Summer Book Club Week 5 ~ BACKYARD HORSES

OK - I have 2 winners who have been emailed:

2nd drawing: Jenelle Sales (has till Sunday 8/19 to claim it

Jamie Martin - emailed 8/7 - already shipped

______________________________

After a break of about 5 weeks due to major computer issues, starting a new job, etc, etc, etc.... I'm ready to continue our Summer Book Club! Thanks so much for being patient and waiting while I get my feet back under me.

I do ask for prayer as I begin looking for a new family who needs babysitting or daycare for the school year. I'd prefer to have a FT permanent position - but at this point I'd be happy with a good family with well-behaved children.

That being said, here is Summer Book Club 2012 - Week 5!

Backyard Horses - Horse Dreams
by Dandi Daisy MacKall

ISBN: 978-1414339160

Age 4th grade+

$5.99 (paperback) $4.99 (Kindle)

About this series:

Fourth-grader Ellie James has a great imagination. She spends a lot of time daydreaming of owning a black stallion show horse and winning trophies in the horse show. But when the answer to all her dreams and prayers gallops into her life, will Ellie be able to recognize it? Join Ellie and her quirky family in their exciting, horse-loving adventures.

Backyard horses are the opposite of show horses. They don’t have registration papers to prove they’re purebred, and they might never win a trophy or ribbon at a horse show. Backyard horses aren’t boarded in stables. You can find them in pastures or in backyards. They may be farm horses, fun horses, or simply friends. Backyard horses are often plain and ordinary on the outside . . . but frequently beautiful on the inside.

My thoughts:

One little girl dreaming of owning a horse and planning on all the ways she can work on her parents to talk them into getting her a horse. Cry? Beg? Throw a fit? It's never worked before.... Unfortunately it hasn't stopped her from daydreaming in class and getting into trouble - and that's how the book opens. I loved how involved Ellie gets in her daydreaming up to and including "daydreaming" up a horse outside her classroom window - or is it real? If so, no one believes her...

Horse Dreams is very well written, doesn't talk down to kids and it doesn't seem as though Dandi MacKall is lecturing or "teaching" the kids who read it a lesson. I was very impressed with her method of helping Ellie come to understand her parents point of view about why she can't have a horse. The wonderful part of the book though is that Ellie shows a maturity by the end of the book as she helps an abused horse find a new home and Ellie accepts that her job is to help this "backyard horse" relax and let others help her. I really liked this little girl and I'm looking forward to reading other books in this series.

Buy It:

The Backyard Horses series includes Cowboy Bob, Chasing Dreams and Nightmare. You can begin reading this series aloud to your younger children around Grade 1 and the reading level is for kids 4th grade and up (it's actually very easy to read and moves quickly).

You can purchase all 4 books on Amazon for $5.99 each and they are eligible for the 4-for-3 promotion - buy any 4 eligible items and get the lowest-priced item free. It's a wonderful series to add to your family's personal library and will be well loved over the years.

About the author:

Dandi has been writing stories since she was a little girl and her true speciality is teaching children about animals and encouraging them to help others (whether it's an animal or a friend). She began writing children's books when she had her own children and you can find over 400 books like: picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle-grade fiction & non-fiction and young adult novels. She loves horses and animals of all kinds and it truly shows in her books.  (Learn more here)

Win It:

Dandi MacKall and Tyndale Publishing are giveaway 2 sets of the first 3 books away to my readers! Isn't that wonderful. 


Mandatory Entry: Be sure to follow Dandi MacKall on FB and leave her a comment thanking her for the giveaway! (I'm not sure the giveaway gadget is reading FB addresses - so if it doesn't come up just leave a comment below this post. Thanks!

Much thanks to Dandi MacKall and Tyndale Publishing for donating this book for review and giveaway. I was not paid for my review services and was not required to provide a positive review. Note: my full disclosure is listed on this page - click here

Week 4: Starlight Books by Dandi Mackall

Note: This giveaway has ended and the winners have been notified. Thank you!

------------------------------------------------------

Reminders: Be sure to read Week 2 and Week 3 and then enter the giveaways. Here are the details:

Wk 2: Middle Grade Summer Book Club - The Black Shard:
Be sure to enter the giveaway for Week 2 - The Black Shard. 1 person from the US will win both Books 1 & 2 in this interesting series AND 3 people will win a copy of The Black Shard as an ebook. 
http://familyliteracy2.blogspot.com/2012/06/wk-2-summer-book-club-black-shard.html 

Wk 3: Middle Grade Summer Book Club - Trapped:
Trapped is the story of a very smart teen girl who gets caught in the web of cheating - and what happened. Awesome book for kids 12+, book clubs and youth groups....
http://familyliteracy2.blogspot.com/2012/06/week-3-summer-book-club-trapped.html

~ Review & Giveaway

Week 4: Starlight Animal Rescue by Dandi Mackall
We have an author who is very generously sponsoring 2 separate weeks for the summer Book Club this year! Her name is Dandi Mackall and she writes wonderful books about horses. This week we will be featuring the Starlight Series Animal Rescue books which will be a favorite for our younger readers around 3rd or 4th grade and up . If your boys & girls love horses - they will love these books!

What is the Starlight Animal Rescue? It's....

where problem horses are trained and loved,

where abandoned dogs become heroes,

where stray cats become loyal companions.

And where people with nowhere to fit in find a place to belong. 

Book 1: Runaway
ISBN: 978-1414312682
224 pages, age 4th grade +
Amazon: $5.99 (paperback) $4.49 (Kindle)


"I've run away seven times - never once to anything, just away from. Maybe that's why they call me a "runaway" and not a "run-to."

Meet 16 year old Dakota Brown. She used to love all things horse until she lost everything, including hope. The minute she sets foot on her foster parents farm - Starlight Animal Rescue - she plans her escape. But can an impossible horse named Blackfire and this quirky collection of animal lovers be the family she's always dreamed of?

My Thoughts:
The book opens with Dakota working on one of her never ending lists - lists bring chaos into order. They help her form an action plan and let her list places she NEVER wants to see again. So far she has a list of 7.....

Runaway shows a girl hurting, sad, lonely and afraid of trusting anyone. She ends up on a farm for kids no one wants (except Mr and Dr Ann Coolidge. Everyone calls Mr Coolidge "Popeye" - you can too.)

This is a very interesting book for a rainy day or bedtime. It's fast paced, the writing is very well done and the situations in the book are presented in a funny way for a very serious subject. As Dakota starts to plan her "escape" she meets a new resident on the farm "Blackfire" (an abused horse that is scared of everything). She decides to wait until after she has calmed him down and in the process she opens her heart and allows herself to start thinking about staying.

I highly recommend this series for kids in 4th grade and up. There is no language, the situations are clean, there is a strong faith message and what impressed me most was the way Dakota's story was handled and the ending.

You can purchase this book and any of the other books in this wonderful series on Amazon for $5.99. It would make a great birthday gift, stocking stuffer - or just because. There is also a great section in the back on "how to pick out the perfect pet".

  

About the author:
Dandi Mackall has been involved with writing and creating characters since she was little girl beginning with my personal favorite game. The story round. Dad would start a story up and then Dandi would chime in the next part and the story would go on and on. (This is a lot of fun in the car and helps time pass very fast.)

She is the author of books for everyone. There are picture books, middle grade books, chapter books and books for teens. She has also written books for adults along with devotionals for animal lovers. She is a "Jane of All Writers". Go ahead, check out her website.

2 lucky families are going to WIN the first 3 books in the Starlight Animal Rescue series - are you ready?

Note: This giveaway ends 6/30, US residents only please.

You must provide a street address if you win & must be 18+.

I received a copy of the Starlight Series books to read and review on Classic Children's Books and Dandi and Tyndale House Publishing very generously offered a giveaway. No money exchanged hands and i wasn't required to post a positive review. Thanks Dandi & Tyndale!