Tuesday, October 27, 2015

#Review: Skeleton for Dinner by Margery Cuyler/ Illustrated by Will Terry #Halloween, #kidsbooks



Summary:
Big Witch and Little Witch have made stew, and now they want to have their friends for dinner! But when Skeleton mistakes the guest list for a menu, he takes off running, and soon Ghost and Ghoul join him too! But poor Little Witch has no idea there's a misunderstanding. Luckily there's one creature in the haunted forest who can help everyone figure it all out. This spooky and silly read-aloud is just right for Halloween.

My review:
How many times have we made a mistake in thinking one way and yet, it was really something else? This is basically the premise in this adorable picture book.

I enjoyed seeing the little skeleton take off to warn his friends but to have a nice conclusion in the end. It was a fun little twist to find out just whom or what helped them all to get straightened out.

The book is done in muted blues, blacks, and greens which is intentional to make the book a little scary but not too much. The illustrations are large and stretched out among two pages which makes the book easy to read.

I loved it. 5 bone rattling stars!

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book for my own collections. The view here is 100% my own and may differ with yours. ~Naila Moon

Where to find the author:

Margery Cuyler has held executive positions in a variety of publishing houses. She and her husband, the parents of two grown sons, live in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. She loves to interact with children on her author visits to schools and enjoys hiking, biking, and entertaining.
Amazon
Goodreads

Sunday, October 25, 2015

#Review & Giveaway: Covergence by Trudie L. Hayes #YA #AdultBooks #MG #middlegradefiction #thriller #fantasy



Summary:
It was the first day of school and anxieties were running high. For certain there was the excitement of moving up a grade, but there was also the dread of anything and everything that could go wrong. Not only were the possibilities endless, they were totally out of your control. Whether or not you were accepted rested squarely on the shoulders of the popular kids. Suppose you were too short or too tall; too smart or not smart enough; too rich or too poor; or just plain different? These thoughts were fresh on the minds of Otis, Chandler and Marissa. Three pre-teens whose paths had never crossed, although they lived in the same town in Connecticut. Their backgrounds were so diverse they may as well have lived worlds apart. That was all about to change when on their way to school a series of bizarre events lump them together. Literally! Join them on this unreal journey to alternate realities never before re­vealed. Go back in time to a parallel past, the All Agos. Coexist in a present experience that mirrors your own, the Ne'er Now. Finally and with greater understanding, manifest in a future of your creation, the Will Be Once. Then you will have come closer to achieving ...as it should.

My review:
I have to say that I thought the book started out good. I was intrigued that seemingly three very different kids could get along enough to save humanity.

However, from there, I was scratching my head. It seemed like to me the fantasy aspect of the book happened way too fast and then it took forever to get to the meat of the story. This book is huge and I simply got bogged down with it.

I understand that the book is fantasy but I felt like much of it was confusing and that the author could not keep track. The characters also not having much understanding at the beginning of who they really were and their mission was a bit crazy to me as well. The individual places that these kid's went to were never fully explained and that also made it a difficult read for me.

I would only recommend this for Young adults or older as I do not think younger then that could manage to get into the book if at all.
However, even with all this said, I am giving the author 3 stars because it is not easy to create a fantasy book and new worlds and her attempt at it was not bad, just not a great book. Since it seems like this is her first book, I wish her luck in her endeavors.
-------------
Would you like a copy of this book and & 1 of $30, $20, $10 Amazon gift cards. Enter below.
(open to US & Canada)

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for my open and honest review. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. About the giveaway: I am not responsible for prize shipment.~Naila Moon

Where to find the author:




Trudie L. Hayes’ personal story and family life influenced her mission to spread the core values of self-acceptance, self-esteem, and self-love to children and persons of all ages. An affiliation with physically and mentally disabled adults and children spanning many years is a major contributing factor.


When Hayes is not writing or managing her business, she dedicates her time to other creative outlets and artistic pursuits. Hayes has a deep appreciation and passion for music in its many forms; she enjoys writing song lyrics, performing, and has an affinity for Jazz.


Connect with the author:    Website  ~  Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, October 22, 2015

#Review: Fright Club by Ethan Long #kidsbooks #Halloween #Scholastic



Summary:
Each year, on Halloween eve, Fright Club meets to go over their plan: Operation Kiddie Scare. Only the scariest of monsters can join Fright Club-Vladimir the Vampire, Fran K. Stein, Sandy Witch, and Virginia Wolf have all made the cut. They've been practicing their ghoulish faces, their scary moves, and their chilling sounds. But when a band of cute little critters comes along asking to join in the fun, the members of Fright Club will find out who really is the scariest of all!
This clever, rollicking read-aloud text and delightfully spooky illustrations will have young readers laughing, cheering, and begging to be the newest members of Fright Club.

My review:

My granddaughter and I read this book together. She loved making scary faces and loud noises along with the book. I am sure she was bucking to get into the Fright Club too. I think she has a pretty good chance. *wink*

This book was just a pure delight. The dark pages and cartoonish characters gave homage to the book supposedly being scary but yet not so scary. A nice little juxtapose. The book was written in a large photo comic book style.

The humor of the book was throughout from the monsters themselves not quite up to par, to the cute animals that try to join the club. There were even a few funny twist just to make this a laugh out loud book that kids and adults would love. Did I happen to mention my husband and daughter-in-law where listening to me read the book too? *wink*

Great book and a good one to have in any Halloween collection of books. 5 stars!

Disclosure: I purchased this book for my own collections. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon

Where to find the author:
Amazon
Goodreads

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Kid Lit Hop #68 #KidLitHop #KLBH

Kid Lit Blog HopWelcome to the 68th Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors!

*** Before I get started on my review, I wanted to announce that Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews, who began the blog hop, is leaving. She may not have wanted this announced, but I wanted to recognize her contribution to spotlighting kid's literature. Thank you for all you have done and I hope we all make you proud as we move forward. I still look forward to your highlighting great books and all the reviews you and your children do.

Having said that, I will be taking over in Renee's place as the main hostess but the majority of all the wonderful co-hostess we have will remain too. My hope is you will continue to join us. There will be some changes, but very few to keep things going smoothly. One big change will be that the hops will only be once a month instead of twice a month. This will begin in November, so stay tuned.

Now, on to my own kid lit books. This time, I want to feature an author whose book I just read. He is not only an author but illustrator too. The series looks fantastic. Introducing: Troy Cummings. Enjoy the review.  ~Naila Moon***

Please follow our Hostesses:

Mother Daughter Book Reviews

Julie Grasso, Author/ Blogger

           Cheryl Carpinello, Author / Blog

BeachBoundBooks

  Pragmatic Mom

    Reading Authors

  The Logonauts

     Spark and Pook

            Music Teaching and Parenting

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!


Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. Link up any Kid Lit related post in the Kid Lit Blog Hop. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
2. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS from the Kid Lit Blog Hop directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you! 3. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 4. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!

Happy Hopping!


KID LIT BLOG HOP

#Review: The Notebook of Doom:Pop of the Bumpy Mummy by Troy Cummings #kidsbooks, #Scholastic





Summary:
A creepy mummy monster is on the loose in Stermont!


Alexander's class goes on a field trip to the history museum. The students have been learning about the legend of the bumpy mummy in class. But then Alexander thinks he sees the REAL bumpy mummy walking around! The famous Ruby Scorpion gets stolen from the museum, too! And what are those strange popping noises?! Alexander and his friends will have to work fast to stop Stermont's latest monster!

My review:
This is the first chapter book in an entire series that I have read, this is book number six. I can tell from this one that the books are stand alone but do refer to previous books and events of the characters.

I love a good mystery type book and I know that any budding sleuth is going to love this one. The book is aimed at first through third-grade students. It is written in such a way to help emerging students read what they like but to read well.

I like the illustrations are on every page but only enhance the reading and not clutter the pages. I also like that the book is written in bolder type so that children can see clearly the words that are written on the pages. A unique feature of the book is that it is totally in black and white which gives the whole idea of a "notebook." Did I happen to mention that the author is also the illustrator?

The characters themselves are a small group with quirky mannerism. They have formed this small club-like that seeks out monsters. The "notebook" keeps their thought processes as well as monsters they find in kid-like drawings and information.

All in all, I loved this book and cannot wait to get my hands on more of this series.

5 stars!

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book for my own collections. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon

Where to find the author:
Troy Cummings has written/illustrated a truckload of books, including THE NOTEBOOK OF DOOM, a series about a town full of monsters, and GIDDY-UP, DADDY! the story of a man who's mistaken for a horse.

He has also illustrated LITTLE RED GLIDING HOOD by Tara Lazar, MIGHTY TRUCK by Chris Barton, and MORE BEARS! by Kenn Nesbitt.

In addition to books, Troy's illustrations have appeared on:

> Animated backdrops for an opera
> A package of fish sticks
> Jigsaw puzzles
> iPad pop-up books
> A poster warning people about germs
> A poster warning people about a film festival
> A cookbook for dogs
> A thing for the humane society
> A card game about hiking
> Newspapers, magazines and greeting cards

Troy Cummings lives in Greencastle, Indiana with his nice family and mean cat.


Amazon
Goodreads

Friday, October 16, 2015

#Review and #Giveaway: You Rule! : Create Your Own Country by Scott Forbes and Emma Laura Jones #kidsbooks




Summary:
Think you can run a nation? You Rule!: Create Your Own Country  shows ambitious young leaders (ages 8+) how to create a new nation completely from scratch. Decide on laws, establish borders, design a flag, gain citizen support and more. Be king, queen, chief, emperor, president or dictator – you decide, because right here, right now, you rule!

My review:
I have always said that I was bidding for my takeover of the Universe. I have always thought I would make a great Supreme Leader. Why not? Well, now I know how to create my own country and your child (or you) can too in this adorable book.

The authors diligently let kids know how they could create their own country even if it was the size of their bedroom. Each page is filled with fun and colorful illustration that takes the reader step by step in how to create the perfect country.

The book is also packed full of information of former leaders of the world, areas that are still available, and loads more. In addition, there is information on how to get or make things that  a budding "King", "Queen" or "Supreme Leader" may need. You know, like a flag or currency!

You know, as I look out my window, there is a piece of land just waiting to be claimed. Maybe...
I love this book!

5 Hails to the Authors!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for my open and honest opinion. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. (Supreme Leader) Naila Moon
--------------------

This book is among a few books by this group and is part of a book tour. Check them all out!


Would you like to win a cool $25 in Paypal to maybe help finance your own "country". Just enter in the Rafflecopter below. Note: I am not responsible for the giveaway and only posting as part of the tour.


Where to find the authors:

lonelyplanetkids.com
YouTube


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, October 10, 2015

#Review & #Giveaway: Monsterland by Michael Phillip Cash #Thrillers #MichaelPhillipCash #adultbook #YABooks




Summary:
Welcome to Monsterland – the scariest place on Earth. All guests can interact with real vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by an actual werewolf on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville. Wyatt Baldwin, a high school student and lifelong movie buff is staring bleakly at a future of flipping burgers. Due to a fortuitous circumstance, Wyatt and his friends are invited to the star-studded opening of Monsterland. In a theme park full of real vampires, werewolves and zombies, what could possibly go wrong?

My review:
I made the mistake of reading this book, albeit in one sitting while it was dark out and only a bit of light from my lamp shining. In fact, throughout reading this book, I often gasped and had to catch my breath.

I would not go far as to say this was a complete blood and guts book, but it did have its share of horror in it but not enough to make me want to stop reading it. 

I was able to figure out a couple of twists in the book early on, but that did not give away the meat of the book nor again, me wanting to not finish the book.

In fact, I felt the book was thought provoking. It begged the question of how we humans can enjoy something like a "monster" theme park for the sheer pleasure of the thrill. The book begged the question; do something that is non-human have feelings or wants? Think, a zoo perhaps. 

I found myself feeling somewhat sorry for the "monsters" of Monsterland who wanted nothing but to be left alone to live as they had always lived. It was no question to me as who was really the monsters in the so-called theme park.

So, do I recommend this book? You bet! This is one book that I surely will read again and again.
5 stars!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book  in exchange for my open and honest opinion. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ with yours. ~Naila Moon
------------
Would you like to win a copy of this book? Simply enter in the Rafflecopter below.

Where to find the author:





Rules and disclosure: This giveaway is open Sunday 10/11 12 AM CST through 10/25 12 AM CST. The giveaway is open internationally but if the winner is outside of the U.S. the winner will only receive a Kindle copy.
The winner must be 18+ years of age. All entries will be verified and winner will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter.org  Winner must respond to an email sent within 48 hours or forfeit their prize and an alternate will be drawn.
Naila Moon of Reading Authors is not responsible for prize distribution.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, October 9, 2015

Unique Contest for Writers! World's Best Story


Are you an author? Do you want to be? This contest may just be for you. Check it out.

2015 CONTEST!
Writers submit your Story
Enter for a chance to join the House of transmedia stories company



What is World's Best Story?

"This is not just a literary contest, we're looking for stories that will be consumed in multiple media formats – from books to the big screen and beyond," says Vincent Salera, founder of World's Best Story. "Our goal is to revolutionize the traditional literary contest and identify a story with blockbuster appeal. We're looking for a story that audiences will love and help authors turn that story into trans-media franchises, which is why we're empowering readers to judge the contest."

How does it work?

Readers will vote for stories and awarded judges will declare the final Top 10 winners.

2015 Judges: Warren Adler, Victor Malarek, Tamarra Kennelly, Brooke Burgess, Samreen Ashan, Alistair Cross, Rhonda Hayter

Timeline:

Entry Period Closes/Public Voting ends. (November 8)

Top 10 Winners Announced! (November 8)

Professional Review/Voting (November 8 - December 8)

Winner and Top 10 Ranking Announced (December 8)


What are the prizes?

The top 3 winners will receive a full publishing package by FriesenPress, trademark protection in the U.S. and Canada by IP agency Benoit & Cote, a virtual book tour by Laura Fabiani of iRead Book Tours as well as consulting/marketing services with book expert Anne Chaconas of BadAss Marketing. Busbud and YoDough will be providing lots of goodies for both writers and readers.

How do I submit my story?

To learn more about World's Best Story, including how to enter, please visit World's Best Story.

World’s Best Story : info@worldsbeststory.com

See what's buzzing at World's Best Story:

How to Get Readers Buzzing About Your Book: Secrets from the World of Book Blogging

Viral campaign with famous characters:

What if Oscar Wilde wrote Sex and the City? (series of posts)

What if Lady Gaga wrote Gone With the Wind? (series of posts)

The Current Top 10 Most Voted Stories

Connect with World's Best Story:

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Pinterest



Enter your story today!



Disclosure: I was asked to promote this on behalf of iRead Tours and was not compensated for the post.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

#Review: Will Allen and the Great Monster Detective by Jason Edwards #kidsbooks, #monsters, #DetectiveStories

Summary:
Will Allen may be one of the smallest boys at Ashford Middle School, but he is also one of the smartest. But cleverness alone isn't enough to help him when monsters infest his room! 
Together with his friend Jeannine Fitsimmons, Will searches fruitlessly for help, until a strange business card appears, instructing them how to summon Bigelow Hawkins, the Great Monster Detective. With Bigelow's help, along with the use of his very special monster-fighting instruments, the RevealeR and the MonsterScope, Will must learn how to conquer his monsters and reveal the secret of the dreaded HIDDEN BEAST before it's too late.


My review:

This book is an award winning book and I can see why. I know a few kids who like detective/mystery kinds of stories and this book delivers. 

All kids at some point have some kind of fear. One of the biggest fears ever is just knowing that there is a monster hiding under the bed. The main character Allen is convinced of this and needs help.
Mysteriously, a small looking character arrives to help out. But who is he  and what does he want for payment? Ah, now that is what you, my readers, have to discover for yourself.

Kid's normal fears, like huge, ugly monsters, or maybe a bully, are all in this book. However, the author cleverly shows children that they can be brave and help themselves to conquer their fears. In fact, throughout  this entire book the author is a master at this fete.

Eventually, the fears go away and children can see, as Allen does, that they too can help others.

I loved this book! It is the beginning of an entire series based on Will and it is sure to please series that I hope to read more of.
5 stars!

Disclosure: I purchased a Kindle copy of this book. The review here is 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon


Where to find the author:

Mom's Choice Award winning author, Jason Edwards is a man of many hats, including storyteller, developer and performer of children's programs, father, coach, and athlete.   Mr. Edwards is also an authority on children's anxieties, possessing a B.S. in Psychology, a M.A. in Education, and more than 20 years of experience helping children.  In fact, he wrote his first chapter book for young readersWill Allen and the Great Monster Detective, which is a frightfully funny mix of Ghostbusters and Monsters Inc., in order to help children overcome phobias by inspiring them to confront their fears and metaphorically modeling steps they can take to control anxiety.
  
Amazon

Goodreads

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Kid Lit Hop #67..............#KLBH #KidLitHop



Welcome to the 67th Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors!

**Hello fellow Kid Lit Blog Hoppers. As always I am grateful that you have stopped by to see me. This week I want to feature an author who is all about monsters. In fact, he writes about them A-Z. Meet A.J. Cosmo. This review is from his book< "My Babysitter is a Monster." I hope you enjoy! ~Naila Moon**

Hostesses:

Mother Daughter Book Reviews

Julie Grasso, Author/ Blogger

Cheryl Carpinello, Author / Blogger

BeachBoundBooks

Music Teaching and Parenting

Pragmatic Mom

Reading Authors

The Logonauts

Spark and Pook

Music Teaching and Parenting

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. Link up any Kid Lit related post in the Kid Lit Blog Hop. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
2. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS from the Kid Lit Blog Hop directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you! 3. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 4. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!

Happy Hopping!

 

KID LIT BLOG HOP

#Review: My Babysitter Is A Monster by A.J. Cosmo #Kidsbooks, #monsters




Summary:
Sean's babysitter insists that he stay in his room, but there's a monster under his bed! What can Sean do? 

My Review:
As a kid I had a babysitter that I absolutely could not stand. I hated when my Mom would have her babysit. Was she a real monster? No, but my brothers and I kind of saw her that way. She made us do this and that and we simply didn't like it.

Here in essence is what the author brings to the table, an awful babysitter who does not believe in her charge until one fateful evening. Then all of a sudden in a twist of plot the babysitter whom he hated is now one he loves and looks very much like a...

Well, you figure it out when you read the book.  It is an enjoyable and fun read for kids of all ages.

Terrific book and I give it 4 stars.

Disclosure: I bought a Kindle copy of this book for my own collection. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Naila Moon


Where to find the author:




  Amazon
Goodreads

Monday, October 5, 2015

#FrightFall Read-a-thon Ocotber 5-11, 2015 and Diverse Universe Oct. 4-17, 2015 #Diversiverse




I am once again joining Michelle at Seasons of Reading for Fight Fall Reading.
This fun week has everything to do with reading scary books but not necessarily blood and guts kind of books. We can read children's books of course but are asked to read at least one adult book throughout the duration.

Come back this week for reviews. Hope I get them all finished!

Here is my list:
The Devil's Glove by Cousin Vinny
My Babysitters A Monster by A.J. Cosmo
Weirder Than Weird by Francis Burger
Will Allen and the Great Monster Detectives by Jason Edwards

Maybe there will be more? Stay tuned!
~Naila Moon

PS> I am also participating in #DiverseUniverse this week too. Keep watching for all of these books.
More about that here: Diverse Universe




Thursday, October 1, 2015

#Review: Please Try to Remember the First of Octember! by Theo. LeSieg/Illustrated by AJ Cummings





Summary:
Dr. Seuss imagines a day when all your wishes come true in this classic Beginner Book. Octember the First is the day on which all your most outlandish wishes come true. If March is too dusty and April too gusty, if May is too early and June is too soon, just try to remember the first of Octember, when whatever you are hoping to get will be yours! From a balloon pool in the sky to a pickle tree in your backyard, Please Try to Remember the First of Octember! is a wildly silly story that will have readers laughing—and wishing—out loud.

My review:
As it is with almost all of Dr. Seuss books, I love the rhyming and the words made up to be funny but sometimes remarkable. I think kid's would love this book and get quite a good laugh too.

Although this book was not written under the Dr. Seuss name but by his real name, I still find it hilarious. I can only imagine the things I would want to have and could receive if I could remember Octember.

 5 stars!

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book for my own collections. The views here are 100% my own and may differ with yours. ~Naila Moon


Where to find the author:

Amazon