Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop

Thank you to Kathy from I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Martha from Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf for co-hosting this giveaway hop.  Since this is a giveaway hop, don't forget to check the links to more giveaways.

I have decided to giveaway three of my favorite new releases.  There will be three winners selected (one for each book). 


Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal


The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis


Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Giveaway Rules:

1. Though comments are very much appreciated, please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.).  If you do enter personal information, you comment will not be posted.
  
2.  You must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.

3.  The Contest runs from 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time on January 13, 2012 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on January 18, 2012.

4.  You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.

5.  If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail.  If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.

6.  International participants are welcome to enter the contest.

What are you reading? Non-fiction Picture Book Reviews


As part of the Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge 2012 (Twitter: #nfpb2012), I am going to attempt to read and review as many of the new non-fiction picture books that are released this year.  Wednesdays will be my primary day to post the reviews.  If you are participating in the challenge and would like to link your recent reviews, please add your link to the Mr. Linky below.  

Here Comes the Girl Scouts: The Amazing All-True Story of Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low and Her Great Adventure
Author: Shana Corey
Illustrator: Hadley Hooper
Publisher: Scholastic Press (January 1, 2012)
Audience:

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts, there were likely be a number of books coming out for all age readers.  However, I feel like I have already stumbled upon the best one and there is still another 3 months to go until the official anniversary date of March 12th.  Corey tells the delightful story of Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low who lived at the end of the 19th Century and into the early 20th century.  Low was way ahead of her time in how she viewed life, especially the role women could play in it.  During her travels, Daisy discovered a group called the Boy Scouts and their sister group called Girl Guides in England.  Daisy came back to the United States and on March 12, 1912 began the first Girl Scout meeting.  Corey's narrative text is punctuated with highlighted words and side comments.  Hooper captures the spirit of this adventurous woman and the era she lived in through her illustrations.

I had to pick this book up immediately upon seeing it.  I am already schedule to read it to the two Daisy Troops we have at the school.  Can't wait to see what they think of the book.  

We March
Author/Illustrator: Shane W. Evans
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (January 3, 2012)
Audience:Ages 5 and up

I first discovered Shane W. Evans' work about a year ago when his book Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom came out.  I was struck by the powerful simplicity of both his text and illustrations.  We March is done in a similar manner.  The focus of the story - the march from the Washington Monument to Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King, Jr. on August 28, 1963 delivered his "I have a Dream" speech.  The book provides readers with a sense of the emotions experienced particularly by the youngest participants of the event.  A great book to share with young children when talking about Martin Luther King, Jr.
 

Jazz Age Josephine: Dancer, Singer--Who's that, who? Why that's Miss Josephine, to you!
Author: Jonah Winter
Illustrator: Marjorie Priceman
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (January 3, 2012)
Audience:

From the cover, I knew this would be a fun read.  The team of Winter and Priceman match rhythmic text with sassy illustrations for a story that honors the uniqueness of entertainer, Josephine Baker.  After finishing Jazz Age Josephine, I kept thinking that I wanted to hear an audio recording of this book.  The illustrations that accompany the text are fun, quirky, and energetic. The text consequently reads like it should be read with a particular rhythm or voice, a jazzy/scat voice.  An enjoyable biographical picture book to add to a library collection.
   

Guest Post: Tammy Blackwell - New Year Resolutions Timber Wolves Style


When Aly first asked me to write a guest post for the first of January to celebrate the release of TimeMends, possibly with a New Years resolution theme, I immediately thought of My So-Called Life.* There is this episode that starts with all the characters sitting around watching a pre-stroke Dick Clark herald in 1995. And as they’re watching, they do voice-overs of all their resolutions. It’s one of my favorite moments of the show because you get this really awesome over-view of each of the characters. Because resolutions, they’re like this really intimate thing, you know?**
            So, inspired by the spirit of Angela Chase,*** I am sharing Scout and company’s spoiler-free resolutions.

Scout: No more messes. No clothes just laying around in piles of clean and unclean and kinda clean. No more accidentally growing science experiments in the bottom drawer of the cabinet in my bathroom. No more screwing up the lives of everyone I love. This year, I’m Talley-izing my life.

Jase: Increase my free throw average to .90. Stop wanting things I can’t have. Be more awesome.

Charlie: I need to learn to accept the things I cannot change, have the courage to change the things I can, and have the wisdom to know the difference. Or, at least, that’s what my therapist says. And me? I think I just need to grow up and move on.

Talley: Try harder. And maybe learn a foreign language.

Angel: I want to: 1. Learn how to use the stove. 2. Read all the Harry Potter books, even the ones that Mom thinks are too scary. 3. Grow taller.

Alex: Follow the rules and quit getting distracted by her.

Liam: Avenge and atone.

