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Growing Up Aimi #1
The Giant Forest: Chapter Book for Parents and Grandparents of Preteens Who Love to Read
Join Aimi on a journey of friendship and adventure at church camp in The Giant Forest.
Aimi longs for close and lasting friends, but building friendships isn't always easy. When her parents send her to church camp, she hopes this will be the perfect opportunity to find new friends. But on the very first night, Aimi gets lost in a giant forest filled with danger.
As Aimi braves the unknown, she encounters unexpected challenges and discovers the true meaning of friendship. Will she find the close and lasting friendships she has always wanted?
The Giant Forest is the first book in the Growing Up Aimi series, a heartwarming middle-grade fiction written by father-daughter duo Bill & Mia Belew.With relatable characters, exciting twists, and a Christian theme, this is a must-read for young readers who love adventure and friendship stories.
Buy The Giant Forest today and join Aimi on her journey!
Aimi longs for close and lasting friends, but building friendships isn't always easy. When her parents send her to church camp, she hopes this will be the perfect opportunity to find new friends. But on the very first night, Aimi gets lost in a giant forest filled with danger.
As Aimi braves the unknown, she encounters unexpected challenges and discovers the true meaning of friendship. Will she find the close and lasting friendships she has always wanted?
The Giant Forest is the first book in the Growing Up Aimi series, a heartwarming middle-grade fiction written by father-daughter duo Bill & Mia Belew.With relatable characters, exciting twists, and a Christian theme, this is a must-read for young readers who love adventure and friendship stories.
Buy The Giant Forest today and join Aimi on her journey!
- GenresFantasy
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 2, 2019
192 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 28, 2020
I listened to the audio version of The Giant Forest. I think I would have loved it as a kid. I enjoyed it as an adult. The inclusion of discussion questions is a wonderful way to get family members involved. This story written by an 11 year old was better thought out and more imaginative than many books I've read by much older, more experienced authors. I look forward to seeing what amazing adventures she has yet to write.
July 24, 2020
Not ready for primetime
I understand that this was written by a preteen and I have to give her kudos! I think it is really awesome what she did. I do not know any other authors that young.
Having said that, I do not recommend this book for a variety of reasons listed below and all if these except the first one could have been taken care of by adults so i am not blaming the author:
Too many story lines - hard to keep track of all of the things happening to the different characters.
Too many misspelled words-i am trying to tell my 13 year old grandson that spelling matters. And I am not talking about words that a character is saying. Those I understand why you would want them to be misspelled if that is what the character sounds like.
Too many things wrong with sentences-some of the sentences just did not make sense. Some of it was misspelled words but some of it was sentence structure. Some of it was also a lack if commas.
Sorry if this was harsh. I am not meaning it to be. Again, I am giving her kudos for trying. I hope to see more from her!
I understand that this was written by a preteen and I have to give her kudos! I think it is really awesome what she did. I do not know any other authors that young.
Having said that, I do not recommend this book for a variety of reasons listed below and all if these except the first one could have been taken care of by adults so i am not blaming the author:
Too many story lines - hard to keep track of all of the things happening to the different characters.
Too many misspelled words-i am trying to tell my 13 year old grandson that spelling matters. And I am not talking about words that a character is saying. Those I understand why you would want them to be misspelled if that is what the character sounds like.
Too many things wrong with sentences-some of the sentences just did not make sense. Some of it was misspelled words but some of it was sentence structure. Some of it was also a lack if commas.
Sorry if this was harsh. I am not meaning it to be. Again, I am giving her kudos for trying. I hope to see more from her!
June 23, 2021
Warning: this is an adult's eye-view of the story.
Five children seem to wander off, each in a different direction and have various adventures. I found it an interesting combination of the Narnia approach of helpful animals --but these ones don't talk -- and the kind of psychology one expects coming out of California. Each chapter gives the child's adventures, but also a some paragraphs analysing their relationships, feelings, motives. At the end of each chapter are questions so the readers can examine their own relationships with friends and feelings in response to danger or disappointment.
Each short chapter was focused on the movements and mishaps of one child, so a lot of threads, and sandwiched into the mix is a story of the older pioneer couple who moved to this area, named the place Mount Hermon, and made their home there. Just why they are included when they have no connection whatever with the children, other than the place name, is a mystery. I was a bit disappointed with the ending. CS Lewis did it better with his children finding their way back out of the wardrobe.
