Reviews and Testimonials

“In my experience with children, Johnnie Tuitel brought more learning to our school in one day than most of us accomplish in weeks. In one fell swoop he mesmerized our student body with his message of positive living and meeting any and all challenges we face.”
Clif Seybert, Principal, Glencairn Elementary School   East Lansing, MI.

“Johnnie channeled all the good in him in a way that helps others feel good about themselves no matter what. His nonchalant, humorous manner captured their interest and his wonderful art of storytelling kept it for over an hour. That’s no easy task with nine and ten year olds.”
Jean Carroll-Hamilton, Assistant Principal Grand View Elementary School Grand Rapids, MI

“Johnnie is living proof that it is your attitude which handicaps you, and it is your attitude which enables you.”
Bill Kangas, Principal Glerum Elementary School, Holland, MI

“Interesting, Informative, and Inspiring are the “3I’s” we would use to describe your program. I would highly recommend it to other schools.”
Hildi Paulson, Curriculum Supervisor, New Branches School, Grand Rapids, MI

“His life’s story captured the hearts and thoughts of our students and with his quick wit he held their attention from the outset.”
Tom Davelaar, Creekside Middle School, Zeeland, MI

“It was great to meet Johnnie and to hear him speak to our students.  I know they enjoyed it and I can’t keep the books on the shelf in the library”
Terry Peterson, Library Supervisor, Century Park Learning Center, Grandville, MI

"Kids are excited about this series. These are good adventure stories with a really interesting West Michigan setting"
Mary Stegink, co-manager, Pooh's Corner, a children's bookstore in Grand Rapids, Michigan

"My fourth-graders loved The Barn at Gun Lake. We're now reading Mystery Explosion in class. The story is so exciting, they beg me to read on at the end of each chapter. Johnnie (Tuitel) is a hero and roll model to my class"
Becky Bullen, fourth-grade teacher, Grand Rapids, Michigan

"The characters (in The Barn at Gun Lake) are well defined, and the mysteries are puzzling enough to keep readers involved"
Kendra Nan Skellen, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, Georgia

"Searching the Noonday Trail is another great novel by Johnnie Tuitel and Sharon Lamson for young readers, which is wonderfully written and totally entertaining from first page to last. The three other enthusiastically recommended titles in their outstanding and original series are The Barn at Gun Lake (1997), Mystery Explosion! (1998) and Discovery on Blackbird Island (2000)"
James A. Cox, editor-in-chief, The Midwest Book Review

"There are innumerable series for those eager to move beyond chapter book fare. What sets (Discovery on Blackbird Island) apart is a character who is physically challenged. Johnnie's cerebral palsy does not define him; he does everything his cohorts do, only differently"
Lynne T. Burke, Reading Today

"The author uses his sense of humor and experience living with cerebral palsy to help others understand what life with a disability is like"
Children's Book Reviews, Reading Today