The Legend of Creepy Hollow: Tales of the Lost and Found
Written by Shana Gorian
Noah and his sister Oakley are visiting the Murphy farm and orchard in upstate New York with their friend, Andre. They are enjoying learning about farm life but one thing troubles Noah. He has failed his history exam and his parents will ground him if he fails to pick up his grades. To make matters worse, his parents are history teachers! Noah’s teacher has given him an opportunity to make things right. She offered him coordinates to participate in a geocache. A geocache is a global treasure hunt game whose goal is to find a hidden treasure. Noah is not enthusiastic until Murphy’s granddaughter, Annalise, shows interest. Noah has developed a bad crush on her. The four teens decide they will embark the next day to explore the coordinates.
Once engaged on the hunt things get complicated. A nineteenth century ghost scouts the area. Strange sounds and events pop up. Will the foursome find the treasure? Can they survive their paranormal adventure?
The autumn setting and eerie feel contrast the peaceful nature of the farm with the threats that loom over them. The author skillfully weaves history within the plot teaching about the Harvest and Hunter’s Moon while revealing plot elements. Mystery, coming of age, detectives, and fear combine to entice middle grade readers to turn each page.
I received an advance copy of the book from the author and voluntarily chose to read and review with my honest opinions for no monetary compensation.
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Raising a child is challenging. Raising a happy and confident child is even more challenging! Each child is different and will require a unique approach.
Answer these questions to gain a better perspective of your situation.
1. How do I define success? What traits and skills does my child need to be happy, confident, and successful?
Lotti has a scar running down her left leg. She has endured many operations. That doesn’t deter her from her dream of becoming a rhythmnic gymnast. At first, it seems impossible and her results in competition are disappointing. Lotti refuses to give up and practices whenever she is able. She believes the day will come when she stands on the podium.
The picture book contains vibrant illustrations and easy to read text. Based on a true life story, its message is an inspirational one for young girls with disabilities. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
Recommended as a read aloud, bedtime story, or beginning reader for ages three through eight.
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This short book contains a powerful message for tweens, teens, and young adults. It contains eleven tragic stories with photographs of young people who died too soon. They are just like the person who lives next door. Some of them had previously experimented with drugs, but many became victims of fentanyl given to them by friends or drug dealers who had laced pills with deadly fentanyl.
The author includes photos of the victims which highlight their personalities. A successful model, athletes, musicians, honor students: lives snuffed out before they had the opportunity to bloom. Letters from their parents magnify the loss experienced for each family. Wilson’s bottom line is that each young person must PROTECT THEMSELVES. No one can rely on a promise or the word of a “friend” who might be an enemy in disguise.
All of us can work together to wipe out the fentanyl epidemic. Take the first step today by reading this book.
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Publisher’s Synopsis: Chipper the Fox and his Arctic friends travel to summer camp for fun in the sun! After an amazing summer, how will they stay in touch with their new friends and keep their summer adventure going?
Kimber Morgan is a multi-award-winning children’s book author who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Kimber is a fun wife and imperfect mom of 3 crazy kiddos and two little lemon (problematic) dogs. She tries to live her strengths the best she can. Morgan is a homemade Halloween costume type of mom who lets her kids mix the Play-Doh. She bakes fun birthday cakes (cutely, but far from perfection) and loves a homemade Valentine and a school project.
Writing children’s books is an extension of her creative strength. She strives to create picture books that are beautiful, engaging, humorous, and with themes of acceptance and kindness. She hopes you love reading her works. Kimber is available for author visits and wants to connect with you.
Chipper and his friends from the arctic region decide to go south on a camping vacation. When they arrive at Bright Stars Camp, they immediately forge new friendships. They engage in activities like archery, swimming, sunning on the beach, and racing competitions.
Alas, the time moves swiftly. How will they continue the bonds formed here over until seeing each other again next year. Each of the arctic friends attempts to send gifts to their new friends, but none arrive safely. Finally, they discover the perfect gift. Can you guess what it is?
This charming rhyming, animal picture book contains illustrations that are delightful to look at and fun to read. I would suggest it as a bedtime story or group read aloud for preschool and primary grade children.
Enter for the chance to win a paperback copy of Chipper Sends Sunshine and an Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tablet! Good luck!
Enter for the chance to win a paperback copy of Chipper Sends Sunshine and an Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tablet! Good luck!
WORD DRAGON: ( A FUN & FAST-PACED CHAPTER BOOK SERIES FOR KIDS 8-11) JUNKYARD ADVENTURES 1
Word Dragon is the first book in an interesting adventure book series for elementary and middle-grade readers. When siblings, Eli and Grace visit an antique store owned by “Uncle Larry,” a nonstop fantasy adventure ensues.
