Kids Corner: In the Bag Margaret Knight Wraps It Up by Monica Kulling

Posted on May 12, 2012 by

In the Bag Cover ImageIn The Bag- Margaret Knight Wraps it Up by Monica Kulling

Publisher: Tundra (October 2011)
Source: Publisher
Formats Available: Hardcover
Format Read: Hardcover
Age Range: 5-8

My thoughts: Tundra has introduced an absolutely fantastic series written by Monica Kulling. The Great Ideas Series features biographies of inventors that are targeted to early readers. While my monkey isn’t quite reading yet, he loves to learn. He is especially interested in where things come from.

In the Bag is the third book in the series and tells us about Margaret Knight who is best known for inventing the paper bag. I’ll admit, I had no idea how the paper bag came to be before picking up In the Ba, so it was a fascinating learning experience for both of us. Monica Kulling does a fantastic job engaging the younger reader in the story by bringing the story to their level. She introduces Margaret Knight as a child, explaining how she liked to build things and experiment. (I know these are two things that my monkey enjoys immensely.) Then carries the story forward with how she invented the paper bag.

In the bag has been steady in our reading rotation since its arrival in our home. I think this book is an excellent addition to the young readers library and you can bet that the other volumes in the series will find a home here as well.

The Great Ideas Series:

Cover Image for It's a Snap by Monica KullingIt’s a Snap: George Eastman’s First Photograph

 

 

 

 
Cover Image for All Aboard by Monica KullingAll Aboard! Elijah McCoy’s Steam Engine

 

 

 

 

In the Bag Cover Image

In the Bag: Margaret Knight Wraps it Up

 

 

 

 

Going Up by Monica Kulling Cover ImageGoing Up! Elisha Otis’s Trip to the Top (releasing October 2012)

 

 

 

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Kids Corner Audio Book Review: When I Grow Up by Al Yankovic

Posted on May 5, 2012 by

When I grow up cover image

When I Grow Up by Al Yankovic

Publisher: Harper Audio (February 2011)
Source: Publisher
Formats Available: Hardcover, Audio
Format Read: Hardcover, Audio
Age Range: 6+

My thoughts: Most people would remember Wierd Al Yankovic from his days of recording parodies of pop songs throughout the 80′s and 90′s. When I saw he had penned a children’s book I immediately thought “This could be interesting.” Upon listening to the story narrated by Yankovic I realized, who could do a better job. He has spent his career being silly when the rest of us are likely taking ourselves much to seriously.

One day the teacher asks the students to talk about what they want to be when the grow up. I know that when I ask the monkey this question, the answer changes from day-to-day. One day he wants to be a firefighter, the next a veterinarian. You know when the teacher asks it of Billy, the answer is going to be good. He mentions so many careers that only a precocious boy can come up with. I think my favorite was the Snail Charmer!

Yankovic’s enthusiasm shines through this wonderful story. I found the audio to be reminiscent of my favorite Dr. Seuss books, complete with silly rhymes. Within the catchy rhythm is the overall message that you can be anything you want to be, but also not to be in too big of a hurry to grow up. A message that I think is so important in today’s world.

My monkey was pretty amused by the whole thing and we had a great discussion about all of the things that he’d like to be when he grows up.

When I Grow up has been nominated for a 2012 Audie Award in the Children’s Titles up to Age 8 category.

2012 ArmChair Audies

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Author Spotlight: Deborah Michel

Posted on May 4, 2012 by

Deborah MichelThe Author Spotlight is shining on Deborah Michel, author of Prosper in Love which released on May 1, 2012.

Sometimes I feel guilty when praised for my writer’s imagination. There’s a whole piece of my novel that I lifted from life. I probably shouldn’t admit that, right?

My main characters, Lynn and Jamie Prosper, are a young couple two and a half years into what they think of as a very happy marriage.  But it’s not long before their marriage gets into trouble in a pretty dramatic way. I too was once part of a young couple that thought of themselves as in a very happy marriage. (I say “once” only because neither we nor the marriage is that young anymore.)  We were lucky enough not to get into dramatic trouble, but we certainly had our battles. Please tell me that most married couples have “The Fight.” You know, that one argument you seem to have over and over (work hours! money! household chores!). At some point I started to wonder what would happen if one night we failed to make up. (“The Fight” always seemed to take place at 10 pm, when I get a second wind and my husband desperately wants to go to sleep.) And then what if my husband, who was traveling a ton at the time, had a business trip the next day and we weren’t able to talk, and then…well, you’ll have to read Prosper in Love to see where my imagination took me.  Because genuine imagination did kick in at some point.

But I started with real-life me and real-life him. For instance, Lynn and Jamie met in a bar, each brought by different friends to a birthday celebration. I actually met my husband when invited to join a group going to the beach. He’d been invited too. And that jukebox where Lynn and Jamie’s hands first brushed? Well, after the beach we all went out that night and lo and behold the bar we went to had a jukebox. Here’s a detail that got left out of the novel (you can only put in so much back story): To this day, my husband believes that I put my hand on his on purpose, which in turn made him think he had a chance at getting me to go out with him. I vehemently denied this then, and I still do. It was an accident!

Like Jamie, my husband first told me he loved me standing overlooking the lights of Los Angeles on Mulholland Boulevard. And yes, it took the same sort of prompting from me before he had the courage to blurt it out. Also like Lynn, I’ve wondered if he would have gotten around to saying it otherwise. You never know in life what would have happened if one tiny detail had been different.

Writing Prosper in Love felt like a treat to me—a chance to spend a lot of time thinking about the sort of questions I love: about love, marriage, and how and why we choose the mates we do. And the funniest thing happened by the time I got to the end of the last draft. Seeing some of my own marital behavior on the page (some of Lynn and Jamie’s arguments come uncomfortably close to home) actually led to real-life changes. Lynn believes she’s in the right and knows best for both her marriage and her husband. Jamie accuses Lynn of always talking and never really listening. I made my characters do and say those things, and only when I read them on the page did it really sink in that if Lynn needed to stop behaving that way, so did I.

I always knew there was a lot to be learned by reading fiction, I just didn’t realize this holds true even when you’re the author.

What a fantastic story, thank you so much for sharing. I have been amazed by the things that I’ve learned about myself through the books that I read and by writing things down. it brings a new level of awareness to my actions. I’m really looking forward to reading Prosper in Love. I have a feeling it might teach me a thing or two as well…

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

A good marriage lasts forever…until it doesn’t.

From the start, Lynn and Jamie Prosper were one of those couples who seem meant to be—so content with each other that they barely notice the rest of the world nodding approvingly at their wedded bliss. But sometimes, even in the very best of marriages, all it takes is a mischievous outsider to bring the perfect couple toppling off the top of the wedding cake…
True, Jamie has been working so hard and traveling so much as a young lawyer that he hardly has enough energy to show his devotion. Not that Lynn, a junior museum curator, has any reason to question it. But when Lynn’s old college friend turns up at a cocktail party, chinks in their marriage’s previously unassailable armor start to show.
Suddenly, without meaning to, Lynn and Jamie have both acquired divorce lawyers. And those benevolent onlookers—meddling in-laws and competitive friends alike—eagerly bear witness to each new misstep. Is love really enough to make a marriage last?

 

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Book Review: The Song Remains the Same by Allison Winn Scotch

Posted on May 3, 2012 by

the song remains the same cover imageThe Song Remains the Same by Allison Winn Scotch

Publisher: Putnam (April 2012) 
Source: Publisher
Formats Available: Hardcover, Kindle
Format Read: Advanced Review Copy

Synopsis from Goodreads: One of only two survivors of a plane crash, Nell Slattery wakes in the hospital with no memory of the horrific experience-or who she is, or was. Now she must piece together both body and mind, with the help of family and friends, who have their own agendas. She filters through photos, art, music, and stories, hoping something will jog her memory, and soon, in tiny bits and pieces, Nell starts remembering. . . .
It isn’t long before she learns to question the stories presented by her mother, her sister and business partner, and her husband. In the end, she will discover that forgiving betrayals small and large will be the only true path to healing herself-and to finding happiness.

My thoughts: I believe that music plays a very important role in our lives, providing the soundtrack to our experiences and our emotions.  It seems that every once in a while you stumble upon a track that resonates with you and whatever you may be going through at the time, whether it is good or bad. Perhaps it is the song that is playing during a special moment in life. It doesn’t even have to be a song that you particularly like. The connection is made and every time you hear that song you can be and often are transported back to that place in time. This is a phenomenon that I find particularly amazing.

This phenomenon plays heavily into the story line for The Song Remains the Same. This may very well be one of the reasons I enjoyed this novel as much as I did. It’s the music and pure gut instinct that helps Nell Slattery regain her life.

Allison Winn Scotch is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I first read her novel, The Department of Lost and Found earlier this year and was immediately hooked. Her characters are so realistic that they are easy to relate to. The desperation that Nell experiences while trying to reinvent herself and put her life back together is easily something that any one of us could go through.

I really enjoyed the different dynamic that Nell had with each of the characters. Allison Winn Scotch has done a fabulous job writing a story that immediately draws the reader in, grabs hold of them and won’t let them go until the very end.

I have to wonder, if I had to choose a dozen or so songs to represent the soundtrack of my life, which ones would I choose? Do you know what would be on the soundtrack of your life?

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2012 Audio Book Challenge: May Link up

Posted on May 2, 2012 by

2012 Audio Book Challenge Butoon

Here we are again. How is everyone doing? Are you on pace to reach your goal? I’ll admit, I’m lagging behind a bit. I’ve listened to several and their reviews are languishing in my drafts folder. I hope to get caught up with them soon.

What is your favorite genre to listen to these days? I’ve lightened things up a bit in both my reading and my listening and have indulged in some really fun chick lit titles.

As always, I’m looking forward to seeing what you listen to this month, the good, the bad and everything in between! Happy Listening!


 

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Featured Book and a Kindle Giveaway!! Unconquered by J.D. Davis

Posted on May 1, 2012 by

Today I have the opportunity to be part of a whirlwind blog tour for Unconquered by J.D. Davis.


The Saga of Cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley

In 1935 and early 1936, three cousins were born into tight-knit families in Ferriday, Louisiana. Rare piano talent, strong parental relationships, the Pentecostal church, family struggle, and a variety of musical influences worked together to produce men who changed twentieth-century music and culture. The individual stories of these three cousins illustrate their varied paths from small-town America to a world stage. Woven together, the collective story becomes even more compelling and amazing.

 

UNCONQUERED is a story so unlikely that it would not be believable if written as fiction. It tells of rock ‘n’ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, and country music star Mickey Gilley. These very different men, raised in the same time and place, with similar talents, were fated for entirely different destinies even as their lives would always be profoundly intertwined. Born into poverty, each man, in his own way, would become an iconic figure blessed with the ability to thrill and inspire.

 

The story’s touchstones of music, perseverance, and faith could wield such force only in the American South. There, in the Louisiana lowlands’ Concordia Parish, their story began in the midst of the Great Depression.

Purchase your copy at http://www.amazon.com/Unconquered-Cousins-Swaggart-Mickey-Gilley/dp/1612540414/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335293561&sr=8-1

About J.D. Davis

J.D. Davis was raised in Quitman, Texas, a quiet community in the northeast part of the state. Having grown up in a small town in the rural South—similar in many ways to the cousins’ hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana—with many similar influences as the cousins, he has meaningful insight into these three men.

 

Davis attended the University of Texas on a full academic scholarship, received a B.A. with highest honors in economics, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He later received a master’s degree from SMU.

 

As a successful businessman, Davis achieved the highest credentials as an actuary and became a principal in a large firm while still in his twenties. He currently manages an employee benefits consulting practice that covers the southern region of the United States, with offices in four cities.

 

Davis remembers his father watching Jimmy Swaggart on television and being intrigued by the evangelist’s magnificent piano talent. As a teenager, Davis became a huge fan of Jerry Lee Lewis. He first attended one of Lewis’s live performances as a college student and was awe-struck to see this man put on a breathtaking performance. Davis grew up listening to country music of the seventies and eighties, when Mickey Gilley was consistently producing number one country hits. He became fascinated by the ways these three very different cousins achieved and dealt with eventual success and has been a dedicated fan for years.

 

Davis has worked with a talented team of many. His editors included Elizabeth Kaye, an award winning journalist who has often written about southern music and southern preachers. As a contributing editor to Rolling Stone, she interviewed Sam Phillips and gathered firsthand experience of Jerry Lee Lewis when covering sessions at which he played with Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Roy Orbison. As a contributing editor to John Kennedy’s George magazine, Kaye wrote extensively about Billy Graham and his son Franklin, traveled on several missionary trips with Franklin, and worked with ABC’s 20/20 to produce and write a major Billy Graham profile.

You can visit his website at http://www.unconqueredthebook.com.

Visit his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/UnconqueredTheBook

Visit his Twitter page at https://twitter.com/Unconqueredbook

Continue reading →

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Featured Book: Comeback Love by Peter Golden

Posted on April 30, 2012 by

Comeback Love by Peter Golden

Publisher: Washington Square Press (April 2012) 
Source: Publisher
Formats Available: Paperback, Kindle
Format Read: Paperback

Synopsis from Goodreads: What would you do if you had a second chance with the one that got away?

More than thirty-five years ago, Gordon Meyers, an aspiring writer with a low number in the draft lottery, packed his belongings and reluctantly drove away, leaving behind Glenna Rising, the sexy, sharp-witted med student he couldn’t imagine living without.

Now, decades later, Gordon is a former globe-trotting consultant with a grown son, an ex-wife, and an overwhelming desire to see Glenna again. Though she’s stunned when Gordon walks into her Manhattan office, Glenna agrees to accompany him for a drink. As the two head out into the snow-swept city, they rediscover the passion that once drew them together—before it tore them apart. And as the evening unfolds, Gordon will finally reveal the true reason for his return. . . .

Comeback Love is an evocative journey into the hearts of two lovers who came of age in the 1960s, and who never truly let each other go. Plumbing the depths of youth, regret, and desire, Peter Golden deftly illuminates the bonds that mysteriously endure in the face of momentous change.

My thoughts: Today I have the pleasure of featuring a book that has been getting rave reviews. I’m really looking forward to reading it. Who hasn’t wondered at least a time or two about what might have been?. If you’ve read it, what did you think? Do you have any suggestions for similar reads?

 

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Kids Corner Book Review: The Hound Dog’s Haiku and Other Poems for Dog Lovers by Michael J. Rosen

Posted on April 28, 2012 by

The Hound Dog’s Haiku and Other Poems for Dog Lovers by Michael J. Rosen

Publisher: Candlewick Press (September 2011) 
Source: Publisher
Formats Available: Hardcover
Format Read: Hardcover
Age Range: 6 and up

Synopsis from Goodreads: A corgi dozes with paws in the air. A bloodhound burrows into a scent. A border collie tracks a herd of cows. A wagging spaniel leaps for joy. In simple, charming haiku, poet Michael J. Rosen portrays twenty beloved dog breeds, from the pug to the Dalmatian to the golden retriever. Complete with interesting facts about each breed and illustrated with Mary Azarian’s striking woodcuts, this keepsake volume is sure to set any dog lover’s tail a-wagging.

My thoughts: This was our second foray into the world of poetry for National Poetry Month. We are a family of dog lovers so this book was an instant hit. The monkey was especially interested in the different dog breeds featured. He was familiar with some of the breeds and others were new and exciting. Having recently just “met” a Pug, this dog was the monkey’s favorite. He was only disappointed in the fact that there wasn’t a “Sadie dog” included. (Sadie is our Rottweiler Lab mix)

The Hound Dog’s Haiku is illustrated my Mary Azarian. What a great job! The front cover is a perfect example of the detail that went into illustrating these pups. The poems were fun to read aloud and will be great examples when we begin talking about poems and their various formats. This book also had a section in the back in which you could look at the pictures of each breed and learn a bit about them. We have some friends who have Dachshunds so the monkey really enjoyed learning about what they are bred to do. On more than one occasion he has made reference to the book asking about a breed we learned about and its function.

The recommended age range is ages 6 and up, we certainly have had fun with it at age four. I would highly recommend this one to add to your little one’s library.

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It’s a Meg Cabot Read Along!

Posted on April 27, 2012 by

 

I’m so excited to announce that I will be participating in the Meg Cabot Readalong in anticipation of her new release, Size 12 and Ready to Rock that will be available this July.

I’ve read a few of her books and they are nothing if not fun, which is just what I’m in the mood for.

Here is the schedule: All discussions will take place on Book Club Girl.

  • May 22nd—Boy Next Door discussion
  • June 12th – Queen of Babble discussion
  • July 3rd - Size 12 is Not Fat discussion
  • July 10th -Size 12 and Ready to Rock goes on sale
  • July 31st -Size 12 and Ready to Rock discussion on Book Club Girl on Air, post questions for Meg’s Book Club Girl On Air interview at 7PM

I can’t wait!

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Headed to BEA? I’ve got a Giveaway for you!

Posted on April 27, 2012 by

With BEA just around the corner there has been a lot of talk about the Do’s and Don’ts. While I’ve not attended the conference I do know that having business cards is an ABSOLUTE MUST!

It is with great pleasure that I offer you a chance to win a free set of business cards from UPrinting

Prize Information:

250 Die-cut Business Cards for one winner

2×3.5″ Rounded Corners, 2×2″ Rounded Corners, 1.75×3.5″ Rounded Corners, 2×3.5″ Leaf, 2×3.5 Rounded one corner, 2×3.5″ Half-Circle Side, 2×3.5″ Oval, or 2.5″ Circle

14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated

6 Business days print turnaround time

Free US shipping only

 


 




a Rafflecopter giveaway


You should assume that I will receive free print products in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions.


 

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