Review of Jo-Kin VS Lord Terra, A Children's Book by Award-winning Author Karen Tyrrell

MEET Karen Tyrrell, award winning children’s resilience author.  Karen launches her second book in the Super Space Kids series, Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra, an action-packed FUN space adventure for kids 7-12 … into the cosmos.

Jo-Kin Battles the It  and Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra (Super Space Kids) are out NOW on Amazon and in book shops across the galaxy.

Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra

“Reluctant hero, Jo-Kin never wanted to be a Super Space Kid. Not until Lord Terra kidnaps his Commander’s little sister and starts destroying the galaxy. Jo-Kin reunites the mighty Super Space Kids for an inter-planetary hunt for Lord Terra, finally meeting in a legendary winner takes all battle on Planet Deelish-us.

Can Jo-Kin defeat the all-powerful Lord Terra?

Blast off with gadgets, robots and funky food in a hilarious outer space adventure that empowers you via teamwork, problem solving, and resilience. 

My Review of Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra

Recently I was given the pleasure of reading Karen Tyrrell's latest children's book Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra. Here is my review of this fun, action-packed book:

Once upon a time, Josh Atkins was a computer geek and science nerd. But not anymore. Now Josh Atkins is cool and life at Sunny Hills School is awesome.

So Josh isn’t thrilled to see the teenage leader of Super Space Kids, Commander Nova, turn up at his school. And the reason for Nova’s visit is bad news for everyone: You have to help save the junior Super Space Kids and stop Lord Terra from destroying planet X. If you don’t, he’ll be on his way to planet Earth to destroy us as well.

Josh, code-named Jo-Kin, has a horrible feeling that he and his partner Sam, code-named Sam-Wich, can’t win this battle against Lord Terra. But what do you do when the world is counting on you?

You have an accident and break your arm. At least that is what Sam-Wich does.

Could this situation get any worse?

Yes, because Jo-Kin needs a new partner and is teamed up with his archenemy Mitch.

Not an auspicious start to a mission to save planet Earth. Looks like we’re all doomed.

What follows is an exciting and fun adventure, full of danger, spaceships, gadgets, robots and aliens. Luckily for us, this wonderful novel reveals the power of teamwork, problem solving and resilience. Otherwise, planet Earth might not be here today and then you wouldn’t be reading this review. 

Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra is perfect for middle grade readers aged 7 to 10 years. Kids will love the adventure which is sometimes fun and sometimes full of danger, suspense and ugly aliens. This big kid loved it. The characters are great. I felt like I knew them, as if I was part of their team. Plus, the action and humor make this book an enjoyable read. I highly recommend Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra to all the kids in the universe, big or small.

Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra is the latest release from award-winning author-teacher Karen Tyrrell and is book 2 in the Super Space Kids series. There are more adventures to come. Yes, Josh Atkins, life is awesome.

Please connect with Karen Tyrrell here:

Website Facebook  Twitter

Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra Blog Tour 23 May–I June

To celebrate Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra  launch Karen is hosting Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra Blog Tour and Book Giveaway. Co-hosts will share out-of-this-world book reviews, interviews and blog posts.

Karen will zoom away signed copies of her book Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra and galactic prizes via the websites below. Please leave a comment on the websites to WIN.

23 May 2016

Amazon Launch & Book Reviews
http://www.karentyrrell.com

24 May 2016
Writing Kids Humour, Melissa Wray
http://melissawray.blogspot.com.au

25 May 2016
Creating a Hero Character, Alison Stegert
https://ali-stegert.com

26 May 2016
Creating Teacher Resources, Romi Sharp
http://www.justkidslit.com

27 May 2016
Book Review, Robyn Opie Parnell
http://robynopie.blogspot.com.au

30 May 2016
Book Review, Jill Smith
https://authorjillsmith.wordpress.com

31 May 2016
Creating Themes in Kids Books, Kate Foster
http://www.katejfoster.com/blog

1 June 2016
Illustrate a Children’s Novel, June Perkins 

https://gumbootspearlz.org

Book Giveaway

WIN two signed copies of Jo-Kin vs Lord Terra OR 3 eBooks OR signed artwork from illustrator, Trevor Salter.

For a chance to WIN prizes … Just leave a comment on any of the above websites.

REMEMBER: Leaving comments on more than one site, increases your chances to WIN a prize. 

Winners announces on 6 June.  Good luck. 

Please comment below to win prizes.

      

Jo-Kin Battles The It - A Review By Robyn Opie Parnell

Jo-Kin Battles the It by Karen Tyrrell, illustrated by Trevor Salter

PB RRP $14.95

ISBN 9780994302106

Josh Atkins is an eleven year old kid who dreams of being an intergalactic game fighter. A superhero. Protector of the universe. But there’s not much chance of that. In reality, Josh sees himself as a goof ball. A geek.

One day, Josh reads an advert: Wanted Super Space Kids to save the galaxy. He can’t believe his eyes. This is his dream come through, his big chance to zoom off into space. That is, if he can win the contest.

Soon, Josh (aka Jo-Kin) is off to Space School for special training. He’s teamed up with Sam Jones (aka Sam-Wich). Jo and Sam have to learn to work as a team.

