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Book Review–Moving to the Peaceable

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About the Book:

Book: MOVING to The Peaceable

Author: Grami McAdoo (Caryl McAdoo)

Genre: Children’s Animals Picture Book

Release Date: December 22, 2022

Moving can be hard for any age, but the wise old hens might make it easier for the little ones in your life! Follow their journey!

My Thoughts:

The photography in this book is beautiful! My littlest girl enjoyed looking at the pictures and hearing the story read to her. She has no concept of moving, since she was born in this house, but I can see that this book would be a good resource to help children who will be moving to understand what is happening. Some pages tell the story of the move from the chickens’ perspective, and other pages contain dialogue from the author to the child reading the story. Here, she tells the story from her perspective and encourages and reassures them that change can be good, moving is an adventure, and they can trust their parents and God. 

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Award-winning, Christian author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory. Of her best-selling novels, readers love her historical Christian romance family sagas most, but also enjoy their contemporary cousins, Caryl’s Biblical fiction, her new historical mystery series, and tales for young adults and mid-grade booklovers. The majority of reviewers award her stories five-stars and praise Caryl’s writing style and the depth of her characters, feeling as though they get to know them well.

The prolific writer loves singing the new songs God gives her almost as much as penning new novels—hear a few at YouTube! She’s been married to Ron fifty-four years, and they share four children and twenty-four grandsugars. The McAdoos live in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas, waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl:

This is the story of how I became a Chicken Lady from start but not the finish! I have two more “chicken”! books planned based all on the true story! Before we had “backyard birds”—except mine are also front and side yard!—I called our back in the woods twenty acres in Red River County The Peaceable. After the chickens, I added “Farm & Bookery”

My husband of fifty-five years Ron and I now incubate purebred chicks and raise them to laying age—usually four to five months—then sell them. We both love being around our flock, and the supplemental income is nice as well. They grow so fast; watching them is both so much fun and also relaxing!

I know each hen and rooster by name, and they all are so affectionate! They come running whenever I head out the door (mostly because they want to see if I brought any food! ) I love thinking about what they are saying to each other with all their clucking and purring and cackling!

This is why the books are partially written from the hens’ point of view as our first animals’ series, The River Bottom Ranch Stories featuring horses and goats and dogs among other wild animal characters. And all those farm animals were real ones that we owned and loved, too—like the chickens!

This series ‘Grami’s Stories for Children’ also has a narrator’s story throughout, and that’s me, Grami McAdoo! I talk to the children through a few pages full of dialogue to teach them about poultry and things of God. In MOVING to the Peaceable, I talk about changes and how they can be scary, but God is always with us wherever we go.

The illustrations are photographs of our real chickens and The Peaceable Farm & Bookery. In the back of the book, there are a few pages of “Chicken Terminology” and fun “Chicken Facts” to teach the little ones more about the wonderful world of chickens!

I pray they will love the story and be blessed by it! 

To purchase your copy, click here.

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Book Review–Legacy of Love

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About the Book:

Book: Legacy of Love

Author: Kathy Mills

Genre: Christian Nonfiction

Release Date: January 31, 2023

Legacy of Love is a heartfelt memoir that delves into the author’s personal journey of facing troubles and finding peace in the midst of adversity. Drawing from the powerful scripture of John 16:33, the author shares her experiences of praying for protection and blessings, only to realize that God’s answer may not always come in the way she expects.

When her husband Brad is diagnosed with cancer, the author’s faith is put to the test. She grapples with questions and doubts about God’s love, but eventually comes to understand that God’s presence and strength can be found even in the midst of difficulties. Through prayer and praise, she learns to rely on God in critical moments, discovering the true heart of God and experiencing His peace that surpasses all understanding.

Legacy of Love is a story of hope and courage, reminding readers that God’s love never wavers, even when faced with trials and tribulations. It encourages readers to shift their hearts from the temporal things of this world to the eternal love of God, and find peace in His unwavering presence. This memoir will inspire and uplift anyone who is going through challenges, reminding them that overcoming is possible through faith in God’s enduring love.

My Thoughts:

One genre I frequently request for review is memoirs. I have always liked to read true stories. However, I have learned that some memoirs are very easy to read, and others are not. My most recent, Legacy of Love, is one that is harder to read. I really appreciated Kathy’s honesty as she described her journey with her husband, Brad, through cancer and chemotherapy and other treatments. I really appreciated the way she pointed to God all the way through and gave Him glory. It was simply hard to read—mostly because of the subject matter! I do recommend this book for those who need to be able to see God at work in the hard times.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Kathy Mills is a former Flight Attendant who started her flying career at age 19 and flew for nearly 33 years before retiring in 2005 with US Airways. Traveling is still one of her favorite things to do.

Kathy is a member of Kempsville Christian Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where her husband Brad served as their church’s worship minister until his death in 2008.

To those who know her best, she’s an eternity-minded daughter of the King, who loves to share her message that with Jesus, there is nothing this world can do to a child of God, that God can’t use to empower them to bring Glory to God.

More from Kathy:

Comfort is found in God’s Love and Promises

My longing for more time with Brad is as strong today and will remain in me until I see Him again. I have not experienced one day since Brad’s death that I have not had at the least a moment (usually many moments) of longing for Brad to be with me still. I find comfort in knowing that God who knows my heart understands.

As Believers, we are blessed to have Jesus who understands firsthand the pain of separation that death presses into our souls. I have often felt Jesus sit alongside of me and just grieve with me when I am overcome. I believe Jesus hates death more than we do. I like knowing this. In fact, I need to know this; it comforts me. Our Father is always at work…and He has purposed for good to come from even the most heartbreaking losses. I would never say Brad’s death is good. Yet from the amazing and most gracious love of God, He lifts me up from my anguish and invites himself into my sorrow with His unique joy and transforms me.

God has brought good out of my sorrow. It took my sorrow for the good to be done. I wouldn’t have planned it this way, but I trust God’s plans more than I trust my ways. God will do no less with your sorrow. It’s one of His promises, and God keeps all His promises.

“He heals the brokenhearted. And binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow].” Psalms 147:3 (AMP)

God’s love tells us this: I have my heart set on you.

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To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

Palio

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Sometimes a book we read aloud together really strikes a chord with the children. We’re studying the Middle Ages right now, working our way through the TruthQuest History guide to the Middle Ages. One historical fiction suggestion was Palio, by Marguerite Henry. This book isn’t set in the Middle Ages, but it describes a race that has been happening twice every year for over 700 years, following the same rituals as at its beginning in the Middle Ages. I happen to love Marguerite Henry’s books, so it was a great excuse to reread one of them!

All of us thoroughly enjoyed reading Palio. By the time we reached the last half dozen chapters, I was getting questions about whether the Palio is still being run, so I promised that we would look it up online after finishing the book. We did, and sure enough, it is still being held every July and August. In fact, we finished reading the book on August 14, and the next running of the Palio was only two days away! Esther found us a video online that showed the event through the eyes of a Sienese native, and then we watched one about the horse lottery that happened that week. The day the race was run, we searched for another about the day’s race, and got to watch that. It was a lot of fun to be able to see the continuation of a tradition we had just read an engrossing story about. Having read the book, we were somewhat familiar with the various neighborhoods of Siena and were able to recognize them even though the broadcasts were in Italian.

Reading aloud is so much fun! It is definitely the favorite part of the school day for both the children and their teacher. I read to them for 30-45 minutes every morning while the breakfast dishes are being done before we start our school day, another 40-45 minutes in the afternoon while lunch dishes are being washed, and also to each of the little girls separately, for 15-20 minutes each, some time during the day. Winter is great for being able to do that! Summer is more challenging; I still read during dishwashing time, but it’s harder to fit in the little girls’ reading (although by now Miss Joy makes sure I don’t forget her–if she realizes in the evening that I haven’t yet, she announces, with great drama as if it is a catastrophe, “You haven’t read to me yet!”).

Book Review–A Little Christian’s 123s

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About the Book:

Book: A Little Christian’s 123s

Author: Lila Noffsinger

Genre: Christian Children’s Picture Book

Release Date: October, 2022

A Little Christian’s 123s is a fun and playful read that teaches kids numbers with rhymes and Bible stories. This charming bite-sized book is packed with Biblical truth, and children learn not only their numbers but also the foundations of Christianity!

