Children's Book Week - One to Ten Squirrel's Bad Day By Carole P. Roman

Children’s Book Week is the annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading. 

Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Every year, events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes — wherever young readers and books connect! 

The 98th anniversary of Children’s Book Week will take place May 1-7, 2017.

For more information, click HERE for downloadable activities and event information. 

In celebration of Children's Book Week, I am featuring a children's or YA book every day this week. Be sure to check them out every day or see them all by clicking HERE. 

ONE TO TEN: SQUIRREL'S BAD DAY

By: Carole P. Roman

Illustrated by: Mateya Arkova

Published: October 30, 2016

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Fiction

This children's book teaches young children how to deal with disappointment and sad feelings. Squirrel thinks he has had the worst day ever because while carrying an armload of nuts, he trips and drops them all into the river. But, his rabbit friend comes over to console him and help him deal with his frustration. By assigning this moment a number from 1-10, Squirrel can capture the scope of the problem and hopefully realize that it isn't so bad and find the good that came from it. 

By, talking through big issues like parents divorcing or grandparents moving away or pets dying, there are still ways to find the good things and realizing that maybe right away they deserve a big number, but after a bit, the sadness turns into something else. It's ok to save those 9's and 10's for the bigger disappointments, but for the day to day things that are upsetting, maybe a lower number is ok.

The illustrations by Arkova are watercolor-like and show the animals in the forest spending their days with their friends. The author uses onomatopoeias in the story which will make the children laugh, especially if the reader uses inflection while reading them.

Even though the theme is a bit sad, the animals try to find the good after a bad experience and really, that is a good thing to learn as a kid. Many adults have trouble with that concept.

Carole P. Roman

Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of the Captain No Beard series. Both Captain No Beard-An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate's Life and Captain No Beard and the Aurora Borealis have received the Kirkus Star of Exceptional Merit. The first book in the series was named to Kirkus Reviews Best 2012. Captain No Beard and the Aurora Borealis has just been named to Kirkus Reviews Best of 2015. Each book in the series has won numerous awards including the NABE Pinnacle Award, ERIK Award for 2013, ForeWord Review Five Star and Finalist in the Book of the Year, and Reader's Views Children's Book of the Year 2013, Shelf Unbound Best Series, Back to School Resource Winner, IAN, National Indie Excellence Award, MoonBeam Award for If You Were Me and Lived in...Scotland. She is also the author of the award-winning non-fiction culture series If You Were Me and Lived in...exploring customs and culture around the world. She co-authored Navigating Indieworld: A Beginner's Guide To Self-Publishing and Marketing Your Book, which earned a 5 Star ForeWord Review Clarion Review. Roman lives on Long Island with her husband and near her children and grandchildren. Check out Carole's website, HERE. To see all the books I've reviewed by Roman, click HERE. 

To purchase a copy of ONE TO TEN: SQUIRREL'S BAD DAY, click the photo below:

I will be linking up this review on Booking Mama's regular Saturday feature, Kid Konnection. This is a place for bloggers to share posts related to children's and YA books. You will find spotlights, reviews, and sometimes even giveaways by clicking HERE, every Saturday.


Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase the book through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Children's Book Week - B is for Breakdancing Bear Sticker Activity Book

Children’s Book Week is the annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading. 

Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Every year, events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes — wherever young readers and books connect! 

The 98th anniversary of Children’s Book Week will take place May 1-7, 2017.

For more information, click HERE for downloadable activities and event information. 

In celebration of Children's Book Week, I am featuring a children's or YA book every day this week. Be sure to check them out every day or see them all by clicking HERE. 

B IS FOR BREAKDANCING BEAR

By: Thomas Nelson

Published: March 17, 2015

Publisher: Make Believe Ideas

Non-Fiction/Activity Book

Do you have a young child who is eager to learn like their older brothers and sisters? Are you wanting to give your child a head start in preschool? Are you looking for some activities to keep your child learning throughout the summer? This book is just what you are looking for.

This sticker activity book is full of fun activities that cover every letter of the alphabet. One page is cut out in the shape of the letter. The opposite page offers space for tracing both the capital and lower-case letters. The pictures use the letters and offer items to color like a goat playing guitar and your child can color the guitar. The next two pages for that letter offer more activities such as counting, tracing, coloring, or using the stickers also included in the book. 

There are two pages of stickers included that are used throughout the pages of the book. The cutout letters can be torn or cut out and hung up to continue your child's learning. The pages are a heavy cardstock and offer that "school quality" so even your toddler will feel like they are a "big kid". The pages aren't overwhelming and just doing one letter at a time, they would learn several different activities like writing, tracing, coloring and reading. 

