In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

FROM NETGALLEY:

Made You Look How Advertising Works and Why You Should Know by 
Shari Graydon; illustrated by Michelle Lamoreaux
Zebra Stripes Go Head to Toe by Sheryl and Simon Shapiro
Ladybugs Have Lots of Spots by Sheryl and Simon Shapiro
It's a Feudal, Feudal World A Different Medieval History by 
Stephen Shapiro; art by Ross Kinnaird
Before the World Was Ready Stories of Daring Genius in Science by Claire Eamer; art by Sa Boothroyd
Crazy About Basketball by Loris Lesynski; art by Gerry Rasmussen

Review: Feel Confident! by Cheri J. Meiners

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Empower children to recognize their individual worth and develop self-confidence, as well as confidence in their abilities and the choices they make. Children learn that they can speak up, expect and show respect, try new things, and believe in themselves. Confidence-building skills of accepting yourself, asking for what you need, making decisions, solving problems, and communicating are also discussed. Young children will respond to the true-to-life situations and colorful illustrations.
Being the Best Me! is a one-of-a-kind character-development series. Each book in the series helps children learn, understand, and develop attitudes and character traits that strengthen self-confidence and a sense of purpose. Children will relate to the engaging illustrations, real-life situations, and easy-to-understand examples. Each book focuses on specific attitudes or character traits—such as optimism, courage, resilience, imagination, personal power, decision-making, or work ethics. Also included are discussion questions, games, activities, and additional information adults can use to reinforce the concepts children are learning. Filled with diversity, these read-aloud books will be welcome in school, home, and childcare settings.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cheri J. Meiners, M.Ed., has her master’s degree in elementary education and gifted education. A former first-grade teacher, she has taught education classes at Utah State University and has supervised student teachers. Cheri and her husband, David, have six children and two grandchildren. They live in Laurel, Maryland.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Elizabeth Allen is an artist and professional illustrator of children’s picture books as well as a former songwriter and jazz musician. She has exhibited her art in galleries in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Elizabeth lives on a river running through a forest near St. Paul, Minnesota. 

MY TAKE:
Like the other books in the Being the Best Me! series, this book helps kids read about ways that make them be better persons.

In Feel Confident!, the protagonist tells kids about things that can boost their confidence.

As with the Be Positive! book, this book has ways for kids to reinforce their confidence, discussion questions, and games and activities that can help boost their confidence.

The book has the same illustration and coloring style as the Be Positive! book, so if you liked the first book, you should enjoy this one too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Free Spirit Publishing for the e-ARC. Publication date of Feel Confident! is on September 1, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. It can help kids improve their confidence.
2. There are games and activities for kids to try.
3. There are discussion questions for kids and parents.

THE BAD:

1. The illustration style might not be for everyone.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

I can try lots of new things.

READ IT IF:

1. You want to help boost your child's confidence.
2. You want your child to read books that have positive messages.
3. You like books that you can discuss with your children.

RATING:


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Review: Be Positive! by Cheri J. Meiners

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

A sense of optimism is a key ingredient to success in life. Guide young children to develop a positive attitude and discover how the choices they make can lead to feeling happy and capable. This friendly, encouraging book on having a positive attitude introduces preschool and primary-age children to ways of thinking and acting that will help them feel good about themselves and their lives, stay on course when things don’t go their way, and contribute to other people’s happiness, too.
Being the Best Me! is a one-of-a-kind character-development series. Each book in the series helps children learn, understand, and develop attitudes and character traits that strengthen self-confidence and a sense of purpose. Children will relate to the engaging illustrations, real-life situations, and easy-to-understand examples. Each book focuses on specific attitudes or character traits—such as optimism, courage, resilience, imagination, personal power, decision-making, or work ethics. Also included are discussion questions, games, activities, and additional information adults can use to reinforce the concepts children are learning. Filled with diversity, these read-aloud books will be welcome in school, home, and childcare settings.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cheri J. Meiners, M.Ed., has her master’s degree in elementary education and gifted education. A former first-grade teacher, she has taught education classes at Utah State University and has supervised student teachers. Cheri and her husband, David, have six children and two grandchildren. They live in Laurel, Maryland.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Elizabeth Allen is an artist and professional illustrator of children’s picture books as well as a former songwriter and jazz musician. She has exhibited her art in galleries in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Elizabeth lives on a river running through a forest near St. Paul, Minnesota. 

MY TAKE:
I'm always on the lookout for great books that teach good values.

In Be Positive!, the boy in the story details the positive things he does each day.

It's not a rhyming book, but that's okay because it's tough to come up with rhymes for all the positive examples given. The illustration style isn't really my cup of tea, but I did like the coloring and rendering.

The last part of the book contains additional material like ways to reinforce the ideas in the book, discussion questions, as well as optimism activities and games for kids to try.

Thanks to NetGalley and Free Spirit Publishing for the e-ARC. Publication date of Be Positive! is on September 1, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. It has a positive message.
2. There are activities at the back which kids can try.
3. Kids can discuss the book with their parents.

THE BAD:

1. The illustration style might not appeal to some.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

And when there is rain, wind, or snow,
I can find the positive in that, too!

READ IT IF:

1. You want to teach your child to be positive.
2. You want your child to read books with positive messages.
3. You like books you can discuss with your child.

RATING:


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Review: Mousemobile by Prudence Breitrose

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Life is good for the four humans in Cleveland who know that mice have evolved into possibly the smartest species on earth. Eleven-year-old Megan and her cousin Joey have great summer jobs at the mouse-powered factory that makes Thumbtops-the tiny computers mice use to spread the word about climate change.
But suddenly, the Big Cheese, leader of the Mouse Nation, needs their help. There's trouble at his Headquarters in California. The four humans rush to the rescue, only to find themselves on a crazy road-trip-with way too many mice. Their journey takes them clear across the country, always just one step ahead of the mysterious enemy. Will the humans save the Mouse Nation, so mice can continue their fight for the health of the planet?
Get ready for the exhilarating sequel to Mousenet! This updated take on the classic mouse tale is charmingly illustrated and filled with friendship, humor and heart.

MY TAKE:
I wasn't able to read the first book in the series so I had no idea what to expect.

In Mousemobile, the Mouse Nation faces an unknown threat and it's up to Megan, Joey, Uncle Fred and Jake to help them.

While I was only about 50% sold on the idea of mice and leading the fight against the planet's conservation, after the first few chapters, I found that I actually found the book more enjoyable that I would have thought. The plot is action-packed and fast-paced. The characters are generally likeable and relateable. Even the mice were cute and believable.

The conservation-slant isn't really seen in a lot of books and a lot of times, they seem preachy. Thankfully, Mousemobile stops short of that. It makes you want to do more to help the planet, but you don't feel as though the book was talking down on you.

The only thing that annoyed me with this book was one of the mice who was completely vapid, selfish and naive. Other than that, I enjoyed this book a lot.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the e-ARC. Publication date of Mousemobile is on October 15, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. It can encourage kids to do more to save the planet.
2. The characters are likeable.
3. The plot is action-packed.

THE BAD:

1. A particular character may be too annoying for some.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Uncle Fred took orders from everyone and fetched a heaping tray of human food, plus a spare hamburger bun and a slice of cheese for the five mice.

READ IT IF:

1. You or your child likes movies and books featuring mice.
2. You want to teach your child about conservation.
3. You or your child like mysteries.

RATING:


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Blog Tour: Hello Hot Lunch, Hello Cool Lunch by Lisa Leconte

EXCERPT:

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Hello Hot Lunch, Hello Cool Lunch by Lisa Leconte, acts as two books in one, offering unique recipes to parents to make their children the coolest kid in school during lunch time.

Serving twice as many recipes, one side is full of entertaining and cute hot lunch ideas, tips, and recipes. Flip the book over and you’ll get fun cold lunch ideas with more tips and recipes. Sure to make your child the envy of every other kid, this book is a must for parents looking to brighten up lunch time.
Recipes include fun ways to use rice, cheese, eggs, pasta and much more. Using these every day foods, create your child’s favorite animal or make them smile with a silly face hand crafted with love.

Hello Hot Lunch, Hello Cool Lunch is available in softcover (ISBN 978-1-62137-192-2) from Virtualbookworm.com, Amazon.com, and Barnesandnoble.com. This book can also be ordered from most bookstores around the United States and United Kingdom.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Leconte graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. After studying nutrition at Loma Linda University, she went on to work as an art director and designer for Shape Magazine, Living Fit, and Andrews McMeal Publishing to name a few. After 15 years as a professional designer, Lisa now works from home as a professional mom, where she combines her love of food and art to cook up creative ways to get kids interested in trying new foods while having fun in the kitchen.

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Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Uncle Fred must have been distracted at breakfast time, maybe thinking about a new invention, because he'd left eggshells festooned with waffle mix on the table, while bacon grease had spilled onto the magazine he'd been reading.

Review: Pop-Out & Paint Farm Animals by Cindy A. Littlefield

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

For ages 8 to 12, Pop-Out & Paint Farm Animalsoffers 15 barnyard animal templates that kids can pop out of the book, paint as they please, and customize with paper wings, yarn beards, and other unique touches, creating a one-of-a-kind barnyard that can be played with after it's finished. The animals include cows, sheep, pigs, goats, ducks, chickens...even a barn cat and a border collie! Kids will learn about different breeds while enjoying hours of creative fun.

MY TAKE:
I liked craft books as a kid and I thought this one would be pretty interesting.

In Pop-Out & Paint Farm Animals, kids and adults can use the templates provided to paint and create their very own farm.

The biggest and most pleasant surprise for me was how specific the species for the animals got. Distinctions were made between certain types of pigs, cows, goats and sheep, and how they were to be rendered. Facts about the animals were also presented.

For beginners who aren't sure how to go about crafting their very own barnyard with animals, there are tutorials at the start of the book which indicate things like what supplies are needed and how to properly color and shade the animals.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storey Publishing, LLC for the e-ARC. Publication date for Pop-Out & Paint Farm Animals is on August 7, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. It highlights specific species of the featured animals.
2. There are tutorials that beginners can follow.
3. The guides are easy to understand.

THE BAD:

1. Younger kids may need the help of adults or older children when coloring the animals.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

With its pinkish white body, small upright ears, and long snout, the American Yorkshire is one of the most popular breeds of pig.

READ IT IF:

1. You're looking for a craft book for your kid.
2. Your child likes animals.
3. Your child likes painting.

RATING:


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