Book Blast: Jack the Boogey is My Real Name

Mother Daughter Book Reviews is pleased to be coordinating a Book Blast for "Jack the Boogey is My Real Name" by Davon Washington and Chase Washington, a delightful bedtime picture book for children who are afraid of the dark.

 

About the Book

Title: Jack the Boogey is my Real Name: The Truth about "The Boogeyman" | Authors: Davon Washington and Chase Washington | Illustrator: Ana-Gabriela Stroe | Publication Date: January 1, 2014 | Publisher: Bedford House Books | Pages: 32 | Recommended Ages: 3 to 8 Summary: Have a child that's afraid of the dark? Are you a little curious about what happens when the lights go out? This delightful children's picture book will not only enhance the night time reading experience but bedtime in itself will never be the same. Jack The Boogey encourages kids to push through their fears, persevere and always do the right thing. One of the world's most feared creatures may have just become the most loved.  

 

Sneak Peek

 

Purchase

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Receive a FREE "Monster Repellent" Sticker with the purchase of "Jack the Boogey is my Real Name". Just click the image below for more information.

 

The Buzz

"I highly recommend this adorable tale to children who don't want to go to sleep at night because they are afraid the Boogeyman will get them! They just might discover that this isn't true. " ~ 5 Star Review, Amy G., Amazon

"My little one and I thoroughly enjoyed the story (he made me read it twice as soon as I took it out of the package and I had to distract him with Monsters University to get away to write a review), but the real treat to me was stashed in the cover blurb hidden away in the back of the book. It's written by Davon Washington and his son, Chase. Davon wanted to help young Chase understand how much work and effort went into providing the nice things he had, so he let Chase make this a project in which they could collaborate and Chase could get an idea of the value of hard work. To me, that's the best part of the story! " ~ 5 Star Review, Breeni B., Amazon

"I loved this book! The illustrations were such a big pull for me. It almost felt like watching a tv show in the sense that you are brought into the world of Jack the Boogey instead of trying to imagine the scariest non-monster possible. I do think that this is a great read for Young Readers because of the conflict and resolution. I enjoyed that Jack showed vulnerability (being upset over the children's misunderstanding that he was actually a helpful GOOD monster) and that it was OK to show emotion. This is a great lesson for all young readers. Sometimes when they see life lessons happening via forms of entertainment (books, movies, tv, et al) vs. just hearing about it from their parents, it sinks in a bit more." ~ 5 Star Review, LaToya, Amazon

 

About the Authors: Davon and Chase Washington

Davon Washington is an entertainment executive who was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Davon has made a career out of helping people bring their artistic dreams to fruition. The same people who more often than not do very little to enhance the tender minds of the culture that supports them. Creative thinking isn't a skill that you learn as an adult. It starts with that same imagination that we let run wild after we've mastered harder tasks like walking, talking and using the bathroom ourselves. It's Davon's mission to build a nation of creative thinkers one book at a time. Davon and his six-year old son, Chase collaborated to bring Jack the Boogey is My Real Name to life. This is their first book.  

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* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: August 12, 11:59 pm, 2014 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, Davon Washington 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. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast: The Maisy Files

Mother Daughter Book Reviews is pleased to be coordinating a Book Blast for the first book in The Maisy Files mystery chapter book series by Elizabeth Woodrum, "Maisy and the Missing Mice". Book 2 in the series, "Maisy and the Money Marauder" is coming August, 2014. If you haven't checked out Book 1, you can grab a copy for only 99 cents from Amazon!
 

About the Book

Title: Maisy and the Missing Mice (The Maisy Files) | Author: Elizabeth Woodrum | Publication Date: September 24, 2013 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 75 | Recommended Ages: 6 to 10 Summary: Maisy Sawyer is not your average fourth grade student. She is a detective with a special skill for solving mysteries. She loves black and white mystery movies, cherry lollipops, and her dog, Reesie. When a thief known as The Black Boot steals the school's mascots and her lollipops, Maisy sets out to solve the case. Can she help return the mice to their home in the science lab? Will she ever see her beloved lollipops again? Find out in the first book in The Maisy Files series.      

 

 

 

Book Trailer

 

 

PURCHASE FOR 99 CENTS

 

The Buzz About the Book

"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." ~ Renee, 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.  

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* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: August 7, 11:59 pm, 2014 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. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Things I Wish my Mother Had Said

Things I Wish my Mother Had Said by Genie Lee Perron is a must-read. It is about physical and spiritual healing, how to live and appreciate your life. It is simple, short, filled with meaningful suggestions and information, and illustrated so beautifully by the author herself. I loved the images; they inspired laughter, joy, and took me back to a wonderful space in childhood that I think we would all like to experience again. Genie Lee Perron is not a new-age guru, living a fabulous Hollywood, problem-free life and dispensing clever advice. Her life is real, and she has battled almost insurmountable health problems, things that the average person cannot imagine facing. Her mother’s words resonated in her mind constantly as a source of wisdom and inspiration; simplistic perhaps, when one reads so many uber-clever self-help books, but in that simplicity is the wisdom of ages.

