This book will take you on a incredible journey of family and friends!! How refreshing to read such a uplifting book, thank you, thank you, I just loved it!, DA Squires you are the Best!!
With Gratitude...
I am delighted to share some of the Amazon reviews of The Fantastic Tails of Sammy and Mr. Chips… all are five star and, as with The Time Seekers, the story is appealing to readers of all ages. One young reader recently sent me a personal note about both stories that I would like to share (she is in third grade!)
I didn't expect to fall in love this Summer, but it happened. The objects of my affection are Sammy and Mr. Chips, the endearing characters in The Fantastic Tails of Sammy and Mr. Chips. The darling pooch and kitty and the New England countryside are the purrrfect combination for a sweet read. My heart was warmed by the darling duo's antics which entertained me throughout the book. If you are an animal lover treat yourself to this darling book. I am in awe of D.A. Squires' clever writing and ability to touch the reader's heart.
An Award for The Time Seekers !
The Eric Hoffer Book Award has just announced the 2018 winners and following is the review from the Eric Hoffer Award for The Time Seekers…
The US Review of Books ~ Review of The Time Seekers !
Delighted to share this recent review of The Time Seekers… to be placed in the company of Harry Potter is an honor!
Mr. & Mrs. S. with Mr. Chips
D.A. Squires never ceases to amaze. This story was incredibly funny, inventive, and moving. A wonderful read for those of all ages! Absolutely in love!
From The Author's Perch
A blog by D. A. Squires
Wow, what a fabulous book!!! This is an incredible tale of adventure of two friends Mr. Chips (the daschund doggie) and Samuel Adams (the cat). Their amazing journey takes the reader along with them and we meet so many wonderful characters along the way! I could not put this book down just as I could not put down D.A. Squires other book, The Time Seekers. I would recommend this book not only for adults, but for children of all ages. Just sit in a comfy place, grab your favorite pillow, put your feet up, and enjoy the ride of this beautiful story :)
There are so many things for which to thank you. First and foremost, thank you for writing The Time Seekers. I have been as spellbound as have my granddaughters, Juna, 7, and Anya, 5, for the last several months since late summer when I started reading all 505 pages of The Time Seekers aloud to them. We were all enchanted by the characters, the setting, the hints of magic, the love and warm relationships shared by all, though it took Nicholas forever to allow himself to admit he cared. We spent hours every time we were together reading The Time Seekers, often to the exclusion of other activities. At the beginning I’d stop here and there and ask what was going on, to make sure they understood what was happening. Occasionally I’d pause and ask what a word meant, and explaining if they hadn’t figured it from the context. I was amazed at their comprehension. Every pause and end of chapter would be filled with their suppositions of what was going to happen next. Amazing predicting skills for 5&7 year olds. The Salem Witch Trial was totally new to them and beyond their scope of knowledge and exposure, but they went along on the adventure. Juna loves the musical HAMILTON, and consequently has devoured books on Hamilton, Burr, Washington, the Founding Fathers, colonial and early America. Thank goodness for interlibrary loans, as she read everything our library had in the Childrens’ Room and most of those at 5th-6th grade levels. I am sure when she gets to American History units in school, she’ll come back and reread The Time Seekers and better understand the Salem Witch Trials, but both of them were willing to accept the premise of going back in time to save an ancestress, without whom the protagonists could not have been born. Their active minds were steel traps for details, correcting when my tired tongue produced the wrong name. I loved watching their total involvement in the magical world you have created!! And when we finished, 5 year old Anya’s first question was, “Is there another one?” Both were disappointed when we found no sign of one on Amazon or on your website. However, they were thrilled to learn that you are writing a sequel. They’ll be older and know more about space by the time it comes out. I’ll pre-order it from you!!!
Thank you so much for sending both books to me for our Public Library. I’ll take them in to the library when I volunteer on Weds. They will be gratefully received I am sure.
As a retired middle school librarian, I know 6-7 grade readers would love The Time Seekers, and not be wary of its massive size, as some 4-5th graders might be.
The Fantastic Tails of Sammy and Mr. Chips, reminds me of The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford and may be best suited to 4-5th graders. Coming from southwestern Connecticut, the four-footed escapees’ journey covered familiar territory and evoked lovely memories. Thank you.
Your generosity is overwhelming. I loved talking with you as well. My enthusiasm over The Time Seekers, especially, has spread far and wide via email, Facebook and telling friends and librarians about it, even recommending it for a classroom read to a very special 3rd grade teach in CT/NY.
Thank you on the behalf of my granddaughters and myself, the Windham Public Library, and the Windham Public Schools.
An enchanting read for all ages!
This marvellous book by D.A. Squires features a pleasing roll call of fantastic delights: witches and magic; talking birds and time travel; a mansion to explore and schoolrooms peopled with quirky characters; and mysterious foreign cousins coming to enliven the solitary world of our orphaned heroine. The familiar children's book themes of loneliness and friendship, mischief and forgiveness are explored with a fresh touch by this American writer, the endearing characters drawing you into their world in a coastal town in New England so evocatively painted by the author. While the book is certainly written for good readers aged 10+, it was positively delightful for this adult reader! There is to be a sequel to this book, which I shall be looking forward to eventually read, but in the meantime I would highly recommend The Time Seekers for both kids and the young at heart.
What a delightful TALE of two furry creatures on an exciting ADVENTURE back EAST!I It is an uplifting...feel good READ that leaves you smiling as you close the book each night. I enjoyed it immensely and will order a few as gifts for some special young boys in my LIFE.
Summer 2019
There are over twenty categories in this award program, and 1,500 books were submitted in 2018, with just ten percent chosen for the Winner’s Circle. The Time Seekers won in the ebook category… the Kindle version incorporates gorgeous colorized illustrations--rarely found within ebooks—that bring the story to life in Disney-like technicolor. Most ebooks are tethered to black and white, primarily due to the rigid file size parameters imposed on digital material. But what others consider insurmountable, was a challenge-to-be-conquered by my artist, graphic designer and computer wizard, Kelly Arnold. And conquer she did.
The enchantment of this story is captured by Kelly’s exquisite colorized illustrations, for which I am ever grateful.
Dear Ms. Squires,
I read The Time Seekers and The Fantastic Tails of Sammy and Mr. Chips! I have read a lot of books and my favorite one out of all of them is The Time Seekers! My favorite part is when Alexandra discovers there is a mural in her room that allows her to enter a secret world with a key. I also love Taco because he is so funny and he has his own character! My favorite part in The Fantastic Tails of Sammy and Mr. Chips is when they meet Rockwell and go to Katnip & Bonz. I like that part because to enter, they have to wear black bowties!
Great book! Bought this for my grandchildren, but found that I loved it too! The Grand Tour was so beautifully written that we are certain the author, D A Squires, has found a way to communicate with all of God's creatures. . .well, maybe not ALL. . .but the ones featured in this book are truly worth getting to know.
The Time Seekers ~ A Special Letter ~ and Sequel Update
Summer is a time when beach bags are filled with books that must be read (school reading lists are being diligently, but perhaps not enthusiastically, checked off), and hopefully include some books to read for the sheer pleasure of burrowing into a good story. An ADVENTURE story per chance… one with magic, mystery, and interesting characters. The Time Seekers is this kind of story… a chapter book that beckons you to ‘Come in, my dear,’ and then, having gently pulled you across the threshold, will not let you leave until the last word is read. And as the following letter attests, The Time Seekers appeals to readers (or listeners) of all ages. It was written by a retired school librarian who read The Time Seekers aloud to her two granddaughters, ages 5 and 7!! I was thrilled to know that a story of this length and complexity could be enjoyed by such young children. But in all honesty, it was more wonderful to know there are grandparents willing to undertake reading aloud a 500 page chapter book… Juna and Anya are very, very lucky indeed.
Wishing everyone safe passage…
I enjoyed reading this book. I thought it would be a children's book or a young person's book. It was both and more. You could read it aloud to a child by chapter and it would be entertaining. Or a young person could read it and get into it as the plot develops. But as an adult I enjoyed it too. The animal characters are unforgettable and the story moves along as the animal friends travel from adventure to adventure. It has a satisfying ending as the characters learn and grow from their travel adventures.
In answer to Anya’s question upon coming to the end of the book, YES, a sequel is underway! This new story will take Alexandra, Jaclyn, Theo, Nicolas, Noir, and Taco far, far away from Dark Harbor, Maine. In fact, it will take them about 1500 light years away… through wormholes… to an exoplanet in the Orion Nebula called Orpheous. While a publication date is not predictable (a very big job, requiring A LOT of research), the title is set, The Interstellar Argonauts.
If you have read The Time Seekers, you may remember one calendar date was most significant to the storyline (and used in two chapter titles) ~ July 20th. July 20th is also the date Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, and this year (just days ago) was the fiftieth anniversary of that ‘first step for man and one giant leap for mankind.’
You are cordially invited to ride along with four teenagers and two birds, as they take a quantum leap to a planet with two moons… I will reserve a seat for you!
What a wonderful read! Fun for yourself but even better to read with your grandchildren this summer!! It's a journey that took me back to New England and all the sights and sounds. So well written and depicted in the drawings. A quick read and escape.
I felt it was creative and imaginative. I felt that it was an all ages read. If someone with animals will especially enjoy it. I was telling my friend about it, and he was so interested that I got him one. I have also gotten one for my grand-niece. I found it up-lifting and fun.
Obviously, I would recommend this book.
This is such an endearing story that will capture the hearts of animal lovers of all ages. It will warm every corner of your heart as you journey along through the New England countryside with these inseparable buddies. Having lived in that part of the world myself, I found the story took me back to many familiar places and the author transported me again to that beautiful part of the country. The story is truly an adventure with many twists and turns and the humor found me laughing out loud. All ages will enjoy and treasure this story.
Fall 2017
The Time Seekers
by D.A. Squires
book review by Jordana Landsman
"…Whenever the thick Atlantic fog rolls in or a nor’easter brings winter snow squalls from the ocean, The Pine School disappears altogether."
Certain literary recipes just seem to work. Stir up a handful of orphans, a spooky old house, a remote and sinister private school, some talking animals, a sprinkling of magic and mystery, and... voila! Suddenly you have a fun and original reading adventure. Alexandra and her blue and gold macaw parrot Taco are feeling gloomy when Alexandra heads reluctantly into her sixth year at the dreary and offbeat Pine School. Soon, however, the arrival of a compelling new teacher sets Alexandra and some friends on a series of adventures that bend the rules of time and alter their destinies.
This is a clever and compelling story that uses whimsy and mystery as vehicles to convey moving themes of determination, family, and belonging. The story stands well on its own while at the same time paying homage to time-honored book orphans like Oliver Twist, Anne Shirley, and Harry Potter. Plucky orphans make for engaging literary protagonists as they move from isolation into family and community, and Alexandra and her friends ably continue this tradition. With them and obviously dear to the author’s heart is the feathered and informative Taco, whose oration gives companionship to Alexandra while providing key history and data points. Animals in stories sometimes upstage their human counterparts; here, Taco’s role is balanced and original. . . .
- - - - - Fantastic Tails Reviews: - - - - -
As everyone is dealing with these difficult times, it is important to remember the comfort that art, in all its forms, can provide. To do art-- as simple as making a homemade card for a loved one or friend, drawing and painting, writing poetry, sewing and quilting, keeping a journal-- gives back in so many ways. To summon our creativity and engage in the making of art is one of the best ways to cope with the stresses of life right now. The quilt in the photo was made by a dear friend (and quilter extraordinaire) and was on display for a short time at our local public library before the library had to close its doors. The quilt was a surprise gift, and needless to say, I was overwhelmed. It may not be apparent from the photo, but the birds are actual small puppet-like figures (with hand-glued fabric feathers!) that are attached to the quilt. My talented friend also made the birds who live with me ~ their photos appear on the ‘About’ page of the blog.
Recently, I was delighted to hear that a (grown-up : ) reader from Australia won a gift for her review of The Time Seekers submitted to Booktopia, a large on-line bookstore in Australia. It was a surprise to learn that a bookseller would award a prize for a customer review, a wonderful idea! Following is her review…
July 2018
A Stitch In Time
Spring 2018
Spring 2020
Another wonderful story from author D.A. Squires! Her descriptive writing brings this adventurous tale to life, as she brings the reader along the journey as Mr. Chips and Sammy travel through one of the most beautiful parts of the US and encounter some amazing characters. Young and old will LOVE this book! A great tale to read aloud in a classroom setting or snuggled at home with your favorite child. Enjoy!
I purchased this book for my sister, who is a real cat lover, Read the first few pages and just could not put it down...a wonderful story for humans of all ages!
Two unlikely companions embark on an incredible journey- a test of faith, character and friendship. Humor, warmth and suspense assist them in attaining their goal. However; a difficult decision is Sammy's, adulation as he knew it at the library or a permanent home with loving nurturing parents and lifelong friendships. Excellent illustrations reveal the distinct personalities of the characters and further enhance the delightful imagery.
Mr. Chips Sheltering In Place
(Inside the sleeve of a bathrobe!)
The Time Seekers, D.A. Squires - Delightful, whimsical … readers feel as if they’ve stepped into another world, and yet one that also feels familiar. Alexandra and her blue Macaw, Taco, live in Chadwick Manor, but this year she is dreading going to The Pine School, where students are only allowed to ask two questions a day. Strange and magical happenings sweep Alexandra and her companions on an adventure for all ages. Like A Wrinkle in Time, this fairy tale blurs the line between today and happily ever after.
~ Eric Hoffer Award Review
Love, love, love Sammy and Mr. Chips!
Words can’t express my love for this story! My boyfriend (a librarian) picked this book up for me as he thought I would like it, but I absolutely LOVED it! I am going to make him read it too! I always loved reading dog story novels as a youth (think Where the Red Fern Grows, Stone Fox, Shiloh, etc). But this story had it all—made me happy, sad (Mr. Chips adored Sammy so much!), and was humorous and creative at the same time. You are the first author I’ve ever contacted after reading a book. I look forward to reading your other piece. I am a fan!!! ~Submitted by email via website
And, of course, in addition to creating art, another pastime that always stands the test of time is READING. I recently learned that one young reader has read The Time Seekers three times… nothing could be more rewarding to an author than to hear this.
The Time Seekers Quilt