A Voice in the Night: An Adventure of Mystery and Suspense by Ernestine Dail

From Amazon: Chief Bradshaw, a small-town police officer of Shallow Springs, consults with private investigator Bob Barrett to solve the mystery of a jewel heist that led Chief Bradshaw to Blackstone Cabin. Teenagers Brian, Josh, and Thomas arrived at Blackstone Cabin in the middle of the night during a raging storm. With a hooded stranger banging on the door, they desperately wished for Josh’s father Mr. Joplin to return from town to protect them. Will Mr. Joplin return in time to save the boys from danger, or will the boys open the door to the frantic knocking of the stranger outside? “Open the door!” “Open the door now!”

My Review: Set goals and aim high is a positive mantra. This book is full of positive narrative mixed with one troubled teen. Taking lunch money from some kids at school doesn’t mean that the kid stole diamonds from a store burglary. The heist was more complicated than the teen could have pulled off. Look for the good and never believe in the bad in a person until proven guilty. Overall, a good read for middle graders. Some edits need to be done. Five stars.

The Clubhouse Cabobble by Kristy Jo Volchko

From Amazon: Summer has arrived at Cackleberry Creek, and your favorite wacky critters are tearing up the farm with another hilarious adventure! All Lulu and her gal pals want more than anything in the world is a clubhouse of their very own to decorate pink and to keep their arts and crafts dry from the rain. So when one doozy of a storm sweeps through Cackleberry, leaving behind a fallen mighty oak tree lying on its side, the gals can hardly believe their luck. The perfect clubhouse! But when they discover that the fellows have already decided it’s going be their new den, the battle for the clubhouse begins! Neither side is about to give in, and the critters turn the farm upside down competing for their beloved prize. After a lot of silly shenanigans, a few sneaky tricks, and some rough waters, will they decide that their friendship is really the best prize of all?

My Review: I loved this delightful children’s picture book! All of the animals at Cackleberry Creek are friendly and helpful with each other. After a rain storm, the guys helped to clean up and the girls wove baskets until they decided to make a yummy lunch for the guys and their hard work. While eating, the girls told the guys that they were going to decorate a new club house in a fallen old hollow tree with lots of pink used. The said no, they saw the tree first and it was to be their den. To settle the dispute, a race in the creek was planned with rafts. The boys raft ended up sinking and the girls rescued them! The girls won the race but lost old tree as it was being cut up for wood to burn. Surprise! The beaver family had spent the day building a wooden tree house that had rooms for the girl animals and rooms for the guys. Such a sweet ending. Five stars!

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The Smiley Girl by Ornella Ngabire (Author), Emmanuel Ndayishimiye (Author)

From Amazon: Cindy; the smiley little girl reminds us through her kindness calendar that we should always be kind to one another. No matter what life throws at us, we always have the power to choose how we will react. When we do something kind, we help fill someone else’s bucket.

My Review: Kindness Matters! What a great children’s book and subject to write about. I loved the way this little girl decided to be positive and create a “Kindness Calendar” so that she could document kind things she could do, and did do. Cindy is the little girl and she proves kindness can be done anywhere and always for free. Children are encouraged to show and be kind to others and many examples are provided. Five huge stars!