The Dragon and Turtle Go on Safari by Donita K. Paul

Song Stuck on the Brain: I Could Not Ask For More by Edwin McCain






Today, as part of the Blogging For Books program with WaterBrook Multnomah, I'm reviewing:

The Dragon and Turtle Go on Safari

by

Donita K. Paul

& Evangeline Denmark

MY TAKE:

I think this is my first review of a children's picture book, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read more by one of my favorite authors. Plus, I collect children's picture books and knew this one would be a good addition. I love a good story and well done illustrations.

The story is fun, with Roger and Padrig's imaginations seeing an owl as a howler monkey and a kitten as a baby leopard, to name a few. I enjoyed the way the two boys encouraged one another to be brave and never made fun of the other for being jumpy at night. It's very cute with a strong underlying message. The illustrations are adorable and are perfect for the story, a very important part of the book as a whole.

I would say it's better suited for older children that read well, or as a story read by an adult to a child. In my mind though, that's a great choice for stocking your bookshelf. Sure, it's very important for kids to practice reading for themselves, but being read to is also very important in their literary growth. Kids that hear words pronounced properly, experience the proper flow and rhythm of a story being read, and see the fun and joy that is brought by sharing a good story with someone else, become better readers. It's also a great way of bonding with a child.

I'm excited to see that Donita K. Paul has expanded her writing genre and look forward to seeing more.

"Go on Safari" with your child - Enter to Win!

WaterBrook Multnomah want to send your child on their very own backyard safari!

Prize includes:
A Child-Size Tent
2 Sleeping Bags
And Much More!


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Roger the turtle and Padraig the dragon are together again for their second adventure, The Dragon & the Turtle Go on Safari, by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark, illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. Roger and his new friend, Padraig go on a camping trip and have all kinds of adventures together.

The friends brave the night and hear all sorts of sounds from the jungle as they learn more about what it means to be a real friend.



ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

A former schoolteacher, DONITA K. PAUL is the best-selling author of the Dragon Keeper series, The Vanishing Sculptor, and Dragons of the Valley. She enjoys cooking, beading, stamping, knitting, and her grandsons. Not necessarily in that order.


The daughter of novelist Donita K. Paul, EVANGELINE DENMARK grew up living and breathing good stories. Now she enjoys fiction writing and loves to share Roger and Padraig stories with her own two rambunctious boys.





ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:

New Jersey-based professional artist and illustrator, VINCENT NGUYEN has worked on such movies as Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!, Ice Age: The Meltdown, and Robots. His whimsical style brings Roger and Padraig to life on the page.

CFBA: Grace by Shelley Shepard Gray

Song Stuck on the Brain: I Could Not Ask For More by Edwin McCain

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:
GraceAvon Inspire; Original edition (October 26, 2010)
by
Shelley Shepard Gray



MY TAKE:

A sweet, romantic Christmas romance sums it up nicely, although there is a lot more than romance flowing between the characters. There's grief and guilt and worry, all things that creep in to steal away our peace and joy. The journey each character makes to find real peace is especially poignant for the time of year.

The multiple family units that join to make the Brenneman Bed and Breakfast what it is, are familiar and fast friends to the reader. Both from their own previous tales and because their genuine warmth and character make them feel like they belong. The multiple story lines tie together nicely and bring back the importance of Christmas and what makes it really special. Family and Love, but most importantly how those two are best featured in the life of Jesus Christ.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.







ABOUT THE BOOK:

It's Christmastime at the Brenneman Bed & Breakfast, and everyone is excited about closing down for the holiday.

Anna and Henry will be celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple, and for Katie and Jonathan Lundy, it's their first Christmas with baby Stefan. Winnie and Samuel Miller plan to stop by as well for a wonderful two weeks of family and rest.

But when two unexpected visitors show up, hoping to stay for Christmas, the family must test their commitment to hospitality. Levi is a widower who lost his wife four years ago and can't bear the thought of another Christmas alone. And Melody is a young pregnant woman who won't open up about how she ended up on her own at Christmas at almost nine months pregnant.

Anna, who knows a thing or two about keeping secrets, doesn't trust her, and strives to find out the truth about these two strangers who have disrupted their holiday. But as the Christmas spirit descends on them all, as well as snow that traps them in the inn, a healing and hopefulness takes over, allowing new relationships to be built, and the boundaries of family to be extended.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Grace, go HERE.