Contests & Giveaways

Parenting is Easy by Sara Given Plus a Giveaway!

PARENTING IS EASY:
YOU’RE PROBABLY JUST DOING IT WRONG
Written by Sara Given
(Workman Publishing, $10.95)

A Review & Giveaway!

ParentingisEasycvr Parenting is Easy: You’re Probably Just Doing it Wrong is one of those books you need to keep on hand to lift your spirits when you feel you’ve been doing too much laundry, chauffeuring too many kids, or cleaning up too many messes. It’s certain to bring loads of smiles and laugh out loud moments this holiday season (and year round) to lots of people on your gift list. And, at a little over 6″ x 6″ in size, it’ll easily stuff into stockings or make a delightful diaper cake topper for any baby shower! That’s if you don’t throw it at someone looking a little too well-dressed, a little too composed or a little too, well, perfect, first!!

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Interior image from PARENTING IS EASY by Sara Given, Workman Publishing ©2015.

If you know someone raising kids, whether those kids are bloomered little cruisers, or skinny jean sporting teens asking for the car keys, there’s something in Parenting is Easy they’ll be able to relate to. My two may already be 14 and 21 years old, but I still can’t get the grin off my face when reading about pregnancy or bringing the baby home as covered in chapters one and two!  In just five fab chapters (Perfecting Pregnancy, Bringing Home Baby, Enjoying Toddlerhood, Breezing Through the School-Aged Years, and Living the Good Life) plus a dynamite intro, Given takes us on a super satisfying, tongue-in-cheek journey through parenthood by using stock advertising photos of idealized families, new moms, new dads, couples and kids that resemble NOTHING like the families, new moms, new dads, couples and kids we know. In fact, that’s what prompted Given to post a picture with a sarcastic, spot on caption that went viral (see page 66). You may even already be familiar with Given from her popular Tumblr blog, “It’s Like They Know Us.”

To give you an idea of what to expect, here’s the blurb from the back of the book cover:

“Finally, a book that proves that pregnancy is glamorous, toddlers enjoy sitting patiently, teens love when their parents dance in public, and the best place to breast-feed is on a golf course.”

Right from the start you know you’re in for some side splitting entertainment beginning with the first chapter, Perfecting Pregnancy. We’re told by Given that “Pregnancy is the first of many opportunities you will have to be absolutely confident in every decision you make for your child!” Love that humor? I sure do so when I saw the picture of two stunning, sun-dressed pregnant women strolling and the caption read …

“I just peed a little when I laughed!”
“That’s okay, I just farted. Let’s keep walking.”

… I knew I had a winner in my hands. And the best part was sitting down alongside my husband seeing who could find THE picture that showed a parenting situation that could no way, shape or form ever occur on this planet. His pick – the one of a boy choosing to eat a healthy after school snack and hang out with his mom over playing Xbox with his buddy, Isaac. I mean, wouldn’t your child do the same?

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Interior image from PARENTING IS EASY by Sara Given, Workman Publishing ©2015.

I also enjoyed how Given cleverly included one or two page guides for each chapter such as Chapter One’s Eating Healthily While Pregnant with kale being in both the Eat and Avoid columns!  In Chapter Two Given answers the age old question Why Isn’t Baby Sleeping?  We learn what could be keeping baby up at night is anxiety over the skyrocketing cost of college tuition. There’s also handy breast-feeding info, Dealing With Common Toddler Behaviors, advice on Mediating Conflicts With Your Teen and lots more.

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Interior image from PARENTING IS EASY by Sara Given, Workman Publishing ©2015.

So if spending time hearing about everyone’s marvelous life on Facebook has got you pulling out hair, check out the smiley, happy people in Given’s book for a good, honest laugh because her captions are brilliant and her take on perfection includes countless references to white carpet, clothing and furniture which never failed to crack me up. Enter now for your chance to win a copy and buy extra books to give friends. See for yourself just how right Given gets it and then let me know which pictures and captions were your faves.

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mande

    ENTER OUR GIVEAWAY: WIN 1 COPY OF SARA GIVEN’S NEW BOOK!! Plus, if you follow us on Facebook and let us know in the comments below, we’ll give you an extra entry. Follow us on Instagram and get an additional entry, too. Good luck!

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Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk – Review & Giveaway

LADY PANCAKE & SIR FRENCH TOAST
A REVIEW & GIVEAWAY
Written by Josh Funk
Illustrated by Brendan Kearney
(Sterling Children’s Books; $14.95, Ages 5-8)

 

Lady Pancake Cover Image

 

Before even reading it, I knew that Josh Funk’s debut picture book, Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, was going to be a sweet treat, but I had no idea just how many belly laughs it would elicit. To be honest, while I may have initially favored Sir French Toast, my breakfast food partiality in no way influenced my opinion of Funk’s book whatsoever. In fact, I’m actually a von Waffle girl myself.

 

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Interior artwork from Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk with illustrations by Brendan Kearney, Sterling Children’s Books ©2015.

When word comes down from up high that “The syrup is almost completely gone!’ Miss Brie produces panic in the breakfast food buddies. Before you can say “Genuine Maple,” the good Lady P and her pal, Sir FT, are off, determined to beat the other to the last remaining drop. Funk tickles our taste buds as he takes us on an amazing race up, down, and all around the fridge in an appetizing adventure that includes pushing and shoving, plummeting and hurdling, often at breakneck pace, to reach the syrup.

“Skiing past spinach and artichoke dip,
Toast vaulted high in the air with a …
FLIP!

 

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Interior artwork from Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk with illustrations by Brendan Kearney, Sterling Children’s Books ©2015.

 

There are simply too may funny food scenes to describe, but suffice it to say Funk’s text provided Kearney with a field day for whimsical illustrations. My favorites are the bean avalanche and the surprise fold out fridge interior at the book’s end, providing your littlest foodie with a chance to closely examine all the contents shelf by shelf.

Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast is not only a rollicking, rhyming read aloud full of colorful fun, but if you’re a Foley (sound effects) fan, here’s your chance to try out your PLOPS!, FLIPS! and THUMPS! to your heart’s content. There’s even an avalanche to test your mettle! Readers young and old will enjoy the wonderful twist to this tale that caught me off and pinned another huge grin on my already happy face. If this book doesn’t leave everyone completely satisfied and sunny side up, I don’t know what will!

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

WIN 1 COPY OF JOSH FUNK’S NEW BOOK!!  Plus, if you follow us on Facebook and let us know in the comments below, we’ll give you an extra entry. An additional comment on our Facebook post for this picture book gets you yet another entry. Good luck!

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Feet, Go To Sleep by Barbara Bottner Blog Tour & Giveaway

FEET, GO TO SLEEP
Written by Barbara Bottner
Illustrated by Maggie Smith
(Knopf Books for Young Readers; 16.99, Ages 3-7)

A BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY

 

Feet-go-to-sleep-236x300It’s Day 2 of this terrific picture book blog tour. And for parents who need a way to get their little ones off to the land of nod, we’re guessing the timing couldn’t be better!

“I’m not ready!”
“I keep thinking about today .”
“I don’t feel tired.”

How do you respond to hearing those words at bedtime, especially if you know it’s not procrastination, but more a case of simply not wanting a wonderful day to end? It’s difficult because we all at one time or another have experienced that hyped-up, can’t turn my brain off feeling just like our kids.

Feet, Go to Sleep by Barbara Bottner is the perfect read aloud picture book response to these occasional protestations. But frankly, it’s also a lot more. Reading Feet, Go to Sleep is an original way to teach children a popular relaxation technique (referred to in yesterday’s post as Savasana) for winding down to ensure a speedy visit to dreamland. Along the way, children can practice the process of putting each part of their body to sleep just like Fiona, the book’s main character, while recounting their day’s events either to their parents or to themselves.

It’s no wonder young Fiona can’t easily settle down. Her busy day at the beach with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandma, was packed with family fun and activities. Fiona keeps thinking about it all. First there was the dash to the beach. That involved toes gripping flip-flops. Then came feet. Watch out for splashes as they go “stomping in the waves at the ocean’s edge.”

Toes were easy. They went right to sleep.
“What’s next?” asked Mama.
“Feet, go to sleep!”

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Interior artwork from Feet, Go To Sleep by Barbara Bottner with illustrations by Maggie Smith, Knopf Books for Young Readers, ©2015.

Thoughts of her carefree day continue as she pictures herself building a sand castle, launching a seaweed attack against cousins, munching down some scrumptious picnic lunch, then …

“Shoulders, go to sleep,” said Fiona, giving
them one last roll before they lay still.

Shoulders were for rubbing with sunscreen.

Playing carries on with a beach ball toss, followed by an outdoor shower back at home and then a barbeque at dusk, and bedtime. But can Fiona fall asleep when she’s tuned in to grown up voices chatting outside her open window?

Smith’s spot on illustrations have captured all the action and joy of a sunshiny day at the beach, so much so that you’ll find yourself ready to grab the sun block and join the group. And the blues she uses for her bedtime spreads are soothing and slumber-inducing.

Together Bottner and Smith have got it right with this lovely to look at and delightful to read story. I can’t think of a single over-tired child (or parent) who wouldn’t benefit from the simple steps provided, starting way down with toes, and feet, then moving all the way up the body and ending with …

“Eyes, go to sleep,” whispered Fiona.

If my kids were still young, I’d welcome the chance to introduce this powerful, yet peaceful way of releasing tension from their bodies, that’s cleverly wrapped inside an ebullient beach day bedtime story.

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

Check out all the great bloggers on this tour to get a variety of perspectives on Feet, Go To Sleep.

5/12 Booktalking #kidlit
5/13 GoodReadsWithRonna
5/14 Wrapped in Foil
5/15 Teaching Authors
5/16 Big Hair and Books
5/18 Frog on a Blog
5/19 Chapter Book Chat
5/20 In Bed With Books
5/21 Shelf-employed

AN EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY! See below. Plus, if you follow us on Facebook and let us know in the comments below, we’ll give you an extra entry. An additional comment on our Facebook post for this blog tour gets you yet another entry. Good luck!

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A Giveaway to Celebrate 10 Years of Stink Moody

 

HAPPY 10th ANNIVERSARY, STINK MOODY! 
It’s Children’s Book Week and We’re Celebrating.

We’re delighted to get all Stinky with it as the Stink series marks ten years on the scene. And what better way to celebrate Judy Moody’s hilarious and curious younger brother than with a generous giveaway of books courtesy of Candlewick Press! We’ll be following up this giveaway with an in-depth interview with author Megan McDonald so please watch this space.

If you’ve read or heard of the popular Judy Moody series of books by Megan McDonald, then you’ll also be familiar with Judy’s younger brother, Stink. The last decade has seen Stink get his own book series (he’s got more than nine titles now if you count his Stink-O-Pedias) while growing in popularity, so much so that he’s even getting his own celebration from publisher Candlewick Press. The best thing about the Stink series is how McDonald weaves STEM into every plot, whether it’s about the solar system, sharks and guinea pigs or sneaker sniffing, and makes it fun. There are fascinating facts along with Reynolds’ funny cartoons included in every book so children learn while laughing. Sure to pull in reluctant readers, these chapter books are filled with just the right amount of illustrations, Stink-y humor, and lovable characters to keep kids coming back for more.

SharkSleepovercvr.jpgIn honor of this super sniffer, letter S loving “spotlight stealer,” we’re singing Stink’s praises and giving away three books including a brand new illustrated first chapter book and two new paperback releases. All books are perfect for adding to your child’s collection or for giving away to a fun-loving fan or school library.

Stink and the Shark Sleepover by Megan McDonald with illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds (Candlewick; $4.99, Ages 6-9)

When a first chapter is called There Will Be Sharks you just have to read on! The Moodys have won an overnight trip to the aquarium and everyone’s going to be there including Stink’s best buddy Webster, that oh-so-annoying classmate, Riley Rottenberger, and sharks, lots of ’em. But there’s just one catch, after an evening full of activities, Stink’s heard a scary story about Bloody Mary and he’s creeped out so much that he can’t fall asleep. A ghostly red glow and mysterious noise coming from a door nearby doesn’t help matters. Stink might have to pull a prank, or two, because Judy is sleeping a little too peacefully in the presence of sharks.

Click here to read a sample chapter.
Click here to download an activity kit.
Click here for a teacher’s guide.

MasterofDisastercvr.jpgJudy Moody and Friends: Stink Moody in Master of Disaster by Megan McDonald with illustrations by Erwin Madrid (Candlewick; $12.99, Ages 4-6)
Geared for “newly independent readers,” the Judy Moody and Friends series will breed a whole new flock of Judy and Stink fans. There are just a few chapters, large print, colorful illustrations and an engaging storyline. As this story begins, Judy and Stink are sleeping out in the backyard in the hopes of seeing comet P/2015OZ4, also known as the Sherman-Holm comet. Or in Stink’s case, the Sherlock-Holmes comet. The space theme is carried through when Stink, convinced that a giant asteroid is speeding toward Earth, decides to build an asteroid-proof bunker in the basement, transforming into Asteroid Boy to save the day.

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Interior artwork from Stink Moody in Master of Disaster by Megan McDonald with illustrations by Erwin Madrid, Candlewick Press ©2015.

TheBigBadBlackoutcvr.jpgJudy Moody & Stink: The Big Bad Blackout by Megan McDonald with illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds (Candlewick; $6.99, Ages 6-9)

With its cool glow-in-the-dark title on the cover, this paperback edition of Judy Moody & Stink: The Big Bad Blackout is certain to entice some nighttime reading under the covers by flashlight. A big storm, a blackout and time off from school – what could get more exciting than that? Add Grandma Lou visiting with a host of her pets to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for fun family time together. And some great stories to boot. Speaking of boots, Judy and Stink are going to be needing them with the amount of rain that’s in store.  But there are double rainbows at the end plus tips on what things kids can do during a blackout (reading books by candlelight, flashlight or headlamp is one of ’em) making this book a must-have for any home library.

 

 

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Interior artwork from Judy Moody & Stink: The Big Bad Blackout by Megan McDonald with illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds, Candlewick Press ©2015.

Visit www.stinkmoody.com to learn more about the character and his super series of books.

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

GIVEAWAY BONUS: Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/goodreadswithronna, then let us know and we’ll give you an extra two entries in the giveaway! Valid, too, if you’re already a fan. Good luck!

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Weird but true! FOOD from National Geographic Kids

Weird but true! FOOD:
300 bite-size facts about incredible edibles!
by National Geographic Kids
(National Geographic Children’s Books; $7.99, Ages 8-12)
PLUS: A Rafflecopter Giveaway for three books!

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It’s very easy to understand the ongoing popularity of the Weird But True! fact-filled paperback book series. They’re inexpensive, portable, packed with fab photos, and are always excellent entertainment. Likely “weird” is a word you hear often at home from your 8-12 year olds, so why not give them this book to help them refocus their energy onto things genuinely incredible or unusual.

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Interior spread from Weird but true! Food, National Geographic Children’s Books, ©2015.

 

Here are some facts I found fascinating, funny and/or very WEIRD:

1. Mycophobia is the fear of mushrooms. Use that next time you play hangman!

2. The Carolina Reaper is the world’s hottest chili pepper.

3. Breakfast waffles inspired the co-founder of Nike to put a bumpy tread on running shoes.

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Interior spread from Weird but true! Food, National Geographic Children’s Books, ©2015.

4. Los Angeles recently passed a resolution encouraging people not to eat meat on Mondays. I live in L.A. and didn’t even know about this one!

5. On the International Space Station 93 percent of the astronaut’s sweat and urine is recycled into drinking water.

 

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Interior spread from Weird but true! Food, National Geographic Children’s Books, ©2015.

 

Consider giving your tween a copy of Weird but true! Food as an alternative to electronics. It’s educational, interesting, and a great way to amuse friends. How many of us can honestly say we knew that the Ancient Egyptians “ate ham and eggs for breakfast more than 3,000 years ago,” or that it takes “about 350 squirts from a cow’s udder to make one gallon of milk?” Udderly weird but true, and that’s okay! In fact, did you know that “okay” is the most understood word in the world? Yep, but you’ll have to pick up a copy of Weird but true! Food: 300 bite-size facts about incredible edibles! to find out the second most understood word.

Click here for the Kids’ National Geographic website for games, videos and more.

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY – See below. Enter then follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/goodreadswithronna for an extra 3 entries into the giveaway. GOOD LUCK!!

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A Dozen Cousins by Lori Haskins Houran / Book Giveaway

A DOZEN COUSINS BY LORI HASKINS HOURAN
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY SAM USHER
(Sterling Children’s Books, $14.95, Ages 4-8)
Plus, enter our giveaway to win a hardcopy of the book!

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We know it’s cheaper by the dozen, but in the case of A Dozen Cousins, it’s also A LOT more fun!

“Anna had a dozen cousins.
All of them were boys.

They smelled like sweaty sneakers,
And they made a ton of noise.”

Imagine being the only girl with 12 rowdy male cousins. What would your days be like when they came for a visit? Anna’s were anything but quiet. This joyful ode to rough and tumbling, playful and stumbling boys and their only female cousin is pure delight. The rhyme, with its sing song rhythm really never misses a beat. Told with love and laughs, Houran’s picture book draws from her youthful experience growing up with over a dozen cousins. So she knows first hand what types of antics this many kids can get up.

“They helped her build a castle …
Then launched a sneak attack.

They gave her hugs and kisses,
Dropping ice cubes down her back.”

The entire time that Anna and her possessions (including her doll!) are used as objects of entertainment for the lads, she never once arches her eyebrows in anger! Usher’s whimsical illustrations, a cheerful and welcome blend of Quentin Blake meets Helen Oxenbury, depict an understated calmness in Anna, with all her reactions demonstrating a deep affection for her mischief-making young relatives. Ultimately, despite all her cousins’ shenanigans, Anna wouldn’t change a thing about their behavior and is thrilled to be a part of this extended and extremely fun-loving family. An adorable book about a bunch of boys you’ll wish were your cousins. Don’t miss checking out the end papers for a sweet surprise!

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

Giveaway Opportunity!
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Flunked: Fairy Tale Reform School by Jen Calonita

Flunked-Poison-Apples

Flunked: Fairy Tale Reform School
by Jen Calonita
(Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, $15.99, Ages 10+)

Middle Grade Novel Spotlight
featuring great giveaway opportunity on Rafflecopter.
Win one of five books! Enter today.

Advance Praise for Flunked: Fairy Tale Reform School

FLUNKED-cvr.jpg“Charming fairy-tale fun.” – Sarah Mlynowski, author of the Whatever After series.

“Flunked is spellbinding and wickedly clever. Gilly is smart, spunky, and a hilarious narrator!” – Leslie Margolis, author of the Annabelle Unleashed and the Maggie Brooklyn mysteries.

“Flunked is a fresh and funny take on the enchanted world. (And who hasn’t always wanted to know what happened to Cinderella’s stepmother?”)” – Julie DeVillers, author of the Trading Faces identical twin series and Emma Emmets, Playground Matchmaker.

“A reform school where all the teachers are former villains. Kinda writes itself, right?” – Betsy Bird’s Librarian Preview

Book Info:

OUR MISSION:

To turn WICKED DELINQUENTS
and FORMER VILLAINS
into FUTURE HEROES

Gilly wouldn’t call herself wicked exactly…but when you have five little brothers and sisters and live in a run- down boot, you have to get creative to make ends meet. Gilly’s a pretty good thief (if she does say so herself).

Until she gets caught.

Gilly’s sentenced to three months at Fairy Tale Reform School- where all of the teachers are former (super-scary) villains like the Big Bad Wolf, the Evil Queen, and Cinderella’s Wicked Stepmother. Harsh. But when she meets fellow students Jax and Kayla, she learns there’s more to this school than its heroic mission. There’s a battle brewing and Gilly has to wonder: can a villain really change?

AmazonJen Calonita | B&N | BAM |!ndigo | IndieBound

Jen Calonita is the author of the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series and other books like Sleepaway Girls and Summer State of Mind, but Fairy Tale Reform School is her first middle grade series. She rules Long Island, New York with husband Mike, princes Tyler and Dylan, and Chihuahua Captain Jack Sparrow, but the only castle she’d ever want to live in is Cinderella’s at Disney World. She’d love for you to drop her a line at jencalonitaonline.com or keep the fairy tale going at http://books.sourcebooks.com/enchantasia/

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Excerpt from Flunked: Fairy Tale Reform School –

There’s a boy up there, standing on the crystal chandelier! He has slightly curly blond hair and is wearing a uniform—­a navy sweater vest over a white shirt with khaki pants—­but his boots are muddy. He’s stepping on priceless crystals with cruddy boots? Is he insane?
“Jax! What are you doing up there?” Kayla whispers heatedly.
“I’m cleaning the crystal for Flora,” Jax says and rolls his eyes. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m making
a break for it.”
Kayla applauds. “Yay! This time I know you can do it.”
I shade my eyes from the light bursting through the stained-­glass window next to the chandelier Jax is perched on. “Busting out? Why?” I ask Kayla. “I thought you said this place was cool.”
Jax laughs loudly and looks at me. I feel slightly stunned. I’ve never seen violet eyes before. “FTRS was fun for a while, but strange things have started happening and I don’t want to be here when something bad goes down.”
Strange things? What kind of strange things? Why does Kayla suddenly look pale?
“He’s exaggerating,” Kayla tells me, but she doesn’t sound convincing.
Drip. Whatever Jax is holding is leaking. Kayla and I move out of the way so we don’t get wet. “Grease,” Jax explains to me. “It lubes the window.” He swings the chandelier, and as it nears the window, he uses a fork to try to pry the window open. “A few more tries and I’ll have it.”
“Then what are you going to do, genius?” I ask. “You’re two stories up.”
Jax’s eyes gleam. “I’ve jumped from higher spots before.”
“It’s true,” Kayla says to me. “Jax once jumped from the gym to the dining hall turret. That was three stories up. We call him the Escape Artist. One time he even managed to break into Azalea and Dahlia’s rooms and borrowed their keys to the indoor pool so the whole dorm could take a midnight swim.”
“Impressive,” I tell him. “And I thought I was good at tricking obnoxious royals.”
“She stole a dragon’s tooth clip from one this morning,” Kayla fills him in.
“Nice,” Jax says. “Your first pull?”
“No, I’ve been doing it for a while,” I brag.
“Me too,” Jax says. “My father is a farmer. You can only get so far trading vegetables. I needed to kick things up a notch.”
For some reason, I don’t think any of us are going to make the transformation Headmistress Flora is looking for. “Why do you want to break out so bad?”
“I’ve got places to see, and Enchantasia isn’t one of them.” Jax swings the chandelier so hard the crystals clang together. The window latch pops open, and I watch Jax leap from the chandelier to the tiny window ledge. I’m in awe. Jax looks down at us smugly before pushing open the window. “Are you sure you two don’t want to join me?”
“There’s no time for us,” Kayla says. “Get out of here. Wait!” Her eyes widen. “You deactivated the alarm on the window, right?”
“There isn’t one,” Jax insists. “If there was, I wouldn’t be able to do this.” But when Jax lifts the window, we hear:
EEEEEE! EEEE! EEEE! Unauthorized exit! Unauthorized exit!
The shrieking sound is so intense that Kayla and I cover our ears. Within seconds, Flora is out of her office and running toward us.
Swoosh!
I feel something brush past me and I whirl around. When I look up at Jax again, a large, muscular man with a long mane of hair is hanging on to the window ledge, his furry hands pulling Jax back by his shirt. How did the man get up there without a ladder?
“Mr. Jax,” the man says in a low growl, “we really must stop meeting like this.”

Click here for the Fairy Tale Reform School Quiz:
If you get sentenced to Fairy Tale Reform School, it will help to have an ally. Take the quiz and find out who your mentor would be.

Rafflecopter HTML (Open 2/22-3/31) 5 Print Copies of Flunked: Fairy Tale Reform School

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How to Behave at a Tea Party by Madelyn Rosenberg/Book Giveaway

WIN A SIGNED COPY OF HOW TO BEHAVE AT A TEA PARTY
Written by Madelyn Rosenberg & Illustrated by Heather Ross
(Katherine Tegen Books, $17.99, Ages 4-8)

 

How to Behave at a Tea Party cover girl standing on table

 

 

 

REVIEW:

I LOVE all things tea party and Madelyn Rosenberg’s How To Behave at a Tea Party is no exception. I found myself itching to know how this adorable and entertaining picture book ended because its premise – not all tea parties go according to plan – is such fun! The cover, with the tea party hostess’s younger brother under the table, reminded me of the numerous tea parties my daughter threw many years ago. I recall running interference for her as my son’s trains and web of tracks seemed to always wind their way towards her precariously arranged party table.

Julia, the picture book’s narrator, is determined to show her little brother Charles the ins and outs of hosting a tea. Naturally, you start by creating unique invitations, hand-delivering them to the guests. Charles, contentedly playing with toys alongside his dog and pet frog, has a look of apprehension on his face, as do the pets. Julia’s instructions continue,

Next, you put on fancy clothes.
Wear a fancy hat.
Underwear does not count as a hat.

and though Charles and company try their best to cooperate, the results of their efforts (or lack thereof) are hysterical as witnessed in the illustration of the frog with undies covering one eye looking very much like ’40s film star, Veronica Lake. And let it be known, big sis does NOT want the McKagan brothers invited to tea, “Or the frog.” But it’s obvious from Rosenberg’s succinct and spot-on prose along with Heather Ross’s humorous illustrations that Julia is not getting her way, warranting her to “take deep breaths and count to seven.”

The juxtapositioning of Julia’s attempts to remain calm and in control of her tea party while watching its decorum slowly go downhill after a series of colorful mishaps is a big part of this book’s appeal. Another is watching the chaos ensue and seeing all the kids’ (and animals’) reactions as depicted so perfectly by Ross. This “Manners! What manners?” tea party provides a great jumping off point for discussion about appropriate and inappropriate behavior while at the same time demonstrates that it’s okay if things go off course. In fact, many times it’s actually a lot more fun!

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

GIVEAWAY:

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A FINE DESSERT: Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat by Emily Jenkins

One of BuzzFeed’s 25 Ridiculously Wonderful Books to Read with Kids in 2015

Starred Reviews – Kirkus, School Library Journal, & Booklist

A FINE DESSERT:
Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat
by Emily Jenkins, illustrations by Sophie Blackall
(Schwartz & Wade Books, $17.99, Ages 4 and up)

Read Cathy Ballou Mealey’s rave review then enter our giveaway to win a copy! 

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Jenkins and Blackall combine Literature, History and Home Economics into one most scrumptious and delightful course in their stellar new title A FINE DESSERT. Following one sweet treat – blackberry fool – through four families, four cities, and four centuries, the book succeeds in creating an authentic and engaging portrayal of food history perfect for children and adults alike.

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Interior spread from A Fine Dessert by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, Schwartz & Wade ©2015.

Readers will follow the creation of blackberry fool from the first scene – a field in Lyme, England in 1710, where a mother and daughter are shown picking blackberries. Smoke curls from the cottage chimney, and berry juice stains their white aprons. They return home where the mother milks the cow, skims the cream, and whips it for fifteen minutes with a wooden twig whisk. Combined with the squashed and strained berries, the mixture is iced outdoors in a hillside pit. Finally it is served for dessert by candlelight in front of a roaring fire.

The tale next leads us to a plantation in Charleston, South Carolina in 1810 where once again the dessert will be prepared. Readers will immediately notice changes not only to the characters and the setting, but also to the methods, preparation, family, and society where the dessert is served. More changes are revealed in the third preparation, set in Boston, Massachusetts in 1910 and finally in a modern portrayal in San Diego, California in 2010. Each segment is tied together by various text details and artistic elements, and especially focuses on the gusto with which the delicious treat is enjoyed. The child always gets to lick the bowl clean!

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Interior spread from A Fine Dessert by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, Schwartz & Wade ©2015.

This book is a must-have for classrooms because of the infinite and engaging connections to Common Core teaching. It is also a wonderful book for families to bring right into the kitchen to prepare the blackberry fool recipe provided at the back. There is also an extensive note from the author about exploring history, research, and food preparation methods as a way to encourage conversations about work and social roles. The illustrator’s note is equally charming, and discusses the materials she used to create the unique purple endpapers.

Jenkins and Blackall have choreographed a delightful rhythm and repetition connecting the words and images throughout this book. There are endless marvelous discoveries on page after page that encourage readers to flip between the tales, uncovering similarities and differences that will challenges them to think and question. Have a second or third helping of A FINE DESSERT – you will be glad you did!

– Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey 

Where Obtained:  I reviewed a promotional copy of A FINE DESSERT from the publisher and received no compensation. The opinions expressed here are my own.

WIN A COPY!
Leave a comment below about your favorite dessert then follow us on Facebook for a chance to win a copy of this scrumptious picture book. No entries after 11:59p.m. PST on February 18, 2015. One lucky winner will be randomly selected on Thursday Feb. 19, 2015. If you do not leave a comment and follow GRWR on  Facebook you will forfeit your chance to win. If you are not on Facebook, following on Twitter will qualify instead.

 

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A Giveaway Celebrating Candlewick’s Ten Books in Time Magazine’s Top 100

 

WIN FOUR FAB BOOKS!!

 

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If you’re a regular reader of our blog you’ll know we review a plethora of picture books published by Candlewick Press, a leading independent children’s book publisher based near Boston, Massachusetts. Obviously one of our faves, Candlewick Press consistently offers top quality books for the discerning reader. Their big news is that ten of their titles have been included in Time magazine’s TOP 100 YOUNG ADULT AND CHILDREN’S BOOKS OF ALL-TIME, a list honoring the all-time classics, both old and new. Here are the six books that have been chosen for older readers: Feed by M. T. Anderson; The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline; Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo; A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Jim Kay; The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness; and Boy Proof by Cecil Castellucci.

But, there’s even more great news: We’re thrilled to be giving away four of their excellent books for younger readers to one lucky reader!

Read about the four picture books selected by TIME and then enter our Rafflecopter giveaway below.

Children’s/Picture Books:

I-Want-My-Hat-Back-cvr.jpg I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

Told completely in dialogue, this delicious take on the classic repetitive tale plays out in sly illustrations laced with visual humor– and winks at the reader with a wry irreverence that will have kids of all ages thrilled to be in on the joke.

GRWR: This bears repeating: I LOVE THIS PICTURE BOOK and could read it again and again. The same is true for Klassen’s follow up, This is Not My Hat. Your kids will agree. Klassen’s sweet, naive bear is in search of his hat and can’t even see the truth when it’s staring at him straight in the face, while atop the head of the creature who stole it. The kindly, good mannered bear makes his way through the woods encountering a fox, a bunny, a turtle, a snake, a possum, a deer and a squirrel, always asking after his hat. “Have you seen my hat?”  The animals’ replies are varied, but straightforward and clever, and all in a font color matching their design. Of course the culprit’s remarks are by far the crowd pleaser,

“No. Why are you asking me.
I haven’t seen it.
I haven’t seen any hats anywhere.
I would not steal a hat.
Don’t ask me any more questions.

recalling Shakespeare’s “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” When at last the bear realizes where his hat is, readers will note upper case letters signaling his displeasure, and more hilarity and surprises ensue. This read-aloud delight will tickle the funny bone of generations of youngsters. – Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

$15.99 U.S./$18.00 CAN – ISBN: 9780763655983 (Ages 4-8)

* A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book

Note:  I Want My Hat Back is in their Top 25 to be voted on for Best of the Best ranking by popular reader vote:  http://time.com/100-best-childrens-books/

JourneyJourney-cvr.jpg by Aaron Becker

Follow a girl on an elaborate flight of fancy in a wondrously illustrated, wordless picture book about self-determination — and unexpected friendship.

GRWR: Reviewer Hilary Taber said of Journey, “Pure imagination is Journey, a wordless picture book by Aaron Becker. Journeying through the world of this stunning picture book, the audience follows the adventure of a little girl who uses a red marker to literally draw herself from one world into another. Lonely and bored in her own home, the little girl retreats to her room where she uses a red marker to draw a secret, red door. This new world beyond the red door is filled with breathtaking landscapes.”

$15.99 U.S./$18.00 CAN – ISBN: 9780763660536 (Ages 4-8)

* A Caldecott Honor Book

Library LionLibrary-Lion-cvr.jpg by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

Michelle Knudsen’s disarming story, illustrated by the matchless Kevin Hawkes in an expressive timeless style, will win over even the most ardent of rule keepers. An affectionate storybook tribute to that truly wonderful place: the library.

GRWR: Knudsen asked herself the question, what would happen if a lion walked into a library, and then ran with it! What’s so wonderful about this premise is that lion statues have always been the guardians of great library entrances I have known and they’re in front of the library in Library Lion, too. Hawkes’ warm, light colored, low key ’50s style artwork helps convey the supposed staid atmosphere of the library, but all that changes when a curious lion enters the scene. After he makes most of the visitors nervous, he ends up at story time and roars when it’s over. Youngsters will understand how he feels because who doesn’t love story time? But head librarian Miss Merriweather tells him, “If you cannot be quiet, you will have to leave.” As with many librarians, or children’s impression of them, it’s all about the rules. As long as the lion follows the rules, he’s welcome, in fact he becomes a regular and even makes himself quite useful. His tail dusts books while giving kids rides along the stacks of books. Miss Merriweather’s colleague, Mr. McBee, has more trouble accepting the lion’s presence in the library providing the tension in this very readable tale. When Miss Merriweather falls, it’s the lion whose ROAR alerts Mr. McBee to the accident saving the day. Sometimes, it’s clear, there’s “good reason to break the rules.” Notice the lion statues smiling before closing the book to contented little ones. – Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

$16.99 U.S./$20.00 CAN Hardcover – ISBN: 9780763622626

$6.99 U.S. /8.00 CAN Pbk – ISBN: 9780763637842

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt: Sound Book Bear-Hunt-Sound-cvr.jpgby Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

Imagine the fun of going on a bear hunt-through tall, wavy grass (SWISHY SWISHY!); … and a swirling whirling snowstorm (HOOOO WOOOO!) – only to find a “real” bear waiting at the end of the trail! For brave hunters and bear lovers, a classic chant-aloud.

GRWR: It’s a beautiful day for a bear hunt. “We’re not scared.” Remember these three words because they get repeated over and over and their rhythm along with spot on sound effects make this one of the all time must-haves for any new parent’s home collection. Four kids, their dad, and the family’s faithful companion head out for some fresh air and a hike. They’ll traverse grass, a river, then mud, “Squelch Squerch! Squelch Squerch! Squelch Squerch! They go into a forest then emerge to see a snowstorm building and dark clouds blowing in. Kids’ll feel the frosty air as the mood begins to change. A cave is next. Oh, no! “We’ve got to go through it!”  What’s that? A bear?  A BEAR?  The group backtracks in record time and as they retrace their steps, they end up being followed by the bear all the way home. Parents and caregivers can quicken their pace when reading the last bit. Especially the part where the family leaves the front door open and goes back down to shut it, coming face to face with the bear looking through the glass until …. at last, everyone is safe upstairs under the covers!! Phew, that was close. My kids always wondered if maybe the bear gave the family such a big chase simply because he wanted some friends. Whatever conversation develops from a reading, all the better. That’s what makes this story a timeless adventure for the entire family. Plus, you can read it, and squelch and squerch to your heart’s content without ever having to worry about getting mud on a nice, clean floor.  – Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

Sound Novelty Book: $19.99 – ISBN: 9780763677022 (Ages 3-7)

ABOUT CANDLEWICK PRESS
Candlewick Press is an independent, employee-owned publisher based in Somerville, Massachusetts. For over twenty years, Candlewick has published outstanding children’s books for readers of all ages, including books by award-winning authors and illustrators such as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Kate DiCamillo, M. T. Anderson, Jon Klassen, and Laura Amy Schlitz; the widely acclaimed Judy Moody, Mercy Watson, and ’Ology series; and favorites such as Guess How Much I Love You, Where’s Waldo?, and Maisy. Candlewick is part of the Walker Books Group, together with Walker Books UK in London and Walker Books Australia, based in Sydney and Auckland. Visit Candlewick online at www.candlewick.com.

GIVEAWAY

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Little Explorers: My Amazing Body and Little Explorers: On the Move

NEW FROM …

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Little Explorers: My Amazing Body and Little Explorers: On the Move & A Giveaway!

Little Explorers My Amazing BodyGood Reads With Ronna is excited to be one of the first bloggers working with little bee books to help spread the word of their new publishing venture. Today we’re busy buzzing about their line of Little Explorers books so read on! We’ve also got a great giveaway to enter when you’re done reading about little bee books’ two new nonfiction books below. Just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter. Good luck!

“Introducing little bee books, a new US division of Bonnier Publishing! We are a small and passionate team dedicated to making beautiful and innovative books for children ages 0-12. Our debut list is now available, in bookstores and online. You can view all of our upcoming books by clicking here.

Little Explorers On the Move CoverIn honor of the release of our very first books, we’re running three exclusive giveaways (GRWR, readertotz and Geo Librarian). The giveaway you’ll find here runs from January 14th to February 4th, 2015: Good Reads with Ronna was kind enough to host our giveaway for one copy each of Little Explorers: My Amazing Body by Ruth Martin and Allan Sanders Little Explorers: On the Move. Both books are part of Little Explorers, a new, interactive nonfiction series for curious youngsters (recommended for ages 4-8). With more than 50 and 30 flaps respectively to lift, each book provides little ones with hands-on fun and fab facts.”

Book Summaries:

Little Explorers - My Amazing Body Spread 4.IN01Little Explorers: My Amazing Body – Featured in this book are eight spreads that teach children all about the human body in an easy-to-understand,  sometimes humorous way. First there’s Why Are We All So Different? But are we really? These pages explore what makes us unique individuals and what we all have in common. The second spread covers that age old question Where Did I Come From? but honestly covers more about how a baby grows inside his/her mom’s tummy and how youngsters grow after they’re born. I was fascinated to learn in this section that each day we lose between 50-100 hairs on our head though new ones soon grow in their place. Kind of makes me want to vacuum more often!

Other questions addressed are: How Does My Body Work?, Where Does My Food Go?, What Does My Brain Do?, How Do I See and Hear?, Why Don’t I Feel Well? – I got a kick out of the castle image used to help youngsters understand being healthy versus getting ill. “Just like a castle, your body is built to defend itself against attack and fight off sickness.” After a bad germ invasion, cartoon-like healthy knight germs have a duel. Under one flap labeled Attack! it says, “Germs can get inside your body through the air, from sneezes and coughs. They also spread in blood, sweat, or spit. Touching something dirty can spread germs to your hands.” Under the Defend! labeled flap it says, “Your body makes special germ-fighting cells every day. Some of these eat up the invading germs. Others remember the germs (LOVE THIS!) so that they can fight back harder next time.” The last section, and the perfect place to end the book, poses this important question: How Can I Take Care of My Body?

Little Explorers - On the Move Spread 1.IN01Little Explorers: On the Move – This interactive book will keep youngsters engaged for hours on end as they explore the fascinating world of transportation. They’ll pour over colorful spreads and lift a multitude of flaps while learning about Bikes & Scooters, Cars, Buses, Trains & Trolleys, Boats, Aircrafts, Trucks & Vans and last, but certainly not least, Busy Workers (vehicles such as ambulances, garbages trucks and snowplows). In Bikes & Scooters kids can absorb important info like “Be Safe! A strong helmet and elbow pads can prevent you from getting hurt if you fall off.” And what parent or caregiver doesn’t appreciate that lesson being shared? Readers can see the many shapes and sizes of bikes, the parts of a bike and find their personal faves: from racing to recumbent, tandem to unicycle. In cars they’ll look at limos, convertibles, police cars and lots more. Then, lifting the flaps, they can have a peek inside the limo to see who’s getting a ride. Maybe your child prefers to look under a car’s hood to check out the engine or guess what the interior of a vacation caravan/trailer looks like. And is that the comic duo of Laurel and Hardy I spy on the tandem bike?

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

Find out more:
Click here for little bee books’ website.
Like little bee books on Facebook
Follow little bee books on Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

LITTLE BEE BOOKS GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS
OFFICIAL RULES Little Explorers Sweepstakes The Little Explorers Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is sponsored by little bee books, a Bonnier Company (the “Sponsor”). ONE (1) GRAND PRIZE: 1 Copy of Little Explorers: My Amazing Body and 1 Copy of Little Explorers: On the Move approx. retail value $17.98 All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply; void where prohibited. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY; A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received. PRIZES MAY BE SUBJECT TO TAX; ALL APPLICABLE TAXES ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNER. ELIGIBILITY: The Sweepstakes is open only to individuals, eighteen (18) years or older at time of entry, who are legal residents of the United States. Employees of Bonnier Corporation and its parent companies, subsidiaries or agents, their immediate families (defined as parents, children, siblings, spouse and grandparents), and those domiciled with any of the foregoing are not eligible. Website pages and advertisements relating to the Sweepstakes are intended for viewing only within the eligible Sweepstakes territory, and entrants must be present in the eligible Sweepstakes territory at the time of entry. TIMING: The Sweepstakes entry period begins at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) on Wednesday, January 14, 2015 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 4, 2015. Sponsor’s computer system is the official timekeeping device for the Sweepstakes. TO ENTER: To enter electronically, visit our website at https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d57357305/. All information provided by entrant must be complete, true and correct. Submissions to the Sweepstakes must be received by Wednesday, February 4, 2015 in order to be eligible; entries received after the deadline will be deemed ineligible to win. All submitted entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned; Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, inaccurate, incomplete, damaged, illegible, or misdirected entries. Entry is not limited to one entry per household; no automated, photocopied or reproduced entries will be accepted. Online entries will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the email address submitted at time of entry. By entering, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules. WINNER SELECTION: On or about Monday, February 9, 2015, a random drawing from among all eligible entries will be conducted under Sponsor’s supervision. Potential winners will be notified by email on or before Wednesday, February 11, 2015. Prizes will be awarded within sixty (60) days after winner verification. No prize substitution or transfer is permitted, except that Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value (including cash, at Sponsor’s sole discretion) for any reason. Sponsor is required by law to report prize values to taxing authorities; all taxes and any other incidental expenses on prizes are the sole responsibility of each winner. GENERAL RULES & LIMITATIONS: By participating in the Sweepstakes, each entrant fully and unconditionally agrees to be bound by and accepts these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor (including, without limitation, decisions regarding eligibility of entries, the selection of entrants and the winner, and the awarding of any prize), which are final and binding in all respects. Entry and acceptance of a prize constitute permission to use each winner’s name, prize won, hometown and likeness for print publication, online posting, and any other promotional purposes without further compensation, except where prohibited by law. By participating in the Sweepstakes, you agree to release Sponsor and its parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, employees, directors, officers, and agents from any and all liability, claims or actions of any kind whatsoever for injuries, damages or losses to persons and property which may be sustained in connection with the receipt, ownership, possession, use, or misuse of any prize. Sponsor is not responsible for technical, hardware or software failures, or other errors or problems which may occur in connection with the Sweepstakes, whether computer, network, technical, mechanical, typographical, printing, human or otherwise, including, without limitation, errors or problems which may occur in connection with the administration of the Sweepstakes, the processing of entries, the announcement of the prizes, in any Sweepstakes-related materials, or that may limit prize fulfillment or a participant’s ability to enter the Sweepstakes. Sponsor reserves the right to amend these Official Rules. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes if, in Sponsor’s opinion, there is any suspected or actual evidence of electronic or non-electronic tampering with any portion of the Sweepstakes, or if viruses, bugs, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical difficulties or failures or any other factor beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes. In such event, Sponsor reserves the right (but does not have the obligation) in its sole discretion to award prizes at random from among eligible, non-suspect entries received up to the time of suspected impairment. Sponsor may permanently disqualify from the Sweepstakes any person it believes has tampered with the entry process or intentionally violated these official rules. PRIVACY: Sponsor collects personal information from entrants when they enter the Sweepstakes. Information collected by Sponsor online is subject to Sponsor’s Privacy Policy, located at http://littlebeebooks.com/. In accordance with applicable law and with Sponsor’s Privacy Policy, the information you provide may be sent to affiliates and marketing partners of the Sponsor; you may be contacted by the Sponsor and/or promotional partners with future promotional offers. DISPUTE RESOLUTION: Except where prohibited by law, by entering you agree that: (i) all issues and questions concerning the interpretation, validity, and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of participants and Sponsor and its agents shall be governed by and construed exclusively in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its rules on conflicts of law; (ii) any action at law or in equity arising out of or relating to this Sweepstakes, or awarding of any prize), shall be filed only in the state or federal courts located in the State of New York, and entrant hereby consents and submits to the personal jurisdiction of such courts for the purposes of litigating any such action; (iii) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes, or awarding of the prizes, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; (iv) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with participating in this Sweepstakes but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (iv) you hereby waive all rights to claim punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. WINNER IDENTITY: For the identity of the winner(s), send a self-addressed, stamped envelope after Wednesday, February 11, 2015 to Little Explorers Sweepstakes Winner, 853 Broadway, Suite 2014, New York, NY, 10003.
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Famous Phonies: Legends, Fakes, and Frauds Who Changed History by Brianna DuMont

Famous Phonies: Legends, Fakes, and Frauds Who Changed History by Brianna DuMont
(Sky Pony Press, $14.95, Ages 10 – 14)

Famous-Phonies-cvr.jpgIt’s time for some historical horizon broadening courtesy of Famous Phonies, a new nonfiction book from Brianna DuMont that will not only enlighten young readers, but will make them eager for the next book in The Changed History series. Kids will enjoy this middle grade book written in a quirky, playful tone. “It’s especially aimed at reluctant readers, but it engages the parents too. (Always a bonus!),” says DuMont and she’s spot on! And don’t you just love that cover?!

Read the review then enter our Rafflecopter giveaway below for a chance to win one copy of the book.

Review:
Meet a dozen individuals whose legends are often larger than life: Confucius, George Washington, Pythagoras, Hiawatha, Gilgamesh, Major William Martin, William Shakespeare, Pope Joan, Homer, Prester John, Huangdi, and The Turk. Some you’ve heard of and others may initially produce a hunch of the shoulders. Either way, after reading Famous Phonies, you’ll know them all, learn how easily the facts of their lives got blown out of proportion and have a greater appreciation for the weeding out history buffs like DuMont do so that readers can see the whole picture. Plus it doesn’t hurt that she’s honed in on some fascinating details and shares them in a tongue in cheek way that middle graders will adore. The interesting factoids included for each personage also add to this book’s  appeal.

For example, how many disciples did Confucius really have – was it three thousand or seventy-two? And all this before social media! What facts were bent after his death and what were legit? Was he really over nine feet tall? I found out that Confucius’s father died a couple of years after his birth, and his wives (neither one Confucius’s birth mother) kicked him and his teen-aged birth mother out of the house. He traveled around seeking recognition, but it turns out, he wasn’t always the nicest or sharpest knife in the drawer. In fact, as a result of “his nasty personality, the actual Confucius had very little influence over others during his lifetime. But that just wouldn’t do for his followers, so they decided to jazz things up after Confucius’s death.”

And George Washington, who cannot tell a lie, actually lied through his removable teeth all the time. Here’s an excellent example: “When calling upon the Continental Congress to boycott all imported goods from Britain prior to the Revolutionary War, he was secretly ordering carriages, fancy clothing, guns, and Wedgewood pottery from London for his own personal use.” It’s not that DuMont was deliberately digging only for dirt, although she does have a degree in Archaeology, it’s just that finding out the truth is easy if you look for it. It’s also fascinating.

Being a huge Ian Fleming (creator of James Bond) fan, I’d have to say my favorite chapter was the one about Major William Martin. It seems that prior to penning his novels, Fleming worked for an Admiral concocting plans to trick the enemy, aka the Axis powers during WWII. To move the direction of the war from losing to winning, Britain and America knew they had to secure the island of Sicily because, “The Axis Powers used Sicily as a base for German Luftwaffe bombers to launch surprise attacks on the rest of Mediterranean Sea, destroying anything that flew or floated past.” However, the Allies couldn’t let the enemy know that this was their ultimate goal hence the need for a major deception or in this case “disinformation,” putting out false info to fool the Axis powers. This particular ploy, #28 to be precise, was originally devised by Fleming with his boss, as part of the secret list known as the “Trout Memo.” It would be implemented by a British spy named Ewen Montague and “use a dead body as a fake spy in order to plant false information in the mind of the enemy.” Brilliant, right? Ah, but it was a lot more difficult and complicated than it sounds involving a frozen corpse, fake documents and a backstory for said dead body (Major William Martin) that would not alert the Germans to the plot. Success could mean the tides of the war might turn in favor of the Allies. I won’t give it away, but suffice it to say that DuMont’s got all the elements of a gripping spy movie here that are guaranteed to pull your child into the intrigue and excitement that grabbed me.

Okay, so you know I thought Famous Phonies was a fabulous, fun read, but I think parents, teachers and librarians will like it, too. That’s in addition to your kids, of course! Nowadays lots of students do their research online. They think Wikipedia is the be all end all, but here’s a chance to get kids engrossed with historical figures and let them see that there are multiple sources for their fact finding missions. They can read the book in one sitting, or return to it on multiple occasions absorbing one chapter at a time. DuMont’s done a wonderful job of selecting subjects whose stories are interesting, and presenting them in a middle grade friendly manner sure to entertain even the biggest history-phobe. And that’s the truth!

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

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The Night Before Hanukkah by Natasha Wing Blog Tour & Giveaway

The Night Before Hanukkah
written by Natasha Wing
with illustrations by Amy Wummer
Blog Tour & Giveaway (signed copy!)
(Grosset & Dunlap, $3.99, Ages 3-5)

Night-before-hanukkah-cvr.jpg“This book was challenging to write since the Festival of Lights lasts eight days,” said Wing. “But with input from my high school friends, I showed a family celebrating Hanukkah in both modern and traditional ways.”

 

GRWR Review:
It’s not easy to take Clement Moore’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and make it work for the Festival of Lights, but Wing does it and I commend her. Aside from Adam Sandler, not many can find the appropriate words to rhyme, but I knew once I read the opening line, that Wing had found a way in this jovial Jewish holiday read-aloud:

‘Twas the night before the
eight days of Hanukkah.
Families were prepping from
New York to Santa Monica.

Wing takes readers into the home of a 21st century family celebrating the eight nights of Hanukkah. This loving family of four shows that Hanukkah is not just about getting gifts. It’s about lighting the candles on the Hanukkiah (a special Hanukkah menorah) each night and reflecting, spending quality time together, playing games, sharing, helping others, and remembering the story of the first Hanukkah. In fact not a Hanukkah passes without Jews around the world recounting the tale of the brave Maccabees and the crushing defeat of their adversaries when they retook their holy temple. Wummer’s joyful  watercolors depict a crowd of Jews from that era celebrating because one night’s oil for the menorah actually lasted eight nights!:

Before their wondering eyes, a miracle took place:
the glory of Hanukkah for all Jews to embrace.

Of course it wouldn’t be Hanukkah without latkes and jelly donuts (symbolic foods cooked in oil ) and Wing makes sure to include these. She’s even introduced the dreidel, the spinning top game of chance played with chocolate coins (aka Hanukkah gelt). I’m so happy to be able to share The Night Before Hanukkah with you and am sure you’ll want a copy to enjoy with your children. Thanks to Natasha Wing for signing a copy of her book to give away to one reader. Please scroll down to enter the giveaway.

About The Night Before Series:
Based on the popular story, The Night Before Christmas, Wing’s stories are about families celebrating holidays and milestones in kids’ lives such as the first day of school and losing a tooth. Her titles include The Night Before Easter, the original book in the series, which was published in 1999, and The Night Before Kindergarten, the highest-selling title, which has regularly been on bestseller lists since its publication in 2001. The Night Before Hanukkah released on October 2, 2014, and there are three more titles on the way including The Night Before The Fourth of July out this spring.

Natasha-Wing.jpg
Author Natasha Wing, courtesy of Provato Marketing, ©2014.

About Bestselling Author Natasha Wing:
Natasha Wing graduated from Arizona State University in 1982 with a B.S. in Advertising. Wing lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her husband, Dan and their cat, Purrsia. They moved to Colorado for the outdoor life and Wing was “happy to find a thriving writing community and a library that is open seven days a week with excellent programs for writers.” She has been publishing for 22 years and is a frequent presenter at conferences and schools and loves to Skype with classrooms.

To find out more about Natasha Wing’s books, please check out her wonderful website: www.natashawing.com.

Read Ronna’s review of  The Night Before My Birthday.

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel
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Picture Books Giveaway Celebration

WIN WONDERFUL PICTURE BOOKS!

*We’re so thankful to you, our readers. You care about sharing the best books with your children and we do, too. So as promised, after reaching 2000 Twitter followers, we are now celebrating with a “We’re Grateful for You Gargantuan Giveaway” worth over $200 just in time for the holidays. Click the links to read our reviews of the books because you’ll see we’ve included lots of our faves.

To enter the Rafflecopter please scroll down, read the instructions, remember to subscribe to our site, and leave a comment on this post below about what you’d do with this bevy of beautiful books should you have the good fortune to win. We’d also love it if you LIKED the blog on Facebook, though it’s not mandatory to enter. Good luck!

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*We = Ronna, Hilary, Rita, MaryAnne, Cathy, Dornel, Mary, Rina & Krista

The 13 books you can win are:

Bad Bye, Good Bye by Deborah Underwood with illustrations by Jonathan Bean – Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas by Lynne Cox with illustrations by Brian Floca – Published by Schwartz & Wade Books
Elsa and the Night by Jöns Mellgren -Published by Little Gestalten
Frank! by Connah Brecon – Published by Running Press
Goatilocks and the Three Bears by Erica S. Perl with illustrations by Arthur Howard – Published by Beach Lane Books
Have You Seen My Dragon? by Steve Light – Published by Candlewick Press
Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper with illustrations by Raúl The Third – Published by Chronicle Books
Me First by Max Kornell – Published by Nancy Paulsen Books
Mix It Up! by Hervé Tullet – Published by Chronicle Books
Penguin and Pumpkin by Salina Yoon – Published by Bloomsbury
Robots, Robots Everywhere! by Sue Fliess with illustrations by Bob Staake – Published by Golden Books
Tippy and the Night Parade by Lilli Carré – Published by Toon Books
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Jigsaw Puzzle Book by Michael Rosen with illustrations by Helen Oxenbury – Published by Candlewick Press

It’s easy to enter our “We’re Grateful for You Gargantuan Giveaway.” Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions in the widget below. There’s one mandatory entry and a few optional entries. Feel free to enter more than once to increase your chances of winning!

Remember to enter by December 15th. Rafflecopter widget will randomly select a winner whose name will be announced on the Good Reads With Ronna Facebook page, on Twitter, and on the Rafflecopter widget right here. – make sure you’re following us so you don’t miss a thing!

Good luck – We hope you win!

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Imani’s Moon by JaNay Brown-Wood with illustrations by Hazel Mitchell – Blog Tour

IMANI’S MOON BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY

Today we’re excited to share Cathy Ballou Mealey’s review of Imani’s Moon written by JaNay Brown-Wood along with Ronna Mandel’s Q&A with illustrator Hazel Mitchell. Plus we’ve got a great book giveaway!

Principal’s Award (National Association of Elementary School Principals): Picture Book of the Year

REVIEW: IMANI’S MOON is written by JaNay Brown-Wood and illustrated by Hazel Mitchell (Charlesbridge/Mackinac Island Press, $17.95, Ages 5-8)

Hazel_Imanis MoonCover high resImani, the smallest child in her African village, has been teased mercilessly by the other children because of her size. Their heartless jabs are just beginning to take a toll on Imani’s self-confidence when her mother tells her the legend of the brave moon deity Olapa. Inspired by a dream in which she stands hand in hand with the lunar goddess, tiny Imani awakens with the desire to do something great, to touch the moon.

In pursuit of her dream, Imani tries to reach the moon by climbing a tall tree, and building herself a giant pair of wings. The village children, even a snake and a chimpanzee, scoff at her valiant but failed attempts to reach the sky. But Imani’s mother still believes in her, offering the tale of Anansi the spider as a soothing and inspirational bedtime story. “A challenge is only impossible until someone accomplishes it,” she reassures her young daughter.

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Interior spread from Imani’s Moon by JaNay Brown-Wood with illustrations by Hazel Mitchell, Mackinac Island Press/Charlesbridge Publishing, ©2014.

Although discouraged, Imani attends a village celebration featuring the adumu, a special Maasai warrior jumping dance. She is particularly fascinated by one dancer who jumps higher and higher with each beat. Imani wakes the next morning, determined to try jumping her way to the moon. All day and into the night Imani jumps, a little higher each time. Despite her aching legs and throbbing feet, Imani keeps her focus on the moon, resolute on her goal.

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Interior spread from Imani’s Moon by JaNay Brown-Wood with illustrations by Hazel Mitchell, Mackinac Island Press/Charlesbridge Publishing, ©2014.

Readers will yearn for Imani’s success in the face of her faith and tiny warrior-like endurance, and cheer when her persistence is ultimately rewarded by the moon goddess herself.

Gleaming and triumphant with arms stretched wide, the cover of Imani’s Moon welcomes readers into this magical story touched with mythology, folklore and story-telling traditions. Mitchell’s watercolor illustrations offer sharp contrast between the soft earth tones of the African landscape and the rich, star-studded night skies. Lovely details abound, from cuddly goats to beaded jewelry and colorful shuka robes.

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Interior spread from Imani’s Moon by JaNay Brown-Wood with illustrations by Hazel Mitchell, Mackinac Island Press/Charlesbridge Publishing, ©2014.

This sweet, inspiring fantasy will rouse young readers to leap for their dreams, and dance, spellbound, until they hold the proverbial moon in their hands.

Don’t miss the charming book trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS1yRoBITEk

– Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Medley

Where Obtained:  I reviewed a promotional PDF file copy of Imani’s Moon and received no compensation. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Q&A WITH HAZEL MITCHELL: 

Good Reads With Ronna: Imani is a beautiful person and a wonderful role model. She feels so real. Did you have someone in mind when you drew her?

Hazel Mitchell: Thank you! It’s lovely to know that. I didn’t have a particular child in mind when I began. The text conveyed a strong sense of Imani to me. So that’s where I started. And then I spent a lot of time looking at photos of Maasai children, who are very charming and full of character. So I began to make sketches. I did have a live model, but mostly for positions and expression and not for facial features. But she was a very lively model and I think that came across!

GRWR: The artwork in Imani’s Moon is joyful, even despite the local girls teasing Imani for being small. That’s an impressive accomplishment. What medium do you generally work in? Or, do you approach each picture book as a blank canvas that you’re eager to experiment with?

HM: I am glad the illustrations gave you such a good feeling – I feel I accomplished my task. I do approach each book with an open mind. I let the manuscript, the age group and the subject suggest to me the mood, the characters and what might work with medium. Sometimes an editor/art director tells me that they like something particularly that I have done before and that is the starting point. But mostly I am left to my own devices. I don’t have one set style, so I guess it can be a leap of faith on the publisher’s part sometimes! Having said that, I’m experimenting much more in my work, using more watercolour, collage and mixing in digital techniques. Imani’s world spoke to me of rich colours and textures and dramatic effects, so I had a lot of fun with this book!

GRWR: What tends to be the hardest part of working on a new picture book: Starting it? Trying to capture the author’s vision while remaining true to yourself? Finishing the book, or waiting for the next assignment to roll in?

I personally find the initial roughs the hardest part, but also the most interesting. It’s where the first thoughts of the book come out. It can be frustrating, as the vision is only half formed and sometimes it’s exhausting. The hardest part is trying to keep the freshness that you have in the initial sketches. Once you get to finals, the vision is there and it’s time to have some fun with technique and any little surprises that come along that you didn’t expect. After the book is finished, it’s like you gave birth. Then it incubates, until it finally arrives in book form. Then it’s a love/hate relationship!

GIVEAWAY: Hazel Mitchell has kindly offered one lucky reader a signed copy of Imani’s Moon. Please enter the Rafflecopter below and good luck!

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