Books

SCWBI Summer Reading List could boost kids’ reading ability

ByMichael Thal July 28, 2016

School in Los Angeles begins August 16, 2016. It’s been a long hot summer, so slow the pace a bit, kick back, and read a book. It’s so important that the reading skills of children remain sharp. According to an article in Reading Rocks, “Summer Reading Loss,” thirteen academic studies covering 40,000 students discovered that…

Koolura Series character Leila Marvi speaks out

ByMichael Thal July 27, 2016

Leila Marvi is deaf. She’s also the main character in Koolura and the Mayans, and a secondary character in Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback. She has a few things to say about herself, BFF Koolura Akopyan, and the two novels she appears in. Can you tell us a little about yourself? My name is Leila Marvi….

Modern Day Slavery

ByMichael Thal July 17, 2016

Think the slave trade stopped with the Civil War? Petra knows better. Petra, a beautiful Hispanic girl, just finished a snack with her friend at the Pizza Parlour. When the companions separated, Petra headed home to finish her homework. When she was about to cross the street, powerful hands grabbed, shot her with a taser,…

Heroes of Arcania

ByMichael Thal July 14, 2016

Nova Benson, an Arcania high school student, is big sister to Starling, best friend to Henry, and has teen problems like homework, boy crushes, and hiding a gift she does not want the world to know about. Not even Henry knows Nova is invulnerable and has super strength. But its all for naught when Nova,…

book blogs | science fiction | series books | YA Books | YA fiction

The Lost Knight: The Blitz

ByMichael Thal July 12, 2016

Book Trailer About the Book Title: The Lost Knight Author: Candy Atkins Genre: YA Fantasy How am I supposed to save the world when I’m not strong, not brave, not smart, and not particularly good at most things? I ran away from home the day after my thirteenth birthday when Auntie and her weird friend…

audiobooks | Books | e-book readers | Kindle books | YA Books

How Americans read books in 2016

ByMichael Thal July 11, 2016

As the author of five YA novels, I’m curious how many people out there actually read. According to a 2015 Pew Research Center survey, 72% of American adults read a book last year. That’s a huge decline from a similar study implemented in 1978 when 9 out of 10 American adults claimed to have read…

Alien Invasion

ByMichael Thal July 8, 2016

Tyler Dunsmore, a thirteen-year old boy from Providence, Rhode Island is best friends with Dirk, a powerful wizard from a distant star. Tyler first met Dirk in Brian Wu and Scott Spotson’s first My Wizard Buddy novel. In Target: Earth, number three in the My Wizard Buddy Series, Tyler is kidnapped by the Genzi, evil…

The Teen Reporter

ByMichael Thal July 7, 2016

We all know Lois Lane as a feisty star reporter for the Daily Planet and Superman’s girlfriend. But what was she like as a teenager? Gwenda Bond asked that question and created the Lois Lane series that begins with Fallout. Lois Lane is 16 years old and new to East Metropolis High School. She has promised…

Snow White Was No Angel

ByMichael Thal July 5, 2016

According to Anita Valle in the second book of the Dark Fairy Tale Queen Series, Sneaky Snow White, Snow White was no angel. Though we’d like to think of her as an innocent young woman fleeing for a life threatened by an evil queen, Valle goes beyond the veil of legend and reveals a darker…

The Best Seller

ByMichael Thal July 5, 2016

Maya Smock, an aspiring author, grew up in an orphanage and foster homes. Used and abused, she entered adulthood early taking a job at a Las Vegas bookstore by day and writing her novel, “The Master Race,” at night. When Maya’s book was finished she met a literary agent at a Las Vegas convention….