Posts Tagged ‘life lessons’

Little Boy Gan banner

I couldn’t resist being a part of this tour. These books look spectacular and I really enjoy children’s books.

On Monday, October 26th, I featured Little Boy Gan from Passion-Filled Everland.

As I mentioned, it’s now time for my review of Reimburse The Universe!

Enjoy both reviews of these wonderful books.

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Title: Reimburse the Universe
Author: Lisa McDonald
Publisher: Lisa McDonald
Pages: 36
Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Reimburse the Universe cover

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My Review

This book was such a delightful read.

Each message is displayed through wonderful illustrations on glossy pages along with thought provoking insight into how to be true to yourself and reminding you to treat others as you would want to be treated.

Not just for young children, these lessons are ones we should all heed and live by. We are reminded that everyone is important, has feelings, hopes, and dreams. There’s more to life than just another day.

My mother read this book and had this to say, “A gorgeous book. Just what life is. Loved it.”

My son read this book and had this to share, “Simple yet interesting story about not straying from your course and staying true to yourself.  Regardless of how you’re born, you’re somebody.”

Three generations loved this book and I’m sure you will too. A great book yo read to kids from the time they can understand. One you’ll want to read to them often.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

In REIMBURSE THE UNIVERSE, a diverse cast of characters continue the theme of people sharing their best selves with the world. The message of this book focuses on giving back to the universe by honoring and respecting ourselves and others and understanding that all human beings are part of a collective whole. Each page in the book offers examples of how individuals can give back to the collective out of appreciation for the many gifts that the universe has provided all of us.

For More Information

  • Reimburse the Universe is available at Amazon.

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Title: Little Boy Gan From Passion-Filled Everland
Author: Lisa McDonald
Publisher: Lisa McDonald
Pages: 36
Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Little Boy Gan cover

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My Review

Gan is such a wonderful young lad. He’s filled with joy, compassion, wonder, hope, and a strong belief in do unto others.

Each page features Gan and a creature of nature.

I love how the names of the characters begins with the same letter as their being, and this also carries over into their actions and reactions. Here’s a couple of examples:

“Sammy the squirrel scuffled.”

“Terrence the turtle toddled.”

It was such fun to turn each page and see what the author came up with next.

The pages are large and glossy, with brilliant color.

The story is like an interview. The creatures ask Gan a question and he gives them an answer. Each one is a life lesson and they make you stop and ponder. Make you question how you see the world around you. How you can be a better person. How you can share the joy of life with others.

A tale of being all that you can be, and cherishing and sharing life and all that surrounds you.

My mother read this book and said it’s adorable. She loved the fun Q&A aspect, the colorful pictures, and the life lessons it contains.

A book for all ages, I hope you read this and share it with your children.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

McDonald’s first book, LITTLE BOY GAN FROM PASSION-FILLED EVERLAND, tells the story of ten-year-old Gan. Gan is humble and wise with a loving spirit that he shares with the animals he meets in the magical forest where the story takes place. The curious animals watch Gan and observe his kindness and humility. Soon they seek the boy out to learn the secret of his happiness. The old soul gives his new friends advice on humility, passion, compassion, and paying it forward. The impact Gan has on the animals is life changing. The lessons they learn lead to expressions of gratitude for their individual gifts and embolden them to share their passions with the world.

For More Information

  • Little Boy Gan From Passion-Filled Everland is available at Amazon.

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About Author Lisa McDonald

Lisa McDonald

Lisa McDonald is an author and radio host. Her children’s books, LITTLE BOY GAN FROM PASSION-FILLED EVERLAND and REIMBURSE THE UNIVERSE, take readers, young and old, on journeys with diverse characters that teach lessons of acceptance, understanding, and sharing. Lisa’s radio program, Carpe Diem, promotes personal empowerment and showcases world-renowned authors, speakers, and musicians.

Writing has been a long-time passion for Lisa. “I have been writing since the age of five. I always wrote poetry, short stories, anthologies, essays. My maternal grandmother foresaw me being a writer/author from a very young age and encouraged me to pursue it. As a result of reinventing myself due to a change in personal/familial circumstances, it became clear to me that writing was not meant to be a hobby but rather my vocation.”

Lisa’s third and fourth books, PLANET POME-GRANITE and KISMET TALES FROM HAPPY TRAILS, are forthcoming in late 2015 and early 2016.

For More Information

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Until the next time….

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Little Boy Gan banner

I couldn’t resist being a part of this tour. These books look spectacular and I really enjoy children’s books.

For today I am featuring Little Boy Gan from Passion-Filled Everland.

Mark your calendar and stop back by on Thursday, October 29th for my feature of Reimburse The Universe!

