Product Details 

• Title : Dangerous Days Of Daniel X 
• Author : James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (Contributor)
• Genre : Science Fiction & Fantasy
• ISBN-10: 0316002925
• ISBN-13: 978-0316002929

Thanks to Mother Talk, we had the awesome opportunity to review this book – The Dangerous Days Of Daniel X. By “we”, I had planned to have my 8 year old son read this book and share his opinion with me. However, upon receiving the book, I figured it was too advance for his reading level.

Oh well, I decided to read the book on my own to fulfill my review obligation. Little did I know that I was reading chapter after chapter and had to reluctantly put the book away after spending the entire one hour office lunch time reading it! I’m not sure whether to be embarassed as I was definitely intrigued by a book meant to encourage reading for the tween to teen age category (though it does say that the book is catered for all ages).

The Story

The book starts with the brutal murder of Daniel X’s parents, by aliens when he was just 3 years old. Since then, it has been his mission to find the murderer as well as to carry on his parents’ legacy, which is to hunt down all the aliens in “The List”.

Fifteen year old alien hunter Daniel has the power to transform and create as well as telepathic abilities but was that enough to wipe out Prayer, his ultimate Target? Now, that’s the part you need to read to know

Verdict

I have to admit that I’ve never read a James Patterson book before, so there was nothing for me to benchmark his books on. Personally, I found this book a fun and entertaining popcorn fiction read. Being a die hard American Idol fan, I had a good laugh when Daniel mentioned that Sanjaya Malakar was probably another alien or from out of this world! I also enjoyed the character Daniel X as he was portrayed like any average teenager,  sometimes cocky, vulnerable to crushes but yet possesses an endearing personality.

Although the book is geared for all ages of readers, I actually  felt that due to the simple plot and easy to follow storyline, it should ideally be targetted at kids of age 10-12. For the older teens and adults, they would probably expect more thrill, suspense and fast paced action out of a science fiction novel.

Overall, I would rate if a 7 out of 10. I throughly enjoyed The Dangerous Days Of Daniel X and will be looking out for its’ sequel.

 GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Gone were the days when grandparents had no clue to the world of internet. These days, even grandparents are going online via service provider like Skype to chat with their love ones  who may be residing hundreds or thousands of miles away.

With the launch of Grandparent Games by respected educator, Dr.Roger Schank (who is also a grandparent himself), grandparents with grandchildren under the age of three will be able to utilize this interactive resource site to communicate and interact together online. Set up is easy and the site is user friendly which makes it easily accessible even to novice computer users.

Grandparent and grandchildren can connect via easy to use web based video and voice connection. On top of that, Grandparent Games enables grandparents to share some fun, laughter as well as knowledge through the following activites:

• Pictures for Little Ones - Moving objects that capture babies’ attention and make them laugh
• Alphabet Fun
• Reading Games
• Math Games
• Explore The World
• Interactive Games

Imagine being able to track and guide your grandkids through one-on-one edutainment activities.  This way, Grandparents will be able to stay in touch and always be part of their grandkids’ lives. You’ll never feel left out again!

Signing up is easy – All you need is to provide the grandparent’s email address and a display name that will be shown to the gradparent during each meeting.  Why not give the 30 day free trial a try? Just click here to get started. Alternatively, grandparents can stay connected through a monthly membership of $9.95 per month of $75.00 per year. For more information visit http://www.grandparentgames.com.

WIN A ONE YEAR MEMBERSHIP WORTH $75

• Stumble Upon This Post With A Review
• Tell me in the comment below why you want to win this!
• Two winners will be selected based on the best “want-to-win” reasons.
• Contest closes on 23rd September 2008. Result will be announced within 3 working days from the date the contest closes.

Last fall, Sprint & the NBC television partnered on the “Create Your Hero” contest, joining more than one million people in control of creating the next Hero from scratch. Now it’s your turn to decide. Audrey or Santiago? Which hero will star in a new online live-action series.

Check out the video below and see what the crowd was buzzing about at the recent Comic Con 2008.

Remember, you have the power to decide - Hurry and vote for your new Hero here!

Now that it’s the school holidays here, my son is looking forward to one of his favourite activity, computer games! I’m one mommy who is very firm about the type of games he plays as I do not want him to be addictive to the ones that do not promote learning. Furthermore, our virtual world is not as safe as it used to be.

Thus, when I stumbled upon Woogi World, a virtual world catered for elementary age children, I was happy to try it out. If you opt for the basic membership, it is FREE whereas for Woogi Honors, it cost $6.95 per month. The sign up process requires a parent to verify and at the same time, parents also have control over the child’s option to chat. These steps definitely gets the thumbs up from me.

Here are some of the benefits of using Woogi World:

1. Founded by Scott Dow, Woogi World focuses on teaching children how to interact properly online, and prepares them to become global goodwill ambassadors.

2. It motivates them (through points and prizes), to apply their learning through offline experiences.

3. Woogi World games, activities and adventures teach and promote positive behavior and character development.

4. Woogi World has also partnered with several national corporations like Studies Weekly and Walden, they will feature a Woogi Music Club, Math Club, Science Club, Writer’s Club, Reading Club – offering a book of the month program with special access codes and so much more for academics.

In a nutshell, Woogi World offers a very safe environment for kids to get connected, socialize, and even keep up to date on the world around them. So, why not come see for yourself what the buzz is all about!

Gone were the days when parents and students had to rush to Wal Mart to purchase all those back to school supplies. With the convenience of online store like EZ School Supplies, shopping for those necessary school stationeries have become less stressful and so hassle free.

EZ School Supplies carries top brand name stationeries only and gives shoppers further assurance with a guarantee policy where customers can request for a refund if they are not satisfied with their purchase. Besides that, they have a program where schools can register and create their own list of supplies required. This will help ease the purchasing process for parents of students, who can simply follow the list and not miss out any supplies or buy the wrong ones. Schools who register will in turn get a 10% of the net sales. Isn’t that a Win-Win situation for everyone?

Why wait till the last minute? Check out EZ School Supplies for your back to school supplies and get 10% off purchases by using Promo Code “EZMB003“.

I must admit I jumped at the chance when offered to review author Harlan Cohen’s new book, Dad’s Pregnant Too. Afterall, who have not heard of this bestselling author who is also a nationally syndicated advice columnist. No? Perhaps his other bestselling book The Naked Roommate may ring a bell. I can hear the “Ahhhhhhhhh” now *grins*.

I’ve got to admit, most pregnancy books are catered for women so, Dad’s Pregnant Too! would make a wonderful guide for any dad-to-be. Being a woman myself, I know for a fact that when I was first pregnant, I was clueless about my impending role of motherhood if not for the help and advice from friends, families and most importantly, books!

Dad’s Pregnant Too! features more than 100 tips for expectant dads with step-by-step guide, advice and pictures. I love the fact that medically reviewed pictures of baby’s development are also included in this book. Who else knows better than us that men, being the typical M-E-N rarely talk about their insecurities during the pregnancy months. Instead of being left to wonder about what the next nine months of pregnancy will mean for them, this book will help men to understand their partner and what’s really going on inside her belly.

Dad’s Pregnant Too! scores extra brownie points for:

• Teaching the expectant dads that they need to treat their partner well as a pregnant woman needs to feel as good as she feels big

• Providing expectant dads an insight into the different minds of a pregnant woman.

• Preparing them to face the truth – that the first 2-3 months after the arrival of baby might be extremely stressful and exhausting though things will be spectacular in the next few months after that.

Many a times when I read this book, I would burst out in giggles as the author is witty and hilarious while not losing sight of factual information. Dad’s Pregnant Too! is so much FUN to read and I wish we had it eight years ago when I was first pregnant. It’s definitely THE essential guide, packed with the best advice for expectant couples from the experts and parents who have been there before.

BUY IT HERE for yourself, your partner or even as a gift for a friend.

My son had so much fun playing the Bugaboo Bugs that he was really looking forward to reviewing Romaine’s New Hat with me. Romaine’s New Hat is another of Mia’s Big Adventure Collection targetted for kids of age group 6-10 years.

I have to admit that Romaine’s New Hat did not disappoint me as far as graphics is concerned. The animations are beautiful and the 3D graphics is exceptional, to say the least.

The story starts with Mia (who had secretly “borrowed” her mother’s new hat), being washed away in a sudden torrential downpour. Her mother’s hat slips away down the sewer where a rat by the name of Romaine finds it. The player’s task is to help Mia get the hat back before her mom calls her home.

Similar to The Bugaboo Bugs, Romaine’s New Hat starts with players leading Mia through the house and garden to find articles in order to complete a quest. Along the way, players need to complete challenging activities to get one step closer to their goal. There are four levels of difficulty and Romaine’s New Hat appears more challenging to my 8 years old.

I like that the educational  aspect focusing on science is seamlessly integrated into the game which makes the learning process easy and fun.  Through this game, I can also gauge my son’s level of science knowledge as it tests players on topics like The Solar System, Weather and Clouds, Electricity and Magnetism, The Human Body and more.

We are definitely giving this game a TWO THUMBS UP! Trust me, I’m not a big fan of computer games but Mia’s Adventure Collection are simply edutainment at its best.

BUY IT HERE!

The first time I set my eyes on the book, I was truly mesmerized by it. The picture above does not do it any justice. The artwork on the cover itself was so beautifully done and I was glad it came in hardcover so that when my little girl is old enough to read it, I can pass it on to her. For now, I just have to be contend to read it to her during bedtime.

The Fairy Foals is about the mystical journey of Suzanah, the main character in the book(who is also the author of the book), into the world of amazing tiny creatures called Fairy Foals. At the age of 40, Suzannah inherited her grandmother’s house which comes with a beautiful garden.  One day, while out exploring the garden, she discovered an exquisitely tiny horse with butterfly wings caught in a spider’s web. Read on and discover her extraordinary journey…..

The Fairy Foals is a gorgeous sketchbook and journal, coupled with adventure, friendship and beautiful poems. Ideal for those who enjoys magical and candid stories. I myself enjoyed the breathtaking illustrations which comes in wonderful vivid colours. If you are looking for a gift for a girl, a horse-lover or someone who loves art, this book would be the perfect choice!