BookAwards.com
Award-Winning Books from Today's Best Authors
A Free Resource for Book Lovers, Authors, Agents, Publishers and Journalists
Search Results for: the
Recommend this book:
The Girl in the Gold Dress
Christine Paik
2021 Silver Medal
33 Pages
Check current price
Children - General
Reviewed by Rolanda Lyles for Readers' Favorite
Christine Paik's The Girl in the Gold Dress is a story about Hannah, a 12-year-old girl whose family is originally from North Korea. Hannah is preparing to perform in her elementary school talent show. She is doing a traditional Korean fan dance while wearing a Hanbok dress. During the dress rehearsal, Hannah watches some of her other peers do their performances and she becomes nervous and ashamed to do her performance. The next day, on her way to school, she tells her mom how she is afraid and ashamed to dance because of the dress. Her mom tells her the history behind the dress and its importance in her great-grandmother's journey to America while fleeing Korea to give her family a new start.
Christine Paik's The Girl in the Gold Dress is a compelling story of pride in family history and heritage. Hannah didn't know how her great-grandmother fought to escape from Korea to give her family a better life, and the only thing she had was the fine fabrics and her children. Christine did a phenomenal job of portraying how younger generations sometimes take for granted the advantages they have. Hannah didn't see the value in the hanbok dress that she wore. She was ashamed initially because the dress was big, stiff, and uncomfortable, but once she learned the value and meaning of the dress to their family, she wore it and danced with pride. Christine Paik's The Girl in the Gold Dress is a great example for Asian Americans to relate to. The illustrations were beautiful and show the beauty of the vibrant colors of fabrics and dresses. I hope that Hannah--Geum Chun--always takes the opportunity to dance in her gold dress and continues to inspire other young girls and boys to be true to who they are.
Christine Paik's The Girl in the Gold Dress is a story about Hannah, a 12-year-old girl whose family is originally from North Korea. Hannah is preparing to perform in her elementary school talent show. She is doing a traditional Korean fan dance while wearing a Hanbok dress. During the dress rehearsal, Hannah watches some of her other peers do their performances and she becomes nervous and ashamed to do her performance. The next day, on her way to school, she tells her mom how she is afraid and ashamed to dance because of the dress. Her mom tells her the history behind the dress and its importance in her great-grandmother's journey to America while fleeing Korea to give her family a new start.
Christine Paik's The Girl in the Gold Dress is a compelling story of pride in family history and heritage. Hannah didn't know how her great-grandmother fought to escape from Korea to give her family a better life, and the only thing she had was the fine fabrics and her children. Christine did a phenomenal job of portraying how younger generations sometimes take for granted the advantages they have. Hannah didn't see the value in the hanbok dress that she wore. She was ashamed initially because the dress was big, stiff, and uncomfortable, but once she learned the value and meaning of the dress to their family, she wore it and danced with pride. Christine Paik's The Girl in the Gold Dress is a great example for Asian Americans to relate to. The illustrations were beautiful and show the beauty of the vibrant colors of fabrics and dresses. I hope that Hannah--Geum Chun--always takes the opportunity to dance in her gold dress and continues to inspire other young girls and boys to be true to who they are.
Recommend this book:
Scottie on the Space Station
Kaela C Green, Shannon E Green
2021 Honorable Mention
38 Pages
Check current price
Children - General
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
Everyone is different. Some people walk on their own legs; others need the assistance of a wheelchair to get around. Some people speak with their mouths; others need the assistance of technology to communicate. Inside, we’re all the same: we just think and move about in a different way. Ellie and her brother Scottie and little sister Nova live with their parents on a space station. Now, how cool is that! Scottie needs a wheelchair to get around and technology to communicate. But, even with his differences, he’s like many other young boys, especially in his love for superheroes. When an alien family comes to the space station, Ellie instantly makes friends with the young aliens. Only Junpei doesn’t know how to act around Scottie. Ellie solves the problem, like she always does, by pointing out how Scottie does things his way, but deep down, he’s just a little boy with superhero dreams.
Kaela C. Green and Shannon E. Green have produced a charming picture book story, Scottie on the Space Station, that addresses some of the differences we all encounter and how to accept others in spite of their differences. The plot develops with Ellie telling the story, beginning with who she is, who her family is, and where they live. Ellie is a very outgoing, compassionate character who sets the stage to make everything right, especially where her brother Scottie is concerned. The imagination behind this story, complete with the children’s dreams of being superheroes in space, makes this an attractive story for young readers who will certainly relate to these superhero dreams. The illustrations really move the action along. A powerful story with an important message about acceptance.
Everyone is different. Some people walk on their own legs; others need the assistance of a wheelchair to get around. Some people speak with their mouths; others need the assistance of technology to communicate. Inside, we’re all the same: we just think and move about in a different way. Ellie and her brother Scottie and little sister Nova live with their parents on a space station. Now, how cool is that! Scottie needs a wheelchair to get around and technology to communicate. But, even with his differences, he’s like many other young boys, especially in his love for superheroes. When an alien family comes to the space station, Ellie instantly makes friends with the young aliens. Only Junpei doesn’t know how to act around Scottie. Ellie solves the problem, like she always does, by pointing out how Scottie does things his way, but deep down, he’s just a little boy with superhero dreams.
Kaela C. Green and Shannon E. Green have produced a charming picture book story, Scottie on the Space Station, that addresses some of the differences we all encounter and how to accept others in spite of their differences. The plot develops with Ellie telling the story, beginning with who she is, who her family is, and where they live. Ellie is a very outgoing, compassionate character who sets the stage to make everything right, especially where her brother Scottie is concerned. The imagination behind this story, complete with the children’s dreams of being superheroes in space, makes this an attractive story for young readers who will certainly relate to these superhero dreams. The illustrations really move the action along. A powerful story with an important message about acceptance.
Recommend this book:
Secret of the Starflower
Rainbow of Spectra
Jessica Kopecky
2021 Honorable Mention
118 Pages
Check current price
Children - Grade 4th-6th
Reviewed by Tiffany Ferrell for Readers' Favorite
Secret of the Starflower: Rainbow of Spectra is a work of children's fiction by author Jessica Kopecky. Sandy wasn’t like the rest of the seahorsicorns that she knew growing up in Spectra. While everyone at school had pretty colors and could vanish as a way to protect themselves against chomperfish, Sandy had a strange rainbow mane and couldn’t vanish at all. Instead of disappearing, a beautiful starflower would appear, much to her dismay. Because of her bright colors, Sandy had to remain hidden when she looked for food, and oftentimes she’d go hungry. When her hunger got the better of her, she’d join the other seahorsicorns to eat, but was often bullied and pushed away because of her colors and how she attracted chomperfish. When the mayor of Spectra came to her and told her it would be best if she left since she attracted too many chomperfish, she found herself in a lonely life, until she got a knock on her door and a letter from a seahorsicorn who loved adventure. The two continued to write to one another and a friendship was built. Would this newfound friend help Sandy come out of hiding, or will she remain in the cave where it was safe but lonely?
I thought Secret Of The Starflower was an emotive and enlightening read. Sandy's experience of being teased for being different is a subject that I can see kids understanding. It also teaches a very good lesson that being different isn’t a bad thing, and what makes us unlike others can be seen as a strength and not a weakness. The main character Sandy is very well written and a muse that the young reader will relate to. The illustrations are also beautifully done and fit perfectly with the storyline. They are bright and colorful which will also grasp and keep a child’s attention. I think Jessica Kopecky has done a wonderful job and I can’t wait to read Sandy the seahorsicorn’s next adventure.
Secret of the Starflower: Rainbow of Spectra is a work of children's fiction by author Jessica Kopecky. Sandy wasn’t like the rest of the seahorsicorns that she knew growing up in Spectra. While everyone at school had pretty colors and could vanish as a way to protect themselves against chomperfish, Sandy had a strange rainbow mane and couldn’t vanish at all. Instead of disappearing, a beautiful starflower would appear, much to her dismay. Because of her bright colors, Sandy had to remain hidden when she looked for food, and oftentimes she’d go hungry. When her hunger got the better of her, she’d join the other seahorsicorns to eat, but was often bullied and pushed away because of her colors and how she attracted chomperfish. When the mayor of Spectra came to her and told her it would be best if she left since she attracted too many chomperfish, she found herself in a lonely life, until she got a knock on her door and a letter from a seahorsicorn who loved adventure. The two continued to write to one another and a friendship was built. Would this newfound friend help Sandy come out of hiding, or will she remain in the cave where it was safe but lonely?
I thought Secret Of The Starflower was an emotive and enlightening read. Sandy's experience of being teased for being different is a subject that I can see kids understanding. It also teaches a very good lesson that being different isn’t a bad thing, and what makes us unlike others can be seen as a strength and not a weakness. The main character Sandy is very well written and a muse that the young reader will relate to. The illustrations are also beautifully done and fit perfectly with the storyline. They are bright and colorful which will also grasp and keep a child’s attention. I think Jessica Kopecky has done a wonderful job and I can’t wait to read Sandy the seahorsicorn’s next adventure.
Recommend this book:
The Midnight Glass
D. T. Vaughn
2021 Finalist
265 Pages
Check current price
Children - Grade 4th-6th
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite
The Midnight Glass is a children’s fantasy by D.T. Vaughn. Eleven-year-old Wyatt Dumont, his irritating sister Roxanne, and their widowed mother move to the eerily dark town of Davenport. No one is allowed to leave Davenport and its gates are kept locked. They feel out of place among the odd-looking residents who also think the Dumonts are strange too. Some aren’t human but are elves and wulfyns. When Wyatt finds a particular piece of glass with an unfamiliar inscription and has to sit at a haunted desk at school, his curiosity overcomes his fear. Why is the desk haunted? Why did dragons cause mayhem at the festival? Why are others looking for the glass and why are scary giant spiders in his room? As Wyatt learns more about Davenport’s history, unknown danger looms.
The Midnight Glass is a mesmerizing fantasy for 4th to 6th graders who are fond of similar magical stories like Harry Potter. The prologue is an extremely suspenseful, impressive beginning. I loved the rest of this exciting story with its unique characters and themes. Wyatt and his friends, a wulfyn and an elf, are adorable too. Magic, bullying, and scary creatures are not in short supply in this novel. D.T. Vaughn is imaginative in his writing. His character development and drama in The Midnight Glass made me think that this would make a nice movie. It’s entertaining and sentimental in parts with realistic family issues. I highly recommend this children’s book and hope to read more from this author.
The Midnight Glass is a children’s fantasy by D.T. Vaughn. Eleven-year-old Wyatt Dumont, his irritating sister Roxanne, and their widowed mother move to the eerily dark town of Davenport. No one is allowed to leave Davenport and its gates are kept locked. They feel out of place among the odd-looking residents who also think the Dumonts are strange too. Some aren’t human but are elves and wulfyns. When Wyatt finds a particular piece of glass with an unfamiliar inscription and has to sit at a haunted desk at school, his curiosity overcomes his fear. Why is the desk haunted? Why did dragons cause mayhem at the festival? Why are others looking for the glass and why are scary giant spiders in his room? As Wyatt learns more about Davenport’s history, unknown danger looms.
The Midnight Glass is a mesmerizing fantasy for 4th to 6th graders who are fond of similar magical stories like Harry Potter. The prologue is an extremely suspenseful, impressive beginning. I loved the rest of this exciting story with its unique characters and themes. Wyatt and his friends, a wulfyn and an elf, are adorable too. Magic, bullying, and scary creatures are not in short supply in this novel. D.T. Vaughn is imaginative in his writing. His character development and drama in The Midnight Glass made me think that this would make a nice movie. It’s entertaining and sentimental in parts with realistic family issues. I highly recommend this children’s book and hope to read more from this author.
Recommend this book:
 a mother of ...){kind=link}
The Power of Positivity
The ABC's of a Pandemic
Ruth Maille
2021 Bronze Medal
36 Pages
Check current price
Children - Grade K-3rd
Reviewed by Marie-Hélène Fasquel for Readers' Favorite
The Power of Positivity: The ABCs of a Pandemic, written by Ruth Maille and illustrated by Harry Aveira, is a short children’s book including numerous pieces of information to help young people deal with the current pandemic in a fun and cute way. It is written by a certified parent-relationship coach and more importantly (I believe) a mother of three. It is based on the alphabet and Ruth Maille has found a positive notion to link to each letter, so kids focus on the positive but also on what they can do to make their world better to live in, and not just to survive or be sad in this difficult period. It does help to consider everything as a whole but also at times to focus on the details of what we actually all can do.
The Power of Positivity by Ruth Maille immediately drew my attention as a mother but also as a teacher (of high school students but like everyone, they need a bit of positivity in their lives) and I loved everything about it: the amazing and lively drawings, the text, the positive ideas, which even as adults we run out of at times, the list the children can fill in, and the definitions. To conclude, everything is spot on, and as the writer says: "We all need a little positivity." I could not be more enthusiastic about a book! I will definitely read it to my grandkids (while translating as they’re French) and use the ideas to help my students. Thank you so much for this must-read!
The Power of Positivity: The ABCs of a Pandemic, written by Ruth Maille and illustrated by Harry Aveira, is a short children’s book including numerous pieces of information to help young people deal with the current pandemic in a fun and cute way. It is written by a certified parent-relationship coach and more importantly (I believe) a mother of three. It is based on the alphabet and Ruth Maille has found a positive notion to link to each letter, so kids focus on the positive but also on what they can do to make their world better to live in, and not just to survive or be sad in this difficult period. It does help to consider everything as a whole but also at times to focus on the details of what we actually all can do.
The Power of Positivity by Ruth Maille immediately drew my attention as a mother but also as a teacher (of high school students but like everyone, they need a bit of positivity in their lives) and I loved everything about it: the amazing and lively drawings, the text, the positive ideas, which even as adults we run out of at times, the list the children can fill in, and the definitions. To conclude, everything is spot on, and as the writer says: "We all need a little positivity." I could not be more enthusiastic about a book! I will definitely read it to my grandkids (while translating as they’re French) and use the ideas to help my students. Thank you so much for this must-read!
Recommend this book:
Amelia the Mouse
Inventor Extraordinaire
J. W. Kohler
2021 Honorable Mention
Kindle Edition
Check current price
Children - Grade K-3rd
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Amelia the Mouse: Inventor Extraordinaire is a children’s educational picture book written by J.W. Kohler and illustrated by Kate Fallahee. If there’s one thing that excites Amelia about getting up every morning, it’s the new day’s opportunities to create even more ingenious inventions. Amelia sees possibility in everything around her, an infinite array of things that could be made better, more efficient, or more useful. Her workshop was her operating theater where she could focus on her next invention. And while her inventions, albeit ingenious, weren’t of any real practical use so far, she knew that one day they would be. One morning, she was visited by an older gentleman, a rat named Winston, who had a problem with the cane he used to assist his walking. He explained that the tip of the cane would get stuck in the most inconvenient and dangerous places. Could Amelia invent a safer cane for him? Amelia was sure she could, and she immediately began to design her new invention.
J.W. Kohler’s Amelia the Mouse: Inventor Extraordinaire is both funny and inspirational as young readers read about Amelia’s penchant for seeing possibility in just about everything around her. I loved her design for a salami shirt, and even her prototype rocket-powered cane seemed to have some promise. Kate Fallahee’s brightly colored and whimsical illustrations bring Amelia and her inventions to life. The story is silly and fun, but the underlying message is a good one. We could all do worse than embracing our inner, indefatigable Amelia, and the world would be a lot better for it. A grand selection for storytime, Amelia the Mouse: Inventor Extraordinaire is also suitable for young readers to try on their own. It’s most highly recommended.
Amelia the Mouse: Inventor Extraordinaire is a children’s educational picture book written by J.W. Kohler and illustrated by Kate Fallahee. If there’s one thing that excites Amelia about getting up every morning, it’s the new day’s opportunities to create even more ingenious inventions. Amelia sees possibility in everything around her, an infinite array of things that could be made better, more efficient, or more useful. Her workshop was her operating theater where she could focus on her next invention. And while her inventions, albeit ingenious, weren’t of any real practical use so far, she knew that one day they would be. One morning, she was visited by an older gentleman, a rat named Winston, who had a problem with the cane he used to assist his walking. He explained that the tip of the cane would get stuck in the most inconvenient and dangerous places. Could Amelia invent a safer cane for him? Amelia was sure she could, and she immediately began to design her new invention.
