Janelle Diller

http://janellediller.com/Splash

Janelle Diller has always had a passion for writing. Early on, she polished her writing skills by passing notes to her friends instead of paying attention in math class. The resulting time in detention gave her lots of time to write more notes. As a young child, she wouldn’t leave home without a pad and pencil just in case something for her novel hit her and she had to scribble it down quickly. Sadly, she eventually lost this naiveté.

However, as a result of her love of writing, she has an unusual variety of books published. The list includes books for the construction industry and grammar textbooks. (If writing about drywall or gerunds is better than not writing at all, it says something about what drives her.) Fortunately, she also write novels for adults, as well as early and middle readers. This is the writing that feeds her soul.

These days, in addition to writing adult fiction, she’s having a ball creating the Australia, Austria, and Mexico books for Pack-n-Go Girls® travel and adventure series. The award-winning early chapter books are targeted for early readers, ages six to nine.

 

Books by Janelle Diller

Image of The Virus
Image of Never Enough Flamingos
Image of Never Enough Sisters
Image of Never Enough Lilacs
Image of Mystery of the Ballerina Ghost: Austria 1 (Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures)
Image of Mystery of the Secret Room: Austria 2 (Pack-n Go Girls Adventures)
Image of Mystery at the Christmas Market: Austria 3 (Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures)
Image of Mystery of the Thief in the Night: Mexico 1 (Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures)
Image of Mystery of the Disappearing Dolphin: Mexico 2 (Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures)
Image of Mystery of the Min Min Lights: Australia 1 (Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures)
Image of For the Love of Gold
Image of Grammar Notebook: Book 1, Parts of Speech, Grades 9-12
Image of Grammar Notebook: Book 2, Sentence Structure Gr. 9-12
Image of Grammar Notebook: Book 3, Punctuation, Capitalization, & Spelling

Book Reviews by Janelle Diller

Image of The Great Mathemachicken 2: Have a Slice Day
Author(s):
Nancy Krulik
Genre(s):
Early Chapter Books, 5-9, Children

The Great Mathemachicken 2: Have a Slice Day

April 3, 2023
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

“In Have a Slice Day author Nancy Krulik has created a silly but memorable introduction to the concept of fractions. Charlie Alder’s lively illustrations add to the fun.

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Image of The Museum of Lost Teeth: A Picture Book
Author(s):
Elyssa Friedland
Genre(s):
Picture Book, 4–8, Children

The Museum of Lost Teeth

March 31, 2023
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

“The addition of The Museum of Lost Teeth to any child’s collection is a no-brainer. It’s sweet. It’s funny. Adults will be happy to read it over and over.

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Image of Iggy The Legend
Author(s):
Annie Barrows
Illustrator(s):
Sam Ricks
Genre(s):
Children, 9–12, Series Fiction

Iggy The Legend

January 30, 2023
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

“Iggy continues to be Iggy.

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Image of Bear and the Whisper of the Wind
Author(s):
Marianne Dubuc
Genre(s):
Children, 4–8, Early Chapter Books

Bear and the Whisper of the Wind

May 16, 2022
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

Children’s books come in all flavors: sweet, funny, quirky, boring, and gems only an adult would love. Bear and the Whisper of the Wind falls into that last category.

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Image of The Princess in Black and the Giant Problem
Author(s):
Shannon Hale
Genre(s):
Children, 4–8, Easy Readers, Picture Book, Other

The Princess in Black and the Giant Problem

December 21, 2021
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

“The Princess in Black and the Giant Problem benefits from being a story about princesses and superheroes, which apparently little girls can never resist even if the story

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Image of J.D. and the Great Barber Battle (J.D. the Kid Barber)
Author(s):
J. Dillard
Genre(s):
Children, 4–8, Early Chapter Books, Series

J.D. and the Great Barber Battle

February 22, 2021
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

“J.D. and the Great Barber Battle is a refreshing slice of life about a small-town kid who discovers he’s gifted in unexpected ways. It’s a fun read.”

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Image of The STEM Night Disaster (Kate the Chemist)
Author(s):
Kate Biberdorf
Genre(s):
Children, 9–12, Science, Series Fiction

The STEM Night Disaster (Kate the Chemist)

February 11, 2021
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

“The STEM Night Disaster delivers on teaching kids not just about science but also about a scientific mindset.”

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Image of The Book of Wrong Answers
Author(s):
Pendred E. Noyce
Genre(s):
Children, 4–8, Picture Book

The Book of Wrong Answers

February 1, 2021
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

Just how do planes stay in the sky? How do people get inside the television? And why don’t the people on the bottom of the earth fall off?

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Image of No Reading Allowed: The WORST Read-Aloud Book Ever
Author(s):
Raj Haldar, Chris Carpenter
Illustrator(s):
Bryce Gladfelter
Genre(s):
Children, 4–8, Easy Readers, Humor

No Reading Allowed: The WORST Read-Aloud Book Ever

November 9, 2020
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

No doubt, Raj Haldar and Chris Carpenter had a ton of fun writing this silly book of a couple dozen or more sentences with homophones, homonyms, and tricky punctuations.

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Image of Small Mercies
Author(s):
Bridget Krone
Genre(s):
Children, 9–12, Middle Grade Fiction

Small Mercies

February 24, 2020
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

“Small Mercies isn’t intended to educate readers on details about South Africa as much as it’s intended for the reader to experience the multifaceted reality of So

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Image of Juana and Lucas: Big Problemas
Author(s):
Juana Medina
Genre(s):
Early Chapter Books, 4–8, Children

Juana and Lucas: Big Problemas

May 13, 2019
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

“An engaging story with endearing characters and a gentle touch on the larger themes of loss and change make for a valuable read.”

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Image of Penguin Days (Slug Days Stories, 2)
Author(s):
Sara Leach
Illustrator(s):
Rebecca Bender
Genre(s):
Chapter Books, 8-12, Children

Penguin Days

February 4, 2019
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

“Penguin Days provides learning of the most important kind, and has an added bonus of sweet humor, age appropriate text, and engaging illustrations.” 

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Image of Ghost Queen (Elsewhere)
Author(s):
Britt Wilson
Genre(s):
5-9

Ghost Queen (Elsewhere)

September 4, 2018
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

This should be a fun graphic novel. Wilson’s richly colored illustrations are lively; the multicultural family characters timely; the storyline inventive. Somehow, though, it doesn’t deliver.

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Image of My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder
Author(s):
Nie Jun
Genre(s):
8-12

My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder

July 31, 2018
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

“The engaging illustrations, exposure to the world of Beijing, timeless themes, and sweet characters make My Beijing a worthy addition to any library. It’s a keeper.”

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Image of Dear Professor Whale
Author(s):
Megumi Iwasa
Genre(s):
5-9

Dear Professor Whale

July 31, 2018
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

There’s something sweet and endearing about Dear Professor Whale, the follow-up to the charming Yours Sincerely, Giraffe.

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Image of The Breaking News
Author(s):
Sarah Lynne Reul
Genre(s):
Children, 4–8, Picture Book

The Breaking News

June 4, 2018
Reviewed by: 
Janelle Diller

Bad news breaks and a young girl tries to make sense of it. A gray cloud slips over the family and the community. The parents are sad and distracted. “Suddenly Mom is glued to the television.

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