The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts

The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts by Maja Säfström was a big hit. Not only is it beautiful and a little antique-y (yes, I just made up that word) on the outside, but inside, it's whimsical, black and white illustrations are brilliantly done! The text is fun, engaging, and informative. I learned right along with my kiddos! My son, who is an animal lover, especially enjoyed it. 

The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts is a fun addition to our homeschool, as well. I highly recommend this book! 

(Oh, and who can resist that title!? ;) )

5 out of 5 stars. 


The book can be purchased here.
Author info here.









 I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Fletch Adventures!

Who doesn't love loggerhead sea turtles? What's not to love? Keep reading to find out how one mom is using one of these special creatures to teach children about the environment.

Everyone loves the beach. The beauty, the serenity of the ocean.... But keeping it beautiful is our job. Litter is more than a pet peeve or an eyesore. It can be dangerous. I can't bring myself to watch videos of what our careless acts do to marine life, and honestly, I don't want my kids to see it. But I do want them to be aware of it, and to know what they can do to solve the problem. Enter Fletch! Fletch is a loggerhead sea turtle who shows a young girl, Tierney, "the importance of keeping the beach and ocean clean during a day filled with fun, friendships and surprises."

The story of Fletch's Adventures comes in two formats: a chapter book, aimed at ages 6-11, and a picture book for smaller kiddos. The illustrations are fun and colorful, and the text very easy to read. My 10-year-old daughter, who is a reluctant reader, read the whole book in about an hour. That's a record for her, I think!  In the back of the each book is a certificate, with a place to write your child's name, awarded for "pledging to 'Keep it Clean' and to be a voice for all animals by encouraging others to do the same." It's signed by Fletch "himself". ;)

You can find out more about the books and order them here: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fletchadventures/?fref=ts
Website: http://www.fletchadventures.com

At the website, you'll also find some really cute stuff to go along with the books, like t-shirts and temporary tattoos! (My son is sporting a tattoo right now.)

About the author: 

Fletch Adventures was written by Jennifer Cochran, an environmental educator that saw a need for a book with a true conservation message that was still fun for kids to enjoy. Jennifer lives in South Florida with her husband, Lee and her daughter, Madison. Jennifer is active in environmental, conservation & wildlife education throughout South Florida.

"I truly hope you enjoy these books as much as I have enjoyed creating them!"...

Jennifer Cochran

About the Illustrator: 

"Robert Schilling is a freelance illustrator based in Florida. Robert studied at The Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale, where he practiced more traditional techniques of art and started to develop his style. Soon after he attended FZD School of Design in Singapore, where he learned the process of designing for games and film. Currently he's back in the states and works as a freelancer, working on projects that span from board games to children's books."

To check out more of Robbie's work go to http://schillingconcepts.blogspot.com/

A BIG thank you to Jennifer Cochran for sending me the books to review! 

Rasmus and the Vagabond by Astrid Lindgren (Review and Giveaway)

I don't remember much about the Pippi Longstocking books, but I do remember loving them and finding them very funny. When I received an email about a new book by the same author up for a review, I was excited to request it! 

However.... The deadline crept up on me real quick-like. My kids had only just started it, and I had to quickly skim through it in order to get the review done in time. I hate that too, because this book deserves better than that. Even in my quick skim-through I found myself drawn into this delightful story. Rasmus and the Vagabond, originally printed in 1956, is absolutely charming and reads as fresh as if it had been written yesterday. The orphan Rasmus' search for a family and a home is sweet, humorous, and filled with adventure. It will appeal to children of all ages!  I look forward to slowing down and reading the rest of this book with my kiddos. 

More about the book:

About the book:

Softcover / 180 pages

After running away from an orphanage, nine-year-old Rasmus finds the world a cold and unfriendly place until he befriends an extraordinary tramp called Paradise Oscar. Together they meet more adventure than they ever imagined, solve a mystery, and catch the culprits. Reassume dreams of finding a family and a home someday. But when he does, will he be able to part with his new friend and life on the road?

About the author:

Astrid Lindgren, the creator of Pippi Longstocking, Emil, and dozens of other world-famous characters, has thrilled three generations of children with her storytelling. She is the only children’s author with a literary prize, a theme park, a museum, a satellite, and a minor planet named in her honor. (After this last honor, she suggested changing her name to “Asteroid Lindgren.”) A jury appointed by Swedish Radio’s Culture Department to elect the “Author of the Millennium” voted Astrid Lindgren second after William Shakespeare. She was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal and heaps of other awards and honors.

Official Website: http://www.plough.com/en/ebooks/qr/rasmus-and-the-vagabond

One of you will win a copy of Rasmus and the Vagabond!  To enter, simply leave a comment on this blog post or on my Facebook page letting me know that you wish to be entered. If you share this giveaway via social media, leave another comment letting me know and I'll give you an extra entry. Giveaway ends Wednesday, February 18. 

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. 
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Draw-A-Saurus (Book Review)

As soon as I saw this book on the review list, I knew I had to get it for my dino-loving son. I was right--it was a hit!

Draw-A-Saurus, Everything You Need to Know to Draw Your Favorite Dinosaurs is, in a word, fun! No dry, boring instructions here! Nooo, sir. This book is bright, colorful, and funny! I particularly love the "editor's notes".

Dinosaur facts are included throughout the book, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to draw various types of dinosaurs. 

My son is 7. He had a bit of trouble with the more detailed steps of dino drawing, but I was very impressed with how well he did. I have no artistic talent when it comes to drawing, but I helped my son out with the more advanced steps and I was quite satisfied with our attempts. :) Even if it wasn't perfect, my little guy and I had fun together, and he learned something new. So, for educational as well as fun value, this book is a winner! 

There is evolutionary content in the book, so just a heads up there. 

Draw-A-Saurus gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.

Read more about the book here.

Read more about the author here.

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

Andi Unexpected by Amanda Flower (Book Review)

As soon as I read the blurb for Andi Unexpected I knew my daughter would love it! Andi Unexpected  is the perfect mystery for tween children, and I was especially pleased to know that my daughter would learn a bit of history while enjoying a good book! That's always a plus, right? 

And now, I'll let you read Carrie's review of :

Andi Unexpected by Amanda Flower

From Carrie, 11:
Andi is a young girl whose life turns upside down when her parents die. She and her older sister, Bethany, are taken to live with their aunt Amelie, where she meets a boy named Colin from next door. Not long after Andi gets there, her aunt asks her to clean out the attic for an upcoming garage sale. Aunt Amelie told Andi that if she cleaned it out she could have the attic as her room. Andi doesn't know that a mystery is in store until she and Colin (who was helping her clean the attic) find a chest with things belonging to a baby in it. She discovers that she is related to the baby and finds herself in trouble as she goes through history trying to find out what had happened to baby Andora.

Andi Unexpected is suspenseful and exciting! I especially liked that it said a lot about the Great Depression. The story was inspiring because Andi never gave up. I would definitely recommend this book to others!
                                                   

Book Description From the Publisher:

Twelve-year-old Andora “Andi” Boggs and her fourteen-year-old sister Bethany move to rural Ohio to live with their eccentric twenty-something aunt after the sudden death of their parents. While dealing with her grief, Andi discovers proof of another Andora Boggs in the family tree whose existence was hidden in a Depression-era trunk in the attic. With help from her new friend and neighbor, Colin Carter, Andi is determined to find out who this first Andora was and what happened to her.

You may purchase the book here.

Thanks for reading!

Audrey Bunny Book Review and Giveaway

The winner is: Susan Laney Borow! 

I don't know if I've ever related to a children's book quite like I did Audrey Bunny.

Too often, people feel rejected, unwanted, so far from perfect, and left at the "bottom of the barrel". If you have ever felt this way, you'll love this book and the sentiment it expresses. Through the sweet story and beautiful illustrations, your children will see how God loves them, even when they aren't perfect. He made them, after all, and He doesn't make "mistakes". Your child will have a new understanding of God's unshakable, unchangeable, unconditional love.

Another lesson your children will learn from this story is that everyone has inestimable value. Hopefully, they will see others who are "imperfect" through different eyes...God's eyes.

My daughters and I loved Audrey Bunny, and I'm sure you will, too. Instructions on how to enter are at the end of this post. 

More info on the book:
About Audrey Bunny

From best-selling women’s author Angie Smith (I Will Carry You, Mended) comes this sweet children’s book about a stuffed animal named Audrey Bunny who fears her imperfections make her unworthy of a little girl’s love. She'll learn the truth soon enough, and young readers will learn that everyone is special and wonderfully made by God.

[Also included]: The Parent Connection (last page of the book) shares discussion questions and activities reinforcing God's love for us.

Angie Smith is the wife of Todd Smith (lead singer of Dove Award winning group Selah), best-selling author of Mended, I Will Carry You, and What Women Fear, and one of the most popular speakers and blog writers in the country. She holds a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology from Vanderbilt University and lives with her husband and daughters in Nashville, TN.

Written by: Angie Smith

Publisher: B&H Publishing

Hardcover with jacket:  32 pages 

$14.99

Stay Connected: 

http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/books/products.asp?p=9781433680458

http://youtu.be/hB6YFDowXxs

https://www.facebook.com/bhpublishing

https://twitter.com/bhpub

http://www.pinterest.com/bhpub

To enter to win this beautiful book, simply comment below telling me the title of your favorite children's book. It's that easy! The Giveaway will end Tuesday, Nov. 5th at 5:00 pm.

Exciting News!

My daughter, Carrie, is a bookworm. Her favorite books are the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mysteries, so she was very happy when I discovered a Kindle freebie that was a mystery, written in a similar style. The book was part of a series and was written by a new author, Paul Moxham. Carrie enjoyed the book immensely. I found more of Mr. Moxham's books and short stories for free or very cheap, and Carrie quickly devoured those, as well. In one of the books Mr. Moxham said that if his readers had any plot ideas, they could send them to him and, if he used their idea, he would name one of the characters in that story after the sender.

Carrie was hooked. She quickly came up with a plot, (a pretty good one, I might add) and sent it off to Paul Moxham. I warned her that she may never hear back from him; we didn't even know if hewas still  accepting ideas. The warning did nothing to dampen her enthusiasm, and she waited impatiently for an answer to her email. When Mr. Moxham replied, she was ecstatic!

Long story short, Paul Moxham, did use Carrie's plot, and created a character based on Carrie's description and interests. When all was said and done and Carrie read the preview Mr. Moxham emailed to us, she was over the moon! She was even more excited when she read that he might even use her character in a future story, as well!

And now, we wait for "her" short story, "The Mystery of the Strange Notebook" to become available on Amazon. In the meantime, you can get the first book in the series, The Mystery of Smuggler's Cove for free (Kindle version) through Sept. 16th! If you download this book, please leave a review on Amazon! Thanks!

Alone Yet Not Alone (Book Review, Giveaway, and Movie Details)

My daughters were happy to be able to participate in today's review/giveaway. Since this was kind of their review I only skimmed the book, so I don't have much of an opinion on it other than it definitely looks exciting and, even though I read only a little, I could see that it had a wonderful message of hope and courage. There are eight pages of photos from the movie in the center of the book, and I know my younger daughter especially liked this. 

Keep scrolling for more info on this book, our giveaway, and the movie that will be coming to theaters on September 27th. 

"Alone Yet Not Alone is an exciting true story about two young girls who are captured by Indians. It tells about their strong faith even through the hardest times. Barbara, even when faced with the penalty of death, never gave up hope, and that is what eventually set her free. It's a story of faith, hope, love, and survival."  ~Brianna

"What I didn't like about this book: nothing. I loved this book. It's clean and very exciting. It makes you feel like you're there with them and seeing what they are seeing. It's easy to understand and is a very good book."  ~Carrie

About Alone Yet Not Alone (novelization):

Settled in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania, deep within America's new frontier, the Leininger family celebrates the blessings of a beautiful homestead and bountiful harvest. That is, until tragedy strikes with the beginning of the French and Indian War and the devastating raid known as the Penn's Creek Massacre. 

The lives of this simple, God-fearing family are forever altered when Barbara and Regina, two young sisters, are carried away by the Delaware tribe. Driven by their faith in God and the powerful bonds of family, Barbara and Regina hold firmly to the belief that they are never alone, even in their darkest hour, and that they will be reunited again. 

Rich in historical details, Alone Yet Not Alone is an inspirational, true story of a family caught in the cross fire of the French and Indian War. 

About The Author: 

Tracy Leininger Craven loves history and retelling real-life stories in her historical fiction books. She also loves spending her free time in the great outdoors with her husband David and their four children.

Alone Yet Not Alone (the book)

Written by: Tracy Leininger Craven

Publisher: Zonderkidz 

Paperback: 148 pages 

 

About Alone Yet Not Alone (THE MOVIE):

Releases in theaters Sept 27th, 2013 - Find a Theater Here: http://seatzy.com/main/moviedetail/alone-yet-not-alone

Families will love this film based on a true story!  Awarded 5 Doves from the Dove Foundation!

 

Starring: Kelly Greyson, Natalie Racoosin, Clay Walker, Jenn Gotzon, Joanie Stewart, Ozzie Torres, Tony Wade.

Stay Connected: 

Bring Alone Yet Not Alone to Your City: http://seatzy.com/main/moviedetail/alone-yet-not-alone

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aloneyetnotalone

Movie Twitter: https://twitter.com/AYNAthemovie

Movie Website: http://www.aloneyetnotalone.com

And now, for the GIVEAWAY!

One of my readers will win a copy of the book, Alone Yet Not Alone. We're keeping it simple. To enter, all you have to do is comment below this post. that's it; just say somethin'. To earn more entries, share this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, or on your blog. Please leave a comment for each time you share. The winner will be announced one week from today. Good luck!