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School Lunch Superhero Day

Posted on May 3, 2013 by goodreadswithronna

School Lunches and Lunch Lady:
Packed With Power

LUNCH LADY AND THE VIDEO GAME VILLAINToday, May 3rd, together with Lunch Lady author Jarrett Krosoczka and the School Nutrition Association, Random House Children’s Books is celebrating School Lunch Superhero Day! This is a day for students, teachers, and school staff to give thanks to the school nutrition professionals that feed over 31 million students each day.

WIN WITH IMAGINATION: Tell us what you imagine your lunch lady does when she’s not serving meals and you may win a copy of LUNCH LADY AND THE VIDEO GAME VILLAIN! Scroll down for entry rules.

index~~element25About School Nutrition Association
School Nutrition Association is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 55,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. School Lunch Superhero Day will kick off SNA’s annual School Nutrition Employee Week (May 6-10, 2013), recognizing the many contributions of school nutrition professionals. To find out more about today’s school meals, visit www.TrayTalk.org.
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INSPIRATION: Jarrett’s very own School Lunch Superhero, Jean Cariglia, inspired his Lunch Lady series. When Jarrett visited his school after the first book was published, he was astounded to see how much this recognition meant to Jean. This, and other acts of kindness he has seen while touring for the series, planted the seed for School Lunch Superhero Day.
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WAYS TO CELEBRATE: The SchoolLunchSuperheroDay.com website has all kinds of activities to help schools celebrate – games, activities, valentines, you name it!

TED: Besides creating a really innovative take on superheroes, Jarrett is also a really amazing individual. Last fall, he was invited to present a TED talk. His talk has over 500,000 combined views and is really inspirational. See the video here.

NEW LUNCH LADY: LUNCH LADY AND THE VIDEO GAME VILLAIN is on sale now. This is an action-packed graphic novel series with fun food-related gadgets. The series is great for beginning readers, and the latest title is reviewed here by Ronna Mandel.

BOOK REVIEW:

I first fell for the Lunch Lady series exactly three years ago (to see my first review click here) and back then there were only three books out. Now your beginning and/or reluctant reader can devour all nine and at just $6.99 each, it’s an affordable collection to own. Lunch Lady and The Video Game Villain, (Alfred A. Knopf/Random House Children’s Books, ages 7-10), is yet another Jarrett Krosoczka treat so hungry fans will not be disappointed with this latest serving. It packs the usual puns and punch in addition to the comical graphic illustrations at which Krosoczka excels. Hector’s friends have decided he’d make a great class president, but guess who he’s up against? None other than #15, Milmoe the menace! So does Hector even stand a chance? Plus, lots of electronic items are going missing and Lunch Lady and her cohort, Betty, decide to investigate. Will the culprit be the school janitor, Mr. Kalowski, Milmoe, or maybe the mystery man who prints his posters? Then of course, there’s poor, overworked Gavin Computo, the tech teacher. Could he possibly be involved in illegal gadget garnering? Throw in an upcoming visit from new school superintendent, Dr. Van Grindheimer, to inspect the cafeteria and the hallowed halls of Thompson Brook may be anything but … While I do recommend kids begin with the first book in the series, those eager to take a bite out of the newest installment will certainly find it satisfying.

Giveaway Rules:

One winner, chosen at random (at Random.org) from comments on our Facebook page, will receive a copy of Lunch Lady and The Video Game Villain by Jarrett Krosoczka worth ($6.99). You must LIKE us on Facebook to be eligible. All comments must be made by midnight, Friday, May 10th and a winner will be selected and notified on Saturday, May 11th.

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Posted in Children's Book Reviews, Contests & Giveaways, Juvenile Fiction, Special Event and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Make Room Powerpuff Girls, The Ultra Violets & Giveaway Are Here!

Posted on May 2, 2013 by goodreadswithronna

The Ultra Violets by Sophie Bell (Penguin Books for Young Readers, $12.99, Ages 8 and up) is reviewed today by Hilary Taber of Flintridge Bookstore (we know it’s not a Friday, but we’re featuring Flintridge Bookstore anyway!) Also, for a chance to win a copy the book along with an Ultra Violets T-shirt, click here. For entry rules, click here. Giveaway ends midnight PST on Friday, May 10, 2013. Remember to write Ultra Violets in subject and good luck!

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Girl superhero books are few and far between. Yes, of course, we all will always have Wonder Woman. However, I was hard pressed to think of a book whose main character was a little girl who was a superhero. Now, that problem is solved thanks to Sophie Bell’s book The Ultra Violets. Reminiscent of The Powerpuff Girls, this book will provide a delightful free read. Printed in violet ink (a very nice touch) the book chronicles the adventures and exploits of Iris, Cheri, Scarlet, and Opaline. These girls have been best friends since forever (as one of the characters might say), but one slumber party changed their collective lives forever. A science experiment went awry, and some mysterious purple goo showered on all four girls! This changed them into the superhero team known as The Ultra Violets.

Each girl has a very separate personality, and distinct superpower. One of them even ends up with violet hair! As the cover’s tag line says, “The Fuchsia Is Now!” and clearly now is the time for some of the fans of The Dork Diaries or Diary of a Wimpy Kid to have a superhero adventure. The, “Hey, you! Yeah! I’m talkin’ to you kid!” style of narration, tongue-in-cheek puns, and sassitude will appeal to readers who like a more informal read. In The Ultra Violets there is imagination, there are acts of courage, purple, and glitter references galore, which is pretty much the point of this book.  Like the first bite of grape bubblegum, this book is a sweet treat, and would make a great summer read. It’s like a vacation to a world beyond the usual and ordinary. Look for the next book in the series Ultra Violets #2: Power to the Purple! in early August, 2013.

Find THE ULTRA VIOLETS computer game on www.missoandfriends.com.

HilaryTaberPlease visit the Flintridge Bookstore & Coffeehouse today to pick up your copy of this book, buy gifts, enjoy their extensive selection of other great reads and relax over a great cup of coffee.  Also visit the website at www.flintridgebooks.com to keep up-to-date with story times, author events and other exciting special events. And when you stop by, keep a lookout for Hilary peeking out from behind a novel.

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Posted in Children's Book Reviews, Contests & Giveaways, MG Fiction and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Free Books on The Performing Arts & Traces Tickets Giveaway

Posted on April 18, 2013 by goodreadswithronna

I have just two words for you: free books. Interested? Read on …

Money’s tight not only for families but for school districts all over L.A. Cutbacks mean many of our schools have had to eliminate arts education programs. As parents we must try not let the state’s budget cuts impact our kids because who knows – we may be raising the next Bernadette Peters, Leonard Bernstein or Justin Timberlake?!

Because of that, it’s great to know that The Music Center’s longest-running education program, The Blue Ribbon Children’s Festival, will continue to bring exciting performing arts experiences for free to more than 18,000 fifth grade students from all over LA County from April 23-25 of this year. Students will experience the power of live performing arts as they see a performance from Traces, a modern brand of circus infused with the energy of street performance, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Afterwards, they will dance together, en masse, on The Music Center Plaza, a dance they have rehearsed in advance in their classrooms, incorporating music and movements from the professional performance. Every student who attends the Festival will receive a copy of the book, A Journey Through The Music Center, which introduces them to The Music Center and various aspects of the performing arts.

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And now for the first time, The Music Center is offering parents and guardians an opportunity to get a copy of A Journey Through The Music Center for free; formerly the book has been available only to students who attended the festival. The book is available in limited quantities for a limited period of time. Parents/guardians can visit www.musiccenter.org/festivalbook to request a copy.

This keepsake book makes information about the performing arts very accessible and understandable. Parents and students will especially appreciate the book’s attention to the vocabulary words. What is an oboe? What is a resident company? What does it meant to strike the set? What does a theater house manager do? Students will be able to answer those questions and more as they enjoy the book’s beautiful photographs and illustrations, storylines and special attention to personalizing the experiences associated with the performing arts.

To celebrate the performing arts, Good Reads With Ronna is giving away a $220 four pack of tickets to the Friday, April 26, 2013 performance at 7:30 p.m. of Traces at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Just click here to enter. You must include your name, phone number, email and postal address in the email to be officially entered into the giveaway. Tickets will be available at Will Call on the evening of performance.  Click here for the rules or scroll down below.  The giveaway ends on Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at midnight and the winner will be selected and notified on Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Good luck!

HOW TO ENTER:

  1. Beginning Thursday, April 18 we’re offering one reader the chance to win a family four pack to see TRACES worth a total value of $220 ($55 each)     at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Simply LIKE us on Facebook and also send us your name and contact info in an email to Ronna.L.Mandel@gmail.com by midnight Tuesday, April 23, 2013 and you’ll be entered to win. Remember to write ARTS in the subject line. This winner and three guests will attend the Friday, April 26, 2013 performance at 7:30 p.m. with tickets available at Will Call for collection.
  2. The giveaway opportunity ends at midnight on Tuesday, April 23, 2013 and one winner will be randomly chosen on Wednesday, April 24, 2013. For an additional entry please follow us on Twitter @goodreadsronna too! If you don’t provide an email where you can be contacted your chance to win is forfeited.

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Because Amelia Smiled Picture Book Giveaway

Posted on April 8, 2013 by goodreadswithronna

61D-B9B8C2L._SL500_AA300_We reviewed Because Amelia Smiled ($16.99, Candlewick, ages 3-7) by David Ezra Stein several months ago and are now excited to be able to give away a copy of the book to two Good Reads With Ronna readers. Are you smiling yet?

In Because Amelia Smiled, Stein effortlessly takes readers on a world tour all because a little girl, Amelia, wore an infectious smile while skipping down the street. For details how to enter and for entire contest rules, please click here or scroll down all the way to the bottom of this page for partial info. The contest ends midnight on April 16, 2013 so don’t wait to enter and good luck!

As Stein says in his jacket flap, “The story of Amelia is bigger than anything that can fit in a book. It’s the story of how we are connected.”  I could not agree more. Perhaps you are as fascinated by the idea of six degrees of separation as I am and if so, you will love sharing this picture book with your children.

You may know Stein from his Caldecott Honor–winning Interrupting Chicken. Here again Stein’s art flows from page to page, person to person, country to country just the way  today’s technological tapestry has brought us all together seamlessly. So, rather than tell the entire story, I suggest you read Because Amelia Smiled  to learn what caused Amelia to grin in the first place and then find out how many people are positively affected by Amelia’s smile, including you! For more of our review, please click here.
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HOW TO ENTER:

  1. Beginning Monday, April 8 we’re offering two readers the chance to win a copy of Because Amelia Smiled by David Ezra Stein. Simply LIKE us on Facebook and also send us your name and contact info in an email to Ronna.L.Mandel@gmail.com by midnight Tuesday, April 16, 2013 and you’ll be entered to win a copy of this picture book. Remember to write SMILE in the subject line.
  2. The giveaway opportunity ends at midnight on Tuesday, April 16, 2013 and two winners will be randomly chosen on Wednesday, April 17, 2013. For an additional entry please follow us on Twitter @goodreadsronna too! If you don’t provide an email where you can be contacted your chance to win is forfeited.
 

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Posted in Ages 3-7, Children's Book Reviews, Contests & Giveaways, Juvenile Fiction and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

A Super Hero of a Contest!

Posted on March 7, 2013 by goodreadswithronna

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Who’s your hero?
DC Entertainment, home to the iconic DC Comics Super Heroes, and Capstone are teaming up to sponsor a Super Hero inspired writing contest for fans in grades 3-6. The nationwide contest “Be a Super Hero. Read!” encourages children to write about a real hero in their lives. Children enter the contest by describing the human powers, such as courage, generosity, or imagination, which make their selected hero special.

The first-place winner will receive a VIP trip for four to tour Warner Bros. Animation Studios and DC Entertainment Offices, the home of SUPERMAN™ and BATMAN™, and other unique prizes. The hero described in the winning entry will receive $2,500 to donate to the charity of his or her choice.

Five winners will also be selected from the top entries to receive a set of the new SUPERMAN™ book series, the Man of Steel chapter books.

For complete contest rules and to enter, visit www.CapstoneSuperHero.com. The contest runs from March 1 – April 15, 2013. Starting on May 15, kids from across the country will have the opportunity to vote online for the grand prize winner. The winner will be announced at the Book Expo America conference on May 30.

Good luck!

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Posted in Ages 8 and up, Contests & Giveaways and tagged , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Dare to Dream … Change the World Contest

Posted on February 12, 2013 by goodreadswithronna

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Recently, when I attended the Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse Mother Daughter Book Party I met many wonderful local authors and found out about lots more fantastic kids’ books.

