Posts from the ‘classroom resources’ Category

MAN’S BEST SUPER SLEUTH

Hide and Panic Stations (Super Sleuth Sam Book 1)

Written by Monty J. McClaine

This is the first book in a nine-part series. The author uses the introduction to present the characters of the series. Jack is a mischievous six-year-old. His father likes to tinker in the garage with his Corvette, his mother is a devoted stay at home mom, his sister, Molly has just begun to crawl. Sam, the basset hound is always on red alert protecting the family and serving as Jack’s constant companion. But Sam is no ordinary dog, he has magical powers passed down to him from his ancestors. When Sam recites his chant, he develops super speed and the detective skills of a Sherlock Holmes.

One day Jack and Sam are playing hide and seek. Jack pushes the envelope by finding a hiding place in which no one discovers him. While Jack is comfortably ensconced reading his dad’s comic and enjoying a snack, the rest of the family is in panic mode. Readers will enjoy how Sam employs his super speed and detective smarts to solve the mystery of Sam’s disappearance. Sam’s parents are about to call the police. Will Sam be able to solve the mystery? Perhaps young readers will be able to help.

This book is a fun chapter book for beginning and middle-grade readers. It presents a typical family with some atypical characteristics, some humor, and a mystery for readers to ponder. Recommended especially for third to fifth graders. The length of approximately one hundred pages makes it a good choice for reluctant readers as well.

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RIGHT OR WRONG?

E is for Ethics: How to Talk to Kids About What Matters Most

Written by Ian James Corlett

Illustrated by R.A. Holt

 

The author is a Children’s TV writer and animator by trade. Distressed by the fact that schools no longer include ethics and civics teaching in their curriculum, he decided that he and his wife must assume that responsibility. Many years ago when his children were young, he and his wife decided to set one night a week as a family discussion time. Corlett developed a series of twenty-six stories that exemplified different aspects of moral behavior. Following each story, the children engaged in interactive questions for discussion as well as suggested activities.

The following is a list of the topics discussed in these stories: honesty, understanding, forgiveness, courage, perseverance, tact, politeness, loyalty, gratitude, truthfulness, sincerity, integrity, citizenship, responsibility, kindness, generosity, helpfulness, empathy, charity, trust, willingness, respect, fairness, acceptance, patience, and effort. There are simple colorful illustrations of a young child like the character of Lucy or Eliot featured in each story. A few famous quotations are sprinkled throughout.

This book provides a wonderful opportunity for parents to spend time getting to know what their children are thinking as well as fulfilling a necessary parental responsibility to guide and form a child’s character and values. Recommended for all ages in the family to enjoy and share.

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PERFECT GIFT FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Check out what others are saying about Little Miss HISTORY’S
Latest Adventure as she travels to the North Pole.

Little Miss History Travels to the North Pole

SETTING THINGS STRAIGHT

The Adventures of Joy Sun Bear: The Blue Amber of Sumatra

Written by Blanca Carranza and John Lee

This is the first book in a series of adventures featuring a bear named Joy. Set in the tropical rainforest of Sumatra, readers are rapidly propelled into a nonstop fantasy adventure. Joy will learn a lot about himself and teach his readers about courage, bravery, and standing up for themselves and others. Joy meets an assortment of magical characters, an exotic bird, a magical frog, orangutans, and a trickster fox to name a few.

Joy teaches readers the importance of family relationships, stewardship of Mother Earth, and respect for creatures of other cultures. Readers are exposed to the good and bad of humans as well as the inner struggles faced within oneself. The color illustrations move the story along for younger readers and help to illuminate the hidden storylines. The chapter book runs close to two hundred pages so it might be a challenge for beginning readers who might want to approach it in several phases; it would make an excellent teacher read aloud book to discuss in the classroom. Recommended audience is for ages six through ten, though I would classify it more as a middle-grade selection. I am looking forward to reading the next tale and following Joy’s growth journey.

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#HAPPY HALLOWEEN – G is for Ghost

The Ghostly Night

Written by Jeanette W. Stickel

This book is a clever ghost tale written by a speech pathologist to introduce the letter g. Kristy cannot sleep. She fears there is a ghost in the room. Kristy sees the full moon casting shadows, the wind blowing the curtains, hears the branches scraping against the window, and an owl hooting. Her mother keeps peeking in to reassure her, but Kristy, despite her mother’s reassurances, remains fearful. Finally, she climbs out of bed and builds a tent with her animal friends. The last time Kristy calls her mom into the room, the tables are turned and there is a surprise ending.

Stylized and simple illustrations with simple text allow young readers to easily follow the story. Recommended for toddlers, preschoolers and primary grade children. The book doubles as a beginning reader.

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DON’T BE A CHICKEN

Chicken Wants to Roller Skate

Written by Elsa Takoda

Illustrated by Catherine Toennisson

This beginning reader has a lot going for it. The protagonist is a chicken who wants to do more than an average chicken. She decides that roller skating looks like fun. Chicken lays out the steps necessary to roller skate and proceeds to try. After falling down and feeling bruised, chicken gives up just as many children might do. When Cat begins to chase her, Chicken decides to try once more. Sometimes one must take a risk in order to succeed.

Toennisson’s illustrations are humorous and cartoon-like, perfect for young readers. Takoda uses onomatopoeia effectively. Children will love reading the book aloud and imitating the sounds as they learn the vocabulary words. Recommended for all beginning readers, but I think readers in the five to seven year age range will enjoy it most. Look forward to reading more of this series.

