Showing posts with label medieval. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medieval. Show all posts

Friday, October 11, 2019

Journey of the Pale Bear ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Review & Giveaway!

JOURNEY OF
THE PALE BEAR
by
SUSAN FLETCHER
Middle Grade / Medieval Historical Fiction
(grades 3-7)
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Date of Publication: October 2, 2018
Paperback: October 1, 2019
Number of Pages: 302

Scroll down for the giveaway!

A runaway boy befriends a polar bear that’s being transported from Norway to London in this lyrical and timeless adventure story about freedom, captivity, and finding a family.

The polar bear is a royal bear, a gift from the King of Norway to the King of England. The first time Arthur encounters the bear, he is shoved in her cage as payback for stealing food. Restless and deadly, the bear terrifies him. Yet, strangely, she doesn’t harm him—though she has attacked anyone else who comes near. That makes Arthur valuable to the doctor in charge of getting the bear safely to London. So Arthur, who has run away from home, finds himself taking care of a polar bear on a ship to England.

Tasked with feeding and cleaning up after the bear, Arthur’s fears slowly lessen as he begins to feel a connection to this bear, who like him, has been cut off from her family. But the journey holds many dangers, and Arthur knows his own freedom—perhaps even his life—depends on keeping the bear from harm. When pirates attack and the ship founders, Arthur must make a choice—does he do everything he can to save himself, or does he help the bear to find freedom?

Based on the real story of a polar bear that lived in the Tower of London, this timeless adventure story is also a touching account of the bond between a boy and a bear.

CLICK TO PURCHASE
BRAZOS BOOKSTORE  ◆  BLUE WILLOW BOOKSHOP  ◆  BOOK PEOPLE
AMAZON  ◆  BARNES AND NOBLE  ◆  INDIEBOUND


ACCOLADES AND PRAISE FOR
JOURNEY OF THE PALE BEAR:
Honor Book, Golden Kite Awards, 2019
Vermont's 2019-2020 Dorothy Canfield Fisher list
2020 Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award Children's Masterlist
School Library Connection highly recommended book
Junior Library Guild Selection
50 Must-Read Historical Fiction Books for Kids, bookriot.com

“…a stupendous coming-of-age-tale stuffed with adventure and laced with deeper questions… A richly satisfying story saturated with color, adventure, and heart.” –Kirkus, starred review

“I simply adore this novel. It has it all: gorgeous prose, fascinating history, riveting adventure. But it’s the unlikely tender friendship between a lonely boy and a polar bear that makes this a story to cherish. A lovely little miracle of a book.” 
–Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal-winning author of The One and Only Ivan

“I loved every single thing about this large-hearted and riveting medieval adventure.” —William Alexander, National Book Award-winning author of Goblin Secrets





✪✪✪✪✪

HALL WAYS REVIEW: Oh, what a beautiful escape it is to read Journey of the Pale Bear. From the first few pages, readers are transported to a far-away place and time where they will stay enthralled, entrenched, and utterly enchanted. I am amazed that author Susan Fletcher took a fleck of a fact, a mere morsel from history, and then wove an entire and entirely feasible tale around it. Her research (shared in “A Note from the Author”) and her drive to find answers is impressive.

Susan Fletcher is a gifted storyteller whose lyrical sentences flow across the pages and into the reader’s soul. Fletcher has taken great care to select words and sentence structures that put readers firmly in the thirteenth century. Admittedly, I occasionally referenced the dictionary to confirm definitions of unfamiliar words, but the word choices are part of what contribute to the authenticity of the story. In this modern world of pared-down, dumbed-down communication, it’s refreshing when an author challenges young (and old) readers with vocabulary yet provides enough context clues that the words only enhance the story. Fletcher has raised the bar.

All of those glorious words are what reading Journey of the Pale Bear a truly sensory experience. Fletcher’s descriptive details – of everything from breathtaking landscape to breath-halting bear dung – provide for an immersive experience. (Like it or not!) Readers will be able to see the sea, feel the fur, taste the meals, hear the surf, and yes, smell the odors of sailing with man and bear on a thirteenth century ship. Again, the author’s talent shines in her evocative writing.

