Month: June 2021

Picture Book Review: Dakota Crumb

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Dakota Crumb by Jamie Michalak

Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter
by Jamie Michalak (Goodreads Author), Kelly Murphy (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

Little Dakota the mouse goes on a dangerous journey through the museum to search for the long-lost treasure. Along the way, she finds a beautiful painting (a postage stamp), a historic statue (an action figure toy), and at last the shining treasure. But what will she do with the amazing prizes she has gathered?

This is such a cute book! Dakota is full of courage and resourcefulness. I just love stories about little mice making their way through a big world. I love all her funny adventures in the museum! The story encourages using your imagination.

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Comic Review: Nimona

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Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Nimona
by Noelle Stevenson
4 out of 5 stars

Supervillain Lord Blackheart has a new sidekick, Nimona, who is a shapeshifter. They team up against Sir Goldenloin to prove that the heroes aren’t all they seem to be. But Nimona is keeping secrets, and Lord Blackheart begins to wonder if she is more dangerous than she appears.

This comic is so funny and imaginative! I loved all the witty one-liners and the weird characters. The story really kept me guessing, and I loved gradually learning the backstory for each of the characters.

The setting is so weird, since it looks like medieval times, but they have some modern technology. Science and magic have to work side by side.

I really liked the whimsical art style, and the intense colors. Every scene uses color and light and shadow to set the mood for an epic battle with a dragon or maybe a quiet board game night with pizza.

This is so much fun from start to finish!

Comic Review: Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness

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Narwhal's School of Awesomeness by Ben Clanton

Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness
by Ben Clanton (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars

Narwhal follows a group of fish to school, but the teacher is out sick, so Narwhal decides to substitute teach the class with Jelly as the supervisor teacher. The fish learn about waffles and math and science. They have a scavenger hunt to find fun facts about the sea creatures living in the ocean.

The cuteness!! The adorableness!! The sillyness! I can’t get enough of Narwhal and Jelly. They are so cute and lovable!

Each chapter is so delightfully funny! I laughed my head off, and smiled and chuckled with glee. I love the simple yet striking illustrations, and the bright colors. I love the sweetly imaginative dialogue and storylines.

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Puzzle Reviews: Dare to Dream, and Free to Just Be

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Dare to Dream 1,000-Piece Puzzle by Astrid van der Hulst
Free to Just Be 1,000-Piece Puzzle by Irene Smit

Dare to Dream 1,000-Piece Puzzle (Flow)
by Astrid van der Hulst, Irene Smit

Free to Just Be 1,000-Piece Puzzle: (Flow)
by Irene Smit, Astrid van der Hulst

5 out of 5 stars


This 1,000-piece puzzle is beautifully designed and thoughtfully crafted. The puzzle comes with a little 9″x6″ poster of the art, so that you can use it as a little poster, put the art in a frame, or use it to help you complete the puzzle. I was especially impressed to see that the backs of the puzzle pieces also have a little repetitive design of some blue flowers. It’s delightful to see little details like that which make this puzzle really special and show the exceptional craftmanship and careful thought that went into the design and manufacture of the product.

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Activity Book Reviews: Paint By Sticker: Outer Space, A Book About Mom, Summer Brain Quest: Pre-K & K

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Paint by Sticker Kids by Workman Publishing

Paint by Sticker Kids: Outer Space: Create 10 Pictures One Sticker at a Time! Includes Glow-in-the-Dark Stickers
by Workman Publishing
5 out of 5 stars
This activity book has 10 beautiful designs, and hundreds of stickers in little mosaic shapes! It’s so easy to put the stickers into place, and the finished product looks wonderful. It’s very relaxing and helped me to get creative. You really feel a sense of accomplishment when you finish!

There are information boxes with facts about different planets, rockets, and comets. There is an astronaut, a moon, an observatory with a massive telescope, and even a Mars rover.

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Picture Book Review: Noah’s Seal

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Noah's Seal by Layn Marlow

Noah’s Seal
by Layn Marlow (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars

Noah wants to go sailing to look for seals, but Nana says that she has to repair the boat. While he waits, Noah crafts a seal out of sand, putting in pebbles and seaweed for the eyes and mouth. A storm sweeps in, and Nana and Noah have to take shelter. When the storm is over, Noah’s sand seal is gone! Will he ever see his seal again?

I loved this sweet book! The ending is so emotional and clever. Noah is such a cute little guy with a big imagination. I love that his Nana is kind and understanding. They have a special relationship.

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Sci-Fi Review: War of the Realms: Conquests and Consequences

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War of the Realms by Lee Watts, Th. D.

War of the Realms: Conquests & Consequences
by Lee Watts, Th. D.
3.5 out of 5 stars
SYNOPSIS:
Alexander is the heir to the throne of Theera-Enty. After a failed assassination attempt, he is stranded on a remote jungle planet while the kingdom is thrown into chaos. But it isn’t only human-kind who are working against him. The legendary Guardians must protect Alexander by battling against demonic beings who whisper evil into the minds of men. A pirate captain is caught in the middle of the war, a group of castaways look for rescue, an old priest preaches for repentance, and the governments of different planets vie for power.

This book has an epic scope as the people of Theera-Enty begin a fight against oppression, and Alexander struggles to understand a prophecy regarding the throne. A mysterious key might lead to a treasure beyond imagining but no one can unravel its secrets.

PLOT/ACTION:
This plot is full of so much action and twists and betrayals and big reveals! It really kept my interest through every chapter. There is a big space battle at the end of the book that amazed me from start to finish. Usually I am bored by fight scenes, but this was presented like a puzzle to be solved. How are they going to survive? What tricks and tactics can they use to overpower the enemy? It was fascinating, and full of emotional moments as characters had to face their worst fears and find the courage to keep going.

THEMES:
There are deep themes about faith, spiritual warfare, friendship, courage, the nature of truth, and the proper roles of government and education. These powerful messages are so smoothly woven into the story that it never feels too preachy. It makes the story really meaningful. I especially appreciated the spiritual themes and the clear messages about God’s love and forgiveness through Christ.

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Graphic Novel Review: Kyle’s Little Sister

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Kyle's Little Sister by BonHyung Jeong

Kyle’s Little Sister
by BonHyung Jeong
5 out of 5 stars

This graphic novel follows Grace as she begins middle school in the shadow of her older brother Kyle. Grace and her friends have an argument, and Grace blames Kyle for getting involved. She worries that her new friends only like her because it gets them closer to Kyle, one of the most popular boys in school. How can Grace repair her friendships and make her own mark as her own person when Kyle is always getting in the way?

I loved how complex the characters are in this book! Grace is navigating some very awkward situations and there is a lot of tension among the characters. They all have such vivid personalities and different ways of approaching problems. Kyle is outgoing and sporty, while Grace is quiet and good at video games. I loved seeing how the dynamics between characters played out and how they each grow and change through the story.

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Picture Book Reviews: Atticus Caticus, Sophie’s Seashell Scramble, Phoebe Dupree is Coming to Tea!

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Atticus Caticus by Sarah Maizes

Atticus Caticus
by Sarah Maizes (Goodreads Author), Kara Kramer (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

A cat named Atticus stretches and yawns and naps in the sunshine. His owner feeds him, and dangles string for him to play with. Atticus sees a bird out the window, but can’t get to it. At bath time, Atticus does his own style of washing by licking his fur.

The best part of this book is the silly rhyming with any word that rhymes with “cat”. Atticus “jumps splat-a-tat-taticus”, and he has a “tummy so fat-ticus”. It’s so funny to read out loud!

I like the cute crayon-style illustrations! Every page has energy and humor in the artwork.

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Cookbook Review: How to Grill Vegetables

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How to Grill Vegetables by Steven Raichlen

How to Grill Vegetables: Surprising Techniques and Delicious Recipes
by Steven Raichlen (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars

This book has everything you ever wanted to know about grilling vegetables. There are tips about how to manage the heat in your grill, and different techniques for different types of vegetables. There are even instructions for plank grilling, steam grilling, and smoking.

The recipes look delicious, and include all types of vegetables, breads, pizzas, and quesadillas too. There are colorful photographs of some of the recipes that make it all look so yummy!

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