The Tale of the Prince and the Spider
by Sasha Hopkins is a powerful modern fairytale of fear, courage, resilience, and hope. This emotional children's story is especially meaningful as a shared reading experience that can open the door to heartfelt family conversations.
Summer reading meets garden-fresh flavors in this week's Friday Finds, featuring two memorable book reviews, Mark J. Engels Behind the Book, a fresh corn and tomato salad, vintage herb markers, and more.
Surviving Summer Camp by Paul Breau combines sibling chaos, wilderness danger, kid-friendly humor, and clever problem-solving in a fast-paced middle-grade adventure that's especially well suited to reluctant readers ages 8-12.
Urban fantasy author Mark J. Engels takes readers behind the scenes of his Forest Exiles Saga, revealing how a remote engineering assignment, a lifelong love of anime and anthropomorphic storytelling, and one persistent werecat named Pawly became the foundation of his completed three-book saga. In this Behind the Book feature, Mark shares the real-life experiences, family influences, and personal passions that shaped his unforgettable characters and world.
Bobbie Bin's Busy Day by Rina Croft is a charming children's picture book celebrating community helpers, hard work, and the everyday heroes who keep our communities running. Read my full review to discover why it's a wonderful choice for families, classrooms, and young readers.
When the storyteller becomes part of the story...
The Missing Episode
by Tom Hobbs is far more than a twist-filled thriller. It explores guilt, public scrutiny, and the cost of telling other people's stories while delivering a compelling cold-case mystery. Read my full review on GinaRaeMitchell.com.