Hooray for Summer - Children's Book Review

Title: Hooray for Summer!

Author/Illustrator: Kazuo Iwamura

Publisher: NorthSouth

Publication Date: April 1, 2010

Length: 32 Pages

Grade Level: Preschool - Kindergarten

About the Author
Kazuo Iwamura was born in Tokyo. Japan. He is one of the most famous picture book artists in Japan. His work has won many awards. He lives in Tochigi, where he founded the Museum for Picture Book Illustrations.

Outdoor Summer Fun
Children love to play outdoors in the summer. Three squirrel siblings are playing outdoors when a sudden thunderstorm interrupts their fun. There is no time to run home, so they find shelter in a cave.

The squirrels discover they are not alone in the cave. A mouse brother and sister are also hiding from the storm. Soon a rabbit joins them.  

They are all very frightened of the thunder, lightning, and rain. Everyone trembles with fear. 

At last, the storm is over and the sky grows brighter. All the animals in the cave rush outside to play with their new "Summer Storm Friends". 

My Thoughts
I can personally relate to this story because I have been caught outside in several sudden Texas thunderstorms. This can be a frightening experience for people of all ages.

Little Molly Mouse was so frightened that she called out for her mother. The author did a good job illustrating the emotion of fear but he also provided safe shelter and the reassurance of the other animals.

Children will probably remember times when they were frightened just like little Molly. This story could lead to discussions on what to do when you are afraid.

The story had a happy ending when the storm passed over and the new friends went back outside to play. The illustrations are very expressive and add value to the story.

This book was first published in Japan in 1986. This is a timeless story that children of many generations will read and enjoy.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

Thank you to NetGalley for a wonderful reading experience.

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Let Your Light Shine Handmade Card

 

Let your light shine!

Isn't this the cutest little girl? She really has some attitude.

This will be the last summer-themed card that I make this year. I am anxious to start making cards for the fall/winter holidays.

This card features the digital stamp "Summer" designed by Maurie J. Manning of Mo's Digital Pencil.

This image was given to Ms. Manning's Bronte-level supporters on Patreon.

I printed the digital image on white cardstock and colored it with Copic Sketch markers. I die-cut the colored image and the background with Spellbinder's "Fancy Edged Ovals" dies.

The sentiment is from "Digital Phrase Collage Sheet 9" by Lisa's Altered Art on Etsy. The background paper is from the "Stitch in Time" scrapbook paper pad by Recollections. I embellished the card with some die-cut leaves and flowers.

I will enter this card in the following challenge;

Mo's Digital Challenge #305

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July Girl Handmade Card

 

Enjoy being a kid!

This card will go to my granddaughter. The summer is flying by so I decided to share this card before the month of July is passed.

This card features the digital stamp "July Girl" designed by Maurie J. Manning of Mo's Digital Pencil. This image was given to Ms. Manning's supporters on Patreon. I colored the image with Copic Sketch markers and die-cut around the edges.

The sentiment is from Digital Phrase Collage Sheet 9 by LisasAlteredArt on Etsy. This is one of my favorite sentiment sheets.

I painted the colorful background with texture paste, Faber-Castell Gelatos, and a gold gell marker.

I will enter this card in the following challenge;

Mo's Digital Challenge #305

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Handmade Mermaid Meeya Birthday Card

Click on picture to enlarge

A is a summer birthday card that I made this week. 

The base is a blank kraft cardstock card (Recollections)that measures 5" by 6 1/2". I bought several packages of these blank cards at Michaels during an after-Christmas clearance sale. There is a narrow red-striped edge around the border of the card.

I chose the digital stamp/sentiment "Meeya" from Mo's Digital Pencil to feature on the card. I used Microsoft Word to resize the image and merge the sentiment with the image. I printed the image on white cardstock and colored it with Copic Sketch markers. Please see the video below to see my coloring process.

I used a Spellbinders die to cut out the colored image/sentiment and attached it to the ocean digital paper designed by Mo Manning. I used a paper punch to make the waves along the top of the ocean patterned paper. I attached this to a piece of teal cardstock and then used double-sided tape to attach the card front to the blank card.

I will enter this card in the following challenge;
Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge #292 - Anything Goes

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HOT! Handmade Greeting Card

Summer is winding down but it is still HOT in Texas. I have decided to keep cool by staying indoors and making some handmade cards.

I made this card for my granddaughter.
The base is a 5" by 6 1/2" blank kraft greeting card.

I chose the digital stamp Daniella from Mo's Digital Pencil to feature on this card. I printed it on kraft cardstock and colored it with Prismacolor colored pencils and Laneco gel pens.

The background is from K and Company's Que Sera Sera Designer Paper Pack. I used unbranded dies for the stitched look around the edges.

I used some Sizzix letter dies to make the matching letters for the word HOT!

HOW DO YOU BEAT THE SUMMER HEAT?

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Fun in the Sun Greeting Card

Summer is here! It is time to go to the beach, lake, pool...or anyplace that is cool.

I made this card for Mo's Challenge #192 ~ F is for...."  I decided that "F" is for "FUN in the sun!!!" and made this card to enter in the challenge.
I used the digital stamp "Little Umbrella" from Mo's Digital Pencil.

 I colored the image with Copic Sketch markers and highlighted the edges with Versa Magic Chalk Ink. I embellished the card with two stickers from Recollections.

Thank you for taking a look at my card. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Summer Fun Greeting Card

The weather is heating up in southeast Texas. Most of the public schools will let out this week. It is time for summer fun!

I made this card for Mo's Challenge #187 - Summertime.

I chose the digital stamp "Summer Baby" from Mo's Digital Pencil Shop. I colored the image with Copic sketch markers and distressed the edges with chalk ink. I used a Spellbinders die to cut out the image.

I used an EK Success punch along the top and bottom edges of the card.

I embellished the card with blue/green dotted washi tape, a Tim Holtz ticket and some white clouds that I made with a Fiskars punch.

Thank you for taking a look at my card. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

The Last Song

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

March 1, 2010

Book review by Cindy Phelps Thomas




About The Author
Nicholas Sparks is an American bestselling author and screenwriter. He has 16 published novels and seven have been adapted to films.

A Summer To Remember

Ronnie, short for Veronica, is a rebellious teenage girl. She and her brother are sent to stay with their Dad for the summer in South Carolina.  Ronnie fights going and tries her best to stay in New York with her Mom and all of her friends. She has not spoken to her father since the divorce.  Her father shares the same love of music that she had as a child.  She was an up and coming star, but when her parents divorced she vowed to never play the piano again. Every time her father plays the piano it upsets her giving her more reason to push him away.

As the summer progresses, her father and little brother share the project of fixing the stained glass window for the church in town that was destroyed in a fire. Ronnie starts to run with the wrong crowd, but then she meets Will. Will is unlike anyone she’s ever known. As they get to know each other, they find that even though they are from different worlds, they may have just what the other needs.  

By the end of the summer, the small town living and beach air has helped to mend the tattered relationship between Ronnie and her Dad. The stained glass window is almost finished and Will is soon to return to school for the fall semester. Then she finds out that her parents had an ulterior motive in bringing them to South Carolina. Her world is about to be turned upside down.

Favorite Quotes From "The Last Song"
“Sometimes you have to be apart from people you love, but that doesn't make you love them any less. Sometimes you love them more.” 

“I mean, if the relationship can't survive the long term, why on earth would it be worth my time and energy for the short term?” 

“Strange, what being forced to slow down could do to a person.” 

“It hadn't been so long ago, yet sometimes she felt that she'd been an altogether different person back then.” 

“If pinpointing God's presence were really that simple, then he supposed the beaches would be more crowded in the mornings. They would be filled with people on their own quests, instead of people jogging or walking their dogs or fishing in the surf.”

My Thoughts

This was a wonderful story about the love between a father and his children as well as a story of first love. The two combined make for a must-read that is hard to set down. I read all 400+ pages of this book in one day! I highly recommend this book to teens and adults.  

RATING: 5 Stars Out Of 5

I want to welcome Cindy Phleps Thomas to the book review team on JanetteFuller.Com. Cindy is a U.S. Navy Veteran (2001-2005). She earned her BS in Psychology/Criminal Justice from the University of Houston at Clear Lake. She received an elementary teaching certification and is a former kindergarten teacher in the La Porte, TX School District. She is currently a stay-at-home mom and is working on her MBA degree at the University of Houston.

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Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Big Guy Grilling

The weather is heating up and it is time to get the grill out and do some cooking. This week the theme for Mo's Digital Challenge is "Challenge #137 - Weather Related." The card must have to do with the weather/outdoors and feature a digital image from Mo's Digital Pencil Shop.

This is how I made the card;
(1.) The base is a textured white Avery card that measures 5 1/2" by 8 1/2". I really like this larger size.
(2.) The background is patterned cardstock from Recollections. This lovely cardstock came from a paper pad called "Stitch in Time". I found this pad of scrap booking paper at Michael's on the 70% Off shelf.
(3.) I used the digital image "Big Guy Grilling" from Mo's Digital Pencil Shop. This was my first attempt at paper piecing. I printed out the image on a piece of white Strathmore art paper and then printed the image on a piece of polka dot patterned paper. I cut out the shirt from the red dotted paper and glued it onto the image on the drawing paper. I colored the rest of the image with Copic sketch markers. I used a black gel pen to put the faux stitching around the image and mounted it to a piece of brown kraft paper.
(4.) I embellished the card with four dark blue butterflies that I made with a Martha Stewart punch, cardstock and Stickles glitter glue.

Thank you for taking a look at my card. Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: A Reel Cool Summer

It is a HOT summer day and the kids are bored. "A Reel Cool Summer", by Martha Rodriguez, is a delightful children's book about three young movie makers and their quest to win a contest at the public library. This story was inspired by Martha's real-life children and it is illustrated by her son, Joey.  This book will inspire children to tap into their own creativity and find new ways to fight the summer-time doldrums.

About The Author

Martha Rodriguez was born in Havana, Cuba and emigrated to the United States as a child. She is a wife and mother to three children.
Martha is an independent author and this is her first children's picture book. She is also the owner of Read To Me Publishing, LLC.

An Old Video Camera And Some Creativity
It is a hot summer day and Danny, Joey and Jacqui are bored. They wish they had a swimming pool. Joey receives a postcard from the public library that is announcing a movie making contest for kids! The contest ends TODAY at 5:00 pm. The first place prize is $100.00, the second place prize is a trip to Adventure World and the third place prize is a mystery gift!

The children find their family's old video camera and get to work. The entire family works on the props and costumes. The kids combine their ideas and come up with an out-of-this-world script for their movie. Joey is the photographer and Danny, Jacqui and their pet hamsters are the actors.
The children complete the video and get to the library just before the deadline. They anxiously await the announcement of the contest winners.

Did they win first place in the contest? I am not going to spoil the surprise at the end of the story. I will say that the kids were happily rewarded for their creative efforts!

My Thoughts
I really like the theme of this book. Children should be encouraged to use their imaginations and explore creative outlets. With the help of modern technology, children are very capable of creating a video movie to share with their friends and family. This book demonstrated that you don't have to have the most modern equipment to make a movie, the kids in this story were using an old video camera that used VHS tapes.
The computer-generated illustrations are colorful and fun. Joey Rodriguez did a wonderful job creating illustrations that complement this story.
This book uses a picture book format but the text is more verbose than a typical picture book. I would say this book is appropriate for children in the 2nd/3rd grade levels. The book is a good read-aloud selection for younger children.

The dialogue is written to sound like children really talk. Parents might cringe but kids will love it. Here is an example from the text;

“You know how much I hate going to the mall because it’s so boring and you have to walk for hours and Mom takes forever to pick out a pair of socks and lava is hot, like a million degrees hot, and it melts everything? Well, that’s what today feels like; it’s boring and hot. Like a mall that’s made of really, really hot lava!”

Mrs. Rodiguez has done an admirable job on her very first children's book. I love the fact that an author can now write and publish their own book and share it with the world. I look forward to more books from Martha and her Read To Me Publishing Company.

Disclosure: I want to thank Martha Rodriguez for sending me a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.