Piper Was Afraid – Kids Book and Plush Toy

kids book

What’s better then a cute kid’s book? One that comes complete with a stuffed animal of it’s hero, of course. Piper, an Irish Wolfhound, was afraid. Of other dogs, of storms- of pretty much everything. Big a dog as Piper was, he was just a scaredy cat. What will Piper do?

“Piper Was Afraid! Piper is the main character of the children’s book Piper was Afraid. He is a cute and cuddly companion that helps children be brave… especially at bed time. Piper comes with an adoption certificate as well as instructions on what to do if Piper gets scared! “Piper was Afraid” is based on a real Irish Wolfhound named “Inspirations Bagpiper of Blackwatch” or Piper for short. He is a rescue dog and was adopted by the owners of The Inn at Willow Grove in Orange, Va.”

Check out the Inn at www.innatwillowgrove.com and don’t forget to tag your photos of Piper with @piperwasafraid to get featured on his instagram page- and who doesn’t want that?  Interaction with the real Piper. Well….his people, anyway.

My son got a kick out of Piper, and my guess is your children will as well. Even the very youngest kids will not have a problem following along this simple book with an easy, and relateable theme. Most kids get scared now and again- if a big dog like Piper can get scared (and learn to be brave), then they can feel better about it, themselves. Maybe they will feel like trying something new as well, and having a “brave” moment, just like Piper. Plush Piper can go along on adventures with your child as well, or just snuggle in for a story and bedtime.

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Adorable Handcrafted Plush Dog is available with it’s hardcover book. The Piper stuffed toy comes with an adoption certificate, the kids get a kick out of that.
Piper’s soft, shaggy fur feels like a real Irish Wolfhound.
Get your set today in time for the holidays! Order at http://rebekahphillips.com/features/

Win @fodorstravel #FodorsOnTheGo Prize Pack! #ad #Travel

Disclosure- This post is brought to you in partnership with Penguin Random House.

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Hit the road this summer with Fodor’s Travel and Listening Library!

Summer is right around the corner and planning your family vacation has never been easier thanks to Fodor’s Travel. For 80 years Fodor’s has been a trusted resource offering expert travel advice and in celebration of the National Park Service Centennial in 2016, their experts unveiled a new suite of online tools and updated guidebooks to help travelers plan an unforgettable family trip to America’s incredible natural wonders. Throughout 2016, all parks, including the venerable Yellowstone and Yosemite, will celebrate the centennial with activities and initiatives that allow visitors to revel in their natural, historical, and cultural splendor.

There’s no better way to explore a national park (or a few!) than to hit the road and let’s face it, picking which parks to visit and what scenic routes to take can be overwhelming. Fodor’s National Park Road Trip Itineraries, found on Fodors.com, include the most road-trip worthy adventures to parks across various states. And that’s not all you’ll find – National Parks 101 tells you everything you need to know about planning a trip to the national parks, including booking, budgeting and packing tips; and National Parks Finder helps you find and compare national parks based on activity, region or season. When you use these tools with Fodor’s National Parks of the West, on sale May 10, which includes completely updated coverage of the best sites, dining, and lodging in and around each park, you’re sure to have the best summer trip yet.

And while you’re on the road with your family, you’re going to need some travel entertainment. The solution: Listen to an audiobook! With an audiobook, you can completely lose yourself in the journey, enjoying the scenery while listening to a great narrator tell you a story. Ideal listening with kids in the car, audiobooks expand vocabulary, teach pronunciation and improve reading comprehension. In fact, 85% of what we learn, we learn by listening. Whether it’s a charmingly, quirky tale for your middle grader like Jennifer L. Holm’s The Fourteenth Goldfish, a brain-teasing mystery like Chris Grabenstein’s Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, or Jack London’s classic The Call of the Wild read by Emmy Award winner Jeff Daniels, you’ll be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!

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One of you can win this awesome prize pack;

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One (1) winner receives:

  • Fodor’s The Complete Guide to the National Parks of the West;
  • 3 audiobooks to listen to on the drive: The Fourteenth GoldfishEscape from Mr Lemoncello’s Library, and Call of the Wild;
  • PLUS a $50 Visa gift card to put towards filling up the tank!

Giveaway open to US addresses only.

Prizing and samples provided by Penguin Random House.

Good luck! Ends June 22, 2016.
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New Jumbo Minds’ Science ABCs Book Collection

Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own and honest. For more, see “I Disclose”
ABCS

As a teacher and mom I am definitely a big promoter of reading to your children and having them read to you. I was excited to be able to receive part of this awesome new line Jumbo Minds’ Science ABCs.

About Jumbo Minds:

The mission of Jumbo Minds is to increase the exposure to, basic understanding of, and enthusiasm for science and STEM in children through well-crafted books and related products.

