The Snipe Hunt Game #Review!

Kids look forward to finding gifts to play with for Summer Break, Christmas and their birthdays. But what if this year you added a twist by hiding a fun gift around the house and played a game to see who could find it first?

The Snipe Hunt Game from Education Outdoors is a fun activity in which two Snipes are used. The object of the game is to be the first player/team to find the other players/teams Snipe first. If the Snipes have not been found after a period of time, they start to chirp and their eyes light up. Kids are sure to get a kick out of the extra hunt for this gift.




Our Mission
With the average child watching over 20 hours a week of television, and with statistics showing violent images shown on t.v. reaching over 8,000 per child, Education Outdoors Inc. has been embraced by families that long for a refreshing change in the types of products available to their children. In a very short time, CAMP has received excellent support locally in Michigan, as well as nationally by selling over 1000 games in its first month. “It is our mission to bring families together to interact and learn about the outdoors.”

About Education Outdoors Inc.
Education Outdoors Inc. was created by Tim Paczesny in 2005. Before Education Outdoors, Tim had founded a non-profit organization called “The League of Extraordinary Outdoorsmen”. The League organized a family fishing day once a year that was held during the free fishing weekend in Michigan. During this event, Tim realized the need to educate children and their families about the outdoors.

The motivating factor to this initial realization occurred while Tim was gathering Morel mushrooms with his wife and two daughters in Northern Michigan. Tim’s daughter noticed an animal track on the ground and asked her dad what it could be. He told her that it was a raccoon track. “Dad, how did you learn all the things you know about nature?” With that question, Education Outdoors Inc. was created and its first educational board game was about to be developed. During the winter of 2005 and into 2006, Tim was dedicated to making his dream become a reality. He finished 400 questions and 100 fun facts about animals and the great outdoors. This completed the first game called “Camp— The Game That Grows With You”.

My Review:
My children LOVE their Snipes! Each snipe has a name, and they look like cute little bunnies, to be honest. They would be super cute to give any child for indoor or outdoor play. Since the weather here is unpredictable, my children play with their snipes indoors a lot. So when they get bored, I tell them to go play with their snipes, and off they go for a little bit.

The game box itself says ages 5 and up, but my three and a half year old loves to play and it's easy, and so much fun!

Check out the Snipe Hunt Game along with other products at: http://www.educationoutdoors.net/.You can also purchase The Snip Hunt game here on amazon.

Connect with Education Outdoors on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.


Disclosure: I received one The Snipe Hunt game in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Elmo's World: Elmo Wonders DVD #Review & #Giveaway! (U.S.) Ends 2/14 #Elmo #contests

Get ready to think about the outside world like you never have before with everyone’s favorite red furry monster as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street whose mission is to help children grow smarter, stronger and kinder, get set to release Elmo’s World: Elmo Wonders on DVD.  Over two hours of fun, this wonderful compilation also features “Elmo’s World: Transportation” for the first time on DVD. As an added bonus segment, Elmo’s good friend Ernie joins the fun to sing the “I Wonder” song.

In Elmo’s World: Elmo Wonders, Elmo wonders all about the exciting and adventurous world around him. Sesame Street’s curious red monster takes preschoolers on a journey to learn all about the sky, weather, doctors, bicycles, jumping and many other things inquisitive little kids like yours ask questions about.

Review:
I like Elmo's World because my children have learnd so much from watching Sesame Street and Elmo. They learned things about the weather, jumping, firefighters, bicycles, mail, and more! This DVD is a great learning tool at home, in the car and in the classroom!

Win It!

Enter below for a chance to Win your own copy of "Elmo's World: Elmo Wonders" on DVD! Giveaway is open to residents who live in the main 48 continental United States only. Giveaway ends 2/14/16.

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Disclosure: I received a copy of Elmo's World: Elmo Wonders on DVD in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

LEGO® Friends: Girlz 4 Life Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack #Review & #Giveaway! (U.S.) Ends 2/7 #LegoFriends

ON BLU-RAY COMBO PACK, DVD and DIGITAL HD FEBRUARY 2, 2016

First Ever LEGO® Friends Original Movie!

In LEGO® Friends: Girlz 4 Life, friendships are tested when mega popstar, Livi, comes to Heartlake City. On February 2, 2016 Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and The LEGO Group will release LEGO® Friends: Girlz 4 Life on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD.

Our friends must devise and execute a plan—and fast—when popstar Livi’s manager steals the girls’ hit song: Girlz. As Livi gains more fame and recognition from the new hit single, the girls try to share the truth behind the song in hopes that Livi will do the right thing. As the friends set their plan into motion, they come to realize that fame doesn’t mean everything and friendship is the most precious thing in the world! Join Olivia, Stephanie, Emma, Mia and Andrea as they learn one of life’s most important lessons while having fun along the way.



“Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is thrilled to team up with The LEGO® Group once again to release LEGO® Friends: Girlz 4 Life on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing. “Fans of the LEGO® Friends television program and line of construction toys will feel right at home in Heartlake City with the always confident and fun group of girlfriends in this new film.”

LEGO® Friends: Girlz 4 Life Digital HD on January 19 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD on February 2.

Win It!

Enter below using the Giveaway Tools form for a chance to Win your own copy of "LEGO® Friends: Girlz 4 Life" Blu-Ray/DVD Combo pack! Giveaway open to residents in the main 48 continental United States only. Giveaway ends 2/7/16.

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Disclosure: I received a copy of LEGO® Friends: Girlz 4 Life on DVD from Warner Bros. in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Check Out "Holiday Nail Art: 24 Design Projects" from Schiffer Books #Giveaway! (2 Winners) (U.S.) Ends 1/24 #NailArt #contests #giveaways @schifferfashion

Start off 2016 with a year’s worth of nail art inspiration with Holiday Nail Art: 24 Design Projects by Janel Lucas. Janel provides two projects for every month of the year!

Now you can create fashionable and stylish do-it-yourself nail art designs in seasonal themes! With simple and easy-to-follow steps and tutorials for 24 holiday projects, designers at all levels can learn techniques to transform fingernails into attention-grabbing conversational art. Included is an assortment of festive projects that can be completed with ordinary nail polish and an easy-to-find nail art tool. Create hearts and roses for Valentine’s Day, shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day, polka dots for spring, bunnies and painted eggs for Easter, neon stripes for summer, and more! From pumpkins, turkeys, snowflakes, and ornaments to fireworks and confetti, you don’t have to be a professional to have fun painting your nails!

About the Author:
Janel Lucas is a self-taught nail artist and professional beauty freelance writer in the Cleveland, Ohio area. She started doing her own nails at a very young age and her love for creating her own nail art designs has evolved over the years. Janel’s designs have been featured on several beauty websites and in print magazines.

Follow Schiffer Books on twitter! https://twitter.com/SchifferFashion

Like Schiffer Books on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/SFPFashionBooks

Catch up with Schiffer Books on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/schifferfashion/

Win It!

Enter below using the Giveaway Tools form for a chance to Win a copy of "Holiday Nail Art: 24 Design Projects" book. There will be 2 Winners! Giveaway is open to residents of the main 48 continental United States only, 18 years of age or older.

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Disclosure: I received no compensation for posting for Schiffer books. I wanted to share this cute Nail Art book with you. Sponsor is responsible for mailing out prizes.

PAN! (Movie) #Review

SYNOPSIS
Peter (Levi Miller) is a mischievous 12-year-old boy with an irrepressible rebellious streak, but in the bleak London orphanage where he has lived his whole life those qualities do not exactly fly. Then one incredible night, Peter is whisked away from the orphanage and spirited off to a fantastical world of pirates, warriors and fairies called Neverland. There, he finds amazing adventures and fights life-or-death battles while trying to uncover the secret of his mother, who left him at the orphanage so long ago, and his rightful place in this magical land. Teamed with the warrior Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara) and a new friend named James Hook (Garrett Hedlund), Peter must defeat the ruthless pirate Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman) to save Neverland and discover his true destiny—to become the hero who will forever be known as Peter Pan.

My Review:
I have seen most versions of Peter Pan. I really liked this one. I didn't think that I would, but I did. It's for adults and children alike, it's also rated PG. There was nothing scary about it. I think the reason that it's PG is because of a little name calling and it could be a little scary in the beginning for 3-5 year olds. But other than that, this movie was awesome! Unlike other Peter Pan movies, this one tells about how Peter Pan, became the Peter Pan that we all know and love, and how the lost boys came to be! I watched it recently with my three children ages 3 1/2, 6 1/2 and 8. My oldest is a boy and my other two children are girls, they all liked it. If your looking for a rainy or snowy day movie to watch, PAN is your go to movie! I can't wait to watch it again!

PAN is currently available to own on Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack or DVD or on Digital HD!

"Crazy Legs" Games #Review! #HolidayGiftGuide

CRAZY LEGS from Endless games, a game that gets players up and moving. Each space on the game board represents a new physical challenge for children and families to jump, twist, shake and exercise their way to victory! Find lots of other great travel games and board games at www.endlessgames.com.

My Review:
My children and I love this game! It keeps us active, we get to act silly, but most of all, we have a whole lot of fun playing it! They have asked to play it everyday. It's their new favorite game. I can't wait to create more memories with this game during Winter Break which is coming up in two weeks! Each person picks a colored token to represent them, you spin on the board to land on a number and you move that many spaces. If you land on a colored spot, you choose a card from the pile which includes a physical action. But if you land on the Crazy Dance space, everyone has to get get up and do their own crazy dance for 10 seconds. We just counted to ten while we danced. I bet we all looked silly! But we were having so much fun! This game is for people ages 3 and up. Young children as well as adults will have a blast playing Crazy Legs!


Disclosure: I received one crazy legs game in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Laurie Berkner's Favorite Classic Kids' Songs CD #Review & #Giveaway! (US/CAN) Ends 11/8 #HolidayGiftGuide #StockingStuffer

Laurie explains, "I made my first recording, Whaddaya Think Of That? because I wanted families to have a way to listen at home to the songs I was singing with their kids in the classroom, especially the ones I had written, which they wouldn't have know otherwise.  I included traditional songs, too, because I wanted some of the music to be very familiar.  With each consecutive album, my own originals became more and more of what the kids wanted to sing, so I got away from recording the traditional songs I grew up with.  Now, with Laurie Berkner's Favorite Classic Kids' Songs, I'm doing the opposite and exploring many of the songs that were so formative for me and helpful in my early days as a music teacher."

A former preschool teacher by day and indie rocker by night, Laurie Berkner started marketing her music more than fifteen years ago from her living room on her own label, Two Tomatoes Records.  She is now widely recognized as a pioneer in the "kindie" music genre and was crowned "the undisputed queen of kindie rock" by USA Today.  The Wall Street Journal noted, "Her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grown-ups."

Laurie was the first artist to ever appear in music videos on Nick Jr. and was featured in nearly all the episodes of the channel's Jack's Big Music Show (now available on the NOGGIN video subscription app). She currently stars in the animated musical short-form series Sing it, Laurie! on the Sprout preschool channel, makes regular appearances on Sprout's Sunny Side Up Show, and is a frequent presence on SiriusXM's Kids Place Live channel.

The Laurie Berkner Band features: Laurie Berkner, vocals/guitar; Susie Lampert, keyboards; Brady Rymer, bass; and Bobby Golden, drums/percussion.  Visit Laurie Berkner's website for more about the band, including press photos and tour dates. 

The legendary Laurie Berkner — crowned "the queen of children's music" by People Magazine — released her tenth album on October 23rd. Laurie Berkner's Favorite Classic Kids' Songs will be a two-disc set including 51 well-loved, traditional children's songs, plus six "bonus" tracks of favorite Laurie Berkner originals. This is the only album Laurie has ever created that is comprised almost exclusively of traditional songs.

Says Laurie, “I grew up with many of these songs, and I’m sure parents and grandparents will remember a lot of them from their own childhoods. I’m excited about sharing these classics with kids who may not have heard them before and also introducing my versions of songs that might already be family favorites. In the true folk tradition, I’ve added some of my own lyrics and my own spin to many of these traditional songs. I’ve kept a folk or rock feel for most of the numbers, with a little reggae thrown in here and there for fun!”

Check out Laurie's website HERE.

Laurie Berkner on Youtube.

Laurie Berkner on Facebook.

Laurie Berkner on Twitter.

My Review:
I LOVE Laurie Berkner's Favorite Classic Kids' Songs CD! I too grew up listening to many of these songs! My father loves trains and he taught me "The Little Red Caboose" and "I've Been Working on the Railroad," and more! It's been fun listening to this CD with my three children in the car and teaching them the songs too! Some of the songs are changed up a little bit. To me, they sound a little jazzy and it makes them more fun to listen to. Some of the songs are "Amazing Grace," "The Wheels on the Bus," "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" (which my children loved) and "There's a Hole in the Bucket" (my 6 year old daughter and I were busting up laughing after this song was over!).

Laurie Berkner's Favorite Classic Kids' Songs CD is now available for purchase on amazon.com.

Win It!

Enter below using the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win your own copy of Laurie Berkner's Favorite Classic Kids' Songs on CD! Giveaway is open to residents in All 50 U.S. States & Canada!

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Disclosure: I received a copy of Laurie Berkner's Favorite Classic Kids' Songs on CD in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Jane the Virgin The Complete First Season DVD!

Named AFI Top 10 Program of the Year 2014,

2014 Peabody Award Winner,

Winner Of The 2015 Golden Globe^® Awards For Best Performance By An Actress (Gina Rodriguez) In A Television Series - Comedy Or Musical,

2015 People’s Choice Award  Winner For Favorite New TV Comedy

Just in time for the season two premiere on The CW, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings the critically acclaimed series from showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman and Emmy® and Golden Globe-winning executive producer Ben Silverman (The Office, Ugly Betty, The Biggest Loser). Based off of the Venezuelan telenovela Juana La Virgen, the series stars Golden Globe Winner Gina Rodriguez (Filly Brown, Go for It! Our Family Wedding), Andrea Navedo (Remember Me, Washington Heights), Yael Grobglas (Reign), Justin Baldoni (Everwood, Spring Break Shark Attack), Ivonne Coll (Teen Wolf, Switched At Birth) Brett Dier (Ravenswood), and Jaime Camil (Qué Pobres Tan Ricos). The 5-disc DVD set includes all 22 episodes from the first season, plus hilarious never-before-seen bonus features. Jane The Virgin: The Complete First Season is priced to own at $49.99 SRP. Now available to purchase.

Synopsis:

Set in Miami, Jane The Virgin follows the surprising and unforeseen events that take place in the life of Jane Villanueva. Jane (Rodriguez) is a 23 year old hard-working, religious Latina woman, whose family tradition and vow to save her virginity until marriage to a long time boyfriend and detective, is shattered when her doctor mistakenly artificially inseminates her during a checkup. And to make matters worse, the biological donor is a married man, a former playboy, and cancer survivor who is not only the new owner of the hotel where Jane works, but was also her former teenage crush.

The DVD Includes All 22 One-Hour Episodes From The First Season, Plus Never-Before-Seen Featurettes, And Much More!

DVD BONUS FEATURES

•      Jane the Virgin: Immaculate Creation

Go behind the scenes and get a peek into the creation of the show.

•       Getting to Know the Cast of Jane the Virgin

How well do the cast know each other? We’ll find out with this fun featurette as the co-stars get an opportunity to ask each other questions and guess each other’s answers.

•      Gag Reel

•      Deleted Scenes

Disclosure: I received a copy of Jane the Virgin Season 1 on DVD in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Sesame Street: Play All Day With Elmo DVD #Review! #Elmo #SesameStreet

ELMO WANTS TO HAVE A PLAY DATE…WITH YOU!

SESAME STREET: PLAY ALL DAY WITH ELMO

Includes Over Two Hours of Fun With Your Furry Red Friend Elmo!

Elmo is ready to share all his favorite games with your little one as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Sesame Workshop, the non-profit, educational organization whose mission is to help kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder, released Sesame Street: Play All Day With Elmo on DVD September 8, 2015.. Sesame Street: Play All Day With Elmo includes the full length episode “Simon Says,” bonus content and exciting video segment “Elmo’s World: Games.” The title’s release also aligns with the launch of the new Play All Day Elmo toy from Hasbro.

Spend the afternoon dancing, jumping, and clapping while playing all of Elmo’s favorite games. Preschoolers will join Elmo to play Freeze Dance, Red Light Green Light, Elmo Says, and more. Elmo helps make learning fun with his interactive approach to teaching children his favorite games. Sesame Street: Play All Day With Elmo will have your toddler bouncing up and down with excitement while practicing important executive function skills such as self-control, following directions and paying attention.

“Warner Bros Home Entertainment is thrilled to announce the newest addition to the Sesame Street collection, Sesame Street: Play All Day With Elmo,” said Jeff Brown, WBHE Executive Vice President and GM of Non-Theatrical Franchise Marketing. “Elmo continues to be one of the most loveable preschool characters of all time and we are happy to share yet another exciting title starring America’s favorite furry red monster.”

Purchase your copy today!

Disclosure: I received a copy of Sesame Street: Play All Day With Elmo on DVD in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Check Out This Adorable Spider-Girl Costume! #Halloween #HalloweenCostumes #DressUp #Review #ad

We recently had a chance to review a Spider-Girl Costume from Wholesale Halloween Costumes. My youngest daughter is three years old, and she's beginning to learn about superheroes from her siblings. Her favorites so far are Superman and Spider man, so it was super awesome to find this adorable Spider-Girl Costume with a Tutu! My two little girls also love tutus!

The Spider-Girl Costume fits over her head easily and has no velcro on it at all. Nothing inside itched her back or waist at all, which we've had issues with while wearing costumes in the past. The Spider-Girl Mask was a little loose. But with the help of a small safety pin in the back of the elastic, on the back of her head, it fit nicely! We ordered this costume is a Girl's Small, and my daughter wears a 3T-4T in toddlers. So it fit her perfectly. If you purchase any of the Superhero Costumes for your little one, please plan to buy them in larger sizes for your children (girls) then the sizes they normally wear. Most of the boys costumes fit true to size, but the little girl ones run smaller.

Here is my baby girl in her Spider-Girl Costume! She asked to wear it all day, but I'd like to save it for Halloween.

And don't forget, this costume has the Twirl Factor! She loved dancing around and twirling in this costume!

Make sure to follow Wholesale Halloween Costumes on Facebook to keep up with the latest discount codes and more!

Disclosure: I received one Spider-Girl Costume in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

The Flash: The Complete First Season #Review! #TheFlash

Own it on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD September 22, 2015

Synopsis:

Central City forensic investigator Barry Allen is, always charming and – as a result of a scientific experiment gone awry – now the fastest man alive! He’s The Flash, zigzagging through the action-packed new series from the creative team behind Arrow and based on the supersonic DC Comics character. With his life shadowed by his mother’s murder and his father wrongly convicted of the crime, Barry finds that his newfound power of super speed grants him the ability to move through Central City like an unseen guardian angel. Barry quickly discovers he’s not the only “metahuman” created by the explosive disaster – and not everyone is using their new powers for good. Now, to protect the innocent, Barry and his close friends who know his secret, race to combat evildoers in one astonishing adventure after another.

My Review:

I like The Flash. We've seen every episode so far. I can't wait to see what Season 2 holds, even if it means that The Flash is rescuing people every show, then so be it! I'd rather watch that then a show where someone dies every single show and people have to find out who did it, every single show. You can tell that I'm not much for CSI type shows! I like action, Sci-Fi and romance, which The Flash has all of it, and then some! The Flash will keep you interested in the story and in finding out what happened in Barry's past. Which you need to see Season 1 in order to find out some of what happened! Can The Flash get his father out of jail and prove his father's innocents? Watch Season 1 and find out!

Disclosure: I received a copy of The Flash Season 1 in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Eighth Season #Review! #BigBangTheory

Own it on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital HD September 15, 2015

Synopsis:
With Leonard finally engaged to girl-across-the-hall Penny after countless proposals, the possibilities for happiness seem endless…while the probability for laughs is a foregone conclusion. What’s unknown is how this might impact the ironclad “Roommate Agreement” he’s entered into with Sheldon. Add to this, Sheldon’s uncomfortably close relationship with neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler; Raj’s newfound ability to talk to and date women; and Howard and Bernadette’s solution to an in-house caretaker (their friend Stuart) for the always outspoken Mrs. Wolowitz, and the worlds of science and sitcom are about to hilariously collide!

My Review:
We watch and record The Big Bang Theory. We have watched Sheldon and Amy grow closer, Howard and Bernadette get married, Howard's mother passing away and Leonard and Penny finally get engaged! If you haven't seen Season 8 of The Big Bang Theory, you really missed a lot.


Disclosure: I received a copy of The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Eighth Season on DVD in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Supernatural: The Complete Tenth Season #Review!

Synopsis:

After Dean Winchester lost his battle with power-mad angel scribe Metatron last season, he was resurrected by the power of the First Blade and transformed into a demon, cursed with the Mark of Cain. The road to recovering wayward Dean takes brother Sam down sinister paths himself, with consequences that will shake the boys to their core. The Winchesters’ angelic comrade-in-arms Castiel must pick up the pieces in the aftermath of Metatron’s campaign to overtake Heaven. With his divine “grace” failing and rogue angels still loose, Cass faces the ticking clock of his own mortality while all-new and ages-old threats again push our heroes to their human and otherworldly limits. At the same time, the King of Hell, Crowley, must deal with dissension within his own twisted family. Supernatural: The Complete Tenth Season will unleash your inner demon and hold you spellbound.

My Review:

I have been watching Supernatural since it started and I even watch TV shows that Sam & Dean were in before Supernatural. It's one of my favorite shows and one I can't wait to see more of! I do hope they come up with some better story lines for Season 11 though. Dean still has the Mark of Cane which Sam is trying to figure out how to get it off of him. Heaven is falling apart, again! Which leaves you wondering what is going to happen to Heaven and great angels like Cass. Crowley's Mom keeps trying to interfere with Sam & Dean's relationship with Crowley. They were working together to keep the peace. And now Crowley's mother has messed things up, again.

Disclosure: I received a copy of Supernatural Season 10 on DVD in exchange for my review post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Princess Cupcake Jones - Children's Books #Review! #BackToSchool

Princess Cupcake Jones, is the perfect read for your small children to learn and grasp valuable life lessons to take with them while they’re at school. The Princess Cupcake Jones stories teach all readers that ALL races are beautiful and to love and accept everyone for whom they are.

Cupcake Jones, recently featured on Fox News in a Back to School segment, is an inspirational role model for little boys and girls to look up to. Her three books,Princess Cupcake Jones and the Missing Tutu, Princess Cupcake Jones Won’t Go to School, and Princess Cupcake Jones and the Queen’s Closet all teach her readers incredibly important valuable life-lessons that they can take along with them and keep in their minds whilst entering their first big adventure.

The Princess Cupcake Jones books are not only fantastic reading experiences, but all three books also consist of subtle positive messages within every illustrated page. The word “LOVE” is hidden within each page to remind each child what really matters most.

Princess Cupcake Jones and the Missing Tutu

Follow Princess Cupcake Jones in her first book, Princess Cupcake Jones and the Missing Tutu. In this adventure, when her beloved tutu goes missing, Cupcake learns the importance of tidying up and putting things in their proper place. Join Princess Cupcake Jones as she searches her palace in hopes of finding her tutu and discovers hidden treasures along the way.

Princess Cupcake Jones Won't Go to School

Princess Cupcake returns! In the second book of the Series, Princess Cupcake Jones Won't Go To School, national award-winning author Ylleya Fields delivers a valuable message about facing fears of starting school. With the same gentle, rhyming cadence and vibrant illustrations, this captivating story helps children and their parents learn about sharing feelings, taking risks, and being supportive for new adventures. All will delight and learn as Princess Cupcake finally begins her first day of school.

Princess Cupcake Jones and the Queen's Closet

One day, Princess Cupcake finds a special box in the closet that she hasn't seen before. Curiosity propels to explore what lies within the mystery box. And once she looks inside, she finds herself in a shoe-filled situation that is more than she could have imagined!

You can shop for these three children's books, shirts, Princess Cupcake's Tutu, print out coloring pages that go along with the books, word searches and more from www.princesscupcakejones.com! You can also purchase Princess Cupcake books on amazon and at most book retailers. LIKE Princess Cupcake on Facebook.


Disclosure: I received all three Princess Cupcakes children's books in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Gorillas in Our Midst - Children's Book #Review! #Gorillas

My Review:

Gorillas in Our Midst is a cute children's book. It's for children ages three to six years old, although everyone will love it. They will love seeing the adorable, beautifully done, illustrations by Richard Fairgray, who is legally blind, which makes them even more amazing! This book is cute, funny and overall, easy for my six year old daughter to relate to. Reading this book might even make you want a banana! Gorillas in Our Midst is now available for purchase at your local book stores nationwide and online too!

About the book:

Gorillas can be hard to spot, because they are masters of disguise and really good at hiding. Gorillas often have jobs where they get to wear masks—that’s why so many gorillas are surgeons, astronauts, scuba divers, and ninjas. There are adult gorillas and kid gorillas. There are even gorillas that go to school with you. You may think you’ve seen a gorilla swinging by before, but it’s much more likely that he was an orangutan—orangutans are terrible at hiding. You will know when there are lots of gorillas living in your midst because the grocery stores will be entirely out of bananas. In fact, you should always carry a banana with you, because you never know when there might be a gorilla around.

Richard Fairgray is New Zealand’s most prolific and highest selling comic writer and artist with over 150 titles to his name. His main focus has been comic books, but he has taken time out during his life to work on films, to perform stand-up comedy, to teach high school, and to stick labels on honey jars. He has been working exclusively in comics for the last six years with long-time collaborator Terry Jones. Their main work together is the on-going series called Blastosaurus. Though Fairgray is legally blind, he is the illustrator of this book. http://www.newsarama.com/3544-life-imitates-art-legally-blind-creator-brings-comic-to-us.html

Disclosure: I received a copy of Gorillas in Our Midst in exchange for my review post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Ally-saurus & the First Day of School - Children's Book #Review & #Giveaway & Twitter #Contest! (U.S.) Ends 8/16 #Allys1stDay #BackToSchool

Ally-saurus & the First Day of School is an adorable new picture book from Richard Torrey that celebrates the boundless imagination of children. When Ally roars off to her first day at school, she hopes she'll meet lots of other dinosaur-loving kids in class. Instead, she's the only one chomping her food with fierce dino teeth and drawing dinosaurs on her nameplate. Even worse, a group of princess-obsessed girls won’t let her sit with them at lunch. Will Ally ever make new friends?

With colorful illustrations that expertly capture the diverse personalities of Ally and her classmates, Ally-saurus & the First Day of School encourages young readers to embrace their differences while also preparing them for new experiences, such as a big move, a new summer camp, or, as in the book, a new school. Add in a charming heroine, a delightful surprise ending, and Walter—a boy in love with his bright, yellow lunchbox—and you have a fun and hilarious read-aloud story that will leave children eager for more of Ally and her imaginative new friends. Ally-saurus & the First Day of School is now available for purchase at your local book store and online at websites like amazon.

My Review:
Ally-saurus & the First Day of School is an adorable book! Ally goes to school thinking that everyone else likes dinosaurs like her. Then she learns that everyone is different and that her classmates all like different things. She comes to find out at lunch time, that some of the other kids like to Roar too, like dragons and lions! By the end of the day, Ally becomes friends and playmates with her new classmates.

I feel that this book can help little ones going into PreK and Kindergarten and even into 1st grade overcome the feelings that come with starting school for the first, second or third time. We all get nervous, even us parents! This is a Must Own book for everyone!

In honor of the new school year, author Richard Torrey is offering teachers, librarians, parents, and picture book lovers the opportunity to win one of three signed copies of his latest picture book, Ally-saurus & the First Day of School (Sterling Childrens Books, May 2015). To enter the contest, Rich is having contestants wish Ally-saurus luck on her first day by tweeting at her using Hashtag #Allys1stDay.

Rich will also be sending tweets to various U.S. and Canadian school districts from his own handle, @richtorrey, to wish them a happy first day on their first days of school. The contest will end after the very last first day of school on September 9th (lucky NYC and Seattle!). Ally-saurus & the First Day of School is the perfect book for any child starting a new school year, and Mr. Torrey would love to give as many people as possible the opportunity to win a copy for your personal, public, or classroom library.

Enter below using the Rafflecopter form to win your own copy of "Ally-saurus & the First Day of School!" Giveaway open to residents in the main 48 continental United States only.

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Disclosure: I received a copy of Ally-saurus & the First Day of School in exchange for my review and giveaway post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

The Fifth Letter - Book #Giveaway! (U.S.) Ends 8/13 #TheFifthLetter

According to our Supreme Court corporations and people are both entitled to certain fundamental rights. Per the Monday SCOTUS rulings about raisins and hotels, corporations won even more beneficial constitutional protections. Are corporations people too?

“It’s time for people to take political action in the United States,” declares author and scholar Dr. Vivian Carpenter. In her new book, The Fifth Letter, Dr. Carpenter has done the research, and uses this incredible story to inform how Corporate Personhood is an evolving—and dangerous—threat to our individual basic rights. An accomplished scholar whose previous research was founded by The National Science Foundation and The Ford Foundation, Dr. Carpenter channels her platform to the U.S. Citizens through a riveting account of what could happen if this issue stays under the radar.
Former U.S. Senator Bob Graham said it well, “Frequently political novels are a genre for truth telling. Dr. Vivian Carpenter’s description of inside Washington rings true. The Fifth Letter takes us forward to a United States Supreme Court foreshadowed by the current court’s personalities and political tilt. This novel will engage and educate readers.”

A fascinating, informed, and engaging personality, Dr. Carpenter now has immediate availability for interviews and feature/profile opportunities around the release of The Fifth Letter to talk about:

• Who is a person with inalienable rights in America?
• Examples of corporate personhood influence and consequences to Americans
• How individuals can fuel healthy debate around inalienable rights and what it will take to level the playing field with corporations
• How corporations have superior rights to individuals, in turn weakening our national security

Excerpt:

Our economy is in decline because of the ruthless pursuit of rational self-interest on Wall Street, Main Street and Union Street.

Our economic transformation must go forth on a platform of enlightened self-interest. Everyone must wake up and take action. Everyone matters.
We are a group of enlightened souls with passion in our hearts that drives us to fight for what is morally right—We share the spirit and passion of General George Washington. That spirit compels us to act in the face of great danger.
If you won’t issue the fifth letter, you’ll leave us with no choice. This is war. 

About The Fifth Letter:

A highly impressive work of fiction built around deep research of American history and our inalienable rights brings to life Vivian Carpenter’s debut political thriller, The Fifth Letter. The story of courageous Katherine Helena Ross, the first black female Supreme Court justice caught between her conscience and political expedience when forced to consider the most important question facing the U.S. Supreme Court today: Who is a person with inalienable rights?

Former U.S. Senator Bob Graham said it well, “Frequently political novels are a genre for truth telling. Dr. Vivian Carpenter’s description of inside Washington rings true. The Fifth Letter takes us forward to a United States Supreme Court foreshadowed by the current court’s personalities and political tilt. This novel will engage and educate readers.”

The protagonist, Katherine, struggles to do what is right— facing death threats, manipulation, and personal challenges along the way. Inspired by her mother’s 1940s memoir, Katherine finds the courage to turn the spotlight on, and help the public understand the most important issue facing Americans: inferior individual rights.

Recognizing the need for radical change, Carpenter explains, “The Fifth Letter is about us. All of us. I hope it will open the doors of your mind.”

About the Author:

Vivian L. Carpenter is a writer, motivational speaker, and teacher. She holds three degrees from the University of Michigan: a BSE in industrial engineering and operations research and MBA and a Ph.D. in business administration. As an academic, she has won several awards and grants for her scholarly work in institutional theory from the National Science Foundation, Governmental Accounting Standards Board, Kellogg Foundation and Ford Foundation. As a business professional, she served as a Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Michigan, was Director of Academic Programs at FAMU’s School of Business and Industry (SBI), and served as chairperson of the board of MotorCity Casino in Detroit, Michigan. She lives in Tallahassee, Florida and Birmingham, Michigan.

The Fifth Letter is available for order via all major online retailers, including Amazon ($15.99 paperback, $29.99 hardcover, $9.99 eBook) or www.thefifthletter.com.

Enter below using the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win your own copy of "The Fifth Letter!"


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Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

The Mystery Hat - Children's Book #Review & #Giveaway! (U.S.) Ends 8/9 #TheMysteryHat

The Mystery Hat is a great children's book write by Danish animator duo Rune Brandt Bennicke and Jakob Hjort Jensen. Mr. Jensen also illustrated the book! Recommended for children ages three to six. I can't say much more about it then what's below. The imaginations of the crow, pig and beaver of where the hat came from or who it belonged to are awesome.