Their dad is searching for a second-hand lawnmower. Eli and Grace meet the lovable but absent minded store owner who loves telling stories to children. Larry gives them a hubcap, a length of rope, and an old Scrabble game with a missing letter. He informs the children they they can use these to go on an adventure, but once begun they cannot return until they solve the mystery to find their way back.
Challenge accepted! The brother and sister head off. They will meet a Word Dragon and avoid fireballs thrown at them along the journey. I particularly enjoyed the word vocabulary list that encourages young readers to expand their vocabulary. Readers will definitely want to sign up for a return visit to Uncle Larry’s store.
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DIVERSITY to me: A children’s picture book teaching kids about the beauty of diversity
Written by Marisa J. Taylor
Illustrated by Fernanda Monteiro
I love the non-judgmental presentation of diversity presented by this author.
She shows both in text and illustration diversity is not restricted to skin color. We all have different talents, personalities, and physical traits. These must be assessed together so that all races can live and work together in harmony.
Recommended to parents, teachers, and librarians of preschoolers and primary grade children.
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Weeny Meeny is rather young for a witch just passing the 1000 year mark. She enjoys newfound independence as she can now consider herself a mature witch. One thing bothers her. All the other witches fly about town never considering the litter in the streets. Weeny Meeny is environmentally conscious and wants to do something about it so she teams up with her pets, a black crow and a black cat.
Weeny Meeny strives to combine her magic with some hard work. The three friends enlist the aid of some unlikely allies and set to the task. Will the streets of the town be clean for Halloween?
The illustrations are child-like pencil drawings etched in Halloween colors. They add a unique aspect to the tale. While the book is targeted for readers ages three through ten, there is quite a bit of text on each page, which makes me feel it more suitable for a bit older reader or as a child’s beginning reader rather than a picture book for the younger child.
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I like the detailed introduction explaining just how to use the book. It is important to note that the author requests the book be read in sequential order. While the child may only need work enforcing one or two areas, it is necessary to examine each stage within the framework of social-emotional development.
Herm presents activity suggestions grouped in categories like communication, listening, body language, self-control, empathy, problem-solving, manners and developing friendships. Of course, many of these categories contain social emotional skills that overlap. Parents can mix and match activities according to resource availability and time constraints. Most of the activities can be adapted to be flexible with an older or younger child. Perhaps siblings could work on some of these together or parents might introduce them on play dates.
A good addition to a parent or teacher’s education bookshelf for preschool and elementary school social skills.
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The ability to set goals and achieve them requires mustering up the courage to take responsibility for your life. That involves putting yourself first. By putting yourself first, you are simply making it a priority to take care of your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Creating the life that you desire is no one else’s responsibility but yours. You cannot do that if you keep getting in the way of yourself by thinking and caring too much about others. No doubt, caring for the needs of others is a natural human instinct, but it should never be to your detriment.
Many people are oblivious to the realization that they are the architects of their fortunes. They like to believe that putting the needs of others first, before their own, follows a universal moral code of conduct that you must adhere to, the failure of which makes them less human or less fortunate in life.
There are various reasons why people believe that putting the needs of others ahead of their own is the best and only way to live. They may think people will stop liking them, or that being a tireless caregiver gives them a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Some sincerely feel responsible for others, or worse, they don’t feel worthy of making themselves a priority.
Whichever one of the above categories you may find yourself in, the good news is that you can reset your thinking. Sadly, many people today suffer from thoughts of negating their own needs for the benefit of others. It is, however, essential to know that this thinking is false. You need to unshackle yourself from them to successfully take charge of your life and fully accomplish your goals.
Rather than confining your thoughts to the preconceived notion of scary consequence that would supposedly befall on you if you put yourself first, it is much more reassuring to focus on the numerous benefits guaranteed by putting yourself first. The importance of this is tied to many wholesome benefits some of which include:
Being more productive
Being happier and more joyful
Having more energy
Receiving more respect from others
Improved relationships
Experiencing less fear
Suffering from less stress
Feeling less resentment
Experiencing less depressed
These are the key areas where you stand to benefit if you learn to put yourself first. In this report, we will be looking at various healthy ways to put yourself first to gain the many wonderful benefits.
Strategies for Putting Yourself First
Below are some healthy ways and tips that can help you develop the habit of putting yourself first without burning bridges or negatively affecting your energy, enthusiasm, and motivation. Following them will help you achieve your goals, protect your mental and physical wellbeing, and overcome even your biggest challenges.
Choose Your Purpose
Having a clear purpose in life is essential. It is the simplest, most basic thing every person needs to live a fulfilling and satisfying life. Without a clear sense of purpose, you will end up living your life haphazardly. Your purpose also makes it easier for you to say ‘No’ to people and things that do not align with your highest good. Being aware of your life purpose and living it helps you identify those things that you need to do and when you need to do them. By consciously reaffirming your purpose regularly, you will be inspired to multiply your efforts of taking action to see your purpose fulfilled.
Live by a Vision
Putting yourself first also requires that you develop a clear vision of the life that you want to lead. A vision keeps you focused on the journey of your life. A clear vision will allow you to effectively prioritize your tasks and projects as the important things will align with your purpose and vision of your ultimate life. To get clear about your vision, start by reflecting on these three questions:
Who do I want to be?
What do I want to do?
How do you want to feel?
If you are unsure about your vision, ruminating on these questions will assist you in getting clear about what you want out of life.
Set Personal Goals and Plan
Setting personal goals is a wise way to ensure your vision becomes a reality. Goals make the realization of your vision much more achievable and will keep you motivated and focused on what you want out of life. After taking the time to set your goals, set aside regular time to plan how you will achieve each of them.
Learn New Skills
As you draw up your goals and develop your vision, you may find you need to learn new skills to make your ideal life a reality. Take some time to identify those areas that you may be lacking in knowledge and skills. Then take proactive steps to bridge the gap between your present level and your desired level regarding your knowledge and skills.
Set Personal Boundaries
Setting person boundaries is a skill you need to master when learning how to put yourself first because you will need it a lot on every step of your journey. That is especially true if you tend to be a people-pleaser. Others are used to you backing down and giving them what you want, so you’ll need to stay strong. Look them in the eye and kindly say, “No, thank you.” Even when they try to convince you to think otherwise, practice sticking to your decision by not get pressured into consenting. Setting personal boundaries is a vital skill because it enables you to defend your time and your rights which is an essential component of putting yourself first.
Get Exercise
Putting yourself first isn’t only about goal setting and getting ahead. It’s also about taking the time for self-care. After all, if you don’t take care of your health, you’ll be unable to live your purpose or fulfill your life’s vision. Put yourself and your health first by starting a program of regular exercise as soon as possible if you aren’t already doing so. Engaging in a brisk daily walk is all that’s needed to improve and maintain your health.
Eat Healthily
A healthy diet is equally as important as your body’s need to exercise. Eating a nutritious diet is a huge part of taking care of your health and putting yourself first. If your diet needs a major overhaul, take it one step at a time and work your way up to your ideal diet. Remember, putting yourself first is about being kind to yourself.
Sleep Enough
Getting sufficient sleep is another essential component of putting yourself first. It is also necessary for boosting your performance and replenishing your energy. By getting enough sleep, you will be better equipped to face the hurdles of the new day with greater confidence, energy, and enthusiasm. Never allow anyone or anything come between you and the need to get enough sleep.
Schedule Relaxation
Sometimes you may be lacking the energy you need to live your ultimate life. Rather than trying to push through such times, it is better to maximize your relaxation and recovery. You can engage in activities that will help reduce fatigue and replenish your energy, such as meditation, yoga, massage, or a quick nap. If you find you run low on energy and motivation on a regular basis, start scheduling relaxation or downtime into your day. A consistent relaxation routine will keep you on more of an even-keel, so you don’t burn out.
Journal
Apparently, you have 60,000 or more thoughts per day. When you feel you have a lot to do and you are overwhelmed with too many ideas, journaling will help clear your head. Journaling can also lead to better self-awareness, which is the foundation of putting yourself first. You can journal any way you wish—with paper and pen or by using an app. You might choose to journal every day or only when you feel overwhelmed or unsettled. Whatever works for you is perfect.
Practice Gratitude
Take some time each day to reflect on the positives in your life. It’s easy to focus on the things we’d like to change and neglect to be appreciative for all we have. It is very important to have a realistic perspective on your life and identify the positives for the sake of your health and wellbeing. As you find the time to write down and reflect on all the things you are grateful for each day, you will reduce your stress levels and naturally find more and more to be grateful for in your life.
Conclusion
Putting yourself first is something you must make a conscious effort to do. You must fill your cup first, or you will end up with nothing left to give to others. Even when you face negative reactions from people who feel that you are selfish for putting yourself first, remembering the tips outlined above and applying them will give you the wherewithal to go on regardless and live the life that you desire.
June 18, 2023
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