How To Be God's Little Princess

Sheila Walsh has written a book on royal tips for manners, etiquette, and true beauty called How to Be God's Little Princess. It is non-fiction so that makes it hard to read aloud to a child, but I do think that any little girl who can read on her own, would find this a fun read! Walsh covers fun things like clothing, hair and fashion, friendship, manners, planning a party, writing thank you notes, how to be a princess at home, and even how to handle the internet. There are so many topics in here, and covered in such an appealing way, that I think little girls will love this. There are quizzes and puzzles tucked in amongst the reading and that helps break it up a bit. The illustrations are fun as well. It's a fun manual and one our young girls will be excited about!


*I was sent a copy of this book for review purposes.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning

Nancy Pickard's The Scent of Rain and Lightning was quite a ride. It took me a bit to get into but once I was in - I was surprised at the mystery that unravelled. Pickard is an excellent storyteller and her story of young Jody being left with no parents and the whole town unsure as to who took their lives - creates suspense that continues to the very end. I was convinced it was one person - as was most of the town, and then I had that all ripped out from under me when the author took me for a shocking surprise! I was stunned at the turn of events that takes place and that's just how I like it! Great story that will keep you guessing.

Definitely for mature readers - not one I'd suggest for teens as there were adult themes present.

The Curse of Captain La Foote

Ahoy yea Mateys - here is a book that you land-lubbers are sure to enjoy! Eddie Jones' The Curse of Captain LaFoote is a new book on the market that I will be sure and share with my male readers! Because yes, I am always on the lookout for boy lit! This is a young adult/tween novel that starts off in the very beginning with a fire that burns down an apartment building and quickly turns to a novel where the main character, Ricky, is thrust into the creek while saving a dog and dies and then becomes a novel where Ricky is given a choice - return to his former life or become a sailor on the high seas. He chooses the new life on the high seas and his real adventures begin. What a fun story - full of adventure and excitement! I do think it will be a pleaser - for boys and girls - and it's a great novel by Jones for the world of teen lit.




AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Tell us about The Curse of Captain LaFoote.
EDDIE: When my boys were young, I'd tell pirate stores on the bow of our sailboat. The lead character was Captain Stinky Foot. Captain Stinky Foot was named after my youngest son. If you've ever spent any time on a boat in August with a crew of unwashed young males then this needs no further explanation. I've always been fascinated by the stories of boys snatched away from London and Bristol and forced to serve before the mast. Seems to me life at sea was more fun than peeling potatoes. And more dangerous.

So The Curse of Captain LaFoote is a pirate tale awash in buried treasure, romance and dead men's bones. The truth is, this book and the ones that follow in the Caribbean Chronicle series are love stories. For Ricky Bradshaw, the hero of the book, the story is a quest to find his father, soul mate, and purpose in life.

What is your lead’s wound?
EDDIE: A friend suggested that I let my lead have epilepsy. She said when she has an episode she sort of zones out—like daydreaming except she can’t stop it. She also said she knows when it’s about to happen. That she smells something like burning wires. So I gave Ricky epilepsy and finished the story.

It wasn’t until much later that I realized the book had a larger purpose. I met another woman at a writer’s conference whose son has epilepsy. During the conference, her son suffered a seizure — the first one he’d ever had without his mother present. The look on her face that morning convinced me that Ricky Bradshaw could be a champion for those suffering from epilepsy.

It’s not cancer or heart disease but over three million Americans live with epilepsy. If the sale of this book can raise awareness, then the book has done its job. For each book sold, the publisher and I will donate “a few pieces of eight” — half a sandy dollar — to the foundation’s Heroes Among Us program. Our goal is to raise ten thousand dollars in honor of Ricky Bradshaw.

What is the spiritual message in your book?
EDDIE: That courage cost. Near the end of the book Ricky has the chance to go back to his old life. We get to do the same thing, go back to our old way of doing things. But Christ says there is a cost for doing the right thing. Ricky faces that choice.

What takeaway value do you hope readers receive after reading this novel?
EDDIE: There are a lot of other deep and important themes explored in the book too. Things like what the poop deck is and why cruise ships no longer use them, the secrets inside Davy Jones' locker, and why you shouldn't walk downwind of a pirate who's just eaten turtle soup.

Seriously, my goal in writing this book was to spur the imagination of young readers. Boys especially. I wanted to create within them a desire to read and set sail for a life of adventure, wherever that journey may take them. Even now I can see Ricky standing on the sugar-white sands of that island just south of Hispaniola. I am that boy. And so are a lot of other boys.

