If you’re looking for a great way for your children (7-13 years old) to keep reading this summer and meet some other bookish friends from around the United States and other countries, check out the Luna and Fortuna’s Summer 2023 Book Club!
The book club will meet virtually four times this summer and discuss three different middle grade books. Attend when you can! It’s free and hosted by children’s author Katy Roberts. It sounds like a fun club to enjoy this summer! 🙂
For more information and to sign up for this fun book club, click here. Happy reading!
Carli has authored and illustrated some sweet children’s books that you can find online. You can find other great reviews and videos by Carli by clicking here.
“It is the custom of every good mother after her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many articles that have wandered during the day. If you could keep awake (but of course you can’t) you would see your own mother doing this, and you would find it very interesting to watch her. It is quite like tidying up drawers. You would see her on her knees, I expect, lingering humorously over some of your contents, wondering where on earth you had picked this thing up, making discoveries sweet and not so sweet, pressing this to her cheek as if it were as nice as a kitten, and hurriedly stowing that out of sight. When you wake in the morning, the naughtinesses and evil passions with which you went to bed have been folded up small and placed at the bottom of your mind; and on the top, beautifully aired, are spread out prettier thoughts, ready for you to put on.” ― J. M. Barrie, The Adventures of Peter Pan
Mothers exist all over children’s literature as well quotes about them. Enjoy this one particular quote above from The Adventures of Peter Pan to celebrate this Scottish author’s birthday on Tuesday.
Cheers to all the moms out there today! Hopefully you get some time to read a great book today! 🙂 Happy Mother’s Day!
Say “Star Wars” and most people will think about the amazing movies, but many novels have been written about all these creative characters and stories. In fact, there are around 380 books (not including all the comics)! George Lucas created this magical franchise with the first film back in 1977 and it operates now as a huge enterprise!
Happy reading on Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you!
National parks visitor numbers continue to rise as more people discover our nation’s great treasures. Since National Park Week starts on Saturday, I wanted to share some unique gifts for all the national parks fans in your lives for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, or even for yourself.
Enjoy some unique ideas for your friends and families who love the national parks suited for a variety of ages and at reasonable prices:
It’s just like the original Yahtzee game, but has unique, colorful dice and a barrel-themed cup. A portion of the proceeds for this game benefit the National Parks Foundation.
In this first children’s book in the series, siblings Reese and Dean’s wild adventure at Erutuf National Park is sure to expand the reader’s imagination and, likely, a curiosity about animals and the world through a magical national park.
Why not bring the scent of a certain national park to someone’s home? Give the unique scents of redwoods or lodgepole pines to a friend or family to enjoy.
Enjoy some national park goodies for yourself or a loved one! Happy early National Park Week!
As 2022 comes to a close, I am so very grateful for many things! I really appreciate your support for my writing and book and also really appreciate you following this blog. Thank you!
Happy New Year! Cheers to finding your magic in 2023!
“Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. It brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular,” as stated on the American Library’s Association (ALA)’s website.
Here is the list of the top 10 most challenged and banned books of 2021 and the reasons cited for censoring the books:
Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images
Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and profanity and because it was considered to be sexually explicit
Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for depictions of abuse and because it was considered to be sexually explicit
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity and violence and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and use of a derogatory term
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and degrading to women
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Reasons: Banned and challenged because it depicts child sexual abuse and was considered sexually explicit
This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson Reasons: Banned, challenged, relocated, and restricted for providing sex education and LGBTQIA+ content
Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
To celebrate this week, add these books to reading your list! As the theme of this week says, “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.”
It’s been a wonderful year from seeing the printed book in person for the first time to reading sweet reviews to meeting new fans to visiting my book in an actual bookstore and receiving an award! I’m really looking forward to year 2 and also book 2 coming out!
For those of you on Instagram, I am hosting a giveaway to celebrate the one year of publication by giving away 6 signed copies of my book. Head over to my Instagram account to check it out and enter the giveaway which ends on 8/25. Good luck! 🍀
If you haven’t had a chance to review my book, please take a few minutes and just write a sentence or two online for it. Each review makes a huge difference in the algorithms online!
