innovativeKids Now I'm Reading! Collection {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Bethany C!}

When it comes to books, I feel lucky that both of my kids have always been big, big fans. Whether individually or together, it isn't at all uncommon to find them sitting on the floor in our living room or their bedrooms surrounded by a mountain of books that have been taken off of the shelf one by one and "read."

Wanting to continually encourage and foster this love of books, I am always interested in products for children that are fun and entertaining that can also help reinforce essential learning skills and promote reading for all kids. The latest products I've found to help children succeed is the award-winning Now I'm Reading! series from innovativeKids.

Created and written by author and former teacher, Nora Gaydos, the innovativeKids Now I'm Reading! series presents kids ages 3 - 7 with exciting new ways to learn how to read. This unique step-by-step program contains leveled books, activities, games and plays to show kids that reading can be fun from their first books all the way to when they are independently doing it on their own.

Even though Big Sister E isn't reading by herself just yet, I knew that she would have a great time trying out the Now I'm Reading! Plays: Cinderella.

One of the most popular fairy tales around, innovativeKids has done more than just retell the story, this play has parts for five children to fully participate in reading through and acting it out. What better way to encourage reading and understanding more than actually becoming the characters?

As well as the main book that tells the entire tale of Cinderella, I really like the way that this set also included a script (in book form) for a narrator, the Stepsister, Stepmother, Prince Charming and Cinderella herself. Each one was individually tailored for that particular role with icons, bold text and highlighted lines that make it easy to follow.

But, without a doubt, the best part of the Now I'm Reading! Plays have to be the masks. Hooking on right over the child's ears like glasses, these colorful accessories are the perfect accompaniment to get kids excited about reading this story. How could they not have fun when they are giggling over how silly they look as the four main characters in the play?

Do you like the "evil" or "wicked" face that goes along with the stepsister and stepmother masks? Apparently that's what mean people look like!

Big Sister E truly had a great time acting out each character while I read her the story (and she followed along in another script) and even though she wasn't doing the reading herself, I knew that this play helped encourage her love of books and only further her desire to learn to read. Plus, we both had some big laughs over how funny she looked in the masks!

With items designed for pre-readers all the way through those that are independent, the Now I'm Reading! products from innovativeKids can help children improve reading fluency, learn how to better comprehend what they are reading and overall build confidence in their abilities... and all while incorporating humor and making learning and reading a fun experience on multiple levels.

Plus, thanks to their generosity, one person will be able to reinforce how entertaining and important reading can be, because...

One lucky person will win their choice of Now I'm Reading! product* from innovativeKids!

*Options include the Now I'm Reading! Plays, Now I'm Reading! Read It, Write It or Draw It Activity Book or a Now I'm Reading! Game.

To enter to win: Visit innovativeKids.com and tell me the name of another product that your kids would love (other than those in the Now I'm Reading! Series).

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you Like innovativeKids on Facebook, Like Nora Gaydos on Facebook and/or subscribe to Nora Gaydos' blog.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

#WIN an innovativeKids Now I'm Reading item of choice & create a lifelong love of literacy! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/cUnr00 #giveaway

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me publicly with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and innovativeKids.

Giveaway will end on November 12th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to innovativeKids for providing a Now I'm Reading! Play for review as well as the choice of Now I'm Reading product for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.