Do you love Puppies and love to crochet? This book is a must-buy!

Dumpling Pups

Beginner- to intermediate-level crocheters will have a doggone good time with these 20 original patterns for dumpling-shaped dogs. Inspired by a Japanese collecting game, the guide offers full-color photos, simple diagrams, and easy-to-follow instructions that assist crafters in “collecting” all of the cuddly pups, each of which comes with its own charming story and personality points. Breeds include corgi, dachshund, pit bull, lab, and many others — a dog bed and bowl are also included.  This book has so many cute Puppy patterns in it! I love it!

And if you also like Cats….

Dumpling Cats

Waffles is a relaxed feline who loves to read, and Cheeks just can’t get enough to eat. These fun-loving characters are just two of the 25 dumpling-shaped crochet cats in this whimsical collection. The cuddly crochet critters were inspired by the Pokémon™-like craze Neko Atsume, a game that enables you to attract cats to your backyard and “collect” them. Each little dumpling has a name and personality points that add up to big fun!

Are they cute or what?!

Both books retail for $19.95 each and can be found at Dover Publications.

This next one is perfect if you have a High School or College student!

Success Skills for High School, College, and Career by Cary J. Green, PhD offers step-by-step guidelines and hands-on exercises to enable students to enhance their academic performance and prepare for future career success. I think this book is a must-read for students and parents too! I like that it has step-by-step guidelines and hands-on exercises that are helpful for high school and college-age students. It’s a great resource and I like that it teaches students how to be successful in school. It’s a real inspirational book that I highly recommend! It is available both in print and digital formats. This would make a great graduation gift too!

Find out more here! 

Are you looking for some Summer reading (not for the kids)….

​Chasing the Merry-Go-Round (memoir, special needs, personal growth) Life moves fast. Too fast for some people. This is the true story of what it’s like to live in a world where you can’t keep up. Bobby was ten months old when my mom and dad rescued him from birth parents who were slowly killing him. He was adopted into our family after a lengthy custody battle. Instead of that settling him, it set off a lifelong struggle to find a place to belong, a place to call home. Like an old-fashioned merry-go-round, the world moved at a speed that was just too fast for Bobby. He couldn’t keep up, which prevented him from keeping a job, a roof over his head, and the basics needed to survive. The life he dreamt of was always out of reach. No one knew why. While cultural ideals of what a “normal” life looks like can distort our perspective, Chasing the Merry-Go-Round allows readers to see the world through the eyes of a person with intellectual and physical disabilities, which can often be invisible, especially at first glance. It’s a story about struggle and hope, survival and resilience, and most of all, the gift of acceptance and love.

This book made me cry and it made me smile! I have worked in Child Abuse and Domestic Violence (still do) so this book hit close to home with me. This is a wonderful book that really shows the struggle and how it is to have intellectual and physical disabilities. I recommend this one highly!

​Sanity Lost & Found (Memoir, abuse, cult, personal growth, inspirational) How do we become victims of our own irrationality? What makes us vulnerable to the predators among us? Why would an otherwise sensitive, intelligent woman allow herself to return again and again to her abuser? How do we stop the erosion of our self-worth?

Simultaneously recognizable and horrifying, we see parts of ourselves and our own vulnerabilities in this compelling story of one woman’s descent into and climb out of the abyss.

For anyone who has ever allowed themselves to be victimized, for anyone who has ever doubted their value, for anyone wanting to protect their children from such vulnerabilities, SANITY LOST & FOUND is a compelling, informative, and inspirational read that weaves together the how and why for such vulnerabilities and the components necessary for recovery and transformation.

This one shows how emotional and mental abuse can really have a negative impact. If you want more understanding of why a woman continues to go back to an abuser…this book may help you have more understanding.

Self Disclosure: I received free copies of the above books to feature as featured books. Cover images and Videos were also received to use in this post. 

