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The Runaway Santa: A Christmas Adventure Story by Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Aaron Zenz

December 11, 2015 by

Source: Sky Pony Press
Hardcover, 40 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

The Runaway Santa: A Christmas Adventure Story by Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Aaron Zenz, is an adorable book about Santa Claus and his desire for a vacation away from the North Pole.  The author teams up with the same illustrator of The Runaway Pumpkin, and the results are very similar, only this time the wife is carefully watching her husband on his adventures instead of the mother watching her pumpkin son.  We’ve read this one a couple of times, and she loves picking out where Mrs. Claus is hiding in the background as Santa talks about his adventures in the mountains and the jungle, among other places.

The drawings are simple line drawn characters that are easily recognized by young readers, and the adventures give young readers an idea of what different locations look like and what equipment or items you might need to pack.  This one also had a lot of my daughter’s sight words that she’s learning in preschool, which was good for her to practice recognizing them outside of her flashcards.  Out favorite parts were when Mrs. Claus rode a Kangaroo and Santa swung through the jungle with the monkeys and rode an elephant.

The Runaway Santa: A Christmas Adventure Story by Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Aaron Zenz, offers advice on how to be prepared for adventures, even though they are supposed to be fun.  It also expresses love and care for loved ones, teaching kids empathy for others and concern about their well-being — allowing them to look outside their selves and their own concerns.  Finally, the story also offers a moment of inclusion, as Santa realizes that his wife thinks the vacation adventure may be a good idea and that he would love for her to come along.

Other Reviews:

The Runaway Pumpkin: A Halloween Adventure Story

Filed Under: children's fiction, Read in 2015, review copy, reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Mailbox Monday #350

November 23, 2015 by

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at To Be Continued, formerly The Printed Page, has a permanent home at its own blog.

To check out what everyone has received over the last week, visit the blog and check out the links.  Leave yours too.

Also, each week, Leslie, Vicki, and I will share the Books that Caught Our Eye from everyone’s weekly links.

Here’s what I received:

Knights of the Third Millennium by Allan A. Arel, which I received from my aunt and it is written by her cousin.

The six knights serve a secret order of the Catholic Church know as the Knights of the Third Millennium. They work in secret because the world for the most part is completely unaware of the evil that roams the night. Evil such as vampires, werewolves, zombies, witches and demons of various kind. They spend their nights hunting evil, and their days when not sleeping are spent in the company of each other and whatever local prostitutes happen to be around. They drink, party, gamble, and continuously pick on each other, which makes them like most of us, very human; or sinners if you will. These men will go to their deaths to rid evil of this world, so to them having a good time is usually a bit more extreme then most people live, but at the same time understandable. After all if you might die tomorrow wouldn’t you want to have as much pleasure as you possibly could tonight? While after a werewolf the knights find themselves smack dab in the middle of a town designated to be the place where hell comes to earth. Now they aren’t just chasing a werewolf but they’re having to deal with all kinds of evil creatures as well as an ancient evil sorcerer. They get help from a most unlikely wizard, who has the power of God working through him all coming to a climatic and surprising end.

The Runaway Santa: A Christmas Adventure Story by Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Aaron Zenz for review from Sky Pony Press.

Once there was a jolly Santa who wanted to leave the North Pole on a worldwide vacation! He decides he wants to visit Mount Rushmore and see the stone faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Then he’ll ski the silky slopes of the Swiss Alps. And after that, he’ll ride an elephant in South Africa on a safari. Santa is eager for a new adventure, but Mrs. Claus isn’t so sure he’s ready just yet. Before he takes off, she’s going to make sure he’s got his rock climbing gear. And his skis, and his hat. He must be ready!

It isn’t long before Santa realizes that maybe his adventure would be more fun with a friend. Mrs. Claus is clearly an expert adventurer herself, and so the two take off together on a runaway adventure. They have a little time before Christmas, after all, and everybody needs a break sometimes!

The Night Before Christmas: A Brick Story by Clement C Moore, illustrated by Amanda Brack for review from Sky Pony Press.

