Writers on the Edge~Review & GA~

Writers On The Edge 

Writers On The Edge offers a range of essays, memoirs and poetry written by major contemporary authors who bring fresh insight into the dark world of addiction, from drugs and alcohol, to sex, gambling and food. Editors Diana M. Raab and James Brown have assembled an array of talented and courageous writers who share their stories with heartbreaking honesty as they share their obsessions as well as the awe-inspiring power of hope and redemption.

Writers On The Edge is filled with emotional and eye opening stories from people in first person! First person is when they write about themselves, which is often hard to do, especially when it deals with addictions.  As with any addiction, one can never be 100% recovered.  There is going to be a little demon or often real life demon people who try to break ones strength.  After reading quite a few of the various authors stories, I understand how difficult it was for them to sit down and write.  One way I try to get my students to get their emotions out is through writing.  We often do 'Fictional' writing, but I am often encountered with stories that are non-fiction and from his/her own life when we are finished.  I accept it because it is a way for them to get their thoughts and feelings out when their mouths can not express it.  I give great thanks to the authors who used their strength to give others and to provide such a eye-opening read.  Often in the world people say 'those addicts' but really they do not understand the background or struggles that are happening on the inside and outside of that person they are calling an 'addict.'  For all those people I highly recommend reading this book - get out of your colorful world and realize it does include some darkness.  Be sure to visit the authors website for more information and other books!

Want to win your own copy?  Know someone who faces some type of addiction or overcame it?  

Enter below!

Kristin's Gifts~Smart Blocks Review

When I teach, I always look for manipulatives, which are hands on materials, that would enhance the topic I am teaching as well as provide some type of independent learning.  With Smart Blocks you receive both!  I love that the blocks can be used for mathematics, as well as reading, writing, spelling, and grammar.  Lovely, isn't it?  

First thing is first - If your child likes to stick random things in his/her mouth be aware that these are small enough to choke on. Break them of that habit before they come to school - no one likes  a kid who eat random stuff and ruins it for everyone.  

Parenting Flashcards from Knock Knock~Review and Giveaway

I have so many friends having babies this year!  I was looking for a funny baby shower gift when I stumbled upon Knock Knock.  What is Knock Knock?  

Lightning-fast Spanish For Kids and Families

Almost every year my future hubster and I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to the Riviera Maya for vacation.  As Carolyn stated in the book introduction, most people do not get past "mas cerveza por favor!"  B and I have both had 4 years of Spanish in high school, we did learn a lot but then forgot most of it. When I was in college for undergrad I chose to take a Spanish class.  When I signed up it stated TBA or the Instructor and when I went to class the first day it was one of my HS Spanish teachers!  I learned a lot in the class, had to be an example for everyone ... but talking and listening are two different things.  I was great at listening to the conversations and know what they were saying.  While we were on a dive boat in Mexico the dive crew were making jokes and I was laughing.  Our Dive Master was blown away that I could understand what they were saying, but I could only speak a few phrases back in Spanish. 

I love that the author put instructions on how to use the book.  Most people would just jump right in, often trying them then forgetting the words like B and I did in HS.  As a teacher I loved that we can take the lessons and actually use them as quick lesson plans in the classroom.   Carolyn breaks the lessons up and includes various parts that are easily organized for you.  I  actually tried lesson 1 in the room while folding clothes.  It was a hoot! Sean and my dog just looked at and and were wondering why I had a laundry basket and talking in Spanish to them. 

Overall this book is wonderful.  One of my favorite parts was the activities section.  I though the Map Game activity listed was a great resource. In my first 4 years of Spanish we honestly went over all the words listed.  As a teacher these are all activities I would use in and outside the classroom.  If you are planning a trip to a Spanish speaking country this would be a great resource to use before you leave - you can always use it on the airplane too!  If she does get to offer additional resources for Spanish, word flash cards would be great!  Visit her on Amazon to purchase it or read more reviews!

 Additional books available to help you learn! 
• Lightning-fast Spanish For Kids and Families
• Lightning-fast French For Kids and Families
• Lightning-fast German For Kids and Families
• Lightning-fast Italian For Kids and Families
• Lightning-fast Chinese For Kids and Families
• Lightning-fast Spanish Vocabulary Building Crossword Puzzles
• Make Money From Home With A Children’s eBay Business• And soon to come - Lightning-fast Japanese For Kids and Families

NICKELS: Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) ~Review & Giveaway~

April 30 - May 6

Hosted by eReading on the Cheap & Slap Dash Mom

 

 Nickels  

A Tale of Dissociation

Christine Stark

What is DID? 

 Dissociative identity disorder (DID, also known as multiple personality disorder in the ICD-10^[1]) is a psychiatric diagnosis whose essential feature, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), "...is the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states...that recurrently take control of behavior."^[2] The diagnosis requires that at least two personalities (one may be the host) routinely take control of the individual's behavior with an associated memory loss that goes beyond normal forgetfulness; in addition, symptoms cannot be the temporary effects of drug use or a general medical condition.^[3] Memory loss will occur in those with DID when an alternate part of the personality becomes dominant. DID is less common than other dissociative disorders, occurring in approximately 10% of dissociative disorder cases^[4] and 1% of the general population.^[5] Diagnosis is often difficult as there is considerable co-morbidity with other conditions and many symptoms overlap with other types of mental illness.^[2] It is diagnosed significantly more frequently in North America than in the rest of the world.^{[6][7]  Wikipedia}

Nickels is a one of a kind story. It pulls one in from the start because it shows us a little girl grow up before our eyes and experience what we can only imagine of the worst. As the table of contents shows, it allows us to follow her from age 4 through 26. The author writes in fragments, or thoughts, in a first person point of view.  The tone of Nickels is strong and clear, beginning on the very first page.  As the reader we travel through the horrible experience of Little Miss So and So from school to home, to friendship, to love, to anger, and finally survival healing.  After reading the very first chapter you become engrossed in the story, no matter how horrible it seems, because events like this are real, sadly.  Unfortunately, as a teacher I ran across events such as this.  They were each heartbreaking and made me become quite cold-hearted towards parents, like Little Miss So and So's mother, who chose to ignore events such as the ones that develop in the book.  With the resilience of a bumblebee, the main character comes to terms with what has happened in her life and decides to help herself and leave her "nickel" life behind. 

 Nickels follows a biracial girl named "Little Miss So and So", from age 4-1/2 into adulthood. Told in a series of prose poems, Nickels' lyrical and inventive language conveys the dissociative states born of a world formed by persistent and brutal incest and homophobia. The dissociative states enable the child's survival and, ultimately, the adult's healing. The story is both heartbreaking and triumphant. Nickels is the groundbreaking debut of Minneapolis-area author and artist Christine Stark.

Christine Stark is an amazing person, writer, and healer. Christine has been speaking about sexual exploitation and other social justice issues at law schools, national and international conferences, rallies, Take Back the Nights, universities, shelters, and rape crisis centers for over twenty years. She has also appeared on NPR’s Justice Talking and numerous radio and television shows. Christine teaches writing at Metropolitan State University in the Twin Cities where she lives with her partner and their animals.

Chance to win - Enter Rafflecopter below :)

Want to purchase it? Go to Amazon!

 Learn more about this book and others by the author Christine Stark

Copy-Kids DVD

Copy-Kids is a DVD series designed to get very young children excited about eating fruits and vegetables.  It features kids having such a good time eating fruits and veggies, that when children watch it they want to join in.  Featuring well-known pediatrician, Dr. Jay Gordon, this product is a positive approach in the quest to get children eating healthy from the start.

The DVD is separated into different fruits and vegetables on the main menu: Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, Carrots, Avocado, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Oranges, Bananas, Raspberries, Strawberries, Apples & Blueberries.

