The New Book Review

This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.

Showing posts with label Fiction: Children's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fiction: Children's. Show all posts

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Mother/Daughter Writing Team Dedicate Book to Adopted Children Everywhere

Title: A Mom
Authors: Daughter and Mother team, Betsy and Carolyn Wilhelm
Genre: Children's Picture Book, Children's Literature
Illustrator: Pieter Els
ISBN: 978-0-9997766-5-0
Dedicated to adopted children everywhere

As an educator holding a masters degree in gifted education, Carolyn Wilhelm's books for children are filled with subtle lessons with an emphasis on the word "subtle." That the protagonist in this book shares what she thinks a "mother" does is Asian and the mother is Caucasian is a subtext. The story is really about a mother and daughter relationship and love. The underlying message is discernible through the lovely, simple illustrations by Pieter Els and a gentle allusion to "color" in the text that the reader might easily miss. Which is how it should be. After all, that is the point of this lovely little eighteen-page booklet which is just the right size for a just-one-more-story at bedtime.

MORE ABOUT THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WRITING TEAM

I. Reid is the pen name of the daughter of this team, who happens to be adopted and look quite different from her mother.  Carolyn Wilhelm is the other half of the team who, as an educator, recognized the need for gentle stories about adoption and about interracial adoption in particular. This book is dedicated to "All adopted children everywhere." You can find Reid blogging at https://www.thewiseowlfactory.com/guest-posts-by-i-reid/. Find Wilhelm's teaching aids for teachers and parents at The Wise Owl Factory on Pinterest and she tweets @WiseOwlFactory.

MORE ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Pieter Else has a long list of experience from thirty years plus studying and working in graphic design and educational technology.  Find his clip art at http://surferkiddies.com and reach him by e-mail at surferkidsclipart@gmail.com.

Mother/Daughter Writing Team Dedicate Book to Adopted Children Everywhere


MORE ABOUT THE NEW BOOK REVIEW BLOG

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Friday, October 26, 2018

Readers View Gives Children's Book Five Stars



TITLE: Dee and Deb Off They Go Kindergarten First Day Jitters
Author Donna McDine
Illustrator, Jack Foster
ISBN: 9781616336998
Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
Genre: children’s books, kindergarten

Reviewed By Mamta Madhavan for Readers’ Favorite - Five Star Review  


Review:

Dee and Deb Off They Go: Kindergarten First Day Jitters by Donna McDine is an adorable story of twins Dee and Deb. Narrated from Dee's perspective, the story takes readers on her first day of kindergarten. Dee and Deb are always together and do everything together, but when they go to school they are in different classrooms. They don't know how to do without each other. When the teacher comes to class and asks them to choose their buddies, Dee chooses Casey as her buddy. But she still misses her twin sister. It’s a simple story that is real and can be appreciated by all kids who are going to school, leaving behind their comfort zones.

The pictures are delightful and colorful, and breathe life and movement into the story, characters and scenes. They also capture the expressions of the two girls very nicely on their first day. It's a good bedtime storybook for children as it gives them an idea of what happens on the first day of school. It also works as a perfect book for read aloud sessions in classrooms and school libraries. It's always a difficult day for any child when they go to school for the first time. The author captures those moments and feelings beautifully through Dee’s view point and helps the first time school goers shed their fears.

It's a good book for children, especially for all those who are starting school. Dee realizes that everyone in her class is just like her and the smart teacher also makes them comfortable on the first day of school. A delightful story for children that will help them get rid of their anxiety about going to school for the first time. ~ Reviewed By Mamta Madhavan for Readers’ Favorite - Five Star Review  

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Donna McDine   Award-winning Children's Author
photoPhone: 845-359-6646
Mobile: 845-721-7802
Email: donna@donnamcdine.com
Website: www.donnamcdine.com
Address: Tappan, NY
Multi award-winning children’s author, Donna McDine’s creative side laid dormant for many years until her desire to write sparked in 2007. With five children’s picture books to her credit, Dee and Deb Off They Go ~ Kindergarten First Day Jitters (December 2015), A Sandy Grave (January 2014), Powder Monkey (May 2013), Hockey Agony (January 2013) and The Golden Pathway (August 2010) with Guardian Angel Publishing her adventures continue as she ignites the curiosity of children through reading. She writes and moms from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI.

Readers View Gives Children's Book Five Stars


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Sarah Dillard Has TWO Mouse Scouts Books!

Mouse Scout Series
Including Mouse Scouts and Mouse Scouts Make a Difference
By Sarah Dillard
Hardcover Paper Books
ISBN: 978-0-385-756-3-7 and 978-0-385-75599-3
Published by Knopf
Fiction – Children




                                Lessons in Creativity and Doing Good!

Mouse Scouts Ideal Annual Gift for Kids


Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, columnist and reviewer for MyShelf.Com and author of multi award-winning fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry,
and the HowToDoIt Series of books for writers

If you are not a grade school teacher, you may not have thought of using trash as a teaching tool. If you are not an artist with a penchant for collage or sculpture (or your name isn’t Bill Nye the Science Guy), you may not have thought about turning castoff straws into musical instruments, siphons, or hoses.

Violet, Tigerlily, and their scouting pals from Sarah Dillard’s Mouse Scouts are back in Mouse Scouts Make a Difference to help parents, kids, and teachers with fun new ideas for ways to make a difference in the world.

This second little book includes ideas for repurposing bottle caps, fast-food containers, water bottles, old mouse pads from Mom’s computer, and—if you’re a mouse—mousetraps used as rowing machines!

This is makes a lovely giftbook for children with parents who want their children to think creatively, compassionately, and universally.  It is also a book that may encourage parents and children everywhere to take scouting more seriously. In fact, make the two of them the beginnings of a Mouse Scouts library.



MORE ABOUT THE  REVIEWER
Carolyn Howard-Johnson is a mother, grandmother and former teacher.  She is the author of multi award-winning fiction and poetry and the HowToDoItFrugally Series of books—one series for writers and one for retailers. Learn more at http://HowToDoItFrugally.com or tweet with her @FrugalBookPromo



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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Friday, October 28, 2016

Children's Author: Definitely a Readers' Favorite!


A Turtle's Magical Adventure 
by Wanda Luthman 
Children's Chapter Book (ages 6-10) 
ISBN 153083256X 
Given a 5 star review (highest review available) 
May purchase as e-book, audio, or paper on Amazon
(Free on Kindle Unlimited or .99 ebook for a limited time) 

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

A Turtle's Magical Adventure by Wanda Luthman is an adorable storybook for children with an excellent message; that of accepting their flaws and loving themselves, and turning their negatives into positives. Tad the turtle loves swimming, but he was curious to know why turtles are slow on land. He meets a few people who give him different responses, but he still wants to become fast. Steve the snake advises him to meet a wizard who lives deep in Timberwood Forest and Tad decides to listen to him. Will the wizard be able to guide Tad and make him faster on land? Or will Tad the turtle accept himself and be happy?

The story is whimsical and has good life lessons for children. The message of accepting oneself is encouraging for a lot of children, especially those who are unhappy with themselves. It's a good story for interactive sessions in classrooms and school libraries and also makes a good bedtime storybook. The illustrations are vivid and lively, and they give a good pace and movement to the story. They succeed in making the scenes and characters tangible to young readers.

Children understand a concept, moral, and message with clarity when these are conveyed with the help of a story and illustrations. Tad the turtle and the rest of the characters in Timberwood Forest are magical and will enthrall young readers till the very end.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Wanda Luthman is the author of The Lilac Princess, A Turtle's Magical Adventure, and Little Birdie Grows Up. She blogs at www.wandaluthman.wordpress.com.
Learn more about her here:
Twitter--@wandalu64 

MORE ABOUT THE NEW BOOK REVIEW

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Interview: A Twenty-Five Year Love Affair Writing Books for Children

Hi! I am Carolyn Howard Johnson, your trusty New Book Review blogger and author of the multi award-winning HowTo Do It Frugally Series of books for writers. This blog has heretofore been exclusive for reviews but I thought I’d do a special series of interviews after I chatted with Jeanie Loiacono, President of Loiacono Literary Agency – Where ‘can’t’ is not in our vocabulary! I thought sharing the interviews would help the many subscribers and visitors to this New Book Review blog, including authors, reviewers, and, of course, readers who just might find a new favorite author among the featured books and authors.

So, today welcome Ruth Wiseman.

Ruth Wiseman has been writing children’s stories since 5th grade, when her English teacher, Mr. Lavrov, inspired her talents. She has been writing children’s books for over twenty-five years and co-edited Broken Glass, Broken Lives: A Jewish Girl’s Survival Story in Berlin 1933-1945 by Rita J. Kuhn. She hopes to be published soon and to share her stories with even more children. She is a grateful mother of two young daughters and two step-sons, and lives in Passaic, NJ. 

What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction? I write children's literature and I am trying my hand at a novel. I've only written the first chapter, but I have to start somewhere! I am also working on a midgrade. 

What made you want to be a writer? When I was twelve-years-old, I had a wonderful English teacher. He engaged my imagination by giving us pictures from which to write stories. Some of them were very silly. I found a whole new voice inside me when I wrote. I was a rather quiet student, but suddenly I found a world in which I could have a strong voice and I wouldn't be teased. My teacher provided feedback as though I were a serious writer. That experience stayed with me all these years. And need I say how much I love the feeling of a new pen and paper?

Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? I love so many authors, it's hard to name just one. For children's stories I love Barbara Park, Mo Willems, Cynthia Rylant, Bracha Goetz. For middle school books, I adore J.K. Rowling, Sharon Creech, Andrew Clemens, Julie Kagawa, R. J. Palacio, J.R.R. Tolkien. In adult literature, Tolstoy is magnificent, Jhumpa Lahiri is lovely, Amy Tan has colorful, multi-faceted characters, Herman Wouk, John Grisham, Edith Wharton. Really an assortment of writers. I don't have a specific genre that I seek out, just pure, good writing.

What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? For my children's stories, I will sometimes be given the gift of a full story coming to me in one piece. That is exhilarating. Other stories, I need to massage and rewrite and rewrite. Each one has its own personality. The midgrade I am working on right now (and will probably complete when my current middle school child is in college!), I write by scenes. I think this is because I am seeing the images unfolding in my mind's eye, and it then develops into a narrative. This story, though, is giving me a lot of trouble because I started it in one style and changed the style midstream. I am going to have to go back and rework the first several chapters once I have moved the story line far enough along.

Do you write every day? How much? How long? Ha, that would be nice! I aspire to that. Somehow with a full-time job, an eleven-year old, and a six-year old, I just can't seem to find the time or energy to write every day. I also need a certain physical and mental space for my writing. If I can be in a quiet place—a library, a cool cafe, an empty park—then my concentration is enhanced and the words just flow out of me. But if I am sitting in my office in a slow moment, or waiting to see the doctor, or sitting in my room once my girls are asleep, those times are harder because my mind is on overdrive with other concerns. But those are also the ‘lost moments.’ It's a quandary. I am working on trying to use those moments for some creative purpose. My characters tug at me to listen to them, and I really suffer when I don't.

Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? Absolutely. It is an excellent way of distinguishing your own voice to read other people's works. I recently read a midgrade book similar in some fashion to the one I am working on, but I finished that book feeling that my concept and writing style is very different and, in my humble opinion, better. I don't always close a book feeling that way. Certainly not the Harry Potter series; Rowling is just sheer inspiration. I want to run and get my quill and go into my characters’ worlds, without thought for my style or my chances of publication. Some writers give me an artistic thirst for creating.

What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Just keep writing. Try not to be your own editor. You have a unique voice, and you do not need to sound like anyone else. The imaginings and perspectives that you have will resonate with a certain audience. Trust in that!

Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? I don't have any just yet, other than the Yiddish word chutzpah. It means ‘you've got to have nerve.’ That is how I found my wonderful literary agent, Jeanie Loiacono. I walked up to a children's author and asked her for publishing advice. She gave me Jeanie's name. It took a year to build up the nerve to contact her, but when I did, I was not sorry that I did! Both those instances involved a certain amount of chutzpah. Any time you put yourself on the line, you are promoting yourself. Any time you tell your colleagues about your work, you are promoting yourself. Just keep believing in your stories, and you will come up with ideas. 

Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? I haven't attended any conferences for purely logistical reasons. However, I love being in writing workshops. Any forum that is going to help you focus your creativity and make you take yourself more seriously as a writer is beneficial.

Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? Keep your eyes peeled for my three children's titles scheduled for publication in 2016 with Saturn Moon's Press, an imprint of Cactus Moon Publications LLC. You can see more about me at: http://ruthcwiseman.wix.com/storywise#   http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/ruth-wiseman 

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency
A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors succeed.

“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com


IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE INTERVIEWS--TO FIND GREAT READING OR TO NETWORK WITH AUTHORS--PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG. YOU ARE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THIS FAMILY WHO LOVES BOOKS! YOU'LL FIND A WINDOW TO DO THIS AT THE TOP OF THIS BLOG PAGE.

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 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Interview: Reading for Jewish Children


Hi! I am Carolyn Howard Johnson, your trusty New Book Review blogger and author of the multi award-winning HowTo Do It Frugally Series of books for writers. This blog has heretofore been exclusive for reviews but I thought I’d do a special series of interviews after I chatted with Jeanie Loiacono, President of Loiacono Literary Agency – Where ‘can’t’ is not in our vocabulary!  I thought sharing the interviews would help the many subscribers and visitors to this New Book Review blog, including authors, reviewers, and, of course, readers who just might find a new favorite author among the featured books and authors.

So, today welcome Bracha Goetz. 

Bracha Goetz is the Harvard-educated author of thirty children’s books, including  Remarkable Park,  Let Your Fingers Do the Mitzvos and The Invisible Book. She also coordinates a Big Brother Big Sister Program for Jewish Community Services in Baltimore, Maryland.

Her first published piece was a poem that appeared in McCall’s magazine when she won a Junior McCall’s contest as a twelve-year-old.  Years later, she was the editor of her high school paper, and later on, helped coordinate and contributed an essay to the anthology, Women Look at Biology Looking at Women, while at Harvard, which became a text for many women’s studies courses nationwide. Her writing has, since then and up until now, almost exclusively been aimed at the religious Jewish population;  being interviewed twice (2009, 2010) on the Zev Brenner Radio show in NY, the most popular Orthodox Jewish radio show. What Do You See on Purim? A fun way for toddlers to learn vocabulary! Teaches toddlers about the holiday of Purim with a bright and colorful word-and-picture book!  Children will learn basic vocabulary while becoming familiar with the objects and concepts that are unique to this special holiday. It’s available from Judaica Press and in the local Jewish bookstores!

She also has a chapter entitled “From Harvard to Homemaking” in new release from Coffeetown Press called Torn: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern Motherhood.
She has recently released What Do You See At School?  and Because of a Smile . Available online and in Jewish bookstores – What Do You See On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? 
Her latest release is Hashem’s Candy Store

“What do you think you would see if you opened the door? What would you find on the shelves in Hashem’s Candy Store?

In this adorable book by bestselling author Bracha Goetz, kids will learn the most amazing things about some of the yummiest “candy” available on the market – namely, the delicious fruits and vegetables that Hashem created.

“Children will devour the captivating rhymes and illustrations…and don’t be surprised if you soon find them beginning to devour their fruits and veggies, too!” — Bracha
Hashem’s Candy Store is available both online and in Jewish bookstores.

1.      What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction? I am the author of thirty picture books. Some of them are fiction and some are non-fiction.
2.      What made you want to be a writer? I love reading children’s books, and I wanted to write the kind of books that I wished I could have read when I was a child—spiritual children’s books with answers to life’s deepest questions, presented in a delightfully simple way.
3.      Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? Anne Frank
4.      What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? When ideas pop into my head, I jot them down, even if it is in the middle of the night. I keep a pad and pen near my bed for that purpose so I can go back to sleep after writing it down. Then when I have some time, like when I am a passenger in a long car ride or taking a plane trip, I play with the ideas that I have jotted down and see where we can go.
5.      Do you write every day? How much? How long? I probably write something every day, whether it’s editing a piece I once wrote, or communicating about my writing to others.
6.      Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? I think reading is as important because it opens up the writer’s mind to go in new directions.
7.      What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? As soon as I get a rejection, I try to do something with the manuscript, whether that means sending it to a different place or revising it. If I don’t respond quickly, then it will just sit and go nowhere, and I wrote it to get it out into the world.
8.      Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? Email blasts are still very effective when new material is published, but the emails need to be kept short as they are often viewed on phones now.
9.      Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? I attended conferences when I began writing professionally and found them very helpful at that time. I think they must have helped me learn how to get my foot into doors.
10.  Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? All of my books can be found on my Author Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/spiritualkidsbooks-brachagoetz . These are picture books for Jewish children, but soon I will have spiritual kids’ books for all children (and their parents and teachers) to enjoy as well! My next event that is open to the public (not at a school) is on Sunday, December 12 from 10 to 11:30 am at the Leon Weiner Jewish Library in the Young Israel of Houston in Houston, Texas. I will attach a flyer I just received about this event. Amazon Author Page – Bracha Goetz  David Clarke Blog Talk Radio Interview  Bracha Goetz books/images  Listen to Bracha reading her books  
Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono
'
MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency
A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors succeed.

“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net  www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com



IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE INTERVIEWS--TO FIND GREAT READING OR TO NETWORK WITH AUTHORS--PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG. YOU ARE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THIS FAMILY WHO LOVES BOOKS! YOU'LL FIND A WINDOW TO DO THIS AT THE TOP OF THIS BLOG PAGE.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Sunday, November 15, 2015

The Lilac Princess Offers Life Lessons


Title: The Lilac Princess
Author:  Wanda Luthman
Genre:  Children's
ISBN #:   9781498412254
Reviewer's Rating: 5 star
Where people can purchase the book:  www.amazon.com/author/wandaluthman

Reviewed by Pat Marovich originally for Amazon

The Lilac Princess authored by Wanda Luthman is a special book. There are many underlying positive life lessons in this childhood story. The setting is in a faraway land in a time long ago , with a princess named Dreama, a castle, a dragon, knights, and wars. What little girl wouldn't love this kind of story? Throw in many purple patches of forbidden lilac flowers and a true friend , who is a commoner named Derek and this is a tale of adventure and friendship. This story helps children respect boundaries, through the life lesson. It helps them understand the importance of forgiveness. It highlights friendship, loyalty, courage, dealing with loss, and a desire to explore the unknown . I highly recommend this book as a seasoned elementary teacher. It is a treasure of my grand daughter Anabelle's.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Wanda Luthman blogs at www.wandaluthman.wordpress.com and tweets @wandalu64. Find her on 
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Honoring Ann McGovern and Her Stone Soup

On occasion I just can't resist popping in my usual approach to letting authors, reviewers, and readers talk about the books they want to share with others.  Here is a little blurb from my newsletter about the death of a favorite writer and one of my favorite books:

I loved the children’s book Stone Soup. I always thought it was a traditional fairy tale. You know, like Grimm or Perrault or Hans Christian Andersen. Though it may have sold darn near as many books as those authors, it was written in 1968 and the author, Ann McGovern, recently died of cancer at the age of 85. Just knowing she is gone . . . well, I shall miss her. I have a love affair with fairy tales—new or old—and with nursery rhymes. Readers of my poetry find allusions to them sprinkled throughout. Now, perhaps I shall write something with at least a nod to Ann and the fairy tale that really wasn’t. Or was. Does a genre ever really die?




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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Lessons Learned from Cat Story

Title: SpecialT: Nine Lives - Nine Names
Author: S. Jenny Boyer
Publisher: Halo Publishing, Int.
ISBN Number: 978-1-61244-074-3
Genre of Book: Non-Fiction/Inspirational/Memoir
Pgs: 100
Publication Date: April 2013
Places available for sale: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Halo Publishing, and Signed copies from the author.
 
Review provided by World of Ink Network
 
 
About the Book:
Cats teach us some of life's most important lessons. After all, nine lives allow them time to get things right.
 
God, in His infinite wisdom and I imagine a chuckle or two, often uses one of His marvelous creatures get our attention. I'm convinced that SpecialT, an older, gentle, tabby cat, was divinely led to my home and into my heart because some of the principles I had previously learned about family, friendship, and God's faithfulness needed reinforcing.

All SpecialT needed to do to get his points across was to be himself. His story reveals how delightful life can end up being if we can find the path God wants for us, take it, persevere on it, and not look back. This was one of my cat's most poignant lessons. I found out after SpecialT had been with me for many years, that several of his allotted nine lives had already been spent. There is no doubt in my mind that he polished his life-lessons on his way to me.

Many cats share one or more of SpecialT's qualities, and are no doubt life-lesson teachers to some degree. Whether you read his story on a sunny beach, in front of a fireplace with a cup of tea, out loud to your children or grandchildren, or quietly to yourself, it is my hope that one of your favorite cats, past or present, will come to mind and put a smile on your face as you remember a life-lesson he or she taught to you.
 
