About Postcards From The Hedge: 

In Postcards from the Hedge, Jill Appenzeller reflects on life, family, and human nature in the context of her ever-changing garden. The book is a collection of vivid vignettes that span all four seasons as well as decades of memories both in and out of the garden. From Gossip Girls, the story of the neighborhood kids organizing a garden club, to I Don t Want It Perfect I Want It Tuesday, about all the things that never get done in life as well as in the garden, this is the story of humbling failures and unexpected surprises, of friends and friendships, and the gift of being present in the moment. Filled with humorous anecdotes and surprising insights. Postcards from the Hedge explores what gardening can teach us about ourselves and the world we live in.

Written by Jill Appenzeller,  this book would appeal to those who are passionate about gardening. As the book comprises of short stories, it is easy to pick up and read at one’s convenience. For the busy moms, you can quickly finish a story while waiting to pick up your kids from schools or when you’re taking a quick break from your chores. I’m not someone with green fingers, so I do not relate well with the book but I have no doubt that Postcards From The Hedge will make a perfect gift for any garden enthusiast. Check out what our reviewers on this tour had to say:

Red Sox Mommy – I would recommend this book for any garden lover. It does have some helpful tips sprinkled thorough out the stories that could help even those like me who are not natural gardeners.

The Sewing Mom – I am definitely a novice gardener and I found most of the stories in the book to be very easy to relate to. If you ever tried your hand at gardening you know that while parts of it are easy, other parts can be very labor intensive and even frustrating. Sounds just like life to me and that’s exactly how author Jill Appenzeller relates the stories. I love how she writes, it made me feel as if I was experiencing every garden dilemma, every conversation and every joyous occasion. If I was having a tough day, I knew I could sit down and read a couple of the short stories and I’d end up with a smile on my face.

Brain Foggles – Postcards From the Hedge wasn’t easy for me to read though. I am not a gardener in any sense of the word. The book’s main topic is gardening and uses gardening terminology, which made it somewhat difficult to keep my attention. I was able to find the deeper levels of the essays, but read the book a few essays at a time. It did bring back some memories from my childhood of helping my father in our vegetable garden. The descriptions allowed me to imagine what Jill’s garden must look like also and helped me to relax.

Idaho Jill  - Postcards from the Hedge is filled with garden stories, but more importantly, life stories. When I 1st started reading it, I was afraid that it was going to be to ‘garden-y’ for me. But, the more that I got into the book, the more I could see that every story was very relatable to life, not just gardens.

Happy Healthy Families – I was drawn in to Jill’s reflecting on life, family, and human nature in the context of her ever-changing garden.As the seasons changed, and her garden with them, Jill shares memories, thoughts and wisdom from her life. That is what I enjoyed so much. To listen to someone share their joys sadness, regrets, doubts and questions is without a doubt an inviting reason to take some quiet moments and read Jill’s book.

 

About Island Potcake Dogs:

The adventures of 2 wild dogs, Pot and Cakes, who find a way to survive extreme hardships in the Bahamas and come to live happy lives in the U.S.

Island Potcake Dogs is writen and illustrated by Mary R. Lee and tells the story of two wild puppies called Pot and Cakes, who lived on the island of Nassau in the Caribbean.  As they did not have a home, the poor puppies lived off food given by kind people who leave their dinner pots outside their backdoors. Both dogs learnt that not all people are kind though and I  love how Pot always protect the more timid Cakes.

The dogs met Henry & Mary from US, who were visiting Nassau. The couple grew attached to the puppies and finally brought them back to US to live with them. It was heartwarming to read how Pot and Cakes attended puppy school and adapted to their new home. My daughter was excited to learn about “puppy school” and curious about what was being taught. However, she quickly found the answer to her question as she read on. The puppies’ adventure continued with a summer vacation where Henry and Mary brought them to their cottage by a lake in New Hampshire. Here, Pot and Cakes made new friends and also learnt that it did not pay to nudge a porcupine! Nevertheless, the story ended happily for everyone. There was also a bonus of cutouts at the end of the book which made it extra special for my daughter as she loves arts and craft and cutting was certainly on her list of “Fun Things To Do“.

My daughter and I enjoyed the Island Potcake Dogs for its’ story and cute illustrations. It definitely makes a wonderful bedtime story but don’t just take our word for it…Let’s read what other reviewers thought about the book:

Idaho Jill – To me, this book resonated because we always get our dogs from the pound. The 2 dogs that we have now are age 10 & 16. I love the feeling of rescuing a dog (or 2!) and giving it a better life than it would have had on its own. I am very adamant that the best dogs come from the pound! I love the fact that Henry & Mary brought them home and trained them, fed them, and loved them. My daughter loves dogs, so she really enjoyed the book also. The book was written and illustrated by Mary R. Lee and she really does a wonderful job. Any age group would enjoy this book!

Happy Healthy Families – Adventures and happy endings…..a recipe for a wonderful bedtime story! And there is a special little bonus at the end of the book too–cutouts of the dogs for little ones to cut out and play with!

Mom Most Traveled – I think Island Potcake Dogs does a good job of describing hardship in the dog’s lives without being too doom-and-gloom so as to disturb children, and it has a happy ending!

I remember being very disturbed by the Benji movies when I was a child.

