MDDR Presents: A Review of If you were me and lived in Russia by Carole P. Roman

Exploring the world has never easier—or more fun!—than with Carole P. Roman’s award-winning If You Were Me and Lived In… children’s series. Continuing its globetrotting tradition, If You Were Me and Lived in…Russia explores the magic and wonder of this captivating country. As children ages three to eight take a leisurely stroll around Russia, they will come across some of the country’s most recognizable sites, including the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and the Red Square. Learn about Russia’s yummy delicacies, like borscht and caviar, before playing popular Russian games like chess and “fipe”—a game children may know better as “tag”! Brimming with these and other fascinating facts, If You Were Me and Lived in…Russia is the perfect way to both entertain and educate your children about the great big world that exists outside their windows. From Russia’s festive New Year’s celebrations to popular Russian names, this charming addition to the If You Were Me and Lived in… family explains everything there is to know about one of the world’s most historic destinations. Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of the If You Were Me and Lived in… series, which won the Pinnacle Award for Best in Children’s Nonfiction in 2012. She collaborated on this installment in the series with her five-year-old grandson, Alexander. Roman also writes the Captain No Beard series, the first of which was named a Kirkus Best of 2012, received a Star of Remarkable Merit, and won the Pinnacle Award in 2012.

Our Review

If you were me and lived in Russia by Carole P. Roman
My rating: 4 of 5 Moons

Lily says:

This book is about Russia and all the things to do and see!

Once again the pictures are amazing and my favourite picture was the one where they were talking about Moscow.

My favourite part in the book was when they were playing Hide & Seek tag in the park but they called it Fipe.

I learned that they go to a school called shkola and they eat lots of weird food that I can't pronounce and they play hockey but they call it Xoken.

I think that lots of people would read this book, its a great story and Carole P. Roman is an awesome and informative writer.

Mom Says:

This book was really hard to read as the Russian words were really hard to pronounce even with the helping hints...lol...it was still a great book though and we loved learning about Russia.

My daughter and I really love Carole's If you were me books! we are forever going on another adventure to another place and can't wait to read another!

make sure to get these books for your kids today!

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MDDR Presents: A Review of If You Were Me and Lived In India by Carole P. Roman

Let's travel to India! Land of bright colors and delicious spices, If You Were Me and Lived in...India, takes young readers on a road trip to learn about this interesting place. Children will learn how to say mommy and daddy, what type of currency is used, games that youngsters play and a lot of interesting facts about the beautiful land of India. If You Were Me and Lived in...India adds this ethnically diverse country to the growing, award winning series that is out to cover the entire globe, teaching children about culture and customs all over the world. The ForeWord Review, Clarion Review gave "If You Were Me and Lived in...Kenya" a coveted five star ranking. The first book in the series, If You Were Me and Lived in...Mexico" received the Pinnacle Award for Best in Children's Nonfiction 2012.

Our Review

If You Were Me and Lived In India by Carole P. Roman
My rating: 5 of 5 Moons

Lily says:

This book is about India and all the things to do and see!

Once again the pictures are amazing and my favourite is the one where they are celebrating Holi! It's beautiful and colourful and the celebration sounds wonderful.

My favourite part in the book was when they told you all the names because they were hard to pronounce but creative.

I learned that they play cricket and their school is called pathshala, that the Taj Mahal is there and that it's where they make the Bollywood films.

I think that lots of people would read this book, its a great story and Carole P. Roman is an awesome and informative writer.

Mom says:

This books was so interesting! India is a interesting place! I couldn't believe that they had such an interesting culture!

Carole P. Roman surprises me again and again every time with these amazing books! I can't wait to see what adventure we get to go on next!

View all my reviews

MDDR Presents: A Review of If You Were Me and Lived In Australia by Carole P. Roman

BETHPAGE, N.Y. - Former social studies teacher Carole P. Roman has penned a new addition in her exiting explorations of foreign cultures and customs with "If You Were Me and Lived in ... Australia". In her years as a teacher, parent and grandparent, Roman noticed that there were few, if any, books about other cultures for young children. Roman has remedied the deficit and now introduces the new Australia installment in a series that educates kids, parents and teachers, alike. Roman recognizes that children love to discover the differences and similarities of other people and places in far-off lands. In this series, she describes details that kids can relate to. Tailored to children from 3-to-8-years old, her writing is simple but does not talk down to youngsters. Among the topics that are introduced in this journey to Australia are the unusual indigenous animals, the extraordinary Great Barrier Reef, the currency, the beloved game of cricket and the national holiday, Australia Day, as well as the special nicknames people have for one another and the curious taste sensation, Vegemite. "This series is just enough facts to begin a discussion without overwhelming the child and can be expanded or contracted to fit the age group," Roman explains. "Carole P. Roman has created a marvelous premise for her series of educational children's books: young readers are given the opportunity to realistically envision a foreign country without leaving their homes, libraries, or classrooms....Roman's formula allows for so much lovely variety in each book of this series that it hardly seems like a formula at all...If You Were Me and Lived in ...Kenya is a short, vibrant picture book, brightly illustrated in cartoon style. The text is scant, appropriate, and does not deviate from the central theme." ForeWord Reviews Clarion Review

Our Review

If You Were Me and Lived In Australia by Carole P. Roman
My rating: 5 of 5 Moons

Lily says:

This book is about Australia and all the things to do and see!

Once again the pictures are amazing and my favourite is the one of the coral reefs and the deep blue sea. I also loved the beautiful forest green pages and all of the amazing colours.

My favourite part was when they told you about the foods in Australia. It was my favourite part because the foods are a little weird and funny.

I learned how they have summer in January and how they learn in school about all the different cultures and the people native to Australia have been there for 40 thousand years and Australia was isolated until the 1700's when the Europeans arrived.

I think that lots of people would read this book, its a great story and Carole P. Roman is an awesome and informative writer.

Mom Says:

I really enjoy reading these books with my daughter, Carole P. Roman is a genius when it comes to writing and really knows what children what to know when it comes to the different cultures and countries.

I have always wanted to visit Australia and I feel a little like I have by reading this book with my daughter we loved our little trip and can't wait to read more! Carole's books are amazing!

View all my reviews

About The Author

Award winning author Carole P. Roman is a former teacher turned businesswoman. She has successfully run a family business with her husband that employs close to five hundred people. Her most favorite job is being grandmother to her many grandchildren. Roman has two wonderful sons and hit the jackpot in the daughter-in-law department. She currently lives on Long Island with her husband.

Her first book, Captain No Beard - An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate's Life has been named to Kirkus Reviews' Best of 2012 as well garnered the star of remarkable merit. It was named in the Pinnacle Award for Best in Children's Fiction 2012. Captain No Beard has developed in a series of 6 more books. She is the author of the best selling book, I Want To Do Yoga Too. Currently, she is working on her educational series that explores different cultures from a child's point of view. If You Were Me and Lived in...Mexico, received the Pinnacle Award for Best in Children's non-fiction 2012. If You Were Me and Lived in...Kenya received 5 Stars from the ForeWord Clarion Review. She just completed Russia with the help of her five year old grandson and loved every minute of it.

MDDR Presents: A Review of Spartan And The Green Egg: The Reefs Of Mindoro Island by Nabila Khashoggi

With a friendly alien spaceship called Egg always close by, Spartan, his three friends, and his dog, Grimm, continue their adventures traveling the Universe.

In Book 2, The Reefs of Mindoro Island, the team of explorers goes to the South China Sea and visits the beautiful isle of Mindoro. It is the seventh-largest island in the Philippine archipelago where thousands of miles of precious coral reefs, abundant with wildlife, are in danger. Spartan and his friends face a challenging mission; to stop some reckless and avaricious fishermen from blowing up the very fragile coral reefs with explosives. They befriend a brave young girl from the traditional Iraya Mangyan tribe, and are presented with an obstacle: in order to save paradise, they must take a huge risk

Our Review

Spartan And The Green Egg: The Reefs Of Mindoro Island by Nabila Khashoggi
My rating: 5 of 5 Moons

lily says:

This book is about Spartan and the gang on there next big adventure to the Philippines to save the coral reef. Along the way they meet interesting people and learn amazing facts.

Once again the pictures were amazing and my favourite picture was the one where they were all holding hands to signal the Egg.

My favourite part was when they met Maliit because I liked her personality and I really like her buffalo.

The book made me feel happy and adventurous because there's nothing better than a green egg adventure! but it also made me feel a little sad for the reefs and fishes. :(

I learned a lot of stuff in this book especially about how to save the coral reefs but I also learned that nature can even be harmful to itself and we must all care for it.

I think that lots of people would read this book, its a great story and Nabila Khashoggi is an awesome and creative writer.

Mom Says:

Nabila Khashoggi adventure books are a marvel! my daughter and I love to read them over and over again! we can't get enough! the adventure and the illustrations are amazing and incredible! each story is filled with a wonderful and amazing message for all people of all ages and things that are learned inside are so important!

I was blown away when lily and I read Nabila's first Green Egg adventure and I have to say after reading this second one I am floored! I couldn't love a children's book more then we do these ones! there is nothing more important to our future generations then to teach them about the importance of keeping our earth and its animals safe.

Keep up the amzing work Nabila! we can't wait for your next adventure!

make sure to get your copy of Nabila's Green Egg Adventure books for your children today!

View all my reviews

About the Author 

Mother, author, and actress Nabila Khashoggi balances multiple activities, from securing financing for entertainment and industrial projects, to running Nabila K, the luxury beauty and home ambiance line.

When her eldest son Spartan was a toddler, she told him stories about a boy called Spartan who travels the universe in a live green egg (that happens to be an alien from another planet). The idea of a children’s comic book series was born and Spartan & the Green Egg, Book 1: A Trip to the Rainforest, the first in a series of ten books, was created.
 

Her intention was to introduce kids to environmental and cultural issues around the world, in a fun and entertaining way.

MDDR & ST Presents: A Review of The Seed & Other Fairy Tales By Joseph Hillenbrand

The Seed & Other Fairy Tales

By Joseph Hillenbrand

Genre: Short Stories, Fiction, Fairy Tales

Book synopsis

How do you measure yourself? By family, friends, enemies? By what you fight for? Or what you fight against? Follow the tales of those struggling to find an identity of their own. A little girl with a ghost as a best friend. A woman who hates wishes. A man lost in the secret kingdom of frog people. A girl at war with her god. And a pair of soldiers on a deadly mission of peace. The seeds have been sown. The storm is coming. Who will grow and who will drown?

Our Review

The Seed & Other Fairy Tales by Joseph Hillenbrand
My rating: 4 of 5 moons

Mom says:

this was a interesting collection of stories. Joseph Hillenbrand is a creative and kooky writer and I very much enjoyed reading this book with my 10 year old daughter. Most probably wouldn't read some of these tales to their children but we have a fascination with the dark and unusual, I think it makes for a more interesting and creative story.

my favourite of the stories was the Seed it was an amazing story and Joseph did an incredible job on it. There were some stories that made us laugh and many we could see play out in our head as they progressed.

Lily and I read the shorter stories together and I read the long ones myself then told her the story. I wanted to see how the different telling of the stories would interest her, would she be more interested and captivated because it was a word of mouth story or if she liked reading the story together more. I don't think it made much of a difference she was as much captivated by the Seed Story as I told it to her as she was when we read Two and One. We did have a grand time reading it though and for some time will be telling others of the adventures we had.

Lily Says:

My favourite story was the Seed story but I also like the Unwished story because the animals could grant her all the wishes. The Seed story was the best because if it wasn't for Rhea, Caroline wouldn't have defeated Hermione.

Although there wasn't really any difference between reading the story or telling it, I liked the reading because my imagination can be so much broader.

I also think the funniest story was Two and One because I thought it was funny how they got the sausages stuck to their noses.

I think Joseph Hillenbrand is a creative and talented writer who's dark and hilarious stories should be read far and wide.


View all my reviews

Author Bio

I was born, raised and still live in the outskirts of Chicago. Every few years a move a little further west. Slowly inching my way to California. I love the big sky, the vast plains, the harvest moons of the Midwest.

I grew up reading comic books and playing G.I. Joe. Watching wrestling and listening to Led Zeppelin. I drew, I wrote, I strummed. I learned Stone Temple Pilots and I read Beckett. I grew and I withered.

I have spent the majority of my time in software - from support to development to management. And with my first book out now, I'm trying to get back to my roots: telling stories.

Social Media Links:

Website: www.undertowstories.com
Blog: www.undertowstories.com/wordpress
Twitter: Xtapalapaquetl (twitter.com/xtapalapaquetl)

Purchase:

•  Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Seed-ebook/dp/B007OBXRNA/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335481825&sr=1-5

•  Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-seed-other-fairy-tales-hillenbrand-joseph/1119448186?ean=9780615885803

•  Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-seed-other-fairy-tales

Also available from the iTunes store

MDDR Presents: A Spotlight on Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new young adult series of adventure mystery stories by Iain Reading. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations.
After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales, Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada. As the plot continues to unfold, this spirited story will have readers anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon.

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is a perfect book to fire the imagination of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn and experience more for themselves.

There are currently three books in the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series available for sale on Amazon:

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold: http://www.amazon.com/Kitty-Flying-Detective-Agency-Series-ebook/dp/B00AGY6WWK/

Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway's Ghost: http://www.amazon.com/Hemingways-Flying-Detective-Agency-Series-ebook/dp/B00F4A6WXA/

Kitty Hawk and the Icelandic Intrigue: http://www.amazon.com/Icelandic-Intrigue-Flying-Detective-Agency-ebook/dp/B00CGS8862/

Excerpt

Prologue

Back Where The Entire Adventure Began
As soon as the engine began to sputter, I knew that I was in real trouble. Up until then, I had somehow managed to convince myself that there was just something wrong with the fuel gauges. After all, how could I possibly have burnt through my remaining fuel as quickly as the gauges seemed to indicate? It simply wasn't possible. But with the engine choking and gasping, clinging to life on the last fumes of aviation fuel, it was clear that when the fuel gauges read, "Empty," they weren't kidding around.
The lightning strike that took out my radio and direction-finding gear hadn't worried me all that much. (Okay, I admit it worried me a little bit.) It wasn't the first time that this had happened to me, and besides, I still had my compasses to direct me to where I was going. But I did get a little bit concerned when I found nothing but open ocean as far my eyes could see at precisely the location where I fully expected to find tiny Howland Island—and its supply of fuel for the next leg of my journey—waiting for me. The rapidly descending needles on my fuel gauges made me even more nervous as I continued to scout for the island, but only when the engine began to die did I realize that I really had a serious problem on my hands.
The mystery of the disappearing fuel.
The enigma of the missing island.
The conundrum of what do I do now?
"Exactly," the little voice inside my head said to me in one of those annoying 'I-told-you-so' kind of voices. "What do you do now?"
"First, I am going to stay calm," I replied. "And think this through."
"You'd better think fast," the little voice said, and I could almost hear it tapping on the face of a tiny wristwatch somewhere up there in my psyche. "If you want to make it to your twentieth birthday, that is. Don't forget that you're almost out of fuel."
"Thanks a lot," I replied. "You're a big help."
Easing forward with the control wheel I pushed my trusty De Havilland Beaver into a nosedive. Residual fuel from the custom-made fuel tanks at the back of the passenger cabin dutifully followed the laws of gravity and spilled forward, accumulating at the front and allowing the fuel pumps to transfer the last remaining drops of fuel into the main forward belly tank. This maneuver breathed life back into the engine and bought me a few more precious minutes to ponder my situation.
"Mayday, mayday, mayday," I said, keying my radio transmitter as I leveled my flight path out again. "This is aircraft Charlie Foxtrot Kilo Tango Yankee, calling any ground station or vessel hearing this message, over."
I keyed the mic off and listened intently for a reply. Any reply. Please? But there was nothing. There was barely even static. My radio was definitely fried.
It was hard to believe that it would all come down to this. After the months of preparation and training. After all the adventures that I'd had, the friends I'd made, the beauty I'd experienced, the differences and similarities I'd discovered from one culture to the next and from one human being to the next. All of this in the course of my epic flight around the entire world.
Or I should say, "my epic flight almost around the entire world," in light of my current situation.
And the irony of it was absolutely incredible. Three-quarters of a century earlier the most famous female pilot of them all had disappeared over this exact same endless patch of Pacific Ocean on her own quest to circle the globe. And she had disappeared while searching for precisely the same island that was also eluding me as I scanned the horizon with increasing desperation.
"Okay," I thought to myself. "Just be cool and take this one step at a time to think the situation through." I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing, slowing it down and reining in the impulse to panic. Inside my head, I quickly and methodically replayed every flight that I'd ever flown. Every emergency I'd ever faced. Every grain of experience that I had accumulated
along the long road that had led me to this very moment. Somewhere in there was a detail that was the solution to my current predicament. I was sure of it. And all I had to do was find it.
Maybe the answer to my current situation lay somewhere among the ancient temples of Angkor in Cambodia? Or in the steamy jungles of east Africa? Or inside the towering pyramids of Giza? Or among the soaring minarets of Sarajevo? Or on the emerald rolling hills and cliffs of western Ireland? Or on the harsh and rocky lava fields of Iceland?
Wherever the answer was, it was going to have to materialize quickly, or another female pilot (me) would run the risk of being as well-known throughout the world as Amelia Earhart. And for exactly the same reason.
"It's been a good run at least," the little voice inside my head observed, turning oddly philosophical as the fuel supplies ran critically low. "You've had more experiences on this journey around the world than some people do in their entire lifetime."
"That's it!" I thought.
Maybe the answer to all this lies even further back in time? All the way back to the summer that had inspired me to undertake this epic journey in the first place. All the way back to where North America meets the Pacific Ocean—the islands and glaciers and whales of Alaska.
All the way back to where this entire adventure began.

About Iain Reading

Iain Reading is passionate about Root Beer, music, and writing. He is Canadian, but currently resides in the Netherlands working for the United Nations. Iain is currently working on the fourth book in the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series, which will be released in 2014. For more information, go to http://www.kittyhawkworld.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kittyhawkworld

MDDR Presents: Win a Signed Copy of Terry S. Bradley's How Bee;s Came to Make Chilli!

Join Lily and I in this amazing and beautiful giveaway of Terry S. Bradley's Signed Book How Bee's Came to Make Chilli!



This was The first book Lily and I reviewed and Interviewed her on MDDR and we couldn't have picked a better book! Terry is a wonderful author who's story brings joy, laughter and bright colour into the lives of those that read it! 

To see our review and interview with Terry click HERE

don't miss out on your chance to win this copy!

Giveaway

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MDDR Presents: A Review of If you were me and lived in... Mexico: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World: 1 by Carole P. Roman

If you were me and lived in... Mexico: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World: 1 by Carole P. Roman
My rating: 5 of 5 Moons

Lily says:

This book is all about life in Mexico! and also tells you about lots of things you can do there.

My favourite picture is the last one with all the people around the world holding hands. I like it because it shows that we should all take very good care of the world and each other.

My favourite part is when they tell all about the art palace because I am really into art.

This book made me feel vary intrigued because of all the things you learn about Mexico and how many things you can do.

I learned that you can also call the Art Palace ``Palacio de Bellas Artes`` and the Mayan Temple has 365 stairs, one for every day of the year and so much more.

I think lots of people would like this story because it is very interesting and full of fun facts.`

Mom Says:

what a wonderfully interesting Book! I really enjoyed this one and so did Lily! Carole P. Roman has done it again and intrigued us all with this wonderful tale all about Mexico and all the wonderful things to do there. These are such educational and inspiring tales that make kids want to read them again and again. Thanks so much Carole! we so love these stories!

View all my reviews

MDDR Presents: A Review of If you were me and lived in ... France: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World by Carole P. Roman

If you were me and lived in... France: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World by Carole P. Roman
My rating: 5 of 5 Moons

Lily says:

This book is all about France and all of the things you can do there.

I really liked the pictures in this book my favourite one was the one where the kids are standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. I like it because I really like nature and there's lots of trees and a beautiful sky and the colours are very nice.

My favourite part was how they told you all about the Eiffel Tower and when it was built and who built it.

The book made me feel interested because it told about all the cool things in France and it made me want to go there.

I learned that France is in western Europe and it is called the city of light and so much more.

I think lots of people would like this story because it is very interesting and full of fun facts.

Mom says:

I really enjoyed reading this story with my daughter. It was fun and educational, the pictures where fascinating as were all the interesting facts. Carole P. Roman is a wonderful writer who brings fun and fantastic wonder to her stories and to the children she writes for. My daughter couldn`t get enough of her stories and we can`t wait to read more!

View all my reviews

MDDR Presents: A Review of I Want to Do Yoga Too by Carole P. Roman

I Want to Do Yoga Too by Carole P. Roman
My rating: 4 of 5 Moons

Lily says:

This book is about a little girl named Hallie who wanted to do yoga with her mom but instead she learned her own yoga from Robin.

I really liked the book but the type of pictures in the book weren't really my type. I would have coloured them more and updated them some as they look like old comic book pictures.

My favourite part was at the end when Hallie's mom came to pick her up and saw how happy she was doing yoga.

I learned that sometimes if you want to do something with someone and they cant there may be someone out there who can.

I think lots of little kids would like this book, it's a very interesting story.

Mom says:

I really enjoyed reading this with lily. The story was short and sweet and had a lot of character. I liked the old fashioned drawings and the family feel and warmth to the book. Carole P. Roman is a wonderful writer and knows just what brings families together for story times and for family times. I can`t wait to read more of her stories.

View all my reviews

MDDR & WW4BB Pesents: A special Giveaway of How Bees Came to Make Chilli by Terry S. Bradley

Please Everyone Join Lily and I in a special Giveaway of a signed copy of our very first review book How Bees Came to Make Chilli by Terry S. Bradley starting this Saturday on MDDR!