Percy And The Plod - Book Review

PERCY AND THE PLOD
By: T.B. Dockter

T.B. Dockter has introduced us to the fictional town of Yoosa that is full of quirky characters. This farming community is full of happiness and sunshine until the sun begins to get farther and farther away. The small boy, Percy, and his dog Dilly journey to the top of Amethyst Mountain in hopes that he can pull the sun back to its rightful place making Yoosa a good place to live again.

You will fall in love with Percy and Dilly. Using the Percy Method of Steady Plodding, we cheer for him when he accomplishes his goal and returns home a hero.

This book is an imaginative, fun read and teaches the meaning of setting a goal, having the courage to commit to that goal and accomplishing it. Percy and the Plod is the lead book in the Percy Veerance Adventure Series Trilogy. This is a book young people will find charming and funny while learning lessons that are sprinkled throughout.
T.B. Dockter has written a series of books that will be loved by young people and occupy space on many bookshelves for years to come. Congratulations Ms. Dockter

Other Countries/Other Worlds - Book Review

Other Countries/Other Worlds
“Fantasy and Fiction for Adults”
By Louis Fried

This is a delightful collection of stories that hold your attention and imagination. The characters in each story are unique, one-of-a-kind and they pull you into their world never letting go until the end.

Mr. Fried takes the reader on an around the world journey full of his characters and their adventures that remain with you long after the story has ended. Each story is just long enough to enjoy when you have short blocks of time for reading.
Other Countries/Other Worlds is a book that is hard to put down, a must read. Congratulations to Mr. Fried for writing an extremely enjoyable adult fantasy/fiction book

He's Not Autistic, But... - Book Review

He’s Not Autistic, But. . . by Teena Merchant

Teena Merchant has written a very timely, amazing book that allows us to share the struggles she has gone through with her son, Clay.

This family’s struggle to find the reasons for her tiny son’s illness is heroic. After going to countless medical professionals and finding no solution for her son’s illness, she persevered and finally found that alternative medicine was able to diagnose and treat her son thereby keeping him from regressive Autism.

Every parent of a young child should read this book. It gives hope to others who may be going through undiagnosed problems with their own children.

Congratulations Ms. Merchant.

Three Grin Salad - Book Review

Three Grin Salad ‘A Recipe for a Happy and Healthy Life’ by Aja King

Three Grin Salad is a delightful book that introduces healthy living and eating habits to young children.

Tucked within the pages between her favorite recipes of grins, gratitude, peace, love and joy. Aja tells of her daily life and how she uses good sleeping and eating habits, lots of fresh air and play to be a healthy, happy kid.

Illustrator Lisa Taron has cleverly drawn images that keep the story moving and pulls the reader along.

Three Grin Salad is a lovely book written by a ten year old that will find its audience of other young children wanting to know more about how this talented young author lives.
Congratulations

Laura And The Leprechauns - Book Review

LAURA AND THE LEPRECHAUNS by Amber T. Kingston

Amber T. Kingston has written and illustrated a beautiful, charming book that will entertain young readers for years to come. It is a timeless story of belief in Leprechauns and how a little girl’s wish came true.

The illustrations are beautifully drawn and the illustrator’s ability to overlay drawings on photographs to help tell the story is enchanting. A technique that definitely enhances the book. It helps the reader become involved with Laura.

The writing is age appropriate and has great descriptions and settings that are the cornerstone of authors writing children’s books. Ms. Kingston has used superb dialogue that helps bring the characters to life.

This story will touch your heart and leave you feeling happier after reading it. A gentle reminder that by believing, anything is possible. Laura and the Leprechauns is a story that can be read any time of the year. A delightful book for children.

Ms. Kingston is a new voice in the marketplace of children’s literature. Don’t’ forget her name as your child will want any further books from this multi-talented author.

WACKY DAYS! - Book Review

WACKY DAYS! ‘How to Get Millions of $$$ in Free Publicity by Creating a ‘Real’ Holiday & Other Tactics Used by Media Experts’ by T.S. Peric

WACKY DAYS! Is a book that leads you through the many steps you can take to obtain huge amounts of free publicity.

Anyone who has a business/product/book is sure to find this will become their Bible to return to time and again gleaming nuggets of information from it’s pages.

