The Pillow Parade Teaches Children About Passion and Resilience - A Book Review

The Pillow Parade: Children's Bedtime Book

Author: Edward Dron

Illustrator: Hong Anh

Publisher: Noisy Orchard Press

Publication Date: December 9, 2017

Length: 38 Pages


About the Author
Ed Dron enjoys writing fun little stories that capture a child’s short attention span. He loves the challenge of condensing a story into as few words as possible, without losing its charm or narrative.

Ed believes that, first and foremost, a children’s book needs to be fun. It should not only nurture their curiosity but also spark a lifelong love of books and reading.

No Sleep - No Problem!
Olive the rabbit loves to leap and bounce all over the place. One day, she meets a sheep and challenges him to a race. He does not have time to race because he is late to his jumping club.

Members of the Pillow Parade Jumping Club jump over a fence to help children fall asleep at night. Everyone knows that counting sheep will make you sleepy, right?

Olive wants to join the jumping club because of her passion for jumping and her desire to help the children. Unfortunately, only sheep are allowed to join the jumping club. Olive is a rabbit and would not be accepted in this exclusive club for sheep.

Olive does not let this rejection get her down and she does not give up. She BOUNCES into action and hatches a great plan for helping children who are not able to see the sheep jumping over the fence because they live in a tall apartment building.

But, Olive did not pout or cry.
She simply smiled and waved goodbye.
And as a clever bunny would,
She had a plan that was quite good.

Olive becomes an honorary member of the Pillow Parade Jumping Club because of her great jumping skill and her kind heart.

Never Give Up Until You Are Proud
This book illustrates a wonderful growth mindset and the power of passion, perseverance and resilience. 

The rhyming text is fun and the beautiful color illustrations provide value to the story. I read a digital version of this book on a 7" Kindle ereader and the formatting is very good.  

This book is a bedtime story for children and so much more. Rejection is very difficult to deal with for children (and adults). We all want to be accepted and embrace a feeling of belonging. When Olive was not allowed to join the Pillow Parade Jumping Club, she immediately started thinking about "Plan B". She did not waste time feeling sorry for herself or getting revenge on those who rejected her. She "had a plan that was quite good."

I highly recommend this book for children of all ages.  

My Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS

FYI ~ The author sent me a free digital copy of this book and asked me for an honest review. 

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Book Review: Find Your Reason To Be Here by Laura Lee Carter

Find Your Reason to Be Here: The Search for Meaning in Midlife 

Author: Laura Lee Carter

Publisher: Mimbres Publishing

Date: January 23, 2013



About The Author
Laura Lee Carter, best known for her Midlife Crisis Queen magazine online, worked as a professional reference and research librarian for 25 years before transitioning into her present work as a midlife researcher, author, and psychotherapist. She holds three graduate degrees including one in counseling, with a specialty in midlife psychology. She is the author of "How to Fall in Love Again" and several other books.

Baby Boomers Reach Midlife
What is a midlife crisis?
"Midlife crisis, or what the Jungian analyst James Hollis calls the middle passage, often first becomes obvious when we experience difficult life circumstances that convince us that our illusions are no longer secure. We do not control our universe".

Ms. Carter faced devastating career and family changes during her midlife years. In her case, desperation led to many forms of inspiration and breakdowns led to some amazing breakthroughs.

The midlife shift begins when we stop and reassess our lives, often finding some major room for improvement. By questioning most previous assumptions about why we are here and and what we hope to accomplish, we change our hearts and minds so they can work better for us as we age.

This book is based on the writings of respected psychologists and the author's personal experiences. Ms. Carter firmly believes that midlife is a time of transition, personal change and new challenges.

My Thoughts
This is the second book that I have read by Ms. Carter. I find her writing stimulating and inspiring. She is very good at presenting her research in an interesting way that the reader can understand and apply to personal circumstances.

Midlife is a time of discovery, possibilities and hope. The author advises mid- lifers to keep evolving, learning new skills, and challenging your mind and body. The best is yet to be...indeed!

Ms. Carter includes "A Life-Changing List" for people in the midlife years. I found this list to be very inspiring. If you are stuck in a midlife rut, I think this book will open your eyes and help you see some new possibilities for your life.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ The author sent me a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review.

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Book Review: Chief Complaint; Brain Tumor

Chief Complaint: Brain Tumor

Author: John Kerastas

Publisher: Sunstone Press

Date: November 15, 2012





About the Author
John W. Kerastas has worked at a global advertising agency, at several technology start-up companies and as a free-lance writer. Now, in addition to non-profit and charitable work, he spends his time blogging, speaking and writing about brain health, brain tumors and rehab.

Meningioma (The Blob) 
"CHIEF COMPLAINT: BRAIN TUMOR", that was the subject line on the memo sent from John Kerastas' neurosurgeon to his general practitioner.

This memoir chronicles the first year the author spent addressing tumor-related health issues: preparing for his first operation, discovering a dangerous skull infection, having the infected portion of his skull surgically removed,learning about his substantial vision and cognitive losses, undergoing rehab and radiation treatments, and learning to live with his "new normal".

Mr. Kerastas is brutally honest about the challenges he faced during his operations and treatments.  He depends on his humor to sustain him during the emotional highs and lows that come with a serious illness.

My Thoughts
I am sure that the Kerastas family has been through a very difficult time during the past several years. I wish I could give each one of them a big hug. A serious illness like this has a ripple effect among the entire family.

This story is a wonderful example of the power of laughter. John did not find his brain tumor funny but he was able to look on the bright side and laugh at himself during the difficult days that he experienced.

John's occupational therapist gave him lessons from Lumosity to increase his brain function. This site is is an online tool for cognitive enhancement. The author would take tests and work puzzles each day to improve his memory, focus and attention. I had never heard of this site so I went to Lumosity to test the condition of my brain. I scored in the top 85% of all who have taken the test on my first day. I will go back each day and see if I can improve my score. 

I think this is an outstanding book about exactly what happens when you are diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor. However, you don't have to have a brain tumor to benefit from reading this book. This is a story of courage, persistence and determination. You will draw strength and inspiration from John's story. Highly recommended!

My Rating: 5 Stars out of 5

FYI ~ The author sent me a complimentary print copy of this book to read and review.

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Book Review: Get Your Shift Together by Steve Rizzo

Get Your SHIFT Together: How to Think, Laugh, and Enjoy Your Way to Success in Business and in Life

Author: Steve Rizzo

Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Date: December 8, 2012




About The Author

Steve Rizzo, a.k.a. The Attitude Adjuster, is a personal development expert whose clients include American Airlines, BP, JPMorgan Chase, Scholastic, and Sprint, among others. As a standup comic, he has headlined with many titans of comedy, including Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Murphy, Drew Carey, and Ellen DeGeneres.

Get Your Shift Together
Steve Rizzo is a professional standup comedian turned attitude adjuster. He travels the world sharing his message of "shifting" your thoughts and your life.

People might resist the word "change", but the word "shift" is much easier to grasp...especially when it is used in a humorous and playful way. Shifting your attitude doesn't seem as difficult as changing your attitude.

This book is for both personal relationships and business interactions. The author's mission in life is to show people how to be happy and successful in business and in life, regardless of their circumstances. Mr. Rizzo shares the following messages in this book;

• If you shift your focus and way of thinking, you can turn challenging times into opportunities. 
• If you are grateful for what you have, rather than fixating on what you don't have, you can be happier then you ever imagined.
• If you unleash the power of your Humor Being on a daily basis, you will come to know that not even fear can stand against the power of laughter.

This book is both serious and funny. Mr. Rizzo is a true comedian and delivers his message with an unforgettable twist of humor. This is one of my favorite passages;

So are you ready to get your shift together? If not, then you better shift and get off the pot, because when shift happens, your life changes. At this point you've probably had enough of my shift. I guess you can say I'm full of shift. I apologize; sometimes I'm just a real shifthead. Oh shift, I did it again! Seriously folks: may the shift be with you.

My Thoughts
I can honestly say that this is one of the best motivational, inspirational, life-changing books that I have ever read. The combination of serious advice  and humor made this an unforgettable reading experience. 

The author convinced me that it is possible to make serious shifts in my life. The idea of being a "Humor Being" is priceless and emphasizes the fact that laughter is often the best medicine for physical and emotional problems.

It is obvious that the author has done a great deal of research on the mind/body connection. He gives many examples from his own life that illustrate the point that you can change your life if you change the way you think.

I don't care how many self-help books you have read in the past, this book will give you a real kick in the pants! You will find that happiness is possible RIGHT NOW if you are willing to shift your thinking and get your shift together.
Highly recommended!

