All aboard for Meditation Station! It’s time to learn how to manage our busy minds, difficult feelings, and frustrations by staying with our breath and in our body. Your train of thoughts might be racing, but you can manage it with some simple steps. Take a deep breath in, and then let the breath out slowly. That is how you will learn what meditation is all about. The next train is coming. Can you hear it chugging along? Stay in the meditation station–don’t hop on the train! Just wave goodbye to your racing mind and find inner calm.
Winner of the 2020 International Children’s Mind/Body/Spirit Book Award!
Picture book ages 3-7, 32 pages, November 3, 2020
Meditation Station is a book for kids who love trains. And bears. And for everyone that could use a cute story for the present moment. I would venture to say that parents and teachers will enjoy reading this as much as the kiddos who listen to it. The story is beautifully illustrated and the bear is super adorable. Meditation Station is a great gift idea and a keeper book for my family ♡
Author Susan Katz provided her book to help facilitate the writing of an honest review. A positive review is not guaranteed, and all opinions are my own. No other compensation was received.
Where Is Our Library? is a companion to Lost in the Library and our second picture book in partnership with the New York Public Library. Curious Patience and steadfast Fortitude wait every morning to greet visitors of the New York Public Library―and slip away every night to read in the Children’s Center. But one day, Patience and Fortitude find the Children’s Center empty! The two lions set out into the city to locate their missing books and encounter some literary landmarks along the way.
For grades 1-2. We (myself and 1st grade reviewer) thought the story started out interesting but that it lost interest in the middle probably because we are not familiar with the NY landmarks they referenced. The story ended with Patience & Fortitude finding their new children’s center but it was a failed adventure for us. The illustrations in the book were good. I can appreciate the history of the New York City Library and it’s lions. And of the New York landmarks that the story mentions.
Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group provided this book to help facilitate the writing of an honest review. A positive review is not guaranteed, and all opinions are my own. No other compensation was received.
From highly acclaimed picture book maker, Rachel Bright, comes a visually stunning, feel-good picture book filled with Yu Rong’s distinctive, awe-inspiring papercut artwork. The snow is coming but Bear is sick! Can Squirrel bring some wintery magic to his friend?
Reviewed by myself and a just-turned-three little guy. We really liked the story. It held our interest and had good opportunities for conversation about the story. Addressed feelings, friendship and sharing. The illustrations were absolutely perfect for the book. With so much detail we sometimes love to just look through the pages.
Kane Miller EDC Publishing provided this book to help facilitate the writing of an honest review. A positive review is not guaranteed, and all opinions are my own. No other compensation was received.
At twenty-eight, Alethea Sutherton is past her prime for courtship; but social mores have never been her forté. She might be a lady, but she is first and foremost a musician.
In Regency England, however, the violin is considered an inappropriate instrument for a lady. Ostracized by society for her passion, Alethea practices in secret and waits for her chance to flee to the Continent, where she can play without scandal.
But when a thief ’s interest in her violin endangers her and her family, Alethea is determined to discover the enigmatic origins of her instrument … with the help of the dark, brooding Lord Dommick.
Scarred by war, Dommick finds solace only in playing his violin. He is persuaded to help Alethea, and discovers an entirely new yearning in his soul.
Alethea finds her reluctant heart drawn to Dommick in the sweetest of duets . . . just as the thief’s desperation builds to a tragic crescendo . . .
Zondervan Publishing
Paperback, 352 pages
Prelude for a Lord is a Regency-era Christian novel. Author Camy Tang provided me with an autographed copy (Jer 31:3) that I’ve enjoyed immensely. At first, I was intimidated by the size (as in number of pages) of the book and speculated if I was actually going to like all of it. With mystery, friendship, romance, and faith, I enjoyed the story/characters as I read from chapter to chapter. The two main characters grew in their relationship and reliance on God. The book’s spiritual message is that you are not alone, God loves you, and He will take care of you. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
I am a fourth generation Japanese American married to a third generation Chinese American (hence my Chinese last name). I grew up in Wahiawa, Hawai’i, a small town right in the center of the island of O’ahu.
When I first started writing, I didn’t know if God was going to allow my novels to be published, but the entire experience has taught me more about entirely, completely, totally depending upon Him, and submitting to Him aspects of my life that I never realized I was trying to keep control over. A lot of that struggle is mirrored in my characters’ struggles in my books.
Now, I try to trust in His plans for me—I know that what I write is for Him to use for His own agenda. He knows how He wants to use me, so I just need to go with the flow.
A complimentary copy was provided by the author for review purposes. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.
Connected. Curing the Pandemic of Everyone Feeling alone Together
Erin Davis, B&H Books 2014, paper back, 208 pages
Sure we have “friends” and even “followers” – but why are we still plagued by loneliness? And what does God know about feeling alone? Sharing her answers to what’s causing the pain of solitude to gnaw at our hearts, Erin Davis offers practical applications and personality-driven takeaways based on research and real-life experiences of women from across the nation. A popular speaker, author and blogger, Erin Davis has addressed women of all ages nationwide and is passionately committed to sharing God’s Truth with others.
