Book Review: Katrina and Winter - Partners in Courage

Title:                            Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage

Written by:                  Nancy Stewart

Hard cover:                 26 pages

Ages:                           8-12

Publisher:                    Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.

Hard cover ISBN 13:  9781616332426

Published:                   April 2012

Pages:                          26

Print Price:                  $19.94

Connection between living creatures is essential to our soul and well being. Love, understanding, empathy, and a purpose for one’s life certainly helps a person flourish; especially in the face of adversity.

Meet Katrina Simpkins, a special young lady, who strives to be “so called normal” but because of her prosthesis leg she is anything but. That is until the day she meets Winter, a tailless dolphin who resides at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. From the moment Katrina and Winter meet there is an instant bond, which neither time nor distance can break. Inspired by Winter’s own adversity, Katrina’s life is transformed into triumphs to be celebrated.

Visit with Katrina Simpkins and Winter the dolphin in this heartwarming and awe inspiring true life story of how acceptance and love exceeds all.

Visit with Amazon best-selling and award-winning author, Nancy Stewart to learn more about her illustrious writing career and background bringing her passions full circle www.nancystewartbooks.com and www.nancystewartbooks.blogspot.com.

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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with Donna McDine on Google+

The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

Book Review: Just Breeze by Beverly Stowe McClure

Title:                Just Breeze

Written by:      Beverly Stowe McClure

Soft back:        196 pages

Ages:               9-12

Publisher:        4RV Publishing

ISBN:              978-0-9840708-2-4

Published:       November 2009

Price:               $12.99

Breeze Brannigan has high hopes for her last year at Whispering Springs Middle School. It becomes quite clear on the first day nothing has changed, except for her grade level. Unable to tame her wild curly red hair she feels her awkwardness of her height and large feet as she navigates the school hallways and social scene.

Several new students arrive and life changes quickly. For better or worse is the question. The new girl, Allison, becomes the nemesis of Breeze’s best friend, Amy and the new boy, Cam, befriends Breeze. Compared to the other boys at school, Cam stands out with his polite behavior. Breeze is swept away by this unusual boy. Can boys actually behave like humans? He must be from a different country, more like another planet.

Current circumstances and history collide and what Breeze believes to be true is the farthest thing from the truth. Will Breeze be able to keep Cam’s deepest concerns a secret for his protection or will outside forces uncover what should not be revealed?

Step into Breeze’s shoes and delve into her inner most thoughts, her family and friends, and why she is truly blessed. Beverly Stowe McClure provides the reader with such detail and conversation throughout Just Breeze the reader will feel has if they are walking the halls with Breeze and feeling the essence of her life pouring through their veins.

To learn more about Beverly Stowe McClure’s accomplished and fascinating career visit: http://beverlystowemcclure.wordpress.com/

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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with Donna McDine on Google+

The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

Book Review: Alligators Overhead by C. Lee McKenzie

Title:                            Alligators Overhead

Written by:                  C. Lee McKenzie

Pages:                          95

Publisher:                    Outskirts Press

ISBN:                          9781432784737

Published:                   July 2012

If the cover of C. Lee McKenzie’s Alligators Overhead doesn’t lure you in from the onset the title certainly will.

A mysterious mansion reappears one hundred years after its disappearance in the vacant lot next to the house young Pete shares with his Aunt Lizzy, who is his guardian since the death of his parents. As the Hadleyville town folk contemplate why and how the mansion reappeared Pete’s curiosity gets the best of him. Forewarned by Aunt Lizzy not to go near nor enter the mansion drives Pete closer to it instead of convincing him not to enter. Throw in his best friend Weasel and the adventure that ensues will have you turning the pages at light speed.

Unbeknownst to Pete, the Ornofree Swamp is the cause behind the reappearance. A mind blowing experience happens within the walls of the mansion throwing Pete and Weasel into a tailspin of bone frightening chills and unanswered questions. Through his determination to uncover the hidden secrets of Hadleyville, Pete becomes enthralled by the town tellers, the long gone Hadley family or in this case the reappearance of one specific member, Cenzo the head alligator, what his aunt truly is, and what the preservation of Ornofree Swamp means to society, both human and animal.

Will mankind and animal join forces in time to save Ornofree Swamp? Or will it be lost to the destructive nature of a particular construction company intent on taking over Ornofree Swamp for their own purposes? Find out in C. Lee McKenzie’s mesmerizing tale of Hadleyville’s descendents of original witches, magical alligators, and the mysterious mansion.

Ms. McKenzie’s brilliant writing style and knack of making the unbelievable believable will pull the most reluctant reader in from the onset for an adventure like non-other.

About the author: A native Californian, C. Lee McKenzie lives on the edge of a redwood forest with her husband and assorted cats. When she's not writing or blogging she's hiking or practicing yoga. She wrote her first young adult novel, Sliding on the Edge, after reading a news article about "self-abuse" among ivy league students. It was so disturbing to think young people needed to inflict pain on themselves to cope with their lives that she finally had to write about it. It turned out to be a fictionalized account that she hopes offers some insights into the growing problem. Her second novel, The Princess of Las Pulgas, deals with a young girl and her family. They have everything and suddenly nothing. Alligators Overhead is a newly released middle grade novel about magic and some uniquely talented alligators. 

