Bentley and the Magic Sticks by Claire Eckard

Book Description:

Bentley and the Magic Sticks follows this extra-large canine as he finds out that his favorite sticks have magical powers, thanks to a wonderful Fairy Dogmother called Tia! Because other dogs are afraid of his large size Bentley has no one to play with. However, with his magic sticks he manages to make new friends and he also discovers the special
secret of why he is so big.

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My Thoughts

Bentley is so large that both dogs and people are frightened by the sight of him. But being the good dog that he is, he makes the most out of life and tries not to dwell on or worry about what he is, or his lack of friends.

Some days, however, it’s impossible not to want a little more from life. Bentley’s life just isn’t very exciting.

Surprisingly, one night something happens that just might change this dog’s life. His fairy Dogmother visits and leaves him a little gift. Things slowly begin to change for the gigantic dog. But will it be enough?

Bentley and the Magic Sticks is a fun book where the illustrations and text work together to create a story that kids will love. The illustrations are bright and interesting and the story will keep little listeners guessing.

My Concerns

The page length is fine, but the word count is quite large for a typical picture book.  Because of that, I would consider this a book for older children. However, due of the captivating illustrations and story, little listeners may not have a problem with the larger word count. It’s just a concern.

Final Thoughts

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book, especially if you’ve read my concerns and know your child well enough to realize that word-count isn’t a concern.

My thanks to the author and iRead Book Tours for a copy of the book and the ability to post a review without any stipulations.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

I promise that just because I own a Bentley (his picture is posted below) that it didn’t influence my final rating. Though I have to high-five the author for choosing such a cute name.

Meet the Author and Interview

Claire Eckard is an animal lover and believes in volunteering to give back to her community, especially to the homeless animals that need to find their forever homes. Her animals often inspire her writing, weaving their way into the stories that she writes, blending reality and fiction to entertain, teach, enlighten, and share the joy that animals
bring to our lives! Claire is an author, poet, songwriter, wife, mother and grandmother! She lives in Arizona, splitting her time between her home in Yuma, Arizona and her ranch in the mountains of Prescott. Claire has three dogs, eight horses, and a miniature mule!

How excited were you to see Bentley and the Magic Sticks in print for the first time?

I was SO excited! To be able to finally hold a copy of the book in my hands was beyond amazing. Anne York did such a fabulous job with the illustrations in this book, and we used a premium ink in production so the illustrations would really pop and be very eye catching for the reader. Even though my publisher had sent me digital reviews, seeing the real thing was completely different!

Do you have any other books out right now?

Yes! Geribo, The Shelter Cat has literally just been released. I think it ships through Amazon starting June 21^st, so children will start getting it in their hands this week! Geribo is the story of a shelter cat who thinks he hasn’t been adopted because of his very large front paws. Through his eyes children will get a tour of the inner workings of an animal shelter and even get to see a wonderful adoption take place! I’m excited to us this book to help educate children about adoption and the important job the shelters do in each community.

How did you come up with the characters in Bentley and the Magic Sticks?

Bentley, the main character, is based on an amazing dog I adopted a few years ago. He was extremely kindhearted, and absolutely enormous! Unfortunately, he didn’t live very long, and I miss him terribly, but it is wonderful to see him live on in the book series and see children all over the world fall in love with him! The other characters are all based on dogs that belong to people I know, which is fun for them when they see their dogs on the pages of the finished book!

Do you intend to write any more books in this series?

Yes, in fact I have one being illustrated right now. It’s called Bentley’s Best Birthday Ever! I think the title gives away what it’s about! I also have two other Bentley books planned, possibly for a 2022 release. I’m thrilled that Bentley is so popular and everyone who reads about him falls in love! So we have to keep him going, right?!

How long does it take from when you first get the idea for the book until you see it in print?

It varies depending on the book. Bentley took about nine months from start to finish. Some of the books take a lot longer to write and it may be a fifteen- or sixteen-month process because of that, such as a chapter series I’m writing for middle graders and young adults called The Gallant Series. It’s about the beautiful relationship between human and horse, set against the backdrop of the sport of endurance riding. Book One took me eight months to write, three months for the illustrator and cover artist, and is just going into production, which I expect to take at least four months. It really just depends on the book.

I hear Bentley and the Magic Sticks has just won a couple of exciting awards?

Yes! I am so excited about that. The excitement seems to be building right now and in the past few weeks we have received several five-star reviews from Readers Favorite, we are a Certified Good Read from Reading with Your Kids, and we just won the globally recognized Mom’s Choice Award. Geribo, the Shelter Cat also debuted at #2 in hot new releases on Amazon which I am very proud of.

Enter the Giveaway: 
Bentley and the Magic Sticks Book Tour Giveaway

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