Tag: Adventure
Illustrated by D. FRONGIA
SUMMARY
The Grumpface is a poetic fairy-tale that tells the story of Dan, an inventor who ventures into a forest looking for a rose. Instead he is finds the mysterious Grumpface who threatens to hold him captive unless he passes some difficult challenges. What follows is a humorous adventure that neither Dan nor the Grumpface could have anticipated.
It is a tale in the spirit of any grand adventure. It is about a clumsy young inventor’s quest for love, and the challenges he must face to find it. But it is also a tale of bravery, absurdity and happiness, and the power of these qualities over negativity and sheer grumpiness.Every parent will be acquainted with their own little ‘grumpface’ now and then. This story stands as a small piece of hope – that no matter how ingrained the grump, there will always remain in every one of us a smile or a laugh just waiting to come out.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF READ REVIEW
The Grumpface is a remarkably ilustrated romantic fantasy picture book for kids. It takes you on a—. Ewww, what do you mean ewww? What? You don’t like kissy stuff? Yes you do, remember, The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, The Princess and the Frog, not to mention Lilo and Stitch…. Okay, that last one was a little stretch, but as I was saying, The Grumpface takes you on a wild adventure. You see Dan falls in love with—. Hmmm… Well, he goes to the forest and that’s where he meets The Grumpface, he’s a grumpy old creature (actually, he reminds me of a troll) who lives in these woods. Let me tell you about the things he does. Oh, I can’t. As always, I won’t spoil your enjoyment of reading this hilarious (funny) book.
The UNIQUE thing about The Grumpface is that the evil wicked witch isn’t a witch.
RECOMMENDATION
The Grumpface is recommended for Children ages 1 – 9. It is a great First Time Reader as well as a Bedtime Story. But, let’s not forget those Middle Grade Readers age 9 who love to have fun.
BUY IT HERE: AMAZON BARNES AND NOBLE KOBO
BIO
BCR Fegan is a multi-award-winning author who has written a number of fairy tales and fantasies for children and young adults.
Raised on a small hobby farm only minutes from some of Australia’s greatest beaches, Fegan grew up inspired by the power of natures ambience. From the intensity of the frequent summer storms, to the overwhelming serenity of a lonely beach in the early hours of the morning. His ravenous appetite for both reading and writing soon saw him drawing on the transformational influence of the world around him to craft short stories, poems and picture books
As time wore on, Fegan also found inspiration in the magic and depth of authors and compositors like Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault. He was mesmerised by the potency of small but beautiful phrases that were carefully carved from the minds of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Alfred Lord Tennyson and Robert Frost. He grew to appreciate the worlds meticulously created by David Eddings, JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis.
Eventually, he began to forge his own complete works. Weaving his own magic, piecing together his own phrases and crafting his own worlds. Agonising over plots that would inspire, characters that would be loved and circumstances that would delight. In time, his efforts saw a number of children’s books and young adult fiction produced. Through the efforts of TaleBlade Press, these works are now being published with that same careful dedication.
ILLUSTRATED BY TJAART & DANIEL LEHMACHER
SUMMARY
A Moonling longing for the earth, and a ten-year-old Earthling, named Karl, wanting nothing more than to explore the moon and the stars… By a happy chance these two kindred beings find each other, as well as a sense of awe for life around them. But the more The Moonling sees of this green and blue planet the more homesick he gets. To him it is clear that the earth is far more beautiful from far away… As their friendship grows, so do the questions. And as Karl figures out a plan to get The Moonling back to the moon, one has to wonder: Is it possible for a little creature of stone, to awaken in hearts of flesh, a love for this place we call home.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF READ REVIEW
The Moonling is a story about a creature who lives on Earth’s Moon. In this science-fiction, fantasy adventure, a moon creature made of stone hitches a ride to Earth with the first astronauts who have collected moon rocks. Get it, the stone creature hitches a ride with a bunch of rocks. No? Oh well it seemed funny at the time. You see, Mond as he later becomes known is the only living creature on the Moon. For years he has looked upon and wanted to visit the blue and green planet below him. What? Oh, you’re excited about life on the Moon. Yes, there is life on the Moon, and he wanted to come and see all of the Earth’s beauty and grandeur up close. It makes you proud, doesn’t it? Now the most astonishing thing about The Mooling is…. Oh, here I go again. About to spoil everything. I won’t do that—it’s just too good to miss.
