Journal Buddies Book Review

“The formula looks like this: Sharing your Journal + Creative Journaling + Kindness = Journal Buddies.” – Journal Buddies by Jill Schoenberg

I wish I would have spent more time in my childhood journaling. Sure, I kept various diaries and journals, but I don’t think I ever completely filled one up entirely. Journaling requires a certain kind of discipline, and I struggled with writing down my thoughts as a child. Why waste good paper with my silly, boring, mediocre ramblings? (Like most young girls I also had a bit of a self-esteem problem, too.) Journal Buddies are a helpful and fun journaling option for children who, like me back then, just need a little inspiration.

Journal Buddies: A Girl's Journal for Sharing and Celebrating Magnificence by Jill Schoenberg helps build self-esteem in young girls and provides a way to get rid of the journaling “block.” It’s journaling done a different way! The journal is shared with one or more journal buddies. The buddies chosen can include friends, siblings, cousins, moms, grandparents and even dads! Journal Buddies promotes creative journaling - a combination of writing and scrapbooking through the use of stickers, photographs, and drawings that result in a personalized, unique journal. Best of all, it encourages kindheartedness and consideration of another’s feelings. Let’s face it – girls, especially tweens and teens, can be downright cruel to each other. A little kindness can really go a long way in boosting self-confidence.

The Journal Buddies book has room for 30 journal entries. A great introductory section provides helpful pointers and tips on how to use the book. It also includes a list of 89 creative journaling ideas. Basically, each journal entry has the following fill in spots:
1. Name of buddy friend and date
2. Lines to list each others qualities traits and talents
3. Blank pages with a special focus word for creative journaling. Some of the focus words options are beauty, giggle, possibilities, and gift.

I look forward to the time when my daughter is old enough to journal buddy with me. What a great, positive way to interact with your child! I also think that the journals would make a fun activity for girl scout troups and also might work well in certain classroom or educational settings. I’m kind of surprised they don’t offer a Christian version of the book for use with youth groups or the AWANA clubs. Once completed, the journal would most likely become a keepsake book to cherish forever, filled with great memories and shared moments. There is also a similar book for boys available titled Journal Buddies: A Boy's Journal for Discovering and Sharing Excellence. The books have won numerous awards including a 2008 Dove Foundation Family-Approved Seal and a 2008 Mom’s Choice Award.

It's a proven fact that journaling is a great way for kids to develop and improve their writing and language skills. Writing takes practice. The more you write, the better you get. Journaling also helps boost individuality, confidence and creativity. Journaling with a buddy gives an even bigger boost! The Journal Buddies books are available for purchase at the Journal Buddies Website or at Amazon.com.

Thanks to Family Review Network and Journal Buddies for this review opportunity!

Check out the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival

This week I'm taking a break from "Full to the Brim." I have 4 different giveaways listed on the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival and hope that you will take the time to check out all the giveaways there (over 1000). You'll find books and lots of other random giveaways. Should keep you plenty busy for now!

Customizable My Fruit Roll-Ups Review and Giveaway

Roses are Red,
Violets are Blue,
Fruit Roll-Ups are Sweet,
And Customizable, Too!

Sometimes certain items or images trigger memory flashes. My latest encounter with Fruit Roll-Ups triggered one for me. In middle school it wasn’t "cool" to eat the hot lunch so I brought my lunch in a brown paper sack (lunch boxes were not cool either). My lunch usually consisted of some type of sandwich, a bag of chips, fruit and/or veggie and then something sweet. The something sweet more often than not was a strawberry Fruit Roll-Up. I loved to slowly unwrap, unroll, unpeel and eat the paper-thin treat. Haven’t had one for years, but I’m so glad for the recent reminder. Surely they’ll become a standby in our pantry now that we’ve had a sample.

So you can understand why this review is special for me. Yes, thanks to MyBlogSpark I had the chance to try out the customizable My Fruit Roll-Ups.

At http://www.myfruitrollups.com you can design and order your My Fruit Roll-Ups using their design center. The steps are simple:

1. Choose a Canvas (They have awesome Valentine’s Day designs as well as birthday, graduation, pirates, princesses and even snowflakes!)
2. Add Images and Messages to personalize your design. I added a photo of my kids. See the picture to the left. Click to make larger.
3. Add to cart and name your design.
4. Preview your design.
5. Buy Now (30 rolls cost $29.99, plus shipping and tax).

It’s super easy the result is really unique and really fun for all! The shipping is pretty fast. We received our order in a little over a week. Our personalized Fruit Roll-Ups will go to our friends and family for Valentine’s Day, as long as I can keep all the little and big mongers away from the box! The ink used for printing the design does rub off a bit on the hands but it washes away just fine. It’s really a special treat and great for those special moments!

For a limited time at http://www.myfruitrollups.com you can save money by entering the code “freeshipping” to get your custom rolls sent to you for free!

I'm giving away one (1) complimentary order of My Fruit Roll-Ups to a Brimful Curiosities reader. The winner will receive an online code to use for their free order (even includes the shipping)!

To enter, visit http://www.myfruitrollups.com and leave a comment here telling me which design you like best.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
• Contest is open to US only
• Contest ends on Monday, February 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random

Four ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 5):
1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader
2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
3rd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.
4th extra entry: Fav my blog on technorati

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Welcome to Brimful Curiosities! This review/giveaway is my contribution to the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival, (January 26-30, 2009). Head over there for all the great giveaways this week! And don't forget to enter my other giveaways!

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Wordless Wednesday - Tracks in the Snow

Tracks of an early bird on a snowy morning outside our home. Reminds me of one of my daughter's favorite winter books, Animals in the Snow by Margaret Wise Brown.

Find more of this week's Wordless Wednesday posts at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine Mommy Blogger Awards

Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine is holding its first-ever Best Mommy Blogger awards! The five winning mommy bloggers will be profiled in the magazine’s June/July issue. The nomination period ends on February 13, 2009. There is no limit to the number of blogs you can nominate. Take a second to nominate your favorite Mommy Bloggers using their easy to fill out online nomination form (and consider nominating my Brimful Curiosities blog if you're a fan!): http://www.scholastic.com/parents/blogcontest

Newbery, Caldecott and More: The winners you've been waiting for

The American Library Association (ALA) has just announced their book picks for children and young adults.

The 2009 Newbery Medal winner is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean.

The 2009 Caldecott Medal winner is The House in the Night illustrated by Beth Krommes, written by Susan Marie Swanson.

The 2009 Coretta Scott King Book Award goes to We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

The 2009 Geisel Award winner is Are You Ready to Play Outside? written and illustrated by Mo Willems.

The 2009 Michael L. Printz Award (YA) Winner is Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.

Find the entire list of the award winners and honor books at the ALA site:
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/2009medawardwin.cfm

Sylvan Learning Supplemental Products Review and Giveaway

"Reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible, from complex word problems and the meaning of our history to scientific discovery and technological proficiency." - President Barack Obama

I fondly remember my own early reading journey. In first grade I was placed in the “bluebird” reading group and my introduction to the Dick and Jane stories began. Every evening my mom helped me with the marked pages. Without too many problems I eventually became proficient. Unfortunately, not all kids learn as easily. Parental involvement is key to early learning success, but where can parents turn if their kids need a little help?

I imagine you have heard of Sylvan Learning Centers from their television commercials. Now Sylvan has released a line of home-use supplemental products available for purchase online and at major book sellers.

The new Sylvan Learning products include a number of workbooks and kits intended for use at home. The products focus on reading and language skills. Only 3rd-5th grade level products are currently available for purchase but additional grade levels will be available later this year. The curriculum-based workbooks and kits have all been teacher-reviewed to help children get ahead and sharpen their reading, spelling and vocabulary skills. Best of all, the workbooks are based on Sylvan’s proven techniques for success.

Thanks to Sylvan Learning and Random House, I recently had the opportunity to review the entire 3rd grade level Sylvan Learning supplemental reading line.

The workbooks form the core of the Sylvan Learning Products. The 3rd Grade Level offers the following three workbooks for purchase: Spelling Success Workbook, Vocabulary Success Workbook and Reading Comprehension Success Workbook.

Affordable (only $12.99 each), and easy to use, each soft cover workbook includes fun exercises, games and activities. Each book measures 8-1/2” inches by 11” and has 120 fill-in pages. The colorful, well-laid out sections engage children as they learn the basic building blocks to strong reading skills at their own pace. Students and parents can easily check answers using the handy Check-it strips. The Reading Comprehension Success workbook even offers individualized learning – kids can pick out books of their own choosing to complete some of the exercises! All in all, the workbooks offer parents a great way to become involved in their child’s reading success.

The Super Workbook includes all 3 above books (Spelling, Vocabulary and Reading) and is a great value at only $18.99.

If you are looking for an all-encompassing supplement, The Reading Success Complete Learning Kit contains all the workbooks plus additional materials to jumpstart your child’s reading skills. The kits retail for $79.99 and come jam-packed with many useful materials:
Parent Guide • Three workbooks • Two Chapter Books • One Flash Card Set • CD-Rom • Audio CD • Dry-erase Spelling Study Card • Reward stickers • Colored pencils • Certificate of success • Sylvan Learning Center Skills Assessment Discount Coupon

Just reading through the workbooks brought back many memories of childhood reading lessons. It also reminded me just how much I've forgotten! The only thing seemingly missing from the supplemental product line are optional online activities. Perhaps Sylvan Learning will add those to their broad line in the future? In the meantime, the workbooks and kits will challenge your child, help them learn to think and reason for themselves, and beef up those ever-important reading and language skills.


Sylvan Learning and Random House has kindly offered to give away (5) copies of Third Grade Reading Comprehension Success to five different Brimful Curiosities readers.

To enter, visit Sylvan Learning Bookstore and leave a comment here telling me which Sylvan Learning Product interests you most.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
• Contest is open to US only
• Contest ends on Monday, February 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4):
1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader
2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
3rd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.

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Welcome to Brimful Curiosities! This review/giveaway is my contribution to the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival, (January 26-30, 2009). Head over there for all the great giveaways this week! And don't forget to enter my other giveaways!

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Olivia stars in her own TV Series on Nickelodeon

One of the first books my daughter received after she was born was the board book version of Olivia by Ian Falconer. We couldn't have had a better introduction to the lively little girl pig with a big imagination. Since then, my daughter has requested the Olivia stories to be read to her over and over again.

Today, January 26, 2009, Olivia can be seen starring in her own TV Series on Nickelodeon. We are excited to watch the premier! Visit these links to learn more about the new series:

Nick Jr. Olivia TV Series Home Site

PR Newswire Press Release: Nickelodeon Brings Children's Publishing Phenomenon OLIVIA to Life With TV Series Launch, Monday, Jan. 26, at 11:30 A.M. (ET/PT)

Inkheart Book Review and Giveaway

“Its title is Inkheart because it's about a man whose wicked heart is black as ink, filled with darkness and evil. I still like the title.” - Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Have you ever become so engrossed reading a book that the characters seem to come alive right off the page? Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well, maybe not. Read Inkheart – believe me, you’ll be glad you are able to shut your book and keep your life to yourself.

Meggie, the main character in Inkheart, and her father, Mo, a book binder, live surrounded by books. But Meggie soon finds that her life is more entangled in books than she realized. One day, a strange, fire-eating man named Dustfinger arrives, and the world she knew is never the same. It seems that her father has an unusual talent: he can read characters right out of stories. Nine years earlier he accidentally read characters out of a dark fantasy book called Inkheart, and an evil character named Capricorn and several other terrifying individuals came to life. After several years in hiding, Meggie along with her father, come face to face with the world of danger, adventure, and fantasy that is Inkheart. And, Meggie finally learns the terrible truth about the disappearance of her mother.

Inkheart is an amazing, highly imaginative fantasy sure to become a classic. It is also terrifying and full of violence and darkness. From fire and blood, to nightmarish images, it is best read by children over the age of 10. The book is also quite long, over 500 pages, but for a patient reader it is definitely worth the time.

Cornelia Funke skillfully weaves literary classics into Inkheart such as Peter Pan and Treasure Island. The story is also a wonderful study on the struggle between good and evil. These aspects make Inkheart a useful teaching tool and may encourage youth to read the classics. Inkheart is the first book in Funke's Inkheart trilogy. Inkheart, the motion picture, is now in theaters. I am excited to see how the movie compares to the massive, imaginative book.

Scholastic Inkheart Resources
Scholastic Inkheart Printables
Scholastic Inkheart Movie Poster
Scholastic Parent's Guide to Inkheart
Books and Resources for Teaching Inkheart

Related links:
Inkheart Movie
Cornelia Funke Fans Official Website
The World of Cornelia Funke
Kidsreads.com Inkheart Page
Inkheart Teacher's Guide


Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke. Scholastic Paperbacks; Reprint edition (January 2009); 576 pages; ISBN 9780545046268



Scholastic has kindly offered to give away (1) copy of Inkheart to a Brimful Curiosities reader.

To enter, visit Scholastic.com and leave a comment here telling me another Scholastic book that interests you.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
• Contest is open to US only
• Contest ends on Monday, February 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4):
1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader
2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
3rd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.

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Welcome to Brimful Curiosities! This review/giveaway is my contribution to the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival, (January 26-30, 2009). Head over there for all the great giveaways this week! And don't forget to enter my other giveaways!

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Wordless Wednesday - Oath of Office and A New Era

My children as they watch their first presidential inauguration and Barack Obama taking the Oath of Office as he becomes the 44th President of the United States of America.


"What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task."
- President Barack Obama, Inaugural Address, January, 20th, 2009

Find more of this week's Wordless Wednesday posts at 5 Minutes for Mom.

I'm Turning Green Book Review and Giveaway

"Now I am green from my head to my toes.
Doing my part for the environment shows.
I buy food with care. I recycle and share.
Keep spreading the word until everyone knows!"
- I'm Turning Green by Rebecca Mattano

Kermit isn't the only one showing off his green lately. This year one of the more popular resolutions is to work toward living a greener lifestyle. Companies all over have incorporated green products into their lines. My husband has suddenly become obsessed with the Green channel on cable and thinks it would be great to "live off the grid" someday. But, up to this point, we really haven't taken the time to discuss any of this in detail with our pre-schooler daughter. Thankfully, there is a new book out just for the littlest green enthusiasts.

The Little Environmentalists has recently released a softcover picture book titled I'm Turning Green written by Rebecca Mattano. It's the Pinkalicious for the green kids. Instead of eating pink cupcakes, the little girl in I'm Turning Green takes part in activities to help out the environment and ends up turning green from head to toe. The book provides an excellent way to introduce the youngest child to eco-friendly practices. Readers follow a little girl as she recycles, conserves water, composts, saves energy and selects local, organic food.

The pictures in the book are unique, digitally altered photographs featuring a young girl's green journey and they cover the entirety of each page spread. The little girl in the book really does turn green! My daughter was slightly worried about the possibility of turning green herself, but she felt better after we explained to her that "turning green" is a figure of speech and really only means helping the earth. Special educational insets on many of the pages provide helpful insights into eco-friendly living. My daughter really enjoyed the I-spy aspect of the book, searching for items to compost and recycle on each page. The "earth notes" in the back of the book are especially helpful for parents and educators and include a lot of great information on how everyone can take strides to live a greener lifestyle.

The Little Environmentalists print their books out of 100% post-consumer waste and use environmentally friendly ink. The company is devoted to eco-friendly business practices and production and is based in Wisconsin. Rebecca Mattano, the author, is a mother to two young daughters and is also an adjunct professor in the field of Environmental Science.