Crow, Pig and Beaver are taking a nice stroll in the woods when they come across a red hat sitting in a puddle. Whose hat is it? What mysterious circumstances could have brought it to this very puddle? Crow thinks that Bear lost the hat when he fell into a giant hole. Perhaps Bear is holding his breath underground, waiting to be saved! Beaver thinks he’s got a better idea. Maybe Turtle, who was wearing the hat, was snatched up and made into yummy turtle soup by a crazed snowman! Can Pig come up with a logical explanation so that the friends can be rid of all these hogwash ideas?

Imaginations run wild in this hilarious picture book from Rune Brandt Bennicke and Jakob Hjort Jensen. The Mystery Hat is sure to get a chuckle from all during this last leg of winter and would be a great addition to any child’s bookshelf!

Rune Brandt Bennicke is a celebrated Danish animator with seventeen years of experience in the industry. After working at A-Film in Denmark, he moved to London’s Amblimation Studio and then worked at Walt Disney Studios in Florida. He is now a supervising animator at DreamWorks. Jakob Hjort Jensen, a fellow Danish animator, is a veteran of the animation industry. He has worked for Disney Animation and Imagi Animation. He is also a supervising animator at DreamWorks, where he has worked since its inception in 1995. Both now live in Los Angeles, California.

Here is a great book teaser that shows the process behind the wonderful drawings as well as animated scenes of the final characters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ta85qMybic

Enter below using the Rafflecopter form, for a chance to win your own copy of "The Mystery Hat" children's book! Giveaway open to residents who live in the main 48 United States only, 18 years of age or older. No P.O. Boxes please.

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Disclosure: I received a copy of the book mentioned above in exchange for my post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Mason Jar Crafts for Kids Book #Review! #MasonJars #CraftsForKids #MasonJarCrafts

For some of us living in the United States, in the south, school starts in a week and a half. The kids here only get about nine weeks for summer, wish it was longer. We've really had a lot of fun! But for some people living in the U.S., their kids have a month or more before school starts again, as they get the whole month of August off too!

"Mason Jar Crafts for Kids: More than 25 cool, crafty projects to make for your friends, your family and yourself!" will give your children, ages seven and up, depending on the child, some awesome crafts to do with Mason Jars for the rest of their summer, or on the weekends when it's raining or too hot to play outside! Maybe they can create some of these awesome crafts to give to friends and family for Christmas in five months! I can't wait to make a few "Thumbprint Sunflower Jars" for gifts for others for Christmas!

Mason Jar Crafts for Kids even has a few little experiments inside for children to do, such as "Color Changing Flowers," "Color Burst in a Jar" and "Bubbling Brew."

A trend popularized by Pinterest and DIYers all over the world, Mason jars are no longer just for canning. Their crafting possibilities are almost limitless! Mason Jar Crafts for Kids provides exactly what the title promises. This wonderfully creative book will keep kids and parents busy all year round with dozens of easy DYI projects and activities. Projects are accompanied by photo tutorials and comprehensive step-by-step instructions to make sure that anyone can follow along. These kid-friendly projects offer a variety of options for both beginning and advanced crafters!

Linda Z. Braden is a Mason jar enthusiast and the founder of an extensive online Mason jar community. Her fan base has grown to more than twenty-three thousand strong on Facebook, nearly ten thousand followers on Pinterest, and more than forty thousand unique monthly visitors (and seventy thousand page views) on her blog, Mason Jar Crafts Love.


Disclosure: I received a copy of Mason Jar Crafts for Kids in exchange for my review post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.

Red Yellow Blue (And a Dash of White Too!) - Children's Book #Review!

A little girl is about to discover the wonders of mixing colors. With the sound of paint splatter, a bright blue elephant named EleBooyah appears. She wants to help paint, too! Pretty soon, the girl and her elephant are playing with all the colors of the rainbow. What other creatures are waiting for the splatter of paint on a brush to join the raucous painting party? Esperanza's creative and unique rhythmic stanzas are sure to intrigue children, and the vibrant illustrations are a riot of color and magic.

Charles George Esperanza is a graduate of FIT, a prolific artist, and the illustrator of Jackie and Me. Red, Yellow, Blue (and a Dash of White, Too!) is his children’s book author debut.

My Review:
This book is perfect for my six and three year old daughters! My three year old is learning about colors and color words, and my six year old is learning that mixing colors together can create new ones! This book is perfect for children from ages two to six. The younger children will love the animals and colors of this book! The little girl in the story has quite an imagination! The illustrations help to bring the story and her imagination to life with lots and lots of color! We will be reading this book for two to three more years in this house, that's for sure!


Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review post. No other compensation was exchanged or received.