Reviewed By Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite

In Harold Peabody and the Magic Glasses by Dawn Kopman Whidden and O.M. Faye, Harold is travelling back to his mother's childhood town in Louisiana after his Navy SEAL father was killed in Afghanistan. Harold hopes they can begin to rebuild their lives and he can finally become a hero like his father. But with his 'coke bottle' glasses, Harold is just waiting to be bullied again. He doesn't have to wait long before the school bully, Jack, and his friends spot him. The gang terrorizes all the children at the school and soon it's Harold's turn. The bullies break Harold's only pair of glasses for fun. However, when Harold gets his new glasses, he realizes they have magic powers, giving him the ability to exact revenge on the bullies one by one. Harold revels in the suffering and embarrassment of the bullies. Soon Harold becomes the bully himself. Now he has a choice to make; does he want to inflict suffering on others or become a hero just like his late father?

Harold Peabody and the Magic Glasses is a powerful story that covers the widespread problem of bullying in schools. The characters are brought to life and each is created with unique personalities. I loved Harold as the main character, a caring and loving boy who is coming to terms with losing his father, and the relationship he has with his mother is so endearing. Mrs Ezzy was a breath of fresh air and certainly my favourite character. There are so many discussion points throughout this story that you can share with your children, not only about bullying but loss and relationships of all kind. I also thought the moral of the story shows that bullies are usually victims themselves, and the scene with Jack and his father is especially poignant. This is a must-read for every child to learn the importance of compassion, forgiveness and how making the right choices in life makes you a better person.

Reviewed By Paul F. Murray for Readers' Favorite

Selah and her horse Sweet Dream save the life of a forest ranger early in the story, but the plot quickly switches over to an all-too-common situation: Selah’s Dad has a job change and the family has to move several hours away from their current home (and Grandfather’s farm where Sweet Dream is boarded) to Austin, Texas. All readers will identify with Selah, but in particular, young readers who have had to leave a pet behind, or a boyfriend or a girlfriend, because Dad or Mom have had a job change to another city far away will quickly identify with Selah. Desperate to stay close to Sweet Dream and continue training her horse, Selah concocts all manner of schemes to convince her grandfather to let her move in permanently with him on his farm, so that she can avoid having to move with the rest of her family far away from Grandfather’s farm and Sweet Dream. To what extent Selah is successful or not will be up to the reader to decide.

Selah’s Painted Dream (Dream Horse Adventures) (Volume 3) by Susan Count is a delightful story about a 13-year-old girl and her horse, Sweet Dream. There have been “horse stories” in the past, but this one stands out from the crowd for a plot that is both heartwarming and, at the same time, anxiety-inducing; in short, a page-turner that is hard to put down. Readers will be eager to see what happens next. Selah’s Painted Dream by Susan Count should be required reading for any girl or boy, or young adult for that matter, who is thinking about asking their parents to buy a horse for them. There is a great deal more to owning and caring for a horse than simply riding it, as this novel amply demonstrates. Feeding and keeping a horse in good health, along with boarding it, are items that Selah must deal with, or try to.

This is a wonderful novel that is highly deserving of its “5” rating, and any reader of any age will want to read this novel again and again. One thing that I really liked about this novel is that it stays focused on Selah, and only Selah as other characters relate to her and she to them. There is no “character clutter” in this novel. That makes for a smooth, enjoyable read.

Reviewed By Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Go-Cart Gertie is an action and adventure, social issues graphic book for children and preteens written and illustrated by Cindy Shirley. Ten-year-old Gertie wished that she could hang out with her big brother and his friends. She was tired of going to school and coming home, and wanted to have the freedom her eighth-grade brother had. Gertie especially didn’t want to take the bus to school anymore. Her mom and dad were sympathetic, but they felt she needed to be a little older before she got some of those privileges. Gertie really didn’t like being smaller than and getting teased by Greg. She needed something to make life fun and interesting again. Then, she saw the used go-cart outside the toy store the family was driving past. Gertie loved watching car races with her dad and had always dreamed of having a go-cart. Her dad was actually considering her request to buy it, and her mom, well, her mom would probably have needed a bit more persuading, until Greg started laughing at his sister and saying that girls can’t race. That made up her mom’s mind. Gertie would get that go-cart, and she’d show the world, and Greg, that girls certainly can race.

