Mary Elizabeth and the Spotless Cow Book Spotlight and Giveaway

Mary Elizabeth, The Spotless Cow

About the book:

The story of "Mary Elizabeth The Spotless Cow" takes us on the journey she travels to figure out how to get the cows at a new farm to like and accept her. 

While she hopes to find friendship at her new home, instead she learns what it means to be different from everyone else. (Spotless!) Mary Elizabeth uses clever ideas and a sense of humor to help her on her quest for friends at the new farm.

This inspiring tale shows how perseverance in spite of obstacles, using a sound thought process to arrive at solutions and the importance of having fun, using humor and enjoying playtime can build friendships.

When you buy this book, 50% of net proceeds go to Phoenix Children’s Hospital Child Life Program to make a difference in the lives of children with critical and life threatening illnesses.

Excerpt:

Once upon a time........there was a farm in Ohio with lots of Cows. They all had many spots to be proud of. One day a truck pulled into the farm. The back door opened and out came a new Cow. The other Cows were so excited to have a new friend!

But as the new Cow came out of the truck the other Cows looked on in shock!!! "Oh My!’’ ’’What on Earth?!"

It seems the new Cow, whose name was Mary Elizabeth, had no spots!

’’Where are your spots??!!’’ Demanded the Cow called Anna Belle. ’’I don’t have any spots. I was born spotless, you see.’’

Well, Anna Belle and the other Cows were horrified.

(Not mad, you had to be very careful about mad)

Watch the trailer: http://youtu.be/72fOn1tEbDM

Purchasing information: From now through December 31, 2013, you can purchase Mary Elizabeth The Spotless Cow from the Sweetles website for only $12.00 (List price: $17.99).

When you buy this book, 50% of net proceeds go to Phoenix Children’s Hospital Child Life Program. Visit http://www.sweetles.com/product/books/mary-elizabeth-the-spotless-cow-book/ for more information.

About the author:

Sal Barbera

Sal is the author and illustrator of “A Sweetles Dream”® book series. As the Creative Director for Hartman-Barbera llc, a family media & entertainment company, he is also an animator, sculptor, painter and all around fun guy. Sal lives the phrase: “A day without laughter is a wasted day”. To that end, he uses his writing, illustrating and animation skills to create endearing characters and comedic stories.

Sal's sense of humor and empathy for his characters explore personal and social situations in ways that makes it enjoyable for both adults and children to experience together. Born in New York City, Sal moved to North Bergen, NJ where he grew up on a steep hillside neighborhood with his four older sisters. He currently lives in sunny Arizona with his wife and artistic partner, Sheri, who he defines as his inspiration. On any given day Sal might be painting, sculpting, drawing, animating, writing or enjoying one of his favorite pastimes: cooking, television, movies and golf.

Visit Sal Barbera’s website at http://www.salbarbera.com.

Mary Elizabeth The Spotless Cow Virtual Book Tour Schedule

October 1^st

Interview at Blogcritics

October 2^nd

Book spotlight at The Writer’s Life

October 3^rd

Book spotlight at As the Pages Turn

October 4^th

Book review at Alicia Finn Noack

October 7^th

Book spotlight at Literarily Speaking

October 8^th

Book spotlight at Between the Covers

October 9^th

Book spotlight at The Book Rack

Book review at Classic Children’s Books

October 10^th

Book review at The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection

October 11^th

Guest post at Paperback Writer

Book spotlight at Review from Here

Book review at A Year of Jubilee Book Reviews

October 12th

Book spotlight at 4 the Love of Books

October 14^th

Interview at Straight from the Author’s Mouth

October 15^th

Book spotlight at Beyond the Books

October 16^th

Book trailer reveal at If Books Could Talk

Book spotlight at Broken Teepee

October 17^th

Guest post at The Story Behind the Book

Book review at Lynn’s Corner

October 18^th

Interview at The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection

October 21^st

Book review at My Devotional Thoughts

Book review at Deco My Heart

Book spotlight at A Year of Jubilee Book Reviews

October 22^nd

Book review at 4 the Love of Books

October 23^rd

Guest post at Mayra’s Secret Bookcase

October 25^th

Book review at Mary’s Cup of Tea

October 28^th

Book review at Thoughts in Progress

October 30^th

Book review at Maureen’s Musings

October 31^st

Book review at Blooming with Books

Guest post at Lori’s Reading Corner

*

November 4^th

Book spotlight and giveaway at Katie’s Clean Book Collection

November 5^th

Book spotlight and giveaway at Book Marketing Buzz

November 7^th

Interview at Story of a Writer

November 8^th

Book spotlight and giveaway at Plug Your Book

November 13^th

Interview at Broowaha

November 18^th

Book spotlight and giveaway at Literal Exposure

November 19^th

Book spotlight and book giveaway at The Busy Mom’s Daily

November 20^th

Book spotlight and giveaway at Janet Ann Collins on Special Needs. Opening Eyes. Opening Hearts.

November 21^st

Book spotlight at Putting Words Down on Paper

November 22^nd

Book spotlight and giveaway at Library of Clean Reads

November 25^th

Book spotlight and giveaway at A Mom After God’s Own Heart

November 27^th

Book spotlight and giveaway at The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection

*

November 29^th

Interview at Bella Harts Books

December 2^nd

Book spotlight at Bluebell Books

Book review at Mrs. Mommy Booknerd’s Book Reviews

December 3^rd

Book review at Nancy Stewart Books

December 4^th

Book spotlight and giveaway at Ramblings of a SAHM

December 5^th

Join the book discussion at PUYB Virtual Book Club

December 9^th

Book review at Library of Clean Reads

December 10^th

Interview at Examiner

December 12^th

Book spotlight at Penny’s Tales

December 13^th

Book review at This Little Book of Mine

December 16^th

Book review at A Mom After God’s Own Heart

December 17^th

Book review at WV Stitcher

December 23^rd

Book review at A Simple Life, Really?

December 27^th

Book tour highlights at The Book Rack

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ZeMin Jiang and His Legancy in China

Jiang Zemin’s life and leadership sweep through almost eighty tumultuous years of Chinese history: Japanese occupation, Civil War, Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution, Tiananmen Square, and, more recently, dramatic economic growth, tensions with Taiwan, and opportunities and confrontations with America. Jiang’s story is an epic of war, deprivation, revolution, political turmoil, social convulsion, economic reform, national transformation, and international resurgence. To Robert Lawrence Kuhn, a longtime China observer, understanding the legacy of Jiang Zemin is essential for understanding the challenges of contemporary China. By examining Jiang’s life, we observe the clash between China’s traditional culture and chaotic history, and we appreciate how its changes impact the entire world.

In The Man Who Changed China, Kuhn, who was cited by the Asian Wall Street Journal for the “unprecedented access” he was given in the course of writing this book, has produced what the Journal called “probably the closest thing to an authorized biography that’s possible in Communist China.” Here a reader will find a complex and nuanced portrait of China’s senior leader, whose policies continue to exert great influence over the course of his country. Kuhn offers insight into how the Japanese occupation during Jiang’s teenage years imprinted his psyche for life, how he became a Communist, and how, decades later, he struggled to transform the Party in the face of withering criticism.

In a sense, Kuhn argues, Jiang’s early skeptics got it right: He was a transitional figure—but not in the way they had meant. With unshakable if paternalistic vision, a lifelong love of Chinese civilization, and backroom political skills that no one had anticipated, Jiang Zemin became an unexpected agent of change, effecting the transition from a traumatized society to a confident, prosperous country rapidly ascending in the new world order. Kuhn shows how Jiang led China through an amazing metamorphosis—from a fretful country destabilized by the turmoil and crackdown in Tiananmen Square into a vibrant nation that became a primary engine of global economic growth. Above all Jiang is a Chinese patriot—and it is important to appreciate what that really means. In offering this unusually intimate and comprehensive personal and political biography, Kuhn demonstrates that Jiang Zemin’s life personifies the history of contemporary China, giving invaluable insight into what China is today and will become in the future.

Google.com

Children's Book Mister Spunky and His Friends Giveaway

 
 

Mister Spunky and his Friends

If you love children’s books then you’ll want to enter the giveaway for Mister Spunky. Click on the giveaway button and enter the giveaway for a chance to win this children’s book and matching mouse pad over at Lori’s Reading Corner.

Giveaway

Book Synopsis:

Mister Spunky and His Friends is the creation of award winning author, Kelly Preston. She has taken the story line from her book, Real Dogs Don't Whisper, placing it in a picture book format for children to enjoy. Mister Spunky and His Friends is about the importance of love, friendship; and, helping those with special needs. Follow Mister Spunky along his journey to the beach, where he meets three new friends; teaching him important life lessons along the way. Parents, if you enjoyed Real Dogs Don't Whisper, your children will enjoy this book for them. There are several pages at the end of the story for coloring activities. Ages: 5+

Website

Amazon

About Kelly Preston

Author Kelly Preston 

 

Kelly Preston is, first and foremost, an animal lover. Raised on a ten-acre property in a small town in Pennsylvania, she grew up with horses, rabbits, and – of course – dogs. When she left home after college, she acquired Gizmo, an irresistible Lhasa Apso that started her on a journey full of joys and sorrows, hopes and tribulations, frustrations, endless lessons in patience, and above all else, love. All of this has come at the hands (more precisely the paws) of Gizmo, Betty Boop, Buffy, Carla Mae, and the inimitable Mr. MaGoo.

Mr. MaGoois a nine-year-old Lhasa Apso and the book’s co-creator and co-writer. He is, in his own words, “the alpha and omega of all dogs – in the cutest and sparkiest, most fun-loving package ever.” Ignoring Kelly’s persistent eye-rolling, Mr. MaGoo has forged ahead with this project in an attempt to, as he puts it, “present the facts from a dog’s perspective. In other words, the correct, most accurate, most interesting, only-one-that-matters perspective,” to which he adds, simply, “Woof!”

Barry Glassner and Morton Schapiro: Many pick college for wrong reasons By Barry Glassner and Morton Schapiro

Glassner is a professor of sociology and president of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore. Schapiro is a professor of economics and president of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. They wrote this essay for the Los Angeles Times.

Two million recent high school graduates are just now starting college. Sadly, many of them selected schools for the wrong reasons.
How did they pick them? Many played the ratings game. “By all means stick to the rankings,” they believed. “Never go to a school that is even one slot below the top one that admitted you.”
Others chose a college because they liked the tour guide or thought they would make the most friends and be most comfortable.
Those are two common ways students and parents choose a college. Neither holds up to scrutiny.
Stick to the rankings? Which rankings: Those that measure the quality of teaching? The quality of research? The best program in your intended major? The most accessible professors? The medley of cost and performance criteria President Barack Obama has proposed — tuition, graduation rates, earnings of alumni and the like?
And what does it mean to be comfortable? To have the most people who look and think like you? If so, you might as well stay in high school.

As professors and presidents who have taught and advised thousands of undergraduates, we suggest a very different approach to high school seniors frantically trying to decide which colleges are best for them. Consider where you will thrive, both in the near term and after you graduate.
If you want a career in theater, pick a school in a community with a vibrant local theater scene. Find out whether alumni help newcomers break into the field. The best school for an aspiring actor may have fewer students who look and think like he or she does, and it may be ranked lower than other choices.
If you want to become a global titan of industry, don't go to a school where you will spend four years in classrooms primarily studying accounting and management. Pick a place that forces you to gain global literacy, whether through overseas programs, an international student body or courses on other cultures. That school may be ranked lower than others and almost certainly will enroll plenty of students who are not like you.
If you're a nerd who has already invented great new apps and wants to be a tech entrepreneur, why spend four years in a school that will teach you skills you either already know or that will be offshored or antiquated by the time you're 30? Better to go where you can take great courses in design, the history of science or anything else that will make you more intellectually nimble.
If you want a career in medicine, you clearly want your school to have a strong pre-med program. But if the faculty members don't welcome undergraduate students to work alongside them in their labs, why go there? You're more likely to get into medical school and become a better doctor if you've experienced firsthand what science is about.

Better still, select a school that pushes you into courses in medical ethics and cross-cultural communications or has a program that allows you to shadow a working physician or assist medical staff in shelters and clinics.
By the way, we walk this talk. We love the schools we lead, but we don't blindly advise that children of friends come to our respective institutions. It depends on the kid. Sometimes we recommend schools that are ranked higher, sometimes it's schools that are ranked lower.
The specific schools we recommend depend on the student's needs and passions. Some need the comfort of a close-knit, hands-on environment. Some want to re-create themselves far from the prying eyes of their parents and others who know them. Some will thrive best in an urban environment; others amid mountains they can climb when they need to burn off steam.
For kids who learn as much from coaches as they do from teachers, we propose schools with strong sports programs. For independent learners, we suggest places with a wide choice of electives. We always send those we love to places where they will be forced to grapple with difference.
In seeking these matches, we are not looking for the most comfortable place for the student but, rather, where he or she can thrive intellectually and psychologically. The most important learning might well be uncomfortable learning, where students take courses that terrify them and where they live and work alongside classmates from backgrounds much different from their own. The school that best achieves that for a particular young person may well not rise to the top of a list predicated solely on prestige or comfort.

We recognize it is harder to apply the criteria we have laid out than to adhere to a published list or choose the school where your best friend is going. But in the end, the payoff will be greater.
After all, the goal is to develop the skills and the inclination to educate yourself for life.

Google.com

check out the original article here:

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130829/NEWS08/130828872