Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
- Publication Year
Articles 1 - 30 of 471
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Truly Devious, Karen Abbott
Truly Devious, Karen Abbott
Children's Book and Media Review
Stevie arrives at Ellingham School determined to solve a decades-old crime involving the school’s founder. After an abduction, the bodies of the founder’s wife and one of the school’s star students were recovered, but evidence of his child’s fate was never found. Then, when one friend in Stevie’s small group dies a mysterious death that is ruled an unfortunate accident, Stevie’s instinct drives her to discover details that prove that her friend's death was a homicide. Stevie soon uncovers one possible culprit, but there is still strong evidence that others may also be involved.
Madame Badobedah, Jazmin Gomez
Madame Badobedah, Jazmin Gomez
Children's Book and Media Review
Mabel lives by the ocean at the Mermaid Hotel, which is the perfect place for an adventurer like her. Life becomes much more interesting when a new hotel guest arrives. Mabel decides that the new guest, who is aloof and a bit rude and whom she has named Madame Badobedah, is a villain on the run from the police. Donning her spy outfit, Mabel is intent on catching her until one morning, when Madame Badobedah unexpectedly invites Mabel in for tea. Reluctantly, she accepts, and so begins a beautiful relationship. Together, spy and supervillain play cards, sail in a pirate …
Girls On The Verge, Taylor Bitton
Girls On The Verge, Taylor Bitton
Children's Book and Media Review
Life was going perfectly for Camille until she realized she was pregnant. Now, instead of going to her high school's competitive drama camp, Camille has to figure out how to get an abortion. That is no easy task in Texas, and Camille feels judged by her best friend, Bea, who is a devout Christian. Feeling alone and embarrassed, Camille turns to an acquaintance named Annabelle for help. They devise a plan to travel to the border, and Bea, feeling terribly about abandoning her friend, insists on joining them. The three embark on the journey, where they learn about life, love, …
The Beatryce Prophecy, Maryn Wheeler
The Beatryce Prophecy, Maryn Wheeler
Children's Book and Media Review
In a war-torn kingdom, a lost girl is found by the monks of the Chronicles of Sorrowing. Now Beatryce remembers only her name and is befriended by Answelica, the unruly goat. But, Brother Edik knows the king is looking for the lost girl because of a prophecy made many years earlier that a young girl would unseat him. Brother Edik hides her among the monks, but as she obtains the forbidden ability to read and write, memories eventually come to Beatryce. Realizing her identity, she sets out to face her future—and it is up to Beatryce and her friends to …
Cherry Blossom And Paper Planes, Jennifer Padgett
Cherry Blossom And Paper Planes, Jennifer Padgett
Children's Book and Media Review
Adin and Dina are the best of friends, and they love to climb the lush fruit trees surrounding them. They pick cherries, savoring their sweet taste and using their juices to draw on each others faces. Then Adin tells Dina his mom wants a job in the city, and before he heads to his new home, she hands him a bag of cherry pits. On lonely days, Adin throws some off his balcony, hoping they’ll travel far. When reunited for a visit, he places more of them inside paper airplanes and flies them through the sky. When Dina rides her …
Bridge Of Souls (City Of Ghosts #3), Karen Abbott
Bridge Of Souls (City Of Ghosts #3), Karen Abbott
Children's Book and Media Review
Cassidy, Jake, and Lara are in New Orleans, ready for another mystery. Cassidy is being hunted by a servant of Death who wants to reclaim her soul. Cassidy and her friends seek help from The Black Cat Society's members on both sides of the Veil, and they formulate a plan to save Cassidy, but soon everything runs amuck. A failed ceremony affects Jacob, and then the second attempt results in the capture of Lara. Soon Jacob, Cassidy, and the members of The Black Cat Society race to the rescue. Staying true to her friends, Cassidy saves the day while realizing …
Tickled Pink, Taran Burnett
Tickled Pink, Taran Burnett
Children's Book and Media Review
Filippo is a pink flamingo that does not want to be pink. When Zac the zebra and Poncho the panda do not accept the color of Filippo’s feathers, Filippo just wants to gain acceptance. He tries to reason with them and even resorts to painting his feathers black and white. After an entire day of failure, Filippo is approached by a lemur who encourages him to accept himself the way he is. Together, they embrace pink and even get the other animals to join in on the fun.
