Review: Tis the Season: Norma Elliot's Secret Journal (Book 1) by Victoria Simcox

Tis The Season: Norma Elliot's Secret Journal (Book 1)

By Victoria Simcox

I’m Norma Elliot. I know what you’re thinking. Who names their kid Norma nowadays? Believe me, I feel the same as you.

I’m a ginger―that means redhead. Actually, my hair isn’t red; it’s orange, but I guess redhead sounds better than orangehead. First, because it rhymes, and second, someone may get confused and think that my head is an actual orange.
I’m ten years old and sharp―what my dad calls me―that means smart, not pointy.
My story is about what I did during the winter season. No brainer; the title gave that away. It’s mostly about me learning life lessons and spending time with God when I write to him in my secret journal.
Oh, I need to mention, I’m not perfect; definitely not. Just thought I’d warn you in case you’re expecting to read a story about some cute little angel type girl. If you were, you may want to find a different story to read. But then again, if you’re up for a story about a girl who’s a work in progress―what dad says our old house is―you may just like my story. I really hope you will.
Anyway, bye for now.

 My Take:

When Norma Elliot gets a 'little kid' hand-me-down snowsuit from her big sister, at the same time she is given a journal to write in for a daily devotion, sparks fly. Especially when she has to deal with all the ribbing she gets from the bullies in the neighborhood, and the threatened loss of her best friend.

But the snowsuit, she knows how to fix - if she binge-eats enough junk food, she couldn't possibly fit in the awful thing, and of course her mom would buy her a brand new one... right?

 

Content:

Drug Content:

G - Unless you count chocolate and sweets.  

Violence:

G - there is no violence done here, even to their obnoxious family pet chihuahua.  

Language:

G - squeaky clean. 

Adult Content:

G - As you might expect from a preteen girl book, there's some slight interest in boys, or at least the thought of that coming someday.  

Christian content:

While this light-hearted romp may seem like fluff, and Norma's sarcastic quips seem to be more self-centered than God-centered, her nightly entries in her journal give an eternal spin on each day. There's meat in the mashed potatoes. There's Christ in the candy. Norma has to deal with many of the struggles girls her age do - fear, bullies, hand-me-downs, lost friends... and her struggles can help girls that read this series with their own. Each night's prayer is kid-friendly and makes you think about your own day.

Final analysis:

'Tis the Season: Norma Elliot's Secret Journal by Victoria Simcox is a light-hearted journey through the post-Christmas let-downs and day-to-day struggles of a pre-teen girl. It's a quick read, and is a clean and safe book for Christian families that want something appropriate for their own preteen daughters, who often struggle with the same things. I found it fast-paced, entertaining, witty, and satisfying. Five Stars!

About the Author

Victoria was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Austrian immigrant mother and a Dutch immigrant father. She now calls Western Washington home. Besides her writing career, Victoria taught elementary-school art for several years. Her past times are writing, reading, painting watercolors. She likes to read theological as well as some fantasy genres. Two of her favorite authors are R.C. Sproul and C.S. Lewis.

Blog: victoriasimcox.blogspot.com

Face Book: http://tinyurl.com/3wl6gjs

Twitter:http://twitter.com/#!/VictoriaSimcox

Review: Before by Molly McNamara Carter

 

Before 

by Molly McNamara Carter

In the not-too-distant future, Leadership controls everything and everyone, and a new regulation threatens to take away 13-year-old Wren's little brother. Already reeling from her grandmother's relocation, Wren must give up school, her friends, and the protection of her parents to save her little brother from the cold grip of efficiency. Can Wren and her brother survive the exhausting journey, the scorching desert, and the threatening grasp of Leadership to cross the border to safety and freedom?

My Take:

"Efficiency is key for productivity, and productivity is key for safety." This is the mind-numbing mantra of Leadership, which tries to control the masses by eliminating their rights and freedoms. In the Leadership Lands, the government controls everything you do. All for the sake of efficiency. Before by Molly McNamara Carter is a dystopian tale of a teen’s flight with her mute little brother from a totalitarian state to a land of freedom. When Leadership announces that children who require special care will be forcibly removed from their homes for re-education, permanently, Wren realizes she will lose her little brother Kael, who is unable to speak. Under cover of night, Wren is forced to flee the city with Kael, and cross many miles of forbidding desert while pursued by the agents ordered to prevent their escape, at any cost.

