Wild About Reading

From My Bookshelf to Yours: Momster by Laura Jensen- Kimball

2015-09-28T10:58:00.000-05:00

Momster by Laura Jensen- Kimball

This is a book that parents and children everywhere will love and relate to. Momster is a humorous story of a boy who isn't listening and following directions. Soon his mother turns into something that scares him and he realizes the consequences of his actions.

Not only will children learn from this book, it will opened parent's eyes to what we must look like to them when we "lose control". The kids will jokingly say to me, "Yes ma'am. Don't let the Momster out!"

I have also used this book in therapy with clients to help them connect the dots between others behavior and their actions. The only thing I wish happened in this book is that mom also apologized for turning into a Momster.

You can purchase Momster at Wackystack Books , Amazon , Goodreads and Booklife

Laura Jensen-Kimball is the mother of four children and married to Jeff. She was inspired to write after her youngest child was diagnosed with a speech delay. Books were a common tool used in improving his speech. Laura creates books with a touch of humor she feels both parent and child will enjoy. Living in Norwalk, Iowa, she is also a Registered Nurse currently pursuing her Masters in Nursing. She has direct insight and experience with the emotion expressed throughout MOMSTER. Entertainment will start at page one and a, “Read it again!” will follow the last. This is Laura's first published book and hopes to publish her other stories soon. For more about Laura go to https://www.wackystackbooks.com/blog

Lady Emma in her Land of Wonder by Martha M. Harrison

2015-07-17T10:19:00.000-05:00

Lady Emma in her Land of Wonder is a beautifully illustrated story written in rhyme. We follow Emma, a young girl, as she fearlessly explores her world. We watch as she blossoms, matures and grows in self confidence. Throughout her journey she experiences many obstacles and gets into scrapes from which her father quickly "rescues" her. Later, she meets a prince who also tries to "rescue" her. At first this worried me, her father/prince constantly running to her aid. Towards the end of the story, Emma realizes that she has a strong support system she can turn to when she needs help but she has the inner strength to face any obstacles.
This is a beautiful book about a young girl blossoming into a young lady. I received this quite a few months ago. My 8 year old daughter took it before I could read it and wouldn't give it back. Then it went missing. Turns out it spoke to her so much that she had taken it to school and was letting her friends borrow it. I finally received it back at the end of the school year. If that isn't a great recommendation, I don't know what is.

Buy book at Amazon
Visit Dr. Martha Harrison's Website

Lady Emma In Her Land Of Wonder is Dr. Martha Harrison's first children's book in a series of six. Dr. Martha M. Harrison’s previous books have all had an academic focus on language play, reading, children’s books, and the integration of the arts across the curriculum. She has trained over 2000 teachers in teaching reading and writing to children and young adults in grades K-12 and served as a designer of reading and writing curriculum and assessments for the State Departments of Education in Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida and California. For the past two decades, her passion for literacy has guided her teaching of children’s and young adult literature and her successful authoring and implementation of reading and writing curriculum in education. She is a member of the Association of Children’s Literature (AChL) and the International Reading Association (IRA). Her scholarly articles have been published in Florida English Journal, a scholarly journal of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE); The New Advocate, a scholarly journal For Those Involved with Young People and Their Literature; and the National Education Association Library Series (NEA). She has conducted numerous workshops on comparing the works of Maurice Sendak and Theodor S. Geisel, “Dr. Seuss”. She is currently teaching a course on Arts Integration Across the Curriculum at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California near San Francisco. Among her many scholarly publications is an early 1990 article entitled Teaching Thinking Skills to Gifted Children Using Children’s Literature and The Arts.
* Author information taken from Goodreads

*Disclosure: This product was received in exchange for an honest, unbiased, review. The reviews and or opinions are 100% my own. No monitory compensation was received and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising

KD Novelties Personalized Children's Book Review

2015-07-15T20:41:00.000-05:00

I'm really excited about the book I'm reviewing today. This one is from KD Novelties. They sell personalized books and gifts My two daughters already have a personalized book that they received a few years back and they loved it. So I was excited to receive one for my son, David.

KD Novelties offers personalized children's books, personalized music, personalized photo DVDs, personalized photo books and gift sets! They have a great selection:
Adventure
Baby Books
Disney Books
Educational
Fantasy
Holiday & Religious
Sesame Street
Sports
Super Heroes

What I really love is that you can read each book and insert your child's name into it to see if you like it. David is almost 2 years old, so we were going to order a baby book about going to the potty. It was adorable. He saw a book with a soccer ball on it while I was looking through the sports books. He was adamant that he wanted the "socca ball book". Although the book is too old for him, I got it anyway because I was able to add his sister Genesis as his favorite player, and Daddy, Mommy and Jadyn (sister) were also mentioned in the book.

The book was delivered two days later (thanks to Amazon Prime & also KD Novelties' speedy service). My 8 year old loved being the soccer star in the book and my 13 year got a giggle at hearing her name also. David kept asking, "Mommy, Daddy socca game?" When reading it to him we skipped some pages and got to the part about him scoring the goal. He jumped up and down on the bed screaming "David goal! David goal!" It was probably not a good idea for a bedtime story.

The point of the review is my 8 year old loved it, my 13 year old won't admit it but she did as well. I caught my husband grinning when I snuck a peek and I know that when David is finally able to read it he will also get a big kick out of it as well. I caught my 8 year old reading last night. She asked me to order another book with her name it.

Visit KD Novelties to check out their awesome personalized products. You can click this link or one of the 100 other links I posted.

Like them on FaceBook

*Disclosure: This product was received in exchange for an honest, unbiased, review. The reviews and or opinions are 100% my own. No monitory compensation was received and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising

Hansel and Gretel: A Fairy Tale with a Down Syndrome Twist (Fairy Ability Tales) by Jewel Kats

2015-07-13T20:05:00.001-05:00

Hansel and Gretel: A Fairy Tale with a Down Syndrome Twist (Fairy Ability Tales)
by Jewel Kats Illustrated by Claudia Marie Lenart

Hansel and Gretel: A Fairy Tale with a Down Syndrome Twist is a reworking of the classic Hansel and Gretel fairy tale. Hansel is a 5 year old boy with Down Syndrome. The story is written to show children to look past disabilities and see the person. Sometimes it felt like an adult was talking instead of Hansel and his sister. Hansel was very verbal. I believe the author wrote it this way to dispel stereotypes people have of children with Down Syndrome. I’m all for books that empower and dispel stereotypes.

What brought the book to another level were the photos of fiber artist Claudia Marie Lenart’s very unique needle felted wool creations. They are absolutely beautiful and give the book a dreamlike, fairy tale quality. My 8 year old and 13 year old spent time studying each picture after we read the book.

Ms. Kats has written several books about disabilities. She has been internationally celebrated for her books. I will be checking out her other books. I recommend anyone that wants to read a story that may engage you and your child in a positive discussion about Down Syndrome to read this book.

You can learn more about Jewel Kats and buy her books at Amazon .

*Disclosure: This product was received in exchange for an honest, unbiased, review. The reviews and or opinions are 100% my own. No monitory compensation was received and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising

SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING by Vivian Kirkfield

2015-07-12T11:30:00.000-05:00

SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING by Vivian Kirkfield

Do you constantly find yourself asking, “What shall we do today?” Well, ask no more. SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING by Vivian Kirkfield, is a creative gold mine of resources for parents, grandparents, daycare workers and teachers alike. Show Me How recommends 100 picture books to read, many of them classics. The books are matched with simple crafts and kid-friendly recipes. The book is grouped into 6 chapters. Each chapter has a different topic such as: “I Can Do It Myself’”, “I Am Really Mad Right Now”, “I'm Afraid”, “I Like Myself” and more.

This book is a must have on many levels to me. As an avid reader and supporter of engaging children in reading, I’m excited that adults have a place that offers them great book suggestions. Of course being a child and family therapist, my other favorite part of the book is that the author also includes a "positive note" that helps the caregiver recognize how reading the book, completing the craft and making the recipe, helps the child develop a positive self-image. There is also a place where the caregiver can write their own notes about each story/activity.

I will be recommending this to my friends & clients with young children. Using this book is bound to bring parents and their children closer together and foster Positive Parental Participation.

Check out Vivian Kirkfield's WEBSITE to learn more about Vivian and her book.

Frogwilla, A TreeFrog's Story by Cheri L. Hallwood- Review

2015-07-09T13:12:00.000-05:00

Frogwilla, A TreeFrog's Story by Cheri L. Hallwood

I absolutely loved this sweet story. The story follows a young treefrog on her journey to find her family. Frogwilla, is afraid of heights and has a difficult time climbing. She is sure that disappoints her father. During a horrible storm she is separated from her parents. She must dig deep to find the courage to go places she has never been, meet other animals and do things she thought she'd never do.My 8 year old loves that she made new friends different than herself and that they were loyal and helpful.
This is a beautifully written story about love, courage, friendship and being kind to others even if they are mean to you. I highly recommend it and so does my eight year old. In fact, she has gotten her 13 year old sister to take a peek.

Want to know more about Cheri L. Hallwood? Click HERE to read her interview.

