Stanley and Katrina's Blog, page 27

August 25, 2013

Word of the Week is back in session with GUSTO

Hello! I, Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge, am delighted to be using the amazing Words of the Week from a local school district for the upcoming school year. It is exhilarating to have the opportunity to adopt the words chosen by the exquisite humans who run this program.
My paws will be posting these words each week right here on our blog with a link to free printable activities courtesy of Kid Lit Printables.   If I feel so inclined, my mellifluous voice may even star in a short podcast about the week’s word. I do hope that you enjoy this vocabulary building activity throughout the school year ahead. Let’s get started!Word of the Week: GUSTO Click here to listen to the official WOW announcement from “the voice of Berks County and beyond,” WEEU 830AM. You can listen to the live broadcast each Monday at 7:20AM. Katrina's minute with the Word of the Week:


Are you ready for the free printables? Visit Kid Lit Printables to find these free printables: gusto vocabulary word cubegusto illustration pageWord of the Week blank page to fill out
    Now tell me, how will you use the word gusto 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.

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:)===========================Don't forget to check out our current events/giveaways.As always, thank you for reading and sharing,
Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge ( & Stanley, too!)
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Published on August 25, 2013 06:44

August 23, 2013

The Squishy Lady Makes Our Day: Skype Session Review

We have been blessed to meet some wonderful people on our writing journey. It is hard to believe that one year ago, our paws had never considered the idea of writing a book. Not only that, to think that one year ago, some of the wonderful people that we have met through the independent publishing experience were not yet a part of our lives is almost unreal.

Having the chance to meet, via Skype, a couple of the people who have become our biggest supporters has been one of the coolest things we have experienced to date. Then to have one take the time to write such kind and beautiful words about the experience, well, leaves us a bit speechless.

Even I, Katrina, am speechless.

Thanks "Squishy Lady" for your amazing support. Read what she had to say about our Skype session here. 



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Don't forget to check out our current events/giveaways.
As always, thank you for reading and sharing,



Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge ( & Stanley, too!)
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Published on August 23, 2013 13:04

August 22, 2013

Have you registered for International Dot Day?

We have and we invite you to join us!

Rather than wait until Dot Day (September 15, 2013) to make just one post, we thought it would be a nice idea to do an early post to give our readers who may not be aware of this event, a chance to join in on the fun.

We are huge fans of anything that encourages creativity and that is what this day is all about.

Read Peter H. Reynolds’ formal invitation to participate in International Dot Day here. Need a poster to mark the occasion? Find them here. Celebrating on a different day? No worries, Mr. Reynolds made posters for different dates to cover the closest school days to the event.

Speaking of posters, one of Neighbor Girl’s favorite posters in her room is a mini-poster designed by Mr. Reynolds for the book Guyku Haiku. You can take a look at this super fun and highly appropriate (per Neighbor Girl) mini-poster by visiting the original post. Scroll down to find a picture of the haiku mini-poster.  If you are lucky, it will still be downloadable - my paws are crossed for you.
How will we be celebrating Dot Day?
Cool Mom requested the book, the Dot,  from the library for us and we signed up to receive the Educator’s Handbook - filled with ideas. Truly, it IS filled with ideas. Since we are aware that Neighbor Girl will be super busy with her new school projects shortly, we decided to get a head start on our dots. We’ll post a picture of  the finished product on September 15th but below is a picture of the start of her creation. Her chosen medium was fabric! Stanley and I will be placing our paw prints on our own dots.
Finally, the question...will you join us in celebrating International Dot Day?

===========================Don't forget to check out our current events/giveaways.

As always, thank you for reading and sharing,



Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge ( & Stanley, too!)
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Published on August 22, 2013 19:19

August 20, 2013

Almost Wordless Wednesday Writing Prompt: Do you have my lunch?

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. 
Don't forget to check out our current events/giveaways.
Thanks for reading and sharing,


Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom & Knowledge
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Published on August 20, 2013 19:02

August 16, 2013

Free Skype Author Chat for 20 Readers of the Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets


Have you read our Book, The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets
Would you like to have a Skype chat with our author for yourself/your family/your class?
It is easy to do and you may have already completed everything needed to request your Skype author chat.
5 Steps to Request Your Stanley & Katrina Skype Author Chat: Step 1: If you do not already own our book, The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets, purchase it in your favorite format. If you purchase it on Leanpub, you will gain multiple formats as well as any updates that may be made to the book in the future. Please note that we DO have updates planned to this book. The text will not be changed but illustrations will be added, a sneak peek to book 2 will be included and the book will have a new cover shortly. 
Step 2: Read our book.
Step 3: If you believe our book is worth a four ("I like it.") or five star ("I love it.") rating, post your review on Amazon and send us the link to your published review in the form below. Don't worry, you only need 20 words for an official review. Tell Amazon shoppers what you liked about the book and if you would recommend it to others. Would you like more information about Amazon book reviews? This is an informative link about reviewing books on Amazon
Step 4: If you would rather not publish a review of our book, you may instead upload a picture of you (or your class; or a family member) reading our book to our Facebook page or to your favorite social media outlet. If you would rather email your picture to us, that works, too!  You can find our email address is on the right side of this page.
Step 5Let us know you are ready for your free Skype author chat.

Number of Sessions Still Available: 19
Last Updated: 8/16/2013

Please note that this is guaranteed only to the first 20 people who respond. Skype sessions may continue to be offered after the first twenty sessions, depending on author availability and interest in sessions.

As always, thank you for reading and sharing,


Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge ( & Stanley, too!)

**********************************Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Buy The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets Now on Amazon
Request a Free Skype Author Visit
Listen to our Podcasts on iTunes
Follow on Bloglovin
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Published on August 16, 2013 10:27

August 13, 2013

Free Printable Comprehension Cootie Catchers for The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets

Our next set of printables for our book are here: Cootie Catchers! We have two different printables that have questions about our book on the inside.Click here to view these and all of our current available free printables.

All you need to do is color, cut and follow the folding instructions. Neighbor Girl tested them out for us...


We do hope that you enjoy them. On another note, my Word of the Week with be back in session on Monday, August 26th with, you guessed it, printables!
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This post is part of the Kid Lit Blog Hop. 
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Don't forget to enter Create With Joy's giveaway of our book, The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets. Open WW through 8/25.
Create With Joy
Thank you for reading and sharing,

Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge
**********************************Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Buy The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets Now on Amazon
Listen to our Podcasts on iTunes
Follow on Bloglovin
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Published on August 13, 2013 18:28

August 12, 2013

Blucy by Julia Dweck: $100 Book Blast Giveaway

About the Book Blucy by Julia Dweck Title: Blucy
Author: Julia Dweck
Illustrator: Erika LeBarre
Year published: 2013
Publisher: Xist Publishing
Number of pages: 21 
Recommended age: 3+
Summary (Amazon): Once in a blue moon, a special pet comes along. When Mandy adopts the best cat at the shelter, she doesn't realize it has a big secret and an even bigger personality. Features full screen images and pop-up text.
Blucy Facebook Page * Blucy Pinterest Page * Goodreads 
Purchase & Special Offer Xist Publishing is pleased to offer you a special Buy One Get One FREE (BOGO) offer when you purchase Blucy by Julia Dweck. The Deal? If you purchase Blucy (e-book) through Amazon, you will receive a FREE electronic copy of Julia Dweck's newest book, Mary Had a Sleepy Sheep (released September 5, 2013). All you have to do is forward your purchase confirmation email to sales@xistpublishing.com and Xist Publishing will send you a complimentary copy of Mary Had a Sleepy Sheep . Don't wait to take advantage of this great deal!
Amazon The Early Buzz"Julia Dweck scores another winner Blucy ! This book is beautifully illustrated, features solid rhyming verse, has a most unusual main character in Blucy the cat, and will surely be loved and appreciated by all cat-lovers! I would recommend this wonderful picture book to children who love cats and for their grown-ups who will recognize their own cat's behavior in this funny story. ." ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews"Ms Dweck and Ms Lebarre have created a delightfully humorous read that will no doubt capture the attention of every little mischief maker. The rhythm and rhyme are wonderful and flow so beautifully throughout the book. The illustrations are absolutely exquisite. I honestly wish I could purchase every one of them to put upon my toddlers walls." ~ WhenIgrowupIwannawriteakidsbook"The illustrations are amazing and beautiful and the story pulls you in and had Dino telling Mandy and Blucy what to do and got upset when they didn’t listen to him. He was hysterical with some of Blucy’s antics and wanted to know if Balboa could do that to. Really and truly a cute book and one that Dino will keep reading, especially now that he think he’s a catosaurous." ~ Dinosaur Superhero MommyA blue cat? I love color - lots of color and these illustrations are exactly that. The rythmic method used by Julia is perfect for all ages and the content is entertaining for all - including adults. My daughter loves mood rings so she found this book particularly interesting - what about a "mood cat". I am also a firm believer and supporter of pet adoptions - so another plus for this story...That Blucy is quite a mischievous cat. Blucy has special facts at the end of the story as well as a game for the kids to keep them thinking. I love this book as I have all of Julia's books and so do my kids. ~ The Stuff of SuccessA Phenomenal Children's Classic. Children & Adults will love and cherish this beloved tale. Julia Dweck has always amazed me with her talent at writing children's books and Blucy is by far my favorite one yet. I laughed and giggled my way through the whole book and had to read it again several times for the pure joy of the story. The illustrations are fabulous and very colorful and I found myself staring at each page as I read and just loved the details in the illustrations. This is a RECOMMENDED MUST read story that adults and their children will fall in love with. This book will become the best bedtime story that children will want to hear over and over again. ~ Back Words, White Pages About the Author: Julia DweckJulia Dweck, Author Julia Dweck's background in elementary education affords her the opportunity to be in touch with what children want to read and what makes them giggle. She's collaborated with leading artists in the world of children's literature to produce over 20 Amazon eBooks. Her titles have garnered placement on Amazon's bestsellers in children's color picture books multiple times with two #1 bestsellers: PIE-RITS and Zombie-Kids . These titles have been chosen by Amazon Editors for the prestigious "Kindle Daily Deal." Many of Julia's titles have earned placement on Amazon's top ranked lists based on customer review. In her spare time, Julia is a designer of educational adjuncts for children's literature, and has worked with such notable publishing houses as Penguin Young Readers. She presented at the 2011 National Center for Family Literacy for her creative use of technology in the classroom. For more information about Julia Dweck and her books, please visit her website, Jule Loves 2 Write.
Twitter * Facebook * Where's Blucy? *Before we get to the $100 Book Blast Giveaway, we have a special treat for you. If you head on over to Julia Dweck's Facebook Fan Page, you will find the "Where's Blucy?" contest. Julia Dweck fans are invited to post suggestions of "blue" places Blucy could be hiding, (e.g., near Elvis' blue suede shoes). The most creative answer will win a print of the Blucy cover by the artist, Erika LeBarre.  Head on over to Julia Dweck's Facebook Fan Page to enter and...Pssssttt... if you enter the contest before August 20th, 2013, you gain 5 entries in the $100 Book Blast Giveaway below! Julia Dweck - Blucy * $100 Book Blast Giveaway *Prize: $100 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner's choice)
Contest runs: August 13 to September 15, 11:59 pm, 2013
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: A randomly drawn winner will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. If you have any additional questions, feel free to send us an email!
* This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Julia Dweck and by Xist Publishing. *a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Don't forget to enter Create With Joy's giveaway of our book, The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets. Open WW through 8/25.
Create With Joy
Thank you for reading and sharing,


Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge

**********************************Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Buy The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets Now on Amazon
Listen to our Podcasts on iTunes
Follow on Bloglovin
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Published on August 12, 2013 22:00

Our latest 5 Star Review courtesy of Create With Joy

Dancing PawsStanley and I woke up Sunday morning, to a lovely review posted of our book, The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets. This exciting review is courtesy of Create with Joy. Please visit her wonderful blog to read the review and learn how you may be entered to win our book. Don't forget to tell your friends, too!


Thank you for reading and sharing,

Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge
**********************************Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Buy The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets Now on Amazon
Listen to our Podcasts on iTunes
Follow on Bloglovin
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Published on August 12, 2013 11:38

August 6, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: Bananagrams Stanley & Katrina Style

A picture of words for Wordless Wednesday. 

Don't forget to enter Julie Anne Grasso's Giveaway - 1 more day to enter!
This post is part of 

  Thank you for reading and sharing,


Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge

**********************************Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Buy The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets Now on Amazon
Listen to our Podcasts on iTunes
Follow on Bloglovin
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Published on August 06, 2013 10:56

July 21, 2013

Free Printable Worksheets and Activities Coming to Our Website

Popcorn has begun working on printable activities for our books. Below are the first two that we have available. Next up will be a fun cootie catcher template. What do you think? Printable Cube Activity
Stanley and Katrina printable word of the week cube activity - free Sample Word of the Week Cube Free Printable Cube for Student Activities Blank Cube to Use as You Please
  Thank you for reading and sharing,


Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge

**********************************Follow Stanley and Katrina on Twitter  * Join Stanley and Katrina on Facebook 
Buy The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets Now on Amazon
Listen to our Podcasts on iTunes
Follow on Bloglovin
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Published on July 21, 2013 13:59