by Sally Hanan (Author), Fire Drinkers Publishing (Publisher), Virtual Voice (Narrator) An audiobook (This is the first audiobook I’ve listened to, where the Narrator is “Computer-generated” and not an actual human reader. I was surprisingly impressed. It was hard to catch any “weirdness” at all.) In the opening of this collection of VERY short stories (750 words or fewer) by…
by Sy Montgomery (Author, Narrator), Simon & Schuster Audio (Publisher) An Audiobook This is a non-fiction book about Hummingbird Rescue. The author, Sy Montgomery, gives a firsthand account of what it takes to save the lives of two orphan “peanuts” brought to Brenda Sherburn at a Wild Care Center in Northern California. I loved the step-by-step story of how they…
by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman (Author), Jessica Almasy (Narrator), Recorded Books (Publisher) An Audiobook BOOK SCAVENGER. It’s a fun game in cities all over the country. It’s the newly arrived in San Francisco, Emily, and her new friend, James. And it’s also a dangerous person who will not even stop at murder to get … THAT … book! Emily’s family moves…
by Farook Nizrana (Author) I have owned THE GIRL WHO STOLE AN ELEPHANT by Nizrana Farook as part of my “Africa/India” collection of middle-grade and young-adult books for a long time. But yesterday I pulled it from the shelf, opened it, and read the first short chapter. Then, I went to my couch, still reading. I…
by Kenneth Oppel (Author), Robbie Daymond (Narrator), Listening Library (Publisher) An Audiobook Review INKLING, by Kenneth Oppel, is a very creative, exciting, and touching story about a … okay, you guessed it, a spot, or splot, of ink. But how can you make a story out of that? Oppel does it very well, just as in his wonderful space odysseys. He…
by Ronald Kidd (Adapter), The Kennedy Center (Author), Ard Hoyt (Illustrator), Laura Bush (Foreword) The “Treasure of Ursa Major” is a super fast-paced, exciting story full of humor, history, and fun facts. It is based on a play by Tom Isbell, adapted by Ronald Kidd. Laura Bush wrote a forward. Three of Theodore Roosevelt’s children – eleven-year-old Archie, fifteen-year-old Kermit, and their sister,…
by Kate Messner (Author), Kelley McMorris (Illustrator) RANGER IN TIME, Hurricane Katrina Rescue by Kate Messner is an exciting, suspenseful middle-grade book. It has a very unusual and fun premise. I know you’ve all heard of time-travel novels when a person (or two) travels to different historical times. There are many of them out now. (I especially like Gabrielle…
I recently served as a member of my Faith Bible Church missions team to Germany. Five of us went to Berlin to assist a sister church there with their Family Camp in the mountains. There were eight sessions in the morning & evening, and to ensure the adults could attend all of them without distraction,…
Check out my article on The Writers In Residence at: “On Top of Spaghetti” Rehearse that old kids’ song, and learn about Spaghetti Westerns, who started them, what they were, and what famous movie actor got his start with them. You may be surprised. If the post inspires you to write something, tag me…
R. J. Palacio (Author, Narrator), Ian M. Hawkins (Narrator), Listening Library (Publisher) An Audiobook R. J. Palacio (author also of WONDER) has written a spooky book about Silas, a twelve-year-old boy who has to rescue his father. A gang of scary horsemen arrives one night, demanding that Silas and his father accompany them. Their “Boss” wants to talk to Silas’s…
Words and Reviews 