Wednesday 26 March 2014

Grimmtastic Girls Book Blast

About the Books: The Grimmtastic Girls

Book #1

Title: Grimmtastic Girls #1: Cinderella Stays Late | Authors: Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams | Publication Date: March 25, 2014 | Publisher: Scholastic Inc. | Pages: 192
  Recommended Ages: 8 to 12 Grimmtastic Girls: Cinderella Stays Late

Summary: The authors of the hit Goddess Girls series put a fun and girly twist on another super-popular theme: fairy tales! Once upon a time, in faraway Grimmlandia... A Grimmtastic girl named Cinderella is starting her first week at Grimm Academy on the wrong foot. Cinda's totally evil stepsisters are out to make her life miserable. The Steps tease Cinda, give her terrible advice about life at the academy, and even make her look bad in front of her new friends, Red, Snow, and Rapunzel! But when Cinda overhears the Steps plotting a villainous deed that could ruin Prince Awesome's ball, Cinda, her new friends, and a pair of magical glass slippers have to stop them--before the last stroke of midnight! AmazonGoodreads    

Book #2

Title: Grimmtastic Girls #2: Red Riding Hood Gets Lost | Authors: Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams | Publication Date: March 25, 2014 | Publisher: Scholastic Inc. | Pages: 192 | Recommended Ages: 8 to 12 Red Riding Hood Gets LostSummary: Red Riding Hood might have a terrible sense of direction, but her grimmtastic friends are always there to help! Once upon a time, in faraway Grimmlandia... Red Riding Hood is thrilled to try out for the school play. Acting is her dream, and she's great at it--too bad she has stage fright! After a grimmiserable audition, Red decides to focus on helping her friends Cinda, Snow, and Rapunzel save Grimm Academy from the E.V.I.L. Society. But when Red gets lost in Neverwood forest and runs into Wolfgang, who might be part of E.V.I.L., she needs her magic basket and a grimmazingly dramatic performance to figure out what's going on! AmazonGoodreads    

About the Authors: Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams

Joan Holub   Joan Holub has authored and/or illustrated more than 130 children's books, including Little Red Writing (illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet) and Zero the Hero. She lives in NC and is online at www.joanholub.com

Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

    Suzanne Williams   Suzanne Williams is the author of nearly 50 books for children, including the award-winning picture book Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg). She lives near Seattle, WA and is online at www.suzanne-williams.com

Author Blog | Goodreads

    Co-authors Joan and Suzanne have written the Goddess Girls, Heroes in Training, and Grimmtastic Girls series. Though they live in different states and hardly ever get to see each other, they spend lots of time together in Grimmlandia.

Facebook (Grimmtastic Girls) | Facebook (Goddess Girls Books)

Online Author Visits

 

$50 Book Blast Giveaway

Amazon $50 Gift Card Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: April 23, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the authors, Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Book Promotion Services

Friday 21 March 2014

The Maisy File Book Blast

Maisy and the Missing Mice

Title: Maisy and the Missing Mice (The Maisy Files) | Author: Elizabeth Woodrum | Publication Date: September 24, 2013 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 75 | Recommended Ages: 6 to 10 Summary: Maisy Sawyer is not your average fourth grade student. She is a detective with a special skill for solving mysteries. She loves black and white mystery movies, cherry lollipops, and her dog, Reesie. When a thief known as The Black Boot steals the school's mascots and her lollipops, Maisy sets out to solve the case. Can she help return the mice to their home in the science lab? Will she ever see her beloved lollipops again? Find out in the first book in The Maisy Files series.      

Book Trailer

 

Purchase

Amazon | Createspace

* NOTE: Available for only 99 cents through Amazon. OR, you can receive 15% off the regular price of the print version of Maisy and the Missing Mice by visiting https://www.createspace.com/4368649 in the month of March and entering the code RXJN6DUZ upon checking out.  

The Buzz

"Woodrum certainly knows her target audience and does a very nice job with the character development of Maisy. This is an incredibly kid-friendly story that makes a great introduction to the genre of mystery for newly independent readers. It's a quick page turning read that encourages kids to think outside of the box." ~ The Children's Book Review
 
"My name is Kat. I am 9 years old. I would rate this a five because I like everything about it, the mystery the most. It was fun to read. My favorite part was the mystery and the end. I love this book so much. I think other kids would love it too because it has mystery and most kids would like mystery books. Most mystery books have a good mystery. I would love to read the whole series." ~ 5 Star Review, Heather A., Amazon
 
"I knew I would love this book simply because I knew it would remind me of the mystery books I read in my childhood. I really love how much trust the teachers and community as a whole put in Maisy. She is well deserving of their admiration as the way she finds clues and finds the mascot for the school is well thought out. This is a story any child would love to read. I hope Maisy continues to solve mysteries..." ~ 5 Star Review, Josh, Amazon
 

About the Author: Elizabeth Woodrum

Elizabeth Woodrum Elizabeth Woodrum[/caption] Elizabeth Woodrum is an elementary teacher in Ohio. She came to love writing when she was in elementary school, but more recently began writing material for use in her classroom. From that writing, grew the desire to write books for the general population of children and adults alike. The Maisy Files, a children's series, is the first series that she has published. The series currently has one book, Maisy and the Missing Mice. Elizabeth plans to add more books to the series, and would also like to publish books for adults in the future. As a reader, Elizabeth prefers the fantasy genre, but she enjoys realistic fiction as well. Some of her favorite authors include JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Rick Riordan, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Nicholas Sparks. Originally from Indiana, Elizabeth currently resides near Dayton, Ohio with her two pets: a cat named Butterscotch and a dog named Reese Cup.

Book Website | Author Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

 

* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 25 gift card Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: April 18, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Elizabeth Woodrum and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Book Promotion Services

Wednesday 19 March 2014

Kid Lit Blog Hop #35

Welcome Back to the Kid Lit Blog Hop
This week, my post is two fold.
 
I was hosted over at Becky Fyfe's blog the other day as part of the Chapter Book Challenge.

 
Hop on over to Becky's blog to check out my Crafting convincing Villains post....
http://chapterbookchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/crafting-convincing-villains-by-julie.html

I also have the awesome Billy Bob Buttons joining me in the bloggoverse today.


Last hop I reviewed his book.


Check it out if you missed it.
http://whenigrowupiwannawriteakidsbook.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/kid-lid-blog-hop-34.html

This hop I have the interview I promised....

He has some gold to share about Independent publishing, marketing and a little award that I am a finalist in, he he.
 

Take it away Billy Bob Buttons:

 
1. How did you get started as a writer?
 
Originally, I was a secondary school English teacher so I worked a lot with literacy. Then, back in 2002, inspired by the Harry Potter books, I decided to write a book about a girl who finds a magic bookshop called The Wishing Shelf. Eventually, I penned five books: Galibrath’s Will, Articulus Quest, Incantus Gothmog, Glumweedy’s Devil and Crowl’s Creepers. After ten years of writing, I was hooked. I then went on to write The Gullfoss Legends, TOR Assassin Hunter, TOR Wolf Rising, Muffin Monster and, finally, I Think I Murdered Miss.

2. Where did the idea of I Think I Murdered Miss come from and how much research did you have to do to rally nail the character Simon Spittle?
 
Basically, I was working on story planning with a group of Year 6 students in a London school. One girl was having problems coming up with a story to plan so I suggested, ‘Why not plan a story about a boy who accidentally murders his teacher?’ She thought it was a wonderful idea and so did I. So much so, I ended up writing the story myself.
The character of Simon Spittle is rather complex. Usually the characters in my books are just normal kids thrust into an exciting adventure, but Simon’s a little different; he has Asperger’s syndrome. This is what it says in the front of the book:
Simon, the hero of this book, has Asperger’s syndrome. It is when a person finds it difficult to tell others what they need and how they feel. They also find it difficult to know how others feel and what is the ‘normal’ thing to do. Often, but not always, a person with Asperger’s can be very, very clever and can have overly-strong interests. Simon, for example, is obsessed by Star Trek. Both children and adults can suffer from it.
I spent a lot of time (months) reading about Asperger’s and trying to understand how my character would behave and react in the story. It was a lot of fun but a lot of work. Hopefully, I got it right!

3. What led you to self-publishing?

I enjoy the control I have over the finished product. My books sell very well, most of them directly to schools. I Think I Murdered Miss has sold over 30,000 to schools over the last six months; I did that, not the publisher, so why share the rewards. I was actually offered a contract with a ‘traditional’ publisher for I Think I Murdered Miss but when I looked at what the publisher was offering me I realised I would be better off doing it myself.

4. I read you visit over 200 schools in the UK providing literacy workshops. How did that begin?
 
I think it is very important for an independently published author to identify who the reader is and target them. My readers are, for the most part, 9-12 year old children. So, I decided to visit schools, give workshops (being an ex-secondary school English teacher, I was qualified to do this) and do book signing at the end of the school day. Thankfully, it was the best decision I ever made. I have met with over 100,000 children over the last few years and many of the book signing are huge. I did a book signing at a big London school a few weeks ago and sold over 300 books. It took two and a half hours to sign them all; I felt like J K Rowling!

5. Can you give us a brief run down on how your book tours function as part of your marketing plan for your books?

I tend to visit two schools a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, totalling ten schools a week. There is a lot of organising to do and it helps I’m an ex-teacher and feel comfortable talking to children. Often there can be over 200 children in a workshop (I remember I once did a workshop in a London secondary school; I walked in and there were 1,200 children sitting in a huge hall waiting for me to begin!)
It is a very important part of my marketing strategy. It allows me to meet directly with my readers and, most importantly, it allows me to sell my books without paying a middle man e.g. Amazon, a bookshop or a publisher. Also, the workshops give me the opportunity to promote my books directly to my readers, motivating them to buy a copy at the end of the day.
But it is important to note that it is a big, BIG job to organise everything. Even contacting the schools can take weeks. I have been doing it for years and I have hundreds (probably thousands) of contacts in UK schools. Without the support of the teachers, head teachers (even the caretakers), I’d never be able to do it. And, of course, it’s important you enjoy driving; I spend a lot of time in London traffic.

6. Now tell us a little about The Wishing Shelf Book Awards you set up.
 
I set it up four years ago to offer an alternative to the big (very expensive) awards over in the US. The problem with most awards is, if you win, you win – fantastic! But if you don’t, you get nothing. I wanted to offer a very different award where all (ALL!) the authors who enter get all the feedback from the judging and a catchy quote to help them market the book. If the author wants us to, we even post the feedback on Amazon and Goodreads for them.
But the best bit is the judging. The children’s books are read and judged by children in seven schools we work with; the adult books by two Reading Groups, one in London where I work and one in Stockholm where I live.
The award is growing every year; last year we had over 150 authors enter and in April, we will be announcing the winners at AuthorCon in Manchester. It is very exciting and I love organising it. If anybody out there is interested in entering, check out www.thewsa.co.uk.
 
That was fascinating,
Thank you very much for joining us Billy Bob...
 
Find Billy Bob, over at
 
No off you hop!



Welcome to the 35th Kid Lit Blog Hop where twice per month (the 1st and 3rd Wednesday) we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors! We are pleased to welcome our friends from Wigu Publishing, publishers of the When I Grow Up I Want To Be... book series this week co-hosts. Please do take a moment to check out these fabulous books. Big welcome to Wigu Publishing!

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. We ask that you kindly follow your hosts. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses:
Co-Host:
Wigu Publishers Twitter * Facebook
2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you! 4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? If you've joined us before, you are welcome to join us again! Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Happy Hopping!

Friday 14 March 2014

The Magician's Doll: Book Blast

About the Book

The Magician's Doll by M.L.Roble
Title: The Magician's Doll | Author: M.L. Roble | Publication Date: February 2, 2013
Publisher: Independent | Pages: 320 | Recommended Ages: 10+

Summary

"They are stronger. They are coming. They will arrive!" Life would be so much better for twelve-year-old Natalie if she and her mother weren’t different; other kids wouldn’t pick on her; she wouldn’t have to get into fights. She would have friends. But Natalie has abilities that set her apart, and despite her very best efforts to have a normal life, her developing “gift” has a way of upending them all. Then one day a big top circus rolls into town bringing with it Beausoleil the Magician, his daughter Louisa, and his mysterious doll. Strange things are afoot with Beausoleil’s arrival, and in his wake, an eerie storm is approaching. Soon Natalie discovers there is more to her world and the people around her than she knew, and that being different is just the tip of the iceberg...
The Magician’s Doll sparks readers’ imaginations with a tale of magical discoveries, profound friendships, a fight against evil, and the growth that comes with facing your fears and accepting who you are.
 

Purchase the Book

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | The Book Bin

 

The Buzz

"The story of exceptional and gifted beings secretly living among us is timeless; this exhilarating book is an impressive treatment of that classic storyline. The writing is fast and clear, with a well-developed plot and perfect buildup of action and suspense." ~ 5 Star Review, G. Wagner, Amazon

"This is perfect for kids of the middle grade age. It forces them to look at the way they treat each other and their differences. It makes them look at what true friendship is and what they would do in certain circumstances. I am sure this book was written to be a wonderful story, yet I find it is a great example of teaching kids something without them realizing they are learning I will definitely continue to recommend this book to parents and students." ~ 5 Star Review, Sandra S., Amazon

"I am a eighth grader, and was told to read this book by a friend. I am a huge fan of fantasy and magic, and thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found it well thought through with colorful characters from a variety of backgrounds. The concepts and ideas are fresh and interesting, I especially enjoyed the idea of travel through maps, like Phillipe. I would DEFINITELY recommend this book to all my friends, and will do so as soon as possible." ~ 5 Star Review, Eugenia, Amazon
 

About the Author: M.L. Roble

M.L. RobleM. L. Roble's desire to write a children's novel stems from the nostalgia of her own middle grade reading years where she first experienced books like "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "The Shattered Stone". There have been different books and genres since, but those years fueled an enchantment for story that continues to this day.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+

 

* Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 25 gift card Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: April 11, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, M.L. Roble and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Book Promotion Services

Thursday 13 March 2014

Good Night Animal World Blog tour

Good Night Animal World Blog Tour - Button Final

 

About the Book

Good Night Animal World by Giselle Shardlow

Title: Good Night, Animal World: A Kids Yoga Bedtime Story | Author: Giselle Shardlow | Illustrator: Emily Gedzyk | Publication Date: September 20, 2013 | Publisher: Company: Kids Yoga Stories LLC | Pages: 32 | Recommended Ages: 2.5 to 6 years Summary: Say good night to the animals of the world! Calm your mind and body before bedtime by taking a journey around the world with this kids yoga storybook. Join six Kids Yoga Stories characters as you perch like a bald eagle, crouch like a tiger, and curl up like a sloth. The book includes a list of Kids Yoga Poses and a Parent Guide with tips on creating a successful bedtime experience. Learn something new, explore movement, and unwind together before bedtime! AmazonGoodreads    

My Review:

I recently had a friend stay with us who loved Yoga. As a result my little G wanted to do Yoga too, so when I saw this book available for a blog tour, I was so excited.
It opens with children all over the world, greeting us hello, and setting the tone for a wonderfully diverse picture book.
Each animal is depicted with one of the children of the world copying with a very simple yoga pose.
 The poses were so fun and little G absolutely loved it.  She diligently followed along and at the end said, "AGAIN, AGAIN."
The conclusion of the book has some great tips on creating a calm and soothing environment to help prepare your little one for sleep.
The illustrations were really sweet and the poses were very easy to follow.
Our bottom line, we loved this book and will probably make it a little bedtime routine.
5 STARS
 

The Buzz

"This book has been so amazing for my 2.5 year old daughter! The illustrations are adorable! She is always so rambunctious at bedtime and this lets her get out some of that excess energy. She loves the book so much that this has been one we read every night. It helps my daughter fall asleep faster which means more time for mom in the evenings." ~ 5 Star Review, cwalt047, Amazon

"Another GREAT book!! I used this book for my kids yoga classes for ages 2-5 years old. After a very active yoga class, we read this book and did the yoga poses before the resting portion of the class. My little yogis loved the pictures and saying Good Night to all of the animals one by one. I played a calming song with some animal noises in the background and we were then able to quiet our minds and bodies for the pose of rest. I think this will become a regular pre-resting story for my classes with this age group. My 5 year old son loves to read this book again and again too! Keep the great books coming!" ~ 5 Star Review, Stacy Daniels - Kids Yoga Teacher, Amazon

"What a delightful book to get young children reading and moving in a wind-down, calming story about saying goodnight to the animals of the world. I am a k-12 Reading Certified teacher who blogs about parenting at The Educator's Spin On It. I am big fan of literacy activities that combine movement and geography in a loving parent / child interaction experience and Good night, Animal World does just that. This book would be a great addition to your book shelf." ~ 5 Star Review, Amanda at The Educators' Spin On It, Amazon
 

About the Author: Giselle Shardlow

Giselle Shardlow from Kids Yoga Stories

Giselle Shardlow is the author of Kids Yoga Stories. Her yoga-inspired children’s books get children moving, learning, and having fun. Giselle draws from her experiences as a teacher, traveler, yogi, and mom to write the stories found at www.kidsyogastories.com or on Amazon (amazon.com/author/giselleshardlow) worldwide.    

Book Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Google+

 

Good Night, Animal World Blog Tour Schedule (2014)

March 10
March 11
March 12
March 13
March 14
March 15
March 16
March 17
March 18
March 19
March 20
March 21
March 22
March 23
 

* $25 Blog Tour Giveaway *

Amazon 25 gift card Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: April 8, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Giselle Shardlow and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Book Promotion Services

Monday 10 March 2014

My Friend Suhana Blog Tour

My Friend Suhana Blog Tour - Tour Button

About the Book

Title: My Friend Suhana: A Story of Friendship and Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Shaila Abdullah & Aanyah Abdullah
Publication Date: December 16, 2013
Publisher: Loving Healing Press
Pages: 30
Recommended Ages: 3+

Summary

A simple tale of love and friendship to warm your heart. Award-winning author and designer Shaila Abdullah teams up with her 10-year-old daughter Aanyah to bring you this heartwarming tale of a little girl who forms a close bond with a child with cerebral palsy.  

Our Review

This was such a beautiful book.  Told in the perspective of a child with a friend who has cerebral palsy, made this so endearing. We learn that although Suhana cannot walk or talk or play the way the other children can, the little girl loves her all the same.  She takes time to play with Suhana, to draw her pictures, to show her she is loved. Sometimes Suhana's gets upset and frustrated and the little girl compares Suhana moods to colours. Red for upset, Blue for calm and pink for when she feels loved.
Suhana at seven is just learning to walk and the little girl encourages her all the same, celebrating her achievements.
At the end of the book there is a brief description for children about what cerebral palsy is, which was very succinct, yet understandable for a child.
 
I enjoyed this book so much from three perspectives.  Firstly as a nurse who has worked with children with cerebral palsy, second as a mother of a toddler that I want to grow up to learn compassion for children with disabilities and third as a writer, I am so impressed that a mother and daughter collaborated on this project because they are both truly passionate about raising awareness.
 
I give this 5 stars and upon reading it to my little G, she said let's read about Suhana again.
To me that is the sign of a truly engaging book.
 

Purchase

My Friend Suhana by Shaila & Aanyah Abdullah

Amazon

 

About the Authors: Shaila Abdullah & Aanyah Abdullah

Shaila & Aanyah Abdullah

Shaila Abdullah is an author and designer based in Austin, Texas. She is the author of two books: Saffron Dreams and Beyond the Cayenne Wall. The author has received several awards for her work including the Golden Quill Award, Norumbega Jury Prize for Outstanding Fiction, Patras Bukhari Award for English Language, Reader Views Award, Written Art Award, and a grant from Hobson Foundation.

Aanyah Abdullah is a creative and compassionate 10-year-old, who is drawn to children born with physical and mental disabilities. When she was in second grade, Aanyah along with her mother Shaila, started volunteering out at a local community center where they helped assist special needs children. Later Aanyah wrote an essay about her friendship with a girl in the class who had cerebral palsy. That essay is the inspiration behind My Friend Suhana. Aanyah dreams of establishing a special school for children with disabilities one day. She is known to always stand up for what is right and is-–in her parents’ and teachers’ eyes––a perfect role model for her baby sister.

Book Website | Twitter | Facebook | Subscribe

 

My Friend Suhana Blog Tour Schedule (2014)

March 4

March 5
March 6
March 7
March 8
March 9
March 10
March 11
 

* $25 Blog Tour Giveaway *

Amazon 25 gift card Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: April 2, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Shaila Abdullah & Loving Healing Press and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Book Promotion Services

Friday 7 March 2014

Diego's Dragon Book Blast

About the Book

Diego's Dragon Book 1 Spirits of the Sun by Kevin Gerard

Title: Diego's Dragon, Book 1: Spirits of the Sun | Author: Kevin Gerard | Publication Date: September 30, 2011 | Publisher: Crying Cougar Press | Pages: 186 | Recommended Ages: 8+

Summary: An eleven-year-old Latino boy wins a district-wide writing contest for sixth graders. When an author visits his school to award his prize, Diego Ramirez has no idea how much his life is about to change.

Nathan Sullivan hands Diego his statue, a handsome, glistening black dragon. He shakes his hand and leaves him to his friends. The students crowd around Diego, asking for permission to hold it. After hearing the name Magnifico spoken aloud by family and friends, Diego awards it to his new dragon. If he only knew how fitting the name was, he might have known what lay ahead. Magnifico is the leader of the Sol Dragones, dragons that live within the magical fires of the sun. Nathan Sullivan is the earth's connection to the mysterious creatures. It is his task to find Magnifico’s guide.

As Magnifico comes to life he becomes quite mischievous, playing tricks on Diego to embarrass him. As he discovers his bloodline, however, Diego assumes greater control over his dragon and his destiny. In the climactic journey, he frees his people and suffers a terrible loss by guiding Magnifico to their goal.  

Purchase

Buy Signed Copy | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Sony Reader | Smashwords

 

The Buzz

"Every book by this author is amazing. My son, who is very picky has bought every book. He has read them without putting them down and even asked me to organize having Kevin come to his school. Kevin, the Author is a person doing what he loves to do and it shows in his work and his interactions with the kids. You will not regret your purchase!" ~ 5 Star Review, Adina F., Amazon
 
"My 4th grade daughter is obsessed with dragon books. When I discovered Diego's Dragon, I jumped at it--and now Kevin Gerard is her new favorite author! For a voracious reader like my daughter, that is the highest of compliments, especially considering her love for Erin Hunter's Warrior Cats series. Her enthusiastic commentary about book one, and her pleading for book 2, had me eager to read it for myself. All I can say is . . . my daughter was right. For any fans of middle grade adventure or fantasy or dragons or boy books or epic awesomeness, this is the perfect story." ~ 5 Star Review, S. O'Donnell, Amazon
 
"Kids who like dragon stories will love this adventure series. Those who liked Harry Potter, kids and adults, will like this series. I truly believe the Diego’s Dragon series will have readers anticipating new releases and then devouring the books immediately upon release. Spirits of the Sun is a great book for boys, and girls—and adults. Without gushing too much, I believe Spirits of the Sun is one of the best books I have read. If the series holds up, I will be its number one fan, though many others will claim that title. Kids, get this book." ~ 5 Star Review, Sue M., Amazon
 

About the Author: Kevin Gerard

Kevin Gerard Kevin Gerard lives in San Diego, California, with two feline friends, Jesse the WonderCat and Little Man. When not writing or teaching statistics at Cal State San Marcos, he enjoys walking the grounds at the San Diego Zoo, hitting the waves at Cardiff State Beach, and hanging with his brother, nieces and nephews at the local Pizza Port. He also enjoys playing Halo on the internet; look for him in the rocket games as one of the characters from Diego’s Dragon or Conor and the Crossworlds.

Book Website | Author Blog | Twitter

Facebook | Goodreads

 

* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 100 gift card Prize: $100 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: April 4, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Kevin Gerard and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Book Promotion Services

Wednesday 5 March 2014

Kid Lid Blog Hop #34

 
Welcome Back To The Kid Lit Blog Hop #34
 
Today, I have a very cool book to review for you.
 
"I Think I Murdered Miss"
by Billy Bob Buttons
 
 
 
Description From Amazon:
 
My name is Simon Spittle and I think - no, I know, I murdered Miss Belcher. I don't carry a gun. Or a knife. Or even a toothpick, but yesterday, in French, I wished for her to be run over by a bus and, later that very day, she was. A big, red double-decker with yellow wheels and a picture of a clown on the bonnet. A Billy Smart's Circus bus.Simon is very different to Isabella. He is all elbowy and clumsy. She, on the other hand, is elegant and cool. He's the school chess champ and has the IQ of a chemistry professor. She thinks flowers grow better if you feed them Bic Macs and play them Elvis songs. He has a 1/500 scale model of the Starship Enterprise NCC-1701 in his bedroom. She thinks it's a frying pan.

Isabella has a secret.

Simon, well, he IS the secret...

My Review:
 
 Simon Spittle is an average kid with above average intelligence, but that doesn't ensure life is great. Far from it actually.  Simon has Asperger's syndrome, so he finds making friends pretty difficult. 

Enter, Isabella, a larger than life semi new girl at school who befriends him. Simon can't quite figure out why. Isabella is a cool and self confident. Simon hides in his room most of the time obsessively watching star trek videos, so when it comes to social cues, Simon finds them all hard.  Isabella is just another enigma in a sea of significantly awkward social moments.  She affectionately calls him mop after his shaggy hair and she takes care to abide by Simon's strange social embargoes such as the "no hugging rule."

For Simon, order and routine are key to helping him survive the day, so when his French teacher pushes him past his limits, he retaliates with words he will regret the rest of his life.  You see, he wishes for his teacher to be run over by a bus and sadly, she is.

This would normally be considered a truly heinous coincidence for the average teen, but Simon is not your average teen.  He just doesn't know it, but Isabella does.

When Simon wishes Anthony, (the class bully) will also get run over too, Isabelle forces Simon on a hilariously misguided mission to prevent it.
Now, I simply cannot elaborate any further as I fear anything I say may provide a spoiler, but I can say, this was a fast paced, hilarious read, that had a couple of twists that I absolutely DID NOT SEE COMING,  which brings me to my rating.

I absolutely loved reading this and was gripped from start to finish. Both Simon and Isabella were equally endearing for different reasons, and I was totally invested in both of them.  At one point I may have snarled at husband and small child, as the action in the story was so fast paced, that I simply had to see how it ended.

That to me, that is the sign of a truly engaging read.  There are themes of death in the book, which some lower middle grade readers may find a bit worrying, but nothing graphic, so I believe this will appeal best to 10+. 

I give it 5 Stars.

Now....

Billy Bob Buttons was going to join us the Blogosphere today for an interview, but unfortunately my email has a very bad habit of eating up replies.....


I should explain quickly how I came to meet Billy Bob, ( real name Edward Trayer)

I entered the Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards, an award which Edward is chief organiser and general all round awesome guy.


I am delighted to say that I am actually a finalist for both of my books...

http://www.thewsa.co.uk/finalists2013/

I will have an interview with Edward another day I hope, when he returns from his latest book tour.

Until then, you can check out his other books....
 
 
Billy Bob Buttons is a young talented author. On top of being a secondary school English teacher, he is also a pilot.
Born in the Viking city of York, he and his wife, Therese, a true Swedish girl from the IKEA county of Småland, now live in Stockholm and London. Their twin girls, Rebecca and Beatrix, and little boy, Albert, inspire Billy Bob every day to pick up a pen and work on his books.
When not writing, he enjoys tennis and playing 'MONSTER!' with his three children.
He is the author of the much loved, The Gullfoss Legends, Rubery Award finalist, Felicity Brady and the Wizard's Bookshop, UK People Book Prize runner-up, TOR Assassin Hunter and TOR Wolf Rising.
I Think I Murdered Miss' is his ninth children's novel.

 
 
 http://amzn.com/B004N62H3U

http://amzn.com/B004N62H58


http://amzn.com/B004N6296K

 
 
Happy Hopping folks,
 
Welcome to the 34th Kid Lit Blog Hop where twice per month (the 1st and 3rd Wednesday) we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors!

 

 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. We ask that you kindly follow your hostesses. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses:
2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
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* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
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* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you! 4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
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Happy Hopping!