A Wonderful Site for Those Looking for Children's Books

 

         
I'm celebrating a marvelous site provided by SCBWI (Society of Book Writers & Illustrators) until end of November. It's called Book Stop, and this is a perfect place to Christmas shop for young readers. There's an embarrassment of riches in store for you!

But first, Celebrate the Small Things  is a blog hop co-hosted by Lexa Cain at: Lexa Cain,  L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge , and Tonja Drecker @ Tidbits Blog. (You can go to any of these sites to add your name to the links, if you want to participate. )


Okay, the link to SCBWI Book Stop: You can look up books published by traditional publishers or independent publishers. It's up to you.  You can go directly to their site HERE

My own page for Dragonella  is among the pages for independent publishers (Belanger Books. Check them out HERE, they are currently open for submissions.)  

You can go to the link for my book stop page  HERE . I hope you will stop by and sign the guest book. Also, I hope you will spread the word among those with children or grandchildren the appropriate ages (5-8).  

Here are the front and back covers. (I lucked out with a wonderful illustrator, Brian Belanger!) 

Wishing you all a Happy and safe Halloween. Do you have special plans? Are you taking children Trick or Treating? Attending a Halloween party instead? Offering a Halloween party to friends & neighbors instead? 



I have such fond memories of my own childhood Halloween ventures. I loved the dress-up part of it more than collecting candy. What are some of your best Halloween memories?

Sherlock Has a New Helper!

Author, Brenda Seabrooke

Meet Digby!

Since I have a fascination with Sherlock Holmes, I'm always delighted to find a new story that involves him and his reliable Boswell, Dr. Watson. So when I had the chance to read Scones and Bones on Baker Street, Sherlock's Dog (Maybe) and the Dirt Dilemma, by award-winning Brenda Seabrooke,  I grabbed it.

The hero of this tale is a street dog named Digby whose motto in life is “Never daunted, never fazed,” a motto that befits him. The story opens with Digby prowling the streets of London, hoping for a scrap of food, some water, and a safe place to sleep. When he endangers himself to rescue a cat from a horse-drawn hackney, a foot sends him flying out of harm’s way then disappears into the crowd. Digby goes on a sniffing search to find that foot and thank its owner, who, as it turns out, is Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock may have gotten Digby’s attention with a kick, but Digby wins his attention by accidentally foiling a bomb plot (no spoilers here as to how and where). He follows Holmes and Watson to 221B Baker Street, where he now has a new goal in life—to become Sherlock Holmes’s right paw dog and help him solve cases. But winning Sherlock’s attention isn’t the same thing as winning his affection. The detective doesn’t particularly want a dog, and it’s up to Digby to change his mind. The misadventures that follow are hilarious as Digby shadows Holmes and Watson and becomes embroiled in their new case—a case familiar to Sherlockians, but now seen through the point of view of this lovable mutt.

Seabrooke has created a believable character in Digby, who reads the world through his sense of smell and his loyal doggy heart. One hopes more cases will follow. Brian Belanger’s illustrations capture Digby’s quirky personality. “Fun Facts” at the bottom of each page introduce a young reader to both historical details of Victorian London and the concept of footnotes.

You can get a copy of this delightful book HERE:

You can learn more about the author and her many books HERE

A question for you: Do you enjoy stories for children told through the eyes of an animal? Why or why not? Have you come across any tales for adults told from an animal's point of view?

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This is kinda big, actually

 Celebrate the Small things is blog hop co-sponsored by Lexa Cain @ Lexa Cain , L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge , and Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog, and you can go to any of these sites to get all the links and add your name to the links, if you want to participate. I recommend it, because it's always fun to see positive news that others are celebrating, and to share your own as well. 

Today I'm celebrating the launch that begins tomorrow of a new anthology, Beyond Watson, coming out in June. It will have 12 original tales about Sherlock Holmes, told from different perspectives, the majority not Dr. Watson's. The anthology comes out in June and will be a real keeper. A story by me -- "Kidnapped" -- will be included, and it was so much fun to write.


But I've had the good fortune to read some of the other stories, and they are just delightful. One such story is "Mrs. Hudson's Lodger" by Geri Shear, which tells how Mrs. Hudson met Sherlock Holmes.

Here's a little taster: It was the spring of 1877. I was with my friend and neighbour Mrs Prescott and we were examining some ancient manuscripts. Such pretty illustrations. Suddenly she froze. Mrs Prescott, I mean, and hissed, “Oh dear, come quickly into another room, Mrs Hudson. I cannot bear to see that insufferable young man.” The young man in question is Sherlock Holmes, new to London, and already set on solving crimes. And a very interesting crime indeed has been visited on Mrs. Hudson. 

The anthology comes out in June. Watch for it. Beyond Watson, published by Belanger Books.

What are some of your favorite anthologies? 

In the Footsteps of Sherlock

             

There are two new sleuths on Baker Street, trained and mentored by none other than Sherlock himself.
                 

            This charming book is a fun introduction to Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson for middle grade readers, although ten-year-old twins Jimmy and Emma MacDougal are the real stars in the tale that unfolds. The twins live across the street from Sherlock Holmes and help him solve cases. 

            As the book opens, Jimmy and Emma and their parents are sitting down to dinner with Holmes and Watson as Holmes’s guests. Suddenly, a huge blimp appears outside the window. A moment later a giant rock hurtles through the window with a message from someone signed “The Mad Bomber”, demanding money to keep London safe. Of course more than money is involved in the Mad Bomber’s scheme, but no spoilers here. 

            Soon the twins are tracking down information about the airship, which puts them on the trail of the mad bomber himself. Emma notices small, telling details that add up to serious clues; Jimmy goes undercover and wears disguises. Both of them are shrewd thinkers and quick witted like their mentor. (And they need to be at one point when they find themselves in a particularly dangerous situation.)

            Set in Victorian London, the plot is fast-paced with enough twists and turns and clues to keep a reader guessing to the last. The black and white illustrations show vehicles and costumes of the era with a contemporary flair that young people will like. A nice touch is the occasional glossary of terms like “monocle” or “hansom cab”,  shown in illustrated footnotes at the bottom of some pages.

            The mystery has a satisfying conclusion, and the good news is that there is more to come. A sequel in the series, Attack of the Violet Vampire, will be released September 9, 2015. Watch for it. It’s also available for pre-order HERE .

You can order The Amazing Airship Adventure HERE and HERE

You can contact the author and illustrator at their website: 

   

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