Lori Calabrese Writes!

Fish for a Free Book: January 27

2012-01-27T05:23:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Fish for a Free Book!

If you are hosting a children's book giveaway, or if you found a giveaway somewhere on the net that you just have to share, I'd love to have you share your links with us here on our weekly giveaway linky so that we can all stop by and enter.

If you're looking for more children's book giveaways, be sure to visit
Brimful Curiosities' Full to the Brim,
Winning Readings (listings of adult and children's book giveaways),
and Got Great Giveaways? (linky of adult and children's book giveaways at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer)

Please post your links however you wish. Some like to include their blog name, some just want to leave the prize and the ending date. Post it whatever way you feel like, but make sure that the prize listing and the date the giveaway ends is listed. And make sure you post a link directly to your giveaway - not just to your main blog page.

Here's an example:
Your name: Lori Calabrese Writes--Two YA Novels--6/24
Your URL: http://loricalabrese.blogspot.com/2011/06/welcome-to-midsummers-eve-giveaway-hop.html

Now it's your turn. Leave your links here...
(If you're reading this in a reader, please click through to the original post)

Enter the Max McTrue Flash Fiction Contest!

2012-01-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Cold weather got you down? Looking for something to do? How about a weekend full of flash fiction writing brought to you by www.figment.com and Kim Culbertson, author of the new ebook, The Liberation of Max McTrue?

All you have to do is write a super short story under 500 words that follows one of the four prompts below. Submit your entry between 11:00am on February 3rd, 2012 and 11:59pm on February 5th, 2012. The Figment editorial staff will choose the top ten entries as finalists, and Kim will choose the winners from those finalists.

The Prompts:
(1) Write a story set against the backdrop of a scavenger hunt.
(2) Write a story confined to the periods of a school day. The character can be in school or out of school.
(3) Write a story in which a character is deeply afraid of something.
(4) Come up with a totally ordinary character and then set him/her up to have an extraordinary day.

How to enter:
1. Go to www.figment.com and sign up.
2. Once you have received your confirmation email, go to your Figment profile page, click “My Writing,” and “Create Something New.”
3. Before you start writing, read the full rules on the Max McTrue contest page, which you’ll be able to find under the “Contest” tab on Figment on February 3rd, 2012.
4. Write an original story, under 500 words, that follows one of the four prompts above.
5. Go to the “Details” tab of your story, and put maxmctrue in the “Tags” section.
6. Wait the 2 hours it sometimes takes to see your story appear on the contest page.

There will be a total of three prizes: Each winner gets a free download of The Liberation of Max McTrue as well as a custom-made “beautiful things” journal. The first place winner will also receive a 30 minute manuscript review by Kim Culbertson.

About The Liberation of Max McTrue: Have you ever had an extraordinary day? Max hadn’t. Until one winter day when he met a girl. THE LIBERATION OF MAX MCTRUE takes place in a single day. The classic Boy Meets Girl story. Well, sort of: Boy meets homeschooled girl. Boy ditches school. Boy finds his future. And there's an ice cream truck. And archery. It's a bit like what would happen if Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Alchemist had a kid, well...a kid who was a YA eBook novella. You get the idea.

2012 Newbery and Caldecott winners announced

2012-01-23T14:13:00.000-05:00

It was a big day for children's and young adult books! The American Library Association (ALA) announced the 2012 Youth Media Award winners at its Midwinter Meeting in Dallas, which includes the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards.

The John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature went to:
“Dead End in Norvelt,” written by Jack Gantos.

Two Newbery Honor Books also were named: "Inside Out & Back Again," written by Thanhha Lai and "Breaking Stalin’s Nose,” written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin.

The Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children went to:
“A Ball for Daisy," illustrated and written by Chris Raschka.

Three Caldecott Honor Books also were named: “Blackout,” illustrated and written by John Rocco, "Grandpa Green" illustrated and written by Lane Smith, and “Me … Jane,” illustrated and written by Patrick McDonnell.

A big congrats goes out to all and all winners of the ALA Youth Media Awards can be found on the ALA website.

Get your Ducks in a Row

2012-01-19T05:39:00.000-05:00

If you're looking for some quacky, whacky fun, enter the world of Max the Duck. If you're a fan of Max, you'll love one of his latest, DUCKS IN A ROW. And if you've never picked up a Max the Duck book, now is the time.

In DUCKS IN A ROW, Max takes some time to relax, but as he leans back in his chair, he realizes everyone has something to do, except him. Feeling a bit unwanted, Max is excited when he hears the doorbell ring. It's Aunt Pat, Aunt Dot, and Aunt Flo who are on their way south, but stop to visit until the first snowfall. As soon as the aunts come in, they need Max quite a bit as he ends up doing everything from bringing their books to finding their glasses to running their baths and more. Although it's nice to be needed, Max gets to the point where he's not sure how much he can take.

One of my favorite Duck books is DUCK SOUP, so when I saw an easy reader, I couldn't wait to check it out. Jackie Urbanovic's illustrations are absolutely amazing and so much fun, it makes it hard to put these books down. I often find Level 1 Easy Readers to be so choppy and unappealing story-wise, but that is not the case with Urbanovic's latest. She certainly has her DUCKS IN A ROW!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4 and up
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (February 22, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0061864374
ISBN-13: 978-0061864377
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

A chapter book for the flower girl in your life

2012-01-17T05:40:00.002-05:00

Every girl dreams of being a flower girl in a wedding and Hailey Twitch is no different. Hailey is back in book four of this intriguing series in HAILEY TWITCH AND THE WEDDING GLITCH.

The bride is Hailey's cousin Genevieve and yes, Hailey will get to wear a "fab, fab, fabulous princess dress." But Hailey's closest confidante, a magic sprite named Maybelle, might have to go back to living in her magic castle and leave the Twitch house for good. Can Hailey make it through the wedding and come up with a plan to keep Maybelle her friend forever?

Hailey might be seven, but don't underestimate her. This was my first trek into Hailey-ville and I must say, young readers will love this book and will be excited to check out the rest of the series. First off, any girl will be pulled into this book by the cover alone, which glitters and sparkles as much as any wedding dress. And as soon as they open the book, they'll be pulled in by Hailey herself, who is entertaining, funny, and mischievous.This is a whimsical, charming story perfect for any emerging reader who's dreamed of being a flower girl and wearing sparkly shoes!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 7 and up
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; Original edition (November 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1402224478
ISBN-13: 978-1402224478
Source of review copy: publicist

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Have you met Juno?

2012-01-12T05:34:00.000-05:00

In THE DAY THE MUSIC STOPPED Juno takes her little brother, Rai Rai, to the town of Harmonia Springs to make music. However, when they arrive, one of Juno's friends shows them his latest invention, The Shush Machine. The Shush Machine can shush anything making too much noise. When their friend Bunny pushes too many buttons, the whole town is quiet. Juno and Rai Rai set out to fix Harmonia Springs by what else? Making music!

This is a wonderful book to teach pre-schoolers about music. They'll learn about melody, harmony, rhythm, and that music comes from ordinary things like a clock's tick-tock or a bouncing ball. The illustrations will captivate pre-schoolers with the cartoon-like characters and vibrant colors and they'll be ready to set off on their own musical adventure.

What's even more fun is that THE DAY THE MUSIC STOPPED is also available on DVD and as an interactive e-book app, featuring 2 mini-games and original music. Learn more at The Juno Company website.

Additional Information:
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Publisher: The Juno Company
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Teach young readers about the power of music

2012-01-10T05:51:00.000-05:00

Venture into the Deep South where everything is segregated in the new book by Margaree King Mitchell and James E. Ransome, WHEN GRANDMAMA SINGS.

When Belle's grandmother is asked to go on tour and sing, 8-year-old Belle can't wait to go with her. She's never been anywhere before, just like her Grandmother, so it will be her job to help out Grandmama when she can. However, the trip awakens Belle to how everything is segregated, just like in their hometown of Mississippi. One night, only seventeen people show up to hear Grandmama sing. Another night, Grandmama isn't paid. They also have to fight to get food from a "Whites Only" diner. But Belle loves how Grandmama's voice can bring everyone together. When they get home, they knew everything would work out as Grandmama receives an offer from a record company.

This is a beautiful story that teaches young readers about the time of segregation and the importance of music, mainly how it can bring people together.The artwork by Ransome captures the essence of the era and will remind young readers to shoot for the stars, no matter what obstacle.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 5 and up
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Amistad (January 3, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0688175635
ISBN-13: 978-0688175634
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: January 6

2012-01-06T05:51:00.000-05:00

You've never seen Hilarious Heroes like these

2012-01-04T05:40:00.000-05:00

It's a new year, which means you need new ways to keep your kids busy! If you have a superhero fan on your hands, you might want to introduce them to My Beastly Book of Hilarious Heroes. Trust me when I say, you've never seen heroes like these!

As soon as my son picked up this activity book, he couldn't wait to cut out one of the masks found in the book and don it as if he was saving the world. There are so many things to keep young readers busy in this book, it's amazing. And not to mention hilarious! For instance, if potty humor is big in your house, your kids will enjoy drawing a puddle underneath Super-Urgent as he's dashing to the bathroom. They'll also enjoy ripping out pages, doodling, scribbling, completing mazes, and balancing a mountain of cars on a strongman's pinky finger.

With a super marker, super crayon, super scissors, and glue, you'll find there's nothing your superhero can't do.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4 and up
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Owlkids Books; 1 edition (August 2, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1926973011
ISBN-13: 978-1926973012
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Get ready for the Super Bowl with this

2012-01-02T05:10:00.000-05:00

Who's ready for the Super Bowl? We're only a few weeks away, as crazy as that is, so why not get your future quarterback geared up for the big game?

HOW FOOTBALL WORKS by Keltie Thomas introduces young fans to everything they need to know from who's who on the field to legends of the game to formations and more. As soon as I opened this book, I couldn't get over the amount of information inside. Young readers will be fascinated to learn that the NFL uses a machine like a shoe buffer to break in official game balls, quarterbacks used to call their own plays, the Vikings were called the Purple People Eaters, and Jim Plunkett remembers a game in which Astroturf burned the bottom of his feet! I love this book because it's full of fun facts like that, but it also covers all of the basics of the game with fun illustrations and diagrams.

By the time the Super Bowl rolls around, your future QB will know all of the tricks in the playbook!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 8 and up
Paperback: 64 pages
Publisher: Maple Tree Press (November 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1897349882
ISBN-13: 978-1897349885
Source of review copy: Publisher

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday! Nonfiction Monday takes place every Monday as various blogs throughout the kidlitosphere write about nonfiction books for kids and collect them all in one place. This week, check out the Nonfiction Monday roundup at The Nonfiction Detectives. To see the entire schedule, please visit the blog of Anastasia Suen.

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Kid loves watching Sprout

2011-12-31T15:11:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the guest post by Bradly Watkins

There are some things you never learn until you have kids. People can tell you, but you don’t understand or retain the information until you actually experience it. Some things are more important than others, but sometimes the simple things are equally important. My parents have always had all the channels direct tv offers. They watch a lot of television, which is fine, but we never thought we needed the channels. Well, then we had a kid. He has fallen in love with a channel called Sprout. Yes, this is an actual channel. It is completely geared for children and has all the classic kids’ shows. It can actually have some very educational shows, but it is in a package that we never needed or wanted. Well, at least we never needed or wanted it before kids. Now we are proud supporters of Sprout and ever PBS. My son is in heaven and to be honest it makes those rainy days a lot easier on me too. I never thought I would be adjusting my budget in order to have all the channels, but kids make you do crazy things.

Fish for a Free Book: December 31

2011-12-31T15:06:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the New Year's edition of Fish for a Free Book! Hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and is looking forward to another new and exciting year!

If you are hosting a children's book giveaway, or if you found a giveaway somewhere on the net that you just have to share, I'd love to have you share your links with us here on our weekly giveaway linky so that we can all stop by and enter.

If you're looking for more children's book giveaways, be sure to visit
Brimful Curiosities' Full to the Brim,
Winning Readings (listings of adult and children's book giveaways),
and Got Great Giveaways? (linky of adult and children's book giveaways at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer)

Please post your links however you wish. Some like to include their blog name, some just want to leave the prize and the ending date. Post it whatever way you feel like, but make sure that the prize listing and the date the giveaway ends is listed. And make sure you post a link directly to your giveaway - not just to your main blog page.

