Blog Archives
Pay The Price
In Pay the Price, Steven N Adjei shares bits of his life, discussing entrepreneurship and how to be successful. The author has a distinct way of telling stories, sharing experiences and giving lifelong lessons, all the while making them both informative and engaging. The author has written a pragmatic guide for business students and individuals that are enthusiastic about entrepreneurship. The author shares his ups and downs, and gives sharp analysis when it comes to entrepreneurship. Pay the Price is easy to read as the author uses an easy to follow style and arranges topics so that one flows into the next. Every chapter contains actionable advice that I haven’t yet come across in other business books. I admire the simplicity with which the author conveys the information. This makes all the information within the book easily understood by layman, not just seasoned entrepreneurs.
Pay the Price is divided into five major parts, The Introduction, The Honeymoon Period, The Formative Period, The Legacy Period, and The Outro. Everything you need to know about business is in the chapters discussing honeymoon period, formative period, and legacy period. The author leaves no stones unturned when it comes to business matters. The discussions are enlightening but never feel didactic. Periodic questions after every few pages was a great way of engaging with the reader.
To me, there are three elements that make Pay the Price the incredible book it is. The prose that makes up the major part of the book, the poems shared in every few chapters, and quotes from global icons. There is immense wisdom between the three elements to last an entrepreneur a lifetime. In the honeymoon period, Steven N Adjei discusses the purpose, the person and the passion in a business. Every topic is discussed in depth, with the author giving sensible examples for each. The formative period also has gems on pain in business, different kinds of partners and payoff in entrepreneurship. The legacy part of the book was my favorite as the text felt philosophical, and objective.
Pay the Price is one of the best entrepreneurship books I have read this year. The language used is straightforward and easy to follow. Pay the Price is for readers that want to be employers or own their own business. The author gives tips on ethical entrepreneurship, how to be a steward, global markets, being competent, and how to be committed to your cause. Steven N Adjei will give you the push you need to follow your dreams, and give you the information you need to make your entrepreneurial journey a successful one.
Pages: 290 | ASIN: B0BB5PVNW4
Pippin Goes Snowboarding
Mummy has planned a day of new experiences for Pippin, and he cannot wait to see what the day brings! First on their list is snow. Pippin has never seen snow, and he is mesmerized. His curiosity gets the best of him when he sees his very first snowman, but a long-necked bird sets him straight following a few curious licks. After Emy the emu educates Pippin about snow, he meets Luna, the dog who introduces him to the idea of snowboard racing. Pippin’s fun day in the snow is about to get even more interesting!
Pippin Goes Snowboarding is the fourth book in Julia Seaborn’s A Poodle Called Pippin series and is illustrated by Richard Hoit. Hoit’s precious illustration truly captures the excitement and novelty of main character Pippin’s experiences. Seaborn’s storyline offers young readers everything from suspenseful moments to encouragement to share with others. In addition, Pippin’s adventure helps young readers better understand how to make new friends and deal with the fear of trying something new.
I am giving Pippin Goes Snowboarding, written by Julia Seaborn and illustrated by Richard Hoit, 5 out of 5 stars. The author has included a wonderful list of comprehension questions that can be used to facilitate classroom discussions. I can see this book, and the entire Pippin series, as a teaching tool in grades K-3. I highly recommend Seaborn and Hoit’s work for any parent or teacher looking to incorporate a new author into their regular rotation of read-alouds.
Pages: 32 | ASIN: B0BFVVX3VD
Once There Was a Child
Once There Was a Child is a fun, yet deeply touching account of Darlene Pscheidell Kwarta’s time as a special education teacher. She describes the daily trials and triumphs of working with America’s ‘forgotten’ children: those living with disabilities, experiencing abuse or being passed around within the foster system. Darlene gives a unique perspective into the minds of her small group of students as they navigate school life and the outside world. She leaves the reader pondering how the system could be improved for these children, as many of the problems she encounters are still ongoing today.
Although the book is short, it takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute I was laughing and the next my heart was sinking. I only wish that the book had been longer, so I could have gotten to know the children’s backstories and personalities in more detail. I learned a lot from Darlene, particularly about the psychological aspects of such a job, and I would love to learn more.
I would definitely like to read more from this author, whose attitude towards her students should be an inspiration, not only for anyone working within this field, but for anyone who ever encounters a child with special needs. Darlene doesn’t preach about how you should treat these children, rather relays the information through short anecdotes. She manages to convey the thoughts and feelings of those who cannot speak, and delivers this to the reader in a comprehensible and personable manner. The combination of informal language and short, manageable chapters make this book an easy and enjoyable read, despite the emotional topic.
