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A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Moriah Venable

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A Monster for MegA Monster for Meg by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Meg is blind and her older sister Sue, is using words to describe how scary monsters are. Each time Sue describes something about monsters, Meg retorts with how that sound or feel is similar to something else. This becomes a fun game for Meg.

‘Sue jumps beside me and shouts, ‘Boo! Monsters jump out at you when you don’t expect it.”

“But Sue, I always know when you are sneaking up on me”.

This was cute and shows senses that some people don’t think about. Because Meg is blind, she does not view monsters as scary and Sue is trying to tell her scary monsters can be.

Very creative with conveying the bond between sisters and the illustrations of the characters and monsters.

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A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Santana Hicks

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A Monster for MegA Monster for Meg by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Meg is blind so she has never seen a monster before. Her sister Sue tries her hardest to explain what monsters are like with the intention of scaring Meg but Meg just compares everything that is said to her sister Sue. No matter what Sue says Meg thinks it’s a fun game of comparison.

I thought this book was cute. You could tell that Meg loves and looks up to her older sister Sue. Meanwhile Sue is the perfect example of an older sibling. Tries to mess with the younger but lovingly. I like how the main character is blind which makes the story unique. The author always has ‘different’ main characters making their stories very diverse. With this author there is a story for everyone!

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

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What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor)What Do the Plants Say? by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alex hears noises coming from the balloon flowers in her yard. She hears pop pop noises coming from them so she decides to make a translator to find out what the popping means. She discovers that the flowers want to have a flying party. Alex tries to invent more things to make the flowers happy and have an awesome plant party!

I wish this author existed when I was a kid or even when my own child was younger. I really like how the author implements science and other important things into the stories. I also like how she made the inventor a little girl. We need more girl power in children’s books and this author is doing just that.

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A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tausha Treadway

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A Monster for MegA Monster for Meg by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom. This author writes the best book for kids and families. They always have a fun story and a lesson as well. This one is about Sue and her Sister Meg who is blind.Sue always tries to teach Meg about certain things by her senses but when it comes to monsters under your bed its hard to explain. Most kids are scared of Monsters but if you can’t see them why would you be scared. This is such a sweet, story that has a very valuable lesson about siblings. This book would make a great gift.

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People Safari by Feather Chelle – Review by Bobbi Wagner

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People SafariPeople Safari by Feather Chelle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first children’s book by this author. I enjoyed how interactive the pictures are and will keep any child engaged. This is a story that not only will have you laughing but will teach your child some things about nature and environment. It is a great story that any child would enjoy sitting down to listen to or read. It is easy to read and has an entertainment value as well. I highly recommend this book.

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Review by @bjwagner

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

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What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor)What Do the Plants Say? by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fun, imaginative book. I loved the artwork, and the story entertaining. It would be so fun to be able to fly these balloon flowers like a kite and fly high in the sky. I enjoy seeing what Alex the Inventor comes up with, and how creative the inventions are.

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Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Carrie Reed

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Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the BeansFee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A nice take on Jack and the beanstalk. I really liked how the woman giant was kind and helped Jacqueline, even with her husband. I was also glad to see a happy ending for her, her mom and Bessie. The art is beautiful and the story is fun for kids.

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Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Future World Changers by Janice Pratt – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Our Future World-ChangersBrave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Our Future World-Changers by K.J. Kaschula
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Brave kids is a collection of short stories by different authors, some doctors-likely psychiatrists. They each focus on a difficult issue that children may face, sometimes from the perspective of an animal. They may show how a squirrel deals with bullying. Or how a horse may address being orphaned. Or how a child can o10vercome the fear of sleeping alone for the first time. I liked the collection, and think it could be a good book for a teacher or parent to have on hand. However, I think it would be better to have pictures and have the look if a true children’s book. It would hold the interest more of the little ones. I also think it should be divided into topics, as there were multiple stories that addressed the same topics. These stories are similar to fables, in that they are meant to teach us a lesson or help us navigate through a problem. Most seemed geared toward 5 to 10 year olds, but a few seemed a bit more mature content. I read a couple to my seven year old, but did not read him the whole collection.

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A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Melissa Saxton

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A Monster for MegA Monster for Meg by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Adorable book about a sister explaining what monsters look like to her blind sister and how she relates each thing to her world.
Very cute, imaginative and has a little hidden agenda of teaching things that are different aren’t always as scary as you think.

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Tally and the Angel: Book Three, Japan by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Julie Johnson

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Japan (Tally and the Angel #3)Japan by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tally’s adventures have taken her, her dad, and her guardian angel Jophiel to India, Canada, and now Japan. I was most looking forward to this adventure! While it’s still really enjoyable, it’s not as exciting of a read as I was anticipating. However, there is a cursed drum, sumo wrestlers, and a ghost queen who will really keep you wondering what she’s going to do next!

Tally meets Miyu and Yoshi when she arrives in Japan. They are just as excited as she is to have a new friend. They speak amazing English and really hit it off pretty quickly. Tally learns that Miyu’s family used to own a museum and Miyu knows a lot of the family history. Yoshi comes from a long line of sumo wrestlers and he’s going for his interview to be accepted into the academy. They spend time outside of their schoolwork playing with a drum that seems to have some sort of special powers.

I was really sad when Jophiel started to act the way he did in this book. I wanted to smack some sense into him!! Overall, I do think he might be my favorite character in all the books that I’ve read in this series.

I do highly recommend reading these books in order, although one could skip around. It would bring about some confusion as to Jophiel’s backstory if you don’t read them in order and some of the character names would be a mystery. I’ve really enjoyed reading this series and I’m hoping that we’ll have more adventures with Tally and Jophiel to read about soon!

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

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Canada (Tally and the Angel #2)Canada by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I do believe this is my favorite book of the series. I also recommend reading them in order although the author does a good job of catching the reader up to speed on how Jophiel came to be.

Tally and her dad have had their adventure in India and now it’s time to move on to Canada. They are in need of a doctor up there and since Tally’s dad is a doctor, they make the trek there. While there, Tally is excited to learn how to run a sled dog team. As a matter of fact, on the first day there, she gets to drive them for a small bit! Tally’s struggling to adjust to the massive temperature differences between India and Canada too. Here she can’t see anything but eyeballs on the people she meets!

There’s this man named Earl and his daugther Amka who come to take Tally and her dad to the place where they will stay. Something is pretty sinister about Earl, at least to Tally and Jophiel. Then Tally learns about a curse and the Gold Rush and things, well, just aren’t as they seem.

This book was so much fun to read and as previously mentioned, is my favorite in this series. There is a lot of mystery in this one, as well as adventure. This is a middle school level book but I thoroughly enjoyed it as a middle ager!

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Tally and the Angel: Book One, India by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Julie Johnson

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India (Tally and the Angel, #1)India by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fun adventure story!! This book is geared towards middle grades, ages 7-12, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult!

We meet Tally at a really bad time in her life. She’s just lost her precious mother, whom she loves so dearly. Before taking a trip, her dad gifts her with a pendant. In that pendant lives a guardian angel named Jophiel. Tally is thinking that she’s going to be sent away to boarding school but instead talks her dad into letting her join him on his journey to India. It’s there that Tally makes two really great friends but they had no idea the horrible adventure that awaited them!

I LOVED this book!! There is mystery and adventure, cultural changes, grief and loss, as well as bravery and compassion in this book. I devoured this book pretty quickly as it was just that exciting! My heart broke for Tally and honestly, I struggled reading this book because I too, just lost my mom recently. I love how this book focuses on having a friend(s) nearby to help in times of sadness. This would be a great book for summer reading!!

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Tally and the Angel: Book Three, Japan by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Jennifer Reimer

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Japan (Tally and the Angel #3)Japan by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In this book we go on an adventure with Tally, her dad and Tally’s angel Jophiel to Japan. As they explore the Japanese culture, history, and traditions. Tally is a strong, courageous, brave smart young girl. This is the third book in this series and even thou you could get away with reading then not in order I feel you would miss out on the way tally matures and how she grows into the young women she will be. This book is well written that it feels like you are standing there in the book. I absolutely love how tally seems to find something interesting to get herself involved in and then have us wondering how and when she’s going to get herself out. A mystery that surrounds around Miyu and Yoshi, a ghostly queen, mystical beings, warriors, secrets and curses. This is an incredible read that had me wanting to know what was going to happen net, I could not put it down.

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

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The Guardian of Whispers (The Reeds of West Hills #1)The Guardian of Whispers by B.E. Padgett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This middle grade fantasy book is like Avengers ,Twilight or any other super hero book/movie where every child finds out that he/she has a super natural power. They find out the power, they struggle to gain control over it. They have to go to a gifted school or a school of magic where they have to be trained to control their power. There they face challenges and it is upto them to face the hurdles and emerge victorious with their evolving powers.
I love these type of books. This book is centred around twins Frank and Jon, who figure out they have fascinating abilities, one can read minds and other can see future. But the gifts are never gifts, one has to pay the price. They are to attend a new school, and Jon gets into trouble. Will Frank and his new friends help Jon from the trouble and getting expelled?
I enjoyed it thoroughly, it was an easy read and I hope to read many more of this series.

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Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Future World Changers by Janice Pratt – Review by Stephanie Robb

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Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Our Future World-ChangersBrave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Our Future World-Changers by K.J. Kaschula
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Brave Kids is a selection of short stories by various authors using humans and animals to tell stories of bravery, compassion, grief, loss, accomplishment and so much more. I would highly recommend this book for children aged 7+ or parents to read and talk through with younger readers.

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Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Future World Changers by Janice Pratt – Review by Gillian Fawell

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Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Our Future World-ChangersBrave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Our Future World-Changers by K.J. Kaschula
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This collection of short stories is so touching and heartwarming. With all the different topics and themes covered there is something for every child and this would be the perfect book for any teacher, parent/carer, counsellor or anyone else who wants to support the emotional wellbeing of a child in their lives. Definitely one to have ready to go!

Review by @sparkinside

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

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The Guardian of Whispers (The Reeds of West Hills #1)The Guardian of Whispers by B.E. Padgett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jonathan and Franklin Reed are twin boys living in Florida with their family, which consists of their parents, Aunt Gladys, older brother Eugene, younger brother Peter, and younger sister Clara. The bossy life is pretty typical, until just after they turn 10. Then Jonathan begins to see shadows of events that happen shortly after, while Franklin starts to hear voices that nobody else hears. At first, the boys keep these new abilities to themselves, until one night Franklin has a nightmare that he is almost unable to wake up from. That’s when his mother calls in an old friend who looks at the boys and figures out what is going on with them. The friend, as well as the mother, has gifts, for the mom, it’s being an empathy, which she puts to work in her job as a cop. For the friend, it’s being able to hear other peoples thoughts, much like Frank. Jon on the other hand has a much rarer gift, the ability to see the future. The twins head off to a school in Washington state for people with just such gifts. Here they find friends, mentors and others like them, but also danger and trouble.

This book is an excellent read. I would recommend it for anyone over the age of about 10, who likes magic, mystery and friendship. I truly cannot wait for the next book in this series.

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

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The Guardian of Whispers (The Reeds of West Hills #1)The Guardian of Whispers by B.E. Padgett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely LOVED this book. As an avid reader, I seek out stories that have continuing characters because when you fall in love with a character, you never want their story to end. The first draw to me was that this is a series, the next was the fantasy aspect. I think sometimes “fantasy” can get a bad rap; I enjoy stories that take ordinary people and give them a touch of the extraordinary, which is exactly what B.E. Padgett did with this story!
This book probably falls under the teen/young adult category, in terms of audience it was written for, but I enjoyed it just as thoroughly as I do books “written for me” (meaning my age group). I have a son in elementary school, and although the Reed boys are a bit older than my kiddo, I easily could see my son and his friends as the characters in this book, and that added to the fun!

So very much looking forward to book 2!

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People Safari by Feather Chelle – Review by Caralee Loonat

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People SafariPeople Safari by Feather Chelle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love finding new authors and reading all sorts of new genres and books. This book was certainly a filler in all these categories. I just wish that I had younger children to read this to. I will certainly be recommending this book to all with small children. The author does a really great job of creating a story that teaches children as well as entertains them. The characters are very loveable and even though animals very believable. I would definitely read more from this author in future and recommend others to read as well.

Reviewed by @caraleeloonat
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A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Emily H

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A Monster for MegA Monster for Meg by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Meg, who is blind, doesn’t understand how monsters are scary. Her older sister though assures her they are. With descriptions and using her senses Meg begins to understand what Monsters are.

Very creative, I thought the way this was written makes you think about using other senses to understand what a person who does not have the same senses might use to understand. The art work is great in this one as well.

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A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kerry Baker

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A Monster for MegA Monster for Meg by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We always enjoy books from this author in our household but I think this one has to be one our favourites. The characters are brilliant and so easy to connect with. They were entertaining and fun and I loved the fact that they were sisters.
As usual, we have read this book multiple times but this is the first one from this author we read more than once in a day. Both of my kids really enjoyed this story, despite their difference in age. In a short space of time this author has become one of our most read and I can’t wait to keep reading her stories for years to come.

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A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Katie Matthews

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A Monster for MegA Monster for Meg by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a cute story about Meg and her sister Sue. Meg is blind and Sue tried very hard to frighten Meg by talking about monsters but with every scary thing she says Meg answers her with something positive and explaining all the sense she uses to build up pictures in her mind. I can imagine many talking pints for children in this story about how Meg uses her other senses to see what is going on around her and whether Sue was being a good big sister or not. A well written story that was easy to read and illustrated beautifully as well.

@katiem
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Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tanya Wall, May 2023

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Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans (Science Folktales)Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a take on Jack and the Beanstalk. In this story, Jacqueline falls for the old trick of giving her cow for some magic beans. She figures out how to make the trick work to her advantage and get her family the food they need for the winter. This is a cute retell, great illustrations and it is nice to see the girl outsmart the giant!

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A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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A Monster for MegA Monster for Meg by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Monster for Meg was not what I expected, it was better. I loved the analogies used to help describe things to Meg. She is blind, and her sister is trying to help her understand why monsters are scary. My seven year old son enjoyed it, and liked the pictures. He said Meg’s sister was nice for answering all her questions, because his siblings would tell him to quit asking so many. The book would be great to help young children understand a little of what life would be like for someone who cannot see. It could also be used for a lesson on the senses.

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Reviewed by @way2gosmartguy

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tanya Wall, May 2023

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What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor)What Do the Plants Say? by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What I love about Ms. Wickstrom’s books is that she uses girls as inventors and science lovers. This book fits right in with that! Alex listens to the beautiful purple flowers, finds a way to talk with them, and then invents how to allow them to fly into the sky! Alex has perseverance and never gives up. She is exactly what a scientist is – someone who tries and tries again until the end result is found. Beautiful illustrations, a quick story line, and the plot takes you where Alex wants you to go!

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A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Cindy Mayberry

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A Monster for MegA Monster for Meg by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Meg and her sister are discussing monsters. With Meg being blind, her sister tried to explain the monsters. This is yet another child involvement story. It talks about our senses as well as being blind. This interaction between the sisters, and the humor makes for a fun story to read. I enjoy reading books by this author. So do my grandchildren. Her stories are easy to follow and fun to experiment with. Open-ended books are the BEST! I look forward to reading more from this author.

Review@cinful

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Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Katie Matthews

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Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans (Science Folktales)Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another lovely retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk with a science twist to it. I really enjoy the stories by this author they are written well and so engaging for young children and great introduction to some simple science. Jacqueline was a sweet character in the story and it was fun to follow her along on her adventure. There were a few talking points in the story for children along the way.

@katiem
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What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Shelly Kittell

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What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor)What Do the Plants Say? by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alex, the inventor, is so creative and full of imagination. This story gives such a chuckle. One can imagine filling little plants with helium and going for a ride. Oh, I can remember asking Calgon to take me away. My grandson asked me if we could really take a flying ride with flowers. I could see his little mind churning. I love how this author’s stories help to stir the child’s creative thoughts with her stories. We love reading about Alex’s adventures and look forward to more. The pictures are colorful. The story is perfect for letting your imagination flow and it’s a 5-star book in our house.

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Soul Redeemed (War of Destiny Book 5) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Shelly Kittell

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Soul Redeemed (War of Destiny #5)Soul Redeemed by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another winner in the series. Julia is still working through her issues and now she has to figure out how to work her talents and other items. The writing is strong. The characters are each so unique and I love how they are, because they come from different units and somehow mesh well together even with some mistrust. Julia is strong and has come through so much. I love how she has grown throw the series. The storyline is interesting and grabs you. This really isn’t meant to be a standalone as you may be lost if you try. This author does such a terrific job with her books that you just can’t put them down.

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Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Bobbi Wagner

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Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans (Science Folktales)Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this children’s book. This is an author that writes children’s books that are full of learning aspects. They are colorful and engaging pages. This book is no different. A story about a family who is hungry. Instead of letting her family eat the dry cow, Jacquline takes the cow and sells it for three beans. What will Jacquline find when she plants these beans? Will she learn that just because things are brighter on one side but doesn’t mean that things could be brighter on the other. The pages are interactive and your child will easily understand the meaning behind this story. Great story for all children. I highly recommend this book.

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Review by @bjwagner