The Mystery of the Missing Falls: The Kingswell Kid Detectives Book 1 Virtual Tour: Review & Giveaway

Are you into searching for clues and cracking secret codes? Then you may enjoy reading The Mystery of the Missing Falls, debut book in The Kingswell Kid Detectives series coauthored by Jen Weaver and Gayle Veitenheimer. Enter to win one of five paperback copies!

My Review:

Creatively crafted by two Bible teachers, The Mystery of the Missing Falls is a page-turning, thought-provoking middle grade novel demonstrating the power of faith, family, friendship, kindness, teamwork and forgiveness.

Luka, a police officer's son, and Ember, a preacher's daughter, are cousins who share a passion for solving mysteries. Their town's oldest mystery seems to be the perfect first real case for their new detective agency, especially when cousins Jake and Callie from the Kingswell family become their first paying clients. With insider intel and the secret weapon of prayer, the Kingswell kid detectives get a head start in the contest for finding the missing waterfalls and hidden treasures. Unexpected challenges however, keep coming in their way. The clock is ticking. Can they unravel the puzzle before everyone else?

With relatable and likeable characters involved in an exciting, action-packed adventure, the story keeps young readers engaged as they follow the junior detectives' lead to gather clues, decipher coded messages, and explore the unknown. Each of the four main characters have their unique strengths and weaknesses. It's inspiring to see how they realize their mistakes, overcome their shortcomings, and grow together as a team. Their experience reminds readers of the importance of family, friends, kindness and teamplay. It also teaches practical investigative and problem-solving skills that could come in handy in our real-life adventures.

Woven into the mystery-solving challenge are common questions that children have regarding their relationship with God. Can each prayer be heard and answered? How can God's voice be recognized and distinguished from one's own imagination? The novel addresses these valid concerns by providing concrete examples through the characters' conversations and experiences. It hence prompts young readers to ponder over how they can connect and communicate with God on a deeper level.

Entertaining and heartwarming, The Mystery of the Missing Falls helps instill Christian values into children from an early age. Free from violence, villains and dark forces, it makes a delightful read for young mystery and sleuth lovers.

About the Book:

Ages: 8–12 | 192 Pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications (2026) | ISBN: 978-0825452864

Luka and Ember are ready to put their new detective agency on the map, and the town’s oldest unsolved mystery might be just the case to do it. When cousins Jake and Callie — who are at odds with each other — join the investigation, the young detectives set out to uncover the truth behind the missing falls, help mend an age-old family feud, and discover an unexpected tool along the way: prayer.

Blending high-stakes sleuthing and page-turning adventure with the questions kids really ask about God, The Mystery of the Missing Falls invites young readers to discover that prayer is more than talking to God — it’s part of an ongoing relationship with a God who speaks, listens, and meets them in everyday life.

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

Bella and Bird Explore Sadness Blog Tour: Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

When you feel sad, would you like someone to sit beside you and help you process your emotions? Bella and Bird, the beloved emotion explorer duo, are back with more useful information and tools in Bella and Bird Explore Sadness, written by award-winning children's book author Dr. Deana Plaskon, who is also a licensed mental health counselor and equine-assisted therapist. Enter to win a signed copy, or all three books in the series!

My Review:

Inspired by real farm animals and real-life experiences, Bella and Bird Explore Sadness is the second installment in the Bella and Bird Emotion Explorers series. It shares healthy ways to manage sadness through a gentle, heartfelt and soothing story that may easily resonate with young readers struggling to handle their big feelings.

Seeing Molly sitting under a tree alone with a sad face, Bella offers to sit next to her in silence. Bird joins in with a tissue to let Molly wipe her tears. Feeling comforted, Molly opens up to talk about how she feels and what makes her feel that way. Bird shares his secret to feeling lighter, while Bella helps Molly clear her mind and find solutions. With tears turning into smiles, Molly learns a lot about expressing and navigating her emotions.

Bella, the wise, calm horse, and Bird, the humorous, chatty swallow, make a wonderful team of emotion explorers. Both kind and patient, they take thoughtful steps to cheer Molly up. Besides providing company and comfort, they reassure Molly that it's normal to feel sad at times and a good cry can help her feel better. Being honest about her true feelings is healthier than trying to hide them or suppress them. After knowing the cause of Molly's sadness, they encourage her to let out her feelings, change her mindset and explore better alternatives to the status quo.

Along with Molly, young readers learn to recognize, name and understand their emotions. They are informed about different kinds of sadness, simple and fun breathing techniques like feather breathing, as well as healthy emotional outlets like painting or drawing. Further, they are inspired to focus on positive thoughts, embrace emotions as signals for their underlying needs, and solve a problem by addressing its root cause.

The friendly conversations initiated by Bella or Bird with Molly suggest ways parents and educators may approach a youngster who needs guidance for emotion regulation. It's not always easy for adults to fully understand the triggers of a child's emotional responses, but as Bella and Bird demonstrate, they can at least be present, listen, and help untangle complex feelings through communication.

The charming nature-inspired artwork well complements the narrative by vividly depicting adorable animal characters with distinct personalities while expressively capturing the subtle changes in Molly's emotions as she gains knowledge and acquires new skills. Who wouldn't want friends like Bella and Bird to accompany their journey as emotion explorers?

Beautiful, meaningful and educational, Bella and Bird Explore Sadness exemplifies a valuable children's book that teaches emotional intelligence through an uplifting, relatable tale.

About the Book:

Ages: 5–10 | 32 Pages
Publisher: Bella and Bird Books (2026) | ISBN: 979-8987268452

Molly cried. She really cried. When Molly comes into the pasture, gloomy and sad, Bella, the wise horse, and Bird, the wisecracking barn swallow, step in to help. Together, the friends set out to explore why Molly is sad and offer valuable lessons and better ways to cope. By the time Molly leaves the pasture, she's gained new insights, is in better control of her feelings, and has tools to take along with her.

Bella and Bird Explore Sadness provides a foundation for readers to explore, understand, and effectively manage sadness, and serves as an invaluable tool for starting honest conversations about big emotions.

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

Zombie Zoo Virtual Tour: Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

Disclosure: This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by The Children's Book Review. I received a copy of the book to facilitate my review and a promotional giveaway item. All views and opinions expressed are my own. icefairy's Treasure Chest is not responsible for winner selection or prize fulfillment.

Do you think it possible to solve a supernatural mystery through scientific investigation and analysis? Follow two orphans' jaw-dropping adventure in Zombie Zoo, written by Melanie Abed and illustrated by Emmy-winning director Hisham Abed. Enter to win a signed copy and an epic swag haul including stickers, a pin, a Glow-in-the-Dark Green Goo Kit and more!

My Review:

As the first book in the middle-grade series Felix & Ninja: Adventures in Tub, Zombie Zoo presents a spooky, suspenseful and spellbinding story about friendship, courage, collaboration and creative problem-solving.

Felix and Ninja are two teenage loners in a run-down orphanage on the island of Tub. As a naturalist, Felix enjoys taking meticulous notes of his observations and detecting patterns. Ninja is a sharp, agile and vigilant girl good at acting on instinct and in stealth mode. The emergence of suspicious substances like glowing green goo and glowing green mist brings the two together in a high-risk investigation and a daunting mission to save the orphans and their townsfolk from a hive-mind zombie outbreak.

Fast-paced and action-packed, the novel keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they wonder what Felix and Ninja would encounter or discover next. Its delectable blend of mystery, fantasy, adventure, kid-friendly humor and horror attracts a wide range of book lovers across different age groups. The author does a stellar job of building suspense and bringing the story to life through precise, vivid, and carefully-paced descriptions of actions. Moreover, the use of alternating narrative perspectives provides a closer connection with the main characters and a deeper understanding of their inner worlds.

