Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 26
July 19, 2018
Old Whiskers Escapes! {A President Benjamin Harrison Adventure}
It always warms my heart when I see historic stories from our past re-told in fun and modern ways. I especially adore stories that reveal fun stories about this Nation’s leaders that prove that Presidents are people too! That is exactly what the charming picture book, Old Whiskers Escapes! does.
Did you know that President Benjamin Harrison had a pet goat named Old Whiskers that lived on the White House grounds?
The Harrison grandchildren pose for a photo with Old Whiskers. NATIONAL JOURNALThe goat often was spotted taking the president’s grandchildren on wagon rides on the lawn-which the grandkids obviously loved. The Old Whiskers Escapes! tale is actually inspired by a real-life conundrum; the day Old Whiskers escaped with Grandson Baby McKee in tow.
Can you imagine this combination of panic and hilarity? Obviously, this fiasco would be impossible in today’s age of Secret Service staffing and presidential security.
Upon discovering the pet goat was missing, President Harrison went running down Pennsylvania Avenue in hot pursuit, his top hat in one hand and cane in the other.
The story, delightful in its own right, will offer readers surprising insight into the popularity of presidential pets at the White House during the 19th Century, and the enduring relationships between grandparents and their grandchildren, even when “grandpa” is running the country.
“Uh-oh! When the clock struck 2, Baby McKee jumped with glee. It was time for the afternoon wagon ride on the White House lawn. The cart was ready. Old Whiskers was ready. But where was Grandpa?”
Written by Donna Griffin and illustrated by Gary Varvel, the book includes four pages of rich historical sidebars, including primary sources documenting the great goat caper, fun facts about presidential pets, and information about the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis, a museum home that tells the life story of America’s centennial president.
This picture book is suitable for ages 4-7 and can be found on Amazon.
Something To Do
Learn all about President Benjamin Harrison
President Harrison was the 23rd commander-in-chief of the United States and was a grandson of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison, creating the only grandfather-grandson duo to have held the office. Harrison was a forward thinker, a great orator, a lifelong scholar, and a truly brilliant man. Harrison addressed immigration issues and opened Ellis Island, dealt decisively with crisis and the environment, and calmed unrest overseas. He was a respected Civil War General, a man whose ethics were beyond reproach, and a Progressive who ushered in the modern presidency. The State of Indiana proudly claims him as Indiana’s only president!
He was also the picture of the doting grandpa. After inauguration in 1889, he and first lady, Caroline, brought their grandchildren to live with them at the White House. President Harrison would dress up as Santa Claus at Christmastime and personally waited on them at birthday parties. One especially favored grandson was reported to have received a full suit of armor for his birthday!
Our Nation’s 23rd President has also garnered increases interest recently thanks to the release of an Emmy-nominated documentary on PBS.
Did you know that, if President Harrison was alive today, he’d be 185 years old? Learn how the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site is celebrating this August 20th milestone.
Let’s talk about Whiskers. Not Whiskers the goat, but a Presidential whisker craft! Q-Made has an adorable DIY Yarn Beard activity that fits this book review to a “T.”
Enjoy this book and watch out for runaway goats!
ONE MORE THING
A Year in the Secret Garden
As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages is also an important act that will the habit of being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only working to create special family time, it allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences. A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book.
This delightful children’s book that is co-written by Marilyn Scott-Waters and Valarie Budyar and it offers original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden.
Within the 120 pages (with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities)families will find many activities inspired by The Secret Garden that encourages them to step away from technology and enjoy getting hands and feet into the black earth of a family garden. This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst of many hours of family growth, learning and FUN!
Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
The post Old Whiskers Escapes! {A President Benjamin Harrison Adventure} appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
July 17, 2018
PBS wants to keep Millennials Reading | The Great American Read and It’s Lit!
“Kids don’t read books anymore…”
I’m sure I am not the only one who runs into this pushback on a regular basis. While it’s a common assumption that kids today prefer their digital devices over reading books, but research has actually shown that Millennials are more well-read than earlier generations and read more books per year!
But the battle continues to keep our kids reading, especially during the summer months, and this applies to the YA crowd as well.
Long-standing children and adult programming giant PBS also know that Young Adult Fiction (YA) is dominating literature, and more young people are reading now than ever before.
With this in mind, these brilliant artists of the airwaves have created something special for Millennials called, It’s Lit! You may have heard about The Great American Read, a new multi-platform series from PBS. This series, hosted by television personality and journalist Meredith Vieira, introduces viewers to the full list of America’s 100 favorite novels selected through a demographically representative national survey conducted by YouGovAmerica’s favorite novels.
Well, part of The Great American Read series in the new and innovative It’s Lit!
Created as a YA summer video essay series hosted by Lindsay Ellis that explores books in a new way for young adults that helps them to discover classics and other great reads. It’s the Great American Read, with a Young Adult twist.
In a nutshell, It’s Lit! is a series of smart, funny video essays about favorite YA books, old and new.
Follow the series on PBS here or search this hashtag on Twitter. #GreatReadPBS
Another fun part of this series is how Lindsay delves into topics like the evolution of YA, how science fiction mirrors our own anxieties, and why the book is sometimes just “a bit” better than the movie.
Episodes are already live with more to come soon. I adore how this series working to dispell the “kids don’t read anymore” while providing an innovative way for YA readers to “dive deep” into the books and topics they love. To learn more about PBS’ It’s LIT!, visit them here or check out Lindsey’s Facebook page here.
ONE MORE THING
If a spellbinding and “edge of your chair” novel is what you seek, you will LOVE the much-anticipated sequel to JIAB intern, Hannah Rials’ runaway YA hit, Ascension. Book Two in the Ascension series is Clandestine and its already bringing in raves reviews.
“Gripping until the very end.” – Scott Reintgen, author of Nyxia
“Dark, surprising, and full of twists, the Ascension series is a delectable addition to vampire canon. Rials paints a rich and engrossing world of vampires, half-vampires witches– each with their own agenda. Cheyenne’s struggle to be free is one that every girl will recognize, and I rooted for her as she bristled against the roles cast for her by society. It’s the story of a girl yearning to come into her own powers, powers both frightening and beautiful.” ~Maggie Thrash, author of L.A. Times Book Prize nominee Honor Girl
Cheyenne Lane never believed it could come to this—imprisoned by her own family, who are plotting to overthrow the vampire Council. Ripped away from the happiness of her summer romance and friendship in New Orleans, Cheyenne is forced to begin her education at Clandestine, the secret Deuxsang University, one year early.
She is guarded constantly, separated from her best friend Anne, and desperate for any word from Eli and the witches. Meanwhile, her cousin Lilith has discovered that Cheyenne possesses all four vampiric abilities—unheard of for a Deuxsang—and intends to use her in the Ascending’s rebellious scheme.
At 17, Cheyenne finds herself the center of a centuries-old conspiracy involving the vampires, Deuxsang, and witches, and everyone is telling her who she should trust and what she should do. Her head is too full of voices and opinions, and it’s time for Cheyenne to make up her own mind.
Is she ready to step into the role she was made for? Who can she trust? Who is her friend and who is her enemy? Is she really a born leader? All questions that only she can answer. As the information and scenario gets more confusing, she knows she must listen to her intuition if she is going to shift the truth from all the lies.
Pre-order Clandestine HERE (release date: July 21, 2018)
The post PBS wants to keep Millennials Reading | The Great American Read and It’s Lit! appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
July 15, 2018
Weekend Links | New Reviews and Launches from Jump Into a Book and Audrey Press Books!
Summer has been speeding by, but I’ve been so delightfully busy with both of my businesses, Jump Into a Book (JIAB) and Audrey Press Publishing, that I’ve had little time to stop and smell the flowers!
So before I pause for a little deserved “downtime,” I wanted to share some of the amazing projects I’ve been lucky enough to be part of so far in 2018.
Jump Into a Book, my children’s book review and collaborative play site, recently turned nine years old and has published over one thousand blog posts. One thousand! Some of my popular and recent reviews include Mason Jar Science: 40 Slimy, Squishy, Super-Cool Experiments, Picture Books that help us Bee Kind to Bees, and news that children’s classic magazine Highlights for Children now has a podcast for kids!
Highlights Hangout Podcast for KidsView my other posts when you have a moment. There’s so much more to discover.
P.S. Jump Into a Book now has a Sponsored Post offering as well!
Work with Us!If that hasn’t kept me busy enough, my publishing house Audrey Press (and imprints Aletha Press and Labyrinthine Press) has been producing books like crazy.
The three latest amazing books to bear the Audrey Press name is HOW TO COACH GIRLS by Mia Wenjen (my Multicultural Children’s Book Day co-founder) and Alison Foley, Pilgrimage: A Modern Seeker’s Guide by Evans Bowen (one of my very best friends) and the follow-up book to young author, Hannah Rials’ smash hit YA thriller Ascension, Clandestine.
These three books cover the non-fiction, spirituality and YA thriller genres so there’s something for everyone with these latest offerings!
I am also happy to hint that there are several more books in the works at Audrey Press including a diverse picture book! More details on that soon.
With both JIAB and Audrey Press Books, I am more aware than ever of the importance of supporting authors. Buy a book, leave a review, and follow them on social media. It all only takes a minute.
Thank you for your continued support of Jump Into a Book and Audrey Press Books!
The post Weekend Links | New Reviews and Launches from Jump Into a Book and Audrey Press Books! appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
July 12, 2018
The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy) | #ReadKidsClassics
As I’m sifting and creating the Tom Sawyer book adventure for “Jump Into A Book,” I’ve found myself laughing, loving, and living inside the pages of this Mark Twain masterpiece and above all else classic piece of American literature.
Oftentimes I’ve thought of Mark Twain as the same thing as Tom Sawyer but when I really started to think about it, I didn’t know much about the infamous Mark Twain so I went searching for a little information and came upon a picture biography about his daughter who just happened to be his biographer.
“This is a frank biographer and an honest one, she uses no sandpaper on me.” Mark Twain
Susy was Mark Twain’s 13-year-old daughter who felt that people didn’t really know her father. Even those people who had read all of his books attended all of his lectures and considered themselves “experts. That inspired her to write her own book, The Extraordinary Mark Twain.
So basically this precocious 13-year-old set out to set the record straight and secretly wrote her own biography of her father Mark Twain.
“ He has a keen sense of the ludicrous, notices funny stories and incidents, knows how to tell them, to improve upon them, and does not forget them…But still, he is more interested in earnest books and earnest subjects.” ~ Susy Clemmons
This lovely book was written by Barbara Kerley, with its great prose, not only gives us a peek into the life of Samuel Clemmons aka Mark Twain but on how to write a biography. This book seamlessly blends the life of the Clemmons family and takes us on a journey into the life of Mark Twain. This book, published in 2010, has also garnered many awards including:
2010 CYBILS Nonfiction Picture Book Award
Best Children’s Books 2010 — Publishers Weekly
Best Books 2010 — School Library Journal
Best Books for Children and Teens 2010 — Kirkus Reviews
Best of 2010: Books for Young Readers — Washington Post
A Junior Library Guild selection
100 Titles for Reading and Sharing — New York Public Library
Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Books Gold Award, California Reading Association
Winner of the Oregon Spirit Book Award for Nonfiction — OCTE
Oregon Book Award Finalist
Edwin Fotheringham, the illustrator, really caught the fun that Mark Twain and Susy shared in their lives. The illustrations are fantastic and I love the use of “colonial” colors. I really feel that these were the types of colors being used in the 19th century. In the middle of each double page fold is a little journal with an excerpt from Susy’s journal about her father. These illustrations really bring Barbara’s great writing to life.
Samuel Clemmons who’s pen name was Mark Twain was known for many books but especially for “Tom Sawyer” and “Huckleberry Finn.
After sharing this book together, you too will discover that anyone can write a biography with a little observation. why not start right now? Barbara Kerley, the author has this wonderful printable page with the very easy guidelines to Writing an Extraordinary Biography. It’s also in the back of the book.
As always with a Barbara Kerley book, it’s an experience and not just a story. Enjoy!
