Review: Rachel’s Day in the Garden by Giselle Shardlow

About the Book

Title: Rachel’s Day in the Garden (A Kids Yoga Spring Colors Book)   
Author: Giselle Shardlow
Illustrator: Hazel Quintanilla
Publication Date: December 23, 2014
Publisher: Kids Yoga Stories
Number of pages: 34
Recommended age: 3 to 6 years

Summary: Experience the benefits of yoga while learning about the signs of spring!

Join Rachel as she and her adorable puppy look for signs of spring in the garden. Crawl like a caterpillar, buzz like a bee, and flutter like a butterfly. Discover spring, explore movement, and learn the colors of the rainbow.

The storybook includes a list of kids yoga poses and a parent-teacher guide.

Kids Yoga Stories introduce you to engaging characters who will get your child laughing, moving, and creating. Reading is good for the mind AND body! The story links several yoga poses in a specific sequence to create a coherent and meaningful story.

This spring yoga story for ages 3 to 6 is more than a storybook, but it’s also a unique experience for children.  Rachel’s Day in the Garden is the first book in a seasonal yoga book series. The summer yoga book is also now available: Ella’s Summer Fun.  The fall and winter ones are in production, coming soon!

AMAZON * BOOK WEBSITE * GOODREADS

My Opinion:

I love this book a lot!

I love the idea that Rachel and her dog, Sammy, exploring the garden while doing yoga, or perhaps doing yoga while exploring the garden? :) It gave me ideas to tell my nieces and nephews that while we're doing exercise outdoor, we'll get to see and learn things, too. So not only you'd be healthier (and more relax), you'd be more richer in experiences and knowledge. So it's definitely good for mind, body and soul. ;)

The illustrations were clear, beautiful, colorful, and somehow brings the joy in me and I couldn't help smiling while going through pages. Maybe it's because Rachel and Sammy seems to enjoy it so much and have those happy faces with them. ^^ 

This kind of book is to be read and enjoyed with children ages 3- 8. But I guess I got that too though I read it by myself. Adult like me can learn and do the simple pose for daily simple exercise. It's so simple that it can be done anywhere. Perhaps in your office after sitting and working for hours? Definitely good for stretching the muscles and relaxation.
Just like the other of her book, the poses in this book were simple and easy to follow. Even if (big if) you don't really get it while reading and going through the pages, there would be list of poses in the end of the book. I also love the fact that there's a Parent-Teacher Guide with tips to get the most out of experiences of yoga stories with young children.

Overall, I really really love and enjoy this book.

***I was given a digital copy for an honest review.

About the Author

Giselle Shardlow draws from her experiences as a teacher, traveler, mother, and yogi to write her yoga-inspired children’s books. This story was inspired by her unforgettable travels to Bali and her desire to share these experiences with her daughter. She lives in Boston with her husband and daughter.

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Goodreads

About the Illustrator

Since her childhood, Hazel Quintanilla has been passionate about illustration. This dedication to her art has led very talented authors from around the world to her. She has illustrated more than twenty books, and she hopes there will be many more to come. She lives in Guatemala with her husband and their three beautiful dogs.

Numbers Game : Book Blast + Giveaway

Numbers Game by Rebecca Rode

Treena is nervous for Rating Day. A single number will brand her forever—a valuable citizen, or a pathetic waste of space. Her top-Rated boyfriend is confident their scores will coincide so they can attend the academy together. But when the big day arrives, her true number shocks everyone. To get her life—and boyfriend—back, she must go undercover and expose a military spy. Doesn’t sound too hard, except that someone wants her dead. And then there’s Vance, the mysterious soldier with a haunted past and beautiful brown eyes. Together, they discover a dark numbers conspiracy, one that shatters the nation’s future. Treena must join up with Vance if she is to survive the dangerous game of numbers—and the terrible war that rages within her heart.

Amazon

Excerpt

“Your Rating is wrong,” Vance said. “Their precious Rating system says absolutely nothing about you and what you’re capable of.” 

I shook my head. “So far, everything I’ve done has proven my number absolutely correct.”

“Treena.” His tone softened. “I don’t know why you that happened to you. But I do know one thing.” He stopped on the step below me, and I whirled to face him. We were the same height now, and his expression was fierce. “You are the most loyal, the most determined, and the most fascinating girl I’ve ever met. No number could ever describe you.” 

The deadness inside cracked, and the pain came flooding back. I felt like a five-year-old again. Falling, grasping for a handhold, for something to save me. “It doesn’t matter now. Tali's dead.” 

He gave me a long look. Then he sat down, right on the steps, easing me down next to him. I lay my head on his shoulder and let him pull me close. The warmth of his embrace felt completely and utterly right. For a long moment, I allowed myself to forget about the past few days. There was no empress, no punishment mode, and no mission. There was just us. The world was cool and dark, and his touch sent my heart pumping as if it had just awakened from hibernation. 

“Dying isn't the worst thing to happen to someone,” he continued thoughtfully. “Anyone coward can die. The hardest thing is being left behind, trying to make sense of a world without them.” 

I tilted my head back and allowed myself to look up into Vance’s eyes. They were dark, pulling, as if absorbing all the light that entered, saving it for some future purpose. His eyebrows were choppy, untrimmed, and his lips chapped. But somehow, it worked. It was simply . . . him. No surgeries, no tallies of volunteer hours and checklists. Vance just took life one day at a time, keeping his family safe, trying to put the pieces of himself back together. I could see it, the pain in his heart. It was something we shared now. 

A warm feeling spread through my chest until I thought it would burst. This was who he really was. The tumultuous battle within him seemed to have trickled away, leaving one gallant, vulnerable boy. A boy who was looking at me as if I were something precious—who looked at me, instead of at my Rating. His eyes flitted between mine, his confidence replaced with uncertainty. 

“It feels good to finally choose sides, doesn’t it?”

“Whose side are you on, then?” 

His chin was just above mine, and he lowered it until our eyes were level. Then his hand tilted my chin upward toward his. His fingers brushed the side of my face, cradling it gently in his firm hand. I felt his breath on my face, felt the battle within him as well as I felt it in myself. But something pulled me toward him.

“Yours,” he said. He closed the distance between us, slowly, then paused. 

And our lips met.

Praise for the Book
"Gripping, from beginning to end . . . a tale as action-packed as Divergent yet as introspective as The Giver. . . . Sure to be an instant classic in the genre." –R.J. Craddock, author of The Children of Cain series

“Fluent and engaging . . . brimming with fabulous characters and intrigue that will keep you flipping pages. Can't wait to read the next book in this series!” –Adrienne Monson, author of the Blood Inheritance trilogy

“Had me hooked from the first page to the last . . . Thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend!” -Randy Roberts, BoredShorts TV (Kid History/Kid Snippets)



Author Rebecca Rode

REBECCA RODE is an award-winning author and journalist. She is the author of the inspirational book, How to Have Peace When You’re Falling to Pieces, and writes for Deseret News, KSL.com, FamilyShare, and Provo Daily Herald. However, her true love is writing for teenagers. She enjoys playing with her four children, traveling, reading, and martial arts, and she has a ridiculous addiction to her husband's chocolate-banana shakes.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Blog

    

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/9/15

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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March New Release Giveaway Hop (INT)

This Giveaway Hop is hosted by Librarian Lavender

Hi, there!

I'm glad to be able to participating in this hop again. And since this month one of my nieces is having her birthday (as well as her parents!), I'm thinking to giveaway a children book (actually, it's my sister's idea. :D). Even if you don't have kids (yet), maybe you could use it for other kids around. Niece? Nephew? Student? Neighbor? ^^
Anyway, I'm offering one of eight choices listed below... (3 choices consist of 2 books).

1st choice

2nd choice

3rd choice

4th choice

5th choice

6th choice

7th choice

8th choice

It is open to INTERNATIONAL as long as The Book Depository ships to your country (you can check it here). Just enter the rafflecopter below (please wait for few moments or use different browser) for the chance to win and good luck!

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Thanks for stopping by and entering. Good luck to you all. And have a wonderful month! Remember to hop to another awesome blogs! ^^

Maisy and the Money Marauder : Book Blast + Giveaway

Mother Daughter Book Reviews is pleased to be coordinating a Book Blast (February 17 to 18, 2015) for the second book in "The Maisy Files" mystery chapter book series by Elizabeth Woodrum, "Maisy and the Money Marauder". If you haven't had a chance to check out Book 1, you can grab a Kindle copy for FREE from Amazon February 17 and 18, 2015!

About the Book

Title: Maisy and the Money Marauder (The Maisy Files, Book #2) | Author: Elizabeth Woodrum | Publication Date: February 17, 2015 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 90 | Recommended Ages: 6 to 12 Summary: Lunch money has been stolen at West Valley Elementary, and everyone's favorite fourth-grade detective in on the case. With a cherry lollipop in hand, her fedora, and her trusty notebook, Maisy steps into her black-and-white mystery world to search for clues. Join Maisy on her quest to unmask a thief in Maisy and the Money Marauder.

Book 2 Available from Amazon

PLUS, Grab a FREE Kindle Copy of Book 1, Maisy and the Missing Mice from Amazon February 17 and 18, 2015.

