Carol Baldwin's Blog, page 2
July 18, 2025
Exploring ‘The King of Montréal’: A Mixed Review
The King of Montréal by Daniela I. Norris, is a young adult historical adventure featuring Louis-Charles, the lost prince of France in the year 1800.
I have to admit, I had decidedly mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, there was a lot to like. However, it also had some problems, which lessened the reading experience, at least for me.
The main issue I had with it was that I didn’t particularly connect with the main character. He didn’t have a lot of his own opinions, instead he accepted whatever was most convenient for him at the time, it felt like he was there simply to be the main character, without a lot of motivation or consistent traits of his own. He acted very noble and honorable at times, and at other times petty and childish, and accepted other people’s opinions without much thought.
Even with the motives he did have, the stakes didn’t feel high enough, even towards the end.
The romance, too, felt flat and a bit forced. It bothered me that the first thing Charles did was lie to Roisin about his age, seemingly for little reason, and that he never bothered to correct himself, though he had ample opportunity. Roisin was, in my opinion, a far stronger character. She was intelligent, thoughtful, and had her own thoughts and opinions, and I almost would have found it more enjoyable had she been the main character. I would have loved to learn more about her backstory. The ending felt abrupt as well. I wanted to know more about the characters and what happens next!
The story itself was intriguing, however, and I liked the dual timelines. Although I wasn’t a huge fan of Charles himself, I loved most of the supporting characters. Roisin was a delight, Charles’ tutor was a perfect mentor character, and I was fond of Jacob Fast Deer as well. The alternate history was believable enough not to pull me out of the story, and overall I enjoyed the book, aside from a few inconsistencies.
At 157 pages, it’s a quick and fun read, ideal for readers who like adventure and friendship along with historical elements.
As for suitability, I would say 10+. There are a few references, which would probably go over the head of younger readers, some brief romantic scenes, and moments of mild peril. It would probably be a fun book to read aloud as well.
Thank you to Lodestone Books for providing an ARC, and to Carol Baldwin for posting this review on her lovely website.
OUR REVIEWER
I last hosted Journey Bloomfield on my blog when she reviewed Enchantria: Guardian’s Heir. See her website for more book reviews and writing updates.
For more MG reviews, make sure you check out Greg Pattridge’s wonderful MMGM blog.
The post Exploring ‘The King of Montréal’: A Mixed Review first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.
June 28, 2025
Embracing Culture: ‘Mamiachi & Me’ Review and Giveaway
Today I’m happy to share my friend, Jolene Gutiérrez‘s picture book, Mamiachi & Me, which she wrote with her son, Dakota (Abrams, 2025). The book is beautifully illustrated by Mirelle Ortega.
Jolene and Mirelle at the ALA conference in Philadelphia– today!
Jolene and I met at in 2016 at a Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop. Since then I have featured her several times on my blog. Most recently, I shared her award-winning book, TOO MUCH! An Overwhelming Day which has been translated into several languages. Before that, she published Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader and Bionic Beasts. And I haven’t listed them all! Needless to say, Jolene is a prolific writer.
REVIEWRosa is getting ready for her big day–it’s her first time to play her violin with her mama who is a mariachi.
Rosa has dreamed of joining the madrinas.
But, as she anticipates the preformance, she’s nervous.
Her mother comforts her: “The música is inside you, Rosa. I named you after someone who inspired me–one of the first female mariachis. She played the violin, just like you. She was brave and strong and you are too.”
The two musicians dance as they get dressed and Rosa’s stage fright fades away. (By the way– I love this illustration’s use of vivid verbs!!)
Despite her fears, the music gives her confidence:
“It’s my time to fly! As I lift my violin, I know this is where I belong. My bow glides across the strings. My violin weaves our notes together into a fabric of sound that settles over us all.”
In the end, Rosa’s voice tells a story and she is met with grand applause.
I enjoyed this inspirational picture book because it shows a young girl conquering her fears and enjoying her new place. The story and illustrations exude joy, and children of all ages will identify with Rosa’s struggles and victory. At the same time, they will learn about Mariachi– unique, Mexican music. To listen to a sample, click here.
BACK MATTERSix colorful pages at the end of the book provide definitions and explanations, and includes the history of women in Mariachi. The inclusion of this information makes this a great cross-curriculum resource for K-2nd grade.
GIVEAWAYJolene is giving away an autographed copy to one fortunate winner! Leave a comment by July 2 and your name goes into the hat. If you are a librarian or educator, let me know and you’ll get two chances. If you read this post online and either decide to follow my blog or are attending ALA–you’ll receive three chances! U.S. addresses only.
*****
WHAT’S HOT…and WHAT’S NOT?Besides record-breaking temperatures all over the U.S. and oven-like heat in Charlotte, my summer is hot with book events. Besides the events listed on this page, I will also be the guest at several book clubs and speaking at various retirement centers.
I’m escaping the heat and heading northwest to Alaska with my sister-in-law. My blog will be on break for two weeks as I visit a part of the country I’ve always dreamed of seeing. I’ll see you after July 16 with more book reviews and (hopefully) a picture or two of Alaskan wildlife!
Congratulations to Danielle Hammelef who won Elly Swartz’s new MG, SAME PAGE.
The post Embracing Culture: ‘Mamiachi & Me’ Review and Giveaway first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.
June 21, 2025
Friendship and Controversy in SAME PAGE Review + a Giveaway
Same Page by Elly Swartz has been one of the most difficult books for me to review because it is about such a controversial topic: banning books in school libraries.
SUMMARYBess Stein is excited when she and her friend June win the election for the sixth grade class president and vice president, respectively. But their friendship begins to fall apart when they disagree about what books should be in their proposed book vending machine.
Bess and June (more specifically, June’s mother) represent the opposing sides of the banned books controversy: Bess believes that all types of books should be available in the school library for kids to make their own choices, while June’s mother complains to the school board, believing that some books are irrelevant and inappropriate for her children.
REVIEWSame Page is told from Bess’ point of view in the present tense. The prologue draws the reader into the story and made me want to read more. I like Bess’ character and think that she is easy for kids her age to identify with. She and her younger brother, Avi, struggle with anxiety and their parents’ separation, making them easy for kids who have experienced these struggles to relate to. Bess stands up for what she believes is right and wants to make a difference in the world, which I found admirable. Also, I love Bess’ connection to her great-grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, and how that connection impacts Bess.
While I like Bess, she is a flawed character and, in my opinion, not a good friend (even though other characters in the story tell her that she is). Once she and June disagree over the books, she decides they can no longer be friends. She does exactly what she says she is standing against: making a judgment based on one statement and not considering the full story (in this case, June’s point of view). June points this out herself when she asks Bess, “I make one decision that you don’t like and you stop talking to me?” (119). June, however, is not a good friend to Bess, either. She befriends a group of bullies and avoids Bess as much as possible. At the end of the story, Bess and June apologize to each other, and Bess admits that she never tried to understand June’s point of view like she should have. Even though they become friends again at the end, readers need to think critically about Bess’ actions towards June throughout the story and recognize that her attitude towards friendship is not what they should imitate.
While friendship and not judging a book (literally and metaphorically) by its cover are two main themes of the story, I feel that these themes get a little lost when book banning becomes the main conflict. Because it is told through Bess’ point of view, Same Page gives readers a one-sided view of the book banning controversy. Bess is so adamant that she is right that readers are tempted to agree with her without considering the other side of the issue. This made me uneasy because I don’t agree with Bess or June, and I think readers should have the chance to formulate their own beliefs rather than having to side with one of these positions. What makes this decision more difficult is that readers might struggle with choosing a position for fear of losing a friendship like Bess and June do. Same Page gives readers a chance to consider and evaluate this issue but may leave them feeling conflicted.
I recommend Same Page to girls ages 11-16, with the caveat that, for younger children, parents may want to read this book before or alongside their child and use it as an opportunity to discuss these issues.
GIVEAWAYLeave me a comment by June 25th for a chance to win this book. U.S. addresses only. Librarians and teachers get two chances.
ABOUT MY GUEST BLOGGER
Kathryn Dover lives in South Carolina with her family including five cats, a dog, three fish, and many house plants. She recently graduated from Presbyterian College with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and was a valedictorian of the Class of 2024. She’s not sure what she wants to do as a career, only that she wants to write, but is trusting that God has a plan for her life to use her in a powerful way. In her free time, she enjoys reading, photography, playing with her pets, and growing plants. She last reviewed BOWERS AND SHADY on my blog.
LAST WEEK’S WINNERCongratulations to Natalie Aguire, my fellow MMGM blogger, who won THE MYSTERIOUS VIRGINIA HALL.
SPEAKING OF MMGMIf you love middle grade books, you need to subscribe to Greg Pattridge’s amazing blog, MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY. There are a ton of great MG books every week.
The post Friendship and Controversy in SAME PAGE Review + a Giveaway first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.
Friendship and Controversy in SAME PAGE Review
Same Page by Elly Swartz has been one of the most difficult books for me to review because it is about such a controversial topic: banning books in school libraries.
SUMMARYBess Stein is excited when she and her friend June win the election for the sixth grade class president and vice president, respectively. But their friendship begins to fall apart when they disagree about what books should be in their proposed book vending machine.
Bess and June (more specifically, June’s mother) represent the opposing sides of the banned books controversy: Bess believes that all types of books should be available in the school library for kids to make their own choices, while June’s mother complains to the school board, believing that some books are irrelevant and inappropriate for her children.
REVIEWSame Page is told from Bess’ point of view in the present tense. The prologue draws the reader into the story and made me want to read more. I like Bess’ character and think that she is easy for kids her age to identify with. She and her younger brother, Avi, struggle with anxiety and their parents’ separation, making them easy for kids who have experienced these struggles to relate to. Bess stands up for what she believes is right and wants to make a difference in the world, which I found admirable. Also, I love Bess’ connection to her great-grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, and how that connection impacts Bess.
While I like Bess, she is a flawed character and, in my opinion, not a good friend (even though other characters in the story tell her that she is). Once she and June disagree over the books, she decides they can no longer be friends. She does exactly what she says she is standing against: making a judgment based on one statement and not considering the full story (in this case, June’s point of view). June points this out herself when she asks Bess, “I make one decision that you don’t like and you stop talking to me?” (119). June, however, is not a good friend to Bess, either. She befriends a group of bullies and avoids Bess as much as possible. At the end of the story, Bess and June apologize to each other, and Bess admits that she never tried to understand June’s point of view like she should have. Even though they become friends again at the end, readers need to think critically about Bess’ actions towards June throughout the story and recognize that her attitude towards friendship is not what they should imitate.
While friendship and not judging a book (literally and metaphorically) by its cover are two main themes of the story, I feel that these themes get a little lost when book banning becomes the main conflict. Because it is told through Bess’ point of view, Same Page gives readers a one-sided view of the book banning controversy. Bess is so adamant that she is right that readers are tempted to agree with her without considering the other side of the issue. This made me uneasy because I don’t agree with Bess or June, and I think readers should have the chance to formulate their own beliefs rather than having to side with one of these positions. What makes this decision more difficult is that readers might struggle with choosing a position for fear of losing a friendship like Bess and June do. Same Page gives readers a chance to consider and evaluate this issue but may leave them feeling conflicted.
I recommend Same Page to girls ages 11-16, with the caveat that, for younger children, parents may want to read this book before or alongside their child and use it as an opportunity to discuss these issues.
ABOUT MY GUEST BLOGGERKathryn Dover lives in South Carolina with her family including five cats, a dog, three fish, and many house plants. She recently graduated from Presbyterian College with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and was a valedictorian of the Class of 2024. She’s not sure what she wants to do as a career, only that she wants to write, but is trusting that God has a plan for her life to use her in a powerful way. In her free time, she enjoys reading, photography, playing with her pets, and growing plants. She last reviewed BOWERS AND SHADY on my blog.
LAST WEEK’S WINNERCongratulations to Natalie Aguire, my fellow MMGM blogger, who won THE MYSTERIOUS VIRGINIA HALL.
SPEAKING OF MMGMIf you love middle grade books, you need to subscribe to Greg Pattridge’s amazing blog, MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY. There are a ton of great MG books every week.
The post Friendship and Controversy in SAME PAGE Review first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.
June 14, 2025
A Terrific Review of The Mysterious Virginia Hall by Guest Blogger, Isabelle Knight
Last week I featured a review of Isabelle Knight‘s new middle-grade fantasy, Enchantria: Guardian’s Heir. Today, Isabelle returns as my guest blogger and ventures into new reading territory–nonfiction–and finds out she likes it! This review originally appeared on Isabelle’s blog; she is kindly allowing me to republish it here.
