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Ever since I was a teenager, I would gaze into the sky and study the stars with amazement and awe. Now I’ve passed that love of space on to Jacob. I knew that this book would be something we’d be able to use both in school and in everyday life.

Space Tourism, written by Peter McMahon and illustrated by Andy Mora, is a fascinating study of this very topic. With each turn of the page, a new section unfolds with historical facts, scientific studies, projects and experiments, and expert interviews. The book really flows in a way that it could be used as a very interesting supplement for science. Just to give you a brief overview of everything this book covers, here are a few of the chapters/projects outlined:

A history of space tourism, Part 1: Trips for the rich
Living on the International Space Station
A history of space tourism, Part 2: Space trips for all!
Rocket science 101: What is zero gravity?
Project #2: Zero-G in a laundry basket
Today’s space fleet
Green space tourism
Space hotels
Project #5: Inflate a model space yacht

….and more. Some of the things I found most interesting were the stories of previous space tourists who have made trips with real astronauts. They pay a pretty penny to do so, but I think an experience like that would be priceless. To look down and see the Earth from the ISS would just be breathtaking and would most likely render me completely and utterly speechless, an experience that noone could forget. The hands-on projects and experiments within the book also really make the lessons and chapters come to life for those who need more of a kinesthetic approach to learning. You may also find yourself fascinated by the experiments NASA has done, in hopes of a future space elevator (something that just seems so unreal to me) or even just by how far space travel has come in the present time. Kids can also explore what life is like on the ISS.

Also included in the book are websites and suggestions for further study, including a section that discusses studying space even from your own back yard.

Space Tourism is available for $16.95 from Kids Can Press and is geared toward ages 9-12. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is even remotely interested in the wonders of outer space. Be sure to follow @KidsCanPress on Twitter.

(Disclosure: I received this book, free of charge, from Raab Associates Inc., for the purposes of review. All views/opinions remain solely my own.)

When I made the move from Blogger to WordPress, I was fortunate to have my husband (who is a self-professed geek) by my side every step of the way. In fact, he did most of the moving, while I worked on the redesign and cosmetic changes that went along with the move. I won’t say it was the easiest experience, but we did ok….however, I wish we’d had this book when it came time to move.

Sharon Hujik, of Good, True and Beautiful, has written a how-to guide for making this move work. The guide is in ebook form, and it’s called How to Move from Blogger to WordPress- A Comprehensive Guide So You Don’t Miss a Step. This book is 97 pages chock full of pretty much everything you need to know to make this move a success; even if you’ve already moved but have made mistakes through the move or have even lost certain things (like GFC, Google PR, etc.), I encourage you to read this ebook and follow Sharon’s advice.

So, what all is included in this guide? Here is a simple rundown of the different parts of the book:

Part 1: Welcome! (An introduction to the book)
Part 2: Self-Hosting (Helps you set up a test blog, configure your WordPress account, etc.)
Part 3: Customizing WordPress (Things such as themes, layout, widgets, plugins, etc., are discussed in great detail here.)
Part 4: The Transfer Process (This section talks about importing your content, keeping permalinks, etc.)
Part 5: Launch (Nameservers, FeedBurner, etc.)
Conclusion
Appendix (which also includes how to transfer your GFC widget, how to use FTP, etc.)

The book is very comprehensive, covering every detail possible. Sharon really takes the time to prepare the reader from the very beginning, even from the beginning of each chapter. At the beginning of the book, she gives a Glossary of terms that will be used throughout this process. This is very helpful to someone who doesn’t exactly speak Geek.:) I also really like that at the beginnning of each section, she shares what the reader can expect during that phase and how long it might take. Time is valuable to everyone, so this is just a bonus feature to this book. Throughout the book, links are given so the reader can do his/her own research throughout this process.

What did I find especially helpful, even though I’ve already made this move?

For one thing, I’m a very visual person, so the constant pictures to help illustrate what Sharon is talking about were wonderful. I like that she covers even the little details, all the minute things you need to know.
She explains the differences between Blogger and WordPress and why WordPress is more professional. When she explains things, though, it’s done in plain English that the reader can understand.
Over the past couple months, I’ve been seriously considering changing my theme, so the section on Themes was especially helpful. Different themes, including both free and paid are suggested/recommended with little details about each kind, even links to find the themes or tutorials on customizing them.
FTP is covered; this has been something I’ve struggled with understanding but have had to use. I was very excited to see this covered in the guide.
I’ve had many a plugin cause problems on my blog, and this important detail is covered comprehensively, even how to know whether or not a plugin is legit before you activate it on your blog.
When I moved from Blogger, I was so afraid I’d lose my page rank. Thankfully, Dan knew what we needed to do to keep it, including fixing/maintaining the permalinks after the move. Sharon covers this part of the move in detail, so you won’t miss any steps.
One last thing? I love the Checklist in the Appendix. This handy guide gives readers an even simpler, step by step guide they can check off as they go.

You can purchase How to Move from Blogger to WordPress for $35.00, and right now you can save 20% by using the promo code: time4wp. I highly recommend this ebook for anyone considering making this move. This move can be fearful for some, but it doesn’t have to be. You gently guide yourself through the process with the use of this book, saving you both time and money (saving money because you don’t need to hire someone to do it for you). You can also join the Affiliate Program, in which you can earn 50% commission. Now that is awesome!

The great news?! The author is giving away 2 copies of this ebook right here on MamaBuzz! You can enter to win a copy by doing one or more of the following; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each way that you enter. I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Wednesday, July 6. This giveaway is open to all (void where prohibited). Good luck, and have a wonderful day!

Have you made the move to WordPress yet? How did it go for you? If not, are you considering it? What’s stopping you? Share in the comments.
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(Disclosure: I received a copy of this ebook, free of charge, from the author, for the purposes of this review. All views/opinions remain solely my own.)

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