SANTA'S BIRTHDAY GIFT by Sherrill S. Cannon GIVEAWAY/REVIEW

About Book

With Christmas around the corner, it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of shopping to catch the best deals of the year, but have you ever stopped to ponder how Christmas is about both Santa and Jesus?  Author Sherrill S. Cannon has the answer. 

If your child or grandchild has ever wondered where Santa fits in with the traditional Christmas story, now you can read them Santa’s Birthday Gift. Finally, a book that ties two holiday traditions into one inspirational tale of wonder – as Santa brings gifts to baby Jesus.  The cleverly-written, rhyming book reveals Santa’s adventure from toymaker to star follower -- right into the heart of Bethlehem where he meets Baby Jesus in the manger.  Delivering toys to a king is a touching experience for both Santa and readers alike, as they discover where the tradition began -- Santa makes a promise to Jesus to bring gifts to good boys and girls each year on Jesus’ birthday. 

Keep the spirit alive this Christmas season while honoring the miraculous birth of Jesus and the magic of Santa Claus with Sherrill S. Cannon’s original children’s book, Santa’s Birthday Gift.


About the Author

Author Sherrill S. Cannon says her inspiration for this book came from her granddaughter who, after hearing the Christmas story, asked, “But where’s Santa?” Cannon has been weaving stories and poems even before she could write.  She enjoys the creative process and says her goal in each book is to teach good manners, as well as caring for others. Her background is in physical education, sports photography and she also had a column in a newspaper.  Cannon is already working on several new children’s books.

Author's website http://cannon.aegauthorblogs.com/ 
Published by eloquentbooks.com
Where to buy her books: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY

of PAPERBACK copy of SANTA'S BIRTHDAY GIFT 

one winner

provided by SHERRILL S. CANNON

giveaway will be from Nov. 15- 21, 2012

  Leave a comment (this is mandatory for the giveaway) 

about who you will give this book to if you win.  

Be sure to leave your email address in the comment

 so I can contact you if you are the winner. 

example of email:  johndoe(at)yahoo(dot)com

I can not contact you without an email.

 I invite you to follow me and the author by

email, GFC, Linky Follower, Facebook, Twitter, G+

 but this is not mandatory for the giveaway.

WINNER ANNOUNCED on NOVEMBER 22ND

My Thoughts

The night Baby Jesus was born Santa Claus saw the Northern Star shining down. After hooking up his reindeer he followed the star to Bethlehem where Baby Jesus lay in a manger Santa was so in awe he offered his heart to Jesus.

a special page from the book

When Santa passed out gifts to everyone there his bag never seemed to be empty.  He had enough toys to give children all over the world a gift in celebration of the Birth of Baby Jesus.  Not only was Santa's heart full of love so seemed his bag of gifts for all the children.  Christ is Love!

This is a definitely a wonderful way to explain in this rhyming story about how it is possible for Santa to have so many gifts to give out at Christmas.  The author seems to get a lot of her inspiration because of  her grandchildren and especially her faith in God. 

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure
I received a free copy of this book from author Sherrill S. Cannon for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my own opinion.

The Adventures of Lovable Lobo - LOBO & POPO FOOL THE PACK by C.L. Murphy GIVEAWAY/REVIEW

About Book

As a right of passage, Lobo, a wolf pup, is expected to bring back dinner for his pack on his first solo hunt. He has a real problem with this, but with the help of Popo, his opossum friend, they come up with a plan in hopes of fooling the pack.

Publisher: C.L. Murphy

• Publication date: 9/30/2012
• Format: eBook
• Age range: 3 - 5 Years
• File size: 5 MB

• 
  
• Where to buy: Barnes&Noble, Amazon, itunes.apple.com
• Series: The Adventures of Lovable Lobo , #1

About 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 Cute!

Get ready for the

 second in the 

series 

The Adventures 

of 

Lovable Lobo,

 where Lobo visits the 

barnyard.  Lobo's antics 

will sure to bring a 

chuckle or two. 

GIVEAWAY

of one PDF OR iBOOK copy of LOBO & POPO FOOL THE PACK 

one winner

provided by C.L. MURPHY

giveaway will be from Nov. 10- 27, 2012

  Leave a comment (this is mandatory for the giveaway) 

about who you will give this book to if you win.  

Be sure to leave your email address in the comment

 so I can contact you if you are the winner. 

example of email:  johndoe(at)yahoo(dot)com

I can not contact you without an email.

 I invite you to follow me and the author by

email, GFC, Linky Follower, Facebook, Twitter, G+

 but this is not mandatory for the giveaway.

 The winner will be announced 

on November 29th, 2012. 

WILL MAKE A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!

My Thoughts

In the Pacific Northwest some wolf pups in a pack were anxiously listening to the pack's leader instruct them on what is expected of them on their first hunt.  They are to bring back their first live kill  to show the leader and the rest of the pack.  The young wolf pup Lobo was listening but he did not like this at all.  You see Lobo is herbivorous which means he only eats vegetation, plant based foods. He has been able to keep this a secret.  He can not bear the idea of killing and eating another animal.  YUK!!

What is he to do?  He can't let the leader and the rest of the pack know he can't eat meat.  He heads out as if he is going on the hunt instead ends up in a secluded spot to meditate on what he should do.  This is when his friend Popo the possum shows up and they come up with a plan.

What have they planned?  What will happen when the pack finds out he doesn't eat meat?  Will he be able to keep his secret hidden from the pack?  

Hurry and get your copy of Lobo and Popo  Fool the Pack to find out how they fool the pack!  Your children will really enjoy the book also so share. ;0)

The author created a wonderful story about wildlife.  What a wonderful thing she is  doing by donating a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of this book to the wildlife rehabilitation refuges.  She teaches the difference between carnivorous and herbivorous animals in the wild.  The illustrations dimensional in  appearance stand out from the pages tantalizing the imagination within the wildlife and their habitat in this fun book.

Don't forget to watch for the next Lobo Adventure coming soon! 

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book 5 out of 5.

Disclosure

I received a free digital copy of this book from the author for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my own opinion.

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

Giveaway/Review of THE SANTA TRAP by Jonathan Emmett, illustrated by Poly Bernatene

About The Santa Trap

Meet a beastly boy with a dastardly plan that could ruin Christmas!

Bradley Bartleby is bad. Very bad. To avoid Bradley's wrath, his wealthy parents buy him whatever he wants. All the adults in Bradley's life are running scared - except for Santa Claus, who refuses to give him anything but socks.

But Bradley vows to get what he deserves. If Santa won't give him the gifts he wants, Bradley will just have to steal them.

It takes Bradley a full year to execute his plan. In the end, he transforms his house into a trap so fearsome even his parents refuse to enter it. With dynamite, trapdoors, guillotines, and tigers in his path, Santa doesn't stand a chance. Or does he?

Ages 6-10
Published by Peachtree Publishers
Visit World of Peachtree
Hardcover: $15.95
ISBN: 978-1-56145-670-3
Total Pages: 32
Size: 9 1/2 x 12

Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes&Noble

About Author & Illustrator

In addition to authoring picture books, Jonathan Emmett also writes and paper engineers pop-up books. He is the author of several books, including The Princess and the Pig, also illustrated by Poly Bernatene. He lives in England.

You can visit Jonathan Emmett’s website here.

Poly Bernatene is a visiting professor at Buenos Aires School of Fine Art. He has worked in advertising, animation, and comics, and has illustrated over sixty children's books. He lives in Argentina.

You can visit Poly Bernatene’s website here.

GIVEAWAY

of one Hardcover copy of THE SANTA TRAP

one winner

provided by Peachtree Publishers

giveaway will be from Nov. 8- 15, 2012

  Leave a comment (this is mandatory for the giveaway) 

about who you will give this book to if you win.  

