Today I am conducting another review for Giveaway Services. On a children's book called Pink Tears written by Hana Goldberg as I was sent a code to download it from Amazon. But the thoughts in the review are all mine and mine alone.
This Summer in our home has been up and down as there is days when all the kids in the neighborhood wanted to be here to play with Charlie. Then there is other days when they all play and do not want Charlie to play. Or there is days when one or two of the boys are here playing and someone else comes up to play and they say they do not want that person here.
So this book was great for us as I sat down to read it to Charlie and he understood exactly how Lolly felt and Promised to me more kinder. Then asked if we could read it to his friends so they would all understand as well. Which made me feel so Proud as I could tell he did not want to hurt others feelings and that Pink Tears helped him.
The story line is great for children of all ages even if they are not sad because it gives them a chance to know that if they become sad it is OK to cry. As I read it to Charlie I explained to him that even as a adult I have become sad in the past and had to figure out why. Especially when my daughter was killed.
The funny part was Charlie wanted to know if he could turn blue when he was sad and if his tears could be Pink so I would always know he was upset. Which I think would be nice. But it does not work like that.
All in all this book kept all the children engaged as it was not too long. They enjoyed the pictures a lot. Especially the cover. Charlie says it was OK that it was about a girl because boys do not cry. But once we finished the book he said it would have been okay if it had had a boy in it as they can be sad too.
Once David heard what we was talking about he even told Charlie he gets sad sometimes and has cried in the past. Which has brought Charlie and David much closer together. Because before Charlie thought his dad was perfect and that is not the case.
I would purchase this book to give as Gifts. Plus I will be checking Charlies school to see if they have it in the Library as I think it would make a nice addition. If they do not I will purchase it for the school as they can never have to many books.
If you would like to know more about Pink Tears by Hana Goldberg you can check out the book on Amazon at: http://amzn.to/1STxqhM
"One day, when everyone was playing with everyone else, nobody played with Lolly. She stood apart, tears filling her throat..."
Hana Goldberg is a Lifetime Achievement Award winner from Israel's Association of Authors and Composers (ACUM), a bestselling and critically acclaimed novelist and an A-list lyricist with hundreds of popular songs and many #1 hits. Hana is a strong and original voice in Israeli culture and a frequent guest on Israeli television shows.
**Follow Hana on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HanaGoldberg. She loves to chat with readers.
What others are saying about Hana's books:
"Pure pleasure. Contemporary, flowing and fluid language. That is the greatness of Goldberg. She draws her characters with such precision it feels like you can actually touch them." Women's World
"A brilliant bestseller: witty love story, full of humor and sensuality." Lily Pery, #1 literary editor
"Sharp dialogue and clever metaphors... A tight and elegant plot... A huge bestseller!" Yediot Achronot - largest newspaper in Israel
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR and ILLUSTRATOR:
Kathryn Nixon was born in the small town of Rockingham, NC. She grew up involved in many sports including cheerleading, cross country and dance. After graduating high school, she attended Peace College and North Carolina State University where she received her BA with a major in communications and a minor in journalism. She went on to work as an associate producer for ESPN.
She met Trot Nixon when one of the coaches who recruited him to play baseball at NC State introduced them. They were married, and he was drafted by the Red Sox, where he became a 2004 World Series champion. While her husband was playing ball, Kathryn collaborated with the other wives on two children’s books: Fenway Park from A to Z and Fenway Park 1 2 3.
Her greatest desire is to touch the lives of children with the knowledge and experience of Christ’s love. Her passion is to gather children into the kingdom of God by planting His word in their hearts at an early age. Nixon and her husband, Trot, reside in Wilmington, NC, with their two sons, Chase and Luke.
Ana Boudreau was born in Williamsburg, VA, and grew up with the dream of being an artist and an illustrator. Her grandmother was a professional artist, and she passed down all of her supplies to her granddaughter. She was also involved in cheerleading and gymnastics as a girl, helping her further connect to the Spirit in Sports series.
Boudreau attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated with a BA in English literature. She met Kathryn Nixon when she was commissioned to paint murals in the preschool department of Nixon’s church. They struck up a friendship and began meeting to plan a series of books that would attract young children involved in sports. Boudreau treasured the opportunity to co-author children’s books that had the power to instill God’s values in the day-to-day lives of families, including her own.
Boudreau is an artist, muralist and an art teacher at Myrtle Grove Christian School. She has illustrated both The Spirit in Baseball and The Spirit in Football, along with a third book, How Bernie Madoff Saved My Life by Valorie Stackpole. She is married to Mark Boudreau, and they are blessed with three wonderfully athletic girls—Lauren is a cheerleader, Julia is a skater and Katherine is a tennis player. She and her family reside in Wilmington, NC.
Sometimes, when we think about little league sports, the first thing that comes to mind are pushy coaches and over-competitive parents. However, there are many positive character qualities that children can develop while playing team sports. Kathryn Nixon and Ana Boudreau help to instill these virtues in their two books, The Spirit in Baseball and The Spirit in Football. Their books are based on the fruits of the Spirit as seen in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
The Spirit in Baseball applies the fruits of the Spirit to each aspect of playing the game of baseball, such as:
I LOVE my teammates. They are my friends. We spend a lot of time in the dugout together!
I am PATIENT and happy to wait until it is my turn to bat.
I do my best to be GOOD to others. I congratulate the other team if they win the game.
Each of the fruits is introduced by a Scripture verse, followed by the application. The colorful illustrations will draw in young readers, and a tiny fruit has been hidden on every page for the children to seek out. The book also includes words of encouragement from Kathryn’s husband, Trot Nixon, a 2004 Boston Red Sox World Series champion. The Spanish translation, El Espiritu en Beisbol, is also available.
The Spirit in Football focuses on the same virtues and format, but applies the fruits of the Spirit to football. Some examples include:
The fans cheered with excitement and JOY as our team scored the first touchdown of the game.
If we are upset about a penalty, instead of acting out in anger, God calls us to react with GENTLENESS and respect.
We must show SELF-CONTROL by not losing our temper when we are tackled aggressively by the other team.
The Spirit in Football includes a forward by Matt Hasselbeck, NFL quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, encouraging children that “drive and competitiveness should never come before obeying the rules and being a good sport.”
Both books are great gifts for little league teams or any child who participates in sports. The books include a page for autographs, so parents can buy a copy for every team member and the children can sign each other’s books as a keepsake for years to come. The Spirit in Baseball and The Spirit in Football provide a practical way for any parent or coach to apply the fruits of the Spirit in the everyday lives of their children.
Product Details:
The Spirit in Baseball:
List Price: $10.00
Hardcover
Publisher: Cross Training Publishing (2008)
ISBN-10: 1450776256
ISBN-13: 978-1450776257
The Spirit in Football:
List Price: $10.00
Hardcover
Publisher: The Spirit in Sports (2010)
ISBN-10: 0615386695
ISBN-13: 978-0615386690
AND NOW...THE FIRST FEW PAGES (Click on images to see them better):
