Mother/Daughter Writing Team Dedicate Book to Adopted Children Everywhere

Title: A Mom
Authors: Daughter and Mother team, Betsy and Carolyn Wilhelm
Genre: Children's Picture Book, Children's Literature
Illustrator: Pieter Els
ISBN: 978-0-9997766-5-0
Dedicated to adopted children everywhere

As an educator holding a masters degree in gifted education, Carolyn Wilhelm's books for children are filled with subtle lessons with an emphasis on the word "subtle." That the protagonist in this book shares what she thinks a "mother" does is Asian and the mother is Caucasian is a subtext. The story is really about a mother and daughter relationship and love. The underlying message is discernible through the lovely, simple illustrations by Pieter Els and a gentle allusion to "color" in the text that the reader might easily miss. Which is how it should be. After all, that is the point of this lovely little eighteen-page booklet which is just the right size for a just-one-more-story at bedtime.

MORE ABOUT THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WRITING TEAM

I. Reid is the pen name of the daughter of this team, who happens to be adopted and look quite different from her mother.  Carolyn Wilhelm is the other half of the team who, as an educator, recognized the need for gentle stories about adoption and about interracial adoption in particular. This book is dedicated to "All adopted children everywhere." You can find Reid blogging at https://www.thewiseowlfactory.com/guest-posts-by-i-reid/. Find Wilhelm's teaching aids for teachers and parents at The Wise Owl Factory on Pinterest and she tweets @WiseOwlFactory.

MORE ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Pieter Else has a long list of experience from thirty years plus studying and working in graphic design and educational technology.  Find his clip art at http://surferkiddies.com and reach him by e-mail at surferkidsclipart@gmail.com.

MORE ABOUT THE NEW BOOK REVIEW BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Acclaimed Poetry Chapbook Doubles as Valentine Greeting Card

Title:  Cherished Pulse

Subtitle: Unconventional Love Poetry 

Series: Celebration Series of Poetry Chapbooks
Authors:  Magdalena Ball and Carolyn Howard-Johnson  
Publisher: Independently Published
Publisher Website Address http://www.compulsivereader.com/ISBN-10: 1449546056

ISBN-13: 978-1449546052

ASIN: B004HB1W9Q
Price $ 5.95 paperback, $2.99 Kindle
Page Count 42 pages
Formats (PB, Kindle)

Reviewed by Carolyn Wilhelm

The Celebration Series of Poetry Chapbooks covers many aspects of life, seasons, and holidays. Cherished Pulse is appropriate for loved ones. It is small enough to fit inside a greeting card envelope or could be used instead of a card for a memorable gift. 

Magdalena Ball’s poems focus on nature and deep feelings at the same time. “Ocean,” “Great Sky,” “Aurora,” and the rest speak beautifully of deep love, longing, and intimate relationships. 

Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s portion of the book includes poems such as “A Woman’s Heart,” and “Watching My Daughter Say Goodbye to a Fleeting Love” speak of life and how perspective changes through the years regarding love. 

The poems are profound and moving. The book is definitely a read and read again. 

 -----

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Carolyn Wilhelm is a regular contributor to #TheNewBookReview where she reviews books and writes occasion study guides for popular books turned to film. (Teachers and parents can use this blog's search engine to find her guides on works like Black Klansman and Green Book.) She is also an author. Her most recent book is Climate Change Captives 2035. Learn more about her with links below. 

Carolyn Wilhelm Climate Change Captives 2035 and Project Save, Wise Owl Factory LLC cwilhelm@thewiseowlfactory.com  The Wise Owl Factory

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Discussion Questions

I am so proud to announce this first in a series of Discussion Questions about books (and movies inspired by books!) by veteran teacher Carolyn Wilhelm who offers other aids for teachers, parents, and anyone who fosters literacy--many of them absolutely free. Find them on Pinterest and follow her @wiseowlfactory on Twitter.  Book club groups and library events directors will find her Discussion Guide Series useful, too!  And what about teachers who must prepare quizzes for reading assignments! Watch for new ones on the 5th of every month, right here on #TheNewBookReview!

Questions About THE HOBBIT:

An Unexpected Journey

Discussion Questions

Movie on DVD

Paperback

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the 1st third of the Hobbit book.  It's the prequel to Lord of the Rings.

Before vacation, sometimes teachers have been known to show a movie, and some classes might watch The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey (movie). Movies work with comprehension questions as test preparation practice. The PDF could be used as a discussion guide for the teacher or students might work in small groups to see if they can remember what they saw. Answers are provided in the PDF at the next link. 

