The story catcher

The Story Catcher
Author: Donna L Martin

 

 Please note: to look inside this book you will need to go to Amazon as linked below.

It was the only way I could get a picture to link to my blog post today.

Thank you Amazon

 

 

 

I was offered the opportunity to read this book as part of a blog tour.  I am pleased I said yes to this book.  It is precious!  The illustrations are fantastic!  I will read this book over and over due to the illustrations and moral content of the story.  The story has a catchy repititon that young children will love.  Be warned... it is a book you may have to read over and over again.  BUT, you will really enjoy it.  It's not too wordy or too long, so reading it over again and again will do you no harm.  It comes with the added recommendation of my children which is always a bonus.  The blurb below tells the story well along with the addition I will add, that their is a connection to reading, learning and faith. 

 

I give this book a definate 5 star rating.  Grab a copy from amazon for on your phone or tablet and have a lovely book to read to your little ones while waiting anywhere.  It will brab their attention and you too, will enjoy the precious little Addie, as she tries to catch her own story.

 

 

Blurb:

 

Addie comes from a long line of readers, or “story catchers,” as her family likes to call themselves. Every time Addie tries to catch a story on her own, though, the words play tricks on her. Addie tries everything she can think of to corral those wiggly letters, but it  will take a little faith to become the next STORY CATCHER.

This is available from:

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00PHJRVG0

Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.com/0990908542

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-story-catcher-donna-l-martin/1120753878?ean=9780990908548

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/492614

 

THE STORY CATCHER FAN CLUB: Fan club membership includes:

Membership Certificate

Bi-monthly Newsletter full of mazes, puzzles, games, news and other goodies

Reading log for earning Story Catcher Award

Short story starring YOU!

http://donasdays.blogspot.com/p/story-catcher-fan-club.html

 

TRAILER LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvuB8FQXcmM

 or use Embed code: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DvuB8FQXcmM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

AUTHOR BIO:

By day, Donna L. Martin is a Fourth Degree TaeKwonDo Black Belt; by night, she is a self-proclaimed “ninja author” of picture books, middle grade chapter books, and young adult novels. Somewhere amidst all this excitement, she also created the Free Author Promotion event that takes place every May during the Children’s Festival of Reading. Donna loves laughter, snuggling with her cat, and reading good books. To get a sneak peak of what it was like growing up among the swamps of southern Louisiana, check out Tales from the Bayou on her blog at www.DonnaLMartin.com.

Linked

Linked

Author: Imogen Howson

ISBN: 978-1-78206-185-4

Pages: 359

She thought she was an only child.  She thought her world was safe. She was wrong.

This was totally different from what I would normally pick up and read.  I am glad I did.  It was a page turner because it was different.  I found it intreging and strangely realistic.

Elissa has dreams that cause severe pain.  As she prepares for brain surgery she discovers she has a twin and it is her pain she can fell as the twin links into her mind.   Elissa finds her bruised, battered and terrified.  She has to help her, but this lead the two on the run from the government.  The chase is no ordinary chase and it takes them to space and beyond as they find secrets of Lin's life and potential future. 

This book goes down as a book I would not have picked up and read unless it had be given to me and highly recommended.  Thank you to my Aunty who handed me several books to read over my holiday break.  I sat in sun and read, while totally forgetting any deadlines or responsibilities... I was on holiday, that's what one is meant to do.  It grabbed from the first few pages and from there didn't fail to keep me interested and in suspense.  I actually recommend reading this.  It is not like many of the books that are similar to the next one on the self at the bookstore.

This was available from: Book Depository, Fishpond and Amazon.

http://www.bookdepository.com/Linked-Imogen-Howson/9781782061854

http://www.amazon.com/Linked-Imogen-Howson/dp/1442446560/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420759367&sr=8-2&keywords=imogen+howson

http://www.fishpond.co.nz/Books/Linked-Imogen-Howson/9781782061854

Unraveled is the sequel.  I haven't read this yet but intend to. 

Leave a comment if you have read this one and let me know if it is as good as the first.

 

Guardian of the underworld: Underworld chronicles

Guardian of the Underworld
Author: Rachel Tetley
Ebook

 

Fantastic! My favorite childrens book for 2014

Rachel Tetly is a mother of five children, blogger of thenaughtykitchen.wordpress.com (check this out for quick yummy recipes), and the author of Guardian of the Underworld.  I have been one of the lucky ones that received a copy of this superb book from Rachel.  Myself and my children are hooked and hanging on for the next book! 

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

Two worlds.  Neither can exist without the other.  And one guardian to ensure their survival.  But a family with a score to settle forces one boy, into a dangerous adventure

Jake Summers is an ordinary boy with an ordinary family- so he thinks. He has just spent another summer holidays building dens in the woods with his best friend Paul. But when someone special unexpectedly dies, Jake is determined to find out the truth, unaware that it will change his life forever.

He discovers a key to Grandpa’s forbidden room, and is plunged into a long-forgotten magical world, together with class mate Arianna Brown and a strange creature called Noggin. Stormy seas, underground carts pulled by Golden Eagles and a dragon all stand in his way. He must race against time to fulfil an ancient magical prophecy and save the world.

 

 

I read this book aloud to my kids and they loved it.  They could not wait for me to pick it up again the next day.  It was just as good to read aloud as the Nania books.  The characters were realistic and we found ourselves just as much a part of their journey as they were.  The plot was easy to follow and well structured.  The language...  absolutely fantastic!  The language is in the ranking of the descriptive voice of the Nania series.  My children commented frequently on the language in this novel.  It was what enticed them the most.  My boy said he loved this book because he could see the story and characters in his mind.  I have been looking for a series like this for him, forever.  He doesn't always find it easy to comprehend what he reads as he doesn't envision the story.  But well done Rachel, you achieved this and I will definitely be giving him the rest of your books to read! 

 

I found this book to have great family values and there was a link to the benefits of forgiveness.  If all the series has the same values, I will continue to blog the series as I can get my hands on them.  It is good to see a children's book that has children addressing their parents with respect. 

 

Now awaiting the next book in this series...

This was available from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Guardian-Underworld-Chronicles-Rachel-Tetley-ebook/dp/B00LA1HGWS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420962050&sr=8-1&keywords=guardian+of+the+underworld

 

 

Rachel's blog if you want to know more about her or try out her recipes which are also worth looking at:   http://thenaughtykitchen.wordpress.com/

 

 



A year down yonder

 

A Year Down Yonder

Author: Richard Peck

ISBN: 978-0-14-230070-1

Pages: 130

 

 

Mary Alice's childhood summers in Grandma Dowdel's sleepy Illinois town had been packed with enough surprises and drama to fill the double bill of any picture show.  But now she is fifteen and faces a whole long year with Grandma, a woman well-known for sharking up her neighbors - and everyone else?  All Mary Alice can know for certain is this: when trying to predict how life with Grandma might turn out... better not.

 

This book made me giggle.  The antics of Grandma were fantastic.  She was such a character, you had to keep reading.  For example: she was allowed all the nuts from a neighbors tree that fell to the ground, so the drove into the tree.  They fell, they were hers!  This lady had a way of fixing everything, and the community let her away with everything.  The school bully loses her horse and shoes, they survive a tornado... Read the book and take Mary Alice's journey through a year with Grandma.  You will be delighted.

 

Written in first person from Mary Alice's experiences I can see why this book is a John Newbery medal winner.

 

This book carries the approval and recommendation of my daughter :-)

 

This was available from: Book Depository, Fishpond, Sonlight and Amazon

 

http://www.bookdepository.com/Year-Down-Yonder-Richard-Peck/9780756913137

 

http://www.fishpond.co.nz/Books/Year-Down-Yonder-Richard-Peck-Don-Freeman/9780142300701

 

https://www.sonlight.com/130-94.html

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=a+year+down+yonder

 

 

A chaper book that will be enjoyed by all ages, but easy enough for the young independant reader