Boo! It’s that time of year when all things ghosts, goblins, monsters and mystery take center stage to celebrate Halloween!
Add to your kids’ spooky fun with these terrific stories from the The Book App Alliance Halloween Treats reading list!
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and most of us know someone who’s been affected by this disease. It impacts the entire family as many of the women battling this disease also have children who are coping and fighting alongside them.
The Goodbye Cancer Garden by Janna Matthies and illustrated by Kristi Valiant brooches this subject that is often difficult to discuss with young children.
This picture book is sensitively and lovingly written by an Author who is also a cancer survivor.
The beautiful illustrations shines a light and an air of positivity that is uplifting in what could have been a sad book.
“Things don’t always go as expected” is the theme throughout the story. It walks us through the announcement of a mother with cancer, the stages of her treatment, the emotions involved and the way in which her family handles it.
As an avid gardener, I loved the co-relation between the various stages of cancer and the seasons of their garden. This book is more realistic and uplifting than sad, it’s about a family doing something positive together while in the midst of a tough situation.
Reading this will help children understand more about cancer but can also help children of families facing other devastating illnesses as well. I was cheering the family on from start to finish, and without giving it away I can say that I was thrilled to discover that there was indeed a happy ending.
Summary
One winter day, Mom and Dad tell Janie and Jeffrey that Mom has cancer. Soon the whole family goes to the doctor to ask questions.
“Is Mom better yet?” Jeffrey asks.”Not yet,” the doctor says. “Not yet,” the doctor says, “But we’re working very hard to make her better – probably by pumpkin time.”
That gives Janie an idea: to plant a vegetable garden.
As the garden grows, Moms treatment progresses, and when it’s all done, there are healthy pumpkins and a recovering mom!
School’s back in session and my volunteer duties at the school have resumed. Now that I’m back in the library it’s the perfect time to resume the book of the month posts.
It’s ADHD awareness month so it’s only fitting that September’s book of the month is “Drumroll please”
The survival guide for kids with ADD or ADHD by John F. Taylor, Ph.D.
While stacking books in the library, this book caught my eye. It’s red binding literally pops out amongst the other books and boy was it a great find.
This survival guide is a must read for kids, it’s interesting and written in a way that will make sense to any age group. I borrowed it from the library to gain insight into my sons world and to coax him to reading it. It’s full of great advice including being upfront and descriptive with your doctor when asked if a particular course of treatment is effective or not.
How to take responsibility and dealing with the ramifications of your actions. Learning how to compromise with the other family members and positive ways of dealing with situations. It teaches without preaching and has too many AHA moments to count.
This gem not only benefits the child with ADHD but it helps bring the other siblings and adults in the household into their world as well. Understanding is half the battle so if you have or know someone with ADHD, then this book is the one to read.
My other post at Midlife mum on Living with my ADHD child is worth the read.
The Grendel’s Great Escape children’s digital story is an adventure for all kids inspired by an ADHD child.
Welcome to the first of the Interview Series where I’ll be picking the brains of some of the most creative people in the KidLit world.
I’ve recently discovered the Hatty the Tiger brand which has two amazing picture books and a book app. The stories are beautifully told with great messages such as good eating habits, strength of character and being different.
I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to chat with Jonathan Ayre. Jonathan is the writer, illustrator and creator of this unique brand. The theme song “The Hatty Rap” is catchy and my son and I absolutely love it. I’m sure your kids will love to see the Hatty Rap video.
App Store link Android version on GOOGLE Play
Here’s what Jonathan had to share…..
Q: Tell us about yourself and the Hatty brand?
Jonathan: I’ve been a writer for most of my life through short stories, songs, screenplays and magazine articles, and my books about Hatty the tiger, grew out of stories I made up for my own young children. They’re six years-old now, and although as a family we are not vegetarians, they’ve grown up enjoying lots of different fruits and vegetables and I realize how lucky we are with this. Hatty became a vegetarian tiger because in a world where ‘junk food’ is advertised so much, I hoped that if my children knew why fruit and veg were ‘cool’ and good to eat, it would help them to make better choices on their own. Being vegetarian, was also a way to make Hatty a more gentle tiger and take him away from the usually ferocious stereotype. Among a feast of wonderful books that are out there, I like to believe the Hatty stories have helped my own children to think ‘outside the (junk) box’!.
