Stanley and Katrina's Blog, page 21

Almost Wordless Wednesday Writing Prompt: Happy Thanksgiving!

Poem? Story? Haiku? Question? What does this picture bring to your mind?
Write it below in the comments and have an amazing day!
A special thanks to Snuffles, the hamster, for assisting us with our writing prompts.
A message for our friends in the United States. 

We participate routinely in the following Wordless Wednesday Blog Hops.
We encourage you to visit them as well.
Thank you to all of the fabulous hosts!

Create with Joy's Wordless Wednesday
Amanda's Books & More Picture Perfect Party Linky
That Suburban Momma's Not so Wordless Wednesday
The Jenny's Evolution: Wordless Wednesday
Crafty Spices: Wordless Wednesday


Thank you for reading and sharing,Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge(and Stanley, too)=============================
Don't miss out on our
=============================Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Click here to find out how you may purchase our fun book now!
Check out our current offers/giveaways.
Learn how you may Skype with our author.

Small Fry Safari KidLit Readers Challenge 2014: Sign Up!

We are up for the challenge. Are you?  Bruce the bookshelf gargoyle is hosting a Readers Challenge for next year that looks fun. We invite you to join us in his challenge. Click here for all of the fun details!
As always, thank you for reading and sharing,
Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge ( & Stanley, too!)
=============================
Don't miss out on our giveaway:
=============================Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Click here to find out how you may purchase our fun book now!
Check out our current offers/giveaways.
Learn how you may Skype with our author.

It is Word of the Week Time: BOUNTIFUL

Word of the Week for 11/25/2013 You may listen to the live official WOW announcement broadcast each Monday at 7:20AM on WEEU 830AM from "The voice of Berks County and Beyond." Links to broadcasts may be found on the Muhlenberg School District website. Click here to go there.
Katrina is using the Words of the Week from the Muhlenberg School District with their permission. They have a wonderful Word of the Week program.
===========Are you ready for the free printables? Visit Kid Lit Printables to find these free printables:


BOUNTIFUL free printable pageWord of the Week Review Instruction CubeWord of the Week Blank Page to fill out  Now tell us, how will you use the word bountiful this week? Have you seen it used anywhere? Is your school using these words? What fun activities do you have for the word? I want to know and so do my friends - please share your creations and let us know if you are using our printables - that makes us happy!




If you and/or your family completes an activity, we would love to see a picture of it, or hear all about it. You may do this in the comments below; on our Facebook page; on Twitter (use the hashtag #kidlitwow); pinterest; Google+ - truly, anywhere you want to tell the world with gusto!
“Word of the Week with free printables.” (Click to Tweet) Tweet
As always, thank you for reading and sharing,
Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge ( & Stanley, too!)
=============================
Don't miss out on our giveaway:
=============================Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Click here to find out how you may purchase our fun book now!
Check out our current offers/giveaways.
Learn how you may Skype with our author.

Our Book Blasty Tour comes to an end, but the giveaway is still going!

   Our Book Blasty Tour was a huge success.  While it finished up today, our giveaway runs through the end of the month - you may enter below. In the end, we had sixteen reviews, and four others who participated in our blast. To have so many wonderful bloggers open up their blogging homes to host these pets has made our paws dance and dance and dance! Our new phrase is "Happy, dancing paws!" View our clickable map of our Book Blasty Tour Stops.
   If you have not yet visited with these wonderful hosts, we invite you to do so now. Thank YOU for taking the time to visit with us and read all that we have to say. You are one cool human and we give you two paws up (each).

"The Book Blasty Tour is over but the giveaway is still going." Tweet
Thank you for reading and sharing,

Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge (and Stanley)

a Rafflecopter giveaway  
=============================Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Click here to find out how you may purchase our fun book now!
Check out our current offers/giveaways.
Learn how you may Skype with our author.

Book Review: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. Why we adore Chris Grabenstein.

Welcome to the 28th Kid Lit Blog Hop!  Stanley & I are thrilled to be co-hosts for the hop this week, and Cool Mom was able to (sort of) get a review out of Neighbor Girl. How exciting!About the Book Title: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
*A New York Times Bestseller*Author: Chris GrabensteinYear Published: 2013Publisher: Random House Books for Young ReadersPages: 304
Age Level: 8-12Summary (Amazon): Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.

Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high.

In this cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and A Night in the Museum, Agatha Award winner Chris Grabenstein uses rib-tickling humor to create the perfect tale for his quirky characters. Old fans and new readers will become enthralled with the crafty twists and turns of this ultimate library experience.Neighbor Girl's Review (?)    This is Cool Mom posting. I have an extremely difficult time getting Neighbor Girl to share any sort of review about any book. She loves to read, and read, and read, and read. Writing a review though? That is tricky. Between her own creative writing and school work, it is understandable. However, sometimes when she finishes a book, she is so excited that she can barely contain herself.
   That was the case with Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. A conversation that I had with her, on her commute into school last week, revealed just how much she adores this book. I'll be honest, I did not get to read it yet (I'm months behind in my reading) so this is feedback from Neighbor Girl as summarized by me. Because of my poor memory, I videotaped what I remembered her saying the moment she got out of the car. HA! This post was also approved by Neighbor Girl prior to posting.
Okay, Here it is...Cool Mom's Summary of Neighbor Girl's Review   Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a great book.  I wish I could go to that library! It is in an old bank building with many vaults. I enjoyed how clues would randomly show up. For example, I liked when one of the characters went into a room and she heard, "Congratulations..you are our third visitor... and we all know that the third time is a charm." 

   I enjoyed the holograms and animatronics representing history, especially when George Washington was debating with George Bush. The book references within this book were great, too! The characters explored through the Dewey Decimal system with fun surprises along the way.

   My favorite section was the Young Adult section which had sofas shaped like Scrabble piece holders. 

   The best part might have been figuring out the FINAL puzzle that lies in the book for the reader to solve. I figured it out! You should, too (see below).

   I loved the book and will definitely read it again. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

  Mr. Grabenstein was kind enough to answer a very important question that I had for him, JUST for this blog post. Isn't he nice?

Neighbor Girl's Question: I know that you spent some of your career as an improv artist. I love improv, too! What is your favorite improv game to play?

Mr. Grabenstein: My favorite improv game of all time was called Activity.   My scene partner, the always hysterical Tom Carrozza, would leave the theatre and go out in the hall where he couldn't hear what the audience told me.   I would then ask for four suggestions of activities that I had to make Tom do without telling him what it was I wanted him to do.  We had everything from picking the lint out of Ronald Reagan's belly button to tap dancing on the moon.   It was always hysterical and Tom always figured out what he had to do.   The audience LOVED it.   I think because it employed classic irony -- the audience knows something that one of the players on stage does not.  They knew where I was trying to take Tom and would delight at his confusion.


Neighbor Girl: Thank you for taking the time to answer my question and for writing a great book!
"Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a great book!" Tweet About The Author, Chris Grabenstein 
(From Amazon) Chris Grabenstein is the co-author with James Patterson of the #1 New York Times Bestseller I FUNNY. He is also an award-winning author of books for children and adults, a playwright, screenwriter, and former advertising executive and improvisational comedian. Winner of two Anthony and three Agatha Awards, Chris used to write for Jim Henson's Muppets, was president of the New York Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, and co-wrote the screenplay for the CBS-TV movie The Christmas Gift starring John Denver. Chris lives in New York City with his wife, three cats, and a rescue dog named Fred, who starred on Broadway in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. You can visit Chris (and Fred) at www.ChrisGrabenstein.com.
Website * Facebook * Twitter 


You Could Win   If you figure out the final puzzle hidden in the book, your name will be put into a drawing for two libraries of books that will take place on January 1, 2014. The winner will receive two sets of all of Mr. Grabenstein's books for younger readers plus two sets of books donated by Random House Children's Books, Mr. Lemoncello's publisher. The hope is that the winner will keep one library of books for themselves and donate the other to their favorite school or public library. 
Click here for details on the drawing.
The Book's TrailerWait, there is more!!!   Neighbor Girl was thrilled to meet Mr. Grabenstein, recently, at the Lititz Kid-Lit Festival! Not only did she meet him but this wonderful man asked if he could purchase OUR book. REALLY. He did.  What a great guy.  Cool Mom told us that Mr. Grabenstein receives the "He's a Good Man" award - just like Mr. Matt Phelan - for his ability to appreciate his young readers and to encourage them in their own writing. These pets give him two paws up each!  Mr. Grabenstein reading from "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library." Neighbor Girl working to solve a puzzle from the book. Neighbor Girl, Chris Grabenstein & This Kid Reviews Books, Erik. 
Mr. Chris Grabenstein & Neighbor Girl. A great moment.Thank you, Mr. Grabenstein!Thanks again to Erik of This Kid Reviews Books for inviting them to this special day!
Be sure to visit Chris Grabenstein's website - he has a ton of goodies out there! 
What should you do now?  How about one of the following:
Purchase Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library Now 
Visit Chris Grabenstein's Website (For Kids) to Learn More 
 See Chris Grabenstein's Books 
 Follow Chris Grabenstein on Twitter 
 Follow Chris Grabenstein on Facebook 
To view all of the pictures of their day at the Lititz Kid-Lit Festival, click here. 
Thank you for reading and sharing,

Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge

    (and Stanley)

Disclosure: Neighbor Girl purchased a copy of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. We received no monetary or in-kind compensation for her honest review. This post does NOT contain affiliate links.