Sneak Peek

 

The Buzz About Book One

"Maisy and the Missing Mice is a fun chapter book featuring a smart and sassy tween girl as the title character; a solid and interesting plot featuring age-appropriate intrigue and suspense; and some terrific writing that carries the reader on a journey as a detective uncovering clues and solving the mystery of who stole the missing mice. I highly recommend this book as a read aloud book for children between the ages of 6 and 10 or for independent readers between the ages of 7 and 12 who love to read mysteries." ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews

"Woodrum certainly knows her target audience and does a very nice job with the character development of Maisy. This is an incredibly kid-friendly story that makes a great introduction to the genre of mystery for newly independent readers. It's a quick page turning read that encourages kids to think outside of the box." ~ The Children's Book Review

"The delights from this book start with the cover art and continue with a fun story that is well-written." ~ 5 Star Review, R. Johnson, Amazon

"My name is Kat. I am 9 years old. I would rate this a five because I like everything about it, the mystery the most. It was fun to read. My favorite part was the mystery and the end. I love this book so much. I think other kids would love it too because it has mystery and most kids would like mystery books. Most mystery books have a good mystery. I would love to read the whole series." ~ 5 Star Review, Heather A., Amazon

"What an Amazing book. I totally love it. I admire the author dedication for writing an incredible book. While reading this book, it was very clear that author understand kids. I’ve always been an avid reader and this book is one of the best books I have read in 2014. This book grabs my attention from the very start of the book and couldn't put it aside till I finish it." ~ 5 Star Review, KristinT, Amazon

"I knew I would love this book simply because I knew it would remind me of the mystery books I read in my childhood. I really love how much trust the teachers and community as a whole put in Maisy. She is well deserving of their admiration as the way she finds clues and finds the mascot for the school is well thought out. This is a story any child would love to read. I hope Maisy continues to solve mysteries..." ~ 5 Star Review, Josh, Amazon

 

About the Author: Elizabeth Woodrum

Elizabeth Woodrum is an elementary teacher in Ohio. She came to love writing when she was in elementary school, but more recently began writing material for use in her classroom. From that writing, grew the desire to write books for the general population of children and adults alike. The Maisy Files, a children's series, is the first series that she has published. As a reader, Elizabeth prefers the fantasy genre, but she enjoys realistic fiction as well. Some of her favorite authors include JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Rick Riordan, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Nicholas Sparks. Originally from Indiana, Elizabeth currently resides near Dayton, Ohio with her two pets: a cat named Butterscotch and a dog named Reese Cup.

 Book Website | Author Blog 

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

 

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) 

Contest ends: March 16, 11:59 pm, 2015 

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, Elizabeth Woodrum 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.

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February New Release Giveaway Hop (INT)

Hi, there!

It's been a year since last time I participated in this giveaway hop. Decided to participate again this year. Hopefully I could really make it. I found myself loose an interest in reading for few months last year, though I kept collecting books. :D This year, I decided to cut down my TBR list. But still, I couldn't wait to have more books, including these six titles below. As the giveaway prize, I'm offering one of the title listed below which I want to have so bad...

Victoria Vane - Slow Hand

Sarah Morgan - First Time in Forever

Julia Quinn - The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy

Jillian Hunter - Forbidden to Love the Duke

Megan Frampton - The Dukes Guide to Correct Behavior

Jessica Lemmon - Bringing Home the Bad Boy

It is INTERNATIONAL as long as The Book Depository ships to your country (you can check it here). Enter the rafflecopter for the chance to win and good luck!

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Thanks for stopping by and entering. Good luck to you all. And have a wonderful month! Remember to hop to another awesome blogs! ^^

TWO YEAR Blogiversary! (INT Giveaway)

It's been two years since I have this book blog. I'm kind of surprise to see that I manage to go this far. I know I didn't post regularly. I mean, I only got 20 posts on 2014. I had no excuse except being lazy and demotivated because it's almost like one of the lowest year of my life. I guess I'm not a good book blogger since I was not that committed. 

Somehow I can't express how much I thank you to all those who remain following this blog. Through this blog, I got the chance to jump from one book blog to another, from one book lover to another, from one book to another, from one author to another, and many more... It's a never ending wonderful journey and I'm grateful for that! It’s been a great two years and I really hope there will be many more years to come.

And since today (January 30th) is my birthday, why not giving something away for these two special events. So as a way of saying thanks to this blog loyal followers, we (me, along with some wonderful book-lover friends of mine, one of them is having her birthday in early February ^^), are giving away:

My Crochet Doll by Isabelle Kessedjian

(will be sent from Book Depository or Amazon for US/Canada residents)

and

$15 Amazon Gift Card

There will be 2 winners: 1 winner will get the book, the other will get the $15 Amazon GC.  I will contact the winner via twitter or email. If I don't get a reply within 72 hours the prize will go to someone else.
It's an international giveaway as longs as Book Depository ships to your country (Check it HERE) or as long as you're able to receive the Gift Card.
Ends in February 15th.

Enter the Rafflecopter below (if you didn't see it, please wait while it's loading)

Good luck!

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