Cookbook Review: Bento for Beginners

Bento for Beginners by Chika Ravitch
Bento for Beginners: 60 Recipes for Easy Bento Box Lunches
by Chika Ravitch

4 out of 5 stars

This recipe book has all the instructions you need to start using Bento boxes for work or school lunches or dinners. It begins with the history of Bento and the traditions behind this style of food packing, then gives advice on using traditional Japanese recipes or using more Americanized versions of Bento.

I love that there are so many options for Bento-style lunches! The reader has the freedom to substitute favorite vegetables and dishes, mixing them with the recipes in this book.
The recipes are all simple and easy to cook, using basics like rice, beans, chicken, and veggies. Each recipe has substitutions and labels for vegan, pescatarian, nut-free, and gluten-free. Continue reading

Non Fiction Review: The Loneliness Companion

The Loneliness Companion by Shrein H. Bahrami
The Loneliness Companion: A Practical Guide for Improving Your Self-Esteem and Finding Comfort in Yourself
by Shrein H. Bahrami

5 out of 5 stars


This book gives practical advice for connecting with others and finding fulfilling relationships. I love how the chapters are organized, beginning with why loneliness can be so crippling, how to pull yourself out of it, and how to cultivate healthy and meaningful relationships and friendships.

Each chapter ends with a page of affirmations and encouraging sentences that you can claim as your own life lesson or mantra. Instead of just a book that “tells” you about loneliness, there are meditations, activities, and journal prompts that get you involved in the process of finding freedom from loneliness. These steps are truly helpful! So many of the things in this book would help the reader to heal from past hurts, and look to the future with hope. Continue reading

MKs in Argentina Receive Books

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These MKs in Argentina have received some books and they love to read! Books for MKs sent them a gift card to use at Better World Books.com and they got to choose which books they wanted to order.

It’s so exciting for a child to be able to choose their own reading material, especially for a missionary kid who lives overseas and does not have daily access to books in their own language.

To put a smile on a child’s face, you can donate to the Books for MKs charity at www.gofundme.com/booksformks

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Picture Book Reviews: In the Wild series

Big Bear Hug by Nicholas OldlandMaking the Moose Out of Life by Nicholas OldlandThe Busy Beaver by Nicholas Oldland
Up the Creek by Nicholas OldlandWalk on the Wild Side by Nicholas Oldland
4 out of 5 stars to the “In the Wild” Series by Nicholas Oldland
These picture books are adorable! I love the cartoony illustrations with clear lines and bright colors. I love the simple storylines and funny plots.

Sweet and hilarious, these books are perfect for reading with young children!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of all these books from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

To read individual reviews of each picture book, continue reading….

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MK in Bulgaria Loves to Read!

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This Missionary Kid in Bulgaria received some books from Books for MKs and is reading the Castle Glower series by Jessica Day George!  I like this series too!

This girl has excellent taste in books, and I love seeing the big smile on her face.  It’s so important for children to find books they enjoy and encourage their love of reading!

You can donate to the Books for MKs charity at www.gofundme.com/booksformks

 

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Book Review: Pippa Park Raises Her Game

Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun
Pippa Park Raises Her Game
by Erin Yun 

5 out of 5 stars

When Pippa Park gets a basketball scholarship to a fancy private school, she feels pressured to pretend like she’s rich and cool so that she can fit in with her elite classmates. But how long can she keep up the farce, when her Korean family owns a laundromat and Pippa barely has money to buy a slice of pizza at the school cafeteria? With her grades slipping and her relationships in turmoil, Pippa begins to realize that some of her new friends have family secrets of their own.

This retelling of Dicken’s “Great Expectations” is utterly brilliant from start to finish! Continue reading