I'm very excited to announce that the Franklin Community Center is my October nonprofit of the month!
Franklin Community Center, a non-profit human service agency in Saratoga Springs, provides basic needs and services to less fortunate individuals and families in an effort to promote healthy lifestyles and positive changes. The unique and comprehensive approach of Franklin Community Center fosters a sense of family for those in need, without the discomfort of bureaucratic paper work and prying questions. They offer guidance and advocacy, while providing a comfortable and friendly atmosphere. Their philosophy is to send people out the door with whatever they came in looking for.
The programs and services they offer include safe and affordable housing; a food pantry; free clothing and furniture distribution; advocacy and referral information; holiday assistance; teenage pregnant and parenting classes; and after school youth prevention program. As a 501 (c)(3) private, nonprofit, they rely heavily on community donations and fundraisers to continue their efficient and effective services, which searve over 2,000 individuals each year.
I'm donating 20% of my October online sales to the Franklin Community Center.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
New Releases!!
The Barefoot Books staff has been busy this month! Here's a quick overview of the fantastic new products that were just released:
Ages 6+, Hardcover, $19.99
Meet Mulla Nasruddin, a legendary character whose adventures and misadventures are enjoyed across the Islamic world. This witty collection of stories portrays his eccentric, engaging and irreverent character. Nasruddin always has a twinkle in his eye, a sliver of wisdom in his ramblings and a few good surprises up his sleeve!
The Shipwreck
Ages 10+, Paperback Chapter Book, $12.99
When his father is murdered, a young viking boy named Leiv stows away on a ship bound for Greenland to avenge the death. But when the boat is wrecked in a storm, his search for revenge becomes a struggle for survival. Find out what happens when Leiv is saved by an Inuit brother and sister and slowly becomes aware of a way of life and value system which centers around peace rather than war, showing a profound respect for the natural world.
The Snow Queen
Ages 8+, Paperback Chapter Book, $9.99
In this exquisitely illustrated retelling of a classic story by Hans Christian Andersen, an evil troll creates a mirror which reflects the bad and ugly sides of people. When shards of its glass enter a young boy, he is forced to reject his loving family and best friend Gerda. Helped by kind strangers and guided by her warm heart, Gerda makes the perilous journey to rescue her friend from the icy palace of the Snow Queen.
The Feathered Ogre
Ages 6+, Paperback Chapter Book, $7.99
This Italian tale tells how Pírolo, the king’s youngest gardener, sets out on an impossible quest which frightens even the bravest of the king’s knights. Can he steal a magic feather from the back of the terrifying Feathered Ogre who eats tasty boys and girls for his supper?
The Mother of Monsters
Ages 6+, Paperback Chapter Book, $7.99
Mischievous Ntombi, the chief’s daughter, isn’t at all afraid of the fearsome Ilunge River. But when she goes to swim there, she enrages the Mother of Monsters, with her gigantic head, bulging eyes and thick, slimy scales, causing more trouble than she could ever imagine!
The Abominable Snowman
Ages 6+, Paperback Chapter Book, $7.99
Ramay lives with his mother in the high mountains of the Himalayas. He is lazy, never helps at home and would rather spend his days dreaming. When his Mom is at her wit’s end, she tells Ramay to go away and he is not to come back until he has mended his ways. What will become of Ramay as he sets out, and whom will he encounter about this title: along the way?
The Terrible Chenoo
Ages 6+, Paperback Chapter Book, $7.99
Discover what happens when a brave woman and her husband are kind to a savage and terrible Chenoo. Instead of letting themselves be scared of this man-eating monster, they feed him caribou meat, provide him with clothes and make him snug and warm in their teepee. Can they melt his frozen heart?
Driving my Tractor Puzzle
Ages 3-6, $14.99
Two fun puzzles based on the popular singalong Driving my Tractor. The larger 12 piece puzzle shows a winter scene of the farmer picking up the animals in his tractor, while the smaller 24 piece puzzle shows a tractor scene in summer.
Portside Pirates! Puzzle
Ages 3-6, $14.99
Two enjoyable puzzles based on the popular singalong Portside Pirates! The larger 12 piece puzzle shows the pirates discovering treasure on a tropical island, while the smaller 24 piece puzzle shows the pirate crew on their ship with the Jolly Roger flying proudly.
Meet Mulla Nasruddin, a legendary character whose adventures and misadventures are enjoyed across the Islamic world. This witty collection of stories portrays his eccentric, engaging and irreverent character. Nasruddin always has a twinkle in his eye, a sliver of wisdom in his ramblings and a few good surprises up his sleeve!
The Shipwreck
Ages 10+, Paperback Chapter Book, $12.99
When his father is murdered, a young viking boy named Leiv stows away on a ship bound for Greenland to avenge the death. But when the boat is wrecked in a storm, his search for revenge becomes a struggle for survival. Find out what happens when Leiv is saved by an Inuit brother and sister and slowly becomes aware of a way of life and value system which centers around peace rather than war, showing a profound respect for the natural world.
The Snow Queen
Ages 8+, Paperback Chapter Book, $9.99
In this exquisitely illustrated retelling of a classic story by Hans Christian Andersen, an evil troll creates a mirror which reflects the bad and ugly sides of people. When shards of its glass enter a young boy, he is forced to reject his loving family and best friend Gerda. Helped by kind strangers and guided by her warm heart, Gerda makes the perilous journey to rescue her friend from the icy palace of the Snow Queen.
The Feathered Ogre
Ages 6+, Paperback Chapter Book, $7.99
This Italian tale tells how Pírolo, the king’s youngest gardener, sets out on an impossible quest which frightens even the bravest of the king’s knights. Can he steal a magic feather from the back of the terrifying Feathered Ogre who eats tasty boys and girls for his supper?
The Mother of Monsters
Ages 6+, Paperback Chapter Book, $7.99
Mischievous Ntombi, the chief’s daughter, isn’t at all afraid of the fearsome Ilunge River. But when she goes to swim there, she enrages the Mother of Monsters, with her gigantic head, bulging eyes and thick, slimy scales, causing more trouble than she could ever imagine!
The Abominable Snowman
Ages 6+, Paperback Chapter Book, $7.99
Ramay lives with his mother in the high mountains of the Himalayas. He is lazy, never helps at home and would rather spend his days dreaming. When his Mom is at her wit’s end, she tells Ramay to go away and he is not to come back until he has mended his ways. What will become of Ramay as he sets out, and whom will he encounter about this title: along the way?
The Terrible Chenoo
Ages 6+, Paperback Chapter Book, $7.99
Discover what happens when a brave woman and her husband are kind to a savage and terrible Chenoo. Instead of letting themselves be scared of this man-eating monster, they feed him caribou meat, provide him with clothes and make him snug and warm in their teepee. Can they melt his frozen heart?
Ages 3-6, $14.99
Two fun puzzles based on the popular singalong Driving my Tractor. The larger 12 piece puzzle shows a winter scene of the farmer picking up the animals in his tractor, while the smaller 24 piece puzzle shows a tractor scene in summer.
Ages 3-6, $14.99
Two enjoyable puzzles based on the popular singalong Portside Pirates! The larger 12 piece puzzle shows the pirates discovering treasure on a tropical island, while the smaller 24 piece puzzle shows the pirate crew on their ship with the Jolly Roger flying proudly.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
New Ambassador Starter Kit
If you've been considering becoming a Barefoot Books Ambassador, let me share a few thoughts to further entice you.
First, we're heading into the holiday season, the busiest time of year for all Ambassadors. Now is a great time to sign up and start scheduling home parties and community events while people are in the gift-buying mindset. In my experience, you'll see you business grow immediately during this time of year!
Second, I'm thrilled to share that Barefoot Books has just launched a new Ambassador Starter Kit, filled with the most valuable tools to get your business off the ground quickly and smoothly. It includes loads of marketing materials that you'll use to promote your Barefoot Books business, and several books and other products from each of the four Barefoot categories - Fun First Steps, Natural Child, Travel the World, and Tell Me a Story. The retail value of the Ambassador Starter Kit is $300, but new Ambassadors purchase it when they register for only $139.99. Although I've been an Ambassador for nearly a year, these kits are so great I'll be purchasing one for myself!
Interested in learning more about becoming a Barefoot Books Ambassador? Contact me for answers to your questions. Already convinced? Sign up here!
First, we're heading into the holiday season, the busiest time of year for all Ambassadors. Now is a great time to sign up and start scheduling home parties and community events while people are in the gift-buying mindset. In my experience, you'll see you business grow immediately during this time of year!
Second, I'm thrilled to share that Barefoot Books has just launched a new Ambassador Starter Kit, filled with the most valuable tools to get your business off the ground quickly and smoothly. It includes loads of marketing materials that you'll use to promote your Barefoot Books business, and several books and other products from each of the four Barefoot categories - Fun First Steps, Natural Child, Travel the World, and Tell Me a Story. The retail value of the Ambassador Starter Kit is $300, but new Ambassadors purchase it when they register for only $139.99. Although I've been an Ambassador for nearly a year, these kits are so great I'll be purchasing one for myself!
Interested in learning more about becoming a Barefoot Books Ambassador? Contact me for answers to your questions. Already convinced? Sign up here!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Seasons
It seems like fall arrived overnight last week! Suddenly overnight and early morning temperatures are back in the 40s, and it's time to shift from summer to fall clothing.
I lived in California for a while a few years ago, and one of the (many) things I missed about living in the Northeast was the change of the seasons. Sure it was nice to live without ice storms and below freezing temperatures, but it felt very strange to not be able to mark the passage of time in a concrete and visible way. As much as I dislike the winter, I don't think spring would be nearly as sweet without it. The joy of seeing the first snowdrops and crocuses pop out of the ground and watching the snow and ice recede as temperatures slowly drift upward, is one of my most-treasured annual experiences.
Now that my daughter is just about to turn two, I'm trying to help her understand and appreciate the change of the seasons. I'm using two great Barefoot Books to help her with this process - Listen, Listen, and Skip Through the Seasons.
Listen, Listen is one of my very favorite books. My husband and I have read it to our daughter countless times, and I'm convinced that this is how she learned many of her first words. It is a beautifully illustrated book, organized by the different seasons, and the text highlights the different sounds of each season - buzzing insects during the summer, crunching leaves in the fall, gliding along snow and ice in the winter, and chirping birds in the spring.
Available in both English and Spanish, Skip Through the Seasons is a great hide and seek book. Organized by month, there are twelve words for readers to locate that relate to the month - hood and footprints in January, picnic blanket and butterfly in June, and presents and candy cane in December. The paperback version also includes educational end notes that detail the origins of the names of the months, the days of the week in different languages, and more. I highly recommend both of these books for sharing the joy of the changing seasons with young children!!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
September Nonprofit of the Month
My September nonprofit of the month is an organization that's near and dear to me, WAMC Northeast Public Radio. My parents have been listeners forever, so I've literally been listening to it for as long as I can remember.
WAMC is a regional public radio station serving portions of seven northeastern states - NY, MA, PA, CT, VT, NH, and NJ. It's a member of National Public Radio, and an affiliate of Public Radio International. Financial support comes from listeners who contribute annually in fund drives and other appeals as well as from underwriting by businesses, grant support for WAMC's National Productions and governmental sources such as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the New York State Education Department.
I love the original programming, coverage of local and regional news, NPR programming, and intelligent conversation about real issues. My radio is permanently tuned to my local WAMC station, 90.3.
I'm donating 20% of my September online sales to this fantastic organization!
WAMC is a regional public radio station serving portions of seven northeastern states - NY, MA, PA, CT, VT, NH, and NJ. It's a member of National Public Radio, and an affiliate of Public Radio International. Financial support comes from listeners who contribute annually in fund drives and other appeals as well as from underwriting by businesses, grant support for WAMC's National Productions and governmental sources such as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the New York State Education Department.
I love the original programming, coverage of local and regional news, NPR programming, and intelligent conversation about real issues. My radio is permanently tuned to my local WAMC station, 90.3.
I'm donating 20% of my September online sales to this fantastic organization!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Hola and Bon Jour!
I'm one of many Americans who speaks only English. I feel a little sheepish about this, especially when I speak to people from other countries who know their native language, English, and sometimes several other languages, as well. Although I can't teach my daughter to speak or read other languages fluently, I'm doing my best to expose her to them, with the hope that she'll develop both a small foundation and an interest in learning more as she grows.
Barefoot Books has a broad selection of Spanish, French, and bilingual books, which are great for exposing young children to these languages. Some of my favorites are below. The full selection of Barefoot Books Spanish, French, and bilingual titles can be found at http://www.amym.barefootbooks.com/.
For babies and toddlers:
For children:
Singalongs:
Barefoot Books has a broad selection of Spanish, French, and bilingual books, which are great for exposing young children to these languages. Some of my favorites are below. The full selection of Barefoot Books Spanish, French, and bilingual titles can be found at http://www.amym.barefootbooks.com/.
For babies and toddlers:
For children:
Singalongs:
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
August Nonprofit of the Month
I'm very excited to announce that Friends of Camp Little Notch is my August nonprofit of the month.
In 1939, the Girl Scouts of America purchased 2,800 acres of forest at the foot of the Adirondacks—a picturesque 80-acre lake, expansive and serene woods, and miles of mountain streams. For 70 years generations of young women were transformed by this place called Camp Little Notch and treasured it as their classroom, their playground, and their refuge. In the past two years—after word of the impending sale of the property—energetic young women leaders came together out of their belief in the potential of Little Notch to start a non-profit called The Friends of Camp Little Notch (The Friends). To date, The Friends have successfully conserved the property through a relationship with the Open Space Institute (OSI), and are in the process of purchasing a portion of this extraordinary land from OSI.
In the summer of 2012, The Friends will re-open Little Notch as a national outdoor education and retreat center. Whether visitors want to practice sustainable living, challenge themselves to learn about their own capabilities, or retreat in a wilderness setting, the Little Notch property offers limitless possibilities. With your help, The Friends have an incredible opportunity to bring to life their vision for the future of this exquisite place.
I'm donating 20% of my August online sales to this wonderful organization.
In 1939, the Girl Scouts of America purchased 2,800 acres of forest at the foot of the Adirondacks—a picturesque 80-acre lake, expansive and serene woods, and miles of mountain streams. For 70 years generations of young women were transformed by this place called Camp Little Notch and treasured it as their classroom, their playground, and their refuge. In the past two years—after word of the impending sale of the property—energetic young women leaders came together out of their belief in the potential of Little Notch to start a non-profit called The Friends of Camp Little Notch (The Friends). To date, The Friends have successfully conserved the property through a relationship with the Open Space Institute (OSI), and are in the process of purchasing a portion of this extraordinary land from OSI.
In the summer of 2012, The Friends will re-open Little Notch as a national outdoor education and retreat center. Whether visitors want to practice sustainable living, challenge themselves to learn about their own capabilities, or retreat in a wilderness setting, the Little Notch property offers limitless possibilities. With your help, The Friends have an incredible opportunity to bring to life their vision for the future of this exquisite place.
I'm donating 20% of my August online sales to this wonderful organization.
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