Book review of Allie's Adventure on the Wonder by Erika Lynn Adams . ISBN: < Back Allie's Adventure on the Wonder Erika Lynn Adams Identity, understanding, imagination, bullying, anxiety, self-worth, friendship, Beaver's Pond Press Share this review: Copy link Facebook LinkedIn X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest A fourteen-year-old girl with Auditory Processing Disorder embarks on a surreal journey through a chaotic Wonderland, battling her inner demons and the misunderstandings of those around her as she seeks acceptance and clarity in a world that often feels overwhelming. Erika Lynn Adams's semi-autobiographical novel, "Allie's Adventure on the Wonder," is an imaginative journey that blends the whimsical disorientation of "Alice in Wonderland" with the very real challenges of growing up with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). This book stands as a brave and important contribution to young adult literature, offering a unique perspective on feeling misunderstood and ultimately, finding one's voice. The novel introduces us to 14-year-old Allie Little, whose daily life is a constant struggle against a brain that often misinterprets the world around her. Adams portrays the overwhelming nature of APD, where everyday conversations and classroom lessons become a confusing cacophony in a wonderland of misunderstandings. Allie's isolation is compounded by a rigid English teacher, Mrs. Heartred, and the cruel taunts of the Decker sisters, making school feel like an ongoing trial. Even her art, a source of solace and expression, is misunderstood, highlighting the paradox of her efforts. Her speech therapy sessions with Mrs. Dutchison offer a glimmer of hope, providing a safe space in a world that often feels anything but. The narrative truly takes flight during a school field trip aboard the ferry, Wonder, a fitting setting for Allie's internal journey. Here, the "Alice in Wonderland" allegory deepens as Allie encounters Charlie, the enigmatic "rabbit man," whose insistence that a girl in a photograph is "more real" than Allie throws her into a profound identity crisis. These interactions, alongside those with Charlie's sister, Lily, subtly parallel Allie's own struggles with APD, underscoring the universal burdens of caring for or living with special needs. As Allie's anxiety mounts, her experiences on the ferry lead to an inevitable confrontation with her tormentors, both internal and external. The climax of the story is both startling and symbolically rich as Allie gets clarity from chaos. After a physical altercation with the Decker sisters, Allie falls into the water, triggering a surreal, dream-like sequence. This fantastical journey through a castle filled with welcoming creatures is a powerful metaphor for her deep-seated yearning for acceptance and understanding. It's a moment of profound internal reckoning that allows Allie to confront her fears head-on. Waking in the hospital, Allie begins to piece together the fragments of her experience. Learning about Charlie's own condition brings a new layer of empathy and self-reflection. The subsequent visits from her classmates, offering genuine support, mark a turning point. The novel concludes with Allie finding renewed solace and strength in her creative expression, a testament to her growing self-awareness and determination. She emerges with a deeper understanding of herself and her place in the world, hopeful for the future. Adams's lyrical and immersive writing style draws readers deeply into Allie's internal world, making her struggles palpable and her triumphs deeply satisfying. The "Alice in Wonderland" framework is not merely a stylistic choice but a brilliant narrative device that allows readers to truly grasp the confusing reality of APD. "Allie's Adventure on the Wonder" is an ideal read for young adults and teenagers who have ever felt misunderstood or isolated. It offers a powerful message of resilience, determination, and the importance of embracing one's unique identity. It provides understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with Auditory Processing Disorder, fostering empathy and insight. This novel is a brave and captivating exploration of finding clarity in chaos and the wonder of self-discovery. Previous Next

Learn more about Carl Baker < Back Carl Baker Carl Baker & Bernadette Wells authors signing This book is about a girl named Bliss who is learning the value of old and new friendships. This book also helps parents talk and ask questions to their children about their feelings, and when they encounter new and old friends. Carl Baker Carl Baker is not a bestselling author yet but a writer who cares about connecting parents with children. Growing up in Pennsylvania and now residing in Connecticut Carl Baker remembers the times his parents spent connecting with him while reading books. His mother wrote a book about him (“Better than Toys – Carl and his friends” by Mary Baker) to help children, and now he wants to continue her legacy and write a book to help other children as well. Bernadette Wells Bernadette Wells is a New York City native who enjoys interacting with children by reading and talking to them. As a child, she would read books but never had a chance to discuss them. Bernie wanted to keep her old friends as she was making new ones while she was moving in and out of NYC. Creating Bliss gave her an opportunity to have an outlet to express herself during that time. Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

< Back For Racial Healing: #7 ‘Sheila Lorraine Walker: Lesson In Authentic Passion’ August 23, 2026 at 5:30:00 AM Readers will note the differences and distinctions established in the results set forth in this installment’s description of the relationship between Sheila Walker and me and the description, as set forth in the immediately preceding installment, of the failure for the father of Black liberation theology and me to achieve racial healing. It would therefore be beneficial at this point to explain, with a concrete example, how one can indeed know racial healing. Toward that end, the relationship I shared with Sheila Walker will illuminate the means by which our friendship facilitated reaching that goal, which began several months following the four lunches with Dr. Cone. The work between Sheila and me continued for seven years until her death, after a long illness, in 2021. I know Sheila’s family – her husband, Ivor, and their two children – believed in the efforts Sheila and I exerted for the purpose. They, along with my wife and daughter, encouraged the depth of friendship and personal commitment Sheila and I expressed toward each other. In retrospect, it was therefore not surprising that Sheila’s family asked me to give the eulogy at her memorial service. Moreover, following Sheila’s death, Ivor and I have become quite close, talking and emailing every few days. His own authentic passion for racial healing and equality has remained sharp, insightful, and always compassionate. Nearly a hundred years after the Elaine Race Massacre, separate, but parallel examinations by Sheila Walker and me into the brutal attacks by whites against Blacks brought us together in early 2014. Of course, there was an antipodal contrast in our personal histories related to the violence – her ancestors as victims and my grandfather’s role as perpetrator. From an outsider’s point of view, Sheila and I were the unlikeliest of great friends and allies. She grew up Black, deep in the urban life of Chicago, Illinois. On the other hand, the first two decades of my life were spent, as a white boy, living principally in rural, southeast Arkansas. And yet, the magnetic force of the Massacre, one of the deadliest of our nation’s racial assaults against Blacks, brought the two of us together. Notwithstanding the contrast which Sheila and I faced, our relationship blossomed to be one of the most important in my life – and I believe she would have said the same for her. As part of our independent examinations of the Massacre, we both crossed paths with Robert Whitaker, author of On the Laps of Gods, a well-regarded, detailed book about the white onslaughts against Blacks in Phillips County. Sheila had been particularly drawn to Whitaker’s extensive work as a result of the special treatment and attention it had given to Sheila’s ancestors. Around the same time, I sought his help for an article of approximately 10,000 words I wrote on the event for a national literary journal. In this connection, I asked Bob several questions to achieve clarification for my long, nonfiction piece. In turn, he asked if I would meet a Black woman, descendant of a family that experienced virulent white onslaughts during the Phillips County conflagration. I agreed. Sheila had also agreed to meet with me. For our first communication in early 2014, Sheila and I held a telephone call lasting two hours. We shared much personal information about our respective ancestors – victims and perpetrator. While each of us was pleased with the phone conversation and we each had said so, we both wished to come together for a longer time and to share more of all we knew about the Massacre and our antecedents. So, on Saturday, March 15, 2014, Sheila and I met for the first time in Boston at the home of Sheila’s son, Marcus. Upon greeting each other as I entered the home, Sheila and I embraced for a very long time. From the beginning, we meant to be the obverse, the alternative to the attitudes and episodes that so characterized those early fall days of 1919 in Phillips County. Her welcome and, later, her forgiveness of my grandfather, Lonnie, opened the road to racial healing. She removed the possibility of a continuing pall – that is, Lonnie’s role in the white attacks, which, I felt, could intervene adversely in our journey. After we became friends and began our commitment to racial healing, a symposium about the Massacre was held on September 20, 2014 at the iconic St. Paul’s Chapel in downtown New York City for which both Sheila and I made presentations. Forgiveness represented an essential part of Sheila’s being, and as she spoke that September day in St. Paul’s Chapel, Sheila emphasized that she had forgiven Lonnie more than I had, a comment that gathered everyone’s attention. Being white, I could largely accept that the whole concept of forgiveness – its power and rectitude – would be novel and mostly unexplored by me. So much seemed new, but I was willing to learn – to be gifted with redemption, not for Lonnie alone, but for the way I could endure the weight of the Massacre, that one, inexplicable and horrifying episode I unwittingly received without an escape. Of course, I didn’t participate in the Elaine Race Massacre, but as the day is long, I surely acquired it, and if I didn’t deal with the Massacre, then all I had done was foist it forward for the next generation and possibly for succeeding generations. Following a period when particulars of the Massacre and Sheila’s 1919 antecedents in Phillips County, combined with the respective perspectives we took toward my grandfather, had been vetted, we moved on to fresh ground. Enough confidence and trustworthiness permeated our words and sentiments that we left the Massacre and related topics behind, which would allow us to build on our friendship, away from the nucleus of the catastrophe. We traveled further and deeper into the realm of authentic passion and allyship. It did not take me long to acknowledge that Sheila possessed remarkable gifts beyond her attention to the influence of forgiveness: her directness, her comfort with herself which made us all comfortable around her, and her unlimited empathy. A word, used infrequently, linked me to Sheila’s reservoir of good will; the word, co-inherence, derives from the concept that we, as individuals, reside in others, who, in turn, also reside in us, for Sheila seemed to walk in the shoes of everyone she met – Black, white, or any other color and ethnicity or condition. In April, 2017, Sheila and I were invited by the Delta Cultural Center, a State of Arkansas agency located in Phillips County, to talk about our reflections on the Massacre and on the process and progress of our racial healing. There, we emphasized the path Sheila and I had taken to racial healing for a locale that had suffered too long without a common acknowledgement of the tragic event and without any major effort by the local Black and white communities to engage in racial comity. Although Sheila and I recognized important breakthroughs in our conversations before this presentation, the Arkansas colloquium solidified a depth in the relationship. We had been on a mission previously, but the mission took on even more coalescence and mutual vision thereafter. One of Sheila’s close friends, Dr. Barbara J. Love, who taught social justice education for decades at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and who attended the colloquium to support Sheila’s role and to offer constructive commentary during the question and answer period, had sensed this drama and acuteness in the commitment Sheila and I had made to each other, which Barbara would later reflect in an email sent to me, almost immediately upon Sheila’s death: “I think that you have some idea of your significance in Sheila’s life, and how committed she was to you and to the healing and unity work around the Elaine Massacre. To Sheila, you are a near miracle – a white man with the personal knowledge and experience of that history, and the care, compassion, and commitment to engage in healing. I don’t know whether she told you or not, but she thought that the work with you added years to her life.” Sheila and I never fumbled for topics to fill our conversations. The dialogue always flowed naturally like rapid streams of water. The subjects were routinely weighty and interesting (certainly, for me), consisting of personal, crucial, and racially based topics. There always seemed to be a desire for a fulfillment of that goal of authentic passion as we pursued fundamental elements of communication to understand, empathize, heal, love, and co-inhere. The subject exceeded conversation itself as we left the conventional and sought something “beyond” where only the seekers of truth can rely on each other to try to achieve a meaningful conclusion that would be illuminating to us both, for each of us, but which we charted together – Black and white, for something was at stake, this representation of authentic passion, our pursuit of the unique that was only unique because we sought it together. Her experiential stories and testimonies had the effect of altering a series of preconceptions I brought to our conversations. I believe this effect will always be an effect, both directions, Black and white, in a successful one-to-one, authentically passionate relationship that includes conversations like the ones Sheila and I enjoyed. We began to realize that our collective narrative carried a distinctive voice that many Americans should hear. Our story could help to serve as other voices to many Black and white people, who also believed in authentic passion and the way it conveys deep friendship and healing across races and as an antidote to racial separation. Our combined voice and this relationship expanded to many who desired emulation of Black and white harmony, respect, and friendship. We had, in effect, established by our commitment to and belief in authentic passion and resultant allyship a more expanded family beyond the normal contours of expectation for Blacks and whites. The mission, the advent, the communion held a certainty that could not be denied nor diminished, and its clarity allowed us to describe and promote its dimensions for others. Many were drawn to this place of discovery, as more than one commented that if a small constellation of Americans could adopt our adherence to authentic passion and allyship, the racial enigma that the country confronted day after day would be measurably less acute and less insolvable. The story within the story – the story of our racial healing and friendship within the story of the Massacre and its aftermath – became a missionary commentary that Sheila and I believed we should and could convey. Both Blacks and whites approached me, asking for advice toward this type of participation in racial healing, not on an institutional basis, but dependency on a personal one, reflective of the course that Sheila and I had taken, relying on the message of authentic passion, which inevitably did lead to allyship. Sometimes, one simply has to turn from everything he or she has known and heard, and follow a completely different course; and if one doesn’t, then there is a loss of absolutely everything of one’s own integrity of self. There is then no recovery. One can grow up to be one kind of person, and then turn around, thank God, to be another. These were topics of conversation that Sheila and I routinely explored on the phone or in person to examine the walls or opportunities for correction that authentic passion, antiracism efforts, and allyships can confront and conquer. Prior to the dedication of the Elaine Massacre Memorial on September 29, 2019, which was held in Helena, Arkansas, there was an event in Elaine itself where Sheila and I were each given a plaque that bore the title, “Authentic Reconciliation”, and stated, in part, these words: “Sheila Walker and J. Chester Johnson are the living definition of reconciliation. . . Their reconciliation, friendship, and cooperative efforts represent the hope for the future.” While the words of authentic passion and racial healing surrounded the relationship that existed between us – and rightly so – we regularly characterized our bond as allyship, mindful of the strong obligatory charge that allyship required of us in broader, social terms. Not surprisingly, people have now encouraged an espousal for the multiplication of Black-white friendships, allyships, and racial healing in building an improved Black-white environment. If we, Blacks and whites, cannot be allies personally, as individuals, for and with each other, then can we be true allies within the larger, more public, and political world in which we also live? Following Sheila’s death, David P. Solomon, who organized, funded (along with other members of his family), constructed, and took all required steps to bring the Memorial into being and who was the chief executive officer of the Elaine Massacre Memorial Committee, wrote a piece in May, 2021 as he saw the effects of the allyship between Sheila and me: “Chester and Sheila did something I think will eventually be recognized as far more valuable than the Memorial itself: they embodied reconciliation, they modeled reconciliation, they preached reconciliation, and they demonstrated reconciliation in their presence, in their deeds, in their joint lectures, and in their written words. They showed the world an extraordinary act of love and acceptance that I think was far more inspiring than the Memorial. . . Sheila and Chester showed a way forward.” We Blacks and whites are finally left with each other to work out results one-to-one, and maybe that’s the way we knew it would and should be all along. It is time for individuals of goodwill, Black and white, to find each other in missions that foster public expressions of authentic passion and allyship, depending instinctively on each other for the sentiments and humanity to address obstacles embedded in so many past ways. Next Time: U of Michigan Study Finds White Men More Prejudicial Than White Women Against Blacks by J. Chester Johnson Share this article Copy link LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest

Book review of Rockstar: Echoes by Zach Taylor . ISBN: 979-8999679710 < Back Rockstar: Echoes Zach Taylor Music industry, rock legends, creativity, artistic vision Hump Creek Publishing Share this review: Copy link Facebook LinkedIn X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest As Kline Thomas, the enigmatic new frontman of Aberdeen, grapples with the weight of his predecessor's legacy and his own demons, he must navigate the treacherous waters of fame, friendship, and the music industry, while a determined young woman named Rayne Harlow fights to carve out her own place in a world. Zach Taylor’s “Rockstar: Echoes” isn’t your typical “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll” romp. Instead, it’s a character-driven dive into the machinery of the music industry and the ghosts that haunt those who dare to step into the spotlight. Set against the starkly contrasted backdrops of high-gloss Los Angeles and the raw, rhythmic pulse of Kansas City, Taylor delivers a narrative that feels as authentic as a sweat-soaked basement show. The story centers on a collision of two rising stars and the seasoned observer documenting their trajectory. Clara Cowley, a veteran rock journalist, provides the lens through which we witness the meteoric, and often perilous, ascent of Kline Thomas. Kline is the enigmatic new frontman of Aberdeen, a band living in the long shadow of their late member, Lloyd Brannon. As Kline fights to find his voice amidst internal sabotage from guitarist Mike Kilmore, he finds a kindred spirit in Rayne Harlow. Rayne, the leader of the Painted Queens, embodies the book's most grounded conflict: the grueling juggle between artistic ambition and the relentless responsibilities of single motherhood. Taylor creates characters who feel like they’ve actually spent years in a tour van. Far from a hollow archetype, Kline’s battle with substance abuse and crippling self-doubt makes his journey feel urgent. His struggle isn’t just about hitting the right notes; it’s about surviving the pressure to be a reincarnation of a legend. Rayne serves as the emotional heart of the novel. Her fight against industry biases and financial instability highlights the “un-glamorous” side of the dream. Her resilience provides a necessary counterpoint to the chaotic energy of Aberdeen. Mike Kilmore is a masterclass in ‘internal band politics,’ acting as a personification of the ego and insecurity that can dismantle even the most talented groups. “Rockstar: Echoes” leans into identity. The book asks a piercing question: “How much of yourself must you lose to become an icon?” The “echoes” in the title refer not just to the music, but to the legacy of Lloyd Brannon. The band’s struggle to move forward while honoring the past is a poignant metaphor for anyone trying to build something new on a foundation of grief. Taylor’s “gritty, realistic style” ensures that the triumphs, like Kline’s climactic high-stakes performance, feel earned rather than gifted. The book concludes with a satisfying, albeit realistic, resolution. By confronting Kilmore and demanding loyalty, Kline finally steps out from the “Echoes” and into his own light. Rayne’s journey toward finding strength in her community and her craft provides a hopeful, grounded ending. While it does have that final confrontation, "Echoes" is the first of the "Rockstar:" series, leaving the door open to following novels, specifically "Rockstar: Mirrors." Whether you’re a fan of punk, rock, or simply a well-crafted character study, “Rockstar: Echoes” captures the spirit of the industry—the noise, the silence, and the beautiful, messy space in between. Previous Next

