What do a dog, a parrot and an opera have in common? When you read Scott Ferrell’s new children’s book “Sing! Sing!", you will find out! I had the joy of meeting Gaston the dog and his best friend Gregorie the bird in Jackie Ferrell's...

"Hide! Hide!" is the third book in Scott Ferrell’s series of e-reader books for children. This time we follow Mr. Marceau’s favorite friends, Springer Spaniel Gaston and Gregorie the parrot in an interesting game of hide and seek. Only Gregorie takes this game on a...

Jodie Renner has done fiction writers a huge favor by compiling her blogs into Fire Up Your Fiction: An Editor’s Guide to Writing Compelling Stories. She covers subjects that can get a story moving and not only draw the reader in, but hold their attention...

Beauty and Chaos - Essays on Tokyo Life: Slices and Morsels of Tokyo Life by Michael Pronko is an exciting book that sheds light on Tokyo. The book takes readers on a trip into the heart of the city, exploring areas in and around Tokyo...

In a unique and interesting love story, Triptych: A Mechanical Romance, a great little read by author Java Davis, we meet Hannah, a young woman who’s just moved across the country to accept a position as the manager of a newsroom. Before she even has...

To say that A Woman Of Vision: A True Story of Courage, Determination, and Vivid Blindness by Joanna Rivera Stark is anything less than an experience worth treasuring would be the understatement of the century. Having lived a life of over ninety years, Betty knew...

Poor Julie. Even though she practices a lot for her upcoming karate test, she just can’t perform in front of other people or animals. She just couldn’t do the flying side kick when others were watching. Her favorite Aunt Mary told Julie about Mister D,...

J.R. Poulter's Cattitudes: A Collection of Cattiverse is a delightful collection of rhyming poetry revolving around that wonderful feline. From big to small, they are all included, from tigers to lions to household kitties, there are even some cameos of dogs and other creatures. The...

Police Detective Barry Marshall can't seem to catch a break. He's worked two major cases and become a victim of identity theft when another case falls into his lap. The problem is that this time it's personal. The perpetrator is targeting individuals who have crossed...

Vroom, vroom, vroom, it's time for a Monster Truck story. My Monster Truck Goes Everywhere With Me by Kathleen Marcath is part of the ASL Picture Book series. The book starts with two pages of illustrated signs used in the book, as well as an...

Moody Moody Cars by Eileen Kennedy-Moore is an absolute delight. Kids that love cars will enjoy the many different vehicles depicted. Pareidolia, which is our tendency to see faces in objects, is used to great effect in this rhyming story. Each spread includes a clever...

Bracan’s Daughter by Michael Calabrese is a fascinating blend of crime fiction, paranormal mystery, and breathtaking adventure. On June 19th, 2023, the eve of the Summer Solstice, the guards of Stonehenge see a flash of blue light charring the grass and the stones. Suspecting vandalism,...

Extraterrestrial Noir by Rich Leder is a combination of science fiction and comedy. The story follows a twelve-year-old genius, Mike Devine, whose already chaotic family life is upended when a mysterious alien device shaped like a boot box crashes into their suburban home. This entity...

Tiffany Higgins created a wonderful story about a childhood happiness in seeing Santa Claus. This story takes me back to the time when I was a child, so filled with happiness in the excitement of Christmas coming. The biggest fear was knowing that there were...

"Curiosity with a Capital S" by Tonya Trimble is written with the 8-12 year olds in mind, but I feel even adults would enjoy this book. It’s the story of Tracy Newton who in the process of moving from her home to a condo finds...

Just like the Jerry Maguire movie line, "You had me at hello," author Gwen Ebner had me at, "Being perfect and complete was not meant to imply that we would never sin, be tempted, or ever make a mistake again." Whew, was that ever...

Leslie and Taylor loved their dance teacher Madame Lumiere and built their self-confidence as she taught them. Madame Lumiere was in her eighties and was one of the oldest dance instructors, yet she was amazing. The lady was from Larkspur and had a slight Irish...

"I'm 5" by Alva Sachs describes a little girl turning five. We are treated to a party with her friends and the excitement of the age milestone. But then, little Julie realizes that the act of turning five years old is not simultaneous with the...

"Monkey Stuff: A Children's Rhyming Counting Book," written and illustrated by Rebecca Bielawski, is an adorable story about a mischievous monkey told while teaching numbers one through ten. Each number represents an object or objects that the monkey steals from an animal or person. The...

Gaston the dog and little Gregorie the bird live in a small town in northern France with their master, Mr. Marceau. The Marceau home is a very happy one, with a wonderful garden with beautiful flowers and a fruit orchard where cherries, pears, apples and...