Thankful review

 

When the first snow falls, a little girl writes down the things she’s thankful for on strips of paper and links them together. As one idea leads to another, her chain grows longer. There’s so much good in her life.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

This story reminds readers the importance of being thankful and how making a thankful chain is a wonderful way to just pause and think about how grateful we are for all that we have around us.  As her thoughts begin to flow, it is the everyday simple things that makes the little girls chain grow longer and longer.    

It is so beautifully written and illustrated and could be read anytime throughout the year.  The illustrations are done in a 3-D diorama set photographed with a digital camera making the pages so unique and interesting to look at.  How creative this was to see all the paper detail and the mix of realistic items together .  The color palette also has a quiet, gentle feel to it and would be a perfect book to cozy up with just before bedtime.  What a wonderful family tradition this would be for any age to do anytime of the year.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3 - 10.~

Title:  Thankful

Author:  Elaine Vickers, illustrated by Samantha Cotterill

Pub. date: September 2021

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 48 pgs.  

 

 

 

 

 

Thankful review

Like the gardener thankful for every green sprout, and the fireman, for putting the fire out, readers are encouraged to be thankful for the many blessings they find in their lives. (goodreads summary)






Not only is this a heart-warming book but it sends a positive message about being thankful for those little things we do not always think about. From the waitress being thankful for comfortable shoes, to the crafter being thankful for glitter and glue, it offers children (and even the adults) the opportunity for some creative thinking.  With delightfully subtle illustrations and simple rhyming text, it gently reminds us that the ordinary things we come across in our daily lives can be a blessing as well. With short and simple poetic words, this makes a quick and easy read aloud before that delicious Thanksgiving feast.  It would be a great conversation starter about various things we encounter in our everyday world that make us thankful.  I know I am thankful for the many wonderfully talented authors and books I find everyday that can be shared with our children.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-99.~

* This book is published by Zonderkidz, a Christian children's communication company.


Title:  Thankful
Author: Eileen Spinelli
Pub. Date:  September 2015, Zonderkidz
Genre: picture book
Hardcover, 32 pgs.

Anonymoose review

 

A humorous, heartfelt story about shyness, blending in, and the courage it takes to step out and speak up when it matters most.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

Instead of interacting with her classmates, Ana Moose prefers hiding and blending in.  If she climbs up high she doesn't have to talk.  She won't have to participate in tug-of-war games if she crouches out of site.  Ana finds it very easy to be Anonymoose!  But when she finds interest in Peter's fort building, she wants to offer some of her fabulous ideas but struggles finding a way tell him. 

 

This is a sweet book about social anxiety and encouraging shy kids to find courage to break free.  Kids will enjoy the illustrations of Ana's clever hiding spots as she stays out of sight from others.  It was too scary to share her ideas when she saw Peter building a fort, so Ana comes up with a clever solution to pass notes.  Ana does eventually find a way to be brave and come out from hiding when his fort accidentally falls down.  Even though it is hard to do sometimes, this story gently helps kids step out of the shadows just like Ana does. She builds up the courage to make a new best friend and finds that it isn't so bad after all. It was cute to see Peter in the background of the pages showing that he too is a bit of an introvert.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 4-7.~

 

Title: Anonymoose

Author: Shawna J.C. Tenney

Pub. date: August 2024, Beaming Books

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 32 pgs.

Just Like Millie review

A shy young girl finds exploring her new city and making friends overwhelming—until a rescue dog helps her uncover the bravery that was always in her. (goodreads summary)

 

 

 

A beautiful story about a little girl and her mom who moves to a new city.  The girl loves being in her new home but is rather shy when it comes time to meet new people in their neighborhood.  Her mom tries scheduling play dates and attending local reading programs but she just wants to stay at home.  When Millie the friendly rescue dog moves in with them, it just might be what the girl needs to help her be brave enough to make new friends.  

This is a sweet book perfect for shy kids that are reluctant when it comes to meeting others.  Children will find the gentle tone and soft illustrations comforting while reading aloud. Many will connect to the feelings the little girl expresses and know they are not alone.  This is a wonderful book for families to open up discussion that are in the moving and adjustment process. Both Millie the rescue and the little girl benefit from Millie joining the family. Millie has a loving new home and the little girl learns to be hopeful when it comes time to meet others.  It may even spark talk about rescue animals and adopting??   Another one of my favorite parts of this story are the end pages showing them moving into their new home and the back page shows them walking the neighborhood with Millie and new friends.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-6.~

 

Title:  Just Like Millie

Author: Lauren Castillo

Pub. date: March 2024, Candlewick Press

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs.

The Misadventure of Bob the Book review

 

Meet Bob. He's the all-time favorite library book at Wisdom Hill Elementary. But Sebastian is nothing like Bob’s previous enthusiastic borrowers. In fact, Sebastian completely forgets about Bob!(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

At Wisdom Hill Elementary School, Bob the Book considers himself a superstar!  Children rush to his shelf to check him out.  He has traveled by backpack, will always keep kids entertained on long car rides and is there on a sick day if needed.  He usually enjoys being out and about until one day Sebastian takes him to his house.  Once there, Bob has a distressing time and can't wait to return to the library.  Unfortunately, he is soon forgotten and ends up lost the entire school year.

 

This is a cute story that teaches children the importance of looking after borrowed books. It would be a great read for School Librarians to help teach the younger ones who are checking out books for the first time on their own.  Told from Bob's point-of-view, it is a gentle reminder to treat library books with care and take responsibility for them without being preachy.  During the last week of school, Sebastian's dad finds a note asking for the return of the overdue book. The hunt begins and after Sebastian finds Bob again, he realizes how much he loves reading it over and over.  The length of the text makes for a easy read aloud and the illustrations are colorful and engaging. Kids will gasp at Bob's adventures and cheer when he is finally found.  The last page has Bob offering book care tips making this story a wonderful teaching tool.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-6.~

 

Title: The Misadventure of Bob the Book

Author: Gloria Koster, illustrated by Pawel Gierlinski

Pub. date: August 2024,  Capstone Editions

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 32 pgs.

 

 

 

Look review

 

This lyrical, timely picture book with beautiful diorama illustrations shows that if you really look, you never know what the world might give you to see.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

Our world is full of many colors, shapes and sizes.  But if you stop and take a look around what other things can you see?  

 

This unique book guides readers to take a closer look and observe their surroundings for patterns.  You can find stripes on a chair or a cat's tail walking on a picket fence.  How about an alternating pattern of big and small rocks or new patterns such as zigzags.  Some are easy and some are hard but if you stop and look there are so many things to find.   The best part of this book are the illustrations done in vibrant bold colors and paper cut outs. It is a unique concept that kids will want to keep looking at the details.   Information can be found at the back of the book on pattern types and some recommended activities to try. It works wonderful for classroom learning as well.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 4-8.  

Title:  Look

Author: Gabi Snyder, illustrated by Samantha Cotterill

Pub. date: April 2024,  Simon & Schuster

Genre" picture book

Hardcover, 48 pgs.

 

 

The Reindeer Remainders review

 

A perfect picture book for back-to-school or any time of year, this clever, rhyming story shows how working together and including others are important parts of friendship.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

Twelve reindeer are excited for the big showcase night and rush to class to finish things up.  But when a new student joins, this now makes them thirteen making the class an uneven number.  Whenever they pair or group up, there is always a "remain-deer-one".  No matter how they divide into groups one reindeer is always alone making everyone worried and unsure what to do. They do not want to leave anyone out for the big event. 

Learning math can be so complicated but having fun books such as this is always a help! A picture book story about math concepts such as prime numbers and remainders engages kids to understand them better.  The illustrations are charming and it cleverly rhymes making this easy for reading aloud.  I loved the reindeer's worried expressions for their friends and even though they all looked alike, they each had their own colored bandana giving them personality.  In the end, the deer problem solved their showcase dilemmas happily.  On the back pages the author talks more about remainders and prime numbers. Also included is another page dedicated to feelings when someone is left out and how to make sure all in a group feel included.  Another wonderful concept of this terrific story.  It is written easily for young readers to understand and enjoy as well.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 5-8.~

 

Title: The Reindeer Remainders

Author: Katey Howes, illustrated by Marie Hermansson

Pub. date: July 2024, Sourcebooks Explore

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs.

Just What to Do review

 

When you see someone sad, it's only natural to want to cheer them up. But how? (goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

As adults, we are not always sure how to comfort someone who is sad or grieving.  I can only image how a child feels not knowing what is the right thing they should do.  

This is a sweet picture book that shows us that the best thing you can do for someone is just be there.  Every picture and word is meaningful with the various types of loss and the many ways each person deals with them.  They express what they need and our main character makes adjustments to fit. Until a friends grandma passes and he doesn't know how to help her. So he asks her what can he do to help make her feel better.  The simple illustrations are gentle and moving.  It is a very touching book about empathy and supporting others in their time of mourning.  Everyone grieves in different ways and this lets readers see that there are different types of comforting and it is okay.  It is a simple but powerful book that warms the heart.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-7.~

 

Title:  Just What to Do

Author: Kyle Lukoff

Pub. date:  July 2024, Dial Books

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs.

 

 

A Mischief of Mice review

Join the animals and follow the clues in this rollicking, rhyming, nature-inspired whodunit story full of fun collective nouns!(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

A scurry of squirrels worry that a mischief of mice who used to play in the woods have suddenly disappeared.  They wonder if other animals in the forest had something to do about this mystery.  Could it have been the skulk of foxes or an unkindness of ravens lurking in a tree? Maybe the gaze of raccoons or the band of howling coyotes knew who took them?  As the squirrels keep looking no one knows where to find them.  Until they run into a sleuth a bears suggesting they follow the tracks in the freshly fallen snow. 

 

This is a creative book that works well for the transition of autumn into winter.  It is told with collective nouns teaching readers how different groups of animals are called different things.  The rhyming text is large making it a good choice for reading aloud. The night time illustrations are in warm, soft colors with pops of fall colored leaves throughout the woods showing the different seasonal changes nicely.  Kids will follow along with the cute little mouse tracks to see where they are found in the end.  There is a glossary in the back describing the collective nouns used for each animal group.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 4-7.~

 

Title:  A Mischief of Mice

Author: Christie Matheson

Pub. date: August 2024, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saving the Spotted Owl - Zalea's Story review

Readers learn about saving threatened species — and meet real owls! - in this endearing true story of an owl chick’s rescue.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

Zalea is a three week old Northern spotted owl that fell from her nest to the ground. Unfortunately, her owl parents were unable to get her back up to it.  But a group of Wildlife Biologists found her and took her back to a rescue center in Canada and cared for her.  Once there Zalea was placed with foster owl parents, so she could learn how to survive and thrive until she was able to be released back into the wild.

  

This very informative book teaches readers the true story of Zalea and the importance of owl conservation.  We not only learn about Zalea in this story but also various types of owls and other animals on the threatened and endangered species lists.  It also tells us about the dedication of Wildlife Biologists and how important their ongoing efforts are to protect our earth's creatures.  I learned so much about the rehabilitation of owls that I didn't realize. I do appreciate how the Centers care and ready so many different animals back for their wild release.  At the end of the book are actual photographs of Zalea's chicks and a wonderful glossary for the various bird terms found throughout.  This true story is very in depth and thoughtfully detailed. It would make a perfect addition to a research project or science unit for the older elementary grades.  It is also a wonderful story for kids who are interested in nature or wildlife conservation.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 7-10.~

 

Title:  Saving the Spotted Owl - Zalea's Story

Author: Nicola Jones, illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey

Pub. date: October 2023, Kids Can Press

Genre: non fiction

Hardcover, 32 pgs.