Books with author Catherine Lo

Alchemical Potions is an independent reading and fantasy fiction activity book for kids ages 7-11. The reading level is 2nd grade and up. My 7-year-old son loves magic wands, magic spells, and stories about hidden treasures and fantastical beasts. But he is not much of a reader. I wrote this book for him, and any kid who likes playing a hero more than reading about heroes. Are there dragons haunting your garden, or lurking in a scary tree nearby? The dragon lore, and the potions we make to protect our home from the fire-breathing beasts help kids engage in imagination play, and become the main character of their own magic fantasy story. The book alternates activity - making alchemical potions and casting spells - with reading pages, where we talk about dragons, as well as the history of alchemy and science.In Alchemical Potions I assume that the reader owns a magic wand. You can find instructions on making your own magic wand in my book Invincible Magic Book of Spells.The magic spells and potions in this book are fantasy fiction material: They are not based on any witchcraft, New Age, or esoteric religion lore or rituals.The Alchemy aspect of the book is based on the practical methods of medieval alchemists. The potion recipes use only safe everyday objects and substances you have at home or outside (sand, rocks, rainwater, salt, leaves...) We'll distill rainwater with solar distillation (using sunlight to warm up and evaporate water).We will also learn some facts from the history of Alchemy, and answer these questions:- What is the origin of the words Chemistry, Alchemy, Laboratory, Elixir, Gibberish, and Spectrum? (hint: Alchemy!)- What is the Philosopher's Stone?- What kind of monster is a Basilisk, and why did people carry a mirror in their pocket in the Middle Ages?- What are stalactites and stalagmites?- What is Gothic architecture and what is the origin of gargoyles?- What are meteor showers and how did ancient people use meteorite rocks?- How did Newton discover the light spectrum?- How to make a rainbow with a glass of water and a sheet of paper?- What is the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus and what are the 12 Keys of Basilius Valentinus?- What is sand and from where do white and black sands come?- Who was St. George, and what is the legend about St.George and a dragon?- What physical phenomena did alchemists call a dragon and dragon's blood?- Why did Vikings have dragon heads on the bows of their ships?- What is Yggdrasil in Viking mythology?... and more!

Find out what happens when you fall for your best friend's worst enemy in this hilarious tale of a forbidden first love and forever friendship. The author of Maine Squeeze and Love and Other Things I'm Bad At, Catherine Clark, has once again crafted a romantic coming-of-age story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.Lucy can't wait to spend the summer at the lake with her best friend, Mikayla. But when Jackson, the boy she's been avoiding ever since he rejected her, reappears in her life, Lucy wonders if this summer to remember is one she'd rather forget.Mikayla's never had much luck talking to boys, but when she (literally) runs into the cutest guy she's ever seen, and sparks fly, she thinks things might be looking up . . . until she realizes the adorable stranger is the same boy who broke her best friend's heart.As things begin to heat up between Mikayla and the one guy she should avoid, will Lucy be able to keep her cool or will the girls' perfect summer turn into one hot mess?

This collection of eight short stories combines Catherine Lim’s sharp powers of observation with her insightful comments on the conflicts, both internal and external, brought about by love in the lives of men and women in modern-day Singapore. The result is a vibrant assortment of stories and voices brimming with courage, deep introspection and heartfelt emotion. Powerful and riveting, this collection is sure to captivate your mind and tug at your heartstrings and with its relentless prose and evocative charm.

Has he called? No.I half expected to see him at Truth or Dairy today. He's sort of addicted to Coconut Fantasy Dreams. We both are. It was like . . . our drink.I was all ready to give him the cold shoulder, easy to do when working around ice cream all day. I could give him a bad ice-cream headache, mix extra ice in his smoothie and freeze his brain.Like he could be any colder.

What’s a girl to do when there are two guys who seem like The One?Just when Courtney has found the Best Boyfriend Ever (aptly named Grant Superior), she has to leave him to go to college, because apparently the universe doesn’t want her to be happy. Now that she’s three states away, what’s going to happen to her Superior relationship? And what about that cute guy she works with at college? No, not him. Him. Definitely getting in the way with his cuteness. But not distracting Courtney enough to make her stop wondering what exactly happened between Grant and her best friend, Beth, back home. Why can’t dating be as easy as eating a healthy vegan diet? Not that she’s ever managed that, either, but still.Will Courtney ever figure out how to get this love thing right?

This is a Level 1 Reader book: 2-4 simple sentences per page, kindergarten - 1st grade vocabulary, large type, lots of colorful pictures on every page. Old legends tell us about the griffin, sphynx, basilisk, kraken and other monsters. Are these half-lions and half-eagles, half-roosters and half-dragons scary... or funny? How did people of old times imagine a seahorse, or a sea lion? Are there real monsters? We'll meet a few real-life monsters, from the giant squid, huge saltwater crocodiles, and ever-hungry barracuda to some of the most venomous creatures on Earth that happen to be small - lionfish, sea snake, and cone snail. Not every monster is huge! I would rather run into a giant squid than a cone snail!

Finalist for the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Award in Young Adult Romance.She's out of place.He's out of time.When an accidental wish sends a college bound radio intern back in time to 1957 to save a teen idol from death, she finds her well-intentioned meddling just may leave him better off dead.Callie Reinard thought rock music pioneer Joey Tempo deserved a chance to show the world he was more than a footnote in music history, but her attempt to give him a new future causes one catastrophe after another. The worst disaster of all -- she's falling for this charismatic musician, who's fifty years out of her league, and at risk of losing her own carefully-planned future in the process.WISHING YOU WERE HERE is a sweet young adult rock 'n' roll time travel romance, appropriate for ages 12 and up.~*~From the Back Cover:She's out of place.He's out of time.In 1956, clever spin doctoring and a string of pre-fab hits turn Joseph Temporelli into Joey Tempo, the biggest sensation to hit the Memphis music scene since Elvis Presley. Within twelve months he's gone-killed in a transatlantic plane crash.55 years later, Callie Reinard diligently plans for college and a career in radio. When she discovers Joey Tempo's iconic first album, her desire to change his fate opens a doorway through time to 1957.She stops Joey from boarding the plane that will take his life, but then finds herself trapped in the 1950s, where equal rights are as foreign a concept as missions to the moon. The future she so tirelessly worked toward now seems out of reach, and her liberated attitude jeopardizes the second chance she envisioned for Joey and his music career.Worst of all, if Callie can't find a way back to her own time soon, she may lose more than a college education and the career she's always wanted. She may lose her heart to a boy she can't have.

“An excellent ‘starter biography,’ clearly written, peppered with period images, movie stills and great tidbits of historical facts . . . engaging.”—AustenproseJane Austen’s popularity never seems to fade. She has hordes of devoted fans, and there have been numerous adaptations of her life and work. But who was Jane Austen? The writer herself has long remained a mystery. And despite the resonance her work continues to have for teens, there has never been a young adult trade biography on Austen. Catherine Reef changes that with this highly readable account. She takes an intimate peek at Austen’s life and innermost feelings, interweaving her narrative with well-crafted digests of each of Austen’s published novels. The end result is a book that is almost as much fun to read as Jane’s own work—and truly a life revealed. Includes bibliography and index.“Along with extensive details of Austen’s family . . . Reef deftly sets the biographical facts onto a larger cultural and historical canvas that will give readers a much deeper understanding of Austen’s novels, and well-chosen images, from period paintings and photos to contemporary film stills, add even more context.”—Booklist (starred review)“Perhaps this work will lead readers to Jane Austen and imaginatively apply the facts of the author’s life to the novels—or vice-versa.”—Kirkus Reviews

Each heartbeat leads Joss closer to a shocking truth that will change everything.Joss Olstad wins the fight to switch from her private school to a public high to “find her pieces” she lost when the Indian artist father she never knew died. There, Joss struggles with a slutty friend, who flirts with her new love; Indian Culture Club girls who press her on her past, as well as her stoner mother’s lies back at home. Armed only with her handmade heart boxes that hold private messages, Joss’s search for identity leads her to a scary industrial section of Queens, and a shocking family secret that changes everything.

