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NanoWriMo Thanksgiving…The Time of Legacies, Kindness, and making amends What I’ve Learned as a Reviewer Finding Time To Write The Barefoot Librarian Corner
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NanoWriMo Page 5 Featured Books and Authors Page 3 Thanksgiving…The Time of Legacies, Kindness, and making amends Page 8 Indie Books! Pages 6-10-1624-28- 30- 31. Interview with Marisa Billions Author of “This Too Shall Pass” Page 18 What I’ve Learned as a Reviewer Page 12 Book Videos Page 20-21 Finding Time To Write Page 22 Inside Scoop Live Podcast of the Month Page 23 The Barefoot Librarian Corner Page 26
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Table of Contents - Featured Books and Authors
30 Fascinating New Yorkers They charm, cheat, dazzle, scheme, even kill. Among them are a prostitute’s daughter who got to know two ex-kings and a future emperor; a cardinal archbishop known in certain circles as “Franny;” and a serial killer who terrorized the city.
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Paulette Boudrot author of “Boston, My Blissful Winter”
Paulette Boudrot earned a BS in Education from Bridgewater State University, an MA in French Language and Literature from Middlebury College in Vermont, and a diploma in Twentieth-Century French Literature from the Sorbonne, University of Paris as a Fulbright Scholar. My Blissful Winter is her debut literary translation.
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Editor’s Note Born and raised in Venezuela of Italian immigrants, Susan completed a BA in Political Science and Business Administration before moving to the US . Although she built a career as a Business Analyst/Accountant, she also kept herself active as a freelance writer in the US; publishing articles, poetry, children’s stories, and illustrations since 1996. She published her first book in 2009, and released her revised edition: Innocent War: Behind An Immigrant’s Past – Book 1 in 2011. Her picture book: Tuma: The Tribe’s Little Princess was published in early 2013 under her own label. Currently, Susan Violante is the Managing Editor/CEO/ Partner of I Have Something to Say Press and Book By Book Publicity, Author, Reviewer, Publicist and Publisher. She resides in Austin, TX with her husband Michel and her dogs, Canela, Karina, and Nutela. Susan is mother of two adult daughters, Arianna and Nicolette, and caregiver to her father. She enjoys cooking, reading, knitting, painting, writing, gardening, and any outdoor activity.
Please consider the environment before printing this e-magazine * First Chapter Plus is a monthly e-Magazine which includes the First Chapters, book videos, and podcasts of recently published books and back lists books. It is distributed to libraries, book stores, media, readers, reviewers, and bloggers; It also offers content of value to our audience.
listings https://www.firstchapterplus.com/contact subscriptions www.firstchapterplus.com email admin@firstchapterplus.com creative director/graphic designer Susan Violante © Copyright 2021 First Chapter Plus eco-friendly information First Chapter Plus e-magazine is environment conscious, and has gone 100% green.
Published by I Have Something To Say Press 11900 Jollyville Rd. #201673 Austin, Texas 78759.
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NanoWriMo If you are a writer, you most likely know about the National Novel Writing Month. But is it possible to write a novel in 30 days? How good can a novel written in 30 days be? In my opinion the NanoWriMo was not created to produce a finished novel; but to help writers commit to write continuously for 30 days to create a consistent writing routine, and hopefully complete a first draft. Just think about it. November is one of the busiest months for just about anyone. It is filled with pre-holydays fever, school commitments, and high work loads as we prepare for the Holiday season and the end of the fiscal year. If we can write every day in November, how hard could it be to write every day any other month of the year! Also, if you can complete a first draft in November, you will most likely be able to be ready to pitch and agent or selfpublish early next year. Below are some tips on the NanoWriMo: • Focus on the writing and not on the challenge • Schedule the writing time that you know you can commit to • Find other writers to do it with you at list once or twice a week even if virtually • Don’t edit yourself, just get the whole story out of your head and on the page • Keep at it even after NanoWriMo is over!
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Featured Authors Marjorie L. Anderson Marjorie Anderson is a native Virgin islander, retired bank executive, cofunder and former executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Minority Business Strategic Alliance. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Morgan State University, a Master of Science in Management from La Salle University, and is a graduate of the Wharton’s School Management Program of the University of Pennsylvania. Her book “The Key” is a Reader Views Literary Awards Winner. Marjorie currently lives in Liberty Hill, Texas.
View Book Video Here
La Clave shares the author’s financial knowledge and experience to help teens get a head start in life. The book presents readers with basic financial knowledge and life changing know-how tips on how to manage money to make the most of their income to build a successful future. But Anderson does not stop there, she also teaches young people to invest in their communities by buying local products and donating to help others. La Clave is the Spanish translation of Marjorie L. Anderson’s Reader Views Award winner “The Key.”
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La Clave Marjorie L. Anderson I Have something To Say Press (2021, 2022) ISBN 9780985430825 Tradeback - 100 pages - $16.00 Nonfiction - Spanish/YA-Teen
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he skills teens develop in this workbook can be applicable to all aspects of their lives, not just finances.
— Nico Neak Social worker/Children and Teen Therapist
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. his is an invaluable resource
for the financial preparation of our adolescents to ensure an economical, stable and successful future.
— Juliana Leal-Belloso Preschool teacher and mother of a teenager
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Read First Chapter Here View on Amazon Here
Thanksgiving…The Time of Legacies, Kindness, and making amends by Susan Violante
November is the time in the US when we remember and celebrate the coming together of two worlds in 1621 through kindness, even though history records show that moment was just an instant that would not survive in time. It was Lincoln during the Civil War that proclaimed it a holiday in 1863. Through time Thanksgiving has turned into much more as there are even people in other countries that celebrate a version of it. It is now a day when many celebrate legacies and kindness. Families have developed their own traditions, and nonprofits provide the platform to help the less fortunate to celebrate and experience the feeling of gratitude, while helping the more fortunate to gratefully count and share their blessings. However, I believe there is more to it. Being grateful for what we have makes us vulnerable enough to give and accept forgiveness for our mistakes and wrong doings. The holiday itself gives us just enough time to reach out to or estranged relatives or friends and make amends. However, sometimes, the loved ones we need to make amends with are no longer in this plain. This does not mean you can’t make amends with them. It just must be done differently, within yourself. Something that helped me in this case was adopting people that didn’t have anyone to spend thanksgiving with by inviting them to celebrate it with me. I was doing a kind action in honor of that someone that was no longer with us and that I couldn’t reconcile with. It could be a neighbor, or a co-worker for example. Who knows maybe they could end up being your best friend at some point in the future because of your act of kindness! But one thing is true…it always brought be joy and peace. I wish everyone this Thanksgiving can make kindness, and reconciliation not only their family tradition but also their legacy. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Check out the Sponsors for the 2021-2022 Reader Views Literary Awards!
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Featured Authors Bineta Ngom Bineta Ngom was born in Senegal, West Africa in 1964. She grew up without her father, who died when she was a little over four years old. She was raised by her mother who taught her how to appreciate life and serve people in need even when the family was enduring hardship. She came to America in 1994 to pursuit her dream, to give her children the opportunity she never had as a child, and to empower the global community She never stops learning and always strive to be best role model to her children. She decided to write her book “Becoming an Angel of Change” to share her stories with the world to inspire parents, immigrants and women to make positive change within themselves, their homes, their work places as well as their communities.
Through a collection of inspirational stories, Bineta Ngom details her journey exploring her life’s purpose, helping others in need. From her beginnings as an eight-year-old philanthropist in Senegal, to her adult life establishing outreach programs in the United States, readers will be inspired to discover their strength, uniqueness, and purpose in her recent memoir “Becoming an Angel of Change.” View Book Video Here 10
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Becoming an Angel of Change Bineta Ngom I Have Something To Say Press (2021,2022) ISBN 9781647751784 Tradeback - 186 pages - $16.00 Nonfiction - Memoir / Self-Help
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ineta shows us all how we, too, can develop the spiritual depth to become angels of change. A fast-paced, inspiring read!” .
— Donna Winters author of the Great Lakes Romances Series®
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. resented in three parts,
‘Becoming an Angel of Change’ is a fascinating story and one that encourages hope, positivity, and gratitude…
— Sheri Hoyte Reader Views
Read First Chapter Here View on Amazon Here
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WHAT I’ VE LEARNED AS A REVIEWER By Skyler Boudreau
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ne thing I enjoyed about school as a child, and now as an adult in college, is seeing how different subject areas tie into each other. It’s most prevalent in my math and sciences class right now; some of the math concepts I’ve been practicing have become very beneficial to me while learning the mathematical part of my science class. I like to think that the same concept is true with reviewing books.
One of the biggest skills I’ve learned through reviewing books is how to outline a project. It’s something I’ve been applying in college as well as in my job as a childcare worker. don’t think it’s something I would have ever been able to master without reviewing books because it wasn’t a skill I ever felt I needed before then. Now, I can’t imagine starting a project without at least a small outline to help keep me on track. I’ve also really enjoyed learning how to express my opinion in different ways. Writing book reviews is a fantastic way to learn how to prevent a balanced opinion of a topic, something I’ve been applying both in school and as an amateur documentarian. There’s never one side to anything. I’ve come to find that there’s rarely less than three sides; all books have things they do well, things they do poorly, and things that land somewhere in the middle. That middle section is so important because it’s where you can see an author experimenting with different ideas and techniques. I love reviewing more than one book by an author because I get the chance to see the growth between books.
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Book reviewing is something of a skill tree; in order to be successful at it and improve, you need to learn other skills. I definitely learned a lot in the past few years and I think it’s a great teaching tool. That being said, I think it’s time for me to utilize the skills I’ve learned as a reviewer in other areas of my life. I’m looking forward to seeing where they can take me and what else I can learn. This will be my last article with First Chapter Plus for now, but I’m sending my best wishes to the entire team! I hope everyone has some exciting books to read in their futures!
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READER VIEWS B O OK OF THE MONTH Oh! Olivia” by Patricia Fry By Patricia Fry Fiction - Cozy Mystery Matilja Press (2021) ISBN 9781736943007 Reviewed by: Jen Oliver-Rigsby for Reader Views (11/2021)
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h! Olivia by Patricia Fry introduces readers to a calico cat names Olivia, and her human, Parker Campbell, who is an investigative reporter. Parker has been asked to help save a cat colony site from developers. The cat colony site has an interesting mystery surrounding it. The feral cats that reside there have been digging up personal belongings of missing people. Parker sets off with Olivia, her friend Savannah, and Detective Judson Caldwell to try to figure out who these items belong to and find out exactly what happened on this site. During Parker setting off, she visits her mother and Olivia works her magic in finding a lost boy and ends up getting arrested. Olivia then helps Parker find her aunt, who is hurt and has a mysterious man trapped in her house. A lot of these stories take away from the main mystery but are fun to read and truly show the antics of some cats. As a cat owner myself, I can relate to a lot of the side stories and behaviors of Olivia and the other cats in the book. But since this is supposed to be a cozy mystery where a mystery is supposed to be solved, these side stories should be at a minimum and more emphasis on the actual main mystery. The main mystery was easy to see the conclusion, and it leads to a future book which this reader is curious about where it will exactly start from. “Oh! Olivia” is the first book of the Calico Cat Mystery but there are several references to other stories that Olivia and Parker found themselves in, like references to other books. This did not make sense to me since this is supposed to be book one in a series. This reader would rather not have references to other mysteries and have them as future books. ....If you are a fan of cats and cozy mysteries, then you will probably enjoy “Oh! Olivia” but be prepared to have it more focused on the cats and their behaviors, which can cause some laugh out loud moments. To read complete review click here or visit www.readerviews.com.
