Dolly Parton Coat of Many Colors 10th Anniversary Edition

 Celebrate the tenth anniversary of Dolly Parton's iconic book Coat of Many Colors, inspired by her legendary song of the same name.

Although we had no money,
I was rich as I could be,
in my coat of many colors
my mama made for me.

Country music legend Dolly Parton's rural upbringing in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee provides the backdrop for this special picture book. Using lyrics from her classic song "Coat of Many Colors," the book tells the story of a young girl in need of a warm winter coat.

When her mother sews her a coat made of rags, the girl is mocked by classmates for being poor. But Parton's trademark positivity carries through to the end as the girl realizes that her coat was made with love "in every stitch."

Beautiful illustrations pair with Parton's poetic lyrics in this tenth anniversary edition of Dolly's story, featuring a special butter-yellow fabric cover, and a new foreword from Dolly. 

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: Coat of Many Colors: 10th Anniversary Edition: 9798217140640: Parton, Dolly, Boynton-Hughes, Brooke: Books

Dolly Parton is the most honored and revered female singer-songwriter of all time. She has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, has a record-breaking twenty-eight songs that have reached #1 on Billboard charts, and has won hundreds of awards across her career. To date, Parton has donated over two hundred million books to children around the world with her Imagination Library and has authored successful books for children and adults, including the first book in the Billy the Kid series, instant New York Times bestseller Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Makes It Big. From her “Coat of Many Colors” to working “9 to 5,” no dream is too big and no mountain too high for the country girl who turned the world into her stage.

My Someone By Yuko Torii

 Thank you Penguin for my review copy of My Someone by Yuko Torii.

A heartwarming picture book about a stray dog’s journey to finding his forever home.

A little stray dog wanders the streets alone, afraid of everything he comes across—loud city noises, getting caught in the cold rain, and bigger dogs that fight for scraps. He doesn’t like it!

And he especially doesn’t like it when he gets caught by animal rescue and is forced to be cleaned and scrubbed. But everything changes when a family chooses him to take home, helping him slowly discover all the things he does like—playing fetch, eating delicious food, and being loved forever.

Pick up your copy here...

My Someone: A Pet Adoption Story: Torii, Yuko, Torii, Yuko: 9780593887271: Amazon.com: Books

No Author headshot

Yuko Torii was born in a small town near Kobe, Japan. As a child, she always dreamed of traveling and discovering a new place to call home. Her dreams became a reality when she moved to Los Angeles and received a BFA in fine arts from the Otis College of Art and Design. She then worked at Louis Vuitton as a top hand-painter and a designer of trunks, including the “Malle Mars” (Mars Trunk) now displayed in the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. She also worked as a master embosser for Anya Hindmarch of London. After living in New York for many years, participating in the city’s active arts scenes, she and her husband made the move to Mexico, where she is enjoying the nation’s ancient and contemporary cultural riches, as well as the warmth of its people. Yuko is a self-proclaimed “Queen of Kittyrature,” a storyteller whose trademark characters are feline protagonists (largely inspired by her three cats, Mitternacht, Mondschein, and Parsifal), but she loves dogs just as much!

Is Good Still Awake by Sheila Walsh

 

Inspired by the ways God has used her book Praying Women, Sheila Walsh wanted to share her passion for prayer with kids--a passion that began when she was a little girl who wondered if God could hear her any time of the day or night.

Is God Still Awake? introduces curious young readers to Poppy: a little girl who has big questions about God! Poppy wants to know how to talk with God and whether God listens to her. As she goes through her day with her cat by her side, Poppy discovers that God is always there--even when the world is asleep!

With humorous, rhyming text, Is God Still Awake? assures children that God loves them and is always with them. Whether it's day or night, God is awake, He's listening, and He loves to hear His children speak!

This whimsical jacketed picture book is a perfect gift for:

• children ages 4 to 8
• Christmas, baptisms, birthdays
• children beginning their faith journey
• grandparents to share their faith across the miles
• traveling, snuggling, or bedtime reading

Pick up your copy here...

Is God Still Awake?: A Small Girl with a Big Question About God: Walsh, Sheila, Szmidt, Aleksandra: 9781400229635: Books (amazon.com)

From Scotland, Sheila is a wife and mom and in her spare time she is an author, Bible teacher and television host. She has spoken around the world to over 6 million women and reaches a potential 100 million people daily as co-host of the "Life Today" television program.

Sheila loves to make the Bible practical, sharing how God met her at her lowest point and helped her to rise up again. Her message: God is for you and you are not alone.

Sheila’s books have sold almost 6 million copies including her bestseller "It’s Okay Not To Be Okay", her Publisher's Weekly bestseller "Praying Women, How to Pray When You Don’t Know What To Say" and her newest "Holding On When You Want To Let Go", releasing in Fall, 2021. All of these have accompanying Bible study workbooks. Her new children's book "Is God Still Awake" also releases in Fall 2021.

Texas is her home where she lives with her husband and two little crazy dogs Tink and Maggie. Her son, Christian is in graduate school studying Clinical Psychology.

My Thoughts...

This was the cutest board book. The illustrations were perfect and so much fun.  This would be a great gift book for little ones. Walsh is a great story teller.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

In Your Shoes By Donna Gephart

The critically acclaimed author of Lily and Dunkin delivers another heartfelt story that will remind readers you never know who needs a friend the most, about two imaginative tweens who help each other find new beginnings.Miles is an anxious boy who loves his family's bowling center even if though he could be killed by a bolt of lightning or a wild animal that escaped from the Philadelphia Zoo on the way there.

Amy is the new girl at school who wishes she didn't have to live above her uncle's funeral home and tries to write her way to her own happily-ever-after.

Then Miles and Amy meet in the most unexpected way . . . and that's when it all begins. . . .

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Shoes-Donna-Gephart/dp/1524713732/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536861624&sr=8-1&keywords=in+your+shoes+donna+gephart

Donna Gephart is a professional nerd.

Her love for libraries and reading have led her to a career as a children's book author for Penguin Random House. Her books now reside on the shelves of the library she frequented when she was a child.

Her humorous/heartbreaking middle grade novels include:

1. LILY AND DUNKIN -- A dual narrative of a big-hearted, nature-loving transgender girl and a thirteen-year-old boy with bipolar disorder, who is spiraling toward psychosis.
2. DEATH BY TOILET PAPER -- Will Ben be able to keep a promise to his recently deceased dad and save his family from eviction, using his creativity and contest skills?
3. OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN -- Can Olivia overcome huge obstacles to achieve her dream of appearing on the TV quiz show Jeopardy!?
4. HOW TO SURVIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL -- David is famous online from his hilarious YouTube videos, but how will he ever survive middle school?
5. AS IF BEING 12-3/4 ISN'T BAD ENOUGH, MY MOTHER IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT -- won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award and the Florida State Book Award. Can spelling bee champ, Vanessa, do what's necessary to save her mom from an assassination attempt on the campaign trail?

Donna's books have won a number of awards, received starred reviews and landed on many state reading lists.

She's a popular speaker at schools, book festivals, libraries and conferences, including the S.C.B.W.I. National Conference, the Erma Bombeck Humor Writers' Workshop, F.A.M.E., the Conference on Children's Literature and others.

Originally from Philadelphia, Donna now lives in South Florida with her family, including two sweet shelter dogs, Benji and Teddy.

My Thoughts...

 This book is for like 6, 7 or 8th graders. A little bit slow starting out but it picks up middle ways and the ending was a good one.
Our kids need to read more and more books with positive messages.
 This was a 4 star book I hope that you will check it out.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

I Can Only Imagine BY Bart Millard

Encourage your children’s sense of wonder and faith with I Can Only Imagine for Little Ones, inspired by the hit song by MercyMe. This delightful board book will capture your family’s childlike faith and imagination. 

I Can Only Imagine for Little Ones asks questions a child might ask about God and invites families to wonder together: What is heaven like? What does God do? What would it be like to spend a day with Jesus? Children will see that although experiencing the glory of heaven may be far off, we can enjoy a friendship with Jesus every day - right here on earth. Whimsical, playful illustrations and thought-provoking questions make this a book families will cherish.
Fun and vibrant illustrations offer a vivid visual and will help your children see that God can be found everywhere, every day.
The more I imagine, the more I wish I knew.
I wonder, would God like pancakes with extra syrup too?
And if God and I spent the day together, what exactly would we do?
Would God feel what I feel? Would He see what I see?
Would He like to explore and see the world with me?
The Christian worship song “I Can Only Imagine” touched countless lives with its glorious representation of being in the presence of God, and this beautifully illustrated board book invites you and your little ones to imagine those same wonders. Share the joy of a personal relationship with the Lord with your family today through the creative, faith-filled book I Can Only Imagine for Little Ones.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Can-Only-Imagine-Little-Ones/dp/1400322014/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1532307925&sr=8-2&keywords=i+can+only+imagine+book+by+bart+millard

Bart Millard is a founding member and lead singer of the multi-platinum selling contemporary Christian band MercyMe. He is married to his childhood sweetheart, Shannon. They reside in Franklin, TN along with their children Sam, Gracie, Charlie, Sophie and Miles.


My Thoughts...

This is the cutest board book. The littles are going to love it.
The colors and the illustrations are the best. The story is very short so the littles will not lose interest. I love the point the story makes.
You will be reading this one to your littles at bed time every night I think.
5 star must have book, I HIGHLY recommend this board book.
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Nighty Night and Good Night By Michael W. Smith GIVEAWAY!

Nighty Night and Good Night is the first book in a series of bedtime books by multiple Grammy and Dove Award-winning recording artist Michael W. Smith and VeggieTales co-creator Mike Nawrocki. In Nighty Night and Good Night, the stuffed animal band the Nighty Nights are called upon to help their friend Ben try to fall to sleep. This cute and sleepy adventure leads Lamby, Bear, and Sleepy Puppy to discover that a classic lullaby might just do the trick.
This book includes a link that allows readers to listen to Michael W. Smith sing the same lullaby that helps put Ben to sleep.
Founded by Michael W. Smith, Nurturing Steps is an infant and toddler series of children’s music and books with a simple mission to enliven a child’s journey with hope and faith through music and storytelling.
The cover of Nighty Night and Good Night includes an adorable image of the Nighty Nights and a title that shines with foil.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Nighty-Night-Good-Nurturing-Steps/dp/0310767016/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1528926925&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=nighty+night+and+good+night&psc=1

Michael W. Smith is a successful recording artist who has recorded more than 25 albums and had numerous hit radio songs in the Christian and General markets. He’s won numerous Grammy and Dove Awards and is the founder of Rocketown, an outreach to teenagers in a 38,000 square-foot facility in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. He is involved in mission work around the world. He has also written several best-selling books, including Old Enough To Know and Friends Are Friends Forever. He and his wife, Debbie, have five children and live in Nashville.

Such a cute children's book.
Post by AJ

The Pillow Parade By Edward Dron

For generations, sheep have had a proud history of jumping over fences to help children sleep. But when a little bunny tries to join this bedtime ritual, will the sheep be ready to welcome her into their group? Join Olive on her adventure, as she sets out to change bedtime as we know it and, along the way, discovers the joy that comes from helping others and the importance of not giving up.

The Pillow Parade is a funny and lighthearted rhyming book that you will enjoy reading to your kids over and over again. In a playful and subtle manner, the story shows children the importance of not giving up when they are confronted with a difficult situation or a flock of veeeeeeery stubborn, and not-so-nice, sheep.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Pillow-Parade-Childrens-Bedtime-Book/dp/1775161803/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515712266&sr=8-1&keywords=the+pillow+parade

As a child of the 80s, Ed Dron grew up on a healthy diet of ThunderCats, Alf, and Atari games (which he still owns). In the 90s he was drawn to the comedy stylings of Monty Python and a Canadian show called Kids in the Hall. These heavy doses of pop culture helped feed his imagination and shape his writing style.

These days, Ed enjoys writing fun little stories that capture a child’s short attention span. He loves the challenge of condensing a story into as few words as possible, without losing its charm or narrative.

Ed believes that, first and foremost, a children’s book needs to be fun. It should not only nurture their curiosity but also spark a lifelong love of books and reading.

He now lives with his wife and two children in British Columbia, Canada.     

My Thoughts...

 This was such a cute book. I loved all the rhyming. It made it such a fun read.
I think any little one would love this book at bedtime.
The illustrations were very well done.
I recommend this book for those with little ones.  It is sure to be a hit in your house. It will soon become a favorite I'm sure.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.