Book Review: Tilt Your Head, Rosie the Red

Katie October 16, 2015 0 Comments

Rosie likes to wear a red cape everywhere.  She hangs it on her bedpost at night and puts it back on as soon as she wakes up in the morning.  Her Mom tells her that she won’t be able to wear it at school, so Rosie says she will just wear it TO school and take it off once she gets there.  She likes to listen for all the sounds on her way to school, bikes and crossing guards whistles.  But when she gets to school she hears laughing that she doesn’t like.  Her classmates of Fadimata, another girl at school, surrounded on the swings because she wears a hijab. Rosie takes Fadimata’s hand and they walk in to class where she tells the teacher what happens.  Then Rosie tilts her head and has an idea – she will wear her cape as a hijab!   When she gets to school the next day, there is once again a circle of kids around the swing.  But when she gets closer she realizes that all of the girls are wearing scarves on their heads.  If you look at things in a new way, with a tilt of the head, anything is possible!

Loved this book!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Arriving at school, Rosie is dismayed to see the kids on the playground taunting her classmate Fadimata, who is Muslim and wears a headscarf. Rosie comes up with a plan. Rosie has a red cape she likes to wear, so she asks Fadimata if she would turn the cape into a headscarf for her. The other kids in their class don’t want to be left out, so they ask Fadimata to make them headscarves as well. The experience confirms Rosie’s belief that if you tilt your head and look at things differently, you can see the world through someone else’s eyes.

Book Review: Never Give Up

Katie October 16, 2015 0 Comments

In Never Give Up, Shaun is trying to ride his bike, but keeps falling.  Nadia sees him struggling but isn’t sure what to do.  When 4 kids come and start picking on Shaun, Nadia doesn’t do anything, even though she wants to help Shaun.  After they leave, Nadia apologizes.  Shaun says that he will never give up and will learn to ride the bike.  Nadia goes home and tells her Dad that she feels bad about what happened and asks if he can go with her tomorrow to help Shaun learn to ride a two wheeler.  He agrees and teaches Shaun.  Then Shaun agrees to teach Nadia how to jump rope and Nadia’s Dad joins in too, as well as the brats who were picking on Shaun the day before.

This is a great lesson in not giving up with your dreams!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

With persistence and courage, nothing is impossible.
Shaun is strong enough to know that even things that don’t come easily can be mastered through determination and hard work. Learning to ride his two-wheeler with the help of his friend Nadia, he overcomes his fear and the teasing of the other children in the park and manages to impress friends and bullies alike.

Book Review: Reptile Flu

Katie October 16, 2015 0 Comments

The class has been learning about reptiles and have been assigned to draw their favorites by their teacher. Kamal doesn’t like reptiles so he doesn’t really want to draw any, but ends up drawing a small gecko.  Then the teacher, Ms. Crosby, surprises the class and lets them know that they will be taking a trip to the museum to see the reptile show!  Everyone is excited, except Kamal.   He wants to tell the teacher he is afraid and doesn’t want to go on the trip, but can’t seem to do it. He spends the night having nightmares.  He thinks if he hides the form from his Mom, he can’t go on the trip, but his Mom finds it.  Kamal tells his Mom the trip is too expensive so he will stay home, but his Mom insists he should go on the trip and make memories.   Finally, Kamal dropped his boots and told everyone he was afraid.  Ms. Crosby tells him that if she stays with him as his partner, will he still go on the trip? Because she is afraid of geckos and needs someone brave with her.  Kamal says that she should have told him before!  Then on the bus, all the kids in his class told each other what they were afraid of.  Then, while at the reptile show, Kamal volunteered to hold a baby alligator!

This is a great book about communication and teaching kids to talk about their fears.  Maybe they will then realize that they are not the only one afraid of things and can then be brave and try to over come them!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order  to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated

About the Book

Kamal is almost as afraid of being teased as he is of meeting a snake. The second book in the new I’m A Great Little Kid series, developed by Boost Child & Youth Advocacy Centre.
Kamal tries everything to avoid his school trip to the live reptile exhibit – everything except admitting that he is scared. His fear of being teased is almost as big as his fear of reptiles. Finally, in desperation, Kamal communicates his fears in a way everyone understands, and is able to get the confidence he needs to face his fears.

Book Review: Goodnight Ark

Katie October 16, 2015 0 Comments

Goodnight Ark is the story of Noah and the animals on the Ark.  They are trying to sleep but with the great storm going on outside, they all end up joining Noah in bed! The bed breaks and Noah needs to figure out a way to get them back to their own bunks!  A cute, rhyming tale based on the familiar bible story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

About the Book

Now available in the popular board book format, a fun bedtime story that retells the familiar Noah’s Ark classic Bible story.

Goodnight, Ark tells the story of Noah and the animals as they try to sleep through the storm that is raging outside. But when the storm gets louder, boars, quails, elephants, snakes and a few other furry friends join Noah in bed, creating quite the commotion! Author Laura Sassi brings a humorous new dimension to one of the Bible’s most popular stories, giving a delightful glimpse into the emotional bond between Noah and the animals in his care. With sleek, buoyant verse and eye-catching illustrations by Bear Snores On illustrator Jane Chapman, this read-aloud bedtime tale is sure to become a favorite of children and parents alike.

Book Review: 25 Questions You’re Afraid to Ask About Love, Sex and Intimacy

Katie October 9, 2015 0 Comments

25 Questions You’re Afraid to Ask About Love, Sex and Intimacy is about, well, 25 questions.  It is written to be read either straight through and reading all the questions or so that you can just skip around to the questions you actually have.  It is written towards women but the questions are not segregated by if you are single or married.  The author of the book is often refered to as the “Christian Dr Ruth” and while she may not like that nickname – keep that in mind when you are reading if you are not Christian as the advice given may not be exactly what you are looking for.

The author does talk a bit about how talking about cohabitation, erotica, masturbation and homosexuality may ruffle some feathers. The author takes a moral stand within the perspectives offered because she believes God designed sexuality and He knows a lot more about it than anyone else.

Each of the 25 questions is a chapter in this book, and it clocks in at just over 200 pages. Read it the whole way through or just pick and choose what topics you are interested in, I think you’ll learn something or at least gain a new perspective.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

About this Book

Whether you are married or single, having great sex or no sex, your sexuality is inseparable from your spirituality.

Many Christian women are confused and even devastated by the area of sexuality. In the silence of the church, they are left to sort through harrowing experiences like sexual abuse, exposure to porn, raging temptation, homosexual thoughts, and betrayal in marriage-all on their own.

Having nowhere to go to ask the hard questions about sexuality can be spiritually dangerous. Women need the truth.

In 25 Questions You’re Afraid to Ask About Love, Sex, and Intimacy, Dr. Juli Slattery addresses some of the most common questions women have on sexuality from a biblical perspective, such as:

What if I don’t like sex?If I’m single, how far is too far?Is ______ok in the bedroom? How do I get past my shame?What if I want sex more than my husband does?

These are the type of questions that thousands of women have been asking Dr. Slattery. She answers them with rare candor, grace, and wisdom.

We desperately need God’s perspective on sexuality. And fortunately, the Bible has a lot to say on the topic. Some of it might surprise you.