Here's an example:
Your name: Lori Calabrese Writes--Two YA Novels--6/24
Your URL: http://loricalabrese.blogspot.com/2011/06/welcome-to-midsummers-eve-giveaway-hop.html

Now it's your turn. Leave your links here...
(If you're reading this in a reader, please click through to the original post)

Celebrating the New Year with a toast to champagne

2011-12-27T13:02:00.000-05:00

Brought To By Wine.com, Purveyors of Fine Wine and Champagne

It's almost 2012 (that's really crazy by the way!) and millions of people across the globe will be popping a cork and toasting to a brand new year with a bottle of bubbly, so I figured to celebrate the New Year, we could have our own toast here at Lori Calabrese Writes and give a toast to champagne! I've always been a sucker for research and I must say I learned some things I never knew before. For instance, did you know that Dom Perignon was a monk and is credited for 'inventing' Champagne ? The bubbly drink also played a large role in history from ending wars to being sipped by many royalty.

Turns out the bubbles in champagne were an accident and in Dom Perignon's day, bubbles were considered a serious wine flaw. But today, champagne bubbles are so popular, it's even a flavor for Jelly Belly jelly beans!! There's a good conversation-starter about sparkling wines for your New Year's Eve bash.

So here's to a great New Year and as Phyllis McGinley (a poet and writer of children's books) said...

Stir the eggnog, lift the toddy,
Happy New Year, everybody.

Fish for a Free Book: December 23

2011-12-23T05:56:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the holiday edition of Fish for a Free Book! Hope everyone enjoys their holidays and is able to take advantage of some down time by picking up a good book!

If you are hosting a children's book giveaway, or if you found a giveaway somewhere on the net that you just have to share, I'd love to have you share your links with us here on our weekly giveaway linky so that we can all stop by and enter.

If you're looking for more children's book giveaways, be sure to visit
Brimful Curiosities' Full to the Brim,
Winning Readings (listings of adult and children's book giveaways),
and Got Great Giveaways? (linky of adult and children's book giveaways at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer)

Please post your links however you wish. Some like to include their blog name, some just want to leave the prize and the ending date. Post it whatever way you feel like, but make sure that the prize listing and the date the giveaway ends is listed. And make sure you post a link directly to your giveaway - not just to your main blog page.

Here's an example:
Your name: Lori Calabrese Writes--Two YA Novels--6/24
Your URL: http://loricalabrese.blogspot.com/2011/06/welcome-to-midsummers-eve-giveaway-hop.html

Now it's your turn. Leave your links here...
(If you're reading this in a reader, please click through to the original post)

Looking for that last minute gift?

2011-12-22T12:55:00.000-05:00

The countdown is on! Only 3 shopping days left until Christmas. If you're looking for that last minute gift, why not consider an e-book--especially one that will explain everything your young readers want to know about those mischievous elves and the man with the white beard? This month Sourcebooks released an enhanced e-book of the picture book, MRS. CLAUS EXPLAINS IT ALL, complete with real kids asking questions. It has risen to #2 in NOOK Picture Books at Barnes & Noble and it's currently on sale for $1.99!

Be sure to read my review of MRS. CLAUS EXPLAINS IT ALL, then head over to the NOOK book store or Apple's iBookstore to get your e-book, complete with amazing illustrations by David Wenzel, bestselling illustrator of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.Not only do you get the full original text, but you also get engaging audio that elevates the reader experience for both parent and child. Now don't you want to find out all of Santa's secrets?

An endearing tale of friendship

2011-12-20T05:22:00.000-05:00

Family and friends are the focus of the holidays and if you're looking for a children's book that reminds us how important our friends are, then check out JANE & MIZMOW by Matthew S. Armstrong.

Jane's best friend is Mizmow, a monster. Mizmow's best friend is Jane. It can be hard being best friends with a monster, but the two are inseparable and have lots of fun together. That is until one day, they fight over a warm cap fresh from the dryer and it rips. They're not best friends anymore. However, both Jane and Mizmow realize that things just aren't the same, and there's nobody to share things with. So how exactly can you get your best friend back?

The illustrations help tell the story in this endearing tale of friendship and kids will love watching the story play out in both the text and illustrations. Not only is Mizmow the monster absolutely adorable, I can see young readers wanting a stuffed animal of this little guy. The text is simple enough for emerging readers, but the message is powerful enough for readers of all ages. Can't wait to see another picture book by debut author/ illustrator Matthew S. Armstrong as his art is amazing!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 3 and up
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (October 11, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0061177199
ISBN-13: 978-0061177194
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: December 16

2011-12-16T05:47:00.000-05:00

Janet Halfmann's “Star of the Sea” Wins National Award from Science Teachers

2011-12-15T14:46:00.000-05:00

I recently reviewed Star of the Sea: A Day in the Life of a Starfish, by Janet Halfmann and I'm excited to announce that the book has been named a 2012 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12.

The award is given by The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), in collaboration with the Children’s Book Council.

In its review NSTA said: “The book’s narration is full of descriptive phrases that paint a minds-eye picture of the daily life of a starfish in its natural environment. For example, “Beneath the crashing waves, another kind of star clings to the rocks with hundreds of sticky tube feet." The words set the stage for the visual imagery of the life of a starfish. The illustrations show the large view of a starfish as well as close-up images of its tube feet. The blend of words and art provides young readers with accurate scientific information and will inspire wonder in their minds.”

“Star of the Sea” is published by Henry Holt/Christy Ottaviano Books, for children ages 5-9. The illustrations are collage art by Joan Paley. The book is also a School Library Guild Selection.

Halfmann is the award-winning author of more than 30 children’s books, including “Good Night, Little Sea Otter,” “Fur and Feathers,” “Little Skink’s Tail,” and “Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story.” She grew up on a farm in Michigan and now lives in South Milwaukee, WI.

A big congraulations to Janet and be sure to check out some of the other amazing titles that won the award.

Unwrap an app for the holidays with the Fancy Nancy Dress Up app

2011-12-14T14:59:00.001-05:00

HarperCollins Children’s Books recently announced that the Fancy Nancy Dress Up – the first interactive app based on the beloved and bestselling children’s book – is available on the App Store for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

'Tis the season for apps, so it's no surprise to see Fancy Nancy make her digital game debut. With over 20 million books in print, Fancy Nancy has captured the hearts of young readers, which is why I'm sure this app will be a hit with Fancy Nancy fans.

Fancy Nancy Dress Up has hundreds of possible outfits, and fun and fancy backgrounds and stickers to choose from. Not only will Fancy Nancy fans love dressing up Nancy, they can create original pictures for an all-new Fancy Nancy storybook, save and share their fantastique creations, and insert Fancy Nancy into their very own photos

Other new apps out just in time for the holidays include Biscuit Gives a Gift and The Berenstain Bears Trim the Tree. Whether you are joining the Berenstain Bears as they decorate their Christmas tree or playing along as Biscuit finds the perfect gift for everyone he loves, you can now celebrate the holidays with your favorite characters in a fun and interactive way.

If you're looking for even more app ideas, be sure to check out my article at Education.com, Top 10 Holiday Apps for Kids.

Deadly Cool is just that- COOL!

2011-12-13T05:58:00.000-05:00

The first sentence of Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday will have you diving into this novel, wanting more.

Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool.

But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim.

I fell in love with Hartley as she's punchy, to the point and laugh out loud. We hear a lot about voice when it comes to novels--specifically how hard it is to nail that teen voice in a young adult novel, but Halliday has it mastered. Add in a little murder mystery and you have the perfect read for a long weekend.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 13 and up
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (October 11, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0062003313
ISBN-13: 978-0062003317
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

10 Best Holiday Apps for Kids

2011-12-12T05:18:00.000-05:00

If you're looking to update your tablet, smartphone, or MP3 with some really cool holiday apps for kids, check out my latest article for Education.com, 10 Best Holiday Apps for Kids.

I loved writing this article because it gave me the chance to try out some apps I didn't even know were out there and we all know there are many to choose from. There's definitely an app for everything!

My new favorite? Definitely Grinchmas! Who doesn't love the Grinch?

Fish for a free book: December 9

2011-12-09T08:54:00.000-05:00

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

2011-12-08T05:38:00.003-05:00

A classic Christmas tale is THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, first published in 1972 by Barbara Robinson. Not only was it made into a TV movie, but it is produced annually as a play in theaters, schools and churches all over the world.

Now, Robinson is introducing us to the latest picture book version of THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, illustrated by Laura Cornell.

We're introduced to the Herdmans, who just happen to be the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal and play with matches and everyone stays away from them. However, one day they show up in Sunday school. Not only do they steal all the money out of the collection plate, but they draw mustaches on everybody in the Bible and take over the annual Christmas pageant (acting out the story of Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus). Everybody knows the story, except the Herdmans. In fact, everyone's convinced this is going to be the worst pageant ever, but when the pageant takes place and every wrong thing the Herdmans do seems right and natural, it might possibly be the best Christmas pageant ever.

The thought of six very unruly children teaching a whole church about the true meaning of the birth of Christ is what makes this a wonderful Christmas picture book to share with children and teach them the true meaning of Christmas. Cornell has updated the story with lively and vibrant illustrations, but the powerful message remains the same. A wonderful addition to your Christmas collection.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4 and up
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (September 27, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0060890746
ISBN-13: 978-0060890742
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

7 Things to Do When a Teacher Calls Home

2011-12-07T06:53:00.000-05:00

Remember when you were a kid and your teacher threatened to call your mom? You couldn’t imagine anything else more terrifying and you probably begged and pleaded, “Please, please don’t call my mom. Anything but that.” Fast-forward a few years and now your son’s teacher is calling home and you're on the receiving end. You’re probably begging and pleading, “Please, please don’t call me. Anything but this.”

When a teacher calls home, it can be a scary experience for a child—and even scarier for a parent. Check out my recent article that I wrote for Education.com, 7 Things to Do When a Teacher Calls Home. Hopefully, if you ever do get that dreaded phone call, you'll be a little more prepared and know just what to do.

Carrier of the Mark hits the mark

2011-12-06T05:41:00.001-05:00

Carrier of the Mark was one of the buzz books at Book Expo America this year and after hearing the story of how Leigh Fallon wrote the book, posted it to Inkpop (a website for budding writers of teen fiction) and within weeks, the manuscript hit the coveted top-five spot, I had to get my hands on a copy.

Let me just say, I'm glad I did. I mean, check out the cover. That's just one of the coolest covers I've seen in a long time.

Megan Rosenberg comes off as your typical teenager, but how typical can she be when she's transplanted from Boston to Ireland? Fortunately, after growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs. However, as their relationship blossoms, Megan discovers a secret of the DeRIs family, bu how exactly does Megan fit in?

If you love mythology, you'll fall in love with the characters in this book. Fallon has captured the magic of Ireland, and dives into Celtic legend as we discover the amazing powers of Megan and Adam. There's so much action and intrigue in this novel, you'll find yourself ripping through it in no time, and biting your nails for the next installment.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 13 and up
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen; 1 edition (October 4, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0062027875
ISBN-13: 978-0062027870
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: December 2

2011-12-02T05:14:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Fish for a free book!

If you are hosting a children's book giveaway, or if you found a giveaway somewhere on the net that you just have to share, I'd love to have you share your links with us here on our weekly giveaway linky so that we can all stop by and enter.

If you're looking for more children's book giveaways, be sure to visit
Brimful Curiosities' Full to the Brim,
Winning Readings (listings of adult and children's book giveaways),
and Got Great Giveaways? (linky of adult and children's book giveaways at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer)

Please post your links however you wish. Some like to include their blog name, some just want to leave the prize and the ending date. Post it whatever way you feel like, but make sure that the prize listing and the date the giveaway ends is listed. And make sure you post a link directly to your giveaway - not just to your main blog page.

Here's an example:
Your name: Lori Calabrese Writes--Two YA Novels--6/24
Your URL: http://loricalabrese.blogspot.com/2011/06/welcome-to-midsummers-eve-giveaway-hop.html

Now it's your turn. Leave your links here...
(If you're reading this in a reader, please click through to the original post)

Co-Authors & Dads Teach Kids Don't Be Afraid of Failure

2011-12-01T05:23:00.000-05:00

I recently reviewed THE GIRL WHO NEVER MADE MISTAKES by Mark Pett and Gary Rubenstein. I fell in love with this book and the illustrations and needed to find out more of how these co-authors and dads are teaching kids to not be afraid of failure...

What was the inspiration for Beatrice Bottomwell?
As a professional cartoonist (and former teacher), I’m often asked to visit classrooms to teach kids about cartooning. Invariably, there are numerous children who either won’t participate because they “can’t draw” or get frustrated that they can’t draw perfectly the first time.

This led to a thought experiment. What if there was a child who never made mistakes? What would her life be like? Enter Beatrice Bottomwell, celebrated in her town for having never made a mistake in as long as anyone can remember. In so many ways, her life is wonderful. She wins spelling bees. She gets perfect grades. She never spills anything, mismatches clothing, or colors outside the lines. What could be terrible about that?

The trouble, Beatrice increasingly discovers, is that she’s trapped in a box. Beatrice can’t try anything she doesn’t already know she’s good at. When her friends ask her to join them ice skating, she won’t because she might fail. She’s so attached to being The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes that her range of activities becomes narrower and narrower.

This is the problem with the kind of perfectionism that virtually all of us experience. How many adults do you know who refuse to dance or sing or draw because that’s just not something they’re good at? Our children watch us and begin to do the very same thing.

Mark, How different was it creating a children's book than writing your nationally syndicated comic strip?
I've discovered that producing a daily syndicated comic strip was wonderful preparation for writing and illustrating a children's picture book. The principles are very much the same. In comic strips, the cartoonist uses art and words in tandem to guide the reader through the story and control timing.

My comic strip also did wonders to develop my work ethic. When you have to deliver a comic strip every single day (including a large full-color Sunday strip once per week), you learn to be creative on demand. I can't say I miss the brutal deadlines, but the newspaper comic strip is a wonderful medium that offers an intimate relationship between the creator and the reader. In creating a children's book, I've enjoyed a much slower pace, which has allowed me to edit more thoroughly and work in watercolors to produce the illustrations. I have to say, though, that I've missed the instant gratification that publishing in newspapers gave me. It's taken two years to see this book to print!

Gary, How did your teaching experience aid in writing The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes?
As a math teacher I've found that many students are intimidated by their perceived rigidity of the subject. The only way I'm able to get a good amount of participation is to tell the students, early on, that nobody will make more mistakes than me in front of the class this semester. Also, I like to sometimes ask questions that encourage the students to let go and just guess. Like "How likely is it that two people in this class have the same birthday?" I don't expect them to calculate it out -- it's too difficult. But if I can get them to take an educated guess and feel comfortable making it publicly, then I've done a good job at getting them to embrace the ideas we try to promote in the book.

Why do you think students are so concerned about making mistakes?
Students see many of the questions that are posed in school as either right or wrong, especially in math. Kids don't want to get the answer wrong in front of everyone since they feel that everyone else knows the correct answer, even when they don't. I've found that when it comes to the test, the kids who participated the most, even if they got answers wrong in that participation, do best on the unit test. That's why I really try to encourage kids to answer questions and try to be understanding when they get things wrong and not make them feel bad about it.

How did the collaboration process work and what were some of the challenges?
Mark and I have known each other for twelve years. We met at a Teach For America reunion in 1999 and would send one another projects we were working on, individually, to see what the other thought of it. Three years ago we both had daughters born and as we each read picture books to them, we started talking about working together on one.

Since he lived in Mississippi at the time and I was in New York City, we would Skype once a week brainstorming ideas for the book. We settled on a concept that Mark had about what it would be like to never make a mistake. I wrote the first draft and then we edited and rewrote for about four months. Mark drew up some pencil sketches for the artwork and we sent out the rough draft to agents until Kerry Sparks from Levine-Greenberg offered to represent us. The rest, as they say, is history.

Since Mark and I were very used to working on our own projects -- me on my other books and him on his syndicated comic strips -- it was difficult, at times, coming to agreement about how the story should go. Then, when you add in an editor, things get even more complicated. I think, though, that the collaboration process really enabled every possible kink to be worked out in the text and when I look at the final product I see some things that I know were my invention, some that I know were Mark's, but most of it I see as just what 'we' did together through the collaboration process.

-----
A big thanks to both Gary and Mark for taking the time to tell us more about the inspiration and collaboration process behind THE GIRL WHO NEVER MADE MISTAKES. Check out the book at Sourcebooks.com.

The Beautiful Dead comes to a climactic end

2011-11-29T06:06:00.000-05:00

The Beautiful Dead series by Eden Maguire quickly became one of my faves as I dived into the very first book: Beautiful Dead: Jonas on a train ride home from the NY SCBWI winter conference a few years ago.As each book was released, I must say I was never disappointed and couldn't wait to get my hands on the next installment.

I hate to see the series end, but I recently finished the last book in the series, Beautiful Dead: Phoenix. In this fourth and final installment, we know how Darina has helped previous members of the Beautiful Dead bring about justice for their deaths, but now the heat is on as Darina has to help her 'undead' boyfriend, Phoenix. Can Darina keep it together, knowing that her time with Phoenix is running out?

I couldn't put this book down and was pleasantly surprised with some of the surprising plot twists Maguire weaved in. Since book one, I've loved the character Darina as she's strong-willed, independent, and very captivating and Darina doesn't let you down in this one either.

If you're in the market for a clever, and intriguing series, look no further. The Beautiful Dead will fill your appetite for the dark side, romance, supernatural, drama, action, and more.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 13 and up
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (October 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1402239475
ISBN-13: 978-1402239472
Source of review copy: Publicist

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

The ultimate question and answer book

2011-11-28T05:52:00.000-05:00

Children are inquisitive and if you're a parent, you're probably bombarded with questions daily like...

-Why do I have to brush my teeth?
-Why are some eggs brown and some white?
-Why do onions make you cry?
-Why is the sky blue?

Chances are you're usually explaining away, but if you need to come up for air or maybe just don't know why worms come out when it's wet (no shame in that), it's time to pick up a copy of WHY: THE BEST EVER QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK ABOUT NATURE, SCIENCE, AND THE WORLD AROUND YOU by Catherine Ripley.

My kids and I can't get enough of this book. There are so many fun questions and they're broken up into sections: Bathtime, Supermarket, Nighttime, Outdoor, Kitchen, and Farm Animal. And what makes this book resonate with young readers is the fact that the questions were submitted by real children. The 10th Anniversary Edition not only offers all of the fun facts you're looking for, but it offers fun illustrations that will have your young readers picking this one up time and time again.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 3 and up
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Owlkids Books; Tenth Anniversary Edition edition (November 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1926818008
ISBN-13: 978-1926818009
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: November 25

2011-11-25T04:26:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Thanksgiving edition of fish for a free book!

If you are hosting a children's book giveaway, or if you found a giveaway somewhere on the net that you just have to share, I'd love to have you share your links with us here on our weekly giveaway linky so that we can all stop by and enter.

If you're looking for more children's book giveaways, be sure to visit
Brimful Curiosities' Full to the Brim,
Winning Readings (listings of adult and children's book giveaways),
and Got Great Giveaways? (linky of adult and children's book giveaways at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer)

Please post your links however you wish. Some like to include their blog name, some just want to leave the prize and the ending date. Post it whatever way you feel like, but make sure that the prize listing and the date the giveaway ends is listed. And make sure you post a link directly to your giveaway - not just to your main blog page.

Here's an example:
Your name: Lori Calabrese Writes--Two YA Novels--6/24
Your URL: http://loricalabrese.blogspot.com/2011/06/welcome-to-midsummers-eve-giveaway-hop.html

Now it's your turn. Leave your links here...
(If you're reading this in a reader, please click through to the original post)

Taking dress-up to the next level

2011-11-24T21:25:00.000-05:00

I was recently reading the children's book, Birdie's Big-Girl Shoes by Sujean RimDo. In the book, Birdie can’t wait to dress-up like her mom…wearing jewelry, perfume and big-girl shoes. It immediately made me think of my niece. She loves to dress-up and play pretend, so I'm always on the lookout for everything from princess dresses to fairy wings to Dorothy's red ruby shoes. As the mom of two boys, I'm usually surrounded by Transformers costumes, werewolves, and skeletons, so the thought of feather boas floating around the house is as alien to me as E.T.. However, it made me stop and wonder, why do girls like to dress-up? Underneath all of those sequins and sparkles, there's something intriguing to a little girl about walking in an adult's shoes. They're preparing themselves for the road ahead and role-play allows girls to strengthen many skills they'll need as an adult. So as I was racking my brain for another Christmas present that would be a hit this year, it hit me. What if I didn't buy the usual frilly, lacy princess dress, but instead opted for some gear that would really get her creative juices flowing?

I discovered this fantastic website that offers scrubs not only for men and women, but also kids...http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Women/Original-Scrubs/. The scrubs that Blue Sky offers resembles the same ones you'd find a doctor or nurse wearing in a hospital, which makes them a perfect gift for dress-up play and more. And to top it off, they even offer scrubs for babies! I wish I knew a doctor or nurse who was having a baby because I can see these as the perfect baby shower gift.

Even though we don't have any doctors or nurses in the family, I know I stumbled upon a great Christmas gift as my niece will love the nurse scrubs uniform. Yeah, there might not be any sequins or high-heel shoes that she can stumble around the house in, but the next time she wants to put herself into an adult's shoes, she won't have to just grab that toy doctor kit, filled with molded plastic toys that only let her pretend to play doctor. She can actually wear the real thing and aim to be the next Elizabeth Blackwell...stat!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T04:45:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Here's to gettin' your turkey on...

Teaching children about OCD

2011-11-22T06:55:00.000-05:00

OCD is a difficult thing to explain to children, but as I've always said, there really is a children's book for everything and if you're looking for a way to explain OCD to your child, STUCK by Rhonda C. Martin will do just the trick.

Narrated by Cinnamon, a little girl who's different in a big way, we learn about all the different ways she gets stuck in certain routines and can't stop until she gets them exactly right. For example, Cinnamon has a certain routine when Mom or Dad leave the house, she often washes her hands over and over again, she needs to have her toys in neat lines, and the trash can is her least favorite part of the house. And even though young readers will learn that OCD can make someone feel like something bad might happen, they'll also learn that Cinnamon gets stuck on many good things.

This book sends the powerful message home that OCD is not a child's fault and there's nothing wrong with a child who has OCD. In fact, most of the time, they're just like other kids and whatever happens, their friends and family love them just the same. This is a wonderful book for kids with OCD, kids who would like to understand more about OCD, and for parents to help initiate discussion with their own children about OCD.

For more information and resources, please visit Stuck's official website.

Additional Information:
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Jabberwocky Books (September 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935204335
ISBN-13: 978-1935204336
Source of review copy: Author

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Teach your kids what it means to go green

2011-11-21T05:27:00.001-05:00

Go Green! You hear that phrase everywhere these days. We all know that to “go green” means to strive for sustainability and protection of the environment. But how do you explain that to a five year old? Well, author Jill Dunn attempts to do just that in her book, I WANT TO GO GREEN, BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

In the book, a little girl gets to the bottom of just what it means to go green...

Is "Green" a playground where I can play?
Is it a building or somewhere to stay?

Or is it just the color of peas?
Will somebody tell me?
I'm begging you, please!

The little girl begs and pleads and learns that to go green is how we should treat our Earth. Not only is it a way of life that protects the Earth and people, it also protects the animals and more. Kids will enjoy the rhyming story as they learn about everything from energy to conservation to renewable resources and they'll be amazed at all the ways they can go green--just by turning off the TV, recycling their juice bottle, and walking to school instead of taking the car.

Teaching children how to go green shouldn't be difficult and Dunn has laid everything out for your young readers to do the right thing. So the next time someone tells them to go green, they'll know exactly what that means!

Additional Information:
Paperback: 42 pages
Publisher: AuthorMike Ink (April 11, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0984580123
ISBN-13: 978-0984580125
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: November 18

2011-11-18T07:31:00.000-05:00

It's time to fish for a free book!

If you are hosting a children's book giveaway, or if you found a giveaway somewhere on the net that you just have to share, I'd love to have you share your links with us here on our weekly giveaway linky so that we can all stop by and enter.

If you're looking for more children's book giveaways, be sure to visit
Brimful Curiosities' Full to the Brim,
Winning Readings (listings of adult and children's book giveaways),
and Got Great Giveaways? (linky of adult and children's book giveaways at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer)

Please post your links however you wish. Some like to include their blog name, some just want to leave the prize and the ending date. Post it whatever way you feel like, but make sure that the prize listing and the date the giveaway ends is listed. And make sure you post a link directly to your giveaway - not just to your main blog page.

Here's an example:
Your name: Lori Calabrese Writes--Two YA Novels--6/24
Your URL: http://loricalabrese.blogspot.com/2011/06/welcome-to-midsummers-eve-giveaway-hop.html

Now it's your turn. Leave your links here...
(If you're reading this in a reader, please click through to the original post)

Check out these ridiculous parenting products

2011-11-15T19:46:00.000-05:00

Parenting Magazine recently posted the most ridiculous parenting products.

Parenting says, "With kids comes stuff -- but this silly and unnecessary kid gear is a total waste of your money."

If you're a parent, I'm sure your house is flooded with unnecessary kid gear and with the holidays around the corner, you're probably wondering where your going to put all that new unnecessary stuff. I must admit, the thought has crossed my mind once or twice.

That being said, hop over to Parenting and check out their list. The thing that grabbed my attention? A placenta teddy bear!

Okay--that's just gross!

Fish for a Free Book: November 11

2011-11-11T07:33:00.001-05:00

1. Mymcbooks

Celebrate Picture Book Month

2011-11-09T12:19:00.001-05:00

Did you guys know that November has officially been declared picture book month? With the digital age upon us and with many declaring the death of the picture book, some ingenious authors came up with the idea to give the picture book some well deserved love and rightfully so. As a result, every day in November, there will be a new post at their official website from a picture book champion explaining why he/she thinks picture books are important. Be sure to check out the site as they have tons of activities, curriculum guides and more!

As you know, picture books are close to my heart and I think they play a huge role in a child's development. But most of all, picture books are just plain fun! In fact, I'm always amazed at where picture book authors get their ideas from. Most writers write about what their passionate about or things they know and I don't know about you, but recalling memories from 1st grade just does not come easy for me. So where do children's authors get their ideas from exactly?

One author has a fabulous story and in honor of picture book month, I had to share it here. That story is of Laura Murray, author of THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE IN THE SCHOOL. According to her website, Murray is not only a children's author, but also a teacher and mom of three mischief makers! As a teacher, one of her favorite curriculum units was 'The Gingerbread Man' unit. As part of her lesson at the beginning of each school year, a freshly baked gingerbread man managed to escape from her class. It was up to the kids to hang missing posters, search the halls, discover crumbs and candies, and do whatever they could to hunt down this smart cookie. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Well as a result, Murray came up with the idea for her book, THE GINGERBREAD MAN LOOSE IN THE SCHOOL. It's a twist on the classic tale, told by the Gingerbread Man himself and the book has quickly become a staple for teachers across the country.

That's just one story of how one author got a fabulous idea and turned it into a success. There are so many more and so many reasons to love picture books. To learn more about Laura Murray, please visit her official website and don't forget to give some love to picture books.Visit the Picture Book Month website and learn more about why picture books are important.

Welcoming Ashton

2011-11-08T19:18:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the post, Arthur Lawrence

Until this fall, I’ve never really watched Two and a Half Men. Charlie Sheen was such a train wreck in real life I couldn’t bring myself to tune in while watching my direct tv San Marcos. But after all the hype about his being fired and Ashton Kutcher being hired, I couldn’t help tuning in. I wanted to see what all the drama was about. Boy was I not disappointed! I know many long time fans aren’t very excited about the change but I really like the way they made the transition. The funeral was hilarious and a fitting tribute to a character gone rogue. Ashton’s introduction was a blast. He isn’t the best actor but the character he plays doesn’t seem to have much personality so it works! Jon Cryer is always great and continues to play the perfect straight man against Kutcher’s slightly spacy and clueless billionaire. And Angus Jones never disappoints. This show is one of very few examples where the cute kid in the punchlines has been able to grow up and remain relevant. Have you noticed they haven’t had to introduce another younger “cousin” like on so many other sitcoms?

An app that simplifies the interview process

2011-11-07T05:33:00.000-05:00

If you're a freelance writer, you know the importance of getting interviews. Interviews help gather information, give you an expert source to quote, and really solidify your article and/ or book.

Let's admit it though--if it's a lengthy interview, organization can get a little hairy. There are many tools out there to use, but one that came to my attention recently is the MyInterview App.

This app looks amazing as it will help you create, conduct and manage your interviews. And one thing about doing interviews is the amount of paperwork that usually comes along with it. The MyInterview App helps you go green and will help free you of all that clutter.

Some of the features include templates that will get you started with real questions, and the ability to record the audio from an interview with the tap of a button, take notes during an interview, time your interview, and share data easily by emailing reports right from the app.

Whether you're just getting started as a freelance writer or you're a full-fledged nonfiction author, MyInterview will definitely help you streamline the interview process and help get you organized. Something every writer needs to be!

Learn more at http://myinterviewapp.com/

Can Prepaid Debit Cards Help You Maintain Your Budget?

2011-11-04T13:06:00.001-04:00

Maintaining a budget is a lot like yo-yo dieting. Think about it--when dieting, a weight cycle can range from small weight losses and big gains. Your budget can also be affected this way when you don't have a plan. One month, you might see big gains, but another month, you suffer huge losses. With the U.S. economy continuing to be sluggish, moms probably find themselves walking out of a grocery store shocked at their receipt and even more shocked when they realize there's not much in their grocery bags. With that said, what is the best way to maintain a budget?

I don't know about you, but I've tried so many ways to maintain a budget from taking out a set amount of money for the month to not taking any money out at all and only relying on credit cards. Somehow, it never seems to work. Now, with banks charging high fees for debit card transactions, U.S. banks are pushing prepaid debit cards. But is it the right thing to maintain your budget? Prepaid debit cards do offer some advantages:

You can only spend what is on your card, so there are no costly overdraft or interest fees.
It’s an easy-to-use and convenient alternative to credit cards and traditional banking–without all of the worry of going into debt or overdrawing your account.
There are no hidden fees or interest charges.
You can get instant access to your balance, deposit, and recent transaction information online. Most prepaid cards even allow you to track your transactions on your mobile phone. This is useful to know where and how much you’re spending.
Carrying a prepaid debit card is much safer than carrying cash. If it's lost or stolen, the best prepaid debit card companies will protect you against unauthorized purchases.
You can also shop online without giving out your credit card information.

If you think a prepaid debit card is for you, you can buy them online or find them in major retailers, but be sure to study the card's policies. Some charge a small monthly fee, fees to reload the card, fees to withdraw money from an ATM, and fees to speak to a customer service representative. However, preloaded cards that offer the convenience of plastic without the risk of taking on further debt can be a great deal and the popularity of prepaid debit cards continues to rise. According to the U.S. Treasury, even the IRS has started a campaign to issue refunds to those who do not have a bank account in the form of a prepaid debit card.

With the holidays around the corner, I see prepaid debit cards as a great alternative for maintaining your budget. Much like that yo-yo diet you've tried time and time again, you've probably realized that if you want to lose weight, you have to do it the right way. Well, it's the same for your budget. If you want to save money, you have to do it the right way and perhaps a prepaid debit card is the way for you.

Fish for a Free Book: November 4

2011-11-04T04:45:00.001-04:00

1. Bluerose's Heart-YA E-book(10 copies!)- 11/11
2. 2 Signed Fur and Feathers picture books—ends 11/5, US

3. Sharing Some Mail Giddiness: The Secret Life of Bees --US, 11/7
4. iPad 2, 30 Kids' Books & $50 GC 11/23

Social media has changed the way we live for the better

2011-11-03T16:42:00.001-04:00

I just spent five days without power. There's nothing like a snowstorm blowing through your town in October! It was definitely a test of wills as my family shivered over their dinner, school was cancelled, and we all had to live without our gizmos and gadgets--yes, that means computer, television, and video games. Hey, we all have our thing! I'm not amazed at how reliant we are on our toys, but I must say, social media has definitely changed the way we live and for the better. The only thing we had to keep contact with the outside world was my husband's cell phone, and thankfully we did. Being able to surf the web and check in with social media sites kept us up to date on the progress of getting our electricity back and how some of our friends and family were coping.

I think what I'm truly amazed at is how social media continues to morph into different things. I mean, it all started as a social networking thing for teens. However, today, adults use it to network and share information; and businesses use it to communicate with their employees and customers. More than 600 million users worldwide are active on Facebook, and approximately two hundred million people are active on Twitter. What that means is that we don't have to rely on the news networks to get our news anymore.

In addition to being a means of communication, social media is also helping to fund projects around the world. I was impressed to learn that as of September 2010, Toms has given 1,000,000 pairs of shoes to children in need in 23 countries; Pepsi has invested over $20 million in projects, and Google.org has granted over $100 million to non-profits and it has all happened because of something we all simply know as a 'like.'

A little closer to home, social media not only kept me informed during our October snowstorm, but it's also helped me build my freelance writing career. Without social media, I'm certain it would have taken a lot longer to build my number of network connections, reach out to my reading audience, and gather clients. If you're a new writer just starting out or you just need help building your social media status, I think it's vital to build your platform and if you don't know how, there are many places that can help you with your social media management.

With social media and a little bit of electricity, I know I'm prepared for the next October snowstorm, ready to shout-out the announcement of a new book, and frankly, who knows what else social media is capable of in the future!

How to convince your kids to not turn the other into a frog

2011-11-01T05:38:00.000-04:00

So one of your sons wants to turn his brother into a frog? We've all been there. I remember many times I would have loved to have changed my brother into a frog, but it just never happened. No matter how much you try to convince your son that it's just not possible, you might want to check out MY BROTHER THE FROG by Kevin McNamee.

In this humorous picture book, a boy wants to change his brother into a frog, but he learns a few things in the process. Things like... his brother will get mad, his parents will get mad, he'll be really good at sports, and more. And when he tries to change him back, it may not be that easy. Now his brother's a duck who hogs the bathtub then he's a chicken who pecks at his toes when he's asleep. There are so many scenarios that he just never thought of and he finally realizes that maybe his brother isn't so bad just the way he is.

MY BROTHER THE FROG is a humorous read that dives into a little sibling rivalry. As I said before, we've all probably imagined turning our brother or sister into a frog, but MY BROTHER THE FROG takes it one step further and really examines what would happen if it actually came to fruition. Kids will get a kick out of the illustrations and parents will enjoy the hidden message that a sibling can actually be your best friend. (well, sometimes)

Additional Information:
Paperback: 24 pages
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (June 27, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616331593
ISBN-13: 978-1616331597
Source of review copy: Author

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: October 28

2011-10-28T04:24:00.003-04:00

1. 2 Signed Fur and Feathers picture books—ends 11/5

Throw a Halloween Party with Boo, Bat and Pumpkin

2011-10-27T21:14:00.001-04:00

Halloween is on Monday (cue the creepy Scooby Doo music), which means it's time to throw a party. Well, Boo, Bat and Pumpkin are in the latest Halloween children's book, BOO, BAT and PUMPKIN THROW A PARTY.

This year, Boo and his friends want to throw a Halloween party at his haunted house. Only problem is, Boo and his friends aren't quite the popular kids in school. Boo hopes the popular kids will come and everyone will have a great time, so the popular kids will like them. However, as the cobwebs are hung, and the eyeballs are stewed, will the party go off without a hitch?

Ashley Lucas has written a fun Halloween story with a universal message of making new friends, acceptance and the fact that it's okay to be ourselves! A must for any haunted house!

Watch the trailer:

Additional Information:
Paperback: 34 pages
Publisher: Sunbury Press, Inc. (February 19, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934597333
ISBN-13: 978-1934597330
Source of review copy: Author

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Calling unpublished CT children's authors and illustrators

2011-10-27T07:22:00.000-04:00

Are you an unpublished writer or illustrator of children’s books? Have you dreamed of a chance to have your writing or portfolios reviewed by a literary agent or book publisher? Then here's an amazing opportunity for you.

The Shoreline Arts Alliance is presenting the twelfth annual New Voices in Children’s Literature: Tassy Walden Awards competition. This contest affords unpublished authors and illustrators of children’s books the opportunity to have manuscripts and portfolios reviewed by literary agents and possibly by editors and art directors at some of the major publishing houses for children’s literature.

The New Voices in Children’s Literature: Tassy Walden Awards is a Connecticut statewide, juried competition opened to writers and illustrators who are not published or under contract for publication. Categories are: Picture Book (text only), Illustrated Picture Book (author and illustrator must be same person), Illustrator’s Portfolio, Middle Grade Novel and Young Adult/Teen Novel.

