Contributors

Susan and Helen (Grandmother and Granddaughter)

Susan is the Guide to Grandparents on About.com. She writes about a variety of topics of interest to grandparents, from activities and celebrations to grandparents’ legal rights. She also reviews books about grandparenting and children’s books with grandparent characters.  Helen is a self-taught musician who also loves gymnastics and dance. Together Susan and Helen do lots of outdoor activities, science experiments and nature study. They also like going to museums and the zoo, and have taken some memorable vacations together, starting with a trip to Yellowstone when Helen was just one. And, of course, they read.  Among their favorite books include The Little Critter books by Mercer Mayer, anything by Roald Dahl, and one special picture book that Susan recommends to everyone is Why is Blue Dog Blue? by George Rodrigue, the Cajun artist and creator of the iconic Blue Dog.

Jay and Mackenzie (Dad and Son)

Jay’s blog – www.jayfaulkner.com – is Jay posts news about his own journey as a writer and publisher, as well as his experiences of living life with – and raising awareness of – a rare disease/rare diseases.   Jay, along with his wife Carole, has 2 sons:  Mackenzie, who is 5 and Nathaniel who is 3.  Mackenzie’s room was full of books from before he could read because every night had to end on a story and Dad and sons love to make up stories about what is going on around them: dinosaur hunting, perhaps, or the shark that lives in the pool.  Mackenzie has even written his own book :  the Adventures of Apple Man!  Mackenzie’s favorite author is Dr. Seuss with his favorite book being The Lorax.  Jay is a fan of C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, Eddings, and the Susan Cooper’s Dark Is Rising series.

Mindi and Xander (Mother and Son)

Mindi is the blogger behind Simply Stavish where she blogs about her life as a working Mom.  Mindi has two boys ages 4 and 2 and is expecting her third child in June. She spent her first 8 years of her career in Speech-Language Pathology at a Children’s Hospital and currently works with adults and children in home health.  Xander is the oldest son and he and his Mom love to paint, draw, read, and play together. They also love to go on nature walks when it’s warm outside and look at flowers. Mindi’s favorite children’s books include Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, all of the Harry Potter books, and any Judy Blume Book.

Laurisa and Marcum (Mother and Son)

Laurisa White Reyes is the author of the middle grade book The Rock of Ivanore.  A Thousand Wrongs is her official author blog. Marcum is Laurisa’s second oldest of five children. They share a similar interest in books from classics like John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, to horror like the Hannibal Lecter series by Thomas Harris, to speculative fiction, like Unwind. They also share a love of music. Marcum is a talented base guitarist and enjoys playing music from Red Hot Chili Peppers and Muse, while Laurisa loves Broadway musicals.  Other favorite authors include Lois Lowry (The Giver, Number the Stars & The Messenger), Margaret Petersen Haddix (The Shadow Children series), and Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games trilogy).

Hannah and Bunny (Mother and Daughter)

Hannah is the blogger behind Like Mama~Like Daughter, an eclectic parenting/lifestyle blog with posts on topics ranging from books, to kids and activities, to recipes, and to random musings.  Hannah is married to her high school sweetheart, Kyle. Together, they are on a journey towards living a simpler, sweeter, Christ-centered life. They have a two year old daughter, Bunny, who is one of the smartest, sweetest, silliest little girls.  They also have a baby girl, called Squirrel, who was born at home in July, 2012. Hannah’s passions include her family, learning, teaching, writing, crafting, and getting back to nature and a natural life.  Their favorite authors are Beatrix Potter, Margaret Wise Brown, and Jan Brett.

Mia and Tai (Mother and Son)

Mia W. is the blogger behind Pragmatic Mom where she covers the intersection of education, parenting and children’s books. Mia and her son love bedtime reading.  Tai insists on getting snuggled under his Mom’s arm even though it makes holding the book more difficult. His favorite activity is also his book club with 3 buddies of his all of whom are in different grades (he’s in 2nd grade and his friends are in 3rd and 4th grade).   Besides reading together, Mom spends a lot of time struggling to keep Tai off screens, but he also likes basketball and soccer. Their favorite books include Because of Winn Dixie (K. DiCamillo), The Gardener (S. Steward) and A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever (M. Frazee).

Kristi and Dillon (Mother and Son)

Kristi Grimm is the author of the children’s book series, Mommy Tell Me a Story.  Kristi’s son, Dillon (9) has ADHD, so in order to help him harness all his energy Kristi and Dillon started running together when he was 6.  The only thing is that Kristi has been a paraplegic for 26 yrs so she’s in a wheelchair.  This is actually where the idea came from for all her books.  Whenever Mom and son go running he gets bored, so he asks, “Mommy, can you tell me a story?” Aside from running together, Kristi has recently taken up hand-cycling to keep up with her speedy son.  She participated in her first bike race in October – the Tour de Tucson – where she completed 42 miles in 4 ½ hours! Dillon also takes Taekwondo and one of the family’s favorite things to do together is to go up to the mountains in Arizona and go camping and fishing. Kristi and Dillon’s favorite books include the Three Investigators books and the Little House on the Prairie books.

Sinéad and Ciara (Mother and Daughter)

Sinéad blogs under the name ‘Rose-tinted World’. Rose-tinted World is dedicated to raising the profile of Irlen syndrome, a perceptual disorder caused by sensitivity to light, as well as resources that can help children affected. Sinéad is a mother of two who works for a mental health charity in the UK. Cíara is the eldest child and is a happy sister to a younger brother. Cíara really likes singing and is in the school choir. Her favourite song is Trouble Maker by Olly Murs. They really like reading together, reading a chapter each. They like doing arts and craft activities together and making little worlds (small world play).  Their favorite books include Four children and It (J. Wilson), Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat by (U. Moray Williams) and the Rainbow Magic books by (D. Meadows).

Tamara and Hannah (Mother and Daughter)

Hannah is the blogger behind the book review blog, Book Cubs.   At Book Cubs, all of the reviews are written by either Hannah or other kids.  Hannah is in 3rd grade and enjoys rock climbing, piano, skiing, horseback riding, golf, and of course, reading. Tamara works part-time as a freelancer marketing consultant and enjoys spending time with Hannah, cooking, reading, and planning the family’s next adventure. Together they love to explore new places and have new experiences from outdoor hikes to museum quests. Their favorite children’s books include the Percy Jackson series, Kane Chronicles, and Heroes of Olympus series (R. Riordan), Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (G. Lin), Because of Winn Dixie, (K. DiCamillo), The Warriors Series (E. Hunter), and the Little House on the Prairie series (L. Ingalls Wilder).

Becki and Ana (Mother and Daughter)

Becki is the blogger behind Organic Aspirations where she shares her families experiences in trying to live a more sustainable and healthy life, and Lewis Music Studios, where she blogs about all things music. Becki and Ana live in Southwestern Pennsylvania. They enjoy reading together, playing piano duets, and making crafts. Ana shares her mom’s love for learning all things, and there are sure to be many more exciting endeavors that they undertake together as Ana grows. Their favorite children’s book authors are Gary Paulsen and Sandra Boynton, and their very favorite picture book is Alexander Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst.

Kari and Ryan (Mother and Son)

Kari and her husband Tom (founder) work together at Groupanizer, a company which creates and maintains organization software for groups.  Kari is Mom to 2 boys: Ryan(9 1/2) and Tyler (6).  Ryan in Grade 4 and happens to be good buddies with the “daughter” at Mother Daughter Book Reviews.  Kari and Ryan love to play games, dance crazy on Just Dance for Xbox, and have crafting nights together.  Their favorite books include How to Train Your Dragon (C. Cowell), Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (R. Riordan) and any Animorph Book (KA Applegate).

Iona and Isla (Mother and Daughter)

Iona is the blogger behind Redpeffer’s Blog, a blog which offers readers a candid look at her life as a writer and Mom to 2 children.  Iona shares an ecclectic mix of posts with her readers on a variety of topics including books, educational apps, and being a parent. Iona and her daughter Isla (6) love making things and creating things.  They especially love arts and crafts and having adventures.  Their favorite authors include Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, and Michael Bond.

Melinda and Imagineer (Mother and Daughter)

Melinda, Mom of 3,  is the blogger behind the family blog, Mom on the Make, where she writes about everything from family activities to book reviews to great recipes. Imagineer is a 9 year old and the middle child. She loves reading, and never wants the stories to end, which her Mom thinks is really sweet. She earned the nickname of Imagineer due to her incredible imagination and creativity. Inspired by her love of reading, she is writing her first book, and loves thinking of the chapter names. Imagineer also enjoys swimming, basketball, soccer, and riding bikes with her friends. Their favorite books include the Ivy and Bean Series (Annie Barrows), Smells Like Dog (Selfors), and A Dog’s Life (Martin).

Christy, Alex, and Merritt (Mother and Sons)

 

 

 

 

 

Christy is the blogger behind Another Step to Takewhere she blends the different aspects of her life together. There are posts about homeschooling, math games, book reviews, the thoughts that confuse her and she occasionally posts about her anti-poverty activism.  Alex (4) and Merritt (7) are homeschoolers! They like to eat pasta, draw pictures, play with each other and build things. Some of their favorite books include Tintin (Hergé), Mo Willems books, and books by L. Frank Baum (Oz).

Melissa and Madalyn (Mother and Daughter)

Melissa used to teach 4th grade but now works with teachers on ways to use technology and instructional resources in the classroom.  She is the blogger behind Figuring Out How The Pieces Fit…  Madalyn and Melissa both like headbands, colorful clothes, art,  and jewelry, as well as reading and writing!  We also think pictures are so important to books! Madalyn is a beginning reader, but says she enjoys Math more! Some of their favorite books include Ivy and Bean (A. Barrows), Elephant and Piggie books (M. Willems), and Fancy Nancy (J. O’Connor).

Tina and Samantha (Mother and Daughter)

Christina is an American Mom of four kids married to a South African and living in South Africa.  She is the author of five blogs including one she co-hosts with her hubby and one of my faves, Amanda’s Books and More. Tina loves reading, writing, singing, photography, baking, walking and communicating. Samantha is in 6^thgrade and loves reading, singing, baking, dancing, acting and using electronics.  Together they enjoy going out for milkshakes!  Some of Tina’s favorite books inlucde the following 3 award-winning children’s novels with important life-lessons:  I am David (aka North to Freedom; A. Holm),  The Diddakoi (R. Godden), The Wind Singer (W. Nicholson).

Raven and Danica (Mother and Daughter)

Raven is an Army wife, mother, freelance writer and special needs advocate and is the blogger behind Ms. MommyHH6 where the focus is all on MOMS.  Raven has two daughter, aged 3 and 5 who love LOVE dinosaurs and books.  They all share a lot of quality time reading, writing, drawing and painting about dinosaurs.  They love crafting, drawing, painting and just CREATING.  Some of Raven and Danica’s favorite authors include Shel Silverstein,  Judy Blume, and RL Stine.

Shaunna and Jessie (Mother and Daughter)

Shaunna, along with her friend Kim, is the blogger behind the parenting blog, Mudpies and Melodies. Shaunna and Kim blog about crafts, DIY projects, children’s book reviews, favourite recipes, and other parenting morsels.  She currently stays home with her two children: Jessie, age 4, and Benjamin, age 1. Neighbourhood walks, crafts, music, storytime and snuggles make up a huge portion of their time together.  Some of Shaunna and Jessie’s favorite books include My Garden by Kevin Henkes, Picture A Tree by Barbara Reid, and The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson.

Dawn and The Big One (Mother and Daughter)

Dawn is the blogger behind Dawn’s Disaster, a lifestyle blog where you can follow Dawn in her 30 Day Challenges.  The Big One is the oldest of three and she just started Kindergarten this year.  Another big adjustment was the birth of Little Baby, but that meant that Mommy gets to stay at home now!  YEA!  We are so excited for the extra time we get to spend together. Some of Dawn and her girls’ favorite books include The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, Angelina Ballerina by K. Holabird and the American Girl Series.