The author uses examples from his own experiences to show how it can be done. The information can be easily adapted to fit your need for publicity.
An interesting and entertaining read that is a definite keeper which will sit on my reference shelf to be used whenever I am doing publicity. In my opinion, Tom Peric’s WACKY DAYS! does for publicity what Dan Poynter does for self-publishing

Do You Know Why Butterflies Fly? - Book Review

Do You Know Why butterflies Fly? By Tom McWhirter

Tom McWhirter has written a book that gives courage and hope. The beautiful poetic prose allows the story to flow in graceful movement that mimics the flight of the butterfly.

The story comes alive through the voice of the master butterfly. He takes the reader through the life span of a butterfly showing how they can live their lives being courageous and taking chances for a better life or they can hide living in fear of change. The story encourages children and children at heart to take chances and live their life to the fullest by simply having the courage and faith to believe in oneself.

The illustrations enhance the story through their vibrancy, beauty, and bold colors. This is a book for children and adults alike that encourages all to look at their world differently making choices for a better, more fulfilling life.

My congratulations to the author for writing a beautiful and timely book.

Healing Katrina - Book Review

Healing Katrina ‘Volunteering in Post-Hurricane Mississippi’ by Timothy H. Warkneka

Timothy Warneka has written a powerful book about volunteering in Post-Katrina Mississippi. I thought I would be reading a book, like so many others, that showed the devastation throughout the Gulf region and how the survivors responded. However, what I found was something quite different.

This author takes the reader along with him as a mental health professional meeting various needs. What amazed me was not only did he help the survivors, he also allowed the reader to see and observe how it impacted the volunteers.

People who volunteer to help in major disasters do so with their hearts, never thinking of how the mental shock and stress of the situation will affect their lives. This book shows Mr. Warneka responding t and helping the volunteers deal with their displacement, living conditions, and the sheer emotional drain of helping their fellow humans under the most serious of conditions.
This is a must read journal that lets you see how the volunteers manage to survive in the day to day world of helping others restore their lives without letting it tear apart their own. I encourage anyone thinking of volunteering in times of disaster to first read this journal. Those who are not able to volunteer will also find this an excellent read as its impact is an area not normally thought about or discussed.

Congratulations, Mr. Warneka, for keeping a journal of your time as a volunteer and sharing it with the world. It shows us the strength, compassion and human kindness of the volunteers.

Chasing Lewis and Clark Across America - Book Review

Chasing Lewis and Clark Across America 'A 21st Century Aviation Adventure'


This is one of the best books I have seen and read in a very long time. The history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition comes alive within the pages of this book.

The ultimate beauty of the aerial shots of the landscape photographs takes your breath away. You are surprised at the supreme beauty of our vast country. I was amazed that most Americans seldom see such untamed beauty. These photographs capture your heart and you are in awe at the challenge that the Corp of Discovery undertook and accomplished so many years ago.

The narrative keeps you fascinated with the various types of people the ground crew met while following the trails of Lewis and Clark. Through their eyes we are allowed to see how people today live and how their lives are shaped by the geography of the area.

This book is a feast for your eyes and a treasure trove of intersting facts. It is a book everyone interested in our country should see and read. Geographers, historians, and teachers should use this book in their classrooms.

The authors have done much more than journey in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, they have touched the hearts of those who have read the book. My sincere congratulations to the authors for taking a 21st century aviation adventure showing us the beauty of our country. This is a must have, must see and read book that you will return to time after time.

10,000 White Horses - Book Review

10,000 White Horses is one of the cutest books I've read in a long time. Betsy B. Lee has captured the imagination within every young child. It is a beautiful story written in poetic verse.

Each of us who remembers our youth laying in the grass on long, lazy summer days looking at the clouds in the sky and finding animal, people, and flower clouds will be pleasantly surprised by Ms. Lee's ability to capture horses in the surf of the ocean as her "clouds."

The use of rhyming words allows the reader to see and feel the roar of the ocean as the pounding of the horses running in the surf. They are playfully running, dashing, crashing, skirting, flirting, proceeding, and receeding in constant motion with the sea. The young girl in the story hears the houses calling her to 'come play.' The symbolism and imagery both effectively pull the reader into the story from the start.

Ms. Lee uses descriptions of the sea such as 'sinking in the valley, restless mountains, and salty taste of the foam' to describe the sea as it rolls to shore.

This is a charming book that is disarmingly simple in its design yet complex in its thoughts, descriptions, and meanings. It is a book that children will delight in reading and adults will appreciate while sitting at the beach watching their 10,000 white horses cavort, play, and stampede to shore.

This is an unabashed call from Ms. Lee for people of all ages to use their imaginations to see life around them in a different perspective.

A Basic Guide to Writing, Selling, and Promoting Children's Books - Book Review

"A Basic Guide to Writing, Selling, and Promoting Children's Books" plus Information about Self-Publishing by Betsy B. Lee

Ms. Lee has put together a book that is full of information to help an aspiring author write, market, promote, and sell a children's book. It is an overview of how-to get your book published.
She takes you through the process step-by-step so you can make the choice which path to take to publication, from traditional to self-publishing. Ms. Lee includes chapters on how to format your manuscript, how to make a good first impression for publishers and how to grab and keep a readers interest.

The end of the book features two appendixes that focus on writers organizations and magazines as well as a list of books that will be helpful to writing and publishing your book.

A small book that has all you need to help you along the path to publishing your children's book. Ms. Lee has done a superb job.

Let's Eat Out! - Book Review

Let's Eat Out! "Your Passport to Living Gluten and Allergy Free" by Kim Koeller & Robert La France

What an amazing book! It is packed full of current information to help people who have Gluten and allergy problems.

These authors went the full mile in putting together this useful guide that takes you through seven different cuisines and how to be aware of what's in the foods and what you can eat. It also has a fabulous section on beverages and meal selections as well as airline foods. Tucked in the Appendix is a Global Resource and Reference Listing.

If you are living with Gluten and allergy problems, "Let's Eat Out!" will become your Bible of information to help you live a much healthier, happier life. Congratulations to the authors for such a complete, concise, research book.

Real Success Without A Real Job - Book Review

Real Success Without A Real Job 'There is no life like it' by Ernie J. Zelinski

Real Success Without A Real Job is a book full of ways to attain your dream job or way of life without working in the 9 to 5 corporate world.

The author leads you through his experiences as well as other ordinary individuals who have found success in their life on their own terms. He touches on such topics as self-employment, friendship, how to identify your life calling, marketing your own business and learning that financial freedom does not have to be just a dream.

Throughout the book are lists and questions to think about as you decide if this is the way you'd like to live your life. Mr. Zelinski also liberally sprinkles the pages with quotes from people that help you define what you are looking for in life.

This is a book that brings together all the questions and thoughts you might have been thinking about for a long time - how to have your dream job and the freedom to do it so your life can become what you want. It is an uplifting book and one that will grace my shelves permanently. "Real Success" is a must read for anyone who is longing for a change in their lives and/or careers. Congratulations Mr. Zelinski for writing this inspiring book.

Spirit Circle - Book Review

Spirit Circle by Mr. Hal Zina Bennett is a work of spiritual fiction that follows the Native American Shamanic revelations to guide the main character from the rational world to the invisible reality of the dream world.

The story is full of intrigue, tension, and characters that hold your interest from the first page to the last.

"Spirit Circle" is a well-written, thoughtful, informative book of ideas and information on how you can find peace, strength, or power through dreaming. It teaches you how to see beyond your own confilicts and passion to find universal wisdom that helps transcend self-involvement. "The shaman's stories remind us to look and listen through the eyes and ears of other people."

This is a beautiful book that lingers with you long after you finish reading it. It allows you to open your mind and heart to the people and world beyond us. Spirit Circle is a book that you will read many times to find more nuggets of information that will help enrich your life.

Underdog Advertising - Book Review

Underdog Advertising 'Proven Principles to Compete & Win Against the Giants in Any Industry' by Paul W. Flowers.

Underdog Advertising is a unique book written with the small business in mind. It shows how the small business can take proven marketing principles and compete in the marketplace and win.

The author opens the book with the tale of David and Goliath. Just as in the old story, David represents the small business and Goliath is the giant advertising agencies.

The underdog principle consists of the Underdog Advantage Principles, the Big Dog Branding Process, and the Junkyard Dog Execution. The Underdog Advantage Principles goes into depth on the ten foundation principles that guide the development of marketing strategies and tactics to help your business compete and win. It teaches you how to consistently deliver creative, nontraditional ways to win the high ground with limited responses. Big Dog Branding Process is essential so your business can carve out a niche in your chosen field and puts your company in the minds of your customers. The Junkyard Dog Execution shows you how to find unique ways to stand out from the crowd and how to implement them.

David and Goliath are revisited as a review of how to use all three of the disciplines to help your business compete and win advertising spots against the Goliaths. To help you put the principles and disciplines into action, the author provides a workbook at the end that takes you through each ten principles. Also included are branding worksheets that allow you to find your target prospect, define it and validate it.

Every small business should have this book in their libraries so they can follow Mr. Flower's principles to help them define an advertising campaign that will reap benefits for their business.

This is a book that will be used over and over again. A must have keeper for your business.

What Do I Do Now? The Woman's Guide to a New Career - Book Review

What Do I Do Now? The Woman's Guide to a New Career by Jan Cannon, PH.D.

This book is primarily written for the women who are experiencing mid-life choices.

The author leads the reader through many self-evaluation lists on how you are doing at mid-life and what direction you want to go in the next phase of your life. There are self-assessments that help you decide if you prefer a job, start a business, go back to school or become a volunteer.

Ms. Cannon provides resource lists for finding or creating a support group to help you with your decision. There is also resource lists for companies directories, non-traditional jobs, volunteer organizations, non-profit groups, as well as how to start your own business.

"What Do I Do Now?" is a well-written, thoughtful, informative book full of ideas and informative book full of ideas and information that can guide women who are looking for a change in their life in the direction they need to go. Dr. Cannon's book is a must read book.

Hypoglycemia (The Other Sugar Disease) - Book Review

Anita Flegg's book, "Hypoglycemia: The Other Sugar Disease", is a timely, must have book that everyone should read.

The author wanted to share the knowledge she learned from experts in the field, as she is a fellow hypoglycemic. The book mainly covers chronic Hypoglycemia and how you can control and live with it by making changes in your lifestyle and diet.

The beginning of each chapter showcases a person with the disease and their story. "Hypoglycemia" defines what the disease is, the cause and effects of it as well as how to recognize the symptoms that may point to a diagnosis.

An informative, useful, step-by-step workbook is included. It gives you a symptom checklist and teaches you how to track your eating habits by using a journal. You are shown how to change when and what you eat, reduce your sugar intake and find hidden sugars in foods.

This is a well-researched book that lists all of Ms. Flegg's sources. She also supplies the list of organizations where a hypoglycemic can find support groups. This is a book everyone can benefit from as they take care of their health. A definite help and one you will turn to time after time in your quest for a better life.

Congratulations Mr. Flegg for giving the public a definitive book on the disease.

Classroom Under Construction - Book Review

Classroom Under Construction by Rich Grimes

Classroom Under Construction is filled with practical thoughts and ideas that will help teachers develop student-friendly principles and become caring and loving teachers. It takes the reader through ways of discovering and implementing effective instruction. The author uses the book in hopes of conveying methods, techniques, and strategies that will allow teachers to do their jobs better.

Mr. Grimes leads you through the process of defining your personal teaching philosophy that will become the basis as to how you teach and apply yourself in the classroom. The book shows how the correct use of a person's name can make a difference in how they respond to you. It allows the teacher and student to establish respect for each other as well as leading to a road of understanding that helps facilitate learning.

Classrooms are seen as a community 'under construction' where the teacher is the contractor and the student the sub-contractor with each depending on the other to complete the job of providing a culture in the classroom that is conducive to learning. Another suggestion to help children learn is by allowing participation in the process by keeping them engaged throughout classoom jobs.

"Classroom Under Construction" is a book that will refresh, enlighten, and excite educators. Mr. Grimes takes the many issues in the classroom and gives ideas and suggestions on how to make teaching and learning better for all involved. It is a book all educators should have in their personal, professional library. It is a must read, win-win book.

HE IS NOT LEFT BEHIND...He is with me! - Book Review

HE IS NOT LEFT BEHIND...He is with me! ( Preparing for Legacy. Vol. 1) by Brenda A. Jenkins & Dr. Loretta J. Martin

This is a unique book that challenges parents to become involved in their children's lives by becoming a lighthouse for them. In so doing, the children learn how to better navigate their lives through the complexities of today's world.

Building on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the reader is asked to think of parenting in a pyramid concept. The bottom tier forms the solid foundation, the second tier prepares the child for solid bonding, the third tier prepares your child for leaving the next and the fourth tier represents your goal of producing a legacy of healthy offspring through your child.

The authors present a different approach to parenting. One that all parents can take golden nuggets from to help them become involved parents and rise to the challenge of being leaders their children can learn from and hopefully become a well adjusted, successful person in their family and the world.

The Ballad of Blue Eagle - Book Review

The Ballad of Blue Eagle is a charming book that tells the story of a blue eagle that protects the animal friends in the Peaceful Valley. It is a rhyming book that pulls the reader into the story that can teach children the fun of learning how to rhyme words and tell a story.