Be sure to leave your email address in the comment

 so I can contact you if you are the winner. 

example of email:  johndoe(at)yahoo(dot)com

I can not contact you without an email.

 I invite you to follow me and the author by

email, GFC, Linky Follower, Facebook, Twitter, G+

 but this is not mandatory for the giveaway.

 The winner will be announced 

on November 16th, 2012. 

My Thoughts

Bradley Bartleby is a very spoiled and self-centered little boy.  He makes demands and expects those demands to be obeyed.  He has even dared to make demands of Santa Claus.  He demands Santa to bring him every item he has on his long list.

Santa sees all the bad things Bradley does all year round. So every Christmas Bradley receives only one pair of lovely socks under the tree from Santa.  This was the last time this would happen he thought.  He went into a rage and his parents tried to pacify him by telling him they had bought all of the gifts on his list.  But that was not going to satisfy Bradley. Evidently he wanted Santa to meet his every demand just like everyone else   in his life. 

So he schemes and steams, rants and raves.  Then he starts setting traps all through his house to trap Santa next Christmas and take every toy and gift from Santa and his sleigh.  

What will the other children do if Bradley traps Santa and steals all the toys and gifts?  What kind of Christmas will that be without Santa?

The author has given an extreme example of the behavior of many children's expectations of Santa and Christmas.     Then she shows our children how such horrible behavior is looked upon by others and how this behavior is rewarded by Santa not giving into the child's demands.  Negative behavior meets negative consequences.

The illustrations WOW!   BOLD!  VIBRANT!  Very in sync with the story.  They will delight and tickle  every child's imagination that opens this book. 

Be sure to get the book before Christmas.  It may help your child to have a more positive and realistic attitude about their wishlist for Christmas.   I need to send a copy to my five daughters so they can share it with my fifteen grandchildren.  Hey, maybe Santa's list will be a little shorter this year. NOT!!

The Santa Trap

I highly recommend this book.   

I rate 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.  It is my own opinion.     

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

                       

Save the Lemmings by Kai Strand

About Book

When Natalie’s Texty-Talky invention makes her an overnight sensation, the media digs until they find a way to smear her goody-goody image. When her best friends start believing what they read, Natalie’s sunny spirit is pushed to its limits. How will Natalie stop the lies and win her friends back? And who will SAVE THE LEMMINGS?

Publisher: Featherweight Press
ISBN Number: 978-1-60820-710-2
Publication Date: August 10, 2012
Genre of Book: Juvenile Fiction

Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

You can follow the tour on the following sites:
Facebook
Google Events 
Goodreads
MomnBaby


About Kai Strand

Kai Strand writes fiction for middle grade and young adult readers. Her debut novel, The Weaver, was a finalist in the 2012 EPIC eBook Awards. She is a (very lucky) wife and the mother of four amazing kids. The most common sound in her household is laughter. The second most common is, "Do your dishes!" She and her family hike, geocache and canoe in beautiful Central Oregon, where they call home.

To find out more about Kai’s books, download companion documents, find links to her published short stories and discover all the places to find Kai both virtually and in person, visit her website: www.kaistrand.com. She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to send her an email or visit her facebook page, Kai Strand, Author.

Author Website: www.kaistrand.com 
Blog Address: http://kaistrand.blogspot.com/ 
Twitter URL: @KaiStrand 
Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/kai.strand.9 
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/KaiStrandAuthor?ref=hl


My Thoughts

Eighth grader, Natalie Edwards spent much of her time with her three best friends Jayne, Sandra and Tamilla.  Natalie had a lab at home where she worked on an invention that her and her friends swapped ideas and solutions to create a model and hopefully submit it her father's boss.  They had decided to call the product Texty-Talky.

click image for  info on the lemming 

Natalie was also interested in the cause SAVING THE LEMMINGS.  Which is a little rodent in the Arctic that would in large numbers, during their migration, throw themselves off a mountain committing suicide. The only way to stop this was to build small fences that would prevent their senseless act of suicide.   But she seemed to be the only person who cared to save the lemmings.

Natalie also had a thorn in her side by the name of Trudy.  No matter how calm Natalie tried to remain during the onslaught of Trudy's harassment Trudy would remain persistent in her meanness.  Trudy plotted to get nice girl Natalie in trouble by setting a trap that could possibly destroy Natalie's good reputation and her bright future. It could also cause her family and friends to mistrust Natalie.  Natalie was accused of a Bad Deed and would have to do penance for that deed.  Which in actuality the deed was a creation of Trudy's.

Then out of nowhere Natalie hits the limelight when her invention is accepted by her father's boss and hits the local stores.  She is regaled by the school officials and her friends for her success of such a great accomplishment at such a young age.  She becomes very popular with the media which causes her friends to shy away from her because she never has time to spend with them since she became a celebrity.

Then her life began to fall apart.  The media found out about the supposed BAD DEED!  The media took off like a fire and it grew to even more horrendous false accusations.

How has all of this affected her efforts to Save the Lemmings?  Will anyone trust her again?  Has she lost her friends?  What can she do about all the slander against her?  How will she redeem herself?

 In so many ways this is a great story.  There are lesson to be learned in this story like bullying, perseverance, friendship, loyalty, trust and most importantly holding true to yourself.

The author took a not so ordinary eighth grade girl that was true to herself  in order to show our children how life can sometimes give us lemmings.  Oh, I meant lemons that can be made into lemonade if only we can get past all the sour events in our life.  Persevere!!!

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure

I received a free copy of this book from Featherweight Press for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my own opinion.

If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here

Election Day 2012 - Peachtree Books for the Kids

Ages 4-8

When the president of the United States has a frustrating day, he decides to go back to the place where he learned the most important lessons of all.

Everyone has bad days. Even the president.

So when his day starts off badly, Mr. President decides he is in need of a time-out from running the country. Disguising himself, he sneaks out of the White House, hurries down the street to the local school, and enrolls in Mrs. Appletree’s class.

There Mr. President slides his fingers through globs of finger paint. He spins himself silly on the merry-go-round at recess. He practices saying “please,” raising his hand, and taking turns. And he doesn’t miss a single beat when everyone does the hokey-pokey.

But when he returns to the White House, he is greeted by a panicked secretary of state and two angry world leaders on the brink of war. Fortunately, Mr. President recalls what he learned in Mrs. Appletree’s class, and he comes up with just the right approach to avoid an international crisis.

Children will delight in Rick Walton’s laugh-out-loud story and its over-the-top take on conflict resolution. Brad Sneed’s watercolor illustrations capture the humor of the story with their exaggerated, outsized characters and playfully distorted compositions.

About Author & Illustrator

Rick Walton is the author of over sixty books for children, including a collection of poetry, joke books, picture books, activity books, mini-mysteries, and educational software. He loves to read, travel, play the guitar, study foreign languages, and write. He lives in Utah.

You can visit Rick Walton’s website here.

Brad Sneed has illustrated almost twenty picture books, some of which he has also written. His titles include The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians, Mr. President Goes to School, and When Wishes Were Horses. He lives in Kansas.

You can visit Brad Sneed’s website here.

Ages 4-8

Meet the Scottish terrier who won the heart of a U.S. president and the hearts of the American people.

In 1940, Fala came to live with President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the White House. On sunny days, the little dog played in the grass outside the Oval Office. He attended important meetings with the president’s advisors. At night, the president and Fala often dined together.

But as the world slipped further into war and America was drawn into the conflict, life at the White House changed. Fala stayed up late into the night with President Roosevelt. He accompanied the president on journeys across the country and around the world and waited with him for the return of American servicemen and the end to a terrible war.

Author Elizabeth Van Steenwyk offers young readers a glimpse into American history and the life of a U.S. president through the story of a loyal dog. Michael G. Montgomery’s full-color illustrations capture the indomitable spirit of Fala and the nation and president who loved him.

About Author & Illustrator

Elizabeth Van Steenwyk is the award-winning author of more than 70 published books for young people. After graduating from Knox College, she went on to spend ten years writing for radio and television with a concentration on children's programming. She lives in California.

Michael G. Montgomery has illustrated numerous children's books. He attended Georgia Southern University and the University of Georgia. Montgomery lives in Georgia.

You can visit Michael G. Montgomery’s website here.

Check out The World of Peachtree Blog

Escape to the Hiding Place - Adventures in Odyssey - Imagination Station Books #9 Marianne Hering, Marshall Younger

About Book 

Patrick and Beth arrive in World War II Holland in the farm country. They must smuggle a baby (by bicycle) into the capable hands of Corrie ten Boom at her home in Haarlem. Along the way they hide from Nazi soldiers, meet a Russian surgeon forced into service by the Germans, and encourage two Jewish children who haven't been outside in over three years. The children learn to appreciate the bravery and sacrifice of everyday people who helped the Jews.



Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Published: October 2012

• Age range: 7 - 10 Years
• Series: AIO Imagination Station Bks. , #9

Binding:

Softcover

ISBN:

978-1-58997-693-1

List Price:

$4.99

Page Count:128

Trim Size:

5 1/2 x 8

Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Christianbook.com

VISIT WHITS END: IMAGINATION STATION

About Marianne

Marianne has written for children since 1987 when she joined the editorial staff of Focus on the Family Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines. In the 1990s she wrote six children's mystery books and more than 40 Bible phonic readers (with co-author Margaret Wilber) for Cook Communications. Now a general book editor for Focus on the Family, she has turned her passion for children's fiction into developing a series for beginning readers who love adventure.

My Thoughts

Patrick and Beth are disappointed that they will not be getting their Red Cross certificate.  They are too young. So after hearing this Mr. Whit suggests it is time for another adventure with Imagination Station.  When and where in time will they end up this time?

When they are transported they are by a lake and they hear what sounds like an airplane.  To their shock the plane is on fire and is about to crash.  Just before the plane disappeared from site a parachute flew up and out of the airplane.  The they saw some soldiers and heard them rushing about.  Maybe they were looking for the airplane.  At that moment they felt like they should hide in the bushes.  To their great surprise their was a woman hiding in the same spot but when she spoke it was very apparent it was a man.  He told the kids that the soldiers were Nazi soldiers.   So they became extra still and quiet.

The young man's name was Bernard and he offered to take them to his families farm.  From talking to Bernard they find out he is with the Danish Resistance and they are in Holland.They no sooner arrived at the farm when Bernard's father entered the cottage with an injured soldier, he was Canadian and they had to hide him until they could get him safely out of the country.  When a doctor arrived at the cottage he had on a German uniform and he was carrying a small baby.  They were told the doctor had been forced to join the Nazies but he was also a member of the resistance and would help the Canadian soldier.  In turn he needed someone to take the baby to her parent's in the city.  Patrick and Beth were the most logical choice to take the baby to her parents.  The parents were being hidden from the Nazies because they are Jewish and if caught they will be sent to a concentration camp.

Will they be able to get past the Nazi soldiers? What will happen to them if they get stopped?  Who could be brave enough to hide a Jew? Surely if they were found out they too would be sent to a camp.

Again the author has written of a great Historical event about WWII, the Nazies, and the Danish Resistance.  The Historical Christian Heroes which are Christ's Disciples willing to trust God and sacrifice their lives to protect our brothers and sisters in harms way. 

The illustrations depict the war and you can see the compassion on the faces of those that reach out to protect and those who reach out for protection.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure

I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale House for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.

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