Sherry Alexander's Blog, page 10

Curse of the Granville Fortune, by Kelly Hashway, Book Release!

I am so excited to share the release of Kelly Hashway's latest book for kids--Curse of the Granville Fortune. Released just yesterday by Tantrum Books, I have been waiting to add this to my best kids book list since I heard about it.
Find the fortune, and break the curse: 

The hunt is on for an ancient treasure tied to nine-year-old J.B.’s family history. He’s been having visions that make him sweaty, lightheaded, and certain he’s turning into some kind of freak—or worse, going insane. But things are worse than he imagined. The visions stem from a family curse. An ancient ancestor was accused of stealing the massive Granville fortune, and now J.B.’s entirely family will suffer.
To break the curse, J.B. must find and return the Granville’s stolen property. But he’s not the only one searching for the treasure. As he sets out on his journey through a dark and foreboding forest, he’ll battle his worst fears and fight terrifying creatures along the way. And when he meets two others who share the missing pieces of his visions and suffer from the same curse, the three soon realize they need to work together to break the curse before it’s too late.

Meet the author: Kelly Hashway
Kelly Hashway grew up reading R.L. Stein’s Fear Street novels and writing stories of her own, so it was no surprise to her family when she majored in English and later obtained a masters degree in English Secondary Education from East Stroudsburg University. After teaching middle school language arts for seven years, Hashway went back to school and focused specifically on writing. She is now the author of three young adult series, one middle grade series, and several picture books. She also writes contemporary romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake. When she isn’t writing, Hashway works as a freelance editor for small presses as well as for her own list of clients. In her spare time, she enjoys running, traveling, and volunteering with the PTO. Hashway currently resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, daughter, and two pets.
If you want to win a digital copy of this marvelous new book, check out the Giveaway on the right.

Available now at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, KOBO, Chapters Indigo, TBD, and iBOOKS

The Dirty Business of Child Trafficking: What happens to kids if they find their way home?

The Nigerian government announced this week that they reached a ceasefire agreement with Boko Haram, and that part of the agreement is to return 200 school girls kidnapped six months ago. While nothing official has come from the group itself, and the ceasefire has already been broken, one has to wonder what will happen to these children when they actually do find their way home.
None of us can even imagine the horror these children went through when their teachers were slaughtered in front of them. Then, to add to the terror that surrounded them, they were herded at gun point through the jungle and forced to denounce their parents and their religion. 
While not all children who are trafficked throughout the world are victims of such initial violence, make no mistake, every single one of them were terrorized, threatened, and forced to comply with their captors. But how does this change them?  
For years, we have heard of the Stockholm syndrome which is a psychological bonding with a hostage's captors. After days and weeks of wondering why no one is coming to save them, one can understand why a victim would begin to form a relationship with the person(s) who offer food, clothing, and support if their wishes are obeyed. But according to an article on kidnapped victims in the January 1, 2009 issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, the returning kids will have significant problems to overcome. Ten possible reactions are:
Flashbacks of their capture and confinementConfusion and disorientation of their surroundings and parental authorityA profound fear that the same thing may happen againDenial that they were taken by forceA sense of hopelessnessAnxiety and panic attacksDepressionGuiltIrritabilitySocial withdrawalIt is said that love conquers all, but in reality, it will be the emotional, physical, and psychological help these kids receive that will determine whether or not they survive their release. We can only hope that children who return from captivity, whether they are taken as hostages or sold through child trafficking, receive the help they need to rebuild their lives. Child trafficking is truly a dirty business.

Wednesday's Rave: Milo and the Green Wagon

Milo, pictured as a polar bear, wakes up one morning and tells God "today, I want to make a difference." He sets out to ask his friends to help, and on the way he discovers a beat up old green wagon in the trash. With the help of his friends and the green wagon, Milo discovers making a difference can begin with one A.C.T.

Written by Lisa Umina and published in 2008 by Halo Publishing International, Milo and the Green Wagon, is a book that touches the heart through Milo's relationship with God, and his desire to make a difference. 
I believe that all of us hope that someday or somehow, our presence on earth will make a difference for someone or something. For Milo the desire was there, and when he found the wagon, he and his friends knew it could be used to make something great happen. Together, they reached out to their neighbors and friends. They opened their hearts in kindness, and through that kindness, Milo made a difference. 
No, I won't tell you the story's plot. You need to find that for yourselves, and it is worth the read to discover it. Pick up a copy today, and share it with a young one. It is never too early to help children understand how important they are, and how no matter how small they are--they, too, can make a difference. Milo and the Green Wagon is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, or you can find it at http://www.halopublishing.com/bookstore/Lisa-M.-Umina