Spread the Christmas cheer with this whimsical retelling of Clement C. Moore’s cherished poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” This new edition of the classic features the text of Moore’s original poem, illustrated with beautifully detailed LEGO brick scenes and characters.

See the colorful stockings hung by the chimney in the fanciful brick house, and look on at the visions of dancing brick sugarplums. Turn the pages to reveal Saint Nicholas with his bundle of toys and his eight trusty reindeer, and watch as he magically slides down the chimney to bring presents to the good little girls and boys before shouting, “Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!” This treasured Christmas poem in brick will quickly become the highlight of your holiday storybooks and a great new tradition for the whole family!

Tough Cookie by Kate Louise, illustrated by Grace Sandford for review from Sky Pony Press.

When this gingerbread man was baked, someone forgot to put in the ginger. He’s made of eggs and cinnamon and flour and butter and sugar, but he’s missing a key ingredient! Without ginger, the gingerbread man feels like he’s not really a gingerbread man at all! He can’t be sold in the bakery, so he lives at the back of the store. And there he causes all kinds of trouble.

The Five-Minute Brain Workout for Kids: 365 Amazing Fabulous and Fun Word Puzzles by Kim Chamberlain, illustrated by Jon Chamberlain for review from Sky Pony Press.

Our brains are an amazing organ! And just like our bodies, our brain functions best when it’s put to work. So get ready to give your brain a full workout each day with The Five-Minute Brain Workout for Kids! Inside, you’ll find 365 word puzzles and games to keep your mind active and in great shape! Have fun with your family and friends as you learn about acronyms, anagrams, definitions, parts of speech, rhyming words, syllables, word structure, and more with these fun puzzles. From Alphabet Teasers and Mini Word Sudoku puzzles, to Speed Words and Word Store games, even doing one puzzle a day will help you to learn new words, spell better, problem solve with ease, and have better concentration.

What did you receive?

Filed Under: mailbox monday, meme Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Runaway Pumpkin: A Halloween Adventure Story by Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Aaron Zenz

October 23, 2015 by

Source: Sky Pony Press
Hardcover, 40 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

The Runaway Pumpkin: A Halloween Adventure Story by Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Aaron Zenz, features adorable pumpkins.  The single-toothed pumpkin boy is dreaming big in this story, and while he talks of running off to play mummy or fly on brooms with witches, his mother is supportive.  Although she wants to protect him from the things that go bump in the night, his mother is aware that kids want independence and want to grow up faster than their parents are ready for.  She knows that without his blanket he’ll be scared at night, so she offers to pack it for him.  Her support does not go unnoticed by the little pumpkin.

We’ve probably read this more than a few times since it’s come into the house, but she loves the adventures of the little pumpkin.  Her favorite parts are when we see his mother watching over him from under the straw on the hayride or in the distance behind some bushes.  It’s like a little game of hide-and-seek.  By the end of the book, we’re both ready to enjoy the adventures of both mother and son pumpkin.

The Runaway Pumpkin: A Halloween Adventure Story by Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Aaron Zenz, is cute and has a great message about giving children some independence to think and do on their own, but it also cautions that parents need to be ready in the wings to step in when they are needed.  My daughter’s favorite parts are when the little pumpkin dresses like a pirate and wears a fake mustache.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: challenges, children's fiction, New Authors Challenge, Read in 2015, review copy, reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Mailbox Monday #340

September 14, 2015 by

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at To Be Continued, formerly The Printed Page, has a permanent home at its own blog.

To check out what everyone has received over the last week, visit the blog and check out the links.  Leave yours too.

Also, each week, Leslie, Vicki, and I will share the Books that Caught Our Eye from everyone’s weekly links.

Here’s what I received:

The Color Monster: A Pop-Up Book of Feelings by Anna Llenas from Sterling Children’s Books for review.

We teach toddlers to identify colors, numbers, shapes, and letters—but what about their feelings? By illustrating such common emotions as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and calm, this sensitive book gently encourages young children to open up with parents, teachers, and daycare providers. And kids will LOVE the bright illustrations and amazing 3-D pop-ups on every page!

Mind Your Monsters by Catherine Bailey, illustrated by Oriol Vidal from Sterling Children’s Books for review.

