Category: iRead tour

July 11, 2022

Butterfly Love from Above

Butterfly Love from Above is the heartwarming story of one little girl’s journey through grief.

About Butterfly Love from Above

This is the heartwarming story of one little girl’s journey through grief. After losing her best friend—a butterfly named Twinkle—Star must search to rediscover her sunshine. The loss of Twinkle has kept Star under a dark cloud for some time, but her journey towards betterment will touch the hearts of all readers! Star is amazed to discover that she can reclaim her own sunshine by helping others who are also stuck under a dark cloud of their own! And she’ll realize that her light is even brighter than before! Star’s love for Twinkle—and her pony, Luna—will show readers the beauty, joy, and healing power that animals can bring to our lives! Her journey will remind us that there is something beautiful to see when we take a moment to “always look up!”

Our Thoughts

When I first read this story, I cried. Grief is such a difficult thing to go through no matter how old you are. After losing a loved one – we used to have a dove that would sit on the powerline across our street and during our most difficult times, it brought us peace and a reminder that they were always there with us.

Star is a bright, loving young child who loves to dance, smile and is full of happiness. The loss of her friend Twinkle is quite difficult for her to process and she must learn to find this sunshine again with the help of her Mother, friends and an animal friend. As she learns how to process her grief and to find happiness – she also learns how to share this with others (which is a special gift in its own!).

This is a beautiful story for young children with equally lovely illustrations as they navigate the difficult emotions of grief, and learning to find peace and happiness again. It is a great conversation starter for parents as they help navigate those difficult moments and helps to remind us that our loved ones are always with us and that there is beauty every day if we just look up.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and B&N.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Melissa Stuart lives in Los Angeles, California with her family, their English Mastiff, Gucci, and their pony, Luna! Melissa and her husband stay busy traveling all over the country with their boys’ hockey teams. She loves being a Hockey Mom and watching her boys chase their dream of following in their dad’s footsteps to play in the NHL! Her happy place is with her little girl, Stella, at the barn surrounded by horses and their precious Luna. Sun Valley, Idaho is her family’s favorite summer getaway destination. When they’re there, Melissa feels most inspired to write sitting by the river, surrounded by mountains and nature! Her dream of becoming a published author for the first time came true in early 2021, as she shared her story “Find Your Sunshine” in a book co-written by 10 other inspiring authors—all of whom were sharing stories about shining their light and becoming difference makers in the world! Melissa hopes this story will inspire children to always look up. She wishes to teach them that true joy comes when we shine our own light and show kindness to others. That’s the secret to finding our sunshine!

You can connect with Melissa on her website, Facebook and Instagram.

The Giveaway!

Win a signed copy of Butterfly Love from Above by clicking on this link.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 12, 2022

Unseen Arms: A Story about Cancer, Crisis, and Being Carried by Faith

In Unseen Arms, Evelyn and Wayne had three purposes for writing this book. One was to give God the Glory for His faithfulness during this process. The second was to give hope to the patients and caregivers of today and the future. The third was to give some limited insights into the stem cell transplant process. The medical part of this process is rapidly changing, but the patients and caregivers still have the same needs.

About Unseen Arms: A Story about Cancer, Crisis, and Being Carried by Faith

Patient and Caregiver: the main characters in a drama that started in 2007 and is still unfolding for Evelyn and Wayne Hausknecht. In 2007, Evelyn was diagnosed with an aggressive, recurrent type of non-Hodgkin’s T-cell lymphoma. Although in Unseen Arms Evelyn and Wayne are as medically accurate as their memories and blog allow, the greatest purpose here is to tell the story from a patient’s and caregiver’s perspectives.

Recently, while having an in-depth conversation with a lung doctor when Evelyn was in the hospital with pneumonia, Evelyn was thanked by the doctor for what she and Wayne were doing. She was in awe of his excitement for the book. The doctor saw the need for future patients to learn from experienced patients. Evelyn and Wayne were peer volunteers for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for years. The goal of that program was the same: an experienced caregiver and patient walk beside a person entering the transplant program to make their path smoother. Even though each diagnosis and circumstance is different, every patient has the same questions, fears, and needs. The greatest need is for someone understanding to talk to. When Evelyn was diagnosed, it was easy to find medical information, but caregiver and patient perspectives were limited.

Evelyn and Wayne had three purposes for writing this book. One was to give God the Glory for His faithfulness during this process. The second was to give hope to the patients and caregivers of today and the future. The third was to give some limited insights into the stem cell transplant process. The medical part of this process is rapidly changing, but the patients and caregivers still have the same needs.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Mascot, Amazon and B&N.

