Reviewed by Vernita Naylor for Readers' Favorite

The Uninvited Visitors (Starfoot and Brown Books) (Volume 2) by Rhoda Canter is a children’s book full of fantasy, fun, and laughter because the animals talk and come to life. Chihuahuas Sergeant Starfoot and Chief Inspector Brown work together to solve the mystery about the two uninvited visitors on Bald Head Island. One day Isabel Hamidi’s father, Reza, a noted nuclear physicist visiting professor at the university, told her that he must return to Tehran because he may be forced to continue the nuclear program. He believes that the only thing that can force his hand is his daughter, so he told her that she must disappear completely and tell no one, not even him of her whereabouts. The plan is for Reza to send a text message with one word “boson”: this will be the code to vanish. Jordy Jordan is an interesting boy that went on a field trip one day to Bald Head Island. He was left on the island because he began to wander off, communicating and being fascinated with the mockingbirds, dogs, and other animals roaming around. As luck would have it, Isabel heads to Bald Head Island to complete her disappearing act when she encounters Jordy and the animals - and then the adventure begins.

The Uninvited Visitors by Rhoda Canter is an interesting story that puts you in mind of Dr. Doolittle because of the wonderful mixture of animals throughout the book. To witness the intriguing character of Jordy and his interactions with and mimicking the sounds of some of the animals, particularly the mockingbirds, will make you wish that you were there. Children of all ages will definitely love becoming enthralled in this story because of the fantasy, excitement, and amusement that it brings.

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

Meet Jet, a scrappy groundhog that must work with humans and forecast lightning strikes to save his home from an eco super villain planning to pulp entire national forests with giant, robotic milling snakes. Jet lost his father and hero, Ray, during his first garden raid, shot by their human neighbor, Mr. Trapper. Jet also lost his hearing in one ear and escapes alone over the electric fence, which scars his paws but gives him the unique ability to forecast lightning, in addition to supercharging his other weather-forecasting abilities.

Groundhogs: The Supercharged Forecaster by Jared Lillis is one big fun adventure from start to finish. The clever and funny terms such as ‘Sniff-N-Gnaw Snake Pit’ and ‘Warning Whistle Climb’, coupled with the engaging prose and eye catching illustrations (a must if you want to attract young readers), meant that even I as an adult found the story highly entertaining. I also like the way the environmental message is presented through the plot, making it easy to understand as well as making kids think about taking care of nature while having fun with Jet’s adventure. Young readers will definitely root for this brave groundhog in his quest to save his home.

All in all, author Jared Lillis has done a really excellent job here. Groundhogs: The Supercharged Forecaster is imaginative, and a clever way to teach children about the importance of taking care of the environment. I’m interested to read more of Lillis’ work. I highly recommend this book to my fellow readers, especially parents and teachers.

Reviewed by Siobhan Quinlan for Readers' Favorite

Supernatural Hero and the Zombies by Eran Gadot is a fun preteen book, book 3 in a series. We meet Andy again as he is getting ready to spend his summer with Zoe. Andy's 'to do' list involves things like going to the beach with Zoe, spending time with Zoe, and basically being with Zoe. This plan could go really well if zombies were not such a big problem. Andy can also talk to ghosts and his grandpa's ghost takes center stage. Dealing with his grandpa's death, Andy begins seeing his ghost. I found this to be an interesting way of introducing preteens to death, and also the message that those we love never truly leave, even though they do not stay around us as ghosts.

Supernatural Hero and the Zombies by Eran Gadot is a fantastic preteen book. Dealing with a lot of themes from love and death to school and bullies, this is a well rounded book. As a adult, I decided to give this book a try because it sounded interesting and I was not disappointed. Andy deals with problems that most preteens would deal with, and I was able to relate in some ways to him. I enjoyed the pacing of the story and the humor within. The art work throughout is amazing. I found myself staring at the illustrations. I loved the way the pictures were pencil drawings and that added so much to the story. I feel that adults, teens, and preteens will be able to enjoy this series.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Search for the Stone of Excalibur is the second volume of The Chronicles of the Stone, a children’s and preteen historical adventure series written by Fiona Ingram and illustrated by Lori Bentley. Adam and Justin are South African cousins who played vital roles in discovering the first Stone of Power in Egypt while they were on a trip with their Aunt Isabel and their Gran. James Kinnaird, the archaeologist they helped rescue on that adventure, has sent word that the second Stone of Power has been located, and he’s invited them to his family’s castle in Scotland for their summer vacation to help with researching it. When they meet Aunt Isabel at the airport, Justin’s a bit taken aback by her companion, Kim, Isabel’s 12-year-old protegee, who’ll be spending the vacation with them. While she’s the same age as Adam, and only a year younger than Justin, he feels that he and Adam were a pretty good team in Egypt. Adam’s a bit more open to their new companion’s presence, and, before they know it, they've arrived at Heathrow Airport and are on their way to Oxford.

Fiona Ingram’s children's and preteen adventure novel, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur: The Chronicles of the Stone, Volume II, continues the excitement, danger, history and discoveries of the first book in the series, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab. Ingram’s done an impressive amount of historical research into the legend and history of King Arthur, and her carefully depicted setting in an ancient Scottish castle is inspired. While the author gives enough background to enable this book to be read as a standalone novel, I would suggest reading the books in order to get the full impact of the adventures and their effects on the cousins. I loved watching how Adam and Justin began their coming of age in the first volume, and seeing them continue to hone their detection skills and recognize their strengths and fears in The Search for the Stone of Excalibur is a joy. Ingram’s storytelling is masterful; she adroitly weaves historical fact and fantasy in a smooth and fluid style that makes reading this book both an exciting and intellectually satisfying treat. The Search for the Stone of Excalibur is filled with action and adventure, puzzles and ghostly presences, and stalwart companions ready to face any and all perils that come their way. What more could a reader ask for? The Search for the Stone of Excalibur: The Chronicles of the Stone, Volume II is a marvelous historical adventure tale, and it’s most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite

What a fun read! I just finished Epic Zero: Tales of a Not-So-Super 6th Grader by author R.L. Ullman, and I have to say, I loved it! The story follows young Elliot Harkness, whose entire family belongs to the Freedom Force, the world’s greatest superhero team. His entire family, that is, except for him. Much to his chagrin, Elliot does not possess any of the eight Meta-powers: energy manipulation, super speed, super strength, magic, flight, super intelligence, morphing, or psychic abilities. In his community of superheroes, that makes him a Meta: 0, or powerless. To himself, that makes him an Epic Zero. But when the mysterious girl, K’ami Solarr, appears one day, and seems to believe that there’s more to Elliot than meets the eye, well, that’s when things start to change.

I knew this was a great children’s/young adult book when my 11-year-old son kept trying to read it over my shoulder. The writing is perfect for kids, the pace is brisk, and storyline is exciting. I immediately drew connections from this book to the wonderful movie, The Incredibles, as the idea of superhero-ing families is the basis of both stories. But Epic Zero: Tales of a Not-So-Super 6th Grader is so much more. I loved Elliot, the main character, and his strong desire to be a hero. I loved the message of the book, that sometimes even those who don’t appear to be special on the surface may have deep talent that just needs to be discovered. I loved the illustrations that start each chapter; I just plain loved this book. This is a delightful read for children and tweens, even for children like my son who don’t always enjoy reading. I am so happy I got a chance to recommend R.L. Ullman’s newest work, and I look forward to reading more from him in the future!

Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite

In The Lost Castle Treasure, Book One by Don M. Winn, young Kaye finally got his wish, and he earned his place in the Knights. However, in earning his place he also earned enemies. Now in Sir Kaye the Boy Knight: Book 2, he was back at the castle, ready to serve the queen, but those enemies would not let him serve in peace. The country was in trouble, they were unable to meet their financial obligations to the neighbouring country, and this was threatening their peace. The late king, before his passing, emptied the treasury and hid all the treasure to protect it. Now the treasure was needed but was nowhere to be found. But the king had left behind a clue and Kaye was determined to use it and find the treasure, even if all other knights had tried and failed. With his two accomplices, the treasure hunt began, but a lot stood in the way, and time was running out.

The Lost Castle Treasure - Sir Kaye the Boy Knight: Book 2 continues with the thrilling adventure of Kaye and his friends and again Don M. Winn delivers a thrilling tale for children that is guaranteed to take them on a one of a kind adventure - a treasure hunt, spooks, clues and secret passages. There is something about the way Don M. Winn starts his stories that gets you hooked right away. The setting, tone and writing style are all just perfect for young minds and the incredible illustrations bring more depth to the story and make it more vivid. The Lost Castle Treasure is a fun and easy way to teach kids about loyalty, trust, perseverance, patience and other important life values. It is a definite five-star children's story and I can't wait to see what awaits the reader in Book 3.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Eli Arnold and the Keys to Forever: It's About Time by John Carter is a delightful storybook for children. Eli and his brother, Brady, head to Florida for their summer vacation to have some fun. Eli is unaware of the fact that he is the chosen one to save the world. Eli finds himself amid an old battle between the Order of Disorder and the Keepers. As the story progresses, readers see Eli in many dangerous situations, and his adventurous journey takes readers with Eli, traveling in time as he tries to find his brother and also recover the Keys to Forever before heading home.

Switching between the past and the present, the story is exciting and has just the right doses of adventure and humor to make it an engaging read. The character of Eli is well portrayed and refreshing. He is brave, honest, adventurous and intelligent. The narration is detailed and vivid, making it easy to visualize the scenes and events in the story. The laser guns, UFOs, mind reading, dragons, fair maidens and gryphons make the plot fast paced and also give it a whimsical touch. The book caters to readers of all age groups. Along with the adventure and mystery, the author manages to weave in some humor that adds to the charm of the story. The drawings add to the mystery element of the story. The twists and the turns in the plot are interesting and they keep up the pace and movement of the story.

Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite

The Hunter Awakens (Book One of the Morus Chronicles) is written by J.R. Roper. Ethan Morus' grief for his deceased father deepens when his home is damaged in a storm, and his mother sends him and Destry, his sister, to stay on a farm with grandparents they have never met. Eccentric Grandpa talks about a legendary treasure hidden on the farm that their family has been seeking for centuries, and he and Ethan conduct nightly searches following clues. However, it is the neighbour Grandpa dislikes who guides Ethan when he battles poltergeists protecting an ancient burial chamber they discover. Can he be trusted, or was Grandpa right? Unknown to Ethan, there are monstrous sorcerers watching his movements, waiting for him to locate the treasure for them, including devious Uncle Nero.

In The Hunter Awakens, the story is nicely creative with a wonderful fantasy plot and setting. The author captures the expressive feelings of Ethan who is extremely protective of his spunky sister, but who doubts his own courage and strength when he encounters strange magical forces. J.R. Roper knows how to keep a reader in good suspense with an even distribution of action and compelling characters. It was not easy to detect the good characters from the bad ones because the author is adept in his writing and has an imaginative mind. He will take preteens on an exciting adventure in The Hunter Awakens, Book One of the Morus Chronicles series.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Supernatural Hero and the Witches is a young adult and preteen supernatural fantasy written by Eran Gadot, illustrated by Salit Krac, and translated by Gilah Kahn-Hoffman. Andy's a nerd who also happens to see ghosts. He sees them everywhere, but the one who matters the most is his grandfather. He's really more like a friend in many ways, and is one of the few people Andy feels he can discuss just about everything with. Andy's new and very popular girlfriend, Zoe, has a problem that she doesn't want to hear about. Her mother's been transformed into a witch, and she's made an evil-smelling soup for Zoe and Andy to eat. Zoe gets angry if Andy brings the subject up, but her mother's blank white eyes are proof. Andy and Tom, his best friend who's even geekier than Andy, must find a way to free Zoe's mom from her possession.

Eran Gadot's young adult and preteen supernatural fantasy, Supernatural Hero and the Witches, is zany, exciting, action-packed and heartwarming all at once. It's also a marvelous coming of age story about an ordinary yet very special kid who's got his feet in two different worlds. I loved Salit Krac's illustrations and found myself looking forward to the drawings that began many of the chapters. They fitted perfectly and enhanced the mood and spirit of the story. Sometimes Gadot's writing hits a higher realm; one where I had to stop, reread, and simply think about a paragraph or scene, as I had to with the passage in chapter 26, when Andy is talking with Victor, his imaginary friend, and Andy has what "feels like a holy moment" when Victor tells him about the Land of Imaginary Friends. But it's one of many magical moments in a story that is often transcendent and, at times, sublime.

This is the second book in the Andy, the Supernatural Hero series. You don't have to read the first book to enjoy this one, but you'll probably find, as I did, that you won't want to miss out on reading the first one either and will be looking forward to the third in the series. Supernatural Hero and the Witches is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite

B.C. Tweedt's book, Greyson Gray: Camp Legend will leave you wanting more, more, more! Morris College All-Sports Camp has everything twelve-year-old Greyson Gray needs to distract him from his father's mysterious disappearance - intense athletic competition, weird friends, and a pretty girl. Combining these elements, along with a unique and entertaining writing style, Tweedt moves you into Greyson's world in an enchanting, humorous way and you may find yourself laughing out loud. Greyson stumbles upon a terrorist's sinister plot brewing in the observatory, a place already haunted by a chilling camp legend. He is faced with two worlds; one of lurking danger and mystery, the other of competition and awkward romance with his first real crush. Greyson must try to save thousands of lives as he copes with the other aspects of his life. He also must cope with the loss of his father.

The characters are well-developed and Greyson is someone you will cheer for right from the fist chapter. All of the characters are interesting and there's no doubt as to anyone's personality. The character development is incredibly strong. The plot is adventurous, suspenseful, happy, sad, thought-provoking, riveting, and humorous. Tweedt manages to pull it all together with witty and well-written prose. The writing style is unique and the author's own sense of humor comes through in his writing. The book is suitable for young adults and older. Anyone who has been to summer camp will really appreciate it. It is a don't-want-it-to-end type of book that keeps you reading and reading, anxious to learn what happens next. Tweedt's writing style will make you feel as if you're watching a movie as he writes with strong visuals.