"Little Blessings – Bedtime Stories and Prayers" by Dandi Daley Mackall and Kathleen Long Bostrom

ISBN:  978-1-4143-8111-4
Hardcover $14.99

About the book: Bedtime routines often include a story and prayer. Now parents and kids can combine both with a special Little Blessings compilation book. The padded hardcover book includes the following sweet stories:

• Bedtime Blessings, which reminds kids that God created nighttime too and they have nothing to fear
• Thank You, God, which reminds kids to be thankful for everything
• Blessings Everywhere, which helps readers remember their blessings
• God Loves You, which carries the most powerful message of all to comfort and guide little ones through the night and through their lives.

Each page is filled with full color art of the endearing multicultural Little Blessings characters with illustrations by Care Bear creator Elena Kucharik.
We heartily recommend this lovely book! Review:  This was an absolutely delightful bedtime story book.  It is a collection of four different stories talking to God about "Bedtime Blessings," "Thank You, God!," "Blessings Everywhere," and "God Loves You." Beautiful thoughts and prayers for nighttime, blessings, and thankfulness. 

I can see this book as becoming a bedtime ritual with small ones.  The illustrations were beautiful and very engaging.  While the actual copy that I have read will probably be going into our school library, I have every intention of purchasing one to read to my granddaughter.  I hope to create wonderful memories through this small but rich little book. (rev. P.Howard)

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for our honest review by Tyndale Blog Network on behalf of Tyndale Kids and the authors, Dandi Daley Mackall and Kathleen Long Bostrom, and illustrator, Elena Kucharik. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer.

“Shark Baby” by Ann Downer & illustrated by Shennen Bersani

“Shark Baby”  is a cute book about a shark trying to figure out who he is.  He sees other animals of the sea and asks if he is one of them.  The story is cute.  I don’t particularly like the use of  “Mother Ocean” in the story but that is a personal preference for me.  The pictures are delightful and would keep the attention of young children. The illustrator uses lots of lively colors with lots of detail.  I especially like the large character on each page that jumps out and catches your interest.

The teacher help pages are very good in this book and give added information about the ocean animals as well as questions for teachers to use to increase interest and knowledge. (Reviewed by: Claudette Delorge, Librarian)

About the author: Ann Downer has never lived very far from the ocean. When she was little, her uncle took her to a beach to see horseshoe crabs, and she has been interested in sea creatures ever since. She spent part of her childhood in and around the Pacific Ocean, living first in the Philippine Islands and then in Thailand. Now she lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, not far from the Atlantic Ocean. With her husband and son, she likes to go looking for sea creatures in tide pools in Maine. She once had a chance to go out in a very small boat with some scientists who study whales, and got to listen to the whales coming up for air. She used to be scared of sharks (she still is, a little!) but mostly thinks they are some of the most beautiful and fascinating creatures on Earth. Ann helped edit two books about the ocean for grown-ups: Oceans: Heart of Our Blue Planet and Underwater Eden: Saving the Last Coral Wilderness on Earth. She is the author of five novels for young readers and Elephant Talk, a book about the ways elephants communicate.

About the illustrator: Award-winning children’s book illustrator Shennen Bersani has two million copies of her illustrated books cherished and read by families throughout the world. She has been a freelance illustrator since 1989. She works primarily with colored pencils, sometimes using a mixed-media technique of colored pencils, crayon, and paint. Her art delivers a unique blend of realism, heartfelt emotion, love of nature, and life lessons for children of all ages. In addition to Home in the Cave, The Glaciers are Melting!, and Astro:The Steller Sea Lion for Sylvan Dell, Shennen has illustrated a number of best-selling books, including, Snakes: Long, Longer, Longest; Sharks: Big, Bigger, Biggest; Ocean Counting: Odd Numbers; Icky Bug Shapes; and My Sister, Alicia May. Her art also appears in many magazines, newspapers, and publications. Shennen lives with her family near Boston.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of Shark Baby was provided by Sylvan Dell Publishing in exchange for our honest review. Opinion expressed are solely those of the reviewer.

Toy State CAT Dump Truck & Road Rippers Fire Truck (Review & Giveaway)

Road Rippers are a great cars for the 3+ crowd!  Road Rippers provides a varied assortment of vehicles for the 3+ crowd to enjoy. The sturdy toy vehicles pack a lot of fun play into each toy. They are designed for the little one's hands and provide noises that enhance their play. Kids will "varoom" with the best of them when they kick in playing with Road Rippers.

The CAT Job Site machines - dump trucks, bulldozers, wheel loaders and excavators make play time seem real to little ones. Kids will load the trucks and then dump the stuff out.  They will push stuff around with the bulldozers.

The Alamance Christian Preschool K3 students were so excited to receive the new dump truck and fire engine for their class.  They watched excitedly as the teacher opened the boxes and pulled them out.  The kids quickly  had both vehicles on the floor loading the dump truck with toys and pretending to put out fires in the doll house.  (And yes, they "saved" the doll house!)

These toys have been sturdy enough to handle the three year old rough play and  the teachers like the fact that they can flip a switch to turn off the sounds when they need to.  Thank you so much for the opportunity to play with these toys! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway
DISCLOSURE: We received these two toys in exchange for our honest review. No compensation was received. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer.

"Ashton Park" by Murray Pura

ISBN: 9780736952859

About the book:  For fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey series, comes this equally enthralling story of the Danforth family of Ashton Park.

Among the green hills and trees of Lancashire, only a few miles from the sea, lies the beautiful and ancient estate of Ashton Park.

The year is 1916.  The First World War has engulfed Europe and Sir William’s and Lady Elizabeth’s three sons are all in uniform—and their four daughters are involved in various pursuits of the heart and soul.

As the head of a strong Church of England family for generations, Sir William insists the Danforth estate hold morning devotions that include both family and staff. However, he is also an MP and away at Westminster in London whenever Parliament is sitting.

Review: This is a very clever book about class and station. Each character has to overcome the place society has put them in whether it's wealth or service. Money nor work provides everything a person needs in life; and as each character finds out on their own, only with faith in God do they gain the world and all it holds.

Pura's use of history to weave this tale together make for a great story. The characters come to life with each detail. At end I found myself wanting to know what happens next.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by Harvest House Publishers on behalf of the author, Murray Pura, to facilitate our honest review.

"Wisdom of the West Riding Trails and Telling Tales" by Tom Browning

ISBN: 9780736950664
Hardcover $14.99

About the book: This invitation to the insights and inspiration of the old West features artist Tom Browning’s stunning paintings of fearless cowboys, noble horses, and nature’s vast beauty. Readers are drawn into an era when a person’s good reputation garnered trust, a handshake sealed a deal, and the cowboy spirit lived large. Filled with the wisdom of the West—shared along the dusty trails and by glowing campfires—this beautiful gift book warms the soul and fuels the call to adventure. It’s a timeless gift to bless those who feel a kinship with those who rode west and who wish they could have answered that call themselves.

Review:  Two of my favorite things, art and quotes.  This book has some of the best I have seen.  One of my favorite quotes is by Leigh Richmond....

"There is a time to be born, and a time to die, says Solomon, and it is the memento of a truly wise man; but there is an interval between these two times of infinite importance."

The illustrations in this book are gorgeous! Each page is a work of art. I love the embellishments on the corners, around the pictures, and highlighting the quotes. I could see an art project on designing a page layout. The "wanted" poster at the beginning would make a great class project. This book would be excellent to teach character traits and have a cowboy theme in your classroom. (reviewed M.Free, Art Instructor)

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of Wisdom of the West was provided to facilitate our honest review by Harvest House Publishers on behalf of the author, Tom Browning. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer.

“Nature Recycles How About You” by Michelle Lord & illustrated by Cathy Morrison

Paperback  $9.95
ISBN: 9781607186274

About the book: From sea urchins in the Atlantic Ocean to bandicoots on the Australian savanna, animals all over the world recycle. Explore how different animals in different habitats use recycled material to build homes, protect themselves and get food. This fascinating collection of animal facts will teach readers about the importance of recycling and inspire them to take part in protecting and conserving the environment by recycling in their own way. key phrases for educators: recycling, animal adaptations and behaviors, geography

Review:  “Nature Recycles How About You”  presents recycling in the animal world and challenges us to recycle too.  The repetitive text makes it a good read aloud for small children to join in and repeat with you.  Large full color illustrations are bright and cheery, drawing you into the page.  Young children will enjoy the illustrations and older children will learn of the many different ways to recycle. 

There are teacher helps at the end of the book that would be good to integrate into the classroom.  Children will leave the book with a new sense of recycling and perhaps find ways to recycle things in their own way as well. (reviewed by Claudette Delorge, Librarian)


DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy of Nature Recycles. How About You? was provided by Sylvan Dell Publishing in exchange for our honest review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer.

"The Winnowing SeasonL Book 2 Amish Vines and Orchards" by Cindy Woodsmall

About the book:  The tornado that devastated Kings’ Orchard pushed Rhoda, Samuel, and Jacob to make a new start in Maine. Are they strong enough to withstand the challenges of establishing an Amish community—and brave enough to face the secrets that move with them?

On the eve of their departure to begin a new Old Order Amish community outside of Unity, Maine, Rhoda Byler is shocked to discover that choices made by her business partner and friend, Samuel King, have placed her and her unusual gifts directly into the path of her district’s bishop and preachers. She is furious with Samuel and is fearful that the Kings will be influenced by the way her leaders see her, and not what they know to be true—that Rhoda’s intuition is a gift from God.

Review: In Cindy Woodsmall's Book 2 of the Amish Vines and Orchards series, The Winnowing Season opens days before the group of Amish is moving to start a new community in the state of Maine. The main characters and their families have purchased a new Apple Orchard in Maine after the devastation of the one they owned in their current state and community.

Rhonda Byler is a gentle, caring young Amish lady who has a gift that lets her intuitively see what is about to happen. She has ended up being viewed suspiciously because of this gift which is not accepted within Amish communities. The two King brothers, Jacob and Samuel, are leaders both in the apple orchard business and spiritually. Both are emotionally drawn to the lovely Rhonda Byler. Jacob has a past to hide and come to terms with.

Though this is a stand alone story, it is best to first read book one in the series so that the characters are better understood.  The internal conflict of characters over whether to stay or leave their faith community and go establish one less restrictive is interesting. Recommended for those who enjoy good clean reading and for the young-adult to adult reader. There is no bad language or behavior.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by Blogging for Books on behalf of the author and publisher to facilitate our honest review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer.