GET HAPPY by Mary Amato BLOG TOUR AND GIVEAWAY!

I am pleased to welcome author, Mary Amato to Bring on the Books today! She is the author of the great book posted here - Get Happy. Because of the influence of music that runs through this entire story (as well as Ms. Amato's other stories like Guitar Notes), I asked her to share about that aspect of her writing. Here is her response:

I love music and wanted to write another novel exploring music in the life of a character. Music is often the thing that gets a teen through the day. How many times I remember being depressed or angry or sad or confused and then singing my heart out to whatever song I was hooked on and just letting the song take care of purging the negative and replacing it with joy.

When I write I keep my instruments nearby and throughout the day I take little breaks to play and sing. I also work well with music on and often choose music that I think my characters would like or music that reminds me of my characters.

While I was writing Get Happy, I was lucky to see or hear some inspiring local female vocalists: Victoria Vox (http://www.victoriavox.com ) and The Sweater Set ( http://www.thesweaterset.com/)

Check them out and make sure to also check out the 16-year-old Jamey Geston http://www.jameygestonmusic.com who recorded my Get Happy Songs!

Many thanks to Mary Amato for stopping by on her blog tour. You can check out the rest of the tour here. Mary is also offering a copy of Get Happy to one of my readers. Comment below (or on my Facebook or Twitter posts) by 11:59pm on October 31, 2014 for a chance to win!

I thoroughly enjoyed Get Happy. The main character has two great friends who support her throughout the story. When things start to fall apart for her, her anger is raw and realistic as she discovers that relationships are complicated and adults aren't perfect. I flew through this one, cover to cover, and enjoyed every page. I think this would appeal to middle school and high school readers as well as those of us adults who are lucky enough to know how much fun it is to read books that are supposed to be for kids! Four out of five stars.

Remember to comment by the end of October for a chance to win a copy of Get Happy and check out the rest of the blog tour.

Author Bio:

Mary Amato is an award-winning children's book author, songwriter, musician, puppeteer, and poet. She writes for children of all ages, and is beginning to focus on YA. Her first YA novel was Guitar Notes. Mary lives with her family outside Washington, DC, where she also performs regularly, singing and playing her own songs. Mary is a popular speaker and runs numerous workshops for teachers and students, including many on all aspects of creative writing, even songwriting. The author lives in Silver Spring, MD. You can visit her online at www.maryamato.com. You can also find here at www.thrumsociety.com 

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY by Holly Schindler (BLOG TOUR)

Hello! Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky by Holly Schindler!

Many thanks to Holly and to her publisher, Dial Books for Young Readers (a division of Penguin Young Readers Group) for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour, and for providing a review copy of the book. You can connect with Holly at her website here or on Twitter (@holly_schindler) or on Facebook. You can also find her at a couple other blogs online - YA Outside the Lines (yaoutsidethelines.blogspot.com) for YA authors and Smack Dab in the Middle (smack-dab-in-the-middle.blogspot.com) for MG authors.

Holly has also created a website where her readers can interact about her books - Holly Schindler’s Middles. Holly says, "I’m especially excited about this site.  I adored getting to interact with the YA readership online—usually through Twitter or FB.  But I had to create a site where I could interact with the MG [Middle Grade] readership.  I’m devoting a page on the site to reviews from young readers themselves!  Be sure to send your young reader’s review through the Contact Me page."

Here are some details about the book:

“Beasts of the Southern Wild” meets Because of Winn Dixie in this inspiring story of hope.

Auggie Jones lives with her grandpa Gus, a trash hauler, in a poor part of town.  So when her wealthy classmate’s father starts the House Beautification Committee, it’s homes like Auggie’s that are deemed “in violation.”  But Auggie is determined to prove that there’s more to her—and to her house—than meets the eye.

What starts out as a home renovation project quickly becomes much more as Auggie and her grandpa discover a talent they never knew they had—and redefine a whole town’s perception of beauty, one recycled sculpture at a time.

Holly Schindler’s feel-good story about the power one voice can have will inspire readers to speak from their hearts.

