Right Before Sleep (Milo and Cat)

Written and illustrated by Miro Tartan

Milo is trying to get to sleep. His pet cat snuggles with him. Putting their heads together, the two friends are determined to find a way to fall asleep. After trying some common tried and true remedies like counting sheep, drinking warm milk, and putting on warm socks, they decide to play music and then make the bed comfortable. Still, they are unsuccessful so the friends try to combine them together. Will they ever find a way to close those eyes?

This is a cute, rhyming picture book for toddlers and preschoolers who find it difficult to wind down at the end of the day. Remarkably, the solution is quite simple.

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Do Not Wish For a Pet Ostrich:

Written by Sarina Siebenater

Illustrated by Gabby Correia

Sally’s parents have given her permission to choose a pet. Previously, she had a dog that chewed everything up. She thinks about a cat or a parrot, but decides she wants a unique pet.

One night she wishes upon a star for an ostrich! The next day, Sally gets her wish. But an ostrich proves to be a problem pet for many reasons. Will Sally ever find the perfect pet?

The book contains lots of humor and vibrant illustrations. Primary grade and preschool readers will want to hear it read aloud. Bonus questions included at the end of the tale stimulate discussion and creativity among young readers.

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Just Between Sam and Me

Written by Cat Michaels and Rosie Russell

This middle-grade novel presents the triumphs and tribulations of Olivia Martin, a student beginning sixth grade in rural Spring Hope. She lives on a farm with her parents and older brother, Link. They all work hard to make ends meet.

Olivia’s best friends are a classmate named Isabelle, her cat, Sam, and her Palomino pony, Star. Olivia is saving up to buy a halter for Star because she hopes to enter him in The Spring Daze Festival next May. She will need to work hard to earn the money. Her plan is to create and sell beaded bracelets.

When Candace moves from New York City to Spring Hope, Olivia’s world is turned upside down. Candace is mean, bullying, and a gossip who tries to thwart Olivia at every turn. Olivia confides her problems to Sam by writing them down in her journal. Isabella proves to be a compassionate and wise friend who steadfastly stands behind her.

A series of unexpected events lead to successes and failures for Olivia, as well as the other characters in this touching tale. There are twists and turns that keep the plot interesting. Readers will empathize with Olivia’s trials and admire her tenacity and strength. The characters are so believable and relatable. The story brought me along a roller coaster of emotions. At times, I laughed, at other points in the story, I wanted to cry.

I applaud the authors for creating a deeply engaging plot and characters that will surely resonate with middle-grade readers. Highly recommended!

I received an advanced review copy of this book and voluntarily chose to read and review it with my honest opinions for no compensation.

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I Belong: Mini Mindful Mantras Book 1

Written by Laurie Wright

Illustrated by Ana Santos

This book promotes the concept of inclusiveness for young children by using simple analogies and concrete examples. Wright talks about a girl named Amaya. She uses parts of the body like eyes, ears, and hearts to explain how we all have some things in common even though outwardly we might appear different. She talks about sports teams, pets, superheroes and children in wheelchairs. Simple mantras that can be recited by young children reinforce the message.

Highly recommended as a discussion book with preschoolers and primary grade readers.

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ABOUT THE BOOK

If I Were Human

Written by W.B. Tyler

Publisher’s Synopsis: Brina, a Scottish Terrier, has lots of fun thinking about what she would do if she were a person! But when she shares those ideas with her friends, she begins to realize just how special it is to be a dog. The simplicity of If I Were Human makes it ideal for early readers, but with its imaginative story and entertaining illustrations, adults and children alike will love it. And who knows―you just may discover that you’d rather be a dog!

Ages 5-6 | Publisher: wbtylercom, llc | July 1, 2019 | ISBN-13: 978-1543972351

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

IndieBound

OFFICIAL LINKS

Wbtyler.com: http://wbtyler.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wb_tyler_books/

MY REVIEW

A DOG’S LIFE

Brina, a Scottish terrier lives with another dog, Winnie, and her human family. One day she is watching Genevieve playing a game when Genevieve remarks that Brina looks almost human. That gets Brina thinking about what it would be like to be a human. She imagines herself going to school, doing homework, playing on the swings and having a snack. Brina asks Winnie what she would do as a human and Winnie imagines a day at the office. As the story continues, a local squirrel and the dog next door imagine their own scenarios as a human.