The Dirty Business of Child Trafficking: Selling Kids as Slaves

The trafficking of children is in a word--disgusting! Last week, I talked about one of China's adoption rings and how it impacted adoption--kids taken from their parents and sold as orphans--but I didn't tell you the other side--kids taken from their parents and sold into slavery.Merriam Webster defines slavery as "submission to a dominating influence; or, the state of a person who is chattel of another." Simply put, that means one person OWNS another, heart, body, and soul. Slavery, no matter how you look at it, is wrong! No one should ever have the right to own another person, to dominate him/her, to have control over whether he/she lives or dies. However, when we are talking about kids, the act is even more disgusting.
A report from the Labor Department released earlier this week stated that 168 million children, ranging in ages between 5 years and 17 years old, were used as child laborers last year. 168 Million!
There is no way to determine how many of those children are actually sold into labor. While it is true that in some countries, kids are sent to work by their parents to help feed and support the family, it is also true that a vast number of parents actually sell their children to traffickers. 
Why are children enslaved? Money. Children are bought to do jobs that no adult would do, and since they are owned, they don't have to be paid. It's a win, win situation for the trafficker and for the slave owner. According to Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, child laborers are used to crawl "underground in mine shafts" or they serve as domestic workers.
Child slavery is not new in any sense of the word, and no country is without a history of child slavery. We all know what took place in the United States after Dutch traders brought the first shipload of African slaves to our shores in 1619. However, my experience with child slavery is a little different. My great grandmother and several of my aunties were Native Americans. They were coerced from their tribes and families to attend a school that would teach them the white man's ways. They were not allowed their religious beliefs, their customs, their language, or their native dress, and once they were "civilized" they were sent out to  slave in factories for little money, or to serve as domestic servants regardless of their age. This, to me, was just another form of child slavery.
What is being done to stop child slavery through trafficking? Not much. The U.S. did pass a trade law which prohibits trading with countries with the "worst child-labor practices", and agencies like UNICEF are trying to put pressure on all countries to stop it. However, the only way I see to stop child trafficking is to severely punish those who sell and buy children as slaves. 
Maybe those adults need to crawl down tiny holes in the earth to check for minerals, scoop out waste from latrines, scrub floors, work their fingers to the bone in over-heated textile factories, make rugs, or any of the other hundreds of jobs these kids are forced to do without pay, without adequate food, without adequate clothing, and without human kindness. 

Oliver's Hunger Dragon Review

British author and fellow children's writer, Jane Finch, reviewed Oliver's Hunger Dragon, and has given me permission to reprint her review in it's entirety. You can find her website at http://www.finchlark.webs.com/. Thank you Jane.A REVIEW by Jane Finch

Oliver’s Hunger Dragon by Sherry Alexander and illustrated by Amy Rottinger
When I first saw a snippet of this story, I thought what a clever idea to call a rumbling tummy a hunger dragon.  Some children laugh when their tummy rumbles, and others are embarrassed. But if it’s a hunger dragon, it becomes something that children can understand and relate to.
Initially, this beautifully illustrated book is about the hunger dragon inside a little boy named Oliver. The hunger dragon is always making his presence known, grumbling and rumbling away to make sure everyone can hear that it wants food. Oliver finds he can’t run away from his hunger dragon, because it is inside him and follows him everywhere he goes.
When Hunger first hits Oliver it makes him tired, so much so that he is unable to play. Even when he goes to the library to quietly read a book, he has to leave because the hunger dragon inside him is making so much noise.
But the story is subtle as it introduces the idea that lots of children have hunger dragons, and it brings into play the idea that children might be willing to share their food with others who have noisy hunger dragons inside them.
So this is not just a nice story – which incidentally flows splendidly as it is told in rhyme – but it’s about the fact that, even today, some children are hungry and others may not even be aware of that until they hear the hunger dragon grumbling.
It’s also about sharing, and how that simple act can spiral and can be a way of helping others. In the story after initially thinking he was the only child with a hunger dragon, Oliver soon finds there are also three of his friends. Soon other friends begin to share their food until there are ten children all eating together, and the hunger dragons are finally quiet.
The author, Sherry Alexander, has written this tale from her childhood memory when two Portland Police Officers brought her family a food basket when they were in need, and a portion of the proceeds of the sale of the book will go to The Clark County Washington Food Bank, Feeding America Organisation, and Portland Police Bureau  Sunshine Division of Oregon.·  ISBN-10: 1612443060 ·  ISBN-13:978-1612443065

Child Trafficking Series Continues: Is inter country adoption another form of child trafficking?

