OC Children's Book Festival - Oct. 3rd!

Some of you may already know that I am involved in the Orange County Children's Book Festival (OCCBF)...yes I have volunteered for yet another project (I keep saying I won't and I DO!)

The OCCBF is now in it's 7th year of fun and fostering reading for children in Southern California. While it takes place in Orange County it is by no means limited to kids in the OC...we welcome children from all over the Southland, from 1 to 101!

Each year the OC Children’s Book Festival gets better and better and
this year promises to be the best one yet! There is something for everyone that loves books. We invite you to join other families that know reading is the secret to a happy and successful life.

So - Save The Date Sunday, October 3, 2010

...and spend the day 9:30AM-4:30PM with us

on the beautiful Orange Coast College campus!

Stay tuned to this blog for teasers and temptations...there are lots of new exhibitors and events this year!!! check out the website for programs from past events and more...http://kidsbookfestival.com

The Basilisk's Lair (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, Book 2)

The Basilisk's Lair (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, Book 2)

By: R. L. LaFevers Illustrations: Kelly Murphy

This is book two of the continuing saga of Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist!

You may remember from the first book Flight of the Phoenix (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, Book I) Nathaniel Fludd is a beastologist in training - learning at the hands of his quirky Aunt Phil. Unfortunately it appears that the first book was not a fluke and it looks like Aunt Phil favors the "learn by doing" method. So in book two The Basilisk's Lair (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, Book 2) she drags the young boy beastologist-in-training on a screaming wild adventure to find the Basilisk!

As in her other adventures R.L. LaFevers takes you on a rip roaring ride into monsters and mythology mixed with the thrills of a wildlife safari....but the nice thing about Aunt Phil...she doesn't want to do this creature harm, just contain him!

This is a quick and easy read...and while the recommendations are from 3rd to 6th grade - you could read this to a 6 year old and they would LOVE it!

Off to continue the adventure with The Wyverns' Treasure (Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, Book 3)...

From the Author (on Amazon):

I've always held a special place for animals in my heart and they have figured prominently in my books. While researching another project, I stumbled across a medieval bestiary, the ultimate zoological authority of its time, and I was fascinated by all the mythical creatures listed in there as factual. Right around that same time, I also read about the modern day discovery of new animal species. It drove home for me just how vast and mysterious our planet was, and who knew what could be living in its hidden valleys, unexplored deserts, and remote mountaintops. Thus the world of Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist was born. -R.L. LaFevers

Spells by Emily Gravett

Spells

by Emily Gravett

Recommended for Ages 4 to 8

Staring at the cover Spells will capture every child's attention. Beautifully illustrated and wildly fun with just the right amount of dialog to visual content.

You get an idea of just how delightful and humorous this story will be when you read the author/illustrator's bio on the back book flap:

Back Cover - Flap excerpt: "As a child Emily Gravett was desperate to become a witch. She spent her time trying to fly, and attempting to cast spells on people who called her sweet."

Kids will spend hours in the center "split pages" matching and mis-matching tops and bottoms of magical creatures.

Gorgeous - this is going on my four year old grand daughter's book shelf!

Product Description from Amazon
From critically acclaimed author Emily Gravett comes Spells, the hilarious misadventures of a small green frog who just wants to kiss a princess.

Not as "Dark"as the title might imply!

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children

How can you resist - The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children? It brings to mind the old WC Fields adage - when asked if he liked children, Fields purportedly answered, Yes - with a little mustard and relish!

All joking aside - this book is being touted as a lot of things...a modern version of the Hansel & Gretel tale, garnering comparisons to Roald Dahl's The Witches, and the tone of a Lemony Snicket narration.

The really great part is that kids will read and love it - it is a quick witty - smart read!

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children has everything it needs to make it a modern day fairy tale - smart, funny, sleuthing siblings - their father (who is not their father) - a wicked stepmother - scary librarian and bits from a witch's journal!!!

This is a debut from author Keith McGowan, and the illustrations throughout by Yoko Tanaka lend a graphic element that stops just short of graphic novel.

Product Description from Amazon:

When Sol and Connie Blink move to Grand Creek, one of the first people to welcome them is an odd older woman, Fay Holaderry, and her friendly dog, Swift, who carries a very strange bone in his mouth. Sol knows a lot more than the average eleven-year-old, so when he identifies the bone as human, he and Connie begin to wonder if their new neighbor is up to no good.

In a spine-tingling adventure that makes them think twice about who they can trust, Sol and Connie discover that solving mysteries can be a dangerous game—even for skilled junior sleuths.