All New Children's Authors Radio Show-Looking For Authors to Interview

I'm starting a new area in my career as an author and book reviewer. A new business, as it were. Because of the dozens and dozens  of children's books I review for various publishers and authors, I'm creating my own children's radio show called Stories From Unknown Authors. This is a show that puts focus on the unknown author, instead of on all of the bestselling authors. There have been so many wonderful books I have reviewed that I feel the world needs to know more about them. My job is to help the unknown author, become known.

I'm currently booking authors for my new children's radio show. I already have several dates taken but am looking for more dates to fill up till December. If interested in being interviewed about your book or new release, which also includes a giveaway of your book and and review, contact me at thecryptocapersseries@gmail.com and we will go from there. This is a fairly new show, but with all my experience being interviewed on radio shows, I'm going to have lots of fun. I've already booked several great authors. This is a relaxing show just like we were sitting down enjoying lunch and talking about a good book. So please check it out at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/storiesfromunknownauthors and  follow if you would like. My show officially begins next week. I would appreciate it. I will return the follow as well. Just let me know where. Thanks so much!

Hurricane Answer and News

Here is the answer to Monday's question.

Men and women's names are used to name hurricanes. How many lists are there?

In honor of my new release coming up in October, every few days I am going to teach my wonderful readers how to solve cryptograms. I am also going to introduce a new cipher to try out. More coming on this soon. Have a great day!

There's 6 different name lists that alternate each year. If a hurricane does significant damage, its name is retired and replaced with another.

Book Review for One Moon, Two Cats by Laura Godwin

One Moon, Two Cats by Laura Godwin, Illustrated by Yoko Tanaka

Atheneum

August 30, 2011

ISBN-10: 144241202X

ISBN-13: 978-1442412026

Ages 4-8

32 Pages

Fiction Children’s Picture Book



Laura Godwin, author of Forest, has written several I Can Read Books under the pen name Nola Buck, including the popular Creepy Crawly Critters and Other Halloween Tongue Twisters and Santa’s Short Suit Shrunk and Other Christmas Tongue Twisters, both illustrated by Sue Truesdell. Ms. Godwin lives in New York City.



Reviewer: Renee Hand



One Moon, Two Cats is a gentle tale about two cats from different locations who appreciate the beauty and calmness of the world.

The story begins with two felines: one who lives in the city and one who lives in the country, and each is getting ready for bed along with their owners. But when the lights go out, each cat behaves in a similar—yet different—manner, which highlights both their similarities and their differences.

One watches the life of a big city, while the other watches the animals of a farm. Both cats like to walk along rails and fences. They like to preen themselves and swish their tails from side to side. Regardless of location, each cat understands the surrounding smells and anticipates chasing mice. They run and crouch, leap and hunt until their prey is caught—well—almost.

Regardless of location, there is one thing that each cat is also afraid of. Will it ruin their nighttime adventures?

One Moon, Two Cats is a comparable example of the country mouse and the city mouse.

The author has created a perfect bedtime tale with this 32-page picture book. The illustrations by Yoko Tanaka are softly rendered, highlighting the charisma of the characters. And then, of course, there’s the moral of the story, which is that no matter where we come from, our lust for adventure, love, and peace, can always be shared.

Hurricane Information For Children and Parent's

In lieu of Hurricane Irene and the impact it had on many cities and people in the U.S., I've found some information that many of you might be interested in. For those of you who were in the storm, I hope that you made it through unscathed.

What is a hurricane?

A hurricane is a huge storm! It can be up to 600 miles across and have strong winds spiraling inward and upward at speeds of 75 to 200 mph. Each hurricane usually lasts for over a week, moving 10-20 miles per hour over the open ocean. Hurricanes gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters. Evaporation from the seawater increases their power. Hurricanes rotate in a counter-clockwise direction around an "eye." which is the center and the calmest part. It has only light winds and fair weather. When they come onto land, the heavy rain, strong winds and large waves can damage buildings, trees and cars.




If you live in an area that's prone to hurricanes, then an emergency kit can be a big help for you. An emergency kit is designed to give you all the basic things you need to survive and be safe, from a way to get clean water for yourself to first aid kits and other helpful tools. 

How do hurricanes form?

Hurricanes only form over really warm ocean water of 80°F or warmer. The atmosphere (the air) must cool off very quickly the higher you go. Also, the wind must be blowing in the same direction and at the same speed to force air upward from the ocean surface. Winds flow outward above the storm allowing the air below to rise. Hurricanes typically form between 5 to 15 degrees latitude north and south of the equator. The Coriolis Force is needed to create the spin in the hurricane and it becomes too weak near the equator, so hurricanes can never form there.





I hope this interests some of you and answers some of your questions about hurricanes.

Just for fun I added a question to figure out about hurricanes. Answers will be given on the 31st. Check out my new review tomorrow for Two Cats and One Moon. A delightful children's picture book.

Men and women's names are used to name hurricanes. How many lists are there?

Book Review for Abe's Lucky Day by Jill Warren

Abe's Lucky Day by Jill Warren

Outskirts Press

July, 7th, 2011

Ages 9-12

32 Pages

ISBN-10: 1432773054

ISBN-13:  978-1432773052

Fiction     Children’s Picture Book 



Jill Warren was born in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania in 1961. She studied Special Education and Psychology at Lock Haven University until joining the Air Force in 1982. Upon returning to the states, she moved to New York and where she began work in the field of developmental disabilities. She completed her B.A. in Psychology in 1992, the same year her son was born. This was when her love of children's books began. Telling bedtime stories and reading with her young son brought forth an itch that had to be scratched. But it wasn't until 2008 that she began to write for children. In 2011, publication of her first book, "Abe's Lucky Day" represented the realization of a dream come true. Warren continues to live in New York and work with preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She is currently working on her second book.

Reviewer: Renee Hand

Abe's Lucky Day is a delightful example of how one person's kindness can change another person's life forever.

Abe was a homeless man who lived in a noisy city with no family nearby. He was alone. Winter was coming to the city and Abe found warmth in an alley near a bakery. When he woke, his bones achy and his body stiff and cold, he noticed a warm loaf of fresh bread that had fallen off a delivery truck. He had eaten half of it when an elderly woman walked up to him, also homeless. She hadn't eaten in days. Abe gave her half of his bread. He was happy that she had eaten something.

Abe had visited the park where people would sometimes give him money. He found gloves to keep his hands warm, but when he noticed a boy walking through the park, his hands freezing from the chilly winter air, Abe gave him the gloves to warm his hands.

He had also given up a large box that was his bed for a girl to warm herself during the winter night as Abe sat in the snow to bare the elements. In the morning he finds ten dollars, which he aims to use for a nice warm breakfast, but when he sees a woman with her young child, who haven't eaten since the day before, Abe gives up his money to help them.

In a coffee shop, Abe sits down to a warm cup of cocoa when a businessman behind him drops his paper. Abe picks it up and in that moment the businessman sees something in Abe that no one else has--potential. What will he do that will change Abe's life forever?

Abe is a selfless character who is more concerned about the well being of others than himself. This story shows how one small kindness can affect people's lives in a positive and welcoming way. It will make the reader think of ways to help others. It doesn't matter how big or small the gesture is, but that at least a gesture is made.

The illustrations are cleanly done and expressive, but with a minor quibble. Abe appears young and too groomed to look homeless, which would make the reader wonder what happened in his life that would cause a young man not to be working or doing something for himself. A little more history of the character would have solved it.

Regardless of this, the story is powerful in it's meaning and shares with readers how kindness and just plain humanity, can make a difference in someone's life, instead of looking at someone differently for their misfortunes, we can think of how we can help them change their fate.

Review for Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio

Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio, Illustrated by Scott Campbell

Atheneum

August 23, 2011

Ages 4-8

32 Pages

ISBN-10: 1442402709

ISBN-13: 978-1442402706

Fiction     Children’s Picture Book  

Kelly DiPucchio is the award-winning author of several children's books, including New York Times bestseller, GRACE FOR PRESIDENT, and THE SANDWICH SWAP, a book co-authored for Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, which President Bill Clinton called “a delightful story.”

Reviewer Renee Hand

Zombie in Love is a bizarre rendition of searching for love in all the wrong places. 

Mortimer was a very lonely zombie. He wanted to go to Cupid’s Ball, but didn’t have a sweetheart to take to it. For some reason, every advance he tried just didn’t turn out quite right. He gave a girl a box of chocolates, but she didn’t accept them because worms were crawling around inside.

He gave his mail carrier a heart, literally a heart from someone’s body. She obviously was unimpressed and grossed out.

Mortimer gave this cute waitress at a diner a beautiful diamond ring. Who wouldn’t cherish such a gift? Someone who noticed that the ring was still attached to a finger. 

Mortimer was more depressed than ever. He tried everything to impress the ladies. He worked out in the gym, took dancing classes, and even sang songs. If only he weren’t so dead—that might change everything. 

In a last ditch effort, Mortimer puts an ad in the paper for the girl of his dreams to meet him at Cupid’s Ball. Will Mortimer ever find his true love?

The storyline is simple for younger children to understand, focusing on Mortimer’s efforts at finding love and the challenges he faces. The illustrations really turn this story into a humorous masterpiece, perfect for children who like Halloween and revel in the grotesque. 

The ending, however, is rather predictable. Some children will enjoy and appreciate Mortimer’s humor and frustration in this 32-page picture book, while others may find the images more disturbing than funny. If your child didn’t like William Steig’s Shrek!, chances are you might want to pass on this one. But if he or she did, then go for it! It’s grossly delicious—kinda like tart gummy worms.

Book Signing Event in Ypsilanti Michigan

I am going to be at the Ypsilanti Heritage Festival starting on August 19, 20 & 21 signing and discussing all of my books. This event is 33 years in the making and celebrates tons of things from history including aircraft and WWII items from locations in Michigan. There are tons of events for children, adults and everyone. Below is their website.

http://www.ypsilantiheritagefestival.com/index.htm

I hope to see some of you there. Have a great week.

Book Signing Event at Huckleberry Railroad

Award-Winning Children’s Author at Cultural Education Event

Having over 25 years of writing experience, award-winning author, Renee Hand, has become a maverick in the world of children's story telling. She has created books that are educational, fun and interactive. Many of her books are science or social studies based. She goes beyond entertaining, capturing the reader’s attention, making her stories memorable in the minds of every child.

Hand will be at Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad on Saturday, August 13, 2011 from 1-3pm to discuss and sign her award-winning books in her Crypto-Capers Series, which are interactive mysteries for children. The reader must solve cryptograms and puzzles in order to solve the case. Readers will have a chance to solve cryptograms, win a free book, and have an opportunity to learn more about the author’s lower elementary series about animal detectives in her Joe-Joe Nut Series. The newest release, Mineral Mischief, a rock and minerals mystery with experiments, the rock cycle and terminology, recently won a Preferred Choice Award through Creative Child Magazine, which is a magazine focusing on innovative products for children around the world. For more information about the author and her books check out www.reneeahand.com

Author is also available for school and library visits. She has created a Children’s Writing Workshop that is guaranteed to raise test scores. Her books also satisfy the National Standards Requirement for Science. Teachers and librarians can use her books in the classroom and in many other ways.

Book Review for Life Is Not A Candy Store, It's The Way to The Candy Store by Tal Yanai

Life Is Not a Candy Store: It’s the Way to the Candy Store.
Writting by: Tal Yanai
Publisher: Bat-El Publishing
ISBN Number: 978-0-9832025-0-9
Publication Date: June 15, 2011
Genre of Book: juvenile nonfiction/body, mind and spirit

Bio:

For two years he worked as an historical analyst at the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, established by Steven Spielberg after the filming of Schindler’s List. As part of his job, he listened every day to testimonies of Holocaust survivors. Many were children or teenagers during WWII and their stories greatly influenced Tal’s decision to become involved with educating youth, so he proceeded to get his Teaching Credential in Social Studies.

Bringing two wonderful children into the world gave him a new sense of urgency to share and teach everything he’s learned about God and spirituality. Today, Tal teaches Hebrew and Judaic Studies in Temple Beth Hillel in the San Fernando Valley as he continues his quest to explore the meaning of soul and achieve his full potential as a spiritual teacher.

Review:

This story is a spiritual guide to the road of life for teens, so it begins with the reader deciding which road they need to take. Every person comes to a crossroads. Should I stay home and study or should I go and party? Teens often forget that there are consequences to their actions, which brings up the authors next chapters, Learning to Take First Steps, Dead-End Roads, Lessons We Learn, Being Aware, and more.

