In partnership with EQ Explorers and The Children’s Book Review

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail: Happiness is a Choice!

Written by Kim Linette

Illustrated by James Loram

Publisher’s Synopsis: The secret to happiness? It’s written on a whale’s tail. At least that’s what Koa hears, and so he sets out in search of Wally Whale and the valuable knowledge that he hopes Wally will share.

Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail, one of the first books in the EQ Explorers series, teaches the powerful EQ principle: Happiness is a Choice. It’s a lesson of emotional intelligence that is essential for any child—including Koa, who learns as he journeys through the Pacific with Wally Whale.

Ages 4-12 | Publisher: Kapalua Cove, LLC | August 1, 2019 | ISBN-13: 978-1950062003

Available Here: https://amzn.to/3deRJ4O

Compare Bear’s Double Dare: Be Yourself – Don’t Compare!

Written by Kim Linette

Illustrated by James Loram

Publisher’s Synopsis: The last thing Danny expects to come across during his hike in the forest is a very insecure bear. And yet, Compare Bear is precisely that—a bear who struggles to see his own strengths, and instead constantly compares himself to other animals, with astonishing results.

In Compare Bear’s Double Dare, one of the first books in the EQ Explorers series, Danny helps his unique new friend take to heart the powerful EQ principle: Be Yourself. Don’t Compare. It’s a lesson of emotional intelligence that is essential for any young reader.

Ages 4-12 | Publisher: Kapalua Cove, LLC | August 1, 2019 | ISBN-13: 978-1950062010

Available Here: https://amzn.to/2UUXdeS

Jojo Giraffe’s Big Laugh: Don’t Take Things Personally!

Written by Kim Linette

Illustrated by James Loram

Publisher’s Synopsis: Jojo Giraffe’s Big Laugh, the third book in the EQ Explorers series, takes children on a journey through the African Savannah, learning what it means to be wonderfully unique along the way—just like the spots on each and every giraffe.

The story centers around the powerful EQ principle: Don’t Take Things Personally. It’s a lesson of emotional intelligence that is essential for any child—including Kali, who learns through a series of fun adventures with Jojo Giraffe.

Ages 4-12 | Publisher: Kapalua Cove, LLC | April 21, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1950062096

Available Here: https://amzn.to/3fufdV2

MY REVIEWS OF THE BOOKS

Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail

Another happy book in the EQ Explorers series. Little Koa searches for Wally because the boy has heard that Wally has the secret to being happy written on his tail. Koa will be the leader of his tribe one day. Koa wants to know how to lead his people to happiness.

But Koa is dismayed when the message on Wally’s tail is smudged. He sees Happiness is a ch…. What are the missing letters? Wally teases Koa and plays a guessing game with him. Koa makes guesses like cheer, chocolate, and chair. Finally, Wally relents and provides the correct answer. He explains to Koa that our emotions are like the waves of the ocean. Sometimes we feel happy and sometimes sad. When you choose happiness, you can find ways to stay happy through tough times.

Discussion questions to illustrate the book’s lessons are included as well as fun facts about whales. Loram does not fail to disappoint with colorful multicultural illustrations.

Recommended for elementary school readers.

Compare Bear’s Double Dare

Danny is never afraid of trying something new. One day, he embarks on a hike through the woods. He meets an unusual bear. Compare Bear is afraid of climbing trees, racing, fishing, or roaring. Every time the bear finds another who is better than he at something, he stops doing it. To make matters worse, parts of his body change into that animal.

Danny urges him to be himself and dares him to compete. Will Compare Bear find the courage to accept himself and stop trying to be perfect?

Fun facts about bears and discussion questions are included in this beautifully illustrated picture book.

Jojo Giraffe’s Big Laugh

This book is part of the EQ Explorers, Little Adventures for a Happy Life. The profits from the sale of these books are donated to underserved children.

Kali is hiding in a tree crying because the other kids make fun of her for being short and spending her time climbing trees. Jojo passes by and encourages her to laugh. He shows her perspective, a new way of looking at things. The giraffe shares his personal experience with other giraffes. He encourages her not to take things personally and to value her own opinions of herself rather than those of others. As they walk and meet other animals like ants, hippos, and zebras, the lesson becomes clear.

Beautiful colors and expressive images foster the imprinting of the story on young minds. This book is a good choice for a read aloud or bedtime story for children in elementary school.

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win an EQ Explorers prize pack!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A copy of Jo Jo Giraffe’s Big Laugh autographed by Kim Linette.
• A copy of Compare Bear’s Double Dare autographed by Kim Linette.
• A copy of Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail autographed by Kim Linette.
• A play fort perfect for reading and imagination play.

Two (2) winners receive:

• A copy of Jo Jo Giraffe’s Big Laugh
• A copy of Compare Bear’s Double Dare
• A copy of Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail

Giveaway begins July 6, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends August 6, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

<a class=”rcptr” href=”http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3d5cb282173/” rel=”nofollow” data-raflid=”3d5cb282173″ data-theme=”classic” data-template=”” id=”rcwidget_ipuhw7if”>a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>

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July 10	Fairview Elementary School (Library)	https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/	Book Review
July 13	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com	Book Review
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July 15	Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog	https://bamauthor.me	Book Review
July 16	Heart to Heart	https://tynea-lewis.com/	Interview
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Do you ever feel stuck in rut? Want to find some fresh ideas?

Here are some things I do to get my juices flowing:

• Invent a brand new character

• Use the conditional term, What if? to create new possibilities and scenarios

• Reimagine a character or a setting from a previous book or article and give it a new perspective.

• Watch a movie, documentary or TV show that feature the genres in which you write.

• Read books in many types of genres. Mix up the classics with new releases.

• When reading periodicals, clip articles of interest and revisit them from time to time for new ideas.

• Do the same with photos. You can put them into groups like travel, people or memorable events.

• Eavesdrop wherever you go. Listen to what members of each generation are talking about on public transportation, at the park or on the street.

• Hang out with people in different age groups. Learn about what generates their interest. Include these ideas when targeting that age group.

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Kid Legends (True Tales of Childhood from the Books Kid Artists, Kid Athletes, Kid Presidents, and Kid Authors

Written by David Stabler

Illustrated by Doogie Horner

This book will inspire children to address their fears and reaffirm their aspirations. It is divided into three parts. The first part explores difficulties overcome by J.K. Rowling, Peyton Manning, and Charles Schultz before they became successful. The second part discusses the struggles of Pablo Picasso, Muhammed Ali, and Ulysses Grant during childhood and how they overcame their handicaps to achieve fame. Part Three examines the role that family life played in the early lives of Jeff Kinney, John F. Kennedy, and Gabby Douglas. Before closing, the author and illustrator reveal facts about themselves

The illustrations are rich in detail and humorous. They are fun to look at and read. This book is perfect for middle-grade readers who are dealing with the same type of issues, bullying, family and peer relationships, and self-esteem. The book also provides an opportunity for jump-starting group discussions.

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Just a Stage: A Newfoundland Story

Written by Corey Majeau

The main character of this book is a stage. I believe that the author is referring to the Middle English meaning of stage which is a dwelling or floor of a building. The red stage in this book is personified. At the beginning of the tale, he is situated on a rock where he spends his day fishing. When he becomes bored, the stage decides to try being a logger. Eventually, he becomes dissatisfied once more and decides to try the prairie and finally the frozen North. As the Red Stage travels across Canada, he realizes that satisfaction with one’s life comes from within.

The text and rhymes in this picture book are easy and fun to read. Illustrations are attractive and appealing to the eye. Recommended for preschool and primary grade readers.

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Witch Hearts the Discovery of Magic and Power

Angharad Thompson Rees

This is the first book in a fantasy series for young adults. Triplets Morganne Amara, and Fae despair because their mother appears to be nearing death. They live in a secluded cottage at the edge of Mystic Wood.

Desperate to find a cure for their mother’s mysterious illness, the sisters venture into the woods in search of a cure. Little do they realize their problems are just beginning. Something or someone appears to be following them.

Once captured, the girls are deemed to be witches. How will they be able to save their mother? Will they succeed in escaping or are they doomed to the pyre?

I was impressed with the writing. The author succeeds in creating the mood and getting the atmosphere right. For a book that is fewer than one hundred pages, the characters are remarkably well-developed. This is a clean read and would be appropriate for advanced middle-grade readers as well as teens and adults.

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This book review and giveaway is in partnership with The Children’s Book Review. Please note that 100% of the profits from book sales are donated to COVID-19 relief efforts.

ABOUT THE BOOK

GROW THROUGH IT

Written by Jay Dee

Illustrated by Jacob Chalkley, Darren Geers, Feras Khagani, Mike Shaposhnikov, Ishmam Ahmed, and Axel Schmidt

Publisher’s Synopsis: Ellen is stuck at home. There’s no school and no friends, and Mom is working all the time. It seems terrible until she learns about the choice each day offers: GET through it or GROW through it. See how starting each day with purpose and gratitude can make all the difference! Created during the CV-19 pandemic, 100% of the proceeds from sales of this book are donated to coronavirus relief efforts.

Ages 5+ | Publisher: Kraine Kreative | May 17, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-0989810876

PURCHASE LINKS

https://amzn.to/36kAr4D

MY REVIEW OF THE BOOK

ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE

Grow Through It

This is the first children’s book on Covid -19, which I have read. Dee writes in a graphic novel style to portray in pictures and words the emotions and frustrations of an elementary school child in dealing with the pandemic.

Ellen feels angry because she cannot go to school and play with her friends or resume the lifestyle to which she is accustomed. Her mother tells her that she has a choice. Ellen can choose to spend her time complaining, watching TV, or hiding in her inside tent. Her other choice is to grow through this crisis by finding new opportunities to learn and help others in her community. Ellen struggles with this decision. She shifts back and forth between the two extremes. How can she stay positive? She desperately wants to see her grandmother to celebrate grandma’s special day.

This book speaks to the disappointments children are experiencing. Ellen’s mother provides a good example as to how parents may assist their children cope with this crisis. I would highly recommend it for elementary school age readers.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and voluntarily agreed to read and review it with my honest opinions.

OFFICIAL LINKS

www.krainekreative.com

www.GrowThroughItBook.com 

Facebook.com/krainekreative

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a copy of  Grow Through It, by Jay Dee and a group of six illustrators!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A paperback copy of Grow Through It.
  
• A $50 donation will be made in the winner’s name to UNICEF for COVID-19 relief efforts.

Nine (9) winners receive:

• A paperback copy of Grow Through It.

Giveaway begins May 25, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends June 25, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

Enter the giveaway by clicking on the link below:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3d5cb282171/

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May 25	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	Kick-Off
May 26	Word Spelunking	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/	Book Review
May 27	Tales of A Wanna-Be SuperHero Mom	http://wannabesuperheromom.blogspot.com/	Guest Post
May 28	Over Coffee Conversations	https://www.gmarciano.blogspot.com	Guest Post
May 29	Jrsbookreviews	Http://www.jrsbookreviews.wordpress.com	Book Review
June 1	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	Book Review
June 2	Shooting Stars Mag	www.shootingstarsmag.net	Interview
June 3	Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog	https://bamauthor.me	Book Review
June 4	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com	Guest Post
June 5	Fairview Elementary School (Library)	https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/	Book Review
June 8	Heart to Heart	tynea-lewis.com	Book Review
June 9	icefairy’s Treasure Chest	http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/	Book Review
June 10	Younger Family Fun	https://YoungerFamilyFun.com	Book Review
June 11	A Dream Within A Dream	http://adreamwithindream.blogspot.com	Book Review
June 11	Woodpecker Books	https://www.woodpeckerbooks.com/	Book Review
June 12	Confessions of a Book Addict	http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.com/	Giveaway

As You Wish

Written by Tyler W. Kurt

This book is a charming, coffee table book that can be used to spark conversations with family or friends. An elderly woman dressed in retro fifties clothing discovers an old trunk in the attic. The stuffed animals that are trapped inside have been there since their former owner abandoned them. They are torn, soiled, and tattered. The old woman can communicate with the stuffed animals. She offers to repair them and make them new once more. Then one of them announces he doesn’t want to change the way he looks or feels.

At the end of this short story, there is a set of discussion questions for readers with open minds and open hearts. I would recommend the book for all ages.

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Playing with Hidden Treasures: Games and Activities for Children and Teens

Written by Karen Ward-Wilder

This book is a compilation of games and activities that parents can enjoy with children. It employs common household materials like vinegar, paper, pencils, photos, ribbon, paper plates, and water to develop and enhance skills.

The activities involve memory, communication, math skills, listening skills, spatial orientation, music, movement, personal hygiene, and sensory awareness. Here is one example, dancing, and singing to the music of different generations. Each player selects two or three songs and writes the names on paper. Mix up papers on the table. Each player selects dances and/or sings that song, receiving points for being able to do so. Adults and children learn about each other’s music.

Adults and older siblings may need to supervise younger children in some of these activities. This book offers many opportunities for family-sharing while staying inside during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Down with the Dance (Middle School Mayhem)

Written by C.T. Walsh

This book is the first in a new series. The story opens on the first day of middle school for Ben. He is smart and clever but haunted by his older brother, Derek. Derek is just eleven months older. Unlike Ben, he is athletic and popular.

Middle-school readers will delight in the colorful characters like Mr. Buthaire, the principal students love to outsmart. Ben desperately wants to take Sophie to the Halloween Dance but there is a plot to derail it and destroy Ben’s plan. The book contains lots of humor, sibling and peer rivalry, and smart kids determined to outsmart the adults in their lives.

This book is a good choice for readers in grades four through six, though reluctant readers and many young adults will also find it an interesting read.

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As a special educator, I have worked with preschoolers and elementary school age children diagnosed with reading disabilities and speech language problems. I taught the Wilson Reading Program, which is a phonics based approach to reading. While I found it effective with many of my students, it did not meet the needs of all of them.

A lifelong book-lover, Dr. Karen Holinga’s interest in helping children learn to read began during her six years as a classroom teacher, where she saw how much some children struggled to master the skill. Her desire to solve the puzzle only increased during the twelve years she homeschooled her own children.

Eager to better understand the reading process, Dr. Karen pursued a doctorate in Developmental Reading, Curriculum, and Professional Development from The Ohio State University.

With Happy Cheetah Reading, she has taken all her expertise—years of classroom experience, years homeschooling, her doctoral research, and her extensive clinical practice—and crafted a simple plan. As The Reading Doctor, she has successfully helped over 25,000 children learn to read— many of whose parents had lost hope. She knows how some students struggle, and she knows how to help. 

I am presenting this program as a resource for parents and educators and not as an endorsement or beneficiary of any of its products.

As you might guess from the name, auditory processing relates to sound. But children with poor auditory processing are not usually hearing impaired. Rather, these children’s brains don’t interpret the incoming sounds correctly. 

Is There a Cure?

Auditory processing is a developmental issue. 

This means it’s like losing teeth, which is another developmental milestone. Children who lose their first teeth at age four are not “better” than those who lose their first teeth at age seven. If your five-year-old doesn’t have a loose tooth yet, you don’t get angry, or start Tooth Loosening Therapy. Teeth loss is developmental, and it will happen when it happens.

With auditory processing, it’s the same way. You can’t make it happen, so release yourself from any pressure. There is no appointment for you to make, no official diagnosis that will help. There is no fix for the neurology. 

Most children work through their auditory processing issues and eventually catch up with their peers, when their body is ready.

Symptoms of Poor Auditory Processing

If, as you read through these symptoms, one or two stand out to you, then assume that, yes, your child deals with auditory processing.

1) Poor phonemic awareness. A single sound is called a phoneme (FOE neem), and children who can’t hear the difference between sounds have “poor phonemic awareness.” This means they cannot easily separate or distinguish individual sounds, and have an especially hard time distinguishing between short vowel sounds, such as bet and bit. 

Children with poor phonemic awareness will probably not be able to determine which of these pairs of words rhyme:  

sock – sell 

rim – slim

sink – drink

tap – shirt 

These children can’t hear the wrong rhymes, and can’t guess the right rhymes. 

This also can show up in very slow letter sound acquisition. It took my son three years of daily work to (mostly) remember the 26 basic letter sounds and their written component.

2) Difficulty with word retrieval. My son would know what he wanted to say, but his brain couldn’t access the specific words. For example, he might say, “Hey, Mom, remember the book about the person who went on a trip?”

And based on the context of whatever we had recently been talking about, I could usually guess, “Do you mean the book about Chris taking the logs down the Mississippi in Swift Rivers?” 

But not always. “Hey, Mom, do you remember when we went to that place and rode on that thing?” could equally apply to the time when our family went to the amusement park and rode the tram, or to the airport and rode on the moving sidewalk, or to the lake and rode on the paddle board. Which sentence is my son trying to communicate? 

When children have difficulty with word retrieval, the specifics of language are missing, those clarifying and important words that differentiate experience. 

3) Unclear or delayed speech. Self-explanatory.

4) Delayed auditory processing. These children’s brains overload really easily, because they can’t process language quickly. 

In fact, some children process information 80% more slowly. 

Think about trying to do anything if your brain had slowed down 80%. How much less would you comprehend?

4) Poor auditory memory. Children with poor auditory memory don’t remember what they hear, so they miss a lot. 

If a parent says, “Go to your room, get your shoes, and meet me at the door,” the children will show up at the door, but without their shoes. 

This isn’t because they’re deliberately disobeying. They simply cannot remember.

On occasion, my son will have listened to almost all of a chapter book. Then, on page 250 of 300, he’ll ask about a key secondary character, “Now who was that again?” He more-or-less has understood the book, but he clearly doesn’t have specific ideas about the different characters.

5) Difficulty with hearing the number of syllables in a word. You may have heard the trick of clapping syllables, a clap for each syllable. So one clap for cat, two claps for tiger, three claps for beautiful, four claps for hyperactive. 

My son would guess: “Does computer have one syllable? Does cake have two?” It was astonishing to see all the ways he would contort his speech to make the syllable claps fit the word. 

When children can’t hear syllables, it makes reading programs that focus on syllables almost impossible. 

Does this sound like your child?

If this sounds like your child, I encourage you to keep reading. Some children, like my son, have both auditory processing delays, and the other challenge that we’ll cover tomorrow.

But if this sounds like your child, only one reading program on the market is going to help your child. Every Orton-Gillingham program, supposedly the “gold standard” for struggling readers, focuses on syllable division and rule memorization. For a student who has a hard time hearing and remembering the letters themselves, loading them down with rules is unhelpful at best, and destructive at worst. 

I am thrilled that a program exists that acknowledges and allows struggling readers to move forward, even with delayed auditory processing. 

The Happy Cheetah Reading System is designed to get your child up to speed as quickly as possible.  happycheetah.com

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