Reviews:

"...a heartwarming and uplifting story...[that] shines...with vibrant themes of community, self-empowerment and artistic vision delivered with a satisfying verve." – Kirkus Reviews

"Axioms like 'One man's trash is another man's treasure' and 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder' come gracefully to life in Schindler's tale about the value of hard work and the power of community…Auggie's enthusiasm and unbridled creativity are infectious, and likeminded readers will envy her creative partnership with [her grandfather] Gus." – Publishers Weekly

I really enjoyed reading Auggie's story. The angst of what happens between Auggie and her best friend is so realistic, it was almost painful to read because I could imagine how wrecked I would feel in the same situations. Auggie's creativity and spirit are admirable. I loved how her community banded together, how they supported one another. I think my students will enjoy reading about Auggie and her "company" and hopefully they'll start to think about finding their own way to shine.

If you'd like to find about more about The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky, check out the book trailer here. It's lovely! There are also some cool youtube videos here and here. The first one focuses on the metaphors and language that Auggie uses to describe her life, her circumstances and her feelings (could be a great tool for teachers). The second video is probably my favorite of the three, talking about one of the signs that signifies for Auggie that she is poor, and her neighbors are poor, and they stand apart at their new school. But one of Auggie's friends uses her own special gifts or "shine" to make the best of things.

Watch the videos, look for the book, and enjoy getting to know Auggie and her friends and family!


The next stop on the BOOK TOUR is Children’s Book Review: http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/  tomorrow. I hope you'll stop by there to see what other folks are saying about Auggie and her grandpa, Gus, and the rest of the folks at the Junction of Sunshine and Lucky!

BLOG TOUR: I, Saul by Jerry Jenkins

I am happy to be part of the Blog Tour for the book, I, Saul today. I received a copy of the book from the publisher so I could read it and review it here*.

There are two stories told in this book - a contemporary story (August is summoned to Rome to help a desperate friend) and an historical one (The apostle, Paul, is in prison in the weeks before his execution, working with Luke on his memoir). As alternating chapters tell each story, the reader sees the relationship between Luke and Paul and gets to read some of the memoir, including a fascinating "history" of Paul's schooling and his journey to Damascus where he meets Christ. In the contemporary story, "Augie" is drawn into danger in Rome as factions conspire to frame, follow and kill in pursuit of the memoir.

The contemporary part of the story had a slow start for me. A lot of time was spent establishing Augie's role in his job and his relationship with his parents before he heads to Rome. At times, the pacing was discouraging. I was expecting something like The DaVinci Code or The Skeleton in God's Closet, with clues and chases and suspense and betrayal from start to finish, but that action didn't develop until the second half of the book. The Paul and Luke portion was more engaging and helped propel me forward until the action kicked up. The second half of the book was excellent - both stories - and I really enjoyed it. The memoir pieces were really interesting - the evolution of  Saul's zealous passion for the Law, the stoning of Stephen, the road to Damascus. I also liked the description of the relationship between Paul and Luke as Luke wrestled with his loyalty to Paul and his desire to not witness the execution of his dear friend. Once things started moving in the contemporary story, there were a lot of twists and turns as Augie has to figure out who he can trust. There's a great teaser at the end that sets up a sequel.

I would encourage fans of Christian fiction, historical fiction, and Biblical fiction to check out I, Saul. If you find the beginning to be a little slow, don't quit. The end will make the read worthwhile!

4 out of 5 stars

Here's some information from the publisher, Worthy Publishing, about the book. You can check out their twitter feed at @WorthyPub to hear about more Christian reading material. If you read I, Saul, I'd love to hear what you thought of it!

One of the Best-Selling Novelists of All Time JERRY B. JENKINS Releases Riveting New Thriller

 

“Jenkins is a consummate novelist; his plotting is nicely sneaky, his dialogue crackling.”

