A Not So Perfect Start review

 

Welcome to The Caring Classroom! A new series that gives kids the building blocks they need to be a kind and caring person in the classroom and beyond.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

Thea wants everything to be perfect during her first week of school! Nothing can go wrong as she is filled with excitement, hope and worries.  But when a mishap during art time occurs, Thea shares an idea bringing the caring classroom together.

 

The first week of school can become frustrating for a child who is a perfectionist such as Thea.  This is a gentle, encouraging read-aloud that would work well for classroom story time or a parent of a child with the expectations of making everything perfect the first few days of a new school year.  The book sends a positive message that making mistakes is okay and shows that you don't have to be perfect at everything.  When things happen beyond your control it can turn into something wonderful when you stop and adjust your thinking.  The illustrations are fun, bold and the characters have cute expressions as they go through their school days of ups and downs.  The text flows nicely for reading aloud and the story may relieve some anxiety and jitters kids are facing.  In the beginning, Thea makes a list of all the things she needs to make her first day perfect.  In the end, her list changes to a helpful tips for a perfectly imperfect you list teaching us some valuable points. This is the first book in "The Caring Classroom" series and I could see many more in the future about Thea and her classmates. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 4-7.~

 

Title: A Not So Perfect Start

Author: Trudy Ludwig, illustrated by Maribel Lechuga

Pub. date: June 2026, Knopf Books for Young Readers

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 32 pgs. 

 

 

 

 

Dog Days of School review

 

Charlie thinks his dog, Norman, has got it good: he gets to spend his days lounging on the couch or playing fetch, and he never has to do any homework. But when Charlie makes a wish to be a dog instead of a boy, things get a little topsy-turvy!  (goodreads summary)

This is one of my favorite back-to-school reads and I bet many of our children could relate to this funny story about Charlie. He does not like going to school and is tired of practicing his letters and drawing pictures. Most of all he seems anxious on Sunday nights and has trouble falling asleep. That night, he makes a wish that he could be like his dog Norman, whose life seems pretty grand at the moment. He wakes up the next morning and finds that he has switched bodies with Norman the dog! This funny story shows kids that the grass may not always be greener on the other side. Illustrations are large and bold making it a visually great read-aloud for the younger ones. They will giggle seeing Charlie doing the things his dog really does during the day while Norman goes to school supposedly like a real boy.  Well, I guess be careful what you wish for!  I have enjoyed many books by this author and again this one definitely will be added to my list. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-7.~

Title: Dog Days of School
Author: Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Brian Biggs
Pub. Date:  June 2014, Disney-Hyperion
Genre: picture book
Hardcover, 40 pgs.

How to Get Your Teacher Ready review

Written in tongue-in-cheek instructional style, a class of adorable students gives tips and tricks for getting a teacher ready for the first day of school, and all the events and milestones that will follow. (goodreads summary) 

 

 

 

  

 One of my favorites of the back-to-school books!

 

This cute and simple how-to book is a great way to help kids get off on the right foot when starting out a new school year.   The children are the experts in this story by giving their teacher wonderful advice that starts with the transition of the first few days. It then prepares the class for several other special events to expect throughout the upcoming year such as; picture day, holiday concerts, the 100th day of school celebration and many other amazing things the class will encounter.  The text is simple with large and colorful illustrations making this a nice circle time read aloud for the younger grades.  This is a fun role reversal book showing how students are getting their teacher ready for a new school year instead of the teacher getting her students ready.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 4-7.~

Title:  How to Get your Teacher Ready

Author:  Jean Reagan, illustrated by Lee Wildish

Pub. date:  July 2017, Alfred A. Knopf 

Genre: picture book

Hardcover,  32 pgs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeti is Not Ready for School review

First day of school jitters? Yeti knows all about that! She's not ready for her first day of school either in this colorful picture book that is a gentle reminder that's it OK to be scared to start something new.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

Yeti has everything ready for her first day of school. She has been practicing her stomping, mastering her growl and even filed her fangs. But her tummy still has the fire-breathing moths fluttering around.  Tomorrow is the big day but can Yeti think of a good excuse to stay home instead?

 

It is that time already for the new school year to begin and many kids are feeling butterflies in their stomach. This is a fun back to school story for those first day jitters to let kids know that it is okay to feel nervous.  Kids will relate to Yeti's worries when they see how she feels about her upcoming first day meeting new classmates or doing something embarrassing in front of others.  The illustrations are bold and bright and the text can be easily read to one child or to a large group.  It may open up conversation to help kids ease into a new school year knowing that others share the same feelings when starting something new.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-6.~

 

Title: Yeti is Not Ready for School

Author: Leigh Ann Carter

Pub. date: July 2025, Random House for Young Readers

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 32 pgs. 

 

 

Crouton review

 

Join Crouton, a lovable shelter cat, as she searches for her perfect person—because not everyone would be the right fit.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

Crouton is a shelter cat who is looking for just the right person to take home. Not everyone will be perfect but she knows when she finds that special one!  Just as she starts to give up hope, an adorable little girl walks in and Crouton decides she better get her attention so nobody else will adopt her before she can!

 

This is a sweet and really cute story told from a shelter cat's point-of-view about waiting and finding that one special person to share your life with. It is a reversal on how we adopt pets from shelters and would be a wonderful conversation starter if you are thinking about a pet adoption.  As cute as animals can be, it comes with a lot of responsibility and hearing it from Crouton shows us just that.  We also feel the happiness and love that can be shared between a pet and human. The text is simple but the illustrations on each page are in eye pleasing black, white and pink tones and the characters are expressive and cute.  The book is based on the authors own experience of adopting a shelter cat and I am glad she shared her personal story so others can think about the process for themselves.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-7.~

 

Title: Crouton

Author: Kristine A. Lombardi

Pub. date: January 2026, Random House

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs. 

 

Lydia Loves Bugs review

 

Discover the wonderful world of insects as Lydia collects bugs for show-and-tell in this picture book perfect for little entomologists (goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

Lydia is a lover of bugs! She loves big bugs and little bugs, bouncy bugs and even stinky ones.  She is lucky because her mom is an Entomologist, a person who studies bugs for a living.  Together they collect various insects for a special show-and-tell day at school and Lydia cannot wait to share with her classmates what they find.  

 

There is still time before school starts to get outside and explore nature.  If you know a child that loves bugs, this will be the perfect book for them.  The text is simple and short but the illustrations are large, bold and colorful making this a great read aloud to a large or small group.  There are so many different insects throughout the story that kids will either recognize a few or learn about a new one. All the bugs shown in the story are real and the author has added a wonderful back page description to help understand them more. After reading about Lydia's love and seeing her enthusiasm, it may spark interest in having their own bug hunt at a nature area or their own backyard. Collecting and observing bugs is a fun activity that will keep kids occupied for hours.  Another part of learning is to make sure they release them back to nature when they are done.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-7.~

 

Title: Lydia Loves Bugs

Author: Heidi E.Y. Stemple & Yuliya Pankratova

Pub. date: May 2026, Familius

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 32 pgs. 

Sunday Fun Day review

 

Make every Sunday a fun day with an amazing activity for every weekend of the year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

No matter the season or the weather, this fabulous activity book will have something for the whole family.  Filled with 52 creative and fun things to do, there is an activity to choose from for each weekend of the year.  It has a wide variety of ideas on crafting, cooking, gardening or easy games which can all be done either indoors or outdoors.  Most activities are nature based and connected to the four seasons of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.  

 

Starting with Spring you could make a collage from leaves, twigs, flowers or shells or put on a noisy nature concert using rocks, empty bottles or sticks.  In Summer you can inspect insects, paint a pet rock or make leaf boats that float.  Autumn has many ideas such as fairy homes, outdoor obstacle courses and a pine cone bird feeder. Winter suggests stamping fruity wrapping paper, making a wildlife tree or a pretty colored tree sweater.  Several recipes are included for cooking in the kitchen and making some yummy meals.  There is carrot cake, cheesy pasta or soothing soup.  These are just a sample of all the wonderful things your family can do over the year.  Best of all, it brings everyone together and enjoying the beauty of nature and each other.  The activities seem simple and at the end of the book there is a tools and materials needed list to help.  This is a wonderful concept with so many fun ideas to try!  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3 and up.~

 

Title:  Sunday Fun Day

Author:  Katherine Halligan illustrated by Jesus Verona

Pub. date:  October 2021, Nosy Crow

Genre: non fiction picture book

Hardcover, 104 pgs.

  

Little Ghost's Summerween review

 

Little Ghost loves parties, but he’s only ever had the Halloween kind! After attending his first ever birthday party, Little Ghost decides to throw one of his own.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

Little Ghost has only had one Halloween party.  When he receives an invitation to a friends outdoor camp birthday party, he tries his best to be brave.  On his way home, he thinks what it would be like having his own birthday party.  His friend Anya tells him that the party should celebrate him and what he likes just like Elias did.  Little Ghost decides to make his own birthday party unique to him but struggles with ideas that fit.  Unfortunately, all the things he likes are for Halloween and just doesn't seem right for a summertime party.  

 

We are right in the middle of summer and this is a really cute story for our hot weather months.  It has a really nice and simple message about finding out who you are as an individual and sharing it with others.  Little Ghost and Anya have a special friendship based on encouragement and thinking outside of the box.  The illustrations are colorful, cute and full of expression.  It has many funny moments but also reminds us the importance of celebrating who we truly are as individuals.  I think anyone would love to go to Little Ghosts Halloween themed summer party knowing how much effort he put into it to make it spooktacular! If you liked the authors first book "Little Ghost Makes a Friend" then you will surely enjoy this addition for a wonderful summertime read.  Kids may even come up with their own fun themed summer party after reading this sweet story.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-7.~ 

 

Title:  Little Ghost's Summerween

Author: Maggie Edkins Willis

Pub. date: April 2026, Beach Lane Books

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs. 

 

Navigating Early review

At the end of World War II, Jack Baker, a landlocked Kansas boy, is suddenly uprooted after his mother’s death and placed in a boy’s boarding school in Maine. There, Jack encounters Early Auden, the strangest of boys, who reads the number pi as a story and collects clippings about the sightings of a great black bear in the nearby mountains. Newcomer Jack feels lost yet can’t help being drawn to Early, who won’t believe what everyone accepts to be the truth about the Great Appalachian Bear, Timber Rattlesnakes, and the legendary school hero known as The Fish, who never returned from the war. They embark on a quest on the Appalachian Trail in search of the great black bear. But what they are searching for is sometimes different from what they find. (goodreads summary)

After the passing of his mother, thirteen year old Jack Baker relocates to Morton Hill Academy in Cape Felty, Maine. His father decides to move him closer to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard where he is stationed in the Navy. Jack finds himself trying to adjust to a new life ahead at the boarding school while trying to come to terms with his mother's sudden death. Soon after his arrival, he notices an unusual boy named Early Auden.  Jack learns things about Early that he finds intriguing such as; he sometimes shows up for class and then disappears, has his own workshop in the school's custodial room and clearly has a knack for numbers. To Early, the number pi is an adventurous story that he sees in shapes, color and texture. He can perform amazing calculations in his head and calms himself by sorting jellybeans by number and color when he becomes upset.  Early's Pi stories are very real to him and he feels a need to help save him after a professor announces that the number eventually comes to an end. When the boys find themselves alone at school during fall break, they decide to take a trip down the Kennebec River in search of the mythical Great Appalachian Bear and help Pi return from the dangers of being lost.  Along the way, they meet several characters who have a strange similarity to Early's Pi stories that help create an adventuresome journey for the two themselves. Most importantly though on their quest, the boys learn that sometimes what you end up finding is not necessarily what you've set out looking for.

This story was filled with adventure, imagination and so beautifully written that it definitely pulls in the reader. Even though Early's story of Pi is fictional, it is so believable that it is a story within a story itself.  There is depth to the characters and tale that makes this not just a typical adventure story either. It is more of a read between the lines story and its reader will find true friendship, self discovery, meaning of hope and character development. I imagined Early, that despite his differences, a character truly exceptional and gifted telling that magical tale from what he sees in his mind from a set of numbers. I envisioned Jack feeling lost and unsure of his place in a complicated world searching for answers to his own questions.  It had a detailed 1945 setting including the woodlands of Maine that had me traveling easily through that era. The journey turns to many dangers along the way when they encounter a band of thieves, the thought of what is behind the giant bear prints, and making it back to the academy alive just to name a few. They also meet other characters that offer help and hope and continue on their epic journey to save Pi, even though Jack questions what is reality or insanity as their adventure seems to run parallel to Early's Pi story. It eventually sorts out and explains many things for each boy in more ways than one. Jack and his father both had good character development. I always like books where not only children are shown to grow, but adults do as well. It had some drawn out parts but just as many thrilling and exciting ones to keep you page turning. There are also great new vocabulary words and descriptive word choices that kids will find. This is a book for thinkers and good choice for either boys or girls. At the end of the book, the author also discusses the concept of Early's character and the number pi in her author's note. I usually read a book during summer vacation to my kids. I know this will be a great pick and look forward to sharing this one with them in the upcoming months. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 10-13.~

Title: Navigating Early
Author: Clare Vanderpool
Pub. Date: January 2013, Delacorte Press
Genre: adventure, middle grade
Hardover, 306 pgs.

The Last Day of Kindergarten review

A little girl is sad that kindergarten is coming to an end. She wishes it were the first day again, when everything was exciting and new and there was such a fun year ahead. But then she realizes that graduating is exciting, too and maybe first grade won't be so bad after all! (jacket description)

 

The end of another school year is fast approaching... There are so many books about the start of school, how about a book about the end of school?  This is one of my favorite books from a few years ago that will get kids ready for summer.

A little girl reflects back on her first year in kindergarten and all the wonderful things that made it so fun and special.  Leaving a favorite teacher and friends behind can give children mixed emotions and this story helps by remembering good times and preparing for the transition to the next grade. It would spark wonderful discussion on what they themselves would be looking forward to when starting a new grade.  This would be a fun last day of school read before that final goodbye. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 5-6 and perfect for kindergarten classrooms.~

Title: The Last Day of Kindergarten
Author: Nancy Loewen
Genre: Picture Book
Pub. Date: February 2011, Marshall Cavendish Children
Hardcover, 32 pgs.

Kindergarten Graduation review

 

The perfect Little Golden Book to celebrate finishing kindergarten!(goodreads summary)
 

 

 

 

 

 

It is the final days of kindergarten and the class is getting ready for the big graduation celebration!  Each student reflects on their favorite thing about kindergarten by making a drawing for a special keepsake booklet.  

 

This is the perfect story to wrap up the last days of the kindergarten school year.  Reflecting back on all that they learned, along with some fun times throughout the year, will help kids get ready to take the next step into first grade.  Making a memory book to look back on is an extra special thing too for parents and children to share with each other.  It is a joyful book celebrating all the experiences of a great year and getting ready for what comes next.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 5-6.~

 

Title:  Kindergarten Graduation

Author: Jennifer Liberts, illustrated by Courtney Dawson

Pub. date: March 2024, Golden Books

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 24 pgs.

 

The House with the Little Red Door review

 

If you knocked on the house with the little red door three times you would find...(book jacket)

 

 

 

 

 

If you knocked on the house with the little red door you would meet Olivia.  Olivia is a young girl who feels lonely and that something is missing at her home.  Inside the big oak tree in the yard, there is a mouse, who wishes he had someone to talk to.  When it begins to snow, the two come together and discover the beauty of the outdoors.  But when mouse's tree falls from the snowstorm, can Olivia help find a new home for him? 

 

This is such a sweet and heartwarming story about finding friendship.  The beautiful cover was the first thing that caught my eye and once inside, you will find the perfect book to read on a snowy day or at bedtime. The illustrations are in cozy winter hues and kids will enjoy the detailed illustrations. Throughout the pages there are lift-the-flaps which adds many extra interesting finds to discover.  The story is about kindness and filling the empty feelings we sometimes have by finding companionship.  It is a simple story but with a tender message.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-7.~

 

Title: The House with the Little Red Door

Author: Grace Easton

Pub. date: September 2025, Thames & Hudson

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 32 pgs.