I would recommend Once There Was a Child to anyone who is interested in learning more about, or improving their attitude towards, children with special needs.
Pages: 69 | ASIN: B0BFBVJZSW
Hoppin’ Hankaroo: Zoo Adventure
There is no place better to have an adventure than the zoo, and Hoppin’ Hankaroo is about to find out exactly how interesting it can be. When Kathy and Hoppin’ Hankaroo head off to the zoo, they meet up with animals both big and small. From a monkey to an elephant, Kathy and Hankaroo see everything the zoo has to offer before they head back to their bus. What they don’t know is that their next adventure is already getting started thanks to someone special who is following them home.
Hoppin’ Hankaroo, written by Janet Earnest Jenkins and illustrated by Terri L. Earnest, is a children’s book featuring Hankaroo, the dog, and his owner Kathy (with a K). Jenkins and Earnest have created a fun rhyming story geared toward younger readers featuring eye-catching illustrations of everyone’s favorite zoo animals. This easy-to-read book is perfect for both emerging readers and beginning readers in grades Pre-K to 2nd grade.
I highly recommend Jenkins and Earnest’s work to parents and teachers who are interested in incorporating rhyme into their read-aloud sessions. The author/illustrator team leaves readers in anticipation of a fun sequel–the perfect way to end a children’s story!
Pages: 32 | ASIN: B0BHFFKXH5
Encouraged Kids to Dream
Dream Big… even when you’re small, follows a Sea Star who wants to travel and see different parts of the world; what he learns is traveling is fun but home is best. What was the inspiration for your story?
I was inspired to write a children’s story that encouraged kids to dream using their imagination and creativity. I hoped that the colorful illustrations would not only entertain but also, foster their ability to dream with a plan. I chose a sea star as the main character because like children, they are: beautiful, resilient and curious!
What came first when creating this picture book, the illustration or the story?
The script of the story came first but, was quickly followed by the Sea Star character along with his many quirky friends.
What educational aspects were important for you to include in this children’s book?
Children benefit from positive encouragement to use their creativity and think innovatively. Our ability to learn bravery, resiliency and self confidence develop from trying new activities and embracing new experiences. Children flourish and mature when they learn to appreciate the wonderful blessings that already exist in their life – such as family, friends and “home” .
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
A new book staring Sea Star and his friends is well underway! In this new book – Book One of a new Sea Star Series – our little star realizes he is “different” from his sea creature friends because he is not a fish. The story highlights how our differences make us each unique, special, and likable. The cheerful illustrations with rhyming and repeating verse demonstrate how positive words and actions build self confidence and a positive inner voice.
The publishing date for the new book is anticipated in early 2023.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
” Dream Big…even when your small ” is a whimsical picture book that children and adults can enjoy reading together. The colorful artworks gives the readers lots to talk about and point out, making the reading experience active for even toddlers. This is a perfect picture book for the pre school and kindergarten classrooms.
Imperfections Are What Make You Unique
Hooray for Heidi! follows a young turtle who makes a new friend on her way to see the animal games; once there, she learns the value of teamwork and that everyone has different strengths. What was the inspiration for your story?
I am very aware that we live in an age where children are becoming increasingly self-conscious in terms of their appearance, physique and abilities. I was therefore inspired to write an entertaining story that ultimately teaches children that it is okay to be good at some things and not so good at others. Nobody can be good at everything, and in fact your imperfections are what make you unique.
Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your character’s life?
Due to adverse experiences in my childhood, I had a habit (and still do) of being self-critical, for example, comparing my abilities to other children, what I was good at and not so good at etc. I wanted to refer to this with characters in the book as it’s important for everyone, especially children, to realise their strengths and weaknesses, how to learn from them, how to accept yourself and others and to be kind and show compassion to people no matter how similar or different they are.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
I wanted to make sure that this book had more excitement in it with it being the final book in the Sumatran Trilogy, and I hope I have achieved that. It was important to me to have the book flow well and for the theme to remain as close to the first two books, The Problem with Poppy and What’s Troubling Tawny?, as possible. I also wanted to make it funny and a little more light-hearted than the first two books but still with meaningful messages that would help children handle their emotions and feelings.
What is the next book or series you will be writing, and when can your readers look for it to be out?
Hooray for Heidi! is the final book in the Sumatran Trilogy, but I do have plans for more books in the future. I am co-writing one with another author at the moment, but I can’t reveal any details yet. Watch this space!
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Instagram | Website
Will José be able to cheer Heidi up, and can the two animals find a way to join in the fun?
Empower Future Generations
1 2 3 Count with Me on Granddad’s Farm follows a family who visit the family farm for the day and learn about different activities that go on there. What was the inspiration for your story?
My passion and purpose is to inspire, teach, and empower future generations. This story was inspired by summers on my grandfather’s farm and pays tribute to the special bond between children and their grandfathers. The concept of the book is based on my work with young mathematicians in grades K-6 as an Elementary Mathematics Specialist (and former classroom teacher). And, I dedicated this book to my Aunt Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician and Hidden Figure, because she loved to count.
What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?
I want everyone to love math, so I’m writing math-themed children’s books to help ignite a love for math in all children.
The two important educational aspects included in this book—teach math and empower parents to support learning at home with tips, tools, and hands-on tasks. Parental involvement helps to increase student engagement and academic achievement. Parents can also help make learning less scary by practicing math at home. Learning to count is more than just memorizing and calling out numbers. The book’s back matter helps little ones develop (and reinforce) a strong foundation in counting and quantity by engaging in meaningful learning experiences (i.e. practicing the counting sequence, counting a collection, matching the number words with the objects being counted, exploring the idea of more or less, etc.) with visual supports.
The Discussion Starters, questions in the back of the book, help young readers comprehend and analyze the story for deeper meaning. The visual models (counting dots, fingers, animals, etc.) on the following pages help little ones to dive deeper into counting and reasoning mathematically.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Cee Biscoe?
Illustrating my picture book went through a lot of stages and took many months to complete.
First, I sent my manuscript to Cee Biscoe along with other background information so that she could start imagining how everything would look. Over the next several weeks, we collaborated on character development. Then, she drew pencil sketches of the characters and animals. Next, she planned what to show on each page of the story (to determine if there would be single or double-page spreads). Then, she created the thumbnail sketches, rough sketches, and full-size sketches. Revisions also occurred during that time. Once the page layouts (text placement and illustrations) were finalized, she painted the final artwork on large sheets of watercolor paper using gouache paint.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I love fractions and sweet potato pie. And, I’m using both to ignite a love of fractions with a heartwarming story about friendship, sharing, and grandparents — which was inspired by the classic book The Doorbell Rang. This picture book will introduce young readers to basic fraction concepts. I hope to have my next picture book available next year.
Author Links: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Welcome to our farm! It is a place to learn about farm life and animals on a farm, and to celebrate family, especially grandparents.
Children will love counting their way through Granddad’s farm. Pigs and chickens, cows and horses, apples, tomatoes, and plums-so many things to see and count on the farm. Follow an adventurous young girl as she spends the day with her grandfather helping with chores, riding the tractor, and enjoying a big family dinner to celebrate the farm’s bounty and the love of her family.
Learn to Count Build your little ones’ counting knowledge while reading together. Count up to 10. Count the farm animals, tractors, apples, flowers, and anything that can be counted. Read it again! Count down to 1.
Count to Learn Engage in meaningful math moments. Find and count the number of animals on each page, count how many animals there are all together, ask how many would be left if some were taken away, and talk about more and less.
Count in the Real World Help your little ones develop a love of numbers and math. Explore your home, neighborhood, and school. Count everyday objects forward up to any number and backward from any number.
A perfect book for little readers. Have fun counting from 1 to 10 and back again as you learn about farm life, farm animals, and family! Grab your copy of 1 2 3 Count with Me on Granddad’s Farm.
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Adventures in Local Politics
Adventures in Local Politics by Jeff Perlman shares the inspirational and enlightening journey the author embarked upon as he became mayor of Delray Beach, Florida. The author provides readers with an up close look as to what it takes to be Mayor of a city, detailing the good and the bad.
I enjoyed the moments where we got to learn about the authors personal life. It was like I was having a conversation over lunch and catching up with an old friend. This helps endear you to the author and makes the story much more engaging and personal. While this is ultimately an inspiring story, the author does share his traumatic experience battling COVID and how surviving it changed his perspective on life.
The author covers twenty topics on various subjects throughout the book such as the kind of leadership that it takes to be a mayor, having a clear vision, the ability to execute a plan, and partnering with the community. I also appreciated how deep we dive into each topic. The author shares his experiences and the outcome of his actions. This helps to show readers how to implement the ideas that are presented in the book.
This is the perfect book for readers who want to make a positive change in their community or want to learn what it takes to be in local politics. The author shares valuable information with readers, and I appreciate that he doesn’t sugar coat his bad experiences. Perlman has made big changes in Delray Beach and it shows as the city is now know for its tourism. The author comes off as personable and the tone throughout the book is that of a mentor. I think this book would be beneficial to read in a political studies class as there is a wealth of information shared by the author and lots of topics to discuss. Adventures in Local Politics is a fascinating story that is infused with practical and actionable advice that makes this illuminating book both entertaining and educational.
Pages: 182 | ASIN: 1457538938
LITERARY TITAN 