Thank you Barefoot Books!

 Post from the Barefoot Books Living Barefoot Blog, A brave decision promoting small businesses.  Thank you!  If you would like to know more about our ambassador program or join my team please email me, marshabarefootbooks@gmail.com. 

So Long, Amazon!

by Nancy Traversy Fri May 24, 2013 1:21 AM EDT

At Barefoot Books we believe that small is beautiful. From small, home-based beginnings twenty years ago, we have grown into an international, award-winning independent children’s book publisher. We are committed to cultural and economic diversity; and this is reflected in both our publishing program and in our business model. With this philosophy at the heart of our company, we have decided to end our relationship with Amazon.
As entrepreneurs, we admire Amazon and its ground-breaking accomplishments. However, living Barefoot is about creating a sustainable model which enables individuals to build small-scale businesses; it’s about the vitality of intimate relationships and the power of connection. We believe our future lies in supporting other small businesses and in growing our network of independent Ambassador distributors: – developing a community where personal connections matter, where we can bring our books to life for children, and where we can stay true to our values.
The challenges we have faced doing business with Amazon over the years are similar to those we experienced selling to the big box retail chains. Personal relationships with buyers are rare, particularly when you’re a small publisher. Our books become commodities that tend to only get promoted if they are heavily discounted and Amazon often starts selling them before we have even received our advance copies from the printer. This way of trading often drives small-scale businesses to the wall.
Since announcing this news a few days ago we have seen an outpouring of support not only from our Barefoot Books community, but from other publishers and people around the world!
Barefoot Books Ambassador Barbara Saunders Sims said, ‘I know each of my customers well and have worked hard to create wonderful, lasting relationships with them. This is the way book buying should be’.

Join Me!

Now through May 31st our Starter Kit is only $89.991  This is a $50.00 saving from the regular price of $139.99.  This is a wonderful opportunity to start your own business with our gorgeous books.  Click on banner to learn more.

Sharing from Barefoot Books LIving Barefoot Blog!

Book with a Life Lesson: Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon

by Tessa Strickland Tue Apr 23, 2013 12:45 PM EDT

 

Have you made the acquaintance of Herb, our friendly and peace-loving vegetarian dragon? If not, you have a treat in store.

Herb is not like the other dragons in the Forest of Nogard. They devour whatever meat they can lay their teeth on, and they’re particularly partial to juicy young princesses. Herb is different. He spends his days tending his vegetable plot. So he is taken aback when he finds himself captured and thrown into prison by the local knights, who are determined to execute him as an example to other dragons. Meathook, a meat-eating dragon with a particularly menacing disposition, sets out to corrupt Herb, offering to get him out of prison if he’ll change his ways and tuck into a joint of lamb. Principled to the last, Herb resists. Luckily, his execution is halted by the intervention of his friend Marigold, who realises that the knights have captured the wrong dragon. After this, Herb brokers a peace-keeping agreement with the knights and peace comes to the Forest.
It’s not difficult to see the life lesson in this story: stand up for what you believe in and, if you are lucky, the tide will turn in your favour. Herb has to put his life on the line, which is more than I have ever done, but whenever I read this story, I am transported back to all kinds of struggles I had as a child. I remember having been mocked for being left-handed (though at least I was not forced to become right-handed in the way previous generations of children were). It is not easy for any child or adult to be different, whether by nature or by choice, but in my case, peer pressure felt a lot worse when I was little than it has since I became an adult. It can be easy for me to forget, living in the comfort and relative security of a liberal democracy, what a privilege it is to have the freedom to be different, not to have to conform. May it be so for others too. As Paul McCartney comments, ‘Herb’s story tells the tale of the future’.

If you are interested in purchasing Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon click on Herb

available in hardcover $16.99 or paperback $7.99

Herb, The Vegetarian Dragon

Meet Herb, a dragon who knows how to stay true to his values even in the stickiest of situations. When he is captured by the castle's knights in armor, vegetarian Herb is faced with a difficult decision: will he eat meat in order to save his own life?

IRA-CBC Children's Choice Award Winner
Parents' Choice Award Approved Winner
Society of School Librarians International Honor Book

Ages 4 to 10 years
Written By: Jules Bass
Illustrated By: Debbie Harter

Exciting News!

Need Books?

http://marshamiles.barefootbooks.com
Located in the Foothills of Northwest Ct.  I'm a Barefoot Book ambassador.  If you are a book lover you will fall in love with Barefoot!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year.  It is the Year of the Snake.  I just realized I am living with two snakes!  To find out if that is good or bad go to Barefoot Books blog  to learn more.  http://blog.barefootbooks.com/2013/01/chinese-new-year/

click to buy

The Great Race Race with the animals of the Zodiac as they compete to have the years of the Chinese calendar named after them. The excitement-filled story is followed by notes on the Chinese calendar, important Chinese holidays, and a chart outlining the animal signs based on birth years. Ages 4 to 9 years Retold By: Dawn Casey Illustrated By: Anne Wilson

A look inside the pages of Little Leap Forward

Click here to buy

click here to buy

Little Leap Forward A Boy in Beijing Experience this coming-of-age tale that brings to life the time of the Cultural Revolution. A young boy growing up in the hutongs of China discovers the heartache of loving and having to let go when he captures a bird, only to discover that she will not sing in confinement. The first in Barefoot Books' Young Fiction line, this story also includes beautiful full-color illustrations. Ages 10 and up Written By: Guo Yue Illustrated By: Clare Farrow, Helen Cann

Make a NEW resolution this year! Click below to get started

Make a Footprint Ornament!

Get in the Spirit of Barefoot Books and Make Your Own Footprint Ornament

I have been going through our Family's Christmas ornaments.  We have the handprints of our  kids when they were little.  They were made out of plaster paris in school.  If I had know then I would become a Barefoot Books ambassador I would have surely made this Christmas Baby Mistletoe Ornament.

From the

The Good Stuff Guide

 

Printable Templateswww.myscrapnook.com

Christmas Baby Mistletoe and Holly Craft

Submitted by Angeliina Lawson

Angeliina Lawson created this Christmas decoration or tree ornament for her 10-month-old son David's 1st Christmas present for his relatives; and, she was nice enough to share the directions so you can make one too. Materials Needed:

• 2 packs of oven baking clay in green
• 3 red stem balls
• 10-inches of red string to fold over
• 1 straw
• 1 hot glue gun
• 1 glue stick
• 1 sharp knife
• 1 baking sheet
• 1 Sharpie pen

Instructions:
Preheat the oven as directed on the oven baking clay packaging. Take clay out of packaging and flatten with hands to the size of your child's foot. Make sure the surface is smooth so the footprint comes out visible. Place your child's foot on the clay, pressing down on the heel, top of foot, and all the toes for a good impression. Lift straight up and check out the impression. You can use your fingers to fix areas or make them deeper to see better.
Take a sharp knife and cut along the footprint. Smooth out the edges and if you need to reshape the toes a little to make them more recognizable. Take a straw to make a hole at the heel for the string to go through after they are baked.
Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Let cool. Decide how wide you want the feet to be and line up the holes at the heels and use hot glue gun to glue together. Double the 10-inch string so its 5-inches long and string it through the holes at the heels. Tie a knot then tie another knot at the very end of the string so you are left with a small loop to hang the mistletoe.
Lastly, you take the 3 stem balls and with the wire attached to each red ball twist them together and use the now single wire to string through the holes in the heels. Take the wire and wrap it around thee front holly so that it secures them but also hides the wire. Write the child's information on the back so you remember who, when, and how old. Then hang the mistletoe where you would normally hang mistletoe for a kiss. This is great for gifts to the family and friends!

Support Small Businesses Weekend and Save