 Content:

Drug Content:
G – none
 
Violence:
G – A wolf attacks one of the characters
 
Language:
G – Squeaky clean
 
Adult Content:
G – Squeaky clean.
 
Christian content:
Not much, but there seems to be a divine intervention going on in the protection of the main character. Wren puts her life on the line for her helpless brother again and again. People along the way take great risks to deliver these kids to safety.

 
Final Analysis:
I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure-packed dystopian thriller. Wren faces drones, soldiers, coyotes, scorpions, deadly heat, and terrifying storms. The threats to Wren and her little brother are tangible. There were multiple points in the book that my pulse was pounding in my ears, fully invested in the story, and hiding there in the dark with Wren, who transforms during the adventure from a slightly rebellious, carefree teen to a responsible and determined adult. is a well-written, action-packed thrill ride, but it’s more than that. This novel is a thought-provoking delve into a possible future devoid of freedom, all for the sake of efficiency. The world-building was immersive, the character development realistic, and the outlook, hopeful. The cover art by Denitsa Shopova was stunning. Before by Molly McNamara Carter is perfect for lovers of dystopian teen fiction and coming-of-age adventures. Five Stars!

About the Author:

Molly has been writing stories since she learned to read them. For her and her sisters growing up, she created magical lands full of adventures that were never far off. Molly continues to delight her own children with her stories and passion for books. She has lived in big cities, little towns, on islands, in mountains and in deserts. She loves adventures like jumping out of airplanes, riding camels, and even swimming with sharks. When she's not reading, writing or working on an art project, she loves to explore with her favorite people. One of her greatest joys is bringing the magic of stories to her readers. Visit her website at mollymcnamaracarter.com/

Review: Hydrostatic: Level of Fire by C.M. Blackburn

Hydrostatic: Level of Fire

by C.M. Blackburn

Everyone plays computer games, but what happens when the computer game plays you? Joe, Lottie, and Zac only mean to try a new game downloaded from the Internet, but find themselves literally sucked in. Soon they find themselves having to beat the traps and puzzles with all the others trapped inside the game. The only way to escape is to play the game through, but they only have one life..! 

Hydrostatic – Level of Fire is part one of a series where the children have to find out who has written the game, why it is trapping children there, and beat him both in the real and the virtual worlds. 

My Take:

When Joe downloads a secret new game he heard about in an online chat room, his brother Zac can't resist helping him defeat it. The burning lava and rolling boulders appear to be too hard a trap to beat alone. But when they key in a cheat code that appears at the bottom of the screen, they are digitized and sucked into the game, along with their sister Lottie, struggling just to survive. As Zac uses his knowledge of video game mechanics to defeat deadly trap after deadly trap, the three kids realize that the sadistic game has trapped other kids in it, and that if they are going to escape the virtual death trap, they will all have to work together.

The problem is that, in a video game, you usually have extra lives. But in this one, you only have one. And if you die, you're stuck in the game... forever!

Content:

Drug Content:

G - none, unless you consider video games a drup. Which they can be. ;-)

Violence:

PG - Burning lava, crushing boulders, swinging bladed pendulums, arrow and spike traps. The usual fare for video games, but the damage, the pain, and the blood in this game are very real. One injury nearly kills a character.

Language:

G - squeaky clean.

Adult Content:

G - This is a preteen kids book, no worries on this front.

Christian content:

Nada. The kids learn some valuable lessons about sticking together, about leaving nobody behind, and the responsibility of sacrificing for the greater good. Hopelessness, fear, and despair are met with encouragement, exhortation, and courage. While the book doesn't give a nod to faith of any kind, it does emphasize how these siblings look out for one another, no matter the cost.

Final analysis:

Weighing in at just over 100pp paperback, this MG scifi-fantasy was a quick read. While it read in parts like a walkthrough of a custom Minecraft level, or a hi-res VR version of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, the stakes couldn't be higher, and the kids were very aware of it. The characters were believable and likable, and the action was intense in places. The book was obviously geared for MG readers ages 9-12, and would be enjoyable for them, but teens might find the book a bit young for their tastes. Some plot twists made the story line intriguing, and I found the ending satisfying. Five Stars!

Review: Bees in Loretta's Bonnet by Lois J Wickstrom

Bees in Loretta's Bonnet
by Lois J Wickstrom
Illustrated by Francie Mion

When Loretta dropped her armload of firewood on the hearth, a mysterious tube fell from between the logs. It was a leafcutter bee nest. Loretta took it back out to the woodpile and watched as holes appeared. But where were the bees?

She found more holes appearing in leaves on her rose bushes. And even some of the rose petals. But where were the bees?

Leafcutter bees are more efficient than honey bees for pollinating gardens. The book includes instructions for building a nest that may lure wild bees to your yard.

My Take:
Loretta's curiosity leads to discovery in this delightful illustrated children's book. Written on about a third grade level, this would be appropriate as either a read-aloud to your kids, or a relatively early reader for your young school age kids. There's also a science project for constructing a leaf cutter bee nest at the back, a great resource for a nature project for classroom or homeschool.

Content:
This is a children's book, and there's nothing offensive in it. Unless you don't like life on a farm, or bees. Personally, things that sting tend to be low on my list of friendly pets, but the leaf cutter bee is mild, and rarely stings unless handled. Also, their poison is milder than that of say the honey bee. They can damage prize rose bushes, so they are sometimes considered pests.

Final Analysis:
Bees in Loretta's Bonnet is an educational look into the life of the leafcutter bee and its contribution to life on a farm. There are clear instructions on how to create a nest for these relatively docile creatures, as a project for the kids. It's well illustrated, with watercolor pictures on every page.

Science projects are always a plus, and having one at the end of an entertaining illustrated children's book is a great combination. The instructions for building a leaf cutter bee nest are clear, and make for a great family project, whether your kids are homeschooled (like mine) or whether you are teaching a classroom. I've seen the inquisitive nature of kids in my four, and it's refreshing to see a girl who enjoys learning about bugs and their contribution to life. Five Stars!

About the Author:

Lois is the author of Oliver, A Story about Adoption, winner of the Read America award. She and Francie Mion (artist) have created the Loretta's Insect series: Ladybugs for Loretta, Bees in Loretta's Bonnet, and soon Loretta's Pet Caterpillar.  She is co-author of the Nessie’s Grotto series with Jean Lorrah, which won the IEBA award. Her Amanda Mini-Mysteries were published in Child Life, and voted “most popular series.”  She has also been published in The Friend and Highlights.  She is the author of the American Chemical Society video “Starting With Safety” and the HRM videos “It’s Chemical” series.  She was head science teacher at Science in the City in Philadelphia.  Her Imagenie science videos are on YouTube.  She is an avid gardener, experimental cook, exercise junky, and all-around silly person.

Here's a list of her works:
"Coal for Christmas" co-authored with Jean Lorrah won the Gold Remi at Worldfest for family filmscripts.
"Nessie and the Living Stone" co-authored with Jean Lorrah won the IEBA award for family ebooks
"Order of the Virgin Mothers" was performed by Trust Us Theater in South Carolina. It was also published in a play collection by Wildside / Borgo.
"Medea in Athens" was performed by Delaware Community College.
"Oliver, A Story about Adoption" won the Read America Award.
"The Amanda Mini-Mysteries" won the Reader's Favorite award at Child Life Magazine.
"Pop-Up Kids" co-authored with Jean Lorrah is currently a quarter-finalist at ScreenCraft Family Film Fest
"Starting With Safety" is the best-selling video at American Chemical Society
"It's Chemical" series was funded by NSF and distributed by Human Relations Media.  It won the Educational Video award from Video Maker Magazine.

About the Illustrator:
Francie Mion got a degree in fine art, then included fine art again into her life after a long career in therapeutic massage. She has illustrated multiple books for Lois Wickam. Francie also makes greeting cards and pet portraits. Her website is www.franciemion.com