Their training is a disaster. Jo and Sam fail again and again. Sam wants to give up and go home. Jo tries to convince Sam to stay at Space School.

Then they hear the terrible news. A deadly alien called the It has kidnapped Captain Astra.

Sam definitely wants to go home!

But someone has to blast off into space, rescue Captain Astra and save the galaxy from the terrifying It.

That someone turns out to be Jo and Sam. This time the training is for real and failing is not an option – if they want to survive.

Time is running out.

Jo-Kin Battles the It is out of this world – perfect for middle grade readers aged 7 to 10 years. The story is action-packed and fast-paced. The characters are likable (except for the It, of course, who is very scary). Kids will love the adventure which is sometimes fun and sometimes full of danger, suspense and ugly aliens.

Jo-Kin Battles the It is the latest release from award-winning author-teacher Karen Tyrrell. Not only is this book a great read, the story also deals with important topics such as team work, resilience, self-esteem and friendship.

The book is kid-friendly with its bright, colorful cover, black and white illustrations and appealing internal design. Whether the kids are superheroes or geeks, the story will keep them turning the pages until, at the end, they will be left wanting more.   

To purchase a copy, see Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Jo-Kin-Battles-Super-Space-Kids-ebook/dp/B01623R5X8

Jo-Kin Battles the It is also available on LSI, library services and selected stores including some Dymocks and Angus & Robertson.  

Book Giveaway

Win a signed copy of Jo-Kin Battles the It OR one of four eBooks of Jo-Kin Battles the It OR signed artwork from the illustrator, Trevor Salter.

To WIN please LIKE Karen’s Super Space Kids book series page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SuperSpaceKids and Leave a comment on any of the below Blog stops 19-31 Oct to win. Good luck.

Christmas Gifts Children Will Love For Less Than $3.50

The following covers show a selection of my fiction books available on Amazon Kindle. I write for girls and boys of all ages and interest levels, so you'll find an original story written by me for any child. My books are great Christmas gifts at less than $3.50 each. Please click on the book covers to purchase or find out more about each book.

              

            

             

Merry Christmas and happy New Year!

The Next Big Thing

The Next Big Thing is a game of tag for authors.

The wonderful and prolific author Sally Odgers wrote about her exciting new book Clovie Trefoil - book one of the series The Fairies of Farholt at http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com. Then she tagged me!

 I'm answering ten questions today about my own Next Big Thing.

What is the working title of your next book?
Maya and the Daring Heist - book two of the Maya series.

Where did the idea come from for the project?
Maya and the Crystal Skull was officially released in January 2012. I always planned to write a series of books based around the main character Maya and the crystal skulls. The idea for Maya and the Daring Heist came from reading about the black market trade in ancient artifacts, as well as my own purchase of a crystal skull over the internet.  

What genre does your project fall under?
This is a paranormal action/adventure for confident readers aged 8 and over.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Maya could be played by Willow Shields from The Hunger Games. Ethan could be played by Callan McAuliffe from I Am Number Four. Now for Maya's dad? Johnny Depp? Brad Pitt? I'm not sure. Maybe Kiefer Sutherland. 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your project?
A birthday present for Maya's dad sets in motion unexpected events - smugglers, the black market - and Maya’s life is in jeopardy again!

Will your project be self-funded or is the risk shared by others?
I'm not sure yet. I have a few irons in the fire, so we'll have to wait and see.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
Before I started writing I had a goal to write 1,000 words a day, which meant I'd write this 40,000 word manuscript in 40 days. In reality, I finished the first draft in around 45 days.

What other projects would you compare this story to within your genre?
I don't know of any others quite like Maya and the Crystal Skull or Maya and the Daring Heist.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I was inspired to write Maya and the Daring Heist because it's a sequel to Maya and the Crystal Skull. I was inspired to write this series because it involves many of my favorite interests, such as psychic mediums, the ancient Maya, the legend of the crystal skulls, and quantum physics. I love these subjects and enjoy threading them throughout my stories.    

What else about the project might pique the reader's interest?
When I wrote Maya and the Crystal Skull I had to do a lot of research about psychic mediums and spirituality. By the time I wrote Maya and the Daring Heist I was writing from my own experience. In November 2010, I had my first experience as a medium. I saw the spirit of a friend's deceased husband. Trust me, no one was more surprised than me! Since November 2010, I've had many fantastic experiences as a psychic medium. I wonder if readers will notice this difference between Maya and the Crystal Skull and Maya and the Daring Heist.

I tagged Wendy Orr for next week and so did Corinne Fenton. Wendy opened Corinne's email first and accepted her offer, then apologized to me. Alas! 

Please visit the following blogs to follow the game around the world… Where will it end? 

Corinne Fenton's blog - http://corinnefenton.com/blog

Wendy Orr's blog - http://wendyorrjournal.blogspot.com.au/

Chris Bell's blog - http://christinemareebell.wordpress.com/

Please check back here to see if anyone else has been tagged for 16/1/2013. 

Fingers crossed for the Next Big Thing!

Love and Light,
Robyn Opie Parnell
http://www.robynopie.com
robyn.opie.parnell@gmail.com