GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Our family loves stories about animals! So when I heard that I had the opportunity to review Winter’s Tail by Juliana, Isabella and Craig Hatkoff I jumped at the chance! I grew up in Central Florida – so I am familiar with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium where this story takes place.

About the Book:

When Winter, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, was found trapped with her tail badly damaged, she was not expected to survive. This is her miraculous story, from her rescue to learning how to swim again to her unprecedented success using a prosthetic tail. This is also a celebration of her indomitable spirit.

My son is a couple months away from being five – so the story kept his attention and I was able to engage him more by asking him questions about the story. I don’t think I would recommend the book to kids much younger than five though, since it is a long story and might upset little ones with its details about Winter’s injuries. However – for kids older than five up towards tweens and even teens – Winter’s Tail is a wonderful true story. My son and I loved all the beautiful photos of Winter and her dolphin friend Panama!

Winter’s Tail teaches about acceptance and learning to live (and even thrive) even if you have a disability. Her story is helping to de-stigmatize disabilities of all kinds in a natural way. The book adds a dimension and a new set of tools for kids, parents, and teachers to deal with difficult subjects or topics.

Winter as of right now is on her 7th tail and it is expected that she may need up to 25 or more tails as she grows, and as the engineers keep learning more and improving the technology. This month, October, Winter celebrates her 4th birthday!

Win It: Thanks to Scholastic, one (1) of our Parent Reviewers readers will receive a Winter’s Tail prize pack including:

Dolphin Plush

Dolphin Key Chain

Winter’s Tail game for Nintendo DS

Copy of Winter’s Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again Book

To enter to win, here’s what you need to do:

Disclosure : Christine was sent a copy of the above book in exchange for this review.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Growing up, I was never really good at Maths. Until, I had the benefit of getting to know an excellent Maths teacher, who showed me the good side of Maths. It was astounding. I never thought Maths could be so interesting and from then on, each time I found a pattern or a sequence, Maths got easier and easier. I have to say, by the time I ended High School, the only thing I really excelled in, was Maths (and English ~ but that didn’t count somehow).

Now, as a parent, I have to admit, I really suck at teaching Maths. Perhaps I’m too impatient with my kids and think ahead of myself. The easy stuff like Addition and Subtraction was taught with much frustration, on my part, and much dismay, on my kids’ part.  I dreaded the idea of teaching Multiplication and Division! When the book “Teach Your Child the Multiplication Tables, Fun, Fast and Easy with Dazzling Patterns, Grids and Tricks“, arrived, I looked at the front cover with much skepticism. How “fun” could it be?

I completely forgot how amazing it is, when the brain opens up, finds a pattern and starts working furiously at the numbers. Until this book arrived. My 7 year old saw this book and immediately wanted to work on it. I knew he learnt some multiplications at school, but I wasn’t sure how much.

He attacked the first grid….working all the multiplication numbers from 1 to 10. Just like that. I was amazed. He had read and glossed over the book, (I assumed he was just looking at the pictures) earlier…and when he started doing the numbers, he seemed to understand the underlying patterns under each multiplication.

And here I thought I would have a hard time teaching him the Multiplication!

About : The book starts with a story about a Circus in mayhem. The Ringmaster needs the child’s help in counting his animals, but it would take too long to count them, one by one. One needs the magic of multiplication to help him account for all his animals!

Eugenia Francis created this fun, colorful and imaginative way of working with numbers. She spent 15 years developing creative teaching materials. She taught both high school and university students (University of California at Irvine) and mentored other teachers. She received a B.A. and an M.A. in literature from Southern Methodist University and has done graduate work at UCI. Faced with the challenge of teaching her son the multiplication tables, she developed her own innovative method, discovering patterns and tricks to the multiplication tables.

This book also works very well for children diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. Patterns provide structure.  Children with ADD/ADHD need structure. These children have a difficulty memorizing the times tables.  The visual-spatial method of patterns and grids works better.  Patterns also help dyslexic children as they strictly order number sequence.  Special needs children can better visualize and recall where a number is placed if they see a pattern.  Do check out her blog for any updates or tips!

Buy It : There are also other versions, the Teacher’s version and the Spanish version. Wipe-off Learning Aids are also available. The books are available on Amazon, while the books and the Learning Aids are available at Eugenia’s website.

Win It : Goody! Here’s the fun part : 7 very lucky readers will have a chance in winning this. All you have to do is :

Blue Ink Press, LTD. has recently released the first book in a series titled The Ice Horse Adventures.  The first book, Ariel’s Journey by Doug Kane and Christy Wood is available to the public from November first.

This paperback book revolves around the journey of five spunky young women, Emily, Kim, Laura, Andrea, and Darcy on an overnight trail ride together riding their beautiful, fluffy and stocky Icelandic horses. The adventure begins as they travel back in time to the 13th century with their mystical horses in order to save the village of their ancestors.

Bearing in mind that I am a fan of fantasy fiction, I was still unsure what to expect when I started this book as the initial chapters seemed to drag on for me. However, I found myself transported back in time together with the girls when the time travel ride began. It was wonderful to read how the girls discovered strength in each other to overcome obstacles which they would have never thought possible.   These young women eventually became brave  warriors to fight a battle which triumphed over evil.

BUY IT : I thought this was a good fantasy adventure book for tweens to teens who love horses but adults may not be as appreciative of the simple storyline.  A fun read, ideal to teach teenagers about the importance of female bonding (friendship and trust) and to learn more facts about Icelandic horses.

Our reviewers were divided in terms of their opinion on the book. Here’s what they had to say:

Loving Heart Mommy – I can totally relate to what the girls were going through throughout the book. They deal with issues that every day teens are still going through now as they were when I was a teenager. You know how they say there is a moral to every story? This book helps to show us that your foes can become your friends and in the end its all about friendship and trust. Those are very important values that each and every one of us should learn and use in our daily lives.

A Mom’s Take On Things – I found the book to be an easy read that immediately draws you. These once naïve girls, turn into brave and majestic warriors  into the story and the plight of the five young heroines and their horses. The actual plotline is somewhat simplistic – there’s a young woman in danger and the travelers from the past much band together to save her, and her village from the evil chieftain of a nearby village. Even so, I didn’t think it was at all predictable, and in fact was rather surprised by several turns of events as the storyline played out. The existence of the Icelandic horses and their uncanny abilities definitely plays a huge part in the story and in how the girls are able to achieve their quest.

Sewing Mom – I found the book to be a good read and appropriate for pre-teens on up. Some of the dialogue is a bit slow, or repetitive and sometimes awkward. I also thought the romance between one of the girls and a boy she meets from 800 years in the past could have been left out. It didn’t really add anything to the main plot of the story and, since the 2 characters really knew nothing about each other, it was based purely on a physical attraction.

I enjoyed the battle planning and the involvement of the girls. They were not only involved in the actual planning, but played integral parts in the winning of the battle and rescuing of the princess. The battle was exciting and played out in a way that was surprising and exciting to read.

3 P’s Mama Says – Ariel’s Journey is intended to be a young readers book and would probably appeal to girls ages 8 and up. As the adventure to the mystic and historic Iceland is somewhat surreal, I think those who enjoy historical fiction with a touch of romance and fantasy would enjoy the book as well. Add to that all of the horse-lovers, young and old and, well, the book would appeal to many.

Three Different Directions -The story itself is about five girls and five Icelandic horses that go back in time 800 years into Iceland’s past. Two villages are warring, and the good chieftain’s daughter is kidnapped and it’s up to the girls to rescue her. The book also involves a bit of romance. The girls are courageous during their venture.

I liked the book during the latter half when they were back in time and fighting. Also, I enjoyed reading about the younger girls, and how they helped out on the action plan. I didn’t like the book during the gushy romance. The book had a lot of horse terms I didn’t understand (and there was no appendix).

The Dirty Shirt Blog – I loved the beginning and when the girls went back in time. But the love part of the story I could have done without. I personally couldn’t get out of my head that these girls are young. But it just so happens that my daughter really liked that part. So maybe it’s just me.

I feel this book is perfect for tween to teen girls. My daughter is 9 and she loved the book. So from me I give it a thumbs up. I especially liked that they included a glossary for all the Icelandic words that they used. It was a lot easier to explain to my daughter what those words meant.

Ang’s Chicken Coop -  Ariel’s Journey had me hooked from the first page. I have always been intrigued by Icelandic horses but throw in the time travel, a princess and an evil chieftain and I couldn’t put it down! And Jasmine is just dying to dig into it! I am quite sure that this book will make the rounds of junior high girls at school, too. If you have girls that love horses, this is a must read for them.

From Melissa’s Desk – Ariel’s Journey is the first book of The Ice Horse Adventures and is geared toward girls 9-12 years old. It deals with many issues this age girl faces in real life, but throws in some magical fun just to sweeten the deal!

Mothering Many – She was not overly impressed so far, but she’s a bit older than the target market. I was hoping we could get by with it because she loves horses so much, but I guess not.

The Clan Mcleod – I thoroughly enjoyed Ariel’s Journey and Pink Panther, age 9, is currently reading it and says it’s great! She can’t wait for more of the series to be released! It is a lot thicker than I had presumed but is still an easy enough read for a 9 or 10 year old but holds the attention of older girls as well. Ariel’s Journey is recommended for ages 9-12.

Jojo’s Place – I also got the opportunity to read the book.  I was very surprised that a book that was targeted at 9 to 12 years old was able to captivate my interest as well.  I loved the information that it gave about the Icelandic Horses, considering I knew nothing about them.  The girls interaction with the horses was wonderful.  I also loved that there was a strong conflict resolution within the book.  Girls this age need to learn to be friends with everyone and get over their differences what ever they maybe. 

Cheeks to Cheeks – As the chapters flow and to my surprise, I became more intrigue on where the story was heading. With the help of the magical Icelandic horses the five young women were given a golden opportunity to bond as sisters and became (do mind my language) kick ass fighting machines. I find my heart palpitating at the battle scene and with the good triumph over the evil, the ending of the story could not be any better. Now I am totally hooked and I can’t wait for the next story to be published.

Brain Foggles – The story itself is a bit difficult to get through in the beginning but as the adventure unfolds, it is difficult to put this book down. You are thrown into the adventure with it’s twists and turns and wondering how the girls will end up working things out together.

All Because Two People Fell In Love - This book is a quick read and the authors were able to keep me interested throughout the whole story!! The authors were able to include teenage lingo in their writing by making references that kids can relate to. For example, the author included age appropriate dialogue between the characters which I feel makes it easier for young girls to connect with the characters. I really enjoyed this book and would say that it is appropriate for middle school girls and on up. Any horse lover would really enjoy this book as it discusses the Icelandic horses in depth. The battle was an exciting part of the story and the author was able to write it in a way that was surprising and exciting to read. I really appreciated that the book included a Icelandic glossary that defined the uncommon words.

Mak!Mej! – Overall, I find the book entertaining and informative. I’ve never heard about Icelandic horses before (oh, well I’ve never even really ridden a horse except for photo ops!) but now I’m glad that I know a little about this breed. A touching story about love, hope, courage, triumph and most importantly, of friendship, I must say Ariel’s Journey is definitely a good read for teenagers, and I’m pretty sure much more for horse-lovers.  Adults will find this a fun book too -I’m sure everyone will have a great journey back to memory lane -like I did!

Chanel’s Journal – Besides the combination of modern, magical and imaginative adventures, the story also taught us about the good value such as friendship, forgiving, helpful, understand and accepting others’ weakness. Mummy loved the way how conflicts were being resolved in the story using a different way making the girls’ change their understanding and perspective without having to nag to them.

Lille Punkin’ Reviews – While I see this read being best suited for tween and teen girls with a more advanced reading skill level, I think it would also make a great read-aloud title for right before bed. Horse-lovers will be thrilled with the relationships between the girls and their magical steed, and those who crave a bit of suspense will be turning each page in anticipation of the climactic ending!

Yenjai – As the book is meant for pre-adolescent, the language used is rather simple. The writer has elaborated in rather ‘teens’ way too i.e the IM conversation. I would say that the book will be a rather interesting read for most teens.

A Wrestling Addicted Mommy - The book is a little for the older crowd 9 – 12 yrs, and for my daughter there is a bit of wonder that she’s going to have, but for the older girls, this is definitely a read they can’t do without, and it’s a nice change to the usual young readers books that you’ll find out there.

Right Reads – I found the Icelandic horses really interesting as I was only aware of Arabian breeds previously. It’s also useful that Doug Kane (who actually owns an Icelandic horse farm in Ohio) through the Millers, weaves in a more natural approach to stable management.

A self-confessed “greenie”, I’m impressed at how Doug Kane and Christy Wood cleverly include the impact of climate change on crops and the natural environment on the lives of medieval Iceland, which I feel is a fantastic way of highlighting to the younger generation this urgent issue affecting countries all over the world. 

ISBN-13: 978-0-9777382-4-3
Pub date:  07/2008
Type/format: Picture book / Hard Cover
Age range: 3 yrs – 8 yrs 

Children need to be introduced to the pleasure, joy and adventure of reading at a young age in order to instill a lasting love of literature. As parents, we can help in this process by reading our children stories which we know that they will enjoy. At the same time, we can help add value to it by selecting books that promote good moral such as Sikulu & Harambe by the Zambezi River, an African version of the Good Samaritan story. 

Sikulu & Harambe by the Zambezi River is written by author Kunle Oguneye, who left a career in technology in order to pursue his love for children’s story-telling. This book is the first in a series of adventures that follow Sikulu the spider and Harambe the Hippo as they travel to different countries in Africa. 

The story starts off with both friends encountering an old woman who was washing her clothes by the river. The old woman accidentally slipped which resulted in her clothes falling into the water and drifting away with the current. As she cried out for help to each of the animals around, all of them conveniently gave excuses not to help her.

Out of the goodness of their hearts, Sikulu & Harambe, went out of their way to rescue the clothes for the old woman. They were rewarded with emerald and gold bracelets for their good deeds which made the other animals regret not helping the old woman.

Based on an actual folktale, Sikulu & Harambe by the Zambezi River not only teaches children about the importance of the act of kindness but also weaves information about life and culture in Zambia. A great book to ignite the spark of desire to read in children from age 3 onwards.

Check out what other Parent Reviewers had to say about this book:

Mott’s Island - It’s a really wonderful book, introducing my kids to other cultures and people. They even learnt about Africa (the Zambezi River in Zambia, etc) and that there are different ways of pronouncing certain words. My 6 year old loved the word, “ESHULA!” and that was the first word he pronounced correctly, when he re-read the book.

Atomic Mama – I do want to say that this was a wonderful take on an old “classic” – I liked it as much as my son did. In fact, we read it three times in one day! My son is three – but a younger child would enjoy this story also for the simpleness of it (and the beautiful illustrations by Bruce McCorkindale). The older kids will appreciate the story – which is basically “be kind to others.” It’s a wonderful moral and a wonderful and cultural retelling. The book goes even a step (or two) further by even having a glossary of words used in the book. This is a great way for your children to learn more about life and the language of Zambia.

Mom Most Traveled – Sikulu & Harambe brings character education along with cultural information. I am looking forward to other books about Sikulu & Harambe that will give us the chance to follow their adventures as the journey to other countries in Africa.

The illustrations by Bruce McCorkindale really bring Sikulu & Harambe to life, with soft, friendly drawings of the Zambian flora, animals, and people.

Mommy Meryl Must Haves – Personally, there can never be too many engaging stories for kids with the message on how important being kind and nice are. What was a nice twist on this story was that included in the message about being nice to others, was a story that included lots of wonderful facts about Africa and African culture. In my opinion you got two lessons for the price of one!

Creative Writings 101 – This story made me think about things in a new perspective. In helping others, and being kind-I can actually feel good myself. Plus, in doing so you are setting an example for others, including your children if they are with you. Deja loved the colorful illustrations and together we were able to learn about a different culture, learning new words along the way.

The Clan Mcleod – The illustrations and simple, yet beautiful with lots of color! I love that in the back of the book, the author includes simple comprehension questions, a glossary of words, names and places, an explanation of the Ku-omboka Ceremony that Sikulu and Harambe attend, animals found in Zambia, and facts about Zambia along with illustrations of the flag and a map. It makes the story more alive and real when you can see and understand the terms and locations of where the action takes place!

Loving Heart Mommy -This book teaches us about a real life situation, the reactions of others, and the rewards for their actions. Its a great way to teach your children about kindness all while learning about a new culture as well. I believe this book is just as much for adults as it is geared towards children, we can all learn something from the kind actions and reactions of others in this book.

Rambling Moo – I personally find this book very well written with interesting and the colorful illustration helps young kids to grasp the meaning of expressing kindness to others with an open heart. The part where Sikulu went all the out to help the old woman despite his own fear really depict the actual act of kindness which we should learn to practice. Besides that, we get to learn a few new African words as well as the culture of the Zambian people along the way!

Crumley Family Blog – The universal theme of kindness to those in need was very obvious. But the story was also a wonderful introduction to African culture. It brought in geography (the story takes place in Zambia along the Zambezi River), new vocabulary (with an excellent glossary in the back and pronunciation keys in the story), zoology (various animals are the main characters in the story), and the mention of the Ku-omboka Ceremony which is explained in further detail in the back of the book.

Chefdruck Reviews – I don’t think the moral of the story really resonated with Jack and Juliette, although I have to hope it did somehow subconsciously. Sikulu and Harambe was a big hit though, because of the illustrations – the smiling blue hippo and the happy colorful frog were enticing to both children. They loved the setting of the story with its fun and exotic African names. We also had a great time picking out all the African animals including the elephant, the fish, and the stork.

If you’ve enjoyed our reviews and would like to purchase the book, just click here to get your copy! Alternatively, you can try your luck and win an autographed copy of the book via some of the giveaways on our reviewers’ blogs:

a) Atomic Mama

b) Rambling Moo

c) Creative Writings 101

d) Loving Heart Mommy