Bear portraits- Book (Festive R&G to follow)

If you love collecting coffee table books, I would definitely suggest picking up the Bear Portraits by Jill Greenberg. This literal work of art is a collection of Jill's photographs of 12 featured bear models and I'm telling you, these photographs are something!

I initially thought Jill was an artist and the book held collections of beautiful bear portraits she had painted...the intimacy with the animals is so real...it's unbelievable. You feel like you're nose to snout with a grizzly when you look at some of the photographs. They're truly something else!

While working on this review, I found a video on you tube with a few behind the scenes clips from the making of the Bear Portraits....this is worth a watch.



Bear Portraits is a Little, Brown and Company publication (Hachette Book Group) and can be bought online or at your local bookstore. The suggested retail price is 26.99 US$.


Great news for one special reader:

One of you will have the opportunity to win the book Bear Portraits at the FESTIVE GIVEAWAYS GALA FINALE. (Enter the competition here.) Please note that comments on this post will NOT be considered in the drawing of winners for the giveaway.


** EBMR Disclaimer: Hachette sent us this book for review purposes only. This review has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.**

Labels: A FESTIVE GIVEAWAYS GALA FINALE, Bear Portraits, Festive Giveaways, Hachette book group, Jill Greenberg, little brown and company, Reviews / Giveaways

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 8:39 AM 5 Comments

Angels Pop Up book- Chuck Fischer (Festive R&G)

Here's a beautiful gift book by Chuck Fischer- having worked in a print facility back home I know how hard it is to make an exquisite pop up book and Angels definitely is a work of art.

My favorite pop up page is that of Daniel in the Lions Den
and also the angel Gabriel's visit to Mary to tell her of the Savior's coming. The photograph does little justice to the intricate details and the beauty of the pop up.

Personally I enjoyed the art and paid very little attention to the text....but there is a lot of history and information on the background of Biblical and secular angels and details on the hierarchy of angels.

This book is the 6th pop up book Chuck Fischer has produced. His work as an artist is well known the world over and his art has been reproduced on fabrics , wallpaper, paper products and even fine china.


Buy it:

Angels is a Little, Brown and Company publication (Hachette Book Group) and can be bought online or at your local bookstore. The suggested retail price is 30 US$.


Win it:

One reader will win Angels by Chuck Fischer


Here's how you can win it:

1. Mandatory entry (without this, all other entries will be disqualified)-

Leave a comment telling me who you'd like to win this book for.

Additional entries:

- 2. Subscribe to my blog (remember you need to activate the subscription if you subscribe via email) or Follow my blog & leave a comment stating that you subscribe or follow.

- 3. Blog about this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your blog post)

- 4. Tweet about this giveaway and add the hashtag #ebmr at the end. (You can tweet daily. Each daily tweet counts as an additional entry)

- 5. Add the link to this giveaway on a Mr Linky on a blog giveaway site, forum, carnival. (leave a comment with the link)

-6. Snag my Blog button and leave a comment with the link.

-7. Snag the Festive Giveaways button and leave a comment with the link.

This giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and above.

1 winner will be chosen with the random.org generator on November 14 2009 at 10 pm Central time, so enter before that. The winner's name will be posted thereafter. Please note if any winner does not get back to me 48 hours after his/her name has been posted, I will pick a new winner.


** EBMR Disclaimer: I have received the book-Angels- for review purposes only. This review has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.**

Labels: Angels, Chuck Fischer, Festive Giveaways, Hachette book group, little brown and company, Reviews / Giveaways

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 9:26 AM 116 Comments

Samantha Berger's 'Martha doesn't say sorry!' - Book Review and Giveaway

If your child has gone through his/her twos, threes, fours and fives you will know exactly where Martha is coming from!!

When Martha makes a mistake or does something that is not 'acceptable' she will do anything under the sun BUT say she's sorry. Sound familiar? I will be honest...our household has had those rare moments and if you're like me you'd prefer for those moments not to be there than be there, even if rare!!

In the book 'Martha doesn't say sorry', Samantha Berger captures each 'Martha moment' in such a priceless way that you can see the uncanny resemblance to your little kid immediately. (Your little one will see it too and understand what it's like looking at a 'Martha situation' from a third person's perspective!)

The story is simple but the lesson is clear and easy for even a 3 year old to comprehend without a struggle. Take it from me....this book is a must read!

The illustrations in this book were fun to look at and I think I honestly enjoyed looking at the pictures just as much as Bunny girl did! I especially love the way Bruce Whatley has captured Martha's bratty, cheeky streak perfectly in the first few pages.

'Martha doesn't say sorry' is a Little, Brown and Company publication (Hachette Book Group) and can be bought online or at your local bookstore. The suggested retail price is 15.99 US$.


Win it:

Three readers will win a copy of 'Martha doesn't say sorry', by Samantha Berger.


Here's how you can win it:

1. Mandatory entry (without this, all other entries will be disqualified)-

Leave a comment telling me who you'd like to win this book for.

Additional entries:

- 2. Subscribe to my blog (remember you need to activate the subscription if you subscribe via email) or Follow my blog & leave a comment stating that you subscribe or follow.

- 3. Blog about this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your blog post)

- 4. Tweet about this giveaway and add the hashtag #ebmr at the end.

- 5. Add the link to this giveaway on a Mr Linky on a blog giveaway site, forum, carnival. (leave a comment with the link)

-6. Snag my Blog button and leave a comment with the link


This giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and above.

3 winners will be chosen with the random.org generator on October 24 2009 at 10 pm Central time, so enter before that. The winners names will be posted thereafter. Please note if any winner does not get back to me 48 hours after his/her name has been posted, I will pick a new winner.

Labels: little brown and company, Martha doesn't say sorry, More giveaways, Reviews / Giveaways, samantha berger

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 7:46 AM 120 Comments

Holly Hobbie's 'Fanny & Annabelle'- Book Review and Giveaway (BTSC Bonus)

'Fanny & Annabelle' is a sweet story written by the author of the acclaimed Toot and Puddle books - Holly Hobbie. The storyline revolves around a little girl-Fanny-who decides to make the most of being indoors on a rainy day by creating her very first picture book. The star of the book had to be Fanny's favorite doll, Annabelle.

In Fanny's story Annabelle has to find a present for her Aunt, whose birthday was soon approaching. The problem arrives when she realizes the gift she wanted to buy for her Aunt required more money than she had. The story takes a small twist when Annabelle finds an envelope with money in it....now what? Annabelle's story is determined by the little adventures Fanny actually goes through as she writes the story.

I thought the story was great to teach a child about what to do when they find something on the road that someone else may have dropped. I also like the way the story ends as it teaches a child that a parent's most treasured gifts, most times, are those that are not bought in a store but made out of inspiration from a child's heart, love and a little creativity!

'Fanny & Annabelle' is a Little, Brown and Company publication (Hachette Book Group) and can be bought online or at your local bookstore. The suggested retail price is 16.99$.


Win it:

Three readers will a copy of 'Fanny & Annabelle', by Holly Hobbie.


Here's how you can win it:

1. Mandatory entry (without this, all other entries will be disqualified)-

Leave a comment telling me the best 'kid-made' gift you have received from your child/a child.

Additional BTSC entries:

- 2. Subscribe to my blog (remember you need to activate the subscription if you subscribe via email) or Follow my blog & leave a comment stating that you subscribe or follow.

- 3. Blog about this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your blog post)

- 4. Tweet about this giveaway and add the hashtag #ebmr at the end of your tweet.

- 5. Add the link to this giveaway on a Mr Linky on a blog giveaway site, forum, carnival. (leave a comment with the link)

-6. Snag my Blog button (the cute little bunny on the right!) and leave a comment with the link

- 7. Snag the Back to School Carnival button (the cute little bunny on the left!) and leave a comment with the link


This giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and above.

3 winners will be chosen with the random.org generator on September 19 2009 at 10 pm Central time, so enter before that. The winners names will be posted thereafter. Please note if any winner does not get back to me 48 hours after his/her name has been posted, I will pick a new winner.

Labels: Back to School Carnival, BTSC Giveaways, Fanny and Anabelle, Hachette book group, little brown and company, Reviews / Giveaways

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 3:36 PM 80 Comments

Jerry Pinkney's 'The Lion and the Mouse' - Book Review and Giveaway (BTSC Bonus)

Remember the well loved Aesop's fable 'the Lion and the Mouse'? This fable has been told to generation after generation and nothing warms the heart more than when we read about how an act of kindness is repaid when the little mouse helps rescue the lion when he is trapped in a net. (This was in repayment of the lion's kind gesture of saving the mouse's life when caught as prey in his very own hands....err...paws.)

This has been a favorite story to many a child including Jerry Pinkney, the famed children's books illustrator. It is on this fable that his book ' The Lion and the Mouse' is retold.....only this time, the fable is told minus the words.

Jerry Pinkney has been illustrating children's books for over 40 years. His art has been appreciated the world over and he has been the recipient of more than just a few awards. (Read the list to believe it!) Jerry has beautifully brought to life ' The Lion and the Mouse' story only through classic illustrations.

Bunny girl and I enjoyed going through this book and what I loved the most was hearing Bunny girl's take on each page, her own little version of this well known fable...and you know what, her version was so close to the actual! Jerry Pinkney truly accomplished what he set out to do with this book, allowing even a 3 and a half year old to relive the fable just by looking at his art.

'The Lion and the Mouse' is a Little, Brown and Company publication (Hachette Book Group) and can be bought online or at your local bookstore. The suggested retail price is 16.99$.


Win it:

Three readers will a copy of 'The Lion and the Mouse', by Jerry Pinkney.


Here's how you can win it:

1. Mandatory entry (without this, all other entries will be disqualified)-

Leave a comment letting me know you would like to win this book...that's it! :)

Additional BTSC entries:

- 2. Subscribe to my blog (remember you need to activate the subscription if you subscribe via email) or Follow my blog & leave a comment stating that you subscribe or follow.

- 3. Blog about this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your blog post)

- 4. Tweet about this giveaway and add the hashtag #ebmr at the end of your tweet.

- 5. Add the link to this giveaway on a Mr Linky on a blog giveaway site, forum, carnival. (leave a comment with the link)

-6. Snag my Blog button (the cute little bunny on the right!) and leave a comment with the link

- 7. Snag the Back to School Carnival button (the cute little bunny on the left!) and leave a comment with the link


This giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years and above.

3 winners will be chosen with the random.org generator on September 19 2009 at 10 pm Central time, so enter before that. The winners names will be posted thereafter. Please note if any winner does not get back to me 48 hours after his/her name has been posted, I will pick a new winner.

Labels: Back to School Carnival, BTSC Giveaways, Hachette book group, little brown and company, Reviews / Giveaways

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 2:55 PM 118 Comments