Review: Can a Princess Be a Firefighter? by Carole P. Roman

Title:  Can A Princess Be A Firefighter
Author: Carole P. Roman
Published: March 25, 2016
Pages: 36
Genre: Children ages 3 on up
Review: paperback provided by author
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk

Two little girls pepper their father with questions about whether or not they can be a profession and still be a princess. Motivated by her granddaughter's fascination with all things 'princess, ' Carole P. Roman penned this adorable poem celebrating all the wonderful possibilities waiting ahead for them

Spotlight Tour: Scarlet and Ivy (The Lost Twin Series) by Sophie Cleverly

Title: Scarlet and Ivy

Series: The Lost Twin

Author: Sophie Cleverly

Release Date: May 3, 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Ivy, I pray that it’s you reading this. And if you are, well, I suppose you’re the new me…

When shy Ivy’s troublemaking twin Scarlet vanishes from Rookwood boarding school, Ivy is invited to “take her place.”  But when Ivy arrives, she discovers the school’s true intention; she has to pretend to be Scarlet. She must think like Scarlet, act like Scarlet, become Scarlet.  What on earth happened to the real Scarlet, and why is the school trying to keep it a secret?

Luckily for Ivy, Scarlet isn’t about to disappear without a fight. She’s left pieces of her journal carefully hidden all over the school for Ivy to find. Ivy’s going to figure out what happened to Scarlet. She’s got to.

But the staff of Rookwood is always watching, and they’ll do anything to keep their secrets buried…

Review: Welcome to Dead House (Goosebumps #1) by R.L. Stine

Title: Welcome to the Dead House
Author: R.L. Stine
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: First published 1992. Re-published Sept. 1, 2013
Pages: 126
Genre: Third graders on up
Review: Paperback
Buy Links: Amazon

Amanda and Josh think the old house they have just moved into is weird. Spooky. Possibly haunted. And the town of Dark Falls is pretty strange, too. — But their parents don't believe them. You'll get used to it, they say. Go out and make some new friends. — So Amanda and Josh do. But these creepy new friends are not exactly what their parents had in mind.
Because they want to be friends...
...Forever.

NetGalley Review: You Are My Best Friend by Tatsuya Miyanishi

Title: You Are My Best Friend
Author: Tatsuya Miyanishi
Published: May 1, 2016
Publisher: Museyon Inc.
Pages: 40 (hardback)
Genre: Children ages 6 on up
Review: ebook provided by NetGalley and publisher
 Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

Once upon a time a violent, mean, selfish Tyrannosaurus roamed the land, and all the other animals feared him. One day, while chasing other animals, the Tyrannosaurus falls into the ocean. The Elasmosaurus, who lives in the sea, saves his life, and the Tyrannosaurus says “thank you” for the very first time. From that day, the land creature and the sea creature become best friends. The author, Tatsuya Miyanishi, delivers a heartwarming story about friendship with vivid, brightly colored illustrations and endearingly drawn characters.

NetGalley Review: Kuma-Kuma Chan's Home by Kazue Takahashi

Title: Kuma-Kuma Chan's Home
Author: Kazue Takahashi
Published: April 1, 2016
Publisher: Museyon Inc.
Pages: 52 (hardback)
Genre: ages 2-4
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

When a boy receives an invitation in the mail from Kuma-Kuma Chan, a friendly bear who lives far away, he travels by train, bus, and finally on foot to reach Kuma-Kuma Chan’s home. Kuma-Kuma Chan welcomes him and serves tea. Even though the two don’t have a lot to talk about, just by spending time together, sharing the day’s activities they bond and create a friendship and enjoy each other’s company. This heartwarming tale once again immerses children of all ages, in Kuma-Kuma Chan’s peaceful, simple world.

Blog Tour Review: The Flower Fairy Superhero by Noam Atinsky

Title: The Flower Fairy Superhero
Author: Noam Atinsky
Illustrator: Francisco X Mora
Published: Jan. 24, 2016
Genre: Children ages 3 on up
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk 

A read-along eBook (enhanced with audio),has a powerful message; it is a heartfelt example of a father honoring the memory of his daughter. Beautiful and creative Noam wrote this story as play to perform for her family on her 5th birthday. Her tale of a flower fairy that possesses very special powers able to help the meanest of people and change them into good and happy human beings is the perfect way to illustrate to children the power of a positive attitude. Written in Noam's words, it speaks to a young audience and is easy to understand and relate to the story. The children can follow along while voice professionals act out the the story with Noam's words. Part of the proceeds from the book will go to The Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

Spotlight and GIVEAWAY: Bakers on Board (The Cupcake Club) by Sheryl Berk and Carrie Berk

Title: Bakers on Board (The Cupcake Club)

Author: Sheryl Berk and Carrie Berk

Volume Number: 9

Release Date; April 5, 2016

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

It's "anchors away!" for the Cupcake club!

Jenna's stepdad Leo is taking his family on a Caribbean cruise. Unfortunately, Jenna's younger 

siblings get the chickenpox, leaving Leo with four extra tickets.

Enter Peace, Love, and Cupcakes! Leo says Jenna's four besties can come-

in exchange for baking twelve thousand cupcakes for his company's pirate-themed event.

Shiver me timbers, that's a lot of icing! Now veterans in the cupcake-baking game, the PLC 

takes on the challenge.

But when a freak rainstorm flares up on the night of the big event, will it be rough seas for the girls?

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27806654-bakers-on-board

Buy Links:
Amazon- http://ow.ly/10CmKc

Barnes&Noble- http://ow.ly/10CmSo

BooksAMillion- http://ow.ly/10Cn0G

!ndigo- http://ow.ly/10Cn7r

Indiebound- http://ow.ly/10Cnej

Sheryl Berk, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Soul Surfer, and her daughter Carrie, a cupcake connoisseur who has reviewed confection from around the world in her Carrie’s Cupcake Critiques newsletter, have cooked up a delightful series sure to be a treat.

Social Networking Links:

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Excerpt from Bakers on Board (The Cupcake Club)

Jenna Medina’s stepfather, Leo, came through the door of their house singing a happy tune: “Sailing, sailing, over the ocean waves…” He kicked up his heels and did a little jig around the living room. For the finale, he jumped up on the couch and bowed deeply. Jenna giggled. By now, she was used to Leo’s silliness. A year ago, when her mom sprang it on her that they were getting married, his jokes and teasing had driven her crazy. But that was before Jenna knew him—and decided to give him a chance. “I grow on you, kind of like mold,” he’d teased her on the big wedding day in Las Vegas. “Please let me show you what a great papa I can be.” Leo had shown her, in more ways than one. He was always there for her when she needed to make a delivery for her cupcake club. He was there when she was sweating over her science final and needed someone to test her on the elements of the periodic table. He’d even convinced her mami to let her adopt Dulce, her Havanese puppy. Her own father had left her mom to raise five kids by herself, but Leo had assured Jenna that he would never leave. He had an enormous heart, and Jenna had grown to love him, as well as her new stepsister, Maggie, who stayed with them every other weekend. Leo had found them all a bigger home so Jenna didn’t have to share a bedroom with her two older sisters, Marisol and Gabby. Even if her room was small, she actually had some peace and quiet and privacy away from her maniac little brothers, Ricky and Manny. It was all hers—from the patchwork quilt her mami had sewn from Jenna’s old baby blankets to the Oreo cookie pillow her BFF Kylie had given her, because like an Oreo, “she was a tough cookie outside and a softie inside.” Having her own space was a dream come true. Now, she could cover her walls with pictures of her favorite Spanish telenovela stars and not worry that Gabby would draw mustaches on all of them! Yet there was no denying her family was more loco than most. Especially when Leo called for a family meeting. “What is it, mi amor?” Her mother, Betty, came racing out of the kitchen, still carrying a raw chicken in her hands. “Qué es la emergencia?” “Mami, are we having arroz con pollo for dinner?” Ricky asked, tugging on her apron. “No! I want pizza!” Manny protested. Jenna’s five-year-old siblings never could seem to agree on anything. Gabby skipped downstairs. Her hair was set in hot rollers. “Can we hurry it up? I’m meeting Marc at the mall.” Jenna rolled her eyes. All her sister thought about—and talked about—were boys! Leo took a head count. “So, Maggie is at her mom’s tonight, and I will have to call her with the good news. But where’s Marisol?” No doubt Jenna’s oldest sister had her nose in a book upstairs. “I’ll go get her,” Jenna volunteered. She raced up the stairs and barged right into Marisol’s bedroom, even though her door was shut. “Hey!” Marisol yelled. “Do you ever knock?” “Nope,” Jenna said, shrugging. “Leo wants you downstairs—ahora!” “I’m just finishing up,” Marisol said, focusing on something on her laptop screen. “Qué pasa?” Jenna asked, peering over Marisol’s shoulder. She assumed her sister was working on yet another term paper that would earn her yet another A+. “None of your business,” Marisol replied, slamming the computer shut. “I’ll be right down.”

• • •

Once everyone was gathered, Leo cleared his throat. “Mi querida familia, the Medina-Winters clan,” he began. Jenna tried to stifle a laugh but it was hard. Leo loved to speak in Spanish—although he wasn’t very good at it. “As you all know, my boss, the fabuloso fashion designer Ralph Warren, has been looking for a unique venue to premiere his new resort collection.” Jenna did know. Leo took great pride in his vice president of marketing position and talked about it all the time. His passion for fashion was one of the things that had drawn him and Betty together. He had come into the tailor shop where she worked one day by chance and spotted her beautiful sewing. According to him, it was love at first stitch. “Well, I’ve found it. And I am going to take all of you along with me on this trip,” he continued. “If you guess where it is.” “Paris? Are we going to Paris?” Gabby asked excitedly. “Good guess,” Leo teased her, “but no cigar.” “London? Milan? New York?” Marisol picked up where Gabby left off, naming the rest of the fashion capitals of the world. “No, no, and no.” Leo shook his head. “You’re not even warm—which is a hint.” He winked at Jenna. “Warm? So the location of your runway show is someplace warm?” she asked. “Like tropical warm?” “Sí! Estás cerca,” he teased. “You’re close.” “A beach!” Ricky piped up. “I wanna build a giant sand castle.” “Think more surf, less sand,” Leo hinted. “Hawaii? Are we going to Hawaii?” Betty jumped in. “I’ve always wanted to see it.” “No, not Hawaii.” Leo grinned mischievously. “I’ll give you another hint: I’m sure this collection is going to make a big splash.” “Water!” Jenna exclaimed. “Is it the rain forest?” “You’re missing the boat.” Leo winked. “Think harder.” While the rest of her family was completely baffled, Jenna suddenly remembered the sailor song Leo came in singing. “Sailing… Missing the boat… Wait, are we going on a cruise ship?” she guessed. “Ding-ding-ding! Give that girl a prize!” Leo cheered. He handed her a brochure that read “Victory Cruises” and showed a photo of a giant white ship with seventeen decks. “Yes, we are all going on a seven-night cruise to the Bahamas over midwinter break from school!”

Also by Sheryl and Carrie Berk:

Fashion Academy

July 7, 2015; TP ISBN97814926016233

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Fashion-forward MacKenzie “Mickey” Williams is thrilled to be accepted to FAB Middle School (Fashion Academy of Brooklyn), a school that serves as a training ground for the fashion designers of tomorrow. (Their motto: “We are SEW FAB”). But when her daring fashion looks get laughed at by some of the FAB A-listers, Mickey wonders whether standing out is such a great idea. So when friendly classmate JC comes up with a plan to help Mickey fit in, she decides to take the ultimate fashion risk-ditch her personal style for good.

One mega makeover later, pink-haired Mickey Williams mysteriously disappears, and the trendy, blond “Kenzie Williams” shows up on the FAB scene, blending with the other students in a way Mickey never could. But when Mickey starts to lose herself “Kenzie,” she’s not sure that fitting in is worth cutting herself down to size…

Goodreads Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21996360-the-fashion-academy

Buy Link:

Amazon- http://ow.ly/SiqKI

Barnes&Noble- http://ow.ly/Sir33

BooksAMillion- http://ow.ly/Sire4

!ndigo- http://ow.ly/SirnF

IndieBound- http://ow.ly/SiryQ



Runway Ready (Fashion Academy)

January 5, 2016; TP 9781492604365

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Project Runway meets Fame in a trendy new series from the authors of The Cupcake Club

1. Balloons

2. Spaghetti

3. Rainbows

If you were to ask Mickey Williams, these would not be her top points of inspiration for designing a party dress. But in fashion, the client is always right…and Mickey’s client happens to be fashion legend Victoria Vanderweil’s five-year-old granddaughter. Even though it’s the toughest assignment Mickey’s gotten during her time at the Fashion Academy of Brooklyn, she can’t pass up the opportunity to impress a top designer like Victoria.
But when Cordy turns out to be a tiny terror with non-stop demands, the assignment goes from hard to impossible. Not only that, but Victoria wants Mickey to babysit Cordy during NYC Fashion Week! Can Mickey pull off her project and pass, or will it fall apart at the seams?

Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26457233-runway-ready

Pre-Order Links:
Amazon- http://ow.ly/SiwCt

Barnes&Noble- http://ow.ly/SiwwT

BooksAMillion- http://ow.ly/Siwmi

!ndigo- http://ow.ly/Siwas

IndieBound- http://ow.ly/Siw3E

Social Media Links:

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