And there is a Grand Prize Package with this blog tour!!!
To enter just leave a comment on this post. To gain extra entries:

1 - Tweet it and then come back and leave a comment.

2 - Join In The Pages Facebook Page and come back and leave a comment that you did join.

3 - Post about it on Facebook and come back and leave a comment.

******************Grand Prize Giveaway
All you need for a PIRATE PARY!
• 8 invitations
• 8 - 9" party plates
• 8 - 9-oz. cups
• 16 luncheon napkins
• 16 pc. blue cutlery set
• 1 red plastic table cover
• 2 rolls of streamers, 1 blue and 1 red
• 12 each of blue and red balloons
• 2 pkgs. of confetti, 1 blue and 1 orange
• 4 yds. deluxe creepy cloth
• 12 pirate swords with eye patch
• 72 pirate tattoos
• 8 dessert plates
• 16 beverage napkins
• 8 treasure chest-shaped filled treat boxes
• 1 10 ft. pennant
• 12 child-size pirate hats
• 1 photo door banner
• 1 piñata and toy & candy asst.

Winners will be chosen on June 3.

*I was sent a copy of this book for review purposes.

Amazing Work of Lifesong in India

I interrupt our regularly scheduled blog postings to share this!

Imagine living in a house made entirely out of concrete, that heats up like an oven in the hot sun. Imagine a bare lightbulb hanging from the ceiling as your only light. Imagine having no toilet facilities or running water, but instead getting all your water from a community hand pump. Imagine having parents who worked in the field, barely able to provide from day to day. Imagine no hope, growing up in a hope of idolatry and severe poverty.

To Sindhu Babu this kind of life was normal. It wasn't until he (at age 10) came to Lifesong India that he knew there was something better. Something far better.

Today, at age 18, Sindhu Babu not only has a hope for a future as he studies to become an electrical engineer... not only does he live in a clean home with clean running water... and not only has he heard the word of God, but in 2003, his parents, who for years worshipped idols, gave their lives to Christ!
Praise God that He continues to replace hope for despair in the nearly six hundred children we work with and their families!

Thank you for your continued prayer and support as we serve children in India!

Okay for Now

When I say Gary Schmidt - I hope you smile!! If you are clueless, then I say - GET ON BOARD! He is a fabulous author that has captured me with every book he has written! I pass them along to my boys and they love him as well. DO NOT MISS THIS AUTHOR!!! (I would say it louder if I could, but this will have to do!)

His latest title, Okay for Now, kept me laughing and crying - he really is quite an author! This is the story of Doug Swieteck, who we first saw in The Wednesday Wars. You certainly do not have to read Wednesday Wars to know what is going on in this book - they are both stand-alones. (But if you do not read Wednesday Wars in your lifetime - that would be a horrible sadness!!) Doug's life is not an easy one - his father is a total loser of a father - he is abusive and mean. His mom tries hard to be a tender mom, but she seems powerless in the face of his father. And then his brother, seems to be taking after his father - mean and abusive as well. And another brother that is in Vietnam fighting and returns home - to teach us all the realities of what happened to many of our vets when they returned home, scarred and sad.

So that leaves Doug on his own, trying to get through school with some teachers that are even against him. His bright spots seem to be Lil, his adorable girlfriend that is just the sweetest character in this novel, and the customers that he delivers food to each Saturday - yes, even dear Mrs. Windmere! I could go on and on on this one - I will just say - it resounds with readers - you find yourself laughing along, shaking your head "yes" - because you just "get it." OH, and I almost forgot - I loved the WONDERFUL bird-theme in this one as well!! I love everything about it and I will sing Schmidt's praises until I rest in my grave - he is a master storyteller!!

Bitter Melon

Cara Chow's Bitter Melon was an interesting read to me. After just having read Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, this book really got me to thinking again. It is the story of Frances, a high school student, that is torn between trying to please her mother or choose her own desires for her future. Frances' mother is not an easy woman to please, she is a Chinese mother that reminded me of Battle Hymn....she can be mean, verbally and physically abusive, and there was not a bone of me that liked her by the end of the book. And yet, I could see how she did love her daughter and want more for her life than she had in her own life. It is a hard read - I hate seeing difficult relationships between daughters and mothers, but it was a good read - I was always challenged to think...and I like that! My favorite character was Ms. Taylor, the speech teacher, she is what I love to see in teachers - they get to know their students personally and encourage them in their talents and skills. This is worth the read - certainly take the time for it!

Miles From Ordinary

I am a fan of Carol Lynch Williams - and her latest, Miles From Ordinary, is another great read! This is a story that is NOT easy to read - I will say that right from the start - 14 year old, Lacey's life is one that no child should have to live - especially on their own. She is left as the only one to take care of her mentally ill mother. But you can imagine - life is not easy when you are trying to make it through school, support your family financially, and take care of a mother that can not take care of herself. It is such a gut-wrenching story - it is raw and real. HIGHLY recommend it.

How Huge the Night

I am quite excited about this new book, How Huge the Night, by Heather and Lydia Munn. It is set in France as it is falling to the Nazis and is based on a true story - the town of Le Chambon - the only French town honored by Israel for rescuing Jews from the Holocaust. This is a book geared at teens and helps them get excited about this time period AND also challenges them to think about the choices they make everyday based on some of the choices Julien and Nina have to make to survive. I appreciate the ethical challenges the authors portray in the novel - it really makes you think and question what you would have done.

Here is what the publisher says about the book:

Fifteen-year-old Julien Losier just wants to fit in. But after his family moves to a small village in central France in hopes of outrunning the Nazis, he is suddenly faced with bigger challenges than the taunting of local teens. Nina Krenkel left her country to obey her father's dying command: Take your brother and leave Austria. Burn your papers. Tell no one you are Jews. Alone and on the run, she arrives in Tanieux, France, dangerously ill and in despair.

Thrown together by the chaos of war, Julien begins to feel the terrible weight of the looming conflict and Nina fights to survive. As France falls to the Nazis, Julien struggles with doing what is right, even if it is not enough-and wonders whether or not he really can save Nina from almost certain death.

This is a compelling read - I was glued from the first page and I know teens will be just as engrossed as I was! In fact - I am on my way to pass it along to my teen boys to read!

Here is a bit about the authors:

Heather Munn was born in Northern Ireland and grew up in southern France where her parents were missionaries like their parents before them. She has a BA in literature from Wheaton College and now lives in a Christian intentional community in rural Illinois, where she and her husband, Paul, host free spiritual retreats for the poor, especially those transitioning out of homelessness or addiction. When not writing or hosting, she works on the communal farm.

Lydia Munn, daughter of missionary parents, grew up in Brazil. She received a BA in literature from Wheaton College, and an MA in Bible from Columbia Graduate School of Bible and Missions. With her husband, Jim, she has worked in church planting and Bible teaching since 1983, notably in St. Etienne, near the small town in the central mountains of France which forms the background of How Huge the Night. The Munns now live in Grenoble, France.

Here's Some BIG NEWS!!!

Kregel Publications is sponsoring an $50 Amazon.com giveaway open to blog readers.

About the Giveaway!

To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using #litfuse) about How Huge the Night or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use the hashtag (#litfuse). If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (info@litfusegroup.com). Easy.



*I was provided a copy for review purposes by the publisher.

Franklin Goes Ebook!!!

I remember reading Franklin books to my boys, in my classroom, in my story hours, and now to my girls as well. So when I heard they had gone to Ebook as well - I was thrilled! BIG Franklin fans here and what a treat to have it available as an Ebook.

If you'd like to win a copy of the Ebook - just leave a comment! I will take comments until next Wednesday, the 25th!!

Unplanned

Focus on the Family and Tyndale have produced a DVD that will change the way you see things. Unplanned is a powerful DVD! The story of Abby Johnson and her journey into working for Planned Parenthood and then coming out of it after being so convicted about what she was telling women. The story is honest and well-told. The DVD is interesting and honest. I commend both Focus on the Family and Tyndale for great work on this project - I hope it touches lives and changes opinions on both sides of the abortion issue.

GO HERE to see the book - which I would just LOVE to read as well. I have heard great things about it.

Learn more about the Unite for Life Webcast coming up on May 17.

HERE IS THE FUN NEWS!! I have a certificate to give away for a copy of the DVD. All you have to do is leave a comment on my blog with your email address.

For extra entries - leave separate comments after you have:

1) Subscribed to my blog.

2) Signed up for the Webcast mentioned above.

3) Posted the giveaway on your blog or Twitter.

*I was provided a copy of the DVD by Tyndale for review purposes.

Cahoots

I have said it before - LOVE Aldo Zelnick!! This screams "boys" and I cheer whole-heartedly when I see a wonderful series that boys will enjoy!!! If you've missed it before - the Aldo Zelnick series is a comic novel series based on the alphabet. It is geared to our kids ages 7-13 and it is just the right size for our readers that may be daunted by larger chapter books. It follows the adventures of 10 year old, Aldo Zelnick, and this particular installment, Cahoots, focuses on the family summer vacation spent visiting relatives on a small farm in Minnesota. Yep, Aldo still hates physical activity but loves bacon - he hasn't changed a bit!! I love how new vocabulary is introduced in these books - they sneak it right in and kids just read it and never know they are learning excellent vocabulary words at the same time!! You will laugh out loud - I guarantee it - the books are THAT funny. AND it is reminiscent of the Wimpy Kid series format so I really can not say it enough - this will be a hit with those readers. Watch in the fall for the next title, Dumbstruck!


