My Life of What Ifs

Monday, October 26, 2009

My First Giveaway!! Cheerios offers a spoonful of stories


I have always loved to read. Yes, there were times when it became a chore because you were required to read things that were less then interesting (high school, college?) and that dampened my love a bit, but as I got older I learned to love reading again.

Now, I am trying to instill a love of reading in my girls. I want them to feel the power of a good story, and love a book so much you can't put it down. Ryann likes to read but she doesn't love it. I don't know if it's an attention span issue or what, but reading is not the first thing that comes to her mind when looking for things to do.

Jayden looks at books and then says "I can't read yet!" Well, that's partially true, she's in kindergarten and is learning words quickly but still wants to be a "non-reader". She does make up her own stories to go with the pictures which gives me hope that once she can read completely on her own she will be sucked in to the story and read with reckless abandon.

Cheerios also knows the value of reading and over the past eight years, they have given away more than 40 million children’s books by distributing them free inside cereal boxes and have donated $3.2 million to First Book, their non-profit partner, which provides books to children from low-income families.

The program is part of Cheerios’ ongoing commitment to helping parents provide their children with a healthy, nutritional and educational foundation. Beginning this month, Cheerios is again bringing books to the breakfast table, by providing six million children’s books free inside Cheerios boxes. The books are for children ages 3 to 8 years old, and include a brand new book in the popular “Trucktown” series, available only inside Cheerios boxes. And for the first time, all five books have been specially printed in both English and Spanish.

Through MyBlogSpark™, Cheerios provided me with a free box of cheerios and a copy of each of the five books available, as well as the prize pack below to give away to one of my readers.
The prize pack includes a box of Cheerios, all five books featured in boxes of Cheerios- Junkyard Fort, Sleepyhead, Ballyhoo Bay, Tea for Ruby, and What's Under the Bed?- and a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble!

My girl loved all of the books, and Ryann thinks it's very cool that they are printed in Spanish too.

All you have to do to enter is comment on this post and answer one of the following questions.

What is your story time ritual with your children?
What is your favorite children’s book?
If you could be a character from a children’s book, who would it be?

You can enter until Sunday, November 1st at 11:59 p.m. and I will post the winner, selected at random, on Monday, November 2nd.

So, comment away and I wish you all luck! Thanks to Cheerios and MyBlogSpark™ for providing this awesome giveaway!
****edited to add**** feel free to comment (enter) once a day!
Stacy

25 comments:

Kristin said...

I would be The Very Hungry Caterpillar. :D

Mami2jcn said...

My favorite children's book is "Robert the Rose Horse".

mami2jcn at gmail dot com

Doreen said...

Ohhh I love this giveaway!! :) My fav children's book is Charlotte's Web, such a classic!! :) purposedrivenlife4you at gmail dot com Can we comment as much as we want? Thanks!

Unknown said...

LOL!!!! You can comment once a day! Thanks for visiting Doreen!

judy lueer said...

Nancy Drew!!

Cheryl said...

I have a big love of children's books. I have all of mine from when I was a child and I still purchase new ones for when I have one of my own to read to. One of my old favorites is Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs! Yep, I have the book, in hard cover. I am still trying to find some child to take me to the movie (I'll probably have to wait till video) but boy was I sure excited to see it coming to the theaters! I also own the sequel Pickles to Pittsburgh --but that was purchased a couple of years ago. When I order from Amazon and I need a little more added to my total so I can get free super saver shipping I order a children's book to add to my collection--- continued tomorrow.......

JC said...

My fave children's book is Heidi!

Kristen G. said...

My favorite children's book is The Velveteen Rabbit

My daughters favorite book is There is a Monster at the End of this Book


akgustafson at msn dot com

Cheryl said...

My new found favorite author is Ted Arnold. Parts, More Parts are a couple of his books. These are books I have recently purchased to add to my future child's collection.

Kristin said...

I'm with the other Kristen, my favorite is The Velveteen Rabbit.

I once cried in the middle of the Plymouth Art Fair because a vendor had a quote from it embroidered on a pillow...I'm such a sap! :D

Unknown said...

Storytime in our house is normally bedtime, unless its rainy and we get a pile of books to pass the days away.

My favorite kid books are Jillian Jiggs.

"Jillian, Jillian, Jillian Jiggs"

Kate Doerpholz said...

In our house story time is part of bedtime. Depending on how tired my son is he either reads to me or I read him. Usually we read in his bed, but sometimes we'll read on the couch... especially if it's a new story he's reading and he wants Papa to hear as well.

But like Sherry said on rainy days... then we can plow through a stack of books in an afternoon. Or get totally engrossed in yet another volume of Narnia.

Debbie Cummings said...

My favorite would have to be Guess How Much I Love You...Such a sweet story and set's a nice mood for pleasant dreams...Debbie C

Lisa said...

We read at least one book every day. Right now Kenny likes to read me the books he makes at school and choose one other book at bedtime. Lizzie has really been enthusiastic about reading lately. Since I'm home with her right now we tend to read a lot.

Anonymous said...

We read books throughout the day but every night we read books in Mommy and Daddy's bed (where my girls have been sleeping lately anyway) before sleepy time. My favorite Children's book is Where the Sidewalk Ends, right now, my twins love Pinkilicious but when they were little they loved HUG, my 2 year old boy loves HUG and Goodnight Gorilla!!! If I could be a character in a book, I guess I'd have to be Elouise!!! Who whouldn't want to be Elouise? (Hi Stacy, no time to sign up on Google right now so I'm going anonymous. Love, your childhood friend Jen :)

Sarah Britton said...

If I had the chance, I think I would be Tinker Bell from Peter Pan! And although this isn't one of the questions, if I could have one of the characters from one a children's book I would totally have my own little Thumbelina! :)

Steph said...

My boys both are obsessed with Dirt on My Shirt, but I remember loving the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle stories when I was little.

PS... thanks for the contest Stacy!

Angie Taylor said...

Both Brianna and Ryan's favorite bedtime book was "Where the Wild Things Are". And we can't wait to see it at the movies :)

Chris Bona said...

Brittany reads to me almost every night, somewhere between 8 & 9pm.
Her new favorite series are the Junie B. Jones books. She also loves the author Beverly Cleary.

Cheryl said...

No One Noticed Ralph is another of my favorites. It dates back to the late 70's and it's about a parrot looking to get noticed so he flies out an open window in search of something. He ends up finding a home on fire and saves the day and becomes a hero! It's a very cute story!

Molly's Space said...

My favorite characters are Junie B. Jones because she makes me laught until I cry. I love Skippy John Jones too. That crazy cat kills me when he changes into his alter ego...Skippito Friskito the GREAT SWORD FIGHTER!!! I love Stellaluna because she adapts and charges on and that is how I want to live. Wow!! The list can go on and on. Lately, it is these three that run first in my mind. I agree with Stacy that there are definitely times in my life that I've LOVED reading. NOW is my time.

Kate Doerpholz said...

If I had to be a character from a children's book it would probably me Mother from Dick & Jane. I could so rock high heels and pearls on a daily basis... while cleaning and running errands.

Heidi said...

My current favorite children's book is only my favorite because Alivia (4) can read it by herself. David Goes to School, by David Shannon.

Anonymous said...

My kids will not take their nap or go to bed without reading at least three books. The newest part of their ritual is that we have to read on our tummies on their favorite blanket.

denise_22315 (at) yahoo (dot) com

Cheryl said...

Gosh, there are so many other favorites and today is the last day to comment for the give away. Today I'll let you know about the book I used to read my brother when he was little. It was a little golden book called The Poky Little Puppy. Its still an easy book to find so I usually buy it for baby showers when they request a book instead of a card.

My next childrens book purchase will be My penguin Osbert. Last year around X-mas time I heard a Boarders helper recommend it to a customer and I have been intrigued ever since......