gift for kid

I have always loved to read.  When I was small I remember my parents reading to me and as I got older I devoured books.  I remember when I was a pre-teen, going to the local Book Land on Sundays with babysitting money and spending it all on books.  I still remember the wonderful feeling of curling up with my new books for the day.  I really loved all kinds of books but books about fantasy were huge with me at that age....I loved being swept away to different lands!  When I was approached to review a book for kids aged 9-13 called The Magic Warble I jumped at the chance.  It sounded exactly like the kind of book I would have loved at that age.  Here is the scoop...


Dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals, and an evil queen – all these and more can be found in The Magic Warble, an enchanting tale of adventure and friendship.

Twelve-year-old Kristina Kingsly feels like the most unpopular girl in her school. The kids all tease her, and she never seems to fit in. But when Kristina receives an unusual Christmas gift, she suddenly finds herself magically transported to the land of Bernovem, home of dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals, and the evil Queen Sentiz.

In Bernovem, Kristina not only fits in, she’s honored as “the chosen one” the only one who can release the land from Queen Sentiz’s control. But it’s not as simple as it seems. To save Bernovem, she must place the gift she was given, the famous “Magic Warble” in its final resting place. And she must travel through the deep forest, climb a treacherous mountain, and risk capture by the queen’s “zelbocks” before she reaches her destination. Guided by her new fairy friends, Clover and Looper and by Prince Werrien, a teenage boy, as well as an assortment of other characters, Kristina sets off on a perilous journey that not only tests her strength but her heart.

About the Author
Victoria, known as Vicki, was born in 1966, in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Austrian immigrant mother, and a Dutch immigrant father. She has one older sister, Jeannette. When Vicki was 7, she moved with her family to British Columbia. In her early twenties Vicki moved to Western Washington and now resides in Marysville WA. She has been married to her husband Russ, for nineteen years and they have three children; Toby, who is fifteen, Kristina, thirteen, and William, eight. She has home schooled her children for the past nine years, and she also teaches elementary school art. Vicki’s other family members are, a Chihuahua, named Pipsy, two cats, Frodo, and Fritz, and two parakeets, Charlie, and Paulie. She did have a pet rat named Raymond when she started writing The Magic Warble, but sad to say, he has since passed away of old age. Vicki enjoys writing, painting watercolors, watching movies, hanging out with her family, and chauffeuring her kids around to their many activities. Her favorite author is C.S. Lewis, and one of her fondest memories is when she was twelve. She would sit at the kitchen table and read The Chronicles of Narnia to her mother while she cooked dinner. These magical stories were very dear to Vicki and she remembers wishing, If only I could go to Narnia like Lucy and Susan. Vicki hopes that maybe, she can touch someone with her story in a similar way.

Oh boy....this book would have had me reading it from cover to cover when I was younger!  As an adult I still appreciated the trip to this fantasy world.  I thought the author did a brilliant job of creating a magical world complete with engaging characters.  I think the recommended age of 9-13 was spot on and I can't wait until my own children are old enough to read it!  I also think the feeling of not fitting in is something almost every child in this age range can relate to and I think they will appreciate transforming along with Kristina on her journey.  Two thumbs up for The Magic Warble for creating a real page turner for tweens.  It is here on my book shelf waiting a few years for A, W & R to devour!  You can pick up your copy today on Amazon...


The author, Victoria Simcox is giving one very lucky RBM reader a signed copy of The Magic Warble!  Here is how to enter...

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