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 sorted by relevance for query children. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query children. Sort by date Show all posts

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Children's Picture Book on Tour!

Baby Come Home
By: Elizabeth Kail Arnita
Illustrations by: Diane Lucas
ISBN: 978-1-61244-087-3
Genre of Book: Children’s Christian Picture Book
Published by Halo Publishing Int.
Copyright 2013
All proceeds from book sales support Welcome the Children, a nonprofit helping children in poverty.
Places available for sale: Internet/Online, Church Book Store

Reviewed by World of Ink Network


Baby Come Home is a story of the young bird, “Baby”, who learns the value of unconditional love and acceptance after he decides to break free from the confinement of his cage and those who love him most. The story gives children a different perspective on rules and why we need to obey them while also offering a teaching on the unconditional love our perfect God has for His imperfect people.

Overall Thoughts:

Even though this book is considered a children's Christian picture book, there are no Bible references (verses quoted) in the actually text. In the author's notes you will find three or four Bible verses for those who want to use the book as a teaching tool in their church, family gatherings, etc.

The storyline itself is one that transcends any religious beliefs as we all at some point or another have broken rules, think we know better than those trying to guide/protect us and have found ourselves lead down a path we didn't think would end in consequences from our choices.

The book itself opens doors for parents, teachers or church leaders for open conversation with children. There are some scenes children might even ask questions because they don't quite understand what happened to Baby.

Even though the main character is a bird, children and adults alike will be able to relate to him, Sam (a human) and the events in the story. The illustrations are beautifully done and only add to each scene.
About the Author:
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Arnita is the youngest of 12 children. She learned early in life about family dynamics and the concept of sharing. After graduating in 1983, with a degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, Elizabeth married Shadi and they have been blessed with four fabulous children. Her love for the Lord has opened her eyes to a world in need and ignited her compassion for those who are less fortunate. She and her husband founded and continue to manage Welcome The Children; a non-profit organization that funds and supports children who are experiencing the reality of poverty. Elizabeth Arnita has designated all of the proceeds from her book sales to support WTC.
 
~Submitted by The World of Ink Network. It is touring author Elizabeth Arnita’s Children’s Christian Picture book, BABY COME HOME published by Halo Publishing Int. throughout January 2013.

You can find out more about Elizabeth Arnita, her books and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/ayhg69o
 
Find out more about Welcome the Children at http://welcomethechildren.org/

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

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

A Moment with Martha , Author of Three Children's Books

The holder of a Bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation from Clemson University and a master’s from the University of Maryland in Kinesiology, Ms. Martha Swirzinski has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of movement with children.

“More and more research is being developed about the rise of obesity in children,” notes Ms. Swirzinski, who teaches movement education in a local pre-school and offers teacher training workshops and customized consultations. At the same time, numerous studies continue to link increased brain function and movement, she explains. “Being active grows new brain cells!”

Ms. Swirzinski believes that every child should be afforded structured movement opportunities every day to promote an active, healthy lifestyle and become part of a lifelong regime.

It is along this vein that Ms. Swirzinski has published three children’s books focused on movement. Using entertaining rhymes and charming pictures, these developmentally based books offer fun and creative ways for children to move while also providing mind stimulating activities on each page. By following the suggested activities, children can engage in 30-60 minutes of their recommended structured daily movement, as well as enhancing other mind/body skills. Designed to be enjoyed again and again, the pages of these books are filled with laughter, learning, movement and more.

Martha’s books are: “Leap… Laugh… Plop,” “Guess… Giggle… Wiggle,” and “Kick… Catch… Buzz”

Let’s take a moment and get to know more about this fun author.

What do you love most about working with young children?
They hug and give compliments and “always say the darndest things.”

What is most challenging about being a pre-school teacher?
Saying “Goodbye” at the end of the year.


What do you enjoy most about writing children’s books?
I enjoy being creative and imagining the joy the children will experience when reading them.


What is the best way to engage children in story time?
 I believe in getting them to be part of the story. My books get children engaged by moving along to the rhymes but moving can be done with any book.



What other writing genre’s interest you?
 Mystery, Nonfiction based on my field of study (childhood development), Historical fiction



If a snapshot was taken of you enjoying a perfect day, what would it look like?
On the beach with my family.


Favorite gadget:
Heart shaped waffle maker

Favorite movie(s):
Christmas movies

The book(s) on your nightstand:
The Bible, The Developing Brain by Marilee Sprenger, Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (I’m reading this to my girls. They’ve decided to write a paper on the differences between the book and the movie. It’s been fun finding them.) Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

Describe yourself in two words:
Adventurous and Kind

Comfort food:
Fried shrimp and grits
Your secret skill:
Making healthy food fun for my children.

What is your favorite word and why?
Serendipitous because I believe we should all be open to these kinds of moments.
What is your least favorite word and why?
Can’t because I believe the moment that it comes out of your mouth you are defeated.

What is your personal motto?
 "A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.” Winnie the Pooh

Any tips for parents and their children?

Safety Tips
Whether we play inside or we play out of doors,
We want to play safely and protect the ones we adore.

1. Teach children about personal space. Have each child extend their arms to the side and turn slowly in a complete circle. Make sure the arms of one child do not touch the arms of another child.
2. Use the concept of freeze. Play areas are often noisy so use your outside voice and yell freeze. Teach the children that when they hear the word freeze they immediately hold the pose that they are in. You can then have them sit down and regain their personal space.
3. Be sure that the proper fitting safety gear is worn for the activity.

4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drinking water is important when children are exercising, especially when it is hot. The Centers for Disease Control recommends 10 ounces every 15 – 20 minutes.

Tips to Keep Children Active:
Use Outside as your Play Room
· Take a nature hike – name the colors you see, pick up trash for a more pleasant environment, count different types of plants, move like the animals you see.

· Visit a pick your own berry farm

· Play at a neighborhood park

· Ride bikes

· Walk the dog together or just take a walk as a family

· Teach your child how to plant a garden

· Dig for worms and roly poly animals

· Draw on the sidewalk with chalk


Find out what your child likes to do:

· Read- take a walk to the library, pick books that encourage movement throughout the story.

· Draw – draw people being active and act out what they are doing

· Play- Try some of the classic games like Red Rover, Red Light/Green Light, Hopscotch, Tag, Charades, or 4 Square.

· Climb – a tree, a rope, a rock wall

· Dance- turn on the music and DANCE!! No one is watching so be silly and have fun!

Set a positive example:

· Park farther from store entrances

· Take the stairs

· When you go to the park with your child be active with them and have fun playing.

· Eat healthy snacks and meals

· Drinks lots of water

· Take your children places that encourage walking: Zoo, botanical gardens, beach, museums, and parks.


Learn more about Martha at http://www.movementplus.com/  and http://www.wholechildpublishing.com/. Also find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Movement-Plus-/194978907592?ref=ts


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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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Children's Book Helps Them Understand They Are Not Alone

Title:  Busy Dizzy
Author: Dr. Orly Katz
http://
www.SimplyMeModel.com  Category:  children's book
ASIN: B00HALMR6C
Amazon link


Reviewed by
  Busy Dizzy is a lovely educational book for children in the 4-8 range. It will help them to recognize those negative feelings that rise up inside of them that tell them they aren’t good enough, or that they will be laughed at, or not to try because they will lose, or any other negative thing that we sometimes tell ourselves. Dr. Katz helps children understand that they are not alone. Every child, and every adult too, has feelings like these and through this lovely rhyming story gives the child and parent a strategy for dealing with these feelings to deal with them and overcome them.

Busy Dizzy is written in delightful rhyming style, perfect for holding the attention of young children. The pages are brightly coloured, with interesting, colourful pictures.

The text is simple enough that as children begin to read, they will be able to read some of the text on their own with help from mom or dad. There is a song to sing to the Busy Dizzies to send them on their way which will help for practicing reading and as a pleasant way to divert the child’s mind from the negative thoughts troubling the child.

Included in the back of the book are some pages for the child to draw and name their Busy Dizzies as well as a couple of pages for parents with a few reminders of how to help your children deal with those negative thoughts.

I thought this book was an exceptional teaching aid for helping young children deal with those negative thoughts that get in the way of the child engaging in an activity he/she would like to participate in. I liked particularly that it empowers the child to do something about the situation such as naming the Busy Dizzy and then saying good bye to it and sending it away. Recognizing that all people have these kinds of fears/emotions is helpful because then the child doesn’t think that he/she is the only one. This would be an excellent book to use in a classroom or at home.

As a parent, I would recommend this book to all parents of young children and as a teacher myself, I would also recommend this book to schools. I gave this book 5 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the author, Dr. Orly Katz for providing a copy of Busy Dizzy in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.

About the Author

Best seller author, Dr. Orly Katz (SimplyMeModel.com) is an expert on children and youth empowerment and the founder of the Simply Me Center for Leadership, Empowerment and Self Esteem. She is the author of numerous books on Amazon under the "Simply Me" series: (Surviving Junior High, Surviving Primary School and Busy Dizzy for ages 4-8).

Orly is also the creator and developer of the Simply Me- Digital Programs:
For teachers, parents and workshops facilitators:
"Empowering Adults to Empower Children".
Orly lives in Haifa, with her Husband and three children.
To get the "Supper Quiz" for Parents and find how well you know your children, go to:
http://simplymemodel.com/MevdakEN.asp 

You can watch Orly's TEDx talk- "Raising a star- not a celebrity" at:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2yiWB-JDQus  
 
 
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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, September 16, 2012

KA-BOOM! Makes Big Hit with World of Ink Network

Title: KA-BOOM!
Written by: Alyce Joy
Illustrated by: Diane Lucas
Author website: http://alycejoy.com
Genre of Book: Children’s Chapter Book Fantasy Adventure
Publisher: Halo Publishing Int.
ISBN-10: 161244069X
ISBN-13: 978-1612440699
Paperback: 46 pages
Date: July 2012

Review provided by World of Ink Network


KA-BOOM! is about a little fairy named Sprout that runs into trouble quite often. She has a shoe fetish, but is one of the queen’s favorites because in the end she gets the job done.
Sprout meets a little girl named Taylor after blowing up Taylor’s dollhouse. Sprout doesn’t give up trying to get Taylor to trust her. She and Taylor finally become friends after Sprout shrinks Taylor and together they have a fantastic adventure. Taylor never thought she would be talking to Sir Leapsalot, let alone ride on his back and hopping lily pads. The message? Never give up.


Besides teaching children how to deal with fear and anger, Alyce Joy does a great job showing children how we can’t judge each other from first impressions. Children also learn friendships are something that grow as we get to know each other and face what life throws at us together.

What Others Have Said About the Book:

The author introduces some really cool vocabulary words for kids like lollapalooza and cumbersome, imperative, pathetic and many more added to a glossary of Sprout’s favorite words at the end of the book. Just think how cool that will be when you go to school and the teacher asks for words that mean the same as these and you come up with gallant for courageous or even humongous for huge. ~Fran Lewis, Book Reviewer, Author and Focus on Discussion blog talk radio host

This is a charming book that incorporates a magical fairy, adventure and a great message about having a positive attitude. You will be enchanted with Taylor and her adventures with a non-traditional fairy that has a great vocabulary! This is a perfect bedtime story that is bound to be a real page turner. ~Connie Marzullo, Principal, Sharon Center Elementary School


This is a fun book. It uses fantasy to create a sense of reality for children. The characters are colorful and invite children to create their own vision of what they look like. The word dictionary, in the back of the book, will not only define some of the words, but also provide a useful skill set for the children. A very readable book! ~Michael E. Carlson, Ed.D, Former Superintendent of Highland School System



Get a sneak peek of the book at http://youtu.be/Hq9sfmzH0-w
Available wherever books are sold and online.
 
About the Author: 
 
Alyce Joy was blessed with four children for whom she composed bedtime verses every night. That inspired her to publish a children’s book of prayers, entitled, “Priceless Gems.” When her children were grown, she began to write stories for her grandchildren.
Always fascinated with arts and crafts, she taught herself the art of pyrography. This fired her imagination, and she started burning life-sized pictures of wildlife onto all the doors of her home. Her wood burnings are scattered through the U.S. and Canada.
After deciding to put away her burning tools and torches, she enrolled in, and graduated from the Institute of Children’s Literature.
Alyce Joy hopes every child who reads her stories will look forward to each new adventure, as her favorite fairy becomes entangled into many, outrageous happenstances.
Follow Alyce Joy at
 
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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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Monday, December 17, 2018

Easy Ways to Get Involved in Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019

MORE ABOUT THIS 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.

