Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Interview and Review of Love Me by Claudia Perez

Come and join me as I talk with author Claudia Perez on Stories From Unknown Authors about her book Love Me on http://blogtalkradio.com/storiesfromunknownauthors at 1pm est today.


Love Me


  • Paperback: 28 pages
  • Publisher: CreateSpace (December 22, 2011)
  • ISBN-10: 1468033050
  • ISBN-13: 978-1468033052


  • Summary:

    Love Me is a warm, fuzzy read for children and a compelling gift to parents. It lyrically conveys what every child wants, needs and deserves….to be loved and cherished for who they are. The words and pictures remind parents to respect and honor their children, every day and in every way, to love unconditionally and see each child as unique and special regardless of what life throws their way.


    Bio:

    I am a Clinical Psychologist/RN and mother of 3 sons. I have been involved in the helping profession for over 35 years. I was born in New York City and studied at Beth Isreal School of Nursing, Marymount College, NYU Graduate School of Social Work. I received my doctorate at The California Graduate School of Family Therapy in the SF Bay Area.

    Review:

    This story has a cute and simple way that tells all children how much they are loved. No matter how busy a parent is or if the child has done something wrong, they must know they are always loved. Children thrive on feelings and if they are assured of the fact they are loved no matter what, that strength and power carries them throughout their life.

    This is a great story to share with young children from the ages of 4 and up. Children will delight in the illustrations in this 28 page picture book. They correlate well with the text and will make children of all ages smile.

    Saturday, March 10, 2012

    Review for The Cameo Effect by Nioma Stephan

    The Cameo Effect


  • Paperback: 234 pages
  • Publisher: Rowe (November 9, 2011)
  • ISBN-10: 0984237542
  • ISBN-13: 978-0984237548

  • Summary:



    When her Aunt Jena is shot in the leg, Becky Whatt thinks it's just a freak occurrence. What else could it be in the sleepy little town of Blair, Ohio? Then come the prank calls. Then the break-in attempts. By the time they find a body in the restaurant at the old hotel, Becky and Jena feel like they might be in over their heads. But with the local police seemingly unable to help, the ladies must take matters into their own hands if they are to bring order back into their lives.







    Review:

     The story captures you from the very beginning, bringing you very quickly into the world of Aunt Jena and Becky Whatt. Though the ladies were waiting to hear more info about who had shot Jena and why, mysterious things begin to happen which shed more light on the subject. Slowly but surely, the bigger picture begins to appear, and the reader is consumed with wanting to know more information about the background of the criminals. The characters take the investigation into their own hands, trying to find out the truth, but it isn't what they thought it would be. Though this is an adult mystery, this story is cleanly written and can be read by young adults as well. The characters are interesting and fun, with the feeling of being around a bunch of girlfriends who are curious and determined. Mystery lovers everywhere will love this new mysery by Nioma Stephan.

    Saturday, March 3, 2012

    Review for Is Your Hair Made of Donuts? by Joy Feldman

    Is Your Hair Made of Donuts?
    Is Your Hair Made of Donuts? by Joy Feldman
    JHF Nutritional Consulting
    March 1, 2012
    ISBN-10: 0615555152
    ISBN-13: 978-0615555157
    Ages 7 and up
    40 Pages
    Fiction     Children’s Books     Nutrition   
    Joy Feldman is the author of the award winning book, Joyful Cooking in the Pursuit of Good Health: Restore and Heal with Nutritional Balancing, a volume dedicated to helping both adults and children find optimal health. Joy loves healthy food and feels passionately about children’s health and wellness. Originally from New York, Joy now lives in Rhode Island with her husband, two beautiful children, and her English Springer Spaniel Millie, where she creates books with the purpose of inspiring and teaching both young and old that “they are what they eat.”

    Reviewer: Renee Hand

    In a world that super-sizes everything, the Blossom family does things a little differently. Matt and Maddie Blossom’s mom doesn’t allow them to eat junk food. One day the siblings insist that they’re tired of feeling different from all the other kids at school because they eat healthfully, so for the first time, Mom allows them to indulge in whatever foods they want from The Wastelands, a supermarket with aisles stockpiled with chemical confections of every kind.  

    After gobbling up these foods, triumphant over winning the food war with their mother, the children go to bed feeling sick. Not wanting to tell their mother how they are feeling, they fall asleep. As they slip into slumber, the children embark on an adventure in the form of a dream brought on by an overload of sugar.  

    With a touch of powdered sugar and a tad of colored sprinkles, Matt and Maddie’s hair transforms into large, gooey donuts right before their eyes. Whenever a donut drops on the floor, another grows in its place, until the children are drowning in donuts—and of course that means too much sugar. Will the children have to live with donut hair forever? 

    Is Your Hair Made of Donuts? is an innovative way of teaching children about nutrition and eating healthfully. Matt and Maddie learn a valuable lesson in this story about overindulging in sweets. The message: Too many sweets can make you sick. 

    While the moral of the story may be a bit heavy handed, Is Your Hair Made of Donuts? has fun and beautiful illustrations that highlight the theme of eating healthfully and reflect the old adage that you are what you eat.  

    The author’s personal feelings about nutrition are apparent in the pages of the story. A quibble is that the author pushes the nutrition message a little too hard leaving no room for compromise. What about creating a dessert using healthful ingredients, showing children how to indulge a sweet tooth with healthful alternatives? Cookies and other desserts can be created to be healthier. A child’s body isn’t going to fall apart because it has ingested something with sugar in it. Eating foods in moderation is key, not necessarily eliminating them all together so when a child desires it they overindulge. 

    On the other hand, the author does include healthful recipes in the back of the book that do not include sugar.