In partnership with The Children’s Book Review and author Cassie Hoyt

OFFICIAL LINK

https://www.cassiehoyt.com/

ABOUT THE BOOK

I Miss You Most

Written by Cassie Hoyt

Illustrated by Stefanie St. Denis

Publisher’s Synopsis: Love knows no distance. I Miss You Most helps children through the heartache of distance by showing them how to hold their loved ones near. Whether exploring the seas as pirates or twirling like ballerinas, imagination can bridge even the greatest distance. Because time with those you love is the most magical thing of all!

Ages 3 and up | 28 Pages | Publisher: Tellwell Talent | ISBN-13: 978-0228836070

You can download lots of free activities for this book by clicking on the link below:

Discover lots of fun I Miss You Most activities at https://www.cassiehoyt.com/activities.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3pKOUzp

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/2078/9780228836070

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cassie Hoyt is a children’s author and perfusionist. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two sons. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. Inspiration for her books typically comes from her silly boys or fond memories of her childhood. Learn more about Cassie’s upcoming works at www.cassiehoyt.com.

MY REVIEW OF THIS BOOK:

I Miss You Most

Written and illustrated by Cassie Hoyt

What a sweet and charming picture book for preschoolers and primary grade children! This book is written in short rhymes and contains illustrations that are large and vibrant. They are full of expressive, multicultural faces that nearly jump off the page.

The book helps young children from diverse cultures to understand that separation from loved ones is an opportunity for them to reflect about exactly what makes these relationships special. It makes a great gift for a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or child who is missing that special in person connection with someone, whether that it due to the pandemic, work, or living a great distance apart.

The author connects to a child’s favorite shared pastimes and activities. Some examples are pretend play, sports activities, cooking, reading, travel adventures, and aspirations for future careers.

Recommended as a read-aloud or bedtime story, especially for children ages three through eight. Librarians, parents, and teachers should check this one out.

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win an autographed copy of Cassie Hoyt’s I Miss You Most and a $100 Barnes and Noble e-gift card!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

• A hardcover copy of I Miss You Most, autographed by Cassie Hoyt
• A $100 Barnes and Noble e-gift card

Two (2) winners receive:

• A hardcover copy of I Miss You Most, autographed by Cassie Hoyt

The giveaway begins January 7, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends February 7, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

Click on the link below to enter the GIVEAWAY

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3d5cb282203/

TOUR SCHEDULE

Jan 7	The Children’s Book Review	https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/	Tour Kick-Off
Jan 7	Word Spelunking	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/	Book Review
Jan 8	Lisa’s Reading	https://lisasreading.com	Beyond the Book Activity
Jan 11	J.R.s Book Reviews	https://jrsbookreviews.com/	Book Review
Jan 12	Library Lady’s Kid Lit	https://janemouttet.wordpress.com/	Book Review
Jan 13	Fairview Elementary School (Library)	https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/	Book Review
Jan 14	Tales of A Wanna-Be SuperHero Mom	http://wannabesuperheromom.blogspot.com/	Beyond the Book Activity
Jan 15	Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog	https://bamauthor.me	Book Review
Jan 18	icefairy’s Treasure Chest	http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/	Book Review
Jan 19	Over Coffee Conversations	https://gmarciano.blogspot.com	Beyond the Book Activity
Jan 20	Confessions of a Book Addict	http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.com	Book Giveaway
Jan 21	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	https://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com	Book Review
Jan 22	Heart to Heart	tynea-lewis.com	Book Review

Dragons Are Real

Written by Valarie Budayr

Illustrated by Michael Welply

So you thought dragons are fire-breathing monsters who trample the ground beneath their feet, instill fear or rescue damsels in distress. Well, the author tells young readers that is incorrect. Real dragons read books, memorize poems, solve riddles, laugh when tickled and dance the cha- cha. They are masters of disguise and may be lurking in the most unexpected places. Dragons love sweets; beware of losing that ice cream cone that you might be holding in your hand.

Welply does a masterful job of illustrating these charming scenes with large images in soft pastel colors which bring the text to life. This picture book will especially appeal to young readers in the four to seven age group. Perfect choice for a read aloud or bedtime story. It’s hard not to fall in love with the antics and images of the dragons portrayed on these pages.

 

BeachBoundBooks is pleased to be coordinating a Blog Tour for the charming children’s book written by Valarie Budayr and illustrated by Michael Welply, Dragons are Real. The tour will run from May 9 – May 30, 2016

About the Book

About the Illustrator: Michael Welply

The Thursday Surprise:A Story About Kids and Autism

The Saturday Surprise: A Story About Kids and Autism

by Ryan R. Ennis

Illustrations: Brenda Stroud

This post reviews two books written about autism. They were written by an educator who works with autistic children. It is his belief that typically developing and autistic children have a lot to teach each other. As an educator who has worked with both populations of children, I can empathize with his perspective. These books are not boring tomes about educational theory and practice, but stories with characters who display the real emotions of these children. For parents and students who are currently being co taught in one of these classrooms or for adults and children who do not understand autism, these two books will shed a lot of light on the topic. Ennis has also thoughtfully included a section of discussion questions about the story as well as teaching resources and techniques that might be found effective in working with a blended classroom.

In The Thursday Surprise, we meet a fourth grader named Katie who is best friends with Melissa. One Thursday, Mrs. Burnette ends recess early informing the students that she has chosen a few of them to take books in to read to students in Mr. Appleton’s room. He teaches students who have autism. Katie and Melissa find the room well-organized but stark and boring. The students act different, and there are a lot of rules. Katie is paired with a boy named Michael who does not pay attention and will not look at her. She can’t get him interested in anything. Katie is so frustrated that she does not want to go back again and is still upset when she gets home. Her mom explains that each autistic child is very different; you need to be patient and try different things. Katie promises her mother and teacher that she will try, but nothing seems to be working. Will Katie find a way to help Michael and gain a new friend?

The September Surprise is not a sequel in the strict sense of the word. We do meet some of the same characters sharing the same problems. As the story begins at the end of the summer, Katie is eagerly awaiting a letter from Parker Elementary School informing her who will be her fifth grade teacher. She is hoping that it will be Mr. Sanders or Mr. Greenley. Instead she finds out that her teachers will be last year’s teacher, Mrs, Burnette along with Mr. Appleton. Katie is convinced that she needs reading help because she is in a class with two teachers and last year Mr. Appleton taught the autistic students. To make matters worse, she finds out that her friend Melissa is in Mr. Greenley’s class. Melissa suggests that maybe Katie did not so so well on her reading test.

On the first day of school Katie reluctantly enters the class and finds herself paired with an autistic child named Brianna, who has echolalia, which means that she repeats everything Katie says. Katie is not amused. She wants Brianna to respond and gets more suggestions from Mr. Appleton. When Katie hears about a writing contest, she is determined that will find a way to communicate with her partner, make her a friend, and win that contest! Katie is beginning to think that this class is a special one and not in the negative way she thought originally.

Ennis presents parents, educators and students with an explanation of autism and a wealth of information on how to handle it. Autism encompasses many issues, and no two autistic children have the same needs. Ryan succeeds by using a simple story with believable characters that make it more understandable and meaningful. The reader will walk away with greater knowledge and compassion.

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