Easy Ways to Get Involved in Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019
Easy Ways to Get Involved in Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019

The online world is buzzing with the excitement and anticipation as the global online diverse children’s literature celebration known as Multicultural Children’s Book Day (MCBD) draws closer. This on and offline diverse kids’ and YA book-related event is in its sixth year and their mission of getting diverse children’s books into the hands of readers, parents, caregivers, teachers, and librarians has never wavered. To date, the non-profit has worked diligently to get over 5,000 free diverse kids’ and YA books into homes, classrooms, daycares, organizations, and libraries.

How MCBD Came to Be
After being frustrated by a lack of diverse and multicultural children’s books available to their own families, reading and play advocates Valarie Budayr from Audrey Press Books and Mia Wenjen from Pragmatic Mom decided to take matters into their own hands. The book-loving moms then teamed up to create a much-needed national event and on January 27th, 2012 the first ever Multicultural Children’s Book Day was celebrated.
Using the Multicultural Children’s Book Day platform, the mission from Day One has been to not only raise awareness around kid’s books that celebrate diversity, but to also get more of these types of books into classrooms and libraries.  
“Kids need to ‘see themselves’ in the pages of the books they read,” noted Budayr. “We are determined to not only shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books available but also offer visibility for the amazing authors and publishers who create them.”
Now in its sixth year, the MCBD online celebration attracts thousands of supports, over 600 book reviewers and dozens of quality authors and publishers. The non-profit has also shifted from an “every January 27th” model to “the last Friday in January” to avoid conflicting with International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The upcoming MCBD celebration will occur on and offline on January 25, 2019. 

4 Ways to Get Involved in MCBD as an Author or Publisher

1.     Donate Books: Diverse kids’ or YA books donated to the MCBD non-profit are used a variety of ways including donation to the over 2,000 classrooms waiting for a free diverse book via the Free Diverse Books for Classroom Project, as books given to reviewers to review via social media during the January event, or as prizes for their wildly popular (and much-anticipated) Twitter Party on January 25th.
Go here to learn how you can donate brand new diverse books to the cause: http://bit.ly/2zx1YjX

2.     Multiple options for Sponsorship: Sponsorship is not only a great way to support this event; it is an excellent way for authors/publisher to get their books in front of thousands of readers. All Sponsors get a name mention within the hundreds of reviews that get posted from December to January 25th and also on the sites of MCBD’s 26 CoHosts and Global CoHost sites. Go here to learn more about MCBD2019 Sponsorship: http://bit.ly/2TXuh3x

3.     Connect with Multicultural Children’s Book Day on social media: NOTE: Their official hashtag is #ReadYourWorld
- Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MulticulturalChildrensBookDay
- Twitter https://twitter.com/MCChildsBookDay
-Instagram https://www.instagram.com/readyourworldmcbd/

4.     Guest posts: The MCBD Team is always looking for quality diverse children’s book-related guest posts on their blog. Authors and publishers are invited to share the story of their writing journey or their thoughts on the importance of diversity in children’s literature.  
4 Ways to Get Involved as an Educator or Librarian
Throughout the months of November-January, leading up to the celebratory day, educators, librarians and parents can start planning and preparing with FREE activities available today at www.multiculturalchildrensbookday.com
FREE Classroom “Empathy” Kit:  
The free Classroom Empathy Kit focuses on empathy and compassion through shared booklists and special home or classroom activities. The kit includes 18 book recommends on the topic of Understanding Immigration and Refugees, Classroom Empathy Activities, and a very special custom printable Empathy Poster courtesy of author/illustrator Juana Medina. Educators, parents and librarians can sign-up to receive the free classroom kit here: http://bit.ly/2BGu4uQ
FREE Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate: Understanding Poverty in America Classroom Kit:  
Created in 2018, this free classroom kit includes over 2 dozen poverty in the U.S.-themed book recommends for ages 4-12, two classroom or home activities, and a copy of the official “Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate” Classroom Poster thanks to the talents of award-winning illustrator, Mehrdokht Amini. http://bit.ly/2P6cXWE
Free Diversity Book Lists and Activities for Teachers and Parents: Curated lists of books about diverse topics including: countries, religions, holidays, ethnicities, in addition to special needs and LGBTQ. http://bit.ly/1kGZrta
Share a Classroom CelebrationTeachers who host a celebration in the classroom can send in a picture of their party to receive 3 free diverse books and a swag pack as a thank you.  Teachers and librarians can enter their event info HERE (http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/category/offline-classroomlibrary-event-project/)


Don’t forget to connect with Multicultural Children’s Book Day on social media and be sure and look for/use their official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.


