Fantasy Tween Series: The Heroes Sword books by M.E Sutton

Learning and Growing the Piwi Way is part of the Mother Daughter Book Reviews book blast for the YA series 'Hero's Sword' by M.E. Sutton.

About the books: Book 1: Power Play

Published: November 20, 2012  by Delabarre Publishing, LLC  Recommended age: 8 to12

Summary: All Jaycee Hiller wants to do is survive eighth grade. Mostly that means hanging with her friend, Stu, avoiding the cheerleading squad, secretly crushing on Nate Fletcher, and playing her favorite video game, Hero’s Sword.

When she receives a new video game controller, Jaycee finds herself magically transported into the Hero's Sword video game world. Survival takes on a whole new meaning. No longer battling with a plastic joystick, Jaycee picks up a real sword and bow and arrow and readies herself for battle. Can she save Lady Starla's rule in Mallory, keep herself in one piece, and maybe even learn something about surviving middle school? Kids will love this fast-paced adventure novel and will cheer along with Jaycee's thrilling adventures. What kid hasn't dreamed of actually fighting and battling the villains in their favorite video games? Jaycee finds out if she has what it takes - and what she learns in the fantasy realm of Mallory impacts her mundane, middle school life in unexpected ways.

 Purchase:

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Kobo * iBookstore * Goodreads

 

Book 2: Storm Clouds

Published: November 7, 2013 by Delabarre Publishing, LLC |  Recommended age: 8 to 12

Summary: Eighth-grader Jaycee Hiller is beginning to fear she only imagined her trip to Mallory. But when a rainy afternoon leaves her with hours of playing Hero's Sword, her favorite video game, she finds herself drawn back into the game - literally.

STORM CLOUDS is the exciting second volume of the HERO'S SWORD saga - chronicling Jaycee Hiller's trials in eight grade, and her exciting adventures in Mallory, the setting of her favorite video game. Jaycee enters the video game realm via a special controller and is caught up in the action of this fantasy realm. In STORM CLOUDS, a valuable jewel belonging to the neighboring estate of Devin, the Sapphire Star, is missing, stolen at the Spring Consortium. Lady Starla stands accused of the theft. Devin's demands are clear: return the Star or they will take it back by force. Now it's up to Lyla Stormbringer to find the Star and the thief. before Mallory finds itself at war. 

Purchase:

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Kobo

iBookstore * Createspace * Goodreads

 

Book 3: Wedding Bliss

Published: July 17, 2014 by Delabarre Publishing, LLC  Recommended age: 9 to 12

Summary: Jaycee Hiller (aka Lyle Stormbringer) has long sensed that Roger and Lady Starla belong together. When handsome and noble Perry Goodhaven shows up and wins Lady Starla's affection, at first glance it seems a more fitting match.

However, those close to Lady Starla notice alarming changes after Perry's arrival - Starla sleeps more often, is often lethargic when she is awake, and begins to defer important decisions to Perry. With Roger falsely imprisoned, it's up to Lyla Stormbringer to uncover the truth about the man positioning himself to rule Mallory with an iron fist. WEDDING BLISS is the exciting third adventure of the HERO'S SWORD saga - chronicling Jaycee Hiller's trials in eighth grade, and her exciting adventures in Mallory, the setting of her favorite video game. 

Purchase: Amazon
 

The Buzz About the Books

Book 1: "Power Play: Hero’s Sword (Vol. 1) features a relatable main character, fast-paced action, devious enemies, and an exciting plot that will absolutely capture the intended audience’s imagination. I think (and my daughter fully agrees!) that M.E. Sutton has hit on a winning series. I highly recommend Power Play: Hero’s Sword to all tweens, but to reluctant readers in particular, due to the ease of language, the video game setting, and the fast pace and physical length of the book at 64 pages." ~ Renee @ Mother Daughter Book Reviews

Book 1: "This is a fantastic read to inspire kids against giving up as well as keep their imaginations going because I totally see my son imagining this happening to him as he runs through the house with his sword (could be anything from wrapping paper roll to a stick) noises like he is in a sword fight. I can't wait to finish reading it with him & continuing the series." ~ Cassandra Lost in Books