The post The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy) | #ReadKidsClassics appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
June 24, 2018
A Roundup of Fairy Magic for International Build a Fairy House Week
June is filled with so much fun, activities, observances, and book-related adventure…but the one I look forward to the most is International Build a Fairy House Week (June 21-28)
Build a Fairy House or Den to help raise awareness of the importance of nature and creativity in a child’s life.
Fairy Houses are small structures for the fairies and nature’s friends to visit. This human-made house is constructed solely of elements of nature like sticks, bark, dry grasses, pebbles and pine cones. Special care needs to be taken by fairy house builders to not destroy living things or introduce man-made products into their designs. The care of our earth is said to be very important to all fairies. Fairies are also attracted to happiness and beauty so creativity can range from a rustic to intricate “fairy mansions,” to whimsical and simple habitats built by children.
To best way to create a fairy dwelling is to find a quiet place away from roads and busy areas such as much traveled walking paths and trails. The bases of trees are popular places, as are stumps, logs, large boulders or natural hollows in tree trunks. Using only nature’s supplies like fallen branches or sticks or cut brush, fairy house builders can create tee-pee-style abodes for fairy friends. Decorating the inside of the house can be achieved by using items like leaves for beds or rugs, pieces of moss or wood fragments for chairs, acorn tops for footstools, flowers or feathers for decoration, pine needles for carpeting, pine cones for couches, berries from trees as fairy food, pretty rocks for stepping-stones and berries from trees as fairy food. Builders also need to be mindful to keep their houses small. If it is too big, no fairy would want to live there because it will be too obvious. A fairy house is supposed to be anonymous and hidden so that it remains a mystery as to who made it.
Sweet Fairy Books
This lovely book, The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker, enchants the mind and the senses with the thought that there are fairies in our flowers and gardens. These gentle and lovely illustrations not only depicts the beauty of our flowers in the garden but were our launching pad for believing in fairies and all that ensued.
Next came fairy food and cooking, fairy dolls and clothes, looking for fairy rings and finally building fairy houses and villages.
When my girls were little we use to watch this movie called Kristen’s Fairy House. Oh, how they would watch this and be inspired! They would then run out into our own garden and create a fairy garden just like Kristen.
And by the time their little brother came along my daughters were master fairy house builders. And wouldn’t you know, one of the first books they read to their new little brother was Tracey Kane’s Fairy Houses.
Reading Brightly (post from Melissa Taylor) has a wonderful list of 12 Super Magical Fairy Books for Kids
Something To Do:
1. Want to learn more about Fairy Folklore? Check out Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology by Theresa Bane
2. How to attract Fairies to your home:
-Care for the earth that we all inhabit! That’s very important to fairies
-Be happy! Fairies are attracted to happiness and lightness. Keep a cheerful air about your home!
-Plant an oak tree – they love oak trees!
-Plant their favorite flowers, such as Sunflowers, Honeysuckle, and pansies
-Respect their secrecy and privacy–this is key. Fairies are very private creatures.
3. Give them their own space–build a village of fairy houses!
4. Want to experience the magic of a fairy forest? Take a family vacation to Mackworth Island and see all of the naturally-built fairy houses!
This summer (May, 2018) I was lucky enough to travel back to Mackworth Island with my Head Elf, Becky, and good friend, Mia Wenjen. I was so thrilled to be able to show them the wonder and serenity of this jewel in Maine. We set to work building our own special Fairy House and we were very proud of the results.
Where will you be building your Fairy House?
A Year in the Secret Garden
As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages is also an important act that will the habit of being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only working to create special family time, it allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences. A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book.
This delightful children’s book that is co-written by Marilyn Scott-Waters and Valarie Budyar and it offers original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden.
Within the 120 pages (with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities)families will find many activities inspired by The Secret Garden that encourages them to step away from technology and enjoy getting hands and feet into the black earth of a family garden. This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst of many hours of family growth, learning and FUN!
Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
The post A Roundup of Fairy Magic for International Build a Fairy House Week appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
June 21, 2018
June Picture Book #Kidlit Book Bundle Giveaway
My desk is currently piled with lovely, charming and colorful children’s picture books that I can’t wait to review. So what do you do when you have accumulated too many beautiful children’s books? Reviewing and sharing the beauty of these great books makes me happy, but what really makes my heart sing is giving them away!
Enter to win my June Kidlit Book Bundle Giveaway and possibly win 5 brand new kids books! Here’s what the prize bundle contains this month:
Read, Read, and Read by Elizabeth and Liv Gorcey
Read, Read, and Read tells the story of Liv’s love of books, and proves that a book can be a friend and make a friend. This book is not only a fun read for the kids, it also opens up a dialogue between young children and their parents on reading and friendship. The award-winning Liv On Life series features Olivia and her best friend, Bowie ( like David Bowie), a Boxer dog. Read my full book review and interview with Elizabeth and Liv HERE.
The Secret of the Stairs
Robbie Raines is an inquisitive eleven-year-old African-American girl with a deep love of history and the strange ability to see visions populated by famous figures.
When she’s forced to spend her summer days with her mysterious Aunt Enna in a dilapidated, horror-movie-scary old house, she discovers a dark family secret. A local handyman was found dead in the basement years ago, and his death was never solved. Was it an accident? Or did her aunt commit a cold-blooded murder?
Armed with her intense curiosity, a vast knowledge of historical trivia, and her helpful visions, Robbie sets out to solve the decade-old case. With the aid of a retired detective named Granger, and her best pal, Stacie, Robbie discovers clues long missed by the police and pieces together what really happened in her aunt’s shadowy stairway. Read my full review HERE.
Mason Jar Science! Help kids capture the magic of science in a jar (and moms love the fact there’s less mess). In this tabletop lab, kids learn the core principles of science by distilling experiments into a mason jar. Anything that encourages kids to step away from technology while awakening a love for scientific discovery is priceless.
Read my full review with companion activities HERE.
¿Qué Pasa? | Alphabetization in the Spanish Speaking World
Created by Yvette and illustrator Ines Hüni, the purpose of this new book, titled ¿Qué pasa? Los an Animales de la A a la Z, was created to promote Alphabetization in the Spanish Speaking World
This book has been designed specifically to promote alphabetization in the Spanish speaking world, which is an underserved market. A little-known fact is that Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world. Te invito a que descubras el alfabeto de una forma divertida. Aprender a leer es el comienzo de una gran aventura! Leer es un derecho no un privilegio.
Max Explains Everything by Stacy McAnulty
Max knows everything about trips to the grocery store because his parents make him go All. The. Time. Even when they run out of little things . . . like toilet paper. So he’s pretty much an expert. Whether it’s choosing the right breakfast cereal or surviving the obstacle course that is the produce section, Max is here to help. Having trouble talking mom into finally getting that puppy she promised? Picking up a bag of dog food might just be the push she needs! And always remember to keep your eyes on the prize–the checkout lane is your last chance to grab the real essentials. Candy! Full of humor and “helpful” tips, Max Explains Everything: Grocery Store Expert is the first in a delightful new picture book series starring kid-expert Max!
AND, this adorable book also comes with a Max Explains Everything Activity Packet!
LET’S GIVE SOME BOOKS AWAY!
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
ONE winner will receive a copy of each of the 5 above books. Giveaway begins June 21, 2018
Prizing & samples courtesy of Authors of the above books
Giveaway open to US addresses only
ONE lucky winner will win one copy of each of the above books.
Residents of USA only, please.
Must be 18 years or older to enter
One entry per household.
Staff and family members of Audrey Press are not eligible.
Grand Prize winner has 48 hours to claim prize
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on July 1, 2018
The post June Picture Book #Kidlit Book Bundle Giveaway appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
June 19, 2018
Read, Read, and Read | When a Mom, a Tween and a Boxer dog create a Picture Book
The book had a whimsical, classic and “keepsake” feel to the cover, binding, and pages. Before I even opened the cover and read the story I knew it would be the kind of book that would capture the hearts of those who read it. Then I discovered the coauthors are a mother/daughter duo and I was even more enamored!
