~children’s book reviews~

~The Last Fallen Star~

– by Graci Kim

~Designed by Joann Hill – Rick Riordan Presents/Disney.Hyperion~

~I received an eBook – 05/04/202

~Pre-order Now On Amazon~

~The Last Fallen Star~

The Safe Return

– by –

Ashley Wheelock & Arwen Evans

~Blackberry Book Tour – April 19, 2021~

~Illustrated by Abigail Gray Swartz/ House Of Tomorrow/ 09/03/2020~

~I received an eBook~

~Available Now On Amazon~

~The Safe Return~

~Bernice Takes A Plunge~

~Blackberry Children’s Book Tour~

About the Author:

Ann Harth writes fiction and non-fiction for children and adults. Strong, interesting characters creep into most of her books and stories, and many arrive with a sense of humour.

Before becoming a writer, mentor and developmental editor in Far North Queensland, Ann studied psychology, waited tables, bar-tended, picked strawberries, worked as a clown and punched keys on various tills. She also spent ten years working with children with special needs. Ann taught writing for the Australian College of Journalism for eight years before taking the leap into freelance work.

Ann has had a number of fiction and non-fiction children’s books published in Australia and the UK and over 120 short stories sold internationally.

After five years (2015-2020) she has stepped down from her position as Far North Queensland representative for The Society of Children’s Book Writers and illustrators as Bernice is eager to dive into another book.

When not tapping the keys, Ann stuffs a notebook into her pack and searches for remote places to camp, hike or explore.

Media links:

~My Thoughts~

Bernice Peppercorn was not a morning person, her little brother Jake, on the other hand, was. Ugh!Breakfast was often bickering on toast, that is until Mum read in that day’s morning newspaper that local celebrity Crystal Bell’s mansion was broken into the night before.

‘It looks like family members will be dealing with the authorities because Ms. Bell is shooting a film in India.’

Bernice and her best friend Maggie want to be just like Crystal Bell who is calm, cool, smart, knows karate, can get out of any situation, solve mysteries, and outwit any bad guy who tries to mess with her.

The next day, armed with her Crystal Bell secret spy watch, notebook, and Crystal Bell pencil, Bernice must dive into detective mode alone (Maggie is stuck at home with Chickenpox) and stumbles across some vital clues. Oh, what imagination and adventure she has!

Age Range: 9 to 12

Genre: Children’s Action And Adventure

I had a blast reading BERNICE TAKES A PLUNGE, which brought me back to The Stone Age when I was a wee girl, and we had to read Judy Blume’s books on stone tablets. *sigh* #memories

BERNICE TAKES A PLUNGE – A Funny Adventure/Mystery That I Highly Recommend!

Weird Kid

– by Greg Van Eekhout

~Harper Audiobook~

‘Jake Wind is trying to stay under the radar. Whose radar? Anyone who might be too interested in the fact that he has shapeshifting abilities he can’t control. Or that his parents found him as a ball of goo when he was a baby.’

~NetGalley Image – NetGalley/HarperCollins Publishing – 07/20/2021~

Star Rating – 5.0/5.0

~Goodreads – Weird Kid~

~Pre-order Now On Amazon~

~Weird Kid~

WEIRD KID, written by Greg Van Eekhout, is a Children’s Science Fiction book for reading ages 8 to 12 years.

About:

‘Keeping his powers in check is crucial, though, if he wants to live a normal life and go to middle school instead of being homeschooled (and if he wants to avoid being kidnapped and experimented on, of course).’

My Thoughts:

As I read WEIRD KID, my mind ventured back in time over thirty plus years when I was in middle school, recalling what life was like as a shy, awkward kid who was horrible in sports, couldn’t do a cartwheel to save her life, and, admittedly, found butt jokes funny a not surprisingly I still do.

WEIRD KID is a heartfelt, laugh-out-loud story about love, friendship, sacrifice, bravery—and most importantly—accepting who you are, even though you’re different.

Highly Recommend!

Scheduled To Release – July 20, 2021 (Subject To Change)

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing, for loaning me a Voice Galley of WEIRD KID in a request for an honest review.

Voice Galley—A synthetic voice used for early reviews and is not a reflection of the audiobook version.

Dreamy Days and Random Naps

– by Mawson

~Blackberry Children’s Book Tour~

‘Mawson Bear awakes and ponders on the art of creative napping. Scotland the Brave imagines doing great deeds. Professors Caddy and Bree hold the highest hopes for their visionary inventions. Samantha sees wondrous things all round her. The Seekers journey all the way to the edge of the world, being sure to return, of course, by bedtime.’

~Amazon Image – Blackberry – 12/01/2020~

~Blackberry Children’s Book Tour – 02/04/2021

~Goodreads – Dreamy Days & Random Naps~

~Available On Amazon~

~Dreamy Days And Random Naps~

Cancer Daily Life

– by Carola Schmidt

~Blackthorn Book Tours Christmas Promo~

As a bit of seasonal goodwill, a copy of this book will be going (along with a copy of this review) to a clinic where needy children with cancer are treated without charge.

~About Cancer Daily Life~

Cancer Daily Life is a bittersweet collection of single and double-frame strips that only readers who are highly involved with the C world could relate to. It’s sometimes cute and sweet, sometimes acid, sometimes trivial, sometimes funny, just like daily life.

~Available On Amazon~

~Cancer Daily Life~

About the Author:

Carola Schmidt is a Pediatric Oncology Pharmacist & Writer

Writer in the Book Authority list of “81 Best Leukemia Books of All Time” with “Chubby’s Tale: The true story of a teddy bear who beat cancer”
Author of “Bald is Beautiful” and other works for children with cancer
Author of several scientific books on pediatric oncology by Springer Nature
Children’s book author – “Tell Me a Story Babushka” and others

~My Thoughts~

I highly recommend Cancer Daily Life by Carola Schmidt, a book written for adolescents and adults to give a gift for a friend who received a cancer diagnosis. For someone undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, if you have a family member or friend aged twelve and over coping with cancer, you don’t know what to say when a friend or family member with cancer feels stressed and needs to know they are not alone.

As a friend and family member of loved ones who are coping with cancer, it’s essential to know what to say and what not to say (something I too struggle with), to understand what is helpful and what can come across as discouraging. Schmidt touches on this topic and more with the truth in Cancer Daily Life, often with humor.

Cancer Daily Life is an excellent way to start a dialogue with your adolescent child who just received a cancer diagnosis. After reading this book, from the perspective of a parent, I learned there are a lot of things I don’t know about cancer and treatment, I feel that it’s okay to admit that to yourself and your child, coupled with the knowledge that they are not alone and that you are in this together.

~More Books By Carola Schmidt~

~About Bald Is Beautiful~

Bald is Beautiful: A letter for a fabulous girl” is an inspiring and lovely illustrated letter for girls of any age who will go or already are bald. It’s a perfect gift to send love to a powerful girl who needs to be reminded of how beautiful and loved she is. It’s not a book that explains scientific conditions, disease, and treatment. It’s about love, beauty, happiness, and friendship when going through various changes in our lives.

Bald is Beautiful comes like a hug, and it’s the perfect gift for girls aged 4-100 years and up.

~Available on Amazon~

~Bald Is Beautiful~

Chubby’s Tale

The True Story Of A Teddy Bear Who Beat Cancer

~About Chubby’s Tale~

Oh man! Go find someone to help you get better. Christmas is around the corner. You know… nobody buys toys after Christmas!’ said Superhero when Chubby — a teddy bear with a wool pullover and no pants — felt unwell. Chubby embarks on an adventure through a La La Land toy store, discovering cancer, leukemia, chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation. He surprises us with a fun trip in a yellow toy Beetle, with friends, and his own Happy Ending.

~Available On Amazon~

~Chubby’s Tale~

~I Also Recommend Reading…~

~What Happens When A Kid Has Cancer~

Written and Illustrated by Sara Olsher

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, life flips upside-down. Suddenly, our days (and our thoughts) are dominated by doctors, nurses, child life specialists, and a million technical terms that will make anyone’s head spin. Add extreme fear and anxiety to that, and you’ve got a recipe for the most stressful time in a family’s life.

What Happens When a Kid Has Cancer is a book written with purpose of relieving the anxiety and confusion that comes from a child’s cancer diagnosis and treatment.

What Happens When a Kid Has Cancer covers the main points of pediatric cancer — what it is and what the experience of treatment is like — and shows how it can change a kid’s day. The book is great for ages 4 -10.