John Bloom and the Victory Garden by Leigh Shearin Book Review

About the Book

Title: John Bloom and the Garden of Victory | Author: Leigh Shearin | Publication Date: October 27, 2014 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 195 | Recommended Ages: 9+ 
 

My Review

John Bloom and the Victory Garden is an imaginative story about John Bloom and his gang of friends. Readers will enjoy the adventures the friends share in their small town during the days leading up to and following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I was drawn to reading this book because my grandfather fought in World War II and often spoke of Victory Gardens. It is evident from reading this book that the characters in the story reflect individuals from the author's real life by the way the character development is done with such love. Because the story begins in December though, the characters do not actually get to planting the victory garden in this first book. This fact, if i am perfectly honest, was a bit of a disappointment for me as a reader. I kept reading with the expectation the story would develop into one about growing a victory garden; however it felt as though this book was really just an introduction for future stories to come. From that perspective, the story was charming, as long as it was viewed as the first in a series of books. The dialogue reflects that of a child living in the 1940's era, and it will be entertaining to a child of today's culture to envision the simplistic nature of kids lives back then. I look forward to reading part two of this book and hearing all about growing the victory garden.

Disclosure:  * I was given this book free-of-charge by the author in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

Merry Christmas Giveaway!

Recently, I finally ordered these amazing dishes for my kids after getting tired of my youngest believing that solely eating ketchup was an adequate dinner. About a year ago, I purchased the companion book that goes with these dishes from the inspiring Sheila Kemper Dietrich, the author of the book and creator of livliga. (Read my previous post here.)

Since falling in love with the book, I have been pining for the dishes for my girls, and I have been THRILLED with the purchase since receiving them. I ordered two sets of the children's dishes in blue. My husband was thrilled to finally be able to throw out all the junky plastic kids plates we had and replace them with something that is absolutely gorgeous.


Little J loves these new plates because of the illustrations that show just how much she should be eating. And, since each set of dishes comes with a book, I have decided to give away these two extra copies we now have of the book as a holiday gift to my readers. 

 I also decided as a special treat and since my blog is indeed called Books, Babies, and Bows to crochet bow bookmarks to send with each book. There will be two winners, and each winner will receive two bookmarks and a book.

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season! Happy reading!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

(I was not paid in any way to post about this product, I just absolutely love this product and wish it was available in the stores.)

John Bloom and the Garden of Victory by Leigh Shearin- Book Blast

Sign-Up to Join the "JOHN BLOOM AND THE VICTORY GARDEN" Book Review Blitz and receive a FREE COPY of the book!

 

About the Book

Title: John Bloom and the Garden of Victory | Author: Leigh Shearin | Publication Date: October 27, 2014 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 195 | Recommended Ages: 9+ Book Summary: John Bloom and the Victory Garden is the rollicking tale of 3 boys at the dawn of America's involvement in WWII. John Bloom, and his best friends Joe and Chewie live, play, and get into adventures in 1940's era Appleside, NJ. Because children are generally joyful and tend to put more importance on the goings-on of their own worlds than those of grown-ups, the events of the war are woven into the boy's daily lives. Along the way, a bitter and cynical old man is drawn into their hijinks, and contributes his own joy to the lives of these 3. Chapter One invites the reader to join John and his friends in Appleside, NJ on the afternoon of December 6th, 1941. Through newspaper headlines and radio bulletins, the boys learn about the incredible events of the war- beginning with the attack on Hawaii by the Empire of Japan. As the story moves along, John and his friends learn that everyone- not just soldiers- can make a difference. They learn that commitment leads to ultimate success and that taking a seemingly insurmountable task one step at a time will make that task simple. John, Joe and Chewie learn about where their food comes from, and how important good food is to the Allies overseas. John Bloom and the Victory Garden is not just a story of Homefront USA during WWII. Its about faith, endurance and sturdy values that transcend time and cultural differences. It's about accepting tough times, struggle and adversity and overcoming them anyway. It's about seeing the humor in life, and helping others to see the humor too. But mostly, they just have a gut-busting great time!

Amazon | Goodreads

 

About the Author: Leigh Shearin

I am a Writer, Chef, Baker and Farmer. I earned a B.A. in Studio Art from Maryville College in Maryville, TN, and worked as a Graphic Artist and Photographer before earning my A.A.S in Culinary Art. I've worked as a Chef, Baker and Culinary Art Instructor. Most recently, my husband and I have bought rural land and are developing our own small, sustainable farm, Winter'Rest Farm in north Central New York. Through it all, I've written stories and poems, some published, some tucked away. The older I get, the more the stories stalk me, so I hope to move into full-time writing in the very near future.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: January 3, 11:59 pm, 2015 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author Leah Shearin and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway  

A Year in the Secret Garden by Valerie Budayr & Marilyn Scott-Waters- Book Blast

Title: A Year in the Life of the Secret Garden | Author: Valarie Budayr | Illustrator: Marilyn Scott-Waters | Publication Date: November, 2014 | Publisher: Audrey Press | Pages: 144 | Recommended Ages: 5 to 99 Book Description: Award-winning authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters have co-created A Year in the Secret Garden to introduce the beloved children’s classic, The Secret Garden to a new generation of families. This guide uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, with fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book.Over 140 pages, with 200 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room.  

Purchase

Great News!

You can purchase your very own copy of this gorgeous book for only $15 (a savings of $5) directly from Audrey Press between Dec. 1 and 7, 2014. PLUS, if you miss these dates, you can still purchase the book between December 8 and 31, 2014 for $15 using the code word "SECRETGARDEN".

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK NOW!!

Amazon * Audrey Press * Goodreads

 

Blog Tour Excerpts

The Blog Tour for A Year in the Secret Garden took place Nov. 1 to 30, 2014. Below you will find review excerpts from some of the participating blogs as well as links to a guest post by the author and an interview with the illustrator. Click HERE for the full Tour Schedule and the full list of participating blogs.

"A Year in the Secret Garden is a treasure trove of activities, crafts, games, recipes and information all related to the classic children's book, The Secret Garden, bringing to life this wonderful book to a new generation of readers. I cannot recommend this beautifully illustrated and detailed, information-packed book highly enough to parents, homeschoolers, teachers, and librarians." ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews

"The authors love of the Secret Garden book comes through SO clearly and I am a student of literature so I loved it for the explanations and history of what was happening." ~ WS Momma Readers Nook

Guest Post by Author Valarie Budayr: "A brief article on A Year in The Secret Garden" ~ Coffee, Books & Art

"A perfect book not only for the summer activities but all through the year. Truly it shows the way into the SECRET GARDEN." ~ Eloquent Articulation

"These ladies have created a fabulous book that can stand alone or be used as companion to the classic either in a classroom setting, or homeschool setting or for anyone that loves to share great literature and activities with their children." ~ Adalinc to Life

"While the children enjoyed the activities associated with this book, I was entranced by the beautiful water color illustrations and the scrumptious looking images of foods to make. I am certain that any person who grew up hoping to find that secret key to let them into an enchanting garden will fall in love with the magic inside this book to share with their children." ~ Books, Babies and Bows

Interview with Illustrator, Marilyn Scott-Waters: "A Year in the Secret Garden Interview" ~ Pragmatic Mom

"This would make such a nice Christmas gift for a young one to grow up with. Why not add a copy of the reading book and maybe even the DVD and some supplies to do an activity or two. " ~ The Blended Blog

"It is a wonderful, hands on, practical way to take kids on a journey back in time and see how children and families lived in another era." ~ Hide-N-(Sensory)-Seeking

 

Month by Month Guide

September

• Indian Style Chicken Curry
• Rangoli
• Magic Carpets
• Misselthwaite Manor
• Character Study: Mary Lennox
• Ploughman’s Lunch

 

October

• Cutouts of the Secret Garden Characters
• Planting Bulbs
• The English Garden
• Character Study: Mrs. Medlock

November

• Hot Oatcakes
• Jump Rope
• Plastic Bag Jump Rope
• Jump Rope Rhymes
• Shovel, Shovel, Spade
• Character Study: Ben Weatherstaff

December

• Bringing in the Evergreen
• Yorkshire Pudding Toad-in-a-Hole
• The Oak King vs. The Holly King
• The Story of Mistletoe
• Character Study: Martha Sowerby

January

• Parkin Cake
• Wutherin' Wind Flags
• Ice Disks
• Yorkshire Phrasebook
• Character Study: Dickon Sowerby
• Perfectly Good Porridge with Treacle

February

• Oaten Pipe
• Garden in a Jar
• Death in Victorian England
• Character Study: Archibald Craven

March

• Sticky Toffee Pudding
• Nest Building
• Seed Paper & Packets
• Grow-Me Seed Paper
• Seed Packets
• Class of Hunger
• Character Study: Colin Craven

April

• Robin Cake
• Dickon’s Felt Creatures
• The World of Mason Bees
• Making of a Mason Bee House
• British Money
• Old British Money
• Character Study: Dr. Craven

 

May

• Freezer Strawberry Jam
• Planting a Rose Bush
• Wheelbarrow Race
• Wheelbarrow
• Spot-Sitting
• Character Study: Lilias Craven

June

• A Midsummer Garden Tea Party
• Ladybug Sandwiches
• Rainbow Fruit Kabobs
• Simply Divine Lemon Cookies
• Daisy Chain Crowns
• Midsummer Dancing Ribbon Wreaths
• Flower Pressing
• Character Study: Victorian/Edwardian Family Life

July

• The Secret Meal
• Tin Foil Breakfast
• The Cooking Campfire
• Creating a Garden Journal
• Colin’s Exercises
• Blindfolded Garden Walk
• Colin’s Magic Chant and Affirmations
• Affirmation Stones
• Character Study: Susan Sowerby

August

• Scones and Ginger Tea
• A Taste of Summer
• Paper Garden Model
• Garden Games for Family and Friends
• Blind Man’s Bluff
• Red Rover
• Character Study: Frances Hodgson Burnett

 

About the Author: Valarie Budayr

Valarie Budayr loves reading and bringing books alive. Her popular website, www.jumpintoabook.com, inspires children and adults alike to experience their books through play, discovery, and adventure. She is founder of Audrey Press, an independent publishing house, as well as an Amazon and iTunes best-selling author. She has written The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden and The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Valarie is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and encouraging families and schools to pull books off the shelves and stories off the pages.  

Book Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Pinterest | Google+ | Goodreads

 

About the Illustrator: Marilyn Scott-Waters

Marilyn Scott-Waters loves making things out of paper. Her popular website, www.thetoymaker.com, receives 2,000 to 7,000 visitors each day, who have downloaded more than six million of her easy-to-make paper toys. Her goal is to help parents and children spend time together making things. She is the creator of a paper toy craft book series The Toymaker’s Christmas: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling), and The Toymaker’s Workshop: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling). She is also the co-creator with J. H. Everett of the middle grade nonfiction series, Haunted Histories, (Christy Ottaviano Books / Henry Holt Books for Young Readers). Ms. Scott-Waters illustrated The Search For Vile Things (Scholastic), and created paper engineering for Pop & Sniff Fruit (Piggy Toes Press).

Website | Facebook | Google+

 

* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $100 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: December 31, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway