#Children’s Readathon – Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Author James Cudney is hosting a Children’s book Readathon over at his blog, This is my Truth now. This week I chose to review Number the Stars by Lois Lowry . You can read Jay’s lovely review of Winnie the Pooh here: https://thisismytruthnow.com/2018/08/17/book-review-winnie-the-pooh-by-a-a-milne/

Number the stars

Number the stars is a wonderful story about bravery and friendship. It is set in occupied Denmark during WWII and tells the story of two families, the Johansen’s and the Rosen’s. The Johansen’s are Danish and Christian and the Rosen’s are Danish and Jewish. The families live in the same apartment block in Coppenhagen and are very good friends.

The book discloses a lot of interesting facts about life in Coppenhagen during WWII including the food and other shortages. I learned an awful lot about the war in this small European country through reading this book such as:

• In 1943, the Danish resistance movement rescued all but 500 of its Jewish population of 7 000 to 8 000 from being sent to Nazi concentration camps by transporting them to neutral Sweden where they were offered asylum.
• Denmark surrendered to the German invaders in 1940 as the King, Christian X, did not want to subject his people to a slaughter. He knew his army was no match for the Germans.
• In August 1943, the Danes sank their entire navy in Copenhagen harbour as the German’s approached to take the ships over for their own use.

There are some other fascinating historical facts included in this book that I won’t reveal as they would be spoilers.

When the Jews are warned by their Rabbi at the Jewish New Year Celebration that the Nazi’s were going to start rounding them up for deportation that night, Annemarie Johansen and Ellen Rosen are thrown into turmoil as both families act together to save the Rosen’s from deportation and smuggle them to Sweden.

This book is for children aged 8 to 12 years old and is a wonderful way to introduce this age group to the horrors of war in an appropriate way. The book is not at all graphic but it does convey the fear and tragedy that is war.

This book won the Newbery Award.

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Children’s Readathon – Robbie Cheadle’s Fondant Art

I am visiting Jay Cudney at This is my truth now blog for the Children’s Readathon. I am demonstrating how to make a hibiscus flower out of fondant. Thank you Jay for having me over.

This Is My Truth Now

I’m hosting a children’s book readathon in the month of August 2018. We’re reading 2 or 3 books each week ranging from children’s pictures to young adult novels, including a few award winners and authors who blog. We’re currently in our second week reading 3 books that have either won the Caldecott or Newbery honors. To learn more, check out the main page at the Children’s Book Readathon.

Throughout the month, we’ve highlighted books from Robbie Cheadle, a wonderful and talented author who has at least a dozen extraordinary books she co-writes and co-designs with her children. Check out previous posts on her author spotlight and latest short story. Today, we’re in for a special treat as Robbie shares with us some baking tips… and knowing how amazing all the dessert photos look from her blog and books, this is one we’re all gonna want to read and…

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#Thursday photo prompt – Blossoms

The first signs of Spring

Delicate petals unfurl

Nature’s cycle starts

with visits from passing bees

and velvet winged butterflies

by Robbie Cheadle

Written for Sue Vincent’s Thursday photo prompt: https://scvincent.com/2018/08/09/thursday-photo-prompt-summer-writephoto/

#Poetrychallenge – Congregate and love

Colleen Chesebro hosts a weekly poetry challenge. You can read about it here: https://colleenchesebro.com/2018/08/13/colleens-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-recap-congregate-love-no-96-synonymsonly/

I am late… like the white rabbit…

Better late than never.

Here is mine:

When people gather

In an agitated state

They can easily

end up in a frenzied state

of anger and emotion

by Robbie Cheadle

 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Sunday Interview – Getting to Know You with Robbie Cheadle.

Thank you, Sally, for having me over for a visit to your amazing blog. I loved answering your fun questions.

Smorgasbord - Variety is the spice of life

Thank you for joining me today and I am sure that many of you already are connected to children’s author Robbie Cheadle, who writes story and cookbooks in the Sir Chocolate series with her equally talented son Michael.. The exciting news is that Robbie will be publishing a new book later this year set in wartime Britain, While the Bombs Fell. We can also expect another new release as part of a YA supernatural/horror series under the name of Roberta Eaton. Exciting times ahead.

Before we get to know Robbie a little better, here is the official word on this talented author and poet.

Robbie Cheadle was born in London in the United Kingdom. Her father died when she was three months old and her mother immigrated to South Africa with her tiny baby girl. Robbie has lived in Johannesburg, George and Cape Town in South Africa…

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