Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this set of books in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Ryan Cowan to bring you this post.
Do you love Halloween? Do your kids/students? A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to share this book with you and today I am reviewing it again with its activity book! It has been interesting re-reading the book. It has been a while since I have re-read novels. The book is Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal by Ryan Cowan, and it is accompanied by Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal Activity Book/Novel Study Grades 3-5 also by Ryan Cowan. Now the book has 31 chapters, and the activity book has activity pages for each novel, so this book is amazing for a countdown to Halloween! After my review is a giveaway!!
About the Books:
Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal Written by Ryan Cowan | Illustrated by Halo RifeAges: 8-12 | 252 Pages
Publisher: For the Northern Star Publishing (2019) | ISBN-13: 979-8351181905 (Hardback) and 978-1097952779 (Paperback)
Publisher's Book Summary: Elliott attends his third-grade class like any other boy, except that Elliott isn't like any other boy. Endowed with magical powers, Elliott belongs to a secret world called Moonstone—and trouble is brewing. When the evil witch Noir steals The Halloween Crystal, it's up to Elliott and his third-grade teacher, Mr. Moonbeam, to stop Noir from invading the non-magical world on Halloween night. But can Elliott learn to master his powers in time? Designed with 31 chapters so that parents, teachers, and students can read one chapter a day throughout the month of October!
Purchase Links: Amazon | Bookshop.org
Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal: Activity Book/Novel Study – Grades 3-5 Written by Ryan Cowan | Illustrated by Halo Rife
Ages: 8-12 | 71 Pages | Publisher: For the Northern Star Publishing (2021) | ISBN-13: 979-8761758414
Publisher's Book Summary: A Novel Study for Improving Reading Comprehension: This activity book includes a series of lessons designed to accompany the award-winning, middle grade book, Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal. The standards-based questions cover all levels of Bloom's Taxonomy and are appropriate for grades 3-5. Complete one lesson a day for 31 days leading up to Halloween!
Purchase Links: Amazon | Teachers Pay Teachers
About the Author:
Ryan Cowan grew up in a small town called Middleport, Ohio. He currently lives in Hawthorne, CA. A teacher with more than 20 years of experience, Ryan has taught all grades from K-6. He currently works as an educator in Los Angeles.
Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal is his first children's book. He wrote the accompanying novel study to help parents and teachers improve children's reading comprehension.
Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Amazon Author Page
About the Illustrator
Halo Rife is an illustrator from Middleport, Ohio. She was 15 years old when she illustrated Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal.
From Me:
This book is about witches and wizards who are guardians of the magical world and the non-magical world. They are living in the non-magical world and have to hide their magic. One is a third-grade boy, Elliott, who has never been to the magical world. One of the guardians is his teacher, Mr. Moonbeam, who often meets with his parents who are the other guardians that are in the non-magical world. As Halloween approaches there is danger of the evil warlock breaking through the veil between the two worlds. He wants to find the Halloween crystal so he can rule over both places. The guardians must prevent this. Elliott is trying figure out his magic and control it. It is a book full of witches, ghosts, dragons and more monsters as well as Halloween fun! It has lessons in the book about friendship, cooperation and more.
It was so fun to read this book for a second time. The story came back to me as I was reading but I often mixed it up with other stories so there were surprises. Each chapter is full of interesting actions and sometimes life lessons, and the characters are well developed. Having the activity book with it helped me process the various things that happen in each chapter. It helps emphasize the important parts of the chapter--setting, plot, etc., but it also emphasizes some of the lessons and ideas meant to teach kids. Often it asks them to relate the story to their life.
The activity book helps kids develop the reading comprehension we want them to have. It asks about main ideas, characters, settings, plots but it also asks them to relate the story to their lives. It also has them try to describe some of the settings and could help them imagine what the book is describing especially when it comes to the magical Moonstone. This book is perfect for helping kids get ready for book reports, standardized tests on reading comprehension and so much more. It also helps them break down a book by chapter and the various things that happen in the chapter versus the whole book. It is wonderfully done and I can see teachers loving having it for their classes.
The novel is perfect for middle grade readers who love fantasy and witches as well as Halloween enthusiasts! It is also a great book for the buildup to Halloween either in the family setting or classroom setting. Read one chapter a day (in the classroom either start early to take the weekends out of play or read multiple chapters on Mondays and Fridays). Talk about the chapters or have the students answer the questions in the activity book. Reading as a group (especially as a family) will help kids learn how to discuss stories and perhaps help them find what is important in the story. They will be interested to hear what the adults in their lives notice about the story. Elliott has special powers and at first, they are missed because of how chaotic his powers are, but they become important in the plot. Plus, it will get everyone in the mood for Halloween. I know I found myself craving apple cider and pulling out our fall decorations after reading it this time!
Giveaway:
● Ten winners will each receive a signed hardcover copy of the novel paired with its companion Activity Book.
● One grand-prize winner will receive an exclusive Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal T-shirt, plus a signed, out-of-print copy of the original edition featuring its original cover design.
Good luck!! Click the picture below to enter the giveaway!
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