Learn to Read With Circus Vowels: Product Review & Give-Away

A couple of weeks ago, local author and school teacher Jodi L. McMaster, gave me two copies of her new book Circus Vowels: The Long and the Short of It - One to read and the second to give away to one lucky Ann Arbor Mom reader. Read on for information about the book, my book review, where you can purchase the book Circus Vowels and how you can win your own signed copy!

Win a signed copy of the book Circus Vowels: The Long and the Short of It

My children and I really did enjoy reading the Circus Vowels book! As the title suggests, it's a story about the alphabet vowels visiting the circus, what they encounter when they get there and how their behaviour, good or bad, affects their sibling vowels. Basically though, the story illustrates how each vowel has a characteristic sound in certain grammatical situations.

The book has a simple, engaging story, but what I especially liked was that I can help my children remember how vowels might sound, by remembering the story. It has proven as helpful to my kindergarten student that is just beginning to read, as it has to my second grader who still struggles to remember grammar rules.  I also appreciated that the back of the book includes several pages of simple activities to re-enforce what was just read and learned about.

"A, E, I, O and U are very confusing letters, which we call vowels. Sometimes they yell their own names, sometimes they say their very quiet sounds, and sometimes they don't say anything at all!"

The book is probably best for children in pre-school through second grade as they are learning to read. It also makes a wonderful tool to help young developing readers to remember the grammar rules.

So grandma or grandpa, moms and dads, be sure to get your own copy of Circus Vowels:The Long and the Short of It for your home library, or considering buying and donating a copy to your child's favorite teacher or the school library. It would make an excellent book to have in your library "learning toolbox"! You can buy Circus Vowels: The Long and the Short of It on Amazon for 10.

Would you like to win a free copy of Circus Vowels?

Leave a comment below about your favorite vowel sound. (I like the short "i" in Spring!) One lucky winner will be chosen from a random drawing of all entries submitted before April 12, at midnight! An autographed copy of the book will be mailed to the winner the next day.



Sponsored post.

Free Friday: Aquaphor Baby Products

Just in time for the cool weather, win
Aquaphor Baby products to soothe
your child's skin!

I told you all that I would have some great prizes for Ann Arbor Mom readers. Now, just in time for the cool weather is one to help soothe the skin on your baby, toddler or child.

Recently I was given several Aquaphor Baby products to try out and use on my children. I'll admit though, I already was a fan of Aquaphor products. They are great at preventing dry skin and worked wonderfully for diaper rash - I even used it on my son this summer when he had a brief chafing issue!

When we think of our skin and cold winter months – dry, itchy, inflamed and cracked are a few trademark characteristics that come to mind. Imagine how this must feel on a baby, whose skin is even more sensitive and susceptible to “eczema”. Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment and Aquaphor Baby Gentle Wash & Shampoo used together can help keep your baby (or even your young child) comfortable when the weather is less than comfortable!

The Baby Healing Ointment, a smooth, creamy ointment, is a pediatrician-recommended formula that will soothe and protect your baby’s uncomfortable dry skin and provide effective relief even for the most severely dry, cracked skin. And the Gentle Wash & Shampoo is a mild, tear-free and fragrance-free cleanser for daily use on baby’s sensitive skin. Aquaphor soothes and protects a baby’s skin to help keep your baby comfortable throughout the entire winter.

The package arrived at our household at the right time too. My son had been really complaining about an itchy back most nights before bedtime. After rubbing some onto his back for several nights, the itchiness became less of an issue and helped him sleep soundly. Secretly I think his "itchy back" might have been a bedtime stall routine, however mom's solution of using Aquaphor products left him with very little to say.

Now for the Free Friday prize: One lucky Ann Arbor Mom reader has an opportunity to win their own set of Aquaphor Baby products! Keep it for your family, save it for an upcoming shower gift or stash it away for yourself all you need to do is to comment below on why you like Aqauphor products. Entries must be posted  before midnight on December 9. A random winner will be chosen from all entries. One entry per person pleas.

For more information on Aquaphor products, visit the Aquaphor Facebook Page or the Aquaphor website!

Just in Time for Back-to-School: Stick2It™ Decals and Skins by American Greetings

Just in time for the back-to-school shopping season, American Greetings has introduced a new line of decals and skins for cell phones, laptops, home, apartment, and dorm room walls, cars and anywhere consumers want to add their own personal style. The fun new collection, called Stick2It, leverages the greeting card company’s expertise in developing clever humor and unique art to create a line that is sure to catch many an eye.

There are 36 different designs in the Stick2It collection featuring a mix of humorous, clever, and trendy styles. Designs include everything from faux security camera decals that can adorn a dorm room and the offbeat fun of a paparazzi photo decal for the bathroom to a boom box laptop skin and the nostalgia of an old-school video game controller skin for a cell phone.

Stick2It decals and skins are
fun, funky and easy to use!

I was given several Stick2It decal samples to pre-view and review for my audience; I have been wanting to try a laptop skin for some time and was given the Flower Power laptop skin, a fun retro floral design. It was more substantial and thicker than I expected, and exceptionally easy to apply, adjust and re-adjust. The best part is, it hasn't lifted at the corners or along the edges of my laptop. It was a bit of a challenge to cut to the specifications of my laptop though, I would have preferred straighter edges too; That's why I highly recommend using a straight edge and cutter on a cutting board - that might be the perfectionist in me talking though!
I also tried out the Stick2it memo board refrigerator decal. Thought not as thick and seemingly "sticker", the application went on nicely. Just be sure to apply with a straigh edge for the smoothest application. You might want to have a wipe off pen at the ready too, since one does not come in the box!

Both products I have tried thus far have exceeded my expectations! For more information on Stick2It, including where to find the products, visit the official product page at www.americangreetings.com/Stick2it. In the Ann Arbor area though, Stick2It products can currently be found at the following locations:

• K Mart (2095 Rawsonville Rd., Beleville)
• Meijer (9701 Belleville Rd., Belleville)
• CVS (413 E. Michigan Ave., Saline)

Stay tuned for more on American Greetings Stick2It products, and a chance to win your own prize pack of wall deals and laptop skins for home, dorm, or locker use!