BOOK GIVEAWAY: If You Had To Choose A Book...

Three weeks ago, I received an email from multiple award-winning kidlit author Sandra McLeod Humphrey. 


Sandra is my favorite author of books that help kids to believe in themselves and to make good choices. 


These are great read-alouds too, mind you! Sandra's books really come alive when you share them with your kids.


It is all about reading together.


About exploring values and moral codes - together, so that both kids and parents can learn. 


But, back to Sandra's email.


Sandra thanked me for my post on four of her fabulous books (that I bought for our home library back in 2010) and she made YOU an offer that I could not refuse. 


If you don't believe me, here is what Sandra said:
"Thanks for including one of my books on your list and, if you would like to have autographed copies of any of my books for a book giveaway, just let me know."

Well, after thinking it over for the best part of a tenth of a second, I said YES!
It is easy to take part in the giveaway, read on...

2012 Newbery, Caldecott Awards for Best Children's Books Announced

The top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults for 2012 have been announced!

It is a shocker!

The best of the best! You will be excited to learn about these great new books chosen by the American Library Association (ALA) at its mid-winter meeting in Dallas today.

Some of the 2012 award winners that caught my eye are:

• Most outstanding contribution to children's literature (John Newbery Medal):

Dead End in Norvelt

(author: Jack Gantos, publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux)

Two Newbery Honor Books were also named: 

How To Raise A Lifelong Reader In Just 3 Minutes A Day

Do you want to help your kid become an avid reader in just 3 minutes a day?

Think about it. 

It is possible. The small "sacrifice" will be daily. But it works like a charm. 

Admittedly, it could become a bit monotonous. It requires daily commitment, no exceptions. 

Nevertheless, it is attainable. You just need to outstretch your arm. 

Read Aloud Dad has an infallible recipe that will transform your X-Boxworm in a bookworm - in just 3 minutes a day.

And The Winner of the May B. Giveaway is...

Let's not beat around a Kansas prairie bush.

Someone won an autographed copy of Caroline Starr Rose's new May B. and a May B. journal.

Everyone wants to know - who won it?

Congratulations Lynn from Denver!

Caroline Starr Rose is sending an autographed copy of her brand new novel in verse directly to you!

May B. was published just a week ago by Schwartz and Wade (Random House Children's Books).

The winner was chosen completely randomly among my email subscribers (see image below).

(Read on for a preview of a new book giveaway.)

Bestselling Children's Chapter, Treasury and Non-Fiction Books in Q4 2011

Do you love great chapter books? Who doesn't?

And treasuries? They simply scream "value for money" in your face!

Finally - non-fiction books are such an important staple of a good education and read-aloud sessions, that you can never read too many of them.

So, I am happy to present you with the latest data on which chapter, treasury and non-fiction children's books were most popular among Read Aloud Dad readers the last quarter of 2011.

This is your list not mine. 

The list was compiled based on book orders made through affiliate links on ReadAloudDad.com in the previous quarter (October, November and December 2011).

You can also check out the list of the bestselling children's (Picture and Board) books in Q4 2011

You can also find all my older bestseller lists compiled in one place.

TOP 10 CHAPTER BOOKS AND TREASURIES in Q4 2011

Ah yes! Picture books are fabulous, chapter books are even 'fabulouser'. (well, OK, both are great - I admit) 

The latest Top 10 list is topped by Palmer Brown's incredible story of Anna Lavinia and her adventures. But let us go straight to the list.  

1. Beyond The Pawpaw Trees

by Palmer Brown

This book was unexpectedly cool. Fantasy + adventure + thriller + rich vocabulary = cool read aloud. 

Read Dad's review

You're Invited: A Cup of Coffee With Caroline Starr Rose (+ Giveaway)

One of us has published a beautiful children's book today.

It wasn't me.

Yes, one of us. A reader of this blog. Beautiful news!

Publishers Schwartz and Wade just published a children's book by one of my first email subscribers and a regular Read Aloud Dad reader.

The book is May B. by Caroline Starr Rose.

You may not know that Schwarz and Wade is a member of Random House Children’s Books’ - the world’s largest English-language children's trade book publisher!

And when was it published? On January 10, 2012, of all days! Today?

Yep! And to celebrate, I have invited the esteemed author of May B. to have a cup of coffee with us.  

Take a Secret Peek Into My Bookshelf

Welcome to my home! 

No more talking today, just take a peek into my Top Left bookshelf. 

I will be posting more pictures over the coming weeks. 


(If you are interested to know more about any book you see, just ask!)

Bestselling Children's Picture and Board Books in Q4 2011

Everyone loves to know what other parents are buying for their kids. We cannot resist that little curiosity bug!

So, I present you with the bestselling children's titles in the previous quarter (October, November and December of 2011) - based on book orders made through affiliate links on ReadAloudDad.com.

The information will be presented in three separate bestseller posts over the next few weeks.

In today's first (of three) post you will find information on the Top 10 Picture Books and Top 10 Board Books in Q4 2011.


Click on a cover picture if you want a preview on Amazon.

Happy reading!

TOP 10 PICTURE BOOKS in Q4 2011

1. The Gruffalo

by Julia Donaldson, Alex Scheffler

This book will stand out among hundreds of other picture books. 

It is that good! A masterpiece.

Read Dad's review