Dream Team by Lisa Ard

by Lisa Ard

Title: Dream Team (Book Two in the Dream Seeker series)
Author: Lisa Ard
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, Boys' Fiction, Sports, Fantasy
Publisher: Write Frame Communications; Lisa Ard
Publication Date: August, 2012
eBook: available in Kindle format
Paperback: Createspace version - 82 pages

Synopsis 

Dream Team is the second book in the Dream Seeker series by author Lisa Ard. In this story, young Patrick Connelly faces the challenges of puberty, with the help of his sister Grace and a few baseball greats! Patrick and his family share a special gift - the ability to make their dreams real. This often causes Patrick some distress - like when he dreams that he has eaten too much ice cream - but in this case, he and his sister share a magical dream that helps Patrick overcome his fear of speaking in public.

The story begins when Patrick dreams that his has lost his voice just as he is about to present a talk to his class on the baseball great, Jackie Robinson. When he awakes, he finds that his voice is changing - he has entered puberty just as he needs a steady voice the most. Fearful of the scorn of his classmates, Patrick avoids speaking that day - and when Grace finds out, she helps Patrick through an amazing dream. She guides him to dream of playing baseball - in a stadium on a cruise ship (it is a dream, you know) - with the likes of Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig among others.

What happens as Patrick plays the game of his lifetime is for readers to find out. This story is engaging, entertaining, well written and will appeal especially to boys - and all of those who love baseball as well!

Comments 

Dream Team is recommended for middle grade readers and would make a great chapter book for independent reading, or as a read-aloud for parents and teachers alike.

As a related activity, this story would also be a great basis for the start of a study on the famed Jackie Robinson - the first black baseball player. As I read Dream Team, I was reminded of another classic - Thank You Jackie Robinson, by Barbara Cohen. After sparking students' interest with Dream Team, other books about Jackie Robinson would be great follow-ups.

What others are saying 

 "An imaginative take on dreaming and dreamers, the family of this story can actually live their dreams, something twelve year old Patrick has yet to learn to control...When puberty comes calling without an appointment, Patrick chickens out on delivering his school book report on baseball legend Jackie Robinson. Later, with a little help from his sister, he learns what his mother means by 'you can't control every situation in life, but you can control how you react to it.' Recommended for young readers, especially boys, this one is a short but entertaining story of family, friendship and growing up." Amanda Richards, an Amazon Vine Voice Reviewer 

"I am enjoying the unfolding of the sibling relationships in this fantastic new series about a family of "dream seekers" who experience their dreams as reality. In Dream Team, Patrick's teenage sister, Grace, coaches him and helps him improve his confidence and dream-seeking skills. I like how Ard creates realistic sibling conversation and conflict. Yes, teenage big sisters can be self-absorbed, but they can have their little brother's best interests at heart once in a while too. Way to go, Lisa Ard!" Robin at Goodreads

About the Author 

From Dream Team: "Lisa Ard leads a dream life in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two children. Her first book, Fright Flight, Dream Seekers Book One received the FlamingNet Top Choice award. Her latest book Saving Halloween won a Kay Snow Writing Award for Young Readers. In addition to writing, Lisa loves visiting schools and hearing from readers."

You can read more about Lisa Ard in a 2011 interview, as well as on her blog, Adventures in Writing and Publishing. Lisa is also available for author visits to schools in the Portland area.

Look for Book Three in the Dream Seeker series - previewed in Dream Team. Hopefully it will be out soon!

Book source

I received my review copy of Dream Team from Lisa Ard.

Copyright 2013 Irene Taylor. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing. 

Skye Rising: The Spirit Agreement

Skye Rising, cover art by Matthew Walker

Title: Skye Rising: The Spirit Agreement
Author: JJ Combes
Genre: Teen Fiction, YA Fiction, Sci-Fi
Publisher: JJ Combes
Publication Date: 2011
eBook: Kindle version available at Amazon; various versions at Smashwords

 Synopsis 

 Skye Rising is the first book by author JJ Combes. In this sci-fi, coming of age story, flawed protagonist and unlikely hero, Felix Skye, confronts not only the ins and outs of his teenage years, but also discovers that he is one of two unwitting warriors, long foretold in the mysterious Spirit Agreement, and his mission is to fight evil and save the world.

To quote JJ Combes in the Amazon book description,

"The world is changing….a mysterious relic is unearthed, bringing the rise of the two most powerful humans ever existed. One, the soldier of 'Death', evil personified and the dark leader of an organisation reeking terror across the world. The other, an unassuming boy, who wants nothing more than normality.

Felix Skye, your average teenage boy, has a destiny far greater than any human before him. Can he overcome the trials and tribulations of his teenage years to help save all he knows and loves.

Time is running out..."

The story is engaging and keeps readers curious as Felix moves through the many challenges that await him. Felix comes to terms with his unwanted powers and their consequences, makes some lifelong friends, and learns to become the Warrior that the world needs him to be to fight the soldier of Death. Through it all, he retains his unassuming demeanor and his sense of humor by keeping these "fantasical" events in perspective.

So - does Felix save the world? Does he learn to master his many powers? Does he save his loved ones and the Earth as well? All is revealed in Skye Rising: The Spirit Agreement. This is a very enjoyable read - and this reviewer looks forward to a sequel!

Comments 

While Skye Rising is an entertaining and enjoyable story that will appeal to teen readers - boys especially, it does have some minor editing distractions that savvy teachers and parents can use to bring about discussion of some basic grammatical tenets. These should in no way diminish the enjoyment of the story, but they can be used to spark short, on the fly lessons about proper word choice, punctuation and other light grammatical issues. As they read, challenge your students to become editors themselves, and find and discuss corrections for some very common grammatical issues.

Besides being an enjoyable chapter book for individual readers, Skye Rising would make a great read-aloud for the middle grades (yes, middle grade students love to be read to, too!) - and it would be a great book to dramatize in a Readers' Theater setting as well.

While a bit rough around the edges, Skye Rising is a soundly written story - so don't be distracted by the editing details. Instead, enjoy the story and use those as a vehicle for further lessons and learning for your reader!

About the Author

JJ Combes is a new writer on the eBook scene. He is "Cornish by birth, and a teacher at heart," according to his book dedication.

Book Source

I received a review copy of Skye Rising from JJ Combes for a fair and unbiased review. My copy was downloaded from Smashwords.

Copyright 2013 +Irene Taylor. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by the author of this blog in writing.