Happy Green Baby

Review: A Wonderful Day To Smile And To Dare

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

 

Product description from the Author:

A little girl dares to face her fears, takes a good look at the monsters that scare her - finds their weak spot and defeats them, using courage and humor: The rhymes and funny illustrations in this little story are right up the ally of Dr. Seuss lovers, inspiring kids to face their fears and doubts instead of feeling powerless to resolve them.

Overcoming fears, doubts and unpleasant emotions Everybody has it tough sometimes, when fears and doubts stop us from doing what we want, there's nothing new there. The way that we face these fears and doubts and find inner strength to overcome them - that's what counts! We as parents love to think about our kids' childhood as happy and free of worries, But we do know that every kid is sometimes burdened by fears, doubts and unpleasant emotions, things like: Fear of scary creatures - "There's a monster under the bed!" Frustration triggered by failing - "Doesn't matter how much I try - I just can't do that!" Despair due to low self esteem - "I'm a loser, I'll never be a good player" As a result, our kids sometimes choose to avoid situations that trigger these things because they feel powerless to change them. The good news is that we're not powerless - we can choose to beat these "monsters" - all we need is to observe them with courage and humor.

In my efforts to find a way to help my kids meet their difficulties and resolve them, I developed a process that worked beautifully in achieving just that. The effectiveness of the process inspired me to write this book, encapsulating its principles in rhymes and images, hoping that other kids may benefit from it.

Our Review:

A Wonderful Day To Smile And To Dare, by Bosmat Libovsky is a very colorful book. It has a great message about overcoming fears and being positive. For a lot of kids this would be a great book. For kids that are sensitive to pictures I wouldn't recommend it. Our little one fixated on the snake grabbing her ankle and the monster under the bed, so the message was a bit lost. I wish the illustrations had been done differently to go along with the message in the writing. Overall, I would recommend this book, but just note it's not for every child.

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

CINDERELLA / CENICIENTA - Spanish / English Learning Program for Children Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

 

 

 

Our Review

CINDERELLA / CENICIENTA is the third book in the Spanish/English series by Suzy Liebermann.  This book is great for younger children, or children learning Spanish.  The book is colorful and pictures are animated.  Each page has the Spanish and English words, making it easier for kids and parents to understand what they are learning.  Take a peek HERE to see more on this book before you purchase.

 

Product Description

This book is the THIRD in a series of bilingual books for children to either learn Spanish or English. The book is accompanied by a website were the book is available in an animated format as well as many games to practice the vocabulary.  This book is for young children or for language instruction.  

 

Book Description

Publication Date: May 8, 2012

Bilingual children's book series for elementary school age children - English and Spanish

When Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters prevent her from attending the princes party, she gets some unexpected help from the lovable her Fairy Godmother.

 

• Purchase HERE 

 

Biography by Author

A native of Germany and former resident of the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the Islands of the Bahamas and Switzerland, Suzy Liebermann--now living in the USA--has travelled the world in pursuit of language, art, and culture.


Having found it, she now shares it with the world's teachers, parents, and children through educational literature. Leveraging her decades of global experience teaching in German, Spanish, French, and English with a degree in foreign language translation and a master's degree in business management and international business, she launched Happy Language Kids Publications in 2010 as an interactive language learning program for children and their young-at-heart elders. 

This program is particularly aligned with the aims and values she upheld as a teacher of cultural art and foreign language at a prestigious International Baccalaureate World School.

Character Development for Children

Believing that happiness can be learned, feelings can be understood and that building character based on a positive attitude leads to happy, content, self-confident and successful human beings, I have created this exciting series of charming books about HUGO THE HAPPY STARFISH. 

The series of books on character education aims to help educate children about their feelings, their attitude, their choices and the consequences that follow and includes an introduction to the Spanish language, lessons of character, ecological alertness and life skills--all amid a backdrop of a colourful island and mystical underwater world.

I have always had a love for teaching and helping others. Being able to share the wisdom of the right attitude through my stories gave my life a new goal to make a difference in the world.

Today I live my dream of helping others to find the right attitude for life - because life gets so much easier with the right attitude. We might not be able to control life's circumstances or other people's actions however we can control our attitude towards them.

With lots of LOVE and HAPPINESS,

Suzy Liebermann

 

 

READ other HGB book reviews HERE.

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

 

Related articles

ONE STEP AT A TIME - Hugo the Happy Starfish, by Suzy Liebermann

Princess Sophia and the Frog, by Suzy Liebermann

Book Review: MAPS/MAPAS (a bilingual series), by Suzy Liebermann

Flying High - Hugo the Happy Starfish, by Suzy Liebermann

Hugo - The Last Bully, by Suzy Liebermann

Nate Rocks the City! Review, Giveaway & Author Interview...

 

OUR REVIEW:

Nate Rocks the City is the final book in the series by Karen Pokras Toz, and it does not disappoint.  For all the Nate Rocks fans out there this is a bitter sweet moment for an awesome character.  Nate Rocks the City is full of adventure and funny at the same time.  There is never a dull moment between Nate, his friends, his annoying sister or his Mom with the worst cooking!  This series is directed towards the middle school audience but don't let that stop you from picking it up for a younger reader, as my 7 year daughter old LOVES Nate and can't wait for me to continuing reading it at bedtime.  Or you could even pick it up for yourself for a fun, light read!  The adventures never end with Nate, and we are sad to see him go.  I highly recommend Nate Rocks the City, or any book from the Nate Rocks collection for your children and/or as a gift.  We are looking forward to seeing what Karen Pokas Toz does next.  

 

Interview with Author Karen Pokras Toz:  Creating the Perfect? Character

 

One comment I get a lot that always makes me smile is: “I love your characters – they’re perfectly flawed.” At first, I didn’t know if that was actually a compliment. Were my readers being sarcastic? But as I started reading more middle grade fiction (partly to get a grasp on the market and partly as favors from other authors who asked me to review their books), I noticed a trend: there were a lot of perfect ten year olds out there.

How was that possible? As the mom of three kids, I can tell you, there is no such thing as a perfect ten year old. There is no such this as a perfect eleven, twelve, or thirteen year old either. Get where I’m going here? So why create perfect characters in books? It just didn’t make sense to me. How can I say this nicely ... while reading some of these books, I found these perfect fictional children to be a bit, well, boring.

In my humble opinion, imperfect characters are much more fun to create. They can be goofy, nerdy, whiny, annoying, or whatever their little (or big) quirks and flaws are that make them interesting ... because when it comes right down to it – those personality traits are the things that make the characters interesting and fun ... both to read and to write. 

 

 

About the Book

 

Hey New York! Are you ready for Nate Rocks?

 

Fifth grader Nathan Rockledge has been counting down the days—and meals—until his class trip to New York City. Now that the big event is finally here, he can barely stand the excitement. After all, isn’t this what being a fifth grader is all about? Oh sure, his Mom is one of the chaperones, his annoying sister Abby is tagging along, and that know-it-all classmate, Lisa, will be there as well. However, none of that matters. Not when he’ll be with his best friends, Tommy and Sam.

 

While seeing the sights, his teacher wants his class to take notes, but Nathan has other ideas. With paper and pencil in hand, Nathan prefers to doodle, transforming himself into Nate Rocks, boy hero. Amid ninja pigeons to fend off, aliens to attack, and the baseball game of the century to save, will Nate Rocks be able to save the day one more time?

 

 

 

Buy the Book:

 

• Barnes & Noble
• Amazon

 

 

 

About the Author:

 

 

Karen Pokras Toz writes middle grade and adult contemporary fiction. Her books have won several awards including two Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, the Grand Prize in the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, as well as placing first for two Global E-Book Awards for Pre-Teen Literature. Karen is a member of the Society of the Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI). For children, her books include the Nate Rocks series, Millicent Marie is Not My Name, & Pie and Other Brilliant Ideas. For adult readers, Karen’s books include Chasing Invisible, and her soon to be released, Whispered Wishes series. A native of Connecticut, Karen now lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and three children. For more information, please visit www.karentoz.com.

Follow the Author:

 

Blog

Twitter

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

 

 

 

Follow the Tour:

 

For reviews, interviews, and more fun, click for the full tour schedule.

Enter the Giveaway:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

A GWR Publicity event paid for by the author. Happygreenbaby.com received a copy of the book to review, but received no compensation for the post. The giveaway is sponsored by the author who is responsible for the delivery of the prize.  

 

 

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Nate Rocks the World, by Karen Pokras Toz

One of our favorite... Authors

Book Review: Anabella Giggles All Day

 

Product Description:

Anabella Giggles All Day! is a wonderful book about feelings, friendship, and giggling. Written in easy-to-read rhyme, it is the perfect book for young readers ages 3 to 7.  Anabella loves giggling, but when Anabella starts giggling at her bossy best friend, their friendship is challenged. Because her feelings are hurt, Anabella's best friend becomes angry and commands Anabella not to laugh again. What will Anabella do? Can she stop giggling at her best friend? Can they still be best friends? Ultimately, shared all-day giggles lead to the triumph of friendship. Children will learn valuable lessons as they enjoy stunning illustrations, surprising twists, and super fun in Anabella Giggles All Day!, an exciting addition to the I Love Anabella series.  

Our Review: 

*This ebook was given to me for free in exchange for my honest review.*  

I'm a little conflicted about this book... The illustrations are very creative, bright & cute.  My little girls, ages 3 & 6, loved looking at the pictures!  However, I didn't love the storyline, as I don't believe it teaching kids to tell their friends they won't be friends anymore just because they do something they don't like, in this case giggling.  With that said, it is a good conversation starter on how to handle things, and better ways to deal with conflict in friendships.  

• BUY HERE

 

Read other HappyGreenBaby book reviews HERE!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**Making the world a greener place - one baby (family) at a time** Happygreenbaby.com

Related articles

Princess Sophia and the Frog, by Suzy Liebermann

Hugo - The Last Bully, by Suzy Liebermann

Book Review: MAPS/MAPAS (a bilingual series), by Suzy Liebermann

BOOK DESCRIPTION:  

MAPS - MAPAS teaching the vocabulary (English/ Spanish) of WHERE WE LIVE: in a house, in a city, in a state, in a country, on a continent, on a planet.  This is a really great resource for English speaking children to learn Spanish as well as a English language course for children with Spanish as their mother language. This bilingual children's book is a wonderful edition to every family wishing to enrich their children's lives. Easy to read and follow as well as fantastic illustrations.  This is a great book to have to start teaching your child Spanish or if you want to teach your child English words from Spanish.  This book is the SECOND in a series of bilingual books for children to either learn Spanish or English. The book is accompanied by a website were the book is available in an animated format as well as many games to practice the vocabulary.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  

 

A native of Germany and former resident of the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the Islands of the Bahamas and Switzerland, Suzy Liebermann--now living in the USA--has travelled the world in pursuit of language, art, and culture.

Having found it, she now shares it with the world's teachers, parents, and children through educational literature. Leveraging her decades of global experience teaching in German, Spanish, French, and English with a degree in foreign language translation and a master's degree in business management and international business, she launched Happy Language Kids Publications in 2010 as an interactive language learning program for children and their young-at-heart elders.

This program is particularly aligned with the aims and values she upheld as a teacher of cultural art and foreign language at a prestigious International Baccalaureate World School.

Character Development for Children

Believing that happiness can be learned, feelings can be understood and that building character based on a positive attitude leads to happy, content, self-confident and successful human beings, Suzy created this exciting series of charming books about HUGO THE HAPPY STARFISH.

The series of books on character education aims to help educate children about their feelings, their attitude, their choices and the consequences that follow and includes an introduction to the Spanish language, lessons of character, ecological alertness and life skills--all amid a backdrop of a colourful island and mystical underwater world.

 

 

OUR REVIEW:  

Both of my children enjoy the Happy Language Kids series.  My 6 yr. old is is just starting to learn Spanish as a second language, and this book is simple enough for her to understand.   The illustrations are colorful, which kids enjoy.  I would recommend the HAPPY LANGUAGE KIDS bilingual book series for elementary school children MAPS / MAPAS to anyone interested in teaching Spanish / English language.   

   

• You can purchase HERE.

• See more at mystarfish.org & happylanguagekids.com

 

Please read our other reviews:

One Step At A Time

Hugo, the Last Bully

Princess Sophia and the Frog

 

 

**I received a copy of this ebook for review purposes. Even though I received the book for free, the opinions stated are my own. I received no compensation for posting a review.

 

**Making the world a greener place - one baby (family) at a time**

HGB

Related articles

Hugo - The Last Bully, by Suzy Liebermann

Princess Sophia and the Frog, by Suzy Liebermann

ONE STEP AT A TIME - Hugo the Happy Starfish, by Suzy Liebermann

Flying High - Hugo the Happy Starfish, by Suzy Liebermann

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

ONE STEP AT A TIME - Hugo the Happy Starfish, by Suzy Liebermann

 

Book Description:

“ONE STEP AT A TIME Happiness Begins One Step At A Time” is a great tale to teach commitment.
Hugo is a little starfish with a big sense of adventure.  One day he finds an empty candy wrapper with a picture of a huge chocolate mountain.  Usually when Hugo finds trash in the ocean it upsets him but this time what he found made him curious.  Hugo discovers that his chocolate mountain is in fact a real mountain, which is called the Matterhorn and is located in Switzerland.  He decides to set off on a journey to find this mountain – a huge challenge for a little starfish!  Hugo learns to take one step at a time and to enjoy the journey as much as the destination.  Join Hugo as he finds the secret of perseverance when the road gets difficult.

ONE STEP AT A TIME is a story about the need for perspective, whatever mountains we face. This book is the perfect way to each kids to divide big challenges into little chunks and to take things one step at a time.  In Hugo, children, parents, and educators will discover a lovable and engaging role model with whom they can identify.  The story consists of 28 gorgeous illustrations showing a colorful and magical underwater world.  Children will laugh at the delightful characters, hold their breaths in suspense and love to read this story over and over.  The book is suitable as a read aloud book for preschoolers or a self-read book for older children.

The book comes with a number of worksheets which are downloadable at no cost on our website. 

There are more HUGO THE HAPPY STARFISH stories waiting to be discovered.  Make sure to read THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS, THE LAST BULLY, THE MAGIC OF THE MOMENT, IT’S GOOD TO BE ME!, and many more. 

Get your copy today and be sure to look out for more quality Kindle Books published by HAPPY LANGUAGE KIDS PUBLICATIONS!  www.MyStarfish.org

 

OUR REVIEW:  

I liked the message of this story, as I believe the message of not giving up is so important to teach, and important to do so at an early age.  I really like the illustrations in the book, they are colorful and super cute.  Illustrations can bring a story to life and in this book they do a fantastic job.  The story is great to read to kids or even as a read alone book for kids that are able to read by themselves.     This is a book with fun pictures, a great message, and it encourages discussion to go along with it.  If you are looking for a book to help talk about the importance of not giving up and trying new things, this is a good option.  I would also recommend this book as a gift.  

The book is available in 6 different languages: ENGLISH, GERMAN, SPANISH, FRENCH, ITALIAN AND PORTUGUES.   Buy here...

 

Read more HGB book reviews...

 

**Making the world a greener place - one baby (family) at a time**

HGB

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Hugo - The Last Bully, by Suzy Liebermann

 

Book Description:

Happiness Begins With Respect! 

Hugo is a little starfish and so it’s not surprising that in this story he comes across several bigger fish in the ocean. Sadly, they are bigger fish with the wrong attitudes – they are bullies! After seeing his friend getting bullied, Hugo decides enough is enough. He forms the Anti-Bully Club and teaches the bullies a valuable lesson about respect.

By working together as a group, Hugo and his friends manage to show the bullies that there is always a bigger fish in the sea and that happiness comes from respecting others not bullying them.

THE LAST BULLY is great tale to teach a lesson about one of the biggest issues around.  This book is a great way to teach RESPECT.

OUR REVIEW:  

I liked the message of this story, as I believe the anti-bullying message is so important to teach, and important to do so at an early age.  I like the illustrations in the book, they are colorful and super cute.  The only thing I didn’t care for was the flow of words, as the flow doesn't make it easy to read out loud. I also felt the wording was for an older child, but the illistrations were for younger children.  This is a book with fun pictures, a great message, and it encourages discussion to go along with it.  If you are looking for a book to help talk about bullying, this is a good option. 

 

The Hugo series is written by Suzy Liebermann.  Please read our other review here.

From the Author:  Meet HUGO, a little starfish with a big heart and a curious mind.
In very story of the series he learns about a different character trade/ attitude. 

The first and second book of HUGO THE HAPPY STARFISH is an 
Award-Winning Finalist in the CHILRDEN’S MIND/ BODY/ SPIRIT category of the USA “Best Books 2011” and "Best Books 2012" Awards. 

The key theme behind the HUGO THE HAPPY STARFISH series is that building character based on a positive attitude leads to a happy, self-confident and successful human being. I have written this exciting series of children’s books to help educate children about their feelings, their attitude, their choices, and the consequences that follow. 

Through his adventures, Hugo learns many valuable lessons of character, life skills, and ecological alertness – all amid the backdrop of a magical underwater world and mystical islands.

In Hugo, children, parents, and educators will discover a lovable and engaging role model with whom they can identify. Each book offers a themed vocabulary to introduce the Spanish language to the reader.  Each book also comes with a number of worksheets which are down-loadable at no cost on our website:  http://www.mystarfish.org/hugos-books

 

 

This program is particularly aligned with the aims and values she upheld as a teacher of cultural art and foreign language at a prestigious International Baccalaureate World School.

 

For more info on the products and the author your can go to www.MyStarfish.org 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**Making the world a greener place - one baby (family) at a time**

HGB

Princess Sophia and the Frog, by Suzy Liebermann

Princess Sophia and the Frog

by Suzy Liebermann

 

Book Description:

A wonderful fairytale about friendship and happiness.  Princess Sophia is a little princess who has everything a little princess could wish for: a big castle with many things inside.  However, she is bored and wants to fly to the moon.  One day a little frog comes by and helps her fly high up into the sky.  They come to land on different planets, where Sophia learns about feelings.  She also learns that she can choose what mood she surrounds herself with, as this will impact her own.  After her return to the castle she realizes that all she needs to be happy is to be surrounded by good friends.

 Join Princess Sophia in her pursuit of happiness.

 

OUR REVIEW:  This is a really cute book!  I was surprised it had a twist on the “normal princess” theme, and it is actually a book to teach kids about feelings.  It's important (but sometimes overlooked) to teach kids how to understand what they are feeling, and this book is a fun way to do that.   I absolutely love the illustrations in this book as they are so colorful and very bright, making the characters adorable.  The way it is written, in almost a rhyming manner, makes it easy to read aloud.  My little girls (6 & 3) love princesses, and they loved this book.  I was a little surprised it wasn’t too young for my six year old, but she thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and wanted to read it again.  It was so fun (and a nice change of pace) for me to read my girls a new princess book with some actual meaning.  Princess Sophia and the Frog is a great book, and I recommend it to anyone, as it is enjoyable to read.  I also think this would make a great gift. 

 

 

 

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.  This ebook was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are entirely my own.  To view more please visit me on our Happy Green Baby Blog. 

 

**Making the world a greener place - one baby (family) at a time** HGB

Chasing Invisible, by Karen Pokras Toz

 

Chasing Invisible, by Karen Pokras Toz

 

We have had the opportunity to review several of Karen Pokras Toz's books in the past, and we were looking forward to her newest book, Chasing Invisible.  Chasing Invisible is a switch from Karen's normal writing of young adult books (middle grade) as she has switched gears and entered into the Adult Contemporary category.  

 

• See our previous review on Millicent Marie is NOT My Name. (**our personal favorite)
• See our previous review on Nate Rocks the World.  

 

Here is a bit about Karen and her newest book...  

BIO:  Karen Pokras Toz is a writer, wife and mom. Karen grew up in Connecticut and currently lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and three children.  In June 2011, Karen published her first middle grade children’s novel for 7-12 year olds called Nate Rocks the World, which won First Place for Children’s Chapter Books and the Grand Prize Overall in the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, as well as placing first for a Global E-Book Award for Pre-Teen Literature.  In 2012, Karen published the second in the Nate Rocks series, Nate Rocks the Boat, followed by middle grade novel, Millicent Marie Is Not My Name. Karen is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI). 

• Just recently, Chasing Invisible & Millicent Marie were announced as FINALISTS in this years Book Award Contest!  Winners to be announced September 1st, so stay tuned for that announcement.  

For more information about Karen and her different projects, please visit www.karentoz.com.

BLURB:  Could you handle life in the spotlight?

Julia Alexander is a quiet girl from a small town. Content to spend her days with her small group of friends and a pile of books, Julia thinks her future is set. When she unexpectedly meets Chase, a fellow college student and budding musician, she is unaware of just how drastically things are about to change.  

Suddenly thrown into the limelight, her life is no longer her own. Relentlessly followed by the paparazzi, Julia is forced to make tough decisions about fame, love, family, and relationships. But just how much will Julia have to sacrifice to become invisible...

OUR REVIEW:  

Chasing invisible DOES NOT disappoint!  Karen Pokras Toz is known for her children’s writing (for middle grade), and although this book is the start of a new genre for Karen Pokras Toz you would not know it.  Karen Pokras Toz did a wonderful job bringing the main character to life and making the readers feel connected to her, with her elegant way with words you easily fall in love with Julia - her love for books, her desire to help others and her love for her family.  The story is almost written like a diary in a back-and-forth time-line.  In some books the back & forth may not be a good fit, but in Chasing Invisible it is a perfect fit for telling this story.   The way this book is written makes for a great flow and an easy read.  Although the story is fiction, I see a lot of truth to this book and how those in the limelight have to live with the attention they get from fans.  The story has a twist ending, which may or not be realistic to your own (real) life, but it adds spice to the book making it unlike other novels.  It left me wondering about the possibility of another book...

Have you read the new Chasing Invisible?  We want to know what you think. 

 

ON-LINE LINKS: 

Website:  www.karentoz.com 

Blog:  http://kptoz.blogspot.com 

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/karenptoz 

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/karentoz 

Amazon:  Chasing Invisible Paperback

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5009570.Karen_Pokras_Toz 

 

 

**Making the world a greener place - one baby (family) at a time**

HGB

**I was given a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One of our favorite... Authors

We have had the opportunity to review several of Karen Pokras Toz's books in the past, and are looking forward to her new book, Chasing Invisible (stay tuned for a review post).  Chasing Invisible is a switch from Karen's normal writing of childrens books as she has switched gears and entered into the Adult Contemporary category.  

 
Her middle grade children’s novels have won several awards including the Grand Prize in the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards and First Place for a Global E-Book Award for Pre-Teen Literature. Karen is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI).  A native of Connecticut, Karen now lives outside of Philadelphia with her family. For more information about Karen and her differnet projects, please visit www.karentoz.com.

 

See our previous review on Millicent Marie is NOT My Name. (**our personal favorite)

 See our previous review on Nate Rocks the World.  

 

Here is a bit about her new book...We think it sounds exciting and we are looking forward to reading her newest book, although a little sad to be saying goodbye to Millicient Marie.  Have you read the new Chasing Invisible?  We want to know what you think. 

 

Chasing Invisible

Could you handle life in the spotlight?

Julia Alexander is a quiet girl from a small town. Content to spend her days with her small group of friends and a pile of books, Julia thinks her future is set. When she unexpectedly meets Chase, a fellow college student and budding musician, she is unaware of just how drastically things are about to change.  

Suddenly thrown into the limelight, her life is no longer her own. Relentlessly followed by the paparazzi, Julia is forced to make tough decisions about fame, love, family, and relationships. But just how much will Julia have to sacrifice to become invisible...

---

Category: Adult Contemporary

Related articles

Book Review: Nate Rocks the Boat

Millicent Marie is NOT my name, by Karen Pokras Toz

My Snuggle Bunny, a wonderful personalized book!

This Giveaway is Hosted by Jenn, Mom of Two Munchkins

My kids love books and when they are part of the book it makes it all the more special.  My Snuggle Bunny is a wonderful personalized book that is great for younger kids and toddlers.  Easter is right around the corner and this book would be an Easter gift that will be cherished for a lifetime.  The gift set even comes with a plush Snuggle Bunny.  The story is adorable and the illustrations are colorful and vivid.  Check out my Full Review.

  Enter below to win a Personalized My Snuggle Bunny Book for a child in your life!

Entry-Form

Jenn, Mom Of Two Munchkins was provided with a free sample of this product to review, and was under no obligation to review it.  Nor was Jenn, Mom Of Two Munchkins under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. Happy Green Baby, LLC. is not responsible for shipping of prize.  I See Me! has the sole responsibility for shipping of prize.  Prize value is approximately $24.95.

Vicky Finds A Valentine, by Emlyn Chand

BLURB:  Vicky is happy young lovebird with a great life as the Johnson family pet. When her human Marie starts making Valentine’s Day cards for her first grade class, Vicky is definitely intrigued. "Valentine’s Day is very special," Marie explains. "It only comes once a year, and when it comes, you have to tell everyone how much you love them. But most of all, you have to find a special friend to be your Valentine." A day about love? That’s fantastic! Now who can be Vicky’s special Valentine? A search begins as Vicky asks anyone who will listen to be her Valentine. Unfortunately, the pretty dolly ignores her, and so do the people in the glass box—and she's not sure she can trust the family cat's intentions. Will the day come to a close before Vicky can find a Valentine? There’s only one way to find out. Join Vicky in her hunt for love in this special holiday edition of the color-illustrated Bird Brain Books series for children.

OUR REVIEW:  Vicky Finds A Valentine, by Emlyn Chand is a simple story with a powerful message about letting everyone know how much you love them on Valentine's Day.  It captures the excitement kids have when making special valentines for their special friends.  The pictures are cute, yet mature and the story is fun for the kids.  This is a great book for your kids or for a gift.  

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BIO:   Emlyn Chand emerged from the womb with a fountain pen clutched in her left hand (true story). When she's not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm Novel Publicity. Best known for her Young Adult novels, she is also developing a small, but devoted, following to her children's book series and is beginning to dapple in other genres as well. Emlyn enjoys connecting with readers and is available via almost every social media site in existence. Visit EmlynChand.com for more info. Don't forget to say "hi" to her sun conure Ducky!

About the Illustrator:   Noelle Giffin is an illustrator currently residing in sunny Los Angeles.  She loves drawing fantasy worlds, fun characters, and, of course, cute, fat little animals!  When she isn't cooing over the latest adorable animal she's seen, she likes to sleep, play board games with friends, and read and write comics.

 

ONLINE LINKS:

• Website & Blog:   www.emlynchand.com

• Facebook:  www.facebook.com/emlynchand

• Twitter:  www.twitter.com/emlynchand

• Goodreads:   www.goodreads.com/emlynchand

 

BUY NOW LINK:

• Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Vicky-Finds-Valentine-Brain-ebook/dp/B00B0Q6VTW/ref=la_B005X5WNDY_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1358367038&sr=1-9 • Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/273867

• Smashwords:   http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/273867

 

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Millicent Marie is NOT my name, by Karen Pokras Toz

BLURB: Twelve-year-old Millicent Marie does not like her name. After all, she was named for a woman who died more than fifty years ago and was not the most loveable member of the Harris family. Her friends call her Millie, but when she writes in her diary she refers to herself as Amanda – the name she always wished she had. When Millie’s younger brother finds her diary on her computer, he decides to publish it as a blog for the entire world to see, including the boy Millie has a crush on. In the midst of all the mayhem, Millie/Amanda discovers she is suddenly Springside Elementary’s most sought after sixth-grade mystery gossip and advice columnist. But not all is fun and games, as Millie quickly learns, once she realizes feelings are at stake. Nobody, least of all Millie, expects things to turn out as they do in this tale of friendship and respect.

Our Review: Fantastic! This book will keep the attention of your young reader with its great story line that is interesting & fun. Young readers can relate to having parents that 'annoy' them, a sibling that 'drives them nuts', and the ups and downs of friendships. As they are laughing while they are reading they will also be learning valuable lessons in life that start at a young age; such as treating friends/classmates with respect, and realizing things you do may hurt others even when you don't intend it to. This is a fantastic book to read with your child as well, as you can talk to them about these lessons as you go along. I highly recommend Millicent Marie is NOT my name, by Karen Pokras Toz.

BIO: Karen Pokras Toz is a writer, wife and mom. Karen grew up in Connecticut and currently lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and three children. In June 2011, Karen published her first middle grade children’s novel for 7-12 year olds called Nate Rocks the World, which won First Place for Children’s Chapter Books and the Grand Prize Overall in the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, as well as placing first for a Global E-Book Award for Pre-Teen Literature. In 2012, Karen published the second in the Nate Rocks series, Nate Rocks the Boat, followed by middle grade novel, Millicent Marie Is Not My Name. Karen is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI).

