Spotlight Post and Giveaway-Treasure by S. Smith

 

Treasure 

by S. Smith 

It’s 2077. There’s no apocalypse, but some things are different. Things like the weather, the internet, and food. In twelve-year-old Clare’s world, blueberry is just a flavor and apples are found only in fairy tales. One day Clare meets Ana, who teaches her about seeds and real food, despite suspicions that such actions are illegal. When the authorities discover the children’s forbidden tomato plant and arrest their mother, Clare and her brother flee. Clare has heard of a place called "The Garden State," and with their bikes, a little money, and backpacks, the children begin a lonely cross-country journey that tests them both physically and spiritually. Will they succeed in their quest to find a place of food freedom? And can they, only children, help change the world?

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Excerpt Clare walked faster, clutching the tiny packet to her chest. The sound of the footsteps behind kept pace. She darted down an alley she knew well—turning right, then left, then right again. Standing still, her back against the wall, she listened. The footsteps had not followed her; she had lost them. Twenty minutes later and safe in the apartment, she met with her co-conspirators: Dante, her seven-year-old brother, and Lily, her best friend. “I have something to show you, but you have to promise not to tell.” “We promise.” Holding out her closed fist, she whispered, “What I have here will change the world.” Dante’s eyes widened. “It’s so small.” “It may be small now,” she told him, “but what I have in my hand will get bigger. It will grow and make more.” “What is it?” Lily asked. “Is it magic?” asked Dante. She opened her hand.



Praise for Seed Savers “I haven't been this in love with an individual young adult book since Lois Lowry's The Giver... 221 pages of exciting young adult goodness! I devoured it, and it was delicious." -Anakalian Whims Book Blog “Here's a great piece of "juvenile" literature that doesn't lose sight of one key fact: kids can think.”- Lit Prof, Amazon Reviewer “I highly recommend this book for tweens and teens who enjoy reading the dystopian genre and who are looking for a non-violent and thought-provoking story.” - Renee at Mother Daughter Book 

 
Author S. Smith S. Smith grew up on a farm with a tremendously large garden. She maintains that if you can’t taste the soil on a carrot, it’s not fresh enough. As an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, Ms. Smith has enjoyed teaching students from around the world. Smith is a member ALLi (The Alliance of Independent Authors) and saves seeds for her local seed bank. She gardens and writes at her home in the beautiful and green Pacific Northwest where she lives with her husband, two children, and two cats.

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Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/4/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

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No Yeti Yet by Mary Ann Fraser

No Yeti Yet 
by Mary Ann Fraser
Published 2015
Peter Pauper Press
30 pages
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodread Summary

When big brother decides that a snowy winter day is perfect for a yeti hunt, his little brother comes along, asking questions about the mysterious creatures all along the way.

My Thoughts

Have you ever read a book written in a question-answer format? Well you are in for a treat. Kid will LOVE this adorable book of two brothers going on a yeti hunt. The little brothers asks the older brother question the whole way such as, "How will I know if I hear a yeti?' and "Why would we want to find a yeti?". 

As the pair trudge through the snow, slide down hills and brave a blizzard they have no idea that the yeti is following them the entire way. I can imagine classroom of children listening to this book with giddy anticipation as they watch the yeti get closer and closer to the kids. 

The illustrations are fabulous and the yeti is more cute than scary (think Abominable Snowman from Rudolph). I would recommend No Yet Yet for children ages 3-7.  

Take a look at this sweet book trailer. 

See what others have to say about Mary Ann Fraser's No Yeti Yet
Publishers Weekly
Parenting Patch

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday-My First Book of Football: A Rookie Book

My Friend Alyson Beecher at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a weekly link up to share Nonfiction Picture Books. Please visit her amazing website.

My First Book of Football: A Rookie Book 
by The Editors of Sports Illustrated for Kids
Published August 2015 by Sports Illustrated
48 Pages
Review copy provided by publisher.

Goodreads Summary

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS kicks off the football season with a brand-new series to help young readers learn the rules, plays, and basics about popular sports. In the first Rookie Book, My First Book of Football, an illustrated rookie player character introduces the next generation of fans to the world of football and guides kids through a visual retelling of an actual NFL game--from the nail-biting coin toss to the exhilarating winning touchdown.

Simple text with engaging action photography and a glossary of essential football terms throughout, including punt, tackle, kickoff, end zone and more, reinforce the message on each page with humor and fun. A perfect book for beginning readers, My First Book of Football is meant to be a shared reading experience between parents and their young football rookies before, during, and after game day.

My Thoughts

This book does a great job of introducing young readers to the sport of football. It discusses specific football vocabulary such as downs, penalties, and field goals, in context. The pages are big and have a nice solid-colored background. The illustrations include photographs of real NFL players and an adorable little illustrated football guy that visits each page. I can see young readers reading this one over and over again and having it handy while watching their favorite team.

This book would make a nice addition to the library of any budding football fan. I would recommend it for ages 3-6. 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? Oct. 19, 2015

Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Here is my reading from the last couple of weeks. 

Click on the book titles to learn more about them. 

Adorable book about finding your "flock"! Great for K-3. 

Sweet story of love and family. Grades K-3.

Too gorgeous to miss! Grades 2-5. 

A must-have for any book-lover, just beautiful!

Finished

Excellent biography of Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroad. Grades 4-8.

Something's fishy in the town of Serenity. Loved this one! 

For grades 4-8. 

Finished Listening

Really nice audio version of this beautifully written YA novel. 

What's Next?

Not sure. I have the following books waiting for me. 

Which do you suggest?

All the Lost Things by Kelly Canby

All the Lost Things 
by Kelly Canby
Published April 2015
Peter Pauper Press
Fiction
32 pages
Review copy provided by publisher


Goodreads Summary
Olive is not your ordinary girl. And one day when this spunky young lady decides to go for a walk in her grumpy, too-busy city, she finds some extraordinary things. What Olive does with them will delight and inspire. This lively picture book is filled with the author's exuberant collage artwork and playfully hand-lettered words.

My Thoughts

It never ceases to amaze me when authors and illustrators continually create books with unique concepts. All the Lost Things is a creative picture book that is definitely a new favorite of mine. It will appeal to a wide range of children for different reasons. The illustrations are extraordinary! There is so much to look at on each page. The author also uses color, and lack of color to help tell the story. 

When Olive goes out for a walk to escape her noisy apartment, she stumbles upon a manhole cover. Upon further investigation, she finds an old woman who has been storing people's lost things in big boxes. There are ordinary things that people lose such as keys, glasses and remotes. Then there are other things that people lose like courage, dreams and will power. Olive decides to fill big jars with some lost things to give to her family such as memory for her grand dad. In the end, she does something that will give back something that the whole city seems to have lost. 

This multi-layered book would be a wonderful addition to any K-5 school or classroom library. I plan to read it to my fourth graders and discuss what people can lost that are not "things" and if they could return something lost, what would it be? 

Read what others have to say about All the Lost Things

Kirkus

Publishers Weekly

A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust

Welcome to Mars by Buzz Aldrin

Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet 
by Buzz Aldrin, with Marianne J. Oyson
Published September 2015
National Geographic Children's Books
96 Pages
Nonfiction
Review copy provided by publisher


Goodreads Summary

Space is still the final frontier and Mars continues to make news and attract generations of young people. In this fascinating book, hero-astronaut Buzz Aldrin challenges curious kids to think about Mars as not just a faraway red planet but as a possible future home for Earthlings! 

What will your new home be like? How will you get there? What will you eat for breakfast? Find out what life might be like far, far from Earth as you navigate your way through this fun and fascinating book. What kid wouldn't want to blast off with him on this (literary) journey!

My Thoughts
Mars seems to be all the rage at the moment with recent studies apparently revealing "liquid water" on Mars and of course, the release of The Martian movie, which I can not wait to see! 
In this book, Buzz Aldrin has everything covered. He is a huge cheerleader for exploration of Mars and has studied what it might be like if we Earthlings ever attempted to inhabit the red planet. He has certainly done his homework! 
I have to admit, I was initially very reluctant when I picked up Welcome to Mars. I do not have a particular interest in space exploration, planets and the like. However, I found myself quickly captivated. It reads almost, like a travel guide with realistic photos and scenarios. I learned a ton! Did you know that Mars is the planet most like Earth in our solar system? And even at rocket speeds, it would take six months to get there! 

Welcome to Mars covers everything from food to clothing to recreation. There are fun little activities for kids to do throughout the books to explore size ratios, air pressure and designing living spaces. 
I know many kids will be fascinated by this book, but it is quite dense. I would recommend it for students in grades five and above as an independent read. It could be incorporated nicely as a read aloud during a solar system unit as well. 

Read what others have to say about Welcome to Mars.
Mother-Daughter Reviews
Word Spelunking

Three New Fall Releases by Little Gestalten

I  receive these three new visually stunning selections from Media Masters in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

The Small World of Paper Toys

by Gerald Lo Monaco

Expected release October 25, 2015

Little Gestalten

24 pages

This small and simple pop up book will have little ones flipping pages again and again. Each page features a classic toy such as a sailboat, fire truck, cars and a baby cradle in a colorful popup illustration on a clean, white background. Accompanying each toy is a short poem told in first person from the point of view of a child. 

I can't stop looking at it! 

The Night Watchman

by Jean Baptiste Lebrune and Jeremie Fischer

What seems at first to be a story about a night watchman soon takes on the feel of a dark, haunting, somewhat creepy folktale. This suspenseful tale is not for the very young. With sophisticated language, some violent images and a bit of romance, I would recommend it for ages 10 and up. The illustrations are very colorful and abstract and remind me somewhat of Ashley Bryan's work. 

Madame Eiffel

by Alice Briere-Haquet and Csil

Expected Publication November 2015 

Little Gestalten

This is an English translation of the French version published in 2014. The story is a fictionalized description of why Gustave Eiffel built The Eiffel Tower. While the English translation and its rhyme pattern is a bit awkward for me, the illustrations are very intriguing.  Using only black, white and pink with mostly thin lines, the illustrator gives the reader the experience of building and standing atop this famous tower.  For ages 5-8.