Charity Tober

The Rise of the Sidekicks by Charity Tober is a criminally underread middle grade novel following pre-teen kids with superpowers trying to become the next big sidekicks!

Ethan Parker is your average kid.... in a town with superpowers, of course. He's twelve years old, his older brother is one of the cool superheroes protecting the city, he's got a super power of his own he's working on mastering, and he goes to a school to do just that! Him and his friends are learning all that they can so they can develop those powers and then try out to be a side kick to one of the incredible heroes in the city! But, as most stories go, it doesn't stay all average day for long. A villainous man declares war on the city and locks the Guardians (superheroes) of the cities out... and all that's left are middle grade wannabe sidekicks... Never underestimate the power of a spiteful middle grader!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I was hooked and binging this story and even managed to read it twice. I felt like my younger self would have loved this and I Know many young kiddos (my neighbours) who would love a story like this. I can even see them playing pretend outside as if they were the characters of this book!

Relatable kids having very relatable problems (wanting to do better in school, wanting to be as cool as an older sibling, wanting to have friends, etc.), and showing that you should never underestimate a kid? Absolutely flawless!

I truly hope there are more stories coming along that feature Ethan and his friends. I really liked how smart and fun Ethan and his friends are. I can see many more readers loving this story. Now we just need to get it in the hands of those readers!

Five out of five stars.

I received this book for free from the author, Charity Tober, in exchange for an honest review.… (mere)

The Unbirthday Party by Charity Tober is a delightful middle grade read that brings Alice in Wonderland, the great classic, back with a fun twist!

I adore Alice in Wonderland - it's a classic that is full of whimsy and has so many variations in it's tale. So many people have tried their hand at spinning a new story, and honestly they all end up being quite fun! Okay, maybe not ALL, but most. At least the ones I have read.

Charity Tober has joined this group and is retelling the story of our fave mischievous girl with a fun twist. This Alice lives in Wonderland and has two friends - Jack, the Princes of Hearts, and Harper, the niece of the Mad Hatter (called the wacky hat maker). They are the best of friends and have a lot of great fun together. Unfortunately, Chesire Cat has been playing pranks again and has upset the Queen of Hearts. This trio decide they will throw an unbirthday party for the Queen to cheer her up! And just like anything in Wonderland, it doesn't go to plan. This band of friends will do whatever they can to make the Queen have a fantastic day!

I enjoyed the whimsy in this story. Not only does it show a fantastic friendship but it also highlights problem solving and not giving up. Throw in the fun Wonderland references, and you've got one incredible read in my books. I think grades two through five would enjoy this book (depending on their reading level). It's a lot of fun, an easy read, and very engaging.

Five out of five stars!

Charity Tober, the author, let me know this book was for free so I picked it up!… (mere)

The Girl of Magic and Dreams by Charity Tober is a delightful fantasy read for middle graders that adults can enjoy too!

I love a good book that is packed full of fantasy and fun, and lucky for me The Girl of Magic and Dreams is just that! Sophie Warner is a twelve-year-old girl who comes from a long line of Dream Watchers, people who descended from the magic of the Sandman himself. They protect the dream realm from the dark Shadow Queen. Years ago, her Mother disappeared because of the Shadow Queen, so she's been living with her Uncle ever since, and her fantastical cat friend Cosmo! Things start going wonky in the Dream Realm as Sophie works on her training, and pretty soon her, Cosmo and a friend are going to need to help save the world!

This book is an absolute delight! Sophie and Cosmo (who can telepathically talk to each other) are a hoot, as if the relationships built throughout this book. I really need her super power though! What I would give to understand what my cats are saying... This book is middle grade but full of fun that all ages will really enjoy it. There's lots of fantasy, heart, and fun packed throughout this book. I'd definitely pick up more books by Charity Tober and suggest books fill their library shelves with engaging books like this one!

Overall, this is a magical book that is a must read for middle grade readers. I highly recommend it!

Five out of five stars.

I received this book for free from the author, Charity Tober, in exchange for an honest review.… (mere)

This is a beautifully illustrated children's book. Full of bright colours.
There are a lot of elements that children can relate to. As the story starts Roly Poly rolls out of bed. His mother and father are there and then he has his breakfast. After breakfast the monster family go to the bus stop to catch the bus to the Zoo. There are lots of things at the zoo and lots of strange animals to discuss.
I enjoy the lilting rhythm of rhyming stories and Roly Poly monster is an easy short story that can be read over and over and over again.
Every time I read it the children discovered more exciting things on the pages.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.… (mere)