Children's Book Author Dayna Hilton: October 2008

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Change Your Clock Change Your Battery

Daylight Savings Time ends on November 2 at 2:00 a.m. Remember to change your smoke alarm battery! It is also a good time to practice your home escape drill with your family.

Friday, October 24, 2008

New Book Review from Chloe, Age 5

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

New Book Review by Alec (age 7) and Zeac (age 4)

Thanks to Alec and Zeac for their review of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog!

Send in your review and we will post it online. For more information on how to submit your review, visit Sparkles' Website.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

New Photo

Just had to share this new photo taken of children with their copies of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog Finalist in Two Categories in National 2008 Best Book Awards

USA Book News announced that Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog by Firehouse Dog Publishing, LLC was a finalist in two categories for the National Best Books 2008 Awards.

The book was a finalist in the Children's Non-Fiction and Children's Picture Book Softcover Non-Fiction categories.

The 5th Annual Natinal Best Book Awards features winners from Simon & Schuster, Tarcher/Penguin, HarperCollins, Hyperion, St. Martin’s Press, McGraw- Hill, John Wiley & Sons & Hundreds of Independent Titles Score Top Honors.

Over 500 winners and finalists were announced in over 140 categories covering print and audio books. Awards were presented for titles published in 2008 and late 2007.

Jeff Keen, President and CEO of USABookNews.com, said this year’s contest yielded an unprecedented number of entries, which were then narrowed down to over 500 winners and finalists.

USABookNews.com is an online publication providing coverage for books from mainstream and independent publishers to the world online community. USABN Magazine Online is the monthly electronic magazine e-mailed free to a large cross-section of the book buying public. JPX Media, in Los Angeles, California, is the parent company of USABookNews.com.

A complete list of the winners and finalists of the USABookNews.com National “Best Books” 2008 Awards are available online at http://www.USABookNews.com.

Author Dayna Hilton on Radio Disney

Friday, October 17, 2008

Johnson County RFD #1 Donates Over 500 Copies of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog to Clarksville Primary School

Students at Clarksville Primary School in Clarksville, Arkansas were each asked to go home and work on their escape map after a fire safety presentation at their school. Each child that made a plan and practiced their escape drill (351 students!), had a special picture made. All children were given a copy of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog compliments of Johnson County RFD #1.

If your child received a copy of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog and would like to write a review, please see below. Sparkles would love to hear from you!

Kid's Book Reviews

Kids, tell us what you think of Sparkles' book! Write a review for our page, or send us your video link.

FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS
Our guidelines are simple! We would love to hear from your children (students). Read their published review online on our webpage.

Please help them send us the following:
First Name
Age and grade level
City and Country
Review of the book, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog

Email to: sparkles@sparklesthefiresafetydog.com
Please put "Kids Review" in the subject heading.

We can't wait to read all of the reviews that come our way!
Teachers and parents, we would love to have your review too!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Firefighter Sam

As a fire safety educator, it is not often that you hear of the impact that your efforts have made. A couple of weeks ago, I received a note from Todd, father of four year old Sam.

"Firefighter Sam" loves all things firefighting and he is a huge fan of PBS KIDS Sprout's Fireman Sam. At the end of each Fireman Sam segment, PBS KIDS Sprout airs fire safety tips with Sparkles, Spanner and myself on Sprout on Demand. It turns out that Firefighter Sam's dad found us on the web one day and we have been corresponding ever since.

Sam and his family are helping us with an exciting project that we can't wait to reveal very soon. They are excited about assisting us promote fire safety, and for that, we are very grateful!

In return for our gratitude, Sparkles, Spanner and I sent Sam a token of our appreciation. You can see more pictures on Sam's blog. I have got to tell you that Sam has one incredible blog!

Thank you to you, Sam, and your family for helping keep everyone fire safe!

About Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog

Firefighter and nationally recognized fire safety expert Dayna Hilton, known as “Firefighter Dayna” to millions of children and their caregivers, is the author of the critically acclaimed award-winning children’s book, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog.

The children's fire safety picture book, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, has been credited with saving several lives. Inspired by her work as a firefighter and her four-legged friend, Sparkles, Firefighter Dayna created a heart-warming story about Sparkles.

As children learn of the adventures of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, they learn valuable fire safety tips enabling them and their families to keep fire safe. These tips include recognizing the firefighter as a helper and a friend, knowing the sound and purpose of a smoke alarm, learning how to crawl low under smoke, and understanding the importance of practicing a home fire drill using an escape map.

Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog has received national press coverage, including the Chicago Tribune newspaper and webpage, the Baltimore Sun webpage, Firehouse.com, FIDO Friendly Magazine, DogSport Magazine, and many more.

Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog is not only fun, but educational and based on the latest research. This book is fun and educationally sound, based on the latest fire safety research for young children by Oklahoma State University's Fire Protection Publications.

"Two paws up!" Jenni Glenn, PBS KIDS Sprout

"Sparkles the Dalmatian has her paw on the pulse of fire safety as she helps teach children how to prevent and escape a house fire." Michael Tercha, Chicago Tribune webpage

"They [the class] LOVED the book!! They were so impressed with Sparkles, she is all they talked about! They all want a fire dog now!!I think the book looks great!!!! I love the real pictures, that really made it believable!!" Mrs. Kelli Grigsby, Kindergarten Teacher

"My 3 year old daughter loves this book and CD. In a matter of 2 readings, she knows the theme song, what a smoke alarm does, and how to stay low and go like Sparkles! We saw Sparkles and Spanner at FDIC in Indy. What great dogs." Lesa, a mom and former firefighter-10 yrs.

"Each night that we have read Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, Cole continues to tell ME how HE will get out of the house in case of fire." Carrie, mother of Cole, age three

"This book may be used as a guide to educators, parents, other family members and as a colorful means of learning to the children themselves. "

John M. Malecky, 1st Responder Newspaper

"Written by firefighter Dayna Hilton, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog is a wonderful, flat-spined children's picturebook about the basics of fire safety - as taught with assistance from Sparkles, a friendly female dalmatian. Illustrated with full-color photographs of the real Sparkles and her friends on virtually every page, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog tells young readers what to do if they hear the noise from a smoke alarm: "In case of fire, be sure to crawl low under the smoke on your hands and knees. The air is cleaner and cooler there. Get low and go to your outside meeting place." A great way for parents to introduce their children to doing fire drills, especially sure to appeal to young dog lovers." The Midwest Book Review / Children's Bookwatch (Reviewer's Choice Review)

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