Review: Playing the Bully:

Playing the Bully: by Esther Sokolov Fine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

*Please note, I won a copy of this book via Goodreads Giveaways.*

Melissa's Musings:

This book is very straightforward and the messages are clear:

"Bullying isn't nice."

"People don't like bullies"

"Families are all different."

The messages are good for children to learn, but I do feel that they could have been explored just a bit more. The writing felt too young for the ages of the characters. They are between 7 and 9, and the writing feels as though it's meant for kindergartners.

I was bullied and teased as a kid, because having a disability made me different from the other kids, and they didn't know how to handle it. In this case, Penny just seems mean and spiteful for no real reason, but I got the impression that the author was trying to have some of Penny's behavior and attitude mimic her dad's to show that behaviors are learned,.

There are good displays of problem solving, talking things out etc.

But, at the end of the story Penny is still a bully. Her behaviors haven't changed, and the lessons haven't sunken in. This also ends really abruptly, with no real resolution.

Were you ever bullied? How did you handle it?

Review: Summy and Izzy in a Tizzy

Summy and Izzy in a Tizzy by THEA LYNN PAUL
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Melissa's Musings:

*I won a copy of this via Goodreads Giveaways*

This is a short and simple children's book. It has a nice rhyming scheme that works well for new readers. The story is very basic, I felt there could have been a little more to it.

The interesting thing about the illustrations is that they are done with alcohol inks, which gives them a very unique look.

I imagine I'll be passing this book on to my youngest niece when she is old enough to read.

Do you have a favorite children's book?

Review: Sailor Bean Adventures with Letters

Sailor Bean Adventures with Letters by Kathleen Hegedus
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Melissa's Musings:

Now, I don't normally read a whole lot of kids books. Or enter giveaways for them. I passed that reading range long ago.

 But, I've started to pick them up mainly because I have several nieces and nephews, who range in age from a few months old to teenagers. So, I like to read books in their ranges to see how kids writing has changed, and to pass them on to the young munchkins in my life if they'll be useful or fun for them.

This is a simple, fun book that teaches young kids the alphabet. Each of the letters has something to do with sailing, although this had to get very creative for the more difficult letters like Q, X, Y and Z. I think this book would be ideal for a child who loves the ocean, water or beach. All of the drawings are hand drawn and realistic rather than pristine, which gives this a nice touch. I'll definitely share this book with my young nieces and nephews.

*I won a copy of this book via Goodreads Giveaways*

Review+Giveaway: Candy and the Cankersaur

Title: Candy and the Cankersaur
Author: Jason Sandberg
Publisher: Jason Sandberg E-Books
Published: June 12, 2012
Format: Kindle
Pages: 32
Date Read: April 20th, 2015
Source: Received from the author
in exchange for an honest review.
Add It on Goodreads
My Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis:
This is the sweet and funny tale of a young girl named Candy and a Cankersaurus Rex! Candy receives a dinosaur as a gift and is determined to train him to be a good pet.

Melissa's Musings:

I don't often read children's books, but I'm glad to have read this one.

Just as the synopsis says, this is a sweet story. Candy is a little girl who's father is a busy man. He buys Candy lots of toys, but he knows that her toys don't make her happy, so he buys her a dinosaur to be her companion. 

Candy also has a neighbor named Chucky, who wants her to notice him, so they are always in competition with each other about who can get the biggest and best toys. Chucky is very jealous of Cank, so he sells him to the circus. Candy is very upset and they go on an adventure to rescue him. 

The story has a lot of different lessons embedded in it. First and foremost, money can't buy happiness. Even though Candy has all the latest and greatest toys, they aren't making her happy. Her father realizes theat as well, which is why he knows she needs a friend. Although, what Candy ultimately wants is to spend time with her father, which is something that many kids have experienced in today's hectic times, where either one or both of their parents may work.

Chucky learns that he needs to think before he acts, because in selling Cank, he hurts Candy's feelings, when all he really wants is for her to notice him. 

And, there are general rules that are good for little ones to learn at a young age, like "No biting!"

This is an adorable story with lovely illustrations. I'd especially recommend it to any child who loves dinosaurs.

And now, lets have a giveaway!

Mr. Sandberg is kindly giving away 10 Kindle copies of Candy and the Cankersaur.

Some rules to note before you enter:

This giveaway is open to US Residents Only

Winners will be notified within 72 hours of the giveaway ending, and will have 48 hours to respond before alternate winners are chosen.

Mr. Sandberg, not Melissa's Midnight Musings, will be responsible for the sending of the prize. A list of the  winners will be sent to him, so that he can send out the copies.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Mission One of Auggie The Alien

Title: Mission One of Auggie the Alien

Authors: Leah Spiegel and Megan Summers

Publisher: Createspace

Published: June 4, 2013

Format: Kindle

Pages: 120

Source: Received in exchange for an honest review

Add On Goodreads : Add To Your To Read Shelf

Synopsis: This is the humorous story of a 4th grader, seen through the eyes of a human hybrid alien child, sent to Earth to study our culture - to see if they could coexist with the humans.

Auggie has to try and understand 4th graders slang, body language, and the unwritten protocols of the classroom; all in an attempt to blend in. He upsets his teacher, Mrs. Malumrector, who constantly thinks Auggie’s trying to get smart with her when getting stupid with her would be counterproductive. Not only does Mrs. Malumrector not get Auggie’s literal logic, nor do any of the other students in his class. That is except for Left Hand Chuck who thinks Auggie’s hysterical and helps him by teaching him how to use human slang. 

But if Auggie truly wants to complete his mission of blending in with the other children he needs to cheer for both teams, except if they’re losing. He needs to learn not to wear the ‘P and the J’ with the feet conveniently attached to school because they’re for sleeping in only. That ironically enough, Grandpa isn’t going to faint from low blood pressure even though his eyes often tend to roll upwards whenever Auggie is speaking. ‘Pop-a-Squat’ isn’t a good name for a dog, even though he’s great at it. And under no circumstance is he to bring his pet to school even if his teacher has her own pet there, Emily, another student in his class who is neither a gerbil nor a fish.

My Rating:  5 Stars

Melissa's Musings:

This is a very cute story of Auggie, a half human half alien hybrid child from "a galaxy far far away" who has been sent to earth for onsite observations, to see if his kind can peacefully co-exist with humans. We follow him as he accomplishes the three very  important goals he's set for himself: to be invited to a sleepover, to go on a social outing with more than one friend, and to be invited to a birthday party.

This book is laugh out loud funny. I really grew to like Auggie's quirks and idiosyncracies as I read through the story. In some ways, he reminded me (a little) of a young version of Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. I couldn't quite picture Auggie physically in my head as I read, but that was okay because his antics and smarts certainly kept me entertained. 

I don't read children's books too often, but it was neat to look at the world through Auggie's eyes. His unusual responses to events and the way he handled them were refreshing. As an adult reader it made me wish I could be a kid with such enthusiasm and zest for life as Auggie has.

There are some great plays on words and fun scenes in this book. If you're looking for a new series to start reading with a child in your life, I'd definitely recommend this one.

Little Sparrow Picture Reveal

Join E. Dantes, author of the children's picture book, The Little Sparrow Named Too, as he tours the blogosphere July 1 - August 30, 2013 on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

ABOUT THE LITTLE SPARROW NAMED TOO

The series of “TOO” focuses around a sparrow hatchling who is new to life and keen to explore it. He is clever though strong-willed which means he always getting “in” and “out” of trouble – especially when he has a bright idea! Each of the books will broach everyday parental / childcare issues helping children understand the importance of parental guidance and social respect.  

And here's a picture from the book:

Purchase your copy at iTunes

 

ABOUT E. DANTES

Hi, I’m Dantes, the author of a new series of illustrated children’s books about a little sparrow named “Too”. Due to my father’s job, my early years were spent running barefoot around the wildernesses of the world and though it gave me a rich appreciation of “Bonne Terre” – literacy came a little later than most. Yet every night literature was still there, with either my mother or father reading a bedtime story. Concerned with my education, my parents made the hard decision to ship me off to boarding school. During those first long nights away from home, I suffered incredible homesickness and that’s when I discovered the magic of words. Reading the same books I had heard at bedtime somehow made me feel closer to home and in those familiar paragraphs my pangs slipped away. To this day good books are still both my joy and my solace. The Adventures of Too book series is my “thank you” to children’s literature and it carries only one hope, that a new generation of readers feel the same lasting connection to books as I do. Find out more about the author at the different places below:

Book Website: http://www.toosparrow.com

 

 

 

The Little Sparrow Named Too Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

Monday, July 1 - Book reviewed and 1st chapter reveal at Ellis (Reviews and Life)

Tuesday, July 2 - 1st chapter reveal at Miki's Hope

Wednesday, July 3 - Book reviewed at Book Lover Stop

Wednesday, July 3 - 1st chapter reveal at Parenting 2.0

Friday, July 5 - Book reviewed and interviewed at My Devotional Thoughts

Monday, July 8 - Book featured at Read 2 Review

Wednesday, July 10 - Book featured at Faerotic Prose

Thursday, July 11 - Picture reveal at My Devotional Thoughts

Friday, July 12 - Guest blogging at 4 the Love of Books

Friday, July 19 - Book reviewed at Cheryl's Book Nook

Wednesday, July 24 - Picture reveal at Melissa's Midnight Musings

Wednesday, July 24 - Book reviewed at Books, Books, the Magical Fruit

Thursday, July 25 - Guest blogging at Cheryl's Book Nook

Friday, July 26 - Book featured at Parenting 2.0

Book Spotlight: Nalah and the Pink Tiger

Hello fellow readers!

Welcome to my stop on the tour for Nalah and the Pink Tiger, presented by Pump Up Your Book

Join Anne Sawyer-Aitch, author of the children's book, Nalah and the Pink Tiger, as they tour the blogosphere May 6 - June 28, 2013 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

ABOUT NALAH AND THE PINK TIGER

Nalah and the Pink Tiger is a picture book by Anne Sawyer-Aitch. She drew inspiration for this story from her lively little niece, who lives so intensely in her imagination that grown-ups around her view her as a troublemaker. Things come to a head when – in addition to all the exotic animals that Nalah has “placed” in the house – a pink tiger “follows” her home from the zoo and creates havoc. The story also celebrates the joyful explosiveness of a child’s imagination. To illustrate the book, Anne developed a style which she calls illuminated iIllustration, featuring multiple layers and backlighting that create vibrant, textured pages.

Purchase:

AMAZON

 

ABOUT ANNE SAWYER-AITCH

Anne Sawyer-Aitch (pronounced like the letter “H”) is a puppeteer and stilt-walker. Nalah and the Pink Tiger is her first children’s book. She has worked for years with Minneapolis-based groups In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre and the all-women’s stilting troupe Chicks on Sticks. Anne likes to create all kinds of puppets: parade floats, giant stilt puppets, and intricate color shadow shows. Currently, she is performing her Nalah and the Pink Tiger puppet show in English and Spanish around MN. She is a recipient of awards from the Jim Henson Foundation, the Puppeteers of America, the MN State Arts Board, and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. She lives in Minneapolis with her computer genius husband and a pack of imaginary dogs. You can view her website at http://www.nalahandthepinktiger.com.

Connect with Anne:

FACEBOOK

   

----------------------------------------------------------------

Nalah and the Pink Tiger Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, May 7 - Guest blogging at Bookingly Yours

Wednesday, May 8 - Guest blogging at Shhh...Not While I'm Reading

Thursday, May 9 - Book featured at Jody's Book Reviews

Monday, May 13 - Book reviewed at Library of Clean Reads

Tuesday, May 14 - Book reviewed at 4 the Love of Books

Wednesday, May 15 - Interviewed at Literal Exposure

Thursday, May 16 - Up Close and Personal at Between the Covers

Monday, May 20- Book reviewed at Shhh...Not While I'm Reading

Tuesday, May 21 - Book reviewed at A Year of Jubilee Reviews

Thursday, May 23 - Interviewed at Digital Journal

Monday, May 27 - Book reviewed at Splashes of Joy

Wednesday, May 29 - Book featured at Book Marketing Buzz

Friday, May 31 - Book reviewed at Hezzi D's Books and Cooks

Monday, June 3 - Book featured at 4 the Love of Books

Wednesday, June 5 - Book reviewed at I'm Shelf-ish

Thursday, June 6 - Book featured at Parenting 2.0

Friday, June 7 - Interviewed at The Writer's Life

Monday, June 10 - Book reviewed at Griperang's Bookmarks

Tuesday, June 11 - Book reviewed at Sincerely Stacie

Wednesday, June 12 - Book reviewed at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Wednesday, June 12 - Guest blogging at Queen of All She Reads

Thursday, June 13 - Book reviewed at My Book Addiction

Friday, June 14 - Book featured at Authors and Readers Book Corner

Monday, June 17 - Book reviewed at Mom Loves 2 Read

Tuesday, June 18 - Guest blogging at I'm Shelf-ish

Wednesday, June 19 - Book reviewed at My Cozie Corner

Thursday, June 20 - Book reviewed at Sweet Southern Home

Friday, June 21 - Book reviewed at Create with Joy

Monday, June 24 - Interviewed at Examiner

Tuesday, June 25 - Book reviewed at Lighthouse Academy

Wednesday, June 26 - Book reviewed at Blueroses Heart

Thursday, June 27 - Interviewed at Review From Here

Thursday, June 27 - Book reviewed at Thoughts From Mill Street

Friday, June 28 - Book reviewed at Ellis

Friday, June 28 - Book featured at Melissa's Midnight Musings

Book Blast: Evertaster & The Buttersmith's Gold

 

The Buttersmiths' Gold

BATTLES. BLUEBERRIES. BOVINES.

TORBJORN AND STORFJELL’S HISTORY UNFOLDS IN AN EPIC EVERTASTER NOVELLA.

Everyone knows the most coveted treasure of the Viking Age was blueberry muffins. Blueberry muffins so succulent that if you sniffed just a whiff, you'd want a whole bite. If you bit a bite, you'd want a batch; if you snatched a batch, you'd stop at nothing short of going to war just to claim them all.

Young Torbjorn Trofastsonn comes from the clan that makes them. He's a Viking through and

through – he's thirteen winters old, larger than most respectable rocks, and most of all, a Buttersmith. That's what he thinks anyway, until a charismatic merchant makes Torbjorn question his place among the muffin-makers. When Torbjorn lets the secret of his clan's muffin recipe slip, he calls doom and destruction down upon his peaceful village and forces his brother Storfjell and his clansmen to do the one thing they are ill-prepared to do: battle for their lives.

Purchase on

Amazon

About The Buttersmiths' Gold

The Buttersmiths' Gold is a spin off novella in the Evertaster series that tells the story of two Viking brothers and their adventurous past. The Evertaster series (Book #1 released June 14, 2012) is about Guster Johnsonville, who goes searching for a legendary taste rumored to be the most delicious in all of history. Along the way he meets a slew of mysterious characters, including two Viking brothers Torbjorn and Storfjell. The Buttersmiths' Gold is their story. 124 pages. By Adam Glendon Sidwell. Published by Future House Publishing.

Evertaster, Book #1:

A legendary taste. Sought after for centuries. Shrouded in secrecy.

When eleven-year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother’s casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him into the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city they meet a dying pastry maker. In his last breath he entrusts them with a secret: an ancient recipe that makes the most delicious taste the world will ever know — a taste that will change the fate of humanity forever.

Forced to flee by a cult of murderous chefs, the Johnsonvilles embark on a perilous journey to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves. Along the way they discover the truth: Guster is an Evertaster — a kid so picky that nothing but the legendary taste itself will save him from starvation. With the sinister chefs hot on Guster’s heels and the chefs’ reign of terror spreading, Guster and his family must find the legendary taste before it’s too late.

 

Purchase on

Amazon

Book Trailer

    Author Adam Sidwell In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, Transformers and Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed adjectives. He’s been eating food since age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once showed a famous movie star where the bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles, where he can’t wait to fall into the sea.

Website Twitter Facebook

Tour Schedule

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 6/30/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $50 US. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Spotlight: Night Buddies by Sands Hetherington

Hello fellow readers! Today I invite you to check out this book spotlight as part of the World of Ink Blog Tour:

 

Publisher: Dune Buggy Press

Published: February 1, 2013

Illustrated by: Jessica Love

Pages: 320 Pages

Formats: Paperback

Buy the Book: Amazon

Synopsis:

For young John Degraffenreidt, a sleepless night is no reason to fret when tossing and turning in bed brings a bright red crocodile named Crosley out from under his bed. Night Buddies like Crosley promise an evening of adventure to any not-tired-yet kid and tonight is no different! Out of bed, and into the city, John embarks on a one-of-a-kind program with his crocodile pal. It seems like Cros is a one-of-a-kind individual that is, until red crocs start popping up all over the city, creating confusion, committing crimes, and causing Crosley to go bananas at the sight of them.

The impostors must be stopped, and Night Buddies John and Crosley are just the guys to stop them! Racing blimp stakeouts high in the sky, impostor traps organized with the help of friend, and a never ending supply of pineapple cheesecake frozen yogurt make for one totally super sleepless night

Q&A With Sands Hetherington

 Could you tell us a little about yourself?

I'm an old man and live by a small lake in North Carolina with my Saint Bernards Dudley and Maggie.  I didn't finish tenth grade but got into our state university by the back door.  I have two advanced degrees, two children, have been a hod carrier, a laborer at a newspaper, a mutual fund counselor, and a sporadic storyteller.  Now it's just the stories.

Describe your desk/workspace.

Sometimes the kitchen table, but usually it's the old chaise in my living room.  There's a little table on one side, and I always use an ancient green clipboard on my knees like I'm doing right now.

 Do you have a favorite quote?

No.  There are too many great ones.

 What are you currently reading?

Huckleberry Finn.

 What is the best advice you've ever received?

Don't just do something.  Stand there.

 If you could have coffee with anyone (living or dead, real or fictional), who would it be and why?

Caesar (the Dictator).  I'd give anything to see what some of these ancient colossi were really like.

 What are your top three favorite books and why?

That's really a hard one, because there are probably 35 in my top 10.  Three that I really, really like are the one just mentioned that I'm reading for the fifth or sixth time, Joyce's Ulysses, and The Catcher in the Rye.  Obviously for different reasons which are too complicated to explain in fifty pages.  I could easily add twenty more books to these three.

 What was your favorite book as a child and why?

The OZ series.  Critics said Frank Baum had no literary merit, and I understand what they meant, but kids weren't interested in literary merit.  They knew what they liked, and that guy had a captivating imagination if anybody ever did.

 What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Really goofy ideas.

Do you write full-time or part-time?

I don't know any fiction writers who do it for more than two or three hours.  I call that fulltime.  It's certainly as much as I do.  I suppose you could consider this part-time if the writer goes off and plies some other trade for the rest of the day, but this is muddying the issue.

 If you could do anything in the world, what would it be and why?

I would have a time machine, and a device to make me invisible like my character Crosley has, and I would go back and snoop on all of the great people and events.  Just the past, mind you: I don't want to know the future unless it's just the stock market.

 What is the craziest thing you ever did? This could be as a writer or any other time in your life.

During the oil embargo in the early seventies, I hoarded 120 gallons of gasoline in an aquarium in my garage.  The gasoline started dissolving the aquarium sealant and leaking, and I had to move it to proper containers just before the neighborhood would have been incinerated!

 Did you feel like a celebrity when you held your first published book?

No, that was just the start.  For all I knew, it might be a bust.

 If you could have a star like on Hollywood Blvd, who would you want to have your star by?

This can be an actually star on Hollywood Blvd. or someone you just admire.

L. Frank Baum.

 Is there anything in your life you wish you could do over and why?

The number of things is legion.  (There were approximately 6,000 soldiers in a Roman legion.)  All of the usual stuff like bad marriages, bad investments, and I really wish I had done something to prevent two of my dogs from getting run over.

 Who has been your biggest support or inspiration?

Probably my grandmother.  She was a prominent educator and role model who raised and put up with me.

 What would be the best way for readers to contact you?

www.dunebuggypress.com

info@dunebuggypress.com

 Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Thanks for having me.  I've got to go try to get John out of the fix he's in.

Cheers, Sands

About the Author:

Sands Hetherington, creator of the Night Buddies series of chapter books is delighted to

have published his second title, Night Buddies, Impostors, and One Far-Out Flying

Machine. Sands credits his son John for being his principal motivator in creating Night

Buddies. He and young John developed the Crosley crocodile character in the series

during months of bedtime story give-and-take. They collaborated many nights on

escapades starring John and Crosley, until eventually it occurred to Sands why it was that

Crosley was bright red. That was when the first book came together. Now, Sands is

pleased to announce the second title in the series!

Sands is also a Civil War buff. He would like to spend a month of evenings with common

soldiers from both sides to see how they felt about the business. And eccentric generals

like Jackson, Sherman and Forrest, and most of all Lincoln. Because Lincoln never gets

to smile in his pictures. Sands majored in history at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and has an

M.F.A. in creative writing and an M.A. in English from UNC-Greensboro. He lives in

Greensboro now, and hangs out with his longtime friend Ann and their Saint Bernards

Dudley and Maggie. He likes visiting ancient Mediterranean sites in Turkey and Italy,

and most of all Greece

About the Illustrator:

Jessica Love grew up in California, with two artist parents. She studied pintmaking and
drawing at UC Santa Cruz, then went to study acting at The Juilliard School in NYC.
Jessica currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, toggling back and forth between her
work as an actor and her work as an artist.

Learn More about Night Buddies:


Follow the Night Buddies at
Fan Website: www.nightbuddiesadventures.com
Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/nightbuddies
Twitter: @Night_Buddies
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/nightbuddies2/
GoodReads Author Sands Hetherington
Publisher Website: www.dunebuggypress.com

Blog Tour: Escucha Means Listen Review and Giveaway

Tour Schedule

Escucha Means Listen

From the mowing of the lawn to the splish-splashing of rain puddles, Talia Aikens-Nuñez’s bilingual picture book Escucha Means Listen introduces toddlers and babies to the sweet sounds around them.

Take a journey through the world—just listening. Escucha Means Listen helps children discover sounds around them in English and Spanish.












Excerpt
Buzz. Buzz. Qué oyes? (What do you hear?)
Las abejas (The bees) circling the flowers.

Woosh. Woosh. What do you hear?
El viento (The wind) is whistling by.

Shh. Shh. Qué oyes? (What do you hear?)
Las hojas (The leaves) are dancing on the trees.

Purchase

Publisher * Amazon

Author Talia Aikens-Nuñez  

Talia Aikens-Nuñez wanted to be a meteorologist, a politician and a lawyer. She never thought she would be a writer. It was the birth of her daughter that caused her to start writing. Raising a bilingual child inspired Talia to write lyrical children’s books. These ‘first experience’ books introduce Spanish to children and parents too! Talia’s family loves nature so much that she and her husband vowed that they will always try to live close to water. She, her husband and daughter live on a river in Connecticut with their daughter Isabella.

Facebook * Website 

My Review:

5 stars

Escucha Means Listen is a delightful children's book that will teach children and adults alike basic Spanish words. There are several different fun sounds for readers to hear, and learn the words for, including the sounds of the lawn mower, sounds of squirrels running through the trees and bells ringing in the tower. The book is well illustrated with bright and cheerful pictures. Each of the Spanish words has it's English translation right next to it making the association between the words very easy for the reader.

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/21/12

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Dottie and Weasel: The Lemonade Fiasco

Title: Dottie and Weasel: Lemonade Fiasco

Author: Charlotte Panning 

Publisher: Ginnie's LLC

Published: August 21, 2012

Format:  Kindle

Genre: Chlildren's Stories

Pages: 31

Source: Received from the author 

in exchange for an honest review

Read: December 30 2012

In A Few Words: Sweet story

My Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads: Add This to your To-Read Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

"Dottie and Weasel: Lemonade Fiasco" is a whimsical tale about two lovable and adorable dogs.  Dottie has a tendency to be high strung, bossy, and charming.  Weasel, on the other hand, is kind and good natured.  In the ebook, the two dogs go loafing around the neighborhood.  During their stroll back home, a fiasco unfolds.  Both dogs end up in deep trouble. But don't worry; the ending creates a chuckle.

Dottie and Weasel have many neighborhood friends. In this book, the two dogs meet up with Flex the cat.  He and Dottie have what many describe as a love-hate relationship.  The two are good pals at times and archrivals at other times.  In the "Lemonade Fiasco," the archrivals part of their relationship comes out.

Melissa's Musings:

This is a very sweet story about two friendly dogs and their rivalry with a local neighborhood cat. It's a fun read that any child would enjoy. It touches on important issues especially that of pressure to do things, when Dottie feels guilty that they have to sleep outside after being doused in lemonade. She worries about Weasel and touches on the fact that if she hadn't pressured Weasel to leave the yard, they wouldn't be in the situation they're in. 

The fact that the story is almost told entirely from the animals point of view is fun and engaging as well. The only thing I would have liked more would have been if the drawings had been in color, it would have made the characters come alive even more.

We're All Different but We're All Kitty Cats: First Day of School

Title: We're All Different But We're All Kitty Cats: First Day of School

Author: Peter J. Goodman

Illustrator: Nicolas Milano

Publisher: DreamBIG Press

Published: July 1, 2012

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 52

Source: Received from publisher in

exchange for an honest review

Read: December 11, 2012

In A Few Words: Teaches an important Lesson

My Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads:Add This Book To Your TBR Shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

“My name is Carlos and I have no fur,” the kitty cat announces on the first day of school. Using schoolroom situations that every child will recognize, author Peter Goodman creates a gaggle of feline classmates who show the way to respect and friendship for Carlos the hairless cat, who faces the challenge of being different. With the support of his mother and teacher, Carlos discovers something on the inside that makes him just as unique as he is on the outside.

Popping illustrations and expressive characters bring the tale of Carlos and his friends to life. The first in a series that brings adults and children together to discuss important social issues—this one is exceptionally relevant, given the current focus on anti-bullying efforts in schools—the book includes discussion prompts and fun facts to help parents facilitate engagement and learning at story time.

Children will be entertained as they come to realize, with Carlos and his schoolmates, what matters most: the thing we all have in common is that we are all different.
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Melissa's Musings:

This story is simple, and well told, yet it packs a powerful message. It touches on the important issue of bullying. In the story, Carlos is a cat who has no fur. When he goes to school on the first day and the teacher asks the class to share two things about themselves, Carlos shares that he likes to read books and that he has no fur. When he shares the fact that he has no fur, the class begins to laugh at him. He is teased by another classmate, but then two other classmates step in to help him. He also talks to his mom about what happens and she tells him that he is special and unique and that he should feel good about himself.

The story shows kids that it's okay to be different. It also encourages children to step up and help out a fellow classmate who is being bullied, instead of just standing by doing nothing and letting it happen. It also teaches kids to open up to parents and teachers for help in dealing with issues like these.

The strong messages are accompanied by pleasant, fun, illustrations. There is also an excellent question list at the back of the book that parents can use as prompts for talking to their children about bullying.

My Happy Birthday

Title: My Happy Birthday

Author: Mary Ryan

Publisher: Self Published

Published: August 30 2012

Format: Kindle

Pages: 25 

Source: Received from the author

in exchange for an honest review

Read: December 10, 2012

In  A Few Words: Nice Sentiment

My Rating: 3 Stars

Amazon Synopsis*: 

Besides being enjoyable, this story teaches children a life lesson!

“Imagine being a young boy, who is looking forward to celebrating his birthday, only to realize that his parents are so busy that it seems they have completely forgotten about this annual event…?”

That happened to Samuel, as he was very sad to discover that his parents forgot all about his eighth birthday. Read how Samuel deals with his sadness and sorrow, and discover which important life lesson he learned. All is well that ends well, as Samuel gets to enjoy a very special day, one of the most important days of his life.

Read this book to your child for enjoyment, and at the same time, teach one of the most important life lessons any child needs to learn in order to succeed through life

Melissa's Musings:

Samuel wakes up in excitement realizing that it's his birthday. He is then disappointed to find out that his mother has apparently completely forgotten his birthday. On his way into town to run errands for his mom, he meets an old man with a broken down truck and helps him fix it.

The lesson embedded in this meeting is a very good one for children to learn. The man teaches Samuel that it's good to be thankful for what you have and to use it for as long as you can, which is important since we've seemed to become such a "throw it away and get a new one" society.

 Then Samuel comes home to find a surprise of his dad waiting for him, and a shiny new red truck that's been left on the porch. Sam declares it the best birthday ever.

Overall, the message of the story is nice. It teaches kids to be thankful and appreciative of what they have. And it teaches them that fixing items is a better thing to do than just throwing something away and getting a new one.

The structure of the story seemed a little wordy for a book for 4-8 year olds. The drawings were a little odd to me too. They seemed really caricature like, rather than realistic, and this made Samuel appear to be much older than an 8 year old boy. It seems to me like the look of his character changes throughout the book and he starts off young and then on the last page, I'd say the drawing of him makes him look like a young teenager, so that was definitely a drawback. If there's anything that's really important in kids' books it's consistency, whether it's in the story itself or the illustrations.

*The synopsis and cover used in this post are both credited to Amazon.com

Ambition's Not An Awful Word by Zack Zage, Illustrated by Adam Watkins

Title: Ambition's Not An Awful Word

Author:  Zack Zage

Illustrator: Adam Watkins

Publisher:  Ivy Court Press

Published: March 1, 2012

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Source: Won From a Goodreads
Giveaway
Read: August 3 2012
In A Few Words:  Ambitious, Colorful, Realistic
My Rating: 5  Stars
Goodreads: Add this book to your to-read shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Mrs. Grundy asks her fourth grade class what they want to be when they grow up, Zack Zage goes all out. To his dismay, his precocious dreams are not met with great enthusiasm. Children will love this story about an ambitious little kid with big dreams. Ambition’s Not An Awful Word will have you and your kids laughing out loud. 

The illustrations by Adam Watkins are fabulous. And, the glossary is unforgettably funny. It is a gift to all the parents who have struggled to stay awake while reading a bedtime story to the kids.(less)

Melissa's Musings:

Ambition's Not An Awful Word is funny, educational, realistic, and hopeful all rolled into one. 

The first thing that caught my attention of course was the color. I love the color purple, and stars, so even though I'm not the 9-10 year old audience this is directed at I liked it just for that picture alone. 

Then once you get inside the book it's even better. It starts out with Zack's teacher asking the class what they want to be when they grow up.

I remember being a kid and having tons of answers just like Zack does. If I'm honest, I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up, even at 26. I may have a bit more focus now, but I still have lots of ideas. 

And just like the title says, these ideas are ambitious. They range from artist, to banker, to doctor and just about everything in between. The format of the story is that Zack has big dreams, and he wishes them wildly, putting in extravagant details of how his life as a certain professional would go. Then, on the next page, his dreams are taken down a notch with some realistic rebuttals.

My favorite of these is:

 "If I were a chef, Cordon Bleu at Versailles, I'd wear a white tuxedo, cummerbund and bow tie. I would saute like a maestro. My souffle would be premier. Julia Child would be my mentor. And I would have no peer."

 But the stove would yell out, "STOP! Don't put that oil in there. YOU still have a chance but I won't have a prayer. Tell the truth, you can't boil water, or make a piece of toast. Go outside. Light a fire. Have yourself a weenie roast." (pages 9-10)

As an adult, I see this from both sides. I appreciate Zack's hopefulness, and ability to dream big. But at the same time, I can also appreciate the other side. The side that says that no matter what your dreams are you may not always be able to achieve them, because life can get in the way. That right there is what I mean when I say this book is realistic. 

Regardless of that, there's absolutely nothing wrong with having big dreams. Like the book jacket says, this book is funny, but the true heart of it is found within the last ten words:

Oh, the moon left you this message, "It's okay to dream."

That's an important message for anyone, child or adult alike. No matter how big your dreams are, go for them.  You never know what could happen.

What are some of your dreams? 

*Sorry about the varying colors within this post, I'm having some formatting issues that I'm not sure how to solve with this post

Jaime Lea And The Bumblebee by Adrian Thorpe, Illustrated by Matthew Thorpe

Title:  Jaime Lea and the Bumblebee

Image is from Amazon.com

Author: Adrian Thorpe

Illustrator: Matthew Thorpe

Publisher:  Mathelian Books

Published: February 2012

Format:  Paperback

Pages: 24

Source: Won in a giveaway @ Pen To Paper

Read: August 3

In A Few Words:  Imaginative and well-illustrated

My Rating: 5 Solid Stars

Website For This Book: *Jaime Lea and the Bumblebee Site

*Note:  According to the jacket of the book, for every book sold through the  website    £1 will be donated to the UK based disabled children's charity 'Whizz-Kidz.'The donation is the same whether the order is based in the UK or an international order.

Paraphrased Synopsis:

Unfortunately there isn't a synopsis available from Goodreads as this book isn't on the site. But, basically it is the story of a little boy named Jaime, who happens to be in a wheelchair. He often sits outside, looking at the bees as they fly by. One day, he gives a bee some honey to give it energy, and the bee talks to a garden fairy, who then goes to Jaime and asks him, "If you could be anyone who would you be?" Jaime says that he knows that his mom and dad love him, and that there's no one he'd rather be. The fairy is so touched by this that she sheds a few tears, and the tears of a fairy grant the wish of the person they fall upon. It's Jaime's wish to be fly around with the bees, so he becomes a bee for the day and gets to fly around and experience life as a bee.

Melissa's Musings:

I was so happy to get this book in the mail. For one, because I don't often get mail all the way from the UK. And secondly, because this is a wonderful book, and I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to read it.

This book is wonderful for kids. It teaches a valuable lesson in that when the fairy asks Jaime what he wants to be, rather than being something different he is perfectly happy as he is. This is a good lesson for all children, for them to be comfortable and happy with themselves just as they are. I think that it's also a particularly important insight for children with disabilities (and adults with disabilities who may need a gentle reminder) that they should be happy just as they are.

Many times people with disabilities are seen as being different, or having something "wrong" with them. I am a firm believer that there is nothing "wrong" with disabled individuals. Many people are just uncomfortable with things that are different, or that they aren't used to. Sometimes in society, disabilities are seen as something that needs to be fixed, and that can cause disabled individuals to feel like they want to be "normal" Well, not in this case. The fact that Jaime is happy just as he is the way he is  is an important lesson for everyone.

In addition to the insightful lessons and the sweet story line, the illustrations in this book are wonderful. The colors are bright, vibrant and rich. I also enjoyed that the whole inside back jacket after the last printed page is a full illustration rather than just blank white space. I have been reading the book with my niece, who loves all the flowers in the book. 

To find out more about this wonderful book please visit the website for Jaime Lea and the Bumblebee. For every book purchased through the website £1 will be donated to the UK based charity 'Whizz-Kidz'. 'Whizz Kidz' primary goal in addition to providing wheelchairs, mobility equipment and training and advice for kids outside the NHS, is to give kids the independence to be themselves.