Great Mini Myths by Joan Holub for Young Readers

Children's auhor, Joan Holub, has added a super cute board book series for toddlers to her list! And I had to share these with you, since these are ones you won't want to miss. My own daughter toted these around with her for days. . .literally.

BE PATIENT, PANDORA!

When Pandora is warned by her mother not to open a box, her spirited curiosity trumps her obedience. Pandora harmlessly touches the box, innocently leans on the box, and eventually, albeit accidentally, bursts the box open! The cupcakes that were hidden inside are ruined, except for one last vestige, which Pandora presents in the hope that her mother still loves her. Leslie Patricelli’s depictions of this physical comedy bring a lively narrative to Joan Holub’s carefully crafted text. Includes a summary of the original Pandora’s Box myth at the end.



My Tidbits


My Daughter loved this book! She carried it and Play Nice, Hercules around with her for weeks.

I found this book simply wonderful. The illustrations are super cute, the wording just perfect and the idea behind it - amazing. As an ancient myth fan, I loved the way Joan was able to bring down the basic ideas surrounding these characters to a young level. Honestly, when I first saw the books, I was skeptical if it could be done. But Joan does a great job of taking the simple idea of Pandora's box and making it understandable for young kids.

As an extra bonus, she's added a short description of the original myth on the last page. My 9 year old son found this part interesting.

In other words, I give this a huge recommendation!

You can find this on Amazon!

PLAY NICE, HERCULES!

Hercules is not as interested in “playing nice” as he is in playing strong! But when one feat of strength destroys his little sister’s 12-piece tower, he must use his powers for good to restore the tower and seek her forgiveness. She forgives him indeed, and then shows her own strength by gleefully knocking down the stacked blocks herself! Joan Holub’s expertly focused text pairs perfectly with Leslie Patricelli’s famously humorous illustrations. Includes a summary of the original Hercules’s Twelve Labors myth at the end.



My Tidbits


Along with Play Nice, Pandora!, my daughter toted this book around for weeks. And although she didn't read it quite as much, she refused to set it down.

When I first saw this mini-myth series, I was a bit skeptical as to whether these myths (or the ideas behind them) could really be brought down to such a young age level. But yes, they can, and Joan does a terrific job doing it! I'll admit, I preferred the Pandora book over this one, but this is still, one worth reading. The illustrations are well done and colorful. The wording perfect for the intended age group. There's a nice message in this story little kids ill understand and enjoy.

On the last page, the author adds a short summary of Hercules. My son enjoyed these.

You can find this on Amazon!

Soulless by Crystal Collier and Giveaway

SOULLESS

Maiden of Time Series, #2

by Crystal Collier
Raybourne Publishing

Young Adult (YA)
Paranormal Historical

281 pages

The Soulless are coming.

Alexia manipulated time to save the man of her dreams, and lost her best friend to red-eyed wraiths. Still grieving, she struggles to reconcile her loss with what was gained: her impending marriage. But when her wedding is destroyed by the Soulless—who then steal the only protection her people have—she’s forced to unleash her true power.
And risk losing everything.

 

MY TIDBITS

 

 

After reading MOONLESS and loving it, I was really excited to get my hands on SOULLESS to continue the journey. And I was not disappointed.  

 

First, it's important to say that although one can start the series with this book, I wouldn't recommend it. We start there where book 1 left off. Alexia lost many of her loved ones, including her favorite aunt to the Soulless, and her father is finally allowing her upcoming marriage. From beginning on, there's a mixture of emotions, but also the never-ending threat of war with the Soulless. The story grasps and doesn't let go until the very end.

 

In this book, Alexia gains a deeper understanding of herself and her powers, and of course, continues a sweet romance with a hero worth drooling over. She gains self-confidence and takes more control of the situation around her as she's forced to fight her own emotions and realize that the war isn't broken into a clear black and white, but includes more gray areas than anyone else is willing to see. I had no trouble fevering for her as she battled her way from one adventure into another, and faced unexpected twists and turns.

 

In other words, this is a magical, fast-paced, romantic adventure that will keep paranormal YA lovers glued to the pages until the very end. Can't wait for book 3!

 

 

 

 

Buy link: http://crystal-collier.com/buy
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Moonless-Maiden-Time-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00FADL0A6
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/soulless-crystal-collier/1120428254

 

 

 

Praise for SOULLESS: 

"With a completely unique plot that keeps you guessing and interested, it brings you close to the characters, sympathizing with them and understanding their trials and tribulations." --SC, Amazon reviewer

"It's clean, classy and supernaturally packed with suspense, longing, intrigue and magic." --Jill Jennings, TX

"SWOON." --Sherlyn, Mermaid with a Book Reviewer

 

 

 

And here she is. . .

      

                              Crystal Collier!!!

 

 

Crystal Collier is a young adult author who pens dark fantasy, historical, and romance hybrids. She can be found practicing her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, four littles, and “friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese. You can find her on her blog and Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.

❀ Unleashing the dream world, one book at a time ❀

Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Website

 

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY!!!

 

 

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Roxy Rogers Your Destiny is Calling by Emily Siskin-Toy with Giveaway

 

 Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny is Calling 

by Emily Siskin-Toy 

Illustrated by Brian C. Krümm

Three-Bug Books 

32 pages

  for ages 6 to 9

 What happens when a young girl with a Hall of Fame baseball pedigree breaks the family mold and follows her dream to become a soul singer? "Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny Is Calling", a picture book for ages 6 - 9, lets children see that their families will love them just the same when they pursue their true passions in life. Everybody in Roxy's family--from her great-grandpa (played with Lou Gehrig), to her grandpa (played with Jackie Robinson), to her mother (super-star college softball player), to her father (was a Los Angeles Dodger), to her sister (won a Gold Medal for Team USA Softball, and so on)--famously played ball, and Roxy is next in line. The only problem is that Roxy dreams of singing soul music like her idol, Aretha Franklin! A historical addendum provides information about the Hall of Fame baseball players who turn up in the book, as well as Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul music. Additionally, a fun treasure hunt for clues about Roxy's true destiny runs throughout the book, giving readers an enhanced, interactive experience.  

Sneak Peek

 

Purchase

Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Print) | Kobo | iTunes

 

The Early Buzz

"I just LOVED this little book. Empowering for young girls, and at the same time powerful for young boys... The illustrations are perfect for this book: fun and eye-grabbing, and I also love that it includes facts about popular icons like Aretha Franklin and Baseball legends. Well done! " ~ 5 Star Review, Mariana L., Amazon

"Roxie Rogers is an inspiring read for all ages, truly. It speaks to that little voice inside all of us telling us "come out" to the real you. The artwork brings the story to life, and the text is great for read-along or for young readers on their own." ~ 5 Star Review, Laura, Amazon

"I just read Roxy Rogers to my 5-year old daughter and we both loved the book! The story was fun and engaging filled with dynamic illustrations. Besides the great life messages woven into the story, I really like how the story reads. It is really nice to experience a children’s book that is not mind numbing in its repetitiveness (you know the type) with words that flow easily off the pages. " ~ 5 Star Review, Wendigo, Amazon

 

About the Author: Emily Siskin-Toy

A U.C. Santa Cruz banana slug alum, Emily Siskin-Toy launched her writing career with posts at various film and television magazines in Los Angeles. After a break in the action to raise her daughter, Emily and her college sweetheart founded WOW! Music Studios, a successful children’s music instruction school in Mill Valley, California. But just like the character in her book, Emily’s true passion was something entirely different; she always dreamed of writing children’s books. Inspiration was everywhere for Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny Is Calling. While coaching her daughter’s youth softball and basketball teams, Emily eventually came to realize that the world of sports was a passion of hers, not her daughter’s, who really wanted, of course, to be a singer. The plot of the story was right in front of her, and the surrounding details would be cultivated from her lifetime of love for the rich history of Major League Baseball and her daughter’s love of music.  

Website | Author Blog | Pinterest | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

* Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash (winner's choice) Contest closes: October 30, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open to: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the Emily Siskin-Toy and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Extraction by Stephanie Diaz with Giveaway

EXTRACTION

Book #1

by Stephanie Diaz

St. Martin's Griffin

YA Science Fiction/Dystopian

416 pages

"Welcome to Extraction testing."

Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her sixteenth birthday, when she’ll be tested for Extraction in the hopes of being sent from the planet Kiel’s toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves promising enough to be “Extracted,” she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life.

What she finds initially in the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it’s free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid. But life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too. 

Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet leaders don't want her running—they want her subdued.

With intense action scenes and a cast of unforgettable characters,Extraction is a page-turning, gripping read, sure to entertain lovers of Hunger Games and Ender's Game and leave them breathless for more.

MY TIDBITS

This is a dystopian novel, which can hold up with the best of them. Clementine is a self-assured girl who's complete existence centers around survival. If she doesn't pass the test given by the government in the core of the planet, her life will end at 20. Unfortunately, only 10 kids pass the test each year from hundreds. It's a brutal moon, a brutal society and a brutal story, but that's a small part of what makes it good.

The reader is pulled into Clementine's world, and it's easy to sympathize with her. The writer does a terrific job of letting us into her head and world. She has her faults, which not only make her more likable but create a nice character development throughout the book. The other characters are well done, adding a perfect balance to the plot.

The world building pulls into a foreign planet without feeling over-done. But it's no problem to dive in. And the story definitely makes one dive in. There's tons of action, mounting at the end to a flurry, but there's also enough reflection time to get to know the characters well.

I can definitely recommend this. Although the dystopian feel in the beginning is undeniable (and after the wave of dystopians, very familiar), the story takes a wonderful science fiction twist, ending with agile spaceships and alien wars.

And the best part: a book #2 is coming!



You can find this here on Amazon!

or follow on Goodreads.

And here she is. . .

Stephanie Diaz!!!

Twenty-one-year-old Stephanie Diaz wrote her debut novel, Extraction, when she should've been making short films and listening to college lectures at San Diego State University. When she isn't lost in books, she can be found singing, marveling at the night sky, or fan-girling over TV shows.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

GIVEAWAY

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A Different Kind of Safari by Helen C. Hipp with Giveaway

About the Book

Title: A Different Kind of Safari | Author: Helen C. Hipp | Publication Date: March 19, 2013 | Publisher: A Different Kind of Safari LLC | Pages: 32 | Recommended Ages: 5 to 10 Summary: What do you need to feel happy about being different? Based loosely on real life experiences, this heartwarming and powerful book illustrates how self-awareness, and courage help a young boy named Raymond learn the difference between seeing things as they appear to be and seeing things as they are. Feeling "different and lonely" Raymond befriends a hippo while on Safari in Africa. Unlike other grey hippos, this hippo is pink. Ray is soon carried into a world beyond labels and challenging assumptions. You will never guess what happens next!  

The Inspiration Behind the Story by Helen Hipp

Inspired by real-life adventure, the story behind the story unfolded when I went on an African safari back in 2001. The trip was lead by my father whose dream was to share the safari experience with his family. Little did I know that this trip was going to incite me to write a children’s adventure book but it did. The storyline made it appearance when my family spotted a pod of hippos and one was pink! My son Ray fourteen at the time immediately named her “Rosie”. Curious and wanting to learn more about this hippo we asked the guide many questions about hippos and hippo behavior. Specifically I wanted to know why the pink hippo stood so far outside of her pod. The familiarity of the guides answer took me by surprise, he explained that “Rosie” was tolerated but not necessarily accepted by the herd because of her differences. As a parent of a child with special needs I immediately felt a strong affiliation with Rosie’s situation as did my son Ray who has experienced his own challenges with acceptance. Inspired, I decided to share the story with the world by weaving them into a children's adventure book that celebrates differences. The book is entitled “A Different Kind of Safari”. Find out what you can learn from Rosie the pink hippo, and how you can share those lessons with the children in your life.  

Book Trailer

 

The Buzz About the Book

"A timeless book, that will speak to everyone. To be enjoyed over and over again! A fun, yet very thought provoking story for all ages. If books had a satisfaction guarantee, this one would be on the top of the list. " ~ 5 Star Review, Adden B. Chrystie, Amazon

"A Different Kind of Safari is truly a different kind of children's book! The beautiful artwork bring a very special story to life and I am excited the book is now available in audio format for an added bonus while driving kids around town! I particularly love the message of the book, which teaches us to celebrate our unique differences through Rosie the Pink Hippo rather than allow them to keep us from exploring our potentials. I highly recommend this book to all parents and special needs educators in particular. Thank you for writing this wonderful story!" ~ 5 Star Review, missladyjane, Barnes and Noble

"I really enjoyed this book. The illustrations were beautiful. I found this book to be very interesting and it was written from real life experiences. A Different Kind of Safari draws you in along with Ray on his journey to find his happiness and the answers to his questions. I recommend this book to children that are of grade school age but yet many younger children may enjoy the illustrations." ~ 5 Star Review, Whittle House, Goodreads

"The book has a great story. The illustrations are amazing!!!!! Get this book! All children from the young to the old will love this book. " ~ 5 Star Review, Mel, Amazon

"A Different Kind of Safari is not only a good book, but a great story! It is not only for caregivers, teachers and parents, but for anyone who has ever felt out of place. A pink hippo named “Rosie” and her friend “Ray” take a journey and explore their similarities and differences on the river of life. Self- acceptance and the acceptance of others is exquisitely conveyed in a fresh, FUN way through this sweet tail. It is a prize for all libraries!" ~ 5 Star Review, Anna Wood, Barnes and Noble

 

Purchase

Amazon (Hardcover) | Audible (Audiobook) | Barnes and Noble

 

About the Author: Helen C. Hipp

Helen Hipp’s experience raising a special needs child led her to an M.A. in clinical psychology and certification as a life coach. She began her career as a psychotherapist to help people find answers for their life problems. Her work eventually evolved into a coaching practice, WithinU Life Coaching, focusing on individuals with special needs and their families. Helen uses her 13+ years of counseling experience and 20+ years’ experience as a successful advocate for individuals with special needs by helping them reveal their innate ability to solve difficult situations. Her debut book " A Different Kind of Safari" puts into words the essence of Helen's teachings addressing the many questions life asks by offering up lighthearted, ever-changing perspectives that transform personal challenges into opportunities. For more information, visit the books official website and to see a picture of the real Rosie the real life pink hippo that inspired this story, go to www.adifferentkindofsafari.com

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

* Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: August 6, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Helen Hipp and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway