Spady, A. (2015). Channing O'Banning and the Turquoise Trail. Nashville, TN: Tommy Nelson Publishing
Children's / Fiction
/ Educational Chapter Book
I
give this book 4 out of 5 Stars
When fourth-grade
artist Channing O’Banning unearths something very weird on the school
playground, she’s sure it’s going to be the biggest thing ever to happen at
Greenville Elementary. But things take a rocky turn, and Channing never wants
to show her face at school again.
Thankfully, Channing
finds lots of rocks to hide under when her family visits the American West.
With her signature colored pencil stuck in her ponytail and Teeny, the coolest
pig on the planet, by her side, Channing discovers that art comes in many
different forms—and that God is the greatest artist of all.
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In this second book
in the Channing O'Banning series, author Angela Spady packs in history and
science, manners and morals, all with a dose of humor that will keep readers
happily engaged.
The main character,
fourth grader Channing O'Banning, is a budding artist who not only gives names
to each of her colored pencils, but she always has one neatly tucked into her
ponytail for her on-the-spot drawing needs. Whether Channing is happy, excited,
embarrassed, or disappointed, readers will be able to relate to Channing's
feelings. Better yet, in Channing, readers will find an excellent model for how
to deal with those feelings.
Angela Spady's
writing is excellent and the book expertly edited.
Spady presents a
lot of information that will hopefully spark in readers a Channing-like
curiosity and encourage further research. (Spady has even included a "Did
You Know" section at the end with some bonus information and some links.)
Some Christian elements
are present, including a quote from the Bible which is perfectly natural in its
inclusion and underscore the point being made about how people should behave.
Other lessons -- on honesty, forgiveness, respect, saving -- are subtly taught
so that readers don't know they are getting a lesson at all.
The book is best
suited to independent readers, ages six to nine, but it also could work well in
the classroom as a read aloud to the students.
Award-winning
illustrator Tammie Lyon provides fun, cute illustrations sprinkled throughout
that provide a nice visual boost for young readers.
Thank you to the
publisher, Thomas Nelson, for providing me an eBook copy with absolutely no
strings attached. In exchange, I'm providing my honest
review -- the only kind I give.
November is National Native American Heritage month -
this is a great book to get kids started!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Author Angela Spady is an award-winning educator, curriculum author, and
mother to two daughters in Kentucky and New Mexico. Her innovative teaching
techniques have been featured on PBS, in KY Teacher Magazine, and in
various print media around the country. She is a noted advocate for encouraging
art and self-expression among children, and is often sought out by
both parents and teachers on this critical topic. She lives in Taos, New Mexico
with her husband Steve, and can often be seen writing, painting, or simply
gazing upon the Sangre de Cristo mountains for a little inspiration. Check out
her tween's series The Desperate Diva Diaries
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