 

—Publishers Weekly

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 23, 2013—Jerry Jenkins’s novels have sold more than 70 million copies, qualifying him as one of the best-selling novelists of all time. In his new release, I, Saul (Worthy Publishing, Aug. 27, 2013), Jenkins presents his latest masterpiece: a compelling international thriller that catapults readers from present-day Texas to a dank Roman dungeon in A.D. 67, then down the dusty roads of ancient Israel, Asia, and back to Rome.

 

An adventurous seminary professor, Augustine Knox, is drawn into a deadly race to save priceless parchments from antiquities thieves, and discovers a two-thousand-year-old connection with another who faced death for the sake of the truth. I, Saul consists of two riveting adventures in one as readers are transported between the stories of Augustine Knox and the man who would become the Apostle Paul.

 

I, Saul will keep readers turning pages as it offers new insight into the fiery early days of Christianity when Saul of Tarsus vowed to put an end to the new sect, whatever the cost. A fast-paced story filled with political intrigue, mystery, and rich historical detail, I, Saul is the thrilling tale of loyal friendships tested by life-or-death quests, set two millennia apart. With this new work, Jenkins again delivers the sort of novel that has made him a household name.

 

Jenkins artfully depicts biblical times and characters, relying heavily on research and expertise provided by noted pastor and biblical scholar, Dr. James S. MacDonald.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Jerry B. Jenkins’s novels have sold more than 70 million copies, including the phenomenal mega-best-selling Left Behind series. Twenty of his books have reached the New York Times best-seller list, including seven that debuted at number one, as well as the USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal best-seller lists. Jenkins has been featured on the cover of Newsweek magazine. Jerry and his wife, Dianna, live in Colorado.

 

Worthy Publishing Group (www.worthypublishing.com) is a privately held, independent voice in Christian and inspirational publishing, based in Nashville, Tennessee, comprised of three divisions. Worthy Books publishes a boutique list of trade titles across a broad spectrum of genres, including current events, biography, fiction, devotionals, spiritual and personal growth, and specialized Bibles. Ellie Claire is a line of gift and paper expressions, and Freeman-Smith is a value-priced, impulse book imprint.

*I received this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

 

BLOG TOUR and GIVEAWAY: Super Schnoz and the Gates of Smell by Gary Urey

For details on the full tour, please go to  www.albertwhitman.com 

Today I am pleased to be a part of the Blog Tour for Super Schnoz and the Gates of Smell, a new book by Gary Urey. Gary has graciously composed a post for my readers today. Enjoy!

Triumph of the Reluctant Reader

Hello, everyone! My name is Gary Urey, author of SUPER SCHNOZ AND THE GATES OF SMELL (Albert Whitman), and I am thrilled to be making an appearance on Bring on the Books! Like Jaymie, I am a book lover. A great quote about kids, books, and reading comes from one of my favorite writers, Kate DiCamillo—“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or a duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift."

Unfortunately, reading is a chore or a duty for some kids. And I am qualified to address the subject because I was one of those kids. I grew up in the late 1970s and early 1980s in a house without books. My main source of entertainment was comics and Saturday morning cartoons. I couldn’t get enough of the Fantastic Four, Hong Kong Phooey, Super Friends, Johnny Quest, Bugs Bunny, Land of the Lost, the Flintstones, and dozens of other comics and cartoons. If I’d had a laptop, Direct TV, and Netflix way back then — forget about it! A book (other than a comic) would have been as foreign to me as a moon rock.

Yet, I grew up to be a children’s book author.

My only reading pleasure as a kid came from super hero comics. I gobbled them up like sugary Pixy Stix. I was well past high school before I discovered my love of real books and writing. But a childhood full of quick blasts of goofy, visual entertainment had already wired my brain. Hence, SUPER SCHNOZ AND THE GATES OF SMELL, about a boy with a giant-sized nose who becomes the unlikely hero when a criminal organization plots to destroy his school. The hilarious illustrations are from Daytime Emmy-award nominee and Geisel Award winner, Ethan Long. The book’s inspiration came straight from my thousands of hours of reading comic books and watching cartoons.  

As a child, there was no way I would have read a Newbery Medal-winning book about a girl living in a small Kansas town during the depression. However, I would have picked up a book like SUPER SCHNOZ AND THE GATES OF SMELL. That book may have led me to other books in the genre. And then as the feel of a hard cover book in my hands became less of a chore, I just might have checked out that book about the Kansas girl set during the depression (when my friends weren’t around, of course) and probably would have thoroughly enjoyed it.  

A reluctant reader is really just a kid who hasn’t found the right book for them. I cringe inside when I see books like CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS and the DAY MY BUTT WENT PSYCHO banned from school libraries. With so many electronic distractions designed to steal our kids away from reading, books like those mentioned above and SUPER SCHNOZ AND THE GATES OF SMELL could be the bridge from the computer screen to the printed page. A lifetime of reading pleasure awaits the reluctant reader!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thanks, Gary! I completely agree about the power of ONE book to open the door for kids who think they hate to read. We just have to try to get a variety of books into their hands so they can find the one that will click. I posted my review of Super Schnoz and the Gates of Smell earlier today; you can read that here if you haven't already. If you are interested in a copy of Super Schnoz and the Gates of Smell for a reader in your life - or for a classroom or library - physical copies are available from the publisher, Albert Whitman and Company. Electronic copies are available from Open Road Media.

Please follow the tour to http://ncteacherstuff.blogspot.com/ tomorrow for the next stop!

The folks at Albert Whitman and Company have graciously offered to give a signed copy of Super Schnoz and the Gates of Smell to one of my blog readers today. Please leave a comment here - or on the Networked Blogs post on my Facebook page - by Sunday, September 29th, 2013 at 11:59pm Eastern for a chance to win. You must live in Canada or the United States to win. Winner will be chosen at random and posted on Facebook and here on Monday the 30th. 

SUPER SCHNOZ AND THE GATES OF SMELL by Gary Urey (BLOG TOUR)

Andy Whiffler has a huge nose and a great sense of smell. For 11 years this has been something of a curse, but now it has led Andy to some new friends. When Andy discovers a plot to destroy their home town, the comic-loving kids become a crime-fighting team - "Super Schnoz and the Not-Right Brothers and Vivian." Can five kids save a town from a toxic-stink plot?

This was a fun book! I can already picture students at school who would love this one - a super hero story with a bit of a gross-factor. Great nose jokes - The school is James Durante Elementary School and the principal is named Cyrano. I think this will appeal to fans of Captain Underpants - or kids who think they have gotten a little old for Captain Underpants - as well as comic/superhero fans.

(I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher as part of the blog tour.)

3.5 out of 5 stars
There is no AR reading level at this time.

Come back to the blog at noon today for a Blog Tour post about Super Schnoz and the Gates of Smell. There's a great post from the author, Gary Urey, as well as details on how YOU might win a signed copy of the book. See you soon!

BLOG TOUR: He Knows Your Name AND The Power of an Ordinary Prayer

  

This summer I was given the opportunity to read and review these two beautiful books. Worthy Publishing provided review copies of the books and the press release text that you'll find at the bottom of this review.

He Knows Your Name - God knows your name, and Cottrell ties this to several aspects of the concept of worship - surrender, faith and trust, fear, forms of worship, etc. Cottrell says, "Worship is saying to God, 'You matter more than anything in my life.... I submit to what You are and what You are doing in my life." (pg 149) Points are made with Bible stories as well as personal stories. Extended introduction by Beth Moore. The book is lovely - hard cover, easily could be used as a gift book. Quotes, questions and prayers accompany each chapter. I had planned to give my copy away, but I couldn't keep myself from highlighting various points.  4 out of 5 stars.

The Power of an Ordinary Prayer - This book opens with a beautiful blessing that addresses family, spiritual victory, service, etc. Then each chapter addresses a part of the blessing with personal stories and Scriptures. Smith does a great job of clarifying that the blessing isn't some sort of "magic spell" that gets the speaker everything he/she wants. But it can connect readers to God's desire to love and bless his people. This, too, would make a great gift book for encouragement. There's space for readers to respond to the ideas in each chapter. I think the blessing itself is my favorite part. It would be beautiful on a book mark or plaque or other gift items. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you, Worthy Publishing, for the opportunity to review these books!!

GRAMMY AND DOVE AWARD-WINNING RECORDING ARTISTS

PEN TITLES WITH WORTHY PUBLISHING

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – June 11th, 2013—The Worthy Publishing Group rounds out its Spring/Summer 2013 list with two gift titles penned by award-winning singer/songwriters Michael W. Smith and Travis Cottrell.

Smith’s book The Power of an Ordinary Prayer (Worthy Publishing, 9781617951923, July 2013, $14.99, hardcover) explores the heart of prayer and its power to transform your world. The beautifully-designed, hardcover gift book inspires readers to pray blessings over their loved ones, and in return discover the abundant joy and peace that can be theirs through the power of this simple blessing. 

Dove-award winning artist, Travis Cottrell’s 144-page gift book entitled He Knows Your Name (Worthy Publishing, 9781617951916, July 2013, $14.99, hardcover), looks at those surprising times and places when God proves his radical love. With a remarkable introduction by NewYork Times best-selling author Beth Moore, Cottrell reminds readers that God is the hope, strength, and deliverance they desperately need in every circumstance—especially those moments when it is least expected.

“These books, written by award-winning recording artists, come on the heels of our success with titles from contemporary Christian music artists Laura Story and Nichole Nordeman,” says Jeana Ledbetter, Vice President of Editorial.Within the past year Worthy Publishing has struck a chord with readers with the release of Grammy-award winning songwriter Laura Story’s devotional, What If Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops? (Freeman Smith, 9781605873220, March 2012, $11.99, trade paper) along with Dove-award winning artist Nichole Nordeman’s Love Story (Worthy, 9781617950513, August 2012, $16.99, hardcover). “It seems we have found a niche transforming best-selling recording artists into widely read authors,” Ledbetter continues.  Worthy is also scheduled to release Big Daddy Weave’s devotional Redeemed (Worthy, 9781605875224, August 2013, $11.99), based on the song recently awarded “Song of the Year” at the K-Love Fan Awards on June 1^st.

Michael W. Smith is a multiple-time Grammy and Dove Award-winning singer/songwriter, having recorded more than twenty-two albums and written numerous hit songs.Smith has written several best-selling books, including Old Enough to Know and Friends are Friends Forever. He and his wife, Debbie, have five children and live in Nashville.

Travis Cottrell is a Dove Award-winning recording artist and songwriter and has been the worship leader at Beth Moore’s Living Proof Live conferences for fifteen years. He also serves as the Worship Pastor at Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, Tennessee, where he lives with his wife, Angela, and their three children.

Worthy Publishing Group (www.worthypublishing.com) is a privately held, independent voice in Christian and inspirational publishing, based in Nashville, Tennessee, comprised of three divisions. Worthy Books publishes a boutique list of trade titles across a broad spectrum of genres, including current events, biography, fiction, devotionals, spiritual and personal growth, and specialized Bibles. Ellie Claire is a line of gift and paper expressions, and Freeman-Smith is a value-priced, impulse book imprint.  

The Lulu Blog Tour by Hilary McKay

The Writing Process
Is hard.

I have a little room where I do it. It used to be a garage, not really part of the house, so it is rather colder than the rest of the building. As well as my desk and some bookcases and all my daughter's art equipment, and the camping stuff that never really has a proper home, there are lots of boxed in water pipes. All around the water pipes live large dark spiders.

But I digress.

To begin the writing process I have to take myself to this cold and spidery place, clamber round the camping stuff and get to my desk. And sit down.

In front of my desk is a window with a view down the garden and across to the hills on the other side of the valley. Birds are in the garden. The bird feeder is empty.

Hurray!

Rush away from the desk to feed the birds.

Come back some time later having done a bit of pruning.

Computer on.

Emails

.

It really isn’t possible to write when there are emails waiting to be answered. It is lazy. Perhaps even rude.

So.

Then there is Twitter. I only recent discovered it but already it seems to be taking over my life.

Twitter then.

What a pity I have writer friends who twitter too. One of them is baking cakes. One of them is slightly indignant about something I could easily, with a little effort, become slightly indignant about as well. Several have petitions that need signing.

They all have enormous word counts. How do they achieve that when they spend their time tweeting?

Anyway.

It is one of the days when it is not possible to write without music and the only cd I can bear to play is scratched but perhaps polishing it will work.

Polish it.

Good.

Stare at blank screen, stare at blank screen, stare at blank screen, turn to paper instead.

Good old fashioned paper. Well, if it was good enough for Dickens... (what long books he wrote)(but he didn’t have Twitter)(or email)(I wonder if he fed the birds though?) (Should I google that?)(Yes)

Okay, now I know about Dickens and birds, I have paper, I have chosen pencil over ink and sharpened it. I have drawn a small picture of the cat in the margin of my paper...

I am off.

I have written the date.

With twirly bits round the edge.

All the best stories begin with ‘Once upon a time’

So I’ve written that too.

And here I go.

Coffee. That’s what’s the matter with me.  I forgot coffee.

And I haven’t rearranged my poetry books in alphabetical order for weeks.

Can’t even remember when I last polished a mirror.

Or put air in the car tires.

This is how I write. This is how all the writers I know write. If they are not putting air into the tires of their car they are off for a little run, cleaning under their washing machines, Googling their names, Christmas shopping or meeting each other to compare royalty statements.

The writing process is an absolute miracle. It truly is a wonder that anything ever gets written at all.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Check out the Lulu series by Hilary McKay for the readers and animal lovers in your life! Book three, Lulu and the Cat in the Bag will debut this fall. You can follow the tour which moves on to http://www.the1stdaughter.blogspot.com/ on  Tuesday, April 02, 2013 where you can find an interview and a giveaway. Thanks to the folks at Albert Whitman & Company for providing this opportunity to be part of Ms. McKay's blog tour!

   

Special Treat Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will be hosting a blog tour from author Hilary McKay.

Ms McKay is the author of the Lulu series. I read this book from our book fair. It was a sweet story about a girl named Lulu and her tremendous and infamous love of animals of all kinds. Lulu comes across one safe duck egg at the park after all the others have been trampled by some leash-less dogs. Lulu knows she has to do whatever she can to save the duck inside. (AR reading level of 4.2)

Come back by tomorrow and read what Ms. McKay has to share about the writing process.

Happy Easter!!

BLOG TOUR: Imagination Station Series

Summary
Beth and her cousin Patrick visit Whit's End - the best place in town for ice cream. While there, Mr. Whittaker is trying to fix the Imagination Station. To test it, he sends the kids on a mission to the Vikings. They are on a quest to find a Viking Sunstone to save someone named Albert.

Beth and Patrick go back in time and meet Erik the Read and his son Leif Erikson. Erik wants to treat the kids as spies and prisoners, but Leif defends them, recognizing them as Christians. The children will have to stay out of Erik's reach while they try to find the Sunstone before Leif's ship sets sail with their only means home.

In the second adventure, Beth and Patrick travel to ancient Rome. They are separated soon after their arrival. Beth, dressed as a slave, is accused of being a runaway. She is returned to the emperor as one of his bird keepers. Patrick is rescued by a monk. The cousins meet up again at the arena where prisoners are put into a fight to the death - and Patrick becomes one of those prisoners.

These books are similar in style to the Magic Tree House series, but with a Christian slant.

Blog Tour
Today, Bring on the Books is part of a Blog Tour for the Imagination Station books. As part of the tour, I have a set of these two books available to giveaway to one of my readers. Post a comment here by midnight, Wednesday April 6th to be considered for the giveaway.

Here is some information, straight from the author, Marianne Hering:

Q: What inspired you to write the Imagination Station series?

A:  Paul (McCusker) had always wanted to write stories about the Imagination Station. When looking to do a kids’ series about it, we chose early elementary to introduce new readers to the Adventures in Odyssey world. We also wanted to touch on a group of kids that didn’t have many Christian books written for their level. There seemed to be a gap from picture books to later elementary readers.

