

I doubt I’ll go on to read Book 3. I’m suspicious that it’ll be just more of the same drawn out storyline. The movie, based on Book 1, was TONS better than either book. I’d see Book 2 in movie version if it ever becomes available. Otherwise, I’m pretty much done with this series.

3 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton

Book Review of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

I was excited at the prospect of seeing the A Wrinkle in Time movie so I decided to read the book beforehand. I’d never read the book as a child so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. 

I grabbed a copy of the book from our local Half Price Books store (which was NOT half price by the way) and began reading immediately. 

Did I think the book was the "beloved children's classic" so many readers claim it is? Let's see...

Brief Synopsis

An oddly dressed stranger blows into the Murry home one "dark and stormy night”. The stranger mentions a “tesseract”, which clearly upsets Mrs. Murry and daughter Meg needs to know what a tesseract is and why it upsets her mother so much. Meg and her five-year-old brother Charles Wallace decide to use the tesseract as a way to find their long lost scientist father. Before leaving, they meet and invite Meg’s schoolmate Calvin and the three embark on an adventure through space and time.

My Review

At about 80 pages in it became clear to me that this book is a total DUD. I have no idea what the author was trying to do here. It ends up being a book that can’t seem to decide what it wants to be.

Before I go further into my reasons for hating this book, I’ll preface things by saying that I LOVE children’s books. I read and review them all the time. I read to children’s groups whenever possible, so I know what works and what doesn’t. But with this one, I couldn’t help thinking…How did this book become a classic? How did it get so many glowing reviews? How has it been made into a movie? Is Oprah really that influential?

The plot is ridiculous and thin. The characters are so poorly developed; I couldn’t care less what happened to them. The book is far too short for the characters to have any real substance or genuine interaction among them. There was just a lot of zipping here and zipping there.

Right from the start the “it was a dark and stormy night” opening line set the tone for the rest of the book for me. The author’s writing is bland, non-descriptive and flat – describing Charles Wallace’s maniacal giggle as being “a giggle that was the most sinister sound Meg had ever heard” is just lazy writing. That means nothing to me as a reader.

The book was written in 1962, but Calvin’s character used terms that were better suited for a 1930s B movie star – addressing Charles Wallace as “old boy” and exclaiming “Golly day…I’ve been in such a swivet” sounds ridiculous. What high school boy (even in 1962) says that?

With regards to Charles Wallace, the idea of a five year old who acted more like an adult than a toddler was, to me, just creepy. And I didn’t find Meg to be the least bit likable or relatable.

This book is supposed to be geared toward 10 – 14 year olds, but I saw far too many words that just would not be understood by many children in this age group. The thinly veiled religious references did not help either – they served absolutely no purpose aside from perhaps injecting the author’s religious views into the book.

A Wrinkle in Time was rejected by 26 publishing houses before finally being accepted. The author herself mentions this fact in her (boring) interview at the end of the book. She also mentions that her mother put her in contact with a publisher friend, who decided to publish the book…finally. Enough said.

1 of 5 Stars, Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Book Review of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

I haven't shared a book review in a while, so what better book to review than A Tree Grows in Brooklyn! This timeless classic is much more than a children's book. It's truly a book that will be enjoyed and loved by anyone at anytime!

Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Young Francie Nolan is growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at the beginning of the 20th century. Life isn’t easy for the Nolan family. Francie’s father Johnny likes his liquor and has a difficult time keeping a job. Francie’s mother Katie is a strong and determined woman, who manages to take care of Francie and her brother Neeley as best she can – working long hours scrubbing several neighborhood tenements, while stressing to the children how much their success in life depends upon an education. Through all the struggles, heartbreaks, laughter and pain, the Nolan family moves forward and readers are witness to it all.

I read this book long ago while in elementary school, and decided to re-read it as part of the #bucketlistbookclub Instagram group. As I read, I realized that I have a much greater appreciation for A Tree than I did at the time of my initial reading years ago.

I wondered what I could possibly say about this classic story, that hasn’t already been said. Then I realized that talking about how the book affected me this go around would be the best approach.

Although many people think of A Tree as a children’s book, it’s far from a book that is meant only for children. The book deals with some very adult topics, but does it in a delicate enough way to be appropriate for ages 12 and up (in my opinion, at least). There are so many wonderfully truthful elements within the book that one can’t help but be almost certain that the author is writing from true life.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is full of quirky, glorious characters. The book is endearing, touching, emotional and uplifting. It’s a timeless story of love, family and coming of age. There were several chapters that truly pulled at my heartstrings. There were parts where I actually laughed aloud. In a word, this book is WONDERFUL and I can’t recommend it enough.

If you haven’t yet read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, I urge you to do so. If you read it as a child, I’d encourage you to revisit the book as an adult. Absolute perfection!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton

The Tiniest Elf by Uncle Amon Book Review Share and One Day Freebie!

I've read many of Uncle Amon's children's books over the years and I'm always impressed with them. When it comes to this author, I know I'll be downloading an activity-packed, kid-friendly eBook that will be sure to appeal to a wide range of ages. 

The Tiniest Elf is FREE today and tomorrow only and I encourage you to grab it while you can during this freebie promo. To convince you, continue reading on to my book review below!

These stories center on Twinkletoes the elf, who was the tiniest Christmas elf. In the first story, Twinkeltoes is a sad little elf. He was so tiny, he couldn’t perform any elf chores. Although the other elves were nice to Twinkletoes, he was very sad that he wasn’t much help. Even Santa couldn’t cheer him up. Things become serious when Twinkletoes begins to realize his sadness has greater consequences.

There are four other Twinkletoes tales in this one book and each one is an adorable story for children! They’re each sweet with happy resolutions that children will be sure to enjoy. There are also some great kid-friendly activities at the end of each story. As is usual with Uncle Amon’s books, kids get plenty of quality stories, puzzles, jokes and more. Great value!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton for DIY Mom Blog

God's Love is the Message of Kristie Wilde's So Great a Love Children's Book

So Great a Love answers the question of whether or not God really loves us. Written in a manner that even very young children will grasp, this book explores the animal world and points out the many examples of God’s love for us all.

What a sweet and lovely children’s book this is. Although it’s short (perfect for young children), it’s filled with charming illustrations and positive messages for youngsters. In my experience, children are drawn to animal picture books. So Great a Love uses the animal kingdom as a way to show children just how much God loves us, and it works perfectly. I read this to a group of preschoolers and they were captivated.

I can highly recommend this book to parents, grandparents and caregivers of toddlers, preschoolers and early readers. So Great a Love is well worth adding to any children’s book library. Thanks to the publisher, Book Crash and the author for providing a complimentary copy!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog