March 1, 2018
LEGO City© Busy Word Book Review
Our boys love LEGO, they love having the ability to build, create, design and act out daring adventures and more. LEGO fans will love the new book from DK Canada, LEGO City© Busy Word Book.
About LEGO City© Busy Word Book
More than 500 words about vehicles, buildings, jobs, and people label colorful LEGO© scenes and minifigures to help kids learn the building blocks of language.
LEGO City© is the perfect place for early readers to encounter lots of exciting words for the first time. There’s always something happening, whether it’s police officers catching crooks, firefighters training at the fire station, or hotdog vendors cooking up tasty snacks! Interactive activities such as spotting recurring characters and finding hidden objects keep children engaged and encourage repeat reading. Returning time and again to each page, children learn useful and fun words that they can use in daily life.
You can purchase a copy of this book on DK Canada.
Our Thoughts
This gorgeous, hard covered book will be a huge hit for LEGO fans. It is roughly 11×13 inches with sixty-four pages of colourful and bold images. The book covers every aspect of city life, emergency response crews and life outside the city. Children will easily recognize some of their favourite LEGO sets and minifigures in this book. It also gives you as a parent the opportunity to talk about these roles in real life – lets talk about the police that keep us safe, how we can stay safe at the beach and so on.
Each page has an introduction to the imagery as well as easy to read labels that will help encourage learning new words in your young child. Each page also has a “Can You Find” section, encouraging your child to find hidden images on the two page layout.
The LEGO CITY© Busy Word book is geared to children aged four to eight years of age and will make a great birthday, surprise and even Easter gift.
Disclosure: I received the above mentioned book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
March 1, 2018
Foster the Love of Reading from the Start with Baby’s First Series from DK Canada
Children are never too young to start to foster the love of reading – the younger you start the better! You can make it part of a daily routine around nap and bed time or even quiet time. Some of my favourite moments from my boy’s first year was sitting with them in our rocking chair and reading books to them. It was our special bonding time where we could sneak in cuddles and just be ourselves.
DK Canada has introduced two fantastic new books in their Baby’s First series to help you as a parent introduce important language skills in a fun and easy manner.
About Baby’s First Words
Introduce babies to their first words and foster early language skills with this super-stylish book that combines photography and contemporary illustrations.
Packed with babies’ first words, from socks and shoes, to apples and trucks, but packaged with style, this book is just right for design-conscious adults and their information-hungry babies.
You can purchase a copy of this book on DK Canada.
About Baby’s First Animals
Introduce babies to their first animals and foster early language skills with this super-stylish book that combines photography and contemporary illustrations.
Packed with babies’ favorite animals, from puppies and kittens, to zebras and elephants, but packaged with style, this book is just right for design-conscious adults and their information-hungry babies.
You can purchase a copy of this book on DK Canada.
Our Thoughts
These beautiful, brightly coloured books will be a favourite in your young child’s first library. They are hard covered but soft for your children. I loved how the images on the cover and inside the books were textured as well which is so important for toddlers. They love to touch and it gives a realistic look to each image.
The language is simple by design and allows you as a parent teaching moments, for example “kitten” – what noise does the kitten make, how does the kitten feel and so on. Both of the books give you the opportunity for these teaching moments allowing you to apply it to real life.
These beautifully designed books will become a favourite in your home and would make a great baby shower gift.
Disclosure: I received a copy of these books in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
February 27, 2018
First Kiss of Spring Book Review
Spring has come to Eternity Springs in The First Kiss of Spring, the newest installment in this New York Times bestselling series by Emily March.
About The First Kiss of Spring
Life could be a dream.
Goal-oriented and gorgeous, Caitlin Timberlake’s dreams took her to the top of the corporate ladder in New York City. Now years later, her goals have changed. She wants to come home to Eternity Springs and build a business and a family of her own—with the new man in town. So what if sexy mechanic Josh Tarkington wants nothing more than a fling? Caitlin is a patient woman who knows how to work hard and strategize to win what she desires. She desires Josh. Unfortunately, he has other plans.
If only things were different.
Josh craves Caitlin and all she has to offer. However, he is a man with secrets. He has worked hard to overcome his tragic past, but he’s afraid to risk having a future because he knows trouble is never very far away. When a selfless act brings that trouble to his door, he stands to lose everything he cares about—including Caitlin. Will her love and the healing magic of Eternity Springs be enough to save him?
My Thoughts
This is a beautiful story of never letting our past define our future and that we all deserve our own happy ever after.
Josh is a broken young man, the extend of which we don’t learn until half way through the novel. He is vulnerable, thoughtful and kind. I fell in love with his character! But deep down inside because of his past, he felt he doesn’t deserve happiness or love. He seems to have even given up on love. But Caitlin is determined to worm her way into his heart and show him just how good of a person he is.
Their romance is up and down – Josh is too scared to reveal his past to Caitlin and this has many negative consequences to their relationship. Caitlin doesn’t know how to give him the space that he needs and pushes him in directions that he isn’t quite ready for. Josh has to find it in himself to push past his fears and insecurities, especially if he wants to keep Caitlin in his life.
The First Kiss of Spring is a beautiful story of hope, never letting our past define our future and finding our happiness. The plot was unique and well-played out – I could not put this novel down. I had to know what would happen next for this couple – would they be able to make it work or not.
You can purchase a copy of this book Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound.
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
Emily March is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a “master of delightful banter,” and her heartwarming, emotionally charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
February 26, 2018
Keturah Book Review
In 1772 England, Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson and her sisters find themselves the heiresses of their father’s estates and know they have one option: Go to the West Indies to save what is left of their heritage.
About Keturah
In 1772 England, Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson and her sisters find themselves the heiresses of their father’s estates and know they have one option: Go to the West Indies to save what is left of their heritage.
Although it flies against all the conventions, they’re determined to make their own way in the world. But once they arrive in the Caribbean, conventions are the least of their concerns. On the infamous island of Nevis, the sisters discover the legacy of the legendary sugar barons has vastly declined-and that’s just the start of what their eyes are opened to in this harsh and unfamiliar world.
Keturah never intends to put herself at the mercy of a man again, but every man on the island seems to be trying to win her hand and, with it, the ownership of her plantation. She could desperately use an ally, but even an unexpected reunion with a childhood friend leaves her questioning his motives.
To keep her family together and save the plantation that is her last chance at providing for them, can Keturah ever surrender her stubbornness and guarded heart to God and find the healing and love awaiting her?
My Thoughts
I fell in love with this beautifully written and unique story. In this novel, we have three young privileged women who have been orphaned. Their eldest sister would do anything to ensure her sisters are taken care of and remain in the family home. The only problem? This would see her having to travel to her family investment in the West Indies – their last hope at saving their lands in England.
What she doesn’t expect? Her sisters absolute refusal to let her go alone! So instead all three young women take off on an exciting journey that is far beyond social acceptance and looked down upon by many in their class. I found it to be so brave and determined but their greatest setback is how sheltered they have been. They are grossly unprepared for what to expect, what to bring and the sexism they will face.
This was an incredible story of perseverance, hope, faith, forgiveness with a touch of love growing in there. I couldn’t put this novel down wanting to know more about what would happen to Keturah and her sisters. This novel is a definite must read.
You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
Lisa T. Bergren has published more than 40 books with more than 3 million books sold combined. She’s the author of the Christy Award-winning “Waterfall,” RITA®-finalist “Firestorm,” bestselling “God Gave Us You,” and popular historical series like Homeward, Grand Tour, and more. She’s also a recipient of the RT Lifetime Achievement Award. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and three teen-and-older children.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
February 26, 2018
My Little Pony: Spring Into Friendship DVD Giveaway
Everyone’s favourite characters our back! My Little Pony: Spring Into Friendship leaps onto DVD February 13th in all new episodes!
About My Little Pony: Spring Into Friendship
Big trouble is on the horizon when Twilight Sparkle is given only two coveted tickets to the most anticipated event in town. But how will she decide which of her best friends gets to go with her? She faces quite the challenge.
Discover the answer, and see four more amazing pony tales, as Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy help usher Springtime into Equestria!
Episodes Included:
- The Ticket Master
- Sisterhooves Social
- Just for Sidekicks
- Princess Twilight Sparkle Part One
- Princess Twilight Sparkle Part Two
- Bonus: Sing a long!
This beautiful DVD has been released just in time to make a perfect addition to Easter baskets with its spring themes if you are thinking of Easter basket ideas. The DVD has a run time of 110 minutes and enough episodes to keep your little one engaged and craving more. Can’t wait for Easter? Why not set up a My Little Pony viewing party with colourful snacks, decorations and their favourite characters and get set for a night of fun and entertainment.
You can purchase a copy of this DVD on Amazon and Shout Kids.
My American and Canadian readers can now enter to win their own copy! Enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this DVD. All opinions expressed are my own.