I am a minister and homeschooling father. After a bad experience with an inappropriate book, I began previewing the books that our boys read and posting my reviews on an e-mail list. This led to doing children’s book reviews for several different magazines and websites, and ultimately to this weblog.
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Dear Editor,
I read about your homeschoolbookreviewblog website on Linked-In. If you are interested, I would like to send you my award-winning book for children about bullying, How the Moon Regained Her Shape. Sylvan Dell Publishing originally published the hardcover edition in 2006, followed by the first paperback edition in 2007, the e-book and Spanish e-book in 2008, and the third paperback edition and iPad app in 2012. I hope that you will review my book on your website.
How the Moon Regained Her Shape is a legend influenced by Native American folktales that explains why the moon changes shape and helps children deal with bullies. The sun insults the moon, and the moon feels so badly hurt that she shrinks and leaves the sky. The moon turns to her comet friend and her many friends on earth to comfort her. Her friends include rabbits and Native Americans. Then she regains her full shape, happiness, and self-esteem, and she returns to her orbit. An educational appendix gives advice about bullying, scientific information about the moon, and ideas for related activities for children.
Illustrator Ben Hodson won a Benjamin Franklin Award for this book’s artwork in 2007. How the Moon Regained Her Shape also won a Book Sense Pick (2006), a Children’s Choices award (2007), and a Gold Medal in the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards (2007). The book was also a finalist for the Oregon Reading Association’s 2009 Patricia Gallagher Picture Book Award.
I have a Ph.D. in English from the University of Chicago. I have published poetry, fiction, literary criticism, and essays. Anaphora Literary Press published my poetry book Folk Concert: Changing Times (2012). Finishing Line Press published my poetry book Traffic Stop (2011). My scholarly book, Coleridge, Lamb, Hazlitt, and the Reader of Drama, was published by the University of Missouri Press (1990). I teach English and Women’s Studies courses for Western Michigan University. I am President of the Michigan College English Association.
I can send you a link to the e-book, or I can send you a hard copy if you give me a good address for you. Just let me know which you prefer.
Best wishes!
Sincerely,
Janet Heller, Ph.D.
Portage MI 49024
e-mail is janetheller@charter.net
Website is http://www.redroom.com/author/janet-ruth-heller
Janet,
Thank you so much for your kind words. The Home School Book Review Blog at WordPress is not new. I transferred it recently from another host site. I actually reviewed your book previously on January 24, 2011. I have reviewed several books for Sylvan Dell over the past few years. My review may be found at:
https://homeschoolbookreviewblog.wordpress.com/2011/01/24/how-the-moon-regained-her-shape/ .
Wayne S. Walker
Hello Wayne
I would really like for you to review my children’s book titled, My Brother Who Taught Me to Fly. It’s an inspirational story about a little boy who’s inspired by his younger brother’s unwillingness to give up.
I look forward to
Hi Wayne,
I get your reviews in our HSList. I have shared your website in my blog before, and I did it today once more. Thanks for sharing your reviews.
http://www.silviacachia.com/2013/04/book-reviews-website.html
Wayne-
Excellent blog for home schoolers. I’d be happy to send you a review copy of Dead Chest Island, my just-published adventure story for middle-grade readers. When I write my goal is to engage readers with an action-packed story and sprinkle it with useful information so readers learn something even while they are being entertained. I see my books as a bridge from the current trend toward fantasy/magic/supernatural to a more pragmatic reality where there are “secrets” in science and “magic” in technology.
I would love to submit my book, The Amazing Adventures of Toby the Trilby. It’s a Christian allegorical dystopian book for middle-grade kids and I wrote it especially with home-school kids in mind. Is there an e-mail address to send submissions?
My email is atmadunes@aol.com
Greetings,
My name is Jon Michael Lawrence, I would like to send you a copy of my picture book “The Lamb of Life” for a book review. This book teaches the salvation that Jesus gave all humanity using animals as the characters where a kind loving lamb named Yesu (swahili for Jesus) sacrificed himself for Christmas dinner instead of his friends on the farm.
If you are interested please email me and I will send you a copy of the book.
Wayne,
I am a small town pastor and I would like to submit my Christian children’s novel for review. It’s a fantasy story in the vein of Lewis’ Narnia books. I can sort of relate to your story of bad experiences with books and your kids. I have found it difficult to find quality books for my children. This was part of the reason I wrote a novel (and am writing more in the series). I wanted something that would teach/entertain them and that I would enjoy reading myself. If it would be okay to submit my book, please let me know how to do so. My email address is: Sietsemail@itstriangle.com
Thanks for your consideration,
Erik
Hello Mr. Wayne
I would love for you to review “Jar-Toons: The Great Treasure Hunt”
It is a fun adventure book for kids to learn of the power of God.
It’s printed with large letters and lots of color. Great for classroom reading.
I can send you a PDF or a printed copy if you would like.
It’s also available as ebook on amazon and on barnesandnobles.com
Thanks,
Ben
You wrote:
Hello Mr. Wayne
I would love for you to review “Jar-Toons: The Great Treasure Hunt”
It is a fun adventure book for kids to learn of the power of God.
It’s printed with large letters and lots of color. Great for classroom reading.
I can send you a PDF or a printed copy if you would like.
It’s also available as ebook on amazon and on barnesandnobles.com
Thanks,
Ben
My response:
I want to thank you so much for your interest in Home School Book Review. I am replying to your request for information about having your book reviewed. Just send a copy to me at Home School Book Review, % Wayne S. Walker, 329 W. Boone St., Salem, IL 62881, and I will be happy to read and review it. I am reviewing only print books, not e-books or PDF versions.
Hello Mr Walker.
I have been so very busy with my epic series, “Dragon’s Gap” to reply to your, above and beyond the call, review of my novella/eBook, “Dragon’s Gap: A Novella: Love’s Catalyst”.
First let me thank you for taking the time to read it, being that it was, and is aimed at an 18 plus female audience, generally. Although I personally know some men do like this type of fantasy. The fact that you read it and did not find it appealing generally would be a good thing as it was not aimed at you, as a readership, per-say. Therefore some of the demographic that it is aimed at when reading your review could find it reassuring.
Your review which states. “Dragon’s Gap is a magical city inhabited by humans, animal shifters of all species, and dragons, ruled over by Dragon Lord and Lady Reighn and Sage Kingsley. Kammy Nash, cub to Claire Nash, a half cougar who is niece to Dragon Lady Sage, wants her own dada to cook and help solve her mother’s other “issues.” Lars Axton, a dragon adopted by the Kingsleys from a family of traitors, serves as the Prime for his brother, Dragon Lord Reighn. Kammy decides that she wants Lars for her new daddy. How will street wise Claire, who trusts no one, least of all wealthy males who seem to have rich tastes, react? What will the Axtons, who want to get back into good graces by marrying Lars to one of their girls, do? And where did a three day old baby bear that no one wants come from?
Author Leonie M. Lacee, who grew up in Auckland, New Zealand, has written four other “Dragon’s Gap” books which are a combination of romantic fantasy and science-fiction: Reighn and Sage’s Story (Book 1), Sharm and Edith’s Story (Book 2), Storm and Charlie’s Story (Book 3), and Ash and Olinda’s Story (Book 4). They are called a “Fantasy Paranormal Romance Series.” This story, called a novella, about Lars and Claire can be read alone although the plot concentrates on characters that are present throughout the entire series so would probably be better read between books two and three. To be honest, I found all the different personalities and their relationships a bit confusing. Some of the dialogue with regard to Kammy was in “toddler speak.” That’s not too difficult to understand, but sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling are appalling. The whole book is filled with run-on sentences that make it hard to follow what is being said at times. Better editing is greatly needed.
In addition, there are references to drinking alcohol and even getting drunk—dragon’s ale is so potent that whiskey is like lemonade compared to it, and it apparently flows rather freely. The “d” and “h” words appear, along with some quasi-vulgar terms and even one use of the “s” word. While no outright profanity occurs, the name “goddess” is found as an exclamation. And some latent sexuality is portrayed. It is stated that “shifters were all okay with the mating and sex stuff.” Claire is obviously an unwed mother whose boyfriend left her. It turns out that Lars has fathered a child prior to his marriage. And the description of events immediately leading up to Lars and Claire’s “bonding,” while not overly explicit, is certainly quite suggestive. Love’s Catalyst is called an “inspirational story,” but someone must have a completely different idea of what is inspirational from my concept. It just doesn’t appeal to me.”
That is as it should be from your subjective point of view. My only comment to you is the stars you chose don’t seem to reflect your writing. Only a 2 star out of 5 review. I am not sure if you read in the books description on the Amazon page; “It can be read alone although the story concentrates on characters that are present throughout the entire series so would probably be better read between book two, (Sharm and Edith’s Story) and book three (Storm and Charlie’s Story). ”
Also you mention that there are references to, “Claire is obviously an unwed mother whose boyfriend left her. It turns out that Lars has fathered a child prior to his marriage.” Which is incorrect as Claire adopted her, (you would know this if book one was read first), and Lars has never had a child or been married as a dragon cannot father a child unless they find their true love in my books. Also it should not be an issue to 18 plus readers in any regard in this ‘progressive world’ we all now live in. Here in New Zealand our Prime Minister is an unwed mother and her partner has obviously had sex before marriage, as the child is known to be his. I do not adhere to those values personally, being married now over 40 years and a mother of 4 grown, married sons.
In the description it also informs the potential reader that this novella fits better in between book 2 & 3. As for being an inspiration story I am sure you would agree the ‘perfect’ family is not a guaranteed way of life bestowed upon all children, no matter your interpretation of such. Thus my novella was trying to portray the many different types of ‘people’ there are and that they can come together and form a caring, christian and loving family. Not sure why that would be misconstrued as not being inspirational. Especially to many, many displaced peoples in our current society.
I do hope you take this with the interested intent I am writing it in and would invite you to read my whole Dragon’s Gap series consisting of 7 books, 2 novellas and 1 Christmas book. You can find them all here: https://www.amazon.com/L.-M.-LACEE/e/B07BKNQQFP/
Finally, my first book in the series was awarded in the top 50, (#34) of the “BEST INDIE BOOK of 2018”, a competition of over 500,000 entries. Which means a great deal to me.
Thank you for your time.
Hello Wayne,
Your review of my book would be most appreciated. It’s my second (My first book, published in 2017 won the Silver medal in the 2018 Illumination Awards for exemplary Christian writing. It’s called “A Spoonful of Grace: Mealtime Blessings in Bite-Sized Pieces,” and I tell you this to establish some credibility.) The book I’d like to send to you is “Eternity Through the Rearview MIrror: How Simple Faith Changes Everything—Seventeen Extraordinary Lives.” It’s a collection of seventeen biographical essays, from Galileo to Johnny Cash, who changed the world in some fashion. Told in first person, it is meticulous researched. (There are 606 endnotes.) All of them, e.g., Bach, Lincoln, Stowe, Lewis, Zamperini, Tubman, Carver, publicly acknowledged God for their accomplishments. There is much more in formation on my website. Thank you
A great discovery! Is there an email you’d like pitches sent to?
homeschoolbookreview@gmail.com
Hi, my name is Pasquale Frega and i am a programmer. I contact you because i have developed the ebook of The King James Bible in ePub and mobi format for Amazon Kindle and other ebook readers; please visit my site below. I will be very happy if you share it in your web sites and blogs. Regards.
—
Pasquale Frega
http://pasqualefrega.antiblog.com/
Hi Wayne,
Thank you so much for what you do. The book I would like to send to you began when seeking adventure fantasy for my boys which did not focus on magic & witchcraft. The Lorian Stones Trilogy is that result. If you would be interested, I would cherish your feedback, as my audience is homeschool kids looking for action adventure with Christian themes. Tombs of Dross is book 1, which I can send in whatever format you prefer.
Thanks again,
Lew
amazon.com/author/lewanderson
Dear Wayne
I pray that God is blessing you in this unusual season.We are ministers and homeschool parents of 5 beautiful children. We hear your pain regarding what some books give out to our children in the way of agenda, language etc, and often preview the books our children read whilst also trying help them discern when to stop reading.
As well as parents and ministers we are also Christian authors from the UK and wondered how we would go about you reviewing our books. We are authors on children, youth, and parenting discipleship topics.
Below is a link to most of the books that we have authored.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=olly+goldenberg&qid=1600163208&ref=sr_pg_1
http://www.childrencan.co.uk/shop
God bless you and we look forward to hearing from you
Helen Goldenberg
Good afternoon sir, very awesome blog. Thank you for your time and zeal in reviewing books of faith. I was wondering if you’d be interested in reviewing a book I wrote (not typed or formatted yet I’ve been busy). At any rate it’s called, ‘At The Heart of Hamlet’ and it’s a commentary on Shakespeare’s play.
It looks to solve the undying and mysterious problem of hamlet through a biblical lens. I draw from the play ideals and metaphors that that are steeped in Scriptural understanding. That being said I’d be tickled if I could get a rave review, it be a confidence booster for sure. Also, I know it’s not specifically ‘children’s writing’ but Hamlet is high school curriculum and it may pique your interest.
A good review would land on the upper most part of the books cover when it’s self published through Barnes and Noble press. Either way…Many blessings and hope to hear back!
Hi,
First I just need to say that as a mother of 3, I think this site is a great idea.
I’m an author of a Christian Christmas-themed fantasy book for teens and mature children, called A Soul as Cold as Frost. I’d love to have you review my book if you have time.
Thank you!
Jen
I want to thank you so much for your interest in Home School Book Review. I am replying to your request for information about having your book reviewed. Just send a copy to me at Home School Book Review, % Wayne S. Walker, 329 W. Boone St., Salem, IL 62881, and I will be happy to read and review it. I am reviewing only print books, not e-books, PDF files, or other electronic media versions (I do not have a Kindle, Nook, or other such device). You can contact me at homeschoolbookreview@gmail.com for more information if you have any questions.
Hello
I fight schizophrenia. And I wrote a novel of short stories centered around the rapture. It is a book of comfort. Not doom and gloom… Rather, hope, love. If you would like to do a book review or are interested deeper, email me! I painted the cover. The Accounts of Benny’s Diner And Other Stories on Amazon.com. Here, let my art show my gifting as well. Fineartamerica.com search David Frank Lopez. iTunes Search His Chosen.
I think you will like mike book for the youth our yourself because it is unexpected. The pages turn easily. I am currently researching for the sequel.
I want to thank you so much for your interest in Home School Book Review. I am replying to your request for information about having your book reviewed. Just send a copy to me at Home School Book Review, % Wayne S. Walker, 329 W. Boone St., Salem, IL 62881, and I will be happy to read and review it. I am reviewing only print books, not e-books, PDF files, or other electronic media versions (I do not have a Kindle, Nook, or other such device). You can contact me at homeschoolbookreview@gmail.com for more information if you have any questions.
Dear Wayne
I was wondering if I could send you an advanced copy of my new book called: The Seed of Faith-A Christmas Miracle, for a possible review?
It is a 6,500 word chapter book, beautifully illustrated, inspirational Christian based story for young readers and families.
A father retells the amazing story to his young daughter that took place 40 years ago. A story that no one in the small foothill Village of Shiloh will ever forget which chronicles the spiritual journey of a group of young boys on Christmas Eve.
Dear Editor,
I would be honored to send you a copy of my book or send it to you PDF or other form for your review. I am striving to get good, quality literature in the hands of young adults. Information about my book can be found here: https://www.ajourneytounshakablefaith.com/
or by clicking on the link to my parents’ store here: https://www.learningcyclestore.com/
Blessings,
Sydney Witbeck
Dear Wayne,
Would you consider reviewing my book, Outlander Chronicles: Phoenix? This is an action-adventure tale in a post-apocalyptic setting, taking place 80 years after a smallpox pandemic has decimated the global population. A young man, Jacen Chester, decides there must be more to life than not dying, and sets himself to replanting culture and civilization. He meets a mysterious older man, Hakim, a believer, who decides to join the young man in his quest. The older man becomes a mentor and a protector, gently challenging Jacen’s atheism. Their effort is threatened by lawless gangs and slavers, and sometimes by their own sharp disagreements.
In the discussions between Jacen and Hakim, the reader is exposed to presuppositional apologetics in story form, as well as a clear presentation of the gospel. Some of my readers have seen traces of C. S. Lewis in the story.
The story is suitable for young teens through adults. There are no foul words or sex scenes in the book; there is violence but it is not gratuitous. My favorite one-line description of the tale is this: “a parable of forgiveness disguised as a shoot-em-up.
I am also a pastor and biblical counselor, and a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary. My author website is chcobb.com. You can see reader reviews of the novel on Amazon (my author name is C. H. Cobb). I would be delighted to send you a print copy if you wish.
Thank you for your consideration.
Chris Cobb
Dear Chris,
I want to thank you so much for your interest in Home School Book Review. I am replying to your request for information about having your book reviewed. Just send a copy to me at Home School Book Review, % Wayne S. Walker, 329 W. Boone St., Salem, IL 62881, and I will be happy to read and review it. I am reviewing only print books, not e-books, PDF files, or other electronic media versions (I do not have a Kindle, Nook, or other such device, and I do not like to read books on computers). You can contact me at homeschoolbookreview@gmail.com for more information if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Wayne S. Walker, book reviewer
e-mail: homeschoolbookreview@gmail.com
Website: https://homeschoolbookreviewblog.wordpress.com