Each section is prefaced with a wonderful saying by either a world leader, or a person one can totally respect, people who have earned their spiritual stripes. The chapters are short and offer a personal viewpoint from the author’s experience, and then some tips. As you read, you’ll remember at least one of your grandparents or parents giving you this advice. The author encourages us to focus on things we have forgotten in the hurly-burly of this “me-me-me” world, with so much aggression, negativity, and rampant selfishness. To change the world we must change ourselves. The author advises us to look within, for therein lies the answer, the key to the joy, peace, happiness, fulfilment, love, and serenity we deserve.

We have forgotten how to be grateful for what we have, how to be patient, how to listen to others, how to do so many things possibly considered old-fashioned these days. The author just points us back in the right direction. We can change everything about our lives by seeing things from a different perspective. There is no magic, apart from the magic of life itself; no clever techniques such as contained between the pages of thick ‘looks hard to read’ books; no special meditative skills required. It’s just about getting back to the basics of life itself, loving oneself in the right way, and learning how to see things in a more expansive, open way.

Like Genie, I lost a best friend when my mother passed away; like Genie, I feel her close; I remember her advice; I remember and appreciate her love. I’m not a self-help book enthusiast and I generally never read those kinds of books. In my opinion, we must help ourselves. Yet this book came at an opportune time for me. It restored my belief in the ‘old-fashioned’ values I grew up with and told me that they are the only valid means of dealing with what life throws at you. This is a book for everyone of all ages, and especially for those who lost a great friend in a parent. Five Stars!

by Fiona Ingram

The Importance of Reading Aloud With Your Kids

My review of an enchanting book for (very) young readers (Piggie Wiggie’s Great Adventure) coincided with my finding a great review by Jen Robinson of Jim Trelease’s The Read-Aloud Handbook. This marvellous book should be mandatory reading for all new parents. Kids spend more time out of school (7800 hours per year) than in school (900 hours per year) so it’s illogical to place the burden of creating a love of reading in kids on the teachers’ shoulders. That role should begin with the parents.

Books should be in every household, and reading an entrenched part of family life. Parents can get their kids started while young, showing them just how much fun books can be, and just how much fantastic information is contained in books. But even more importantly, reading with your child will have the most beneficial emotional effects. Kids love doing things with their parents and reading, discovering an exciting story, waiting in anticipation to hear what will happen to the hero, is better shared in an atmosphere of loving familial warmth. Parents can assess their child’s emotional, mental, and spiritual development, and help them learn about life, (and sometimes death), decisions, and choices that will determine who they are in life and build their future. Children learn their moral and ethical guidelines early in life. Be there when they do!

In Jen Robinson's assessment of the book, she has this to say, “Among the many reasons to read aloud to kids, one of the most important is that it helps them to associate reading with pleasure. Human beings are by nature pleasure-centered—we will voluntarily do things repeatedly if we get pleasure from them. And because reading is an accrued skill, spending repeated time reading is what enables us to get good at it.”

Any parent keen to see their child excel in school and indeed in life should heed Jim Trelease’s words: "Reading is the ultimate weapon, destroying ignorance, poverty, and despair before they can destroy us. A nation that doesn't read much doesn't know much. And a nation that doesn't know much is more likely to make poor choices in the home, the marketplace, the jury box, and the voting booth. And those decisions ultimately affect an entire nation—the literate and the illiterate." (Page xxvi)

With that in mind, I’d like to introduce readers (young and old) to a special kind of hero. Aimed at ages 4-6, Piggie Wiggie’s Great Adventure is a daring tale of adventure, heroism, and a ‘never-say-die’ attitude. Family pet and escape artiste extraordinaire, Piggie Wiggie the Guinea Pig is out the cage and on the loose, ready for adventure. What an adventure it turns out to be as Piggie explores a brave new world. First up is a ride in a remote control toy car. Thrills and spills ensue with a happy, soft, safe ending in a pile of pillows. But wait! There’s more. Stuffed to the gills with a delicious (and illicit) feast of fresh veggies, Piggie has a close encounter of the soggy kind in a bathtub of water and more toys. Undaunted, Piggie Wiggie wriggles from one disaster to another, culminating in a sensational showdown with Scruffy the cat. What will become of this intrepid Guinea Pig, who should add ‘explorer’ to its name? Read on…

This book is a great read-aloud for parents and kids. It's a charming story for young children, made even more memorable by the fact that Piggie Wiggie’s adventures are based on the Houdini-like antics of a real family pet, a Guinea Pig owned by author and illustrator, M. J. Daley-Prado. This adds a delightful authenticity and will endear the story even more to young readers, especially those that enjoy a 'this-really-happened' tale. The author also includes some quite ‘big’ words in the tale and it’s an ideal opportunity for parents and teachers to begin expanding a young reader’s vocabulary by explaining the words. This talented author also illustrated the book and her captivating images of Piggie Wiggie in action make the story come alive, elevating this book to another level of enjoyment. An unexpected but excellent addition is a reading guide at the back for parents and children seeking a Guinea Pig as a pet. Topics range from caring for the new pet to dealing with the inevitable.

About the Author: M.J. Daley-Prado lives in Maryland with her beautiful teenage daughter and their newly adopted cat, Millie. M.J. has a genuine interest and love for children's literature. As a mom, she has always tried to instill the importance of books and reading in her own child. Books can take a child to magical places they have never been before. They can stir their imaginations and spark their creativity. She hopes her books will bring as much joy to your children as she has had making them. She has followed the amazing careers of her favorite authors and illustrators, Marc Brown, Robert Munsch, Elizabeth and Victoria Kann. M.J. especially likes to address topics that will help children and families during difficult times. MJ has written and illustrated several children’s books to her credit, including "Grandma What Is Cancer?" and "Buzz". Her favorite quote is: "If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it." (William Arthur Ward)

You can discover more about this author by visiting: http://www.mjdaleyprado.webs.com/; http://www.authorchildrensbooks.webs.com/; http://mjdaleyprado.blogspot.com/

I first reviewed this book for Readers Favorite.

Better Book Readings For Kids

I recently gave a book reading at a local Montessori school here in Johannesburg for a middle-grade audience eager to find out more about my book. My previous reading at a literacy centre had been great because the teacher organized a fancy dress parade and the kids had worked on some creative writing to read to me. All the children arrived in Egyptian costume with poems and prose for me to hear. There was such fun and excitement that much time was taken up with the judging of the writing and the costumes. I read a chapter, they loved it, and that was that.


This time I wasn’t going to get off so easily. This particular teacher asked if I could chat to the kids about creative writing, plots, characters, and structuring a story of their own. I had recently written a blog post on that very subject, but writing and explaining it out loud to kids are two different things. My task that day was somehow to initiate a discussion on creative writing and to use my book to illustrate my points. I discovered that using simple but effective items to enhance your topics adds interest to the reading and contributes to the fun!

I had already turned to my book and website illustrator Lori Bentley for some ideas on accessories such as bookmarks and postcards to give away. Lori’s ideas were so stunningly effective that I was able to tell the assembled kids the entire story of the book and discuss creating a plot just by using the bookmark. I hope you’ll read Lori’s account of how she came to create her magnificent illustrations.

Some ideas to enhance your author readings for kids at schools, libraries, or bookstores:

• Chat to the teacher, librarian, or organizer in advance and find out if they’d like an educational theme (a school probably will) or an artistic theme such as kids coming in costume, doing their own illustrations of your book’s themes, or even some creative writing to read out aloud.

• Encourage the organizers to put a mention in the local newspaper or community press. Often newspapers will send a photographer along for some local newsworthy events. This will help spread the word about your book. You should also publicize it using your own social media outlets.

• Bookmarks and postcards are a fantastic yet simple and cheap way to promote your book. If your book is illustrated, you can (like Lori did) use thumbnails on the bookmark, with tantalizing hints of the plot outlined next to each picture. Postcards are effective with the book cover image on the front, a brief plot synopsis on the back, and don’t forget to include either your contact details or author website or the book’s website details. Parents will want to know where they can buy your book if your reading is not at a bookstore.

• Posters are also cheap and effective to promote your title. If you’re having some kind of contest then a signed poster is a great prize for an excited child. Don’t forget to give one to the venue hosting your book reading. A school or library will definitely put the poster up in the venue. That way your book will linger in their minds long after you have gone.

• Have a pen ready for the unexpected. I was astounded that all the children at the reading wanted to have their bookmarks signed so be prepared for that as well. Remember, to your audience you are an amazing creature – a real live author – and that’s incredibly exciting for them. They’re going to want a little piece of the excitement to take home. This is particularly pertinent if you are reading at a bookstore because parents will more than likely purchase the book right there and the child will want you to sign it.

• A visual impact is important. If your book is set in a different location and you have photographs then take them along. Kids love to know where something ‘really happened’ and images are important. If you have artifacts related to your book, even better. A bit of ‘show and tell’ will fix your book in every child’s mind if there is more to it than just words. (I have some painted papyrus so was able to use those pictures to explain how the ancient Egyptians made paper.)

• Once you’ve had your initial intro, discussion, and answered questions, you can focus on the book reading. Choose the most exciting chapter possible. Kids don’t have to know everything in advance and a brief outline of the story will be enough. Using my bookmark, the kids chose the image of the giant cobra menacing my two heroes for a riveting 20-minute read. (Have your glass of water at hand – you’ll need it!)

• During your reading make sure you interrupt yourself to ask the kids questions such as “Where is so-and-so place?” or ask them if they know what particular words mean. My book is set in Egypt so talking about an exotic country was great, and asking them to explain words like ‘sarcophagus’ kept us busy. You’ll find plenty of interesting material in your own work. You can also keep an eye on their level of concentration.

• Don’t forget to thank the organizers for inviting you to read and give them your business card so they never forget you. After all, you’ll be reading your next book there, won’t you?

A captivating book reading is an excellent way to create interest in your book, the kind of interest that remains unforgettable because it is both innovative and fun. Come up with creative ideas of your own based on your book’s themes and what resources you have available.