Follow the Little Prince, a hero of multiple generations, as he experiences brand new adventures with iconic characters based on the masterpiece by Antoine de St. Exupéry. In The Planet of the Rose, the Little Prince believes he has succeeded in getting rid of the Snake after a deadly battle. He can now finally continue to find the Rose’s planet for his dear Rose. When the Little Prince and Rose reach the planet of the Rose, strange crabs live on the surface and are hardly hospitable. There is no trace of vegetation and no trace of the Rose people. Convinced they have reached the wrong destination, the Little Prince is ready to leave when they find some of the people. However, the Rose people are asleep and fossilized. The Little Prince and Rose need to bring them back to life. Unfortunately, that’s not all they will need to do as the Little Prince’s enemy, the Snake, hasn’t died after all. Morgan B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13 comments, “Once again, the little prince and the adorable Rose are getting back together and it’s fantastic how everything is all happy and joyous for their reunion.” Kimberly M., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror adds, “I truly enjoyed watching this show. Based on the book series, it has a ring of positivity to it. The Little Prince is an incredibly good and popular book series and a wonderfully animated film series.” See their full reviews below.

The Little Prince: The Planet of the Rose

By Morgan B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

Once again, the little prince and the adorable Rose are getting back together and it’s fantastic how everything is all happy and joyous for their reunion.

And it’s very fun and interesting and I absolutely love this DVD. The thing about this story, which is very fun and adorable is that they put a new twist on it. And there are lots of new characters as well as old characters from the series. I absolutely love that they brought the King and the Salesclerk back. I really like that they add new characters to the old ones we love and adore. Everyone will have a character that they can relate to. It is really fun and I love the scene when the Fox comes and they get knocked off the rope and then he gets to meet the King and the Salesclerk again. It’s a glorious movie, very hilarious and silly, which I like. Also, the Little Prince is, once again, a fantastic character. He is definitely my favorite character because he has a lot of wonderful traits. He’s very kind and generous, which is glorious. At the same time, he serves as a great role model, and one that kids should see more often. It is good to see someone take their duties seriously, especially helping others. That’s what we get in the prince, all the time. I also love little Rose. She’s very adorable. She is very funny when she is arguing with the Fox. The two of them are just like yin and yang.

Now, one thing that is just fascinating about this show is the animation. If you think about it, when you look at it you think, “Wow! I’m stunned.” I think this show is something that will inspire many young children who might think about traveling to another the moon or Mars. I think that idea is fascinating. I have always loved astronauts. That’s what makes this DVD so perfect. The animation is so detailed and colorful and each planet has its own unique twist and turns. By just using words, a little bit of script and then adding all the colors in the DVD make this show perfect. I love that the animation seems to be a mix of anime and origami. They work perfectly together.

I really love that this show is something the entire family can enjoy together. I think it’s suitable for ages 5 to 18, as well as adults. I definitely give this 5 out of 5 stars. This is available now on DVD so be sure to check it out! You don’t want to miss this one.

The Little Prince: The Planet of the Rose

By Kimberly Mullins, KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror

https://youtu.be/gVAaa-bemQ4

I truly enjoyed watching this show. Based on the book series, it has a ring of positivity to it. The Little Prince is an incredibly good and popular book series and a wonderfully animated film series. The symbolisms associated with Rose, the Fox and the Snake may be lost on the youngest viewers. However, school-age children will benefit from an increased imaginative mindset and the good vs. evil theme. The flow of the story lags a bit at times, but it is quite pleasant to watch. The Little Prince is definitely a positive role model in terms of protecting the ones he loves such as Rose and other protagonists. They all help each other out of peril like when the spirits help Fox from falling into outer space. The computer animation is exceptional. The characters, locale, and colors are easy for viewers to identify with.

One aspect that really stands out are the geographical indicators notating inter-dimensional aspects of outer space. The cover design showing the Little Prince looking out into the distance along with Rose is big, colorful and enticing. Young people would enjoy this film because it is adventurous, the setting is unusual and the graphics are terrific.

The Little Prince series is based upon the teachings of Saint Exupery and holds morals based upon religious values. Although secular in tone, the theme of good overtaking evil is important for children to hear in order to give them hope in this world. The adventure of outer space will draw most children in. This film might get children thinking about other planets and the science of astronomy and geography. It definitely will expand their imaginations. Questioning and probing take place. For example, when the Little Prince talks about traveling to the Rose planet and the Geographer states that they might possibly be “lost forever in infinity” while trying to voyage there. The Little Prince determines it is worth the risk for Rose.

There are no bonus features on the DVD. One issue I have is that when you stop the movie and come back to it later, it starts all over at the beginning. It does not start where it left off, which is a nuisance. Also, there are no foreign language subtitles, which is something I missed.  I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 13, as well as adults. It is available on DVD now, so check it out.

Credit: KIDS FIRST!