The Modern Girls Guide to the Gridiron Book Giveaway ⋆ My Sparkling Life

As with a lot of our favorite movies, they are first inspired by a book that we once enjoyed. This is true of the new DreamWorks Animation movie HOME. HOME is inspired by the book TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY. Today you will have the opportunity to win The True Meaning Of Smekday & the new book Smek For President!
ABOUT TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY
The book that inspired HOME, now a major motion picture!
It all starts with a school essay.
When twelve-year-old Gratuity (“Tip”) Tucci is assigned to write five pages on “The True Meaning of Smekday” for the National Time Capsule contest, she’s not sure where to begin. When her mom started telling everyone about the messages aliens were sending through a mole on the back of her neck? Maybe on Christmas Eve, when huge, bizarre spaceships descended on the Earth and the aliens—called Boov—abducted her mother? Or when the Boov declared Earth a colony, renamed it “Smekland” (in honor of glorious Captain Smek), and forced all Americans to relocate to Florida via rocketpod?
In any case, Gratuity’s story is much, much bigger than the assignment. It involves her unlikely friendship with a renegade Boov mechanic named J.Lo.; a futile journey south to find Gratuity’s mother at the Happy Mouse Kingdom; a cross-country road trip in a hovercar called Slushious; and an outrageous plan to save the Earth from yet another alien invasion.
Fully illustrated with “photos,” drawings, newspaper clippings, and comics sequences, this is a hilarious, perceptive, genre-bending novel from best-selling author Adam Rex.
Read an excerpt from The True Meaning of Smekday
ABOUT SMEK FOR PRESIDENT
In this much anticipated sequel to The True Meaning of Smekday, Tip and J.Lo are back for another hilarious intergalactic adventure. And this time (and last time, and maybe next time), they want to make things right with the Boov.
After Tip and J.Lo banished the Gorg from Earth in a scheme involving the cloning of many, many cats, the pair is notorious—but not for their heroics. Instead, human Dan Landry has taken credit for conquering the Gorg, and the Boov blame J.Lo for ruining their colonization of the planet. Determined to clear his name, J.Lo and Tip pack into Slushious, a Chevy that J.Lo has engineered into a fairly operational spaceship, and head to New Boovworld, the aliens’ new home on one of Saturn’s moons.
But their welcome isn’t quite as warm as Tip and J.Lo would have liked. J.Lo is dubbed Public Enemy Number One, and Captain Smek knows that capturing the alien is the only way he’ll stand a chance in the Boovs’ first-ever presidential election.
With the help of a friendly flying billboard named Bill, a journey through various garbage chutes, a bit of time travel, and a slew of hilarious Boovish accents, Tip and J.Lo must fight to set the record straight—and return home in once piece.
Read an excerpt from Smek for President
LEARN MORE #Smekday #HOME
Learn more about True Meaning of Smekday
Learn more about Smek for President
Follow Disney-Hyperion on Twitter
Follow Adam Rex on Twitter
“HOME” Photo Credit: DreamWorks Home (c) 2015 DreamWorks Animation L.L.C.
One lucky My Sparkling Life Reader is going to win copies of The True Meaning of Smekday and Smek for President and $25 Visa gift card to see HOME in theaters! This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 11:59 PM EST April 27, 2015.
The Fine Print: Entering this giveaway means that you accept both my rules & disclosure. I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Each household is only eligible to win this prize via blog reviews and giveaways once. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Many will enter, few will win! Please allow 8-12 weeks for delivery of prizing. My Sparkling Life is not responsible for any lost or misdirected packages. Prizing provided and shipped by Disney Hyperion. In the rare occasion that a prize does not arrive (which has happened), please notify me and I will try to contact the sponsor.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

HOLLYWOOD, CA – APRIL 4 – The day I never imagined would happen! Myself along with 24 top Disney bloggers got dressed up took a deep breath, and walked the red carpet at the world premiere of Disney’s “The Jungle Book”.
The evening started at 5 when we all met down in the lobby of our hotel dressed to the nine (get rundown of my red carpet fashion) and all a little nervous…okay, not the ones who had actually been to one before…but the majority of us were completely on edge not knowing exactly what to expect or who we might see.
We unloaded the shuttles at a local hotel and walked over to Hollywood BLVD where we took group and individual photos on the “Oscar Stairs”…because…why not, when in Rome, right?! Then, right in front of us…The red carpet El Capitan Theater and all the Jungle Book fun.
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
Hearts pounding we headed around the barricaded Hollywood BLVD & crowds of people over to the red carpet…
Even as my feet hit the carpet, it was still surreal that I was even standing there.
My “The Jungle Book” Red Carpet Experience
We walked the carpet, taking a few pictures along the jungle themed wall amongst stars trying to get pictures with their families. We hung out at the end of the carpet in front of the El Capitan star spotting and catching a few more pictures before heading in for the premiere.
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
Neel Sethi; Lupita Nyong’o; Ritesh Rajan; Ben Kingsley; Giancarlo Esposito; Jon Favreau; Brigham Taylor; John Debney; Alan Horn (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
Before the premiere started we grab some popcorn and a drink in the lobby then headed down to our seats where we sat and listened to the live jazz band.
Finally, it was time for the movie to start! The curtains pulled back and the screen lit up…silence turned into cheers.
I will tell you more about the movie in a review at another time.
When the movie was over it was time to head to the after party to celebrate. We walked out of the theater and across the street passed the still waiting crowds and up to the OHM Night Club.
I’m not gonna lie…it’s been like 15 years since I’ve stepped foot in a night club…lol…The atmosphere was intoxicating. Live music, lots of energy, kids playing games, and making crafts, Adults mingling, grabbing snacks and drinks. There was plenty to do and so much to see. We stood there for a second just to take it all in. Then started walking around and enjoying the scene. We headed back to the OHM Lab where you were greeted by the smell of turkey legs. Here you could also grab a Churro or Dole Whip…I had to grab a Churro since apparently i was crazy for never having had one. So champagne and a churro it was!
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
After having a snack we enjoyed a few games like Disney Infinity, VR, & making our own gif out on the patio.
By 10 or 10:30 the crowd was really thining out so it was about time for us to head out too.
What a night. It is def one for the record books and one I will never forget!
You Might Also Like:
*Disclosure: I was invited by disney on an all expenses paid trip to L.A. to attend the press junket and premiere for Disney’s The Jungle Book, however all experiences and opinions are 100% my own!
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This post may contain affiliate links which fund the My Sparkling Life blog.
The Jungle Book, we all read it, we all grew up watching the animated version about 100+ times…today, Disney’s Live Action adventure, “The Jungle Book,” is out in theaters! While in L.A. earlier this month we were lucky enough to be able to screen it in Dolby Cinemas at AMC Prime as well as during the World Premiere at the El Capitan Theater! I’ve seen it on two different screens and in two different formats (traditional & 3D) and today, I’ve going to share my thoughts & “need to knows” on this epic tale come to life.
IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE TODAY!
There are no LIVE animals in this film! This film really take photo-realistic CG to a whole other level! I am still in awe of the amazing work the team did to bring the realistic, yet dream-like characters to life. The movements, the fur, the sounds…it’s all stunning.
It was all filmed on location….in downtown L.A.! You heard that right..downtown L.A.! Jon Favreau wanted to take the original version of the movie and play with scale (hence the photo-realistic CG). From the larger than life Bagheera, to the enormous King Louie & Kaa, it’s all realistic, yet very dream-like from a child’s perspective.
The storyline is familiar, yet different. In this film you really get a sense of who each character is, and some are not as they were in the original animated version.
Mowgli and Bagheera have the same sort of relationship, but in this one, Bagheera is more a part of the story and Mowgli’s everyday life. Bagheera is more of a teacher to Mowgli… Sir Ben Kingsley saw him as more of a military leader, so you also get that sort of cold, strictness from him, yet it’s more of a loving respectful relationship.
Mowgli is just as you remember him. The long & lanky look and subtle movements are a welcomed familiar site. Neel Sethi, despite never acting before, took this role head on and did it well. He will make you laugh, cry, and feel right along with him throughout the story…You really get a sense of who Mowgli is in this movie.
We see Akela and Raksha much more in this film and you really get the sense of the strong motherly love and family that Lupita Nyong’o & Giancarlo Esposito bring to their wolf parenting roles.
Kaa had a much smaller part and was less comedic and more…seductive & hypnotizing. In the midst of hypnotizing Mowgli, Kaa tells him the story about his origins that helps you, as the audience, understand how this boy came to be raised by wolves in the Jungle.
Baloo is much lazier but just as funny…and with Bill Murray playing the part, he’s bound to be funny! In this film, Baloo is more of a sneaky swindler, and uses Mowgli for his own personal gain, but much like the original quickly grows a loving attachment to Mowgli.
I highly recommend seeing this movie! If you love the original, even if you didn’t…you will love this movie! Seeing it in 3D will give you a whole different feel and immerse you much more into the story….p.s. stick around and watch the credits with your glasses on.