Dog Bone Soup

Shawn Daniels grew up in the Boomer era. He was a poor boy materialistically, but rich in spirit and ingenuity.  Shawn went from foster care to a tarpaper house with no doors on the bedrooms and an abusive drunken father. His ability to withstand his environment led him to rise above and find new horizons.

This is a fast moving read that will take its characters from early childhood to adulthood with all of the trials, fears, joys, and experiences that life had to offer a poverty stricken family. Middle grade to adult will find this book entertaining.

Bette Stevens, author of Dog Bone Soup, has captured the essence of a dirt poor family struggling in the 1950s and 60s. Her ability to put you right in the action of the story will amaze. For those who grew up in the 1950s, this will take you back, and for those experiencing for the first time, this book will drag you in and hold you till the last page.  Happy reading everyone. Great book!

Author of Dog Bone Soup

BIO

Inspired by nature and human nature, author Bette A. Stevens is a retired elementary and middle school teacher, a wife, mother of two and grandmother of five. Stevens lives in Central Maine with her husband on their 37-acre farmstead where she enjoys writing, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. She advocates for children and families, for childhood literacy and for the conservation of monarch butterflies (milkweed is the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat).

Bette A. Stevens is the author of award-winning picture book AMAZING MATILDA; home/school resource, The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!; and PURE TRASH, the short story prequel to DOG BONE SOUP. 

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Tommy's Amigo

Tommy’s Amigo written and illustrated by Nancy Carty Lepri, is a story about a Mexican boy who desperately misses his father and also wants to fit in with his school mates.  He lives with his grandmother who has also migrated to the US.  In spite of her deep love for her grandson, his Grandmother’s pride seems to rule her judgment.   As a result, Tommy is left to desperation that could cause him his life.

Tommy is bullied, but tries to roll with the punches. He finds himself in confrontation in the lunch room at school.  His close friends back him up, but Tommy’s life begins to spiral out of control from that point on.  His father has been sent to jail for something he is not guilty of and Tommy must find a way to stay out of foster care.

Tommy’s Amigo is a pleasant surprise.  His Amigo shows him how to hang in there when all is unraveling.  Tommy finds himself in trouble a number of times throughout these pages.  The story is fast moving and will hold the attention of boys and girls to the end.

The problems in this book are true to life and would certainly help any child relate to those of other culture or those who are experiencing similar conditions.

Great Book!

This book has been reviewed by Susan Hornbach, author of children’s literature

Links to purchase eBook of Tommy's Amigo

http://www.amazon.com/Tommys-Amigo-Nancy-Carty-Lepri-ebook/dp/B00HK9UKXG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1388599100&sr=1-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tommys-amigo-nancy-carty-lepri/1117897877?ean=2940148968160

Links to purchase Print  of Tommy's Amigo

http://www.amazon.com/Tommys-Amigo-Nancy-Carty-Lepri/dp/0991323130/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1418853229&sr=1-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tommys-amigo-nancy-carty-lepri/1117897877?ean=9780991323135

May also be purchased through the publisher at:

www.WillowMoonPublishing.com

The Birthday Book Club Snatching

 

Although the title of this book describes the plot of the story, it does not do justice to the adventures that take place within these pages.  Come battle Neothors in the Galaxy Bratheria with Simon, or maybe your fantasy would be to revel in the Revolutionary war with the Redcoats attacking.  Whether you fence with Simon and the aliens on planet Meptee, survive on Blackbeard’s ship with pirates, or dodge the Nazi soldiers in World War II, you will experience Simon’s sometimes brutal and extreme imagination.  Throughout the story Simon’s fantasy is to have someone he can count on always as a good friend.

Simon is viewed as an odd child, whispered about, falsely accused, and laughed at, and all because others are not receptive enough to realize the creative genius within him. The Birthday Book Club Snatching is filled with life lessons,  history,  sibling kindness, Dyslexia,  awareness of those different, fantasy, friendship, bullies, daydreaming, stealing, knowing right from wrong, illegal aliens, educational content, and making the right choices. The most entertaining aspect in the book is of course, Simon’s vivid imagination.  The most virtuous is honesty.

This is a great book for boys, although I’m sure girls will find excitement within these pages that entertain as well.  This is a well written book from The Melinda &Simon Series, authored by Anne Burack Sayre.  I give five ***** stars for this book for the wide range of content, entertainment and life lessons it provides for middle grade kids  Great book!                                                                                                                                                  Purchase book here:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Anne%20Burack%20Sayre

or

http://www.amazon.com/Birthday-Book-Club-Snatching-ebook/dp/B007IZXTKS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332972891&sr=8-1

A Story of Harship, Grit and Survival

This is a story about a boy named Tommy who lives on a farm with his family. Disaster strikes one day, and him and his brother find themselves shackled on a ship with many other young boys.  They are made to work and fight battles that are not theirs to care about.  They suffer abuse at the hands of scallywags and scruffy men of the sea. 

Powder Monkey will keep you turning the page, as what comes next is always more devastating than the last.  The young boys suffer excruciating treatments, and some are bound to not make it.  The ship becomes home and a young boy who toted black powder bags for battle becomes a…….. Find out what happens to Tommy and his brother.

This is not a book for those who wish for a happy ending, but rather a true grit story about the survival of the fittest. It’s a well written book by Donna McDine, with brilliant illustrations by K.C. Snider.  I give this book five ***** stars.

This book was reviewed by Susan Hornbach, Author of children’s literature. 

Purchase Powder Monkey here:

http://guardianangelpublishing.com/powder-monkey.htm

http://www.amazon.com/Powder-Monkey-Donna-M-McDine/dp/1616333855/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376568334&sr=8-1&keywords=Powder+MOnkey+by+Donna+McDine

A Story of the 1950s

A fun Read for Boys

Pure Trash

Shawn and Willie live in the woods.  Their family doesn’t have indoor water or a flush toilet yet, but they do have a TV.  The boys plan a great day together.  Activities on the agenda are straight out of the nineteen fifties.

On the other hand, the ugliness of human nature displayed here could be from any era, as the judgmental neighbors and degrading torments that come from others could take place in present time as well as way back then.

Young adults and Middle grade children will find this book to be an enjoyable quick read. Most children and adults as well can identify with the emotion displayed here.  We have all felt the sting of degrading remarks targeted at us for no other reason than another wants to shower their meanness in order to satisfy their own judgmental spirit.

Find out how a wonderful day takes a few twists and turns, how others can destroy the joy in your life, but only if you allow them, and how those who have little can still rise above those who think they are superior.

Shawn and Willie are two delightful young boys who lift your spirits and let you know life is all in the way you look at it.

Written by Bette A. Stevens; this is a book near and dear to my heart.  I give it five ***** stars.

This book has been reviewed by Susan Hornbach, author of children’s literature. 

Purchase this book here: 

PURE TRASH kindle

http://www.amazon.com/PURE-TRASH-The-Story-ebook/dp/B00EH0RV6K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1376412782&sr=1-1&keywords=PURE+TRASH%2C+The+Story

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EH0RV6K

Look Inside/Paperback

http://www.amazon.com/PURE-TRASH-Daniels-Adventure-England/dp/1481824449/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1376702237&sr=1-3

GOODREADS

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18326187-pure-trash-the-story