Rose and Lily begin with the recognizable rhythms of childhood—school, rainy days, sibling squabbles, and time at home—but their mother soon gives them an unusual assignment: read a story she has written and tell her what they think. In Mum’s Story, Vlora Morina uses that premise to place one tale inside another, moving from the sisters’ everyday world into Alexander’s imaginative adventures. The result connects family storytelling with the creative possibilities children discover when an ordinary moment gives them permission to imagine something much bigger.

Children's Book

Date Published: March 7, 2026

Publisher: Publishing Push

When their mother entrusts them with a special task, the girls are whisked into a world of imagination through the story of Alexander, a boy who discovers friends on magical planets and learns the wonders of creativity, courage, and kindness. From ordinary afternoons to extraordinary adventures, this enchanting story celebrates family, imagination, and the little moments that make growing up magical.

The story-within-a-story structure gives Mum’s Story two different kinds of childhood adventure. Rose and Lily’s experiences are rooted in sibling life and the small incidents of an ordinary day, while the story their mother asks them to read opens the door to Alexander’s much more fantastical world. That contrast gives young readers a tangible example of how storytelling can transform familiar surroundings into a place for invention. It also places the act of reading inside the story itself, making imagination something the characters share rather than simply something that happens to them.

Mum’s Story is a natural match for children who like seeing everyday family life mixed with make-believe, particularly stories involving brothers or sisters, playful disagreements, and imaginative adventures. The relationship between Rose and Lily gives sibling readers something familiar to recognize, while Alexander’s experiences provide the more fantastical side of the book. Families who enjoy reading together may especially appreciate a story in which a mother sharing her own writing with her children becomes part of the adventure.

My name is Vlora, I am an Albanian from Kosovo and work as admin for Whittington Hospital in London. 

My inspiration and idea to write this book comes from my nieces and nephew who I love them dearly.

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At the center of Mum’s Story is a simple but meaningful exchange: a mother has created a story and trusts her children enough to make them its first readers. Morina builds outward from that moment, connecting Rose and Lily’s relationship with Alexander’s imaginative experiences and showing how stories can become part of family life. For children, the adventures offer room for play and fantasy; for families reading alongside them, the book also offers a reminder that creativity can begin with something as ordinary as sitting down together and sharing a story.

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A child’s first horse can mark the beginning of far more than riding lessons. For A.J., Lady Star becomes his way into the daily responsibilities, family traditions, and working rhythms of an Oklahoma farm. Sherry Roberts draws upon stories passed down by her father to frame this childhood milestone within life during the 1930s and 1940s, giving the adventure an especially personal connection to the past.

Kid's Western Adventure

Date Published: 07-15-2025

Publisher: Solander Press

Author: Sherry Roberts

Illustrator: Kashif Qasim

One afternoon, A.J. returned home from school to find a surprise waiting for him in the barn - a beautiful little horse named Lady Star. She was now his to ride and care for. From that day on, A.J. spent all his free time learning how to ride Lady Star and caring for her. He dreamed of being skilled enough to ride alongside his grandfather, father, and Jon, the farm hand, during the cattle roundups.

Award-winning author Sherry Roberts weaves a heartfelt story about growing up in the 1930s and 1940s. Based on the tales passed down by her father, Just Call Me Pardner is a must-read for history lovers and those who enjoy stories of the American West.

A.J.’s wish for a horse is tied directly to the work he sees his grandfather, father, and Jon performing around the farm. That connection gives Lady Star a meaningful role in the story: she is both a long-awaited companion and A.J.’s first opportunity to prove that he can accept greater responsibility.

The historical setting also grows from family memory rather than an invented frontier fantasy. By drawing upon stories handed down by her father, Roberts offers younger readers a child-centered glimpse of Oklahoma farm life in the 1930s and 1940s. The focus on learning to ride, caring for an animal, and preparing to help with cattle roundups makes the period accessible through tasks A.J. must patiently learn.

Young readers curious about horses, farm chores, and the responsibilities involved in caring for an animal will find an immediate point of connection with A.J. The book may also suit families seeking an approachable introduction to everyday childhood in the 1930s and 1940s, particularly stories shaped by the American West and Oklahoma farm life.

Its emphasis on patience, practice, and earning a place beside more experienced family members gives parents, grandparents, and educators several natural openings for conversations about growing independence. Readers who value stories preserved across generations may be especially interested in the family history behind A.J.’s adventure.

Dr. Roberts has a three-book middle grade series. Book one, The Galaxy According to Cece, began the series. Book two, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Mysterious Dr. Pruitt arrived next, followed by book three, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Stars Align.

