Tuesday, 19 October 2010

Santa Knows - Greg & Cynthia Leitich Smith, Steve Bjorkman

Santa Knows
Cynthia Leitich Smith (Author)

Greg Leitich Smith (Author)

Steve Bjorkman (Illustrator

Duttons Children's Books
an imprint of Penguin

ISBN 9780525477570

Alfie F. Snorklepuss is really a sour puss. He has decided Santa is not real, and is doing everything he can to convince the whole world. He is writing letters, making billboards, going on the TV and radio to proclaim his new found beliefs. But on Christmas Eve he has the biggest surprise of his life. The story by Greg and Cynthia is very funny and the illustrations by Steve Bjorkman bright, vibrant and very engaging.

Books by Cynthia Leitich Smith:
Young Adult Books:
Tantalize
Eternal
Blessed
Cat Calls - Short Story
Tantalize Kierens Story - Graphic Novel
Haunted Love - Short Story
Diabolical

Books for Kids:
Holler Loudly
Santa Knows
Indian Shoes
Rain Is Not My Indian Name
Jingle Dancer

Author Profile Interview with Cynthia Leitch Smith


Books by Greg Leitich Smith:
Ninja, Piranhas, and Galileo (2003)
Tofu and T. Rex (2005)

Little Green Men at the Mercury Inn (2014)

Chronal Engine Series:

Chronal Engine (2012)
Borrowed Time (2015)

With Cynthia Leitich Smith:
Santa Knows (2006)



Author Profile and Interview with Greg Leitich Smith


Monday, 18 October 2010

Shoulders & Arms - Tony Horton One on One Volume 3 Disk 3


Tony Horton
One on One
P90X - MC2
Volume 3 Disk 3
Shoulders and Arms
Beachbody
Out of the thirty One on One workout DVD's this is one of the best and one of my favourites. It is a good old fashioned weight workout with a Tony Twist. Tony does a set of two exercises then repeats three times. With four pairings of exercises for shoulders and arms and three rounds each, you end up blasting through 24 sets. And you do those 24 sets in 57 minutes with warm-up and cool down. It is a great workout that can be done in under an hour.


The Exercises are:
Pike Press
Arnold Press
Straight Arm 6 Move Fly
Seated Flies
Seated Curls
Stability Ball Skull Crushers
Crazy Eights
Tricep Kickbacks

Equipment Needed:
Stability Ball or Balance Ball
Weights or Exercise Bands
Bench or Chair

It is a hard workout. It is a fun workout and it has a great pace and variety. To find out more about this series or other workouts in the collection, follow the links below. I have created a random workout generator that uses 1 on 1's and P90X if your interested.
Volume 1, Disk 1: Plyo Legs
Volume 1, Disk 2: Power 90® Road Warrior
Volume 1, Disk 3: Killer Abs

Volume 1, Disk 4: Just Arms
Volume 1, Disk 5: 30-15: The Upper-Body Massacre
Volume 1, Disk 6: Fountain of Youth
Volume 1, Disk 7: Super Cardio

Volume 1, Disk 8: Mammoth UML
Volume 1, Disk 9: Bun Shaper
Volume 1, Disk 10: Medicine Ball Core Cardio
Volume 1, Disk 11: Recovery 4 Results

Volume 1, Disk 12: Diamond Delts
Volume 1, Bonus Disk - Holiday Workout
Volume 2, Bonus Disk - Pay It Forward
Volume 2, Disk 1: Cardio Intervals
Volume 2, Disk 2: Core Ball Sandwich
Volume 2, Disk 3: Patience "Hummingbird"
Volume 2, Disk 4: 10-Minute Crusher Pack

Volume 2, Disk 5: Butt and Belly (I Dare You)
Volume 2, Disk 6: Back and BellyVolume 2, Disk 7: On One Leg
Volume 2, Disk 8: Iso Abs
Volume 2, Disk 9: Cardio Confusion - Mason's Choice
Volume 2, Disk 10: 100/30/20
Volume 2, Disk 11: On One Leg 4 legs
Volume 2, Disk 12: Upper Body Balance
Volume 3, Disk 1: Chest, Back & Balls
Volume 3, Disk 2: ARX2 (Ab-Ripper X 2)
Volume 3, Disk 3: Shoulders and Arms MC2
Volume 3, Disk 4: Base and Back
Volume 3, Disk 5: MC2
Volume 3, Disk 6: Plyocide
Volume 3, Disk 7: Stretch And Recovery
Volume 3, Disk 8: V Sculpt
Volume 3, Disk 9: Core Synergistics MC2
Volume 3, Disk 10: UBX
Volume 3, Disk 11: PAP
Volume 3, Disk 12: Total Body X


(Disclaimer:
I am asked frequently if I am a Beachbody Coach, no I am not, I am just some one who has used their products, P90X, 1on1 with Tony Horton and more and liked them and achieved good results. I am not paid by Beachbody or any of their affiliates. You can see my full disclaimer here.)

Sunday, 17 October 2010

Jingle Dancer - Cynthia Leitich Smith, Cornelius Van Wright, Ying-Hwa Hu

Jingle Dancer
Cynthia Leitich Smith (Author)
Cornelius Van Wright, Ying-Hwa Hu (Illustrators)
Morrow Junior Books
A division of Harper Collins
Browse Inside
ISBN 9780688162412

In part, this book took me back to my own childhood. My father collected Ojibway art and had a number of signed prints by Daphne Odjig. Reading this book reminded me of her prints Pow Wow Dancer, Visiting Grandma and Hoop Dancer. This book is a wonderful story of culture, tradition, love and family. The images conjured up by the lyrical words, and pacing of the story by Cynthia Leitch Smith, are great. The illustrations by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu are warm water colors. The pictures almost sing with the tinks of the jingles. I will enjoy sharing the book with my children again and again as they grow up.

Books by Cynthia Leitich Smith:

Young Adult Books:

Tantalize
Eternal
Blessed
Cat Calls - Short Story
Tantalize Kierens Story - Graphic Novel
Haunted Love - Short Story
Diabolical


Books for Kids:

Holler Loudly
Santa Knows
Indian Shoes
Rain Is Not My Indian Name
Jingle Dancer

Author Profile Interview with Cynthia Leitch Smith

Friday, 15 October 2010

The Haunted House That Jack Built - Helaine Becker and David Parkins

The Haunted House That Jack Built
Helaine Becker (Author)
David Parkins (Illustrator
Scholastic
ISBN 9780545985390

This wonderful Hallowe'en book for young children has a house that Jack built, a ghost, a ghoul, the mummy, the beast with the pointy horn, a fairy, a count, a skeleton, a witch, and a monster and a lot of Hallowe'en rhyming fun. The illustrations are incredible. With each page we are introduced to a new creature and the story expands. The rhyme becomes more complicated and extended as we meet the creatures and there is an unexpected twist at the end. This book will be great fun for children of all ages.

Wednesday, 13 October 2010

Ivy Loves To Give - Freya Blackwood

Ivy Loves To Give
Freya Blackwood
Arthur A. Levine Books
An Imprint of Scholastic

ISBN 9780545234672

I have had the privilege of reading a few of the books illustrated by Freya Blackwood and have always loved the illustrations. To my knowledge this is the first book both written and illustrated by her and it is amazing. It is so interesting to see her illustrate her own story instead of illustrating for someone else's words. Her artwork always has such soft, sensitive presentations. They draw the reader in. I find myself examining the illustrations more than once.

This book is the story of a young girl named Ivy, who likes to give gifts, but they are not always a good fit. Sometimes they are the wrong size, or do not fit or taste funny, but she continues to give. It is the story of a child with a pure heart who loves and loves to give. It is a wonderful book.

Books by Freya Blackwood:
Two Summers (2003) - Illustrator
The Man from Snowy River (2004) - Illustrator
The Selkie and the Fisherman (2004) - Illustrator
Emily's Rapunzel Hair (2005) - Illustrator
Amy and Louis (2006) - Illustrator
Waltzing Matilda (2006) - Illustrator
No Room for a Mouse (2007) - Illustrator
Harry & Hopper (2009) - Illustrator
Her Mother's Face (2009) - Illustrator
Clancy & Millie and the Very Fine House (2009) - Illustrator
Ivy Loves to Give (2009) - Illustrator & Author

Monday, 11 October 2010

Mommy Takes Away - Sharlene Weingart

Mommy Takes Away
Sharlene Weingart
Xlibris
ISBN 9781450057813

This book was very fun to read to my daughter. At first we thought it would be about all the stuff mommy takes away as punishment, but it is also about the good stuff mommy takes away. It is fun and playful. Each page has text on one side and on the facing page a bright vibrant illustration. Each page looks like it could be from a quilt or scrapbook, with a stitch-like frame around the edge. The illustrations are wonderful and the story fun. My wife, who is not much of a reader, really liked it. Sharlene is a school teacher in Dawson Creek BC, Canada. Her years of teaching in the classroom must have helped her write such a wonderful book for young readers.

Books by Sharlene Weingart:
Mommy Takes Away
Daddy Sneaks
Grandma Loves

Sunday, 10 October 2010

Daddy Sneaks - Sharlene Weingart

Daddy Sneaks
Sharlene Weingart
Xlibris

ISBN 9781453520253


This is the second book by Sharlene we have read as a family. The first Mommy Takes Away, was wonderful, and we enjoyed it immensely. This one is illustrated in a very different style. Each two-page spread has one page in full color and a facing page done in color but with an opaque overlay in a color to compliment the facing page. The style is very attractive and my children like looking at the opaque pages and hunting for details in the picture under the color. Each page has text and tells the story of a Father preparing to take his children camping. The story takes readers into the heart of nature, and the heart of children yearning for relationship with their father. It is a wonderful book; I am sure we will read again and again. Sharlene is a school teacher, whose years in the classroom have helped her to write such wonderful books for young readers. She hales from Dawson Creek BC, Canada. As a family we look forward to reading future offerings from her.

Books by Sharlene Weingart:
Mommy Takes Away
Daddy Sneaks
Grandma Loves