"Fowl" picture books: Holiday fun for the whole family! #kidlit #printbook

So, if you've been following this blog or even just checking in occassionally, you've probably noticed that I post about a new book then share a whole bunch of other author's books then go silent for a while. Then suddenly, I pop back with something new and a bit off the beaten path.

Guess what? I haven't just gone off the beaten path. I've wandered to lands no one has ever explored before. No one even imagined they existed. That's right. I created a goose and duck plastic decoy picture book genre, complete with "live action" photographs.

They make a perfect holiday grab bag gift--the books or the waterfowl! Personally, I like to give away both at once!!

A New Home for Goose

Goose sits on a shelf all year. Now, it's Christmas, which means it's time for Goose to go to a new home. But Goose is scared! 

Join the fun as Goose sets off on an epic adventure. What happens when a plastic goose rebels? Will Goose be able to overcome her fears?

Illustrated with actual photographs of Goose, this short picture book is fun for all ages.

Amazon
Createspace

A Fashion Makeover for Duck

Duck wears her cheese hat all the time. But she is ready for a change. She wants a fashion makeover.

Join the fun as Duck tries out the latest fashion styles. But what happens when Baby Blue wants to wear Duck’s old hat? Can Duck really give up her beloved cheese hat?

Illustrated with actual photographs of Duck (and Baby Blue), this short picture book is fun for all ages.

Amazon

Createspace

Stone Faces #middlegrade #fantasy #blogtour @KenHicksnyc

BeachBoundbooks is pleased to be coordinating a Blog Tour for the middle grade fantasy Stone Faces: An Alice and Friends Book by Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks. The tour will run September 19 - October 3, 2016.

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About the Book

 

Title: Stone Faces: An Alice and Friends Book | Author: Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing | Publication Date: July 12, 2016 | Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy Number of Pages: 66

 

 

Book Description: Stone Faces is the story of a ten-year-old girl named Alice who notices one day that her parents’ faces have turned to stone. Soon afterward, they tell her they are going to get divorced and, in reaction, she allows her own face to turn to stone because she doesn’t want anyone to know how much this hurts her. It is easier to deal with her friends when her stone face is in place, but she also begins to find herself alone more and more. While on her summer vacation at her aunt’s house on Cape Cod, she sees a stone on the beach in the shape of a laughing man’s face (called Mr. Happy Man). She soon discovers that this stone can talk and that it has friends among the other beach stones, who play games in the sand when people aren’t around. Together with Mr. Happy Man and his friends, Alice develops an ingenious scheme to help her parents resolve their differences. Their plans are thrown awry when a woman finds Mr. Happy
Man in the sand and walks off with him. Alice decides to rescue the stone and sneaks into the woman’s house where she learns that the woman is actually a witch.

Read an Excerpt

Hi. My name is Alice, and this is the story of the worst summer of my entire life. 

The trouble actually started way before the summer. In fact, it was early spring when my parents and I took that long walk in Central Park. We all should have been in a really great mood because (finally!) the sun was out and it was nice and warm. But I remember glancing over at my mom and dad again and again as we walked, thinking that both of their faces had changed. It’s tough to describe. Their features had gotten sort of hard. They looked a lot like the carved stone faces on some of the buildings in our neighborhood.

Anyway, I pretended that nothing was wrong and forgot about it until it was time to start planning our summer vacation.

Here’s the thing—I love going to the seashore more than almost anything in the whole world. Every summer for as long as I can remember, my mom and my dad packed up our car with all our beach stuff (and snacks for the long ride). Then, we drove the five and a half hours from New York City to visit my aunt in a place called Provincetown on the very tip of Cape Cod.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love New York City. My mom and I can take the bus to my dance classes, and a subway to where I belong to a kids’ theater group on Saturdays. We can walk to my school, to the field house where my soccer team plays, and to the gym where my dad and I shoot hoops. So, yeah, I love New York City.

There’s just one problem. Until I’m older, I pretty much have to stay glued to an adult’s side whenever I leave our apartment. When I’m twelve, my mom says I can take the bus by myself to certain places. When I’m thirteen, I’ll be able to go on the subway. Depending. 

Depending on what, you might ask. Just depending my mom says back. Gag! I hate the word depending.
Anyway, here’s the point—in Provincetown I’m free. I can take walks by myself all over town. The only catch is that I have to stay within a block of Commercial Street, which is like the Broadway of Provincetown. It is usually so crowded that people can’t even fit on the sidewalks and so they walk in the street. It’s like a big pedestrian mall.

And best of all, I can go out to the bay beach by myself and swim, so long as there’s a lifeguard on duty. I love to be tossed by the waves and paddle through the swells in the deep water. I love to make sand castles and look for shells and stones and beach glass and driftwood. The beach is pretty much my idea of paradise.

