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Anzard
Ten-year-old Justin Cavell prays for his parents’ safety as they fly a single-engine airplane through a treacherous storm. While Justin waits at home for good news with his grandparents, he discovers a mysterious comic book in his bedroom. The book, The Path of Possibilities , will lead him on a journey that will test his inner strength and resources in magical ways beyond his wildest imaginings. Justin is shocked to meet Poofy, an enchanted creature called an part angel, part wizard. In an unexpected answer to Justin’s prayers for help, Poofy leads Justin down the Path of Possibilities and into the strange new world of the planet Spiritania. Justin and Poofy join forces with the Tribe of Truth, a gang of animal guides consisting of a turtle, an eagle, a chipmunk, and a strange goat-man named Billy. When the evil witch Nosefeen sends a swarm of Batflies to capture Poofy, Justin and the Tribe band together to rescue the Anzard. By listening to his inner voice and calling on his own reserves of courage and smarts, Justin has the chance to save Poofy and ensure the safety of his parents back on Earth.
- GenresFantasy
162 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 20, 2015
I definitely felt like I might have fell down the rabbit hole or spun over the rainbow while reading Anzard. As Justin, along with his Tribe of Truth and Poofy, follows The Path of Possibilities, so will your children, learning to listen to and develop their own inner voices and instincts.
Justin is a normal ten year old boy about to go on the adventure of a lifetime. When his parent’s plane is lost in a storm, Justin prays for their safety, and his prayers are answered.
The mysterious world of Spiritainia has heard Justin and sent an anzard, Poofy, to help him. An anzard is a mix of angel and wizard and are tiny like a pixie.
Thus begins a magical adventure into a fantastical world filled with amazing creatures and characters. Not all are good though.
There are bad people in Possibility. The evil witch, Nosefeen, along with her wimpy husband and misfit sons, Dud and Crud, set trap after trap, trying to stop Justin and his new friends. They don’t want Justin to find himself. They don’t want Goodness.
As Justin faces each obstacle, he learns from his friends, starts to listen to and trust his own inner voice and make his own decisions. He’s on the right path to self discovery. To finding out who he’s supposed to be. This will help him find his parents and return him home.
Anzard is a treasure. A magical, supernatural adventure with characters you’ll love and loathe.
The Tribe of Truth, which consists of Regal the eagle, Billy the goat, Chumpah the chipmunk, and Turner the turtle, are each there for a different purpose. And Poofy is playful yet wise. She’s a bit of a rebel.
Nosefeen reminded me of the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz, except she wasn’t as clever. Her husband is a bumbling fool and her nasty brats, Crud and Dud, aren’t much help either. Talk about a dysfunctional family.
These are just some of the characters you’ll meet on the Path of Possibilities.
How I wished I still had young ones to read this to. When I reached the end, there was this sweet, magical moment, so poignant. It made me smile, made my heart feel lighter, younger, if only for a while.
I received this book for my honest review.
Justin is a normal ten year old boy about to go on the adventure of a lifetime. When his parent’s plane is lost in a storm, Justin prays for their safety, and his prayers are answered.
The mysterious world of Spiritainia has heard Justin and sent an anzard, Poofy, to help him. An anzard is a mix of angel and wizard and are tiny like a pixie.
Thus begins a magical adventure into a fantastical world filled with amazing creatures and characters. Not all are good though.
There are bad people in Possibility. The evil witch, Nosefeen, along with her wimpy husband and misfit sons, Dud and Crud, set trap after trap, trying to stop Justin and his new friends. They don’t want Justin to find himself. They don’t want Goodness.
As Justin faces each obstacle, he learns from his friends, starts to listen to and trust his own inner voice and make his own decisions. He’s on the right path to self discovery. To finding out who he’s supposed to be. This will help him find his parents and return him home.
Anzard is a treasure. A magical, supernatural adventure with characters you’ll love and loathe.
The Tribe of Truth, which consists of Regal the eagle, Billy the goat, Chumpah the chipmunk, and Turner the turtle, are each there for a different purpose. And Poofy is playful yet wise. She’s a bit of a rebel.
Nosefeen reminded me of the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz, except she wasn’t as clever. Her husband is a bumbling fool and her nasty brats, Crud and Dud, aren’t much help either. Talk about a dysfunctional family.
These are just some of the characters you’ll meet on the Path of Possibilities.
How I wished I still had young ones to read this to. When I reached the end, there was this sweet, magical moment, so poignant. It made me smile, made my heart feel lighter, younger, if only for a while.
I received this book for my honest review.
May 18, 2015
Y'all know the cover pulled me in, right? It looked so beautiful and full of adventure, that I made my way to Amazon, and read the first few pages. It looked like it would be beautiful story, so I decided to read the whole thing.
Anzard ended up being completely different than I thought it would be from the beginning, though I liked it in a different way than I imagined. It's a very odd read, but thankfully I'm generally a fan of those. Admittedly, this one went even beyond my odd tastes at times, but I truly believe that most children will enjoy the corniness within Anzard. A rapping goat? Cooties? A witch and children used as basketballs? Yep. They're all in here.
I'm going to share one of the scenes within Anzard to give you a bit of the feel of the book. I actually had to stop reading to laugh a bit.
"In the background, the plastic skeleton was waving his bony arms frantically, trying to warn his friend the fish.
Mesmerized by the pill floating slowly down in front of his face, the tiny fish gobbled up the Zapbrane pill as Justin watched.
All of a sudden, the fish's eyes bulged and it race in circles frantically around the tank. Suddenly the fish jumped into the plastic rowboat and rowed across the tank to the coffin, jumped in, and lay down dead." (page 79)
Seriously, I'm laughing just typing it, which makes me feel a little bad! ;)
Aside from the oddness of the book, there really is some good lessons inside the pages. It teaches kids to not fall into the world of peer pressure, because that world will lead to stupid decisions. It also teaches them to listen to their instincts, and make the right choices. Look around and see if things look fishy, and make wise decisions. There's lots of adventure and fun and silliness in here, too!
This book also has somewhat of a Christian kind of feel to it. An anzard is the result of a wizard and angel marriage. This takes place in a church. That doesn't necessarily make it Christian, by any means, but when the goat raps about Adam and Eve, I got that impression a bit more. That is very, very light, though. It's a fun read for a "moral" lesson.
Overall, this is definitely a quirky little read, but I had fun with it!
*I was provided a review copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Anzard ended up being completely different than I thought it would be from the beginning, though I liked it in a different way than I imagined. It's a very odd read, but thankfully I'm generally a fan of those. Admittedly, this one went even beyond my odd tastes at times, but I truly believe that most children will enjoy the corniness within Anzard. A rapping goat? Cooties? A witch and children used as basketballs? Yep. They're all in here.
I'm going to share one of the scenes within Anzard to give you a bit of the feel of the book. I actually had to stop reading to laugh a bit.
"In the background, the plastic skeleton was waving his bony arms frantically, trying to warn his friend the fish.
Mesmerized by the pill floating slowly down in front of his face, the tiny fish gobbled up the Zapbrane pill as Justin watched.
All of a sudden, the fish's eyes bulged and it race in circles frantically around the tank. Suddenly the fish jumped into the plastic rowboat and rowed across the tank to the coffin, jumped in, and lay down dead." (page 79)
Seriously, I'm laughing just typing it, which makes me feel a little bad! ;)
Aside from the oddness of the book, there really is some good lessons inside the pages. It teaches kids to not fall into the world of peer pressure, because that world will lead to stupid decisions. It also teaches them to listen to their instincts, and make the right choices. Look around and see if things look fishy, and make wise decisions. There's lots of adventure and fun and silliness in here, too!
This book also has somewhat of a Christian kind of feel to it. An anzard is the result of a wizard and angel marriage. This takes place in a church. That doesn't necessarily make it Christian, by any means, but when the goat raps about Adam and Eve, I got that impression a bit more. That is very, very light, though. It's a fun read for a "moral" lesson.
Overall, this is definitely a quirky little read, but I had fun with it!
*I was provided a review copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.
May 26, 2015
I knew I was going to love this book when I saw the cover. Full of bright, bold, colors with a hint of mystery mixed with this beautiful, relaxing, peaceful backdrop. I was hooked before opening the cover and knew it was only going to get better! This book was creative, magical and mind bending from the first to the last page. There is no way to walk away from this book without feeling inspired to find your inner Anzard and setting it free.
The book opens with Justin praying for his parents safety during a horrific storm where they are out in a small plane flying in. Soon Justin's prayers are answered, but in an unusual way.
Poofy, a magical pixie from a planet called Spiritainia, is thrust upon Justin life suddenly. When Poofy transports Justin to a magical realm he quickly realizes that all of his dreams can and will come true. Poofy was great. She was witty, comical, reliable, and trustworthy and everything you would ask for in a magical being. She provides comfort and peace to Justin who is in great need of learning to trust his heart and take a leap of faith.
Filled with lessons on building self-esteem, handling conflict, being true to one's self, and learning to listen to your heart, children and adults will find delight in this beautiful book.
Disclaimer: I received complimentary copy of ANZARD from the author Christopher Conroy via Pump Up Your Book in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.
The book opens with Justin praying for his parents safety during a horrific storm where they are out in a small plane flying in. Soon Justin's prayers are answered, but in an unusual way.
Poofy, a magical pixie from a planet called Spiritainia, is thrust upon Justin life suddenly. When Poofy transports Justin to a magical realm he quickly realizes that all of his dreams can and will come true. Poofy was great. She was witty, comical, reliable, and trustworthy and everything you would ask for in a magical being. She provides comfort and peace to Justin who is in great need of learning to trust his heart and take a leap of faith.
Filled with lessons on building self-esteem, handling conflict, being true to one's self, and learning to listen to your heart, children and adults will find delight in this beautiful book.
Disclaimer: I received complimentary copy of ANZARD from the author Christopher Conroy via Pump Up Your Book in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.
May 20, 2015
ANZARD by Christopher Conroy is an interesting Children's Book with elements of Fantasy/Supernatural. Suitable for ages 8-12. A cute, delightful tale of learning to trust yourself, and your instincts.
Meet, Justin Cavell. The cast of characters include, Poofy (a magical Pixie), Regal the Eagle, Turner the Turtle, Chumpah the Chipmunk, Billy the Goat, and an evil witch, named Nosefeen. Then you have a planet named, Spiritainia, the Tribe of Truth, the Path of Possibilities. Justin, must find his parents and guide them safely home.
With self-discovery, using one's inner voice, becoming more aware, adventure, helps to build self-esteem, and enlightenment.
Compelling, exciting, and enchanting. Educators, parents, teachers, grandparents,and Librarians, this is a must read book. Picture "Alice in Wonderland" meets "Willie Wonky" and add a bit of "Harry Porter", than you have the tale of "Anzard". Well written with an interesting cast of characters and a modern day look at Children's Books.
*Received for an honest review from the publisher*
**Cross-posted on My Book Addiction and More dot com**
Rating: 4
Heat rating: N/A
Reviewed by: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
Meet, Justin Cavell. The cast of characters include, Poofy (a magical Pixie), Regal the Eagle, Turner the Turtle, Chumpah the Chipmunk, Billy the Goat, and an evil witch, named Nosefeen. Then you have a planet named, Spiritainia, the Tribe of Truth, the Path of Possibilities. Justin, must find his parents and guide them safely home.
With self-discovery, using one's inner voice, becoming more aware, adventure, helps to build self-esteem, and enlightenment.
Compelling, exciting, and enchanting. Educators, parents, teachers, grandparents,and Librarians, this is a must read book. Picture "Alice in Wonderland" meets "Willie Wonky" and add a bit of "Harry Porter", than you have the tale of "Anzard". Well written with an interesting cast of characters and a modern day look at Children's Books.
*Received for an honest review from the publisher*
**Cross-posted on My Book Addiction and More dot com**
Rating: 4
Heat rating: N/A
Reviewed by: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
May 24, 2015
Author Christopher Conroy has written a book that is interesting, funny, and contains elements of fantasy that will keep any child involved. Most importantly it teaches children a very important lesson about trusting in yourself and the instincts that you have.
Justin Cavell is a ten year old boy whose parents have been caught in a bad storm while flying their plane. They should’ve been home by now and Justin is afraid that something has happened to them. He is kneeling at his bedroom window praying for their safe return. His prayers were heard and he is wakened in the middle of the night and meets his Anzard named Poofy from Spiritainia (The Tribe of Truth). Poofy takes Justin on an enchanting and magical journey that teaches him important lessons about trusting and believing himself.
The characters in this story are all different, charming and used as a teaching tool in an incredible way. While Justin is on his journey of possibilities and denial he learns to trust his judgement and his first instincts in every situation. The message of this book is building self-esteem and every child that reads this story will get the message.
I highly recommend this book; the message is clear and important while the story is captivating and extremely well written.
Justin Cavell is a ten year old boy whose parents have been caught in a bad storm while flying their plane. They should’ve been home by now and Justin is afraid that something has happened to them. He is kneeling at his bedroom window praying for their safe return. His prayers were heard and he is wakened in the middle of the night and meets his Anzard named Poofy from Spiritainia (The Tribe of Truth). Poofy takes Justin on an enchanting and magical journey that teaches him important lessons about trusting and believing himself.
The characters in this story are all different, charming and used as a teaching tool in an incredible way. While Justin is on his journey of possibilities and denial he learns to trust his judgement and his first instincts in every situation. The message of this book is building self-esteem and every child that reads this story will get the message.
I highly recommend this book; the message is clear and important while the story is captivating and extremely well written.
May 25, 2015
This was a good children's fantasy book. Justin is waiting with his grandparents and older sister for his parents plane to land safely and is going to read a strange comic book he found. He prays for his parents and Poofy is he answer. Poofy is a mix of angle and wizard going to help Justin in a strange world he finds himself in. Together they go on a magical journey that will forever change him.
It took me a bit to get used to the writing style, but this really is a good book for kids. Justin is just your average kid, but his parents are coming home and there is a bad storm so begins his strange and magical journey. I liked Poofy! The story was cute and I liked that there were lessons to be learned throughout the whole book.
This was a 3/5 for me. I do believe kids will enjoy it, but not to the level of YA.
Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book (via PUYB). I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.
It took me a bit to get used to the writing style, but this really is a good book for kids. Justin is just your average kid, but his parents are coming home and there is a bad storm so begins his strange and magical journey. I liked Poofy! The story was cute and I liked that there were lessons to be learned throughout the whole book.
This was a 3/5 for me. I do believe kids will enjoy it, but not to the level of YA.
Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book (via PUYB). I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.
May 28, 2015
Anzard is like a wonderful combination of the world of wonderland combined with and the wizard of oz with a few more spins added to it. The writing is creative, designed to be easy to understand and make the experience into this magical world a lot more enjoyable. The story itself starts off immediately, leaving no room for us to wonder when things are going to pick off. Anzard, though meant as an entertaining read for younger readers, is able to captivated even adults. Once I was finished with it I passed it along to my 12 year old son for him to enjoy as well.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews