Archive for March 20, 2024

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Book Details:
Book Title:  Squirrels In Antarctica​ by Sari Karplus
Category:  Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 34 pages
Genre:  Children’s Picture Book
Publisher:  Tip Top Story Shop
Release date:   Mar 2024
Content Rating:  G.  Suitable for everyone.

Book Description:

This fantastical book of animals in unusual places will tickle your brain, leading readers of all ages imagining their own silly combos. You’ll see a skiing seal in Switzerland, a pufferfish piloting an airplane, a sloth who runs a marathon (but isn’t ever done), and so much more! With fun illustrations and an educational twist, this book encourages readers to embrace their limitless imagination, explore the world, and experience animals big and small in their not-so-natural habitats. Perfect for bedtime reading or as a classroom favorite, Squirrels in Antarctica sparks boundless imagination. So, come along on this epic journey and “Let your thoughts fly limitless like snails on shooting stars.” Is it a book? Is it a word game? Can it be both?!

Buy the Book:
Amazon B&N
add to Goodreads
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MY REVIEW

I had such fun reading this book. If I had to choose what was my favorite part I’d be hard pressed. The tongue twisting descriptions written in rhyme. The delightful, silly animals doing insane things. Or the funny, adorable illustrations of those critters, even bugs, doing those silly things. Even the title promised silliness and fun.

If I got so much enjoyment from this book, I’m sure young ones would too. Whether read aloud to them, read together, or reading it on their own, the fun to be discovered is endless. I recommend you grab a copy and join the fun.

5 STARS

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Interview With Author Sari Karplus:
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Your book has a number of worldwide locations featured. Have you traveled to any of these places?

I love to travel internationally, but I have only gotten to see a few of these spots so far: New York, Hollywood, and Spain. I have yet to visit Antarctica, Greenland, Peru, Berlin, Switzerland, or Cabo. This may surprise you to hear, but I’ve also never been to Saturn. 🙂

Are there combos that you wrote for this book that didn’t make the final cut?

So many actually! With more than thirty combos in this book, there were dozens that didn’t make it in. The reasons vary, too. Some of my early animal choices were too obscure where even the adult readers were getting tripped up. This is why the tardigrade, who many folks hadn’t heard of, got replaced by a zooplankton. Some others didn’t make the cut because the rhyme didn’t really pair nicely with any others. Here are a few of the combos that were early cuts: A yak visiting his grandma in South Palm Beach, a shark on the Acropolis, a tick in Timbuktu, and a cricket at a cricket match.

What authors are you most inspired by?

If you know my body of work at all, you would know that I am big into rhyming. As such, I’m particularly inspired by Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss. Their books were some of my favorites as a kid, and they remain favorites for me to read to my kids. I love that both of these authors’ works make you think and smile and sometimes laugh, which is exactly the space I’d like my books to occupy.

You are a mom as well. Do your kids take an interest in your books?

So far my kids are some of my biggest fans. I’ll be bummed when they fully outgrow being my in-house beta readers. But for now, I delight in how they share my excitement when my books arrive and repeat back lines from my stories. It’s the best!

Your book is a wild mix of animals and places. Any page that’s your spirit animal?

The page I can most relate to is the snails on shooting stars. When it comes to dreaming big, I never shy away from making a cool book or film project or performing standup comedy. The sky’s the limit! But much like the snail that looks terrified by being hurled through the universe, sometimes I’m white knuckling it through the unknown.

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Meet the Author:

Sari Karplus got her storytelling start as a comedian and filmmaker in Los Angeles. But when an improvised bedtime story to her three young children inspired her first kids’ book, she officially joined the ranks of the book writing world. Sari loves to create stories with fun journeys and teachable moments… with a healthy side of humor. Sari has written all 3 books of the Robotastic! series. “Sari” rhymes with “Mary.” Sari loves rhyming.

connect with author: website ~ instagram 

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Squirrels in Antarctica by Sari Karplus Book Tour Giveaway

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Greystone organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author B L Ryan will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Greystone

by B L Ryan

 

 

Genre: YA Fiction

Synopsis

All Mouse could remember about her father was sitting on his lap while he told her stories. She wished she could remember what he looked like. When she hangs a white pendant that belonged to her father in her bedroom window, this wish becomes the key to great adventure in another world. A gate appears with a dragon twirling in the air above a colourful garden on the other side of the gate. Zeeta, the royal dragon, greets Mouse and invites her into the garden. The garden is part of Sweet Water holding, home to Lady Jane, who is the seer for Prince Ruler Jared.

As Mouse and Zeeta struggle to complete a quest, Mouse searches for her father. Their journey takes them across the plains of Norlanda and south to the Border Mountains.

The seers have foretold that a far traveller will appear and lead Norlanda against its enemies. This does not seem likely, as Norlanda is prosperous and peaceful at this time. Meanwhile, dark forces gathered in the Border Mountains have recognized the presence of Mouse in the lines of destiny and have started to move towards her.

How will the presence of a child, a far traveller from another world, affect the destiny of this world?

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Six Turns Later

The sky was cast with bands of pink and yellow as the sun set. It was an exceptionally clear evening, and it was possible to see the Singing Mountains across the horizon to the north. As Jared gazed absently at the fringe of jagged peaks, Lord Ravenstock entered the room silently. He waited for Jared to address him.

Without turning, Jared asked, “What have my esteemed councillors decided?”

Lord Ravenstock’s eyebrows rose briefly. His face became an expressionless mask as he related the decision of the Council of Five.

“It has been six turns since the death of your father, King Henry. The Council has decided that the Prince Ruler must select a woman to be his Lady Consort or they will be obliged to select a suitable woman on your behalf.”

The Prince snorted. “They have already given me a list of women they deem suitable.”

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About Author B L Ryan:

Born in Saskatchewan, Betty has lived in several areas across Canada, from Ottawa to Vancouver Island while growing up. Her fondest memory as a child is of her father building a tent trailer and her mother sewing yards and yards of canvas for the tent. The family travelled across Canada and down the eastern seaboard of the United States for several summer vacations.

Betty worked as a drawing office assistant in Oxford, England, for almost two years before returning to Canada to work as a topographical clerk in Edmonton, Alberta. She pursued a BSc. in Agriculture with a major in Horticulture from the University of Alberta. While raising her children, Betty worked as an Office Manager for a non-profit society and took writing courses at night school and from the Institute of Children’s Literature, Connecticut.

The garden has always been a source of inspiration and joy for Betty, as are all the beloved cats and dogs who have walked into her life. Betty believes stories are the foundation of our life. The stories we enjoy, the stories we tell ourselves, our children and others, reflect how we view the world around us. She enjoys writing fantasy for the youth genre because she feels there is still so much of the wonder of life, and the attitude that anything is possible, from this age group.

Greystone is her first novel. She is currently working on the sequel, Greystone: A New Beginning.

Free to read on KU: HERE

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.