Spell Check

Wright, J. (2014). Spell Check. St. George, UT: Heart Stone Press.

YA / Fantasy / Paranormal

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars

Be careful what you wish for because wishes can come true! It's Ally Peterson's sixteenth birthday, and as she dangles from a tree -- the victim of a cruel prank -- maybe Ally wishes a little nastiness on bully Lisa and the rest of the cheerleaders, and maybe those wishes come true. Ally soon finds out that it is not coincidence but her family lineage that is making her wishes come true, and that even the most innocent of wishes can have dire consequences. Already Ally's life is complicated with divorced parents, bullying that's lasted for years, an annoying little brother, and a crush on a boy who seems beyond her reach. But careless wishing creates even more complications, and now the stakes are high, Ally's mistakes are many, and time is running out for Ally to master the magic.  Can Ally balance her life with her new powers? 

Wright tells a great story with a unique premise (trolls!!) that manages to hit on a variety of elements that readers will recognize: imperfect families, friendship, finding your strengths, figuring out who you are, falling in love. There was one line I really liked, which could be taken literally within the context of the story but also at a more basic level about humanity:  

People speak of dark magic and light magic, but there is no such thing on either side — there are only people who practice in darkness and people who practice in the light.

Humor really helped carry the story along and when things got intense, the funny chapter titles  served as much needed comic relief.  Excellent secondary characters, like Ally's fabulous, feisty Swedish grandmother Farmor, further enhanced the story and their descriptions and actions made them easily imagined.  

There were so many good messages in the book, and it was refreshingly clean -- Ally had plenty of circumstances where no one would have blamed her for dropping an Fbomb or two, but how wonderfully surprising that there was no profanity, and the romance was sweet and thoughtful (but not at all dull).


Despite the main character being sixteen years old, this book would be great for middle grade readers or older reluctant readers.  The storyline doesn't get bogged down with too many details and the writing is pretty simplistic, yet highly interesting.  By the end of the story, I did feel there were too many people who were supposedly "in the know" and sworn to secrecy, and yeah, I think readers know how that probably would turn-out. And though I was happy that Ally ultimately handled being bullied, the scene itself was somewhat vague and anticlimactic. 

I do have a gripe about the cover (but it didn't affect my review) -- it just doesn't fit.  There are no spell books or fancy form fitting dresses for Ally, and if anything, Farmor mocks the preconceived notions of witches and spells. 


I received this book from Ebooks For Review in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give.

Jack the Puddle Jumper

Maddox, T.K. (2014). Jack the Puddle Jumper. Self-published.

Children's Picture Book

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars

In Thomas Key Maddox's picture book, Jack the Puddle Jumper, readers are introduced to the peaceful town of Pockinshook, where rebellious young Jack bucks the rules by doing what he loves the most: jumping in puddles. Much to the chagrin of the townspeople, Jack isn't like the other children who are quiet, calm, and neat. No other children join Jack to play, which leaves Jack feeling lonely and discouraged until local scientist, Doctor Calabash, discovers that the town is in dire environmental danger and that Jack just might have the answer to saving it. Will the townspeople believe Doctor Calabash and put their faith in Jack?

This is a terrific story and what is equally impressive is that author Thomas Key Maddox was just ten years old when he penned it. Jack the Puddle Jumper is a fun and imaginative story, written at a level well beyond Maddox's ten years. There is plenty of scientific terminology thrown in, the meanings of which readers will hopefully be encouraged to investigate (and perhaps discover that it is force, not velocity, which equals mass times acceleration). Truly, the book could be used in a science class as a springboard for students to come up with their own theories. The illustrations were colorful and interesting, but they were a little small to see in eBook format and didn't necessarily match-up with the text. Nonetheless, the illustrations will be a big attraction to readers since they were made by children from all around the world. A short explanation at the end of the book, telling how Maddox went about getting and choosing the pictures, would be a great addition to future editions. The book's content will challenge and entertain young readers, and it's likely to inspire young readers to write their own stories and make their own illustrations.

This book was reviewed for Readers' Favorite, who provided me a free eBook in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give.