Welcome to Carrots! I'm so glad you're here. This is where I share thoughts on liturgical living, faith, parenting, culture, and an extra dose of Jane Austen. You can sign up for my email newsletter here to stay in touch, or look me up on Instagram!
While we’re sharing about what we’ve read this year and looking ahead to what we’ll read in the new year, I have a great giveaway of wonderful books from Usborne to share with you!
When I was homeschooled (3rd-8th grade, I did a little bit of every kind of schooling), my mom would scour used bookstores for anything published by Usborne because they’re such high quality books. As I’m starting to collect good books and curriculum to homeschool our preschooler, I find myself doing the same thing. So, I was thrilled when Erin Lenz, an Usborne consultant and, like me, a Catholic mama to three, contacted me about reviewing some books and giving some away to my readers. Hooray for books!
I was familiar with Usborne, but not with Kane Miller which is their line of children’s books, so Erin sent over a wonderful set of children’s books by Michelle Nelson-Schmidt with matching plush toys. The toys are adorable and Benjamin and Lucy each insist on sleeping with one of them.
Dogs, Dogs! and Cats, Cats! are fun, colorful, rhyming books (Benjamin loved the rhymes). Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster is the tale of a little boy learning to conquer his worries and enjoy life and Bob Is a Unicorn is about an elephant who wants to be a unicorn (and the plushie of Bob DOES have a removable unicorn horn, in case you were wondering).
These titles were the perfect fit for Lucy, age 2, and Benjamin, age 4, but Usborne Books and More has everything from touchy-feely board books for babies to non-fiction and novels. And in my experience with Usborne, their books are always very visually appealing in addition to having great content. I’m looking forward to discovering many more great titles from Usborne Books and More as we get farther along on our homeschooling journey!
To enter to win this giveaway of the Michelle Nelson-Schmidt set of four books and two plushies OR (for parents of older children) a $45 credit toward ANY Usborne/Kane Miller books and products use the rafflecopter widget below! (If you’re reading this in a feed reader or email, you may need to click over to the actual Carrots site.) U.S. entries only (for shipping reasons). Giveaway ends at midnight (EST) the night of January 7th, 2013.
Disclosure: Erin Lenz is a Carrots sponsor. I received review products free of charge. All opinions are my own.
I have a beginning reader so I would love the “Everyday Words” book to work on early concepts!
I think I would go for one of those “That’s not my…” books. I’ve seen one at storytime at the library and the baby liked it!
Oh my kids would totally love this! I have a very imaginative 6 year old who would love Bob wants to be a Unicorn.
The Whatif Monster looks SOOOO cute! Oh my gosh – I love this entire set! What a great giveaway. Thanks!
My 4 year old has been drooling over the Usborne truck books. We couldn’t make it work for Christmas, so this would be perfect! Thanks for the opportunity.
I loved Usborne books as a kid! My 18 mo-old likes the “Find the Duck/Bear/Kitten” series.
I love Usborne! My mom used to sell these books and they are awesome. My son LOVES the touchy feely books so I wouldn’t mind getting a couple more of those
I’d love to build up my (nine day old) baby’s library!
Don’t have any children of our own yet, but I’m sure that our niece, Lily, would love these books! She’ll soon be celebrating her first birthday and books are always a fun gift.
The Usborn Illustrated Classics books look so amazing/lovely! I might just have to buy with Christmas gift money! Thanks for highlighting this publisher.
We love Usborne books for our homeschool. Have you seen the retelling of Greek myths, Shakespeare, Dickens, etc.? Those are our kids’ favorites by far. I’m really wanting to get the world history encyclopedia next.
I think the hockey story, baseball story, football story series would be great. I also think my boys would like the Castle book (s). Thanks for the chance to enter.
oh, I would love this! My family loves this publisher!
I would choose one of their fairy tales. Beauty and the Beast caught my eye first but I saw that there are a lot of classic stories I’d like to have a good version of on our shelves.
I’ve heard so much about Usborne books lately! “Acorns and Stew, Too” looks really cute, though they all look great.
My baby loves “That’s not my Dolly!” It would be awesome to have some more Usborne material!
The “Planes Lift and Look” book would be something my son would love!
The Bible stories and Busy Farm or Towns look like great ones!
What fun books and stuffies! We would love them!! Thanks for the opportunity.
Hard to choose. Probably some nonfiction books, including an astronomy book for my space-obsessed son.
Any of the train books for our train loving son!
I like the look of the Illustrated Stories Collection (including Greek Myths, Aesop’s Fables, Dickens, etc..)
~Ruth Anne
Complete Book of Farmyard Tales! My daughter would love those, and Usborn does great anthologies.
My girls LOVE Usborne books!
Love the kiddo books – super cute!
Probably “Seasons” by Anna C.!
Kids books! Its time to start collecting kids books! Love you!
Atticus is going to have so much fun reading with you
My boys would love the paper plane books!
My children just got Dogs, Dogs! At ages 3 &1, they both love books and have easily 1,500 between them. We love Usborne at our house and would love to expand our library.
Great giveaway!! These books look fantastic!
“Brush your teeth, Max and Millie” would be great for my oldest! Perhaps we could learn some better tooth brushing habits!
Thanks for a great giveaway, I love Usborne books!
The Big Book of Sea Creatures!
I was really pleased with the little book of farm stories I got from an Usborne seller last year – I’d love to get more of those great split readers!
The Complete book of Farmyard Tales has more stories about Poppy & Sam and all of those favorite characters. Bible Stories, Fairy Tales, Princess Stories (non-Disney princesses! And some more un-familiar princess stories), and Going to the Doctor, Going to the Dentist (etc) are some more of the dual level (split) stories :).
I think the Discovery Collection books are the best! Amazing illustrations
See Inside Trains would be a hit with Mr. B these days – they have so many great options though!
I’m interestedin Woolly stops the train / The grumpy goat
I’m not sure I was on the right site. I also like Magical Animals and Ocean of Peril
You may have gone to the Usborne UK site. The correct link is http://www.ReadUsborne2Me.com
love new books! especially usborne!
One Hundred Illustrated Stories My kids can’t get enough stories!
All the books. No, seriously, I have some great memories with usborne books growing up! My kids are all itty bitty, so if we can’t read them now, we’ll read them with later!
My twin boys love Touchy Feely books! But I recall being fascinated as a child with ever Usborne book I could get my hands on.
We are always up for trying new books! All the Usborne books I have seen have been for older kids…I know my girls would love to try out their books for younger kids. Anything that rhymes is a hit over here (much to my chagrin).
Any of them; my kid loves reading. I think he would especially like Bob is a Unicorn.