The Lollipop Road

Archive for the ‘Book Review’ Category

We recently had the opportunity to preview a number of children’s books by renowned author, Elizabeth Levy. With over ninety books behind her, she embarked on a bold new series, entitled “A Mystery at Sea”. Of course, this seemed like the perfect complement to our new book – Cruising With Kids, so we thought we’d give the first book in the series, Danger & Diamonds, a read. You may be surprised at what we discovered.

This high-seas mystery takes the reader through 148 pages of mayhem and adventure as the children of two crew members decode the odd behavior of mysterious guests from the distant country of Borgunlund. The mysterious passengers aren’t the only people onboard with a secret – enter Philip, the young son of the SS Excalibur’s new captain. The young and sassy Philippa, whose parents also work onboard, just loves a good mystery. Will she be able to dodge the danger that results from her insatiable curiosity? Will Philip be able to keep his secret from Philippa? Will the mysterious guests get what they came for or will they be foiled by the meddling ways of the two “junior crew”? Mystery, intrigue and a healthy dose of fun takes you from sea to shore and back.

The book is separated into fifteen easy to read chapters, each featuring a unique eye-catching black and white illustration courtesy of famed author-illustrator Mordicai Gerstein. The sophisticated cover art entices its tween audience (aged 9-11) to open the book and begin reading. Although the first few chapters are spent setting the scene and providing character background, it isn’t long before the intrigue begins. This is an easy read for young adults with a few words sprinkled in that will expand their vocabulary. Having grown up with the love for a good mystery, we can easily see this series becoming the modern day version of the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew mysteries.

If your kids are like our kids, you probably have hundreds of books on the shelves, each one offering a new adventure for curious minds of all ages. Danger & Diamonds leaps to the top of our list for mystery-loving tweens and any family who wants to get their kids excited about an upcoming cruise.

Danger & Diamonds is available for purchase through your local bookstore or online at Amazon.com.

A second book in the series, Parrots & Pirates, is scheduled to be released in early November.

We received complimentary copies of several of Ms. Levy’s books for review and will post additional reviews in the coming months.

Disclosure

It was with trepidation that I first ordered Disney’s Family Fun magazine. After all, the last thing my family needed was another magazine on the ins and outs of how to have the perfect family. But a friend’s son was having a school fundraiser (you know the ones I’m talking about) and we needed to order something, so off to the computer I went to check reviews of potential picks. “This time was going to be different”, I said. This time I was actually going to get a magazine that was helpful and informative rather than the usual coffee table clutter.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Family Fun really catered to the notion that families should play together. No parental advice “experts” need apply. The idea is that families who make crafts together, cook meals together and simply enjoy spending their time together will have more fun. “How refreshing”, I thought.

So, I placed my order for a 1-year subscription of Family Fun and anxiously awaited my first issue. When it finally arrived in the mail, I took a quick look at the cover and was instantly intrigued by what I saw. With a remaining amount of skepticism, I opened it and read the table of contents. Hmmm, an article entitled “Low Cost Summer Camp Adventures at Home” – that looks promising. But then again, “How to Make a Dancing Balloon” and “Taking an RV Vacation With Your Family” soon had me delving straight into the pages. In what seemed to be just a few minutes time, I heard “mommy!” “mommy!”. I guess I was taking too much time reading because the kids were standing at my feet, waiting to go outside and play. Reading would have to wait until the kids went to bed!

That evening I began devouring every article until I had finished reading the entire magazine. I actually found it quick to read due to all the project idea pages. This magazine looked and read differently from all of the other family and children’s magazines that I’ve read in the past and I felt like I had hit a home run in choosing it!

Family Fun has 5 feature articles in each issue, covering topics such as Holiday crafts, fun neighborhoods, homemade gifts, kitchen science projects and more. Inside, there are 11 additional departments such as “Creative Solutions”, “My Great Idea”, “Everyday Fun”, “Let’s Cook”, “Our Favorite Things” and my husband’s favorite – “Family Getaways”. Each and every article is focused on quality family time. For example, in a recent “Everyday Fun” article, some of the craft project ideas were making butterflies from plastic egg cartons, turning bottle caps into bejeweled magnets, making a Jacob’s Ladder toy and fashioning an Easter Egg display stand. If you go to their website at www.familyfun.go.com you will find an amazing array of additional articles, stories and ideas, as well as how-to-videos and parent’s groups.

While this magazine is filled with lots of great things, I feel it is just as important to mention what it is not filled with. You will not find articles on how to stop your child from whining while at the supermarket, why you should get the latest vaccine or how mom’s should not feel guilty because they can’t do it all. Rather than focusing on what we aren’t doing right, Family Fun celebrates family togetherness and how to make the best out of the limited time that we do have together. Family Fun is published 10 times per year at a current yearly subscription price of $10.00. It’s a feel good magazine at a feel good price. Now that’s fun!

Disclosure

Keeping in line with our oldest child’s love of books, we couldn’t resist picking up a couple of kid’s destination books to help him remember his trip to Alaska a couple of years ago.  A Bus Ride Into Denali, written by Bernd and Susan Richter, recounts a wildlife inspired trip through Denali National Park.  With over 30 books in print since they started in 1998, these Alaska “retirees” have come a long way from Texas to experience true Alaskan living.

Having met one of the authors at the Anchorage Market and Festival, we we’re lucky enough to get a signed copy!  Constructed as a folding board book with 8 panels, it opens one panel at a time as it tells the story of the wildlife you’ll encounter in Denali National Park.  Once completely extended, the book offers a panoramic (5 foot) view of the park with all of it’s wildlife and Mt. McKinley.

Our kids just love this book and it brings back some great memories from an amazing trip.  The only problem that we have encountered (after about a year and a half) is some delamination on the spine, which will eventually cause some of the printed paper to curl and detach from the board.  Eventually we will have to tape the spine to prevent further damage.

The book retails for $7.95 and can be found in stores throughout Alaska or on the author’s website.  I have never seen this particular book in the lower 48, although other books by the authors do appear from time to time.

Overall, this is a great book for young kids and families either visiting or planning a visit to Alaska.  The illustrations are colorful and the writing is relational and engaging for kids.  For us, it has been well used and enjoyed.

Disclosure

Peter The Cruise Ship is a children’s book written by Captain Hans Mateboer, a real life cruise ship Captain!  We were first introduced to Peter while sailing on the Celebrity Mercury earlier this year.  Our four year old loves books and when he saw this in one of the onboard shops, he had to have it.

How could we possibly say no – and lucky for us, it was the last one. Read the rest of this entry »