MICE & SPIDERS & WEBS...OH MY! by Sherrill Cannon review

2015-07-08T02:58:00.000-05:00

MICE & SPIDERS & WEBS...OH MY! by Sherrill Cannon

Where can one find a story about having good listening skills, facing one's fears, not jumping to conclusions and basic computer lingo all in one book? Why in the newest Sherrill Cannon book, MICE & SPIDERS & WEBS...OH MY! That's where.

In this charming, eloquently rhymed story, Rosie tells her mom that she doesn't want to go back to school because there will be mice, spiders & spider webs. I wouldn't want to either!!! Yuck! Rosie's mom takes her to school to figure out what is going on.

Sherrill, once again, expertly weaves a beautiful tale packed full of life lessons that teaches without preaching. Kalpart's illustration are beautiful and bright.

As always, I highly recommend Ms. Cannon's book. I recommend it as a mother and as children's and family therapist. Both my children & clients enjoyed this book immensely.

Want to know more about Sherrill Cannon & her books?
Read the Interview with Sherrill Cannon
Read my reviews of other Sherrill Cannon Books

Diversify Your Child's Library

2015-02-25T10:19:00.000-06:00

Wow, its been awhile since I have posted on here. I have tried so many times to write about the great books we have been reading but, alas, the life of a soccer mom, therapist etc has kept me too busy. So let me get to it. I will use Black History Month as a forum to talk about the importance of diversifying your child's library.

Books are an influential agent for helping children understand their homes, communities and the world. As a mother of three multiracial kids, I know how important it is to for children to see characters that resemble them in books. As a professional that works with children daily, I know it is also important for children to see people who do not look like them also. This helps them to develop an appreciation for the beauty of the cultures of others. I believe that it is important that books reflect the diversity that exists in today’s world.

Reasons to read culturally diverse books to your children are:

They can improve a child’s cultural competence. This will help the child develop empathy towards others and facilitate acceptance of cultures different from one’s own. They can also inspire learning of other cultures and over-all cultural awareness.

They can open up discussions about cultural roots between you and your children. They can also strengthen their individual cultural identity

Bilingual books are a fun way to learn new languages. They also encourage multilingual and literacy development.

I believe that it is important for immigrant, biracial and bicultural,multiracial and multicultural children to read about characters with similar experiences and emotions.

I am always saying that books can take us anywhere we want to go. What better, not to mention cheaper way, to travel to a faraway place than in a multicultural story?

As a part of your child well-balanced reading régime please expose them to diverse cultures, people and places. I believe that this helps the child develop into a person that is culturally competent. Unfortunately, we live in a world where children are increasingly exposed to hatred and intolerance of cultural diversity; so remember to carefully choose and read your multicultural books before sharing them with your children to make sure that they are without misconceptions, stereotypes, ignorance and prejudices. There are many books that convey the beauty of the diverse cultures.

It is February, so let's celebrate Black History Month by reading children's books by Black American Authors. In honor of Black History Month, I thought I'd share a link of some book written by Black American Authors. Inside the Books Yes, I said Black American not African American but that is a post for another day.

Remember to read culturally diverse books regularly not just on cultural holidays. Now that I've said that let me shamelessly plug one of my books. You can find it on Amazon, B&N etc.

From My Bookshelf to Yours: Mini Myths by Joan Holub

2014-10-29T21:23:00.001-05:00

Play Nice, Hercules

"Play Nice, Hercules" is an adorable board book in the Mini Myths series that introduces Greek Mythology to little ones. The book is short and simple. The story line is clear enough for my 1 year old to understand. Hercules is strong and rough but he destroys things and hurts his sisters feelings. He learns how to play "nice" and be kind.

My 1 year old really enjoys this book. He is all boy. He stomps around the house making monster noises and destroying everything in his path. We started calling him Hercules when he was about 8 months. We are always telling him to be gentle and use gentle hands. He loves the adorable illustrations. They make him giggle and empathize. When Hercules' sister is crying he says "awww" and pats her face. What a clever little book to help little ones discover life skills.

I love that it is a sturdy board book because he carries it around and "reads" it while drinking and snacking. The only problem is when he is smacking us in the face with it because he wants us to read it to him. This book is his favorite so far in his book collection. Luckily his 7 year old sister gets a kick out of it too and will read it over and over with him. I even caught her reading it alone. Shhh!!!

Be Patient, Pandora

"Be Patient, Pandora is another adorable board book in the Mini Myth series that introduces little one to Greek Mythology. The story is easy for little ones to follow. Pandora is told not to touch the box. Pandora keeps testing limits until she accidently "opens" the box. It is a cute way to teach little ones patience. Although the book is written for younger children the pictures made my 7 and 12 year old giggle because the pictures reminded them of how their little one year old brother pushes limits.

