By Peter E. Tucker
Illustrations by MikeMotz.com

Copyright © 2008

$ 26.90 Hard cover
$ 16.30 Paperback
$ 5.00 Download

32 pages full color

ISBN: 978-0-615-21675-1

All of the pumpkins in Pumpkins Ville are disappearing and the pumpkin farmers are worried about not being able to support their families because unless they find the pumpkin thieves, they will have no crops for sale. Lilly overhears her father and is determined to do something to help him capture the pumpkin thieves. So, Lilly waits until her family has fallen asleep and then sneaks out of the house and goes down to the pond where the largest pumpkins are to wait for the pumpkin thieves. Her plan is to wait until they show up and then scream for her father to come and catch them.

Lilly began to feel very sleepy. Snuggling up next to the pumpkin, she had almost fallen asleep when, suddenly, the huge pumpkin began moving and shaking back and forth. Lilly looked around. No one was there, just she and the pumpkin. Shaking faster and faster, it started sinking into the ground! Lilly quickly grabbed the pumpkin stem and, as she did, the pumpkin started to fall into the earth. She held tightly; she was not going to let it go. Down they both went. Deeper and deeper into the Earth they fell. Faster and faster they both fell. Then, all of a sudden, they were slowly falling through a bright blue sky. They landed on a mound of hay, surrounded by tall grass, in a field. The sun shined above and the sky was a deep blue. Lilly looked around and saw two pumpkins that appeared to be running away from her. These pumpkins had legs, arms and faces! They were trying to get away.

Lilly had just fallen into Pumpkin Bunch Land, where the residents are pumpkins, and they live in houses that look like pumpkins, and they are the ones who are stealing Lilly’s father’s pumpkins. One of the pumpkin people, JayJay, who was trying to run away after Lilly fell through the sky, stops when Lilly asks him to and becomes her guide to Pumpkin Bunch Land. Lilly and JayJay set off to find the King of Pumpkin Bunch Land, but JayJay tells her they must hide from the Jaspers or there will be pumpkins to pay. The Jaspers turn out to be giant rats who have taken over Pumpkin Bunch Land and have enslaved the pumpkin people. If the people do not provide fresh pumpkins for the Jaspers on a daily basis, the Jaspers will eat them. When Lilly meets the King, she is hailed as Princess Lilly Pad of whom it was foretold that she would fall from the sky to save their kingdom.

The King sat in an enormous chair made of pumpkin and began to tell Lilly about how it was written that a princess would fall from the sky and save Pumpkin Bunch Land. He said to Lilly, “You must find the four-leaf clover, pluck it from the ground, and save it in your pocket. When you do this, you will have the powers of the Wizard. It is also written that you will be able to restore the kingdom back to the throne, but you cannot look the Wizard in the eyes. If you do, he will know what you are doing and take the magic from you. Lilly, you must overtake the Wizard without him knowing.”

Lilly chooses JayJay as her consort, and they go off in search of the four-leaf clover and the wizard so they can take back the King’s wand. Lilly and JayJay have to overcome many obstacles, including being attacked by Jaspers, in order to free the kingdom of Pumpkin Bunch Land.

I enjoyed the underlying tale of Pumpkin Bunch, however, found some of the writing a little repetitive. While some repetition is good in a children’s book, it is usually better in the learn to read books, and less necessary in the read-to-me books. Peter Tucker used the illustrative talents of MikeMotz.com, who was featured previously on the LL Book Review, and the illustrations help to move the tale along in a marvelous way. I enjoyed the illustrations so much, that I went to the website and checked out the options that were available. MikeMotz.com has a wealth of information available for self-publishing children’s book authors as well as several illustrative styles to choose from. To give you an additional glimpse of the illustrations in Pumpkin Bunch, below is the illustration for the chapter, Lilly Meets the Jaspers.

Pumpkin Bunch is a fast moving read-to-me tale with lots of adventure to delight a young listener.

Reviewed for the LL Book Review.
____________________________________________________________________________
LK Gardner-Griffie
To buy Misfit McCabe, visit my store at Lulu.com or purchase at Amazon.com
To track Misfit McCabe across the country, visit: Where in the World is Misfit McCabe?
Own a Kindle? Download Misfit McCabe in an instant.
For other e-book formats, visit Smashwords.com
To read book reviews by LK Gardner-Griffie, visit: The LL Book Review

Tilbee Toadlet’s Trip to Town

Illustrations by MikeMotz.com

Copyright © 2008

$ 12.97 Paperback
$ 5.00 Download

20 pages full color

ISBN: 978-0-9822542-6-4

We first encountered the delightful writing of P.J. Cowan in March with the review of Michael O’Brien and the Magic Hat. I was pleased to be able to request another book from Ms. Cowan and asked for her selection. Tilbee Toadlet’s Trip to Town was the book she sent stating it is one of her personal favorites. I always enjoy a chance to read an author’s favorite work, and I certainly was not disappointed.

The title alone had me captured. Even the dedication at the beginning gives you a picture of the author as a warm and loving person.

For all parents and children who love small amphibians and protect the friendly creatures by making their yards and gardens a safe place for them to live and thrive.

Tilbee toadlet was captured as a tadpole by Finny Fain, and raised in an aquarium with his brothers and sisters in Finny’s room, until he grew legs. Every night Frances Fain, Finny Fain’s mother would come in and read bedtime stories to Finny. Tilbee loved hearing the stories and his greatest ambition was to be in a story himself. After hearing the story of the princess and the frog, Tilbee became determined that he would leave the Fain farm so that he could be in a story and maybe even turn into a prince one day. After all, he wasn’t much use as a toadlet.

Tilbee saw his chance when farmer Frank Fain was on his way into town and Tilbee hitched a ride on farmer Frank’s foot. Once in town, Tilbee is captured by Cameron Carter and given to his father, third grade teacher, Carl Carter and taken to school. Mr. Carter gave his class an assignment to write a story about a toad. Tilbee was thrilled. It was his dream come true. He was finally going to be in not only one story, but in many stories. He could hardly wait until school started the next day.

Things didn’t work out exactly as Tilbee had planned as none of the children knew his name and the stories weren’t even about him. And the stories didn’t change who he was. Tilbee realized that he had made a big mistake and wanted to go back home to the farm. Tilbee made it back to the farm and realized there were some lessons learned.

Maybe he did change. He learned that running away wasn’t very smart. He learned that toads can’t become princes. He learned the difference between a story and reality. He learned that the Fain family knew his name; and they really appreciated him. Tilbee Toadlet learned that being a toad isn’t such a bad thing and that he was useful after all.

I truly enjoy alliteration in children’s books which are meant to be read out loud. While I was reading, I could hear the voice of the author in my head reading it out loud. The illustrations come from MikeMotz.com and enhance this delightful story by bringing the words to life with colorful pictures depicting the action. I know that my soon-to-be three year old neice will be enchanted with the story of Tilbee (rumor has it that Grammy may be purchasing it for her soon), and it will be one of the night after night selections for the favored bedtime story.

About The Author

PJ Cowan writes children’s books during fall and winter and is an avid gardener during the spring and summer. She knows Tilbee well, he came to live in her pond three springs ago and stayed to raise a family. She can distinguish his voice from the other amphibians that visit her pond during mating season and hopes he will live a long life and stick around for awhile longer.

Originially reviewed for the LL Book Review.
____________________________________________________________________________
LK Gardner-Griffie
To buy Misfit McCabe, visit my store at Lulu.com or purchase at Amazon.com
To track Misfit McCabe across the country, visit: Where in the World is Misfit McCabe?
Own a Kindle? Download Misfit McCabe in an instant.
For other e-book formats, visit Smashwords.com
To read book reviews by LK Gardner-Griffie, visit: The LL Book Review

Copyright © 2008

$ 11.92 Paperback
$ 5.00 Download

ISBN: 978-0-9822542-3-3

What more fitting way for the LL Book Review to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than with a review of a book about leprechauns. I was delighted to run across P.J. Cowan’s Michael O’Brien and the Magic Hat. Michael is a young leprechaun who, unlike other leprechaun children, was born without magic. So, when Michael turned seven, the Leprechaun council had a tailor make him a magic green hat that when he wore gave him as much magic as any other leprechaun child. Michael would put the hat on his head the moment he woke up in the morning and take it off only to go to bed at night.

One morning Michael decides to skip school so that he can engage in his favorite activity, fishing.

Michael didn’t catch fish because Michael didn’t use a hook. He tied a worm to the string and watched as the fish chased after it. When he was done fishing, Michael would untie the worm, thank it for it’s help and let it go. That was fishing to Michael O’Brien.

On the day he skipped school, while he was watching the fish, a playful breeze came by and stole Michael’s hat. While chasing his hat, Michael is captured by a woodsman because he is unable to become invisible to humans without his hat. Suddenly Michael learns that there are consequences to skipping school.

Michael O’Brien and the Magic Hat provides a fun and adventurous way for children to learn, though Michael’s mistake, the value of going to school. P.J. Cowan provides a wonderful tale for small children that will make a good bedtime story to share with your children or grandchildren. Cowan started telling stories to her own children many years ago to teach and entertain, and finally started putting the stories down on paper for her great-grandchildren. While the tale of Michael and his magic hat is delightful to read, what makes this book stand out from the crowd are the illustrations. Cowan used the illustrative talents of MikeMotz.com and the results speak for themselves. Cowan’s story comes to life in bright colorful illustrations that will captivate the young audience they are meant to entertain. Just look at the example of the picture showing Michael receiving his magic green hat from the Leprechaun council. The picture is bright and happy with lots of color and kindly expressions on the faces of the older leprechauns.

P.J. Cowan has several other stories already published, and I for one am hoping that she has several more in her arsenal to keep us entertained for years.

Originally reviewed for the LL Book Review.