Total Eclipse of the Sun - Book Review

Title: Total Eclipse of the Sun; Mexico-USA-Canada; Monday, April 8, 2024

Author: Pam Hine

Publisher: Mascot Books

Publication Date: November 7, 2023

Length: 46 Pages

About the Author
Pam Hine has studied both the arts and sciences. This is the third book she has written on eclipses.

Total Solar Eclipse
This book offers a description of the total eclipse of the sun that will cross the United States on April 8, 2024. There is a brief explanation of the annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2923. The book includes drawings, maps, and lovely color photographs.

My Thoughts
This book provides basic information about the upcoming solar eclipses. The emphasis is on the total eclipse of the sun on April 8, 2024. The author provides scientific information about how an eclipse is formed. She also gives information about the locations where the eclipse can be viewed. 

"You need to locate yourselves within the Path of Totality, as this is the only area where you will be able to witness the total solar eclipse. It cannot be over-emphasized how essential it is to be within the path. The experience is well worth all the effort to get there. It's a day that people will remember for the rest of their lives."

I traveled to central Missouri to view the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. It was an amazing sight! I am looking forward to another opportunity to experience these rare astronomical sights on October 14th and April 8th.

The photos and illustrations are excellent. I read a digital copy of the book so I did not have an opportunity to examine the two eclipse viewers and 4-foot-long fold-out map that comes with the print version.

This book is a good basic resource for students and adults.  

MY RATING: 4 Stars Out Of 5

Thank you to Net Galley for this excellent reading experience.

Handmade STEM Card for Girls

I plan to send this card to my granddaughter who will be celebrating her 15th birthday in a couple of weeks.

I think this is an excellent design to celebrate young ladies who are pursuing the subjects of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). 

I am using this as a birthday card but it could be used for any occasion.

This is how I made the card:
I started with a blank 5" by 6.5" card made from kraft cardstock.

The background cardstock is from the Tim Holtz Wallflower paper pack. I also used this paper for the flowers and vines.

I used the digital image "Fairy Harrietta" from Mo's Digital Pencil. This image features a girl wearing a t-shirt with the symbol of an atom on it. She is waving a magic wand and has a lovely smile on her face. The following quotation is displayed at the top of the card;

Magic's just science that we don't understand yet. ~ Arthur C. Clarke

I colored the image with Copic sketch markers. I used some red sequins to embellish the card.

 I used the Sizzix die "Frame & Sculpted Flower" to make the paper flowers.
I used Spellbinders dies "Romantic Vines" to make the leaves and vines.

I entered this card in the following challenges:
Always Fun Challenge #53 - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations Challenge #197 - Anything Goes
Color Inspiration Monthly Link Up 33
Crafting from the Heart Challenge #201
Make My Monday Challenge #68 - Things With Wings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge #1814
Path of Positivity Challenge #58
Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge #138

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Childrens Book Review: The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm

The Fourteenth Goldfish

Author: Jennifer L. Holm

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Date: August 26, 2016

Length: 210 pages

Grade Level: Grades 3 - 7


About the Author
Jennifer Holm is the NY Times bestselling author of three Newbery Honor Books, as well as the co-creator of the Babymouse series (a 2013 Eisner Award Winner) and Squish series, which she collaborates on with her brother Matthew Holm.

Believe In The Possible
Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade, her best friend and even her recently departed pet goldfish.

One day a strange boy shows up at her house. He looks a lot like Ellie's grandfather, a scientist who's always been interested in discovering a fountain of youth. Could this teenager really be Grandpa Melvin?

This story explores questions about science, family, friendship, immortality and possibility.

Favorite Quotation
(From the end of Chapter 11)

"I'm proud of you," my grandfather says to me.
"But I didn't get it," I tell him.
He shakes his head. "Scientists fail all the time. You tried. That
is what counts. You have to keep at it just like Marie Curie."
It feels like a compliment.
"What did she do?"
"Marie Curie won a Nobel for her work on radiation."
"Do you think I'll ever win a Nobel?" I ask.
"Of course you will," he says without a second's hesitation.
And I believe him.

My Thoughts
It has been a long time since I have read a fiction book for middle school students. This book was a real joy to read. It deals with the cycle of life in a way that children will understand that growing old is a natural part of life and should not be feared.

The humorous interactions between Ellie and her now teenage Grandpa Melvin are just priceless. Grandpa has the experience and knowledge of a senior citizen but is now living in the body of a teenager. He teaches Ellie to love science and to believe in herself...and the possible.

I think this book will be popular with both girls and boys. It would be a perfect read-aloud selection for middle school classrooms and homeschool environments. I predict this will be another award-winning book for Ms. Holm. 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.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Kindle Books For Kids: The Hungry Dump's Revenge

The Hungry Dump's Revenge ("The New Roald Dahl" Children's rhyming stories and poetry for ages 7 to 107!)

Author: Jason Hall

Publisher: Jason Hall

Date: July 20, 2011

Length: 15 Pages

 

 

About The Author

Jason Hall is an established writer and illustrator of children's rhyming stories and poetry. It first started with a poem for his daughter called "The Magic Watering Can".
He has performed many readings and poetry workshops in schools and libraries across London and Surrey. His rhyming stories are descriptive, imaginative, thrilling and funny - having audiences captivated from start to finish.

The School Built On A Trash Dump
Mr. Chisel, a dishonest builder, puts a new school right on top of an old trash dump. He has ignored all the rules just to save a few bucks.

The Head of the school tries to call Mr. Chisel when mold covers the entire building. Unfortunately, Mr. Chisel is always busy and does not plan to make things right at the school.

The old trash dump is angry because the people of the town never reused and were never thrifty. The dump decides that it wants to get revenge by eating a huge human snack. The dump wants boys, girls, teachers and even the Head of the school.

I won't spoil the ending, but I don't think Mr. Chisel will be building any other schools for a very long time.

My Thoughts
I love the recycling theme in this rhyming story. The story makes it clear that waste is everyone's problem and we should all reduce, recycle and reuse.
This book includes seven pictures that do a good job illustrating the story. The formatting could use some work but the print is clear enough to easily read.

"The Hungry Dump's Revenge" was written by an English author so there are a few words that might be unclear to American readers. This could be a good learning experience to compare the words used in England with words and expressions used in the United States.

Parents and children will enjoy the review questions and activities at the end of the story. This is a good way to teach a valuable science lesson while having fun and some good laughs. I recommend this ebook for children ages 7 and up.

My Rating: 4 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ Today this ebook is offered as a FREE download on Amazon. If you want this book, please grab it NOW because these promotions only last a few days.

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Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Kindle Books For Kids: A Pocketful of Dinosaurs

How would you like to have a pocketful of dinosaurs?

Kids will love "A Pocketful of Dinosaurs" by Scott Gordon. This ebook provides 2D and 3D illustrations and factual information about dinosaurs and the world they lived in. Kids (and parents) will appreciate the pronunciation guides for hard-to-pronounce dinosaur names.






About the Author
Scott Gordon is the author of several children's books, including A Pocketful of Dinosaurs, My Little Pet Dragon, My Crazy Pet Frog, Pigtastic and A Little Book About You. Currently he is hard at work on his next two projects: Ninja Robot Repairmen and Baby Bee.

Kids Love Dinosaurs
This ebook begins with a picture of a blue denim pocket and three colorful little dinosaurs jumping from the pocket. Wouldn't kids love to have a pocket like this?

These three dinosaurs teach the reader about the real-live dinosaurs that once roamed the world. Readers will learn what the dinosaurs looked like from realistic 3D illustrations.

Kids will love a computer-generated illustration of a T-Rex hovering over a frightened boy. The author then shows the difference between the way the dinosaur looked in real life and how the same animal looks as a skeleton in a museum.

This ebook lists ten links to online dinosaur resources that are appropriate for children. Kids can use these resources to learn more about dinosaurs and view dinosaur exhibits.

My Thoughts
This 31-page ebook will educate and entertain young readers. I really enjoyed the contrast between the cartoon-like dinosaurs that narrate the story and the realistic 3D pictures of dinosaurs.

This book is a good mix of fiction and non-fiction. The little dinosaurs in the pocket appear throughout the book and add a light touch to the facts presented in the text.

I found this book to be a very good fit for the Kindle. The pictures are large and dramatic. This book is a very pleasing visual experience on the ereader.

I recommend this book to all kids who love dinosaur books (I think that would include almost ALL kids.) This ebook is great for reading aloud or independent reading. It will inspire older readers to investigate and research the information presented in this book.

My Rating: 5 STARS Out Of 5

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Zarrella's Hierarchy Of Contagiousness

Want to learn how to maximize social media? Are you a snake-oil salesman or are you a scientist? 
"Zarrella's Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design, and Engineering of Contagious Ideas", by Dan Zarrella, reveals the results of data and experimentation in the world of social media marketing.
This book was published by Seth Godin's The Domino Project and is being offered as a FREE Kindle book this week (offer ends August 27th).


About The Author
Dan Zarrella is an award-winning social media scientist at HubSpot. He has a background in web development and combines his programming capabilities with a passion for social marketing to study social media behavior from a data-backed position and teach marketers scientifically grounded best practices.

What Makes An Idea Contagious?
Dan Zarella is a social media scientist. He has spent many years collecting real data from a variety of social media platforms. Mr. Zarella dispels many myths about the proper ways to use social media marketing to grow your business. He describes three criteria that must be met before someone will spread an idea in any format;

• The person must be exposed to your content. This means that numbers count when it comes to followers on Twitter, fans on Facebook and subscribers to your email list.
• The person must become aware of your specific piece of content (the idea you want to spread). This means that the person must read your tweet, update or email message. The author shares his findings about the best times to post your ideas and the best/worst words to use.
• The person must be motivated by something in order to want to share the idea with his contacts. Mr. Zarella states that "rare information is power" and you must give your reader a reason to pass along your idea to his friends. The author presents his investigations into what motivates people to spread ideas.

My Thoughts
This book will encourage you to take a new look at the way you are using social media platforms to market your business. Mr. Zarrella believes it is time to take social media marketing to the next level and discover what is really working.

Most people will be able to read this book in about an hour. I suggest that you read it all the way through, and then go back and slowly read, highlight and take notes on the the key passages in this book. There is a wealth of information presented here.

I suggest that you grab Zarrella's Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design, and Engineering of Contagious Ideas this week while it is being offered as a FREE digital download. This book is a real gem and the price is right!

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.