Review of Sophie Washington: Secret Santa by Tonya Duncan Ellis

The holiday season is upon us, so of course we have a new holiday-themed Sophie Washington book to read and enjoy! If you follow this blog at all, you know that I am a big fan of this series, and this installment is no exception. Please enjoy my review and then follow the tour to get the thoughts of others. Be sure to leave Tonya any comments or questions you may have. And of course enter the giveaway!

Review of 'Lighting Our World: A Year of Celebrations'

Description

Throughout the year and around the globe, people use light -- candles, bonfires, lanterns and fireworks -- to celebrate special occasions. This richly illustrated book is an illuminating tour of the world's brightest and warmest festivities.


**My thoughts**

As a Montessori teacher, I really like this book! In December, we often have Festivals of Light, to celebrate the four major holidays. But celebrations using light occur all throughout the year. This book is a great resource for the teacher who is looking for more cultural studies to include. It's also great for the elementary-aged student who is researching them. Most of the commonly known celebrations are included, with a few that I have never heard of before.

Each festival is introduced by a kid who lives in that country, with a brief description of it. Every month and most continents are represented. The brief intros may encourage kids to research those that pique their interest. There isn't enough information to provide a full template for creating your own celebration.

Illustrations are full of color and excitement to represent each culture and celebration. It makes for a good addition to a kid's library.  

I received an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Buy links: Amazon \ Barnes & Noble 

'The Three Lost Kids & Cupid's Capture' by Kimberly Kinrade

BLURB:

Evolved Publishing presents "The Three Lost Kids & Cupid's Capture," by award-winning author Kimberly Kinrade. This special holiday edition (Valentine's Day) chapter book is appropriate all year long, and is for kids 6-9 years old.
~~~~~
Lexie is very unhappy this Valentine’s Day. She can’t get anything right, and her hearts all look horrible. In fact, everyone at school seems to be in an extra grumpy mood.

When she and her sisters consult her magic Mirror of Ice to find out what’s going on, they are transported to Heartland, the home of Cupid herself, which is under attack by a scary monster.

When Cupid is captured, the girls must navigate the Maze of Misdirection, pull themselves out of Apathy, and survive against attacking Cruel Crawlies in order to find the Chasm of Broken Hearts… and save Cupid.

But first, Lexie has to learn to love herself just as she is, otherwise Valentine’s Day will forever be filled with broken hearts. 

**My thoughts**

Yet again Kimberly Kinrade has penned a fantastic adventure for young kids. Lexie is the star and narrator of this installment. She is very frustrated on Valentine's Day, feeling quite down on herself. She thinks she can't get anything write, and takes her frustrations out on other people. A lot of the other kids seem to be feeling the same way. When she teams up with her sisters to find out what is going on, they find themselves transported to yet another magical world. As always happens in their adventures, the sisters learn important lessons about life and loving themselves. Once they do this, they are able to save Cupid and help other children like themselves.

There is just enough action to keep children engrossed. I think that boys and girls alike will recognize some of their own thoughts and feelings in what Lexie has to share with them. Discussion questions at the end are helpful conversation starters, in case you need some as a follow-up. I am sure that my students will love this one as much as they did the others. I am eager for yet another installment!

 Buy links: Amazon \ Smashwords \ BookieJar

BIO:

Kimberly Kinrade was born with ink in her veins and magic in her heart. She writes fantasy and paranormal stories for children, YA and adults and still believes in magic worlds. Check out her YA paranormal novels Forbidden Mind and Forbidden Fire and her illustrated children's fantasy chapter books Lexie World, and Bella World, all on Amazon.

She lives with her three little girls who think they're ninja princesses with super powers, her two dogs who think they're humans and her husband, also known as the sexy Russian Prince, who is the love of her life and writing partner.

For a list of her books, check out: http://Amazon.com/author/kimberlykinrade

For a fun fan experience, join the team at I.P.I. at http://IPIAcademy.com

For kids and parents of young kids, join the Lost Kids at http://ThreeLostKids.com

ONLINE LINKS:

Website http://KimberlyKinrade.com

Twitter: @KimberlyKinrade

IPI Twitter: @IPIAcademy

I received a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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'Kris Kringle's Magic' Book Tour Review

About the book:

Kris Kringle is often in trouble for his beliefs. But in a world where elves are slaves, he is determined to make things right, even if it means standing alone. With the help of his friend Rebecca, Kris starts with the children. But can a pile of gifts on Christmas Eve really change anything?

Told from Rebecca’s perspective, Kris Kringle’s Magic is the story of a boy who devotes his life to the service of the poor, hungry, and destitute—and by doing so, becomes the legend of Santa Claus. This instant holiday classic is sure to captivate kids of all ages.

**My thoughts**

I enjoyed this book. It was yet another way of showing how Kris Kringle symbolizes love for humankind, regardless of age, race, or beliefs. He is able to teach Rebecca so much and in turn teaches the reader how to be compassionate. My hope for kids who are reading this is that they will be moved to do something in their own communities to help the less fortunate. I hope they will also realize how horrible it is to judge someone based on their size or race. I think this book is inspirational in that regard.

I would recommend that independent readers be in later elementary before reading it. If they are younger, it definitely should be read with an adult. I also think it is apporpriate for older readers. It can easily provoke conversation, whether in the home or in the classroom.


Meet the Author:

Diane Stringam Tolley was born and raised on the great Alberta prairies. Daughter of a ranching family of writers, she inherited her love of writing at a very early age. Trained in Journalism, she has penned countless articles and short stories. She is the author of four e-books and the recent Christmas story, Carving Angels, also by Cedar Fort. She and her husband, Grant, live in Beaumont, Alberta, and are the parents of six children and grandparents of twelve.  To learn more about author Diane Stringam Tolley you can visit her website: www.dianestringamtolley.com/index.html.

6 free Halloween books for kids

Halloween is just around the corner! Check out some of these freebies that I found today.

Please note that the free status of books can and often does change without notice. Please verify that the actual buy price still says $0.00. The Prime price is something different. You can click on a book cover or the indicated link to order it and other books on Amazon.

Three Twigs for the Campfire (The Miller Family Album)

Billy is more than a little nervous. Even with all the excitement of his first kid only camp out, there is something truly bothering him. Listen to the fire crackle as the Miller children, in their campfire tradition, each tell a story. Will the fire last till Billy can fall asleep? Worse yet, what will happen when it is his turn to tell a story? Lastly, why won’t the fly and mosquito buzzing around the campfire leave him alone?

In traditional Twilight Zone style, that the author grew up with, Mr. Cognard creates three unique and unpredictable stories, that both children and adults will all enjoy. 

Click here to download for Kindle. 

Halloween for Kids/Halloween Para Ninos

Now you can enjoy Andrew Miller’s best-selling “Halloween For Kids” in a bilingual English-Spanish version!

That’s right, this fun Early Readers Book is now more educational than ever. Your child can now read the original English version and the newly translated Spanish version side-by-side.

If you have ever wished your child could learn Spanish in an easy, enjoyable way, this is it!

Each sentence is meticulously translated to retain the original meaning and tone. Your child will associate familiar Halloween terms and facts with their Spanish counterparts.

In this way, your child will absorb the Spanish language effortlessly and quickly, and it won’t even feel like “learning.”

*****

Is your child REALLY into Halloween? Then this will be the perfect picture and early readers book.

You and your child will discover fun and fascinating facts about this unique holiday, its mysterious traditions, and its intriguing history.

Including…

* FULL-COLOR pictures and illustrations of Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns, masks, witches, black cats, and much more - your child will love them.

* Why you should look out for spiders on Halloween.

* When you should expect a full moon on Halloween.

* What the most popular Halloween colors really mean.

* What 3 names do monsters call humans? Hilarious answer.

* Did you know that "Jack-O-Lanterns" were not always pumpkins? Find out their surprising origins.

* What do you call a skeleton that won't work? You’ll laugh at the answer.

* Why do people wear masks and costumes on Halloween?

* Where does the Jack-O-Lantern tradition come from?

* What kind of witch lives at the beach? Your child will love this joke.

* Who were the first trick-or-treaters?

* Want to see a witch on Halloween? Here's the secret.

* Kids: watch out for "hungry" parents! Here are the candies that parents like to snatch from kids' trick-or-treat bags.

…and so much more!

Includes FULL-COLOR photos and images of Halloween skeletons, candy, cemeteries and more to make you and your child laugh and learn about this holiday.

So get ready to spend quality time together with your child as you enjoy seeing Halloween pictures and learning fun and intriguing facts about Halloween. 

Click here to download for Kindle. 

Will Allen and the Great Monster Detective (The Chronicles of the Monster Detective Agency)

Will Allen may be one of the smallest boys at Ashford Middle School, but he is also one of the smartest. But cleverness alone isn't enough to help him when monsters infest his room!

Together with his friend Jeannine Fitsimmons, Will searches fruitlessly for help, until a strange business card appears, instructing them how to summon Bigelow Hawkins, the Great Monster Detective. With Bigelow's help, along with the use of his very special monster-fighting instruments, the RevealeR and the MonsterScope, Will must learn how to conquer his monsters and reveal the secret of the dreaded HIDDEN BEAST before it's too late...

**Please note that this book is NOT free. However, at a mere 5 cents, it may as well be free!**

Click here to download for Kindle.

No Way Out - And Other Scary Short Stories

Includes two free additional short stories.

That's three 'terrorific' short stories for one low price.

No Way out - Mike takes a bet to go inside a haunted house, but will he live long enough to collect?

Also includes:
The Price of Friendship - How much is a best friend worth? Joey finds out the hard way.

Hobgoblin Horror - Jake only volunteered at the retirement home because Shelby works there. So, it's no wonder he's doesn't hear Mr. Fitches' warnings about a local homicidal hobgoblin--too bad for him.

Click here to download for Kindle.

Haunting at Heidelburgh Mansion (A Hot Ticket Short Story)(Hot Ticket Trilogy)

When twelve-year-old Juliet Robinson isn't invited to Cindy's Un-Halloween Party at a possibly haunted mansion, she can't resist crashing. But after her best-friend, Lucy, disappears, Juliet has to find a way to get her friend back from the headless bride -- or risk losing her friend forever.

Haunting At Heidelburgh Mansion is a 35 page, middle grade short story. Also includes the first chapter of HOT TICKET, a middle grade mystery.

Click here to download for Kindle.

Children's Haunted Stories

A short collection of fun, scary stories for children 8 years of age and up. Fun for Halloween or anytime you want a little scare.

Click here to download for Kindle.

'Three Lost Kids and the Sugar Fairy' Review

Join award-winning author Kimberly Kinrade for the month of October to celebrate Halloween and All Hallow's Read with a big giveaway for her launch of The Three Lost Kids & The Death of the Sugar Fairy.

What's All Hallow's Read? Author Neil Gaiman started this tradition a few years ago as a way to encourage the act of giving a book for Halloween. 

About The Three Lost Kids & The Death of The Sugar Fairy

Halloween is here and Lexie, Bella and Maddie couldn't be happier. But why does everything feel so different? Fewer houses are decorated and fewer kids are out trick-or-treating. Still, that's not going to stop the three girls from eating as much candy as they can before their parents can stop them, even if that means fighting each other for it.

When they finally discover a haunted house worthy of their favorite holiday, they forget their parents' warnings and go in alone, only to discover that the house really is haunted, and not only that, but they've been transported to a whole different world!

A dying Sugar Fairy in one of the abandoned rooms send them on a quest to find her Sugar Baby and the magic Sugar Flower in order to save her and Halloween. If they fail, Halloween will be gone forever, and they'll never return to their family.

But with Sugar Bug attacks, the Cavity Caves where they must face their deepest fears, and giant gummy bears armed with candy cane swords, the girls aren't sure they'll make it.

Their only chance is to work together, using each of their strengths to help each other. Can they stop fighting over candy long enough? Or will they be trapped in the dying Sugar Land forever?

**My thoughts**

I really liked this story. I was transported back in time to about third grade, sitting in the cozy book corner in elementary school. This is the kind of book my friends and I would have adored back then. There are girls just like we were, dressed up for Halloween, who found themselves on an adventure with a sort of mystery to solve. This is what we did when we were kids; kids still do it today.

This book also brings back some of the magic of Halloween, that feels lost in today's society. I remember that sense of awe as I put on a costume, like I really was that character. The girls in this story actually have the opportunity to do that. Along the way, they learn a lot of important lessons.

This book is one that I would like to share with my class during this holiday season. I think they will enjoy the suspense and mystery, without getting too scared. It will probably also lead to some classroom discussions about helping each other, working together, being friends, and even a bit about making healthy choices. 

Buy link: http://amzn.to/RSurCw

BIO:

Kimberly Kinrade was born with ink in her veins and magic in her heart. She writes fantasy and paranormal stories for children, YA and adults and still believes in magic worlds. Check out her YA paranormal novels Forbidden Mind and Forbidden Fire and her illustrated children's fantasy chapter books Lexie World, and Bella World, all on Amazon.

She lives with her three little girls who think they're ninja princesses with super powers, her two dogs who think they're humans and her husband, also known as the sexy Russian Prince, who is the love of her life and writing partner.

For a list of her books, check out: http://Amazon.com/author/kimberlykinrade

For a fun fan experience, join the team at I.P.I. at http://IPIAcademy.com

For kids and parents of young kids, join the Lost Kids at http://ThreeLostKids.com

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