Go-Cart Gertie lets kids know that it’s cool to have interests even if they’re not something that girls or boys are traditionally supposed to be able to do. And while playing with a baby little sister, or dolls for that matter, is always a nice thing to do, if a child is so inclined, I appreciated Gertie’s preference for something more active and adventurous. This book is particularly important in the messages it sends to kids who may not feel as confident as Gertie in asserting their non-gender specific interests. I also loved how Gertie and Greg’s sibling rivalry became more of a supportive team effort when race day arrives. Go-Cart Gertie is a grand selection for story time; one that will get young kids dreaming without limitations based on gender expectations. It’s also a well-written and challenging text for young readers. It’s most highly recommended.

Reviewed By K.J. Simmill for Readers' Favorite

Life is complicated when you're a teenager. It is full of ups, downs, and discovery. If one of those discoveries happens to be an item belonging to a goddess, then that's a whole new Pandora's box. While helping her Grammy relocate, Mylee came across the most beautifully crafted mirror and, while gazing within, discovered a person who was perhaps as much in need of Mylee's help as her own parents were. They were going through a rough time, and her mum seemed to want to live through her, even if it meant forcing her to make the same mistakes she had. Fortunately, this teenager has her head on her shoulders and a network of friends who, despite their ups and downs, have each other's backs in Mylee In The Mirror by Ellie Collins.

I really loved the dialogue; it was fresh, real, and bursting with life. The dialect was a real enhancement to an already crisp narrative that was true to the character's emotions and age. I was instantly pulled into the story and adored how the personalities of each character, when told from their perspective, remained true to them, while also injecting fun and their own inner thoughts into the narrative. The characters are strong, vivid, and full of depth. I found myself chuckling numerous times at some of the quirky phrases or behaviour that I can easily relate to my own teen years. There is some sage advice to any teenager or even adult. I thought Grammy's character was brilliant. She is a kind, firm, wise woman and mentor, much like my own Nan was for me. Mylee In The Mirror is a really great read and I wouldn't hesitate in picking up another book by Ellie Collins. I enjoyed it from the first line to the last, and found it to be beautifully edited.

Reviewed By Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite

The Field by Ian Dawson is a fairly straightforward YA novel about two friends, Daniel and Kyle, and what happens when one of them is kidnapped. The book starts with an introduction to both boys and their friendship, and all of the normal adolescent school life adventures and girl crushes. There is also a parallel story of Austin and James, another pair of so-called friends, but in reality they are in a power and abuse-based dynamic. Austin is the one who ends up kidnapping Daniel one day, with James as his unwilling apprentice. This is not the first time Austin has abducted someone or abused them in captivity. Once Daniel goes missing, Kyle rises to the occasion and tries to find and rescue his friend. This is their story of friendship and also about those relationships in youth that are power based and what the youth of today can learn from this and protect themselves from abuse of this kind.

The Field is a fairly quick read and the time line moves quickly from showing the normal life of two teenage boys with their usual teenage problems to one where suddenly there is danger and kidnapping involved. I enjoyed Daniel’s character and he is very relatable and believable as a young 14-year-old boy. The book also highlights an important aspect of teenage life, where either due to peer pressure or bullying, young people often get dragged into and stuck in unhealthy, abusive relationships with peers. This book serves as an educational attempt to recognize these warning signs and not hesitate to try to get help. There is a website provided at the end, but I also think this book would benefit from having an entire list of references of websites and phone numbers teenagers can call in case of such difficulty. This is a good read for young adults and teenagers.

