Rice & Rocks Blog Tour & Giveaway

BeachBoundBooks is pleased to be coordinating a Blog Tour for the charming children’s book written by Sandra L. Richards and illustrated by Megan Kayleigh Sullivan, Rice & Rocks. The tour will run from August 23 – September 13, 2016. collages7_orig

About the Book

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Title: Rice & Rocksl | Author: Sandra L. Richards | Illustrator: Megan Kayleigh Sullivan Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing | Publication Date: August 23, 2016 Genre: Children’s Picture Book | Number of Pages: 32 Book Description: Tradition takes flight in Rice & Rocks, a picture book celebrating culture and diversity. Giovanni’s friends are coming over for Sunday dinner, and his grandmother is serving rice and beans. Giovanni is embarrassed he does not like ‘rice and rocks’ and worries his friends will think the traditional Jamaican dish is weird. But his favorite Auntie comes to the rescue. She and Giovanni’s pet parrot, Jasper, take him on a magical journey across the globe, visiting places where people eat rice and rocks. This exciting story celebrates the varied traditions of every culture while also highlighting the delicious similarities that bring us all together.

Take a look inside the book…

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My thoughts:

This book wonderfully illustrates the powerful message that as much as we are different, we are really all the same. It’s multi-generational, multi-cultural and a beautiful book that shares the importance of tradition and heritage. Magical and imaginative!

About the Author: Sandra L. Richards

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Sandra L. Richards is the debut picture book author of Rice & Rocks. With Rice & Rocks, Sandra brings a unique contribution to the world of children’s books. An American-born daughter of Jamaican immigrant parents, she hopes the book will serve as an educational resource for families seeking to teach their children the value of their heritage and the importance of cultural diversity.

Learn more about Sandra at www.sandralrichards.com.

About the Illustrator: Megan Kayleigh Sullivan

megan-sullivan Megan Kayleigh Sullivan graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 2012 with a degree in Illustration. She is currently working as a freelance illustrator and storyboard artist, and aspires towards a career in the film and animation industry as a concept artist, character designer, or visual development artist (or d., all of the above). She enjoys traveling, writing, telling stories, and hula-hooping. Visit her at www.357meg.com.

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Blog Tour Giveaway

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner’s choice

Giveaway ends: September 13, 11:59 pm, 2016

Open to: Internationally

Please enter the rafflecopter: HERE.

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, Sandra L. Richards and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com.

Dragons Are Real Blog Tour & $100 GC/PP Giveaway

My review: Look at the cover! I admit I’m a sucker for a GREAT dragon book. I do believe my love of dragons began when Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee. There’s just something about a creature that breathes fire and resembles a large flying lizard, that my inner child would like to believe is indeed real. And now this story tells us that they have a love of sugar and they may me to blame for YOUR sweet abductions. This may explain why a box of chocolates disappears so quickly in our house. The dragons! In this book the reader learns of their love of reading, books, poetry, dancing, and laughing. Who wouldn’t want to believe they are real? The illustrator did a scrumptious job with color and glorious detail portraying each dragon’s personality. It’s a gorgeous book with a playful storyline. The dragons ARE out there…just waiting to be your next very best friend. I believe.

Read the full Kirkus review HERE.

“An imaginative, smile-inducing, beautifully designed introduction to a favorite magical beast.”~Kirkus Review

About the Book

Book Description: What if I told you that all of the fairy tales, myths and legends that have been told about dragons over the years are WRONG? What if I told you that Dragons are indeed REAL and that they are different than you’ve ever imagined? Did you know that Dragons are the master of disguises? Did you know that they love sugar and sweets (at unacceptable levels) and will do anything for treats? Award winning author Valarie Budayr brings us this fairly true story based on her childhood friendship with a REAL live Dragon.

Take a look inside the book…

About the Author: Valarie Budayr

Award Winning and Best-selling author, Valarie Budayr inspires children and adults alike to experience their books through play, discovery, and adventure via engaging extension activities on her popular website, www.jumpintoabook.com. Valarie is co-founder of Multi-cultural Children’s Book Day , #ReadYourWorld, a celebration of diverse and cultural kid-lit shared with over 98 million people on January 27th. Her foundation puts hundreds of books into the hands of children in rural and intercity areas. www.multiculturalchildrensbookday.com Valarie’s other best-selling and award winning titles are: The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden, The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and A Year in the Secret Garden.

About the Illustrator: Michael Welply

Michael Welply was born in London in 1948. The family moved to Winnipeg, Canada, in 1950. He studied art in Winnipeg and then in Paris, but his idea of living from the sales of his paintings is somewhat compromised by the lack of buyers. He started his career as an illustrator in 1977 in London. In 1981 he returned to live in France with his American wife and their two children. Since then he has worked for publishers in both Europe and North America. To date he has illustrated over 80 books and more than 100 covers, in a wide range of subjects extending from detailed non-fiction to juvenile and adult fiction in the realms of fantasy, mythology, science fiction and fairy tales.

Website

Blog Tour Giveaway

Prize: One winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card or $100 PayPal cash prize, winner’s choice

Giveaway ends: May 30, 11:59 pm, 2016

Open to: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter the rafflecopter HERE.

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, Valarie Budayr and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com.

SIR PRINCESS PETRA’S MISSION Book Blog Tour

All is well in the Kingdom of Pen Pieyu. Or is it?

What dark magic lurks here?

Ooh…the intrigue.

Findor dove straight into chatting about all things they had heard of the other’s kingdom.

And the kingdoms’ characters!

Without much warning, he blasted out a sure and swift fireball that pounded the wall and spread out like a squid’s tentacles.

There’s peril.

“I pronounce you, Sir Petra of Kingdom Boogy Gobees.”

And the noblest of knights…and princesses.

About the Book

Title: Sir Princess Petra’s Mission – The Pen Pieyu Adventures Book 3

Author: Diane Mae Robinson

Illustrator: Michael Bermundo

Publication Date: January 12, 2016

Publisher: Tate Publishing

Pages: 106

Recommended Ages: 7 and up

Book Description

Sir Princess Petra has already attained her knighthood in the Kingdom of Pen Pieyu and her non-princess-like talent certificate from Talent School, neither of which pleases her father and mother, the king and queen. The king writes up more silly rules in the royal rule book to deter Sir Princess Petra from her knightly ways and useless talent, and turn her into a real princess once and for all. Will the king finally succeed with this newly written, ridiculous mission for Petra?

My Review

Ms. Robinson’s word play will delight both young and old readers in book 3 of this charming series. Silly new rules send Sir Princess Petra on a mission, accompanied by her entourage. Snarls continues as her loyal dragon BFF and their antics will, without a doubt, entertain. The Kingdom of Pen Pieyu’s princess gains pride from doing what is right and noble and wins the day while teaching a moral lesson. Fun, full page, grayscale illustrations are included in each chapter and help early readers picture the action. Admittedly, I’m a bit smitten with the big fella, Snarls, and secretly wish he would appear in my neck of the enchanted forest. Petra’s adventures are girl empowering and full of non-stereotypical behavior. This isn’t your average princess story full of tiaras and tutus but is one that can be equally enjoyed by both genders.

The Buzz

“Sir Princess Petra is a brilliant role model for both girls and boys who may feel somewhat out of the mainstream with their goals, attitudes and ambitions, and she fulfills that function marvelously.” ~Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers’ Favorite

“Her story is told with light-hearted humor, excitement and highly readable action sequences, accompanied by vivid characters who leap off the pages.” ~Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite

“Author Diane Mae Robinson has done a wonderful job in creating a fun, energetic and adventurous female character that her readers will love reading about.” ~Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers’ Favorite

About the Author: Diane Mae Robinson

Diane Mae Robinson is a multi-award winning author for her series, The Pen Pieyu Adventures.

Awards

Sir Princess Petra – The Pen Pieyu Adventures (Book 1) Book Awards

2012 Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artists Award

2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Award

2013 Sharp Writ Book Award

2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award

Sir Princess Petra’s Talent – The Pen Pieyu Adventures (Book 2) Book Awards

2014 Reader’s Favorite International Award

2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Award

2015 Children’s Literary Classics “Seal of Approval”

2015 Children’s Literary Classics Book Award

Grammar for Kids and Dragons, an easy-to-understand grammar book for middle-grade children (dragons and adults too), will have all of the Pen Pieyu characters explaining the grammar lessons making this an easy and fun read, forthcoming 2016.

Diane Mae Robinson lives in central Alberta. She enjoys riding her horses, playing with her dogs, visual arts, visiting Maui often, and of course, writing. The author is also an art teacher, writing instructor, children’s book editor, and a judge in an international short story competition.

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