Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Picture Books

MYSTERY FORCE: Volume One by Ted Neill, illustrated by Suzi Spooner – Middle Grad Mystery, Fantasy Creatures, Picture Books

Set in a world where magical talking creatures are a normal part of society, the Mystery Force series by Ted Neill is a must-read for any animal-loving kid.

Book One, Mystery Force, Assemble!, begins with warehouses of previously unheard-of magical creatures being discovered and freed. Out of fear, these new creatures continue to hide, and a group of curious kids – Rasheed, Jonathan, and Jojo – decide to get to the bottom of the mystery!

In book two, The Case of the Stolen Horn, Rasheed, Jonathan, and Jojo are on the case after their unicorn drama teacher, Mr. Twinkles, is attacked, with their pegasus geometry teacher Ms. Weymont being arrested for the crime. The Mystery Force kids are determined to clear Ms. Weymont’s name by finding the real culprit.

Book three, Blazing Blizzards, confronts the Mystery Force gang with an unusual May blizzard. They waste no time in investigating the cause, trying to save their town and a newly discovered magical creature from the forces behind the terrible weather.

All three adventures contain exciting twists and turns, but also important lessons to learn.

In the Mystery Force world, well-known magical creatures have come out of hiding and live among people. When lesser-known creatures are discovered, the more popular creatures think themselves better. Rasheed, Jonathan, and Jojo think otherwise and do all they can to help the more obscure magical creatures; even though they haven’t heard of them before, these new creatures deserve love and acceptance.

Many characters have a disability of some kind, and the wonderful representation of the Mystery Force series goes a step beyond to include less visible disabilities. This inclusivity will resonate with those who deal with similar struggles, and reflects the need for more stories like this one.

Overall, Mystery Force: Volume One, is a fun and fast-paced collection of stories about helping others in danger.

In each tale, there are great examples of deductive reasoning for children that will strengthen their own critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Additionally, Rasheed, Jonathan, and Jojo’s determination will encourage readers to look out for others and stand up for what they think is right.

This is just the beginning of Rasheed, Jonathan, and Jojo’s adventures! A series not to miss, and much more to come!

Mystery Force: Volume One by Ted Neill, illustrated by Suzi Spooner, won Grand Prize in the 2022 CIBA Gertrude Warner Awards for Middle Grade Fiction.

December 1, 2023
THE GIRL WHO RECYCLED 1 MILLION CANS by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, Jessica Alexanderson – Children’s Environmentalism Books, Picture Books, Climate Change

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans, by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, & Jessica Alexanderson, is perfectly written for children between three and eight years old.

Eye-catching colorful graphics by Adam Trask, fun characters, and a wonderfully lighthearted storyline uphold this book’s message of protecting the environment. Both children and adults will feel empowered to help our planet one can at a time.

An adventurous young girl named Ellie wants to buy a Unicorn. To earn the money she needs, Ellie plans to collect and recycle one million cans. But she soon realizes that her plans may need to take a different track. Together with her community of friends, who show great teamwork and perseverance, environmental lessons continue on with fantastic results.

Few books do such a fine job of combining so many life lessons while still keeping the learning lighthearted and fun.

This is a refreshing tale of environmental hope, and an all-around winner for both children and adults to learn that you can help the planet through something as simple as recycling metals.

One of the coauthors, Jessica Alexanderson, has provided book readings at schools and libraries and has built a fun hands-on program to learn more about metals and recycling.

She has supported many metal recycling fundraisers at not only local schools here in Washington State, but in several other states around the U.S. as well. Jessica recently coordinated a can recycling competition at nine different schools in eight different states.

You can visit the Scrap University Kids website to purchase this wonderful book, learn more about recycling metals, and get started on making a positive difference for our planet! kids.scrapuniversity.com

October 30, 2023
The 2023 LITTLE PEEPS Book Awards Long List for Early Readers & Picture Books
The Little Peeps Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in Early Readers. The Little Peeps Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs).

Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring stories of all shapes and sizes written to an audience for Early Readers. Story books, Beginning Chapter Books, Picture Books, Activity Books, and Educational Books. These books have advanced to the Long List for the 2023 CIBAs. (For Young Adult Fiction see our Dante Rossetti Awards, for Middle Grade Readers see our Gertrude Warner Awards.)

