Review: What's Wrong With My Kid? by George E. Leary Jr.

A must-read for parents.

Even though I do not usually review parenting books like this on my blog, I felt the need to talk about this one.  Full disclosure time, folks.  I helped work on the PR campaign for this book.  Still, even outside of media contacts and radio talk show hosts, I found myself talking about this book a lot and realized it was something I wanted to share here.  So, forgive me for mixing my professional life with my blogging life - it was only a matter of time.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY KID? is a handbook for parents of kids entering into those dreaded teen years.  Prepare yourself early.

My children are still little, so I'm hoping that I don't need any of the information in this book for a long time.  In fact, I hope I never need it, which is probably why so many parents miss the warning signs.  Author George E. Leary Jr missed the warning signs once, and has made it his life's mission to help parents see their worst fears, and takes them step-by-step on what to do next.

I have good news and I have bad news.  The bad news first:  The statistics on teens abusing drugs and alcohol are getting worse.  The good news is, studies show that kids who have the tough talks with their parents about drugs and alcohol are SIGNIFICANTLY less likely to use these substances than the kids that don't. 

I'm not a betting girl, but if there is any way I can help tip the odds in my kid's favor, I'm going for it.  Tough talk?  Easy compared to calling your 15 year old at rehab.  Oh, you don't know what to say?  You're not sure what drugs "the kids" are using these days?  It's in the book.

Leary pulls no punches, and takes no chances.  He gives parents the facts, gives it to us straight, and gives us all a kick in the pants we need to have those tough talks with our kids. 

Here is the thing I was most impressed with - this book is highly readable. It doesn't read like a high school science textbook, like some other addiction/recovery books I've seen.  Leary understands that his readers are the parents of teens, who not only want knowledge, they want it fast, before trouble begins...or gets worse.

Well done, Mr. Leary.

Book Extras:
Parenting Addicts Website, Twitter, Facebook
TLC Book Tour Page for What's Wrong With My Kid?
Hazelden Website

About the Book:

Paperback: 288 pages

Publisher: Hazelden (May 15, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1616491191

ISBN-13: 978-1616491192

About the Author:
George E. Leary Jr., M.A. was a youth counselor, surrounded by kids all day, and yet he failed to see that his own child was using and abusing drugs. Denial, fear, grief—Leary experienced these emotions firsthand and he has since made it his purpose in life to work with addicts and educate parents on how to help their kids.
George E. Leary Jr., M.A., provides mental health services to addicts and those living with HIV/AIDS. He established and operated two recovery houses in Baltimore, Maryland, and served for nine years on a mobile crisis intervention team.

Disclosure:  I have worked directly on the publicity campaign for this book.

Giveaway!

Hear Ye!  Hear Ye!

We have something a little different today!

My friends over at Walden Pond Press have generously allowed me to giveaway an AUDIO download as well as a HARDCOVER copy of the hilarious adventure:

THE HERO'S GUIDE TO SAVING YOUR KINGDOM

 by Christopher Healy

Audio books are becoming more and more popular with adults AND with kids too!

Does your middle grade reader have a road trip coming up this summer? 

Has s/he ever tried listening to an audio book on his iPod before bed?

This is a great opportunity to test the audio waters with your middle grade reader!

 

Below is an audio excerpt for your listening pleasure:

To enter the contest, enter the form below:

(If you have trouble with the contest form above, I will also include comments with e-mail addresses below as entries.)

Blog Tour/Review: The Hero's Guide To Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy, ill by Todd Harris

Great fun!  I'm so happy to reviewing this book during Children's Book Week!

I could see the movie animation in my head as I read HERO'S GUIDE TO SAVING YOUR KINGDOM.  Funny, smart, action-packed, and engaging, I have a feeling this book is going to be a huge hit!

Synopsis: (from publisher)
Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You've never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change. Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Gustav stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. Now it's up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other assorted terrors, and become the heroes no one ever thought they could be.
Debut author Christopher Healy takes us on a journey with four imperfect princes and their four improbable princesses, all of whom are trying to become perfect heroes—a fast-paced, funny, and fresh introduction to a world where everything, even our classic fairy tales, is not at all what it seems.

Christopher Healy does an amazing job creating this world, and the characters in it, right down to the plumage on their hats and the weapons in their belts.  The images he creates are so vivid, kids will find themselves swept up in this crazy adventure. 

I loved this motley crew of princes, flaws and all!  It's like Band of Brothers for the middle grade set.  Their flaws become their assets as they work together to save their respective kingdoms from the evil witch Zabuera.  Only, it's not as easy as the fairy tales make it seem!  They have some (several) hiccoughs on their path toward heroism, and find themselves in unlikely (hilarious) predicaments. 

Don't throw stones at me for generalizing, but the girls have had their fair share of princess stories, princess movies, princess costumes - you get the idea.  Do you have a boy that loves to read adventure stories?  This one's for them!  Ever since HERO'S GUIDE came into my house, I've had to hide it from my 9 year old.  (Hands Off my book, kid!) I think he's expecting an anti-princess story, instead of a pro-princes story, but I think he's going to enjoy it all the same.

The guys don't have ALL the fun, though.  Girl readers will be happy to know that there is at least one very strong female amongst the cast of characters.  Not all princesses are interested in tea parties and croquet - they have adventures all their own!  (The mom in me is also happy to see strong female characters in "boy books").

Unfortunately, the advanced readers' copy I read did not include many of the wonderful illustrations by Todd. Stop by one of the other blogs, or go to the Walden Pond Press website for a peek at them!

Already one of my favorite Middle Grade books for 2012, THE HERO'S GUIDE TO SAVING YOUR KINGDOM is a must-read! 


PS  Author Christopher Healy is from New Jersey!!!!

Book Extras:
Christopher Healy website, Twitter, Facebook
Harper Collins Book page
Author on Tour: Here and Here
Sample the AUDIO
Official BLOG TOUR page
About the Book:

Reading level: Ages 8 and up

Hardcover: 448 pages 

Publisher: Walden Pond Press (May 1, 2012) 

Language: English 

ISBN-10: 0062117432 

ISBN-13: 978-0062117434

About the Author: (from publisher)
Christopher Healy spent years reviewing children's books and media online and in print before setting off to write The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, his first children's book. He lives with his wife and their two children in New Jersey.



*Disclosure:  A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher



Shop Indie Bookstores

Blog Tour: Alissa Grosso - THE OTHER NJ

I am pleased to welcome author Alissa Grosso to Alison's Book Marks, her fourth stop on her Blog Tour Road Trip to promote her new book FEROCITY SUMMER, which is now out in the world. Don't forget to read to the end of this post to find out how you can enter yourself in a drawing for your very own summer survival pack which includes a signed copy of FEROCITY SUMMER.

Take it away, Alissa!

"The Other New Jersey"

Ferocity Summer is set in New Jersey. Let's face it, just reading that sentence brings up certain images. New Jersey has something a reputation. Whether it's Jersey Shore, The Sopranos, those crazy housewives or perhaps your own trips on the dreaded Jersey Turnpike you probably have a pretty clear idea of what the Garden State looks like.

Ferocity Summer's not set there. What few outside of New Jersey know is that large parts of the state are free of tract homes, oil refineries and that notorious Jersey accent. Ferocity Summer is set in the very real Byram Township, in Sussex County. To be honest, Byram does have a few tract homes, but mostly what it has are trees and lakes.

According to the US Census, New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the union, a fact which is hard to believe when you visit some of the more remote parts of the state , the parts where cows outnumber people or the parts of the state where you can drive for miles and miles without ever coming across a gas station, though when you do eventually coast into gas station on fumes an attendant will be there to pump your gas for you. There is no self service in New Jersey.

Of course, probably New Jersey's best feature is its diversity. I'm not talking about all the different cultures represented in the state (when I was in college our campus, Rutgers Newark, was ranked as the most ethnically diverse campus in the nation) though, admittedly, that's cool too. I'm talking about all the different environments you can find in such a relatively small area. Whether it's all the lakes referenced in Ferocity Summer, traditional suburbia, urban areas, farm land, horse country or the shore, the state has a little bit of everything. You can get a glimpse of that in Ferocity Summer or you can get a first hand look at it on your next road trip - provided you're willing to take a back roads detour or two.

AMEN, SISTER!  Alissa is from a beautiful part of New Jersey, very close to the town where I now live.  I am a Jersey girl, you all know that, but before I met my husband 19 years ago, I did not know this part of the state existed.  I used to get twitchy when I couldn't see the NYC skyline. These days, it's rare I see an airplane in the sky, and when I do it's a biplane circling a hot air balloon. Trust me when I tell you, there is a reason New Jersey is called the Garden State, and my town is proof. 

Even though this is the FEROCITY SUMMER ROAD TRIP TOUR, and blog hosts were asked to share our road trip experiences, I want to share some of my favorite pictures from our home, Alissa's and mine, "THE OTHER NEW JERSEY." 


Taken from my driveway on 5/6/12

View from a high point in town.  No oil refineries! No highway! No shopping mall!



Alas, not my pond, but so peaceful!

So, even though there are great parts of the state that share some land with the Garden State Parkway, and the best Italian bread you'll ever find, there are also very rural parts of New Jersey...the "Other New Jersey" that Alissa and I are so proud of.  If this is the part of NJ that FEROCITY SUMMER readers will experience, we're all in for a treat!

Don't forget to visit the Giveaway Link below, author Alissa Grosso's website, and check out the FEROCITY SUMMER trailer!

Many thanks to Alissa Grosso for coming to Alison's Book Marks today.  My apologies for the technical difficulties - but I just had to make that hot air balloon shot work! 

 

Extras:

Giveaway Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/NmY3ZDlmMDk
Alissa Grosso website: http://alissagrosso.com
Ferocity Summer Trailer: http://youtu.be/kDH2FS7g05Y

About the Book:

Reading level: Ages 12 and up

Paperback: 288 pages

Publisher: Flux; Original edition (May 8, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 073873070X

ISBN-13: 978-0738730707

Review: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Don't miss this one.

Halloween is Auggie's favorite holiday, because he can wear a mask.  August Pullman, or Auggie to his family and friends, is an ordinary kid in most ways.  He was born with facial deformities, and despite countless surgeries, he still looks different on the outside.  On the inside, where few people are allowed, he is funny and smart and so so brave. Auggie embarks on a journey much more scary than any surgery - the 5th grade. 

You will be hard-pressed to find any character as courageous as Auggie in children's literature this year.  RJ Palacio gifts her readers with a fast-paced, heart-wrenching, honest look at a great family who was dealt a great challenge. 

Told from different points of view, the reader not only gets to see inside Auggie's mind, but that of his sister, his friends, and even someone who sees his situation from afar.  The role of the sister really got to me (those of you who know me understand why this is so) and I applaud RJ Palacio for giving her such an honest voice.

One of the most powerful parts of the book was not how loudly the other kids made fun of Auggie, it was how QUIET they were.  It sucks to be called names, but it's even worse to be ignored.  The kids at school had a secret game called The Plague, which was compared to the Cheese Touch.  No one could touch Auggie without getting The Plague.  The thing is, all the kids thought he didn't know...how could he not?  This is bullying that no one sees coming.  It's hard to identify, and even harder to stop, but it hurts the worst.

WONDER has stuck with me since I read it, and there are so many scenes I could point to and gush all over, but I don't want to give anything away.  (The Precepts!!!)  Do yourself a favor - read the book, give it to a middle grader to read, and then talk about it. 

If your school has a summer reading Book Club for 9-12 year olds, this book gives you so much to discuss.



Book Extras:
Official Author Website


About the Book:

Reading level: Ages 8 and up

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (February 14, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0375869026

ISBN-13: 978-0375869020

About the Author: (from the author's website)

I live in NYC with my husband, two sons, and two dogs. For many years, I was an art director and book jacket designer, designing covers for countless well-known and not so well-known writers in every genre of fiction and nonfiction. I always wanted to write, though. I kept waiting for the perfect time in my life to start writing, but after more than twenty years of designing book jackets for other people, I realized that the perfect time would never really present itself. It's never the perfect time to start writing a book. So I decided to just go for it. Wonder is my first novel. And no, I didn't design the cover, but I sure do love it.

twitter: @rjpalacio
email: rjpalaciowebmail@gmail.com
blog: rjpalacio.tumblr.com

*Disclosure:  A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (YA)

Vampires are back!

Synopsis (from publisher)
In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.


Known for her Iron Fey series, Julie Kawaga takes a bite out of Vampire fiction...and draws blood!  Did I try to hard for a catch-phrase there?  Well, Julie deserves it.  

Julie Kagawa knows how to capture my attention, and keep it.  Her writing is fast-paced and exciting.  She finds a way to draw readers in, and become connected to her characters, while always keeping the action and movement flowing.

THE IMMORTAL RULES is a story of vampires in a dystopian world - something I have not seen before!  If anyone could mash together the two hottest genres in YA fiction, Julie Kagawa can, and she did it well.

It's the first in a series, and while it leaves us wanting for more, I feel like she did a great job in concluding this first piece of Allison's story. 

I can't get enough of The Iron Fey series...so this was a nice book to read while I wait for The Lost Prince.  For anyone who doesn't know Julie's work, go to your local library, find the K aisle, and read your little heart out! 


Book Extras:
Julie Kagawa website, Facebook, Twitter, blog
Harlequin Page
About the Book:

Hardcover: 512 pages

Publisher: Harlequin Teen (April 24, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0373210515

ISBN-13: 978-0373210510

*Disclosure:  A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

Children's Choice Book Awards!

Last night, the winners of the Children's Choice Book Awards were announced! 

 Congratulations to the winners! 

Bravo to the finalists, who are among my favorites!!

K-2nd Grade
Winner:  THREE HENS AND A PEACOCK by Lester L. Laminack, illustrated by Henry Cole (Peachtree)
Finalists: Bailey by Harry Bliss (Scholastic)
Dot by Patricia Intriago (Farrar, Straus and Giroux/Macmillan)
Pirates Don’t Take Baths by John Segal (Philomel/Penguin)
Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Scott Campbell (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster)

3rd - 4th Grade Winner: BAD KITTY MEETS THE BABY by Nick Bruel
Finalists: A Funeral in the Bathroom: And Other School Bathroom Poems by Kalli Dakos, illustrated by Mark Beech (Albert Whitman)
The Monstrous Book of Monsters by Libby Hamilton, illustrated by Jonny Duddle and Aleksei Bitskoff (Templar/Candlewick)
Sidekicks by Dan Santat (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic)
Squish #1: Super Amoeba by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Random House)

5th - 6th Grade Winner: OKAY FOR NOW by Gary D. Schmidt
Finalists: Bad Island by Doug TenNapel (GRAPHIX/Scholastic)
How to Survive Anything by Rachel Buchholz, illustrated by Chris Philpot (National Geographic)
Lost & Found by Shaun Tan (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic)
Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog by Garth Stein (HarperCollins)

Teen Choice Winner: CLOCKWORK PRINCE The Infernal Devices, Book Two by Cassandra Clare
Finalists: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (Little, Brown)
Divergent by Veronica Roth (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins)
Passion: A Fallen Novel by Lauren Kate (Delacorte/Random House)
Perfect by Ellen Hopkins (Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster)



Author of the Year: Jeff Kinney for Diary of A Wimpy Kid 6: Cabin Fever
Finalists: Christopher Paolini for Inheritance(Alfred A. Knopf/Random House)
James Patterson for Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life(Little, Brown)
Rick Riordan for The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus, Book 2) (Disney Hyperion)
Rachel Renée Russell for Dork Diaries 3: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster)

Illustrator of the Year: Brian Selznick for Wonderstruck Finalists: Felicia Bond for If You Give a Dog a Donut(Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins)
Eric Carle for The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse(Philomel/Penguin)
Anna Dewdney for Llama Llama Home With Mama(Viking/Penguin)
Victoria Kann for Silverlicious(HarperCollins)

Children's Book Apps

As a part of Children's Book Week, I could not go through the week without mentioning some of my favorite Children's book Apps.  Personally, I do not think that ANYTHING can replace an actual book in the hands of a child, but there is also room for Children's Book Apps.  If you're looking for something new to add to your iStuffs, check out these children's book apps:

 PAT THE BUNNY
Random House Digital $4.99

THE GOING TO BED BOOK by Sandra Boynton
(Loud Crow Interactive, $2.99)

FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED
(Oceanhouse Media, $2.99)

WHAT DOES MY TEDDY BEAR DO ALL DAY?
(Auren Inc., $4.99)

SIR CHARLIE STINKY SOCKS AND THE REALLY BIG ADVENTURE
(Egmont UK, $4.99)

BARTLEBY'S BOOK OF BUTTONS: VOL I
(Octopus Kite; $0.99; Age 4+)

ANGELINA BALLERINA: ANGELINA'S NEW BALLET TEACHER
(Callaway Digital Arts; $2.99)

THE CAT IN THE HAT (AND OTHER DR. SEUSS STORIES)
 (Oceanhouse Media, $1.99 to $3.99)

ANOTHER MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK (SESAME STREET)
(Sesame Workshop Apps, $3.99)

MISS SPIDER'S TEA PARTY by David Kirk
(Callaway Digital Arts, $7.99)**Free for limited time!

BATS! by Mary Kay Carson
(Story Worldwide, $0.99)

BE CONFIDENT IN WHO YOU ARE: MIDDLE SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL (GRAPHIC NOVEL)
(Electric Eggplant; $2.99)







SCHOLASTIC STORIA (free)
Created by the learning experts at Scholastic, Scholastic Storia is the FREE eReading app designed to help kids learn and love to read in a fun and interactive way. Scholastic Storia comes with 5 FREE eBooks, and introduces a growing collection of children’s digital picture, chapter, and interactive books. Download the Scholastic Storia app to access age-appropriate eBooks for children ages 3 to 14.

Scholastic Storia allows parents to set up individual bookshelves for each of their children, purchase new eBooks for their children to read, and track a child’s progress through each eBook. Children can customize their bookshelves and use a variety of features that help them read in an independent and engaged way.

COMES WITH 5 FREE eBOOKS
Download Scholastic Storia and instantly start a child reading! Explore all the features that the app has to offer. 

If you already participate in Scholastic Book Clubs, your Scholastic eBook purchases will earn your child’s teacher rewards that can be redeemed for more books and classroom supplies.

LAST MINUTE ADDITION: (downloaded it this morning! My kids are going to love it!!)

BRAIN QUEST
(Workman Publishing Group; FREE)

Children's Book Week 2012

Poster designed by David Weisner, the 2011 Illustrator of the Year!

HAPPY CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK!!

Children's Book Week is the national celebration of books and reading for youth.
Established in 1919, Children's Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in the country. Each year, books for young people and the joy of reading are feted for a full week with author and illustrator appearances, storytelling, parties, and other book-related events at schools, libraries, bookstores, museums, and homes from coast to coast!

Find a Children's Book Week EVENT near you!
Take a look at the Children's Book Award FINALISTS!

You all know how I feel about Children's books, so this week, my blog is going to be FLOODED with Children's Book Love!  I will post about my favorite picture books, talk about Children's Book Apps, I will be reviewing and giving away one of my favorite new Middle Grade books, and I will end the week as a stop on a YA blog tour. 

HAPPY READING!

Other Promotions:


For Children’s Book Week, Sylvan Dell will be offering all 70 of their titles’ eBooks free on their website for families, educators, and students to read and explore! Sylvan Dell authors will also be appearing at events nationwide all week long! See listings here

.

Book Birthdays!

Today feels like a huge day in book releases!  There are so many new titles, which I started to share on my Facebook Page, but realized these books needed their own post.  Happy Reading!

Middle Grade:

The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy, illus. by Todd Harris (HarperCollins/Walden Pond Press, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-06-211743-4).

The Kane Chronicles, Book Three: The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan (Disney-Hyperion, $19.99; ISBN 978-1-4231-4057-3).

Big Nate: What Could Possibly Go Wrong? by Lincoln Peirce (HarperCollins, $9.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-06-208694-5).

Young Adult:

Insurgent by Veronica Roth (HarperCollins/Tegen, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-202404-6).

Adult:

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris (Ace, $27.95; ISBN 978-1-937007-44-7). 750,000 copies.

Skinnydipping by Bethenny Frankel (Touchstone, $25; ISBN 978-1-4516-6737-0).

Rather Outspoken: My Life in the News by Dan Rather with Digby Diehl (Grand Central, $27.99; ISBN 978-1-4555-0241-7).

My Cross to Bear by Gregg Allman (Morrow, $27.99; ISBN 978-0-06-211203-3

My Extraordinary Ordinary Life by Sissy Spacek with Maryanne Vollers (Hyperion, $26.99; ISBN 978-1-4013-2436-0)

American Grown by Michelle Obama (Crown, $30; ISBN 978-0-307-95602-6).

NOTE:  There are plenty more new releases today - the books shown above are simply the ones that I am excited to read!  Enjoy!