I would have liked the ending to be a little more developed. Pandora disobeys but never receives any consequences. As a parent and a therapist I feel the need to explain to my children and clients that it is not always that easy to walk away after not following directions. Pandora was very lucky that what was in the box wasn't dangerous.

My 7 year old said, "I love these books. They aren't too long or too short. I'll read them a million times to Baby David." I can't think of a better endorsement!

Want to check out the Mini Myths Series? Visit Amazon

From My Bookshelf to Yours: Sing-Along Construction Song by Louise Lintvelt

2014-09-17T23:10:00.002-05:00

As the mother of two girls 12 & 7, there are no shortage of "girly" books so I am always on the lookout for books that are just for my son. Sing-Along Construction Song is a really cute book. I" read" it with my 1 year old. He enjoyed looking at the pictures. I like that the illustrations used primary colors that I could point out to my son. There is a free sing along that you can download from the author's website included in a link at the end of the book. He really enjoyed it. He smiled, danced and clapped while I showed him the illustrations on the laptop. Once he can really understand the story I know that this will be a favorite. He will know the functions of construction vehicles.

** A free song download for this book is available HERE **

Buy here at Amazon

From My Bookshelf to Yours: When Violet Was Blue by DebTroehler

2014-08-12T03:06:00.003-05:00

When Violet was Blue is a cute rhyming story that cleverly teaches the importance of teamwork. This is the story of the small Violet who just wanted the sun to shine. She and her other colorful friends have to work together and problem solve to get Cloud to stop blocking Sun's shine. The author also weaves in some fun facts about rainbows. I used this book in a therapy session with my 5 year old client and she loved it.

At the end of the book the author included some facts about rainbows and minor math.

Available on Amazon

The Adventures of Prince Iggy Series by Aldo Flynn

2014-07-18T20:05:00.000-05:00

Prince Iggy and the Kingdom of Naysayer is an imaginative, magical epic fantasy adventure for young readers. It is so entertaining and comical that I, a 35 year old adult, sat down and read it all in one sitting.

Prince Iggy and the Kingdom of Naysayer delivers a message about bullying and believing in yourself without beating you over the head with it. When we meet Iggy at the beginning of the story he is a hopeless, bullied orphan with no friends. As the story moves on he learns that he is more than what others says about him and he begins to develop self confidence.

Prince Iggy and the Kingdom of Naysayer will delight your kids, keep them interested and even cause them to laugh out loud. The only reason that I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the author uses two curse words (Not the worse ones, but unnecessary in my opinion) in the story and as a parent I think parents should know what their child is reading. If your child is younger than 12, you should read with your child so that you can discuss the language and the bullying, that goes on in the book, at times the bullying is hardcore.

This book was so enjoyable and ended at a cliffhanger that I immediately read the next one cover to cover in one sitting. I HAD to know what happened to Iggy.

Prince Iggy & the Tower of Decisions is a great sequel to the first book. The author delivers another fun-filled, action packed adventure. Once again, I read the book cover to cover in one sitting. The author is so good with cliffhangers.

In this sequel Prince Iggy goes an adventure in the sky, gets to meet a star and lets go of self doubt and some things from his past.

This book is also full of some important lessons as well. Iggy must overcome the self-doubt that is causing him anxiety. The author is really good at capturing these pre-adolescent emotions that all kids go through. I can’t wait to read the third one and find out what happens to Prince Iggy.

From My Bookshelf to Yours: Buttons the Brave Blue Kitten by Kristina Sargent, MSW

2014-07-01T16:14:00.000-05:00

Meet Kristina Sargent. She is an Early Childhood Mental Health Therapist. She works with young children and their families in both an outpatient and school based setting. She also has an undergraduate degree in art and creative writing. Buttons the Brave Blue Kitten is the first book that she has written and illustrated. Kristina states that she intended this book to help children develop empathy and give adults the skills to reinforce its development. Click Here to visit Kristina's blog.

Buttons the Brave Blue Kitten

I LOVED this book! It is a precious story about a little blue cat who not only learns how to identify his feelings but to identify how others feel (empathy). He shares with his grandma that he is afraid to go to his 1st day of school and they come up with a super special way to say goodbye.

I am a children and adolescent therapist and plan to use this book with my little clients to help them learn about empathy and practice identifying others' feelings. It is written in child friendly language and the illustrations are adorable. I recommend this book for parents, teachers and counselors.

On Ms. Sargent's website there are worksheets that you can use after you read the story. I have placed the links here to make them quickly and easily accessible to you.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS FREE PRINTABLE COLORING ACTIVITY of Buttons' faces above.

Click HERE for the printable feelings cube shown below.

Kristina's furry-feelings-printable-activity-for-children

To order Buttons the Brave Blue Kitten Click Here or go to Amazon

From My Bookshelf to Yours: My Fingerpaint Masterpiece by Sherrill Cannon

2014-06-10T00:08:00.000-05:00

My Fingerpaint Masterpiece

“My Fingerpaint Masterpiece” tells the story of a young child who finger paints a picture in school, but does not finish it. The student carries it home but a gust of wind blows it away. Later the child sees it in an art gallery where it has won first place in an art contest. Everyone is gushing about this masterpiece by a professional artist. I won’t give anymore away.

My children and I LOVED this new book my Sherrill Cannon. I like how the child narrates the story is never identified as a boy or girl. There are many lessons in this book: self esteem, honesty, and perception. My 7 year old thought the most important lesson is to: “ Always put your name on your work. You might get famous and no one will know it is your work.”

Both of my children are talented artists. The youngest one often feels down because her 12 year old sister draws better. Sometimes she will cry and rip up her own artwork. She took away from this story that art is open to interpretation and the perception of others. When I ask her what she’s drawing she now asks “What do you see?”

Once again, Ms. Cannon, you have created a masterpiece!

Here is my 7 year old daughter, Genesis' masterpiece.

Genesis bets you and your children will not guess what it is. She hopes people will try to interpret her art like they did in the book, "My Fingerpaint Masterpiece." P.S. She forgot to sign her name!

The closest two answers will WIN either a paperback copy or kindle copy of "My Fingerpaint Masterpiece".

Here are the winners of "My Fingerpaint Masterpiece"

Buy on Amazon

Read the Interview with Sherrill Cannon
Read my reviews of other Sherrill Cannon Books

From My Bookshelf to Yours: Molly Withers & the Golden Tree by Kent Allan Rees

2014-05-26T20:29:00.001-05:00

Molly Withers & the Golden Tree

"Molly Withers & the Golden Tree" is an adventurous, imaginative and magical tale about an eleven-year-old girl who finds out that she is “The Chosen One". She and a friend embark on a quest to find the Golden Tree and save magic and the world. On their quest, they meet leprechauns, fairies, a ghost, and talking animals.

I believe that this is a story that will appeal to all ages. Although the story is about a female heroine boys will also enjoy reading it (her friend is male). The ending of the story leaves you wanting to read the next book of the series.

"Molly Withers & the Golden Tree" does the children’s fantasy genre a great service. I love the positive and inspirational message of the book: "If you believe it, you can achieve it."

I recommend this book to children 8 yrs and older.

*I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Want a FREE Copy of "Molly Withers & the Golden Tree"?

The author will give away 5 copies of this book. Please leave a comment to be entered. Give away will end on June 1, 2014.

Kent Allan Rees is a nature lover, professional writer, and adoring father who lives in Toronto, Canada with his wife Carole and baby daughter, Madeleine. Fueled by the desire to have an unsuspecting young girl take control of centre stage in a multi-book series, and moved by our generation's embrace of the power of positive thinking, Rees has created both a work of fiction and a pocket guide for life's magic with his debut novel: "Molly Withers and the Golden Tree." The second book in the series: “Molly Withers and the Masquerade” is written and is in preparation for upcoming publishing.

In 2010, Radio Disney, in partnership with Backstage Creations, vetted countless products for celebrity gift giving – a tight competition with several brands vying for this coveted exposure. One of the official celebrity gifts chosen was a signed copy of “Molly Withers and the Golden Tree.” As a result, Rees’s debut novel was seen on ellegirl.com, justjared.com, cosmogirl.com,teenmag.com and inside In Touch Weekly, Hollywood Teenzine, and Quizfest. It was also gifted to such celebs as Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Keke Palmer, Jennifer Stone, and many others.

For more information about "Molly Withers and the Golden Tree." & “Molly Withers and the Masquerade” visit mollywithers.com

Click here to buy from Amazon

From My Bookshelf to Yours: The Do's and Don'ts by Hayley Rose

2014-01-30T16:55:00.002-06:00

The Do's and Don'ts by Hayley Rose

As a mother and a therapist I am constantly looking for books with "good" messages to use as bibliotherapy. I love books that teach social skills and good values. Sometimes it is hard to find books that the little ones 3-6 will identify with or sit still and listen. Many little ones struggle with manners. Its just so hard to remember all the dos and don'ts!

Hayley Rose's newest book, The Do's and Don'ts, is a winner to help reinforce the importance of good manners for the little ones. What a wonderful etiquette book! I love that it contrasts between positive and negative behavior. Not only does the story teach children what not to do it gives them an example of what to do instead. My 7 year old daughter loved the colorful illustrations. She thought the Manner Monster was very cute. Although she was sad that he had bad manners.

I am adding this to my bibliotherapy resources.

Read Hayley Rose's Interview
Read Fifo -50 States Book Review

From My Bookshelf to Yours: The Lemonman: A Party, Some Rain and Wiggleworm Lane

2013-12-07T13:12:00.000-06:00

The Lemonman: A Party, Some Rain and Wiggleworm Lane by Natasha Ferrill

Natasha Ferrill does it again! A Party, Some Rain and Wiggleworm Lane is the second book in The Lemonman series. This time she and the Lemonman teach us about compassion, consequences and Mother Nature. Whew! Does that sound like too many lessons for one children's book? Natasha presents these lesson in a singsong, rhyming way that is not preachy. Your children will love the adorable illustrations.

I enjoyed the imaginative story. Although I don't like worms, I couldn't stop reading this story. Even my 11 year old loved it. An added plus are that the author uses words like: naïve, proposition, repercussions, eccentric and absurd in the story. My 6 year old loved learning what these words meant ( Do the lessons in the story ever end?).

I wholeheartedly recommend this story to families and children.

Check out my review of the first Lemonman book, A Picnic, a Toad and Swampwater Road

Want to know more about the author? Read my Review with Natasha Ferrill

From My Bookshelf to Yours: Manner-Man by Sherrill Cannon

2013-08-09T04:29:00.001-05:00

MANNER-MAN

Manner-Man is a fun book that will teach children about good manners, being a friend, not being a bully and standing up for what's right. These are all lessons that our children need to hear again and again. It is written in rhyme. Who doesn't love a book with a superhero? The awesome illustrations will keep your children's interest. Another great book by Ms. Cannon

Synopsis
"I am strong, and my flash is bright, And I will defend you and make things all right." These are the magic words to call upon Manner-Man - a superhero who can help control bullies and teach children ways to be considerate of others. Manner-Man arrives, shouting "To the Rescue", helping children learn about sharing and warning about not 'hitting with words.' He teaches that if someone starts pushing, just shout out "not nice!" Meet the children who form the Manner-Man team and find out how to join! Manner-Man incorporates messages and characters found within some of Cannon's earlier books - helping children learn how to cope with bullies and look within themselves for their inner superhero!

Interview with Sherrill Cannon

Reviews of other Sherrill Cannon Books

Amazon.com Widgets

Discover & Suggest Children's Book

2012-09-20T16:15:00.001-05:00

Click Here

Looking for new children's books? Want to suggest children's books your family loves? Click above and check out newest Blog Hop on the block, the Kid Lit Blog Hop.

Interview with Phyllis Griggs & review of Bob Beetle Book Bug: The Magical World of Books

2012-09-11T23:56:00.001-05:00

Phyllis Griggs is the founder of Bob Beetle Book Bug, Inc. A non-profit children's

literacy program located in Decatur,IL. Her book, Bob Beetle Book Bug: The Magical
World of Books was written to encourage children to explore the wonderful world of
reading and to partake in the vast wealth of knowledge available to each one of us
inside of books. The book will be given to Children FREE through her literacy program.
ALL proceeds from the sales go to Bob Beetle Book Bug literacy program and helps to
put books into the hands of under-served children and schools. Originally from
Chicago, IL. Phyllis currently resides in Decatur IL with her husband, three children
and her cat named Mystie.

What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

What lead you to write your book? My book, Bob Beetle Book Bug: The Magical World of Books, was written out of my love of reading and my desire to want to help instill that love in children.

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not writing?

Read as a volunteer to children and senior citizens, yoga , dancing.

Do you have any other books you are working on? If so give us a sneak peek.

Yes, Bob Beetle Book Bug: Underneath A Tree will be the second in the Bob Beetle Book Bug series of books that inspire children to spend time reading or reading to others.

What are your plans for the future?

To continue to grow and expand my not for profit children's literacy program to other cities and states.

What do you hope children learn from your book?

That reading is fun and gives you access to a magical world (books) where you can do and be anything you want to be ( imagination)

Tell us about the Bob Beetle Book Bug organization.

It's a not for profit children's literacy program located in Decatur ,IL that employs a fictional character (Bob Beetle Book Bug) to help inspire children through books and other items to develop a life-long love of reading and to spend time reading with their families.

How can we be involved?

There are several ways for individuals to become involved ( 1) fellow children book authors can donate autographed copy/copies of their books for Bob Beetle Book Bug to use as - giveaways to the schools and or libraries he visits, which gives the author valuable exposure while helping to get books into the hands of children and schools. (2) by purchasing a copy or copies of my book where all of the proceeds from the sales go to help support and fund our program.

What advice would you give other aspiring writers?

Believe/trust in yourself and know that everyone has a story somewhere inside of them that needs to be shared with others. Make it a priority, your number one goal to spend time reading everyday reading to and/or letting your child read to you - "Today's readers become tomorrow's Leaders"

My Review of Bob Beetle Book Bug: The Magical World of Books

What a wonderful book! Bob Beetle Book Bug: The Magical World of Books is sure to inspire an appetite for reading in young readers. Bob Beetle is a cute, passionate "book" bug. CUTE? Did I just call a bug cute?! I usually don't like bugs but this one is all right with me. Bob talks directly to the readers and takes them on a journey through the magical world of books. The book is colorful and written in a way all children can understand. Bob's passion for books is depicted on every page. It is humorous and sure to make children giggle. As a voracious reader Bob is my new best friend, although I cannot join him in snacking on book pages! :)

All proceeds from the book go to Bob Beetle Book Bug non-profit organization to help the organization reach out to children everywhere and encourage them to explore the magic of reading.

*A free copy of this book was given to me for a honest review. No other compensation was provided for this review

Visit Phyllis on FaceBook

From My Bookshelf to Yours: The Large Rock and the Little Yew by Gregory Ahlijian

2012-06-04T22:17:00.002-05:00

The Large Rock and the Little Yew by Gregory Ahlijian is an uplifting story of survival about a little yew tree who is trapped in the crack of a large rock. The little yew is determined to find sunlight., soil and water so that it can survive. The large rock is rude, pessimistic and inhospitable. Despite the large rock trying to destroy the little yew tree's dreams of survival by insisting that it will never survive its less than ideal circumstances, it continues to believe that it is unique, valuable and can grow strong. The book is beautifully illustrated by Janna Roselund.

The lesson illustrated by the determination and willpower of the little yew tree is that anyone can achieve their dreams no matter the overwhelming odds and hostile environments that they may be in. The little yew and the large rock are located in Wakehurst, United Kingdom. People travel to see a large rock encased within the roots of a majestic yew.

100% of the proceeds from the sale of this book are donated to Jasper Mountain Center, a nonprofit treatment center, in Oregon, that addresses the needs of emotionally disturbed children and their families. On April 9th, he presented the center with a check in the amount of $30,000!

Gregory Ahlijian has been a mentor at the Jasper Mountain facility since 2008. He has worked in the field of arboriculture for over 30 years. He teaches the children at the center bout nature, trees, character development and poetry. The children of Jasper Mountain were the inspiration for this uplifting story of perserverance and hope. He says that his goal is "..to inspire the child's sense of self-worth by creatively and effectively teaching the components of good character and illustrating them with examples present in everyday activities."

For more information about Jasper Mountain Center Please visit: Jasper Mountain.
For more information about this book is available on: http://www.littleyewtree.com/.

Would you like to win a copy of this book? Just comment on why you would like to win it. Winners chosen by random.org on 6/10/12.

From My Bookshelf to Yours: Gimme-Jimmy by Sherrill Cannon

2012-05-24T23:22:00.000-05:00

Sherrill does it again! She has written another great book that will teach children morals in an enjoyable, non preachy way. Gimme-Jimmy is beautifully rhymed story about a bully named Jimmy. He snatches and takes what is not his. He never asks. He is very rude and always demanding "Gimme". He learns a valuable lesson when his hand swells to an enormous size. He must be polite and not say "Gimme" for his hand to return to its normal size.

My favorite part is Jimmy's New Polite Rule:

"To try to treat others as I'd like to be,
To try to see things the way others might see,
To try to be helpful, and do what is right,
And to try at all times to be very polite!"

The illustrations, as always, are excellent. I have used this in therapy with my young clients and one of my four year old clients now wants to read it every session. We say the polite rule and she chimes in very loudly the last word of every sentence. Great job, Ms Cannon!

Interview with Sherrill Cannon

Reviews of other Sherrill Cannon Books

Amazon.com Widgets

Mockingjay- Ms. Collins, I respectfully demand a rewrite!

2012-05-17T23:10:00.003-05:00

I am extremely disappointed with this book. I typically don't write reviews on "popular" books or write one star reviews, but the author had me really invested in the series with the 1st two books. Man, what a disappointing letdown! If it had been the 1st book I would never had read the others. It seemed rushed. I lost all the interest and care I had for the characters. In fact I pretty much disliked them all. There was one well developed character and he was killed in one unemotional sentence. ( I almost missed it.) This happens at least one other time with another important character. I understand the anti war message but it seemed to overtake the story. There was endless dying and hopelessness. Yes, I know that it is a part of war.

Truthfully, the story was not well written. Was it even written by Ms. Collins? I am not saying this because I did not like the ending ( I liked who she ended up with but not how). I struggled not to skim. I wanted to skip chapters they were so dry. I feel like I could have skipped 3 chapters and 4 pages and ended up at the same place....Katniss, crying, hiding, running, blacking out or sleeping in the hospital.

Katniss seems so dead inside. Even the Gale vs Peeta was not exciting. It seemed like the author was just putting up with the characters to get to her true end...making sure we received her heavily crammed down our throats anti war propaganda. I found myself very confused most of the time. The only reason I finished the book was because I wanted to see what happened to the characters I grew to care about in the 1st two books. I would have rather stopped at "Catching Fire" and made up my own ending.

I'm not sure this book should even be a YA, it is depressing and hopeless. Even the ending, which I guess is supposed to give some sense of hope, doesn't ring true. I respectfully demand a rewrite! Ms. Collins, take your time and stay true to your characters so that this can be a triology that we want to read over and over. I'm not sure I will even read the 1st two again since I know that the third book brings so much hopelessness and depression. The good thing is when this book makes it to the movies it will possibly be changed for the better because I don't see how anyone could watch such a dark, depressing movie for two hours.

P.S. I am not bashing her work. I would never bash another author's work. I am just so disappointed I needed to get it out somehow!

Is Your Child a Blueloon?

2012-05-03T07:39:00.000-05:00

Help! I Think My Child Might Be Depressed!

Although clinical depression is often thought of as an adult disease, it can affect children as well. Unfortunately, children may not have the maturity to understand what is happening to them, or they may feel powerless to change their situation, so they don’t speak up about what they are going through. It is up to adults to be on the lookout for signs of trouble, and recognize when a child needs help.

What to Watch For – Potential Warning Signs of Depression in Children:

Sadness, hopelessness, loss of pleasure or interest, anxiety, turmoil (anger outbursts)

Difficulty organizing thoughts (concentrating), extreme negativity, worthlessness and guilt, helplessness, feelings of isolation, thoughts of suicide

Changes in appetite or weight, sleep disturbances, sluggishness, agitation

Avoidance and withdrawal, clingy and demanding behavior, excessive activity, restlessness, self-harm

What to do:

Don’t minimize your child’s feelings, and reassure him child that depression is not something to be ashamed about –Some people have a hard time recovering from being sad.

Work hard to cultivate trust and communication with your child and be aware of the impact your own responses in life are having on your child. You are your child’s coping instructor.

Allow your child the right to feel depressed and teach him that asking for help is ok – If he thinks depression is bad or not ok, he may try to hide his feelings from you.

Tell your child the truth and give him time to grieve. By being honest, you are allowing your child to work through the pain.

Pay attention to the length of your child’s symptoms. If the symptoms linger for an extended period of time, or if you see severe changes in your child’s personality, seek professional help.

Although suicide in children is rare, it does happen. Take it very seriously if your child says or acts like he wants to die.

If your child is experiencing frequent signs of depression that last for extended periods of time, it is crucial that you seek professional help. Children who are experiencing signs of depression do not automatically need medication. Many children will respond to therapy alone. If you are uncertain where to seek help, contact your child’s school counselor or your family physician for a referral.

Julia Cook is a national award winning children’s author and parenting expert. The purpose of her books is to enter the worldview of children and teach them to become life-long problem solvers. Her latest book: Blueloon is a creative story about a sad little balloon who is suffering from depression. With help from the wise rock, Blueloon learns what he can do to “bounce back” to being the way he used to be – bright, round , and full with a very straight string! Finally! A book on depression that works for Blueloons of all ages! Available at www.juliacookonline.com (and amazon.com)

Would you like to WIN a copy of Blueloon? Julia will give away TEN (10) copies. Just leave a comment here! If you use the anonymous feature be sure to type your name. Winners will be chosen by random.org on Wednesday, May 9, 2012.

Click here to read My review of Julia's books and Julia Cook's Interview

Amazon.com Widgets

I'm Back!

2012-04-29T05:49:00.001-05:00

I've been MIA for a little bit but I am slowly coming back. I will begin posting author interviews and book reviews within the next 3 weeks. I'm also looking forward to having some guest bloggers visit with us.

I am now having two new books illustrated. "The Worry Glasses: Overcoming Anxiety & "My Warp Speed Mind: Managing ADHD (cover coming soon). I'm really excited about these books. They have both been endorsed by a child psychiatrist (really cool).

I just thought I would check in and say hello. Hello! I really hope you have been reading everyday. I can't wait to start sharing with you all the wonderful books that have come my way! TTYL ❤ Donalisa