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from all 2023 Little Peeps Early Readers entries to the 2023 Little Peeps Book Awards LONG LIST. Entries below are now in competition for the 2023 Little Peeps Shortlist. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalist positions. Finalists will be selected from the Semi-Finalists. All FINALISTS will be announced and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC24).

The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 25 CIBA divisions’ Finalists.

We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash. sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2023 Little Peeps Book Awards novel competition for Early Readers!

Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works in the 2023 CIBAs.
- Michele L. Sayre – The Unluckiest Leprechaun by Far (Happy Tails)
- Ginger Smith – The Magic Blanket
- Cheryl Carpinello – Grandma Tales 3: Vampires in the Backyard and A Fish Tale
- Janet Earnest-Jenkins – Hoppin’ Hankaroo-Zoo Adventure
- Michele L. Sayre – What I Would Wish to Be (Wonders of Childhood & Beyond)
- George M. Johnson – Sophia’s Secrets
- Donna L. Huntriss – Bowerbirds!
- Aniela Emma Chaudhuri – The Accidental Orchestra
- Beth Davis – Hanna the Hawk is a Super Youneek Beast
- Laura Teste – Book of Bad Manners
- W. B. Murph – Molly’s Miracle
- Hugh Pittman – Chika’s Mysterious Phone
- TK Sheffield – Nellie’s Island, a tiny filly from a small farm earns her “filly esteem” while working among giant draft horses on Mackinac Island
- Michael Dow, RN, MS – Nurse Florence® for Beginning Readers: Help, I’m Bleeding!
- Joy K. Ball – Winnie’s Christmas Treasure Hunt
- Kimberly Delude – Freddie the Fly: Seeing Through Another Lens
- Brenda Wilson Huddleston – Liam & Little Tail
- Cynthia C. Huijgens – Polar Bear and the UFO
- David Lane – I Have Questions, Lots and Lots of Questions: A True Story of Christmas
- Joshua Swank – Barry the Brave: A Flowerageous Journey to Courage
- Miranda Sada – Wings of Glitter
- Michael Michie – Pablo Avocado
- Adalgisa and David Nico – Fish in the Desert: The Untold Story of the Death Valley Pupfish
- O.L. Flubermin – A Dinosaur Named Alone: What Will I Do?
- Grace Wolf – May I Sit At Your Table?
- Susan Sullivan – Bob Tales, Land of the Woody Warbles
- Victoria Smith – Tuxedo Baby and His Annoying Cousins
- Liana Somerset – Detective Buster Cuffs: Catching the Treat Snatcher
- Beth Davis – Lacinda the Lion is a Super Youneek Beast
- Carolyn Wild – Jacob Sheep: Do You Have A Little Lamb?
- Michele L. Sayre – The Not So Funny Bunny (Happy Tails)
- Carolyn Wild – I Like Ducks: All Year Long
- Laura Teste – Book of Bad Bargains
- Chloe and LaRanda Burke – Keys to Your H.E.A.R.T.
- Katrina Johnson – Captain Patch and the Treasure of the Sea Gods
- Dave O’Hare – Quigley Lopez, A Friend For Life
- Miki Taylor – Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea
- Victoria Smith – Priscilla and Tux: Brothers are Caring
- Johnny Marfia – Marco & Me
- Brenda Wilson Huddleston – The Squirrel & the Dragonfly
- Julie G Fox – Katya’s Sunflowers
- Tzuri King & Julie G Fox – The Dreamer: The Girl Who Dreamed the War Over
- Lynne Marie – The Three Little Pigs and the Rocket Project
- Conrad J. Storad – Story Monster’s S.T.E.A.M. chronicles. Book one, Night watchers : nocturnal creatures of North America : coyotes, snakes, owls, spiders, and more
- K.R. King – Charlie the Champion
- Beth Davis – Mykal the Monkey is a Super Youneek Beast
- Hillary Harper – Thankful FUR You
- Ruth Amanda – Geckos in the Garden
- Carolyn Wild – This Kitten; Has Blue Eyes
- Sheryl Bass – Baby Dragon’s Big Sneeze
- Julie G Fox – The Dreamer: The Girl Who Dreamed The War Over
- David Horn – Eudora Space Kid: Do the Robot!
- Anna Casamento Arrigo – Mr Moon Mr Moon
- Brooks Olbrys – The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob – A Secret in the Deep
- Jonna Laster – Nutshell Regatta
- Kristin Crowell Ellis – Firefly Fran’s Fran-tastic Day
- Anna Casamento Arrigo – A Child’s Love
- Carolyn Wild – Big Dogs Little Dogs: On The Farm
- TK Sohal and Ms. Raman Kaur – Twin Adventures
- Lori Keenen Smith – Lorlee and the Light
- Anna Casamento Arrigo – What Little Girls Can Do!
- Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover , Jessica Alexanderson – The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans
- Geraldine Moran and Illustrated by Daniella Banco – The Moon Child
- Raven Howell – Friends Come in all Sizes
- Aniela Emma Chaudhuri – Picnic Pandaemonium
- Anthony Delauney – Rohan and Nyra and Big Sister’s Bet
- Laura Shovan – Welcome to Monsterville
- Erik Perezbrain – Good Luck is My Guardian Angel
- Ellie Smith – Tex the Explorer and The Jared Box Project
- Katharine Mitropoulos – Ready… Set… Frog!
- Katherine Lockwood – Why Me, Mama?
- Anthony C. Delauney – Michael and Hannah and the Magic Money Tree
- Joey Benun – Pebbles and the Biggest Number
- Dominique Ellis – The Wisdom Tree: A Father’s Love
- T.K. Sheffield – The Night Icelandic Horses Saved Christmas Eve
- Katrina Johnson – Lily’s Song
- Laura Teste – Book of Best Words
- Betsy Coffeen – Cate and the Garden Bandits
Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