About the Author

Evelyn and Wayne Hausknecht have spent most of their careers in education. Evelyn has taught different subjects and ages in public and Christian schools. Wayne, a wood engineer, helped build the largest sawmill in Brazil and has managed mills in Michigan and North Carolina. They both enjoy motorcycle riding and rode their Harley Davidson Road King to Glacier National Park in 2006. Recently, they traded their motorcycle for a Model A truck and now enjoy going to car shows. They have two married children and six grandchildren and reside in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

You can connect with them on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I did not receive compensation. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 2, 2022

Fearless and Friends Book Spotlights

Join Fearless and animals friends in their many escapades as they learn valuable life lessons.

About Fearless and Friends Book One: Capers and Harry: High Climbing – Teaching Values to Children in a Fun Way

Capers the Cat gets stuck in a tree, but is too vain to admit it. Can Fearless the Fire Duck and Harry the Hound rescue their friend?

You can purchase a copy of this book here.

About Fearless and Friends Book Two: Greedy the Crow: Finders Keepers – Teaching Values to Children in a Fun Way

Greedy the Crow’s greedy ways are going to get him in trouble! Will anybody help him?

You can purchase a copy of this book here.

About Fearless and Friends Book Three: Mimi the Mynah: It’s All Mine! – Teaching Values to Children in a Fun Way

Mimi knows two words – “me” and “mine.” When disaster strikes the Duck Pond, will she finally learn a new word?

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About Fearless and Friends Book Four: Bluster Blue Jay: Not My Fault! – Teaching Values to Children in a Fun Way

Bluster Blue Jay is not the easiest bird to be around. Nothing ever works for him, but it’s never HIS fault! When he joins Fearless and Grateful on their camping trip, can they be patient with him? And will he learn a lesson about accepting blame? Join them and find out!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Mother Melania is the Abbess of Holy Assumption Monastery in Calistoga, CA. She grew up in a house that always had tons of children around, her poor parents had to read to her till they were hoarse, and from the moment she learned to read, she always had her nose in a book. So, it was only natural for her to grow up to write children’s books. In her books, she strives to teach virtue in a fun, non-preachy way.

The Giveaway!

Enter to win signed copies of the book here.

Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 2, 2022

What Makes Me…Me

What Makes Me…Me is a story about harnessing your super powered brain.

About What Makes Me…Me

What Makes Me…Me is a story about harnessing your super powered brain. We are all special and unique and our differences are what make us all special. What Makes Me…Me was written especially for those kids with neurological differences, their families, and their friends.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Indiebound.

About the Author

Anne Baldwin is a wife, mom, and fierce advocate for neurodiverse kids. Anne wrote her first book What Makes Me…Me after her son Levi was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. Passionate about stopping the stigma around Tourette-Syndrome, Anne hopes that her books about embracing your differences as what makes you unique will help kids with Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, and other neurological disorders to feel included and accepted by everyone. Anne lives in metro-Detroit with her husband Nick, their sons Levi and Gus, 3 cats, a dog, and a leopard gecko.

You can connect with her on her website and Instagram.

The Giveaway!

You can enter to win a signed copy of the book here.

Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I did not receive compensation for this post, all opinions expressed are my own.

April 11, 2022

Kai the Dancing Butterfly

Kai the Dancing Butterfly celebrates Taiwan’s natural scenic wonders, amazing animal species, and incredible Indigenous cultures.

About Kai the Dancing Butterfly

Kai and Ami are dancing butterflies from Taiwan! They have a performance coming up at the Winter Festival dance show in the southern part of the island. They are currently in northern Taiwan, so they need to hurry and start flying south. That’s far for a butterfly! Kai is worried about the long journey, and about the big show too. Can Kai step up to the challenge?

Kai the Dancing Butterfly celebrates Taiwan’s natural scenic wonders, amazing animal species, and incredible Indigenous cultures. This children’s book is a marvelous read for all those who love Taiwan, or for those who’d like to learn more about Taiwanese culture.

This elaborately illustrated picture book makes an ideal gift:

Real locations in Taiwan make for an inspiring geography, history and cultural lesson
Storyline sparks dialogue around empathy, kindness, courage, faith, perseverance, friendship, and the support between siblings
Exquisite illustrations of Taiwan’s majestic animals and endangered species fosters learning around ecological conservation and habitat protection

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, B&N, Indiebound and BAM.

About the Author

Crystal Z. Lee is a bilingual writer who grew up in Taiwan and California. She has called many places home, including Taipei, New York, Shanghai, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Crystal is also the author of the children’s book A Unicorn Named Rin, and the novel, Love and Other Moods.

You can connect with Crystal on Instagram.

About the Illustrator

Allie Su was born and raised in Yunlin county, Taiwan. She attended Nanhua University in Chiayi city, majoring in Visual Arts. She is a professional illustrator, specializing in oil painting and ink painting.

The Giveaway!

Enter to win a copy of the book here.

Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour post, I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.