Big, bold, colorful numbers help little ones with number recognition, and kids of all ages learn about key biblical stories in this endlessly re-readable book. The pictures are inspired by real, geographic places, and they give adorably illustrated glimpses of what Jericho, Mt. Siani, and the Sea of Galilee actually looked liked!

Kids love this charming book for the colorful and engaging illustrations, and parents love that it teaches numbers wrapped in Biblical truth, and that, with every read, their kids are reminded that Jesus loves them.

My Thoughts:

I read this book to my 3-year-old. She enjoyed it, and loved that she could recognize most of the stories referenced in it. Each two-page spread has just one sentence, written over a number and containing that number. The picture on the page illustrates a story from the Bible, which the sentence refers to. At the end of the book is a page which give the location(s) in the Bible in which each story can be found, as well as the pages on which the story can be found in two common Bible story books. While this picture book is great for 1-2-year-olds (my littlest is already a bit beyond it!), these references can be used to expand the book and make it even more useful. The pictures are delightfully cute! While they are slightly cartoonish, they don’t have the “bug eyes” that my husband hates.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Lila Noffsinger grew up in a lazy beach town and now lives in an energetic city with her husband and two daughters. She has always loved sharing her Christian faith through the written word, and she is now excited to share her debut children’s book.

In looking for books for her first daughter, she had difficulty finding options that were not only educational but also spiritually enriching and visually engaging. After having her second daughter, she had some midnight hours to let her mind wander, that wandering turned into what became A Little Christian’s 123s. She looks forward to publishing more books in the Little Chrsitian series, teaching preschool level learning concepts with Bible stories. A Little Christian’s Animals is currently in the works and expected to be available Fall 2023.

When Lila isn’t writing or researching what camel saddles looked like for a future book (true story), she is playing with her girls, cooking, crafting, reading, and adventuring with her family.

More from Lila:

My first daughter was a good sleeper. As an infant, she would wake up, eat, and 20 minutes later we’d be snuggling into our respective beds to return to dreamland. My second daughter was a different story. When she woke up and ate, it was only the start of our time together. To stay awake, I thought of traits of my family for each letter of the alphabet. My daughter is Adorable, Bubbly, Caring, and so on. After nights of this, it morphed into things from the Bible for each letter, and then later for each number. I enjoyed dwelling on these thoughts through the midnight hours.

Meanwhile, in the daylight hours, I struggled to find books I wanted to read to my 1.5 year old. We read and enjoyed a lot of books! But I desired to find a book that was cute, biblically enriching, and educational. We had plenty of books that met one or two of the categories, but I had this unexplainable urge to find a book that hit the trifecta.

Through God’s prompting and my own sleep deprivation, my nighttime musings and my daytime seekings merged into the idea of writing my own book: A cute, Bible-based book about numbers 1-10. The trifecta!

The book idea grew, and within the year people were reading published copies of A Little Christian’s 123s! I am eternally grateful to illustrator Lucy Shin, who took my awful sketches and pages and pages of historical and geographic reference pictures, and turned them into such cute and engaging art! Without her, the book may have been educational and biblically enriching, but I promise you that nobody would have wanted to look at it.

Since publishing the book, it has sold hundreds of copies and been enjoyed by kids all across the country. My daughter loves to tell me that Jesus loves her and that He is her friend, which she learned from the last page. I hope and pray that similar experiences are happening in other homes as well!

It is an honor to be on tour with Celebrate Lit, and to celebrate this tour, I hope that you will enjoy these coloring pages inspired by the art in A Little Christian’s 123s. Thanks!

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

Book Review–The Smell of Summer

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About the Book:

Book: The Smell of Summer

Author: Mary Ann Hake

Genre: Picture Book

Release date: May 15, 2023

Explore the smells of summer with April, a blind girl, and her menagerie of pets.

Visit the county fair, the seashore, Grandpa’s farm, and the zoo, and camp with April’s family in the woods—each place has its unique fragrances.

“As summer thoughts stir in my mind,

I wonder what new smells I’ll find.”

The back of the book contains activities using the sense of smell.

My Thoughts:

A month or two ago, my girls and I enjoyed reading The Smell of Spring together. Now, we got to enjoy The Smell of Summer. They loved experiencing the season through the nose of a young blind girl.

 This book is written in rhyme, with each page having four lines of poetry. Each page has a different topic. One double page spread talks about the smell of various flowers, another has bees and the smell of honey, and on one page, the girl’s father is barbecuing meat, which she enjoys smelling. Some smells are not so pleasant, like when her dog gets all wet. She also enjoys the smell of the county fair, the beach, camping in the forest, and the fireworks on Fourth of July.

The pictures in The Smell of Summer are delightful. They show a girl who, although she is handicapped, enjoys life experiencing everything around her. This is a unique way to explore the world through a sense that is not normally talked about in children’s books. It is also a fun way to think about seasons. The only thing I did not enjoy about this book was that on one or two pages the rhymes felt forced and the rhythm was awkward. Otherwise, this book was a joy to read aloud and enjoy with my little girls. They loved looking for the girl’s pets, too; she has a variety of different animals.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Mary Ann Hake, author of the Smells of the Seasons picture book series, has loved learning, reading, and writing for as long as she can remember. She has scribbled stories and poems since she first learned to write and has published hundreds of stories, articles, poems, puzzles, devotions, and more for both children and adults plus written hundreds of book reviews. She loved working in a bookstore and as a librarian and enjoyed reading to children at story times and conducting summer reading programs. She has also taught writing to children and at writers’ conferences. In addition to writing, she continues to work as a freelance editor. Visit her website, www.maryannhake.com, and sign up to receive monthly activities for children and updates on future books.

More from Mary Ann:

My mother introduced me to books at a very young age. Mom read to me nearly every day—beginning with picture books then adding longer stories and poetry. I loved books and soon memorized the text of favorites so I could turn the pages and “read” them myself. (My own daughters did the same.) I could hardly wait until I went to school and learned to read so I could devour books on my own. In honor of my mom, The Smell of Summer’s release date is her birthday, May 15. I am her firstborn and her only summer baby. She always encouraged my writing.

My four-book Smells of the Seasons series are told in rhyme because that appeals to children. The Smell of Summer shares summer scenes from the life of April, a blind girl who uses her sense of smell to help her experience her world. The story includes elements that offer a fun companion text for connection to science including the senses, nature settings, animals, flowers, vegetable gardening, and other food. This is the second book in the series with April and her menagerie of pets.

Most people love summertime. This delightful picture book will stir up memories of summer experiences and offer some you may wish to enjoy this year. As the final page says:

I love the many summer smells.

So many stories each one tells.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

Book Review–The Title Wave

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About the Book:

Book: The Title Wave

Author: Chautona Havig

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: April 25, 2023

All he wants to do is help people, but local women want to help themselves… to him!
When Henri Tupuola returned to Suamalie to open his holistic mental health clinic, he had no idea what he was getting into. After ten years in Australia getting his degree and practical experience under his mentor, the locals had all but forgotten the quiet “boy”  who had always made them feel like he could see right through them.
Not anymore! The ladies of Lafoina are eager to meet the island’s therapist and spend hours staring deeply into his eyes on their weekly dates… ahem, sessions.
Desperate for relief, he hightails it down to The Title Wave and begs Ezra to order him a couple dozen copies of his own book. Yes, author copies would be cheaper, but he needs these things fast. Maybe if he hands out his book like an old-time quack handed out pills, the ladies will get the hint and leave him alone.
But when he tells his troubles to Ezra (who’s the therapist now?), and she jokes at how much her father would love to have people flocking to his “sessions” so to speak, Henri gets an idea that could save his sanity… if only Ezra will agree.
Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

My Thoughts:

Chautona Havig has done it again. This is the funniest book I have read in awhile. Ezra’s soliloquy about how if Dad uses an expression, it’s probably not in general use any more; the time Henry was laughing at his own stupidity; the time he left his phone on, leading to total mortification;  the hilariously stupid poem he wrote…. I also loved the word that Ezra made up. There was not nearly as much substance in The Title Wave as in many of Chautona Havig’s books. Rather, it’s more of a fluffy romance. However, as far as romance goes, this is my favourite kind. I really enjoyed it, and I’m hoping for another visit to the Suamalie islands again sometime.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

USA Today Bestselling author Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

More from Chautona:

It happens with every book—probably for every author. What “it” is… that’s always different. Sometimes it’s the moment you realize that your character has morphed into someone you didn’t intend for him to. Other times it might be that you discovered a huge plot hole in your mystery and there’s no way any of it would have happened (not that I’ve ever had to deal with that or anything). It could be that your characters don’t have chemistry (and that doesn’t have to be romance—friends should have it!). Let’s face it. Lots of things can derail a book.

