Princess Onyx ~ Precious Gems, story by Clarissa Burton, illustrations by Jason Brooks ~ Giveaway

About Book

CHICAGO — Colorism within the Black community has been a serious emotional and psychological battle since American slavery. Recently, a documentary was released addressing the critical issue of colorism among Black women. However, it’s vital to address colorism among Black girls at an early age. Author Clarissa Burton addresses this exact issue in her children’s book series—Princess Onyx™.

The Princess Onyx™ children’s book series is about a young girl names Jaydah who shares her painful  experiences at the elementary school with her grandmother, Tata. To help Jaydah cope with the confusion and painful experiences, Tata tells Jaydah stories about a beautiful, Black princess named Onyx who experiences similar situations and deals with them in a positive manner with the support of her mother and father. Princess Onyx lives in the Kingdom of Jet with her parents, King Stygian and Queen Sable.

The Princess Onyx™ children’s book series is an essential read for all children, especially little Black girls and their families. This book series addresses such topics as colorism, Black hair textures, Black female features, etiquette, and being friends with non-Blacks without apology.

Where to buy: Amazon, Princess Onyx Store

About Author

Clarissa Burton, aka Queen of The Pen™, International Investigative Journalist and Womanist Media Historian Correspondent, has published in the Charleston Post-Courier, the KC Star, Flourish Magazine, and the KC Small Business Monthly. She’s the founder of Queen of the Pen Books™ (www.queenofthepenbooks.com), and Princess Onyx™ (www.princessonyx.com) websites; currently writes for Yahoo, and CNN iReport; published: Travel – A Poetry Compilation; Elijah’s Great Race; The Black Family Tree™; and Faces; two Princess Onyx™ children’s books are scheduled for release in 2013. Clarissa has a B.A. in Psychology, an M.A. in Business, and is currently completing her Ed.D. in Higher Education and Adult Learning.

About Illustrator

Jason Brooks, Illustrator – Jason Brooks is a career graphic artist who specializes in illustration. During his childhood, his mother inspired his love for art through her paintings. Jason began his artistic journey when he began to write and illustrate comic strips and books to entertain family and friends. He went on to earn an Associate’s Degree in Graphic Design.

Jason’s first professional job was in production art and package design. Over the years, he has expanded his work in freelance opportunities that include website and printed works. Jason is 38 years old, married and the father of two children. His inspirations are his Christian faith, family, and working to expand his career in Marketing. Jason is an expert user of Adobe Creative Suite as well as working closely with his clients to develop custom designs and illustrations.

Jason began working with Clarissa "Queen of the Pen" Burton in 2011. Their first collaboration was on her first children's book titled, Elijah's Great Race.

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Winner announced on May 4th, 2013

My Thoughts

Jaydah was not happy when she came home from school.  Someone had made a comment about not wanting to play with her because her skin was too dark.  When her grandmother, Tata, heard Jaydah crying she knew just what to do to make her feel better.  She told her a story about another little girl that was made fun of because of because she was poor and had raggedy clothes and her skin was too dark.  Well the young Princess Onyx was at the time and did not like the way the little girl was being treated.   What do you think happened next?  

The illustrations of the children were just too cute and the illustrator captured the stories emotion in the children and Princess Onyx.

The author has touched on a subject that effects so many Black children and even adults of color.  The lesson told in this story is that you should be proud of the color of your skin no matter who you are or where you are from.  A quote from the story,"You are beautiful and exquisite like a beautiful and precious gem.". 

I have always pondered on, what if everyone were blind.  I know that sounds horrible but just think if everyone were blind no one would be concerned over the color of ones skin.  We are all beautiful no matter our color!  We are a Precious Gems!

I highly recommend this book. 

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book from Bostick Communications/Author Clarissa Burton for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  This review is my honest opinion.

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WILD BOY ~ The Real Life of the Savage of Aveyron ~ by MARY LOSURE, illustrated by TIMOTHY BASIL ERING ~ Giveaway

About Book. 

What happens when society finds a wild boy alone in the woods and tries to civilize him? A true story from the author of The Fairy Ring.

“One day in 1798, woodsmen in southern France returned from the forest having captured a naked boy. He had been running wild, digging for food, and was covered with scars. In the village square, people gathered around, gaping and jabbering in words the boy didn’t understand. And so began the curious public life of the boy known as the Savage of Aveyron, whose journey took him all the way to Paris. Though the wild boy’s world was forever changed, some things stayed the same: sometimes, when the mountain winds blew, “he looked up at the sky, made sounds deep in his throat, and gave great bursts of laughter.” In a moving work of narrative nonfiction that reads like a novel, Mary Losure invests another compelling story from history with vivid and arresting new life.” 

Wild Boy: The Real Life of the Savage of Aveyron(Candlewick, March 26, 2013),  illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering, the artist for Kate DiCamillo’s Newbery-Medal-winningThe Tale of Despereaux.

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Winner announced on May 1st, 2013

This often-seen image of the wild boy was published in a report written by a priest and naturalist, P. J. Bonnaterre, who studied the boy after he was brought to the city of Rodez, in the department of Aveyron, in
1800. The drawing portrays him as a scientific specimen, the way Bonnaterre (who dismissed him as little more than an ”imbecile”) viewed him.

But Dr. Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard, the man who later became the wild boy’s teacher and worked with him for five years, believed the boy he named Victor was an ”extraordinary being.”

To research Wild Boy, I went to France with the help of a Travel and Study Grant from the Jerome
Foundation. I was happy to find that many of scenes of the wild boy’s life are remarkably unchanged today.


Above is the square in the village of Lacaune where the wild boy was exhibited after his first capture in 1798.  He escaped and, after another year living wild in the forest, was captured again. Brought back to the same
village, he escaped  again, this time crossing a range of mountains. In the year 1800, he was captured in this valley (right), near the village of Saint- Sernin.  He appeared at that time to be about 12 years old.



A village official in Saint- Sernin took him home, but he bolted out the door. He was chased through these narrow streets (left), recaptured, and sent to an orphanage. It was then that the scientist P.J. Bonnaterre got word of the discovery of a real, wild human being. Bonnaterre had the boy sent to Rodez so that he, Bonnaterre, could study him there.





This is the former Central School in Rodez, where the wild boy lived until scientists in Paris demanded their chance to study him.




To the left is the Paris school for the deaf where the wild boy found a new home, a foster mother, and his
teacher and friend Dr. Itard.

Dr. Itard’s scientific reports about the wild boy’s life in Paris were later published as a book, The Wild Boy of Aveyron.  My book draws on Itard’s writings as well as a wealth of other eyewitness reports, letters, and documents.

When people in France asked me what I was doing in their archives, I would tell them (in my atrocious French), “I’m writing a book about the wild boy.”

“Ah,” they’d say, looking pleased. “L’enfant sauvage!”


photos by Don Losure

About Author

Mary Losure began her wandering career path backpacking in the mountains of California and Oregon and kayaking in the Prince William Sound in Alaska. She’s worked as a field botanist’s assistant, family farmer, and staff reporter forMinnesota Public Radio. A long-time contributor to National Public Radio, she co-founded the independent production company Round Earth Media.

Author's Website: http://www.marylosure.com/

She is the author of  a narrative non-fiction for children:

The Fairy Ring, Or Elsie and Frances Fool the World (Candlewick Press, 2012)

*** Booklist Editors’ Choice for Best Youth Non-Fiction, 2012***

** I was given permission from the author to use material from her website for this post.

My Thoughts

A true story about a wild boy found in southern France, 1798.  

There was a sighting of a wild naked boy in the mountain forest, he appeared to be digging in the leaves.   He was not easy to track, that is until 1798 he was finally tracked down and captured in the mountains and was forcibly brought into town where many gawked at him as if he was a wild beast.  From that day on he was know as the Savage of Aveyron.  He managed to escaped a few times but was always brought back to Paris where he was being studied as a human specimen.  He faced many changes in his life some good and some bad.  He was never forgotten.

The author writes of the trials and tribulations in the life of this young boy as facts had been written and documented of the research and later schooling of his life in captivity.  The story shows how sad his life must have been in comparison to other children of his time.  It is very well put together on a level for children to read of this historical representation of the Savage of Aveyron, yet adults will enjoy it as well.  

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

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

If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here.

Candlewick Press 

CELEBRATING EARTH DAY 2013 with Little Pickle Press

This colorful, insightful story, demystifies for children what it means to be green by helping them to view everyday tasks through an environmentally-friendly lens. The book empowers children to do whatever they can to protect the earth’s precious resources. Don’t be surprised if they start coming up with suggestions of their own for you! Sample Music 

In this magically illustrated bedtime story, little Sofia befriends the Moon and sets off on dreamy adventure to visit her friend. She sees our planet from the Moon’s point of view and is inspired to do whatever she can to protect the Earth and to encourage others to do the same. Sample music 

World of Peachtree Presents ~ The Garden of My Imaan by Farhana Zia ~ Giveaway

About Book

It's hard enough to fit in without also having to decide whether to fast for Ramadan and wear the hijab.

Aliya already struggles with trying to fit in, feeling confident enough to talk to the cute boy, or brave enough to stand up to mean kids-the fact that she's Muslim is just another part of her life. But then Marwa, a Moroccan girl who shares Aliya's faith, if not her culture, moves to town. Marwa's quiet confidence leads Aliya to wonder even more about who she is, what she believes, and where she fits in. In a series of letters to Allah she writes for a Sunday school project, Aliya explores her dreams and fears, hoping that with hard work and faith, something beautiful will grow in the garden of imaan-the small quiet place inside where belief unfolds, one petal at a time.

• ISBN-13: 9781561456987
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
• Publication date: 4/1/2013
• Pages: 192
• Age range: 8 - 10 Years
• Product dimensions: 6.00 (w) x 8.60 (h) x 1.00 (d)

Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes&Noble

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About Author

Farhana Zia is an elementary school teacher who grew up in Hyderabad, India. Her stories blend humor and tradition, memories and contemporary moments. Her first picture book, Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-Ji, received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. She lives in Massachusetts.

My Thoughts

Aliya, compared to her friends at Sunday School is the least to follow the Muslim customs.  She wears her hijab, a scarf to church but not to school.  She makes excuses for this but her friends see her as more American than them.  Her family's roots come from India and she feels they are less strict than others in the Muslim community.  

During Ramadan she does not plan to fast during the week and she even plans to attend a party which other girls at her church do not plan to attend because of Ramadan.  This here friends find surprising.  She asked he mother how they are to celebrate Thanksgiving since it falls at the same time as Ramadan.   

Aliya meditates and learns more about Ramadan and it's real meaning from writing a project for sunday school and from talking with her great grandmother.  What has she learned during this time of meditation and fasting?

The author give us a look into the culture and growth of a young girl as she approaches womanhood.  I feel as if it is similar to many cultures when young girls at this age are more interested in boys and other things than they are of family and church responsibilities and customs. 

I highly recommend this book. 

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

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


If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here.

WORLD OF PEACHTREE TOUR ~ The Garden of my Imaan by Farhana Zia

It's hard enough to fit in without also having to 

decide whether to 

fast for Ramadan and wear the hijab.

Aliya already struggles with trying to fit in, feeling confident enough to talk to the cute boy, or brave enough to stand up to mean kids-the fact that she's Muslim is just another part of her life. But then Marwa, a Moroccan girl who shares Aliya's faith, if not her culture, moves to town. Marwa's quiet confidence leads Aliya to wonder even more about who she is, what she believes, and where she fits in. In a series of letters to Allah she writes for a Sunday school project, Aliya explores her dreams and fears, hoping that with hard work and faith, something beautiful will grow in the garden of imaan-the small quiet place inside where belief unfolds, one petal at a time.

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It’s About Time Mamaw

Frecklebox Presents! The Ballet Fairy Books by Julia Dweck and Kimberly Soderberg

GET A FREE EBOOK OF BRIANNA THE BALLET FAIRY ON AMAZON KINDLE 

ON APRIL 18TH, 2013

Author Julia Dweck

Brianna the Ballet Fairy

Waiting in Wonder ~ Growing In Faith While You're Expecting ~ A Devotional Journal ~ by Catherine Claire Larson ~ Giveaway

About Book

A devotional journal inviting women to embrace the spiritual journey that awaits as they prepare for the high and holy calling of motherhood. 

Expecting a baby is a wonderful and exciting time for a mother-to-be. She’ll experience many joys as she shares the news with family and friends, hears the baby’s heartbeat for the first time, and bonds emotionally while dreaming about the baby to come. She’ll also experience anxieties such as the trials of morning sickness, anticipating the process of labor, and wondering if she’ll be a good mother. They are all times to be remembered and treasured for a lifetime. 

With Waiting in Wonder, readers are guided through the weeks of pregnancy with devotions for reflection and guided questions for pondering deeper into their experiences both spiritually and physically. Each devotion includes Scripture and journaling space for writing personal thoughts, prayers, dreams, even love letters to the growing baby. And when baby is born, mother will be spiritually blessed and hold a lifelong keepsake for rereading and reliving a truly wonder-filled time.

ISBN-10	1400321077
ISBN-13	9781400321070

Pages	400
Publication	April 16, 2013
Publisher	Thomas Nelson

About Author

I’m Catherine, lover of dappled light, and Blue Ridge hues, of closing my days nestled in my husband’s prayers, and of mornings which bud with baby coos and the voice of my tousled red-headed calling for mama, (that name I wondered if I’d ever get to wear). I’m a collector of words, a cataloger of wonders, and a curator of grace stories.

Visit Catherine's Website: http://www.catherineclairelarson.com/

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WAITING IN WONDER

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Winner announced on April 27th, 2013

My Thoughts

How do I describe this book other than if you are expecting and wish to share your experience with God and the child   He will be gifting to you, this devotional journal will go from week one of until you hold your precious gift from God.  

This journey will give you devotionals and scriptures to meditate on while also explaining the stages along with a peak into the growth of your child titled The Wonder Within.  It even provides a place to write down your thoughts and interpretation of the devotional and scripture,  not only to God but to your child.  The verses are provided as memory verse in each devotional.

I was impressed at the way the book is set up and wish I had this book when I was expecting.  I have five daughters and I am pretty sure they will not be blessing me with anymore than the already fifteen grandchildren.  This year four of my granddaughters with be turning seventeen so I will definitely be recommending this book for their hope chest. I am sure they will not be needing this book for at least five or more years yet. 

My favorite excerpt is page 162, Patient Partners, Patient Parents, and the verse provided: 

Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

1 Corinthians 13:4

This is a wonderful Keepsake, shower gift and more.

I highly recommend this book. 

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

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