With rollicking rhymes and fanciful images, this adorable picture book celebrates the special relationship between mothers and their children. Filled with stories of all kinds of mommies-like pilots and artists and scientists-this book shows how modern mothers still treasure that precious time spent together at home. A perfect book for moms and kids to enjoy this Mother’s Day or any time of the year!

Alison Benson Moulton has run the early literacy program for babies at Caldwell Public Library for five years. She brings arts to her community as the executive director of Caldwell Fine Arts, where she manages a performing arts series and educational outreach programs. After graduating magna cum laude from Brigham Young University in Family Science with a minor in English, Alison was a child abuse prevention specialist and grant writer, for the Family Support and Treatment Center in Orem, Utah. After moving to the Navajo Reservation, she was an adjunct instructor at Dine College. Another move brought her to Florida, where she worked at Girls and Boys Town as a foster parent to 20 teenage girls. Since settling in Idaho, she has written songs for two albums for the New York Times Bestselling author, Marla Cilley (The FlyLady) and two albums for country singer Eric Dodge. For two years, she was a guest blogger for a weekly family life post on the popular blog athriftymom.com.
Kinsey Beckett received a BFA in illustration from Brigham Young University. While at BYU, she took a variety of design classes and interned at the Chiodo Bros, an animation studio in Burbank, California. Kinsey works in traditional media, such as acrylic paints, but also is proficient at graphic design and stop-motion animation. Her professional work includes an animated short for Glenn Beck’s national TV show, and illustrations for clients such as Protection 1, Brite Energy, and LinkedIn.

Author Alison Moulton and illustrator Kinsey Beckett have come together and created a beautiful book for children.  This story celebrates the relationships that mom’s have with their precious children.  The basic, fun and engaging story, as well as the brilliant and brightly colored pages will capture the attention of preschool and elementary children from page one.  The lovely pictures create the perfect complement to the story too.
 
Genre: children’s, picture book
Publisher: Sweetwater Books a division of Cedar Fort Publications
Publication date: March 1, 2017
Number of pages: 32
Category: Preschool +
Content Rating: G
Book Rating: 5 stars

April 10: A Thrifty Mom
April 11:
April 12: Favorite Family Recipes
April 13: Min Reads and Reviews
April 14: My Book A Day
April 15:
April 16: My Love for Reading Keeps Growing
April 17: Become A Coupon Queen
April 18: On The Border
April 19: Free Time Frolics
April 20: Imaginary Reads
April 21: Rockin Book Reviews
April 22:
April 23: She Knows
April 24: Singing Librarian
April 25: Sweetly Made (just for you)

​The summer after Andi Carter turns nine the circus comes to town. She can't wait to get in line to see the elephants, acrobats, and--most of all--the champion bareback rider. What could be more thrilling than riding your very own horse under the big top?

When the Carters see the show, Andi meets Henry Jackson, a small boy selling concessions. Andi thinks his job must be perfect, hanging out with happy clowns, exotic animals, and excited visitors. But it's not all fun and games. Henry shares a secret with Andi: he ran away from home to join the circus--and now he's trapped. Andi wants to help him get free. But helping him may mean losing something very special to her.

​I started writing stories when I was about ten years old. I never intended to become a published author. I just liked writing stories for myself and for my younger sister, Julie. Once I began sharing my stories outside my family, enough people encouraged me to submit to publishers. They wouldn't let me give up! With the publication of the first book in my Circle C Adventures, Andrea Carter and the Long Ride Home, I  discovered that is really is more fun to share my stories with others then to keep them to myself. Besides the Circle C Adventures, I've gone on to write the Circle C Beginnings (a young Andi Carter), the new Circle C Milestones (a teen Andrea Carter), Tales from the Circle C Ranch (a collection of short stories from Andi's point of view), and the Goldtown Adventures, gold-rush adventures geared more toward boys.

I have a degree in elementary education and love to teach. I taught in Christian schools before I began home schooling. After twenty years, I've finished home schooling but find myself "back in the saddle" as I help other homeschooling families, including my grandchildren. I teach writing workshops for kids, speak at public and Christian schools about the writing process, am a freelance editor, enjoy my ten grandkids, and . . . write stories, of course.

I've had a lot of fun writing about Andi Carter's adventures in the 1800s. In this picture I'm enjoying some time with Star ("Taffy"). I wish Star were mine, but he belongs to my friend Vicki, who generously let me hang out at her stables and take pictures of "Taffy" and "Dixie" (the pinto horse, Patches, in Andrea Carter and the Family Secret). 

​GOODREADS | AMAZON | WEBSITE

Book two in the Circle C Beginning Series, Andi Under the Big Top, is yet again another fantastic historical fiction story about Andi Carter and her adventures.  This story is focused on Andi’s adventures and thrills of the circus.  It is fun, well-written, enjoyable and entertaining. Young readers will love Andi’s relationship with her horse, Taffy, as well as delight in joining Andi in her adventures.  This book is an excellent read for children that enjoy historical fiction and stories with strong family and animal relationships.
 
Series: Circle C Stepping Stones
Genre: animals, horses, history, family, children’s
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Publication date: March 28, 2017
Number of pages: 114
Category: Middle Grade
Content Rating: G
Book Rating: 5 stars

Other books in the series:
1-Andi Saddles Up

A review copy of this book was provided by Kregel Publications.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

​Andi Carter has just turned nine--which means she and her palomino, Taffy, are old enough to be a real horse-and-rider pair at last! With a beautiful new saddle as a birthday present, Andi's sure she's ready to learn to trick ride like her friend Riley, even if her older brother Chad doesn't agree.
Riding to a secret spot her brother doesn't know about to practice, Andi finds a new friend to play with. But her fun friendship with Sadie is put to the test when they discover that their families are caught in a boundary dispute. Both Sadie's pa and Chad are stubborn as mules and each is convinced he's right. Can Andi and Sadie hang on to their friendship in the midst of this adult fight?

I started writing stories when I was about ten years old. I never intended to become a published author. I just liked writing stories for myself and for my younger sister, Julie. Once I began sharing my stories outside my family, enough people encouraged me to submit to publishers. They wouldn't let me give up! With the publication of the first book in my Circle C Adventures, Andrea Carter and the Long Ride Home, I  discovered that is really is more fun to share my stories with others then to keep them to myself. Besides the Circle C Adventures, I've gone on to write the Circle C Beginnings (a young Andi Carter), the new Circle C Milestones (a teen Andrea Carter), Tales from the Circle C Ranch (a collection of short stories from Andi's point of view), and the Goldtown Adventures, gold-rush adventures geared more toward boys.

I have a degree in elementary education and love to teach. I taught in Christian schools before I began home schooling. After twenty years, I've finished home schooling but find myself "back in the saddle" as I help other homeschooling families, including my grandchildren. I teach writing workshops for kids, speak at public and Christian schools about the writing process, am a freelance editor, enjoy my ten grandkids, and . . . write stories, of course.

I've had a lot of fun writing about Andi Carter's adventures in the 1800s. In this picture I'm enjoying some time with Star ("Taffy"). I wish Star were mine, but he belongs to my friend Vicki, who generously let me hang out at her stables and take pictures of "Taffy" and "Dixie" (the pinto horse, Patches, in Andrea Carter and the Family Secret). 

The first book in the Circle C Beginning Series, Andi Saddles Up is a cute historical fiction story about a girl and her horse that beginning readers will love.  This story has a huge family focus, as well as human animal relationships.  It is well-written, entertaining, and engaging.  With a bit of adventure and drama added into the mix.  Children will immediately fall in love with the happy main character, Andi Carter and her adventures.  These young reader chapter books are an excellent read for children that enjoy historical fiction.
 
Series: Circle C Stepping Stones
Genre: animals, horses, history, family, children’s
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Publication date: March 28, 2017
Number of pages: 112
Category: Middle Grade
Content Rating: G
Book Rating: 5 stars

Other books in the series:
2-Andi Under the Big Top
​
A review copy of this book was provided by Kregel Publications.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.