This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Born to a loving mother with little money, but an abundance of imagination she shared with C. S. during long walks, bike rides before helmets, and nightly readings from mountains of books. Stories of giants and elves, mythical beasts and powerful maidens filled the world of C. S. from the earliest of memories.
After finishing graduate school, C. S. O'Kelly sold off all five possessions, purchased a 1974 Ford 19 foot motorhome and went north. After ten years in SE Alaska, C. S. landed in warmer climes on a small ranch in Northern California where crafting stories and storyworlds seemed as natural as raising organic free range chickens (named after Stars Wars characters) for eggs only.
To this day, C. S. travels the world, but always comes back to the small ranch with a home built with C. S.'s own hands near San Francisco, California. The philosophy that we enter the world with innate, powerful and beautiful imaginations is the core for all of C. S. O'Kelly's works and a belief that permeates all things C. S.
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
The Adventures of Gracie & MonkeyBear: Winter, Book 2 is a children’s picture book written by C.S. O'Kelly and illustrated by Jordy Farrell. Gracie and MonkeyBear loved having adventures, and so Gracie was thrilled to announce that there had been a visitor to their backyard the night before. Snow was lying thick on the ground as the two explorers started to examine the evidence, and they could hear strange sounds coming from the corner of the yard where there was a pile of shoveled snow. Approaching more closely, they noticed that a tunnel had been dug into the snow and the noises were coming from inside. They climbed inside and discovered a yeti, who was understandably quite concerned about his yak. Yomo Yak had made that classic error of judgment and licked the ice. Now, his tongue was stuck, and there was nothing Yeshi Yeti could do to help his friend. Gracie, however, had a plan, and she was quite sure it would work. Solving problems like this one was all in a day’s work for her and MonkeyBear.
C.S. O'Kelly’s children’s picture book, The Adventures of Gracie & MonkeyBear: Winter, Book 2, is a picture book that deftly interweaves fantasy, humor and kid-size steampunk fantasy. Once I discovered, along with them, the yak with his tongue stuck to the ice, I couldn’t help but revisit in my mind the classic movie, The Christmas Story, and feel once again that uncanny blend of humor and pity at the poor yak’s plight. This book also provides yet another compelling reason why all kids should have a dog as their companion. Gracie and MonkeyBear’s friendship is a marvel to behold, and their adventures show how incredibly well they work together as a team. And it’s all about teamwork and compassion and ingenuity. Jordy Farrell’s illustrations are marvelous and highlight the Jules Verne-like atmosphere that makes this book so special. The flying sled is marvelous, and its occupants even more so. Designed to get kids and adults dreaming and imagining, this book does its job perfectly. The Adventures of Gracie & MonkeyBear: Winter, Book 2 is most highly recommended.
