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!
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 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.
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.
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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.
About the Authors: Shaila Abdullah & 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.
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.
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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.
"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 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.
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.
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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...
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.
Welcome to the 34th Kid Lit BlogHop 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! :-)
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? Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Whenever Ava can't sleep, she counts sheep. But Ava takes so
long to fall asleep, it's the sheep that are growing tired-until finally, they
quit! When the sheep promise to find a replacement that Ava can count on, chaos
ensues as chickens, cows, pigs, hippos, and more try their hand at jumping over
Ava's fence. Finding the perfectly peaceful replacement for sheep might not be
so easy after all. With irresistibly adorable art, this delightful take on a
familiar sleep tactic is sure to become a bedtime favorite.
Well, here is another book that Gigi (aged 2.5) loved from the first read. In my opinion, the sign of a truly fabulous aged appropriate read, is if they are captivated from the moment the book opens. We loved the quirky take on the age old bed time ritual of counting sheep, and Susanna managed to make this extremely engaging and very funny along the way.
The text is expertly sparse, leaving so much room for the illustrator.
Our favourite pages are when the pigs have to stop for snacks and are too lazy to jump over the fence, and the Penguins looked at themselves, then looked at each other and said "We need a plan".... Priceless.
I must confess, I wanted to get this one out, regardless of whether the small target audience in our house wanted to or not lol. I have read so much from Susanna on the craft of picture books that I wanted to see the product of her writerly wisdom. I was not disappointed.
We give this one 5 Stars.
Susanna also has some fabulous resources on her blog including:
WOULD YOU READ IT
and guess who just happens to be up for scrutiny on Feb 19....
Now without further ado.. Susanna joins us in the blogosphere........
1. Tell us about the moment you decided you were a writer. Was it before or after publication….
Good question, Julie! I’ve loved to write since I was very young – 4 or 5 years old – but I didn’t really think of myself as a writer, although writing was always something I did. After my first book was published I began to think of myself as a writer, a little bit, just in my own mind – but I would NEVER have introduced myself that way J It wasn’t until after my 3rd or 4th book was published that I began to feel enough confidence in my identity as a writer that I was willing to say it out loud.
2. What’s the funniest thing a kid has said to you about your books?
Oh, gosh! Well, kids are often unsure as to what kind of animal Punxsutawney Phyllis is. The most common misconception is that she’s a beaver J But I‘ve had children identify her as a chipmunk, a skunk, a raccoon, and a very large mouse J And I don’t know if this qualifies as funny or horrifying but once when I was reading The House That Mack Built (which is about construction vehicles), a child raised her hand and announced that one time she had been riding in a truck with her grandma and her grandma was dead! The teacher and I were speechless. We didn’t know if she was making things up, or confusing events in some way, or what she meant! We moved on quickly from that one!
3. How long did it take to get “Can’t Sleep Without Sheep” from conception to production, and how much did your manuscript change over time.
Can’t Sleep Without Sheep was actually one of the quicker ones. I wrote a couple of drafts, but I wasn’t happy with the ending. After about a week of mulling it over, the answer on how to end it came to me while I was walking my dogs (excellent creativity time J) My agent loved it and sent it right out. It was passed on by the first house that read it, but picked up by the second. They chose Mike Wohnoutka to illustrate, and he was able to do the paintings in about 5 months. So from conception to purchase by Walker was about 6-9 months, and then it was another 18-21 months or so from signing the contract to publication. The manuscript had only one major change to it. The original draft stuck to all farm animals – it went on to goats and such. But my editor liked the idea of having the story get sillier and she asked me to choose a few animals for the second half that weren’t farm animals. I loved her thinking, so I chose penguins, hippos, buffalo, armadillos, flamingos and beavers.
4. What was it like waiting for the illustrations to come in, and how involved in the process were you.
It’s always nerve-wracking waiting for illustrations! I can look up the artist’s style, but that still gives me no idea of how he or she will conceptualize my story and develop it. Usually, I see nothing until the proofs are finished and have no input at all on the illustrations, but with Can’t Sleep I was very fortunate to have an editor who was willing to include me more. I got to see thumbnail sketches pretty early on so I had a general idea of how the book would look, and we did have a small discussion about the similarity in appearance between the hippos and the cows, which was subsequently corrected. And I was absolutely hands-down thrilled at the final product. Mike did a fantastic job! The animals are so appealing, and their facial expressions so perfect! I just love it!
5. What is your latest book and how did you get the idea for it.
My most recently published book is April Fool, Phyllis! It is a sequel to Punxsutawney Phyllis and I got the idea because I loved Phyllis and wanted to give her another story. Since she’s a weather hog, it needed to be something that could revolve around some type of weather. In New York, where I live, winter takes its time about moving out permanently, and one year we had a huge blizzard on April 5. It wasn’t such a big stretch to think of having a blizzard a few days earlier on April Fools Day and having Phyllis’s prediction perceived as an April Fools prank. The treasure hunt part of the story was inspired by the birthday present hunts my dad made for us when we were kids – he would write up puzzle clues and we’d have to solve them to find our presents. I sent Phyllis and the other groundhogs out on a similar Spring Treasure Hunt.
6. What do you have in the pipeline for the future and is it still nerve wracking when your manuscripts are out on submission?
My next book in the pipeline is Alphabedtime! which will be out from Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Books, in Fall 2015. I bet from the title you can guess what it’s about J Betsy Snyder will be illustrating it, and I believe she has just begun her work, so I won’t get to see any art until at least this fall, but I’ve seen some of her other books and they are wonderful, so I’m really looking forward to it. And yes. It is ALWAYS nerve wracking when my mss are out on submission. It’s nerve wracking just sending new mss to my agent because she’s the first gate-keeper. If she doesn’t like it, it will never go out at all! Any time an editor has one of my stories my hopes are high, but at this point my expectations are not. The market is very tough and there are so many wonderfully talented authors out there that the competition for a publishing contract is fierce. But still… there’s always hope…
Thank you so much for having me, Julie! I really appreciate the opportunity to visit today J
A little more about Susanna
She is an award winning author of nearly a dozen books for children, including Punxsutawney Phyllis (A Book List Children's Pick and Amelia Bloomer Project choice),No Sword Fighting In The House (a Junior Library Guild selection), Can't Sleep Without Sheep (a Children's Book of The Month), and Not Yet, Rose (a Gold Mom's Choice Award Winner.) Her books have been translated into French, Dutch, German, and Japanese, with one hopefully forthcoming in Korean. Her newest book, Alphabedtime!, is forthcoming from Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Books, in Fall 2015. She lives in New York's Mid-Hudson Valley with her husband, children, and two rescue dogs.
Thank you so much for joining us Susanna and happy hopping folks....
Welcome to the 33rd Kid Lit BlogHop 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 Belinda Brock, a writer and blogger, as a co-hostess this week. You can find her at http://belindabrock.com. Big welcome to Belinda!
Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!
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! :-)
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? Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
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: 17 | 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.
“Children with cerebral palsy, like Suhana, the special 7-year-old child in this book, might never take a first step, say their first words or even do the same things other kids can do. But, they can understand kindness, love and true friendship. This is a story about two young 7-year-old girls whose friendship will span a lifetime and whose love will never die … There are so many themes that are brought to light in this wonderfully illustrated book. Friendship, understanding, love, kindness and trust…This mother and daughter have presented a well written, special, colorfully illustrated book that is definitely a must read for children in the lower grades, read aloud in every classroom, hospital groups, book store book signings and even at centers with children who have CP who can learn that they can do anything––all they need to do is try.” ~ Fran Lewis, former Reading and Writing Staff Developer at NYC Public Schools
“Promoting friendship, respect, and support, this children’s book aides in teaching others that art can help overcome and accept the differences of physical characteristics in others. It shows the bond that a mother and daughter share caring and loving those who have physical or mental disabilities as they convey how to be a true friend.” ~ Conny Crisalli, Book Pleasures
“This heartfelt story shares what it would be like to have a friend with cerebral palsy. Parents, teachers and young readers will appreciate the stories purpose and enjoy the colorful illustrations depicting the moods of Suhana and the love and caring she receives from her friend…Both authors have done an excellent job of educating us on how to be role models by opening our minds and hearts to the possibilities.” ~ Kristi’s Book Nook
“My Friend Suhana, for which Kindle and ePub editions are also available, was inspired by the experiences of the authors. While helping her mother with a special needs class at a local community center, a seven year old girl befriends another seven year old girl named Suhana who has cerebral palsy. It is a simple tale of love and friendship that will warm everyone’s heart.” ~ Wayne Walker, Home School Book Reviews
“My Friend Suhana is a delightful read for a children’s book. Very well illustrated with respect, friendship, and advocacy all in mind at the same time.” ~ Dawn Cruzan, President, Camp Craig Allen for all abilities
“This is the story of a seven-year-old’s first attempt at unconditional love. Tough but tender, inspirational yet utterly real, this is a small gem of a tale. Highly recommended for anyone in the position of mentoring a beloved child through the hard places of life.” ~ Paula Huston, author of A Season of Mystery and A Land Without Sin
About the Authors: Shaila Abdullah & Aanyah Abdullah
Shaila & Aanyah Abdullah[/caption]
Shaila Abdullah is an author and designer based in Austin, Texas. She is the author of two award-winning 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. My Friend Suhana is Shaila’s first children’s book. In her free time, Shaila loves to run around with her children–Aanyah and Aaliyana.
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.
Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest runs: February 12 to March 12, 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.
Be sure to check out the My Friend Suhana Blog Tour
Title: The Bifrost Bridge | Author: James Bradley Clarke |Illustrator: Marcus Gran | Publication Date:January, 2013 | Publisher: Wynwidyn Press | Pages: 92 | Recommended Ages: 8+Summary: The Bifrost Bridge is a Viking princess fairy tale intertwined with Norse mythology. Silya, the feisty ten year old Princess of Norway, eagerly awaits the arrival of her cousin and best friend, Princess Hedda of Denmark. The princesses are both looking forward to the summer solstice celebration, but trouble lurks in their future as magical villains see the girls as being vital for their deadly conspiracy. Hedda and Silya find themselves cast into a dangerous adventure filled with fire giants, female warrior angels and the God of Thunder.
"A delightful and endearing adventure that winds Norse mythology and two young girls through a whirlwind of danger, friendship and standing up to evil-doers. The Princess heroines, Silya and Hedda, engage the reader with their charming day to day life at the celebrated summer solstice festival in ancient Norway... The book moves along easily and the characters are likable at once. A fun read for the parents, and challenging enough for the children because it may have a few new words and characters they may not know. It is an adorable story that will soon become a favorite." ~ 5 Star Review, Janet, Amazon
"Bifrost Bridge is a beautiful fairytale, mixing legend and adventure and creating a wonderful reading experience for both children and adults alike. I read this to my 7 year old daughter, and my 10 year old daughter read it for herself; both of them were captivated by the story. My 7 year old loved the idea of two princesses being such close friends, and my 10 year old loved all of the action and suspense in the story. I enjoyed the Norse mythology woven into the tale. It's a wonderful family story. I will be reading it to my sons next!" ~ 5 Star Review, Rebecca F., Amazon
"When I first looked into this book, I was sure that the world of fairy tales had been overdone so many times that I wouldn't see much difference between this one & my other classic favorites that I enjoyed over the years with my children... However, I was proven wrong.. This is such a beautiful and entrancing fairy tale! Mr. Clarke takes the often repetitive world of fairy tales and adds an elegant, dramatic twist to it, producing an epic and moving adventure that children will forever cherish! My daughter and I read it together and had many nights where we just didn't want to put it down! His characters, including the feisty Silya, are memorable and seem so very real! It's a hard thing to do that with children's fairy tales and again, I commend Mr. Clarke for releasing a wonderful new fairy tale to pass on to generations to come!" ~ 5 Star Review, Vicky R., Amazon
About the Author: James Bradley Clarke
[caption id="attachment_16629" align="alignleft" width="169"] James Bradley Clarke[/caption]
James Bradley Clarke is a graduate of Hiram College, The University of Houston, and the University of Michigan. He currently resides in Oxford, Ohio, where he works as an academic librarian for Miami University. He grew up near Ann Arbor, Michigan, and he has spent most of his life in the Great Lakes region.
The Bifrost Bridge is Clarke’s first work of fiction. The children’s book was first developed as stories Clarke started telling to his two daughters back in the summer of 2003. Both girls shared a love for classic princess fairy tales, so he invented original princess characters for both of them. As residents in Riverside, Illinois, Clarke’s family lived in walking distance of the Brookfield Zoo where the girls regularly admired the Norwegian fjord horses. When he learned this ancient breed of horse was used by the Vikings, a specific medieval setting for the stories came into focus.
As a Hiram College student, Clarke had developed a love for the epic poems of Homer and Virgil, so he chose to borrow from mythology to provide magical elements. The girls became instantly enamored with these stories and they insisted on developing new adventures for the two Nordic princess characters. The first draft of a manuscript was produced during the summer of 2005. Clarke’s daughters were delighted with the bound copy they received as a Christmas gift later that year, so he began the process of becoming an author. Clarke has a love for history and a taste for plot driven stories about extraordinary individualism. Themes of fortitude and self-determination lay at the heart of Clarke’s writing interests.
Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest runs: February 10 to March 9, 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, James Bradley Clarke 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
We are super excited to be in my home town visiting family, so today's post is going to be home grown....
Well, I returned to my childhood library for the first time in about 30 years, no kidding.... I know, I know, this may come as a surprise as I am book obsessed, but I was not a reader until my late 20's.
So, I was expecting it to be a little dingy, as I remember it be pretty old and decrepit as a child, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The selection of books for Gigi were absolutely fabulous and more up to date than my library at home.
Just look at this line up....
Quite a few of these have already been reviewed on our hop so I won't review those again.
Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons,
he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had
enough! They quit! Beige Crayon is tired of playing second fiddle to
Brown Crayon. Black wants to be used for more than just outlining. Blue
needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. And Orange and
Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the
sun.
What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?
Our Review:
Well, I can see why this book has got about 451, 5 star reviews and I think it won best picture book of the year in the US.
The premise to me is hilarious.
Each coloured crayon has a unique gripe about how they are being used, what they are sick of drawing and basically asserting their rights as crayons...
My favourites are Peach and Pink. Duncan removed Peach's paper crayon cover, so he gripes about how he is now naked and can't ever leave the crayon box, and pink begs Duncan to use him, trying to convince him he is not a girly colour.
Now I have been somewhat obsessed with picture book length as some of you know I have joined the 12x12 Challenge over at Julie Hedlunds blog. Hop over to my side bar to check it out.
The rule is that 500 words or less is average.
Well, this is wayyyyy over....
So once again, the rules are broken LOL.
The text is done in crayon of course and kid like writing, as well as the illustrations. Oliver Jeffers has stamped his style on this as per usual and the pictures are great.
HOWEVER!!!!!!!!
When reading this to my 2.5 year old who is I think quite advanced. I mean every parent thinks that I know, but she sits through the entire Runaway Dinner and doesn't miss a word.
This one did not take her attention at all.
Admittedly she remembered that Peach had no clothes and proceeded to remove the covers of all her crayons the next day... Grrrrrr
So, I am going to give it 4 stars because I thought it was a hoot. Maybe it is meant for an older age group but the proof is in the pudding, Gigi is not a fan.
As an aspiring picture book writer, I know the hard fact is not everyone will love your book.
So when I saw this on Facebook, I was crying with laughter.
Welcome to the 32nd Kid Lit BlogHop 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 with us this week a new full-time permanent hostess on the Hop, Maria from the blog Music Teaching and Parenting is joining us. Plus, we are also happy to have Savannah Mae from the book blog http://saywhatsavannahmaekids.com/ Big welcome to Maria and Savannah Mae!
Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!
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! :-)
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? Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
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
