Laugh Out Loud Pocket Doodles for Boys Book Review

SUMMARY:  Q:  What's the worst thing to leave home without?
                        A:  This book!

     Stuck in the car on a long trip?  Bored out of your mind in a waiting room?  Have a few minutes before bedtime?  Then you have enough time to let your imagination run wild!
     Laugh-Out-Loud Pocket Doodles for Boys lets you

• tell jokes that will have people laughing out loud
• complete hilarious doodles
• entertain everyone around you!

More than one million copies of the Laugh-Out-Loud joke books have been sold.  Grab your pens, pencils, crayons, or markers and see what all the fuss is about!

REVIEW:  We were asked to have our kids to help review this book.  Since my boys were in the target age range, I thought they would enjoy it.  Unfortunately, no matter how much I tried to entice them to check it out, they refused.  They loved the jokes and tongue twisters, but did not want to draw.  Since we spend a lot of time at the softball fields, I brought it with me to some practices, hoping they would try it out.  They still were not interested but, when asked, another little boy looked at it.  He had fun drawing the pictures and loved the jokes.  The suggestions about what could be drawn on the bottom of the page helped his mom and me give him ideas.  He even asked if he could play with it at a couple of practices. 
     Even though my kids were not interested in it, I think this book is a wonderful idea.  It's size is perfect to drop in a purse, diaper bag or toy bag.  I'm always looking for something to help drive away the boredom when we go places and this is one I plan to keep with me, if not for my kids, maybe some of the others we are around. 

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Rob Elliott is the author of Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids, More Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids, Laugh-Out-Loud Animal Jokes for Kids, Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids, and Laugh-Out-Loud Doodles for Kids. He lives in West Michigan, where in his spare time he enjoys laughing out loud with his wife and five children.  Learn more at www.laughoutloudjokesforkids.com.

Jonny Hawkins is a cartoonist whose work has appeared in over six hundred publications, including Reader's Digest, Parade, The Saturday Evening Post, the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, many page-a-day cartoon calendars, and Laugh-Out-Loud Doodles for Kids.  He lives in Michigan with his wife, their three children, four cats, and a dog.

My Amish Boyfriend Book Review

SUMMARY:  Shannon's summer just got a whole lot more . . . Amish?
     Shannon McNamara has exciting plans for the summer - getting her driver's license, a job, and more - and she can't wait to dive in.  But her ill mother has plans of her own:  to relocate them both to the heart of Amish country in Ohio where she has relatives who can help her.
     Turns out a "simple" life is actually a lot of hard work.  But when a hot young Amish guy named Ezra enters the picture, Shannon's ready to get an Amish makeover and even consider making it a permanent change.  Will these plans come crashing down around her too?  Or can she really make the jump into a whole new way of life?
     Teen favorite Melody Carlson brings fan another surprising story of world - and families - colliding.

REVIEW:  Having read a few of Melody Carlson's young adult novels (along with quite a few of her ones written for adults) and my interest in Amish novels, I was curious about how this story would work out.  Shannon's care and concern for her very sick mother was touching.  She tries her best to take care of Anna even after they get to Ohio.  But once they moved in with Shannon's grandparents, some of the relationships starts moving too rapidly and some just seemed strange.  When Ezra comes over to return something, Shannon falls immediately head over heels in love with him.  They declare their love for each other the next time they meet, and then things start getting a little "too friendly" between them.  Very soon afterwards, Shannon considers becoming Amish.
     Also, even though Anna's parents love their daughter, they seem very distant towards her.  They don't want to give Anna her medicine and are resistant about taking her to the doctor when she takes a turn for the worse. 
     The time Shannon and Anna are in Ohio, to me, seems odd.  It's hard to describe.  I did like how Anna's health was a big concern for the new doctor and how she was able to help Anna get better.  The best parts seemed to be before they left for Ohio and while they were at the hospital.  The story in between just seems forced and strange.

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than two hundred books, including the Life at Kingston High series, the Dating Games series, Double Take, and A Simple Song.  She has received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and Finding Alice.  Melody and her husband live in Oregon.  Find out more at www.melodycarlson.com. 

The Big Book of Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids Book Review

 A 3-in-1 Collection

SUMMARY:  The gut-bustingest, knee-slappingest, guffaw-inducingest collection of clean jokes you can find!

     All kids like to laugh, and The Big Book of Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids delivers!  Combining his three bestselling joke books for kids, Rob Elliot will have you doubled over for days.  You'll get jokes like:

Q:  Why did the invisible man turn down a job offer?

A:  He just couldn't see himself doing it.

Q:  What do you get if you mix a rabbit and a snake?
A:  A jump rope

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Cook.
Cook who?
Are you as crazy as you sound?

Great on car rides, at the dinner table, on the playground, and anywhere in between, this collection of wholesome hilarity will make you and those around you smile from ear to ear.


REVIEW:  My kids LOVE this joke book!  The three of them (ages 13, 10 and 7) have read it over and over and over and over and over.  Every time I turn around, they are reading me or my husband jokes out of it.  Some of the jokes are corny, some are old, and some are absolutely hilarious, but they all draw at least a smile and a slight chuckle from those who hear them if not a good belly laugh.  This is definitely one to recommend to anyone with kids or who just loves jokes, no matter what your age.  They are easy to read and are clean, without anything that might be considered questionable or off color.  These could even be used as ice breakers at meetings, get-togethers or wherever you might need to get everyone's attention.  My family loves it so much, I might just give copies out as gifts.

 This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Rob Elliott is the author of Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids, Zoolarious Animal Jokes for Kids, and Knock Knock Jokes for Kids, and has been a publishing professional for more than fifteen years.  His three joke books have sold more than 300,000 copies.  Rob lives in West Michigan, where in his spare time he enjoys laughing out loud with his wife and four children.

A Big Year for Lily Book Review

The Adventures of Lily Lapp

Book Three

SUMMARY:  Get ready for more FUN and FRIENDSHIP with LILY!

     Every day brings new adventures for Lily!  With cousin Hannah at her side, life is filled with surprises - including a rotten school trick played on her by Effie Kauffman and a surprising change of heart in the worst boy imaginable, Aaron Yoder.  But tears turn to laughter as Lily turns ten, wears grown-up clothes, sits with her friends at church . . . and turns the tables on Effie.

     You'll adore this tale of love, laughter, forgiveness, and ties that bind an Amish family together.

REVIEW:  Like the two before, this book is delightful and fun to read.  Lily is a typical 9-10 year old little girl who gets into lots of messes and makes lots of mistakes.  When she is wrongly accused of stealing lunches at school, her parents help her to endure and overcome this adversity.  Kids could learn a lot from Lily of what to do (and not to do).  My kids love this series and I can't wait to pass this book along to them.

This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group and Revell for review without compensation.

Mary Ann Kinsinger was raised Old Order Amish in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.  She is the coauthor of the Adventures of Lily Lapp series and lives in Pennsylvania.

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Lancaster County Secrets series and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace.  She lives in California.  For more information, please visit www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher.  Also, check out Lily's website at www.AdventuresofLilyLapp.com.