The founders of Jumbo Minds are sisters who have backgrounds in education, science, and business. The sisters have combined their love of science and teaching with their entrepreneurial spirit. Annette Dunn, CEO, majored in biology and started her professional career in a chemistry lab. Jumbo Minds is the second company she started and directs. Corrine Knight, Chief Educational Officer, is a previously certified teacher with experience teaching primary, middle, and high school science and math curriculum. Their sister, Valeri Sewald, who spent most her career on Wall Street working in international sales, has recently joined the executive team and directs Jumbo Minds’ corporate messaging.

At Jumbo Minds, they dream of sparking a science revolution!

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About Jumbo Minds’ Science ABC Books:

Their books were created by scientists and educators to introduce science to children in a fun and engaging way, with vibrant illustrations.

Some great perks of these books:

  • Teach the alphabet
  • Introduce the science vocabulary
  • Explain the meaning of the word via short and easy definitions
  • Provide extended learning with longer definitions and further detail
  • Increase readability for readers with a dyslexic-friendly font
  • Are made in the USA

The target age group is 0-6. Children of all ages will be able to learn from these books.

My Thoughts:

I was definitely impressed with these great books. I love to read with my kids and my kids love to read and look for books. They enjoyed looking at the pictures and listening to new vocabulary words while we read. I teach 3rd grade and my students were even interested in these books even though they are well past the age of 6. This is a great book line to get your kids going and more familiar with many science words.

Purchase:

If you are interested in purchasing any of these books, head on over to the website and get the ones you are interested in.

Fantastic Winter Books For Kids

Looking for a few great books to tide your little ones over for the winter season?  Check out these adorable picks, including some fun craft ideas and fun fluffy friends.

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Wax on Crafts Holiday Projects

reate bright and cheerful designs for the holidays, using a box of crayons and a few simple tools! With step-by-step instructions and over 400 images, you can turn inexpensive and everyday items into family treasures. Start with the basics using simple shapes, free-hand designs, leaves, and flowers. Decorate tile magnets, ornaments, and other mediums. Find out how to use wax with paper, wood, glass, metals, boxes, eggs, and felt. Discover twice-melted wax and add color to your designs. Learn the methods to use color washes, base coating, and floating color to create a stunning, eye-catching project. From colorful Christmas ornaments, jewelry, and snowflakes to Easter eggs, necklaces, and pumpkins, Miriam Joy will show you how to add a little color to a basket sitting in the corner, make a wonderful Christmas heirloom out of an antique sled, and turn that old saw into a harvest piece to set above the fireplace.  By Miriam Joy, available at http://www.schifferbooks.com/

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Santa Claws: The Christmas Crab

Travel beneath the Chesapeake Bay, where Spud, a feisty young blue crab, hates to nap. Waking his underwater friends, Spud launches a rollicking Christmas Eve party that is interrupted by an unexpected traveler in need of Spud’s help. Can Spud help bring Christmas to the Bay.  Preschool to grade 2.  By Priscilla Cummings, available at http://www.schifferbooks.com/

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The Visit: The Origin of “The Night Before Christmas”

By Mark Kimball Moulton , Illustrated by Susan Winget.  In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore created the classic Christmas poem, “The Night Before Christmas,” for his daughter. Here, in verse and accompanied by over 50 richly detailed illustrations, is the story of the writing of this classic. It is based on the history of the poem as passed down through the generations of the Moore family and told to the author by Dinghy Sharp, the great-great-granddaughter of Clement Moore. Not only does the story of the beautiful and enduring poem’s creation unfold in this tale, but many of the terms and actions of the characters in “The Night Before Christmas” are explained, including why stockings were hung, why windows were shuttered, what coursers were, and what exactly sugarplums that danced through children’s heads really were. Perhaps most moving, is Moore’s motivation and inspiration for the creation of the poem. This lovely edition is a natural companion to “The Night Before Christmas,” which is included in Moore’s own handwriting at the tale’s conclusion. This story is sure to become an equally valued part of the holiday tradition.  Available at http://www.schifferbooks.com/

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Abe™

Abe is the cutest abominable snowman you will ever meet. The main character from Have an Abominably Good Day, Abe is the perfect sidekick for a snowy Christmas Eve adventure. Like his new friend Hannah, Abe can help you discover the importance of friendship, decisions, and the love of family and friends. Ages 3 and up. Available at http://www.schifferbooks.com/

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The Lollipop Monster’s Christmas

Larry’s favorite time of the year has arrived. He races around his home trying to make everything perfect before his friends arrive for Christmas morning. During the celebration, he discovers a lonely monster named Walter, who is very sad. Larry asks him why he is sad and Walter explains that Christmas is a difficult time of the year because he is always alone and has no family. Larry invites him to spend the holiday with him and his friends. Walter shyly accepts the invitation and follows Larry back to his home. Walter is welcomed by Larry’s friends and ends up having the most merry Christmas ever! By Eric T. Krackow, Available at http://www.schifferbooks.com/

Children’s Book – Mr. Dog’s Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn

Award-winning illustrator Adam McCauley, whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, has contributed vintage-inspired illustrations to a new release of an out-of-print Christmas tale that dates back to 1898. “Mr. Dog’s Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn” (That’s So Enterprises) will be a great addition to your child’s book collection, and it’s so sweet for this time of year.

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Written by American author Albert Bigelow Paine, best known as the contemporary and biographer of Mark Twain, the classic children’s tale has been out of print for decades.
Now, over a century later, award-winning illustrator Adam McCauley (“The Monsterologist: A Memoir In Rhyme”) and publisher Betsy Cordes have collaborated to republish an elegant edition that features over 30 richly detailed illustrations and is bound in brilliant red cotton hardcover embossed with golden calligraphy.
The 36-page book tells the tale of clever Mr. Dog’s antics, as he introduces the animal residents of the Hollow Tree Inn to the human traditions of Christmas with wit and whimsy.

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“Mr. Dog’s Christmas” makes a perfect Christmas gift for children, and a great item for adults who want to pass the holiday spirit of their childhood to the next generation. You can pick up your copy here!  It’s really cute, and your children will love having you read it to them.

VeggieTales Christmas Books #VeggieTales

Can you believe that Christmas is right around the corner? One of my favorite things during this season is the love and laughter in the air. The spirit of Christmas is full of kindness, sharing and forgiveness. VeggieTales Christmas themed soundboard books are a great way to remember and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas with your children.

My son loves VeggieTales- the TV show, movies, live show, and of course the books.  These cute singing veggies are a great way to bring the reason for the season to your family.  It’s easy to get caught up with the material things, the hustle and bustle, and all the rush-rush of the holidays- sometimes, we really need to take a moment and remember what it’s really about, and to be grateful for all we have and what we’ve been given.

VeggieTales Christmas themed soundboard books are a fun and interactive way to teach children the true meaning of Christmas.

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About the books

Silent Night:

Join Junior Asparagus, Laura Carrot, and all your favorite VeggieTales characters as they stage a Nativity play based on the lyrics of “Silent Night.” Silent Night teaches children about Jesus’ birth and is a fun, great way to keep children talking, and singing, about the true meaning of Christmas.

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Away in a Manger:

Join the VeggieTales character as they star in this colorful retelling of the birth of Jesus, featuring the lyrics of “Away in a Manger,” sung by Junior Asparagus. This fun-yet-reverent Nativity book is a great way to keep little ones talking – and singing – about the true meaning of Christmas.

You can follow Veggie Tales on social media as well-

Website: www.veggietales.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VeggieTales

Instagram: @veggietalesofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VeggieTales

Join the conversation: #VeggieTales

These books are available in stores everywhere, as well as online and on Amazon and Barnes and Nobel. They are easy to pick up, not expensive, and a great way to remind your kids of the real meaning of Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and yours from me and mine.

Great Gifts For Your Kids

The cold and eventful festive days are coming up quickly, which means lots of fun events for adults but long stuffy days indoors for kids! Being stuck inside during holidays can be boring, making your little ones cranky.

Let me introduce to you some creative solutions to beat the hard-to-cure holiday cabin fever! Cooper and Kid–creatively curated kits designed especially for kids to have fun while learning. Squirrel King–craft kits that transform a child’s reality into an imaginative world of colorful squirrels and the homes they live in. And last but not least, Zoonicorns–the unique combination of unicorns and zebras into adventurous plush toys, with a creative children’s book to bring the characters to life.

STEM learning kits

Cooper and Kid is all about making dad cool again and doing what matters most–bonding with the kids! Cooper & Kid has everything a dad needs in the winter for educational fun (think STEM) with his kids! Each Cooper Kit is fun-in-a-box with endless hours of amusement…no more mindless TV shows! Each kit contains a huge box of fun, with themed projects, toys, books and ideas that dads and kids will truly enjoy. Together they can build rocket ships, take off with sky lanterns or explore the world of butterflies — there is so much to create and discover!

An activity book guides dads through the theme and the contents of the box for hours of fun. Plus, the shipping box turns into a toy too! Sign up for the Cooper & Kid subscription online and every three months a Cooper kit is delivered to dad at home. The subscription price is $65 per quarter.

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The fun, unique and ingenious Squirrel King kits are a swirl of intellect, engineering and creativity delivered with a hands-on approach that inspires a thirst for knowledge. Designed for ages 8 and up, the Build with Stickers kits combine two things kids love — stickers and building. Each colorful kit includes novel stickering techniques — no glue involved — and all the materials for children to build, create and explore, making awesome toys in the process…and making those rainy days educational and fun! With Build with Stickers kits, STEM (science, technology, education and math) principles are explored in an age-appropriate manner.

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The new Build with Stickers Kits are available on the Squirrel King Craft website and at select retail stores, priced from $5.99 to $7.99. The original Squirrel King Craft kit is also available on the website and in over 200 stores across the country, and in a range of choices for $9.99 to $69.99.
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Zoonicorns are enriching youth with life adventures™ and creating wonderful imaginative worlds.  My son really enjoyed the book and the plush zoonicorn- something to cuddle and a friend to take to bed later and give him good dreams, just like the young animal in the story.  He thought that was fun.  As my child often has bad dreams, this was comforting to him.   The book was cute, with an easy to follow story and adorable illustrations.  I would recommend this to any parents with young children of either gender.

Fairy-tale Zoonicorns are enchanting creatures that pop up in the dreams of young zoo animals. Zoonicorns are unique, plush toys for children that a combine an exotic animal (zebra) and a mythical creature (unicorn). The Zoonicorn herd is ready for adventure in the enchanting world of your youngster’s imagination and keep them occupied for hours on end.

Super-soft Valeo is the leader of the Zoonicorn pack, who likes to pal around with animal friends like African giraffes. Shy and gentle Promithea is a good friend who can be trusted to keep your little one’s secrets. Playful Ene likes to catch forty winks before bouncing to life to rumble and tumble with. Outgoing Aliel loves to speed around and will challenge any kid to keep up with her.

Each Zoonicorn is $9.99 or you can get the entire family plus children’s book for $49.91

Great Books for Snoopy and Disney Princess Fans

This winter, Thunder Bay Press presents three titles perfect for any pop culture fan’s collection: The Snoopy Treasures by Peanuts expert Nat Gertler, Disney Frozen Crochet by Kati Gálusz, and Disney Princess Crochet by Jana Whitley and Jessica Ward

Timed to the release of The Peanuts Movie, The Snoopy Treasures (November 2015; $34.95; ISBN: 978-1-62686-440-5) tells the story of everyone’s favorite beagle from the beloved childhood pet who inspired his creation, to his status as a cultural icon and beyond.

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This comprehensive guide is divided into 12 sections covering Snoopy’s origins, his alter egos from Joe Cool to the Flying Ace, his family at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, his friends in the beloved Peanuts gang, and his prevalence in pop culture – in songs, movies, books, plays, parades, museums, and even NASA, who named a lunar landing module after him as they prepared to put man on the moon in 1969.

Each page features original Peanuts panels, side-by-side comparisons showing the evolution of Snoopy into the universally recognizable style we know today, photographs from the Schulz museum, and ten pieces of pullout memorabilia: an original Schulz drawing, a Snoopy baseball pennant (popular dorm décor in the 60s and 70s), a letter from President Ronald Reagan to Schulz, a bookmark, a bumper sticker, a punch out model of the Red Baron’s plane, the last Peanuts strip ever printed, and more.

Lifelong fans and first-timers alike will discover something new within the pages of this in-depth compendium, making The Snoopy Treasures the perfect holiday gift for Snoopy lovers of all ages.

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Disney Frozen Crochet (November 2015; $24.95; ISBN: 978-1-62686-443-6): Do you want to crochet a snowman? How about Elsa and Anna, too? Let it go and create all twelve cuddly characters from the Frozen tundra! All the materials you need to create Elsa and Anna are included, and your creativity is sure to snowball from there. The Queen of Cold and all her friends will make great gifts, or adorable additions to your own collection. Don’t hesitate! For the first time in forever, let these characters melt your heart.

  • 12 adorable crochet characters, including Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Sven, and more!
  • Step-by-step instructions accompanied by full-color photos in a 76-page book.
  • All the materials you need to make Elsa and Anna are included.
  • Kit includes 8 colors of yarn, crochet hook, stuffing, safety eye beads, 4 colors of embroidery floss, tulle, and a tapestry needle.

disney princesses

Disney Princess Crochet (November 2015; $24.95; ISBN: 978-1-62686-444-3): Create 12 of Disney’s most enchanting characters! A full-color, 76-page instruction book with detailed patterns and colorful photos will guide you from “once upon a time” to “happily ever after” using your yarn and hook. To start you off, the kit includes all the materials needed to create Cinderella and Ariel. Each amigurumi princess is sure to be a treasured part of any crochet collection!

  • Detailed instructions to make 11 Disney princesses— Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Aurora, Jasmine, Tiana, Rapunzel, Mulan, Snow White, Pocahontas, and Merida—and Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother.
  • Full-color photos accompany step-by-step instructions in a 76-page book.
  • Kit includes 9 colors of yarn, crochet hook, stuffing, safety eye beads, red embroidery

floss, and a tapestry needle.

  • Featured projects are Cinderella and Ariel.