Abigail and Sega's Magical Train Ride

Abigail and Sego’s Magical Train Ride by J.A. Kundert

Book reviewed by Teri Takle

The year 2026 is almost upon us.  What does that mean?   That will be the 250th birthday of our country.

What could prepare you for this event?

A unique book about the 200th birthday with a multitude of historical events which strongly shaped our country and culture would be perfect.

It is 1976 in Chicago.   Eleven-year-old Abigail Stromberg has a challenging Bicentennial Assignment for school.   The project focuses on how her ancestors contributed to the country between 1776 and 1976.   For Abigail, her father’s Swedish ancestry is clear and straightforward.  Abigail has straight dark hair and does not resemble her father.   Why won’t her mother talk about her past?  However, her mother is evasive about her background.  What secrets is she withholding?

How can Abigail complete the assignment with only one side of her family?  Purchase Here.

Abigail and Sego’s Magical Train Ride is a time warp story roller-coasting throughout the Transcontinental Railroad to the present time of 1976 while intermixing lifestyles, events, and influential people of both times.  Adding supernatural assistance helps to explain the past in their current time while fulfilling a family’s lifelong dreams.

Abigail and Sego’s Magical Train Ride is a delightful romp for those of us over the half-century mark.   Numerous references to people and events of a prior time are enjoyable to remember, such as Nancy Drew books, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Polar Express Line, Ted Nugent, Moon River, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and many references to our country’s western expansion.

The reading level of this book is perfect for tweens, and I highly recommend they make a list of references they don’t understand and either research them or discuss them with an older adult.

Abigail and Sego’s Magical Train Ride is a perfect intergenerational story for a family to share.   There is a multitude of historical references to both people and places that require a little background for most teenagers.   As a stand-alone novel, the author could also add author notes explaining the importance of these people and places.    Also helpful would be a preface explaining life in Chicago during 1976 explaining the Navy Pier, the Gold Coast, and places unique to the area, including the Chicago L train.

All in all, Abigail and Sego’s Magical Train Ride is an enjoyable romp through time.

 

When Dog Pals Fly Across America

When Dog Pals Fly Across America by Rob Kortus

Reviewed by Suzanne Odom

Travel along with Sophie, Wallace, and Sulley; three intelligent dog friends, as they embark on an unforgettable journey across the United States. Sophie and Wallace are border collies and Sulley is a chocolate lab mix. They fly their personal and colorful helicopter making stopovers in every state to visit cool and unique places. Purchase Here.

The book is sure to pique the interest of all ages. It provides a truly imaginative look into America’s geography and encourages readers to dive deeper into the sites each state provides. Our country has many little known places so reading this book will have educational benefits as well.

The use of dogs to tell the story is a great idea. What child doesn’t like the idea of dogs flying a helicopter? The colorful illustrations really tell the story and the narrative encourages readers to investigate each state and the attractions it has to offer. Each page has a picture of the state where the attraction is located, which helps kids learn geography. Reading the book is educational and may even prompt some to learn how to fly.

My 11-year old son also enjoyed the book. He was amazed at all the different places to visit in our country and asked if we could visit some of them. This book is a great read-along book and really makes learning fun for children. Adults will enjoy it too. I look forward to more adventures with Sophie, Wallace, and Sulley!

The Four Hats of Leadership

The Four Hats of Leadership by Drake E. Taylor

Book Reviewed by Dianne Woodman

Drake E. Taylor, an officer in the United States Air Force, advocates four types of hats that will help individuals become effective and successful leaders. The Preface is an excellent tool for drawing readers into The Four Hats of Leadership: Be Who Your People Need You to Be. The four types of hats are The Farmer’s Hat, The Drill Instructor’s Hat, The Psychologist’s Hat, and The Self-Care Hat. Taylor does an excellent job of providing an analogy between a farmer’s job and that of leading a team of people, describing the role of when it is appropriate to use the drill instructor’s hat in a civilian environment, the value of the psychologist hat and ways to help people with their emotional well-being, and the importance of the self-care hat for a leader’s mental health. Purchase Here.

The book focuses not only on the viability of utilizing the four hats in the military but also in the civilian environment. Black and white photographs and quotes from well-known individuals tie in beautifully with the subject matter in each hat section. Taylor explains how each hat serves a purpose in leadership and the benefits of incorporating them into a work environment. He provides many ideas and goes into detail about key principles needed to become an outstanding leader and the challenges facing anyone in a leadership position. Taylor interweaves his own personal experiences throughout the book, which reflect both his achievements and his missteps in his career path. These examples are invaluable for making the information more compelling and relatable. Unambiguous sentences lead to easy understandability for the reader. Words on a few pages are missing letters. However, readers can still easily decipher the words.

At the end of the book is a beneficial section titled “Leadership Library.” It includes a worksheet questionnaire that will enable organizations to learn pertinent information about individual employees. Also, there are several quotes that are applicable to leadership and self-care that can be used to motivate not only people in management positions but also their workers. This book is a useful tool for individuals either pursuing a leadership position or interested in incorporating these hats into their leadership job.

The Furies

The Furies by Corey Croft

Reviewed by Timea Barabas

This is a book that has it all; friendship, love, violence, and drugs. The Furies by Corey Croft follows the story of a group of Fury friends. In their final year of high school they are faced with a series of tough decisions. It is about them making it just one more year; it is about figuring out what comes next when worlds of possibilities open up in front of them. Or do they? But above all, it is a story about different ways of coming to terms with oneself. Purchase Here.

Set amidst the 90’s drug boom, the narrative faithfully encapsulates the spirit of the time. The plot oozes cultural references specific to that period which takes the reader on a playful journey back in time. The city of Fury is where it all happens. It is a city, not unlike any other, where social and racial divide fills the air. And so does the smell of weed. Corey Croft takes you beyond a picture-perfect layout of middle class life which leads you down some dark alleys and shows you what lurks behind closed doors. The Furies is all about forms of struggle and adaptation to what life throws at you. And the furions sure know how to throw back a punch. But there is also a softer side to their wild nature – a childhood naivete that lingers on in their adolescence.

A colorful cast of characters brings the city alive at the center of which is the trio of Cava, Sally, and Luc with AC and around them are a fluctuating wave of characters who will ensure a dynamic narrative. Stretching beyond stereotypes, Corey Croft makes sure to outline multidimensional characters with believable backstories. The novel exposes the battle ground between the psychological and sociological perspective. Whether the individual determines its own fate in the detriment of the environmental influence, or on the contrary, does the social dictate the outcome for the individual? It is an age old question, that is not settled in The Furies but it is portrayed in an exemplary way.

All in all, The Furies is a gritty piece sprinkled with some tenderness and care – care for a friend, family member or lover. One thing is certain, the pages of the book are filled with passion and powerful feelings at opposing ends of the spectrum. The author achieves the supreme feat – to move the reader. It is hard not to join Corey Croft’s chant: FURY! – US!