Q: The Imagination Station device is well-known to fans of the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey. Why did you and Paul decide to use it in a book series?

A:  It lends itself to stand-alone adventures. It’s a fascinating device. Why wouldn’t he want to write about it? It allowed us to write about settings outside of Odyssey. We’d like some of the books to augment the history kids learn from public school textbooks or TV. The Imagination Station radio dramas are also among the most popular. We thought that kids would like them, that’s all!

Q: The first two books focus on the Vikings and ancient Rome. The next two books focus on Kublai Khan and the War of the Roses. How did you and Paul decide which historical events to write about?

A. They just seemed interesting and we thought they’d be popular with boys. I also looked through the Bennett books on core knowledge to make sure the things we write about would be taught in schools. Also, the Rome book is based on an actual Adventures in Odyssey radio drama. It is one of our favorites, and so we wanted to retell the story. The Kublai Khan book started out to be more about Marco Polo, but Kublai took the stage. He was a fascinating character. We don’t always decide with concrete objectives. Most times the story just sounds plain old fun.

Q: How true to history are the books?

A: Now, this is a spoiler. Mr. Whittaker isn’t real. Neither are Patrick and Beth. Though they are named after Paul’s children. Patrick and Beth are his children’s middle names.

Most of the events are based on sagas, legends, or some sort of historical base—except for book 4. All the characters in the War of the Roses story are fictional. For plot purposes, I sped up the storytelling. For example, the events in the Kublai Khan story took place over months, not hours. Same with the Viking book. I wanted Leif to leave for the New World shortly after he brought back the gospel from Norway. In reality, a lot of time passed between the events. I did make some vocabulary exceptions. For example, Marco Polo was Venetian, but I called him Italian—a more familiar term for the readership. But the basic events of books 1 to 3 are true, and the War of the Roses did occur in England with Lords fighting their neighbors, etc. We really just wanted to write about the jousting. Paul did a lot of great research for the jousting scene. I had to cut a lot of it, and that made me sad.

On the website TheImaginationStation.com, I’ve listed what’s true and what’s exaggerated for each book. There are also nonfiction pages for the kids to read about Leif Eriksson and the other Christian heroes.

 

Q: What do you hope kids will walk away with after reading Imagination Station?

A: A smile and a desire to learn more about history and faith in Jesus Christ.

Q: Can you give us any “sneak peeks” into what we can expect in future books?

A: Book 5 is a Bible story, a familiar Bible story. The title is “Showdown with the Shepherd.” I think that’s a fairly strong clue.

Book 6 is about Miles Standish and William Bradford and Native American relations. It centers on a certain holiday in November.

That will end the first story arc. As for the next set of 6, that may depend on sales of the first set. (That’s a strong hint to readers to buy the books so we can keep developing the series.)

Be sure to check out the click book for book 1 at TheImaginationStation.com. That way you can tell if these books will be at the right level for your kids.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recommended for: children in first grade and up, Christian school classrooms and libraries, church libraries

 Cautions: The books might be a little "dark" for more sensitive readers.


Okay, remember to comment on this post by midnight Wednesday, April 6th for a chance to win your own set of the first two Imagination Station chapter books. Happy reading!

[I am an Amazon Associate. If you link to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a small portion of the purchase price.]

BLOG TOUR: The Me Project

This is a little different type of post today. Today I am part of a blog tour for the book The Me Project: 21 Days to Living the Life You've Always Wanted. Come by tomorrow for my personal review of the book. And check out the giveaway information at the end of this post.

