Middle Grade Books on Dogs: Review One

All right, friends. You have been seeing me give reviews on picture books with canine characters. Are you wishing that I throw out recommendations on middle grade books with similar animals?


During the next few weeks, I’ll post a quick review of a book I recommend, and each will include notes of discernment.

Here’s the first one!

Silver by Gloria Whelan


This is a sweet story about an Alaskan girl named Rachel, who dreams of racing sled dogs.

One of her father’s sled dogs has puppies, and her father gives her the runt as a birthday present. The plot kicks up as she loses the pup and braves the snow to find him. Thankfully, she finds him and takes him home, but not without the puppy protecting her from an aggressive wolf pup. Because of his fierceness, he convinces Rachel’s father that he’s a potential lead dog.


This book is great for students who are beginning to read chapter books (around second or third grade).

Notes for discernment: Rachel mentions rocks that are “a million years old,” but that’s a tiny part in the story. The book uses the word “Eskimo” for the Inuit, but this was written back in 1988, long before “Eskimo” became politically incorrect. And the Inuit are painted in a positive light.

A Disagreement with the Editor by S.E.M. Ishida

Do you have a manuscript for your book? Are you looking for an editor? S.E.M. Ishida has a nice tip for having a good relationship with your editor. Take it away, S.E.M!

S. E. M. Ishida's avatarS. E. M. Ishida

Before publishing my first book, Nick Newton Is Not a Genius, my editor and I disagreed about how the last paragraph of the last chapter should end. She commented that the ending would “gild the lily,” but I thought those last few sentences added a sense of closure and finality.

The extra sentences stayed in until the copyedit, where my editor again recommended leaving them out. I finally went along with her suggestion despite liking those extra sentences.

Why did I finally give up those last sentences? Not merely because she’s my editor. She’s also more experienced than I am. Maybe she sees something I can’t. And maybe one day I’ll see it, too. But leaving or including those last few lines didn’t diminish the story’s theme or overall plot, so it was no big deal either way.

I suppose the publishing relationship is a lot like any other relationship in that I have to…

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A “Doggy” Book Review by K.A. Cummins

Looking for more dog books for your young kids? Here is one called “Larry Gets Lost in the Library,” written by Eric Ode and illustrated by John Skewes. It’s about a dog who gets trapped in a bookmobile and is whisked away to a library. I haven’t read the full book myself, but K.A. Cummins has written a review on it, and it looks like a fun and cute story. The link to the review is here:

K.A. Cummins’ Review

Look at that adorable red nose!

A Fox-filled Book Review

Want your kids—or students if you’re a teacher—to be inspired to explore nature? There may still be snow where you’re at, but there may be animals mingling about. The picture book, “Saving Samantha,” is a true story about a fox living with the people who saved her. The author shares her journal entries of how she and her family cared for the fox and how the furry creature moved back into the wild. You get to see the world from the author’s and animal’s perspectives as the fox grows from kit to mother with kits.

Here’s the review I wrote on the book, which can be found on Story Warren’s site.

Saving Samantha Book Review

Screen-Free Activities? Is that Even Possible?

I’ll admit it; I’ve been glued way too many times to my phone and laptop. But is it possible to do something fun away from a screen? M Liz Boyle lists 35—yes, 35—things to do that don’t require a phone or computer. She includes activities like writing a postcard to a grandparent, designing a Coat of Arms for your family, planning your dream vacation, reading to an elderly person, and planning a menu and grocery list. Okay, we grownups do meal-planning all the time, but maybe you can give your kids a go at it.

Here are more of her creative ideas. Maybe I’ll try sketching a book cover for my current book-in-progress. *smirk*

35 Phone-Free Things to Do

The Architect by Jonathan Starrett — Book Review by Lou Allen (Christian Faith and Fiction)

Hi, everyone!

To those of you who read and commented on my short story “Puma Claw” last Monday on Havok’s site, thank you! I appreciate your support and your passion for battling horrible monsters (even the monsters inside us).

Here is a review on the Christian middle-grade book The Architect. I haven’t read the book or written the review, but Lou Allen of Christian Faith and Fiction has given a glimpse into this adventure story. Take it away.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=BxrPtzsLZ0U%3Fversion%3D3%26rel%3D1%26showsearch%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26iv_load_policy%3D1%26fs%3D1%26hl%3Den%26autohide%3D2%26wmode%3Dtransparent

The Architect by Jonathan Starrett is a Christian middle-grade book. The story combines historical, dystopian, superhero, mystery and suspense genres, and it releases on the 7th of February 2023. Reading Vlog: Description: “There’s a golden rule in Phantom City: “No one about when the Zeppelin is out.” But one night, twelve-year-old Charlie Crane comes face-to-face […]

The Architect by Jonathan Starrett — Book Review and Reading Vlog — Lou Allen – Christian Faith and Fiction

It’s Here!

Any readers of YA out there? Do you enjoy stories of love, monsters, and foreign countries?

Here is my short story “Puma Claw,” a tale set in Mexico and involves a troubled married couple and a shapeshifting menace.

It’s available for public viewing all day today. When today is gone, it’ll only be available to Havok Publishing members.

Enjoy! And feel free to comment on it. Your comments will help me increase my chances to be in Havok’s World Tour anthology.

Puma Claw by K.A. Ramstad

One More Christmas Story for the Holidays

Happy New Year, everyone!

How about one more Christmas treat before the holidays are over? Here is “When Angels Sing,” a story fitting for teens and adults, by Elizabeth McD. She also shares her inspiration for her tale.

Backstory on the inspiration for the story: One cold, cold evening earlier this month I stopped at a RedBox (movie rental kiosk) outside a grocery store. A young man was there with the Salvation Army singing “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” as I walked up. During the course of my business he sang quite a […]

When Angels Sing–A Christmas Story — Creative Wending