Ayan's Book Review
People of the Sun

-by Ben Gartner

People of the Sun is the third book in the Eye of Ra series, and it's the best yet.

In People of the Sun, John and Sarah are confronted by an earthquake. During the earthquake, two mysterious figures whisked them away through time. 

With the knowledge of the origins of the Ra device comes responsibility—their hardest mission yet: stopping Toci, who is making changes to the Aztec civilization. But, what makes this mission next to impossible is the fact that time is more elusive than it seems.

The themes in this book include perseverance and courage. (You should see John’s courage as he conducts the prison escape. It was pretty cool.)

Once again, Ben Gartner makes the beginning of this book kick off with a plot twist. I find that this is the thing to kick off another exhilarating time-travel adventure.

I recommend this book as a read-aloud for 8+ and as a reader for 9+.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s sure to whisk you away.

 

Amy's Book Review: 

I...Am...Red Panda!

-by Stephanie J. Teer

I…Am…Red Panda! is a fantastic sequel to I…Am…Wolf!

I…Am…Red Panda! is about Cassidy, who has just brought her red panda out of the portal and named her Red. Cassidy's best friend, Gabby, has an older brother, David. David’s friend, Dorian, has brought out his own panda, Spark. 

In one surprising incident, Cassidy was climbing a tree and was on a thin branch when Red nudges her to go on a thicker branch. That makes Cassidy think that Red has chosen her. The problem is, when Cassidy told that she was probably chosen, Gabby wanted to be chosen too. 

The friends have a promise to keep that is to protect the animals that come out of the portal. Will they be able to keep that promise? Read this book to find out!

I love the different types of characters in this book. Cassidy is a wonderful person, but her older sister is mean. Nathan is a nice older brother; he is my favorite character. The other characters are unique and interesting too.

There are some interesting fun facts about red pandas, which makes this book an excellent addition to the wild animal unit studies.

I love this series and can’t wait to read the next book, I…Am…Tiger! I would suggest you read this series in order to understand it well.
I recommend this book for children 7 years and older.
I give this book 5/5 stars as it is a great read.
-Amy

 

   

Amy's Book Review: 

Eddie the Elephant and the Pirate Treasure

-by Colin Ridyard

Eddie the Elephant and the Pirate Treasure is the second book in the Eddie the Elephant picture book series.

Eddie is invited to a Beach Party in which there is a lot of food and even an elephant-proof bouncy castle. He and Jackie go to the party with Jackie’s parents, Mummy and Daddy. But at the beach, it starts raining, so Eddie, Jackie, Mummy, and Daddy go to a museum in which the four see a pirate with a closed treasure box. 

Daddy says that the pirate and his team would have hidden the treasure if that pirate was even real, which he said it wasn’t. Despite what Daddy said, Eddie still thought that the pirate was real. So when they came out, Jackie and Eddie started digging to find the hidden treasure. Can they find the treasure? Read this book to find out!

I recommend this book for children 3+ as it is a fun and easy-to-understand picture book.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it is a great read.

-Amy

P.S. I would love to read more by the author Collin Ridyard.

  

Amy's Book Review: 

Princess for a Day

-by Pragya Tomar

Princess for a Day is about Bina Trunk. One night, she sees a show about a princess. So the next day, she makes herself look like the princess. After breakfast, Bina and her brother Babu go to Grandma Trunk’s tea shop.

Pretending to be a princess doesn't allow Bina to be herself. Will she realize this soon and help her grandparents and play with her friends? Read this book to find out!
The illustrations are very colorful and the cover is beautiful. The illustrator has done a wonderful job on all the pictures and the cover.
I recommend this book for children 3+ as it is fun and easy to read.
I give this book 5/5 stars as it teaches us to be ourselves.
Happy reading!
-Amy
P.S. I would love to read more by this author.

     

Ayan's Book Review
Monster Problems

-by Jason R Lady

Monster Problems by Jason R Lady is an engaging middle-grade read.

Brad Micheal is a normal kid who loves to draw. When he receives a pen delivered by a mysterious black crow, he feels compelled to draw with it, so he draws a picture of a Daley-Destroyer, a monster that can destroy Brad’s annoying little brother. But the pen Brad was using turned out to be a magic pen...and the monster turned real. Can Brad and his friends save Daley, defeat the Daley-Destroyer, and protect the magic pen...all before it’s too late? Join Brad in this captivating escapade to find out!

The pacing of this book is awesome, and the book gets more and more suspenseful as you read through it.

I recommend this book as a read-aloud for 5+ and as a reader for 7+ as I think it will be easy even for younger readers.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s sure to glue your hands to the book.

Happy reading!

-Ayan

P.S. It would be good if you read this book first and then its prequel (Super Problems) to better understand the story.

     

Ayan's Book Review
The Verdigris Pawn

-by Alysa Wishingrad

The Verdigris Pawn by Alyssa Wishingard is a fantastic middle-grade novel that is hard to put down.

Beau is the heir to the throne, and trouble is brewing. Evidence of the talk of rebellion has been coming up, a charmer is supposedly using natural disasters to create havoc, and people are forced to send their children to work due to high taxes. Beau doesn’t know about any of this until a nursemaid informs him. Seeking to fix this, he sets out to try his hand at killing three birds with one stone.

This book is similar to The Kingdom of Secrets as both have a kingdom with the notion of a rebellion that the main character sets out to investigate.

This book’s plot is suspenseful right from the start and kept me captivated till the end. But in the middle, there’s a surprising set of plot-twists…

I recommend this book as a read-aloud for 9+ and as a reader for 10+ as there were some scenes at the end that younger readers might not be able to handle.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s a great middle-grade read.

    

Ayan's Book Review
One if by Land, Two if by Submarine

-by Eileen Schnabel

Are you ready for an action, adventure, and time-travel book? One if by Land, Two if by Submarine by Eileen Schnabel is one such middle-grade novel.

For Kep Westguard, the Revolutionary War reenactment camp was torture. But that was nothing compared to when he, Max, Tela, and T.J. were sent back in time to the beginning of the real revolution. 

They have to take place of Paul Revere, who was kidnapped by another time-traveler determined to crush America. They face test after test, facing the British army to freeing a captured teammate. Can they battle the British, get the message to Lexington and Concord, and warn Hancock and Adams…before it’s too late? Read this book to find out!

This book teaches about the American Revolution in such a way that you won’t even know you’re learning in the process! You can use this book in school or at home, as a history supplement while doing reading.

The themes in this book include courage, friendship, and patriotism. 

I recommend this book as a read-aloud for 8+ and as a reader for 10+, as the book has war and other topics that might be hard for younger readers.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s a captivating time-travel novel.

Happy reading!

-Ayan

   

Ayan's Book Review
The King's Ransom

-by Cheryl Carpinello

You know what, if Prince Gavin hadn’t alerted his friends of the Wild Man’s arrest, Sir Lancelot may well have lost his life.

Gavin, Phillip, and Bryan were all great friends of the Wild Man and all shocked when he was accused of committing murder and heisting a priceless jewel—the King’s Ransom. Fueled by the disbelief of the Wild Man’s capture, the three embark on a quest to find the real criminal. None of them will remain unchanged.

The themes in this book include friendship, loyalty, and trust. I find that when these themes are used together, they combine to give a powerful message; that’s one of the things that led me to love this book.

The plot in this book combines with the pace to give a vivid experience as if you were the point of view. Besides, it’s written in omniscient, so you’ll know where the bad guys are, but the good guys won’t!

I recommend this book as a read-aloud for 5+ and as a reader for 8+.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s a highly engaging middle-grade read.

Happy reading!

-Ayan

         

Amy's Book Review: 

Beyond the Birch

-by Torina Kingsley

Do you like action and adventure books as I do? Then you'll definitely enjoy this book.

Beyond the Birch is about Macy and her friend, Jay. Macy is a farmer’s daughter, and Jay is a shopkeeper’s son. Being a farmer’s daughter, she takes care of her father’s sheep and his horses. But one of the sheep, Slip, keeps escaping, and her mother, Laurel, has to go on after Slip.

A librarian told Macy and Jay about bad guys, Faeries, who took the place of humans and would have to sacrifice anything to a birch tree. The human will turn into some creature or thing or animal. If a Faerie misses giving an item to the birch tree that Faerie will turn back into its original form. If they kill the actual person, that Faerie will become a human. But if you catch a Faerie lying, its eyes will turn ruby red. And if you touch a birch tree, solve a riddle, and sing it aloud, Faeries will be banished from Earth until the spell wears out.

One night, Macy takes a ride on her horse to the woods her mother, Laurel, always found Slip in. She sees a woman burying a necklace in the dirt near a birch tree. When the woman glances up, Macy sees that she is Laurel, her mother. After that encounter, Macy thinks her mother is a Faerie. Is Macy correct? Is her mother actually a Faerie? If not, where is Macy’s real mom? Read this amazing chapter book to find out!

I recommend this book for children 7+ as there are parts young children might not understand.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it is a great read.

Happy reading!

-Amy

        

Amy's Book Review: 

Katt Scallion and the Planet of the Sharks

-by E.K. Isaacs

In Katt Scallion and the Planet of Sharks, Katt Scallion, Speedy, and Robogirl are supposed to save a dying planet, Ceto. Ceto is full of sharks. Katt and Speedy are in debt to a bank manager. There are two tribes in Ceto, the Finsters and the Biters. The Biters are great white sharks, while the Finsters are all mixes of two different animals. Robogirl made Ceto 2 so that when Ceto dies, the sharks won’t die along with the planet.

 

The two tribes are battling because Grandpa Shark’s (the Biter’s leader) ancestor was not invited to Madam Megalodon’s (the Finster’s leader) ancestor’s birthday party. And that caused the war to begin. Can Katt Scallion unite these two tribes and then make them go to Ceto 2? Read this awesome book to find out!

 

Katt Scallion has become a wonderful character in the first book of this series and becomes even better in Katt Scallion and the Planet of Sharks. Speedy still loves coffee, but he has other traits too. He is a good friend and I’m pretty sure Katt loves having him as a friend. 

 

I recommend this book for children 7+, as children younger than that might not understand the climax very well.

 

I give this book 5/5 stars as it is a fun-filled, exciting book to read. My favorite part is the climax, which is the most intriguing part of this fascinating book.

 

-Amy

 

P.S. Ayan and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

       

Amy's Book Review: 

Maylie and the Luck of the Irish

-by M. L. Tarpley

In Maylie's Luck of Irish, Maylie is looking forward to going to the next place in their summer vacation, Ireland.

Even though she’s excited, she is still scared to go on a ferry ride. She’s scared of having only water surround her. After an accident, she doesn’t feel well but continues the ferry ride. When Maylie, Grandma Suey, Aunt Layla, and Camden were off the boat, she was relieved to be finally on the ground.

Maylie wants to write a book, but she doesn’t even have a topic to write about. When Grandma Suey gives her something to write about, Maylie begins writing a story. In Ireland, there’s a festival called Fleadh (say Flah). In Fleadh, there’s a creative contest for Irish art—music, stories, and poems—that is going to open soon. Maylie wants to enter, but she just started to write a story. Will she be able to write a wonderful story and enter it in the contest? Read this amazing book to find out!

My favorite character in Maylie's Luck of the Irish is Maylie. Grandma Suey and Aunt Layla are amazing, and Camden is becoming less and less annoying. 

I recommend this book for children 5+ as it is very easy to understand.

I give this book 5/5 stars as many people will love to read this great book.

Happy reading!

-Amy

P.S. Ayan is planning to read Maylie and the Maze, the first book in this series, because I recommended it to him.

 

     

Amy's Book Review: 

The Eerie Beach Light

-by Cyrena Shows

Hi,
Do you like mysteries? Do you like mysteries with ghosts inside? If you like both, you will love The Eerie Beach Light!

