Please enable JavaScript
All Books | Page 84 | LitPick Book Reviews
All Books
Magdalena Gottschalk: The Slippery Slope
Synopsis: ***** 2018 NYC Big Book Award Winner in Juvenile Fiction.

It has been months since Magdalena discovered her now hidden secret. She had hoped to realize her soul purpose on her thirteenth birthday. And, that she did. She has spent the past few months coming to grips with the realization that she is indeed, a witch.

The Christmas holiday is days away, and her utmost favorite time of the year. Deciding to leave her recluse position at home, she ventured to the Lily Brooke town square to share in the singing, laughing, dancing, and holiday festivities.

Sitting underneath the twinkling Christmas lights, in the newly-fallen snow, she sees Gabriel approaching. Her heart skipped a beat, as Gabriel is her childhood best friend. She hadn’t realized how much she missed him these past few months, while holed up in her bedroom for days.

After spending a much-needed evening with Gabriel, Magdalena agrees to go camping with the rest their friend group, the next evening. MALB, the Mystical Alliance of Lily Brooke, is their childhood secret club, made up of six, thirteen-year-old friends. They had grown up thinking they were the secret crime solvers of Lily Brooke. Needless to say, they hadn’t expected the real mystery that had fallen in their laps this past autumn. But, time heels, so Magdalena was excited to rally the gang back together.

The next evening, MALB roasted smores, told ghost stories by the light of the moon, and tucked themselves into their sleeping bags tightly, by the amber glow of the campfire. In the middle of the night, Magdalena awoke to the screeching sound of something awful. Realizing it was werewolves, and not wanting to bring any danger to her friends, she snuck off into the woods to deal with the problem alone. Not expecting the turn of events, Magdalena finds herself in desperate need of help.

Gabriel awakens and realizes his best friend is missing. The rest of MALB follows Magdalena’s foot-steps right up to the bank of the cliff. From here, the gang experiences the ride of a life time. The thrill and terror that awaits them as they try to find their best friend will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Magdalena Gottschalk: The Slippery Slope, is an epic fantasy fiction thriller written for middle grade ages up through adulthood. Excitement, suspense, intrigue, and demonic haunts await you as you turn the pages.
Publication Date:
Age Level: 8 - 12
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
The Swines: Anecdotes of a Piggly Family
Synopsis: “Eclectic, eccentric, and original. Fast-paced. Absurd. Whimsical.” ─ Suidae Gazette
“Cheeky, original, and witty. Wickedly fun!” ─ Bacon Daily News

Sam is a twelve-year-old boy from a family of pigs. His mom is a prize sow, a British Lop of very high breeding. His dad is a warthog, the pedigree, no one is quite sure. Sam's parents are swine, but he's perfectly normal.

Sam and his family live in a medium sized town called Suidae Valley somewhere in the middle of California between Porterville and Salinas. His mom enjoys gardening and mud baths. His dad is a booming, retired plumber. He's a little rough around the edges. The family is piggly, but they fit right in with everyone in town, who call themselves Suids.

Told in first person, episodic format, Sam is a precocious kid with a talent for imagination, observation, and occasionally, even curious profundity. The narrative is eccentric, novel, and original, ranging from the orthodox to stream of consciousness and reverse chronology.

The Swines ─ Anecdotes Of A Piggly Family, is at times thoughtful, at times absurd, but most of the time compelling, as the author takes readers on a journey into an unconventional world at the intersection of humans, pigs, and boy.

Praise for The Swines:
• “Irreverent, precocious, and self-mocking, the Swines are compelling, and Suidae Valley's native son sparkles with humor.” ─ Suidae Valley Times
• “Written in the first person, twelve-year-old Sam dazzles with inquisitive observations and keen philosophical meanderings sure to delight adults and precocious kids of every age. A page-turner.” ─ Porcine Book Review
• “A crossover novel that will appeal to everyone regardless of age, sex, background or genus.” ─ Bovine Society
• “Satirical, ludicrous and bold. Animal Farm meets Aesop's Fables. An incisive lesson in every chapter.” ─ Weekly Porker
• “Politically incorrect. Genius!” ─ Young Hogs
• “A smorgasbord of subjects, from Law of Attraction to North Korea. A topical tour de force!” ─ Suidae Globe
• “Page after page of non-stop chortles . . .” ─ The Boarish Post
• “Cache of lexical brilliance!” ─ Sus Semantic Academy
Publication Date:
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Pages



RECENT BOOK REVIEWS