Week 8 of the Ivy and Bean Blog-A-Bration!

It’s week eight of the Ivy + Bean Blog-A-Bration and we’re giving away a paperback copy of book eight in the series, Ivy and Bean No News Is Good News. And like last week, we’re also giving away 3 sets of Ivy and Bean Mini Notes. And we’re finally ready to reveal the Super Secret Really Cool Prize that will be part of the Ivy and Bean Prize Pack:

Welcome to the “Hotel Transylvania”

The Hotel Transylvania is an oasis of sorts. Founded by Dracula himself, it’s a resort where monsters can lose their cares and have fun among people who love them; instead of among people who’d stalk them with pitchforks and torches. It’s the first feature directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, a television stalwart whose credits include Dexter’s Laboratory and The Powerpuff Girls.

Beautiful Dreamer: Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty”

Disney’s Sixteenth Animated Feature — 1959
Sleeping Beauty, or rather Princess Aurora (or maybe you know her as Briar Rose) has been given new life as one of the Disney Princesses (trademark symbol most definitely here). She’s the princess with long blonde hair and pink dress. My daughter has a Disney Princess snow shovel with her picture on it. That’s one broad product line. Why three names? The character is born and named Princess Aurora in the Disney film, based on a 17th century story La Belle au bois dormant, (The beauty asleep in the wood) by Charles Perrault, later interpreted as Little Briar Rose by the brothers Grimm. Disney uses “Briar Rose” as her alias when she goes into protective hiding as a peasant girl.

Ivy and Bean Blog-A-Bration Week Seven? Heaven!

It’s week seven of the Ivy + Bean Blog-A-Bration and we’re giving away a paperback copy of book seven in the series, Ivy and Bean What’s the Big Idea. And like last week, we’re also giving away 3 sets of Ivy and Bean Mini Notes. AND during week 9, a Grand Prize Winner will be chosen from all of the previous winners to receive:

We're Part of the Hello Fall Cash Giveaway!

Welcome to Hello Fall $1000 Cash Giveaway

Happy Home and Family and Jenn’s Blah Blah Blog together with the most amazing group of bloggers are bringing you once again another FABULOUS event where one very lucky reader will win $1000 cold hard cash!

Books We Love: “The Templeton Twins Have an Idea” by Ellis Weiner

Book Review and Author Interview
When I was a kid, I loved vintage Bugs Bunny cartoons, mostly because Bugs was sarcastic in what seemed like a grown-up way. As I read The Templeton Twins Have an Idea, Ellis Weiner’s first children’s book in a series for Chronicle Books, I was transported back to my own childhood, laughing out loud at Weiner’s clever send-ups of … well, everything. My husband kept asking what I was laughing at. I found myself reading aloud to him—a lot. Your delighted kids will read aloud to you, too.

Book Her, Gail! Dealing With My Own Reluctant “Reader”

This is one of those good news/bad news stories. The good news was that my four-year-old daughter Julia was developing an interest in all sorts of media: tv, movies, and apps. And whether the media was educational or entertainment, it was fun encouraging her to talk about the messages she got from the media she was beginning to really love. The bad news is that her interest in books nearly disappeared.