Sunday, December 18, 2011

Dancers and Goddesses and Princesses too!

Here are a few more of the gift books that are on sale at Barefoot Books this weekend:



The Barefoot Gook of Dance Stories - This gorgeous collection will enchant young dancers with stories from eight cultures, including the Polka in the Czech Republic, Limbo in the West Indies and the Waltz in Germany. Book with CD editions include stories read by actress Juliet Stevenson.


This beautiful hardcover book with CD is usually $23.99, now on sale for $15.99.





The Barefoot Book of Ballet Stories - The stories in this collection feature magic and comedy, drama and adventure, and are accompanied by a brief history of classical ballet, as well as historical details of the composition, choreography and early performances of each ballet. Book with double CDs edition includes stories read by actress Juliet Stevenson.


This hardcover with double CD set is usually $23.99 and is on sale now for $15.99.





The Lady of Ten Thousand Names: Goddess Stories from Many Cultures - The eight stories in this elegant collection are based on traditional tales and sacred texts, and are models of female leadership, authority and wisdom.


This lovely hardcover book is usually $19.99, now on sale for $13.99.





The Barefoot Book of Princesses - Meet seven very strong and special princesses in this collection drawn from sources from around the world. Each faces challenges and trials, and each finds a way to triumph with bravery, compassion, ingenuity and a little bit of luck. Book with CD editions include stories read by Margaret Wolfson.


This hardcover collection with story CD is usually $19.99, on sale until Monday for $13.99.



The gift book sale runs through Monday, and remember that you can get an additional 30% discount if you use the code FESTIVE when you place your order!  And if you upgrade to 2-day shipping, you can still get your books in time for Christmas if you order during the sale.

Isn't there a little princess or two in your life who would love these books?


Saturday, December 17, 2011

Extra Savings This Weekend!




Good news for the weekend!  Enter the code FESTIVE when you place an order at the Barefoot Books website, and receive an extra 30% off! 

This offer is good through Monday December 19th!

If you need your books for Christmas, there is still time to place an order if you upgrade to 2-day shipping.

And remember that there are several gift books on sale at a 30% discount through Monday as well, so you can buy gifts for everyone at a very good price!

Now go and be FESTIVE!

Friday, December 16, 2011

The Barefoot Book of Pirates


 Here is another beautiful gift book on sale this week from Barefoot:





The Barefoot Book of Pirates includes seven pirate stories from around the world.  There's a story about Robin Hood and the Pirates, pirate stories from Japan and Morocco, and there's even a story about a woman pirate - Grace O'Malley from Ireland.






This book is for children ages four to nine.  My four-year-old loves to read these stories at bedtime, and even though there are a lot of words on each page for a four-year-old to digest, the gorgeous illustrations hold her attention while I'm reading.  This is a book that your child can definitely grow with and enjoy for many years!








The hardcover version of The Barefoot Book of Pirates, which includes a story CD, is usually $19.99 but is on sale through Monday for $13.99. 

Want to enhance the pirate experience for the child who receives this book as a gift?  Add in this 100-piece puzzle based on one of the illustrations from the book!




Merry Christmas to all the little pirates in your life!


Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Great Gift Books - on sale now!

Have you finished your holiday shopping yet?  If not, there is still time - and still time to save on Barefoot Books for the holidays!

This week, through Monday December 19th, Barefoot Books is offering 30% off on a selection of books that make great gifts.  Classic collections of stories, timeless tales, poetry, and activity cards.  Check out the entire sale list here.

Here's a book that's on sale this week, with the appropriate title of The Gift.




From the Barefoot Books website:  The exceptional talents of Carol Ann Duffy and papercut artist Rob Ryan combine to present the story of a girl’s journey through life and the desires that shape it. With a kind of magic that is timeless, The Gift speaks to everyone who wonders about the mysteries that lie at the heart of the human experience.

The website says The Gift is for children eight years old and up, but I think it could be appropriate for younger children who are ready for this conversation.  I know that I will be buying this book myself to help my four-year-old understand the cycle of life and death.






The illustrations in this book are so delicate and beautiful, as we've come to expect with every book from Barefoot.

The Gift is a well-made and sturdy hardcover book that is usually $16.99 - on sale through next Monday for $11.49.  Buy one for your own family as well as any other families on your gift list.


Sunday, December 11, 2011

More Singalongs on Sale!

Have you taken advantage of the singalong sale at Barefoot Books yet?

No?

What are you waiting for?  Tomorrow is the last day of the sale - and Thursday is the last day to order for delivery by Christmas!

Last week I told you about a few of the sale singalongs that I have already written posts about here...today I'm going to share a few more of our favorites with you:





Written by Oscar Seaworthy (of course!), illustrated by Debbie Harter, sung by Mark Collins




Isn't this artwork simply gorgeous?


We hit a storm our sails were torn,
the day I went to sea.
I lived on board a pirate ship
and the captain said to me:

Oh we go this way, that way
port side, starboard
over the deep blue sea.
  


We sang this song the whole day long
The day I went to sea.
Oh, the pirate's life is full of fun,
The pirate's life for me!

This song is so catchy and contagious, I can't help but sing the words myself when I read the book to my daughter!  Portside Pirates is appropriate for kids ages three to seven years; younger kids will love the repetition of the song and the colorful pictures, while older kids will learn all sorts of stuff from the end notes -  about the names for parts of a ship, historical pirates and pirates around the world.   

The hardcover with enhanced CD (includes a video of the story and song) is usually $16.99 but it is now on sale for $12.49.






Illustrated by Sophie Fatus and sung by Fred Penner.

Four children, from Europe, Mali, India, and China, show us how they jump out of bed, brush their teeth, comb their hair, go to school, and more - early in the morning!


 
 My daughter loves to point out the different ways that kids do things around the world, as represented in these pictures, and I love that she gets to see that there are many possible ways to live.  I hope that she grows up with an appreciation for the similarities and the differences of people around the world, and books like this help me foster that.



Both the hardcover version with CD of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush and the paperback version with enhanced CD are on sale until tomorrow.  The hardcover is usually $16.99 and is now $12.49, while the paperback is usually $9.99 and is now $7.49.
 
 
 
Go check out all of the singalongs on sale this week, they are all wonderful and amazing!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Holiday Reminders

I am about halfway done with my holiday shopping right now - most of my nieces and nephews are getting Barefoot Books!

If you would like to do the same, here are a few reminders:

  • You can use your discount code from the Global Giveaway for 30% off your total order through December 31st.
  • If for some reason you didn't enter the Global Giveaway, use the discount code AMBTWY to receive 20% off your total order - but you can't use both on the same order.
  • Shipping is FREE if you spend at least $60.
  • The last day to place an order and receive it by December 23rd is Thursday December 15th at 11AM Eastern time.  If you place an order after the 15th and want to receive it in time for Christmas, you will have to pay extra for faster shipping service.

My suggestion?  Order now to make sure all the kids on your holiday shopping list receive the gift of Barefoot this season!

Not sure what they might like?  You can give a gift card!

Finally, if you are in the Boston area and are interested in a particular book, email me at inventingliz(at)gmail(dot)com - I just might have it in stock and could save you some shipping costs and holiday anxiety!

Here's hoping your holiday shopping is effortless this year, the Barefoot way!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Singalongs on Sale!

This week - today through next Monday the 12th - Barefoot Books is having the best sale ever:  25% off on several books with singalong CDs!

The singalongs are really my favorite Barefoot Books, my daughter and I both love them all.  In addition to the beautiful illustrations, diverse characters, and fun educational features that are standard in just about all Barefoot Books, the singalongs also include CDs with amazing songs.  In fact, this sale is not quite as exciting as it could be for me personally because I already own almost all of the books that are on sale this week. 

But it could be a very exciting week for you!

All but one of the books on sale are hardcovers, and many of them come with the new enhanced format CD that includes a video based on the book in addition to the song.  I have already written about several of the sale books previously:

Up, Up, Up! - Go on a balloon ride all around the world with three kids, a dog, and a mouse!  The hardcover version is usually $16.99, during the sale it will be $12.49.

