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Time Bound: A Science Fiction Classic

ByMichael Thal

Kate Pierce-Keller finally meets her grandmother after a decade of estrangement from Kate’s mother. Now Grandma Katherine wants Kate to move into her new home close to her high school at Briar Hill. Sixteen-year-old Kate soon learns that Katherine is dying from cancer and has about a year to live. Katherine also shows her a…

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The Sailweaver’s Son- a YA Fantasy

ByMichael Thal

Book Trailer About the Book Title: The Sailweaver’s Son Author: Jeff Minerd Genre: MG/YA Fantasy The Sailweaver’s Son combines traditional fantasy with a dash of steampunk and takes young readers to a unique world—Etherium. A world where mountains rise like islands above a sea of clouds and adventurers travel the sky in sail-driven airships. When…

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An Interview with L.A. Kelley, author of the Sci-Fi series Rimrider

ByMichael Thal

L.A. Kelley is the author of seven fantasy and science fiction adventure novels with smart female characters more comfortable with thinking rather than shooting their way out of a tricky situation. Rimrider is the newest and the first book in the Rimrock Adventures series. The second, Outlaw Jane, is also available with the third due…

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Orange County Children’s Book Festival

ByMichael Thal

Remember the good old days when you could walk into Crown Books, Borders, or Barnes & Noble and browse the tombs for your favorite author or curl up in a corner to check out a fun read? With most bookstores closed, where can a mom purchase books for children and teens besides logging onto Amazon?…

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A Time Travel Tale about the Salem Witch Trials

ByMichael Thal

Netti hung from the hanging tree, her body limp and swinging. It’s 1692 Salem, Massachusets with the infamous witch trials under way. Netti was a sweet and innocent young woman who wouldn’t hurt a fly. Her crime: She knew how to turn herbs into oils. Neighbor Jonas Hale believed the girl was actually brewing potions…

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SCWBI Summer Reading List could boost kids’ reading ability

ByMichael Thal

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…

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Koolura Series character Leila Marvi speaks out

ByMichael Thal

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….

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Alien Invasion

ByMichael Thal

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…