Learn more about Susan Wands < Back Susan Wands Susan Wands author signing at ALA High Priestess and Empress, Book Two, Arcana Oracle Series by Susan Wands (recognized as a Distinguished Favorite by the 2024 NYC Big Book Award) Artist and seer Pamela Colman Smith returns to London only to find her nemesis, Aleister Crowley, has resurfaced and set his sights on her. Despite his sinister efforts, Pamela continues developing her tarot deck, channeling her muses: Golden Dawn leader Florence Farr and theater star Ellen Terry. But when Ellen is poisoned, Pamela realizes Aleister won't stop until her muses are dead. When Aleister reveals his plot to assassinate Queen Victoria and all female rulers, war erupts between his Carlists and the Golden Dawn. With so many lives at stake, Pamela must access her deepest magic to win the battle of her life. Besides being recognized by the 2024 NYC Big Book Award, High Priestess and Empress took the 2024 OZMA 1st Place Fantasy Award; 2025 American Legacy Book Award Winner in Visionary Award; 2025 American Legacy Book Award Winner in Epic/High Fantasy Award and the 2025 IPPY Gold Medal Visionary/New Age. Susan Wands is a writer, tarot reader, and actor. A graduate from the University of Washington, she has acted professionally across the United States and on Broadway. Her adaptation of Pride and Prejudice was produced at the Cornish Institute in Seattle and she has written plays, screenplays, and skits and produce several indie films. She was a company member in Rumble in the Red Room, an off-Broadway troupe, for four years. As a co-chair with the NYC Chapter of the Historical Novel Society, she helps produce monthly online book launches and author panels. Wands’s writings have appeared in Art in Fiction, Kindred Spirits magazine, and The Irving Society journal First Knight . She lives in NYC with her husband, actor Robert Petkoff, and two cats, Flora and Flynn. Find out more at https://susanwands.com/ . Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Find the best available reputable Book Awards in the industry. Book Awards Childrens Bookworm Award Every summer awards children's authors and publishers of all persuasions: independent, self, and traditionally published books. Read More NYC Big Book Award Every fall awards authors and publishers of all persuasions: independent, self, and traditionally published books. gabby@nycBigBookAwards.com Read More Independent Press Award Every spring awards independent authors and publishers. gabby@IndependentPressAward.com Read More

Learn more about Michaela Riley < Back Michaela Riley Weaving New Magic: Michaela Riley’s Evolution into an Award-Winning Dark Fantasy Author For breakthrough authors like Michaela Riley, her lifelong journey to publication was one comprising hidden pathways forged by a quiet yet irreverent passion for the fantastical. Winning the highly competitive “Fantasy” category of the 2025 NYC Big Book Awards, Riley’s dark fantasy novel, Labyrinth of Shadows: The Witch’s Rebirth Part I , captured literary hearts as she imagines a twisted dystopia writhe with warring factions, arcane power, ancient myths … and whispered hopes of one witch who could save them all. Crafted worlds like the one portrayed in Labyrinth of Shadows (and her subsequent books within the Witch’s Rebirth series) once solely lived within the pages of Riley’s private notebooks, where her expansive narratives laid unshared. Nowadays, her published works grace her own b ookshelves and those of her readers alike as a tangible transformation from a secretive writer to an award-winning author who has penned a celebrated trilogy and captivating standalone pieces. But she did not embark on this journey alone. Alongside her supportive husband, she finally decided to share her dreams with the world when, on a whim of creative liberation, she published several books at once, including her captivating dark fantasy work Cauldron of Dagda . Riley has since described this actualized publishing career as a unique thrill — a reflection of when her stories once only thrived in the “recesses of [her] mind.” Her rich worldbuilding is informed by a “deep wellspring of family history,” allowing her to nurture fantastical elements into something profoundly resonant and human. Remarkably, Riley’s writing voice and style are not modeled after any one particular literary icon like horror master Stephen King or the romantic Nicholas Sparks. Rather, she draws inspiration across the realm, absorbing countless voices spanning every genre. This sheer power of diverse words that she has encountered as a lifelong reader was what ultimately compelled her to pick up that pen and weave her own thread into the grand narrative of the storytelling tapestry. “It’s an ongoing adventure, filled with challenges and triumphs, but above all, it’s the p ower of a dream nurtured, believed in, and finally, bravely shared.” By the final pages of Labyrinth of Shadows , readers will have immersed themselves not only in witch-fueled magic, but also in a novel that serves as a testament to Riley’s personal evolution—a world where, as she emphasizes, “history and magic collide and love endures.” For like any dark fantasy, it all begins with a simple yet enduring truth: the timeless magic of a story that demands to be told. Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Learn more about Dr. D.W. Knight < Back Dr. D.W. Knight UP CLOSE and PERSONAL with Dr. D.W. Knight Step right up and meet the whimsical world of Dr. D.W. Knight, the creative force behind "Tongue Teasers: Laugh-Along Songbook Origins - A Taste of the Poems Before the Music"! More than just an author, Dr. Knight is a true storyteller who weaves together hilarious wordplay, wonderfully weird characters, and often, a sprinkle of heartfelt wisdom within his rhyming verses. Not only does he pen these delightful tales, but he also brings them to life with his own quirky and expressive illustrations. Imagine a blend of Shel Silverstein's playful oddities and the Sherman Brothers' catchy charm, and you'll begin to get a sense of the joy Dr. Knight brings to readers of all ages, especially those between five and twelve. Having spent years as an educator and a global traveler fluent in multiple languages, Dr. Knight infuses his work with a unique perspective, ultimately inspiring the collaborative musical project, GiGGLE SPOON. Get ready to dive into a world where laughter and learning go hand in hand, crafted by the one and only "Mr. Positivity" himself! I met Dr. D.W. Knight in person recently, both at the LA Festival of Books, and then again at the Independent Press and NYC Big Book Awards Dinner, as "TONGUE TEASERS" was the 2025 NYC Big Book Award winner in the Childrens Humor category. A tall, inviting man, who often travels with Patricia Knight of BD Brands (aka GiGGLE SPOON) and Bradford Knight, who composed music inspired by some of the poetry within “TONGUE TEASERS” and released it under the name GiGGLE SPOON. The trio's radiant happiness, always on display through their smiles, makes being around them a joy. Dr. D.W. Knight began writing poetry as a creative expression during his senior year as an undergraduate studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. He likens poetry to his favorite techno music for its structure and form that keeps him focused with set boundaries to follow, as compared to writing a novel which is more like jazz with its freeform and endless possibilities. The poetry in “TONGUE TEASERS” is inspired by his experiences as a teacher and coach to kids he saw struggling with self-doubt, feelings of hopelessness, and fears of failure. Having empathy for them and recognizing the social stressors that kids are enduring more so today with the repercussions of pandemic isolation, social media influences and escalating cyber bullying, Knight hoped his form of storytelling through poetry could bring joy to kids and help them to better cope with and overcome these rising challenges by imparting universal life lessons and good values through relatable and funny characters, ultimately so they would know they're not alone. And just as he loved exploring imaginary new worlds by reading books like the original Oz series or playing video games like Zelda when he was a kid, Knight hoped that he, too, could take readers to fun, new places where they could escape and laugh. In addition to writing the words, D.W. is also the illustrator. For TONGUE TEASERS, he included black and white sketches that he’d made for nearly every poem in the book. But with each book in the growing collection of Laugh-Along Songbooks, he’s making multiple pages of drawings to tell each individual poem’s story. The artwork is also used in the video production to accompany each poem’s music. D.W. says he loves the process of inventing and creating new characters from scratch. They take shape and evolve with each new sketch into what he recognizes as new “friends” to introduce to the world. His takeaway point is to impress upon kids, especially the ones who have some self-doubt and don’t yet know where their strengths are or their place in the world, that we are all a work in progress. It’s a metaphor for life – we are unfinished, constantly being shaped, tweaked and refined into a work of art. Dr. D.W. Knight credits his grandmother Eleanor for having instilled in him a genuine love for words and the beauty of language. She had devoted her career to developing a reading curriculum for children in response to her own son’s, Knight’s father’s, inability to read by third grade and the teacher telling her she didn’t know what else could be done. Determined, his grandmother made it her life’s work and became the reading director for the Minnetonka public school district in Minnesota. Shel Silverstein remains a favorite of D.W.’s since childhood when his grandmother gave him a copy of “Where the Sidewalk Ends”. He devoured the pages and his linguistic imagination played under Shel’s tutelage. Also in his home, shaping his mind for rhythmic words, were the joyful and catchy songs of the Sherman Brothers. His mother and father were always singing, filling their home with the sounds of music. It’s no wonder D.W.’s brother became a musician, composing music and writing songs. Knight thanks “K-12 teachers everywhere, parents who have the most important job in the world, kids across the planet, his brother Brad who keeps making great music, his late grandmother, parents, and Larry and Patty who always believed if New Yorkers loved the poems, others would too!” “TONGUE TEASERS” is a collection of illustrated poems written in rhyming verse with hilarious wordplay and outlandish inventiveness imbued with wit, life-lessons and wisdom that transcend age but equally entertain children with zany, memorable characters, making this book a favorite for all ages! Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Book review of The Soul Octopus Analogy: The Soul's Endless Dance across the Web of Creation by Bud Megargee . ISBN: 9798268438703 < Back The Soul Octopus Analogy: The Soul's Endless Dance across the Web of Creation Bud Megargee Spirituality, afterlife, vibrational resonance, cosmic web, elemental wisdom Independently published Share this review: Copy link Facebook LinkedIn X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest A spiritual guide reimagines reincarnation as an octopus-like cosmic web of consciousness, where each soul navigates multiple lives, shadow and light, and elemental wisdom to awaken to its infinite multidimensional nature. Models of reincarnation often default to a well-worn, linear narrative: the soul as a lone traveler climbing a chronological staircase, collecting karmic points from Life A to Life B. Bud Megargee’s The Soul Octopus Analogy: The Soul's Endless Dance across the Web of Creation aggressively disrupts this tidy geometry. By replacing the spiritual ladder with the radical, decentralized anatomy of the octopus, Megargee offers a brilliant, unified symbolic architecture that challenges readers to view consciousness not as a sequence of events, but as a simultaneous web of experience. Megargee states true spiritual maturity begins when we abandon the ego's demand for rigid certainty and approach the cosmos with radical humility. The book is its namesake analogy. The soul’s essence is framed as the central mantle of an octopus, while our individual lifetimes, past lives, and physical incarnations are the "arms" are our past; present; future; and parallel lives, reaching out into different points of time, space, and reality simultaneously. Through this lens, Megargee explains the unexplainable phenomena of human existence. The emotional residues of sudden, intense anxieties or unexplained phobias are reinterpreted as sensory feedback bleeding through from a parallel "arm" enduring a crisis. The intuitive affinities and talents where prodigious skills or instant bonds with strangers are not random, they are the shared muscle memory of the central soul structure. Lastly, the trans-temporal healing, where healing achieved in this life sends a vibrational ripple backward and outward, altering the soul's other incarnations. Megargee’s model demands a total dismantling of time and identity. Time is redefined as purely vibrational. Consequently, the human ego is a necessary but strictly temporary earthly scaffold; and death, is a liberating expansion into the awareness of one’s larger, multidimensional self. The book’s treatment of the postmortem "life review" is compelling and merciful. Stripping away cosmic judgment, reward, or punishment, Megargee outlines an afterlife review centered on Seven Experiential Strands. By insisting that these strands be examined without moral condemnation, Megargee makes a powerful ethical argument: spiritual growth depends on integration, not moral perfection. When dealing with suffering and evil, The Soul Octopus Analogy avoids empty platitudes. Megargee interprets evil as raw, unintegrated pain, and Earthly life is where light must be consciously chosen. In a stirring section, Megargee introduces the concept of "human warriors," souls who deliberately incarnate into highly challenging blueprints. These individuals do not come to dominate, but to act as spiritual alchemists, transmuting ancestral and situational distortion through endurance, compassion, and ethical action. Furthermore, the book expands the definition of "soulmates," as members of the same larger soul structure, weaving their lives together across timelines to actively support one another's awakening. Finally, Megargee introduces a living cosmology where the physical elements act as witnesses to human life, and creation is revealed as a collaborative covenant between soul, matter, and the world. Incarnation is an endless, joyful exploration of experience. Backed by appendices that champion adaptability, retreat, and presence, and closed out by a moving allegorical tale of a soul fragment returning to form with renewed choice, this book is a map. It will resonate with spiritually curious readers, meditators, and anyone wrestling with inner contradictions. Megargee has woven isolated spiritual doctrines into a single tapestry, proving that we are never truly isolated, but always dancing in the web of creation. Previous Next

Book review of The Horses of Saddlers Ranch: Black Knight by Alison Bellringer . ISBN: 9781035869954 < Back Take me back to https://www.childrensbookwormaward.com/ The Horses of Saddlers Ranch: Black Knight Alison Bellringer Middle Grade, horses, trust, kindness, compassion, friendship Austin Macauley Publishers Share this review: Copy link Facebook LinkedIn X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest At Saddlers Ranch, a horse-loving teen and a grieving young Englishman must decide whether to tame or free a wild black stallion, discovering that compassion, trust, and letting go can heal them both. For young readers who have outgrown simple pony stories but aren't quite ready for heavy teenage angst, The Horses of Saddlers Ranch: Black Knight strikes a perfect, wholesome balance. The third installment in Alison Bellringer’s series delivers exactly what horse lovers want: authentic ranch life, a majestic and troubled animal, and a deep, emotional bond built on patience rather than force. With a plot that respects both the wild nature of horses and the growing pains of its human characters, this middle-grade, young-teen novel is a breath of fresh country air. Seventeen-year-old Coral Johnson’s life at Saddlers Ranch is upended when a frantic, terrified black stallion appears on the property. Dubbed Black Knight, the horse is so traumatized by his sudden captivity that he refuses food and water, baffling Coral’s father and the ranch hands. Enter Jamison Quinn, a young traveler from Liverpool, England with no references, a mysterious past, and a unique way with horses. Jamison strikes a high-stakes bargain with Coral’s father: give him three days to gentle the stallion using only patience and a low whistle. If he succeeds, he gets a job; if he fails, he moves on. As Coral watches Jamison sit quietly in the corral, earning the horse's trust inch by inch, she uncovers Jamison's own hidden hurts, including the grief of losing his mother and estrangement from his family. But when a dangerous mistake proves that Black Knight will never tolerate captivity, Jamison and Coral must make a heartbreaking choice: enforce ownership, or give the stallion back his freedom. Instead of relying on "horse-whispering" tropes or instant, magical bonds, the novel highlights the slow, tedious, and quiet work of gentling an animal. Jamison’s method, such as sitting unarmed in the dust and letting the horse choose to approach, is a beautiful lesson in empathy and boundaries for young readers. Jamison is a standout character. His grief, his history as a musician, and his strained family dynamics give the book an emotional depth that elevates it above a standard animal-rescue story. The irony of Jamison, a wanderer looking for a place to belong, and Black Knight, a wild creature trapped in a pen, is woven throughout the narrative. The book doesn’t lack excitement. A tense scene where Coral enters the corral and triggers a genuine charge from the stallion provides a stark, realistic reminder that wild animals are dangerous. Furthermore, the resolution of Black Knight's fate delivers a powerful message: true love and respect for an animal sometimes means letting it go. The Horses of Saddlers Ranch: Black Knight is a grounded story about connection without ownership. By the time the final scene plays out, complete with an evening musical gathering and distant, echoing hoofbeats, readers will be entirely swept up in the magic of Saddlers Ranch. Previous Next

Book review of The Soap Maker by Terrence Pershall . ISBN: 979-8890251459 < Back The Soap Maker Terrence Pershall Historical Fiction, Period Romance, World War II, resilience Evolved Publishing Share this review: Copy link Facebook LinkedIn X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest After the Nazis shatter his family’s life in occupied France, a young soap maker’s apprentice becomes a Resistance courier and risks everything to rescue the girl he loves and hunt the war criminal who stole her. Terrence Pershall’s “The Soap Maker” is a historical saga that manages to balance between the domestic intimacy of a family craft and the brutal, sprawling chaos of World War II. It is a story that reminds us that even the most mundane objects, in this case a bar of soap, can become a vessel for hope, a tool for defiance, and a legacy for the future. Set against the increasingly shadowed landscape of southern France near Toulouse, the novel begins in the uneasy spring of 1939. We meet young Anton, a boy whose world is defined by the rhythm of the family farm and the aromatic, meticulous craft of his grandfather, Papy Philippe. In the setting descriptions, Pershall contrasts the sensory beauty of soap-making, the oils, the lye, the fragrances, with the sterile, cold terror of the Nazi occupation. As the war encroaches, the “peaceful” south becomes a hotbed of Vichy collaboration and Resistance bravery, forcing a simple family of artisans into the front lines of history. The narrative arc is a classic “coming-of-age” story thrust into the furnace of war. The transition is marked by a sudden, jarring violence: the death of Anton’s mother, Lily. This tragedy strips away the family’s neutrality, propelling Anton’s father, Luc, and Papy Philippe into the heart of the Resistance. At the story’s heart lies a central metaphor: soap as a delivery system for intelligence. Pershall’s portrayal of Anton smuggling secret messages is clever. As the climax unfolds, the setting expands from the rural South to a liberated Paris, following Anton’s frantic search for Marie. The conclusion provides a hopeful bridge to America, yet remains grounded in the reality of wartime trauma, ending with a drive to bring the war’s perpetrators to justice. The strength of “The Soap Maker” lies in its characters. Anton’s evolution is the heartbeat of the book. We watch him harden from a farm boy into a fighter, yet he never loses the core of humanity instilled in him by his grandfather. Papy Philippe serves as the moral anchor. His soap-making is a form of preservation. He represents the “old world” trying to survive the new world’s madness. Marie’s survival in the face of capture and pregnancy symbolizes the sheer biological and spiritual will to endure. The identity of the "soap maker" serves as a shield against the dehumanization of war, illustrating the extraordinary strength ordinary people discover within themselves. The conclusion emphasizes that migrating to America represents a transition rather than an erasure of the past. Ultimately, by pursuing war criminals like Krause, the narrative ensures the story closes on a note of accountability rather than mere survival. “The Soap Maker” is a textured tapestry of a novel. It will resonate deeply with fans of “The Nightingale” or “All the Light We Cannot See.” Pershall’s writing captures the stench of betrayal and the fragrance of lavender with equal skill. It is ultimately an uplifting exploration of how love and tradition can survive even when the world is set on fire. Previous Next

Learn more about Victoria Basil < Back Victoria Basil Victoria Basil on Star People’s Wisdom and the Frontiers of Consciousness ***ALA Author signing*** What happens when personal transformation pushes past conventional boundaries? For Moldovan-born author Victoria Basil, it leads to a groundbreaking piece of channeled literature. In a recent exchange with Printed Word Reviews , Basil shared the deeply personal and metaphysical journey behind her latest book, Star People’s Wisdom: Messages from Beyond the Stars for Human Awakening . Basil’s path to becoming an author was not traditional; rather, it was forged through intense personal evolution and the exploration of consciousness. That journey culminated in a historic milestone. "In 2025, I became the first Moldovan-born channeler known to publish a channeled book," Basil noted, reflecting on the release of Star People’s Wisdom . The book serves as a conduit for multidimensional insights, specifically designed to offer readers a roadmap for human awakening and expanded awareness. When asked about the driving forces behind her unique work, Basil pointed not to literary figures, but to life-altering experiences. Her greatest influences have been the moments that forced her to challenge perceived limitations. It is these profound turning points that deepened her understanding of human potential and the mechanics of channeling. At its core, Basil’s writing is an open invitation to the curious. Her work deliberately steps outside standard narrative structures to explore human evolution through a cosmic lens. "My writing explores channeled multidimensional wisdom, consciousness, and human evolution," Basil explained, "through perspectives that invite readers beyond conventional perception." For readers looking to expand their horizons and question the boundaries of daily reality, Star People’s Wisdom promises to be a thought-provoking guide to the next frontier of human awareness. Star People’s Wisdom: Messages from Beyond the Stars for Human Awakening is available now. Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link