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The Girl He Used To Know #ReadTheGirl

Lolli — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 19:10:16 +0000

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and She Speaks for sending me an advanced copy of The Girl He Used to Know by New York Times Bestselling Author, Tracey Garvis Graves. The book hits shelves on April 2, so be sure to grab your copy this coming week! All thoughts and impressions about the book are my own.

It’s not everyday that I story takes me completely off guard. I was happily enjoying The Girl He Used to Know when – BAM – the story line hit me in the gut. It was so powerful and emotional that I had to stop my reading and talk to my husband about it. But I promise – there will be no spoilers in this post! You’ve GOT to read it to understand what I’m talking about here.

About The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

Annika (rhymes with Monica) Rose is an English major at the University of Illinois. Anxious in social situations where she finds most people’s behavior confusing, she’d rather be surrounded by the order and discipline of books or the quiet solitude of playing chess.

Jonathan Hoffman joined the chess club and lost his first game—and his heart—to the shy and awkward, yet brilliant and beautiful Annika. He admires her ability to be true to herself, quirks and all, and accepts the challenges involved in pursuing a relationship with her. Jonathan and Annika bring out the best in each other, finding the confidence and courage within themselves to plan a future together. What follows is a tumultuous yet tender love affair that withstands everything except the unforeseen tragedy that forces them apart, shattering their connection and leaving them to navigate their lives alone.

Now, a decade later, fate reunites Annika and Jonathan in Chicago. She’s living the life she wanted as a librarian. He’s a Wall Street whiz, recovering from a divorce and seeking a fresh start. The attraction and strong feelings they once shared are instantly rekindled, but until they confront the fears and anxieties that drove them apart, their second chance will end before it truly begins.

My Thoughts About The Girl He Used to Know

I was instantly intrigued by the main characters, Annika and Jonathan. The story starts off in 2001 (“present day”), with Annika and Jonathan running into each other after 10 years. As the book progresses, we jump back and forth between 2001 and 1991, when Annika and Jonathan met and dated in college. We know from the beginning that their relationship didn’t last past college, but we have no idea why.

I loved seeing the love story unfold between Annika and Jonathan. Annika is an unusual personality (and she knows it!) but Jonathan’s is a pure and unconditional love. One of my favorite parts of the story was seeing how that unconditional love, friendship, and acceptance transformed Annika and helped her reach her personal goals.

It was interesting to read about the effect that Annika and Jonathan had on each other’s lives and futures and wonder about the impact my college roommates, friends and boyfriends had on my own future. And in the same breath, it’s interesting to consider the impact that I have had on the people that have come in and out of my own life through the years.

The Girl He Used to Know Book Club and Discussion Guide

It’s been several years since I was in a book club. I sure miss those days! The discussion guide for The Girl He Used to Know are fabulous for starting a Book Club discussion. Even without the discussion questions, this book left me WANTING to discuss things with someone (hence why I had to tell my husband all about it when I got to the end!). This is a book you’ll want to talk about! Don’t forget that the book is available on April 2! Grab your copy ASAP!

Connect with The Girl He Used to Know

Facebook: @StMartinsPress
Twitter: @StMartinsPress
Instagram: @StMartinsPress
Hashtag: #ReadTheGirl

The Storm Runner By J.C. Cervantes – Rick Riordan Presents

Lolli — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 19:59:23 +0000

Disney Book Group is partnering with me for a giveaway that you do NOT want to miss! All thoughts are my own. Amazon affiliate links are used within this post.

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know about my love for Rick Riordan’s books and delving into the wonderful world of mythology. Almost exactly a year ago, I interviewed Rick Riordan in Washington DC and learned about Rick Riordan Presents.

When I asked him if he was planning on writing about any books based on other world mythologies, he said “that he could only write about mythologies that he personally knew, and since he was not an expert in other world mythologies, that he would rather find other authors who could write those stories with authority. That’s where the idea for the imprint, Rick Riordan Presents, was born. Rick was excited to introduce several new books with stories based on Hindi, Mayan, Korean mythology and more.” (from our interview)

That’s where The Storm Runner comes in. By author J.C. Cervantes, The Storm Runner explores Mayan mythology. For fans of the Percy Jackson series, you’ll find the same “feel” that we know and love from Rick Riordan, with just a slightly different flavor. This book has been so much fun!

THE STORM RUNNER

By J.C. Cervantes

Published by Rick Riordan Presents, an imprint of Disney Book Group

Recommended for ages 10-14 (but really, this is great for 10 to adult!)

About The Storm Runner

How can one boy with a limp stop the Maya god of death, disaster, and darkness from destroying the world?

Zane has always enjoyed exploring the dormant volcano near his home in New Mexico, even though hiking it is challenging. He’d much rather hang out there with his dog, Rosie, than go to middle school, where kids call him Sir Limps a Lot, McGimpster, or Uno – for his one good leg.

What Zane doesn’t know is that the volcano is a gateway to another world and he is at the center of a powerful prophecy. A new girl at school, Brooks, informs him that he’s destined to release an evil god from the ancient Maya relic he is imprisoned in–unless she can find and remove it first. Together they return to the volcano, where all kinds of crazy happens. Brooks turns into a hawk, a demon attacks them in a cave, and Rosie gives her all while trying to protect Zane. When Zane decides to save his dog no matter the cost, he is thrust into an adventure full of surprising discoveries, dangerous secrets, and an all-out war between the gods, one of whom happens to be his father.

To survive, Zane will have to become the Storm Runner. But how can he run when he can’t even walk well without a cane?

About Rick Riordan Presents

The Rick Riordan Presents imprint is dedicated to providing entertaining middle grade fiction based on various world mythologies. Rick Riordan is involved in the selection, editing, and promotion of these books, working with great authors to tell exciting stories inspired by the mythologies of their own heritages. Learn more about the imprint and its current and upcoming titles on their official site.

About the Author

J. C. Cervantes is the author of Tortilla Sun, which was called “a beautiful and engaging debut” by Kirkus, an “imaginative, yet grounded novel” by Publishers Weekly, and “lean and lightly spiced with evocative metaphor” by School Library Journal. Tortilla Sun was a 2010 New Voices pick by the American Booksellers Association and it was named to Bank Street’s 2011 Best Book List. When Jennifer isn’t reading or writing, she helping her husband with his gubernatorial campaign.

Enter to win!

A GIFT FROM THE GODS GIVEAWAY

One (1) winner will receive:

a copy of The Storm Runner
plus a $100 Visa gift card for a purchase of mythical proportions

Giveaway open to US addresses only.

Prizing and samples provided by Disney Book Group.

This giveaway will end on Thursday, 10/18/18 at 11:59pm ET, after which a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Good luck!

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Connect with The Storm Runner and MORE from Rick Riordan Presents

Learn more about the book at ReadRiordan.com
Purchase the book HERE
Facebook: Facebook.com/ReadRiordan
Twitter: @ReadRiordan | @DisneyHyperion | @jencerv
Instagram: @ReadRiordan | @DisneyBooks | @authorjcervantes
Follow hashtag #TheStormRunner

Summer of Magic & Mazes: Rick Riordan Book Giveaway

Lolli — Mon, 21 May 2018 23:51:06 +0000

If you’ve been reading my blog for long, you’ll know that my family and I are huge Rick Riordan fans. I was excited to partner once again with Disney-Hyperion for a giveaway to bring more Rick Riordan goodness to YOU, my readers! Amazon affiliate links are used within this post.

Seriously, one of highlights of my career as a blogger was having a one-on-one interview with Rick Riordan last October at the library of Congress. What an amazing person! And what amazing stories.

I love his books just as much as my kids do.

We are all excited about Mr. Riordan’s newest book – The Burning Maze, the third installment of the Trials of Apollo series. This is PERFECT summer reading material…for reading pool-side, in the car on road trips, or when staying cool in the house next to a fan.

We’re equally excited to delve into a new Kane Chronicles companion book, Brooklyn House Magician’s Manual, Your Guide to Egyptian Gods & Creatures, Glyphs & Spells and More. I’ve always been fascinated by these types of books, because I tend to want to know EVERYTHING I can about my favorites stories and characters. This book is perfect for your readers who love backstories.

I’m thrilled to be able to share these two new books PLUS 5 additional books with you this month!

Featured Rick Riordan Titles

The Trials of Apollo (Book 3): The Burning Maze (in stores as of May 1st)

The Kane Chronicles: Brooklyn House Magician’s Manual (in stores as of May 1st)

The Kane Chronicles Trilogy (series re-design in stores now!)

ABOUT The Burning Maze: The Trials of Apollo Book #3

In Stores May 1st

The formerly glorious god Apollo, cast down to earth in punishment by Zeus, is now an awkward mortal teenager named Lester Papadopoulos. In order to regain his place on Mount Olympus, Lester must restore five Oracles that have gone dark. But he has to achieve this impossible task without having any godly powers and while being duty-bound to a confounding young daughter of Demeter named Meg. Thanks a lot, Dad.

Friends both familiar and new will emerge in The Burning Maze, Book Three of the New York Times #1 best-selling Trials of Apollo series, a twisty adventure featuring a hapless god who somehow still manages to think he’s red-hot.

More about The Trials of Apollo series:

An Olympian Comes to Earth: The protagonist is nothing less than Apollo himself! Well, actually, he’s a mortal sixteen-year-old trying to earn his way back into Zeus’s favor by restoring five oracles. How will he manage without his godly powers?

A Godly POV: Apollo narrates the adventure; the disparity between his godly assumptions and his disappointing reality is hilarious.
Favorite Demigods Are Back! All of the beloved characters from Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter will aid Apollo in his quest over the course of five books.
New Demigods Are Introduced, including Apollo’s sidekick, a twelve-year-old girl named Meg who is secretive about her past—and is Apollo’s secret weapon.
Viperous Villains will complicate matters for our heroes as they search for the ancient Oracles.

About Brooklyn House Magician’s Manual: The Kane Chronicles Companion

In Stores May 1st

Calling all young magicians of Egypt! If the blood of the pharaohs runs in your veins, you can’t afford to be without this guide to Ancient Egyptian deities and creatures, and Carter and Sadie Kane’s world of magic. Featuring fans’ favorite human, divine, and animal characters for the bestselling Kane Chronicles trilogy, Brooklyn House Magician’s Manual offers info about Egyptian mythology in laugh-out-loud entries with surprises throughout, including snarky comments from Sadie Kane and a dastardly plot by an old enemy.

More about Brooklyn House Magician’s Manual:

Tie-in to Best-Selling Kane Chronicles Trilogy featuring fans’ favorite human, divine, and animal characters.
Offers Info About Egyptian Mythology in laugh-out-loud entries from favorite characters.
Has Surprises Running Throughout, including snarky comments from Sadie Kane and a dastardly plot by an old enemy.

About The Kane Chronicles Trilogy

The Red Pyramid #1 | The Throne of Fire #2 | The Serpent’s Shadow #3

Series first launched in 2011 | New cover designs released April 3, 2018

Fans of Rick Riordan’s Greek & Roman and Norse mythology adventures will love his funny and exciting take on Ancient Egypt in the Kane Chronicles trilogy, now with dynamic new cover artwork and Percy Jackson-Kane Chronicles crossover stories.

Mysteries of Ancient Egypt: Egyptian mythology is more widely studied in school curriculum than ancient Greece. Both familiar and loaded with mystique, ancient Egypt is the perfect backdrop for Rick’s imaginative brand of storytelling. Readers will leap at this real-world portal into the rich fantastical world of ancient myth.

More of the Good Stuff: Rick combines all his fortes–witty, relatable heroes, gods & monsters, prophecies, curses, and non-stop action–in this best-selling hit.

Summer of Magic & Mazes Prize Pack Giveaway

One (1) winner will receive a “Summer of Magic & Mazes” beach tote plus seven Rick Riordan books!

The Trials of Apollo series — with an autographed copy of The Burning Maze!
The Kane Chronicles trilogy – plus new companion book Brooklyn House Magician’s Manual!

Giveaway open to US addresses only. Prizing and samples provided by Disney-Hyperion. This giveaway ends June 4 at 11:59pm ET, after which a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Good luck!

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Visit ReadRiordan.com

Follow Read Riordan on Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Follow Disney-Hyperion on Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Exclusive Interview with Rick Riordan {Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Ship of the Dead}

Lolli — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 22:18:19 +0000

I was invited to the Library of Congress in Washington DC this week to visit with author Rick Riordan before he kicked off his national tour for his newest book, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Ship of the Dead (Book 3). No compensation was received, but I did get to take home a copy of the book and a t-shirt…plus, he autographed my copy of The Hammer of Thor (book 2)! Amazon affiliate links are used within this post.

I was running a little late on my day trip down to the City. I blame the Metro (which always seems to take longer for my than it should) so by the time I got to the Library of Congress, it was just about time for my interview slot. Thank goodness Rick Riordan is a friendly, approachable person, because I admit I was a little flustered! He put me at ease as soon as we sat down together.

I started off our interview telling Mr. Riordan about my oldest son’s experience with the Percy Jackson series. My son – now 16 – was very anti-reading in elementary school until he got hooked on the Percy Jackson books. He read the 5 Percy Jackson novels cover to cover and then started over again from the beginning…multiple times. Since then, he has been an avid reader and always has a book with him.

Rick Riordan’s series – from Percy Jackson and the Olympians to Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard to The Kane Chronicles and more – delve into the myths of many different cultures – from Greek to Roman to Egyptian to Norse mythology. I have enjoyed reading each series myself, and learning more about the mythologies and cultures of different people. In The Hammer of Thor, Magnus Chase jokes that “if somebody told me – surprise! – the Aztec gods were alive and well in Houston, and my second cousin was the granddaughter of Quetzalcoatl, I would totally believe them.”

I wondered when I read that if Rick Riordan had plans to write more series based on the myths of any other cultures. He told me that he could only write about mythologies that he personally knew, and since he was not an expert in other world mythologies, that he would rather find other authors who could write those stories with authority. That’s where the idea for the imprint, Rick Riordan Presents, was born. Rick was excited to introduce several new books with stories based on Hindi, Mayan, Korean mythology and more.

