Travel back in time in Kelli Stuart’s new novel, Like a River from Its Course, as the city of Kiev is bombed in Hitler’s blitzkrieg across the Soviet Union. This sweeping historical saga takes the reader on a captivating journey into the little-known history of Ukraine’s tragedies through the eyes of four compelling characters who experience the same story from different perspectives. Based on true stories gathered from fifteen years of research and interviews with Ukrainian World War II survivors, Like a River From Its Course is a story of love, war, heartache, forgiveness, and redemption.
Celebrate the release of Like a River from Its Course with Kelli by entering to win a Kindle Fire Prize Pack.
In this book spotlight, we have two books from author Michael Judkins: Interlude to Sentimental Me and Sentimental Me.
About Interlude to Sentimental Me: Volume Two
A collection of emotionally driven poetry that covers the story of pain, tribulations, happiness, self-esteem and self discovery through love and heartache. The Interlude will take readers on a journey of determination and imagery, which leads to the formation of short stories and performances.
Sentimental Me – displays his ability to wrest good from bad, to display the courage to dig deep within himself to help others. Through an inspired melding of his unique voice and inspiring photographic images of nature, Michael provides the reader with a unique perspective of the human condition, inspiring others to follow their own creative paths without boundaries.
Michael Barry Judkins was born in the Bronx, New York, along with his four brothers and sisters. Michael’s childhood memories, although bittersweet, provided a rich foundation for him to draw upon later in life as an accomplished author.
Delightful memories of trips to the zoo or picking apples with his mother contrast greatly to daily reminders of what any hard-working family must battle in building a life in an urban setting. Domestic violence. Drugs. Gangs. All play their part in shaping a person – whether for good or bad is often an individual’s choice.
After spending years immersed in typical, reactive adolescent behaviors like skipping school, smoking and drinking, Michael began experimenting with other alternatives to developing new relationships and helping resolve social issues. As he took these first, proactive steps to be part of the solution, and not the problem, the germ of the idea for his first book – Sentimental Me – was born.
Graduating from high school a year early, and after a foray into the music business, Michael completed a BS degree in Human Services and MS in Mental Health Counseling. A daydreamer for as long as he can remember, Michael’s inability to forge a relationship with his beloved father before he passed when Michael was only two years old still haunts him today. His mother’s cherished memories of his father’s spirit and honored Armed Forces service, while providing some solace, also serve to make Michael wonder what might have been, if only.
Today, with several poetry collections and short stories in the works, Michael’s first release – Sentimental Me – displays his ability to wrest good from bad, to display the courage to dig deep within himself to help others. Through an inspired melding of his unique voice and inspiring photographic images of nature, Michael provides the reader with a unique perspective of the human condition, inspiring others to follow their own creative paths without boundaries.
Michael now resides in Allentown, P.A., and welcomes all readers to feel free to contact him at judkins_michal@yahoo.com to discuss your reaction to his work, or learn more about upcoming releases. You can connect with him on his website, Twitter and Facebook.
When I was pregnant with my first son, all I wanted to be was the perfect Mother. I read plenty of parenting books, columns and advice. They were great, don’t get me wrong, but it didn’t prepare me for my own child and their personality and learning type. Toddlers learn and process things differently. They are just like adults and it is so important to tailor potty training to their personality to be successful. There is no one shoe fits all when it comes to potty training. For us, we had one child who was resistant to change and one who couldn’t wait to become a “big kid”. Our learning curve with our first child was huge!
While the potty training years were hard and sometimes ended in tears in the beginning, as parents we have come a long way. I wish we had some of the same resources parents have now but I think we did a great job with what we had. Here are our key tips for successful potty training:
Make sure your child is ready to begin potty training. Potty training can be a scary time for toddlers (adults too!!), they want to make us proud but accidents happen and it is important for them to know that it is okay. The first step is making sure your child is really ready to potty train. Look for key signs, like: tugging at wet diapers, hiding to pee, interest in others use of the potty, waking up dry from naps or even telling you that they need to go. It is important to look for at least two or more signs, otherwise you may be starting potty training too early and it may make the experience difficult. Once you have figured out that they are ready, you need to figure out the next step: their personality.
Know your child’s personality and how they learn. This is the ultimate key to potty training success in my opinion. You can try every tip in the book but if you aren’t reaching your child the way they learn the best, then it will end in tears. Pull-Ups has developed five key personalities that tend to occur most often in toddlers: Puppy, Turtle, Squirrel, Owl and Bear Cub. When you visit the Potty Partnership website and answer key questions about your child, it will figure out which personality your child is and provide tailored tips to help both parent and child achieve success. Looking at the personalities I can easily tell I had (and still are in most things) a Turtle and a Bear Cub. For us it meant approaching potty training very differently for both of them to ensure they both felt supported, encouraged and ready.
Get the right tools! As adults, we wouldn’t learn a new skill without all the needed materials and the same is true with potty training. In our house, we ensured we had a potty that our child picked out themselves, flushable wipes (best invention ever hands down), special toddler soap, reward chart, the actual rewards (Hot Wheels car were very popular in our house) and the proper size of Pull-Ups training pants.
Connect with family, friends and community. Use the resources around you for help, never ever be afraid to ask for help. I wanted to belief potty training would be natural and easy, when it wasn’t I became frustrated which didn’t help my child. Talk to friends, family and online communities to see what helped them. You may find an angle that you wouldn’t have even thought of, that may just work perfectly for you and your child. Join online resources like the Potty Partnership to get advice geared to your child’s personality and gender, learn how to talk to your child about potty training (tone, voice) and learn how your child’s mind works.
Keep it simple and fun. Use terms that your child will understand and talk to them in a tone of voice that lets them know you are proud of them no matter what. Potty training will have ups and downs, this is okay. Your child won’t always learn overnight and they need to have that encouragement that they are doing well. Keep instructions simple and consistent – once you start don’t give up but instead keep at it and keep it fun.
I love this video from Pull-Ups, teaching a whole new way to potty train your toddler:
If you have a child or family member who is ready to start the potty training journey, Pull-Ups is giving you the chance to win your own Potty Partnership kit to help you on your own potty training journey. The kit includes:
Pull-Ups Training Pants (size geared to the child’s age and gender)
Big Kid Flushable Wipes
Potty chair with detachable potty seat
Potty Progress chart
Potty Training Book
Plush Toy Reward
$25 Walmart gift card to purchase more Potty Training items from the shopping list
Enter via the Rafflecopter form below and good luck!
Our Dad’s have been there every step of the way from pregnancy through childhood. From late night food deliveries to Mom when she had crazy cravings to driving colicky infants around the block to soothe them. Dads build our confidence up and love us in a way that only they can.
On Father’s Day we get to show them just how special they are (even if we should be celebrating this every day of the year!) but this one day allows us to push aside our crazy lives and focus on the special bond between Dad and child. Raincoast Books has selected their top books that focuses on this special relationship and helps celebrate Dads. Here they are:
Tell Me A Tattoo Story
A bestselling author-illustrator duo join forces to create a modern father-son love story in Tell Me A Tattoo Story. The father tells his little son the story behind each of his tattoos, and together they go on a beautiful journey through family history. There’s a tattoo from a favorite book his mother used to read him, one from something his father used to tell him, and one from the longest trip he ever took. And there is a little heart with numbers inside-which might be the best tattoo of them all. Tender pictures by New York Times bestselling illustrator Eliza Wheeler complement this lovely ode to all that’s indelible-ink and love.
When I saw this book, I knew this one was for us. My husband has several tattoos that our boys are just amazed with. Tattoos tell a deeper meaning for the person who carries them, they tell of love, achievement, family and loss. We love talking about tattoos and tracing our husband’s ones on his arms and back. He has one that represents his move to Canada and another for our eldest son. He has the design ready for our youngest one – he just needs to figure out where! I loved the simplicity, honesty and love that was shown in this book. It was a great read for all four of us to sit down and read together, while sparking a conversation about my husband’s tattoos. I love how this book takes into consideration the new norm by talking about tattoos – tattoos aren’t a bad thing or mean a bad person. More and more people have them now and they represent so much meaning behind them. It was a truly special book.
Monster & Son
In Monster & Son, romp along with parent and child yetis, werewolves, giant lizards, and more as they stir up some monster-sized fun! Readers big and small, young and old, wild and tame, will roar with laughter and take this book by the horns, teeth, and fur… discovering that monsters and humans aren’t so different-especially in the ways they love each other.
