Thursday, February 28, 2013

ARE THE DINOSAURS DEAD, DAD? by Julie Middleton, illustrated by Russell Ayto ~ Giveaway

About Book 

What were the dinosaurs like when they were alive? Dave and Dad are about to find out!

Kids love to imagine what dinosaurs might have been like when they were alive. But when a trip to the museum turns into a real-life prehistoric encounter, Dave and his dad don't need to use their imaginations. As they walk through the rooms of the exhibit, Dave keeps trying to get his dad's attention. The dinosaurs around them spring to life, but Dad remains oblivious to the unfolding scene and keeps insisting the creatures are dead. Dave knows better though, and when they find themselves pursued by a hungry Tyrannosaurus, Dad finally realized it too!

Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? introduces young readers to dinosaur names and characteristics in a fun and silly format. After experiencing this witty, brightly illustrated story, readers will never look at a museum the same way again!
Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes&Noble
  • ISBN-13: 9781561456901
  • Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
  • Publication date: 3/1/2013
  • Pages: 32
  • Age range: 4 - 8 Years
  • Product dimensions: 9.60 (w) x 11.60 (h) x 0.40 (d)



About Author

Julie Middleton lives in England with her husband Sam, children Frankie and Harley, and a cat named Joe Noodle.  Julie writes scripts and stories for children's television.  Are The Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? is her first picture book. She lives in England.




About Illustrator


Russell Ayto has illustrated more than sixty children's books, including one more sheep, where Teddy Bears Come From, and The Cow that Laid an Egg. He lives in England.



GIVEAWAY ~ U.S. residents only
Provided by  Peachtree Publishers
Win a HARDCOVER Copy of 
ARE THE DINOSAURS DEAD, DAD?
 1 Winner
Just leave a comment below with your email.
(I need your email to contact you if you are the winner)
Ends March 8, 2013
Winner announced on March 9th, 2013


My Thoughts
Dave and his Dad are visiting the Museum of Prehistoric Dinosaurs.  They have very long odd names that are hard to pronounce, but Dad takes the time to pronounce the names slowly so Dave will learn how to pronounce them correctly.  But after Dad walks off from each Dinosaur leaving Dave to continue to stare ate the creatures they come alive.  Dad told him it was just his imagination because they are indeed dead.  Boy does Dad get a big surprise when the badest of all dinosaurs ends up following them.  What will they do?

I couldn't wait to look the Dinosaur names up on the computer to learn even more about them. Very interesting indeed!

The story is fun and information and a lot of imagination in the author's writings.  The illustration are very funny, unique and creative and depicts the author's story to a T, Tyrannosaurus that is.

I recommend this book.  

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.


Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book from the Peachtree Publishers for review. I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my honest opinion. 

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Author Carole P. Roman presents CAPTAIN NO BEARD! series Books 1 & 2, plus, I WANT TO DO YOGA, TOO ~ Giveaway!



About Book

Captain No Beard - An Imaginary Tale of a Pirates Life

"Named to Kirkus Reviews' Best of 2012"

Captain No Beard and his pirate ship The Flying Dragon set sail for a voyage of the imagination with his fearless crew of four: First Mate Hallie, Mongo the Monkey, Linus the loudmouthed lion, and Fribbet the floppy frog. Normally a young boy named Alexander, his cousin Hallie, and three stuffed animals, once they board his bed their world is transformed into a magical vessel sailing the seven seas on dangerous and exciting adventures!


ISBN-13: 9780615534657

Publisher: CreateSpace

Publication date: 4/12/2012

Pages: 40

Product dimensions: 8.50 (w) x 8.50 (h) x 0.10 (d)






About Book Two
Pepper Parrot's Problem with Patience

A Captain No Beard  Story

"Named to Kirkus Reviews' Best of 2012"

The crew of the Flying Dragon are sailing again. This time, new crewmember, Pepper Parrot is having a hard time keeping up with the drills. Captain No Beard and his mates join together to help Pepper achieve her goals with patience and tolerance.


Purchase on Amazon


About Book

I want to do yoga, too!

Hallie and Mommy are going to the yoga studio and Hallie is very unhappy.  She wants to do yoga too!  In this delightful tale, Carole P. Roman shows how you can find yoga poses in everyday life and enjoy them as well. 

ISBN-13: 9781475015584
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication date: 12/24/2012

Pages: 24

Product dimensions: 6.00 (w) x 9.00 (h) x 0.06 (d)

Purchase on AmazonBarnes&Noble


About Carole

Award winning author Carole P. Roman is a former teacher turned businesswoman. She has successfully run a family business with her husband that employs close to five hundred people. Her most favorite job is being grandmother to her many grandchildren.  Roman has two wonderful sons and hit the jackpot in the daughter-in-law department. She currently lives on Long Island with her husband.

Her first book, Captain No Beard - An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate's Life has been named to Kirkus Reviews' Best of 2012 as well garnered the star of remarkable merit.  Captain No Beard has developed in a series of 3 more books.  Her next project is the book series I Want To Do Yoga Too.  She is currently working on a new educational series that explores different cultures from a child's point of view.
Author's website: http://caroleproman.com


GIVEAWAY 
Provided by  the Author
WIN ALL 3 BOOKS
I WILL CHOOSE 10 WINNERS! 
Yep, 10 winners!
Just leave a comment below with your email.
(I need your email to contact you if 
you are the winner)
If you like follow me and the author.
Ends March 7th, 2013
Winners announced on March 8th, 2013



My Thoughts About CAPTAIN NO BEARD!

If you use your imagination you could set sail on a ship the Flying Dragon.  At the helm is Captain No Beard and his First Mate Hallie.  They take their very special stuffed animals and  turn them into the crew on the ship. They are:  Mongo the monkey, Linus the loudmouthed lion, and Fribbet the floppy frog. The Captain could not have chosen a more dedicated crew.  The Captain had to make sure everything was in ship shape.  After all, being the Captain is hard work.

The author has some imagination herself.  She takes the reader on an adventure at sea with a very colorful and funny, I mean fun, crew.  The story will teach the children what fun it is to use their imagination to create their own adventures.  It is also a great lesson in team work.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

WAIT!!!   
I want to tell you what I thought 
about another of
CAPTAIN NO BEARD STORIES, 
book 2, 
PEPPER PARROT'S PROBLEM WITH PATIENCE.

Get your imagination stirred up to go on another adventure with Captain No Beard and his crew! He has a new crew member to introduce to the crew, Pepper Parrot.  He must teach Pepper the drills.  But Pepper got all confused and did not know her left from her right.  She had no confidence in herself and absolutely had a lack of patience.  Hallie came up with a solution and taught Pepper how to be more patient and confident.  Then Hallie taught her what her left and her right were.  The crew celebrated because they had a new mattie.  

The author teaches the reader to be patient and with the right guidance you can have confidence in yourself.  There is nothing wrong with asking for guidance.  These are good lessons. We all need to learn patience.

I remember a little song I would sing to my kids about Patience: 
Be patient, be patient, don't be in such a hurry. 
When you get impatient you only start to worry.  
Remember, remember that God is patient too. 
So think of all the times when others had to wait on you!
~Agape~
I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.


Now I have one more book by this 
author that I want to share my thoughts
 about and it is:
I WANT TO DO YOGA, TOO!

This story is about Hallie and her Mommy.  You guessed right Hallie is the same little girl from The Captain No Beard series.  

Hallie and her Mommy go to a yoga studio and Hallie is not happy because she wants to do yoga, too.  When Hallie was left with someone that watches over the children, while the adults went to yoga, Hallie began to pout.  She wanted to do yoga, too.  Robin, the helper tried to get Hallie to stand like a tree, then an airplane.  But Hallie still complained that she wanted to do yoga, too. 

What do you think the author was teaching in this story. Yep, Hallie was doing yoga.  That is what the character, Robin was having Hallie do.  She was also teaching her to be patient.  

In the author's writing she shows great patience and love for children.  She encourages them to be brave and confident in themselves.  

I recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure:  I received all three books for free from the author for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my honest opinion.


Saturday, February 23, 2013

GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER BY JULIAN ROSADO-MACHAIN

About Book

A chance reading of a newspaper ad will send 16 year old Thomas Byrne into the world within our world.

Following the ad he will find Guardians Incorporated. A seven thousand year old organization charged with protecting the balance between Magic and technology.

Through their guidance technology has kept Magic at bay since the Renaissance, but the balance is shifting and soon all those creatures we've driven into myth and legend will come back with a vengeance.

To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future and to unlock the future they need a cypher.


Author Bio:

Julian Rosado-Machain has enjoyed pizza in three continents, BA in Graphic Design, worked building armored vehicles, handcrafted alebrijes, owned a restaurant and swears that he has seen at least one ghost.

A Mexico City native he now lives in San Diego, California and enjoys the sun with his wife, three children and cat.

Guardians Inc. The Cypher is the first book in a series that describes the creatures and powers that live in the world within our world.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://guardiansinc.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Guardians.Incorporated?ref=hl

The Guardians Inc. Blog: http://guardians-inc.tumblr.com

Buy Link:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/W5w6GH (ebook is free throughout the tour)
B&N: http://bit.ly/129DJCt (ebook is free throughout the tour)

Book 2 is also now available:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/X8aw3k

Age: Young Adult


Interview: Julian Rosado-Machain

Hello loaned readers! M from the Guardians Inc. Command and Control room here

I would like to thank your blogger master for lending me this space. I’ll try not to bore your readers to much.

My boss’s uberboss gave him a list of topics that Guardians Inc. needs to disclose to world because the Technology-Magic balance is shifting and many of those creatures we thought, (rather you think) are just fantasy are coming back into the world, so you have to be ready.

So, out of the topic list I have I have decided to jump to the very end… Sec. 7- Hybrid Creatures Subsection 33- Magic imbued parasites…drum roll….

ZOMBIES!

The living dead, the undead or the magically or substance controlled, zombies are practically plants with legs. And I say practically because they do two things that plants do, they eat and they smell. Nasty, but they smell.
I can’t probably add too much to the Zombie image because they are a hot topic today, we see them in movies, TV and books eating brains and other assorted viscera to their undead content.
Most of what we see today is true. You get bitten and not eaten; you turn into a zombie yourself, there is no cure for the zombification. The prospect of a zombie plague is a real and present danger.
Then again it has been for thousands of years, and there have been outbreaks across the ages. From the steppes of Russia to the jungles of Brazil, entire populations have been Zombified and had to be put down. Almost half of the lost cities of the old world were abandoned because of Zombie plagues.
 
Examples: Teotihuacan in Mexico. Once a city of 250,000 people had a zombie outbreak and boom… gone forever.
Paititi in Brazil…same thing.
Aoudaghost in Africa
And so on and so forth…

Oh yea, the one that strikes closer to home would be the Roanoake’s Lost Colony. You know, the one were the people that arrived to check on the colony found only the word CROATOAN in a tree? That one?…. Zombie Outbreak in 1588.
Had to be put down.
By whom?
By us.

We put down the zombie plague in Carthage too in 146 with our then Roman Legions, destroyed the city and covered it with salt so nothing would grow back, and also to dry out whatever decided to rise from the ground.

A dry zombie becomes a mummy and mummies are harmless.

If you see a pattern, you’ll see that Zombie outbreaks are dangerous in cities and centers of population, were one zombie can bite many people and spread the disease very quickly.

Of course that was before the “Zombie Awareness Campaign” instituted by a certain Mr. Romero. An aware population is a safe population, and now everyone knows about zombies.
A zombie outbreak of apocalyptic proportions is probably never going to happen.
Why? I ask you, who sits on the other side of the screen:
You see a guy, or girl, dripping blood, shambling their feet as they walk towards you, moaning and wheezing, with white eyes (if any) and bony fingers, trailing a cloud of flies behind and trying to get a bite out of you.

What is it?
 A zombie.

What do you do?
Run, or if you prefer and have the valor to exercise a civic duty, hit it on the head…Hard.
AN unmoving Zombie is a good Zombie.

Multiply that knowledge by the population that have seen or read any zombie book or movie and add that zombies are slow. Very, very, slow and the crisis will be averted almost as soon as it begins.
By experience we know that a good gunslinger with two revolvers and enough bullets can singlehandedly put down the whole infected population of a small town without getting himself bit. It happened in the late 1800 in the U.S. but I’m not going to say where.

I don’t want anyone getting near that ghost town.

Ghosts are very reclusive and angered easily, but that is for another post.

Cheers, and thanks again!

M-  


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Schedule: 
Feb. 4 Alli's World http://mrscaptkirk51.blogspot.com/ Author Guest Post

Feb. 5 Living, Learning, and Loving Life http://www.livinglearninglovinglife.com Author Guest Post

Feb. 6 Library Girl Reads & Reviews http://librarygirlreads.blogspot.com Character Interview

Feb. 7 Bookshelf http://riviebook.blogspot.com/ Review & author guest post

Feb. 8 Trendy Mom Reviews http://www.trendymomreviews.com Author Guest Post

Feb. 9 Mrs Mommy Booknerd's Book Reviews http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com Excerpt

Feb. 10 Java John Z's Giveaways and Reviews http://javajohnz.blogspot.com/ Review & character guest post

Feb. 11 Girl Who Reads http://www.girl-who-reads.com Meet the Author Monday

Feb. 13 Ask Me Anything at http://guardians-inc.tumblr.com/

Feb. 14 lindsay and janes views and reviews http://lindsayandjaneviewsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/ Review & Author Interview

Feb. 15 Pulling Down Books http://pullingdownbooks.com Review

Feb. 16 KY Bunnies  http://blog.kybunnies.com 

Feb. 17 Cabin Goddess http://cabingoddess.com Review & Excerpt

Feb. 18 The Oaken Bookcase http://www.oakenbookcase.com Review & Excerpt

Feb. 19 Classic Children's Books http://familyliteracy2.blogspot.com Review

Feb. 20 Keeping Up With The Rheinlander's http://mnmrheinlander.com character Guest Post

Feb. 21 Larkin's Book Bloggers http://blogs.ellingtonschools.org/larkin/ Review & author guest post

Feb. 22 Recent Reads http://www.recentread.com Review & Excerpt

Feb. 23 http://logaslocoreads.blogspot.com.au/ Review & character guest post

Feb. 23 It's About Time Mamaw http://itsabouttimemamaw.blogspot.com/ Character Guest Post 

Feb. 24 Tamara's One Stop Indie Shop http://theindieshop.blogspot.com/ Excerpt


Thursday, February 21, 2013

The Adventures of Lovable Lobo ~ LOBO VISITS THE BARNYARD by C. L. Murphy


About Book

Silly is what Lobo does best in this adventure where he visits the barnyard.  Who knew he could have so much fun slopping and plopping with the farm animals?  Lobo soon realizes that he is better off being true to his lovable wolf self.

Find and press the animal footprints on each page to hear the farm animal sounds.




About the Author

C.L. Murphy lives in southern Oregon with her husband and has two sons. Her great love of the outdoors and wildlife in the beautiful Oregon's forests have inspired her storybooks. 

 A percentage of the proceeds from her first book of the series,'The Adventures of Lovable Lobo - Lobo & Popo Fool the Pack' will be donated to wildlife rehabilitation refuges.

Isn't he so cute and lovable!

My Thoughts

Lobo visits a barnyard and is introduced to many barnyard animals.  Lobo wanted to imitate the animals by slopping, waddling, plopping, slurping, flapping and fluffing.  Can you guess what animals he imitated?  

The barnyard animals kept trying to explain to him that he was not a barnyard animal and each time he would say, "I know."  But one thing was for sure he sure did have fun!   


He knew all along he was a wolf and he proved it to them by howling, which sent them all running.  They knew he was a lovable Lobo and were not scared, only surprised.

The author brings the fun loving Lobo back for us to enjoy while he visits the barnyard animals.  The illustrations jump off the pages and come alive with cute colorful barnyard animals and the bold, colorful antics of a lovable Lobo. 

The is story will show the child  what kind of animals live in a barnyard and what they do during the day to occupy themselves.

I highly recommend this book to parents, grandparents, caregivers, teacher, educators, librarians and of course children.

I rated this book 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the author for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  This is my honest opinion.

A Whisper In The Jungle ~ A Lion in America #1, by Robert Mwangi ~ Giveaway

About Book
Deep in the African jungle where even the bravest are afraid to venture, lies a truth that will propel James through his improbable American journey, if he can come out alive.  James a village boy in Africa receives a scholarship to go and study in America and he becomes the envy of the whole village. His girlfriend Janny is however skeptical of what a long distance relationship can do to love. But when Janny vanishes from the village, James and his dog Simba plunge into the belligerent forest at the risk of his life and his American dream.  Love transcends all. ‘A Whisper in the Jungle’ is a suspense story full of love, humor and adventure, where the answer to love’s dilemma lies with a perfect kiss at the top of the Empire Building in New York City .
Read Excerpt  Here
Where to buy: Amazon

You tube video:  Here is a taste of the 
music I grew up listening to in Africa.

About Robert
I was born under the hills of Mt. Kenya and no, the lions didn’t roar at my birth. In a post colonial Africa, my mum ventured into Nairobi City in search of a living and it was here that I was introduced into a 21st century Africa. See, while my parents diligently tried to teach me African customs and traditions, I learned a whole lot more about the western world through watching the 14 inch black and white TV and through reading western authors like Enid Blyton and Alfred Hitchcock. I represent the beating heart of a new Africa . 
Many years later when I came to America on a soccer scholarship, it’s those childhood stories that resonated with me that I write about. I had believed in them as a kid, I believe in them now as an adult. I write because it makes me happy. Charles Dickens says that a writer who is natural has fulfilled the rules of art. 
When I came to America , Americans asked me why I had an English name. I had never thought about this before. They asked me how come I speak English so swell and for the first time in my life I questioned my own identity.


GIVEAWAY 
Provided by  the Author
Win a Paperback Copy of 
A Whisper In The Jungle
 3 Winners on this blog.
Just leave a comment below with your email.
(I need your email to contact you if you are the winner)
Ends February  27, 2013
Winner announced on Feb. 28, 2013


My Thoughts of A Whisper In The Jungle
There are places in the African jungle that no one dares to go.  Unware of what or who is hiding in the shadows James has been taught to keep his distance of the shadows in the jungle beyond his village.  This does not stop him from enjoying his time with his dog Simba, his friends and his older brother. Sometimes they will venture out to go hunting.  
Janny a young girl in his village takes time to talk and visit with James. As they mature they find they have much in common and their friendship grows into love.  When it is time for James to go off to boarding school Janny wonders what this move will do to their relationship.   
James has done very well in school and has become a valuable player on his soccer team, each year getting better and better.  Then he is offered a scholarship to go to America but when he returns home to celebrate Janny has gone missing along with some other children from their village.  James refused to wait for help and plunges into the shadowy depths of the jungle to find Janny.  
What has happened to those missing and what will become of James?  Will he be throwing his future away or is it his future he is going after?
The author writes an intriguing story of mystery, suspense, adventure, romance and even humor. I have never read a book about modern day Africa so this was an adventure for me as well.  Robert Mwangi definitely caught my attention and held it until the very end of the book.  You will never guess what happens!  The last part of the book sure surprised me as I am sure it will you also. The author seems like an intelligent, talented and delightful fun loving young man and I love his energy!
I highly recommend this book for middle grade, young adult and adult.
I rated this book a 5 out of 5.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the author for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. This is my honest opinion.
If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here.