Bella Saves the Beach by Nancy Stewart
May 10, 2013 at 12:17 am | Posted in Academic Wings, Animal lovers books, Books about nature, children's books, Children's picture books, Environmental issues, Guardian Angel Publishing | 2 CommentsTags: Academic Wings, animal lovers books, Bella and Britt series, Bella Saves the Beach, book reviews, books for young readers, books that teach a lesson, books that teach children a lesson, children's books, Children's picture books, children's books that teach a lesson, Environmental issues, environmentalism, Guardian Angel Publishing, Nancy Stewart, The Children's and Teens Book Connection, virtual book tour
A true story of try and try again can be found in Bella Saves the Beach by award-winning children’s author, Nancy Stewart.
Bella is sad when her beloved beach is loaded with trash. But with her best friend Britt away on vacation, it’s harder to clean up the beach than she planned. Each new idea doesn’t bring about the desired result, but Bella is determined to make the beach safe and clean for her animal friends.
To someone who loves learning, a book like Bella Saves the Beach is so wonderful. This book has two messages. There’s the environmental one about how dangerous trash is to wildlife. Then there’s the “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” message. Combining them makes for a superbly told engaging story about one girl’s determination to make a difference.
From the beginning, Stewart’s Bella and Britt series has shown young readers that their ideas matter and how they can make a difference when it comes to caring for our planet and its creatures. In this new book, the author takes that message to a new level by leaving Bella to face the challenge without her best friend Britt’s support. Now it isn’t two kids making a difference. It’s one determined young girl.
At the end of the story, the author shares information on beach trash, facts about creatures mentioned within the book’s pages, and encourages readers to have a Green Picnic on the sand, leaving behind only footprints.
One can’t forget to mention the stunning watercolor artwork of Samantha Bell. She has illustrated all three books in this series. With warm colors and rich details, she brings Bella’s story to life in pictures. A perfect complement to Stewart’s story, the artwork is so lovely you can almost hear the waves hitting the sand and the caws of the birds.
Bella Saves the Beach is a fine addition to the Bella and Britt series. I can’t wait to see what Bella and Britt are up to next.
Rating: 
Paperback: 24 pages
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (February 15, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616333715
ISBN-13: 978-1616333713
The author paid me to promote this book through a virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book. This fee did not include a review. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.
BELLA SAVES THE BEACH TOUR SCHEDULE
Monday, April 22nd
Guest post at The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection
Tuesday, April 23rd
Book trailer feature at If Books Could Talk
Wednesday, April 24th
Book review at On Words – Opening Eyes, Opening Hearts
Thursday, April 25th
Book spotlight and giveaway at The Busy Mom’s Daily
Book review at Shannon Hitchcock Pen and Prose
Monday, April 29th
Book review at Hook Kids on Reading
Guest post at The Pen and Ink
Tuesday, April 30th
Guest post at Write What Inspires You
Wednesday, May 1st
Book review at LadyD Books
Thursday, May 2nd
Book review at Kid Lit Reviews
Friday, May 3rd
Guest post at Lori’s Reading Corner
Monday, May 6th
Interview at Tribute Books Reviews and Giveaways
Tuesday, May 7th
Book reviewed at The Picture Book Review
Wednesday, May 8th
Book reviewed at My Devotional Thoughts
Thursday, May 9th
Book review at It’s About Time Mamaw
Friday, May 10th
Book review at The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection
Monday, May 13th
Book review at 4 the Love of Books
Tuesday, May 14th
Book spotlight at Review from Here
Book review at The Jenny Revolution
Wednesday, May 15th
Guest post at Literarily Speaking
Thursday, May 16th
Book review at Mrs. Mommy Booknerd’s Reviews
Friday, May 17th
Book spotlight at I’m A Reader, Not A Writer
Guest Blogger: Nancy Stewart, Author of Bella Saves the Beach
April 22, 2013 at 12:53 am | Posted in Academic Wings, Animal lovers books, children's books, Children's picture books, Contemporary fiction, Environmental issues, Guardian Angel Publishing | 3 CommentsTags: Academic Wings, animal lovers books, Bella and Britt series, Bella Saves the Beach, books for young readers, books that teach a lesson, books that teach children a lesson, children's books, Children's picture books, children's books that teach a lesson, Earth Day, Environmental issues, environmentalism, Guardian Angel Publishing, Nancy Stewart, The Children's and Teens Book Connection, virtual book tour
Bella and Britt are worried about all the trash appearing on their beautiful beach. But what can they do? Britt is leaving on vacation, and Bella can’t solve the problem alone. Without adults to lend a hand, can they possibly save their beach?
Purchase from:
Earth Day—Every Human’s Responsibility
by Nancy Stewart
Ah, yes, Earth Day. We think about it once a year. Celebrate it? Let’s not go overboard. After all, aren’t the governments of the world doing something about it—whatever it is?
Earth Day, founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson, was first organized in 1970 to promote ecology and respect for life on the plane. It has come a long way from then with one hundred forty countries around the globe participating this year. And counting. Earth Day, very much like Earth Hour, has taken on a life of its own.
Here is one of the most outstanding projects we should be talking about for Earth Day, 2013. It is The Canopy Project. Over the past three years, this project has planted over 1.5 million trees in 18 countries. In the US, projects to restore urban canopies have been completed in many large cities. In Haiti alone, where earthquakes caused landslides on deforested hillsides, leading to horrific devastation, Earth Day Network planted 500,000 trees. In three high-poverty districts in central Uganda, they planted 350,000 trees to provide local farmers with food, fuel, fencing, and soil stability.
Climate change can seem like a remote problem for our leaders, but the fact is that it’s already impacting real people, animals, and beloved places. These Faces of Climate Change are multiplying every day. What can be done about it? Each of us, individually, can make a difference. When we all do our share, the entire world can begin to heal itself.
I’ve pledged to not use plastic bags, to using cold water in the washing machine and to using earth friendly cleaning products. We’ve changed all light bulbs to save electricity, and they are turned off when leaving a room. I remind students when doing a book signing that turning off a light helps save a polar bear!
But it’s more than these things, isn’t it? Helping save our planet is really a state of mind. It’s being in the flow of good ecology every day, even every minute. And soon, it’s a way of life. Living this state of mind will help save all our lives and the lives of those to come, our children and our grandchildren. What better ongoing gift can we give to anyone than a sustainable, green and whole planet? Oh, and it’s not, of course, just April 22. It’s every day, every minute for the rest of our lives.
Nancy is the bestselling and award winning author of the four Bella and Britt Series books for children: One Pelican at a Time (eighteen weeks on Amazon Bestselling List), Sea Turtle Summer, (which won the Children’s Literary Classic Gold Award), Bella Saves the Beach (which won the Gold) and Mystery at Manatee Key. The authorized biography, Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage, is the story of Katrina Simpkins and Winter, the dolphin. One Pelican at a Time and Nancy were featured in the PBS Tampa special, GulfWatch. All are published by Guardian Angel Publishing.
Nancy is a frequent speaker and presenter at writer’s conferences throughout the United States. She conducts workshops and seminars and speaks to school children on writing and helping save their planet. A blogger with a worldwide audience, she writes of all things pertaining to children’s literature.
Nancy’s travels take her extensively throughout the world, most particularly Africa. She is US chair of a charity in Lamu, Kenya, that places girls in intermediate schools to allow them to further their education. She and her husband live in Tampa and St. Louis.
Visit her online at www.nancystewartbooks.com and her blog at http://www.nancystewartbooks.blogspot.com
Bella Saves the Beach Tour Schedule
Monday, April 22nd
Guest post at The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection
Tuesday, April 23rd
Book trailer feature at If Books Could Talk
Wednesday, April 24th
Book review at On Words – Opening Eyes, Opening Hearts
Thursday, April 25th
Book spotlight and giveaway at The Busy Mom’s Daily
Book review at Shannon Hitchcock Pen and Prose
Monday, April 29th
Book review at Hook Kids on Reading
Guest post at The Pen and Ink
Tuesday, April 30th
Guest post at Write What Inspires You
Wednesday, May 1st
Book review at LadyD Books
Thursday, May 2nd
Book review at Kid Lit Reviews
Friday, May 3rd
Guest post at Lori’s Reading Corner
Monday, May 6th
Interview at Tribute Books Reviews and Giveaways
Tuesday, May 7th
Book reviewed at The Picture Book Review
Wednesday, May 8th
Book reviewed at My Devotional Thoughts
Thursday, May 9th
Book review at It’s About Time Mamaw
Friday, May 10th
Book review at The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection
Monday, May 13th
Book review at 4 the Love of Books
Tuesday, May 14th
Book spotlight at Review from Here
Book review at The Jenny Revolution
Wednesday, May 15th
Guest post at Literarily Speaking
Thursday, May 16th
Book review at Mrs. Mommy Booknerd’s Reviews
Friday, May 17th
Book spotlight at I’m A Reader, Not A Writer
Just for Today by Kevin McNamee
March 8, 2013 at 10:49 pm | Posted in Books for preschoolers, Books to be read by families, children's books, Children's picture books, Guardian Angel Publishing, Littlest Angels, Rhyming books | Leave a commentTags: book reviews, books for young readers, books that teach a lesson, books that teach children a lesson, children's books, Children's picture books, children's books that teach a lesson, Guardian Angel Publishing, Just for Today, Kevin McNamee, Littlest Angels, Marina Movshina, Rhyming books, The Children's and Teens Book Connection
A sweet rhyming adventure about spending quality time with your kids is the latest from Kevin McNamee. Just for Today finds a young boy asking his father to stay with him and have a few adventures: outrunning pirates on the high seas, finding buried treasure, going on a safari, and more.
I’ve been a fan of McNamee’s work for some time. His lyrical prose flows nicely and his stories all show a vast amount of imagination. In Just for Today a young boy is trying to convince his father to stick around so they can play together. This is a nice message, reminding kids and parents how important it is to spend time together.
Marina Movshina provides the artwork for this story. While I usually enjoy Movshina’s work, I didn’t care for the style used here. The outlines were crisp, but the details were fuzzy as if we were seeing the characters from far away instead of close up. In addition, in some illustrations the father looked like an adult, but in others he looked like a teenage boy.
That said, I believe many youngsters and their parents will enjoy this rhyming adventure.
Rating:
Paperback: 16 pages
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (September 5, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616333146
ISBN-13: 978-1616333140
I received a PDF version of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.
Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes by Stacey A. Marshall
February 20, 2013 at 4:31 pm | Posted in children's books, Children's picture books, Contemporary fiction, Guardian Angel Publishing, Littlest Angels | Leave a commentTags: books for young readers, books that teach a lesson, books that teach children a lesson, Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes, children's books, Children's picture books, children's books that teach a lesson, contemporary fiction, Guardian Angel Publishing, Littlest Angels, Stacey A. Marshall, superhero books, The Children's and Teens Book Connection
A precocious third grader named Katie shrivels during countless situations at her new school. She’s terrified to present at show-and-tell, too nervous to chat in the lunchroom and can hardly get the courage to participate in class. That is, until a unique superhero swoops in to the rescue, showing Katie how to have self-confidence and courage. Captain Courage, the first in a series of books from Marshall, is a fun-filled tale for teachers and parents to share with all school-aged kids – and makes it easy to sneak in tips about effective, confident communication.
“There’s such a need for a series of books to help this age group (elementary/grade-school kids) with effective speaking,” said author Stacey Marshall. “So many teachers have asked me over the years to help their students, because kids are becoming increasingly involved in public speaking at school, and most of them struggle with it. With most kids today communicating only with their phones/computers, they need more help than ever with face-to-face verbal communication!”
The inspiration for the book came when Marshall was a student at Duke University, and developed a friendship with Theodore Geisel (aka, Dr. Seuss). She told him that she was eventually going to be a children’s book writer like him, and he encouraged her to follow her dreams.
The dream was put on hold as Stacey became a broadcaster, speech-language pathologist, motivational speaker, freelance writer and public speaking coach to children and adults of all ages, including media training to Division I, NBA, NFL and Olympic athletes in the media. With her unique background, Stacey became acutely aware of the positive effect that optimal, confident communication had on self-esteem – especially in children. She decided it was time to start writing her first book.
Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes is available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com and select retailers throughout the US. For more information on author Stacey Marshall and the Captain Courage series, visit http://www.captaincourage.com. Check out Stacey’s humorous video about the way kids communicate today vs. in the past: http://youtu.be/g6PGMFuAvD4.
Stacey Marshall started her own public speaking company in 1995. She has conducted public speaking training and seminars within major corporations across the country, plus media training for Division I and Olympic athletes. Stacey has also used her knowledge and expertise to help business leaders, politicians, litigators, actors, broadcasters and many others find and hone their natural presentation styles for more effective communication. In addition, she has worked with children and teenagers to develop confident speaking in formal and informal situations in school and in life.
An author, former broadcaster and motivational speaker, Stacey is also a winner of the Women Executives International “Speak Out”. She earned her degrees from Duke University and the University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill.
The Cat Came Back by Dixie Phillips and Lucy Robbins
June 24, 2012 at 10:32 pm | Posted in Animal lovers books, Books to be read by families, children's books, Children's picture books, Guardian Angel Publishing, Guardian Angels Animals & Pets, Humor, Pet lovers books, Rhyming books | Leave a commentTags: animal lovers books, book reviews, books for young readers, children's books, Children's picture books, Dixie Phillips, Guardian Angel Publishing, Guardian Angels Animals & Pets, Laureen Caponigro, Lucy Robbins, missing pets, Pet lovers books, Rhyming books, The Cat Came Back, The Children's and Teens Book Connection
In this silly rhyming tale, young readers discover the misadventures that take place when a beloved cat goes missing and a color-blind father tries to find her.
Papa Sompolinsky goes off to work one night. Meanwhile, his anxious family has discovered Miss Mittens, their beloved cat, is missing. When Papa comes back to his van after his night shift is over, his color-blindness causes some confusion over what happened to Miss Mittens.
The Cat Came Back by Dixie Phillips and Lucy Robbins is a zany tale that will have readers chuckling over all the trouble caused by Papa’s color-blindness and the antics of Miss Mittens. What captures your attention right away is the unusual storyline. Even though a missing pet isn’t an odd thing to see in a children’s story, a color-blind dad and a mischievous cat causing the family a bit of anxiety is. While I had some reservations about how the authors would keep this a light and happy tale, they did a fine job in putting together a story that will definitely leave readers laughing, especially because of its surprise ending.
The lovely artwork by Laureen Caponigro is the perfect complement to this story. The soft, warm colors provide an enjoyable contrast to a vibrant story. From the drop of sweat on Papa’s forehead to the clip in mamma’s hair and the teddy bear that goes nearly everywhere with the youngest sister, the attention to detail adds a great deal of life to this story.
Pet lovers are bound to enjoy The Cat Came Back.
Rating:
- Paperback:16 pages
- Publisher:Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (May 11, 2012)
- Language:English
- ISBN-10:1616332530
- ISBN-13: 978-1616332532
- SRP: $9.95
I received a free PDF of this book from the authors in exchange for my honest opinion. I received no monetary compensation of any kind for this review.
The Water Cycle: Water Play Series, Book 1 by Mayra Calvani
June 13, 2012 at 3:40 pm | Posted in 4RV Publishing, Academic Wings, Books about nature, children's books, Children's picture books, Guardian Angel Publishing, Interactive books, nonfiction | 3 CommentsTags: Academic Wings, book reviews, books for young readers, books that teach a lesson, books that teach children a lesson, children's books, Children's picture books, children's books that teach a lesson, Guardian Angel Publishing, Mayra Calvani, nonfiction, science, The Children's and Teens Book Connection, The Water Cycle: Water Play Series
Youngsters learn about the water cycle from clouds to earth and back to clouds again in this enjoyable book by Mayra Calvani. With its bolded words and lyrical style, The Water Cycle: Water Play Series, Book 1 will captivate readers. Calvani’s flowing text combined with the whimsical artwork provided by Alexander Morris makes learning fun.
What is unique about this book is how it becomes interactive when the reader is asked how certain weather makes people feel. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. Also included are two fun activities to help readers remember what they learned.
Teachers and parents will want to pick up this one.
Rating:
Ages: 4 – 8
- Paperback:20 pages
- Publisher:Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (March 15, 2012)
- Language:English
- ISBN-10:1616332379
- ISBN-13: 978-1616332372
I received a free ecopy of this book from the author’s representative in exchange for my honest opinions. I received no monetary compensation of any kind for this review.
Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage by Nancy Stewart
May 13, 2012 at 11:38 pm | Posted in Academic Wings, Biographies, Books for all ages, Chapter books, children's books, Guardian Angel Publishing, Inspirational fiction, nonfiction | 2 CommentsTags: Academic Wings, animal lovers books, Bella and Britt series, book reviews, books for young readers, books that teach a lesson, books that teach children a lesson, Chapter books, children's books, children's books that teach a lesson, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Dolphin Tale, Guardian Angel Publishing, Inspirational fiction, Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage, Nancy Stewart, Pump Up Your Book, The Children's and Teens Book Connection, Winter
Read the inspiring story of a young girl who finds a special friend and goes on to become a role model for others.
Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage by Nancy Stewart is the authorized biography of Katrina Simpkins. Born with a birth defect, Katrina walks with the assistance of a prosthetic leg. But she yearns to be a normal girl. On a family trip to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Florida, Katrina discovers Winter, a dolphin who was fitted with a prosthetic tail after being caught in a crab trap. Katrina’s relationship with Winter soon evolves into a way to help others with special needs.
Nancy Stewart and I have worked together to promote the first two books in her Bella and Britt picture book series. Here, the award-winning author turns her attention to non-fiction, sharing the inspirational story of Katrina Simpkins. You can read a post here that shares how she came to be the writer for this authorized biography.
This is such a wonderful story, which is complemented by stunning photographs. The reader watches as Katrina evolves from a shy child to confident young lady who has inspired many. I especially enjoyed the close relationship between Katrina and her sister, Sara. It’s touching to see how much her sister believes in her.
I had only heard a bit about Winter’s story before this book. It definitely made me want to learn more.
Kids of all ages will enjoy this moving story.
Rating:
Available in hardcover, softcover, and PDF.
- Hardcover:24 pages
- Publisher:Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (April 25, 2012)
- ISBN-10:1616332425
- ISBN-13: 978-1616332426
- SRP: $19.95
- Paperback:24 pages
- Publisher:Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (April 25, 2012)
- Language:English
- ISBN-10:1616332433
- ISBN-13: 978-1616332433
- SRP: $11.95
I received a PDF copy of this book from the author. She paid me to promote this book with a virtual book tour through Pump Up Your Book. That fee did not include a review. I received no monetary compensation of any kind to share my honest opinions.
Children’s Book Week Starts Tomorrow!
May 6, 2012 at 10:11 pm | Posted in children's books, Guardian Angel Publishing, Reading Events | Leave a commentTags: Children's Book Week, children's books that teach a lesson, Guardian Angel Publishing, The Children's and Teens Book Connection
Children’s Book Week starts tomorrow. Each year the nation celebrates with various literary events. You can find the official list of events here. My publisher, Guardian Angel Publishing, is celebrating online. You can find out more about that here.
Each day this week, The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection will celebrate Children’s Book Week with a new review or author interview. Stay tuned!
Animal Sound Mix-up by Connie Arnold
May 4, 2012 at 7:01 pm | Posted in Animal lovers books, Books for all ages, children's books, Children's picture books, Christian children's books, Guardian Angel Publishing, Guardian Angels Animals & Pets, Rhyming books | 3 CommentsTags: animal lovers books, Animal Sound Mix-up, book reviews, books for young readers, books that teach a lesson, books that teach children a lesson, children's books, Children's picture books, children's books that teach a lesson, Connie Arnold, creation, Guardian Angel Publishing, Kit Grady, Pet lovers books, The Children's and Teens Book Connection
Wouldn’t it be confusing if you heard a donkey say bow-wow? Would you scratch your head if a monkey said moo? How about some squawking pigs? Seen any of those lately? In this silly, rhyming story, Connie Arnold asks readers what it would be like if all the animal sounds got mixed up.
I like books that can be zany, but still have an excellent message. Animal Sound Mix-up is definitely one of those books. While it’s light-hearted, by the time the reader gets to the end, they realize God’s hand in creation is quite evident. Animals speak the way they do because He made them each to speak in their own unique way. It’s a nice message. A different take on the power of the Creator than I’ve seen before.
Arnold’s rhymes are perfectly matched by the lovely artwork of Kit Grady. All types of animals come alive with Grady’s colorful images. Any of these illustrations would make lovely murals for a child’s room. I only wish she didn’t live so far away from me.
Animal Sound Mix-up is a fun book with a great message. Christian homes with youngsters will enjoy this book.
Rating:
- Paperback:16 pages
- Publisher:Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (August 12, 2010)
- ISBN-10:161633083X
- ISBN-13: 978-1616330835
- SRP: $9.95
I received an electronic copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinions. I received no monetary compensation of any kind for this review.
My Copán Adventure by Eugene Ruble
March 10, 2012 at 8:15 pm | Posted in Academic Wings, adventure stories, children's books, Children's picture books, Cultures, Geography, Guardian Angel Publishing, Historical fiction | 1 CommentTags: Academic Wings, adventure stories, book reviews, books for young readers, books that teach a lesson, books that teach children a lesson, children's books, Children's picture books, children's authors, children's books about ancient civilizations, children's books about the Mayans, children's books that teach a lesson, Copán valley, Eugene Ruble, Guardian Angel Publishing, My Copán Adventure, The Children's and Teens Book Connection
Explore the ancient world of the ruins of Copán with twelve-year-old James and his father, Professor Questor, in My Copán Adventure written and illustrated by Eugene Ruble.
James is excited when his father tells him he will be his assistant on the next expedition Professor Questor makes. They will be traveling to the ancient Mayán city of Copán to try and determine what happened to its people. While there, they study temples and hieroglyphics. They talk about stelaes and pyramids. James takes photos and draws sketches so they can take their information back home and interpret the data.
My Copán Adventure is a beautifully illustrated book that introduces young readers to the lives of the first people to arrive in the Copán valley about 2300 years ago. Readers follow James and his father on their journey through the ruins, with Professor Questor sharing his wealth of knowledge about the Mayáns and their ancient civilization and answering James’s questions along the way.
The Lil Diva (10) just finished studying this ancient civilization in school, so she truly enjoyed reading the book with me. My Copán Adventure could be used to supplement school learning or in a homeschooling program. It offers a fun and interesting way to learn more about the Mayáns and their culture. What I found most interesting is the author’s note, which makes mention of some of the hypotheses scientists have formed about the fall of the Copán dynasty. One of the ideas is that the destruction of their forests by overbuilding and depleting their natural resources had an impact on their survival. This helps young readers to make the connection between ancient times and their modern world.
This is definitely a book I’m glad to have as part of my daughters’ library.
Rating:
- Paperback:20 pages
- Publisher:Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (December 31, 2011)
- ISBN-10:1616331984
- ISBN-13: 978-1616331986
- SRP: $9.95
I received a PDF version of this book directly from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. Guardian Angel Publishing also released my first book and Eugene Ruble illustrated it. I received no monetary compensation for providing this review.
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