Wednesday, June 23, 2010

A Big, Big Dream by Michael Scott Roberts

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!  Ever get a craving for something sweet?  You know...the ones that leave you with the MUST GET CANDY desire?  (*nods*) Get ready...the feature of today's review will definitely bring out the sweet tooth in us all (I know it did for me)...but it will also leave you with an inspiring tale to share (definitely less calories in this option).  Are you ready?  Today's book of choice is....

by

This is a story about a book (no really, the book is featured in the story...it's quite interesting really) about one person's journey to reach his "big, big dream". Whose dream are we taking a walk in?  Why, the infamous Mr. Milton Hershey!  What?  You don't know who that is?  He's the gentleman responsible for the creation of the Hershey chocolate empire.  (mmm, chocolate)  Oh, now it rings a bell?  Thought so.  As popular as his confections are still today, have you ever stopped to think of how he reached that worldwide recognition level?  It's a story of perseverance, planning, and a heart full of love.  From the cherished values instilled by his parents, the trials of starting a new business from the ground up, and finally his work with orphaned and underprivileged children that's still going strong today.

Within this book, you learn a little more about the man behind the corporation, and taste a bit of the sweetness entwined there-in. The beautiful illustrations combined with an uplifting, difficult, yet inspiring story make this the perfect book for readers of any age. There is also the addition of not only a down loadable narration of the story (convenient for those audio book lovers, or those with young children that wish to follow along) but an accompanying song that follows the lyrics along the top of each page (quite unique and fun if I do say so myself); both giving just the extra touch needed to stand out all the more.

I think part of the reason this book "called" to me is that Pennsylvania is my home state.  Though I don't currently reside there, I remember the area from my childhood days and Hershey was a MUST for any resident.  You go through the town and the lamp posts are all Hershey kisses.  You take the chocolate factory tour/ride and get a sample of the freshly made chocolate upon reaching it's end.  Memories versus present day may vary, just as a child's understanding of what the Hershey vision really was all about pretty much fell on the candy alone.  It's nice to revisit the area even if only in my mind's eye and walk away with a better understanding of why this confectionery world was created and to whom the benefits were intended to fall.  To sum it up, three words...a wonderful book.

Special thanks to Paula at Author Marketing Experts, Inc for the review copy. (THANKS!) For more information on AME, visit their NING site or follow along on Twitter.  To find out a more on this title and the author behind it's creation, visit the book's website.

Until next time....happy reading!

3 comments:

  1. Mmm, chocolate. Great review.

    Pennsylvania is my father's home state, and after moving around a bit, he lives there again. I have many childhood and adult memories of visiting relatives in Allentown. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dorothy Dreyer: Ah yes...I was wondering if this would give anyone a craving. ^_^ I know that area...nice and homey.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I bet this one is interesting. After all who doesn't love Hershey's choc.

    ReplyDelete