Amazing Reviews for My Sister Is My Best Friend

I am so very happy to share the following great reviews for
 My Sister Is My Best Friend


Review Written by Nancy Stewart:

Nicole Weaver's children's book, My Sister is My Best Friend: A Trilingual Story, is a whimsy, fresh faced and full of confection. Yet, when one thinks about the book, it is soon evident the story has an important message. It is an homage to sisterhood even, and especially, at such a callow age.

The three languages, English, Spanish and French add to the globalness, and the girls become "everygirl." Similarities are so much more important than differences in today's tiny world, and Nicole's books prove this to be true.

The happy mood is captured beautifully by Clara Batton Smith's yummy watercolors. The sisters are dressed alike and are delighted with the day and the outing with each other and their mother. I particularly like the city feel of the illustrations.

Nicole dedicated the story to her three sisters, and the love she feels for them shines through within the book's pages. Delightfully, in fact.

This is a gorgeous read all the way around. You're guaranteed to love it! 

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 Review Written by Donna McDine:

Come explore the wonderful world of sisterhood both together and with mother in Nicole Weaver's latest children's book, My Sister Is My Best Friend. The playful antics of the sisters along with the vibrant illustrations brings their lives into focus. The security of knowing that neither is alone in this vast world with the companionship and love of a sister is heartwarming. 

My Sister Is My Best Friend is a trilingual story told in English, Spanish, and French making for a delightful reading and learning experience. Nicole Weaver tells a story of the simplicities of enjoying one's sister with gratitude, bringing back fond memories of my own childhood with my twin sister and our unique shared experiences.

Clara Batton Smith's delightful illustrations show the love of both sisters making the heart glow. 

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Review Written by Penelope Cole:

My Sister is My Best Friend, a picture book by Nicole Weaver and illustrated by Clara Batton Smith, was a surprising treat. What surprised me was that it is written in trilingual form. Yes, each page of the story has three versions, written in English, Spanish, and French. If you and your child are bi-lingual, you'll have fun reading this book and figuring out what the words in the third language mean. My daughter read it to me in English and Spanish, and then I read it to her in French.


The story itself is very sweet. It celebrates the delight these girls have in growing up with a twin sister who is clearly a best friend and fun playmate. The girls laugh, play, pretend, romp, help their mother, and enjoy outings together. It is sisterhood served up in a double helping.


The illustrations add to the fun of the story. In each panel you see the two sisters happily playing together and having a great time. But it's not all about play. They also help their mother, as they care for each other, and even play with their big fluffy dog. Their delight and enjoyment of each other is clearly evident.


This is one book that you have to read at least three times to fully appreciate -- in English, Spanish, and French. 

Liebster Blog Award

I am truly honored to be awarded the LIEBSTER BLOG award, thanks so much to:
 SAVVY SUBURBAN

'Liebster' means 'favorite' or 'dearest' in German. This award, which originated in Germany, recognizes up and coming bloggers with less than 200 followers. 

In accepting the award, the recipient agrees to: 

Thank the person that gave the award and link back to their blog.

Copy and paste the award to your blog

Reveal the 5 blogs you have chosen to award and let them know by commenting on their blog.

Hope they pay it forward by accepting and awarding it to bloggers they would like to honor.

The 5 blogs I have chosen to spotlight are:


HAPPILY EVER AFTER AGAIN

THE GOLDEN PATHWAY


JANET ANN COLLINS ON WORDS


NANCY STEWART BLOG

GROWING OLD WITH GRACE

WELCOME BLOGFEST PARTICIPANTS!

Hello blog-fest readers,  my second trilingual book is not yet available.  The book will be available soon.  I will make an announcement once I get word from my publisher.  Thank you for your patience.  Thanks for stopping by.

FORGIVENESS/MOVING FORWARD

Have you ever fought with your sibling? I think we all have at one point or another.  All healthy relationships will encounter disagreements, but staying angry indefinitely is not the way to handle things. I believe in being honest, but I also think forgiveness and moving forward should be part of the mix.  A few years ago, I wrote a poem expressing my thoughts on the issue of forgiveness and moving forward.  I would like to share this poem with you all.

Brother, sister Oh! How I wish
we were close.  It would be
grandiose if we could have
a nose-to-nose talk like old times.

Brother, sister those days were
simply divine.  Heaven knows
I would do anything to dispose
of those bad blows we have
imposed on each other.

Brother, sister I suppose it will not
be easy to erase our woes, but
as the saying goes in life, we
all have our lows.

Brother, sister I want to say
adios to those bad days, and
I strongly propose that we
move forward to the grandiose
times that we once shared.

I would love to hear your thoughts on how you handled forgiving a sibling and what you did to move forward.

ANNOUNCEMENT: MY book is on the Amazon best selling top 100 list!

GO HERE TO LEARN HOW  to win an autographed copy of my best selling book.

