It's Your World Now

This book is visually exciting and interesting from the very first page. I identify well with its contents  because of our five small granddaughters. This book allows for lots of discussion as we move through the pages. These pages cover all sorts of things that happen in everyday life. I also enjoyed the use of rhyme. here's an example.

"As for you my bouncing ball, well you can truly have it all. Yes, you can set the world alight, my child-so-small, your future's bright."

As the publisher says, "A beautiful, lyrical and funny celebration of the world and the potential of every individual within it. This is the perfect book to read to children to help them appreciate the wonderful things that exist in the world, and the wonderful things that they can do, as well as allowing them to understand some of the setbacks that may happen. And in the end, whatever happens, the child is reassured that their parents will always love them."

Readers will find that this is a book you won't want to rush through with small children. Take your time, enjoy every page, and use the time together to help teach the children in your family about life's possibilities.

Special Paws

Authors of books for children are often encouraged to take something familiar and give it a new twist. Special Paws does just that. 

We see what it might be like for animals to wait in a shelter, hoping for the right people to come along, find them, and take them to a new home. 

Our grandchildren especially enjoy Lady and the Tramp. I think, in part, because it is also written from the animals’ point of view. I look forward to introducing them to Boston and Hunter.

When Boston finds herself in a shelter, Hunter becomes her friend in the neighboring crate and offers to help her make a very special list. Enjoy reading how these two adorable rescue dogs figure out who they want to live with and why! What does your family list look like?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Special-Paws-Tracey-Kusinitz-Altman/dp/1948903113/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EGFWLK7G1PMF&keywords=special+paws+book&qid=1563483552&s=gateway&sprefix=special+paws%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-1 

Max Elliot Anderson

https://middlegradeadventureandmystery.blogspot.com

Review: Big Cat

Big Cat

Big Cat is a wild excursion into a story about a very large cat. In some ways, he might remind young readers of Clifford the dog because of his immense size.

Being a grandfather of five girls, ages 1 - 7, I can identify with what might happen if I couldn't find my glasses. Such is the fun that develops when the grandma in this story loses hers. 

Yes, Isobel's grandma has lost her glasses and she can't see a thing without them. While Isobel and Gran are in the garden searching for the glasses, they come across a cat. A very big cat. A very big and friendly cat. The big cat moves in with them, much to the disgust of all gran's other cats. He might be good fun, but he takes up lots of space and eats every scrap of food. Eventually the new cat's mom and dad turn up, looking for their missing son. And they just happen to have found gran's glasses too. The tiger family are delighted to be reunited--and gran now sees that she's been sharing her house with... a tiger!

Max Elliot Anderson

https://middlegradeadventureandmystery.blogspot.com

Review: The Big Book Adventure

The Big Book Adventure

This book not only illustrates the adventures and travel experiences that can be found in books, it encourages reading in order to discover them.

The Big Book Adventure allows the older reader to go back through childhood classics like Peter Pan, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and more in this picture book about the joys of reading! At the same time, it creates an interest, in younger readers, to look for these stories in other books. It may even ignite curiosity to the point that library visits could become more common, in order to search out the stories.

There is nothing like a book to take you to places you’ve never been. Best friends Foxy and Piggy can’t wait to tell each other about all of their adventures in reading! Flying over Neverland, swimming with a mermaid, joining in a mad tea party, soaring on a magic carpet—old classics come to life in the eyes of two little readers who can’t believe what they’ve seen. Journey back to old favorites and experience the magic all over again in this adorable picture book about the joys of reading!

This book gets a thumbs up at our house from young and old.

Max Elliot Anderson

https://middlegradeadventureandmystery.blogspot.com

The Boy in the Big Blue Glasses

Sam doesn't like his new glasses. They make his ears hurt. His parents say he looks handsome in them. But Sam just wants to look like himself. His teacher doesn't recognize him; she says he must be a new superhero. But Sam doesn't want to be a superhero. He just wants to be himself. At least his best friend George recognizes him and thinks he looks okay. Sam does everything he can to lose his glasses but they keep being found. And then things get even worse, and Sam has to cope with googly-eyed turtles and giant penguins! Eventually, with a bit of confidence and a lot of humour, Sam finds out that wearing glasses isn't so bad - and people still like him just the way he is after all.

Two of our granddaughters, who live in town, ages almost 5 and almost 7, enjoyed this book. They both like wearing Super Girl underwear and other clothing with that S mark on it. They've even worn capes and "flown" around the house saving the world. So this book fit right into what they like.
Reading the book to them also gave me the opportunity to talk about not making fun of other kids who might seem different. I think if the time ever comes when they might need glasses one day, it'll help them to have the concepts of this book in the back of their minds. Because it was presented in such a fun way, I'm sure that would happen.
In addition to the positive messages, Marjorie Crosby-Fairall's artwork is beautiful.

Note - At the present time, the book is available on Amazon UK where it notes that orders can be sent to the US. Available in July, 2019
Amazon Link:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boy-Big-Blue-Glasses/dp/1925335992?SubscriptionId=1QZMGW0RRJC2PX87HDR2&tag=salranexp0d-21&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1925335992

The Chestnut Challenge: The Nocturnals

The Chestnut Challenge: The Nocturnals

     In The Chestnut Challenge, Tobin, a sweet pangolin, Bismark, a loud-mouthed sugar glider, and Dawn, a serious fox, are playing a game of Chestnuts when Chandler, a conniving chinchilla, challenges Tobin for the title of Chestnut Champion. However, after a series of strange distractions occur, the Brigade begins to suspect that something is not quite right. Chandler is a competitive chinchilla...but could he also be a cheater?

     Readers will delight in an entertaining animal adventure while learning about playing games for fun and displaying good sportsmanship.

     This book came to us at just the right time. Two of our granddaughters, ages 7 and 6, have recently discovered the game of checkers. It's been interesting to watch them learn basic moves of offense as well as defense. And both of them will occasionally try to bend the rules. So the message against cheating is appropriate for their ages.

     They have also enjoyed learning about the animals in this story that come out to play after dark.

Includes bonus Nocturnals fun facts and animal glossary (Ages 6-8)

Themes include good sportsmanship, forgiveness, and friendship.

See this blog for middle grade adventures and mysteries https://middlegradeadventureandmystery.blogspot.com

Mothers Teachers and Librarians with struggling, middle grade readers

I also grew up as a struggling, reluctant reader. My life took a course of dramatic motion picture, video, and television commercial production. It is from that well of creative experience that my adventures and mysteries originate for young readers.
The following letter is from a middle school teacher who has used my adventures and mysteries in her classroom for the past few years. It most clearly reflects what I hear from mothers, teachers, and librarians who have trusted my books to interest their young children in reading.

Dear Teacher,

    My name is Sandra Stiles. I am a middle school Language Arts teacher in Bradenton, Florida. I have always had a passion for reading. That passion doesn’t always transfer to your own children. My daughter was a struggling reader. It took another teacher to introduce her to an author whose books she devoured.  

    I am here to tell you about that author who has my students reading and fighting over his books.  Max Elliot Anderson has been one of my favorite authors for several years. Not only do I love his books, but my students love them as well.  I have three classes of students who have a remedial reading class, then they come to me for Language Arts.  
     When I did my first book pass with my students I made sure to have one of Max’s books in each pile to introduce them to his books. Both boys and girls love his books. Almost all of his books are not only filled with adventure, but also mystery. 
     One of my lowest readers has made it a goal to read all of Max’s books I have on my shelves. He has read eight books so far. The really cool part is that he started talking to some of the girls in the class. Now he has them reading them, too.

     Max has two major series, “The Sam Cooper” series and “The Accidental Adventures” series.  Both of these have characters that all kids - boys and girls alike - will love. 
     I can’t say enough about his books.  I highly recommend them to classrooms everywhere.

Sandra Stiles

NBCT

ELA teacher/Dept. Chair

     With summer coming, reading won't necessarily be on the minds of middle grade students. You can recommend these books with confidence. And I hope Sandra's words will encourage you to add some of my books to your home, library, or classroom for next year.

Find most of my books here, on Amazon. If you see a title you like, but it isn't available, all of those are being republished by a new publisher and should be ready throughout 2019.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=max+elliot+anderson

You can reach the author at mander8813@aol.com