Chicken Soup for the Soul is making it’s way into everyone’s homes and hearts.  There are books that will appeal to everyone tastes and the latest book that they have come up with is for the NASCAR lovers.  I myself am not really into sports cars or racing for that matter, but it didn’t stop me from reading some of the lovely stories that NASCAR lovers alike have submitted to Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Here’s a Synopsis:

NASCAR and Chicken Soup for the Soul join forces, with well-known NASCAR columnist Cathy Elliott leading the charge. NASCAR drivers, their families, and teams slow down enough to share their stories of family, fortitude, and fast cars. Readers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the action on and off the track. Famous drivers and those closest to them, pit crews, families, and fans all share their stories of perseverance, triumph, comebacks, and life. Fans will get a front row view, and be inspired, surprised, and sometimes amused by these exclusive, up close stories from the track, pit, and the road.

My favourite story that I read is about a family who brought a poster of a loved one to a NASCAR race after they had passed away.  The young mans dream was to go to a race but was never able to make it in person, so his family brought him in photo.  Not only did they bring him to a NASCAR race, but to many other places around the world that he wanted to travel.  They took pictures of him in all the places he ever wanted to be.   This story really touched my heart. NASCAR seems to be a rough and tough sport, but NASCAR lovers have big hearts too and aren’t afraid to use them.

After reading just a few of the 101 short stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: NASCAR, I gave this to a friend that would appreciate it way more than I ever would.  He is actually reading the book from start to finish and lets me know how each chapter is going.   Some Chapters include: Lessons Learned, Romance and other Acts of Racing, The Secrets to Success and On (and Off) the Track just to name a few.

Not all the stores in chicken Soup for the Soul: NASCAR are the sappy kind!  This is a book that will appeal to both the women and men NASCAR lovers in your life.  It would be a great Father’s Day gift for Dad too!

Buy it: To Purchase, visit Chicken Soup for the Soul

Giveaway: Two lucky My Wee View readers are going to receive a copy

To Enter: Visit Chicken Soup for the Soull, and make a comment back here about something you saw on their site

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Giveaway closes April 30th @11:59 pm PST.  Open to Canada and US

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I have been a fan of Chicken Soup for the Soul since they first came out in book stores.  The first book I remember buying for myself was Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul.  I stayed up for hours at night reading all the wonderful stories that people had submitted.  Some of the stories would have me in tears, while others had me in stitches laughing.  With every story there is something that touched my heart.

I was so excited to receive the Chicken Soup for the Soul: True Love edition, just in time for Valentine’s Day.  The book is divided up into categories such as How we Met, Adventures in Dating, The Proposal, The Wedding, Happily Ever Laughter and Love Ever Lasting – just to name a few.  As you can see all the topics are “love related”.

While reading  the lovely stories, which have all be written by real people like you and me, I was able to identify and see myself and my husband in many of the stories.   Whether it was the old couple that rekindled their love by dancing in the kitchen, or the young bride that broke a pearl necklace just a few days before her wedding day.  There is something in nearly all the stories that makes me think of how wonderful my husbands and I relationship is.  If all these people are submitting these touching stores about their relationship, I have some of my own that are just as heart felt, romantic, and darn right funny.  That is what I love about the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, is that they are real stories, by real people.

It’s been ages since I would stay up at night and read a book,,, ok, let me rephrase that, it’s been ages since I have read a book for my own entertainment (whenever I read it tends to be parent related).  The new Chicken Soup for the Soul: True Love book has given me something to look forward to reading at night – it’s probably been since my last Chicken Soup for the Soul book in the 90’s that this has happened.  The stories fill my heart with even more love for my husband, brings back some wonderful memories, and really makes me look forward to the future.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: True Love is a heart warming book that will make you laugh, cry and make your heart beat, why not read it together with your loved one?  I know I will be sharing many of the stories with mine.

Buy it: To Purchase, visit Chicken Soup for the Soul online

Giveaway: 4 lucky MWV readers are going to receive a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: True Love

To Enter: visit Chicken Soup for the Soul and make a comment back here about something you saw on their site that caught your attention

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Giveaway closes February 19 @11:59 pm PST.  Open to US and Canada

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Who would have ever though that parenting was going to be hard?!?  Ha – who am I kidding, parenting is the hardest thing that I will ever do in my lifetime.   I take my job as a parent very seriously.  I want to bring up my daughter to be a responsible, respectable, confident adult.  How to get kids there can be really hard road, especially during the  tween and teenage years.

Character is the Key, written by psychotherapist Sara Dimerman is a simple and easy to read parenting book.  But in reality, I think this is more than a parenting book, it is a book about being a good person and doing the right thing – this book is a reminder for the parents too.  If we do the right thing in simple situations, our children will imitate us, and do the right things in similar situations.  I find that people, in general, can find ways to justify that they are doing the right thing – even when it is obvious that is isn’t.  Character is the Key focuses on the 10 most desirable character traits, and teaches us as the parents to bring out these traits in our children.  Guess what – it starts with us, yes that’s right – you and me.

Children are like little sponges (or monkeys), they remember and imitate everything we do.  I see it already in my daughter at only 14 months.  She is already pointing her finger at the dog and saying “AHHHH”.  It’s very cute right now, but as time goes on, she will start doing this to us, other children, and other adults.  My husband and I have learned we now have to take a different approach when disciplining our dog.  Although I knew she was just copying us, I did not realize that this simple action could snowball into something in the future until I read the book Character is the Key.  Maybe it would turn into nothing, but is it worth the risk?  Character is the Key let me know that it is easier to change my actions, then to change the actions of my children. It also taught me that if I don’t change my actions, my child’s actions will probably not change anyway.

Character is the Key is a  very straight forward, and well laid out book.  The examples in the book are very real examples that many parents will encounter, if they haven’t already.  The book also provides solutions to real problems.  This is great for parents that are feeling at their wits ends with their children and don’t know what to do.

What I learned most from the Character is the Key book is the importance of family meetings.  Many families start regular family meetings after a problem arises with a child.  I want to start family meetings right away.  I actually read this book out loud everyday at supper time with my family. Even though the baby can’t yet understand, she listens and talks back.  My husband and mother listen along and then we have family discussions about the topic that was discussed in the book.

Character is the Key is an excellent book for parents (or even people without kids).  Somewhere in the years, people have forgotten, lost or ignored what it means to be a good person.  I even use many of the things I have learned from Character is the Key in the office.  I find attitude is also catchable, if I have a positive attitude in the office, those around  me will also have a positive attitude.  The book is a lifestyle that all people should desire to be, and it helps people get to that point.

Buy it: To purchase, visit Character is the Key online

Giveaway: One Lucky My Wee View reader is going to receive the Character is the Key book

To Enter: Visit Character is the Key and tell me something you learned on the site

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Giveaway closes October 27th @ 11:59 pm PST. Open to US and Canada

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“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Character Is the Key: How to Unlock the Best in Our Children and Ourselves and received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

As a parent, one thing I dread is when my daughter is ill.  I get so worried about a fever, a cough, cold, or whatever it may be.  As soon as Genevieve gets any small symptom I want to bring her straight to the doctor to get it checked out.  A new series of books by the Hippocratic Press is perfect for Moms like me that are paranoid about illness.  The Dr. Hippo books are also great for children as well to teach them about being sick and illnesses.

The Dr. Hippo series, which is written by Doctor Charlotte Cowan – recently honored by President Obama, is 5 books all about little animals that end up with a sickness and contact their local doctor – Dr. Hippo to see what things they should expect with their sickness and how they can recover.  The book educates both children and parents on different illnesses.  For parents there is leaflet located in the back of the book with quick reference about signs symptoms and remedies for the sicknesses.

I received the all 5 Dr. Hippo books for review.  My favourite is the “Moose With Loose Poops”.  This book has such a sweet story line, and amazing illustrations as well.  The book is about a young moose, Miles,  that has a tummy ache, and then has diarrhea.  What is so different about this book is that it explains all the symptoms of diarrhea with language children can understand.  The moose explains his incident as “a waterfall” that comes out of his bottom.  The words are just so innocent and so true that any child will be able to realte.   The book also teaches children what to do after using the bathroom like washing your hands.  The book teaches parents what to do in these types of situations as well when Mama Moose calls  Dr. Hippo who gives medical advise like keeping hydrated.

All of the Dr. Hippo books are educational for both children and parents.  The other titles of the books are:

“Peeper has a Fever”

“Sadie’s Sore Throat”

“Katie caught a Cold”

“The Little Elephant with the Big Earache”

These are all situations that parents will find themselves in, and many times it’s difficult to know what signs and symptoms to look for and when it’s time to bring your child to the doctor and when your child will be ok.  What I really liked about the books is it also includes Celsius and Fahrenheit temperatures!  Dr. Hippo has thought of all of us Canadians when creating these books!  The insert in the Dr. Hippo series is a great quick reference for parents as well who may be unsure of what to do in situations when their child is under the weather.

The Dr. Hippo series is both fun and educational – as a parent I love being able to bring educational items to my child while enjoying a good laugh.  My only question is, since Dr. Hippo takes care of animals – is he a doctor or a veterinarian?

Buy it: to purchase, visit Dr. Hippo online

Giveaway: Dr. Hippo would like to offer a lucky My Wee View reader the Dr. Hippo series (all 5 books)

To Enter: Visit Dr. Hippo online, and make a comment back here about something you learned on the site

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Giveaway closes September 18th @ 11:59 pm PST. Open to US and Canada

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The summer is finally here! With it, we can count on the multitude of insects arriving as well. As much as we may try to deny it, we’ve all eaten bugs. Skaie Knox’ book Big Bug Lunch! is the adventurous tale of “Matty” and his dog “Klunkers”. Big Bug Lunch! explores the question “Have you ever eaten a bug? Or when you think about it, do you say uhhggg”?

Written for boys and girls, Big Bug Lunch! is the first in a series of 10 called”the Klunker Kapers” and it is everything a great children’s book should be.

Beautifully illustrated by Mike Gatti, Big Bug Lunch! has amazing artwork that very clearly illustrates the story; the text is quite large and is surrounded by lots of white space.  The opposing page is filled with brightly colored characters and bugs and as a classic book worm, I read this delightful book to my 5 month old several times and we both really enjoyed it.

Big Bug Lunch! is great for little hands to hold. Iit measures approximately 11 inches across and almost 9 inches down, it’s also easy to read, has amazing artwork and an amusing storyline. With rhyme and repetition such as “Worms in your tummy how they wiggle! When you eat  ‘em you will surely giggle!”, what’s not to like?

As an added bonus, the book comes with a music CD. The first song is the musical version of Big Bug Lunch! and the CD has 13 other fun tracks; a mix of original songs,  a classic Australian folk tune, karaoke, and a narration of the book. I particularly and classics. I particularity liked track 6, it’s the perfect bedtime song with the lyrics “ Hush baby dream, close your eyes, the stars have fallen asleep tonight”.

The writer behind Big Bug Lunch! is Skaie Knox, a multi talented artist. With a full career as a professional singer/songwriter , Big Bug Lunch! is her first book. With a passion for dogs, Skaie plans to create a foundation to fund K-9 rescue organizations throughout the U.S.A.

Buy it: To purchse visit Big Bug Lunch! online

Giveaway: Big Bug Lunch! would like to offer a lucky My Wee View reader a copy of Big Bug Lunch!

To Enter: Visit Big Bug Lunch! , and make a comment back here about something you saw on the website

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Giveaway closes July 27th @ 11:59 pm PST – Open to US and Canada

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