And if you don’t lay some new track fast (think Gromit in A Grand Day Out laying tracks as fast as he can as the toy train hurtles him after the penguin), your story could end up as the biggest trainwreck this side of… wherever they have bad train wrecks.

Or in my case, sink the book boat.

So there was blithely typing my first chapter when I realized something was wrong with my premise for The Title Wave. See, I had a plan. This would be a fake-dating romance. A local therapist needs a fake girlfriend to get the women to quit hitting on him when he was supposed to be helping them with their problems. Reasonable right?

Yeah. There’s all kinds of problems with this… starting with the fact that I don’t actually enjoy FAST romances… and I wanted them together—like totally committed—by the end of the book. OOPS! Not only that, but come on. Fake boyfriend/girlfriend? Ezra is an MK. This girl isn’t going to want to live a deception like that. She’s got a sensitive conscience, thanks to close ties with the Holy Spirit Who indwells her. She’s not going to do that.

But I needed her to.

I have this group of ladies who read everything as I write it. Most have been with me for over ten years! So, when I realized my book was in serious trouble (as in drowning before it really got out to sea!), I went to them and told them what I wanted/needed to happen and why it wasn’t going to work.

Guess what? They came through for me (as they always do—love you, Escapeables!). After just a bit of tossing out ideas and lobbing them back and forth, things fell into place.

Yes, Henri will approach Ezra with the idea.

Yes, Ezra will have a fake boyfriend.

And yes, being the romance it is… they WILL be committed by the end and without irritating myself with a bunch of insta-love.

Somehow. Since I’m writing this before it all plays out, we’ll both have to see just how that all works out. Join me for a cruise through love-tossed waters?

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

Book Review–Guess How Much God Loves You

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About the Book:

Book: Guess How Much God Loves You

Author: Karen Ferguson

Genre: Children’s book (picture book)

Release date: July 19, 2022

Take a journey through the Bible with Lucy Lu, a colorful, creatively curious first grader who is starting to have serious questions about God.

Questions like: How old is He? Does He sleep? What does He do all day? And the biggest one of all – does God really love me?

After one very hard day, feeling like she doesn’t matter, Lucy sits with her Papa Joe who has promised to answer these questions and more, launching them onto an exciting journey to discover God’s never changing, never failing, never ending love.

What follows in this book series is a wild adventure through the Bible, where Lucy and her Papa find themselves in the middle of it all, on each page of the powerful story of God’s love and faithfulness for all people, throughout all history.

This first book is all about God’s Creation.

Guess How Much God Loves You is a vibrant, fun, and biblically based book that is sure to captivate young readers as it teaches them important Bible truths that will help them build a firm foundation in God and His Good Character – all through the lens of His unconditional love.

My Thoughts:

I read Karen Ferguson’s Guess How Much I Love You to my little girls (ages 8 and 3) yesterday. They both loved it (although, to be honest, there are few books they haven’t loved!). They both enjoyed the quirky pictures, and I hope they took in the message of the book.

Lucy had a question for her papa (her grandfather): “Does God really love me?” Of course, Papa Joe assured her that God does, and proceeded to show her how much. As he cuddled her, he told her all about the six days of Creation. Lucy kept her eyes closed and pictured herself there, watching everything appear on the earth. She learned that God loves her more than any person ever can, and how special she was to God.

The pictures are delightfully goofy. In some of them, Lucy is shown riding her Papa’s electric wheelchair through scenes from Creation. In one picture, she is riding a dolphin, and in another she is cuddled up with a lot of mammals, taking a rest. The pictures are done with pencil drawings, painted in with watercolors, and very pretty. I mentioned the paintings, and my artistic boy spent some time studying them.

I really appreciated the message in Guess How Much God Loves You, and the way it teaches children about the days of Creation. The one thing I didn’t like so much was the way the Bible glowed while they were reading it. At the end of the book is a page about Jesus, Who He is and how He wants to be your friend. There are also some discussion questions do discuss with your child.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Karen Ferguson is a freelance writer and small business owner with a background in K-8 education. A grateful wife, mom, and grandmom she loves words and the Word of God and is passionate about writing stories that grab and hold young readers’ attention, teaching them all about God’s unchangeable truths, and His unchanging love for them.

Her first children’s book, Guess How Much God Loves You, was released in July 2022 through Ambassador International and is available wherever books are sold.

More from Karen:

Are you looking for God honoring books that will captivate your child’s imagination, teach them faith-building biblical concepts, and help them grow in their reading skills?

Then I have the perfect book for your young reader…Guess How Much God Loves You

This beautifully illustrated book introduces young readers to the Creation Account, through the eyes of seven year old Lucy Lu, a creatively curious first grader who is starting to have serious questions about God.

Questions like…

How old is He? Does He sleep? What does He do all day? And the biggest one of all – does God really love me?

After one very hard day, feeling like she doesn’t matter, Lucy sits with her Papa Joe who has promised to answer these questions and more, launching them onto an exciting journey through the Bible to discover God’s never changing, never failing, never ending love.

I wrote this book because I want every child to know their life matters. To know that the God of all things created them in His image, on purpose and for a good purpose.

Guess How Much God Loves You will have seven books in the series with each one covering an important Bible account critical to building an understanding of God’s character and His love for all people, including your reader!

This first book is about the Creation Account as recorded in the Bible. Future books will cover the Garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark, the Exodus and more.

I want children to understand these are not just stories about fictional characters, but historical accounts about real people they can relate to. People who experienced God’s power, love, and faithfulness.

My greatest desire is to see this next generation trust the Bible and enjoy reading it. More than ever, young readers need to hear the message that they are valuable, loved unconditionally by the One who created them and gave them the best gift of all, His Son Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

Book Review–Rivals on the River

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I was excited to receive the newest book in the Brady Street Boys series, and started reading it as soon as I could. Yes, I know it’s a children’s book, and I know my children want to hear it, too—but I need to get a review written and up on my blog as soon as possible, right? So, I had the perfect excuse to whiz through Rivals on the River quickly. I’ll go back and read it to the children as soon as we finish another book I’m reading to them, and I’ll be able to say no to any requests for extra chapters, because I already know what’s happening. (Like I’ll always say no… I’m quite a sucker for “just one more chapter.”) Can you tell I enjoyed this book?

Terry, Gary and Larry are still on their quest to locate the doctor who amputated Gary’s leg when Gary had cancer several years ago. Gary wants to talk to him and find out for sure that it was the necessary thing to happen—but the doctor has disappeared and Gary’s medical records have gotten lost. The boys found a Post Office box address for Dr. Jefferson in Lansing, Iowa, and Uncle Aaron has agreed to drive them out to look for clues to the doctor’s whereabouts. They arrive just in time for the annual fishing contest, and enter, hoping to win enough money to continue the search.

The boys make friends with an autistic boy at the house in which they rent a room, and are surprised to learn that Dr. Jefferson lived here for a short time last year. He even left a forwarding address! However, the address is locked inside a safe, and the combination for the safe is missing. How can the boys get into it? And when something about the fishing competition seems, well, fishy, can they discover the truth? And, who along the way displays this week’s Fruit of the Spirit, gentleness, best? Some of the twists taken by this story are pretty fun!

Please, don’t miss out on reading the Brady Street Boys series. I think Rivals on the River is one of the best yet. I really like the respect the boys have for their parents, and the way they obey and respect Uncle Aaron, who is in charge of them on this trip. They work together well and try to do what is right, and treat others they way they want to be treated. This series is one that I can wholeheartedly recommend for all children, especially boys.

Buy your copy here. This is an affiliate link, which will help to support Esther’s website if you purchase through it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

Book Review–Stormy Encounters

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About the Book:

Book: Stormy Encounters

Author: BJ Howe

Genre: Teen/YA Action Adventure

Release date: March 14, 2023

When the biggest bully in town has you in his crosshairs, you can run, or you can dig deep inside and discover who you really are. Steven Carlson finds himself saddled with an unexpected debt he cannot afford, changing his plans for a summer of fun to one that forces him to places he never wanted to go.

There are storms on the horizon and equally daunting storms of the heart. With a father he doesn’t understand and a mother he can’t remember, Steven’s sixteenth year launches him on a journey that will forever alter his world.

In one unforgettable season, Steven Carlson is pushed to the edge of disaster and forced to confront his prison of self-doubt.

My Thoughts:

To be very honest, this book did not appeal to me. I offered to review it because more bloggers were needed for the tour. When it arrived, I looked at the cover and was, again, less than impressed. However, one of my teenage boys happened to see it laying on my desk. He picked it up and was on the second page before he realized he was hooked! So, I believe it will appeal to the age group for which it is intended: teenage boys. I read it quickly (another plus for boys who are perpetually in a hurry!), and did enjoy the story. It is clean, and gets the point across that living for others and obeying your parents will bring blessing. The message of forgiveness comes through, as well. I still think it needs a better cover!

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Barb (B J) Howe has enjoyed entertaining others with stories since she was a child. As an adult, she used storytelling techniques to communicate in various workplace settings before exploring the art of memoir writing and fiction.

Stormy Encounters is her first significant work of fiction. Writing about teenage boys and lightning fast cars was inspired by her grandson, who at age four attempted to drive her car, and at age ten reminded her that he was a mere five years away from a driving permit. He is now entering his teen years.

Howe resides in Chanhassen, MN with husband, Dave Howe, author of Live Pure and Free: The 90-Day Game Changer. She is on staff with Christian Grandparenting Network, and has contributed to several publications including: Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse Jr. Magazine and Guideposts. Her desire in writing this book is to encourage young adults to mature in their integrity and pursue a personal relationship with Christ.

More from Barb:

Getting through those teenage years is an adventure. Ask anyone who’s been there. The challenges are real, the outcomes, let’s just say unpredictable. Today’s young generation seems to have more than a fair share of confusing messages roaring at them, and far more outlets than any previous generation to access them. This can make the journey to adulthood far more daunting.

Too many of the books found at public libraries and book stores carry dark messages with little hope. Stormy Encounters is about smokin’ hot cars, swaggering bravado, and, of course, girls. You know, the things that get young guys’ engines revving in high gear. This approach cruises into their world and shows how to work through difficulties without getting preachy. That’s the kind of thinking that first enticed Howe to speak to teens through fiction.

Face it. No matter who we are, we all share at least one thing in common: every day we make hundreds of choices. Some of those choices affect the rest of our lives. Stormy Encounters is all about helping teens, especially teen boys, make the kinds of choices that bring positive results. The pace is fast enough to be exciting, steady to drive interest. Don’t worry; it’s all clean. Maybe these are the reasons teen girls and adults also enjoy reading Stormy Encounters.

Howe’s writing career began with corporate and freelance writing. But it was the nuances of memoir writing that led to fiction. They’re both centered around human interactions. With Stormy Encounters, readers get to see how three different generations come together with all their individual quirks in one complex story that explores the emotions of grief, happiness, love, sadness, and hope. We can all use a big dose of hope.

When not writing, Howe enjoys urban hiking (a.k.a., neighborhood walks), bicycling through the countryside, and baking bread. Try this wild rice bread recipe. It positively screams Minnesota, the state where Stormy Encounters takes place.

Minnesota Wild Rice Bread

Ingredients:
¼ cup wild rice, raw
2 cups water
1 package dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
2 cups milk, scalded
2 tablespoons melted butter
½ cup honey
2 teaspoons salt
½ cup rolled oats, uncooked
½ cup rye flour
1-1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
½ cup bran
3-1/2 cups unbleached flour, plus up to 1 cup (if needed)
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup hulled sunflower seeds

Directions:

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice, cover, and cook over very low heat until rice is tender, approx. 45-60 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. Stir yeast into 1/3 cup warm water and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in milk, butter, honey, salt, and oats. Add cooled rice mixture to milk mixture.
3. Using a wooden spoon, stir together rye flower, whole-wheat flour, bran, and 3-1/2 cups of unbleached flour. Add to milk and yeast mixture, stirring until soft dough forms. Add more unbleached flour, as needed, until dough is easy to handle.
4. Turn dough onto a floured board and knead until soft and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl and turn so the top is oiled. Let rise 2 hours.
5. Punch dough and shape into two loaves. Place in 2 greased 9-1/2 x 5-1/2-inch pans. Let rise again, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
6. Bake 45 minutes. During the last 15 minutes of baking, brush loaves with 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of water and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

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Book Review–The Smell of Spring

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About the Book:

Book: The Smell of Spring

Author: Mary Hake

Illustrator: Marina

Genre: Picture Book

Release date: December 15, 2022

In The Smell of Spring, April, a blind girl, enjoys the world around her and discovers spring scents. Join April and her menagerie of pets in their springtime adventures. The Smell of Spring shows children how we experience the world around us through the sense of smell. Kids will enjoy her many interesting pets and can have fun with the activities at the end using the sense of smell.

My Thoughts:

What a sweet picture book! I read The Smell of Spring to my 8- and 3-year-old daughters, and they both enjoyed it. Because we live in the Southern Hemisphere, we are experiencing fall at the time of this writing rather than spring, but a good share of this story is still applicable in this season.

This beautiful picture book’s main character is a blind girl. Throughout the book, her eyes are closed, so that the reader can remember that she is blind. However, though she can’t see, she can still experience the changing seasons. As she smells a new, unfamiliar smell, her mother explains to her that it is the smell of rain.

The girl goes on to experience many more things. She smells flowers, and the muck her dog gets into. Then, she smells delicious Easter eggs, the stench of a skunk, and finally, her favorite smell on her favorite day of spring: her birthday cake!

The pictures in The Smell of Spring are delightful. I love the way the illustrator showed smells wafting through the air. The text is fun, too; each page is written as a rhyming couplet. We loved seeing the girl’s pets. She has a dog and cat, but also a rat and something that looks like a ferret. Other little details in the pictures are fun to spot, as well. My little girls and I had a short discussion about smell and different ways of experiencing the world around us after reading this. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the books in this series!

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Mary Ann Hake has loved learning and writing for as long as she can remember. She has been scribbling stories and poems since she first learned to write and has published hundreds of stories, articles, poems, puzzles, devotions, and more for both children and adults plus written hundreds of book reviews. She loved working in a bookstore and as a librarian and enjoyed reading to children at story times and conducting summer reading programs. She has also taught writing to children and at writers’ conferences. In addition to writing, she continues to work as a freelance editor. Visit her website, www.maryannhake.com, and subscribe to her newsletter for activities for children and updates on future books. Also find her on Facebook at Mary A. Hake author, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057370041720.

More from Mary Ann:

I have always loved books and reading, and even as an adult I still enjoy picture books. I had tried writing my own in the past, but The Smell of Spring is the first picture book I have published. The online classes I took during the pandemic and all the years of writers’ conferences, particularly Oregon Christian Writers conferences, have helped me learn and polish my craft. I have published hundreds of pieces, for both children and adults, in a variety of periodicals and a dozen compilation books plus some curricula.

I chose to present this concept book in rhyme because it came out more appealing and fun for kids than straight prose. The Smell of Spring shows how a blind girl uses her sense of smell to experience life around her. Along with her menagerie of pets, April explores her world. The story includes elements that would make it a handy companion text for connection to science: senses, the weather, nature, animals—domestic and wild, flowers and trees, and food. It also models responsibility as April cares for the animals. The Smell of Spring is the first book in the four-book series of Smells of the Seasons.

Readers of all ages are enjoying this fresh look at springtime.

Comments from early readers:

“In sweet, simple prose, with lovely illustrations, this book shows a child how they can appreciate their sense of smell.”

“A delightfully whimsical book that invites children to become mindfully aware of the many smells, both pleasant and unpleasant, that accompany the spring season.”

“A charming way to encounter the season for all children.”
“This was a very delightful book! I loved all the places she found smells in. I also loved how you made the book rhyme. It flowed very smoothly.”
“So well done, from the rhyme to the message.”

“Mary Hake gives the reader insights into what the world is like to a blind girl, who perceives the world through other senses besides sight. The focus on smell may encourage young listeners/readers to pay closer attention to the smells they like or dislike and to be more aware of different aspects of their world. It may also make them more understanding of children with disabilities.”

“Teachers, parents, and children will appreciate the activities at the end of this book.”

“The whole book is full of delightful images and easy-to-read phrases that describe all the many smells. Including some fun relatable parts. I think children will get a kick out of a few of the smells.”

Sign up for updates on my website, https://maryannhake.com/, and received a PDF of activities for children using the sense of smell. Further fun things will be coming in the future.

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