Interview with Diane Robinson for The Pen Pieyu Adventures

 Come and join me as I talk with author Diane Mae Robinson about her picture/chapter book Sir Princess Petra's Talent on Stories From Unknown Authors 
http://blogtalkradio.com/storiesfromunknownauthors at 1 pm EST today.




Book Summary:

Sir Princess Petra has already proven she is a kind and noble knight. This, however, does not please the king and queen--they want her to behave like a princess and forget this silly knight nonsense of hers!

• Paperback: 92 pages
• Publisher: Tate Publishing (September 24, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1625106823
• ISBN-13: 978-1625106827

Review:

Sir Princess Petra's Talent is a wonderfully inspiring story of acceptance and friendship. Children of all ages are going to love the author's humor as she shows how Petra's determination, acceptance of others, and kindness change a kingdom and break the rules of the closed mind thinkers. Petra as a knight is a unique and lively character that will assuredly capture the hearts of many.

Booksigning Event and Science Event at Lakeshore Learning Educational Store

 

Lakeshore Learning Science Event

Sterling Heights

12210 Hall Road

Sterling Heights, MI 48313

586-803-1435

Award-Winning Author Renee Hand will be at Lakeshore Learning on Saturday March 22^nd from 11-3pm.

 

Lakeshore Learning will be having a science event with different stations around the store. Mrs. Hand will be offering a rock and mineral giveaway as well as talking about her interactive mystery series. Her books range from a picture book for K-1 grades, a science animal detective series for 2-4^th grades and up, her interactive mystery series for 4^th grade and up into middle school where readers get to solve puzzles inside of the books. She has also created a storytelling card game which is great for children of all ages to get their creative juices flowing. Can also be used for writing prompts. All of her books and games will be at the store for purchase.  

Any questions about the event please call the store. It will be a fun day and a chance to meet the author and buy copies of her books.

  

Review for The Little Moose Who Couldn’t Go to Sleep by Willie Claflin

The Little Moose Who Couldn’t Go to Sleep by Willie Claflin and illustrated by James Stimson

August House; Har/Com
March 7^th, 2014
ISBN-10: 1939160677
ISBN-13: 978-1939160676
Ages 6 and up
36 Pages 

“It is cute and funny, unique and whimsical, and has a good moral, too.” 

The Little Moose Who Couldn’t Go to Sleep is the fourth installment in the Maynard Moose series. It provides the backstory for the Maynard Moose tales.  

Storyteller Maynard Moose lives in the Northern Piney Woods. Animals come from all over just to hear him tell old Mother Moose Tales. These tales are handed down from generation to generation. When he isn’t spending time with his friends in the woods telling tales, he is found spending time with Little Moose, his favorite cousin and youngest of kin.  

He tells Little Moose how the whole universe came from the kitchen of Mother Moose. He then proceeds to tell the tale of how there was a Little Moose who couldn’t go to sleep. This causes a problem because the lack of sleep affects the little moose at school and at home. She can’t concentrate and there for has a hard time paying attention. When it comes right down to it the little moose’s mind keeps running all night long, and she can’t calm it to go to sleep.  

Family members give suggestions on how to cure this problem, but nothing seems to work. Then one night a sheep takes Little Moose to the kitchen of Mother Moose, housed in the sky above intermixed with the stars. There Little Moose finds the answer that will cure her. 

This is a whimsical telling of how Little Moose struggles with going to sleep each night. Children will love the way the story twists and turns as Maynard Moose eventually gets to the main point of the story. Children have over active imaginations that flood them at night and in turn can cause insomnia; however, when children learn to curb their thoughts they will be able to rest more easily. 

The wonderfully created illustrations by the talented James Stimson are humorous and well developed, capturing the reader’s attention throughout the story.  

Each of the author’s books begin in a similar style, and in this series it is understood right from the beginning that the story is translated from the original Moose and contains traces of Piney Woods accents and words such as bankee, blorble, snork, etc. 

Parents and children who are familiar with the series and the author’s style of writing will no doubt love this fourth installment. It is cute and funny, unique and whimsical, and has a good moral, too. 

Parents who are not familiar with the series might find the Piney Woods accents frustrating to read because Maynard Moose uses lots of improper English throughout the story and uses words that the reader will need to use the glossary for to understand the meaning of. (One is provided in the book just for this purpose). Maynard Moose also rambles on, which can confuse and bore the reader at times. 

The book comes with a CD, which may be fun and should enhance the story for the reader, especially if they are younger. This is a longer story meant for older children to read by themselves, though the CD could be used for younger children. Children from the ages of 6 and up will enjoy this 40-page picture book.

 

Review of The Wacky World of Wendy White by Barbara Ann Bonilla

The Wacky World of Wendy White-A Whopper of a Tale by Barbara Ann Bonilla


 Come and join me as I talk with author Barbara Ann Banilla about her picture book The Wacky World of Wendy White on Stories From Unknown Authors 
http://blogtalkradio.com/storiesfromunknownauthors at 1 pm EST today.

Paperback: 48 pages

Publisher: Outskirts Press (August 8, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 147871543X

ISBN-13: 978-1478715436

http://www.thewackyworldofwendywhite.com/

The Book:

Peppered with dozens of unexpected food references and marinated in tangy prose, this unique story is a tasty

take on the traditional children's tale. Whipped up by first-time author and bona fide foodie Barbara Ann Bonilla, 

“The Wacky World of Wendy White!” tells the story of two very different families' struggles and successes.

The tale centers on 12-year-old Wendy White, a girl of simple tastes, who steps away from the White castle in

search of fun ,food, adventure, and camaraderie.

      Wendy's journey through many miles and years brims with unexpected turns – and a chance at the family she always dreamed about. “The Wacky World of Wendy White!” offers readers young and old a delicious tale with warm lessons

in the virtue of patience, persistence and optimism. It's a wonderful story to be enjoyed time and time again.

Bio:
A native New Yorker, first-time author Barbara Ann Bonilla has resided in Manhattan for over 40 years.  As an experienced home cook from a long line of Italian chefs, Barbara is not afraid to admit that that she's also a fast-food junkie with a major sweet tooth.  Her favorite meal is a Big Mac with extra special sauce. In her spare time, she watches too much reality TV and appears on game shows.

Amazon Link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/147871543X/ref=asc_df_147871543X2825473?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=dealt529148-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=147871543X

Review:

The Wacky World of Wendy White is a humorous story filled with interesting prose which involves the names of many well known restaurants and goodies. When Wendy misses the comfort of her friend, Denny, she darts off away from her White Castle to find her, and goes on an adventure. She realizes too late that she has bitten off more than she could chew and runs into one problem right after the other.

Along her journey she meets a bully who puts her in a box, but fortunately she was freed when a cow named Burger King saved her. She finally bumps into the friend she was looking for while making another. They bond together over famous foods and Wendy visits her friends home where she lives on a farm filled with interestingly named animals. Being apart of a large family, Wendy got the feel of being around lots of people. She missed the warmth of family especially when it was just her and her father, Papa John. But interestingly enough Denny's mother was widowed and was a fine woman. The families became good friends and Wendy was never alone again. But what would happen to Wendy along her life's journey?

 The author does an amazing job incorporating all the food items and names seamlessly into the story. There was about 30 in the first chapter alone. The addition enhances the story bringing in some humor the reader will appreciate. Kids will delight in trying to find all the food items in the story and will recognize many of the restaurant names.  The author put a clever twist on a story that adults as well as children the ages of 5 and up will enjoy.