Dexter’s New Home: A Children’s Picture Story for 3-7 year olds about
Moving
Written by D L Madson
Illustrated by Rajiv Kumar
Dexter is dismayed to find that hedgehogs have moved into his home, and they won’t allow him to come back inside. Dexter searches the forest for a new home. The next day, Dexter finds a cute house with a fence around it and decides to buy it. The rabbit still feels sad and lonely until the squirrels tell another rabbit named Ben that someone new has moved into the neighborhood. Ben welcomes Dexter with flowers and invites Ben to visit him for dinner. Meanwhile Ben had convinced his friends, James and Molly to bring gifts to share with Dexter. Dexter learns how his new neighbors share many of his interests and he is now happy and secure in his new home.
This book teaches children about having empathy and that something that might seem scary like moving may turn out to be a good thing. The illustrations are lovely and appropriate for the target audience.
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Etty lives in the town of Brightwater, a seaside town that
is rumored to be inhabited by witches. Etty lives with her human father and her
mother who is a vampire hunter. Every day Etty must endure training sessions in
a secret room that is hidden away in the basement of her house. Etty has one
friend, a classmate named April Showers. They have not spent much time together
lately as Etty has spent the summer at a vampire hunting training camp.
When Etty and April return to school in September, things
become awkward. A new boy named Vladimir Dox has all the markings of a vampire,
dark glasses, red lips, pale skin, and strange behavior. April befriends Vladimir;
Etty is skeptical. Then two people are murdered, and April reveals her
grandmother has given her a ring for protection. Etty discovers that April
comes from a family of witches who don’t want vampire hunters interfering with
their work.
When a schoolmate and Etty’s mom disappear, April and Etty decide to take Vladimir with them to investigate. What will happen to this strange alliance? Is Etty’s mom in danger? Will they solve the murder mystery and discover who is the vampire lurking around the town? What will happen to the friendship between April and Etty?
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Publisher’s Synopsis: Wes Rockville, a disgraced law-enforcement agent, gets one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a 232-year-old secret government organization.
The Witches Protection Program.
His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar cosmetics company’s diabolical plan to use witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in witches…and believe in himself.
Filled with adventure and suspense, Michael Okon creates a rousing, tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern-day New York City.
Wes Rockville is berated by his father, Harris, who is the
head of an elite detective division. Wes and his team have just lost a prisoner
and Harris is furious about his son’s failure. Wes receives a new assignment,
which is to be his last chance. He is disappointed but not surprised. After
all, Wes is constantly compared to his successful siblings.
Wes takes the subway to the Dumbo neighborhood in Brooklyn,
where he will enter a world he could never imagine. He walks into a room full
of high-tech equipment and is shown a film about witches. Wes discovers that
twenty-first-century witches are real and that he has been assigned to the
Witches Protection Program. He enters a fast-moving world of good witches,
Davinas, and bad witches, Willas.
Wes will experience an adventure he could never conceive of. The plot involves an international conspiracy, a bit of romance, steampunk and a crime novel rolled into one. Characters are fanciful but believable and compelling. Readers are gripped as the story evolves with many twists and turns along the way. Recommended for young adult and adult readers who enjoy crime novels, fantasy, adventure, science fiction and romance.
Enter For A Chance To Win An Autographed Copy Of Witches Protection Program And A $100 Amazon Gift Card!
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
A copy of Witches Protection Program autographed by Michael Okon
A $100 Amazon gift card
Three (3) winners receive:
A copy of Witches Protection Program autographed by Michael Okon
Giveaway begins July 8, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends August 8, 2019, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
Open to legal residents of Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who are eighteen years of age or older in their state or territory of residence at the time of entry. Void where prohibited by law. Michael Okon is responsible for prize fulfillment.
Kaley Jergins is a spirited fourth-grader who loves playing basketball. While she enjoys practicing with her teammates, Kaley especially enjoys playing with her father, Kyle. Kyle played basketball in college and received a championship ring after participating in The Final Four matches several times.
One-night Kaley’s placid world is turned upside down when her father suffers a heart attack. After his death, she and her mother withdraw. Kaley gives up basketball because the memories of her father pain her too much. One day her former teammate, Drea begs her to attend a game, which Kaley reluctantly agrees to do after much cajoling. A surprise event propels Kaley from her lethargy and convinces her to move on with her life.
This short story is a good way to discuss the topic of death and dying in families who have experienced or who are about to experience a loss. Teachers might also use the book as a read-aloud for class discussion. The author writes an afterword in which she offers suggestions to young readers for coping with the loss of a family member. Recommended for middle-grade and young adult readers.
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GIVEAWAY Enter for a chance to win a copy of Kat Kronenberg’s Love Big, signed by Kat Kronenberg, and a school visit from the author valued at $550! Plus, everyone can be a winner by visiting Kat’s website and collecting all of the fun downloads.
This giveaway is part of The Children’s Book Review awareness book tour
Giveaway begins June 20, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends July 20, 2019, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
Giveaway open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 17 and older. Kat Kronenberg is responsible for prize fulfillment. *Date, time, and school for the visit is to be worked out between the winner and author Kat Kronenberg. The school must be within 2 hours driving distance of any major airport and on the mainline. Parent’s at the school must be offered a chance to buy Love Big so that their students have the opportunity to take home an autographed copy with their name in it – thrilling. Kat Kronenberg must be able to set up at least one more school visit in the area. Click here for the giveaway rules.
Publisher’s Synopsis: The once-thriving, African savanna has turned dry and desolate. Baboon watches animals who are so hungry that they seek only their own interest. Rhinoceros destroys Termite’s castle in his race to find food. Hare chooses not to share food with her family, and Lion steals from his pride. But after Baboon sees Rhinoceros give Hare his snack-on-a-stick, everything changes! Baboon realizes that a transformative power exists between the animals and the stardust that surrounds them once they share smiles and truly believe in themselves and each other. Read on to see if Baboon can save the savanna with this new secret and a very stinky, unlike hero…
Ages 3-10 | Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press | January 8, 2019, | ISBN-13: 978-1626346000 PURCHASE LINKS Amazon
This book is the first in a series that features Jerry, a squirrel who loves to invent things. Jerry uses his imagination to problem solve the issues of everyday life that confront him. One day Jerry decides to end the problem of not having his slippers next to his bed when he wakes up to a cold floor each morning. Jerry spends all day and night designing a pair of slippers that will come to him each morning. When Jerry succeeds in the task, he gets more than he bargained for. His slippers take charge and take him on a wild adventure. All the squirrel neighbors watch in fascination. They are eager to sign up for a pair of slippers just like Jerry’s.
The book contains other adventures. One of these deals with Jerry needing to come up with an idea fast when he fails to garner enough nuts for the winter and another chronicles his adventure with the nut beetles. All of them feature the trials and tribulations of Jerry’s career as an inventor who experiences success and failure.
This book might best be described as a series of short stories rather than a chapter book. Because it does not contain illustrations and the stories are short, it is a good choice for reluctant or beginning readers. It encourages creativity and independent solutions to problem-solving. I would recommend it for ages six through fourteen.
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Publisher’s Synopsis: Brina, a Scottish Terrier, has lots of fun thinking about what she would do if she were a person! But when she shares those ideas with her friends, she begins to realize just how special it is to be a dog. The simplicity of If I Were Human makes it ideal for early readers, but with its imaginative story and entertaining illustrations, adults and children alike will love it. And who knows―you just may discover that you’d rather be a dog!
Brina, a Scottish terrier lives with another dog, Winnie, and her human family. One day she is watching Genevieve playing a game when Genevieve remarks that Brina looks almost human. That gets Brina thinking about what it would be like to be a human. She imagines herself going to school, doing homework, playing on the swings and having a snack. Brina asks Winnie what she would do as a human and Winnie imagines a day at the office. As the story continues, a local squirrel and the dog next door imagine their own scenarios as a human.
By the end of the tale, Brina and Winnie decide maybe a dog’s life is not so bad, after all. This picture book contains simple, expressive digital art and simple text that is appropriate for a bedtime story or read aloud. Beginning readers will be able to tack the story independently. Recommended for readers ages three through seven.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a signed copy of If I Were Human, by W.B. Tyler, and a set of 2 adorable plush toy dogs!
One (1) winner receives:
An autographed copy of If I Were Human
An 8″ plush toy Scottie dog
An 8″ plush toy Westie dog
Nine (9) winners will receive:
An autographed copy of If I Were Human
Giveaway begins June 24, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends July 24, 2019, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
Open to the legal residents of Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who are thirteen years of age or older in their state or territory of residence at the time of entry. Void where prohibited by law.
Gracie loves to do math problems. When she finds a blank math worksheet on the table in the living room, she becomes excited. Gracie inquires of her parents where it came from. Both joke that they don’t know the answer. Gracie decides that it must have been placed there for her. She hurries to solve all the problems on the paper and feels elated when she accomplishes the task.
When Gracie’s younger brother discovers the completed worksheet, he becomes distraught. It turns out this was his homework. Gracie feels ashamed. She apologizes to her brother and learns a valuable lesson. This book is part of a series in which Gracie learns life lessons through personal experiences. The series is recommended for ages three through eleven but probably most appropriate for ages seven and older.
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Molly Mouse Visits The Seaside: One small mouse expanding her horizons
Written and illustrated by Melinda Kinsman
This book is the newest addition to the adventures of The Top of the Wardrobe Gang, a group of talented and proficient stuffed animals. In this tale, Molly Mouse receives a letter from her Uncle Lee and cousins to come and visit them in their lighthouse by the sea. Always up for an adventure, Molly makes travel plans. When she encounters difficulties traveling with humans, Molly discovers a travel agency that caters to mice where they can travel in luxury on buses, trains, and ships.
Molly describes her journey. She learns many new facts from her waiter. Finally, she arrives at the lighthouse where she celebrates time with her family by playing on the beach, watching sailing ships race, learning how to fish, and even spotting a whale offshore. Molly is sad to see her vacation end, but she is happy that her Uncle and cousins plan to visit her soon.
The adventure doesn’t end here. There is a bonus section with puzzles, mazes, and games for readers to enjoy. This book will be particularly enjoyed by readers ages three through six but is appropriate and enjoyable for any reader.
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I recently had the opportunity to present Little Miss HISTORY in animation. Thanks to Silas Merlin, who created the avatar, the character has come to life.
Little Miss HISTORY insists, “If you don’t know your history, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” On the day of our birth, we become a character in history because each of us has an opportunity to create our story and place our mark on history.
As we stand here in the twenty-first century, technology allows us to immerse ourselves in history. In 2003, Linden Lab launched a program called Second Life. Its users, who are called residents, use this technology to create virtual representations of themselves. These avatars can explore the virtual world, socialize and participate with other residents in a group or individual activities. Second Life has its own virtual currency that allows residents to create, shop, and trade virtual property with one another.
In 2014, Linden Lab announced a plan to develop a new virtual world. Content creators began working on the program named Project Sansar. The platform was released in “creator beta” to the public in July 2017. Users create 3D spaces where people can create and share social experiences such as watching videos, playing games, and having conversations. Participants are represented by avatars they create. These avatars contain speech-driven facial animations and motion driven body animations.
Sansar supports virtual reality headsets but can also be accessed with Windows computers. The program is free to use, but like Second LifeSansar has its own economy. Users can buy and sell their virtual creations with the Sansar dollar.
HOW DID LITTLE MISS HISTORY GET INVOLVED IN VIRTUAL REALITY? A few months ago, I was approached by Bernhard Drax to appear on his Book Club Radio podcast. When I heard that Little Miss HISTORY would have an opportunity to appear in virtual reality, I jumped at the opportunity.
Via “draxtor”..and media for all! Drax and his team now offer audio-visual storytelling for many media platforms. Bernhard Drax studied audio engineering at the University of California at Los Angeles and music at the Hochschule fur Musik and Theater Munchen. He is an expert in user-created content in Virtual Reality. His award-winning mixed reality documentary series “The Drax Files: World Makers” is just one of his many video series featured on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/user/draxtordespres
I invite you to join us in a discussion about books, education, and history, past, present, and future!
Check out Little Miss HISTORY’s journey into virtual reality!
If you would like to read the entire interview on the podcast, please go here:
July 31, 2019
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