The Lighting of the Tree at the V Zoo Party 2009

Good morning, Zebee here. Boy! Did we have a great tree lighting party! So many of my boss Joy’s author friends came it was amazing. Many of them brought along their characters too. Let’s see how many we can remember.

Elysabeth Eldering came. She brought along Matt, Guy and Mary Beth, her Junior Geography detectives. They were searching for clues for one of her books.

Lea Schizas was there. Bubba and Giganto were with her. They sure are nice boys and good soccer players. We had a game between the story characters and all of us here at the V Zoo. We lost, but we vowed to have a rematch next year and win. We need a coach. Any volunteers?

Oh, and Bill Kirk came and brought along Ari. We all watched were we stepped so we wouldn’t crush him. He’s really a cool spider.

When Vivian Zabel arrived with Buddy, some of the characters wanted him to teach them how to rope Prairie dogs. Since the closest thing we have to that here at the V Zoo are the meerkats, that just wouldn’t work. Instead he showed them how to rope a fence poll.

Che Dee was there with Odo, the time children, Mashu, Cassie and the Tulies.

Mary Jean Kelso brought along Andy and Spirit. Spirit is a beautiful horse and Andy is amazing the way he can ride.

Dayna Hilton and Sparkles came. Sparkles had us all on our knees again. This time even I could do it. I’ve been practicing.

Rachelle Burk was there with Kenny and Allison. We all wanted to hear about living in a tree house. I’d like to climb up in a tree house someday.

Rena Jones and Dilly came. So did Shari Lyle-Soffe along with Aaron and Horace. Mayra Calvani and Humberto read us some of Humberto’s favorite books. Hugo also showed up with Elizabeth Dulemba with soap for everyone.

I’m sure I forgot some of the authors and their characters. The place was packed and we had a fun time.

Who got to put the star on top of the tree this year? Billy. He climbed up Star’s neck and placed it, very carefully, on the top branch.
Got to go, I need to finish making my gifts. We are all making things for each other this year.

posted by Zebee aka Joy Delgado
We go Beyond Reading
Laughing Zebra – Books for Children
Fun ways to help children learn
Books Go Beyond Reading

Book Review: Odo and the Time Children by Che Dee

Good day to you. Zebee here. My boss Joy just finished reading a story to us here at the V Zoo about England years ago and a time traveling. See, there’s this cat, well, why don’t I let Joy tell you about it.

* * * * *
Odo and the Time Children is an imaginative story about Odo, a talking time traveling cat, Meadowsweet and her brother Turnip. The children find themselves with a big problem on their hands, when Odo appears. A talking cat isn’t something you can ignore, and when he offers to help the children find the lost golden coin, they can’t say no. Little did the children know that this would involve traveling through time and running into some not very nice people.

Che Dee has woven a delightful tale that makes it hard to put the book down. Her imagination draws you in and keeps you until the last page. Set in Saxon times, modern times and several times in between, you get a sense of what it would be like to travel into the future where everything was strange and wonderful at the same time.

This book is great for children around nine and up. Odo and the Time Children will spark their imaginations and they will learn a little about Saxon England at the same time.

* * * * *

So, where can you but this great book? It’s an eBook which means you can download it and start reading it right away. It’s available at:
Fictionwise
Calderwood Books

I guess the only thing I didn’t like about the book is that she didn’t have me in it. After all, I can talk and the children could have ridden on my back. Oh well, I can’t be in every book.

See you back here Sunday with more fun things going on at the world zoos.

posted by Zebee aka Joy Delgado
We go Beyond Reading
Laughing Zebra – Books for Children
You learned that from a picture book!?!
Books Go Beyond Reading

Book Review: A Boy of All Time by Che Dee

Good morning Bloggerville fans. Zebee here.

Today my boss Joy is going to share a mid-grade fantasy book with you. It’s called “A Boy of All Time” and what a ride it will take you on.

"There was a time when sheep had black and white stripes and cats could play the trumpet, when all children could see me. Then the magic was gone--or perhaps I should say destroyed. Now time waits for two special children to find and recite the words that are lost. If I cannot restore my image to all children, then I might fade away completely. Even the land of the tulies is beginning to wither away and crumble. You see, I sense you can help and that is why I am asking so much of you. But one word of warning. Be careful if ever you meet the whirlwind of the red lands." And with these words, Big Tulie sets Mashu upon the adventure of his life. Accompanied by the little tulies, Mashu must find the words that are lost and recite them so that the Big Tulie won't fade away, and so that children everywhere can share in his magic. But once he saves Big Tulie, Mashu discovers that he must save his own world, as the terrible whirlwind of the red lands arrives! With the help of his friend Cassi, a clever teddy bear, and the unquenchable tulies, Mashu finds the power to defeat the destructive whirlwind. A beautifully written children's story for boys and girls ages 8 and upwards.

* * * * *Step inside the imagination of Che Dee and read this fantasy tale of tulies, Mashu and his mission to save Big Tulie from fading away.

Mashu is a young boy who likes to play in the Birchtree Woods. One day he hears strange sounds and goes to investigate. He comes across the smallest children he’s ever seen. This sets him on an adventure to save Big Tulie from fading away.

Go with him on this wild and crazy adventure to a planet where socks talk, the land of Big Tulie, trips in magic busses and much more.

Che Dee has a great way with weaving fantasy and reality together. This story keeps you interested until the last page and then you want more.

Will Mashu be able to save Big Tulie from fading away? If he does fade away, what will happen? Can Mashu and his friend Cassie save the Birchtree Woods with the help of the tulies? Well, you have to read the story to find out.

You can get this ebook at
Fictionwise
EReader
Calderwood books

Visit with Che Dee at her web site.

Bye for now bloggerville fans. See you back her on Sunday with more zoo news.

posted by Zebee aka Joy Delgado
We go Beyond Reading
Laughing Zebra – Books for Children
You learned that from a picture book!?!
Books Go Beyond Reading