A Halloween Scare at My House by Eric James with Giveaway

A Halloween Scare at My House Series

Author: Eric James

Illustrator: Marina Le Ray

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Publication Date: August 1, 2014

Source: Publisher

Description

The perfect gift for every child or kid-at-heart who also loves celebrating the most eerie and thrilling night of the year, the Halloween Scare regional series offers a jaunty tale with a humorous bent—sure to ward off any creature who goes bump in the night in cities and states across the country!

Now with 78 titles highlighting different cities, states, and regions in the U.S. and Canada, each book in the Halloween Scare series features art and text created especially for a specific state or city. Fun Halloween creatures and critters haunt your favorite landmarks, including famous sites like the Statue of Liberty in New York, California’s Hollywood sign, the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan, Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp, Churchill Downs in Kentucky, the San Jacinto Monument in Texas and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in North Carolina.

With its bouncing rhyme, colorful illustrations, and funny story, the Halloween Scare series is a delightful Halloween adventure for everyone who loves a silly, spooky tale.  It’s perfect for younger readers who can explore their state or city and little learn more about the places and landmarks that make their homes unique.

Prepare, if you dare, for a Halloween scare,

A night of pure terror to whiten your hair.

A tale full of sights that are best left unseen. You ready? You sure?

This was my Halloween.

My Review

I absolutely LOVE this book!  It is incredibly fun to read, especially out loud.  I find this one really easy to get into while reading.  I think this is especially important for storytime with littles.  It helps to pull them in and to keep their attention if the reader can really be into the story.

The version I read was the generic Halloween Scare version, but I don't think that there will be much of a difference between the one I read and a state specific one.  I think some of the illustrations might be a little different, but that is it.  If wording ends up different, I think it will be very minimal.

Not only is the story fun, but the illustrations are too.  I found them to be colorful and very engaging.  They are definitely able to keep the attention of your littles.

My Rating

5 Stars!

This review is based on a copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review

About the Author and Illustrator

Eric James is a children’s book author, word tickler, and champion asparagus thrower. You can find him online at www.ericjames.co.uk. He lives in Bath, England, with his family.

Marina Le Ray has had success both as a children’s book illustrator as well as a greeting card designer. She lives and works in Nantes, France.

Buy Links:

Available at all major booksellers

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The Time Chamber: A Magical Story and Coloring Book by Daria Song

Title: The Time Chamber: A Magical Story and Coloring Book

Author: Daria Song

Series: Companion Book to The Time Garden

Publisher: Watson-Guptill; Clr edition

Publication Date: October 13, 2015

Source: Blogging for Books

Yet another new coloring book to add to my collection.  I really can't get enough of these things.  Weirdly though I find it hard to find the time to actually color in them since I am always reading, taking care of my little, or sleeping.  I love sleep!

This particular coloring book is actually the companion book to one of the other coloring books that I have already reviewed: The Time Garden.  You can find my review HERE.

The Time Chamber, like The Time Garden, tells a story as you go through it.  While there are words, the vast majority of it is told in pictures that you can color.  This book tells the story of the fairy that lives inside the clock.

Just like its predecessor, The Time Chamber is beautifully done.  The pictures that you get to color are quite beautiful on their own and have the promise of being magical once you finish.  The paper quality is very nice and feels quite thick.  It feels like it may be the kind you could feel safe using markers on.  However, that being said, the pages are double sided which makes me hesitant to actually try it out.  I don't want to accidentally ruin something.

The Time Chamber is very well done and will give you many hours of enjoyment.  A definite must have for any adult coloring enthusiasts as well as for those who just want to color and relax.

My Rating

5 Stars

This review is based on a copy provided by Blogging for Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read This! Round Up (#55)

Photo courtesy of KissinBlueKaren

Welcome to Read This, a collection of book reviews and giveaways that were posted in the past week or so from around the web. This is a collection of book reviews & contests from real reviewers. If you want to be included in the next edition start with the guidelines, then use the submission form.
Want to read more reviews? Check out Read This for a list of the latest reviews and stellar reviewers. You can also follow on twitter for the latest round ups. Read This is now accepting photo submissions for each edition.

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CONTESTS

• Fall Picture Book Collection (11/1)

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NON FICTION

• Life from Scratch by Sasha Martin ~Heather @Based on a True Story

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FICTION

-LEGAL DRAMA

• The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne ~Forgetfulone

-HISTORICAL FICTION

• Queen of Always by Sherry D. Ficklin ~J. Hooligan @Platypire Reviews

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CHILDRENS

-PICTURE BOOKS

• Go Home Flash by Ruth Paul ~Reading is Better With Cupcakes

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YOUNG ADULT

• Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan ~Sofia @Platypire Reviews

-FANTASY

• Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) by Leigh Bardugo ~KissinBlueKaren
• Dark Heart of Magic by Jennifer Estep ~Caroline Andrus

-MYSTERY

• Dead Ringer by Jessie Rosen ~Caroline Andrus

-SCIENCE FICTION

• Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer ~J. Hooligan @Platypire Reviews

-THRILLER

• Life’s Defeat by Rebekah Raymond ~Bob @Platypire Reviews

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ROMANCE

• Trouble Looming by Natalie Alder ~Bob @Platypire Reviews

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FANTASY

• The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin ~Heather @Based on a True Story

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SCIENCE FICTION

• Hammered by Elizabeth Bear ~Heather @Based on a True Story

-POST-APOCALYPTIC

• Walking in the Rain by William Allen ~Bob @Platypire Reviews

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THRILLER

• Everything She Forgot by Lisa Ballantyne ~KissinBlueKaren

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Super Middle Grade Mondays Blitz: Author Spotlight – Michael Gibney with Giveaway #SuperMGMondays

 

Welcome to this week’s Super Middle Grade Mondays Book Blitz presented by Tantrum Books/Month9books!

Today, we get up close and personal with

Michael Gibney

author of The Three Thorns (The Brotherhood and the Shield #1) from Tantrum Books.

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

 

Michael Gibney began working in restaurants at the age of sixteen and assumed his first sous chef position at twenty-two. He ascended to executive sous chef at Tavern on the Green, where he managed an eighty-person staff. He has worked in the kitchens of Morgans Hotel Group, 10 Downing in Manhattan, and Governor in Brooklyn’s DUMBO, among many others. Over the course of his career, he has had the opportunity to work alongside cooks and chefs from many of the nation’s best restaurants, including Alinea, Per Se, Eleven Madison Park, Daniel, Jean Georges, Le Bernardin, Bouley, Ducasse, Corton, wd~50, and Momofuku.

In addition to his experience in the food service industry, Gibney also holds a BFA in painting from Pratt Institute and an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Connect with the Author: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

Describe yourself in three words.

Ambitious. Generous. Animal­Lover.

 

Describe your book in three words.

Exciting. Dark. Original.

 

Tell us about your day job.

Landlord & Full Time Writer.

 

Which writers inspire you?

Edgar Allan Poe, Sylvia Plath, Stephen King, John Grisham, C.S. Lewis, Charles Dickens, Peter Benchley, William Peter Blatty, J.M. Barrie & James Herbert. Oh, of course, Shakespeare.

 

What is your writing process like?

I see visual images in my mind’s eye very vividly. It’s like I mentally walk into a dark movie theatre in my mind, an old 1920’s movie theatre and sit alone in the middle of a gigantic room amidst hundreds of empty seats. The cinema screen is blank (white) until the projector begins to play a movie. It is the movie that would entertain, thrill and touch me emotionally and I simply write down what I see.

 

What are you reading right now?

Lord Of The Flies by William Golding.

 

Do you have an author crush?

No. Not really. Haha. Stephenie Meyer, maybe? Yeah, I’ll go with Stephenie. Which is weird because I don’t like the mainstream.

 

Three brothers born to a once powerful King were abandoned at birth and cast out into the old world as orphans – alone and unaware of the other’s existence or their royal heritage.

In the new world, by order of the false King, three of the most lethal assassins are sent to kill the children before they come of age and avenge their father’s throne.

But when the brothers find one another, Benjamin, Tommy and Sebastian must resist the temptation of magic and power if they are to defeat the unspeakable evil that has threatened them since birth.

The Three Thorns is book one in an exciting children’s fantasy series called The Brotherhood and the Shield from debut author Michael Gibney.

Chapters Indigo | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | TBD | Indiebound | Google Play | BAM | iBooks

 

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The Picture Book Wall (#3)

I hope storytime has been going well for everyone.  My daughter has been really enjoying it when I can get her to sit down and listen.  She is only 8 months old right now, so everything is interesting and it is hard to get her to want to sit still.  Since it is October, when we do have storytime it has mostly been a Halloween themed book.  The ABC's of Halloween reviewed below is probably the one we've been reading the most.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the reviews that I have for you this month.  I have a couple other reviews for picture books up this month too that aren't in this feature.  You should make sure to check them out!

Title: I Can Roar Like a Lion

Author: Frank Asch

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Publication Date: August 1, 2015

Source: Netgalley

Rating: 5 Stars

This one actually happens to be a board book making it nice and sturdy for little hands learning how to handle things.  Very nice when reading to a little one that wants to touch, play, and explore everything.

This book features a nice large sized hole where all the faces of the animals should be.  This allows for you or your child (or both!) to imitate the animal on any given page.

I really like this one because it introduces children to a lot of different animals.  It also allows them to practice animal noises or behaviors (such as a snake sticking out its tongue).

I Can Roar Like a Lion is sure to lead to a very fun and interactive storytime.  Be ready to have a lot of laughs!

This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher for review.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: ABC's of Halloween

Author: Patti Reeder Eubank

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Ideals Publications

Publication Date: May 7, 2003

Source: Purchased

Rating: 5 stars

This one is so cute!  Great for Halloween and to help teach your little ones ABCs!

It is an absolute delight to read out loud.  There are some great opportunities to add in your own sound effects too!  A few witch cackles and howls will have the kids laughing in no time!

The illustrations are all super cute too.  Each illustration takes up an entire page and show cases two black cats.  The colors are all very vibrant and everything is very detailed.  They are a true joy to look at.

What I really liked about this book was that on the page for the letter X there actually happens to be a recipe for soup that you make in a pumpkin!  I really want to try this out, but my little one is currently too young to eat soup, so this is something for us to try out in the future.  It looks pretty easy and sounds quite tasty.  It was a nice little surprise to discover and it will make a great thing that you can do after storytime together.  

Amazon | Goodreads

Title: You Look Yummy!

Author: Tatsuya Miyanishi

Series: Tyrannosaurus Series

Publisher: Museyon

Publication Date: November 1, 2015

Source: Publisher

Rating: 3 stars

I thought that this book was okay.  I honestly wasn't a huge fan of the story.  I felt that the story read kind of flat.  Also, I thought that the story was a little sad.  It is about a baby Ankylosaurus, named Yummy, that is born alone in the world.

The first creature Yummy encounters is the Tyrannosaurus and the Tyrannosaurus wants to eat him.  Then Yummy calls him daddy and tells him that he wants to be just like him.  Tyrannosaurus finds that he cannot eat him.  He ends up protecting him from other dinosaurs and teaching him things.

Then one day, Tyrannosaurus tells Yummy that he can't teach him anymore and tricks Yummy into a race.  At the end of the race, Yummy finds others like him and Tyrannosaurus leaves.

I felt kind of bad for Tyrannosaurus.

I also wasn't a huge fan of the illustrations.  There are a lot of oranges and reds.  I don't know if my opinion is swayed by the fact that I really dislike the colors orange and yellow, but something about the colors just seemed a little off to me.  They are really bright though, and will be sure to grab the attention of your little ones.

In the end, this wasn't my favorite book, but I think dinosaur lovers will really like this one.

This review is based on a copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Go Home Flash by Ruth Paul with Giveaway!

Title: Go Home Flash

Author: Ruth Paul

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Publication Date: October 6, 2015

Source: Publisher

Praise for the Works of Ruth Paul

“Children will love chanting the refrain…Flash will appeal not just to canine lovers but also to all children who love an underdog.” –School Library Journal on Bad Dog Flash

“A humorous story about a lovable, troublemaking puppy…Paul’s delightful expressive pencil-and-watercolor illustrations keep the pace moving forward.”- Kirkus Reviews on Bad Dog Flash

Summary

Playful puppy Flash doesn’t want to stay home- he wants to go on adventures with his favorite people! Event to places he shouldn’t be…But his owners know it’s because he misses them while they’re away, and they miss him too!

My Review

Go Home Flash is an incredibly cute book about a puppy.  The puppy just wants to go out and be with his humans, but he is repeatedly told to go home.  

The over all story is actually very easy to read.  There are only a few words on each page, but the story still gets across very well.  This is actually a great picture book to use when reading with a child that is learning to read themselves.  It is easy enough that they can read it to you (with your help if needed) and not get frustrated.

The illustrations are also very nicely done.  They are beautiful and they take up the entire page.

This one is sure to be a hit at story time.

My review is based on a copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My Rating

4 stars

Buy Links:

Amazon- http://amzn.to/1LkxdyM

Barnes&Noble-  http://ow.ly/Sfuar

Books A Million- http://ow.ly/SfujZ

!ndigo- http://ow.ly/Sfv8A 

 Indiebound- http://ow.ly/SfvpL

About the Author

Ruth Paul works from a small straw-bale studio in the middle of a paddock just outside of Wellington, New Zealand. He is the awared-winning author/illustrator of ten picture books including Bad Dog Flashand Hedgehogs Magic Tricks.

Website | Facebook

Also By Ruth Paul

Title: Bad Dog Flash!

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky 
Publication Date: October 7, 2014

Read along with this playful pup as he chews, digs, and slobbers his way into trouble.

When it comes to mischief, there are some things Flash can’t resist. From shoes and mud to licks, Flash gets into all kinds of trouble that elicits some (tough) love from his owners. But as all dog lovers know, you can only scold your puppy for so long…and then it’s back to giving them lots of love and affection.

Buy Links:

Amazon- http://amzn.to/1OoESNe

Barnes&Noble- http://ow.ly/SfzPp

Books A Million- http://ow.ly/SfzVo

!ndigo- http://ow.ly/SfA40

Indiebound- http://ow.ly/SfAaZ

Don't Forget to Enter the Giveaway!

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Super Middle Grade Mondays Blitz: Author Spotlight – Steve Bryant with Giveaway #SuperMGMondays

 

Welcome to this week's Super Middle Grade Mondays Book Blitz presented by Tantrum Books/Month9books!

Today, we get up close and personal with

Steve Bryant

author of Lucas Mackenzie and the London Midnight Ghost Show from Tantrum Books.

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

 

Steve Bryant is a new novelist, but a veteran author of books of card tricks. He founded a 40+ page monthly internet magazine for magicians containing news, reviews, magic tricks, humor, and fiction; and he frequently contributes biographical cover articles to the country’s two leading magic journals (his most recent article was about the séance at Hollywood’s Magic Castle).

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

 

Middle School Thoughts

 

What is your favorite memory from school?

My favorite memory from middle school days was spending time at Verble’s Café, a hangout run by a classmate’s mom. It had snacks and a juke box, and we learned to slow dance with the girls we had grown up with, to songs by Johnny Mathis and Jimmy Clanton.

What is something you know now that you wish you knew in middle school?

I know to have paid attention to everyone, especially the shy or quiet kids who often turned out to be special adults. The most important was that girl with the blond ponytail, a seventh grader when I was an eighth. I eventually married her, but I hate it that we wasted what might have been an amazing school year.

Tell us your favorite book when you were in middle school.

I loved all the so-called Robert A. Heinlein juveniles, such as Time for the Stars and Tunnel in the Sky. If you had asked me then, I would have said I liked them because I liked science fiction. Years later I realized that I liked them because Heinlein always pitted boys and girls together against formidable odds, and romance ensued. I have always remembered to make romance a key part of any stories I write.

What was your favorite subject in school?

I equally liked math, because I was good at it, and English, because I loved it. All those books and poems were written for our entertainment. My eighth-grade English teacher lived to be 103, and to the end she would admonish us for spelling or grammar errors.

Any advice for kids heading back to school?

Enjoy every day. Middle school was my favorite time ever. Keep a diary or journal, and write down each night what you appreciated about that day. Even better, use your iPhone and take lots of photos and videos. How I would love to have those from my school days!

 

Lucas Mackenzie has got the best job of any 10 year old boy. He travels from city-to-city as part of the London Midnight Ghost Show, scaring unsuspecting show-goers year round. Performing comes naturally to Lucas and the rest of the troupe, who’ve been doing it for as long as Lucas can remember.

But there’s something Lucas doesn’t know.

Like the rest of Luca’s friends, he’s dead. And for some reason, Lucas can’t remember his former life, his parents or friends. Did he go to school? Have a dog? Brothers and sisters?

If only he could recall his former life, maybe even reach out to his parents, haunt them.

When a ghost hunter determines to shut the show down, Lucas realizes the life he has might soon be over. And without a connection to his family, he will have nothing. There’s little time and Lucas has much to do. Can he win the love of Columbine, the show’s enchanting fifteen-year-old mystic? Can he outwit the forces of life and death that thwart his efforts to find his family?

Keep the lights on! Lucas Mackenzie’s coming to town.

Chapters | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | TBD | Indiebound | BAM | Google Play

 

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