What kind of day will it be? - Lisa & Ryland Goines-Taylor - BOOK REVIEW

What kind of day will it be? - book cover (screen print)

Lisa Goines-Taylor, a mother to a beautiful girl called Ryland, has written the most uplifting book for little ones. What kind of day will it be? Her everyday experiences as a mother, watching her daughter grow and learn life lessons, have inspired her to write a book on life, growth, empowerment, and self-confidence for children:

This book resonates so much with me. I know of a specific person who tends to unravel with anything that is not right each day. And regularly proclaiming that this is her worst day ever! 😬

This book, What kind of day will it be? should be one of the most important things we can teach our kids. We can make a choice each day about what kind of day it will be! With a "can-do attitude", although life can throw you some curve balls, you can decide and make each day a great one!

This book can be used as a positive mantra each day. Buy for the little pessimists and glass-of-half-full persons, but also for everybody to learn how to have a better day each day.

I don't want to share too much of the beautiful illustrations by Rachel Rodrigues, but each page is a delight. 

The age group is from 4 - 7 years, but a smaller child, as well as older children will enjoy the uplifting message. This book is also a reminder to myself. What kind of day will it be? 

This is a great gift for all little ones.

Disclaimer: Lisa Goines-Taylor contacted me via email, and notified me when there was a free Kindle option available a little while back. Thank you!

Winning at life by being a good professional - Great guide

Print screen of The Good Professional by Don Turner

I am so impressed with The Good Professional. I cannot recommend it enough! This is a great gift for any age, from high school and up. It is a gift you can give to yourself, and you will be coming back to this.

I got this book through Booktasters. I get a free copy of the book for an honest review on Goodreads and Amazon. I have read the most interesting books because of Booktasters. Check them out!

I love my work and when I reflect on it, I always feel so grateful that I enjoy the work that I do. But sometimes we need a bit of challenge to keep going, and searching for meaning in the mundane daily grind. This has given me oomph to carry on again.

This is my review on Goodreads:

The Darkest side of Saturn - Tony Taylor - a review

I love reading science fiction. The more we read and dream of plausible futures, the more we are prepared for it! Or maybe not? That's debatable. :-)

I got a free copy from Tony Taylor through BookTasters, the author The Darkest Side of Saturn: Odyssey of a Reluctant Prophet of Doom. Booktasters is really a great way to read good books. I have to post reviews afterwards, but it's part of the allure of reading good literature. I try to be positive, but I give my honest opinions about a book. As you will see below...

Wordless Wednesday #327 - Library adventures

The Red Fish Project - about living abroad as a rite of passage

The Red Fish Project, Andrew Gillmore

I love this book! It's an honest account of living abroad, but it is also advocating that life is much richer and more rewarding when taking the plunge to explore out of your own comfort zones!

This quote from the book sums it up: "Living abroad should be a rite of passage. It’s so invaluable that there’s no reason to not do it for at least a while. And it’s not enough to just visit another place. You need to live there. And to take it one step further, you need to become a part of that country."

Andrew Gillmore makes me feel that after reading this book I need a do-over in life! Maybe we can still take that plunge?

Thoroughly enjoyed The Red Fish Project! @gillmorea10 makes me wish for a do-over in life! TX @cupcakemummy pic.twitter.com/LXjRgxNON9

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) 1 July 2016

Read the Amazon Review: Living abroad should be a rite of passage! Im  convinced!


I got this book (for a honest review) also through Carol-Leigh (CupcakeMummy) at Charlie Foxtrot, but it seems the review option has ended! (?)

The War Between - Humans and Superhumans fighting for survival in a post-apocalyptic South Africa #bookreview

I have read another book through Cupcake Mummy's brilliant plan to get books to readers, and reviewers for books: Available for Review on Charlie Foxtrot! (Check it out!)

I selected The War Between, by Jennifer Withers, as the concept of a post-apocalyptic South Africa fascinates me, especially since the two main cities are called Jozenburg (Johannesburg) and Toria (Pretoria). Unfortunately there are no touch-points with the cities of today. (Thinking about it, would there be any resemblance to the previous cities after a devastating war?)


The story-line is strange, but I caught myself not wanting to put down the book until I have finished reading it! The main characters are believable and strong! I could identify with most of them.
I found Syra's character a bit frustrating. She makes a few bad decisions, and I do not think it was believable responses. It feels as if it is forced on her (by the writer), to complicate the plot!
The book finishes with a rhetorical question, which is quite brilliant!
It leaves us with a feeling of wanting more, but also with the knowledge that there is a satisfactory ending to the story!
I love Jennifer Withers' writing and the strange world we are plunged into in this book.
I love the characters and the inherent conflict between two different types of humans that feeds the story-line!

I would love to read more of the ongoing story! I hope this story does not end here, Jennifer Withers?

If you love fantasy and escapism, this book ticks the boxes!

I copied most of this from my Amazon Book Review.

Humans AND superhumans in post apocalyptic SA! Strange, but had to read to end! @JenWAuthor TX! @cupcakemummy pic.twitter.com/rWSsTV8ry6

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) May 11, 2016

Find the Cutes Playtime - a fun activity book for children

Find the Cutes Playtime - Kickstarter Project

Vincent Noot, the illustrator of this wonderfully illustrated book, Find the Cutes Playtime, has answered a few questions about their fun activity book for children.


Reasons to buy this book

The world market is flooded with numerous children’s books, so if we wanted to make it big, we knew our book had to stand out. It had to have that extra something that makes you want it and be impressed with it, so that you recommend it to others personally and in reviews. You need to feel your money was worth it. So why buy “Find the Cutes - Playtime?” Because it’s not a regular children’s book.

- It keeps you and your children entertained for hours.
- The illustrations look beautiful.
- It’s cute and funny.
- It’s educational.

What is “Find the Cutes - Playtime” all about?

Children are creative. They have a huge imagination. In society today, despite all the technology and opportunities, the greatest happiness is often found in the home. Children give families that extra enthusiastic energy. “Find the Cutes - Playtime” is based on that concept. It sparks the imagination, stimulates dialogue without words, educates, entertains, and inspires. 

Who are the Cutes?

The Cutes are a family. Their last name is “Cute” and all the kids’ names start with a “C”: Carissa, Chaz, Cade, Cammy, and Cindy. The story is based on the “second-mom” phenomenon: As the oldest daughter you sometimes get to babysit your younger siblings a lot. That’s how it can work in bigger families. In every illustration I tried to show their innocence and playfulness.

What inspired you as an illustrator?

As a child, I was much intrigued by search books. I spent hours looking for the right characters and objects on every page. But I discovered there weren’t that many different ones out there. Over the years, I developed a unique cartoon style that I was able to use for several companies and assignments. Together with my ideas and the concept of a search book, my wife (then girlfriend) and I came up with a search book and a fun family as the main characters.

How did you come up with each page, and how long did it take to draw them?

Before each page, I brainstorm about as many creative, funny things that could happen. For example, I divided the Birthday Party page into section of balloons, ball pit, presents, etc. Children can be very silly. So I think of what they'd do with a balloon, like rubbing it over their hair, letting it go into the air, binding it to their ears, popping it, etc. Each page took almost 100 hours to sketch, draw, color on the computer, etc. Each person is hand-drawn and colored in Photoshop. My wife, Celestial, did most of the storytelling. The whole book took 1 year to finish. Some drawings are based on real events. Sometimes something funny that happened in our lives, comes back in the drawings. For instance, when I was dating my wife, we both took a bite of the same huge hotdog at the same time. So in the Swimming Pool page, I drew a boy and a girl eating a hotdog at the same time.

Who is the book for?

Children ages 3 and up. Adults could enjoy it too. With 12 pages of things to search for, kids could be entertained for hours. Not only are we going to make a book, but we are planning on making it a tablet game for the ipad, kindle, and other devices. That will be a stretch goal if we make it.

Are you on social media?

We have a website, www.findthecutes.com, which will be the means of selling our book once it’s updated with a payment system. We are also on Facebook, Google Plus, Pinterest, Twitter, and Tumblr. Feel free to look us up and follow us.

Are you going to make a sequel?

Yes. We are planning on an entire series of 10 books The next book will be called “Find the Cutes - Festival Fun” and will have fun search pages about Christmas, Easter, and Halloween, but also about the Tomato Festival in Spain, Songkran in Thailand, and Sinterklaas in the Netherlands. It will also have 12 pages and a storyline. We already started working on it.

When will it be available?

Find the Cutes Playtime Kickstarted project

The book is completed, so we now have a kickstarter campaign from March 1st until March 31st. 
This is the link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/92560380/find-the-cutes-playtime?ref=discovery. You can sponsor/back our project in those 30 days and get discounts that way. We are getting the website www.findthecutes.com ready for ordering, so we are in the process of getting the book printed and attaching a payment system to the website. 

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions at findthecutes@gmail.com or personally to my account at vincentnoot@gmail.com.

Illustrator: Vincent Noot

Disclaimer: I did not get the book or discount on putting up this guest post, but I really love the art work and the idea of the book.
I am also sharing most of the illustrations that Vincent Noot supplied to me, because it is really very beautiful! I hope they get to make it into an interactive app for the iPad, Kindle and other devices!

A blog book swop is a great idea

Jeannette Walls: The Glass Castle

Robyn at I'm so not blogger (private blogger) came up with the great idea of a book swap in October last year. The invitation was on The Book Club Blog.
She asked for participants on her blog, and we each got a name to send one of our most cherished, favourite reads of all time... (Something like that!)

It turned out to be a real head bursting and soul searching (okay, not that bad!) exercise!
In the first instance we don't know the people we are supposed to send the books to. Only the little bit we learn about them from their blogs...

I got Shayne at [Time Out] (private blogger) to send my choice to.
Because I was afraid that she would have most  classics already, I bought her Paul Coelho's most recent publication, Aleph!
One of my favourite books of all time is of course his book The Alchemist.
I could not resist the temptation, and bought myself the same book! The only book I finished this December.
It is a fantastic read of autobiographical self-discovery and  the meeting of space and time in the Aleph!

My book that I got through the post was sent by Mel B from Simply Mel B blog: Jeannette Walls: The Glass Castle.
This is what she had to say about it:

"So glad you got it! It was my favourite read this year. It speaks to me so much of how the choices we make despite circumstances - and the power of the human spirit. It is a beautifully written, honest account of one womans experience as part of a highly unusual family."

I am still busy reading it!
I find it a bit upsetting to read about the hardships of the little ones in a very strange upbringing. It makes me want to "rescue" them, but it makes me also think about the upbringing of children and how sometimes hardships make them very independent and capable human beings.
Which is what every parent wants for their children...

It is a very good read, and I am so glad I have participated. I would not have known about it if if was not for this book swap!

Next year I'm in!

Thanks Robyn!

A lover of books at 28 months

The Toddler loves books! She is 28 months today!  My job is done! *Pat on shoulder*

We went to pick up some Disney books at the Post Office yesterday afternoon. The Toddler wanted to hold it immediately, and it had to go with when we went shopping in the Mall this afternoon. I read “A Bug’s Life” to her when we went to bed, and while breastfeeding there was two books firmly clutched in her hands... Two books stuck between us, but she would not let go!  She was telling me over and over of some of the incidents in the book; the ants, the naughty grasshoppers and the bird in flames!

I think it is the greatest accomplishment to get a child to love reading! It is giving her access to the whole world of knowledge and experience! I loved books when I was small, and I think it is one the big reasons I went to study Librarianship.

When I ask the Toddler if she wants to go to bed, it is always a firm “No!” But when I ask her if she wants to read a story, she says goodbye to her Dad and start walking up the stairs...

Wordless Wednesday #41 - Great Gran reading to toddler

Great Gran Violent with Mieka
Photo: James

Lost children

I was booked off sick for two days. It did me a whole lot of good! I actually got to read a whole book by Aher Arop Bol, The lost boy. In the past 20 months I did not get that much time for book reading. My book stack is growing and growing of books to be read!

Aher Arop Bol is the real life story of a Sudanese refugee boy who lost his parents and landed up in refugee camps in Sudan with his uncle when he was three or four. He had to fend for himself for fifteen years. He made his way through Africa in search for education, and always for word of his parents. He got some education in the camps, also in Zimbabwe, and lastly in South Africa. He met Sannie Meiring in Pretoria who helped him to write the book.

Of course, I bawled my eyes out! I am looking through the haze of my contact lenses right now!

I am thinking today of all the children who have lost their parents, and who struggle for survival every day. As long as there are refugees, there are stories like these for each and every one of them. But the children get to me the most!

We have a small little person in our lives that we only want the best for. Our lives revolve around her! Who look after all these children without parents to fend for them? It touched me that Aher Arap Bol said that the kindness of strangers helped him to survive. I hope we will be able to BE some of those strangers when presented with the same situation... (Look more closely to the people selling that stuff on the street corners.)

(Powerwoman on her soapbox-post)