Reviewed By Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia T Toney takes us back to 1925, pre-Depression Louisiana and the small town of Freedom. Salvatore is just thirteen, but this son of Italian immigrants is a hard-working farm boy, whose parents and uncle have struggled to make a good life for themselves in this rural area. Prohibition is in full swing in America and when Italian mobsters come to town and demand Sal’s father’s help in their plans to rob the Freedom bank, or they will hurt his family, Sal’s family finds themselves in a moral quandary. When the bank robbery goes awry, Sal is left with a secret that could destroy their entire lives and set their family on the run. This young man must weigh up the rights and wrongs of the situation and make a decision that he and the rest of his family can live with. Sal is just discovering his feelings and attraction to his best friend, Antonina, and whatever decisions he and the family make are almost certain to affect the relationship. This is indeed a moral dilemma.

I found The Other Side of Freedom to be a truly compelling coming-of-age story. The setting was beautifully described by Cynthia T Toney and one felt oneself being drawn back to the era of gangsters, the G-Men, and bootlegging across the south. The feel of the story was authentic and the action fast and furious. I particularly found it interesting to compare the experience faced by the Italian and Sicilian immigrants of the 19th and early 20th centuries to those of the immigrants of today. They faced discrimination and generalisation – they are Sicilians, therefore they must be gangsters and criminals, where today we see they are Arabs, therefore they must be terrorists. I also thought it interesting that Sal found some sympathy and empathy with his black friend, Hiram, in that the prejudices they both faced were somewhat similar. I particularly liked the fact that Toney offered some questions at the end of the book for younger readers to consider and reflect on the story. This is an excellent children’s story that poses some interesting moral dilemmas for young readers to ponder.

Reviewed By Kris Rondon for Readers' Favorite

Jake, Lucid Dreamer by David J. Naiman deals in a fictional, heart wrenching manner with what occurs after the death of a parent and how children can handle such a loss. Twelve-year-old Jake is grappling with the loss of his mother who passed away 4 years ago after a harrowing sickness. To deal with his loss, Jake escapes into the world of dreams. After four years, Jake’s father is still struggling to support his children over the loss of their mother while trying to have a normal life by starting to date. Jake is at that awkward age where he grapples between childhood and growing into adulthood, which is difficult in the best of circumstances. Jake gradually realizes that his dad and sister are also in pain as he finally connects with them.

Jake, the protagonist of Lucid Dreamer, is a Middle School boy dealing with the death of his mother, while also dealing with mundane issues many boys face, including bullying. The story is realistically heartbreaking and the author has succeeded in aptly entering the mind of a tormented 12-year-old. One wonders at times if the story is based on a biographical experience or if the author is simply a master at his craft of writing. David J. Naiman is an expert at character development. His characters are lifelike and relatable. Jake’s father is extremely convincing as a parent and husband dealing with the loss of a partner. Parents and children would enjoy and profit by reading this book together. When it is difficult to articulate suffering and sorrow, this thought-provoking novel would serve as an honest exploration of emotional healing after an upsetting loss.

Reviewed By Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Charley's Horse is a coming of age novel for children and preteens written by Judith Shaw. Charley’s best friend, Sally, had weekly riding lessons, but Charley, whose world seemed to revolve around horses, had never even seen a horse up close. Her family didn’t have the money to pay for riding lessons; besides, her parents seemed to be wrapped up in their own issues, leaving Charley and her brother, Jeremy, at loose ends night after night. Charley didn’t like worrying about things; she feared that something was seriously wrong with her family. Then it happened. Mom and Dad sat Charley and her brother down and told them that they were getting separated. Dad would be moving out and into an apartment in town, and their grandmother would be moving in to be there for them while their mom was at work. To make matters even worse, Mom and Dad had decided to send Charley and Jeremy off to summer camp for the entire summer. Charley's reaction was to angrily reject the concept as a bribe, but then she saw the pamphlet whose cover showed girls on horseback, girls grooming their horses, others canoeing and one girl kissing her horse’s nose. The caption reading “Come and meet your Summer Horse” proved too much for her to resist, even with all the pain and confusion she felt. Her summer horse -- a horse that would be hers -- for the entire summer. Charley was going to camp after all.

Judith Shaw’s Charley's Horse is a marvel of a tale that will engage anyone who’s ever dreamed about having or even riding a horse, no matter what their age. Charley’s experiences at summer camp make for some grand reading, reading that’s awfully hard to put down. I loved watching as she surmounted all the challenges she faced: the mean girls who quickly seized upon the fact that she had never ridden a horse; the ancient horse, Firefly, her summer horse who seemed to have little interest in her; and the shocking realization that she would have to conquer fear and self-consciousness in even getting into the saddle the first few times around. Following as she slowly learned to ride, to move with the horse, to keep her head up and indicate her desires to the horse is fascinating. Best of all, however, is her growing friendship with the black Morgan horse she calls Cricket, who is in so many ways her real Summer Horse, and with Ethel, the camp’s owner who befriends her and teaches her how to drive a horse. Along the way, Charley comes of age most wonderfully, and it’s a grand sight to behold. If you’ve ever enjoyed a horse or animal story, reading this is a no-brainer. If you never thought you’d be interested in one, try this one anyway. Charley’s Horse is a modern classic that is guaranteed not to disappoint. It’s most highly recommended.

Reviewed By Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Bullying is never okay! That is what they always say in schools all over the world, but is it just a platitude that those in authority spout, without truly adhering to? In Cascading Petals, by Jane C Brady, we face bullying head-on, not in an abstract manner, but in a deeply personal and realistic way. Jewel Hart has spent most of her school days as the subject of intense bullying; bullying that has lowered her self-esteem and led her to question her place in the world, whether she even belongs here. In this her final year, a senior now, she hopes and prays that things will be different and the year will fly by until she is released to be an adult, to go to college and to escape the remorseless taunting and pain. When Jewel meets Kaiden Carter, she believes she has finally found a kindred spirit, someone she can believe in and trust. Maybe this final year will be a good one after all, she consoles herself. For Jewel and her new friends, the final year of high school will bring the subjects of bullying and teen suicide to a dramatic head, teaching them all something important about themselves and the world.

Cascading Petals is very much a teen romance story and one that is beautifully told by author Jane C Brady, but it is very much more than that. The author uses the story to explore dark and often hitherto hidden places where teenage minds and angst can reside, especially when faced with the hurtful taunts and lies of not only their peers, but even some of their teachers. The ulterior motive of this book was clearly to shine a light into areas that we, as adults, are often afraid to go and to show just how incredibly debilitating systematic and concerted bullying can be, not just to those being bullied, but often to the perpetrators themselves. Brady tells the story in a no-holds-barred narrative and yet maintains a sensitivity and a compassion that we wish were present inside of those who choose to relieve their own inner pain at the expense of others. The characters are real and perhaps not even your typical target of bullies, but I’m sure that was the intent of the author also; to show that it is not only the overweight, or the acne ridden, or the socially awkward teenagers who can be the butt of these young people’s anger and hurt. This is one of the best books on the subject I’ve read and Brady is to be congratulated for telling this difficult story without resorting to clichés and over-emotional responses. A great job.

Reviewed By Kris Moger for Readers' Favorite

The Maker by D.F. Anderson is the enchanting story about Nate, a teenage boy, who loves to draw. His parents have separated and his mom has a new boyfriend. With all the turmoil in his life, his grades in school are slipping, so his mother takes away all his drawing supplies until his marks go up. Meanwhile, his father has disappeared out of his life, but someone sends him a package with a mysterious note inside. Before he can figure out what the message means, two strange, tiny creatures steal the contents of the parcel. Intent on getting his property back, he chases after them, which leads him on a journey that changes his entire life.

I love the world D.F. Anderson has built in The Maker. The characters are unique and fantastic, especially Coral, Nate’s new friend. This story is written with beauty and skill. Every description vividly paints an exciting universe filled with danger, mystery, and adventure. Even though it does fall back on the ‘chosen one, special boy’ trope, the story is so well done that this did not take away from the joy of reading it. The mixture of nature science and the fantasy of magic is refreshing and well done. I truly appreciate the work that has gone into the world-building in The Maker. D.F. Anderson has a great imagination and does a wonderful job sharing it with his readers. I would recommend this story to anyone who wants to lose themselves in a terrific adventure.