Unexpected Journey comprehension questions free instant download by clicking on this link

    1. Who was telling (writing) the story in the movie? 

2. What happened to ruin the peaceful, prosperous Lonely Mountain and the Mines of Moria? 

3. Why do the Dwarves want their ancestral home back? 

4. Why does Thorin especially want to fight the pale Orc? 

5. How does Bilbo Baggins become involved in the quest to enter Lonely Mountain?

6. Why does the company need Bilbo’s help? 

7. Which groups in the story especially love food? 

8. Do the Dwarves have good table manners?  Explain.

9.  Did you notice the map in the beginning of the story?  Is it important later? Why?

10. How does the company escape the three trolls? 

11. What swords does the company take from the trolls after they turn to stone? 

12. Who is in the Lonely Mountain and has control of the gold? Explain.

13. What does the wizard Radagast tell the company?

14. Does Radagast’s hedgehog live? Do all the animals live?

15. Who chases the company after they see Radagast? 

16. Why do the Orcs on Wargs leave?

17. What are Orcs?  What are Wargs?   

18. What does Gandalf tell the Elves of Rivendell?

19. What happens after they leave Rivendell?

20. How do things go when the company is taken by the Great Goblin?

22.  Where is Bilbo when the company is fighting the Goblins?

22. What happens that causes the company to climb trees?

23. Why do some believe Smaug is dead?  Is he really dead?  Explain.

24. Name a character in the movie not in this part of the book. 

25.  If you have also read the book, tell which you like more, the movie part 1 or the book (so far)?  Why?

Students might also discuss how the book and movie are the same and different. Some students will have only read the books or only have seen the movie and can explain the missing information to each other. Really, it is "test prep" in that it is comprehension and so it if fits a class, then it would be nice to have on hand.

Note: The first movie, An Unexpected Journey, covers chapters 1 to 6, a total of just over 81 pages which comprise:

• The Unexpected Party and formation of the company.
• The Trolls.
• Rivendell.
• Crossing the Misty Mountains and the Goblins.
• Gollum.
• The Eagles.

Thank you for reading, Carolyn Wilhelm, Wise Owl Factory

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG, ABOUT GETTING REVIEWS,
AND ANOTHER FREEBIE

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too! 

Alex Asks Grandpa About the Olden Days: A 1940s Story, Review

Title Alex Asks Grandpa About the Olden Days: A 1940s Story
Author Gary L. Wilhelm
ISBN-10: 1729375286

ISBN-13: 978-1729375280

ASIN: B07ZZK89V1
Price $12.00 paperback, $4.99 Kindle
Page Count 67

Formats (PB, Kindle)

Remember life before apps, smartphones, and televisions? This grandpa does and tells Alex about it in this book, Alex Asks Grandpa About the Olden Days: A 1940s Story. Gary L. Wilhelm shares nonfiction information blended with story to help a grandchild understand life was fine before all the modern technology. 

Wilhelm remembers his life around the neighborhood where he lived with town Grandma and Grandpa. Town Grandma would borrow books to read to him from the library. The Lone Ranger, the Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew mysteries came alive as she read aloud. The phone was a party line and other people could listen in -- remember those days? There was no television, only a radio. Grandpa would listen to the latest installments of the Lone Ranger (without seeing any pictures). 

At the post office in the spring, chicks could be heard chirping. Farmers ordered chicks by mail. The town blacksmith would fix the bicycles of kids who needed help. Grandpa thought it was a very exciting life. 

Alex also wanted to know about life on the farm. Were there animals? Yes, there were, and Grandpa had some interesting experiences with some of them. Grandpa played in the hayloft. He watched the threshing machine at work when it was harvest time. Farm Grandma canned vegetables for him to eat. It was all another world that can be shared with your grandchild with this book. 

Carolyn Wilhelm, Wise Owl Factory
Carolyn Wilhelm is the author of The Wise Owl Factory site and blog. She has an MS in Gifted Education, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction K-12, and has completed the KHT Montessori program. She makes mostly free resources for teachers and parents. Her children's books are available on Amazon.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

I Miss the Rain in Africa by Nancy Wesson Discussion Questions

I Miss the Rain in Africa by Nancy Wesson Discussion Questions

Title: I Miss the Rain in Africa: Peace Corps as a Third Act

Author: Nancy Wesson

Publisher: Modern History Press

Publisher Website Address: www.ModernHistoryPress.com

Publisher Email Address: info@ModernHistoryPress.com

ISBN-10: 1615995757

ISBN-13: 978-1615995752

ASIN: B0949MFWP6

Page Count: 296 pages

Formats (P.B., H.C., Kindle)

Price: $24.95 Paperback, $37.95 Hardcover, $7.95 Kindle

Discussion and Book Review by Carolyn Wilhelm

This book is a marathon of learning about northern Uganda, the Peace Corps there, and the many difficulties Wesson experienced along the way to her ultimately successful projects to help the population. Some books leave us exhausted and perhaps depressed at the end, but this author manages to shine a light on the positive aspects of her experiences in Africa. She does still miss the rain. 

Discussion questions for book clubs and secondary teachers

1. Why did Wesson end up in Uganda? Where was she supposed to go at first? Do you think she realized how Peace Corps Volunteers would be housed? What is the name of chapter one, and why? 

2. How did the most recent war led by Kony leave the citizens with almost insurmountable problems? What were his weapons? Where is he now? Can you imagine living through such an ordeal? 

3. Given the situation of most of the people in northern Uganda, how do you think the Peace Corps Volunteers felt about how effective they could be at first? How did Wesson's thoughts change near the end of the book as she reflected on her projects?

4. Explain travel difficulties from the point of view of a Westerner in Uganda. 

5. Why was the southern part of Uganda so different from the north? 

6. Of the 46 volunteers, 34 remained after about a year. What do you think caused some people to leave? Was it understandable or not?

7. How did the pillowcases project begin and develop? Did it surprise you that Wesson had to design her projects, such as the children's library? Were you expecting the Peace Corps would have had job descriptions and just sent people to locations to fit into predetermined roles? 

8. How was time different in Africa? How were schedules for travel different? 

9. Discuss the story Wesson shared about getting dental help, traveling in the mud and dark on the way to and from the bus station.

10. Why was returning home also a challenge? How had things changed? How had the author changed?

Carolyn Wilhelm is a veteran educator and author. She contributes study guides for books and film to this blog frequently. She says, "We hope you like our discussion questions! We have others found by checking this link. Thank you for reading, Carolyn" 

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

When Saigon Surrendered: A Kentucky Mystery by James Aura, Book Review

Title: When Saigon Surrendered: A Kentucky Mystery (Kentucky Mysteries Book 1) 

Author: James Aura
Publisher: Independent
ISBN-10: 1717881262
Page Count: 222 pages
Formats (PB, Kindle)

Goodreads

ISBN-13: 978-1717881267

ASIN: B00TNO3L5U

Price: $9.99 paperback, $2.99 Kindle

Carolyn Wilhelm

Reviewer

This book is surprising in many ways. For one thing, it is not about war and does not take place in Vietnam. It takes place in Kentucky, USA, dealing with the aftereffects of war. For another, a nice 19-year-old college student plans and is brave enough (with the help of two friends) to face human trafficking criminals anonymously and unasked to help the authorities. Student Russell returns to the farm and studies for finals while living with his grandmother. However, she dies, and he partly blames himself for not calling for an ambulance as he drove her to the hospital himself. After her death, family secrets become apparent and he seems to take the new information in stride. He considered both sides of all the information as he works around the farm. Soon, danger is all around and he needs a gun with him to milk the cows. 

Russell's Uncle begins to make the farm organic and has some other "special" plans. Finances are a problem, as is Russell's scholarship when the college is unbending about allowing extra time for finals after the funeral. Crops are ready to harvest in time although the money is soon spent. 

Russell is clever and his extensive planning, gathering help from a variety of people, helps put the plan in motion. However, it seems like sheer luck, as well as courage, are both needed. I became anxious because I couldn't see how it would all resolve. I kept reading until done so I could get to the ending.

Yes, there is a girlfriend or two. Yes, the friends are interesting characters. Yes, some new relatives are part of the story. And the Sherrif is not at all what he thought before. The cats seem to know when to disappear, alerting Russell to possible problems. 

The characters are multicultural. Man-made climate change is revealed in some of the events. 

Humor is sprinkled throughout the book. Songs from 1975 are mentioned, and there is a YouTube soundtrack of the recognizable music. 

This book was an enjoyable read and brought back memories from the time. James Aura has a talented and bright writing style. I read The Kentucky Mysteries in the wrong order, but they are stand-alone books and it didn't matter. I was sad to come to the end of his three books, and hope he writes more!

Thank you for reading, 

Carolyn Wilhelm

Wise Owl Factory LLC

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

The Midnight Sky Film Discussion Questions

The Midnight Sky Film Discussion Questions 

The Midnight Sky film is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi story that stars George Clooney, Felicity Jones, and David Oyelewo. It is a Netflix movie. October would be a good month to watch the film as we are thinking of scary things like the apocalypse anyway. However, this is a thought-provoking and sad movie about how the world might end. 