REVIEWThis book review is actually kind of different from my other book reviews. If you’ve read my other book reviews, then you’ll no doubt know that what I mostly read (and write!) is middle-grade fantasy, adventure, contemporary, magic realism, the occasional horror (haven’t reviewed any horror yet, but Lora Senf’s The Clackity is a wonderful book!!). But mostly fiction. And to be honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of nonfiction, and I’ve never been that interested in reading it.
But this book that I am reviewing today is actually a nonfiction book, and oh my stars, it blew me away! It was such a fantastic book, full of interesting and fun facts, and I could not put it down! And that book is The Mysterious Virginia Hall by Claudia Friddell!
The Mysterious Virginia Hall is a nonfiction book about Virginia Hall, an American spy and secret agent in World War II, and also one of the Gestapo’s most wanted spies… It’s basically a biography about her, and it was so much fun to read!! This is the blurb from the publisher:
How did a young lady from a wealthy family in Maryland end up as the Gestapo’s most wanted spy? This biography of Virginia Hall, World War II’s most successful female spy, will inspire reluctant readers and budding history buffs alike.
Virginia Hall, known to her family as “Dindy,” was an athletic, outdoorsy girl who dreamed of joining the foreign service and becoming an ambassador. Despite numerous setbacks, including losing her leg to gangrene after an accident, Virginia never wavered in her determination to serve her country. After the outbreak of World War II, a chance meeting on a train changed her life—George Bellows, an agent of the British Special Operations Executive, recruited her as one of its first women agents. Working for Allied intelligence services in France, Virginia Hall organized French resistance fighters, performed daring rescues, and provided the Allies with intelligence that was key for ousting the Nazis and earned her numerous medals, including the US Army’s Distinguished Service Cross.
With chapters titled for each of the many aliases and nicknames used by Virginia Hall, this book takes readers through her extraordinary life and her evolution as a resistance fighter and intelligence operative. Award-winning author Claudia Friddell brings Virginia Hall’s bravery, intelligence, and determination to life in this thoroughly researched and photo-filled biography endorsed by Hall’s family.
I loved this book so much!! It was so detailed and carefully written, and I also really loved the layout of the text — it had a lot of great pictures to go along with it! Friddell managed to recount Virginia’s various adventures with such detail and through this book I actually really started to care about what happened to Virginia Hall like I would care about a character! And as someone who isn’t a huge reader of nonfiction, this book had me hooked by page 10!
I just loved how this nonfiction book really managed to pull me into Virginia Hall’s life instead of just telling the reader facts. And honestly, after reading this book, I think I have a new favorite person in history now. Virginia Hall is so incredibly brave, and honestly, I am in awe of everything she managed to do in her life!
And now, I know I normally will tell you guys about my favorite scene in a review. But this isn’t a fiction book, so we don’t have an exact “scene”. But I do have a favorite part of the book! And honestly, it’s not exactly my favorite part (because I have a lot of parts I love), but this section just had me laughing out loud. Virginia Hall had a sort of prosthetic leg that she named Cuthbert, and Cuthbert was rather tiresome while trying to travel across the Pyrenees. And she said so in a radio message that was sent back to London — “CUTHBERT IS BEING TIRESOME, BUT I CAN COPE.” And the receiving agent in London, who was not aware of Hall’s disability or the name of her wooden leg replied, “IF CUTHBERT IS BEING TIRESOME, HAVE HIM ELIMINATED.“
…Even looking back now I’m still in peals of laughter over that. Although I was mildly concerned by what the receiving agent meant by “eliminated”…
Then again, what other definition of eliminated is there?
The whole pacing of this book is also really fast and vivid, but not too rushed either, and it’s just really perfectly balanced!! It takes us through Virginia Hall’s life and through all her struggles, and the book never lagged or felt like it was just telling us boring facts.
And while the book technically is labeled as YA, I do think that this also feels like a middle-grade read (it may just be me, since I don’t read that much nonfiction), and I am very sure that a lot of middle-grade readers will love this book, as well as teen readers! It’s also really great for reluctant readers of nonfiction and also for people looking to learn more about World War II and extraordinary people during that time, like Virginia Hall!! You can really see how much work went into researching and writing this book, and it was just so fun and so interesting! I could not put this book down, and I actually finished the whole book in one sitting while having dinner….
For any family member wondering why it was taking me that long to get upstairs, even though I was done eating……
You now have your answer.
But yeah! This is just such a fantastic book, and I’m definitely giving this book six stars out of five! (wow, looking back now, it’s been a while since I used that rating…. But for anyone who doesn’t remember, six stars out of five is a special rating only given to some of the bestest books I have read). This is a must-read for anyone interested in nonfiction (or not interested! Who knows, maybe this book will get them into reading nonfiction!), and I shall definitely be looking for more of Claudia Friddell’s books in the future!!
I think this probably wraps up my review now! Thank you guys so much for coming, I hope you enjoyed this review, and I also hope that you will check out this book! It’s a marvelous one! For anyone curious, this book comes out June 24, 2025, and you can find all the places to pre-order the hardcover and/or ebook here!
AUTHOR INTERVIEW AND GIVEAWAYIsabelle not only wrote this wonderful review, she also interviewed Claudia on her blog. Please click here to read Claudia’s backstory behind writing The Mysterious Virginia Hall.
Claudia is giving away an autographed copy to one fortunate winner! To enter, leave a comment by June 18. If you are a librarian, educator, or are new to my blog please tell me in the comments and I’ll enter your name twice.
And for marvelous middle grade books, check out Greg Partridge’s amazing MMGM blog!
ABOUT MY GUEST BLOGGER
Isabelle Knight is the middle-grade fantasy author of the Enchantria series, which she began writing at age ten and published during her middle school years. A lifelong book and cat lover, she now resides somewhere in a book-filled apartment, surrounded by an unimaginable number of stuffed pandas and enough books to start her own bookstore. When she’s not writing about creepy shadows, daring heroines, and magical adventures, she’s talking about books, writing, and other writerly ramblings on her blog or YouTube channel! You can find her at springfallschronicle.com or on YouTube as Isabelle Knight.
Congratulations to Pam Halter who won the Ebook of Enchantria: Guardian’s Heir from last week’s blog. By the way, Isabelle is looking for ARC readers. Leave her a comment here and you’ll get to read it too!
The post A Terrific Review of The Mysterious Virginia Hall by Guest Blogger, Isabelle Knight first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.
June 7, 2025
Introducing Two New Young Authors
As some of you know, I love teaching and mentoring teens and tweens. One way I do that is by inviting them to review books on my blog. I provide feedback on their book reviews, they learn during the revision process, and I get wonderful content!
Today I am happy to introduce two young fantasy authors, Journey Bloomfield, and Isabelle Knight. You’ll find out more about them in their bios below. Although separated by thousands of miles–Journey is in the U.S. and Isabelle lives in China–they met on a writing community now called DabbleU Campus. Journey accidentally insulted Isabelle’s cereal preferences, they hit it off, and then started video calling. They did a live author event together, which is on Isabelle’s YouTube channel. Journey is in Isabelle’s Christmas Collaboration, and will be in the fantasy one Isabelle is putting out this summer as well.
I met both of them online and when I asked my teen/tween bloggers who wanted to review Isabelle’s book, Journey happily accepted. By the way, if you know a tween or tween who would like to join my blogging team, please have them email me. I’m always looking for new reviewers.
REVIEW BY JOURNEY BLOOMFIELDEnchantria: Guardian’s Heir by Isabelle Knight, is an adventurous middle grade fantasy full of magic, mischief, and heartwarming friendship sure to appeal to fans of middle-grade fantasy as readers who are new to the genre. With plenty of action, character development, and an epic battle between good and evil, Enchantria is an auspicious start to what is sure to be a marvelous series ahead.
The story begins when sixteen-year-old Elena Ramirez enters a portal to another world with a magical key. She is swept into a land of danger, magical creatures, and the secretive but impressive Guardians: protectors of the kingdom of Enchantria. Their land sits next to the kingdom Nyxria, ruled by the evil queen Ravena and the shadow fairies she commands.
Elena must adapt quickly to her new way of life, for there is an ancient prophecy stating that she shall save Enchantria from evil. Only, Elena doesn’t even know the laws of the kingdom she has found herself in, let alone how to stop Ravena, wielder of dark magic that could possibly destroy the Enchantria. That won’t stop Elena from attempting to fulfill her part of the prophecy, however, and she begins guardian training. That comes with its own challenges, namely her grouchy trainer and vague instructions, along with quite a few misadventures with her new group of friends.
The characters are varied and filled with spirit, from Elena herself to the Queen of Enchantria to the Starseer who gave the prophecy, and of course Ravena, who gives off such amazing villain vibes. The friendships are touching, and the world is imaginative and vivid, with a variety of intriguing settings.
My favorite character was Rani, Starseer apprentice, although Elena herself is probably a close second. I also enjoyed Jade and Iris, for the secondary perspective they cast on guardians and the kingdom of Enchantria.
The part I liked the most about Enchantria was the sense of magic and adventure it gives off. It is just such a fun story, with entertaining revelations and twists, and a sense of whimsy along with the dangerous predicaments the characters find themselves in.
Enchantria: Guardian’s Heir is perfect for those seeking adventure and those looking for a page turner sure to satisfy their craving for a charming middle grade adventure. Isabelle Knight is an extremely talented young author making her way up in the world, and her stories are sure to captivate young and old alike.
You can find her books on Amazon, or on Bookshop.org or Books-A-Million And be sure to check out her marvelous website at springfallschronicle.com as well.
I will be reviewing books two and three in the future as well, so stay tuned for that!
Thank you to Carol Baldwin, for having me, and I hope you enjoyed my review of Enchantria: Guardian’s Heir by Isabelle Knight.
Isabelle is giving away the eBook of Enchantria: Guardian’s Heir. To enter, please leave a comment by June 10.
ABOUT THE YOUNG AUTHORS
Isabelle Knight is the middle-grade fantasy author of the Enchantria series, which she began writing at age ten and published during her middle school years. A lifelong book and cat lover, she now resides somewhere in a book-filled apartment, surrounded by an unimaginable number of stuffed pandas and enough books to start her own bookstore. When she’s not writing about creepy shadows, daring heroines, and magical adventures, she’s talking about books, writing, and other writerly ramblings on her blog or YouTube channel! You can find her at springfallschronicle.com or on YouTube as Isabelle Knight.
Journey Bloomfield is a homeschooled fantasy author who has spent the last eight and a half years exploring all 50 U.S. states with her family. In her spare time, she can be found playing the violin, sword fighting with her brothers, or working her way through her exceptionally long to-be-read list.
*****
Make sure you check out other middle grade books on Greg Pattridge’s MMGM site.
The post Introducing Two New Young Authors first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker .
May 31, 2025
Jalen’s Big City Life: A Guest Review of a Chapter Book Series
Two years ago I reviewed the first four books in the Jalen’s Big City Life series by Dorothy H. Price. Since then, the series doubled! Today, a young reviewer gives her opinion of the books.
REVIEW Jalen’s Big City Life is a series of amusing stories for K-second grade about a kid named Jalen (J.C.) and his family. Living in an apartment in the city, J.C. and his family work through everyday problems together. These books are meant for young readers. Some of the books in the series are titled, The Park Cleanup, Baking Buddies, Onstage Jitters, and Moving Day Helpers.
I thought the best written story was Baking Buddies. J.C. and his grandfather are trying to bake cupcakes. Annoyingly, they can’t because his baby sister won’t go to sleep. Finally, they remember they haven’t given her some milk. Once they warm it up and give it to her, she falls peacefully asleep, and they bake the cupcakes. J.C. has to learn patience and persistence to accomplish his goal. Little kids can connect to this story because they are familiar with seeing their mother or father baking or cooking, and they can understand getting annoyed at brothers or sisters.
My least favorite in the series is The Park Cleanup. It is a good lesson like the others about problem-solving; however, I don’t agree with their undesirable solution: They pick up litter for homeless people in a public park meant for families and children to play in, not for people to live in.
Some of the other problems J.C. faces are getting nervous in front of a crowd and impatience with his parents. Adults will like that the books are simple and teach mostly favorable problem-solving strategies.
GIVEAWAYI have this set of gently read books to give away. As always, if you are an educator or media specialist, let me know. I’m happy to include your name twice. Giveaway ends June 3.
OUR GUEST BLOGGERLucie B. is a 10-year-old homeschooler who attends Greyfriars Classical Tutorials in Matthews, NC. She enjoys horseback riding, crafts, and playing with her pet hamster, Diamond. In lieu of her picture, she wanted you all to meet Diamond.
The post Jalen’s Big City Life: A Guest Review of a Chapter Book Series first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker .
May 26, 2025
Enter to Win A Lyrical Nature Picture Book
I have a stack of picture books to review and give away. Today I’m going to start with an autographed copy of Dark on Light written by Dianne White and illustrated by Felicita Sala (Beech Lane Books, 2022).
REVIEWThis is a quiet story about three siblings who follow their dog out into the evening shadows with only a flashlight, the moon, and the stars to guide them.
White’s lyrical language pairs beautifully with Sala’s soft illustrations. This is a story that begs to be read at bedtime.
Notice how White uses sparse, simple language that effectively captures all of the senses, and how Sala’s illustrations tell the story.
As the reader turns the pages, she will encounter textures, colors, and the repititon of the “dark on light” theme.
White even includes smells!
The book takes the reader from dusk to dark as the children search for and find their dog. The satisfying ending shows the children returning home and being tucked into bed.
Sapphire the window, glowing and bright.
Attic and blaket and dark on light.
…..
White the star, shimmering bright
House and room and dark on light.
A NOTE ABOUT THE POETRYDo you get the idea that this is a special type of poetry? I wrote to Dianne White and asked her what type of poetry she used. She wrote back this amazing reply:
“It’s a form I made up as a challenge for myself, and I’ve never tried to explain it before, so hopefully this makes sense!
Each stanza is a quatrain (4 lines) composed of 2 sets of rhyming couplets. (lines 1 & 2 are the first couplet, lines 3 & 4 are the second) The second couplet of each quatrain (line 3 of the quatrain) begins with a color word (rose, green, lavender, etc.)The last two words of the first line of the second couplet (line 3 of the quatrain) are “… and bright”The last three words of the second line of the second couplet (line 4 of the quatrain) is “dark on light.”The first two nouns (ex. Twilight/evening; garden/stones) of the second line of each second couplet (line 4 of the quatrain) is taken from line 2 and line 1 of the first couplet, respectively.”She went on to explain that, “by using rhyme, color words, and a lot of repetition, I wanted to have a kind of ‘rolling’ pattern throughout the book. I was trying to do something similar in sound to the patterns of the first two companion books in the series (BLUE on BLUE and GREEN on GREEN). It became its own pattern using the building blocks mentioned above.”
I can’t imagine creating my own poetry form and then being able to use it so successfully in three different books!
CURRICULUM RESOURCEAlthough I think this is the perfect bedtime story, I think that the educators could use it to teach sensory writing in K-2nd grade. Older students can learn about the forms of poetry that White incoporated into this lovely picture book.
GIVEAWAY
I am giving away my copy of this gorgeous book. Please let me know in the comments If you are an educator or librarian and I’ll enter your name twice. Giveaway ends May 30th.
The post Enter to Win A Lyrical Nature Picture Book first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker .
May 19, 2025
Daddy Daughter Day: Win an Inspiring Picture Book by Dorothy Price
Dorothy H. Price and I go way back. She was one of the first members of a SCBWI-Carolinas critique group I organized in Charlotte. Nine years ago I posted about her first picture book, Nana’s Favorite Things and more recently about her chapter book series, Jalen’s Big City Life which now includes eight books. Her newest book, Daddy Daughter Day is semi-autobiographical and celebrates the unique relationship between a father and daughter. Released in May, it is the perfect Father’s Day gift!
Overview of Daddy Daughter DayWith oil on matte board illustrations by talented, Bryan Wilson, Dorothy takes her readers through a day trip into New York City.
Today is a Daddy-Daughter Day surprise. It’s Saturday, my most favorite day of the week. That’s when Daddy takes me into new York City. Mommy sits my baby sister Amira on her lap and waves goodbye.
Avery is anxious to spend her silver dollar which her father gave her last week, but he tells her to save it for something special.
In New York, they stomp down the stairs into the Port Authority Bus Terminal to the subway. She’s ready to pay for the fare, but once again, her father tells her to save it.
They miss a train as it rushes by, but they catch the next one.
When they get out of the subway, Avery’s father announces they’re in Harlem where he grew up.
Welcome to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.”
“Today I’m learning about Black people who changed the world.”
Avery looks at portraits of Katherine Johnson, David Dinkins, Ruby Bridges, and more. She decides she wants to try and change the world one day.
On the way home they listen to rappers battle “lyric for lyric,” and hip hop dancers “boogie to the beat.”
I pull out my silver dollar. Daddy winks.
