Beverly Stowe McClure

Rebel Ferguson’s life has changed drastically. Her mother has left Rebel and her father for a drummer in a band. Rebel’s two best friends, Will and Sully have decided to do everything in their power to cheer her up. As her father tries to deal with the situation, taking credit for part of the break up, Rebel feels her life is spinning out of control. First there is the strange behavior of Will and Sully, especially when it concerns college boy Rick. Next there is the mandatory visit with her mother and new boyfriend Bo.
Rebel is determined to make her mother pay for choosing Bo over her and her father. She begins to call her mother Liz. This is a book that you must read. It rang so true. I have seen my middle school students go through these frustrating stages just like Rebel as they deal with a divorce in their family. I can only imagine if they were older and had to deal with the “boy” issues Rebel is dealing with. I sat with the book and read it from cover to cover. I have so enjoyed it. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read and review this book and I’m looking forward to reading a lot more by this author.… (more)

What a charming early reader for children to read at Christmas. It's also a lovely book to read together as a family, which I did with my sons. Although they are a bit older than the age group for this book (they read quite well on their own now and my younger son reads at a higher level than his grade level), they enjoyed the book. I asked them for their thoughts on the book and here is what they said. They both thought it was cool how she figured out to use the tumbleweed as a Christmas tree. They also liked how she gave up her ball glove so she could buy presents for her family. As we were reading, we came to the part where the main character is talking about miracles with her friend. My son said, "Daniel doesn't know what a miracle is?" So I asked him, "Do you know what a miracle is?" He said yes, and told me, "It's something good that happens when you think it won't." Exactly! Tumbleweed Christmas teaches that we should believe in miracles and that sometimes we just may have to make the miracles happen ourselves. Also, I need to mention the wonderful illustrations. Just terrific! I highly recommend this book as a family Christmas book to be shared every year during the season.
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Just how bad can one kid’s life get? When 13-year-old Erik Burks discovers a black lace bra in the glove compartment of his dad’s car his life falls apart. Totally! His mom leaves his father and drags Erik from being king of the hill in Texas to the bottom of the pits in South Carolina. No Dad, no baseball, no friends, just Starry Knight (a girl who reads minds) and her equally weird brother, Stormy, the twins that live down the block.

Just when Erik thinks life can’t get any worse, while hanging out at the beach one evening, he and the twins notice lights radiating from an old, deactivated lighthouse. Stranger still, a ship materializes in the moonlit harbor. On closer inspection, the kids discover the ghost of a blockade runner, a phantom cat, and a pirate who prowls Charleston Harbor, all searching for rest. The ghosts may be the answer to his desire to return home. Erik wants his old life back and he wants answers from his dad. He makes a deal with the ghosts. He’ll help them find what they’re looking for so their spirits can rest in peace. In return, the ghosts will scare Erik’s mother so she’ll be on the next flight back to Texas.

What a great tween adventure. This book has everything for kids who like action, mystery, pirates, and ghosts. Author Beverly Stowe McClure very cleverly intersperses real piratical and nautical facts between her fictionalized account of the feud between (historical figures) Major Stede Bonnet and Edward Teach aka Blackbeard. Danger abounds when Erik and his friends board the pirate ghost ship and set sail on their quest to resolve the ghosts’ issues. Magic and mayhem keep the action going, without being too scary. I liked the author’s handling of Erik’s inner turmoil, his confusion over his father’s behavior, and his longing for his life and friends back in Texas. A subtle theme is how children deal with parental break-ups. The author creates a lovely character in Erik, which kids will relate to very well. Storm and Star were less well-developed, but no less entertaining. Very enjoyable. Recommended.
First reviewed for Readers’ Favorite… (more)