Category: reviews

Planet Kindergarten! #Bookreview

Planet Kindergarten Book Review

Welcome to Planet Kindergarten! Where we explore the exciting and new world of Kindergarten.

Planet Kindergarten Book Review

About Planet Kindergarten

Planet Kindergarten prepares our young explorers to boldly go where they have never been before: Planet Kindergarten!

Suit up for a daring adventure as our hero navigates the unknown reaches and alien inhabitants of this strange new world. Hilarious and confidence boosting, this book will have young readers ready for their newest adventures in Kindergarten.

Planet Kindergarten Book Review

My Thoughts

Kindergarten is an exciting but nervous time in our children’s lives. They don’t know what to expect or who they will be with. Will they make friends? Will they have to share? Will they know how to find the bathroom? There are so many what if’s and will they’s that it can be quite overwhelming!

This book introduces school in a fun and exciting way that many children will appreciate. Our young hero is on an adventure and learns about new people, new experiences and how it is not fun to sit all alone in isolation when you do something wrong! There is so much to learn when children start school in this picture book brings this to us in a fun way that we can read with our children and help talk about their feelings before they head off to school.

Beautiful pictures accompany this picture book that young children and their parents will appreciate alike.

This is the perfect picture book to read to your child before and during the first month of Kindergarten. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Sue Ganz-Schmitt is an author, mother and philanthropist. Planet Kindergarten is her third book. Her other works include Even Superheroes Get Diabetes and The Princess and the Peanut. Sue strives to provide high quality and inspiring books for all children and families that they can relate to on a personal level. Sue lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.

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

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Aoleon The Martian Girl: Part Three by Brent LeVasseur

iRead Book Tours

Aoleon is back in the third installment of the series, Aoleon The Martian Girl by Brent LeVasseur.

Aoleon The Martian Girl

About Aoleon The Martian Girl: Part Three

In the third installment of this series, Aoleon and Gilbert are spying on the Luminon. The pair uncover a plot to steal Earth’s cows and make a disturbing discovery that the Martian leaders are planning to disrupt Mars galact supply. The duo race to warn Aoleon’s father, Deimos before the leaders can act.

While on the run, Aoleon takes her pilot’s exam so that she can join the Martian intergalactic fleet. But during the test run something goes very wrong. The two are put in a life threatening situation in which Aoleon’s friend, Bizwat, is the only person who can save them.

Gilbert finally gets to learn how to skyboard but his lesson turns into a test of skill as they are chased by the Royal Guard.

My Thoughts

The third installment lives up to the hype that the other two books give it! A novel series is always the best to read as you get to see the characters and relationships develop as well as learn more about the setting and the secondary characters in the story.

In this story we learn more about Aoleon’s home planet, her family and the secret plot that threatens to destroy those around them. This book was even more action packed (if you can imagine!) than the first two. We get to learn more about the Lumion and their leaders, who are our evil villains in this novel.

Aoleon really comes to life with her heroic skills and bravery. Gilbert being her partner provides some fantastic comic relief that left both my son and I giggling. The illustrations are fantastic – bright, bold and allowing for page breaks which is helpful for young readers. It also lets young readers help to visualize the story they are reading.

The Aoleon Martian Girl series will be books that not only your young reader will love, you will too!

You can purchase a copy on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

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

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The Ultimate Easter Basket Gift from kaboom! #Giveaway #Review

Ultimate Treehouse DVD Easter Cube

Easter is right around the corner (doesn’t it just feel like it was the New Year?) and what better way to surprise your little ones with a Treehouse Cube full of their favourite shows on DVD format!

Ultimate Easter Treehouse DVD Cube

On March 3rd, kaboom! entertainment launched the Treehouse Ultimate Collection cube which includes ten hours of your favourite Treehouse shows. Inside this unique package you will find ten DVDs featuring: Toopy and Binoo, Franklin, Max and Ruby, Brother Bear, Captain Barnacles, Kwazii, Golias and Nessa. This collection features one hundred of your child’s favourite episodes!

Ultimate Treehouse DVD Easter Cube

Our youngest was so excited to come home and find the Cube. He didn’t know which one to watch first! So he settled with catching up on more Toopy and Binoo followed by Octonauts and Bernstein Bears for me.

Ultimate Treehouse DVD Easter Cube

Zack and Quack: Popping Hopping Easter came with this bundle which was the perfect movie to get just in time for Easter. This DVD features Zack and his best friend, an impulsive young duck named Quack. They live inside a pop up book. It is a place full of surprises where pulling pop ups makes exciting and unexpected things happen. This DVD comes with five episodes.

Ultimate Treehouse DVD Easter Cube

Remember the Guess How Much I Love You DVD I featured in January? This would be the perfect addition to add into your Easter gift basket for your little one. A special reminder to your little one on just how much they mean to you.

Guess How Much I Love You

If you have a little one at home that would love to win this Ultimate Treehouse DVD cube and Zack and Quack Popping Hopping Easter, you can now win your own just in time for Easter! My Canadian residents can enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Make sure to follow kaboom! on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with new releases.

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned products free of charge. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Escaping The Every Day Norm at Scandinave Spa #WinterWarrior

Scandinave Spa

Nestled in the woods, roughly ten minutes away from Blue Mountain Village, the Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain offers an experience to remember.

Scandinave Spa

One of the highlights of my Blue Mountain trip was heading over to Scandinave Spa on the morning before we left. When we had arrived at Blue Mountain two days prior, I had heard many of the visitors mention the spa and could not wait to experience for myself what every other visitor was talking about (two different groups in the lobby at check in were having a spa weekend!).

Scandinave Spa

When you arrive at Scandinave Spa, the spa is located in an area that is heavily dense with trees and far back from the main road. You access the main building by a bridge and as you are passing over the bridge you have wonderful views of Blue Mountain. Light music greets you and welcomes you into the relaxation. Signs are posted welcoming quiet and peace which is the perfect reminder for all guests.

Scandinave Spa

The lobby was warm, inviting and open. When I checked in I received my two towels and was able to head down into the change room areas. There was a separate coat and sitting area before walking into the change rooms. The change room area itself was large and clean with an abundance of lockers, washroom stalls, tables, private changing areas and even hair dryers. After quickly getting into my bathing suit and putting my robe on I was ready to head out to the baths.

Scandinave Spa

Walking outside for the first time was an incredible experience in itself. Wearing a robe, sandals and carrying my water bottle with snow-covered trees and rocks I quickly headed over to the Steam Bath. The eucalyptus steam bath was incredible and almost felt like you were walking into a steam of Vicks! Sitting in the room (with my water bottle because of the heat) my skin was instantly sweating and my sinuses were clearing up fast. I had a sinus headache that had started that morning and the steam helped to quickly release the mucous buildup and tension in my head.

Each of the three hot baths offers a multi sensory experience that will relax and bring you peace. One of the hot baths allows you to smell the fire pits stronger, feel and hear the wind and hear the light music. The second bath allows you to hear the waterfall stronger and the sound of the music. The third bath nestled in the back and closer to the forestry brings to you the scent of eucalyptus from the Steam Bath and the sounds of the trees blowing in the wind. Each area is marked for silence and every patron was excellent at following those rules. I was so relaxed in the hot baths that I could close my eyes and almost drift off into sleep (if I wasn’t so excited!).

Scandinave Spa

The Scandinave Spa Experience Includes:

  • Finnish Sauna
  • Norwegian Steam Bath
  • Thermal and Nordic Falls
  • Three hot baths
  • Three cold plunges
  • Three solariums
  • Outdoor relaxation areas
  • Hammocks
  • Outdoor fireplaces
  • Massage treatments (Swedish massage, hot stone therapy and sports massage)
  • Bistro
  • Boutique
  • Private yoga classes and retreats

Scandinave Spa

The tradition of hot baths, cold plunges and Finnish saunas remains popular today in Europe. There are many therapeutic and personal benefits to using these baths and spas including stress reduction, detoxification and cleansing. The three-part cyclical routine of the spa (heat,cold and relax) allows an individual to benefit the most from the baths. Each part works to rejuvenate, revitalize and relax the body.

Scandinave Spa

One of the best features of the Scandinave Spa is their commitment to being green. They encourage patrons to bring their own water bottles and have several water refilling stations throughout the buildings.

The Scandinave Spa is definitely an experience to help you unwind and escape from the daily pressures of life. You leave feeling relaxed, renewed and ready to face the world with a positive outlook.

You can connect with Scandinave Spa on Twitter and Facebook.

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You are my Heart by Marianne Richmond #bookreview

You are my Heart

“Before you were born my heart always knew I wanted to be a good parent to you” – You are my Heart

You are my Heart

About You are my Heart

You are my Heart puts into words some of the magical moments we share with our children every day as they grow into our hearts forever. The joyful love we feel and all the emotions straight from pregnancy to birth and beyond.

My Thoughts

I fell in love with You are my Heart. This book puts into words every emotion and feeling you have for your child. The love we feel for them is all-encompassing and this book delivers all of that and more. I actually teared up reading it to my kids (which caused them to tease me endlessly!). Through all the good moments and the bad moments we love our children and it is important to remind them of this.

I can easily see You are my Heart becoming a favourite for baby showers as it is a story you will enjoy reading to your child over and over again. It is always important to tell our child how much we love them and You are my Heart does that and more!

The illustrations in this book are wonderful both light and airy that fits in perfectly with the story. Marianne uses colour to coordinate with the words she writes perfectly.

You are my Heart, not only makes a perfect gift for expecting parents but is also suitable for children ages 2-8 years.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Marianne Richmond is both an author and illustrator (and does both in You are my Heart) who has touched millions for nearly two decades with her award-winning books, greeting cards and gift products that help to connect individuals. She lives in the Minneapolis area. She is the author of If I Could Keep You Little, Big Girls Use the Potty and I Wished For You: An Adoption Story.

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

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