Today I had the distinct pleasure to speak with R. Barbara Gitenstein Ph.D about her new memoir, “Experience is the Angled Road” available on Amazon.
We spoke about so much as Barbara has led a very interesting life. Her experiences on that angled road led her to be the first Jewish, woman president of the College of New Jersey. Check out our talk below. Let me know what you thought in the comments.
Filed under Home & Garden
My kids love fun factoid books like, the Guinness Book of World Records and World Almanacs. The Sports Illustrated Kids Big Book of Who Series is a big favorite of theirs and the fifth title in this series is dedicated to women athletes.
Women Athletes Who Rule! profiles 101 extraordinary female athletes, both past and present, who shaped the narratives of their sports. Content is divided into several easy-to-digest sections for young readers: Superstars (who reinvented what it means to be a sports celebrity), Wonder Women (who transcend sports and created seismic shifts in our culture), Trail Blazers (who broke barriers and paved the way for others to follow), Record Breakers (who set new standards for excellence), and the Champions (who showed heart and gumption as winners).
Women Athletes Who Rule! is perfect to bring along on summer road trips and to add to your child’s summer reading list. They will love learning all about these amazing women athletes. All of their stories bring excellence in women’s sports to readers hungry for empowering stories for kids—girls and boys alike.
SI Kids is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own copy of Women Athletes Who Rule! Thank you to SI Kids for the review book and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US residents.
SI Kids, Women Athletes Who Rule! Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
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When you get married, you vow to love your spouse in sickness and in health. The reality of standing by a spouse who needs a caregiver can be overwhelming. CJ Golden found out just how much she had to learn about being a caregiver as she watched her husband, Joe go from crossing the country on his bike, to trying to navigate his wheelchair around their kitchen.
Most people would feel overwhelmed if faced with such a situation. CJ Golden rose to the challenge of becoming her husband’s caregiver! Through her characteristic determination, boundless love, quest for knowledge and relentless optimism she learned how to be a caregiver.
On the pages of, One Pedal at a Time, CJ Golden shares somber reflections and moments of levity that highlight the very real passage in the lives of a husband and a wife who love each other unconditionally. CJ shares the lessons she learned, the emotional and physical strain upon her heavily burdened shoulders, and the realization that, through it all, their connection and love have grown stronger.
The title of the book is a tribute to Joe’s motto for getting through life’s most trying times. It refers to the days he was traversing the country for months at a time on the seat of his road bike. The same philosophy can be applied to carry others through their own caregiving struggles whether for a spouse, parent, child, other relative or friend.
One Pedal at a Time is a book caregivers can go to for information, inspiration and hope and is also a good read for anyone that appreciates a good love story.
One Pedal at a Time speaks to caregivers who need a place to turn to for information, inspiration, and hope, and for anyone who enjoys a good love story.
You can visit the author’s website and the book can be purchased on Amazon. Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a copy in our giveaway below.
PR By The Book is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own copy of One Pedal at a Time! Thank you to PR By The Book for the review book and for sponsoring this great giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US Residents.
One Pedal at a Time Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
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One of my favorite books as a girl was Little Women. I have a feeling, I am not the only one who lists it among their favorite books. I remember the March sisters fondly, and that is why I am so excited to let you know that PBS Distribution is releasing MASTERPIECE: LITTLE WOMEN on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital HD.
Set against the backdrop of a country divided, the story follows the four March sisters on their journey from childhood to adulthood while their father is away at war.
Under the guidance of their mother Marmee, the girls navigate what it means to be a young woman: from gender roles to sibling rivalry, first love, loss and marriage. Accompanied by the charming boy next door Laurie Laurence, their cantankerous wealthy Aunt March and benevolent neighbor Mr. Laurence, Little Women is a coming-of-age story that is as relevant and engaging today as it was on its original publication in 1868.
“MASTERPIECE: LITTLE WOMEN” will be available on DVD and Blu-ray May 22, 2018. The run time of the program is approximately 180 minutes. The program will also be available for digital download.