I also found out that there’s an Annual Writing Contest for Kids from Kane Miller Books inspired by their award-winning poetry collection Dare to Dream … Change the World ($15.99, Kane Miller, edited by Jill Corcoran with illustrations by J. Beth Jepson). What a thrill it was for me to have met several contributing authors and to now be able to spread the good word! So, parents, teachers, friends, please share this info with the budding poets in your life. Learn more by going now to www.daretodreamchangetheworld.com and while you’re there you can also buy a copy of this inspiring book about “people who invented something, stood for something, said something, defied the naysayers and not only changed their own lives, but also the lives of people all over the world.”

This contest’s deadline is April 30, 2013 so don’t wait until the last minute to enter.

The winner will receive $1500 worth of books for a school library of choice and if that’s not exciting enough, the top 30 entries will be published as an e-book!

CONTEST DETAILS

WHO: For students in 3rd through 8th grade.

WHAT: Following the format of the book, students will write a biographical poem and non-fiction paragraph about someone who not only dreamed, but took action and made the world better.

Find out how to enter along with the official rules at www.daretodreamchangetheworld.com

GOOD LUCK!!

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Why Can’t You Tell Jokes to an Egg?

Posted on January 18, 2013 by goodreadswithronna

monkeyfarts-wacky-jokes-every-kid-should-knowBecause it will crack up!

Monkeyfarts!: Wacky Jokes Every Kid Should Know ($8.99, Quirk Books, Ages 6 and up) is chock full of silly jokes like the one above and is sure to give you and your kids a good laugh. Inside the 94 pages of this compact book you’ll find everything from classic jokes, knock knock jokes, originals, one-liners one or two paragraph joke stories and some really cute cartoon-like illustrations.

Author David Borgenicht is the creator and coauthor of all the books in the Worst-Case Scenario series, and he obviously has a great sense of humor.

“What do you call two people who embarrass you in front of your friends?”

“Mom and Dad.”

What I like about this book is that it represents the innocence of childhood. Let’s face it. Our children unavoidably hear inappropriate words, jokes and more out there. But a book like Monkeyfarts! gives your children the opportunity to enjoy some wholesome humor and well, just be a kid. Along the way, they may learn a thing or two. And most importantly, they will be able to entertain their friends and generate a great deal of laughter. I’m sure you agree, there’s no better sound on earth than a child laughing.

“Where was the Declaration of Independence Signed?”

“At the bottom.”

- Reviewed by Debbie Glade

NOTE:   Incidentally, if you’re unable to read  the poster on the cover  that supplies the question to the  answer “Monkey farts.”  It asks the extremely profound, “What’s invisible and smells like bananas?”

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Posted in Ages 6 and up, Children's Book Reviews, Juvenile Fiction, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Of Polar Bears and Golden Flowers

Posted on December 12, 2012 by goodreadswithronna

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Debbie Glade dreams of snow from her home in Miami as she reviews this wonderful, wintery picture book.

A Flower in the Snow ($16.99, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, Ages 4 and up) by Tracey Corderoy is a story about two unlikely friends, an Inuit girl named Luna and a polar bear named Bear who discover an unlikely occurrence – a flower growing in the snow. Bear picks the golden flower to give to Luna, but when the flower dies and Luna gets sad, Bear sets out to find her a replacement. His journey, taking him near and far and also far too long, makes Luna miss him terribly. When he finally returns, together they learn the true meaning of friendship.

A Flower in the Snow teaches kids the valuable message that material gifts are not what friendship is all about, rather it is companionship and time spent together. The lovely watercolor illustrations by Sophie Allsopp are charming and beautifully capture the emotions of the story. This book would make a perfect holiday gift for a young child. After all, what child wouldn’t want to be best friends with a big, white, fluffy polar bear?

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Posted in Ages 4 and up, Children's Book Reviews, Juvenile Fiction, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

When Hanukkah’s Lights Were the Heroes

Posted on December 7, 2012 by goodreadswithronna

Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue  ($17.95, hardcover; $7.95, paperback,Kar-Ben, ages 5-9), a new story about the age old Jewish Festival of Lights written by Heidi Smith Hyde with illustrations by Jamel Akib, is reviewed by Ronna Mandel.

I have read dozens of Hanukkah books and always love getting a hold of one that presents the holiday from an interesting new perspective and this one certainly succeeds. The tale takes place in 18th century New Bedford, Massachusetts, a whaling community where many Jewish families who have emigrated from the religious intolerance of Portugal now live secretly as Jews in America.

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Nine-year-old Emanuel Aguilar is one such Jewish boy, son of a merchant whose shop sells whalers all the necessary supplies and food provisions for days and weeks at sea. The thriving whaling industry employs countless fisherman and many hundreds of ships set sail from the New Bedford port seeking their prey whose oil was used in candle making and in lamps.

Emanuel dreams of adventure at sea rather than the mundane life behind a shop counter but his father cautions him, saying a whaler’s life is “lonely and dangerous.” This timid nature of his father was also reflected in his reluctance to express his religious views afters years of persecution overseas. “This isn’t Portugal, Papa. This is America! No one will put us in jail for being who we are,” said Emanuel. Yet despite Emanuel’s repeated pleas for his father to light and display the Hanukkiah or Shabbat candle, Mr. Aguilar continues to live in fear and practices his faith behind drawn curtains.

It is only when Emanuel stows away on a whaling ship on the last night of Hanukkah that things change in New Bedford. The ship encounters a fierce storm and the ship’s main mast is damaged forcing the captain to return to port. Heavy waves and wind have caused the whaling ship to lose its bearings but with not stars to guide the crew and the lighthouse perhaps struck by lighting, darkness appears endless and finding New Bedford impossible.

But like the miracle oil that burned for eight nights when the Jews returned to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, out at sea a miracle occurred, too! The shoreline of New Bedford shone brightly against the night sky. “In the window of every Jewish home, including Emanuel’s, flames were glowing, proclaiming the last night of Hanukkah.”

When son and father are reunited both are thankful for the lessons learned as are we the readers. This moving Hanukkah tale is marvelously illustrated with chalk pastels that seem to effortlessly flow with story’s mood and setting. This is a picture book you will definitely want to share with the family and discuss because the topic of religious freedom is as relevant today as it was three centuries ago.

Wishing everyone a joy-filled Hanukkah!

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Posted in Ages 5-9, Children's Book Reviews, Juvenile Fiction, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Counting and Colors The BabyLit Classics Way

Posted on October 11, 2012 by goodreadswithronna

Today Karen B. Estrada weighs in on the incredibly cool BabyLit board book series from Gibbs Smith ($9.99, ages 1 and up).

As an English teacher, I was excited when I saw the BabyLit series and happened upon the Little Master Stoker and Little Master Dickens books. I was not sure quite what to expect from these durable cardboard baby books which purport to introduce young children to classic literature; to be honest, I was skeptical. But when the books arrived, I was instantly delighted.

In Little Master Stoker’s Dracula: A BabyLit Counting Primer  and Little Master Dickens’s A Christmas Carol: A BabyLit Colors Primer, author Jennifer Adams and artist Alison Oliver creatively summarize key elements of two classic works of literature. The “art” in these books is just that—scenes that go beyond simple illustration. In Dracula, edgy double-page spreads

utilizing a red, purple, black, gray, and white color palate make the 19th century classic seem contemporary and fresh. The story begins with “1 castle” and moves through counting up to 10 using relevant and important aspects of the actual novel. While the book does not really tell the story of Dracula—not that it is a story you’d want to read to your infant or toddler anyway—it offers enough details to familiarize them somewhat with elements of the story. When your child comes across Dracula again as a teen or an adult, perhaps he will recall the 1 castle and 2 friends who read 7 letters and diaries in the Little Master Stoker book he read as a child.

In A Christmas Carol: A BabyLit Colors Primer, equally punchy illustrations depict an image in which the color of an object tells the story. While I felt Dracula more closely related to the actual novel, the images and colors in A Christmas Carol will nonetheless provide your child with the same familiarity of this classic work of literature. Share the story now with your  youngster to foster an appreciation for Dickens’ complete version in the future. In other words, if you are looking for some wonderful, timeless holiday reading that is appropriate for your child who is just learning numbers and colors, check out the Baby Lit Little Masters series by Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver. Like the original novels, these books should be on your shelves!

 

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Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
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