Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Remember that jerk in elementary school whose favorite indoor sport was Making Your Life Miserable? Who made picking on you and bullying you his/her favorite past-time?
Mom does. His name was David J. Yes, Mom remembers his last name. We’re intentionally omitting that. Cuz even though this was back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, some jerks you never forget.
Well. Children’s author Sophia Errico has come up with a great new book that addresses the topic of bullying in a fresh and meaningful new way. This eminently engaging and clever children’s book is called The Treehouse.
Mom wants to know where it was back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. I, Kimber, want to know if I can bite David J. the Jerk retroactively? Cuz nobody messes with Mom on my watch! (Mom says No. She’s just funny that way.)
Wait. Where was I? Oh yeah. The Treehouse. Climb in for more and let’s get started. Like this:
Note: We received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“I dunno, Mom. This book smells funny.. Methinks it’s a little too… feline.”
“Oh c’mon Kimster! Yeah, it has ‘cat’ in the title. But the summary says it has a dog, too. And a pig! Besides. I bet Fido the dog is the smartest, most dependable, loyal, heroic and magnificent character in the whole book. Kinda like… You!”
“Alright, alright, Mom. Flattery will get you … everywhere.”
Sniff, sniff.
And that’s how I, Kimber the Magnificent, got talked into a feline-ish book. Sort of. So as long as we’re here, might as well dive in. Like this:
Step into a magical world of talking animals, dastardly villains, high adventure, and daring rescues in Kevin Blakeslee’s eminently enjoyable middle grade fantasy, The Cat Half-Elven.
The three main characters are Fido the sheepdog, Bruno the orange cat, and Plato the barnyard pig. They spy strange hooded men lurking about, making inquiries about a cat with unusual abilities. But the hooded men don’t seem human. If they’re not human, then what are they? And why are the mysterious riders looking for a “cat half-elven”?
Bruno, Fido, and Plato aren’t about to stick around to find out. They flee into the forest and embark upon an adventure into the unknown, with the hooded riders hot on their trail. Can “The Three Wayfarers” make it to Elven Island before they’re caught by the ruthless and murderous Bogles?
We soon learn that Bruno has the blood of both Elven and Mortal Worlds flowing through his veins. By examining it, the evil Bogles hope to discover how to give themselves the powers of Elves. Kindly note that the “elves” in this story are not the traditional North Pole type. Nor are they the tall and powerful type of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth. They’re more like angelic or “semi-divine beings” who “more or less served in the role of ‘gods’ in Irish mythology.” This makes these characters particularly strong and unique.
Along the way, the trio encounters all sorts of adventures and dangers as well as friends and protectors. These include ogres and wizards. Great warriors. The Battle of Bluefoot. Pirates. The Chasm of Doom. Trolls. A shape-shifting dove. A Question Unanswerable. One-Eyed, One-Legged Dudes. Tree fairies. Goblins. A rabbit named “Rabbit.” “You may have the cat, but I have the umbrella.” (You will get that if you read the book.)
There’s lots of action and plenty of adventures as readers join The Three Wayfarers on their epic quest to Elven Island and The Secret Vale. Themes of loyalty, camaraderie and family percolate throughout this sturdy and beautifully written story. The three main characters are especially dynamic, as Bruno, Fido, and Plato all learn and grow throughout the story. I especially loved the character of Constantine the mouse. (Hi, Reepicheep.)
Told with a twinkle and rapier wit, it’s a hoot and a half! Besides. A title like “The Cat Half-Elven”? Well. Who can resist that?
This book is simply delicious! It’s a little Charlotte’s Web. A little The Hobbit. A little Puss in Boots. All heart. Bonus points: The illustrations at the start of each chapter are terrific. The chapter headings are hilarious!
Readers who love clever combinations of fantasy and animal-themed stories will enjoy The Cat Half Elven. It will certainly resonate with its target audience of middle grade readers and anyone who enjoys a crisp and creative story that’s fresh and original and includes a generous helping of sass and spunk. Fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia will also appreciate this warm and whimsical read. It’s just delightful! Mom LOVED it and didn’t want it to end!
One of us is already looking forward to more from this talented author – and hopes to see The Three Wayfarers in another adventure soon!
Ever finish a book and just kinda want to sink back into your favorite reading chair, snuggle up under a soft blankie and smile and sigh? Just kinda sit there and savor the read for a few? That’s what finishing Viola Shipman’s warm and whimsical holiday-themed novel, The Secret of Snow, is like.
“Now, not everyone would think of scooping up a book called The Secret of Snowin the middle of July,” spake I, Kimber the Magnificent. “But you know Mom! Thus, (isn’t that a great word, “thus”? Mom taught it to me. No idea what it means. But if Mom likes it, then so do I.”)”
Hidden Gem
“As I was saying – neither Mom nor I had ever heard of this author before. Ditto the book. So we decided to take a chance on both the other day. (We do that sometimes.)
We had no idea what to expect when opening the cover. But Holy Meow Mix! Did this book ever surprise us! Talk about a hidden gem. Here’s the scoop (pun intended)”:
“That’s why this was the perfect murder, and it’s why I will never be caught. Tomorrow belongs to the people who plan for it today, and I planned for this day for years.”
Kimber: Mom was doing that “fly by” thing the other day. That’s when she swoops over to the library. Flies inside like Maverick in Top Gun. Nabs a coupla new books and checks out at warp speed. Also like Maverick. Or maybe Ice.
All this rush cuz Yours Truly is waiting outside with the patience of Job. Sort of. Kinda like this book. Lemme ‘splain:
Kimber: Ever get a tune stuck in your head on auto-play? Like, it goes around and around and around and Will. Not. Shut. Up? (Advertisers spend million$ coming up with this stuff. No idea what that means. But I know this is true cuz Mom says so.)
Anyway, Mom has author John Grisham stuck in her head these days. So we thought we’d share. From three of his novels that one of us finally got around to reading, The Street Lawyer and The Brethren. And The Boys From Biloxi. Here goes:
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A shadowy past. A criminal mastermind. Forbidden love. All join forces to create a lightning-quick plot in S.F. Baumgartner’s gripping suspense thriller novella, Buried Secrets.
A Doozy
A recent college graduate, Dylan Roche just lost his mother and is struggling to keep his head above water financially. He soon finds out that his deceased mother, Margaret, had a secret. And it’s a doozy.
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A new baby is exciting. But what if you’re the baby in the family? How will the imminent arrival of a younger brother or sister effect you?
While awaiting the arrival of a new brother or sister, young Benjamin plays a “baby package” game with his mom in this sweet and gentle story by Patricia Eckerman Ambas. Benjamin first pretends he’s a new package that has just arrived for mom. The package arrives in forms shapes and forms – a blanket, a basket, an imaginary box. But each package comes with an unspoken question: What about me when the new baby comes?
One of us used to feel a teensy twinge when an author complained about a negative book review. For a lousy book.
Now she just laughs:
Newsflash, Cupcake: We do honest reviews here. We’ve panned Pulitzer Prize winners we thought weren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. We’ve also heaped praise on unknown indie authors who earn it. So don’t whine about a negative review. You sound like the “wah-wah” adult in Peanuts.
Cuz guess what, Toots?We So. Don’t. Care.
Now that we’ve got that outta the way, buckle up. Cuz it’s time for another rip roarin- edition of Big Kitty Litter Box in the Sky Awards. Cuz, holy Meow Mix! You don’t want to waste your valuable time on lousy snoozers that make fish wrap look delish, right? We already did that. So you don’t have to. You’re welcome. (Note: We received complimentary copies of most of these titles in exchange for honest reviews.)
Here’s the short list of qualifications for a Big Kitty Litter Box in the Sky award:
![Here in the Not Yet by [David Spaugh]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41IiJSmJzxL.jpg)
Here in the Not Yet
Pages & Paws 