My publisher submitted The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol to the Midwest Book Review. Here is their review, in its entirety:
The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol is a children’s fantasy story about dragons, wizards, and a powerful parasol that lands three cousins in a strange new world, and will appeal to advanced elementary to early middle school readers with its story of magical empowerment and struggle.
Mandy is on her way to her grandmother’s house. She looks forward to giving her cousin Mickey his belated birthday present and to meeting up with her other cousin Gina. A fun time is planned by all, but when a red flash from a crystal and a family heirloom in the form of a parasol change their lives, they embark on an unexpected journey indeed.
The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol is an outstanding fantasy that shows how Mandy ‘discovers her magic’ under strange circumstances. It focuses on how Mandy will get home and how she’ll discover her real purpose in coming to this land, providing the basics of how this new world operates in a manner that elementary-level readers can readily understand: “The parasol and the dragonstone work together to sense the presence, or lack of presence, of the inner magic of the person holding the parasol. The dragonstone uses the infinite power of the sun to tap or channel or access that magic. And one way it does that is to transport an individual to Storyworld.”
As Mandy harbors a secret, puzzles out how to use the dragonstone, and interacts with her family while battling lizards and building an army, young readers will relish the blend of real-world family dilemmas and fantasy world encounters.
The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol is a standout adventure that revolves around saving Storyworld and preserving family ties. As Mandy grows into her abilities and comes to accept the special role that her powers give her, she is immersed in a milieu which includes magical creatures, wands, and witches and wizards that test her ability to be honest with her family.
Young readers interested in adventure tales of magic that are firmly rooted in family ties will savor The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol, which covers more than one type of wondrous event as Mandy struggles with some unusual dilemmas and faces her real feelings about her family.