Charlotte Cauldron and the Prince of Nevermore
Charlotte Cauldron and the Prince of Nevermore by John M. Lance is just what kids have ordered. It has fantasy, adventure, mystery and good writing. It is a youngster’s page turner.
“…Just out of curiosity she lifted the cover.
A blinding blue light rose from the pages and she dropped her scarf as she tried to shield her eyes.
A voice boomed, “CHARLOTTE CAULDRON THE PEOPLE OF NEVERMORE NEED YOU.”
Charlotte was sucked into the light and the book cover slammed shut.
Her scarf fluttered to the floor beside the desk. She was gone.”
When Charlotte Cauldron, number one fan of the series of books about Prince Peter and his adventures in Nevermore, is contacted (through ‘book magic’) by some of the characters in the book about a problem they are having, she is magically transported into the story to help them. She has to figure out how the author, Horatio Alkazar, would handle the situation and help the book characters resolve the circumstances.
Charlotte and some of her favorite characters, Prince Peter, Juno Vanderspell and Frizzleroot, a will-o-wisp, set out to hunt for the Tower, which is not at all easy since it keeps getting moved. They have to deal with goblins, sail on a ghost ship with ghostly pirates and outmaneuver a dragon to carry out their mission. Go with them to find out if they find the Tower and resolve the problem.
I would recommend this book to children who like fantasy and adventure.
John Lance lives in Massachusetts with his wife, two daughters and two slightly-crazed Labrador Retrievers. He enjoys spending time with his family and reading, writing and working in his garden. He has published in magazines, anthologies and a collection of short stories.
“…Just out of curiosity she lifted the cover.
A blinding blue light rose from the pages and she dropped her scarf as she tried to shield her eyes.
A voice boomed, “CHARLOTTE CAULDRON THE PEOPLE OF NEVERMORE NEED YOU.”
Charlotte was sucked into the light and the book cover slammed shut.
Her scarf fluttered to the floor beside the desk. She was gone.”
When Charlotte Cauldron, number one fan of the series of books about Prince Peter and his adventures in Nevermore, is contacted (through ‘book magic’) by some of the characters in the book about a problem they are having, she is magically transported into the story to help them. She has to figure out how the author, Horatio Alkazar, would handle the situation and help the book characters resolve the circumstances.
Charlotte and some of her favorite characters, Prince Peter, Juno Vanderspell and Frizzleroot, a will-o-wisp, set out to hunt for the Tower, which is not at all easy since it keeps getting moved. They have to deal with goblins, sail on a ghost ship with ghostly pirates and outmaneuver a dragon to carry out their mission. Go with them to find out if they find the Tower and resolve the problem.
I would recommend this book to children who like fantasy and adventure.
John Lance lives in Massachusetts with his wife, two daughters and two slightly-crazed Labrador Retrievers. He enjoys spending time with his family and reading, writing and working in his garden. He has published in magazines, anthologies and a collection of short stories.
Priscilla Holmes, Ace Detective
Priscilla Holmes, Ace Detective by John Lance is a very funny, imaginative children’s book that calls on many familiar fairy tales, such as the Muffin Man, Cinderella, Rapunzel and others, to tell the story and solve the crime. It will make adults want to reminisce about their childhood and retell their favorite stories.
The mystery loosely follows the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears as they return home and find someone has been in their house. Priscilla is hired by the Bear family to find out who broke furniture in their house and ate their porridge. She begins her investigation and finds the following clues:
“1. Shoeprint (small)
2. Long blonde hair
3. Pink bow”
With just these three clues and her ‘greatly honed detective skills’ she investigates and solves the mystery. The solution will not be a surprise to those who are up on their fairy tales. However, following Priscilla through her detecting process is unanticipated fun for all ages. The penalty for the perpetrator is one that is in line with the offense.
I really enjoyed the book and Mr. Lance has a great knack for relating fun stories for children. The illustrations by Dianna Navarro are wonderfully imaginative and telling. Children are going to have a lot of fun with this story and laugh at the insertion of other familiar stories and nursery rhymes.
In an interview with Tracy S. Morris, Mr. Lance discussed the origin of this story:
“Priscilla Holmes is one of those rare cases (for me at least) where the character came first. I was sitting in my study one day and looked out the window to see my daughters playing in the backyard and that was when a girl detective popped into my head. Priscilla is smart and determined (like my daughters) and has a distinct dislike for cleaning her room (also like my daughters).”