ONLINE LINKS:
Website: www.karentoz.com

Blog: http://kptoz.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/karenptoz

Twitter: www.twitter.com/karentoz

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Millicent-Marie-Not-Name-ebook/dp/B009H2Q6DC

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5009570.Karen_Pokras_Toz

BUY NOW LINK:

Amazon paper book

Amazon Kindle copy

Giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway

EXCERPT (for a sneak peak, enjoy!): Carrying the grocery bags in from the garage is one of my least favorite jobs. My mother seems to have this irrational fear that we will some day run out of food and other necessities. So whenever anything goes on sale, she feels as if she has to buy the entire available stock – just in case. Our basement looks like some sort of doomsday shelter with its rows and rows of shelves overflowing with paper towels, bags of pretzels, and canned soup. At least I know I will never go hungry. “Where’s Doogle?” I ask Mom. Why does it seem like my little brother always disappears when there are chores to do? “Douglas is at a friend’s house.” My mom hates it when I call my brother Doogle. I can’t help it. That has been his name since the first day my parents brought him home from the hospital. I was two and a half years old. In two and a half year old speak, Douglas equaled “Doogle.” Ten years later, it still seems to fit him. At least Douglas isn’t as bad as Millicent Marie. The bag of groceries I lift feels like a load of bricks: ten supersized bottles of liquid soap. Well, at least we’ll all be clean. Doogle and I used to get along great. We’d ride our bikes together, play video games against each other, and even make up pranks to pull on Mom and Dad. That was before he turned ten. Now he’s just a royal pest. He wouldn’t be so bad if he would just stay out of my stuff. I’m constantly catching him in my room, and when I ask him what he’s up to he always has an excuse. “Mom sent me up here to get blah blah blah.” Doubt it. I wish I had a lock on my door. After all, I am twelve. A girl needs her privacy you know. “So Millicent Marie, what’s this I hear about you not trying out for the soccer team this year?” Mom asks. “How did you know that?” “I ran into Mrs. Tiller at the grocery store. She said she was talking to Mrs. Nelson who had heard it from Mr. Siegel who was talking with Coach Darden just a few days ago.” “The gossip mill at its finest,” I mumble. “What’s that?” Mom asks. “Nothing. I was thinking of joining the Drama Club instead. They’re doing a musical mishmash of fairy tales and classics called Romeo and Cinderella. “That’s ... different. But I hate to break it you, your singing voice is not the best – and I’m not sure your acting is much better for that matter.” Sigh. Gotta love Mom, always so supportive. “I want to be on the stage crew. You know, help with set design and other backstage stuff.” “But soccer’s your thing. You’ve been playing since you were five years old.” Soccer was my thing, but honestly, after the experience I had at the soccer clinic last week, I had no desire to hang out with any of those girls anymore. It all started when Haylee Tyler, the girl who has for some unknown reason hated me for years, started a rumor about me liking Dan Holt, which was so not true. Now, Jordan Cowell, he’s another story. Jordan is tall and cute and funny and in the Drama Club. Anyway, back to Haylee. So she told everyone on the soccer team that I liked Dan, who by the way, is the geekiest kid in the entire school. So what if I ate lunch with him the other day? To be honest, I felt bad for him. Everyone else is so mean to him all the time. It isn’t his fault he has bad skin and enjoys a good math problem. Besides, we’ve been friends since kindergarten. He’s a nice kid once you get past the dorkdom. Anyway, Natalie - she’s my best friend - wasn’t in school, so I decided to sit with Dan. What’s the big deal? Well apparently Haylee and her sidekicks thought it was funny enough to write “geek lover” in lip-gloss all over my locker. I wound up missing half the clinic cleaning it up. This was not the first time, either. For whatever reason, Haylee Tyler takes great pleasure out of making my life miserable. Normally, I’m able to just brush it off, but this year Haylee announced she was joining the soccer team. My soccer team. Rumor has it that Coach Darden had been trying to get her to play for years. I hate to admit it, but she’s pretty good. Much better than me, and I’ve been playing forever. I’ve heard she’s even up for team captain. Still, it doesn’t mean she gets to treat me that way. “Well, I was thinking I would try something new. Besides, Doogle gets to try different activities, why can’t I?” “Okay, Millicent Marie, I suppose you’re right. It’s good to try different things. Can you do me a favor and put Sparkles’ food in the basement? My back is really acting up today.” “Sure.” “Thanks, Millicent Marie,” Mom says, walking back into the house. Sure, I’ll grab the fifty-pound bag of dog food that our tiny eight pound dog-wanna-be will never even eat because we already have ten other bags of it in the basement. Yup, five hundred and fifty pounds of dog food for one scrawny, little mutt named Sparkles. Doogle named him. Welcome to my family.