So, maybe you can understand why I was really upset in early June when my mom and dad sat me down in our living room late one afternoon for a talk. It was getting dark outside. Thunderstorms were predicted, and the sky was almost black. I sat on the sofa by myself. They were each in their own chair across from me, and they were each trying to smile. But it was no use with those stone faces of theirs. I was so nervous I almost couldn’t hear what my mother was saying.

About the Authors

 

When Anne Rothman was a student at Bryn Mawr College and Kenneth Hicks was a student at Haverford College, they began writing together in an independent-study course with one of Ken’s professors. A brief interlude ensued while Anne wrote wonderful poetry and Ken wrote a book about hitchhiking (The Complete Hitchhiker Tobey Publishing, Dell Distribution), but they soon got back together as writers when Ken was in law school at Columbia University and Anne was paying the rent by working in publishing. They have continued to write together for about forty years and in that time have published four adult novels, eleven non-fiction books for children, two fiction books for middle readers, and two photography books. They also produced three children whom they love even more than writing.

Between projects, they started a web site www.randh71productions.com. In case you were wondering about the address, “ R” is for Rothman, “ H” is for Hicks, and “ 71” is the year of their marriage. No secret codes or numerology anywhere.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour Giveaway

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner's choice Giveaway ends: October 3, 11:59 pm, 2016
Open to: 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, Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pickled Pumpkin Pie #Thanksgiving #kidlit @Rainbows2Snow @WantedHero

BeachBoundBooks is pleased to be coordinating a Book Blast for the children's picture book written by Deb Troehler & illustrated by Jaime D. Buckley, Pickled Pumpkin Pie: A Thanksgiving Treat. The blast will run September 26 - September 28, 2016.

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About the Book

 

Title: Pickled Pumpkin Pie: A Thanksgiving Treat | Author: Deb Troehler | Illustrator: Jaime D. Buckley | Genre: Children's Picture Book | Number of Pages: 38 | Publication Date: March 9, 2016

 

Book Description: Thanksgiving is almost here and Dillon can’t wait to see his lovable Uncle Pete once again. Uncle Pete’s visits with his peculiar penchant for pickled pumpkin pie always bring an extra helping of laughter to the dining table. Join Dad, Mom, Uncle Pete, Dillon, and their dog, Baxter, for togetherness, laughter, and a dill-icious meal. Pickled Pumpkin Pie is a read-aloud book for children ages 3-7.

Pickled Pumpkin Pie will be FREE on Amazon September 27 & 28

Review by BeachBoundBooks

Pickled Pumpkin Pie is a charming picture book, told in delightful rhyme, and filled with colorful and fun illustrations.

It's Thanksgiving and Uncle Pete can't wait to eat, but it's not turkey, potatoes, or cranberries he's after. Uncle Pete is waiting for dessert and not just any dessert. He wants pickled pumpkin pie. As the scrumptious meal comes to an end Uncle Pete's excitement builds. Will he finally get his Thanksgiving wish?

Pickled Pumpkin Pie is well written, engaging, and highly entertaining. The book also contains several activities and of course gives readers a chance to create their own pickled pumpkin pie. This is certain to become a fast holiday favorite among children and adults.

I recommend picking up a copy.

About the Author: Deb Troehler

Deb Troehler has worn many hats over the years—teacher, fabric artist, author, illustrator, gardener, mother, and grandmother. Although each hat is unique, they are all stitched with a common thread—Deb’s connections to her loved ones and the world around her.


Mrs. Troehler was a special education teacher for 15 years. After leaving the classroom due to a recurrence of cancer, her family moved to West Michigan to spend time with her husband’s family. To help make ends meet, Deb wrote instructional material and stories for several trade magazines such as Doll Crafter, Doll Reader, and Soft Dolls and Animals. Eventually, the magic of West Michigan motivated Deb to put pen to paper and record the stories inspired by her treks up and down the shores of Lake Michigan. Pickled Pumpkin Pie: A Thanksgiving Treat is Deb’s third book for children.

Educational Blog | Twitter | Facebook

About the Illustrator: Jaime D. Buckley

Jaime Buckley is an author, illustrator, father of 12 and the creator of wantedhero.com, which has been entertaining youth and the young at heart for over a decade.

Facebook | Twitter | Google+

Book Blast Giveaway

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner's choice. Giveaway ends: October 10, 11:59 pm, 2016 Open to: 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, Deb Troehler and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com.

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#ExclusiveExcerpt The Secret in Mossy Swamp by @RitaMonette #middlegrade @Saphs_Books

I sat on the dock with my ruined birthday gift in my lap. Snooper trotted up next to me and laid his head on my leg. “I wish we had our own place, Snoop.” He gazed up at me with his I know how you feel look.

Snooper was the only creature in the whole world that understood me. I put my arm around him and nuzzled my face in his short fur. Snooper had been my best buddy since Papa brought him home as a hunting dog. After he found out he was useless at that particular chore, he set out to get rid of him, but I wasn’t about to let that happen. Me and him were two of a kind. Neither of us fit in. Snoop couldn’t hunt coons or rabbits on account of his smeller not working, and it seemed I couldn’t keep my nose out of trouble.

I glanced out at an old oak tree with low, moss-covered branches that reached out over the bayou. “That there would make a grand getaway, don’t you think? Maybe a tree house.”

My old friend, Lydia Hebert, from Pierre Part, had her own tree house. We had a lot of fun playing in hers. Spikes and his brothers had their own clubhouse. That’s where we figured out the pirate map from our last adventure. I thought it was time I had one of my own. My dog cocked his head at where I pointed and blinked.

Mama came up behind me. “Come in for some breakfast, honey.”

“I’m not hungry,” I huffed. “And why’s Papa so grumpy anyway?”

Mama sat down on a wooden bench. “Oh, he’s just fretting over that missing boy.”

“What missing boy?” I squinted at her.

Things are never what they seem... in a foggy Louisiana swamp

Book Information:

Title: The Secret in Mossy Swamp

Series: Nikki Landry Swamp Legends, Book 3

Author Name: Rita Monette

Genre(s): Juvenile/Middle Grade, Adventure, Mystery

Length: Approx. 204 pages

ASIN: B01KIQNDD6
ISBN Paperback: 978-1987976168

Release Date: Septemer 17, 2016

Publisher: Mirror World Publishing

(http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com/)

Follow the Blog Tour:

http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/2016/09/book-tour-schedule-secret-in-mossy.html

About The Secret in Mossy Swamp:

Living in a tiny houseboat, Nikki is stuck with sharing a room with her little brother, Jesse, who does what little brothers do best…torture their sisters. Fed up, she decides to build a place of her own…a tree house where no boys are allowed. Meanwhile, something strange is happening on Bayou Platte. Things and people are coming up missing…and little stick dolls covered in moss, known locally as “signs” from the legendary Rougarou, are showing up in their place.

Is the Rougarou really to blame? Can Nikki get to the bottom of the mystery before things get worse? Find out in this third instalment of the Nikki Landry Swamp Legends Series!

Add the Book on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31622394-the-secret-in-mossy-swamp

Purchase Links:

Mirror World Publishing ~
Paperback: http://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/collections/juvenile/products/the-secret-in-mossy-swamp-paperback

eBook: http://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/collections/juvenile/products/the-secret-in-mossy-swamp-e-book

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2cbkPHy

Meet the Author:

Behind Every Legend Lies the Truth!

Rita Monette was born and raised in Southwest Louisiana. She loves to write stories set in the beautiful, yet mysterious, bayous and swamps of her home state. She is currently retired and lives with her husband, four lap dogs, and one lap cat, in the mountains of Tennessee. Besides writing and illustrating, She enjoys participating in festivals and craft shows where she does face and body art, along with selling her books.

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/RitaMonetteBooks

Amazon:  

http://amzn.to/2d0B4aF

Goodreads Author Page:  

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6580833.Rita_Monette?from_search=true

Blog: http://ritamonette.blogspot.com/

Author Website: http://www.ritamonette.com/

September to Remember #Septembergiveaway @BravestSquirrel #printbooks #middlegrade

The Mommy Island is hosting the “September to Remember” Giveaway Hop from September 14th at 12:01 am EST thru September 28th at 11:59 pm EST!

The Bravest Squirrel: 3 Books in 1

As a special addition to The Bravest Squirrel family, the first three book of The Bravest Squirrel series have been compiled in a special 3 in 1 edition at a significant saving to buying all three books separately. Enter the Rafflecopter below of a chance to win a free print copy (US only).

The Bravest Squirrel: 3 Books 1

The Bravest Squirrel Ever: Scared of thunder, lightning and being "flopped" by the humans, Pippi the squirrel wants to return to her mama's warm, cozy nest. Instead, she and her siblings stumble on a better nest...in forbidden human territory. When she becomes trapped inside, Pippi must depend on her wits to survive, proving to herself and the world just how brave a little squirrel can be.

The Bravest Squirrel in the Forest: Max is determined to prove he is the bravest squirrel ever. He devises a plan to rescue his Uncle Louie. Instead, he is locked in cage, sprayed by a skunk, dumped out of a truck, and abandoned with a hungry coyote hot on his trail. Max has to give up being brave and beg others to help him. When he has the chance to save Uncle Louie or risk his life to save a friend, Max discovers just how brave he really is.

The Bravest Squirrel in School: Lana has no interest in being brave, but she would like to be cuddled by a human. She ends up in a school bus full of children with no other squirrel to take care of her. With no one coming to rescue her, Lana needs to stand up for herself against the playground bullies and figure out a way to get back home. If she’s not brave enough to rescue herself, she’ll be stuck in school forever.

Amazon - print and e-book

Createspace (print)
Barnes & Noble (print)

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The @sockkids Blog Tour #kidlit #SayNoToBullying

BeachBoundBooks is pleased to be coordinating a Blog Tour for the children's book The Sockkids Say No to Bullying written by Michael John Sullivan and Illustrated by Alexandra Gold. The tour will run from July 18 - August 15, 2016

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About the Book

 

Title: The Sockkids Say NO to Bullying | Authors: Michael John Sullivan and Shelley Larkin | Illustrator: Alexandra Gold | Genre: Children's Picture Book/Social Issues | Number of Pages: 56 | Publisher: Insider's Report, Inc | Publication Date: June 7, 2016

 

Book Description: The SockKids focus on educating children and adults how bullying affects us all and what we can do about it.

Do you know where your socks go when they go missing in the washing machine? Well, the SockKids know! The SockKids are a mismatched family of socks that sometimes time travel through the spin cycle, teaching universal lessons of love and kindness, and focusing on creating a greater awareness of the many social issues that children are faced with today. The SockKids help to educate and encourage children from 2 to 92 to find solutions in helping to make this a better world.


In this story, Sudsy and Wooly discover their human is being bullied at school and team up against bullies with Ethan’s newest friend, Olivia. They discover bullying hurts everyone and staying silent is not an option.

More Inside! Children’s counselor and licensed therapist, Jamie Ross, gives adults and children guidelines on how to handle bullies.

Take a look inside the book...

About the Author: Michael John Sullivan

Michael John Sullivan is the creator of the SockKids. Constantly searching for his socks, he wondered whether the missing foot comforters had found another pair of feet to warm. Before his interest in socks, Sullivan started writing his first novel while homeless, riding a NYC subway train at night. Sullivan returned to his subway notes in 2007 and began writing Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness (Simon & Schuster, Gallery Books imprint). Library Journal named Necessary Heartbreak one of the year’s best in 2010. His second novel, Everybody’s Daughter (Fiction Studio Books, 2012) was named one of the best books of 2012 by TheExaminer.com. Sullivan has written articles about the plight of homelessness for CNN.com, The Washington Post.com, Beliefnet.com, the Huffington Post, and America Online’s Patch.com service.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Blog Tour Giveaway

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner's choiceGiveaway ends: August 15, 11:59 pm, 2016
Open to: 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, Michael John Sullivan and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Loving Everything British Photo Contest @christydeveaux

BeachBoundBooks is pleased to be coordinating a Photo Contest Blast for the author of Wicka: The Chronicles of Elizabeth Blake, Christy Deveaux. The blast will run July 20 - August 3, 2016.

To celebrate her recent trip to England, to get ideas for her next book, Christy Deveaux is holding an British inspired contest! Simply share a picture of yourself with a British theme i.e. In England, in an English pub, eating English fare such as a fish and chips, reading a British novel, etc. - be creative! 

One Winner will receive a British Themed Gift Basket worth $50.
The winner will be selected at random through Random.Org.

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About the Author: Christy Deveaux

Christy Deveaux is the author of The Chronicles of Elizabeth Blake series. Her highly anticipated first book in the series, Wicka, was just released this spring (2014). Inspired by traveling across Europe solo at a very young age, and many travel adventures since, the character and story line behind Elizabeth Blake was born. Christy majored in political science and earned a cross-disciplinary degree from the University of Western Ontario. She lives in Toronto, Ontario with her husband, three children and a fish named Cow.

About the Book: Wicka: The Chronicles of Elizabeth Blake

Elizabeth Blake, a seventeen year old girl from Ann Arbor Michigan, thinks she's enrolling in an international school in the south of France to finish her final year of high school. Instead, she falls in love; finds out that she is a witch from an ancient family ––who weren’t thought to exist anymore; and discovers that her life is in danger, as the Elders believe that she is the heir to a legend they fear above all else.

Wicka has been compared to other fantasy paranormal tales such as Twilight, written by Stephanie Meyer and Harry Potter, written by J.K. Rowling. Young adults and grown ups alike are sure to love this adventure filled magical romance. Get your copy today at bit.ly/Wicka. 

*Note: purchase of the book is not a requirement to enter this free contest.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Contest Rules

Prize: One winner will receive a British Themed Gift Basket ($50 value)

Giveaway ends: August 3, 11:59 pm, 2016

Open to: Internationally

How to enter: Entrants should submit their British themed photos by completing the form below.

**Nude, semi nude, non British themed or pornographic images will be disqualified**

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Only pictures submitted between July 20 and August 3, 2016 will be eligible to win. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Random.org 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, Christy Deveaux and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com.