John Lance lives in Maine with his wife, two daughters and two slightly-crazed Labrador Retrievers. He enjoys spending time with his family and reading, writing and working in his garden.
The mystery loosely follows the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears as they return home and find someone has been in their house. Priscilla is hired by the Bear family to find out who broke furniture in their house and ate their porridge. She begins her investigation and finds the following clues:
“1. Shoeprint (small)
2. Long blonde hair
3. Pink bow”
With just these three clues and her ‘greatly honed detective skills’ she investigates and solves the mystery. The solution will not be a surprise to those who are up on their fairy tales. However, following Priscilla through her detecting process is unanticipated fun for all ages. The penalty for the perpetrator is one that is in line with the offense.
I really enjoyed the book and Mr. Lance has a great knack for relating fun stories for children. The illustrations by Dianna Navarro are wonderfully imaginative and telling. Children are going to have a lot of fun with this story and laugh at the insertion of other familiar stories and nursery rhymes.
In an interview with Tracy S. Morris, Mr. Lance discussed the origin of this story:
“Priscilla Holmes is one of those rare cases (for me at least) where the character came first. I was sitting in my study one day and looked out the window to see my daughters playing in the backyard and that was when a girl detective popped into my head. Priscilla is smart and determined (like my daughters) and has a distinct dislike for cleaning her room (also like my daughters).”
John Lance lives in Maine with his wife, two daughters and two slightly-crazed Labrador Retrievers. He enjoys spending time with his family and reading, writing and working in his garden.
Priscilla Holmes and the Case of the Glass Slipper
John Lance has done it again! He has written an amusing children’s book with a new twist in Priscilla Holmes and the Case of the Glass Slipper. There are some curious references to a familiar fairy tale that has to do with a beautiful girl who went to a dance at the palace and danced with the prince, then left in a hurry and lost her magic glass slipper.
Priscilla, the Ace Detective, is called on by the prince to find the beautiful princess he danced with at the ball. So she gets to work. She begins to follow the clues and comes up with 3 clues that she has to sort out to solve the mystery of who the missing princess is. They are:
“1. A pumpkin coach
2. A magical glass slipper
3. A pair of mysterious strangers. One wears the same size shoe as the missing princess.”
She follows the clues to Gary the Glassblowers, then to The Magic Bean to talk to Merlin. This leads her to Aunt Mag’s house and the two mysterious strangers. Because of her Ace Detective status, she soon puts the clues together and finds the princess just as the prince shows up. Then comes the twist. For this review, suffice it to say that they all lived happily ever after. You will have to read the book to find out what happens that is a little different from the story you may remember from your childhood.
The illustrations, so aptly done by Diana Navarro, as she did with the first book about the ace detective, provide the reader a definite idea of the characters in the book. The background she depicts in her art is also very well done.
John Lance lives in Massachusetts with his wife, two daughters and two slightly-crazed Labrador Retrievers. He enjoys spending time with his family and reading, writing and working in his garden.
Priscilla, the Ace Detective, is called on by the prince to find the beautiful princess he danced with at the ball. So she gets to work. She begins to follow the clues and comes up with 3 clues that she has to sort out to solve the mystery of who the missing princess is. They are:
“1. A pumpkin coach
2. A magical glass slipper
3. A pair of mysterious strangers. One wears the same size shoe as the missing princess.”
She follows the clues to Gary the Glassblowers, then to The Magic Bean to talk to Merlin. This leads her to Aunt Mag’s house and the two mysterious strangers. Because of her Ace Detective status, she soon puts the clues together and finds the princess just as the prince shows up. Then comes the twist. For this review, suffice it to say that they all lived happily ever after. You will have to read the book to find out what happens that is a little different from the story you may remember from your childhood.
The illustrations, so aptly done by Diana Navarro, as she did with the first book about the ace detective, provide the reader a definite idea of the characters in the book. The background she depicts in her art is also very well done.
John Lance lives in Massachusetts with his wife, two daughters and two slightly-crazed Labrador Retrievers. He enjoys spending time with his family and reading, writing and working in his garden.