Monday, September 15, 2008

Follow the Happenings at One Book Two Book

Have you been following the happenings at One Book Two Book? Marcie and I also have all sorts of things going on for tots through teens:

  • Book reviews
  • Giveaways
  • Product reviews
  • Discussions
  • Writing activities
  • Special events
  • Celebrations
  • Gossip girls
  • Controversial books & shows
  • Books made into movies

Just to name a few.

Come visit us!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Check Out the Daily Giveaways at One Book Two Book

Giveaways at OneBookTwoBook.com

You’ll find them daily for several days (August 24 - Sept. 6) for the Back-to-School Blast. Some days there even two drawings!

Among the prizes are many items to get the youngsters ready for school from snacks, lunch boxes/kits, back packs, books, and other supplies.

Stay tuned and have a blast! Visit One Book Two Book often.

Get One Book, Two Book’s Feed!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Giveaway for Harry Potter Phenomenon Book

At my Home Biz Notes blog, I'm offering a random drawing giveaway of Susan Gunelius's new book:

"To celebrate the U.S. release of Harry Potter, The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon by Susan Gunelius, we’re conducting a random drawing giveaway of a copy of the book. (See my interview of Susan at Home Biz Notes for more information about the book and why Susan wrote it.)"

Check out the giveaway, especially if you're a Harry Potter fan or are interested in phenomenal marketing strategies.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

One Book Two Book - A Book Blog for Kids of All Ages

I'm having great fun co-blogging with Marcie Pickelsimer at the b5media blog, One Book Two Book which features books and information for kids of all ages. You might want to check it out. Even become a regular reader!

We feature: reviews, interviews, giveaways, theme weeks, book news, word of the week, book quotes, reading related activities, and much, much more.

Come join us!

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Specific Children's Book Writing Goals for 2008

A friend frequently asks me, "Mary Emma, when are you finishing your Uncle Buffalo Bill book? Have you finished the Sarah Jane picture book?"

I grin sheepishly and say, "I'm working on them."

In 2008, I must stop only working on them and finish these projects!

1. Finish the book about my Uncle Buffalo Bill Mathewson, the original Buffalo Bill in the West.

2. Finish my Sarah Jane's Daring Deed picture book.

3. Finish the rough draft of Papa Goes to War, a Civil War era middle reader book based on my ancestors.

4. Develop the activities for these books and place them on my web sites.

5. Draft some of my other writing projects, but concentrate on them minimally until I have the above finished.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

HOLLY FRETWELL's "Different" VIEW ON GLOBAL WARMING

With all the scary information out there about global warming, it's refreshing to read a book by a natural resources policy expert that presents a different view, one complete with common sense and factual information.

The Sky's NOT Falling (Why It's OK to Chill About Global Warming) is an alternative for young people and adults to the fear-inducing books published today. Author Holly Fretwell, a mother of two and professor of natural resources policy, provides a balanced look at environmental issues and global warming scare tactics. She presents these in an easy to read and understand format for ages 8 and above.

Yes, there are environmental situations to be concerned about, but Ms. Fretwell encourages optimism about the future of our planet and the solutions we can find with human innovation and creativity, along with individual choice, not political agendas.Ms. Fretwell debunks some of the "facts" running rampant about the environment and global warming in today's world.

For instance, you've probably seen the picture of the polar bear and cub, supposedly adrift on a piece of ice because of global warming. Actually the picture was taken as a general interest one a scientific expedition. The photographer called attention to it as a polar bear and her cub on an ice sculpture. Nothing was noted about global warming nor the bears being stranded. Yet the photo was taken out of context and used for propaganda purposes.

You'll certainly want to take a look at the facts in this book about global warming and see what's really going on in a world beset by global warming scare. Check out the truth before deciding "the sky is falling."

(Published by World Ahead Media, Los Angeles, CA.; ISBN #9780976726944. The book includes fun facts and reading for ages 8 and above.)

Saturday, December 1, 2007

THE TRADITION OF BEDTIME STORIES

Bedtime stories have been a tradition for at least three generations in my family. I recall my mom reading to my sister, brothers and me...Heidi, Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses poetry, and Robinson Crusoe come to mind.

My husband and I took turns reading to our daughter. He often didn't at bedtime, but while I was preparing supper. "Daddy, you skipped that part!" I'd hear her exclaim when Jim tried to get through a book more quickly.

My daughter and son-in-law, both avid readers, started reading to their children while they were infants. Reading and children go hand in hand in our household...we all still bury ourselves in a book whenever we can in spite of today's electronic world.

Stories in the Kitchen

Although most of the bedtime story reading of my youth occurred in the evening in one of our bedrooms (there were four of us children) as we sprawled on the bed. However, on cold winter evenings, Mother gathered us in front of the wood burning cookstove in the kitchen (a favorite family congregating place) and read stories. While she read, we might munch on cookies and milk or cocoa.

Reading evolves into cooking, as children learn to ponder over recipes and mix up family meals. I recall making my first cake before I fully learned to read. Mother was ill and I decided, with the help of my younger siblings, I would make a cake for supper, along with fried potatoes and eggs.

At six years old, I couldn't decipher everything in the recipe book, so decided to dispense with it and put together the ingredients I'd seen Mother use. I recall my sister and brothers around me as we stirred the batter together, then poured it into layer cake pans.

Since the wood stove oven was the only one we had, it was only natural to bake the cake there. We must have stoked the stove and read the gauge on the front of the oven door adequately. At any rate, the cake turned out fine....except it was fairly flat.

Mother, when she saw it at supper, praised our efforts, as did Father and the hired man. It was only in later years that Mother told me she concluded I'd left out the baking powder.

(c)2007 Mary Emma Allen

(I enjoy researching and writing about holiday and family memories along with teaching classes in Family History Writing. I conduct these classes online and in person.)