BLOGS, VLOGS, WORDS & THINGS
Review for #booksontourGood afternoon :) Let me start with a quote so wisely spoken by a magical master.. “No spell can reawaken the dead. Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.” - Albus Dumbledore So … why the quote? Well, today I have the privilege of reviewing and sharing with you; a magical book that touches gently on the subject of death/loss and of course it has a bunny being pulled from a big hat (because what magical book is complete without one!) Today’s book is the whimsical, magical and fantastic ‘The Rabbit’s Magician’ by Shae Millward and Andy Fackrell.  The blurb for the book is simple, yet inviting. Ziggy’s beloved magician has performed an amazing disappearing trick. But just where is The Amazing Albertino? Ziggy waits. And waits some more. Has something gone wrong with the trick? The Rabbit’s Magician also has some special features -Themes of love, loss and comfort. -A gentle story on a sensitive subject. -Inspired by a scientific principle: The Law of Conservation of Energy. -Contains references to and representations of the moon and its phases. -Offers comfort to those who have lost a loved one – person or animal. -Includes Australian animals. -Links to the curriculum [STEM/STEAM, The Arts, Health and Physical Education. About the book The Rabbit’s Magician BY SHAE MILLWARD & ANDY FACKRELL PUBLICATION DATE: 1 August 2022 EXTENT: 32 FORMAT: Hardcover, Paperback AGE GUIDE: Younger Readers, 3-8 years With all that being said and after reading it through many times… The story itself is a gentle way to introduce friendship and the impact it can have on a person (or rabbit). It shows that when you find a true friend and find things you both enjoy, you can have so many special moments. Moments and experiences that will stay with you as you continue on your journey, whether alone or together. The story touches on how hard work and practice mean you can move closer to achieving your dreams. It touches on the moon and environment and features not only the fabulous magician and his clever rabbit, but also multiple (adorable) Australian creatures. The book touches on loss and the grieving process but in a subtle/gentle way. The beginning of the story shows a magical pair of best friends and as the story progresses, the author gently shows the illness of one of the pair, without being in your face and scary. Once the character is no longer around, it shows (in a heartwarming but sad way) that his best friend and companion waits for his return, not realising what has happened. The animals who care about him, gather and help the remaining character to see that his friend has gone and that he is all around him. They show him that his friend is watching over him and help him to think of happy times, much like our friends would do if we needed them after a loss. I adore this story; it is a little sad in the right places and heartwarming in others; with a lot of exciting magical moments weaved through it. I LOVE this book and will be recommending it to many others. The illustrations in the book are bright and clear, simple and soft. They are easy to follow and have many cute details. I teared up when Ziggy is looking to the sky ; waiting for his friend to reappear. The Australian animals are well done, and children will love flipping through the pages and finding new details each time. The Author and the illustrator of this book are a perfect fit for each other and together they have created not only a story or a book, but a resource that will span many years and will continue to bring comfort to the youngest readers as they work through loss and grief, and as they navigate life when family and friends come and go. All involved in the creation of this book have done a fabulous job and I feel so privileged to have been gifted a copy to review.   About the Author- Shae Millward is an enthusiastic advocate for literacy. She aims to inspire through a love of books, the joy of reading and writing, and the art of storytelling. Shae enjoys writing picture books, poetry, song lyrics, inspirational quotes, short stories and more. To find out more about Shae or to purchase the book visit https://shaemillward.com or https://fordstreetpublishing.com About the Illustrator- Andy Fackrell is one of the most awarded and recognised multi-dimensional creatives in the world. A career in advertising earned him the highest honours, including the Cannes Grand Prix in film for his work for Nike. A true creative nomad, living and working in all continents — Antarctica excepted — he is now a film maker exploring documentaries on social and environmental issues. Group Hug! was inspired by his safari across the Serengeti, and, on a separate journey, a short film he created in South Africa to aid in the fight against animal poaching. He writes for film, paints for himself, and occasionally illustrates other authors’ work that touch on important issues. Andy lives by the beach in Sydney. Group Hug! is his first book. To find out more about Andy or to purchase the book visit https://www.andyfackrell.com or https://fordstreetpublishing.com  For more information about Books On Tour visit https://www.justkidslit.com/books-on-tour 
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The Lolly Shop L.B and E. Hackney What does one do when the weather is cold and the children are restless? Do we sit them in front of the television? Or do we find them something new and whimsical to read? If you are unsure which of the above are best to choose, choose the magical world of The Lolly Shop. This Junior Fiction book will keep your young readers entertained as they travel to a magical, experimental world of magic and sweet surprises. Written by Lauren A Hackney and her sons, Baxter and Ethan and illustrated by the two boys, this magical book is full of sweetness, love, creativity and joy. I mean, who doesn’t love magical surprises! Mix it with a bit of experimentation and some sugar and you have an exciting world full of fun and accidents (of course). In the book, Bax and Ethan, a creative pair indeed; stumble across a secret powder. How exciting! Of course, they must investigate, and the powder accidentally (on purpose?) makes its way into a candy mixture they are working on. Oh, joy! It has done something magical to the recipe! This could be fun! The boys, being as creative as they are, manage to cook up magical sweets that turn their normal, average town into a magical one; full of bouncing, flying, leaping and --> ====zooming young people. What is the worst that could happen with kids bouncing high and zooming low? Not even the best imaginations could compete with the chaos Bax and Ethan’s magical lollies bring about. Gobstoppers, jumping jellybeans and much more seem to fly off the shelves of the boys’ small candy store. Lines out the door, a shop full of guests and sleepless nights are shared with the reader as the boys spend their nights testing their creations (so much fun!) and their days trying to figure out how to deal with the scores of townspeople flooding into their store. The gummy bears take on a life of their own (almost) and can be either a friend or a foe, depending on the bear chosen. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?! If you had the chance, would you dance with a life-sized gummy bear? Treat him to a movie? Or would he be a companion as you got up to mischief? What would happen if a giant gummy bear came to life and you fed him a rainbow lolly strap? Or two? three? Oh, the gummy headache! When Bax and Ethan cooked up their magical candy treats; they did it with love and with excitement. They know that there are people who will use the treats for fun, for laughter and to help others (a magical birthday party becomes a way to be understood and accepted? Yes please!) The boys also realise that some might use them for not-so-wonderful reasons… (looking at you bullies) What a dilemma, what should the boys do? They are on to a fabulous thing and are sure they can produce many more sweet treats but the possibility of the bullies getting hold of them makes the boys wonder… is it a clever idea? Or is it too risky? What will Bax and Ethan decide to do in order to save the town? Only time will tell and only the book will help you see just how magical a lolly can be. Illustrated by two brothers, Baxter G Hackney and Ethan A Hackney and written by the boys and their mum, Lauren Hackney, The Lolly Shop is a favourite amongst young readers since its release and is a cute, colourful, fun and mischievous story about two creative brothers who work hard, think hard and love to share their antics with the world. A great weekend, bedtime or rainy day read, The Lolly Shop is sure to bring some giggles and might even kickstart a few cheeky ideas as the reader journeys with the boys and helps them to create some very magical, mischievous and bubbly magical recipes. The book is great for encouraging teamwork, helping readers to find their own strengths and is great for empowering imagination in young readers. Grab yourself a copy and delve into the magical world of Bax and Ethan today. I love the idea of magical sweets that make life interesting, fast, stretchy and fun. The idea of live gummy bears? I would love a set of my own! (Maybe not the nasty ones). Could you imagine taking a life-sized gummy bear to the cinema? To the park? How would a magical life-sized gummy bear last if we went for a swim at the beach? The possibilities are endless (new ideas for you Lauren?). I also love that this story began as night-time fun between Lauren and her sons. Making up stories and just loving the time together. Well done getting it out into the big wide world. Good luck with your future books! For more information on the author or the book please use the following links- Facebook- HERE Booktopia- HERE Lauren's website- HERE
About the Author Lauren Hackney lives in Manly; a seaside suburb of Brisbane, with her husband, two creative boys, chickens, fish, cockatiels and their recently adopted dog. Together, they love exploring, travelling, trying new things, laughing and being amongst nature. Another pastime of theirs is storytelling. Whether it be a bedtime story, a campfire story or a road trip story – they love discovering where the stories lead. For many years, Lauren worked in aviation, but she now takes stories on high-flying adventures through the power of magic and imagination. Her first book is The Lolly Shop - a delicious collaboration with her two sons. About the Book Two brothers own a lolly shop. What they think is sugar gets delivered to the store - only for it to be added to their lollies, and the result... lollies with magical powers! It wasn’t sugar that came that day – it was magical powder! With all kinds of mischief caused around town, the boys work together to find a solution where both adults and children can learn to live with magic. But who is responsible for the magic powder? Suitable for ages 5 to 12 years old.
#TheLollyShop #LaurenHackney #BooksOnTour #BookTour #JustWriteForKids #JuniorFiction  To celebrate the release of my new book 'Anton and Fluff' I am putting my other books on sale for a limited time.
(Pictured above) All FIVE of my already released books for $90 AUD plus postage Email or use the contact form to order. Good morning! I hope this blog post finds you all safe and well. I have something fluffilicious for you all Today I have the honour, nay.. the privilege.. of reviewing another fabulous book for #booksontour. So, let’s get straight into it. Today’s book is a fantabulous picture book by the insanely talented and creative Dave Atze. Here are the details
Belly Button Fluff in a book? Yes please! What is the book about? Scarlett Von Scruff is a hoarder of lots of gross stuff. From dandruff to earwax to stinky gym shorts - if it's weird or icky or yucky, Scarlett loves to collect it! Now she's found something new that's furry and soft and a little bit smelly. With her bow and her scarf, and her pretty pink wellies, she's gathering fluff from unsuspecting bellies. Nobody's safe as Scarlett goes on a fluff-gathering adventure. So, kick off your shoes and lay on the couch, let’s have a look in your tummy pouch. So, what do I think? Well... it’s amazing! The book caught my eye the second I pulled it from the packaging and it brought a much-needed smile to my face. This shiny, new hardcover book cover is bold and bright and so very cute. The protagonist on the cover, Scarlett Von Scruff is adorable, from her colourful hair and a bright pink bow to her Disney style eyes and cute clothing. She is hugging a big batch of purple Belly Button Fluff and although it is not most people's idea of fun, it looks as if she is loving every second of it. Oh, to have a collection that makes one so happy! I really like the title text, which is purple fading to pink and with a font that just stands out and suits the cover, book and character so well (what is the font called? Would love to use it one day). The cover is well done and made me want to see more, which is, of course, the aim of the cover of a book. Mission accomplished!  The story itself is a fun, if not slightly icky tale of a little girl who loves to collect. Anything and everything is on her to-hoard list. She has many collections of all shapes and sizes and each set brings her joy. Alas, something is missing. Poor Scarlett just doesn’t know what. Luckily for our new favourite book character, she quickly finds her missing piece (s) after relaxing with her father. Only Scarlett knows why, but the little girl goes on an adventure and collects this mysterious, fluffy item from people and from animals too ( an awkward conversation I would imagine.. may I please collect your.. :-/ ) Belly button fluff is in excess supply, so why not use this annoying lint collection for something useful?  Once the youngster has enough of this floofy, colourful material, she sets about finding something to do with it. So many things to make, so little time... In the end, Scarlett finds a creative way to help her two and four-legged pals. Unfortunately, after a lot of creating, poor Scarlett runs out of fluff! What will she do? With no more belly buttons to check, she goes in search of a new collection to start and low and behold Grandma helps out (by way of a charming accident). Go grandma! Soon, young Scarlett is off on her next search and collect adventure. I for one, cannot wait to read the next instalment and find out what this cute young lady drags home, it is sure to be fabulous! The illustrations are large, bright and hilarious and so well done. The colours used, go so well together that every cute detail draws your eye. I have read the book a few times and keep finding details I missed the first time. The story is so much fun and had me giggling; which was just what I needed. It is clear, easy to read, quirky and sure to be a much loved book in many children's (and adults) collections. A great read-a-loud and wonderfully written and illustrated. Well done to Dave Atze for bringing Scarlett to life and thank you for sharing your talents with us all. For more information on the book or Dave Atze, pop over to his website – HERE For more blog tour stops featuring Belly Button Fluff, see the graphic below #BooksOnTour     I'm a Type One Kid has been
officially endorsed! For support, information and contact, get in touch with The Type 1 Foundation. Ladies, Gentlemen and Clucking floofballs.. Today I present to you the great and magical Marlow Brown in her latest adventures 'Marlow Brown- Magician in the making! (Drummm rollllllllll)  Marlow Brown - Magician in the Making is a brand new middle grade book for aged 8+ which launched on 1 June 2021 with fantastic reviews. The book is already a favorite with Marlow Brown fans and it's not hard to see why. This is the second of the Marlow Brown great reads and follows Marlow Brown: Scientist in the Making. The author- Kesta Fleming was born in England but grew up in the Adelaide Hills in a house full of books, bells and music. With a love of stories and a fascination for words, she began writing when young. In addition to Marlow Brown, she has had numerous poems, plays, articles and short stories published in The School Magazine and anthologies.  Luckily for all of us, Kesta has once again blessed her readers with a fast-paced, funny story and readers are sure to enjoy Marlow’s latest adventures. The blurb for the new book is as follows (as per Kesta’s website) Marlow Brown dreams of becoming a top-class magician but she has two problems: her special talent for creating chaos, and the fact that Dad won’t stop laughing … How can she show them, once and for all, what a serious and spectacular magician she is? Marlow Brown: Magician in the Making, is the second in a humorous chapter book series for ages 8+ which is unassuming in its inclusive treatment of both gender and culture. Illustrations are again by Melbourne artist Marjory Gardner.
