JEMSBOOKS

Jerry the Crabby Crayfish – my most popular children’s book!

Posted on November 3, 2026 by jjspina

If your children love crustaceans, then they will love Jerry the Crabby Crayfish, a delightful crustacean that was crabby but definitely entertaining. Kids love Jerry and so do their parents because there are valuable life lessons for children to learn as they enjoy reading this book.

PINNACLE BOOK ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER!

Jerry is a crabby crayfish who all day long wishes he could be a fish. One day something happens in the fish tank that makes Jerry change his mind. Read about the valuable lesson Jerry learns.

Jerry was a real crayfish who lived in a fish tank in our home. He was an entertaining character who is missed still today. My grandchildren loved Jerry too and enjoyed teasing him to see how he would react. What he did was wave his claws at them when they tapped the glass of his tank. He would then hide away in the cave that was at the bottom of the tank. He really was as blue as the photo of the cover. Sadly we could never find another crayfish to replace him that was as beautiful. We had a small red crayfish but he didn’t last too long.

Children will learn all about a crayfish, how it lives, eats and molts (casts off it shell – exoskeleton and grows a new one). The colorful illustrations were created by my husband, John.

If you haven’t introduced your children to Jerry yet, now is the time to bring Jerry home to delight your children with this educational story and fascinating tale.

Here are what readers are saying about Jerry.

An illustration of the book 'Jerry The Crabby Crayfish' along with an Amazon review emphasizing its themes of individuality and mutual support.

An Amazon review of the book 'Jerry the Crabby Crayfish', highlighting its facts about crayfish, their diet, habitat, and molting process.

Here are the life lessons your children will learn from my children’s books:

Louey the Lazy Elephant – Louey teaches children the importance of not being lazy and always listening to your mother.

Ricky the Rambunctious Raccoon – Ricky teaches children to always listen to their mother.

Jerry the Crabby Crayfish – Jerry teaches children that it is okay to be different, be the best you can be and be happy with who you are.

Lamby the Lonely Lamb – Lamby teaches children to accept differences and to be kind to others.

Jesse the Precocious Polar Bear – Jesse teaches children that friends are important, and mothers know best.

Broose the Moose on the Loose – Broose teaches children to be kind and accepting of others who are different than you are.

Sebastian Meets Marvin the Monkey – Sebastian teaches children how important it is to be kind to animals, that animals have feelings too like humans and deserve our respect.

Colby the Courageous Cat – Colby teaches children to love one another and take care of their siblings.

Jeffrey the Jittery Giraffe – Jeffrey teaches children to be brave and help others in need.

Clarence Henry the Hermit Crab – Clarence Henry teaches children to work hard and do the best you can do and be happy with who you are.

Lucy the Talented Toy Terrier – Lucy teaches children to be kind to pets, how important a pet can be and how much this pet loves us unconditionally.

The First Star – teaches children that love of family is more important than all the riches in the world.

Drystan the Dragon Series Book 1: Drystan and Durward Save the Day – Drystan demonstrates to children that being kind and helping others is important and the right thing to do.

Drystan the Dragon and Friends Series, Book 2: Damara Helps Drystan Find His Roar – Drystan demonstrates the importance of friendship, being kind to others and helping others in need.

Drystan the Dragon and Friends Series, Book 3 – Delbert Finds Himself – Drystan teaches Delbert, a shy dragon, the importance of loving yourself as you are and that all colors are beautiful!

Drystan the Dragon and Friends Series, Book 4: Delfina Solves a Problem – Delfina helps Drago love himself and teaches him to be kind to others.

Drystan the Dragon and Friends Series, Book 5: Drago Does a Good Deed – Drago finds a rabbit in need of his help. He learns that it is better to be kind to others.

Drystan the Dragon and Friends Series, Book 6: Dragana Helps a Fairy – Dragana helps a fairy who is injured and in need. She doesn’t hesitate to help in any way she can and goes above and beyond to help this fairy. Being kind and helping others is what Dragana learns.

Make Believe: Bedtime Stories for Children Book 1: These six stories promote good behavior, encourage children to be kind to others, friends are important, differences should be accepted, and we are all unique and special.

Make Believe is Fun: Bedtime Stories for Children Book 2: These six stories help children to realize the importance of friendship, family, helping others in need and that it’s okay to be different.

Make Believe Again: Bedtime Stories for Children Book 3: These six stories promote good behavior in children as they learn valuable life lessons to be kind to others in need, family and friends are important and it’s okay to be different.

Make Believe Once Again: Bedtime Stories for Children Book 4: These six stories promote good behavior in children as they learn to be kind to others, it’s okay to be different, family matters more than riches or being famous, friends are important and be the best you can be.

Family and Friends: Tales for Children: These six stories teach children the importance of family and friends, that they matter, bullying should never be tolerated or accepted, help others in need, be the best you can be and never give up.

Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back soon where something is always brewing at JEMSBOOKS.

Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!

READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!

Janice Spina aka J.E. Spina

Award-Winning Author

Jemsbooks for All Ages!

Jemsbooks.com

Jemsbooks.blog

Jjspina(at)comcast(dot)net

AMAZON.COM AUTHOR PAGE (All books)

AMAZON.COM JE SPINA NOVELS PAGE

AMAZON.CO.UK

BARNES & NOBLE

Books Read and Reviewed in October 2026!

Posted on November 2, 2026 by jjspina

Here it is already the end of another month. Where does the time go? I have been busy as usual reading some wonderful books for the month of October of 2026. Here are the 6 books I read and reviewed for October. I might have read even more if I didn’t have a few WIP. But I always seemed to have a WIP! That fact never stops me! I hope you enjoy reading these reviews.

I love sharing my eclectic reads in this Jemsbooks Segment, Books Read in the Month. I hope you will get a chance to look over these books soon. Thank you for your kind support of my work and that of my fellow authors.

Word cloud featuring terms related to reading, books, authors, reviewing, and support, prominently displaying 'READING' and 'BOOKS'.

If you are an avid reader, as I am, please review the books you love on Amazon or wherever you purchased them for others to enjoy your reviews. Reviews are one way for readers to know about an exceptional book. We indie authors love to receive reviews and appreciate the efforts of readers to do them. Once again, I thank you for your kind support of me and my books and for supporting my fellow authors too.

When I wrote these reviews I rated them on Amazon, Goodreads and sometimes Barnes & Noble. I did not include the ratings here though. It is best to share my thoughts with you about how I felt about the book without the rating. Ratings can be deceiving at times.

We all feel differently about books. Sometimes we love them, sometimes we like them and still other times we may dislike a book. Some other books are so memorable they take your breath away! While still others are sweet, sensitive, and enjoyable reads that we soon will forget. But all these books I have reviewed were lovely reads as you can see from my reviews. I hope you enjoy my reviews and that they will help you to decide what will be your next read.

The Girl in the Falls is a gripping story of tragedy that befalls two of the characters who fight back to overcome their losses and find peace and love. The main character Spenser Song who is an FBI agent who leaves to take on the job of Sheriff of a small town after the love of her life is murdered supposedly by her partner. She nearly loses her life too after being shot three times.

Spenser leaves the FBI to find peace in a small town as the Sheriff but finds that someone has followed her there and continues to threaten her life. She meets a man who also suffered a loss, Ryker, and is trying to claw his way back to a life of peace away from everyone. When he meets Spenser things ratchet up and he finds something he never expected to feel again.

This was a story that left me feeling that there is hope for everyone even after devastating losses. I did find it a little aggravating that Spenser did not take better caution to protect herself since she was former FBI but I still enjoyed the story.

Poems from the Heart are definitely from the author’s heart, evidence of her deep feelings for poetry and expressing this love through her verses.

A lovely collection.

Blackbird is a continuing story in The Hart’s Ridge Series. Each book centers on one of the sisters in this family, their heartaches, their joys and their triumphs. This book’s main protagonist is Deputy Taylor Grey.

Taylor must deal with a missing woman who has been missing for a year. The husband won’t give up looking for her and feels she is still alive somewhere.

This is a gripping series full of heart and mystery that is impossible to put down. There is a hook at the end of the book that grabs the reader and propels one into the next book in the series for an answer to the question, Where is Lydia?

The Girl with Nowhere to Go is an emotionally charged story about a teen girl who has lost her mother and is on the run from authorities. Skye doesn’t belong anywhere but desperately wants a home. She comes into contact with a family who have suffered losses of their own and a woman who has lost her brother and cannot find closure. This woman, Anna, who runs a business to help those who have suffered losses of their own. Anna takes Skye in temporarily until she can find a family who will foster her. A story that begins slowly and ramps up with more heartache and surprises as the two families try to deal with loss.

This is a beautiful story of family, heartache, loss, resilience, and finding peace in one’s life. Family doesn’t have to be by blood to be family. This is what this story imparts to the reader. It is a touching and memorable story that will stay with me for a long time. I highly recommend this book by this talented author.

Scars in the Valley is the continuation of the Sapphire Mystery Series. It is a story involving family and finding peace in one’s life as they age. The main protagonist, Zoe, is forced to handle her contentious grandmother who she hasn’t seen in years because she keeps running away from nursing homes. Zoe is dealing with her own issues and hoping to find love with someone she has known since they were young.

A moving and emotional read by the author who is the queen of stories full of emotional drama.

Wind Chime Wedding is a story of relationships between couples and the struggles that plague veterans and how much support they need.

The characters are strong even when tested and show their resilience. It was an enjoyable read especially as it focuses on veterans in a supportive way.

I look forward to the next book on this series.

Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon where something is always brewing at JEMSBOOKS.

Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!

READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!

Janice Spina aka J.E. Spina

Award-Winning Author

Jemsbooks for All Ages!

Jemsbooks.com

Jemsbooks.blog

Jjspina(at)comcast(dot)net

AMAZON.COM AUTHOR PAGE (All books)

AMAZON.COM JE SPINA NOVELS PAGE

AMAZON.CO.UK

BARNES & NOBLE

Posted in Books read and reviewed, Monthly book reviews, Monthly Reads, Writing, book reviews and publishing, poetry, children's books, YA and novels | Tagged book reviews, books, Books read and reviewed each month, Elle Gray, Kay Bratt, Linda Martin, Louise Guy, Monthly book reviews, Monthly Reads, Monthly reads and reviews, Reading, Sophie Moss | Leave a comment

Books for Halloween for both MG/PT Girls and Boys – Magic, Mystery, Suspense, Ghosts, Haunted House, Time Travel and more! Better than candy!!

Posted on October 31, 2026 by jjspina

I wrote this post in 2023 and wanted to share again for this Halloween. Though Halloween is almost a month away I like to think ahead. I’m sure your kids are already thinking about what they will be for Halloween, how candy they can obtain from their trick or treating and how much they can consume. Too much candy can wreak havoc on our children’s stomach and temperament, making them cranky, sick and hyperactive. Maybe it’s time this Halloween to be thinking of gifting books! They calm the mind, stomach and nerves. But most important of all – they don’t cause cavities!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Please check out all my books today and get stocked up in time for Halloween and the other holidays that are swiftly coming our way. Happy reading and less eating! Thank you!

I wrote Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Series to encourage middle-graders and preteens to read and hopefully become lovers of books. It was a thoroughly enjoyable series to write and made me feel like a kid again, only I had to speak like a young boy. This was challenging but fun just the same.

Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Series is a fun and magical series with spells, wands, a black cat, good witches, time travel, ghost hunting and more. There are also life lessons that include being kind, caring and respectful toward others, listening to parents, being helpful and doing chores, and bullying is never tolerated or accepted. Parents love this series too! When your MG/PT/YA read these books, you will rest easy that they are reading good, clean, and wholesome books. What more could you want in a book for your children? Parents are reading and enjoying them too!

This Davey & Derek Series won (11 book awards) – 5 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards, 3 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards – an Honorable Mention, a Silver Medal, and a Finalist, a Book Excellence Award Finalist, a Silver Medal in the Authorsdb Cover Contest, Top Shelf Awards – First Place and Finalist in Red City Review Book Awards and many 5-Star Reviews from Readers’ Favorite Book Awards.

MG/PT/YA books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

A collage featuring book covers by Janice Spina, including 'Davey & Derek Junior Detectives' series, 'The Case of the Missing Call Phone,' 'The Case of the Scraggly Dog,' 'The Case of the Mystical Bell,' and 'The Case of the Mystery of the Bells.' — **PROMO BY BMGN**

Jemsbooks Children’s books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

MG/PT/YA books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Hop over today to Amazon or Barnes & Noble or click on the covers to the right of this post of the books you choose to purchase and let your MG/PT/YA begin adventures that will lift their spirits, make their hearts soar and spark their imagination! Give gifts of books today and you will give them more than just a book, you will give them wings to fly!

Are you looking for some perfect books to celebrate Halloween with your middle-graders, preteens and young adults? Well, look no further. This series, Abby & Holly, is sure to satisfy and delight your kids. They will even ask for more of them instead of candy this Halloween. Look Mom – No Cavities!

A collage featuring book covers by Janice Spina, including titles from the 'Abby & Holly' series, accompanied by a five-star rating graphic and a portrait of a woman with gray hair sitting outdoors. — **PROMO BY BMGN**

A word cloud featuring the terms 'Abby & Holly', 'Haunted house', 'Ghosts', 'time travel', 'cousins', 'friendship', 'adventures', 'Mystery', and 'suspense' in various colors and sizes. — **Halloween ghost – MG/PT/YA books for girls and boys** –**Wordart**

When I wrote this series, at the request of one of my readers, I felt like a preteen again. It was a wonderful feeling to be young again if only in my mind. This series will delight both boys and girls alike. Adults like it too!

MG/PT/YA books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Abby & Holly Series provides more fun and ghostly adventures with cousins, Abby & Holly, as they discover things in their old Victorian and go back to the past to solve mysteries. There are ghosts, a haunted house, time travel, mysteries, and magic. Life lessons will also be learned about friendship, family, respect, love and caring for one another, and bullying will never be accepted or tolerated! MG/PT/YA will be hooked and parents will feel good about the quality of books their children are reading! Adults are reading and enjoying them also!

A Halloween-themed display featuring a 'Trick or Treat' sign surrounded by cobwebs. Three books by Janice Spina are prominently displayed: 'The Case of the Mystery of the Bells,' 'The Case of the Sad Mischievous Ghost,' and 'The Case of the Brown Scraggly Dog.'

A Halloween-themed display featuring a 'Trick or Treat' sign with a skull and spider web backdrop, alongside three books from the 'Davey & Derek Junior Detectives' series by Janice Spina.

A decorative 'Trick or Treat' sign with a skull, surrounded by spider webs, displayed behind three books from the 'Abby & Holly' series by Janice Spina, showcasing colorful covers including 'Faulty Timeline,' 'The Copper Key,' and 'The Hidden Stairway.'

Three books from the 'Abby & Holly' series by Janice Spina are displayed outdoors among colorful autumn pumpkins and corn. The covers feature titles including 'The Hidden Stairway,' 'The Copper Key,' and 'Faulty Timeline,' highlighting the series' achievements.

I hope if you haven’t read these books that you will grab some copies for your kids this Halloween or for any occasion. Books make perfect gifts for anyone on your list.

Here are some reviews from Amazon using AllAuthor.com promos.

An excerpt from an Amazon review praising the book 'Davey & Derek Junior Detectives: The Case of the Missing Cell Phone' by Janice Spina, highlighting its appeal for both boys and girls and its engaging content. — Davey & Derek Book 1

Book cover of 'Davey & Derek Junior Detectives: Book 2 - The Case of the Mysterious Black Cat' by Janice Spina, featuring a black cat and an Amazon review highlighting exciting scenarios and unique characters. — Davey & Derek Book 1

A promotional graphic for the book 'Abby & Holly: The Hidden Stairway' by Janice Spina, featuring a quote from an Amazon review about the book's respectful and kind themes.

Cover of 'Faulty Timeline' by Janice Spina featuring vibrant colors and abstract design, with a review quoted about the storyline.

Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continuing support of my blog and books. Please keep reading and I will keep writing!

Happy Halloween – be safe and watch out for all those ghosts and goblins running around.

Hope you have a Happy and Safe Halloween! Take care.

Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!

READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!

Janice Spina aka J.E. Spina

Award-Winning Author

Jemsbooks for All Ages!

Jemsbooks.com

Jemsbooks.blog

Jjspina(at)comcast(dot)net

AMAZON.COM AUTHOR PAGE (All books)

AMAZON.COM JE SPINA NOVELS PAGE

AMAZON.CO.UK

BARNES & NOBLE

Posted in Abby & Holly Book 2: Faulty Timeline, Abby & Holly Book 5: The Copper Key, Abby & Holly School Dance, Abby & Holly Series, Abby & Holly Series Book 2 Unfortunate Events, Abby & Holly Series Book 4 The Hidden Stairway, Abby & Holly Series Book 6: Faulty Timeline, Abby & Holly Series, Book 3 Secrets of the Trunk, Award Winning Series, award-winning author, Award-winning book, Books for Halloween, Books for MG/PT/YA, Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Book 2, Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Book 3, Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Book 4, Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Book 6, Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Series, Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Series Book 1, MG/PT/YA Books, Writing, book reviews and publishing, poetry, children's books, YA and novels | Tagged Award Winning Series, award-winning author, Award-winning books, books, books for 10+, books for boys, books for boys and girls, books for girls, Books for Halloween, Books for MG/PT/YA, Davey & Derek Junior Detective Series, Fun adventures, magic/mystery/fantasy, Magic/mystery/timetravel/ghosts, MG/PT books, MG/PT/YA books, mystery series for girls, Reading | Leave a comment

Children’s Books for Halloween – no candy – no cavities!

Posted on October 30, 2026 by jjspina

Books are perfect for every occasion and anytime of the year. JEMSBOOKS has books for all ages and in all genres. These books below are for children. Stock up your libraries and get your children reading today and eating less candy. Happy Reading! Look Mom – no cavities!

Get your children reading instead of eating all that candy! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Jemsbooks Children’s books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

For children – PS – Grade 3:

A promotional banner for 'Jems Books' by award-winning author Janice (J.E.) Spina, featuring various children's book covers including titles like 'Broose the Moose on the Loose' and 'Jesse the Precocious Polar Bear'. The banner highlights the age group targeted (Pre-School to Grade Three) and mentions availability on Amazon in print and e-book formats. — **BMGN Promo**

A hand holding a tablet displaying the cover of the book 'Family and Friends Tales for Children' by Janice Spina, with various colorful illustrations and a background of Halloween-themed decorations.

A carved jack-o'-lantern with a smiling face, a book titled 'Broose the Moose on the Loose' featuring an illustration of a moose, and black bat decorations on a white background.

PROMOS BY ALLAUTHOR.COM

Word cloud featuring themes such as children's books, dragons, Halloween, fun adventures, animal stories, and books in rhyme.

Cover image featuring two children's book titles: 'LUCY The Talented Toy Terrier' with an image of a dog on the left, and 'THE FIRST STAR' with a star graphic on the right. Halloween theme indicated with 'Boo! HALLOWEEN' and date '31 OCTOBER 2021' at the top.

Jemsbooks Children’s books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I feel pure joy writing for children and hope with God’s help and blessing to continue to write many more fun adventures for children to read and enjoy. I do enjoy writing for MG/PT/YA and 18+ too!

All children’s books carry important life lessons for your children to learn as they enjoy reading these adventures. Parents never have to worry about the content in any of my books.