All submissions for this year’s contest must be postmarked by February 3, 2012.

As if the contest is not enough, The Shoreline Arts Alliance will also be offering FREE workshops in preparation for this year’s contest. The facilitators will review the submission guidelines and the current industry standards and provide insight and answer questions related to getting your work "out there" to literary agents and publishers. Workshops are in the following locations:
November 15, 5:30 – 7:30pm,New Haven Free Public Library, 133 Elm Street, New Haven
November 29, 7 – 9pm, Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, 84 Lyme Street, Old Lyme
December 1, 7 – 9pm, Fairfield University Bookstore, 1499 Post Road, Fairfield

Please visit www.ShorelineArts.org or contact the office at (203) 453-3890 for 2011 Call for Entry and guidelines or for additional information or questions on preparing manuscripts and portfolios for submission. And GOOD LUCK!

Never Kick a Ghost

2011-10-25T05:38:00.004-04:00

Looking for a collection of Halloween short stories for your developing reader? Enter NEVER KICK A GHOST: AND OTHER SILLY CHILLERS by Judy Sierra. That's right--THE Judy Sierra who wrote WILD ABOUT BOOKS. This Easy-Reader contains 4 short-stories that feature South Sea Sue, Blackbeard's bride; Sam Sniff who learns to never kick a ghost; and a big slobbery monster. There's also a short rhyme and some funny epitaphs that will keep your young reader entertained.

These silly, spooky tales are rated PG, so you won't have to worry about nightmares, but the stories are just the right size for some spooktacular fun!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (July 26, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0061435198
ISBN-13: 978-0061435195
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Frightfully funny knock-knock jokes

2011-10-24T05:54:00.000-04:00

Knock, Knock!
Who's there?
Howl!
Howl who?
Howl you be dressing up this Halloween?

Sorry, I couldn't resist! But if your young reader is a fan of knock, knock jokes, then you have to pick up a copy of HALLOWEEN HOWLERS. Full of frightfully funny knock-knock jokes, your young reader will definitely enjoy thumbing through and cracking these jokes on every member of your family! But that's not all. Each page offers lift-the-flaps that reveal the answer to the joke, making this even more fun.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 16 pages
Publisher: HarperFestival; Original edition (July 26, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0061808911
ISBN-13: 978-0061808913
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: October 21

2011-10-21T07:44:00.000-04:00

Get into the Halloween spirit with The 13 Nights of Halloween

2011-10-20T06:34:00.000-04:00

2 Halloweens back, I reviewed The 13 Days of Halloween by Carol Greene. A trick used by many children's book authors is to cleverly transform a story from the tune of a famous song or in this case, a Christmas carol. Greene made a spooktacular tale told to the tune of "The Twelve of Days of Christmas" and I must admit, my kids still ask for this one.

That's why I was surprised to find THE 13 NIGHTS OF HALLOWEEN by Guy Vasilovich. That's right, just like The 13 Days of Halloween, Vasilovich has transformed 'The Twelve of Days of Christmas' into his own Halloween version. I must admit that I like Carol Greene's version better, but Vasilovich has definitely mastered the art of illustration! The illustrations absolutely make this book. For example, on the third night of Halloween, there's nothing better than seeing 3 Baseball Bats--Of course, we see 3 bats with baseball hats.

This is one of those books that will definitely get you in the Halloween spirit and young readers will be begging you to sing the song over and over again.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (July 26, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0061804452
ISBN-13: 978-0061804458
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

The most important thing is knowing who you are

2011-10-18T05:57:00.000-04:00

So many of us never take the time to sit back, relax, and think of all the reasons to be happy. If we did, we'd realize there's so much to be happy for. That's why I really enjoyed reading REASONS TO BE HAPPY by Katrina Kittle.

With a glance at the cover, you'd think this is your girly-girl upbeat love story (bubbly letters, pink and blue, doodle stars, etc...), but that's not the case--and in a definitely good way! Instead, we dive into the life of Hannah, an eighth grader who is moving to a new school and whose parents just happen to be A-list celebrities. But that's not all. Hannah's mom is sick, Hannah doesn't quite fit in at the new school, and she's stuck hanging out with the B-Squad, a group of girls who are fake and not like Hannah at all. As a result, Hannah finds herself transforming into somebody she doesn't even know. The old Hannah used to keep a notebook full of reasons to be happy, but the girl who used to love running and making art now faces the harsh reality of dealing with change and death. So what does she turn to--bulimia.

Kittle dives into this complex subject and how self-esteem can affect a young teen. What I love about this story is that Hannah is a strong girl and we witness an amazing transformation of how she finds herself again--much by traveling to Africa with her Aunt who is a documentary filmmaker documenting the plight of the country's orphans. Along the way, Hannah's journey reminds us all of what we have to be grateful for and as Hannah says herself, the most important one is knowing who you are.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (October 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1402260202
ISBN-13: 978-1402260209
Source of review copy: Publicist

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Have you ever had any pumpkin trouble?

2011-10-17T05:16:00.001-04:00

I don't know about you guys, but I LOVE Halloween! I'm officially in Halloween mode and have the candy (check!), Halloween decorations (check!), and have officially carved the jack-o'-lanterns (check!). Here's a pic of our pumpkins... (I have to admit, I got the idea from Martha Stewart.)

Our carving pretty much went off without a hitch, however we did have a little bit of pumpkin trouble because as you can see, the guy on the left lost his stem. But overall, they were fun to make and there's nothing like having these little guys to spruce up your house or front step! And talking about pumpkin trouble, if you're looking for an amusing story to share with your young readers, one of my new favorite Halloween books is PUMPKIN TROUBLE by Jan Thomas.

Duck can't wait to show Pig and Mouse his jack-o'-lantern, but as he's scooping out one last seed, Duck falls inside the pumpkin. While he's searching for help with the pumpkin on his head, he runs into Pig and Mouse, but Pig and Mouse mistake Duck for a Pumpkin Monster. Pig and Mouse run and hide and Duck is left to solve the problem on his own. Fortunately he runs into the barn and smashes the pumpkin off his head, leaving Pig and Mouse to think that Duck battled the Pumpkin Monster all on his own! This calls for a celebration, and what better way to celebrate than to make a jack-o'-lantern?

This is such an amusing book--all readers will enjoy this one. The illustrations complement the story and the sight of a duck running around with a pumpkin on his head is sure to bring laughs. Just the right book to get you in the mood for your own carving session!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (July 26, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0061692840
ISBN-13: 978-0061692840
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: October 14

2011-10-14T07:52:00.003-04:00

1. Aeicha @ Word Spelunking- 3 MG/YA Ebooks-10/20
2. Aeicha @ Word Spelunking- 1 MG Paperback- 10/19

3. Aeicha @ Word Spelunking- 1 YA Ebook- 10/18
4. ARC of Fat Vampire (YA) ends 10/20/11

5. Book Snatch- 1 YA Dystopian (10/31)
6. 2 Signed Fur and Feathers picture books—ends 11/5

Perfect is boring

2011-10-12T05:43:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you, but I constantly make mistakes. We all hate to admit to them, but it's a fact of life. Whether it's forgetting that load of laundry in the washing machine. That's right, the one that sat there all day and probably has that mildew smell by now, so you're forced to run another wash cycle. Oops! Or maybe you forgot to pack your son's YooHoo in his lunch. (Boy, I never heard the end of that one!)

Mistakes are a part of life and just think about it...if you never made mistakes, you'd be perfect, and what fun is there in that? It stinks!! It's boring.

That's why I love the latest picture book, THE GIRL WHO NEVER MADE MISTAKES by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein. We're introduced to a nine-year-old girl named Beatrice Bottomwell (don't you just love that name?) who never makes mistakes! Beatrice always remembers to feed her hamster, always makes her brother's pb&;j just right, never forgets her math homework...you get the idea. However, one day Beatrice makes an "Almost Mistake" and begins to worry about messing up at her big talent show. That night, as Beatrice is juggling her hamster, a salt shaker and a water balloon (yes, the illustration is priceless), she finally makes a mistake and a big one at that, but it's how Beatrice handles it that young readers will enjoy.

This is a great book to remind us that we all make mistakes and when we do, we need to just sit back and laugh. After all, perfect is boring!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (October 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1402255446
ISBN-13: 978-1402255441
Source of review copy: Publicist

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Combining the love of books and computers

2011-10-10T08:49:00.000-04:00

There are so many gizmos and gadgets popping up in children's books. We have the fun of children's book apps, the amazing technology of pop-up books, the eye-popping thrill of 3D, and so much more. Taking it to another level is DK Publishing with their latest books, 3-D Dinosaur and 3-D Human Body. Kids love books and they love computers, which is why DK is combining the two.

Each of these books offers up the amazing nonfiction we've all come to expect from DK Publishing. There are amazing illustrations, and fun facts throughout, but that's not all. Throughout the books are special activating boxes. When you find these boxes, (and after you download some software for your PC), all you need to do is hold the page up to a webcam attached to your PC, and you'll see amazing 3D digital animations pop up on your screen that illustrate and expand on the ideas presented in the book.

You don't need a webcam to enjoy these books, but if you do, you and your kids will find these books to be so much fun. It does take some time on your part to download the software, and hold the pages up to your webcam, but overall, on a rainy day, you'll find this to be a great way to not only share books with your children, but get them excited about reading. And as for your kids-- I'm sure they will be asking time and again to witness these amazing holographic images.

Additional Information:
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Publisher: DK Publishing
Source of review copies: Publicist

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday! Nonfiction Monday takes place every Monday as various blogs throughout the kidlitosphere write about nonfiction books for kids and collect them all in one place. This week, check out the Nonfiction Monday roundup at Practically Paradise. To see the entire schedule, please visit the blog of Anastasia Suen.

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: October 7

2011-10-07T04:38:00.001-04:00

1. apple blossom--A Christmas Secret--10/29
2. apple blossom--Count Down to Fall--10/21
3. The Diary of a Bookworm- Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children- 10/10

4. Dark Hearts Giveaway! (U.S./Canada) Ends Nov. 1
5. Penelope: The Reading Fever--Choice of 2 YA books!--10/31 (INT)
6. Penelope: The Reading Fever--Both books in the Verona Trilogy!--10/24 (US/CAN)

7. Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar (YA, US only, ends 10/23)
8. I Remember My Circus - 5 Kindle copies Int ends Oct 24
9. 2 Dale Mayer YA ebooks Intl ends Oct 18

Have you nominated your favorite books for The Cybils yet?

2011-10-06T20:46:00.000-04:00

There is so much happening in the world of children's books, you can spend your entire day on the computer reading about everything. Trust me, my head is spinning! Not only is there an article about the boom in children's books you should check out, I hope you helped break the world reading record through Jumpstart's Read for the Record. Some more fun things...you can find out what happened at KidLitCon 2011, and you have to head over to The Cybils and nominate your favorite children's and young adult titles (published between 10/16/2010 and 10/15/2011).

Anyone can nominate (one title per person per category) and you don't have to have a blog to nominate titles. There are a few rules that you have to follow though, but they are pretty simple. You only have until October 15th to get those nominations in, so be sure to head over to the Cybils blog, and start nominating your favorite titles! Still have to work on mine, but will definitely let you know my picks for the year--I've already seen some great ones that have already been nominated, so this is going to be tricky, but I'm always up for the challenge.

Help break a world reading record today

2011-10-06T14:02:00.000-04:00

The big day is finally here--more than 2 million people will read Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney, calling for an end to the early education achievement gap.

That's right--millions of people will read the same book on the same day with children all over the globe. I don't know about you, but I'm truly blown away at Jumpstart's Read for the Record annual campaign and it's amazing to watch it grow bigger each year.

Jumpstart was founded in 1993 at Yale University and has been helping children in low-income neighborhoods get the jumpstart they need in preschool to be successful in life. In 2006, Jumpstart launched the first Jumpstart's Read for the Record campaign with the Pearson Foundation and since then, it's made its way onto NBC's TODAY Show, and has created a national forum for concerned citizens to voice their support of literacy.

In case you don't have the book, you can still be counted in the world record today. Just read the book for free online at wegivebooks.org.

Jumpstart will be announcing the final record-breaking number in a few weeks, so stay tuned and be sure to stay connected to Jumpstart all year long. To learn how you can help, please visit http://www.jstart.org/

Keep channeling summer with Butterflies

2011-10-03T08:12:00.001-04:00

I'm so not ready for winter. I dread shoveling, cold feet, chapped lips and dry skin. That's why I prefer to keep channeling summer for as long as I can and one part of summer that I absolutely love is butterflies.

Butterflies are an amazing species as they ride the wind and drift through the air. Their wings are often artwork in of themselves with bright colors and beautiful patterns. That's why I couldn't resist the latest picture book by award-winning science writer Seymour Simon, BUTTERFLIES.

This amazing book showcases Simon's latest full-color photographs and will delight and amaze readers with facts such as monarch butterflies travel 3,000 miles to their winter homes, butterflies that flew 100 million years ago look very much like those you see sipping nectar from flowers today, and although butterflies and moths are alike, one way to tell the difference is to look a their antennae.

This is a great addition to any library or home collection and there are lots of support materials for BUTTERFLIES. Educators and parents can download a free Teachers Guide with lots of supplementary information and activities, as well as a guide to starting your own butterfly garden. Kids can click here to download your own Butterfly Observation Log, and record your sightings like a real lepidopterologist (that’s a scientist who studies butterflies).

Too bad we all can't travel to our winter homes like the monarch butterfly, but with this beautiful book, at least we can imagine sitting in our backyards on a hot summer day watching the butterflies fly by.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Collins (August 23, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0061914932
ISBN-13: 978-0061914935
Source of review copy: Publisher

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday! Nonfiction Monday takes place every Monday as various blogs throughout the kidlitosphere write about nonfiction books for kids and collect them all in one place. This week, check out the Nonfiction Monday roundup at 100 Scope Notes. To see the entire schedule, please visit the blog of Anastasia Suen.

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: September 30

2011-09-30T04:09:00.000-04:00

Remind your children that you believe in them!

2011-09-28T07:42:00.000-04:00

As a parent, do you stop and take the time to let your young ones know that you believe in them? It's something so simple, and in a world that can be very overwhelming for a child, those four words can mean more than you can imagine.

If you're looking for a way to remind your children, have no fear--enter Marianne Richmond's new book, I Believe in You. This beautiful picture book tackles the fact that children come into our families with a big, big job to do--growing up into a unique person. Richmond takes a direct approach in reminding your young ones that you not only believe in them, but that you'll always be by their side...

I want you to remember,
I'm here to watch the ride.
I believe in one amazing you
with all my love and pride!

The rhyme makes for a fun read and Richmond's signature illustrations add to the heartfelt message. I just love this book and think it's so important to remind our kids how much we believe in them. After all, it's not something we're supposed to say, but something that should come from the heart.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (August 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402263449
ISBN-13: 978-1402263446
Source of review copy: publicist

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: September 23

2011-09-23T05:00:00.002-04:00

1. TeachingAuthors Giveaway: PLANET MIDDLE SCHOOL ends 9/30
2. Llama Llama Home With Mama, 10/2, US

3. Gypsy Knights, Kindle Book, 9/30, WW
4. $25 Barnes & Noble GC, 9/26, WW

5. Classics 4 Kids: Pinocchio, 10/2, US

A picture book to help children bust out of their comfort zone

2011-09-22T07:32:00.000-04:00

Just in time for the inevitable onslaught of back-to-school friendship issues, Electric Eggplant is breaking out the tomatoes and Parmesan to announce their new iBook, "Are You My Friend?"

"Are You My Friend?" is a new digital story book for 4-8 year-olds, written by internationally known children's author and anti-bullying activist Annie Fox and illustrated by Academy Award nominee Eli Noyes. It's now available at Apple's iTunes iBookstore for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

"I've been answering email from kids around the world since 1997," says Fox, also a respected parent educator. "For children of any age, nothing matters more than having friends they can trust. Parents do a great job of teaching toddlers to 'be nice.' But as friendship conflicts become more complex, kids are left to figure things out on their own. The results don't often lead to constructive learning. By telling an engaging story about kids being kids, complete with a set of positive messages, readers can learn what it takes to have a friend and to be a real friend to yourself and others."

"Are You My Friend?" (first of the Raymond and Sheila Stories) is a story for the heart and the funny bone, sure to resonate with typical 4-8 year-olds, kids with special needs as well as reluctant readers. Whimsically illustrated, the story features music and sound effects with read-to-me audio narration. It also includes a unique guide for parents, teachers and counselors to help kids increase friendship skills and social and emotional learning.

To learn more, please visit http://RaymondAndSheila.com

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Published:Aug 24, 2011
Publisher: Electric Eggplant
Print Length: 36 Pages

Weird but true! launches new app

2011-09-19T08:51:00.000-04:00

Are you an app fanatic? I don't know about you, but we're big fans of apps in our house. Angry Birds, games, fitness and yes, hit me with one of my favorite apps--children's book apps. Since one of my favorite books is National Geographic's Weird But True series, I was pretty excited to find out that there's a Weird But True app that contains all of the fun, wacky, and weird facts you can find in the books.

My six-year old can master and manipulate more apps than I can and Weird But True is one they'll love navigating. This app is a great random fact generator and can be downloaded from the iTunes app store for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It's a great addition to the books and gives young readers some amazing interactive features.With a quick shake, or a simple swipe, young readers and parents will be entertained and educated at the same time. Did you know:

· New Zealand has more sheep… than people. (Baaa!)
· Parachutes were invented before airplanes (Look out below!)
· Honeybees can be trained to detect bombs (Bzzzzz….. BOOM!)
· A sneeze travels 100 mph (Bless you!)
· Some honeybee queens… quack (Duck! It’s a bee!)

What's also cool is that you can save your favorites to show off later, voice your vote on the Weird-o-Meter and see a collection of the weirdest true facts as voted on by the users, and facts can be shared via email.

Have fun fact finding!

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday! Nonfiction Monday takes place every Monday as various blogs throughout the kidlitosphere write about nonfiction books for kids and collect them all in one place. This week, check out the Nonfiction Monday roundup at Tales from the Rushmore Kid. To see the entire schedule, please visit the blog of Anastasia Suen.

Fish for a Free Book: September 16

2011-09-16T07:44:00.000-04:00

Baby is back!

2011-09-13T05:42:00.001-04:00

Last year around this time I reviewed Baby, Baby, Baby by Marilyn Janovitz and raved about the beautiful flowing rhyme. Well Janovitz fans will be excited to learn that there's a follow-up to Baby Baby Baby and it's Go Baby Go!

Go Baby Go! is another beautiful board book that parents will love to read to their little ones...

When baby starts to fidget
We have a little trick
Out to the garden
quick, quick, quick

Once again, the rhyme is fun to read, the words roll off your tongue, and the illustrations will have baby wanting more. From mud pies to blocks to needing a rest, it's all covered and you'll be reminded at the end how your baby is the best!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 1 and up
Board book: 24 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; Brdbk edition (September 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1402259379
ISBN-13: 978-1402259371
Source of review copy: Publicist

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Did you know that every day on Earth...

2011-09-12T05:24:00.003-04:00

You all know I'm a sucker for fact books. National Geographic's Weird But True series--loved it! Well, another book I'm absolutely loving right now is Every Day On Earth: Fun Facts That Happen Every 24 Hours by Steve Murrie and Matthew Murrie.

How many times have you said, "Today just flew by!"? I don't know about you, but I often utter those words a lot. However, how many times have I really stopped to think about everything that happens in a single day? That's where this book comes in handy. Every Day on Earth is a collection of the things the authors thought readers would find the most mind twisting and mind blowing.

Broken up into sections such as living things, Earth, Food, The Human Body and more, young readers will learn why it's called a Blu-Ray player, that Venus has even more than the Earth's 8-million plus lightning strikes a day, that there are 'Goldilocks zones' in space, game consoles are getting smaller and more powerful every year, and more. This is just one of the books you can't resist picking up and thumbing through to pass the time and you'll be amazed at all of the things that really do happen in a single day!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 8 and up
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (August 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0545297060
ISBN-13: 978-0545297066
Source of review copy: author

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday! Nonfiction Monday takes place every Monday as various blogs throughout the kidlitosphere write about nonfiction books for kids and collect them all in one place. This week, check out the Nonfiction Monday roundup at Wrapped in Foil. To see the entire schedule, please visit the blog of Anastasia Suen.

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: September 9

2011-09-09T04:26:00.000-04:00

Need ideas to throw a party?

2011-09-05T08:09:00.000-04:00

Okay, let's see. It's Labor Day weekend, kids are heading back to school and we're nearing the end of the summer. I think it's time to squeeze in one last party--what do you think? If you're not sure what kind of party you should hold, look no further. 87 Ways to Throw a Killer Party by Melissa Daly has all the info you need to plan that perfect party!

Just as the title states, there are 87 party themes, ranging from seasonal, sports, pop-culture, around-the-world, and more. How about a meteor shower viewing party or a top chef cook-off or even an off-to-college goodbye party? If you're sending somebody off to school, some ideas are to bring photo albums from elementary school, junior high and high school for guests to flip through. You can make yearbook frames, read senior wills, and make a send-off circle.

The ideas in this book are endless and if you can't find the right party to hold, you're definitely not in party mode. Now, get planning!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Zest Books; 1 edition (July 27, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0981973396
ISBN-13: 978-0981973395
Source of review copy: publicist

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday! Nonfiction Monday takes place every Monday as various blogs throughout the kidlitosphere write about nonfiction books for kids and collect them all in one place. This week, check out the Nonfiction Monday roundup at Playing By the Book. To see the entire schedule, please visit the blog of Anastasia Suen.

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: September 2

2011-09-02T04:56:00.000-04:00

Teaching children about hurricanes

2011-08-27T08:24:00.000-04:00

Hurricane Irene has hit the East Coast and will be ripping it's way north like a buzzsaw. Perhaps, you've heard some of the questions from your kids already...

What's a hurricane?What do we need to do? We'll still have our Playstation, right? Of course, that last one is a little tricky to get through, but there's another chance to explain electricity.

This time though we're talking hurricanes, and if you're looking for a great way to teach children about hurricanes, Sylvan Dell Publishing is offering a free e-book, Ready, Set . . . WAIT!: What Animals Do Before a Hurricane for the next few days. Ready, Set…WAIT! deals with what costal animals do before a storm hits. Of course, it has Sylvan Dell's free educational section in the back and tons of teaching activities, quizzes, and related websites on the book’s homepage.

Check it out at the Sylvan Dell Publishing website.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 5 and up
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Sylvan Dell Publishing (August 10, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1607180723
ISBN-13: 978-1607180722

Fish for a Free Book: August 26

2011-08-26T05:57:00.000-04:00

An essential guide for parents

2011-08-25T08:56:00.000-04:00

Do you want to know why I love books? Because there's a book for everything. There's so much knowledge out there to be tapped into and when we need to study up on something or find tips that can help us at certain times of our lives, all we have to do is flip the pages of a book.

Take Boomerang Kids: A Revealing Look at Why So Many of Our Children Are Failing on Their Own, and How Parents Can Help by Carl Pickhardt Phd. This book addresses a problem that's not widely discussed, but yet, so many families are experiencing. About 85 percent of college graduates in the United States move back home after graduation--so why is this happening and what can parents do to help?

Many young adults are finding it hard to take on the world alone and frankly, with the way the economy is, it's not a surprise. Carl Pickhardt takes a hard look at how these stories are becoming more and more common and he dubs this stage "trial independence." The book dives into some of the problems your young adult might be experiencing--from missing home and family, flunking out of college, unemployment, roommate problems, broken love relationships, fear of the future and more.

If you're a parent who has found your young adult back home, this book is a great resource to help you understand this period in your child's life and how to guide your child to success.

Additional Information:
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks; Original edition (August 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 140224858X
ISBN-13: 978-1402248580
Source of review copy: publicist

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: August 19

2011-08-19T08:25:00.002-04:00

Sue Fliess' thing for fabulous shoes brings us Shoes for Me!

2011-08-18T05:21:00.001-04:00

Sue Fliess is a Sr. Copywriter for eBay, a freelance writer and children's book author of Shoes for Me! (Pinwheel Books), A Dress for Me!, and Tons of Trucks. She's published over 120 articles and has written for 3-person start-ups to large global companies. She lives in northern California with her husband, two sons and their guinea pig, Mocha. Visit her at www.suefliess.com.

I recently reviewed Shoes for Me! and fell in love with the fun rhyme and lovable hippo that's inundated with shoes that zip, shoes that light up, summer shoes that flop and flip, and more! That's why I was excited to have the opportunity to learn more about the book from Sue Fliess herself. . .

Tell us about your path to publication.
The path to publication...well, it was more like a dirt road with some sparse gravel. No, in all seriousness, I feel extremely fortunate to have been published in what I feel like was a short timeframe. When I started out in late 2005, I'd heard of people writing and submitting for 10 years or more before getting published - some longer without a sale. So, to have sold a book only 3 years after I started on this venture, to me, was amazing. I had help from my neighbor/friend and children's librarian (how lucky is that?) who steered me in all the right directions. She gave me links, websites to check out, told me to join SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and offered to read what I was working on. Though that story didn't sell, she never wavered in her commitment to make it the best it could be. With that knowlege, I was ready to start attending conferences. I went to my first SCBWI conference in 2006 and things started happening for me.

I had my first close-encounter with a very nice editor, Andrea Welch (now of Beach Lane Books), and it was my first contact with "the other side." Thank goodness it was a positive exchange. Also through SCBWI, I found a critique group, which helped me work through and shape my manuscripts - enough that I felt confident submitting them. I applied for the SCBWI Barbara Karlin Grant for picture books in 2007 and received a Letter of Commendation (for my Shoes story). I was ecstatic - and it made me more determined than ever to sell that manuscript. In 2008, I received the same honor for another manuscript (Tons of Trucks). I kept writing and submitting. I made a connection with an author (through an SCBWI event - are you surprised?) who thought my stories would be a good match for her editor, so I sent them in. Five months later, I got my first offer letter for the book available now - Shoes for Me!. I can't say enough good things about SCBWI.

What was your inspiration for SHOES FOR ME?
I wish I had a more glamorous answer to this. This book started out as a story about when it's okay for kids to take off shoes and when it's best to keep them on. My own son liked to take off his shoes (and pants) to go to the bathroom. Needless to say, that doesn't work so well in public restrooms - yuck. I started the story and it was going along okay, but I wasn't loving it. I sought out my neighbor for help, and she encouraged me to write it in shorter rhyme. This forced me to change the story, and it became a story of a little girl shoe-shopping with her mom. It doesn't hurt that I absolutely have a thing for fabulous shoes.

What made you decide on a hippo as your main character?
I didn't! The story is written in first person, and throughout the writing process, I envisioned a little human girl. When my editor sent me the revision letter, she asked for more child/mom interaction, and mentioned that she thought it could be cute with animals. When they looked for an illustrator, they looked for someone who could draw animals well. I'm pretty sure she had her heart set on a hippo, and the illustrator, Mike Laughead, did a great job with hippos...so hippo it was.

What else can we expect from hippo? (any more books?)
Hippo will make another shopping excursion starting next March - for the perfect dress! A Dress for Me! is the companion book to Shoes for Me! and this time Hippo needs new clothes for fall -- for the school year. So she and Mom go dress shopping. It follows the same rhyme and meter as Hippo tries on every dress in the store.

Tell us about one of your most memorable shoe-shopping experiences as a kid or a pair of shoes you'll never forget!
Two pairs of shoes I'll never forget... When I was in second grade (I think), I went shoe-shopping with my mom and was allowed to choose any shoes in the store. I picked out purple, sparkly sneakers called Roos. They had two Velcro straps across the top. (this was a rather new phenomenon) Awesome, right? I remember feeling so groovy in my Roos. The other pair is a pair I currently own. I adore Fluevog shoes, but they are quite pricey, so mostly I covet. I'd had my eye on a pair of their black boots for ages. Within days of getting my book advance, I received an alert that Fluevog was having a sale. Guess which pair was marked down? So, I got my boots without guilt and couldn't think of a better way to celebrate the book.

-----

A big thanks to Sue Fliess for taking the time to tell us more about her work. If you'd like to learn even more, please visit www.suefliess.com, follow her on Twitter @SueFliess and like her on Facebook: facebook.com/Sue.Fliess.Author

New school year means new shoes!

2011-08-16T08:30:00.000-04:00

School is about to start once again, which means it's time to go shoe shopping! I don't know about you, but I have many memories of shopping for that brand new pair of shoes for the new school year and couldn't wait to walk the halls, holding my breath that nobody would step on them and get them dirty!

In Shoes for Me! (Pinwheel Books) by Sue Fliess, young readers can experience that joy over and over again as Little Hippo goes shopping for new shoes. There are a lot of choices though--jewels, glitter, shoes that zip, shoes that light up, and summer shoes that flop and flip. Hippo realizes that finding shoes can take all week and perhaps it's even hopeless--that is, until Little Hippo spies one last pair she has to try.

Written in rhyme, this story is one fun book! Not only does the rhyme roll off your tongue, young readers will enjoy the playful illustrations and your little fashionista will be holding her breath for her very own shoe expedition.

Please visit this Thursday when I have the fortunate opportunity to interview Sue Fliess and learn about her inspiration for Shoes for Me! (Pinwheel Books)!

Additional Information:
Hardcover: 24 pages
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Corp/Ccb (March 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0761458255
ISBN-13: 978-0761458258
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: August 12

2011-08-11T19:28:00.001-04:00

1. Ted Saves the World Blog Tour- $25 Amazon Gift Card- 8/15

2. Vanessa Morgan - Spooky Books & Games Giveaway - 8/15

3. Under a Fairy Moon-8/31

Coloring books that show your team spirit

2011-08-09T05:37:00.000-04:00

I had the fortunate opportunity to attend Book Expo America this year and was introduced to so many new books and more! One of the booths that caught my eye was that of Hawk's Nest Publishing.

Hawk's Nest Publishing LLC is a publisher of coloring and activity books, but what makes them stand out from others is how they focus on sports. After all, Hawk's Nest Publishing was founded in 2006-- honoring the memory of Francis "Hawk" Connery, a well known coach and advocate for youth sports from Springfield, Massachusetts.

The creation of their first Coloring and Activity book was inspired by a family love of baseball shared by Peg Connery-Boyd and her three sons, Kevin, Ian, and Colin Boyd, who initially admired a sketch of Manny Ramirez that she had drawn.

Young readers/ artists will love these activity books such as the Hawk's Nest Publishing MLB New York Yankees Coloring Book and the Hawk's Nest Publishing MLB Boston Red Sox Coloring Book. Fans can color their favorite players, complete games and puzzles, and even connect-the-dots. Challenge your knowledge of players' numbers, and even complete a page about yourself that states who you're favorite player is and what your favorite position is.

If you live in a household enamored by sports, these are just what you need to keep your little fans busy, all while showing their team spirit!

3-D popping up in children's books

2011-08-08T05:12:00.001-04:00

Everywhere you go, you can spot the popularity of 3-D (and even 4-D)! Whether it be in the movie theaters or even home theater systems, 3-D continues to amaze us. That's why it's no surprise that 3-D is "literally" popping up in books, too!

Two of those books are Puppies in 3-Dand Kittens in 3-D. Each book does an amazing job of causing these animals to spring off the page right into your lap.

Poodles to Pomeranians, French Bulldogs to Yorkshire Terriers, Chihuahuas to Jack Russel Terriers--you name it, Puppies in 3-D features all of our favorite puppy breeds! Young readers will be fascinated to learn about each breed, including its origin, physical appearance and character.

And as you can probably figure out, Kittens in 3-D has everything from Persians to Abysinnians and all of your favorite kittens.

But what I love about these books are the pictures. The photos have been taken by Yoneo Morita, a photographer well-known in Japan and in the USA for his adorable dog and cat photography. He uses something called a "hanadeka" (big nose) technique which shrinks the animal's body in relation to its nose, creating very unique pics. The book also comes with a 3-D view-finder that is very easy to use. Just unfold, look through and you'll be amazed as some photos literally pop right off the page. Although not every image is 3-D, young readers will enjoy discovering the ones that are and will want to reach out and play with these beautiful pups and kittens.

With the rise of digital books, 3-D technology and more, children's books continue to take reading to new heights and in this case, depths! Can't wait to see what where they go next!

Additional Information: Puppies in 3-D
Hardcover: 96 pages
Publisher: Harper Design; 1 edition (June 21, 2011)
ISBN-10: 006203958X
ISBN-13: 978-0062039583
Source of review copy: publisher

Additional Information: Kittens in 3-D
Hardcover: 96 pages
Publisher: Harper Design (June 21, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0062039571
ISBN-13: 978-0062039576
Source of review copy: publisher

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday! Nonfiction Monday takes place every Monday as various blogs throughout the kidlitosphere write about nonfiction books for kids and collect them all in one place. This week, check out the Nonfiction Monday roundup at Apples With Many Seeds. To see the entire schedule, please visit the blog of Anastasia Suen.

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Fish for a Free Book: August 5

2011-08-05T19:48:00.001-04:00

1. Audrey Vernick

Would the butt please take a bow?

2011-08-04T05:05:00.003-04:00

Eyes and ears are much respected
but the butt has been neglected.

We hope to change that here and now.
Would the butt please take a bow?

I mean, after reading those first few lines, who could resist this book? The Butt Book by Artie Bennett is a tribute to a body part that's often overlooked--the butt! Just think about it-- no two buttocks are the same;they come in every size; and we have them from the day of birth! They're vital body parts
that provide a built-in chair, let us swing on a swing, ride a brand-new bike, and more!

And don't worry--every kind of butt you can imagine is featured, from humans to animals and even mummies!

This hilarious book will have you looking at butts in a new way! Not only does the rhyming story make for a fun read-aloud, but the illustrations will have your young readers not wanting to leave this book behind!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (December 22, 2009)
ISBN-10: 1599903113
Source of review copy: author

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Author Mark Jeffrey transforms Max Quick from podiobook to smash hit

2011-08-02T05:01:00.005-04:00

Mark Jeffrey is the author of the Max Quick Series and podcast audiobooks. His first podiobook, 'Max Quick 1: The Pocket and the Pendant', has received over 2.4 million downloads to date. He has co-founded four internet companies and written two novels.

When not writing Max Quick books, Mark is CEO & cofounder of ThisWeekIn.com, a new web tv venture with Jason Calacanis and actor/comedian Kevin Pollak.

I had the opportunity to catch up with Mark Jeffrey and learn more about the Max Quick Series and how it has transformed from podiobook to a smash hit. . .

Tell us about your path to publication.
I wrote the first draft of Max Quick: The Pocket and the Pendant in 2004. After I finished, I spoke with a few people familiar with publishing, most notably Michael Crichton's editor. He told me that it would take about a year to land a Literary Agent and then another year -- best case -- to get published. That was two years!! And that sounded like an eternity to me. I wasn't willing to wait. So I self-published the novel on Lulu.com.

But it didn't do very well. I was just another self-published book in a sea of self-published books. Nobody had heard of me. So I started promoting the book any way I could think of. I tried Google Adsense, I tried Amazon's 'paired with' program. Nothing seemed to work. Finally, I attended the World Fantasy Conference with the hopes of finding an agent. That didn't happen, and if you had asked me then whether the trip was a success I would have said no.

But I did meet a guy named Evo Terra who suggested I give the book away for free in mp3 format online, and he would promote it in his very popular scifi podcast. I resisted at first: there was no possible way to get paid. But I quickly realized my problem was not collecting a nickel every time someone read my book; my problem was getting people to read my book, period. So I did it.

And it was a smash hit. Over a few years, I amassed 2.5 million downloads and built a huge audience.

During this time, I actually landed an agent. But not the right one: this person was not connected enough to get me reads. After a few years, we parted ways and I was agent-less again. Then I caught another break: Abigail Breslin (star of 'Little Miss Sunshine') did a nationally syndicated interview where she was asked about her favorite books and she mentioned Max Quick -- she had listened to the mp3 version I'd put out there, and apparently really loved it.

Well, that endorsement combined with the 2.5 million downloads landed me a very good agent, who got me a book deal within two months. The right agent makes ALL the difference.

What was the inspiration for Max Quick?
The character himself? Several sources, I would say. I always loved the idea of a long-lived character who was a witness to history: Highlander's Connor MacLeod, Anne Rice's Vampire Lestat and Heinlein's Lazarus Long were some of my favorites growing up. But nobody's ever done that with a kid -- unless you count Peter Pan :) So I liked the idea of a kid who had a very long and deep past -- but couldn't recall it. If he COULD recall it, he would essentially be an adult and thus unrelatable to young readers -- so the amnesia was actually necessary.

He is kind of wisecracking which I would say comes from Thomas Covenant and Peter Parker / Spiderman. I love a character who delivers snarky lines at key moments.

He also suspects the worst of himself at all times, which probably comes from my own Catholic guilt complex :) But it also makes for some introspective drama that I think adds to the narrative -- it gives Max some layers to explore.

Lastly, he is a pickpocket and vagabond. He is rough around the edges. He does some shady things now and then -- but only to survive. But I like the fact that he's a little gray, that he has a little shadow to him.

What was your reaction when you realized that the original online audiobook received over 2.5 million downloads?
I was fairly stunned. I didn't think the numbers were correct. I re-checked them several times until I was satisfied that it WAS in fact correct.

I have to admit that we -- that is, the two other authors who were the first to do this, and me -- got a bit lucky in that iTunes added podcast support at the exact moment we started putting our free mp3 audiobooks out there, so we all benefited from the timing. Nonetheless, even with this development, the numbers were just way beyond anything we would have anticipated.

What can readers expect from the series?
Well I have the second book entirely written -- it is called MAX QUICK: THE TWO TRAVELERS -- and the third book is half-written (and it is called MAX QUICK: THE BANE OF THE BONDSMAN). The first book is about 60,000 words; the second book is currently 180,000 words (so three times as big) and the third book is about the same. I am not sure a) whether HarperCollins will allow me to publish it all as one book or b) whether they will publish it at all -- they have not yet committed one way or the other.

So the way I see it is like this: 'Pocket' is sort of my 'The Hobbit': it's short and fun and gets things going. But 'Travelers' is where things really kick in -- it's my Fellowship of the Ring in some ways, in other ways it's my Empire Strikes Back because it's a lot darker. The stakes are MUCH higher, and the details are much richer. And 'Bondsman' is where things go very dark, but basically everything is revealed. There will be two more books -- each about 180,000 words -- after that. I am not sure how they will be divided up though. If I get to do it my way, they will all be 180,000 words and there will be a total of 5 books. But we'll see how it works out :)

The Max Quick Series has been experimenting with some fascinating Facebook applications that allows readers to check out free chapters and win free copies. Do you think social media is changing the way authors interact with their readers and what facet do you like best?
I am SO happy that I am an author in the age of social media! Can I tell you how lucky I feel that I have this feedback loop? In the old days, authors hid behind their typewriters and threw their stuff out there, and wondered whether anybody cared. Now, people update their Twitter and Goodreads feeds as they progress through the book! Its amazing! I can watch people as they read my book -- and then talk with them afterwards!! For me, it's incredible to see what works plot-wise -- and what doesn't. It becomes very obvious pretty quickly.

I'm also very interested in WHO is reading the books -- where are they from? Who are they as people? And I've been very gratified to find people who are extremely different from me in terms of beliefs and lifestyles still enjoy the books -- and that actually surprised me at first. But it's been awesome to experience, I have to say.

So yes, we are giving away free chapters and free signed books on our Facebook page (http://facebook.com/maxquickseries) so I invite everyone to come check that out. We will be innovating on book promotion inside Facebook in the coming weeks as well -- Facebook apps are very fun and interesting ways to get the word out.

_____

A big thanks to Mark Jeffrey for sharing his fascinating path to publication with us. To learn more about the series, please check out the official website.

Nonfiction Monday stops at Lori Calabrese Writes!

2011-07-31T22:15:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Nonfiction Monday! Nonfiction Monday takes place every Monday as various blogs throughout the kidlitosphere write about nonfiction books for kids and collect them all in one place. I'm excited to be hosting this week's installment, so if you have a link to share, please include it in the linky list below. Otherwise, be sure to check out all of the great posts featured. To see the entire schedule for Nonfiction Monday, please visit the blog of Anastasia Suen,

Some of my favorite nonfiction books for young readers are the National Geographic Kids' Weird But True Series. Weird but True! 3: 300 Outrageous Facts is the third installment and just as fun as the first two.

Young readers will be fascinated by such outrageous facts like kangaroos can jump more than 30 feet in one hop. That's the length of 12 skateboards! Also, a baby humpback whale drinks up to 130 gallons of milk each day; warthogs don't have warts; and at a restaurant in Michigan, you can order a supersize hamburger that weighs as much as a grown man!

You can't make this stuff up! These books are irresistible with their easy to read design, vibrant photos and wacky facts. I know I can't wait to check out the Ultimate version, NG Kids Ultimate Weird but True: 1,000 Wild & Wacky Facts and Photos (National Geographic), which will be released in September!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books; Original edition (June 14, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1426307667
ISBN-13: 978-1426307669
Source of review copy: publicist

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book.

Ted Saves the World Blog Tour and Giveaway

2011-07-31T21:00:00.000-04:00

Bryan Cohen is a writer, actor and comedian from Dresher, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005 with degrees in English and Dramatic Art and a minor in Creative Writing. He has written seven books including 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts: Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More.

Today, Bryan's blog tour for his latest book, Ted Saves the World: A Novella, stops right here at Lori Calabrese Writes! and I was fortunate enough to ask Bryan about the book and his path to publication. Not to mention, he's also offering an amazing giveaway, so read on...

About Ted Saves the World (Available for just $0.99):
A possessed cheerleader. A cursed gang of criminals. Mysterious telekinetic powers. An angry ex-girlfriend in gym class? One second, sophomore in high school Ted endures his first breakup in his favorite place in town. The next, a mysterious blue light turns him into a worldwide superhero sensation for taking down a posse of grisly murderers. As his views on YouTube increase and his friend Dhiraj tries to capitalize on the marketing potential, his dangers increase as well when a presumed-dead cheerleader begins taking a personal interest. Can Ted survive his first week as a superhero in the public eye? This novella is the first taste in a series of full-length novels about the adventures of Ted Finley and Erica LaPlante. The book is also available on Barnes & Noble and Smashwords for $0.99.

Tell us about your path to publication.
A long time ago, I thought that I wasn't good enough (an all too common occurrence among people in the world) and so I kept most of my ideas to myself. Through years of confidence building and making a fool out of myself on stage, I figured I'd write anyway even if it wasn't on par with some of the greats. About a year ago, I found out about self-publishing, Amazon Kindle, all of that stuff and I figured I'd put out a book of writing prompts. Sales boomed (well, increased from 0 at least) and my confidence went through the roof. When I had an idea for a young-adult television pilot, I decided to turn it into a fiction book and here we are!

Tell us a little about TED SAVES THE WORLD.
Ted Saves the World is a little bit of an homage to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in that it's a bunch of teenagers fighting bad guys while keeping their sense of humor. I wanted the book to be a laugh riot and to really connect the readers to the characters. Just like a girl named Buffy saving the town from vampires, I wanted a guy with a low-key name like Ted to save the universe. There's mythology, there's romance, there's wordplay. It's full of the kind of stuff I love to read and I hope that my readers feel the same way I do about it.

What inspired you to write TED SAVES THE WORLD?
Joss Whedon was a big influence as far as creating "Buffy" was concerned, but as far as writing fiction in general, I've been inspired by the many self-published authors that have created a major following despite not being under one of the major publishing umbrellas. These authors wrote what they wanted to write and are making a living for themselves. It's wonderful for authors to have such power in the process. I'd love to be able to claim I make a living solely off of my books someday.

Your work has consisted of plays and screenplays. What led you to writing a YA novel?
It's funny but long before I wrote a single play or screenplay, I was in college trying to be a fiction writer. I wrote a ton of fiction before I penned my first stage direction. I went in the direction of drama for years before I came back to my original passion of fiction. The YA totally makes sense if you know me. Many of my friends would refer to me as a big kid and the goofiness quotient runs high in my life. That's the cool thing about YA books. People of all ages who haven't quite shed their adolescence read YA books, which is why the Harry Potter and Twilight books have been so successful. The authors are able to tap into their readers' inner children. When your inner child is bigger than your inner adult like me, tapping into this mindset is not very difficult.

You have a very successful website, Build Creative Writing Ideas. What made you start this site and how did it lead to your book, 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts?
The first few years after college I had a major problem with keeping myself motivated. In school, I was amazing when it came to getting assignments completed on time. Without someone there to assign me things to do, I felt lost. After reading books in the self-help and personal development field, I figured the best way for me to put these wise words into practice was to help people who were going through the same things I had. Thus the website. Some of my most popular pages were my writing prompts pages and so I concentrated on them for over a year and a half. Before I knew it, I had over 800 prompts and said to myself, "800 is close to 1,000. 1,000 would make a good book." I pushed myself into the goal and made it a reality.

I LOVE the fact that you wrote another writing prompt book specifically for kids titled, 500 Writing Prompts for Kids. How did you come up with all of these writing prompts and why do you think it's important to get children writing?
Aw, thanks. I love it too. With television and gadgets galore, I worry that kids are dispensing of their very vital imagination at all too young an age. These prompts are my little effort to help kids to work that imagination again and to love writing. In a world where kids are learning to condense their thoughts into 140 characters or less, it has become increasingly important to express themselves in full sentences. I hope that the book can help with this need for a writing revolution.

Now onto the Giveaway:

Bryan Cohen is giving away four $25 Amazon gift cards, one for each week of his month long blog tour. To enter, simply comment with your e-mail address (feel free to substitute @ with (at) or other tricks to stop spammers from getting it). Bryan will draw the four names at the end of the tour, picking one entrant at random from each week’s set of blog posts. Entries will be counted through Monday, August 15th, 2011. Enter on as many sites as you want, and follow the tour at Build Creative Writing Ideas. If Ted reaches the Top 100 on Amazon at any point during the tour, a fifth $25 card will be added to the giveaway.

Contact Bryan through his Ted Saves the World blog, his Build Creative Writing Ideas site or Twitter.

Fish for a Free Book: July 29

2011-07-29T08:10:00.001-04:00

1. Piggy Toes Press

2. Playing by the book - Funny picture book - 1 Aug

3. Mymcbooks - 8/15

Big words like leukemia and chemotherapy can't compare to the biggest word of all

2011-07-28T05:11:00.000-04:00

Battling a disease can be a trying time for any family and in Samson's Tale by Carla Mooney, we learn that it even reaches man's best friend.

Samson is the family dog and he's waiting anxiously on the porch for his owner, Daniel. Samson heard Daniel's mom and dad talk about 'leukemia' and 'hospitals' and Samson had never been away from Daniel for so long. When a car pulls in the driveway, Samson can't wait to jump on Daniel and lick his face like old times. But Daniel's mom tells Samson to give him some space. As Daniel takes his medicine, goes through chemo, and shaves his head, Samson is right there by his side. Daniel might be the hero to many for battling his cancer, but in Daniel's eyes, Samson is his hero.

This enduring tale, told by Samson himself, is a wonderful story to inform young readers about the trials and tribulations that come along with battling leukemia. A new haircut and big words like leukemia and chemotherapy can't change the love between friends and family. And for any child who's battling cancer, this book shows that even though there will be ups and downs, support is always close by.

Portions of the proceeds from this book go to Flashes of Hope in an effort to bring about awareness to childhood cancer.

Additional Information:
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Story Pie Press; First edition (April 12, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0984217827
ISBN-13: 978-0984217823
Source of review copy: author

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!

Beast Friends Forever

2011-07-26T05:22:00.000-04:00

Imagine having a two-foot-tall beast named Otto living under your bed! Such is the case for nine-year-old Zeke in Beast Friends Forever: The Super Swap-O Surprise!.

In this second installment of the series, the adventures continue for Zeke and his new BFF, Otto, especially since Otto can do amazing things,or tricksy tricks as Otto likes to call them, like magically trading one of Zeke's drawings for an awesome, fiery, farting dragon. How it works is like this--A 'swap-o' trades something here for something on Triangle Island, where Otto is from and Zeke and his sister Hannah are determined to learn all about it. They swap out one of Zeke's sketches with some kind of spaceship and a monkey, forcing them to fight off banana barbarians; and they also face the mean green goon. But when local bullies Sid and Moronica threaten Zeke and Hannah, they realize they can use the super swap-o surprise to their advantage.

Young readers will love this series because it not only has comical characters, but features fun illustrations along with comic-book sequences that add to the adventure. The fast action, flying cannonballs, killer bananas, and TRex are sure to make this swap-o experiment a must read!

Hoobah!

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages7-10
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (August 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402240511
ISBN-13: 978-1402240515
Source of review copy: publicist