TCBR AWARENESS TOUR: I Am the Shark by Joan Holub - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're swimming with the BIG FISH as we dive between the pages of a truly FINtastic, illustrated work of edutainment that is sure to please the tall to the small.  Don't believe me?  Well then, I guess we'll have to do a little convincing...and I'm MORE than happy to do so!  So, let's meet today's title on deck and get tooth to tooth with our fearsomely friendly narrator...

I Am the Shark

by

Joan Holub

Illustrated by

Laurie Keller

9780525645283

Crown Books for Young Readers

About the book...

Hi! I am Great White Shark, and if you get this book, you’ll read all about ME–the greatest shark in the sea!

Not so fast! Greenland Shark here, and as the oldest shark in this book, that makes me the greatest.

Did someone say fast? I’m Mako Shark, and I’m the fastest shark in this book! Eat my bubbles!

Wow, I’m Hammerhead Shark. You don’t need my special eyes to see that there are lots of great sharks in this book. Sink your teeth into it now!

New York Times bestselling author Joan Holub makes a splash with bestselling illustrator Laurie Keller to deliver an entertaining undersea story that encourages self-acceptance and self-esteem, and is filled with humor and the greatest shark facts in the ocean!

AMAZON  |  BOOKSHOP

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Get ready for a chomping good time with a narrator you won't be able to turn your back on...and perhaps shouldn't if you encounter them in the wild, but that's a "tail" for another day.  *ahem*

Here we have a toothsome, friendly shark ready and willing to claim whatever title he can!  Whether it be the fastest shark (which he's not), the oldest shark (again, not), the sneakiest shark (still not him!), or something else entirely (totally him and so fitting!), he's here to let the world know just who he is while revealing a myriad of sharky facts along the way!  Like...did you know both sharks and people have FIVE senses?  Or how about that some sharks have to keep swimming to breathe underwater?  Yeah...AMAZING, right?!  So, while we're getting our edutainment on, our friend the shark is getting a little down in the mouth.  Just before he sighs his final sigh, with a little help, he figures out just what his particular shark type is REALLY known for, and the book's ending is that much brighter for it!

So, take a swim under the sea with a sharky friend who reminds us that while we all want to be the best, we all have our own best to be best at...and that's the ABSOLUTE BEST THING EVER! 

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About the author...

Joan Holub has authored and/or illustrated over 150 children’s books, including the Goddess Girls middle grade series and the Heroes in Training chapter book series (with Suzanne Williams); This Little Environmentalist: A Love-the-Earth Primer board book; the New York Times bestselling picture book Mighty Dads, illustrated by James Dean; Little Red Writing, a picture book illustrated by Melissa Sweet; and Zero the Hero, a picture book illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. She adores line dancing to the Jaws theme, reading Sharkspeare, and vacationing in Finland.

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About the illustrator....

Laurie Keller is the author and illustrator of many books, including The Scrambled States of America, Potato Pants!, Arnie the Doughnut, Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners, the Adventures of Arnie the Doughnut chapter book series, and We Are Growing!, part of the Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series and winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. When Laurie isn’t busy making books, she enjoys playing the banjo, traveling, cross-country skiing, and splashing in Lake Michigan, where as far as she knows, there is not a single shark.

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Enter for a chance to win an I Am the Shark prize pack!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

A hardcover copy of I Am the Shark, autographed by Joan Holub

A child-size shark print art/cooking apron

A $50 Target gift card

Two (2) winners receive:

A hardcover copy of I Am the Shark, autographed by Joan Holub

The giveaway begins March 26, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends April 26, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Special thanks to Bianca at The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the publisher for the ecopy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour for more bookish fun!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

BACK TO SCHOOL the bookish way!

HI there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're heading back to school, or rather the kiddos in my local area are, and although it may be time for pencils, teachers, and the whole lot, it doesn't mean things have to get boring.  No sir!  When many kids think about required reading selections, they start to yawn...I mean, who wants to be MADE to read a certain title, you know?  So, the trick is to let the educators keep the schoolwork interesting, while you and yours make the titles explored outside the classroom just as fun (and sometimes, educational!).  With that in mind, we're diving into a WORLD OF BOOKISH FUN today, starting with a duo from Usborne Books.  If you're anything like me, you've seen this publisher's name in bookstores as well as at book fairs and the like, so here's a little about the company for the curious at heart...