Visit C. Lee McKenzie www.cleemckenziebooks.com/ and www.writegame.blogspot.com/

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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with Donna McDine on Google+
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval Recipient and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

Book Review - Save the Lemmings by Kai Strand

Title:                            Save the Lemmings

Written by:                  Kai Strand

Pages:                          107

Publisher:                    Featherweight Publishing

ISBN:                          9781608207102

Published:                   August 2012

Twelve-year-old Natalie Isabelle Cailean Edwards exerts creativity and integrity that puts most adults to shame. Determined to make her mark on the world through her Texty Talky invention and “saving” the lemmings, Natalie learns from her success and failures how to navigate the ever changing landscape of false perceptions and truth. The adolescent years are difficult enough, but when her sudden fame comes rushing in with the national success of the Texty Talky’s friendships are tested and jealousy rears its ugly head heightening the out lash from the school bully.

False accusations toward Natalie’s good girl image come into question. What can she do to set the record straight without making matters worse? Will her honesty and her positive attitude prevail? Journey along with Natalie to learn if she musters the strength to overcome.

Kai Strand brings forth a wholesome adventure of a young inventor and her adversity to overcome negative perceptions and jealously from others will have the reader cheering for Natalie from the onset.

About the author: Kai Strand writes fiction for children and young adults. Her debut title, THE WEAVER was a finalist in the 2012 EPIC eBook Awards. Her second title, THE WISHING WELL: Another Weaver Tale, is set in the same fictional storytelling village as THE WEAVER. Her middle grade title, SAVE THE LEMMINGS! is contemporary fiction, which surprised even her. Still to come, KING of BAD, is a young adult super villain novel and will be released in 2013. She has several short stories published. Links to current and upcoming short stories can be found on her website. You can also find book related downloads and more information about Kai and her writing at www.kaistrand.com.

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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with Donna McDine on Google+
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval Recipient and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

Book Review: Caves, Cannons and Crinolines by Beverly Stowe McClure

Title: Caves, Cannons and Crinolines

Written by: Beverly Stowe McClure

Ages: 12 and up

Publisher: Twilight Times Books

ISBN: 1-60619-112-8

Published: September 2009

Soft cover: 153 pages

Price: $16.95

The year 1863 finds outspoken, 14-year-old, Lizzie Stamford at a crossroads of what her parents believe to be acceptable behavior for a young lady, and secret desire to join the Confederate Army disguised as a boy. Her two brothers, Willie and Joseph willingly joined the Confederacy to defend Vicksburg from the Yankees and Lizzie longs to be part of the glory. Her blind courage brings her into the midst of a battleground at nighttime. Much to her dismay war is not what she believed it to be. The horrific acts of violence overwhelm her and she runs away as quickly as she arrived.
Her emotions and beliefs that all Yankees are evil is put to the test when an unexpected encounter with a Yankee soldier has her doubting her belief system. Will Lizzie come to terms of the ever changing world and circumstances which surround her? And what is to become of her beloved brothers and the city of Vicksburg?

McClure balances the emotions of the Confederate and Yankee characters with such in-depth feeling the reader will find themselves switching sides throughout the perilous journey of Lizzie Stamford and her family, and their quest to reclaim Vicksburg.

To learn more about Beverly Stowe McClure visit: http://beverlystowemcclure.wordpress.com/


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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm

Middle Grade Book Review ~ Listen to the Ghost by Beverly Stowe McClure

Hello and thanks for stopping by!

Cruise on over to The National Writing for Children Center http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/ and check out my middle grade book review of Beverly Stowe McClure's, "Listen to the Ghost."

While you are there check out all the new instructors that have joined the NWFCC and all the benefits associated with joining this wonderful group.

Have an inspiring day!

Guest Author ~ Lea Schizas, Award-winning author

Lea Schizas, the award-winning author of the Young Adult fantasy/adventure, The Rock of Realm, offers words of encouragement to new writers, and will be available for questions from readers and writers during her blog book tour to begin in February.

She’ll be offering one free eBook of The Rock of Realm to one lucky winner who leaves her a comment/question in each blog visited. For more information on The Rock of Realm or Lea Schizas, link here: http://leaschizaseditor.com/

Please stop back on February 4th...and ask her any questions that you may have.

Also, on February 11th surf on over to my website: http://www.donnamcdine.com/ to read my book review of, The Rock of Realm.

Middle Grade Book Review ~ "The Stone Beach," by Kim Chatel

Surf on over to The National Writing for Children Center - http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com and read my middle grade book review of, "The Stone Beach," by Kim Chatel.

While you are there take the time out to view the website for helpful articles and tips to make your writing career bloom!

Better yet...join the CWCC and be privy to all that the membership has to offer. Such as, weekly critique sessions, weekly assignments to keep you in the writing mode, and so much more.

Middle Grade Book Review ~ "Saving Grace" by Katherine Spencer

Cruise on over to The National Writing for Children Center - http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com and check out my middle grade book review of "Saving Grace," by Katherine Spencer.

While you are there take the time out to view the wonderful writer's resources available through the NWFCC.