Channing O'Banning and the Turquoise Trail

Channing O'Banning and the Turquoise Trail is a wonderful book for children aged 6-10! I love that this book is fun and entertaining all while teaching children a biblically based lesson. This book is sure to keep readers engaged with its wonderful main character, Channing O'Banning who prefers her sketch book to her math book. Children can go on a hilarious adventure with Channing O'Banning and learn a new perspective on history, friendship, and, especially, the importance of responsibility. There are cute illustrations throughout the book to enhance the readers experience. My daughter absolutely loved this book and I highly recommend it! This is also a great way to introduce young readers to chapter books! Disclosure: I received product(s) for free, in exchange for my honest review. I only recommend products I've used personally, and believe will be good fit for consumers.

In this Channing O'Banning adventure, the story starts with Channing, Maddy and Cooper digging in the schoolyard. They are convinced that they will find fossils or even dinosaur bones. They are studying rocks in Science class so their interest in peaked. When they find out it is just leftover concrete from the old play equipment that has been torn down, Channing feels foolish. In Social Studies they are studying Native Americans and Channing's assignment is to make a poster of Native American art because she loves art so much. When she finds out she has relatives out west and that her cousin sent her grandmother a turquoise ring her interest in both Science and Social Studies is peaked a little. When she finds out that the family is heading to New Mexico for a wedding, she is excited. Between visiting a museum with dinosaur bones, a turquoise mine and art galleries featuring various types of Native Art there is a lot to learn on the trip and for the reader. Another interesting adventure for the reader. As in the other books in this series there is extra information in the “Did you know” section and website addresses for anyone wishing to find further information. I definitely recommend that teachers check this book out when teaching about rocks and minerals, fossils and Native Americans. It fills several areas of interest.

In this second book in the Channing O'Banning series, author Angela Spady packs in history and science, manners and morals, all with a dose of humor that will keep readers happily engaged.

The main character, fourth grader Channing O'Banning, is a budding artist who not only gives names to each of her colored pencils, but she always has one neatly tucked into her ponytail for her on-the-spot drawing needs. Whether Channing is happy, excited, embarrassed, or disappointed, readers will be able to relate to Channing's feelings. Better yet, in Channing, readers will find an excellent model for how to deal with those feelings.

Angela Spady's writing is excellent and the book expertly edited. Spady presents a lot of information that will hopefully spark in readers a Channing-like curiosity and encourage further research. (Spady has even included a "Did You Know" section at the end with some bonus information and some links.) Some Christian elements are present, including a quote from the Bible which is perfectly natural in its inclusion and underscore the point being made about how people should behave. Other lessons -- on honesty, forgiveness, respect, saving -- are subtly taught so that readers don't know they are getting a lesson at all.

The book is best suited to independent readers, ages six to nine, but it also could work well in the classroom as a read aloud to the students. Award-winning illustrator Tammie Lyon provides fun, cute illustrations sprinkled throughout that provide a nice visual boost for young readers.

Thank you to the publisher, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for providing me an eBook copy with absolutely no strings attached. In exchange, I'm providing my honest review -- the only kind I give.

The Channing O'Banning series is a new book series by Angela Spady which has captured my oldest daughter's heart! Channing is a 4th grade artist extraordinaire whose adventures are recorded in these engaging books. The Turquoise Trail is the first in the series. I asked my daughter to read and write her own review. Here is what she had to say!

"Channing O'Banning and the Turquoise Trail is a really fun story. I really ike it because there are a lot of cool history facts. Chan, as her friends call her, is sort of like me. I really like to draw and I have two younger sisters. I really liked this story and I hope to read more Channing O'Banning stories soon!" - Rose, age 10

As she was reading, Rose would stop and say, "Mommy! Guess what?" And tell me all sorts of things she had learned from the book. She loves that Channing is an artist as that is her main passion. Her big dream is to become an art teacher overseas. She almost always has a drawing pad and pencil along with her. This story opened up her imagination and for several days after reading I found her outside even more with her sketch pad and drawing supplies.
It is so wonderful when I can find books that are engaging and age appropriate for my girls. So much of what is published today for young girls is too mature in content and we try to guard them from experiencing too much too soon. This is a delightfully sweet series that really grabbed my own pre-teen's imagination.

My 11-year old daughter read this one. While she enjoyed it, she feels it is best suited for ages 7-9. She liked how it taught that telling the truth is always the best option. She also liked that it was written from a Christian worldview and referenced Bible verses when appropriate.

Another great book by Angela Spady.

This is a great book for kids - it has a great moral -honesty is the best policy - and that we worry over things that just don't need to be worried over - Channing is learning about the Native Americans and she starts looking for Dinosaurs bones in the school yard. - it goes into details about Native American's and their art, beliefs etc and also it has a "did you know" section. All the while teaching your children some morals, while they are having fun reading the story of channing having fun looking for Dinosaur bones. and drawing. She is so full of life and she draws that out of everyone around her and out of you the reader.

Bio:

A dinosaur dig and a search for a lost ring will take readers ages 6–10 on a hilarious adventure with spunky 4th grade artist Channing O’Banning!

Fourth-grader Channing O’Banning always has a colored pencil stuck in her hair. A girl who prefers her sketch book to her math book—or any book, for that matter—budding artist Channing is the star of this new chapter book series. With parents who think she’s from Mars, an annoying older sister who acts like Queen of the World, and a surprisingly cool Nana, Channing navigates the fourth grade in hilarious stories every kid can relate to. For fans of Judy Moody or Junie B. Jones, Channing O’Banning’s antics will be familiar and welcome—and parents will love that Channing always learns a biblically based lesson.

Channing O’Banning has had enough of school. Best friends (and super nerds) Cooper and Maddy are really into their studies on the American Southwest, but Chan can’t see what a bunch of boring rocks and dusty deserts have to do withher. When Nana lets Channing borrow her super-cool Navajo turquoise ring, Channing is over the moon—until she loses the ring. As Chan searches for Nana’s ring, hilarious antics ensue, but in the midst of the craziness, Channing learns a new perspective on history, friendship, and, especially, the importance of responsibility.

This is a really cute kids book. Something that would read well for ages 6-11. It also has some learning material in there in the science and social studies fields. I'm an adult, and it's sad to say I actually learned a little something about rocks and minerals. Maybe I should have paid better attention in school, or maybe if it was fun like this book- it might have actually stuck.

Channing is the typical fourth grade girl, and her thoughts are pretty hilarious in a comical childlike way. She reminds me a lot of my own daughter- in that she is quirky and cute and doesn't really care so much about learning until it's something that interests her.

I love how this book has a lesson wrapped up inside it. It's something you can feel good about your child reading, and I look forward to reading this one again to my kids.

I think my favorite character in the book though is Cooper. He's a know it all, and yet he is still nice to his friends. It's comical how he talks about his teachers, and the cute little nicknames they have for them. Boring Doring is my favorite.

It was pretty neat learning about turquoise too. I wasn't really knowledgeable about that kind of thing and how it relates to the tribes of the world. I love how this book teaches real world things, yet also teaches things about life.

Five stars for this cute little children's book.

*I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another cute adventure to read to my neice! These little books are so wonderful! Will be purchasing every one of these soon