Friday, August 30, 2013

One Day Only Sale - Redeemable Coupon!

Why Should I Believe You?
by Dawnette Blackwood-Rhoomes
This is a guest blog post by Dawnette Blackwood-Rhoomes, author of Why Should I Believe You?

To my faithful readers and subscribers:
 
My new book Why Should I Believe You? will be published this Sunday, September 1, 2013 as a multi-format e-book and PDF versions by Smashwords!
 
Book Description:  Do you believe anything the Bible says? Have you ever been angry with God? How did you cope with it? Read one woman's encounter as she came face to face with the real truth about God, His love, and His promises.
 
I hope you'll take the time to check it out, here's the direct link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/349058 or you can look for it on your e-reader book shop.

For ONE DAY ONLY (Sunday September 1, 2013), there'll be a debut SALE on my book with 20% off!
- Use this coupon code: CH68X

Won't you also take the time to read my book, and a moment to leave a review!

Thank you so much for your support!

Dawnette Blackwood-Rhoomes

Book Review | The Young Conquerors Series Book 1, Leon's Share by Mabel Elizabeth Singletary

In Mabel Singletary’s book The Young Conquerors Series, Leon’s Share, life for eleven year old Leon Chandler was living in the shadow of his older brother Derrick.  Having lost their parents three years before in a car crash, the boys came to live with their grandparents, Pop and Nana. While Pop and Nana dotes on Derrick, Leon hides his insecurity behind humor. But Leon has a secret, one that he wishes to keep hidden from the rest of the world.

Leon’s Share is written in the first person narrative, which not only makes it an easy read but also enables readers to be 'empathically' transported into the narrator’s world.  This was successfully achieved because the voice and tone the narrator are very much alive, audible, and consistent, thereby giving the main character a fleshy, realistic existence. One can feel his exuberance for life and can easily empathize with his insecurity, and fears.

Singletary’s expressive writing skills are further evident in the other characters of the story. Even though Leon commands the pages of the book (as the main character should), the other characters are also well developed, rounded, and three dimensional. Dialogue between the characters is believable and engaging; as are the setting and the scenes which are detailed and vivid - one could almost smell the sweet potato pie as it cools on the window sill in Nana’s kitchen!

As the story takes off and readers journey into Leon’s world of joke-telling which results in disrupting the class, one can see that the book holds Singletary’s 30+ years of experience as an educator, and it shows in the vividness and ease in which she tells the story. There’s no doubt that Leon’s Share should be used in elementary classrooms as it is appropriately written for kids to learn the lessons here about good social behavior among their peers, character building, and the importance of friendship. In Leon’s Share, there’s a lot for kids to be absorbed in and to sink their reading tentacles in; therefore, teachers can extract the lessons to be learnt through discussion and book reports. For example, one of the main topics for discussion could be: What lessons did Leon learn from his conflict with Autumn?

Also, there’s much to be learned from Mrs. Kelso (Leon’s teacher), who takes all the “commotion from yesterday and send it someplace faraway” so that Leon could start each morning as a brand new day! In this very small splice of paragraph, lies a very big lesson - that each day was an opportunity to do much better than the day before. It's a lesson in grace - Mrs. Kelso showing Leon grace, that unmerited favor which he does not really deserve but nevertheless she treats him as if yesterday did not happen, giving Leon a chance each day to do better.

As the book comes to a close, readers can especially appreciate the heart warming and endearing way in which Singletary brought the book to an end. It’s wrapped up in a series of actions but the most important is the change we see in Leon; a reformation almost - a reorganization of thinking and habits, giving way to a clearer thought process as he comes into an understanding of himself and his interaction with others around him.

Leon’s Share is an absolutely great read, and it’s the kind of book that kids will come back to over and over again and keep learning from it each time they read!

Don’t miss our interview with author Mabel Singletary - Click Here!


Happy Reading!

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Book Reviews | When Caterpillars Dream and Butterfly Girls by Beryl Reichenberg


When Caterpillars Dream
by Beryl Reichenberg
Butterfly Girls by Beryl Reichenberg
Written and illustrated by Beryl Reichenberg, both books, When Caterpillars Dream and Butterfly Girls are indeed fun educational reads for kids ages 3 to 6.

If your kids like Monarch butterflies and have a passion to learn more about them, then they’ll definitely like When Caterpillars Dream and Butterfly Girls.

When Cathy the caterpillar (When Caterpillars Dream) awoke from her long sleep and discovered she was a butterfly; she had to learn new survival skills - what do butterflies eat? How do they live and where do they go for the winter? Flying for the first time was exciting for Cathy. The reader is taken on a journey of exploration and discoveries as Cathy learns the joys of being a butterfly.

Butterfly Girls opens a child’s imagination to wonderful and magical things. As Beauty the butterfly show sisters Ashley and Becky, how to have fun in a field full of butterflies, kids are motivated to engage in this story and will want to add their own imaginative adventure!

The books teach about Monarch butterflies; their flight patterns, eating habits, and have glossaries with the definitions for unfamiliar words.  The illustrations, of course so unique to Reichenberg, are blended with photography of scenes of nature. This lends to the realistic imagery of the book. They are simple, bright, and engaging; inspiring kids to try their hand at drawing their own Monarch butterfly.

The books can be used to teach pre-schoolers and kindergarteners about Monarch butterflies, and of course they make for good read-aloud bed-time stories too!

Read also, our book review of The Mysterious Case of the Missing Birthday Cake by Beryl Reichenberg. Connect with the author and check out other fun reads by Beryl Reichenberg on her Blog!

Happy Reading!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

COMING SOON! Why Should I Believe You? by Dawnette Blackwood-Rhoomes

Why Should I Believe You?
by Dawnette Blackwood-Rhoomes
Watch this spot and DBR Books will keep you posted on a new book release by author, Dawnette Blackwood-Rhoomes. Why Should I Believe You? a spiritually inspiring and empowering book for those who have been struggling with believing in God's promises, is set to be released on September 1, 2013.

So have you ever been angry with God? If so, how did you handle it? Were you even aware that you were angry with Him? Why Should I Believe You? is all about the author's anger at God, her questions and doubts, and her accusations that God does not 'play' fair!

The book is written in first person narrative and is a commentary of her experiences as she came face to face with the real truth about God's promises and His love.

An e-book, Why Should I Believe You? will be available for free sample and purchase on all e-reader formats this September 1, 2013!  A must read!