Vampires and werewolves and zombies—oh my! It’s a monster invasion, and the stinky-smelling creatures are destroying Wally’s peaceful little town. They scare the kids, knock over the lampposts, and make a mess of everything. And no one can stop them—until, fed up, Wally says . . . the magic word, “PLEASE.” Learning good manners has never been as monstrously fun!

Monster Trouble! by Lane Fredrickson, illustrated by Michael Robertson for review from Sterling Children’s Books.

Nothing frightens Winifred Schnitzel—but she DOES need her sleep, and the neighborhood monsters WON’T let her be! Every night they sneak in, growling and belching and making a ruckus. Winifred constructs clever traps, but nothing stops these crafty creatures. What’s a girl to do? (Hint: Monsters HATE kisses!) The delightfully sweet ending will have every kid—and little monster—begging for an encore.

Dining With … Monsters: A Disgusting Way to Count to 10! by Agnese Baruzzi from Sterling Children’s Books for review.

What do hungry monsters like to eat? 1 spider swallowed whole, 2 leaping frogs, and 3 entire whales for the ogre with gigantic claws and scales! And for Mr. One-Eye, four mice are very nice. Kids will enjoy this fun feast of a counting book, with 10 colorful creatures and their meals of grasshoppers, scorpions, owls, and prickly porcupines. Foldout pages and simple, humorous rhyming text make this a delight to read aloud.

A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest, which I got for 99 cents on a Kindle sale.

On the evening of Sofia Claremont’s seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake.  A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood.

She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine.  An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains.

Sofia’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince.  Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over if she is to survive even one more night.

The Runaway Pumpkin: A Halloween Adventure Story by Anne Margaret Lewis, Aaron Zenz for review.

A cute little Halloween pumpkin announces that he is ready for a Halloween adventure. So he prepares to set out on the exploration of a lifetime. However, his ever watchful and caring mother wants to make sure he’s prepared before he takes that first step outside.

The little pumpkin will begin his adventure on a witch’s broom, where he will fly through the skies. Next, he’ll dare to venture through the very spookiest haunted house. And to celebrate the night, he’ll dance to the “Monster Mash”! It’s scary out there on Halloween night, but his mother is packing a parachute just in case he falls, a blankie for reassurance, and his favorite monster shoes so he can boogie-woogie all night long. Whatever adventures he has, he is sure to be prepared. Halloween isn’t so scary when you have a mother pumpkin making sure you’re ready for whatever frights might come your way!

I Want to Eat Your Books by Karin Lefranc, Tyler Parker for review.

He’s limping strangely down the hall with outstretched arms and a groaning drawl. A zombie! Could it really be? You race to class, but turn to see he’s sitting in the desk right next to you!

But odds are you’ll probably be okay, because this is no ordinary zombie. This zombie doesn’t want to eat your brains—he wants to eat your books! Hide your textbooks and your fairy tales, because the little zombie is hungry and he doesn’t discriminate between genres. Will the school library be devoured, or will the children discover something the zombie likes to do with books even more than eating them?

Ava the Monster Slayer by Lisa Maggiore, Ross Felton for review.

Don’t underestimate Ava just because she’s “cute” and wears “adorable glasses”—she’s really a fierce monster slayer. And when her beloved Piggy is left in the dryer in the basement, Ava knows she’ll have to face the ferocious monsters lurking in the dark if she wants to rescue her favorite stuffed animal. So she puts on her brother’s superhero cape, grips his sword tight, puts on her pink rain boots and sparkly princess crown, and creeps downstairs.

Not even the roar of the greenest and hairiest monster is going to stop this spunky girl. Even though she’s scared and the monsters smell terrible, Ava is determined to rescue Piggy. Ross Felten’s brisk, sketch-like illustrations help bring energy and humor to this story of bravery and loyalty. Young readers will relate to Ava’s mission and delight in her victory over the monsters. Ava the Monster Slayer is sure to appeal to children worried about monsters in their own homes and kids devoted to their own stuffed animals.

What did you receive?

Filed Under: mailbox monday, meme Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,