Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Need a good children's book for Thanksgiving? Look no further. You have found it. Dogg the Detective and the Tale of the Missing Tail Feathers is a wonderful Thanksgiving mystery. As a teacher, it is difficult to find a good Thanksgiving story, because there are not very many Thanksgiving stories out there that kids would actually enjoy. This story is perfect for kids. This mystery book will have your kids predicting, solving and becoming little detectives of there own. One thing that was cracking me up about this story was Dogg's sidekick who happens to be a goldfish in a bowl. What a hilarious character. Who would have thought a goldfish in a bowl would be so funny? You too will find the story and characters to be clever and funny as you solve the case of the missing tail feathers. To buy this story on Amazon before Thanksgiving, Click Here!  

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Hairy, Scary Spider? What a wonderful children's ebook. Halloween is just around the corner and this book is perfect for the occasion. I read this story to my children, and they loved it. They interacted with the story by making scary faces, and even stopped me from smashing a couple spiders I found in my house. Not only is the ebook entertaining children, it is saving the lives of millions of spiders around the world (or at least in my house). I read this story to a 1st grade class and again, the student interaction/response was amazing. The illustrations are simple, sweet,and funny. Perfect for children. Students asked me if they could make spiders with paper plates and strips of construction paper. You know a book is good when students give you activity ideas to use the following day. Don't pass up this book. It is worth so much more than the pennies you spend on it. To buy this book on Amazon Click Here!
To learn more about the Author, Click Here!

Sunday, July 29, 2012


iSad is my new favorite children’s picture book! It is so simple, it’s perfect. The book is driven with a very simple message that I won’t spoil. The pictures fit the story perfectly. As an author, I feel Shane Saathoff struck gold with this picture book! As a teacher I will use this fantastic book to discuss the pluses and minuses to technology. This is a book that everyone will enjoy reading. Shane Saathoff is an author that I will definitely follow.  To buy this book Click Here!
To view Shane's Blog Click Here!
To follow iSad on Facebook Click Here!
To follow Shane in Twitter Click Here!

Thursday, July 26, 2012


Athletic Antics in the Bird Girl series is a delightful story. Reading it, I couldn’t help but feel a little cheerful and uplifted. I felt like I had just seen a movie. The author used descriptive words that really paint a picture in your head, and sometimes make you smell things like flowers. Naturally I would prefer a more G.I. Joe story, but I was captivated from the first page. This is the third book in the series, and I really liked that I didn't need to read the previous books to understand this one. This is a wonderful series I will read to my kids. Kimberley Jane Pryor has really impressed me with the amount of work she has put into publishing not only this story, but many others. Check out her site. You won’t be disappointed.  Click Here to view her site. Click Here to view her on Amazon.com

Monday, July 23, 2012

My Disjointed Life. The title alone lets you know this is going to be a story full of crazy and fun experiences that most readers can relate to. I love the smart humor that really drives the story and keeps you reading. I really enjoyed the timed formatting of the book. It made the book flow more quickly. I read the book much quicker than anticipated. That is how I usually know it's a good book, because I can't put it down. I normally don't read YA books, but this was a fun book to read. A little explicit at times, but funny. This is the authors first book, and I hope not the last. He has a real, authentic voice that really captures you. If you are looking for a fun YA book to read, Click Here!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Move over Lewis Carroll. Fun London is your newest competition. Lost in the Woods is an adventurous tale of a boy named Jack and his crazy encounters in a strange mysterious land full of talking creatures. From the very beginning, I could not stop reading. I had to know what was going to happen next. This book will keep you on the edge of your recliner with your Kindle in hand. Fun story from start to finish. The best part is, Fun London has written other stories that I can't wait to buy. To meet the author and learn more about him, Click Here!
To view and buy the book Lost in the Woods, Click Here!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Why You Should Laugh Three Times a Day By Kimbering Kennedy is a wonderful book for any kids rhyming collection. As a teacher this would be one I would definitely read during any unit on rhyming. But this book has more to offer than that. It teaches kids to make better choices like eat vegetables rather than eating junk. It also teaches kids about feelings, and how they should laugh three times a day. But the best thing that I love about this book is that it comes with a free audio download. This feature separates this book from others. Now this book has become a work station that any teacher can use in a classroom, or a parent can play the book while traveling with the family. This free feature really brought this book up to the next level of entertainment. I read this story to my kids, and they loved the different poems. It really kept their interest which is hard to do. To buy this wonderful book, Click Here!
To meet the author, Click Here!