The UNIQUE thing about The Mooling is the plot and the main character’s point of view and the design of their illustrations. Hey, with Mond, there’s even a little ETHNIC flare. Ha ha.
RECOMMENDATION
The Moonling is recommended for First Time Readers (1 – 8) with Parental Assistance and Middle Grade Readers to age 10
BUY IT HERE: Amazon
BIO – To be quite honest, ‘The Moonling’ was a family effort in every sense of the word – to begin with; the story was our late grandmother’s idea, in addition to stumbling upon the story ‘The man from the moon’, the daughter furthermore shared it with her own child and grandchild who saw this simple but compelling story as an opportunity to save this place we call home. ‘The Moonling’ is the grandson and great-grandson’s rendering of a never forgotten Oma Mutti’s idea – A children’s picture storybook almost four generations in the making. themoonlingbook.com
Illustrated by PAVEL GOLDAEV
SUMMARY
Bedtime is here, it’s time for a game. Yousuf and his mom decide Adventures are waiting to be explored, as reality and dreamland collide.
Come join them on this journey to a land where dreams come true. From musical birds to a wacky pirate take our hand and join the crew.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF READ REVIEW
It’s bedtime for Yousuf, but he’s not feeling very sleepy yet. So, Mommy comes up with a new game for them to play. It is called Imagination Time Travel. Doesn’t that sound exciting? Imagine all the places we could go, and the things we could do. What? Oh, I didn’t tell you how to play this marvelous game. Of course not! You’re going to discover the most wonderful things when you read Yousuf’s Everyday Adventures – Dreamland with Mommy. Hmmm, maybe I can tell you a little bit about Yousuf’s travels. I mean after all they are really dynamic. First, there’s—no, I’ve got stop this right here. If I don’t, I’ll spoil all your fun in reading Yousuf’s Everyday Adventures – Dreamland with Mommy with your parent(s).
I can tell you that the UNIQUE thing about Yousuf’s Everyday Adventures – Dreamland with Mommy is the Imagination Time Travel Game and the ETHNIC thing about this book is it’s main character–Yousuf.
RECOMMENDATION
Yousuf’s Everyday Adventures – Dreamland with Mommy is recommended for First Time Readers (1 – 8) and Middle Grade Readers to age 10. It is also recommend for any child that likes to play games of using their imagination.
BUY IT HERE: Paperback on Amazon E-book on Amazon
BIO – Dana Salim loves singing silly songs, standing in the breeze and eating chocolate cake. But most of all she loves spending time with her son, Yousuf, and her husband. From kayaking and hiking to caves and waterfalls, to reading new books and learning new things; everyday holds an exciting adventure for the family! And now she has made her dream of being an author a reality by publishing her children’s book series “Yousuf’s Everyday Adventures” which includes two titles “Dreamland with Mommy” and “Beautifully Different. Dana’s childhood adventures were split between Amman, Jordan and Vancouver, Canada. She finished Industrial Engineering at the University of Jordan before moving to Ohio, which was home for four awesome years. And now she resides in McAllen, Texas where she is always on the lookout for new adventures with her family.
Dana founded DS Publishing, LLC with her husband in August, 2016. Their mission is to provide products that instill and encourage diversity, acceptance and confidence in one’s self and dreams.
And if there’s one thing she would want to tell you right now it would be “Believe in yourself and go after your dreams, it’s never too early or too late. Right now is the best time to do it!”
SUMMARY
Jay-Jay the Supersonic Bus is not an ordinary bus taking you on a journey. He is a Playbus. Find out what happens when he is invited to an island where the children have never seen a double-decker bus – and certainly not one full of toys!
A DIFFERENT KIND OF READ REVIEW
Last time, when we visited Jay-Jay, he had just become a play bus (Click here to see that review). This time he is going on a different kind of adventure to an island across the channel. While, he is eager to get there, he’s a little frightened, but he trusts his driver to keep him safe. “Oh my, the water’s a little choppy!” he notices and again, he isn’t so sure. that he should get on the ferry. Hmm, he can’t turn back now, the only thing left to do is to quickly get on the ferry.
Oh, oh, he got on a little too quickly and hurt his bottom. What? How does bus hurt his bottom? What do you mean a bus doesn’t have a bottom? Patience, let me answer. It’s that part underneath. What does underneath mean? You know that part… Wait, I have to let mommy explain that to you as she reads Jay-Jay and His Island Adventure. Together, you’ll also find out if a bus can get seasick, and let me know what you think about those pirates.
Jay-Jay and His Island Adventure is a UNIQUE read because of the adventure he takes you on. And, it’s an ETHNIC read because of the diverse characters appearing throughout the book.
RECOMMENDATION
Jay-Jay and his Island Adventure is recommended for First Time Readers (1-8) and Middle Grade Readers to age 10.
BUY IT HERE: Amazon
BIO – Sue Wickstead is a Supply teacher working across Sussex and Surrey.
For over 20 years, alongside her teaching career, she worked with a Children’s Charity, a Playbus, which led her to write a photographic history book about its journey.
She soon found that many children had never been on a bus let alone a ‘Playbus’ and they wanted to know more, so she decided to write a fictional tale about a ‘Playbus’.
Jay-Jay the Supersonic Bus came out in print in 2014. From fact to fiction the bus’ journey continues with more stories written and on their way. 
SUMMARY
Across the Realm: Life Always Finds a Way is a story of the clash of two advanced civilizations. In the North, Humans live under a defined system of segregation and rely strongly on science, while in the South, the physically evolved humans live communally and are under the guidance of a deity they call “Mother.”
Separating these two and their land masses is a boiling sea and an impenetrable Southern Force Field. The two sides have been at war for longer than a century and now their planet is facing a catastrophe neither one can handle without the other.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF READ REVIEW
There are several literary genres in Across the Realm: Life Always Finds a Way. Let’s start with Science Fiction, the book’s main genre. The year is 2077 and once again, the North and the South are at war. However, this time the whole world is involved. For decades? Centuries? Millenia? Well, at least yesterday, these two enemies have been trying to invade each other’s hemisphere. One to conquer and stop the war, the other to take over and control them. Even to the point of making them…I can’t say it. This, you will have to find out for yourself. Now, pan over to Greg, the commander of the Northern Hemisphere, as he sits in a room watching a video. In it, Naledi jumps three floors into the air and makes a perfect landing on a corridor up above. Fascinated, Greg watches the video over and over again. Not because of what she has done, but because he finds her beautiful. Thus begins the Romance. Wait, how and where did he get these pictures and who or what is a Nedge? More importantly, what is the catastrophe they are about to face? Ahhh! That is the Mystery of Across the Realm: Life Always Finds a Way. Let us not forget those boiling waters . . . what is it about them or should I say, what is in them? A little Fantasy perhaps! Now for the Adventure—hmmm, I’ll leave that for you to discover.
What makes Across the Realm, Life Always Finds a Way a UNIQUE read is that all of the Genres mentioned above are seamlessly tied together to make an astounding, amazing, mind-boggling, surprising, wondrous story. What makes it ETHNIC is the people of Earth.
RECOMENDATION
Across the Realm: Life Always Finds a Way is recommended for Young Adults 16 plus and Adults
BUY IT HERE: Amazon
BIO – Isobel Mitton is a Canadian writer born to an African American mother and an African father. She spent most of her life living in other people’s countries. An avid storyteller, she insists that is how she wants to be remembered when she dies. She is a proud nerd and wants people to know that beauty goes with brains! Isobel didn’t choose to be a writer. Writing chose her. In her novels, she seeks to entertain, excite, grip your attention for hours on end and give you food for thought. She wants desperately to take you out of the mundane and into the stars of scifi/fantasy where anything and everything is possible. She is an avid writer of scifi/fantasy novels, comics and screenplays.
She hopes one day to the able to write music and to that end, she is teaching herself how to play an acoustic guitar.
She really hates talking about herself and her past achievements and so she will stop boring the world right now. Besides, there is nothing in her past that beats the present or the future.
Her one wish is that many people read her work. They don’t have to buy it. They just have to read it, because she is a story teller. It is her one true purpose in life.
To find out more about her work and to connect with her personally, check out http://www.acrosstherealm.com
She can also be found on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IsobelMitton
And instagram: IsobelMitton
And Facebook: Isobel Mitton
See you there if you want to part of her crazy self.
