Children's Chapter Book Captures The Reluctant Tween Readers... Blaze N. Haught, once the most popular kid in fifth grade, becomes a loner when his parents move from their big city condo to a beach house. His parents agree to adopt a stray dog, Sir Licksalot, so long as Blaze promises to make an effort to meet new friends. Finding it difficult to fit in with the neighborhood kids, Blaze competes in challenges to win their friendship. A competition is underway when the boys notice their sisters and Sir Licksalot have disappeared from the mysterious water fountain in Blaze’s backyard. While searching for the girls and Sir Licksalot, the boys find themselves on a death-defying adventure in Mavericks Extreme Water Cave. Who said, “Surf’s up”? Who will survive?          Excerpt Bobby starts to cross over the riprap stones. He makes it about four feet out and turns around to us, “Piece of cake.” Just then a big wave comes and knocks him entirely off balance. His foot slips and he twists his ankle landing on his rump. He crawls back to us. “Guess that piece of cake isn’t very sweet Bobby!” Danny blurts out. “Let me see you do it!” Bobby says frustrated. Timmy is sitting on the rocks waiting for his turn complaining that there isn’t any music. So he begins to make his own music using the crashing waves as the beat. “In the middle of the ocean, swish, Me and my homies, swish, Crossing the little rockies.” “Quiet, Timmy,” Danny says, “I need to think.” “Oh, now MacGyver wants to think,” Timmy says. I look at Danny and ask him, “Do you know a better way to get across?” “Didn’t you say Bobby was stuck in seaweed?” Danny asks. “Yes.” “What if we tie a bunch of seaweed together and toss it across the rocks? We can latch it onto the big rock sticking out over there,” Danny says, pointing to the rock. “How are we going to latch it, genius?” Bobby asks. “Like a lasso. Make a big loop at the end and toss it over until it latches onto the pointy rock sticking out of the cliff,” Danny explains. “Who is getting the seaweed?” Timmy asks.

Professional Reviews
GhostWriter Literary Reviews 5 out of 5 Stars!
Sir Licksalot & The Maverick Fools
March 2008

AUTHOR:­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ D.L. Carroll

Blaze N. Haught is forced to start over in a new neighborhood with new kids and unfamiliar surroundings, and like most young boys, Blaze doesn’t like that he had to move. Though he tries hard to fit in and make new friends, he wasn’t having much luck. His parents thought that having puppy as a companion might cheer him up so they set out to find one, ending up with a stray from the humane society. Blaze names the dog, Sir Licks-A-Lot and finds they are kindred spirits. As he struggles to make friends, his faithful new dog, rightfully named, is his only companion. It was when Blaze was raking the back yard, when he came across the unusual fountain with magical powers; and so the adventures begin.

I absolutely love this book! It has the adventures of The Goonies and the social bonding of The Sandlot in one awesome story. I hope this is a movie one day; it has the makings of an awesome storyline and plot. Although it seems inadequate, but I’m giving this book a 5.

Reviewer: Sunshine

www.ghostwriterreviews.com
ISBN: 1-60474-917-2



Reader Favorites gives 5 stars!
Sir Licksalot & The Maverick Fools
D.L. Carroll
Illustrated by Teri Cuneo
Publish America, 2008
ISBN: 1-60474-917-2
5 Stars
Imaginative…
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReaderFavorites.com 5/08
I love anything that will catch a child’s interest and get them to read. Books like Sir Licksalot & The Maverick Fools captures a child’s interest and stirs their imagination. D.L. Carroll opens the opportunity for dialogue on topics that touch today’s youth, including bullies and loneliness. The illustrations by Teri Cuneo add much to the story line.

Blaze and his parents have moved from a condo in the city where Blaze had lots of friends to a beach house where he did not know anyone. Blaze was very lonely. His parents allowed him to adopt a dog from the Humane Society. He named the dog Sir Licksalot. The other kids in the neighborhood are bullies. When Sir Licksalot and some neighborhood girls are missing, Blaze and the other boys must join forces to find them. They face a stone lion, a cave, and sharks to solve the mystery.

Sir Licksalot & The Maverick Fools is appropriate for third, fourth, and fifth graders. I think it might also be used in a middle school Reading Coach Progams as a high interest/low level reader.



Stories for Children Magazine gives high 5!
CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW
BY: Gayle Jacobson-Huset – Managing Editor
Stories for Children Magazine

BOOK: Sir Licksalot & The Maverick Fools
BY: D. L. Carroll
ILLUSTRATIONS BY: Teri Cuneo
PUBLISHED BY: Publish America
ISBN: 1-60474-917-2
READING LEVEL: Ages 10 on up

Blaze was the most popular kid in his fifth grade class in the city. When his family moves before the end of the school year to a beach house, he finds that it will take a lot of work to make new friends in this rural town. His first encounter with the local kids is a disaster, so he feels destined to be without friends. He encounters a stray dog and begs his parents to let him adopt it. They agree, but only if he makes a real effort to make new friends. He never told his parents about how the local kids treated him, so he reluctantly agrees. He names the dog Sir Licksalot since the dog slathered kisses all over Blaze every time they were together. In an effort to help their son make new friends, his parents throw a housewarming party and invite all the neighbors. Blaze mentally prepares himself since he'll be encountering the local kids again who dissed him as being "uncool". Blaze challenges the guys to a basketball game on his new home court, while the girls in the crowd sit on the edge of a large water fountain. Blaze considers the fountain totally "weird" since he swears it talked to him and Sir Licksalot is afraid to go near it. As the boys play basketball, they become aware that the girls have disappeared from the fountain, along with Sir Licksalot! You'll just have to read this book to find out what happens next as the boys search for the girls, and the amazing adventure they find themselves in! It reads like a giant computer game chock full of fun if you ask me! D.L. Carroll does a great job writing this as an adventure/mystery but also as a bridge of understanding among new and old friends and how they can become a cohesive team as they learn the secrets each shares. I especially loved this part of the book – the developing relationship between the boys in this story. Teri Cuneo's illustrations are in black and white but very realistic. The author actually thanks Teri for "her incredible ability to draw my imagination". I agree! I give this book a high five for the older "reluctant" readers – I think they will enjoy this storyline immensely and learn the true meaning of being "cool".

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