Read, Read, and Read, the third book in the Liv on Life children’s book series that is co-written by actress Elizabeth Gorcey and her 11 year-old daughter, Olivia “Liv” Gorcey.
Read, Read, and Read tells the story of Liv’s love of books, and proves that a book can be a friend and make a friend. This book is not only a fun read for the kids, it also opens up a dialogue between young children and their parents on reading and friendship. The award-winning Liv On Life series features Olivia and her best friend, Bowie ( like David Bowie), a Boxer dog.
Fun Fact: Bowie is Liv and Elizabeth real-life pet and this 10-year-old Boxer is not a huge fan of being read to, but he loves his people so much he will tolerate a story or two.
As an actress, author, and mom, Elizabeth has been creating her entire life with paint, film, and words. The sweet and charming Liv on Life series was inspired by Elizabeth’s observation of her three-year-old’s ability to spontaneously deliver wisdom and advice to anyone who was listening. Elizabeth dubbed these musings as “Liv-isms,” and each book in the series is based on these everyday insights.
Elizabeth also knew that sometimes kids are the best teachers, and used that wisdom to encourage her own daughter to embrace and use her authentic voice to create a story that would delight and entertain young readers. “When my mom and I created the concept for the Liv on Life books including Read, Read, and Read, we weren’t trying to teach a lesson. But we just wanted kids and families to not view reading as homework or something they ‘have to do,'” Liv noted. “We want young readers to know they can use books as a friend…and also as a way to make a friend.”
“Liv is the go-to-girl for kids and parents looking for advice on how to navigate our modern, technological world, ” Elizabeth added. “All three books in our series facilitate dialogue between parents and children while also encouraging kids to find and celebrate their authentic voices.”
Their first two books Green is Good and Going to the Park are also based on the life philosophy of this very wise little girl, and the LOL Series has been honored with a variety of awards, including the Beverly Hills International Book Awards finalist in Picture Books for Going to the Park , Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, First Place for Green is Good in the category of Green Living and Environmental Excellence, Newbie Author Award from Royal Dragonfly for Going to the Park , and International Book Excellence Awards for Going to the Park as a finalist in Picture Books, and Green is Good as the Winner in the Green Living category. Green is Good was selected for “Great Kids’ Gifts” in People magazine’s holiday issue as well.
It wasn’t long into our conversation that I indeed could tell Olivia was wise beyond her eleven years. This ambitious and creative young lady has also won the inaugural Gutsy Girls Educational Award and is a regular columnist for two magazines-Story Monsters Ink and ACT, under the banner of “Liv Says…”. Liv also shared that she and her mom plan to create the first chapter book in the LOL series very soon.
When asked to share her thoughts on books and life, young Liv had this to say: “Books and music can change the world, but the most important thing is to remember to be true to yourself and be kind to others.”
Something To Do
This LivOnLife website is bursting with fun games, quizzes, Q&A’s with Liv, coloring pages and recipes. Discover the Liv on Life fun HERE!
Connect with Elizabeth and Olivia via their website , Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The post Read, Read, and Read | When a Mom, a Tween and a Boxer dog create a Picture Book appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
June 17, 2018
Weekend Links: Books, Observances and Activities that help us love June
So much going on in June! Festivities! Planting! Reading! Acknowledging! Listening! This sixth month of 2018 is filled with so much book-related goodness that I’m not sure I can cram it all into one blog post. Here are some highlights to check out during the merry month of June.
June is #ImmigrantHeritageMonth and here are Kidlit books that Celebrate Immigrants
Svenja at Colours of Us has a 30 Multicultural Picture Booklist about Immigration
Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix, the #ImmigrantStory of the #chef who came to America from #Seoul as a child to #Koreatown in Los Angeles and later kickstarted the national #FoodTruck movement by putting serving #KoreanBBQ in a #Taco, a brilliant #CulinaryRemix that reflects the #NewAmericanCuisine as well as the #NewAmerica.