Illustrated by KALPART
SUMMARY
All Cats Go to Heaven is a touching children’s book that deals with difficult yet important topics, such as death, friendship, and accepting others for who they. The story is told through the eyes of Minka the cat, who has just become an angel and returns to earth to protect her friends.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF REVIEW READ
After many years, Minka the cat finds herself in Cat Heaven. She is kind of surprised because she thought that cats had nine lives. Is it because she’s lived a long life? Or, is it a myth? Who cares, she’s now in Cat Heaven and she is given one last earthly wish. What does she do? Hmmm, on the premise (that means pretending) that she wants to help her living friends, she makes a request to return to earth. To her surprise, her request is granted provided she follow the rules. Rules! They have rules in Heaven? There are always rules. They just want you to be safe. Especially if you are going on a great adventure like this. And, that what All Cats Go to Heaven is…a spectacular adventure. There are so many things I would like to tell you about the adventure, but I won’t spoil it for you. Just be ready to sing, dance, and laugh. Plus the pictures are awesome.
The UNIQUE thing about All Cats Go to Heaven is its ETHNIC diversity.
Who would have known that about cats?
RECOMMENDATION
All Cats Go to Heaven is recommended for First Time Readers (6 – 8) Certain Middle Grade Readers (9 – 12), specifically those that tend to shy away from reading and those who love animals, will also like this book. It will also make a great Bedtime Story for those younger than 6.
BUY IT HERE: Amazon
BIO – Valda V. Upenieks received her Ph.D. from the University of Washington and has worked in various nursing leadership and consulting roles throughout the country. “Minka was my first cat and she lived for 17 years,” she says. The author has two daughters, Laura and Lasma, who live i the greater Seattle area with their two dogs and two cats.
Illustrated by LEDA CHUNG
SUMMARY
Hong goes to Taiwan with her dad to visit her grandmother. She finds two BIG problems. First, there is an enormous beetle in the bathtub. Second, her grandmother’s noodle shop is being forced to close. What can she do?
A DIFFERENT KIND OF READ REVIEW
For the first time in her life Hong is visiting her grandmother in Taiwan. Unknown to her, she is about to become part of an exciting fantasy mystery. It all starts with a bug. Eww, a nasty bug. Hong doesn’t want it to fall on her while she is sleeping. Everyone knows that girls hate bugs, well some don’t, but that’s a different story. Let me tell you a little secret, over fifty percent of all boys like bugs, and that’s why they will love Superbeetle. But, I’m getting off the subject. Hong hates bugs, and is crawling over her head. What will she do if he falls. Not gonna happen, she screams and her father takes care of it.
Or does he? She’s afraid it’s going to come back. What does she do? She goes to find it. As she enters the hallway, she hears splashing water coming from the bathroom. Something isn’t right. She creeps towards the door, and slowly peeks inside and, and it’s a…. I really want to tell you what it is. You probably already know. I can tell you that…no, I can’t tell you. Hurry, just read Superbeetle. You’ll get the answers. Please, please, I can’t tell you anymore. What makes Superbeetle an ETHNIC read is Hong, Chi Chi and their families. What makes it UNIQUE read is the way that the author showed you how to say the Chinese words right inside the text.
RECOMMENDATION
Superbeetle is a Chapter book recommended for First Time Readers (1-8) I also think this book will appeal to boys included in the Middle Grade Readers (9-12) because of the bugs. Everyone will be drawn to the fantastic illustrations.
BUY IT HERE: Amazon
BIO
Author S. Michele Chen lives in Southern California but visits her family in Taiwan when she can because the bugs no longer scare her. She has published numerous crime fiction short stories and a novella under a secret identity. Superbeetle is her first children’s book: www.superbeetlebook.com
Illustrator Leda Chung was born and raised in New England. In 2010 life swept her away to Northern California where she currently resides with her boyfriend and their pet pigeon, Olive. When she’s not creating art, you can find Leda experimenting in the kitchen, tending to her small plant-family, and rescuing pigeons and doves in the California Bay Area: www.ledachung.com
Illustrated by KELLY CLINE
SUMMARY
Sidney Snail is so sick of Slipperyville that he wants to go on an adventure–any adventure–anywhere but here! A timely word from mysterious Old Samuel Snail convinces Sidney to give Slipperyville one last chance before he snails out of town.
Sidney will help show children (and adults!) that they can find magic, mindfulness, and meaningfulness in even the simplest things. All you need is a change of perspective.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF READ REVIEW
Everyone loves to go on an adventure, or vacation as some of us call it. Be it Disneyland, Universal Studios, or Knotts Berry Farm. Okay those are my adventures. But would you like to know where you can find one of the best adventures. How about right in your own backyard? That’s what Sidney did. At first, he wanted to travel to someplace far away from Slipperville. But, he had never done that. So, he talked to old Sam who gave him some very sage (wise) advice. “You can leave (Slipperyville) any old time. But it’s always wise to find out What’s at the End of Your Nose first.”* What’s at the end of his nose? How exactly does one find out what’s at the end of their nose? Welllll, first you have to…hmmm. Maybe… Come on, we always go through this. Me and my big mouth. It always wants to give out the entire story. But, as always, I know it will be so much more fun to read Sidney’s story yourself, so that you can be part of the adventure. But, maybe I’ll just tell you this little…. No, I’m done. What makes What’s at the End of Your Nose a UNIQUE read is the little teeny bit of romance. Eww? Awww, come on, it’s not bad. It will just make you smile.
RECOMMENDATION
What’s at the End of Your Nose is recommended for First Time Readers (1-8) and for boys of Middle Grade Readers to age 10 who love bugs. It also makes a great bedtime story.
BUY IT HERE: Amazon
BIO – Becky Benishek studied English and Environmental Science at Lawrence University, and always hoped to turn her lifelong loves of writing, animals, and trees into something wonderful. She lives with her husband, Dave, and their guinea pig, Teddy.
*Changes were made to the quote for clarity for my young readers and to highlight the book’s title.
SUMMARY
Mackenzie Clair is looking for a fresh start. She thinks she’ll find it in her favorite childhood vacation spot, but returning to Donn’s Hill awakens more than nostalgia. Mac regains a lost psychic ability to talk to the dead, and the poltergeist haunting her apartment is desperate to make her use that gift to find his killer.
Aided by her new roommate—a spirited Tortoiseshell cat named Striker—and the ghost-hunting crew of the nationally televised show Soul Searchers, Mac struggles to learn how to use her powers, but she’d better get a handle on them fast, because someone in town is hiding a deadly secret. If Mac can’t somehow divine the truth, Donn’s Hill will never be the same.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF READ REVIEW
Donn’s Hill opens with a bang. Within the first seven pages, the mystery starts. Not in the usual way with the police, a little old lady, or a high profile detective looking at the body and trying to find clues. No, this story starts with Mackenzie Clair, a twenty-seven-year-old woman sleeping in a hotel bed.
Yes, the hotel is sleazy, rundown, and there was a lingering odor of stale cigarettes, but the room was clean and the price was right. Deep into sleep, she is startled by the weight of an intruder as he sits down on the side of her bed.
He makes no sounds, she can’t even hear him breathing, but she knows he’s there because she can smell a foul odor like rotting garbage. What does he want? Why doesn’t speak? Is he holding his breath? She is. After several minutes, she finally gets the nerve to turn on the lights. Her room is empty. What! Did she…? Wait! I’ve got to stop here. You’ve got to discover the rest for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.
Donn’s Hill is a paranormal mystery adventure. What makes it a UNIQUE read is the plot. While there are no twists, finding the killer is possible but impossible at the same time. THAT IS SOOOO GOOD!
RECOMMENDATION
Donn’s Hill is recommended for Adults and Young Adults 16 and above.
BUT IT HERE: Amazon
BIO – Caryn Larrinaga is a Basque-American mystery, horror, and fantasy writer living in Utah with her husband and cats. Despite obtaining a degree in Anthropology (which is much cooler than you might think), she explored several career paths before deciding that she had to follow her passion. Suddenly, writing fiction was the only thing that made sense.
Watching scary movies through split fingers terrified Caryn as a child and inspires her to write now. She lives in a 90-year-old house with a colorful history, and the creaking walls and narrow hallways send her running (never walking) up the stairs from her basement whenever she has no other choice but to go down there. Exploring her fears through writing makes Caryn feel a little bit less foolish for wanting a buddy to accompany her into the tool shed.
When her fingers aren’t glued to her laptop keyboard, Caryn also enjoys binge-watching superhero television shows, reading, playing video games, and filling up her phone’s flash memory with pictures of her cats. She loves music, and plays the bass guitar.
Caryn is an active member of the League of Utah Writers and the Utah Chapter of the Horror Writers Association.