Category: Uncategorized

October 9, 2019

The Halloween Spooky Story Round Up with Raincoast Books

Halloween is by far the best holiday of the year (in my humble opinion). I love decorating our home, work and making themed crafts and treats with my kids. Not to mention all of the scary stories we read together! I love every day of this month.

If you are looking for new spooky stories to read, Raincoast Books has a fantastic line up that covers all age groups, from young children to tweens to teens. Each book has the perfect amount of scare value for every age.

So what is on the top five reading list for this spooktacular holiday? Read on to find out!

Trick or Treat in Canada

In Trick or Treat in Canada an unexpected visitor arrives in town! But who is he? What is he? Where did he come from? Readers will learn the answers to all these questions as they watch the mysterious visitor travel through places they know and love in Canada. Come along and celebrate an unforgettable Halloween night!

Canada receives the cutest little surprise visitor (I know he is supposed to be scary but I found him adorable!) and in true Canadian fashion, he is welcomed throughout our beautiful country. He visits famous landmarks (how many can you recognize and have been to?) and learns all about Halloween. He even gets caught up in all the Halloween fun – although at first he may have been a bit scared. This is a lovely children’s book that has a great story of acceptance, a bit of scary fun but also has beautiful illustrations and highlights what makes Canada such a great country to live in.

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

The Halloween Tree

A charming, funny, and warm-hearted picture book that will help to start a new tradition. Everyone knows most young saplings dream of becoming Christmas trees. But one grumpy, old tree who doesn’t like lights, decorations, or people is determined to be different. Get ready to meet The Halloween Tree!

I fell in love with this adorable grumpy little tree. From day one, he is not like the other trees. He doesn’t like decorations, lights or even people! His dislike for everything cheery makes his branches turn crooked and ensures no leaves grow on his branches. When he becomes the only tree left and houses start to be built around him, he begins to grow even more grumpy. That is until the children began to play with him – he goes on adventures and his heart begins to warm up little by little (much to his denial and surprise). The children come up with a very special idea for him and decorate him for Halloween! He soon discovers he likes lights, decorations and even people. This is a beautiful story with lovely illustrations that we couldn’t help but fall in love with. We even decided that we may just be decorating our front tree this Halloween (she looks a bit lonely too come fall!).

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

A Box of Bones

In A Box of Bones twelve-year-old Kallie despises nonsense. She believes there’s a rational explanation for everything, despite the good-natured prodding of her Grandpa Jess, who takes her to frivolous wastes of time like their town’s local Festival of Fools.

There, Kallie meets a faceless man (must be some kind of mask) who gives her a strange wooden puzzle box (must be some kind of gimmick). Intrigued despite herself, Kallie sets to work on unlocking its secrets and lets something out. From here Kallie’s life begins to entangle with another world, a world where Liah, a young bone carver, journeys with her master to sell wares to a wicked Queen.

The sights, sounds, smells, and spells of Liah’s world are beginning to leak into Kallie’s, and if Kallie can’t decipher the meaning of her own story, the end might be far from happy.

Kallie is very much like her Father – rational and thoughtful. She doesn’t believe in the supernatural or the unexplained. Everything has a purpose and an explanation. Her Grandpa is funny, warm and a breath of fresh air. He takes her to the Festival of Fools where she meets a faceless man who gives her a box. This isn’t some ordinary box, Kallie must work to open it. Once she uncovers the pattern, something really weird happens and Kallie is worried that something may have escaped the box. We begin to dive into the world of Liah and Kallie and watch how they intertwine. Kallie’s once ordered life is thrown off balance and she must face these challenges head on in order to protect those she loves. This novel I felt is a bit of a cross between mystery and horror and great for young readers. The plot flowed nicely and developed at a good speed for young readers.

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

Scary Stories for Young Foxes

Christian McKay Heidicker draws inspiration from Bram Stoker, H. P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe for his debut middle-grade novel, a thrilling portrait of survival and an unforgettable tale of friendship.

The haunted season has arrived in the Antler Wood. No fox kit is safe.

When Mia and Uly are separated from their litters, they discover a dangerous world full of monsters. In order to find a den to call home, they must venture through field and forest, facing unspeakable things that dwell in the darkness: a zombie who hungers for their flesh, a witch who tries to steal their skins, a ghost who hunts them through the snow . . . and other things too scary to mention.

Featuring eight interconnected stories and sixteen hauntingly beautiful illustrations, Scary Stories for Young Foxes contains the kinds of adventures and thrills you love to listen to beside a campfire in the dark of night. Fans of Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Auxier, and R. L. Stine have found their next favorite book

This was an excellent novel for those young readers just starting to read chapter books. We have eight short stories intertwined with seven foxes who are on the hunt for scary stories. They find their way to the story teller who gathers them around for some frightening stories, each one a bit scarier then the last. I loved how we had the break in between each story to hear more from these brave little kits (can they be brave throughout each story? Or will they return home?). I loved the personality given to each kit and the teachings behind each story. Each story relates to the animal kingdom (death, hunting, illness, etc..) but also to the real world – kindness, compassion, love and fear. While it can be a bit scary, many children will be familiar with some of the concepts from watching animal shows. It is well written (full of personality) and a great read for young readers from start to finish.

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

Guest

When her adorable baby brother is replaced by an ugly, ill-tempered changeling, Mollie is determined to find the so-called Kinde Folke who took baby Thomas, return the changeling she calls Guest, and make them give Thomas back. Natural and magical obstacles and her own reckless temperament make her journey arduous and full of dangers, and a plot rich in surprises and twists makes this book a must-read for Mary Downing Hahn’s fans.

I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down. I love learning about history and this book gives readers a look at some of the folk stories that people believed in so many years ago. In this case, this story surrounds a changeling child. One family loses their beautiful baby boy and in his place they are given a changeling – a sickly, mean child that does nothing but scream and make life miserable. We learn that children believed to be a changeling are left at a crossroad to die due to fear from the fairy folk (this makes my heart sore to think of this actually happening) but in this story Thomas’ Mother cares for the changeling child in the hopes that her real son will be returned to her. Mollie feels that this is all her fault (and rightfully so due to her jealousy and reacting versus thinking her thoughts through) and will do whatever it takes to get her brother back and save her family that was torn apart by this event. She embarks on a dangerous journey and will stop at nothing to save her brother Thomas. I did not expect all of the twists that this novel takes but it is an incredible read. It is full of excitement, challenges, forgiveness and a bit of karma. This is a definite must read for tweens, teens and adults that love all books (just like me).

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

How do you and your children celebrate the Halloween season? Do you have a favourite story that you like to read each year?

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned books in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 4, 2019

The Little Fir Tree Book Review

About The Little Fir Tree

Deep in the forest, there lived a beautiful little fir tree who longed to see the world. When the tree is taken to town at Christmas, it feels like all his dreams have come true. But what will happen the day after? Find out in this beautifully illustrated modern retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s festive tale.

When he was surrounded by the splendour of nature, the little fir tree could only think about what he wasn’t and what he didn’t have and couldn’t see. After the initial excitement of venturing out, though, he finds that the world isn’t quite what he expected.

As the story of the little fir tree unfolds – brought to enchanting life with the colourful, folk art–inspired artwork of acclaimed author/illustrator Christopher Corr – so does a touching lesson on appreciating what we already have and a hopeful message of rebirth.

Our Thoughts

This is a beautiful story of appreciation and learning to see the world around us. We are often told that we should want more, that what we currently have is not enough and to always strive to be bigger and better. Too often, we don’t stop and appreciate the things we have, the people in our lives and realize how important they are in shaping our present and future.

This beautifully illustrated book, follows a little fir tree as he starts out in the forest wanting to be like the big trees – tall and strong. When he sees them cut down, he is jealous as he thinks they are about to go on a grand adventure around the world (even though he doesn’t even know what things like a cabin or sea is). It takes him a while but finally he too is cut down and starts his own adventure. But he quickly realizes, this adventure isn’t quite what he thought it would be and yearns for his days in the forest.

This book is that gentle reminder for both children and adults to appreciate each and every moment and the people in our lives. Life can change so fast and many times the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. This is a very tough lesson to learn for many people, especially young children who sometimes yearn for what their friends may have.

We should teach our children to live in the moment, appreciate each small thing in their lives and the importance of the people and things in their lives and how this shapes who they are. This isn’t the easiest lesson to teach and having a book helps to illustrate these lessons for them makes this process that much easier.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful – bright and bold, perfect for young readers. The story itself is easy to read out loud to a child and for an older child to read themselves. I loved every aspect of this book and feel it is an excellent read for children from four up to adulthood (because to be honest – this is a good lesson for adults to remember and model for their children).

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

About the Author

CHRISTOPHER CORR is an established author/illustrator whose many books have won him international acclaim. They include The Great Race, A Year Full of Stories, and Deep in the Woods. He studied at the Royal College of Art, and now lives and works in London as an artist and tutor at Goldsmiths University.

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

September 18, 2019

Be Happy, Be Active, Be Confident in Your Body with uresta

As women we should be proud of our bodies. They are remarkable and do remarkable things. As a society, we are so hard on women and on ourselves. We beat ourselves down for that extra five pound weight gain, skin that may start to sag, the cellulite on our legs, and the natural aging process (this list can go on and on).

As women, we need to stand together and say these changes are normal, lets talk openly about how a woman’s body changes throughout her life and the impact on our bodies from having children. While someone may be blessed and not experience some of these common changes, many do but are too embarrassed to come forward.

For me the most embarrassing and difficult thing to discuss when it came to my body was when I was pregnant with my second son and it all centred around urinary incontinence.

The first time I experienced urinary incontinence, I didn’t even realize it had happened and I was worried it was amniotic fluid (because lets face it, I didn’t think it could happen to me and no one forewarned me on what to expect). Then it started happening more frequently and it was taking over my pregnancy. I was so ashamed of myself and embarrassed that I could not control my body. I did not want others to make fun of me but I desperately needed someone to talk to and receive advice from.

After weeks of hiding, I finally spoke to my physician about the problem but they strongly felt that it would pass after I gave birth. I had to suck it up for a few more months and then my body would be back to normal.

Life is never quite that simple, right?

My problems actually got worse after I gave birth – I didn’t even feel it happening anymore. I tried every suggestion that I was given by my physician – lose weight, drink less caffeine, don’t drink after dinner, toilet train my body (go to the washroom every thirty minutes to relieve my bladder – this is not recommended and I later found out from another physician that this is a bad idea).

You get to this point where you feel that urinary incontinence has taken over your life. I didn’t want to go out with friends, I was embarrassed in front of my husband and I was constantly paranoid. While there are many options for women after trying the basics that I mentioned above, many want to try a non-invasive method of treatment.

uresta: A non-invasive Method of Treatment

For many women, they don’t want an invasive treatment to help with urinary incontinence. Or maybe you only have mild to moderate leaking and you can’t justify a surgical procedure to correct the problem. Or maybe you just don’t want surgery. All of this is okay and normal but there are options out there for you.

uresta is a bladder support device that helps to prevent leaks that are caused by urinary incontinence. It is a reusable device that is inserted into the vagina and provides support to the urethra (which is what helps to stop those leaks!). The device can be worn all day or only during activities that cause you to leak (high or low impact activities like running, walking, weight lifting, etc.)

The uresta device comes in a starter pack, where users start with one of the three sizes to determine which is the most appropriate for their body type and size. It is recommended that you start with size three and if it is too big, try a smaller size and if it falls out, go up a size (sizes are easily found on the handle).

I have to admit, I was quite nervous when I first tried this out. I was nervous that it would get stuck, that I would not insert it enough and it would fall out but I was pleasantly surprised on how easy it was to both insert and remove. The handle has a good grip and fits your thumb and forefinger perfectly allowing you to easily remove. Because the device is reusable, you save a lot of money over a period of time (not having to buy liners, etc..). It comes with its own discrete container to store the device in when you are not wearing it.

uresta works incredibly well at controlling the leaks but even more so at giving you your confidence back to get outside, go to the gym, go out with friends without that nagging concern about a potential leak and the embarrassment that comes with that. I had no problems with the insertion, removal, care of the device and comfort level while wearing it. The bonus part – it helped reduce leaking, a problem that I am still dealing with despite multiple interventions.

And the statistics don’t lie (statistics taken from uresta):

75% of women surveyed in a clinical study said using uresta either stopped their leaking or reduced it to a significant degree
84% of women said they felt more comfortable in public when using uresta
72% would recommend uresta to a friend

Do you suffer from urinary incontinence? What interventions have you tried up to date? Is uresta a product that you would consider as a non-invasive method of treatment?

Make sure to follow uresta on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with the latest product news.

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

September 12, 2019

Family Dining at Paramount Fine Foods

We are an extremely busy family with two kids in competitive soccer, both working full time and owning my small business. It can be very hard to find the time to sit down and spend quality time with each other. But this is very important to us and also what makes those moments so special.

We recently visited Paramount Fine Foods in Mississauga – a treasure of a find tucked away on Crestlawn Drive. If you are not familiar with the restaurant, Paramount Fine Foods is the fastest growing Middle Eastern food chain in Canada with over 60 restaurants across the country. You can find all of their locations here.

This elegant restaurant (with exquisite attention to detail) offers something for everyone. You can enjoy incredible, mouth watering recipes in a warm and inviting environment. And the kids – they can enjoy the Kids playground once they are done eating or while you are waiting on your food order.

For our visit, we ordered Manakeesh and the mixed combo platter. This was my kids and my first time trying Middle Eastern cuisine, while my husband has had it several times. We were not disappointed at all. We loved the Manakeesh, we ordered it with just cheese and it hit the spot.

We could not get over how much food was on the mixed combo platter., everything looked and tasted divine. We loved how the platter offered enough of each of our favourites – chicken, beef, rice and fries! They also have a fantastic kids menu, which had chicken fingers for the picky eater in our family. He managed to eat a little bit of everything.

I loved that we could all dive right in and share the same dishes, it made the experience feel like we were at home. Our youngest even said Mom – this tastes like home cooking but better! Which at first, I gave him the stink eye thinking he was making fun of my cooking but he was trying to say the food tasted real and healthy. Which, as any parent of a picky eater knows, is a win- win.

Our kids get full fast (I wish I had this problem!) so it was incredibly helpful that Paramount Fine Foods had a closed in Kids Playground that he could use while he waited for Mom and Dad to finish up. He felt comfortable coming and going from the table to the playground, and never felt that he was disrupting others.

For all my parents looking for an amazing evening out at a restaurant that not only has great food but is also welcoming to children, Paramount Fine Foods is a great option for you on your next family night out!

Make sure to check out their website and follow them on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with events and new menu items.

Disclosure: We were hosted at Paramount Fine Foods to experience their location. All opinions expressed are my own.

August 26, 2019

Find Courage, Creativity, Compassion and the Artistic Spark with Beautiful Picture Books from Raincoast Books

With back to school right around the corner (the countdown is on), it is important to nurture your child’s creativity, compassion and confidence in themselves. Books have a magical way of taking us on an adventure where we can be anything we want to be and will take risks we may not always be brave enough to do. Books can also spark a passion and love for a subject area – I find there is nothing a good book cannot do.

These beautiful, picture books from Raincoast books bring together fantastic stories that will encourage and support your child in their dreams and passion.

I Have an Idea!

Join the magical hunt for one little idea: From one of the true creative geniuses of this generation comes a unique meditation on and celebration of the magic of the birth of a simple idea. Sparkling with visual wit and bubbling with imagination, I Have an Idea! is a richly emotional exploration of the creative process: from an initial tentative inkling, to the frustration of chasing the wrong notion, to finally the exhilaration of capturing-and nurturing-just the right idea. I Have an Idea! is a scrumptious cloth-spined package of color and inspiration equally at home on a child’s bookshelf, in a new graduate’s backpack, or atop a creative’s desk.

About the Author: Herve Tullet is known for his prodigious versatility, from directing ad campaigns to designing fabric for Hermes. But his real love is working with children, for whom he has published dozens of books, including the New York Times bestsellers Mix It Up!, Let’s Play!, Say Zoop!, and Press Here . He lives in New York City.

Our Thoughts: Children have this wonderful way of looking at the world, of seeing change and being excited to be an agent of change. This beautiful and simple book encourages creativity and sparking new ideas. It explores how ideas can come from out of nowhere or from anywhere, we sometimes make mistakes (but this is okay) and sometimes we soar! Sometimes ideas can be hard to come up with, whether it is writing an essay, coming up with an art project or coming up with a solution at work and it is so important to think outside of the box. We need to learn to look with eyes and mind open and then we will be open to finding. I loved the simplicity of this book, it was easy to read and follow – the illustrations were simple and stayed with the same colour patterns of blue, yellow and red. The illustrations were childlike which I loved – I think we all need to find that child in us and this will help us tackle anything in life.

You can learn more about I Have an Idea here.

Rabbit and the Motorbike

Rabbit isn’t sure he’ll ever be brave enough to go on an adventure. He’s a homebody who lives in a quiet field of wheat he dreams of leaving every night. His world is enlarged by his friend Dog and Dog’s tales of motorbike adventures. But one day, Dog is gone, and with him, go the stories Rabbit loves so much. Dare Rabbit pick up the motorbike and live his own story? This timeless fable of the journey from grief to acceptance will touch every reader. For those confronting loss and those eager to explore and experience, Rabbit’s bravery in the face of sadness will console, nurture, and inspire.

About the Illustrator: Sarah Jacoby grew up wandering the woods outside of Philadelphia. She now draws for many people and places, including the New York Times, and she is the author and illustrator of Forever or a Day . She lives in Philadelphia.

About the Author: Kate Hoefler received her MFA in poetry from the University of Michigan, where she studied as a Colby Fellow. She is the author of Real Cowboys and Great Big Things . She lives in a quiet village in Ohio where she can hear the distant sounds of the highway.