Usborne Books & More is a division of Educational Development Corporation (EDC), a well-established company that has twice been recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of The 200 Best Small Companies in America and three times by Fortune Magazine as one of America’s 100 Fastest Growing Small Companies, and has been in existence for over 30 years. 

On March 1, 1989, the direct selling division was created to concentrate exclusively on selling Usborne books. In late 2008, EDC acquired Kane Miller Publishing, an internationally known publisher of children’s books with over 20 years in the industry. 

Today, Usborne Books & More distributes books through thousands of independent consultants who sell directly to the consumer via home shows, direct sales, book fairs, and web sites. 

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My consultant is Ashley Sanders, whom I "met" when a friend/former coworker threw a virtual Usborne party not so long ago...totally picked up the first three books in The Gateway series...and she's also the one that connected me with the two titles I'm bringing you today.  First up the (slightly) more educational of the two...

Dinosaurs: A Shine-A-Light Book

by

Sara Hurst & Lucy Cripps

9781610677172

This series takes readers into the wilds of our world with fascinating looks at places, people, and animals, both inside AND out.  How so?  Well, the series name itself will give you one clue...Shine-A-Light.  You see, with every turn of the page, readers are invited to read, yes, but also to expose the underside of the page to a light source...and you'll be AMAZED at what you uncover!  For example, I'm reading a page from the Dinosaurs edition about Archaeopteryx (an early kind of bird, as it informs me) with a "lovely" illustration of the creature, and a description of its beak, teeth, and feathers, when the question is posed... "what would it look like without them".  What indeed, but a simple shine of light behind the page and BOOM...instant xray...and we're seeing the skeleton of the critter, intact!  Talk about edutainment!

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Monsters in the Dark

Billy and the Mini Monsters, Book 1

by

Zanna Davidson

Illustrated by

Melanie Williamson

9780794542207

This was a rip roaring, stinkified, sneakified, monster filled adventure through the house and drawers of young Billy.  Yes, I said drawers...well where else would you suggest that a pack of WILD, WOOLLY, ULTRA (not) SCARY mini monsters live...hmm?  That's what I thought, anywho...from start to finish, readers of all ages are in for a treat!  Warning, it gets smelly at times, but it does a good job in reminding you to keep your room clean or at the very least, keep the food out of the bedroom, as well as beware of disappearing footprints, clothes that appear to have been handled by someone HUNGRY, and perhaps not to ignore that strange noise you heard across the way.  It might not lead to something uber scary, but it could be the start of a hairy, monster filled adventure!

With full color illustrations throughout, it's a cross between a story book and a comic book, with all the good times, laughs, and mystery one could stand...and what's more, it's the beginning of a series, so once you get hooked, there's more to discover!

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Now, Usborne is one of MANY publishers out there, navigating the waters of edutainment for kiddos of all ages, so it would only be fair to include a handful of others too...and trust me, you're in for some FABULOUS treats!  First, another tasty little cake...I mean, story book, perfect for classroom or at home Story Time...

We Don't Eat Our Classmates

by

Ryan T. Higgins

9781368003551

Disney Hyperion

A great way to kick off the school year as little ones are navigating the hallowed halls of learning with a BIG reminder of what NOT to do to your fellow classmates...

I was immediately drawn in by that little dinosaur on the cover.  I simply HAD to know what was making this little gal's eyes water, face frown, and mouth...water?  Yes, water...drool actually...but I mean what else was she suppose to do when her classmates were pretty much one of her favorite treats and oh so tasty?  Until one day the taster becomes the tastee, helping our gal Penelope learn exactly what it feels like on the other side of the food chain.  Hey, sometimes a lesson is learned easier by experience, even if it does leave teeth marks.  😉

With full color illustrations throughout, this is one story book that will be reached for time and time again....even when school breaks for summer once again.

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Now, we're jumping back into the educational arena, but only just, because all three of these titles have EDUtainment written all over them.  Okay, well not literally because it'd be awful hard to read anything but that word if it was quite literally written all over it, but you know what I mean.  *ahem*  So, let's see what this trio has in store...

Dr. Seuss's 100 First Words

by

Dr. Seuss

9781524770877

Random House Books for Young Readers

This over-sized board book lets even the youngest readers begin learning without worrying about tiny hands and fragile pages.  Throughout its pages, we younger version of the Cat in the Hat takes wee ones on an exploration of words with matching images in classic Seussical style.  From the sun and clouds to turtles and fish, a good many of your favorite characters are represented so that as they grow, they become recognizable old favorites that can be appreciated by every generation.

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Bathtime Mathtime

by

Danica McKellar

Illustrated by

Alicia Padron

9781101933947

Crown Books for Young Readers

Another board book selection, but instead of learning our words, we're learning our numbers and how they combine to make ever larger numbers from here to infinity!  Each tabbed page starts with an addition problem, but grows when told through the story unfolding in this bath time adventure.  Take 2+1=3...it tells the tale of when two other tails join our starring baby for some splish splashy fun, bringing the tubs grand tally of occupants to 3 and no longer 1!  The full color images will delight while the simple addition problems posed will help take the potential scare factor out of math as wee readers grow.  Speaking of removing the scare factor...

We've another title from this author on this same topic, but for more advanced learners....

Do Not Open This Math Book

by

Danica McKellar

Illustrated by

Maranda Maberry

9781101933985

Crown Books for Young Readers

This time around, we're tackling addition and subtraction, but we're not alone.  This is not your average math assist book, but rather an illustrated learning adventure!  We travel the pages with a comic book style illustration of Danica, herself, and one Mr. Mouse.  With every turn of the "forbidden pages" (you were warned by the title NOT to open the book, after all), you get deeper and deeper into this edutainment release...from counting ten stinky mouse toes (because Mr. Mouse only has four on each of his hands/front paws) to learning about dollars and cents (with an ever critical, yet humorous Mr. Mouse!), and everything in between, it makes math as much about the visuals as it is about the numbers...and shares a few "tonbread" of smiles along the way...

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Special thanks to all the publicists and publishers that provided books for review.  (THANKS!)  Feel free to click through the links provided above for more information about the titles, authors, illustrators, or publishers, and be sure to snag a few for your own reading AND learning pleasure!  You're never too old or too young to learn something new.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

STORYBOOK SUNDAY: Magic Butterflies and Hippy-Hoppy Toads...

HI guys and gals!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.


We're celebrating another day of bookish fun with Storybook Sunday! For those not up to speed on the post, I read a lot of great storybooks and thought, why not give them their own day in the sun. Hence, Storybook Sunday! Feel free to join the fun and create a post on your own site with the same name. I'd love to see any linked up in the comments! Anywho...back to the matter at hand.

Today, we're letting the fun loving critters in nature take center stage with TWO titles via Random House Children's Books.  One is a beautiful example of edutainment, while the other will tie your tongue in knots as you explore the outside world; in other words, you're in for a world of FUN!  Ready or not, here come today's storybook titles in the spotlight...

Ten Magic Butterflies
by

Danica McKellar

Illustrated by

Jennifer Bricking

9781101933824

Crown Books for Young Readers

This beautifully illustrated example of edutainment shows rather well that yes, you can tell a story that is vibrant and magic filled, while still imparting some practical lessons.  Here, we have TEN flower friends that love being their petaled selves, but wish with all their pollen filled hearts to fly.  A kind hearted fairy helps them reach their dreams, ONE by ONE, only to discover that the grass may not be greener on the other side, simply different, and when this new vantage point is understood, their desire to return things to their previous state have them counting back down from TEN to ONE.  It's subtle, but it's there...and the additional lesson of BEING YOURSELF to be your best is most appreciated too.

