by dlcasas on September 14, 2009
9-14-09 Eliana with Great Games by Matthew Toone
Great Games: 175 Games & Activities for Families, Groups & Children
By Matthew Toone
All Ages
ISBN: 9780979834554
Great Games is a brand new book and an excellent resource for together time! Low-cost, easy-to-implement games are grouped into indoor and outdoor family and group games, and indoor and outdoor children’s games. Games like “Fo Shizzle My Nizzle,” “Grocery Store ABC Game,” and “I Have Never” keep group games fast-paced and full of raucous laughter. Simple, traditional games such as “Hide & Seek,” “Musical Chairs,” and “Red-Rover Red-Rover” remind grown-ups of the childhood games they need to play with their children. There are even modern updates of family favorites such as “Digital Scavenger Hunt” and “Modified Horseshoes.” Matthew Toone provides easy-to-understand instructions with simple spot illustrations. Great Games is perfect for promoting teamwork, health competition, and good sportsmanship. With the high cost of outside entertainment (movies, theme parks, and entertainment complexes), group game night is just the right prescription for recession blues. Fun doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. For a mere $16, you can entertain an entire group for days with the fun games inside Great Games.
http://www.greatgamesbook.com
Reviewed by: Dianne de Las Casas
by dlcasas on September 14, 2009
9-14-09 Eliana with The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
The Magician’s Elephant
By Kate DiCamillo
Middle Grade Novel Ages 9-12
ISBN: 9780763644109
From beloved Newbery author Kate Dicamillo comes a moving story about unexpected magic, the power of dreams, and importance of family. Peter can hardly believe it when a fortuneteller tells him that yes, his sister is alive and that the elephant will lead the way. How can an elephant’s sudden appearance in an opera house change Peter’s life forever? A remarkable chain of events involves the intertwining lives of a magician, a noble woman, a manservant, a soldier, a policeman, a beggar, a dog, a nun, a sculptor, two children, and an elephant. Connected only by a thread of hope, they learn that sometimes, a simple truth can set you free and that love can bring people together.
Note: Kate DiCamillo is embarking on a nationwide tour to promote The Magician’s Elephant. Learn more on her website at http://www.katedicamillo.com/
Reviewed by: Dianne de Las Casas
by dlcasas on August 16, 2009
Dessert First
By Hallie Durand
Chapter Book Ages 7-10
ISBN: 9781416963851
Dessert is an intrepid girl from a quirky restaurant-owning family. For one thing, their restaurant has an Eiffel fondue tower! She is a child with flair (she writes her name with a cherry at the end), she has a dog named Chunky, and she marches to the beat of her own drum, convincing her mom that dessert should come first. When Lambert Elementary has a drive to build a tree house, Dessert has to make a worthy sacrifice to win the pledge money for her school. Then disaster strikes. Though she was told not to touch the special Double Decker Chocolate Bars (Grandma Reine’s secret recipe) in the refrigerator, she eats the whole box by herself. When Dessert’s mom finds out, she is beyond upset. To make matters worse, Dessert is tricked by her worst enemy to give up her most favorite thing in all the world – dessert! Can Dessert survive two weeks without dessert for the benefit of the Lambert Elementary Doody Drive AND find a way to make amends to her family for devouring all the Double Decker Chocolate Bars? Find out! This delicious debut novel from Hallie Durand is a tasty treat for young readers. Readers craving for more Dessert (and who doesn’t?), can look forward to the plucky girl’s adventures in future books.
http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Hallie-Durand
Reviewed by Dianne de Las Casas
August 2009
by dlcasas on August 16, 2009
The Secret World of Walter Anderson by Hester Bass
The Secret World of Walter Anderson
By Hester Bass
Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
Non-Fiction Picture Book
ISBN: 9780763635831
Walter Anderson (1903-1965) was one of the most famous American artists no one ever knew about. This prolific artist from the Mississippi Gulf Coast often spent weeks at a time on Horn Island by himself, rowing the twelve miles there. Once on the island, he braved storms, alligators, and a lack to food in order to sketch and paint the wild beauty around him. In these moments of solitude, Walter Anderson communed with nature and in painting on Horn Island, he found his soul. Hester Bass’ beautiful language brings to light the life of this lesser known but brilliant American artist. The soft water colors of Caldecott award-winning artist, E.B. Lewis set the tone for this exquisite book.
In the Author’s Note, Bass reveals that Hurricane Katrina flooded the Walter Anderson family vault, destroying much of the Anderson family’s personal collection. However, the Anderson museum in downtown Ocean Springs, Mississippi endured the storm. A portion of the proceeds of the book will be donated to the families of the three Anderson brothers and to the Walter Anderson Museum of Art to “support their efforts to conserve the artwork that can be saved.”
www.hesterbass.com
Reviewed by Dianne de Las Casas
August 2009
by Dianne on January 29, 2008
Friends:
This is my first blog post on my very own blog. I am very excited about having a blog on my website. Here, I will provide you with information about my products, tours, and travels. I will also provide articles, useful information, together time activities, book reviews, crafts and more. I may also ramble a bit about what interests me. If you like Story Connection Express, you’ll have an even more intimate connection with me here on my blog. I hope you’ll join me and subscribe via the RSS Feed. If you don’t have an RSS reader, I recommend Google Reader. Thanks for reading. Best wishes and Happy Tales to You!
Warmly, Dianne
