Power Forward (Zayd Salem, Chasing the Dream) by Hena Khan: Book Review

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Book received at no charge to facilitate review.

Zayd knows he must practice hard and often to make the gold basketball team, especially since he's smaller than the other guys on the team. Unfortunately, skipping orchestra practice to sharpen his skills does nothing to advance his goals.

When his mother finds out Zayd has traded his violin for basketball, she grounds him for the two weeks leading to try outs. Not only is he not allowed to play basketball, he's not even allowed to talk about it. Even worse, his punishment doesn't end until after try outs, meaning he will have to miss them. Zayd's Pakistani-American family lends support in distinct generational ways but will their firm but loving stance be enough to get him through? In the end, honesty and understanding on both sides endears the reader to Zayd and his family. 

A solid start for the series, Power Forward will have the young reader wondering what happens next.

★★★★☆

Publishing Information:

Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (May 8, 2018)

ISBN: 978-1-5344-1198-2

Ages 6-11

This book can be purchased on Amazon

BOOK REVIEW: Firefly Hollow by Alison McGhee, Illus. by Christopher Denise

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Disclosure: Book received at no charge for review purposes.

Firefly wants nothing more than to fly to the moon. Cricket wants to play baseball, not just sing about it. He hopes to become the cricket version of Yogi Berra, the greatest catcher in the world. In order for Firefly and Cricket to accomplish their dreams, they must venture beyond their nations. After disregarding the advice of their elders, Firefly and Cricket set off on their adventure and meet Vole, a river vole who also dares to dream. He dreams of sailing to where the river meets the sea. They also meet a boy named Peter they refer to as a "miniature giant" who desperately needs friends after the loss of his best friend.

Carefully developed characters come together to help each other accomplish their dreams and to catch each other when they fall short. Together, the unique mix of characters help heal a boy's broken heart. Denise's amazing artwork projects the warmth and friendship the sweet story deserves. A fitting classroom read aloud that belongs on the classics shelf with the likes of Charlotte's Web and The Wind in the Willows. I consider it an honor to recommend this novel to my readers.

Rating ★★★★★

Publishing Information: 

Publisher: Antheneum Books for Young Readers (Aug. 18, 2015)

ISBN: 978-1442423367

Ages: 8-12

This book can be purchased from the following retailers:

Book Review: Fluff Dragon (Bad Unicorn Book 2) by Platte F. Clark

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Book received at no charge to facilitate my review.

Fresh off the defeat of a killer unicorn, Max Spencer and his friends want nothing more to return home. Instead they are trapped in the magical world of Margus. Unfortunately, Max is the only one who can read the Codex of Infinite Knowability so when it stops working, he has to figure out how to reboot it before he and his friends can return.

Max, his friends, and a cast of zany characters must thwart the evil Rezormoor Dreadbringer, who wants to acquire the Codex and find the recipe for reproducing a fluff dragon, a creature essential for making hair pieces for the powerful men of the kingdom. The humor in the first part of the book makes it hard to take the plot serious but it ends up working in the end. The reader will get plenty of laughs while still recognizing the danger for Max and his group.

Book 2 of the Bad Unicorn Trilogy, Fluff Dragon is a case where the second installment is better than the first.

Publishing Information

Publisher: Aladdin (4/14/2014)

Pages: 384

Ages:8-12

ISBN-13 9781442450158

Rating:  Recommended ★★★★☆

This book can be purchased at the following retailers.