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The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero
Joshua Creed receives disturbing news about his parents, but before he is able to process it, he is flung into a world of intrigue and danger where he must fight for his life and the lives of the inhabitants. He discovers he has secret powers, and the mystery of his eye is revealed, but it isn’t easy being bipolar and only nine years of age. His newly found friends and family help him through his adventure but not before he’s forced to change schools.
The action-packed, fun, and exciting adventures of Joshua begin in this first adventure of his destiny!
The action-packed, fun, and exciting adventures of Joshua begin in this first adventure of his destiny!
186 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 9, 2017
2 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Dawnette Brenner
1 book38 followersDawnette Brenner is a San Francisco Bay Area native, teacher, and aspiring author who is currently evolving her first completed manuscript and crafting a second young adult coming-of-age novel. Her latest project, The Ancient Sacred Tree: Curse of the Faet (Fate), is targeted for publication later this year. Dawnette maintains an active presence across Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
A devoted mother of four adult children and a proud grandmother, she cherishes family time and shares her love of reading through the generations.
Her reading tastes span fantasy, mystery, and romance, and she brings that breadth of perspective into her teaching and writing. When not in the classroom or drafting, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.
Dawnette is an innovative educator who embraces the latest technology in her teaching. She even explored virtual reality as a tool to bring a scene from her book to life. Visit her website to see this project and more.
Her broader passion is advocating for mental health awareness and anti-bullying initiatives in schools. Look for forthcoming work addressing these important topics.
A devoted mother of four adult children and a proud grandmother, she cherishes family time and shares her love of reading through the generations.
Her reading tastes span fantasy, mystery, and romance, and she brings that breadth of perspective into her teaching and writing. When not in the classroom or drafting, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.
Dawnette is an innovative educator who embraces the latest technology in her teaching. She even explored virtual reality as a tool to bring a scene from her book to life. Visit her website to see this project and more.
Her broader passion is advocating for mental health awareness and anti-bullying initiatives in schools. Look for forthcoming work addressing these important topics.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 7, 2019
A boy’s imagination running wild, taking him away from the upsetting reality of divorcing parents, being bullied at school and his inability to control his emotions and temper. All in frantic and nonsensical Alice in Wonderland style. After being greeted into the world of Ice Plants and Norkels by Wormly, Joshua is taken for the savior they have been waiting for and as a true hero does, he rises to the challenge. He must stop Gonthragon, the fire-breathing bat-like king of the Thragons from taking over the world!
As the story is written by Joshua in real time I found some of the language and choice of words a little mature for a twelve year-old. It read more like the actuality; an adult author explaining the thoughts of a child rather than the child themselves giving a glimpse into raw emotions, and it made for an odd mix in places. Personally, if it had been written as a story about Joshua I think the book would have been perfect, but I understand the logic. Looking past that I found this debut book to be an honest-to-goodness charming story and a solid 4 ½ stars. I’m bumping up to a 5 star because I see great potential for the series. It does end quite abruptly and begs the reader to just carry on to the next instalment which is not yet available. I hope more instalments come quickly to take advantage of the momentum. An excellent book for younger YA readers who are either dealing with the same issues as Joshua, or are curious about how it might feel to be in his shoes. I applaud Brenner for tackling the painful and difficult affliction she’s had to deal with in her son on a daily basis with such mirth and frivolity!
As the story is written by Joshua in real time I found some of the language and choice of words a little mature for a twelve year-old. It read more like the actuality; an adult author explaining the thoughts of a child rather than the child themselves giving a glimpse into raw emotions, and it made for an odd mix in places. Personally, if it had been written as a story about Joshua I think the book would have been perfect, but I understand the logic. Looking past that I found this debut book to be an honest-to-goodness charming story and a solid 4 ½ stars. I’m bumping up to a 5 star because I see great potential for the series. It does end quite abruptly and begs the reader to just carry on to the next instalment which is not yet available. I hope more instalments come quickly to take advantage of the momentum. An excellent book for younger YA readers who are either dealing with the same issues as Joshua, or are curious about how it might feel to be in his shoes. I applaud Brenner for tackling the painful and difficult affliction she’s had to deal with in her son on a daily basis with such mirth and frivolity!
October 26, 2020
This book is not my usual genre, but I’ve been following the author on Instagram for some time, so decided to read it anyway. I found the story to be engrossing and imaginative, and the characters warm and believable, in that you could instantly connect to them and their problems. The book tells the story of a young boy suffering from bi-polar and socialisation issues, and the amazing adventures he has in a parallel world.
There was certainly no limit to the author’s imagination in her description of this other world and the strange creatures that lived there, and I could imagine it being thrilling for the age range it is intended to be read by. The vivid descriptions and characterisation of the creatures the main character meets on his adventures, being one of this book’s main strengths.