Literati Books has The 10 Best Children’s Books That Celebrate Immigration
June Is Audiobook Month
June is National #AudiobookMonth and there are lots of reasons to celebrate audiobooks! Here are a few of JIAB’s recommends:
Donna Getzinger Driver’s award-winning middle-grade novel, No One Needed to Know, about the challenges and responsibilities of having an older autistic brother is now available as an audiobook! Learn more at www.dgdriver.com/no-one-Needed-to-Know.html
Fun, Fresh, and AUDIBLE Audio Books for #AudioBookMonth
Check out these Readers To Eaters #audiobooks from Live Oak Media:
• Sylvia’s Spinach (new in audiobook this spring!)
• Zora’s Zucchini (new in paperback)
• Alice Waters and the Trip to Delicious (with Afterword read by Alice Waters)
• Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table (with Afterword read by Will Allen )
Find more of my audiobook picks, along with some great audiobook resources for tweens and teens, in my blog post HERE.
June 8th was World Oceans Day, but we should honor Mother Earth and her waters all year long!
Montessori-Inspired Resources for World Oceans Day
More Bees, Please
We love our pollinators and anything we can do to help and support them is so important. Please view these two Jump Into a Book posts about Praising Pollinators
and Books that Help Kids Bee Kind to Bees.
And while you’re at it…let’s spend more of June in the garden!
A Year in the Secret Garden
As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages is also an important act that will the habit of being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only working to create special family time, it allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences. A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book.
This delightful children’s book that is co-written by Marilyn Scott-Waters and Valarie Budyar and it offers original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden.
Within the 120 pages (with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities)families will find many activities inspired by The Secret Garden that encourages them to step away from technology and enjoy getting hands and feet into the black earth of a family garden. This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst of many hours of family growth, learning and FUN!
Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
The post Weekend Links: Books, Observances and Activities that help us love June appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
June 14, 2018
My bff wrote a book and I just have to share | Pilgrimage: A Modern Seeker’s Guide.
Evans Bowen is someone I’ve known for 21 years.
She’s a fellow book lover, scholar, and world traveler. She loves adventure as well, yet another reason we get along so well
June 13, 2018
The Secret of the Stairs | A Robbie Raines Mystery #MKBSummerReading
When I first laid eyes on, The Secret of the Stairs, I was transported back to my love of Nancy Drew Mysteries. Action-packed and full of twists and turns, this delightful diverse chapter book will keep young readers mesmerized from beginning to end!
The Secret of the Stairs
Robbie Raines is an inquisitive eleven-year-old African-American girl with a deep love of history and the strange ability to see visions populated by famous figures.
When she’s forced to spend her summer days with her mysterious Aunt Enna in a dilapidated, horror-movie-scary old house, she discovers a dark family secret. A local handyman was found dead in the basement years ago, and his death was never solved. Was it an accident? Or did her aunt commit a cold-blooded murder?
Armed with her intense curiosity, a vast knowledge of historical trivia, and her helpful visions, Robbie sets out to solve the decade-old case. With the aid of a retired detective named Granger, and her best pal, Stacie, Robbie discovers clues long missed by the police and pieces together what really happened in her aunt’s shadowy stairway.
Intrigued, Robbie wonders if it was truly an accident or if her aunt committed a cold-blooded murder. With the aid of a retired detective named Granger, and her best pal, Stacie, Robbie discovers clues long missed by the police and pieces together what really happened in her aunt’s shadowy stairway.
MKB Read Around the World Summer Reading SeriesAbout the Author
Interested in creating a new African-American female character, Amis decided to write a detective story with a role model for girls like the main character Robbie.
“The Secret of the Stairs”
By Kara L. Amis
Softcover | 5.5 x 8.5 in | 254 pages | ISBN 9781480853249
E-Book | 254 pages | ISBN 9781480853232
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Kara L. Amis is a television producer living in Brooklyn. Originally from Washington, D.C., her first ambition was to be a history professor. But because of her love of television and storytelling, she studied communications at the University of Notre Dame, and obtained a Master of Arts degree at New York University. She currently works at ABC News-Lincoln Square Productions, where she has spent many years focusing on true crime stories. She has produced numerous news, lifestyle and entertainment programs. “The Secret of the Stairs” is her debut book.
Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the leading self-publishing company worldwide, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kind, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit http://www.archwaypublishing.com
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