Raven Howell, an award-winning author and poet of several picture books is celebrating her most recent release titled Greetings, a journey through the diversity of a year exploring sights, sounds, scents and joys of the seasons. Stay tuned for my upcoming review of this wonderful book! In the meantime, here’s a little sneak peak from the author:
Children meet and greet new born birds, chase yellow butterflies, bury their barefoot summer feet in the sand, jump in autumn leaf-piles and bundle up during winter’s magical time for sledding.
The Wishing Shelf describes this book as: “Sweetly written and charming in every way. Children will love it, parents too!”
Raven also writes poetry for a variety of children’s magazines including Highlights and Cricket. She enjoys presenting children’s writing workshops in classrooms and libraries, and serves as Creative & Publishing Advisor for RedClover Reader. She’s represented by Essie White of Storm Literary Agency.
Raven lives in the Hudson Valley with her family. When not writing, she enjoys long dawn hikes, being at the beach, and munching on warm butterscotch chip cookies. Yum!
Please feel free to visit her website: www.ravenhowell.com
The Cucuy Cookie Book, written and illustrated by Frank Lucero, is an adorable story about friendship, empathy, caring for others and cookies! In this story, Anna’s father was ill and she and her friend, Rhonda, were trying to think of ways to cheer him up. They decide to make him cucuy cookies, a favorite of Anna’s father. They proceed to make a grocery list, go to the market, make the cookies and finally present the cookies to Anna’s father. Anna’s father is thrilled, and the cookies and the girls’ thoughtfulness do make him feel better! I love the message this book sends!
The story is sweet, the characters are lovable and the illustrations are engaging and charming. In case you weren’t sure (I had to look it up), cucuy cookies are cookies based on the Cucuy monster – described as a Mexican or Latin boogeyman! So this book is also multicultural!
Another wonderful thing about this book is that the story walks you through how to make the cucuy cookies, step by step, so you can try to make them yourself at home! I’m going to try to make them today! Can’t wait to see how they turn out! YUM!
I’ve read a lot of informational books about animals, books with photographs of animals and stories narrated by animals, but this book does it all . . . AND it’s just SO cute! It is my new favorite animal book bar none!
You will immediately fall in love with Margot, a Canadian groundhog from Quebec, and you will learn more about groundhogs than you ever thought you would. At least I did! Did you know groundhogs are also called woodchucks? Do you know what they eat, how they live, where they live, how they look and what they do when they’re scared, how they hibernate and when and how many pups they have? Well, you will after reading this charming book! This book is appealing to children because the story is told by Margot, who will teach you all about groundhogs (and about some of her cousins, the chipmunk and various squirrels, too)!
There’s a lot of information in this book, but little ones (and their parents/caregivers/teachers) won’t feel like it’s a boring lesson because the photographs of Margot (and some of her darling cousins) on every page are just that adorable! Kids will have a new found respect for these animals and will want to look at this book over and over again. In fact, I think Iwill be looking at this book over and over again!
If your child (or you) love animals, and especially if he/she/they/you love groundhogs, you will want to get this book. Especially NOW because it is FREE in celebration of Groundhog’s Day! http://smarturl.it/0psllg
If you’re still not sure, check out this picture of Margot!
This is my second year participating in Multicultural Children’s Book Day (MCBD) as an author sponsor and my first as a reviewer. MCBD is on January 25, 2019 this year and I can’t wait! In addition to helping to organize and set up the big MCBD celebration at my son’s school, I get to review a multicultural book – and not any multicultural book, but a Caldecott Honor winning book, A Different Pond, written by Bao Phi and illustrated by Thi Bui! Thank you, Jennifer Glidden at Capstone Publishing, for sending me this touching, poignant and beautifully written and illustrated tale!
The story starts out simply enough about a boy going fishing with his father. The early morning outing, the purpose of which is to catch fish for food and not for sport, develops into a bonding experience where the boy learns a little about his father’s childhood in Vietnam and his struggles and sacrifices as an immigrant and a parent.
While the plot is simple – a father and son fishing trip – the story is deeply layered and makes inferences to issues relating to diversity/racism, culture, immigration, war, death and poverty. The underlying story is quite sad and my heart ached for the little boy and his father in a few parts of the book, especially when the father had to explain why they still had to fish for food even though he started working a second job – “Everything in America costs a lot of money.” Only by catching fish would they eat that night. The story, however, does not dwell on these sorrowful and painful issues, but instead emphasizes the importance of family, traditions, hard work and hope, as well as the joys of the family dinner.
This book is fantastic for all ages. The very little ones will enjoy the story about fishing and the fun family dinner, while older children will notice and understand the inferences made within the story and hopefully empathize with the hardships of struggling immigrant families. This book provides authentic insight into the poor immigrant experience and the perfect introduction to discussing the plight of refugees everywhere. I hope there will be more books by this amazing author-illustrator team!
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Multicultural Children’s Book Day2019 (1/25/19) is in its 6thyear and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Bookand Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom.Our mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators.
MCBD 2019 is honored to have the followingMedallion Sponsors on board
We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.
TWITTER PARTY Sponsored by Make A Way Media: MCBD’s super-popular (and crazy-fun) annual Twitter Party will be held 1/25/19 at 9:00pm.E.S.T. TONS of prizes and book bundles will be given away during the party. GO HEREfor more details.
FREE RESOURCES From MCBD
Free Multicultural Books for Teachers: http://bit.ly/1kGZrta
The Squeezor is Coming! is a children’s book written by Becky Benishek and illustrated by Matt Fiss.
What’s a Squeezor?
The Squeezor is a friendly monster who just wants to give hugs, but he looks so scary, other monsters run away from him! How can he get them to look past his appearance and be friends? Then he gets an idea: It isn’t about what he wants, but what the other monsters need.
“With professional writing and exquisite illustrations, a universal truth and message come to life through the graces of a monster.” – Starred review by Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers’ Favorite
Monsters overflow in Becky Benishek’s new children’s book about the power of empathy and why it’s so important not to judge on appearances. Your whole family will enjoy the imagery and important lessons underneath it all.
Becky Benishek has a B.A. degree in English, and is the author of several children’s books, including Hush, Mouse!, What’s At the End of Your Nose?, and Dr. Guinea Pig George. She loves to create stories that help children believe in themselves, and find the magic in ordinary things. Becky is married with guinea pigs.
“Far too many kids feel as unlovable as the Squeezor, and this story is for them. Benishek’s droll and humorous story will please everyone in the room and maybe especially those adults who are still kids at heart. Matt Fiss’s brilliantly grotesque illustrations make this book one to linger over and read again and again and again. Literally. It’s that good.” – Jack Magnus for Readers’ Favorite
Starred review from Readers’ Favorite:
“This story is highly recommended for young readers, especially for those who find acceptance by others as a challenge.”–Bruce Arrington for Readers’ Favorite
Starred review from Readers’ Favorite:
“With professional writing and exquisite illustrations, a universal truth and message come to life through the graces of a monster. And if monsters can make friends with monsters, what’s not left for which to hope?”-Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers’ Favorite
5 Stars & Top 50 of the Month on Goodreads:
“Oh. My. Gosh. I’m SO in love with this one. . .from cover to cover. . .an absolutely perfect read!”-Miranda Reads, top Goodreads reviewer
“This wonderful story teaches two significant lessons: acceptance of others who are different and self-acceptance.”–Erica Graham, author of the Talking Tales series
“This is not just another story book. It has a strong scholastic element to it . . . This story will turn the readers into givers and social enthusiasts.”– Ashish Kejriwal
“Kids will love the book’s splashy color, monsters aplenty, and gross-out humor. Parents will love the story’s durable lesson: be yourself.”– Terry Vittone
“A delightful book! Read it for the story, read it for the lessons, read it for pictures that have a subtle and humorous attention to detail. Just read it – you’ll smile and be better for it.” –Lesley Rynders
“The characters are so alive that I often find myself wondering what they’re up to right now. Kids will love meeting Graywick (the Apothecaryterror)… Bitey (the scared [yes, scared!] vampire who wears BUNNY SLIPPERS)… Grumpypuss (who looks like a bundle)… and the full cast of marvelous monsters who inhabit Ghastly Gigapolis — and ostracize the big-hearted Squeezor (who through his kindness eventually succeeds in making friends with everyone). This book is SO fun to read and every page is a delight for kids’ imaginations.”-Lemon
The Squeezor is a monster who loves to give hugs. Great, big, wrap-his-arms-around-you-twice, squeezy hugs.
The trouble is, the Squeezor doesn’t look like he just wants to give you a hug. He looks like he wants to eat you up!
“The Squeezor is coming!” all the other monsters would shout when he came to the nearest town, Ghastly Gigapolis, for supplies.
From behind shop doors and curtains, from roof peaks and from alleyways, from third-floor house windows and through cellar-door slats, monsters furry or feathered, scaly or slimy, big or small, quivered as the Squeezor stumped along the sidewalk on his squat legs and big, squashy feet with three greasy toenails each.
They trembled at the sight of his giant, curved horns and frightfully fanged grin. Even the fur on his big blocky shape looked all wrong—a sickly, saggy mix of lime green, purplish brown, and mustard yellow.
And they were practically petrified at the chillingly sharp claws that glinted at the end of the Squeezor’s wrap-around-you-twice arms!
This made the Squeezor very sad.
“It’s not my fault I look this way,” he said to himself one day as he sat in his lonely house up in Vile Vale. “I don’t want to hurt anybody. How can I get everyone to trust me?”
The Squeezor stayed home all that day to think. He didn’t have to worry about being disturbed because nobody ever came to visit him.
He wandered into his library and leafed aimlessly through 7 Habits of Highly Disgruntled Monsters; then he read, How to Stop Worrying and Start Eating, and he finished up with, I’m Okay, You’re Decaying.
None of them helped, not even the one called, First Things First: 10 Tasks to Sink Your Teeth Through.
He went into his kitchen and half-heartedly stirred up a pot of his favorite, putrid green tomato soup and slowly munched a moldy grilled cheese sandwich.
He didn’t really feel hungry, though, and wasn’t even tempted by the box of Nose Nougats on the counter.
He switched on the television in the living room to look for an advice show. One of the channels was running a marathon of Game of Bones, and he’d watched two and a half episodes before he realized it.
The Squeezor didn’t even like Game of Bones. He switched off the set.
“How can I change anything when I can’t even figure out what to do with myself?” he grumbled as he wandered around his house.
Just then, he stopped short in the hallway, under a portrait of his Great-Grandmother Squeezums, who always seemed to be glaring lovingly at the Squeezor.
“Maybe that’s it!” he said. “Maybe it’s not myself that I have to figure out.”
The Squeezor, excited now, heated up another bowl of putrid green tomato soup, ate half the box of Nose Nougats (the box itself was edible), and didn’t go to bed until he had a plan.
Instagram Post
“With professional writing and exquisite illustrations, a universal truth and message come to life through the graces of a monster.” – Starred review by Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers’ Favorite
Monsters overflow with a great message and fun reading for kids AND adults in @beckybenishek’s new book. Get THE SQUEEZOR IS COMING! at https:/bit.ly/SqueezorMCP.
Buckle your seatbelts! Your child 6-10 is about to take off on a trip of adventure, discovery and learning with the Award-Winning Series: Bonjour! Let’s Learn French and Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish. Easy to use, whether or not you know Spanish or French. Your child’s guide is Pete the Pilot. Kids take a pretend flight to Mexico and France.
Hi, I’m Judy Martialay. I live in Sea Cliff, N.Y. with my husband. My daughters are grown up. I have a toddler granddaughter.
I have lots of interests; I am a guitar jammer, a painter, gardener, knitter, volunteer, and I love to cook (but have to watch my sugar). I studied Japanese but had to give that up when my Japanese friend with whom I exchanged lessons moved away.
I retired from teaching foreign /world languages, and now I devote time and energy to advocacy for foreign language study for the Public Advocacy Committee of the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers (NYSAFLT).
Foreign language learning is an uphill battle in the English-speaking countries. I think, though, that more parents are becoming aware of the many benefits of being bilingual, and they want their kids to learn languages.
I wrote the books ¡HOLA! Let’s Learn Languages and Bonjour! Let’s Learn French because I want every child to have the opportunity to learn a world language at an early age. This is the best time to start learning a language. Children’s brains are wired for learning languages. They have a better chance for acquiring native pronunciation, and they have ample time to become truly proficient in the language.
I often hear the comment from teachers of young children:” Children absorb languages like sponges.” My granddaughter hears Spanish every day; she has an au pair girl who speaks to her in Spanish. She understands everything.
I want children and their parents to enjoy the experience of learning languages. It is an adventure into the soul of another world. If your child continues study of a language, he or she will have a skill that will provide life-long benefits.
“Whether you are a parent hoping to broaden your child’s linguistic skills, or a teacher studying other cultures with your class – you will find Bonjour! Let’s Learn French (and it’s companion book, Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish) a painless way to begin your journey.” Amazon Review
“This is one of the most informative, well-written children’s tutorials I’ve ever had the pleasure to review. As a former teacher, I was impressed by how many additional teaching tools Judy Martialay included with the base story. Imagine being provided with a skit, a cute song, and a short art lesson on impressionistic painting – none of which you had to create for yourself to extend the story. Martialay has done teachers everywhere a big favor by including these value-added features.” Amazon Review
“Martialay has a passion for teaching children foreign languages and it comes across in the book. I loved it and plan on buying the French one next. An excellent resource for teachers, parents, educators and even grandparents. A must own!”
Excerpts
¡Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish
(picture of a bean field on a hot summer day in Mexico, audio provided)
Cri …Cri…Crisay the crickets. They are chirping under the hot sun that is shining down on the bean field. The beans los frijoles are growing in their rows of plants. Nothing is moving.
Look! –¡Miren! Something is moving. It’s jumping! In fact, it’s jumping towards us!
“Hola, niños. Me llamoPanchito, the Mexican jumping bean. Look how high I can
jump. ¡Miren!
Panchito jumps around the field. He wants to talk to losfrijoles.
“¡Hola!¿Qué tal?” says Panchito.
But losfrijoles don’t answer. They don’t talk or play. They are not
jumping beans like Panchito. They just stay in one place and grow.
It’s lonely here on the bean field with no friends to play with.
Bonjour! Let’s Learn French
(Picture of a beach on a hot summer day in France. Audio provided)
“Arlette, bring more water!”
Arlette runs to the water’s edge, where the waves roll onto the shore, foamy and bubbly. The sea is a bright blue bleu under the summer sun. It’s a beautiful day at the beach àla plage. There is a boat unbateau in the distance.
Arlette scoops up water with her pail to mix with the sand. Pierre, Arlette and the other children are making a castle un château out of sand lesable. The children pat the sand and water together to form the walls of the castle le château. Marie and Jacques make towers. Pierre has some toy soldiers who will stand guard on the towers, protecting le château de sable
Talking Tales-whimsical stories that entertain and teach as each story centers around a core sound in the English language. The series includes Catch that Chinchilla, Puppy’s Bubble, Cricket’s Guitar, The Bright Red Tricycle, and Sam’s Sticky Sucker. What a fun way to help your child’s speech development.
Description—Catch that Chinchilla
Fletch and Rachael cannot wait to play with their new pet chinchilla. After Fletch’s impatience overcomes him and he opens just a little, the chinchilla escapes! The chinchilla quickly leads Fletch and Rachael in a chase across town. Will Fletch and Rachael catch the chinchilla before their dad returns? This humorous story is a great way for any parent or therapist to target the “ch” sound. There are over 115 examples of “ch” in various word locations to help improve speech development. This book also includes tips for parents who are working with the child’s speech at home.
About the Author
Erica Graham is an award-winning children’s author. Graham graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with her Master of Science Degree in Speech Language Pathology. She also holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence with the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. As a mother, Graham understands the difficulty parents have finding time to work on speech with their children. In her pursuit to create a fun easy way for therapists, children, and their parents to enhance speech development while promoting literacy, she has written a series of exciting children’s books. Each book focuses on a core sound used in the English language. Outside of writing and working as a Speech Language Pathologist, Graham enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and daughters, volunteering with the youth group at church, and a good cup of tea.
“Picture books for young children serve several purposes. Most entertain. Some entertain while presenting a moral or lesson. Erica Graham’s “Talking Tales” teach sounds while entertaining with a delightful, humorous story and whimsical illustrations.” Amazon Review
“The atmosphere of the story is one of fun, and I found myself quite unexpectedly smiling throughout the entire story!” -Readers’ Favorite
“The story itself is a fine little idea, a very fine lesson in phonetics and speech therapy that introduces a whole new level of importance to children’s books!” Amazon Review
“First, the teaching part of the story is about the letters “ch” and the sound. As the story is read, you see that duo heavily throughout the story, and it is placed perfectly. The story makes sense and is quite interesting for being a child reader. This story was adorable, and entertaining.” Amazon Review
Are you ready to delve into a fun and exciting travel adventure? George and Paolo hop on a vespa to explore the wonders of Italy, traveling through Venice, Bologna, Pisa, Florence, Siena, Rome and the Amalfi Coast. From riding a gondola in Venice to having delicious gelato at the Amalfi coast, follow their adventure and learn about the incredible sites in Italy along the way.
If you like Lonely Planet Kids’ City Trails books, then you’ll enjoy The Travel Adventures of George and Paolo. Kids will enjoy learning about Italy’s many wonders. This book is perfect for kids who have traveled to, are planning to travel to, or are simply interested in Italy.
About The Travel Adventures of George and Paolo series: These books are based on the author’s own travel experiences in these countries, with checklists of the top recommended things to do in each city. With so many travel guides and books for adults, from Lonely Planet to Rough Guides, these illustrated travel books are specifically for kids to enjoy learning about these countries in a fun and artistic way.
Valerie is an illustrator & writer who has created a unique kids travel book series called “The Travel Adventures of George and Paolo”. On top of this Valerie is a freelance graphic & web designer @vvbdesign, marathon runner, and traveler, born in Belgium, raised in Thailand. Follow her on Instagram for insights and to stay up to date on her latest books and adventures.
https://www.vvbdesign.com/
https://www.instagram.com/vvbdesign/
Reviews
“When in doubt, travel with kids! And come to Italy… of course. The first thing to pack is this super cute travel guide! My kids loved it. Follow Valerie Van Ballaer and discover how amazing this young lady is!!” – tips4italiantrips.com blog
“The Travel Adventures of George and Paolo, Italy from Valerie Van Ballaer. This is the first book in the series of the adventures of George and Paolo. George the goose, Paolo the puppy are off on a Vespa to adventure through Italy, siteseeing all the tourists spots that everyone loves to see. Can’t wait to see what other adventures they get up too.” – kids.books.we.love blog
“Traveling on a budget? Read a book! Instant transportation to anywhere in the world, anywhere in the *universe* actually! Highlighting today’s self-published feature: The first in a mini travel series “The Travel Adventures of George and Paolo: Italy” by Valerie Van Ballaer @vvbdesign. Ever dreamed of traveling to Italy? Join George and Paolo as they transport you to all the famous sites and best attractions of this vibrant country! Flip through this mini travel guide to spark the adventurer in you! Check out @vvbdesign for more travel adventures!” – Mai Story Book
“How do you keep the kids entertained on your travels? We love a good book and if it’s got a travel theme, even better! I was so happy to receive The Travel Adventures of George and Paolo through Italy, by Valerie Van Ballaer, an ebook is so much easier when we’re on the road and as we’re heading to Italy on our European adventure, this one is perfect. Piper loved learning about places we’re planning to visit and it gave her a few new ideas for where she wanted to go. The book contains checklists for the main two characters, a goose named George and a puppy named Paolo for each city with some informative ideas like “explore the Campo dei Miracoli” in Pisa and fun suggestions like “eat spaghetti Bolognese” in Bologna which really made her giggle. It’s beautifully illustrated and they have other locations such as Thailand and Mexico if you’re planning a trip further afield. There are also hard copies available to order if you prefer.” – Are We There Yet Kids blog
Excerpt
“Venice – George and Paolo’s Travel Checklist: 1. Ride a Gondola 2. Explore Piazza San Marco 3. Buy Venetian Masks 4. See the Ponte dell’ Accademia and Ponte di Rialto. Built on many small islands, canals replace streets and boats replace cars, explore the narrow winding streets of Venice.”
Want to help your child learn about history? Then follow Little Miss History on her explorations.
Little Miss HISTORY Travels to MOUNT RUSHMORE is her first stop. In her second journey she sails to The STATUE of LIBERTY. Little Miss HISTORY’S third adventure to SEQUOIA National Park finds her skydiving into the park to explore its history. This book recently received honorable mention in the Children’s Literature Independently Published Principal’s Awards (CLIPPA), and runner-up in nature/wildlife category of the 2015 Great Northwest Book Festival. In her fourth adventure, Little Miss HISTORY arrives at FORD’S THEATER in her horse and buggy just in time for the 150th Anniversary to witness an event that changed history. This book won the 2015 IAN Award for Outstanding Children’s Nonfiction Book.
Awards for books in this series include seven B.R.A.G. MEDALLIONS, Eric Hoffer Award, Book Excellence Awards, International Reader’s Favorite Awards, Independent Author Network Awards, Global E Book Award, and CLIPPA Principal’s Award.
Barbara Ann Mojica is an historian and retired educator living in New York State. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in History. Barbara spent more than 40 years teaching in NYC and holds New York State teacher certifications in Elementary, Special Education, and Administration. She also spent several years as a Special Education Administrator and principal of a special education preschool for developmentally delayed children. Barbara, although retired from teaching, is staying busy: along with her series of Little Miss History travel books she writes historical pieces for The Columbia Insider, Pat Fisher and Ed Pollack Editors, under the banner “Passages”. Marrying her love of history and teaching, Barbara hopes her Little Miss History character will inspire children to learn about historical people, and visit landmarks such as the one covered in this book.
“The use of photographs and colorful illustrations by the illustrator enhances the book with visual appeal. Highly recommended.”
“Charming and informative, Little Miss History doesn’t disappoint, informing young readers about the many great places the United States has to offer for entertainment and learning.”
“I love Barbara’s Little Miss HISTORY books! They visit historical sites and explain the significance of that location in terms kids understand. These books can be used in the classroom as well as for reading at home. Kids love to learn!”
“Because ALL books produced by Barbara Ann Mojica are just wonderful to read, I can’t tell you my favorite. Each time I read one, I believe they all become my favorite.”
Lessons about loss, transitions, and change from a baby vulture, that teaches how love and friendship can grow even with someone completely different from yourself.
Once upon a time in the east Texas Piney country, there lived a ground squirrel named Pete. With the help of a baby vulture and a wise owl, Pete, busy at his job of gathering nuts, was about to learn new lessons in love and change.
Elizabeth Vansyckle is a retired nurse who was a hospice nurse throughout her forty-year career. Raised in the Salvation Army as a young child, she learned the greatest person you can be is one of service. And, as an United States Army veteran, she found that being a hospice nurse made her the very best possible nurse in any setting. Throughout her career she also was a surgical nurse and feels that the ability to ease a patient’s fears in the few minutes before surgery came from that place in hospice of holding the calm space and giving that sense of quiet and trust.