Title: Little Boy Gan From Passion-Filled Everland
Author: Lisa McDonald
Publisher: Lisa McDonald
Pages: 36
Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Little Boy Gan cover

goodreads-badge-add-plus

My Review

Gan is such a wonderful young lad. He’s filled with joy, compassion, wonder, hope, and a strong belief in do unto others.

Each page features Gan and a creature of nature.

I love how the names of the characters begins with the same letter as their being, and this also carries over into their actions and reactions. Here’s a couple of examples:

“Sammy the squirrel scuffled.”

“Terrence the turtle toddled.”

It was such fun to turn each page and see what the author came up with next.

The pages are large and glossy, with brilliant color.

The story is like an interview. The creatures ask Gan a question and he gives them an answer. Each one is a life lesson and they make you stop and ponder. Make you question how you see the world around you. How you can be a better person. How you can share the joy of life with others.

A tale of being all that you can be, and cherishing and sharing life and all that surrounds you.

My mother read this book and said it’s adorable. She loved the fun Q&A aspect, the colorful pictures, and the life lessons it contains.

A book for all ages, I hope you read this and share it with your children.

5 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

McDonald’s first book, LITTLE BOY GAN FROM PASSION-FILLED EVERLAND, tells the story of ten-year-old Gan. Gan is humble and wise with a loving spirit that he shares with the animals he meets in the magical forest where the story takes place. The curious animals watch Gan and observe his kindness and humility. Soon they seek the boy out to learn the secret of his happiness. The old soul gives his new friends advice on humility, passion, compassion, and paying it forward. The impact Gan has on the animals is life changing. The lessons they learn lead to expressions of gratitude for their individual gifts and embolden them to share their passions with the world.

For More Information

  • Little Boy Gan From Passion-Filled Everland is available at Amazon.

~~~~~

Title: Reimburse the Universe
Author: Lisa McDonald
Publisher: Lisa McDonald
Pages: 36
Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Reimburse the Universe cover

goodreads-badge-add-plus

I’ll be posting my review on Thursday, October 29th. Please stop back by!

~~~~~

Synopsis

In REIMBURSE THE UNIVERSE, a diverse cast of characters continue the theme of people sharing their best selves with the world. The message of this book focuses on giving back to the universe by honoring and respecting ourselves and others and understanding that all human beings are part of a collective whole. Each page in the book offers examples of how individuals can give back to the collective out of appreciation for the many gifts that the universe has provided all of us.

For More Information

  • Reimburse the Universe is available at Amazon.

~~~~~

About Author Lisa McDonald

Lisa McDonald

Lisa McDonald is an author and radio host. Her children’s books, LITTLE BOY GAN FROM PASSION-FILLED EVERLAND and REIMBURSE THE UNIVERSE, take readers, young and old, on journeys with diverse characters that teach lessons of acceptance, understanding, and sharing. Lisa’s radio program, Carpe Diem, promotes personal empowerment and showcases world-renowned authors, speakers, and musicians.

Writing has been a long-time passion for Lisa. “I have been writing since the age of five. I always wrote poetry, short stories, anthologies, essays. My maternal grandmother foresaw me being a writer/author from a very young age and encouraged me to pursue it. As a result of reinventing myself due to a change in personal/familial circumstances, it became clear to me that writing was not meant to be a hobby but rather my vocation.”

Lisa’s third and fourth books, PLANET POME-GRANITE and KISMET TALES FROM HAPPY TRAILS, are forthcoming in late 2015 and early 2016.

For More Information

~~~~~

Until the next time….

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from

 Intersections

by Keith R. Wilson

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My 56 is actually from page 65. Switched the numbers to find a good quote. 

Every intersection is an opportunity to get out, to change, to choose, to be someone else, to do something else. Every intersection interrupts the hurtling train of our thoughts. Every little thing we notice turns us down a new road, opens a door to a new mansion, invites us to a party. Every little thing gives us new hope. Every little thing tells us there is more out there than what we know.

This book is so different from my normal reading. I’m really enjoying it!

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

Go on the road with Larry, a suicidal psychotherapist. Middle-aged and obese, divorced and estranged from his children, Larry sets off across the country, ambivalently seeking restoration amid scraps of long-distance fatherhood. He encounters an amorous nursing home death cat, a serendipitous Rastafarian, a drunken Katrina refugee who just might be an incarnation of a Voodoo god, and a murderous mountaineer who teaches him how to let go. He’s transformed by a series of spiritual discoveries that proffer insight about life’s fundamental questions. Intersections takes unexpected turns on a journey from despair to re-enchantment, from loneliness to reconciliation, from the carnal to the transcendent and back again.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

great escape tour banner GETTING BACK TO NORMAL large448

Getting Back to Normal By Marilyn Levinson

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We give this 4 1/2 paws and if you are looking for a book for your child, definitely check this one out! ~Storeybook Reviews

Levinson has the incredible talent of combining life’s lessons with a bit of fun too, as she incorporates boys, ghosts, a runaway little brother, and an old mystery into this well-written story. ~Cindi at Mommasez……

The author “blends the stress of family life with a touch of paranormal for a light-hearted tale that will have you smiling.” ~Thoughts in Progress

This is a fast easy entertaining read. ~readalot

18040178

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Genre: YA/Grades 6-8

 Published by: Untreed Reads Publishing

Release Date: May 29, 2013

E-Book File Size: 289 KB

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Synopsis

Sixth-grader Vannie Taylor’s mom has just died. Her father’s completely lost without his wife and brings Vannie and her younger brother to live in a dismal cottage on the estate where he manages craft fairs, dinners, and other events.

A ghost named Archie befriends Vannie, and helps her prepare a wonderful supper for her brother. After Vannie discovers Archie’s secret, he asks Vannie to help him make amends for something in his past. But helping Archie means accepting a very large change in her own life. Things get back to normal for Vannie, but not in a way she’s ever imagined.

My Review

In movies, casting makes or breaks the film. The same can be said for books.

The author has a great cast in Getting Back To Normal.

Vannie’s almost twelve when her father uproots the family and moves them into a dumpy old cottage on the grounds of Merry Mount Gardens, the estate he works for.

She’s not happy with the move and neither is her little brother Robby. He’s obsessed with a stray cat he’s been feeding, Theodore, and worries if the new people living in their old house will take care of him.

Vannie worries about who will take care of them, as her father has immersed himself in matters of the estate and is often absent.

Her father looked to his wife for comfort and support. They all did. She was the glue that held them together.

Now that she’s gone, they are quickly becoming a dysfunctional family.

Vannie’s saving grace is Aunt Mayda. She’s not really her aunt. She was her mothers best friend. She owns Merry Mount and helped them to get the cottage.

Aunt Mayda lives in the city but makes frequent visits, lending her support where needed.

One day, Vannie makes a new friend.

Archibald Heatherton is Mayda’s grandfather. He’s also the resident ghost.

Vannie is the only one who can see him, and he’s asking for her help.

He chose to stay after his “foolish death” to ensure Mayda lives happily ever after.

Vannie thinks it’s a pretty tall order. Does anyone get their happily ever after?

Vannie is a brave young lady. Her situation adds a heavy responsibility on her small shoulders. Her dad is buried in his work, her brother is obsessed with a stray cat, she’s missing her home, her school, her friends.

Now a silly ghost wants a real life fairy tale ending. Can helping Archie maybe help her own family? Will they ever get back to normal?  What is normal anyway?

Without Archie the ghost, this could have been a heavy read. Archie, with his backflips and cartwheels, and aura of mystery, lightens the mood, making this a fun story told from Vannie’s point of view.

Getting Back To Normal is for young readers. I’d say middle grade. The characters are real and the situations are true to life, well, except for Archie, and the adventures are exciting.  And I’m all for a happily ever after.

This took me back to when I was young and I spent all my time in the library. I would grab my selected books and sit in a quiet corner, reading until it was time to go home. I loved taking those books home, choosing which one to read first, and diving into a new world.

I wish I had young children to share this book with. I would love for them to meet these characters and interrupt me when I’m busy to exclaim about something that happened in the book.

4 Stars

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Marilyn Levinson

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Marilyn Levinson, a former Spanish teacher, writes mysteries, romance, and books for children and young adults.

Her romantic suspense, DANGEROUS RELATIONS, is a love story entwined with an intriguing mystery. GIVING UP THE GHOST is an entertaining ghost mystery. The first of her Twin Lakes Mysteries, A MURDERER AMONG US, was awarded a Best Indie of 2011 by Suspense Magazine. A new edition of A MURDERER AMONG US and its sequel, MURDER IN THE AIR, will be out soon.

A ghost, a mansion, and a feral Maine Coon cat feature in Marilyn’s brand new YA, GETTING BACK TO NORMAL. Three of her popular out-of-print children’s books, AND DON’T BRING JEREMY, NO BOYS ALLOWED, and RUFUS AND MAGIC RUN AMOK are now available as ebooks.

Marilyn is co-founder and past-president of the Long Island chapter of Sisters in Crime. She lives on Long Island.

Links: web page: http://www.marilynlevinson.com Untreed Reads books: http://goo.gl/ktYzs Amazon page: http://amzn.to/K6Md1O Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.levinson.10?ref=ts&fref=ts Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarilynLevinson

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I have one ebook of Getting Back To Normal to giveaway!

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question,

“What’s your favorite fairy tale?”

Giveaway ends August 19th.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!