Peachtree Publishers - Best of 2014 Giveaway - #HolidayGiftGuide2014

Disclosure: I received sample books for review. No other compensation was received and all views expressed are my own.

We love reading in our home. Have I mentioned that before? Probably, but it bears repeating! Books are an awesome and magical way to take kids on faraway adventures. We were so thrilled to check out this set of titles, released in 2014 from Peachtree Publishers.

The Grudge Keeper by Mara Rockliff.

This storybook tells a tale of a town where no one ever keeps a grudge. All complaints are handed in to the town's Grudge Keeper, Cornelius. The book features beautiful illustrations in muted tones (the book is illustrated by Eliza Wheeler) and subtly helps kids understand the importance of making peace with one another. I love the vocabulary presented in this book - big words like umbrage, imbroglios, and mischievous are worked right into the text. Fun, right?

Pig & Small by Alex Latimer.

Pig finds a new friend, Bug, on his nose one day and learns a whole lot about how to be a good friend even when you don't have everything in common! I love the theme of persistence in spite of difficulties. This book is written and illustrated by Alex Latimer in bright, exciting colors that pop right off the pages.

Stanley the Builder by William Bee.

With our love of trucks, cars, and other wheeled conveyances in this house, I'm not surprised that this book is a big hit with Lincoln! This little story follows Stanley as he helps his mouse friend, Myrtle, build a lovely little house - all the way from buying a plot of land to final construction. We learn the basics of bulldozing, brick-laying, and nailing shingles to the roof. Super cute book for construction-loving kids.

Stanley's Garage by William Bee.

Much like the previous title, this was a big hit with my truck-loving boy. Stanley shows off many skills in his garage as he fills up cars with gas, fixes flat tires, fills radiators, and tows a friend back to the garage when her car breaks down. The illustrations are lovely and feature simplistic backgrounds which make the characters stand out all the more.

Can I Come Too? by Brian Patten and Nicola Bayley.

When a very small mouse sets off to have a very big adventure, she's in for quite a few surprises along the way. On a journey to discover the biggest creature in the world, our mouse heroine finds a frog, a kingfisher, a cat, an otter, and so many more animals who become her friends and journey alongside her until they finally do come across the very largest creature! A great story about sticking to your goals and never giving up. Features beautiful illustrations of animals in nature!

Churchill's Tale of Tails by Anca Sandu.

Churchill's favorite thing is his tail, so he is surprised when one day he wakes to find it has disappeared. He sets off in search of a new tail and tries on the tails of his many animal friends. Unsatisfied with the tails of the zebra, peacock, and tiger, he sticks to his quest and ultimately learns that while it's fun to pretend, being yourself is best.

Lost for Words by Natalie Russell.

Tapir wants to write, but he can't think of what to say. He is jealous of his friends Giraffe, Hippo, and Flamingo who can write poetry, stories, and songs with ease. Eventually, he learns that just because someone else is good at something, it may not be the best fit for him. Tapir finds his own passion and pursues it with all his heart.



Visit Peachtree Publishers to find out more about these and other great titles. You can also follow along on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates.

Giveaway

Peachtree has kindly offered to give away a complete collection of the books reviewed above! There will be seven winners - each person will win one surprise title from the above selection! This giveaway will end on December 26 at 11:59pm CST. This giveaway is open to US readers only. Winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or prize will be forfeited.

To enter the giveaway, follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form below (you may need Javascript enabled to see the form and it may take a moment to load)! Once you complete the first entry, the other options will open up so that you can complete them as well. All of the "extra entries" are optional - you can do just one, or as many as you want! Winners will be contacted by email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Disclosure: Thank you to Peachtree Publishers for providing my review sample and the giveaway prize! I received no other compensation and all views expressed are my own. For more information, you can read my Giveaway Policy and my Disclosure Policy.