Review: The Baker's Dozen: A Colonial American Tale by Heather Forest and Susan Gaber (Illustrator)

Title: The Baker's Dozen A Colonial American Tale
Author: Heather Forest
Illustrator: Susan Gaber
Pages: 28
Genre: Children ages 4 on up
Published: Sept. 6, 2013
Publisher: August House Publishers
Review: Paperback sent by publisher
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

One of the first books from this award-winning creative team. The baker Van Amsterdam becomes known far and wide in Colonial America for his St. Nicholas cookies and, in his prosperity, becomes stingy about his ingredients. When an old woman buys a dozen cookies from him and expects to receive 13, he withholds the last one. His business falls off until the day she returns for 12 more cookies, and he gives her an extra measure. After that, the custom of offering a "baker's dozen" or 13 items is secure. Graber's elegant watercolors are vivid and stylized, showing a dusted palette of burgundies with charcoal and burnished oranges. Publishers Weekly

Book Spotlight, Review and GIVEAWAY: I Wanna Be A Great Big Dinosaur by Heath McKenzie

Title: I Wanna Be A Great Big Dinosuar

Author: Heath McKenzie

Release Date: May 17, 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Want to find out what it takes to be a Great Big Dinosaur?  This book is for you!

More than anything in the world, one little boy wants to be a great big dinosaur. And he’s in luck! A great big T. Rex shows up to teach him how to stomp and roar just like a dinosaur. But dinosaurs aren’t so great at soccer or video games… Maybe being a little boy isn’t all bad?

A story about being whoever (or whatever) you want!

Review: Pickin' Peas by Margaret Read MacDonald, Pat Cummings (Illustrations)

Title: Pickin' Peas
Author: Margaret Read MacDonald
Illustrator: Pat Cummings
Pages: 32
Published: Sept. 16, 2014
Publisher: August House Publishers
Genre: Children ages 3 on up
Review: Paperback sent from publisher
Buy Links: Amazon

A clever, singing rabbit eats his way through the pea patch until Little Girl snatches him up and he is soon singing a new tune as he plans his escape. With a nod to Brer Rabbit, Pickin Peas is adapted from two folktales collected in Alabama and Virginia. The lively storytelling voice of award-winning author Margaret Read MacDonald, combined with Pat Cummings' bright, bold contemporary illustrations, makes this timeless battle-of-wits an instant classic.

Review: A Natural Man: The True Story of John Henry by Steve Sanfield, Peter J. Thornton (Illustrations)

Title: A Natural Man: The True Story of John Henry
Author: Steve Sanfield
Illustrator: Peter J. Thornton
Pages: 48
Publisher: August House Publishers
Published: Sept. 16, 2014
Genre: Fairy Tales, Myths Children
Review: Paperback received from publisher
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

This timeless ballad has been part of American folklore for over a century. Born with a hammer in his hand, John Henry discovers his true calling as a steel-driving man but he inevitably meets his match in a race against a steam drill that provides a powerful metaphor for the disruption and loss of innocence created by the industrial age. Thorne's soft charcoal drawings deftly capture the triumphal spirit of this cautionary tale.

Review: P.I. Penguin and the Case of the Lost Little Penguin by Bec J. Smith, Adit Galih (Illustrator)

Title: P.I. Penguin and the Case of the Lost Little Penguin
Author: Bec J. Smith
Illustrator: Adit Galih
Published: May 24, 2015
Publisher: Aulexic
Review: ebook provided by author
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

When a baby penguin goes missing at Perth Zoo, P.I. Penguin is there to help his friends. Who knows where the lost little penguin might be? Can P.I. find him before night falls?

Join P.I. Penguin as he solves crimes and mysteries for his animal friends while trying to discover the truth of the mystery that set him on his path, that of his missing parents.

Aulexic titles are all carefully crafted to encourage language and literacy learning. Each story is rich with rhyme and rhythm, vivid concrete words, vibrant images, and dyslexia-friendly text and formatting. We focus on creating engaging stories to inspire even the most resistant readers

Review: Discovering Harold by Hannah England

Title: Discovering Harold
Author: Hannah England
Illustrator: Stephen A. England
Pages: 36
Genre: Children ages 7 on up
Review: ebook provided by author
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

Frightened off the meadow by the sounds of gunshots, attacked by dogs, and captured by Man, a young deer finds himself face to face with humans. In time, he learns to trust and love them as he becomes part of their world. As the seasons pass, Harold grows bigger and wiser, but will he ever see his family again?

Review: Dragons Are Real by Valarie Budayr

Title: Dragons are Real
Author: Valarie Budayr
Illustartor: Michael Welply
Published: Ma5, 2016
Publisher: Audrey Press
Pages: 32
Review: ebook provided by author to give an honest review
Buy Links: Amazon

What if I told you that all of the fairy tales, myths and legends that have been told about dragons over the years are WRONG? What if I told you that Dragons are indeed REAL and that they are different than you've ever imagined?Did you know that Dragons are the master of disguises? Did you know that they love sugar and sweets (at unacceptable levels) and will do anything for treats? Award winning author Valarie Budayr brings us this fairly true story based on her childhood friendship with a REAL live Dragon

NetGalley Review: Is A Worry Worrying You? By: Ferida Wolff, Harriet May Savitz

 Title: Is A Worry Worrying You?
Author: Ferida Wolff and Harriet may Savitz
Illustrator: Marie LeTourneau
Pages: 34
Published: Tanglewood
Genre: Children ages 5 on up
Review: Ebook provided by NetGalley and publisher
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

This critically acclaimed title addresses common childhood worries--a bully, a first day at school, and a monster residing under the bed--with the not-so-common worries--an eagle making a nest in your hair, a rhino walking down the street, and a herd of elephants waiting for their tea. This entertaining and humor use of perspective and creative problem-solving will appeal to children and parents looking for help in dealing with a universal issue.

Blog Tour and GIVEAWAY Dragons Are Real by Valarie Budayr

Title: Dragons are Real

Author: Valarie Budayr

Illustrator: Michael Welply 

Publisher: Audrey Press

Publication Date: May 5, 2016 

Genre: Children's Picture Book 

Number of Pages: 32

What if I told you that all of the fairy tales, myths and legends that have been told about dragons over the years are WRONG? What if I told you that Dragons are indeed REAL and that they are different than you've ever imagined? Did you know that Dragons are the master of disguises? Did you know that they love sugar and sweets (at unacceptable levels) and will do anything for treats? Award winning author Valarie Budayr brings us this fairly true story based on her childhood friendship with a REAL live Dragon.

Take a look inside the book...

Award Winning and Best-selling author, Valarie Budayr inspires children and adults alike to experience their books through play, discovery, and adventure via engaging extension activities on her popular website, www.jumpintoabook.com.

Valarie is co-founder of Multi-cultural Children's Book Day , #ReadYourWorld, a celebration of diverse and cultural kid-lit shared with over 98 million people on January 27th. Her foundation puts hundreds of books into the hands of children in rural and intercity areas. www.multiculturalchildrensbookday.com
Valarie's other best-selling and award winning titles are: The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden, The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and A Year in the Secret Garden.

Twitter | Facebook (Audrey Press) | Facebook (Jump Into A Book) | Google+

 Pinterest | Goodreads | Website

About the Illustrator: Michael Welply

Michael Welply was born in London in 1948. The family moved to Winnipeg, Canada, in 1950. He studied art in Winnipeg and then in Paris, but his idea of living from the sales of his paintings is somewhat compromised by the lack of buyers. He started his career as an illustrator in 1977 in London. In 1981 he returned to live in France with his American wife and their two children. Since then he has worked for publishers in both Europe and North America. To date he has illustrated over 80 books and more than 100 covers, in a wide range of subjects extending from detailed non-fiction to juvenile and adult fiction in the realms of fantasy, mythology, science fiction and fairy tales.

Website

Blog Tour Giveaway

Prize: One winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card or $100 PayPal cash prize, winner's choice 
Giveaway ends: May 30, 11:59 pm, 2016 
Open to: Internationally 
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawnthrough the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Valarie Budayr and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Title: Leave it to Beamer: Elephant in the Room by Clay Boura

Title: Leave it to Beamer: Elephant in the Room
Author: Clay Boura
Published: May 3, 2016
Publisher: Mascot Books
Pages: 38
Genre: Children ages 5 on up
Review: ebook provided by author
Buy Link: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

The other day my Dad said we had an elephant living in our house! And I looked and I looked, but I could not find an elephant anywhere.
Why would my Dad say such a silly thing?
How could an elephant even fit into our house? Hmmmmm.....
The Leave it to Beamer series explores the wide world of English Idioms. And we'll even Go Out on a Limb to say that you will enjoy these stories Until the Cows Come Home! So grab a Leave it to Beamer story today. You'll be Left in Stitches and fall Head Over Heels in no time!

Come along with Beamer and learn the REAL meanings to some silly sayings!

Review: Being a Captain Is Hard Work: A Captain No Beard Story (Captain No Beard) by Carole P. Roman

Title: Being A Captain is Hard Work
Author: Carole P. Roman
Published: Dec. 31, 2051
Pages: 60
Genre: Ages 3 on up
Review: Paperback provided by author
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

Captain No Beard is determined to travel to Dew Rite Volcano. He won't listen when Mongo predicts a storm or Linus indicates they are headed in the wrong direction. He insists Polly cook in the galley even though the seas are getting rough. What's a crew to do with a stubborn, know-it-all captain?
Will they convince the captain he is barreling headlong into danger, or will Captain No Beard jeopardize both his safety and the crew’s with his single-minded determination to go where he wants?

Spotlight and GIVEAWAY: Bailey (The Puppy Pals) by Susan Hughes

Title: Bailey

Series: The Puppy Pals

Author: Susan Hughes

Release Date: May 3, 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Buy Links:

Amazon- http://ow.ly/4nlmsv 

Apple- http://ow.ly/4nlmle

Barnes&Noble- http://ow.ly/4nlmGv

BooksAMillion- http://ow.ly/4nnX0b 

Indiebound- http://ow.ly/4nnXzV

Meet Bailey, a playful yellow lab puppy!

It's a new school year and things haven't been great for Kat so far. She's being teased, and her best friend Maya is in a different class. But things start to look up when her Aunt Jenn opens a kennel and dog-grooming salon, and the girls are allowed to help out with a puppy named Bailey! But is the responsibility of watching someone else’s pup too much for Kat and Maya to handle?

Review: What Was I Thinking? Volume 1: My Brainy Best Friend by Zac Lange

Title: What Was I Thinking?
Author: Zac Lange
Published: Feb. 10, 2016
Publisher: Novel Notions Press
Pages: 54
Genre: Children ages 6 on up
Review: Paperback provided by author
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

As everyone who has ever been a kid knows, mistakes and accidents are a part of growing up. "What Was I Thinking?" is a series that examines and finds solutions to an endless list of experiences that are universal to both children and families using the incredible tool of brainpower. It is told from the engaging, humorous, and relatable perspective of a young boy in the process of figuring out his place in the world, and whose creative mind, Brain, is his own best friend. "What Was I Thinking? Volume 1" encourages kids to celebrate their brains and their amazing potential. It also teaches the importance of using those powerful brains to think before acting, and to consider consequences both good and bad. Ultimately, the series wants to help kids be aware of their own thought processes, so they can make positive decisions for any given situation in their own lives. Hopefully, there will be fewer and fewer times when they have to ask themselves, "What was I thinking?"

Review: Rocket-Bye by Carole P. Roman

Title: Rocket-Bye
Author: Carole P. Roman
Published: March 113, 2016
Pages: 32
Genre: Children ages 3 on up
Review: Paperback provided by author
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

Carole P. Roman travels to the stars, orbiting the moon and rocketing past planets in this adorable journey to the far reaches of the galaxy. A beautiful bedtime poem, this verse is sure to delight any child before they go to sleep.

Review: The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: Into the Lead by Brooks Olbrys

Title: The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: Into the Lead

Author: Brooks Olbrys
Publisher: Children's Success Unlimited
Published: April 19, 2016
Pages: 56
Genre: Children ages 5 on up
Review: Hardback provided by Author
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

Dive Deep with Blue Ocean Bob as He Takes the Lead Protecting All Life in the Sea of Kerchoo
An earthquake has set off an oil spill on the ocean floor, and Blue Ocean Bob faces his toughest challenge yet. After seeking advice from the local sage, Doc the turtle, Bob musters the courage to dive down and repair the damage alongside his mentor, Mary Marine. Upon their return, Wallace the walrus alerts Bob that a great white shark has been beached. Calling on his island friends, Bob devises a creative plan to set the shark free.

But when Mary is called away to a distant island, Bob has to put his fears (and those of his hummingbird guardian, Xena) aside and step into his mentor’s shoes. Some unlikely allies help Bob in his new role, but he soon realizes that he needs even more help. Thanks to a tip from his trusted friend, Earl the clam, Bob finds the perfect candidate in a young girl he meets on the shore.
The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: Into the Lead is the third installment in this colorful and inspiring early chapter book series that provides young readers with an introduction to timeless principles of achievement.