 =============================
Don't miss out on our
=============================Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Click here to find out how you may purchase our fun book now!
Check out our current offers/giveaways.
Learn how you may Skype with our author.

Co-Hosting the 28th Kid Lit Blog Hop

Welcome to the 28th Kid Lit Blog Hop.

   Stanley and I are thrilled to be Co-Hosts for this week's Kid Lit Blog Hop. Cool Mom often visits the hop by adding her book review and visiting with the other bloggers. She has introduced us to many new blogging friends through this hop filled with great children's books and reviews. 
   We decided to join in as co-hosts, this week, in honor of our blogiversary and Book Blasty Tour (with a GIVEAWAY) which is currently in progress. We are thrilled to join the ranks of these talented human bloggers. 
   The hosts and co-hosts of the Kid Lit Blog Hop have managed to create a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists, as well as parents seeking out their next great read. So, if you haven't joined the hop in a while (or if this is your first time joining in), please pop in a post and hop around to meet some of the new bloggers who have joined the Hop. If you are one of our regulars - thank you so much and Happy Hopping to all!  
 Joining us as a co-host, this week, is Lisa T. Cresswell, author of the Storyteller series for middle grade and the young adult novel, Hush Puppy . Big welcome to Lisa - we are happy to join her in co-hosting this week! Please be sure to give each of our hosts and co-hosts a visit to say a quick hello and we'll be sure to visit you right back!Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop! "Join the Kid Lit Blog Hop fun! Add a book or visit to find great books." 

Tweet REMINDER : Kid Lit Giveaway Hop Holiday Extravaganza    As part of our Kid Lit community of bloggers and authors, we wanted to share with you information about the Kid Lit Giveaway Hop Holiday Extravaganza to take place December 6th to 13th, 2013. This event is hosted by Katie from Youth Literature Reviews and Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you are a blogger who features children's or young adult literature looking to share copies of a fabulous book winter-themed or holiday-themed book (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc), you are welcome to link up. You can also offer a gift card instead! Just click on the button below. Sign-ups are on-going until November 30, 2013.
  
Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read* 1. We ask that you kindly follow your hosts and co-hosts. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses: Renee @ Mother Daughter Book Reviews Facebook * TwitterJaymie @ Snacks for Max Twitter * FacebookKatie @ Youth Literature Reviews Twitter * FacebookJulie Grasso, Author/ Blogger Twitter * FacebookCheryl Carpinello, Author / Blogger Twitter * FacebookReshama @ Stacking Books Twitter * FacebookStacie @ BeachBoundBooks Twitter * FacebookLina @ Best 4 Future: Bringing Up Baby Bilingual Twitter * Facebook Co-Hosts: The Stanley and Katrina Gang Twitter * FacebookLisa T. Cresswell, Author / Blogger Twitter * Facebook2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post* * For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one ** Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.** Feel free to link more than one post.*3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you! 4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!

Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.

Happy Hopping!

Thank you for reading and sharing,

Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge (and Stanley)

=============================
Don't miss out on our
=============================Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Click here to find out how you may purchase our fun book now!
Check out our current offers/giveaways.
Learn how you may Skype with our author.

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Blast from the Past

Poem? Story? Haiku? Question? What does this picture bring to your mind?
Write it below in the comments and have an amazing day!

This is where we typically have a hamster picture but I (Cool Mom) hijacked the post for a "Blast from the Past" picture (2007). Yep, that is Neighbor Girl in the Snow White dress. 
Does anyone else have these books? I think we have chuckled at them more than we actually used them to learn letters and such. My "j" Book is our personal favorite. Laughs galore! If you have the book, you might know why. 

We participate routinely in the following Wordless Wednesday Blog Hops.
We encourage you to visit them as well.
Thank you to all of the fabulous hosts!

Create with Joy's Wordless Wednesday
Amanda's Books & More Picture Perfect Party Linky
That Suburban Momma's Not so Wordless Wednesday
The Jenny's Evolution: Wordless Wednesday
Crafty Spices: Wordless Wednesday


Thank you for reading and sharing,Cool Mom (Sorry, Katrina)=============================
Don't miss out on our
=============================Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Click here to find out how you may purchase our fun book now!
Check out our current offers/giveaways.
Learn how you may Skype with our author.

NaNoWrimo Come Write In: Towne Book Center & Cafe

At the start of Saturday we were at 17% of our word count for NaNoWriMo (YWP). To be on track, we should  have been at 50% by the start of the day. We were not.
The PlanWe decided to travel to the Towne Book Center & Cafe in Collegeville to work on our word count in an attempt to hit the 50% marker. Do you think we made it? 





Met the MLSoon after arrival, we met Steve, the local Municipal Liason(ML) for NaNoWriMo. Thanks for all you do, Steve! There were four other NaNoWriMoers (is that a word?) working on their work in progress. Neighbor Girl signed in and charted her progress so far. 



Got Our FuelYum! We purchased our yummy beverages at the Cafe.



WorkingThis is where we thank Neighbor Girl for allowing us to continue our adventures. She worked diligently throughout the day. Way to go, Neighbor Girl!

That is Our Book!This wonderful book store sells our book. Aren't they the best? This was extremely exciting for us. 
In the end.. 

We hit 42% of our word count. Considering we began at 17%, and wrote over 2300 words today alone, we are feeling better about reaching our month's goal. After writing so many words in one day, less than 400 for the days ahead should seem like a piece of cake.  

Of course, we couldn't leave there without purchasing a book. Neighbor Girl's fun choice: 

Sandra Boynton's Amazing Cows

Tweet As always, thank you for reading and sharing,
Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge ( & Stanley, too!)=============================
Don't miss out on our
=============================Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Click here to find out how you may purchase our fun book now!
Check out our current offers/giveaways.
Learn how you may Skype with our author.

It is Word of the Week Time: DELUGE

Word of the Week for 11/18/2013
You may listen to the live official WOW announcement broadcast each Monday at 7:20AM on WEEU 830AM from "The voice of Berks County and Beyond." Links to broadcasts may be found on the Muhlenberg School District website. Click here to go there.
Katrina is using the Words of the Week from the Muhlenberg School District with their permission. They have a wonderful Word of the Week program.
===========Are you ready for the free printables? Visit Kid Lit Printables to find these free printables:


DELUGE printable mini-book.Word of the Week Review Instruction CubeWord of the Week blank page to fill out  
Now tell us, how will you use the word deluge this week? Have you seen it used anywhere? Is your school using these words? What fun activities do you have for the word? I want to know and so do my friends - please share your creations and let us know if you are using our printables - that makes us happy!


If you and/or your family completes an activity, we would love to see a picture of it, or hear all about it. You may do this in the comments below; on our Facebook page; on Twitter (use the hashtag #kidlitwow); pinterest; Google+ - truly, anywhere you want to tell the world with gusto!
“Word of the Week with free printables.” (Click to Tweet) Tweet
 Free printables are courtesy of 
As always, thank you for reading and sharing,
Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge ( & Stanley, too!)
=============================
Don't miss out on our
=============================Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Click here to find out how you may purchase our fun book now!
Check out our current offers/giveaways.
Learn how you may Skype with our author.

Book Blasty Tour Check in and a Writing Contest for Kids 8 to 12 year olds

Book Blasty Tour Status

   We are at the half-way point on our Book Blasty Tour. Our paws are super happy,and dancing like crazy over the thoughtful feedback we are receiving about our book. 

   We are having a great time visiting with our tour hosts and their blogs all over the world. Cool Mom decided to have some fun by creating a clickable map of our blog tour stops. Thanks, Cool Mom! Check it out for a fun way to visit with the hosts who have posted to date (we'll be adding the other stops as our tour continues). 
Tweet 
Spilling Ink: Writing Contest for 8 to 12 year olds

For those who follow our blog regularly, remember the amazing artist Matt Phelan, who wrote Bluffton? He told us about a writing contest just for kids 8 to 12 years old, and we want to share it with you. 
Neighbor Girl picked up the book Spilling Ink at the Lititz Kid-Lit Festival and is looking forward to reading it. Matt Phelan just happens to be the illustrator of that book. 
The authors of Spilling Ink are holding a writing contest. Click here to read all about it and be sure to tell the young writers in your life about it. 
Tweet about this contest: Tweet
As always, thank you for reading and sharing,
Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge ( & Stanley, too!)=============================
Don't miss out on our
=============================Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Click here to find out how you may purchase our fun book now!
Check out our current offers/giveaways.
Learn how you may Skype with our author.