When Dimple Met Rishi by Menon

Another fantastic read for 2018! Teen books like this inspire me to become a writer. Dimple's parents have their heart set on an arranged marriage for their feisty college bound daughter who would much rather create computer apps and influence the world. Rishi on the other hand is a teen who admires and honors the traditional ways. He is the ideal "Indian Husband," rich, smart and handsome. With a photo of Dimple in hand, he seeks out to attend the summer program in San Francisco to meet his future wife and woo her over. Things don't go as planned in the beginning... with a few turns and disappointments. Teens will love this heartfelt story filled with humor, love, and unexpected ideas.

Lucky in Love by Kasie West

Maddie, a modest high school senior, finds herself out of luck on her birthday when no one shows up to her small scale party. Her fortune turns around when she wins the a multi-million dollar ticket and the cute boy from work shows up with a small gift for her outside the mini-mart as well. Winning the lottery however is not all that it seems though. As we all know money gives us luxury, but it also brings out big decisions and greed. Maddie decides to keep her winnings a secret from her new crush which can be difficult to do as her popularity grows and grows. Will her new and old friends hate or love one another? Can Maddie keep all her winnings in tack and still keep her family happy? Teens will enjoy the characters' experiences and mayhem. Note: As an adult, I think reading it was a little predictable but if you're looking for something light... this book is for you!

Valentine's Day Fun 2018

February is in full swing as we get ready for Valentine's Day, sunny winter days, and the excitement of a new year. This month I'm creating fun fox valentines with the kiddos and dusting off my storytime books for toddlers and babies. Check out this cute craft I found thanks to darice.com. Their creators used felt so I substituted that for regular construction paper. Thanks Darice!
Materials needed:
Pink, white, and red construction paper
Black crayons
Stickers ( Oriental trading or Michael's)
Black pom-poms ( Optional)
Creativity!
http://blog.darice.com/holiday/winter/valentines-day/heart-valentine-fox

Some of my favorite Valentine's Day books include:
Mouse's First Valentine by Thompson and Valentine Surprise by Demas! Enjoy!