Maranda Russell's Blog, page 107

“Mountain Goats are Kids like You!” Book Review

It’s rare that I review children’s non-fiction, but “Mountain Goats are Kids like You!” is one non-fiction picture book that reads as easily as fiction. The book was written by Rena Jones and uses her professional-quality photos as illustrations. The pictures are absolutely beautiful, which is really no surprise considering that they were all taken within the boundaries of Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana.

I must admit that while reading this book, I learned things that I didn’t know about mountain goats! What I like best about the book though is that the author manages to teach important facts about these animals by involving the reader personally. The entire book is interactive, inviting its readers to answer questions and study the photos for various clues.

As the title would suggest, the bulk of the book helps children better understand mountain goats by comparing the similarities between growing up as a goat and growing up as a human. This approach allows children to put themselves in the place of these beautiful animals and imagine what it would really be like to grow up as a ‘kid’ in the wild.

This book would be a great addition to any family or educational library, but I would especially recommend this book for children between the ages of 4 and 8. If your child loves animals, this is a must-read, but even if your children normally stick to fiction, you might be pleasantly surprised by their reaction to this little gem of a book.

To order a copy of “Mountain Goats are Kids like You!” or to find out more about its author, Rena Jones, please visit the author’s website.

 

"Mountain Goats are Kids like You!" Book Review

It's rare that I review children's non-fiction, but "Mountain Goats are Kids like You!" is one non-fiction picture book that reads as easily as fiction. The book was written by Rena Jones and uses her professional-quality photos as illustrations. The pictures are absolutely beautiful, which is really no surprise considering that they were all taken within the boundaries of Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana.

I must admit that while reading this book, I learned things that I didn't know about mountain goats! What I like best about the book though is that the author manages to teach important facts about these animals by involving the reader personally. The entire book is interactive, inviting its readers to answer questions and study the photos for various clues.

As the title would suggest, the bulk of the book helps children better understand mountain goats by comparing the similarities between growing up as a goat and growing up as a human. This approach allows children to put themselves in the place of these beautiful animals and imagine what it would really be like to grow up as a 'kid' in the wild.

This book would be a great addition to any family or educational library, but I would especially recommend this book for children between the ages of 4 and 8. If your child loves animals, this is a must-read, but even if your children normally stick to fiction, you might be pleasantly surprised by their reaction to this little gem of a book.

To order a copy of "Mountain Goats are Kids like You!" or to find out more about its author, Rena Jones, please visit the author's website.

 

Review of “Bob Beetle Book Bug” Picture Book

Today I am excited to have the pleasure of discussing a book that carries a great message and supports a wonderful cause. “Bob Beetle Book Bug” is a picture book written by my fellow Mirror Publishing author Phyllis Griggs and illustrated by Carlos Lemos.

Before I get into the actual review of the book itself, I want to first commend the author for all the hard work she does to help spread the important message about childhood literacy. Through her Bob Beetle Book Bug non-profit organization, she reaches out to children everywhere to encourage them to explore the wonderful world of reading. I should also note that all of the proceeds from the sale of her ”Bob Beetle Book Bug” picture book will be donated to the cause of children’s literacy.

Now, on to the story! The premise of “Bob Beetle Book Bug” is simple but powerful. The book stars a cute little green ”book bug” who is excited to share his passion for books in all of their wonderful forms. As he says, he loves “little books, big books, old books and new…red books, white books and yellow books too…blue books, brown books, short books and tall…fat books, skinny books, he loves them all!”

As you can probably tell from that small excerpt, this book is funny, cute and well-written. It is also interactive, with Bob Beetle talking directly to the reader and inviting them to join him in his wonderful world of books. The book poses some great questions that could easily serve as discussion starters with kids. Perhaps best of all, Bob Beetle encourages the whole family to get involved and find the time to read together as a family.

Overall, this is simply a wonderful book built around a much-needed concept. Books like this carry the potential to turn even the most reluctant young readers into book lovers. This is a great pick for families, schools, libraries and community organizations devoted to literacy. If you would like to purchase a copy, please visit Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

 

Review of "Bob Beetle Book Bug" Picture Book

Today I am excited to have the pleasure of discussing a book that carries a great message and supports a wonderful cause. "Bob Beetle Book Bug" is a picture book written by my fellow Mirror Publishing author Phyllis Griggs and illustrated by Carlos Lemos.

Before I get into the actual review of the book itself, I want to first commend the author for all the hard work she does to help spread the important message about childhood literacy. Through her Bob Beetle Book Bug non-profit organization, she reaches out to children everywhere to encourage them to explore the wonderful world of reading. I should also note that all of the proceeds from the sale of her "Bob Beetle Book Bug" picture book will be donated to the cause of children's literacy.

