Words from the Heart

Dibs the Dragon and the Marshmallow Rescue is an excellent read for both adults and children. Ellie Moss, the creator of Dibs and illustrator, Mehibi Studio do an excellent job of making Dibs and his friends come to life. To be honest, I have a fondness for both children's books and dragons. Being able to read to my grandchildren a book where the dragon is the hero, rather than the villian, is a delight.  In addition, Ellie's story provides amble opportunity to have conversations about being lonely, finding friendship and enjoying the simple things of life.  I highly recommend this book for young and old. Dibs the Dragon will become part of my grandchildren's library! About the author: Ellie Moss is the creator of Lickitypop, an imaginative, candy-colored universe where jellybean forests shimmer, bubble scooters zoom through cotton-candy skies, and problems are solved with courage, connection, and a sticky SPLAT. What began as an escape during a difficult chapter in her l...

How I wish I could have had a book like this when I was raising my four daughters! I Can't Wait to Love You Forever by Patricia Eckerman Ambas is a delightful and heartwarming story of how a wise mother helps her child prepare for the birth of their sibling.  Eckerman does a superb job of showing just how games and positive reinforcement can teach children to deal with situations that, for the child, can be confusing, scary, or sad.  In addition, Amira Daaboul's illustrations make this book come alive! Her soft colors and gentle portraits of mother and child bring a feeling of peace and harmony. My favorite page was the last of the story. No spoilers...you will simply need to read the book to understand why! I highly recommend I Can't Wait to Love You Forever for anyone expecting an additional child in their family. This book will become a treasure in your home library! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patricia Eckerman Ambas loves sharing stories - everything is a story waiting to ...

  Writing About God for the Secular Children’s Audience  by Cinda Jo Bauman  Spoiler alert. The 12-year-old main character in my book, Only My Horses Know , says “crap.”  Several people told me that if a publisher for Christian books found interest in this manuscript, they would make me take the “crap” out of it. But I wanted my characters to be slightly rough and rowdy, a little like I was way back then. I wanted God in my books, but I wanted the books to be available in all bookstores, not only the Christian bookstores. So, I decided to take my chances and let her say it, more than once even.  I was lucky to have been raised to believe in God. Thinking back, I really can't remember my parents talking to me about faith. We were not huge church goers. I loved vacation Bible school each summer, and I enjoyed the occasional church visits with friends and family; so, it must have been a combination of the great example my parents set for me and the pieces of teachi...

On my first visit to my grandchildren in over a year and a half, I took Read-Aloud Stories with Fred Collection by Fred Olds . I thought that if the grandkids liked the stories, then my work writing this review would be easy. What I wasn't prepared for was just how much they liked them! After reading "Sammy the Royal Rabbit" to my granddaughter, K and grandson, L, I asked, "What do you think?" L, who is five and a half, looked deeply into my eyes and said, "I like the ending. Can you read another?" K, who is ten going on one hundred, responded, "Yes, it had a good ending. It taught a lesson, which is good for children. I think it would be a great book to use when teaching comprehension and character development."  Needless to say, I was speechless. On the other hand, they gave me fodder for my review.  I highly recommend this book for children of all ages. The stories have a lovely quality of truth to them. In other words, they suspend disbel...