Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite

Honey Butter is a lovely coming of age story by Millie Florence. Seven-year-old Jamie Johnson feels lonely and misunderstood at home. Her unhappiness is mainly caused by her big sister, Erica, who never misses a chance to pester her. When she meets thirteen-year-old Laren Lark, the two become friends. They wish they had parts of each other’s lives, although Laren is more appreciative of hers. Unlike some people, Laren doesn’t think Jamie is weird for collecting paint samples as a hobby. No one really knows the significance of each paint sample collected. Jamie’s disinterest in storybooks soon changes after Laren shows her how enjoyable reading can be. Who knew going to the library could be so much fun? But her happiness is crushed when she overhears a conversation at Erica’s birthday party.

“It’s a wonderful thought that every day has something to celebrate.” Sometimes we have to hear of another person’s unhappy experiences to appreciate what we have in our lives. These two girls had a good relationship and proved that age doesn’t matter. Millie Florence is a talented teen who wrote Honey Butter when she was thirteen years old. It’s very well written with a good theme and is a quick read. Sibling rivalry, hurtful taunts, friendships, a unique hobby of paint samples, love and laughter make Honey Butter a special book for the coming of age group. The chapter titles are names of Jamie’s paint samples that have special meaning to her. Millie Florence is a young author whose writing should be followed.

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.

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 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 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 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 Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

I'll See You in My Dreams: A Magical Bedtime Story is written by Michal Y. Noah and illustrated by Favreau. Hoppy is a young rabbit, far too afraid to fall asleep or be left alone at bedtime. The shadows on the walls from the windows outside look like monsters and she is afraid they will attack her if she is left alone. After she asks her parents to stay with her each night, they instead come up with a plan to help Hoppy sleep soundly. Before she falls asleep at night, the parents discuss ‘meeting’ Hoppy in her dreams and about the wonderful adventures they will have together inside those dreams. They plan to discuss all of Hoppy’s amazing and fun-filled adventures each morning when she wakes. In her dreams, Hoppy would meet her parents at the lake, and she would play and interact with the fish, turtles and sea horses. Soon, Hoppy is so excited to fall asleep and have her adventures that she is no longer scared and no longer asks her parents to keep her safe as she is falling asleep. Hoppy feels safe at night, knowing that her parents are always with her in her dreams, having fun and making her smile.

Michal Y. Noah has created a book which is not only beautifully illustrated and cleverly written in rhyme, but it engages the young reader easily. The therapeutic value of the book alone is immeasurable, as many children and adults suffer from anxiety and nightmares, with friends and parents not knowing how to help. This book is an ideal solution in calming those fears and making sleep time an exciting place to be. I would recommend I’ll See You in My Dreams to all ages, not just younger children. Anybody who is haunted by nightmares and anxiety could easily benefit from this book and the calm that it produces, alleviating any bad dreams.

Reviewed by Patricia Reding for Readers' Favorite

In The Eldridge Conspiracy, Book Four of Sir Kaye the Boy Knight Series, author Don M. Winn offers middle-grade readers an adventure they are sure to enjoy, as three boys, roughly 12 years of age, journey together while facing some of life’s greatest physical difficulties and emotional traumas. Their leader, Kaye, son of the famous knight, Sir Henry, is saddled with the undeserved reputation of being clumsy and accident-prone. He is, thus, pained to have earned a nickname he has come to loathe: Sir Don-Kaye (Sir Donkey). Even so, upon discovering a plot against the king, Kaye takes off to set things right, only to be followed in short order by his friends, Beau and Reggie. Shortly, two thugs, Birket and Fulkes, chase the three lads to and then from an abbey, to the city of Kingsbridge (where the boys save a man and his family held captive by threat), and finally, to the city of Rombauer Castle on the Day of Remembrance. But will they make it in time to save the king?

The three adventurers, Kaye, Beau, and Reggie, lack nothing in the way of resolve and creativity as they uncover the nefarious Baron Thomas’s plot, yet they do so in the face of serious odds. Kaye, who seeks to be a great knight like his father, suffers from feelings of inadequacy. No matter what he does, he feels he doesn’t measure up. Meanwhile, Reggie, the self-proclaimed Royal Chronicler of the group, has difficulties with reading and writing, in addition to which, he is prone to getting lost. It is these touches that Don M. Winn has added to The Eldridge Conspiracy (which he dedicates to all dyslexic and struggling readers), with which every young person will be able to identify at just that time in life when they are beginning to discover their own true selves and their own life missions. Books of adventure and challenge that still offer an emotional component are hard to come by for middle grade readers—and even more so for middle grade boys—yet Don M. Winn hits the mark dead center with The Eldridge Conspiracy.

Reviewed by Kristen Van Kampen for Readers' Favorite

Tripi Takes Flight (The Amazing Adventures of Tripi the Fly) by Lori London is an enjoyable picture book that follows a young fly named Tripi. Tripi is very talented. He can talk, read, write, sing and dance, as well as other things, but Tripi can't fly. He goes to the library and finds a book about places to visit, like the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty, and he decides that he wants to see them. But how will Tripi see those landmarks if he can't fly?

I really enjoyed reading Tripi Takes Flight by Lori London. Tripi is a very likeable character, because he finds a solution to his problem. I liked that the book mentions many famous things to see, like Mount Rushmore, the leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Golden Gate Bridge, as well the Northern Lights. The illustrations by Heather Bonnstetter are bold and colorful and very well drawn. The illustrations of Tripi are very adorable, and the illustrations of the famous landmarks really look accurate. The book is inspiring, because Tripi doesn't let the fact that he can't fly get him down, and shows that just because we can't do one thing doesn't mean we can't do anything. The book is relatable, because many people have seen the landmarks mentioned in the book. Children will enjoy reading this book over and over again, because the story has rhythm, and the illustrations are very colourful. I would recommend Tripi Takes Flight by Lori London to all young readers.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Little Birdie Grows Up by Wanda Luthman is the story of a little bird who is welcomed into the world by Mama Bird. Birdie snuggles up to Mama Bird and feels happy with her. Little Birdie is hungry and wants to eat something. Birdie thinks a worm will be good. Little Birdie also dreams of flying up high in the sky and at the same time is scared of falling. Little Birdie is proud of the first flight and lands down with a bump. Little Birdie has grown big and has become strong. This beautiful story captures the growth of Little Birdie from that of being a baby to an adult and leaving home.

Narrated from a bird’s point of view, the story takes the reader through the various stages of development and life changes of Little Birdie. The illustrations are lively and colorful and they add a good pace and movement to the story by breathing life into the scenes and characters. It is an excellent story for interactive sessions in classrooms and school libraries as it tells kids about growing up and leaving home. Parents and grandparents can use it for bedtime story-telling as it encourages children to grow and embrace the new changes that are going to happen in their lives while growing up. The concept and message are good and definitely helpful to child readers to look at their life, growth, and development with the right perspective. The rhyming verses make the narration lyrical and enjoyable for kids.