Q: What makes this brand unique?
Jonathan: Well, because Hatty is a vegetarian tiger it throws up a lot of other issues apart from just diet. There’s peer-pressure, fear and isolation involved, as well as important character issues like conviction, persistence, kindness and individuality. Hatty is not a ‘goody-goody’, and his behavior and ideas aren’t always the best, but he tries hard and has a lot of fun on the way to learning his lessons, and I’d say that this is the essence of the ‘brand’: A fun and unexpected way of educating children about issues of diet, cooking and character.
Q: What age range would this brand appeal to?
Jonathan: 3-8 years-old would be the main age group to read the Hatty books, ‘The Tiger Who Wasn’t!’ and the sequel, ‘Hatty And The Hard Beans!’ Though I teach children up to 14 in writing and illustration workshops based on the books, I always read the books to the younger ones. Having said that, everyone likes to be read to, and because the books are written in fun, rhyming couplets, I often get requests on school visits to read to classes up to 10 years old.
Q: What sort of feedback have you received so far?
Jonathan: Quite honestly, the reviews for both books have been terrific – and the app which has only been out for a few weeks is just now starting to receive reviews. The direct feedback I get from parents and teachers on my school tours has been really positive and I get lots of letters from the children after my visits, with ideas for new Hatty adventures or telling me their favorite parts of the books. Hatty really seems to resonate with many of them and I feel inspired by the discussions and the issues his character raises.
Q: What lead to the decision to create “The Tiger Who Wasn’t” into an app as opposed to an eBook?
Jonathan: Actually, I did make an eBook of, ‘The Tiger Who Wasn’t!’ while I was making the app. The whole business is so relatively new that I wanted to see how each part works and the eBook was a small expense since I did the work myself. However, making an app is THE way to go – and I was never in any doubt that I would do it. From the first time I saw my children ‘playing’ with a book app and enjoying the feedback and interaction (with a great story of course) I realized that the future of electronic picture books would never be a straightforward eBook..
Q: Tell us about your app! What is your favorite feature and what would you like to convey to the end-user?
Jonathan: It was a lot of fun making the story come to life – literally – with tap animations, original music and sound fx. I’ve seen a lot of storybook apps where I’ve been impressed with the technical side of their presentation, but the essence of them, a good story, has been lost in a lot of bells and whistles. I would like to think that the solid heart of ‘The Tiger Who Wasn’t!’ is a really fun and touching story that young children can actively get involved with and learn from. It still makes me smile to see the joy and laughter that children get when they make the animals move or the skunk fart!! Don’t get me wrong, there’s some great games and activities included with the app also, like the Coloring Pages, Hatty’s Hide & Seek’, or ‘Hatty’s Avocado Roll (all 20 skill levels of it), but I like to think that these are unexpected and enjoyable features that complement the story. For me, the story remains the star part of the app and includes 3 different ‘reading’ versions and text highlighting, together with the original music and fx.
Q: What’s been the most difficult part of creating an app?
Jonathan: Raising the money to make it, was pretty tough! Thankfully, the books were very well received by the local school in Cyprus where I live, and having written, illustrated and published them myself, the children, teachers and parents here were fantastic. I had many sales through recommendations and word of mouth and, Ruth, the owner of a local bookstore, ‘The Moufflon Bookshop’, was incredibly helpful and supportive in helping me get the word out across the island. Apart from that, having raised the money, it was a question of how to get the most value for the consumer out of the ideas we had. The developers I finally chose, Dragonpencil of Savannah, Georgia, were brilliant here; guiding me through the process with their expertise and experience, and opening my eyes to new possibilities.
Q: Now that your app is published, were there any unexpected surprises during the process?
Jonathan: It took 6 months to make the app from the day I signed my contract with Dragonpencil, the developers. There were many surprises which came from going through that process of drawing, animating, making the sound fx and seeing it all come to life. During the process I was wracking my brains as to how I would publicize it, and probably the biggest surprise is that this turned out to be a music video, ‘The Hatty Rap!’ The first person I sent this to, having posted it on my website and YouTube, was Karen Robertson(The Empress of App!). Her positive and immediate response was a big and wonderful surprise. Feedback from those who have earned your respect is a great feeling.
Q: Any words of advice for other writers who are thinking about creating apps?
Jonathan: Trust your dreams, buy an iPad, research as much as possible before you start – and NEVER underestimate the intelligence of children! Apart from that, it’s vital you choose your developer carefully: A good one will help you realize your dream, while a bad one will cramp it or kill it. Generally – to be happy – work for the heights, but expect the lows! That way you’ll always be pleasantly surprised and never disappointed
Q: Between the book & the book app? Which has had better sales results & is that what you expected.
Jonathan: The app has only just come out and is doing well so far, whereas my books have been out for a year. Apart from selling the books on Amazon etc, I also offer personally signed copies with free worldwide mailing direct from my website. It’s all PayPal, so customers know they are protected and they seem to like the signed copies. It’s more time investment for me and expense with mailing and packing, but in the end the revenue is the same for me as selling on Amazon, and it’s a more personal touch for customers. Dollar-wise my book revenue is still ahead because the app is brand new, but because sales are totally dependent on marketing and lucky breaks, every single sale – whether it be a book or an app – means that someone else is enjoying my work and there’s no dollar figure for that feeling!
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Jonathan: Have fun. Making an app is a journey and giving it a deadline can be your best friend. It can rarely be perfect in your eyes, because you’re learning all the time. The important thing is to enjoy the process and give as much as you can. The smile on a child’s face when they first get their hands on your app is a thrill that never fades!
App: The Tiger Who Wasn’t
Android version on GOOGLE Play
Music video (Gotta watch!)http://youtu.be/cgUOiJO5ywU
Hatty Books
website: www.hattybooks.com
Social Media links: FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hatty-the-Tiger/216463078458985
I was recently asked by my mother, “Can I give an app as a gift?” Apparently a few of her friends wanted to give apps to their grand kids as gifts. My mom, who’s my biggest supporter has been introducing her peers to the wonderful world of book apps.
Leaving book reviews & gifting apps is proving to be a little tricky as they attempt to navigate the iTunes app store. The answer is “Yes!” and “You can do it!” In this post i’ll guide you thru the process of gifting apps. Watch out for my next post on how to leave app reviews.
It’s easy to do if you follow these simple steps. If you aren’t the lucky recipient of a direct click thru link to the app for you’ll have to do a search first. example of link to a book app “Grendel’s Great Escape :https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grendels-great-escape-hd/id585977954?mt=8
4. Below the icon of the app, to the right of the price is an arrow with a drop down menu, this will give you the option to gift the app as well as sharing it by social media or e-mail. – Appy shopping.
Click here for —-> Video Directions
iPad screenshot
computer screen shot
Any questions? write them below
This Summer has been a busy one with the launch of my new Monster Jam children’s app and the soon to be published Picture book. It’s been a fun ride developing this epic Rock & Roll story with my musical sons, the amazing illustrator Vic Guiza, and the good folks at Dragon Pencil book publishing & App builders.
As the band takes center stage, the reviews are coming in. Some good & others amazing. Many of us are visual people who love to be entertained so I find u-tube video review/demo’s to be very effective in reaching the intended audience.
As always I want to know what you think. Please let me know if you find this review informative & effective.
Gotta watch: Here is an awesome video demo by Crazy Mike
As back to school season looms around the corner, and I get my youngest son ready for 4th grade, I realize it’s time. Time to get back to my picture book of the month posts. Sadly my sons have moved on from picture books but thankfully I haven’t and never will.
I’m a print designer by day and a children’s writer during every waking and dreaming moment. My Head is Full of Colors is the book that flipped the switch for me. It was because the Author was telling my story and the illustrator drew everything that was in my head as a child. It’s the story of every child whose mind is wide open to the wonders of the world around them.
Anyone who’s read my Bio knows how much I love the designs incorporated within the illustrations. I cherish my 20-year-old copy of this book which was originally bought for design reference.
The story this book tells about a creative and imaginative little girl is wonderful. The mother is wonderfully supportive & embraces the fact that her daughter sees things differently. Maybe one day i’ll have the privilege of meeting this Author or illustrator. I hope this book is still in stores, if not it can be found online at Amazon.
My head is full of colors by Catherine Friend & illustrated by KiKi
Drop a comment if you’ve read this book or share a book that left a strong impression that you could identify with.
I’ve dotted all the i’s & crossed all the T’s, the stage is set and every things in place. It’s been a wild ride writing & creating the Monster Jam book app with very few hiccups along the way.
Once the story was written & edited then the real adventure began. It was amazing watching the Monster characters come alive as my super illustrator worked his magic.
Linking the right illustrator with the right project is key to a successful partnership. The wrong fit can quickly turn the dream into a nightmare, believe me…I know. As an artist I seen both sides of the coin. Being on the same page as the illustrator is key, so is giving him as much clear information as possible and allowing creative license to do what he does best. Keeping the lines of communication open and having an open mind made the process a smooth, exciting and successful collaboration.
The recipe: No egos, impatience or head butting, add in a creativity, lots of imagination, plenty of healthy idea exchange & flexibility =’s very few edits & beautiful illustrations!
Here’s a video of the award winning illustrator Vic Guiza drawing the lead character axe, he makes it look so easy. Click here -> Creating a Mon-Star.Monster Jam by Blue Sandpiper Imprints is available on iPad & Android
It’s the final stretch, the countdown has begun towards the end of another school year. Children excitedly anticipate the classroom parties & yearbooks are being signed. Summer camps have been scheduled, as well as planning vacations, theme-parks, local festivals & daily trips to the pool.
Battles are also being waged on how much holiday schoolwork or reading is fair. “What’s the point of summer holidays if I still have to do school work?” was my 3’rd graders response after i’d shown him a wonderful teacher recommended summer math curriculum website IXL. Apparently I hadn’t gotten the memo that the ‘Summer holidays’ is their reward for making it thru the school year & it’s supposed to be work free!
The solution: Book apps! Children will love the interactivity, integrated gameplay features, animation & much more.
Book apps are fun on the go; take them on vacation, road trips, flights, long wait times & down time. 100% Guaranteed to squelch “Are we there yet?” chant or the “I’m bored” announcement.
Listed below in categories of Adventure, Summer assortment, Edutainment & Travel are the top 20+ excellent, well written children’s book apps which range in price from .99c – $4.99. Best of all, they’re free of distracting pop-up ads & in app purchase requests. Download them from the direct links below to your digital tablets & smart phones.
Adventure
Grendel’s Great Escape available on iPad & Android tablets
With the swipe of a finger, Children can bring characters to life in this interactive storybook that they will enjoy reading over and over. With it’s wonderful illustrations, original music, sound effects, and numerous interactive elements to discover, your child will surely be immersed in this funny adventure story.
Treasure Kai and the Lost Gold of Shark Island available on iPad & iPhone
Help Treasure Kai find gold. How many chests will you have to open? One, three or all eight? This treasure hunt adventure is loads of fun for both boys and girls. Winner of “Best in Category” at the New Media Film Festival.
Treasure Kai and the Seven Cities of Gold available on iPad & iPhone
Go back in time to help Treasure Kai race Francisco Coronado to find the Seven Lost Cities of the Gold in the new world. This sequel to “Treasure Kai and the Lost Gold of Shark Island” was one of only 20 apps to receive a 5-star review from Digital Storytime in 2012, this app is a unique reading adventure with gameplay integrated within the book app.
My Ride With The Alien available on iPad
This interactive children’s book app for the iPad that features educational activities designed to inspire children to learn more about the solar system.
The Day I Became A Pirate available on iPad
This interactive children’s adventure book app is told in clever rhyme, and features activities on every page including an interactive treasure hunt and clue games. It’s about a boy who encounters a band of pirates needing his help to save a crew member. He has to muster his courage to save the day, and gets an unexpected surprise. This unique children story is both entertaining and inspirational, with strong themes of friendship, trust, courage and service.
The Prisoner of Carrot Castle – available on iPad
In the first book of the Veggie Chronicles series, The Prisoner of Carrot Castle, children discover that eating vegetables is what heroes do, that is, if they want to eat their way out of a wicked King’s clutches. Vivid colors, lively music, and fun interactive spots draw in the reader who quickly becomes invested in Aiden’s dilemma and help him along (tapping, sliding, tilting) in his adventure.
Penelope the Purple Pirate – available on iPhone and iPad
Adventurous children whose imaginations know no bounds will find a kindred spirit in Penelope. Come along on her journey as her bedroom opens up into world of pirates, the open sea, buried treasure and trusted friends. Discussion questions, ideas for additional interaction for the pre-school classroom and home, and fun facts about the sea creatures in the story are included in the app.
The Amazing Train available on iPad
is a beautiful adventure story told through the eyes of four. It is an interactive, colorful and magical book app in which reality is infused with fantasy.The app uses technology to bring the enchanting world of India to children. The captivating colorful 3-D illustration and animations together with original music, authentic sounds, and rich interactivity, create an exciting Indian atmosphere through which the adventure comes to life.
Bill the fish available on iPad
This wonderful book about Bill the fish explores the amazing world of life under the sea, where being different is celebrated as not only normal but beautiful. Today our precious children’s individuality is constantly threatened by the manufactured expectations portrayed in the media, sorely affecting self-esteem. Bill the fish, will teach your children that being different is what makes the world wonderful and like Bill, no matter how we look to others, we are happy, being ME.
Laloo the Red Panda (iPad) is an interactive story app featuring an adorable red panda’s adventures in India. 20% of each purchase is donated to the Red Panda Network to assist with their conservation efforts and protection of the endangered red panda in the wild.
Summer Assortment
Luca Lashes available on iPhone & iPad
Prepare your own child for his or her first foray into the swimming pool with Luca Lashes has his First Swimming Lesson. As your child takes to the water and begins learning how to swim, Luca will show your little boy or girl that there’s no need to worry about the pool.
Slibby the snail – available on iPhone iPad Mac
A funny and charming story about a little snail called Slibby who is helping his friends Ants to find their stolen food. While Slibby is searching for the food, YOU will have to help him by solving all kinds of quests! Will Slibby succeed? With your help – definitely!
Super Harry iPad
Super Harry’s Rotten Luck is a funny and encouraging tale about how changing your actions can change your luck! Chosen as a TOP PICK by Smart Apps For Kids.
Henry! you’re late AGAIN! available on iPhone & iPad
Do you have a big wolf waiting in your school if you arrive late? Henry does! Find out who it is and just what makes him late every single day. Animation, narration, music and special sounds add to the humor and quirky illustrations in this app. Kids of all ages LOVE it!
Gerry the Giraffe available on iPhone and iPad
Gerry the Giraffe wants to join the volleyball team but they think he’s too small and not strong enough. Upset because he isn’t invited to summer volleyball camp, he finally realizes what he has to do. Over the summer, while the team is away, something amazing happens from Gerry’s hard work. Common Core Standard Aligned Reading Activities incl.
The Turkey Who Forgot How To Gobble available on iPhone and iPad
This app is a delightful way to talk to your children about friendship, working hard, perseverance and most of all that friends will be there when you need them. This app is available in both English and Spanish so you can practice with your children.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Nighty Night available on iPhone and iPad
It’s nighttime and everyone in the house is fast asleep….except for some of the animal friends! They need our help! This peaceful and imaginative storybook app invites the reader to comfort their animal friends to go to sleep by making a wish upon a special twinkling star.
Edutainment
Smarty Britches: Nouns Available on iPad Free Curriculum/Reading Strategies/Project-Based Learning
This engaging educational app comes highly recommended.Travel to the deep South and discover NOUNS! Join a boy with a magical pair of Smarty Britches as he explores fascinating people, animals, places, things, and ideas.
Henrietta is Hungry available on iPad
Henrietta is a daring and adventurous little cook who loves to try new foods. Join Henrietta as she sails the world searching for a scrumptious, stupendous dish! Includes CCS curriculum. Chosen as a TOP PICK by Fun Educational Apps.
Bud The Bunny available on iPad
Join Bud the Bunny and his best friend Bee for 30 pages filled with touch-activated animations, sound effects, and plenty of practice building B-word sentences. Listen to narration by Clare Kramer (Bring It On, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), or read on your own. Part of each sale goes to Kids Need To Read, a national nonprofit improving children’s literacy
Travel
Bound Round available on iPad & iPhone
Bound Round Sydney is an interactive travel app for kids to help them earn a vote in family travel decisions. With content created by kids, for kids, Bound Round Sydney uses stories, photos, videos and games to let kids uncover all the fun things to do there before they arrive. The built-in travel journal and postcards lets them record their own adventures and then share them via email with family and friends.
Beware Madame la Guillotine: A Revolutionary Tour of Paris —iBook iPhone, iPad & iPod touch
this School Library Journal Top 10 2011 App is a must have educational tourism app for all families of teens and tweens and student tour groups traveling to Paris
Tweens
Brush of Truth is an interactive storybook app for kids 8-12. Written in second person, “your” voice, you choose how the action unfolds at critical points during the plot. Reach an ending, go back and make different choices to explore a new path. Brush of Truth is about two kids who find an enchanted paintbrush. It has 65 decision points and 20 possible endings. Available on iPad/iPod touch/iPhone, Kindle Fire, Android and Windows 7 devices.
Watch for the release of the ‘Monster Jam’ interactive app with ‘play with the band’ activities, games and animation.
A Rock & Roll story of a little monster with big dreams of being a Mon-Star. Visit www.bluesandpiper.com for updates.
The Narration is completed, Original Music has been composed and the award wining Creativoligist Victor Guiza is creating his magic on the illustrations for Monster Jam. I am thrilled to announce that this Rock Music themed Story Book App is in the final stages of completion.
Monster Jam Children’s Book App is a highly interactive Story book app that builds music awareness. It features an interesting garage band of characters, well on their way to become Mon-stars but first they must make it to the Monster Jam music festival. They’re the Ground Hogs and they rock!
Meet the band
Axe is a little Monster with a big dream. As the guitarist and band leader he’s the glue that holds them together and their driving force. His dreams of being a Mon-Star is on the brink of coming true as he’s just landed the band a spot at the annual Monster Jam.
Skyler: is the only girl in the band but she’s tough enough to hang with the boys. She’s the lead vocalist and is always up front and center.
JD: plays the bass and he’s one cool character who loves to have a good time on stage.
Stones: is a gentle giant. He keeps a low profile, doesn’t have a lot to say and he’s a genius on the keyboard.
Banger: don’t let his size fool you, he’s a feisty little guy with a big personality. Banger is always ready to jam and his drumsticks are never far.
This story is an inspiring one about determination & following dreams, and it’s been a lot of fun bringing all the components together with the Dragon Pencil App Producers, it’s coming alive in an exciting way. The Rock Music theme will immerse children in songs & sound sprites. They will enjoy reading along to the music as well the animation & touch interactions. In the play with the band activity they’ll choose one of three instruments to play as the band performs their signature song “Smashing Daisies” The making of Monster Jam been quite the adventure and we can’t wait to share it with you!
For a more in depth look behind the scenes & the making of Monster Jam, visit the Kids Korner
Axe's Monster Fest AKA The Monsterrific Music Fest takes center stage on Amazon, B&N, iOS & Android
Grendel's Great Escape Book and Interactive App on Amazon, B&N, iPad & Android
Blue Sandpiper 
Written
on October 20, 2013