Maya & Filippo Make Friends in Auckland by Alinka Rutkowska

 
Embark on a one-of-a-kind, unprecedented, breathtaking adventure with Maya and Filippo as they travel around the globe on board the “Fun Princess” — a cruise ship full of surprises. Discover their fascinating ports of call, find out what the local customs and traditions are, join the kids in activities at sea, and explore the remarkable world they create through the power of their positive outlook.

This time Maya and Filippo discover Auckland and meet different kinds of people depending on…read the book to find out! Spoiler alert: the kids ride a big hop-on, hop-off explorer bus, where strange things happen. They stop at the famous Sky Tower, where they do something very exciting.

If you have a child that loves adventure then they'll enjoy Maya & Filippo:  Make Friends in Auckland by Alinka Rutkowska.  It is a fun way to explore Auckland, New Zealand, if you can't physically go there, with books you can go anywhere.  They'll learn customs and traditions along the way.  Encourage to explore they learn it is more fun to be going an doing than to be complaining.  Learning to have a new look on things is all part of their day of exploration.  Very excellent book just one in a series of adventure books by Rutkowska. 

AMAZON

 Title: Maya & Filippo Make Friends in Auckland
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Author: Alinka Rutkowska
Publisher: Alinka Rutkowska
Pages: 26
Language: English
Format: Paperback & eBook

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE.

ABOUT ALINKA RUTKOWSKA

Alinka Rutkowska is a “Reader’s Favorite” Five Star Picture Book Author. She writes the “Maya & Filippo” Book Series for Children – travel books for kids with a positive attitude. She takes inspiration from her own travels while cruising with her husband and daughter around the world. She is positive, appreciative and happy 95% of the time and during the miserable 5% she thinks to herself quickly: “things always work out for me” and they do.

Alinka’s doesn’t really have a “to do” list but she does have a “fun things to do” list. It usually consists of writing, reading, reading her writing, writing in her diary, blogging, reading other blogs, commenting, breathing deeply, meditating, feeling the warmth of the sun on her skin, closing her eyes, breathing some more and thinking what a wonderful world she lives in.

Sometimes she takes a few minutes to pause and instead of doing something from her “fun things to do” list she just daydreams a little. She thinks of all the great things that she wants for her to happen and imagines how wonderful it will feel to be interviewed about them in the future. She’s already preparing the answers to those interview questions in her mind. She especially loves the part, in which she says that she achieved all these things because she spent a considerable amount of time visualizing them first.

Alinka loves to ski while listening to music at the same time, she enjoys an occasional glass (or bottle) of Barolo with dark chocolate, she loves cuddling with her husband and daughter. Alinka really likes tea, especially that last sip which is usually the tastiest.

You can visit Alinka’s website at www.mayafilippo.com, where she blogs daily for parents, travelers and authors.

TWITTER * FACEBOOK  * GOODREADS

When the Monsters are Quiet by Alicia Lloyd

Synopsis of book: This friendly book is a fun way children can start to become proficient readers by reading about one of their biggest worries- bedtime! This book is a reminder to never be afraid of your monsters and has helpful hints for parents to help their children by exploring with early reading strategies at home.
  
1st grade reading level children's book. Phonemic awareness and reading comprehension strategies are in the back of the book so parents can get their kiddos star readers!

Title of Book: When the Monsters are Quiet
Author: Alicia Lloyd                    
Publisher: Halo Publishing, Int.
ISBN Number: ISBN 13: 978-1-61244-219-8
Genre: Children
Publication Date: January 2014
Page count: 25
Price: $11.95

Places available for sale: Halo, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

I haven't received my copy of this book so therefore I  can't post my review on the book yet.  Sorry.

Author Bio: Alicia Lloyd is a senior at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and is working towards her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Grades Preparation (PK-4) and Special Education. She has a strong passion for working with children and loves to write! Alicia lives in Oxford, Pennsylvania surrounded by her wonderful friends and family.

Follow Alicia Lloyd on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/whenthemonstersarequiet

Gluten-Free Me, Beckmin Goes to School by Christy E. Bykowski

About the Book:

“Beckmin goes to School” is meant to raise awareness for celiac disease and the everyday challenges children with celiac disease face in their otherwise normal activities.  As diagnosis of celiac disease increases, education, awareness, and understanding will be the keys to making celiac kids feel normal and included. Written for children to help them express and understand celiac disease, the book is a wonderful tool for children and adults alike.


Places available for sale: Halo, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Title of Book: Gluten-Free Me, Beckmin Goes to School 
Author: Christy E. Bykowski                  
Publisher: Halo Publishing, Int.
ISBN Number: ISBN 13: 978-1-61244-228-0
Genre: Children
Publication Date: January 2014

This is a very good book to use to help younger children realize that they can go to school, have friends and be involved in everyday activities even with a help issue.  It is a book that will help children understand what celiac disease is and the challenges that are faced and how they can overcome.  A very well written book and wonderful resource. 

Author Bio: Christy is an award-winning public relations and marketing practitioner, as well as a wife and mother. She lives and works in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, Benjamin, raising their three boys and spreading awareness about celiac disease and the need for a gluten-free environment for individuals diagnosed with celiac disease.


“Beckmin Goes to School” is Christy’s first children’s book, and was inspired by her middle son, Beckmin, who was diagnosed with celiac disease at 18 months, after extensive sickness and a series of hospital visits.  Since then, Christy has worked with Beckmin through the everyday challenges of being a kid with this disease, dealing with his frustrations and his own learning curve as to what celiac disease is, how to explain it, and what it means in his day-to-day life. Beckmin’s stories, written to help children define, understand, and explain celiac disease, are meant to be both empowering and educational for kids and their parents.

Author Website: www.glutenfreekids.info

Twitter: @christybyk


For more information check out World of Ink

a free copy of this book was provided in exchange for my honest review by.....

Maisy and the Missing Mice by Elizabeth Woodrum

Maisy Sawyer is not your average fourth grade student. She is a detective with a special skill for solving mysteries. She loves black and white mystery movies, cherry lollipops, and her dog, Reesie. When a thief known as The Black Boot steals the school’s mascots and her lollipops, Maisy sets out to solve the case. Can she help return the mice to their home in the science lab? Will she ever see her beloved lollipops again? Find out in the first book in The Maisy Files series.

This was a very quick and easy read.  I believe your third or fourth grader would love this book if they are into trying to solve mysteries.  Short chapters, no pictures for those readers that are ready to move on into chapter books and want to think they are getting into big stuff reading.  Fun to see how Maisy uncovers the mystery of the missing mice, lollipops and tooth.  They are all interwoven into one fun book kids will love to dig into.  Good book for a read aloud to younger children.  Wonderful mystery for kids to try to solve as they read along or are read to. 

Visit the book trailer at http://videodemo.co/JP2cf9mjLj/.

Title: Maisy and the Missing Mice
Genre: Children’s Mystery Fiction
Author: Elizabeth Woodrum
Publisher: Elizabeth Woodrum
Pages: 70
Language: English
Format: Paperback & eBook

Elizabeth Woodrum is a full time elementary teacher in Ohio. She began writing as early as when she was in elementary school, but more recently began writing material for use in her classroom. From that writing, grew the desire to write books for the general population of children and adults alike. The Maisy Files, a children’s series, is the first series that she has published. The series currently has one book, Maisy and the Missing Mice. Elizabeth plans to add more books to the series, and would also like to publish books for adults in the future.
As a reader, Elizabeth prefers the fantasy genre, but she enjoys realistic fiction as well. Some of her favorite authors include JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Rick Riordan, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Nicholas Sparks.
Originally from Indiana, Elizabeth currently resides near Dayton, Ohio with her two pets: a cat named Butterscotch and a dog named Reese Cup
You can view more about Elizabeth Woodrum at www.elizabethwoodrum.com.

Connect & Socialize with Elizabeth!

TWITTER * FACEBOOK  * GOODREADS

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE.

 

 

Tempest's Course by Lynette Sowell

A Quilts of Love book.

Kelly Frost, a textiles conservator, is invited to the Massachusetts coastal city of New Bedford to restore a 150-year-old Mariner’s Compass quilt. But there is one stipulation: she must live and work in Gray House, a former whaling captain’s home, where the quilt is stored. There she meets Army veteran Tom Pereira, the caretaker of Gray House, whose heart seems as hard as the rocky Massachusetts coastline.

Over the long-lit months as Kelly works to restore the quilt, she and Tom grow closer. And as she reads stories in a daily journal penned by Mary Gray, she learns the secrets of the quilt and Mary’s own sad tale of regret. Then Tom learns secrets of his own family’s past, and both Tom and Kelly learn they are tied to Gray House in ways they never imagined.

Purchase a copy here.

I love the Quilts of Love series.  Lynette Sowell does a super job quilting together a story of romance, suspense and history all into one book.  Tempest's Course will capture you from the first page to the last. It keeps you turning the page with each surprise when you aren't expecting it.  She draws the reader in early and keeps you hooked throughout the entire book.  It's a book you don't want to miss out on that is for sure. 

Learn more at: http://www.quiltsoflovebooks.com

 Lynette Sowell was born in western Massachusetts in the shadow of the Berkshire Mountains, raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and now makes her home on the doorstep of the Texas hill country. The award-winning author of more than 15 titles, Lynette loves reading, cooking, watching movies, and is always up for a Texas road trip. When not writing fiction, she works in medical transcription and is a freelance writer and columnist for her local newspaper.

http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/lynnette-sowell-tempests-course




A copy of this book was provided for in exchange for my review and hosting this tour by...

Amish Country Christmas by Charlotte Hubbard

ABOUT AN AMISH COUNTRY CHRISTMAS

“The Christmas Visitors”: For spirited Martha Coblentz and her twin Mary, the snow has delivered the perfect holiday and birthday present to their door—handsome brothers Nate and Bram Kanagy. But when unforeseen trouble interrupts their season’s good cheer, it will take unexpected intervention—and sudden understanding—to give all four the blessing of a lifetime.
“Kissing the Bishop”: As the New Year’s first snow settles, Nazareth Hooley and her sister Jerusalem are given a heaven-sent chance to help newly widowed Tom Hostetler tend his home. But when her hope that she and Tom can build on the caring between them seems a dream forever out of reach, Nazareth discovers that faith and love can make any miracle possible.

Purchase at:
 

Charlotte Hubbard and written another fantastic Amish book.  Yes, I'm a little behind times, but better late than never.  However, it's a book worth shouting about and reading even after Christmas.  An Amish Country Christmas is actually a two-in-one book, so you get two wonderful books written by this awesome author in one.  This book brings together characters from two of Hubbard's already published series.  As usual with every turn of the page there are new twists and turns in the story.  You won't be disappointed if you pick up a copy of An Amish Christmas an read it.  Actually, it's a book that will keep you turning the pages.

You may read the first chapter here if you wish.

ABOUT CHARLOTTE HUBBARD

I’ve called Missouri home for most of my life, and most folks don’t realize that several Old Older Amish and Mennonite communities make their home here, as well. The rolling pastureland, woods, and small towns along county highways make a wonderful setting for Plain populations—and for stories about them, too! While Jamesport, Missouri is the largest Old Order Amish settlement west of the Mississippi River, other communities have also found the affordable farm land ideal for raising crops, livestock, and running the small family-owned businesses that support their families.

Like my heroine, Miriam Lantz, of my Seasons of the Heart series, I love to feed people—to share my hearth and home. I bake bread and goodies and I love to try new recipes. I put up jars and jars of green beans, tomatoes, beets and other veggies every summer. All my adult life, I’ve been a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and we hosted a potluck group in our home for more than twenty years.

Like Abby Lambright, heroine of my Home at Cedar Creek series, I consider it a personal mission to be a listener and a peacemaker—to heal broken hearts and wounded souls. Faith and family, farming and frugality matter to me: like Abby, I sew and enjoy fabric arts—I made my wedding dress and the one Mom wore, too, when I married into an Iowa farm family more than thirty-five years ago! When I’m not writing, I crochet and sew, and I love to travel.

I recently moved to Minnesota when my husband got a wonderful new job, so now he and I and our border collie, Ramona, are exploring our new state and making new friends.

You can visit her website at www.CharlotteHubbard.com

Visit the book tour schedule here

Poetry Book Seasons of Poetry by Ken Ollis

 

About the Book: Title: Seasons of Poetry
  A book of verse so plain and clear
To ease the mind and please the ear.
So easy to read, no burdensome lines.
No lingering stories of trouble times. This poetry is written in a style different from any I have seen before. Each poem is distinctly different from others within the book. Collectively they are entirely different from any book of poetry it has been my pleasure to read. I believe the poems contained in this book will be of interest to anyone regardless of their station or status in life. This is beautiful poetry that is sad at times, passionate and inspiring at others. The reader can expect to be transported away to different times and places.

Genre: Poetry
 Author: Ken Ollis
 Publisher: iUniverse
 Pages: 108
 Language: English
 ISBN – 978-0-59527-906-7

About the Author: My roots are here in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. After leaving for many years I returned to live again among natures beauty and lovely people. My wife and I live in a log cabin on a mountain named Gingercake. We raised two sons and have three grandchildren. 

 Purchase Link: http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000078580/Seasons-of-Poetry.aspx

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Christmas Gift for Rose by Tricia Goyer

USA Today best-selling author Tricia Goyer is the author of over 35 books, including the three-book Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and “Lead Your Family Like Jesus,” (co-written with Ken Blanchard). She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com and MomLifeToday.com. She is the host of Living Inspired, a weekly radio show. Tricia and family live in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have six children. You can find out more about Tricia at www.TriciaGoyer.com.

Find out more about Tricia at http://triciagoyer.com.

Inspired by a true story, A Christmas Gift for Rose is a heartwarming novella of sacrifice and deep love.

Born in the midst of the hardships of The Great Depression, Rose grew up in Berlin, Ohio, in the arms of a loving Amish family. But she is overwhelmed by self-doubt when she learns the truth of her birth. She was born Englisch and abandoned when her family moved West in search of work. Was she meant to be Amish or would she have been better off growing up with her own kind—Englischers? And was her intended’s gift of discovering her birth family given out of love or fear?
Don’t miss award-winning author Tricia Goyer’s first Christmas novella.

Purchase a copy here.
Learn more at Tricia’s website.

OK so I'm a tad bit late...but just needed to get this posted.  This is a good short easy inspirational  read.  It's heartwarming for this time of the year.  You won't be disappointed that you picked it up and took the time to read it. 

A copy of this book was provided for in exchange for my review and hosting this tour by...