our kid has fallen in love with unicorns - great! Capitalize on this lucky turn of events to introduce your young unicorn lover to the major eras of European history all through the lens of what people knew about unicorns in ancient times, in the Dark Ages, Middle Ages, Renaissance, and the Age of Reason. Yes, it's all real history, with dates, origins of every unicorn legend, pictures from dusty medieval manuscripts, pages from old science books, historical unicorn paintings, and more. This book is not for unicorn sceptics.It is written from the standpoint of truths about unicorns that every kid knows and every grownup forgets. As kids we are well aware what unicorns look like. We know that they are gentle, noble in spirit and always ready to offer you their support and friendship. But when we grow up, short of becoming outright unicorn deniers, we behave like we've never seen a unicorn! And that's the problem with many historical anecdotes and legends about unicorns, as well as supposedly factual sources, such as medieval bestiaries or reports by Ctesias, Pliny the Elder, Albertus Magnus and others, where a unicorn is mixed up with a donkey, or a goat, or a rhinoceros, or portrayed as a ferocious forest bully constantly chasing elephants and lions.So, as we present all these historical sources to our young reader, we don't hesitate to point out blatant mistakes and glaring omissions in their narratives. We practice our critical thinking!Along with history materials, the book features comic-book-style pages reasserting our firm belief in unicorns and making fun of grownups so lost in their unicorn denial.Of course, along with misconceptions and fictional reports, European history offers inspiring material for unicorn lovers.Many great men - from Julius Caesar to Leibniz - believed in unicorns. There are some striking legends about them. Did you know that it was a unicorn who saved India from Genghis Khan's invasion? In Christian writings of the Dark and Middle Ages the unicorn became a symbol of Christ, and as Christian influence elevated the ethical code and the status of women through charity, chivalry, and courtly love, the unicorn also became a symbol of loyalty in marriage and selfless love. It's not hard at all to narrate this cultural history of unicorns in a language accessible to 2nd graders and up. Our kids' love for unicorns opens a unique door for learning history, and discussing our heritage and values - with respect and a healthy dose of humor.

This book closely follows the gospel stories of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection from the Annunciation through Pentecost. It has the dual goal of introducing young readers to the gospel narratives and teaching them to appreciate and interpret works of art portraying gospel-based stories and allegories. The heritage of Christian art is a vital part of the history of Europe and the Western world. Whether our families are Christian, non-Christian, or secular, our cultural education is incomplete without a knowledge and appreciation of art inspired by Christian concepts and symbolism.Each mini-chapter of this book consists of two parts:1. Event NarrationEach story from Jesus' life is narrated, directly quoting newer, easy-to-read gospel translations and partially summarizing events to keep the narration compact. The narration carefully avoids any "preachy" or interpretative elements suggesting this or that theological or denominational angle. 2. Illustrations and Art CommentaryEach event is illustrated with one or two paintings - great works of European art from the Middle Ages through the 19th century. The Art Commentary section - draws the attention of a young reader to the stylistic features of each painting, - teaches them to spot Christian symbolism and interpret the emotions of characters,- presents glimpses of art history and teaches the reader to recognize historical art styles, such as medieval Gothic art, Renaissance, Mannerist, Baroque, Academic, Pre-Raphaelite, and realistic art styles.The reading level of this book is about age 9 and up. Whenever the narration includes any theological terms (such as Annunciation, Ascension, Messiah) or art terms (such as foreground, perspective, composition) I provide a definition.

Samantha Whipple, last descendant of the Brontë family, is rumored to have inherited a portion of the Brontës' literary estate""diaries, paintings, letters, and drafts""a hidden treasure that has not been shown outside of the family. Samantha has never seen this rumored estate, and she has no interest in it. But everything changes when she enrolls at Oxford and items of her past start mysteriously arriving at her door. As more clues arrive, Samantha realizes that her father left her an elaborate scavenger hunt. With the aid of a handsome Oxford professor, Samantha must decode clues hidden in the Brontës' own writing to solve a literary mystery and an untold family legacy.