The illustrations in Island Potcake Dogs are adorable. Deeds, my 3-year-old, loves “woof woofs” and is ever intrigued. As an extra special bonus, children can cut out their own paper Island Potcake Dogs at the end of the book.

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A group of reviewers and I had a fantastic opportunity to read two books about self-esteem, boosting confidence and instilling assertiveness. The first being, “The Mouse, Monster and Me” and the second, “Liking Myself“. Both books are written by Dr. Pat Palmer, illustrated by Betty L. Shondeck and published by Uplift Press.

I shall kick off this book blog tour with my review on “The Mouse, the Monster and Me“. Basically, this book is about helping young people (from 8years and up) understand their personalities and various behaviors and how it can affect other people or be mirrored by them. It is written, in a very informal handwriting style, with lots of doodles/drawings which keeps the young reader interested and motivated to continue reading.

Let me first warn you that this is not the type of book you can read through in one sitting. Whether your child is the mouse, the monster or both, it’s worthwhile to sit with them and spend the time reading this book together. No matter how long the reading takes, as I think this forges an important message to them. That you care about their feelings and that you, the parent want to work with them to manage it. It has various exercises and activities that you or your child can work with, that can help build their self-esteem, and assert themselves appropriately. I myself had some time to self-explore my type of personality and had some moments where I asked myself why I made some pretty bad/negative choices and became a really bad monster. No, not a proud moment.

From what I can safely assume is that not many kids will realise that every single one of us, have the same type of feelings. Especially those of sadness, hurt, vengefulness and anger.

This is not a book you get and leave it on the bookshelf. This is a book you get, and put it where your family gathers most. The kitchen. The dining table. The bedroom. Everywhere but the bookshelf. Where your child can come home, share their thoughts on how their day went, and grab the book easily and work out their feelings if they’re finding it hard to manage it by themselves. This book was very relevant for my 8 year old, as he is quite a ‘mouse’ and needs to improve on his assertiveness and learn how to speak out without being too bossy.

The second book, “Liking Myself” is clearly about building self-esteem. Just like the first book, it’s informally written, with drawings/doodles, making it more interesting for the younger reader (between ages 5-9). Younger kids who are growing to be more aware of their feelings and themselves. My 4 year old son, has often display feelings of anger, and would storm off angrily whenever his little brother takes his toys. But because he is also a pre-schooler, his teacher has been teaching him how to explain his feelings out. Unfortunately, saying that to a 2 year old does not work.

So, he comes around to tell me how he feels, and thanks to this book, both of us, can pick out his ‘feeling face’ and we play the “letting go” game. The activities and games in the book, are simple and easy for younger kids to engage with.

About Dr. Pat Palmer :

As a therapist for 20 years, Dr. Pat Palmer taught children and adults how to solve problems and to like themselves. Her books, popular in the United States and Japan, have helped many people learn to feel better about themselves and take responsibility for getting what they want in life.

Pat is the author of four delightful books that teach young people to have a good relationship with themselves. All of her books are rated five stars by Amazon.com readers!

Pat’s two most popular books, Liking Myself and The Mouse, the Monster, and Me, have just been re-released after ten years out of print!

Well, these group of reviewers had a wonderful opportunity to review them, and these are snippets of their reviews :

The Mom Maven : What makes these books even more exciting for me is they cover a subject that is seldom covered, at least in a positive way in our schools and even in many homes-social skills, emotional stability and self-esteem.These books have sold over a half a million copies world wide in 6 different languages before going out of print in the US in 2000. Now they are back in print and available online from Uplift Press.

5 Vinez Monkeys : Overall, I am quite impressed with both books. I loved the fun and unique print and doodles throughout both of the books. It made it seem like each book was a “letter” written just to my child. These books are the prefect addition to our home library, and I’m certain we’ll be reading them often in the years to come.

Lisa Reviews : Both these books are pretty cute.  The kids learn without realizing it, and they definitely teach some great skills.

Creative Writings 101 : As a parent, I recommend these books wholeheartedly. In our busy lives, sometimes we don’t always get the chance to sit down and talk with our children as much as we’d like to. These books are informative, interesting, and can be a helpful tool in helping our children grow up and define who they are as a person.

Sassy Frazz : This book can be used as a great resource to build a conversation with your child about their feelings, and the feelings of others. I think this book is another great book to work through with your child.

This Southern Girls’ Nest : Both of these books are wonderfully illustrated in the fact that I think even the kids who don’t like to read would be able to pick it up and start reading. The games that are associated in getting the kids involved with their feelings is great!

Buy It! : Both books are extremely useful and helpful when it comes to feelings and behavior. Highly recommended for parents, teachers, care support givers, therapists, etc. These books are available for sale here and digital copies are available as well.  Uplift Press Inc. also has other books available : The Winning Family and On the Wings of Self-Esteem. Sign up for their free positive parenting newsletter delivered via email!

