Sunday, September 29, 2019

~ MMGM S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE SCIENCE YOU CAN EAT ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE
MONDAY S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE ~
--  'SCIENCE YOU CAN EAT: 20 ACTIVITIES
THAT PUT FOOD UNDER THE MICROSCOPE'  --
AUTHOR STEFAN GATES







ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:

Discover the seriously impressive science that goes on every time you cook or eat. This children's book explores the science of food by asking questions you're hungry to know the answers to, and putting them to the test through fun experiments.

Science You Can Eat will transform your kitchen into a lab through fun food experiments. Cooking is chemistry, and the fun science experiments - such as tricking your taste buds, making slime taste delicious, and investigating some of the strangest flavours around will prove it. This exciting kid's book tackles all the tasty science questions you have about food, plus plenty more that you hadn't thought of! Once you understand science, you understand food, so find out why popcorn go "pop" as you test it out for yourself, explore how taste is affected by smell, then discover whether eating insects is the future of food.

Examining interesting ingredients and exciting eating, as well as peeking into the future of food, Science You Can Eat helps you understand what's happening with our food and why. Each page is guaranteed to leave you hungry for more.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR {from the Publisher's website}:
Stefan Gates AKA “The Gastronaut” is an author, presenter, and self-professed “Food Adventurer” with the mission to make food fascinating. The author of seven books on food and science, including Incredible Edibles and Gastronaut, Stefan has also produced and appeared in more than a dozen TV shows including Food Factory, Gastronuts, Newsnight, and This Morning, as well as the documentary Can Eating Insects Save the World?.
 
MY THOUGHTS:
This is an awesome science book written in an entertaining tone. The book is colorful, well-formatted, and kid-friendly. What more can a parent or teacher ask for from a middle-grade S.T.E.A.M. book?

I was amazed at how much information this author packed into each and every chapter of his book. He begins with an introduction to food and moves through taste and taste buds, smell, why we love food, ways of cooking, unusual foods, vitamins and minerals, on through some fascinating and fun food experiments. The author closes the book with three timely subjects--fake meats, foods of the future, and eating bugs. 

The meaning of the color of various foods is covered along with a head-on discussion about artificial colors. Did you know that "Artificial colors are mostly made from a coal extract"? {page 23}. I was shocked to read this.

The section on vitamins and minerals includes some easy-to-read tables listing important vitamins and minerals, their function, and sources.  Here I learned that the function of phosphorous is to aid in bone and cell health and that good sources of this mineral include diary, chicken, oats, rice, and red meat.

Fun topics covered in this volume include:  'What is Gum Made Of?' - 'Why Does Popcorn Pop?' - 'Drinks That Glow!' - 'Exploding Food!' - 'What Makes Bread Rise?' - and 'Why Do Onions Make Us Cry?'. Serious topics such as food allergies and bad mold are covered here too. 

Highly recommended! This is an excellent resource for children and adults interested in learning more about the chemistry of food and who are willing to try some of the author's unique and interesting experiments in the kitchen.

I borrowed this book from the children's collection in the local public library.

๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— ๐Ÿ“˜ ๐Ÿ“™ ๐Ÿ“š ๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— ๐Ÿ“˜ ๐Ÿ“™ ๐Ÿ“š ๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— ๐Ÿ“˜ ๐Ÿ“™ ๐Ÿ“š ๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— ๐Ÿ“˜ ๐Ÿ“™ ๐Ÿ“š ๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— ๐Ÿ“˜ ๐Ÿ“™ ๐Ÿ“š ๐Ÿ“• 


Learn about more great middle-grade reads by visiting Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' blog to find the links to other blog posts celebrating Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday!
 
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Thursday, September 26, 2019

~ AUTUMN & HALLOWEEN TOTES SEWING PATTERN BOOK ~

๐Ÿงต✂✂๐Ÿงต๐Ÿงต✂✂๐Ÿงต๐Ÿงต✂✂๐Ÿงต๐Ÿงต✂✂๐Ÿงต๐Ÿงต✂✂๐Ÿงต๐Ÿงต✂✂

~ MY NEWEST KINDLE RELEASE ~
--  'AUTUMN & HALLOWEEN TOTES:
3 SEWING PATTERNS'  --

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE BOOK ON AMAZON    

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Join June to stitch up some colorful autumn and Halloween totes to use for home dรฉcor during the harvest season or for your young trick-or-treaters to use to collect their Halloween goodies!

To make these patterns user-friendly for seamstresses around the world, all of the patterns include the measurements in Imperial and Metric.

Project One is a patchwork sunflower pieced together using squares of dark chocolate brown cotton fabric embellished with assorted brown buttons. The flower petals surrounding the dark chocolate patchwork are made using eight butter yellow cotton fabric prairie points. The handle is pieced with light blue and dark chocolate cotton rectangles. Two button tabs close the bag.


Project Two is a colorful quilted patchwork pumpkin treat pouch certain to be a big hit with party-goers and trick-or-treaters. The pouch may also be used as a whimsical piece of home dรฉcor for the Halloween and Harvest season. Seamstresses will enjoy creating this whimsical gift for their favorite little ghosts and goblins. Filled with treats, goodies, small toys, and games this fun project will make a treasured gift for a child of any age and size. This pattern is presented with two size options.


Project Three is a colorful quilted patchwork pumpkin tote bag designed to be used as a country-style piece of home dรฉcor for the Harvest season. To make this bag sparkle with 'autumn' appeal rather than using it for Halloween, omit the button jack-'o-lantern face on the pumpkin patchwork block. Hang this tote on your front porch to welcome family, friends, and neighbors, or use it to dress up your mantel, china cabinet, or other rooms in your home.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR/DESIGNER:
Over one hundred of June McCrary Jacobs's original sewing, quilting, and stitchery designs have been published in books, magazines, and on sewing industry blogs in the United States and the United Kingdom in the past decade-plus. This is June's first pattern book available in the Kindle Store.

 ๐Ÿงต๐Ÿงต✂✂๐Ÿงต๐Ÿงต✂✂๐Ÿงต๐Ÿงต✂✂๐Ÿงต๐Ÿงต✂✂๐Ÿงต๐Ÿงต✂✂๐Ÿงต๐Ÿงต

Sunday, September 22, 2019

~ MMGM NATIONAL LIBRARY CARD SIGNUP MONTH ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE
MONDAY 'SEPTEMBER IS
LIBRARY CARD SIGN-UP' 
MONTH FEATURE~

Since 1987, September has been celebrated as 'Library Card Sign-Up Month' by the American Library Association{ALA} and various other organizations. This post features some of the fascinating information I found in the ALA's press kit and on various other websites regarding libraries and their impact on communities. Links to various resources follow each section.

NATIONAL LIBRARY CARD SIGN-UP MONTH {from National Day Calendar website}:
As kids head back to school, there’s no better time for them to discover the treasures awaiting them in the local library. September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month!

A library card can be a rite of passage for your child, giving them a sense of obligation and responsibility. As a library patron, children learn the importance of caring for things that belong to others. Children take the essential early step in their development when they obtain their library card and become a conscientious member of the community.

Visiting your local library also encourages your child to read. Reading helps brain development and provides a solid foundation of the language and literacy skills. Opening a book encourages children to travel to faraway places and let their imagination sore. Develop reading as a hobby early and young for every child.

LIBRARIES OF THE WORLD:
The world’s oldest running library is the St. Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai, Egypt. It was built in the mid-6th century C.E. And, the Vatican houses the most extensive collection of religious material in the world. When the Great Library of Alexandria burned down (circa 640 C.E.) among the great works believed to have been lost was the private collection of Aristotle.

The U.S. Library of Congress houses over 150 million items as the world’s largest library. This accomplishment takes up to 830 miles of shelves. In contrast, only one person at a time fits in the world’s smallest library on the streets of New York. The reader can choose from just 40 books.



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Here are some highlights from the ALA's 2019 'The State of America's Libraries' Report which I found particularly interesting.








LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ALA'S 2019 'STATE OF AMERICA'S LIBRARIES' REPORT AT:



๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— ๐Ÿ“˜ ๐Ÿ“™ ๐Ÿ“š ๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— ๐Ÿ“˜ ๐Ÿ“™ ๐Ÿ“š ๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— ๐Ÿ“˜ ๐Ÿ“™ ๐Ÿ“š

And lastly, my personal favorite. Here's a way to calculate what your library is worth to you by placing a value on the various materials, resources, and services a patron accesses at the public library. I was very conservative when I inputted estimates of my personal usage of our county library's resources, etc., for one year. I was not at all surprised to learn that I annually use about $4,855 worth of materials, resources, and service!

CALCULATE HOW MUCH YOUR LIBRARY IS WORTH TO YOU AT:
http://www.ilovelibraries.org/what-libraries-do/calculator

 

                 ๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— ๐Ÿ“˜ ๐Ÿ“™ ๐Ÿ“š ๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— ๐Ÿ“˜ ๐Ÿ“™ ๐Ÿ“š ๐Ÿ“• ๐Ÿ“— ๐Ÿ“˜ ๐Ÿ“™ ๐Ÿ“š


Learn about more great middle-grade reads by visiting Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' blog to find the links to other blog posts celebrating Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday!
 
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Friday, September 20, 2019

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE 'THE RESCUE' ~

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~
Christian Historical Romance
--  'THE RESCUE'  --
AUTHOR TANYA EAVENSON
~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, Author
Bio & My Thoughts~


ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
Upon the death of her mother, Rosalind Standford’s life shatters, the pieces scattering to the wind when she is forced into a betrothal to a cunning banker. But when a telegram arrives announcing the man who captured her heart is on a train to Boston, Rosalind must hide her true feelings before the thin cord of her existence unravels the deadly secrets she keeps. 

Cowboy Trent Easton returns to his roots in Boston society to find his childhood friend, the love of his heart. Instead he finds a broken woman engaged to a man close to her father’s age. Though she once rejected him, when Trent learns she’s in danger, he determines to do whatever it takes to keep her safe—even taking her to the altar in the black of night. But will his name and the remote wilds of his Texas ranch be enough to protect her? Or will freedom cost them their lives?

                                                                               
ABOUT THE AUTHOR {from Goodreads}:
Tanya Eavenson enjoys spending time with her husband, and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. Tanya is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

MY THOUGHTS:
Christian historical fiction/romance is one of my favorite genres, and this was the first book I have read which was written by Author Tanya Eavenson.

One of my favorite things about this well-written story was that the main character, Rosalind Standford, was realistic, likeable, loyal, kind, and compassionate. She was a loving person to her friends and family. She went well beyond normal circumstances to reach out to those in need, and I greatly admire this quality in people.

The villain in the story was a thoroughly and completely distasteful human being. The author did a fine job of constructing a multi-layered heartless, abusive, and cruel character for this role in the story.

The surrounding characters were of varying backgrounds and enriched the story by contributing in their own individual ways. The six-year-old girl, Lilly, who was central to the theme of the part of the story set in Texas, was a delight. Her behavior, moods, and dialogue were age-appropriate.

The story was filled with action from the beginning until the ending. Rosalind was always on edge, and her fear of the villain and worry about he might do next was palpable.

The strong Christian faith elements and Bible verses threaded throughout the story were meaningful and added depth to the action and dialogue.

This book is completely clean in language and content. Domestic abuse is dealt with in a straight-forward manner throughout this book.

Highly-recommended to fans of Christian fiction, Christian historical fiction, Christian romance, clean romance/historical fiction, and Western romance {story is set between 1886 and 1888}.

Disclosure from reviewer: I was given access to a digital copy of this book by JustRead Publicity Tours. I was not compensated in any way for posting my review on this site or any other site.

 
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~ NEW SEWING PATTERN FABRIC FLOWER TOWELS ~

~ NEW SEWING PATTERN FABRIC FLOWER TOWELS ~