Good luck!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW FOR MY BIRTHDAY IS SEPTEMBER ELEVEN

A huge thank you goes to my author friend Cherese Vines for interviewing me.
http://cheresevinescharmingwords.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/interview-author-of-my-birthday-is-september-eleven/
Interview with the author of My Birthday Is September Eleven: Nicole Weaver. Thank you for the interview.

1) Tell us who you are.

My name is Nicole Weaver. I am Haitian American. I am fluent in four languages-French, English, Spanish and Creole. I am a veteran French and Spanish high school teacher. I am also a published author of a trilingual book titled: Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle/ María y su Amiga la Tortuga Del Mar/ Marie et son Amie la Tortue de mer. I have a second trilingual book titled My Sister is My Best Friend due to be published fall 2011 by Guardian Angel Publishing. My third trilingual book titled: My Brother is My Best Friend is under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing.

2) What influenced you to become a writer?

I first became interested in writing after winning a poetry contest. That experience fueled my interest in writing. I later joined my church’s writing group. Being a part of the group allowed me to venture out with my writing. I have pieces published in my church’s journal. Next, an author friend talked me into attending a writer’s workshop. The workshop peaked my interest even more. I later decided to write my first trilingual children’s picture book.

3) Why do you think you chose to write for children?

I see a huge need for more books that portray children of color in a positive light. I also see a need for more books that encourage the learning of a foreign language. I write all of my children’s picture books as trilingual books because a child’s brain is wired to learn language when he or she is young.

4) You mentioned that many of the stories from My Birthday is September Eleven are true. Are all your stories/books based on true events? Where else do you get your inspiration?

Yes, most of my stories/books are based on true events. Having been an educator for the past twenty five years affords me many opportunities to see and experience many things. Many times I am emotionally moved by these experiences and I must find a way to channel the emotions into a positive way and writing provides me with that outlet. For instance, around ten years ago, I received a call from a woman who adopted a Haitian little girl. The little girl only spoke Creole; she wanted me to help her communicate with her in Creole. I was very honored and blessed to help her. I later learned that the little girl was dropped off at the local adoption agency in Port-au-Prince Haiti, because her mom could not feed her.
I carried that information in my heart and I always wanted to write a story about it. This is where the idea for the story “No More Hunger” came from. Imagine the pain that mother experienced when she dropped her daughter off. I hope my story will bring attention to what goes on in my native land of Haiti.

I also get inspired by what I see in my classroom. I taught middle school for fifteen years. During my tenure as a middle school teacher I observed how cruel students can be towards one another. It pained me greatly to witness the way many bi-racial children were constantly teased and picked on. The short story “Zebra Boy” is based on what I saw happening to those children. Honestly, it would take me two lifetimes to write about all the things I have seen and experienced as a classroom teacher.

5) What would you have liked to have been told as a budding writer?

It would have been nice to know how difficult it is to market yourself. Getting published is only the first step; the real work begins with marketing yourself and your book.

6) Can you tell us something that your readers may not have guessed about you?

I love being an American citizen. My life changed for the better when I set foot in America. I believe the only way to beat bigotry is through education. Through hard work and dedication one can achieve great things.


7) Is there anything else you would like your readers to know?

Never give up on your dreams. When I first came to America, after reading many books from the Curious George series, I instantly knew that I would one day write my own picture book. I also invite all readers interested in learning more about me can visit my sites:

My Sister Is My Best Friend Blog:
http://mysisterismybestfriend.blogspot.com

Marie and her Friend the Sea Turtle Blog:
http://marieandherfriendtheseaturtle.blogspot.com

Websites:
http://outskirtspress.com/nicoleweaver
http://www.melangeofcultures.wordpress.com
http://nicole-weaver.com

Educational Expert:
http://www.bizymoms.com/city-experts-cp/ce-nicole-weaver-130.php

Blogcritics Contributor:
http://blogcritics.org/writers/nicole-weaver

AN INTERVIEW: FRATERNAL TWIN SISTERS

Do you have twins in your family? Do you believe twins have a special connection? I invite you to read the interview below and would like you to come to your own conclusions as to whether a special bond exists between twins. I am fascinated with twins. This is why I have written two trilingual children's picture books about twin girls and boys. My Sister is My Best Friend will be published summer 2011. My second twin book, My Brother is My Best Friend publication date is not yet determined.

Donna McDine and Debra Brennan are fraternal twins. I had each sister answer the interview questions; below are the answers.

DEBRA BRENNAN

Studies have shown that twins usually think alike; do you find this to be true with both of you?

At times I completely agree. Donna and I have often purchased the same clothing for events, as well as the same birthday cards for each other and for friends and family. We also often make the same decisions in child rearing etc...

Studies have also shown that twins are hereditary; do you have a long history of twins in your family?

I am not aware of a history of twins.

Can you explain what it was like growing up as fraternal twins?

There was always the closeness of having my other half with me. At times it could be competitive but we always were there for each other during those years. We were very different as individuals and in the high school that we went to which had a graduating class of over 600 we were often not known as sisters.
One of the clearest memories I had of my sister, Donna, was when I tried to get back my stolen varsity jacket from another student who decided to start a physical altercation with me. Donna showed up immediately and tried to protect me from the assault. How she knew about it, I don't know, but she showed up just in the nick of time! We were often compared to each other and that did not help us become independent of one another. Over time we became confident in who we were and were able to develop our own true identities.

Was it difficult to develop your own identity as an individual?


At times it was difficult, but we are both fiercely independent and we worked hard to develop our own true identities. We really did not have the same strengths and weaknesses, so it was always interesting how people had a need to compare us and try to measure us against each other.

Now that you are both adults living separate lives, can you explain a little bit about your life? Do you both have the same interests, or are you polar opposites?

I am a sixth grade math teacher. I have been teaching for the past 21 years. I am also a Vice President of my school's Teachers Union. I am married with three children aged 15, 12, and seven. They are heavily involved in hockey, baseball, etc... and I spend a great deal of my time involved in their sports.
We seem to have the same interests in what we read, the types of friends we are the most comfortable with, how we spend time with family, etc... A lot of that may have to do with how we were raised. I would not say we are polar opposites but rather that we have become the best of friends as we grew into adults.

Do you have any advice for mothers with newborn twins?

Allow your children to explore their interests. Do not try to portray them as one in the same. Each child will have their own voice if encouraged.



DONNA McDINE

Studies have shown that twins usually think alike; do you find this to be true with both of you?

Our thoughts definitely coincide. Without even trying to, our decision-making process has always been quite similar. On many occasions we have purchased the same gifts for each other, have shown up at social gatherings with the exact same outfit or the same outfit but in a different color. The different color aspect, I lend that to being fraternal twins.
One specific event that occurred was the fall after we graduated from high school, my twin sister was in Boston with friends and I was home. During dinner one evening she was overcome with a strong urge to call home because she had an overwhelming feeling something was wrong with me. And sure enough I was in a terrible car accident just hours earlier.

Studies have also shown that twins are hereditary; do you have a long history of twins in your family?

We don't have a long history of twins, but our mother's grandmother had twins.

Can you explain what it was like growing up as fraternal twins?

Our parents always made sure that we were treated as individuals even though the expectations of doing well in school were the same for both of us and our older siblings. Competition between the two of us would rear its ugly head at times, such as who learned to ride a bike first, who made the school team, and of course who passed their driver's test first. After getting through childhood, graduating high school, and attending different colleges the competition barrier fell to the wayside. We grew closer because of this.

Was it difficult to develop your own identity as an individual?

Even though we are fraternal twins the comparison teachers held over us became quite frustrating. To break from this mold we gravitated towards different groups of friends and interests. This was not difficult to establish since we lived in a large neighborhood and attended a large school.

Now that you are both adults living separate lives, can you explain a little bit about your life? Do you both have the same interest, or are you polar opposites?

I'll be married 22 years this August and have two daughters, 16 and 13. Working from home is a blessing, but can be problematic if I don't set boundaries, which I learned the hard way. I am now not so quick to be that "yes person" to others' needs during working hours. If I don't keep these boundaries I'm frustrated and exhausted before my girls get home from school, from my lack of work production, and find myself trying to "catch up" when I should be available for them.
I am fiercely loyal to my twin sister as well as she is to me. We celebrate both our successes and provide a safe haven in times of sorrow. We have had our moments of disagreement with each other, but we are always quick to get over it.


I can't say we are polar opposites since my two nephews are close in age to my children, 15 and 12. The two oldest are both January babies and are 10 days shy of being exactly a year apart. With the two youngest being in the seventh grade, even though they are 10 months apart. The number 10 seems to be a similarity. The difference in children is my twin sister has a third child, Leah, who will be eight in October. We are both avid readers and approach parenting with the same no-nonsense approach. And to top it off, our husbands are best friends...[since] years before we married our respective spouses.

What do you do for work?

I have worked from home for the last 13 years as a virtual assistant, as a children's author the last three years, and most recently as the Editor-in-Chief for Guardian Angel Kids Ezine and publicist for the Children's Writers' Coaching Club.

Do you have any advice for mothers with newborn twins?

Each baby comes into this world with their own personality, whether solo or with a twin. Embrace their individuality from the onset and watch them soar.

To learn more about Donna you can visit her sites:
DonnaMcDine.com
Write What Inspires You Blog
The Golden Pathway Blog
Readers, I hope you enjoyed reading this interview. If you are a twin, please feel free to share your experiences in the comments section.


Read more: http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/interview-fraternal-twin-sis...