“It’s amazing stuff and it deserves to be better remembered,” he said.

Another thing that we chatted about was the idea that it’s impossible to write about a character that is not partly yourself. He said that there’s a part of himself in every character – even the villains. He says that Magnus Chase and Percy Jackson are most like him. He relates the most to Magnus because his cynical personality is just just like his own.

I asked Mr. Riordan what kind of research went in to writing his stories, since they were not “simply” works of fiction, but needed to work within the historical stories and traditions. While each series does require research – delving deeper into the myths – I was struck with the fact that he really has been preparing his whole life to write these stories.

Rick Riordan has always loved telling stories. He told stories to his students while he was a middle school English and History teacher, and he told stories to his children at home. His first book for children, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, was begun from stories that he would tell his son before bed. Poseidon has always been his favorite Greek god because he loves the ocean, so it was natural to make Poseidon Percy’s father.

Mr. Riordan said that he enjoys writing about Greek mythology the most simply because there is so much to write about. So many of the stories of other world mythologies have been lost because they weren’t written down. He has known Norse mythology the longest – he became fascinated with the myths of the Vikings while he was in middle school, and his fascination has only grown with age.

I’m excited to finally read The Ship of the Dead, and I can’t wait everything that is coming soon from Rick Riordan!

About the Book

The Ship of the Dead (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #3)
By Rick Riordan
Young Adult Fantasy
Published by Disney-Hyperion
In Stores October 3rd, 2017

Magnus Chase, a once-homeless teen, is a resident of the Hotel Valhalla and one of Odin’s chosen warriors. As the son of Frey, the god of summer, fertility, and health, Magnus isn’t naturally inclined to fighting. But he has strong and steadfast friends, including Hearthstone the elf, Blitzen the dwarf, and Samirah the Valkyrie, and together they have achieved brave deeds, such as defeating Fenris Wolf and battling giants for Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. Now Magnus faces his most dangerous trial yet. His cousin, Annabeth, recruits her boyfriend, Percy Jackson, to give Magnus some pointers, but will his training be enough?

Loki is free from his chains. He’s readying Naglfar, the Ship of the Dead, complete with a host of giants and zombies, to sail against the Asgardian gods and begin the final battle of Ragnarok. It’s up to Magnus and his friends to stop him, but to do so they will have to sail across the oceans of Midgard, Jotunheim, and Niflheim in a desperate race to reach Naglfar before it’s ready to sail. Along the way, they will face angry sea gods, hostile giants, and an evil fire-breathing dragon. Magnus’s biggest challenge will be facing his own inner demons. Does he have what it takes to outwit the wily trickster god?

About the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Series

A new demigod is born—this time from Norse mythology. Join Magnus Chase, a homeless boy from Boston, on wild adventures throughout the Nine Worlds that have him meeting gods, giants, elves, dwarfs and more as he discovers his true identity.

Connect with Rick Riordan and Magnus Chase

Visit ReadRiordan.com
Follow Read Riordan on Twitter and Instagram
#ShipoftheDead

The Adventurers Guild: Prize Pack Giveaway!

Lolli — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 16:17:41 +0000

Disney-Hyperion sent me a copy to check out, and is partnering with me for the giveaway below. All thoughts are my own.

Do you have a middle-grade reader who LOVES fantasy and adventure? Then I’ve got the perfect new book for you! I’m excited to introduce a book by two first-time authors, Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos (more on these two best friends below), that was just released yesterday! The Adventurers Guild is an exciting novel for kids ages 9-12 (and beyond!) and the first in a series that I guarantee kids and adults alike will be eager to read more from.

Here’s a little about the book:

About The Adventurers Guild

Few ever asked to join the Adventurers Guild. . . . Their members often died young.

In one of the last cities standing after the world fell to monsters, best friends Zed Kagari and Brock Dunderfel have high hopes for the future. Zed desperately wishes to join the ranks of the Mages Guild, where his status as Freestone’s only half elf might finally be an asset. Brock, the roguishly handsome son of merchants, is confident he’ll be welcomed into the ranks of the Merchants Guild.

But just as it seems the boys’ dreams have come true, their lives take a startling turn . . . and they find themselves members of the perilous Adventurers Guild.

Led by the fearsome Alabasel Frond, the guild acts as the last line of defense against the Dangers – hungry, unnatural beasts from otherworldly planes. And when the boys uncover a conspiracy that threatens all of Freestone, Zed, Brock, and their new allies – Liza, a fierce noble, and Jett, a brave dwarf – must prove their worth once and for all.

This start of a thrilling new series is sure to be a hit with readers who like their fantasies clever and action-packed, with tons of humor and heart.

