Sunday, March 6, 2011

My Name Is Not Alexander by Jennifer Fosberry Review & Giveaway

My Name Is Not Alexander My Name Is Not Alexander
by Jennifer Fosberry
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
ISBN: 978-1-4022-5433-8
Release Date: March 11

About the Book:

Jennifer Fosberry’s new book follows a young boy on an imaginary trip through history as he pretends to be some of the innovative men who influenced and shaped our world.

Just how big can a little kid dream?

Ask Alexander, as he takes a wild ride and discovers the sky’s the limit!

Through Alexander’s imaginative journey, he discovers how great men become heroes:

  • The roughest rider can be surprisingly gentle (Theodore Roosevelt)
  • A strong leader is also the most peaceful (Chief Joseph)
  • Being brave about what makes you different will not only help you break records, but inspire others (Jackie Robinson)
  • A curious mind can lead to new discoveries (Thomas Edison)
  • Being creative and trying new things can motivate others (Fred Astaire)
  • And sometimes our biggest hero is closest to home (Daddy)

My Review:

There is so much to love about My Name Is Not Alexander I don’t know where to start so I’ll jump right in.

The front cover will give you an idea of who you might be learning about in the story: a baseball player, an Indian, and more.

Alexander wakes up in the morning and is no longer Alexander in his mind. He starts off his morning as Theodore Roosevelt. There are things in the book I don’t want to give away. Things such as Alexander’s bear. Pay attention to him on each page.

I love how each location is partly Alexander’s true location and the other half, well, it’s part of his imagination.

You have to spend time on each page, because breezing through it you will miss amazing and fun details. Such as the Thomas Edison page. Look it over. You’ll be surprised at all the things you see.

And with each new character Alexander becomes, the page has a fun font that highlights the “Men Who Changed The World”. When he’s Alexander, one side of the page gives you a picture about what he and his dad will be doing next.

Speaking of Alexander’s dad, I love, love, love how he goes along with Alexander’s imaginative play. He’s so encouraging and just responds to each new character as they pop up.

At the end of the book are two pages highlighting each of the Men who were imagined by Alexander with a photo and a description of their lives. I love the last one the most.

To say I highly recommend My Name Is Not Alexander being in your family’s library is an understatement. I will be holding on to my book to share with my future grandkids since my boys are a bit old for it. I enjoyed everything about it!

About the Author:

Jennifer Fosberry Jennifer Fosberry is a science geek turned children’s book writer. After working in the high-tech industry in Silicon Valley and running away to Costa Rica for a few years, she returned to the San Francisco Bay area to read, write, raise kids, and not do too much housework. She lives with her husband and three children and wishes for a puppy.

About the Illustrator:

Mike Litwin combines a variety of media to create scenes that serve the imagination and education of children. A graduate of the East Carolina University School of Art, he plays both designer and illustrator with an often wacky, always delightful style that uniquely blends playful innocence with devilish mischief. Illustrating and telling stories for children is his passion, his entertainment, and his dream. He currently lives in Greenville, North Carolina, with his wife and three daughters.

Required: Tell me what person in history you’d love to see Alexander pretend to be.

Giveaway open to US residents only 18 yrs or older. Please leave your email in the required entry or have it available in your profile. No email/contact = No entry. Giveaway ends 3/19/11 at 11:59 PST. Winner has 48 hours to respond.

Extra Entries:

Follow Woven by Words (1 entry)

Subscribe to Woven by Words (2 entries, comment 2x)

Follow me on Twitter (1 entry)

Tweet the giveaway (1 entry daily) “RT #Win My Name Is Not Alexander by Jennifer Fosberry. Just how big can a little kid dream? Wonderful book @bigguysmama http://bit.ly/eff9Yv“

*I’d like to thank Sourcebooks for my review book. The opinions expressed are my own and never influenced by the company.

Jennifer Fosberry will also be touring through the following locations to promote the launch of the book in March:

Thursday, March 10th
2:00 PM
Towne Center Books
555 Main Street
Pleasanton, CA 94566Phone: 925-846-8826
http://www.townecenterbooks.com/events.htm

Friday, March 11th
10:00 AM
Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista Boulevard
Corte Madera, CA 94925Phone: 415-927-0960
http://www.bookpassage.com/event/jennifer-fosberry-my-name-not-alexander

Saturday, March 12th
1:00 PM
Costco
43621 Pacific Commons Blvd
Fremont, CA 94538
Phone: 510-897-1092

Sunday, March 13th
11:30 AM
Kepler’s1010 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Phone: 650-324-4321
http://www.keplers.com/event/children-make-terrible-pets-storytime

Tuesday, March 15th
10:30 AM
Tattered Cover Book Store
2526 East Colfax Avenue
Denver, CO 80206Phone: 303-322-1965
http://www.tatteredcover.com/event/meet-author-storytime-jennifer-fosberry-my-name-not-isabella

Wednesday, March 16th
6:30 PM
Barnes & Noble, Pima & Shea location
Scottsdale Fiesta Shopping Center
10500 N. 90th Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Phone: 480-391-0048
http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/3086490

Thursday, March 17th
Time – TBD
Changing Hands Bookstore
6428 S McClintock Dr
Tempe, AZ 85283
Phone: 480-730-0205
http://www.changinghands.com/event/2011/03/14/month/all/all/1

Saturday, March 19th
11:00 AM
The King’s English Bookshop
1511 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84105
Phone: 801-484-9100
http://www.kingsenglish.com/event/jennifer-fosberry-and-my-name-not-alexander

Saturday, March 19th
1:00 PM
Barnes & Noble
1780 North Woodland Park Drive
Layton, UT 84041
Phone: 801-773-9973http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/3053383-32

Sunday, March 20th
3:30 PM
Books and Books
265 Aragon Avenue
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Phone: 305-444-9044
http://booksandbooks.com/jennifer-fosberry

Wednesday, March 23rd
4:00 PM
The Book Mark
299 Atlantic Blvd
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
Phone: 904-241-9026

Saturday, March 26th
10:00 AM
Doylestown Bookshop
16 S Main Street
Doylestown, PA
Phone: 215-230-7610
http://www.doylestownbookshop.com/event/fosberry/032511

at

40 comments:

  1. Kaye Swain - SandwichINK for Grandparents and CaregiversMarch 6, 2011 at 3:10 PM

    What an intriguing sounding book - delightful to share with my grandchildren! We love reading historical biographies and historical fiction together. I'm working through Trailblazers with my older grandson and would love something like this that would be more appropriate for my younger grandkids. Thanks for this fun blog giveaway. My email is SandwichINK@SandwichINK.com :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Domestic DivaMarch 6, 2011 at 4:14 PM

    I'd like to see him be Martin Luther King Jr.

    lovelydomesticdiva (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Linda KishMarch 6, 2011 at 5:45 PM

    Abraham Lincoln

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Linda KishMarch 6, 2011 at 5:46 PM

    I am a GFC follower

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  5. apple blossomMarch 7, 2011 at 10:45 AM

    Elvis

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  6. apple blossomMarch 7, 2011 at 10:45 AM

    gfc follower

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  7. apple blossomMarch 7, 2011 at 10:46 AM

    email subscriber
    entry #1

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  8. apple blossomMarch 7, 2011 at 10:46 AM

    email subscriber
    entry #2

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Kaye Swain - SandwichINK for Grandparents and CaregiversMarch 10, 2011 at 11:23 PM

    P.S. I just realized I forgot to add the character I'd like to see - I'd love to see him be Mozart. My granddaughter is studying him in school and that would be quite fascinating. Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
  10. slb3334March 16, 2011 at 11:42 AM

    Benjamin Franklin.

    slb3334@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Giant SisMarch 16, 2011 at 10:01 PM

    Winston Churchill
    wilburnnewsome atyahoodotcom

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousMarch 17, 2011 at 8:37 AM

    How about Thomas Jefferson.

    Ang
    ang_vaughan at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousMarch 17, 2011 at 8:38 AM

    I subscribe #1

    ang
    ang_vaughan at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousMarch 17, 2011 at 8:38 AM

    I subscribe #2

    ang
    ang_vaughan at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousMarch 17, 2011 at 8:39 AM

    I follow you on Twitter (@AngVaughan)

    ang
    ang_vaughan at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. NickolayMarch 17, 2011 at 12:12 PM

    Napoleon Bonaparte or Abraham Lincoln!

    jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  17. NickolayMarch 17, 2011 at 12:13 PM

    Follower

    Nickolay

    jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. NickolayMarch 17, 2011 at 12:17 PM

    Tweeted

    http://twitter.com/parkerozgood/status/48417656017133568

    jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  19. ChristinaMarch 17, 2011 at 3:30 PM

    Christina - xristya@rock.com - I'd love to see him pretend to be P.T. Barnum!

    ReplyDelete
  20. AnonymousMarch 17, 2011 at 8:53 PM

    I think a young Charles Lindbergh would be an interesting one to look at.
    losweep@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. AnonymousMarch 18, 2011 at 7:43 PM

    Thomas Jefferson!

    theyyyguy@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. LesliMarch 19, 2011 at 12:25 AM

    I want to see him pretend to be Benjamin Franklin

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  23. LesliMarch 19, 2011 at 12:27 AM

    I follow this blog via Google Friend Connect {Lesli}

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  24. LesliMarch 19, 2011 at 12:28 AM

    I am a subscriber via email 1

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  25. LesliMarch 19, 2011 at 12:28 AM

    I am a subscriber via email 2

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  26. LesliMarch 19, 2011 at 12:28 AM

    I follow you on Twitter.

    My Twitter ID is @alittleumbrella

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  27. LesliMarch 19, 2011 at 12:29 AM

    Tweet

    http://twitter.com/#!/alittleumbrella/status/48963974439518208

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  28. esldiane@gmail.comMarch 19, 2011 at 4:29 PM

    This is for Andrew
    Diane Baum
    esldiane@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. TylerpantsMarch 19, 2011 at 7:36 PM

    I'd like to see him be Albert Einstein. tylerpants(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  30. TylerpantsMarch 19, 2011 at 7:36 PM

    I'm a GFC follower. tylerpants(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. TylerpantsMarch 19, 2011 at 7:36 PM

    I'm an email subscriber. tylerpants(at)gmail.com #2

    ReplyDelete
  32. susansmoaksMarch 19, 2011 at 8:22 PM

    i would like alexander to pretend to be bob marley
    susansmoaks at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  33. HannahAchrissmileMarch 19, 2011 at 11:12 PM

    hmm I'd like to see him be abraham lincoln!
    aigcanada7 {at} hotmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  34. HannahAchrissmileMarch 19, 2011 at 11:14 PM

    ­­­­­I follow on GFC ( hannah . chrinahxxx@..)

    aigcanada7 hotmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  35. HannahAchrissmileMarch 19, 2011 at 11:14 PM

    follow you on twitter (achrissmile)

    aigcanada7 ]at] hotmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  36. HannahAchrissmileMarch 19, 2011 at 11:15 PM

    http://twitter.com/#!/achrissmile/status/49307712521109505

    aigcanada7 {at} hotmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  37. ♡♥♬ Raven In A Blue Room ♬♥♡March 22, 2011 at 7:23 PM

    maybe he could pretend to be Benjamin Franklin

    Thank you for hosting this giveaway

    Louis
    schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com

    ReplyDelete
  38. ♡♥♬ Raven In A Blue Room ♬♥♡March 22, 2011 at 7:23 PM

    Google Friends Connect - following your blog publicly as Louis

    schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com

    ReplyDelete
  39. ♡♥♬ Raven In A Blue Room ♬♥♡March 22, 2011 at 7:24 PM

    following you on twitter @left_the_stars

    schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com

    ReplyDelete
  40. ♡♥♬ Raven In A Blue Room ♬♥♡March 22, 2011 at 7:24 PM

    I tweeted your giveaway

    schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to comment!