J.W. Kohler’s Amelia the Mouse: Inventor Extraordinaire is both funny and inspirational as young readers read about Amelia’s penchant for seeing possibility in just about everything around her. I loved her design for a salami shirt, and even her prototype rocket-powered cane seemed to have some promise. Kate Fallahee’s brightly colored and whimsical illustrations bring Amelia and her inventions to life. The story is silly and fun, but the underlying message is a good one. We could all do worse than embracing our inner, indefatigable Amelia, and the world would be a lot better for it. A grand selection for storytime, Amelia the Mouse: Inventor Extraordinaire is also suitable for young readers to try on their own. It’s most highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
LaLa Salutes the Sun
A Yoga Book for Kids (LaLa's World 4)
Tela Kayne
2021 Finalist
Kindle Edition
Check current price
Children - Grade K-3rd
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
LaLa Salutes the Sun: A Yoga Book for Kids: LaLa's World, Book 4 is an educational picture book for children, grades k-3, written by Tela Kayne and illustrated by Goran Vitanovic. Lala knows that icky feelings can actually make you feel bad, can even make you feel ill, but there are ways to eliminate that ickiness -- yoga! LaLa introduces Sun Salutations in this book. Sun Salutations are a series of yoga moves that work perfectly together and are guaranteed to leave the practitioner relaxed and free of icky feelings. LaLa explains how yoga is a combination of “exercise, poses, and breathing.” The poses are often named after nature and animals and are fun to do. Sun Salutations are a perfect way for kids and caregivers to learn how to do yoga, and LaLa and her bear are there to guide you every step of the way.
Tela Kayne introduces young readers to yoga utilizing my favorite yoga series -- the Sun Salutations. I still remember my first yoga course from college where we learned the salutations first of all. Later on, during the semester, a group of adults came to visit our class and we students guided them along with their own first yoga moves. That said, I was blown away by LaLa and Tela Kayne’s introduction to yoga. Each of the Sun Salutation poses is beautifully illustrated and described, including the inhalations and exhalations, after presenting a marvelous introduction to yoga breathing. I’ve read any number of yoga books and can’t recall any that gave as insightful and precise instructions for the Sun Salutations. In fact, I had to resist getting up and joining in with LaLa and her bear in a few Salutations myself. Oh, and yes, don’t forget to have a bottle of water handy to hydrate between Salutations. Goran Vitanovic’s illustrations are perfectly suited to this book and make following the moves along with LaLa and her bear a breeze. Anyone for a Sun Salutation? LaLa Salutes the Sun is most highly recommended.
LaLa Salutes the Sun: A Yoga Book for Kids: LaLa's World, Book 4 is an educational picture book for children, grades k-3, written by Tela Kayne and illustrated by Goran Vitanovic. Lala knows that icky feelings can actually make you feel bad, can even make you feel ill, but there are ways to eliminate that ickiness -- yoga! LaLa introduces Sun Salutations in this book. Sun Salutations are a series of yoga moves that work perfectly together and are guaranteed to leave the practitioner relaxed and free of icky feelings. LaLa explains how yoga is a combination of “exercise, poses, and breathing.” The poses are often named after nature and animals and are fun to do. Sun Salutations are a perfect way for kids and caregivers to learn how to do yoga, and LaLa and her bear are there to guide you every step of the way.
Tela Kayne introduces young readers to yoga utilizing my favorite yoga series -- the Sun Salutations. I still remember my first yoga course from college where we learned the salutations first of all. Later on, during the semester, a group of adults came to visit our class and we students guided them along with their own first yoga moves. That said, I was blown away by LaLa and Tela Kayne’s introduction to yoga. Each of the Sun Salutation poses is beautifully illustrated and described, including the inhalations and exhalations, after presenting a marvelous introduction to yoga breathing. I’ve read any number of yoga books and can’t recall any that gave as insightful and precise instructions for the Sun Salutations. In fact, I had to resist getting up and joining in with LaLa and her bear in a few Salutations myself. Oh, and yes, don’t forget to have a bottle of water handy to hydrate between Salutations. Goran Vitanovic’s illustrations are perfectly suited to this book and make following the moves along with LaLa and her bear a breeze. Anyone for a Sun Salutation? LaLa Salutes the Sun is most highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Legend of the Storm Sneezer
The Stormwatch Diaries
Kristiana Sfirlea
2021 Gold Medal
458 Pages
Check current price
Children - Mystery
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Legend of the Storm Sneezer is an enigmatic and highly enjoyable work of fantasy fiction for children penned by author Kristiana Sfirlea. The opening part of The Stormwatch Diaries book series, this charming tale for middle grade and young adult readers focuses on Rose Skyler, our thirteen-year-old protagonist. Rose sneezed a storm cloud when she was born, but as she gets older this magical cloud becomes less and less stable, resulting in Rose’s residence at Heartstone Asylum. The facility lies at the heart of a haunted forest, but its ghosts are beginning to wander. So begins a paranormal adventure with time travel, spirits, magic, and mayhem aplenty.
This might be one of the best fantasy books for MG readers and younger teens that I’ve ever encountered. Author Kristiana Sfirlea captivates with a concept that is initially simple but expands with complex beauty and metaphysical elements that adult readers will enjoy just as much as the intended audience. Rose is well developed as a precocious but fallible heroine, and I especially loved her figment friend Marek, who was as fascinating in character concept as in the presentation of dialogue and description. The work is lavish and beautifully imagined with cinematic use of descriptive lexis, as well as a solid and exciting plotline that brings core concepts together without confusion or contradiction. Overall, Legend of the Storm Sneezer is both utterly charming and highly accomplished in its formation: a rare find indeed, and one to be treasured.
Legend of the Storm Sneezer is an enigmatic and highly enjoyable work of fantasy fiction for children penned by author Kristiana Sfirlea. The opening part of The Stormwatch Diaries book series, this charming tale for middle grade and young adult readers focuses on Rose Skyler, our thirteen-year-old protagonist. Rose sneezed a storm cloud when she was born, but as she gets older this magical cloud becomes less and less stable, resulting in Rose’s residence at Heartstone Asylum. The facility lies at the heart of a haunted forest, but its ghosts are beginning to wander. So begins a paranormal adventure with time travel, spirits, magic, and mayhem aplenty.
This might be one of the best fantasy books for MG readers and younger teens that I’ve ever encountered. Author Kristiana Sfirlea captivates with a concept that is initially simple but expands with complex beauty and metaphysical elements that adult readers will enjoy just as much as the intended audience. Rose is well developed as a precocious but fallible heroine, and I especially loved her figment friend Marek, who was as fascinating in character concept as in the presentation of dialogue and description. The work is lavish and beautifully imagined with cinematic use of descriptive lexis, as well as a solid and exciting plotline that brings core concepts together without confusion or contradiction. Overall, Legend of the Storm Sneezer is both utterly charming and highly accomplished in its formation: a rare find indeed, and one to be treasured.
Recommend this book:
Mall Girl Meets the Shadow Vandal
Kimberly Baer
2021 Bronze Medal
Kindle Edition
Check current price
Children - Mystery
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
Most young girls love to shop; they love to go to the mall to hang out and look around. Imagine if you actually lived at the mall! Right in the center, in the heart of it! And, what if your house is like a giant wishing well that people toss coins at and into, usually down the chimney. Other things are tossed down the chimney, too, but the coins are the most useful and least disgusting. Chloe hates her home, hates her neighborhood. I mean, really, who would want to live with storefronts as your neighbors and shoppers as the gawkers? And that’s when things really start to get weird. It all begins with the egging of a storefront and the blame somehow goes back to Chloe and her mom. Can Chloe’s new mystery group at school help solve this mystery? Before someone really gets hurt?
Kimberly Baer’s middle-grade novel, Mall Girl Meets the Shadow Vandal, is a great mystery for young readers, with a very unusual setting, which one could argue is all a part of the mystery. The reader will instantly feel connected to the protagonist, Chloe. The story is told in the first-person narrative and Chloe, the narrator, tells a compelling story. As she describes the wishing-pond scenario of their little house in the middle of the mall, the reader will share a chuckle at the list of things tossed into the chimney and around the yard outside. The yard is another interesting attribute – it’s not real, but fake grass, to prevent the family, which is only Chloe and her mother, from having to cut the grass or dig up weeds or water or any one of those usual yard things one does.
There is a lot of humor in some of the crazy things Chloe describes, but there’s also a lot of angst. The reader will have to agree that even though the stores are all around giving easy access for a shopping spree, there is no privacy. And that’s one thing a teen girl craves the most: privacy. It’s a good thing Chloe’s a reader and she likes reading mysteries because as the plot thickens around a series of unusual nocturnal happenings in the mall, it takes all her Nancy Drew sleuthing skills to solve the mystery. A great read full of fun, adventure, mystery, and the trials of making friends in the very critical teen world.
Most young girls love to shop; they love to go to the mall to hang out and look around. Imagine if you actually lived at the mall! Right in the center, in the heart of it! And, what if your house is like a giant wishing well that people toss coins at and into, usually down the chimney. Other things are tossed down the chimney, too, but the coins are the most useful and least disgusting. Chloe hates her home, hates her neighborhood. I mean, really, who would want to live with storefronts as your neighbors and shoppers as the gawkers? And that’s when things really start to get weird. It all begins with the egging of a storefront and the blame somehow goes back to Chloe and her mom. Can Chloe’s new mystery group at school help solve this mystery? Before someone really gets hurt?
Kimberly Baer’s middle-grade novel, Mall Girl Meets the Shadow Vandal, is a great mystery for young readers, with a very unusual setting, which one could argue is all a part of the mystery. The reader will instantly feel connected to the protagonist, Chloe. The story is told in the first-person narrative and Chloe, the narrator, tells a compelling story. As she describes the wishing-pond scenario of their little house in the middle of the mall, the reader will share a chuckle at the list of things tossed into the chimney and around the yard outside. The yard is another interesting attribute – it’s not real, but fake grass, to prevent the family, which is only Chloe and her mother, from having to cut the grass or dig up weeds or water or any one of those usual yard things one does.
There is a lot of humor in some of the crazy things Chloe describes, but there’s also a lot of angst. The reader will have to agree that even though the stores are all around giving easy access for a shopping spree, there is no privacy. And that’s one thing a teen girl craves the most: privacy. It’s a good thing Chloe’s a reader and she likes reading mysteries because as the plot thickens around a series of unusual nocturnal happenings in the mall, it takes all her Nancy Drew sleuthing skills to solve the mystery. A great read full of fun, adventure, mystery, and the trials of making friends in the very critical teen world.
Recommend this book:
The Secret of the 14th Room
Rebecca Hemlock
2021 Honorable Mention
242 Pages
Check current price
Children - Mystery
Reviewed by Peggy Jo Wipf for Readers' Favorite
The Secret of the 14th Room by Rebecca Hemlock is just as intriguing and mysterious as the cover hints. Levi Corbin is called home to Granton, Tennessee after the death of his Grandma Dorothy. She reared him after the deaths of his parents, but he left this small town as soon as he could get away. His cousin, Silas Corbin, was also called to the reading of Grandma Dorothy's will. Levi and Silas never got along as children and now found themselves teamed up to care for this historic house. They must work together or they will lose the house. Silas's trouble followed him back to Tennessee. Levi borders on losing everything that is dear again and giving into bitterness that consumes all.
Rebecca Hemlock has a talent for getting inside the heads and hearts of her characters as The Secret of the 14th Room unfolds into a mesmerizing novel. The author plays on your emotions; you will feel empathy when Silas is sitting in jail, fear of losing Bella, and dread as Levi's stored anger threatens to consume him. Will the spark of romance die out between Abigail and Levi before they even have a chance? You feel as you enter the story and live it through the characters. This novel is the first of the Granton House mysteries and sets the expectations high for the next book. This book is well-written, and there is enchanting historical detail that will grip your attention. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries with a touch of history.
The Secret of the 14th Room by Rebecca Hemlock is just as intriguing and mysterious as the cover hints. Levi Corbin is called home to Granton, Tennessee after the death of his Grandma Dorothy. She reared him after the deaths of his parents, but he left this small town as soon as he could get away. His cousin, Silas Corbin, was also called to the reading of Grandma Dorothy's will. Levi and Silas never got along as children and now found themselves teamed up to care for this historic house. They must work together or they will lose the house. Silas's trouble followed him back to Tennessee. Levi borders on losing everything that is dear again and giving into bitterness that consumes all.
Rebecca Hemlock has a talent for getting inside the heads and hearts of her characters as The Secret of the 14th Room unfolds into a mesmerizing novel. The author plays on your emotions; you will feel empathy when Silas is sitting in jail, fear of losing Bella, and dread as Levi's stored anger threatens to consume him. Will the spark of romance die out between Abigail and Levi before they even have a chance? You feel as you enter the story and live it through the characters. This novel is the first of the Granton House mysteries and sets the expectations high for the next book. This book is well-written, and there is enchanting historical detail that will grip your attention. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries with a touch of history.
Contact Author -
