Mother Daughter and Son Book Reviews Presents: Tale of the Messed Up Talent Show by Melissa Moraja Spotlight and GIVEAWAY

About the Book

Title: Tale of the Messed Up Talent Show (Madison and GA - My Guardian Angel)
  Author: Melissa Perry Moraja
  Publication Date: November 15, 2013
  Publisher: Independent - Melissa Productions Inc.
  Number of pages: 156
  Recommended age: 6-12    

Summary

Madison Wunderkind is a sweet, honest girl, who always seems to find herself in trouble with the principal. But this time she's not alone. It all started three days earlier, when Sophia, the most popular fifth-grade girl at Gator Elementary, asked Madison to hang out and plan this year's talent show. Instantly, Madison had become Little Miss Popular. But what Madison soon discovered was that being Little Miss Popular wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Her best friends were ignoring her. Her brothers were angry at her. And her guardian angel, GA, was irritated by her snobbish attitude. And if things couldn't get more messed up for Madison, everything that could go wrong at the talent show did, sparking Principal Dimples to find out why! Find out what happens at Gator Elementary's Talent Show. Will GA be able to help Madison? Or will Madison become Little Miss Lonely? Also, try and find one of GA's feathers in each picture!

Review: Secret Santa Squirrels by Hazel Nutt

We received this book via Story Cartel to give an honest review.

Umm what can I say about this book. First it was cute, but the idea of poop being turned into presents was a bit out there I would say. Now the squirrels helping out that is a new twist on the story.

I also had a loading problem with the format for nook being as it would only load half the page then I would have to go back for it to load again. 

We have squirrels who pretty much deliver the presents. Now what got me is there is a part that says "the squirrels sneak the presents in stockings or under the tree." Then it turns around and says it leaves Santa free to visit the really good girls and boys. Well wait I can see the squirrels helping deliver the presents but I always though Santa left the presents under the tree himself, and he didn't just visit the really good children he visited all of them. So that little part made me drop my rating to a 4. 

K's favorite parts are the ending where the children are making Christmas wishes. And where the squirrels you never see are leaving presents under the tree. 

I think this is a decent little funny read for kids who want to know who might be delivering the presents.

My son has decided we now need to leave not only cookies out for Santa, but carrots for the deer and nuts for the squirrels.

About the author:
Hazel Nutt is a baby who is nutty about nature, especially squirrels, whom she often has a good natter with. They tell her their secrets and her parents help her write them down to share with the world, as picture books.

Loving nature is really important to her and Hazel Nutt hopes to make sure that lots of other kids get nutty about nature as well.

She also likes to blog about her observations on life and teach other toddlers how to train their parents.

Review: I Will Never Not Ever Eat A Tomato by Lauren Child

The critically acclaimed Charlie and Lola books -- now an animated series on television! 
Lola is a fussy eater. A very fussy eater. She won’t eat her carrots (until her brother Charlie reveals that they’re orange twiglets from Jupiter). She won’t eat her mashed potatoes (until Charlie explains that they’re cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji). There are many things Lola won’t eat, including - and especially - tomatoes. Or will she? Two endearing siblings star in a witty story about the triumph of imagination over proclivity.
"Youngsters will never - not ever - pass up a second helping." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Review: A Chocolate Moose for Dinner by Fred Gwynne

A gorilla war? Car pools? Playing the piano by ear? It's no wonder a little girl is confused by some of the strange things she overhears her mommy and daddy saying. With his hilarious wordplay and zany illustrations, Fred Gwynne keeps children of all ages in stitches!

Juniper Grove Solutions Presents: The Funny Adventures of Little Nani by Cinta Garcia de la Rosa and GIVEAWAY

Title: The Funny Adventures of Little Nani
Author: Cinta Garcia de la Rosa
Published: September 2012
Word Count: 17,000
Genre: Children's Book
Recommended Age: 6 - 12
Synopsis:
Little Nani is a little girl who likes helping people. However, when she helps people the results can be a bit unexpected. Why is that? Little Nani is a witch! Or at least she wants to be a witch. With her magic wand, she will try to cast different spells to help her friends, but she won't be successful all the time.

Follow Little Nani in her funny adventures and meet her extraordinary friends. Funny ostriches, horses that love reading, super-fast turtles, grumpy zombies... Little Nani has lots of friends! You can also draw your own characters!

Little Nani is willing to become a good witch. Will she manage to do it? Who knows? Read the stories and discover what happens next!

Review and Spotlight: The Christmas Owl by Angela Muse

About the Book

Title: The Christmas Owl Author: Angela Muse Illustrator: Helen H. Wu Publication Date: November, 2013 Publisher: Independent - 4eyesbooks Number of pages: 36 Recommended age: 3+  

Summary

A Barred owl becomes injured and must ask others for help. He promises to give back to those who have a generous heart and he is true to his word. Also check out Lil Glimmer, The Nutt Family: An Acorny Adventure, The Pig Princess, The Bee Bully, Eager Eaglets: Birds of Play, Cactus Charlie, Suzy Snowflake and Monsters Have Mommies by this author.

Mother Daughter Book Reviews Presents: The SockKids Meet Lincoln review and GIVEAWAY!

About the Book

Title: The SockKids™ Meet Lincoln

Authors: Michael John Sullivan and Susan Petrone

Illustrator: SugarSnail

Publication Date: August 14, 2013

Publisher: Independent

Pages: 40 (print)

Recommended Age: 3 to 8

Summary (Amazon):

Where do our missing socks go? Readers find out in our children’s series, The SOCKKIDS. We follow the Socker family through many adventures; from encountering the slobbery mouth of the family dog to meeting Santa as he comes down the chimney on Christmas Eve to helping a fireman save a baby to the most shy Socker going to the school dance for the first time. Thanks to the time-travel opportunities afforded by the spin cycle of the washer, they learn about some of the most important humans in the world. Children two and up and their parents will be drawn to the diversity of the family and the universal and timeless lessons they teach: don’t be afraid of new experiences; treat others as you would like to be treated, and of course, beware of the spin cycle!

Review: Rainbow Fish Spike and the Substitute Text by Leslie Goldman

Spike was angry when Miss Cuttle took away his special coral. He wished he had a new teacher -- and his wish came true But Spike soon discovers that a substitute teacher is no substitute for his own Miss Cuttle.

Review: Rainbow Fish The Dangerous Deep Text by Leslie Goldman

Rainbow Fish and his school friends have been warned never to leave the safety of their Shipwrecked playground. But fish will be fish, and one day at lunchtime, Rainbow Fish and friends decide to explore new waters. Before he can swim very far, Rainbow Fish finds out why little fish are told never to swim into the dangerous deep.

Review: Five Little Monkeys With Nothing To Do by Elieen Christelow

It's summer, school is out, and the five little monkeys are bored. "There is nothing to do!" they tell Mama. "Oh yes, there is," says Mama. "Grandma Bessie is coming for lunch, and the house must be neat and clean." Well-meaning as ever, the five little monkeys clean their room and go on to sweep the floors, scrub the bathroom, and pick berries for dessert. But then . . . Children will welcome the return of the five little monkeys, who make the same kinds of messes they do.

Review: Five Little Monkeys Sitting In A Tree by Eileen Christelow

While their mother takes a nap, five mischievous monkeys discover that it is unwise to tease Mr. Crocodile.

Review: Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car by Eileen Christelow

The five little monkeys and Mama are eager to get a new car. The five little monkeys clean and paint their old car until it sparkles like new. But who will buy it? Perhaps those clever monkeys can convince their cranky crocodile neighbors that what they really need is . . . yes, a car! Children will love predicting how the five little monkeys will deal with each new challenge, making this a perfect story for interactive reading. Lively verse and Eileen Christelow's inimitably comic illustrations put the five little monkeys in the driver's seat in more ways than one.

Review: Shark Tale Lenny's Fishy Fib Adapted by Gail Herman

The newest animated feature from DreamWorks features major voice talent, gorgeous artwork, and an underwater comedy that's leagues away from anything else.
Shark Tale tells the story of Oscar (played by Will Smith), a fast-talking little fish who finds himself in hot water when he is mistaken for a hero. At first, his fellow fish swallow Oscar's story hook, line, and sinker, and he's showered with fame and fortune. It's all going along swimmingly, until it starts to become clear that Oscar's tale about being a great hero sounds a little fishy. Now Oscar has to tread water until he can get the scales to tip back in his favor again.
CONCEPT AND TITLE PENDING LICENSOR APPROVAL.

Review: Trout Are Made Of Trees by April Pulley Sayre

How can a leaf become a fish? Join two young children and their dads to find out, as they observe life in and around a stream. Energetic collage art and simple, lyrical text depict the ways plants and animals are connected in the food web. Back matter provides information about the trout life cycle as well as conservation efforts that kids can do themselves.

Pump Up Your Book Presents: Sky Girl And The Superheroic Adventures by Joe Sergi and GIVEAWAY

About the book:
Being a teenage girl is hard enough, but for DeDe Christopher, it is proving impossible.
In addition to cliques, books, and boys, she has to worry about capes, apes, and aliens. Last year, DeDe discovered that she possessed fantastic abilities that were strangely similar to those of a comic book character named SkyBoy.
With the help of her best friend Jason, a self-professed comic geek, DeDe accepted her legacy and became Sky Girl. Now, DeDe must learn what it means to be a heroine as Sky Girl faces the all too real enemies and allies of SkyBoy, including the clever Quizmaster, the beautiful Penny Pound, the enigmatic Jersey Devil, and the magical MissTick.
DeDe must also face personal challenges as she discovers the secrets of her late father and his connection to Skyboy--secrets that will affect Sky Girl’s destiny.