Diary of a Wimpy Kid
The Giver

What others can you find?

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As publisher Adrienne Ehlert Bashista states on the DRT Press website, “My company may be tiny, but I’ve got big dreams.” DRT Press does dream big and publishes books for families. The Forever Friends Club is their third book that addresses adoption and what’s truly unique about this easy-reader chapter book is that its characters represent many of the ways adopted families are formed.

Sam meets three new neighbors: Madison, Nikolai and Isabel (Madison from the United States, Nick from Russia and Isabel from Guatemala). They all become good friends. However, Sam learns he’s different than the others. He’s not adopted. When Madison, Nick and Isabel decide to form their own club–the Forever Friends Club, Sam decides he doesn’t fit in. That is, until his friends “adopt” him. The trio take part in a game of pretend that includes completing adoption paperwork, paying for the process, “visiting” with Sam and going to see the judge.

Adopted children will be able to see themselves in this book, interacting with the characters. What’s even better is that they might even see some of themselves in each character.

The Forever Friends Club is written by two adoptive mothers, so it’s able to take the idea of a child feeling “different” because he or she is adopted and present it in a way that families will understand. It’s a wonderful way to help adopted children understand how their Forever Family came to be and for those who are not adopted, it’s a wonderful story about fitting in–something everyone faces at one point in their life.

Since this is one of the few chapter books that addresses adoption, DRT Press has created a thorough Educator’s Guide to accompany the book.

Additional Information:
Authors: Sue Gainor and Sarah P. Gibson
Reading level: Ages 7-10
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: DRT Press (March 5, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1933084022
ISBN-13: 978-1933084022
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!

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In  Rainbow Nights, a little girl ends her day and lays her head to rest. But Dreamland awaits and “Dreamland’s like a vacation. Every night’s a celebration.”

The little girl finds there are so many things to do in dreamland– you can use your imagination to raise honey bees, plant a patch of perfect peas, ride a rocket ship, or fly to the nearest star. She finds Dreamland’s busy with swirling colors and flashing lights, tuba music and rainbow nights.

So she closes her eyes and dreams pleasant dreams because soon she’ll wake to greet the sun.

The rhyming text makes this a beautiful read-aloud for bed. Children will be excited to drift off into their own dreamland as they experience the vivid colors and wild imagination of Rainbow Nights.

Additional Information:
Author: Sally M. Harris
Illustrator: Kit Grady
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 20 pages
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (October 31, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616330023
ISBN-13: 978-1616330026
Source of review copy: Illustrator

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!

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I love how Murphy kicks off his judging with a confession…that they were both fabulous ideas and why didn’t he think of them? This was hilarious–I think every writer has that initial reaction to an amazing book.

His next confession? “Even after rereading these books several times, and even as my deadline for a decision came and went (sorry about that folks), I still couldn’t quite come to a final decision. Each book worked very well in its own way and each book featured unique, interesting individuals young readers should meet and learn from. Every time the scales tipped toward one book, I would think of something about the other to put the scales back in balance.”

So who did Murphy vote for? Who’s moving on to the next round? Who’s battling the rest of the week? Oh, so many questions, so little time…

Check it out at Battle of the Books!

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Today, we take a look at Mozart in the Future. . .

Max is really a boy like any other, but he has a talent for music and a strict mother who wants him to be a great musician. Sometimes parents can push too hard and in the case of Max, he becomes physically ill and grows to dislike music, despite his talent. When the doctor says Max must not to go to school for a few days, the Spirit of Music intervenes, bringing Max face to face with one of his heroes: Mozart, one of the greatest composers of all time.

Ever wonder what Mozart would do in the 21st century? As Mozart is stuck in the future, he’s introduced to cartoons and hamburgers. And as the boys attempt to return Mozart to his own time, they wind up teaching each other more than they could have expected. Mozart is introduced to an entire new world, a friend, and a childhood. Max is encouraged to go on learning, and he realizes that humankind needs art.

This book will remind young readers about the power of music and the importance of taking a break and having fun. It’s also encouraging in that it shows young readers to not lose the will to do what they love and not give up.

“Your destiny is there for you to grab, but if you give it up, you will be just one amongst so many other bitter people who go through life without joy.”

Additional Information:
Tânia Maria Rodrigues-Peters (Author)
Pedro Caraça (Illustrator)
Paula Vaz-Carreiro (Translator)
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 108 pages
Publisher: Rodrigues-Peters (August 30, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 3950280405
ISBN-13: 978-3950280401
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!

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It’s time to Fish for a Free Book! Below you’ll find the links of some wonderful blogs that are hosting a children’s -young adult book giveaway.

For those of you hosting a children’s- young adult book-related giveaway, sponsoring a giveaway, or anyone who has found a really awesome giveaway that you’d like to share with us, please leave it here!

(Please make sure it’s children’s book related–any spam will be deleted)

Remember to post your giveaways as the one listed below. Be sure to include the Prize and the Ending Date as part of the “Name” in the link.

Name: Lori Calabrese Writes! – Rene Has Two Last Names – 3/07
Link: Link directly to the giveaway
Shows up like this: Lori Calabrese Writes – Rene Has Two Last Names – 3/07

Then, be sure to enter all the fantastic giveaways you find below!

Still looking for more? You can find even more book giveaway listings at these other great blogs:
Brimful Curiosities–Full to the Brim
Winning Readings (A bunch of giveaway listings including Children’s Books)

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Do you have a picture book manuscript ready for submission? Have you ever considered publishing with a small press? If you answered yes to these questions, then you should consider entering the 2010 DFP Picture Book contest. (alright, so I’m a little partial since I won last year’s contest but I’m living proof that you can win!) 

Contest Prizes:
1st Place: $100.00 plus a trophy and a possible book contract
2nd Place: $50.00
3rd Place: $30.00

Be sure to check out the last few year’s winners to get an idea of the books Dragonfly Publishing, Inc. publishes:

2009: Best Children’s Book Award:
The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade by Lori Calabrese
(Coming Spring 2010)

2008: Best Children’s Book Award:
Alley Loo: A Spooky Swamp Tale by C.E. Walz

2nd and 3rd place winners from 2008 were also published:
Al, The Spotted Zebra by Lori Z. Scott
Albert’s Perfect Pet by Donna Zappala

Not sure if you want to enter a writing contest? Read:
My announcement after winning last year’s contest
Should you enter a writing contest?
Read an interview with 2008 DFP winner C.E. Walz
How to find writing contests

Be sure to visit Indie-Debut 2010 to read my interview with the Senior Editor of Dragonfly Publishing, Inc.: Pat Gaines.

Please visit Dragonfly Publishing, Inc.’s official website for contest rules and entry forms.

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Ideas for Change in America is a crowd-sourcing competition that empowers citizens to identify and build momentum around a diverse range of ideas for addressing the challenges our country faces. From January – February 2010, more than 2,500 ideas were submitted and voted on by 100,000 people across the country. The final round of voting is taking place now and ends this Friday. The 10 most popular ideas will be presented to relevant members of the Obama Administration, and Change.org will subsequently mobilize its full community to support a series of grassroots campaigns to help turn each idea into reality.

Everybody Wins USA has come up with an excellent idea for change in America…To launch a national “Read to Kids” campaign.

Did you know that by reading aloud with low-income children, we can help bridge the literacy gap? To accomplish this, we need a national campaign that emphasizes the importance of parents, teachers and community volunteers reading aloud to children at least 20 minutes a day from birth through high school. Similar to the national physical activity campaign that encourages kids to get their 60 minutes of physical activity every day, we need a similar campaign aimed at encouraging kids to get their 20 minutes of reading aloud every day.

A national “Read to Kids” campaign could engage national and local literacy organizations, schools, teachers, parents, authors, publishers and nearly every sector of business and society that understands that our nation’s future depends on our children’s literacy skills.

Support Everybody Wins USA in their efforts to launch a National “Read to Kids” Campaign by voting at the link below. It only takes a minute, but the results will be well worth it!

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His goal as a writer is to produce good multicultural children’s literature; stories where minority children are portrayed in a positive way, where they can see themselves as heroes, and where they can dream and have hopes for the future.

Laínez’s latest book is My Shoes and I:

Mario is leaving his home in El Salvador. With his father by his side, he is going north to join his mother, who lives in the United States. She has sent Mario a new pair of shoes, and he is thrilled. He will need good shoes because the trip will be long and hard. He and his father will cross the borders of three countries. They will walk for miles, ride buses, climb mountains and wade a river.

 Mario has faith in his shoes. He believes they will take him anywhere. On this day, he wants to go to the United States, where his family will be reunited.

René Colato Laínez’s inspiring story, dramatically illustrated by Fabricio Vanden Broeck, vividly portrays a boy who strives to reach a new land and a new life.

I’m honored to be a stop on the My Shoes and I blog tour and had the wonderful opportunity to ask René Colato Laínez about his inspiration and his own personal journey…

What was your inspiration for writing My Shoes and I?
MY SHOES AND I is my real journey from El Salvador to the United States. In 1985 my father and I left El Salvador to reunite with my mother in Los Angeles. I still can remember the Christmas present from Mamá. I was so excited to find inside a new pair of shoes. My father said “These are very good shoes for the trip.” And they were! My shoes traveled with me on a journey that I will never forget.

Years later, I told my story to my creative writing teacher, Phyllis Root, at Vermont College during my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She encouraged me to write the story as a picture book manuscript. At the end of the semester, I had a manuscript ready to submit to publishers.

What do you hope readers take away from reading My Shoes and I?
Everyday many children and their families need to cross borders around the world in search of a better life. If they don’t have money for the trip, the journey is not easy. There are many obstacles that these children and families need to overcome in order to arrive at their new destination. MY SHOES AND I is an authentic story and reveals not only my journey but the journey of many Latino children coming to the USA. I want readers not only to realize how hard the trip can be but also to have faith in their selves just like Mario in the story. Obstacles can be overcome!

How long did it take My Shoes and I to go from idea to bookshelves and tell us about any problems you encountered along the way.
I wrote the manuscript on my second semester at Vermont College on the Spring of 2004. I read my manuscript on the summer residence to a group of students. Author and teacher, Carolyn Coman loved the story and she submitted it to Boyds Mills Press. I received the famous call “I want to publish your story” on the Fall of 2004. The search for the right illustrator took years. It wasn’t until 2008 that my publisher found Fabricio Vanden Broeck to illustrate the book. We had an instant connection. Fabricio lives in Mexico City and he knows about many people who had traveled north in search of a better life. Fabricio asked for pictures of my shoes. It was amazing to see my real shoes in the art. He worked on the illustrations during 2008 and 2009. The book was released on February 1, 2010. It was a long wait for me, but I am glad that now I can share my story!

This book describes your long and tiring trip from El Salvador to the U.S.. Give us an idea of how difficult the trip was and how long did it take?
It was long and hard. My father and I left El Salvador the morning of February 19, 1985. We crossed Guatemala and arrived in Mexico City on February 22. Then my father lost his wallet. We called my mother and she sent us more money. The first time, the money was returned to her because she did not have the right address. She sent the money again, but the bank did not give the money to my father because he did not have Mexican documents. Then, my mother sent the money to my father’s friend. He was able to cash the money for us. In the meantime, my father and I were sleeping inside an old trailer. It was cold inside and I was able to see the stars through the big holes on the top of the trailer. My father and I continued the trip in April. The hardest part was to cross the border. My father and I remained on the Tijuana’s mountains for two days without food or water. Finally we arrived to the USA on April 14, 1985. My new shoes were gone. I only had pieces of my shoes, but I am so grateful they made the trip with me.

To learn more about Rene Colato Lainez, please visit his official website.
Read my previous interview with Rene Colato Lainez.

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

If you’d like to win a copy of My Shoes and I, please leave a comment below.
-For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
-Contest is open to US only
-Contest ends on Friday, March12, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST.
-Winner will be chosen at random and notified on Saturday, March 13, 2010.

UPDATE**THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED**
The winner of My Shoes and I is Beth! Congrats and I hope you enjoy the book!

Be sure to follow the rest of Rene Colato Lainez’s Blog Tour. . .
Monday, March 08- Mayra Calvani:  http://www.examiner.com/x-6309-Latino-Books-Examiner
Wednesday, March 10 -Christina Rodriguez:  http://www.christinarodriguez.com/
Thursday, March 11 – Silvia:  http://www.mamalatinatips.com/
Friday, March 12 – Monica Olivera Hazelton:  http://www.latinbabybookclub.com/
Monday, March 15 – Tina Nichols Coury:  http://www.tinanicholscouryblog.com/
Tuesday, March 16 – Michael Sedano:  http://www.labloga.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, March 17 – Caridad Pineiro:  http://www.caridad.com/blog/
Thursday, March 18 – Sandra Lopez:  http://sandrasbookclub.blogspot.com/
Friday, March 19 – Sheila DeChantal:  http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/

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This week of techno fun is a national initiative aimed at teens, librarians, educators, and other concerned adults to encourage teens to take advantage of libraries’ non-print resources. YALSA has a variety of different activities and suggestions which can be found on their website. Teen Tech Week began in 2007 and has a general theme of Get Connected @ your library.

In the spirit of Teen Tech Week, Sourcebooks Fire (the YA imprint of Sourcebooks) is not only putting together a list of suggested activities, but they’re going to give students a moderated forum to showcase their work to almost 1,000 digitally inclined, teen fiction fanatics! Additionally, they will have the chance to win FREE BOOKS for both themselves and their libraries just by participating!

For Teen Tech week, The TeenFire social network is hosting the following events:

· Share a Book Video Contest: Are you the next James Cameron? Create a book trailer, video review, scene from a book or any other book related short video (3 mins MAX) and upload it to the TeenFire video archive for a shot to win FREE copies of any 5 Sourcebooks Fire books for you & your library. For contest details & tips on how to do this quickly (and for free!), check out the Share a Book forum on TeenFire.

· Mad Men of Literature: Put Don Draper to shame using all your creative & technological powers to design an ad to inspire your peers to pick up a book! Five winners will receive an 11×17 poster of their ad, with additional copies available to their library. A grand prize winner will also receive free copies of any 5 Sourcebook Fire books, as will the sponsoring libraries. For details & guidelines, check out the Mad Men of Literature forum on TeenFire.

· Pimp My Profile: Let your true colors show by customizing your profile page! The TeenFire network allows much more flexibility in picking colors, uploading graphics and posting videos than a regular facebook page! For the easiest contest to enter in all Teen Tech Week, design a unique profile page & enter to win one book of your choosing for both yourself and your library from Sourcebooks Fire. For details and guidelines, check out the Pimp My Profile forum on TeenFire.

· TeenFire Trailer Contest: The authors need your help! Create trailers for any Sourcebooks Fire titles and enter to win five Sourcebooks Fire books of your choosing for you and your library. Since many of their YA books aren’t out yet, Sourcebooks Fire has uploaded a few chapters of each title which can be read on each book group page. To register, check out the TeenFire Trailer forum on TeenFire.

Some additional resources that may be helpful during Teen Tech Week are…

Resources for Librarians about Online Social Networking
Teens and Social Networking in School and Public Libraries Toolkit (PDF)
Social Networking: A Guide for Teens (PDF)

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