Now, on to the story! The premise of "Bob Beetle Book Bug" is simple but powerful. The book stars a cute little green "book bug" who is excited to share his passion for books in all of their wonderful forms. As he says, he loves "little books, big books, old books and new…red books, white books and yellow books too…blue books, brown books, short books and tall…fat books, skinny books, he loves them all!"

As you can probably tell from that small excerpt, this book is funny, cute and well-written. It is also interactive, with Bob Beetle talking directly to the reader and inviting them to join him in his wonderful world of books. The book poses some great questions that could easily serve as discussion starters with kids. Perhaps best of all, Bob Beetle encourages the whole family to get involved and find the time to read together as a family.

Overall, this is simply a wonderful book built around a much-needed concept. Books like this carry the potential to turn even the most reluctant young readers into book lovers. This is a great pick for families, schools, libraries and community organizations devoted to literacy. If you would like to purchase a copy, please visit Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

 

Are printed books really endangered?

With the advent and increasing popularity of ebooks, many doomsday prophets are now proclaiming that printed books will quickly meet their demise. I have heard experts claim that within the next 50 years, traditional books are destined to go the way of vinyl records. They might be used for decoration or sought out by collectors, but other than that, books as we have always known them will be obsolete.

Is this true? I hate to think so. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not one of those purists who believe that ereaders are evil or anything, in fact I own a Kindle myself, but I still prefer the feel of a real book in my hands. Maybe I am old-fashioned or sentimental, but nothing will ever feel the same to me as flipping the pages of a new book.

I don't really want to live in a world where the only place I can buy books is Amazon either. I like the convenience and wide diversity of internet bookstores, but I would much rather browse a brick and mortar store. I could literally spend hours in a cozy bookstore reading area. I prefer to sit down and try a book out before I buy it. Plus, in the bookstore I get to snoop around to see what other people are reading and get in some people watching, which happen to be two of my favorite pastimes.

As an author, I can also attest to the fact that there is nothing like holding your own book in your hands. I have had both ebooks and traditional books published, and the ebooks don't elicit near the excitement from myself or others as the handheld ones do. This fact gives me hope for the future of traditional literature. What about you? Do you think that printed books are on their last leg? If so, will you consider it a great loss?

"Sasha and the Magic Pen" Children's Book Review

I'm sure you have all read reviews that claim a book's characters truly 'come to life before your eyes', well, I can say that literally happens in this book! "Sasha and the Magic Pen" is an illustrated children's book written by Saragine Francois and illustrated by Javier Duarte. Although "Sasha and the Magic Pen" is published by Mirror Publishing (the same publisher that released my book "Ode to Icky"), I can promise you that the following review is completely honest and true to my opinion.

Before I go into specifics about the book, I wanted to first say that the main characters' names (Sasha and Malia) had me thinking about President Obama's daughters the whole time I read the book. I don't know if the author purposefully gave the girls in the story the same name as our President's kids, but the illustrations kind of cemented the idea in my head, because I thought they kind of looked like Sasha and Malia Obama.

Now on to the actual story. The plot of "Sasha and the Magic Pen" is as follows: Sasha is a ten-year-old girl who feels like she doesn't have any 'real' friends. She makes a wish to find a friend to play with and then later finds a magic pen on her school playground. While she is working on a school project, she traces a picture of a book character named Ursa and finds that when she blows on the picture, Ursa actually comes to life! Soon Sasha and her older sister Malia have brought Ursa's dog to life as well. After that, mayhem ensues as the girls try to hide their new friends and find a way to return them to their storybook before it is too late.

Personally, I really liked this book. I found the premise imaginative and could easily relate to all of the characters. I like how the emphasis is on friendship and the importance of stories. Even though Ursa and her dog decide they don't want to return to their storybook life, the other characters work to convince her that if she doesn't return that no one will get to read the story again, which would be a real tragedy. It made me think about how important fictional characters can be, especially to children.

The story is entertaining as well. There are plenty of humor, mystery and fantasy elements available to keep even the most reluctant readers engaged. Technically "Sasha and the Magic Pen" is recommended for ages 8 & up, but I personally think that younger children would enjoy the story as well, they just might need help reading it if they aren't reading independently yet. The story is longer than your average picture book, but still lends itself well to reading aloud, you just might have to split it into several readings.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to children ages 6-12. Girls would probably be more likely to give it a try, but I think boys would enjoy it as well if they could get past the fact that the main characters are girls. If you would like to find out more about this book, its author or order a copy for your child, please visit the author's website, http://www.saragine.com/index.php.

 

My first elementary school author visit!!!

Today was my first official elementary school author visit.  I must admit I was sweating this one big time.  I kept worrying that I would get in front of everyone and just bomb it.  I am a nervous public speaker anyway, so I was terrified by the thought of getting up in front of people I don't even know and talking about my new picture book, "Ode to Icky".  Certain thoughts kept whirling around in my head:  What if no one likes my book?  What if I got up in front of them all and couldn't think of anything else to say besides "um"?  And worst of all, what if I made such a bad impression that they never invited me back?

Now I can say with a big sigh of relief that I was honestly worried for NOTHING!!!  The author visit went great today!  I spoke to three different classrooms, and all three seemed absolutely enthralled by me and the book.  Both teachers and students told me they "loved my book", and I even overheard one kid going around telling all his friends what an "awesome, funny book" I had written.  By the time I left I had kids asking me to autograph their homework, their arms and just about any other surface they could provide!  It made me feel like royalty!

By the time it was over I had learned a few things.

1.  I underestimated how much kids really love to talk to authors.  I thought most kids thought books were kind of boring and would think the same about the authors who write them.  Boy was I wrong!

2.  Kids ask really funny, amusing questions, but they also occasionally come up with an insight that I didn't even have about my book.  The things they notice are amazing.  For instance, I really had never noticed that the illustrator had drawn the characters without tongues, but one kid sure did and wanted to know why they didn't have tongues.

3.  I worry way too much about the small stuff, like making sure I have the perfect pen to sign my books with or wearing just the right outfit.  But my audience doesn't really care too much about those things, they just want some attention from someone that they feel they can look up to.  It makes me so proud to know that I am someone they consider worth emulating!

 

Interview with author Tammy Ruggles

(Before we get to the actual interview, I just had to say that this author really made me happy!  Since Edgar Allan Poe has always been my favorite author, it is a joy to get to write about another devout fan of his!  Also, the first two writers I would choose to meet, living or dead, are the exact same ones this author chose!)

OK, now on to the interview…

Tammy Ruggles is a writer who dabbles in many different areas.  She has had a fair share of success with her most recent published work, Peace: Quotations & Aspirations for a Peaceful Planet, but may be even more well-known for the audio books she has created for young adults under her pen name, Miss Tammy.  These audio books are gritty and realistic, meeting kids and teens right where they are, in the midst of this confusing, often messed up world we live in.

I could tell you more about Miss Tammy, but perhaps it would be best to let her tell you in her own words…

1. When did you first decide that you wanted to be an author? What made you want to choose this career path?

I first got that dream when I was about 13, which was when I started writing short stories and my friends passed them around to each other at school. My classmates really liked them and I really liked creating the stories, so I kept doing it, but I didn't have any aspirations of becoming a real, professional, published writer. It was something I did on the sidelines as a hobby, just for myself. I didn't choose it as a career path until I was 40, when I had to retire from my first chosen career, which was social work. Even at 40 I wasn't sure I could write professionally. I still felt like that 13-year-old writer. It still seemed like a hobby. But I gave it a chance. It took a lot of query letters, but it worked. The first article I ever sold to a magazine was about babysitting, and I got a check for $35. It felt like Christmas!

2. Who are some of the authors that greatly influenced your writing style? What were some of your favorite books as a kid?

Well, I wish I knew what my style is! I don't know. But I dearly loved Dr. Seuss books, and still do. He really sets the imagination free. I liked Chalou, which was the story about a dog, because it's a story that tugs on your heart. Later, Harold Robbins was a writer whose style I liked to read, which was simple and easy. William Peter Blatty riveted me with The Exorcist. Peter Benchley is another writer whose basic, direct style was something I liked. And I cannot leave out Edgar Allan Poe. There is an elegance and a rhythm and pace to his stories that I really get into.

3. Did you have a hard time getting your first book published?

I think it was a little hard trying to break in at 40. It took about 500 rejection letters from all kinds of publishers to get that one yes for Peace.

4. Assuming that you write for children or young adults, what made you decide to write for those age groups? Do you still feel connected to your "inner child"?

I think I have a connection with kids. They seem to like me. I still feel like a kid at heart sometimes. I haven't forgotten the ups and downs of childhood and adolescence, and, being a retired social worker, writing about and for kids and teenagers in trouble comes easy for me. I don't mind writing about touchy subjects. It's reality, what kids are really going through. Like with my two new audio books coming up: How To Save A Life is about a boy who tries to save his best friend's life, and Summer Doesn't Dance Anymore is about a teenage girl afraid to tell even her best friend that she's been raped. Then I have a 3rd one, an Edgar Allan Poe story, The Tell-Tale Heart, which is a little different for me because I didn't write it.

5. What are some of your hobbies, other than writing?

I love going to movies. I love sketching. I love cooking. I love listening to music.

6. Do you have any sage advice for new authors who are just entering the field?

One, keep trying. If you give up too soon, you'll regret it. Try not to take it personally when your material gets rejected. That's part of publication. Just learn from it and go on. Grow. Two, although writing is an art, it's also a business, so keep that in mind when dealing with editors and publishers. Three, write what makes you feel good, what comes easy to you, always try something new or different, and finish projects that you start. Four, don't just talk about writing. Actually write. And five, don't forget the query letter. Publication begins with querying. You must do this continually. It's probably the most important part of becoming published.

7. Do you hold any other jobs outside of your writing? If so, do you find that this helps your writing or gets in the way?

Since I'm retired, I have a lot of free time for writing, and I love doing it, but I don't let writing get in the way of my family, friends, and faith. I like to have a balance of things. I think it helps the writing when you fill yourself up with life and doing other things besides writing. Then you'll have something to come back and write about.

8. If you could meet one author, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

I would like to meet two of them. Edgar Allan Poe, and Emily Dickinson, because I'd want to ask them, "How do you do it?" but I'd probably be too nervous to meet them.

9. Do you have any other information you would like to share, such as a website, author page, awards won, etc.?

I don't have any awards, but I do have a professional website that tells about my stuff:

http://tammyruggles.tripod.com/

Then there are a few websites where you can go and hear my audiobooks:

www.learnoutloud.com

www.teachoutloud.com

www.youtube.com/misstammyschannel

And other places on the internet like amblingbooks.com or audiobooktreasury.com. Just google it and you'll find the places I didn't mention.

A week of good and bad…

This week has been a bit crazy.  On the negative side, I caught the stomach flu from hell.  I should have known that this virus was bad when all the people at my grandfather's nursing home started wearing face masks to avoid catching it.  Unfortunately, nobody offered face masks to us visitors, so both my mother and I ended up catching the crud after visiting.  I must say it was the sickest I have been in at least a decade.  However, I powered through and am now on the mend…kind of.

Now, on to the positive stuff that I would much rather dwell on.  First of all, I just signed a contract for a 3rd picture book!  It's funny how after years of submitting manuscripts and receiving rejections, that I finally seem to have broken through.  Within the past year and a half, I have had three picture book manuscripts accepted by three different publishing houses.  I consider this a real victory, especially considering how the economy is doing right now!

Other good news:

*I will be reading my recently released picture book, "Ode to Icky" to my first elementary school classroom this coming Wednesday!  The plans were finalized this week, so hopefully it goes well and I sell a few books there too!  I will be talking to a couple classes at the same school that day, so I'm excited!  I also have another school lined up to do an author meeting with, so I guess I need to learn to be a little more outgoing and leave the hermit side of myself at home.

*The Dayton Metro Library system is considering stocking each of their library's childrens departments with "Ode to Icky".  They also might have me come in to do some author readings/talks.  This is great news since the Dayton Library system is pretty big and reaches a large population here!

*Since my grandfather's physical condition has stabilized somewhat for right now, I am slowly returning to my full workload, and just this past week decided to start doing book reviews for other children's authors again.  I love reading and reviewing children's books, so I'm excited to have the time to do so once again.  I already have accepted a few author requests for reviews, but I do have a couple spots left.  Feel free to contact me at Shojobeatgirl@live.com if you have written a children's book and need a review (right now I am requesting physical copies rather than ebook copies whenever possible, so please keep that in mind).

Free books for Amazon Prime Members

Hello everyone!  I know it has been quite awhile since I posted, but with the holidays, family illnesses and other responsibilities that have been thrown my way, I have just been overwhelmed, so I took some time off.  We did have some great times over the holiday, for instance, the cosmic bowling that we did on New Year's Eve.  The picture included here is of me and a family member celebrating there!

In addition to the happiness the season brought to my family, it also bumped up the sales figures for my newest picture book, "Ode to Icky".  Most of these were signed copies that I sold personally, but still, getting my book into the hands of readers always puts a smile on my face!

Over the holidays, the Kindle version of "Ode to Icky" became available for FREE to anyone who happens to be an Amazon Prime Member.  Unless I'm mistaken, the Amazon Prime program is rather new, but it seems to have some great perks if you shop Amazon often for books or other products.  You receive free shipping on most of your Amazon orders, unlimited instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows and access to tons of free books for the Kindle through the Kindle Lending Library program.

To be completely honest, I haven't signed up as a Prime Member yet, but I am seriously considering it.  I love my Kindle and whenever I can't find something I want in a nearby store, I almost always purchase it from Amazon.  So if you happen to be an Amazon Prime Member, I have two requests to make of you:

First, please consider downloading "Ode to Icky" for free!  Even though it is free to you, I do receive a small royalty every time it is downloaded.  Secondly, I would love to hear your opinion of the Prime program and how you have liked it so far.  Has it been worth the money?