The author discusses some great topics, such as bullying, gossiping, jealousy and lying, with each chapter bringing up some great examples of right and wrong. Activities are also provided for some chapters for the reader to look at themselves and record information or to just see inside of themselves. This helps the reader to make changes in their lives they feel they need to make. This book doesn't sugar coat the information but delivers it with the wisdom of someone who has experienced lifes many tribulations and has found a way out of the darkness into the light of happiness.

Being a teenager is hard. School is difficult, then dealing with friends, pressure and some meaningless distractions and frivolity. Let's face it, teenagers spend most of their time at school and with their friends so who are they really listening to? Assuredly not the parents 100% of the time which means that a teen will go astray just out of the sheer truth that teenagers think mostly of themselves.

This book helps teens think more clearly about their purpose in life and to help with the many issues that they face on a daily basis. Bullying, getting and/or feeling hurt. Peer pressure and feeling overwhelmed with the demands that are put upon them. We are here to explore and to learn, and yes, we are going to make mistakes, but we pray that the mistakes we make are not ones we will seriously regret. The goal is to get on that right path from the start so we can be happy with ourselves and the paths we're on. The most important thing that we need to remember is that we can change that path whenever we want, but it is up to us to do it and to realize where we went astray.

Teens will enjoy this 76 page guide and will learn new ways to overcome life's many challenges. Adults will also find wisdom from it's pages.

Hop Rules:

1.      Follow the Top link of the hop! Hop Host: Families Matter

       2.      Grab the button for the hop and place it in a post, sidebar, or on a blog hop page and let us know where it is in the comments section below. This will help the hop grow and gain us all new followers. It's a Win-Win for everyone!

      3.      Grab the buttons for the World of Ink Tours and place it in a post or side bar. Make sure you let us know where it is in the comments section below.

Book Giveawa Rules:

·         Join the Book Lovers Blog Hop. (One entry)

     ·         Follow the World of Ink Tours and leave a comment per tour blog stop. (must leave a real comment about the author, tour or book. Saying “this is cool” or “I love your book” will not count.) Make sure to include your safe email so we can contact you if you are the winner. Example: vsgrenier AT storiesforchildrenpublishing DOT com. (One bonus entry per blog stop)

·         Ask a question per World of Ink Tour blog stop. (One bonus entry per tour blog stop)

Please check out his next stop at:

August 11^th

Writers On The Move – Guest Post: Relating to YA Readers
http://vbt-writersonthemove.blogspot.com/

Book Review for Not Fat Because I Want To Be by LaNiyah Bailey

Not Fat Because I Wanna Be

Written by: LaNiyah Bailey
Publisher: Createspace/Bright Girl Publishing, Inc
ISBN Number: 978-1461006763
Publication Date: March 2011
Genre of Book: Children’s Picture Book


Bio:

LaNiyah Bailey is a 6‐year‐old author with a message for children like her – just because you are bigger than other kid, that doesn’t mean that people have the right to bully you.

In her debut book, Not FAT Because I Wanna Be, LaNiyah details the struggle of Jessica, a fictional girl who has an underlying medical issue that causes her to gain weight. Bullied by her peers, Jessica learns to accept her body and eventually opens up about her condition to her classmates.

LaNiyah is not only speaking to other children through her book, but has become an

advocate for anti‐bullying organizations.

With a message that words can hurt and that not all weight gain is due to an unhealthy lifestyle, LaNiyah hopes her book will enlighten and entertain her young readers.

“I just wish this book can help other kids like me...and I wish it can help people see that [even though] you might be big that you are not unhealthy or… a monster like people may make you feel.”

Review:

Not Fat Because I Wanna Be is about a 6 year-old girl named Jessica who is overweight. She watches TV and hears that if children eat healthier they are less likely to become obese. In Jessica’s case, she’s obese, but it’s not because she doesn’t eat healthy. This confuses her. Her mother talks to her about how there are many things that make a person special, like hair color, height, freckles, etc…

But being obese is not the only thing that is bothering Jessica, it’s the teasing and bullying she’s receiving at school. Even teachers made rude and hurtful comments as she walked by. Each and every day held some new pain for Jessica. She would talk to her parents, and though they would reassure her that beauty comes from within, and for her to look at all the blessings in her life, it didn’t always help.

Her mother and father took Jessica to a doctor who might be able to identify any problems that might be causing her obesity. Sure enough, apparently she had quite a few problems, but the story focuses on a main one. Jessica gets an x-ray taken, as well as some blood. Not fun for a young child, but the doctor and nurses made her experience more delightful then it could have been.

Having trust in her doctor, and liking the way he treated her, not as a person who was obese, but like the wonderful child she was, really turned Jessica’s attitude around.  He discovered that she had constipation and her colon was extremely swollen, which caused her stomach to stick out abnormally. Jessica learned what she had to do to keep it to a normal size as well as what to eat and what not to eat. But after she tells the children in her preschool about her condition, will they just tease her more, or will her bullying problem ever cease?

 This is a story written my LaNiyah's mother, Latoya M. White, but embodies LaNiyah's experiences, thoughts and emotions.  The moral of this story is for everyone to treat each other with respect no matter what they look like. As we all know, beauty fades, but what we are on the inside will always make us beautiful. Jessica had to learn to accept herself and her flaws. She put too much emphasis on what other people thought when she should’ve been more concerned with how she thought of herself. As individuals we must feel comfortable and happy in our own skin. If we are not happy with how we look or act, then it is up to us to fix it. In this case, Jessica’s family wanted her to be healthy and happy, so they took her to a doctor to identify any problems so they could be fixed, but it is up to Jessica to fix her self esteem.

Believing in yourself and what you can do is very important. That confidence is often blossomed at home; the sad fact is that some parents aren’t aware of what their children are doing or saying. Bullying is a big problem everywhere, even adults can get bullied, but that behavior is stemmed from somewhere and when children are younger, it is when they are the most impressionable, which makes parent’s responsible for setting their child straight on how to treat others. We should always remember the golden rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated.

 Children from the ages of 4-8 who have had experience with bullies, will be able to empathize with Jessica’s plight and will hopefully learn something about themselves at the same time. There is no better strength then the one we find in ourselves to endure and overcome when times are difficult. It is that strength that people will see.

Book Lovers Blog Hop:

Make friends, share the love of reading and be entered to win a FREE book!

All you have to do is post the Book Lovers Blog Hop and World of Ink Tour Banners below to your blog. Promote the Book Lovers Hop and World of Ink Tours on any social network. Tweet it once a day, share on Facebook and then follow others back that leave you a comment. By joining the Book Lovers Blog Hop, you are automatically entered in our Book Giveaway!

There will be two (2) winners for this Book Giveaway. 

Note: One book per winner.

Hop Rules:

1.      Follow the Top link of the hop! Hop Host: Families Matter

       2.      Grab the button for the hop and place it in a post, sidebar, or on a blog hop page and let us know where it is in the comments section below. This will help the hop grow and gain us all new followers. It's a Win-Win for everyone!

      3.      Grab the buttons for the World of Ink Tours and place it in a post or side bar. Make sure you let us know where it is in the comments section below.

Book Giveawa Rules:

·         Join the Book Lovers Blog Hop. (One entry)

     ·         Follow the World of Ink Tours and leave a comment per tour blog stop. (must leave a real comment about the author, tour or book. Saying “this is cool” or “I love your book” will not count.) Make sure to include your safe email so we can contact you if you are the winner. Example: vsgrenier AT storiesforchildrenpublishing DOT com. (One bonus entry per blog stop)

·         Ask a question per World of Ink Tour blog stop. (One bonus entry per tour blog stop)

Come visit the author's next stop:August 8th

Strands of Thought – Interview

http://kaistrand.blogspot.com/


August 9^th
World of Ink Network – Book Spotlight
http://worldofinknetwork.blogspot.com 


For a complete list of tour stops:   http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/LaNiyahBailey.aspx

Radio Interview for Monday at The Best People We Know Radio Show

Hello,

I'm going to be on blog talk radio's The Best People We Know radio show. I will be interviewed by Deb Scott who is a motivational speaker who has helped many people around the world find the best in themselves.
Below is her wonderful website.
http://www.greenskyandbluegrass.com/

The interview will begin on Monday at 11:00 am EDT-
Below is the link for the radio show.
I'm so excited about this. I hope everyone can join in and learn more about my educational books. Thanks everyone!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thebestpeopleweknow/2011/08/08/renee-hand-using-fun-fiction-to-teach-kids-science