Ornaments of Love Blog Tour and Giveaway!

The Story

A touching Christmas tale with delicate watercolor illustrations, Ornaments of Love is the story of Ayana, a ten-year-old girl who eagerly anticipates that special time of year when the entire family joins together to decorate and admire the Christmas tree. But this year is different. Ayana realizes that her mom and dad are far too busy with everything else to enjoy the tree with her. Then, something unexpected happens and the family comes together again.

My Review

I have to confess that when I was first approached by Sharlin Craig to be a part of this Blog Tour, I was a little wary. The title of the book made me think that it was a corny and overly sentimental Christmas story, and I told Ms. Craig that if that was the case, I wasn’t going to participate. However, she gracefully agreed to let me read the book to decide. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised to read this story. It did move me; not in a syrupy way, but in a more fundamental one.

At 10, Ayana is at that age where children are in transition between being little kids and becoming more independent. However, for her Christmas is the time of the year when she can be a little girl again. She spends with her Mom and Dad, decorating their tree with ornaments and reviving old memories. This represents what the real spirit of the holiday is: to come together and share. It is not about getting presents or big dinners, but about closeness and being with one another. 

I think this story will be relatable to kids of many ages, regardless of how old Ayana is. This is because the fast-paced life we lead sometimes doesn’t allow for us to sit down and just BE with our kids. And our children can feel that too, even if they can’t say it with so many words. The story resonated with me as in my house we also decorate our tree with ornaments that carry memories: ever since my husband was little, his Grandmother as been making a Christmas ornament a year for him. When we first moved in together, she made our first ornament with both are names and the date. When our kids were born, she started making ornaments with their names. A new one each year. Each of those ornaments represents a memory.

This end of the year, if you’re looking for an endearing book that you can share with your children about the holiday spirit, I’d definitely recommend you grab a copy of Ornaments of Love. And if you love doing activities with your children, you should also add the coloring book too! 

Coloring Book

Along with the Picture Book Ms. Craig has made available a coloring book with Christmas spirit pages to color with your children. She also has a few downloadable pages to color at her site, clicking here.

About the Creators

Sharlin Craig, Author

Sharlin Craig, a Detroit native who now resides in southern California with her husband and daughter, is dedicated to writing inspirational children’s books that touch the spirit of her readers. A graduate of Oakland University, she’s taught music to children for several years while also writing music and lyrics. She’s combined her love for children and writing into authoring her debut children’s Christmas picture book, Ornaments of Love.

Sharlin believes that with the right surroundings and daily encouragement, children are boundless. She’s passionate about helping children feel understood and empowered through her books and hopes that her stories make them smile.

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Helen Monwuba, Illustrator

Enter to Win $20 Amazon Gift Card!

The Author of the book has put together a giveaway to promote this tour. Sign up and you may be the lucky winner of a $20 Gift Card for amazon or one of three free e-books!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule

• Thursday, Oct. 27th: This Mom’s Delight (Review)
• Tuesday, Nov. 1st: K&A’s Childrens’ Book Reviews (Review & Giveaway)
• Thursday, Nov. 3rd: Amanda’s Books and More (Review & Giveaway)
• Friday, Nov. 4th: Mami tales (Review & Giveaway)
• Saturday, Nov. 5th: Christy’s Cozy Corners (Review, Guest Post- ‘My Favorite Ornament Memories’ & Giveaway)
• Sunday, November 6th^:: Unleashing Readers (Guest Post-‘Integrating Ornaments of Love into the Classroom Setting’ & Giveaway)
• Monday, November 7^th: The Write Chris (Author Interview & Giveaway)
• Wednesday, November 9^th: This Mom’s Delight  (Guest Post-‘Affirm Your Child’s Worth by Spending Time with Them’ & Giveaway)
• Friday, November 11^th: All Done Monkey (Post-‘10 Ways to Make the Holidays Special’, Review & Giveaway)
• Monday, November 14^th: Connie M. Huddleston  (Monday Morning Indie: Review & Interview)