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#PRESS RELEASE

https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/prnewswire/press_releases/Kentucky/2018/10/01/UN14952

We are proud to announce that the Little Miss HISTORY book  series won a Gold, Silver and Finalist designation in three separate children’s book categories

 

Press Releases > PR Newswire

Readers’ Favorite Announces Its 2018 International Book Award Contest Results

Readers’ Favorite is proud to announce the winners of their 2018 International Book Award Contest, which consisted of thousands of entries in over 150 genres from all over the world.

Oct 1, 2018, 2:00pm EDT

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 01, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Readers’ Favorite has become the fastest growing book review and award contest site on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.

In addition to reviewing for some of the biggest names in the literary industry, as well as the first time independent author, they host a respected award contest which receives thousands of entries from all over the world. Because of their large submission numbers, they are able to break down their contest into 150+ genres, where each genre is judged separately, ensuring authors only compete against books in their specific genre for a fairer and more accurate competition.

Their contest attracts submissions from independent authors, small publishers, and publishing giants such as Random House, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, with contestants that range from the first-time, self-published author to New York Times bestsellers like J.A. Jance, James Rollins, and #1 best-selling author Daniel Silva, as well as celebrity authors like Jim Carrey (Bruce Almighty), Henry Winkler (Happy Days), and Eriq La Salle (E.R., Coming to America).

Over the years, Readers’ Favorite has caught the eye of industry leaders who have graciously offered to support their contest by providing services free of charge. Readers’ Favorite contestants have a chance for the opportunity to have their book made into a movie or TV show, to be published by a multi award-winning publisher, to be represented by a renowned publicist, and to be represented by a respected literary agency. In addition, all authors are automatically entered to win one of more than 200 prizes worth a combined total of $50,000 just by entering the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest.

Please visit the 2018 Award Contest Winners page to view all of this year’s award-winning books. Each award winner features reviews and detailed information about the author, including contact information. Most authors offer free copies of their book to schools, libraries and charities.

 

SOURCE Readers’ Favorite

The information on this page is provided by PR Newswire. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution of this content without prior written consent from PR Newswire is strictly prohibited. Louisville Business First is not responsible for this content. Learn more about this service.

 

 

 

CELEBRATION TIME!

Little Miss HISTORY is proud and happy to announce that three books in her book series have won recognition in the 2018 International Reader’s Favorite Book Award Contest.

 

Little Miss HISTORY Travels to FORD’S THEATER  won a GOLD MEDAL in the Children’s Nonfiction category.

 

 

 

Little Miss HISTORY Travels to MOUNT VERNON  received a SILVER MEDAL in Children’s Educational Books.

 

 

Little Miss HISTORY Travels to LA BREA TAR PITS & MUSEUM  placed as a FINALIST in Children’s Books for 4th through 6th Grade.

 

The awards will be presented during the Miami Book Fair International Book Fair on November 17.

 

Congratulations to all the winners!

If you are looking for a good read in your favorite genres, may I suggest that you check out all the winning titles?

https://readersfavorite.com/2018-award-contest-winners

 

CRUISING AROUND THE BIG APPLE

Hey Kids, Let’s Visit New York City

Written by Teresa Mills

Mills has written a travel guide that performs a dual purpose. Families who are planning a vacation or move to The Big Apple are provided a comprehensive introduction to the history, culture, and entertainment highlights that will appeal to young visitors and this just under one hundred page book can also serve as a reference for a classroom report on New York City.

Iconic architecture like the Empire State building, the Chrysler Building, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Flatiron Building are featured. Historical landmarks like The Statue of Liberty and Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum are explored and explained. The book features recent additions to the NYC landscape like the 911 Memorial and Museum. Who can forget the tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller City? Mills talks about Rockefeller Center and the Top of the Rock. She takes us on a walk through Central Park and Times Square and reminisces about the history of Broadway and some of its famous productions. The City is a big place and after a day of shopping along Canal Street, one will eventually need to jump on the New York subway and visit Grand Central Station. Visitors to New York City will want to take a tour or eat in one of the many ethnic neighborhoods like Little Italy or Chinatown. Perhaps a trip over the Brooklyn Bridge might entice visitors to try one of the famous Coney Island hot dogs.

Mills has it all covered, the culture, the entertainment, and the history wrapped up in an easy to read guide for middle-grade, young adult and adult members of the family. Highly recommended for any prospective visitor to the Big Apple.

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To find out more about The State of Liberty and Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum, check out my Little Miss HISTORY book series at http://www.LittleMissHISTORY.com

PERSEVERANCE PREVAILS

Charity’s Big Dreams

Written by La Keya Guy

Illustrated by Bryan Golden and Bryan Aguilar

 

Charity is a sweet, student who works hard and tries to do her best. When Mrs. Jones, her social studies teacher, announces that the top three students in each class will earn a trip to Washington, D.C., Charity is elated. Charity does everything possible to earn one of the spots. But one day, disaster strikes when a power failure causes her to be late for one of her exams. Despite her teacher’s encouragement, Charity is sure that she will not do well. She despairs, but ultimately perseveres and refuses to give up.

This book provides encouragement to children who have problems with self-esteem or lack of self-confidence. The illustrations are attractive and appealing. The book is targeted at a wide range of students, but the thirty-page length probably makes it most appropriate for children in the eight to ten-year-old age range.

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