“Little Women is one of the most-loved novels in the English language, and with good reason,” says writer and executive producer Heidi Thomas. “Its humanity, humor, and tenderness never date, and as a study of love, grief, and growing up it has no equal. There could be no better time to revisit the story of a family striving for happiness in an uncertain world.”
Heading the cast are Academy Award® nominee Emily Watson (The Theory of Everything, Hilary and Jackie) as Marmee, the devoted mother of the four adolescent March girls; Michael Gambon (Churchill’s Secret, Page Eight) as Mr. Laurence; and Academy Award® winner Angela Lansbury (Murder, She Wrote, The Manchurian Candidate) as the March family matriarch, Aunt March.
Click Here to View a Preview of the Program
The March sisters—the “little women” of the title—feature newcomer Maya Hawke as the willful and adventurous Jo; Willa Fitzgerald (Scream: The TV Series) as the eldest and most virtuous, Meg; Annes Elwy (King Arthur: Excalibur Rising) as the shy sister, Beth; and Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies) as Amy, the youngest of the family.
Also appearing are Jonah Hauer-King (Howards End) as Laurie, the loveable boy next door; Dylan Baker (The Good Wife) as Mr. March, who is serving as a chaplain with the Union Army; Julian Morris (Mark Felt) as John Brooke, Laurie’s cultured and handsome tutor; and Mark Stanley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) as the charming Professor Bhaer.
A celebration of family as much as it is a recognition of the challenges of growing up and forging an individual identity, the program remains relevant due to the universal themes at its core. Backed by a nearly all-female creative team, Thomas’ adaptation doesn’t shy away from tackling the darker, more complex emotions the March family experiences. Drawing from a novel that was well ahead of its time the show speaks to current issues as much as it does to the issues women faced at the turn of the 20th century.
Devotees of the original novel will relish the book’s indelible scenes in this MASTERPIECE production: the cruel fate of Jo’s manuscript, Amy’s accident on the ice, Meg’s first ball, Beth and the forbidden piano, the pickled limes affair, and many other cherished episodes in a journey to a bygone time.
Although modern society would be disorienting in the extreme to the March sisters, Thomas notes that even today “girls are still confused about their desires and their desirability, and the passage from innocence to experience is more turbulent than ever.”
“We need hope, and we need empathy,” she adds. “We need laughter, and we need catharsis, we need joy and inspiration. LITTLE WOMEN gives us all of these things.”
PBS Distribution is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! 5 Lucky Blog Readers will each win their own Masterpiece: Little Women DVD! Thank you to PBS Distribution for the review copy and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US residents.
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Filed under Entertainment, Giveaway, Movies, Review
Are you looking for a page-turning, contemporary middle grade mystery novel filled with humor, intrigue and heartwarming friendships? If so, Charlie & Frog: A Mystery is a brand new book by debut author Karen Kane. My kids love the story of Frog AKA Francine Castle, who is deaf and shines as a tenacious, crime-solving protagonist who introduces Charlie to the world of sign language and teaches it throughout.
Charlie Tickler is feeling frustrated, all he wants is for his parents to listen, but they have left him once again. This time his parents are off to South Africa to help giant golden moles. Where does that leave Charlie? They dumped him off with his TV-obsessed grandparents.
Feeling lonely and curious, Charlie heads into the village of Castle-on-the-Hudson, where a frightened old woman gives him a desperate message—in sign language. When she suddenly disappears, Charlie is determined to find answers.
Charlie walks into a cafe looking for help. He finds Francine who would much rather be solving crimes than working at the Flying Hands Cafe. This is her chance to be the world’s greatest detective that she has been dreaming about. She leaps at the chance to tackle a real-life case.
Together, Charlie and Frog set out to decipher a series of clues and uncover the truth behind the missing woman’s mysterious message. Charlie needs to learn American Sign Language (fast) to keep up with quick-witted Frog. And Frog needs to gather her detective know-how (now) to break the case before it’s too late.
Disney Hyperion is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own hardcover copy of Charlie & Frog: A Mystery! Thank you to Disney Hyperion for the review book and for sponsoring this thrilling giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US Residents.
Charlie & Frog: A Mystery Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
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While we still have snow here in New York State, it is starting to melt. In fact, big chunks of snow and ice were sliding down our roof today. We are going to be seeing signs of spring very soon. A spring theme book about a little Hippy-Hoppy Toad is perfect for sharing with your child, grandchild or class.
A Hippy-Hoppy Toad by Peggy Archer and illustrated by Anne Wisdorf goes on sale March 27th. Written for children ages 3-7, who will love this irresistible new rhyming book. A HIPPY-HOPPY TOAD features a very tiny toad who gets displaced as animals and humans brush past him on the road. With fun sounds and clever rhythms, this story is sure become a new favorite read-aloud.
You can hear me read it below:
About the Author:
Peggy Archer is the author of Name that Dog: Puppy Poems from A to Z and From Dawn to Dreams: Poems for Busy Babies, among other books. A Hippy-Hoppy Toad won the 2015 Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Work-in-Progress Award.
Penguin Random House is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog winner will receive their own hardcover copy of, A Hippy-Hoppy Toad! Thank you to Penguin Random House for the review book and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US Residents.
A Hippy-Hoppy Frog Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
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If you are the parent or grandparent of a middle school age child, I want to tell you about the new release of a fast-paced, mind-boggling, middle grade mystery-adventure that is THE AMBROSE DECEPTION (On Sale February 13, 2018) by Emily Ecton,
Book Summary
Booklist raves that THE AMBROSE DECEPTION is: “A rollicking adventure, a Westing Game–style mystery, and a heartwarming reminder that anyone can be greater than the sum of their parts.” Readers will be on the edge of their seats as an Amazing Race-style competition among three kids unfolds. With clever clues, a surprising twist, and quirky characters, this fast-paced adventure with, is sure to intrigue readers who enjoy solving puzzles.
Do you have a middle school child that would like this book? Let me know.
I love reading to my kids, it is special time we love to spend together. I also want to instill in my children our family’s love of books. Funny chapter books are a favorite to read aloud. When I received Fairy Mom and Me, I was hooked from the first page. I loved the way it read, and my kids loved the story. The book is written by Sophie Kinsella and illustrated by Marta Kissi.
Ella Brook’s mother is not like most moms. Ella’s mom can turn into a fairy anytime she shuts her eyes and says “Marshmallow.” Just like magic, Ella’s mom has shimmering wings, a silver crown, can fly, disappear and do all sorts of other magic.
Ella’s mom is more of a high-tech fairy, she just bought a new wand called the Computawand V5 that has magic powers, a computer screen and an Extra-Fast Magic button. Ella cannot wait until she is old enough to be a fairy like her mom. Ella has a dad and a one year old brother named Ollie. Most days Ella’s mom works as a boss in her office.
There is one problem, Ella’s mom always forgets the magic codes she needs to press into her computawand to cast spells. Pushing in the wrong code, always ends up in a big mess. Like the time they needed more milk in a hurry. Mom turned into a fairy and pushed a code into her wand, but instead of more milk, a cow appeared in the middle of the kitchen. The cow broke mom’s favorite cups, knocked things to the ground, and pooped on the kitchen floor.
When mom tries to fix things, it does not go much better. Another code produces a chocolate milk rain shower right in the kitchen. Trying to fix that, Mom punches in code after code, each brings another crazy mess and shows Mom needs to watch more fairy lessons on fairy tube with her teacher Fenella.
Another time, Ella was excited because Mom was learning the cupcake spell. It was Saturday and her best friends Tom and Lenka were coming for dinner along with her not best friend Zoe. Zoe did mean things to Ella, like spilling water on her lunch and pretending it was an accident. Zoe looked mad even when she was smiling. Since they lived next door to each other, their moms wanted them to be best friends. Ella was excited about the cupcakes for dessert. If only, things went smoothly, but as usual, Mom messed up the codes and mayhem happened instead.
Each chapter is a disaster of a different kind. All start with Mom’s good intentions, but end up being disastrous. The last chapter is about field day at school. Ella’s aunt, who is also a fairy, comes and casts a spell that causes Ella to win unfairly. It leads to a squabble between Ella’s mom and aunt, and in the end, they use one more spell to rewind the whole event to the beginning. This time they do not use any spells and Ella and her friend Tom win the race because they worked together as a team. That is the best way to win!
This book is funny with mishap after mishap but in the end, kids learn they can do whatever they want with their own power, they don’t have to cheat, use magic spells or anything else.
SOPHIE KINSELLA is the author of the bestselling Shopaholic series, as well as the novels Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I’ve Got Your Number, Wedding Night, and Finding Audrey. She lives in England. Visit her website at sophiekinsella.co.uk or find her on Instagram at @sophiekinsellawriter and Twitter at @KinsellaSophie.
MARTA KISSI is a freelance illustrator living and working in London. She studied illustration and animation at Kingston University and completed her MA at the Royal College of Art. She now works on various children book projects as well as covers and editorial pieces for both children and adults.
Delacorte Books is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own hardcover copy of Fairy Mom and Me. Thank you to Delacorte Books for the review book and for sponsoring this magical giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US residents.
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Everyone’s favorite bespectacled explorer has been many places — the land of dragon flyers, a Jurassic arena of sports-loving dinosaurs, the set of black-and-white movies in Hollywood.
Join Waldo as he hand picks his favorite journeys of all time, revisiting twelve of his most fantastic travels in a new format that includes a surprise at the end of the book. New eye-boggling games await Waldo-watchers alongside every scene in this fresh tribute to Waldo’s many years wandering the world.
We think this anniversary book deserves a place on Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide. Unlike Waldo, the book is very visible on our gift guide.
Candlewick Press is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own hardcover copy of Where’s Waldo? Destination: Everywhere! Thank you to Candlewick Press for the review book and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
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Filed under Books, Gift, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide
Pick A Pine Tree by Patricia Toht and illustrated by Jarvis, is a book all about picking and decorating the perfect Christmas tree. This book is a festive, read-aloud children’s picture book that will have you all brimming with the joy and excitement of Christmastime.
Part of the magic of the Christmas season comes from the holiday traditions we look forward to and take part in each year: hanging stockings, putting candles in the windows, stringing lights outside, and one of the most important of all, picking out and bringing home the Christmas tree.
With palpable warmth and style, debut author Patricial Toht reminds us of all the rituals we go through to decorate our tree. Follow along as one family digs out the boxes brimming with ornaments and trimmings.
To make it more fun, they call their family and friends and invite them to an impromptu, tree trimming party. With family and friends, they deck the tree out, and then, turn on the twinkling lights.
Praise for Pick A Pine Tree:Holiday spirit crackles in Toht’s warm, step-by-step recounting of how humble stately pines transform into shimmering Christmas trees…Jarvis’s chalk and pencil texturing adds to the sense of a casual, homey holiday filled with traditions many families will recognize.
—Publishers Weekly
The pencil, chalk, paint, and digitally colored paintings are brimming with holiday cheer and warmth. Share with little ones prior to decorating a tree or as secular Christmas fare for holiday storytimes.
—School Library Journal
Toht’s rhyming text is greatly illuminated by Jarvis’s mixed-media illustrations, which imbue each step in the process with holiday warmth and capably capture that satisfying, twinkling glow of Christmas decorations.
—The Horn Book
Pick A Pine Tree Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
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Hello, I’m Carolyn! I am a PR Savvy, WAH Mom to 5! I love Photography, Baking, DIY Projects, Crafts, Cooking and making memories with my family. I love sharing reviews and giveaways too!