The Eerie Beach Light’s main character is Gracie, who is a normal kid going on a vacation with two of her cousins, Beckett and Harper, to a beach. Gracie’s mom, dad, and grandmother, Mimi, are coming with Beckett’s dad. As Beckett’s mom had died when he was young, his dad is planning to marry a woman called Stella. 

A mysterious man tells them that at the beach there is a ghost, so Gracie and Beckett want to find it. Is there actually a ghost? And if there is, can Gracie and Beckett find it? Read this book to find out!

I recommend this book for children 5+ as it is very easy to understand.
I give this book 5/5 stars as it is a very engaging mystery book.

Happy reading!
-Amy

P.S. If there isn't a third book in this series, then I will re-read The Mystery of the Wooden Box and then re-read The Eerie Beach Light.
P.S.S I think Ayan will love Beckett from the first book.

 

     

Amy's Book Review: 

It's not Easy being a Lazy Bug 

and 

My Mama

-by Pragya Tomar

Hi,

I just read two fantastic picture books. Continue reading to find out more about them.

It’s not easy being a Lazy Bug is a picture book about Bug. Bug is very lazy and smelly. Other bugs don’t like him very much because he doesn’t bathe or brush his teeth. Bug will not clean up after himself, brush his own teeth, bathe, or make his own bedsheet. Will Bug ever become independent? Or will he remain lazy? Read this beautiful book to find out!

The illustrations and the cover in this book are beautiful. The illustrations of this book are very colorful and attractive.

I recommend this book for children 3+ as a read-aloud or reader as it is very easy to understand. Smart two-year-olds might be able to read this book, too.
I give this book 5/5 stars as it is a great read.

My Mama

My Mama is a wonderful picture book about how children love their mamas. It’s about how even animals love their mamas. My Mama teaches you that you should love your Mama. (After reading this book, please tell me if you like your mama.)

I recommend this book for children 3+ as it is very easy to understand.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it is about Mama. (My favorite person in the whole wide world is Mama.)

Happy reading!

-Amy

  

Ayan's Book Review
Journey to Zentobia

-by Stacy D'Alessandro

'Journey to Zentobia' is a middle-grade fantasy. 

This book's main characters are Maggie and Peter, who are two normal children living with their parents. Their lives are turned upside down when they meet their neighbor Mr. Drop, who says he’s from another world, Zentobia. Mr. Drop asks them to help him find a particular rainbow—one that leads to Zentobia.

When they pass through this portal, they’re caught in a whirlwind of action, with the north and south sides of Zentobia struggling against each other for power. Can the trio find the evil side and defeat it before being caught as war prisoners? Read this magical book to find out.

The themes in this book include family, friendship, and perseverance.

The pacing in this book is fast and engaging. It adds an element of surprise to each event that happens, whether caused by good or evil. I recommend this book as a read-aloud for children 7+ and as a read for 9+.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s a great middle-grade read that’s sure to keep the readers engaged.

Happy reading!

-Ayan

P.S. I find this book similar to The Chronicles of Narnia series, as in both the books, the characters pass through a portal to another world, and in both, there’s a war going on in the other world.

      

Amy's Book Review: 

Under Pressure with a Squash

-by Laurel Decher

Under Pressure with a Squash is the third book I've read in A Seven Kingdoms Fairy Tale. This book is as interesting as Book 1 and 2 in this series.

Magellan and Saffy are prince and princess of the Saffron Kingdom.

Saffy’s fairy godmother’s gift is straight-shooting, so she can shoot the target of an archery contest in one hit! Magellan’s talent is drawing maps, but his fairy godfather’s gift is tunnel vision, which means that he can see inside any tunnel.

When Magellan runs from a multiplication test, his mother confiscates his notebook in which he makes maps. A map notebook that he needs the most. Who wants to do multiplication when they have to worry about a dragon? 😊 A Saffron dragon, that is. Magellan and Saffy are both worrying about their ailing Saffron dragon.

Magellan and Saffy have to work together and perform the perfect moves to keep their dragon safe. Can they save the dragon? Read this fantastic book to find out!

My favorite character in Under Pressure with a Squash is Saffy, whose straight-shooting is incredible. Magellan is terrific, too. I love the way he draws maps.

I recommend this book for children 9+ because the fast-moving plot might be hard to follow for younger readers.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it is a great read.

-Amy

P.S. I would love to read more by Laurel Decher.

 

 

     

Amy's Book Review: 

Let's Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali

-by Ajanta & Vivek

Hi,

Have you ever read about India’s festival Diwali? If you haven’t, this is the perfect book for you!

My brother and I read it together, and this is our review.

In 'Let's Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali,' Maya and Neel are visiting their aunt for Diwali. In this five-day festival, the three of them have a lot of adventures in India. Join them in this fun ride through the adventures of Diwali. 

This book has colorful illustrations, and the cover looks awesome. I love how the illustrator made these wonderful pictures.

This book is a fun way to teach children about Diwali through some fun escapades. Parents and teachers would love this book and find this fun story a perfect way to teach about India and Diwali.

We love to learn about other countries and their holidays. Same way, other children will be intrigued to learn more about India and its amazing festivals.

This book will be a hit with children of any age. For us, this book is beyond 5 stars.

Happy reading!

-Amy & Ayan

Ayan's Book Review
Arash the Archer

-by Shahriar Bourbour

This is my first time reading a book based on Persian mythology, and I must say it’s very intriguing.

In Arash the Archer, the kingdoms Persia and Tooran had been at war for years over their border. But after losing many battles, the Persians agreed to a truce. 

However, the Persians were to get further humiliated because the Toorans promised they would return the captured Persian lands if a Persian archer could shoot an arrow from the new border back to the old one. Nobody could accomplish the feat—until Arash’s true determination began to shine out…

I recommend this book as a read-aloud for 5+ and as a reader for 8+; I think this book will be easy to read for younger children.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s a great introduction to Persian mythology.

Happy reading!

-Ayan

 

Amy's Book Review: 

Dilly Cooper Hat-Astrophe

-by Moira Siobhan

I read this wonderful chapter book, Dilly Cooper Hat-Astrophe, and I loved it. 

In DillyCooper Hat-astrophe, Dilly Cooper is being bullied by Rose Thorn. One way of how Rose mocks: She sends mean messages to herself but signs them with the name Dilly. Dilly tries out for the school play and rather than getting a starring role she gets put in set design - which she hates. 

Dilly does end up in the spotlight but not as a star but in trouble! How will she get out of the mess she creates and will everyone forgive her?  Read this book to find out!

Moira Siobhan has done an excellent job in making Dilly a great main character and has made Rose a terrible bully—an antagonist. She has also made Dilly’s friend, Belle, a good person. Together, these three make this story what it is.

I recommend this book for children 7+ as some parts of it will be hard to understand for younger children.

I give this book 5/5 stars as I loved the story and especially the climax.

-Amy

 

Ayan's Book Review
Puzzle Island

-by Richard James Edwards

Puzzle Island is the sequel to 'Puzzle Train.' And I'm glad to say that the second book is as good as the first if not better.

When Tom barely survives a helicopter crash on the transfer from the Puzzle Train to Puzzle Island, the pilot reports it as a failure of computer systems. But as Tom and his team from the Puzzle Train take on the new Puzzle Island, there seems to be a mysterious man trying to thwart their quest. 

Can Tom, Isabelle, Harvey, Darren, and Holly take on the mysterious Puzzle Island in time with the ultimate challenge of defeating an intruder set upon ruining Puzzle Island? Read this book to find out!

I loved the puzzles in this book; they were so interesting that I always wanted to solve them before Tom did. And Tom is a brilliant kid!

Actually, all the characters in this book have unique personalities that make this book even more interesting.

I recommend this book to ages 8+ as, even though it’s a middle-grade book, I think it’ll be easy for young readers to understand and appreciate.

I give this book 5/5 stars as it’s a fascinating middle-grade read.

-Ayan

P.S. I would love to read the third book in the series.