When my friend Holly Jahangiri asked me if I would like to participate in her virtual book tour for A Puppy, Not a Guppy, I pounced on the opportunity. I knew that any product of Holly's pen would be sassy and well-written, with a dash of the unexpected. I was one of the first to get in line and pre-order a copy for my children. Holly was kind enough to provide me with a review copy so that I may prepare for her book tour. She's organized and practical like that.About A Puppy, Not a Guppy:
Author: Holly Jahangiri
Illustrator: Ryan Shaw
Book Trailer: A Puppy, Not a Guppy trailer by Mandy Hedrick
Synapsis from the publisher:
Irma wanted a puppy, a pet she could take on walks, not a few stupid guppies. Fish didn't do anything, except roll over on their backs if they die.
Sometimes, though, a girl has to make the most of what she has. Now, what can Irma do with three guppies besides stare at them as they stare at her?
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My Review
Warning: This "ain't no" princess book! A Puppy, Not a Guppy is a delightful yarn that will appeal to both girls and boys alike. I'm not a child psychologist (shocking, I know) but it seems to me that after reading this book children will remember the protagonist Irma's positive example of:
- Coping skills
- Determination
- Imagination
- Kindness towards the underdog
- Mastering a challenge
- Scientific curiosity & experimentation
Irma is a lot like I was as a child. Admittedly, I liked my Barbie dolls. And Ken. And Skipper. And my dollhouse and Barbie Corvette and... you get the picture. But I also liked to hang out by the ditch near our local park and collect tadpoles, knowing that soon they would magically sprout little legs and begin to hop around our garage. The ones that managed to escape the wheels of my dad's Vega hopped their green selves right out the garage door towards a life of adventure, perhaps eventually making their way back home to the ditch. I like to think that they did. But I digress...
It's all about balance. There's nothing wrong with allowing your daughter to devour Cinderella, and there's everything right with buying her books like A Puppy, Not a Guppy that are certain to stoke her natural interest in science and nature.
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Where to Buy
(Recommended for ages 8-12)
Directly from 4RV Publishing (At post publication $8.99 + S&H)
From Amazon.com (At post publication $10.99 + elegibile for free super saver shipping on orders over $25)
From Barnes and Noble.com (At post publication $7.91 Member Price + S&H)
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The Contest
I am happy to announce that Holly's A Puppy, Not a Guppy contest! Good luck! Here are the details, as provided by the author:
Prizes (two will be awarded): A signed copy of A Puppy, Not a Guppy
To enter, leave a comment at http://jahangiri.us/books containing verifiable evidence that you have completed one or more of the following activities:
- A link back to http://heatherkephart.com
- A short review of http://jahangiri.us/books on Alexa.com (http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/http://jahangiri.us/books)
- A question for one of the characters in Trockle or A Puppy, Not a Guppy
- A question for the author, Holly Jahangiri
- Answer to the question: What kind of pet do you like best, and why?
- Either of the following:
- Blog about A Puppy, Not a Guppy (be sure to include, in your own blog post, a link back to http://jahangiri.us/books and a link to this blog; or
- If you already own a copy of Trockle or A Puppy, Not a Guppy, you may complete this activity by posting a new review of either book on BarnesandNoble.com or Amazon.com. (NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Previously posted book reviews are not eligible as contest entries in this contest.)
Each activity equals one ( 1 ) entry, and you may do each activity once for a possible maximum of six ( 6 ) entries per valid email address. Your comment must be entered using a valid email address so that you can be contacted for mailing info if you win! Entries that do not have a valid email address will be considered null and void.
Duration: Contest begins at 12:01 AM on December 9, 2009 and ends at 11:59 on December 15, 2009. Winners will be drawn on December 16, 2009.
Eligibility: Contest is open to anyone age 13 or older. Tour hosts are eligible to enter.
Winners: Two winners will be randomly chosen (numbered in the order in which they are received, with the winning number chosen at http://www.random.org/ ) from all qualifying entries, and will be required to provide a physical mailing address in order to collect a prize (one free book). Only one entrant per household is eligible to win. If a second entrant from a single household is chosen, another name will be drawn until all prizes are awarded.
Contest void where prohibited by law.
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BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, December 8:
Vivian Gilbert Zabel, author and founder of 4RV Publishing,
kicks off the tour with a special surprise guest at Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap
http://vivianzabel.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, December 9:
Lynne, Brendan, and Katherine at Life is But a Dream
http://suenogrande.blogspot.com
Roy de la Cruz at The Struggling Blogger dot Com
http://thestrugglingblogger.com/
Thursday, December 10:
Lynne, Brendan, and Katherine at Life is But a Dream
http://suenogrande.blogspot.com
Friday, December 11:
Lynne, Brendan, and Katherine at Life is But a Dream
http://suenogrande.blogspot.com
Saturday, December 12:
Heather Kephart at HappyMaking
http://heatherkephart.com/
Rey Rombawa Jr at reyjr.com – Born on a Syzygy
http://reyjr.com
Sunday, December 13:
Dr. Dean Pomerleau @ Fish School Blog
http://blog.fish-school.com/
Beverly Stowe McClure at The Story of a Writer
http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com
Monday, December 14:
Lisa Munley at Books on the Brain
http://lisamm.wordpress.com/
Tuesday, December 15:
Jena Isle at Jena Isle's Random Thoughts
http://www.jenaisleonline.com
Susan and Noah Thompson at SusanSmithThompson.com
http://SusanSmithThompson.com
Wednesday, December 16:
Tour Wrap-up at Imaginary Friends and It’s All a Matter of Perspective
http://jahangiri.us/books/
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