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Reviewed by Courtnee Turner Hoyle for Readers' Favorite
Catherine Ann Russell returns to Princess Journee and her friends in The Zoe-Chai Seed: The Pearls of Wisdom Series, Book 3. After a delightful picnic, Journee and her friends hear nine gongs sounding, announcing an assembly of the elders. The attendees learn a legend from the grasshoppers about the Zoe-Chai Seed that could be planted to produce many fruit-bearing trees. The aim is to have enough food to feed the locust army and the rest of the kingdom after planting the seed. Journee volunteers to travel to the Pond of Reflection to seek clues concerning the seed, and she and her friends discover a riddle that details the whereabouts of the seed. The Zoe-Chai Seed requires a sacrifice when it is found, and Journee and her friends wonder what they will give up if they are successful. When a friend’s life hangs in the balance, they must decide if the treasure dearest to their hearts is worth the sacrifice.
Catherine Ann Russell describes each scene in beautiful detail with suspense and whimsical notes. Readers who are introduced to Journee and her friends in this book will be able to follow along with the story easily but will be eager to read the preceding tales. The proceeds from the sale of each book benefit the Basketful Relief Project, a foundation that provides emergency famine relief around the world. The Zoe-Chai Seed ticks all the boxes for a wonderful Christian choice for children. Jeffrey Machado narrates Russell’s third book in her Pearls of Wisdom Series, which is based on biblical proverbs. Proverb 11:25 is personified in the story as Journee and her friends show true friendship and compassion and are rewarded abundantly. With Machado’s soothing narrative, the characters come alive with distinctive voices and engaging animal sounds.