My ThoughtsThis book not only shows the special relationship between a daughter and her father, it also echoes the theme in Dorothy’s Jalen’s Big City Life series: the sights, sounds, and tastes of city life. Kids who live in a city will see themselves in the pages of the story; suburban kids will get a peek into city life.
I love how Dorothy included other senses. Avery and her father not only see wonderful city sights, but they also “stomp down the stairs,” the train “screeches” to a stop, the doors of the subway “swoosh” close, and musicians “jive to jazzy tunes.”
The EndThe ending is a perfect way to show what Avery learned on her special day. The end notes explains why Dorothy wrote this book and her father’s influence on her life. Make sure you check out Wilson’s end pages. The texture is beautiful!
A Few Words from DorothyCAROL: I was curious about the first person point of view which isn’t normal for picture books. I assume it was because this story was semi-autobiographical. Was that a difficult choice though?
DOROTHY: That’s a really good question, and I hadn’t thought much about the book being first person POV. When I initially wrote the story, I knew it would be semi-autobiographical because I wanted to capture this childhood memory from my perspective; so it wasn’t a difficult choice from that aspect at all. I had also been dreaming about the Schomburg for years, so I knew I had to get this dream out of my head and into a story.
CAROL: Did you get any pushback from your editors?
DOROTHY: I didn’t get any pushback from Winsome Bingham (editor) or anyone else on the Reycraft editorial team. She loved the story and I knew it was in the right hands once we started working together. Winsome is an incredible author and editor. She helped me take my story from good to great!
CAROL: What was your path to publication?
DOROTHY: My DADDY-DAUGHTER DAY publication story was one of patience and persistence. I wrote the story in 2017 and queried it with and without an agent. I thought it would’ve landed with Capstone Publishing in 2021, but it was too similar to JALEN’S BIG CITY LIFE. It took another year for me to sell DADDY-DAUGHTER DAY to Winsome in early 2022, after hearing she was open to submissions. And three years later, here it is!
GiveawayI am giving away my autographed copy to one fortunate winner! If you are an educator or media specialist let me know in the comments–you will be entered twice. Giveaway ends May 22. Enter soon!
The post Daddy Daughter Day: Win an Inspiring Picture Book by Dorothy Price first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker .
May 9, 2025
‘Tis the Season… for Podcasts and Book Signings!
Ever since Half-Truths launched in April, it has been non-stop publicity and marketing. I’d heard that the hard work happens after you write a book. Now I’m living it!
Image by Tish Bouvier
Fortunately, I have friends who are inviting me to their bookclubs; I’m joining the Mecklenburg Parks & Recreation table at the Mecklenburg Trail of History event on May 10; I have a book signing at my local Barnes and Noble on May 17; another book signing at THRIVE!, the North Carolina Homeschool conference, on May 23; and several podcast appearances. No wonder it’s hard to fall asleep at night!
If you are in Charlotte, I hope you can join me at one of the local events. If not, here are three recent interviews. I’m always amazed at the variety of questions each interviewer asks.They are thought-provoking and I love to hear how people are enjoying Katie and Lillian’s journey in Half-Truths.
In March, Rose Cushing interviewed me on her Carolinas Writers Speak podcast. I showed up in my 50s garb, to discover it was only an audio recording! No worries, I made up for it in the following two interviews which you can view in the links below.
Image by Tish Bouvier
My next podcast was with fellow NC SCBWI author, We had a fun, relaxing chat sponsored by the Carolinas Book Fairies.
Image by Tish Bouvier
And most recently, Tish Bouvier posed some tough questions. It was a delightful convesation and can be found on Monarch Book’s YouTube channel. I can’t imagine a more insightful give-and-take with someone who I had just met.
I am thankful for each of these opportunities. Remember, if you are in a book club of five or more people, and recommend that the members read Half-Truths, I will give you a Blue Willow necklace. (You have to read the book to find out the signifigance of Blue Willow!) I will join your club if you are local, or meet with you on Zoom for a book talk.
ALSO!! To celebrate my launch, for the next five months I am waiving school visit fees. If you are an 8th grade or high school teacher or media specialist and you recommend that your school read Half-Truths, I will come for free. Contact me through my website.
I look forward to meeting you locally or through Zoom!
The post ‘Tis the Season… for Podcasts and Book Signings! first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker .
