Action Kids Blog Tour

 

Welcome, Friends! This is the 9th stop in the Action Kids blog tour celebrating the release of the first book in the series, Action Kids' Club. Read the post from the last post at this blog and enter to win a pretty amazing giveaway. 

The answer to yesterday’s quote puzzle is: The only difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is extraordinary determination. -Mary Kay Ash

For Today:

Kids Zone. To me, this is one of the coolest elements in Action Kids' Club. What kid hasn’t dreamed of having access to the Employ Only parts of a public building? I know I did. In fact, I often still smile at the sign when I breeze through a doorways where I work. There’s something incredibly special about being part of the team that gets to go into the heart of a company. 

Even though Kids Zone isn’t explored a ton in Action Kids' Club, you can be sure it will be a regular feature in the Action Kids Series. Of course we’ll be including lots of skipping through the Employ Only door’s while on the heels of the Action Kids as they explore, solve mysteries and entertain us. 

In the book, Kids Zone is described this way: “It’s basically a mixture of an arcade, an amusement park, and a discovery center.” Caleb looked thoughtful for a second, then added, “With a little bit of a small-town fair or circus feeling thrown in.”

* * *

I loved being a kid. Actually, even though I’m now in my twenties, I still like to do a lot of things that kids are generally thought of doing: Reading Middle Grade books, Swinging, Sleeping on the floor with my dog (I don’t even have a bed), Using my imagination to come up with great stories, and Asking all kinds of random questions. 

A lot of my friends are 10, 12, and 14 and I’ve heard multiple times that I’m fun to hang out with because I seem like I’m their age. Since I know that I can act like an adult when I need to, I take it all as a compliment. I figure that if I can still act like a pre-teen, the obviously I can still write for them, too. 

While writing the scenes with Kids Zone I have fun stretching my imagination to the fullest. You name it, I’ll think about adding it. After all, life isso much more fun when the imagination is put to good use. 

And here’s your quote riddle for today. Figure it out and leave the answer in the comments section and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a great prize! And, check out my blog to find out about the $50 gift card I’m giving away!

(Answer Key)

A B C D E F G H I  J   K L M N O P Q R  S T  U V W X Y Z 

D E F G H I  J  K L M N O P Q  R S T  U V W X Y Z  A B C

(Puzzle)

L fdq dffhsw idloxuh, hyhubrqh idlov dw vrphwklqj... exw L fdq’w dffhrt qrw wublqj. - Michael Jordan

Action Kids’ Club Back Cover Blurb: 

Twelve-year-old Olivia Hall’s dream of a friends' club ends when she finds out her family is moving. Her parents assure her it's a good thing, opening a new world of possibilities for the Halls. But going from ‘miss popular’ to ‘the new girl’ won’t be easy, and Olivia is not convinced.

Soon she begins to realize that although her life has suddenly changed, there's plenty of adventure to keep her on her toes. From making new friends at Forward Focus, to hanging out at the world-renowned Kids Zone, to meeting the curious head chef, she discovers that there's much more to life - and her new surroundings - than she ever imagined. How will she make the most of these new opportunities? Or will she let them slip away?

About the Author: 

Lydia Howe (aka Aidyl Ewoh) is a twenty-something adventurous author who enjoys hiking in the mountains of Asia and South America, building life-size models of dinosaurs, taking road trips across Europe and cooking for large crowds. 

Lydia grew up in a barn and has always dreamed of living in a tipi. She is trained as a John Maxwell coach and her passions include self-development and Christian apologetics One of her life-long dreams was realized when her first book, “Cave Secrets of the Pterodactyl”, was published by Answers in Genesis in 2013. Find her online at her Blog,Facebook, Twitter,  Google+, Goodreads and Pinterest.

Make sure you visit this blog tomorrow for the next stop on the tour where you’ll find out what are some of the books I’ve found to be helpful, the answer to today’s quote puzzle and yet another (gasp!) giveaway!