According to the US State Department's Bureau of Consulate Affairs, Americans have adopted approximately 250,000 children from other countries from 1999 to 2013. The growing number of adoptions is seen as a good thing for both the children and their new parents. But in light of the growing numbers of children who are being taken from their parents, picked out of the streets, or coerced into the slavery of child trafficking, it makes one wonder whether inter-country child adoptions are just another form of child trafficking.While it appears there is no official documentation or report on how many of these children were actually stolen from their parents, a quick internet search is enough to convince even the most skeptical parent that this is truly a possibility. 
This summer, news of a Chilean Priest who told mothers that their newborn babies died only to illegally adopt them out to other families sparked a huge investigations. The argument given for this cruel act was that single mothers are not accepted by society, so it was determined it was better all the way around. But was it? These children had a right to know who their birth mothers were. These mothers had a right to determine whether or not they could provide for their infants, or to choose to legally give them up for adoption.
In February of this year, Chinese officials announced the conclusion to a 6-month sting involving a child trafficking ring that was buying and selling babies. It was discovered that hundreds of infants were being advertised as available for adoption on various websites. 382 babies were rescued as a result. However, many feel that this was just the tip of the iceberg. The demand to adopt healthy infants is on the rise inside and outside of China. In China, families with no sons are often willing to pay thousands of dollars to acquire an heir. Outside China, families eager to share their lives with a child--any child, are also willing to pay for the privilege. 
In poverty stricken or war torn countries, parents have been known to sell their infants for what constitutes a little more than a day or weeks meager supply of food. Others, sign away their rights to conniving child brokers unknowingly on the belief that their child has been selected to attend school in a far away province. However, once the paper is signed the child is not taken to school, but rather becomes the adopted son or daughter of a family who believes they are adopting legitimately. 
There are numerous first-person stories from both the child who has become an adult and is now looking for his/her mother, or from the new adoptive parent who discovers that the child they love was really stolen from his/her mother. 
While I believe most adoptions through reputable agencies are legitimate, it is the ones that slip through the cracks that bother me. No child should ever be a commodity that can be bought and sold at the whim of an unscrupulous parent or child broker. Every child deserves a loving home with parents and family who care, nurture, and guide. 
Child trafficking needs to be stopped! And, if it raises its ugly head in the thousands of inter-country adoptions that take place throughout the world, the people involved need to found, tried, and sent to jail. 

A Call for Children to Speak

It's Fall again, and with this new season comes a desire to reaffirm the goals and mission--yes, I said mission--of this blog. As those of you who follow this blog know, I have dedicated this year to the numerous issues kids face throughout the world. I've highlighted bullying, child hunger, domestic abuse, child abuse, child trafficking, and drunk driving just to name a few. However, as universal as these issues are, I do not feel that I have successfully shown the emotional impact kids feel when something happens to them. So this year as I continue my mission to raise awareness on all the things that children face, I will be adding the thoughts, prayers, and concerns from children who want to speak.Yes, I will still provide the startling statistics that make us want to jump out of our skins at the reality of them, but nothing drives a point home as what really happens to a child in their heart and mind when they face something like hunger, abuse, or even abandonment. I will be searching for stories from kids who feel a need to speak out, to share their experience so the pain will stop. 
This is where you, my followers and visitors, come in. If you know a child who wants to share his/her story, please let me know. And, since most trauma a child faces is spoken of in prayer, I would like to receive any and all child's prayers no matter how simple or complex they are. If a child speaks, I want this blog to hear. Send your ideas, children's prayers, children's thoughts on what is happening in the world and in their own lives, their stories, their concerns, their loves, and their dreams to sherryalexanderwrites@gmail.com. 
A note to parents, grandparents, and friends: If your child has something to say, but is too young to write it, please write their words down for them. Also, if they care to share a drawing of their concern, please include that with your email. I want the world to know what children are thinking. Children are our future, so let's hear what they have to say.

For Teen Drivers: What To Do When Pulled Over

Your fingers tap the steering wheel to the song playing on your iPod, and your head sways back and forth. Fifteen minutes more and you’re finally home. School…studies . . . work . . . it’s been a long day. A chance look at your watch and suddenly everything changes. Your palms sweat and your grip tightens. “I can’t be late again. They’ll ground me for sure.” You swerve into the next lane and stomp on the gas. A horn sounds. You glance to the right, and then you see them . . . flashing red and blue. Your heart quickens and your foot slips off the accelerator. It’s a pullover.
“Getting pulled over may be the only contact a teen driver will have with the police,” says Senior Oregon State Police Trooper, Douglas Brown. “It can be a highly emotional and uncomfortable experience.” Sergeant Ryan Tanner with Washington State Patrol agrees. “I’ve made hundreds of traffic stops and I know teen drivers who are prepared are less stressful than those who are not. Young drivers need to know why they might be stopped, what they should do, and how they should act.”
Why Teen Drivers Get Pulled Over
“The main reason drivers are pulled over,” continues Sgt. Tanner, “ is for safety. Our goal is to make the roads safe for young drivers, their friends, family and everyone else on the road.”      Pull overs can be for minor problems such as vehicle safety issues.  These would include a headlight that’s out or a broken tail light. Sgt. Tanner emphasizes that it’s important to make sure your vehicle is in proper working order for everyone’s safety. “Then there are the regular moving violations that can cause us to stop a driver,” adds Sr. Trooper Brown.  “Not using your turn signal when moving into another lane would be an example of a moving violation.”The major reasons for being pulled over are much more serious. Both officers agree that these have a significant impact on teen safety and a potential for a serious accident. They are: speeding, aggressive driving like weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating, illegally passing another vehicle, DUI and not using a seat belt. How serious are they?  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) thirty-five percent of all teen (ages 15-20 years) deaths are caused by motor vehicle accidents. NHTSA further states that fatal crashes involving teens are three times any other age group. “Young drivers have limited experience,” explains Sr. Trooper Brown.  “There are many things that can distract a young driver to the point of losing control of the vehicle.” Sr. Trooper Brown emphasizes that using a cell phone, sending a text message, talking with others in the car, and even switching stations on the radio can be detrimental. Recognizing the danger, many states such as Oregon and Washington have enacted laws which prohibit drivers from holding a cell phone to their ears or texting. 
What Should You Do When You are Pulled Over?
“Knowing why an officer might stop you is an important part of driver’s education,” states Sgt. Tanner, “but knowing how to react when those lights flash in your mirror is just as important.” He recommends three things that a young driver should do when experiencing a pull over. “Stay calm, remain calm and listen to the officer.” Stay calm when you see a red or red and blue light behind you. Don’t hit the brakes or cut people off trying to quickly get to the side of the road. “Don’t make a snap or panic decision,” says Sgt. Tanner.  “There is time to put on your turn signal and move slowly into the right lane then the right shoulder.”Sr. Trooper Brown adds, “the simple act of turning on your turn signal, tells the officer I see you and I’m pulling over. This often allows the officer to help you pull over by blocking other vehicles in the other lanes so you can pull over safely.” Once you are safe on the shoulder, remain calm. Sgt. Tanner advises drivers not to “make any sudden movements. No looking under your seat or searching through the glove box. Allow the officer to contact you first.”Sr. Trooper Brown prefers drivers to keep their hands on the wheel after pulling over.  “If it’s dark, you can turn on the dome light if it makes you more comfortable.”Officers can approach your vehicle from either the driver’s or passenger side or from both. If you have electric windows, roll them down at least half way before you turn off your engine. A word of caution: if your windows are not electric, wait for the officer to contact you so you are not moving back and forth, trying to open the passenger side window.Listen to the officer. “I always introduce myself and my agency first. Then I explain the reason for the stop,” explains Sgt. Tanner.  “I want the young driver’s full attention.  I need to know he understands what I’m saying, and respond accordingly.”
How Should You Act During a Pull Over?
      “Attitude is just as important as knowing what to do when stopped,” says Sr. Trooper Brown.  “It’s not the place for the teen to argue, beg or become hysterical. I don’t expect Yes, Sir, to everything I say. Teens can disagree with the reason I stopped them, but I expect them to be polite and honest.”Both officers advise having your driver’s license easily accessible.  Fumbling or searching for it when stopped keeps the officer waiting.  “The longer it takes,” warns Sgt. Tanner, “the more likely you are to try the officer’s patience which could mean the difference between a warning and a citation.”When asked for your registration and insurance information, provide it. Again, keep it handy and up to date. Sr. Trooper Brown recommends you keep both your registration and your insurance card in the bottom of the glove box. This makes it very easy to retrieve when needed.  As an added note, he suggests, throwing out the expired ones as soon as the new ones arrive. After the officer clears you to go, pull back into traffic carefully.  Use your blinker to let other cars know you’re moving from the shoulder and into the lane.  A safe pull-away from the officer is just as important as the pull over.     