The 117-Story Treehouse, Erica Sonzogni
The 117-Story Treehouse, Erica Sonzogni
Children's Book and Media Review
Andy and Terry are back at it again, adding 13 more levels to their previous 104-story treehouse. Along with adding a mini horse floor, a traffic school, and an all-you-can-eat level to their abode, the boys are tasked with creating another story for their publisher, Mr. Big Nose. Terry, who is usually the illustrator, wants to oversee writing this book but has a challenging time creating the ending. When the Story Police come to arrest the boys due to their story’s lack of closure, they work together to evade the police while finishing a worthwhile story to publish.
The 12th Candle, Erica Sonzogni
The 12th Candle, Erica Sonzogni
Children's Book and Media Review
For her birthday, Sage receives a magical candle, on which she can wish for anything she desires. She knows immediately that she wants to reverse the curse that has been plaguing her family for decades. It seems only terrible events happen to her family—her dad is in jail, her mother is struggling to put food on the table, and Sage is terrible at math. On the other hand, good things happen to her family’s nemeses, the Pettys. But as the curse is reversed, Sage realizes that the Pettys’ lives are not as perfect as they seem and that she has …
Homerooms And Hall Passes, Amanda Morgan
Homerooms And Hall Passes, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Four hero friends—Thromdurr the barbarian, Devis the thief, Velva the paladin, Sorrowshade the assassin, and Albiorix the wizard—go on adventures every day. It’s easy for them to tire of the excitement, and they can hardly wait until they play Homerooms and Hall Passes each week. In this fun role-playing game, they can pretend they are in a mundane and ordinary middle school. After an encounter with a curse, things go awry, and the mighty adventurers end up in real life. There, the friends must learn how to be regular students and protect this newly discovered world from its own evils.
Dear Treefrog, Rachel Wadham
Dear Treefrog, Rachel Wadham
Children's Book and Media Review
Exploring her new home after a move, a young girl encounters the wanders of the treefrogs that hide all around her property. Engaging with the small creatures helps her to feel a little less sad as she works to fit in. But it is not until she finds a true friend who shares her wonder of the treefrogs that the girl finds herself fully embracing all the joys around her.
Tomorrow, Jennifer Padgett
Tomorrow, Jennifer Padgett
Children's Book and Media Review
Torn apart by the manifestations of war, a child can no longer live as children often do. Yazan finds himself surrounded by loneliness and boredom, spending days making paper planes, doodling on paper, and making formations out of pillows. One day, when he cannot stand the monotony and isolation of being inside, he dares to venture outside into the dangerous streets on his little red bicycle. As loud sounds explode all around him, he contemplates if he should continue on to the nearby park. His father finds him, and silently, they walk home together hand in hand. His mother is …
Malamander (The Legends Of Eerie-On-Sea), Amanda Bishop
Malamander (The Legends Of Eerie-On-Sea), Amanda Bishop
Children's Book and Media Review
Since he was a baby, young “lost and founder” Herbert Lemon has lived at the Grand Nautilus Hotel in the seaside town of Eerie-on-the-Sea. His life is changed when another orphan, Violet Parma, comes searching for clues to find out what happened to her parents. Herbert and Violet embark together on an adventure to solve the mystery of the unknown creature that lurks beyond the tide, the Malamander. It is said that whoever gains access to the Malamander’s egg will have their dreams fulfilled. But Herbert and Violet aren’t the only ones searching for the egg, and they must contend …
The Color Of The Sun, Taylor Bitton
The Color Of The Sun, Taylor Bitton
Children's Book and Media Review
Davie steps out of his house one morning, expecting the day to pass like any other. But when the town discovers the body of local boy Jimmy Killen, everything gets turned upside down. The Killen family has fought with the Craig family for as long as anyone can remember, so naturally everybody suspects Zorro Craig to be the murderer. Davie spends the day wandering the town and hills hoping to find Zorro. While doing so he encounters several townspeople and learns important lessons from each of them. At the end of the day, Davie ponders the changes he has undergone …
The Bear, The Piano, The Dog, And The Fiddle, Jazmin Gomez
The Bear, The Piano, The Dog, And The Fiddle, Jazmin Gomez
Children's Book and Media Review
Hector enjoys playing his fiddle on the streets of New Orleans with his canine friend, Hugo, by his side. When he becomes disheartened, he puts his fiddle away for good. Hector distracts himself with other hobbies and has no idea that Hugo has been spending months learning to play the fiddle. Hector hears him one night and sees how much Hugo loves playing. News of the fiddle-playing dog spreads, and he is soon recruited by the famous piano-playing bear. As Hugo is leaving to tour with the band, Hector’s jealousy leads him to say hurtful things. When the band returns …
Parker Bell And The Science Of Friendship, Sarah Rawle
Parker Bell And The Science Of Friendship, Sarah Rawle
Children's Book and Media Review
Parker Bell absolutely loves science, and she is thrilled when she finds out that the school is holding a science triathlon. But when her best friend Cassie invites Theo to be on their team, Parker thinks Theo might completely ruin their chances of winning. Theo had been Parker’s science partner in second grade, where, in an experiment, they could never get anything to sink or float. Not only is Parker’s chance of ever becoming like her idols, Jane Goodall and Mae Jemison, slipping away, but she’s not too thrilled about the idea of sharing Cassie with Theo. But if she …
Deep And Dark And Dangerous, Karen Abbott
Deep And Dark And Dangerous, Karen Abbott
Children's Book and Media Review
Ali is invited to babysit her five-year-old cousin, Emma, at the family cabin for the summer. There, Ali hopes to solve a mystery about a girl in a photograph taken at the lake. One day at the beach, Ali and Emma meet a very disagreeable girl named Sissy. Emma is immediately taken with her new friend, but Ali has reservations. As Emma spends time with Sissy, her behavior spins out of control. Ali then discovers that Sissy is the ghost of the girl in the photograph. Sissy’s disappearance is linked to a forbidden canoe trip that is connected to the …
Bruce's Big Storm, Karen Abbott
Bruce's Big Storm, Karen Abbott
Children's Book and Media Review
A storm brings all of Bruce's neighbors into his home. When a mouse sees a bunny struggling, he grabs Bruce's favorite umbrella to set out for the rescue. He is unfortunately swept away by the storm, and even Bruce’s enormous weight is not enough to prevent them from being tugged up towards a tree. All the animals then form a chain to pull them safely home. But when a tree blows into the roof, they have to snuggle by the fireplace until they can return home. This leaves a very grumpy Bruce to survey the damage, until all of his …
Warrior Of The Wild, Audrey Lowther
Warrior Of The Wild, Audrey Lowther
Children's Book and Media Review
Rasmira is a warrior apprentice training to replace her father as village leader. On the day of the test that determines whether she will become a warrior or be banished, Rasmira is betrayed. Exiled from her village, Rasmira’s only hope to return home is slaying the god, Peruxolo, who has terrorized all of the villages in the area for decades. Along the way, she befriends Soren and Iric, who have been banished from another village. They work together to help each other return home and with the help of her new friends, Rasmira discovers the source of Peruxolo’s astonishing powers, …
This Was Our Pact, Amanda Morgan
This Was Our Pact, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Each year on the night of the fall equinox, lanterns are put in the river. Legend has it that the lanterns will find their way into the sky and become stars. Ben and his friend have biked alongside the river following the lanterns many times, but they always turn back. This year they make a pact to see the lanterns turn into stars. But after a while, everyone leaves except Ben and the outcast Nathaniel. Even though Ben didn’t want to invite Nathaniel, the two boys keep biking and are suddenly thrown into an unbelievably magical adventure. They befriend a …
The Pirates Of Scurvy Sands, Sydnee Burr
The Pirates Of Scurvy Sands, Sydnee Burr
Children's Book and Media Review
Tilda has a pirate for a pen pal. Jim Lad sends her letters in old green bottles, and she fishes them up with a pole. When he invites Tilda to sail with his family to a pirate resort called Scurvy Sands, she's off on the trip of a lifetime. Met with trepidation from the other pirates who aren't convinced this land lubber is up to scratch, Tilda proves them wrong with sheer determination and riddle-solving cleverness. She sails back home with memories and buried treasure, and although there was a lot of fun to be had on Scurvy Sands, she …
Pointe, Claw, Jaimee Pease
Pointe, Claw, Jaimee Pease
Children's Book and Media Review
Dawn and Jessie were close childhood friends before their parents ripped them apart. Now on the verge of adulthood, both are struggling to escape the pressure of parental expectations and hang on to what they want most. Through it all, they yearn for the special connection they once had. Dawn is brilliant but suffers from mysterious blackouts while studying at prestigious Stanford University. Jessie has become an accomplished ballet protégée competing for the sole opening in the elite Ballet des Arts Company. As Dawn’s condition worsens, the girls find themselves thrown together, and with each others support they find the …
Not If I Can Help It, Amanda Morgan