Our Thoughts: This is a beautiful story of the power of friendship and being brave. Rabbit is scared of change and the world around him – he is not comfortable with the unknown. His friend, Dog, understands this and supports him and always makes time for Rabbit, ensuring he feels loved and shares in his adventures through his stories. When Dog is gone, Rabbit feels alone and empty. He has his friend’s motorbike – the bike that he took around the world visiting new places. At times, the bike calls out to Rabbit but he is still too scared. He is too scared of the unknown and change. Then one day, he gathers the courage to go just up the street on his dear friend’s motorbike but what he doesn’t realize is how long that road is and how much he would enjoy. This was the experience he didn’t even know he needed! This is a beautiful story of loss, accepting our fears and being able to step outside of our comfort zones – important messaging for our youth especially now. We loved every moment of this beautifully illustrated and written story.

You can learn more about Rabbit and the Motorbike here.

Claris: Fashion Show Fiasco

It’s Fashion Week in Paris and there is no way Claris is missing the show of her favourite designer! But when a fashion emergency occurs, will Claris and Monsieur be able to make it to the show in time to save the day?

The Claris series follows an adorable mouse who moves to Paris to follow her fashion dreams. Can Claris use all her wit, warmth and – of course – style to make her dreams come true?

About the Author: Megan Hess is an acclaimed fashion illustrator who works with some of the most prestigious fashion designers and luxury brands around the world, such as Chanel, Dior, Cartier, Montblanc and Tiffany & Co. She is the official illustrator for Bloomingdales New York, and completed the cover artwork for all of Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell’s books, as well as a private commission for Michelle Obama, and has collaborated with Gwyneth Paltrow for the ‘Blo’ Blow Dry Bar campaign. TheClaris Collection is her first children’s book series.

Our Thoughts: I fell in love with this book the moment I saw it – from its glittery and fun cover to the adorable Claris, how can you resist not falling in love? Claris is quite the chic mouse and I love how the story is told with flair and in beautiful pinks, gold, black, white and pastels.

Claris lives in Paris, in a flat with two parents and a brat (the way I laughed – and yes she is a brat!). Claris loves fashion and designing dresses and she cannot wait to attend Fashion Week. She creates the most beautiful dress but almost misses out! This takes on her quite the journey (with help from friends) in order to get her to the show on time.

This is a wonderful story with a mix of French words that any young fashion designer will love. I loved the story and warmth of Claris – while she is one chic and fashionable mouse, friendship and kindness come first. This will make a beautiful gift for any young creative, fashion forward child.

You can learn more about Claris: Fashion Show Fiasco here.

A Life Made by Hand

Ruth Asawa (1926-2013) was an influential and award-winning sculptor, a beloved figure in the Bay Area art world, and a devoted activist who advocated tirelessly for arts education. This lushly illustrated book by collage artist Andrea D’Aquino brings Asawa’s creative journey to life, detailing the influence of her childhood in a farming family, and her education at Black Mountain College where she pursued an experimental course of education with leading avant-garde artists and thinkerssuch as Anni and Josef Albers, Buckminster Fuller, Merce Cunningham, and Robert Rauschenberg. Delightful and substantial, this engaging title for young art lovers includes a page of teaching tools for parents and educators.

About the Author: Andrea D’Aquino is an artist and author. Her previous books include an illustrated edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Once Upon a Piece of Paper . Her work appears in magazines and newspapers around the world. She lives in New York City.

Our Thoughts: This is a beautifully told and illustrated story of artist, Ruth Asawa. She is an artist that I did not know about but we loved learning about. She came from humble beginnings, and like many artists saw the beauty in everything around her. In college, she explored the world of art – learning, engaging and immersing herself in every aspect. It was in Mexico, where she learned the art of wire basket weaving. I have never seen wire baskets but on a trip to Zimbabwe – I was amazed at the skill and beauty that local artists could create with wire and bottle caps! Ruth took this teaching and became famous for her work in wire sculptures – which are admired and loved in museums. The book highlights her work and her love and connection to the natural world. The author highlights some of her life moments at the back of the book, including when her family was forcibly relocated to an internment camp in the US during World War II. The book is a beautiful tribute to a special artist, that many young artists can connect with. It also includes instructions on how to create your own paper dragonfly! It is beautifully written and illustrated, honouring this very talented artist.

You can learn more about A Life Made by Hand here.

Make sure to follow Raincoast Books on Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with the newest releases and more.

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned books in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.