The Banana Bunch by Dawn Carrol

Title: The Banana Bunch
Author: Dawn Carroll
Publisher: Amolibros
Pages: 120
Genre: Children’s Book
Format: Ebook/Paperback

Purchase at AMAZON

The monkeys have a human friend called Sheila.

Sheila is in hospital – and she hates the hospital food.

The monkeys decide that something simply has to be done…

When their first attempt at delivering bananas to Sheila is thwarted the monkeys decide to form The Banana Bunch, a secret society dedicated to the delivery of delicious, health-giving bananas to Sheila and all the other unwell people at the hospital. Banana delivery proves, however, a little trickier than they had expected…

Dawn Carroll was born in London, to a family who loved to read – and who also moved house with great regularity. One of the first tasks on arrival at each new home would be to find the nearest lending library, with the result that Dawn grew up with a great love of books. Encouraged by family and teachers, Dawn also started to write short stories.

In adulthood, Dawn’s busy life as a hospital doctor left little time for leisure writing. Indeed, The Banana Bunch stories would probably never have been written had Dawn not, one fateful day, discovered that falling from even a very small tightrope can have devastating consequences… but that’s another story!

Unable to return to her chosen profession, things seemed very black for a while. And then The Banana Bunch monkeys bounced into Dawn’s world….

Since then the monkeys (and Dawn) have been having a great time – telling the stories of their adventures in print and online, and also traveling far and wide to source new story ideas and to meet new friends. Find out more about Dawn and the Banana Bunch at here.

If you love the antics of monkeys then you'll love reading The Banana Bunch.  It's a crazy, fun and hilarious bunch of monkeys.  The Banana Bunch is a tight family line that sticks together through thick and thin, good and bad.  They are there for each other.  Encouraging each other and helping out where they are needed, and not needed.  ;P  It's a fun society and you'll chuckle with every stunt they pull as you turn the pages of this book.

Visit the tour page here

Lucy the Dinosaur Series by Joey Ahlbum

ABOUT LUCY THE DINOSAUR

Lucy the Dinosaur is a set of 15 books written by Joey Ahlbum. Moms and dads looking for the best kid’s picture book will love Frederator Books’ newest read along digital book!
Lucy is an explorer and a leader.  She has a natural curiosity about things because Lucy wants to learn.  Meet Lucy and her other dino friends as they learn, joke and skateboard!
Lucy is a larger than life dinosaur who loves adventures.  With Lucy in the lead, her loyal crew crawls, skates, and dances their way to learning.  Lucy’s curiosity holds no bounds—she counts, she hunts for treasure, she even puts on a play!  Veteran animator, Joey Ahlbum will charm kids with his friendly and dynamic art.  Fans of Dinosaur vs. Bedtime, Sandra Boynton & Mo Willems will love these cheerful read alongs.

I was sent ebooks of Lucy the dinosaur to review.   These books would make the best easy readers for new sprouting readers. They are short and very easy to read books.  Good for preschool-K, 1st graders.   Each book has a different theme from leaning to count, learning about opposites, even one about summer games and another about a day at the beach. Why not have loads of learning fun with Lucy the dinosaur and her friends this summer.   You can visit the web site here

 watch video trailers here

Visit the tour here

ABOUT JOEY AHLBUM

Joey Ahlbum is an animator and illustrator who has worked on classic shows Clifford’s Puppy Days and Elmo’s World, a Sesame Street production. He has been featured on Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, MTV, Frederator, and PBS. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and daughter.

The Funny Aventures of Little Nani by Cinta Garcia de la Rosa

Book Synopsis:

Little Nani is a little girl who likes helping people. However, when she helps people the results can be a bit unexpected. Why is that? Little Nani is a witch! Or at least she wants to be a witch. With her magic wand, she will try to cast different spells to help her friends, but she won’t be successful all the time. Follow Little Nani in her funny adventures and meet her extraordinary friends. Funny ostriches, horses that love reading, super-fast turtles, grumpy zombies… Little Nani has lots of friends! You can also draw your own characters! Little Nani is willing to become a good witch. Will she manage to do it? Who knows? Read the stories and discover what happens next!

The Funny Adventures of Little Nani is an excellent read-aloud book.  I love the way the author keeps the reader engaged in the story, every two pages or so, she has sprinkled spots to stop reading and draw.  The person(s) listening must be paying attention to the story and imagining things. What a creative way to bring in some drawing.  I have found that kids like to draw while being read to. 

Here's an example of the draw time on p.  22

Draw a picture of Drofxo in his cave.  Draw him outside the cave, drinking a cup of coffee while enjoying the sunshine.  What is that?  Is that a turtle?  Draw the turtle too.  Maybe it's Thunder!

See this book tour here
Get more information about this book here

Author Bio:
Cinta Garcia de la Rosa is a Spanish writer who has loved the written word since she discovered she was able to read books at age 5. Since then, she has become a bookworm and reads around 100 books every year. She also writes, every day, compulsively, even in the middle of the night. You cannot control when inspiration hits you, can you? She writes in English because she is convinced that in a previous life she was British, so writing in English feels more natural to her than writing in her native language. Yes, she is crazy like that. Cinta Garcia is the author of “The Funny Adventures of Little Nani”, a collection of short stories for children, and “A Foreigner in London”, a short story published on Smashwords.

Book of Dreams by Sylvie Michaud

About the book:

Book of Dreams sees Baby Raccoon’s parents use clouds to share their dreams of a better future. In the story, Mama and Papa use clouds to share their dreams about a healthy planet and vibrant future for Baby Ringtail. In the book, Baby Ringtail asks Mama and Papa, “Why is every cloud a different shape?” “Clouds are pictures in the sky that help us dream,” Mama Ringtail replies.

 

Book of Dreams is a delightful book.  It has such a dreamy mood to it.  The way the author uses the shapes of clouds and dreaming is excellent.  What person doesn't try to see shapes in the clouds?  It's a fun game to play with your youngster on a sunny summer day when they are bored.  Read Michaud's book and dream with your child.  See what shapes you can find you the sky above your head. The author uses lots of description to help bring creative images to the reader's imagination.  The water color illustrations help to set the mood of the book beautifully.   They are an added bonus to the prose of this book.  Definitely a Book to Dream with. 

Title:  Book of Dreams

Author: Sylvie Michaud

Genre: Children’s bedtime stories

Paperback: 24 pages

Publisher: Crafty Canuck, Inc. (March 28, 2012)

ISBN-13:978-0-9782955-8-5 (Print Soft Cover)

Kindle: B00BTPBX0Q

Purchase at:

Amazon soft cover: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Dreams-The-Ringtail-Family/dp/0978295587

Amazon digital: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Dreams-The-Ringtail-Family-ebook/dp/B00BTPBX0Q

B&N soft cover: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book-of-dreams-the-ringtail-family-sylvie-michaud/1110202903

About the author:

Sylvie Michaud is a North Vancouver, BC based writer and graphic designer. After years as a writer, editor and designer for The Canadian Red Cross Society newsletter, “The Responder”, Sylvie has gone on to write for several other groups & magazines including Pacific Yachting, GardenWise and the North Shore’s own Lynn Valley Literary anthology, “Wintertide.”

In 2011, Sylvie won the Lynn Valley Literary Society’s short story contest for “Fire and Fortune.”

In addition to her literary background, Sylvie is the ower of Blackbarn Crafts where she designs, produces and sells handmade crafts for crafts shows and other online venues.

Learn more about Sylvie Michaud and the Ringtail Family collection at www.craftycanuck.com and http://shop.craftycanuck.com/

The Do’s and Don’ts.

About the Book:

The Do’s and Don’ts is a whimsical lesson book aimed at teaching young readers the difference between good and bad behavior/etiquette. In the book Zack and Chloe go from being manner monsters to well-behaved children as they provide samples of typical scenarios that not only young children encounter but can relate to. For example, Zack becomes a Manner Monster when he loses a game, kicking and pouting like a poor sport. In contract, good behavior is then modeled depicting Zack congratulating the winning team. Unlike other etiquette books for children that tell a story or just communicate positive behavior, The Do’s and Don’ts compares and contrasts between good and bad behavior. Simply, yet colorfully displayed, are examples of inappropriate behavior and decisions young children may display followed by behavior and decisions that are more socially accepted. Each compare and contrast anecdote is set in the same scene so that young readers can instantly see the differences between good and poor behavior.

The Do's and Don'ts by Hayley Rose is the cutest book I've seen on manners.  If you want to teach your young ones good manners using a boo, then this is the book you need to read.  Do's and Don'ts doesn't just teach the don'ts, but also has what you should do.  The pages are set up as side-by-side...the left page is the don'ts and the right side is the the do's.  Very nicely done.  This book is going in this teacher's book bin.  

Buy the Book at Amazon

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

About the Author:

Multi-award-winning author Hayley Rose released her first children’s book, Fifo When I Grow Up, about a six-year-old bear starting school in 2002, followed by the wildly popular geography book and #1 best-seller, Fifo 50 States, published in 2010. In 2012, Hayley was selected as one of “The Top 50 Writers You Should Be Reading” by AuthorsShow.com. In 2013, she branched out with a new series featuring a new set of characters, Zach and Chloe the Louis the manner monster. Her new book, The Do’s and Don’ts, was released in September 2013 and has already garnered four literary awards, including the Readers’ Favorite, USA Best Books and the prestigious Mom's Choice Awards, bringing her career total to twenty-one. The follow up book in the new series, Today I Feel Emotion, will be released in the spring of 2014.

Hayley Lives in Scottsdale, AZ, with her dog Blanche.

Visit her website at www.booksbyhayleyrose.com.

Connect & Socialize with Hayley!

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A Sandy Grave by Donna McDine

A Sandy Grave by Donna McDine has a wonderful adventure and mystery  twist to it that children 7-10 would enjoy.  The book is a short story so it can be read in one setting, but it isn't too short that this age group would feel like it was a baby book.  A nice summer read for students about girls who do the right thing in catching the bad guys there is little adventure and some mystery to solve to catch the men.  Many of McDine's books are about saving the wildlife and environment. 

learn more about this book here
watch book trailer here

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A Sandy Grave by Donna McDine

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A Sandy Grave by Donna McDine

 

The anticipation of summer vacation can put anyone in a great mood with the excitement of adventures to be had–especially at the beach. But what is a group of friends to do when they discover mysterious men poaching whale teeth at the beach?

The lifeguards had their arms extended and attempted to move the crowd back. The tallest lifeguard said, “People, please stay back. The authorities will arrive to examine the whale to determine the cause of death within the hour. The whale must have died at sea and washed ashore.”

Donna McDine is an award-winning children’s author, Honorable Mention in the 77th and two Honorable Mentions in the 78^th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competitions, Literary Classics Silver Award & Seal of Approval Recipient Picture Book Early Reader, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention, Global eBook Awards Finalist Children’s Picture Book Fiction, and Preditors & Editors Readers Poll 2010 Top Ten Children’s Books ~ The Golden Pathway.

Her stories, articles, and book reviews have been published in over 100 print and online publications. Her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Donna’s 2013 releases of Powder Monkey and Hockey Agony and the 2014 release of A Sandy Grave will be joined by an additional book to be published by Guardian Angel Publishing, Dee and Deb, Off They Go. She writes, moms and is a personal assistant from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI, Children’s Literature Network, and Family Reading Partnership. 
Visit Donna online at www.donnamcdine.com or her blog at www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com

Connect & Socialize with Donna!

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Donna McDine is giving you a chance to win a $50 Barnes and Noble Gift Card.

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $50 Barnes and Noble Gift Card
• This giveaway begins March 3 and ends on April 25, 2014.
• Winner will be contacted via email.

Good luck everyone!

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Why I Am an Independent Conservative by Karen Jourden

 

ABOUT WHY I AM AN INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE

Liberty is never free—it comes at a cost. Throughout the history of the United States, our freedom has been safeguarded through immense sacrifice. But without the truth and knowledge of the past, this liberty can be threatened.

Bringing to light some of the key incidents of American history, author Karen Jourden seeks to safeguard liberty by remembering the past in Why I Am an Independent Conservative. She delves into early American history, the writing of the US Constitution, the American Civil War, and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s massive government expansion during the Great Depression.

Urging all Americans to do their research, Jourden offers her straightforward,unvarnished opinion on the state of America today. She tackles tough subjects, including threats to our freedom of speech, the rise of the ACLU, liberalism, environmental activism, and much more.

Keeping America free requires hard work, dedication, and, above all, vigilance. This treatise seeks to light the path for concerned Americans to take a stand, urging them to protect liberty and justice for all.

Title: Why I Am an Independent Conservative
Genre: Political
Author: Karen Jourden
Publisher: iUniverse
Pages: 276
Language: English
Format: Ebook

 iUniverse

ABOUT KAREN JOURDEN

Karen Jourden was born in Louisiana in 1951. She received a BA in business administration from Adams State College and an associate’s degree in office technology from Trinidad State Jr. College. Jourden lives in Colorado with her husband, Don, a retired disabled veteran of the US Navy.

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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.

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