Meet author Mukkove Johnson as she talks about her new book - Easter is About Jesus!

Mukkove Johnson, author of Christmas is About Jesus, has a new book called Easter is About Jesus.  I have gotten to know Mukkove over the last couple of years and am thrilled to be able to interview her.  She lives in Alaska, which I find to be so interesting because she gets to see real moose all of the time!  Before our interview, I'd like to tell you more about Mukkove's books. (Make sure you read to the end for a chance to win a personalized copy of Easter is About Jesus).

Easter is About Jesus is a book of family devotions for the Easter season.  Johnson does a great job making the devotions meaningful, interactive, and fun.  She takes common Easter themes like eggs and bunnies and shows how these symbols can remind us of Jesus.  All devotions begin with a scripture followed by an explanation. Then to make a deeper personal connection there is a section with discussion questions and activity ideas.  This is a wonderful book to use each Easter season to help set the focus that Easter is About Jesus.

Though Easter is About Jesus is a stand-alone book, it makes a great companion to Christmas is About Jesus! 

I have always loved the quote, "Jesus is the reason for the season" and one of my favorite images is Santa Claus kneeling over baby Jesus in the manger showing that even he knows the real reason Christmas is celebrated.  These thoughts came to mind while reading Mukkove Johnson's book Christmas is About Jesus-An Advent Devotional.  These devotions begin on December 1st and continue through Christmas Eve.  For each devotional, Johnson takes traditional Christmas items like holly, Christmas lights, and cookies (just to name a few) and shares how each of these symbols can remind us of Jesus.  She does this through scripture, prayer, and thought-provoking questions that are good to promote family discussions.  I recommend Christmas is About Jesus for families who want to keep Christ in Christmas!  

And now I'd like to introduce author Mukkove Johnson!

What inspired you to write this book? 

A combination of things inspired me to write Easter Is About Jesus. It really starts with why I was inspired to write my first book, Christmas is About Jesus.

How did you get started writing these devotionals?

I wanted to teach my children that Christmas was really about Jesus, not wish lists and being good to get gifts. I also wanted a countdown to Christmas, like that advent calendars I had used as a child. I really wanted everything we did in celebrating Christmas to point to Jesus though, to enforce that this holiday and celebrating was truly about Him. CIAJ was the end result.  EIAJ was inspired because the Easter holiday seemed to have a similar confusion about what we were really celebrating. I mean what do rabbits have to do with Jesus rising from the dead anyway? I came up with something - you can read the book to see J. (Well okay, two things really: Easter Bunny: Jesus gives good gifts, chocolate bunnies: Jesus has good thing to say)

Tell us about your family? 

My family is wonderful. I have three preteens (10, 11, and 12) whom I have always told “We’re not doing teenagers. You are children and then you will be young adults.” Many are waiting to see how that works out for me! I homeschool them and always have. My husband is my favorite person to hang out with, no matter what we’re doing.

What it is like to live in Alaska? Have you ever lived in the lower 48? If so, how does it compare?

I was born in Minnesota and went to college in Oregon. I forget how different Alaska can be to people who don’t know. I recently had family visiting from Minnesota and their thoughts on the differences included:

·         Every road is a dead end. You go somewhere and have to turn around and go back the same way.

·         To do anything up here you have to get in and drive.

I live in the Matanuska Valley. Being a valley there are mountains all the way around. There are 3 main ways out of the valley, all of which can dead end at the ocean pretty easily – if you drive long enough. Everything is farther apart here, but that tends to make people closer together. Certainly not everyone, but most people are more like family because their own is so far away. 

We regularly have moose in our yard and I now always think of you, Lisa.

Thank you for having me here Lisa!

Blessings,
Mukkove Johnson

I was thrilled when Mukkove shared this picture -
how cool to have a real moose in the backyard!

Mukkove is generous enough to have a Book Giveaway right here on my blog! One lucky reader will win an  autographed copy of Easter is About Jesus.  To enter, just leave a comment or question for Mukkove in the Comments Section and one winner will be chosen on September 4th.  Please be sure to leave an email address so we can contact you!

Purchasing Information:
Signed copies are available only @ Kove's Cove
Available from Tate Publishing and by September 18th most online retailers

To contact Mukkove:
email: Mukkove@KovesCove.com
website: Kove's Cove
facebook: Mukkove Johnson - Christian Author
blogs: Kove's Blog and Focus on Jesus
mailing list: Kove's Cove

Thank you so much for talking with me Mukkove and best of luck on your new book!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

I am Lisa, the author of The Moose at the Manger, and the moose gave me the opportunity to write today because I have such a "funtastic" story to share with you! Over the weekend while at an art fest in Huntley, Illinois, a dad came up to the tent with his two young children.  The dad was telling them that I was an author and I wrote the books that were on the table.  

