Candice from Fashionably Organized asked:

If you were on a deserted island, what 3 books would you have with you?

This was hard. Immediately I knew I’d pick:

But then I was stuck. Cause I only had one book left! Do I pick something funny? Something romantic? ARRRGH!!! Only 3??

So I chose:

What about you? What 3 books would you have?

Meet Bailey, a dog who surprises and charms his fellow human classmates with his irrepressible antics. In this funny new book from the bestselling children’s illustrator Harry Bliss, school proves to be an unexpected place for Bailey to do all sorts of things he loves: reading, fetching, painting, digging, singing — and making friends!

Lizzie loves this book! She is 4 years old and just started preschool. This book is perfect for getting ready for back to school time!  Bailey is a funny little dog that goes to school and the things he does made Lizzie giggle.  He eats his own homework, digs holes and lots of other funny things.

I love Bailey by Harry Bliss! Such a wonderful book for children and just in time for back to school!

What I loved about it was the sweet little lessons in it about being a good friend.  There is no denying the social aspect of school can be rough and Bailey is a wonderful example of how to be a good friend.

Win it!

Three Mama Dweeb readers will win a copy of this lovely hardback book – ARV $16.99!

Extra Entries: (1 each unless specified)

• Subscribe to Mama Dweeb via e-mail 2 extra entries! (leave 2 comments!)
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Back to school book #giveaway from @MamaDweeb! #win Baily by Harry Bliss! http://bit.ly/qZUS4A THREE winners!

Giveaway ends 09/19 at 11:59pm CST. Winner will be picked randomly via “And the Winner Is” and have 24 hours to respond via email before it goes into a live giveaway drawing. Giveaway open to USA addresses only.

Disclosure: I was given the book to review.

Meet Lulu – a young girl that loves to dress up in her ladybug costume and use her imagination to make everyday activities a super fun adventure!  In these two new books, Ladybug girl learns valuable lessons of kindness, empathy, courage and curiosity.

Both Lizzie and David love these books!  Lizzie and David spend most days dressed up in their favorite costumes too, so hearing about Ladybug girl was fun for them.

In Ladybug Girl at the Beach, Lulu goes to the beach for the first time. At first she is super excited, but her first experience with the waves leaves her scared.  Throughout the book, Lizzie and David learned how Lulu conquered her fears and the rewards that are in store for people who don’t let their fears get the best of them.

In Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad, Lulu’s friends come over for a day of playing. This book is personally my favorite – it teaches such wonderful social skills.  Ladybug Girl learns how to help her friend not feel hurt and all of the kids learn how to play kindly with each other.

These books are fabulous for any kids that love to be read to. The story line is more relatable for kids 4 years old and older, but my 2 year old son loves the pictures and their is not too much text on each page to keep his attention.

Win it!

Two lucky Mama Dweeb readers will win both LadyBug Girl books listed above! ARV $16 each!

Required Entry:

Tell me which book you are most looking forward to reading.

Extra Entries: (1 each unless specified. Leave a separate comment for each)

• Subscribe to Mama Dweeb via e-mail 2 extra entries! (leave 2 comments!)
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  You may use this as your tweet or click the Tweet Button above the post

New children’s book #giveaway from @MamaDweeb! #win LadyBug Girl http://bit.ly/qZUS4A TWO winners!

Giveaway ends 09/13 at 11:59pm CST. Winner will be picked randomly via “And the Winner Is” and have 24 hours to respond via email before it goes into a live giveaway drawing. Giveaway open to USA addresses only.

Disclosure: I was given the books to review.

By: Josh Shultz, Dad and contributing writer

On Saturday, Lizzie got to take a trip to the theater and watch Winnie the Pooh. She had such a fun time! She got a huge bag of popcorn, large drink and sat in some very comfy chairs.  But even more fun for her was laughing with all the other young kids in the theater at the antics of the silly old bear and his friends.

The Winnie the Pooh movie hits theaters nationwide on July 15 and I declare it to be a must-see for children that normally can’t sit through a movie. Older children will find it enjoyable too and adults – you will laugh at jokes meant just for you that are not vulgar. That is where this movie totally scores bonus points – the script has intelligent humor that adults will catch and find funny without having to stoop to double entendres.  For that I say a heartfelt thank you!

The music was slightly different than the Winnie the Pooh I remember as a child. This is because they used the talents of Zooey Deschanel in the soundtrack. This was another brilliant move. She has such a free spirit and unique sound that carries with it the innocence of Winnie the Pooh. They could have tried to go with a more pop feel but they chose to stay true to the original feeling, the innocence of a child playing with his toys. I loved it!

One thing I have to admit – I miss the original voice talents. I realize that the original was made over 30 years ago, so new talents had to be found. Rabbit, Piglet, Eeyore and Christopher Robin I could overlook, but Craig Ferguson as Owl? In my opinion he sounded way too different from the original. In the original 1977 movie, I remember him being more like a grandfather figure, but in this new release he was far too obnoxious – like a know-it-all. I soon got over my dislike for Craig’s rendition and enjoyed the movie overall.

No Disney movie would be complete without products! One of my favorites that I suggest you give for kid’s birthdays or other gifts is the book “The Hundred Acre Wood Treasury.” You can buy it on Amazon.com for only $11.19! It is a gorgeously illustrated, very large book. Lizzie loves it when I read this to her for bedtime. The book follows the exact plot of the movie, so kids will enjoy hearing the same story read to them that they saw on screen.

Seriously, there are a ton of Winnie the Pooh products on the shelves now! From baby wash to strawberry flavored honey! But the toy that David loves is the simple and soft plush Tigger (pictured above) This set is available exclusively at Disney Stores for SRP $16.50.  What is better than simple? Nothing! Just like Christopher Robin did, Lizzie and David play with their stuffed animals and create endless scenes with their active imaginations.

This movie brings back such wonderful memories, I am so glad they stayed true to the simple artwork, music and storyline. I bet your child will love it and so will you!

I watched an early preview of the movie and received the products mentioned in this post to review. All opinions remain mine and Lizzie’s. I’d love to hear your thoughts too!

This book is going to become a holiday tradition in our house. It tells the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth in a unique way and teaches children the valuable lesson of giving your all to Christ.

The story is told from a father to his son.  It is about a tiny star that felt insignificant but yet believed the baby Jesus was the chosen Messiah. He burns himself so bright in honor of this new baby king that he burns out.  The father tells his son that from now on we put stars on our tree to remember a little star that shone bright in honor of King Jesus.

Lizzie loves the story and David listens to it too, and points out the bright, gorgeous illustrations. Pick it up today at the low price on Amazon.com!

I was given the book to review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Motorbooks is a leader in automotive and motorcycle book publishing. They are a reliable source for historic and up to date information cars and motorcycles and have been for 45 years.

They stay current and are always on the edge of news, publishing 100 books a year. I am one of the most car-ignorant people around and even I have heard of their magazine Motor Trend.

This Christmas, Motorbooks published a line of books specifically for young car fans, called the “First Gear” series.  Each book in this series has over 200 exciting color photos and more facts about each car/motorcycle than you can devour in one sitting. But they are written in a way that keeps their interest, doesn’t go over their heads or overwhelm.

I was sent two books to review that I will give to my 9 year old nephew for Christmas. The first was Muscle Cars. It is a thick book and each page is high quality – not printed on thin “magazine-like” paper.  It is packed with photos of powerful cars and fun “Did You Know” factoid boxes.

The other one we were sent was about the Chevy Camaro. This was my favorite – I am a huge (albeit uneducated) fan of the Camaro. After devouring this book I am not ignorant any longer! It is divided into easy to browse sections based on year with the 2011 model at the end.

I have noticed that if you have a reluctant reader and give this child a book about something they love, they are more likely to read it. These books are perfect for my 9 year old nephew and I would not be shocked if his 15 year old brother picked it up and browsed the stunning photos too!

Easy to read, engaging, and highly informative, I recommend these books for all children – boys, girls, all ages – that are even mildly interested in cars. They won’t be mildly interested after reading the First Gear series, they will be hooked for life!

I was sent these two books to review. All opinions are mine.

Closed: Congrats #23 Marcie W!

We all go through life and learn things. Some truths are harder learned than others, and some are quite funny when you take a step back and laugh.

Roger Emerson Fishman compiled quotes from real people across this country – things they have learned – some are so heartfelt they brought a tear to my eyes. Some truths were so funny I couldn’t help but laugh.

You can flip through the book and only read the sections you want or read them in order, it makes no difference in how much you will enjoy it!

There are 10 sections in this book and each section begins with a short story about a noteworthy person whose story best exemplifies the current chapter. For example, to introduce the section on Longevity gree tea trader Tan Shui Lee shares his story on what he has learned as he lived to 100.  Then within that chapter are quotes from the young and old. My favorite is this one: “I think it’s like a sin if you don’t obey your mother and father. So if you actually do, you’ll definitely live longer!” – Joshua E., Fort Mill, S.C.

This makes a wonderful gift, especially for those people in your life that you want to express your devotion to but never can think of what to get them. This book has funny quotes and stories and moving ones, making it perfect for men and women alike. If you bought it for your mother for Mother’s Day, you could write inside the cover, “You have taught me so much, this book reminds me that I have been blessed with an excellent teacher. Thank you!” Or even circle the quotes that move you most. Wouldn’t that be sweet?

To the left is an excerpt from the book.

I love the photography. It is as moving as the quotes themselves!

Isn’t that quote so fun? You really can’t break hope and faith apart. It is the truest thing I have heard!

Here is a short video introducing you to the author and his inspiration for the book.  As you watch it I hope you catch the joy the author had as he gathered the stories and life lessons from people across the country.

It truly is a work of art! And you can buy it from Amazon.com for only $12!

Win It!

One of you will win an autographed copy of “What I know.”
Just in time for Mother’s Day!

Required Entry:

Tell me something you know about one of these topics:
*Believing in Yourself
*Integrity
*Friendship
*Parenting
*Preparing for Life
*Personal Choice
*Perserverance
*Change
OR
*Longevity

If you don’t want your quote used on their facebook or twitter pages (with full attribution to you as author) then leave in your comment “don’t use my quote publicly.”

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  You may use this as your tweet:
  I have learned that wisdom is found in the best places, and you can wisely win a copy of an amazing book from MamaDweeb  http://su.pr/2gcSqw

Giveaway ends May 4th at 11:59pm CST.  Winner will be drawn via random.org and have 24 hours to respond to my email before it goes into a live give away.

I was given a copy of this book to review. All opinions are 100% my own.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Raising a Father. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m a total nerd when it comes to books.  I collect them. Someday I want a library full of books I own.

There is a new book by Arjun Sen called “Raising a Father” that looks really intriguing to me.  When it comes to heartwrenching, emotional tales that keep me riveted, I can’t get enough.  Just check out this video about the book.  It really makes me want to take all the time I can with my children now, before *poof* 37 years go by!

Basically, Raising a Father is about a man who went years without the correct priorities and then realizes how little he knew his own daughter. Then, he quit his corporate job and started a home based company so he could get to know her better.  He put first things first.  This sounds like a break-out-the-tissues book! How terrible of a realization would that be? To discover one day that all your hard work was for nothing when the people you care most about you don’t even know?  It is to this man’s credit that he put so much work into making it right before it got too late!

It is only available online but if it is as good as it sounds I am sure it won’t be long before Amazon.com starts to sell it too!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Allison Maslan, author of “Blast Off!”. All opinions are 100% mine.

For anyone that feels like their life is in a stalemate, they are stuck and not accomplishing their dreams, Allison Maslan has just released a book called Blast Off! and it looks like a very compelling read!  I love the cover, all the stars and excitement in her face!

Do you need a little inspiration? What about your goals, are you reaching them or are they still just a list on paper? My father in law inspires me and said that books like this one sometimes give you the spark you need to really take off. He was talking about inspirational books, as he hasn’t read this book yet.  But he has a point.  Books and other forms of media can really give us fuel, energy and spark new ideas to help us make our dreams reality!~

I have to admit that I get really excited about my dreams and passionate about my goals but then I don’t know what to do next.  I am also a sucker for self-help and inspirational books.  This looks like a book that would help me get the gumption and guidance to finally accomplish my goals instead of merely seeing them on paper.

It was released on January 19th and it is only $24 – and it is available on Amazon for even less! It is on Barnes and Noble website and other major book retail sites as well.

I can’t wait to get a chance to read and review this book – what a fun title! I want to learn new and exciting ways to reach my goals.  And I don’t just want to start reaching, I want to seriously take off in a fast way and see some results.  Sitting still is not an option, I want to Blast off!