There was so much I liked about this book, and it made a refreshing change to read a good old-fashioned children’s story, with a hero, a villain, a quest and obstacles along the way, and the author is to be congratulated for taking an established genre and giving it a make-over, producing a tale of crisp originality and form. For that, I award this book a very well deserved four stars.
However, there were things about the book that I felt didn’t quite work, and are the reason why I didn’t give it five stars.
The author’s style of writing did take me a while to get used to. I found it very disjointed and fragmentary, as it jumped from situation to situation, sometimes leaving me confused as to what had just occurred. The characters would be in one location, then, in the next sentence, would be in another, with no explanation as to how they got there. This meant I was constantly going back to re-read to see if I’d missed anything. It took me a while to realise that the author was writing from the viewpoint of the main protagonist, an eight-year-old bi-polar boy. Once I understood that was the case, the writing made a lot more sense, yet still I felt was unnecessarily complicated.
Whilst I could appreciate the motives behind the author’s decision to come at the story from the angle of the main character, and probably, if I’d been a child reading the book, I would have been better equipped to cope with the abrupt gear changes, as an adult I found it very distracting. It is a shame, with just a little more thought to the scene transitions, this would have brought the book up to a new level and gained an extra star from me. A book should sometimes leave its reader confused as to the motives of the characters, but never as to where they are and how they got there.
That small critique aside, the book is a good, solid read, well deserving of four stars, and I’m sure will become a firm favourite with any child who dips into its pages and is swept away on a whirlwind adventure.
There was certainly no limit to the author’s imagination in her description of this other world and the strange creatures that lived there, and I could imagine it being thrilling for the age range it is intended to be read by. The vivid descriptions and characterisation of the creatures the main character meets on his adventures, being one of this book’s main strengths.
There was so much I liked about this book, and it made a refreshing change to read a good old-fashioned children’s story, with a hero, a villain, a quest and obstacles along the way, and the author is to be congratulated for taking an established genre and giving it a make-over, producing a tale of crisp originality and form. For that, I award this book a very well deserved four stars.
However, there were things about the book that I felt didn’t quite work, and are the reason why I didn’t give it five stars.
The author’s style of writing did take me a while to get used to. I found it very disjointed and fragmentary, as it jumped from situation to situation, sometimes leaving me confused as to what had just occurred. The characters would be in one location, then, in the next sentence, would be in another, with no explanation as to how they got there. This meant I was constantly going back to re-read to see if I’d missed anything. It took me a while to realise that the author was writing from the viewpoint of the main protagonist, an eight-year-old bi-polar boy. Once I understood that was the case, the writing made a lot more sense, yet still I felt was unnecessarily complicated.
Whilst I could appreciate the motives behind the author’s decision to come at the story from the angle of the main character, and probably, if I’d been a child reading the book, I would have been better equipped to cope with the abrupt gear changes, as an adult I found it very distracting. It is a shame, with just a little more thought to the scene transitions, this would have brought the book up to a new level and gained an extra star from me. A book should sometimes leave its reader confused as to the motives of the characters, but never as to where they are and how they got there.
That small critique aside, the book is a good, solid read, well deserving of four stars, and I’m sure will become a firm favourite with any child who dips into its pages and is swept away on a whirlwind adventure.
September 18, 2017
The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a hero is both a thrill to read and a joy to be entranced into. Joshua's character is a well written young boy struggling to find himself in his world, only to be pulled into a whole other one. His adventure takes him on a magical journey where he must face his fears of disappointing his family and succumbing to a condition that he has little to no control over. This real world applicable struggle is touched with childish imagination that runs wild as Joshua's ability to help those he loves overpowers any villainous creature he encounters. I encourage all to follow this story of a boy and his choice to own his destiny.
November 19, 2018
Great read! A loving family in the midst of a lot of emotional turmoil! I had a lot of fun reading this one! The author was able to grab my attention through her characters quite well. It is a nice read for all members of the family! Can't wait to read the rest of her novels!
December 22, 2017
Dawnette Brenner captures perfectly the feelings that reside within each of us. The main character, Joshua Creed, is a young boy whose life is filled not only with the uncertainty of growing-up in today’s world but also with the daily challenges he must face because he is bi-polar. With an impending divorce in his family, Joshua feels more lost than ever. That is, until he finds himself thrown into a magical world full of creatures, both good and bad! He is expected to rise to the challenge of being a hero when he doesn’t even feel he can do anything right. He embarks on a magical journey to save a mystical realm and its inhabitants. While there, he discovers things about himself he never knew existed and finds strength within he did not know he possessed. The Ancient Sacred Tree embodies within its pages both a classic story of the battle between good and evil, and a modern, adventure-fantasy story that speaks to the hidden hero within each of us! It is a must read for all!
August 19, 2017
Well strap on your seat belts baby, if you are looking for an escape than this is the book for you. In addition for you mother's out there, this is appropriate entertainment for your young impressionable teens. The underdog saves the day, once again! The characters are ripe with suitable topics that face most families, which makes it completely relevant and relatable. The imaginative use of scenery is both refreshing and hypnotic! There's multiple flavors akin to J.K. Rowling's unique storyline, as well as, the mysteries of Stephen King!
Buy your copy now, you won't be disappointed.
Buy your copy now, you won't be disappointed.
October 16, 2018
‘Divorce isn’t the end of the world, sometimes it’s the entrance to a new one.’ —Darby Raju
California author Dawnette Brenner is also a sixth-grade teacher who promotes reading and writing, as well as critical thinking skills as a robotics and coding club leader. She lives in Union City, CA.
In her very open and sharing manner Dawnette shares her thoughts about this, her debut novel: ‘The story actually came to me in 2006 whilst observing my son, during a time he suffered dreadfully with an episode of mania caused by his bipolar disorder. He used to zone in and out of reality and I became frantic with worry. There were times that he would seem to "escape reality." He also used to go outside, play with his action figures or what seemed like, "imaginary friends." It was during a long stretch of these stringed together that, as a mother, I couldn't imagine anything but a fantastic world that he must be in and the idea was born. To be quite frank, raising my son with this condition was difficult at best. I raised four by myself and was always in search of solutions for this ailment. It's been through my soul-searching, research, family therapy sessions, counseling and constant love for my son, that we were able to make it through. My reasons for writing this book were more to help kids like my son feel "normal," and to not allow the stigma to define their life's journey.’
Dawnette makes her immensely involving and moving story an adventure, incorporationg paranormal aspects to lead stature to her created hero, Joshua Creed. She entreats the reader to become involved in the opening pages- ‘I’m not sure why, but my insides were swollen. I felt like they were going to just explode at any moment. My head throbbed like a thousand hammers had crushed my skull and I felt abandoned, nobody cared about me. Last night, I received the worst news that a child could ever hear: My mother and father were getting a divorce! I’m not sure what I did, but I know it’s my fault. I have problems controlling my emotions, and well, I guess that made them mad at each other. So what was I to do about it? Mom said she couldn’t live with Dad anymore, and well, my dad wasn’t really sure what hit him. So it must be me, right? How would you react if your parents were divorcing for no good reason? Joshua Creed, that’s me, the youngest of my four siblings. The one who, most of the time, noticed my parents’ arguments. Recently, my mother and father had been arguing a lot, and to deal with my anger, I usually always climbed into the world of my imagination. Other worlds, those inside my mind, didn’t have such problems. The people merely battled for their survival. Typically there was a villain, and I was the hero. In the real world, my brother and sisters cared about me, but you wouldn’t know it by watching them. My big brother, Jonah, bossed me around and laughed at everything I did, and my biggest sister, Jada, never let me get near her, let alone hug her. Leilani was closer to my own age of twelve and usually the only one to play with me. She was also a bit bossy, and we had a love-hate relationship. “Hey, what’s the big idea?” I yelled as Leilani toppled on top of my bed. “Did you forget that we have play practice today? You have to get there early to help Mr. Ed put together the set before school,” said my thirteen-year-old sister. “Okay, but get out of here! You didn’t even knock, and I hate it when you just barge into my room!” I yelled. “Mom, she’s in my room again!” My brother and sisters were always bothering me. I don’t think they like me very much. Nobody liked me.‘
And from this credible opening Dawnette develops her plot – ‘Joshua Creed receives disturbing news about his parents, but before he is able to process it, he is flung into a world of intrigue and danger where he must fight for his life and the lives of the inhabitants. He discovers he has secret powers, and the mystery of his eye is revealed, but it isn’t easy being bipolar and only nine years of age. His newly found friends and family help him through his adventure but not before he’s forced to change schools.’
This is one of the finest books allowing entry into the mind of a bipolar child while delivering a superbly crafted, challenging story. Within these pages there is entertainment and enlightenment and a new hero about whom we will be hearing more. This is a very fine debut novel on many levels.
California author Dawnette Brenner is also a sixth-grade teacher who promotes reading and writing, as well as critical thinking skills as a robotics and coding club leader. She lives in Union City, CA.
In her very open and sharing manner Dawnette shares her thoughts about this, her debut novel: ‘The story actually came to me in 2006 whilst observing my son, during a time he suffered dreadfully with an episode of mania caused by his bipolar disorder. He used to zone in and out of reality and I became frantic with worry. There were times that he would seem to "escape reality." He also used to go outside, play with his action figures or what seemed like, "imaginary friends." It was during a long stretch of these stringed together that, as a mother, I couldn't imagine anything but a fantastic world that he must be in and the idea was born. To be quite frank, raising my son with this condition was difficult at best. I raised four by myself and was always in search of solutions for this ailment. It's been through my soul-searching, research, family therapy sessions, counseling and constant love for my son, that we were able to make it through. My reasons for writing this book were more to help kids like my son feel "normal," and to not allow the stigma to define their life's journey.’
