This is a short, cute picture book written from the point of view of a toddler. Preschoolers and toddlers are constantly trying to demonstrate they can do things independently. In this tale, Mike sets out to prove he can do everything adults can do. While the pictures and story clearly demonstrate that is not the case, Mike gives his readers inspiration and confidence.
Recommended as a bedtime story or read-aloud book to encourage self-esteem for two to five-year-olds.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
SPIES, CODE BREAKERS, AND SECRET AGENTS: A WORLD WAR II BOOK FOR KIDS
Written by Carole P. Roman
Illustrated by Alessandra Santelli
Author-winning children’s book author, Carole P. Roman has hit it out of the park with this nonfiction book. This book provides a comprehensive of about the importance of spies during World War II.
Chapter One begins with the background and causes leading to the war’s outbreak. The importance of spies in winning the war in both the Atlantic and Pacific spheres is the focus of the book.
Young readers receive a clear picture of the training, weapons, and tools used in spycraft. Secret armies and the intelligence organizations operations in each country are discussed. Illustrations provide visuals that provide greater insight.
I found the chapters featuring biographical portraits of the spies one of the most interesting sections. Spies worked in many professions. Chef Julia Child and author Graham Greene operated undercover. Roman discusses double agents and the Native Americans who broke the Japanese code. Before closing, the author explains how some wartime spy organizations still exist and how they have adopted modern tools of technology.
The Glossary explains terms used and provides more websites to explore. It also lists espionage monuments and museums that may be visited. For inquisitive minds looking to find out even more, Roman includes a bibliography of the resources she used in her research.
I would recommend this book to children who love adventure, espionage, and history. It’s a perfect read for middle-grade students, but an eye-opener for adults as well.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
I’m so excited because my book, Little Miss HISTORY Travels to TOMBSTONE ARIZONA was just nominated for the 2020 Readers Choice Awards contest by TCK Publishing!
Publisher’s Synopsis: An aggressive hunter bear meets a gentle moose who is looking for a new friend. The moose is so friendly that the bear decides to drop his gun and stop hunting altogether. Instead, the bear learns that it’s more fun to just hang out with a new friend, playing games and enjoying nature. However, after the fall colors change, it’s time for the bear to go back home. The gentle moose is sad because he lost his play friend, so he is again looking for a new one. He invites whoever is reading the book to become his new friend.
A bear is out hunting in the woods when he comes across a moose who is smiling from ear to ear. The bear is puzzled by this moose, Moose’r McDan, who requests his friendship. The hunter decides to think about this and puts his gun aside. Will the hunter and the hunted become friends? Is it possible to turn potential enemies into friends?
This delightful picture book contains charming, colorful illustrations and rhyming text in bold text that is easy on the eyes of young readers. Recommended especially for preschoolers and kindergarten readers but also a fun read-aloud for beginning readers.
I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher and voluntarily decided to read and review with my honest opinions.
Enter for a chance to win a copy of My Friend Moose’r McDan and a plush moose!
Three (3) grand prize winners receive:
A copy of My Friend Moose’r McDan
A plush moose
Giveaway begins December 6, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends January 6, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
Open to legal residents of 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.
Sky Danley Productions is responsible for prize fulfillment.
Aspergers Books for Kids: Joey the Weather Boy – A Story About Asperger Syndrome
Written by Dr. Sam Caron, PhD
Illustrated by Jeremy Caron
The author of this boy is a psychologist/ventriloquist who has been working with children and their families for thirty years. As a special educator, I applaud his approach. Dr. Caron has used this fictional short story to address the child and parents and then provided an interactive guide to implementing its lessons.
Joey is an eight-year-old boy who does not look at people and is obsessed with the weather. He has an uncanny talent to predict all aspects of the weather. Joey could talk about nothing else. His parents, teachers, and classmates could not understand him. That was okay with Joey because he preferred to be alone.
Joey’s parents took him to Dr. Caron who introduced Joey to Elwood, his puppet. Joey was able to relate to Elwood. With Dr. Caron’s help, Joey introduced a kids’ weather program and began speech therapy. Joey became more comfortable communicating with others. Children and adults recognized his talents.
This book goes a long way in helping parents, teachers, and children to understand Asperger Syndrome. Children who are bored easily, hyperactive or impulsive are not behavior problems. Books like these go a long way to eliminate preconceived notions. I highly recommend this series of books as a good start to building bridges with families who deal with the problem and members of the general population who misunderstand its symptoms.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
I would heartily recommend this book for parents and educators who are interested in navigating the tricky world of special education. For parents who suspect that something is just not right, this book provides an introduction to the types of disabilities and treatments available. Teachers who have not been trained in the field of special education need a basic understanding of the problems and resources available to treat them.
This book is divided into three sections. The first part explores the endless jargon employed in the educational testing, developing the plan, and implementing the Individual Educational Plan that each diagnosed child is entitled to have. This is a very scary and confusing process for parents. In the second section, the author explains who are the members of the team, how long the process takes, and how a parent can successfully advocate for their child. The third section is an alphabetical listing of the most common disabilities found in children, accommodations available within the school, reference links to resources, and how to reinforce what is taught in the school setting right in the home.
The world of special education is often written in legal language fraught with difficulty to understand. The way an IEP is developed and implemented varies greatly from state to state and school district. This book gives parents and teachers a good introduction and provides a readable reference source. As an educator with forty years of experience in general and special education, I would highly recommend this handbook to those about to become familiar with the special education world.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
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:
One morning a koala bear wakes up in an exceptionally good mood. He shouts out, “Who needs a hug?” A hippo passing by thinks a catch might be attached so he asks if it is free. The koala scampers down from his eucalyptus tree and hugs the hippo with all his might. Feeling satisfied, the hippo wanders off. The koala renews his offer, hugging any animal that responds to his request. Before long, he has added a giraffe, a porcupine, a brown bear, a snake, a badger, and a tiger to his hugging list. Eventually, the koala comes to a pond for a drink and repeats his question, “Who needs a hug?” This time the answer surprises him.
Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but children and adults can use a hug any time of the year. The illustrations in this book are whimsical and charming. They need not all be realistic, I enjoyed seeing a blue koala and a purple hippo. This book reminds preschoolers and primary grade children that expressing affection and kindness without expecting anything in return is a valuable reward in itself. Recommended as a bedtime story or read aloud discussion book.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
How to Protect Children from Online Predators and Cyberbullies: Survival Guide for Non-Techie Parents
Written by Ram Muthiah
I found this guide informative and essential for parents with children growing up in a world dominated by digital technology. The author wrote this book for two reasons: as a supplement to a novel based on true experience and as a practical guide to help parents navigate the rapidly changing world of the internet in which their children engage daily. Muthiah wants to protect children from those who use the internet to engage in crimes that prey on children. The author’s opinion is that the most important thing parents can do is to gain the trust of their children so that they can engage in honest conversations about internet abuses.
Pedophiles use the internet to lure children into meeting them or to collect pornographic pictures of them. Cyberbullies are cowards to hide behind the anonymity of the internet to attack and scar children mentally. The Internet is a tool to set up human trafficking networks. This author covers all the social media networks like Facebook, Skype, Instagram et al and breaks down different social networks and how they can be used as traps to engage children. He provides links to effective tools for screening out the threats and includes an appendix of secret internet language used by children and teens with which parents may not be familiar,
I would urge parents, teachers, and all those who work with children to keep this book on their shelf as valuable reference material.
April 15, 2020
bamauthor
2 Comments
Barbara Ann Mojica's BLOG 
You must be logged in to post a comment.