Children's Book Review - The White Harlequin by Daphne Tzamali-Yakinthou

 

At midnight every night, a small door in the grandfather's clock opens, and magical creatures reveal themselves. They put on a show for one another. Tonight the noise awakens Sugarcandy, the white harlequin. Sugarcandy's house is filled with amazing things; he has a rainbow pudding cooking, his seats are made of Turkish delight, and the dining table is a giant red mushroom. Usually, the clock would strike midnight, and the magic would begin and continue until dawn.

Tonight Sugarcandy's best friend, Spot the donkeytaur, calls to tell Sugarcandy that the storm maidens and wind midwives have arrived. They are here to weave deep magic, which has never happened in the land of charms and reflections. The friends are excited to witness a spectacle they have never seen before. Suddenly everyone is horrified to see that a cyclone is draining all the light from the stars, and the world becomes the darkest it has ever been. What are the peculiar snowmen guarding? Who or what is the night sybil, and why do the two friends go to see it? What is the lullaby of strange things? Read The White Harlequin by Daphne Tzamali-Yakin to get the answers to these questions.

I found it confusing how Sugarcandy, the white harlequin, was referred to by several different names, either Sugarcandy, harlequin, or white harlequin. I feel Daphne Tzamali-Yakin should have used a name consistently throughout the book, but this was my only criticism of The White Harlequin.

I loved page four which had a barrage of introductions to all the fantastic magical creatures entering the room and descriptions of their unique attributes. Just as all the madness and mayhem began to confuse my brain Daphne Tzamali-Yakin writes, 'But let's not get ahead of ourselves! Everything will be revealed in its own good time.' This phrase was perfectly crafted and calmed everything down, ready for the next chapter. I also really enjoyed the unique colorful pictures in The White Harlequin, which reminded me of stained glass windows.

I want to rate The White Harlequin by Daphne Tzamali-Yakin 5 out of 5 stars. It conjures up a kaleidoscope of magic, color, and excitement. Adults and children would equally enjoy this beautiful fantasy story. Older children would enjoy reading it to themselves, and parents would enjoy reading it to younger children. All would love the wonderfully colorful illustrations. The story is beautifully written and kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next. There were a few spelling and grammar errors, but they did not spoil the flow of the story enough to reduce the score.

I want to thank Daphne Tzamali-Yakinthou for a free copy of The White Harlequin in exchange for my honest and impartial review. You can also see my reviews here http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tara-d-morgan.html

Book review - Second Chance by Patricia Morton

 

Carole is a retired school teacher in her early sixties. She has shared her home with her friend Paula for over thirty years. Sadly Paula died, and Carole spent four weeks in a B&B as she could not face returning to an empty home. Carole tries to build a life without Paula. However, she is dismayed and surprised at the secrets Paula kept from her. A chance encounter with an old school friend Valerie leads her to join the University of the Third Age. Gradually Carole discovers that life still has lots to offer, rekindling old hobbies, learning new skills, a love affair and engaging new friends. Before Carole can adequately move on, she needs to find out the answers to some of Paula's secrets to get on with enjoying her new life. How does she help Valerie with her son Mark? How does Jenny brighten up Carole's Friday evenings? How does Carole help Charlotte have a happier life? Moreover, why has their joint bank account paid out three hundred pounds monthly to SAM73 for years? For the answers to these and other questions, read Second Chance by Patricia Morton. 

I loved how Carole's character changes as she becomes more confident with her new life. Changing the way she dresses and making new friends. Carole is like a pupa, gradually changing into a butterfly. I also enjoyed how Carole manages to change the lives, of all the new people she meets, for the better. It was a fascinating journey finding out about the bright, funny and fascinating Carole after being introduced to a dowdy retired teacher. 

I would have liked to learn more about Paula. Carole and Paula have lived together for most of their adult lives, but all we learn is that she was a retired teacher, too; she has set up a standing order to SAM73, and she controlled Carole to the point that they only ever did things together. Paula remained a ghost in the story, but that could be the author's plan.

Patricia Morton also has a terrible habit of putting 'had had' where just 'had' would do. There are a lot of grammar and spelling errors, and these mistakes spoil the flow of an otherwise excellent narrative. 

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good romance. In particular, older ladies would be able to appreciate Carole's dilema's and could learn a lot from the situations she finds herself in. Second Chance is a lovely story with many layers slowly removed to reveal the Carole she was always meant to be. There is no swearing, and sex is mentioned in the vaguest terms so we can delight in Carole's romance. 

Due to the lack of proofreading and editing, which spoilt the flow of this otherwise fabulous book, I would like to give Second Chance by Patricia Morton 4 out of 5 stars. 

Children's Book Review - Dr. Marsha and the Case of the Missing Marshmallows and Hotdogs by Dr. Rachel B Wellner

It is morning in Australia, and Dr. Marsha and her animal friends are busy getting ready for the day ahead when the postman arrives with a letter from Washington, D.C. Dr. Marsha is excited to see that it is from her cousin Milton Marsupial who is the Mayor of Washington. However, Milton is writing to her with a problem: all the hotdogs and marshmallows have disappeared and are needed in a week for the fourth of July celebrations. Dr. Marsha and her friends fly to Washington immediately to see if they can help. Read Dr. Marsha and the Case of the Missing Marshmallows and Hotdogs by Dr. Rachel B. Wellner and travel the world with Dr. Marsha learning about health and nutrition. 

I enjoyed the way Dr. Marsha answered her phone. 'Do you have an ache? Do you have an ouch? The number to dial is 1-MD-POUCH,' young children enjoy learning through rhyme. Sadly there are other rhymes dotted throughout the book, and not all of them rhyme very well, which made me cringe. The artwork is delightful; although the characters are humanized with some clothing, they are still recognizable animals. I liked that the hotdogs and marshmallows had been disguised by making them look like a log cabin, although it would have been better to have made this more of a mystery for children to try and work out for themselves. 

I dislike a lot about Dr. Marsha and the Case of the Missing Marshmallows and Hotdogs by Dr. Rachel B. Wellner. The story is difficult to follow as it chops and changes direction all the time. For example, Dr. Marsha answers the phone, immediately says hello to the postman who has just arrived with a letter, and then moves on to talking about what is for lunch! The dig at vegetarians was unnecessary. People choose to be vegetarian for various reasons, and there is no reason for this diet to be unhealthy. Terence the toad is also spelled Terrance and Tereance; the author needs to ensure it is spelled the same throughout the book.

Dr. Marsha and the Case of the Missing Marshmallows and Hotdogs by Dr. Rachel B. Wellner should have been a great way to teach young children about sensible diet choices, but sadly it fell short of the mark. Dr. Rachel B. Wellner did not accomplish this because the story needs to be clearer. It was easy to get lost, and I needed to read parts of the book a few times to understand what was being taught. This was disappointing, considering the book is aimed at young children! Also, this book needs to be proofread, as there are mistakes.

I would not recommend this book to anyone in its present form. The idea for this book was brilliant, but the execution needs more work. There are spelling errors throughout. 

I am rating Dr. Marsha and the Case of the Missing Marshmallows and Hotdogs by Dr. Rachel B. Wellner 1 out of 5 stars due to this being a confusing book that jumps all over the place, the lack of proofreading, the name Terence being spelled three different ways and the fact there is much information, but it is not presented in a way that children will enjoy learning from. I am giving one star for the fantastic illustrations and the rhyme Dr. Marsha uses when answering the phone!

Book Review - Keep your mouth shut Carolynn by Carole Lonsdale

 

Carolynn was born in nineteen-forty-four when her dad was fighting in the war. It is nineteen-forty-five when he arrives home weighing six stone. He is immediately sent to a hospital in Wales, where he has a long recovery. Aged fifteen, Carolynn leaves school to begin a three-year hairdressing apprenticeship. She gains her diploma, buys a minivan and becomes a mobile hairdresser. Carolynn marries her childhood sweetheart in nineteen-sixty-six, and the couple wants to start a family. However, Carolynn suffers a miscarriage at twelve weeks and struggles to get pregnant again. Eventually, she delivers her much-longed-for daughter Kerry.

When Kerry tries to walk, her feet turn in so much that she struggles. She has to have plaster casts for six weeks. These make no difference; Kerry can only walk using her baby walker. When she is two, she has an operation on her Achilles tendons to help untighten the muscles in her legs. Although she can now walk with built-up shoes, Kerry has many falls and spasms, and the slightest illness, even a cold, worsens them. Over the next few years, she had endless tests, including EEGs and ECGs, but all returned normal. When Kerry is five, her brother Darren is born, weighing eight pounds twelve ounces. His birth is straightforward, but he is a dark blue colour. Why is Darren born this colour? Why does Darren also have to have an operation when he is two? What is Hyperspadious? Moreover, do they ever discover what causes Carolynn's children to shake and have spasms? Read Keep your mouth shut Carolynn by Carole Lonsdale for the answers to these questions and more.

I felt for Carolynn. All she wants is for her children to be healthy and well. On one side, she has the school saying they cannot cope; on the other, she has the Dr's doing lots of tests and saying there is nothing medically wrong. Being a mother myself, I found this heartbreaking, particularly when Darren starts having spasms and uncontrollable shaking. The Dr. says he is copying his sister, and Carolynn is an over-anxious mother! Kerry and Darren are disabled, but because there is no diagnosis, Carolynn gets no help. I admired Carolynn's strength of character, supporting her children to be the best they can be in mainstream life whilst fighting for a diagnosis. I also found it very scary to read about all the mistakes made by medical professionals. For example, when Darren has an operation, and after four days, a Dr comes over and tells Carolynn he can go home tomorrow. When Carolynn says that she had been told Darren would be in hospital for at least ten days, the Dr reads his wristband and says, "Oh sorry". He had the wrong child!

I disliked that Keep your mouth shut Carolynn by Carole Lonsdale is let down badly by the lack of proofreading and editing. I found at least one error on most pages. This book needs to be correctly proofread to do it justice. Some of the sentences make no sense at all, spoiling the flow of the narrative! 

I would recommend Keep your mouth shut Carolynn by Carole Lonsdale to adults who enjoy reading true stories and biographies dealing with disabilities and the struggles had to gain a diagnosis. This book is not for the faint-hearted it is a heartbreaking story about the lives of Carolynn's family, particularly their children Kerry and Darren, and later their grandchildren. The family have so much against them, an undiagnosed medical condition, bullying, negligent medical staff, child abuse and adultery. They stay strong as a family and are always supportive of each other. 

I want to give Keep your mouth shut Carolynn by Carole Lonsdale 4 out of 5 stars. It is with sadness that I have had to reduce the score because of the lack of proofreading. I found it hard to put this book down and had a whole range of emotions while reading it sadness, horror and disbelief, but there were parts where I laughed out loud. This is a fantastic account of a courageous family!

Childrens book review - Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids by Jemima and Arvind Paul

This book is about a family of Christians Mommy, Daddy, Emma, Bella, and their baby sister. It is an anthology of Christian stories based on Emma's dreams. When she is asleep, Emma has vivid dreams about heaven and hell. All the dreams have Bella by her side. When Emma tells her Mommy and Daddy about the dreams and Jesus, God, and Satan, the family sits down to share Emma's stories and discuss what Emma has dreamed and what the dreams might mean. What do God and Jesus look like? How do the people in heaven keep busy? Do the people in heaven eat and sleep? How is hell different? To find out the answers to these questions, read Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul.

Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul, who do their best to bring their three daughters up with Christian values, wrote Snatched Up to Heaven for Kid when Emma, their eldest daughter, began having vivid dreams about heaven and hell. They wanted to share this in a book for young children to help them understand heaven and hell. The authors have put much effort into making the stories entertaining and, at the same time, educational. Children from Christian families will love learning about God, Jesus, angels, Satan, and what everyone gets up to in heaven and hell. 

I enjoyed the painted pictures in the book. They are friendly and bright and would undoubtedly appeal to younger children. I liked the writing style, which was warm and friendly and would greatly appeal to young children who will relate to the characters and Emma, Bella, and their family. The addition of where to find the Bible quotes used will be helpful for Christian parents. 

I disliked nothing about Snatched Up to Heaven for Kids. I recommend this book to younger children who enjoy books with Christian stories featuring children their age who can read by themselves. It would also be an excellent book for Christian parents to read to their younger children, who will also enjoy the colorful pictures throughout the book.

I want to rate Snatched Up to heaven for Kids by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul 5 out of 5 stars. It was perfectly edited and proofread. I found no errors in grammar. This is a delightful book that entertains while also educating young children about the Christian religion.

I want to thank Jemima and Arvind Paul for a copy of Snatched Up to heaven for Kids in exchange for my honest and impartial review. You can see more of my reviews here http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tara-d-morgan.html

book review - A Pocketful of $20s by Madelaine Lawrence

 

Lynn and Alan have been together for some time, but their relationship is not good. Alan is critical of many things Lynn does and rarely considers her. One of the bug-bears is a Christmas tradition Lynn's mother Dorothy started, giving five strangers who needed help twenty dollars at Christmas. Dorothy is a frail old lady unable to give out the money herself, and Lynn wants to carry on the tradition for her. Despite the couple having well-paid jobs, Alan thinks this is a waste of money and makes Lynn unhappy by telling her his feelings. 

Lynn feels very down when she sets out on her quest but soon gets a smile on her face as she starts helping people. How does Lynn help a young student on his way home from college for Christmas? How does she help Theresa put a smile on David's face? Who does Lynn help to leave an abusive marriage? Moreover, how do Stan and Peter, the men she goes to lunch with, fit into Lynn's life? Read A pocketful of $20 by Madelaine Lawrence to find out the answers to these questions and more.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Pocketful of $20s by Madelaine Lawrence. The story has been well thought out and planned, and Lawrence handles some weighty subjects sensitively. I liked that Lynn is a nurse in the Emergency Department of her local hospital, which makes her much more in tune with people and their problems, particularly in the story about the abused wife. Furthermore, I enjoyed the way Madelaine Lawrence uses the plights of the people Lynn helps to lead into telling us more about Lynn's own life. Lawrence builds the characters throughout the book, and I enjoyed learning more about their lives, the type of people they are, and their outlooks on life. 

The only parts of A Pocketful of $20 that I disliked were the proofreading and editing errors. For instance, there is a chapter in the book where the Emergency Department has several patients from a road traffic accident, and Lynn is one of the nurses on duty. Theresa, one of the ladies she has given a twenty dollar bill to, arrives and wants to know how her husband is. Theresa does not give her husband's name, and Lynn does not ask for it, but she can explain Theresa's husband's injuries. This section needs rewriting so that it makes sense. There are also a lot of grammar and spelling errors.

I recommend A pocketful of $20s by Madelaine Lawrence to adults who enjoy well-written human interest stories, particularly those with a Christmas theme, a touch of romance, and much heart. There are no swearing or sexual scenes in the book, but it covers some weighty subjects, such as manslaughter and abuse, which would not be appropriate for a younger audience.

I want to give A pocketful of $20s by Madelaine Lawrence 4 out of 5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I have reduced my score by one star because it needs more proofreading and editing.