The book is beautifully illustrated throughout and allows the reader to see the animal friends and become involved in the story. It shows community, friendship and how to work together to help each other when danger is near.

The Ballad of Blue Eagle is a winner of the prestigious Mom's Choice Award from the 'Just For Mom's Foundation.' This is a story that was passed from a father to a son. Then his son, in turn, illustrated the tale.

Steven E. Jones has graciously shared a favorite family story with children that will be a keeper on many shelves to be read often.

In The Light Of The Passing (Book 1) - Book Review

K.C. Berg has penned a novel that fairly bursts from the pages. The characters are alive and vibrant. Her hero/heroine immediately draw you into their stories and keep you reading to watch their story unfold.

This is a story of greed for the ultimate power by the heroine's parents where they throw her into a situation that entangles her life with the plight of the miners working beneath the surface of the planet. The death of the hero's father thrusts him into the leadership of his planet where he is trying to save his people from certain death. In doing so, he inadvertently becomes embroiled in the heroine's planetary problems.

This novel is fast moving, full of intrigue, twists, and turns where the action never stops. It is a beautifully written book that holds you in its clutches and keeps you cheering for the hero/heroine until the last page.

Congratulations to K.C. Berg. This is definitely a keeper.

GRANDLOVING - Book Review

GRANDLOVING "Making Memories with Your Grandchildren" by Sue Johnson & Julie Carlson

"Grandloving" is a delightful, informative book packed full of activities to share with your grandchildren regardless of their age or if you live 'a world away'... or next door. The activities are arranged by themes and 'do together' projects or those that are 'sent to' the grandchild.

This book touches on how families can work together creating new relationships as the children become new parents and the parents move into their next role of grandparents.

More than an activity guide, Grandloving is a beautifully written book full of common sense suggestions that touch upon how everyone can work through everyday interaction, to how special events and holidays can be celebrated that bring families closer for the happiness of the child.

As a first time grandparent, I am thrilled with this book and look forward to sharing many good times and activities with our new grandchild. This is a must read for anyone involved with children and their happiness.

Photographer of the Early West - Book Review

Photographer of the Early West: The Story of Arundel Hull

Eugene Miller has presented the story of his grandfather's travels and life in the American west of the mid to late 1800's.

The essence of Arundel Hull is captured as the story unfolds tracing his life from a young man to elder statesman. The author aptly shows Mr. Hull rushing to meet his destiny as he embarks on his career at the young age of 16. He is on his way to becoming one of America's earliest, prominent photographers.

The reader follows Mr. Hull as he works with the development of photography from the daguerreotype to the early collodian process called ambrotype. In 1860, further improvements to this process came about that allowed photographer's to take their camera and darkroom to the field.

Mr. Hull did just that as he took to the road traveling from Nebraska to Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and back taking pictures to help pay his way as he gained experience. He was also building a good reputation as one of the best photographers in the west. The author states "Arundel Hull's early work caught the country's excitement in the frontier west during the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad. Among the photographs Mr. Hull is credited with are some of the earliest known of the different cities main streets and buildings that show the architecture of the times. "Many of his early photographs were the 'first ever' of the towns that were boom during those years." It is also a time capsule of what businesses were in the towns during his travels. Mr. Miller sprinkles the book with pictures taken by his grandfather.

The author also touches upon the personal life of his grandparent's courtship, marriage, and family. He shows the life of this great man from young entrepreneur interested in photography, to his interest in the volunteer fire services, and finally to elder statesman who has a strong influence in the railroads progress west.

This is a loving tribute from a grandson to his grandfather. Mr. Miller has graciously shared with us the story of the man who devoted his life to photographing the West, giving a pictorial glimpse into America at that time.

It is a well-written, informative book that intrigues you and leaves you wanting to know more about this great American family.

Mulch The Lawnmower - Book Review

Scott Nelson has written a delightful story that introduces young readers to a world of two lawnmowers: Mulch the small, yellow, push mower and Rider, the big, red, riding mower.

The pictures are vibrant colors that capture your attention as you read through the two mowers experiences.

It is a story of friendship, courage, and believing in yourself, as well as being able to dream about and reach your goals. The story allows the reader to see that no matter what task they are assigned, it's okay to be scared as long as they try.

Young readers will be charmed with Mulch and Rider's story. It is a great tale that will become a favorite for many who will return to its pages often.

This is a perfect story for today's children. My compliments go to Mr. Nelson