Moo Hoo review

 

Grab your tissues and meet Milton, a bawling bull who learns to embrace his tears and all his big feelings(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

Milton is a happy Bull and he has a wonderful life.  He is so full of emotion though that it makes him cry all the time.  He cries when he is happy, sad, sometimes nervous and even when music makes his heart swell. He cries at just about everything which also makes it difficult for him to fit in. One day he decides it is time to toughen up and hold in his feelings.  But when he tries this he does not like who he becomes.  Then he tries crying it all out but that doesn't seem to work either.  One day he meets a new friend, Wanda the Sheep, who knows exactly how he feels!  

 

This is a cute story letting kids know that it is okay to have big feelings and just be yourself.  There are others too who share those same big emotions and there is nothing wrong with how you show it.  The bold and colorful illustrations are expressive adding to this heart warming book.  This is also perfect for helping kids understand and show empathy for another person who express their emotions just like Milton does.  I think this is a "just right book for ages 3-7.~

 

Title:  Moo Hoo

Author: Audrey Perrott, illustrated by Ross Burach

Pub. date:  April 2024, Scholastic Press

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs. 

The Secret Elephant review

 

Discover the unbreakable bond between a baby elephant and her keeper in this heartfelt narrative set against the backdrop of World War II.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

This is a beautiful story that is based on actual true events about a young zookeeper, from the Belfast Zoo during World War II, named Denise Weston Austin.  She forms a special bond with Sheila, a baby elephant, comforting her from the scary sights and sounds of the bombings around them.  But as the war intensifies nightly,  Denise vows not to leave Sheila alone and each night sneaks her out of the zoo taking her to her own home.  It was not easy keeping an elephant a secret but with perseverance Denise manages to do so for a while.  The story is told from Sheila's perspective and shows a bit of humor while adjusting to Denise's "enclosure".  The end pages have newspaper articles retelling the story of  Denise also known as the Elephant Angel.  A beautiful name fitting for her as she protects the baby elephant from a very challenging time in history.  This is a heart-warming story of kindness, love, courage and hope.  I enjoyed learning about their story and I think this is a "just right book" for ages 5-7.~

 

Title: The Secret Elephant

Author: Ellan Rankin

Pub. date: March 2023, Wren & Rook

Genre: picture book, historical

Hardcover, 33 pgs.

Go and Get with Rex review

 

Jack, Jill, and Rex are excited to play a game of Go and Get!(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

This story is so much fun, has humor and will get readers thinking outside of the box.  The object of the game is to go and get something that starts with a certain letter.  For example, the letter was F and Jack brings back a frog and Jill brought back a fish.  Rex the dog ends up bringing back a duck?  Our narrator reminds him that duck does not begin with the letter F.  But Rex thinks it does because duck is his friend and friend starts with an F.  The game keeps going and each time Rex comes up with a creative answer for each letter given.  The text and illustrations are both larger making it great for reading aloud to the younger ones.   The characters are sweet and cheerful showing how fun this game can be.  It would be a wonderful story to read and put together your own Go and Get game. It helps teach alphabet letters, recognition and have fun in the meantime.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 4-6.~

 

Title: Go and Get with Rex

Author:  David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka

Pub. date: May 2024, Candlewick Press

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 48 pgs.

Stephen Hawking - You and the Universe review

We are all time travelers journeying together into the future. But let us work together to make that future a place we want to visit.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

I have always been fascinated with Stephen Hawking and his philosophies.  I think of nonstop questions and seeking answers.  This book was adapted from his 2020 Earth Day message and is his first picture book for kids.  It shares a simplistic but meaningful approach to questions other than about our vast universe and outer space.  It asks readers how can we take care of each other, our planet and can we make the future a place we want to be?   Very deep indeed but he suggests that the answers can come from inside each one of us. The text is short and simple but the artwork of the illustrations is beautiful and calming, showing diverse children working together for a cause. Stephen Hawking reminds us that we are "One planet, one big family" and it is up to everyone of us to help create a better future for the earth and all of human kind.  The back matter offers some of his questions and answers about black holes, stars and aliens which are interesting and something to ponder.  This wonderful book keeps his spirit alive. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 7-9.~

 

Title: Stephen Hawking You and the Universe

Author: Stephen and Lucy Hawking, illustrated by Xin Li

Pub. date: March 2024, Random House

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40n pgs.

Bunny with a Big Heart review

 

In this funny follow-up to the classic Beginner Book It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny, P.J. Funnybunny learns a lesson in kindness(goodreads summary) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.J. Funnybunny was the kind of bunny who left his toys laying around, didn't return things back to his friends, shows up late for activities and leaves his dirty dishes behind.  He isn't a very considerate bunny but after spraining his ankle during baseball, he gets an eye opening experience on kindness. 

A cute beginning reader about being responsible for yourself and through a valuable lesson learning the importance of being thoughtful.  Being busy doesn't give you a reason to be thoughtless and I like books that have subtle messages that gets readers thinking. The illustrations are large, colorful and the characters are sweet with kindness. When P.J.'s family and friends take care of him while recovering, he decides it might be time to step up and be more like them. It is nice to see that he was inspired by others and decides to change his ways. This book is part of the I Can Read It series for kids to help them learn to read by themselves.  There are three other P.J. Bunny books in this series and I think this is a "just right book" for ages 6-8.~

 

Title: Bunny with a Big Heart

Author: Marilyn Sadler

Pub. date: April 2024, Random House

Genre: beginning reader

Hardcover,  48 pgs.

 

 

Poetry Comics review

 

Combining poetry and comics in a whole new way, this fun and imaginative book is perfect for poetry lovers and reluctant readers alike.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The front cover was the first thing that I loved about this book.  The tree in seasonal themes and the vibrant colors offers a great introduction to what I will find inside.  The book combines poems and comics in a wonderfully creative way that will inspire kids to read and may even be sparked to write poetry of their own similar to this.  It is divided into the four seasons with poems that convey human feeling and emotions about real life things that are very relatable.  Adding the comic panels gives it a unique element that will visually engage the reader to the words. The poems and illustrations are short and simple but very impactful. They express thoughts, feelings and things that you find in our everyday lives such as; friends, self-confidence, anxiety, fear, growing up and even has advice on how to write a poem.   

 

My favorite was called Inner Life.  It read -  "There are secret dreams that live inside each person. Can you see them? They swim just beneath the surface."   It shows a boy laying on a pier reaching into a pond with lily pads on top and underneath there are orange fish swimming. It made me stop and think about those words and the illustration. There are so many pages like this for me that were touching and thought provoking.  This book would work great for a poetry unit for older grades.  I think kids will connect to many of the writings and may even be inspired to create their own poetry comic. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 9-12.~

 

Title: Poetry Comics

Author: Grant Snider

Pub. date: March 2024, Chronicle Books

Genre: poetry

Hardcover, 96 pgs.

Earth Day Celebrations!

Today is Earth Day and I have a few books from past reviews that I felt are worth mentioning for the celebrations!

 

 

 

This is a great book for Earth Day that is not only educational but fun! Children will explore different ecosystems that are so important to our planet.  Each page is filled with a maze to follow from one end to another with their finger.  Along the maze route, they will need to find different animals that make its home in that habitat.  Some are easy and a few are a bit more challenging. There is an answer key at the back with information that teaches about each ecosystem make up and the creatures that live there. It is a fun book with bright and bold mazes.  A "just right book" for ages 5-7.~

 

 

It is never to early to begin teaching children the importance of taking care of our planet and this book is a great start to getting the little ones thinking about what they can do to help our environment.  It offers suggestions that can be done in a simplistic way such as turning off the light when you leave the room or making sure you throw away your trash and not leave it on the ground.  It also opens up a great discussion opportunity about recycling or even my favorite thing to do such as upcycle things for other purposes.  The pages are large, vivid and bold in color while the layout includes a flap so that when you lift it you find an answer to what kids can do which also makes it fun for learning.  By the end of this book kids will think of even more ways to help keep our world beautiful not only for ourselves but for future generations.  My favorite page is the front cover which has a stamp marked that this book was made from 100% recycled material! I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-7.~  

 

 

This book has over 52 hands-on activities with some fun and engaging seasonal ideas that will get the family out into the garden.  Not only is getting outdoors healthy for our kids but garden discovery stimulates the senses and brain.  In Spring, you can start by planting seeds and plants in a pot or recycled old handbag. Maybe you would like to make a beast habitat out of pallets and bricks for observing critters or bugs.  Summer arrives with butterflies, potato print art, outdoor games on the grass and nature hikes. In Autumn,  you can make pies with your fall harvest, plant bulbs for spring or just enjoy the beautiful colors. Winter is not left out because we can still make a compost bin or feed our bird friends with homemade feeders.  There are bound to be a few ideas to spark creativity and help find your own sense of place in the garden.  Many things in the book seem geared for the older child but activities could be tailored towards younger ones by just using your imagination to change around or use proper supervision.  I definitely feel it is never to early to get kids outdoors to learn in nature!  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 5 and up.~

 

 

 

Partly Cloudy review

 

 What do you see when you look at clouds?(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

Two bunnies are looking at the clouds together but each one sees them with very different perspectives.  One bunny views it with his imagination and the other bunny is all about the science behind the cloud.  

 

This is a very informative book about the various types of clouds but it also teaches us that our imagination is an important part of cloud watching too.  It is whimsical and cute how each bunny tries to get their point across to the other.  There is a lot of cloud science in this story and kids will learn many things about them and the water cycle.  The watercolor illustrations are in delicate hues of blues, green and white giving the feeling of fluffy soft clouds. When the stormy clouds come rolling in the colors changed and depicted another feeling of ominous weather.  The back of the story has even more information about cloud forming, more types of clouds and the water cycle.  The bunnies learn that each others point-of-view can be fun when they bring science and imagination together. This is a great book for a science unit with a fun art project for the younger ones.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 5-7.~

Title: Partly Cloudy

Author: Deborah Freedman

Pub. date: March 2024, Viking Books for Young Readers

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring is for Strawberries review

This illustrated tale follows the budding friendship between two girls who meet at their local farmers market and reminds us that food is the great unifier of all humankind.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

There are many things to look forward to with the arrival of a farmer's market. After reading this book, I cannot wait for the season to begin here next month.  

 

This story is about a friendship between two young girls and the four seasons while they attend the neighborhood farmers market.  They meet up in spring finding themselves bonding over delicious red strawberries, sugar snap peas and leafy greens.  Summers arrival brings sweet juicy fruits, colorful peppers and corn on the cob.  As the autumn season approaches, a bounty of apples and pumpkins are ready for the picking.  The girls say goodbye for the winter but know they will reconnect in the spring when the first strawberry pops again.  There is so much a farmer's market can offer everyone.  The produce is fresh, nutritious and delicious.  An added bonus are the wonderful smells and the various colors making it a feast for our senses.  

 

The rhyming text is short and easy for reading aloud and the illustrations have so many things to look at in beautiful colors of the seasons.  This book is a celebration of those who farm and sharing all their hard work with the community.  In turn, it teaches how the community helps support their local farmers so the markets can continue each year.  I think this is a "just right book for ages 3-7.~ 

Title: Spring is For Strawberries

Author: Katherine Pryor, illustrated by Polina Gortman

Pub. date: March 2023, Schiffer Kids

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 32 pgs.

In and Out the Window review

 

The largest single anthology of Jane Yolen's poetry, containing more than one hundred poems for all occasions(goodreads summary).

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a beautifully written poetry book and a wonderful way to introduce and encourage children to write their own poems.  Author Jane Yolen offers a collection of poems that celebrates childhood in various ways. She shares over one hundred writings about home, family, school, music, sports, animals and even nature. She includes calendar poems for the months of the year and a Who, What, Where, When and Why to write a poem.  Each one is a personal feeling she captures that kids will relate to with their own feelings they may be experiencing about a subject.  There are so many different poems inside that it would be hard to not connect to any of them.  I had quite a few I liked and related to when I was a kid myself.  She tells readers to look in the window but also outside the window for inspiration which makes a great title for the book. Scattered here and there are black and white illustrations to go with a certain poem to ponder.  Some are short and some are longer but all are thoughtful and tells a story about being a kid.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 8-11.~

Title:  In and Out the Window

Author: Jane Yolen, illustrated by Cathrin Peterslund

Pub. date: March 2024, Philomel Books

Genre: poetry

Hardcover, 208 pgs.

 

The Great Puptective review

A set-in-his-ways housecat has his routine upended by an enthusiastic new puppy with a nose for solving mysteries(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Truffles the Cat has his quiet life turned upside down after Poppy arrives.  Like all puppies, Poppy is energetic, loud and full of excitement.  She thinks she is a Puptective who has the eyes and nose to solve crime and mysteries. Her first crime solving mystery is to find the owner of dirty paw prints left on the floor. But when Truffles gets in trouble for being the perpetrator, he is determined to trap Poppy so he can send her away for good. 

 

This funny graphic novel will be a hit with early readers.   It is has a short introduction, four quick chapters, epilogue and even bonus pages on how to draw Poppy and Truffles at the end.  The illustrations are vibrant and full of silliness that will have kids giggling.  When Truffles is caught trying to get Poppy in trouble, he sets traps to catch her and ships her off to the North Pole.  Kids will play along with the clues and no doubt figure things out for themselves before young Poppy does. There are plenty of mishaps and misunderstandings throughout that are humorous adding to the characters personalities. But after guilt sets in for Truffles, he decides to rescue Poppy and becomes a Cattective himself.  In the end, Truffles finds that he likes Poppy and the two will make a great pair for crime solving.  All in all, this is a fun graphic novel chapter book for kids that like animal characters, humor and fun reads.  The story is age appropriate for young elementary readers and there is a second one coming soon called The Great Puptective - Paranormal Activity which I am looking forward to reading when it comes out.   I think this is a "just right book" for ages 6-9.~

 

Title: The Great Puptective 

Author: Alina Tysoe

Pub. date: March 2024, Simon & Schuster

Genre: graphic novel

Hardcover, 128 pgs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ferris review

 

The beloved author of Because of Winn-Dixie has outdone herself with a hilarious and achingly real love story about a girl, a ghost, a grandmother, and growing up.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

It is the summer before fifth grade and Emma Wilkey (aka Ferris) seems to have a lot happening all at once. Her younger sister Pinky thinks she's an outlaw, Uncle Ted moves into the basement determined to paint the history of the world, her father thinks raccoons are taking over their attic and grandmother Charisse is feeling poorly and recently started seeing a ghost in her bedroom doorway.   On top of this, she gets an unexpected new hairdo from her Aunt Shirley that does not suit her.  But Ferris keeps in mind Charisse's saying that "every good story is a love story" to keep her focused on what she needs to do. 

The minute Ferris arrived into this world she knew she was loved.  From the very first chapter, that is exactly what this heartwarming and moving new middle grade novel gives us.  This story has so many things to offer from family, friendships, love, humor, community and a sweet ghost story.  Ferris's six year old sister Pinky is a wild child.  She gets herself in trouble numerous times wanting to be an outlaw on a wanted poster. Uncle Ted is separated from his wife and does not want to give up on the marriage, so recruits Ferris to be a spy and report back her findings about her Aunt Shirley's feelings.  Charisse's visiting ghost requests that the chandelier in the dining room be lit by candles.  Before the chandelier could be hung, her husband went off to war and never returned. Lighting the candles now will help him find his way back to her.  Ferris and her best friend Billy Jackson are determined to do this for Charisse even though they cannot see the ghost for themselves.  Her dad is mild mannered and reads encyclopedias and her mom pastes stamps into the S&H Green Stamps book and seems to be the one to have to deal with Pinky and her shenanigans. Each character is its' own story within the story. The family and community is quirky but it all adds to the book and Ferris's relationship with each one.  

 

There are new vocabulary words with their meanings for kids to learn, funny moments and sad moments, loss and grief and a very exciting ending that kept me turning the pages to see what happens.  The short chapters help make this a fast-paced read.  There is a lot for Ferris to sort out for such a young age of ten but she handles the situations with smarts, calmness and determination all in the name of love.  There is a bit of a magical presence for Ferris that she discovers about herself as well.  I am never disappointed when I read a story by Kate DiCamillo. The thing I like best about this book is that it is written with tenderness of relatable family situations.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 9-11.~

 

Title:  Ferris

Author: Kate DiCamillo

Pub. date: March 2024, Candlewick Press

Genre: middle grade, fiction

Hardcover, 226 pgs.