Diane Cantrell Book Blast and $100 Giveaway

Welcome to the Diane Cantrell

Book Blast and $100 Giveaway!

About the Books

Riley's Lost Tooth

Riley's Lost Tooth

Title: Riley's Lost Tooth
Author: Diane Cantrell
Illustrator: Heather Castles
Publication Date: February 16, 2010
Publisher: Brown Books Publishing Group
Number of pages: 24 Recommended age: 4+

Summary:

Oh no! One of Sunday's very favorite humans, Riley, has lost her tooth! But where did it go? How did she lose it? Why does no one besides Sunday seem to care? It isn't long before the tooth fairy steps in and tries to teach the pups all about growing up. Join Sunday and her two puppy-pals, Precious and Mr. Lee, as they try to hunt down . . . Riley s lost tooth!

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Book Trailer for Riley's Lost Tooth

Good-bye, Baby Max

Good-bye, Baby Max

Title: Good-bye Baby Max
Author: Diane Cantrell
Illustrator: Heather Castles
Publication Date: February, 2008
Publisher: Bridgeway Books
Number of pages: 32 Recommended age: 4+

Summary: Mrs. B's class excitedly awaits the birth of three baby chicks. When Max is unable to crack open his shell, the children's loving teacher assists them in expressing their feelings of loss and planning a special good-bye.

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The Buzz

Riley's Lost Tooth: "The book is well written and the illustrations are beautiful. The book will definitely appeal to all children (including children at heart like this reviewer) and their parents / grandparents / elder siblings and other care givers. The book is strongly recommended as a good gift that is educational and also entertaining." ~ 5 Star Review, S.V. Swamy, Amazon

Good-bye Baby Max: "[Good-bye, Baby Max] is a tender story about death, a tough topic for young children. Kindergarteners eagerly await spring and the hatching of the class' three chick eggs. But one chick, Max, dies. What ensues is a gentle exploration of grief and its many expressions -- from tears to songs to artwork. At the end, the surviving chicks' peeps encourage the children to embrace the living without forgetting the dead." ~ Michele Siuda Jacques, Detroit Free Press

My Review of the Books

Riley's Lost Tooth

This book, written in rhyme format, is a source of good fun with whimsical illustrations. The dogs are the main characters and like most dogs of loving homes, they are very protective of Riley, the grandchild. There is a tooth fairy in the story too. Reading this story to kids is a great way to introduce them to the idea of losing their first teeth, especially if they are having any fears.

This story couldn't have come at a better time. Amanda, my 5-year-old, had a loose tooth last week and I could see that she was a little nervous about the idea of it hurting. We didn't pressure her, but we did try to encourage her to wiggle it. A couple of days later, she helped it come out all on her own and was so excited about her achievement.

I asked Amanda what pages in the story were her favorite. She liked p.6 (this was my favorite too as Sunday, the dog, has such a cute expression) and pp.9-11 the most.

Good-bye, Baby Max

This book will help children deal with the loss of a pet or loved one. It is also written in rhyme format, but reads less like fiction and more like real life. The children in Mrs. B.'s class are eagerly awaiting the hatching of three chicks. The chicks have the cutest names too. The chick named Max struggles to exit his shell. The next day the kids are told that Baby Max didn't make it.

The teacher, Mrs. B., is very sensitive to the children's feelings and gets them to express their loss in creative ways. They need time to say good-bye. They also discover that while they are morning the loss of one baby chick, the other two chicks are alive and well and can be enjoyed. Life goes on.

Amanda hated the idea of the little chick dying, but she enjoyed the story very much. I asked her which pages were her favorite and she said that pp.5,8,10 and 11 were hers.

The illustrations captured the feelings and the settings well. My favorite illustration was page 5 with the angle of the faces looking down at the eggs.

About the Author:

Diane Cantrell

Diane Cantrell

Diane Cantrell began her career in education teaching Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Transitional First Grade. She also worked as a counselor providing assistance to parenting teens in a local school district. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, Diane has provided therapy for adults, families, and children in agencies and private practice settings. As part of her private practice, she offers parent training to her clients and to parents in local schools. Diane is presently writing and publishing children’s books as well as provides counseling services to adults and children in her private practice, Life Designs Counseling.

Diane’s time at Fort Sam Houston I.S.D. provided inspiration for Good-bye, Baby Max. The book, which is based on a true story, describes how Ms. B helps her kindergarten class cope with the loss of a classroom pet. At the time Diane wrote the book she was working with many children who were experiencing a great deal of loss in their lives. Her hope in writing Good-bye, Baby Max was that the story would help parents, children, and other caring professionals begin talking about losses rather than responding to their losses from a state of fear. Her second book, Riley’s Lost Tooth, was written for her granddaughter, Riley as a Valentine’s Day present. Mr. Lee, and Sunday are main characters in the book as is Precious, who died before the book was written.

When Diane is not involved in writing or listening to people’s stories, she enjoys being with her husband, Rich, and their two dogs, Sunday and Mr. Lee. Diane and Rich live in San Antonio, Texas.

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* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $100 AmazongGift card or PayPal cash (winner's choice)

Contest runs: January 20th to February 19th, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Diane Cantrell and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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Disclaimer: I was given both books for free in pdf format in exchange for my honest review. You can find my thoughts and opinions (and that of Amanda) under My Review of the Books.