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I just got back from an 8 hour plane flight, with three kids (2, 4 and 7) and 60kg of luggage, by myself. Not only that, I managed to watch 3 movies, eat the meals and enjoy myself. The best thing was, the 2 year old did not scream or yell (unlike the first time we went, where he screamed non-stop for 2 hours) and instead, entertained himself and the other passengers. To be honest, as I was planning for our 19 days trip, everyone asked if it would be alright, traveling with kids. Well, to be honest, the best answer to that is to not to have any expectations on how your kids will behave. They will not sleep if you want them to. And they will sleep when you least expect them to. I gave myself a big pat on my shoulder, and for remembering to take double of my anxiety relaxant pills.

However, if I had read “Wanderlust and Lipstick – Traveling with Kids” by Leslie Forsberg and Michelle Duffy, it may have given me more ideas on how to relax even further!

“Wanderlust and Lipstick – Traveling with Kids” is a collection of real-life experiences by moms who travel with kids. By travel, it could mean interstate or international. It doesn’t matter. What really matters, is your sanity and maintaining it. Reading this book WILL. HELP. YOU.

It covers from pre-travel (yes, even if you’re just thinking about it) right up to post-travel, where it mentions recovery from jet-lag. It includes an extensive list of websites, which is pretty handy since it’s all laid out in one book! While alot of us moms just worry about the logistics, the food and water supplies, we often forget about the enriching experiences our kids go through. Like just letting them play and make friends with the local kids, is enough to fill their memory banks for a lifetime. The book is peppered with “hot tips” for short trips that are 1 hour drive away or super long ‘around the world’ trips!

About Wanderlust and lipstick :

Our mission is to increase your passion for travel by providing inspiration, tips and words of wisdom from experienced Wanderlusters who’ve seen it all! Here you can find travel stories to whet your appetite for adventures around the globe; join a WanderTour to Bhutan or India; peruse posts from the ever expanding group of WanderBloggers; read travel tips from experienced globetrotters; learn about Wanderlust and Lipstick-recommended travel gear; and salivate over the glorious photos in the WanderGallery submitted by travelers the world over.

More about the co-authors : Leslie Forsberg and Michelle Duffy, please go here!

Buy It! The Wanderlust and Lipstick series is specifically targeted to women, and I only wish I had known about it earlier. I have so many girlfriends who have the ‘wanderlust’ in them, and have traveled far and wide, and this would have made perfect gifts for them. Series include :

• The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo – 2nd Edition
• For Women Traveling to India

These books are available at the Wanderlustandlipstick website and also at Amazon.

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Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley

The Wright on Time series of books is written by Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley, a homeschooling mom who had found it difficult to find books about homeschoolers for her daughters. Thanks to Lisa, we were sent autographed copies of Wright on Time Arizona and Wright on Time Utah to review.

The Wright on Time series tells the adventure of a homeschooling RV family who travels across the United States, starting with the state of Arizona. The Wright family comprises of 11 year old Nadia, 7 year old Aidan and their parents Stephanie (mom) and Harrison (dad).  Together, they hit the road in their RV and goes on a fascinating adventure from one state to another, spending time together exploring and learning.

Seeing that my 10 year old son has started to enjoy adventure books, I gave the books to him to review for this tour. He loved that the books opened up with two pages of pictures and quick facts about the state the books were based on. The short chapters meant it was easy for him to put the book down when he had to do other things BUT I can honestly tell you that he had read more than half of the chapters in Wright on Time Arizona on his first day of reading. He finished the book on the second day! I’m sure that already speaks volume on how interesting and exciting the first book was for him. He also eagerly finished Wright on Time Utah within the next three days.

As English is not our first language, some of the words may not be familiar to him but the glossary at the end of each book was a wonderful reference.  Being a mom, I love these two titles because they are not only a fun read, they serve as useful educational tools. By the time my son finished the books, he had already learnt many facts about Arizona and Utah as well as picked up a couple of new words to add to his English vocabulary. So, I’m definitely giving these books the two thumbs up!

Here’s a peek into what Wright On Time Arizona and Wight on Time Utah are about:

First stop, Arizona! The Wright’s homeschooling RV adventure starts with exploring a desert cave. Nadia can’t wait to find minerals and see rock formations. Aiden wants to see bats. He finds something mysterious buried in the rock – what could it be? What is that glowing thing on the wall? Where are those voices coming from? What do you do with toilet paper in a cave? And just what is a stale egg mite anyway?

The Wright family’s homeschooling RV adventure continues at an Allosaurus dinosaur dig in Utah. Nadia can’t wait to decipher symbols from the mysterious device. Aiden wants to find a real dino bone. He might find something, but he might lose something else – what could it be? What freaky thing is glowing now? Where is their power coming from? What do you do with a left dentary? And just want kind of tune are they singing?

Let’s take a look at what other moms and dad on our panel of reviewers thought of Wright On Time Arizona and Wright On Time Utah:

Maria’s Space – These books are incredible. I love them and think that you and your kids will too! The family is likable. The kids are enjoyable, no one is trying to one up someone or be funny. The parents aren’t secondary characters or forgotten. The locations are interesting. The story flows beautifully and this really is a great way to show how normal, smart and balanced homeschooled children can be contrary to some of my friends. These books are not just for the homeschooled. The story is excellent and any reader will want the next book in the series.

5 Vinez Monkeys – Overall, we are super impressed with the Wright on Time books. My kids loved reading about other homeschooling kids that were right around their ages. They also really enjoyed learning about Arizona and Utah. I really enjoyed reading the books with Jace and Lucy also. The books were funny and interesting and kept the kids anxious to learn more. I would recommend these books to any homeschooling family – or any family that wants to learn more about the USA.

Reviews & Reflections -When I heard about a new series of books by Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley, I was excited. This series is based on the United States – one book per state – which means there will eventually be 50 books in the series! The books are written by a homeschool mom – and they’re about a homeschool family! That appeals to us as homeschoolers.

Sewing Mom – I have to say, I’ve really enjoyed these books and I definitely share the love of learning and traveling around our country. It’s exactly what we’ve tried to do with our own daughter, even though we don’t have an RV. The series seems to be targeted to readers around age 10, younger if they love to read and have a parent that likes to read with them. The stories inspire me to hit the road with my family!

Why Are They Calling ME Mom -I can really see how these books would be extremely helpful to homeschooling moms and dads. Heck I think they’ll be useful to L when she’s in first or second grade. Or even for a student that’s doing a report on one of our 50 states. I know I can’t wait to read the Missouri one. Learning more about our country is a good thing.

Mommy Mandy – The Wright on Time series of children’s chapter books are about an RV-living family who travels the USA. Each book is set in a different state with a different fun and educational theme. It’s like taking your child on a wonderous road trip across the USA powered by the imagination! You can pick up any book in the series and enjoy it fully without having read others in the series. Of course, if you want to know the complete story of the Wright family’s adventures, you are going to want to read the other books!

Laura William’s Musings – All in all, my children and I found these books to be very interesting to read and to learn more about the states. Perfect timing to review these too as we are in the midst of a unit study about all 50 states.

One House Schoolroom – My children fell in love with the Wright family from the start- my seven year old son is an identical match to Aiden and my daughter loved Nadia’s sense of adventure and bravery. The easy tone and short chapters kept my kiddos asking for more. It took us less than two days to finish the first book and the second was finished in less than a week. Most books take us a few weeks to read from beginning to end. The only complaint my children had was that we have to wait a few months for the next installment- they are hooked!!

Happy Healthy Families – Each book is set in a different state with a different fun and educational theme. I loved that each book can be read and enjoyed without having to have read others in the series. But of course, once you start reading about the Wright family and their adventures, you are drawn in and will want to read their story right from the very beginning!

Connie’s View – Sammi’s Review (age 11): I liked the glossary because I was able to learn what the unusual words meant. The children in the book lived an exciting life traveling through the country and being homeschooled about the things they saw. I imagined myself living a life like that. It was confusing not reading the children calling their parents “Mom and Dad”. I felt that books were for younger aged children than me, though because I was able to read them very quickly.

The Plus Size Mommy (Arizona) – My son Zachary who is 10 was the real reviewer of these books. He wished he had them in 4th grade when he had a major project for school on a state. Which is a requirement at his school.

My son loved these adventures, and he took the books in to share with his teachers and classmates. They all were excited over them.

The Plus Size Mommy (Utah) – I love that he is enjoying these books. However, he took my book 2 – Utah to school, and shared it with some friends and the teacher decided to read it to the class, which made this review late! So, I wasn’t too happy about that. But these books are very fun to read and so Educational, I totally get why the teacher would want to read it with the class.

The Southern Girls Nest – Kayla’s review : I love these books because they teach me about the states that I might not have ever visited and known about. I also like these books because they tell about mysteries you have to solve and I love mysteries. I don’t want to tell you what the books are about but there was a part in the first book that made me want to read the second book so that I could solve the mystery. The characters are sort of like me in a way so I relate to them. Because they like mysteries and they like to travel and they love to explore things, just like me. I am looking forward to reading the third book and all the others.

Yenjai.Net – My son simply love it though. Before he finished the first book, he already ask for the second book. Good eh? Though I was sure there were plenty of words foreign to him, he didn’t seem to mind at all. He simply proceed on, and occasionally ask us for the meaning of a couple of words. Guess the writer really had done a good job in writing the story.

Chanel’s Journal – By just reading these two books had already opened up Mummy’s eye to a different type of adventures which was educational RV roadschool tour. More families were embarking into homeschooling the kids. Mummy strongly recommended this series because it would be educational and by the end of the series, we would have travelled to 50 states learning about the different and uniqueness of each state.

The Clan Mcleod – As a homeschooling mom, I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books. Geared for ages 5 – 12, my oldest daughter, Sarah, is 11 and breezed through the first one in a little over an hour. She enjoyed it as much as I did and is getting ready to begin book 2.

We all learned a lot and enjoyed the state information in the front of the books. I also appreciated the glossary in the back that helped with girls with unfamiliar words.

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Young children sometimes have a hard time making friends; this is especially true in military families where a lot of the time every two to three years the family relocates. Jamie and the Angel is about a little girl named Jamie – a member of a military family – who is a little different than other children. This “difference” makes her shy around them – so she finds it hard to make friends. Her “difference” is that she sees just a little more deeper into people – a “gift from God” that she isn’t sure is much of a gift. He parents tell her it’s “just her imagination” at work but Jamie knows it’s more than that.

Jamie and the Angel is a touching story about having a “gift” and accepting it as part of yourself. I thought it was a lovely story but I also believe it ended too abruptly; I would’ve loved to hear more about Jamie’s gift and if when she accepts it if she gets more social at school and makes friends.

This book is for children of any age. It opens the door to a higher relationship with God and doesn’t belittle those with special “gifts” from God. I thought that this story was incredibly positive and I like to see the connection between parapsychology and spirituality.

There is a great section after the story that is a guideline for parents. It talks about how to deal with special gifts and how to talk to your children about them. It explains that these special gifts are indeed gifts from God and that God loves everyone.

The book’s author – Carol Guy – is also the author of several books and hosts her own radio program on Blog Talk Radio called Earth Angel. Carol has many special gifts including Clairvoyance. She can be found at her website www.CarolGuy.com

If you’re interested to learn how Jamie and the Angel fared with other readers, here’s what our mommy bloggers thought of the book:

Maria’s Space : While the cover may look like a child’s book, this book is not for children only. I believe that Carol is writing for people everywhere who feel different than others. The message of the book is quite simple, “it is OK to be different.” We are told as children and we tell our children that being different is what makes them special. The little girl in the book has a rare gift where she can speak and see Divine beings. If this is not something you believe in, the book is a great resource in self acceptance on an elementary level.

Idaho Jill – I think the message of this book would appeal to any age group. We all need encouragement sometimes that being different is a good thing, and Carol Guy has brought that concept to life in her very understandable book. My daughter liked the book, and the rich illustrations. Overall, I liked the book, too, even though it had some spelling errors and was more focused on the God aspect of spirituality than I believe in. But, I do believe in the overall message that everyone is special, and was happy to have the opportunity to review and share this book.

Moomette’s Magnificents – Beautifully illustrated by Richa Kinra, Jamie and the Angel is about children who are gifted in the psychic area.  I’ve written here before that I, myself profess to have some sort of psychic ability, or Sixth Sense, if you prefer.  Although my “gift” didn’t develop until I was older, children are capable of such  intuitive insights also.

Written in an easy to understand prose, Guy tells the story of Jamie, an 8-year old girl who doesn’t understand why she feels different from her peers, until an Angel appears to help her by providing guidance. Appended at the end is a reference guide for parents.

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I could not help but read this book to myself first. Normally, whenever I get a book to review, I’d read it with my kids. But, this book, “Catty Wompus : A Tale of Friendship” written by Julie Howe, reminded me of my schooldays many years ago. I remembered girls who were too haughty and pompous, and how I always felt inferior to them.

“Catty Wompus” the character is a well-to-do girl who has everything she ever wanted, but nay a single close friend. The voice of the story, “Lucy Hope”, a simple 9 year old girl, tries to befriend “Catty Wompus” but is immediately hurt by “Catty’s” spiteful words.

“Lucy’s” immediate reaction is to mirror that hate, and runs home after school, and shares this with her mom. Thankfully, mom sees beyond the wall of meanness, and shares a very good piece of advice with Lucy. How it ends, is rather amusing, and I must say, I do like it very much.

I’m sure we’ve all met a “Catty Wompus” in our lives and if we didn’t know better, we’d normally shrug it off, and don’t bother making such friends. However, if we are a parent or educator, I’d have to say, we all must always plant seeds of love, hope and faith. Show our children that people who display hatred, are people who are really scared inside. They may seem loud and obnoxious on the outside, but inside, they are as tiny as a mouse.

About The Author :

Hi there. I’m Julie Howe and I live on the Monterey Peninsula of Northern California with my husband and two large, cuddly dogs. Books have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I love stories of all kinds but I especially love kid’s books. To be even more specific, I love kid’s books told in rhyming verse so it’s obvious why Shel Silverstein is my hero. Having always wanted to write one of my own, I decided to take the plunge and write Catty Wompus: A Tale of Friendship. I hope you love reading it as much as I loved writing it.

Buy It! : I must say, this book is a very valuable resource for parents, counsellors and educators, who can share this with young kids (and some big kids, like me), that giving love (although not always accepted at first), is better than being hateful. It is also beautifully (and unusually) illustrated by Chasom Matthoms. I quite like his big-headed (with big eyes!) people alot.

My kids’ verdict : They loved it. There were so many questions about “Catty” (and why sometimes her head was bigger than the rest – that’s from my 4 year old), but I believe my 7 year old gets it, as he too may have a “Catty Wompus” in his class. We were actually discussing this, before we got this book. So, this book came at the right time, if I might add!

We have some wonderful reviews from our panel of reviewers that we’d like to share with you :

Pookie and the Boys : I found this story to be a life lesson for many of us today. Just because someone may have the best of everything, they may be very lonely. It shows how we can try to make good friends by being one.

The Sewing Mom : Catty Wompus is a wonderfully written story for tweens. I think every girl and boy has met someone like Catty, they may not have realized though why they were so unhappy. In today’s environment of having so much, it can certainly be difficult to understand that having things isn’t what makes us happy.

She Scribes : I really like the moral of this story and how important friendship can be to someone, especially those who have no friends. I think the books sends out a powerful message to children about friendship and I would encourage children to read this book.

Crunchy Green Mom : Then we read “Catty Wompus” by Julie Howe. I love this book, my girls love this book, my teens and my boyfriend love this book. It is awesome to have such a great book about everything we all deal with. The “mean” girl, the one who looks pretty but speaks ugly and the pain that is causes everyone around her, most importantly her.