Crystal and Kaylee (Mother and Daughter)

Crystal Marcos is the award-winning author behind the middle grade adventure books, BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale and HEADACHE: The Hair-Raising Sequel to BELLYACHE. Crystal lives on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington with her husband and their daughter Kaylee. Crystal and Kaylee enjoy reading together, walking and playing at the park, and going on adventures. Their favorite books include I Love You Mister Bear by Sylvie Kantorovitz, Socks for Supper by Jack Kent, and Wild About Books by Judy Sierra.

Jenea and Sierra (Mother and Daughter)

Jenea  is the blogger behind Books Live Forever, a blog where she reads and reviews any genre of YA books.   E-Books are Jenea’s new addiction, because she can take them everywhere.  Sierra has her own little notebook with what she likes about the books she read too. How great is that? Other than reading, Sierra and Jenea like baking together, which sometimes gets messy with sprinkles everywhere, but it is a lot of fun.  Their favorite books include Princess Kiah and the Frog by Joy Findlay, I’m So Not Wearing a Dress by Julie Merberg, Bubblegum Princess by Scott Gordon.

Karen and Dinosaur (Mother and Son)

Karen is the blogger behind Dinosaur Superhero Mommy, a mommy blog about recipes that her dinosaur loved or hated, how she organizes her small apartment, life with an energetic but soulful Dinosaur, and her renewal of faith  Karen and Dino love to play computer games, read books, cook, play with cars and dinosaurs, and be silly together. Dinosaur has such a wonderful soul and loves everyone; I am so blessed to be his mom.Some of Karen and Dino’s favorite books include No David! by David Shannon, I’m Gonna Like Me by Jamie Lee Curtis, The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown, and The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg.

Leanna and Monkey (Mother and Son)

Leanna is the blogger behind All Done Monkey. Leanna is a stay at home mother to a sweet, funny, rambunctious 2.5 year old boy, with a baby on the way. She draws inspiration from the Writings of the Baha’i Faith and tries to raise her little Monkey in a fun, spiritual, loving environment. She and her husband, who is from Costa Rica, are raising their little boy to be bilingual and bicultural but more importantly to be a “world citizen”. Some of Leanna and Monkey’s favorite books include Funny Farm by Mark Teague, The Adventures of Polo by Regis Faller, Bear Snores Onby Karma Wilson.

Paul and Dominic (Father and Son)

Paul and Dominic are the men (both big and little) behind Mother Daughter Book Reviews.  Paul is a pilot for a major airline in Canada and he loves his motorcycle and loves to play or watch soccer.  Dominic and Paul like to tinker with the motorcycle together and enjoy doing little handyman work projects such as building stilts and a tree fort.  Some of the books that Paul and Dominic like to read together are the Magic Tree House Books by Mary Pope Osborne, the Magic Kitten Books by Sue Bentley, and any Robert Munsch book.

Heather and Edwin (Mother and Son)

Heather is the blogger extraordinaire of Spunky Real Deals: Reviews, Giveaways, and Mustaches! My boys (I have three) are my loves: Edwin my 3 year old little man who has never met a truck he dislikes, Luke my 18 month old “Bull Dog” who always has an opinion, and my dear husband Clayton who is my light in the world! Heather and Edwin’s favorite authors are Leo Lionni, Dr. Seuss, and Richard Scarry.  Their favorite books include Busytown by Richard Scarry and A Color of his Own by Leo Lionni.

Ang and Ethan (Mother and Son)

Ang blogs over at Juggling Act Mama about her life as a working mom who loves books, cooking, DIY projects, and spending time with her family, including her husband, son Ethan (4), and daughter Olivia (16 mths). Ethan likes tractors, going to Grammy and Grampy’s house in Maine, reading books, and playing with his friends on the playground. Ang and Ethan’s favorite authors include Margaret & HA Rey and Jodi Moore. Their favorite books are It’s the Bear! (Alborough), any Curious George (Rey) book, and I Need My Monster (Noll).

Laura H. and Ella W. (Mother and Daughter)

We love to read together! We love to play in the garden and have lots of fun baking.  Ella is 7 and loves to collect ojects big and small and sees crafting potential in all found things. Laura (the Mom) includes Don & Audrey Wood, Helen Cooper, and Mary Hedderwick among her favourite children’s book authors.  Ella’s favourite books include Ivy and Bean, Katie Morag, and Extra Yarn.