*I was provided a copy for review purposes by the publisher.

Magdalena - Through Her Eyes

When I was sent this DVD, Magdalena - Through Her Eyes, I will admit, I was skeptical. The whole idea was marvelous, but how in the world would they splice together parts of the Jesus Film with recently-done footage to make this new movie?? Well, I was pleasantly surprised - they did it and it is really seamlessly done! I love how the movie is interwoven with the Jesus Film - what a great idea. I thought the movie was also a wonderful movie to watch with your girlfriends, which is also the point! Women do struggle with knowing they are loved by God - I think that is a common theme amongst women all over the world. This movie does a fabulous job of showing women how valuable they are in God's eyes and how their worth is based on what He did for them on the cross. Mary Magdalene tells her story first-hand - it is moving and it really makes you feel like you were there with Mary as she joined with His band of disciples as they followed Jesus in His earthly ministry. I think women all over will enjoy this and feel it resonate within them. To learn more about this project - visit Magdalena Today.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the products mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on m blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Is My Kid Stupid??

Nzingha West's book, Is My Kid Stupid?? Avoiding an Educational Disaster was a timely read for me. We are trudging through IEP's and wondering what our rights are as parents of a child with different educational needs. I appreciated West's information from the educational and legal end of advocating for our kids. She has a lot of experience - you can tell that from her book - and she fills you with many things to think about and options that you might consider navigating through the special ed/IEP/504 Plans arenas. I appreciate her honesty and frankness - she tells it like it is and lets you know when you may be in over your head!

It is an easy read - short and to the point. I found it valuable and the resources listed in the back are also a great place to start on this special ed highway!

Horse Specials

In honor of Marguerite Henry's birthday - there are two Horse Unit Studies that are marked down!! Go check them out!!

Horses - 4 week study - 25% off this week

Handsome Horses - 1 week study - 25% off this week

Click here to visit Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett.

Virginia Hamilton - Author Extraordinaire!

Virginia Hamilton is truly one of the best!! Her work has been popular for years and continues to touch young readers and adults alike. When I was asked to showcase her work - I was honored. She is truly one of "the greats"!!

To celebrate her life and National Library Week - here are some great offerings!

VIDEO: A Library’s Shaping of Virginia Hamilton
This brand new video in honor of National Library Week features Hamilton’s husband, poet Arnold Adoff, in their Yellow Springs Community Library reflecting on the tremendous impact the public library had on Virginia as a child, which ultimately lead to her powerful brand of storytelling that helped define the lives of generations of African Americans. You can find this video, as well as more information on Hamilton and her ebooks, at http://www.openroadmedia.com/authors/virginia-hamilton.aspx.

ARTICLE: “Sentinels in Long Still Rows”
Originally published in the American Libraries 1999 June/July issue, Hamilton recalls getting her inspiration from a children’s librarian bearing books of many sizes and hues. A library stack rover at an early age, she eagerly anticipated the arrival of her town’s “Story Lady” at her school, and acknowledges the importance of libraries in contributing to the process of “never letting us forget who we are, for their worth stands by the knowledge they keep and save for us.”

I also have EXCITING news!! Just because you are reading my blog - you can win an ebook copy of Hamilton's book, M.C. Higgins the Great! (This will be a free review copy via NetGalley.) If you would like to win this ebook copy - just leave a comment below - I'd love to hear if you've read any of Virginia Hamilton's books and what you thought!!

Sweet Moon Baby

You can tell that this author, Karen Henry Clark, has been through the adoption journey herself. Sweet Moon Baby is a wonderful adoption story. Clark bases this story on her journey to adopt her daughter. It takes the process of an adoption from China, and puts it in a fairytale or folk tale form. I think it is a wonderful way to approach talking to little ones about adoption - I would gear it for ages 3-5. You can certainly read it to older children - and I would encourage it - but older ones are going to necessitate more answers, I am sure, so be prepared as a parent. In the story, when the parents in China decide that they can not care for their little one, they place her in a basket and pray the moon will watch over her. It is told innocently, but I can see it creating those tough questions in our older children! However, it is a tender way to approach a topic that can be hard to discuss with our children - I thank Clark for coming up with such a wonderful tool for adoptive parents, or any parent for that matter. Patrice Barton, the illustrator, is fabulous! Her illustrations are tender and dreamy and lend that "fairytale" feel. They are perfect for this peaceful tale.

