Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Shadow of the Volcano: Shadows From the Past, Book Five is an historical adventure novel for children and preteens written by Wendy Leighton-Porter. It had already been a busy summer as the twins, Max, and their friend, Charlie, continued to search for the twins' parents who were lost in time. They had already been to Atlantis, ancient Crete, Troy, and ancient Egypt, but each time they found that their parents had been there, but had left some time before. Now they were ready for another adventure, and they consulted the strange book that kept sending them out to find their parents. This time, they ended up in Pompeii in August of AD 79. The eleven-year-olds arrived and found themselves in a line of people on a dock. Before they knew it, they were sold as slaves, fortunately as a group and to a kind master. Still, adapting to the concept of being a slave is challenging, and convincing the friends they make during their stay and their kindly master to flee before Vesuvius erupts is even more difficult. Will they be able to escape Pompeii themselves before it's too late?

Wendy Leighton-Porter's historical adventure novel for children and preteens, The Shadow of the Volcano: Shadows From the Past, Book Five, finds the time-travelers in Pompeii, and seeing the doomed city and its inhabitants just days before the eruption is poignant and moving. While this is book five in Leighton-Porter's Shadows From the Past historical series, each of these books is complete and can be read as a stand-alone novel. I was fascinated by the historical aspect of this work as I was not all that familiar with Pompeii, aside from the tragic images taken after the town was rediscovered. The author breathes life anew into Pompeii, showing the likely culture one would have found there at that time in history. She also addresses the issue of slavery in an upfront and personal way by having her characters experience it first-hand. The Shadow of the Volcano: Shadows From the Past, Book Five is a thrilling and exciting read, and it's most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Real Farmer in The Dell is a children’s adventure picture book written by Sandra Sutter and illustrated by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne. While we all know the nursery rhyme about the farmer in the dell, the real story is quite a bit different than those familiar lyrics. It wasn’t a farmer, and it wasn’t even a dell. The farmer was actually a rancher who lived on, of course, a ranch. The farmer didn’t take a wife, because...the farmer was a woman. She took a husband. So how do we know all these new facts? Because there was a witness to all of the goings-on at that ranch. The mouse was there the whole time, and has decided to go public with the real story.

That very obliging mouse and the author, Sandra Sutter, have done a marvelous job of modernizing the old nursery rhyme in this clever and very entertaining children’s picture book, The Real Farmer in The Dell. While traditionalists may insist on adhering to the original version of the story, I found the mouse’s tale to contain more adventure and excitement, plus it makes a lot more sense -- especially the ending. Sutter’s story will resonate with those kids whose parents and caregivers have made efforts to eliminate gender-assigned roles, and it’s a good introduction to the changing reality of life for kids from more traditional backgrounds. Who says a rancher has to be a man? Or a doctor? Or an astronaut? The possibilities are endless for kids of both genders. This story sets the stage for productive discussions about careers and what kids want to be when they grow up. Artists, Chantelle and Burgen Thorne, bring the mouse’s corrected version to life beautifully. I loved seeing the desert scenery and the rodeo action through their eyes. Their artwork is filled with action and detail, making each panel a joy to study closely. The Real Farmer in The Dell is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Meet Weepy, the kindest, friendliest, and happiest dragon in the world in Weepy the Dragon by J.J. Hebert. Weepy the Dragon was different from other dragons and was not scary, angry, and mean like the rest of them. The only dragony thing about Weepy was his appearance and, just like the other dragons, Weepy had massive teeth, a long rough body, and a snout that breathed fire. The other dragons often made fun of him and called him a coward. Weepy always cried because he badly wanted to be more like a dragon. Weepy's father tried teaching him how to be scary and angry but Weepy could only cry because his father scared him. Weepy knew the only way to make his father proud of him was to become more like a dragon; angry, scary, and mean. Would Weepy succeed in becoming like the other dragons?

This story is all about being yourself, kindness, and self acceptance, and Weepy's story will encourage and motivate young readers to accept themselves for who they are and be themselves instead of trying to copy others and become like them. The illustrations by Ed Jones give clarity to the concept and make it tangible for young readers. The images also breathe life into the characters and the scenes, making the book appealing to children. It is a good story for tutors and parents to use for storytelling sessions in classrooms and in homes because of the concept and positive message conveyed through the tale of Weepy the Dragon.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Meet the Websprites is a collection of children's fables written by Emma Mallett and Ryan Grimbly, and illustrated by Ryan Grimbly. The Websprites are tiny, grape-sized beings somewhat similar to fairy folk, who live in Weebtown, located at the base of the Great Crystal Tree. The Websprites are industrious and kind. They are environmentally conscious and live in harmony with nature. Each adult Websprite has a Crystal Buddy living in the strange circular antenna found on the tops of their heads. Crystal Buddies grow on the Great Crystal Tree. Once they are ready to leave the tree, they drop and are cared for while they wait for their special Websprite friend to appear. They develop a close and symbiotic relationship with their Websprites, which is highly prized by both the Websprite and the Crystal Buddy. Boogs are not as nice as Websprites. They generally don't like to work or cooperate with others; many are bullies or are devious and tricky. Each Boog was once a Websprite, but slowly they changed on the inside and their exteriors, which became slovenly and smelly, reflected that inner regression. Boogs hate the Websprites and envy what they own, especially the Crystal Buddies.

Emma Mallett and Ryan Grimbly's collection of fables for children, Meet the Websprites, is endlessly inventive and entertaining. Through the stories contained in this book, the reader gets to see the Websprites at work and at play, and they are also introduced to the Boogs, who have terrible grammar skills on top of everything else. We witness a bossy Websprite turning into a Boog and leave the collection of fables with the hope that one particular Boog may be able to turn back into a Websprite again. I enjoyed reading the fables, especially the ones found in Chapter 3: The Faces in the Woods, which follows the exploits of Wanda and Weaver, two adventurous young Websprites, and Chapter 7: The Minnow Pond, which is a glorious lesson on nature and the lifeforms to be found in a small pond. Ryan Grimbly's masterful illustrations are deceptively simple and disarmingly profound all at once, and the lessons to be learned within the pages of this delightful collection are never preachy or didactic. Meet the Websprites is highly recommended.

Reviewed by Sarah Stuart for Readers' Favorite

The Little Dragon by Sheri Fink is a charming story that held me captivated from beginning to end. There are no concessions made where language is concerned – words like whimsical, expressive, sensation, stomach, barge, and taught cannot be read phonetically. It is a picture book that really is for an adult to read while the child or children look at the beautiful illustrations on every page. That said, the dragon’s tale is told in a way that flows. It reminded me of the very best freestyle poetry, where there is no attempt at rhyme, but rhythm is everything and that includes readability. If your children like stories being read to them, The Little Dragon by Sheri Fink is a must-have. It will entertain and teach and be enjoyed, probably by more than one generation.

No adult who reads the little dragon’s story need fear their young audience will realize subtle messages are being dripped – poured – into their minds unless the adult chooses to read the summing-up at the end aloud, but they are there, and they are a powerful influence for good. The little dragon lives alone in a cave and spends his days dancing in a meadow he regards as his own. Overlooked one day, he feels embarrassed, and then so angry, being a dragon, he burns a beautiful tree with his flames. The “intruder” is another dragon, and he finds out living an isolated life is not as much fun as sharing it with friends. I recommend The Little Dragon by Sheri Fink to parents, grandparents, and carers worldwide.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

It’s amazing where imagination can take you. Timothy Mean certainly has a very good imagination. With his imagination and his creative ingenuity, he can create a time machine out of cardboard boxes and lots of glue. But is it a time machine for real? Why not join Timothy Mean for an entire week and see where his imagination and his time travel machine will take you. How about to a pirate ship? Or a medieval castle under siege? Or to the moon for the first lunar landing? Timothy Mean even went back in time to when his parents were young and in school and he played some pranks on them, making his Daddy cry. That wasn’t very nice. But, then again, he is Timothy Mean.

William AE Ford’s picture book story, Timothy Mean and the Time Machine, is a clever journey through time and all in rhyme. With colorful illustrations, the author and Timothy take the reader on an exciting adventure, one day at a time. Each day is a new place, a new time, a new adventure. Not only does the reader enjoy these jaunts through time, but they will learn some things about pirates and the first landing on the moon. The rhyming verse will certainly have the reader rhyming his or her way through the rest of the day. The power of imagination is a wonderful gift and Timothy displays his imaginative powers with great panache. This is a fun and educational read, beautifully presented.

Reviewed by Scott Cahan for Readers' Favorite

Leo Gray and the Lunar Eclipse by K.J. Kruk is a fun science fiction adventure for young readers. It’s set in the future in a time when average Earth citizens dream of living in a super hi-tech city on the moon. A school has been established there for all of Earth’s most gifted students to study and learn to use their gifts for the betterment of mankind. The main character, Leo Gray, is fortunate enough to obtain a ticket to go to the Lunar city despite the misgivings of his father. Soon, he begins his studies in the exclusive moon school where he meets lots of interesting characters including a new circle of quirky friends. Leo also finds trouble as he and his friends learn what happens on the dark side of the moon.

Leo Gray and the Lunar Eclipse is written with lots of colorful descriptive language by K.J. Kruk. The author has a way with words, keeping every scene interesting by including quirky details about characters and their setting. Leo and his friends are a fun bunch of characters to root for. The story has its fair share of villainous characters as well that are appropriately dark, but never to the point of being frightening. Harry Potter fans will enjoy following Leo Gray and his friends as they navigate the futuristic school that reminded me of Hogwarts. The unusual school boasts robot teachers and holographic decorations that come alive and transform the campus for every special event. Young readers will find much to love in Leo Gray and the Lunar Eclipse.

Reviewed by Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers' Favorite

When someone comes to a children’s book like The Library of Secrets: The Giant Mistake written by Zoe Penn and illustrated by Z. Pahek, it is often uncertain what age group is targeted for readership. Sometimes, this age consideration remains unimportant; other times, it can make a difference in the intensity of interest for the reader. This book has many fine qualities – which shall be mentioned further – with the caveat that its main appeal – at least story-wise - seems most likely designed for pre-teens and younger teens. The only reason for mentioning this is that the interior illustrations used to headline individual chapters are more professional in scope and quality, and they might well draw the interest of someone expecting older, maybe young adult fiction.

Be that as it may, considering The Library of Secrets: The Giant Mistake within its most likely age category, Zoe Penn’s writing is highly creative, well plotted, filled with engaging characters both human and fantastic, and well spiced with many enjoyable twists and turns. Penn begins her tale of adventure with two children – a brother and a sister: Mark and Sophia – accidentally falling into the alternate reality of a strange, enticingly titled, recently discovered old book: Almation – The Book of Secrets. In order to navigate this odd but highly colorful new world, and in hopes of quickly returning home (there is a deadline), these sometimes-at-odds siblings must solve puzzles, answer riddles, and extricate themselves from several dangerous situations. New friends come often to their aid, however, turning their adventure into a humorous and fun romp for the pair. And for the younger reader, too.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Candlewicke 13 and the Tombstone Forest is a work of fantasy fiction written for young adults by Milan Sergent and forms the second book in the Candlewicke 13 Series. After the events of Curse of the McRavens, our hero Valor is mere minutes from achieving his dream of attending the prestigious school of magic, Mystic Steeples. But just as he and his delightfully morose sister, Doomsy Gloomsy, are about to enroll, they are kidnapped by none other than their own parents. Valor's father, the totally insane Houmas McRaven, is insistent that his family must escape the Grim Warlock's Thirteenth Hour, but his methods set the family on a disastrous adventure into a world of tombstones and monsters.

It was an absolute delight to return to the bizarre, macabre and utterly entertaining world of the McRavens in this latest edition of Candlewicke 13. Valor and Doomsy developed a lot during book one, so it’s wonderful to see their new skills at work as they struggle through the mess their wayward parents have gotten them into now. The mystery of the McRavens continues with fluid prose, immense wit and highly engaging dialogue as author Milan Sergent weaves an intelligent tapestry of ideas. It is masterfully simple for younger readers but has plenty of depth left to explore. In this novel, I particularly enjoyed the role reversal of precocious kids with insane parents, and the amusement park was a truly wild ride. Overall, Candlewicke 13 and the Tombstone Forest is another superb YA fantasy novel, not to be missed.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Nerdi Bunny loved to read and she was not an average bunny. She had been spending her school vacation reading books and daily newspapers, and in the afternoon she read the headlines about how the Honey and Harvest Festival was in jeopardy and the Bee Talk was not successful. Nerdi was an excellent helper and she wondered if she could help in any way. She put her newspaper away and went to the garden to pick tomatoes from the tomato patch. She realized that there were no tomatoes there. She found out that the bees in Cottontail Burrow had stopped working. She decided to find a solution to the problem so that the Honey and Harvest Festival, the most important event in Cottontail Burrow, would take place. Will Nerdi Bunny succeed in her mission? Will the Honey and Harvest Festival happen in Cottontail Burrow?

Nerdi Bunny And the Busy Bee Bully Bear Business by Aisha Toombs is an engaging story for both adults and children. Children learn about bumblebees and honeybees, and how important it is not to hurt the bees. The book will help children realize the role of bees, and they will learn about bully bears, penguins, and other creatures. The black and white sketches are appealing and they make the story palpable to young readers. The story is educational and informative as it tells readers the easy ways to help bees, and by doing so helping to save nature and the environment.