Home School Book Review on Hiking the Grand Mesa

Torke, Kyle.  Hiking the Grand Mesa: A Clementine the Rescue Dog Story (Published in 2020  by Loving Healing Press, 5145  Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI  48205).   Two young boys, Coover and Conrad, go with their Grandma and their mighty rescue dog, Clementine, on a desert adventure.  They hike through the southern Colorado Dobies, a series of steep hills made from adobe clay that formed as the nearby volcanoes, now extinct, eroded.  Their goal is to explore one of the most unique landscapes in Colorado–the Grand Mesa. At first, Coover seems a little sad and lonely at the apparently barren and solitary landscape, but Grandma introduces him to the rich wildlife, both plant and animal, around them, and both boys go tramping through an imaginative journey.  What will they see?  Where will they go?  And what will they do?

Hiking the Grand Mesa is a nature lover’s dream.  Beginning readers will be fascinated by the vivid history of the area as described in author Kyle Torke’s clear, detailed text, and by the beautiful scenery depicted in illustrator Barbara Torke’s gorgeous watercolor paintings.

This fun and insightful story is a wonderful, challenging reading experience with vocabulary development, contextual learning, and the encouragement of imagination.  From woodpeckers and toads, to cattails and sunflowers, youngsters will be awakened to a whole new world.  The first book in the series is Ice Breaking: The Adventures of Clementine the Rescue Dog.

Parker and the Boys Next Door [PB]

SKU 979-8-89656-069-2
$18.95
The Importance of Friendship
1
Product Details
UPC: 979-8-89656-069-2
Brand: Loving Healing Press
Binding: Paperback
Grade Level or Age Range: 5 - 8 yrs
Audiobook: Audible, iTunes
Edition: 1st
Author: Jennifer Bonn
Illustrator: Bijan Sammadar
Pages: 24
Publication Date: 10/01/2025

Every day is an adventure when friendship lives right next door

Parker and the Boys Next Door shows the power of relationships, tight-knit neighborhoods, and childhood memories. Parker and his neighbors find joy in exploring the neighborhood and learning from each other.

"This book brought me right back to my childhood neighborhood! We had a few sets of sibling neighbors that we spent endless hours with just like Parker and the Boys Next Door! I love how this book captures the importance of friendship and also a grandmother's love. Will definitely be reading it to my kids next!" -- Chelsea Romano, 34, mother of 3 and homeschool teacher

"Christopher, Charlie, and Grady all bring kindness and new games to the young boy Parker's world. This fun story resonates with the simple joys of childhood. I read it to my own young grandson, and he smiled from ear to ear as he talked of how he plays with friends 'just like Parker.' Jennifer Bonn's delightful story reaches young children while touching the hearts of adults." -- Donna Wood, English teacher

"Jennifer Bonn's Parker and the Boys Next Door, teaches the beauty of friendship. Allowing little ones to understand the importance of friendship, and that everyone is valuable in teaching new things is a valuable lesson. I even loved how Jennifer included the dog Bandit, and his new puppy friends. The adventures keep growing along with Parker and Bandit, as they both grow in age and knowledge. Each has unique ways of making him happy and teaching him life's lessons as they bond over their friendship." -- Kimberly Tucker, aircraft mechanic From Loving Healing Press

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Parker and the Boys Next Door [PB]

 

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  1. Pingback: Home School Book Review on Hiking the Grand Mesa – Loving Healing Press | Campbells World

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