Animals – Page 16 – Sneak Peek Books

Shark Bait

Sam expected to view sea life while on vacation at the Great Barrier Reef. What he didn’t expect was to become shark prey. But when a huge wave hits Sam and another boy, they are swept into the open ocean. Sam must keep himself and his new friend, Michi, from drowning. He also has to worry about the predators that lurk underwater.

When Sam and Michi finally see land, their troubles are far from over. Michi’s foot gets stuck in a giant clam and when Sam goes for help, smugglers throw him in a cage with an angry bird. Sam must figure out a way to escape in time to help Michi get to shore before the tide comes in.

Action-packed suspense will keep readers turning the pages of Shark Bait. Because Sam tells his own story, the reader will be able to relate to his fear and determination. Although Sam seems to have the worst luck in the world, his story is believable. Shark Bait is an easy-to-read story that is sure to entertain.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

A shark attacks Sam. “I felt myself knocked head over heels. The next moment I was upside down, looking back through the inverted V of my splayed white legs . . . I couldn’t believe a real live shark had just head-butted me and then swum away.” When a shark bites the cast on Sam’s foot, Sam “hit my attacker in the eye” and the shark lets go.
During the night, a boat hits Sam. “It spun me around, rolling me helplessly along the hull beneath the water line . . . The hull wacked me again, on the shoulder this time.”
Sam wrestles with a sea snake. “Grabbing its neck with my other hand, I yanked it off my watch . . . It coiled itself into a writhing green football around my wrist and arm, its mouth biting and snapping in my tightly clenched fingers.”
Michi attacks a smuggler, who is holding Sam captive. “Michi darted forward and tripped the smuggler with his stick . . .” Then Michi uses a karate kick. “The toe of Michi’s heavy leather shoe struck him squarely in the temple. Whomp! Baldy went down like a sack of wet cement.”
A smuggler throws a spear at Michi, but no one is injured. Later Michi kicks the smuggler and the man “fell in a heap.”
A smuggler shoots a gun at the boys.
A smuggler tries to stab Sam with a bowie knife. Sam “formed a karate ridge-hand and struck him with all my strength right on the point of his elbow . . . he screamed, dropped the knife, and slid from view.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

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Wishtree

Red, an oak tree, has watched over his neighborhood for generations. As a “wishtree,” people have been putting their wishes on Red’s branches. Through his time watching and hearing people’s wishes, Red has gained much wisdom. Still, people confuse him.

Red’s best friend, a crow named Bongo, and the animals that live in Red’s hollows give Red’s life a sense of meaning. But when a new family moves into the house across from Red, he wishes that he could do something for the sad little girl who sits at the base of his trunk every night.

Red narrates this beautiful story about the complicated nature of friendship. Red comes alive and shines with personality in Wishtree. The story deals with the complicated issue of people who hate, but the themes are dealt with in a kid-friendly manner. Red’s animal friends come alive and bring a touch of humor to the story. Although Wishtree was written for 10- to 14-year-olds, the story will captivate an older audience as well.

Sexual Content

Red explains that he is different than other trees. “Some trees are male. Some trees are female. And some, like me, are both . . . call me she. Call me he. Anything will work.”

Violence

A boy carves the words “leave” into Red’s bark. “I couldn’t tell what he was carving, of course. But I could tell from the determined way he moved that it was meant to hurt.”
Red talks about some things that happen in his neighborhood. “Someone threw raw eggs at the blue house. One afternoon, a car passed by, filled with angry men yelling angry things, things like ‘Muslims, get out!’”
Someone throws raw eggs at Red. “Splat. Splat. Two more times, and the car roared off with a screech of tires.”
Bongo leaves a “large deposit” on the boy who carved the words into Red’s trunk.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

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The Stone Girl’s Story

Mayka and her stone family have always lived on the mountain. Their father, a stonemason, brought them to life by etching stories onto their bodies. But now that her father is gone, the markings are beginning to fade. Mayka and her two bird friends go in search of a stonemason to recarve the stories. As she searches, she learns about the complicated history of stone creations. She also must learn which flesh-people can be trusted—because not all humans are good.

Filled with unique, engaging characters—both stone and flesh—The Stone Girl’s Story explores the importance of making your own decisions and writing your own story. With the power of friendship, Mayka helps other stone creations change their stories, and, in the process, they defeat evil. Through her journey, Mayka shows the importance of words; although she lies, she does so for good reason. She also learns the importance of being brave and how to become the heroine in her own story.

Beautiful descriptions bring The Stone Girl’s Story to life. Mayka retells many stories, which makes some of the action less interesting. Although the ending of the story is action-packed and suspenseful, some readers may have a hard time wading through the first half of the book. However, getting to the end of the book is worth the work because of the lessons learned, the exciting climax, and the hopeful resolution.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

Mayka comes to a stone wall that was created to protect what lies on the other side of it. When Mayka’s bird friend touches the wall, rocks rolled round his feet. The rocks “rolled together to pin him to the wall. As she dug, the rocks rolled against her too, trying to trap her fingers with the bird.”
A stonemason creates a huge stone monster who attacks the city, trying to capture Mayka and her friends. “The monster kicked away the guards, and they sprawled against the building, knocking over fleeing people and capsizing pedestals. The monster charged forward. Each step slammed into the ground and caused the buildings to sway. Tile fell off roofs. Chimneys toppled.” Mayka’s friends attack the monster to distract him while Mayka carves a new story onto his body. The monster then grabs the stonemason that built him and leaves the city, never to return.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

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Supernatural

According to the old legends, great dragons created all flesh-and-blood life.
Stonemasons can carve creatures out of stone and bring them to life. Most creatures are everyday animals such as horses, oxen, or otters, which are used for labor.

Spiritual Content

None

The One and Only Ivan

Ivan once lived in a jungle, now he lives in a small domain at Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. He spends his time watching the people who come by and television shows. Ivan doesn’t think about his life in the jungle, instead, he is content to talk to his friends Stella, an elephant, and Bob, a dog.

Ivan also likes to draw pictures. His favorite thing to draw is a banana. No one seems to understand his art, except for Julia, a little girl who sits outside of his domain in the evenings when her father works cleaning the mall.

Ivan thinks he is content with his life until he meets Ruby, a baby elephant who was taken from her family. Ruby makes Ivan remember what his life was like when he lived in the jungle and what it means to be a silverback—a protector. With the help of his artwork, Ivan hopes to help Ruby escape living in her domain at Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.

Ivan’s first-person narrative is a touching story about Ivan’s friendships and his love of art. Through his eyes, the reader is introduced to how captive animals are treated. Although the story is told with humor, the topic may be upsetting for more sensitive readers. In the end, Ivan and his friends finally have a happy home that will make the reader smile.

Sexual Content

Ivan likes to watch romance shows on the television. “In a romance there is much hugging and sometimes face licking.” Commercials also have people that have people that “face lick.”

Violence

A claw-stick is used to punish elephants when they do not listen to their trainer. “Once Stella saw a trainer hit a bull elephant with a claw-stick. . . when the claw-stick caught in the bull’s flesh, he tossed the trainer into the air with his tusk. The man flew, Stella said, like an ugly bird.”
When poked with a claw-stick, Ruby hits her trainer with her trunk. “. . . I know he must be uncomfortable, because Mack drops the claw-stick and falls down on the ground and curls into a ball and howls like a baby.”
Bob, a dog, “used to have three brothers and two sisters. Humans tossed them out of a truck onto the freeway when they were a few weeks old. Bob rolled into a ditch. The others did not.”
Ivan’s family is killed by humans. “They shot my father next. Then they chopped off their (his family’s) hands, their feet, their heads.” The hands were used to make ashtrays.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Hero Dog!

There’s been a break-in on Orange Street, and 9-year-old reporter Hilde is determined to crack the case. As Hilde begins interviewing witnesses, she soon discovers a string of missing sweets. Cupcakes have disappeared. A pie has gone missing. Many believe that Mr. Macintosh’s dog, Zeus, is the culprit. With the help of her sister Izzy, can Hilde discover the thief’s true identity?

Hero Dog! is a fast-paced mystery designed for younger readers. The story begins with Hilde’s “reporter’s toolbox” that teaches new vocabulary. As she interviews her sources, Hilde shows the importance of being observant and models questioning skills. Illustrations from her reporter’s notebook repeat key details of the story as well as questions she needs to answer. The end of the book has questions and activities that will encourage readers to check for understanding. Readers will want to follow the clues and see if they can solve the mystery along with Hilde. Hilde Cracks the Case: Hero Dog! is an excellent story that has the added benefit of teaching younger readers skills they will use in their daily life.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

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The Royal Island

In book seven of the Tales of Sasha, Wyatt, Kimani, and Sasha are in a race against time. They must make it to the island of royal flying horses where Sasha can meet the King and Queen. As they travel, they must figure out how to find the mysterious island. Then a powerful storm forces them to take shelter on a small island. They have lost their map and are not sure where they are. Will Sasha and her friends be able to find the island and meet the King and Queen?

Younger readers will want to read The Royal Island because the main characters are flying horses. The story’s vocabulary makes The Royal Island easy to read. However, the plot and characters are not well developed. When Sasha finally meets her biological parents, they have a short, unemotional conversation, and then her parents prepare to leave to perform their royal duties. If you are looking for a book with an engaging plot and educational value, you may want to leave The Royal Island on the shelf.

Sexual Content
• None

Drugs and Alcohol
• None

Language
• None

Supernatural
• None

Spiritual Content
• None

Wallace and Grace and the Lost Puppy

Wallace and Grace, best friends and partners in the Night Owl Detective Agency, stumble upon a lost puppy. In an effort to get the puppy home, Wallace and Grace must follow the clues to find out where the puppy lives. With the help of his new friends, the puppy learns about forest animals.

Younger readers will love reading the story of Wallace and Grace. Cute, charming pictures bring the forest alive. The story is engaging and teaches new vocabulary because Grace uses “very big words” and then explains what they mean. The story teaches problem-solving skills and has a lesson at the end: some things are more important than winning.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Inspector Flytrap

A Venus flytrap makes an unlikely detective in the first book of the Inspector Flytrap series. Inspector Flytrap solves big deal mysteries, with his assistant Nina the Goat. On his first case, Inspector Flytrap is called in to figure out what the strange blob is on Da Vinci’s flower painting.

Over the course of the story, Inspector Flytrap is called upon to discover “The Big Deal Mystery of the Stinky Cookies” and “The Big Deal Mystery of the Missing Rose.” As he investigates the clues, he has to keep Nina from eating them.

Inspector Flytrap is full of illustrations that bring the animal characters to life. The silly storyline and funny antics of Inspector Flytrap and his assistant will engage readers.

Sexual Content

When Nina the Goat meets another goat, she said, “William, you are the goat I have dreamed of all my life. Let me kiss you! Kissy-kissy smooch-smooch!”

Violence

Inspector Flytrap and Nina the Goat flee from an angry mob. They escape the mob when they crash into a restaurant. “We crashed into his kitchen. Pots and pans and goats and skateboards and linguini went everywhere.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Inspector Flytrap in The President’s Mane Is Missing

Welcome to Inspector Flytrap’s Detective Agency, home to the world-renowned solver of BIG DEAL mysteries. Inspector Flytrap, a Venus flytrap, works tirelessly with his assistant Nina the Goat, on unsolved cases. Inspector Flytrap is looking for a thrilling mystery to solve. When the President of the United States calls, Inspector Flytrap thinks he has found his mystery.

When the president of the United States Horse G. Horse unveils a huge statue of himself, a huge fly from outer space attacks the city. Detective Flytrap tries to solve the mystery as he assistant Nina eats everything in sight. This story is random and wacky with turkey reporters, talking plants, and a huge space alien fly. This story combines illustrations with humor to create a book for early-chapter readers.

Inspector Flytrap in The President’s Mane Is Missing contains bathroom humor. In the beginning of the book, people keep asking Inspector Flytrap about his bathroom habits. His assistant Nina gets to the top of Horse G. Horse’s statue through an elevator in the horse’s butt. In addition, Inspector Flytrap solves the mystery when he realizes the giant fly has been attracted to Earth because the fly expects the giant horse statue to create “giant poopee.”

Sexual Content

Inspector Flytrap makes plans to have a date and his girlfriend says, “I want to do a lot of kissing tonight.”

Violence

A giant fly is destroying the city’s monuments and causing havoc. “Two of its massive legs—each as big as a telephone pole—reached down and grabbed the two taxicabs.”
A goat eats part of a statue and causes it to crash to the ground. “First it crushed the Capitol Building, then the art museum . . . and lastly, the White House. My statue was no more . . . and the nation’s capital was in ruin.”
A goat partly eats the statue of President Horse. “The enormous rear end of the giant horse fell backwards and crashed on top of the presidential limousine. It landed so hard that the ground shook like we were having an earthquake.”
A furious mob chases after Detective Flytrap. He races off on his skateboard and finds a place to hide.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Happy Go Lucky

Happy Go Lucky lives with his mom at Shoemaker Stables. When Happy is sent to live at Big Apple Barn, his life changes. He must get used to new people, new horses, and a new job as a school pony. With the help of Roscoe, a mouse who repeats the advice of a cat, Happy learns that new things can lead to a happy ending.

Because Happy must learn how to act in a new situation, and how to make new friends, younger readers will be able to relate to the events in Happy Go Lucky. Happy struggles with how to act in his new home. He also learns that he cannot always trust the advice of others, because even when someone isn’t trying to give “bad advice” ponies often want different things.

The book has captivating illustrations and ends with facts about horse terminology. Happy Go Lucky would be a great book for early readers.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Happy’s Big Plan

Happy’s story continues in the second book of the Big Apple Barn Series. Happy is learning what it means to be a school pony. As different people begin riding Happy, he learns that he is going to have to pay close attention to what his rider wants. Learning to listen is hard, but with the help of the other horses and Roscoe, the barn mouse, Lucky is figuring out how to fit into his new home.

Diane’s daughter Ivy wants to ride Happy, but Diane isn’t sure if Ivy is ready to ride such an inexperienced pony. With the help of Roscos, Happy devises a plan to show Diane that he has a special bond with Ivy. Prudence the barn cat makes her appearance in the story and is a fun addition.

With a simple plot, Happy’s Big Plan is easy to read and will capture the attention of horse fans. Black and white illustrations help break up the text and keep readers engaged. The text is easy to read, with short sentences and dialogue that give the horses personality. Happy’s Big Plan will be enjoyed by beginning readers who are fans of animals.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Eva’s Treetop Festival

Eva Wingdale loves her new dairy. By writing in her diary, she tells of her desire to start the first Owelmentary Bloomtastic Festival. Eva wants to organize everything in the spring festival including a fashion show, a talent show, an art show, and a bake-off. However, she soon discovers that she does not have enough time to do everything and must ask for help. With the help of her classmates, the Owelmentary Bloomtastic Festival turns into a hoot of a good time.

Eva’s Treetop Festival is the first book in the Owl Dairies series and is specifically aimed at newly independent readers. Bright and colorful pictures illustrate every page and bring Eva’s world to life. The text is easy to read and has a simple plot.

Younger readers will be able to empathize with Eva as she struggles with her fear of speaking in front of the class, her inability to do everything herself, and her dislike of a “mean” classmate. Eve’s dislike of Sue is clear when she writes that Sue is “always sticking her bat into my business. And she is SO mean. Her name should be Meany MeMearnerson.” In the end, Sue ends up helping make the festival a success.

Sexual Content