The author has a way with words. Sullivan has succeeded in telling 100 stories about history, science, art, and culture and with wit and charm. Young readers will be intrigued by topics like ghosts, curses, snakes, space, and vampires. Each story reveals an adventure and interesting facts. Black and white illustrations accompany many of the chapters. Young readers unwittingly learn a lot while they are laughing and having a great time reading.
This is a book they will want to share with friends and family. Targeting the middle-grade audience ages nine through fourteen, but any age reader will enjoy and appreciate these gems.
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The Secret of the Snallygaster: Washington, DC., USA (Cities of Adventure)
Written by Rishi Piparaiya
This book is part of a series. In this adventure, the author presents a travel guide to Washington D.C, while presenting a family mystery for the protagonists to solve.
Tara is an insatiable reader, while her younger brother is more interested in sports. They are on a family trip to the US capitol, when they uncover a family mystery. As they wind themselves through the historical monuments and museums of the city, they follow the clues to solve the mystery contained in the yellow envelope they find in Arlington Cemetery.
Readers learn about the museums of the Smithsonian, the National Zoo, the White House and the National Mall as they follow clues. There are a lot of bonus features like a short American history summary, a description of American versus British English, interesting facts about the US, and some of its famous people.
The book is perfect for middle-grade readers who shy away from nonfiction. It is an easy read with short chapters for reluctant readers. Recommended to teachers and parents looking for a good children’s travel guide or American history introduction.
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Publisher: Emerald Lake Books | ISBN-13: 9781945847448
Publisher’s Synopsis: What’s worse than being invisible? Being noticed by the school bully.
Greta Grace likes her life. She isn’t the most popular girl in school-some days she even feels invisible-but she gets good grades and stays out of trouble.
She has a best friend in Samantha and a grandmotherly neighbor who is never too busy for a chat. Her mom can be a bit overprotective, but Greta Grace doesn’t blame her. Being a single parent probably isn’t the easiest job in the world.
When her longtime crush finally starts noticing her, Greta Grace thinks her life might even be perfect.
But when a merciless bully takes aim at Greta Grace, her carefree existence suddenly ends.
Joanna O’Reilly Quinn can usually be found learning something new to teach teens. As a former middle school teacher, founder of Super Empowered One, and life coach, it is no surprise that her middle-grade fiction book, Greta Grace, weaves some teachable moments into her character’s very relatable experiences. Think, middle school… Ahhh!Through her company, Super Empowered One, Joanna teaches kids how to access their confidence, happiness and power, so they can live their best life. Joanna loves writing, the ocean, a good run, and living in Fairfield, Connecticut, with her husband and two kids. Visit her at superempoweredone.com to learn more about her coaching services and Greta Grace.
Greta Grace is a middle-school student who considers her everyday life an ordinary one. She is an excellent student who tries to stay under the radar. Greta is the daughter of a loving, single mom. She has a special relationship with Mrs. McGee, an elderly next-door neighbor. Her best friend is Samantha; she has a crush on Charlie, who doesn’t seem to notice her.
Greta’s world is turned upside down when Mrs. McGee becomes ill, Casey decides to bully her, and Samantha becomes distant. The only bright spot occurs when Charlie strikes up a relationship with her. But emotions and peer relationships are constantly shifting. Will Greta Grace learn how to handle her feelings and cope with the bullying?
Quinn does an excellent job of creating empathetic, believable characters for her middle-grade readers. I found the discussion question guide particularly useful. Parents, teachers, and guidance counselors will welcome the guide as an excellent way to discuss sensitive issues with middle-grade students.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a copy of Greta Grace, along with a 1-hr coaching session for a parent on how to raise a super-empowered teen.
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
A copy of Greta Grace
A 1-hr parenting coaching session with Joanna Quinn
Four (4) winners receive:
A copy of Greta Grace
The giveaway begins September 20, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends October 20, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
Wednesday, September 22, 2021Life Is What It’s CalledA book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
Thursday, September 23, 2021A Dream Within a DreamA book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
Friday, September 24, 2021The Momma SpotA book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
Sunday, September 26, 2021Barbara Ann Mojica’s BlogA book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
Monday, September 27, 2021The Fairview ReviewA book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
Tuesday, September 28, 2021icefairy’s Treasure ChestA book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
Wednesday, September 29, 2021Book Bug CAA book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
Thursday, September 30, 2021Rajiv’s ReviewsA book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
Monday, October 4, 2021Lisa’s ReadingA book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
Tuesday, October 5, 2021Satisfaction for Insatiable ReadersA book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
Wednesday, October 6, 2021Periodical GazetteAn interview and book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
Thursday, October 7, 2021Glass of Wine, Glass of MilkAn interview and book review ofGreta Grace: A Greta Grace Gibson Story About Bullying and Self-Esteem
JULIA JONES – My Worst Day Ever! – Book 1: Diary Book for Girls aged 9 – 12 (Julia Jones’ Diary)
Written by Katrina Kahler
Julia and Millie are best friends in seventh grade. Their very cool teacher, Mrs. Sheldon, is supervising the school musical. Millie and Julia have landed lead roles and Julia’s dancing experience gives her a prominent role in the choreography.
Enter Sara, a brand new classmate. While pretending to be friendly to everyone, including Julia, she is soon bullying her way into control. Whether it’s wearing the best clothes, buying the most expensive gifts, or flirting with Blake, Julia’s secret crush, Sara appears determined to show Julia in a bad light. Things go from bad to worse as a series of “coincidences” lead up to embarrassment and failure for Julia.
This book contains little more than 100 pages and moves quickly. It will appeal to reluctant readers and middle-school students as well as early teens. It’s the first book of the series and ends in a cliff-hanger.
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Ultimate At Home Activities for Kids: 159 ways to keep children busy
Designed by Kate and Chris Stead
This activity book is a parent or caretaker’s go to resource when the kids are bored. The only materials needed are paper, pencils, the internet and common household materials like glue and scissors.
It is not age specific. Some activities are simple enough for preschoolers while others will entertain teens. Here are some of the topics: zoos, Olympics, arts and crafts, movement activities, bears, pirates, legos, music, and libraries.
Children can perform the activities by themselves, in groups, or have a competition.
I highly recommend it for entertaining children of any age.
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This beautifully written picture book is a wonderful addition to the library of late elementary and middle-school students. It relates the story of an African princess who became queen of two African kingdoms of the 1600s.
Njinga survived a difficult birth. After her father breathed life into her, he realized she was a survivor. Despite the jealousy of her older brother, Njinga succeeded in school and observed carefully. When her brother became king, she had to flee, but she returned when the country needed her.
This story is told simply yet eloquently. The illustrations are exquisite. There are beautiful maps, a timeline and historical facts that provide a plethora of information on African and Portuguese history.
I highly recommend the book to parents, teachers and librarians as a valuable reference book on medieval African history. It also provides a strong role model for young women who seek to be the future leaders of tomorrow.
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Curly Jones is eleven years old. He is bullied by his fifth-grade classmates and a mean teacher. Nothing seems to be going right until he meets a new neighbor, Belle. He is happy to learn she will be in his class.
Belle introduces him to a secret world. She shows him a magic tree house that transports her to a fantasy world. Curly cannot believe that Belle accepts him as her best friend. Together, they enter a secret world with magical creatures and fascinating adventures.
Curly discovers that Belle has magical powers, but that is just the beginning. After a few trips through the tree house portal, Curtly discovers a long-lost heritage that affords him the power to change his life and that of others.
This is the beginning of an adventure/fantasy series that will appeal to the eight to twelve year old reader. The book is an easy read with short chapters that are perfect for reluctant readers.
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Many people place value on educational success. Whether you feel it’s important to attain socioeconomic status, increase earning power, or simply be more of a well-rounded person, there are many arguments for pro-school attitudes.
From the start of a child’s beginning in school, when they are in preschool or kindergarten, we can cultivate an attitude of success, growth, and eagerness in them.
As they grow, their own success will depend more and more on themselves as they make their own choices. However, there are some things you can do to make it more likely they’ll succeed.
Routines and Daily Habits
For example:
Bodybuilders’ routines involve going to the gym each day.
A firefighter’s routine involves putting on gear and getting into the truck as quickly and safely as possible.
Police officers have routines when clearing a crime scene.
Garbage men have routines to pick up trash in the most methodical order as possible.
A routine for a child in school is no different. Explaining to your child that everyday professionals and jobs use routines is also important so they will understand the value in it.
The routine you choose for your child depends on your individual child, but basically involves setting aside a specific time of day and place for something related to their education.
What do successful school routines look like?
Consider these routines:
Completing homework everyday after school at the kitchen table
Writing down each subject’s homework in a daily journal or planner
Eating a healthy breakfast each morning with your student and discussing school
Asking your child about one or two important lessons they learned in school that day
Educational Check-In
While the singular job of a student is to go to school each day, the job of that student’s parent or caretaker is to help the student cultivate an attitude of learning. Despite the fact that we, as parents and guardians, have our own busy lives to deal with, it’s important to keep in mind that our children also are growing and learning.
There are many conversation starters revolving around school, and it is critical that parents set aside time each day to ask about school.
For example, you can ask:
What happened in school
How the school day went
What they learned
Whether anything was surprising
Or even what grades they got on tests
For older students, having a more in-depth conversation related to the transfer of educational knowledge to the real world is important.
Value of Report Card Grades
Some parents choose to motivate their children with rewards for good grades. While there are arguments for and against giving a child money for earning an “A” or a “B” on a report card, this can be done in a responsible way.
The basic idea is to motivate them with external rewards, but then phase it out as they grow older and the motivation comes from within themselves.
Overall, there are certainly many things you can do to jumpstart the excitement and energy that students have for school. With parenting, there are no right or wrong answers and you can even devise your own system for motivating your student for success.
Publisher’s Synopsis: Who doesn’t love to color beautiful illustrations and learn interesting facts that enrich the mind?
If you also like amazing drawings and cool facts and believe it’s important to impart knowledge and broaden your child’s horizons, the We Can Color! series was created especially for you!
These eleven books cover topics that will interest anyone at any age: Dinosaurs, Vehicles, Aircraft, Space, and Animals from around the world in their natural environment: Farm, Jungle, Ocean, Savannah, Forest, and Desert!
Did you know that the most dangerous animal in the savannah is the hippopotamus? That the oldest koi fish lived to be 226 years old? That some goats can climb trees? And that the terrible T-Rex was not the biggest dinosaurs predator?
How big is the Sun relative to the Earth? What was the first man-made object to reach space? What is the fastest land animal? The tallest? The heaviest?
Did you know that scorpions glow in ultraviolet light? That male seahorses are the ones that get pregnant? That one of the astronauts lost his glove in space? That one of our planets was given its name by a girl in elementary school? And that there is an aircraft that takes off like a helicopter but flies like a plane?
Do you know the speed of the fastest truck in the world? Or how much does the heaviest tractor weighs?
What is the price of the world’s most expensive fighter jet? How much does an Air Force One flight hour cost?
What is the most venomous snake in the world? The most venomous jellyfish? The most poisonous frog? And do you know how to distinguish between a mammal and a fish in the ocean? Or how to tell a jaguar from a panther?
Next to each of the 330 full-page illustrations you can color, there are interesting facts: over 1,375 facts throughout the 11 books!
All the books contain full-page original coloring pages that are not repeated!
The extra-large pages are 8.5 x 11 inches in size!
All the illustrations are single-sided to prevent bleed-through and can be torn out and displayed without losing the images on the back!
All the illustrations and information are suitable for ages 5 and up. Children, teens, and adults will enjoy relaxed moments while coloring and learning fun facts!
The We Can Color – Fun & Facts Coloring Books series includes the following books:
What kid would not want this collection of cool coloring books. Space, trucks, animals, oceans, jungles, deserts, and the world as your oyster!
The large outline images are clear and simple enough for a young child to color. But there is a plethora of information packed into each one. Young artists will also learn more than 1300 facts about each of the topics in the series.
Gershowitz provides hours of entertainment for children as young as five that can also be enjoyed by grandparents who are ninety.
I love books like these that provide an outlet of artistic expression and creativity, while expanding and enriching the mind. Highly recommended.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a set of the We Can Color! coloring books, as well as a Crayola Inspiration Art Case Coloring Set!
One (1) grand prize winner receives: A set of the eleven We Can Color! coloring books, as well as a Crayola Inspiration Art Case Coloring Set.
One (1) winner receives: A set of six We Can Color! coloring books.
Publisher’s Synopsis: Welcome to a fantastic world of doodles! Over 90 pages of awesome art are waiting for your creative color choices to make them your own. The delightful doodles are the original creations of Joe Whale, also known as the “Doodle Boy,” an inspirational young artist who’s been painting and drawing from a very young age. Join the fun with these playful pictures and ready-to-color doodles!
Joe Whale, known as “The Doodle Boy,” is a talented 11-year-old artist from Shrewsbury, United Kingdom. He started drawing at the age of six, creating charming doodles of food, monsters, aliens, and any other characters his imagination creates. He’s made many television appearances in the United States and his native United Kingdom, and his signature doodles have earned him many social media followers.
For any child who loves to let his/her imagination soar. Created by an eleven-year-boy with a passion for doodling, this coloring book focuses on the thoughts and dreams of children who cannot stop moving that pencil. If you know a doodler, put this book on your must purchase list.
It reminds me of the hidden pictures pages I used to love as a child. Children are invited to discover, sports, food, alien, dinosaur, faces, computer, and environmental pictures, to name just a few. Some pages contain clearly delineated people, while others are a collage of mixed-up themes.
These could be colored with pencils, watercolors, or crayons. Younger and older siblings might enjoy working on a page together. After finishing a page, the child might enjoy creating a story to accompany his illustration. A group of children might take a few completed pages on a common theme and create a play to act out together. There are lots of creative possibilities.
Highly recommended for budding artists, children who need to express their energy in a productive way, and families looking for a family activity to share.
GIVEAWAY
Enter this giveaway and you’ll earn the chance to win a copy of The Official Doodle Boy™ Coloring Book!
Three (3) winners receive: A copy of The Official Doodle Boy™ Coloring Book
The giveaway begins August 9, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends September 9, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
October 17, 2021
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