Sunday, March 04, 2012

The Snow Blew Inn & Rocky Cave Kids - Two Great Kid Books


Review coming up!
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Avoid the Winter Blues with The Snow Blew Inn and Rocky Cave Kids

Colorado Springs, CO, February 10, 2012 - Some stories are made for reading while curled up next to a crackling fire as the wind whips snow and ice fogs windows. Well-known children's author Dian Curtis Regan's newest titles are perfect for cozy quality family time.

The Snow Blew Inn (published by Holiday House with illustrations by Doug Cushman) is a cozy story about family, friendship, and sharing. Dian Curtis Regan captures the imaginations of young readers and parents alike in this picture book for all ages, with lively language, unexpected characters, and plot twists.

Emma can't wait to have a sleepover with her cousin Abby. But snow has begun to fall outside the Snow Blew Inn where Emma waits, snug and warm. Stranded guests keep arriving until the Inn is full, full, full.

There's Father Bear and Baby Bear, the Squirrel Family, Grandmother Rabbit, and the Fox Family, to name a few. What will happen to Abby and her Mama out in the howling storm?

The Snow Blew Inn is a perfect read-aloud bedtime story, especially on a cold winter's night. A free teaching guide for the classroom can be found on the author's website: 
http://diancurtisregan.com/freecurriculumguides.html.

Rocky Cave Kids: The Dragon Stone (published by Marshall Cavendish with illustrations by Stacy Curtis) is a story of suspense and discovery for newly independent readers (ages 7-9) who love dinosaur stories.  Visit
http://www.rockycavekids.com for more information about dinosaurs, prehistoric times, and Miggy's Clan.  The site also includes a brief video showing the timeline of history.

For years, Miggy and her friends have searched for dragon stones, but the stones are well hidden in the hills and valleys of Rocky Creek where Miggy's Clan lives. One day, while searching for a glimpse of a rare Spinosaurus, Miggy accidentally finds a dragon stone.

The Clan's wise grannies say that whoever finds one must keep it a secret or its ability to grant wishes will disappear. Is the stone's magical power really meant for Miggy alone? Even if the very existence of the Clan is in danger? How brave can a cave girl be?

A free teaching guide for the classroom is on the author's website:
http://diancurtisregan.com/freecurriculumguides.html.

Dian Cutis Regan is the author of more than 50 books for young readers.  She has published board books, picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, and anthology stories. Some of her popular titles include the bestselling Princess Nevermore, Monster of the Month Club, Barnyard Slam, Monster Baby, The World According to Kaley, and the Ghost Twins series.

Dian is a former "Member of the Year" of the international Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.  She received a "Distinguished Author" medal from the Oklahoma Center for Poets and Writers, and she is the namesake of the "Dian Curtis Regan Library" in Venezuela.

When her novel, Cam's Quest, was a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award, she gave the following interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNrctMLQ89w&feature=player_embedded.

Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Dian graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder and taught school in Denver until deciding to become a full-time writer. Dian has lived in Texas, Oklahoma, Venezuela, and Kansas. She has recently returned to Colorado to live.

The Snow Blew Inn and Rocky Cave Kids are now available online and in bookstores everywhere. There is also a Kindle edition of Rocky Cave Kids.  Learn more about Dian and her writing at
http://www.diancurtisregan.com and http://www.rockycavekids.com.

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TIP SHEET:

Reviews of The Snow Blew Inn

Publishers Weekly: "Regan and Cushman pull readers into the story with strong atmospherics. With simple prose and crisp but warm watercolors, they conjure up the ever-accumulating snow and guests."

School Library Journal: "This fun read-aloud could be used to illustrate hospitality and compassion. It is a welcome addition to most collections–especially where seasonal books are in high demand."

Kirkus Review: "A joyous look at generosity and hospitality as a snowstorm packs the Snow Blew Inn. This family's hospitality is just what is needed on a cold, wintry day--heartwarming."

Booklist: "With its ready-to-read text and cast of delightfully drawn characters dressed in Dickensian outfits, this picture book makes for a bright offering, especially on a snowy day."

Amazon Reader Review: "Storms can cause mayhem . . . as well as bring people together in lovely moments of unexpected generosity and community. So it is with this story as Emma and her Mama cope with a too-full inn and nearly dashed hopes. Highly recommended for classrooms and lap reading (along with a cup of cocoa).

Reviews of Rocky Cave Kids: The Dragon Stone

School Library Journal: "Miggy is a happy-go-lucky Stone Age child whose family stays home while the rest of the clan goes off for the summer. As she eagerly awaits their return, she also seeks to spot a Spinosaurus a rare sight.

She accidentally stumbles across a dragon stone, known to bring luck and grant wishes. But in order for the magic to work, she has to keep the discovery a secret. Several scary and humorous adventures transpire involving friends, raptors, and lost brothers. The website calls this "imagined historical fiction, as in: What if dinosaurs and humans had lived at the same time?"

Fans of the first Magic Tree House book, Mary Pope Osborne's Dinosaurs Before Dark (Random, 1992), or Rex Stone's Dinosaur Cove series (Scholastic) will enjoy this imaginative chapter book. The cartoon dinosaur with loads of teeth on the cover will entice readers, as will the map and roster at the beginning."

Kirkus Review: "In this early chapter book with unexpected depth, Miggy experiences an ethical dilemma when she wonders if it is right to keep (the Dragon Stone's) power to herself."

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