Babies, Tots, and Children

Children’s middle grade fantasy adventure Walking Through Walls won the January2012 Predators and Editors Readers Poll for the Children’s Novel category.

*****

*****

Here’s a book review:

Title: WALKING THROUGH WALLS
Author: Karen Cioffi
Illustrator: Aidana WillowRaven
Publisher: 4RV Publishing, LLC
Genre: Middle Grade/Young Adult
Reviewer: Kristin Johnson

Wang bound the last bunch of wheat stalks as the sun beat down on the field. Sweat poured from the back of his neck drenching the cotton shirt he wore.
I hate doing this work. He hurled the bundles on a cart. “Father, the bales are stacked. I am going home; it is too hot.”

Twelve-year-old Wang longed to be an Eternal. He craved wealth . . . and power….

So opens Karen Cioffi’s retelling of a classic Chinese fable. In just a few sentences of this 61-page children’s book, she establishes the main character, a disgruntled twelve-year-old boy, and the conflict, his dreams of a life away from unending hard work on his family farm. She also hints at a mystery: what is an Eternal?

In short order, Cioffi also introduces us to a bit more of Wang’s personality. Like any 12-year-old, he fights with his sister and his father. He knows his father wants him to work on the farm rather than daydream about learning magic and being “the richest man in all of China”.  When he receives a dream visitation from the dragon illustrated on the cover—think ERAGON set in China—Wang decides his father can’t keep him on his peasant farm any more.

After Wang goes to the Elder of his village, a lemon-loving mystic, and asks the way to the Eternals’ home, he ends up more confused than ever. In typical martial-arts movie fashion the Elder speaks in cryptic messages before scolding Wang for seeking wealth and power for their own sake: “I cannot give you the information you seek. Your heart has already spoken. Go home and set your sights on learning patience and virtue.”

Oddly, Wang’s younger sister helps him, because of her sweet nature—or perhaps she wants to teach the arrogant Wang about a girl’s worth. The true value of a person—character, kindness, integrity—is a common theme in this story and Cioffi brings it out quite well. She also subtly highlights the Confucian society of the time, where “respect your elders, especially males” is paramount, and the Asian ethos, in which the group is much more important than the individual. Wang, like many child heroes, rebels against his family and society to seek his own way—and learns a lesson. You have to give Wang credit for pursuing what he wants and for undertaking his perilous journey to the distant mountaintop to find the Eternals (This is what you want: you must follow through, he thinks). While Wang’s journey may seem reckless, he shows some guts and courage in leaving his family to pursue his dream.

There’s a lovely moment in which Wang’s father gently touches him and asks him to stay. It’s an understated and in-character way of showing that Wang’s father is concerned, for the first time, about his son leaving home—a deeply human emotion.  Wang does not understand until much later—he is too excited about seeing the mystical temple of the Eternals materialize after his long perilous trek.

Wang’s impressions of the temple capture my own awe whenever I visit Asian temples such as Wat Pho, Senso-Ji, Sanjusangendo, and shrines in Taiwan, even though in keeping with a fable like this, the temple’s plain exterior belies its grand interior (representing, perhaps, the richness of the Eternals’ spiritual life). Although I have never met an Eternal Master, I imagine he (she?) would be just like the one in Walking Through Walls (many of the Buddhist rimbans and reverends I’ve met have senses of humor to package their lessons). The Eternal Master is the equivalent of a magical drill sergeant—not what Wang expected. Everything about the Eternals, from their strict regimen of simple food and hard work to their habit of appearing and disappearing, confounds Wang—although he begins to understand a bit more of the world when he meets his roommate Chen and hears of Chen’s quest to help his village and rescue his sister by becoming an Eternal. Chen’s story kindles compassion in Wang’s heart, but not enough to make him gain patience. With all the magic around him, Wang is hungry to become an Eternal himself, especially after he sees the more advanced students walking through walls after a midnight feast. Is it a dream? Is it a test? Wang decides he must learn to walk through walls.

Wang endures his peculiar education for a year before deciding to leave, despite his best friend Chen’s hope of having an ally in his quest. The Eternal Master teaches him the longed-for spell of walking through walls, even though he lectures Wang about not being pure of heart or worthy of the Eternals’ great power. Of course, Wang does learn the spell—and faces a test of his character once he returns home. During that test, I bit my nails and then screamed, “Don’t do it,” when Wang was about to make the wrong choice. Cioffi makes us care about Wang in spite of, or perhaps because, of his character flaws. In addition to the magic of the storytelling, the sense of wonder never lets up—enchanted snakes and other creatures follow Wang as he chooses his destiny, and we learn that the Eternal Master is even more extraordinary than he appears…

In addition to the story, Cioffi provides dragon lore, a brief, easily readable history (and cultural facts) of the Ming Dynasty during which the story is set, and activities and questions for young readers.

~~~
Kristin J. Johnson is a ghostwriter, novelist, screenwriter, poet, travel blogger, freelance writer and children’s book author who has deep affection for Asia.
http://www.seo-writer.com/writers/
http://www.seo-writer.com/writers/index.php/2011/07/18/review-walking-through-walls/

~~~

You can get your own copy today at:

AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Through-Walls-Karen-Cioffi/dp/0982659474/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311470072&sr=1-3

BARNES & NOBLE
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/walking-through-walls-karen-cioffi/1032021277?ean=9780982659472&itm=4&usri=walking%2bthrough%2bwalls

4RV Publishing
 http://4rvpublishingcatalog.yolasite.com/mg-ya-page-2.php

Cell phones have certainly been making news of late. They are linked to cancerous brain tumors, and are also a severe road hazard for those talking/texting while driving.

Well, a new study published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, has a new warning about cell phones.

It’s actually the exposure to electromagnetic field created by cell phones that plays havoc with your health.

Results of the study found that “children exposed to cell phones in the womb and after birth had a higher risk of behavior problems by their seventh birthday, possibly related to the electromagnetic fields emitted by the devices, a new study of nearly 29,000 children suggests.”

The evidence is steadily mounting that cell phones are a hazard to your health and that of your children.

This along with a 2008 study clearly demonstrated a connection between a child’s exposure to cell phones and their behavior.

To read the full article go to:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_106327.html

Sorry, the information on the NLM site was only available until March 3, 2011.

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Do you want to get that idea turned into a book? Do you want to write your memoirs? Do you need editing, proofreading, or a professional critique? Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog or article visibility for your business? We’re professional, experienced with keywords and SEO, and we cover a number of writing services. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to:
http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance writer, and
Editor for 4RV Publishing

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

Sorry, it’s been a while; I’ve been super busy, but I have a great children’s middle grade book for you to check out.

Title: What Is Electricity and Magnetism?
Authors: Richard and Louise Spilsbury
Publisher: Enslow Publishers, Inc.
ISBN: 13: 978-0-7660-3096-1
ISBN: 10: 0-7660-3096-2
Reviewer: Karen Cioffi

I love books that teach children about the world around us, and Enslow Publishers’, What Is Electricity and Magnetism? by Richard and Louise Spilsbury, is one such book.

The topics: What is Electricity; Making and Storing Electricity; What is Magnetism; Electromagnetism; and Motors and Generators are explained in easy to understand text. And, each topic has color illustrations that will certainly help with a child’s comprehension.

What is especially useful in What is Electricity and Magnetism? is the Close-Up section in each topic. This section describes in detailed, yet simple language exactly how a particular subject, such as a battery, actually works:

“All batteries have three parts: an electrolyte, a negative electrode, and a positive electrode. The electrolyte includes chemicals that can make electricity. The negative electrode is a metal case that surrounds the electrolyte. The negative electrode reacts with the electrolyte to make electrons flow.”

The explanation goes on to further enlighten the child. And, along with the text, illustrations provide a visual of what is actually going on. The combination of thorough explanations along with explicit illustrations make for a powerful learning tool.

Along with this, What Is Electricity and Magnetism features an extensive “hands on” section that provides fascinating and doable experiments. All children within the intended age group will love to explore science by working on projects such as building an electromagnet, building batteries, and creating a lemon cell.

I highly recommend What is Electricity and Magnetism? by Richard and Louise Spilsbury.

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Do you want to get that idea turned into a book? Do you want to write your memoirs? Do you need editing, proofreading, or a professional critique? Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog or article visibility for your business? We’re professional, experienced with keywords and SEO, and we cover a number of writing services. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to:
http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance writer, and
Acquisitions Editor Intern for 4RV Publishing

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing for Children and More
Babies, Tots, and Children

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

Title: Frederico, the Mouse Violinist
Author: Mayra Calvani
Illustrations: K.C. Snider
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-61633-114-6; 1616331143 Paperback
eBook ISBN: 13: 978-1-61633-125-2; 1616331259
Reviewed by: Karen Cioffi

Frederico, the Mouse Violinist is an absolutely wonderful children’s picture book. Through a delightful story, the author teaches about the world’s most famous violin maker, Antonio Stradivari, along with various parts of the violin.

But, what has a mouse to do with Stradivari and violins? Well, Calvani cleverly weaved a story that has Frederico living in the home where Stradivari creates his masterpieces.

Loving the violin, the mouse wished he could play. At night while the master slept, Frederico would play among the violins and move the bow across the strings, making sweet sounds. Hearing the music and seeing Frederico’s appreciation for the violin, Stradivari created a special tiny violin for the mouse.

Adding dimension to the story are full page illustrations that are vibrant and fanciful, making Frederico, the Mouse Violinist an engaging, kids-will-love-it picture book. The book also provides information on Stradivari; a glossary for words related to the violin, such as bridge, peg, and scroll; and two activity pages. It is an enjoyable and fun tool that parents and teachers can use to introduce the violin to young children.

I happen to love the sound of the violin, cello, and other stringed instruments. My appreciation for music came from my musical family, as well as school music education programs. In 7th and 8th grades my school offered violin instruction which I happily accepted.

Research from the 1950s through to today, demonstrates the benefits music has for children and even societies. Here are some of the benefits children can reap from music education:

Increases memorization capacity
Improves reasoning capacity and comprehension
Helps children learn and/or improve time management and organizational skills
Helps develop team skills, as well as math skills
Helps improve coordination and concentration
Is a universal language and encourages self-expression

Aside from the above mentioned benefits, you never know what will spark a child’s appreciation and love for music, it could be hearing a song, seeing musicians play, or learning about various instruments and their creation.

Some kids, rather teenagers seem to be drawn to tattoos and body piercings, but don’t realize they can cause a number of health problems.

According to National Library of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association sites body piercing having several possible consequences:

• The wound may not heal properly.
• You may have pain.
• Nearby tissue may swell.
• You may have an allergic reaction to the metal.
• A scar may develop.
• Piercings in and around the mouth may damage the teeth.
In regard to tattoos, much of the same holds true, including: allergic reaction, infections such as hepatitis, and Keloids (a scar that develops during healing).

If your child is interested in getting a piercing or tattoo, be sure the facility he/she goes to is safe; it should be clean and be reputable. In addition, watch for proper sterilization of any equipment used.

After the procedure, be sure your child is clear on the instructions to care for the area, and follows through with them.

~~~~
Sources:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_108126.html (*this news item will not be available after 04/26/2011)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/piercingandtattoos.html

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Do you want to get that idea turned into a book? Do you want to write your memoirs? Do you need editing, proofreading, or a professional critique? Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog or article visibility for your business? We’re professional, experienced with keywords and SEO, and we cover a number of writing services. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to:
http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance writer, and
Acquisitions Editor Intern for 4RV Publishing

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing for Children and More
Babies, Tots, and Children

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

Thank for your following me on Day 5 of my 6-day virtual tour for my books, Heart2heart and Turning Points. I’ve had some rave reviews for these two latest books in the Friendly Universe Collection.

Co-authors of the mega-series Chicken Soup for the Soul offer this praise for Dr. my exciting educational model:

The Synergy Pals rekindle the rich spirit that those who differ from us give to our lives, to explore the world from four points of view and compare that world to our own with those who matter most in work and play.

–Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen
This is a wonderful book that shows you how to better understand and bring out the best in you and those who matter most in your life. The poems, illustrations and insights are powerful.

–Brian Tracy, PhD, author of No Excuses – The Power of Self Discipline
We are all different. Dr. Reverman has captured those differences in this work. So that everyone in the family of man can feel comfortable and accepted.

–Lendon H. Smith, MD
I love to visit schools across the country to talk about my writing and my books. I particularly enjoy helping teachers and school librarians see how they can use nonfiction to help students write better fiction. Teachers and librarians can find out more about this at my web site, too.

Find out more about me and my book at the National Writing for Children Center, where the book is showcased all this month.

Follow Day 6 of my tour tomorrow at www.terri-forehand.blogspot.com. Leave a comment every day of my tour and your name will automatically be entered to win a Gift Box Bundle – filled with books and other goodies – at the end of the month, provided by the National Writing for Children Center.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you want to get that idea turned into a book? Do you want to write your memoirs? Do you need editing, proofreading, or a professional critique? Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog or article visibility for your business? We’re professional, experienced with keywords and SEO, and we cover a number of writing services. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to:
http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance writer, and
Acquisitions Editor Intern for 4RV Publishing

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing for Children and More
Babies, Tots, and Children

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

Welcome to Day 5 of the 6-day virtual tour for my new book Please Explain “Anxiety” to Me! I don’t have any plans for books signings yet, but I am available for speaking engagements in the New York area and for media queries about issues pertaining to anxiety in children, preparation for a hospital experience, selective mutism, school psychology and play therapy.

Announcement of upcoming activities can be found on my website at www.DrZelinger.com.

Find out more about me and my book at the National Writing for Children Center, where the book is showcased all this month.

Follow Day 6 of my tour tomorrow at www.terri-forehand.blogspot.com. Leave a comment every day of my tour and your name will automatically be entered to win a Gift Box Bundle – filled with books and other goodies – at the end of the month, provided by the National Writing for Children Center.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you want to get that idea turned into a book? Do you want to write your memoirs? Do you need editing, proofreading, or a professional critique? Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog or article visibility for your business? We’re professional, experienced with keywords and SEO, and we cover a number of writing services. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to:
http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance writer, and
Acquisitions Editor Intern for 4RV Publishing

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing for Children and More
Babies, Tots, and Children

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

Welcome to Day 5 of the virtual tour for my new book Reena’s Bollywood Dream.

I’m always up for author visits or interviews. I live in Toronto, Canada and would love to chat! In October of 2010, I was interviewed by www.insidescooplive.com.

I’ve also recently been interviewed by the “Ryerson Review” about my advocacy for disability issues. The magazine article will be released in May 2011.

Find out more about me and my book at the National Writing for Children Center, where the book is showcased all this month.

Follow Day 6 of my tour tomorrow at www.terri-forehand.blogspot.com.

Leave a comment every day of my tour and your name will automatically be entered to win a Gift Box Bundle – filled with books and other goodies – at the end of the month, provided by the National Writing for Children Center.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you want to get that idea turned into a book? Do you want to write your memoirs? Do you need editing, proofreading, or a professional critique? Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog or article visibility for your business? We’re professional, experienced with keywords and SEO, and we cover a number of writing services. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to:
http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance writer, and
Acquisitions Editor Intern for 4RV Publishing

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing for Children and More
Babies, Tots, and Children

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

Welcome to Day 5 of the 6-day virtual tour for my new book D/HD Success! Solutions for Boosting Self-Esteem The Diary Method Ages 7-17. For people who like to follow my presentation schedule, I will be speaking on ADDResouce.com on March 23rd to teachers. 8pm Eastern time. The topic will be “Tools and Strategies (How To Boost The Self-Esteem Of Each And Every Student)” for use in the classroom . The talk will be followed by general Q&A.

Find out more about my book and read some sample pages at www.ReachBeyondADD.com. Also, don’t forget to visit the National Writing for Children Center, where my book is showcased all this month. You can listen to my recent interview on Book Bites for Kids there, plus find out what people are saying about my book.

I may be booked for speaking in local schools in the Bergen County section of New Jersey. These speaking engagements will be posted at my website. I am available to speak at schools in New York as well.

Follow Day 6 of my tour tomorrow at www.terri-forehand.blogspot.com Leave a comment every day of my tour and your name will automatically be entered to win a Gift Box Bundle – filled with books and other goodies – at the end of the month, provided by the National Writing for Children Center.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you want to get that idea turned into a book? Do you want to write your memoirs? Do you need editing, proofreading, or a professional critique? Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog or article visibility for your business? We’re professional, experienced with keywords and SEO, and we cover a number of writing services. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to:
http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance writer, and
Acquisitions Editor Intern for 4RV Publishing

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing for Children and More
Babies, Tots, and Children

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

Where We Get Our Authors for Loving Healing Press: An Interview with Publisher Victor Volkman

Welcome to Day 5 of this 6-day virtual tour to promote the wonderful books I am fortunate enough to publish. I’m Victor Volkman, CEO of the fastest-growing publishing company devoted to self-growth, recovery, psychology, and social work books. When people ask me where we get the authors for our books, I tell them that we have authors from around the world including Pakistan, Iraq, the UK, Australia, Canada, the US and so on. For the children’s books our authors have been only from the US and Canada so far.

Currently, we’re not soliciting for new children’s authors. In general, we’re trying to build new products from our existing base of authors rather than taking on any new authors in 2011.

The time required to bring a new author up to speed is exhausting and we get more synergy by keeping our existing authors busy and productive.

I’ve been working with a few authors who are committed to developing abilities in youngsters along with self-esteem, judgment, and respect for others. Specifically, Robin Marvel has been leading the way with her Awakening Consciousness series of books for boys and girls. These books also use native American stories and legends to help make their points while safely allowing children to explore some New Age concepts like chakras, aura reading, and drumming circles. There are also a lot of arts and crafts activities included in that. We recognize it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but for those with an open mind or who have children that are already asking questions, it might be the ideal book for them.

We have a book in progress called “What Do You Use to Help Your Body?” in which the main character Maggie travels the neighborhood with her mom and they ask people they meet that question? Again this helps normalize the idea that not all bodies are perfect and people can use things to help them without shame or expecting ridicule. That book makes me cry every time I read it. Another book in development is “I’m not Weird, I have Sensory Processing Disorder” a children’s book by Chynna Laird whose memoir “Not Just Spirited!: A Mom’s Sensational Journey with Sensory Processing Disorder” came out last year. SPD is a growing problem and it basically is a condition where kids are hypersensitive to sights, sounds, smells, kinesthetic sensations, and even can’t stand to be touched by their own parents. It brings up all kinds of issues from clothing to food to you name it.

Several of our new books are showcased all this month at the National Writing for Children Center. Please visit the center at www.writingforchildrencenter.com to learn more about them. And, to find out more about ALL of our books, please visit our website at www.LovingHealing.com.

Follow Day 6 of my tour tomorrow at www.terri-forehand.blogspot.com Leave a comment every day of my tour and your name will automatically be entered to win a Gift Box Bundle – filled with books and other goodies – at the end of the month, provided by the National Writing for Children Center.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you want to get that idea turned into a book? Do you want to write your memoirs? Do you need editing, proofreading, or a professional critique? Do you need an e-book or white paper to offer for instruction, platform visibility, or a gift? Do you need blog or article visibility for your business? We’re professional, experienced with keywords and SEO, and we cover a number of writing services. So, please stop by and check us out. Go to:
http://DKVWriting4U.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Author, Ghostwriter, Freelance writer, and
Acquisitions Editor Intern for 4RV Publishing

http://KarenCioffi.com
http://DKVWriting4U.com
Karen Cioffi Writing for Children and More
Babies, Tots, and Children

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice