SwordPen Food for Thought

As parents and teachers we know that perhaps the most important “job” we have as guides and mentors for our children is reading with them and encouraging them to read on their own. Great reading habits are the most precious gems that we could ever instill in our children. In fact, reading is the most important talent your child will ever acquire. Reading stimulates the imagination, encourages creativity, and enhances intelligence.

Reading with your little ones and creating within them a love for reading is a priceless gift that will last them a lifetime – and make their entire lives a more worthwhile one. It will help them excel in their personal and business relationships. It will help them continue to grow even at a ripe old age! And isn’t that what life is about? Some of my happiest and bittersweet moments in life were when I’d walk into my children’s rooms at night to read to them – and they were already deeply engrossed and reading on their own. It’s such a wonderful milestone.

Offering your children real literature as opposed to simplistic, immature gibberish might not seem like too difficult a choice, but many parents today quip that their kids “will only read junk.” That’s like having a child that lives on a diet of sugar, cake, and soda – and a parent who refuses to teach her about healthy caloric intake. Fruits and vegetables are delicious! Just as physical obesity is a plague, “literary obesity” is another chronic illness that many of today’s youth suffers from. Great literature is the obvious “diet” for your child’s cerebral cortex.

At SwordPen Publishers we believe in love – the love of a great book, the love of a parent for a child. We’ve woven great tales and exquisite illustrations so that you can offer your youngster a rare delicious treat from the Literary Garden of Eden. Offering up the “right book” to your child might feel a bit daring at first … but not after you hear her say … “Thanks Mom! It’s my favorite book!”

Look for the SwordPen logo, and fill your child’s library with great books. And be sure to back out of her room quietly when you find her engrossed in her favorite story from SwordPen.

"I felt like I was the one flying!"

Dear SwordPen Publishers,

It is ten P.M., and my first grader is still up, and so after sending
her to bed for the fifth time, I decided to turn negative time into
quality time, and so I figured I'd read your latest story, The Hippo
That Flew, to her. And so as she sat perched on my lap, I began
reading a story that I enjoyed as much as she did! I had no idea as to
what the outcome of the story would be ... well, I just can't describe
what a beautiful story it is! Thank you so much for taking the time to
produce such a beautiful book! I'm sure it will win a Caldecott! Or a
Nobel Peace Prize at the very least!

Sincerely,
Ahuva W.

From age three to ninety three ...

Publishers often label the age appropriateness of their children’s stories.
At SwordPen Publishers we shy away from that idea. We believe that no two children are alike. Our stories are truly geared for the entire family. From Grandma to toddlers! SwordPen produces books that the entire family will love to read. We refuse to create a ‘level’ for our readers. Many times the ‘adult’ in the family will grab our books just to enjoy for themselves!

Children of all ages have what to love from each of our books. And if they need a little help reading some of the words … well, that’s what parents and caregivers are for! Our books are for the child prodigy who may be four years old – to the sixteen year old with some dyslexic issues. SwordPen childrens book publishers are proud of every story they create. So no matter what age your child is … give her a library of SwordPen books!

The Hippo that Flew: A Lesson for Little Ones — and Big Ones Too!

If there’s anything you want to convey to a small child, it’s that giving up is not an option—no matter what people say. Fiction childrens books are a fantastic and fun way to teach your child this important lesson. In Sword Pen’s latest literary gem, The Hippo That Flew, a young Hippo named Wilbur is certain that one day, he will fly. His peers, close friends and even his family tell him he’s crazy, but his spirit and determination is relentless. He is certain that nothing will stop him, not even gravity itself. Despite failing a few times and being laughed at by everyone, he still doesn’t give up and eventually his good attitude and his persistence pays off.

This story and most other Swordpen books are a perfect example of why everyone should buy childrens books--- they contain relevant lessons for all ages. The beautifully written, simple story makes the lesson clear for children and reminds even the most cynical adult that positive thinking leads to positive results. Follow your dreams, your passion, and your vision no matter what odds are or what any one says, and eventually you will succeed.

Childrens book publishers like Swordpen strive to share fiction childrens books with the world---high quality educational material should be affordable for everyone. So if you’re looking for the perfect gift for your child, The Hippo That Flew is available for purchase at Swordpen.com.

How to Buy Childrens Books Your Kids Will Love

Whenever I buy childrens books, I always wonder, what makes a good one? It’s a difficult question, and the answer is different for every child, depending on his or her age, interests, reading level, family values, and mood. Because, let’s face it, when your child is feeling restless, no book is a good book.

But for those glorious moments when your child is ready and willing to read, here are three basic guidelines to follow:

Find a plot with a beginning, middle, and end.

A good plot isn’t just entertaining, it’s a perfect opportunity to teach your child about cause and effect, and that everyone’s actions have consequences. In fact, following the events of a story can help sharpen key critical thinking skills that will benefit your child all the way up to the SATs, and beyond!

Look at the quality of the illustrations.

Children, especially young ones, probably aren’t going to catch every word of a story, so it’s important for you to find a book with informative illustrations that restate the content of the narrative. Besides, if the art is really beautiful, it might even inspire your child to create something special.

Make sure it was a book first, not a movie.

Most adults look down on reading the “novelizations” of films and TV shows, and they shouldn’t encourage it in their children, either. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a book inspired by a movie, but all too often these texts include sparse narration next to still shots from the original production.

Hopefully these tips will help you select children’s books your whole family will enjoy. You can begin your search right here at Swordpen today!

Fiction Childrens Books We Love: How Mice Became Small

It’s so nice to find a children’s book that parents can also enjoy, but most fiction childrens books are written without any jokes or references designed for grown ups. You’d think all that effort you put into acting out the different voices would earn you at least a couple of big-people laughs, wouldn’t you?

Fortunately, some books are fun for parents as well as children, such as Zev Lewinson’s How Mice Became Small. Enhanced by Debi Coules’ beautiful illustrations, this book tells the story of how mice were transformed from giant, ferocious creatures (bigger than lions or tigers!) to the cute, snuggly animals we know them as today.

All that might sound pretty childish, but How Mice Became Small includes a variety of jokes for adults, like the tyrant mouse ruler King James, who appears on the cover of “Newsqueak” magazine and, following unrest for his underlings, unabashedly declares “Let them eat cheesecake!”

And for the kids, How Mice Became Small is full of fun-to-read sections, including the frequently repeated title, “His Royal Highness, King of Kings, Haughtiest and Naughtiest, Epitome of Evil and Ruthlessness, King James,” as well as the rhyming spell cast by a heroic elf.

Available from Swordpen, How Mice Became Small truly has something for everyone!

Welcome to SwordPen Blog!

Sometimes it feels that with all the iPods, Wiis, PSPs, HDTVs, Youtubes and Twitters, the only words we read are electronic words that are splattered on a screen. Indeed, all the gadgetry and technology made us forget about books and it seems that the only time we turn to books is when there’s a power shortage, and the iPhone’s out of battery or something.

But the fact is that no electronics or machines can come near to the excitement we get when reading a good book. That’s the reason SwordPen Publishers takes reading as more than just a minor pastime when there is really nothing else to do. At SwordPen we take reading as a passion, as one of the best things to do any given time.

I mean, look back to your childhood. Do you remember you and your dad playing Nintendo? No! Well, of course it wasn’t invented yet but still, try to relive the moment when you set on your parent’s lap with your favorite story of all times. You can’t match that! Not with a video game that’s for sure.

Yup, we could’ve gotten into video games and make a lot of money, but we chose to recreate that warm memories that you have, for your children, through our quality books.

The books that we publish are great for children of all ages and they aim to help them deal with life’s surprises and situations while promoting their spirits and inner growth. These are stories that will not go away, but stay, inviting new thoughts and nurturing your child’s mind.

We got this blog up and running in order to keep you and your family updated about the wonderful world of fiction childrens books that is out there and. So in the meanwhile, visit our site at www.swordpen.com and don’t forget to visit our blogs weekly and… you will live happily ever after.