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The Children’s Book Review | April 17, 2015 Enter to win a complete autographed set of the If You Were Me series, by award-winning author Carole P. Roman; including If You Were Me and Lived in … Scotland: A Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the World! One (1) winner receives the grand prize: An autographed set of Carole P. Roman’s If […]

Bella and Harry, two friendly Chihuahuas, visit countries around the world with their family of people. In this edition, Bella and Harry visit Rome, Italy.

Enter to win a full autographed set of the If You Were Me series, by award-winning author Carole P. Roman; including the newest addition If You Were Me and Lived in … Hungary: A Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the World! Giveaway begins January 24, 2015, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends February 23, 2015, at 11:59 P.M. PST.

Carol P. Roman’s If You Were Me and Lived in … Hungary: A Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the World is the thirteenth in her series briefly introducing young readers to our world’s diverse cultures.

Eleventh in her children’s cultural series, Carol P. Roman’s If You Were Me and Lived in … Greece: A Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the World takes her young readers to Southern Europe and the tiny island of Greece.

Lara’s Gift is a step back in time to Imperial Russia, before the revolution of 1917. O’Brien captures the realities of the count’s estate, the clothing and lavish interiors, the grand kennels and stables, the lush celebrations, the intricate relationship between nobles and servants—and the longings of a peasant girl trapped by traditions and superstitions.

Enter to win a full autographed set of the If You Were Me series, by award-winning author Carole P. Roman; including the newest addition If You Were Me and Lived in … Portugal: An Introduction to Learning About Other Cultures! Giveaway begins July 18, 2014, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends August 17, 2014, at 11:59 P.M. PST.

Discover the western European country of Portugal with award-winning author and former social studies teacher Carole P. Roman.

Enter to win a copy of The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia, by Candace Fleming. Giveaway begins July 9, 2014, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends August 8, 2014, at 11:59 P.M. PST.

This is a charming book in so many ways, and definitely fun for a family to enjoy together. It will appeal to readers ages 5 to 8, who like stories about Spanish culture, stories about sisters, and surprising revelations about parents.

Author Showcase

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: August 16, 2012

Mirela Roznoveanu

Mirela Roznoveanu is a literary critic, writer, and journalist who has published novels, literary criticism, essays, and poetry. She was also noted as a dissident journalist during the turbulent period in Romania during the late eighties. We talked to Roznoveanu about her book Old Romanian Fairytales, in which she has translated the fairytales she loved as a child.

Bianca Schulze: Can you share a little on your background and describe the moments from your early days, which you would say define you as a writer?

Mirela Roznoveanu: I have always loved to read and this is the most important aspect of my life. I spent my early years reading intensely.  The books I came across in my childhood shaped my literary taste. I am grateful to my parents for this gift. From those books I learned not only the craft of writing but also the craft of living. The books I read have helped me win life’s battles and also helped me sustain hardships, go over obstacles, and deal with challenges. The story of my life is too complicated and complex, but it is part of my writing. For a writer, life is the primal matter of inspiration.

BS: In your book Old Romanian Fairytales, readers encounter fabulous fairies and Prince Charming, betrayal, competition and love; they also witness battles with dragons. The tales convey important lessons about morality and responsibility. What do you feel children who read your tales relate to the most?

MR: The fairy tales I have translated are the ones that I loved as a child. As I matured, they brought to me more and more meaning and significance. The rule of law is the most important lesson children learn from these stories. Through fabulous characters they also hear about kindness, courage, responsibility, respect, hard work that overcomes difficulties, and the way they have to relate to society by way of their actions as a whole. These are definitely crucial in shaping any child’s life.

BS: Which age group did you create this book for?

MR: In a way it could be any reader of any age. The older you are the more philosophical meanings you discover in them. Fairy tales were meant in olden times to convey to society and to its future not only the knowledge but also the deep meanings of existence. And these meanings are alive today as well.

BS: The artwork on the pages is colorful and imaginative. How did you select Alexandra Conte to be the illustrator?

MR: Alexandra is my friend and a wonderful writer. She illustrated her books for children and those illustrations mesmerized me; so I asked her to illustrate my book and she

Author Showcase

The Children’s Book Review
Published: August 16, 2012

The present book of English translations by Mirela Roznoveanu, titled Old Romanian Fairy Tales, with illustrations by Alexandra Conte captures and conveys great narratives of the Romanian folklore. This is a book for all libraries that carries children’s books with collections of cultural studies, folklore, and cultural anthropology.

In Pinky the Brave, a King has three sons and one of the most beautiful gardens on earth. In this garden there is an apple tree with golden apples, but the King has never been able to taste them because every year they are stolen. Many heroes have tried to catch the thief but they have not succeeded, and among them there have been even two sons of the King. Finally, Pinky, the youngest prince, decided to try himself to catch the thieves and from this point on he engages in incredible adventures. Soon he finds himself close to an abyss, the portal to the other world. Pinky has the courage to go down, and once there, he encounters three palaces belonging to three dragons. And this is only the beginning of his trials.  

Fairy Princess Ileana is the story of the daughter of an old king without male heirs; disguised as a brave prince, she goes to serve another powerful king. On the road, the princess disguised as a brave young prince obtains a magic horse, the brother of the magic horse of her old father.  She also finds a golden tress lost by Fairy Princess Ileana. From this moment on the fairy tale will uncover a path no other fairy tales have touched upon before.

In Shinylocks the Brave the entire kingdom of the Red King is immersed in darkness because the ogres had stolen the sun and the moon. The Red King has promised his daughter and half of his kingdom to the one able to recover the sun and the moon from the ogres but all who have tried had been defeated. Shinylocks the Brave starts his own quest, with the Red King’s permission and the way he will succeed is startling and unexpected.

There is a Green King who rules at one edge of the earth in <