“She makes a sound, then: a low, rumbling sigh that tunnels up from the heart of the earth.”

And then, there is the boy and the bear. I say “is” because “the boy and the bear” are a singular unit, whether together or separated by walls or wilderness. And it is this relationship that is the joy of the story. The bond is unexplained, organic, and beautiful.  While we don’t know the bear’s thoughts – this is realistic historical fiction – we sense that she and Arthur are like-minded in the overwhelming sense of not belonging and longing for a freedom that’s likely not within reach.

There are other relationships as well, and not all of them are beautiful. Arthur experiences isolation and bullying and rejection and yearns for acceptance and love and belonging. There are some heavy themes underlying the adventures, but again, they lend an air of authenticity to the story, and while some readers might identify with Arthur’s experiences and feelings, hopefully all readers will empathize or sympathize.

Journey of the Pale Bear begins with a revealing prologue, set ten years after the rest of the story, so readers know (ah, but they don’t, really) how the journey ends. This is middle grade genius. The information given helps young (and old) readers feel less anxious about the bear’s and the boy’s fates as the story progresses. There are plenty of unexpected and pulse-pounding events that happen so while the prologue is a soothing spoiler of sorts, it also closes the circle that would otherwise be left open with the ending. It is perfect.

One a side note, as I read the book, I could perfectly envision students anxiously awaiting a read-aloud installment from a teacher or librarian. The book has so much potential as a springboard for all kinds of lessons. And I would LOVE for this book to be produced in audio format. It would be a whole different kind of glorious.

Thank you to Lone Star Book Blog Tours and the author for my gorgeous (THAT COVER!!) signed copy in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give. 

Although Susan loves to write about long-ago and faraway places, she can’t bring those worlds to life without grounding them in the details of this one. To that end, she has explored lava tubes and sea caves; spent the night in a lighthouse; traveled along the Silk Road in Iran; ridden in a glider, on a camel, and on a donkey; and cut up (already dead!) baby chicks and mice for a gyrfalcon’s dinner. To research Journey of the Pale Bear, she explored the grounds of the Tower of London and went backstage at the Oregon Zoo, where, standing breathtakingly near, she watched polar bears Tasul and Conrad lip grapes from their keepers’ open palms.

Journey of the Pale Bear is Susan’s 12th book, including the Dragon Chronicles series, Shadow Spinner, and Alphabet of Dreams. Collectively, her books have been translated into nine languages; accolades include a Golden Kite Honor Book, the American Library Association’s Notable Books and Best Books for Young Adults, BCCB Blue Ribbon Books, and School Library Journal’s Best Books.

Susan has an M.A. in English from the University of Michigan and taught for many years in the M.F.A. in Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College. She lives in Bryan, Texas with her husband, historian R.J.Q. Adams, and their dog, Neville.

-------------------------------------
GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!
THREE AUTOGRAPHED COPIES OF JOURNEY OF THE PALE BEAR
OCTOBER 10-20, 2019
(U.S. Only)
VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR

10/10/19
Excerpt
10/10/19
Excerpt
10/11/19
Review
10/12/19
Guest Post
10/12/19
Author Interview
10/13/19
Review
10/14/19
Review
10/15/19
Guest Post
10/15/19
Deleted Scene
10/16/19
Review
10/17/19
Review
10/18/19
Guest Post
10/18/19
Scrapbook
10/19/19
Review
10/19/19
Review

   blog tour services provided by
  



Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Mystery of the White Knight (The World of Sir Kaye Stories)


MYSTERY OF THE WHITE KNIGHT


by DON M. WINN
Cardboard Box Adventures Publishing
Audio Book Publish Date: March 15, 2018

BOOK BLURB: Who is the White Knight?  He ruins fields so nothing can grow, burns down entire villages, and terrifies the people of Knox. People say it’s the new queen’s fault—that she’s a bad ruler. They want to take her throne away and give it to someone else. But she’s only been ruling for one month! When disaster strikes, can her nephew Beau save the throne for the queen and solve the mystery of the White Knight?

The World of Sir Kaye stories are short, easy-to-read chapter books featuring beloved characters from the Sir Kaye the Boy Knight series in their own standalone adventures. Each story can be enjoyed by itself or as a supplement to the official Sir Kaye the Boy Knight four-book series. Look for more stories to come throughout the year!

Click to Buy Audio:

Click to Buy eBook:

For Print Copies:
Print copies may be ordered directly from the author. Bulk discounts available. Please contact author@donwinn.com

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷


✪✪✪✪✪
HALL WAYS REVIEW: Audio book review. I am a super-fan of all four books in author Don Winn’s Sir Kaye the Boy Knight (SKTBK) series and enthusiastically read and reviewed them all (links at bottom of this post). The characters are excellent, the plots unique and exciting, and the lessons on morals and values are subtle yet impactful.  Upon finishing The Eldridge Conspiracy, the final book in the series, I was a little sad to part ways with that cleverly crafted world and those kids who live in it.

I am THRILLED that Winn has created the World of Sir Kaye Stories chapter book series that takes readers back into the world of Sir Kaye and his friends. The first installment, Mystery of the White Knight, is centered around Beau, the nephew of the newly crowned Queen of Knox. The book can easily stand alone, but readers familiar with the SKTBK series will remember Beau as one of Sir Kaye’s best friends and will know the back-story of how Beau ended up in Knox.

“Bobbin laughed like a crazed little goat.”

In Mystery of the White Knight, readers meet six-year-old Bobbin, who is richly written so that listeners not only visualize how he looks (snot-nosed and all), but also gain insight into his feelings and quirks – like keeping a piece of poop from each of his favorite horses! Both Beau and Bobbin suffer from a lack of confidence and their places within vastly different social statuses in the kingdom, but the message is clear that when ordinary people watch out for others, “then they are just as good as kings.”

The audio book is a short listen at just an hour and thirty-seven minutes – and even shorter when listened to at 1.25x speed, which was better for those of us accustomed to faster-paced conversations. I can see how the audio (at regular speed) would pair nicely with the print book so young and/or struggling readers could get the full experience and help they need to fully enjoy the story.  Stephen Marsden returns and earns high marks as narrator. Rather than trying to give each character a distinct voice, Marsden reads naturally – like an adult would conduct a read-aloud for children – which works much better than the narration style of the SKTBK books.

With plenty of action and adventure, the wonderfully descriptive passages of Mystery of the White Knight will keep readers/listeners entertained and engaged. This is a fabulous start to what I hope becomes only one of many new medieval adventures to come from Don Winn.


Thank you to the author for providing me an audio download in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Don M. Winn is a multiple award-winning children’s author of eleven picture books and four children's novels. His Sir Kaye the Boy Knight® series of novels for independent readers include The Knighting of Sir Kaye, The Lost Castle Treasure, Legend of the Forest Beast, and The Eldridge Conspiracy.  Don's picture books include: The Higgledy-Piggledy Pigeon; Superhero; Twitch the Squirrel and the Forbidden Bridge; Shelby the Cat; Space Cop Zack, Protector of the Galaxy; and many others.

Don has been writing for over 20 years. After beginning with poetry, Winn  moved on to writing children’s picture books. Almost immediately, his growing young readers begged for chapter books, which led to the creation of the Sir Kaye series. As a dyslexic himself, who well knows the challenge of learning to love to read, Winn's goal is to write books that are so engaging they will entice even the most reluctant or struggling reader. Don's articles on dyslexia have been featured in TODAY Parenting, the Costco Connection Magazine, MD Monthly, Latin Times, Fostering Families Today, and many others. Winn lives in Round Rock, Texas.
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR:
YOUTUBE   TWITTER    LINKEDIN    GOODREADS

RELATED:
Click for Hall Ways Review


Click for Hall Ways Review
Click for Hall Ways Review

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Some Very Messy Medieval Magic

McKenzie, C.L. (2018). Some Very Messy Medieval Magic (Pete and Weasel Series, #3). Pikeville, NC. Dancing Lemur Press, LLC.