I'm Turning Green, by Rebecca Mattano. The Little Environmentalists, LLC (December 2008), ISBN 9780982037119

Order a copy now from:
thelittleenvironmentalists.com or I'm Turning Green
(Check out the newsletter for special Winter Coupon Code deals!)



The Little Environmentalists has kindly offered to give away (1) copy of I'm Turning Green to a Brimful Curiosities reader.

To enter, visit The Little Environmentalists and leave a comment here telling me one way your family is turning green this year.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
• Contest is open to US only
• Contest ends on Monday, February 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4):
1st extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader
2nd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
3rd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to Brimful Curiosities! This review/giveaway is my contribution to the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival, (January 26-30, 2009). Head over there for all the great giveaways this week! And don't forget to enter my other giveaways!

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Celebrate the Inauguration - Some Resources

Tomorrow, January 20th, 2009, is the inauguration of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America. Involve your children in this great historic event! There are lots of wonderful inauguration resources to use for inauguration celebrations and learning activities. Here are just a few:

Book: Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope


NEA/AFT Inauguration Recommended Reading Book List
http://www.pic2009.org/page/-/Lesson%20Plans/PICreading.pdf

The Our White House Kids Inauguration Celebration Kit
http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/webexc.html

Inauguration Day 2009 Official Site
http://www.inauguration.dc.gov/index.asp

Internet Live-streaming video
http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/

Scholastic Lesson Plans, Resources and Activities
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3751153
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collection.jsp?id=490
http://blogs.scholastic.com/1_2/2009/01/president-obama.html

Education World Inauguration Activities
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson219.shtml

Library of Congress Presidential Inaugurations
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/pihtml/pihome.html


And parents, this is a link to one of my favorite latest articles. In it, President-elect Barack Obama writes his future hopes and wishes for his children and all the children in our nation.
PARADE Magazine - Barack Obama: A Letter to My Daughters
www.parade.com/obama

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (1/19/09)

Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I publish "Full to the Brim" every Monday and Friday. Thanks for visiting my blog and come back soon!

My book giveaway:
Brimful Curiosities - Book Giveaway Ends 1/26/09
Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready for First Grade! by Stacey Kannenberg and Linda Desimowich

An Ordinary Life - Book Giveaway Ends 1/26/09
Baby Einstein Book Set
Po(sey) Sessions - Amazon & More Giveaway Ends 2/15/09
$30 Amazon Shopping Spree + 2nd and 3rd prizes to bookseller of your choice
Kid Buy Products - Life's Building Blocks Ends 1/19/09
Life's Building Blocks Prize including Zaki, the chapter books and the activity books
Book Dads - Book Giveaway Ends 1/1/09
Savvy by Ingrid Law (Tween / YA)
Rachael Ray Show - Book Giveaway Ends 1/26/09
Book set including The Pigeon Loves Things That Go!, Eat This, Not That for Kids by David Zinczenko, and Big Words for Little People
Life, Homesteading and Everything - Book Giveaway Ends ???
Usborne Encyclopedia of Planet Earth, a Scholastic Science Supergiants volume on the Wright Brothers, and an Ocean Origami book
"Catch the Drift with Mama Snow" - Book Giveaway Ends 1/27/09
Me Media Kids gift certificate for customized book
Presenting Lenore - Book Giveaway Ends 2/8/09
Penguin book giveaway (8+ YA Books)
Books for Kids - Book Giveaway Ends 1/30/09
Billy and the Birdfrogs by B.B. Wurge (Tween / YA)
Freebies4mom - Book Giveaway Ends 1/22/09
If I Stay by Gayle Forman (Tween / YA)
Stacie Vaughan - Book Giveaway Ends 2/8/09
Book 6 The Ranger's Apprentice series called The Siege of Macindaw by John Flanagan (YA)
An Island Review - Book Giveaway Ends 1/19/09
Princess Emily and the Secret Library by Mary Balfanz
Mommy Brain - Book Giveaway Ends 1/23/09
Questions from Little Hearts (Tyndale House Publishers)
Ohana Mama Blog - Book Giveaway Ends 1/25/09
Olas books: My Surf Tricks and My Surf Lessons
Design for Baby - Book Giveaway Ends 1/23/09
Earthwise Kids eco-friendly three book set
Barefoot Mommy - Life's Building Blocks Ends 1/31/09
Life's Building Blocks Zaki

And CDs too:
Peanut Butter and Pickles Reviews - CD Giveaway Ends 1/22/09
The African Alphabet CD
Wishing Penny - CD Giveaway Ends 1/27/09
Renee & Jeremy CD

Have a children's book you are giving away on your blog? Let me know! I'll spread the word here!

All the Buzz - Pooh Makes A Return

"That buzzing-noise means something. If there's a buzzing noise, somebody's making a buzzing-noise, and the only reason for making a buzzing-noise that I know of is because you're a bee."- Winnie the Pooh

Buzz Buzz! Lookie what I found about! A sequel to Winnie-the-Pooh and The House At Pooh Corner is set to be released on October 5th, 2009. The book called Return to the Hundred Acre Wood written by David Benedictus will be the first authorized sequel ever to be published. Read all about it at Penguin Group Publishers Blog.

I look forward to seeing how it compares to the classics. The Winnie the Pooh books are filled with so many great memorable little phrases. I really can't think of another children's book character that is as well known and loved as Pooh, and I can't imagine anyone else other than A.A. Milne with a talent for writing the Poohisms. By the way, today is A.A. Milne's birthday (18 January 1882 – 31 January 1956) and also Winnie the Pooh Day!

Some related links/giveaways:
Mama's Money Savers - Winnie the Pooh table toppers Giveaway Ends 1/26/09
Winnie the Pooh Disney Official Site
David Benedictus Website

Out of Commission

Sorry to be missing from the blog front the past few days. We've been battling the ills and haven't been getting much done. Friday's Full to the Brim post will be combined with Monday's post. Also look for some great giveaways coming up this week here on Brimful Curiosities!

Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest

Wow, Reading Rainbow has been airing for quite awhile! I remember watching it as a kid and wanting to check out all the books discussed on the show from my local library. LeVar is still there with all the great reads (he's been the host since the show began over 25 years ago!) Take some time to visit the Reading Rainbow website. There's lots of guides, games, printables and activities available for kids.

The 2009 Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest is now open for entries. Kids in kindergarten through third grade can enter a story they write and illustrate. Check your local PBS station for more information. This is the 15th year the contest has been held. Looks like the submissions are due around the end of March 2009.

(Photo by dravenh, shared at morgueFile)

Wordless Wednesday - The Peppers are Mine

Last day to enter the Hidden Valley Love Your Veggies™ Search for Veggie Champions Contest is tomorrow. See my post about it here.

Find more of this week's Wordless Wednesday posts at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Children's Books Coming to the Big Screen

Looks like a big year for books to movies. I just watched the Parents magazine "Top Trends for Parents and Families in 2009" on GoodyBlog and saw that quite a few children's books will be on the big screen soon:

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Coraline Movie Tie-in Edition by Neil Gaiman
Movie site: http://www.coraline.com In Theaters February 6, 2009

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett, illustrated by Ron Barrett




Some others not mentioned on the Goody Blog video:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) by J.K. Rowling
Movie site: http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/harrypotterandthehalf-bloodprince In Theaters July 17, 2009

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl



Also here are three children's books into movies in theaters this January:

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo
Movie site: http://www.thetaleofdespereauxmovie.com In Theaters December 19, 2008

Inkheart (Movie Cover) (Inkheart Movie) by Cornelia Funke
Movie site: http://www.inkheartmovie.com In Theaters January 23, 2009

Hotel For Dogs by Lois Duncan
Movie site: http://www.hotelfordogsmovie.com In Theaters January 16, 2009




Any others I am missing???