Book Review for Ruthie and The Hippos Big Fat Behind by Margot Finke

World of Ink June Book Tour for Margot Finke

Ruthie and the Hippo’s Fat Behind by Margot Finke
Print ISBN 13: 978-1-61633-059-0
eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-61633-060-6

Publisher:  Guardian Angel Publishing  (January, 2011)

16 pages

Ages 9-12

Children's Picture Book

Margot Finke is an Aussie transplant who writes midgrade adventure fiction and rhyming picture books. For many years she has lived in Oregon with her husband and family. Gardening, travel, and reading fill in the cracks between writing. Her husband is very supportive, and their three children are now grown and doing very well.

Margot didn't begin serious writing until the day their youngest left for college. This late start drives her writing, and pushes her to work at it every day. Margot said, "I really envy those who began young, and managed to slip into writing mode between kid fights, diaper changes, household disasters, and outside jobs. You are my heroes!"
Review:

Ruthie and The Hippo’s Fat Behind is a tale that shows how changes in our lives can affect children in different ways.

Ruthie was a young girl who used to be sweet and nice, until her and her family moved across the state into a different house. Ruthie was having a hard time making friends and adjusting to the change. It was because of this that she turned into quite a grump. Her attitude was terrible, she was rude and disrespectful, she was giving her parents sass and her choice in holey and mismatched apparel was atrocious. She was silently screaming out for help.

Then one day as Ruthie sat, even more depressed, on the stairs towards the back of her yard, she discovered something. The noise was soft at first, but when she listened harder, her heart began to race, it was the sound of a whimper. Could whatever the noise be change her attitude and turn her back into the sweet girl she once was?

This story is simply told, and describes well how children can be affected when a big change disrupts their lives. It is told in a rhyming and fun fashion that children will enjoy, with the colorful illustrations depicting each moment in Ruthie’s grumpy tale all the way until she changes her ways. A parent’s guide in the back of the book will help parents handle certain situations and advise them in how to handle them. Children, who are going through similar situations as Ruthie, will benefit most from this 16 page picture book, as parents discuss with them the moral of the story.

A minor quibble, because this is supposed to be a story meant to teach a lesson in a fun way, and because this reviewer has moved 20 times in her lifetime and knows how it is, Ruthie’s parents should have recognized the signs and knew that she was having a hard time adjusting. Her obvious disregard in appearance, her withdrawal away from her family and change of attitude should have been a red flag to her parents that something was wrong. Showing the parents talking to Ruthie and helping her adjust to the change, and helping her in some way, would have had more of an impact to the reader and would have been more beneficial in discussion, then showing just Ruthie’s side and putting emphasis on her terrible mood.

This story demonstrates that parents need to discuss with their children changes that need to be made in their lives and the reasons for them. Some situations will take longer to get over and some will be easier to accept and adjust to. The bottom line is that a pet or a toy are quick fixes like a band aid, they may not resolve any underlying issues or feelings that might be present, then again, they might be just what the child needs to find their way back, every child and situation is different, but the point is, communication lines need to be open and the family needs to work together to resolve a problem like this. The child can’t be expected to solve that problem on their own.

This story touches the surface of possible moods that can be expected during a big change in a child’s life, like moving, the loss of a loved one, divorce, etc… in a gentle way. The author chose not to dig too deep into the topic in her story but does add some great information in the parent’s guide in the back of the book that can further discussion and learning.

Giveaway Opportunity: Stop Press

Write a comment on any participating blog during Margot's June Book Tour,

and win a FREE COPY of her fun time-travel story.

She wrote it specially for kids.

NOTE:

One copy per person. Please leave your e-mail in the comments section along with STOP PRESS GIVEAWAY. Must be a GFC member of this blog. 

Author is also giving away a 3 book collection for readers who follow her on each blog stop.

New Interview for Margot Finke and her "Wild and Wonderful" Animal Series

Hello Everyone,
I have the pleasure of interviewing Margot Finke about some of her new books that she has available. Her books can be used in many ways. They can be used to keep children's interest as well as to be used to help supplement with learning in a homeschool or classroom setting. Please check out her books!


THE REVIEW:

I reviewed Prairie Dog’s Play Day which has 3 stories (Prairie Dogs – Bald Eagle Rules – The Stinker). When I received the e-book it was on CD in a nice cover which had a lot of special touches. Believe it or not it is my first time reading a children's e-book. It was easy to use. I sat down with my kids and we put the CD in. The flip book technology was an added touch that made the experience more fun. It sounds just like you are actually turning pages when in fact it is just the mouse or arrow key that turns the page. I thought that Margot did an excellent job combining a memorable rhyme with interesting informatin about each animal. My kids love animals so when we were finished with the book I asked them what they thought. They loved the book. They found it to be very interesting and fun. Gabriel's favorite part was the Prairie dog's and how a few of them stand watch while others hide in tunnels when a predator approaches. Sheldon loved the eagles and how they live in rocks on mountains and also make their nests their to protect it's young. Overall I feel that Margot's books are creatively written and well thought out. She definetly put the time in and the reader can feel her enthusiam about the animals she writes about. The books make great supplements when talking about certain animals in a curriculum to help with learning. Please check out her books. Great Job!

THE INTERVIEW:
Joining us today is Margot Finke, author of the Wild and Wonderful Series for children. We’re going to talk to Margot about this new series and how parents or teachers can use these animal stories in their homeschool or classroom setting.

Welcome, Margot. It’s great to have you with us.

Thanks for inviting me, Renee. I am thrilled to be “speaking” to all of you.

Please tell our readers a bit about yourself.

I am a transplanted Aussie who writes mid grade adventure fiction and rhyming picture books. For many years, I have lived in Oregon with my husband and family. Our three children are now grown, and have presented us with four perfect grandchildren – me prejudiced? No way!
Gardening, travel, and reading fill in the cracks between my own writing plus Manuscript Critiques for clients, and helping other writers. My husband is supportive, though not interested in children's books.
I didn't begin serious writing until the day our youngest left for college. This late start drives my writing, and pushes me to work at it every day. I really envy those who began young, and managed to slip into writing mode between kid fights, diaper changes, household disasters, and outside jobs. "You are my heroes!"

How did your writing career begin?

Aha . . . When we first arrived in the Oregon, our three children were young. I didn’t want them to forget their Aussie heritage, so I put pictures in their rooms of all the weird and wonderful Australian animals. Then, every night they got to choose a critter, and I would make up a story about it – right off the top of my head.Later, as a teacher’s aid, I told classes about Australia and their wonderful animals – off the top of my head stories followed. One day in class, a hand went up. “Mrs. Finke, that ending’s different from last time.”

“For goodness sake write the stories down,” grumbled my teacher friend. “That way you’ll remember all the endings!”

So, I did. And the rest, as they say, is “picture books!”

Tell us about your Wild and Wonderful Series and how it can be used for homeschoolers in the classroom?

My “Wild and Wonderful” series is made up of seven rhyming picture books that tell fun facts about animals from the US and Australia. Like Mary Poppin’s song, “A little bit of sugar makes the medicine go down.” The medicine in this case, being facts about different critters. And the sugar of course, is the fun rhymes that make these facts stick in a child’s head. A fun lesson is a lesson well learned: and I sprinkled facts about these critters into each verse. After children read my “Humdinger Hummers” for instance, every time they see a hummingbird, they’ll remember that it is the hummer’s long tongue that slurps up the flower nectar – not the beak. Plus, they eat bugs and gnats for protein, and that they are feisty and territorial to the max!

Parents and teachers can also take children to either my Wild US Critters or Down-Under Fun. Both pages offer extra information about the animals in my books, + links to other great critter sites. Look for “Nutty Notes.”
http://mysite.verizon.net/mfinke/Margot%27s%20Books.htm#other

Readers also have a chance to get links or CD’s of you reading the books. Tell us more about that.

BUY ANY autographed book from my Website, either CD - or soft cover, and you will also receive a link to a FREE AUDIO of me reading that story. The audio includes the illustrations but not the text.

“Wild & Wonderful” series is also available from:
* Fictionwise: http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mwsearch
* Reader’s Eden: http://www.readerseden.com/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=65
and many other places. See links above.


Tell us about the other books that you have written.






“Rattlesnake Jam” was written with boys in mind – I remembered the hard time I had getting my son to read. This PB is a fun romp with Gran, Pa, and pot full of yucky green rattler jam. Pa catches them, but will Gran ever make him the rattlesnake pie he craves? And check out Gran’s Kitchen - http://mysite.verizon.net/mfinke/Rattler%20Recipies.htm#recipy - (if you dare!) Genuine rattler recipes: guaranteed to make Mom faint!

COMING SOON: http://mysite.verizon.net/mfinke/Margot%27s%20Books.htm#other

COMING SOON:
“Ruthie and the Hippo’s Fat Behind” - from G.A.P. Ruthie and her family move far from their old home. The move gives Ruthie a change of personality, as well as a new address. Ruthie's horrible moods drive her parents crazy. They grow big and ugly, like some Hippo’s Fat Behind! * Included is a parent/teacher guide + a coloring sheet.

“Horato Humble Beats the Big “D” from G.A.P.
Horatio hates English class. He is smart at everything else, but when he tries to read, the letters won't stay in the words - they slide everywhere. The words,"Teacher Conference," and "Special Class," fill Horatio with dread. * Includes coloring sheet and parent/teacher guide.

“Taconi and Claude - Double Trouble” - from G.A.P.Taconi, an aboriginal boy, lives on Coorparoo Cattle Station with his dad, the Station Cookie. He has a foot in two worlds, and his only friend is Claude, a sulfur crested cockatoo, with a big mouth, and a fund of wacky one- liners. A mini walkabout to catch bush meat that might save his dad's job, plus a disaster at the homestead, makes Taconi into a hero of sorts. Yet he is torn between helping his dad with a life on Coorparoo Station, or the call of his tribe and the Dreamtime Spirits, and the magic of the elusive kingfisher feather.
A visit from Dreamtime spirits guides Taconi into making the right choice. And of Claude is there for the fun, drama, to offer advice, and poke his beak into everything.
More details about all three upcoming books plus “Rattlesnake Jam” are available here: http://mysite.verizon.net/mfinke/Margot%27s%20Books.htm#other


When I received the CD of Prairie Dog’s Playday, it came in a nice paper CD cover with a picture of the book, a sample rhyming verse and other information. Is that special touch something you did or your publisher?

Clever of you to notice. Yes, that was my idea. The publisher is in Australia, and postage from there is way too expensive. So we have a deal, whereby I make the CDs of the series for the US market, and they take care of the world-wide downloads. We know each other well, and it has worked out nicely for both of us.

For homeschool parents, such as myself, we are always looking for the best curriculums, workbooks, supplements and subjects to best teach our children. What makes your Wild and Wonderful Series stand out from the rest?

I guess it is the catchy rhymes that sneak in lots of fun information, + new technology that HOOKS kid’s interest, and simply wonderful illustrations – I love every one of them.
The Internet is a marvelous thing. Two of my illustrators live in Turkey. Both have artwork in European galleries, and illustrate books. I found them both due to an online writing list on the Internet. One illustrator had no computer, and spoke no English: yet the delightful illustrations he did for“Kangaroo Clues” became the perfect companions for my verses. Go to My Illustrators, and read the HOW of it: http://mysite.verizon.net/mfinke/Books.html#illustrations

Do you have a website and/or blog where readers can find out more?

WEBSITE: http://www.margotfinke.com
Manuscript Critiques - Writing Help – My Books – “Musings”* Musical book trailer for “Rattlesnake Jam” and SLIDE-SHOWS of ALL my book covers and some illustrations
http://mysite.verizon.net/mfinke/index.html#trailer
* HOOK KIDS on READING: http://hookkidsonreading.blogspot.com
* Margot’s Books for Kids and Writing News: http://margotfinke.blogspot.com/
Musical Book Trailer – Slide of all book covers and illustrations.


Where can readers purchase your books and how much do they cost?

“Wild and Wonderful” - animal series - fun facts in rhyme.
*Autographed CD from my website- - $9.95 ea.
Included: a FREE AUDIO link of me reading the story.
http://mysite.verizon.net/mfinke/Books.html#clues

* Downloaded e-Book - - approx $4.00 ea – check for discounts.
Fictionwise : http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mwsearch Readers Eden:
http://www.readerseden.com/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=65

and many other download sites.

“Rattlesnake Jam” - rhyming PB – boy and reluctant reader friendly.

* Autographed Soft Cover book from my Website: $10.95 ea
Included: a FREE AUDIO link of me reading the story. http://mysite.verizon.net/mfinke/Margot%27s%20Books.htm#other

OR - Soft Cover from:
Amazon : http://preview.tinyurl.com/ndk3oo
Barnes and Noble: http://preview.tinyurl.com/kpgsms Target: http://preview.tinyurl.com/ncvv9y

* Downloads - approx $5.00ea – check for discounts.
Fictionwise and many other sites
http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mwsearch
Publisher (GAP) - soft cover, CD, or E-Book download.http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/rattlesnake-jam.htm

What's next for you? Is there anything else that you are involved in?

Hmmm, let me see. . . I am ghost writing a book for a client, while trying to keep up with a flood of Manuscript Critiques. There’s another Aussie Outback Boy’s Adventure that a publisher is interested in, and I must find the time to polish that. And, the garden is full of weeds and desperately needs watering. . . Yikes!! This is where my husband shines. He mostly cooks and takes care of the garden. Unfortunately, he doesn’t do windows or laundry! Guess no one is perfect!
However, all the above flies out the window when my two mischief’s granddaughters come to play. The antics of these two might be food for future picture book thoughts, but while the munchkins are with me, I let go completely. My husband is fond of telling everyone that our grandkids have more hope of growing up than me – his wife. YEA!!

Is there anything else that you would like to add or share?

No Renee, your questions gave me quite a mental workout. Thank you very much for this chance to meet your readers. I had fun. If anyone wants to contact me about my books, writing, or anything else, I am always happy to chat. Visit with me here: mfinke@verizon.net

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to our readers today. Good luck in all of your future endeavors. Please check out this series as well as the other books by Margot Finke.