EXCERPT: from Chapter 4,    Cat Fight, Lesson Learned
 
The night it happened was quiet and quite dark. Here in the country we have no street lights. It was the time of a new moon, so shadows were deep and night creatures were hard to see. Cats roamed the neighborhood freely then, and there were few complaints from neighbors about their night adventures while the rest of us were sleeping.
 
All at once a screech of gigantic proportions woke me from a sound sleep. I sat straight up in bed, then rushed to the window to see what was happening. There in the dark shadows of the driveway I could just make out T face-to-face with Wildcat, the next door neighbor's cat who was so jealous of T that the neighbor had returned T to live with us. The howls went back and forth on different tone levels, each escalating in sound. I grabbed my robe and slippers and literally leaped down the steps to put a stop this fracas, all the while whispering a prayer.
God, please protect T and Wildcat from each other. T is so gentle, I do not think he knows how to hold his own in a fight with Wildcat.
 
I ran out of the house through the garage just as the physical battle took place. Legs were flying in all directions, gray and orange intertwined like a pinwheel out of control, all accompanied by howls of distress and anger. I turned on the driveway lights and grabbed an old aluminum pot and a small hand rake and began beating them together with all the force I could muster as I ran towards the fur ball action At the harsh banging sounds, the entangled cats split apart, with Wildcat running home, and T lying still on the blacktop.
Oh God, let T be okay.
 
I picked up T and he looked at me with his calm golden eyes, his body limp, but breathing. I could imagine him asking me, "What just happened, Mom? Wasn't that a cat, isn't he supposed to be my friend?" I searched T's body for a puncture wound, which I knew from past experience with other cats could easily become infected, but with his long hair it was difficult to see down to T's skin. The one thing I did find was a V-shaped split in one of his ears, slightly tinged with blood.
 
Back we went to the vet when they opened the next morning. No real damage had been done, no puncture wounds to the body, but the cartilage in the ear would never heal together, and could not be stitched together, so T would always sport a natural “V” to remind us and him of his close call with danger. We called it his "victory" notch.
 
What Others are Saying:
Boyer’s book is a memoir-type book about her very special cat which she called SpecialT.  He was worldly yet very gentle. He was a wonderful companion to her.  She traces the story from when she first saw SpecialT appear on her doorstep and how she knew that this older cat would be the pet who would grace her life always. And SpecialT did grace her life for many years to come. ~Irene Roth
 
 
About the Author: 
Ms. Boyer is a retired nurse, an Infection Control Practitioner, whose world changed dramatically when she let the words swirling inside her escape to paper. Her story of her beloved cat, how he came to live with her later in his life and the lessons she learned from him, changed her life for the better. She lives in Frederick, Maryland with her husband Jim. She has three daughters and one step-daughter, and four grandchildren. Several of these family members are in her book. She continues to write about how other creatures impact her life, and the lives of others.
 
The author's desire is to inspire others to appreciate how God uses animals, sometimes very wise and wonderful ones like SpecialT, to enrich our lives if we only open our hearts and minds to the lessons they can teach us, just by being themselves.
 
ABOUT WORLD OF INK:
Virginia S Grenier 
Founder & Partner, World of Ink Network
Bringing Authors and Readers Together
Office: 435-625-1743
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook

Award-winning Author & Editor
Member of League of Utah Writers/HWG chapter

----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Children's Book on Love Inspiring

Title: How Long Will You Love Me?
Author & Illustrator: Patti Brassard Jefferson
Publisher: Halo Publishing, Int.
Genre: Children's book
ISBN Number:  ISBN: 9781612441658
Publication Date: June 2013
BONUS: Each page also has a heart drawn in it somewhere. While they are not very difficult to find, the search will also take the reader through some of the other subtle jokes such as a banner behind the bunny band that promotes Carrot-oke or a whale who's reading Moby Dick on the beach.

Places where available for sale:

                www.howlongwillyouloveme.com

                www.halopublishing.com/bookstore

                http://www.amazon.com/author/pbj

                www.bn.com

Author Website:  www.HowLongWillYouLoveMe.com
Blog Address: www.1crayonshort.blogspot.com
Twitter URL: pbjmosaic
Facebook URL: facebook.com/pbrassard
Facebook Fan Page URL: facebook.com/howlongwillyouloveme

 

What started as a single drawing for a Valentine's Day card, has slowly, but oh so surely, become Jefferson’s debut book.

About the Book:

Whether it's a question from a child to a parent or an adult to their significant other, the question “How long will you love me?” probably gets asked more than you think...even if it just stays in your head and you are the only one who hears it. Patti Brassard Jefferson's creative first book starts with the question and each page gives a warm, rhythmic reassurance --- "I promise I will love you 'til..." It's the perfect book to read to someone to let them know your love is endless.

So, just how long WILL I love you? The answer is perfectly clear in this book!

EXCERPT:

"I promise I will love you

'til the oceans turn to sand

and all the whales and  dolphins

are laying out to tan."

 


 

About the Author:  Patti Brassard Jefferson lives under a palm tree in sunny Florida with her husband, Ken and their 2 rescued mutts. How Long Will You Love Me is the first children's book that PBJ has written and illustrated. She began drawing when she was a little girl and forgot to stop when she grew up. She thinks doodling is a lost art and has a special place in her heart for the smell of a new box of crayons.

More details:  Patti Brassard was born in upstate NY in 1962 but moved with her military family to Virginia when she was 11 years old. She always loved art in school but never gave a thought to making it a career until she started college in 1980. With no idea where a Fine Arts degree would take her, she instead studied Media Arts Advertising and after graduation, started her own graphic design company so that she could continue to be a work-at-home mother to her daughter Nikki.

It was while Nikki was learning to read that Patti mocked up her first book aimed at teaching pre-readers the alphabet. She only shared it with her daughter and her kindergarten class. It was very well received but Patti never pursued the project any further.

Over the following years Patti opened a paint-it-yourself pottery studio and got back to being involved in more artistic endeavors. In  2010, she remarried and added Jefferson to her name: Patti Brassard Jefferson.  They moved to the Florida Keys with their two rescued dogs, Marley & Mollie, and she opened an art gallery.

While in Florida, she decided to dust off unfinished children's book project that she had put on the shelf. It had started as a Valentines card years before and had morphed into the beginning of a book. Over the next 2 years, Patti worked on the illustrations and adding more pages. It was finished in October 2012 but she had no idea what the next step was. A friend and fellow author had just self-published a novel so Patti did some research.  She decided to start a Kick Starter campaign to raise the funds necessary to self-publish her book. The campaign launched in April of 2013 and funded 30 days later. She signed with Halo Publishing International and the book was released in June!

You can find out more about Patti Brassard Jefferson, her work and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/pxvhsc7



Submitted byVirginia S Grenier 

Founder & Partner, 

World of Ink Network
To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com

Bringing Authors and Readers Together
Office: 435-625-1743
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook

Award-winning Author & Editor


Member of League of Utah Writers/HWG chapter


-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Maggy Downey "Fell in Love" with This Book!

 

 

Title: The Girl Who Could Fly
Author: Victoria Forrester
ISBN: 0312602383
Reviewer Name: Maggy Downey
Originally published: http://maggydowney.blogspot.ca/
Genre of book: Children, fantasy
Let me start off by saying Victoria Forrester is an exceptional storyteller.

Eleven-year-old Piper McCloud lives in Lowland County on a farm. She has been gifted with the extraordinary ability to fly since birth.

When Piper learns about her unique talent she decides to hone her God-given gift by flying from her parent’s roof top.  That is until her parents learn about it and put a complete stop to it, well they tried to anyway.  But like any tenacious child that went in one ear and came out the other. ‘How could she stop flying? She was made for this,’ Piper thought.

However, when the people in Lowland County learn about this the gossip mill goes so far out that it reaches the headquarters of the Institute of Normalcy, Stability, And Non-Exceptionality (I.N.S.A.N.E), a government institute for children with extraordinary talents. Naturally, Piper becomes the latest recruit to join this talented pool of children.

Happy to be surrounded with children like herself, Piper settles into her new life at I.N.S.A.N.E. But just before she becomes all-too comfortable, her fairy-tale world begins to crumble, leaving her with shattered dreams and an urgency to get back home to her once simple life.
This story is so gorgeous and rich with quality writing. I could not put this book down. Each page came to life for me. It is a turn pager for sure.  I fell absolutely in love with the children, especially Conrad. There was a poignant part in the book that just left my heart broken in two. 
I highly recommend The Girl Who Could Fly for children both young and young at heart.
I hope she makes this into a series.
 
SUBMITTED BY Maggy Downey.

-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.