I had the privilege of landing an advanced reader copy of the new book which had me giggling, thinking and entertained from start to finish. I read it many times and I feel like it is going to be something I read many more. The book begins Marlow and friends visiting a magic show and seeing a top-class bloke, strutting his awesome stuff. It is at this show that the beginnings of an idea (and possible career path?) begin to form in Marlow’s mind. Can she do it? How should she go about it? So many ideas; so many questions. Marlow decides that the place to start.. is at the beginning and so her research begins. What else does one need to do when trying to do something new? Practice! So, Marlow the magnificent child magician researches and begins to practice, practice, practice (with lots of treat-led support and love from her furry assistant.) Marlow, as with many people who are trying something new, comes across a few roadblocks- One... her dad cannot control his laughter (insert sad face) Two… how can she ensure that the magic tricks will go right; and she will not be left red-faced and dripping with water? Three- to try and do her best trick in public? Or not? What could go wrong?
With some help and plenty of patience, Marlow and friends go through with the trick and although it did not go as expected (it went in a totally different direction in fact) it turned out to be an amazing experience and with expert magical help, Marlow is able to prove to her family (looking at you Marlow’s Dad) and most importantly herself, that she IS able to achieve amazing things when she sticks with it and when she puts her heart into something. What will the future bring for Marlow? Will her new teacher help her to improve on her new skills and make a career of it? Or will magic develop into a fun and amazing talent that is only brought out on special occasions? Only time will tell, and I cannot wait to find out what Marlow does next. This is a great read for young and old. It is a book that shows you just what perseverance can do, how not to make fun of others and how practice does not make perfect, but it does make life more interesting (and super fun!). I love this book and will be waiting among my own chaos for the day the next Marlow Brown book is announced. For now, I leave you with the links to purchase Marlow Brown- Magician in the making. and, the link to the website of Kesta Fleming. Have a great rest of the weekend everyone and keep safe! Title: Marlow Brown - Magician in the Making Author: Kesta Fleming Illustrator: Marjory Gardner Publication Date: 1 June 2021 Format: Paperback ISBN: 9781925572193 For ages: 8+ Type: Middle Grade Kesta Fleming - Website HERE Kesta Fleming - Twitter HERE Purchase the book - HERE Purchase the book- HERE or Purchase the book- HERE Marlow Brown - Magician In The Making Now touring with Books On Tour PR & Marketing  Books On Tour - HERE
Welcome back to another Books On tour 'blog' review. Without any ado at all, let’s get straight into it. Today’s book for review is You Can Be A Writer by the fabulous Teena Raffa-Mulligan.  The synopsis for the book * * You Can Be A Writer takes early primary age children on a story writing adventure. Imagination is their passport and they can go anywhere, be anyone and do anything in their stories. Based around the multi published author's successful group presentations in schools and libraries over many years, it is presented in a reader friendly conversational style with accompanying cartoon-style illustrations. Starting with where ideas can come from, they are taken through a simple process of choosing characters, deciding where they can live, when their story might take place and what could happen to them. By following the simple instructions and completing the worksheets they soon have their own story to share. * * I was privileged to be gifted a copy of this brand-new book and must say, I adore it. I believe that children should be helped and encouraged to reach for their dreams, whatever those dreams may be. This of course, includes writing. For a long while, there have been many online writing prompts, courses, ideas and groups, which is fantastic. Teena however, has come along and has taken these resources to a new level in a helpful, easy to use guide which walks the reader through the basic steps of creating a story/masterpiece. The pages of Teena’s book are full of wonderful information, prompts and ideas in a handy, easy to carry around product. While completing the tasks and following the prompts, the reader slowly and clearly begins to create a new world, something never seen before, something unique to the reader/writer. Once the reader reaches the end of the book, they will have written an entire story. They can then build on that or they can leave it as is. The book features space to write down ideas as the prompt are given, word building, situation building, character building. It has space for brainstorming and many hints and tips along the way, which I love. The book will be a great record of the new writers’ journey and first ‘official’ story/book. The illustrations in the book are colorful and bright, while still being simple and making it easy to follow what is going on. I love that the illustrations are not huge and overwhelming, so the focus stays on the writing and activities aspect of the book, but they are still there, brightening up the pages.
I absolutely LOVE this book and was very tempted to follow along and write a new story of my own, which is great. This is a unique, well written and encouraging book, which will be a great resource for many children (big and small) as they take some of the first steps in their writing journey and as they reach for dreams that are not as far away as it might seem. Some of my favourite quotes from the book
Congratulations, Teena on a fabulous book which is sure to be a hit with many and will almost certainly encourage the young writers of the world as the begin their incredibly special journey into literature.  You can find Teena on the following social media channels: Website- HERE Facebook-HERE Email- traffa-m@bigpond.net.au You can find out more about Books On Tour on the following social media channels: Website- HERE Email- justwriteforkidsblog@gmail.com   At 6 pm tonight I will be launching ‘I’m A Type One Kid’ Due to Facebook removing Australian pages in the last few days (including author and arts pages) I have decided to release the book ‘I’m a Type One Kid’ early (instead of March). I am doing this just in case the page and event disappear before we get a chance to launch the book. So, at 6 pm tonight (20 Feb 2021) I will be going live in the Facebook event and will be making posts during the day; that I would have been making during the event. It will be just a few of the posts, not all. I do hope you all understand and thank you for sticking by me. Please share the word that the book is launching at 6 pm tonight via the below link xox https://www.facebook.com/events/2937856176497305/ Lots of love and stay safe x x x Tabitha  Good morning you wonderful, wonderful people, I hope your Friday is going well so far and you are all keeping safe and as healthy as you can. Today I have another Author spotlight and cannot wait to introduce you to the lovely Jennifer Senne. A quick note: If you would like to be featured on the blog and my other social media channels, pop on to the media page on this website and you will see options and instructions 😊 Follow the instructions in the downloadable template, return and secure yourself a spot.
What motivates you? I am motivated by the thought of empowering young minds through my stories, whether through my books or through public speaking. What do your family and friends think of you writing? Do they support you? At first, they were just as surprised as I was when I published my first book, but they supported my passion and work. I never considered myself as a writer, you see, but I love to create stories even when I was a child. I would create stories in my head to help me fall asleep. I was also a daydreamer, which had helped me develop stories, but sometimes got me in trouble with the teachers. Now, I am taking writing classes to help me grow as a writer, and my family is one hundred percent on board with me. What inspired you to create your books? I believe my first book had divine intervention. The second book was inspired by my experiences as a child. I’ve experienced the adverse effects of self-limiting beliefs, and I wouldn’t want children to go through the same experiences I went through, so I wrote “Good Morning Mirror!” Is there anything that helps you focus when you sit down to write? Great question! I don’t really have anything that helps me focus when I write, a good cup of coffee surely helps! What inspires you? There are so many things that inspire me. I am inspired by my loved ones, especially my children, my rescued animals, the books I read, my wins and losses in life, and so many other beautiful things that surround me. Are you currently working on any new books? Care to give us a sneak peek? Yes, I am currently working on several books. Next month I will be releasing my third children’s book, “Wonder Mommy!” Wonder Mommy is a sweet tribute to mommies with chronic illnesses. I suffer from Dystonia and Hemiplegic migraine, which can be debilitating at times. Wonder Mommy does not only remind little readers that even when things are tough, Mommies are a Wonder; it also reminds mommies that they are a wonder! I hope you guys grab a copy when it comes out next month. Sure, I’ll give you a sneak peek :)  It looks wonderful and I cannot wait to read it, Jennifer. So, last question 😊 What is one piece of advice you would give anybody starting out in their writing journey? Write as much as you can, and when nothing comes to mind, don’t be discouraged, don’t give up; just keep on writing! Follow me on: www.jennifersenne.com https://www.facebook.com/authorjennifersenne https://www.instagram.com/author_jennifersenne Join my Wonder Mommies – Support Group @ www.facebook.com/groups/699035237473475/ Thank you so much for joining us today and for sharing the wonderful books you are creating and sharing with the world. Keep on keeping on and I look forward to reading the new book. Tab x x x
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