WEDNESDAY RAVE: A VOICE IN THE NIGHT: A BOOK FOR ALL AGES ON ABUSE

According to Child help, more than 3 million reports of child abuse are filed each year, and in the U.S. an average of 4 to 7 children die every day from child abuse.
A Voice In The Night written by Erin Ireland is not just a book about child abuse, it is a book written to "bring awareness to those who may not recognize abuse; for those who do, and need help; and for those who are afraid to admit they have a right to something better for themselves."


This is a book to serve many.  A book that will enlighten you on how the treatment you accept from others is a huge factor to whether or not you will be happy in your life. This is a book for young people to find a safe ground to stand on.  It is a book for all ages to take notice of the treatment they allow from others.  So many never realize how much abuse they do submit to, thinking they are merely sucking it up for the betterment of the relationship.   This is a book to find your peace and to know your rights as a human being.  This truly is "A Voice in the Night" for all who wish to be happier in their relationships or simply happier without their abusive relationship.  Are you not sure whether your mate is actually abusive?  Erin Ireland has laid it out for you. When you finish reading this book you will know the ingredients for a solid relationship and the specifics of when your mate has crossed the abusive line. A Voice in the Night: Silent Abuse, The Early Warning Signs That Could Save Your Life............Now on Smash Words!  To Purchase this Book: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/468948  About the Author:
Erin Ireland writes for those who feel they have no voice.  She is a woman who has spent many years observing the abuse of others.  Her experiences have been many in the direction of others who suffer in silence with isolation, controlled obsessions, verbal abuse, Superior attitudes, deceit, jealousy, physical, and sexual assaults, and many more indignities suffered everyday by beautiful people.Erin Ireland has suffered a great deal of abuse in her own life, and writes from her heart when explaining what she feels is an inappropriate act against another.Her passion for the subject of abuse runs deep, and reflects in her sometimes overpowering expressions of what she would like to change in life for you. She wishes for all to come to her website, feel welcome, and hopes that all will find some refuge and comfort here.  Erin Ireland is a nom de plume, in order to protect the innocent.  She will always speak her mind and the truth for the betterment of all those who seek answers and comfort.  She has written a book Titled, A Voice in the Night: Silent Abuse, The Early Warning Signs That Could Save Your Life.   This is a book to help others bypass the long suffering that can be eliminated if they can learn to view the traits of an abuser early on.   She is writing for others to see the light.  Erin hopes for them be a lamp unto themselves.  She wishes for them to find there safe ground to stand on, before they have spent their entire lives wondering: what it is that they have done to deserve such demeaning treatment? Abuse is a conditioning that can be unlearned. Every human being is entitled to an abuse free life.

Wednesday Raves: Kailee Finds Magic in Words, a delightful new picture book by Allyn Stotz

With all the new books coming out for kids, it's hard to choose which one to buy so let me make it easier for you. Louisiana author, Allyn Stotz, new picture book, Kailee Finds Magic IN Words, is the one your little ones will love. Kailee is a little girl who would rather play than read. She thinks reading is "boring", which is something every grand parent and parent faces with their kids at some point. But Kailee's mother insists, and that's when the magic begins. Drawn to the colorful illustrations, Kailee runs her fingers over them and is transported to a magical world where she meets new friends and discovers new wonders.
This is a great book to introduce young kids to the magic they can only find in words. I fell in love with Allyn's first book which featured Kailee titled The Pea in the Peanut Butter. In that picture book Kailee refuses to eat green foods. It was delightful, and it received a thumbs up from my grand daughter who laughed each time she read it. I have no doubt that when my copy of Kailee Finds Magic IN Words arrives in a few days from Amazon that it will receive the gold star rating of my grand kids official thumbs up.

Meet Allyn!!!
Allyn came from a family of writers. Her father wrote and owned the town newspaper in Edgerton, Ohio and her mother wrote a weekly column. One of her sisters is a freelance editor/writer in the commercial industry. Watching Allyn’s journey to publication convinced her sister and her 85 year old mother to team up and write a novel of their own. They were published in 2012.

Kailee Finds Magic IN Words is Allyn's second children's picture book and is the sequel to her first picture book The Pea in the Peanut Butter. Both were published by FutureWord Publishing. Allyn has also been published in various children's magazines. Look for her next book, Hippo Bottomless.

A graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature and a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Allyn was recently added to the permanent staff of FutureWord Publishing. She lives in Baton Rouge, LA with her husband, two crazy dogs, and one fat cat. You can find her blog at http://allynstotz.blogspot.com/, or since I follow her blog just click on the link in the list of blogs I follow. You will not be disappointed.