The Lake of Dreams

Kim Edwards' latest novel, The Lake of Dreams, was very timely, I thought! It is set in Japan, for the first part of the novel and they were going through earthquakes - as I sat and watched the entire country of Japan overturned by an earthquake. SO I thought that part was interesting, but otherwise it just did not grab me like Memory Keeper's Daughter did. I was totally caught up in Memory Keeper's, but this one just did not keep me as interested.

I do think though that if geneology and family history interests you - you might truly enjoy this one. The story is interesting as it follows Lucy Jarrett and her family with her return from Japan to start uncovering her past. It takes her on a road that she could never imagine - and ultimately teaches her a lot about herself in the process. Although it may not have intrigued me as much, I'd love to know what you think if you read it! I am open to being swayed!

Beside Still Waters

I have read a lot of deeper reading lately and so Tricia Goyer's Beside Still Waters was a nice reprieve for me. I do enjoy stories about the Amish community - and this one was especially intriguing to me. It is the story of Marianna - she is 18 and ready to be engaged and baptized, when her family decides to move west. Along with their move, comes a new life Marianna didn't expect - and one which intrigues her. She begins to question many of the beliefs she was surrounded with in the Amish community and sees a life outside of many of those beliefs. Goyer is a great writer that evokes many emotions for me when I read her work. She paints a realistic picture that is believable and creates empathy with her readers. I would recommend this story - it is a good challenge for all of us - to really SEE and understand why we believe.

About Tricia: Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. Visit www.triciagoyer.com for more info.

To celebrate the release of the first book in the Big Sky Amish series Tricia is giving away 10 copies of Beside Still Waters and a pair of super cute antique Amish salt & pepper shakers.

Details at Tricia’s blog, It’s Real Life: http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2011/04/beside-still-waters-giveaway.html

BONUS! Each person who enters the giveaway will receive a FABULOUS Montana Amish Calendar. Hurry, it’s only available while supplies last!

If you would like to read what others have to say about Tricia's book - go HERE.

*I was provided a copy for review purposes by the publisher.

I Will Praise You

Rebecca St. James is back!!! And she is STRONG!! I am just loving her new worship album - I Will Praise You. It is upbeat and features many new worship songs - this is one that my girls are begging me to play over and over right now. The songs are catchy and encourage me to smile all day long! LOVE IT!! If you have not heard her album - the first since 2005 - then I encourage you to go get it! It is a strong album that challenges me spiritually and also makes me glad to be a Believer - we have SO much to be grateful for in our Savior!

AND HERE'S THE BEST PART!!! I have a copy to give away to you - one of my readers!! All you have to do to receive an entry is:

Leave a comment below.

Follow Me on Twitter.

Post about this giveaway on your blog. (Send me the link)

Tweet about this giveaway! (Leave the link in your comment.)

For each item that you do above - leave a separate comment!!

I will announce a winner on Tuesday, April 12!! (U.S. addresses only please)

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Bringing Up Girls

So I've been given three boys - I've read Dr. James Dobson's Bringing Up Boys and I'm ready to tackle the world!! Then I receive a wonderful gift of two beautiful girls and desperately NEED Dr. Dobson to write a book for rearing daughters - and thankfully he heard my petition. Because Bringing Up Girls is just what I needed to read! As usual, Dr. Dobson addresses the issues with clarity and Godly wisdom. He uncovers topics such as:

• Are girls really fundamentally different from boys? If so, should they be treated differently?
• Whoever said that girls are “sugar and spice and everything nice” never met my teenager. What can I do?
• My adolescent daughter seems to be on an emotional roller coaster. One minute she’s giddy with excitement; the next she’s moody and withdrawn. Is this normal?
• As a mom, I so badly want to be “best friends” with my daughter. Why isn’t it working out the way I dreamed?
• How does a dad’s role in his daughter’s life influence her character and decisions—including her eventual choice of a husband?
• How can grandparents contribute to raising a healthy granddaughter?
• What’s the best way to educate girls?
• How are girls affected when their parents divorce?
• What should we be doing to shape the next generation of women?

I highly recommend Dobson and his work - it is thorough and gives parents a solid, Biblical base to build on when making decisions and rearing their children. There are vast differences physically and physiologically between boys and girls and Dobson shows how this is true and how we can use that as we parent our children. The books read quickly and are written in such a way that you are encouraged to see what he will say next. I appreciate the insight and the challenge he provides us as parents.

*I was provided a copy for review purposes by Tyndale Publishers.