Book 1: "This is a quick and fun read. The language is simple, so it is perfect for the intended audience of a middle grade child. It is full of action and I think kids will love the concept of falling into their favorite video game and living out the fantasy. "~ Bookworm Lisa

Book 2: "This second installment is even better than the first. The storyline has more depth, and more imagery to go along with this tale of adventure, drama, and even a little bit of fairy tale romance. I became more fascinated by the main cast of characters, cementing my interest in this awesome series. The writing style is spot-on for a middle grade adventure, and there is enough action, suspense, and mystery to keep the reader flipping the pages to find out what happens next. I highly recommend this series to fans of middle grade fantasy and video games. I definitely look forward to reading more by this author. " ~ Toni @ My Book Addiction

Book 2: "This is such a fun series! My ten year old and I thoroughly enjoyed reading these together. I think it’s really special when you can find something worthwhile to read together. " ~ Brooke Blogs

Book 2: "I think many middle grade kids will enjoy reading about a kid their age falling into their favorite video game and living out the fantasy. It is perfect for kids who enjoy using their imaginations to escape the real world at times (and better to read about video games than to spend all day playing them!)" ~ Susan @ Mom Loves 2 Read

 

About the Author: M.E. Sutton

Mary Sutton has been making up stories, and creating her own endings for other people's stories, for as long as she can remember. After ten years, she decided that making things up was far more satisfying than writing software manuals, and took the jump into fiction. She writes the HERO'S SWORD middle-grade fantasy series as M.E. Sutton and finds a lot of inspiration in the lives of her own kids. A lifelong mystery fan, she also writes crime fiction, including THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS MYSTERIES, under the pen name Liz Milliron. Her short fiction has been published at Uppagus.com, Mystericale.com (Fall 2013), and in LUCKY CHARMS: 12 CRIME TALES (December 2013).  

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Google+

 

* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: August 29, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. The winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If a winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Mary Sutton and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Exploring the Great Outdoors with Poppins Book Nook

It isn't hard to convince the kids to explore outside at this time of year. They have also been noticing some big differences between the landscapes of Texas and the more humid Lousianna. Their favorite changes are all the dragonflies and the tree lined parks and streets!

In an effort to identify all the different trees we went to the library. Our favorite identification guide was  Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing the Trees by Jim Arnosky.

The friendly character of Crinkle foot was created in the 70s by Mr Arnosky.

www.crinkleroot.com

His guide to the trees is part tall tale and part nature guide. With each whimsical illustration we are led through a forest. Crinkle root points out the structure of tree and how the environment can effect a trees shape.

There is also a lot of information about how to use the leaves and seeds on a tree to identify it.

For the last few weeks we have been taking pictures and collecting leaves and seeds. It turned into a fun project the kids have identified over 20 different trees and added the labeled pictures into their nature journal.

I hope you are all enjoying your summer! Please take some time to check out all of the other posts linked up for this month's Poppins Book Nook. They are sure to inspire even more summer fun for you and your family.

Enchanted Homeschooling Mom ~ 3 Dinosaurs ~ To the Moon and Back ~ Planet Smarty Pants ~ Farm Fresh Adventures ~ Growing in God's Grace ~ Chestnut Grove Academy ~ Learning and Growing the Piwi Way ~ The Usual Mayhem~ Preschool Powol Packets ~ Monsters Ed Homeschool Academy ~ Adventures in Mommydom ~ Teach Beside Me ~ Life with Moore Babies ~ Kathy's Cluttered Mind ~ Are We There Yet? ~ Our Crafts N Things ~ Hopkins Homeschool ~ ABC Creative Learning ~ Joy Focused Learning ~ P is for Preschooler ~ Laugh and Learn ~ A Mommy's Adventures ~ Inspiring 2 New Hampshire Children ~ World for Learning ~ Ever After in the Woods ~ Golden Grasses ~ A glimpse of our life ~ Journey to Excellence ~ Happy Little Homemaker ~ Little Homeschool Blessings ~ Raventhreads ~ Tots and Me ~ As We Walk Along The Road ~ Stir the Wonder ~ For This Season ~ Where Imagination Grows ~ Lextin Academy ~ The Canadian Homeschooler ~ School Time Snippets ~ Peakle Pie ~ A Moment in our World ~ Every Bed of Roses ~ Finchnwren ~ At Home Where Life Happens ~ The Library Adventure ~ Embracing Destiny ~ Day by Day in our World ~ Our Homeschool Studio ~ A "Peace" of Mind ~ Thou Shall Not Whine ~ SAHM I am ~ eLeMeNo-P Kids ~ Simple Living Mama

An InLinkz Link-up

Good Night, Animal World: Adding Yoga to your bedtime routine

Bedtime for the kids can be something parents dread if they know it is going to be battle. I speak from experience. It took me a good while to find decent routine that would work even if we were on vacation or on the move. Still there are nights when I grow a grey hair or two. 
This is why I was excited to be offered the chance to review a very different type of bedtime story. 

Good Night, Animal World: A Kids Yoga Bedtime Story was written by Giselle Shardlow and includes 13 calming yoga poses that kids can do as you read the text aloud. On each page is a different animal from one of 6 parts of the world. A related yoga pose is demonstrated by one of 6 cute cartoon kids. The beautiful illustrations by Emily Gedzyk show the animals looking calm and sleepy. The simple text has kids saying goodnight to each fuzzy friend. 

I was initially concerned that having the kids balancing and stretching right before bed could get them all energized but I am happy to report I was wrong. The pictures and the poses gave them something to focus on and they have enjoyed adding it into their evening right after toothbrushing. What I also liked a lot was that the text makes it simple enough to hold a younger child's attention and the poses were suitable for all ages and strength. I would throughly recommend this book to Parents and Grandparent of preschool through 3rd grade. It is likely, however that younger or older siblings are going to have no issues with joining in the yoga fun.

To get a look at this creative book please take a look at the trailer

We were thrilled to be part of a blog tour hosted by Renee at Mother and Daughter Book Reviews. I received a digital copy of this title in return for an honest review. To see the review from all the bloggers participating you can visit the tour schedule here.

As part of the promotion you can also enter to win a $25 amazon gift card! Enter on the rafflecopter below.

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Poppins Book Nook Birthday Giveaway: Win a Kindle Fire!

It is hard to believe that a year has gone by since we first joined the Virtual Book club led by Jill at Enchanted Homeschooling Mom. In the last 12 months, the Piwi kids have grown like crazy and life is unpredictable as ever. One of the things that hasn't changed, is our love of books. 

The Poppins Book Nook gave us a chance to explore kids books we may not have otherwise. Every month we shared a book based on set themes like Dinosaurs, Transportation, Knights and Castles and the fun activities we used to learn more. 

This year promises to be just as fun! Take a look at all the exciting themes:

If you would like to learn more about how you can join in the fun please check out the introductory post HERE. This year Jill will also be offering free printables for you to use with your children each month. 

The club might be virtual but the birthday celebration isn’t. You can enter to win a Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ 32GB WiFi 4G w/ Charger!

The winner will be randomly picked by Rafflecopter and will be notified by Enchanted Homeschooling Mom via email and posted here. This giveaway is open to all people ages 18 and over with an active USA address for delivery (United States Domestic and APO/FPO/DPO as designated by the USPS) of the prize. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or any other entity unless otherwise specified.

By entering this giveaway you are also acknowledging that you have read and agree to all of the Rafflecopter terms & conditions as well as Enchanted Homeschooling Mom’s HERE.  Just enter the Rafflecopter below to win:
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Here are all the Blogs participating in the 2014/2015 Book Club, be sure to visit them to check out all the fun they are having:

Enchanted Homeschooling Mom ~ 3 Dinosaurs ~ To the Moon and Back ~ Planet Smarty Pants ~ Farm Fresh Adventures ~ Growing in God's Grace ~ Chestnut Grove Academy ~ Faith and Good Works ~ Learning and Growing the Piwi Way ~ The Usual Mayhem~ Preschool Powol Packets ~ Monsters Ed Homeschool Academy ~ Adventures in Mommydom ~ Teach Beside Me ~ Life with Moore Babies ~ Kathy's Cluttered Mind ~ Are We There Yet? ~ Our Crafts N Things ~ Hopkins Homeschool ~ ABC Creative Learning ~ Joy Focused Learning ~ P is for Preschooler ~ Laugh and Learn ~ A Mommy's Adventures ~ Inspiring 2 New Hampshire Children ~ World for Learning ~ The Kennedy Adventures ~ Ever After in the Woods ~ Golden Grasses ~ Our Simple Kinda Life ~ A glimpse of our life ~ Journey to Excellence ~ Happy Little Homemaker ~ Little Homeschool Blessings ~ Simplicity Breeds Happiness ~ Raventhreads ~ Water on the Floor ~ Learning Fundamentals ~ Tots and Me ~ As We Walk Along The Road ~ Stir the Wonder ~ For This Season ~ Where Imagination Grows ~ Lextin Academy ~ The Canadian Homeschooler ~ School Time Snippets ~ Peakle Pie ~ Mom's Heart ~ A Moment in our World ~ Every Bed of Roses ~ Finchnwren ~ At Home Where Life Happens ~ Suncoast Momma ~ The Library Adventure ~ Embracing Destiny ~ Day by Day in our World ~ Our Homeschool Studio ~ A "Peace" of Mind ~ Thou Shall Not Whine ~ SAHM I am ~ eLeMeNo-P Kids ~ Simple Living Mama

Tale of the Messed up Talent Show: Book Blast & Giveaway

Are you looking for a great new chapter book series for the kids to read?  You are in luck! We are excited to be hosting a book blast for the second book in The Wunderkind Family series. After reading all about Madison's latest adventure be sure to enter the giveaway for a $100 Amazon gift card at the bottom of the post!

Title: Tale of the Messed Up Talent Show (Madison and GA - My Guardian Angel) Author: Melissa Perry Moraja Publication Date: November 15, 2013 Publisher: Independent - Melissa Productions Inc. Number of pages: 156 Recommended age: 6-12    

Summary

Madison Wunderkind is a sweet, honest girl, who always seems to find herself in trouble with the principal. But this time she's not alone. It all started three days earlier, when Sophia, the most popular fifth-grade girl at Gator Elementary, asked Madison to hang out and plan this year's talent show. Instantly, Madison had become Little Miss Popular. But what Madison soon discovered was that being Little Miss Popular wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Her best friends were ignoring her. Her brothers were angry at her. And her guardian angel, GA, was irritated by her snobbish attitude. And if things couldn't get more messed up for Madison, everything that could go wrong at the talent show did, sparking Principal Dimples to find out why! Find out what happens at Gator Elementary's Talent Show. Will GA be able to help Madison? Or will Madison become Little Miss Lonely? Also, try and find one of GA's feathers in each picture!

 

Purchase

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes

You can purchase the first book of the series (e-copy), Tale of the Slimy Spitball for only 99 cents until Christmas, December 25, 2013 from Amazon. Just click on the cover below!

 

 

 

* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $100 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner's choice) Contest runs: November 25 to December 24, 11:59 pm, 2013 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Melissa Perry Moraja and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Sockkids meet Lincoln review and Giveaway!

Do you frequently wonder how you end up with a pile of odd socks? My mother was always convinced the washing machine ate them. After reading The Sock kids meet Lincoln I am realizing that she may have been on to something!

In the Sock Kids Series the washing machine is actually a time machine for clothing!

A colorful family of socks, the Sockers, have plenty of adventures even without the washing machine. In this title, a spin cycle take them to meet President Lincoln. Authors Michael John Sullivan and Susan Petrone do a great job at keeping the story fun and educational for younger history readers. The CGI illustrations by Sugar Snail brings each character to life -humans and socks!

I liked that the series provided the opportunity to introduce our preschooler to history in a humorous way. Even I had a giggle about the thought of Abraham Lincoln getting up to make his big speech wearing mismatched socks! We will definitely be on the look at for more books in this cute series.

More about the book...

Title: The SockKids™ Meet Lincoln

Authors: Michael John Sullivan and Susan Petrone

Illustrator: SugarSnail

Publication Date: August 14, 2013

Publisher: Independent

Pages: 40 (print)

Recommended Age: 3 to 8

Ready to get yourself a copy?

 
 
We were thrilled to find the Sock kids Website too!

• You can watch a video of the book.
• Read another short Socker Family adventure
• Get a sneek peek at the next title in the series!

The SockKids™ Meet Lincoln Blog Tour Schedule (2013)

November 5

Mother Daughter Book Reviews (Launch & Review)

November 6

Stitch Says (Character Interview)

Houseful of Chaos (Review)

November 7

No Doubt Learning (Review)

Unschooling Momma (Review)

November 8

Learning and Growing the Piwi Way (Review)

Books Direct (Author Interview)

November 9

K&A's Children's Book Reviews (Review)

Hazel Nutt's Toddler Talk (Review)

November 10

Football Food and Motherhood (Review)

The World of ContestPatti (Review)

November 11

Bookworm for Kids (Review)

November 12

Mommynificent (Review)

Adalinc to Life (Review)

November 13

Stitch Says (Review)

Diane Estrella - That's What I'm Here For (Review)

November 14

Giveaway Breaking News for Indonesia (Review)

November 15

Stanley and Katrina (Review)

For the Love of Books (Review)

November 16

Mel's Shelves (Review)

Brooke Blogs (Review)

November 17

Christy's Cozy Corners (Review)

November 18

BeachBoundBooks (Review)

Living as We (Review)

November 19

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection (Review)

InkSpired: A Blog (Review)

November 20

We are the DinoFamily (Review)

Reviews by Karen (Guest Post)

November 21

Jessica's Casserole (Review)

November 22

My Devotional Thoughts (Review)

Amanda's Books and More (Review)

November 23

Books, Reviews, Etc. (Review)

The Jenny Evolution (Review)

November 24

Generation iKid (Guest Post)

Black Words - White Pages (Review)

November 25

This Southern Girl's Life (Review)

 

*** The SockKids™ Meet Lincoln Blog Tour Giveaway ***

Prize: There will be a Grand Prize consisting of a $25 Amazon gift card (or PayPal cash) + a SockKids t-shirt. There will also be four secondary prizes consisting of a SockKids t-shirt. Contest runs: November 5 to December 2, 11:59 pm, 2013 Open: Worldwide How to enter: Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. The Grand Prize winner and secondary winners will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winners will then have 72 hours to respond. If a winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the authors Michael John Sullivan and Susan Petrone and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Shadow of Atlantis: Book Review and Giveaway

I received an electronic copy of this title in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links.

A brand kids new series featuring time travel and adventure...and Max the cat

Joe and Jemima Lancelots' lives are turned upside down when their parents disappear without a trace. They are sent to live with their uncle, an Archeology professor. Fortunately the ten year old twins discover an ancient book that appears to have been their father’s. The book holds many secrets and the first is discovered when they are transported, back in time, to the lost city of Atlantis. Joining the Twins on this epic journey is their friend Charlie and their giant Tokinese Cat, Max.

Once they are in Atlantis, they discover how to use the book to communicate with their new friends and are surprised to find that Max can talk! Trouble is coming to the people of Atlantis and they need the travelers help. But how can the children protect the city and return to their own world? These questions (and more) are answered in the first title in a new series by Wendy Leighton Porter.

Our thoughts...

This is the kind of book I loved to read as a child- full of dusty attics and ancient mystery. Ms. Leighton Porter does an excellent job of keeping the pace of the adventure urgent but too scary or stressful for her young readers. The characters are easy to identify with. The siblings banter with each other and are curious, fun loving 10 year olds. Parents and Kids will appreciate the humor that comes from Max the talking Cat. There are references to well known mythological stories and includes information about the ancient Greeks and the possible location of the Island of Atlantis. I generally read books myself before introducing them to my kids. For this reason I have just begun to read this book aloud with our older daughter. As a Cat lover and mythology fan, She is hooked.

A great deal...

 I imagine we will be reading more of the series in the near future because I just purchased the next 5 books in the series thanks to the great deal going on at Amazon right now.
All 6 books in the series (The Shadow of Atlantis (Shadows from the Past) ,The Shadow of the Minotaur , The Shadow of the Trojan Horse ,The Shadow of the Pyramid , The Shadow of the Volcano ,and The Shadow of Camelot ) for only 99 cents each (e-book format). This offer ends Oct 28, 2013.

An awesome giveaway...
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Don't push the button! Review + Giveaway!

This post contains affiliate links. I was provided an e-galley for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Meet Larry. He is a not too scary purple monster, who also happens to be the star of a book written and illustrated by Bill Cotter. The only rule this guy has is 'Don't push the Button!'

Every time you turn the page that big red button is there. What would happen if you pressed it? 'Seriously, don't even THINK about it!' warns Larry. Eventually, even Larry can't contain his curiosity and with his permission we discover what the button does...
And now... Larry is going to need your help getting things back to normal.

Don't Push the Button! by Bill Cotter (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky) is a great way to introduce cause and effect to young readers. The storyline is simple, but the pictures and the writing makes the book very interactive. Parents and kids of 2-8yr will enjoy reading this picture book together.

This title is due to be released on November 1, 2013 RRP $16.99 (at the time of this post).

The Giveaway!

One lucky reader will get their very own copy thanks to Sourcebooks! Enter the giveaway on the Rafflecopter below. It is open to USA and Canadian residents 18 years and over.
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Charlie the Ranch Dog goes to School by Ree Drumond

This post contains affiliate links; I was not compensated for the following review. All opinions expressed are my own.

It is almost the end of the month, and that means we have a new book to share for the Poppins Book Nook!

The theme for September is School!

At the end of this post be sure to enter the giveaway and visit all the other fun ideas the Poppins Book Nook bloggers have for you! 

Ree Drummond has written a series of books featuring her lovable Basset Hound Charlie. The kids and I love them all!

The latest one Charlie Goes to School  is our new favorite.
Why?
Because not only does Charlie's family have a Basset Hound as we do, they also homeschool. Charlie the Ranch dog sees all the fun and learning that is going on and decides he should start his own school for farm animals. It is a funny story full of illustrations which make you want to go join Charlie on his ranch.

We read it at bedtime and then the next day the kids treated our Basset, Butter, to a very comfy Story time.

We decided it would be a great idea to write to the real Charlie the Ranch Dog and his mama Ms. Drummond to tell them how much we loved the new book. Miss K wanted to let them know all about Butter and how much he loves chicken and playing with our kitty Perry. We have them all ready to post, I just need to track down a good address.

Some online resources you might like to use if you want to hear about the adventures of Charlie the Ranch Dog and write him a letter too!

• Listen to Ms. Drummond read Charlie the Ranch dog at Barnes and Nobles Online story time (Free)
• We have a previous post about teaching letter writing skills.

Thanks to Enchanted Homeschooling Mom the Poppins book Nook bloggers are co-hosting a giveaway for It's Back To School We Go!: First Day Stories from Around The World .

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here are the participating bloggers this month!

Enchanted Homeschooling Mom - 3 Dinosaurs - Monsters Ed - Chestnut Grove Academy - Growing in God's Grace - Royal Little Lambs - Life with Moore Babies - Teach Beside Me - The Usual Mayhem - Mum Central - Fantastic Fun and Learning - Kathys Cluttered Mind - Toddler Approved - Growing Book by Book - Adventures in Mommydom - B-Inspired Mama - The Fairy and The Frog - Edventures with Kids - Learning & Growing the Piwi way - A Gluten Free Journey - Preschool Powol Packets - To The Moon and Back - Our Craft ~N~ Things - Fresh Farm Adventures - Are We There Yet? - Afterschool for Smarty Pants

MagicBlox Online Kids library: Read Great Books for Free!

This is a Sponsored Post. I received compensation in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own

I would love for my children to have a vast home library! Like most families, however, purchasing and storing hundreds of books is out of the question. We use the local libraries, but are never able to visit as often as we would like.

Recently I was introduced to a kids book library that you can 'visit' at any time of the day or night! Magicblox.com is an online children's library that features over 600 titles for ages 1-13 years. Every week new books are being added by Authors and Publishers from all over the world.

The cost is as exciting as the variety of fiction and non fiction titles!  Read one new book each month for free!  Upgrade to unlimited family access for less than $4 a month.

The site is bright, fun and easy to navigate. All of the books can be previewed on the homepage. Browse by Reading level or Subject. Looking for a less traditional story time? Search by feature such as Narration or Music. Many titles are also offered in a bilingual format so they can be also read in Spanish, Italian, and French.

Once you have selected your title, click on it to launch the book reader. If it is not yet on your reading list you are able to preview several pages before deciding if that is going to be your book selection for the month.

The first book we selected was 'The Tangle Fairy' by Seema Barker. The illustrations by Kirsten Richards are as cute and colorful as they would be in a physical book. My daughters loved how the reader made it look and sound like the page in the book was actually turning! Currently we use MagicBlox on our PC. I was excited to hear that there is a MagicBlox app coming soon for iOs and Android Devices.

Magicblox fits our need for a low cost and portable way to access kids book. An added bonus is the
chance to discover books we may not see in our local library!
Along with Traditional publishers Magicblox works with authors and independent publishers from all over the world. Every book is reviewed and categorized before it is uploaded to the library so you can be sure your children will be reading quality books.

Visit MagicBlox childrens' library to view all the great titles and register for your free membership today!

Be sure to tell your friends and earn a free month of full access (see site for details).

Disclosure: I received compensation in exchange for writing this review. Although the post is sponsored, all opinions are my own.

The Philippine Cinderella & A Fairy Tale Giveaway

The theme for this months's Poppins book nook is "Fairy tales". We have been looking forward to this theme because Fairy tales, Princesses and Fairies are pretty popular in our household!
This month we are sharing Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella by Myrna J de la Paz and illustrated by Youshan Tang.

The legend:

Abadeha is a beautiful young Filipina (woman) who is treated harshly by her Stepmother while her father works as a fisherman. One day she is crying by the river when the Spirit of the Forest takes pity on her and gives her a Sarimanok (a mythical rainbow chicken). Abadeha is full of hope when she returns home. Unfortunately her Stepmother has other plans for the plump chicken. Fortunately the magical chicken and the Spirit of the forest have more in store for the young girls. Over time, with a series of surprises, they send Abadeha her 'Prince charming' and make sure she gets to live 'happily ever after'.

The theme is true to the Cinderella story. What really added to the book were the cultural references and the amazing paintings which showed how the characters may have lived on a small island in the Philippines.

The Sarimanok is mythical bird from the Folklore of the Maranao People (who originate from the island of Mindanao in the Philippines). It is believed to be a chicken with long flowing multicolored feathers. It often brings good luck in the legends in which it appears. The Piwi kids loved the idea of a rainbow chicken (and I had Rainbow Brite flashbacks) so we decided to make our own!

For all the fun and instruction to make your own Sarimanok please visit the full post here or download the template.

As always please feel free to link up your Fairy tale themed books and activities in the link up at the end of the post.  

But wait there's more!

This month we are excited to be co-hosting the first Poppins Book Nook giveaway. This month one lucky reader will win a copy of  A First Book of Fairy Tales

a Rafflecopter giveaway