From a teachers perspective this is especially made for young children.   When you are introducing various food to children you should always pay attention to what age.  This website, Kids Organics breaks it down into an easy chart for parents and relatives to view.  It incorporates the cop-cat idea that children do, both inside and outside the classroom.  As an adult I thought this was silly, but I was forced to eat my fruits and veggies when I was a little kid.  I do love them, especially Garlic!  When I was younger they always made fun of me and called me a Polish Baby because my Polish Grandma always had garlic in food and it seeped out of my pores.   :)  People still picked me up even with the smell! If they wanted to put another addition out, older children would be more interested in it if there was a catchy tune that they could sing-a-long to.  I would like that as well... :)

From a parents perspective this seemed like a good fit for children.  I think it helps when the child is in the copy-cat stage.  It states to Age 5 on the DVD box, but older children may not like watching it.  However, any young child will instantly want to join in as others have stated.  I wish there was a lot of additional cartoon characters besides the little blue parrot or for it to appear more often.  Another wonderful thing to include would be music or cartoon vegetable people! 

Overall this is a great DVD to pop in while eating snacks, especially the fruit or vegetable that you want to introduce.  We discovered Boos favorites were Peppers and Tomatoes, but being a little Italian, those were a given!   

Running time: 115 mins

Price: $19.95

Available for sale at http://www.copy-kids.com

 Want your own copy to use or give as a gift?  Enter below!

Raising Amazing Children Book

Raising Amazing Children       By Deborah Carroll

"Many parents feel unqualified to teach their children important lessons."

Gosh I can not begin to tell you how many times have I heard that being a teacher!  Many parents would come into PTC (Parent Teacher Conferences) and plainly say, " You are the teacher we figured you can tell us how to do it."  First, children begin to learn at home. I am not talking about learning to read and write, although that should be happening, I am talking about LIFE - Manners, language skills, how to eat, and how to interact with others.

In this book one topic the author discusses in depth is Self-Esteem.  I really pay attention to this when I teach and discuss ideas on how to improve behavior with parents.  Most students I have come across just need a little push in the right direction and the courage to do so.  They need a big dose of self-esteem!

Another topic I feel is just as important is listening.  Although we  think we are listening, we usually are not.  We are often "hearing" the children talk while we have 50 other things going through our mind - bills, gas money, lunch money or packed, dirty clothes, lawn needs mowed, take the dogs out .. ok that was just want was going through my mind as I was writing it!  It is important to show your child individualized attention and build their talking skills, not just for academic reasons, but life.  Is it fine if your child tries to talk to random people in Wal-Mart?  It could be a little strange and scary, but your son/daughter actually learned how to engage in a conversation and listen to another from you, the parent.  :)

I honestly thought this book was a great tool to use, not only for parents but any who person has a child in  his/her life.  It includes wonderful ideas and tips to improve self-esteem in your child and confidence in yourself as a parent. 

Visit Amazon to get the book on the Kindle or paperback! 

Also visit Deborah online for more information.

The parent’s job is done well when the child grows up and can leave happily. All you have to remember is to be the kind of parent you wanted to have and the kind of person you want your child to be. (p. 124)

Want a copy right now?  Enter to win a paperback copy below! This would be great as a gift to an expecting family!

Overdrive - Bowlby Library

If you have not heard of this and you live in Greene County you are missing something amazing! BBR and I have many book reviews and giveaways on our blog, SAHM & TW(2b), but there is still that magic moment when you visit the library.  I am not sure if I was a librarian in a past life, but I love going!  Being from a smaller community gives us a privilege when visiting the library - they know you by name.  I love that when I go because I can just browse all the books and find a random one that looks appealing.  My Nana Zollars let me borrow The Help from her and I instantly wanted to find another book that was from the same era/setting.   I did find one, it was called Saving CeeCee Honeycutt.  I actually found it by walking the aisles of books and looking at the covers.  I admit, I had to visit the Bowlby online card catalog to remember what the name was though - I read it last summer. 