Easy Ways to Get Involved in Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019

Read-Your-World-Jan-2019-MCBD
Easy Ways to Get Involved in Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019
Thank you for reading!


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS AND ANOTHER FREEBIE

 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.



Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. C. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Carolyn the link to this post, too!

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.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

First, They Were Children by David Butler Makes Important Points

MORE ABOUT THIS 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.

5.0 out of 5 stars

First, They Were Children: Origin Stories of 7 People Who Changed the World

Book by David Butler
July 7, 2018
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
148 Pages
Paperback ISBN-10: 1720481385
eBook ASIN: B07F242MQ9

Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Nikolas Tesla and Thomas Edison were all children once? Of course, we all know famous people used to be children, but until reading this new book, I had not read short childhood biographies of people who changed the world, much less understood their common characteristics. The author does a service by writing this book for adults as it is true that there are biographies for children about these people. First, They Were Children shares many important thinking and discussion points.

The stories about the childhood of these geniuses have some striking and surprising commonalities, as well as interesting facts. All seven people did not have the exact same characteristics, but often four of them shared some trait or experience. Would we read this to try to develop such gifted people? No, as it is partly the time period of history, world events, and family life which combined to help them. Each person’s story is told until they are about age 21, then stops, as we all know the rest. The author’s observations chapter summarizes his thoughts. He provides a diagram of the traits for all of the people while showing which belong to each of the seven people. It does give one pause to think.

As a teacher, in the fall we would get our new class lists, and when we had maybe 15 boys and 7 girls, we would say it was preparation for a coming war. Who knows, but it stopped our possible complaining about how active our classes would be. What I mean is people are born at certain times and that the future doesn’t just happen all at once someday in the far future. A life starts at the beginning.

Yes, the times were important to allow these people to excel in their chosen fields, as I read in Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers. But there was something going on from birth for each person, and the way was paved with a combination of intelligence, environment, family, and access to the technologies of the time. It began with perhaps being born with a large head, educated parents, or the conditions to foster curiosity and interest in learning. None of these people were complainers, and they all showed continued persistence and had to deal with less than understanding teachers and principals. They all faced obstacles of some kind and, before reading this book, I had no idea how many things they each had to endure. Yes, luck was on their side, but they did not have completely easy lives. Reading this book shows how true it is when people say luck is how hard you work.

This book has implications for schools who may have gifted education courses to perhaps be more flexible about grade levels and have more willingness to try advanced curriculum with students who could possibly be mislabeled as having behavior issues. It was a near miss a few times for several of these people who obviously did make it through life, but not without having to change schools or be taught at home.

One interesting fact in the book is that some of the people were slow to speak, doing so at ages 3 or 4. I did teach several years of gifted education classes, and it was not unusual for a student to leave a challenging class to walk across the hall to the speech teacher. Of course, that doesn’t happen to all bright people, but it was interesting to me that it was one of the characteristics mentioned.

I recommend this book to bright secondary students struggling with the prescribed curriculum, parents dealing with gifted children and the related challenges, and schools looking to be more empathetic to very intellectual children. Often, it is a difficult road for children and families. This author understands.

Review reprinted with the permission of the review, Carolyn Wilhelm and the author of the book, David Butler.

First, They Were Children by David Butler Makes Important Points



Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Earth Day Reading for Kids

Title: Trouble on Earth Day
Author: Kathy Stemke
Illustrator: Kurt Wilchen
Published by Wild Plains Press
ISBN: 978-1-936021-36-9
Genre: Children's Lit

Reviewed by Karen Cioffi


As a proponent of conservation and the environment, I love children’s books that approach this topic in an engaging and entertaining format. Trouble on Earth Day by Kathy Stemke does just that.
 

The story begins with the main character, Shelby the squirrel, winning the Earth Day poster contest; the young reader is quickly brought into the focus of the story, our environment. Shelby’s poster has “Rethink, Reuse, and Recycle” boldly and colorfully written on it.
 

As the story progresses, Shelby and her parents discuss the different ways individuals and families can conserve, such as using old clothing for a quilt.
 

It also delves into the effects of deforestation. When Shelby hears the cries of a “little bird,” she searches until she finds it, then asks the bird what’s wrong. The bird explains, “The workman cut down my tree and my nest. I found a new tree, but I can only find twigs to make a new home.”

Using ingenuity and what she learned from her parents, Shelby helps the bird build a new nest using recyclable items from her home. Trouble on Earth Day will quickly heave children asking about the environment and looking around their homes for items that can be recycled.

Adding to the invitingness of this delightful story are amazing full page illustrations by Kurt Wilchen. Each page has vivid and bold illustrations that will surely grab and hold a young reader’s attention. Along with all this, Stemke includes pages and pages of activities, and additional information about conservation and the environment, all to help children better understand the story’s theme. It even includes a song titled “The Fuzzy Squirrel” that children can sing to with the music from “I’m a Little Teapot.”

Some of the activities and information include in Educator’s Edition:

  • Reading comprehension activities
  • Original topic related lyrics that children can sing to the melody of classic favorites
  • Discussion topics, such as Why Trees are Important and What Things Can be Reused
  • Games, including the Going Green Game
  • Recycling activities, such as making napkin rings using recycled toilet paper rolls, recycling old CDs to make ornaments, and how to recycle old crayons
  • Dolch Sight Word activity page

My favorite information page in Trouble on Earth Day briefly explains what went on before the first Earth Day in April 1970, what the focus of Earth day is, and why it’s so important.
 
Learning how each of us can take steps to protect our environment is important for children and adults alike. It will take all our efforts to help improve the environment for a healthier tomorrow. Trouble on Earth Day is a great start for children.
 
~Reviewer Karen Cioffi is a published author, ghostwriter, and editor for 4RV Publishing. For writing and marketing information, and to find out more about Karen and her books, visit: http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com. While there, be sure to sign-up for her newsletter, A Writer’s World.

Learn more about the author, Kathy Stemke. She is an award-winning author, educator, and freelance writer. Her Trouble on Earth Day and Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep earned the Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval.  Sign up for her free monthly newsletter, Movement and Rhythm: http://educationtipster.blogspot.com/
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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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Author Linda Wilson Reviews New Children's Book on the Environment

Title: The Adventures of Planetman
Subtitle: The Case of the Plastic Rings
Author:  Karen Cioffi 
Illustrator: Thomas Deisboeck, 
Genre: Fiction, 6-8-years-old, picture book, 
ISBN-13: 978-1950074174.
Reviewed by Linda Wilson
The Adventures of Planetman: The Case of the Plastic Rings, by Karen Cioffi and illustrated by Thomas Deisboeck, is a compelling blend of adventure and factual information, suited for children 6-8, which sends an important message to children about ways they can help our planet.  
Thomas hears a noise coming from outside. He and his buds Nick and Luke come to the rescue and the three superheroes save the day. After the story, children will enjoy learning about the peregrine falcon, facts about solid waste materials, what readers can do to reduce waste, ways to help our planet, and more. The book is an excellent resource to teach childrenmethods of conservation for parents, teachers, and librarians. And good news, there are more Planetman books to come!

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, successful children’s ghostwriter, and author/writer online platform instructor with WOW! Women on Writing. She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Writers on the Move. You can learn more about Karen at: https://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Linda Wilson, a former elementary teacher and Institute of Children’s Literature graduate, has published over 150 articles for children and adults, several short stories for children, and now her first book, Secret in the Stars: An Abi Wunder Mystery is available on Amazon. Find her fun for readers and tips for writers at https://www.lindawilsonauthor.com and learn more about her on Facebook at http://facebook.com.lindawilson.kidsmysterywriter.com37017794 and twitter under the moniker @LinWilsonauthor. 


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 HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page and in a tab at the top of this blog's home page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites so it may be used a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series of book for writers. How to Get Great Book Reviews is the third in the series. Learn more at her website, https://howtodoitfrgually.com .

Monday, October 19, 2020

You Are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy Book Review

Title: You Are Your Child's First Teacher: Encouraging Your Child's Natural Development from Birth to Age Six

Author: Rahima Baldwin Dancy

Formats: Kindle, Paperback, and Audio Book

Pages: 336 Pages

  • ISBN-10 : 1607743027
  • ISBN-13 : 978-1607743026
  • ASIN : B008WOUEMK

Publisher : Ten Speed Press; 3rd Edition

The first book in America to popularize the insights of Rudolf Steiner, founder of the Waldorf schools, regarding the developmental needs of young children.

You Are Your Child's First Teacher: Encouraging Your Child's Natural Development from Birth to Age Six was written by Rahima Baldwin Dancy. The book essentially presents the Waldorf philosophy of education and includes quotes from famous people in the Waldorf movement. However, much of the information is quite practical and helpful and can be applied in general to early childhood education.

"We have lost touch with natural processes in child development, convinced that we have to 'do something' rather than allowing the child’s own inner processes to unfold." 

She does not advocate for pacifiers, walkers, jumping toys, and other aids that supposedly help children achieve milestones before they are actually ready. She does advocate for an unrestrained, baby-proofed environment that the child can freely access and roam without problems. She feels the children will develop best this way. She also does not advocate for the early swim or gymnastics lessons as the learning cannot be sustained. She says toddlers do their own very appropriate gymnastics.

You Are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy Book Review

I spent much time reading the parts about babies and thinking about the book. As a grandmother, I got stuck on her ideas about the child becoming incarnate in the first year. She says the spirit at birth is larger than the body. Ponder that a minute and remember when this seemed true about newborns you have known. 

"Perhaps you have had the experience of walking into a room where a newborn is sleeping and wondering how the room can feel so filled by such a tiny creature sleeping over in the corner."

Growing Down

Dancy's description of how children "grow down" is so true. She described this as first the baby becomes able to move his or her eyes and head, then gain control of the torso to roll, later the hands begin to work, and finally the legs when the child can walk at about one year of age. Children grow up as they grow down. So interesting!

The author (and Waldorf education) is not for having children younger than age 7 sit still for long. "The tremendous growth of the first seven years is accompanied by the nearly constant movement as muscles and bones grow and coordination is gradually achieved." We know if we ask a child to sit for long, how they wiggle and fidget! Although children can learn certain things at young ages, she says if that is done it takes from the energy that is otherwise needed for growth and development.  Emphasis on intellectual growth too soon can have negative effects later, according to the book.

You Are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin Dancy Book Review

The book has a chapter on how to choose a preschool. Criteria are listed and can be consulted for parents who are trying to make such a decision. I notice that often in the Montessori on a Budget Facebook group these kinds of decisions are discussed. Parents want to know what to consider and this book can help with whatever type of preschool is being considered.

What about children watching television? What about video games? What does she think about immunizations? How should you care for a sick child? What about emphasizing religion in daily life? The author emphasizes that gratitude and reverence for life are essential to the whole development of the child. If you have questions in this area, the book offers pros and cons to consider, that I'm sure parents will find very helpful.

Conscious Parenting

"Conscious parenting requires keeping perspective and not letting ourselves become so bogged down in the day-to-day task of raising our children that we neglect to focus on the larger picture." 

Conscious parenting is: being present in the moment and attending to the present needs of the child. She says we should see the light in the child, as we parent.

The appendix has a discussion about Rudolf Steiner and Waldorf education. I did not realize that Waldorf has become the largest private school movement in the world. I didn't know that such schools were closed in World War II. Steiner is the founder of Waldorf Schools and is a pioneer in the area of developmentally based, age-appropriate learning. Early childhood educators are all in favor of such learning, and this book offers an understanding of such practice.

Thank you for reading! Carolyn


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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. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the form at https://www.bit.ly/FinishedReviewSubmissions. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. And know that Carolyn Wilhelm, our IT expert, award-winning author, and veteran educator, makes an award image especially for those who volunteer to write reviews from Lois's review-request list and post them in the spirit of her "Authors Helping Authors" project. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing