I have terrific news! I’ve recently teamed up with Scholastic Canada, and I will be bringing you reviews of some of their best children’s books, as well as fantastic giveaways for you and your family!
If you have school-aged children, you have likely seen Scholastic flyers come home, and I encourage you to purchase from them when possible. The prices are very competetive, especially for book sets, and every dollar you spend helps to earn free books and rewards points for your child’s classroom. This year alone I have purchased close to 50 books for my class using free picks and rewards coupons, so it’s certainly very valuable. The kids love awaiting their orders as well: it’s like Santa has arrived when the secretary walks in with that brown package!
What you may not know is that Scholastic books are not only available through these flyers. You can find their publications, from board books right through to young adult titles, at your local bookstores as well. The books I will be reviewing here are all available nationwide, so if you don’t end up being a winner, you can go out (or online) and purchase all of the titles yourself. Which you will want to do!
You might also want to visit the Scholastic Summer Challenge page, which offers kids the opportunity to read for the world record this summer, and includes age-by-age booklists to guide their reading.
On to my first review!I can remember in teacher’s college, we often heard about the barriers faced by minorities, the impoverished, people with disabilities. These discussions always left me (white, middle class, able-bodied — at least I wasn’t a man!) feeling very guilty and embarrassed. When I mentioned this once in a paper, my professor wrote back and said that those who enjoy privilege need not feel guilty, but we should feel responsible for instigating change. What a good lesson to teach our children as well: that they indeed have the power to change the world for the better.
This book touches on such disasters as Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami in Sri Lanka, and the earthquake in Haiti; demonstrating how children were affected by these events, but then inspired to help or make changes. Every spread includes a gorgeous photograph, and a message about hope:
“Hope is your father’s good-night kiss. Hope is remembering his kisses when he can’t be there with you.”
and one of my favourites:
“Hope is knowing that things change – and that we can help things to change for the better.”
I read this book to my class (another one of their “Mrs. Winn cried again when she read to us today!” experiences…that’s okay, right?), who thoroughly enjoyed it, and it would be excellent for sparking discussion with your own children at home. More information is given at the back of the book, explaining some of the specific stories that go with the photographs and messages.
“Hope is an Open Heart” would be a beautiful book to add to your child’s collection.
And speaking of adding to your child’s collection…on to our amazing giveaway!
Enter below to win not only a copy of “Hope is An Open Heart”, but two other great titles which promote heroism and hope: “Terry Fox: A Story of Hope” by Maxine Trottier (30th Anniversary Celebration — yes, it’s been that long), and “Peaceful Heroes” by Jonah Winter, which heralds some of the world’s bravest heroes who were willing to die, but not kill, for a cause. These books would be fantastic additions to a classroom as well. The retail value of this package is over $40.To enter, simply leave a comment below sharing one hope that you have for your family. Please leave at least your first name, and enough info for me to find you should you be the winner (email, etc.) You could also leave a comment, and then send me your email address at katewinn77 at yahoo dot ca.
For additional entries:
Leave a separate comment indicating that you are a This Mom Loves email subscriber.
and/or
Leave a separate comment indicating that you follow This Mom Loves publicly through Google Friend Connect.
and/or
Leave a separate comment indicating that you follow me on Twitter @thismomloves, and tweet about this giveaway.
This contest is open to residents of Canada, and will close on Thursday, June 17th at 11:59 p.m., after which time a winner will be chosen by random number generation and contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to reply, after which time another winner will be chosen.
Good luck, and stay tuned for more great reviews and giveaways from This Mom Loves and Scholastic Canada!
Disclaimer: Future promotional titles will be provided to me free of charge by Scholastic. For this post, I reviewed my own copy of Hope is An Open Heart. All opinions are strictly my own, and I am under no commitment or obligation to recommend any Scholastic titles. Prize books are provided by Scholastic and will be shipped by them to the winner.
Congrats on your new adventure with Scholastic Kate! What a great opportunity for you! I too have read this book to my children and we had a wonderful, heartfelt discussion (thanks for lending me the book Kate!) My hope for my family has always been based around health. I pray daily that my family will be blessed with good health so we can live long, happy lives!
My personal hope for my two beautiful girls is that they will grow up to become active members of society and that they will know and understand the meaning of stewardship! Even though they are only 6 and 3 I am trying to teach them that they can make a difference in the world! Can't wait to read more of your reviews in the future!
Your friend and co-worker
Krista
My hope for my family has always been based around health and happiness. My hope for my 2 children is that they grow up to be happy,healthy,caring,respectful individuals that succeed in whatever they set their hearts on.
My daughter was very moved by "Hope is an open Heart" and other books that have been read in class. Yes I did hear that Mrs. Winn had a few tears!!
My hope for my children is that they grow up being kind, being grateful for the blessing that they have in their lives, and that they share their compassion with others.
Kristin
My hope is for my boys to grow up safe and to learn to be caring, responsible, respectful, successful men, LaurieD
My hope is that we always remember the little joys in life. We shouldn't take everything so seriously.
Your blog is great Kate.. lots of interesting reading – I'll have to get Julie and Michelle – new mom and mom-to-be reading it too.
My hope for my family is that they continue to be happy and healthy and that their children maintain a love for learning.
Margie Morrissey
Hi Kate. Even though my children are getting older (16, 18 and 20), I love your blog. You think your worries will lessen as your children grow older, but they really don't. They just change, and they even seem to multiply because it is difficult to begin to let go, and to let them become their own person after you have controlled their every waking moment for most of their lives. My hope for my family is that I have given them enough of myself and enough of a foundation that will enable them to have very happy and fulfilling lives, to make good decisions, and to aim high for themselves, and that I can feel peace in my letting go. Keep up the good work! Tina(torourke@cogeco.ca)
My hope is that my mother is cancer free after go through surgery and chemo. Thanks for the chance to win these great books for my kids:)
My hope for my family is peace, love and harmony together. In the crazy world we live in, it is nice to have a space where everything can be peaceful. I would hope that my children will learn to recognize that.
Thanks for the the chance to win these fantastic books!
lulus.pals@gmail.com
I am your google friend :O)
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I am an email subscriber
lulus.pals@gmail.com
I simply hope we have happiness and lots of time together 🙂
I hope my husband and I are teaching our children to be responsible and caring.
darylh2000(at)telus(dot)net
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That's wonderful. I love Scholastic books and we never miss a school book fair.
My hope for my family is to remain close and continue to be true to our believes and be proud of who we are.
I just hope for our family to have good health and be happy in anything that they do
ykatrina at hotmail dot com
I hope that we will continue to do family activities (camping, amusement parks,etc) even when our boys become teenagers.
lenz.nicole(at)gmail(dot)com
My family is going thru the separation of my husband and myself. It's a tough time and I just hope that the father and I will always have the strength and maturity to remember that we will always be a family.
Tennille
tennillecourville at yahoo dot ca
I hope that my son always loves me as much as he does right now.
One hope for my family is that they live, love and prosper… That they remain strong and resilient and never give up on love, hope, friendship and family. I want my sister to persevere at her educational endeavours, that my mother and father retire soon and ejoy their lives… Please accept this as my entry. Thank you!
Aliya D.
aliyadaya(at)shaw(dot)ca
First I just wanted to say congrats on this new opportunity with scholastic. Also I just wanted to let you know that I was already a follower of yours, but thank you for also following my blog 🙂
My hope for my family is to be healthy and happy. I want my boys to be happy in life with what they have and who they are.
Thanks Londia
silverneon2000 at yahoo dot com
I am a This Mom Loves email subscriber
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follow This Mom Loves publicly through Google Friend Connect
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Follow you on twitter=silverneon2000
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For my family, my one hope is a pretty basic one – happiness and health for the four of us. Thanks, Maureen (jnomaxx at hotmail dot com)
I hope my family has health and happiness.
Thank-you. Alicia alicia_m_henderson(at)hotmail(dot)com
It is my hope that our family continues to be happy and healthy. Our daughter was born at 28 weeks gestation (3 months premature) and in the beginning, our life was one crazy roller coaster ride of emotions. Today, she is a happy and healthy toddler and my hope is that she continues to do well 🙂
Thanks for this amazing contest!
Christine cg(underscore)lee121875(at)hotmail(dot)com.
Thank you for following me – right back at’cha. Please feel free to keep up with my blog at http://bit.ly/aUL7gO
It is my hope that our family continues to be happy and healthy and my grandson will grow up to be upstanding citizens
Kate, I love your blog. My hope is to continue to love each other and find happiness in the small things in life.
googy.777 at hotmail dot com
this would be amazing – my kids are such avid readers and we encourage it so much in our household
abrennan09@hotmail.com
earlier I forgot to leave my email – sorry – please forgive me and enter as usual
my children would love this win – hope it comes down to me
coreybrennan26@hotmail.com
I follow with GFC
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com
A hoe I have for my family is that we all maintain our good health
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com
I hope for good health
momvstheboys at gmail dot com
I am an email subscriber
Dana Garrett
I follow you on twitter
Dana Garrett
I hope my family wins the books! LOL
Seriously, I hope my family realizes how lucky we are, to be and to have a family.
Dana Garrett
My hope is that my first grandchild, expected today, will grow up in harmony and love, appreciating the beauty in everything and everyone around her, and that her life will be blessed with love, laughter, good health and a bright and hopeful, sustainable safe future. In finding her path and purpose her dreams will be able to move mountains.
Hi Kate
My hope is for good health and happiness for my family and a safe world for my kids to grow up in.
I love the blog. I am sorry it took me so long to
subscribe but I am trying to check it regularly now.
Colleen
Friend and co-worker
My hope for my children is they get to experience everything they want to and that I can give to them but at the same time be able to give something back in a way that someone/something else can benefit. I believe we are all here for a reason and I just hope they can find theirs.
My hope is that the kids grow up to be good people!
billiondollarprincesss@hotmail.com
I hope that my kids don't get into too much trouble growing up!
vivaglampink@yahoo.ca
Just found this site, will be now a regular, looks very good,
My hope for my children (all teens) is that they continue to recognize that everyone is not as fortunate as they are. That they try to make some changes in this world to help those less fortunate. That they do not get overwhelmed by this task (as I sometimes do). Little steps are sufficient, if we all did that it would make a huge difference!
georgetowngwen@hotmail.com
As a soon to be first time mom; my hope for our family is that we enjoy wonderful health, joy and happiness.
Thank you
I hope that we can find more time to spend together.
jswandrn at gmail