What is OverDrive?

It is a virtual library!  I honestly was waiting for this to come out and am so exited the library started it!  You need a library card, so if you are living in Greene and Washington County get to the library and get one - they are free.  On OverDrive you can get books for all of your devices.

Mobile (supports EPUB eBooks & MP3 Audiobooks):

• Android™
• BlackBerry®
• iOS (iPhone®/iPad®/iPod touch®)
• Windows® Phone 7

Computer:

• Windows (supports WMA & MP3 Audiobooks, Music, & Video)
• Mac® (supports MP3 Audiobooks)

 In my cart now I have Hitler Youth, Messenger, and The Supernaturalist.  I added quite a few to my wait list and and am anxiously waiting :)  Getting the books is extremely easy too!   

**Make sure you have your device plugged in before you open Adobe Digital Editions.

• Pick your books - you can get 5 out at a time! 
• Check out - make sure you notice the time frame for lending, 7 or 14 days. 
•  Download page  - Hit DL and save 



Eva K. Bowlby Library

• DL Adobe Digital Editions if needed
•  Transfer to your reader!
  
  1. Open Adobe Digital Editions.
  2. Connect the eBook reader to your computer.
     A link for your reader is displayed under 'Bookshelves'.
  3. Click on the Adobe eBook you want to transfer.
  4. Drag and drop the Adobe eBook to the link for your eBook reader under 'Bookshelves'.  The eBook is transferred to your eBook reader.
  5. Disconnect the eBook reader.

I actually won a Nook from the library Summer Reading "Novel Destinations" challenge.  I love contests and reading so it was a win, win situation for me!

Remember to show some love to your local library! GC resident visit the links below for more info :)

Facebook  

Website

Remember to check out the book giveaways to enter :)

Pirate Party Pack

How many of us wanted to be Pirates when we were younger? What? Are you serious? I know I was not the only adult ... ahem kid ... who wanted to raid homes for treasures, sing around fires, and sail on a ship!

Before you have your next get together you need to check out this company.  They have party packs for almost every topic, but the pirate life is for me!  The pack was e-mailed straight to me so it was easy as a treasure map with only 5 lines to the X! Printable Pirate Party Games is a ton of fun for all ages!  It not only has stuff for children, such as games for a birthday party, but games for adults as well! The pirate printable pack is great for a wide age range as well as use in a classroom.  As always, use your best judgment and common sense when using this pack - it includes activities for children as well as adults.  Also, who does not love corny jokes?  I am a big time fan of those jokes!

Why did the pirate buy and eye patch? He couldn't afford an iPad!  

The pack includes: 

• Balloon Pirate Craft For Kids
• Facebook Pirate Language Game
• Pirate Mad Libs
• Pirate Newlywed Questions Game
• Pirate Placemat for Kids
• Pirate Poster for Kids
• Pirate Party Icebreaker
• Printable Treasure Map Template Pirate Craft For Kids
• Harrrr-ible Pirate Jokes Game
• Survival of the Fittest Party Game
• Pirate Nature Scavenger Hunt for Kids
• Pin the Parrot on the Pirate game for Kids
• Shoot the Boot Drinking Card Game

Do you have a little one who loves Pirates and want to get printable already created? 

 Do you want to see want the drinking game really is about?
Sign up for the newsletter because subscribers get 30 pages of printables free for signing up, and enjoy special offers each month. :)

 Enter to win your own below :)

Incredible Shrinking Bully

 The Incredible Shrinking Bully

By Mona Schmitt

Bart used to enjoy school, but that was before Frank the Tank began bullying him. Every time Frank bullies someone, he gets bigger. Will Bart find the courage to stop Frank, before it's too late? This is a picture book geared toward younger kids, in hopes of sending a positive message and opening a dialogue between kids and parents, educators, grandparents, etc. about bullying. Maybe if awareness starts early, some of the problems can be prevented later. 

I loved the pictures!  My favorite picture in this book has to be when Frank snot rockets on some kids locker.  It is totally gross but so funny! This story is age appropriate and can be used in most grades K-9th.  If you wanted to adapt it to use it in higher grades you could, just use different activities to enhance the point of the book. 

If I were to use it in a classroom I would read the book, discuss bullying, and finally have them create their own book about a time when they were bullied.  People of all ages love to draw, even if they say they do not - trust me.  For some students it would be difficult to get their experience out , but telling people about it could mean healing from it.    The story follows a child from getting picked on, learning how to start up for himself, and finally standing up to the bully to protect another.  A part of the book I was unsure of, it had the main character state if it came down to it he would hit Frank, which would be totally against any bully curriculum I have taught.  I would probably have a discussion on if hitting back was the right thing to do or not.  Overall it is a cute book that you can use to discuss bullying and how to overcome it.  I've included this in various curriculum packets dealing with making friends and standing up for yourself.  

This would be a great resource to keep in a classroom ... 

 ALL teachers should enter to win a copy below to keep in theirs :) 

4in Ceramic Diaper Keepsake ~Review~

There are so many companies in the world that wear snazzy shoes and stomp on our society.  However, Baby Chix is a company that hits close to home (or my classroom) and wears the work books to reconstruct! 

Taste of Snow ~Review & Giveaway~

"The Taste of Snow" 

By Stephen Masse

Teacher Review

There were so many great and unique elements of this book!  I am a sucker for YA books and this one was wonderful.  As I was reading it I quickly felt like part of the family and was interested in the girls next move.  When Nicole and Ashley were picking out a Christmas Tree they were talking to Saint Nicholas, Santa to the kids in the USA, and Krampus.  I was thinking who in the world is Krampus and why have I never heard of him?  Well it turns out I am slightly glad because if my parents knew about this when I was a kid I am 100% sure I would have been in deep trouble.  Krampus is basically the one who could tell if the children were bad - he wore a devilish outfit with horns on his head and chains hanging around him.  To me Krampus was the Devil!  Good - Saint Nicholas, Bad - Krampus.  Anyway, Stephen Masse does a wonderful job of adding detail to paint the magnificent picture in my mind of the plot, setting, and the characters.  As I read I always "See it in my mind" and tell my students the same thing.  If you personally make a movie with the book then it will stick with you forever.  

Another element I loved about this book is how many connections the author, Stephen V. Masse,  made with stories that were told by the father/grandfather and how it related to the girls lives.  Masse seems like a natural storyteller, within the book and with the book itself.  There were many times I wanted to Google things to see if it was real because they sounded wonderful!  Spoiler - The story of the American soldier, the priest, and the German Army.  Another connection that I loved, especially as a teacher, was the chapter pictures.  The picture always led to what was in the chapter and could be great when used for prediction! 

 I wish the book would have

Table of Contents with the chapter names - When I teach with a book such as this, I usually have the students look at the table of contents and estimate how much time they will need to dedicate to finish the book - with the class or on their own.  For Special Education students it is a relief to see how much they finished and to keep track of it by his/herself.  

Final Thoughts

Overall this would be a WONDERFUL book to use in a classroom, give as a gift, or to read by yourself/as a family!  It includes many elements that are needed to create a proper story - amazing character development, Masse paints the picture of what is happening with great attention to detail, and finally the fish hook!  A fish hook to me is the mystery that keeps us reading and wanting to know what will happen.

What is this about? 

When winter arrives in the Austrian Alps, eleven-year-old Nicole Kinders is given a candy cane by the mysterious shopkeeper, Boznik, who tells her that the candy cane is magic. After her first taste, it seems the whole world becomes more colorful, more delicious, and more dangerous. A quarrel between students on the tram home from school leads Nicole to intervene, beginning a frightening series of events that threaten Nicole. She finds herself losing the joy of holiday preparations, and realizes that the vexing secret she keeps is influencing every part of her life. She finds no help from the magic candy cane, and decides she must return it to the shopkeeper.

Who is the author? 

Stephen V. Masse was born in Boston. He wrote his first practice novel at age 13, handwritten into a composition book. His children s books are Shadow Stealer (Dillon Press, 1988) and Short Circus (Good Harbor Press, 2010). In addition, Masse wrote A Jolly Good Fellow, winner of the Silver Medal in the 2008 Independent Publisher Book Awards, as well as Honorable Mention in the 2008 New England Book Festival for best books of the holiday season. 

Check out the author's website for more pictures and information!  Did you know the story came from a story he made up in real life?  You have a great imagination Stephen!

Being Human YA ~Review & Giveaway~

Book Title: Being Human by Patricia Lynne
Genre: YA Paranormal

Short Synopsis: For Tommy, there is only one thing he needs to do: survive. Only surviving isn't that easy. He has no human memories and Vampire Forces is determined to turn every vampire to ash. The only human he can trust is his twin brother, Danny. Tommy just wants to survive but he'll discover there's more to life than simple survival.

Our review! 
What would happen if you woke one night and had a hunger for something? Yeah, we know we do this with chocolate and other strange things ... but blood?

One night Tommy awoke not knowing what was going on, where he was or why he wanted that copper, metallic flavor that is our sustenance of life.  Patricia Lynne has wrote Being Human in a way that grabs the readers attention (I tell students it is the Hook) and lays the story out in a way that we cal follow and piece together (I tell them that is the Worm). 

The book is broken into parts.  he parts are stages in life that one has - high school, college, family, etc.  Although it was great to see what Tommy and Danny were like throughout life, I still wanted to know more.  I have a very inquisitive mind, kind of like Tommy except I remember and he does not.  I wanted to know more about what happened when Danny was in college, what are other vampires really like, do they all act like Tommy or are they mean like some he has met? Often writers leave the questions remain so we think more about it and it often attracts us to another book! Which to me leaves me wanting Patricia Lynne to write another book about one of the characters she has wrote about that was a main part of the plot.   Please.. will you?  :)

I would definitely see this being read during DEAR time and have some type of activity to finish the book.  I would focus on the student creating his/her own story if they suddenly were turned into a vampire and where they would go to continue living.  Vampire stories for young adults were a hit and will remain to be, so getting this into a classroom and doing a book talk would be extremely easy.  I see not only girls loving to read this book but boys as well.

There are a few reasons why I would recommend this book, for YA (Young Adults) and Adults.

1. Easy Read
2. Plenty of action to keep you interested
3. Descriptions of characters, physically and mentally, so you can SEE them while you read
4. Various sentence types, not just simple ones! 
5. For the simple reason of loving to read!

 Want to know where you can buy Being Human?  Well look below! There are options of e-book or paperback format. 

Amazon!

Smashwords!

If you want to keep up with the author, offer encouragement, or get sneak peaks of what they are currently working on follow her on Facebook Twitter or GoodReads!

I Am Happy! with Sukey Molloy ~Review and Giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Mom Blog Society. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

After the weekend of sickness, Boo needed a pick me up! So I popped her new CD, "I Am Happy! With Sukey Molloy". I instantly thought that I should have tried this sooner!


This is the third CD in the award winning series for children.  Sukey's music is gentle and upbeat, encouraging children to move and dance along.  This 18 track CD is designed for kids 2-5 but I think it would be good for even older children.


Boo really, truly enjoyed her music.  It was also a nice change for me.  The standard children's CD is the same five songs.  These are all original, catchy tunes.  Boo really liked Counting Song.  She has been counting everything is the house lately and I like the it counts in different languages.  She also liked I Saw a Duck and I'm a Baby Hippo.  The CD is about 40 minutes long, perfect for a toddler's attention span! Overall, a big thumbs up!!


Check out Sukey Molloy's website for her other award winning CDs! You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.


And now for the giveway! One lucky person can win a copy of I Am Happy! Open to US and Canada.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Mom Blog Society. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

An Alphabet Trip to the Limerick Zoo ~Review~

An Alphabet Trip to the Limerick Zoo

Your child will enjoy 26 full color illustrations,  read 26 charming limerick poems, and learn interesting facts about 26 animals!

Teachers Perspective:

When I first received this book,  I decided to look at in a way to use in my classroom with Special Education students.  Every year I teach a unit on poetry, for Poetry Month, and because it correlates with the PSSA and PA State Standards.  When I review my materials for my students I look at illustations, word usage, font, space between parageaphs/kines, ability to keep the attention, and how I can use this cross curriculum.  

The font and space are great! It is simple to read, with the animals name is in bold to match one of the main colors of the illustration.  A student can easily use a pencil as a guide or a line reader, like a ruler, to keep track of where they are reading.  When there are different fonts throughout a book students can become confused, but this author keeps the style the same. It also makes it easier for the students to write their own!

The illustrations in the book were cute.  One thing I have learned is that students of all ages love to have a visual to go with the story or in this case the limerick.  I have to say that although this is availabe as a e-book, I would much rather have it in physical form and have the picture and limerick side by side.  I feel it would make it easier for a student to be able to correlate and visualize the animal doing as the limerick states.  If I were to use this with my middle/HS students I would chose to have them as real animal photographs.  If they were real it would be easier for a teacher to use it as a cross-curriculum book and could theme teach in a class - animals of the world for science/portey for langage arts.  

Finally, the word/vocabulary picked by the author used in the limericks is good.  Some words included in the limericks would be difficult for students to read or understand,  so a teacher should always read through and help with vocabulary before sending them on their own.  One could make a list of all the words and create a vocabulary board before jumping into the Limerick Zoo so the students have seen them before.  Many sight words are included in this book, so it would be great to use as a class read before you begin the day. 

Parents Perspective:

The E-book comes with a coloring book that has the same pictures as the Limericks.  Having the same animals available as a coloring page gave me a jump on other poetry books at home.  We loved that we could read an animal a day and then color the corresponding page to show what we learned!  It also helped with rhyming - which is what we are focusing on now!  I just wish the pictures were more of a coloring book page instead of a copy/paste of a image with some color removed. That was the main thing we had a problem with - the images looked like they were just pasted down so it was finished sooner instead of taking the entire page so children can have more to color and changing the background so they did not have a yellow/grey tint.   However, it was nice to have a copy of the Limerick Zoo in the end with all the pages colored so we had our own self-published one though.  

If your classroom or home is Kindle/Nook/iPad accessible,  you can always get it that way!

The author has created a YouTube video describing the book if you wanted to take a look at it!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

IPad Book - Elfishki and The Giant Cake ~ Review ~

Interactive book for iPad users!  Great for children between the ages of 5-9.  

Elfishki and The Cake Cake - Visit me! 

Elfishki and The Giant Cake

From a Teacher's Prospective:

I honesty have to say I loved this product!  It was broken down into sections and allowed the reader to check his/her own understanding with questions.  I often do this in class myself for my students to track their understanding, comprehension, and to increase their prediction ability.  By the time my students would come to HS they often forgot or were never taught those main skills. 

First, I would recommend this to any teacher who has a student that is struggling with comprehension and fluency.  Basically I am saying in normal talk that it allows the reader to follow along with the voice over.  They can read aloud and match the pace (fluency) or follow along and pick out the main details using the guided questions (on the bottom of the pg).  

The second thing I absolutely love about this App is it can be correlated to Common Core standards! When we first started having classes and in-service sessions on this it was extremely vague and there were barely any set materials that fit - we just used our best judgment.  Thank you for actually providing something that we can use!  

Finally, I would beyond a doubt use this as a center activity.  It is extremely easy to use for the child and has multiple adaptations that can link to requirements in a student's IEP.

1.  Voice over of the story, so your child can listen along with the text. 
2. THREE(3) Questions on every page of the book  - Guide their own reading comprehension while the teacher is busy with other learning groups.  
3. Follow up activity!  I always make one of these to be the "Ticket out the Door" and as a finisher before moving on.  This app does it for me :) 

 From a Parent's Prospective: 

My beautiful niece

My niece loved this!! She sat down on the floor and was instantly captivated.  She really liked how interactive the story was.  As the story is being read, you can press objects in the background and they do cute little movements.  Her favorite part by far was the cake decorator!  You can add icing, snails and other gross stuff.  She loved that she could send her creations via email to everyone.  The entire family is now receiving cake creations every time she plays!  Here she is making one her of cakes:

To form your own opinion, check out this 1 min Promo Video of the application on YouTube:
Elfishki and the Giant Cake iPad Book for Kids


Love what you read?  Buy the application in the iTunesStore!  Elfishki and The Giant Cake

****  The newest version, 1.2, is on sale for $1.99 until Monday Feb.  27th!  It is even in Russian if you wanted to expose your child to another language!  We are very excited about the additional languages to choose from - who would not want their child to be exposed young to other cultures?



Teacher Words: 
Fluency : The ability to read, speak, or write easily, smoothly, and expressively.
Comprehension: Understanding  ideas, facts, or meaning *Who, What, Where, When, Why, How (:

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Iris and the Dragonflies ~Review -- Middle School Fiction~

Do you remember sitting in a small desk tapping your #2 pencil waiting for that minute hand to reach 3:00? For Iris it was an everyday occurrence.

Iris is a special girl that has amazing friends, friends that have wings.  Dragonflies are special mystical creatures that have their own woes in this world. While sitting by her favorite creek, Dragonfly Creek, Iris gradually realizes she can understand and talk to the creatures.  When she visits the old country Ireland where her Paternal Grandmother lives, she discovers something that will change her life forever!

Iris makes friends with an amazing group of children, from all around the world! When a big developer tries to destroy the only place Iris loves, Dragonfly Creek, they band together and try to shut down the idea and eventually destruction of the Dragonfly Ecosystem.  Although I want to tell you the entire story,  I know I need to stop now or I will.  I always had (have..haha) the bad habit of doing this, especially when my students caught me of guard with a book I liked!

Being  such a unique child, it reminded me of the trials and tribulations teenagers and middle school students face today.  Being able to fit in, making friends, and wearing the right clothes is part of this book.  Danielis pulls the feelings and thoughts of every preadolescence and adolescent and puts them into Bella,  Iris' sister.  She is constantly screaming and picking on Iris to clean up her appearance and saying she is basically embarrassed of her - another tidbit of sibling rivalry that happens in the real world! They way the author makes the personalities of each character lead to an understanding of the story as a whole.  This story is absolutely enchanting.  It is a mix of adventure and fantasy - all the things we love!

Rosemary Danielis is a very dynamic individual!  Take a look at her website to make your own opinion, but I swear you will think the same.   In the photography page she has a section for Ireland.  When I saw this I automatically linked it to Iris and the Dragonflies and thought of many activities a teacher can use in the classroom - yes I do this with everything in my life.   :)  Because this is classified as YA, you can use it with Middle School or High School.

From a Special Education Teacher's prospective, this book is amazing.  It grasps the readers attention with vivid detail and enough intrigue to keep them hooked.   There are many ways one could use this in their classroom as a read aloud or silent reader during DEAR (Drop Everything And Read).
Some activities you could complete with this book  and link to state standards/CORE include:
1. Tales past down in their family - essay, project
2. Interview grandparent or older relative - presentation, short essay
3. Research your family tree and what country you would visit  - cumulative project
4. If using as a silent reading book, projects

                                

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Visit Iris and the Dragonflies website!

In accordance with FTC Regulations: I receive books and other products at not cost to me, in exchange for my HONEST review. To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.