By the end of the tale, Brina and Winnie decide maybe a dog’s life is not so bad, after all. This picture book contains simple, expressive digital art and simple text that is appropriate for a bedtime story or read aloud. Beginning readers will be able to tack the story independently. Recommended for readers ages three through seven.

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a signed copy of If I Were Human, by W.B. Tyler, and a set of 2 adorable plush toy dogs!

One (1) winner receives:

• An autographed copy of If I Were Human
• An 8″ plush toy Scottie dog
• An 8″ plush toy Westie dog

Nine (9) winners will receive:

• An autographed copy of If I Were Human

Giveaway begins June 24, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends July 24, 2019, at 11:59 P.M. PST.

Open to the legal residents of Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and 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.

If I Were Human, by W.B. Tyler | Awareness Tour

W.B. Tyler is responsible for prize fulfillment.

My Giant Farts

Written by Neil Roy McFarlane

This book might be considered a fractured fairy tale with humor in the vein of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Personally, I am not a fan of this kind of humor, but I do know how popular it is with middle grade students.

The plot involves Tom, a boy who is playing down by the old factory and comes across a pile of rubbish. He spies a shiny metal object sticking out. Tom discovers a lamp like Aladdin’s lamp, so he rubs it. Instead of a genie, a giant pops out. Tom thinks he can make wishes. He asks for a time machine and a flying car but the giant informs Tom that he cannot grant wishes.

During the day, Tom meets a few of his friends. Sally Patterson shows him her new dog who fetches, Horace Chomsky demonstrates how his parrot talks and Becky Wilkinson shows him her flea that does circus tricks. Tom is dismayed that his giant has no unique qualities. But when Tom crosses paths with Basher Bates and his gang, the giant’s response is an unexpected relief.

This book is targeted for ages five and older. I believe eight to twelve-year-old readers will particularly find it to their liking.

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20 Degrees from Normal: Creative Poems for All Ages

Written by Anissa Ferris and Antonio Ferris
Illustrated by Fanny Liem

This brother and sister duo has put together a wonderful collection of poems that address a plethora of topics with skill and humor. Almost anyone can find several that will strike a responsive chord. Readers, young and old, will find themselves agreeing with the futility of getting rid of a fly that has entered the house and the annoyance of a leaky faucet. Teenagers will not be able to avoid laughing at the two poems presenting a teenager’s and a parent’s point of view. The importance of everyday objects like the wheel and a lighthouse are simple poems that point out the importance of objects used and seen every day. I really could not stop laughing while reading the poem about a pet spider and the smartest phone. On a more serious note, the authors strike a chord with the poem about a teacher’s real responsibility and the poem which encourages us to soar by realizing that each new challenge entails possible risks.

This collection is certainly enhanced by the double-page spread illustrations of Fanny Liem. They are big, bold and vibrant drawing the eye right into the text. I would highly recommend this collection for any family’s bookshelf. Students in the middle grades and older will be able to fully appreciate the messages of the poems.

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Proud to work with BeachBound Books and Friends of Kids With Cancer on this book blast.

BeachBoundBooks is pleased to be coordinating a Book Blast for Author Michael John Sullivan and the SockKids. The SockKids are partners with Friends of Kids With Cancer, a non-profit organization that helps kids be kids with their cancer treatments. We are honored to help out with YOUR help too. The blast will run from April 30 – May 14, 2018.

The Socks

The Socks are available for purchase at  http://thesockkids.storenvy.com/.
Sale of the Socks will benefit Friends of Kids with Cancer.

About the Book

The SockKids – Solving The Mystery Of Your Missing Socks! Where do our missing socks go? Readers find out in our children’s series, The SOCKKIDS. We follow the Socker family through many adventures; from encountering the slobbery mouth of the family dog to meeting Santa as he comes down the chimney on Christmas Eve to helping a fireman save a baby to the shyest Socker going to the school dance for the first time. Thanks to the time-travel opportunities afforded by the spin cycle of the washer, they learn about some of the most important humans in the world. Children two and up and their parents will be drawn to the diversity of the family and the universal and timeless lessons they teach: don’t be afraid of new experiences, treat others as you would like to be treated, and of course, beware of the spin cycle!

Where Do Our Missing Socks Go? We tell you! Readers find out in our children’s series — The SOCKKIDS. We follow the Socker family through many adventures, from encountering the slobbery mouth of the family dog to meeting Santa as he comes down the chimney to helping a fireman save a baby to the most sky sock going to the school dance for the first time. Thanks to the time-travel opportunities afforded by the spin cycle of the washer, the Sockers learn about some of the most important humans in the world. Children two and up and their parents will be drawn to the journeys of the family and the universal and timeless lessons they teach: don’t be afraid of new experiences, treat others as you would like to be treated, and of course beware of the spin cycle! In this book’s story, we read about Sudsy landing on the foot of inventor Ben Franklin. Sudsy, the bug-playing boy sock, discovers with Ben Franklin the wonders and dangers of electricity. The book includes safety rules and discussion questions put together by an experienced classroom teacher in helping parents and children respect the power of electricity.

The SockKids focus on educating children and adults how bullying affects us all and what we can do about it.

Do you know where your socks go when they go missing in the washing machine? Well, the SockKids know! The SockKids are a mismatched family of socks that sometimes time travel through the spin cycle, teaching universal lessons of love and kindness, and focusing on creating a greater awareness of the many social issues that children are faced with today. The SockKids help to educate and encourage children from 2 to 92 to find solutions in helping to make this a better world.

In this story, Sudsy and Wooly discover their human is being bullied at school and team up against bullies with Ethan’s newest friend, Olivia. They discover bullying hurts everyone and staying silent is not an option.

More Inside! Children’s counselor and licensed therapist, Jamie Ross, gives adults and children guidelines on how to handle bullies.

Book available at http://thesockkids.storenvy.com

About the Author

Michael John Sullivan is the creator of the SockKids. Constantly searching for his socks, he wondered whether the missing foot comforters had found another pair of feet to warm. So he searched and searched until he discovered these elusive socks likely time traveled. Before his interest in socks, Michael started writing his first novel while homeless, riding an NYC subway train at night. After being rescued off the train, he spent much of the past two decades helping raise two daughters while working at home in New York.

Michael eventually returned to his subway notes in 2007 and began writing Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness (Simon & Schuster, Gallery Books imprint). Library Journal named Necessary Heartbreak one of the year’s best in 2010. His second novel, Everybody’s Daughter (Fiction Studio Books, 2012) was named one of the best books of 2012 by TheExaminer.com. He completed the trilogy by having The Greatest Gift published by The Story Plant in 2015.

Michael has written articles about the plight of homelessness for CNN.com, The Washington Post.com, Beliefnet.com, the Huffington Post, and America Online’s Patch.com service. He is a former board member of the Long Island Coalition For the Homeless.

Facebook ~ Website ~ Twitter

About the Illustrators

Shelley Larkin performs many tasks for the SockKids. She develops ideas, co-writes books, and is the marketing and promotions director. She has spent a lifetime of wondering where her missing socks go. The SockKids are grateful to finally solve this mystery for her.

She loves that children and their parents are drawn to the diversity of the SockKids family and the universal and timeless lessons they teach: don’t be afraid of new experiences; treat others as you would like to be treated, and of course, beware of the spin cycle! In addition, she is dedicated to finding the right soap for Sudsy.

Shelley is also a passionate child advocate, working with a variety of cause-driven organizations such as Destination Imagination, Up & At It!, Child Abuse Prevention Council, 3 Strands, the International Bullying Prevention Center, and Big Brothers, Big Sisters Youth Organization. Shelley has developed a keen sense of awareness of what children experience today in dealing with such important issues including bullying and recognizes the importance of putting into place the type of value-added programs that will effectively strike a nerve in preventing our youth from losing their way to a safe and productive future.

In her spare time, she is an event planner and resides in California.

Susan Petrone lives in Cleveland, Ohio with her husband, her daughter, and two silly dogs. When she isn’t writing SockKids stories, she writes novels and short stories (her work has been published in Glimmer Train, Featherproof Books, The Cleveland Review,  Muse,  Conclave, and Whiskey Island) writes about her beloved Cleveland Indians at ItsPronouncedLajaway.com for ESPN.com’s SweetSpot network. Her most recent,  Throw Like A Woman, was published by The Story Plant in 2015.

Alexandra /SugarSnail dreamed of becoming an illustrator since childhood, even though she didn’t know the profession actually existed. She later graduated from college with an MFA in graphic design.

She never gave up on her dream, so she decided to do what she loved best – become a children’s illustrator. SugarSnail’s beautiful artwork can be seen in many children’s books.

To reach Alexandra Gold/SugarSnail, follow her on Facebook.

Book Blast Giveaway

Prize: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card or $50 PayPal cash prize, winner’s choice and a second winner will receive One pair of SockKids Socks
Giveaway ends: May 14, 11:59 pm, 2018
Open to: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Michael John Sullivan and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway  ($50 Amazon Gift Card)

a Rafflecopter giveaway (Sockkids Socks)

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Two more winners in the Easy Reader and Early Chapter categories:

Easy Reader

ONE SENTENCE SAYS IT ALL

I Like the Farm

Written and illustrated by Shelley Rotner

This book is a Step A Guided Reading book which features one sentence I like the…… Blanks are filled in with the names of familiar farm animals. There are full-page multicultural photographs of a child with the associated animal. Especially recommended for preschool and kindergarten children just beginning to read who love animals.

Early Chapter Book

No Need to Be Perfect

Princess Cora and the Crocodile

Written by Laura Amy Schlitz

Illustrated by Brian Floca

Poor Princess Cora is a victim of parents who are obsessed with her development into the role of future ruler of the kingdom. Cora is beset with a nanny who is obsessed with cleanliness and forces her to take three baths a day, a mother who forces her to read boring books all day, and a father who wants her to be strong and forces her to skip rope every day. When Cora requests a dog for a pet, her parents are horrified. She writes a note to her fairy godmother asking her to intervene. To her surprise and dismay, the next day a crocodile is delivered to her in a cardboard box.

This crocodile assures her that he will take charge and teach her tormentors a lesson. He demands only to be fed cream puffs as payment. So, Cora escapes into the woods for a day of adventure, climbing trees, eating strawberries, picking buttercups, and getting dirty. In the meantime, her pet crocodile is taking revenge on the nanny, the queen, and the king. At the end of the day when Cora returns she makes her request once more. What has happened at the castle? Have the adults learned a lesson? How will Cora be treated in the future?

This story presents the inner conflicts of Cora, and the adult versus child conflict clearly. Cora is a strong female role model, who is also obedient and respectful. The soft watercolor illustrations with a vintage feel are soft and appealing. The crocodile character adds humor and a hint of naughtiness. I would especially recommend this chapter book for second and third graders who are comfortable with the seventy-page length and some challenging vocabulary.

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Title: I’M THANKFUL FOR…A Book About Being Grateful

Author: Uncle Amon

This is a charming book that contains five short stories for children about reasons for being grateful. Billy and his cousin Jillian are the main protagonists. Each of the stories contains a practical lesson that children and adults may share. For example, in the story about tools, Billy comes to the rescue for Jillian when her desk needs fixing. Later his mother gets in trouble and Billy is able to use both his tools and ingenuity to come to the rescue. His good deed results in an unexpected reward. Without giving away too much of the plots, the other tales focus on pets, older friends, school and fresh air and sunshine.

The stories are full of humor. There is quite a bit of dialogue that develops the characters and makes the story easy to follow for beginning readers. Although the book is targeted for ages four through ten, I would especially recommend it for the six to eight-year-old age group. Bonus features include mazes, puzzles, and a followup activity for each of the tales. Th perfect book for parents and children to share and enjoy. If you are looking for a Thanksgiving holiday book, this one is a good choice.

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