Board Book Review: Made for Me/ Naciste Para Mi

Made for Me by Zack Bush

Made for Me
by Zack Bush (Author), Gregorio De Laurentis (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars

A loving Dad tucks his baby child in at night, plays games, and washes their hair at bathtime. The Dad tells his child how much they are loved and cherished. Every new day is an adventure of discovery as the Dad watches their child explore their little world.

I really like that the toddler in the book could be a girl or a boy, so it will appeal to all children! The text is very sweet as the Dad describes how much they love their little baby. It’s a rhyming text, and the rhymes are good and the meter fits.

Continue reading

Book Review: That Hideous Strength

That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis

That Hideous Strength (The Space Trilogy, #3)
by C.S. Lewis
4 out of 5 stars
Jane and Mark are caught between the forces of good and evil. As the N.I.C.E. corporation offers Mark a job to lure him into their wicked schemes, Jane is approached by a very different group of people who have gathered around Ransom. They each have to decide what they believe in when it turns out that archangels and ancient legends are real.

This book has a very different format from the other books in the series, and Ransom is a side character in his own story. The trouble with Jane and Mark being the main characters, is that I don’t really like either of them. They are so wishy-washy and both their personalities are unattractive. However, they do both have extreme character development and really interesting internal journeys.

Continue reading

Board Book Reviews: Things that Go, and What are Unicorns Made of?

Things That Go by Lauren Crisp

Things That Go
by Lauren CrispThomas Elliott (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

This board book helps little readers to explore the different types of planes, ships, and cars. As you lift each flap on the page, a new type of transportation is revealed. There is a hot air balloon hidden behind some clouds, and a surprise submarine hiding under the waves.

I think it’s very cool that all the flaps are different sizes. There are big ones and little ones to help develop hand-eye coordination in little baby readers. The flaps are fairly thick and sturdy, but the smaller ones are still liable to get torn if you aren’t careful.

Continue reading

Non Fiction Book Reviews: 101 Life Hacks and Surprising Stories behind Everyday Stuff

101 Life Hacks by Aubre Andrus

101 Life Hacks: Genius Ways to Simplify Your World
by Aubre Andrus (Goodreads Author)
4 out of 5 stars

This book has amazing hacks and tips for all kinds of things from making your own crafts to reusing objects in unexpected ways. You can make your own tablet holder, pom-poms, or tote bag out of old materials. You can reuse carbingers, rubber bands, or binder clips in new ways. There are recipes to cook, activities to do, and crafts to make. There are even studying hacks to help you do well in school.

Continue reading

Board Book Reviews: Rosa Bilingual Series

All About Rosa Series: https://www.goodreads.com/series/262295-all-about-rosa

by Jessica SpanyolYanitzia Canetti (Translator)

4 out of 5 stars

Rosa plays with her dinosaur toys, learns to play different types of sports, has a race with her toy cars, and tries to go down a ramp on her scooter.

These board books are so adorable! The illustrations are really cute and colorful. Sweet little Rosa has a lot of fun playing and learning. It’s a simple story that will appeal to little readers, especially if they love dinosaurs or cars as much as Rosa does.

KEEP READING TO SEE THE REVIEW IN SPANISH!

Continue reading

Baby Board Books: Batch Reviews

Baby's First Farm by Danielle McLean

Baby’s First Farm
by Danielle McLeanCraig Shuttlewood (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

As we visit the farm, we can lift the flaps to discover what animals are hiding in the sheds. The sheep with her little lambs, the hen with her chicks, and the cow with her calves all greet us with animal sounds. At the end there is a large fold-out of all the animals together in the barn.

I love this cute book! My little niece is just learning all the farm animals, so I’m very excited to share this book with her.

Continue reading

Non Fiction Book Review: Take Me Home Forests of the World

Take Me Home by Pavla Hanackova

Take Me Home: Forests of the World
by Pavla HanackovaLinh Dao (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars
Charlie encounters animals that have been illegally smuggled away from their homes, and he determines to help them find their way back to their native forests. The panda goes back to the bamboo forest, the koala prefers a eucalyptus tree, the lemur finds a home in the spiny forest of Madagascar, and the sloth loves the heat of a tropical rainforest. There is even an otter who prefers the kelp forest underwater!

This book includes factoids about all types of forests. It has illustrations showing amazing animals and birds that live in each location. We learn about all the beautiful trees in each type of forest, and how the animals survive harsh climates.

Continue reading

Non Fiction Book Review: Take Me Home Waters of the World

Take Me Home by Pavla Hanackova

Take Me Home: Waters of the World
by Pavla HanackovaLinh Dao (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars
Annie discovers several animals washed up on a beach and determines to help them find their homes again. The penguin returns to the polar sea, and the alligator returns to the wetland swamp, a piranha find his home in the Amazon river, and a little frog goes hopping into a lake.

This book includes factoids about all the types of bodies of water from rivers to coral reefs. It has illustrations showing amazing animals and fish that live in each location. We learn about all the weird and wild fish in the sea, and how they use disguises to fool their predators. We learn about the deepest lakes, the coldest seas, and all the cool oceans in between.

Continue reading

Board Book Review: Cows on the Bus

Cows on the Bus by Tiger Tales

Cows on the Bus
by Tiger TalesValerie Sindelar (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

The cows on the bus go moo moo moo, and the pigs on the plane go oink oink oink, and the dogs on the train go woof woof woof. This board book is the perfect sing-along story!

There are pull-out flaps that reveal hidden pictures of all the animals. I’m so impressed with the clever way that the pictures are hidden. It really is special and thoughtfully designed. Even the backs of the pull-out flaps have special illustrations on them that show a real attention to detail.

Continue reading