Apart from the thrill of scientific investigation, mystery-solving and mission accomplishment, what also stands out from the book is the unlikely yet solid friendship forged between Felix and Ninja through teamwork. Both characters learn to step out of their comfort zones, and to trust, protect and care for each other as the story unfolds. Their growths inspire young readers to follow their passions, sharpen their analytical and problem-solving skills, tackle tough challenges with courage and their strengths, and take leadership and responsibility when the occasion arises.

Captivating and cleverly crafted, Zombie Zoo makes a noteworthy debut for the STEM-inspired series. It's a book that adventure and mystery lovers don't want to miss.

About the Book:

Ages: 9–13 | 244 Pages
Publisher: Oculus Print (2026) | ISBN: 979-8-9952813-0-6

Thirteen-year-old Felix Fizzystyxx is an aspiring naturalist who observes the world from his hidden tree fort at Wayward Amok Orphanage. When he witnesses glowing green goo and strange behavior in the orphanage, his life as a quiet observer ends. He partners with Ninja, an intense, shadow-dwelling orphan who trusts her instincts and operates alone, to investigate. Together they discover that the orphans — and soon the entire town of Spinachi on the island of Tub — are turning into wood-eating zombies controlled by a hive mind.

With the help of their eccentric mentor Doc Brunne, Felix and Ninja trace the cause to Noctiluna, rare bioluminescent organisms deliberately introduced into the town's water supply, and race to find a cure before the whole town — including Doc himself — is lost to the transformation. Zombie Zoo kicks off the Adventures in Tub series with a debut story guaranteed to keep readers turning the pages.

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

A Day with the Dragons Virtual Tour: Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

Siblings, despite their physical similarities, may differ wildly in their talents, hobbies and personalities. Such differences exist in dragon families too, as shown in A Day with the Dragons, the latest picture book from prolific award-winning author Raven Howell. Enter to win a hardcover copy, along with a themed pillow and a set of the author's best-selling books!

My Review:

Centering on cute, colorful dragon brothers, A Day with the Dragons explores sibling dynamics through a hilarious, engaging tale that teaches important social-emotional skills.

Dragon brothers Blue and Green want to have some outdoor fun together on a beautiful day. Blue loves to swim, surf and sail in the sea, whereas Green prefers to hike on the grassy hillside. They trick each other into joining their own favorite activities, either of which rushes to a disastrous end and leaves each dragon feeling guilty of causing the discomfort of his beloved brother. Will they manage to find common ground for them to enjoy the rest of the day together?

Through amusing misadventures of visually appealing mythical creatures, the story keeps young readers' full attention from beginning to end while gently making them aware of possible undesirable consequences of disregarding a loved one's strong preference that differs considerably from their own. Alongside Blue and Green, little ones learn about the importance of being truthful, considerate, and sensitive to others' feelings. The dragon duo sets an excellent example of making meaningful, sincere apologies, learning from mistakes, and sorting things out without the intervention of an adult figure. Their fans are thus inspired to become independent problem-solvers who respect individuality and treasure the freedom of choice as well as the joy of shared interests.

The book's comical, expressive illustrations add to the charm of these adorable creatures and their action-packed adventure. The differences between the dragon siblings are vividly captured by contrasting their facial expressions and body reactions during a shared activity, helping young readers relate to the characters and resonate with their feelings.

Humorous and thought-provoking, A Day with the Dragons makes a worthy read for all, especially dragon lovers and young kids with siblings.

About the Book:

Ages: 2-7 | 34 Pages
Publisher: AMInk Publishing (2026) | ISBN-13: 978-1958842706

What do you do when you and your brother have different interests but still want to spend the day together? Dragons Blue and Green set off on a series of comical misadventures. After risky jellyfish encounters and allergic red spots from dandelions, will they begin to understand that love and respect for one another matters more?

Purchase links: Amazon | Bookshop.org