10 Captivating Fantasy Books For Young Readers

Featured

Readers of all ages love fantasy, but kids are especially likely to get hooked on this fantastic genre, where imagination runs wild, magic is real, and the world is inhabited by strange and beautiful creatures. The ten captivating books listed here allow young readers to escape to new worlds, where they can experience amazing adventures. https://wiki.ezvid.com/m/10-captivating-fantasy-books-for-young-readers-J7iRlnKs8VQYg

10 Captivating Fantasy Books For Young Readers

TitleAuthor
1.Charis: Journey to Pandora’s JarNicole Y. Walters
2.Sir Princess PetraDiane Mae Robinson
3.The Hob and the DeermanPat Walsh
4.Fog IslandTomi Ungerer
5.There May Be a CastlePiers Torday
6.Mabel Gray and the Wizard Who Swallowed the SunClayton Smith
7.DreamwoodHeather Mackey
8.The Secret Life of Daisy FitzjohnTania Unsworth
9.Bad MagicPseudonymous Bosch
10.The Mad Wolf’s DaughterDiane Magras

Fun Activities For Young Fantasy Fans

How to Encourage Kids to Read

A great way to start is to get a bookshelf for your child’s room. If they have access to their own collection of books, it’ll be easy for them to read at their own pace. And if they’re looking at the shelf everyday, reading will always be on their mind. It’s also important to give your kids a comfortable place to sit. This can be anything from a rocking chair to a couch to a dedicated reading nook. If they have a space that’s just for them, it makes reading time all the more special. As they grow, your young ones will start to read more challenging books with words they don’t know. Encourage them to look up unfamiliar terms in the dictionary so they can expand their vocabulary. Finally, if you’re having trouble getting your kid interested in books in the first place, try bridging the gap between visual media and literature with graphic novels.

What is Fantasy?

In Depth

No genre can capture the imagination quite like fantasy, where readers are invited to envision impossible worlds, daring heroes, and strange creatures living in the land of myth and legend. There’s a reason why so many speculative stories spellbind young readers with their tales of misfits, outcasts, and kids with untapped stores of tremendous bravery.

For young readers on the lookout for adventure, here, in no particular order, are some stunningly imaginative books that will bring out the magic in everyday life.

In the #1 spot is “Charis: Journey to Pandora’s Jar” by Nicole Y. Walters. Charis has been waiting all her life for a chance to show her stuff. Now, it’s up to the hyper-imaginative thirteen-year-old to save the world by visiting Pandora’s Jar, the place where demons and kind spirits dwell. The catch? She’s only got five days to release the spirit of Hope from the jar before mankind is officially doomed forever. With the help of a few trusty deities and her best friend Gabe, Charis has to summon up all her courage to set things right.

She’s only got five days to release the spirit of Hope from the jar before mankind is officially doomed forever.

At #2, we have Diane Mae Robinson’s “Sir Princess Petra.” Even Princesses get bored of being pampered sometimes. In this series, nine-year-old Petra decides that she wants to become a knight. But even though she’s got courage and cunning to spare, knighthood comes with its own set of pressures and obstacles, like having to silence a dragon and visit the spooky Forest of Doom. If she can overcome a few kooky quests, she’ll find her true place in the kingdom.

At #3 is “The Hob and the Deerman” by Pat Walsh. Crowfield Abbey is a peculiar place. It’s a portal, of sorts, between the world we know and the Otherworld, a place where demons, boggarts, and all kinds of creatures freely roam. When Walter, a “hob” spirit, returns to find everything in disarray, he knows he needs to take action to help put all the troubled spirits in the abbey to rest. But it will take a lot of help, and a lot of courage, to cross paths with the Deerman of the forest and live to tell the tale.

At #4 is Tomi Ungerer’s “Fog Island.” No one ever returns from Fog Island. It’s a place shrouded in mystery, a place that Finn and Cara have been warned against visiting. But when the two siblings disobey their father and head for the far-off island, they’re in for more than they bargained for. Is the ancient place just a pile of ruins? Or is there a deeper mystery lurking, something that only the mercurial Fog Man can unlock?

But when the two siblings disobey their father and head for the far-off island, they’re in for more than they bargained for.

For #5 we have “There May Be a Castle” by Piers Torday. Eleven-year-old Mouse knows he shouldn’t have survived the car crash when he was thrown from the vehicle during a Christmas Eve drive to his grandparents’ house. He woke totally fine, but in a world he barely recognized. With the help of a magical sheep and a sardonic talking horse, he’ll need to find his way to the castle if he wants to regain entry to his own life. That is, if this place everyone speaks of is more than the stuff of legend.

Coming in at #6 is Clayton Smith’s “Mabel Gray and the Wizard Who Swallowed the Sun.” The people of Brightsbane have had a rough time ever since the eternal night started. After a wizard took away the daytime from the land, he decided he needed to come back to steal a book of magic spells that holds the key to the township’s total destruction. Luckily, a spirited orphan named Mabel is going to set things right.

If she can summon up the courage to deal with a series of fantastical creatures and hair-raising quests, she might find a way to break her hometown’s terrible curse forever.

If she can summon up the courage to deal with a series of fantastical creatures and hair-raising quests, she might find a way to break her hometown’s terrible curse forever.

At #7 is Heather Mackey’s “Dreamwood.” Runaway Lucy has a fair amount of experience with supernatural forces. Her father is an expert on the subject, and she’s on a quest to find him and bring him back so she doesn’t have to go to that dreadful boarding school anymore. The problem is, her father isn’t where she thought he’d be. Could it be that the enchanted forest of Dreamwood proved too powerful a match for him? There’s only one way to find out: by heading into the heart of the living grove, no matter the consequences.

Coming in at #8 is “The Secret Life of Daisy Fitzjohn” by Tania Unsworth. Some might call Daisy’s life unusual: her best friends are a talking rat and a ghost, and she lives in an old estate that’s slowly falling apart. When her mother leaves on a strange expedition and doesn’t return, Daisy knows she can’t hide within the walls of Brightwood Hall any longer. She’ll have to do what it takes to save her home and keep her family together, with only the help of her eclectic sidekicks to guide her.

At #9 we find Pseudonymous Bosch’s “Bad Magic.” Clay knows there’s no such thing as magic. He’s seen a million sleight-of-hand shows and he knows they’re just tricks. That said, there are a few things happening at Earth Ranch that he can’t explain. Clay was supposed to be sent to the rehabilitation camp to be “scared straight.” But there’s more at work here than a few obstacle courses and hikes. For one thing, he’s having conversations with llamas.

For one thing, he’s having conversations with llamas.

For another, he may or may not have just seen a ghost. If there’s magic on Earth Ranch, Clay needs to make sure it’s not the deadly kind. If he can make it off the volcanic island without causing an explosion, he’ll count himself lucky.

Finally, at #10, is “The Mad Wolf’s Daughter” by Diane Magras. When Drest’s family of male warriors is taken captive, she finds herself in a unique position. All her life, her father and brothers took care of her. Now, she’s got to free her kin with the help of a witch, a soft-spoken knight, and her own fierce courage. With a mysterious bandit out to get her and her sense of independence growing by the day, Drest will find herself taking chances, slaying personal demons, and doing things she never dreamed herself capable of.

https://wiki.ezvid.com/m/10-chttps://wiki.ezvid.com/m/10-captivating-fantasy-books-for-young-readers-J7iRlnKs8VQYgaptivating-fantasy-books-for-young-readers-J7iRlnKs8VQYg

Sir Princess Petra’s Talent wins a 2019 Book Excellence Award

Featured

Sir Princess Petra has already proven she is a kind and noble knight. This, however, does not please the king and queen—they want her to behave like a princess and forget this silly knight nonsense of hers! 

But when the king writes a new rule in the royal rule book that requires her to attend Talent School and acquire a princess talent certificate or suffer the spell of the royal magician, Petra, reluctantly, agrees to go. But who could have guessed what Sir Princess Petra’s Talent would be?

Book Awards for Sir Princess Petra’s Talent

2014 – Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, Bronze Medal Winner, Grade 4th- 6th.

2015 – Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, Honorable Mention, Chapter Books.

2015 – Children’s Literary Classics Book Awards, Silver Medal, Chapter Books.

2015 – Los Angeles Book Festival, Honorable Mention.

2019 –Book Excellence Awards, Winner, Friendship Books.

The Pen Pieyu Adventures

Read more about the author and her dragon books for children here.

Literary Classics Gold-Winning Books

Featured

Literary Classics

Review:

Most people who enjoy reading do so because of their love for stories, real or imagined.  It is indeed rare to find a person who loves reading who also delights in breaking sentences down into their grammatical parts.  Fortunately for young knights and princesses, author Diane Mae Robinson has addressed the subject of grammar in a way that will help kids (and even adults) enjoy the topic.  Imagine studying syntax in the context of fire-breathing dragons, ogres and the like.  In Robinson’s The Dragon Grammar Book readers are introduced to terminology before diving into meatier topics such as dangling prepositions in this enchanting book which ends with dragon grammar skill tests to help youngsters assess what they’ve learned.  Recommended for home and school libraries, The Dragon Grammar Book has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval https://clcreviews.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-dragon-grammar-book-earns-literary.html

The Dragon Grammar Book – Grammar for Kids, Dragons, and the Whole Kingdom wins two top gold awards, Gold medal in Chapter Books/Middles Grades and Lumen Award for Literary Excellence: http://www.clcawards.org/2018_Award_Winning_Books.html

Literary Classics Top Honors Gold Book Awards honoring excellence in literature for children and young adults
Literary Classics Lumen Book Awards honoring excellence in literature for children and young adults

Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Grammar-Book-Dragons-Kingdom-ebook/dp/B078G1VKP2

Book Synopsis:

2018 Four-Time Gold Medal Winning Book in Children’s Education.
Finally! An easy-to-understand English grammar book with fun grammar lessons for middle grades and up. An excellent education reference for classroom and homeschool grammar lessons.

The Dragon Grammar Book is the perfect grammar study guide to help readers learn the rules of grammar and improve language art skills with ease and enjoyment.  From multi-award-winning children’s fantasy author, Diane Mae Robinson, The Dragon Grammar Book provides a fun and engaging approach to learning English grammar through easy-to-follow lessons, humorous example sentences, and chapter quizzes to conquer all those tricky grammar rules.

  • Easy-To-Understand Lessons organized to gradually build on the basic grammar rules toward an intermediate level.
  • Engaging Examples Sentences explain each grammar rule through a humorous and creative writing style.
  • An Expansive Resource of grammar terminology, confusing words, punctuation rules, types of sentences and proper structure, parts of speech, verb agreement, and more.
  • Quizzes with Answer Keys reinforce each lesson before proceeding to the next lesson.

 Featuring the zany fantasy characters in the author’s international-award-winning The Pen Pieyu Adventures series, The Dragon Grammar Book is sure to be enjoyed by kids, teens, young adults, and the whole kingdom.

“Oriented toward pragmatic, real-world usage, The Dragon Grammar Book is a great resource for kids, their teachers, and anyone else who’d like to know more about language and how to use it. Most highly recommended.”–Jack Magnus for Readers’ Favorite.
2018 Book Excellence Awards, 1st Place Winner, Education & Academics. 2018 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards, Gold Winner, Children-Education. 2018 Literary Classics International Book Awards, Gold Winner, Educational Books. 2018 Lumen Award for Literary Excellence.

Read Reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Grammar-Book-Dragons-Kingdom-ebook/dp/B078G1VKP

View other award-winning dragon books for kids by author Diane Mae Robinson: https:www.dragonsbook.com

Some Common Writing Terminology

Illustration copyright Samantha Kickingbird

Acronym:  a word formed from the first letter or first few letters of each word in a phrase or title and sometimes pronounced as a word.  NASA is pronounced as a word and is the acronym for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. FBI is pronounced by its letters and is an acronym for Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Alliteration: A group of words that all begin with the same sound. 
Peter Piper picked a peck of pepper pickles.
Antonym: a word with a meaning that is opposite to the meaning of another word. Love is the antonym of hate. Happy is the antonym of sad.
Euphemism: a milder word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
Spinning tales can be an euphemism for lying.
Homonyms: a word that is said or spelled the same way as another word but has a different meaning.
Write, right, and rite are homonyms.
Duck (noun) and duck (verb) are homonyms.
Metaphor: a word or phrase that is used as a symbol to make a direct comparison between two people, animals, things, places, or a combination of any two of these. A metaphor makes a stronger statement than a simile does by stating something “is” something else.
The king is a dragon today.
The raindrops were arrows.
Oxymoron: A phrase composed of two words with contradictory meanings.
Jumbo shrimp. Act naturally. Original copy.
Pun: A play on words that relies on a word’s having more than one meaning or sounding like another word.
A good pun has its own reword.
Horses are stable animals.
Simile: a figure of speech in which two un-similar things or people are compared by using “like” or “as” to connect the comparison.
The knight was as brave as a panther.
The dragon danced like a feather in the wind.
Synonyms: a word that has the same meaning as another word. Big, large, huge, and giant are synonyms.
Small, miniature, little, and tiny are synonyms.
Personification: a figure of speech in which a something non-human is given a human quality. The non-human objects are portrayed in such a way that we feel they have the ability to act like human beings.
The unicorn sang in triumph.
Flowers danced in the breeze.

Check out dragon books for children by author Diane Mae Robinson: https://www.amazon.com/Diane-Mae-Robinson/e/B007DKO8SK/

The Dragon Grammar Book – 2018 LITERARY CLASSICS BOOK AWARD FINALIST

2018
LITERARY CLASSICS BOOK AWARD FINALIST
Tradition continues with the arrival of one of the most anticipated moments in the world of children’s and young adult literature. The 2018 Literary Classics Book Award Finalists and Top Honors Book Awards Finalists have been announced. Selected from submissions by entrants around the globe, these distinguished honorees are recognized for their contributions to the craft of writing, illustrating, and publishing exceptional literature for a youth audience. In this highly competitive industry these books represent the foremost in literature in their respective categories.
 
The competition this year was tremendous, and we congratulate all of the finalists for their outstanding and inspiring work. Final awards, categories and levels will be announced on November 15, 2018. All Silver, Gold and Top Honors award recipients will be invited to attend a writers’ conference, awards ceremony, formal gala, and authors’ book signing to be held in conjunction with the Great American Book Festival, May 10, 11 & 12, 2019.
 
The Literary Classics selection committee is proud to recognize this year’s titles in literature which exemplify the criteria set forth by the Literary Classics award selection committee.
List of 2018 Finalists:
Learn more about Diane Mae Robinson and her multi-award winning dragon books for children: https://dragonsbook.com/

The Dragon Grammar Book – LitPick Student Reviews and Book Trailer

LitPick Student Reviews made this funky book trailer for The Dragon Grammar Book. I’ve worked with LitPick Student Reviews a few times, and their services are great. I love that the books are actually reviewed by students. The students do a great job of writing an extensive review. Thank you, Jonny and Ampster.

Here’s the two reviews.

Review by Jonny, age 12, 5 stars.

The Dragon Grammar Book by Diane Mae Robinson is a clearly written, informative book of grammar for anyone ages 12 and up. It begins with an explanation of the author’s purpose for this project and a list of important definitions that should help readers understand the grammar and punctuation rules that are well-organized into ten chapters.

To keep the book from feeling too much like a formal grammar book, each chapter begins with happy, light-hearted drawings of the characters from The Pen Pieyu Adventures series written by the same author. When they are compared with each other, the characters in the pictures seem to tell a fun story of their own about how grammar and punctuation might seem frightening at first but can be studied and learned. With an easy to understand book like this one, anyone can forget about it being a boring subject, and they can get excited about finally understanding how grammar and punctuation rules work.

Opinion:

The Dragon Grammar Book is a handy book to have around!

In this book, the rules are explained very well, and they have simple, sometimes silly, sample sentences about a kingdom with dragons in it. Most of the sentences show readers how to set up grammar and punctuation correctly, but in a few of the sections, sentences are labeled with (Wrong). This helps readers see common mistakes that anyone can make. The “Test Your Knowledge” sections and two tests also give readers opportunities to check how much they learned from the book. Much of each test comes from the sample sentences, so readers can review explanations in the chapters again if they can’t quite remember how to set up the sentences. The book ends with a few character sketches and positive feedback from others about the author’s Pen Pieyu series, so if readers enjoyed the theme in this book, they might decide to read those books too.

Grammar is usually hard to understand, but Ms. Robinson has made a difficult subject easy and interesting to learn. She explains why correct sentences are set up exactly the way they are, how some of the sentences are written incorrectly, and what to do to fix the mistake. When I first started studying grammar, I didn’t like it because many of the rules were complicated and didn’t make sense to me. This book has cleared up most of my confusion and has helped me see the purpose of learning to follow grammar and punctuation rules properly. I think reading this book will even help me be a better writer because it has helped me understand more about the parts of speech and how they work together with punctuation. Now I can set up my own sentences correctly more often and make sure they express the exact meaning that I want.

https://litpick.com/review/dragon-grammar-book-grammar-kids-dragons-and-whole-kingdom-review-jonny

Review by Ampster, age 14, 5 stars.

Petra and Snarls are back for more in the Pen Pieyu Adventures. This time, they are tackling something fun and incredibly challenging: grammar. Join them and the rest of human and dragon kind in a quest to discover the secrets of words: their usage, spelling, and which punctuation goes with them. Written in second person, this book instructs you of the dos and don’ts of grammar and the English language. With exciting examples to engage readers, you won’t want to miss out of this enjoyable, easy-to-understand, educational book.

Opinion:

The Dragon Grammar Book was an easy-to-read informative book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Though this book was about grammar, which is not my favorite subject in school, the author, Diane Mae Robinson, did keep me engaged most of the time. It’s meant to be a reference book on grammar, not a story to be read in one sitting.

After reading the Pen Pieyu series, I fell in love with Petra and Snarls. Their unique personalities were portrayed perfectly and just as I remembered them. That was enough to keep me smiling throughout this entire book. It was an enjoyable book that kept me entertained.

The facts in this book were spot on, and I learned a lot about grammar, spelling, and punctuation rules. As an educational book to look up some quick English facts, this is perfect. And I must say that after studying this book, I’m absolutely positive I’ll ace my next grammar test. Any elementary or middle schooler who reads this will, too.

https://litpick.com/review/dragon-grammar-book-grammar-kids-dragons-and-whole-kingdom-review-ampster

Read more reviews for The Dragon Grammar Book: https://dragonsbook.com/dragon-grammar-book/

Available on Amazon in every country, Barnes & Noble and on my author’s website.

Check out my dragon books for children at www.dragonsbook.com

Multi-Award Winning Children’s Series–Book Review

The Multi-Award Winning Pen Pieyu Adventure Series
April 23, 2018 | Wanda Luthman

Reposted from https://wandaluthman.wordpress.com/2018/04/23/the-multi-award-winning-pen-pieyu-adventure-series/

Recently, I met a multi-award winning children’s author, Diane M. Robinson (pictured here), and read all 3 of her books in The Pen Pieyu Adventures series! I loved each one. I invite you to read about them along with my reviews and if you want to purchase them, I’ve made it easy and linked the buy page straight to Amazon where it says “Amazon” underneath each book! Enjoy!

 

Book 1

Available on Amazon

Book #1 in the Ten-Time International Multi-Award Winning Series
“I have thought hard and for many passing moons. Jewels, frocks of lace, and princess games are boring. The thing I want the most . . . “Petra hesitated and bit on her lip. “I want to be a royal knight.”
Princess Petra’s unusual birthday request sends the court into a frenzy, but when she agrees to undertake a knight’s quest they can’t stop her. Armed with a cake knife and outfitted in the best royal pots and pans, Petra sets off to face a dragon and win her real armour before encountering a bog witch, and an army of the kingdom’s worst enemies. Will Petra’s kindness and acceptance prove more valuable than weapons and armour?
Join Sir Princess Petra and her dragon steed, Snarls, in their zany adventures in this humorous fantasy and exciting fairy tales for kids series. These multi-award winning dragon fantasy books for kids 7 – 11 years are sure to entertain.

My Review (5 stars)
Such a fun story! I actually read book three first but that took nothing away from enjoying this first book in the series. Sir Princess Petra is a kind-hearted soul who has big dreams for herself to be a royal knight against her parents wishes. She goes on her quest and makes friend of everyone she meets. Such a great story with a good lesson and plenty of humor thrown in!

Book 2

Available on Amazon
Sir Princess Petra’s Talent is a Multi-Award Winning Book
2014 – Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards
2015 -Children’s Literary Classics “Seal of Approval”
2015 – Purple Dragonfly Book Award
2015 Los Angeles Book Festival Book Award
2015 – Children’s Literary Classics Book Award
Sir Princess Petra has already proven she is a kind and noble knight. This, however, does not please the king and queen—they want her to behave like a princess and forget this silly knight nonsense of hers!
But when the king writes a new rule in the royal rule book that requires her to attend Talent School and acquire a princess talent certificate or suffer the spell of the royal magician, Petra, reluctantly, agrees to go. But who could have guessed what Sir Princess Petra’s Talent would be?
Join Sir Princess Petra and her dragon steed, Snarls, in these zany adventures books for children, book series for girls age 9 – 12. These multi-award winning dragon books are sure to entertain. Sir Princess Petra’s Talent is book club recommended.

My Review (5 stars)
I very much enjoyed book two in this series. Sir Princess Petra doesn’t want to go to Princess School but she manages to find a work-around. She is strong and kind and a wonder role model for children. She keeps the King and Queen on their toes and she challenges their desire for her to be a proper Princess. The author knows how to entertain young readers with fun and interesting characters alongside a healthy dose of humor!

Book 3

Available on Amazon

Book #3 in the Ten-Time International Multi-Award Winning Series
“Ms. Robinson has created a heroine unlike any other in children’s literature.” J.E. Rogers, Award-winning middle-grade fantasy author.
Sir Princess Petra has already attained her knighthood in the Kingdom of Pen Pieyu and her non-princess-like talent certificate from Talent School, neither of which pleases her father and mother, the king and queen.The king writes up more silly rules in the royal rule book to deter Sir Princess Petra from her knightly ways and useless talent, and turn her into a real princess once and for all. Will the king finally succeed with this newly written, ridiculous mission for Petra?
Join Sir Princess Petra and her dragon steed, Snarls, in their zany adventures in this humorous fantasy and exciting fairy tales for kids series. These multi-award winning dragon fantasy books for kids 7 – 11 years are sure to entertain.
Sir Princess Petra’s Mission is an Award Winning Book in this humorous fantasy books for kids series.
2016 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award
2016 Book Excellence Award, 1st Place Chapter Books
2017 Children’s Literary Classics Seal of Approval
2017 Children’s Literary Classics, Gold Medal

My Review (5 Stars)
What a fun story! I enjoyed the fun names of the characters and places. I love the dragon, Snarls! The author does a great job of weaving adventure with fun and an important lesson of doing what is right even when it could really cost you. I highly recommend this book! 5 Stars

Follow/Contact Diane at any of her social media links below.

Twitter page: https://twitter.com/DianeMaeRobinso

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dianemaerobinson/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/indyrobins/pins/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DianeMaeRobinsonMultiAwardWinningAuthor

 

Want a free book from the multi-award winning author? Get the free short story through the link below.

Subscribe

 

Easy Grammar Lesson

“Are” and “Is” in Verb Agreement

Copyright 2013

The Dragon Grammar Book –

Grammar for Kids, Dragon,

and the Whole Kingdom

Published by Diane Mae Robinson Ink Dec. 10, 2017

“Are” and “Is” in Verb Agreement, Chapter 2

Are you sure this is right? Are and is can get confusing when we’re not sure if the thing we’re talking about is a single thing or more than one thing.

When using a singular noun or subject, the verb needs to be singular. When using a plural noun or subject, the verb needs to be plural.

     Look at the noun or subject of the sentence as a whole to decide if it’s singular or plural. Single noun – is. Plural noun – are.

In the following example sentences, the noun or subject of the sentence is underlined.

The witch’s pot of onions is simmering over the fire. (Pot is a single thing that happens to be full of onions; “pot of onions” is a single subject and requires the single verb is.)

Petra’s favorite type of book is adventures. (The single noun phrase “type of book” requires the single verb is.)

Fantasies are my favorite type of book. (The plural noun Fantasies requires the plural verb are.)

The Lord of the Kingdoms is getting frustrated with all his subjects who are asking silly questions about the mess. (“Lord of the Kingdoms” is one person and requires the single verb is.)

Review: when a subject is made up of two elements joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb is singular if both elements are singular. If one of the elements is plural, the verb becomes plural.

Either the dragons or the donkey are responsible for the smelly mess. (The subject “dragons or the donkey” uses the plural verb are after the single noun donkey because the plural dragons is one part of the two elements.

Neither the king nor the prince is responsible for the smelly mess.

As noted earlier, there is a rule that many writers follow called the proximity rule. The proximity rules states that the noun nearest the verb governs it. In my studies of grammar, I believe the proximity rule to be less common, but both rules are correct. It is more important to be consistent with using either rule.

     The subject in a sentence will come before a phrase beginning with of.

A coat of many colors is a nice thing to wear. (Coat comes before of and is a single subject requiring the single verb is.)

     Usually, a plural verb is used with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.

A dragon and a crocodile are my only pets.

But not if the and is part of a single subject phrase.

Playing Dungeons and Dragons is fun.

     If the subject is separated from the verb by such phrases as “as well as” or “along with,” these words and phrases are not part of the subject. Use a singular verb when the subject is singular and a plural verb when the subject is plural.

Singing, as well as dancing, is the terrifying part of the knight exam.

The magicians, along with the councilman, are writing new rules.

     When sentences begin with here or there, the subject follows the verb.

There is one waltz the knights have to perform.

Here are your dancing shoes.

Subject-verb agreement comes down to figuring out if the subject is plural or singular.

The rules of the kingdom are listed in the royal rule book. (Plural subject requires are.)

Economics is a silly subject. (Tricky, but here Economics is a single subject even though it looks like a plural word. It requires is.)

The economics of the kingdom are silly. (Plural subject requires are.)

     The same rules apply to does and do (does being singular and do being plural).

What do the dragon and I have in common? (Plural subject “dragon and I” requires do.)

Queen Mabel is the only one of the royals who does follow the rules. (Single subject requires does.)

     Use does for the pronouns, he, she, and it. Use do for the other subject pronouns I, you, we, and they.

I do my singing in the morning. He does his singing at night.

The rules for are, is, do, and does are the same as for all verbs to be in agreement with their subject. Remember that the verb is not always pertaining to the noun it is beside but pertaining to the subject of the sentence.

Available at:

Amazon
Barnes &Noble
Smashwords

 

 

For more information about the author’s multi-award winning dragon books for children: https://www.dragonsbook.com  

Coloring/Writing Contest For Kids 6- 17

The Dragon Newsletter via author Diane Mae Robinson is pleased to announce another contest for kids. Yay! This contest will involve coloring a picture from the Sir Princess Petra Coloring Book and adding a short paragraph about the scene the participant colors and enters into the contest. The paragraph (75 to 100 words) can be dialogue,descriptive, or both. The contest is open to Canada and U.S. (including Hawaii). The contest is for kids 6 – 17 years of age.

The prizes:

 

Sling bag with Snarls the dragon logo

Value $35.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd editions, 2017,The Pen Pieyu Adventures series    

paperbacks by Diane Mae Robinson

$42.00 value

 

 

 

Sir Princess Petra Coloring Book (2)

by Diane Mae Robinson

Value $16.00

 

 

 

Drawing Fantasy Creatures    

 paperback

by A.J. Sautter

$13.00 Value

 

 

 

 

 

Drawing Dragons

paperback

by Sandra Staple

$19.00 value

 

 

How to enter the contest:

  • Contest participants can enter by signing up to The Dragon Newsletter (an occasional newsletter about my new book releases, contests, and giveaways). Upon sign up, you will receive the 55-page pdf coloring book, which are the pages for the contest. Sign-up form here: https://dragonsbook.com/subscribe/
  • Contest participants can be from a school I have previously visited on an author visit, although, a teacher from each class will have to register on behalf of the students in that class. 
  • If you are already signed up for my newsletter, you will receive the link for the pdf coloring pages again in the November/December Dragon Newsletter. 
  • One entry per person. 
  • Entries can be emailed or mailed. Mailing address details will be sent via The Dragon Newsletter November/December 2017 Edition.
  • All entries must include: Name, age, and email address used to sign up with. If you are a teacher submitting on behalf of your classroom, please also add your name, classroom grade, and email you used to sign up with. If you’re already signed up for my newsletter, you will receive the coloring pages in my newsletter of Dec. 19, 2017.  If you’re not signed up, you can sign up here: https://dragonsbook.com/subscribe/
  • Winning entries will be judged by coloring and writing skills based on age. The short paragraph about the scene should be between 75 and 100 words (dialogue, descriptive, or both, and grammar counts). 
  • Contest closes EXTENDED UNTIL MAY 1st, 2018.

Want to see last year’s winning entries? Go here: http://bit.ly/2AfGpU8

To learn more about my dragon books for children or to order autographed copies of The Pen Pieyu Adventures series: https://www.dragonsbook.com

P.S. Releasing soon The Dragon Grammar Book – Grammar for Kids, Dragons, and the Whole Kingdom by Diane Mae Robinson starring The Pen Pieyu  Adventures characters. The Dragon Grammar Book is an easy-to-understand grammar book for middle grades and up. Stay tuned for pre-order sale and release date.

 

 

 

 

 

Have fun! Dragon hugs.

Diane

2017 Children’s Literary Classics Book Awards, Gold Medal Winner

Literary Classics Top Honors Book Awards honoring excellence in literature for children and young adults

Sir Princess Petra’s Mission (book # 3 in The Pen Pieyu Adventures Series) wins gold medal in Children’s Literary Classics 2017 Book Awards, Juvenile Chapter Books division.

http://www.clcawards.org/2017_Book_Award_Winners.html

Literary Classics is pleased to announce that the book Sir Princess Petra’s Mission, by Diane Mae Robinson, has also been selected to receive the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.  The CLC Seal of Approval is a designation reserved for those books which uphold the rigorous criteria set forth by the Literary Classics review committee, a team comprised of individuals with backgrounds in publishing, editing, writing, illustration and graphic design. Five stars https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R10IBHU3O7JGKU/ 

When her father, the king, decrees that Princess Petra must capture and deliver the fabled car-panther to the castle or renounce her knighthood, she sets about to undertake the task straight away.  Not to be deterred by her father’s excessive rules for this latest mission, she outwits him with an alternate set of decrees also stamped with his royal seal of approval which she asserts cannot be overruled.  After renegotiating the terms and ground-rules of the mission the princess is ready for her next quest.  Driven by boundless confidence and a stubborn determination, the young princess is off.

Author Diane Mae Robinson continues to delight young readers with the ever-witty, always-inspired book series about a young princess who refuses to bow to conformity.  Filled with countless catchy phrases and absurdly entertaining moments, Sir Princess Petra’s Mission is sure to be met with giggles and belly-laughs by young readers who will continue to fall in love with this enchanting series.  Sir Princess Petra’s Mission is recommended for home and school libraries and has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval and a Gold Medal in the 2017 Literary Classics Book Awards, Juvenile Chapter Books Division.

 Literary Classics, an organization dedicated to furthering excellence in literature for young readers, takes great pride in its role to help promote classic literature which appeals to youth while educating and encouraging positive values in the impressionable young minds of future generations.   To learn more about Literary Classics, you may visit their website at www.clcawards.org or www.childrensliteraryclassics.com

New editions, 2017, available here: https://www.amazon.com/Sir-Princess-Petras-Mission-Adventures/dp/099524829X/

For more reviews of these dragon books for children, https://www.dragonsbook.com