Darlene Foster

This book had a little too much going on (a puppy/tulip mystery, a family history to uncover, and a whole lot of sightseeing). However, that might be about right for the 8-12-year-old crowd.
The book did a great job of briefly introducing readers to important places and facts of the Netherlands. All the highlights are here: the tulips, the Anne Frank House, Rembrandt, wooden shoes, cheese, bicycles, stroopwafel, the cat boat, the floating flower market, windmills, and the list goes on and on). Any child who has a bit of interest in travel and learning about other countries would probably be fascinated by this whirlwind tour of Holland.
It also hits lightly but skillfully on the emotional punch that places like the Anne Frank House can have, which is good even for younger readers to contemplate. Since not all kids can travel and experience firsthand the power of walking in the footsteps of history, the next best thing is reading about a girl who does it for them.

Thanks to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for this digital review copy!… (más)

Paris greets with its amazing sights, while a very normal girl does her best to solve a mystery and butts heads with some very shady characters.

Amanda is thrilled to have the chance to stay and work for a few weeks at a bookstore in Paris. But while touring the various sights, the same man pops up again and again. She's not sure what to think of him, especially when strange things start happening at the popular places. Lights going out, bomb threats and more follow them more often then things like that should. When the Notre Dame goes up in flames and the man is there again, she's sure something is up.

I have not read any of the books in this series before this one but had no trouble diving right into the story. So, this can be read as a stand alone.

This is a lighter read than I expected and works well, especially for the lower end of the middle grade range. The plot moves along at a good pace, concentrating only on those aspects which build a bit of character and propel the mystery forwards. It makes for an easy, engaging read the entire way through. The clues are also well placed, making it fun to try to piece them together right along with Amanda.

While the mystery keeps the reader guessing, there's also a lot to learn about Paris. The various sights, some historical tidbits, and a bit of culture is also thrown in. The facts mold in smoothly with Amanda's adventure but never hold too many details to bog down. It's a fun, easy way to learn more about the country and city.

This is an entertParis greets with its amazing sights, while a very normal girl does her best to solve a mystery and butts heads with some very shady characters.

Amanda is thrilled to have the chance to stay and work for a few weeks at a bookstore in Paris. But while touring the various sights, the same man pops up again and again. She's not sure what to think of him, especially when strange things start happening at the popular places. Lights going out, bomb threats and more follow them more often then things like that should. When the Notre Dame goes up in flames and the man is there again, she's sure something is up.

I have not read any of the books in this series before this one but had no trouble diving right into the story. So, this can be read as a stand alone.

This is a lighter read than I expected and works well, especially for the lower end of the middle grade range. The plot moves along at a good pace, concentrating only on those aspects which build a bit of character and propel the mystery forwards. It makes for an easy, engaging read the entire way through. The clues are also well placed, making it fun to try to piece them together right along with Amanda.

While the mystery keeps the reader guessing, there's also a lot to learn about Paris. The various sights, some historical tidbits, and a bit of culture is also thrown in. The facts mold in smoothly with Amanda's adventure but never hold too many details to bog down. It's a fun, easy way to learn more about the country and city.

This is an entertaining read and great for mystery fans, who love an easy-to-like main character and enjoy learning more about the world.
This is an entertaining read and great for mystery fans, who love an easy-to-like main character and enjoy learning more about the world. I received a complimentary DRC and enjoyed visiting Paris with Amanda quite a bit.… (más)

I received a copy from NetGalley and am pleased to leave an unbiased review.

This is a lovely middle grade novel that whisks you away to the island of Malta. I've never been but have heard a lot of rave stories about Malta and Amanda in Malta made me want to visit!

I loved the adventure aspect in this particular story, author Darlene Foster did a great job in creating a captivating and exciting story. Amanda sets off to find her friend Leah who disappears, and later the Sleeping Lady artifact goes missing too!

There are many great scenes in the book which will appeal to children: The Popeye Theme Park in Malta, (I loved Popeye as a child!) Marsaxlokk, (a charming fishing village,) the bird sanctuary island - Filfla, boat trips, island hops, Falconry centres and details about the eye of Osiris and dangers of anaphlaxtic shock!

It is also quite educational in places too.

There are humorous passages to make you laugh. I am sure this would appeal to youngsters and some young at heart adults too!… (más)

This book continues the excellent children’s book travel series featuring twelve year old Amanda as she visits remote locations, where she joins us in learning about history and culture, and manages to also squeeze in time for adventures and solving a mystery or two.

In this book, Amanda visits the beautiful Mediterranean archipelago of Malta, (including the island of Malta as well as the smaller islands of Gozo and Comino) with her friend Caleb and his parents.

Full disclosure: my parents are Maltese and I lived in Malta for a few years, beginning when I was, coincidentally, twelve years old and I now live in frigid Canada, as does Amanda. Given that Amanda and my returning nostalgia are so deeply in synch, it's no surprise that I was curious to read this book. The good news is that I was delighted to find Amanda’s perspective of Malta, as well as the snippets of history and the travelogue provided, not only interesting and wonderfully researched but presented in a fun and lively manner that I’m sure middle school children will enjoy as well as take learnings back from.

Amanda and her friends visit all the expected tourist locations in Malta, including (amongst other stops on this tour) the walled capital city of Valletta, the ancient ruins of Hagar Qim, the caves of Ghar Dalam, the historical Mosta dome cathedral, and the underground temple known as the Hypogeum. They also sample local cuisine (including everyone’s favourite Maltese pastizzi pastries), and experience the azure splendor of the waters and caves of the Blue Grotto.

To complement the story, Amanda’s motivation for visiting Malta is driven by her need to help her friend Leah out of a jam and this sub-plot nicely interweaves learning about the islands with an element of mystery and danger that is sure to delight modern day Nancy Drew fans.

A big thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance review copy of this engaging book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts presented are my own.… (más)