The Midnight Sky Discussion Questions

1.     Do we know what happened to the earth? What do you think happened?

2.     Who is Augustine Lofthouse?

3.     Why does Lofthouse want to warn the spaceship returning to Earth so it would not return?

4.     The abandoned child appears and does not speak. What happened that may have caused her to not speak?

5.     Describe the crew onboard the Aether.

6.     In the book, Sully was not pregnant. In the film, they built the fact she actually was pregnant into the story. Do you feel it added tension and depth to the story?

7.     Lofthouse goes to great lengths almost beyond human endurance to warn the people on the spaceship about the problems on earth. Why?

8.     Lofthouse loses his dialysis equipment in an accident. How did that affect the story?

9.     How does Sully describe K-23 to Lofthouse? When she says her name is Iris, what did that imply?

     Screenwriter Mark L. Smith also co-wrote the Revenant. Previously, we posted discussion questions about the Revenant movie and book. Does this information tell you The Midnight Sky might be serious?

Thank you for reading, Carolyn Wilhelm

Carolyn Wilhelm, Reviewer 

BS Elementary Education, MS Gifted Education, MA K-12 Curriculum and Instruction

Wise Owl Factory LLC

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the form at https://www.bit.ly/FinishedReviewSubmissions. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. And know that Carolyn Wilhelm, our IT expert, award-winning author, and veteran educator, makes an award image especially for those who volunteer to write reviews from Lois's review-request list and post them in the spirit of her "Authors Helping Authors" project. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Tess Thompson's New Legal Mystery Reviewed by Carolyn Wilhelm

Title: Cold Vengeance
Authors: Tess Thompson (Sisters Charlene Tess and Judy Thompson)
Publisher: Independently Published

Genre: Legal Mystery
Publisher Email Address: novelsbytessthompson@gmail.com

ASIN: B087QSJVMV

Price $2.99 Kindle
Formats (Kindle)

Reviewed by Carolyn Wilhelm

Book three of the Angel Falls series does not disappoint, and the characters we know face more difficulties.

Two men, one an attorney and one a detective, have argued (fairly) in court before, but only “respect” each other. Angel Falls is not a large town, so the sister of the attorney happens to be the one Detective Flores turns to for help when his ex-wife disappears. His sons are worried, and her behavior is not typical. He cannot believe it when Kim, the private investigator, and sister of the attorney, suggests the sons may know more than they have shared with him.

Events progress, and eventually, the detective is accused of murder. Then, Kim asks her brother to required. What can Detective Flores do but go along with the plan? How will he get out of this tight spot?

The real killer takes the sons up in the mountains, and the situation turns dire. The ending is shocking and tense, although things do work out. The reader will not be able to see what is coming next.

This book is a satisfying read, of course, from Tess Thompson, but only after many twists and turns do the characters land safely.

Highly recommend! 

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Carolyn Wilhelm has an MS degree Gifted Education and MA in K-12 Curriculum and Instruction, and a BA in Elementary Education. 

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at

News of the World Book and Movie Discussion Questions Free Guide

News of the World Book and Movie Discussion Questions Free Guide 

• Author: Paulette Jiles
• Publisher: William Morrow
• Language: English
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• ISBN-10: 0062409204
• ISBN-13: 978-0062409201
• Pages: 224

Oh, this book made quite an impression on me and I cannot stop thinking about it. I had no idea the situation this story presents happened many times. Let's just say a child taken from her family for years, and is then returned, but her parents are dead. The story takes place five years after the end of the Civil War. The hero, Captain Kidd, fought in two wars and lived through the third. He raised two daughters and felt his parenting days were over. He promises to take a girl back to her aunt and uncle which requires traveling 400 miles through dangerous territory. It was indeed the wild west at that time, and they face dangers and unpleasant conditions. 

First, please note the book does have some discussion questions in the back. Those may be preferable. Here are a few more possible questions. 

Click this link for a free instant download PDF with the questions for the book and movie. 

The author adds a note about a book by Scott Zesch's book, The Captured. What was the astounding information she included? Do you think that book would be interesting? Why or why not? 

The movie was very different from the book. Many details were changed. Here are the movie questions, without giving away too much in the way of spoilers. It had basically the same ideas as the book, with different details. 

I hope you find the story as interesting as I did! 

Thank you for reading, 

Carolyn Wilhelm

Carolyn Wilhelm is the author and sole owner of The Wise Owl Factory LLC site and blog. She has a BS in Elementary Education, an MS in Gifted Education, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction K-12, and has completed the KHT Montessori 12 month program. She makes mostly free resources for teachers and parents. Her children's books are available on Amazon. She was a public school teacher for 28 years. She writes for The New Book Review and Sharing with Writers and Readers.

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing