Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category
Amanda in Alberta: The Writing on the Stone by Darlene Foster #bookreview #TuesdayBookBlog #MG #mystery
Posted on: November 20, 2020
- In: Books | reviews
- 22 Comments
I am delighted with this review of Amanda in Alberta: The Writing on the Stone from Teri Polen. I love it when someone is enthusiastic about my home province.
Amanda is delighted to show Leah aaround Alberta during her visit from 
England. They take in the Calgary Stampede, go on a cattle drive, visit Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, spend time with the dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrrell Museum and explore the crazy Hoodoos.When Amanda finds a stone with a unique mark on it, she doesn’t think it’s important until everyone seems to want it – including a very ornery cowboy. Is this stone worth ruining Leah’s holiday and placing them both in danger? Spend time with Amanda as she explores her own country while attempting to decipher the mysterious writing on the stone and keep it from those determined to take it from her.
This is my first time ‘meeting’ Amanda and while there are several books in the series, I chose this one because I traveled to Calgary earlier this year and visited some of the places mentioned in…
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Smorgasbord Children’s Cafe and Bookstore – Share your review – Darlene Foster reviews The Jigsaw Puzzle King by Gina McMurchy-Barber
Posted on: October 21, 2020
- In: Books | guest posts | reviews
- 10 Comments
I’ve read some great books this year. I’m so pleased Sally Cronin is featuring this one on the Smorgasbord Children’s Cafe and Bookstore along with my review.
Welcome to the series where you can share your reviews for any children’s books you have read recently and posted on your blog, Amazon, Goodreads or any other online bookstore. If you would like more details here is the post that explains how it works:Showcasing Children’s books
This week a review for children’s author Darlene Foster for The Jigsaw Puzzle King by Gina McMurchy-Barber
About the book
When you’re new in school, all you want is to fit in. When eleven-year-old Warren and his family move to a new city, his twin brother, who has Down syndrome, attracts too much attention for Warren’s liking. Bennie’s different and doesn’t care about it. But while Bennie may be oblivious to those who are curious or uneasy with him, Warren notices every smirk, comment, and sideways glance.
Warren is weary of flip-flopping between trying to be just like everyone else and…
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My Summer of Books by a Teacher
Posted on: September 4, 2020
- In: Books | reviews | Writing
- 55 Comments
I enjoy following Jennie Fitzkee, a preschool teacher in New England. I have featured her here on my blog. She believes in the power of reading out loud to children of all ages, including reading chapter books to preschoolers. Jennie recently posted about the books she read this summer, which included great picture books as well as some chapter books. And guess what, she included Amanda in Alberta: The Writing on the Stone! I was delighted that she enjoyed the story and wrote a good review. I’m included with some pretty awesome authors too.
This is part of what she wrote:
Amanda and Leah see the Calgary Stampede (a rodeo), go on a cattle drive, visit Buffalo Jump, and the dinosaur museum. These adventures are intertwined with a mystery- Amanda finds a stone, which people seem to want, one cowboy in particular. Amanda is curious about the markings on the stone and is determined to learn more. She is the modern day Nancy Drew, and her sleuthing proves to be both dangerous and exciting at times.
Please read the rest of her post.
Smorgasbord Children’s Cafe and Bookstore – Author Reviews – #YAAdventure Darlene Foster, #Children’s #Kindness Dawn Doig – #Horses Deanie Humphrys-Dunne
Posted on: August 9, 2020
- In: Books | guest posts | reviews | Spain
- 31 Comments
Amanda in Spain: The Girl in the Painting is getting some international attention recently. The book is being featured on Sally Cronin’s (from Ireland) Smorgasbord Children’s Cafe and Bookstore today with a superb review by Balroop Singh from the USA. Read the article and review here
A Spanish participant in an English speaking program I recently volunteered for, (more on that later) ordered a copy to help him with his English reading skills. He was delighted to receive it from amazon.es in two days.
I am delighted to see that this book is still very popular. I wrote it before I moved to Spain!
- In: Books | reviews | Writing
- 31 Comments
Attention authors of children´s books! A great place to showcase your work and get the word out. Many thanks to Sally Cronin for putting this together.
Welcome to the new Children’s Cafe and Bookstore where authors with books suitable for ages up to 12 can share their work and reviews.
It is very difficult to market and books at the current time without physical launches, particularly for children’s books with many in print versions only.
The authors with books suitable up to 12 years old will have separate entries for their children’s books in this new Cafe but will still retain their entries in the main bookstore with a selection of all books they may have.
Getting into the bookstore
If you are already an author in the bookstore then I will automatically share your children’s books in this directory.
If you are not already in the Cafe and Bookstore please email me with the following to sally.cronin@moyhill.com
- Link to Amazon for the book( and even if you have one book please set up an…
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Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – Share an Extract from your Latest Book – #Children’s – Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action by Darlene Foster
Posted on: June 16, 2020
- In: Books | guest posts | reviews | Writing
- 15 Comments
Once again, the amazing Sally Cronin has been busy promoting other authors. She recently featured an extract and a great review for Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action on her blog. If you haven´t seen it, check it out. Thanks, Sally!!
Welcome to the series where authors in the Cafe and Bookstore an extract from their most recent book. If you are in the Cafe, and would like to participate you can find all the details here:Share an Extract
Today’s author is Darlene Foster sharing an extract from her most recent book in the Amanda travel series – Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action.
About Amanda in Holland
Amanda is in Holland to see the tulips with her best friend, Leah; as well as travelling the canals of Amsterdam, visiting Anne Frank House, checking out windmills and a wooden shoe factory, and taking pictures of the flowers of Keukenhof Gardens. She is keen to find out what happened to her great uncle who never returned from WWII and was declared missing in action. What she doesn’t expect to find and fall in love with is Joey, an abandoned puppy…
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Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – Share an Extract – #Childrens Amanda on the Danube by Darlene Foster
Posted on: May 3, 2020
- In: Books | guest posts | reviews | Travel | Writing
- 24 Comments
Grateful to Sally Cronin for featuring an excerpt from Amanda on the Danube: The Sounds of Music as well as a fabulous review. I wrote this book in the middle of a move to another country. Writing the story kept me grounded and sane as we settled in and learned to live within a new culture. You can see why this book has a special place in my heart. Enjoy.
Welcome to the new Cafe and Bookstore New Series 2020 – Share an Extract with an opportunity to show one of your earlier books some love and attention by sharing an extract.. Check out the above link for all the details.
Author Darlene Foster shares an extract from the adventure for Amanda on the Danube: The Sounds of Music. Amanda finds herself on the Danube helping a homeless young musician.
About Amanda on the Danube – The Sounds of Music
Twelve-year-old Amanda Ross finds herself on an elegant riverboat with her bestie, Leah, cruising down the beautiful Danube, passing medieval castles, luscious green valleys and charming villages. When she is entrusted with a valuable violin by a young, homeless musician during a stop in Nuremburg, another boy immediately tries to take it from her. Amanda tries to keep the precious violin safe for the poor prodigy, and along…
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Happy Birthday Sale!
Posted on: March 4, 2020
- In: Books | reviews | Travel
- 53 Comments
I have a birthday coming up soon. Didn´t I just have one? They sure seem to come around quickly these days. To celebrate I am offering the e-version of Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action for 99 cents USD, or equivalent, from March 4 to March 11, 2020.
It’s a quick read and will transport you to Holland without you having to get on an airplane, bus, train, or boat.
Here is a 5 star review by Debra Purdy Kong
Amanda in Holland is a story about a thoughtful, adventurous Canadian girl with a strong moral compass and a quest to do what’s right. Those traits are certainly highlighted during Amanda’s trip to Amsterdam to visit her friend, Leah. Mishaps and mysteries test their friendship when Amanda goes to great lengths to locate the abandoned puppy she found, but then lost to a thief.
The vivid narrative provides readers with a vibrant atmosphere filled with color and movement that makes me want to visit the city all over again. Descriptions of landmarks and local cuisine fully immersed me in the story.
The book’s not only entertaining but educational for younger readers as the ramifications of World War II on Dutch citizens are introduced in the book. The author creates a personal element for Amanda when she learns that her great uncle was a soldier who went missing in Holland during the war.
At age twelve, Amanda has reached an interesting age. Part of her seems mature for her age, yet part of her is still childlike, and sometimes the two states of mind are at odds. Although she always has good intentions, her methodology lands her into scrapes. There’s no doubt that readers of all ages will enjoy reading this book and the other six in the series.
Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action is available on most sites including:
Look for these scenes in the book.
If you read the book and enjoy it, let me know.
Copyright © 2020 darlenefoster.wordpress.com – All rights reserved
Happy Days!
Posted on: February 25, 2020
- In: Books | Dreams | reviews
- 46 Comments
There are many things that make me happy, but as a writer, good reviews and happy readers just make my day. A super review for Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action was recently posted on Robbie Cheadle´s blog.
Darlene Foster has a lovely series of travel combined with mystery books for middle school readers. Amanda in Holland is the fourth book in this series I have read and it certainly did not disappoint me.
The book is action-packed and filled with interesting titbits of information about life in Holland, WWII and perseverance and determination in unraveling a mystery.
Amanda is a clever and kind girl who will appeal to middle school and young teenagers who will admire her pluck.
Read more about what she has to say here
Jacquie Biggar posted a great review of Amanda in Alberta: The Writing on the Stone on her blog https://jacqbiggar.com/2020/02/24/bookreview-amanda-in-alberta-by-darlene-foster-childrensmystery-supermegawoman/
Amanda in Alberta is a fun, page-turning mystery with interesting tidbits of indigenous history along with Alberta landmarks thrown in.
While geared toward the pre-teen age group, this book has something for every reader to enjoy.
I give Amanda in Alberta four lovely kisses- Traveling with Amanda is an adventure!
Read the rest of the review along with a couple of perfect pictures here
And a long time blogging friend and amazing photographer, Ruth Hendricks, https://rutheh.com/ sent me a great picture of her granddaughter, Maura, receiving Amanda in Spain: The Girl in the Painting in the mail. She looks pretty happy.
These are the things that make the hard work of writing books worthwhile.
It’s been ten years since my first book, Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask was published. I never imagined I would have a series of seven books out there. A huge thank you to everyone who has read my books, written reviews, told friends, family, and teachers about my books, given them as gifts and sent me emails and pictures. It has been the huge support of so many that has made this dream of mine come true. I can’t thank you enough.
You can read more about my books on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Darlene-Foster/e/B003XGQPHA
or on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3156908.Darlene_Foster
Copyright © 2020 darlenefoster.wordpress.com – All rights reserved
- In: Books | Christmas | guest posts | reviews | Writing
- 30 Comments
This will be my last post until after Christmas so I would like to wish everyone a fabulous holiday season, whether you spend it with family and friends or if you spend it with yourself, some cookies and a good book! I will be spending Christmas in sunny Spain with hubby and Dot but thinking of my family and friends in Canada and all over the world.
I was delighted to be a guest on fellow Canadian author, D.G. Kaye´s blog, where I answer questios like:
Do some of your own character traits or personal experiences spill into your book’s characters?
Q and A with D.G. Kaye, Featuring Children’s Author Darlene Foster
December 20, 2019
Welcome to the last of 2019 author interviews. And I’m happy to send off the season with my featured author guest Darlene Foster. Darlene has recently released another book in her Amanda travels series – Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action. And Darlene is already working on the next book in the series! Let’s find out what she’s up to!
Read the rest here
https://dgkayewriter.com/q-and-a-with-d-g-kaye-featuring-childrens-author-darlene-foster/
However you spend this wonderful tme of the year, may it be full of Joy and Peace! Here is a great version of one of my favourite Christmas songs.
