Ellie's Dancing Shoes Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway

Has self-doubt ever stopped you from pursuing your passion? Or are you scratching your head for ideas that could help boost your child's confidence? Get inspired by Scott Sollers' brand new release Ellie's Dancing Shoes. Enter to win a hard copy!

My Review:

With charming characters brought to life by colorful pictures and detailed descriptions, Ellie's Dancing Shoes tells a stimulating and uplifting tale about perseverance, positivity, and the power of self-confidence.

Ellie loves dancing and keeps practicing every day. All the falls and mistakes she can't avoid however, make her question if she's got what it takes to become a professional ballet dancer. Luckily, her grandmother's magic dancing shoes help Ellie improve her moves and gain more confidence in herself. Even when the shoes no longer fit, Ellie saves the ribbon in order to keep the magic. Everything goes well until Ellie accidentally leaves her magic shoes on the bus just a few days before her audition to become a real ballerina. What would happen if the shoes are lost forever, along with their magic?

It's wonderful to be clear about one's dream from early on, but young children may be easily overwhelmed by failure and frustration, which are likely to feed their self-doubt and discourage them from following their dreams. This story accurately reflects this common challenge to a child's confidence on her way to becoming what she's meant to be. It makes young readers aware of the obstacles that might lie ahead and motivates them to stay strong and stick to their goals. Hard work usually takes time to pay off.

While Ellie's success confirms the importance of perseverance and resilience, it also suggests the crucial role parents plays in helping their kids build self-confidence and overcome the fear of failure. The magic the dancing shoes make prompts parents to get creative in their efforts to provide guidance and assistance for their youngsters.

Inspiring and heartwarming, Ellie's Dancing Shoes is a worthy read for both children and their parents, who work on the same team to foster self-love, self-discovery and self-fulfillment.

About the Book:

Ages: 4-8 | 38 Pages
Publisher: Mascot Books (2025) | ISBN: 979-8891383418

There is nothing Ellie wants more than to become a ballerina.

Every day she practices her stretches, leaps, twirls, and jumps. But Ellie doesn’t believe in herself. Her self-doubt gets in the way, and when she stretches, she slips. When she bends, she falls over. When she leaps, she slides. When she twirls or jumps, she gets all twisted and slumped over.

Until one day, her parents gave Ellie her grandmother’s magical dancing shoes. Soon, there are only graceful jumps, beautiful leaps, and dizzying twirls.

When the day of Ellie’s audition to become a ballerina arrives, her magic dancing shoes are lost. Will Ellie find them in time before her audition, or must she perform without them?

A beautifully illustrated story that shows children that their magic can be found within.

Purchase links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org

Hope for Moms: It's Tough Out There, but So Are You Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway

Have you ever felt that parenting is such a demanding job that you can never be fully prepared for it? Then you are not alone, as evidenced in Hope for Moms: It's Tough Out There, but So Are You by Anna McArthur. Read about Anna's adventure as a mom to four and enter to win a paperback copy of her new book!

My Review:

Written with humor and honesty, Hope for Moms: It's Tough Out There, but So Are You is an empowering and reassuring book that celebrates motherhood, diversity, empathy and bravery. It addresses a variety of parenting challenges related to adolescence, transracial adoption, learning disabilities, sexual orientation and social justice.

Drawing on a triage system she once employed during hard times, Anna organizes her book into three sections: "Yes" - lessons from motherhood that are worth keeping, "No" - things that don't deserve her attention, time or energy, and "Maybe" - areas that she wants to nurture for the future. Each chapter starts with Anna's real-life experience and concludes with questions or prompts that invite the reader to participate in the discussion.

By sharing her unique parenting journey, the author does not intend to instruct fellow moms, but to inspire them to develop their own systems based on the specific needs of their children. Although the challenges she encounters as a mom are quite different from mine, I find the lessons she draws to be very relatable and applicable. Her humorous, delightful writing style gives the book a feel of a casual chat between mommy friends. Her discussion about what true self-care entails really resonates with me. Moreover, her story helps me realize the severity of systemic racism on a more personal level.

With her genuine voice, Anna encourages moms to learn and grow with their children, to have confidence in their instincts and capabilities, and to master the art of prioritizing. While many books teach about how to raise resilient kids, this one sheds light on how to become resilient parents.

Insightful and thought-provoking, Hope for Moms makes the perfect read for Mother's Day and beyond. It'd be enjoyed and appreciated by moms and those who care to learn about the joys and pains of motherhood.

About the Book:

Ages: 18+ | 168 Pages
Publisher: Beaver’s Pond Press (2025) | ISBN: 978-1-64343-560-2

Many of us did everything we could to prepare for becoming moms, but there just wasn’t any way to know what might lie ahead. Most of us have, at one point or another, looked around and wondered if we are alone in our parenting challenges. Hope for Moms offers a heartfelt guide for mothers navigating both the joys and heartbreak of being a mom, sharing Anna McArthur’s personal journey through parenting difficulties such as learning disabilities, LGBTQ+ identities, and adoption. Structured around a triage plan that helped the author prioritize her family’s needs, it includes practical insights, quotes, and reflection questions to support moms in their journey of resilience and soul care. With gentleness and humor, McArthur provides reassurance to mothers, reminding them they have the strength to not only survive motherhood, but thrive.

McArthur provides reassurance to mothers, reminding them they have the strength to not only survive motherhood, but thrive. If you’re a mom who feels overwhelmed by the curveballs life has thrown your way, you aren’t alone—yes, it’s tough out there, but so are you!

Purchase links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org

The Glass Pyramid: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. Pei Blog Tour: Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

Internationally renowned for its vast collection of masterpieces, Louvre, the world's largest art museum, is frequently recognized and remembered by its gorgeous Pyramid Entrance. How much do you know about the story behind this iconic architecture? Check out award-winning author Jeanne Walker Harvey’s upcoming picture book The Glass Pyramid: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. Pei. Enter to win a signed copy and a Louvre tote bag, or a classroom set of 30 copies!

My Review:

Well-researched and succinctly written, The Glass Pyramid: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I. M. Pei provides a highly accessible and captivating recount of how I.M. Pei managed to accomplish the redesign project for Louvre, commemorating the late architect's incredible talent and tenacity.

Impressed by his modernist design for the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., the French president entrusted I.M. Pei to redesign the Louvre Museum with easier access and greater appeal for visitors worldwide. Inspired by the designs of both French and Chinese gardens, I.M. came up with the brilliant idea of a glass pyramid. During the process of translating his idea into reality however, he not only had to tackle technical challenges, but also had to endure substantial social and political pressures, largely due in part to his Chinese-American identity. Staying calm but persistant, I.M. succeeded in delivering another masterpiece that left everyone in awe.

Based on true events and personal accounts, the book recaptures the process through which a well-established architect completed a demanding project from start to finish while highlighting the various formidable challenges he had to overcome. The engaging narrative demonstrates how intelligence, patience and perseverance contribute to I.M. Pei's admirable achievements, motivating young readers to become creative problem-solvers, to stand up against prejudice and discrimination, and to defend their decision through determination, diligence and solid skills.

By acknowledging the influence of I.M.'s ethnic background and childhood experience on his unique design, the story implies that we should embrace our cultural identity and learn to appreciate the beauty of diversity. In the meantime, it serves as a real-life example of how to identify a problem, clarify one's goals, and work out a feasible solution. The book's back matter goes further to introduce what an architect's job typically involves, and to include a brief biography of I.M. Pei, along with a more detailed description of the technical issues briefly mentioned in the story and how each of them get resolved.

Informative and inspiring, The Glass Pyramid is an educational read for everyone, especially those who aspire to a career in architecture.

About the Book:

Ages: 4+ | 40 Pages
Publisher: Atheneum / Simon & Schuster (2025) | ISBN: 978-1665953337

In 1981, I. M. Pei was on a mission. A successful architect known for his modern designs, Pei was asked by the French president to redesign the Louvre Museum in Paris, home to the Mona Lisa and now famous for the glass pyramid at its center. At the time, the Louvre had many problems and no pyramid.

Pei faced many obstacles, including discrimination because he was Chinese American. Determined to succeed and make the Louvre a welcome place for all, Pei worked hard—and sometimes in secret. This is the story of a visionary who worked patiently and persistently to solve problems and achieve his goals: to plant and grow a glass pyramid.

Purchase links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org

CSB Illustrator’s Notetaking Bible Review & Giveaway

Do you like to jot down your thoughts when reading your Bible? Then the CSB Illustrator's Notetaking Bible would be perfect for you. Learn more about it below and enter to win a copy!

Enhance your personal Bible study with the CSB Illustrator's Notetaking Bible. This uniquely crafted Bible features large, easy-to-read 9.5-point type in a single-column setting with wide journaling margins and line-art illustrations on every page spread. Including filigree designs, Scripture quotes, and other unique Scripture art alongside plenty of space for personal creativity and journaling, this Bible will inspire you to engage God’s Word in a fresh and exciting way. This beautiful Bible provides the perfect place for meaningful creativity and personalization, over time creating an incredible keepsake for your journey.

This Bible impresses me with its elegant design, premium quality, delightful artwork, and spacious margins for writing. It's definitely the most beautiful Bible I've ever owned. It comes with a sturdy protective case and a soft LeatherTouch cover. Two ribbon markers are provided for easy referencing between pages. It's also complete with a year-long daily Bible reading plan, concordance, and full-color maps in the back. Collectible and made to last, it's great for both personal use and gift-giving. Order your own copy of the CSB Illustrator’s Notetaking Bible, Large Print Edition today!