Monday, June 25, 2012


The book Silly Billy Panda Bear is a clever story with strong characters. As a teacher, I really like that it is an ebook. Less books for me to carry, and I can project it on a smartboard for the whole class to see at once. The rhyming is an essential part to the story which is why I will definitely use this book in my classroom. The patterns and rhythm, and natural flow of the book is perfect. The illustrations are simple, to the point and well done. I read this story to my 6 year old son, and he loved it. He could read the words and find the once that rhymed.  As an author who has made many attempts at rhythm and rhyming, the author of this book, Jessica Currie, mastered the art. This book is a must for any rhyming collection. I can't wait to see more from this author in the future. This book is available on iTunes. To buy, or view on line, Click Here!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Hooway for Wodney Wat is a personal favorite of mine. As an author, I love Helen Lester's humor and creativity when it come to working with words. She is a great inspiration to many authors. As a teacher, her stories have a great lesson to be learned that students can relate to and understand right away. Especially this Wodney Wat story. Every time I run into a bully situation in my class, I always bust out this book and watch the students change their behaviors. Great book. To buy, Click here!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Edgar & Ellen book series is yet another very fun read. The author Charles Ogden did an amazing job using the name Edgar Allan Poe in a creative way by making two characters named Edgar and Ellen. Just like Edgar Allan Poe, these two characters are creepy and mysterious. Which is something I enjoy; mysterious characters. These characters are always out on mischievous adventures that are a hoot to read. This book series even has its own cartoon series. If you like dark strange characters in children's books, than this is for you. To buy, Click Here!

Monday, June 11, 2012

The Eddie Dickens Trilogy

The Eddie Dickens Trilogy is a fantastic series. This is not too popular in the US yet, and I hope to help change that. The author Philip Ardagh is a quick witted genius. The things he makes his characters go through are creative and bizarre. His stories helped me realize as a writer; yes, I can make my character stranded on a remote island for no reason, and hardly any explanation. That is how wacky his stories can be, and I love it! To buy or learn more, Click here.  

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

As an author, Jeff Kinney did a fantastic job of telling a compelling story using a very unique method of delivery. You can’t help but enjoy his work. As a second grade teacher, his books have inspired students that I thought would not read, begin reading and quickly become strong readers. His books are amazing and inspiring. The pictures in this book series are creative, and very imaginative. I have been told by a number of other teachers that these Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are not up to par with other literature, but like I said before, I have seen this series of books motivate students who can't read, to read. The best way to get a kid to read is to give that kid a good book, and this is one of them.
Click here to buy the Box set.

Friday, June 1, 2012

From back cover:
Bradley Duncan is a 13-year-old nerd. He likes being a nerd. But when he is forced to move to another state, he decides to change his theme and ends up becoming the new school bully. Will Bradley change his bad reputation before school ends, or is he stuck with the label of being a bully the rest of his life? With its comical sketches and the musings of Bradley Duncan—our brilliant and reluctant young hero—Blog of a Bully will keep the reader in stitches from the very first page . If you like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, you’ll love Blog of a Bully!


My review:


What a wonderful and very funny read. This book brought back so many good memories of dating and school dances. This book is written in a blog format, and is about a kid that accidentally becomes the school bully. The author did a wonderful job writing from a 1st person point of view which helps the ready relate to the main character and understand his thoughts. Your kids will love this because the author really captured the voice of a 13 year old. They will have no trouble relating to the thoughts, feelings, and adventures that Bradley Duncan goes through. As an adult, like I said, this will bring back wonderful memories of your youth and you and your kids will love the author's humor. It is a must buy. avalible in paperback and Kindle eBook. I would go for the ebook because that is only $0.99. Can't pass that up. Check it out along with other reviews at: http://www.amazon.com/Blog-Bully-Stephen-Zanzucchi/dp/1432784250/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338606839&sr=1-1 To buy Blog of a Bully click here.