Story Writing: A Workbook of Creative Writing Prompts for Kids 8-12 Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

Is your child itching to write their own story but not sure how to get started? Gift them a copy of Story Writing: A Workbook of Creative Writing Prompts for Kids 8-12, part of the Dragon & Dinosaur Chronicles series by Rick Williams. Learn more and enter to win one of three Young Creator's Storymaking Kits!

My Review:

As a resourceful companion to Star Life Keepers (first book in the Dragon & Dinosaur Chronicles series), Story Writing is an informative, instructive and engaging workbook geared toward middle graders interested in creating their own chapter book.

Spark the Dragon invites budding writers to kick off their storymaking journey by getting familiar with key story elements like characters, setting, plot and theme through fun exercises and activities. With Spark's guidance, users of the workbook get to read and analyze excerpts from Star Life Keepers and the entire Orion Dragons’ Holiday Tale short story, as they get ready to complete their very own three-chapter short story.

Writing a short chapter book may sound like a mission impossible for beginners, but thanks to the cute and friendly dragon that teaches the basics and shares useful tips, the creative process turns out to be more manageable and enjoyable than expected. From words and drawings to paragraphs and chapters, youngsters improve their reading and writing skills by taking part in a variety of activities that gradually increase in difficulty and complexity. They are motivated to spread the wings of their imagination as they learn to build different characters performing different roles in the story, describe the setting in greater detail, enrich the plot with events in sequential order, and distinguish theme from moral. The Word Detective game toward the end of the book encourages them to expand their vocabulary in order to take their stories up a notch.

Storymaking can be even more fun when done with family members. The book provides an opportunity for parents to join and play an active part in their children's writing adventure. Using prompts, tools and resources from the book, parents may help with brainstorming, editing, proofreading and polishing. Wouldn't it be exciting to be the first reader of your little one's first book?!

Both entertaining and educational, Story Writing provides a systematic, highly accessible introduction to the steps and structure of narrative fiction writing, promotes creative and critical thinking, and nurtures a lifelong love of reading and writing.

About the Book:

Ages 8-12 | 246 Pages
Publisher: Legacy KidLit Press (2025) | ISBN-13: 979-8-9874200-4-1

The Story Writing workbook helps Young Readers become Young Creators as they learn how to make their own stories. Young Creators learn the basics of storymaking and explore examples from Star Life Keepers, the first epic sci-fi/fantasy novel in the Dragon & Dinosaur Chronicles series. They then see those lessons applied to an action-packed chapter from Star Life Keepers and the Orion Dragons’ Holiday Tale short story. This workbook concludes by guiding the Young Creators through a step-by-step process to make their own stories. Story Writing can be used independently, as a companion to Star Life Keepers, or as part of the Creative Writing Lab program on The Storymaking Hub website, which includes storymaking roadmaps and 30 free downloadable resources.

Purchase link: Amazon

Great American Christmas Movie Lineup & Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Does your family's holiday tradition include watching holiday themed movies together? Join Great American Christmas 2026 all season long for heartwarming romantic comedies, compelling dramas, powerful journeys of faith, and beloved talent on Great American Pure Flix. Sign up today to start enjoying the greatest lineup of Christmas movie premieres in one season. Christmas as It’s Meant to Be!

Here are the new releases in October:

A Second Chance Christmas

Premiere Date: Thursday, October 8 on Great American Pure Flix

Starring: Candace Cameron Bure, Jonathan Scarfe

Synopsis: After five years, divorced parents Anna and James reunite with their adult children for Christmas, only to find an unexpected ice storm may give their love story a second chance.

Trailer

Silver Bells at Christmas

Premiere Date: Thursday, October 15 on Great American Pure Flix

Starring: Laura Osnes, Ryan McPartlin, Chuck Wicks, Taylor Kalupa, Julia Reilly and Tanya Christiansen

Synopsis: When Ginny fights to save her late mother’s beloved Christmas shop, a determined buyer and the return of her first love force her to choose between holding onto the past and opening her heart to a new future.

Trailer

Lionborn and the Secret of Dark Rider Virtual Tour: Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

Are you into dragons, magic, secrets, and teleportation across different realms? Then you certainly don't want to miss Lionborn and the Secret of Dark Rider, the second book in the Lionborn series by Sharique Zea. Enter to win a signed paperback copy, along with a $50 Amazon gift card!

My Review:

Blending mystery with magic, fantasy and adventure, Lionborn and the Secret of Dark Rider delivers an enchanting, breathtaking page-turner that celebrates courage, compassion, determination, and resilience while exploring the true meaning of family and friendship.

Clueless about who his dad is, Fionn is surprised by the birthday gift from him, a baby dragon named Magnus who needs his care. But that's not the only challenge lying ahead. Full of hostility and suspicion, Aunt Chloe keeps Fionn worried about being kicked out of the adoptive family he loves deeply. At Phron, the school of magic where he receives rigorous training, he has to reach top three in order to participate in the formal investigation into Marrok, the mysterious villain that keeps launching sneaky, deadly attacks at Fionn. Could Marrok be related to Abigor, who's been banished from both Arorea and the human world? Why is he so hard to track down?

Thanks to the author's exceptional writing skills, the novel is a captivating read for both mystery and fantasy lovers. Readers get deeply absorbed into the complex, intriguing imaginary world in the story as they try to put the puzzle pieces together alongside Fionn. The descriptions are so detailed and vivid that each character and scene may easily come to life in the reader's mind. The classes at the magic school sound particularly fun and fascinating. I bet kids would yearn to attend if such a school existed in reality.

Fionn's growth in both physical capacity and emotional intelligence are evident in the sequel. As they root for Fionn's success at school, young readers may get inspired by his willpower, bravery, kindness and perseverance. He sets an example for a friend that's loyal, dependable, and trustworthy, as well as a family member that's loving and caring. He is not invincible in the face of tough challenges and cunning enemies. His imperfection, however, makes him more relatable and likeable. Among the new characters, my absolute favorite is Magnus - so adorable and powerful, making me wish to keep a dragon of my own.

Highly imaginative and mesmerizing, Lionborn and the Secret of Dark Rider ends with a shocking reveal and a cliffhanger. Hope fans of the series won't have to wait long for the next book to come out.

About the Book:

Ages: 10-14 | 238 Pages
Publisher: Silverhush Press (2026) | ISBN-13: 978-1-0669013-5-7

Some enemies seek power. This one seeks Fionn Hurley—but heroes don’t fall, they rise roaring.

Fionn Hurley thought life between London and the magical realm of Arborea couldn’t surprise him anymore. He was wrong. When his bonded shadow-beast whisks him back to Arborea and straight into a burning village, he fears that a banished enemy has returned.

As Fionn and his friends at Arborea’s school of magic wrestle with unpredictable powers, intense magical training, and a baby dragon who depends on him, unsettling clues surface: an aunt who suddenly can’t stand him and visions that suggest his ties to Arborea run deeper than he ever believed.

With enemies closing in, Fionn realizes there’s only one way to track the real threat before it finds him first: earn a coveted place on a magical investigations team.

The thrilling second book in the Lionborn series — a fast-paced middle-grade fantasy adventure packed with magic, courage and friendship, and the next step in Fionn’s journey from uncertainty to confidence.

Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson, Skandar, and the Amari series.

Purchase link: Amazon

Zicky: Wrath of the Rat King Virtual Tour: Review & Giveaway

My kids and I enjoy sharing our wildest dreams, in which we may access or do things not normally possible in the real world. Can you imagine inhabitants in your dreamland finding their way to enter your real life? Follow a little boy's crazy adventure in Zicky: Wrath of the Rat King by multi-award-winning author Darin S. Cape, in collaboration with artists Zeno Decrux and Hiorsh Gabotto. Enter to win one of ten signed copies! You could also score a poster and pins.

My Review:

Marked with humor, irrepressible imagination, stunning artwork, and a creative fusion of fantasy, action, and adventure, Zicky: Wrath of the Rat King is an energizing, gripping graphic novel about family, friendship, growth, bravery, kindness and resilience.

Zicky is a preschooler who transforms into a teenage version of himself with ninja skills after falling asleep and gets transported into a fantasy world with his magic ring (in the form of a binky). Eager to invade the human world and steal all the cheese, the Rat King captures Zicky in his dream, tortures him, and forces him to help send Zooky, the mastermind behind Rat King's evil plan, to the human world. Will Zicky be able to outsmart the rats and return home in time to stop the villains from taking over and hurting his family?

With quirky characters, funny conversations and full-color illustrations, the book keeps readers immersed in Zicky's fast-paced adventure in the fantasy world as well as what happens simultaneously in the human world. While the real-world Zicky charms young readers with his cuteness, the older Zicky impresses advanced readers with his humor, courage, and quick wits. Reminiscent of members in families around us, Zicky's parents and siblings are relatable and likeable. Even the bad guys are not purely evil or despicable. Besides being a major source of amusement, they exhibit some degree of malleability and promise for positive changes.

Completed by two talented artists, the graphics constitute an indispensable and integral part of the storytelling. The contrasting two worlds (fantasy vs. reality) are well established and delineated by distinct color schemes and painting styles. The dynamic, vibrantly colored manga-inspired artwork is perfect for demonstrating Zicky's ninja stunts and sequential actions in battles against monsters and villains. Meanwhile, the more realistic, relaxed comic style drawings, do a wonderful job of reflecting the somewhat chaotic but authentic life of Zicky's loving family. The two styles blend beautifully together where the two worlds clash. In addition, the panel layout, the speech bubbles and sound effects work hand in hand to guarantee a smooth flow of the story and an engaging reading experience.

Given the unique composition of its cast, the novel may speak to a wide range of readers, who tend to have different takeaways from the story. For instance, my ten-year-old son loves the quirkiness of the characters and the hilarious interactions between Zicky and the rats. He now wishes to have a tickle robot of his own. As a parent, I'm more drawn to the family focus of the narrative, including the parenting challenges, the sibling bickering, and the bittersweet moments in everyday life. I'm also touched by how Zooky gets softened by the family's unconditional love and support. Even his dog can't resist the temptation to change sides!

Entertaining and visually appealing, Zicky: Wrath of the Rat King is sure to delight graphic novel fans in different age groups. I look forward to finding out what happens next in the series.

About the Book:

Ages: 9+ | 160 Pages
Publisher: SHP Comics (2026) | ISBN-13: 979-8992749939

Zicky: Wrath of the Rat King is a fast, funny, manga-inspired graphic novel that blends fantasy adventure with heart, humor, and family appeal. When a cheeky underdog hero is pulled into a world of monsters, doppelgängers, and an army of rats, Zicky must rely on wit, courage, and unlikely friendships to survive. Bursting with kinetic action, playful mischief, and relatable growing pains, Zicky is a perfect gateway to manga for younger readers and a joyful, high-energy adventure for kids, teens, and families alike.

Purchase links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | SHP Comics