Free Book and Free Book APP: The Chipmunk Who Wanted To Be A Bear, by Valerie Harmon and Carol Stevens

My fifth book in the WantsToBe children's picture eBook series, The Chipmunk Who Wanted To Be A Bear, is FREE from November 3 until midnight November 6.

Pick up your free copy here!

Rated 5 Stars and has hit #1 Best Seller in Category!

This is the fifth fully-illustrated children's book in the Wants To Be series

Book Summary: Chipmunk is so afraid of things that he hates to leave his tree house! When he notices a grizzly bear who doesn't seem scared of anything, Chipmunk gets an idea that shows him to be braver than he thinks. This is not a typical "Be content with who you are" book, but rather "Working hard toward a goal changes you into something more." Which is why in the end (don't spoil the surprise for your child!) after working hard to become a grizzly bear, and conquering his fears in the process, Chipmunk turns into CHIZZLY!  This is a metaphorical example of how we all change after accomplishing hard things.

FREE animated book app version for iPad is available now in the App Store℠. Try it out!

Tapping or swiping the stars within the app can drop an acorn on Bear's nose, catch Chipmunk riding on a fish, or send a hawk soaring in the sky, and much more. The icons on the left release a variety of sounds effects, including a laughing raccoon, gurgling stream or even a grumbling bear. This app teaches children to work hard toward a goal, no matter what, with 61 animations, 28 sound effects, music, and dramatized narration.

Free iPad App version of the book!

Free Book: The Snake Who Wanted To Be A Horse, by Valerie Harmon and Carol Stevens

My first book in the WantsToBe children's picture eBook series, The Snake Who Wanted To Be  A Horse, is FREE from October 30 until midnight November 2.

Pick up your free copy here!

Has hit #1 Best Seller in Category and rated 4.6 STARS with over 40 reviews!

This is the first fully-illustrated children's book in the Wants To Be series.

Book Summary: Snake has a tender belly. When he sees Horse galloping by, he decides his solution is to become a horse. This idea sends him on a quest of difficulty and a surprising new friendship. This is not a typical "Be content with who you are" book, but rather "Working hard toward a goal changes you into something more." Which is why in the end (don't spoil the surprise for your child!) Snake turns into a SNORSE! This is a metaphorical example of how we all change after accomplishing hard things.

Animated app version for iPad is available now in the App Store℠. 

Tapping or swiping the stars within this app can tie Snake's tongue in a knot, send a herd of horses galloping, stick on bandages, and much more. The icons on the left release a variety of sounds effects, including galloping hooves, horses neighing or even snakes laughing. The Snake Wants To Be A Horse app teaches children to work hard toward a goal no matter what, with 71 animations, 35 sound effects, music, and dramatized narration.

Free Book: The Peacock Who Wanted To Be A Pig, by Valerie Harmon and Carol Stevens

My fourth book in the WantsToBe children's picture eBook series, The Peacock Who Wanted To Be A Pig, is FREE from October 26 until midnight October 29.

Pick up your free copy here!

Rated 5 STARS and has hit #1 Best Seller in Category!

Book Summary: Peacock's tail is so heavy his back hurts. When he see's Pig's tiny curly tail he decides becoming a pig will solve his problems. This idea sends him wading through mud, falling into slop, and a surprising new friendship. This is not a typical "Be content with who you are" book, but rather "Working hard toward a goal changes you into something more." Which is why in the end (don't spoil the surprise for your child!) Peacock turns into a PEAGLET! A metaphorical example of how we all change after accomplishing hard things.

An animated book app version for iPad is available now in the App Store℠  

Tapping or swiping the stars within the app can launch Peacock into a mudhole, help him swallow an apple core, balance on a ball, and much more. The icons on the left release a variety of sound effects, including cows mooing or even Pig slurping from a trough. This app teaches children to work hard toward a goal no matter what, with 68 animations, 35 sound effects, music, and dramatized narration.

Free Books: The Crab Who Wanted To Be a Dolphin and The Alligator Who Wanted To Be A Dog

My seventh book in the WantsToBe children's picture eBook series, The Crab Who Wanted To Be A Dolphin, AND my third  book, The Alligator Who Wanted To Be A Dog are FREE from October 23 until midnight October 26.

Pick up your free copy here!

Book Summary: Everyone annoys Crab! Lonely and friendless (because she's cranky), she decides she needs to become a dolphin to solve her problems. Struggling on this quest, she discovers that finding friends requires changes on the inside, not the outside. As she experiences gratitude, and the friendship that follows, she unexpectedly transforms into a mixture of her old self and a new self. Not only an educational story encouraging gratitude, this tale is also a metaphor for how we all transform after accomplishing difficult things. 

This title will be available soon as an animated app for iPad (in the App Store℠) and as a full-color softcover book. 

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Pick up your free copy of The Alligator Who Wanted To Be A Dog here!

Rated 5 STARS and has hit #1 Best Seller in Category!

This is the third fully-illustrated children's book in the Wants To Be series.

Book Summary: Alligator's sharp-toothed smiles scares away all the other animals, and he feels so lonely. Since dogs are friends with everyone, he decides that he needs to become a dog. This decision sends him on a quest of difficulty and a surprising new friendship. This is not a typical "Be content with who you are" book, but rather "Working hard toward a goal changes you into something more." Which is why, in the end (don't spoil the surprise for your child!) Alligator turns into a ALLIDOG. This is pure imaginative fun, but is also a metaphorical example of how we all change after accomplishing hard things.

An animated book app version for iPad is available now in the App Store℠.

Free Book: The Elephant Who Wanted To Be A Bee, by Valerie Harmon and Carol Stevens

My second book in the WantsToBe children's picture eBook series, The Elephant Who Wanted To Be A Bee, is FREE from October 19 until midnight October 22.

Pick up your free copy here!

Rated 4.6 STARS and has hit #1 Best Seller in Category!

Book Summary: Elephant is allergic to the flowers she loves to eat. What can she do? She decides becoming a bee will solve her allergies. This decision sends her on a quest of difficulty and a surprising new friendship. This is not a typical "Be content with who you are" book, but rather "Working hard toward a goal changes you into something more." Which is why, in the end (don't spoil the surprise for your child!) Elephant turns into an ELLABEE. This is pure imaginative fun, but is also a metaphorical example of how we all change after accomplishing hard things.

An animated book app version for iPad is available now in the App Store℠.

Tapping or swiping the stars within the app can start a hive of bees swarming, cause a zebra to rear, send a meerkat scampering away, and much more. The icons on the left release a variety of sound effect, including a trumpeting elephant, a tree crashing to the ground or even a barking meerkat. This app teaches children to work hard toward a goal no matter what, with 73 animations, 36 sound effects, music, and dramatized narration.

Free Book: The T-Rex Who Wanted To Be A Long Neck, by Valerie Harmon and illustrated by Carol Stevens

My sixth book in the WantsToBe children's picture eBook series, The T-Rex Who Wanted To Be A Long Neck, is FREE from October 16 until midnight October 18.

Pick up your free copy here!

Rated 5 stars and has hit #1 Best Seller in Category!

Book Summary: T-Rex is ashamed of his terrible temper and when he sees a peaceful herd of long neck dinosaurs, he decides he needs to be a long neck too. Struggling on this quest, he discovers that keeping his temper requires changes on the inside, not the outside. As he figures out how to control his temper, he unexpectedly transforms into a mixture of his old self (Tyrannosaurus Rex) and a new self (a long neck Diplodicus). Not only an educational story about overcoming anger, this tale is also a metaphor for how we all transform after accomplishing difficult things.

Animated app version for iPad is available now in the App Store℠.

Tapping or swiping the stars within the app can knock down a tree with T-Rex's tail, send a pterodactyl soaring in the sky, hatch a baby dinosaur egg, and much more. The icons on the left release a variety of sounds effects, including a volcano erupting, T-Rex roaring or even the boom from Long Neck whipping his tail. Like the book, this app teaches children to work hard toward a goal, no matter what, with 70 animations, 35 sound effects, music, and dramatized narration.

Children's eBook Review: Stick's Masterpiece by Spencer Hanson, Illustrated by Randy Hanson

My Ratings for Stick's Masterpiece:
Cover and Illustrations: 5 Stars
Storyline: 4.75 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars

Stick doesn't feel like she can paint and is too scared to try. But when a bird is hungry she paints him food and goes on to paint help for many animals. In the end, she discovers that her acts of service while painting has created a masterpiece. 

This is a fabulously illustrated story about overcoming fear by serving others. I appreciated its deeper message--thinking about others first is an important one for my children to learn. I love love love the illustrations. I hope Stick goes on another painting adventure! 

Here is the book trailer for Stick's Masterpiece:

With almost Disney-esque illustrations, I read this aloud twice in one night because the illustrations are so well-done. 5 stars for cute and unique illustrations. 4.75 stars for storyline. The text is in ABCB rhyme and there was one read aloud stumble spot, rhyme is very difficult. But it was a tiny hiccup and the storyline of overcoming fear by thinking of others is very worth reading, so I give it a 5 stars overall (if you wonder at my high ratings on my blog, keep in mind that only the best books make it to my blog. I review a lot of children's eBooks that don't make my blog because they aren't quite up to quality). 

I highly recommend this book for an adorable and meaningful bedtime story. 

I also recommend this book because of its unusual sales strategy: You can download the book for FREE (in four different formats) and if you want a full color hardcopy, it's only $5! I admire this unusual strategy! And it's so endearing, that I think the authors know we readers will want to touch the book. 

Here's a video about them explaining Creative Commons (for their Kickstarter project):

And did you notice their company name? The Brother's Whim! The author and illustrator are brothers. Can I give extra points for clever names on this one?

You can find them on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr (for full photos of the book) and their Brothers Whim website.

~Valerie Harmon