A truly lovely book about the relationship between son and Father. It suited my boys perfectly! It was darkly coloured, with scary monsters (with smiling faces), a great rhythm which made reading aloud so much easier and the perfect story line. We followed Father and son as they played games, joked and bonded until Dad tucked little one into bed. It showcases the love between Father and son perfectly regardless of being human or monster! This will make the perfect bed time story.
Commando Dad New Recruits
This essential guide to pregnancy offers everything the expecting father needs to know in the run-up to the birth, or deployment day.” Packaged like an army training manual and written in guy-friendly, no-nonsense military speak, it presents month-by-month overviews of the baby’s development, the lowdown on pregnancy symptoms, tips for supporting the mom-to-be, a guide to prenatal care, and what to expect during labor and beyond. With expert advice, easy-to-follow information, and commentary from other first-time fathers, it’s the go-to reference for the dad-to-be who wants to prepare himself-mentally, physically, and emotionally-for the arrival of his new recruit.”
Letters to My Dad
This book of twelve letters (ten prompted, two blank) makes it easy for children of many ages-from tween to adult-to show Dad how much they care. Once filled out, sealed, and postdated, the letters become handwritten time capsules to give to Dad for Father’s Day, holidays, or milestone birthdays. When he breaks open the seals in the future, he will find a priceless keepsake.
This is a beautiful series of books that will honestly be treasured forever. My boys filled out the Letters to My Mom and it made my heart melt!
Gator Dad
From seemingly mundane tasks such as grocery shopping to more active pursuits like a romp at the park and fort-building, a loving and playful father alligator shows his gator kids that the simplest pleasures done together can make for an incredibly fun day in Gator Dad.
Presented by New York Times bestselling author Brian Lies ( Bats at the Beach ), this heartwarming story demonstrates a series of very special ways children can connect with their fathers and should appeal to parents and little readers everywhere.
A Perfect Father’s Day
An engaging family portrait and a winning tribute to ‘Dad.'” – School Library Journal
Four-year-old Susie gives her dad her idea of the perfect Father’s Day: A fast food restaurant for lunch, feeding birds at the park, a ride on the carousel, the swings . . . they even top their day off with balloons! Eve Bunting’s tongue-in-cheek story is sure to resonate with the loving, exhausted parents of charming preschoolers. Susan Meddaugh contributes ample subtle humor to the reading experience in the details of her illustrations. This sweet treat of a book, in a new paper-over-board gift edition with foil cover accents, is the perfect story for dads and kids to share on a perfect Father’s Day.
Raincoast Books now wants you to win four of your choice of the above titles to give to the special Dad in your life. Enter now via the Rafflecopter form below – good luck!
When we first find out we are pregnant, we know that we just want to succeed in parenting and raise the healthiest and happiest child. We want to get all the safety, health and nursery right. We want to stimulate our babies mind while encouraging growth. So we probably read many parenting books, websites and blogs all in the hopes of learning how to succeed in parenting.
While these books are great (and honestly you really should read them), they miss out on some important aspects of parenting: letting your child play, imagine, create and how to just sit back and have fun. Too often we want to break up play we feel is dangerous (I know I has this habit!) even when it was something we did as a child ourselves. Sometimes we may be holding our child back by not allowing them that same freedom we had as children. These incredibly helpful parenting titles explain why.
Balanced and Barefoot
In this important book, a pediatric occupational therapist and founder of TimberNook
shows how outdoor play and unstructured freedom of movement are vital for children’s
cognitive development and growth, and offers tons of fun, engaging ways to help ensure
that kids grow into healthy, balanced, and resilient adults.
Today’s kids have adopted sedentary lifestyles filled with television, video games, and computer screens. But more and more, studies show that children need rough and tumble” outdoor play in order to develop their sensory, motor, and executive functions. Disturbingly, a lack of movement has been shown to lead to a number of health and cognitive difficulties, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), emotion regulation and sensory processing issues, and aggressiveness at school recess break. So, how can you ensure your child is fully engaging their body, mind, and all of their senses?
Using the same philosophy that lies at the heart of her popular TimberNook program-that nature is the ultimate sensory experience, and that psychological and physical health improves for children when they spend time outside on a regular basis-author Angela Hanscom offers several strategies to help your child thrive, even if you live in an urban environment.
I fell in love with this book, literally could not put it down as the facts and strategies were fascinating. She looks at important statistics like how our children are weaker physically than children in the 80s and more to help us figure out where we need to change our parenting style. While some of the statistics are shocking, I am sure once you read them you will be able to see the truth in them. You may recognize other children or even your own (the child that does not like to touch grass or certain textured food). She uses examples of her own children, her own parenting experiences and practice experiences to guide us. She speaks in an open way that you feel as though it is a conversation with her and she truly gets your struggles. I found myself nodding a lot at times and I am sure my husband and kids thought I was a tad bit strange!
She even had me examining my own parenting and stopping me from interrupting disputes, organizing play for my kids and stopping play that I deemed unsafe (not to the extreme level but rock jumping and tree climbing should be okay for kids). I looked at my kids and for the first time I understood why they were happiest outside and why they get angry and have outbursts after too much screen time. It just clicked. Since then, we have spent more time outside on the field, in the front yard and just letting them choose what they want to do. I have held myself back more instead of trying to organize activities and instead encourage them to use their own minds to create games.
This is an excellent book for parents to be, parents of toddlers and young children who may be struggling. She gives helpful ideas, explanations that you can truly understand and real world advice.
Let’s Color Together
Scribble your way to fun with your kids through face-to-face colouring in Let’s Color Together!
Colouring books are all the rage with everyone from preschoolers to grandparents, so why not share the joy of coloring with those you love the most? Featuring beautiful spreads specifically designed for two people to color at once and enjoy at once, Let’s Color Together is the perfect opportunity to sit down, connect, and share some fun with your kids.
Who doesn’t love a good colouring book? It’s even more fun when you get to enjoy it with your child (or in our case they didn’t even wait for me and started colouring before I could join them!). The designs ranged in difficultly and size of the lines/spacing so that this book could be appreciated by a wide age range of children and adults. It is the perfect unwinding tool from a long day at work and at school and an even better way of spending some quiet time with your child.
Mothers of the Village
So many mothers feel like something is out of joint, something is missing – and maybe the truth is that we’re all just missing each other.
C. J. Schneider found herself in the middle of a perfect storm after giving birth to her third child and moving to a new neighborhood. Conditions for misery and postpartum depression were ideal: she was isolated, lonely, and exhausted with three young children at home. As she started talking with other mothers, she realized that she was not alone in her experience of feeling alone.
In her unique voice, Schneider intelligently and compassionately offers practical advice on how to create the essential community that mothers need. Given the many examples of communal mothering from the past and around the world, as well as modern examples of communities in which mothers are thriving, the research is clear: since the beginning of womankind, mothering has been a communal effort.
Mothers of the Village affirms that as mothers connect with each other and learn to work with each other, despite the challenges, they may find a piece of themselves that they have felt missing all along.
Why Can’t We Just Play?
Facing summer with her two boys, ages ten and seven, Pam Lobley was sifting through sign ups for swim team, rec camp, night camp, scout camp, and enrichment classes. Overwhelmed at the choices, she asked her sons what they wanted to do during summer: Soccer? Zoo School? Little Prodigy’s Art Club?”
“Why can’t we just play?” they asked.
A summer with no scheduled activities at all . . . The thought was tempting, but was it possible? It would be like something out of the 1950s. Could they really have a summer like that?
Juggling the expectations of her husband (“Are you going to wear garters?”), her son, Sam (“I’m bored!”), and her son, Jack (“Can I just stay in my pajamas?”), Pam sets out to give her kids an old-fashioned summer. During the shapeless days, she studies up on the myths and realities of the 1950s. With her trademark wit and candor, she reveals what we can learn from those long-ago families, why raising kids has changed so drastically, and most importantly, how to stop time once in a while and just play in Why Can’t We Just Play.
Parenting your child shouldn’t be a rigid schedule of to-do lists, sports events and music. Sometimes we all just need to sit back, be in the mood and play. Now you can enter to win a copy of Let’s Color Together and one of the above mentioned titles. Enter via the rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
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