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Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

The Grand Prize Winner for the CIBA 2022 LITTLE PEEPS Awards is:

Ravens Roost

by Maggie Bates

See the Full List of 2022 Little Peeps Winners here

We are now accepting submissions into the 2024 Little Peeps Book Awards for Children’s Books. The 2024 CIBA winners will be announced at CAC 2025.

Please click here for more information.

Winners will be announced at the 2023 CIBA Awards Ceremony sponsored by the 2024 Chanticleer Authors Conference.

April 18-21, 2024! Register Today!

Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.

Join us for our 12th annual conference and discover why!
October 28, 2023
A STORY Of WHOA by Chris Corbett – Children’s Determination Books, Picture Books, Children’s Emotion & Feelings Books

In A Story of Whoa, Chris Corbett shows one way that parents can explain the often loud and frightening problems of the world to children, and how anyone can make a difference.

Whoa watches the news every night with his father, where tragedy, injustice, and cruelty so often take center stage. Seeing these terrible things happening on TV, Whoa decides the time has come to step up. With his father’s support, he learns every martial art he can, ready to do battle with the toughest challenges in the world!

With patience and encouragement for Whoa’s many KERPOWS!!!, his father helps him discover that fighting injustice often goes beyond physical strength.

The story’s simple narrative voice carries reader through with ease and comfort. Corbett does an excellent job understanding the difficulty of talking to kids today about what they might see on the news, and then brings it home by showing the kids that they can help make the world a better place.

Illustrations from Richardo Galvao delight and pair perfectly with the story, helping put each page in context. Personified depictions of Tragedy, Injustice, and Cruelty add a charming sense of personality and fun to a serious topic.

A Story of Whoa offers an empowering story to help children deal with major problems. Maybe, like Whoa, we can all make the world a better place.

October 27, 2023
Michael and Hannah and the Magic Money Tree by Anthony C. Delauney – Children’s Money Management, Picture Books, Children’s Fairness Books

Author Anthony C. Delauney and illustrator Chiara Civati bring an element of magic and whimsy to a valuable financial lesson in Michael and Hannah and the Magic Money Tree, the next installment of the Owning the Dash series.

At the start of their spring break, Michael and Hannah are excited to go to the Spring Fair – where they’ve heard there will be a magic money tree! Only a handful of children get to see the tree each day, so Michael and Hannah gather their friends and rush to be the first ones there. Once there, they find the tree with money hanging from its leaves.

They are told they can take the money and buy any of the toys and treats available, or they can pick from a list of tasks to earn money for whatever use they please. Michael and Hannah and all their friends rush for the tree and beginning buying toys and treats, but soon they notice some of their group are upset.

Was the game of the money tree fair? How can they make it fair for everyone? Read Michael and Hannah and the Money Tree to find out!

Delauney once again creates an engaging story to start a conversation about money and fairness to children, along with the beautiful and colorful illustrations of Chiara Civati. Parents and young readers should not miss out on this book – or the whole Owning the Dash series.

October 4, 2023
A CHILD’S LOVE by Anna Casamento-Arrigo – Picture Books, Children’s Family Books, Family Life Fiction

Anna Casamento-Arrigo’s A Child’s Love is a heartwarming story that pays tribute to the loving relationship between a mother and her daughter.

This circle-of-life tale begins with a mother caring for her infant. The poetic storyline unfolds into a role reversal of caregiving from one generation to the next.

As the decades pass, the reader sees the child nurtured gracefully into adulthood and eventually become a parent herself. As time takes its toll, the now-grown daughter and grandchild become caretakers for the aging mother. From lullabies and games of peek-a-boo to walkers, wheelchairs, and visits to the hospital, the love and care the mother once showed to her daughter is now reflected in the daughter’s equal concern and consideration. With the granddaughter, Casamento-Arrigo introduces a third generation to show the continuation of this cycle of kin.

Alex Martinez’ endearing illustrations help define the genuine love and affection between these family members, and the changing needs within each generation as time passes.

Demonstrated again and again in tender detail, with the large and small footprints in the sand as mother and daughter walk hand-in-hand along the shoreline, in the daughter’s last backward glance at her loving home while heading into the wider world with all her belongings, and with the daughter’s recollection of her mom keeping the scary monsters at bay in the closet. The images are solid, genuine, and artfully crafted.

The narrative is composed of simple rhyming lines, each reflective of the preceding illustration’s activity, and should particularly appeal to younger readers.

While intended as a children’s book, A Child’s Love is a beautiful story to be shared by parents, grandparents, and children of all ages. The lasting sentiment is clearly one of love and compassion for those we care about within the familiar bonds between generations.

October 2, 2023
THE CANDLE GLASS by Diane Fedt Topolski – Picture Books, Children’s Moral Fables, Children’s Friendship & Family Books

Diane Fedt Topolski’s The Candle Glass breathes vibrant new life into traditional children’s morals, inspiring both young and old to strengthen the light inside them through intentional reflection and connection with a supportive community.

Stunning yet simplistic scratchboard drawings lift the story off the page, capturing readers’ attention and bringing the text to life. This simultaneously comforting and thrilling adventure will stick with readers and shed new light on the capacity for goodness within each person.

Topolski narrates the heartwarming tale of a young boy named Cappy, as he tries to invent a method of uncovering the hidden truth within each person.

When Cappy overhears his parents and grandmother discussing a “bad egg” they know, he concocts a machine to spot “the good, the bad, and the rotten” hidden within humankind. Constructed with two circus mirrors and a brightly lit candle, his remarkable invention shows him the inner lights of his loved ones.

However, the essence of each person is more nuanced than Cappy first assumes. Rather than revealing the ugliness within Cappy’s friends and family, the candle glass displays their inherent good, and the capacity of that good to expand. In fact, there isn’t “one rotten egg in the bunch.” Along the way, Cappy learns to trust his intuition and nurture the light within himself.

With vivid imagery, parents can use The Candle Glass to teach their young readers about seeking the good in every person.

The mesmerizing black and white illustrations complement the story’s theme of moral light clearing the way through the shadows. After all, as Topolski reminds readers, “everyone needs some work. Like the chick in the egg, we are just beginning.” Cappy’s imaginative adventures encourage children to deepen their curiosity about the world and its people, setting their minds and hearts to work.

Overall, The Candle Glass surrounds its readers with a warm, magical glow, allowing access to a world built on security, love, and trust. Readers will find themselves looking inward and realizing that when they join hands with their community in love, “the light becomes dazzling.”

September 15, 2023
ROHAN And NYRA And BIG SISTER’S BET by Anthony C. Delauney – Children’s Money & Savings Books, Picture Books, Children’s Educational Books

Continuing his series of important financial lessons told through fun stories, Anthony C. Delauney teaches readers about greed and gambling in Rohan and Nyra and Big Sister’s Bet.

Rohan eagerly waits for his big sister to return home from school for the weekend. Nyra brings home a challenge for Rohan in the form of a game. For every catch of the ball, Rohan will earn one dollar, but if he drops the ball at any point, he will lose it all. Rohan has tons of fun catching the ball over and over, thinking of all the things he will be able to buy with each added dollar. Will Rohan decide to keep the game going even when he becomes tired, or will he stop while he is ahead? Read Rohan and Nyra and Big Sister’s Bet to find out!

The lesson at the heart of the story is an important one, for children and adults alike. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of taking risks.

Rohan and Nyra and Big Sister’s Bet highlights the importance of thinking through your decisions. Of course, one must sometimes take risks, but should do so thoughtfully.

With illustrator Chiara Civati’s whimsical artwork and Deluaney’s simple yet attention-grabbing rhyming, Rohan and Nyra and Big Sister’s Bet is a children’s book not to miss! Check out the other books in the series: Dash and Nikki and the Jellybean Game and Lilly and May Learn Why Mom and Dad Work.

September 8, 2023
LILLY And MAY LEARN WHY MOM And DAD WORK, the Owning the Dash Kids Series by Anthony C. Delauney – Children’s Money & Finances, Picture Books, Children’s Educational Books

Lilly and May both wish that their parents didn’t have to leave for work day after day. Discover the power of money and its impact on family in the delightful Lilly and May Learn Why Mom and Dad Work.

They’re both upset one morning, as Mom and Dad go to work yet again instead of staying home with them. Lilly and May’s mother assures them that they will be back later, but they have to go and earn money to support the family. Before leaving, their mother teaches Lilly and May all the ways they need and use money. She shows how it impacts the people and community around them.

This heartwarming tale packs a lot of information into a few short passages.

Explaining finance and economics to children may seem daunting, but Delauney makes it easy and fun in this story. Lilly and May learn about the price of essentials like food and clothes, and that money also pays for the services of others so that they can then support themselves and their families in turn. This short tale even explains how taxes support public services in the community such as libraries, schools, and judges.

Anthony C. Delauney’s Lilly and May Learn Why Mom and Dad Work is a sweet story that builds foundational financial concepts, valuable lessons for children to have a healthy financial future.

August 2, 2023
DASH And NIKKI And The JELLYBEAN GAME by Anthony C. Delauney – Children’s Picture Books, Money & Savings, Children’s Educational Books

First in the Owning the Dash Kids’ Book series by Anthony C. Delauney, Dash and Nikki and the Jellybean Game teaches children the importance of patience.

One morning, Dash and his sister Nikki wake up to a surprise from their parents. They find two plates with jellybeans, and a note telling them if they don’t eat them, each hour until dinner time five more jellybeans will appear. Dash and Nikki must choose between enjoying the jellybeans now or waiting for a bigger reward later in the day. Will they be able to resist the instant gratification of sugary goodness? As the two try to stay patient throughout the day, they will also learn the benefits of helping others over themselves.

Author Anthony C. Delauney, a financial advisor, wrote Dash and Nikki and the Jellybean Game and other tales to teach children important financial lessons.

Delauney uses situations and ideas familiar to children, such as the desire for jellybeans, to help them understand more complex ideas of patience and risk.

Illustrator Chiara Civati fills the pages with colorful and inviting illustrations.

Civat’s art highlights the emotions of Dash and Nikki as they play their jellybean game, inviting young readers to follow along on the course of their day.

Dash and Nikki and the Jellybean Game focuses on important lessons that help children build skills for making decisions. These skills extend beyond jellybeans, of course, and into a healthier financial life as they grow up. This story is a fun start to a new series and succeeds in its mission to teach.

July 10, 2023