Knick Knack Paddy Whack - A new twist on an old classic, including educational end notes on the different types of musical instruments.  This hardcover is also usually $16.99 and is on sale for $12.49.

If You're Happy and You Know It - Upbeat, fun, diverse, we love this one!  This is also a hardcover marked down from $16.99 to $12.49.  There is also a new Children of the World memory game based on the kids in this book - add it to your order for extra fun!

The Animal Boogie - This book changed my life - seriously!  This hardcover has an enhanced format CD, is usually $16.99 and is on sale for $12.49.

There are several more on sale that I own and can tell you about - I will do that later in the week.  In the meantime, go check out the sale!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Fundraising with Barefoot Books

On Saturday I did my first school fundraiser with Barefoot Books, and I am definitely planning to do more in the future.

I found out about the event from my Ambassador Team Leader - she had done this particular event in the past but couldn't do it this year.  I was a little nervous about doing my first big event in person, but I knew the time was right to take that step.

The fundraiser was for a pre-school in Cambridge.  They do it every year around the holidays and have good participation from parents of current and former students at the school, as well as parents of prospective students.  They were selling Christmas trees and wreaths outside, coffee and baked goods and pizza and other food inside, and had a couple of vendors like me who had agreed to donate a percentage of our total sales to the school.

I already had a few books in stock that I could bring to the event, but I had to place a large order to make sure I would have enough on hand.  Time was tight with Thanksgiving falling right before the fundraiser, but the books I ordered arrived in time.  I made sure to have plenty of board books for the pre-schoolers (Bear and Cleo the Cat are my favorites), and stocked up on as many singalong books as I could because those are a huge hit at my house and they are probably the books I know best from the Barefoot collection.  I added some books for older kids - pre-schoolers have older siblings too who need gifts too! - and a few holiday-themed books since the event had such a Christmas feel to it.  The school offers bilingual classes in Mandarin, Spanish, and French, so I also ordered a selection of books with a Chinese theme; my Team Leader lent me a good amount of Barefoot books in Spanish and French, so I would just have to reimburse her for the ones I sold and return the rest.

I fell a little short of my sales goal for the day, but the school will get a $70 donation from me and I got some great experience plus a lot of potential new customers so I think it was a win-win situation all around.  And, one of the teachers took a catalog from me and wants to place a large order for the school; I told her that I would give them a 10% discount if they ordered at least $250 worth of books from me, so the win-win will last a little longer too!  I would love to do this fundraiser again next year, and by then I should have plenty more experience to help me get those sales numbers up, up, up!

If you are located in the Boston area and would like to use Barefoot Books as part of your fundraising efforts for a school or other type of organization, please contact me at inventingliz(at)gmail(dot)com so we can work out the details.  I'm sure we can figure out a way to create a win-win situation for your organization as well!




Thursday, December 1, 2011

Motherbridge of Love

Barefoot Books is currently running a sale on several of their Travel the World titles - there are some really great deals to be had, so go over and check it out!  This sale runs through Monday December 5th. 

One book that is currently on sale is Motherbridge of Love - a very nice addition to your library if you are looking for books that address adoption issues.



Mother Bridge of Love is a charity founded by a Chinese author and journalist who has made it her mission to create a bridge of understanding between the Chinese birth culture and the Western adoptive culture of adopted kids.  This book is based on an anonymous poem that was written for the charity, with beautiful illustrations by Josee Masse.  Royalties from the book are donated to the charity to help them continue their work.

Once there were two women
who never knew each other.
One you do not know.
The other you call Mother.



Two different lives shaped to make you one.
One became your guiding star;
the other became your sun.





The first gave you a need for love;
the second was there to give it.





One gave you a body, the other taught you games.
One gave you a talent.  The other taught you aims.


I have to admit that this is not my favorite book to read...I am not a super sentimental person, and Motherbridge of Love is just a little too sappy for my tastes.  But my daughter enjoys it, and any book that shows another little girl with two mothers - one she knows, one she doesn't remember - is a book that I want to have around.  

Motherbridge of Love is a sturdy hardcover book with a dust jacket, made to last through years and years of reading.  It is normally $16.99 but is on sale for $13.49 from now through Monday December 5th.  Add a copy to your library now, or give one to an adopted child on your gift list.  



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Remember that you can use your discount code from entering the Global Giveaway contest until the end of the year to receive 30% off your order (but you can only use it once!), and that you will receive free shipping on all orders over $60.  See more Travel the World titles on sale here!







Sunday, November 27, 2011

Harvest Sale 2011

I apologize for the late notice on this - I just got back from visiting my parents for Thanksgiving and there is very limited Internet access at their house.  I hope some of you are able to take advantage of this special offer!





Barefoot Books is once again offering a 20% discount if you enter the code HARVEST at checkout!  The discount is good through Monday, November 28th, so there is still time to place an order.  And remember that you can still receive free shipping if you order $60 or more!

Happy Thanksgiving!


Monday, November 21, 2011

We All Went on Safari

Let's continue on our journey through the travel books of Barefoot with a trip to Tanzania in We All Went on Safari, by Laurie Krebs with illustrations by Julia Cairns.



As with so many Barefoot Books, the illustrations in this book are simply gorgeous and full of details.  Each page shows a Maasai family traveling through the grasslands of Tanzania, counting animals from one to ten in English and Swahili.







Don't be deceived by the simple rhyme and the fact that the counting only goes to ten - this is a book that your child will be able to read and enjoy and learn from for many, many, many years (the official age range from Barefoot is 4 years old to 10 years old).  Older children can learn from the detailed end notes, including a map of Tanzania, more Swahili words, and information about the Maasai people and their way of life.








As if all of that weren't enough, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book is donated to the African Wildlife Foundation, which has been working since 1961 to help African nations design successful long-term strategies for conserving their wildlife and wilderness areas. 

We All Went on Safari is available in hardcover for $16.99, and there is also a paperback version in Spanish for $7.99 (though it is currently out of stock).  We All Went on Safari is also part of the Barefoot Books for Africa program, in which you can have a hardcover copy of the book delivered directly to a school or library in Africa for just $5.

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Remember, just two days left in the Global Giveaway - make sure you enter before Wednesday for your chance at the Grand Prize and to receive a special discount code good for the rest of the year!



Saturday, November 19, 2011

My Granny Went to Market

With just a few days left in the Global Giveaway contest, I thought I'd highlight a few of Barefoot's travel-themed books.

Let's start with My Granny Went to Market - A Round-the-World Counting Rhyme!




Granny starts in Istanbul, where she buys a flying carpet - then she takes off around the world on her flying carpet to buy all sorts of things in all sorts of places...


Three fierce and funny masks from Mexico!


Six booming drums from Kenya!



Nine kites that fluttered in the breeze from Japan!


But best of all, she met me
in the mountains of Peru,
where she gave me ten black llamas
and a magic carpet too!

The pictures are colorful and fun, and you can count Granny's purchases one to ten on the last page.  I think every kid should have such a generous and adventurous Granny!

My Granny Went to Market is a paperback, available for $6.99.  And if you use the discount code you get when you enter the Global Giveaway, it will only be $4.89!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Up, Up, Up!

I don't include very much about my personal life here - that's what my other blog is for - so you may not know that the past year has been financially stressful in the extreme for me.  Being a single mom has been much more expensive than I anticipated, and two cuts to my hours at work plus huge increases in my health insurance premiums - among other increased expenses - have really taken a toll.  I thought things would get better when my daughter started public school this past September - no more daycare costs, hooray! - but instead it seemed like things got worse and I can't even figure out how or why.

But now, I do really think we have rounded the corner.  I received a very large tax refund yesterday, which will allow me to pay off one credit card entirely and pay down half of the other one, in addition to catching up on all my other bills.

And, the tax refund came just in time for me to place a very large order of Barefoot Books stock so that I can be a vendor at a school fundraiser in early December.  It will be my first time selling Barefoot Books in person at an event, and I have heard that this particular event is always very successful for Barefoot Books Ambassadors.  I'm getting some fantastic help and advice from my team leader - who has done this event in the past - and I'm super excited to be taking another step in the right direction with my Barefoot career.

All of which has me thinking about this catchy tune from the book Up, Up, Up!  It's been going through my head non-stop lately!

Up, up, up, up in a balloon.
Up so high I can touch the moon.
Up, up, up, sailing with the clouds.
Look at me! I'm so high, I can fly, I know how.




If you are reading in a feed reader, click through to the blog to see the video.

Things are definitely looking up for me, how about for you?



Don't forget to enter the Global Giveaway - you have until November 23rd to enter to win an Apple iPad 2, among other things!


 

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Global Giveaway!




Barefoot Books is celebrating the release of their new World Atlas by giving away prizes every day!

Enter before November 23rd for your chance to win!  Just click the picture at the top of this post to enter the giveaway!

The Grand Prize, for one lucky winner, is an Apple iPad 2, copies of all of Barefoot's Travel the World books (over 30 books total), and a Barefoot Books gift certificate worth $50!

In addition, every day one winner will be chosen to receive a copy of the Barefoot Books World Atlas and a $30 Barefoot Books gift certificate!

AND, everyone who enters will receive a discount code for 30% off your next purchase at the Barefoot Books website - the discount code is valid through the end of December 2011!

You only have to enter once to be eligible to win, but you have to enter before November 23rd - go do it now!

Good luck to everyone who enters!



Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Monsters on Sale!

Just in time for Halloween, Barefoot Books is offering their Monster Stories series for a special price if you buy all four books in the series - $27.99 for all four books! 




These paperback chapter books with colorful folktales from different cultures are geared for independent readers ages 6 to 11.  See below for more information about each book.





The Feathered Ogre is a story from Italy.  Can Pirolo, the king's gardener, steal a magic feather from the back of the feathered ogre who eats boys and girls for supper?





The Mother of Monsters is a story from South Africa.  Mischievous Ntombi is the Chief’s daughter, and when she goes to swim in the Ilunge River, she enrages the Mother of Monsters - causing more trouble than she could ever imagine!






The Abominable Snowman is a story from Nepal.  Ramay lives with his mother in the Himalayas. He is lazy and never helps at home; he would rather spend his days dreaming. One day, his mother 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 along the way?






The Terrible Chenoo is a story from North America.  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?




You can buy each book separately for $7.99 or save when you buy all four books for $27.99 - and remember that you also get free shipping for orders over $60.  Find more Halloween titles here if you would like to take advantage of the free shipping offer, or see what else is on sale here.


Happy Halloween!






Wednesday, October 12, 2011

And so we meet again...

Well, hello there!  Have you missed me?  Are you even still there?

I knew it had been quite a while since I last posted here, but I didn't realize until I looked that it's been almost a year since my last post.

I could tell you that I've been busy, that I've had other priorities, that I've been paying attention to other things...but that would only be part of the story.  The truth is that I have lost sight of the reason I originally started this blog - and my relationship with Barefoot Books - in the first place.

Yes, I love the books for many reasons and I want to share them with everyone.  But I am also committed to being an entrepreneur and earning money in ways that give me enough flexibility to raise my daughter as a single mother.  I saw becoming a Barefoot Books ambassador as one way to do that, but then I got discouraged and lost sight of my goals.

And now, I'm back!  Now I know that it will be harder than I thought it would be, but I am re-committing myself to making that effort.  You can expect to see much more regular posting here, starting very soon, and you will also hear all about my adventures in going Barefoot!

Let me start by giving you a heads-up about an upcoming sale on the Barefoot Books website.  Starting Thursday October 13th until Monday October 17th, you can receive 20% off all orders when you use the code OCTSALE.  And, you also receive free shipping on all orders over $60! 

I am excited to see where we go from here!