Middle Grade / Fantasy / Adventure

Print ISBN 9781939844460
EBook ISBN 9781939844477
Page Count: 178
Price: $13.95 print
Publish Date: 5-15-18
6x9 Trade paperback

Book Blurb: Pete must take the place of a medieval page or history will be forever altered. Sent to 1173 England with his best friend and alligator familiar, he needs to act when the critical event occurs. Pete soon realizes he’s in over his young wizard head. 

“A gripping adventure back in time, with action around every corner.” - Stephanie Robinson, author of The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow

“A great addition to middle school classrooms and libraries, as well as your own private library.” - Beverly Stowe McClure, award-winning author of stories for children and teens

CLICK TO BUY THE BOOK
Amazon    B&N     Kobo     Smashwords     YA Books Central
Also available from: Ingram, Follett Library Solutions, Publish Drive, and publisher direct. 


HALL WAYS REVIEW: Confession. I love reading books intended for the tween/middle grade audience.  It’s a safe place to read and a great place to experience all the feels, thrills, and chills that get young readers hooked on reading. My gut feeling has told me for a while now that C. Lee McKenzie is a writer who nails the middle grade book, but Some Very Messy Medieval Magic is the first book of hers I have read. I love when my instincts are correct.

Some Very Messy Medieval Magic is the third book in the Adventures of Pete and Weasel series, and it was non-stop fun and action. The book stands alone, and McKenzie does a great job of getting readers new to the series up-to-speed but also telling just enough to make us want to read the prior books to find out the details. CLEVER.

In addition to a fairly intricate plot, there are a lot of underlying themes going on to which readers of any age will relate, including friendship, loyalty, family, self-confidence, belonging, and grief. There are lessons to be learned here, subtly delivered without beating kids over the head to be kind, do the right thing, step-up, give that hug.

Included in Some Very Messy Medieval Magic is a rich cast of characters who bring the story to life – both in modern and historical times. The majority of the book takes place in the 1100s, and McKenzie weaves-in lots of details to give readers a peek into the times and again, subtly, teach a lesson or two. From the eccentric Dr. Wraith (I envisioned a Doc Brown/Back to the Future kinda guy), to the sneaky Egbert, each character is uniquely defined and memorable.

As Pete, Weasel, and a covey of witches and wizards work against the clock to save the world, there is also an element of mystery and some downright SPOOKY business going on around the Druids and Samhain. McKenzie’s descriptions put readers right in the middle of the place and time and will likely encourage kids to dig a little deeper and research on their own.

The writing is well-done with dialogue, both internal and between characters, that is natural and useful in moving the story along. The word choices are perfect with a mix of both easy and challenging words, most of which can be figured out contextually. There are scattered typos, which is to be expected in an ARC but also which I expect will be cleaned-up for the final copy.

I fully intend to go back and get caught up on this series – I am interested in learning more especially about what happened with Pete’s parents and how he came to know he had wizarding powers. I highly recommend librarians and teachers get this series on their shelves.  Some Very Messy Medieval Magic comes out May 15th, 2018, so it’s perfect timing for kids to fill that end of the school year lull or to put on that summer reading rotation.

Thank you to the author and Dancing Lemur Press for providing me a print ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give. 




A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I’m C. Lee McKenzie, a native Californian who grew up in a lot of different places. I returned to my home state where I live in the Santa Cruz Mountains with my family. I write most of the time, garden, hike, and practice yoga. I travel a lot because that’s how I learn new stuff, and it’s my way to jump-start stories.


In my young adult writing, I take on modern issues that today's teens face. My first young adult novel, Sliding on the Edge (2009) deals with cutting and suicide. My second, The Princess of Las Pulgas (2010), is a story about a family that loses everything and has to rebuild their lives. Double Negative (2014) focuses on literacy, and Sudden Secrets (2014) tackles bigotry and intolerance.

When I want to have fun, I write middle grade books. Alligators Overhead is my first published book for readers age 8-12. Book 2, The Great Time Lock Disaster, followed and now I have Book 3 Some Very Messy Medieval Magic. Writing the adventures of Pete and Weasel has entertained me no end. I enjoyed them so much that I came up with Sign of the Green Dragon—another adventure fantasy.  
Connect with the author:


Friday, June 23, 2017

The Eldridge Conspiracy: Sir Kaye the Boy Knight, Book 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Blog Tour, Review, & Giveaway!



THE ELDRIDGE CONSPIRACY
Sir Kaye the Boy Knight, Book 4
by
Don M. Winn

  Genre: Children’s Chapter Book / Adventure / Medieval
Publisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix Press
Date of Publication: June 16, 2017
Number of Pages: 166, B&W illustrations

Scroll down for Giveaway!
   

Kaye’s father is in danger! The young knight, Kaye, and his friends Reggie and Beau enter Eldridge in search of the only man who can save Kaye's father. During their journey, they encounter and make a powerful enemy of Baron Thomas—the self-proclaimed heir to the throne of Eldridge—who also has his sights set on ruling the country of Knox. Together, the boys dodge the baron’s henchmen and race against time to stop an assassination that would plunge the two kingdoms into war in this exciting conclusion to the series.






PRAISE FOR THE ELDRIDGE CONSPIRACY:
"This set of books just gets better and better. Yes, it’s a non-stop adventure, packed full of nasty barons and battling knights. But it’s also a story which is strongly-themed and where the bond between the characters is highly prized." —The Wishing Shelf Awards Book Review

“Books of adventure and challenge that still offer an emotional component are hard to come by for middle-grade readers—and even more so for middle-grade boys—yet Don M. Winn hits the mark dead center with The Eldridge Conspiracy.” —Patricia Reding, 5-Star Readers’ Favorite Book Review
“This is more than just a fictional story; it teaches children about life, about friendship, making decisions, and about not putting too much stock in pride all the time – sometimes pride gets in the way of making the right decision. Great story. I would recommend that the whole series be read in order to get the most out of it and I think all kids will enjoy this tale.” —Ann-Marie Reynolds, 5-Star Readers’ Favorite Book Review

“The Eldridge Conspiracy was a rewarding read due to a wonderful writing style of incorporating dynamic characters, humor, relevancy, and the thought that even without superpowers, children can be heroes.” —Stacey Waltzer, Urban Mommies 

PURCHASE LINKS:

HALL WAYS REVIEW: I have said it before, and I will say it again: the Sir Kaye the Boy Knight series makes the librarian in me want to gather a group of kids, put these books in their hands, and watch the magic happen. As is the case with the first three books in the series, book four, The Eldridge Conspiracy, immediately draws-in the reader with action, danger, and suspense, and it never lets up. Add to the mix bad guys readers will love to hate and the sprinkling of illustrations by the talented Dave Allred, and it’s a perfect package for young and/or reluctant readers.

Throughout the books, author Don Winn reinforces a set of consistent themes, but he layers them and spins different angles to illustrate their application. At the heart of it all is a set of values and lessons about friendship, loyalty, perseverance, and honesty (and so much more) that will stick with readers, young and old. What’s refreshing is that the values aren’t demonstrated in a cookie-cutter way, and the characters aren’t always inclined to stay true to their core values. They sometimes struggle with doing or saying the right thing, and Winn shows that it’s okay to struggle – and he also carefully shows the consequences of a careless word spoken or a selfish action taken.

