LANGUAGE LIZARD'S SMILE DAY GIVEAWAY:

With spring finally here, it's hard not to SMILE! And did you know that NATIONAL SMILE POWER DAY is just around the corner on June 15th, 2014? (Yes, this is also Father's Day... another reason to smile!)

With this in mind, we've decided to GIVE AWAY our favorite bilingual book about SMILING: Augustus and His Smile. This award-winning book – available in over 20 languages* – teaches children that happiness can be found all around and within us (see review at the bottom of this page for more details about the book).

How can you get a free bilingual copy of this book? See below for details. Just be sure to enter before June 15th, 2014!

And remember... a smile uses fewer muscles than a frown... and it will improve the mood of the giver and receiver!

GIVEAWAY Overview
There are two ways you can receive a free copy of "Augustus and His Smile”: either make a purchase of $150 or more via our website; or enter our lottery to win the book (3 lucky winners will be chosen)! Here's what you need to do (by June 15, 2014):

Option 1) Place an order of $150 or more on our Language Lizard website between today and June 15, 2014, and we will add a FREE copy of the book to your order! To be eligible, you must write the word SMILE in the order notes (also write the language edition* that you would like). Note: this giveaway cannot be applied to orders already placed. Product total must be $150 or more (excludes shipping/handling).

Option 2) Enter our GIVEAWAY. THREE Winners will be chosen at random to win a copy of the book (your choice of language edition). Fill out our contact form in full by June 15, 2014. In the Questions/Comments section, write "SMILE GIVEAWAY" and include the language edition* that you would like. Note: we never share your contact information, we use it solely to notify you and send you the prize if your name is chosen.

--> Want an extra giveaway point? Simply write a comment on one of our blog posts or post about the giveaway on Facebook or Twitter. Let us know that you have posted when submitting your contact form and you will be entered twice!
And be sure to subscribe to our Culture Connection Newsletter to be notified of future giveaways and special promotions!

*This bilingual book is available in English and you can select one of the following language editions: Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese Simplified, Czech, Farsi, French, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Irish, Panjabi, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovakian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese, and Welsh.

Winner must include ship-to address in order to be included in drawing. Only new orders placed and contact forms received between May 20 and June 15, 2014 will be eligible for the book giveaway. The offer is only for shipments to the US and Canada.

Please read on for further details/rules:

1. To enter the giveaway, entrant must fill in and submit Language Lizard's contact form in full by June 15, 2014. Address information must be included in order for us to send the prize. In the questions/comments section, entrant should write "SMILE GIVEAWAY" and include the language edition of choice (see language editions listed in Giveaway overview). If a customer posts on the Language Lizard blog or posts about the giveaway on their Facebook or Twitter account, they may tell us about their posting on the contact form submission to qualify for one other "giveaway point".

2. Three people will be chosen at random to win a copy of a bilingual edition of Augustus and His Smile. All winners will be chosen at random using random.org's sequence generator.

3. This giveaway takes place from May 20 - June 15, 2014. Language Lizard reserves the right to extend the closing date. Any extension will be noted on this site.

4. Winners will be notified by email in the last 2 weeks of June, 2014 (if valid email was provided). Books will ship to the winners no later than July 31, 2014. Books will ship to the address specified on the contact form.

NOTE: All emails from Language Lizard will come from [email protected] so please add that to your address book or whitelist in your email program so that you receive our emails.

5. Emails provided to Language Lizard will never be shared with any outside party for any reason.

6. Only those 18 or older can enter.

7. This offer is open to customers in US or Canada only.

8. Vulgar or offensive comments or entries on the Language Lizard Blog or on Facebook will be removed and the commenter will not be entered in the giveaway.

9. Language Lizard reserves the right to disqualify anyone cheating, not following entry details, tampering with the entry process, using automated entries or doing anything against the spirit of this giveaway. This giveaway is meant to support literacy and language learning, so please be respectful!

10. No purchase is required to enter the giveaway. Void where prohibited by law.

12. Language Lizard reserves the right to alter these rules based on its discretion and does not have to notify entrants of updates or changes. Any changes would be posted on this site.

13. Click here to read the Language Lizard Privacy Policy.

14. In addition to the giveaway drawing, any customer who places an online order through June 15, 2014 with product total greater than $150 and writes "SMILE" on the "Order Notes" section of their order, will automatically receive a free copy of Augustus and His Smile. Customer should also include in the order notes the language edition that he/she would like for us to send. Shipping/Handling not included in product total. This offer cannot be applied to orders already placed. If customer is sending order via fax or mail, he/she may write "SMILE PROMOTION" (with language edition) in large letters in cover letter or body of the email and free book will be sent if product total on order is $150 or greater. Fax must be received by June 15, 2014. Mail orders must be postmarked by June 15, 2014.

BOOK REVIEW - Augustus and His Smile

“Augustus the tiger was sad. He had lost his smile.” So begins an epic quest as Augustus searches for his lost smile. His search takes him under bushes, up to the treetops, and to the crests of the highest mountains. He finds a beetle, chirping birds, and swirling snow clouds, but no smile.

As his journey progresses, however, Augustus’ expression gradually begins to change. His pleasure becomes evident as he swims in the oceans and “splishes and splashes with shoals of tiny, shiny fish.” His long tail also begins arching in a smile to match the one on his face. Suddenly he is prancing and parading in a desert, dancing and racing in raindrops, and splashing through puddles. Then he finds it – in the reflection of a “huge silver-blue puddle” – his smile!

Augustus comes to realize that he carries his smile with him, “whenever he (is) happy”. His journey teaches him that he only has to do the things that please him, like swim or dance or look around him at the world “for happiness (is) everywhere around him.”

For Augustus and his Smile, award-winning author and illustrator Catherine Rayner spent hours observing and sketching tigers at the Edinburgh Zoo. Her talent and attention to detail are evident as we watch this boldly-drawn tiger move through his various poses. Children will appreciate both this story’s message as well as the illustrations of Augustus.

The last page of the book lists some “amazing tiger facts” and notes their endangered status.
(Review by Maureen Barlow Pugh)