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READER VIEWS KIDS B O OK OF THE MONTH Oak Street Treehouse: The Day the New Kid Moved In
By Dick Daniels Early Reader - Ages 6 To 8 Leadership Development Group (2021) ISBN 9781737081500 Reviewed byLydia (age 7) for Reader Views Kids (11/2021)
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ak Street Treehouse: The Day the New Kid Moved In” is about a time when a new kid moved in across the street; this is the second book in the “Oak Street Treehouse” series. In this book, all the kids were in the treehouse having fun when they saw a moving truck across the street. Everyone got excited and wanted to see who it was. The Oak Street kids went to a bush and peeked at the moving truck; three people got out of the car, and the kids heard that the little boy’s name was Cooper. The kids heard a bell go off at their treehouse and got excited about chocolate chip cookies; the kids left to go back and then saw that Cooper followed them. Cooper wanted to get to know the kids, but the kids were more interested in their cookies. After Cooper left, they heard their tablet ding and saw that God had sent them a message. The kids talked to God and found out that it is best when you include other people instead of leaving them out. I liked the story because it shows kindness by including other people. I wouldn’t like the story too much if the kids left Cooper out because I wouldn’t like to be left out myself. I didn’t like how the kids acted toward Cooper at first when they hid the cookies from him and were selfish instead of being kind and sharing them. I would like some of their cookies; I hope they would share with me! I liked looking at the pictures in the book because the colors are pretty. I also liked that there are animals in them, too. I like that there are a lot of kids in the Oak Street Treehouse and that they eventually let in another kid. If the author wrote another Oak Street Treehouse book, I would like to read it; I like that the kids can talk to God through a tablet – I asked my mom why I can’t do that! I wish we could do this, but my mom said we do this through prayer. A Note From Mom: I love kids’ books that have a Christian theme and are still relevant to today’s behavioral norms!
To read more kids’ reviews click here or visit www.readerviewskids.com.
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Featured Authors B.A. Bellec A graduate of Lights Film School and a proud recipient of a grant from The Canada Council for the Arts, B.A. Bellec has shown a knack for utilizing his skills and background to cast a wide net and attract talented partners. He has completed two very different novels and produced an eclectic mix of songs to accompany them. Come find him on YouTube, Twitter, or Instagram to keep up-to-date with his projects.
Someone’s Story is literally Someone’s story, as in a first-person narrative of a teenager that calls himself Someone.
As he struggles to find a new footing in a new space, we encounter the many ups and downs of modern teenage life, the difficulties that adjusting to adult feelings bring, and a few tear-jerking surprises along the way. The endearing debut novel from B.A. Bellec is a coming-of-age story you won’t forget anytime soon.
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Someone’s Story B.A. Bellec B.A. Bellec (2020) ASIN B089M43TS2 eBook - 328 pages - $3.99 Fiction - YA-16
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A. Bellec has crafted a masterpiece of emotive and well-rounded young adult fiction.
— K.C. Finn Author
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. A. Bellec has truly created
a masterpiece that deserves worldwide recognition, awards and so much more.
— Rebecca Ryan Reedsy
Read First Chapter Here View on Amazon Here
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INTERVIEW WITH MARISA BILLIONS AUTHOR OF “THIS TOO SHALL PASS”
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arisa Billions is a high school English teacher in Southern California. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Criminology. She is the author of the fiction novel, This Too Shall Pass and is working on her upcoming second novel. She lives in Southern California with her wife, Stephanie and son Alexander and two Boxer Dogs, Max and Ruby. Hi Marisa, thank you for joining us today at Reader Views! Tell us a bit about your novel, This Too Shall Pass? It’s something of a strange recipe. It’s one part coming of age story, one part coming out of the closet. Two parts love story, with a dash of family drama and a sprinkling of supernatural ghost story thrown in for good measure. This Too Shall Pass is your literary debut – what motivated you to actually sit down and write a novel? I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was a child. I loved to read books and I loved to tell stories. I actually wrote a book when I was in middle school on our old desktop computer, but it was never backed up, so god only knows what happened to it! So, I guess I can say it’s always been something I’ve wanted to do and I just finally took it upon myself to sit down and do it. What was your inspiration behind the
storyline? Part of it is somewhat inspired by my own life events. The other inspiration is just that natural curiosity of what goes on after death, and whether or not the dead play any part in the lives of the living. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book? The most surprising thing was how hard it is emotionally to put it out there. Also, to finish it. I felt like every time I went back in to re-read or edit, I wanted to fix or change or add or subtract. I still feel that way when I pick it up. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, as a writer or regarding life in general? If you want something enough, you will make it happen. So just manifesting your dreams by taking the steps to make it happen. If that means writing, it means do what you need to do to write. If it means making the life you want, it means taking those steps to make it happen. It’s not easy and it’s not supposed to be. Life is Earth School (I can’t remember which Oprah philosopher that comes from, so not my terminology!) You learn as you go to overcome and make the best of what you are given to accomplish what you want. And sometimes, what you think you want, isn’t what you really wanted in the end, and it’s okay to change
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course or change plans as you need to. That goes for life and writing..What is one thing you wish you knew when you started out? This is time consuming. It’s all consuming, actually. Characters and their situations plague me at the oddest times. I’m constantly wanting to write things down or make notes to go back to. You don’t just walk away from your computer and you are done for the day. It’s literally all day. I will hear a song and think, “Oh, that reminds
me of Eva and Riley. Oh, I should add xyz to their situation.” So, what’s next? Are there more novels in your future? I just finished the first draft of my second novel. It’s not related to This Too Shall Pass. But it’s in the same vein. Flawed characters, some dark stuff, some romance. It’s a little sexier than the first, a little darker. But we are still a bit a way from completion. My goal is this time next year, maybe a little sooner. The working title is Like Sapphire Blue.
By Sheri Hoyte
Read the full interview with Marisa Billions
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B O OK VIDEOS The best way to check out a book!
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ometimes we need a little bit more than an endorsement, book review or book cover to get a feeling for the story and decide on whether to purchase or not a title. For me, the little something is a book video. A book video not only brings to life the main story or topic for the reader, it can also portray a feeling on who the Author is and what message he or she wants to share. Below are some things I get from book videos that help make the decision to read the book but also gives me insight on its contents, improving in many cases, my reading experience. • The images – unlike movie trailers which use previews from the movie, the book video images could be off putting when reading the story, as the characters looks and settings will be a combined result of the descriptions, and the readers’ imagination. But images that do not mess with such specifics and instead reflect the message, topic, or plot are perfect as a preview of a book, because it helps us to visualize in a short time the content of the book. • Background music and narrator’s voice – The sound allows the possible reader to feel the mood of the story. Is it thrilling? Mysterious? Romantic? • Finally, but not least is the script of the slides or voice narration. Here is where we learn what the book is all about, and other information like endorsements, Author website, and where to get the book. What is awesome about book videos is that we get all the above information in one minute or less! Check out some book videos we included here by clicking on the cover!
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Book Videos on this page were provided by https://www. youtube.com/user/ReaderViews - For information on how to place your bookvideo here email us at admin@firstchapterplus.com
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Finding Time To Write by Susan Violante
Time is the most valuable nonrenewable resource we have in this life so; we want to use it wisely. One way to do this is to determine how much time we spend doing things that don’t really matter in terms of the big picture. Granted there are things we must simply d o in order to live lie work, get groceries, exercise, cores and rest. However, most of us will be able to realize ho much time we waste each day if we pay attention. Writing does not require a disciplined schedule. It doesn’t require the latest, finest computer on the. It doesn’t require a fancy pen. It just requires a few minutes of thought here and there, and few more minutes to put them together. What really stops us from writing is our idea of the “writer’s lifestyle.” We all have the romantic idea of the desk in front of a with an inspiring view and who knows what other unrealistic pictures have been engraved in our minds by movies and our own imagination. But, in reality, someone who gets a pen or pencil and some paper, or a laptop and writes in front of the TV when the commercial comes on, is a writer. Furthermore, there are successful authors who have published a book they began writing on sticky notes during their lunch breaks at work. The point is that, that it is not time what makes or breaks the writer. It is the writer’s determination and commitment to write that will take their project to completion. No book was ever written in a day—not one worth reading at least. Patience and determination will get the book done. Time exists all around us if we just take advantage of it. I believe anyone who puts their mind to it can write a book. It just takes drive—fifteen minutes a day is enough. Pick up that pen and get ready. The commercial is about to come on.
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INSIDE SCO OP LIVE POD CAST OF THE MONTH
Paulette Boudrot earned a BS in Education from Bridgewater State University, an MA in French Language and Literature from Middlebury College in Vermont, and a diploma in Twentieth-Century French Literature from the Sorbonne, University of Paris as a Fulbright Scholar. Paulette taught French and ESL in elementary schools, colleges, and universities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. During the 1980s, she transitioned from education to administration at the French Cultural Services at the French Consulate in Boston. In 1995, she founded PLJ Administrative & Business Solutions, outsourcing administration and project management for small to medium sized companies. The French government honored her as a Chevalier in the Order of Academic Palms in 2010. Paulette is an active member of Rotary International, the Boston/Strasbourg Sister City Association, the Sandwich Arts Alliance and the Société Francophone de Cape Cod. She currently resides on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Boston, My Blissful Winter is her debut literary translation. For more information about Dr. Randy Overbeck and his work, visit his website at:
Click Here To Listen to Podcast
https://www.authorrandyoverbeck.com/
Topics of Conversation • Translating a Book • Working with the Author during the translation • Literal vs. Literary Translation • The publishing journey • What's next for Paulette Boudrot?
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Featured Authors Kevin Kunkel Kevin Kunkel believes people are good. He hopes his books help unlock that goodness. He lives in Minnesota with his wife and two boys, which means he can never see a movie featuring snow without commenting that “Hollywood doesn’t understand real cold.” Kevin is a former stand-up comedian who is fully committed to fixing the screen door by fall or next spring at the latest.
Winner of The Book By Book Award for Best Children’s Picture Book 2020/2021 - focuses on the good things about our planet and encourages—and empowers!—kids to make our future even brighter. Cable news often reports on the bad things that happen every day, but we can choose a positive story and make it a reality. This uplifting children’s book reminds us all that we can choose a better world.
View Book Video Here
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The World We Choose By Kevin Kunkel Kevin Kunkel (2020) ISBN 9781643438962 Hard Cover - 24 pages - $17.95 Fiction - Early Reader (5-7 years old)
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ngaging, relevant, and fun. "The World We Choose" made a timely appearance and shines a much-needed light on the positive in our world.... — Eve Panzer Barefoot Librarian
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ncouragement, inspiration, and positive vibes fill these pages and remind that life is full of hope and just as many good things (if not more) than bad. — Tonja Dreckerw Bookworm for Kids
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Read First Chapter Here
View on Amazon Here
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BAREFO OT LIBRARIA N CORNER Eve Panzer reviews books for Reader Views Kids as well as her own business, Barefoot Librarian. Monthly she publishes the Barefoot Librarian Newsletter. She sells children’s books published by Barefoot Books and Usborne Books & More at book fairs, educational conferences, community events, and online. She earned her Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Texas in Austin and worked as a school librarian before retiring to start her own business. www.barefootlibrarian.com Eve Panzer
Add Spice to the Holidays with Diverse Stories The holiday season is upon us – a time for food, families, friends, and gratitude. It is also a time when stories are shared. Often, we share familiar stories; however, this year, consider sharing some diverse stories. Why diverse stories? The Anti-Defamation League gives these compelling reasons: "Children's books, at their best, invite children to use their imaginations, expand their vocabularies and gain a better understanding of themselves and others. And, if the titles reflect the diverse groups of people in the world around them, children can learn to respect not only their own cultural groups, but also the cultural groups of others. Children's literature serves as both a mirror to children and as a window to the world around them by showing people from diverse groups playing and working together, solving problems and overcoming obstacles. At its best, multicultural children's literature helps children understand that despite our many differences, all people share common feelings and aspirations. Those feelings can include love, sadness, fear and the desire for fairness and justice." The number of diverse books has increased (not nearly enough), but these books' quality and authenticity are often lacking. Part of this is because many publishers do not have diversity in their editorial teams. A book that is not authentic can often lead to stereotyping, so it is imperative to vet the books we give to children. Click here for a list of publishers whose books are authentic, and be sure to buy their books. You can find lists of award-winning books on the American Libraries Association website. In addition, there are lists of appropriate books on these websites: Cooperative Children's Book Center, Children's Book Council, and We Need Diverse Books, When we share diverse stories, we help children understand that even if people have different beliefs, traditions, and histories, we all share the human experience. So be sure to include diverse stories in your holiday gift offerings. Happy reading, Eve - Barefoot Librarian
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THE BAREFO OT LIBRARIAN B O OKS OF THE MONTH Joy To the World By Kate DePalma - Illustrated by Sophie Fatus Barefoot Books (2021) - ISBN 9781646862979 ( 4 - 10 years old ) - Hardcopy - 40 pages - $17.99
This joyfully and cheerfully illustrated book features Christmas traditions from the following countries: Ethiopia, Colombia, Australia, Italy, Serbia, Mexico, India, Iceland, Egypt, Argentina, Philippines, Lebanon, and Canada. The rhyming text and shimmering gold ink will engage younger kids, while the endnotes detailing the traditions will hold older kids’ interest.
Let’s Celebrate! Written by Kate DePalma - illustrated by Martina Peluso Barefoot Books (2019) - ISBN 9781782858331
Age : 5 - 8 years old - Hardcover - 40 pages - $16.99
This joyful book weds colorful, warm, and engaging illustrations with rhythmic, rhyming words to produce an outstanding contribution to diverse children’s literature. The reader travels worldwide to celebrate holidays from Japan, China, New Zealand, Peru, Brazil, Sweden, Iran, Nigeria, Russia, Egypt, Mexico, India, and the United States. The text is sparse, but the illustrations and the endnotes provide details to satisfy curious minds. Includes pronunciations of the holidays and a calendar showing how these holidays are dispersed throughout the year.
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Featured Authors Sandra Brown Lindstedt Sandra Brown Lindstedt was born and raised on the south-side of Chicago. As a black girl growing up in poverty, with virtually no role models, she struggled. But with the help of her grandmother’s abiding faith in God and in her, she graduated from Lewis & Clark College with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre and English. Today she resides in Gothenburg, Sweden, with her husband Christer, working as the drama director for Smyrna International. Sandy has an invisible secret weapon. It’s activated by her grandmother to ward off the evil she’d face, moving to Chicago to live with her mother. Though it was tiny, it was the most powerful thing in the Universe. When darkness was out of control, it was strong enough to turn a bully like Gorilla Girl into her friend. It was the Firefly. If she could keep it glowing inside her, she could conquer anything. - A multi-award-winning children’s book: * 2021 International Book Awards Winner Children’s Mind/Body/Spirit * 2021 International Book Awards Finalist - Children’s Religious * Reader Views’ Grand Prize for Best Fiction 2020. * Reader Views’ Gold Medal - Young Readers Category 2020 * Reader Views’ Gold Medal - Teen Category 2020 * Reader Views’ Regional Awards - South Winner 2020 * Readers’ Favorite - 5-star Seal * The AME Award - Best Debut Fiction 2020
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Life of a Firefly By Sandra Brown Lindstedt Fiction - Juvenile / Young Reader (8-12 years old) Independently published by Sandra Brown Lindstedt(2020) ISBN 9798679133327 Tradeback - 157 pages - $9.85
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andra Brown-Lindstedt says simply and ingenuously that it is “particularly suited for ages 8–12.” I’m afraid that’s like saying To Kill A Mockingbird is at heart a children’s book just because it’s narrated by a child. So is Life of a Firefly. But the child, a young girl named Sandy Forte, is every bit the storyteller and every bit as literate as Scout. This book is every whit as powerful, as emotive, and as profoundly evocative and compelling as its more-famous classic cousin. Sandy Forte is one of the most appealing characters ever to appear in contemporary fiction. — Joel R. Dennstedt Readers’ Favorite I loved this book! When I first picked it up I was afraid it would be too “young” for me but Sandy is a character that captured my attention immediately and I soon found myself taking any chance I could to break away from everything and read. Sandy is hilarious and had me laughing out loud throughout the whole book. Her personality is as big as life – she says what’s on her mind and that often gets her into trouble, but sometimes it’s her inner thoughts that are the funniest. — Amy C. Reader Views Kids
Read First Chapter Here View on Amazon Here
FIRST CHAPTER PLUS
Fascinating New Yorkers Clifford Browder Clifford Browder (2021) ISBN 9781733378246 Paperback - 363 pages - $17.95 NonFiction - History
They charm, cheat, dazzle, scheme, even kill. Among them are a prostitute’s daughter who got to know two ex-kings and a future emperor; a cardinal archbishop known in certain circles as “Franny;” and a serial killer who terrorized the city. Readers will also learn surprising things about J.P. Morgan and his nose; the mobster Nicky (Mr. Untouchable) Barnes; Ayn Rand, the high priestess of egoism; and Polly Adler, Queen of Tarts.
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FIRST CHAPTER PLUS
Rebirth - The CORT Chronicles Book 3 David D. Bernstein Outskirts Press (2021) - ISBN 9781977238429 Tradeback - 100 pages - $18.95 After a journey through time and space and a nightmarish world, two young boys come home to find themselves under a new world order. The place they left behind has changed. A new threat is rising, and things look bleak. In Rebirth, the final chapter of The CORT Chronicles, Andy and Zack hope to alter the future by saving the present. But can our two young heroes bring back the world they knew before?
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Moscow Embassy - The Angara Club Thomas J. Mitchell Outskirts Press (2019) - ISBN 9781977214935 Tradeback - 315 pages - $20.95 2020 CIPA EVVY Award. Russian KGB agents have recruited American construction workers to plant listening devices and engage in espionage while the Moscow Embassy is under construction—and while US intelligence and Britain’s M16 agencies work to neutralize the Russian threat. With a cast of colorful characters and a plot filled with danger and political intrigue, Moscow Embassy “The Angara Club” is a fascinating novel about an industry most people never think about.
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Duets with My Daughter By Kathie Wennes Taitano Outskirts Press (2020) - ISBN 9781977232144 Tradeback - 156 pages - $18.95 Rachael was a vibrant, joyful young woman of twenty-three when devastatingly diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Characteristically, she faced it with unwavering hope, determination and courage. How do you honor a beautiful life, whose time on the planet has passed far too soon? The answer is to share her story, to look for the lessons she unknowingly taught and to cherish the time we are given, no matter the length.
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Connecting Readers to Indie Books www.firstchapterplus.com
e-magazine . November 2021 volume 12 . issue 11
Published by I Have Something to Say Press
