Thursday 22 January 2015

Kid Lit Blog Hop #52

Welcome to the 52nd Kid Lit Blog Hop  

We continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. 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! 

For the first time, we will also be including a Linky Party to be held in conjunction with the Kid Lit Blog Hop. Every two weeks, you will have the opportunity to join in a linky party focused on one social media network, helping you to connect with and grow your network of fellow kid lit bloggers, authors, and parents. Be sure to check both linky's at the bottom of this post.

Now, today I have a review of a lovely chapter book by a fellow Aussie author.

 

My Review:
 
Sam is starting a new school after returning from living in Nepal as a missionary. She wants to fit in, so when she is assigned to sit next to Felicity, one of the prettiest girls in the class, Sam is hopeful that her new school will be awesome. Things don't start off well, when Sam notices Felicity cheating off her. Sam is too timid to let her teacher know, and things get worse when Felicity seems to be doing everything she can to exclude and tease her. Things come to a head when Sam begins to make up stories about her mum being an evil genius, wanting to take over the word. This leads to even more alienation from Felicity and her minions, and eventually Sam snaps. She finds herself sitting in the principals office as a consequence of her behaviour, but she still can't level with her parents as to what caused her to act as she did.


A well meaning education session from the teaching staff to the school about bullying, didn't really solve Sam's problem but it was a great turning point. She eventually gains her courage and has the strength to come clean with her class about the stories she has made up. In the process she ends up giving a super presentation about her time in Nepal. Sam is astounded when the kids don't laugh at all, but begin to ask her some questions about her life in another country. She finds some common ground with a new group of friends in the playground and eventually leaves the behind Felicity's of the world. She embarks on a new school term with friends who understand her and are happy to include her.


This was a sweet book, that really struck a cord with me. I felt Sam's alienation, lonliness and feelings of helplessness, right along with her. It was great to watch Sam eventually find the strength to change her situation. The education session with the teachers was a great teaching moment, where they spell out quite simply the meaning of bullying. I especially liked the idea that if kids see others being bullied, they should take the initiative and stand up against it. I believe this would make a great resource for the school classroom, as the strategies Sam uses to over come her fears are really practical. I would recommend this for children ages 5-7.

Connect With Melissa


That's all from me folks, happy hopping....


We are pleased to be welcome the following co-hostess with us this week: Katie from The Logonauts, a blog focused on sharing and discussing great books for elementary and middle grade readers. Please take a moment to drop by and say hello. Welcome Katie!  

Hostesses:

Mother Daughter Book Reviews

Julie Grasso, Author/ Blogger

Cheryl Carpinello, Author / Blogger

Stacking Books

BeachBoundBooks

Pragmatic Mom

Best 4 Future: Bringing Up Baby Bilingual

Reading Authors

 

Co-Hostess:

The Logonauts


 

Kid Lit Blog Hop & Linky Party Rules *Please Read*

1. Add the link to your Facebook fan page in the Facebook Linky Party linky list below. Be sure to visit, "like", and/or comment on your hostesses' Facebook pages as well as the two links directly before yours. Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us and we will be sure to follow you back. 2. Link up any Kid Lit related post in the Kid Lit Blog Hop. 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 from the Kid Lit Blog Hop 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/Linky Party? 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!
 

FACEBOOK LINKY PARTY


KID LIT BLOG HOP

Saturday 17 January 2015

Dreaming of Cash Giveaway


To Celebrate the release of
 
Stellarcadia #3
Due 30 January 2015
 
 
I have joined with an amazing Group of Authors & Bloggers have joined with me to bring you 1 fabulous prize!!
Are you Dreaming of Cash? Here is your chance to win some!
1 lucky winner will receive $250 in Paypal Cash!
 

  Cash graphic 250 January  
 
Be sure to enter the rafflecopter below and good luck everyone!!!!!
 


Giveaway Details $250 Paypal Cash Ends 1/30/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday 7 January 2015

Kid Lit Blog Hop #51

Welcome to the 51st Kid Lit Blog Hop where 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!

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 
 
Today I have a few books to share with you, that came from our Christmas list.
 
 
Link
 
Description From Booktopia:

A laugh-aloud picture book celebrating nannas everywhere from a talented author and illustrator team.

Some nannas dress in pink when they jog around the track.
But my nanna is a ninja … so she dresses up in black.
All nannas are different.
But what if your nanna was really different?
What if your nanna was a ninja?
 
This fun, poetic picture book portrays the many different guises, faces and personalities that nannas can have and demonstrates the significance of their role in the modern family.
 
Our Thoughts:


Gigi loved this book from the first read. The rhyme is fantastic, and it is loads of fun to see a Nanny being a ninja. We had to have it on our Christmas list.  I don't know any kid that wouldn't enjoy this book.
 
 
Next we have:

 
Description From Amazon:

This innovative and wildly funny read-aloud by award-winning humorist/actor B.J. Novak will turn any reader into a comedian.

You might think a book with no pictures seems boring and serious. Except . . . here's how books work. Everything written on the page has to be said by the person reading it aloud. Even if the words say . . .

BLORK. Or BLUURF.

Even if the words are a preposterous song about eating ants for breakfast, or just a list of astonishingly goofy sounds like BLAGGITY BLAGGITY and GLIBBITY GLOBBITY.
 
We saw the Youtube of B.J Novak reading this to a crowd and we decided to give it a go.  With only one child in the audience, it took a little longer for her to warm to it, because, of course there were no pictures.  Once she realised it was really very funny to hear mum and dad say those words, it was a hit.
 
I think this is ingenious and a great way to get kids to learn using auditory, as opposed to visual.
 
And next:
Description From Amazon:
What’s big, blue, bossy, and turns up uninvited?
A slightly annoying elephant, of course!

Our Thoughts:

 This is a hoot of a book. It is a cautionary tale about always reading the labels and every page has more mayhem that Gigi just loves.  I recommend for anyone who loves a really silly book.

 
Last but not least:
 

Link
 
Description From Amazon:
Inspired by the evil villains and innocent damsels of silent movies, Willems tells the tale of a hungry fox who invites a plump goose to dinner. As with the beloved Pigeon books, kids will be calling out the signature refrain and begging for repeated readings. The funny details in the full-color illustrations by three-time Caldecott Honoree Mo Willems will bring nonstop laughter to story time.

Our Thoughts:

Firstly the noir style, love it, the simple journey with mummy chicken, hilarious, the ending, in true Willems style, very naughty.  Gigi is partial to the odd macabre humour, and what kid wouldn't be with a mother like myself,  he he.
 
That's all folks, off you 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:
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.