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Showing posts with label Good Morning World MRS D. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Good Morning World MRS D. Show all posts

Saturday, August 2, 2014

FINALISTS IN THE READERS' FAVORITE CONTEST





AH! What a beautiful moment! I am over the moon! 

I am so thrilled that my two children's books The Trees Have Hearts and  Good Morning,World! are FINALISTS IN THE READERS' FAVORITE CONTEST !!

Good Morning, World! is A FINALIST IN THE READERS' FAVORITE CONTEST in both categories:Children - Preschool and Children - Concept. 
Go Baby Thomas!

The Trees Have Hearts is A FINALIST IN THE READERS' FAVORITE CONTEST in both categories also : Children - Grade K-3rd and Children - Educational

 Honored! Cross your fingers!

I am so excited to officially announce that my first short story, The Little Girl Praying on the Hill, is a finalist in the 2014 Readers' Favorite annual International Award Contest also! The Little Girl Praying on the Hill made it to the finals in both categories as well: Non-Fiction - Short Story and Non-Fiction - Inspirational. 

 What an honor for a girl from the Carpathian village in Ukraine, who could hardly write a shopping list three years ago. I do not want to wake up...Someone pinch me! Read more HERE: https://readersfavorite.com/2014-finalists.htm







    • 5 STAR REVIEWS

    5.0 out of 5 stars A Little Slice of Life in the "Good Old Days", June 26, 2014
    Verified Purchase(What's this?)
    This review is from: The Little Girl Praying on the Hill (Kindle Edition)

     “The Little Girl Praying on the Hill” by Olga D’Agostino is rather a unique story in which a young girl narrates to readers an overview of her life as she was growing up. The girl resided in an agrarian society, served by a small town, with a single church situated high on a hill. 


    As should be the case, the opening sentence in this book sets the stage for the rest of the tale. That sentence is: “I was born in a strange place, beautiful to look at but hard to live in.” Throughout the story our young narrator juxtaposes her vivid descriptions of the natural world around her, with her laments of the harsh life faced by villagers and farmers alike. 



    This story is not a book children will appreciate, nor is it a full blown novel for adults. In both content and character, it is well suited to middle-grade students, and possibly of greater interest to girls than boys, although that is my own prejudice coming into play. (Hey, I’m old. What did you expect?)



    “The Little Girl Praying on the Hill” is a very realistic cameo of post-WWII rural European life. In that regard it should also be of considerable interest to history buffs, particularly those who are most intrigued by that time and place. The apparent lack of any “modern” conveniences in the context of this story also serves to make it relevant to many places in today’s world, where people still live much the same as did their ancestors hundreds of years previously.



    At no point in this story did D’Agostino suggest she was telling of her own childhood, or possibly her mother’s childhood. However, if I were a gambling man I’d be happy to lay down a bet that such is the case. I was expecting a children’s book, as that is what D’Agostino usually writes, but finding a little slice of life at a different time and place was a most delightful surprise.



    I cannot decide which genre best fits this story. That notwithstanding, I can and do recommend this as being both entertaining and educational. All readers with an interest in the so-called “good old days”, or intrigued by how different life was before iPads and Facebook, should take the time to read and savor “The Little Girl Praying on the Hill” by Olga D’Agostino. It may help you keep your own life challenges in perspective.



    5.0 out of 5 stars
     Kitty Muse Book Reviews April 30, 2014
    By K. Ree
    Format:Kindle Edition
    She spent a lot of time alone, or so it seemed to the people in the village below. Every day, she would take the sheep up to the top of the hill, where she would spend hours.
    In her mind, though, she was not alone. She spent hours with her friends–the princess in her glorious cloud castle, and the mercurial companion, the wind, who sometimes teased, sometimes tormented her. Life was good–
    –until her daydream was interrupted by a furious someone who angrily reminded her about forgotten chores.
    Back to the sad reality–a life in the mud, surrounded by poverty and hopelessness. There was little room for sadness; when her younger sister died, her own dress was taken for the burial. The little girl mourned only for the dress that had been taken away from her. There were no tears for the sister.
    In a world where despair reigns supreme, a child’s mind turns to prayer. But when the help isn’t immediate, faith must carry her through the difficulties of an “unfair” life.
    I have read several of Ms. D’Agostino’s books, and this has to be, by far, my favorite. None of the whimsy and cuteness of her previous books are in this offering. However, her light-handed way of writing turns what could be a dark and depressing time in her childhood into something magical. The little girl, obviously the author, has a gift for daydreaming; which naturally led her, as an adult, to her gifted ability to tell a tale like this. The reader can’t help but be absorbed into the story. With prose such as:
    “My wind was a mysterious friend. He was a most virtuous player. I loved watching him play with the green grass that grew near the forest. He played his music with a gentle whisper, taking my breath away. When he hit a higher note and touched his invisible strings with his tender stroke, the green grass strained like arrows, making the most wonderful sound that rang in my ears the entire day.”,


    how can one not be captivated? Such descriptions! No wonder Ms. D’Agostino is an award-winner.

    5.0 out of 5 stars
     This moving story made me think., April 28, 2014
    By 
    Olga Guseva (Russia, Moscow) - See all my reviews
    Verified Purchase(What's this?)
    This review is from: The Little Girl Praying on the Hill (Kindle Edition)
    I am a long time fan of Mrs. D. children's books. I was quite surprised to find out that she is writing for the older audience also. The Little Girl Praying on the Hill is the heartfelt story of a little girl, who was born on a farm in the Soviet Union in the post WW II era. The story describes the life of an innocent child, who tries to survive heartbreaking reality by escaping into her imaginary world, filled with beauty and kindness. A world where there is no place for evil, hate, or pain. People call her strange, because she is different from the children in her village. Unlike other children who resigned to the sad existence, the little girl has a hard time to accept her real world. Two parallels of her world are running closely to each other. One escapes ahead and opens her soul, and lets out pieces of her painful memories. The desperate child questions God. Why the real world does not look the same, as it exists in her imagination, untainted and innocent? Why does she look to escape into unreachable places? Why does God punish her people? The first parallel exposes the happy moments of her life, but her second parallel is catching up with her poignant memories, full of sadness and pain. Her innocent imagination distracts her from the sad world, but the second she opens her eyes, the visible line between beauty and ugliness leaves nothing, except emptiness.
    In a short period, the author opens up two worlds to the reader, the beauty and kindness, the sadness and the ugliness. Just like parasites, her two emotions feed on each other. The beauty complements the ugliness; the happiness complements the hopelessness. By creating the beautiful imaginary world, Mrs. D'Agostino purposely distracts us from her depressing reality, full of bitterness and frustration. Before we know, she plunges us back into the misery of the little girl's life, filled with desperation and disappointments. With each page, I relived the life of the struggling child, overwhelmed with the factual world. It amazed me how the search for love and acceptance made the little girl realize her journey. I absolutely love how the author portrayed the little girl's imaginary friends. I felt as if the wind became my friend, the wheat field became my home, and the sky became my escape. The author surrounds the reader with astonishing imaginary pictures and sad reality at the same time. When the little heroine flows in her beautiful imagination, I cheered her up, but when she must return to the dreary life, I felt crashed. This soulful story kept me in tension to the last word. It felt like a breath of wind, strong, emotional, and deep. It would not let me relax or become indifferent. The two worlds of the little girl beautifully complement each other; the personal made me cry, the imaginary lifted my soul up to heaven. I am glad I had a chance to relive the life of this little girl and discover a new Mrs. D. I read this short story a few times, just to feel the spirit, energy, and emotions. This moving story made me think.




    MORE FROM MRS.D!! 









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    Sunday, April 13, 2014

    It Is a Good Morning After All!


    There are many wonderful books about grandparents and children, who have a great time together.  Writing 'Good Morning,World!' I wanted to show a different side of human nature.  Very often, busy with many things, we grownups forget how to see the world through the eyes of a child. The key messages of this book are simple; each of us has a choice wake up miserable or happy. I also wanted to show the reader how two people seeing the same things can draw totally different conclusions. And of course, I wanted children to have fun with Grandpa character, which will show them how they may appear to others when they are grumpy. 'Good Morning, World!' is for children and parents who like to have a good discussion after they finish reading a book.  This story  is meant to spark a conversation about the attitude and choices we make.  I hope that 'Good Morning,World!' will  remind us about the beautiful world outside and that we should more often let our children interact with nature. 
    Mrs.D

    Join happy Baby Thomas and his grandpa for a walk and have a

     delightful, uplifting morning!





    Honored for Excellence by the Mom's Choice Awards


    Reviewed by Bobbi Capwell - a life long learner and extremely passionate educator.


    Baby Thomas is a ready for an adventure outside but his Grandpa is sleeping. Thomas has to figure out how to get Grandpa up from his nap. Baby Thomas  gets Grandpa awake! Grandpa is not real happy about the upcoming stroll in the park. Baby Thomas says “Good Morning” to every living thing he passes from the flowers, birds and even the sun, and everything else. Everyone notices that Grandpa is not as spunky as Baby Thomas during the walk.  Grandpa does not want to go on the walk-it is hot, the flowers make him sneeze, it is a bit windy and the animals and insects are just pests!


    Mrs. D writes the story so well that you can feel the Sun and breeze on your skin as you join Grandpa and Baby Thomas on their walk. The illustrations are so on point that you can see why Grandpa is such a grouch and why Baby Thomas is loving the stroll. 
    It is hard to say which one is my favorite character: Grandpa or Baby Thomas. Baby Thomas is so excited to see the outdoors and all of his “friends” while Grandpa is not happy but we all know he used to see the world like Baby Thomas does now. We need to definitely be more like Thomas when we feel like Grandpa.  

    So, often we as parents and teachers forget to look at the world with young eyes! This is a perfect book to once again see the beauty thru their eyes. It took me back to the time of sitting in my Mema’s lap and listening to her stories. It is great for older children too. It is an incredible way to teach the importance of image both in words and pictures. I love the images created when the Grandpa is talking about the things they both see - “The sun is baking us like cupcakes!” yet Thomas does not mind at all. Grownups and children of all ages will love this book because they can all relate to a similar adventure that they all have had with their family! 
    I would give it 5 out of 5 stars.


    B&N:


     Good Morning, World! GoodReads







    FROM BOBBI CUPWELL

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    I am a life long learner and extremely passionate educator, with over 32 years teaching experience in ELL Pre-Kindergarten, ELL Kindergarten, Head Start Kindergarten, ELL First Grade and Second Grade. I have had current position as a Technology Integration Specialist for the past 12 years, which has allowed me to continue my passion for teaching. I enjoy forming a special relationship with all of the teachers, regardless of their age/grade/subject teaching area. I enjoy showing educators how to use and incorporate software, new technology, and  web tools with students in all classrooms.


    By Bobbi Cupwell

    Teacher Appreciation Week is one that I think should be recognized all year not just for one week during the most hectic time of the year. Teachers work very hard without many pats on the back, praise, or happy notes.
    Who else could wrangle a group of 5 year olds to the carpet and show them a schema that will last for the rest of their life?  teacher
    Who else could take a non interested reader and change them into a ravenous reader?
    Who else can read a letter written in what looks like another language but is really invented spelling?
    Who else can take all of the criticism from outside of education and  keep a big smile on their face and an even bigger desire to work with their students even more?
    The answer is TEACHER!!
    Teaching is a great profession. I have been an educator for 32 years and still love it as much as I did at the beginning.
    I believe people have taken teachers for granted. That taking for granted just breaks my heart because we are the builders of tomorrow. Without teachers , there would be not one doctor, lawyer, president, CEO or CTO, cowboy, iron worker, truck driver or general!
    I am proud to be in a profession that has weathered adversity yet stayed positive!
    So, remember to thank a teacher for what they do not just during this week but every week in the year!
    FOLLOW BOBBI ON TWITTER: @BobbiC07


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    Saturday, January 5, 2013

    GOOD MORNING, WORLD! - Honored for Excellence by the Mom's Choice Awards.




    There's no better book to start your little one's day! 



    GOOD MORNING, WORLD! - Honored for Excellence by the Mom's Choice Awards.


    A happy story about Baby Thomas and his grandpa. Baby Thomas wants to hug and embrace a beautiful world full of amazing things, but Grandpa takes the world very seriously. They see the same picture, but each takes a different approach. 



    As they walk in the park one sunny morning, the little things amuse Baby Thomas, who likes to collect “good mornings” and makes friends easily. His grandpa is unhappy about every little thing, which just a moment ago had amazed Baby Thomas. In this book, young readers will easily connect with the wonders of nature and unforgettable characters, who playfully interact with each other.



    With funny characters and amusing illustrations, bursting on every page with colors and fun, GOOD MORNING, WORLD! gives parents, grandparents, baby sitters and those who love to read an interesting way to spend time together.




    Join happy Baby Thomas and his grandpa for a walk and have a

     delightful, uplifting morning!

    AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND B&N 


    Read Readers' Favorite Review Here


    © All Rights Reserved by Mrs.D.Books.




    MRS. D.'S BOOKS - LOOK INSIDE!

    CARLO THE MOUSE ON VACATION 
    THE TREES HAVE HEARTS 
    CARLO THE MOUSE -TOO MANY RULES FOR ONE LITTLE MOUSE
    THE CITY KITTENS AND THE OLD HOUSE CAT
    GOOD MORNING, WORLD! 
    THE MYSTERIOUS LIFE INSIDE A CLOSET - COMING SOON!

    FOR UPDATES, PLEASE VISIT: 
    WWW.MRSDBOOKS.NET

    I know you’re all busy and it means a lot that you would share your time with MRS.D.BOOKS.
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