About the Authors

The Adventurers Guild authors, Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos

Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos are both editors based in New York. Best friends, they take a coffee break together every day and play Dungeons &
Dragons every week. Zack fervently hopes that magic is real; Nick desperately hopes that monsters are not. The Adventurers Guild is their first novel.

Connect with Adventurers Guild

Follow hashtag: #AdventurersGuild
Visit the Official Site
Follow Disney-Hyperion on Twitter and Instagram
Like Disney Books on Facebook
Purchase the book on Amazon (affiliate link)

Enter to WIN Your Own Adventurers Guild Prize Pack!

One (1) winner receives:

Copy of The Adventurers Guild
branded bookmark
branded baseball cap and hoodie
$50 Visa gift card to embark on your own adventure!

Open to US Addresses only. Prizing and samples provided by Disney-Hyperion. This giveaway ends at 11:59pm ET on 10/18/2017. after which a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

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The Percy Jackson Coloring Book #PJColoringBook

Lolli — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 11:00:04 +0000

Disney-Hyperion sent me a copy of the brand new Percy Jackson Coloring Book to check out, and is partnering with me for a giveaway! All thoughts are my own. Amazon affiliate links are used within this post.

It’s no secret that we’re Percy Jackson fans at our house. I love that I can be just as “into” a series as my kids!

We’re also a family that loves to color. So it was no surprise that we were thrilled to find out about the new Percy Jackson Coloring Book (especially when we found out that a copy was coming to OUR HOUSE!

Coloring – at ANY age – is soothing and relaxing. It’s so easy to get lost in a coloring book! We found an extra element of enjoyment as we reminisced about scenes that we remembered from the Percy Jackson books while flipping through the pages.

The Percy Jackson Coloring Book is beautifully and simply illustrated on high-quality paper. It’s perfect for colored pencils! Luckily, we’re still in the middle of our summer vacation, so we’ve had plenty of time to color this week!

About The Percy Jackson Coloring Book

Demigods, brandish your pencils!

In Stores and Online NOW!

Over the past decade, millions of young readers, parents, and teachers have come to adore Rick Riordan’s classic series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which made ancient Greek mythology contemporary, relevant, and entertaining as it turned kids on to reading. Now fans can literally color Percy’s world with the amusing portraits, dramatic scenes, and intricate designs on every spread of this large format paperback. This book is a great way to introduce young children to the series, to allow older fans to reminisce, and to augment classroom units on Greek mythology.

About the Author

Rick Riordan, dubbed “storyteller of the gods” by Publishers Weekly, is the author of five #1 New York Times best-selling middle grade series with millions of copies sold throughout the world: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the Heroes of Olympus, and the Trials of Apollo, based on Greek and Roman mythology; the Kane Chronicles, based on Ancient Egyptian mythology; and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, based on Norse mythology. Rick collaborated with illustrator John Rocco on two best-selling collections of Greek myths for the whole family: Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods and Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes. Rick lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @camphalfblood.

About the Illustrator

Keith Robinson graduated with a degree in graphic design and illustration in 1992 and worked as an animator on some of the earliest digital media productions for clients around the world. He joined the BBC and was part of the R&D team that developed the corporation’s first website. He later founded Codename, an award-winning media production company, before he became a freelance illustrator in 2001. His illustrations have been featured in children’s books, magazines, television programs, and on postage stamps. He especially enjoys drawing fantasy, mythical, and historical subjects. He lives on the south coast of England.

Connect with Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson, and Disney-Hyperion

Visit ReadRiordan.com
Like Percy Jackson on Facebook
Follow Disney-Hyperion on Twitter and Instagram
Follow Rick Riordan on Twitter and Instagram
Hashtag #PJColoringBook

Enter to WIN a Percy jackson Coloring Book Prize Pack!

One (1) winner receives:

Copy of The Percy Jackson Coloring Book
Percy Jackson-branded tin of colored pencils
$50 Visa gift card to put towards your artistic quests!

Giveaway open to US addresses only.
Prizing and samples provided by Disney-Hyperion.
This giveaway will end on August 29 at 11:59pm ET, after which a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Good luck!

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How To Teach Your Child To NOT Be a Bully

Lolli — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 17:23:47 +0000

We partnered with JIMMY Patterson Books to share this post and giveaway! All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own. #PottymouthandStoopid

It’s an awful feeling when, as a parent, you find out that your child has been the victim of bullying. I know that feeling all too well. It’s equally awful to find out that other children have been bullied by YOUR child.

There are so many ways to handle the effects of bullying after the fact, but I would love to be able to tackle bullying before it even happens, and so I thought I would put together a list of tips for teaching kids to not be bullies. How amazing would the world be if there were fewer bullies around?

As a mother of five kids, I fully recognize that each child is different – both from the perspective of one being bullied as well as from the side of the bully or potential bully. Not everything will work with every child, but any little bit that we can do to reduce bullying is a step in the right direction.

How To Teach Your Child To NOT Be a Bully

Teach kindness and respect – When I was a kid, I learned a children’s song that had the line “kindness begins with me.” And learning kindness begins at home. We have always taught our kids to stick by the Golden Rule – to treat others how they would like to be treated. It’s a simple policy, though not always simple to learn or do. Practice at home and it will be easier to show kindness and respect to everyone – whether it’s peers or younger kids or adults.

Talk about it – be upfront about your expectations. Talk about bullying – why it’s wrong, what to do if they see someone else being bullied, what to do it they are being bullied, etc.

Be a good example – model the type of behavior that you want your kids to do. When you stand up for the little guy, when you show kindness, and when you show them that it’s cool to be the good guy, then they are more likely to be that person at school and in social situations.

Be a good listener – make yourself available to talk about their problems and concerns. Kids who resort to bullying often have other issues beneath the surface.

Get to know their friends – the friends that your kids choose to spend their time with have a significant influence on the way they act. I’ve noticed with my kids that when they go from elementary school to middle school, several of the good friends that they’ve known during their earlier years become not nice people. It’s a good idea to reevaluate friendships when kids are not being good influences.

If needed, involve teachers and counselors – our kids’ teachers and school counselors have been invaluable resources for dealing with bullying issues. When there’s any concern, whether about my own child’s behavior or someone else’s behavior, I bring the adults who see them all day at school into the conversation so they can keep their eyes and ears open.

My youngest son is 12, and recently started reading Pottymouth and Stoopid by Jimmy Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. The title of the book caught me off guard at first, but as soon as I realized what the book was about, I knew that this was a book I wanted him to read.

About Pottymouth and Stoopid

David and his best friend Michael were tagged with awful nicknames way back in preschool when everyone did silly things. Fast-forward to seventh grade: “Pottymouth” and “Stoopid” are still stuck with the names—and everyone in school, including the teachers and their principal, believe the labels are true. So how do they go about changing everyone’s minds? By turning their misery into megastardom on TV, of course! Follow their roller-coaster journey from the ultimate losers to the biggest winners, with more than 100 hilarious illustrations in this signature Patterson format. And this important story delivers more than just laughs—it shows that the worst bullying doesn’t have to be physical . . . and that things will get better.

By James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
Recommended for ages 9-12

DROWN OUT THE BULLIES GIVEAWAY

In celebration of the recent release of Pottymouth and Stoopid, I have an amazing giveaway to offer you guys! One winner receives a copy of Pottymouth and Stoopid, plus a pair of kids’ wireless noise reduction headphones.

Details: Open to US addresses only. Prizing provided by JIMMY Patterson Books

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Connect!

Visit the Official Site
Follow JIMMY Patterson Books on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Follow James Patterson on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Hashtag #PottymouthandStoopid

Praise for Pottymouth and Stoopid

“This book is light and mighty. Funny and honest. And, in the words of one kid (who lives in my house), ‘It’s like he wrote about the people in my school (minus the limos and flufferknuckles, of course). Pottymouth and Stoopid is really, really good.’” —Kwame Alexander, Newbery Medal-winning author of The Crossover

“I have one word for this book: SUPERWONDERRIFIC.” —Jerry Spinelli, Newbery Medal-winning author of Maniac Magee and Stargirl

“A funny, poignant tale of two quirky boys who suffer from years of endless teasing. Pottymouth and Stoopid triumph in the end, but only after reminding us how painful bullying can be. Boys are going to love this story.” — Dr. Michael Thompson, New York Times bestselling co-author of Raising Cain

“Silly, insightful, and triumphant, POTTYMOUTH AND STOOPID proves that awesome humor goes hand-in-hand with making the world a better place. Pottymouth and Stoopid are full of heart and brain and joy. You’ll remember this book and these boys for a long time.” – Carrie Jones, New York Times bestelling author of the Need series, Time Stoppers, and co-editor of Dear Bully

Captain Underpants: Action! Thrills! Laffs!

Lolli — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 16:07:04 +0000

Scholastic sent me new Captain Underpants books, AND is offering a prize pack for one of you! Read to the bottom to find the giveaway (you won’t want to miss it!!). All thoughts are my own.

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie is in theaters now! It looks like a fun and hilarious summer movie for the whole family!

If you have kids in your house, I’m SURE you’re familiar with the Captain Underpants books. If not, then let me tell you this – kids are drawn to Captain Underpants like you wouldn’t believe! My kids have been bringing Captain Underpants home from the school library for years and we have a little collection in our home library, too. Before you head out to the theater, read the epic novels by Dav Pilkey! Or better yet, enter the giveaway below and win the books!

Meet the Captain Underpants books that I’m giving away:

The Adventures of Captain Underpants: Now in Full Color – The first Captain Underpants adventure like you’ve never seen it before — in FULL COLOR! Fourth-grade class clowns George Beard and Harold Hutchins have created the greatest superhero in the history of their elementary school — and now they’re going to bring him to life! Meet Captain Underpants! His true identity is SO secret, even HE doesn’t know who he is! This special edition will include an all-new sixteen-page bonus section that will reveal the origin of Captain Underpants!

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie Official Handbook – Meet George and Harold, two fun-loving best friends with a special talent for trouble. The only thing they love more than pulling pranks is creating comic book heroes like the Amazing Captain Underpants. When the boys accidentally bring Captain Underpants to life, Jerome Horwitz Elementary — and the world — will never be the same!

Wacky Word Wedgies and Flushable Fill-Ins – Want to create your own Captain Underpants adventures, just like George and Harold? Then pick up a pencil and get ready for some actions, thrills, and laffs! This book has over a dozen wacky fill-in stories starring George, Harold, the Amazing Captain Underpants, Professor Poopypants, Cafeteria Lady Edith, the Turbo Toilet 2000, and all your other favorites from the new movie. Plus tra-la-la-riffic stickers!

Want to check out the new full-color book before you buy it? Preview an excerpt of The Adventures of Captain Underpants (in full color!).

Win a Captain Underpants Prize pack!

One (1) winner receives:

The Adventures of Captain Underpants: Now in Full Color
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie Official Handbook
Wacky Word Wedgies and Flushable Fill-Ins
Plus a $50 Visa gift card for your own epic adventure!

Giveaway open to US addresses only. Prizing and samples provided by Scholastic. This giveaway ends at 11:59pm ET on 6/22 after which a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

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Connect with Captain Underpants:

Visit Scholastic.com/PlanetPilkey
Follow Scholastic on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Follow hashtag #CaptainUnderpants

The Dark Prophecy {The Trials of Apollo Book 2}

Lolli — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 00:31:21 +0000

Thanks to Disney-Hyperion for sending me a copy, and for providing a prize pack for my readers. All thoughts are my own. Amazon affiliate links are used within this post.

We have been huge Rick Riordan fans since the first Percy Jackson book came out about 11 years ago. We look forward to each new book because we know we’ll find adventure and humor, and we know that we’ll always learn something interesting, too. I love that I can enjoy each Rick Riordan book as much as my kids do!

The second book in Riordan’s The Trials of Apollo series is coming to stores as of May 2, 2017 (it’s available for preorder now), and we’re so excited to get our copy and start reading the story!

About the Book

Zeus has punished his son Apollo — god of the sun, music, archery, poetry, and more — by casting him down to earth in the form of a gawky, acne-covered sixteen-year-old mortal named Lester. The only way Apollo can reclaim his rightful place on Mount Olympus is by restoring several Oracles that have gone dark. What is affecting the Oracles, and how can Apollo/Lester do anything about them without his powers?

After experiencing a series of dangerous—and frankly, humiliating—trials at Camp Half-Blood, Lester must now leave the relative safety of the demigod training ground and embark on a hair-raising journey across North America. Somewhere in the American Midwest, he and his companions must find the most dangerous Oracle from ancient times: a haunted cave that may hold answers for Apollo in his quest to become a god again—if it doesn’t kill him or drive him insane first. Standing in Apollo’s way is the second member of the evil Triumvirate, a Roman emperor whose love of bloodshed and spectacle makes even Nero look tame. To survive the encounter, Apollo will need the help of son of Hephaestus Leo Valdez, the now-mortal sorceress Calypso, the bronze dragon Festus, and other unexpected allies—some familiar, some new—from the world of demigods. Come along for what promises to be a harrowing, hilarious, and haiku-filled ride….

The Dark Prophecy (The Trials of Apollo, Book 2)
By Rick Riordan
Published by Disney-Hyperion
In stores and online May 2nd, 2017

Inspired by the God of Poetry

Apollo is the god of many things – God of Music, God of Poetry, and God of the Sun. And he LOVES Haikus (what? You didn’t know that about him?). My boys and I decided to have a little Apollo-inspired fun, and we penned these fun little Haikus. Can you tell which is mine, which is my 16-year-old son’s, and which is my 12-year-old son’s? Someone wrote two…

Roses are yellow
Violets are not very blue
I’m a cool fellow

The spring is sprung
Birds chirp outside my window
Send more tissue, please

The sun is outside
The sun makes me happier
The end of the day

The friendship of life
It wrenches away your strife
Young live is now wife

Challenge: Write me a haiku in the comments below! Have fun with it!

Win a Dark Prophecy Prize Pack

This is so exciting! To celebrate the release of The Dark Prophecy, three different prize packs will be offered in giveaways across the web inspired by Apollo’s godliness – God of Music, God of Poetry, and God of the Sun. Collect them all! I’ve got the God of Poetry prize, and one (1) winner from Food Fun Family will receive:

Copy of The Dark Prophecy
The Trials of Apollo pen and pocket journal

Giveaway open to US addresses only. Prizing and samples provided by Disney-Hyperion. This giveaway will close at 11:59pm ET May 11, 2017, after which a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Good luck!

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About the Author

Rick Riordan, dubbed “storyteller of the gods” by Publishers Weekly, is the author of five #1 New York Times best-selling middle grade series with millions of copies sold throughout the world: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Heroes of Olympus, and the Trials of Apollo, based on Greek and Roman mythology; the Kane Chronicles, based on Ancient Egyptian mythology; and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, based on Norse mythology. Rick collaborated with illustrator John Rocco on two #1 New York Times best-selling collections of Greek myths for the whole family: Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods and Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes. Rick lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @camphalfblood.

Connect with Rick Riordan

Visit ReadRiordan.com
Follow Rick Riordan on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Follow Disney-Hyperion on Twitter and Instagram
Snapchat @disneybooks
#TrialsofApollo

Word of Mouse “Words to Live By” Giveaway #WordofMouse

Lolli — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 22:52:03 +0000

This post and giveaway are sponsored by Jimmy Patterson Books. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

I’ve always been an avid reader, and I love raising kids who are readers, too. I’ve got to say – there was something about Word of Mouse, a new juvenile fiction book by author James Patterson, that caught my attention and begged ME to read it, too.

Just flipping through the chapters is a joy!

Here’s a little about Word of Mouse:

ABOUT WORD OF MOUSE

By James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
Release: December 12, 2016
Juvenile Fiction for ages 8-12
Purchase it here or on Amazon

James Patterson’s newest illustrated middle grade story follows the illuminating journey of a very special mouse, and the unexpected friendships that he makes along the way.

What makes Isaiah so unique? First, his fur is as blue as the sky—which until recently was something he’d never seen, but had read all about. That’s right—Isaiah can read, and write. He can also talk to humans…if any of them are willing to listen! After a dramatic escape from a mysterious laboratory, Isaiah is separated from his “mischief” (which is the word for a mouse family), and has to use his special skills to survive in the dangerous outdoors, and hopefully find his missing family. But in a world of cruel cats, hungry owls, and terrified people, it’s hard for a young, lone mouse to make it alone. When he meets an equally unusual and lonely human girl named Hailey, the two soon learn that true friendship can transcend all barriers.

Our own “Words to Live By” from Word of Mouse

Have you ever found a quote that resonated with you, like it was written just for you and your situation? That’s what it was like for me and my kids as we looked through Word of Mouse. I asked the kids (minus my older son who is always gone at some sports practice or another!) to find a quote that resonated with them, and it was so interesting that they were each able to find a quote from Isaiah the Mouse that was perfect.

Reese (13) loved Isaiah’s quote “You have to stand for something, otherwise you’ll spend your whole life on your butt.” Reese is a wonderful example to her friends and fellow teenagers at school and at church. She certainly stands for MANY good principles and is always looking for ways to make her community better.

AJ (11) loved Isaiah’s quote, “God gave us the acorns, but he doesn’t crack them open for us.” We’ve been given many blessings and privileges, but we still have the responsibility to do good things with the blessings we’ve been given. As the youngest of five kids, AJ has learned a lot of life skills simply from watching his older siblings. We’ve always taught our kids to be self-sufficient and given them responsibilities, fully believing that they could (and should) handle them!

Necco (17) loved the quote, “All of us are given gifts. How we use them is up to us.” Necco was particularly blessed with many creative talents. I love that she is preparing to use her musical talents and abilities to get a degree in music therapy (she graduates from high school this year!).

If you noticed the shot of me holding the book open above, you’ll see the quote that resonated with me: “The cure for 50 enemies is one friend.” I have had the chance to make deeper friendships in the last year, and I am grateful for those that I call my close friends.

I can’t wait for you to read Word of Mouse so you can also find the words to live by that resonate most with you!

About James Patterson

James Patterson received the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community at the 2015 National Book Awards. A tireless champion of the power of books and reading, he has created a new children’s book imprint, JIMMY Patterson, whose mission is simple: “We want every kid who finishes a JIMMY Book to say, ‘PLEASE GIVE ME ANOTHER BOOK.’”

LEARN MORE

Visit JamesPatterson.com

Follow JIMMY Patterson Books on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Follow James Patterson on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

#WordofMouse

Enter to WIN a Word of Mouse Giveaway!

One (1) winner receives a copy of Word of Mouse and a $50 Visa gift card. US addresses only. Prizing provided by JIMMY Patterson Books. Giveaway ends on December 21 at 11:59pm ET, after which a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

Good luck!

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