* I’m of the Catalano generation. I almost always immediately think of My So-Called Life. Or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Or maybe even Veronica Mars... You know, there is a chance my own New Years resolution should have been to watch less TV.

** This sentence can be blamed on the fact I turned My So-Called Life on in the background while I typed this. I think I may throw on a flannel and dye my hair red next.

*** Who wanted to not get caught up in her thoughts so much and become less introspective, except that might make her shallow, so she was going to have to think about it some more.

Thanks to Miss Tammy for the helping us to get to know her Timber Wolves Trilogy Characters a little better.  Tammy Blackwell is the Young Adult Services Coordinator for a public library system in Kentucky. When she's not reading, writing, or cataloging books, she's sleeping.  She is the author of the YA Novel Destiny Binds and now Time Mends.  

You can follow Tammy on twitter: @miss_tammy or check out her website: http://misstammywrites.blogspot.com/

For more information about her awesome characters, check out the Destiny Binds character interview Tammy did a few months ago, click here.

It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA (7)


It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  Jen & Kellee from 
Teach Mentor Texts have adapted this to focus on Picture Books to Young Adult Books.

Each week I'll recap what I've read/reviewed the week before 
and then look ahead to what I am planning on reading/reviewing in the upcoming week. 

Last week's book adventures:
During the second week of my winter break, I tried to get as much reading in as possible.  I managed to squeeze in nearly 50 books.  

Here are three novels that I finally read.  They have been getting tons of buzz and after reading them I can see why.  All are excellent books in very different ways. 




After reading three fairly serious books, I needed to take a break.  Here is an early chapter book that was a lot of fun to read:

And here are several picture books that I really enjoyed:





Upcoming book adventures:
My goal this week is to find non-fiction books that have been released in the first two weeks of 2012.  Check in on Wednesday to see what one's I have found.

So, what are you reading this week? 

Please share! And remember to check in at Sheila's or Jen & Kellee's blog to see what they and others are reading!

Ebook/Book App Review - The Strange and Wonderful World of Ants

Title: The Strange and Wonderful World of Ants
App Developer: Amos Latteier, Illustrated by Melinda Matson
Version: 2.0 - April 3, 2011
Price: $1.99
Age Level: Ages 6 to 10
Available on iTunes
Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 4.2 or later.
Language: English
Features Read to Me (Beginner Level) * Three Reading Levels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)*Optional drag white dot to navigate*Swipe the page turn feature*Extras (Glossary, Questions, Ant Resources)
Settings: Music - Volume Control; Narrator - On/Off Button - Beginning Level Only
Category: Non-fiction, Educational
Website: antsapp.com

Additional Review that may be of interesthttp://digital-storytime.com/review.php?id=70

Description from iTunes:
Explore the amazing world of the ants! The Strange & Wonderful World of Ants is a beautifully designed, educational, and quirky children's iPad App. Its adjustable reading level making it appealing to a wide range of children and adults.

Thoughts on this book app:
This app is brilliant!  I have looked at dozens of apps and though I am not an app designer, I can often think of several suggestions or ideas for how to improve the app.  In the case of The Strange and Wonderful World of Ants by Amos Latteier, I truly don't have any suggestions.  The only request is can we have more non-fiction ebook apps like this one?

This app has three levels - beginner, intermediate, and advanced which allows a parent to share the book with a young child, or a beginning reader to navigate the book independently, or even an adult to enjoy the advanced level information.  From the beginning of the book, there is a very realistic appropriately sized ant named E.O. who helps provide additional information. 

Here is an example of the language used by E.O. at the various levels:

Beginner Level: "Hello, I am E.O. the ant.  I am here to tell you about ants. Ants are everywhere.  Take a look.  Where you can find us?"


Intermediate Level: "Hello, I am E.O. the ant.  I will try to help you understand us ants better. Where can you find ants? Take a look.  You can find us almost everywhere, in the grass, on trees, and between the cracks in the sidewalk."

Advanced Level: "Hello, I'm E.O. the ant.  My nest suggested that I be the ant ambassador to you humans in the hope that you'll understand us better.  Where can you find ants? There are probably some ants in your house right now.  Take a look.  You can find us almost everywhere, in the grass, on trees, and between the cracks in the sidewalk."

iPad Screen shot
The illustrations that accompany the text are large and very detailed.  E.O., the ant ambassador, moves like a real ant, one that seems to have gotten under your iPad screen and is trying to find a way out.  The music that accompanies the text is pleasant.  The swipe feature for turning the pages works well.  You are able to scroll through the pages with a dotted line along the bottom of the book page.  The resources at the end of the book allow the app to be used for discussion or to assist a child with research.   Truly a beautifully created and well-thought out book app.

If you are looking for educational apps to share with your own children or in a classroom setting, I would certainly recommend this app.  Additionally, the price is very right at $1.99.  If you only download one ebook app this month, you may want to consider this one.