Non Fiction Review: Amazing Animals

Amazing Animals by Sabrina Weiss

Amazing Animals: 100+ Creatures That Will Boggle Your Mind
by Sabrina Weiss, Paul Daviz (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars

This book gives information about amazing animals around the world. There are endangered animals, record-setting animals, and animals that survive in extreme conditions. I liked that this book is divided into sections for animals in different types of ecosystems. There is a section about nocturnal animals, whales and dolphins, insects, types of octopi, animals that transform, animals that migrate, and even wild animals that live in the city.

I loved the beautiful illustrations in this book! Every page is so attractive and colorful. The factoids about each animal are really interesting, and the design of the page layouts makes it easy to read. There are little snippets of information next to illustrations of each animal, and you get to learn so much so quickly!

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Non Fiction Book Review: Antarctica The Melting Continent

Antarctica by Karen Romano Young

Antarctica: The Melting Continent
by Karen Romano Young

3 out of 5 stars

The author tells all about their expeditions to Antarctica, the animals that live there, the different types of ice, and how scientists are still learning more about the southern continent. We learn about the history of exploration in Antarctica, and how the South Pole was discovered. We learn about the different glaciers and science stations with maps to show their locations.

It really gets on my nerves when science books talk about scientific theories as if they were fact, and they don’t tell the reader that it’s just a theory. It’s so unethical, and it’s misleading. It makes me not trust anything else they say, because who knows what else they could be lying to the reader about. If you don’t have the evidence to prove something, then you shouldn’t be pretending like it’s a fact. That’s dishonest. It would be so easy to clear up these misunderstandings if they would just admit that it’s a theory!

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Picture Book Review: Fox Tells A Lie (English and Spanish Editions)

Fox Tells a Lie by Susanna Isern

Fox Tells a Lie
by Susanna Isern, Leire Salaberria (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

Fox tells his friends that he knows the superhero, Superturtle. He tells them how he knows Superturtle’s secret flying techniques. But it is a lie. Fox’s friends get very excited and want to meet Superturtle. Squirrel thinks she can try to fly too. All of Fox’s lies are putting his friends in danger! Can Fox admit the truth before Squirrel gets hurt?

I really appreciated the good moral messages in this book about the importance of truthfulness. There is one page where the story says that all the attention from his friends made Fox “feel important” at first. I love the depth of this story, and the way it explores Fox’s emotions surrounding the lies. He begins to worry that he has told too many lies and he feels ashamed.

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Board Book Review: Mi Primer Emocionometro

Mi Primer Emocionómetro by Susanna Isern

Mi Primer Emocionómetro
by Susanna Isern, Mónica Carretero 

5 out of 5 stars

Drilo el cocodrilo tiene un medidor de emociones (el emocionometro) que puedes usar para determinar tu emoción actual. Para cada emoción, hay un amiguito que nos habla de esa emoción. Ya sea que esté feliz, triste, enojado, celoso, asustado o enamorado, el medidor de emociones lo ayudará a navegar esas emociones fuertes.

En la parte posterior del libro de cartón, hay una rueda de emociones real que puede girar para mostrar su emoción actual. Y hay un lugar en la rueda para mostrar si la emoción es fuerte o ligero. ¡Me encanta que hace que el libro sea especial!

Keep Reading for the Review in English!

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Graphic Novel Review: Tekis

Tekis by Gómez

Tekis
by Gómez

4 out of 5 stars

Tres chicas se unen como inventoras para descubrir cosas nuevas e inventar aparatos especiales. Un invento ata tus zapatos. Se supone que otro invento te cepilla los dientes, pero no funciona. Las niñas envían su caballo de juguete a Marte en un cohete, pero el caballo de juguete desaparece. Ahora están en una misión a Marte para salvar su juguete favorito. En el camino, usan todos sus inventos para ayudar en su aventura.

¡Esta es una novela gráfica tan linda! La historia es imaginativa y divertida. Me encantaron las chicas inteligentes y sus actitudes amistosas. Son ingeniosos a través de todas sus aventuras. ¡Hay tantas escenas divertidas que me hicieron reír!

Keep Reading for the Review in English!

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Picture Book Review: Sneaky Shadows

Sneaky Shadows by S.C. Manchild

Sneaky Shadows
by S.C. Manchild, Sam Caldwell

3 out of 5 stars

The reader is prompted to guess what animal is making the shadow. On the next page, the animal is revealed, but it isn’t always what you might think. A shadow that looks like a camel is actually a llama balancing two jellies on their back to look like humps! A shadow that looks like an elephant’s trunk is actually a swan’s curvy neck.

Some of this book was really cute and funny, some of it was weird and strange. There is a shadow of a gorilla and a snake kissing. The text says they are “young and in love” and “spend most of the their time kissing.” That doesn’t seem quite appropriate for a children’s picture book. I mean, there’s nothing particularly wrong with it, but it’s just weird.

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Board Book Review: Where Are You, Little Pig? (Spanish and English Editions)

Where Are You, Little Pig? by Margarita Del Mazo

Where Are You, Little Pig?
by Margarita Del Mazo, Laure du Faÿ

1 out of 5 stars

The wolf searches for little pig in the tree, behind the rock, and in the house. The reader can see little pig hiding, but the wolf cannot. Little pig keeps running to a new hiding place, but when the wolf finally finds him, little pig says, “I told you I don’t want to play hide and seek anymore!” and little pig runs away from the wolf.

I’m not really sure what is going on in this board book. I don’t get the joke. I guess we are supposed to be worried that the wolf is chasing the pig for nefarious reasons (to eat him or blow down his house like the Three Little Pigs story), and then we are supposed to be relieved and find it funny that is was actually just hide and seek all the time. But that wasn’t really clear.

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Non Fiction Book Review: 5 Minute Really True Stories for Family Time

Britannica's 5-Minute Really True Stories for Family Time by Britannica Group

Britannica’s 5-Minute Really True Stories for Family Time: 30 Amazing Stories: Featuring baby dinosaurs, helpful dogs, playground science, family reunions, a world of birthdays, and so much more!
by Britannica Group

4 out of 5 stars

This book gives true stories about traditions around the world for celebrating birthdays, weddings, and funerals. We find out about different types of trees, animals, and dinosaurs. There are sections about food and table manners in different cultures. We learn about the history of the bicycle, camping, playgrounds, and amusement parks.

I liked the cute illustrations in this book! The art style is colorful and clear, and the designs are really attractive. There is an illustration of a lesbian couple being married in the chapter about weddings.

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Non Fiction Book: How to Teach Grown-Ups about Pluto

How to Teach Grown-Ups about Pluto by Dean Regas

How to Teach Grown-Ups about Pluto
by Dean Regas

4 out of 5 stars

This book explains the history of planet discoveries and why the decision was made to make Pluto into a dwarf planet. You will learn how objects in space are classified as asteroids, comets, dwarf planets, moons, and of course the eight planets.

I loved the attractive design of this book! The artwork is so cute and fun, and Pluto is depicted as this scrappy little ice planet guy with a happy expression. I love that the book sort of personifies the planets in a funny way! It makes the features of the planets and other space objects really memorable.

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Non Fiction Review: Return to Factopia

Return to Factopia! by Kate Hale

Return to Factopia!
by Kate Hale

4 out of 5 stars

This gives amazing facts about everything under the sun (and beyond) with colorful artwork and photos on every page. Each fact connects in some way with the previous fact, leading you around in a trail of random information that is sure to grab your attention.

I love the attractive design of this book! Every page is so colorful and bright.

The facts are short and easy to read quickly. I wish that some of them had further explanations though. Many of the facts didn’t make sense to me and needed some more information added to them. Some of them are more theories than facts, since there is no way they can be proven.

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