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A Hippy-Hoppy Toad

by

Peggy Archer

Illustrated by

Anne Wilsdorf

9780399556760

Schwartz & Wade Books

RELEASE DATE:  03/20/18

This fun-filled little tongue twister takes us on a hippy-hoppy journey through a park from puddle to tree, flower to grass, and a few other spaces in-between, only to discover that once you thought the fun as ending, it had only just begun.  I can totally see kiddos getting into this one with all the SOUND EFFECTS called for along the way.  I mean who doesn't want to make the WOOF sound of the dog, or the exaggerated UP required for the frog's flight from twig to branch, or even the WHOOSH when the wind takes him on flights of fancy those in toad-dom never counted on!  Exactly!  So, it's safe to say that while wee ones will giggle over the pictures of toad's adventure, and kiddos will get carried away by the interactions it demands, adult readers will have tons of fun tying themselves up in the clever rhymes that abound.






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Special thanks to Margret and Noreen at Random House Children's Books for the copies for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on either title, author, illustrator, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  The illustrious Butterflies is already among us via Crown Books for Young Readers, and our Toad is getting ready to hop onto to shelves March 20th, 2018 via Schwartz & Wade Books.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!



STORYBOOK SUNDAY: Spooky Seasonal Selections

HI guys and gals!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

We're celebrating another day of bookish fun with Storybook Sunday! For those not up to speed on the post, I read a lot of great storybooks and thought, why not give them their own day in the sun. Hence, Storybook Sunday! Feel free to join the fun and create a post on your own site with the same name. I'd love to see any linked up in the comments! Anywho...back to the matter at hand.

Today, we're taking a closer look at two titles that will spookify your October reading without the potential for sleepless nights, if you know what I mean.  Both are recent releases, work for an all ages audience, and while they are perfect fits for your Halloween reading selections, I think you'll find yourself wanting to revisit them in the "off season" too.  Ready or not, here they come!

Bonaparte Falls Apart

by

Margery Cuyler

Illustrations by

Will Terry

9781101937686

Crown Books for Young Readers

A ridiculously fun read PERFECT for the season. It's filled with creepy, spooky goodness but told in a relatable story that will make these Halloween characters your new every day best friends. The helpful tips and tricks Bonaparte's cohorts come up with range from practical to absurd, but their hearts are in the right place and by book's end, those well-intentioned tries turn into something that works for everyone, giving Bonaparte less to worry about on the first day of school AND another to c A ridiculously fun read PERFECT for the season. It's filled with creepy, spooky goodness but told in a relatable story that will make these Halloween characters your new every day best friends. The helpful tips and tricks Bonaparte's cohorts come up with range from practical to absurd, but their hearts are in the right place and by book's end, those well-intentioned tries turn into something that works for everyone, giving Bonaparte less to worry about on the first day of school AND another to call "friend". If the story doesn't warm your heart and tickle your funny bone, the illustrations will as they are not only seasonally fit, but adorably rendered...and how often can you say that about members of the monster family?

The Scariest Book Ever

by

Bob Shea

9781484730461

Disney Hyperion

It's simplistic design, alternating wordy and wordless pages, and of course the charming ghostly host, all combine to create a fun filled, I mean UBER SCARY (but not really) picture book perfect for kiddos this October. After all, it's not every day you interact with a spector in the buff while playing his eyes and ears to the surrounding SCARY woods as others encroach on his territory. It's also not every day that a Picture Book invites you to interact with your reading audience both visually a It's simplistic design, alternating wordy and wordless pages, and of course the charming ghostly host, all combine to create a fun filled, I mean UBER SCARY (but not really) picture book perfect for kiddos this October. After all, it's not every day you interact with a specter in the buff while playing his eyes and ears to the surrounding SCARY woods as others encroach on his territory. It's also not every day that a Picture Book invites you to interact with your reading audience both visually and verbally, making this not only a great one on one read but a fun pick for story time!

Special thanks to the Disney Hyperion and Crown Books for Young Readers teams for the ARCs for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on these titles, the authors, the illustrators, or the publishers, feel free to click through the links provided above.  These titles are both available now, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!