Candlewick Lake Residents: End of the Book Fair is Sunday!

Have you seen these cool kids running around the lake? 

One of the reasons we were so excited to move to CWL is because of all the community programs that are offered for children. As a mom, I love having my children grow up in this wonderful community. I take pride in where we live and want to make it a great place for all of us to make memories. 

Tomorrow is the last day of the CWL Book Fair. Please come support the children's programs in our neighborhood! The family friendly atmosphere is an important feature of what we have to offer to the (current and future) residents of Candlewick Lake. 

Weather-permitting, I'll be set up outside near all the Labor Day festivities taking place. (Rain and books don't mix, so you'll find me inside the Rec Center if the weather isn't cooperating.)

Please support this awesome opportunity to gain lots of high quality books for the children in our neighborhood! 

CAN'T MAKE IT OUT OF THE HOUSE? SHOP ONLINE HERE AND CWL WILL EARN CREDIT TOWARD THE BOOK FAIR. 

Labor Day Contest

HAVE YOU SHOPPED YET? SUPPORT OUR KIDS- VISIT THE FAIR OR SHOP ONLINE! 

Labor Day is coming, and I'd love to see some comments on this blog, so we at The Reading Pod decided to do something fun to celebrate. Leave a comment answering the questions below, and on Labor Day (Sept. 2nd) we'll choose a winner to receive a free book! (I'll mail it to you, so only continental U.S. readers qualify to win.) Be sure to leave a contact email so I can get in touch with you if you win!


The Questions:
What is your favorite/most memorable book from your youth? (If you have multiple, choose one.)
Who is the author?
What made it such a special/memorable story to you?
Where is that book now?

Click the picture to shop online 

HELLO NEIGHBORS! 
The book fair starts Monday! I'll be setting up the booth for orders and sales for a couple of hours each day this week. Please come by and introduce yourself. Remember that if you can't make it while my table is set up, you still can order your books through this link: http://x3152.myubam.com/Event/25669   A part of every sale will help CWL earn free books for the preschool and after school programs. This is a wonderful way to support your community!

WANT TO HOST A HOME BOOK SHOW? 
I LOVE hosting home shows, and you will too! If you are interested in earning hundreds of dollars' worth of FREE and reduced-price books, a home show is a fun and easy way to do so. CONTACT ME and let me know you are interested in hosting.

LOOKING FOR INCOME? 
CONTACT ME to let me know you are interested in learning more my business with Usborne Books. I am looking for members to join my team and would love to talk to you about why I love what I do!

DID YOU KNOW?

http://www.rodneytrice.com/sfbb/articles/home.pdf

Researchers found that children who grow up in homes with hundreds of books get three more years schooling than those without many books in the home, regardless of their parents' occupation, education, or income.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? 

IT MEANS HAVING BOOKS IN YOUR HOME IS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR CHILD'S FUTURE! 

Statistically speaking: 

-Children in the U.S. who grow up in a book culture* further their education by 2.4 years compared to those who do not have access to books. 

-Children who grow up in a book culture are EQUALLY likely to pursue higher education as those who grow up with college-educated parents. 

-Children who grow up in a book culture are TWICE as likely to pursue higher education as those with parents in professional careers. 

*Book culture means a home library. A place filled with books, where the family partakes in, and encourages, reading on a regular basis. 

The Picture Says It All

My sons (twins) are turning six, and the grandparents dropped by to give them some gifts. Joel's reaction was pretty fantastic when he received his new Usborne Drawing, Doodling and Coloring Book.

I love seeing such sheer joy on my son's face!

CWL BOOK FAIR IS COMING!!

This is a great way to support our neighborhood. Please come by the Rec Center to see all the beautiful books I have available for purchase! 

Back-To-School Teacher Gift Ideas

Looking for a small teacher's gift as your child heads back to school? How about a book to share with the class? (As a certified teacher, I can tell you I would have loved receiving books for my classroom!) 

Here are some titles I recommend as great classroom selections (click the picture to purchase): 

Combined volume means a great value! Just $12.99 for four books in one. Great for pre-K through elementary classrooms.

Loaded with information for early-late elementary students. Sturdy board book $13.99 

Just one in a series. Great fiction chapter book that teacher can read to students (and young readers will enjoy reading on their own.) Only $4.99

Wonderful fiction story for teacher to read and discuss with students. Loved by all ages and only $6.99! 

Teachers of young children will love sharing this sweet story with their pre-K through early elementary students. Hardback, $12.99

Review: Hey Jack! The Worst Sleepover

Today's review is by: Mom

click here to buy 

Of my four kids, only one has always had an innate love of books and reading. The rest of them are reluctant readers- meaning they've never been immediately drawn to storytime, books, reading. (That has been changing since they've discovered Usborne and Kane/Miller, but I'll save that for another time.)

Because we're a homeschooling family, we read together quite a bit. I hate to admit it, but many times, we suffer through it. We all start out excited about a book, then, a few chapters in, realize it is taking us forever to finish, and somewhere along the way I pretty much lose them completely. By then, as much as I love the story, I realize I'm not loving reading it aloud. But we do it, because, gosh darn it, we are going to be that kind of a family! :) Reading aloud is important to us, as is reading together. It's just a shame that, at times, it can feel like such a chore.

Which is exactly why I felt it was so important that I share this story with you.

I received a copy of Hey Jack! in my consultant kit. The Worst Sleepover is one of many in a series, and I wanted to learn more about the product, so I decided I should read it. I asked the kids if they'd like me to read this new chapter book to them. They said yes.
I read the first chapter.
They asked me to keep going.
I read the next chapter.
They asked me to keep going.

And on it went, until we had finished the entire book in one sitting.

Is this a miracle I just witnessed? Seriously? We read an entire chapter book with EVERY child completely engaged, leaning over my shoulders, excited to hear the story from start to finish?!
The plot is fairly simple. Jack goes to his friend's house for a sleepover, and very quickly, they end up in a disagreement that makes the fun night together not fun at all.
My kids loved it, and so did I.

Wow. As a mom, as a homeschooler, as a licensed teacher, THIS is exactly what I want for my kids. I want them to love books as much as I loved books when I was a child, and that is just what this Hey Jack! title accomplished.

No doubt about it, I plan to buy the rest of the series soon. Whether you've got a reluctant reader, or a child who reads everything (s)he can get hands on, I highly recommend giving the Hey Jack! series a try for family reading as well as for newly independent readers.

This mama gives Hey Jack! The Worst Sleepover two thumbs way, way, up. 

Click here to buy the Hey Jack! series through this link. Retail price $39.99 

CWL Visitors: Welcome to My Blog!

I had a great time talking with my CWL neighbors tonight... if you are one of these people, welcome to my blog!

If you are here to shop to benefit our community, CLICK HERE. Make sure you click "Candlewick Lake National Night Out" so that your shopping is credited to our community event.

Thank you for your support. See you at the book fair August 26-September 1st!! 

National Night Out

Review: Cow Takes a Bow

Today's review is given by Luke, age 4.  Cow Takes a Bow is part of the collection of Usborne Phonics Readers. Because Luke is a beginning reader, this was a great book for the two of us to sit and read together. 

Cow Takes a Bow

Luke's review:
"I really like this story because it is funny. The cow is so silly! My favorite part was the tricycle; it just kept going round and round. This is a good book and other kids would like to read it."

Luke isn't quite ready to read on his own, but he was sounding out a few words on each page. Go Luke! 

Have an early reader in your life? The Reading Pod suggests you check out Cow Takes a Bow!  , available for just $6.99. Click the link to order your copy! 

She's a Beauty!

Today I want to tell you about the Usborne Books new consultant kit.
To put it simply, she's a beauty!
The kit itself is typically $129... which in and of itself is an amazing deal because:

It contains basically everything you need to start your own business;

It comes with 25+ books, and

Usborne lets you run the business however you choose. No minimum quotas to meet, no agreements to pay extra if you choose not to pursue it. Basically, you can't go wrong!

Look at all those books! These are the ones that came in my business kit. 

I had already been planning to join as a new consultant, and they just happened to be running a great special, so the kit was an even better deal. But really, full price ($129) is still an amazing bargain (I'd have paid it if they didn't happen to have the special when I joined.)

These are some of the titles Joel and Evan are begging me to get for them. 

Usborne Books & More is a very family-oriented company. I've gotten to know the company well over the years. They strive hard to keep everyone (customers and consultants) happy. Because there are no minimum quotas for sales, there are no penalties, and you can be as active (or inactive) as you choose, it's just really easy to make it whatever you choose. When I joined years ago, I chose to do nothing with it, and that was okay by Usborne. Years later, I called and said, "Now I want to make it a real business for myself," and they helped me get up and running again. Really, can you ask for a better company? 

We'll be sharing reviews of some of these titles in the very near future.

I'm proud to call myself and Usborne Books consultant, can you tell? :) 

What about you? Have you been thinking about ways that you could add income to your family? Have you ever thought about joining Usborne Books? Feel free to comment with questions you might have! 

CLICK THE IMAGE TO LEARN HOW TO JOIN MY TEAM