The daughter looked up wide-eyed through her glasses and looked amazed.  She told me she was going into first grade and she had some questions.  She first asked me if I would show her how I wrote the books.  Then while looking at a copy of The Moose at the Manger she pointed to the text on one of the pages and asked if I had written "all of that myself".  She was such an articulate girl and had so much enthusiasm as she spoke.

When she looked at my other book My Hero, My Ding, I explained that the picture of the little girl on the cover was me when I was 9 years old and the man was my grandpa.  I told her the story was about the two of us.  She looked right at me and without missing a beat said, "So it's a non-fiction story".  I was so impressed I told her that I wish she could be in my 6th grade class, and she very innocently told me she couldn't be because she's not old enough.

I knew she wanted to get a Moose book, but I didn't want to pressure the dad, so I offered to give the girl a picture I had with both of my book covers on it.  I told her I'd sign it for her.  She proudly told me her name was Ella and proceeded to spell it.  I also signed one for her brother and she told me he was Evan and spelled his name for me too.  She asked if the pictures were free, and when I told her they were and that free was the best price something could be, she started to giggle.

By this time, the dad asked if Ella would like a Moose book and again her wide eyes smiled. As I signed the book for the kids, their mom approached the booth and Ella took off repeating most of our conversation to her.  

As they walked away, the girl turned back to wave good-bye. Ella was polite, a great conversationalist, smart, and full of enthusiasm!  Her parents should be quite proud! What a nice experience that was! (And I really do wish I had a classroom of students just like her:)

What is Artfest? Come, find out!

This is High Five, and I am so excited to be attending the Huntley Artfest this weekend!  There is even a contest for the best art, but I couldn't enter because "cutest moose" was not a category!  I've been watching the weather and so far it is supposed to be a beautiful weekend. If you are looking for something to do that you haven't done yet this summer, come on out!

The are 50 artisans with varied talents, entertainment, and food!

Click HERE to read more about the fest!

Be sure to stop by and say HI!  You won't be able to miss me...I'll be the one with the antlers!

Hope to see you there!

Where's Waldo...actually "Where's the Moose" contest...it's easy to enter.

Here is Chris Mas Moose sitting with Joey and Jenna! Take a good look at them and then we are going to play Where's Waldo?  Well, okay, not Waldo...but Where's Jenna and Joey?  So, go ahead take a good look at Jenna and Joey and then scroll down when you think you are ready?

Leave a comment telling us where you found Jenna and Joey in this picture or if you want your answer to remain a secret (just between the moose and you) e-mail them at lisatortsbook@ameritech.net.  In the subject line write CONTEST!

Doing either will automatically enter you in a contest to win a Moose at the Manger coloring book!   Do your best to describe their position.  And just to add more fun to the contest...let us know if you find the shar pei dog in this group too and where you found him.

Remember:  If you leave a comment in this post also leave an email address so we can contact you if you win!

This contest has ended.  Catch us next time!

Stanley is a true fan of the Chicago Cubs...Come meet him!

HI! I am Stanley (Stosh to my friends) and I am the Moose of the Month.  Read all about me on our website.  Click Here - Moose of the Month!  


You'll learn when I joined the family, how I became domesticated, and what I learned from being a Cubs fan for all these years.


Click on, you know you want to learn more about me!

'Til the Cows Come Home...

proves once again that reading is really FUNdamental and we certainly like to focus on the fun!  We were thrilled when we received our very own copy of 

'Til the Cows Come Home 

by Judy Perry Drewett.  

Here we sit captivated as our friend Holt Stein and his little brother Hal get ready to read us 'Til the Cows Come Home (for the third time).  It's such a great story!

Here is what our Moo has to say about it...

" 'Til The Cows Come Home by Judy Perry Drewett is an udderly adorable and creative book with wonderful illustrations.   Thomas is introduced to the phrase "'til the cows come home". As a literal thinker, each time it is repeated, he imagines those cows right there with him from his bedroom to the lunchroom.

Drewett does a fine job using the art of repetition in her story. This will surely keep younger children interested and help them learn to read too. This is also a good way to introduce children to idioms.  

The illustrations add a great deal to the story making it that much more fun to read!  

I recommend you get this story now and do not wait 'til the cows come home!"