August 5, 2015
Leo: A Ghost Story
Leo is a great friend, the only problem? Leo is a ghost.
About Leo: A Ghost Story
You would just love to be Leo’s friend! He likes to draw, make delicious snacks but no one can see him because he is a ghost. When a new family moves into Leo’s home, he tries to make them feel welcome but they don’t understand his good intentions. Leo is sad and decides to leave his home and see the world. On his adventure into the world he meets Jane, a young girl with a great imagination who has an open position for a knight. Leo’s adventure is only beginning!
My Thoughts
Leo: A Ghost Story is an adorable, sweet story that has you falling in love with Leo our ghost and hoping he finds a friend who can appreciate him for who he is even if he is a ghost. It is important for children to realize that just because we are different on the outside it is what is on the inside (the unseen parts) that matter the most. They make us a good person.
It takes the imagination and acceptance of a young Jane for Leo to realize his potential. His happiness is heart warming and makes you want to reach out and hug him (which would be impossible since he is a ghost!).
With beautiful illustrations that highlight the ghost story theme, Leo: A Ghost Story will be a special book you can treasure with your children to teach about friendship, love and imagination.
Rating: 5/5
Book Trailer
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 5, 2015
Adventures in Noisy Places
Who doesn’t love a little bit of noise? Especially young children! Explore the noisiest places in the world in Adventures in Noisy Places!
About Adventures in Noisy Places
In this adventure, puzzle and sticker book we explore the noisiest places in the world. We discover howling howler monkeys in South America, the floating Star Ferry in Hong Kong and rocket blasts in Russia. Children can decorate real life locations with over two hundred and fifty reusable stickers. As a bonus, each book in this series has its very own push out surprise to make and collect.
My Thoughts
The summer months can be hard on parents and children. Long car rides, siblings having to watch their older siblings practices and the rainy days. Having an educational but FUN activity to help them out in the car and at home is a must. Adventures in Noisy Places is that and more.
This activity book has been developed by Lonely Planet Kids for children three years of age and up. My four-year old loved the stickers and listening to his brother, my eldest son could appreciate the educational facts that much more. I even learned quite a bit of new and interesting facts, such as the talipot palm blooms only once in a lifetime!
With the reusable stickers and plenty of educational facts, Adventures in Noisy Places is a book that your children can love over and over again whether it be on a long car ride or on a rainy day at home.
Rating: 5/5
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 5, 2015
Land Shark by Beth Ferry
Can shark lovers become dog lovers? We find out in Land Shark by Beth Ferry.
About Land Shark
The only thing Bobby wants for his birthday is a pet shark. So you can only begin to imagine his disappointment when his parents give him a puppy! Everyone knows that shark
lovers can never become dog lovers. Or can they?
My Thoughts
Beautiful illustrations accompany the hilarious and heart warming tale of Bobby who wants nothing more for his birthday than a pet shark. He can not believe that his parents would purchase him a puppy of all things. Puppies are the complete opposite of everything a shark is. They are cute, cuddly, adorable and kind. Or so Bobby thinks.
Land Shark will become quickly one of your favourite stories to read to your child with its easy rhymes and funny sentences. We giggled over Bobby’s frustrations and his funny idea of what a pet should be. We admired the gorgeous illustrations that accompany each page. The story holds an important moral, that sometimes what we really want is not what we need at all. That sometimes happiness can be found in the smallest places.
Rating: 5/5
About Beth Ferry
Beth is the author of two children’s books. She lives with her husband and three child in New Jersey.
About Ben Mantle
Ben studied animation at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design before working as an animator and illustrator. He lives in Brighton, England.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 5, 2015
Among the Fair Magnolias
In the most turbulent decade of our nation’s history, four Southern women whose destinies are forged by birth, hearts steeled by war and who face near impossible choices on their journeys in life and in love.
About Among the Fair Magnolias
Four books in one make up Among the Fair Magnolias: To Mend a Dream, An Outlaw’s Heart, A Heart So True and Love Beyond Limits.
To Mend a Dream by Tamera Alexander
Savannah Darby would do almost anything to revisit her family home. So when the new owner, Aidan Bedford (a Boston attorney and former Union soldier) seeks help to redecorate the house for his fiancée, she jumps at the opportunity. But the clock is ticking – can she find the box her father supposedly hid there during the war (and may hold the key to her financial security) before her assignment is completed? And before she sees yet another battle lost on the home front. This time the battle will be one of the heart.
An Outlaw’s Heart by Shelley Gray
When Russell Stark returns to Fort Worth, he is determined to begin a new life. But when he arrives at his mother’s homestead, he discovers she’s very ill and the woman he loved is still as beautiful and as sweet as he remembered. With time running out for him, Russell must come to terms with both his future and his past.
A Heart So True by Dorothy Love
Abigail knows all too well what is expected of her: to marry her distant cousin Charles and take her place in society. But her heart belongs to another man. A terrible incident forces Abby to choose between love and duty.
Love Beyond Limits by Elizabeth Musser
Emily has a secret: She is in love with one of the freedmen on her family’s plantation. Meanwhile, another man declares his love for her. Emily realizes some things are not always as they seem and that secrets must be kept in order to keep those she loves safe.
My Thoughts
I always worry when I read a novel that contains more than one story, that the story will not be developed enough or will feel too rushed. This was definitely not the case in Among the Fair Magnolias. Each of the four stories brings its own unique writing skills (that also complement each other) and story. At the root of each story is a difficult decision each main character has to make – accepting the past and present in order to find love, forgiveness and hope. It is a novel that explores love and forgiveness in many different forms, that will not leave you disappointed (but maybe craving for some more!).
You can find more reviews on the Litfuse Blog Tour Page. You can purchase a copy here.
Rating: 5/5
About the Authors
Tamera Alexander is the best-selling author of numerous books including A Lasting Impression and The Inheritance. Tamera is a two-time Christy Award winner, two-time RITA winner, and a recipient of the prestigious Library Journal Award. A native of west Tennessee.
Dorothy Love makes her home in the Texas hill country with her husband and their golden retriever. An award-winning author of numerous young adult novels, Dorothy made her adult debut with the Hickory Ridge novels.
Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), The Protector, recently made the New York Times best seller list.
Elizabeth Musser, a native of Atlanta, Georgia now living in France, is a novelist who writes what she calls ‘entertainment with a soul.’ For over 25 years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in mission work with International Teams.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 4, 2015
Go For Gold in Rio 2016 #WannaPlayChat #RoadtoRio
We are huge sports fans in our home. Most of our weeknights are spent at soccer games or swimming and when we are not there we are taking advantage of our local parks to play basketball, football or frisbee. Being active and outdoors is a way of life for our family, we like to joke that we are raising a young ‘Messi’ and ‘Rinaldo’.
When sporting events are broadcasted, it is quite the event in our household. The events are broadcasted non stop and we make friendly bets on who will in. Soccer is definitely number one in our home, followed closely by swimming (my kids love watching the swimming with me as I used to compete and teach swimming in my younger years and miss it so much!).
In 2016, the Olypmics are heading to Rio! Already our Canadian atheletes are hard at work training and preparing for this moment (can you even begin to imagine being in their shoes??). The summer Olympics have always held a special place in our heart because we participate in so many similar events at home.
You can encourage your children to prepare for the Olympics through:
- pick a new Olympic sport to you and your family and play it!
- create a goal and go for it, track your progress over the year.
- work on a specific goal or move over the next year.
- create a mini Olympics for your children in the backyard or at the park.
We are very excited to watch the BMX cycling next year. Our eldest just purchased his own BMX bike and it is always fun to copy the awesome moves we see on television. I found the above fact on their website pretty amazing -> from the age of five, BMX riders can compete in this sport! Pretty cool, right?
August 5th is the official one year countdown to Rio 2016. To help kick off this special date, Canadian Tire wants to celebrate with you at a Twitter Party!
The Details:
Date: Wednesday, August 5th, 2015
Time: 8:00-9:00pm Eastern
Host: @CanadianTire
Co-Hosts: @RosieMacLennan @bthieseneaton @markadejonge
No RSVP needed – just show up and chat with the #WannaPlayChat #RoadtoRio. There is $1,000 prizes up for grabs!! Looking forward to chatting with you.
If you are on Periscope, make sure to tune in for a chat with @RoseMacLennan at 6:45.
Disclosure: I received compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.