Children's Review Round-Up

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During the last 20 years, parents and teachers have passed along the secret of the Kissing Hand to children facing first days of kindergarten, first grade, and other separations. Now younger children can get in on Mama Raccoon's secret and find comfort in A Kissing Hand for Chester Raccoon, a board-book adaptation of the original picture book.

Chester could feel his mother's kiss
Leap straight into his heart.
"With a Kissing Hand," said Chester's mom,
"We'll never be apart."

"Just press your hand upon your cheek
And feel that loving glow.
It's Mommy saying, 'I love you,'
Wherever you may go."

The Kissing Hand has become a children's classic that has touched the lives of millions of children and their parents. A Kissing Hand for Chester Raccoon conveys the heart of the story in rhyming verse, perfect for read-aloud and easy for even the little ones to remember and recite. With illustrations by Barbara Gibson that capture the warmth and beauty of the original artwork, toddlers now share in the benefits from Mrs. Raccoon's secret for making a child feel safe and secure.

Mrs Mommy Booknerd's Review:

This one of my all time FAVORITE children's books EVER!!!  To now have it available in a board book with a shortened story allows me to use it in my classes for children of a younger age (and attention span) and to allow my early reader to read it aloud with a feeling of accomplishment since it does not take as long to read.  Believe me when I say that nothing is lost with this version and the heart, characters and love is still there! 5 stars

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Walnut and his mom agree that it would be fun if he could go to work with her, and they fantasize about the adventures they could share. Though it can't always happen, Walnut’s mother assures him that he is always on her mind, and together they find ways to have a physical presence for each other when at work or school. This light-hearted story provides parents an opportunity to reassure children on their importance in busy parents' lives.

Mrs Mommy Booknerd's Review:

ADORABLE....a story about the love between a mother and child through an imaginative and lovable story.  In this story it explains why the mother has to work outside the home in a way that is easy for a child to understand.  I have not come across another book like this and really think it was done amazingly!  5 stars

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Lexi’s got phobias about lots of things. Yogurt. Songs that get stuck in her head. Cashiers who think they’re good with kids. Her biggest phobia on Planet Earth, though, is eyeballs staring at her. That’s how come it’s too bad she has a solo in the school Parents’ Day performance. Good thing she has a plan. If she tornado-twirls at blur speed, she can disappear onstage!

Read chapter one! http://bit.ly/1dXPEFa
RL: 3.3
Ages: 6-9
Chapter book

Mrs Mommy Booknerd's Review:

A great story to read with your child because it create a lot of dialogue about how to problem solve together and to keep communication open.  Lexi is a character most kids can relate to and I love that the chapters were short and that there were illustrations sprinkled in!  This book enhances my belief that not all kids learn, think and communicate in the same way, but they are all super heroes to me!

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When a little girl wonders that age old question, “Why is the sky blue?” her imagination takes her on a beautiful journey of color, science and friendship. This gorgeously illustrated picture book works equally well in the classroom or at bedtime.

Mrs Mommy Booknerd's Review:

Kids ask a million questions a day or so it feels like it.  This story gets at the age old question of why the sky is blue and illustrates both through amazing pictures and story a child's unending curiosity! 4 stars 

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What do you think of when you hear someone say the word “wolf”? Maybe you think of a wild dog howling at the moon, or of a ferocious creature that could be dangerous to you and your friends during a camping trip. But what do you really know about wolves? 

We invite you to jump right into this fast-moving, fun-filled, and super-educational book WOLVES: Fun Facts and Amazing Photos of Animals in Nature just for kids, in order to explore the wonderful world of the wolf! Find out the five steps every wolf uses when it goes hunting, what kinds of animals wolves eat, and how wolves talk to each other. Step into the wolf den and watch firsthand as a mommy wolf gives birth to her adorable baby wolf pups and raises them until they are old enough to hunt on their own. 

Bet you didn’t know that wolves can be found almost everywhere in the world, except for Antarctica, or that the Ethiopian Wolf is the most endangered meat-eating animal in Africa. 

- What about wolf attacks? 
- How much of a real danger are wolves to human beings? 
- How do wolves stay warm in frigid winter weather? 
- How much meat can a hungry wolf eat at one meal? 

Discover the amazing answers to all these questions—and many more!—on your journey into the life and times of this incredible creature, the wolf! This wonderful kids book is truly a must have collection to any bookshelf, library, classroom or ebook reader. Did you know that reading to your children at an early age can promote better readers as your child grow academically. Studies show that reading to a child consistently will strengthen their comprehension and vocabulary skills. 

GRAB A COPY TODAY and curl up with a good story and your child today! Don't miss out on an opportunity to fortify your child's mind as well as their hearts.

Quick! What comes to mind when you think of a bear? Maybe you picture a large, furry brown shape looming out of the woods. Maybe you envision a big white polar bear swimming through the icy Arctic waters. Or maybe you even imagine an adorable black and white panda, munching its favorite snack, bamboo! 

Whatever you think about when you think about bears, this fascinating report, designed especially for kids, is sure to open your eyes when it comes to these amazing animals. Written in a fun, casual style loaded with humor and thought-provoking questions, Bring On The Bears! discusses every aspect of a bears life, from habitat to diet to adorable baby bear cubs, and more! 

By the time youre finished reading, you will knows the answers to such questions as: 
*What are the two largest bears on earth? 
*Can bears see in color? 
*How many bear cubs are born at a time? 
*What type of animal is called a bear, but actually isnt a bear at all? 

Learn all this and so much more in this short, fun, and educational report that is sure to capture the attention of young children and encourage them to learn all they can about the incredible world of bears!

Mrs Mommy Booknerd's Review:

Series Review:  I love all Emma Child's books on animals between the pictures and facts you have yourself a series that both parents and children enjoy!  4.5 stars

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Highlight:

Joey is a little fish. Joey never stays in Mother Mam's mouth where it's safe. He'd much rather swim around outside and explore! Mam wants to make sure he's safe, but when she gets into trouble, will Joey be the one to save her? A wonderful anytime book for parents to read to children, and also a great book for learner to read alone. A fun bedtime story and a few moment of fun with your kids ages 3-10 years.

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Colorful Beach Birds... save the day!

While out fishing one day, a puffin bird named Nate along with his friends discover struggling horseshoe crabs covering the shoreline and Nate decide to rescue them. Nate's friends are terrified of horseshoe crabs and refuse to help them. Can Nate convince them to rescue the horseshoe crabs?

This heartwarming, delightful tale with simple illustrations flows through a vibrant medley of colorful backgrounds and cute bird characters. This picture book speaks to the importance of empathy, kindness & hope.

Mrs Mommy Booknerd's Review:

A story about compassion and love that must move you past fear and into action!  Great for anyone of any age because empathy and kindness are not only for children.  5 stars

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This Story is Told in Pictures… so children 3 to 6 can “read” the pictures and enjoy the story.

Waking up early one morning, Early Birdy watches Mother Birdy catch a worm. Inspired, Early Birdy wants to catch one too. But catching a worm isn’t as easy as it looks. Join Early Birdy on an exciting and funny adventure set in a beautiful springtime forest environment created by illustrator Bill Bolton. Don’t be surprised to find yourself “smiling from ear to ear”. Don’t for one minute think you’re going to “read” (aka narrate) this story to your child because you’re the adult and your child is, well, the child. Your child can “read” the pictures as well as you can. A fact that changes how this story will be read: this is a story you and your child can read together. You might start the collaboration by asking a question: You: What do you see in this picture? Child: A little baby birdy is waking up You: And in the next picture? Child: A big bird is catching a worm. You: Meanwhile back in the nest? Child: The little birdy is watching. Child: He wants to catch a worm, too. He flies down. Child: He sees a worm. Child: He bites it. Child: And then uh oh! That’s not a worm! See what just happened? you and your child were reading the book together, until your child got much too excited to wait for you to ask a question. Suddenly your preschooler is telling the story as fast as she can turn the pages. And you’re thinking, “Wait a minute! My 3-year-old doesn’t know how to read. But she’s so excited—I can’t stop her from telling the story. She’s running away with the story. What happened to our quiet little game of question and answer?”

Here are the art projects I developed around the book!

My Review:

I adored this books because it allows me and my children to picture read, which can be a million books in one!  It is also great to use in the classroom because I can change the story for the age and tell a long or short story.  I can have the children tell me what they think is going on based on the pictures and it opens up a world of imagination!  The illustrations are wonderful as well!  I wish there were more books out there as good as this.  The pictures are pretty funny too, which makes all the more fun!  5 stars!!!!

Book Sparks Summer Reading Challenge 2014

View the challenge details HERE

Flight attendant Summer Benson lives by two rules: Don’t stay with the same man for too long and never stay in one place. She’s about to break rule number one by considering accepting her boyfriend’s proposal—then disaster strikes and her world is shattered in an instant. After a lifetime of globe-trotting, Summer has finally found a home. But Hattie has old scores to settle and a hidden agenda for her newest employee. Summer finds herself faced with an impossible choice: Leave Black Dog Bay behind forever, or stay with the ones she loves and cost them everything….

Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick

This is the story of Summer Benson and her adventures in the town of Black Dog Bay.  This is a well written and cute story.  This is a great book to take to the beach and relax.  This is a very fun read and I would recommend this book as a great escape.  I give it 4 stars. 

Showcase: The Mark of the Hummingbird by Jessica Gollub

The Mark of the Hummingbird:
Burying the truth in the snow can’t conceal it forever. Leona was born a survivor—one of the few sheltered in a prison that withstood the plummeting temperatures of the frozen days. Now, as the weather slowly warms, she struggles to understand a culture and society vastly different than the one created by her elders. Standing on the cusp of her seventeenth birthday, the day she will officially become a woman and eligible for marriage, the tiny world she had long since accepted suddenly seems stifling. Conflicts and curiosity propel her beyond the fences of her home into a barren and uncertain future, with one asset that just might keep her alive

On Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Jessica.Gollub.Author

On Twitter: @GollubJessica

Q.  What inspires your writing?

A. Mainly escapism. I am a stay-at-home mom with two preschool kids and writing gives me a place to “be” that doesn’t involve diapers, dishes or dirty laundry. It offers a sanctuary from the everyday and a chance to let my mind be free. Most of the book ideas I have in my head originated from the same place—rocking a baby in the dark when I should have been sleeping. Perhaps it was an extension of dreaming, or just a time when I was quiet and had nothing better to do than let my mind wander.

  

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

A. My favorite part has to be that I am finally fulfilling a dream that I’ve held since I was a kid. I’ve wanted to be a writer as long as I can remember (though I followed the advice of my parents and “found a job that I could fall back on”). Finding myself in the position where I can make those dreams a reality is very satisfying. It was like realizing who I really was. I should add, however, that the cherry on the top is when strangers love my book and want more.

  

Q.  What is the toughest part of being a writer?

A.  The hardest part has to be writing. Like I said, I have a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old at home with me all day, and as I am answering this question I can hear them yelling at each other about the best way to make the bed. I love my kids, but when “they” said it’s impossible to get anything done when you have kids at home… “they” were right. I find myself careening backwards more days than not.

  

Q.  If you could not be writer, what would you do/be?

A. Let’s see, I’ve already been a wedding photographer, administrative clerk, serial entrepreneur and mother… so maybe a neuro-physicist? I have a kind of undiagnosed attention disorder, in which I feel a deep need to try any crazy idea that leaps into my brain. (This problem combined with my utter fear of finishing this life having accomplished nothing due to a lack of trying creates a circular catastrophe waiting to happen). I have no idea where I would be, but it would probably be really fun and a great story to tell when I’m old.

Q.  What would the story of your life be titled?

A. I’m hoping it will be “Jessica’s Lack of Patience and How it Changed the World”, and not “How Jessica Screwed Everything Up”, but we’ll have to wait and see.

  

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A. Good question, I’ve read so many and it’s very rare that I go back to one, but “To Kill a Mockingbird” will always be a favorite of mine. There’s something about a classic that sucks me right back in. I also really loved Dean Koontz’s “Relentless”. Any thriller that makes me laugh out loud in the middle of a scary scene is a winner in my books.

  

Q.  Which character from ANY book are you most like?

A. I’d love to say someone like “Katniss Everdeen”, (you know, brave, selfless, kick-ass) but if I’m honest with myself I’m more like Bridget Jones. I don’t have her relationship problems, but I have my share of bad habits, weight concerns, self-consciousness, and sarcastic wit.

Q.  What character from you book are you most like?

A. I think I’m a mix of my characters, but Leona is probably the person I see myself in most. She has a very deep sense of right and wrong and a natural skepticism that keeps her out of trouble (and sometimes gets her into it).

  

Q.  Which book would you love to take a weekend vacation inside of?

A. Either the Game of Thrones series (though I’d totally not RSVP to the “Red Wedding”) or the Outlander series. My life is kind of boring, so I’d go for a weekend of adventure.

  

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A. Not winter. Hah! (You would think I would love winter since my book is set during an eighteen-year ice age). I live in Manitoba, Canada where the temperature can dip to -40F in the winter and go as high as 90F in the summer. I like the middle temperatures, so spring and fall are probably my favorites.

Q.  What inspired your book cover? 

A. I’ve always been a kind of visual person, photography is my other passion, so I think I had the cover idea in my head for a long time before I executed it.  I don’t know exactly where it came from, but it made sense to me, so I went with it.

Q.  Tell me something funny that happened while on a book tour or while promoting your book.

A. So far the funniest thing that happened was that someone reviewed my book and said she picked it up thinking it would be about hummingbirds, which she loved, and was surprised that it was a sci-fi novel. She loved it anyway, which is fantastic, but it gave me a good chuckle for a few days.

  

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A. Yes: the next book in this series, called “The Song of the Sisters”. It’s not a continuation of “The Mark of the Hummingbird” but rather tells the story of someone who was mentioned in the first book. It’s very different from the first book, which is fun, and all the characters from the “Hummingbird” will show up eventually, like a big twisted family reunion. 

  

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

A. Don’t be scared to take a chance on a self-publisher.  I can’t say that all indie books are good (in fact, I know a lot of them that aren’t), but there are some real gems out there. I’m one of the people who self-published mainly because I knew I could put the whole package together on my own, and because in the real world, it could take 2-3 years to get a book in print (after it’s written) while I could do it in a month (I told you about my lack of patience, right?). I haven’t even tried to shop my book around to publishers, not because I don’t think it’s good enough, but because I think it’s good enough to go it alone. Fingers crossed. Try us out, you might be surprised!

Highlight: Glamour Puss - a Tongue-in-Cheek Guide to Being a Powerful Woman: Manipulative, Chic and Sexy by Anna Madsen

Today, using womanly cleverness and beauty to get where you want in life is frowned upon, even by other women. Nonetheless, French women together with Marilyn Monroe, Catwoman and Cinderella among others, have always championed feminine skills such as wit, emotional intelligence and sex appeal to get that man, job or handbag. It's time to introduce that mindset and technique to the rest of the world too.

What makes certain women irresistible to every man? How do you use the power of attraction to get your way? Where do you find a "Trophy Husband"? Glamour Puss discusses in a bold and witty way with the voice of Generation Y in "Erotic Capital", "Caveman Communication", The Kate Middleton Method" to the "Catwoman Effect" and many more, how women can embrace and empower their feminine side and why they shouldn't be afraid of making demands (both on themselves and on men) in order to advance; in the boardroom and bedroom. Forget about being equal to men; be a feminine woman and go even further.

Blog Tour: Susan Mallery: When We Met (Fool's Gold #13)

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery invites you back to Fool's Gold, where a newcomer to town might finally meet the man she never knew she needed… 

Angel Whittaker earned his scars the hard way, but the scars that can't be seen are the ones that haunt him the most. Since he moved to Fool's Gold, California, he's cobbled together a life for himself as a bodyguard trainer. If he's not exactly happy, at least his heart is safe. 

Working with pro-football superstars taught tough-talking PR woman Taryn Crawford one thing—she can go toe to toe with any man. But then dark, dangerous former Special Ops Angel targets her for seduction…and challenges her to resist his tempting kisses. 

Even in four-inch heels, Taryn never backs down. Unless, somehow, Angel can convince her that surrender might feel even better than victory.

With more than 25 million books sold worldwide, New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery is known for creating characters who feel as real as the folks next door, and for putting them into emotional, often funny situations readers recognize from their own lives. Susan’s books have made Booklist’s Top 10 Romances list in four out of five consecutive years. RT Book Reviews says, “When it comes to heartfelt contemporary romance, Mallery is in a class by herself.” With her popular, ongoing Fool’s Gold series, Susan has reached new heights on the bestsellers lists and has won the hearts of countless new fans.

Susan grew up in southern California, moved so many times that her friends stopped writing her address in pen, and now has settled in Seattle with her husband and the most delightfully spoiled little dog who ever lived. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.

I think I would like to live in Fool's Gold with all these good looking men who fall in love and love their women with everything they have got.  I was hooked by the very first line in the book. I could not put the book down at all.  Susan always does a superb job in her writing and luring the reader in.  This is a witty, good book and the favorite of mine in the series.  You have got to read this story, Angel and Taryn's story is a must read.  The chemistry is great between them.  I give it 4 stars.

Highlight: The Lincoln Myth (Cotton Malone #9) by Steve Berry

New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry returns with his latest thriller, a Cotton Malone adventure involving a flaw in the United States Constitution, a mystery about Abraham Lincoln, and a political issue that’s as explosive as it is timely—not only in Malone’s world, but in ours.

September 1861: All is not as it seems. With these cryptic words, a shocking secret passed down from president to president comes to rest in the hands of Abraham Lincoln. And as the first bloody clashes of the Civil War unfold, Lincoln alone must decide how best to use this volatile knowledge: save thousands of American lives, or keep the young nation from being torn apart forever?

The present: In Utah, the fabled remains of Mormon pioneers whose nineteenth-century expedition across the desert met with a murderous end have been uncovered. In Washington, D.C., the official investigation of an international entrepreneur, an elder in the Mormon church, has sparked a political battle between the White House and a powerful United States senator. In Denmark, a Justice Department agent, missing in action, has fallen into the hands of a dangerous zealot—a man driven by divine visions to make a prophet’s words reality. And in a matter of a few short hours, Cotton Malone has gone from quietly selling books at his shop in Denmark to dodging bullets in a high-speed boat chase.

All it takes is a phone call from his former boss in Washington, and suddenly the ex-agent is racing to rescue an informant carrying critical intelligence. It’s just the kind of perilous business that Malone has been trying to leave behind, ever since he retired from the Justice Department. But once he draws enemy blood, Malone is plunged into a deadly conflict—a constitutional war secretly set in motion more than two hundred years ago by America’s Founding Fathers.

From the streets of Copenhagen to the catacombs of Salzburg to the rugged mountains of Utah, the grim specter of the Civil War looms as a dangerous conspiracy gathers power. Malone risks life, liberty, and his greatest love in a race for the truth about Abraham Lincoln—while the fate of the United States of America hangs in the balance.

Steve Berry is the New York Times bestselling author of the Cotton Malone series featuring The Jefferson Key, The Emperor's Tomb, The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit, The Venetian Betrayal, The Alexandria Link, and The Templar Legacy. He also has three stand-alone thrillers: The Third Secret, The Romanov Prophecy, and The Amber Room ---- and two e-book original short stories, The Balkan Escape and The Devil's Gold. He has 12 million books in print, which have been translated into 40 languages and sold in 51 countries. Steve's road to publishing was long and arduous, spanning 12 years and 85 rejections over 5 separate manuscripts. He's also an accomplished instructor, having taught writing to audiences across the globe. When Steve's not writing, you can find him either on a beach, a golf course, or traveling --- discovering more things lost --- thinking of the next novel. He lives in the historic city of St. Augustine, Florida. Steve and his wife Elizabeth have also started a foundation, History Matters, dedicated to aiding the preservation of our heritage.

Highlight Round-Up: House of Jaguar by Mike Bond and Out of Practice Aphrodite (Book 1 of The Naughty Goddess Chronicles) by S.E. Babin

House of Jaguar

by Mike Bond

Praise for House of Jaguar

“The climax is the most horrifying I have ever read.” – Liverpool Daily Post

“A thoroughly amazing book…Memorable, an extraordinary story that speaks from and to the heart… a terrifying depiction of one man’s battle against the CIA and Latin American death squads.” – BBC

“A riveting thriller of murder, politics, and lies.”

– London Broadcasting

“Tough and tense thriller.”

–Manchester Evening News

“House of Jaguar is based upon Bond’s own experiences in Guatemala. With detailed descriptions of actual jungle battles and manhunts, vanishing rain forests and the ferocity of guerrilla war, House of Jaguar also reveals the CIA’s role in both death squads and drug running, twin scourges of Central America.” – Newton Chronicle

“Every page takes the reader rushing forward. Horrific ending, strong images that last long after you finish reading.” – NetGalley Reviews

Shot down over the jungle with a planeload of marijuana, Vietnam War hero Joe Murphy gets caught up in the brutal Guatemalan Civil War when he witnesses an attack on a Mayan village by the Guatemalan Army and its CIA "advisors." Badly injured, he esxapes on a nightmare trek through the jungle, haunted by the Army, the CIA and death squads.

Healed by guerrilla doctor Dona Villalobos, he falls in love with her and tries to save her from the War's widerning horror of insanity, tragedy and death. Caught in the curcible of violence and love, he learns the peaks and depths the human heart can reach, and what humans will do for, and to, each other.

Based on the author's own experiences as one of the last foreign correspondents left alive in Guatemala after over 100 journalists had been killed by Army death squads.

MIKE BOND has been called the “master of the existential thriller” by the BBC and “one of the 21st century’s most exciting authors” by the Washington Times. He is a bestselling novelist, environmental activist, international energy expert, war and human rights correspondent and award-winning poet who has lived and worked in many remote, dangerous parts of the world. His critically acclaimed novels depict the innate hunger of the human heart for what is good, the intense joys of love, the terror and fury of battle, the sinister conspiracies of international politics and multinational corporations, and the beauty of the vanishing natural world.

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Out of Practice Aphrodite (Book 1 of The Naughty Goddess Chronicles)

by S.E. Babin

Abby’s major screw-up brings the wrath of Zeus upon her head. He offers her a choice—work for him or spend the rest of her days hanging out in Hades with her ex-husband. For Abby, this choice is a no-brainer, especially when Zeus says the only thing he wants her to do is make a love match. She’s the Goddess of Love. What could go wrong?

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