My Rating: 5 Stars out of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review from NetGalley.
 
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Book Review: The 3 Minute Difference; ALTER Your Health, Money and Relationships

The 3-Minute Difference: ALTER Your Health, Money and Relationships Without Changing Who You Are

Author: Wayne E. Nance
with William Hendricks and J. Keet Lewis

Publisher: Mission Books (July 1, 2012)






About The Author
Wayne E. Nance, better known as the "Real Life Attitude Guy", is the developer of the ABCs of getting your life under control. He is founder and CEO of Real Life Management, Inc. Mr. Nance lives in Texas and is a highly regarded speaker, trainer and author.

The 3-Minute Survey
Each of us is born with an attitude that heavily determines what we focus on in life. Our attitude is inborn and remains substantially unchanged throughout life. Mr. Nance developed a tool to identify a person's core attitude. It is called "The 3 Minute Survey" and it can be taken by filling out a form in the book or online.

This survey reveals what your core attitude is...the way you make health and wellness decisions, money and spending decisions, relationship decisions and many other decisions affecting your lifestyle.

ALTER
The 3-Minute Survey helps you pinpoint the attitude you have while the book gives you a specific game plan on how you can start achieving the things you want most. This book shows you where to start and then gives you a plan on how to get there.

Mr. Nance suggests the following five steps for ALTERing your attitude;

• Awareness. Become aware of your attitude (the inborn hard wiring that drives your beliefs and behavior).
• Learn. Learn as much as you can about your attitude and how it impacts your beliefs and life choices.
• Tactical Plan. Develop a plan that will address the issues that you need to work on in your life.
• Execute The Plan. Start working on a daily plan of action for 91 days to improve your life.
• Re-Evaluate. Review your progress and adjust your goals.

This book is divided into the following three sections;

• Health and Fitness
• Financial Fitness
• Relationship Fitness

The author believes that you can apply the principles in this book to any area of your life that is out of control.

My Thoughts
The author was inspired to develop this program because his own life was out of control. He weighed 315 pounds, he had more than $40,000 in credit card debt and his marriage was in trouble. He realized that obesity, debt and relationship meltdown were surface problems resulting from his core attitudes and beliefs.

I think this book is well researched and much of the information was learned from personal experience and working with others. I took the 3-Minute Survey and learned that my primary attitude is "rational" and my secondary attitude is "tactical". That means that I focus on issues and ideas. I don't mind challenging other people's opinions and I will defend my position quite strongly. "Tactical" means that I am a planner and pay attention to deadlines and details. That is pretty accurate. The funny thing is that my husband had almost the same results...with "tactical" being his primary attitude and "rational" being his secondary attitude.

Mr. Nance has gone to great lengths to provide "plans" for each of the attitude types. Sometimes I got bogged down and it seemed to be "too much information" to digest at one time. I suggest that you determine your attitude type and then pick and choose the information that applies to your situation.

This book is available in paperback, Kindle and audio editions on Amazon.Com.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary paperback copy of this book from B & B Media to read and review. Thank you!

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Book Review: Life is Great! Revealing the 7 Secrets to a More Joyful You

Life is Great! Revealing the 7 Secrets to a More Joyful You!

By Rabbi Yitz Wyne

Xlibris Corporation, 2011

ISBN: 978-1-4568-6943-4

 

About the Author

Rabbi Yitz Wyne is the founder and spiritual leader of Young Israel Aish of Las Vegas. Rabbi Wyne's sense of purpose and fulfillment in life is inextricably connected to the sharing of the timeless Torah knowledge, values and spiritual beauty with the entire Las Vegas community.

Life is Better Than Good - It's Great!
Rabbi Wyne believes that living joyfully is very attainable. We just need the right combination of wisdom and skills in order to achieve a happier existence. The author uses wisdom from religious teachings, poignant folklore and real life examples to teach the importance of living a joyful life. The following seven secrets are highlighted in this book;

• Clarity or Death! Finding Your Bottom Line.
• Choosing Joy: Making It Your Driving Force.
• Seeing Is Being: Expanding Your Reality.
• Focusing on the Good: Training Your Mind's Eye.
• Becoming a True Optimist: Anticipating a Great Tomorrow.
• Got Gratitude? Appreciating What You Have.
• Living a Meaningful Life: Finding Your Greater Purpose.

The author is an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi and refers to the Torah, the Talmud, Kabbalah and other Jewish teachings in his writing. The principles in this book are universal and apply to all who desire to make positive changes in their lives.

My Thoughts
I found this book to be enlightening and inspiring. Rabbi Wyne's "seven secrets" are right on target for those seeking a more enriched life. The author provides practical suggestions and strategies that are easy to understand and implement.

Attitude is a small thing that makes a big difference. Rabbi Wyne believes that we have the ability to change the way we think about how we are living. Our circumstances might be difficult, but we can choose to have a joyful attitude and outlook. This book is about living life to the fullest.

Sometimes we just need a gentle (or not so gentle) reminder. Yes, life IS GREAT and we have so many reasons to rejoice. 

My Rating:  5 Stars Out of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary paperback copy of this book to read and review from the author's publicist.

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Book Review: The Power

The Power, by Rhonda Byrne, is a book about the power of love.  The author wrote The Secret in 2006 and it became a world-wide bestseller.  The author promises that this book will add immeasurabley to what you learned in The Secret.

My father suffered a heart attack and I was spending endless hours at the hospital.  One evening, I went to Walmart and I noticed this book on the shelf.  I was instantly drawn to it.  I spent the next couple of days reading this book as I sat in the hospital.  It was a very anxious time but this book helped me gain a different perspective.  The "power" in this book is the power of love.  Your life is made up of only two kinds of things...positive things and negative things.  This book explains how your attitude and way of thinking can make bad things seem better.

Most of the information in this book comes from the New Thought Movement  of the early 1900s.  These authors taught the principles of positive thinking and the law of attraction.  Ms. Byrne quotes many of these authors in this book but she also describes how these principles can be used in everyday life to produce positive results in your life. 

My favorite chapter in the book is "Keys To Power".  One of the topics in this chapter is the "key of gratitude."  Everytime I start feeling down, I think of things that I am thankful for.  I am soon feeling much better.  Ms. Byrne says, "No matter what negative situation you may find yourself in, you can always find something to be grateful for, and as you do, you harness the force of love that eliminates negativity."

Positive thinking does not always come easy to me.  I remember my mom telling me when I was a child, "All you ever do is grumble, gripe and complain."  Children tend to live up to spoken expectations so I tend to see the cup as half empty instead of half full.  I like this book because it reminds me that changing your mind can change your life.  I have a decision to make.

Attitude Adjustment

On Wall Street they tell the story of a man who lost a fortune in the 1929 crash; he was reduced to his last $5,000. Panicked by what he regarded as his ill fortune, he jumped from the roof of a very high building.
In that same year, a man who had never had any money beyond the barest necessities of life won $5,000 in a lottery. He was wildly elated, and regarded himself as the luckiest of men. And he was—because he thought he was.
Each man had the same amount of money. To one, it spelled such bitter misfortune that he gave up all hope of the future. To the other, it spelled good luck in capital letters.
Most of us won't go to such extremes as the man who leaped from the roof. Nevertheless, we make our own luck— good or bad—by our mental attitudes.  Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.

The Peaks And Valleys Of Life

I am a great fan of Dr.Spencer Johnson's parables. I remember reading Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Lifeand learned to focus on what I gained instead of what I lost when things changed.

Dr. Johnson has written a new book about dealing with the peaks and valleys in life. Peaks and Valleys: Making Good And Bad Times Work For You--At Work And In Life is a story about a young man who lived unhappily in a valley. The young man struggled out of the valley and climbed a high peak. He met an old man on the peak and listened to his story. The old man offered some wise advise on dealing with the ups and downs of life.

Are you living on top of the world? Is everything going your way?

• Be humble and grateful.
• Do more of what got you there.
• Keep making things better.
• Do more for others.
• Save resources for your upcoming Valley.

Are you going through some tough times? Financial problems? Relationship problems? Health problems?

• Do the opposite of what put you in the valley.
• Get outside yourself; be of more service at work and more loving in life.
• Avoid comparisons.
• Uncover the good that is hidden in a bad time, and use it to your advantage.
• Imagine yourself enjoying a better future in such specific, believable detail, that you soon enjoy doing what takes you there.
• Relax, knowing that valleys end.

This book helped me put everything in the proper perspective. Peaks and Valleys are connected. The errors I make in the good times create tomorrow's bad times. The wise things I do in the bad times create tomorrow's good times.

This little book is just what the doctor ordered for the problems we are facing in today's world. This too shall pass.