Heidi Strawser : I’m a sucker for a children’s book that is set to rhyme (this probably stems back to my early days of listening to my mom read Dr. Seuss books to me!) There’s just something super fun about reading a rhyming story, and Catty Wompus was no exception!

Connie’s View : From an adult point of view, you can see that Catty is lonely. From a child’s point of view, she comes across as mean, especially when she tells a girl that her clothing was “ugly”. This girl, Lucy Hope,  feels sad and angry about this offense.

The Plus Size Mommy : It is very important that children give other kids a chance, even if they seem like they are mean or miserablefriendship or love might be the one missing link in their lives that they do not have, that can completely change their little World for them.

Blogmania : This was a great book about tolerance, friendship and looking beyond what is on the surface. The illustrations were really great – very quirky and fun.

Ang’s Chicken Coop : The illustrations are very colorful and fun. Melina, who is 7, was delighted with the book. I was, too. It tells a great life lesson in a way that makes sense to a child. This is definitely a book that could easily become a family classic.

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“Snow Takes the Checker” is the first story in the “Snow The Race Horse” series written by Demi Clark. “Snow” is a 10 year old horse that grew up in a family that races competitively. He has a close friend, a turtle named, “Tuga” who also races and is the fastest turtle on the East Coast!

Together, “Snow” and “Tuga” trained hard to compete in the hardest race of the year – the Animal 500. There is always a bad guy in the story, and his name is “Robbie the Race Raccoon” who tries very hard to thwart their efforts of winning!

However, in the end, the spirit of friendship rides high in this race and there is a feel-good end to it.

About the Author :

After a successful 5-year career with the company, leading teams & projects plus launching 60+ communities for the homebuilder, Demi Clark chose to venture out on her own in a “down economy.” She started her own woman-focused/based PR firm, Girl Friday. In its infancy, she already has five major clients (and no free time!) – with her first major clients in the motorsports arena. Always challenging the “girl power” banner, she has two “chicks” of her own at home who fuel her fire – Maizie, 5, and Willa, 3. Demi makes her home in Fort Mill, South Carolina – a suburb of Charlotte, NC and the heart of motorsports.

Buy it! : I especially liked the part where “Snow” and “Tuga” are determined not to retaliate against “Robbie” and display good sportsmanship throughout the race. My boys certainly love this book, as it reminds them of racing car competitions and the colorful illustrations. Check out and/or pre-order the future sequels to the “Snow the Race Horse” series here.

Here’s what our panel reviewers have to say about it :

Pookie and the Boys : I enjoyed the short story and the details that were added to help the story along. I would recommend it to children in the ages of 6-8 and who love the idea of racing.

The Sewing Mom : I thought this was pretty thoughtful on Snow’s part, but it also show Robbie in the background looking exhausted and losing the race. So, while Snow was quite polite during the race, she certainly didn’t do any favors for anyone other than her friend.

She Scribes :I thought this book was really cute and very easy to read, even for beginner readers. The pages are filled with large, colorful illustrations that make the story come to life.

Crunchy Green Mom : It is a great story to teach kids about sportsmanship and a supportive family.

Reviews & Reflections : If your family is into any type of racing (NASCAR, dirt-track racing, horse racing, etc.), this book will be a big hit!  Children will appreciate the cute storyline about Snow and Tuga, while enjoying the simple, yet colorful, illustrations.

Connie’s View : Snow Takes the Checker will keep your child’s attention easily. It’s as if you are hearing a sportscaster talk you through the twists and turns of a race. The illustrations are colorful and inviting.

The Plus Size Mommy : When the book Snow The Race Horse came in the mail, my near 2 yr. old daughter was so excited that a new book came for her. The pictures in the book are so cute, and my daughter just loves horses. This alone was enough to catch her attention.

Blogmania : This was also a book about friendship and working together. These are traits that all children learn through guidance and trial and error.

Ang’s Chicken Coop : This is a cute story about Snow the Racehorse. He isn’t a racehorse in the traditional sense. He is more like a mix between a race car and a race horse. That was a bit confusing for my daughter who understands horse racing.

One House Schoolroom Review : The story is delightful as we watch Snow and Tuga race against some tough competition.

Mom Start : The fun whimsical  pictures appeal to children like my own and that’s why she keeps asking me to read it to her.

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Author : Jay Tucker
Illustrations: D.E. West
ISBN-10: 1932690824
ISBN-13: 978-1932690828

First of all, I must say I love the shiny, vibrant colours and lovely illustrations used on the cover of book. This is a definite plus if you’re trying to attract a toddler’s attention. Ferdinand Uses The Potty tells the story of Ferdinand The Frog, who suddenly awakens one night to find  that his bed is wet. He is confused about the situation but fortunately, help is on hand. Ferdinand has a friend who had gone through the same experience and he encourages him to use the toilet. The big hurdle for Ferdinand was to overcome his fear of hearing the noise from the toilet flush. And this he ultimately did with much bravery.

Ferdinand Uses The Potty is a great book which encourages children to confront and overcome their fears about using the toilet.  I like that the pictures are big and vivid and the amount of wordings are also just perfect for a toddler’s attention. The story is short, easy to understand and though not perfect, the rhyming prose used by the author Jay Tucker, added some fun when you’re reading to a toddler. 

