Review: Mister Ego and the Bubble of Love

Mister Ego and the Bubble of Love
By Amber Hinton
Illustrated by Gabreyhl Zintoll
June 2008
32 pages

Leo and Nico are having fun playing until they fight over the orange ball. Leo gets angry and shoves his brother which spoils everything. Leo wants to know why he gets angry. In his quest for answers he learns about a part of himself called Mister Ego who always wants his own way. Now if only Leo can find a way to put Mister Ego inside the Bubble of Love.

Children are often told to control their emotions. But how are they supposed to do that? There really is a better way. In this problem-solving tale, Hinton reveals anger as a perfectly normal emotion. But it feels pretty icky. Mister Ego and the Bubble of Love shows readers how to exercise their imaginations and easily change icky feelings into good feelings. As a fun, follow-up activity to reinforce this concept, parents and children could even construct a bubble of love.

The combination of Zintoll’s beautiful, dreamlike illustrations and Hinton’s engaging story creates a form of guided imagery which parents and children can read again and again when those icky feelings bubble up.

Copyright (c) 2008 by Peggy Tibbetts

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Review: The Magic Scales

The Magic Scales
By Sam Wilding
Olida Publishing
May 2008
336 pages

The sudden disappearance of James Peck’s father sets off a series of strange goings on in the tiny hamlet of Drumfintley, in Scotland. On Bruce Moor, the last place his father was seen alive, James discovers a squashed stoat next to giant unearthly footprints. The same day he follows a mysterious stranger and overhears his conversation with an invisible hissing beast named Sleven, then disappears. Reeling from shock, James passes a trash bin and is summoned by a talking goldfish inside. The fish tells James his name is Mendel and demands that he rescue him.

Mendel explains he’s actually a wizard from another world called Denthan. He’s been turned into a fish and now the mysterious stranger and Sleven are trying to kill him. He desperately needs James’s help, not only to protect him but also to save Denthan. James is baffled by the bossy fish wizard, yet he’s certain the same dark magic that brought these creatures from another world is somehow linked to his father’s fate.

He enlists the help of his best friend, Craig and his golden retriever, Bero, who carries the goldfish in a tiny barrel around his neck, like a St. Bernard. Lured by a string of clues related to Mr. Peck’s vanishing, and with Mendel as their guide, they enter the gateway into Denthan, a strange world containing magic scales and two suns, one of which will explode very soon. 

Much to James and Craig’s horror, they arrive in the midst of a war between hordes of terrifying creatures, including reptilian Hedra wizards, monstrous hairy Osgrunfs, giant insect-like Centides, several species of Trolls, Manimals, and many more. Magically the boys become warriors and it’s clear they’re going to have to fight their way through Denthan to get back home.

And that’s only half of this amazing adventure. Wilding successfully weaves a story within a story in this sophisticated fantasy. The Magic Scales is full of breathtaking action scenes, with plenty of surprises to keep readers guessing. Harry Potter fans will definitely find the Vision Pool in Book One of the Denthan Series well worth diving into.

Copyright (c) 2008 by Peggy Tibbetts

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Call for Submissions: Blue Mountain Arts

Blue Mountain Arts is interested in reviewing poetry and prose for greeting cards.

WANTED
Contemporary prose or poetry written from personal experience that reflects the thoughts and feelings people today want to communicate to one another, but don’t always know how to put into words. Capture genuine emotions on topics such as love, friendship, family, missing you, and other real-life subjects. Have a friend, relative, or someone else in your life in mind as you write. Writings on special occasions (birthday, anniversary, congratulations, etc.), as well as the challenges, difficulties, and aspirations of life are also considered. Looking for new, original, and creative writings that do not sound like anything we have already published.

NOT WANTED
Rhymed poetry, religious verse, one-liners, or humor. Avoid frequently overused words and phrases, such as “special,” “gift,” “sending you a hug,” “birthday wishes for you,” and “angel”. (Hint: Avoid lines like “You were always there for me,” “I remember when you were a baby,” “I am so proud of you,” or “You are my dream come true.”)

PAYMENT: pay $300 per poem for use on greeting card and other products, and $50 per poem for one-time use in a book

RIGHTS: Buys worldwide, exclusive rights to publish on a greeting card and other products

EMAIL SUBMISSIONS: Send to editorial@sps.com. Do not send attachments or website links. You may submit as many different works as you wish all in the same email. Type or paste the text of your work(s) into the body of the email. Be sure to include your name, address, and telephone number. Email submissions will receive a reply within 1-2 weeks as receipt of your submission. After 4 months, you can assume that your work is no longer under consideration.

POSTAL SUBMISSIONS: Send to Blue Mountain Arts Editorial Department, PO Box 1007, Boulder, CO 80306. Work should be typewritten; one poem per page please. Your name should appear on every page. You may submit as many poems at one time as you wish. If you would like a response and/or to have your work returned, you must include SASE.

For more details go to Blue Mountain Arts Writer’s Guidelines

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