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The Book of Hours (Coin/Hours Duology Book 2) by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra – Review by Jamie Burns

The Book of Hours (Coin/Hours Duology Book #2) by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra continues the adventure of Gabriela and Richard. This is not the first time that fate has put these two together in difficult, life and death situations. This book is full of mystery and suspense, but it does kind of start off slowly in the beginning. The wait is well worth the twists and turns that Maria puts the reader and characters through, you will be captivated by the precision used to describe the various places Gabriela and Richard explore. Needless to say the action and suspense will keep you hooked until the very end of the book. Throughout the whole book, I kept rooting for Gabriela and Richard to find a way to make their love work and to finally put all of the danger behind them… However, knowing Gabriela, trouble would find another way to crash into her life. If you like mysteries and suspense, this is a wonderful read, and I highly recommend it!

Fetching Dreams by Mary Bleckwehl – Review by Jamie Burns

To me, there are many ways to describe this book, but Mary Bleckwehl used a quote that comes to mind, “Go further than you planned. Ask for the moon: you will be surprised how often you get it.” This book was simply amazing, I have high expectations for the books I read, and expect to be over the moon about them when I finish reading. Many authors have succeeded, including Bleckwehl. This book goes far to the land of Africa where people are still struggling to get education, food, and water. The main character, Neyah has to fetch water, and so she misses so many days at school. She dreams and wishes there was a better way. We get introduced to Abby, Neyah’s pen pal who lives with all of the modern conveniences and cannot imagine what Neyah must be going through. As the two girls correspond, they find strength together. Abby becomes less self centered and quickly cares about Neyah and her family’s situation. Through Abby, Neyah finds the courage to speak up about the water situation and about basic hygiene she is learning about at school. Abby and Neyah decide to team up together to work on a solution for the water problem. There are many struggles that both Neyah and Abby face, but can they find the strength to push through and overcome the struggles? Will Neyah be able to bring much needed CLEAN water to her village? To find out, read this book, Fetching Dreams by Mary Bleckwehl. To say that this book is eye opening, is an understatement, but it is also heart warming at the same time. Who knew how much power pen pals from two different countries could change the world! It goes a long way to say that what you say matters, and so does the way you treat people.

Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by

Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines By Lois Wickstrom is a wonderful retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears! I love that even though Goldilocks makes messes in the bears’ house, she cleans it up and she uses science to help her. I like the different font faces used to highlight various words throughout the book because it adds movement to the pages and draws the readers eyes to the words. Everything that happened in the classic Goldilocks books happened differently in this book, which is refreshing and truly unique! The thing that I liked the most was that the bears were not mad at Goldilocks when they found her, instead they were thankful. In fact Baby Bear even asked her for help at the end of the book, and the Bear family invited her to come back to visit again. The back matter of the book identifies and explains the six simple machines found in the story. This book would be a great introduction to simple machines and can easily be used to help students think about making their own simple machines.

Shalom Israel by Melissa Lavi – Review by Jamie Burns

The book Shalom Israel takes the reader on an adventure to Israel, get ready to say Shalom, “hello!” To a new country! I love how the illustrations in this book are both real photographs and illustrations. It is wonderful to see a book that is easy to understand that takes children around the world to see what it is like there. From what I saw online, many of the things that are in this book are prominent to Israel. The words used help children and adults alike understand words used within the story. I really like that the book also has a glossary that includes interesting facts. This is such a wonderful book!

A Teacher’s Heart by Melissa Lavi – Review by Jamie Burns

This book is such a refreshing way to celebrate teachers, especially when the world is making their jobs more difficult. I can say from personal experience that teachers have full plates, and that we are humans. All teachers are different and act differently. I love how the story includes various ways that teachers look, act, and care about students. This book would be a great back to school gift for any teacher. I could also see this being a wonderful gift for elementary education graduates.

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jamie Burns

Lois Wickstrom has crafted yet another science/STEM related picture book! The twist on the Three Little Pigs is that each pig studied architecture in school. When they begin building their houses it is to test their ability to make wolf-proof houses. The pigs go through the process of designing their houses by drawling plans, and then they each began building the houses. As an educator I always think about activities that can go with each children’s book that I read. The perfect activity to go with this book would be to have kids research sturdy materials to build houses, and then draw floor plans for their houses. Afterwards, provide materials for students to use to build their houses. Each house can be put to the huff and puff test by having classmates or a strong fan blow on the houses. This is a wonderful book, and I would definitely recommend it for a great summer activity! On a side note, I really like the different font faces used on the pages and how they go with the story.

Tally and the Angel: Book Three, Japan by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Jamie Burns

Japan is the third book in the Tally and The Angel series by Eleanor Dixon. Tally takes the reader on amazing and unforgettable adventures to India, Canada, and now Japan! If you have not read the other books, they are amazing, and I highly recommend getting your reading passport out and visiting the other locations with Tally! In Japan, Tally explores the Japanese culture including sumo wrestlers, museums, and samurai. Tally meets two news friends while her father is on a work trip to Japan and they are excited to interact with her! When Tally visits the museum, things start to get strange and she must rely on Miyu and Yoshi to help her figure out what is going on. Tally seems to have a hack for getting involved with curses, but the big question is can she find her way to break the curse this time?! Each book in this series involves mysteries, suspense, supernatural beings, and an adventure packed full of twists and turns. I love that each adventure helps the reader learn more about the various traditions each country has that Tally has traveled to.

Tally and the Angel: Book Two, Canada by Eleanor Dixon – Review by

I thought that the first book in this series was good, but book two is even better!! What an amazing adventure that awaits Tally in Canada where her father moves to become a much needed doctor for the area. However, things are not quite right and Tally soon learns about a curse that she must try to break. There is a lot riding on Tally to defeat the curse considering she might not get to see her dad again if she does not. This book had me on the edge of my seat as Tally met one challenge after another with the wolves and other super natural beings. This is a great series and I am happy to being reading book three soon to see what other adventures await Tally next!

The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom Reviewed by- Jamie Burns

Lois Wickstrom is an amazingly talented children’s book author and she creates wonderful books that children can relate to. In the story, The Messy Kids, is about a little boy named Chester who is having too much fun playing to clean up. Instead of cleaning his room, he decides to go outside to clean the sandbox. While he is outside, he meets the messy kids. As you can imagine, they make a huge mess of the sandbox. The messy kids and Chester go back inside to his bedroom to find toys all over the place. Do they clean the mess, goodness no! It would be much more fun to play. The toys end up under Chester’s bed and mom is not too happy with him for not cleaning her room the correct way. Chester told his mom about the messy kids, and he was told to teach them how to clean up the mess. Will Chester be able to teach the messy kids how to clean up and put away the toys in the correct places? Find out by reading The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom. This is such a fun children’s book and it is relatable because most children would rather play than clean their room. make a great big mess! I loved the messy kids, in fact, they remind me of Thing One and Thing Two from The Cat in the hat because they always make a huge mess, but they alway clean it up afterwards.

Editor Kill Fee (The Taylor Browning Cozy Mysteries Book 3) by GG Collins – Review by Jamie Burns

I am always a sucker for a good mystery! This one did not disappoint at all. I loved all of the descriptions that G.G. Collins wrote. And I felt like I was really seeing everything first hand. While Editor Kill Fee is the third book in the Taylor Browning Cozy Mystery series, this book can be read as a stand alone, which is exactly what I did. I will forewarn you, I did add the first two books to my to be read list after finishing this one…. The president of the Santa Fe Wine Crime book club is MIA. Taylor tries to figure out what happened, but she gets herself into a sticky situation. This book makes me think of the Aurora Teagarden mystery movies, and as soon as I made the connection to the similarities, I devoured the book.

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jamie Burns

What Do the Plants Say by Lois Wickstrom is a wonderful book about Alex the Inventor. Alex is exploring plants and decides that she wants to learn more about them and the way they communicate. So, Alex invents a translator to speak to the plants. Alex finds out that the plants would love to have a party.

This is by far one of my favorite books by Lois because it reminds me of my dad. He loved to plant flowers and had hindered of them around our house. Each day as he cared for them and watered them, he would talk to them. He would say, “plants need someone to talk to them to help them grow.”

Tally and the Angel: Book One , India by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Jamie Burns

This is the first book in this series, and let me tell you it was definitely and adventure worth taking with Tally and the hard Ian angel, Jopheil. The reader is introduced to Tally right after she lost her mom who she was really close to. Her father takes her on a trip to India where Tally makes new friends and faces more challenges. Jopheil is woven throughout the story in bits of the journey. This book was out of my normal zone of reading, but I loved it! It is nice to read a book about a different culture and learn a little more about other people in the process. This is a great book that can bring a strong connection for those who have lost loved ones and the struggles that you face.

Helpful Hudson by Dannielle Pickford – Review by Jamie Burns

I really enjoyed Helpful Hudson by Dannielle Pickford because teaches children that it is okay to take time for themselves. Hudson always enjoys helping others. In fact he does a great job helping his family, that is until one day he doesn’t feel like helping. Everyone tries to figure out what is wrong, and when they discover that he needs help, they all do things to help make him feel better. I love that the story shows children that it is ok to need and ask for help. I think that there is so much pressure on children and adults alike that we all need the reminder that it is okay to ask for help. This story has beautiful illustrations and a wonderful message, and I would recommend it to anyone who has young children or works with them. If you work at a school, you can talk to children about helping others and identifying when they need help. You can also teach about how to go about asking for help and how to help others.

Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jamie Burns

Lois Wickstrom writes fun and engaging stories for kids of all ages. Most of her books provide amazing opportunities for children to learn something new. Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans Is no different, it teaches about how bean plants grow. A fun project to do with children would be to heave them grow their own bean plant. You could take measurements about how tall the plant grows over time. This story was enjoyable and different than many other retellings and I have to have I like it the best. I have read many Jack and The Bean Stalk retellings as an elementary librarian.

People Safari by Feather Chelle – Review by Jamie Burns

Get ready to gear up with Ranger Marco on a People Safari! Do not worry, no humans were harmed in this adventure. Ranger Marco is taking a family of deer scientists on a tour of a real human neighborhood to gather scientific information about humans. Ranger Marco helps the family navigate the neighborhood and they see daily life of humans including dogs with clothes?!? Chelle does a wonderful job capturing the thoughts animals might have about the rather strange human behaviors they see throughout the story. The illustrations throughout the book are creative and really brings the story to life. While this story is a longer one, it could be split up into sections for reading at bed time. This book would also be great to use in a classroom for a daily read aloud. At the end of the book, you could have your own people safari themed party complete with safari gear and a picnic. You could also have students write their own blurb about an illustration and from an animal’s point of view- this would work well if you have a classroom pet or even a pet at home.

Raising Elle (Sweet Valley Series Book 1) by S.E Reichert – Review by Jamie Burns

Raising Elle is the first book in the Sweet Valley series by S.E. Reichert. The reader is drawn into the story by Elle and Blake who have both faced difficult times. Blake has turned to the bottle to help nurse his pain. While Elle has came back home to escape the violence she faced in the past. Will Blake and Elle help each other find healing and fall in love while doing so? Find out be reading Raising Elle.

A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jamie Burns

A Monster for Meg by Lois Wickstrom is an excellent children’s book! This book is unique in that the main character, Meg is blind. Her big sister, Sue is trying to help her understand what a monster is like using other sense than sight. This way Meg can build an idea as to what monsters are like. Each time Sue describes the monster, Meg relates it to Sue so that she can fully understand what the monster is like. This is such an awesome book about the bond of two siblings and how they navigate Meg being blind. I love that this book represents a severely underrepresented population. I highly recommend this book!

Small Fry by Stephenie Wilson Peterson – Review by Jamie Burns

This is one of the best books that I have read yet! Let me tell you, as an elementary librarian, I have read a LOT of books. Small Fry is both a heartwarming and relatable for children. Middle school is hard and difficult enough because you are just trying to find yourself and survive all of the changes in your body and becoming a teen. It is even harder for Silas he was born with a growth hormone deficiency which makes him look younger than his actual age, but he also just started a new school. So he has to endure the torture of explaining his condition and unfortunately the bullying that comes with it. Just as Silas is finding his place at school, he is faced with a challenge from Chad the “Popular” kid and the person that is responsible for making Silas’ life difficult. Chad has Mrs. Halliday, a teacher who happens to be his godmother on his side. Will Silas be able to defy the odds and defeat Chad in the school elections?

This book was well written and seems to be very authentic with from the characters to all of the challenges they face. The cover art brings the whole story together and I love the art at the end of each chapter. I love that the back matter has information about both the growth hormone deficiency and Alzheimer’s Disease. I think the only thing I would have loved to see in addition would be some information about cyber bullying since the book touched on it too. Overall, this book was fantastic and I look forward to reading more books by Stephenie Wilson Peterson.

Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Future World Changers by Janice Pratt – Review by Jamie Burns

Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Our Future World Changers is a wonderful tool for anyone who has young children. These stories are about things that all children face such as learning to sleep in their own bed. This is a book that can apply to children throughout their childhood. I would definitely recommend it to any parent or even education staff.

The Guardian of Whispers (The Reeds of West Hills Book 1) by B. E. Padgett – Review by Jamie Burns

I have read and watched all of the Harry Potter books/movies. I have to say that this book has a similar feel to it, and I absolutely loved it! This book is about twins Frank and Jon Reed who have some fascinating abilities: Frank starts reading minds and Jon can see the future. Both gifts have come with a heavy price tag, and are difficult to control. So, the twins must attend West Hills School for the Perceptually Gifted in hopes that they can learn to control their powers. However, as Frank and Jon soon discover moving to a new school is challenging. Jon gets himself into a big bind when something important goes missing. Will Frank and his friends save Jon from expulsion from the school? Find out by reading The Guardian of Whispers today!

I seriously read the whole book in one sitting and could not stop!

Noah’s Not So Super Summer (A Super Series–Book 1) by Brittany Tucker – Review by Jamie Burns

Noah’s Not So Super Summer introduces the reader to Noah Reagan who has dreamed of pursuing the field of science his first step is the Summer with Supers Youth Program. Noah is dreaming of a fun-filled summer doing what he loves, but unfortunately, the city’s mutant infestation takes over his summer. While Noah is cleaning up after the destruction, he begins investigating the mutants. Will Noah be able to save his dreary summer and have some science-filled fun? To find out, read Noah’s Not So Super Summer.

This book is perfect for teens and preteens alike, the very beginning of the book starts out with a gnarly explosive bathroom scene and we cannot forget the mutants. This book will be a beacon to teens who enjoy superpowers!

A Spot of Earl Slay (Tea Time Troubles Book 1) by Aubrey Elle – Review by Jamie Burns

A Spot of Earl Slay is the first book in the Tea Time Troubles series by Aubrey Elle. Naomi and her daughter, Ella get more than they bargained for when they moved to Fayette looking for a fresh start after a nasty divorce. What secrets is the quaint town of Fayette hiding from Naomi and Ella? They soon find out that this might not be the fresh start they were looking for when they find a corpse in the shed. This book is hard to put down. So, get out your notebooks and get ready to investigate with the gang! I am looking forward to reading the second book, Death and Deja Brew!

How to Make a Flying Carpet (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jamie Burns

Slip into your lab coats and get read for a great science adventure with Alex, the inventor. Alex is determined to find a good use for a frog magnet that broke. She tries many different experiments with different types of metal only to find that her magnet does not like all metals. To find out what fun experiments Alex does with her magnet, read the book, How to Make a Flying Carpet! Lois Wickstrom has crafted an excellent children’s book about magnetism complete with back matter about the Earth’s Magnetic Field and What Makes a Metal Magnetic. The information provided in the back could help any young scientist learn more about magnets.

Non-Verbal by Molly Zenk – Review by Jamie Burns

“My words disappeared when I was fifteen months only.” Emerson was a happy child who went from counting to not being able to string words together to communicate what she desires to say. Emerson Was diagnosed with functional nonverbal autism on top of a sensory processing disorder. The book, Non-Verbal give the reader first hand insight about Emerson and her family’s lives. It is really amazing to read this book from the perspective of Emerson Because you know exactly what she is struggling with throughout the book. This book is well written and is impactful. This book would be great to pose discussions with teenagers and young adults about people who are different and how their world looks. Non-Verbal gives everyone a glimpse into Emerson‘s life and is based on a true story, I only hope that going forward that there are many more books like this one.

Breach of Trust (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 8 ) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Jamie Burns

Breach of Trust is the eighth book in The Madeline Dawkins series by Cynthia Hamilton. This book can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I picked this book out of a line-up and decided to read it because the description caught my attention.

While this is the first book I have read in the series, I can say, you will want to get out your notebooks and Scooby Snacks, track all the clues, and see if you can solve with case alongside the gang. If you enjoy books about Private Investigators, suspense, secrets and lies, mysteries, adventure, and secrets this is just the book for you. Cynthia Hamilton is now one of my all-time favorite mystery writers. That is saying something since I grew up reading Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys.

Little Red, the Detective (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jamie Burns

Lois Wickstrom has crafted an excellent book that has a unique twist of science and folktale. In this book, Little Red’s grandmother asks her to bring her some flowers for tea and to come for a visit. On the way to grandmother’s house Little Red stops to search for the correct flower, but will the cunning wolf trick her into gathering the wrong flower? Will this wolf have grandmother for a yummy snack like many other spin-off books of Little Red Riding Hood? Can Little Red outsmart the wolf and have a great visit with her grandmother? To find out, read Little Red, the Detective: a science folktale.

I always enjoy looking for connections to make with student learning for teaching. This book would be great for the beginning of spring during the middle part of a plant unit. Children can create their own plant identification journal, notes can be taken about the plants, and a research project could be completed about a favorite plant. There are so many fun activities that could be completed like flower pressings for the plant identification journal. Another topic could involve All about Using Plants- this would include plants to eat, how plants can help heal people, and other uses for plants.

Return to Hoodoo (Boudin, Bourbon, and Barbecue, Book 1) Audiobook by Reggi Dupree – Review by Jamie Burns

Magically Brought to Life!

This is the first book in the Boudin, Bourbon, and Barbecue series by Reggie Dupree. The narrator, Ruthie Bowles brought the story to life. I both listened to the book and read it via Kindle Unlimited. What brought the story to life in full color was the audio book. Ruthie has such a rich voice and really got into the story while reading it. This is such a magical book filled with great characters and suspense.

Pulling Together by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jamie Burns

I absolutely love the message, “We all pull together” that is evident throughout this book. Lois Wickstrom has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Her illustrator, Janet King does a wonderful job of bringing the story to life with the illustrations! Lila is spending time with her Grammie who is putting the finishing touches on a poncho just for Lila. At first Lila is not too sure about the poncho, but it ends up pulling her and others together. Pulling Together is one of my favorite books with an Important message that even though something might not seem great at first, it can all come together well in the end. Another thing that can be learned is to forgive others and bring them close. Wrap up with your favorite cozy jacket, poncho, or blanket and enjoy this sweet book!

The Silent Road by S.N. McKibben – Review by Jamie Burns

“There are two truths in life. One road leaves to where you want to go… Two all roads circle back to oneself, even if that person in the mirror is not recognizable from when the journey began.”

Dan’s life is at the point that he doesn’t know which way is up and he feels like a failure. Dan is a truck driver that just got saddled with a partner, Jake who follows every rule to a “T” when it comes to driving. Can Dan stand the strict rules that Jake insist on following? Will there time on the road bring them closer together or drive them crazy?

This is not typically a book that I would read. I didn’t realize exactly how the story line would unfold in the relationship between Jake and Dan. I will admit that there were scenes that I skimmed more than read. Overall the book was a good read with challenges faced by both Jake and Dan. There was quiet a bit of road blocks and challenges, but together they were able to overcome them.

Notebook Mysteries ~ Suspicions (Notebook Mysteries Book 5) by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Jamie Burns

Suspicions is the fifth book in the Notebook Mysteries series by Kimberly Mullins. This book took me back to my roots of being a bookworm sleuth. I have always loved mystery books with the first big series being Nancy Drew. This is one of my favorite series since then. Mullins grabbed my attention right away with Emma being attacked by an assailant who “stabs at her neck frantically with knitting needles…. They wanted me to talk to you first because I could keep you calm. Let’s start again.” This interaction was like a movie playing in my head. It felt so real, and the rest of the book flowed nicely with the same quality. From the very beginning, Emma has found herself in a criminal family starting with the old lady who attacked her. Will she be able to find all of the players linked to the missing children? Find out by reading Notebook Mysteries: Suspicions!