Interview with author Bernie DePasquale, What Does God Sound Like?, and a Giveaway!

What Does God Sound Like? 

by Bernie DiPasquale

Mindstir Media

September 14, 2016

Children's Fiction / Religious

34 pages

Tour dates: June 25 to July 20, 2018

Content Rating: G

We tell our kids that God is everywhere. Pray and maybe He will answer. But if God is everywhere and has created all things, then He must be talking to us all the time. This is my short story to help my Grandchildren understand they can talk with God all day, every day, everywhere.

To follow the tour, please visit Bernie DiPasquale's page on iRead Book Tours.
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Interview with Bernie DiPasquale!

Bernie DiPasquale was nice enough to take the time to stop by today and answer a few questions...because inquiring bookworms want to know! So, without further adieu...here's Bernie!

It's always easier to start out with the basics. So please, tell us a little about yourself.  

Born in Baltimore, currently live in Joppa, MD.  I work in the Financial Industry.

From Financial Industry to children books is quite the step. How and when did you become a writer?  

Decided to write a book when I was 65..No training, etc…just wanted to get some thoughts in print.

Sounds like a great way to dive in. How would you describe your writing style?

Keep it simple, like talking to a 4-year-old.  Write the way I talk.

Natural and easy is often best. Is that what makes you different from other writers or is there something else?  

Not sure I’m different, I’m just me.

I'm sure jumping into the writing world included some unexpected moments. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?  

We are surrounded by material, just have to take the time to look and listen.

So true! Life offers an endless amount of material. How many books have you written, and which one is your favorite?

2 books!  Favorite…”My Special Gifts”

Since you've got a little experience under your belt, do you have any suggestions to help others become better writers?

Write the way you talk…makes it your style.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Great positive feed back. They all love the material and illustrations.

And what more could a writer ask for? Thanks again for stopping by and shedding some light into your writing and experiences. All the best, and happy writing!

And here he is...

Bernie was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and now resides in Joppa, a small community just a bit north up the I-95 corridor. He has spent his entire professional career in Education and Financial Services. More importantly he is a Husband, Father, and Grandfather to a beautiful family.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram

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Review: The Beginner's Bible Bedtime Collection by Zonderkidz

THE BEGINNER'S BIBLE

BEDTIME COLLECTION

by ZonderKidz

Children's Religious

128 pages

ages 3 to 8

The beloved The Beginner’s Bible® brand is the bestselling Bible storybook of our time, with more than 25 million products sold. The Beginner’s Bible Bedtime Collection: 20 Favorite Bible Stories and Prayers is the first-ever bedtime book to come from this trusted brand. The book features a padded, glow-in-the-dark cover as well as 20 favorite Bible stories. Little ones will love the vibrant, 3-D art, and parents will love sharing the good night prayers with their children. The perfect addition to your nighttime routine, The Beginner’s Bible Bedtime Collection will bring children closer to God as they get ready for sleep.

MY TIDBITS

With a robust cover—and a wonderful touch of glow-in-the-dark which is sure to draw many kids' attention—this is a small collection of Bible stories just right for younger readers, ages three and up.
It's robust enough to withstand smaller accidents and has a great size for younger hands. While the  illustrations invite kids to flip through on their own, the stories are written in more of a devotional form, offering a closing goodnight prayer and Bible verse at the end of each one.

The stories are short, only a few pages, and carry several lines of text below a bright illustration. The themes are broken evenly between the Old and New Testament, each one a very familiar story. Most stories chosen offer joyful endings, which are encouraging and inspirational. None of the tales goes into great detail but rather hits the key points in a language kids can easy understand. The collection ends with the resurrection of Jesus.

This is a lovely collection of the most familiar Bible stories placed at just the right level for young listeners. The prayer at the end of each story makes this a great read for the end of the day.

I received a complimentary copy from Booklook Bloggers.

To learn more about Bedtime Collections or discover many of the other material available, feel free to visit:

http://thebeginnersbible.com/

There are also games and activities for children available at the site.

Review: Really Woolly I Love You, Little One by

REALLY WOOLLY

I LOVE YOU, LITTLE ONE

by Bonnie Rickner Jensen

Illustrated by Donna Chapman

Thomas Nelson

Board Book/ Religious

40 pages

ages 3 and up

Your children will feel safe and loved. 

Children build confidence when they know they are loved. In Really Woolly® I Love You, Little One, our favorite lamb and his friends discover how much they are loved by their families and, most of all, by God.

Reading these comforting rhymes, Bible verses, and prayers will help you create a special bonding moment with your child, building a foundation of love that lasts a lifetime.

MY TIDBITS

Love, strength, comfort and hope fill every page.

This is a sturdy, thicker little board book, perfect for small hands. The cover and pages can survive small accidents and are robust enough for little fingers. The cover is slightly padded, making it a joy to hold. In other words, this book is built for young readers/listeners.

Each two-page spread holds a short, yet meaningful glimpse into daily life and helps center thoughts on God. There's a short title, which is followed by a Bible verse. Then, a two verse poem (4 lines each) makes it clear how the thought from the verse can fit into life. At the end, is a short prayer.

The poems are easy to understand and are directly related to things which happen in the intended age group's lives—fort building with blankets, story time, swimming, a day at the park and more. Everything is meaningful and kept super short, insuring something for even those very small attention spans.

Sweet illustrations accompany every two-page spread, and these are what catches younger listeners' attention. Woolly is accompanied by two friends, a rabbit and a duckling, as they head from what fitting adventure into the next. The atmosphere is always cheerful and filled with hope. To add a little more fun, little details are dropped in, which are sure to catch the eye.

In other words, this is a cute book and great for daily readings to help young listeners learn more about their relationship with God in daily life.

Review: Precious Moments Little Book of Easter Blessings by Jean Fischer

LITTLE BOOK OF EASTER BLESSINGS

Precious Moments

by Jean Fischer

Thomas Nelson

Board Book/Children's Religious

ages 3 and up

32 pages

The Easter season is bursting with fun—baskets full of goodies, hunts for colored eggs, and bright spring flowers. Take time to show your little one that the very best part of Easter is Jesus!

Through the classic Precious Moments® artwork, fun poems, and sweet prayers and Bible verses, Precious Moments Little Book of Easter Blessings will help your children understand that Jesus is alive and that He loves them so much! 

MY TIDBITS

Every page overflows with joy, love and warmth, making this a sure favorite for the upcoming Easter season.

This is one of those books, which screams quality the second its picked up. Little hands will enjoy the softer but very solid cover and pages, which sill take some abuse. Parents, on the other hand, will appreciate the easy to clean surfaces and stability of the pages. And it's so cute! As always with Precious Moments, every illustration warms the heart and brings across a feeling of comfort and happiness. It's a treat simply to flip through the pages time and again. Youngest listeners will also have no trouble recognizing the various Easter scenes and will easily relate to the situations.

Each two-page spread holds a two verse, four line poem. These are written with love and are easy for even younger listeners to understand. The poems hit upon well-known Easter moments, while threading the message directly into situation kids will recognize and reminding of God's love. The poems are followed by a short Bible verse, which relates directly to the poems' topics, and there's a very short, easy to understand prayer. Everything is written with children in mind and bringing across the message of God's love for them in a gentle way, which they'll understand.

The poems and illustrations are a lovely way to ring in the Easter season and remind young listeners what Easter is all about, while threading it into traditions and moments they already treasure and understand. It's simply a calming, warming treat.

I received a complimentary copy from Booklook Bloggers.

Happy Book Bday, A Very Thankful Prayer by Bonnie Rickner Jensen Illustrated by Natalia Moore!

A VERY THANKFUL PRAYER

by Bonnie Rickner Jensen

Illustrated by Natalia Moore

Thomas Nelson

Board Book

ages 2+

24 pages

Every day I wake up with a happy, thankful heart. 

From watching the leaves fall to picking pumpkins from the patch, from sharing a Thanksgiving meal with loved ones to learning how to give—there’s so much to be thankful for! Join these adorable animals as they say a prayer of thanks to God, who gives us every good thing.

 MY TIDBITS

Colorful images and lovely rhymes make this a book of thanks, which brings the best side of Autumn to life.

There are many things to be thankful for, more than we could ever list, and often times, not even think of. Autumn brings apples, pie, bright colored leaves, warm caps and so much more. While addressing Thanksgiving, this book doesn't stop with the holiday, but envelopes many other aspects of the cooler season and all the joy it brings.

Already the cover captures the eye with its shiny bronze, metallic leaves sprinkled between the Fall trees and sets the mood. This is a celebration of Autumn and the wonderful things the season offers as well as Thanksgiving. There are so many things to be thankful for, but many are over looked. Through a four lined rhyme on each 2-page spread, little details of the season, which kids are sure to recognize and have experienced themselves, are pointed out. Woolly scarves, pumpkin patches, and playing outside are only a few of the things mentioned.

The illustrations are adorable! They are colorful and filled with sweet, friendly animals on every page. The characters and scene change on every spread, making it a true glance at all the variety to be thankful for. And every illustration is bounding with the excitement of life, begging kids to join in with all of the fun activities and games. The board book is great for smaller hands and is sure to hold up to some beating, as kids return to glance at the pictures time and again.

Summed up, this is a great book for the Thanksgiving season and Fall in general. Not only are the rhymes centered on things kids will relate too, but the pictures are so cheerful and vibrant that it's hard not to smile.



I was provided a copy of this book through Booklook Bloggers.