I absolutely LOVE Skippyjon Jones! Probably because I am the proud dog mom of three beautiful Chihuahuas.

In Judy Schachner's debut, we meet Skippyjon Jones, a Siamese cat who thinks he is a Chihuahua. His momma is constantly trying to teach him how to be a proper cat, but, Skippyjon would rather spend his days pretending.

While playing in his room, Skippyjon manages to bounce from his bed into his closet. Once inside, he is transported to a magical world filled with Chihuahuas that need his help. Can Skippyjon save the day?

I remember falling in love with Skippyjon and sharing this story with a kids club that I visit with my therapy dog. The children laughed the entire time. Skippyjon is a fun character that children and adults of all ages will love.

Cat Nights by Jane Manning tells the enchanting tale of a  witch named Felicity. She has just celebrated her 263rd birthday. This means that she now has the ability to change herself into a cat!

After her first transformation, Felicity starts to notice how different the world is through a cat's eyes. She can see better, run faster and smell things she has never smelled before. Being a cat is amazing!

Every night, Felicity experiences something new in her cat form. But, her fun comes at a price. She is  only allowed to turn herself into a cat eight times. On the ninth time, she
will  not be able to turn back into a witch, but will remain a cat forever!

In  an effort to curb her kitty cravings, her loving aunts cast a spell over  Felicity to diminish her desire for the life of a cat. But does their spell do  more harm than good? Will Felicity ever be able to change into a cat  again?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. The layout of the book is  wonderful and the illustrations are fantastic. One truly feels as if they are  out on a moonlight ramble with Felicity in the cool fall air. Children of all  ages will love this non-spooky Halloween tale for years to come.

Chalk & Cheese by Tim Warnes is the charming tale of a  very unlikely pair of friends. Chalk is a dog that lives in New York City and his best friend is a mouse named Cheese who lives in England. While they appear to have nothing in common, there is one thing that binds them together: their friendship.

Cheese has been sending postcards to Chalk asking all kinds of questions about New York. Does a skyscraper really scrape the sky? Where does  Stuart Little live? Can tractors be spotted driving down the crowded streets?

Instead of merely telling Cheese about the Big Apple, Chalk invites him to come over for a visit. Cheese is thrilled at the idea of getting to spend some quality time with his best friend. At first, he is a bit overwhelmed by all of the sights, sounds...and smells. But, Chalk stands by him through it all and gently guides Cheese on the journey of a lifetime.

I very much enjoyed reading this story. The book layout is very similar to a comic  book, which I thought worked very well for the story. However, I did find some  of the page transitions to be a bit confusing since so much was happening on the  page.

The illustrations are simple, but effective. Children will fall in  love with loyal Chalk and curious Cheese. I believe that children ages 3-7 will  truly treasure this book and its message about the true meaning of friendship.

The Case of the Horrifying Headmaster is the debut book in the Pups series, which follows the adventures of five children…who just happen to be werewolves!

We are introduced to Jessica, an eight year old girl who is disappointed about having to move to a different town. More importantly, she is worried about her new school. What if her fellow classmates discover her secret?

Once a month, on the night of the full moon, Jessica turns into a werewolf. Not the type that you see in scary movies. But a friendly werewolf who loves to run through parks chasing rabbits.

Her father has discovered the perfect place for her moonlight runs: Swanholme Park. However, on Jessica’s first night in the park, she hears the howling of other wolves! Struck with fear, Jessica cannot decide if she should try to meet the wolves or head back home to her safe bed.

Meanwhile, there is a mysterious new headmaster at Sunny Brook Academy: Mr. Alucard. Jessica has noticed that he looks very pale and tries to avoid sunlight at all costs. Plus, children that have been called into Mr. Alucard’s office have ended up disappearing from school for weeks!

Can Jessica help solve the mystery while keeping her secret hidden?

The Case of the Horrifying Headmaster is an intriguing tale of mystery and fantasy. Young readers will enjoy the creative characters and page turning plot.

The Age of Not Believing: A Christmas Tale by Andrew Szlachetko tells the story of Thomas, a young boy who is beginning to doubt the magic of Christmas. His internal struggle comes to a head on Christmas Eve when he is taunted by his fellow classmates for his strong belief in Father Christmas. Angry and confused, Thomas lashes out at one of his tormentors.

As he prepares for bed that evening, he is consumed with feelings of guilt. Where had the joy of the season gone? Why was he so depressed?

Upon falling asleep, he hears voices calling his name. The voices lead Thomas downstairs to the family Christmas tree. As Thomas approaches the tree, he begins to shrink!

He soon finds himself in a strange land known as Semdar. A young boy named Daniel appears and informs Thomas that all children who are of the age of not believing have been captured by the evil witch, Torga. She has placed a powerful spell upon these children that causes them to hate Christmas.

The fate of Semdar is now in Thomas’ hands. Will he be able to rediscover the magic of Christmas in time to save the children of this enchanted land?

I found this story to be mesmerizing from start to finish. Szlachetko does an amazing job of creating a mythical world that is reminiscent of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia. Some portions of the book also remind me of The Nutcracker and Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Szlachetko combines essences of both stories seamlessly.

Patricia Moffett’s illustrations are stunning to behold. The mixture of soft pastels aids in conveying the themes of loneliness, doubt and disbelief. The Age of Not Believing: A Christmas Tale is a wonderful read that will delight people of all ages for years to come.

"Oli Explores London" is the delightful tale of a young boy who is magically transported to London when he receives a bowler hat from his father as a birthday present. Oli meets many people with different jobs, such as a sailor, who take him on a tour of London.

With his guides, Oli explores all of the wondrous sights that London has to offer. He rides on a boat, views the Rosetta Stone and even pops into the Royal Palace for a visit. Just don't tell the Queen!

This story is rich with history of some of the most famous buildings and people in London. The story is told in present tense so that the reader actually feels as if he/she is experiencing the magic right along with Oli. Additionally, the beautiful illustrations will delight children of all ages.

Overall, "Oli Explores London" is a great read for the emergent reader. I cannot wait to see where Oli will travel to next!

Writing has always been my passion.  I love being able to connect with people
through the gift of words.  However, the journey to becoming a published author
is anything but easy.

Much like a college graduate, I entered the publishing arena wide-eyed and ready to put the work in to see my dreams come true.  Upon doing a Google search for publishing companies, I came across Trafford Publishing.  I quickly filled out their online form and submitted my collection of poetry for consideration.

Imagine my excitement when I received an e-mail from Trafford stating that my poetry was wonderful and exactly what they were looking for.  I was sent a contract to sign with the promise of grand things to come. 

For some reason, $1,000 didn't seem like a large price to pay at the time.  My book was published and actually turned out well.  It can be found on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com and is available on Kindle and Nook.  However, I was constantly hounded by foreign speaking employees trying to get me to spend thousands of dollars more on marketing packages.

Needless to say, I cut ties with them immediately.  Now, I am left with a box full of my books and the occasional $1.00 royalty check. 

I have now written my first children's book entitled "Priceless Penny."  This tells the amazing adoption journey of my three-legged dog, Penny.

Once again, I took to Google to help me find the perfect publisher.  I soon discovered Tate Publishing.  My dreams of being a successful author were rekindled.  I could have my very own book trailer...if I was willing to spend the money.

I signed the contract with my head in the clouds, making my dreams appear closer than ever.  While I certainly thought that the $4,000 Tate was asking for was steep, the fact that they were so willing to create a payment plan option for me put my mind at ease.

Thankfully, I began reading some comments from my fellow authors and friends on Goodreads.  I soon found out that both Trafford and Tate Publishing are whats known as "vanity publishers."  Essentially, these are companies that will literally publish ANYTHING as long as they receive payment.  Luckily, I was only $150 in when I cancelled my contract with Tate. 

Like any hopeful author, I began to tirelessly send out over 120 query letters.  Rejection after rejection came pouring in.  Until one day, I received a letter from Martin-McLean Literary Agency, LLC.  My manuscript had been accepted for representation! 

I did research the company on Predators and Editors and found that most of the complaints dealt with the fact that the potential authors' manuscripts had not been accepted.  One author complained that the publishing company that the agency had secured a contract for him/her "wasn't big enough."

I honestly felt like the complaints had no merit.  With the contract signed, my faith in humanity was restored.  I did not mind paying $52 a month to have submission packets mailed to potential publishers.  Most recently, I received a letter from the agency informing me of the Book Expo America.

For $300, the literary agent would attend the conference and speak with at least 30 publishers.  Like Jillian Michaels says, "You need to take risks."  So, I sent in my confirmation letter.  But, something didn't feel right about it.  Why should I have to pay my agent to attend a conference that could possibly guarantee him/her a cut of my profits?

I decided to ask the Goodreads gurus.  They informed me that this is most certainly not the norm.  Once again, I had been duped.  I am greatly frustrated that such people/companies exist.  With all of the information on the Internet, how does one know who or what to believe?  

I have still not given up on my dream of becoming a successful author.  I am now a full fledged member of the SCBWI, which my Goodreads friends have assured me are legit.  Hopefully, fourth time's the charm.