Giveaway! This giveaway is one I’m pretty excited about! Not only does the giveaway include a signed copy of Action Kids' Club, but I’m also including Action Kids bookmarks, an Action Kids Notepad, Pens and some other cool stuff that I’m going to keep a secret for now. :) (Sorry but this giveaway is only open to addresses in the USA!)

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Famous Phonies: Legends, Fakes, and Frauds Who Changed History (The Changed History Series) by Brianna DuMont

The world's earth-shattering, history-changing movers and shakers are all well documented . . . right? Hardly! Take Homer, the author of The Iliad and The Odyssey. His famous epics have inspired generations of writers and launched Western literature as we know it. Only problem, he never existed. No author named Homer ever traveled ancient Greece penning those really long stories about gods and heroes. So, who did author the books?

Other famous historical figures did exist, just not as you'd think. A man named Confucius really did live and breathe. But he wasn’t the wise old sage we learn about today. Instead of dropping quotable bits of wisdom, he preferred whacking people over the head with his stick. In the Middle Ages, an invented king inspired crusades, and in the 18th Century, a fake robot helped ignite the digital revolution. History is loaded with illusory figures that have left their mark on our world.

Faux Figures: Legends, Fakes, and Phonies Who Changed History is the first in a new nonfiction middle grade series that will explore the underbelly of history, making you question everything you thought you knew about history’s finest. It’s perfect for the history buff, the reluctant reader, or that kid who loves the strange and unusual. And who doesn’t? 

Famous “Fakes”:
The Yellow Emperor * Gilgamesh * Homer * Pythagoras * Confucius * Mary Magdalene * Hiawatha * Prester John * William Shakespeare * George Washington * The Turk * Major William Martin

I'm a self-proclaimed history buff with a degree in Art History and Archaeology as well as Classics. I'm always traveling in search of great museums and historical sites to visit. When I'm home, I'm an independent historian and full-time writer and quickly becoming best friends with my local librarian. My middle grade nonfiction series, The Changed History Series, debuts in October revealing the underbelly of history!

Q.  What inspires your writing?

A. History! I write nonfiction books that I would’ve wanted to read as a kid. I always prided myself on being a history nerd back in the day—a funny one, since I always tried to make my friends laugh at my hilarious (at least to me) history jokes.  So I would’ve loved to have found a book full of the dirty laundry of history’s best and brightest—the humorous voice would’ve just been a bonus.

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

A. The fact that I can spend all day researching and reading about amazing people from history and call it “work”. That is unbelievable to me!

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

A. The constant solitude. Writing is a lonely sport, and while I love my peace and quiet (like most writers), I’ll sometimes find myself chatting to total strangers in coffee shops. Something the introvert in me would typically cringe at. When my husband comes home, he can always tell if I haven’t spoken to another human being all day—I’m going a mile a minute. 

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

A. An art history teacher. My life changed with one good art history teacher in high school, and if I could inspire one more art history student, it would be worth it.

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

A. Patience is a Virtue… And a Pain in the Butt.

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A. Can I cheat and say a series? I love the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House series. And Harry Potter. Wow, I don’t know. It’s too hard to choose!

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

A. I’d like to think Hermione Granger, but since I don’t have a photographic memory, I’d say I’m closer to Luna Lovegood; it’s cool to be kooky.

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

A. Besides history, I love Greek mythology. I’d spend a weekend in any of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series books—as long as I got to join Artemis’s Hunters!

Q.  What do you want to be remembered for 100 years from now?

A. I would like to be remembered for writing a series that kids still go back to. That’s the dream.

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A. Fall. I love this season! I’m lucky to have my book coming out the day before my birthday, so now October and autumn will have even more wonderful memories. Where I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, summers were so hot and long and sticky. Fall was just the best: crisp mornings, soccer, hot apple cider, pumpkin picking, college football, and all those other great fall activities. Now living in Chicago where the summers are cooler, I still enjoy all of the other aspects of fall, just not the changing temperatures! I miss the heat (but not the humidity) of Missouri.

Q.  What inspired your book cover(s)?  Or what is your favorite book cover and why?

A. Authors really don’t get a lot of say in their covers. Sadly, if they have a problem with it, there’s not a lot they can do about it. I was very lucky in this regard.  When they showed me the first cover, I hated it. I sat on the cover for a day, thought about what I didn’t like, and presented my concerns. My editor listened to me, and we brainstormed ideas that I’d be comfortable with. The cover of George Washington with a Groucho Marx mask on was actually my agent’s idea, and I adore it! We wanted to be as playful on the cover as I am in the text.

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A. Famous Phonies is the first book in a series, so I’m currently working on the second about Fugitives Who Changed History (I’m still working on the title) due out a year from now. I’m halfway through the first draft and feeling good about it. This time, I really wanted more girls in the mix, and fugitives, surprisingly enough, gave me a great outlet for that. The book is half women, half men. There are some really fantastic stories in there. Did you know that the world’s greatest pirate was a Chinese woman? She commanded 70,000 pirates in her hey-day, the largest confederation of pirates the world has ever seen. So it’s incredibly fun. I also keep at least two novels in my back pocket to work on during weekends. They’re both middle grade and reflect my favorite genres: fantasy and historical fiction.

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

If you hated history in school, give it one more chance. It’s so much more than dates, battles, and dead people. It’s living and breathing all around us. And all those dead people were once actual human beings with the same emotions, drives, and desires. I believe that when famous people are given this glossy sheen and treated as super heroes (hello, George Washington), we’re doing a disservice to them as a person as well as to the kids who are forced to learn the sanitized version.

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Highlight: Shadowlands by Mark E. Prior

Two tours of Afghanistan have left Matt Graydon, 28, shattered by battle. Now he must return home to his family's farm to care for his estranged mother Shirley, who is fighting her own war of early-onset Alzheimer's. Yet while the struggle with their demons threatens to unravel them both, Matt and Shirley come to discover each other in a way they never could have imagined. A commanding and emotionally volatile novel of war, fear, and love, Shadowlands is an enthralling and touching exploration of a man and his mother's battle with their enemies, both known and unknown. Unpredictable and explosive, it is ultimately a story of strength and forgiveness. "A LOVELY AND HAUNTING STORY THAT BRIDGES TIME AND GENERATIONS IN A WAY THAT, AT TIMES, CAN FEEL ALMOST RELIGIOUS." -DOUGLAS COUPLAND

According to a recent study by the Veterans Administration, 30% of all Veterans treated are diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mark Prior explores PTSD in his poignant and thoroughly researched debut novel Shadowlands (Lulu Publishing, July 2014).

When 28 year-old Matt Graydon returns home after two tours in Afghanistan, he knows he has a rough road ahead of him. He is wounded, battle scarred and preparing to be court-martialed for trying to save a little boy’s life. Matt must also work through personal issues including his estranged mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s and his failing marriage. The scars from his time at war run deep and Matt is beginning to see that the fight for his life is happening at home.

Alienated from his wife and children, caring for a sick mother and suffering from the trauma he witnessed at war, Matt and his family must come together to work through their personal tragedies, reconnect, and forgive their past failures.

Bestselling author Douglas Coupland calls Shadowlands “A lovely and haunting story that bridges time and generations in a way that, at times, can feel almost religious.”

In interviews Prior can discuss the extensive research he did on Alzheimer’s and PTSD. He was a translator between the British Military’s Special Air Services and the Brazilian Department of Political and Social Order when he was only 17-years old. Prior was inspired by the stories of soldiers coming home with PTSD and those who were plagued by these demons in isolation.

Mark E. Prior lives in Los Angeles, but grew up in Brazil and Toronto.

Review/Gift Ideas:WubbaNub and na2ure

WubbaNub

WubbaNub was invented in 1998 by Carla Schneider to sooth her infant on a family vacation.  The concept turned out to be an innovative improvement over the traditional pacifier, and Carla patented her invention and launched WubbaNub. Sixteen years later, more than a million WubbaNubs have been sold, and they have become the pacifier of choice for A-list parents from Neil Patrick Harris and Jennifer Garner to Gwen Stefani and Simon Cowell. WubbaNub brand pacifiers come in 32 different styles and are available in fine children’s boutiques, department stores, hospital gift shops, online stores and toy stores across the nation, including Amazon, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard’s, Babies“R”Us, buybuy Baby and Books-A-Million.  Retail price is $12-$15.  WubbaNub has earned a reputation in the parenting and children’s industry for being dedicated to nurturing babies in the safest, healthiest way possible while striving to surpass the strictest of codes and governmental regulations. The WubbaNub has received numerous awards, including American Baby Bests 2014 from Parents Magazine and WhatToExpect.com’s 2014 Moms Love It Award. For more information, visit www.WubbaNub.com. 

MY REVIEW:

I love these!  I wish they had these when I had babies.  They are soft, durable, cuddly and they don't fall through the crib slots like other pacifiers.  With all the different animals they have as options, you can chose the animal that your child loves best!  They even have seasonal ones too!  I cannot handle how cute these are and every friend or family member that has a baby is going to get one of these as a gift!  5 stars!

   

na2ure

na2ure is a new line of beautifully designed physical and digital games that teach science through play. Unlike other educational games on the market, na2ure is based on a platform that works with children’s natural intelligence to unlock what they already know and connect new knowledge into a growing network mirroring the interconnectivity of  the natural world.

Alex Wolf and Dr. Vijal Parikh are respectively a Rhode Island School of Design-trained artist and a Cornell-trained neurobiologist, who are creating a way to teach kids about nature and inspire the next generation of scientists, designers and artists. Wolf wanted to provide her daughter with quality toys that would teach her about plants and animals in a more advanced, thought provoking manner than other games on the market. She began to develop toys and games at each stage of her daughter's development until she had a group of games and a thesis behind them. With prototypes in place, she teamed up with Parikh to develop a series of smart and beautiful games employing a scientifically rigorous classification that teaches about the animal kingdom in a way that mimics nature’s inherent aesthetic design. The games in the na2ure library include:

The Ani-gram-it Board Game

High resolution photographs bring animals to life in the Ani-gram-it Board Game, a finalist in the 2014 NYC Design Awards and a Forbes Top 10 game for summer 2014.  Just as the classic board game Scrabble uses letter tiles that create words, the object of Ani-gram-it is to “build” animals using tiles of their body parts. Available for purchase at www.na2ure.com for $59.99.

MY REVIEW:
This game is AMAZING!  I think that is it is one of the more creative, fun and family friendly games that teach while you play that are out there!  My kids and I love animals and board games, so this game was a family hit. My boys could not get enough of this game.  If you want a new, fun and interesting game...this is for you! It would make a great Christmas gift!  5 stars.

Ani-gram-it To Go

Ani-gram-it To Go is the board game in miniature—the animal kingdom in 2.5 x 2.5 x 1.4 inches. Perfect for travel and impromptu sessions of biology, Ani-gram-it To Go comes complete with 100 laminated, color-coded cards and can be played on a table, the floor, the grass, a picnic blanket or any other number of spaces. Available for purchase at www.na2ure.com for $19.99. 

ferret

ferret, a winner in Digital Experience, Mobile at the 2014 NYC Design Awards, is an iPad app that teaches kids all about animals, from anatomy to habitat to behavior. Game play challenges children to describe animals’ anatomies from the inside out, using intuitive building blocks. Each tap and swipe leads to new discoveries and reinforces how animals are classified in the natural world. Available for free through The App Store with the opportunity to buy 54 more animals for $2.99