Category Archives: Product Review

May 14 2012

#bookreview: Marley Steals the Show

Book: Marley: Marley Steals the Show

Author: John Grogan

Illustrator: Richard Cowdrey (cover), Tammie Lyon (interior illustrations)

ISBN: 978-0061853777

Publisher/Date: Harper Festival/January 26, 2010

Pages/Price: 24/$3.99

Category: Children’s Fiction/Easy Reader

About Marley Steals the Show

Meet Marley, a dog like no other! Marley’s family has big hopes when they enter him in the local pet show, but things don’t go as planned. From grooming disasters to chaos backstage, this is one event the town will never forget. Will Markey’s giant personality be enough to take home the prize?

Our Thoughts on Marley Steals the Show

My 6 year old loves reading Marley books. She recognized him immediately. She even said that everyone in her class loves Marley. This time we read it together. It took a little longer, but it was worth it. Coco isn’t a confident reader. At all. Her first reaction when I ask her to help me read something is “I don’t know how to read!” I get this reaction every. single. day. But since the book is part of a series that she’s already familiar with, she was more confident. She still didn’t read very many words BUT we read the story together and I let her read all of the words she recognized.

Marley Steals the Show is a fun book to read to or with children, or to have them read it to you.

About the Author of Marley Steals the Show

John Grogan is the author of the #1 adult bestseller Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog, which inspired the bestselling middle-grade memoir Marley: A Dog Like No Other and the #1 bestselling picture book Bad Dog, Marley! He is also the author of the bestselling A Very Marley Christmas, Marley Goes to School, and Marley and the Kittens. John lives with his wife and three children and their new dogs, Gracie and Woodson, in the Pennsylvania countryside.

Disclosure Policy: I don’t know where we got this book. I think it’s from Lulu’s school.

May 8 2012

Blog Tour and #Book #Giveaway: Coming Home by Stacy Hawkins Adams

Book: Coming Home: A Novel (Winds of Change)

Kindle Link for Coming Home: A Novel (Winds of Change)

Author: Stacy Hawkins Adams

Pages/Price: 320/$14.99 (paperback)

ISBN: 978-0310333982

Category: Fiction/African-American

About the Book, Coming Home

coming-homeIf forgiving your ex-husband was easy, everybody would do it.

Brent had cheated on Dayna and coldly said goodbye to her seven long years ago—dashing her hopes of having children or growing old with the love of her life.

Working hard to make herself successful as a hospital executive, Dayna has moved on, finding comfort in a new relationship with a faith-filled colleague, Warren.

But when Brent resurfaces on her doorstep at just the wrong time, Dayna’s heart threatens to come unglued. Why is Brent asking for forgiveness now? And why are he and his new wife, Tamara, interested in reconciliation with Dayna? The unbelievable answers begin to surface as Brent boldly asks Dayna to support him at the most crucial time of his life.

While Tamara’s heart brims with guilt, both women will discover what it means to reach beyond pain and baggage to love unconditionally, while leaving the consequences to God.

About the Author, Stacy Hawkins Adams

Stacy Hawkins Adams is an award-winning inspirational author, speaker and freelance journalist who has written about women’s relationships with God, each other, and themselves for more than a decade. She has penned seven nationally published women’s fiction novels and one nonfiction book, and is at work on her ninth book.Stacy also operates a group coaching service for aspiring authors called Author In You. For more information about Stacy, her books or her coaching services, visit www.StacyHawkinsAdams.com or www.AuthorInYou.com.

Disclosure Policy: Blog Tour Sponsored by Tywebbin Creations.

For More Information

Visit the author online at:

www.StacyHawkinsAdams.com or www.AuthorInYou.com.

View the blog tour schedule at :

http://www.tywebbin.com/blog-tours/authors-on-tour/2012-tours/

COMING HOME BOOK GIVEAWAY

Leave a comment below to enter for a chance to win a free copy of Coming Home by Stacy Hawkins Adams. This giveaway ends May 15, 2012.

May 1 2012

#bookreview: Breakfast for Jack by Pat Schories

Book: Breakfast for Jack

Author: Pat Schories

ISBN: 978-1932425161

Publisher/Price: Hand Print/$14.95

Category: Childrens/Board Book

Our Thoughts on Breakfast for Jack by Pat Schories

Breakfast for Jack Photo
This book has no words. Literally. It really has no words. Instead, the story of Jack, the dog, is told through colorful illustrations. Jack’s owner, a young, school-aged boy, is ready to feed Jack his breakfast but getting ready for school keeps getting in the way. And Jack’s food, although ready for him to eat, sits on the counter, open and inviting, just waiting to be eaten. The cat gets her food promptly – but not Jack.

This is a very cute story about Jack waiting to get fed his breakfast. But you’ll had to “read” the book to find out what happens :) .

About the Author, Pat Schories

Pat Schories is the illustrator and author of He’s Your Dog and her first wordless picture book, Mouse Around, described by Kirkus Reviews as “an unusually strong debut.” She is also the illustrator of the Biscuit. Books. Ms. Schories lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

Disclosure Policy: This is our own book. We received it from Lulu’s school last year.

Apr 1 2012

#bookreview: Seriously, Just Go to Sleep

Book: Seriously, Just Go to Sleep

Author: Adam Mansbach

Illustrator: Ricardo Cortes

ISBN: 13-978-1-61775-078-6

Publisher/Publish Date: Akashic Books/ April 2, 2012

Pages/Price: 32/$15.95

Category: Childrens/Bedtime Stories

About Seriously, Just Go to Sleep

Seriously, Just Go to Sleep is the G-rated, traditional-sized, children’s version of the book every parent has been talking about. Go the F*** to Sleep, the picture book for adults, became a cultural sensation by striking a universal chord for parents. Now, Adam Mansbach and Ricardo Cortés reunite with Seriously, Just Go to Sleep, inviting the children themselves in on the joke. As parents know, kids are well aware of how difficult they can be at bedtime. With Cortés’s updated illustrations (including a cameo appearance by Samuel L. Jackson, who narrated the audio book version of Go the F*** to Sleep) and Mansbach’s new child-appropriate narrative, the book allows kids to recognize their tactics, giggle at their own mischievousness, and empathize with their parents’ struggles–a perspective most children’s books don’t capture. Most importantly, it provides a common ground for children and their parents to talk about one of the most stressful aspects of parenting.

My Thoughts about Seriously, Just Go to Sleep

I have the audiobook version of Go the F*** to Sleep, and it is f’ing hilarious! I think I played that audio book for every single person at work. Seriously. Loved it! Couldn’t understand the uproar over an adult book that accurately describes how every single parent I know feels about bedtime with their kids. Just didn’t get the problem.

Anyhow, when this book came in the mail, I was surprised to receive it, and glad to read it. It expressed, in a very humorous way, the same idea – trying to get your child to go to sleep through all the delays they come up with. It reads like a book of nursery rhymes, with each page is telling a different story about children and animals all around the world who are all sleeping, while your child is dreaming up every excuse in the book to avoid her sleep time.

I loved this and so did my kids – although they didn’t get the humor of the situations described. But my absolute favorite part of the book is an illustration – of Samuel L. Jackson tip-toeing out of his daughter’s room, after he’s read to her the grown-up version of this book. Nothing funnier.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book to facilitate my review. The opinions are mine.

Mar 28 2012

#review and #giveaway of exergen thermometer

About the Exergen Temporal Scanner

It is an infrared thermometer that captures temperature by scanning the heat that comes off the forehead (via the temporal artery).  This scanner is extremely useful and convenient because:

 

*It is non-invasive, easy-to-use (only takes 2 seconds) and extremely accurate.

*It will help parents avoid the painful experience of taking their sick child’s temperature rectally and uncomfortably.

*It merely takes two seconds and a gentle swipe, so parents can even check a sleeping child’s temperature.

website

My Thoughts on the Exergen Temporal Scanner

I needed this. I always lose the little thermometers. I never do find them (or the probe covers). And, when the pediatrician asks me if the girls have a fever and what’s their temperature – I’m never able to answer. Never. Cause I don’t know.

It does take a bit to get used to, but since the directions are on the back (facing you when you’re using the thermometer on your child), you’ll be able to *remind* yourself easily. You actually put the scanner on your child’s forehead while you’re pressing the on button. You then slide the probe across their forehead and release the button. When you turn it back over, the temperature is on the display. To turn it off, just press the button again.

Now I have a good-sized thermometer in my medicine basket chest, so it should never got lost. I don’t need any probes. It’s easy to use. I won’t have a hard time getting my girls to use it, and for those of you with babies there shouldn’t be any tears. Plus, it’s accurate.

The giveaway!

The Prize: One lucky Arms of a Sister reader will receive their own Exergen Temporal Scanner – a $50 Value!

How to Enter:

1. Tell me how you currently take your children’s (or your own) temperature. I keep losing the smaller digital thermometers, so I use the back of my hand to see if the girls have a fever! 1 comment, 1 entry.

2. Like Arms of a Sister on facebook. 1 comment, 1 entry.

3. Follow Arms of a Sister on twitter. 1 comment, 1 entry.

4. Like this post on facebook (top right-hand corner of this post). 1 comment, 1 entry.

5. Tweet about this giveaway (include the tweet URL in the comment) (top right-hand corner of this post). 1 comment, 1 entry per day.

6. Share this giveaway on facebook (top right-hand corner of this post). 1 comment, 1 entry per day.

7. Give me +K on klout. 1 comment, 1 entry per day.

8. Subscribe to Arms of a Sister by Email. 1 comment, 1 entry.

The Rules:

1. The giveaway ends April 10, 2012.

2. Ages 18+.

3. US residents only.

Disclosure Policy: I received a review thermometer to facilitate this review. Giveaway sponsored by www.rosica.com.

Mar 25 2012

KRLy Kids + Double Detangler = life saver for my sanity @Ouidad

About Ouidad KRLy Kids

imageSay goodbye to tears and tangles with Ouidad’s exclusive line of products created to gently cleanse, condition and style children’s curly hair. The KRLY Kids line is extremely gentle, moisturizing and easy to use, making bath time fun again for kids of all ages.

My Thoughts on Ouidad

KRLy Kids + Double Detangler = life saver for my sanity

imageI love this thing. I have to admit – that double detangler is heavy! For real! I didn’t expect it to be, but it’s practically twice the size of a regular, thick plastic comb, so it makes sense. It’s just that my hand wasn’t prepared. It’s funny looking too. And for $24 you’re probably afraid to spend it, in the event that it doesn’t work as well as it says it works. I don’t know why or how it works so well, but I can verify that it does. And so can my 6 year old. She didn’t want to see it coming, but I’m glad it did. Coco’s hair is ridiculously curly. Seriously. About every 1 1/2 weeks I spend at least 2 hours washing, conditioning, and detangler her hair. And within days I feel as if my work was all for naught. Ugh!

First I used the No Time for Tears Shampoo, then used the

No More Knots 2-in-1 Conditioner. Although you can leave it in, I rinsed it out – but not before I used the Double Detangler with it. Once the knots were out, and before I put Coco’s hair in a ponytail, I rinsed it out.

Ouidad4

The first time we used it, it took even longer than 2 hours. We had a few knots to remove. There was lots of hair going down the drain. Just saying. You can see the knots in the picture on the left. I feel so bad, but I literally go through this almost every week. And while I wish that I could find an all-natural product to help me detangle her hair, 6 years later, the not-so natural products are winning. And, I’m thankful for them. Look how the knots have been transformed in the 2nd and 3rd pictures (after an hour). (That’s really not a bald spot, I promise.) Then there’s the final picture! Ta da!

Disclosure Policy.