Dawnette makes her immensely involving and moving story an adventure, incorporationg paranormal aspects to lead stature to her created hero, Joshua Creed. She entreats the reader to become involved in the opening pages- ‘I’m not sure why, but my insides were swollen. I felt like they were going to just explode at any moment. My head throbbed like a thousand hammers had crushed my skull and I felt abandoned, nobody cared about me. Last night, I received the worst news that a child could ever hear: My mother and father were getting a divorce! I’m not sure what I did, but I know it’s my fault. I have problems controlling my emotions, and well, I guess that made them mad at each other. So what was I to do about it? Mom said she couldn’t live with Dad anymore, and well, my dad wasn’t really sure what hit him. So it must be me, right? How would you react if your parents were divorcing for no good reason? Joshua Creed, that’s me, the youngest of my four siblings. The one who, most of the time, noticed my parents’ arguments. Recently, my mother and father had been arguing a lot, and to deal with my anger, I usually always climbed into the world of my imagination. Other worlds, those inside my mind, didn’t have such problems. The people merely battled for their survival. Typically there was a villain, and I was the hero. In the real world, my brother and sisters cared about me, but you wouldn’t know it by watching them. My big brother, Jonah, bossed me around and laughed at everything I did, and my biggest sister, Jada, never let me get near her, let alone hug her. Leilani was closer to my own age of twelve and usually the only one to play with me. She was also a bit bossy, and we had a love-hate relationship. “Hey, what’s the big idea?” I yelled as Leilani toppled on top of my bed. “Did you forget that we have play practice today? You have to get there early to help Mr. Ed put together the set before school,” said my thirteen-year-old sister. “Okay, but get out of here! You didn’t even knock, and I hate it when you just barge into my room!” I yelled. “Mom, she’s in my room again!” My brother and sisters were always bothering me. I don’t think they like me very much. Nobody liked me.‘
And from this credible opening Dawnette develops her plot – ‘Joshua Creed receives disturbing news about his parents, but before he is able to process it, he is flung into a world of intrigue and danger where he must fight for his life and the lives of the inhabitants. He discovers he has secret powers, and the mystery of his eye is revealed, but it isn’t easy being bipolar and only nine years of age. His newly found friends and family help him through his adventure but not before he’s forced to change schools.’
This is one of the finest books allowing entry into the mind of a bipolar child while delivering a superbly crafted, challenging story. Within these pages there is entertainment and enlightenment and a new hero about whom we will be hearing more. This is a very fine debut novel on many levels.
October 20, 2018
I found “..Birthing A Hero” to be so imaginative you couldn’t helped being caught up in a child’s wonderland. The style of the storytelling was very engaging and energetic just like the main character – nine-year-old Joshua.
The imaginative characters are very vivid and colourful – giant Wormy, the enemy Thorgons – and they really draw you into a child’s escape world. Joshua needs to escape to a world where he is in control and is needed as this is his way of dealing with his parents’ divorce, being bullied at school, dealing with bipolar and being the youngest child in a seeming dysfunctional family. Very well written.
The imaginative characters are very vivid and colourful – giant Wormy, the enemy Thorgons – and they really draw you into a child’s escape world. Joshua needs to escape to a world where he is in control and is needed as this is his way of dealing with his parents’ divorce, being bullied at school, dealing with bipolar and being the youngest child in a seeming dysfunctional family. Very well written.
September 22, 2017
BIPOLAR KID + SUFFERING ANXIETY + GOOD FANTASY/FICTION PLOT LINE = DREAMS COME TRUE
“I was real young. I didn’t know what was going on. I knew dad was missing, but I didn’t know why “
In this action packed novel we went through an adventure with an eight year old boy called Joshua in which he was bipolar and he was suffering anxiety and most of all he tried to defeat the world’s evil.
“Divorce is like two lions attacking in a den. you know somebody is going to get hurt really bad. All kids can do is to sit and watch it happen.”
So we go firstly with the main character, Joshua, who was developed really well by Dawnette Brenner. He was really weak in the beginning of the book and he always pitied himself. Honestly, that was so annoying. but as the chapters progress, so did he. He became so brave and so self handled as well as happy.
In this book we also lived in the mind of an eight year old kid who suffered anxiety and we knew how the real bipolar kid felt which was rare in the YA fantasy/fiction novels.
“The edge of life and the edge of day dreams seamed to collide. Everything in my world was in turmoil. Blackened spirits entered my mind, suffocating my thoughts and feelings”
I LOVED how the setting was changed in this book from being in the normal world and suddenly we were in the imaginary world which was written in a really good way with clarity and simplicity in using the words. but I really needed more description in this book as sometimes in the book the picture of the setting was foggy a little bit in my mind.
“What the heck ?”. I said, witnessing pergita’s body shape shift into a creature with bat-like wings, sharp teeth and claws, and horns atop her head, gritted her teeth. I jumped back and fell over soran. We both toppled to the ground.”
YA novels often bring suspense and this book will have you on the edge of your seat ALL OF THE TIME, while reading it.
Overall this book was a mix of humour, suspense and action who will hook you from the first page you read *so totally add it to your TBR pile*
“There is no such thing as a broken family. Family is family and is not determined by marriage certificates, divorce papers, and adoption documents. Families are made in the heart. The only time family becomes null is when those ties in the heart are cut. If you cut those ties, those people are not your family. and if you hate those ties, those people will still be your family because whatever you hate will always be with you.”
I think this quote described it all. It described the main reason behind writing this book on first place which was valuing your family and knowing the importance of having them in your life which happened to be the major theme of this novel. All in all, family might have hard times sticking together but family is family which was mainly what happened with Joshua in this novel and because of his family he became a totally different person.
THE ANCIENT SACRED TREE: 4.5/5 STARS
THANKS FOR READING
LOVE,
ZEINA.
“I was real young. I didn’t know what was going on. I knew dad was missing, but I didn’t know why “
In this action packed novel we went through an adventure with an eight year old boy called Joshua in which he was bipolar and he was suffering anxiety and most of all he tried to defeat the world’s evil.
“Divorce is like two lions attacking in a den. you know somebody is going to get hurt really bad. All kids can do is to sit and watch it happen.”
So we go firstly with the main character, Joshua, who was developed really well by Dawnette Brenner. He was really weak in the beginning of the book and he always pitied himself. Honestly, that was so annoying. but as the chapters progress, so did he. He became so brave and so self handled as well as happy.
In this book we also lived in the mind of an eight year old kid who suffered anxiety and we knew how the real bipolar kid felt which was rare in the YA fantasy/fiction novels.
“The edge of life and the edge of day dreams seamed to collide. Everything in my world was in turmoil. Blackened spirits entered my mind, suffocating my thoughts and feelings”
I LOVED how the setting was changed in this book from being in the normal world and suddenly we were in the imaginary world which was written in a really good way with clarity and simplicity in using the words. but I really needed more description in this book as sometimes in the book the picture of the setting was foggy a little bit in my mind.
“What the heck ?”. I said, witnessing pergita’s body shape shift into a creature with bat-like wings, sharp teeth and claws, and horns atop her head, gritted her teeth. I jumped back and fell over soran. We both toppled to the ground.”
YA novels often bring suspense and this book will have you on the edge of your seat ALL OF THE TIME, while reading it.
Overall this book was a mix of humour, suspense and action who will hook you from the first page you read *so totally add it to your TBR pile*
“There is no such thing as a broken family. Family is family and is not determined by marriage certificates, divorce papers, and adoption documents. Families are made in the heart. The only time family becomes null is when those ties in the heart are cut. If you cut those ties, those people are not your family. and if you hate those ties, those people will still be your family because whatever you hate will always be with you.”
I think this quote described it all. It described the main reason behind writing this book on first place which was valuing your family and knowing the importance of having them in your life which happened to be the major theme of this novel. All in all, family might have hard times sticking together but family is family which was mainly what happened with Joshua in this novel and because of his family he became a totally different person.
THE ANCIENT SACRED TREE: 4.5/5 STARS
THANKS FOR READING
LOVE,
ZEINA.
April 12, 2018
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero is a mythological adventure fantasy novel for children and young adults written by Dawnette Brenner. Joshua’s mom and dad were getting divorced. It was absolutely the worst news he could ever imagine receiving, and what made it even harder to bear was that he was convinced that it was his fault. His brother and sisters hadn’t seemed to notice how much their parents had been arguing lately, but Joshua, being the youngest, had, and he found escaping into fantasy worlds had helped him cope with the anger and anxiety he felt building up within him. Joshua had gotten more control over his anger lately, even if kids at school knew exactly which buttons to push, but Terrence was another matter entirely. The two of them seemed to set each other off without even doing anything. Joshua’s mom had helped him discover the causes for his anger. He was bipolar, like his dad. He could be happy and suddenly get set off in the opposite direction. Escaping into fantasy worlds helped a lot, but when he slipped in some ice plants on his way to school that morning, Joshua found himself in a world that only he could save.
Dawnette Brenner’s mythological adventure fantasy novel for children and young adults, The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero, is a fast-paced and exciting story that deftly merges fantasy and reality. Joshua is the consummate hero; he has his flaws and foibles, but he has the courage and heroic inclinations that allow him to get past his own issues and work to save the inhabitants of the Land of the Ice Plants. Brenner’s plot also admirably addresses both the issue of divorce and its impact on children, and the difficulties kids with bipolar disorder face in coping with everyday life. The Ancient Sacred Tree has a grand plot, and it is beautifully written. Brenner’s characters are sharply delineated, and her fantasy world works very well indeed. The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero is most highly recommended.
The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero is a mythological adventure fantasy novel for children and young adults written by Dawnette Brenner. Joshua’s mom and dad were getting divorced. It was absolutely the worst news he could ever imagine receiving, and what made it even harder to bear was that he was convinced that it was his fault. His brother and sisters hadn’t seemed to notice how much their parents had been arguing lately, but Joshua, being the youngest, had, and he found escaping into fantasy worlds had helped him cope with the anger and anxiety he felt building up within him. Joshua had gotten more control over his anger lately, even if kids at school knew exactly which buttons to push, but Terrence was another matter entirely. The two of them seemed to set each other off without even doing anything. Joshua’s mom had helped him discover the causes for his anger. He was bipolar, like his dad. He could be happy and suddenly get set off in the opposite direction. Escaping into fantasy worlds helped a lot, but when he slipped in some ice plants on his way to school that morning, Joshua found himself in a world that only he could save.
Dawnette Brenner’s mythological adventure fantasy novel for children and young adults, The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero, is a fast-paced and exciting story that deftly merges fantasy and reality. Joshua is the consummate hero; he has his flaws and foibles, but he has the courage and heroic inclinations that allow him to get past his own issues and work to save the inhabitants of the Land of the Ice Plants. Brenner’s plot also admirably addresses both the issue of divorce and its impact on children, and the difficulties kids with bipolar disorder face in coping with everyday life. The Ancient Sacred Tree has a grand plot, and it is beautifully written. Brenner’s characters are sharply delineated, and her fantasy world works very well indeed. The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero is most highly recommended.
October 23, 2017
"I really didn't understand at first. But as the years went by, I thought it was my fault. It was a very confusing time for me. "
I love reading Fantasy genre books and this one is one of them. The story-line is amazing and if you love fantasy too then its a must buy. Now lets talk about the book.
The story is about an 8 year boy named Joshua who was bipolar and suffering from anxiety. His world crashes when his parents divorce each other. Frustrated from his life he always used to daydream about imaginary worlds where no problem existed. His adventure begins when he suddenly falls down while going to school.
Joshua is depicted as a weak and lonely child who never made a friend in school. But as the story progresses, so does his character. The story is all about Joshua being transported from his world to the imaginary world , called the world of Ice Plants, in order to save it from the evil powers. Why was only he chosen in order to save the ice plants ? What special abilities he had? Go read the novel and know the answer to these questions.
I really loved how the author described everything in detail. Her work is written in such a good way with simplicity and clarity. This novel is full of fantasy elements and suspense and you won't be able to put down the book without finishing it.
Also a very important message was conveyed by the author of valuing one's family and knowing their importance in our life.
“There is no such thing as a broken family. Family is family and is not determined by marriage certificates, divorce papers, and adoption documents. Families are made in the heart. The only time family becomes null is when those ties in the heart are cut.If you cut those ties, those people are not your family. and if you hate those ties, those people will still be your family because whatever you hate will always be with you.”
I love reading Fantasy genre books and this one is one of them. The story-line is amazing and if you love fantasy too then its a must buy. Now lets talk about the book.
The story is about an 8 year boy named Joshua who was bipolar and suffering from anxiety. His world crashes when his parents divorce each other. Frustrated from his life he always used to daydream about imaginary worlds where no problem existed. His adventure begins when he suddenly falls down while going to school.
Joshua is depicted as a weak and lonely child who never made a friend in school. But as the story progresses, so does his character. The story is all about Joshua being transported from his world to the imaginary world , called the world of Ice Plants, in order to save it from the evil powers. Why was only he chosen in order to save the ice plants ? What special abilities he had? Go read the novel and know the answer to these questions.
I really loved how the author described everything in detail. Her work is written in such a good way with simplicity and clarity. This novel is full of fantasy elements and suspense and you won't be able to put down the book without finishing it.
Also a very important message was conveyed by the author of valuing one's family and knowing their importance in our life.
“There is no such thing as a broken family. Family is family and is not determined by marriage certificates, divorce papers, and adoption documents. Families are made in the heart. The only time family becomes null is when those ties in the heart are cut.If you cut those ties, those people are not your family. and if you hate those ties, those people will still be your family because whatever you hate will always be with you.”
April 12, 2018
The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero by Dawnette Brenner is an adventurous tale of a twelve-year-old boy. Joshua Creed is the youngest of four siblings. He doesn’t think they like him much; for that matter, he doesn’t feel that anyone really likes him. Joshua is socially awkward; he constantly gets into trouble at school and, to top it off, his parents are divorcing! He hates his life. To cope, Joshua escapes into his imagination. He enters a world where he is needed, a place where he is brave. In this bizarre fantasy realm, Joshua discovers his importance. He is the key to an ancient prophecy; his role is to save the world. Traveling between two worlds, Joshua learns the value of family and friends, and that deep within him is the spirit of a hero.
Dawnette Brenner uses her real life as a platform to create the fantasy of The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero. The narrative is written in the first person, providing the point of view of the child protagonist. However, it doesn’t always sound like a child. The story portrays the difficulties of being a misunderstood child; several of the chapters begin with a quote from children of divorce. Brenner captures the imagination of a child by taking you into the world of make-believe, a realm filled with strange creatures and ancient powers. The setting traverses from fantasy and reality quickly, time lapses in leaps and bounds. Emotions peak and ebb as pain is the means to travel between worlds. Facing the conquest before him, “the edge of life and the edge of daydreams seemed to collide,” as the hero’s character develops and grows. This book is a great tool for a parent trying to understand a troubled child. As for the child reader, I hope the takeaway would be that you can handle any adversity in life with the help of your family.
Dawnette Brenner uses her real life as a platform to create the fantasy of The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero. The narrative is written in the first person, providing the point of view of the child protagonist. However, it doesn’t always sound like a child. The story portrays the difficulties of being a misunderstood child; several of the chapters begin with a quote from children of divorce. Brenner captures the imagination of a child by taking you into the world of make-believe, a realm filled with strange creatures and ancient powers. The setting traverses from fantasy and reality quickly, time lapses in leaps and bounds. Emotions peak and ebb as pain is the means to travel between worlds. Facing the conquest before him, “the edge of life and the edge of daydreams seemed to collide,” as the hero’s character develops and grows. This book is a great tool for a parent trying to understand a troubled child. As for the child reader, I hope the takeaway would be that you can handle any adversity in life with the help of your family.
April 22, 2018
Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero by Dawnette Brenner is a strong children's fantasy novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. On the surface, the story seemed like the usual children's book, but once I started reading I realized that it was so much deeper than I initially thought it to be. With themes of mental illness running through the center of the story, the novel lightly addresses some serious issues that are plaguing young people's minds at the moment.
This is the story of Joshua Creed, a twelve-year-old boy who suffers from bipolar disease. Finding it hard to adapt to his current condition, coming to terms with the situation in his family, and fighting to make friends and fit in, Joshua has no idea how he will survive. To make things worse, he is suddenly thrown into a magical new world where he discovers that he has powers he had no idea he possessed. Now he must use his powers, master them, and help the people or else they will suffer. Does he have what it takes to fight pure evil? Can he overcome his own struggles and become what he is needed to be?
Fast-paced and craftily handled, the story is intense and had me wishing for more pages when I realized that I had reached the end. I wanted to know more about Joshua, I wanted to see what happened next, and I wanted to know how he felt. What really surprised me was how well the descriptions were written. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Dawnette Brenner gave Joshua a realistic appeal and gave him character. He was as mature as he should have been, yet still had the innocence that he should have had. Very enjoyable and entertaining. The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero is a real winner!
The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero by Dawnette Brenner is a strong children's fantasy novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. On the surface, the story seemed like the usual children's book, but once I started reading I realized that it was so much deeper than I initially thought it to be. With themes of mental illness running through the center of the story, the novel lightly addresses some serious issues that are plaguing young people's minds at the moment.
This is the story of Joshua Creed, a twelve-year-old boy who suffers from bipolar disease. Finding it hard to adapt to his current condition, coming to terms with the situation in his family, and fighting to make friends and fit in, Joshua has no idea how he will survive. To make things worse, he is suddenly thrown into a magical new world where he discovers that he has powers he had no idea he possessed. Now he must use his powers, master them, and help the people or else they will suffer. Does he have what it takes to fight pure evil? Can he overcome his own struggles and become what he is needed to be?
Fast-paced and craftily handled, the story is intense and had me wishing for more pages when I realized that I had reached the end. I wanted to know more about Joshua, I wanted to see what happened next, and I wanted to know how he felt. What really surprised me was how well the descriptions were written. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Dawnette Brenner gave Joshua a realistic appeal and gave him character. He was as mature as he should have been, yet still had the innocence that he should have had. Very enjoyable and entertaining. The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero is a real winner!
September 22, 2017
Excited to be writing a review of my own book, what else would I give it? I wrote it!
A personal story told from my heart, one that touches home. Joshua Creed a young boy who's advanced, adventurous and troubled and travels through a fantastic wild and imaginative journey, a huge undertaking to discover his value. Birthing this hero will have you turning pages, laughing and scratching your head. Strange exciting creatures, amazing new worlds are all wrapped up in this fantasy-filled story of great characters. This is just the first book in the series of The Ancient Sacred Tree Chronicles, another will be coming out next year.
Definitely worth reading.
A personal story told from my heart, one that touches home. Joshua Creed a young boy who's advanced, adventurous and troubled and travels through a fantastic wild and imaginative journey, a huge undertaking to discover his value. Birthing this hero will have you turning pages, laughing and scratching your head. Strange exciting creatures, amazing new worlds are all wrapped up in this fantasy-filled story of great characters. This is just the first book in the series of The Ancient Sacred Tree Chronicles, another will be coming out next year.
Definitely worth reading.
August 3, 2018
The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero
By Dawnette Brenner
Joshua Creed is a young boy, eight years old, who in real life has to contend with Bi-Polar disorder, school bullying and the divorce of his parents. He’s troubled and life is difficult for him, but he has a fantastic imagination. It takes him to a fantasy world filled with some good and friendly, and some frightening and alarming creatures.
In this fantasy world, Joshua is told he has to save their world, that it’s been prophesised he would come to them. Joshua battles the evil Gonthragon and along the way discovers his own worth.
I understand that the author, Dawnette Brenner, is planning a series under the title of The Ancient Sacred Tree Chronicles.
I think this is definitely worth a read for young people who feel overwhelmed with life, like Joshua, so they can discover that everyone is valued.
By Dawnette Brenner
Joshua Creed is a young boy, eight years old, who in real life has to contend with Bi-Polar disorder, school bullying and the divorce of his parents. He’s troubled and life is difficult for him, but he has a fantastic imagination. It takes him to a fantasy world filled with some good and friendly, and some frightening and alarming creatures.
In this fantasy world, Joshua is told he has to save their world, that it’s been prophesised he would come to them. Joshua battles the evil Gonthragon and along the way discovers his own worth.
I understand that the author, Dawnette Brenner, is planning a series under the title of The Ancient Sacred Tree Chronicles.
I think this is definitely worth a read for young people who feel overwhelmed with life, like Joshua, so they can discover that everyone is valued.
November 11, 2018
Some other reviewers enjoyed more than I did the juxtaposition of the two worlds; I can understand how one world is deliberately more adult than one might expect for a child of this age, and the other is more childish than one might expect for a child of this age; I just didn’t enjoy it very much.
It would be akin to Harry Potter spending every other chapter not only at the Dursleys’ not even just not doing magic, but also dealing with very muggle stuff in a very muggle way, without so much of the “when worlds collide” tension we normally get to enjoy in magical-and-muggle crossovers in most such books (the children from Narnia showing up back at their school with swords and a giant lion; some orcs escaping from Elidor into Manchester City centre; some humans getting drawn into a conflict between previously disguised vampires, that sort of thing).
The treatment of bi-polar disorder in this work is certainly interesting, and incontestably presents a new angle that I’m sure even readers with bi-polar disorder won’t have encountered before.
It would be akin to Harry Potter spending every other chapter not only at the Dursleys’ not even just not doing magic, but also dealing with very muggle stuff in a very muggle way, without so much of the “when worlds collide” tension we normally get to enjoy in magical-and-muggle crossovers in most such books (the children from Narnia showing up back at their school with swords and a giant lion; some orcs escaping from Elidor into Manchester City centre; some humans getting drawn into a conflict between previously disguised vampires, that sort of thing).
The treatment of bi-polar disorder in this work is certainly interesting, and incontestably presents a new angle that I’m sure even readers with bi-polar disorder won’t have encountered before.
October 16, 2018
The Ancient Sacred Tree: Birthing a Hero by Dawnette Brenner is a great book for kids that addresses many issues from divorce, bipolar and growing up. Joshua is a nine year old boy who suffers from being different, he is tormented not only at school, but has a hard time at home as well. That is until a fated day when he trips over a stroller coming at him on the sidewalk, blacks out and lands in the world of the Ice Plants. This is such a fun book for kids, filled with adventure, and the backstory of building up one's self esteem. Joshua is really a relatable kid with all of his problems, that many can relate to. The author does a fantastic job of creating an imaginary world with colorful descriptions and interesting, fun characters. Overall, a great book for anyone with a vivid imagination from kids to adults as well. Highly recommend.
March 18, 2019
Joshua’s story is one we can all relate to at one point or another in our lives. This story had a lot of heart & is unlike anything I’ve read before. I truly enjoyed Dawn’s writing & can’t wait to read more from her!
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