I Love You, Funny Bunny by Zonderkidz

From the Publisher:
Together, parents and children will giggle their way through I Love You, Funny Bunny as they discover the fun and loving parts of their own relationship. Illustrated by Sean Julian, I Love You, Funny Bunny is a picture book perfect for sharing at bedtime or any time of day. With read-aloud rhymes and adorable illustrations, readers will have fun turning the pages to discover all the ways this parent bunny loves little funny bunny.

I love you, Funny Bunny, from your whiskers to your toes.

I love the way you hop around and wiggle your cute nose.

I love the way you make me laugh, then melt me with your smile.

And no one in this great big world can match your sense of style.

Ideal for baby showers, birthdays, or Easter baskets, this jacketed hardcover book adorned with spot gloss and foil is the perfect gift for the funny bunny in your life.

My Thoughts:
This was an adorable book! My daughter, age 17, sat right down with me when the package came. We eagerly opened the book, and I began to read aloud to her. She and I enjoyed it so much. I could remember how I read with Amy snuggled up with me years ago. She really liked the book.  When Amy and I were finished, we agreed that this book is one that we shall save for the grandchildren. The colors are bright and cheerful. The message is one of unconditional love between a parent or grandparent and the little one in her life. I highly recommend this book.

Disclosure: I was sent a sample of this product for review purposes only. I was not compensated in any way. All opinions are my own based on my experience with this product. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green

From the publisher:
The daughter of a Mohawk mother and French father in 1759 Montreal, Catherine Duval finds it is easier to remain neutral in a world that is tearing itself apart. Content to trade with both the French and the British, Catherine is pulled into the fray against her wishes when her British ex-fiance, Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father. Samuel asks her to help him escape, claiming he has information that could help end the war.

Peace appeals to Catherine, but helping the man who broke her heart does not. She delays . . . until attempts on Samuel's life convince her he's in mortal danger. Against her better judgment she helps him flee by river, using knowledge of the landscape to creep ever closer to freedom. Their time together rekindles feelings she thought long buried, and danger seems to hound their every mile. She's risked becoming a traitor by choosing a side, but will the decision cost her even more than she anticipated?

My Thoughts:
My attention was captured by the devastation of the world that Catherine Stands Apart Duval lived in. The time was the French and Indian War as we Americans call it. It was also called the Seven Years War in England and France. It was fought in Europe, in America, and in Africa. This narrative follows Catherine as she is a child then as a young woman, half French, and half Mohawk, who is caring for her father and running a trading post. It's a very dangerous time—both in the area she lives near Montreal, Canada, and in her own home. Her father is a drunkard, and he often takes his troubles out on Catherine. Believing he loves her in spite of the drink, she stays and takes care of him.

The anguish Catherine goes through because of a relationship with a young man, her father's troubles, and the enemies all around build throughout the story. She is a strong young woman and works hard to try to remain neutral to all sides. She is plunged into increasing danger by those she loves and has to make some decisions that tear at her heart.

This book gave me a new perspective on the French and Indian War in the Canadian area. It actually stirred a desire to learn more. Mayhaps I'll be reading a book about that in the future. For now, I highly recommend this book. There is no swearing that I can remember and no inappropriate physical scenes. There is some violence described that I'd rather not have read, but it is tasteful in the way it is portrayed, and it is a book set in the middle of war. I'd read it first before I handed it to my teenage daughter. If it were a movie, it would probably be PG13 for violence and disturbing situations.


Jocelyn Green's website


Disclosure: I was sent a sample of this product for review purposes only. I was not compensated in any way. All opinions are my own based on my experience with this product. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Ivy Malone ~ An Unlikely Heroine

I don't even know exactly what it is about Ivy Malone that I like so much. Maybe it's because, during my illness, I felt invisible, too sometimes. Ivy just seems so down-to-earth. She has a strong Christian faith. She really tries to do what's right. She also cares about people. I like all those things. Can she help it if she keeps running into trouble?

I borrowed In Plain Sight, by Lorena McCourtney, from the library; but, it would be worth buying. I've paid more to get into a movie for an hour and a half and not enjoyed it nearly so much as the time I spent reading this book. The first book in the series is called Invisible.