If You Were Me and Lived in..China: A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World, by Carole P. Roman

Title: If You Were Me and Lived in...China ~ A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World

Series: If You Were Me and Lived in...

Author: Carole P. Roman

Illustrator: Kelsea Wierenga

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Date: May 14, 2015

Paperback: 30 pages




My Take
I really like this, If You Were Me and Lived in..., series. I think it is the most created line of books that were ever created for children. To have them be able to "travel" from country to country through a book is an awesome way for them to learn. These books are packed with a lot of information. I will honestly say that I have learn quit a bit, from reading these with my child.

If You Were Me and Lived in...China shows a boy and a girl pointing to a world where you would be able to find china on a globe. Inside you will find an outline of China with a star where the capital of China, Beijing, is located. Then, begins the journey into China and all that it offers.

Your child will first lean about the history of China and how it received its name. They will also learn about the vegetation and the amount of people that reside there. Next, they will learn about Beijing and all its glory. From its expressways to its gardens and even the Forbidden City. You will learn about the names of family members, some names of toys, and the currency that is used. I thought the part of history and the giant terracotta was interesting as my daughter just learned about that this year in school. Up next is food, games and holidays, most importantly, the Chinese New Year.

What I like most about these books, besides the wonderful information, is the colourful pages. Also I like how there are one or two pages that have real life pictures mixed with cartoon pictures. I think this gives the reader a really good feel for how something might actually look over there. The pronunciation guide is a nice thing to have in the book too. My daughter has picked up a couple of words from different countries by reading these books. That is always a good thing.

So, if you haven't already heard of this series, which I am sure you have, you need to start purchasing them to have for you child's collection.

About the Author

Award winning author Carole P. Roman is a former teacher turned businesswomen. She has successfully run a family business with her husband. Her most favorite job is being grandmother to her many grandchildren. She currently lives on Long Island with her husband.

Her first book, "Captain No Beard - An Imaginary tale of a Pirate's Life" has been named to Kirkus Reviews' Best of 2012 as well garnered the star of remarkable merit. Three more Captain No Beard books are in the works. Also available, "I Want To Do Yoga Too," a children's introduction to yoga.

Anthony Ant Goes To Egypt, by Julie Bettendorf

Title: Anthony Ant Goes to Egypt

Author: Julie Bettendorf

Publisher: Outskirt Press

Date: November 30, 2014

Paperback: 31 pages

Genre: Juvenile Fiction/ Humorous Stories




About the Book
Where Will Anthony Ant Go Next?

Anthony Ant knows how to travel in style—since he’s so small, he can go just about anywhere, unnoticed! This time, he curls up in a suitcase and gets out in Egypt, ready for the fabulous adventure of a lifetime. Anthony Ant is in Cairo, Egypt…and luckily he meets an expert tour guide, Babu Beetle. Together they explore Egypt’s history, culture, and food, with adventures including a camel ride, and a visit to the famous pyramids…and more! The second book in the Anthony Ant series continues to introduce kids to the excitement of world travel, with an enjoyable companion who is ready to share his experiences.


My Take
This a really cute book. If your children like books that rhyme, which I am sure most children do, they will like this one. The story is about a little ant that travels through Egypt. While you follow the ant traveling through Egypt, your children will learn different things about the country. For starters, they will learn about the capital, different foods that can be eaten there, how they travel, some sights you would see, and what one would buy in the market place.

Another nice thing about this book are the illustrations. They are very colourful and the pictures will draw the attention of any child into the book. There are people of different nationalities in the book, which I fell will help children identify a little more with the story.

If you are looking for a nice book to cuddle with your child and read, this is the one.

This complimentary book was given to me by Bostick Communications and the author for an honest review.




About the Author
Julie Bettendorf is an enthusiastic world traveler, with a background in history and a degree in archaeology. Through her books, she shares the wonderful world of travel with children and their parents, as Anthony Ant teaches kids about other cultures, customs, and traditions. When Julie is not traveling with her daughter Erin and son Max, she lives in central Oregon.

Traveling With Food Allergies

I was on the internet the other day reading various articles on traveling with food allergies. I love to travel, but it does make it somewhat harder when taking my daughter's allergies into consideration.

I remember one time when we flew to Seattle, Washington for a visit. We were out walking around and it was close to dinner time and we hadn't eaten yet. She was getting hungry, so I stopped by the nearest McDonald's (this is a treat for her because we do not do fast food places). In the middle of our order she noticed that the buns had seeds on them. Where we live they don't have them on the kid's buns, so I assumed it would be the same there. I was wrong. I should have inquired before placing an order. This just goes to show you that just because it is the same "restaurant" they may not prepare their food the same way.

I also read where some people were talking about traveling to different countries and having to deal with food allergies. Sometime ago I was thinking about moving to Scotland for awhile (just the thought of it makes me want to hop on a plane). So I thought to do extensive research on the types of food that they had in restaurants over there.  Most of the places she would be okay to eat in. I also looked into what types of grocery stores they had to offer also. I primarily shop for organic foods, so that would have to be a big option for me. It makes you realize how easy it is for people who don't have to worry about food can just up and go pretty much where they want. But for those who have food allergies or have kids that have them, must take an extra step in order to make sure their lives or their love one's life is safe.

During further reading, I discovered that in some countries it can take up to two months to get an epi pen replaced. It would be terrible to be somewhere and have used the epi pens that you have and not be able to get a replacement for them. I know of one person who traveled to another country and took about 4 epi pens with her family so that they could be covered. Now if you are a neurotic mother like me when it comes to the food that passes your child's mouth, then 9 out of 10 times you probably won't need to use the epi pens, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Even though my daughter's food allergies aren't as severe as other kids, I still take it seriously and try to protect her as best as I can. I feel that it is highly important for her to be well traveled and will not let her food allergies stop that from happening. I just tend to be extra cautious and take as much food with me, that is safe for her, that they will allow me to carry in our suitcases.