Monthly Archives: December 2019

Dec16

Interview with Charity S. Nyirenda

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With Christmas just a few weeks away, I’ve been looking high and low for fabulous Christmas books for kids. This is a great time to get read alouds for your home library or for your classroom. I’ve found the perfect gift for this time of year, and had the chance to interview the author. Charity S. Nyirenda writes spiritual books to help motivate and empower through nature. She has written the book, A Dose of Kindness, as part of the “Adventures of Zaan” series. It focuses on this time of year being a giving and caring season. Charity I had the chance to ask Charity about childhood reading memories, the writing process, and what other projects she has in mind.

  • What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Charity S. Nyirenda: I always loved it when my grandmother read to my siblings and I. I always looked forward to “story time” as she called it.

  • Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Charity S. Nyirenda: Luvvie Ajayi is my favorite author at the moment. She has influenced me greatly because of how authentic she is and how she always encourages a writer to WRITE.

  • Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Charity S. Nyirenda: I usually write bits and pieces throughout the day whenever I get inspired or have some random thought. I put them all together and voila! A chapter is made.

  • What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Charity S. Nyirenda: Empowerment, inspiration, positivity, motivation. Anything in those lines.

  • What is writing to you in one sentence?

Charity S. Nyirenda: Freedom!

ADoseOfKindnessCVRA Dose of Kindness is a Christmas story that focuses on helping you find the meaning of Christmas. For Zaan, it is more than receiving gifts, it’s celebrating Jesus’s birthday. This beautiful story follows Zaan’s journey to find something kind and caring to help celebrate Jesus’s birthday.

A Dose of Kindness is available at Amazon.com.

This is a Kindle Unlimited title.

 

 

 

 

Dec1

Book Review: Siarra Jones Skating Into Trouble (Middle Grade Novel)

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Paul Breau is the author of the new middle grade book, Siarra Jones Skating Into Trouble.

The Holiday Season is kicking off right now, and you may be in search for a reading present for the child in your life. So, I’ll be highlighting some awesome books and authors that I find over the next few weeks. The first I’d like to tell you about is a great new series from a Canadian author, Paul Breau. He has put together a great middle grade novel as the first in his Step By Step series. The book is called Siarra Jones Skating Into Trouble.

Siarra is so excited about her new skating class. She’s starting the highest level class, and just needs it to be complete all that is needed to go to skating camp. But on her first day, a bully starts to get in her way. Every new session of class, she runs into problems with the bully. One thing after another happens. She suddenly sees bullies everywhere, especially at school. A run in with the class bully and watching someone else be a hero gives her the strength to stand up to her bully. Will she be able to face him in the final test of the class? Will she find out what makes him so mean?

Siarra JonesI really enjoyed Siarra as a character. It was good to see a strong girl, excited and having a good relationship with her parents. The bully incidents are realistic, and she learns more about being bullied first hand. It gives her empathy for others around her she notices are bullied. She goes through a beautiful change to start standing up for others, and uses this knowledge to stand up to her bully. But I was really hoping that the bully character himself would have some insight and we’d see more of his change. There is a little bit at the end of the book, but I wish there were more background revealed for the bully himself.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and hope it will make it into classrooms and libraries. It would make a great read aloud for a class to have discussions about bullying and what to do in different situations presented in the story. Plus, for any child that is being bullied, it will be an empowering read.

Siarra Jones Skating Into Trouble is available at Amazon.com. This is a Kindle Unlimited title.

For more information on the author Paul Breau, please visit his website at: PaulBreau.com.