Starting with "what to do now that you are engaged," this handy little guide goes through different aspects of every stage from engagement through the honeymoon.

Some of the advice is common sense, and some covers things that might be overlooked with all of the bigger decisions that a modern wedding demands.  From the practical and mundane to the more romantic aspects, and even the potentially stressful (i.e. How to Write Your Vows - Or Not), all are treated with equal importance.  Not much, I'm guessing, is not touched on - including how to reschedule or cancel a wedding.  My one quibble is with an early section of Six Questions to Ask Your Intended.  Unless your acquaintance with your intended is very short (and perhaps that should be a concern?), it would be better to have some of these questions answered before the proposal.

The final section of the book is "The Checklist."  It is more than a checklist. It is also advice, summary and an index, with many bullet pointed items including a page reference that will make looking back for more detail extremely easy.  

Overall, this is a handy reference guide full of advice from engagement to the wedding and beyond.  The size (3 1/2" x 5 3/4"), as with all of these "should know" books from Quirk, is perfect for a pocket or purse, though you might prefer the option of an e-book on your smartphone.

This is an edited version of the review originally posted on my WordPress blog at http://wp.me/p5Tcfi-16I and refers to a copy I won from the publisher in a BookLikes giveaway. It includes only my honest opinion.  While reviews are encouraged, they are not required.

If I were to make a checklist of what I look for in a board book, I think that Busy, Busy! would hit them all.  

The story is lively, upbeat, reassuring with an unforced rhyming scheme that would be pleasant to read aloud multiple times.  There are things to talk about, like why pigs take mud baths.The illustrations are bright, cheerful, cute and kid friendly.  There are small details to discover, like a spider in her web.  

With a title that is easy to remember and fun for a toddler to say, the physical book itself feels sturdy, with rounded corners on the right side.  All of the pages are smooth and glossy, as is the cover, and the book is constructed in a way that it will easily lay flat when open to any page.  

Overall, this is a happy book with adorable animals and a message at the end that Mom might be busy, but she always has time to cuddle with her child.

5/5 stars, highly recommended and giftable, this could easily be a favorite for read-aloud and for toddlers to enjoy on their own.  A perfect choice for the board book set!

This is a copy of the review posted on my Wordpress blog at http://wp.me/p5Tcfi-Mo

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Worthy Publishing <http://worthypublishing.com>, through the First Look blog tour program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This is a joyful, adorable illustrated picture book that brings a freshness to the traditional hymn. Three siblings (the middle child is a ginger) frolic in idealic scenes, as they enjoy all of nature (including the purple mountains).

I really enjoyed this picture book, and think that the illustrations are sure to appeal to young children. I've always loved this particular hymn, so I was happy to see how well suited the artwork is to the lyrics. The nocturnal animals that appear at the end, when the family is tucked into their tent, made it even more personal for me (living in Oregon, I smell skunks quite frequently as I'm out and about).

An expanded review (for the First Looks blog tour) can be read on my wordpress blog at http://wp.me/p5Tcfi-uM

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Worthy Publishing , through the First Look blog tour program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This is a health and fitness devotional with 52 chapters or “Inspirations.” Each chapter begins with a bible verse related to the topic.  The meat of the chapter is the author's exploration of the topic that comes across as a message of encouragement, followed by a Power Prayer, a text box titled "Work Your Words" and a Healthy Hint.

What I have read of this devotional so far gives me hope that I can stay with it and that it will, at the very least, challenge me to rethink some of my attitudes and help me focus on positive steps I can take for my health.

While not all of the topics will be new and interesting to every reader, and there are perhaps a few too many exclamation points (the introduction alone has 11 in 2.5 pages!), the writing is friendly, personal and encouraging.

This is a well thought out book, full of encouragement and organized in a very usable way.  I'll be adding a reminder to my calendar to follow up on this review towards the end of the year.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Worthy Publishing <http://worthypublishing.com>, through the First Look blog tour program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” My complete review can be read at https://t.co/juWzsH9vc8

Take the story of the birth of Jesus and skip to the evening when Mary is attempting to lull her (in this version) fussy baby to sleep while animals and visitors are causing various levels of chaos, and you have the premise of this hardback picture book.  Written in verse and illustrated in earthy tones, heavy on the orange, this is the most visually active bedtime storybook I have ever seen.  The only real criticism I have (well, other than the fact that Mary is having a pretty bad hair day) is the depiction of the angels.  

I think this would be a great bedtime choice for the holiday season, and a fun supplement to the traditional telling of the Nativity story.  If, however, you prefer your Nativity story to always be completely serene and reverent, this is perhaps not the best choice.  

3/5 stars for well done rhyming text and dynamic illustrations.  Had the angels been depicted in a less "Godspell" way, I would have rated this as 3.5 or 4 stars.

An expanded version of this review can be found on my Wordpress blog at http://wp.me/p5Tcfi-7X

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”