Not If I Can Help It, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Willa has sensory processing disorder. She doesn't want anyone to know about the weird things it makes her do, or that she gets stickers from her dad for good behavior, or that she sees a therapist twice a week. Fortunately, she’s learned how to keep all her embarrassing secrets from her fifth grade class, including her best friend Ruby. Then one day, Willa’s Dad and Ruby’s mom announce they are dating. Willa hates surprises, but this is the worst and she simply cannot tolerate the change. It feels like her whole world is falling apart, and the only way to …
If You're Out There, Amanda Bishop
If You're Out There, Amanda Bishop
Children's Book and Media Review
If You’re Out There tells the story of one girl’s search to find out what has happened to her best friend. Zan is heartbroken when her best friend Priya moves to California and suddenly becomes unreachable. She isn’t responding to any of her texts or calls, and something is definitely odd about her posts on social media, which are riddled with grammatical errors and totally uncharacteristic of Priya. But nobody believes Zan when she suggests that something is definitely weird about Priya’s new life. With the help of her new friend Logan, Zan begins an investigation to find out what …
The Most Wonderful Gift In The World, Jennifer Padgett
The Most Wonderful Gift In The World, Jennifer Padgett
Children's Book and Media Review
As they open their last gifts under the tree, Esme and Bear discover one present. The tag reads, “For Little Bunny Boo-Boo, Love Santa.” The two of them bundle up and set out in search of the intended recipient. Some helpful signs lead the way as they trek through treacherous terrain, endure tumultuous gale winds, and wade through deep snow. When Bear pleads to turn around, Esme encourages him, and together they prevail, finally reaching their destination. Bunny Boo-Boo graciously invites them inside, and when she opens the gift, a special handwritten note from Santa says he sent her the …
Remarkables, Jennifer Padgett
Remarkables, Jennifer Padgett
Children's Book and Media Review
Unfamiliar with her new home, Marin Pluckett steps outside to explore the surrounding terrain. As she enters the woods, deep in her own thoughts, she climbs a nearby tree. Suddenly, her attention shifts to the teenagers next door. There are nine of them, and strangely, as quickly as they appear, they disappear. She wanders if her mind is simply playing tricks on her, but moments later she discovers they are back, just long enough to vanish once again. She forms an unlikely friendship with a boy named Charley, who is the only other person who knows of the teenagers’ existence. …
Husky, Taylor Bitton
Husky, Taylor Bitton
Children's Book and Media Review
Davis is worried about starting high school this fall. He's heard that everyone gets one adjective that people at school will know him by, and while he knows he has some good and interesting qualities, he's pretty sure his adjective is going to be related to his weight. On top of this, Davis' best friend Sophie started growing away from him when she became best friends with the most popular girl in school. Davis' mom is busy working at her bakery, so his only company this summer has been his grandmother, who criticizes his every move. It feels like everything …
The Lost Wonderland Diaries, Tessa Mcmillan
The Lost Wonderland Diaries, Tessa Mcmillan
Children's Book and Media Review
Moving to a new town means Celia can try to hide her dyslexia. Stuck at her mother’s new job at the library, Celia meets Tyrus, a boy obsessed with books. A voice leads them to her mother’s office where they find a chest with four old diaries. Opening one, they are transported into Wonderland. Sylvan, a white rabbit, tells them that a destructive plague is infesting Wonderland. It was prophesied that Wonderland will end unless another Alice saves it. Constantly on the run from the Red Queen, who is hunting them to open portals outside Wonderland, they meet others who …
The Secret Garden, Taylor Bitton
The Secret Garden, Taylor Bitton
Children's Book and Media Review
Recently orphaned Mary Lennox has been sent to live with her uncle at Misselthwaite Manor. This new home on the Yorkshire moors is much different than India, where she was born and raised. Misselthwaite Manor is full of secrets. A mysterious crying sound can be heard in the night, and one of the many gardens has been locked up for over ten years. One day Mary stumbles upon the hidden key to this secret garden, and devotes all her time and efforts into bringing it back to life. With the help of the local boy and animal charmer Dickon, the …
The Scarecrow, Jazmin Gomez
The Scarecrow, Jazmin Gomez
Children's Book and Media Review
It is autumn in the golden fields, and lonely Scarecrow stands guard. As winter gives way to spring, a baby crow suddenly falls from a tree. Scarecrow breaks his pole to bend down and save the scared bird. He tucks him into his chest of hay and they instantly become friends. The crow grows and learns to fly, and when summer comes, he makes his way into the world. Scarecrow is left alone again to face the autumn chill and winter winds. But as spring approaches once more, the large crow returns and Scarecrow welcomes him with open arms. This …