Two Great Books for Christmas

Here are two wonderful books for you to consider for your kids on this wonderful day.  Merry Christmas and enjoy.

Where Snow Leopards Prowl  by  Naomi Rose

Pages: 32

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Source: Review Copy from author

From Goodreads:

Luminous paintings and fascinating facts of Snow Leopard, Himalayan Tahr, Tibetan Wolf and more. Where Snow Leopard Prowls will inform, engage, and inspire readers of all ages, and will foster a personal connection to wildlife and our natural world. Includes a glossary and suggested activities. More activities are available on the Rose's website.

My Thoughts:

I am familiar with this author as I once reviewed her book Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure.  She has done an excellent job with this book, once again bringing us to and teaching us about her love of Tibet.

This was a beautiful book. The reader is introduced to thirteen Tibetan animals and their habitats.  I had no idea until I had read this book that there were so many habitats in Tibet. I had only heard of two of these animals before reading this book.  The author has done a wonderful job of describing the food and preditors, camouflage and escape methods of the Snow Leopard, Tibetan Wolf, Wild Yak, Tibetan Black Bear, Kiang, Blue Sheep, Chiru, Tibetan Tahr, Musk Deer, Red Panda, Golden Snub-nosed Monkey, Himalayan Marmot and Black-necked Crane.  I enjoyed not only the facts about each animal but the glossary that will help readers unfamiliar with some of the words.  I plan on checking out many of the resources listed at the back at the book to learn more about these animals I had never heard of before.

Although I received an  e-version of this book from the author I plan on adding this to my home library for my grandkids to enjoy.  There is so much to be learned from this book.

If you want to learn more about the author or her books you can check out her website.

The Funny Face Book by Molly Moss
Pages: 34
Source:  I received a copy for review from the author
Genre:  Children's Picture Book

Jake moves to a new town and a new school.  He is sad in his new school and has a frown on his face as he goes to his seat.  Amanda sits next to him and tells the teacher about a game that might help Jake.  The kids must go to the front of the class and tell a story about a time they made a funny face.  The students, teacher and principal all tell stories and show their funny face. Jake's turn is last.  He stands and shows the students the face that all of their stories have created.  It is now a great big smile.This was a fun picture book written in rhyme.  I believe kids will really enjoy the different stories told by the children and will especially enjoy making the funny faces.

Fall Into Reading Wrap Up and Gift Card Winners

Sadly the end is here.  I love doing this challenge each year.  It is the first reading challenge I can get my students involved in each year.  I find the number of books I start with is never the same at the end of the challenge.  Below are the books I read with a link to them if I reviewed them.  I have been sick for about three weeks.  You would think that would give me plenty of time to read but I found out that when your head and neck aches, along with your eyes you just can't read.
 I am still pleased with my accomplishments.  I wrote this and scheduled it ahead of time due to my illness and the fact I am having surgery the day after Christmas.  I have gone back to the original list of people who signed up for this challenge and used Random.org to choose two winners.  Please check your emails for your Amazon Gift Cards.

Winners:   $20 Amazon Gift Card was  Mark @ Carstairs Considers

                $10 Amazon Gift Card was Melissa @ Jayne's Books

The Wacky World of Wendy White - Barbara Ann Bonilla
Slow - Digonta Bordoloi
Morai - Ruth Silver
Shadow of Darkness -  Rashad Freeman
Everville: The First Pillar - Roy Huff
Everville: The City of Worms - Roy Huff
Corrinader Jones Saves the World -  Kim English
The School of Ministry: The Windgate - Braxton Cosby
Casi da Conch - Laurel Handfield
Billy the Goat Helps His Father - Dustin Ross
Billy the Goat Meets a Hero - Dustin Ross
Billy the Goat Bakes - Dustin Ross
Ann's Cupcake Stand - Jennifer Ogden
T-Bone the Flying Horse - Janice Virant
Kurt, Gert Jasmine and Bagel - Irene Dolnick
Poppy and the Fat Puppy - Eli Jay
Winter Solstice Winter - E.J. Squires
The After Girls - Leah Konen
Water's Edge - Jane Riddell
The Narrowing Path - David J. Normoyle
The Magician's Doll - M.L. Roble
With Unwashed Hands - Joanie Bolton
Asleep Without Dreaming - Barbara forte Abate
How to Catch a Bogle - Catherine Jinks
Confessions of a So-Called Middle Child - Marie T. Lennon
Ryan and the Dark Sword -R.K. Wayne
Prisoner B-3087 - Alan Gratz
The Concealers - James Kauffman
Second Impact - David Klass & Perri Klass
Eyrie - Emma Michaels
The Trap  - Andrew Fukuda
Gilda Joyce: Bones of the Holy - Jennifer Allison
Flying Lessons - H. Lovely Bettison
Where Snow Leopards Prowl - Naomi C. Rose (review to be posted 12/23)

Well I think I did pretty well.  I had the following books that I started but did not finish from my original book list.  Their reviews should be posted within the next two weeks so I did not count them toward my challenge.

Freak by Howard Shulman
Keeping Score by Marc Brackett
Murder on the Orient Espresso by Sandra Balzo
The Last Buffalo by Ed Kienzle

Student Saturday: The Monster in the Hollows - Andrew Peterson

Student Reviewer: Eliana T.

I enjoyed this book immensely from the start, because even in the beginning there was action and adventure that pulls the reader in. In the land of Aeiriwar, a place where trolls, toothy cows, and vicious fangs prowl, you travel along side the three siblings: Tanner, Lili, and Kalmar, as they try and find refuge in a place called The Hollows. Kalmar, the unlikely king, scares the Hollows folk into treating Kalmar like a Fang, taken his wolfish appearance. Inside he is just a normal eleven year old boy...or is he? Tanner, being  the eldest has the responsibility of caring for his younger brother and sister, and its harder that it looks. Lili, the youngest, has a lame leg, but it never holds her back. She has a beautiful voice and a kind spirit, and can play a whistle harp like you've never heard before. The three siblings and their family must battle through many hardships and one question remains, Who is the true monster in the Hollows? This book was full of mystery and twists so I would recommend it to someone who enjoys a laugh or two, and loves a adventure beyond your wildest dreams. This was an experience that was worth while and made me realize how important family really is, and that you have to stick together.