New Book Review! The Nativity by April Renner Curtsinger
I wrote another book review, just in time for Christmas. Are you looking for a book that reminds kids why we celebrate the holiday? And it’s not so that we can get a bunch of presents?
Here’s The Nativity by April Renner Curtsinger and illustrated by B. Teresa Campbell. It’s the Christmas story told by the family dog to the family cat. Quite unique, right?
At the bottom is the link to the review, posted on Jennifer Hallmark’s blog. Enjoy!
New Book Released by Fellow Author!
Announcement!
You may have seen me share posts by fellow author and blogger CDPunt(igam). She just released a new book, fit for you parents out there.
Click on the link below to learn more, as well as see other titles by CDP. Congratulations, CDP!
Happy Early Thanksgiving! With a Game Idea
May you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving and think of all the things you’re thankful for. It can be friends, family, pets, the roof over your head, the fact that God gave you another day to experience Him, etc.
I came across this idea for a game you can play with your whole family during the festivities. It’s the Thanksgiving version of Pictionary, posted on Somewhat Simple’s website. For now, you can use slips of paper and a marker for the materials, but if you want to make this a Thanksgiving tradition, you can make a long-lasting set using a tin can and craft sticks.
Have You Heard? It’s a New Fairy Tale Anthology!
Another anthology is here! This one is a collection of historical retellings of fairy tales. Featured authors are Anna Minor-Weeks, Abigail Kay, and Katherine H. Brown.
Here’s a partial blurb from Beyond the Bookery:
Beyond the Bookery invites you to step into a collection of heartwarming, thrilling, and romantic historical fairy tale retellings.
Cursed and Curiosity by Anna Minor-Weeks
Cat dreamt about adventure, mystery, love. But never believed it was meant for her.
Raised in her father’s bookstore, with her nose in a book, head in the clouds, and face behind a veil. Unfortunately, her father finds himself owing a great debt to Marquess Villeneuve. The mysterious marquess demands her father come to work off the debt at his–probably haunted–mansion.
However, Cat takes her father’s place.
Oh, The True by Abigail Kay
Goldie Lockes and the Three Barons by Katherine H. Brown
Pressured to find a husband, Marigold Lockes is inspired by The Parable of the Talents to search out a man who will value and grow her inventing skills rather than hide or overlook them.
If this book sounds like your jam, click on the link to buy:
Yet Another Book Review—A Little Red Riding Hood One
That’s right. I wrote another book review, only this one is on a picture book retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. The book is written by Lari Don and illustrated by Célia Chauffrey.
Speaking of which, how is my Little Red Riding Hood retelling going? Still working on the first draft, and the ending is something I’m still puzzling over. I want the ending to be satisfactory on all levels, yet I have to cram the whole story in 25,000 words. Talk about a challenge.
Pray that I’ll have the wisdom to end the story well.
Without further ado, here’s the link to my book review, posted on Jennifer Hallmark’s blog:
Discovering an Author (Kathy J. Perry)
Are you looking for books that are like Little House on the Prairie?
I learned of a historical fiction series by Kathy J. Perry: the Emeline series. They’re for tweens and teens, and they feature a teenager surviving the wilderness and an economic recession during the 1890s.
Want to get your feet wet before delving into these series? Sign up for Perry’s newsletter, and you’ll get the first ebook in the series for FREE. Click on the following link, and scroll to the bottom to find the sign-up form.
Perry has written books for younger kids too: the Bandana Acres series and the Oakwoods series. They all teach children virtues that’ll help them through life . . . and introduce them to special animal friends. Click on the links below to learn more.
The Day I Fell into a Fairy Tale: a Book Review
You may have seen that I have fairy tales on my mind, so why not indulge a little further by reviewing a fairy tale-themed book? The Day I Fell into a Fairy Tale by Ben Miller is fit for kids grades fourth through seventh. It’s both an original story and a retelling of five fairy tales: Sleeping Beauty, Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Swan Lake, and Brother and Sister.
Lana and her mother visit a supermarket that seemed to come out of nowhere. She meets a strange little man who knows a thing or two about selling stuff, and she and her mother buy a book of fairy tales. Readers will revisit the timeless Sleeping Beauty tale, only this version has twists (e.g. Sleeping Beauty’s mother takes up swimming.).
