The Rabbit and The Snowman

Author: Sally O. Lee

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (June 19, 2008)

ISBN-10: 1419656252

ISBN-13: 978-1419656255

About the Book:

Delightful Picture Book Teaches Children the ebb and flow of friendship

The Rabbit and the Snowman by Sally Lee is a charming children’s book
about a rabbit and a snowman who forge a friendship that endures through
the seasons.

Lee’s The Rabbit and the Snowman tells the story of a group of small children who build a snowman in a field far away in the forest. They subsequently leave and the snowman is left alone. He is not sure if he has done something wrong for them to disappear. Maybe his carrot nose is too crooked or maybe his stick arms are too skinny. He meets a small rabbit and they become fast friends.

When the snowman suddenly disappears as spring arrives, the rabbit is left alone. He also wonders if he has done something wrong. Maybe his ears are too furry or his eyes are too small. The two find each other again and continue their friendship once winter returns again.

Children will love this endearing story and colorful illustrations, while parents will approve of the idea that sometimes friends come and go but that strong relationships can withstand departures and arrivals.

Accomplished artist Lee has created a happy, thoughtful book through the
use of watercolor and pen and ink illustrations to accompany the text that create this book. Lee also designed the font for the book which further enhances her illustrations and text. It is sure to be a classic and treasured by children of all ages.

About the author:

Sally Lee has a Bachelor of Arts degree in studio art and art history
from Colby College. Her work has been exhibited in several shows and in private collections, and she is the recipient of an art grant from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her illustrations have been published in Worldlink Magazine, IEEE Magazine, and more. She lives and works in Massachusetts. She has written and illustrated nineteen books for children.

This book by Davy Liu, is not only an excellent book, but it is made with attention to detail. The book itself is absolutely beautiful and it came wrapped in an elegant fashion. Truly a keepsake book. Thank you Mr. Liu.

In this golden fable, three little fish, Sarai, RaaOn and Sesom, embark on a daring quest to find their missing parent. Never more than a fin-flip away from deadly danger, they tumble from one breathtaking exploit to another. Along their journey they encounter helpful friends and deceitful enemies. All the while, the legend of the Fire Fish inspires them to explore a world bigger than they ever imagined.

Leaving the comfort of their home, they find a wise turtle who teaches them how to call upon the great Finmaker.

As they journey through dark tunnels, an evil eel attempts to lure them into his hungry jaws. After a narrow escape, they find their way to the big ocean, teeming with fish of every kind.

They meet new friends and play games until a friendly dolphin warns them of danger. An army of great white sharks is approaching, gnashing everything in its path. In the thrilling climax, the glorious Fire Fish appear, and this story of mythic power ends in a surprising twist that teaches timeless truth.

Fire Fish

What Inspired the Story?

The story for Fire Fish is inspired by Moses’ encounter with God. God appears to him as a burning bush, a flame that gives hope and promise.

“To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.” Exodus 24:17

This fire is not the face of God or his physical manifestation, but a visible energy to personify his spirit and messages to men.

Many amazing events surround the Exodus. I imagine being a fish witnessing these events. Would I be impacted? The answer is yes. For all history, no fish had ever seen the water divided, nor a school of humans carrying bright torch’s walking on the dry ocean floor. How amazing that day must have been!

What would the sea life think of such a miracle? Had they ever seen humans? Were they so amazed at the bright torches they didn’t pay attention to them? Would they think of the torches as a kind of fish that comes from above? Maybe this unusual event made it into their history books. Maybe these miracles benefited all of God’s creation, so that in the sea there was a celebration much like independence day.

“The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen-the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.” Exodus 14:28

The story of Fire Fish reminds all of us that God takes his people seriously, your enemy is his enemy. I hope our children will know there is a God, and he no longer comes to us as a flame or as lighting, but as love in a manger. He lived to die for his people. His children love him and choose to reverence him in every part of their lives. May our kids catch the fire that God bestowed to his people. May his word, the Bible, live on in every child for generations to come.
About Davy Liu

Davy Liu has a passion for imaginative storytelling and beautiful illustration. He worked for Disney on “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” “Mulan,” and “The Lion King.” A seasoned professional, Liu has also worked for George Lucas and Warner Bros. Animation. His illustrations have graced the pages of Time, The Wall Street Journal and Business Week. Liu imbues his stories with humor, wonder and allegory, making Fire Fish a tale that appeals to kids and intrigues adults.

“I hope to inspire young souls to experience life through faith,” said Liu. “There is more to life than meets the eye. Every kid has different gifts. Though we live in very distracting times, I want kids to know their life is valuable not because of status or material things.”

The Tiniest Tiger

Author: Joanne McGonagle

Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (March 3, 2008)

ISBN-10: 1419684671

ISBN-13: 978-1419684678

Children will enjoy the cute story while learning interesting facts about endangered animals such as the tiger, lion, cheetah, clouded leopard, puma (aka cougar, panther, mountain lion), jaguar, bobcat, and the ocelot.

About the Book:

In The Tiniest Tiger by Joanne McGonagle, a kitten gets lost in the zoo and along the way learns about cats and endangered species.

More and more wild cats are becoming endangered, but now author Joanne McGonagle, in her brilliant children’s book The Tiniest Tiger, is educating children about conservation. This is an enchanting story of a little lost kitten who finds its way into the local zoo. As the kitten prowls the zoo, she learns key facts about endangered species like lions, tigers, cheetahs, clouded leopards, ocelots and more, until she finds her way home.

Children will love the dazzling illustrations and fun facts, while parents will appreciate the important message about conservation.

“An endearing story about a confused little house cat who meets up with some really wild cats. Through these encounters, readers learn about interesting characteristics that make each wild cat different.”-Jack Hanna, Director Emeritus, Columbus Zoo and Host, TV’s “Into the Wild”

About the author:

Joanne McGonagle is devoted to animal conservation. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of The Tiniest Tiger will benefit conservation projects for endangered wild cats through the Conservation Fund of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Joanne just returned from Tasmania, Australia where she was privileged to travel with Jack Hanna and his film crew to learn firsthand about the tremendous efforts being made to save the Tasmanian devil. Currently, she lives in New Lexington, Ohio where she is working on her next book.

TITLE: Savvy
AUTHOR: Ingrid Law
PUBLISH DATE: May 2008
FORMAT: Hardcover
GRADE RANGE: 4th - 7th

What if your grandpa moves mountains,
One of your brothers causes hurricanes,
Another creates electricity,
And now, it’s your turn?

Overview

Savvy, by first time author Ingrid Law, strikes a deep chord in readers. Set in the American Heartland, the story captures the awkwardness of the move to adulthood. This open, fresh-faced story is devoid of the cynicism characteristic of many youth-oriented books today. Ingrid Law’s first novel is like nothing else–a tall tale, a fantasy, one family’s saga, swirling around like a dusty dream on the plains of the heart.

Plot

Savvy tells the story of Mibs Beaumont, on the eve of becoming a teenager. As if that prospect weren’t scary enough, thirteen is when a Beaumont’s savvy strikes—and with one brother who causes hurricanes and another who creates electricity, her savvy promises to be extraordinary.

But just before her birthday, her Poppa is in a terrible accident. Suddenly, her dreams of X-Ray vision disappear. All she wants now is a savvy that will save her Poppa. In fact, Mibs is so sure she’ll get that powerful savvy that she sneaks a ride to the hospital aboard a rickety bus—with her siblings and the preacher’s kids in tow. But when the bus starts heading in the wrong direction, only one thing is certain: after this adventure, no one on the bus will ever be the same.

Reading the fantastical tale of the Beaumont family will leave you as changed as if you’d just discovered your own savvy—and who’s to say you won’t, once you’ve learned how to look?

Download the first chapter of Savvy and find this exciting new book in a library near you in May 2008.

For more about the book, www.penguin.com/savvy

Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Calico Canyon
Barbour Publishing, Inc (July 1, 2008)
by
Mary Connealy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

MARY CONNEALY is an award-winning author and playwright, married to Ivan a farmer, and the mother of four beautiful daughters, Joslyn, Wendy, Shelly and Katy. They live in Decatur, Nebraska. Mary is a GED Instructor by day and an author by night. And there is always a cape involved in her transformation.

Mary has also written Petticoat Ranch, Golden Days, and her latest, Alaska Brides that will debut in August.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Let yourself be swept away by this fast-paced romance, featuring Grace Calhoun, an instructor of reading, writing, and arithmetic, who, in an attempt to escape the clutchs of a relentless pursuer, runs smack dab into even more trouble with the 6R’s - widower Daniel Reeves, along with his five rowdy sons. When a marriage is forced upon this hapless pair - two people who couldn’t dislike each other more - an avalanche isn’t the only potential danger lurking amid the shadows of Calico Canyon. Will they make it out alive? Or end up killing each other in the process?

Running from her Abusive foster-father, a man intent on revenge, the prim and perfectly proper Grace Calhoun takes on the job of schoolmarm in Mosqueros, Texas.

As if being a wanted woman isn’t bad enough, Grace has her hands full with the five rowdy and rambunctious Reeves boys─tough Texan tormenters who seem intent on making her life miserable. When, in an attempt to escape from the clutches of her pursuer, Grace is forced to marry widower Daniel Reeves, father of the miniature monsters, she thinks things couldn’t get any worse. Or could they?

Daniel Reeves, happy in his all-male world, is doing the best he can, raising his five boys─rascals, each and every one. Since his wife’s death in childbirth, Daniel has been determined never to risk marriage again.

When God throws Grace and Danielt together─two people who couldn’t detest each other more─the trouble is only beginning.

Will this hapless pair find the courage to face life together in the isolated Calico Canyon? Or are their differences too broad a chasm to bridge?

If you would like to read the first chapter go HERE

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