Ultimate Pet Nutrition Review and Giveaway

 

I consider my pets more than just furry friends that live in our home; they are part of my family, and with all my family members, I want them to eat a healthy diet that they enjoy. Recently, I was introduced to Ultimate Pet Nutrition and their mission to bring good nutrition to our four-legged family members. Ultimate Pet Nutrition offers high-quality food, treats, and supplements made with the freshest ingredients and free of fillers and artificial preservatives.  We were sent a bag of their Nutra Complete premium pork freeze-dried raw dog food as well as their Nutra Bites wild salmon treats for review. Relic was licking his lips at the sight. 

Their Freeze-dried Raw dog food comes in 7 different varieties. They are a blend of protein, packed with seeds, minerals, fruits, vegetables, and vitamins. It helps support healthy digestion, a healthy immune system, and a healthy coat. 

Per the bag's directions, I added some Nutra Complete to his existing dog food since he is not used to eating a nutrient-dense raw food. You can add water to soften the food or serve it as is. Relic prefers eating food with a crunch, so I left it as is. You can gradually start feeding less of the former food and more of Nutra Complete for about 10 days.  Relic is absolutely loving it! 

He is also a huge fan of these wild salmon treats. 

You can purchase Ultimate Pet Nutrition products on their website and also on Amazon. If there is a feline in your family, you are in luck because they also carry a few products for all the cat lovers. 

The people at Ultimate Pet Nutrition are generously allowing me to host a giveaway. One of our readers will get the chance to win the same 2 products I received, a bag of Nutra Complete and a bag of Nutra Bites. 

The featured product (s) in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Bubblegum Kids Review and Giveaway *Stocking Stuffer Idea*

Recently I was introduced to Bubblegum Kids, a sugar free gum that tastes great and brings back the nostalgia of the 1980's. When I saw this, it reminded me so much of growing up in the 80's, chewing on Bubblicious, while going through my growing stack of Garbage Pail Kids cards. In fact, the creators of Bubblegum Kids were inspired by their childhood obsession with bubblegum to create a healthier alternative while still being kid friendly. 

Bubblegum Kids has some fun flavors to choose from like Hanna's Frozen Banana or Daisy's Strawberry Field, my fave, and Popeye's Spinach. They have even launched new Care Bears inspired gum like Birthday Bear's Cake Batter and Cheer Bar's Cotton Candy. This gum is a healthier version of sugar filled kids gum. They come in 2.9 oz packs filled with 55 pieces of little gum squares. These would make great stocking stuffers for the young or young at heart. Go check out some of the other tasty flavors they carry! I am also hosting a giveaway for one lucky reader who will get the chance to win 4 pks of Bubblegum Kid's in the following flavors: Daisy's Strawberry Field, Theo's Wacky Watermelon, Hannah's Frozen Banana and Barry's Scary Berry. Please enter the giveaway below, US entries only! 

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone.

 

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Veriphy Skincare Review and Giveaway

 

We aren't just a skincare company, we are a movement.

I was recently introduced to Veriphy skincare products. Veriphy skincare was created by a group of scientists on accident, discovering a 100% plant based form of glycogen. Glycogen is known for it's skin replenishing, anti-wrinkle properties by boosting production of elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid. These scientists were able to formulate skincare products backed by science and containing clean ingredients. 

Veriphy skincare is available for a variety of skin concerns. Whether you are looking for ant-aging, relief for dry skin, or dealing with hyperpigmentation, they got you covered. 

 I was sent three products in their Hydrate & Glow Gift Set for review. 

• Self Absorbed Facial Moisturize- A rich moisturizer that leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated but not oily. It helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. My skin feels smooth to the touch. 
• Power Trip Facial Serum- A skin exfoliator that is gentle and provides hydration to the skin while removing dead skin cells and helping even out your complexion. 
• 20/20 Eye Cream- This eye cream is gentle to use around the delicate eye area. It is made to firm and smooth out the skin so your eyes appear more youthful. 

I have been using all three products for about a month now and I absolutely love them. My skin feels nourished and super soft. These are high quality products that work great. I was also sent two Triple Threat Discovery Kits. These kits include the same products mentioned above but in smaller trial sizes so you can see what the fuss is about. This kit is also perfect as an on the go kit for traveling. I would love to share my love for Veriphy skincare by giving two of my readers the chance to win a Triple Threat Discovery Kit. 

This giveaway will end on January 14. Please leave a valid email address if it is not visible in your profile. US entries only. 

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone.

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***Gift Idea*** Watercolor Botanical Garden Book Review and Giveaway

 

I have another wonderful book from Rocky Nook publishers to share with you that would make a nice Christmas gift for an artist in your life. Watercolor Botanical Garden: A Modern Approach to Painting Bod Flowers, Plants, and Cacti by Rachel Eskandari is the ultimate guide for creating watercolor flowers. With step by step instruction by noted artist and author Eskandari, you will be painting gorgeous paintings of your favorite flowers in no time. 

This is another book that I was really excited to give to my daughter Penelope who is a watercolor artist in the making. She loves flowers and I knew it would be a great addition to her art supplies. This book is filled with information on tools of the trade and techniques to help bring the best artist out of you. The watercolor pictures are vibrant and instructions very detailed so I believe this would be a great book for beginners and seasoned artists alike. 

You can get your copy of Watercolor Botanical Garden Rocky Nook's website, on Amazon or wherever books are sold. 

You can also win a copy here! 

Want to win a copy of Watercolor Botanical Garden:  A Modern Approach to Painting Bold, Flowers, Plants, and Cacti?

Giveaway is open to US residents only. Please leave a valid email address if it is not visible in your profile. Thank you and good luck! 

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone

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Watercolor Snacks Review and Giveaway

 

Rocky Nook "loves making beautiful educational books for creative people", and I was pretty excited to receive one for review. 

Watercolor Snacks Inspiring Lessons for Sketching and Painting Your Favorite Foods by Volta Voloshin-Smith is a book for anyone that wants to explore the world of watercolors in a fun and creative way. The book walks you through colorful and step by step illustrations to help you create edibles on paper that look good enough to eat. 

• Easy watercolor tips, tricks, and techniques

• Recommended supplies (the “ingredients”)

• Color theory basics

• Maximizing mindful benefits of watercolor

• How-to lessons for 30 foods from breakfast to dessert

When I received this book I thought it was the perfect book for my artistic daughter whose specialty is watercolors. She loves expressing herself through this art  medium and she is also a foodie in training so it was a perfect match. After perusing the book she was inspired to create this watercolor of avocado toast. 

Taking some tips from the pages of Watercolor Snacks and her own imagination she came up with this art piece. She thinks this book is great and for a beginner and even someone with a little more experience in watercolors. I've asked her to cook me up some more watercolor treats and I can't wait to see them. 

This book can be purchased online via the Rocky Nook web page as well as on amazon. You should also check out some more finely crafted books from Rocky Nook, everything from food photography to graphic design. whatever stirs your creativity you are sure to find a book published by Rocky Nook. 

How would you like to get your eyes and hands on a copy of Watercolor Snacks? This giveaway is open to US residents. Please leave a valid email address so that you can be contacted if you are the winner. 

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The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone.

Doggijuana Review and Giveaway

 

If you are a cat owner than you probably know that felines go crazy for catnip. Did you know that dogs also love the stuff? While cats tend to get a little wild over the plant, dogs have the opposite reaction, it actually works as a calming agent and relaxes them. Doggijuana is a line of dog toys that contain catnip for dogs, or as they like to call it Dogginip. Each Doggijuana toy is durably made for your pups enjoyment. Doggijuana toys are made with a fillable pouch and come with a tube of Dogginip. You just fill the pouch with a little of the good stuff, play with your furry friend, and than watch him chill. 

I was sent, or rather my pups were sent, two Doggijuana toys for review. A "Get the Pawty Started Cake Slice" and a "Get the Munchies Hot Dog". Since I received them right before Christmas I decided to put them in Timber and Relic's stocking and surprise them on Christmas morning. 

So what did my doggies think? Timber, our 8 year old German Shepherd is not really into toys. He is a little more sophisticated, on the serious side, as soon as he found out the cake wasn't edible he turned his nose at it. 

This is actually turned out to be a good thing because Relic, our 4 year old Husky loves toys. He is more of a free spirit, playful and doesn't mind looking a fool. 

Here is relic not wanting to share his toy with Timber. 

Here he is not wanting to share his toy with anyone. 

Relic loves his new Doggijuana toys. He has his outside toy and his indoor one and he guards them both with his life. 

Want to make your pups day by winning a Doggijauna toy for them? You can enter here for your chance! 

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone.

Pink Panda Candy Review and Giveaway

 

For those of you who like gummy candy's, there is a new gummy candy with only 2 grams of sugar and 90 calories per 1.8oz. bag (23 candy's), and it's called Pink Panda. Same great texture and taste as other gummy candy bags with less sugar and less calories. It's candy without the guilt! Pink Panda currently comes in 3 varieties; Astro Blasters (sour), Treasure Chews (chewy) and Gummy Bears (juicy). ***Bonus*** All Pink Panda candy's are made in the USA, vegan friendly and their Gummy Bears are keto friendly at only 5g of net carbs per bag. So what makes these tasty treats sweet? They contain allulose, a natural form of sugar found in foods like raisins and figs. 

"It tastes like sugar, but doesn't act like sugar in your body. Since allulose isn't absorbed by the body, you subtract it, along with fiber to find the net carbs per bag. "

I was sent some Treasure Chews and Astro Blasters (pictured above) for review. The Treasure Chews are on the chewier side, kinda like a fruit snack. They are sweet, but not to sweet with just a bit of tartness to them. The Astro Blasters are sour and taste very similar to a popular brand of sour gummies, you know the kid ones. My daughter also enjoyed both varieties and snuck off with a couple of bags for later. 

If you have have a sweet tooth you will surely enjoy these. You can get your fingers on them online. Unfortunatly the gummy bears are currently sold out, but they are working on making some more. 

I also have a couple of bags of Pink Panda Candy I would like to treat one Girly Girl reader to. You can enter to win 2 bags of Treasure Chews and 2 bags of Astro Blasters. That's a total of 4 bags of Pink Panda sweets! This giveaway is open to US residents. Be sure to make your email address visible so I can contact you if you win. Good luck! 

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone.

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***Gift Idea*** Novica Review and Giveaway

 

Novica is a company that is dear to my heart. I have written several product reviews in the past and have remained a customer of theirs through the years. They call themselves the Impact marketplace because purchasing from them has a direct impact on the global artisans that create the array of products they have for sale. These artisans share their time, creativity and skills to create art pieces, and Novica offers the platform to sale them. To date Novica customers have helped send over 100 million dollars to artisans around the world! When you purchase from Novica you are not only receiving a one of a kind masterpiece, but you are helping empower people to share their crafts,  make money, and  improve their lives and the communities they live in.  

Since I first learned about Novica several years ago, they have expanded their marketplace with over 70,000 products. They carry everything from jewelry, clothing, housewares, clean beauty products, and they have kept up with the changing times and our now carrying a selection of unique face masks. Sewists from many regions including Thailand, India and Central America are putting needle to thread and creating fashionable face masks to do their part in keeping the world healthy. 

I was given anther opportunity to chose and review one of the many products available on Novica. Let me tell you, this was not an easy task. They have so many lovely things,  but I finally settled on this beautiful pitcher by artisans Javier and Efren in Mexico. 

Since the 1990's Javier Gutierrez and Efren Canteras have worked together on preserving Mexico's blown glass industry. I love the bubbling and variances of color shown in their creation. The pitcher has an ice chamber which is what really drew me to it. It is so unique and a the aquamarine color suits my kitchen perfectly. This pitcher will be great for keeping everything from sangria, margaritas, or lemonade cool, but not watered down. I love that Novica always includes a special thank you note with purchase. My postcard included a handwritten thank you in Spanish for supporting Mexico's artisans.  They also have this pitcher in this gorgeous lemon green color that would make a wonderful gift this holiday. 

The people over at Novica have also been generous enough to allow me to offer one Girly Girl reader the chance to win a $50 gift code to use on their site. This giveaway is open to US residents. Be sure your email is public so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway will end on November 27. Enter below and good luck! 

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone

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Lyda Beauty Cleopatra Cat Eye Stamp Review and Giveaway

There are two makeup products that are a must for me to have in my kit, mascara and eyeliner. I could probably live without my mascara...probably, but I for sure can't live without my black eyeliner. My go to look is a cat eye, sometimes it is thin and on point and sometimes I go with a thicker winged eyeliner. It really depends on how much I screw up that day. You see, I have a hard time getting my eyeliner to be perfectly symmetrical because I can't see very well out of my left eye, whatever... I make it work. Recently I was introduced to Lyda Beauty's Cleopatra Cat Eye Stamp. 

This eyeliner is pretty special. One end is a fine point pen like liner that goes on smooth, and with just one swipe. The other end has a pointed stamp to give you that perfect winged cat eye. You apply the stamp on the outer corner of your eyelid and than use the eyeliner to draw a line across your lid to connect it. You can make it as thin or thick as you like. You can also try a double winged look like this!

Here is my first attempt using the cat eye stamp. 

I think it may take me a couple of times to perfect my look, but  am looking forward to it. I really do love this liner...you will too! 

I have one Lyda Beauty Cleopatra Cat Eye Stamp to give away to one lucky Girly Girl. This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents. Be sure your email is public so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway will end on 11/19. Enter below and good luck! 

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone

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Surprise Appreciation Giveaway

 As you well know I am a fan of subscription boxes. I love trying out news ones and seeing all the goodies in my mailbox, but sometimes I receive things I don't use. I usually pass them along to friends or family, but this time I decided to put some things aside for a surprise appreciation giveaway for our followers. 

I won't go into detail about what's in the giveaway because, well it's supposed to be a surprise, but as you can see in the photo it's a little of this and that. Things I have received in beauty boxes that I put aside for one of you. 

This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents. The winner will be contacted via email once the giveaway has ended, so make sure that your email is public. Enter below and good luck!

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Writing Gloves Giveaway

Literary Book Gifts offers a selection of unique gifts for all you book lovers and authors out there. They have handy book bags to carry all your selections home from the library. (Yes, us bibliophiles  still visit the library.) They also have great t-shirts to profess your love of the written language. Like this Edgar Allan Poe shirt that I really really want. 

Recently I was contacted by the people over at Literary Book Gifts who asked me if I would like to host a giveaway of one of their products, Of course! When I found out what they were giving away I was even more excited. They are giving me the opportunity to provide one lucky Girly Girl reader with the chance to win a pair of their super stylish and functional writing gloves.

These fingerless writing gloves are made out of a combination of 35% cashmere wool, cotton, polyester and micro fiber. They come in several colors and are the perfect accessory to not only warm your hands but continue to let you do the things you need to do while wearing them. Handwriting, typing, even crafting and yes, you can even wear these while you navigate your touch screen devices. They are adorable and I am pretty sure I need a pair in black. Go check out Literary Book Gifts and see what color you would like to have when you win this giveaway!

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CBD Living : product review and giveaway!

My experience with using CBD Living products these past few weeks has been a pleasant surprise. Although I am excited about, and eager to try, natural ways of self-care, my often aching body seems to blur my hopes and bring the reality on very quickly. Eating a vegan diet and exercising regularly have been my tried and true methods of keeping inflammation at bay, but the pain is always lingering. I know pain exists and we all experience it, but as I awaited my package from CBD Living I found myself in high hopes for a product that could target my back and joint pain. With those high hopes came all the doubts, so I prepared myself for a let down. I figured, if nothing else, I can say that I had tried CBD as a means to relieve pain and could move on to find other solutions.

My package arrived promptly and I was excited to pull out three beautifully packaged products. First, a bar of amber bergamot  CBD Living soap, weighing 4.5 oz and containing 60mg of CBD. Next, a coconut lime bath bomb, also containing 60mg of CBD. Last, the CBD Living Daily Lotion in Lavender.

Before I dove into these products to ease my aching back, I took some time to research the product a little more thoroughly. I am a child care professional, so had to be sure that these products do not offer any sort of "head change", which they do not. CBD is not psychoactive.  I also wanted to be sure that none of their products are tested on animals, which I happily found they are not! While doing my investigating, I found an enthralling information page on cbdliving.com that explains their nanotechnology that allows for the molecules in the CBD to be absorbed into the body more effectively. Also, the company is based in Corona, Ca, practically next door to my hometown of Wildomar, so on I went to try these bad boys out.

I first tried the lotion, just to see. I applied a dab on my lower back and massaged it to cover the entire area I was feeling pain. The lotion itself it wonderful, and I would absolutely use it even without its superpowers. The smell is fresh, the lotion glides on smoothly and there is no sticky or cakey residue left over. I am known to just bi pass lotion all together to avoid the swampy way it makes me feel, especially while working out or hiking. After applying the lotion, I went about my day and began to get dressed for my morning hike. About five-ten minutes after applying the lotion, I realized that my lower back had stopped shooting pain. I was able to bend and tie my boots without taking the standard position of a 95 year old woman. I bent down to touch my toes just to be sure and, yep!, I could do it without twitching in pain. I chalked it up as a fluke or a coincidence and went about my day. The next morning I was feeling sore through my whole body, and my back was more stiff than usual (I had packed my backpack with 28 pounds of weight and crushed 10 miles of hills on the Santa Rosa Plateau) I decided to try the lotion once again. To my surprise, the areas where I applied the lotion were noticeably more at ease than other areas of my body. I used the product as a spot treatment over the next week and to my pleasant surprise, IT WAS WORKING! I now use it almost daily, for those times when my muscles are sore from use, or when my body is sore from its fight against Lyme disease.

As I realized the lotion was actually working, I chose to wait to use the bath bomb for an exceptionally rough day on my body. On Tuesday, after a very ambitious leg day at the gym and a long training hike for the books, I started my day in the bath, which I NEVER do. I have never tried a bath bomb (I know) and now I realize what all the hype is about! There is something very satisfying about the fizzing, something meditative. My entire bathroom filled with this sweet but natural smell of coconut and lime and my mind slowed and my body relaxed. I soaked for about 10 minutes (I have NO patience, even when content) and honestly felt like I was floating on air. My entire body was less tense and my muscles were relaxed and at ease. I also smelt amazing and felt very proud of myself for my self-care type action. I do not often take time to just be still (unless I am on the trail).
The bar of soap is now a staple in my life. I will need to order one however, because my dad commandeered mine. The soap itself is fantastic, it smells super fresh and delicious and it lathers like a champ, which I, and apparently my dad, really appreciate in a soap. He has rheumatoid arthritis and uses the soap daily on his hands. He gave me the honest feedback that he isn't sure if its the CBD in the soap and lotion or the fact that he is massaging his hands so much because of the great lather and yummy scent, but his hands do feel better!

I am such a cynic however, that I've got to share this silly truth. Before I sat down to write this review, I tried the lotion one more time, just to be sure. I was cramping in my calf this morning and thought, "this would be a good test." I have experienced the pain relief for days on end, and yet for whatever reason, my brain does not want me to believe I have found a product that actually works. Happy to report my calf is cramp free as I finish this up.

CBD Living has been an awesome experience and I am so happy to announce that they have been kind and cool enough to host a give away with us!! I will announce a winner in ONE WEEK - Sunday, April 7, 2019.

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Please like and follow our facebook and instagram accounts! We are new to the instagram world and are excited to build our social connections! All you need to do to enter the giveaway is head on over to Instagram and follow CBD Living Water ! Super easy! I do suggest checking out their website as well, to get a cool look into their methods and other products that they offer!

www.cbdliving.com

And keep up with us and look out for new reviews and giveaways coming soon!

Thanks for reading! I cannot wait to announce our winner!

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone.

Candlewick Press Book Giveaway

I am a girl that loves to read, and I also love sharing my love of books with others, for these two reasons I have a great giveaway to share with you. A collection of children's books from Candlewick Press  to keep growing the next generation of bookworms. 

My Year in the Middle (ages 8-12) by author/illustrator Lila Quintero Weaver is the story of 

Sixth-grader Lu Olivera who just wants to keep her head down and get along with everyone in her class. Trouble is, Lu’s old friends have been changing lately — acting boy crazy and making snide remarks about Lu’s newfound talent for running track. Lu’s secret hope for a new friend is fellow runner Belinda Gresham, but in 1970 Red Grove, Alabama, blacks and whites don’t mix. As segregationist ex-governor George Wallace ramps up his campaign against the current governor, Albert Brewer, growing tensions in the state — and in the classroom — mean that Lu can’t stay neutral about the racial divide at school. Will she find the gumption to stand up for what’s right and to choose friends who do the same?

This is a story about a brave girl that chooses to make a difference despite what others may think. This is a great book for tweens who are starting to deal with peer pressure or are feeling insecure about standing up for what is right. My daughter is 10 years old and she is currently going through those tough years where you don't feel like you are part of the crowd. I always remind her that she is not alone in these feelings and when she sees someone who is sitting alone at lunch, or not socializing with others at recess, she should go and talk to them. Children need to know the importance of being kind to all and this book is a great reminder of that. 

The Rizzlerunk Club: Best Buds Under Frogs (ages 7-10) by author/illustrator Leslie Patricelli is the story of 

 Lily, it’s the worst first day of school ever. Who would want to be friends with the new girl, whose debut act is to throw up on the playground (on somebody’s shoes!)? Fortunately, quirky Darby comes to the rescue. Darby likes frogs and candy and oddball stuff, and soon she and Lily have formed their own club — the Rizzlerunk Club. But before you can say “BFF,” Darby’s former best friend, mean-spirited Jill — who had moved to London — returns unexpectedly. Can Lily and Darby’s friendship survive the British invasion? Peppered with charming illustrations and hilarious mishaps involving “conjoined” frogs, accidentally shaved eyebrows, and school pranks gone awry, this engaging tale of fourth-grade life will have readers wishing they could join the Rizzlerunk Club for real.

This is another great book about being the new kid in a new school and the feelings that come with it. All kids worry about making friends and fitting in and meeting someone like the character Darby in this book can make school a whole lot better. It's a sweet story about young friendship and is filled with adorable illustrations. 

Fergus and Zeke at the Science Fair (ages 5-8) by Kate Messner

Fergus and Zeke love being the class pets in Miss Maxwell’s classroom, and they do everything the students do — listening at storytime, painting masterpieces during art class, and keeping their own special journals. But when it’s time for the school science fair, the mice aren’t sure just how to get involved. Lucy wants to time them as they run through a maze, but they want to do an experiment, not be an experiment. Then Zeke comes up with a great idea: since Lucy is training animals for her experiment, maybe he and Fergus can do the same thing! Unfortunately, the only animals available are the students themselves. Can Fergus and Zeke turn the tables and train Lucy in time for the science fair?

This is a fun book for younger readers. It is not too long, the words are large printed, and it is filled with colorful illustrations. This short chapter book is perfect for a young reader that is moving on from simple books but not quite ready for a 100 book read .

Jabberwalking (ages 10 and up) by author/illustrator and Poet Laureate of the United States 2015-2017, Juan Felipe Herrera

Can you walk and talk at the same time? How about Jabber Walk? Can you write and draw and walk and journal all at the same time? If not, you’re in luck: exuberant, blue-cheesy cilantro man Juan Felipe Herrera, Poet Laureate of the United States, is here to teach you everything he knows about being a real-life, bonified, jabberwalking poet! Jabberwalkers write and speak for themselves and others no matter where their feet may take them — to jabberwalk is to be a poet on the move. And there’s no stopping once you’re a Jabberwalker, writing fast, fast, fast, scribble-poem-burbles-on-the-run. Scribble what you see! Scribble what you hear! It’s all out there — vámonos!

This part poetry, part short story is is a creatively quirky read. It's a great example of creative writing filled with the nonsensical and made up words. I have always been a fan of poetry even when I was a child, but not everyone is. This book might just change the mind of a young reader who thinks poetry is boring. 

The Dollar Kids (ages 10-14) by Jennifer Richard Jacobson is the story of 

Twelve-year-old Lowen Grover, a budding comic-book artist, is still reeling from the shooting death of his friend Abe when he stumbles across an article about a former mill town giving away homes for just one dollar. It not only seems like the perfect escape from Flintlock and all of the awful memories associated with the city, but an opportunity for his mum to run her very own business. Fortunately, his family is willing to give it a try. But is the Dollar Program too good to be true? The homes are in horrible shape, and the locals are less than welcoming. Will Millville and the dollar house be the answer to the Grovers’ troubles? Or will they find they’ve traded one set of problems for another? From the author of Small as an Elephant and Paper Things comes a heart-tugging novel about guilt and grief, family and friendship, and, above all, community.

This is a great story about a young boy who feels responsible for a terrible tragedy and how he deals with it. It can be sad at times and a little frustrating and deals with some difficult subjects and therefore  more suitable for mature young readers. It is also heartwarming and a story about overcoming obstacles and not giving up hope. I think young teens will find the characters both relatable and likable. 

You can get your hands on these books wherever books are sold. 

I am also hosting a giveaway for one lucky Girly Girl reader to win all 5 of them! 

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone


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