Jansten's Gift: Winners

Congratulations to all my winners. They are: Kathy55439, Sharon, Cindy, nightdweller and Shauna. They have all been sent emails, and have 24 hours to send me their names and addresses. Thanks for participating!

It's Time for Another Contest: Testimony by Anita Shreve

Thanks to the nice folks at Hatchette, I am able to offer to give away five copies of Testimony by Anita Shreve. I just got my copy in the mail today, so I can't tell you my opinion about it, other than to say it sounds good to me. Here is what I know about it:

• At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora's box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voices--those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal--that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment.
  
  Writing with a pace and intensity surpassing even her own greatest work, Anita Shreve delivers in TESTIMONY a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. No one more compellingly explores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, the needs and fears that drive ordinary men and women into intolerable dilemmas, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.
  

Interactive e-book

To enter, leave your name and email address in a comment. For a second entry, blog about this contest, and leave a comment with the link. For unlimited entries, have your friends leave comments saying you sent them--and I'll enter them too. For another entry, name a book I read in 2005-2008 that you either have read or want to read.
Contest ends May 27.

Addendum: Please note that this giveaway is subject to the usual Hatchette conditions: US and Canada only, no PO Boxes.

Even More: Check out my friend Renee's blog. She has a review of this book and is also giving away five copies. Good luck!

The Heroes of Googley Woogley: My Review

If you have ever wondered what a children's book would look like if it was written and illustrated by a child; wonder no more. Dalton James, age seven, is the author and illustrator of The Heroes of Googley Woogley. The opening page introduces us to Rock Star Pete and his daddy, Rock Star James. They have lots of money so they use all their money to buy a spaceship. In the spaceship is a store that includes lots of candy. They go into space and find the planet Googley Woogley, which has two types of inhabitants: the good blue SooDos and the bad red SooDonts. There is a battle and Pete comes up with the idea of using chewed chewing gum to trap the SooDonts and Pete and his dad return to earth to become scientists.

The cover shown above is pretty representative of the style of the illustrations in the book. They are outlined in black marker and filled in with crayons. They clearly go with the story and are consistant throughout the story.

I have a five year old assistant who helps me review all children's books. This book and the other Dalton James book I received today from Dalton, via Bostick, held her attention while I read them to her, and when I asked her if she liked them she said "Yes". You'll note below that the reading level given for the book was ages 9-12. It has been a LONG time since I did a readability analysis and I long ago got rid of the directions for doing so, therefore I won't argue about the reading level as determined by the words used. However, I doubt this book would hold the attention of any 9-12 year old. Assuming the readability analysis was properly done, I suggest giving it to a 4-7 year old as a "read to me" book.

From Amazon.com:
Reading level: Ages 9-12

Paperback: 24 pages
Publisher: Outskirts Press (March 11, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1432727826
ISBN-13: 978-1432727826

Mailbox Monday

Well, my mailbox wasn't too full this week. Thomas Neson's blogger program sent me It Happened in Italy. I haven't read it yet, but my friend Renee has and her review has me ready to read it.. The nice folks at Nancy Berland sent me two books: Entertaining Angels and Don't Bargain with the Devil. If you click on the tiles you can read my reviews.

Hope you got good stuff this week, and thanks to Marica at the Printed Page for hosting.