The Legend Of Mr. Ween Review (And Link For Your Own Free Copy!)

It has been quite some time since I've actually read a genuine, Halloween, story. I'm not sure what happened over the past few years or maybe decade but, the horror movies and books just don't seem to be as creative or original as they used to be. Well, there were a couple of really unforgettable horror movies now that I think about it. But only a couple as compared to dozens in previous years...

Halloween is one of my very favorite holidays! There are decorations that stay up all year and we always find new decorations to add to the mix! We often take trips to our local drive-in to watch horror movies and take part in the haunted woods and other fun things they have set up for Halloween fans. (Depending on the weather of course!) Halloween is just a fun time of the year that doesn't have to only take place on October 31st. You can plan parties, movie all-nighters, trips to local haunted houses, it's a holiday that can involve everyone no matter your age! Of course, no Halloween is complete without a good ghost story or a spooky tale!

The Legend Of Mr. Ween takes place in 1905 with a gentleman named, Hal.  He is traveling to Boston to seek work and ultimately finds something in Treattown. Hal is misunderstood by some of the locals but, he does win some of them over too! The author doesn't waste any time. You'll be brought to the story immediately and your imagination will run wild! It is a fantastic tale of how some of our most loved Halloween decorations came to be. (I'll give you a hint... it has to do with pumpkins!) This is a great story to add to your Halloween tradition, whatever that may be. Yes, it is kid-friendly although, I've noticed there is a kid version out there somewhere too! I am a horror fan but, I also appreciate fairy tales and classic literature and all kinds of books and The Legend Of Mr. Ween is definitely an unforgettable story! (and at 58 pages, you will be able to read this with your children quite easily!)

This story is for all ages and very easy to follow along. It is beautifully written and Daren Ross is a flawless author! His style of writing will remind you of good, old fashioned novels and this story will take you back to visit Treattown in 1905 yourself! There are a few times you will become so deeply immersed in this book that you'll start to wonder, "Is it 2019 or did I travel back in time?" If you aren't a horror fan or a gore fan, you will be delighted! If at times you start to wonder if this will turn into something dreadfully scary, have no fear! There are tons of little twists and tricks and turns. Don't worry horror fans, you will be pleasantly surprised with this fascinating tale of one of Halloween's most prized possessions! (Trust me here, the author adores Halloween as much as the rest of us!)

Click here for a free copy and don't forget to let me know what you thought of this spectacular cook!

Getting That Book Out There

                   

You finally did it, your book is done. Hooray!! Now what? Do you sell it to a major publisher, taking the risk of your book getting lost in the shuffle, overlooked in favor of big-name authors? Or, do you decide to really lay it on the line and team up with an experienced book consultant who will help you to publish it yourself, on your own terms?

The Book Publishing Game

Today, many authors are deciding to go out on their own, as far as publishing their own book goes. There are arguments on either side, as far as self-publishing or selling a book to a major publishing house. For those who decide to self-publish, the advantage is in keeping all the rights to the work, and any income the book generates. Selling to a publisher means giving away the rights, as well as a percentage of the sales. It’s also hard to get a publishing deal if you are not a big name author, so self-publishing is a way to get a work out into the world, on your own terms.

Order Fulfillment

A self-published author must deal with the marketing and printing of a book as well as getting the book orders fulfilled. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but for many authors who are passionate about what they do, the work can be a joy. It’s also good to know that there are good options for order fulfillment out there, through mailbox centers. Mailbox centers are known for offering P.O. boxes, and other services like an apostille in NYC and document printing. These centers also offer warehouses for product storage (like books) and the means of taking on all the order fulfillment (packing and shipping) of book orders that come via email.

So, for anyone thinking about getting their book out there, the good news is that there is a way to get it done and get it into the hands of the reading public. Yes, it’s a big job, but it may be a little easier than you think.

               

Enter To Win A Mutts Comics Prize Pack!!

** I received compensation in return for my review, promoting, and hosting this giveaway. All opinions are my own. **

Not to long ago, I received an extra special package in the mail. At the time, we didn't realize just how extra special this package would become, but, we were still thrilled to open up the carefully packed box and Genevive was giggling and shrieking because she just loves ribbons! We didn't want to untie it right away because it looked so pretty!!

Both of us were totally tickled pink over the Mutts nightshirt! I had to break down and share the nightshirt with her, even though, it is a little big, but, she looks so darn cute. I couldn't help it!

To coincide with the release of the new book, The Mutts Winter Diaries, Richard Leeds International has designed a cozy nightshirt to give you the sweetest of dreams.

As you can see, it is a super comfy nightshirt and it will be hard to sneak it from her but, like I said, it is really, really soft and perfect for this chilly weather! 

The Mutts Winter Diaries, is such a cool book and Genevive especially loved the illustrations and the characters, Mooch and Earl. We couldn't help but giggle hysterically at the adorable way they say things like, "schnacky schnacks!" We had a lot of fun reading this out loud and taking turns reading to my youngest! He loves to read as well and he enjoys sitting in the middle and also taking a turn or 2! Of course, I have now been asked several times, "Mom! What are we having for schnacky schnacks tonight?!". 

We turned this into a "girl's night out" sort of thing. Which is especially nice since we don't get away from the boys to often these days. Since our oldest moved out and got married, we are down to 2 girls and 3 boys here so, anytime we can runaway is super important. So, we decided that we are going to ask Santa Claus for some more of the Mutts Comics and we will run downstairs to our hideaway, our 2nd kitchen, SHHHHH! (Yes, we actually have one of those. It comes in handy for holiday meals, parties, birthday parties, making cheese, candles, and now, our secret book club.) We have some fancy hot tea, homemade cookies, and we wear our pajamas and read together. (Until somebody notices we are missing!) This book review has been a blessing for us because us girls need to have some me time sometimes and now we have made this into a regular habit! All thanks to Mooch and Earl!

Mooch and Earl are just having the time of their lives, preparing for winter and making sure the rest of their buddies are loving the winter season. (We're anxious for snow too!) There is never a dull moment with these 2 and the comic strips are clever. The kind of wit that a grown up even enjoys! Remember back when all of the good cartoons would be fun for mom and dad and the kids? That's how The Mutts comics are. 

One of our favorite parts of this book, is the section at the end, More to Explore. This is a very entertaining section about how to help our animal friends during the cold, snowy, winter months. For instance, they explain that it is best for cats to stay indoors where it is safe from the hazards and harms of the bustling outside world. Because, not every cat has an Earl to keep them out of trouble. 

You and your little ones can read about different animals and how they survive winter time and how you can help! We are hoping to build a winter bird restaurant so that we can help feed them while we are covered in snow. (Yes, I am a bit of a weather nerd and I have been keeping a close eye on what our section of Pennsylvania can expect this coming winter and I am afraid there is a ton of snow on the way!) Something I thought I would never say, we are even contemplating building a bat house. (I know what some of you may be thinking but I can't help it. They really are cute, little things and we weren't so happy to learn that bats have recently been having a hard time finding natural homes in the wild.) 

There are a few pages of tips and even a link for you to visit if you want to learn more about these sweet, furry, animal friends. Mooch and Earl would very much appreciate it if we all pitched in and helped to make sure their friends are safe and their bellies are full!

You can find Mooch and Earl on their very own website! 

Tweet them on Twitter!

"Like" them on Facebook!

and of course, you have to follow them on Instagram!

Oh yeah! I almost forgot! You should really, really, really, enter our giveaway that Mooch and Earl are so generously sponsoring! You could win a Mutts Comic's Prize Pack and even stash it away for a gift this holiday season! We highly recommend their book and we are very eager to read more of their comics. Just enter through the Rafflecopter below!

Good luck!!






















a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nutley the Nut-Free Squirrel & Chocolate Shoes with Licorice Laces by Stephanie Sorkin

Reading is one of our most important and most loved pastimes at our house. We try to include this in everyday activities, breakfast, snacks, bedtime and even set aside a bit of time each afternoon where everybody just simply reads.
They can choose to read alone, read to a sibling, whatever they prefer, as long as it doesn't involve a screen of any kind and it includes opening a book.
I "met" Stepahnie Sorkin, on Twitter and started reading about her books and she sent us a few copies to read, review and share!
We sent a set of her books, Nutley the Nut-Free Squirrel and Chocolate Shoes with Licorice Laces, for our elementary school library, Genevive's 2nd grade class and we will be taking another set to our community library!
Genevive's class has been giggling like crazy and having so much fun with their set of books! They just had a substitute the other day who also read the books to the class and Genevive is just so delighted that she was able to bring his special gift in for her classroom.
Both of these books are just adorable! Very well written and such awesome illustrations, we have so much fun paging through them and reading them at home.
Both of, Stephanie's books won the "Mom's Choice Awards" and that isn't the only cool thing about Stephanie and her cute children's books!!






 Stephanie donates the proceeds from the sale of this book to, FARE. FARE is dedicated to food allergy research and education. (This is one that I personally love!) We have our fair share of food allergies in our house! Maybe not nuts, like poor Nutley the squirrel, but both my husband and oldest son have Celiac disease and of course, along with that comes, lactose intolerance, GERD, acid reflux and a couple more with words that are to giant for me to even guess at ;)









I don't think we have an actual favorite out of these 2 books. They are both wonderful books! Deegan and Genevive have been reading these quite a bit and giggle each time as if they just read them for the first time. It's so cute!
We also love the recipes in the backs of the books.
Nutley shares his favorite recipe for  yummy nut free banana bread and of course, the other recipe is for chocolate shoes with licorice laces :D

Nutley is adorably sweet and all of the little ones fell in love with him! In this book, you get to follow, Nutley, through his experience of finding out that he is allergic to nuts. I think the best part was when, Nutley, found out that his friends also have food allergies and they sat and talked about their allergies, their favorite foods and discussed how they will look out for one another and make sure they keep their buddies, safe.

Chocolate Shoes with Licorice Laces is another hit at our house and in the classrooms! Genevive especially loves both of these books because she can read them out loud to her little brother. They are both very easily read and right on her level.
Even though she can't read about these chocolate shoes without cracking up, both her and her little brother, Deegan, decided they would like to have chocolate shoes too.

Both of these books have made it to the tip top of our bookshelves because they are new favorites and will stay that way for a long, long time. They will both end up as classic stories and we really hope to see more books by Stephanie Sorkin!

Hugo the Happy Starfish The Secret to Happiness by Suzy Liebermann

The first thing that makes this book stand out ahead of the giant stack we have to review, and many others, are the vibrant, super colorful pages and beautifully detailed characters. This caught Deegan's eyes especially and we have read and re read this book so many times now that I know it word for word.

Deegan was very excited to find a Youtube video about Hugo, and yes, we watched this over and over and over and over, lol! He wanted to share this video with you!


This is just one book in a series of Hugo the Starfish children's books, and it is the perfect pick for your child's first Hugo book. It is easy to follow, and will keep a busy 2 year olds attention! Deegan's favorite picture was when Hugo was when Hugo is wearing a backpack lol, he thinks cartoons with backpacks are hilarious.  But he also enjoyed repeating words, especially the word, happy.
 In this story, Hugo tries and tries and tries to find happiness. He asks his friend, Magic Manta, to help him find happiness. So, Magic Manta helps grant Hugo's wishes, but the happiness never lasts for to long. Hugo keeps becoming sad again and finds, Magic Manta, so he can ask for more happiness.
 Hugo tries many things like, spending time with a friend, which did bring him some happiness, but it didn't last forever. He also found a treasure and bought everything he ever wanted, and had a big house, filled with all of his new things. But, he couldn't stay happy. ( I thought this particular part was an excellent addition to this story and the lesson taught! I often think about how money can not ever buy you everything you want and need, and we try our best to teach this to our children. Many people believe that their problems will all be answered if they just had enough money, a big house, and many things, but in the end, they are going to find that money really can not buy happiness.)
This is a lesson that even grown ups need to learn and this was certainly a good time to discuss this again with all of the little ones.
Hugo comes back to his buddy, Magic manta, and is even more sad, even though he is driving his fancy new car. He tells, Magic Manta, that he is a hopeless case. But, Manta immediately tells Hugo that he doesn't think so, and tells him it is simple to be happy and to share with others!
 So Hugo starts to understand the meaning behind happiness and how to feel truly happy and decides to share his heart with others. Genevive loved this part of the story because Hugo's heart ended up being so happy that it did somersaults! lol! Genevive explained that that's what her heart does when she is the happiest little girl in the world!
 Hugo the starfish is a regular length children's book, but this book has brought so many discussions up with our children, new ones each time! It is so much fun to be able to sit with the kiddos and have them chime in about what happiness is to them, and what makes them happy. That is what makes me the happiest:)
 We would recommend this book to all families and for many reasons! Of course all that I pointed out above, and because this is 1 in a series of Hugo books, that all discuss different feelings, life skills and valuable lessons of character, attitude empathy, choices, consequences, and it is a very clever way to start teaching a 2nd language!

 Suzy Liebermann, launched happy Language Kids Publications in 2010, as an interactive language program for children and even grown ups. This program is particularly aligned with the aims and values she upheld as a teacher of cultural art and and foreign language at a prestigious International Baccalaureate World School.
Suzy and Hugo have a super fun website where you can find free games and worksheets and news about Hugo, Suzy and all of the rest of the stories in the Hugo series. You can also find some neat information about the author and the visiting author program. (Oh and Deegan's favorite Hugo Youtube video can also be found on the home page;)
We have had a lot of fun with this book and website, and I certainly appreciate the benefit of Suzy's books and ideas she shares to help our little ones become confident, happy, sweet little human beings! This is always something I admire in authors and teachers, and people who go out of their way to help our jobs as moms and dads, just a little bit easier!
 Have you read any of the books from Hugo the Starfish?
 We would love to read any comments about your thoughts on these stories!



 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Dragon and Wolf for iPad/iPhone

If the pictures above aren't enough to make you fall in love with this enchanting children's story, the characters certainly will make sure you do!
Dragon and Wolf is a remarkable, unforgettable, fairy tale of 2 little boys, Dragon, and Wolfy.

Dragon and Wolfy are 6 year old boys, with lively imaginations. Anything to make their not so adventurous town, entertaining, they dream all kinds of dreams, they rescue a ship , and solve all kinds of secrets. They end up being little heroes and help the stars find their home.
What makes this adorable fairy tale different the most others I have seen, is the sweet illustrations, the animals, the clouds, and there are many additions in this interactive book!!
There are small games for your children, lots on extras and bright, vivid pictures you and your little ones will remember for a very long time!
There is even a cute part where you can shake your device, and make a leaf fall:) It is very easy to navigate, turn pages, a toddler can handle this on their own!
This is a very stimulating mind experience for any age, and the WOW factor is super high! I would love to see this in an actual hardcover book, and on bookshelves in schools, daycares, children's homes, (our own bookshelf too of course!) and I am anxious to see if these sweet little characters come back for more dazzling and exciting stories!
Dragon and Wolf, is available for iPhone and iPad and only costs $1.99 at the iTunes app store. I promise you will feel guilty for only paying $1.99, and keep your devices charged;) Your little ones will want to watch this story, many, many, many times. It's ok though, you will be taken away to a far away place as well, and oh,Your children can choose to have this story narrated, so if you need to get something done, your little ones can hear the story through your device!

There are actually to many amazing parts of this story, I think maybe I am just so excited because it really is a unique story, and fairy tales have always been my favorite. And as much as I like to have the real book, this is truly a splendid way to tell a tale! It will certainly lead to many conversations with your children, and there is definitely a lot in this little story to help build imagination!
You can check out Dragon and Wolf here!
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Little Sprout by Muse

We received an eBook version of this book to write a review, and we will be grabbing a paperback copy. (I love real books and we always purchase the paperback or hard cover version of all of our favorite eBooks we receive for reviews) Even as an electronic version, the illustrations are very vivid, and truly one of a kind! You can't help but spend a lot of time just staring at these vibrantly colored pictures! They are drawn so well that they tell the story all by themselves!
My children just loved this story, the little sprout and his mommy are just like little ones and their mommy. (My 5 year old daughter said:) The little sprout in the story is so cute and does act just like a little one who is so anxious to grow and see the world!
Books are a very important part of bringing up children. We always read to our children as early as just a couple days old, and all 4 of them have grown up to respect books, and enjoy them and look forward to story time. This is a book that should be treated as gold, and given to children, new moms, newborns, as I am certain they will love the bright colors and adorable illustrations!
It is also a sweet book, as it shows how a mommy loves her baby and watches them grow, watches them create and think and dream and imagine and how they can aspire to be and do anything they set their little minds too!
We recommend this book for any house that may ever have a child visit or a home where a child lives:)
You can find Muse on Facebook;)
** We received a copy of this book in return for our honest review **

Escape to Mars by Greg Krehbiel

Aaron, my 9 year old, is just in love with this book. He sat at the kitchen table giggling and giggling and having the best time. Especially with Billy's chapters. On top of being a hilariously funny book, Escape to Mars, has some very cool and sneaky way of teaching a little bit about science and outer space. This was a big hit with me, since I adore anything my children can learn from. Especially when it comes in such a creative form. ( After reading about the author, and learning he has children, this made so much sense! We parents have to always "sneak" clever little ways of teaching lessons)
The story is imaginative and invites the readers (mainly kids) (although us parents love to dream and imagine too!), to discuss what they would do in this situation, what would they bring with them to Mars, how would they pack? What about Earth would they miss?
The story starts with Billy's family, his father comes home to try to explain about the black hole he helped create, that was in the center of the Earth, and how the Earth would be swallowed up by this black hole. The chapter is written by Billy, which is a unique way to present this book, through the eyes of a 10 year old boy. After we are introduced to Amber, a 10 year old girl, we get to read her side of this amazing adventure!
Billy and Amber's families, and a few other people needed to help start a new civilization on Mars, start their journey to outer space. They pack some food, some animals, different things needed in order to survive on Mars, and grab a space shuttle to start their adventure.
The print in the book changes with each 10 year old's writings, which helps to distinguish between the 2. I thought this was a neat addition to this fun story!
This is the perfect bedtime story, and your kids, any age, will love it! What little kid doesn't like outer space, space ships, Mars, and all the funny things that happen to Billy and Amber. Well, not everything is so funny. They certainly have their fair share of mishaps and some scary situations that they must. as a team, brainstorm and try and figure out. Billy and Amber included.
The author does a fine job creating this story, the characters are scenes are vivid and colorful and crafted well! It certainly has a lot of twists and turns and will be sure to keep your little ones attention.
We were thrilled to see there will be another book coming in this series and we can't wait!
Note to the author from Aaron, my 9 year old:
This would be so cool if you would make a movie or tv shows about this book!! It would be my new favorite show!
Lol;P Kids just love outer space, anything funny, and books written in their language. I have to agree with Aaron though, this would be a great mini series!

** We received a copy of this book in return for our honest review **

I'm Not Weird I Have SPD by Chynna Laird

I personally have never heard of Sensory Processing Disorder before I read this book. I have heard of many illnesses and disorders that affect children and their families in so many ways, and it is always just so sad. Especially when the baby or child, can't really communicate about their feelings with their parents. I often wonder how horrible that would feel, and wish nothing but the best for these families.
One thing I found out is that SPD is a little similar to what I have, which is RSD, and in some ways, we have some of the same issues with touch. (RSD affects your nervous system and is also known as chronic regional pain syndrome) So, I felt very sad for this little girl because I do know how it feels to have pain and how it feels when hugs and touch actually hurt.
I wish more books like this would be written for all the different things that our children have to deal with, maybe if they were kept in classrooms and libraries, and more people were aware of these disorders, the ignorance and making fun, and misunderstandings would stop. This goes for adults just as much as children.
This book was written very well, and the pictures are adorable. This cute little girl and all of her struggles and story have touched our hearts and i am sure will touch many more.
This would be an excellent book for any child, of any age, who also suffers from SPD, as well as any family who has a child or friend or relative who has this. Education is the key with things like this and the more people who become aware, the better we become as people and as a society.
There are many children who could use this book as a way to help them explain how they feel, how things hurt, and how things look to them. The most important part for these kids I would believe is for people to understand and listen to them, rather then think they are so "weird". I think this book should be at every doctors office and hospital. That way, when a family finds out what is happening with their children, the doctor can hand them this book as a reference and it will be the stepping stone for the healing process. My granddaughter was recently diagnosed with Downs, and when my daughter had her at her new doctors office, they handed her a book all about Downs, written by a boy who had Downs, and this has been a tremendous help for all of us! I hope this book becomes well known amongst the medical community for that reason.
I would also recommend this book to people who work with kids, around kids, have kids, maybe this will also help children accept and ask questions and learn, rather then make children who are a little "different", feel "weird"

** I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review **

Multiply and Divide with Sticks and Steps by Maureen Stearns

I am very impressed with this book! I have always loved math when I was in school, and we have 4 children, ages, 2,5,8 and 19. This was used to help our 8 year old son, who actually is pretty good at math, however, due to an illness, missed a lot of school in his last year. (2nd grade). We have been buying and searching for and printing, all kinds of lessons, for all the kids actually. But specifically for our 8 year old. Just so he stays on track with his grade and schoolwork.
Math is one of the subjects that seems that if you don't catch it at the beginning, you may end up having a very hard time for the rest of the lesson. Tests and homework and grades, all count on this, and when you just barely pass 1 section, and get moved onto the next, you can certainly end up hating math, and having a rough time for the rest of your school career. not to mention real life, when you really do have to use math in all kinds of daily situations!
Math to me, is extremely important, and sometimes it gets hard to help your child since they always seem to change the way they teach them in school. Especially when they have to show work! Which was always something I had trouble with in school because I could do the math in my head, have the right answer, and get a bad mark because i didn't show my work.
No matter how many we have tried to help the 2 children that have had and are in school , with math, there has always been a bit of confusion, and misunderstanding. With this book, our son literally opened it up, took a piece of paper, and a pencil, and started with page 1.
He really maybe spent about 5 minutes, like the book claims, and was so proud and yelling "Oh mom!! I know how to multiply!!" lol! He loved the fact that he figured this out on his own and was able to understand it, as it is explained very clearly, and it seems so easy! To easy actually!
If you can count, you really can multiply and divide. really, what is even more amazing, is that Genevive, our 5 year old who will be starting school this year, can count, AND was easily able to do some (very simple), multiplication! This is something that really boosted her ego!
Aaron can not wait for school, and finds something everyday to multiply and divide, lol, he loves school and learning so much!
I recommend this book for any parent who would like to help their children gain confidence. You don't have to be having trouble in math just to use this! This book will be used over and over and over, and you can share the concept with friends and relatives! (or just recommend they get this book:)

** We were given a copy of this book in return for our honest review **

Tundra Finds her Howler by Marc Rumaner

The pictures in this book are just so vibrant and colorful, and we just sat here and admired them for quite some time!! The kids loved the pictures of all of the animals, not to mention the story is very sweet!
Tundra tries to get some help from some other animals to ask where her howler is, and they can't seem to help since they are not Alaskan Malamutes, like Tundra. She wants so much to sing with her friends, but can't, and she tries and tries and tries, and doesn't give up! ( valuable lesson for children of all ages!!)
That's what I like best about books like this, is what my children gain and learn from it. Tundra teaches them to not give up and to keep trying! You will succeed when you keep at it and have faith.
It is especially neat because children catch on very quickly when the lesson is taught through a book with gorgeous pictures, and cute animals. More so, then if I would just give a speech:) (of course you should always still be positive and teach your kids, but when you find a genuine good book like, Tundra Finds her Howler, you should use the story along with it! It is thanks to stories like this that we can build character, not only in our children, but in ourselves.
I especially love when my children, have no clue they are learning, and they enjoyed the story, the pictures, and were so proud of Tundra at the end! My 2 year old just loves animals, especially doggies, lol, so he was very thrilled to see these pictures and giggled at the animal sounds! Our 5 year old loved the pictures, and making the animal noises herself, and even tried to help Tundra along the way! Even our big boy, who is almost 9, was fascinated by the pictures and certainly got the lesson at the end. Genevive, (the 5 year old), was trying to fix a ring she loves that broke the other day, and her big brother reminded her of the story, helped her with the ring, and together they fixed it! He said, "Oh Genevive, don't give up hope! You will find a way to fix this! remember Tundra found a way, so can you!" It was so adorable, (of course they don't always get along!) But, every now and then they have these moments where they work together, and help each other, and I have to say, it has always been after reading a story like this one.
I would recommend this book for all children! You will not be disappointed, especially with the ending and the pictures!

If you want to see more of Tundra, (by the way, Tundra is real, and actually Marc's dog!) She has a brother named, Igloo, and they have all kinds of adorable pictures on their site!! , you can visit them at www.igloominations.com!!


** We received a copy of this book in return for our honest review **

Mac the Fire Truck and the Airplane Fire by Trey Watson

REMEMBER TO PICK THIS UP FOR FREE STARTING JULY 27TH THRU JULY 30TH!!
JUST CLICK ABOVE OR VISIT AMAZON AND SEARCH FOR MAC THE FIRE TRUCK AND THE AIRPLANE FIRE!!


My little ones loved this story, especially the illustrations! Of course what little ones, boy or girl, doesn't like fire trucks, and planes?
They also enjoyed the rhyming which is always fun to read out loud and also for a little older kids, (My youngest daughter is 5), you can reinforce the rhyming words during the story and they love to say, "Hey! House and mouse rhyme!". lol, they are always so proud when they discover something new. That's why I love stories like this. It is so neat how something that seems so simple, can teach a child so much in such a short time. Not just the reading part, but the rhyming and the lesson that this story teaches.
We are now Mac the Fire Truck fans, and will have to check out all of his other adventures! The characters are cute, and colorful and it was another favorite when the kids saw them eating grilled cheese, "Just like we eat!" So much for the imagination in a children's book, which also leads to many stories and additions and ideas of their own. I think my favorite part of reading books like this to my children is the discussions afterwards. This particular story definitely has much to discuss! All kinds of things like, what story line they want to see Mac the Fire truck be in next, who will he save, who will help him, making up new characters, and most importantly, talking about how anything is possible when you are determined to help, and join together with a friend! (Just like Mac did in this story!)
When friends and people stick together, you can accomplish anything! That was the best part of this book to me, and it helps build character and self esteem in your children. A neat thing to do, is to show your children, especially those with siblings, how when they focus and help each other, a team effort, how they can manage to get something big, done! (Ok, so I may have used this book as a way to show them how team effort gets all the toys picked up:) But there are many ways to show examples, and nothing makes me happier then smiling, happy, proud little ones!
What are your favorite books to read to your kids?
We would love to read any comments from you about what activities and discussions you and your children or grandchildren have after reading your favorite books!!
You can find Mac on Facebook!!
and check out more of Mac's adventures here!

Waffles Chronicles The Hamster That Lives in my Closet

This was short and sweet, just right for little ones!
My 2 year old loved the pictures and my 5 year old was cracking up over the funny pictures of Waffles scuba diving, climbing a mountain, and wearing a jogging suit.
I have to agree with the review that says the only bad thing is now my kids want a hamster, hmmmm. Especially not now, since they think it'll be ok inside a closet;)
This would be wonderful in paperback and I hope to see it there soon! I noticed there is a website and a Facebook page, so I am hoping this means there will be more books starring Waffles??
It is about time for a new, fresh character for kids, and a big, fluffy, cuddly, (well, for the kids!!), hamster, is the perfect choice!!
I especially liked the way it was written with the little girl's imagination. This is another something we need more of. In today's society with all of the technology, imagination sometimes seems obsolete. So, this definitely started the wondering, and questions and I could see the little motors moving above those big smiles as they thought of all the other goofy, and wacky stuff a hamster might do all day, lol.
We loved this story and would recommend this to all little ones!

** I was given a copy of this book in return for our honest review **

Nacho Money Volume 4 by Candi Sparks

I have 4 children, so this was a fun book to read and review for all of us!
Our 2 middle children, ages, 5 and 8 (almost 9), are both excited about having money, having the freedom to buy things, and they love being at an age to receive an allowance. Although they may not always receive an allowance lol.
this book is about, Max, a 10 year old who is starting to understand the concept of money and borrowing and paying back. It all starts with a video game disc he borrowed from a friend, Emma, that he said he would borrow for just a week... and it ended up being a month. So, she asks for it back one morning at school, and that's when the whole day went crazy!
His teacher gave him a bill for library books, rather then his report card, again, something he borrowed and didn't return on time..then he has a $10 from his big brother in his pocket and decides to use that for some pizza with his friends.
This is such a common issue with kids, and the only way for them to learn about money and borrowing and returning, is to learn from mistakes, (ok, and well maybe a little help from mom;) Believe me, we have made mistakes in the past with our kids, bailing them out way to many times, but there has to be a line somewhere where you just kind of let them figure it out on their own. Not only does this build character and independence, but you are allowing them to grow and learn some of the most important aspects of life. This is something they will be thanking you for, for years to come!
When I was in grade school, we didn't learn much about money, other then coins and of course the math part. We never really learned about how much things cost compared to how much you have, (assets, and liabilities) I thought the clever way this story was written, and the cool little character, Max, (who is pretty much like other kids his age), is an excellent resource for teachers, parents, and anybody who has a kid in their lives. This is a valuable lesson, and not just about money either!
Max also learns about how it feels when you don't return something on time, (Emma's game), and the library books. (which cause him to not get the game station he wanted so badly!) He also gets an earful from his big brother, who really was counting on his money (the ten that Max figured he could borrow for pizza), and then mom helps explain what went wrong and offered a super good solution! But,just like other kids, Max kind of didn't do his 2 weeks of free chores to pay his mom back for the loan, and he ended up having to do a little bit more then what he had to do. If only Max, would have done his chores in the first place, but instead he decided to hang out with his brother. (sound familiar??)
We read this story a few times over, I am going to be looking into more of these very valuable lessons from this author, and I believe we are going to grab copies of each! This was so clearly written, and I know my children understood! (Well, at least for the days that we read the book! We have to have some of this author's books on the shelves, just for reminding them again and again. They certainly remember Max though, and the hilarious joke, cheesy joke, that made the title of this book so funny!! (Especially our almost 9 year old, he loves jokes, especially the cheesy ones!!)

You can buy this book from Amazon! (Either click above, or you can buy from our book store!)
You can check out the author's site here!!

Visit Candi Sparks on Facebook!
Candi is a mom and an author, and holds many financial certifications, you can read about her amazing career, and how she got the idea to empower others, here!
Follow her on Twitter!
Check her out on Youtube!!
and on Pinterest;p

** We received a copy of this book in return for our honest review **

The Amazing Adventures of Paddy Platypus by Tom de Paolo

I read this book before I read it to my children, and at first, I thought, "AAHH! What a bunch of big words for them to try and understand!!" (well, our almost 9 year old would be fine, I thought). I read it out loud to our 2 year old and 5 year old, and they were to busy checking out the cool pictures, to care what in the world I was saying, lol! But, Genevive, (5), at the end, had lots of questions about the book and Paddy, she listened after all!
This kind of proves my belief that, no matter what the book is, if you read to your kids, or even talk to them as if they were a regular grown up, they will hear you and they will start to understand some of those harder words. Our children's brains are like sponges, from day 1, and it is very important to read to your children, (books like this that have a more broad vocabulary are excellent!), and the earlier the better!! the more you read to them, the more they learn and grow!
Paddy the Platypus is a loveable character, and he is just a kid! The illustrations are very neat! Actually, I haven't seen such illustrations with so much depth and detail quite like these for a while. My little ones really enjoyed them and each time I turned the page, we had to stop and discuss the pictures, and go back over what was going on in the story.
It is a little longer of a book, but that's a plus in our book! It may take a little longer to get through then an average children's book, but this isn't an average children's book.
Paddy Platypus lives in Tasmania, and is a fine swimmer! So, he is asked to travel to the United States, to swim for his country in the Olympics. He goes along, reluctantly, and he misses home, and doesn't like the noise and all the commotion, (just like a human kid;), and what happens at the end is just adorable! We giggled and giggled and giggled more, and discussed why he did what he did, and what would we do if we were Paddy. (We voted and we all would have done the same thing!!)
This is a very funny book, easy for parents to read, and another plus is... give this book to your young reader to enjoy! Ours read this by himself, and after that, he read to his brother and sister. perfect book to keep those young readers motivated during the summer months!
We recommend this book to children of all ages, and we are all hoping to see Paddy come back in a new story VERY SOON:)

** We received a copy of this book in return for our honest review **

Our Mom Spot Summer Reading Giveaway

We were all super excited that we won this giveaway a couple weeks ago, and we just received our package this past weekend!!
The kids LOVE their new books, and didn't waste any time getting them out to read!!
For those of you who are not familiar with www.ourmomspot.net, they are a community of parents who come together to help each other, inspire each other, offer advice, tips, and just simple and fun chat for other busy, and crazy parents like us;)
They also have all kinds of information, discussions, giveaways and a lot more!
I never really enter many giveaways, I wish I did, but I am usually to busy hosting them, or doing book reviews!! But, I received an email about this giveaway from Our Mom Spot, and had to enter!!
We won these books:





We are so thrilled to have won these awesome books!! The kids have had so much fun the past few days, and Aaron (our almost 9 year old), has been reading them to the littlest ones, over and over.
You can read more about the author, Doreen Cronin, here!
They are just adorable! Cute illustrations, tons of facts, and written in such a way that you don't even realize you are learning. (that is my favorite kind of way because it seems what you read, sticks in your mind a lot longer, and it is easier to remember, especially for kids!)

Here is a couple pictures of Aaron, reading to his brother and sister;)
We are very proud of him! He reads exceptionally well, and a LOT!

I had a few extra minutes to quick throw in some laundry, do a sink load of dishes, and start dinner while they read!! So, THANK YOU Doreen Cronin and Many thanks to OURMOMSPOT.NET!!! and Thank you for having such an amazing community for parents:P
PS) I was actually in desperate need of a mouse pad, so that was a much appreciated gift I found in our package!!!! Thanks again:)

I Remember Mommy's Smile by Dina Wolfman Baker

This was going to be a very sad book to read, and I knew what this was about before it arrived, and still found it hard to open up.
Even as a children's book, I didn't want to share it with the youngest little ones, because i myself have a fear of death and didn't want to have one of those conversations that pops up once in awhile about where do we go? Will I see you again? Things like that upset me terribly, even if I firmly believe we will be together again. i just couldn't stomach it.
It was hard to get through this book, especially since it was written through the eyes and heart of a child. I don't like to hear that anybody has to go through such a horrifying event in their life, but I know we all will at some point.
I do believe this is an amazing book for families who are experiencing a loss of a loved one, especially for the children. (Although it will certainly help the grown ups deal with such a devastating loss as well)
You can't help but cry a bit, well, a lot, while reading this and the pictures alone are sad enough. The pictures in this story are simple yet in such a beautiful way, especially the mommy part when she is smiling.
I Remember Mommy's Smile, goes through the whole process of finding out her mother is ill, and the good times they could still have together, to the hospital, to coming home again, to being very sick and going back to the hospital. Reading the words that come from a child really got to me, but this will definitely help with coping and the healing process. There is a part when the little girl couldn't hug her mommy, knowing it was the last time she will see her, that was a nice addition as I believe most children go through this and they should not feel ashamed or feel as though they let anybody down,so this will let them know they are not alone and they are understood!
The whole story was like this, and covered every aspect of death and dying, and the feelings that a child would have during the whole process.
Then the little girl explains her feelings at her mommy's funeral, to getting back to school, being able to smile once again, and how she remembers her mommy's smile. This part was especially sweet, and will be a crucial part for children when they need the extra help to try and get back to normal. (and for parents, this book will be a much needed tool for your family, whether it is used to just help your children see they are not alone, or take the place of some very hard to answer questions while you are grieving also)
I would recommend this book for churches, schools, day cares, all parents and families who have lost a loved one, and of course, any therapists that help families with this process.

You can read more about this book at www.BakersDozenPress.com
and www.MommysSmile.com
Please leave any comments below and share your reviews of this book!!
If you are interested, you can click the picture above to purchase this book at Amazon.com!

A Quest for Good Manners by Karin Lefranc

I have 4 children, and they are so similar to Rosalind and her pet dragon, Sparkler.(I think a lot of children are;)
That's one reason this book was so special! It made my little ones laugh at the beginning, because they do the same, and hear the same as the characters did!
We really enjoyed reading this book, and the kids of course, were all full of manners immediately afterwards! (Yes, I have to read it often, but luckily, Aaron, he is 8, loves to read out loud too!)
The illustrations are charming, and the book itself is especially neat. The kids love the cover, and even the way the words are on the pages. (We loved the please, thank you and your welcome parts.)
By the middle of the book, Genevive, (she is 5), was able to understand before I read it, what they should have done or said, and we were super proud that she was learning some manners!

I really love the cute story and how simple the author makes the lesson of manners that some of us parents have a hard time with. Of course, at least in our family, the kids are great in public, but when it comes to respecting each other and being kind and considerate at home, it doesn't last to long. But, all in all, so far, we have had a wonderful response with this book and even Deegan,(he's 2), knows that when this book comes off the shelf, it is please and thank you time!

We had so much fun reading, and I personally had a lot of fun seeing the children actually be kind and considerate to each other. (Even if just for the day;) But, everytime we read it, they go on their own journey and are kind and have manners here at home!

I recommend this to all little princes and princesses, and any parent or grandparent who may be getting tired of repeatedly asking, well, begging, for their little ones to have some manners!
You can buy this book on Amazon!

You can also check out A Quest for Good Manners on Facebook!!

** We received a copy of this book in return for our honest review **

The Toughskin Rhinoceros Wrangler Company

Of course the little ones were excited to be able to read this story and check out all of the cute illustrations as soon as we received the pdf file for this brand new book by, Thomas L Vaultonburg. Aaron always loves to be the one to read the story since he is the almost 9 year old;) Genevive and Deegan love that their big brother, (or big brudder, lol) is reading them a story. This book was super easy for Aaron to read. which was perfect, because they like to hear some stories a few more times, immediately after the first!!
The rhinos in this book love to dance, thanks to rhino Jack. Who is rhino Jack? he is a little boy who likes to dress in his rhino costume, and hang out at the zoo with his rhino family!
One day, the rhinos are stomping and running through town, and the zoo had to call Jack to come and help get the rhinos back where they belong, and Jack saves the day!
The pictures in this book are very attractive, and definitely caught the attention of my children. The story flows extremely nice, and after listening a couple times, genevive got the dancing part memorized pretty good.

Aaron is always so proud of his reading skills, and so am I!

This is Genevive when we asked her what she thought of the story, and she could hardly stop laughing as she described the dancing rhinos doing her favorite part, the Tango, lol! Of course, she asked to hear it again and again and again...
This is a very sweet book, and will be one you want a copy of for your children's bookshelves. It falls into the category of all those good classics that kids will remember and pass down to their children and grandchildren. It definitely isn't easily forgotten!
Another neat thing in this book, is at the end, there is a section with some real interesting facts about rhinos. Aaron had a fun time learning about them, and ran out to tell his dad that they can sometimes run 35 miles per hour. That was the most impressive to him.
You can purchase a copy of this book directly from their website, and you can also get it signed!!
We would love to read your comments! Have you ever heard of this book? Do you own a copy? Would you like a copy?
I normally ask the kids how many stars they would give a book they just reviewed, when I asked them how many stars out of 5, Aaron said, 5, Genevive said 50:P I also give this story a 5 star rating!!

**We received a copy of this book in return for our honest review**

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