The characters are never stale or predictable, and they act realistically. For example, where in book one, The Knighting of Sir Kaye, readers see Kaye modeling the importance of not reacting to teasing, by book four, The Eldridge Conspiracy, we see him really struggling when he can’t shake the nickname, Sir Donkey, and it begins to affect him and the decisions he makes. Readers will see Kaye go off course a bit when his pride gets in the way and he’s sidetracked by unimportant distractions. Fortunately, Kaye grows and reflects – and even self-diagnoses – to recognize and remedy his shortcomings.  It was heartbreaking to see the pressure Kaye put upon himself to not only save his father, but to save his father like a hero (a knight) would save him. When Kaye reveals that his fear is that his father will die being disappointed in Kaye, my heart nearly broke.

Cue Reggie – the ultimate cheerleader and best friend. Reggie, who has heartbreaking struggles of his own due to his dyslexia and upbringing, shows growth and increasing self-awareness and amazing insight, especially as he observes Kaye and his quest to be just like his father.  Reggie saves the day on many levels in The Eldridge Conspiracy, but you’ll get no spoilers here. Suffice it to say that Reggie is more of a hero than any knight in the stories. I could talk for hours about the virtues of Reggie and the value of having a character like him play a major role in the book. (Go ahead, ask me some time.)

As with all the Sir Kaye books, in The Eldridge Conspiracy, Don Winn doesn’t disappoint.  The book is cleanly edited, and the writing is full of figurative language and words that put readers perfectly in the moment (like mud sliding off a hill and making a “sloppy whumping noise.”) Winn has a wonderfully engaging story line full of adventure and richly described settings and characters. The ending was excellent, and the brilliance of Reggie’s idea to metaphorically put one of Kaye’s problems to rest was especially satisfying. 
  
The Sir Kaye series is like vitamin fortified cereal. Kids will devour the stories while getting a sneaky but healthy dose of the good stuff that fuels them.  In a world where it’s sometimes hard to find positive role models, the Sir Kaye series is an excellent and highly recommended reading choice.

Thank you to Lone Star Book Blog Tours and the author for providing me a print copy in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE STUDY GUIDE:

The newly published Study Guide for the Sir Kaye the Boy Knight Series is absolutely icing on the cake for this series.  Not only does it include book-by-book lesson plans, there are games, activities, and vocabulary spotlights that support and explore the main themes of the stories.  Also included is a section of supplemental historical material about the middle ages. Readers are again treated to the wonderful illustrations by Dave Allred as everything from jousting to dental care is explored. (These pages reminded me of the library’s always checked-out, fascinating DK (Dorling Kindersley) Eyewitness books.) The study guide is a fabulous tool for educators to be able to teach a fascinating unit on medieval times. Bonus: it has a beautiful cover!

Don M. Winn is a multiple award-winning children’s author of eleven picture books and four children's novels. His Sir Kaye the Boy Knight® series of novels for independent readers include The Knighting of Sir Kaye, The Lost Castle Treasure, Legend of the Forest Beast, and The Eldridge Conspiracy. Don's picture books include The Higgledy-Piggledy Pigeon; Superhero; Twitch the Squirrel and the Forbidden Bridge; Shelby the Cat; Space Cop Zack, Protector of the Galaxy; and many others. 

Don has been writing for over 20 years. After beginning with poetry, Winn moved on to writing children’s picture books. Almost immediately, his growing young readers begged for chapter books, which led to the creation of the Sir Kaye series. As a dyslexic, who well knows the challenge of learning to love to read, Winn's goal is to write books that are so engaging they will entice even the most reluctant or struggling reader. Winn lives in Round Rock, Texas.

 --------------------------------------------------- 
GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!
Three Sir Kaye #4 ARCs + 1 Sir Kaye Series Study Guide!
(US ONLY)
  June 14-June 28, 2017



CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:
6/14
Book Trailer
6/15
Review
6/16
Guest Post 1
6/17
Review
6/18
Author Interview
6/19
Excerpt
6/20
Review
6/21
Scrapbook Page 1
6/22
Guest Post 2
6/23
Review
6/24
Character Interview
6/25
Educators' Special
6/26
Review
6/27
Scrapbook Page 2
6/28
Review


   blog tour services provided by

 
RELATED:
CLICK FOR HALL WAYS REVIEWS
CLICK FOR HALL WAYS REVIEW