I think this activity book is super fun and wish I would have had it for our kids. Children ages three and up would benefit from the learning offered in this book. Since I work in the school system, I've noticed that children are expected to learn things so much sooner than our children did. The material offered in this book is definitely being taught in our preschools and sharing this book over the summer months would prepare your child even more for their first year of preschool. 

To purchase a copy of this book, click the photo below:

I will be linking up this review on Booking Mama's regular Saturday feature, Kid Konnection. This is a place for bloggers to share posts related to children's and YA books. You will find spotlights, reviews, and sometimes even giveaways by clicking HERE, every Saturday.


This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase the book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Children's Book Week - GIVEAWAY - Animal Bites Books By Dorothea DePrisco and Animal Planet

Children’s Book Week is the annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading. 

Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Every year, events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes — wherever young readers and books connect! 

The 98th anniversary of Children’s Book Week will take place May 1-7, 2017.

For more information, click HERE for downloadable activities and event information. 

In celebration of Children's Book Week, I am featuring a children's or YA book every day this week. Be sure to check them out every day or see them all by clicking HERE. 

ANIMAL BITES: BABY ANIMALS

By: Dorothea DePrisco

Published: March 7, 2017

Publisher: Animal Planet

Non-Fiction

These books by Animal Planet are just phenomenal. The photography and snippets of information are just enough to keep children interested. Like the title suggest, these books offer bite-size facts to engage children and keep them interested in animals. Everyone loves any baby animals because they are always so adorable and the photographers photographed some really cute babies for this edition. Even baby opossums are quite adorable hanging from a tree. All kinds of animals are featured including those you would have in your home, in your local woods, or those animals far away in jungles. Some animals babies are born ready to walk and be mostly on their own, while others need their parents for months after their birth. All this is shared in brief "bites" alongside adorable photographs of babies and sometimes their parents. 

For children who love animals or like non-fiction books, this soft cover paperback with heavy paper would be a hit for lower elementary through middle-school-aged kids.

ANIMAL BITES: ANIMALS ON THE MOVE

By: Dorothea DePrisco

Published: March 7, 2017

Publisher: Animal Planet

Non-Fiction


Another phenomenal Animal Planet book for kids who love to learn about animals. This book features animals and how they get around. By starting with where the various animals live, then how their particular body features help them get around quickly or slowly. Children will learn that foxes can run at 45 mph, the basilisk lizard runs on water and doesn't sink, baby elephants travel with their moms in herds, and grasshoppers can travel 3 feet in a single leap. 

Again, the photography throughout the book is amazing and the small "bites" of information and facts sprinkled on the pages is enough to engage and interest the child to keep reading. There is a lot to learn about the wide variety of animals in this book. It's perfect for lower elementary to middle-school students. 

I am thrilled to offer a giveaway of both of these books to one reader of my blog. All you need to do is fill out the form below. Thanks to Blue Slip Media for sponsoring this giveaway. 

This giveaway has ended. The winner is Gail. Thanks to all who entered!

To purchase a copy of these books, click the photos below:

I will be linking up this review on Booking Mama's regular Saturday feature, Kid Konnection. This is a place for bloggers to share posts related to children's and YA books. You will find spotlights, reviews, and sometimes even giveaways by clicking HERE, every Saturday.


Thanks to the publisher for sending copies of these books for the purpose of this review. These reviews are my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase the books through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Children's Book Week - Search and Find Animals By Libby Walden

Children’s Book Week is the annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading. 

Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Every year, events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes — wherever young readers and books connect! 

The 98th anniversary of Children’s Book Week will take place May 1-7, 2017.

For more information, click HERE for downloadable activities and event information. 

In celebration of Children's Book Week, I am featuring a children's or YA book every day this week. 
Be sure to check them out every day or see them all by clicking HERE. 

Search and Find Animals

By: Libby Walden

Illustrated by: Fermin Solis

Published: September 13, 2016

Publisher: Silver Dolphin Books

When our children were younger, they loved these types of seek and find books. They were the perfect book for long car trips (or short ones), long wait times, or church. They never got tired of looking through them and finding the specific item on the page.

This hardcover, tall, and skinny book would easily slip into a backpack or diaper bag and could be pulled out while your toddler is in a stroller, car seat, or shopping cart. The pages are sturdy and resistant to tearing, but not too heavy for a small child to hold. 

Each page offers two flaps that feature animals to look for. It doesn't just name the animals but gives them a creative adjective that is often funny like a blind bat wearing dark sunglasses and holding a cane. Once you open the pages, then you are offered a full scene of animals to find your specific creature or item you are looking for. One spread is full of farm animals. Another is a scene from the Arctic. It finishes out the pages with scenes from the jungle, the safari, the ocean and the forest. It's extremely comprehensive including numerous animals in their various habitats. You child will find the artistic octopus with his calligraphy pen and ink quite silly.

Even though this is made for younger children, older children will find the humor on the pages and notice that the hedgehog in a ball is different from just the walking hedgehog. 

I'm giving this book huge praise and I can't wait to give it to my great-niece and look for all the cute animals with her!

To see more of Libby Walden's books, click HERE. You can also stay up-to-date on her blog, HERE.  

Fermin Solis has illustrated a number of books, check them out HERE. 
To purchase a copy of SEARCH AND FIND ANIMALS, click the photo below:

I will be linking up this review on Booking Mama's regular Saturday feature, Kid Konnection. This is a place for bloggers to share posts related to children's and YA books. You will find spotlights, reviews, and sometimes even giveaways by clicking HERE, every Saturday.


Thanks to the publisher for sending this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase the book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Children's Book Week - I Will Always Write Back by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda

Children’s Book Week is the annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading. 

Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Every year, events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes — wherever young readers and books connect! 

The 98th anniversary of Children’s Book Week will take place May 1-7, 2017.

For more information, click HERE for downloadable activities and event information. 

In celebration of Children's Book Week, I am featuring a children's or YA book every day this week. Be sure to check them out every day or see them all by clicking HERE. 

I WILL ALWAYS WRITE BACK
How One Letter Changed Two Lives

By: Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda with Liz Welch

Published: April 14, 2015

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Non-Fiction/Memoir



In 1997, when Caitlin's teacher assigned them to write a letter to a student in another country, I don't think either one of them would realize the life-changing effect one letter had on two families. Caitlin decided to choose a student in Zimbabwe because she didn't know anything about that country. She wrote a very basic letter introducing herself, her family, and some of her hobbies and interests. She sent it off with anticipation of getting a letter back soon. In a small classroom in Zimbabwe, a young boy was one of the few chosen to receive a pen pal letter. Martin was chosen because he was the smartest in his class. He was thrilled to receive a letter from America and couldn't wait to show his family. 

As the weeks and months progress, Caitlin and Martin attempt to continue to remain pen pals. It isn't a big deal for Caitlin to write and send letters, but due to Caitlin's naivety about the hardships in Zimbabwe, she had no idea how difficult it was for Martin to write back to her. Caitlin's letters asked for photos and wrote of a typical teenage American lifestyle like shopping, going to movies, and sleepovers with friends. Martin didn't even have paper to write letters on and often used trash he found around the nearby town to write to her. He couldn't afford stamps and would have to sell items on the streets or help tourists with their luggage just to afford stamps, even then, choosing that over food.

When Martin's family became so poor that they could no longer afford to pay for him to go to school, he decided to be truthful to Caitlin and her family about his situation. Caitlin began sending $20 bills in the mail not realizing that twenty American dollars could afford to send Martin to school for a month and feed his family for weeks. As his situation became more and more desperate, Caitlin's family became more involved in the financial support of Martin's schooling and efforts to get him to college in America.

Even though this is a young adult book and at times, reads childishly, the story reiterates the concern in Martin's voice about not being able to finish school, the hope that Caitlin and her family could solve the problems of a poor African student and his family, and the tenacity of a mom who just won't give up. It's a quick read and when there are so many roadblocks to Martin's future, you keep reading to find out how he will be able to survive these hurdles. 

I think Americans have a difficult time imagining children in other countries living in conditions we would find deplorable, yet they accept it as absolutely normal. Martin's family lived in one room. One room with his parents sleeping in a bed and the children sleeping on a dirt floor. During the monsoon season, rain would seep in through the thatched roof and under the walls and coat the floors in mud. No one in his family had ever had a pair of shoes and Martin wore the same uniform to school every day. Martin used the same toothbrush for seven years until Caitlin sent a package of items including a new toothbrush. Caitlin, making the choice to send her babysitting money to Martin, forever changed life for him and his family as well as herself. Her family saw Martin as their son and chose to make it their mission to get him to a college in the US.  By sharing their story, it is their hope that those who read it can make small steps to make a difference in someone's life as well. It may not be a huge change, but sharing kindness and generosity with others can be life-changing in even the smallest ways. 

This collaborative memoir would make an excellent summer project for middle school students. Assigning the book and a pen pal could be just the motivation someone needs to make a difference.  

Martin Ganda and Caitlin Alifirenka - source

Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda met as pen pals in 1997 and are still best friends today. Caitlin, an ER nurse, lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and young daughters. Martin currently lives in New York. He has dual degrees in mathematics and economics from Villanova University and an MBA in finance from Duke University. 

Check out their website, HERE. You can also find them on Facebook, HERE. 
To purchase a copy of I WILL ALWAYS WRITE BACK, click the photo below:

I will be linking up this review on Booking Mama's regular Saturday feature, Kid Konnection. This is a place for bloggers to share posts related to children's and YA books. You will find spotlights, reviews, and sometimes even giveaways by clicking HERE, every Saturday.


This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase the book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com.