tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79243793386001048852024-03-15T09:54:00.576-06:00Life is what it's Calledblogging about life experiences!Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.comBlogger1280125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-41109275108686167322024-03-15T09:53:00.000-06:002024-03-15T09:53:00.535-06:00100 Little Lambs Book Review and Giveaway<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4RwAJU1HQop23Oh-LgctCKaGrG9kh15NZ2f-fbs2AS2QQ3exOHT-kLwzt0kVKXnRWn5IabU00_D952J60zv8-cBXzLLe8dEnU9rMMHVyTCp7SeuEACYWPPFpQ-jYxDsbGh5rloi0DeRMFFgBLzBKeDTKhOpfM3UAIZ69_oMQyoUwh0tzza6W1OtZVwBs/s1640/revelation%20is%20my%20flashlight-2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4RwAJU1HQop23Oh-LgctCKaGrG9kh15NZ2f-fbs2AS2QQ3exOHT-kLwzt0kVKXnRWn5IabU00_D952J60zv8-cBXzLLe8dEnU9rMMHVyTCp7SeuEACYWPPFpQ-jYxDsbGh5rloi0DeRMFFgBLzBKeDTKhOpfM3UAIZ69_oMQyoUwh0tzza6W1OtZVwBs/w640-h360/revelation%20is%20my%20flashlight-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><p><b>ABOUT THE BOOK<br /></b>Join Clover the Lamb on a whimsical adventure where playful shenanigans lead to a heartwarming lesson in faith in <a href="https://amzn.to/49PAYvn"><i>100 Little Lambs</i></a>. Clover is the mischievous lamb, always straying from what she's supposed to be doing. While her fellow lambs dutifully feed and prepare for the day, Clover prefers to frolic and play. But when her adventurous spirit takes her farther than she's ever been, she finds herself lost and injured in the midst of a storm. Hope seems lost, but then a glimmer of light appears . . . This enchanting story helps children feel their Savior's love by bringing the parable of the Lost Sheep to life, and offering a warm, playful narrative perfect for repeated readings. Inspired by the timeless parable 100 Little Lambs is a charming and uplifting tale that will touch the hearts of children and reassure them of the boundless love of their Savior. Through Clover's journey, young readers will come to understand that no one is beyond the Good Shepherd's reach and that they are seen and loved.</p><br /><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18caEj-G8BHB34ivPlT-W8Kq0PlINFvFSoBj0QC4Ra_B0GzxCMWCxRGc3yAmzyGGDWptdYKyBw02OGszZK2kdVjO5eZiYhmOcx9zG26cyMblL-BPsZHkDdu4ArHB4g-uligCX5Ha8xtWZrfi_akU9V7Nzu1BgU4bw-PT1bUhX7f1-U8Ynaa-wIi4WUsmz/s4096/AuthorPhotoSierraWilson.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2730" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18caEj-G8BHB34ivPlT-W8Kq0PlINFvFSoBj0QC4Ra_B0GzxCMWCxRGc3yAmzyGGDWptdYKyBw02OGszZK2kdVjO5eZiYhmOcx9zG26cyMblL-BPsZHkDdu4ArHB4g-uligCX5Ha8xtWZrfi_akU9V7Nzu1BgU4bw-PT1bUhX7f1-U8Ynaa-wIi4WUsmz/w133-h200/AuthorPhotoSierraWilson.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br /></b><div>Sierra started talking early and has been a storyteller ever since. She loves to teach and work with children, and this love has shaped her life from working as a high school English and history teacher and children’s art teacher to serving as a church children’s leader and a mother. Sierra is passionate about writing, art, hiking, family, and eating entirely too much chocolate. She currently lives with her husband, four kids, two cats, two fish, and a bearded dragon in Alberta, Canada. Keep in touch and learn more at <a href="http://www.sierrawilsonauthor.com/">http://www.sierrawilsonauthor.com/</a> or on social media.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>REVIEW</b><br />As 99 lambs stick close together, one little lamb named Clover strays and goes off to play by himself. Clover finds himself alone, wet, and miserable. The good shepherd finds Clover and offers him comfort. In this sweet and fun story, children will learn about the parable of the Lost Sheep. I love the playfulness of this story. I could see children wanting to come back to this story and reading it again and again. I love the message of love and kindness that the Good Shepherd (Christ) shows the sheep. Kids will enjoy the playful tone and the rhymes. It also is a lesson for kids not to go off alone, but someone they love will come find them. The illustrations are attractive, eye-catching and fun. This is sure to be a family favorite. To learn more, click <a href="https://amzn.to/3IGfipA">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="0841630610" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0841630610/" id="rcwidget_ej676pal" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Please note that I received a free pdf to review this book, however, this is my honest opinion. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog. This post is in cooperation with the author.</i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-45674236428268669742024-03-13T19:36:00.002-06:002024-03-13T20:07:19.738-06:00Grimmworld: The Witch in the Woods Book Review<div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YhgWqFn2VguEVyy_NfjOiA7Y2bZjQcBRoBBWNfWNq_Vlsg9Xh2BV_vYC1HOaCeOx20d0z_zc8RM4PwQ1u8E8KebQRg-i1jIS0o37c8vjHEMxTeb67OzCjko3LHNtOQAKA-0l1wROGGNV9bpxf-89AFZuGar5eF1eZTkuDX_B9wY28RUmAc4mbojt0psg/s445/grim.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="295" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YhgWqFn2VguEVyy_NfjOiA7Y2bZjQcBRoBBWNfWNq_Vlsg9Xh2BV_vYC1HOaCeOx20d0z_zc8RM4PwQ1u8E8KebQRg-i1jIS0o37c8vjHEMxTeb67OzCjko3LHNtOQAKA-0l1wROGGNV9bpxf-89AFZuGar5eF1eZTkuDX_B9wY28RUmAc4mbojt0psg/s320/grim.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /></b></div>Twins Willow and Jake Grimm are not prepared for the bizarre gadgets and scary changes in their new home of New Marburg, the location of the top-secret Think Tank where their parents now have jobs as scientists. In this town, people jetpack to work, robots direct traffic, and senior citizens duel with laser swords.<br /><br />
Yet nothing compares to what happens the day after lightning strikes the twins’ house. Their school building transforms around them, becoming a medieval castle—complete with moat, drawbridge, and a dangerous giant who looks strangely like the school’s overly aggressive hall monitor.<br /><br />
Barely managing to escape before a massive beanstalk lifts the castle above the clouds, Willow and Jake learn that their ancestors, the original Brothers Grimm, were more than storytellers. They were Grimmwalkers, able to travel from our universe to Grimmworld: the universe where all fairy tales are born.<br /><br />
Somehow, Willow and Jake have been transported to Grimmworld as well. But before the twins can figure out how to get back to their own universe, they discover that their best friends, Hank and Pearl, have morphed into the fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel and been captured by a candy-obsessed witch deep in the Cursed Forest.<br /><br />
Now, aided by a mysterious wizard with shimmering golden eyes and a befuddled, talking naked mole-rat named Chet, the twins must trust in each other, believe in themselves, and find the courage to face their darkest fears in order to save their friends, return to their family, and maybe—just maybe—save the world.<br /><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><br />
One of the most versatile writers in the world, Michaelbrent Collings has written bestsellers for adults, teens, and children in nearly every genre. Thrillers, mysteries, horror, sci-fi and fantasy titles, even humor and non-fiction--Michaelbrent has found success in each and continues to write stories that surprise and delight fans all over the world.<br /><br />
In addition to popular success, Michaelbrent has also received critical acclaim: he is the only person who has ever been a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award (twice), a Dragon Award (twice), and a RONE Award, and he and his work have been reviewed and/or featured on everything from Publishers Weekly to Scream Magazine to NPR. <br /><br />
An engaging and entertaining speaker, he is also a frequent guest at comic cons and on writing podcasts like Six Figure Authors, The Creative Penn, Writing Excuses, and others; and is a mental health advocate and TEDx speaker.<br /><br />
Michaelbrent is also the owner of Bestseller Life, a comprehensive writing and self-publishing course that transforms storytellers into storysellers, and teaches authors how to become their own best story.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>REVIEW</b><br />Willow and Jake Grimm move to New Marburg with their parents. This secretive town has robots directing traffic, jetpacks as modes of transportation, and senior citizen dueling in the park. The town becomes even weirder when a mysterious lightning strikes their house and the town merges with fairy tales with beanstalks, a giant, wizard and magic. Willow and Jake race to help their new friends, Hank and Pearl, who've merged with the fairy tale versions of themselves, from the wicked witch and try to save the world.</div><div><br /></div><div>In <i>Grimmworld</i>, Michaelbrent weaves a new world that's full of fairy tales, robots, magic, and multiple universes. The story starts slowly as the author describes the world that he built. The world is big and full of different possibilities for other books from Greek mythology to sci-fi to fairytales. The characters are likeable, and the author shows us their flaws, strengths, and kindness. Despite the darkness the characters face, they find new friends, try to spread light to those around them. There were some scarier scenes that I did forewarn my kids before they read the book. My 10-year-old son read it, liked it, and said it was just the right level of scary. There was also a scene where Willow examines the oven that the witches uses and that was a little too much for me, but I think it was only because I read <i>Stiff </i>by Mary Roach. The scariness is manageable and something that's not terribly dark. Overall, I thought it was very imaginative and creative. I would read the next book in the series. To learn more, click <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Grimmworld-Vol-1-Witch-Woods-ebook/dp/B0CWFMLV86/ref=sr_1_1?crid=18M6F9WNT3SF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.I6h2gYZV1YW0W5iueALRhLld_nDKTRoRlhBH6ej_oQfflM_BY9exHXCE-gMfbmCI.dmHvcOHP4uxYXMsSdoqtryUfOAHEORdRneLqeBSRUlo&dib_tag=se&keywords=Grimmworld&qid=1710379271&sprefix=grimmworld%2Caps%2C340&sr=8-1">here</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Please note that I received a free copy to review from the publisher, however, this is my honest opinion. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog. This post is in cooperation with Shadow Mountain Publishing.</i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-74849392393916435542024-03-11T10:20:00.011-06:002024-03-11T11:11:58.292-06:00Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipT4G2Z72VBIxOOynvqkhT9wuZeecwbTplaZz7vedH2ntD7a-I5cGYv67shVBm60Lvyy1rMLhMOihh-GtpQHNVZ-F-5qcWczGiYNTKpIGz7seAgEGNAP0R-jqgva8Qj-kzffauI2_ezD43i-DPnqZcJBb_fmS2uL83qYKZ69gkIR3fpCuAF7lPlxwjaMxI/s1200/Night%20Buddies%20Tour%20Header.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipT4G2Z72VBIxOOynvqkhT9wuZeecwbTplaZz7vedH2ntD7a-I5cGYv67shVBm60Lvyy1rMLhMOihh-GtpQHNVZ-F-5qcWczGiYNTKpIGz7seAgEGNAP0R-jqgva8Qj-kzffauI2_ezD43i-DPnqZcJBb_fmS2uL83qYKZ69gkIR3fpCuAF7lPlxwjaMxI/w640-h360/Night%20Buddies%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK</b><br /><br /><i>
Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264</i><br /><br />
Written by Sands Hetherington<br />Illustrated by Natalie Leininger<br />Ages 7+ | 156 Pages<br />Publisher: Dune Buggy Press | ISBN-13: 9780984741762<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: The iguanas are back to their stinky shenanigans. They’ve fitted out the flying school bus for real mischief and are marauding all over the Borough. They’ve really got it in for John and Crosley, who must sniff out their evildoings before it’s too late! Will they succeed? Join the Night Buddies in their racing blimp for this exciting new adventure!<br /><br />
Available for purchase on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Night-Buddies-Evil-School-Adventures/dp/0984741763?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Agex_mqeSDt6wwub32ZR2NhJv2VfVAZWGVcTuXZ_bjun89ITrv1035p_JuTSNKyp.hYvr8uPU0EjDewZ2uzknzRQ_4hqaIHFvDUO_460q-KU&qid=1708733445&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=4d04cd0b7714584deb0c33f404e9d00d&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-buddies-and-evil-school-bus-264-sands-hetherington/1144078059?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&ean=9780984741762&st=AFF&SID=www.barnesandnoble.com&2sid=The+Children%27s+Book+Review_9085367_NA&sourceId=AFFThe+Children%27s+Book+Review&cjevent=190b8beed83e11ee83a9002f0a1cb828&dpid=tekz25v83#264">Barnes and Noble</a>, and <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/night-buddies-and-evil-school-bus-264-sands-hetherington/20611972?ean=9780984741762">Bookshop.org</a>.<div><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><br />
Sands Hetherington, creator of the Night Buddies series of chapter books, credits his son John for being his principal motivator. Sands and young John developed the Crosley crocodile character in the series during months of bedtime story give-and-take. They collaborated many nights on escapades starring John and Crosley until, eventually, it occurred to Sands why it was that Crosley was bright red. That was when the first book came together.<br /><br />
Sands majored in history at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and has an M.F.A. in creative writing and an M.A. in English from UNC-Greensboro. He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina.<br /><br />
For more information, visit <a href="http://www.nightbuddiesadventures.com/">www.nightbuddiesadventures.com/</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Night_Buddies">https://twitter.com/Night_Buddies</a>, <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/nightbuddies2">https://www.pinterest.com/nightbuddies2</a>/, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NightBuddies">https://www.facebook.com/NightBuddies</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nightbuddiesadventure/">https://www.instagram.com/nightbuddiesadventure/</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@nightbuddiesbookseries%20">https://www.tiktok.com/@nightbuddiesbookseries%20</a>.<br /><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR</b><br />Natalie Leininger, illustrator of the 4th title in the Night Buddies series, grew up in New Jersey and has been drawing ever since she was young. She now lives in Nebraska and attends the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying the fine arts. She is in her third year at the university, primarily practicing oil painting, but spends time outside of the classroom working on a variety of projects. She has always enjoyed being with children, which made illustrating and working on Night Buddies such an enjoyable project!<br /><br />
Natalie strives to capture our world in bloom. Whether it be through the literal sense of a blooming flower or the simple act of sketching a character’s smile spreading across their face, her art is a place for all to engage in their own way.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called -What's the overall message of <i>Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Sands Hetherington - It’s really a kid’s story that’s pure entertainment. I just wanted to entertain young readers.
If there’s any message in there, I’m not aware of it, although readers should enjoy the
friendship between John and Crosley and realize the value of having a close friend. Friends
teach each other social skills, provide moral support, and a host of other things. John does
his best when it comes to Crosley.<br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called -What was your favorite scene to write and why?</b><br /><br /><i>Sands Hetherington - I think the scene with John and Crosley setting a booby trap for the iguanas who were going
to spray paint John’s parents’ house. The booby trap blew up and scared the iguanas away.
You’ve never seen a bunch of iguanas take off on their dirt bikes so fast!</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - Do you have a similar personality to any of the characters?</b><br /><br /><i>Sands Hetherington - I would say the character of John, who is fashioned after my own son John.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>Life Is What It's Called - How is this book different from others on the market? </b></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Sands Hetherington - </i><i>I don’t think there’s another
book on the market that involves a red crocodile who’s allergic to water. When he gets
water on him, he does the Black Bottom dance for hours. This dance became popular
during 1920s amid the Jazz Age and became a national craze. The antidote that his brother,
Crenwinkle, gives Crosley is what makes him turn red.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called -What did you learn from writing this book?</b><br /><br /><i>Sands Hetherington - This is the fourth book in the Night Buddies series, “Adventures after Lights Out.” I had to
recall vividly what happened in prior books so that the storyline and characters would
remain consistent. The books need to be compatible.<br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called -How has your life prepared you to write the Night Buddies series?</b><br /><br /><i>Sands Hetherington - I had always wanted to be a writer, and it occurred to me one night that I hadn’t done any
writing in years. Every night I read to my son John for twenty minutes or so, and when we
finished, he would continue making up this story about a red crocodile. I thought the idea
was fresh and original and might be something entertaining for children.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What will readers enjoy most about <i>Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264</i>?</b><br /><i><br />Sands Hetherington - It’s a wholesome adventure. My stepfather used to read books to me when I was a kid. I still
listen to books and relish the characters that the authors invent. I simply want kids to have fun with the characters I created.</i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyn9EWf2wzj_Qa_oeRc4yx_QmijizIeTJ5lFREFvkNsxrmvLHDFiYzpDHhLuh_yKCZtD0h5DIY8k_LoD6eGh32zcrJFROCu9UQziHQFks8MUDNivylgNyYhJjTIr4IQEVuB13YVKcBfohQdOg7JLNHEtm4YqaJTXDghsPEyQeM5e8Q4k8Z-uAB41Nd6q2/s1920/2.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyn9EWf2wzj_Qa_oeRc4yx_QmijizIeTJ5lFREFvkNsxrmvLHDFiYzpDHhLuh_yKCZtD0h5DIY8k_LoD6eGh32zcrJFROCu9UQziHQFks8MUDNivylgNyYhJjTIr4IQEVuB13YVKcBfohQdOg7JLNHEtm4YqaJTXDghsPEyQeM5e8Q4k8Z-uAB41Nd6q2/s320/2.png" width="180" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY</b><br /><br />
Enter the giveaway for your chance to win an autographed 4-book series, including: <i>Night Buddies and the Pineapple Cheesecake Scare, Night Buddies and One Far-out Flying Machine, Night Buddies Go Sky High, and Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264</i>!<br /><br />
<a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/KVjSI/night-buddies-and-evil-school-bus-264-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow">
Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264: Book Giveaway </a><div><br /></div><div><i><a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/KVjSI/night-buddies-and-evil-school-bus-264-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow"></a><script async="true" src="https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js" type="text/javascript"></script>This post is sponsored by Sands Hetherington. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.<br /></i><br /></div></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-32153552112523901922024-03-06T08:52:00.001-07:002024-03-06T09:12:02.613-07:00Wat Kept Playing Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIFbEOf5iP65Fn36LfhISifdH9ZretqNWjZrJrxHJZxHCXw4T-ypU7KJDMMSS8uEdcPTIJENgX-JN5aEWStI-4fZxnRgUL57P1fUaMZOYkLRn93ewvSNSROdYN_gW6a_cetZuMMlXT3PTuUO6AmZCbED7oBgyRz8DSAutw_X_MVROU6OMSyk32yNuakCW/s571/wat.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="571" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIFbEOf5iP65Fn36LfhISifdH9ZretqNWjZrJrxHJZxHCXw4T-ypU7KJDMMSS8uEdcPTIJENgX-JN5aEWStI-4fZxnRgUL57P1fUaMZOYkLRn93ewvSNSROdYN_gW6a_cetZuMMlXT3PTuUO6AmZCbED7oBgyRz8DSAutw_X_MVROU6OMSyk32yNuakCW/s320/wat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK</b></div><div>As the child of Japanese immigrants, Wataru "Wat" Misaka often felt like he didn't fully belong in either Japanese or American culture. He was sometimes excluded, treated differently, and bullied, even though he was born in the United States. As he grew up, however, Wat discovered he had a very special talent for playing basketball. Even at just five foot seven, he was unstoppable.</div><div><br /></div><div>
After leading his high school team to a state championship, Wat played for the Utah Utes and helped the team win the 1944 NCAA championship. Wat kept playing even as Japanese Americans from the West Coast were sent to incarceration camps for the duration of World War II. Then, after two years serving in the United States Army, Wat returned to basketball, leading the University of Utah to Madison Square Garden and winning another national championship. The cheering crowd recognized Wat the way he wanted to be seen—as a person who was both Japanese and American and an amazing basketball player. Talent scouts from the New York Knicks were so impressed, they drafted Wat to their team. Wat's undeniable talent changed history as he became the first person of color to play in the NBA.<br /><br /><br /><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><br />
Emily Inouye Huey writes historical fiction for children and teens. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University and is a former teacher.<br /><br />
During World War II, Emily’s family was evacuated from their homes and farms in California and Washington State. Her grandparents met and married in Wyoming’s Heart Mountain Internment Camp. Her father was born in the camp hospital. When the war ended, the family was sent to Utah, where they started over and where Emily still lives, now with her husband, Robert, and their four children.<br /><br />
Besides books, Emily’s passions include education, the arts, the outdoors, and her family. Her latest updates can be found on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/emily_inouye_huey/">@emily_inouye_huey</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>REVIEW</b><br /></div><a href="https://amzn.to/3wIbuBi">Wataru "Wat" Misaka</a> didn't feel like he fit in with the American or Japanese culture. As he struggled to find his place and deal with the effects of World War II, he kept playing basketball and reaching new heights.<div><br /></div><div>The story was beautifully and masterfully written. There were many learning moments in this book from learning to be empathetic to others, learning about the unfairness of racism, the hard moments in World War II, dealing with struggles, and how to push through them. Overall, it's a book of perseverance and hope. When I read it to my son, it indirectly talked about some of our conversations. It's a book that speaks to kids in many different ways and I really hope the author writes more books like this. I love the basketball sound effects throughout the book that helps to get across the idea that even through hard times that Wat kept playing. I really encourage others to check it out and read it. To learn more, click <a href="https://amzn.to/3wIbuBi">here</a>.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Please note that I received this book for free, however, this is my honest opinion. This review is in cooperation with Shadow Mountain Publishing. Please note that this post contains affiliate links that help support this blog.</i></div><div><br /></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-24280845079815689692024-03-06T07:00:00.000-07:002024-03-06T07:00:06.614-07:00An Inconvenient Letter Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3V13k12" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="302" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFZ8okK3x6qJ-EO1H8AayeyRL8zfc_Qiy2tw40yUpCaBhdANwyaVgLwffBQZ9vFNC4rN01dZw0yD95_1XxoIjdRZs6szChw2B_Sti3V0MbtRLrN8RKp1aUp0_dIa5pXGXlMFhbZ92qwVTmCk94bns36BymKh3ZpcHHoRWwZPtDEqiXST6CSOPQfu76n8N/s320/letter.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK</b></div><div>For years, Marietta Stone has harbored a secret infatuation for the handsome Frederick Finch and has poured out her deepest feelings in a series of passionate love letters that she keeps in a locked drawer. But when Marietta's private letters are accidentally delivered to Frederick's house, she must retrieve them immediately before they fall into the wrong hands. If the letters were read by anyone else, the resulting scandal could jeopardize her reputation.</div><br />
Gerard Hartwell has no time for infatuations, courtship, or even love. He must find a wife with a substantial inheritance if he wishes to save his late father's bankrupt estate. When he accidentally discovers Marietta's love letters at his cousin Frederick's estate, he strikes a bargain with her. If she helps him court her older sister, Anne, he will return the letters and help Marietta win Frederick's heart.<br /><br />
Marietta agrees, and the two quickly pretend to be courting in order to spend time with their individual love interests. Yet, what appeared to be a straightforward bargain becomes complicated when Gerard realizes that the more time he spends with Marietta, the more he wishes he could court her for real. But can he persuade Marietta to give him a chance when her heart might belong to another man?<div><br /></div><div><b>REVIEW</b></div><div>Marietta's private letter accidentally gets mailed and she must stop it from getting into the wrong hands at all costs to avoid a scandal that could jeopardize her and her family's reputation<i>. </i>Unfortunately for Marietta, George Hartwell discovers the letter and hold it's over her head to get her help to get her older sister's attention. The more he spends time with Marietta, the more he falls for her.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this <a href="https://amzn.to/3V13k12">romantic comedy,</a> the characters come alive with unexpected twists and turns while trying to thwart scheming mothers. I loved the comedy in this book. I was shocked by some of the scenes and the comedic mayhem. Julie Wright takes the over-done trope of "pretend courtship" and makes it into something new and completely unexpected. The romance was clean, and the characters were fun and entertaining. Readers will enjoy this book and delight in the humor. It was a well-written and fast paced read. To learn more, click <a href="https://amzn.to/3V13k12">here</a>.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Please note that I received this book for free, however, this is my honest opinion. This review is in cooperation with Shadow Mountain Publishing. Please note that this post contains affiliate links that help support this blog.</i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-9675382778993394722024-03-05T05:00:00.001-07:002024-03-05T05:00:00.142-07:00Ode to a Pug Virtual Book Tour, Author Interview, and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-VNeu5PsYXXLtR8Y0bJbFwsOa1snQDwNaK45XLf3M_gzotTZ8EkzVllRt5389p3Tq8UiFg_7h0TD462dvVSVixvsBVQxW_kjfakZvbCWDRmtd316UrTuMUOzQf-aG5XMMsPtIzOhNcD_btfMg2G_C5EfRtpCk_pSjIm2aFQc45H0hUV7q7g2qKNPPS_s/s1200/Ode%20to%20Pug%20Tour%20Header.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-VNeu5PsYXXLtR8Y0bJbFwsOa1snQDwNaK45XLf3M_gzotTZ8EkzVllRt5389p3Tq8UiFg_7h0TD462dvVSVixvsBVQxW_kjfakZvbCWDRmtd316UrTuMUOzQf-aG5XMMsPtIzOhNcD_btfMg2G_C5EfRtpCk_pSjIm2aFQc45H0hUV7q7g2qKNPPS_s/w640-h360/Ode%20to%20Pug%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK<br /></b><br /><i>
Ode to a Pug</i><br />
Written by Jill Rosen<br />
Illustrated by Stephanie Rohr<br />
Ages 4+ | 32 Pages<br />
Publisher: AM Ink Publishing (2024) ISBN-13: 978-1-958842-24-9<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: A precocious pug delights in shenanigans which drive her frazzled owner to declare she will give her pup away!<br /><br />
Laugh along with the snorting, snoring, and gaseous clown of the canine world as its owner struggles to reign in the messes and mayhem of a new addition. But there is nothing that a few licks and cuddles can’t fix, right?<br /><br />
A true delight that any family can relate to, Ode to a Pug is full of heart… and a lot of slobber.<br /><br />
Available for purchase on: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ode-Pug-Jill-Rosen/dp/1958842249?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=d24c59641613fb7faba117ccc4d9db31&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ode-to-a-pug-jill-rosen/1144209789?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&ean=9781958842249&st=AFF&SID=www.barnesandnoble.com&2sid=The+Children%27s+Book+Review_9085367_NA&sourceId=AFFThe+Children%27s+Book+Review&cjevent=9b2afcadc6cf11ee83a60aee0a1cb82a&dpid=tekz25v83">Barnes and Noble</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/ode-to-a-pug-jill-rosen/20686111?ean=9781958842249">Bo</a><a href="http://Bookshop.org">okshop.org</a>.<br /><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br /></b><br />
Jill Rosen is a career marketer and advertiser who lives with two kids, three dogs, two cats, one bird, and a former stand-up comic and Princeton sketch-comedy writing husband. She doesn’t need to go far for comedic inspiration or advice!<br /><br />
Through her brand management work, Jill’s early recognition of, and appreciation for, powerful writing and artistic design only flourished. She is a seasoned workshop facilitator and strategic healthcare consultant specializing in the areas of mental health and infertility.<br /><br />
Jill was inspired to begin writing her own stories by her two boys, both avid readers. Now Jill can’t wait to share them with all the young readers out there.<br /><br />
For more information, visit: <a href="https://odetoapug.com/">https://odetoapug.com/</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/odetoapug/">https://www.instagram.com/odetoapug/</a>.<br /><br /><b><br />
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR</b><br /><br />
Steph Rohr is a French Award-winning children’s book illustrator who earned a distinction from ECV Art School in Paris. She is fond of anything silly, funny, wacky, daft, and colorful. A freelance Illustrator & Art Director, Steph has been working in London in publishing and advertising.
<br /><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/stephdoespictures/">
https://www.instagram.com/stephdoespictures/</a><br /><br /><br /><b>AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b><br /><br /><b>
Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write <i>Ode to a Pug</i>? And why did you choose a pug as the main character?
</b><br /><br /><i>Jill Rosen - Anyone who has a pug understands that they are a constant source of amusement and chaos. Ode to a Pug was inspired by a true story about our own two-year-old pug, Phoebe. I came home one day to find Phoebe sitting with one of my dress shoes needed for an event that night hanging from her mouth (and the other one destroyed nearby) and I exclaimed, “That’s it! You’re going back!” What I didn't know, is that my youngest son overheard me and the next morning he asked if I really was going to give Phoebe away. I felt terrible that he thought I might have been serious. The more I reflected, I realized that this idea that parents can get frustrated or angry but still love their pups (or children) could be a very relatable book. The line “Today is the day I will give you away!” popped in my head. I liked the rhythm and rhyme of that line and built the rest of the text around it.<br /><br />
Visually, I felt that a pug would be a perfect muse for a funny children's picture book – cute, weird, hilarious, and a walking juxtaposition of odd habits, frustrating quirks, and lovable behaviors. The clowns of the canine world!<br /></i><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - What's the overall message of this book, and why is it important?</b><br /><br /><i>Jill Rosen - I'd like young readers to come away with the message that no matter what happens or how upset loved ones might get, it never changes the unconditional love they have for each other. Also, that it's ok to get frustrated, even though sometimes we say things we don't mean. There’s a lesson about recovering from those mistakes and learning to manage our emotions. In the Fun, Feelings, and Rhyme workshops that I run with elementary school students using Ode to a Pug, even the youngest children enjoy talking about this topic. They all can name times when they said things they didn't mean because they were mad (like the mom in the book), or a parent or sibling has gotten angry with them for misbehaving (like the mom's little pug misbehaves). The book reinforces that difficult situations can be resolved by taking a pause to understand what you are feeling and why and gathering and preparing yourself for re-engaging and addressing the issues.<br /></i><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - What do you think kids will like most about <i>Ode to a Pug </i>and why?</b><br /><br /><i>Jill Rosen - I think kids will love the silly and endearing pug antics and illustrations, complete with a sprinkling of potty humor (no pug story is complete without it!). They’ll also enjoy the arc of the story, including finding out whether the mom will really give away her pup. It's a great bedtime story that will leave both children and parents feeling good, and the rhymes will make it easier for the kids to remember and begin reading along. In the author readings and workshops I've done to-date, the children both empathize with the pug and understand and appreciate the story being told from the point of view of the frustrated pug owner. This goes against the traditional method of writing in the child's voice, but it works in this case, as the whole point is to show what the mom is really thinking. </i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What writing projects are you working on now?</b><br /><br /><i>Jill Rosen - I'm working on two other children’s books, and I can say that you might see our little pug again… this time with perhaps some new furry friends! </i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What else do you want readers to know about you?</b><br /><br /><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4N7LB_Zd0R0Dm7OoceDwG6nOwRVNG1e5IeBLqqWHBsKULkc5s6_RG0FDp0jRHrQz-WhNdqD2_sbYikBfSP5YVhyxinwWuPQW6pGAKOzpvBVLG9c8HPZ6scZokQ4VqpNZgaTbkrcD3VmdEF0QAUpmyF6wUP9tz_UEFs_zKx1U3TBHX-dJb997cqKY3SL2/s3024/20231223_155357%20-%20Jill%20Rosen%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2597" data-original-width="3024" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4N7LB_Zd0R0Dm7OoceDwG6nOwRVNG1e5IeBLqqWHBsKULkc5s6_RG0FDp0jRHrQz-WhNdqD2_sbYikBfSP5YVhyxinwWuPQW6pGAKOzpvBVLG9c8HPZ6scZokQ4VqpNZgaTbkrcD3VmdEF0QAUpmyF6wUP9tz_UEFs_zKx1U3TBHX-dJb997cqKY3SL2/s320/20231223_155357%20-%20Jill%20Rosen%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Jill Rosen - I have a degree in biochemistry and am a career pharmaceutical marketing executive, with over 20 years of experience in the area of Mental Health. I have a passion for helping children navigate strong emotions and impulse issues, and always will try to use my stories to foster acceptance and empower every unique little human… often using animals as the great unifiers that they are. <br /></i><br /><b><br />
GIVEAWAY</b><br />
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win an author-signed hardcover copy of Ode to a Pug, a 4″ custom pug plush, plus a die-cut pug sticker!<br /><br />
<a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/heDFn/ode-to-pug-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow">
Ode to Pug Book Giveaway </a><div><br /></div><div><i><a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/heDFn/ode-to-pug-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow"></a><script async="true" src="https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js" type="text/javascript"></script>This post is sponsored by Jill Rosen. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view. </i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-82948963301539514492024-03-01T08:06:00.002-07:002024-03-01T08:06:26.939-07:00Pretty Ugly Book Review<div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDN4ZyTiYc787QkciVKqedgy-VDQPtObffby9bNekxAHeVS9zE5l8DLBA1hfem6vLJe6hbD_c-H_2t9s8JPUQtC5SfiInOG1ij-0VwIXECqvmCGlI_wovEGITnCOZrfislErQcmXOObribGcydH73Mwz-XQ0V7Kg89yGMQqUCMdptGjMmf99C9hWNVLm4B/s466/Pretty%20Ugly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDN4ZyTiYc787QkciVKqedgy-VDQPtObffby9bNekxAHeVS9zE5l8DLBA1hfem6vLJe6hbD_c-H_2t9s8JPUQtC5SfiInOG1ij-0VwIXECqvmCGlI_wovEGITnCOZrfislErQcmXOObribGcydH73Mwz-XQ0V7Kg89yGMQqUCMdptGjMmf99C9hWNVLm4B/s320/Pretty%20Ugly.jpg" width="247" /></a></div></b></div>A hilariously quirky monster tale about appreciating beauty—in all its weird and wonderful forms!— by the creator of the iconic Olivia books and bestselling humorist David Sedaris.<br /><br />
Sedaris and Falconer make a spectacular splash with this tale of a monster turned ugly—stuck with a human face!<br /><br />
In this beautifully gross picture book, Anna Van Ogre’s lovely monster face turns into that of a sickeningly adorable, rosy-cheeked little girl—and it’s not switching back! Can she find a way to stop looking like an ugly human and regain her gorgeous monstrosity of a face?<br /><br />
In this incredible story about beauty standards, owning your uniquessness, and developing self-esteem, nationally acclaimed comedian and perpetual bestelling author David Sedaris and renowned creator of the Olivia picture book series Ian Falconer come together to ponder the eternally relevant question: is true beauty really on the inside?<br /><b><br />ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><br />
David Sedaris is the author of Happy-Go-Lucky, Calypso, Squirrel Seeks
Chipmunk, as well as collections of personal essays such as Let’s Explore Diabetes
with Owls, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, and
When You Are Engulfed in Flames. Sedaris’s pieces appear regularly in the New
Yorker and have twice been included in The Best American Essays. There are more
than 12 million copies of his books in print, and they have been translated into 25
languages. <a href="http://www.davidsedarisbooks.com">www.davidsedarisbooks.com </a><br /><br /><b>ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR</b><br />
Ian Falconer was an author and illustrator of children’s books, a designer of sets
and costumes for the theater and creator of 30 covers for the New Yorker as well
as other publications. The fine artist and designer was best known for his witty and
bestselling picture books about the precocious piglet Olivia, a children’s book series
with over 10 million sales worldwide.<br /><b><br /></b><div><b>REVIEW</b></div><div><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3wCHWFe">Pretty Ugly</a></i> shares the story of a monster that gets stuck with a human face and thinks of herself as pretty ugly. This story reverses what is normally thought of as beautiful and shares that beauty is based on what we think. I really loved the message of this book. It encourages kids to build their own self-esteem and realize that it's important what you think and not what others think. The family in this book are also very loving and supportive of the girl. The illustrations are unique and creative. I love Ian Falconer's creative design and style. Overall, I think it's a cute book for kids to read. To learn more, click <a href="https://amzn.to/3wCHWFe">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Please note that I received a free copy to review, however, this is my honest opinion. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog.</i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-47030372133242509802024-02-12T08:11:00.004-07:002024-02-12T08:21:51.633-07:00Guess How Marion Feels Virtual Book Tour, Author Interview, and Giveaway<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEi1i6fOliZb6zCCmH17bC5Ca1k9p00TqAw6YsgXc8zqt7_Vq_LefsA8OATUFiXkV_hX9_zD96W94hgq2AKaQl0JH-G9eMVOebJ8m9o7VX9pP97HhhWo24jQ12we-lblVNKRDyZep7jJE7UyPntDc-JzqHOU7EZjmNgu_Uuepbc6fR7STvVphZADyPEbJ/s1200/Guess%20How%20Marion%20Feels%20Tour%20Header.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEi1i6fOliZb6zCCmH17bC5Ca1k9p00TqAw6YsgXc8zqt7_Vq_LefsA8OATUFiXkV_hX9_zD96W94hgq2AKaQl0JH-G9eMVOebJ8m9o7VX9pP97HhhWo24jQ12we-lblVNKRDyZep7jJE7UyPntDc-JzqHOU7EZjmNgu_Uuepbc6fR7STvVphZADyPEbJ/w640-h360/Guess%20How%20Marion%20Feels%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div>
ABOUT THE BOOK</b><br /><br /><i>
Guess How Marion Feels</i><br />Written by Miss Kaye<br />Illustrated by Miss Waitthk<br />Ages 3+ | 34 Pages<br />Publisher: Maya Nurtures (2024) | ISBN-13: 9781738593026<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: Marion is a kind, creative, and easy kid… but he’s faced with BIG emotions. Help Marion identify those BIG feelings in this interactive children’s picture book.<br /><br /><i>
Guess How Marion Feels</i> is a transformative experience that lays the foundation for emotional intelligence and meaningful connections. A gentle Social Emotional Learning (SEL) tool to guide parents, caregivers, and teachers to teach kids who struggle to pick up social cues and have challenges in social situations.
This book is made to celebrate and honor the feelings of our little ones, foster open communication, and create inclusive learning with our neurodivergent kids. Written by a neurodivergent author, Miss Kaye aims to support kids and everyone struggling with social interactions.<br /><br />
Available for purchase on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Guess-Marion-Feels-Miss-Kaye/dp/1738593029">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/guess-how-marion-feels-kaye/1143861415?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&ean=9781738593033&st=AFF&SID=www.barnesandnoble.com&2sid=The+Children%27s+Book+Review_9085367_NA&sourceId=AFFThe+Children%27s+Book+Review&cjevent=4916cf4cc46711ee81126aa40a1cb826&dpid=tekz25v83">Barnes and Noble</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/guess-how-marion-feels-kaye/20322087?ean=9781738593033">Bookshop.org</a>. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><br /><br />
Miss Kaye was born in the Philippines. She had challenges as an adult neurodivergent. This serves as her inspiration for writing fun, engaging, and educational stories to teach life skills and mindfulness to kids.<br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR</b><br /><br />
Miss Waitthk is from Hong Kong. She enjoys making people feel happy and joyful through her drawings. As a kid, she remembered drawing anime characters and coloring them with colored pencils. Since then, she kept on drawing.<br /><br /><br /><b>AUTHOR INTERVIEW<br /><br /></b></div><div><b>Life is What It's Called - What inspired you to write <i>Guess How Marion Feels</i>?<br /></b> <i>Miss Kaye - My
struggles with physical and social cues as a neurodivergent sparked an inspiration for kids
to be guided at a young age. So, I made a book that opens the door for neurodivergent and
neurotypical adults and kids to harness emotional intelligence together. </i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Life is What It's Called - How do you hope readers relate to Marion?</b></div><div><br /><i>Miss Kaye -When I was working (on the manuscript), I was thinking of a character that is often missed
out—kids with silent voices, a delight to raise because they aren’t seeking too much
parental supervision. The so-called easy-going toddler is the perspective I would love
readers to understand better. Are they really okay? How can we help them thrive?</i><br /><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - What lessons will readers learn?</b><br /><br /><i>Miss Kaye -Guess How Marion Feels is more than just a self-help book on identifying and recognizing
emotions. It is a book to open adults’ eyes to the fact that emotional intelligence is a journey for
both parents and kids to learn progressively. </i><br /><b><br />Life is What It's Called - Do you have supplemental activities to go with <i>Guess How Marion Feels</i>?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Miss Kaye - Absolutely! Learning requires consistent practice to achieve mastery. So, we have a printable
activity booklet that comes with the book (QR code). </i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - What’s your favorite page in this book and why?</b><br /><i><br />Miss Kaye - Just like the saying goes…save the best for last—to nurture relationships, it is important
to have a safe environment to connect with each other. This page sums it up.</i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - Can you share your background in writing?</b><br /><br /><i>Miss Kaye - Creative writing is a different kettle of fish from my typical writing experience. Being a newbie
requires me to go beyond my comfort zone, allowing me to meet fabulous people, authors, and
experienced writers who supported me in reaching this point. </i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - What are you working on next?</b><br /><br /><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNAWcajTtnKnD6qamuwNA-FNUbRgumdSYMSa5APF2yq8A23rKGzv-9V0WoqolPvwNGDs53T_aI5SR5r6hoGHkcVCkwMBz8uR7aCSEmIi_IoUfK9xD8dvpLHGdrHnAENa0Fr1a0_5SlX39hMW9Z_ygPNzyt0LZXG7-d26xbme7BnMBXjdsPCLo5VWPU42C/s1080/Guess%20How%20Marion%20Feels%20Prize%20Instagram%20(1).png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNAWcajTtnKnD6qamuwNA-FNUbRgumdSYMSa5APF2yq8A23rKGzv-9V0WoqolPvwNGDs53T_aI5SR5r6hoGHkcVCkwMBz8uR7aCSEmIi_IoUfK9xD8dvpLHGdrHnAENa0Fr1a0_5SlX39hMW9Z_ygPNzyt0LZXG7-d26xbme7BnMBXjdsPCLo5VWPU42C/s320/Guess%20How%20Marion%20Feels%20Prize%20Instagram%20(1).png" width="320" /></a></div>Miss Kaye - You might have heard of the saying, “Don’t fix what’s not broken.” In essence, it is true.
However, something that’s not broken might not require fixing but needs maintenance. The
magical world of the easy-going toddler trope is something I would love to delve deeper into.
How can we prepare them not to be bullied in school and adult life?<br /></i><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY</b><br /><br />
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win a 1-hour FREE coaching session to launch your own picture book, along with signed copies of Guess How Marion Feels (one to keep and one to share with a neurodivergent charity of your choice under your name).<br /><br />
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</div><br /><div><br /></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Disclosure: <span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This post is sponsored by Maya Nurtures. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.</span></i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-57727967706777826302024-01-24T04:00:00.001-07:002024-01-24T04:00:00.251-07:00Ralphy's Rules for Feelings Virtual Book Tour, Author Interview, and Giveaway<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBZzfsXkHu3_2Ln8vhgmQH5JH5oN-2kJYnk2ypoX-9Cv6FmxYRH-YXEJ7tpe3gLd90i0-G5cQLd7Ds_SHK1JLmSMJ9eqyfeFgcLBgNHStKaRSbSHkcuVLPT-mcq0ZKyDITy8Zy-N4ssY0RL_A2bJsx8oXYLWqjZwpvn7Pn-c0JIHNvzhOQzxobNgYxxXG/s1200/Ralphys%20Rules%20For%20Feelings%20Tour%20Header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBZzfsXkHu3_2Ln8vhgmQH5JH5oN-2kJYnk2ypoX-9Cv6FmxYRH-YXEJ7tpe3gLd90i0-G5cQLd7Ds_SHK1JLmSMJ9eqyfeFgcLBgNHStKaRSbSHkcuVLPT-mcq0ZKyDITy8Zy-N4ssY0RL_A2bJsx8oXYLWqjZwpvn7Pn-c0JIHNvzhOQzxobNgYxxXG/w640-h360/Ralphys%20Rules%20For%20Feelings%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><b>
ABOUT THE BOOK</b><br /><br /><i>
Ralphy’s Rules for Feelings</i><br />Written by Talar Hercuilian Coursey and Riley Herculian Coursey<br />Illustrated by Meri Andreasyan<br />Ages 4+ | 36 Pages<br />Publisher: Purple Butterfly Press (2024) | ISBN-13: 9781955119450<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: We have big feelings!<br /><br />
Sometimes we don’t know what to do with them or how to change our thoughts that cause these feelings. The first day of school can be scary, but “Furrapist” Jackson Johnson and cute pup Ralphy of Ralphy’s Rules for the Good Life are committed to helping a busload of kids understand and manage their big feelings. During the ride to school, Furrapist Jackson Johnson teaches the children that they can choose their emotions and decide how to respond to them. Ralphy and Jackson make the complicated subject of emotional intelligence accessible for kids to understand and, more importantly, implement in their everyday lives.<br /><br />
So hop on the bus with us, and let’s learn about how taking charge of our feelings can change our day!<br /><br /><div>Available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org.</div><div><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSEeiTXS6sx2yTKdRV6ik_WDaFzOCN2SEC2wmDJXjgFjARf15C6UTs7u2rOHY-riIaDzaL7y_YOpQmTBdbNoOKRg7w9aEkH4m_8t-MG_pwAFmX3wCUEuOltoiTZKprkgVjnouNGJ2XuCyfwg8lUQHhADiOm8Jw3y11BT0LC4sLMlWz9cqe465l2rhJCLa/s2064/DSC_4588%20-%20Cayce%20LaCorte.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2064" data-original-width="1374" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSEeiTXS6sx2yTKdRV6ik_WDaFzOCN2SEC2wmDJXjgFjARf15C6UTs7u2rOHY-riIaDzaL7y_YOpQmTBdbNoOKRg7w9aEkH4m_8t-MG_pwAFmX3wCUEuOltoiTZKprkgVjnouNGJ2XuCyfwg8lUQHhADiOm8Jw3y11BT0LC4sLMlWz9cqe465l2rhJCLa/s320/DSC_4588%20-%20Cayce%20LaCorte.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div></b><br />
Talar Herculian Coursey is a lawyer by day and a children’s book author, Life Coach, and philanthropist by night (more like mornings). She has been a General Counsel since 2011 and recently joined ComplyAuto, a privacy/cybersecurity SAAS company. Before going in-house, she was a file clerk, associate, and partner at the national labor and employment law firm Fisher Phillips LLP. Talar is a co-author of both #Networked: <i>How 20 Women Lawyers Overcame the Confines of COVID-19 Social Distancing to Create Connections, Cultivate Community, & Build Businesses in the Midst of a Global Pandemic and Women In Law: Discovering the True Meaning of Succes</i>s. Her first children’s book, <i>Ralphy’s Rules for Living the Good Life</i>, was published in 2021.<br /><br />
Talar has served as the President of the Salt Lake City Chapter of the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (“SOAR”) since 2015. SOAR, founded in 2005, supports orphanages in Syria, Lebanon and Armenia. She runs the Salt Lake City Half Marathon every year to raise money for SOAR in memory of her father. Net proceeds from her children’s books also go to SOAR. In addition to being a mother, wife, lawyer, life coach, and philanthropist, she is also a runner, yogi, and Jesus, Eckhart Tolle, Peloton, and Brandon Flowers groupie.<br /><br />
For more information, visit <a href="http://talaresq.com">talaresq.com</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write <i>Ralphy's Rules for Feelings</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Talar Herculian Coursey - I hired a life coach for the first time during the pandemic and learned concepts about our
thoughts and feelings that changed my life. I asked my life coach, "why didn't someone
teach me this sooner?" So, I told her that I was going to write a children's book so that I
could start sharing these tools with kids at an early age. <br /><br />
As for the school bus, that was my co-author and son's idea, because kids have lots of big
feelings on the first day of school. </i><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Life Is What It's Called - How has your background helped prepare you to write this book?</b></div><div><br /><i>Talar Herculian Coursey - I would not have had the knowledge to share had I not worked with a life coach and gotten
my life coach certification. My experience with life coaching was invaluable in creating the
story. </i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - Why is it important for kids to understand their big feelings and how will this book help
them?</b><br /><br /><i>Talar Herculian Coursey - Big feelings will always be a part of our lives and the sooner kids understand how to
identify them, feel them, and change them, the better equipped they will be in their little
and bigger lives.<br /><br />I learned through life coaching that feelings determine our actions and create our realities.
We do not have feelings about a circumstance until we have thought about that
circumstance. Until we have a thought about something, the circumstance is neutral - it is
neither good nor bad. Our thoughts determine how we will feel about it. <br /><br />
In my book, I've used emojis to illustrate to kids what feelings can look like and first,
emphasized that all feelings are valid and welcome. Second, the book teaches the kids,
through Furrapist Jackson Johnson (my dog), how they can intentionally decide to sit with a
feeling or choose another feeling. It's a very basic illustration of these concepts but given
my audience, I wanted to make it as simple as possible. </i></div><div><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - In what ways is Ralphy's Rules for Feelings different from others on the market?
<br /></b><br /><i>Talar Herculian Coursey - I believe that the use of emojis to illustrate the feelings and instruction from a "furry
therapist" is unique to the book. I also strived to make the children in the story diverse so
that more children could relate to it. </i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - How is this book similar and different from the other children's book that you've written?</b><br /><br /><i>Talar Herculian Coursey - This book is the second of the Ralphy's Rules series. It's similar insofar it involves "adult"
concepts that have been simplified for children. It's different than my first book in that it is
more about our feelings rather than "rules" for not taking things personally and being
brave. </i><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Life Is What It's Called - What do you want readers to know about you as an author?</b><br /><br /><i>Talar Herculian Coursey - I am a lawyer by day and an author by night. I have my certification as a yoga instructor
and life coach. I'm an Armenian immigrant, born in Beirut, Lebanon, and lived in Saudi
Arabia until I was 12. I immigrated with my family to Southern California in the 7th grade
and I remember how hard it was to be different. <br /><br />
I am an avid reader and invest heavily in my personal development. I didn't begin my self-
development journey until I was in my 30s and wish so much that I had started it sooner.
I have always had a calling to serve children and besides writing children's books, I also
support Armenian orphanages in Lebanon, where I was born. The net proceeds from all my
book sales go to the orphanages in addition to the annual fundraising I do with running the
Salt Lake City Half Marathon. In the last 7 years, I've raised more than $100,000 for the
orphanages. <br /><br />
Both Jackson Johnson and Ralphy are real dogs. I dog-walked Ralphy for two years before
he moved away and got Jackson Johnson. All the kids on the school bus are real children.
Riley is my son on the bus. Lakeisha is one of my mentees who is a second-year law student
in Atlanta. Kairo is my other mentee's son. Indie is my stepsons' sister who has Downs
Syndrome. Jaseena and Jude are my son's classmates.</i><br /><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Enter the giveaway for the chance to win a classroom set that includes 25 copies of Ralphy's Rules for Feelings! </div><div><br /></div><div><a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/VfBnl/ralphys-rules-for-feelings-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow">Ralphy's Rules for Feelings Book Giveaway </a></div><div><br /></div><div><i><a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/VfBnl/ralphys-rules-for-feelings-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow"></a><script async="true" src="https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js" type="text/javascript"></script>This post is sponsored by Purple Butterfly Press. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.</i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-61060624231002309672024-01-19T09:59:00.004-07:002024-01-19T09:59:28.013-07:00Bubba and Squirt's City of Bones Author Interview and Giveaway<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpLlaZrwK8iBrRLQJ0Tx_ANwoGczp6pNqkd-l1guM7uIG9bnRFysDtGD1RxgFrEz9VMjZawNhtlkTK9Dn6kvKzqaLZFe56s2cReOqxJ0u0N1QI1raLzF3QPrZ2XXmvPTPoP_iKcaCUZmsty8A8YQymlfi-G4U7Z0FVR9dqe50lLryTsARpwipyqmmTBRS/s1200/Ciity%20of%20Bones%20Tour%20Header.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpLlaZrwK8iBrRLQJ0Tx_ANwoGczp6pNqkd-l1guM7uIG9bnRFysDtGD1RxgFrEz9VMjZawNhtlkTK9Dn6kvKzqaLZFe56s2cReOqxJ0u0N1QI1raLzF3QPrZ2XXmvPTPoP_iKcaCUZmsty8A8YQymlfi-G4U7Z0FVR9dqe50lLryTsARpwipyqmmTBRS/w640-h360/Ciity%20of%20Bones%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div>ABOUT THE BOOK</b><br /><br />
Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones<br />
Written by Sherry Ellis<br />
Ages 8+ | 104 Pages<br />
Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press | ISBN-13: 9781939844989<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: Bubba and Squirt are back for another rousing quest as they travel through the mysterious vortex to Paris, France. It’s another wild adventure as they track down art thieves, encounter terrifying monsters, and discover the whereabouts of their missing father. Will they make it out alive or join the rest of the skeletons in the City of Bones?<br /><br />
Coming Soon: The fourth book in the series, Bubba and Squirt’s Shield of Athena, will be released on May 7, 2024, and the final book, Bubba and Squirt’s Legend of the Lost Pearl, will be released in September 2024.<br /><br />
Available for purchase on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bubba-Squirts-Bones-Sherry-Ellis/dp/1939844983?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1703000825&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=da1c1e7822181d69086af2a28dfba8ff&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bubba-and-squirts-city-of-bones-sherry-ellis/1143368630?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&ean=9781939844989&st=AFF&SID=www.barnesandnoble.com&2sid=The+Children%27s+Book+Review_9085367_NA&sourceId=AFFThe+Children%27s+Book+Review&cjevent=115548a9b16411ee836200400a1cb825&dpid=tekz25v83">Barnes and Noble</a>, and <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/bubba-and-squirt-s-city-of-bones-sherry-ellis/20001999?ean=9781939844989">Bookshop.org</a>. <br /><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4brsyJc2T9UobiHf1gxi05WeaPwcUYlzBjG2j-PujWdwwJNYOyDWehtp8iRB_r59XkwmVEMH1QRFTvKsAf8ORKeQzodwJ60BpVN1x3nelGkdm2MEG_8ZNnWSc2E6iAn81AWBBQpdg1P-PRXuP-eUMQjl24TS9AiZwXE6Prg2dFbW3fcidMHjDbfVt1p8/s1000/Sherry%20Ellis%20author%20picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4brsyJc2T9UobiHf1gxi05WeaPwcUYlzBjG2j-PujWdwwJNYOyDWehtp8iRB_r59XkwmVEMH1QRFTvKsAf8ORKeQzodwJ60BpVN1x3nelGkdm2MEG_8ZNnWSc2E6iAn81AWBBQpdg1P-PRXuP-eUMQjl24TS9AiZwXE6Prg2dFbW3fcidMHjDbfVt1p8/w160-h200/Sherry%20Ellis%20author%20picture.jpg" width="160" /></a></div></b><br />
Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. Ellis has previously published Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China; Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure; Don’t Feed the Elephant; Ten Zany Birds; That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN; and That Mama is a Grouch. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.<br /><br />
For more information about her work, she invites you to visit her website at <a href="http://www.sherryellis.org">www.sherryellis.org</a>.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b><br /><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - The cover of Bubba and Squirt's City of Bones depicts a mysterious underground tone, what is the excitement and fear level for this book?</b></div><div><br /><i>Sherry Ellis - Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones is a bit darker than the previous two books in the Bubba and Squirt Adventures series. After Bubba and Squirt are whisked through the mysterious vortex to Paris, France, they find themselves in the city’s creepy underground catacombs—pictured on the cover. This is where they encounter the art thieves for the first time. Later, after they step through an unusual portal, they find themselves in a cave system which is the world of the gargoyle and the evil jaguar-man, Kanaima. It’s spooky and action-packed, but at a level that’s still appropriate for younger middle-grade readers. <br /></i><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - What age range would you recommend for this book?<br /></b><i><br />Sherry Ellis - Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones is appropriate for readers in grades two through six. Readers familiar with the Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne will find it’s a step up from the earlier books of the series, but not as advanced as the Harry Potter books. It’s a good bridge between the two, and perfect for reluctant readers. </i><br /><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - What will readers learn about while reading your story?</b><br /><br /><i>Sherry Ellis - Readers will learn about the history of the catacombs, the various landmarks, museums, and points of interest in Paris, the work of famous artists, and some French folklore and words. </i><br /><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - What was your favorite scene to write and why?</b><br /><br /><i>Sherry Ellis - My favorite scene is Bubba and Squirt’s arrival in the catacombs. Having visited the catacombs myself, it was fun to write about the creepiness of the place using all the senses. I also enjoyed writing the scene where the bones come crashing down, and Bubba uses is power of telekinesis to bring them back to order. </i><br /><b><br />Life is What It's Called - Do you relate to any of the characters in this book?</b><br /><br /><i>Sherry Ellis - I can’t say I see myself in any of the characters. Simone would be the closest since she’s like a mother figure. Bubba and Squirt, on the other hand, are like my own children when they were young. Bubba is the precocious adventurer while Squirt is the older, cautious, mature sister. <br /></i><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - How does <i>Bubba and Squirt's City of Bones</i> differ from others on the market?</b><br /><br /><i>Sherry Ellis - Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones appeals to readers who are advancing out of early chapter books but aren’t ready for the longer books by Rick Riordan or the Harry Potter series. I like to think of the Bubba and Squirt Adventure books as a “bridge” series. I’ve been told that reluctant readers enjoy the Bubba and Squirt books because they’re action-packed, fast-paced, and not too long. The other unique thing is that all the books of the series are not only packed with adventure, but also educational. The back material for Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones includes additional information about the catacombs, the real-life art thieves, a list of books to learn more, a glossary of French words and numbers, a map of France, and a recipe for crepes. <br /></i><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - Can you share about your experience as a writer?</b><br /><br /><i>Sherry Ellis - I have been writing for almost twenty years. After this year, I will have had 4 picture books, 5 middle-grade books, and stories in 2 anthologies published. I’d have to say my favorite thing, after writing, “the end” on a manuscript, is doing school visits. I love meeting the kids and seeing their excitement about reading books!</i><br /><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - What writing projects are you working on next?</b><br /><br /><i>Sherry Ellis - I’m working on the final edits of Bubba and Squirt’s Legend of the Lost Pearls, which will be the last book of the Bubba and Squirt Adventures series. It’s scheduled to be released by Dancing Lemur Press in September 2024. (Bubba and Squirt’s Shield of Athena will be released in May 2024.) After that, who knows?<br /><br />
Thank you for having me as a guest</i>!<br /><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY</b><br /><br />
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win an autographed copy of Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones and a $50 Amazon gift card! </div><div><a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/SqDwK/bubba-and-squirts-city-of-bones-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow">Bubba and Squirt's City of Bones: Book Giveaway</a></div><div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>This post is sponsored by Sherry Ellis. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.</i></span></div><div><br />
</div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-82730834911198169782024-01-12T10:11:00.000-07:002024-01-12T10:11:02.256-07:00Graysen Foxx and the Curse of the Illuminerdy Book Review<div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVh6k-OyrSVkIYqgo0rZP6YnB6RswhXiDf8QrAZF-JsyC_MbJMA9ErAEGaycUI_kbNUGfSLMo_iMf94jUqNDgGYS4wFSZDLdBS85Ub3xC1m-XziWLueKji9SvVFCs-9jFgbrBZ_kjzoztAy6BwFgYpD8xsu2MsmP6Sn8-s2CeOE61xZFgtQt2HLHvWbVnK/s4000/IMG_20240111_153757447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVh6k-OyrSVkIYqgo0rZP6YnB6RswhXiDf8QrAZF-JsyC_MbJMA9ErAEGaycUI_kbNUGfSLMo_iMf94jUqNDgGYS4wFSZDLdBS85Ub3xC1m-XziWLueKji9SvVFCs-9jFgbrBZ_kjzoztAy6BwFgYpD8xsu2MsmP6Sn8-s2CeOE61xZFgtQt2HLHvWbVnK/s320/IMG_20240111_153757447.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></b></div>Fifth-grade treasure hunter Graysen Foxx is no stranger to the mysteries hidden in Ordinary Elementary—the bat-filled tunnels, the secret passageways, the underground chambers, and the sticky spiderwebs—and he's on the hunt for a creepy, old painting that will guarantee his victory in the school's Halloween contest. But finding and claiming the painting is only the beginning of a wild adventure filled with puzzles that will put Graysen's treasure-hunting skills to the test.<br /><br />
When the fedora-wearing, sticky hand-wielding Graysen finds a mysterious symbol on the back of a dusty spelling bee medal, news of the discovery spreads like creamy peanut butter, and a disguised student quickly steals the medal. But who would want the medal, and why? Is it Graysen's nemesis, Raven? The Second-Grade Spy Network? Or the Doodler, the sixth-grade boss who blames a lost spelling bee for ruining his life?<br /><br />
While researching what the spelling bee symbol might mean, Graysen and the twins, Maya and Jack, cross paths with a secret society of supersmart kids who call themselves the Illuminerdy and have access to a treasure so powerful it could change the world of education forever. Graysen and his friends must work together to obtain the treasure, outwit the secret society, and break the bone-rattling Curse of the Illuminerdy.<br /><br /><br /><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><div><b><br /></b>
J Scott Savage is the author of 19 novels including the Mysteries of Cove series, the Farworld series, the Case File 13 series, and the Lost Wonderland Diaries. His books have received various recognitions including Junior Library Selection, Starred reviews from PW and Kirkus, Amazon Book of the Month, Barnes and Noble Select book, and several state award nominations. <br /><br />
He has visited over 2500 schools, dozens of writers conferences, and taught many writing classes. He has four children and seven grandchildren. He lives with his wife Jennifer in a windy valley of the Rocky Mountains. <br /><b><br /><br />AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b></div><div><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - What do you think your fans will love about this new book?</b><br /><br /><i>J. Scott Savagae - I think kids will love the adventure and the humor, but the best part of Graysen Foxx and the Curse of the Illuminerdy is the message that everyone has different talents, and that they all make a difference, especially when we work together.<br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - How many books in this series are you planning? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>J. Scott Savage - Right now I don't have any more books in the series under contract, but you never know! </i></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Life Is What It's Called - Which character in the Graysen Foxx series are you most like and why? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>J. Scott Savage - I'm most like Graysen. When I was in elementary school, there was a hill behind the school where you could dig for fossils, and I always loved the idea of finding treasure!</i></div><div><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - How is this book similar to your other books? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>J. Scott Savage - I think all of my books have characters that aren't perfect but try really hard to do the right thing, even when it's difficult.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - How is this book different from your other books? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>J. Scott Savage - I think all of my series are really different from each other. I have written books with steam powered dragons, zombies, wizards, and even a series set in Wonderland. I like to make all of my book series different from each other. I think it's boring to always write the same kind of book!</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What was your favorite scene to write in <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3tIZFd8">Graysen Foxx and the Curse of the Illuminerdy</a></i>? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>J. Scott Savage - Without giving away too much, I think it was the scene with the crocodiles and the card catalog.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What do you want your readers to know about you? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>J. Scott Savage - I want my readers to know that I love meeting them and hearing from them, and that I believe that they are awesome in ways that they haven't even discovered yet!</i><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Review</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3tIZFd8">Graysen Foxx and The Curse of the Illuminerdy</a> </i>is the second book in the Graysen Fox series. It could be read as a stand-alone, but it would be better to read the first book, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/47sydxW">Graysen Fox and the Treasure of the Principal of Redbeard</a>,</i> first. In <i>Graysen Foxx and The Curse of the Illuminerdy, </i>Graysen Foxx must work together with schoolmates to figure out the mystery symbol on an old spelling bee award and the clues in a painting to discover more about the Illuminerdy. </div><div><br /></div><div>I enjoy the Graysen Foxx series. My 8-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son have both read books from this series and they enjoy the adventure, characters, the mystery, the intrigue. As a parent reading the series, I felt like it was age-appropriate in characters, intrigue, and adventure. It also has a good overall message that teaches kids to work together and to look out for each other. J. Scott Savage does a good job at drawing the reader in through the dialogue, descriptions, and action in the story. <i>Graysen Foxx and The Curse of the Illuminerdy </i>reminded me of a mix between <i>Indiana Jones</i>, <i>Recess</i>, <i>Lara Croft Tomb Raider</i>, and a detective book. The dialogue is smart and witty while the adventures in this book are creative and engaging. I hope the author writes more books from this series. I would highly recommend it. It's also a great series for kids that are just starting to read middle-grade fiction in that the characters are elementary school age, and the action and adventure is very kid-friendly. To learn more about <i>Graysen Foxx and The Curse of the Illuminerdy, </i>click <a href="https://amzn.to/3tIZFd8">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Please note that I received a free copy to review, however, this is my honest opinion. This post is in cooperation with Shadow Mountain Publishing. This post contains affiliate links.</i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-82975593596570858052023-12-09T16:23:00.000-07:002023-12-09T16:23:16.310-07:00Mistletoe for Felicity Book Review<div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCK4PEw9dOLat9udzVLTaqueDZjqkwZRJkgaLgcoXM7mEW2jct37qgC1YI0wKZUG5BvOcKw0HxlBjyopOivtcwRMhbL8XUcEAlkRue-lsXI_iQ8c02V3P3CNYmzGf418DoZeiPkudcNmHcfP-V_AAn-0UViF61CLdXcOjqXr-GYIg5rXe2YQpHK9nC3Ia/s1080/Red%20Green%20Cute%20Playful%20Typography%20Quote%20Christmas%20Instagram%20Post.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCK4PEw9dOLat9udzVLTaqueDZjqkwZRJkgaLgcoXM7mEW2jct37qgC1YI0wKZUG5BvOcKw0HxlBjyopOivtcwRMhbL8XUcEAlkRue-lsXI_iQ8c02V3P3CNYmzGf418DoZeiPkudcNmHcfP-V_AAn-0UViF61CLdXcOjqXr-GYIg5rXe2YQpHK9nC3Ia/s320/Red%20Green%20Cute%20Playful%20Typography%20Quote%20Christmas%20Instagram%20Post.png" width="320" /></a></div></b></div><div><br /></div>A Yuletide romance where fate, duty, and the magic of Christmas intertwine.<br /><br />Lady Felicity Winters, having lost the last of her family, is alone in the world. Theodore "Tad" Harcourt, a merchant's son is thrust into navigating the complexities of high society. The two are bound in an arranged marriage—both a boon and a challenge.<br /><br />
As winter's chill gives way to holiday warmth, Felicity and Tad tentatively explore their new life together. From snowball fights with village children to the sparkle of a grand Christmas ball, their journey turns into a heartwarming adventure filled with newfound trust and festive cheer.<br /><br />
Yet questions remain—does Felicity see beyond her role as a dutiful wife, and can Tad truly find his place in her world? This tender, closed-door Regency romance unfurls beneath mistletoe and candlelight, where love dispels all doubts, and Christmas joy resides in the most unexpected corners. Open this cozy tale and let it melt your heart this holiday season.<br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><br /><br />Sally Britton is a wife, mother, and author who loves the world of romance, earned her BA in English in 2007, and reads voraciously. She started her writing journey at the tender age of fourteen on an electric typewriter, and she’s never looked back.<br /><br />
Sally lives in Oklahoma with her husband, four children, two Australian Shepherds, and a queenly cat. She loves researching, hiking, and reading YA Fantasy novels.<br /><br />
Follow Sally's adventures on Instagram and Facebook and check out her website!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.authorsallybritton.com">
www.authorsallybritton.com</a><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b>REVIEW</b></div><div><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3RiWeBo">Mistletoe for Felicity</a> </i>tells a story of two strangers navigating an arranged marriage in a new town on their own without family support. The author, Sally Britton, freshens the idea of a romance within an arranged marriage by adding Christmas magic. The author focused on the characters learning to find each other and their common ground by reaching out and helping others around them, spreading joy, and making a concentrated effort to improve their circumstances. This is a character driven novel. I felt like there was a slight hint of magical realism when the author mentioned a painting that one of the character's discovered...I kind of wished that the painting and the background story was explored a bit more. The romance is clean and cute. It's appropriate for teens to adults. Overall, it's a cute, fun, easy-to-read. To learn more, click <a href="https://amzn.to/3RiWeBo">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Please note that I received a free ARC ebook. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog.</i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-82965256731196155552023-11-29T04:00:00.001-07:002023-11-29T04:00:00.144-07:00Art Virtual Book Tour, Author Interview, and Giveaway<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnooTZYzJC6_LMCVKkWAA_OvhcGk12eNWDkvjCCT8cqQ2cEpNpzyxllcH9J2T6SOva7QHLWdQo8CpZc2I1Km4xAS0KfgBeT7P2MX7DpaCC8nXcDS33FaPgd41Rt5iua1BzhmU96DcvrlEi9KOt1CgIC5ZmaeriRTrLJsDr0VxxjaV_o3fzPzy7sD_fU50f/s1024/like%20no%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnooTZYzJC6_LMCVKkWAA_OvhcGk12eNWDkvjCCT8cqQ2cEpNpzyxllcH9J2T6SOva7QHLWdQo8CpZc2I1Km4xAS0KfgBeT7P2MX7DpaCC8nXcDS33FaPgd41Rt5iua1BzhmU96DcvrlEi9KOt1CgIC5ZmaeriRTrLJsDr0VxxjaV_o3fzPzy7sD_fU50f/w640-h360/like%20no%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK</b><br /><br /><i>
ART</i><br />
Written by Marin<br />
34 Pages | Publisher: Fontreal<br />
ISBN-13: 9781989661215<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: Art is autistic and artistic.<br /><br />
Art has just one friend – his teddy bear.<br /><br />
Art does not speak, but he makes art. Art that dismisses gravity.<br /><br />
The publication crowns the artist and turns royalty into a mere audience. The sophisticated illustrations inspire readers to express their emotions, verbalize their feelings, and create their own stories.<br /><br />
Available for purchase <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Art-autistic-artistic-circus-virtuoso/dp/1989661211?&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=1edb55c3357d1375d81789720995f492&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div>
<b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><br /><br />
Marin is proud to be a self-published children’s book creator. He writes his stories, illustrates the books, designs the covers, formats the pages, and publishes the volumes. He even creates new fonts for his publications to make them one-of-a-kind. To achieve a world-class status for his books, Marin “marinates” them in a special creative compound.<br /><br />
Marin lives with his family on the Canadian East Coast. He is very thankful that the weather there is often bad and gives him more chances to sit in front of a computer and create. His works are available in several different formats:<br /><br />
HARDCOVER: books are cataloged and can be ordered in any bookstore or library in North America. A book title, author’s name, or ISBN is needed for placing an order.<br /><br />
SOFTCOVER and EBOOK: available on Amazon, Kobo, Google Books, Barnes & Noble, and other big and small book retailers.<br /><br />
AUDIOBOOK: obtainable from Audible, iTunes, MagicBlox, and other vendors.<br /><br />
For more information, visit <a href="https://fontreal.com">https://fontreal.com</a>.<br /><br />
<br /><br /><b>AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b><br /><br /></div><div><b>Life Is What It's Called - What is your background in illustrating and writing?</b><br /><br /><i>Marin - I try to marry all the necessary ingredients for picture books – text, visuals, and design. Preparing all of
them by myself allows me the opportunity to create a cohesive work of art. Also, because my name is
Marin, I "marinate" my creations in a special concoction that helps them become one-of-a-kind. </i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What do you want the readers to know about you?</b><br /><br /><i>Marin - I have yet to experience so-called writer’s block – I can create a good story if you give me just one word
to start with.<br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write and illustrate <i>ART</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Marin - I have always been interested to learn more about people living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD),
savants in particular. I have been fascinated with the incredible abilities they possess and in my eyes, the
challenging lives they have. My goal was to create a book like no other – to match the uniqueness of a
non-verbal person on the spectrum. </i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - Can you tell us about your art style and influences for this book?</b><br /><br /><i>Marin - I can’t really tell you about my art style as I do not have a particular manner of illustrating my books. I
find that my protagonists dictate the technique I apply in order to portray them as perfectly as possible.
Regarding ART: I wanted to make simple, yet sophisticated illustrations with 3D etching effects. The
thought behind it was that it would encompass the simple, yet sophisticated social behavior of an
individual manifesting savant skills. <br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - How do you think the art in this book will inspire the readers?</b><br /><br /><i>Marin - People with ASD often have poor social skills and the public at large knows very little about them. I
wanted readers to see the world through the eyes of an individual with the disorder. As you know,
extraordinary abilities are more common in autism than in any other social group. I am sure one day our
society will learn how to utilize the unmatched expertise of people living with ASD.</i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - What lessons do you hope readers will learn from reading <i>ART</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Marin - I want my readers to learn that savants have unparalleled abilities and their minds are wired in ways
other than ours. Therefore, they are different from the rest of us and they can do magical things.</i><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Life Is What It's Called - How do you see<i> ART</i> being used in homes, classrooms, and libraries?</b><br /><br />
Apart from a few introductory lines, ART is a wordless book - many savants are also non-verbal. I created
the publication deliberately this way with the hopes of representing silent persons and to encourage
children’s imaginations to continue the story on their own. If used in homes, classrooms and libraries,
the publication will have numerous epilogues while kids learn creative writing and language mastery.<br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What creative projects are you working on next?</b><br /><i><br />Marin - My next book is titled BEMBE’S HEART. Bembe is an ancient Mayan name meaning “son of a prophecy”.<br /><br />
It is a book that every mother should read to her child. Without spilling the beans, I will tell you one
thing about the publication: it is a whimsical story about the only child in the world born without a
heart...</i><br /><br /><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY</b><br /><br />
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win an autographed hardcover copy of <i>Art</i> and $50 sent via PayPal! A complimentary download of Marin's book The Smile is also available to everyone right now on Amazon.<br /><br />
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ART: Book Giveaway
</a>
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This post is sponsored by Fontreal. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.</i><br /><br /><br /></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-29617524167158536702023-11-13T14:26:00.001-07:002023-11-13T14:26:49.111-07:00One Small Secret Book Review<div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRbsyQDvpudMd1qhKoRiyZ_45Uzv5C0Xae9tUOLG3FWNq-M20xXIuRq6KoKsRn4xwCQBSOyoZJTELmdpmfjhR6-OdmjYxanT6_i5LNCTNb4rqKEvKGMtmROPx0o4wpX8R8AJ7258u8DABukNuhniGyFy3qp92cDoCfFbM6pfs03RyU21aMO61774MTI1K/s403/Esther%20Hatch.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="403" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRbsyQDvpudMd1qhKoRiyZ_45Uzv5C0Xae9tUOLG3FWNq-M20xXIuRq6KoKsRn4xwCQBSOyoZJTELmdpmfjhR6-OdmjYxanT6_i5LNCTNb4rqKEvKGMtmROPx0o4wpX8R8AJ7258u8DABukNuhniGyFy3qp92cDoCfFbM6pfs03RyU21aMO61774MTI1K/s320/Esther%20Hatch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></b></div>I grew up with him and bested him in practically everything we did together–debate, grades, mini-golf, you name it. So, I’ve built an immunity to his boy-next-door charm. Sure, sometimes I might accidentally type his name into my search engine, but his dimples, hotel empire and thirst-trap photos don’t tempt me. I’ve got my sights set on earning my way to the top of the Palmer Hotel empire, and nothing is going to get in my way.<br /><br />
Until my stepsister leaves her secret toddler with me before skipping town for three months. Now suddenly everyone thinks he’s mine, and instead of powering my way to the top, I’m struggling to not get fired. And instead of Ruben staying on the executive floor where he belongs, he’s invading my apartment, breaking dates with starlets, and looking disappointed that I decided to settle down with anyone except him.<br /><br />
But I know Ruben, and Ruben doesn’t settle down. So, there's no way I’m giving him my heart. Not even for Christmas.<br /><br />
**One Small Secret is inspired by the classic films, Bachelor Mother and Bundle of Joy, and is part of the Gift-Wrapped Romance series.
Gift-Wrapped Romance Series: <br /><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3MHOMOG">Cabin Crush</a></i> by Kasey Stockton</li><li><a href="https://amzn.to/46fJZLv"><i>Merry Kismet</i></a> by Anneka R. Walker</li><li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3ue5YoL">Solo for the Season</a> </i>by Martha Keyes</li><li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3smC2GE">One Small Secret</a> </i>by Esther Hatch</li><li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3spnDJN">Jingle Bell Jilt</a></i> by Mindy Burbidge Strunk</li></ul><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR </b><div>Esther Hatch grew up on a cherry orchard in rural Utah. After high school, she alternated living in Russia to teach children English and attending Brigham Young University in order to get a degree in archaeology. She began writing when one of her favorite authors invited her to join a critique group. The only catch was she had to be a writer. Not one to be left out of an opportunity to socialize and try something new; she started on her first novel that week. Visit her at estherhatch.com.<br /><br /><b>
AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What do you think your readers will like about One Small Secret?</b><br /><br /><i>Esther Hatch - I hope they fall in love with Ruben, and I think all the books in the Gift-Wrapped Romance series are the perfect length to keep you turning pages right until the end. </i><br /><br /><b>
Life Is What It's Called - How is One Small Secret similar to your other books?</b><br /><br /><i>Esther Hatch - I think all of my books have some playful banter, some crazy situations, and great kisses. Even though I switched genres, those things are all still there! </i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - How is One Small Secret different from your other books?</b><br /><br /><i>Esther Hatch - It's MODERN! Hooray! I've been wanting to write a contemporary romcom for a while, I started a couple a few years ago, but they were mostly for fun, and I kept going back to my historical work projects. It has been so much fun to have text conversations and a little bit more freedom on the kissing front.<br /></i><br /><b>
Life Is What It's Called - What are you working on next?</b><br /><br /><i>Esther Hatch - I'm currently editing a book for my publisher. It is the forth in my <a href="https://amzn.to/3MIO2ZL">Proper Scandals</a> series, and I'm so excited to have another book in that world release</i>.
<br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Life Is What It's Called - Where does your humor in your writing come from?</b><br /><br /><i>Esther Hatch - All over the place. My kids, and my husband all have great senses of humor and in general, humor is really important to me. I work hard on the jokes and funny situations, reading them over and over to make sure they are hitting just right. Often, a lot of humor comes from either people feeding off each other in dialogue, or internal thoughts that are very different from what a character might be saying out loud. Humor was the very first thing that attracted me to my husband, and because of that I can't help but write humor into my romances. To me, it is an important part of falling in love.<br /></i><br /></div><div><b>Life Is What It's Called - What should readers know about you? </b></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Esther Hatch - I love reading and I'm so grateful to be a part of the book community. I'm still thrilled that I get to make writing my career. My hope with all my books is to put smiles on the faces of those reading them, and hopefully make them impossible to put down.</i><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>REVIEW</b></div><div>In <i>One Small Secret, </i>Cadence Crane returns from working on a new hotel in Vietnam. She finds that the Palmer Hotel empire has had some changes since she left. On top of that, her stepsister leaves a small bundle for her to take care of. Misunderstandings, miscommunications, and hilarious circumstances emerge in this fun new romance from Esther Hatch. I love the fun dialogue and chaotic situations that the characters find themselves getting into. This is a fun and enjoyable Christmas read. It was a cute, clean, and cozy romance that's perfect for the holiday season. To learn more, click <a href="https://amzn.to/3szxSLC">here</a>.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Please note that this post contains affiliate links that support this blog. I was given a complimentary ebook to read, however, this is my honest opinion. </i></div><div><i><br /></i><br />
</div></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-12542671158547385372023-11-07T03:00:00.001-07:002023-11-07T03:00:00.132-07:00The Body on the Beach Virtual Book Tour, Author Interview, and Giveaway<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKRYtMXd4BzYfqeJze8W_UyTC77mmCScHalwYTlLXdQ6kwYMvWCvuwjCNU-iiJpfo1fk6c2-1u-zXSPB_HkmenRViAmSCbx2MrcWtZduWJpnPbxf8vKHxAqGmSegUeDHroJZKqDpew0ocYQWmGHHE5drIIcw3hEXYg870tB41CIA1bsGYvhPINbm-D1wI/s1200/The%20Body%20on%20the%20Beach%20Tour%20Header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKRYtMXd4BzYfqeJze8W_UyTC77mmCScHalwYTlLXdQ6kwYMvWCvuwjCNU-iiJpfo1fk6c2-1u-zXSPB_HkmenRViAmSCbx2MrcWtZduWJpnPbxf8vKHxAqGmSegUeDHroJZKqDpew0ocYQWmGHHE5drIIcw3hEXYg870tB41CIA1bsGYvhPINbm-D1wI/w640-h360/The%20Body%20on%20the%20Beach%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div>ABOUT THE BOOK</b><br /><br /><i>
The Body on the Beach: A Kat Dylan Mystery</i><br />
Written by Chris Wieland<br />
Illustrated by Leanne Franson<br />
Ages 9+ | 360 Pages<br />
Publisher: The Smart Aleck Press (2023) | ISBN-13: 9798985701326<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: In this sequel to 2022’s The Crabtree Monsters, thirteen-year-old girl detective Kat Dylan and her little brother, Alec, are back!<br /><br />
Even after cracking the case of the century, Kat and Alec are still stuck in Crabtree, Michigan, and suffering through a long, cold Midwest winter. When Gabby, a middle school “mean girl,” approaches her with a problem, Kat can’t imagine it’s worth her time—or that there’s a chance Gabby’s problems will lead to the next big mystery. But when Gabby becomes the focus of the local police, especially Kat’s Grandpa Nick, her interest is piqued. Before Kat can get to the bottom of things, she finds Gabby lying dead on Crabtree’s frozen beach.<br /><br />
Suddenly, Kat is awash in questions. Who killed Gabby? Could Kat have saved her if she’d paid closer attention to the mean girl’s troubles? From there, Kat, with Alec in tow, sets out to find answers and bring the murderer to justice. Along the way, she learns that Gabby’s case is tied to another investigation: the kidnapping of a rich kid from Chicago whose family is intertwined with the people who own most of Crabtree.<br /><br />
As she and Alec dig, they find themselves at odds with kidnappers and killers, private eyes and cops, and more than a few kids and adults who would just like them to go away.<br /><br />
Available to purchase here.<div><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCh1gdGINR90SjEhs_U5FeMkm3qNMtYHrtQkypH0Q3jL3Mlq0jNoUs8MXTiTMHk0LNcRXJexJmEXDpbMzv4hPnJ4-3vFzV4IM4OPiKz9UgpaOjMUcvPVV_SGcqHFrKY06aXWOrnNcIqhz_6yaLH6o493QlCTCwLIwrAzm5Bi_C_4_2QJaDyxG4viUqup_/s1800/Chris-Wieland%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCh1gdGINR90SjEhs_U5FeMkm3qNMtYHrtQkypH0Q3jL3Mlq0jNoUs8MXTiTMHk0LNcRXJexJmEXDpbMzv4hPnJ4-3vFzV4IM4OPiKz9UgpaOjMUcvPVV_SGcqHFrKY06aXWOrnNcIqhz_6yaLH6o493QlCTCwLIwrAzm5Bi_C_4_2QJaDyxG4viUqup_/w133-h200/Chris-Wieland%20(1).png" width="133" /></a></div></b><br />
Chris Wieland is an award-winning writer and filmmaker. He is also the father of two fierce children, including a tough, smart tween who helped him find the voice of his protagonist, Kat Dylan. He lives in Southern California with his family.<br /><br />
For more information, visit:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.thesmartaleckpress.com/">Website</a></li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/SmartAleckPress">Twitter</a></li><li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesmartaleckpress/">Instagram</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thesmartaleckpress">Facebook</a></li><li><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thesmartaleckpress">TikTok</a></li></ul><div><b><br /></b></div><b>AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b><br /><br /></div><div>
<b>Life is What It's Called - You seem to have vast writing experience, including filmmaking; how has your background
helped you write The Kat Dylan Mystery series?</b><br /><br /><i>Chris Wieland - I’m someone who has always wanted to write fiction, and from a young age, I focused</i> <i>on
accumulating the kinds of experiences that would give me fuel to write the kinds of stories I
wanted. Filmmaking helped me focus on visualizing action and character, knowing how to create
a world for my reader. It also helped me sharpen my dialogue-writing skills and realize that you
need conflict on virtually every page to keep the reader going.<br /><br />
In the case of The Kat Dylan Mysteries, when I first came up with the idea for what would
eventually become The Crabtree Monsters (the first book in the series), it was for a screenplay. I
wrote the script, which then was about two teenaged crime-fighting brothers, and I shopped it
around in Hollywood. It eventually got optioned for production, and then re-optioned several
times, and at one point, it looked like it might get made. But it didn’t, and eventually the rights
reverted to me. I still believed in the characters and the story, but I decided to write it as a book
so that I could have control over the vision (the look of the town, the twists of the story). When I
started doing that, my own kids were starting to read middle grade chapter books. When I read
with them, I was surprised at how few tough, smart girl heroes I found – unless they were living
in a fantasy world or had survived the apocalypse. My kids wanted girl heroes who lived in a
world like theirs, but could still have adventures and face danger around every corner. So I made
my older detective a 13-year-old girl, and I took direction from my kids. But I kept so much of
what had gone into the original scripts – the pacing, the action sequences, the splashes of color,
and so on.<br /></i><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - Will readers need to read <i>The Crabtree Monsters</i> before reading <i>The Body on the Beach</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Chris Wieland - Of course, as their writer, I’d like readers to get them both!<br /><br />
Having said that, I’ve written them so that they stand on their own. When characters from the
first book show up in the second, I try to encapsulate what’s happened to them so far (anything
that you need to know going forward). This is meant to be a series of Kat and Alec’s adventures,
not a three- or six- or eight-part story with one plot across multiple books. Each book is its own
mystery. The characters grow and develop over time, but you’ll be able to follow the twists and
turns of The Body on the Beach without knowing anything about the Monster Gang (the villains
of The Crabtree Monsters).</i><br /><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - How would you rate the scariness of <i>The Body on the Beach</i> for kids?</b><br /><br /><i>Chris Wieland - The books are meant for ages 8-13, although I’ve heard from kids (and adults) outside that range
that like them. They’re not horror stories, but there is some violence that might be a bit much for some kids younger than 8. What’s important to me is that the violence and the action of these
books have consequences – people get hurt or are in danger. I don’t make light of it, which I
suppose could be tough for a younger reader.<br /><br />
Likewise, the puzzles that Kat and Alec solve are usually pretty twisty and turn-y, and I spend a
lot of time walking through how they figure out the solution. I think if you’re much younger than
8, that might be hard to follow, but if you’re in that age range or older, I want to keep you
guessing.</i><br /><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - What scene was your favorite to write and why?</b><br /><br /><i>Chris Wieland - In The Body on the Beach, there are two big action sequences that I really loved writing – one is
a chase that begins on an el train in Chicago and spills out into the city’s Loop neighborhood.
The other is an attempted rescue on a not-completely frozen Lake Michigan. In both cases, I
wanted to write something that was exciting and that kept my audience on the edge of their seats,
wondering how Kat and Alec could possibly get themselves out of trouble.<br /><br />
But also – and this was true in The Crabtree Monsters, as well – I love writing Kat and Alec’s
dialogue and banter. It doesn’t matter if they’re just annoying each other, or if they’re doggedly
trying to solve a puzzle together. Either way, I love creating the rhythm of their back and forth,
and also creating the layers of this sister/brother team. Writing those scenes makes me smile. </i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Life is What It's Called - How many books will you write for this series?</b><br /><br /><i>Chris Wieland - I’ve plotted out through the sixth book right now, so I’ll definitely do at least that many. One of
the things that’s been important to me is creating a series of books where the key characters don’t
just “go back to normal” at the end. Each adventure changes them forever because they have to
face serious dangers and because they occasionally have to make decisions that will resonate for
a long time. So Kat and Alec in the second book are different people than they were in the first.
I’m writing the third book now, and they’ve continued to grow and evolve.<br /><br />
So what’s exciting is that is that once I’ve gotten to the end of the sixth book, I’ll be writing
about two characters who have grown and changed enough that it’ll feel like a new series, even if
it’s the same girl detective and wise guy skater brother.</i><br /><br /><b>Life is What It's Called - What do you hope kids will enjoy and take away from reading The Body on the Beach?</b><br /><br /><i>Chris Wieland - Most of all, I hope they have a great time reading this book. I want them to be on the edge of
their seats, and to think that they’ve enjoyed a great thrill ride with some laughs and mind
benders mixed in. I also want them to feel like they can be like Kat and Alec – tough and smart
kids who save the day because they work hard, they don’t give up, and they protect each other. I
would love it if readers also take away a sort of moral value from the book – that it’s heroic and
admirable to do the right thing, to do what you believe, and that’s it’s not always easy. There will
be people and obstacles standing in your way, but you can still succeed and be true to what’s
right. If kids come away thinking like that, maybe they’ll do something heroic in their own lives.
It may not be rescuing someone on the ice, or figuring out the identity of a murderer, but maybe they can make a difference to the people in their lives for the better. If Kat and Alec can inspire that kind of heroism, I’ve done my job well.</i><br /><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBkvOHIm7trEf_0WLmC_h2FPt2QxO5AIQFNwZHvoWf1sMwcfUlVZN-GHl_PqLId3oVpZwj-NIai6WecI-p3fDSaEOgvCCHGIYNqzmwYltT0lSTFo_Mc9uUMOByBaKjnTypOpjQcTlx1HUpT9fGWpIuQc2ilhLzuwLCXMjP4MI2c3DY49SGPrxyAE9nOJu/s1080/the-body-on-the-beach-prize-pack.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBkvOHIm7trEf_0WLmC_h2FPt2QxO5AIQFNwZHvoWf1sMwcfUlVZN-GHl_PqLId3oVpZwj-NIai6WecI-p3fDSaEOgvCCHGIYNqzmwYltT0lSTFo_Mc9uUMOByBaKjnTypOpjQcTlx1HUpT9fGWpIuQc2ilhLzuwLCXMjP4MI2c3DY49SGPrxyAE9nOJu/w200-h200/the-body-on-the-beach-prize-pack.png" width="200" /></a></div></b><br />
Enter for the chance to win signed copies of both Kat Dylan Mysteries (<i>The Crabtree Monsters</i> and <i>The Body on the Beach</i>) and a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card!<br /><br />
One (1) grand prize winner receives:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A signed copy of <i>The Crabtree Monsters</i></li><li>A signed copy of <i>The Body on the Beach</i></li><li>A $50 Barnes & Noble gift card.</li></ul>
Four (4) winners receive:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A signed copy of The Body on the Beach</li></ul><br />
<a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/ho2xH/the-body-on-the-beach-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow">
The Body on the Beach Book Giveaway </a></div><div><br /></div><div><i><a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/ho2xH/the-body-on-the-beach-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow"></a><script async="true" src="https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js" type="text/javascript"></script>This post is sponsored by Smart Aleck Press. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.
</i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-83657749896664239882023-11-03T03:00:00.013-06:002023-11-03T03:00:00.166-06:00Twenty at Bedtime Virtual Book Tour, Review, and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8aYQeJ07eKoLZSLoqK1k_vuToXeKQ_CBLNH7oWxpH503l7C3tWTzYtgB0YN8hz-_DjbZnFaCA8Gfu1WPE1Dw1P1eCK2KAduVLhnDU5xTqUd0p-57XlRX8LWbh7hwnHgBct0FfWFWirYU_9MmoAwMytHOmMD8L61rPdbHZpkcrvprk5NLC6CzbeHR8vnO/s1200/Twenty%20At%20Bedtime%20Tour%20Header.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8aYQeJ07eKoLZSLoqK1k_vuToXeKQ_CBLNH7oWxpH503l7C3tWTzYtgB0YN8hz-_DjbZnFaCA8Gfu1WPE1Dw1P1eCK2KAduVLhnDU5xTqUd0p-57XlRX8LWbh7hwnHgBct0FfWFWirYU_9MmoAwMytHOmMD8L61rPdbHZpkcrvprk5NLC6CzbeHR8vnO/w640-h360/Twenty%20At%20Bedtime%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK</b><br /><br /><i>
Twenty Unicorns at Bedtime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDA_CrGcMQLKgSHZGIRIPHjW2Gc5QyUBOrQd71ehFfDvhYlfACTB8tgBVMiOvzYP0uWlme9gqWYH0KN65W3ZRkS4l2e8dcjoLZJ-6QToqy0jNtmGQtVI6prcUEZNfKCKj-nm9AgwERpdzunLy-lzeroAAtadur_U99SzUOHupa6e_NS8BMvPXlQLTXbVGK/s1980/CVR%20TwentyUnicornsBedtime%209780486851891%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1980" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDA_CrGcMQLKgSHZGIRIPHjW2Gc5QyUBOrQd71ehFfDvhYlfACTB8tgBVMiOvzYP0uWlme9gqWYH0KN65W3ZRkS4l2e8dcjoLZJ-6QToqy0jNtmGQtVI6prcUEZNfKCKj-nm9AgwERpdzunLy-lzeroAAtadur_U99SzUOHupa6e_NS8BMvPXlQLTXbVGK/s320/CVR%20TwentyUnicornsBedtime%209780486851891%20.jpg" width="291" /></a></div></i>
Written by Mark Sperring<br />
Illustrated by Tim Budgen<br />
Ages 3+ | 32 Pages<br />
Publisher: Dover Publications | ISBN-13: 9780486851891<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: Who wants to count sheep when you can count pretty, prancing UNICORNS?<br /><br />
This rollicking, rhyming bedtime story with unicorns on every page is a fun and easy way for children to practice counting — and is sure to become a favorite part of every family’s bedtime routine.<br /><br />
Step into a world of adventure and wonder with the Twenty at Bedtime series, featuring Twenty Unicorns at Bedtime and other delightful stories with cute, cuddly characters that both children and parents will look forward to snuggling up with at the end of every day.<br /><br />Available for order on: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Unicorns-Bedtime/dp/0486851893?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1697043747&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=9f85755eb44e32d8cea85b36257799c0&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/twenty-unicorns-at-bedtime-mark-sperring/19776948?ean=9780486851891">Bookshop</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/twenty-unicorns-at-bedtime-mark-sperring/1143086878?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&ean=9780486851891&st=AFF&SID=www.barnesandnoble.com&2sid=The+Children%27s+Book+Review_9085367_NA&sourceId=AFFThe+Children%27s+Book+Review&cjevent=2a673f13694411ee817900a70a1eba22&dpid=tekz25v83">Barnes and Noble</a>, and <a href="https://store.doverpublications.com/0486851893.html">Dover Publications</a>.<div><br /><br /><i>
Twenty Dinosaurs at Bedtime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMNshEyqs4HWrwtTDy3NSUCGbm-Y2CzTzbi6q68b7dky8H36SfVzBqRMVeqZ-COpjx9G-2lcZm58M__mG5orrwx12v6t3LIC5e7Ep9m_-fAJVZY9Nyp6XOZPlixkeSEVLlbd5RnhcwERezBZv_OfsNGBEV0qC_4M2dD8FF8WlHKgfN4wyipRhqkNa1QF2/s1985/CVR%20TwentyDinosaursBedtime9780486851884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1985" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMNshEyqs4HWrwtTDy3NSUCGbm-Y2CzTzbi6q68b7dky8H36SfVzBqRMVeqZ-COpjx9G-2lcZm58M__mG5orrwx12v6t3LIC5e7Ep9m_-fAJVZY9Nyp6XOZPlixkeSEVLlbd5RnhcwERezBZv_OfsNGBEV0qC_4M2dD8FF8WlHKgfN4wyipRhqkNa1QF2/s320/CVR%20TwentyDinosaursBedtime9780486851884.jpg" width="290" /></a></div></i>Written by Mark Sperring<br />Illustrated by Tim Budgen<br />Ages 3+ | 32 Pages<br />Publisher: Dover Publications | ISBN-13: 9780702304231<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: Who wants to count sheep when you can count stomping, roaring DINOSAURS?<br /><br />
This rollicking, rhyming bedtime story with dinosaurs on every page is a fun and easy way for children to practice counting — and is sure to become a favorite part of every family’s bedtime routine.<br /><br />
Step into a world of adventure and wonder with the Twenty at Bedtime series, featuring Twenty Dinosaurs at Bedtime and other delightful stories with cute, cuddly characters that both children and parents will look forward to snuggling up with at the end of every day.<br /><br />Available for order on: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Dinosaurs-Bedtime-count-twenty/dp/0702304239?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=FxZ1r&content-id=amzn1.sym.579192ca-1482-4409-abe7-9e14f17ac827&pf_rd_p=579192ca-1482-4409-abe7-9e14f17ac827&pf_rd_r=130-9800042-3998226&pd_rd_wg=WVbER&pd_rd_r=a5caa7e9-6216-4677-820a-c7d78761b850&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=58d72b275de64e89836df2fc77a4004e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/twenty-dinosaurs-at-bedtime-mark-sperring/19776943?ean=9780486851884">Bookshop</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/twenty-dinosaurs-at-bedtime-mark-sperring/1143086877?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&ean=9780486851884&st=AFF&SID=www.barnesandnoble.com&2sid=The+Children%27s+Book+Review_9085367_NA&sourceId=AFFThe+Children%27s+Book+Review&cjevent=6f50f4c7694411ee80e4f36a0a1cb825&dpid=tekz25v83">Barnes and Noble</a>, and <a href="https://store.doverpublications.com/0486851885.html">Dover Publications</a>.<br /><br /><br /><i>
Twenty Elves at Bedtime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGyMjnFi9wNx8G2jVxNSKIQF12X3lGKiQmgew4Svn6BwLO3CWIDf_8zOucpgWZFi8uNv8Kni9Wg225dHg8ndBX8mJhbHDRXcKm3Mk1sCVm4uDgmWJn6NlWutrW9j8tSD0yyF4R2TGkSAud3i74JsHF5IykTo4dcZLro5AO2aqZB-Ms1PCF2uoiVMg6gw7/s1974/CVR%20TwentyElvesBedtime9780486851877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1974" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGyMjnFi9wNx8G2jVxNSKIQF12X3lGKiQmgew4Svn6BwLO3CWIDf_8zOucpgWZFi8uNv8Kni9Wg225dHg8ndBX8mJhbHDRXcKm3Mk1sCVm4uDgmWJn6NlWutrW9j8tSD0yyF4R2TGkSAud3i74JsHF5IykTo4dcZLro5AO2aqZB-Ms1PCF2uoiVMg6gw7/s320/CVR%20TwentyElvesBedtime9780486851877.jpg" width="292" /></a></div></i>
Written by Mark Sperring<br />
Illustrated by Tim Budgen<br />
Ages 3+ | 32 Pages<br />
Publisher: Dover Publications | ISBN-13: 9780702304231<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: Who wants to count sheep when you can count busy, boisterous North Pole ELVES?<br /><br />
This rollicking, rhyming bedtime story with elves on every page is a fun and easy way for children to practice counting — and is sure to become a favorite part of every family’s bedtime routine.<br /><br />
Step into a world of adventure and wonder with the Twenty at Bedtime series, featuring Twenty Elves at Bedtime and other delightful stories with cute, cuddly characters that both children and parents will look forward to snuggling up with at the end of every day.<br /><br />Available for purchase on: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Elves-Bedtime/dp/0486851877?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=19a4538c6589cd912f73a718931cb1a3&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/twenty-elves-at-bedtime-mark-sperring/19776937?ean=9780486851877">Bookshop</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/twenty-elves-at-bedtime-mark-sperring/1143086876?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&ean=9780486851877&st=AFF&SID=www.barnesandnoble.com&2sid=The+Children%27s+Book+Review_9085367_NA&sourceId=AFFThe+Children%27s+Book+Review&cjevent=ce5f43ba694411ee82b3fa840a1eba24&dpid=tekz25v83">Barnes and Noble</a>, <a href="https://store.doverpublications.com/0486851877.html">Dover Publications</a>.</div><div><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><br /><br />
Mark Sperring is the creator of several bestselling children’s book series and has more than 45 books in print. Author of <i>The Naughty Naughty Baddies</i>, <i>Hot Dog</i>, <i>Four Silly Skeletons</i>, and many, many more, Mark is influenced by all things wonderful. He hopes to one day borrow Max’s boat and go and live with the Wild Things. Until then, he resides in Bristol, UK.<br /><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR</b><br /><br />
Tim Budgen is a freelance illustrator who can usually be found with a pencil in one hand and a sketchbook in the other. Illustrator of When You Adopt a… picture book series and <i>Little Shark, Big Shark</i> for Random House’s Step into Reading Series, Tim has also published many whimsical works with Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, Disney/Lucas Films, Highlights, and others. Tim lives by the sea on Hayling Island, UK, with his wife and their pets, Baxter and Alfie.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>REVIEW</b></div><div>Twenty at Bedtime series introduces kids to numbers from 1-20. Kids count to sleep, but instead of counting sheep, each book introduces something else to count from unicorns, dinosaurs, or elves. After counting to 20, the last set of pages shows all of the numbers and magical creatures that the reader/listener counted. I loved that this counting book goes beyond 10. It's rare to find a counting book that does that, and I felt like this book gave my preschooler a good introduction to counting beyond 10. It was nice that the books have different themes. It makes the series more versatile to apply with a preschool unit or theme. The magical creatures are introduced one-at-a-time to simulate counting sheep. It does miss out on letting preschoolers see the gradually progression as numbers get bigger, but I think seeing all 20 magical creatures at the ends helps preschoolers get the general idea of how big twenty is compared to the other numbers. The illustrations are very eye-catching, cute, and colorful. The illustrator did an amazing job. The colors and fun style immediately caught my eye. My preschooler was immediately drawn to the illustrations. Teaching kids how to count after 10 can be tricky, and I was glad to have these books to help us. Overall, I was very pleased with this book series, and I could see this book being used in homes, preschools and in kindergarten classrooms. It is a fun introduction to numbers that I think kids will enjoy reading over and over again. <br /><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY</b><br /><br />
Enter for the chance to win a 3-book set of the Twenty at Bedtime series!<br /><br />
Five (5) winners receive:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A paperback copy of <i>Twenty Unicorns at Bedtime</i></li><li>A paperback copy of <i>Twenty Dinosaurs at Bedtime</i></li><li>A paperback copy of <i>Twenty Elves at Bedtime</i></li></ul><br />
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Twenty Minutes at Bedtime: Book Giveaway</a><br /><br /></div></div><div><i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This post is sponsored by Dover Publications. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to share my opinion.</span></i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-43807108176140132082023-11-01T03:00:00.001-06:002023-11-01T18:30:50.357-06:00Kneaders Bakery and Cafe: A Celebration of Our Recipes and Memories Book Review<div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZuxX2EjhCd9WtTEleDobjl52KvL5waL3YiYYL5JE6_4QfaJt7-aTTv3nHVXOsLPMZjB_WeGA7F-1P1b6yttZR794aVCzhSovM5mW4O0RIicQfrC7PCW8u41twskfdsS0youdvy2V0HbWXLlE0aLbeqLfDD0cxWYuweVxakRFROpsvbLMgtBTsy-xUVEV/s4000/IMG_20231101_180301394~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZuxX2EjhCd9WtTEleDobjl52KvL5waL3YiYYL5JE6_4QfaJt7-aTTv3nHVXOsLPMZjB_WeGA7F-1P1b6yttZR794aVCzhSovM5mW4O0RIicQfrC7PCW8u41twskfdsS0youdvy2V0HbWXLlE0aLbeqLfDD0cxWYuweVxakRFROpsvbLMgtBTsy-xUVEV/s320/IMG_20231101_180301394~2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></b></div>The story of Kneaders Bakery and Cafe began with Colleen and Gary Worthington baking traditional European bread in their kitchen. After mastering old-world bread-baking techniques and testing countless recipes, Colleen, Gary, and their growing team of bakers moved onto their signature artisan bread.<br /><br />
But bread is just the beginning. Kneaders is well-known for their mouth-watering soups, sandwiches, and breakfast as well as their delectable pies, cakes, and pastries. For the first time, home cooks have access to popular recipes such as Overnight Chunky Cinnamon French Toast, Artichoke Portobello Soup, and Blueberry Sour Cream Pie. Beautiful and appetizing photos accompany each recipe.<br /><br />
What began in Colleen Worthington’s kitchen a little more than twenty-five years ago has grown into a successful family-owned bakery and cafe business with time-tested, delicious recipes gathered in this one-of-a-kind <a href="https://amzn.to/45ViJBQ">cookbook</a>.<br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR </b><div>More than twenty-five years ago, Colleen Worthington rolled up her sleeves and built a baking empire out of her own kitchen, which provided a place for her children and now grandchildren to learn hard work, dedication, and creativity.<br /><br />
Together with her husband, Gary, the Worthingtons pursued their interest in scratch-made artisan breads by training at both the American Institute of Baking and San Francisco Baking Institute. They worked closely with Lehi Mills to develop an exclusive flour mixture and located an ideal, traditional Italian hearth-stone oven. Their first bakery opened in Orem, Utah in 1997, where they served European hearth breads. Within a few months, they expanded to offer a variety of sandwiches, soups, salads, and pastries. In their first quarter-century, they have expanded to forty-nine stores in six southwestern states.<br /><br />
</div><div><b>REVIEW</b></div><div>With Kneaders being a popular restaurant and bakery, this <a href="https://amzn.to/45ViJBQ">book</a> seemed intimidating to me. The photographs capture fancy pastries, cakes, soups and breads. As a moderate baker, I wasn't sure if I could pull off any of the recipes. To my surprise, I found the recipes easy to follow and easy to make. I made the Raspberry Crumble Bars and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Both recipes turned out really well and I would make them again. The pictures and name of the book may seem intimidating, but the recipes are geared for beginners and those wishing for better quality recipes. The recipe book also offers a wide range of recipes that are not only family-friendly, but also seem to offer fresh solutions to dinners, breakfast, lunch and desserts. This book is becoming a favorite of mine. It breaks me out of my cooking and baking comfort zone and inspires me to try something new. To learn more about this fun new recipe book, click <a href="https://amzn.to/45ViJBQ">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Please note that I received a free copy to review from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog.</i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-69903762091582537562023-10-27T03:00:00.001-06:002023-10-27T03:00:00.153-06:00Coloring the Rainbow Virtual Book Tour, Author Interview, and Giveaway<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFyu7UglxLo3RogkJ8yOOUECGbEaQxaMNNYy75nQw4ioDJiLjR9GLUiD_Wy8IfAdUtCXf81hSDB121_puDRO1L4hxQ8O3SU_c3VscwxsVyR9OokMm3vvCFpVfTD3_3UPZzij9YPvUdeK0y8ESfAQVggLkhZhahkDz_wvP4_xjtloQT1n6uYocjcX2_LDzb/s1200/Coloring%20the%20Rainbow%20Tour%20Header%20V2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFyu7UglxLo3RogkJ8yOOUECGbEaQxaMNNYy75nQw4ioDJiLjR9GLUiD_Wy8IfAdUtCXf81hSDB121_puDRO1L4hxQ8O3SU_c3VscwxsVyR9OokMm3vvCFpVfTD3_3UPZzij9YPvUdeK0y8ESfAQVggLkhZhahkDz_wvP4_xjtloQT1n6uYocjcX2_LDzb/w640-h360/Coloring%20the%20Rainbow%20Tour%20Header%20V2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK<br /></b><br /><i>
Coloring the Rainbow: The Power of Connection</i><br />
Written by Catherine Rose<br />
Illustrated by Jeff Dale<br />
Ages: 3-8 | 32 Pages<br /><br />
Publisher: Beaver’s Pond Press (2023) | ISBN: 9781643436371<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: Coloring the Rainbow: The Power of Connection tells a story of the magic created when the unique talents of a diverse group of children are shared in a colorful adventure.<br /><br />
The adventure begins when we see through a boy’s window to find a young trombonist pausing his practice to wonder if other musical voices exist. When an alluring treble note wafts through his window, he begins an excited quest to find the answer. Playing his horn through his neighborhood, the boy draws other curious children to play their unique instruments along with him.<br /><br />
Together, they played:<br /><br />
“Lend your voice, play your part!<br /><br />
Something grand is beginning―<br /><br />
join us for the start!”<br /><br />
The procession of music makers is touched with magic when their combined voices, raised in harmony, orchestrate a colorful miracle.<br /><br />
The ease of poetry and vibrant illustrations make this book a perfect keepsake for any gift-giver wishing to explore the values of diversity and inclusion with young, loved ones.<br /><br />
Available for purchase on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Coloring-Rainbow-Story-about-Connection/dp/1643436376?&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=50c7aa1ed8a8b756f3b8eab0eb772686&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/coloring-the-rainbow-a-story-about-the-power-of-connection-catherine-rose/20248018?ean=9781643436371">Bookshop</a>.<div><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrh4HEZ6dQPWgJbP4UI9RUPUrbCFrWmQcNVFJ2tF2BWS-YAqGKqc9qgzHqiJtvYOjYhty7fdBauiM-qYAtdcS4L-0B80aM09hQXa8eyB0dqxZo9jbA4Ab16u89NPZVT30INFMKaFvFMQVz2SGJjgpWDZK74PDuevG-ttYOtWDFvH-81xesoXladnVDgKl/s600/Catherins-rose%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrh4HEZ6dQPWgJbP4UI9RUPUrbCFrWmQcNVFJ2tF2BWS-YAqGKqc9qgzHqiJtvYOjYhty7fdBauiM-qYAtdcS4L-0B80aM09hQXa8eyB0dqxZo9jbA4Ab16u89NPZVT30INFMKaFvFMQVz2SGJjgpWDZK74PDuevG-ttYOtWDFvH-81xesoXladnVDgKl/s320/Catherins-rose%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div></b><br />
Catherine Rose is enjoying that time of life when one thinks of creating a legacy. What are the lessons learned from living life’s adventure that would benefit generations to come?<br /><br />
As a pediatric nurse, she wrote therapeutic stories to help children cope masterfully with injury and illness. Her present stories weave tales with similarly empowering messages to support children’s development of resilience, confidence and empathy. <br /><br />
Rose writes from the back porch of her log home, inspired by the profile of Mount Jefferson in North Carolina. Married to her high school sweetheart, they now enjoy perpetual recess with their two grandchildren, whose favorite activity is to read a book written by Nana!<br /><br />
For more information, visit <a href="http://www.catherinerose-childauthor.com">www.catherinerose-childauthor.com</a>.<br /><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGaT0PONF_mGc61zaaJCVYilY-LZ6F5tScaVAQSoDlbO7JGVx4kbWw1usT60TQId3r2D2K8-iN9-V1pGMUuEU6T-S9JSHNrfJ3zGe1AUpz5tFEZp7GGMBbRF-oJIzbgUkV6I3Ba2IG9Ma_ckYyLX026rPRecE7-4nUmi7Pz9D4630vDE5IU9jY4z8GIXUS/s2400/Jeff%20Dale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGaT0PONF_mGc61zaaJCVYilY-LZ6F5tScaVAQSoDlbO7JGVx4kbWw1usT60TQId3r2D2K8-iN9-V1pGMUuEU6T-S9JSHNrfJ3zGe1AUpz5tFEZp7GGMBbRF-oJIzbgUkV6I3Ba2IG9Ma_ckYyLX026rPRecE7-4nUmi7Pz9D4630vDE5IU9jY4z8GIXUS/s320/Jeff%20Dale.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></b><br />
Jeff Dale’s foray into artistic design began when his boss at a printing shop asked him to design a logo for a client. While the logo was an impressive design, creating the art had an even more impressive effect on motivating a true passion for creative design.<br /><br />
Educated in the design world of Washington, DC, Jeff’s wide scope of interest and talent has inspired him to design, create, and build just about anything one can conceive of creating, including this debut as an illustrator of a children’s book. Jeff is the founder of Dale Design, situated in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he resides with his wife and two grown children.<br /><br />
His varied talent in artistic design can be appreciated by visiting his website: <a href="http://www.daledesign.com">www.daledesign.com</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - Why is the message of <i>Coloring the Rainbow</i> important in today’s world?</b><br /><br /><i>Catherine Rose - Children are inherently peaceable. But as they grow, they become more aware of messages
from the grown-up world to be wary of differences. Instead of embracing something different
with a healthy and respectful curiosity, differences are often perceived as a threat to what is
known and valued. When we encourage our children to see differences with the same lack of
judgment as viewing a garden full of various colored flowers, the idea of differences as divisive
is muted by the beauty of inclusion.<br /><br />
Coloring the Rainbow is an allegory for this truth. When a little boy becomes curious about how
many different voices there are to be heard, he encourages all sorts of different instruments to
join with him in a parade of music making. Honoring the uniqueness of each instrument, their
shared connection creates the miracle of a rainbow, a symbolic representation of joy, unity and
harmony.<br /><br />
It has been my intention to serve the purpose of peace, by writing a simple tale that opens
hearts and minds to the miracles created when we seek connection with one another. When
that connection is forged of an acceptance for all, a respect for differences, and an honoring of
the worth of each individual, we create peace in our world, one parade at a time.</i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - How do you think <i>Coloring the Rainbow</i> will help children?</b><br /><br /><i>Catherine Rose - The story of Coloring the Rainbow invites children to be curious about what may initially appear
to be strangely new and unique. When differences are honored, children invite the possibility of
learning something new, growing more inclusive, and contributing to a world of greater unity,
harmony, and joy.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What will children like most about <i>Coloring the Rainbow</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Catherine Rose - Children will enjoy seeing themselves represented by characters from different cultures and of
different abilities, as members of the same joyous parade.<br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What will parents like most about <i>Coloring the Rainbow</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Catherine Rose - Parents will enjoy seeing the children playing, learning, and growing together without regard for
differences, exemplifying a more loving vision for our world.<br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - How do you see Coloring the Rainbow being used in homes, classrooms, and library
programs?<br /></b><br /><i>Catherine Rose - I would love to see Coloring the Rainbow being used as a story that opens a discussion about
“What’s so great about being different”?! A “Show and Tell” exercise would follow the reading
of the story, allowing children to share what makes them feel special about themselves and how
that special uniqueness contributes to their home and community. In this way, we can help
children begin to equate differences as being special and important rather than as something to
be potentially misunderstood and feared.<br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - Do you have any supplemental activities to go along with <i>Coloring the Rainbow</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Catherine Rose - My illustrator and I are in the preliminary stages of designing a coloring book that includes all the
different characters in the book. The coloring activity can be used to augment discussion about
differences being special</i>.<br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What do you want readers to know about you?</b><br /><br /><i>Catherine Rose - Being a pediatric nurse is literally who I am. Advocating for children to become the best version
of themselves is not simply a career choice, but a lifelong passion. This passion has taken
many forms over the expanse of my career, but my advocacy for children has remained a
steadfast goal.<br /><br />
Although I am new to authoring children’s books, I have been writing as an advocate for children
all during my nursing career. I have written health curriculum for chronically ill children, new
policies to advocate for the health of children in day care centers, and have designed an
innovative approach for well-child care. But what has directly influenced my fictional writing has
been my experience writing therapeutic stories (Guided Imagery) for children with health
vulnerabilities. The stories that were written to empower vulnerable children to cope more
effectively with their health challenges, are now the inspiration for stories with empowering
messages for all children to reach their potential.<br /><br />
Of a personal nature, I am married to my High School sweetheart. We divide our time between
Florida and North Carolina as yes, “snowbirds”! I sing soprano for university choirs in each
location and have been singing in choirs since I was eight years old—another passion. My
favorite concert has been singing with the Disney Candlelight Processional at Epcot in Orlando!<br /><br />
Together, my husband and I have raised two children and are now enjoying our two
grandchildren; both of whom, are very excited to see their likeness in the book as the trombone
and piccolo players!<br /><br />
I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to continue writing for children in this new and joyful
way! The messages of the stories are part of a legacy of learning and wisdom that I have
chosen to pass along in this season of my life. This book is just the beginning, however: a
second book is presently being illustrated and a third book is a whispered aspiration</i>.<br /><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Enter the giveaway for the chance to win a signed hardcover copy of <i>Coloring the Rainbow</i> and a $100 Amazon gift card!<br /><br />
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Coloring the Rainbow Book Giveaway</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>This post is sponsored by Catherine Rose. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.</i><br /><br /></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-12509582240287040452023-10-26T03:00:00.004-06:002023-10-26T11:10:15.721-06:00All the Small Wonderful Things Virtual Book Tour, Author Interview, and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmk2Kut-rDeStZrN0jMYluTCVi_A6EvSN3AnOB2oeS4M68SvGIEfbfvuHa3iEHkT6VcxRNMLQ6UDPCOGfZ3raEwQwc47udjfIjgYkbze1AA-vj7Hks9YIVB4Hf4AG5ZqHq9E3G-COY3nU3AH5ahaYDST94hX1LYA8tJLG8jKm173EFooLR9t1Ufqwmy1a/s1200/All%20the%20Small%20Wonderful%20Things%20Tour%20Header.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmk2Kut-rDeStZrN0jMYluTCVi_A6EvSN3AnOB2oeS4M68SvGIEfbfvuHa3iEHkT6VcxRNMLQ6UDPCOGfZ3raEwQwc47udjfIjgYkbze1AA-vj7Hks9YIVB4Hf4AG5ZqHq9E3G-COY3nU3AH5ahaYDST94hX1LYA8tJLG8jKm173EFooLR9t1Ufqwmy1a/w640-h360/All%20the%20Small%20Wonderful%20Things%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK<br /></b><div><b><br /></b></div><i>All the Small Wonderful Things</i><br /><br />
Written by Kate Foster<br /><br />
Ages 8+ | 240 Pages<br /><br />
Publisher: Candlewick | ISBN-13: 9781536225808<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: In an endearing story about an autistic boy and his steadfast furry pal, Alex is convinced that winning a trophy at the dog show will help him make a real friend at last.<br /><br />
Eleven-year-old Alex knows that starting middle school will be a big change, and for an autistic person, change can be terrifying. He is sure that having a friend by his side will help. But how can he make one? Alex devises a plan to impress the kids at school by winning a trophy at the PAWS Dog Show with his trusty sidekick, Kevin the Cockapoo. This should be a walk in the park, right? If only. It turns out that finding a friend is harder than Alex thought—unless, maybe, friendship is about something more than popularity.<br /><br />
This charming story, told through Alex’s clear and honest voice, navigates relationships of all stripes between classmates, new neighbors, family, and, of course, a kid and his dog. After all, friendship isn’t one-size-fits-all—maybe it’s found in the small things where you least expect it.<br /><br />
Available for purchase on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Small-Wonderful-Things-Kate-Foster/dp/1536225800?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1697060983&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=21c63a783dc7bb3a014245a7e28d3bda&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-the-small-wonderful-things-kate-foster/19660619?ean=9781536225808">Bookshop</a>, and <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-the-small-wonderful-things-kate-foster/1142940853?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&ean=9781536234190&st=AFF&SID=www.barnesandnoble.com&2sid=The+Children%27s+Book+Review_9085367_NA&sourceId=AFFThe+Children%27s+Book+Review&cjevent=f6b076f46d0811ee815202630a1eba23&dpid=tekz25v83">Barnes and Noble</a>. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbf77qObrNQPVk8wWKrRfHpAWZJgVUEpMhyphenhyphenYyuanAtYTpuAL1EjNu1qUPfyZHUIGTNp4noT0G5j_M_AGaj9m7-4YwnCsG1ZWL8sAwDcndtTLbUybaIVvFoI5puCjSeVUHuKI4GFL6jtx9G8FMkz6SYj9vduY4BzEUR2l7mgaKL2v0aVl3MmnxiC1228DVk/s1024/Author%20Photo%20New%20-%20Kate%20Foster.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbf77qObrNQPVk8wWKrRfHpAWZJgVUEpMhyphenhyphenYyuanAtYTpuAL1EjNu1qUPfyZHUIGTNp4noT0G5j_M_AGaj9m7-4YwnCsG1ZWL8sAwDcndtTLbUybaIVvFoI5puCjSeVUHuKI4GFL6jtx9G8FMkz6SYj9vduY4BzEUR2l7mgaKL2v0aVl3MmnxiC1228DVk/s320/Author%20Photo%20New%20-%20Kate%20Foster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></b><br />
Kate Foster is a children’s author writing about friends, family, and dogs. Originally from a small town in the southeast of England, she now lives on the stunning Gold Coast in Australia with her family and second-hand dogs. She is passionate about encouraging and teaching a wider understanding of autism and mental illness via a positive approach and representation in both her books as well as her presentations and talks.<br /><br />
For more information, visit <a href="http://www.kfosterbooks.com">www.kfosterbooks.com</a>.<br /><br /><br /><b>
AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write <i>All the Small Wonderful Things</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Kate Foster - All the Small Wonderful Things was originally inspired by my youngest son and one of my rescue
dogs. When, as a family, we went to collect Claude, our cockapoo, the fluffy little dog made an
immediate beeline for my son. He stared at him, brought him toys, and followed him around
everywhere. That was nine years ago, and still to this day, Claude does the same. The two of them
share a bond that is unspoken, unbroken, and so magical.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What themes run through this book?</b><br /><br /><i>Kate Foster - Kindness, empathy, compassion, friendship, understanding, and family. </i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Life Is What It's Called - What was your favorite scene to write?</b><br /><br /><i>Kate Foster - I adored writing the whole entire book, if I’m honest, so this is a hard one to answer. But, if I had to
choose, I’d say the final scene. I won’t give away the ending, but it was an utter joy to give my
main character everything he wanted plus more!</i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - What do you hope readers will learn from <i>All the Small Wonderful Things</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Kate Foster - I hope readers take away a much deeper understanding and insight into what day-to-day life can
look and feel like for an autistic person. I hope it not only challenges but absolutely smashes
harmful stereotypes of autism and offers people a valuable inside perspective. I hope it goes
beyond proving that autistic people are not broken, just different, and that sometimes taking a
moment to think, to consider, and then make the smallest changes, can make the most enormous
impact on a person’s day, and even life.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - How do you see <i>All the Small Wonderful Things</i> being used in a classroom setting?</b><br /><br /><i>
Kate Foster - I’ve had the most wonderful feedback from teachers and librarians in the UK and Australia who’ve
used All the Small Wonderful Things as a class read-aloud as well as an entire class novel study.
I’ve been told that through sharing the experiences of Alex and Kevin (the main characters) and
by reading it together, the experience has brought groups of children closer together and given
them a much better understanding of one another and what people could be going through that
we can’t always see on the outside. If similar happens throughout schools in the US and Canada
then I can’t imagine a better result!<br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - How does All the Small Wonderful Things stand apart from other middle grade books in the market?</b><br /><br /><i>Kate Foster - All the Small Wonderful Things may center an autistic main character, but it is not a book about
autism. So many children’s books starring autistic children are about the child’s journey to
overcome their disability, or to be accepted by their peers, or are in some way didactic and forced.
I’m not saying these books don’t necessarily have some value or a place on the shelf, but my
book contains none of these things. All the Small Wonderful Things is a story about an autistic
boy and his best dog friend who are already loved, accepted, and cherished. I write for autism
acceptance, not awareness because I feel we should be moving beyond that now.</i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - What books are you working on next?</b><br /><br /><i>Kate Foster - So many books! But here’s a sneaky peek into two of them …<br /><br />
1. A chapter book comprised of three mini adventures starring an autistic (and possibly the first
autistic female?) superhero, whose superpowers lie in the incredible dogs from her family’s
rescue shelter.<br /><br />
2. A middle-grade mystery (Enid Blyton meets Scooby Doo) starring five autistic kids attending
boring school holiday classes who, unexpectedly, must join forces to stage a daring rescue
mission.</i><br /><br /><b><br />
GIVEAWAY</b><br /><br />
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win an autographed hardcover copy of <i>All the Small Wonderful Things</i>—a $100 donation will be made to a rescue dog charity of the winner’s choice!<br /><br />
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All the Small Wonderful Things: Book Giveaway</a></div><div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>This post is sponsored by Kate Foster. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.</i></span></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-65348665602226307172023-10-23T09:55:00.003-06:002023-10-23T10:10:38.285-06:00Windsong Manor Book Review<div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDr_cPa6rsKNfGZEvwyaGszVE3neHpgnEXN4kJh9g5F3LuwGl3h-TB3FGsxX5QDtj2-SUNJqbsaFCfwHjaUTM73f9H35WmLDaA3ZLADjbwrfb3S3UXRtnyvclF0262b9QgCELlGPeRsSBpl9NA7V623auuUj7PkLFOsObD_wuZkyBmLjDpu1aBCncT5XA/s4000/IMG_20231021_163824398.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDr_cPa6rsKNfGZEvwyaGszVE3neHpgnEXN4kJh9g5F3LuwGl3h-TB3FGsxX5QDtj2-SUNJqbsaFCfwHjaUTM73f9H35WmLDaA3ZLADjbwrfb3S3UXRtnyvclF0262b9QgCELlGPeRsSBpl9NA7V623auuUj7PkLFOsObD_wuZkyBmLjDpu1aBCncT5XA/s320/IMG_20231021_163824398.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></b></div>The London Countryside, 1820<br /><br />
Eleanora Coventry comes from a life of title and privilege, but even that isn’t enough to prevent her from being wed at sixteen to a controlling and dismissive husband. So when she finds herself a widow at only twenty-six, the idea of choosing her own path forward both thrills and terrifies her. She knows how to be a daughter and a wife, but she has no idea how to be Eleanora.<br /><br />
She moves her son and daughter to her late husband’s country estate, where she meets Ridley Ellis, the young stable master, and a favorite among the staff at Windsong Manor. He is ruggedly handsome, but also kind, and Eleanora finds herself drawn to him. There is only one problem: Eleanora has a title, and Ridley does not.<br /><br />
Ridley Ellis has a way with horses. Even the most spirited stallions trust his soft voice and gentle touch. He has the same effect on people, and when he first lays eyes on Eleanora, he is smitten by her beauty. But he quickly discovers it will take more than soft words to gain her trust—Lord Coventry had been cruel to people and animals alike. But the closer he gets to Eleanora, the more he is willing to share his heart, and more importantly, his secret.<br /><br />
In a world where title and privilege mean everything, will Eleanora and Ridley risk it all to find happiness? Or will the shadows of their pasts destroy everything they hope to build together?<div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwlOxRXO4Bw46EzySbnfRTJeCShX4lxywerCRk9c2z8Uq2abHCEUmkOYRhIrIiM2lmm3STt-vz7rui3MmjJI38DmA2D-Y1B7fAz7SDHMPozW_QcTVlFEWnsGPtb68jBJPsBF_bMQm1MSmDhQU72tlzvfLjGvzBOzgXwwA7YagiNwnY2qG0P0YLO88bXsl/s640/Wright,%20Julie-Small-BW_Photo%20Credit%20by%20Tiffany%20Tertipes.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="425" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwlOxRXO4Bw46EzySbnfRTJeCShX4lxywerCRk9c2z8Uq2abHCEUmkOYRhIrIiM2lmm3STt-vz7rui3MmjJI38DmA2D-Y1B7fAz7SDHMPozW_QcTVlFEWnsGPtb68jBJPsBF_bMQm1MSmDhQU72tlzvfLjGvzBOzgXwwA7YagiNwnY2qG0P0YLO88bXsl/s320/Wright,%20Julie-Small-BW_Photo%20Credit%20by%20Tiffany%20Tertipes.jpg" width="213" /></a></div></b><br />Julie Wright (1972-still breathing) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She's lived in LA, Boston, and the literal middle of nowhere (don't ask). She wrote her first book when she was fifteen. Since then, she's written twenty-three novels and coauthored three. Julie is a two-time winner of the Whitney award for best romance with her books "Cross My Heart" and "Lies Jane Austen Told Me." The America Library Association listed “Glass Slippers, Ever After, and Me” in their 2020 top ten best romances and "A Captain for Caroline Gray" in their 2021 top ten best romances. Her book "Death Thieves" was a Whitney finalist.<br /><br />She has one husband, five kids, two grandbabies, one dog, and a varying amount of houseplants (depending on attrition).<br /><br />She loves writing, reading, traveling, hiking, playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner.<br /><br />She used to speak fluent Swedish, but now speaks only well enough to cuss out her children in public.<br /><br />She hates mayonnaise. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>REVIEW</b></div><div>Eleanora married into a life with title and privilege to a man who was controlling and cruel. With the death of her husband, she begins to find freedom on her late husband's country estate. As she gets to know Ridley, who works in the stable, she finds herself falling for him.</div><div><br /></div><div>I loved the story in this book. The author plays with some unique and creative ideas in this book from unexpected romance between stations, creating a family, and dealing with cruelty from others. The author creates a sweet wholesome romance between the characters, while also making some expected and unexpected twists and turns. Ridley and Eleanora both face past issues that come to surface and have to figure out how to deal with it. Most of the story is built on the growth of the characters and starts off as character driven novel and then becomes more action based. It's an easy-to-read romance that's clean, and romance readers will enjoy it. The pacing was slow at the beginning and seemed rushed at the end. I would have also liked to have seen the author play and expand some of her imagery and descriptions. The author did bring some fresh and creative takes on the Regency Romance genre that readers will appreciate by bringing in a mix of issues. To learn more about this book, click <a href="https://amzn.to/3QAeIhX">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Please note that I received this book for free to review from the publisher, however, this is my honest opinion. This post contains an affiliate link that helps support this blog.</i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-57849332815849237172023-10-13T03:30:00.001-06:002023-10-13T03:30:00.133-06:00The Monsters of Marymount Mansion Book Tour, Author Interview, and Giveaway<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rLLWHNfp6CpNfMC3ZV00CzjrAvuSuoWqxU68nU_dl0AdarSq-8bykr8v1xYKk4q9SZmY9gQUIL9F2leVzKhyphenhyphenUqxZcdeZOE_1-Ri_ebsiZsfzOFH37P0kKaEY4IDymLLVY6QJHuZB7vNK2v3k-rhInkd8tXd03d6jK5S1mDdmH6L3i4qcIzoVgFKmyve-/s1200/The%20Monsters%20of%20Marymount%20Mansion%20Tour%20Header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rLLWHNfp6CpNfMC3ZV00CzjrAvuSuoWqxU68nU_dl0AdarSq-8bykr8v1xYKk4q9SZmY9gQUIL9F2leVzKhyphenhyphenUqxZcdeZOE_1-Ri_ebsiZsfzOFH37P0kKaEY4IDymLLVY6QJHuZB7vNK2v3k-rhInkd8tXd03d6jK5S1mDdmH6L3i4qcIzoVgFKmyve-/w640-h360/The%20Monsters%20of%20Marymount%20Mansion%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><b><br /></b></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div>ABOUT THE BOOK</b><br /><br />
<br /><i>The Monsters of Marymount Mansion</i><br /><br />
Written by Gregory G. Allen<br /><br />
Illustrated by Shelby Goodwin<br /><br />
Ages 7+ | 128 Pages<br /><br />
Publisher: ASD Publishing | ISBN-13: 9780996102940<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: Meet Toby: a young monster who has skin like a fish, fur like a dog, and smells like cotton candy when he gets excited. He lives with his family in the basement of Marymount Mansion and once a year ventures out into the real world when everyone is dressed for Halloween. Toby becomes frustrated with hiding below ground and sets off on an all-important quest.<br /><br />
Available for purchase on: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Monsters-Marymount-Mansion-Gregory-Allen/dp/0996102949?&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=ba2162e2f68d47333c79fe54f9a12de1&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-monsters-of-marymount-mansion-gregory-g-allen/20624560?ean=9780996102940">Bookshop</a>, and <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-monsters-of-marymount-mansion-gregory-g-allen/1144095146?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&st=AFF&SID=www.barnesandnoble.com&2sid=The+Children%27s+Book+Review_9085367_NA&sourceId=AFFThe+Children%27s+Book+Review&cjevent=f8a6e670647911ee8193cf370a1cb826&dpid=tekz25v83">Barnes and Noble</a>.<div><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><br /><br />
Gregory G. Allen is an award-winning author, screenwriter, filmmaker, and actor. His children’s books include Chicken Boy: <i>The Adventures of a Superhero with Autism, Chicken Boy Deals with Doctors & Dentists, and Irving the Theater Nut!</i> He is a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and The Dramatist Guild. The idea for his monster book goes back to the first musical he ever wrote, which was produced for the stage when he was 15, with the message that it’s okay to be different.<br /><br />
For more information, visit <a href="http://gregsimagination.com">gregsimagination.com</a>.<br /><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR</b><br /><br />
Shelby Goodwin is an illustrator, letterer, graphic designer, and all-around creative living in Hoboken, NJ. She is extremely passionate about children’s media and the power of art to romanticize the everyday. When she is not making things, she can be found with her spouse and three cats exploring new places, eating pastries, or cuddling up in her favorite reading chair.<br /><br />
For more information, visit <a href="http://heartonmysleevedesign.com">heartonmysleevedesign.com</a>.<br /><br /><br /><b>AUTHOR INTERVIEW <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99CjMBx2LxbW2Clns_7mc1WG6cuorWkzzzQvE7DZqNXD1YSeDEkqysRxDHbby7EkMvhYhpbTAAAixiuWn-xWXdtEOaJXF86m7D9DXRvr6iFC71WVFPa5AVRtMgohrkgJBkRlp4_QVedC-HtvM7Adsouj6vgP8hjxncySkuTfcyi6vT1yNg9HeA5OlI91f/s1920/GregoryGAllenwithbooks%20-%20Gregory%20G.%20Allen.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99CjMBx2LxbW2Clns_7mc1WG6cuorWkzzzQvE7DZqNXD1YSeDEkqysRxDHbby7EkMvhYhpbTAAAixiuWn-xWXdtEOaJXF86m7D9DXRvr6iFC71WVFPa5AVRtMgohrkgJBkRlp4_QVedC-HtvM7Adsouj6vgP8hjxncySkuTfcyi6vT1yNg9HeA5OlI91f/s320/GregoryGAllenwithbooks%20-%20Gregory%20G.%20Allen.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></b></div><div><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write The Monsters of Marymount Mansion?</b><br /><br /><i>Gregory G. Allen - When I was 14, I wrote a Halloween musical for a children’s theater company all about Halloween
characters that had to live in the basement of a hotel and could only come out once a year. The past ten
years I have visited schools talking about my first two kids’ books on autism awareness (sharing the
message not to fear children with autism because they’re different) and one time I had an “Ah-ha”
moment while talking at a school. It hit me that I’ve been sharing the message that it’s “ok to be different”
since I was 14. So I decided to revisit a 30 year old story and give it a fresh spin for today. (Also since I
couldn’t really remember all the plot points from back then and sadly I don’t have a script from that show.)</i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - What do you hope children learn from reading <i>The Monsters of Marymount Mansion</i>?</b><br /><i><br />Gregory G. Allen - I want all children to know that they are not alone when they feel different from others. That difference is
what makes them unique and special! As Toby the monster learns self-acceptance, I hope kids reading it
will do the same.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What is the overall theme of <i>The Monsters of Marymount Mansion</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Gregory G. Allen - There are a few woven in, but I would say Shakespeare said it best in Hamlet...to thine own self be true.
Why is it important to have children's books with inclusion?<br /><br />
I think most children go through moments where they feel they don’t fit in a certain situation...and this can
be for so many reasons: a handicap they might have, a broken family, or having to wear glasses...it can
be big or small but to that child it’s always big. So I think it’s wonderful when kids can see themselves in a
book. A quick story: My last picture book was turned into a short film and when the young Indian actress
saw the book the film was based on she said “She looks like me” as we made sure all the children in the
book included all nationalities. It melted by heart when that young actress said that to me.<br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What do you think children will like most about <i>The Monsters of Marymount Mansion</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Gregory G. Allen - I’m lucky to have had some children as beta readers and I got amazing feedback from them. So I know
they love the adventures that Toby goes on. They like his relationship with his little sister. They love that
there is a human that cares for him and treats him as a kid instead of a monster. Oh...and that he smells
like cotton candy when he farts. ;-)</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What was your experience writing it?</b><br /><br /><i>Gregory G. Allen - I wrote on social media last fall that I would have this book out by this fall to hold myself accountable. It
was such a joy to return to a story that germinated thirty years ago, but allowed for so much growth and
change and became what it is today. I honestly thought I was going to write another picture book, but our
little monster Toby just had too much more to say and do to fit into a shorter story.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What else should readers know about you or <i>The Monsters of Marymount Mansion</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Gregory G. Allen - I think people should know that all my children’s books are about championing the person (or squirrel or
monster) that steps outside what is expected of them and to try something new. I think all kids should be
encouraged to follow whatever passion it is they have and to go for it. Success is measured in many
ways. I may not be a household name, but I feel I’ve had a successful career and I hope the same thing
for every reader who picks up one of my books.</i><br /><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY</b><br /><br />
Enter for the chance to win a signed paperback copy of The Monsters of Marymount Mansion, a signed paperback copy of each of the author’s previous picture books** (<i>Chicken Boy: The Amazing Adventures of a Superhero with Autism, Chicken Boy: A Superhero with Autism Deals with Doctors & Dentists, and Irving the Theater Nut!</i>), and a $50 Amazon gift card to buy other books! **All books teach children not to fear those who are different and to be proud of themselves FOR those differences.<br /><br />
One (1) grand prize winner receives:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A signed paperback copy of <i>The Monsters of Marymount Mansion</i></li><li>A signed paperback copy of <i>Chicken Boy: The Amazing Adventures of a Superhero with Autism</i></li><li>A signed paperback copy of <i>Chicken Boy: A Superhero Deals with Doctors and Dentists</i></li><li>A signed paperback copy of <i>Irving the Theater Nut</i></li><li>A $50 Amazon Gift Card</li></ul>
Four (4) winners receive:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A signed paperback copy of <i>The Monsters of Marymount Mansion</i></li></ul><br />
<a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/B1Uur/the-monsters-of-marymount-mansion-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow">
The Monsters of Marymount Mansion: Book Giveaway </a></div><div><br /></div><div><a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/B1Uur/the-monsters-of-marymount-mansion-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow"></a><script async="true" src="https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js" type="text/javascript"></script><i>This post is sponsored by Gregory G. Allen. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.</i><br /><br /></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-91359160335830462412023-10-13T03:00:00.001-06:002023-10-13T03:00:00.141-06:00The Girl and Her Noble Steed Virtual Book Tour, Author Interview and Giveaway<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-qkQgFbnJvCWtOm7lMIAzWhr8kW4fcEebl2qm7CTwTlDdD6t6kjUfKIe5m1bM8SP2rWRIhNJ-9XgJkrTkYsKdlaKr4fH07lnNC8HHX5qOrYfAmhDAl__d_6QAliLkz6NjOfM17cE9G_VRDaWta2oU4CsCMCmlKrcaJu_P0-JcpfTSKQ59-WUoXmqEe9x/s1200/The%20Girl%20and%20Her%20Noble%20Steed%20Tour%20Header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-qkQgFbnJvCWtOm7lMIAzWhr8kW4fcEebl2qm7CTwTlDdD6t6kjUfKIe5m1bM8SP2rWRIhNJ-9XgJkrTkYsKdlaKr4fH07lnNC8HHX5qOrYfAmhDAl__d_6QAliLkz6NjOfM17cE9G_VRDaWta2oU4CsCMCmlKrcaJu_P0-JcpfTSKQ59-WUoXmqEe9x/w640-h360/The%20Girl%20and%20Her%20Noble%20Steed%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div>ABOUT THE BOOK</b><br /><br /><i>
The Girl and Her Noble Steed</i><br /><br />
Written by Kirthana J. Fanning<br /><br />
Illustrated by Travis J. Hill<br /><br />
Age Range: 8+ | 100 Pages<br /><br />
Publisher: Kirthana J. Fanning LLC (2023) | ISBN-13: 9798988194125<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: Embark on a remarkable journey with an orphan girl determined to conquer a thrilling race. Overcoming obstacles with the power of prayer, she’s joined by a cantankerous farmer and his singing, dancing miniature donkey.<br /><br />
Together, they defy the odds, showcasing the strength of faith, courage, and friendship.<br /><br />
Prepare yourself for an unforgettable adventure that will leave you inspired and wanting more in…<br /><br />
‘The Girl and Her Noble Steed’, the first book in this series.
A tale of resilience, hope, triumph, and answered prayers.<br /><br />
Available for purchase on: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Her-Noble-Steed/dp/B0CHCTGMFT?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1694444143&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=2726794e29809fa2205b61b8950b1110&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.kirthanajfanning.com/product-page/the-girl-and-her-noble-steed-signed-hardcover">Author’s Website for Signed Copies</a>, Ingram Spark for wholesale orders and global distribution.<br /><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRhZCb07hedn8-8PrJ2IpY7eLvNEOx1E0Z4yTf8VQG4UnsnWJRWoB0qzsuaJoaovsJ9hwpw7c9IeW0uiPSalgBbrsiRQFngAf2LCQxHX5qWrB7RFa1BiuOVsQnKpRSa_wAvZ19DoSe90ozLU97zTx_Gk5YYDS9J0ssaG4rAqpUjJHWmDNaTSSg0OtETQW/s651/Kirthana%20J%20Fanning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="651" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRhZCb07hedn8-8PrJ2IpY7eLvNEOx1E0Z4yTf8VQG4UnsnWJRWoB0qzsuaJoaovsJ9hwpw7c9IeW0uiPSalgBbrsiRQFngAf2LCQxHX5qWrB7RFa1BiuOVsQnKpRSa_wAvZ19DoSe90ozLU97zTx_Gk5YYDS9J0ssaG4rAqpUjJHWmDNaTSSg0OtETQW/s320/Kirthana%20J%20Fanning.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></b><br />
Kirthana J. Fanning is a children’s book author who is passionate about empowering young readers with God’s word and inspiring them to live boldly in Christ. Her stories are full of adventure and lessons that will help young minds grow and flourish. She believes that sharing God’s love and miracles through her writing will leave an indelible mark on the world, one heart at a time.<br /><br />
With two decades of experience as a television producer and writer in Southeast Asia, Kirthana uses her expertise to craft stories that will help young people navigate through life’s challenges with faith and grace. When she’s not writing, Kirthana volunteers as a remote youth fellowship leader and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two huskies.<br /><br />
For more information, visit <a href="https://www.kirthanajfanning.com">the author's website</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KirthanaJF/">Facebook</a>,<br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kirthana_j_fanning/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/31028013.Kirthana_J_Fanning">Goodreads,</a> <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kirthana-j-fanning">Bookbub</a>.<br /><br /><br /><b>
AUTHOR INTERVIEW </b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Life Is What It's Called -What inspired you to write <i>The Girl and Her Noble Steed</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Kirthana J. Fanning - From my childhood, fairytales have held a special place in my heart. Yet, I couldn't help but notice that while these stories were enchanting, they often lacked a strong foundation of Christian faith. The first three versions of "The Girl and Her Noble Steed" were not faith-based, and this realization weighed on my heart. I prayed earnestly, seeking guidance. It was during this time of reflection and prayer that God laid upon my heart the conviction that I needed to create faith-based books. This divine calling became clear to me, and I knew it was His will for me.<br /><br />
With this newfound purpose, I set out to craft stories that would not only captivate young minds with thrilling adventures but also impart essential life lessons, teaching them to have unwavering trust in God and the belief that with Him, anything is possible. My goal was to provide my goddaughter, my nephews, my future children, and all the young readers out there with tales that would inspire and nurture their faith.</i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - What themes run through <i>The Girl and Her Noble Steed</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Kirthana J. Fanning - "The Girl and Her Noble Steed" weaves several themes throughout its narrative. Faith and trust in God are central, as characters rely on divine guidance in the face of challenges. Courage and perseverance shine through the protagonist's journey. Friendship and loyalty are exemplified in the bonds between characters. Divine guidance is a recurring motif, emphasizing God's involvement. The story brims with adventure, urging young readers to explore their own lives. Valuable moral lessons promote kindness and compassion, and the tale instills belief in miracles, highlighting God's boundless power. <br /></i><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - What ages will most like <i>The Girl and Her Noble Steed</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Kirthana J. Fanning - "The Girl and Her Noble Steed" is primarily targeted at children between the ages of 7 and 12. This age range encompasses early readers who are just beginning to explore chapter books to older children who can enjoy more complex narratives. Here's a breakdown of the age groups that will likely appreciate the book:<br /><br />
Ages 7: Younger readers in this age group will enjoy the story's engaging characters and simple plot. The book can serve as a great introduction to chapter books and can be read aloud to them by parents or caregivers.<br /><br />
Ages 8–10: Children in this age range are likely to appreciate the story's deeper themes and character development. They can read the book independently and relate to the protagonist's adventures and dilemmas.<br /><br />
Ages 11–12: Older children will find "The Girl and Her Noble Steed" to be a captivating read that explores faith and courage in a more profound way. The book can spark meaningful discussions about faith and trust in God.<br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called -What will kids like most about <i>The Girl and Her Noble Steed</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Kirthana J. Fanning - "The Girl and Her Noble Steed" will captivate children with its fascinating adventures and enduring friendships. The story emphasizes faith and belief in miracles while teaching important moral lessons. It's a triumph over all odds that teaches children that no dream is out of grasp and that a miracle is simply a prayer away.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - How is <i>The Girl and Her Noble Steed </i>different from other books on the market?<br /></b><br /><i>Kirthana J. Fanning - Amidst the bustling world of children's literature, "The Girl and Her Noble Steed" emerges as a radiant symbol of faith. It fearlessly weaves the themes of unshakeable trust in God, belief in miracles, and divine guidance, setting itself apart from the rest. This narrative not only sweeps readers into thrilling adventures but also imparts deep-seated lessons in kindness, compassion, and altruism. Its focus on the bonds of family and friendship adds another layer of depth. In the vast realm of books, this one stands as a distinct and influential choice for families in search of Christian faith-centered, morally enriching tales for their children.
</i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called -What writing projects are you working on next?</b><br /><i><br />Kirthana J. Fanning - I'm now working on a special Christmas book as well as the sequel to "The Girl and Her Noble Steed."
</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called -What do you want readers to know about you as an author?
</b><br /><i><br />Kirthana J. Fanning - As an author, I'm not just a wordsmith flinging tales into the literary wilds. Behind each whimsical story lurks a wellspring of thought and a hearty dose of imagination. My goal? Well, it's simple. I want to bring a smile to your face while planting little seeds of wonder and wisdom in your mind. Why, you ask? Once upon a time, I was a wide-eyed dreamer lost in the maze of growing up. But then God found me, and I found peace and comfort in his love. Now I'm on a mission to remind kids that they're amazing. I want every child to know that they are special and important, and that God loves them very much. So, let's open a book, read, and journey together.
</i><br /><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY</b><br /><br />
Enter for the chance to win a The Girl and Her Noble Steed swag gift pack, including a signed hardcover copy, bookmark, keychain, themed activity sheets, glitter sticker, and choice of a bowl/bracelet or bag, and a 10 min virtual conversation with the author!<br /><br />
One Grand Prize Winner Receives:<br /><br /><i>
The Girl and Her Noble Steed</i> Swag Gift Pack, Including:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9RSVehm02LABUr9AJVHQgZGowQNNm1vgk8X1Y7OD3Kx4S5A48k6eB0hk1rqVNA3gSFdK18NrgjJBAqz8exiukg_w4RkpwXhNr1As414aWU0KKJPhPeQ-Z44XZv6X4m6NUt414utBNWqB-1gRjh4m2-ViqFqgcVTZbi6a5jl6SqGKTqVaosJk8olOOrbB/s1200/The%20Girl%20and%20Her%20Noble%20Steed%20Prize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1200" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9RSVehm02LABUr9AJVHQgZGowQNNm1vgk8X1Y7OD3Kx4S5A48k6eB0hk1rqVNA3gSFdK18NrgjJBAqz8exiukg_w4RkpwXhNr1As414aWU0KKJPhPeQ-Z44XZv6X4m6NUt414utBNWqB-1gRjh4m2-ViqFqgcVTZbi6a5jl6SqGKTqVaosJk8olOOrbB/s320/The%20Girl%20and%20Her%20Noble%20Steed%20Prize.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>One (1) Signed Hardcover Copy of <i>The Girl and Her Noble Steed</i></li><li>One (1) Bookmark</li><li>One (1) Keychain</li><li>Themed Activity Sheet</li><li>One (1) Glitter Sticker</li><li>Choice of One (1) Bowl/Bracelet or Bag</li><li>One (1) 10-minute Virtual Conversation with the Author</li></ul>
Two Winners Receive:<br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>One (1) Digitally signed Ebook Copy of <i>The Girl and Her Noble Steed</i></li><li>One (1) Digital Bookmark</li></ul>
Two Winners Receive:<br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>One (1) Signed Paperback Copy of <i>The Girl and Her Noble Steed</i></li><li>One (1) Bookmarks</li></ul>
One Winner Receives:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>One (1) Signed Hardcover Copy of <i>The Girl and Her Noble Steed</i></li></ul><br />
<a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/3d9ZX/the-girl-and-her-noble-steed-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow">
The Girl and Her Noble Steed: Book Giveaway</a></div><div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>This post is sponsored by Kirthana J. Fanning. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.</i></span></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-68280414173531698642023-10-06T14:50:00.001-06:002023-10-06T14:50:12.657-06:00Meowl-o-ween Book Review<b>ABOUT THE BOOK</b> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxTiBm9LsRQdwkh80_CQ-uA-g19siQOjpiVd_PtZ8IS9SzP5Q46RWgXJnX5SdQrF_a-vsnJiJ4gweJXdzF01E7iWt5e7HoxQ5MJKF3kWKQlmKZo1o-EzNoqYq11EJwLX8IAFfWUW-8jRVfGb9NYbSRKV0sMsEkIW-BIZtOYOuYZlS4hlMqOlIH8_gThbz/s4000/IMG_20230913_112127352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxTiBm9LsRQdwkh80_CQ-uA-g19siQOjpiVd_PtZ8IS9SzP5Q46RWgXJnX5SdQrF_a-vsnJiJ4gweJXdzF01E7iWt5e7HoxQ5MJKF3kWKQlmKZo1o-EzNoqYq11EJwLX8IAFfWUW-8jRVfGb9NYbSRKV0sMsEkIW-BIZtOYOuYZlS4hlMqOlIH8_gThbz/s320/IMG_20230913_112127352.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It's Halloween night, also known as Meowl-o-ween! Cats are on the prowl, ready to give trick-or-treaters a fright. But one lost kitten is scared--will she find her way and join the fun?<br /><br />
On frightful, delightful Meowl-o-ween, cats slink by carved pumpkins and prepare to spook the trick-or-treaters parading the streets. But not all of the cats are enjoying the flashing lights and costumes. A lone kitten is overwhelmed by the crowds and doesn’t know which way to turn! This fresh Halloween tale is a rhyming read-aloud that shows even the smallest scaredy-cat can find the courage to overcome their fears and anxieties.<br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><br /><br />
Diane Muldrow graduated from Ohio University. She worked as an actor and dancer in New York. She moved on to become an editor for Golden Books and wrote licensed books for Barbie and Disney. She has written several books and is now a full-time author.<br /><br /><b>
REVIEW</b></div><div><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3LS5GKi">Meowl-o-ween</a></i> shares what cats do on Halloween from observing trick-or-treaters to going to a Halloween party. Kids will enjoy this cute rhyming book and the colorful illustrations. This book is a "cute" Halloween book that would be appropriate for young children and not at all scary. I felt like the rhyming was well done. The book seemed to have a rhythm to it as I was reading to my child. Overall, I felt like this was a cute Halloween book. To learn more about <i>Meowl-o-ween, </i>click <a href="https://amzn.to/3LS5GKi">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Please note that I received a free copy to review, however, this is my honest opinion. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog.</i></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-26741610168047468662023-10-04T05:00:00.007-06:002023-10-04T05:00:00.140-06:00A Cloud in a Jar Author Interview and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEMz7RqsrHCQG5aBgibmXzzugScbC-t1GujCjM6Iulj3FQ9-rQFnLLUz4CjAY4A7BsIBsxyuYH-K6Jg1YRQ41nSRf0YJHQdkApVExgCzTOAzwrTRs4Cqx9EIL3SbSzl3VP7-XbSaVpAdSaW0ynFeOWOqQjjCZQM3mh2xZSeWHYjQPC4sTdPTibiaXoydi/s1200/A%20Cloud%20in%20a%20Jar%20Tour%20Header.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEMz7RqsrHCQG5aBgibmXzzugScbC-t1GujCjM6Iulj3FQ9-rQFnLLUz4CjAY4A7BsIBsxyuYH-K6Jg1YRQ41nSRf0YJHQdkApVExgCzTOAzwrTRs4Cqx9EIL3SbSzl3VP7-XbSaVpAdSaW0ynFeOWOqQjjCZQM3mh2xZSeWHYjQPC4sTdPTibiaXoydi/w640-h360/A%20Cloud%20in%20a%20Jar%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK</b><br /><br /><i>
A Cloud in a Jar</i><br /><br />
Written by Aaron Lewis Krol<br /><br />
Illustrated by Carlos Vélez Aguilera<br /><br />
Ages 4+ | 32 Pages<br /><br />
Publisher: Pages Street Kids | ISBN-13: 9781645679936<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: It’s just after midnight on Walton Wharf West, but there’s no time for sleeping―adventure awaits! Get dressed, grab your oars, let’s not delay. Lou Dozens is here, and we’re sailing to Firelight Bay!<br /><br />
In this modern, young, bold, and inventive adventure, Lou drags her more cautious friend on a daring voyage across the sea. Though their destination is a glorious land of year-round summers, long slides, and picnics a hundred yards wide, the children there have never seen rain, even once.<br /><br />
The mission is simple: bring Firelight Bay a cloud in a jar. But the journey is anything but. Readers will delight in the story’s twists, turns, and unexpected solutions―from a sail of patchwork handkerchiefs to a net crafted from recycled cell phone chargers that saves a beached whale. It’ll take every knick-knack in Lou’s pockets and all the cleverness the pair can muster to safely deliver their gift.<br /><br />
With captivating illustrations and whimsical yet delightfully intricate rhyming text reminiscent of classic children’s poetry, this seafaring quest is one young readers will not soon forget.<br /><br />
Available for purchase on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Jar-Aaron-Lewis-Krol/dp/1645679934?&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=f817e1f1cc60683e8a19115ea8ff4a61&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-cloud-in-a-jar-aaron-lewis-krol/19490036?ean=9781645679936">Bookshop</a>, and <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-cloud-in-a-jar-aaron-lewis-krol/1142827263?ean=9781645679936">Barnes and Noble</a>.<div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><b>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b><br /><br />
Aaron Lewis Krol lives with his family in Lowell, Massachusetts, where he writes about climate change science and solutions for the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative. Like many, his early education included many “invention challenges” where students were tasked with building structures from everyday materials, and he’s pretty sure that’s where the idea for Lou Dozens came from. A Cloud in a Jar is his first picture book.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><b>
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR</b><br /><br />
Carlos Vélez Aguilera lived in the oceanside town of Puerto Vallarta for a time and drew from his memory of those beautiful landscapes and the sense of adventure they gave him while illustrating this book. He also poured in his general love of clouds, the sea, and whales. In addition to drawing, Carlos also likes to dance. He lives in Mexico City, Mexico, with his cat, Benito.
<br /><br /><br /><b>AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b></div><div><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write <i>A Cloud in a Jar</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Aaron Lewis Krol - I wasn’t expecting to write a picture book! I just got a first verse stuck in my head—ultimately not even the first verse that appears in the published book:<br /><br />
We left in a rowboat, Lou Dozens and me,<br />
And Salman the cat, who was leading the way<br />
(With his chin in a kerchief to fend off the spray<br />
Because cats like their whiskers kept dry)—<br />
Through the whispering waters of Tangerine Bay<br />
To the sun-speckled Island of Spry.<br /><br />
I liked it. I wondered what kind of person Lou Dozens was. Maybe she had dozens of little
household objects secreted in her coat. Paperclips, hair ties, things like that. If they got in
trouble on this journey she could quick fashion them into little inventions that would help
them keep going. Uh oh, I was somehow well on my way to writing a picture book.<br /></i><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What are the themes of <i>A Cloud in a Jar</i>, and why are they important?</b><br /><br /><i>Aaron Lewis Krol - In A Cloud in a Jar, the heroes get themselves out of trouble using their creativity and
inventions until, eventually, they can’t—in the end they only get where they’re going by
being kind and making the right friend at the right time. I’d like to think those are two very
good ways for kids to see characters solving problems.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What will readers like most about <i>A Cloud in a Jar</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Aaron Lewis Krol - What I like best are the illustrations—I’ve sat with the words for a few years now and they
don’t hold any surprises for me anymore, but I’m still hooked on Carlos’ deep colors and
striking perspectives and all the tiny imaginative details that fill every page. And man oh
man can he draw a whale.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What input did you have when it came to the illustrations?</b><br /><br /><i>Aaron Lewis Krol - I am so glad that Page Street found Carlos to be my illustrator. As soon as I saw his portfolio I knew this book was going to look even better than it had in my head. I only gave him one
instruction going in—in my original draft a cat had featured prominently in the story, but
as I edited it down to a manageable picture book length I found I had too many characters and the cat had to go. But I loved the cat, so I asked Carlos to please include a cat joining the
characters on their journey. Once Carlos drew him I loved the cat even more.
I was invited to give feedback on every sketch and layout Carlos sent me, but almost always
he surprised me with something better than I had imagined. If I wanted something
adjusted, I would really just give him a couple of adjectives (can Walton Wharf West be
more industrial? could the narrator’s hat look more like something a kid would think is
dashing and adventurous?), and these fully imagined places and characters would come
back to me. He was an absolute delight to work with.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - How is this book different from others on the market?</b><br /><br /><i>Aaron Lewis Krol - The rhyme and meter! It’s getting a bit rarer to have rhymed stories for older picture book
readers, and when they do get published they are overwhelmingly the same tetrametric
couplets. (That’s the Dr. Suess rhyme scheme: “I would not eat them in a house, I would not
eat them with a mouse.”) And hey, it’s a mainstay for a reason, and I enthusiastically read
these books to my kids. But I also love the classic children’s poetry that stretched out a bit
more, let kids appreciate different ways of hearing poetic rhythms. A Cloud in a Jar is a riff
on ballad meter, which you know even if you don’t know you know it. (Think Lewis Carroll:
“‘The time has come,’ the Walrus said, ‘to talk of many things: of shoes—and ships—and
sealing-wax—of cabbages—and kings.’”) But I also tweaked it a little, to use triplet rhymes
in a bit of an off-kilter order. My hope is that it sounds familiar, but not quite like anything
else on your shelf.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - Why do you think it's essential to have picture books that inspire adventure?</b><br /><br /><i>Aaron Lewis Krol - Isn’t it enough that kids love adventures? I mean, if adventure stories also inspire them to
think they can solve problems themselves and travel widely and try new things and make
unexpected friends in strange places, that’s all wonderful. But mostly I just think kids have
these deep natural wells of imagination, and there’s nothing that taps into that better than
a story where bizarre things can happen in a new and fantastical place, ideally with kids
like them swept along for the ride.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What books are you working on next?</b><br /><br /><i>Aaron Lewis Krol - I’ve got a second picture book I’m shopping around called Fee! Fi! Fo! Fum! set in a world of
giants who fashion their clothes and household objects from enormous discarded things
they find in the human world. Right now I’m sweating my way through a children’s novel
based on different folktale traditions from around the world, which I’m pretty excited
about although I should really not have taken on writing a novel while raising a four-year-
old and a one-year-old!</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What do you want readers to know about you as an author?</b><br /><br /><i>Aaron Lewis Krol - This is my fourth manuscript and the first one to be published. If you love writing, keep
writing!</i><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY</b><br /><br />
Enter for the chance to win a hardcover copy of <i>A Cloud in a Jar</i>!<br /><br />
Two (2) winners receive:<br /><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
A hardcover copy of <i>A Cloud in a Jar</i></li></ul><br />
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This post is sponsored by Page Street Kids. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.</i>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924379338600104885.post-32570625446198274442023-10-04T05:00:00.006-06:002023-10-04T05:00:00.141-06:00Troubles and Doubles and Reflections Askew Author Interview and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbqDajavR-acWyiwQfP4UBuMRb42_lE36DiXM5p3rxI0L212F4OaQyIHmyzoVK7FOEGDI8pOBL6WuPI5TAvybmJ62w1cEtsVyg-omQeYri_aqNXeEFSsLplJfzwACi8ah2YNMSYyrbjp4MRyyxucQ2kj4gwrTwL964YygXAtksylpyTO_cwtZpxjJu0lp/s1200/Troubles%20and%20Doubles%20and%20Reflections%20Askew%20Tour%20Header.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbqDajavR-acWyiwQfP4UBuMRb42_lE36DiXM5p3rxI0L212F4OaQyIHmyzoVK7FOEGDI8pOBL6WuPI5TAvybmJ62w1cEtsVyg-omQeYri_aqNXeEFSsLplJfzwACi8ah2YNMSYyrbjp4MRyyxucQ2kj4gwrTwL964YygXAtksylpyTO_cwtZpxjJu0lp/w640-h360/Troubles%20and%20Doubles%20and%20Reflections%20Askew%20Tour%20Header.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b>ABOUT THE BOOK</b></div><br /><i>
Troubles and Doubles and Reflections Askew</i><br /><br />
Written by Dr. Drew Palacio<br /><br />
Illustrated by Apolline Etienne<br /><br />
Ages 4+ | 36 Pages<br /><br />
Publisher: Brandylane Publishers, Inc. | ISBN-13: 9781958754368<br /><br />
Publisher’s Book Summary: With a sigh, she went pacing before a large mirror that stood,<br /><br />
Remarking: “Ugh! I’m hideous! None of this looks very good!”<br /><br />
After struggling to find the perfect outfit, Emily Soo dances the night away at a fun party. But when she gets home, her inner voice Emily Two tries to put a damper on her evening.<br /><br />
Confronting our thoughts, fully facing tough emotions, and affirming ourselves can be difficult.<br /><br />
Can Emily Soo find it within herself to squash her Worry and Woe?<br /><br />Available for purchase on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Troubles-Doubles-Reflections-Askew-Curious/dp/1958754366?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1695146065&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=thechisboorev-20&linkId=5d5d05777dd65fc7e774c33e91f2fd82&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/troubles-and-doubles-and-reflections-askew-the-curious-case-of-the-two-emily-soos-drew-palacio/20456323?ean=9781958754368">Bookshop</a>, and <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/troubles-and-doubles-and-reflections-askew-drew-palacio/1143929360;jsessionid=68FCF418B8DAED69CB9F12209A698C75.prodny_store02-atgap14?ean=9781958754375&st=AFF&2sid=The%20Children%27s%20Book%20Review_9085367_NA&sourceId=AFFThe%20Children%27s%20Book%20Review">Barnes and Noble</a>.<br /><br /><br /><b><br />
ABOUT THE AUTHOR </b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_VbmZ__UPNq9M7YEUDtHD0Tldo-VQ0dlzMmwjFvHKvaKmmnuzVo9PXZt77XfAVqoOAuNcNlpIP4gdETd3Kw8LM-V1l81_7l_HfNiJgc14TzXNzFDPR2OirQuBSfaljyBBtXuJsd2O08Hf6SpeXw61Fn1S82s8XL0C0BS9jso-cVbApsBcLxkz4VkrhGT/s2048/Spaghetti%20Drew%20-%20Drew%20Palacio.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_VbmZ__UPNq9M7YEUDtHD0Tldo-VQ0dlzMmwjFvHKvaKmmnuzVo9PXZt77XfAVqoOAuNcNlpIP4gdETd3Kw8LM-V1l81_7l_HfNiJgc14TzXNzFDPR2OirQuBSfaljyBBtXuJsd2O08Hf6SpeXw61Fn1S82s8XL0C0BS9jso-cVbApsBcLxkz4VkrhGT/w200-h200/Spaghetti%20Drew%20-%20Drew%20Palacio.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Drew Palacio grew up in Mendocino County, California. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the American School of Professional Psychology in San Francisco and currently practices in Kansas. Clinically, he implores partnership and efforts from local families, schools, and the community. Lastly, Dr. Drew is himself a child a heart, using his love of magic and worldly mystery, whether via comic books, animation, video games, or through the passing daydream, to always stoke his inspiration.<br /><br /><br /><b><br />AUTHOR INTERVIEW</b><div><b><br />
Life Is What It's Called - What themes run through <i>Troubles and Doubles and Reflections Askew (The Curious
Case of the Two Emily Soos)</i>?</b><br /><br /><i>Dr. Drew Palacio - Thematically, the classic coming-of-age story, courage and perseverance, patience
and understanding, sense-of-self, discovery, family, and perhaps loss of innocence,
by way of the protagonist Emily being juxtaposed before the more sophisticated
elements of pre-teen life.</i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - Why do you think the message in the book is important for readers?</b><br /><i><br />Dr. Drew Palacio - We’re finally in an era where more attention is being paid to the mental health and
wellbeing of young people; understanding that our cognition, i.e., the way we think, and, in
this case the way we think about the world around us, and ourselves, will impact both how
we feel, and consequently, what we do, is a part of that growing awareness.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write this story?</b><br /><i><br />Dr. Drew Palacio - The stories I write typically end up reflecting challenges I’ve observed young people to
encounter throughout their childhood. I say end up, as, while I may have a general idea, or
visual/verbal template of the story when I begin writing, it usually takes me getting to the
second act to truly know what the story is about. After that insight, I do what I can to
ensure the messages align.</i><br /><b><br />Life Is What It's Called - How does your psychology background help you write children's books?</b><br /><i><br />Dr. Drew Palacio - It certainly keeps me abreast of what is in fact a crisis, a challenge, or an uncertainty to
young people. It also affords me ways and means to interweave child-friendly, though
empirical interventions into each tales resolution, as best I can. Lastly, it keeps me
grounded so as to ensure that I don’t intentionally write outside the child’s scope of
development, give, or take a word or two that I hope they learn.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - In what ways do you think books will help kids with their problems?</b><br /><br /><i>Dr. Drew Palacio - Let me be clear in stating that I do not believe a children’s book is a substitution for
positive parenting and active and engaging conversations between the parenting team and
one’s child; nor a substation for child-based treatments, if and when necessary.
That said, bibliotherapy, as an adjunct to the aforementioned dialogue with family, or
professional consult, has been repeatedly explored across varying research disciplines,
focusing on a wide array of topics young people may experience, and, with good results in
terms of providing another means of understanding, and circumventing those areas of
interest and concern.<br /><br />
There is also the added benefit of demonstrating to adults in a child’s life ways and means
of ‘how’ to speak to young people about said topics. It is not uncommon for me to receive
feedback from adult readers, not only with thanks in now having a mechanism of just how
to broach a subject, but, more specifically, that the tale caused them to reflect on their own
behaviors themselves.</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What books are you working on next?</b><br /><i><br />Dr. Drew Palacio - I am fortunately rather prolific when it comes to writing as a whole. I have 2-3 completed
manuscripts ready for potential publication, provided my publisher is a fan, however, I am
currently writing a picture book simply about change, and what I’ll say to that is who ever
could know more about change, than a werewolf…</i><br /><br /><b>Life Is What It's Called - What do you want readers to know about you as an author?</b><br /><br /><i>Dr. Drew Palacio - That I truly do view these little scribbles, as inconsequential as they may be, as the most
beautiful thing I have ever done. If I am being honest, it is the best of me that goes into
them.</i><br /><br /><br /><b>
GIVEAWAY </b><div><b><br /></b><div>Enter for the chance to win a personalized hardcover copy of <i>Troubles and Doubles and Reflections Askew: The Curious Case of the Two Emily Soos and Shrieks and Sounds</i> and <i>Things Abound: The Quiet Wants of Julien J</i>.<br /><br />
Twelve (12) winners receive:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A personalized, signed copy of <i>Troubles and Doubles and Reflections Askew: The Curious Case of the Two Emily Soos</i></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A personalized, signed copy of <i>Shrieks and Sounds and Things Abound: The Quiet Wants of Julien J.</i></li></ul><br />
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The Troubles and Doubles and Reflections Askew Book Giveaway </a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a class="e-widget no-button generic-loader" href="https://gleam.io/2DTlL/the-troubles-and-doubles-and-reflections-askew-book-giveaway" rel="nofollow"></a><script async="true" src="https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js" type="text/javascript"></script><i>This post is sponsored by Dr. Drew Palacio. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.</i><br /><br /></div></div></div></div>Life Is What It's Calledhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746650873902047787noreply@blogger.com0