The Little Monkey King's Journey & Chinese Lantern Festival

 Disclosure: Tuttle Publishing gave me copies of these book free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. They also sent me a copy to giveaway! As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation. 

Did you know the Chinese New Year is still continuing? It ends with the Lantern Festival which is fifteen days after the first day and this year that is Monday, February 22nd. Hazel and I read about it in Celebrating Chinese Festivals by Sanmu Tang. (We reviewed this fabulous book earlier this month.)

I Am Amelia Earhart -- Ordinary People Change the World Blog Tour & Giveaway

Disclosure:  All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

We had so much fun with I Am Amelia Earhart by Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. This was the second book that we read from the Ordinary People Change the World Series. Hazel fell in love with Amelia Earhart.

Once Upon a Northern Night -- Book Review

Disclosure: Groundwood Books gave me a copy of this book free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

Do you remember the feeling of waking up to a new coat of snow when you were a child? It was always so fun and magical. Or perhaps there were new footprints in the layers of snow and it made you wonder who was there. Perhaps for me the reminder was last night when my 13-year-old nephew came into the room at 10 p.m. to tell me it was snowing. (It had been flurrying when we got home earlier in the day so I was not nearly as excited as he was.) He wanted to go out and enjoy the snowfall, but I did not let him go out in the dark (and in shorts). The magic of snow doesn't seem to go away with age. The first snowfall is always a bit magical. 

Our Backyard This Morning

The book I am sharing with you today captures a bit of that magic. The book is Once Upon a Northern Night by Jean E. Pendziwol and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. 

I Am Rosa Parks -- Ordinary People Change the World Blog Tour & Giveaway!

Disclosure:  All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

Today we continue the Ordinary People Change the World Blog Tour. The Ordinary People Change the World Series is by Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulous. There is a giveaway from Penguin Kids below for the whole series as well!! Today's book is I Am Rosa Parks. 

Outgrown Favorite Sweater Dress to Doll Dress -- Crafty Weekends Link Party

* Disclosure: The links in this post are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

We had another busy week and weekend!! I mean between Steve's birthday and Valentine's Day the weekend should be one big party, but we had some cleaning and getting ready for our guest. My 13-year-old nephew is arriving tonight (after several delays) for a week long vacation!! Hazel is so excited!! It was hard to calm her down today. After I write this post, I am off to the airport to pick him up. I hope he took all the adults seriously when we told him he had to wear warm clothes to come here this year. Boston is experiencing the coldest day in almost 60 years and I can feel the cold even with the heat on in our house. Anyway, one of our chores this weekend was going through Hazel's clothes and pulling the ones she has outgrown. We had a few piles: pass down to friend, donate to Salvation Army, keep as memories and make crafts or doll clothes. Some of her favorite clothes she does not want to part with and so I make some into doll clothes for her 18-inch dolls. She had this fun sweater dress from Gymboree last year.