Her debut chapter book series begins with Just Call Me Pardner. The second book, Just Look at Those Boots, launched March 2026 and book three, Just Don’t Give A Girl A Frog, is coming in 2027. Each book can stand alone in this series.

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Just Call Me Pardner places a deeply personal family story inside a child’s ambition to become useful on the farm. A.J.’s progress with Lady Star connects the excitement of receiving a first horse with the less glamorous work of learning, practicing, and providing consistent care. That balance gives the adventure its strongest appeal: becoming a “pardner” is not simply a title A.J. claims, but a responsibility he must grow into.

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A.J. has a brand-new pair of cowboy boots, a first-day-of-school plan, and every intention of enjoying both. What begins with kickball and a little dust soon leads back to the family farm, where chores, a waiting horse, and one poorly timed daydream turn those prized boots into part of a much bigger lesson. Inspired by Sherry Roberts’s father’s childhood in northeastern Oklahoma during the 1930s and 1940s, Just Look at Those Boots pairs a lively mishap with a glimpse of everyday rural life from another era.

A.J.’s attachment to his new boots gives younger readers an immediately understandable problem: how do you enjoy something special while still taking care of it? The answer unfolds through schoolyard play, farm responsibilities, and a horseback ride that goes off course when A.J.’s attention wanders. Rather than separating its lesson from the action, the story lets consequences do the teaching. 

The historical inspiration adds another layer--especially for older readers. Details such as farm chores, riding Lady Star, and Jon’s practical reminder to clean the boots connect A.J.’s adventure to childhood in northeastern Oklahoma during the 1930s and 1940s. That combination of mischief, responsibility, and family history gives adults several natural openings for conversation after the final page.

Young readers drawn to horses, cowboy boots, farm life, and energetic school-day adventures will find plenty here to recognize and discuss. The book also suits families and classrooms exploring personal responsibility, caring for belongings, staying attentive around animals, or comparing childhood routines across generations. Adults who value stories rooted in family memories may especially appreciate the way A.J.’s mishap preserves a small piece of Oklahoma history without turning the story into a history lesson.

Sherry Roberts holds a Ph.D. from the University of Louisville in Curriculum and Instruction. She is an award-winning author and photographer of children’s picture books: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas…A First for Gus; Hello, Can I Bug You?; Sonnet, Sonnet, What’s In Your Bonnet?, The Best Reading Buddy; What’s Wrong With Barnaby?, A Visit Through the Wetlands, and Amica Helps Zoe. 

Dr. Roberts has a three-book middle grade series. Book one, The Galaxy According to Cece, began the series. Book two, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Mysterious Dr. Pruitt arrived next, followed by book three, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Stars Align. 

Her debut chapter book series begins with Just Call Me Pardner. The second book, Just Look at Those Boots, launched March 2026 and book three, Just Don’t Give A Girl A Frog, is coming in 2027. Each book can stand alone in this series.

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A pair of boots may be the object A.J. treasures, but attention and responsibility are the real concerns at the center of his day. The school-to-farm setting gives the story room to move from excitement to consequence, while the family history behind it lends weight to the ordinary details. Just Look at Those Boots offers a useful reminder that childhood lessons often arrive through muddy mistakes, unfinished chores, and the animals patient enough to wait for us.

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Mack’s family camping trip trades city lights for Sedona’s red rocks and a sky filled with possibilities, but the adventure takes an unexpected turn when his furry companion races into the darkness. What begins as a nighttime search becomes a child-sized first-contact story, pairing curiosity about what lies beyond Earth with the simple realization that friendship does not require two people—or two beings—to come from the same place.

Ever gazed at the twinkling night sky and wondered, what might be up there? Mack jets off from Texas to the stunning red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, ready for a camping adventure with his family. But when his furry sidekick bolts into the night, Mack sprints after him and stumbles upon a surprise guest.

This new buddy isn’t your run-of-the-mill earthling! Mack soon discovers the stellar delight of making a truly out-of-this-world friend.

In this galactic adventure, award-winning author Clarissa Willis introduces two characters who learn that no matter who you are, or where you are from, friendship is all about having a blast together.

The story begins with two familiar sources of childhood excitement—a family camping trip and a pet that suddenly needs chasing—before opening the door to a much bigger question about who might be waiting beyond the world we know. 

Sedona’s distinctive landscape gives Mack’s encounter a setting grounded in a real place, while his unexpected new friend allows the book to explore difference without making unfamiliarity feel frightening. At its center is an approachable idea for young readers: friendship can begin with curiosity, shared fun, and a willingness to welcome someone whose home looks nothing like your own.

Young readers drawn to camping trips, runaway pets, starry skies, and friendly visitors from beyond Earth will find recognizable interests woven throughout Mack’s adventure. The story may also appeal to families and educators seeking a playful starting point for conversations about welcoming newcomers, approaching differences with curiosity, and finding common ground through shared experiences.

Clarissa Willis is the author of 8 picture books and a captivating chapter book! Carrie Ingalls The Forgotten Sister won the Western Writers of America SPUR Award for best juvenile nonfiction and a Will Rogers Medallion Finalist (2026). Her tale, Bloomers on Pike’s Peak (2024), is the biography of the unstoppable Julia Archibald Holmes, the first woman to climb Pikes Peak. It won a Will Rogers Medallion and was the finalist for the Women Writing the West 2025 WILLA Literary Award. Fast as the Wind: The Story of Johnny Fry Pony Express Rider (2022) galloped away with a Will Rogers Medallion in 2023. Then, there's The Three Little Pigs and the Not So Big Bad Wolf, putting a fresh spin on a classic yarn. 

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By placing an extraordinary visitor inside the familiar excitement of a family camping trip, You Are Not From Around Here, Are You? gives young readers an inviting way to think about the unknown. Mack’s nighttime pursuit, the wide-open Sedona setting, and an out-of-this-world friendship all support a message that remains firmly within a child’s experience: where someone comes from matters less than the joy and understanding two new friends can share.

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The funniest ideas in children’s books often work because they make a real part of everyday life easier to understand. The Foopy Song connects food, energy, movement, and digestion through a rhythm children can repeat, sing, and laugh about. Its proudly silly refrain gives families a playful way to talk about why bodies need food—and why what happens afterward is perfectly normal.

Children’s Picture Book

Author: G.D. Griffiths

Publisher: Independently Published

Publication Date: June 5, 2026

Food goes in and poop comes out-it's the circle of happy!

Mealtimes can be a struggle, but The Foopy Song is here to turn every bite into a celebration. Follow the rhythmic logic of the "Foopy" cycle: from the very first munch to the final wiggle! 

This catchy, cheerful and joyful book helps children understand that eating isn't just about sitting still-it's the fuel that lets them play, laugh, and poop their way to a happy day. By showing kids how food leads to energy and energy leads to play, it turns the daily routine into a delightful, rhythmic experience. 

BECAUSE!

Eat. Poop. Play. Repeat!

With a bouncy rhythm parents can sing or read, it's the ultimate guide to why we eat, how we feel, and why a little "poop" is a very big deal.

The book’s memorable “Foopy” cycle turns a basic lesson about the body into an idea young children can repeat in their own words. Rather than separating nutrition, energy, play, and digestion into abstract explanations, G.D. Griffiths links them through a single comic rhythm: eating provides fuel, fuel makes activity possible, and digestion is part of the same healthy process.

That direct approach may be especially useful during difficult meals. The subject children are most likely to giggle about becomes the reason they listen, while the repetition gives adults an easy refrain to carry beyond storytime. The book is designed to be read or sung aloud, making participation part of the lesson instead of asking children to sit quietly through it.

The Foopy Song is suited to families with toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary-age children who respond well to rhyme, repetition, movement, and bathroom humor. Adults dealing with mealtime resistance may appreciate having a lighthearted conversation starter that explains what food does without turning dinner into a lecture.

It also belongs naturally in lively read-aloud settings. Parents, grandparents, early-years educators, and children’s librarians can invite young listeners to repeat the refrain, add gestures, or sing the lines together. Children already fascinated by how their bodies work will find the subject familiar, funny, and easy to remember.

G.D.'s storytelling spark was ignited in the hallowed land of Wales, where his childhood was spent exploring the sea until the legendary midnight summer twilight. His journey led him through academia, earning degrees in Computer Science and Operations Management, culminating in a PhD focused on Virtual Reality.

​While pursuing his studies in Nottingham, he met his wife. Together, their spirit of adventure took them first to New Zealand, where G.D. worked in the video game industry and taught Scuba Diving. A seemingly simple job inquiry brought them to California, a place they planned to "try for one year," and where they still reside almost fourteen years later in Redondo Beach.

​The family, which welcomed their son in 2012, is completed by Rhea, their quirky German Shepherd. Rhea became the key inspiration for G.D.'s first book, ABC's With Rhea, A doggy journey through the alphabet. Having observed that children learn best through stories, G.D. wrote this book to craft a specific, relatable world for each letter, encouraging children to connect deeply with the subject.

He has recently published his second book, Olly's Journey, and is already hard at work weaving new tales and adventures for his readers.

G.D.'s mission is to empower children to pursue their own creative writing journey.

