Review: Into the Flow by Kathleen Branigan

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Kathleen Branigan experienced profound loss at a young age, suffering the death of her mother and several other close relatives within a short time. Not surprisingly, the losses upended her sense of self and her grasp on how she would go forward in her own life.

Over the ensuing years she pours her energy into reading and studying what others teach about spirituality in her own search for truth and understanding about living. Her memoir, Into the Flow: A Journey To Freedom By Trying It All, is an honest account of that search., including the many personal challenges she confronts along the way.

Branigan doesn’t hold back as she recounts issues in her marriage, her sessions with therapists, her financial struggles, and her quest for meaningful work. She readily talks about her successes and failures, peppering the story with lessons she learned in her studies and while in therapy.

Her breakthrough into finding fulfillment happens over time, and she takes readers on the journey with her. At times funny and inspiring, Into the Flow will appeal to anyone on their own quest for living authentically.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Review: The Barbary Chronicles by Bobbi Miller

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It all starts when Jack London steals a watch from a shabbily dressed man. She doesn’t know he’s actually someone powerful in disguise. All she wants to do is sell the watch to help pay a doctor to care for one of the other orphans she lives with who are taken care of by Lady Jane.

But the theft starts a chain of events that lead to the rescue of a kidnapped boy and the clash of the two most powerful gangs on the Barbary Coast. Can a rag tag band of scruffy children hope to defeat such strong forces? With the help of other allies and her trusty rescue dog Alaska, Jack means to find out.

The Barbary Chronicles: The Lost Prince by Bobbi Miller is a tale of adventure set in one of San Francisco’s most notorious regions during the late 1800s. The story shines a light on the plight of poor children of the time while also weaving an imaginative telling of what how those children used their wits to survive and thrive.

Some of the characters, like William Randolph Hearst, were real people set in a fictional setting. A list of the cast of characters at the beginning helps readers keep track of who’s who. and the author includes a few facts at the back of the book about the area and its history. I recommend The Barbary Chronicles: The Lost Prince for readers aged 9 to 12.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Review: Spooky Scouts by Kimberly Shrack

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Spooky Scouts Troop 13 is a close group. Together they earn badges and sell cookies. For Luna the wolf pup, the best part is their annual camping trip. But when Luna finds out the moon will be full the night they’re away, she worries that everyone will find out she’s got a secret.

Kimberly Shrack’s picture book, Spooky Scouts, is a whimsical twist on scout troops. All the members are spooky characters, like a mummy, a ghost and a zombie. And the badges they earn are creepy versions of what human scouts earn. Things like dragon fire safety, creepy cooking, and undead pet care.

During the trip, Luna works hard to keep herself hidden from the moon, but when her true self is revealed in the light, her friends find out the truth. Instead of shunning her, they all reveal quirks about themselves, too. Then they can all relax and enjoy making s’mores.

Shrack also drew the bright, expressive illustrations. So many details are hidden in them that parents and children will have as much fun studying those as they will reading the text.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Review: Nora T and the Champion Tree by Mona Martin Batchelor

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One summer 11-year-old Nora T wants to learn about the trees on her grandparents property. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and her grandparents live on a farm in the country a couple of hours drive away.

When Nora T discovers that trees can be nominated for champion status, meaning they are the largest of their kind in the state, she decides to nominate the huge tulip poplar at her grandparents farm.

Nora T and the Champion Tree by Mona Martin Batchelor is an interesting way for kids to learn about trees and the natural environment around them. Nora T doesn’t get to see many trees from her city apartment, so she cherishes her time on the farm. While there for longer periods in the summer, she gets to go on trips with her grandparents, often to state parks where she learns a lot about the world around her.

Nora T also starts to help a woman named Ruth who is trying to save an old oak from being bulldozed to make way for the land around it to be developed. Along the way, she learns a lot of activism and making your voice heard when you think something is important.

Nora T’s story is well told. There’s a slight disconnect with the cover, which shows a small girl in front of a large tree. The girl appears to be much younger than 11, so I had to adjust my expectations of the girl after I started reading. Other than that, I found the illustrations and the story interesting. It even inspired me to look up the champion tree program in my own state, where I was surprised to discover someone I knew had nominated a few trees.

I recommend Nora T and the Champion Tree for readers aged 8 to 11.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Review: Our Favorite Day of the Week by Ashley Franklin

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Our Favorite Day of the Week, a picture book written by Ashley Franklin and illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell, starts with Musa excited to go to school on Monday. He learned to tie his shoes and he can’t wait to tell his friend Zohra. Then he finds out she’s sad to be traveling on her favorite day of the week, Tuesday, because she’ll miss the sanitation workers who come around then.

Soon Musa is finding out which day all his friends like best. There are all kinds of reasons. One is happy to see a grandparent, some are happy to worship with family. Another likes learning about her family’s traditional culture. Musa likes Wednesdays because his dad spends more time with him away from work.

The last pages of the book note how the days of the week got their names and that some countries count Sunday as the first day while others recognize Monday.

The book is a great way for kids to not only learn about the days of the week, but also about how different people like certain days for very different reasons. It provides a way for children to consider how friends can talk about what’s important to them and be celebrated for who they are.

Illustrations are colorful and inviting and show kids expressing their interests during a show and tell at school, where their teacher says Monday is her favorite day because she gets to see her students again after the weekend.

Our favorite day of the week is a feel good story that young readers will want to read over and over.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Review: Mo Farah, The Boy Who Ran to Be Free

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With four Olympic gold medals and six World titles Mo Farah is considered one of the most successful male track distance runners ever. Yet, his path to success was anything but guaranteed. That’s because as a boy he was taken from his family in Africa and brought to England with fake papers. Then he was forced into domestic work in a home.

At the age of nine he not only was separated from his mother and twin brother, but also he had to give up the name he was born with, Hussein Abdi Kahin. For several years in London he was not allowed to even go outside. When he finally was allowed to go to school, he struggled in everything but running track. He could run faster than all the other boys. Finally, he trusted his coach enough to tell his story. That led to his rescue from the home and his journey into greatness.

For many years, Mo Farah told no one else about his origins. But he was finally able to reunite with his family and tell others what had happened to him. His story is one of heart ache, courage, resilience, and perseverance. It’s inspiring to read about everything he went through and how he was able to succeed despite the hardships he faced.

Mo Farah, The Boy Who Ran to Be Free by Dr. Seema Yasmin, tells this incredible story as part of the Muslim Mavericks series. I recommend it for ages 8 to 12.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Review—The Sherlock Society: Art Attach by James Ponti

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Fresh from the notoriety after their last case, the Sherlock Society creates a website to get new clients. Despite many dead end referrals, they get a new client who offers to pay a substantial sum. The task: find the identity of graffiti artist Funky Munky. The client wants to hire the artist for a mural project.

The gang of four, Alex, Zoe, Lina, and Yadi, plus Alex and Zoe’s grandpa, set to work right away. What follows is a fun dive into the world of graffiti art and artists. The group finds out all about how each artist usually prefers a brand of paint and may have a signature color.

They check out past public installations for clues. They also sometimes get in trouble by pushing the rules. All the while Grandpa chauffeurs them around Miami in his 1964 Cadillac Coupe de Ville convertible. Also, he has connections from his former days as an investigative reporter, which lets him help with things the kids don’t have access to.

Just when the Sherlock Society finds the truth, they also have to fend off a threat to the artist and figure out who is behind that.

The Sherlock Society: Art Attack by James Ponti continues the series based on middle school detectives who work as a team to uncover the mysteries. While this third title stands on its own, the whole series starting with The Sherlock Society, and The Sherlock Society: Hurricane Heist is so satisfying readers will want to start at the beginning. Alex is the narrator in all three, and his voice is honest, inquisitive, and down to earth.

I highly recommend The Sherlock Society: Art Attack and the whole series for readers aged 9 to 12.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.

Review: Riding the Trail by Traci Sorell and Will Chavez

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Remember the Removal bicycle ride began in 1984 and became an annual event in 2009. It helps Native youth connect with their history as they spend a grueling three weeks retracing the route their ancestors took when they were forcibly removed from eastern states to Oklahoma.

Riding the Trail: Cherokees Remember the Removal presents information on the ride, its riders, and the history that inspired it. Written by Traci Sorell and Will Chavez, both citizens of the Cherokee Nation, the nonfiction book not only discusses what happened during the Trail of Tears, but also how young tribal citizens can connect to the past while also strengthening their culture.

Filled with photos, maps and special features, Riding the Trail also details the 2020-2021 ride, which was delayed a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Profiles of that year’s riders highlight the achievements of the young people who participated.

While I know some of the history of the Trail of Tears, I learned a lot more while reading the book. And I was amazed at the grueling training the riders have to complete if they hope to successfully finish the 950-mile journey, which goes up and down mountainous stretches as well as through urban areas. At one point the riders have to complete 74 miles in one day! And they ride during heat, rain, or whatever else the weather delivers.

The story is inspiring as well as educational. Young readers aged 10 and up interested in how history relates to current times as well as anyone who looks for stories of resilience, cultural legacy and endurance will enjoy Riding the Trail.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.

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