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FastFlight 540
FastFlight 540, is an adventure-filled young adult fantasy novel by M. M. Mesldorf. Right from the get-go, readers are plunged into action as the protagonist, Anslie, makes quick work of stealing her friend’s identity to escape the seemingly horrible orphanage where she lives. While she thinks she has gotten away from the oppressive walls of Whippoorwill Children’s Home, she has instead traded one prison for another with Nocturnan Home. Soon, a being will come bursting into Anslie’s life. And that being is none other than Xander Benjamin Bump.
The chapters are written in a straightforward manner, and they flow smoothly together. When Anslie dreams, readers read the chapters from her perspective thoroughly, while the rest of the book is generally told in the third person. The shifts between are seamless, making it easy to follow along. There isn’t a break in the action in this novel; there is always something happening, someone coming, someone going, and adventure at every turn. It makes for a bit of a dizzying ride. Anslie carries on with the false identity she stole from the real Tucker Sullivan, and we watch her meager beginnings grow and blossom into something more.
In the beginning, Anslie is alone. She has nothing and is nothing. We see this in her solitude in the attic, her pitiful friendship with her own shadow, and her brief but lonely interactions with Mrs. Simpler. However, what begins as a painful existence begins to shift and reshape as her interactions with others accelerate. First Xander, then Hobbs, and soon all manner of companion joins Anslie on her quest to play the Garden Game against the Nighthawks. Throughout the book, I wasn’t sure if these other children were real: I was confident they were manifestations of her extreme loneliness and solitude.
If you are looking for a fun book that is difficult to put down, you must pick up a copy of FastFlight 540 by M. M. Mesldorf. It’s a whirlwind in all the right ways as it takes you for a ride through Anslie’s youth with Xander to the happily ever after. But is it truly the end? The final words of the last chapter leave room for a potential sequel, but we’ll have to wait like patient children to see what comes next.
Pages: 284 | ASIN : B0B7LLG2GP
Elysia
Elysia: The World In Children’s Dreams is a children’s book written by Malcolm Chester. It features 11-year-old Courtney, who has a troubled home life. In addition, she is a young girl just starting puberty and experiencing all the emotions that go along with this stage of life. Elysia is an escape for Courtney. It is a dream-like fantasy world that allows her to forget her problems at home. However, problems soon plague Elysia as the crystal that supplies the world’s magic is stolen by an evil king in this world. Courtney’s primary goal is to find and return the crystal and restore the magic and balance to Elysia.
Chester does a great job at creating a relatable character in Courtney. She is a caring girl while also dealing with issues children might be dealing with. For example, her father was sent to prison. Unfortunately, these issues are rarely brought up in books made for children. Hence, it is essential to shine a light on these types of relationships. Children need to have an outlet and understand that although their situation might not be typical, they are not the only ones going through it.
Chester creates a world that is so imaginative and charming readers will want to exsperance the magic of Elysia themselves. This lets the reader understand why Courtney doesn’t want to leave. The world of Elysia is symbolic and an excellent allegory for growing up. By saving Elysia, Courtney learns it’s important to be proactive when trying to fix a problem bigger than herself. She learns that she is brave and strong enough to resolve any issue in front of her. This is a lesson she can take to her real life and issues that will arise from puberty and growing up.
Elysia: The World in Children’s Dreams is a children’s and middle-grade fantasy novel. This story can be read by anyone looking to find inspiration. It’s a great story that teaches change doesn’t have to be scary, a lesson many of us could use today.
Pages: 320 | ASIN : B0792XS13D
What If The Stones Came Skipping Back?
Dragon Stones follows a brother and sister who go on an adventure and meet a dragon, only to almost end up as a snack. Can Aunt Edwina save them? What was the inspiration for your story?
When I was young my family would spend summers at our camp on the lake in Maine. My older brother was obsessed with skipping stones out into the lake. He was quite good at it. He was also maybe a little ADHD so my brother is definitely the inspiration for Ron.
Later when I was writing down “story seeds” as I like to call them, I thought about that time on the lake and I jotted down one sentence. “What if the stones came skipping back?”
The cover for this book is interesting. How did you create the cover for Dragon Stones?
I wanted a very contemporary children’s book cover design. I did a Google search on “Best children’s book covers 2020”, then I added the words forest and dark to the search. I found about 10 that I liked and based my sketches on those. Then I chose the sketch that popped from the others. Once I had the illustration complete, I added three text designs and posted them in my Children’s Book cover critique group. The edited version based on comments is what made the cover. It’s a process I use often.
What drew you to becoming a children’s author?
I was drawn to creating children’s books during my time at The School of Visual Arts in New York. I loved the illustration work I was seeing in children’s books and it strongly influenced art. Then, once I had children I was reading so many children’s books all the time that I began writing them, and other stories for young people.
Will there be other books with Aunt Edwina, if so when will it be available?
I do have another book planned but it may be a year or two as I have several books scheduled before that one. That title is called “Forever Snowman,” and I am hoping it won’t be too long before I get to it.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
The Dragon in The Closet, Dragon’s Journey: Issue #3
The Dragon in The Closet, Dragon’s Journey issue number three sees the Dragon take flight. Dragon is flying north to help Orin face his monsters and defeat his family curse. In route Orin must survive being attacked by a tree and cave imps if he’s ever to reach the Ghostwood Tree. Meanwhile, Lucy and Nana set off to meet up with Dragon and Orrin and face their own dangers. They face a shapeshifting lion in The Candy Cottage where Lucy must gather her courage to face the lion. Will they reach their destination or will they succumb to the horrors of the forest?
This is a wonderfully imaginative children’s comic book that moves quickly. Each page has edge to edge artwork that has a consistent artistic style throughout. Each piece is a delightful sketch art piece that captures the emotion of all the characters in each scene. I liked the artwork that accompanied the opening to ‘How to Kidnap a Dragon’ because I felt that it really captures the adventure inherent in this intrepid story, and it was well drawn as well.
This is issue three in the series and readers are dropped right into the middle of the action, so if you haven’t read issues one and two then I would recommend you do so. This is a very creative story and I never knew where the story would go. Monsters pop up nearly every other page, even a sweet old lady hides something dangerous, and the children are learning something new about the world and their past. The bits of backstory and lore that is slowly revealed in this story is intriguing and I can’t wait to uncover the rest in future issues.
The Dragon in The Closet, Dragon’s Journey: Issue #3 takes readers on a lively adventure through a magical realm where, it seems, anything can happen. Readers will be enthralled with this quick fantasy comic book that captures the imagination with charming artwork and an interesting use of magic. If you’re looking for a fun young adult comic book then I highly recommend Carolyn Watson Dubisch’s entertaining series.
Pages: 72 | ASIN : B0B3897FT7
Sofia Gama and the Templar’s Prophecy
From the country of Portugal comes a fresh new take on the genre of middle-grade fantasy. In the days of the Templars, heroes bravely sacrifice everything to seal away a deadly threat. But the forces of evil are not so easily extinguished. The insidious force remains, seeking to one day overthrow all that is good in the world.
Sofia Gama, a Portuguese schoolgirl in the modern day, soon learns that she is a part of this mysterious world of magic and mystery and will have her own part to play in saving the world from utter annihilation. However, when the truth of her story comes forward too quickly, Sofia must harness the strength within her spirit to do what is right and protect those she loves.
Translated from its original Portuguese, Sofia’s story is a fantasy adventure that thinks outside the box. A tale is woven over a thousand years of world events, the interplay of the fantastic and historical meld together perfectly. The historical information was, in most respects, correct. However, as this book was originally in another language, there are a few interestingly translated words throughout. Additionally, I was nearly a quarter of the way through the book before Sofia’s part of the story truly began.
Once the book takes off, it is a nonstop rollercoaster of an adventure. Sofia and her best friends Eduardo, Joana, and Filipe face dangerous magic, evil henchmen, and despicable bullies. The descriptions of the Portuguese coast and school life, something an American audience seldom gets to see, were the best moments of this story. Add that to the unique perspective of a magical world where there is no separation between the sacred and the secular, and you get an incredible adventure that’s as out of the box as it gets. From hardcore single dad Miguel to the spunky Joana, the characters in this narrative are as vibrant and memorable as the colors of the rainbow.
A tale of faith, family, and friendship, Sofia Gama and the Templar’s Prophecy by Isabel Ricardo is a thrilling young adult fantasy novel. This in-depth book is perfect for avid readers who crave something new and great for ages 12 and up due to fantasy violence, fatalities, and mild language. An original take on an established genre, Sofia’s story is packed full of surprises and suspense in a truly unforgettable story.
Pages: 417 | ISBN : 1949868605
Dragon Stones
A brother and sister are stuck visiting their aunt’s house; while listening to the grown-ups talk, they grow antsy and bored. Finally, they are told to go play outside and eagerly run out the door. Heading into the nearby forest, they find a path leading to a spooky pond. They start skipping rocks, but the stones come flying back at them! Not only are rocks come back from the pond, but they are also hot and burn to the touch. So the two set off around the pond to investigate the cause of the mysterious rocks. What will they find lurking in the mist?
Dragon Stones by author Carolyn Watson Dubisch has written an excellent picture book illustrated in a whimsical comic book style. The characters are entertaining and relatable for young to preteen children. Ron and Lizzy are your typical children, and they eagerly set off on an adventure to cure the boredom of sitting around talking about lawns. The children’s curiosity is contagious, and readers will want to race around after them to find out how the rocks are returning to them and with a pattern on them as well.
I enjoyed the story’s direction; I just wanted more. I feel like Aunt Edwina could have presented so much more to the story and that the climactic moment was cut short. There is a lot of potential in this character, and I hope readers will get to see more of Aunt Edwina as I think she has a lot of mystery sounding her. Her ending comments will leave readers asking questions, and hopefully, there will be another children’s book to answer that question.
Dragon Stones is a magical children’s fantasy story that captivates young readers. The illustrations are bold and well done, the characters relatable, and the story is interesting. This is a great children’s book for a classroom library.
Pages: 41 | ASIN : B09YR5RRBP
Johari The Great
Johari has an incredible imagination and absolutely loves to write. He has put his skills to use writing an amazing story for his school’s writing contest. His patience grows thin as he waits anxiously for the moment in his day when he can share his sure-fire winning story with his classmates. Johari is convinced the tale he has woven will catch the attention of his friends and classmates, not to mention the contest’s judges. When the moment comes, Johari takes the stage with all the confidence and support one young fifth grader could ever hope to have.
Johari the Great, by Naomi V. Dunsen-White, is the sweet story of one elementary student who has an incredibly supportive and loving family and is especially gifted when it comes to using his imagination to write creatively. Dunsen-White’s main character, Johari, is a great role model for young readers. He shows all the qualities of a self-motivated and self-confident young boy.
I was particularly impressed with the book’s focus on the writing contest. As a teacher, I loved seeing the excitement of not only the main character but the other students in the classroom. This is a wonderful way to encourage students to delve into writing for enjoyment and share with peers.
Johari the Great, is a phenomenal children’s book with a positive message. Included at the end of Johari’s story is a fantastic resource for parents and teachers, which makes this book even more valuable to readers. Dunsen-White’s precious story will make a great addition to any classroom or school library.
Pages: 40 | ASIN : B08PTL62CP
Kindreds
Kindreds is the impassioned story of a girl who has experienced tragedy. When trying to adapt and make something of herself, a boy from her past comes back into her life. Together they experience the magic of Carnival Nolianna.
Lilah lost her parents and her twin brother, Aiden, in an accident when she was younger. She lived with her Grandma Pea until recently, when she passed away. Lilah was placed in a home with only 22 months left until she aged out of the foster care system.
While staying with this family, she is introduced to Joey, who is being fostered next door. Joey was Aiden’s best friend growing up and recognized Lilah as soon as they were introduced. Being reconnected has brought up painful feelings from the past and has formed a deep bond between them. This emotional turmoil is explored in deep and meaningful ways throughout the story and I really enjoyed it because B.B. Russell uses it to establish characters, motivations and connections seamlessly. Lilah is introduced to many other kids in the system at her new school. Sebastian, one of Joey’s friends, quickly takes a liking to Lilah and is always trying to provoke her. The three of them form a friendship with both boys trying to get Lilah’s attention. Each of them is unique and intriguing and readers will enjoy seeing their characters evolve as the story progresses.
One night Lilah follows Joey to a hangout she wasn’t invited to. Sebastian notices her following and invites her to join them. Lilah then finds herself looking at a full-blown carnival. Carnival Nolianna only exists for a select number of nights out of the year and only those who are invited can come. This feels so magical and exotic and I was excited when I learned about the carnival. On the last night, ten selected participants will become members of the carnival “Nolies” and live there until a certain age. Each person chosen has a unique set of skills that will benefit the community and the person they are matched with. Joey has always wanted to join and is enjoying every moment spent in Nolianna. Lilah on the other hand is curious as to how everything works and doesn’t quite believe everything she is being told. This helps to ground the story. The dynamic between Lilah, Joey, and Sebastian shifts as she uncovers the truth behind Nolianna. This situation created a lot of intrigue and was one of the reasons I kept coming back to this book.
The writing style in this enchanting young adult romance novel is engaging and fluid throughout. The plot moves quickly, maybe because I was more than willing to follow the intriguing characters. The relationships between characters were interesting, especially the love triangle with the three main characters. The layering of storylines added surprising depth to the book.
B.B. Russell has written a heartfelt story in a creative world with compelling characters. I enjoyed this magical teen mystery story and I can’t wait for more stories in this world because I feel like there is so much more left to explore.
Pages: 319 | ASIN: B098FGHLRM
LITERARY TITAN 