Saturday, August 27, 2016

New Release!



Join Carole P. Roman when she visits Poland in the newest book of her informative series. Learn about the varied customs and cultures. Travel to Eastern Europe to discover what you would eat and do for fun. See the land through the eyes of a youngster like you and understand what life is like in this exciting place. Don't forget to look at the other books in the series so that you can be an armchair world traveler.

Get it HERE!

Now Available!



Hop in our time travel machine and join Carole P. Roman as she visits a Viking settlement in the year 890 AD. Learn what your name could be and the kind of food you might eat. Read about the different levels of society, how they affect where you would live, and the type of clothing you might wear. Mateya Arkova's beautiful illustrations illustrate what Vikings ate and their children did for fun. If You Were Me and Lived in.. Viking Europe is an exciting trip that shows a colorful culture through the eyes of a child.

Buy it HERE!

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Photos of the Foreword Reviews/Children's Books USA booth at the Beijing International Book Fair!


Can you spot the books I wrote?





a wild ride



The name Suspended alone leaves the reader knowing they are in for a wild ride. Sarah Noffke has taken her world of dreamer travelers to new heights by extending the series into the elusive world of the circus. Often the setting for misfits that have been cast-off from society, the Vagabond Circus lives up to it's name of exclusivity to employ the rejects of both the Dreamer Walker and Middling world. Cocooned in their safe environment, but threatened by economic instability, they are forced to take in a new performer who will rock the foundation of the group. Colorful, exciting, with a dash of the promised romance, Suspended will leave you hanging in the end, waiting for the coming sequel.

Happy Reading!
Carole P. Roman

Monday, August 22, 2016

he abuses them like a spoiled child wreaking havoc on the sleepy English village



Ren is the classic anti-hero, the character that repels and attracts at the same time. The proverbial "bad boy," he has been breaking both rules and his mother's middling heart for his entire life. Isolated with gifts he does not quite know how to use, he abuses them like a spoiled child wreaking havoc on the sleepy English village where he lives. I have not read all of Nofffke's books, but I understand that Ren is a mysterious alfa character- one that demanded his story be told, and that she did. The author delves into the childhood of the Dream Walker, explaining the different stages of his growth from callow and disenfranchised bully to a loving partner to Delila and asset to his creed. Sarah captures the angst and turmoil of those who don't fit in, complicating his life with an abusive sister, and repeated losses. She nurtures her creation, finally rewarding him with the fulfilling love he deserves.

Happy Reading!
Carole P. Roman

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Austin Valley is a microcosm of a perfect world where the gifted Reverians lead privileged lives



Austin Valley is a microcosm of a perfect world where the gifted Reverians lead privileged lives. Their ability to "dream travel", allows them to leave the mundane and menial labor to the Middlings, who live in a lower caste of society. While some Middlings feel mild stirrings of resentment, they are well and truly yolked into suppression by the superior race. Something sinister is going on, and seventeen-year-old Em is courageous and curious enough to try and find out who is betraying her seemingly idyllic world. Forced to take debilitating injections she uncovers a program of unspeakable horrors With the help of a friend she thought was gone forever, she is able to overcome obstacles and discover her greatest strengths.
Sarah Noffke knows how to tell a story, keeping the reader engaged for the whole ride. Filled with adventure, mystery, and terrific world building, she creates an exciting world that is filled with relatable characters. This is a fun read that is perfect for thrill seeking dystopian lovers.


Happy Reading!
Carole P. Roman

Saturday, August 20, 2016

and with a great voice, Noffke keeps the pages turning with both intrigue and excitement



Roya Stark has just found out she's a Lucidite. Lucid can mean articulate, comprehensible, cogent, or bright and luminous. Either way the 16 year old understands she is vastly different from her Middling family. Sarah Noffke has created a brave, new world, where people flit in and out of dreams chasing villains that attack when a person is most vulnerable; when they sleep. Threatened with the destruction of her family, Roya must chose whether to trust the beings that are pulling her in a dangerous direction or allow herself to ignore their warnings. Either way, the outcome is dangerous and life threatening. Roya never belonged in her old life, but courageously chooses to forge ahead and find her place among the Lucidites where perhaps she will shine brighter than anyone else. Witty, and with a great voice, Noffke keeps the pages turning with both intrigue and excitement. A fun introduction to the endless horizon of our dreams.

Happy Reading!
Carole P. Roman

Friday, August 19, 2016

making them feel like flesh and blood



Philippa Gregory puts the reader right in the middle of the lives of the rich and famous, even when it's over five hundred years ago. She makes historical figures come alive, giving them believable personalities, putting words in their mouths. We can watch a movie about historical figures accepting an actor's interpretation without comment, yet when it is put in writing we somehow expect the author to know exactly what they were thinking. Gregory has created viable personalities for the famous women dotting the English monarchy and aristocracy. She does it with insight, making them feel like flesh and blood, rather than flat, boring characters. Margaret Tudor is no exception. She is haughty, conceited, jealous and quite full of herself. She was entitled, indulged,and spoiled. Not surprising when you read about her brother's personality in all the history books. I enjoyed this book. Gregory breathes life into the Tudor court, giving believable personalities to the players. Margaret Tudor was sent into Scotland as a child. She ended up being the ancestor of the current ruling dynasty, and it seems that most of the attention landed upon her grandson James Stewart, nieces, brother, and even her sister eclipsing both Margaret and her husband. Little Jane Grey, the nine day queen even gets more press. There is not much known about Margaret and the spotlight shining on the Tudor court seemed rarely to catch her. I think Gregory brings her into the warmth of that spotlight with an understanding of what a teenager might be feeling when left out in the cold.

Happy Reading!
Carole P. Roman

Monday, August 15, 2016

Worksheet: If You Were Me and Lived in... Elizabethan England

1- What are the differences both inside and outside of the two depictions of the home in London on the first two pages of the book?

2- What does Renaissance mean to England and how did it affect society?

3- Why was this time period called the Elizabethan Age?

4- Who was Elizabeth?

5- Why did sending out explorers make England a superpower?

6- How did people having excess money affect the growth of society?

7- Why do you think this time was called a "Golden Age" for art and literature?

8- Why do you think the parents picked the popular names of the time for their children?

9- How had life changed for people over the last couple of hundred years?

10- What is an apprentice? How would you describe his life?

11- How do you think people found their jobs in those days?

12- Name three ways people traveled?

13- Describe what London must have looked like?

14- Why were birds named kites important to the city?

15- What did people use to make their house smell better?

16- What kind of roofs did they have in the countryside?

17- Why do you think houses were shaped like an E?

18- What is the difference between sweet and savory?

19- What is the difference between a meal in your house and the one a child in Elizabethan times might eat?

20- Why was honey easier than sugar?

21- Try and make a pastie with your mother. What would you put inside?

22- What is a trencher?

23- Name two items a boy would wear. Name two items that were part of a girls wardrobe.

24- Write about your day at the Bartholomew Fair. What did you eat and drink? What did you parents buy you? What did you see?

25- Name the three types of currency and name one thing they could buy.

26- Why do you think girls did not go to school?  Why do you think only one of the sons went to school?

27- Why did he leave school?

28- What is the difference between actors today and actors in Elizabethan times? Why do you think women were not allowed to act?

29- Who was William Shakespeare and how did he affect English theater?

30- What was the deciding factor of a person's religion?

31- What happened if a family tried to be a different religion than the king or queen?

32- Pick one famous person from the back of the book and write about how they impacted the times.

Monday, August 8, 2016

Easily read in a few hours



Action-packed, The Newton Prophecies takes off in a burst and doesn't stop until the last page. Just when you think you have it figured out, author Katsikas throws another curve ball to keep the reader off balance. Michael Di Bianco is a best-selling author and divinity teacher at the prestigious Harvard University. His research has propelled him to investigate notes written by Sir Isaac Newton over two hundred years ago. Important men are dying while clutching words on a parchment written in Newton's own hand and the FBI is knocking on DiBianco's door looking for answers. This starts off a wild ride that transports the main character on a pursuit for the truth that will span several countries and end in the Holy city itself for a combustible conclusion while delivering a one-two punch.
Well-written and full of exciting chases, The Newton Prophecies will bring to mind Dan Brown and Professor Langdon. Easily read in a few hours, it is both interesting and filled with thrills. A great summer read.


Happy Reading,
Carole P. Roman

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Back to Homeschool Resource Award winner!






  


  
35+ books, 100+ awards, and 3,000+ online reviews of her works! Carole is the author of the Captain No Beard series and the If You Were Me And Lived In.....Country series, in addition to other fine books (Can A Princess Be A Firefighter, Whaley's Big Adventure, and more). Captain No Beard tackles problems on the high seas and dispenses a gentle lesson at the same time. Her non-fiction series is an introduction to customs and culture all over the world for children ages 4-8, and her newest series If You Were Me And Lived In....History brings history alive for students ages 8-14. The purpose of the books are to demystify history and people around the world.
  


  

  


See the list of winners here!

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Fast-paced story about fate and the series coincidences that happens when it collides



Fast-paced story about fate mixed with a series of coincidences and what happens when it collides. Scott Burroughs and a four year old boy are the only survivors when the plane in which they were traveling crashes. Noah Hawley peels back the layers of the story, uncovering the lives of the passengers and crew in a twisted maze of a story that takes the reader on a journey to piece together the mystery of the fatal day. "The universe is filled with things that don't make sense. Random coincidences...These things happen every day, and none of us is immune. My number came up is all." Burroughs tells the investigator trying to find the "why" of the the tragedy. Could it be a vendetta, murder, or human error? Motives abound, and the hero who saved the child becomes hunted, as if he is somehow responsible simply by surviving. Compelling and fascinating, it had me racing at warp speed to finish the flawed ending, no spoilers here, leaving me feeling faintly unsatisfied. With so many rich and deliciously provocative avenues to take, the mundane choice left me closing the book with disappointment.

Happy Reading!
Carole P. Roman

Ancient China Worksheet #2

1- What does the use of cosmetics tell you about a woman's position in the Han Dynasty?

2- What was the reason the mother gave for using lip balms?

3- Why do you think short hair indicated a person had been punished? What does it tell you about the society that men spent a lot of time and energy grooming their hair?

4- How did people become enslaved in the Han Dynasty?  

5- What were the four major professions and describe what made them valued or disparaged.

6- Describe the process of making paper and explain why it changed not only China, but the world.

7- Who went to school and why didn't they include girls?

8- What are the three major religions? Describe the major differences.

9- How did people in China write, what tools did they use?  Do you think the alphabet is complicated and why?

10- What are some of the ways children amused themselves? Are any of these toys familiar to you today?

11- What is the Lantern Festival? Do you have a similar holiday? In what ways are your holiday's different?

12- Why do you think numbers and colors were so important to Chinese civilization? Do you have any lucky numbers too? If so, what do they mean?  What do colors mean to your family?

13- Find out what Chines sign you were born under by checking with a Chinese calendar. Do you see any personality traits that you recognize?
Write about your sign and what you do and don't see.

14- Pick a person from China's past and write a report on why they impacted China and perhaps the world.

Ancient China Worksheet #1



1 Can you tell how the city has changed over the years? What has remained the same?

2- What is a dynasty?

3- Why was the Han Dynasty important? Why is it called the Golden Age of China?

4- What do the names of children tell you about life in Ancient China? Why do you think they called each other by the family placement name instead of their birth name? What would your name be?

5- How was the Han Dynasty founded?  How was Liu Bang different from other rulers and why was that important?

6- Describe what your impression of Chang'an would be if you were a visitor seeing it for the first time during the Han Dynasty.

7- What was the Silk Road and why was it important?

8- Why do you think merchants traveled in caravans?

9- Why do you think silk was so popular?

10- What was the difference in life for the people who lived in the city and the people who lived in the countryside?

11- What did the farmers have to do for the emperor and how do you think it affected the way they lived?

12- Why do you think craftsmen and merchants were left to fend for themselves outside the protective walls?

13- Draw a picture of a home in Ancient China?

14- What do you like or dislike about the unstructured way the houses were set up? Why?

15- Explain what a shrine is.

16- What is the difference in the diet of the emperor and the average person in China?

17- What was the major difference in food between the rich and poor?

18- Why do you think the emperor encouraged everyone to make chicken a special meal in the house reserved for honored guests?

19- How did they use chopsticks in the Han Dynasty?

20- What was the most important piece of furniture in the household? What do you think makes a Kang bed special?

21- How did they create a feeling of separate rooms?

22- Describe the difference between a rich persons clothes and a poor person.

23- Why do you think only the emperor wore yellow? Why do you think white was for mourning?

24- Describe how silk is made. Write a story about the Empress, Liizu who discovered it.

25 telling the secret of how silk was produced was punishable by death. Why do you think that was the case?