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The Foopy Song understands that a child’s laughter can be the beginning of a useful conversation. Its eat-poop-play-repeat structure makes the body’s everyday cycle concrete, while the sing-along delivery gives families room to be noisy, active, and amused.

For households where another bite can become a negotiation, that playful change of perspective may be the book’s most practical idea.

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Today, we have a new children's book to share in our book blitz spotlight! Learn about The Rough Life and author Danny Fanelli. 

Children's Book

Date Published: June 10, 2026

Publisher: MindStir Media

about the author

 Danny Fanelli is a husband, father, elementary school teacher and coach from Westchester, New York. He began playing golf and fell in love with the game at 30 years young. One of his biggest fears in life is sinking a hole-in-one while playing solo (he’s come close). When he is not playing golf or practicing his form in the living room, Danny takes turns with his wife chasing his two, wild children.

This morning, I have a children's book in our book spotlight! Learn about Oh, Tal! Not Like that and author Tal Anderson! 

Date Published: April 15, 2026

Tal and the family cat, Winnie are once again taking on the world, and this time, they're doing it at school. Tal starts the school year off excited, but quickly learns that in the classroom, they like kids to follow directions, and to be the same, and do things uniformly. Tal has different ideas, however, and classmates and teachers work hard to teach and model the "right way" to do things. 

In the end, they all learn a valuable lesson: that there are more ways than one to get things done, and that expressing yourself authentically leads to good things. Once again, Tal wins over hearts and confirms it's okay to be different, be yourself, and to follow your own path.

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This morning, I have a children's book to share in our book blitz spotlight! Check out Gabriel and the Special Memorial Day by Sherry Roberts! 

Date Published: 05-12-2024

Publisher: Soalnder Press

What is the surprise Gabriel has in store? Will it be enough to bring a smile to Mr. Wayne's face? 

Find out in this touching tale of community and friendship

about the author

 Sherry Roberts is an award-winning children’s book author. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Louisville. She has written multiple award-winning fiction picture books such as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas…A First for Gus, Hello, Can I Bug You?, Gabriel and the Special Memorial Day, What’s Wrong with Barnaby, and The Best Reading Buddy. She also has written two non-fiction award-winning picture books, Sonnet, Sonnet, What’s in Your Bonnet? and A Visit Through the Wetlands. These two were illustrated with her photography. Sherry’s newest picture book, Amica Helps Zoe, was featured in Kirkus e-newsletter June 2025 as Indie Pick and received a Get It: Recommend review. 

As a former middle school teacher, Dr. Roberts decided to write her first middle-grade novel (ages 8-13). Her debut novel, The Galaxy According to CeCe, is the first book in a three-book series. It was officially released on February 24, 2024. Book two, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Mysterious Dr. Pruitt, was released August 2024. Book three, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Stars Align, released February 2025. 

Sherry’s next venture is a chapter book series (ages 6-8). The first book, Just Call Me Pardner, was released August 1, 2025. The series is about a young boy in the 1930s on a small farm in Northeastern Oklahoma and is inspired by stories of her father’s childhood in the 1930s. Book 2, Just Look at Those Boots, launches in early 2026, with Book 3, Just Don’t Give a Girl a Frog, launching in November 2026.

Dr. Roberts has also written many articles that appear in various academic journals, along with three textbooks. Personal Financial Literacy is in its fourth edition (Pearson). She is an associate professor of Marketing in Jones College of Business at Middle Tennessee State University.

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This morning, I have a children's book to share in our book spotlight! Check out Chicken Fun! Take a few minutes to learn about author Mary Jo Huff and enter the book tour giveaway at the end of this post! 

Children's Picture Book

Date Published: 06-01-2023

Publisher: Storytellin' Time Press

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Children giggle and grow with her stories — from the mischievous adventures of No, No, Ebenezer, a spirited dachshund with a big heart, to the playful journeys in Chicken Fun, Going on a Gator Hunt, and The Predictable Persimmon. 

As a seasoned educator and master storyteller, Mary Jo has inspired audiences in 47 states and three countries, sharing her love of language through staff development sessions, author visits, and children’s programs that burst with laughter, learning, and joy. 

A dynamic keynote speaker, Mary Jo has graced Early Childhood conferences nationwide, leading hundreds of high-energy workshops and professional development events. With a heart for nurturing both children and teachers, she draws on 38 years as a center director — where she guided a team and cared for 115 bright, curious young minds every day. 

Through every story, song, and puppet, Mary Jo invites children and educators alike to discover the wonder of storytelling and the power it must connect hearts, spark creativity, and make learning unforgettable.

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