Here is the information about the book from the publisher:

The Me Project - 21 Days to Living the Life 
You’ve Always Wanted Publisher: Harvest House Publishers ISBN-10: 0736929665, ISBN-13: 978-0736929660 Release Date: February 1, 2011 Paperback: 224 pages, Retail: $12.99

Book Summary (San Jose, CA) Has that rush to make (and break) New Year’s resolutions already waned? According to Daniel Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, taking small steps every day will not only help you stay committed to your goal, but will also help you ultimately achieve that goal when obstacles come up. Author Kathi Lipp wants you and your friends to live out those dreams—and have some fun along the way.   As women, we forget the goals and dreams of our younger years. The busyness of everyday life gets in the way. To-do lists replace goals. The Me Project provides women with fun and creative ways to bring back the sense of purpose and vitality that comes with living out the plans and dreams God has planted in our hearts. Kathi Lipp’s warm tone and laugh-out-loud humor motivates women to take daily steps toward intentional goals. The end result? We get back our lives and enjoy living in the confidence of a purposeful life in spite of our chaotic schedules. This handy guide coaches women to do one simple thing toward achieving our goals each day for three weeks. A woman experiencing the exhilaration of a rediscovered life offers more as a wife, mother, friend, volunteer, career woman.   Finding the balance between living day-to-day with purpose while pursuing the passions God has placed in our hearts is a delicate pursuit. In this refreshing, insightful book, Kathi lays out a doable plan that makes sense and helps make our God-given dreams a reality. Never stop dreaming, because women who dare to dream do make the world a better place.  —Jean Blackmer     author of MomSense: A Common Sense Guide to Confident Mothering     Publishing Manager, MOPS International www.MOPS.org     Author Bio

Kathi Lipp   Kathi Lipp is a busy conference and retreat speaker, currently speaking each year to thousands of women throughout the United States. She is the author of The Husband Project and The Marriage Project, serves as food writer for Nickelodeon, and has had articles published in several magazines, including Today’s Christian Woman and Discipleship Journal. Kathi and her husband, Roger, live in California and are the parents of four teenagers and young adults. For more information visit her website: www.kathilipp.com    Here is some additional information from Mrs. Lipp: Three Super-Simple Kick Start Living Your Dreams – in the next 15 minutes by Kathi Lipp Kathy@kathycarltonwillis.com Is there a dream that God has given you, but you are waiting until the kids are grown and you have money in the bank before you get started? You may not be able to enroll in a month long pastry making class or take a week off of work to get started on your novel, but today you can take three little baby steps to making your dream a day-to-day reality. 1.     Go Public with It It’s a little scary to tell the world what you want to do when you grow up—but this is one little step could get you closer to living your dream than almost any other. Plus—it takes very little time and you don’t have to raid your kid’s college fund to make it happen. When you gather up all your courage and tell your best friend, “I want to learn how to paint,” suddenly she remembers an old art book she has laying around she would love to give you, or her friend from church who teaches art classes. The people you know and love want to be a resource. Give them the privilege of being a part of making your dream happen. 2.     Join an Online Group This is one of the simplest—and cheapest—ways to start exploring your passion. Find out who else is talking about restoring antiques and listen to their conversation. Start by Googling your interest along with the term “online groups.” You will be amazed with the number of people who want to talk about the proper way to care for 1950’s lunchboxes as much as you do. 3.     Don’t be Afraid to Pray I remember the first time I put an offer in on a house—I wanted it more than I had wanted almost anything else in my life. While I knew that I had dozens of other people praying on my behalf, I was too scared to pray. I didn’t want God to tell me no. I was afraid to pray until my co-worker Kim asked me (in a loving, kind way), why I didn’t believe that God wanted His best for me. Don’t be afraid to pray—as with anything amazing in my life, the path is never what I expected, but it has always been obvious that God’s hand has been on it the whole way.    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   There is even a giveaway involved in this blog tour! Comment on this post and I will choose one name to submit in the grand prize drawing. Here is what you could win: Grand Prize Giveaway: Deluxe Starbucks Coffee Gift Basket Three 2.5-oz. bags of Starbucks coffee   (Sumatra, House Blend, and French Roast) Tazo black tea Starbucks marshmallow cocoa Almond roca Almond roca buttercrunch toffee cookies White chocolate and raspberry cookies 2 Starbucks mugs Keepsake black bamboo basket ****Post your comment by midnight  Monday, February 28th  to be considered for the giveaway.****