I’m sick guys. I know I shouldn’t post about the negative things, but I don’t think it’s negative…. it’s real…. it’s life.

I’ve seriously been coughing for a month. Not a cute little cough either. Oh no. Why would I be blessed with that? No. This cough is barky, loud and uncomfortable. I’ve thrown a rib out and thought I was coughing myself a hernia. It’s been awful.

I have gone to the doctor. I was given an antibiotic and cough suppressant. Both make me tired, but I’m trying to manage.

When does coughing become too much? When should one request an xray to rule out bronchitis or something worse? I’m not sure, but I’m ready to be done.

Anyways…. this sickness has me thinking about books that have characters that are sick. I don’t know why, but sometimes it helps to read these and know that I WILL feel better. Sometimes it’s good to know that it happens to everyone… in every species apparently too. But what I think these books help kids learn is empathy. They see the healthy characters taking care of the sickly one. They notice that friends and family are there to help and begin to understand that they should be helpers too.

I highly suggest these books. Most of them were in my classroom library when I was teaching. They were some of the most “loved” books.

Please click on the picture to read more about them. Order them for your kiddo. They will surely love them!

These are a few of the books that I like to pull when my daughters are not feeling good and….well…I read them for me too! I hope you’re able to enjoy them with your kiddos.

LC

Did the title grab your attention? I know when I heard the title of this book, I had an entirely different thought.

Boy was I wrong!

It’s about a dog and a little girl. Who would’ve thought?

The title of the book I’m reviewing is Sparklepants: Moving Day by Stephanie Paasch.

If you and your family ever moved when you were a kid, you would totally be able to relate to this book.

This story is about Ellie Marie and her family’s big move to a new house after her dad recieved a new job opportunity. From the moment Ellie wakes up, she begins thinking about moving. Her walls are blank, they’re are boxes around the house and the furniture is gone. There is even a big sign in the yard that says “SOLD” in big red letters. However, Ellie remains hopeful.

Ellie gets a big box to finish packing her room and writes “Important Stuff” on the side. Soon after she closes the box, the moving truck is ready to roll. Ellie Marie rides in the moving truck with dad and Sparklepants. The truck approaches a large bright yellow house with a big “SOLD” sign in the front yard. Ellie knew that was their house!

Mom told Ellie to go upstairs and find her new room. There was a lovely sign on the door letting Ellie know that behind the door was her room. She swung open the door and was so happy to see that her mom painted it the same color as her old room. Ellie ran around looking for her important box so she could make her room feel more like home.

The story doesn’t end there, but I have to save the rest because it’s full of fun surprises. I don’t want to ruin the fun for you.

Sparklepants: Moving Day by Stephanie Paasch is such a cute story with amazing illustrations. Every page was full of descriptive text and vibrant pictures to help the reader really connect with the book. Ellie Marie is such a relatable, fun- loving and positive character and really sets the mood for the story.

Sparklepants, the dog, is included throughout the text, but I feel like it was mostly about Ellie Marie and her moving day. But in all honesty, without Sparklepants, this story would definitely be missing something.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is moving with young children. Some kids need help with understanding that moving isn’t an end, but the beginning of a new adventure. Ellie Marie and Sparklepants surely help make the transition easier.

Sparklepants: Moving Day (click picture to order your copy) Also check out Sparklepants: Terrific Tea Party by Stephanie Paasch.

LC

Growing up I often wanted to give up. Things didn’t come easily for me. I struggled in school, dance classes, friendships and relationships and I’m sure there are many more areas. Then, I graduated college. After many years (longer than 4, let’s just say that), I graduated with a 3.8 gpa. I became a teacher. But that wasn’t easy either. I never gave up…

It took me 3 years to get my first teaching job. I wasn’t thrilled with the district because of the things I heard about it, but I’m not one to let that stop me. I worked hard for my students. I never gave up on them. Even the hard ones. I’m still in contact with many students and am so proud of their perseverance. They never gave up…

My first review is a picture book by a 10 year old boy who knows what it means to never give up. Mason Hagner wrote the book Never Give Up No Matter What. He knows that if you want something bad enough that giving up simply isn’t an option.

This picture book is a narrative story about Mason deciding to to play football after a session of catch with his dad. Mason thought it would be fun, so he gave it a try. The practices were held 3 days a week and were long, but Mason was super excited about playing. For 6 weeks Mason and his team played flag football to help learn the game. The team earned 3rd place medals and were proud of their accomplishment.

Soon they got to get measured for their uniform and pick numbers. Practices were held in the summer when temperatures would reach high in the 90s and the boys were in full gear. It was hot and hard work, but Mason didn’t give up.

Their first game arrived and Mason played hard. He almost made an interception and made a few tackles. However, that first game proved more difficult than they all thought. The team lost. Mason was terribly upset, but knew he worked his hardest and was proud that he didn’t quit.

Over the next 7 games Mason didn’t play as much, if at all. He was extremely discouraged because he knew he worked as hard as he could but still didn’t get put on the field. The thoughts of quitting were dimming his excitement for the game. His dad told him that he could quit if it was what he really wanted to do or he could continue with what he started.

Mason wanted the chance to play in a game. But he wasn’t sure he would get put in. It was a hard decision.

I think the title tells us Mason’s choice. The ending of this book had me grinning from ear to ear. In his story, Mason didn’t give up, but his dedication page at the end is what makes this book golden. He gives advice to his peers about never giving up. I don’t know any other 10 year olds that give such sound advice.

I genuinely like this book. The message is clear and it is written from the heart of a 10 year old. I think that if you know a student who is struggling this book would rekindle their fire of excitement. Before buying this book, realize that it is written in first person… it’s a narrative. There are 2 unnamed characters and very little dialogue between them. Also remember that a 10 year old wrote it. He did an amazing job, is extremely proud and loves talking about his work.

I would HIGHLY recommend this book to keep anyone from quitting.

Perseverance…. Never Give Up No Matter What!!!

Please click on the link above the picture to purchase.

~LC

Does anyone else have a weird addiction to school supplies? No? Just me? That’s cool. I’m ok with my weirdness. Every August I find myself roaming the school supply aisles of Target and Walmart just to see if there is a new smooth writing pen set or a wonderful journal that I have to have. It’s really bad. I love new journals even though my old ones still have space.

My favorite notebook was purchased at Target a year or two ago. It’s my favorite because it has a canvas cover with a zippered pouch. I can put my new fancy pens in there!!! What?!

Exactly, kid… exactly. Another exciting perk is that I can reuse it with another notebook of the same size.

I know, right?

Here’s the catch…my canvas cover isn’t the prettiest thing around and I can’t seem to find another at Target or Walmart, but it’s totally functional. I love it.

I decided to do an Amazon search for a new one. Just in case. There were a few listed! And they’re super pretty. I highly recommend snatching one of these babies up before they’re gone. If you’re a writer and love pen and paper writing, this thing will make you super happy. If you’re looking for a unique gift, these would be perfect.

I double-dog dare you to click one of these links ( dark blue floral , purple floral , white floral) and purchase one! You won’t regret it!

Until next time…

LC

In the beginning of every job search there is a high possibility that you’ll be turned away for not having experience. But how does one go about getting that experience? You HAVE to start somewhere.  Here is where I begin.  I truly hope to turn writing into my career.  I’m passionate about it and I enjoy escaping into a world other than my own or reliving memories from the past.  My dream is to become an author with many books.  So, I have a book written.  I’m in process of getting it SELF-published.

I’ve been a writer for my entire life.  I have books that I made when I was in grade school and poems from middle school and stories from high school and college.  My world hasn’t revolved around writing until recently.  I love writing.  So here I am.  A writer TRYING to become an author.  What’s the difference, you ask?  A writer is simply a person who writes.  An author is someone who writes but has published items.  I’m on my way, but I want a bit more too!

Where am I going with this?  Well, I need you.  A reader to follow along in my journey.  You will also have the benefit of learning about new stories from unknown authors.  In this blog, I will be reviewing books from unknown authors.  My hope is that you will read these reviews and support a self-published author.

Self-publishing is hard and expensive and totally worth it to the author.  Many will spend a fortune to get their book to turn into their dream.  But self-publishing is what you make it.  You can try to edit yourself or find a friend to go through it for you or you can hire an editor and make the story better.  You can send your story to an illustrator off Fiverr and get your book illustrated quickly and “cheaply,” or you can find an illustrator that is passionate about your book and wants to be a strong contributing factor in the sales of your book.  There are programs that you can design your own book and get it published or you can hire someone who already knows how and will help you market your book as well.  Any path you choose is going to cost money to get that book made.  A small amount or a large amount, it’s up to you, but remember…you get what you pay for.

Self-published authors deserve to be recognized as much as an author published with a well known company.  Here, they will get a review and a link to their book.  Read the review and click on the link to purchase a unique book to support a self-published author and his/her hard work.

LC