Erin is a great writer. She includes personal examples and bible verses in making her point that God made us “wired for connection”. Many areas are addressed as the things that are blocking us from true connections with people. I highly recommend this for small groups and book clubs. Written for a women audience, the remedies for loneliness equally pertain to men. A good choice for teens, too.
Chapter 9 “The Golden Rule Is Tarnished” was a favorite chapter for me. An excerpt from that chapter, ” I hate to pop your bubble, sister, but that bubble is keeping you cut off from the world. As I’ve wrestled with loneliness, I’ve learned that there’s more on the line than simply having great friends. If we can feel desperately lonely as wives, daughters, sisters, and friends, the antidote must be found in the quality of our relationships, not the quantity. The Bible teaches a paradoxical truth (again). The depth and quality of our relationships hinge on what we give, not what we get.”
B&H publishing provided this complimentary copy for review purposes. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.
A foolproof, enormously fun method of teaching your children the classic works of William Shakespeare
To know some Shakespeare provides a head start in life. His plays are among the great bedrocks of Western civilization and contain the finest writing of the past 450 years. Many of the best novels, plays, poems, and films in the English language produced since Shakespeare’s death in 1616—from Pride and Prejudice to The Godfather—are heavily influenced by Shakespeare’s stories, characters, language, and themes. In How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, acclaimed playwright Ken Ludwig provides the tools you need to inspire an understanding, and a love, of Shakespeare’s works in your children, and to have fun together along the way.
How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare is a guide and not a step-by-step curriculum. A great resource for literature study, the book covers twenty-five passages of Shakespeare. The learning/memorizing starts with a single line and moves on to complete speeches. And while memorization is key to the teaching concept of the book, it reaches in further to teach the language, vocabulary, metaphors, plots, and so forth, of Shakespeare’s writing. Similar to learning a foreign language, Ken Ludwig’s method incorporates reading, hearing, and speaking Shakespeare.
Having no previous Shakespeare familiarity, I found this book interesting. I would have appreciated it during our homeschool years and will be using it in a few years from now with my grandson. “No” on intimidation. “Yes” on fun.
Make use of the free printable QUOTATION PAGES to memorize & AUDIO CLIPS of each passage. link below
The Blogging for Books program provided this complimentary copy for review purposes. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.
Beautiful picture books by international authors & illustrators
North South Publishers sent me several of their terrific titles. Here’s the books and my thoughts-
New in the North South Spring 2014 catalog, Call Me Jacob.
When Matthew decides that he wants to change his name, he soon discovers that it’s not an easy choice. ‘Jacob’ is a great skateboarder, ‘Lucas’ is the best at sports . . . and ‘Evan’ is a math wiz. Matthew tries each name—expecting that his life will better. That is, until Anna sends an invitation addressed to one very special boy—and its not Jacob, Lucas, or Evan.
A hardcover picture book that particularly boys would like; this is a good story about self-acceptance. Marie Hübner (author), Iris Wolfermann (illustrator)
Lindbergh. The Tale of a Flying Mouse, on book shelves May 1st!
One small step for a mouse; one giant leap for aviation.
These are dark times . . . for a small mouse. A new invention—the mechanical mousetrap—has caused all the mice but one to flee to America, the land of the free. But with cats guarding the steamships, trans-Atlantic crossings are no longer safe. In the bleakest of places . . . the one remaining mouse has a brilliant idea. He must learn to fly!
Debut illustrator Torben Kuhlmann’s inventive tale and stunning illustrations will capture the imagination of readers—young and old—with the death-defying feats of this courageous young mouse.
This picture book is longer than average with 96 pages, many with full page illustrations. Probably better for kindergarten and up, it is a picture book of interest to both boys and girls. It can lead to a discussion about history, inventors, aviation (flying/airplanes), and also problem-solving and perseverance. The illustrations are done in browns and grays which adds to the history feel of the book. The ending reveals that the heroic mouse inspired Lindbergh. I don’t think the title best suits the story since the story is about the mouse, not Charles Lindbergh. Torben Kuhlmann (author/illustrator)
One of several mice books by Japanese author Haruo Yamashita, Seven Little Mice Have Fun on the Ice, is a cute family story. The mice siblings are not mentioned individually in the text but the illustrations show their expressions/personalities and I think this adds a lot to the story. Haruo Yamashita (author), Kazuo Iwamura (illustrator)
“I Have a Little Problem”, said the Bear, is a story with a good lesson on listening and learning why communication is important. Young readers will notice the repetition in the story as the bear tries to tell his problem. Happy ending for little readers. The illustrations add to this paperback picture book. Her work is in full color and with a lot of attention to detail. Heinz Janisch (author), Silke Leffler (illustrator)
Pitschi. My favorite book of the bunch.
On Lisette’s farm all the animals are happy except Pitschi, the smallest kitten. Pitschi wants to be something different. It takes a night time adventure and a warm homecoming for Pitschi to discover that what she really wants is to be a kitten after all.
Pitschi the kitten’s attempts to be a rooster, goat, rabbit, and other kinds of animals on the farm almost bring her to harm, but she finally discovers how to enjoy being a kitten.
This is another book that addresses self-acceptance. The story of Pitschi presents inquisitiveness, kindness for others, and contentment. Hans Fisher excels at both writer and illustrator. His fondness of cats is evident in the story and illustrations. Simple lines and scribbles come to life. Love this book! Hans Fisher (author/illustrator)
This review gives you a sampling of the many titles available from NorthSouth. Click here to see their Spring 2014 Catalog.
These books were provided by NorthSouth Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. No other compensation was received.
What do Katniss Everdeen, Spider-Man, and Huckleberry Finn have in common? They’re heroes—and you can be just like them.
As children, we dream of throwing on a cape and changing the world. Then we grow up, we learn to see the flaws in our movie stars and athletes, and we accept that true heroism is not possible in the real world. You continue to dream, though. Isn’t that why you still love watching heroes on the big screen? It’s more than just wish fulfillment. You resonate with Superman’s justice and Dorothy’s courage because you have those same qualities within yourself.
In these pages, Kristen Parrish looks at the qualities of fifty-two heroes, and then shows how you can acquire every one of those qualities. No gamma rays or radioactive spider bites are needed. You can unleash your inner hero through prayer and practical action.
Men and women, boys and girls alike, will find role models within these pages. While others watch and dream on the sidelines, you can step out in faith, learning from heroic examples and praying for God’s help to make you who you were meant to be.
The Holy Spirit enables us to do great things. Find out how. No cape required.
This book contains 52 quick-read devotions. Each devotion describes an attribute of a different hero; 60% of the heroes were familiar to me. Children would even know some of the characters like Superman and Belle. Each hero/attribute example was brief and very simplistic; cute but limiting in what could be gleamed from the content. The characteristic of the particular hero was fine although I could think of additional “good” qualities aside from the one the author highlighted. This book might be useful in a group setting where a discussion on each hero/attribute could be expanded.
BookSneeze provided this complimentary copy for review purposes. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.
A Little Gourmet’s Guide by Puck Illustrated by: Violet Lemay
– Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers – Small and sturdy format, round corners for extra safety – A fun introduction to the wold of food and the alphabet
7” x 7” inches; board book; 22 pages; full-color art; nontoxic; ages 3 to 6
ISBN: 9780982529522
$8.95
A delightful educational tool that stresses the importance of having a healthy relationship with food, this board book teaches the letters of the alphabet to tots and other gastronomes in training. Stylish and dazzling illustrations that highlight terms such as Kobe beef, pomegranate, ice cream, and farmer’s market pair with fun foodie facts to make learning the alphabet easy and enriching. A complete introduction to the alphabet and gastronomical terms, this unique book also includes a pronunciation guide, making it an ideal companion for food aficionados.
It’s a culinary journey through the alphabet accompanied by Violet Lemay’s fun illustrations. Every letter of the alphabet is featured in both uppercase and lowercase with pronunciation spelling for the featured word in parenthesis, if needed. (yes, I used it) Each word also gets a a short description.
Unique foods and “big” words for little ones; older readers will find it interesting, too! Just like any other alphabet book except this one doesn’t use A for apple!
Disclosure of Material Connection: This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion. No other compensation was received.
– Perfect for babies and toddlers
– Small and sturdy format, round corners for extra safety
– A fun and colorful way to practice number skills
6” x 6” inches; board book; 22 pages; full-color art; nontoxic; ages 0 to 3
ISBN: 9781938093081
$7.95
From counting penguins and lions to giraffes and bears, this board book introduces toddlers to the familiar sights of a zoo while making basic numbers fun to learn. Parents and children can count to 10 using iconic zoo animals depicted with vivid colors and a bold design. Perfectly sized for small hands, this durable board book also includes a “Let’s Talk” section with conversation starters to help parents begin a fun discussion with their kids.
I happily recommend this cool counting board book by duopress. Each two page layout shows a large number and that same amount of a particular zoo animal. It contains only pictures and numbers but the vibrant colors and illustrations keep a young learners attention. It’s a favorite choice for seeing and counting elephants, hippos, bears, lions, giraffes, flamingos, zebras, gorillas, penguins, and birds. I think number three is the best with three different kinds of bears!
Disclosure of Material Connection: This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion. No other compensation was received.
Notes From Dawn 