BUY IT : Ferdinand Uses The Potty is available for purchase at Amazon. You might also be interested to check out the FREE colouring pages available from the book’s website here.

And here’s a peek at what our panel of reviewers had to say about Ferdinand Uses The Potty:

Contests and Giveaways – All in all, it is a story worth reading to kids. I liked it, and more importantly, my daughter liked it. Ferdinand faced and conquered one of his fears – a very important lesson for kids! It is available for purchase at bookstores and at Amazon.com. Be sure to check it out!

Connie’s View – The rhyming, adorable character, Ferdinand and the bright, cherry illustrations make this a book that your child will want you to read again and again. My daughter had major fears of potty training and I wish that I had this for her. Seeing a frog go through it with the help of a child is a creative move. I recommend this to parents who are in the throes of potty training of going to give it a start.

 Happy Healthy Families – The story is humorous, gentle and fun. The dialogue between Ferdinand and his friend is written in a rhyming fashion, which made my boys enjoy the story even more. It will,I believe, help kids feel more reassured when it comes to their own thoughts and challenges with potty training.The only thing my 5 year old wondered about is whether or not Ferdinand continued to have any more “accidents” at night. Maybe we need a “Ferdinand Sequel??”

 Quiverfull Family – Written in rhyming prose, Ferdinand is a bold, enthusiastic exploration of overcoming bed-wetting and the commonly held fear about using the potty that can arise after children understand the basic concepts of potty-training. Ferdinand and his young friend don’t attempt to explain the basics of going to the potty, or even describe the event in much detail -– they rather focus in on being afraid of the toilet, and to some extent on wetting the bed.

Moomette’s Magnificents – Put this delightful, humorous book on your list of “must reads” or as a gift for any mom-to-be, daughter, daughter-in-law, daycare provider, homeschooling mom or friend who will be going through the challenge of potty training in the future!

 As They Grow Up – My son has been potty trained since he was 18 months old, but still has night time accidents. Deciding when and how to completely night potty train has been an issue that my husband and I are currently dealing with. Ferdinand The Frog Uses The Potty actually talks about one night when Ferdinand the Frog wakes up and realizes that he is all wet. The problem is, Ferdinand just can’t figure out why he is all wet. Luckily though he has a friend that explains to him to him what happened during the night and also there is nothing to be scared of when it comes to using the potty (Ferdinand the Frog was scared of the sound the toilet makes when it flushes). Finally at the end of the day Ferdinand realizes that using the potty isn’t so bad after all!

Rambling Moo – Generally, this book is a good start for those who wants to try to potty train their little kids. The story which is short and filled with colorful illustrations is perfect to hold a toddler’s short attention span.

Right Reads - Since the boy is toilet trained for the day, he can identify with the toilet, the word “pee pee” and having a tummy ache. However, the language used was slightly above his age level and also, the lack of descriptive words had him slightly puzzled…

Nevertheless, the storyline kept him hooked to the book from start to the end. For this, I think the author and illustator have down an excellent job.

Our Makiko – He loves the book so much -so much that after that first time, he asked for me to read it twice to him! And everytime, he never fails to laugh aloud on those parts I mentioned. And actually, the Ferdinand Uses the Potty book is on the table beside our bed as I type this post. So if my son’s reactions were bases to this review, then I would give a two-thumbs up for this book.

New Year Publishing recently gave 6 Parent Reviewers the opportunity to review “Quickly, The Magic Spatula”.

“Quickly, The Magic Spatula” is about a charming and nostalgic story about a handy kitchen utensil, the spatula. “Quickly” and Mommy ( who then became”Grandma Darling”) makes the best pancakes in this house, with its green handle and shiny flat surface. When “Grandma Darling” passes away, “Quickly” is boxed away and kept in an attic. When the grown-up kids rediscover “Quickly”, a rush of memories come flooding back and they went on to recreate the magic themselves!

I’m sure everyone has a special memory of their childhood and mine is pretty much similar to this story, only that it was a measuring cup called “Tala” that reminded me of my mom baking her wonderful cakes. The very image of this measuring cup, takes me back to a time when my mom would teach me everything about baking. I especially liked the part where I’d lick her spatula quickly (behind her back, because salmonella was quite prominent then). Ahh, how precious these memories are.

About the authors

Quickly the Magic Spatula is written by Jeryl Abelmann & Miriam Kronish and illustrated by Chason Matthams.

Jeryl Abelmann is a retired elementary school teacher and recipient of Teacher of the Year for the San Ramon Valley Unified School District in California. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Carmel Bach Festival. She loves the theater, loves to write, travels extensively, and is a member of Screen Actors Guild. She lives in Northern California with her husband and has two sons and three adorable grandchildren.

Miriam Kronish teaches at Lesley University and Cambridge College in Massachusetts. She is a retired principal from the Needham (MA) Public Schools. Her interests are music, math, brain compatible learning, accelerated learning, and multiple intelligences. She is the recipient of the National Distinguished Principal’s Award and is an honored Principal in the State of Massachusetts. She loves to write and is a Past President of the Rotary Club of Needham. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two cats.

Buy It! : Now, as a mom myself, I know creating these experiences for my kids will have a positive influence as they grow up. We have a ritual, whenever I start gardening, we all bring out our spades, forks and lil wheelbarrows out. I hope they too will remember these times, when they’ve all grown up into men. This book does inspire you to create memories for your kids to hold forever. It also has a section where your child can write down his/her favourite family story and even the mouth-watering yummy pancake recipe that Quickly whipped up!

“Quickly” has a rather quaint website too over here, so do check it out.  You can submit your favourite family recipes there and “Quickly The Magic Spatula” has also won the Moonbeam Spirit Awards 2009 given for dedication to children’s literacy and inspired writing, illustrating and publishing.

Here are our panel of reviewers who had a chance to read it and what they have to say:

Moody Mama Says : This story is such a touching story. It brought tears to my eyes. It makes me want to spend more time with my children in the kitchen (and less time at this computer). I love that the story is real and true to life.

Connie’s View : Quickly: The Magic Spatula is a heartwarming book that reminds adults of stories from our childhood and how important the little things in our family really are. For children, this book helps create memories and start discussions about family, love and imagination.

Idaho Jill : I just really loved the nostalgia, simplicity, and illustrations in this book.  The back of the book has pages to write down memories, and the authors want people to email them their special stories, too.  Such a great idea, don’t you think?  The book was completely believable, very heartwarming, and a must have children’s book.

5 Vinez Monkeys : My kids loved the book. And they have all decided not only to name the spatula in the kitchen drawer, (Flipper is the name of choice), but we now have an entire drawer full of named utensils. There’s Beater (the whisk), Smasher (the rolling pin), King Cut (the kitchen shears), and about a bazillion other names that the kids will remind me of every day from now on.

Loving Heart Mommy : I love that something as common as a spatula can spark childhood memories. How it takes me back to remembering something from my childhood that was truly magical in my eyes! This is a story for children of all ages, I enjoyed reading about Quickly and how he is brought to life, how memories were made and how the memories were continued to be preserved!

Thanks to New Year Publishing for giving us the opportunity to review them.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/0

“Giggles the Green Bean” was written by Lauren Davis and illustrated by Michael Vincent Fusco and the book teaches kids on ways to go green.

“Giggles” comes out of earth, onto a “Stinkytown”. What was once a thriving, lush and green surrounding, is now a big mess of litter, pollution and dying environment. “Giggles” goes on a mission to find a way to reverse this and meets with an wise old “Cabbage”. “Cabbage” shares with “Giggles’ 5 simple ways to help our earth : Recycle, Reuse, Save Water, Reduce Energy and Eat Healthily.

Will “Giggles” succeed in sharing these 5 simple steps with everyone in Stinkytown? Will Stinkytown ever be Greentown again?

Share this with your kids and re-create a dramatic but happy ending, which I’m sure the kids would appreciate.

About the Book :

“Giggles the Green Bean” was written by Lauren Davis and colorfully illustrated by Michael Vincent Fusco.

Lauren Davis became keenly aware that children needed to learn how to make a difference in keeping the environment clean. Inspired by her brother’s environmental activism, she penned her first children’s book, Giggles the Green Bean. Lauren has long been involved with children including working as a camp counselor and pre-school teacher. A former leadership development executive, Lauren currently lives in Portland with her family and dog, Lily.

Michael Vincent Fusco is the incredible illustrator for the Giggles the Green Bean series of books.  He is a creative force that brought to life the characters and concepts of the story.  Not only is Michael an accomplished children’s book illustrator, but he also does detailed paintings, drawings and music.

Buy it! : My kids were really enthusiastic when I was reading “Giggles” with them. They can identify with all 5 steps, because it has been drilled in their heads, not only by me, but also by their friends and teachers to practice these 5 simple steps every single day. My middle child, especially loved the illustrations of a happy “Giggles” and the various costumes “Giggles” dons at the end of the book. The message of this book is simple, if we all do a small part to help our environment every day, imagine, the whole world’s population doing their small part, imagine how big an effect that would be! So, go on.. get this book and start practicing those 5 simple steps and share it with everyone in your community about the underlying message of going green!

Giggles has his own (very cute!) website  and you can also purchase the book here and get some free goodies like free temporary tattoos, a packet of green bean seeds, and stickers of the star “Giggles”! You could even request for the author to autograph the book!

Here are three lucky Parent Reviewers who had a chance to review this book :

Mom Start :  The wise old cabbage teaches Giggles that you need to recycle, use water wisely, use fewer paper products, save energy, and eat healthy food. All of these concepts are presented with an example that children can understand.

As They Grow Up :  This book is a fantastic book when it comes to teaching young children about living a little “greener” and is suggested for ages 4 and up which makes sense.  My two year old loved the illustration and the story but as far as understanding everything that it was saying, he didn’t.  Of course over time as we read it more and more it would.

Happy Healthy Families : I loved reading about Giggles with my munchkin boys! Not only was the story a very important one in that it helped them understand about taking care of their environment, the illustrations are amazing! And with my kids, and I am sure with others, beautifully drawn colorful pictures always help them stay interested in a story.

Thanks to New Year Publishing for giving us the opportunity to review this book.

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