Lana returns to the supermarket, and she meets the funny little man again. Only this time, he shoves her into a candy bucket, and she finds herself in the Sleeping Beauty story. When she enters another candy bucket, she returns to the fairy tale. Later, she convinces Harrison, her way-too-serious brother, to join her on her fairy tale adventure, and they help a prince find Sleeping Beauty. The prince wakes the princess with a kiss, but not on the lips, respecting that she might have boundaries. Instead, he kisses her hand like a gentleman.
What about the other fairy tales I mentioned earlier? How do they come into play? As Lana sleeps, she receives a vision about Sleeping Beauty being in danger again, and Harrison and Lana read in the book that the princess’ children are Hansel and Gretel. The fairy who had cursed Sleeping Beauty has taken Hansel and Gretel captive. When Lana and Harrison re-enter the world, they find that Sleeping Beauty has turned into a swan. When the two are held captive, Lana tells a story that’s similar to Brother and Sister. But you have to read the book to see it for yourself.
Harrison learns that it’s okay to have fun and not be serious all the time. However, the book doesn’t put down people who have a more serious nature. Because Harrison is studious, he’s a help when he and Lana face obstacles (e.g. He refers to his knowledge of oxbow lakes when they try to cross the river.).
There’s a few incidents of lying (in Chapters One and Four) that parents may need to be aware of. Otherwise, this is a fun story that allows a fresh look at classic tales. If you’re looking for an adventure, give The Day I Fell into a Fairy Tale a shot.
New Website Look
Hi, all.
Notice anything different? That’s right. I changed the look of my website banner.
Why the change? The original forest-y picture was an Unsplash photo (FYI: Unsplash is a site where they offer royalty-free photos for people to download and use for their newsletters and other marketing tools.). However, I felt like I needed a more distinctive look. So, with a little magic of Canva, I edited a different Unsplash photo (Thanks Rita Görtz for capturing the original photo and sharing it with us.). I added more purple tints to it, and I think it gives it a cool, mysterious feel.
I hope you enjoy it!
[The original Unsplash picture by Rita Görtz]
Let Me Introduce My Fellow Authors
How’s my Little Red Riding Hood retelling going? It’s still in the works, and I’ve had some input from critique group partners along the way. But I will myself to get my story submitted in January.
In the meantime, let me share with you a couple of books my Beyond the Bookery teammates have written.
Do you love girl detectives? Then check out Emma Donovan’s book The Vanishing Body. It’s on pre-order now, but it will be available December 2.
Blurb from Amazon:
The village gossips have had plenty to share lately with the local prodigal son returning home to a less than welcome reception and his elder brother caught in the snares of a conniving stranger. That was before the body was discovered – and then vanished.
Nurse Elizabeth Carruthers never lacks curiosity about her patients, and this occasion is no exception. With her wits at the ready, she sets out to investigate the prime suspects: none other than the village’s leading family. But then, who else could it be? As she investigates, she is drawn ever deeper into scandal, intrigue, and murder, all in the best English tradition.
The more he investigates, the deeper he’s drawn into a web of illusions, secrets, and madness. If he can’t sort the truth from the lies soon, more than one life might be lost.
Do you have an obsession with chickens? Beyond the Bookery offers a poultry-themed fairy tale retelling. It’s The Chicken Pox: A Feathery Retelling of Hansel and Gretel by Jordan Elise Durbin.
Blurb from Amazon:
Once, chickens were monotone.
Then, came the pox.
A washed-up bar maid-hen, a twisted and wicked step-chicken, and a mischievous pair of chicks swirl through a medieval world of chickenry in this charming retelling of ‘Hansel and Gretel’. Blanche is a middle-aged tavern owner running out of hope that Prince Charming might walk through her door. When a wealthy guest is stricken with a mysterious illness, Blanche’s livelihood is destroyed. But she wasn’t hatched yesterday and seizes an opportunity for the domestic life she’s always dreamed of. Unfortunately, it comes with a pair of chicks that are far more demanding than Blanche had ever dreamed.
Henrietta and Grittel are determined to brighten Blanche’s dull world. But when they follow their step-chicken to a tasty cabin deep in the woods, the chicks discover secrets darker than any they could imagine.
Admirers of folk-lore, poultry, and fairy tales will adore this hilarious twist on the classic children’s story.
On that note, have fun reading!
K.A. Ramstad 