In a bonus chapter at the end, a different narrator, Artie supposedly writes about them again at the end of the story, repeated the basics but with facts switched and a different ending to their tale. I found that chapter confusing. Perhaps the couple could have been left out and their story told at the end, but it's not really important to the children's story.
Five children seem to wander off, each in a different direction and have various adventures. I found it an interesting combination of the Narnia approach of helpful animals --but these ones don't talk -- and the kind of psychology one expects coming out of California. Each chapter gives the child's adventures, but also a some paragraphs analysing their relationships, feelings, motives. At the end of each chapter are questions so the readers can examine their own relationships with friends and feelings in response to danger or disappointment.
Each short chapter was focused on the movements and mishaps of one child, so a lot of threads, and sandwiched into the mix is a story of the older pioneer couple who moved to this area, named the place Mount Hermon, and made their home there. Just why they are included when they have no connection whatever with the children, other than the place name, is a mystery. I was a bit disappointed with the ending. CS Lewis did it better with his children finding their way back out of the wardrobe.
In a bonus chapter at the end, a different narrator, Artie supposedly writes about them again at the end of the story, repeated the basics but with facts switched and a different ending to their tale. I found that chapter confusing. Perhaps the couple could have been left out and their story told at the end, but it's not really important to the children's story.
October 10, 2020
I have to say that so far (I am not totally done reading) I am noit as impressed as I wanted to be.
I do think that the spelling errors are distracting, and even though it is supposed to be the writing of a child, I can hear the voice of the father in it, so I really doubt that she didn't have some help. So, a good author usually has an editor. Good authors also have early readers.
Why didn't proud daddy help her to get those things so that her work would actually be readable.
I also am finding the cliffhanger-ish chapter ending annoying.
I certainly do not buy the statement that it is not fantasy believable since it clearly is fantasy.
Finally the questions are not thought provoking, they are annoying and clearly intended to lend something of a christian aura to the whole work, when a lot of what I have read so far has been more obnoxious than Christian. If they had not been so up front about their supposed Christian faith, and if they had not included the deliberately Christian perspective questions, I (so far) would not necessarily have felt as if Christianity was supposed to be such a strong theme in it. I can only imagine that that is somehow a reflection of a kind of Christian faith tradition that is not at all similar to the one in which I was raised. She needs an editor, and clearly Dad isn't fit for the job.
I do think that the spelling errors are distracting, and even though it is supposed to be the writing of a child, I can hear the voice of the father in it, so I really doubt that she didn't have some help. So, a good author usually has an editor. Good authors also have early readers.
Why didn't proud daddy help her to get those things so that her work would actually be readable.
I also am finding the cliffhanger-ish chapter ending annoying.
I certainly do not buy the statement that it is not fantasy believable since it clearly is fantasy.
Finally the questions are not thought provoking, they are annoying and clearly intended to lend something of a christian aura to the whole work, when a lot of what I have read so far has been more obnoxious than Christian. If they had not been so up front about their supposed Christian faith, and if they had not included the deliberately Christian perspective questions, I (so far) would not necessarily have felt as if Christianity was supposed to be such a strong theme in it. I can only imagine that that is somehow a reflection of a kind of Christian faith tradition that is not at all similar to the one in which I was raised. She needs an editor, and clearly Dad isn't fit for the job.
June 19, 2022
Aimi and her friends have an interesting experience while attending church camp at Mount Hermon. Each of the five characters have their own perspective on the experience and have their own chapters in the book as the adventure progresses.
These chapters are interspersed with an historical storyline. I was unable to verify if this historical storyline was based in fact or fiction. In either case - it is a good story.
Father and Daughter duo Bill and Mia Belew have created a series of books for more advanced readers in upper elementary and middle school. Each chapter ends with discussion questions which add to the book’s usefulness as a literature circle or reading club book. I did find the story to move a little slow at times. There were some minced oaths in the book which may cause a problem for some audiences.
I think Aimi Wilby and the Giant Forest would be a good addition to a k-12 Christian school library. It would be an especially good book for advanced readers at the upper elementary level.
I received a complimentary copy of Aimi Wilby and The Giant Forest. This is my honest review.
These chapters are interspersed with an historical storyline. I was unable to verify if this historical storyline was based in fact or fiction. In either case - it is a good story.
Father and Daughter duo Bill and Mia Belew have created a series of books for more advanced readers in upper elementary and middle school. Each chapter ends with discussion questions which add to the book’s usefulness as a literature circle or reading club book. I did find the story to move a little slow at times. There were some minced oaths in the book which may cause a problem for some audiences.
I think Aimi Wilby and the Giant Forest would be a good addition to a k-12 Christian school library. It would be an especially good book for advanced readers at the upper elementary level.
I received a complimentary copy of Aimi Wilby and The Giant Forest. This is my honest review.
March 20, 2024
The Giant Forest is written by father - daughter writing team Bill and Mia Belew. What's most fascinating is that Mia is 11 years old. Their debut novel is about 5 friends heading off to church camp with hopes of finding friends. Aiming is good at making friends but can't seem to keep them. The first night of camp each of the 5 friends wander through the giant, dark forest lost and facing many challenges. Each chapter showcases a child's adventures in the forest as well as their struggles with their thoughts, feelings, fears, and motives. We see them interact with various woodland creatures as they learn to count on their friends. I found the author's showcase of this as compelling since we can see the sides to these kids and how they relate to their friends. At the end of each chapter the author's poses a few questions to us about our friendships, feelings, and our reaction to danger and disappointment. After reading the debut novel with its relatable characters and real life happenings I look forward to what the duo can up with next!
September 2, 2020
This is a story of five friends who are lost in the forest and during their journey to get home, they learn the value of friendship and self-worth. This is a Christian based chapter book with discussion questions after each chapter. In some settings such as weekly Bible study or homeschool classes, this book would be a good source of curriculum. As a general read, however the questions are distracting and break up the flow of the work. The story and life lessons contained within are still insightful and entertaining. The characters are rich and the ending is unique. I would recommend this book to Christian homeschools and bible study groups. I would encourage the authors to make two versions of this book one with the questions for those looking to expand on what they have read and one without for those who just want an interesting fantasy fairy tale read.
January 4, 2022
This is a sweet book, definitely written for preteens. I can see reading it together with your child or grandchild would lead to discussions about a wide range of feelings, attitudes, and the way they look at the world.
In my case, my grandchildren are more than 700 miles away, so there's no way to have that one on one with them.
The book is well written. The names of the kids are a little confusing. Rocky is a girl but Sybil is a boy. There are a few more that will add to the confusion but once you've got it figured out, you'll enjoy the interaction. The book is written with basic moral values and there are discussion questions at the end of each chapter to highlight and help the child understand.
It's a book that I would recommend to every parent of a pre-teen but read it together.
In my case, my grandchildren are more than 700 miles away, so there's no way to have that one on one with them.
The book is well written. The names of the kids are a little confusing. Rocky is a girl but Sybil is a boy. There are a few more that will add to the confusion but once you've got it figured out, you'll enjoy the interaction. The book is written with basic moral values and there are discussion questions at the end of each chapter to highlight and help the child understand.
It's a book that I would recommend to every parent of a pre-teen but read it together.
August 21, 2021
There are some books that even though they are written for younger people can be just as amazing for adults as well. For me this was not one of those books. I struggled through it. It might be better for it's intended age group, or if you are reading to/with a child. There are a few places where you have to stop and think about what was meant because the sentences just don't make sense. It really could have used one or two more people to read it and suggest edits before it's release. Overall I would say it is a solid first effort though. It just needed a bit more editing and wasn't super exciting for me.
August 22, 2020
This clever book that Bill and Mia Belew have written has excellent potential to strengthen relationships between parents, grandparents, and tween and teens in the family. The story is appealing and the questions at the end of each chapter do a great job of fostering discussions between you and your child. Great book!
July 15, 2020
Forest and Giants
I found this book to be a wonderful fairy tale, but perfect for older kiddos, maybe even Bible classes, for the excellent questions that follow each chapter. A sweet and interesting read.
I found this book to be a wonderful fairy tale, but perfect for older kiddos, maybe even Bible classes, for the excellent questions that follow each chapter. A sweet and interesting read.
July 21, 2020
Whimsical and thought provoking read as you follow the characters through their own issues. Fantasy and imagination are key to this story and the journey of all the characters. Good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 10, 2021
This book was written by a Preteen and does give insights into how children think at that age. To many storylines going, and children dealing with kids that teased or were mean to them. Some of the kids did not even realize that the other children were being mean because they were so innocent.
August 4, 2021
Not a fan.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews