Summer Reading - Do Your Ears Hang Low?

For the past few weeks I've been sharing book reviews with you in my Summer Reading reviews. Reading to and with the children we love is one of the most important things we can ever do to help them speak sooner, develop a larger vocabulary, begin to read, and do better in school, so reading to and with them in the Summer - and all year - is one of the best ways we are able to spend our time with them. Since I'm waiting for more books to arrive, today I'm very happy to let you know about a book I reviewed a few years ago from Union Square Kids - it was one of my grandson's favorite books! Do Your Ears Hang Low? illustrated by Jenny Cooper is a "must-get" book and is sure to be a favorite of the children you love, too! 

Summer Reading - illustrate my own Unknown Bible Hero books

If you are not an artist, or artistic person, when you see a book for which you need to provide the illustrations, you may think it is not the book for you. But, in this case with the illustrate my own Unknown Bible Hero books,   nothing could be farther from the truth! These books give you the unique opportunity to engage with the children you love in ways you never have when you read a book about a real Bible person, since you and/or they will be providing the illustrations. This means you get to talk about what is happening, think through what the Bible person is saying, and basically really pay attention to the details so you are able to provide the illustrations! Just think about the fantastic conversations you will be able to have about the Bible people and how what they learned applies to you as well! These books are no ordinary Bible person storybook!

Summer Reading - What's in a Dumpling, Grandma?

I have one more book from Tommy Nelson/ Harper Collins which I am happy to share with you today. I do have more books on their way and will share their reviews when they arrive, but today let's take a look at What's in a Dumpling, Grandma? by Linda Meeker and illustrated by Sandra Eide.

Summer Reading - Praying Deeper Through the Psalms for Children

When we trust God, we are steadfast and are able to experience His perfect peace. This is certainly what we want for the ones we love; at all times, but especially now with the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the uncertainties of day-to-day life in 2024, and as the children we love will be returning to school in just over a month. They may especially feel fear as they see and hear about the things going on in this world and think about returning to school.

If ever there was a time to help them learn to be people who talk with God, this is it. So, to help you with this, I and my grandsons want you to know about our book, Praying Deeper Through the Psalms for Children. Look what people are saying about this book - 

Today is National Wyoming Day

If you live in Wyoming then today is a day to celebrate as it is National Wyoming Day! Let's look at some silly Wyoming laws and then some interesting fun facts about this State - be sure to share them with the children you love! Did you know . . . 

Summer Reading - Just in Case You Ever Feel Alone

Today I am very happy to share with you another book from Tommy Nelson/Harper Collins - Just in Case You Ever Feel Alone by Max Lucado, illustrated by Eve Tharlet.

Summer Reading - On Kindle ebooks!

 

For the past few days I have shared with you two of my books for children - A Family of Her Own for Candy and The Little Ginormous, Humongous, Hairy, One-Eyed Monster Boys Adventures! - today I am so happy to let you know both books are also available as Kindle ebooks - and are still available as print books as well.

Summer Reading - Broken Crayons Still Color

The other day I received a box of books from Tommy Nelson/Harper Collins, so today I am very happy to let you know about one of these books - Broken Crayons Still Color, by Toni Collier and Whitney Bak and illustrated by Natalie Vasilica.

Summer Reading - A Family of Her Own for Candy

 

The summer of 2022 my husband, grandsons, and I went to the Humane Society to get a kitten. I wanted my grandsons to go with us because, first of all, they love all animals, secondly I wanted to be sure whatever cat we got was one which was able to be around my grandsons without being aggressive. We spent some time at the Humane Society and finally settled on a very sweet calico - which we named Candy, because she is sweet (and my middle grandson said she reminded him of candy corn.) 

Summer Reading - Water: Discovering the Precious Resource All Around Us

Do you have children you love who enjoy science and learning about the world around them? If so, then my last book from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers is a book they will find to be fascinating! Water: Discovering the Precious Resource All Around Us by Olga Fadeeva and Illustrated by Lena Traer is a book my grandsons will enjoy - they love sciency things and learning about the world around us.

just for fun - Today, July 8th, is National Milk Chocolate with Almonds Day!

Mmmm! I do enjoy chocolate and almonds, so a day to celebrate these delightful treats sounds like a good idea to me! Especially since chocolate is good for you and almonds are good for you . . . combining the two has to mean this sweet treat is actually good for us . . . right??!!!

I thought it would be fun to share some almond fun facts with you on this delicious day - so I looked on-line for some info to share! Did you know . . .

Summer Reading - The Little Ginormous, Humongous, Hairy, One-Eyed Monster Boys & Their Not-So-Peculiar, Scary, or Terrifying Discovery!

Yesterday I shared a couple illustrations with you from the first story - There are Teeny, Tiny, Itty, Bitty, Not-so-Hairy, Two-eyed People Children Under My Bed! in the book - "The Little Ginormous, Humungous, Hairy, One-Eyed Monsters' Adventures! Today I am happy to share a couple illustrations with you from the second story in the book - The Little Ginormous,   Humongous, Hairy, One-Eyed Monster Boys & Their Not-So-Peculiar, Scary, or Terrifying Discovery!

Summer Reading - Yellow Dog Blues

Today I am happy to share with you another book from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers - Yellow Dog Blues by Alice Faye Duncan and illustrated by Chris Raschka. Of all the books I've reviewed this summer, this one has my favorite illustrations! I love these colorful, detailed, and unique illustrations and recommend Yellow Dog Blues, as the illustrations are enough of a reason to get it!

Today is World Chocolate Day! Celebrate with the Best-Ever Chocolate Cake!

Today is World Chocolate Day, so in honor of this most important day, I'm re-running my recipe for the best-ever Chocolate cake! Don't you just love chocolate cake?!!! Aren't there days when chocolate cake is the best thing you could possibly eat? Well, I do love chocolate cake and there are days when chocolate cake most certainly does put a smile on my face - although since I've been working the past four years to lose weight (and have lost 100lbs), I rarely eat it, but I do fix it for others.

So, when I found the recipe I'm sharing with you today and tried it . . . well, I knew I had to share it with you because it is the best chocolate cake I've ever had! (I found the recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book) What could be a better way to celebrate World Chocolate Day, than with the Best-Ever Chocolate Cake???!!! :-) Or, if you have a special event coming up where a chocolate cake would be the perfect addition . . . or, if you would just like to brighten your family's - and your own - day, bake up this best-ever chocolate cake! But first, some chocolate fun facts . . . did you know -