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Comic Review: Flash Facts

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Flash Facts by Mayim Bialik

Flash Facts
by Mayim Bialik (Goodreads Author)
3 out of 5 stars

The Flash and other superheroes answer questions about scientific subjects while fighting off supervillains and doing good. They explore atoms, energy, virtual reality technology, DNA, the solar system, and even the depths of the ocean.

One thing that I really hate in scientific books is when a scientific THEORY is presented as if it were a fact. This is so unethical, and it would be so easy to correct. If only the text said, “One theory about this subject is … etc.” But they don’t say that. They write as if the details of climate change, renewable energy sources (like solar panels and wind turbines), and the age of the universe are established empirical facts that have been tested and proven. But they’re not.

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Classic Review: Emily Climbs

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Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery

Emily Climbs (Emily, #2)
by L.M. Montgomery
5 out of 5 stars
Rereading this for the tenth or twelfth time, I enjoy it just as much as ever!

Emily is growing up, honing her writing skills, and getting an education at Shrewsbury high school along with her friends, Ilse, Perry, and Teddy. She gets into innocent mischief, makes honest mistakes, and generally has little adventures around PEI.

I love the character development that Emily has in this book. There are some surprising developments with her family clan, the Murrays, as they begin to recognize that she’s no longer a little girl that they can bully.

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Book Review: Icefall

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Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby

Icefall
by Matthew J. Kirby
4 out of 5 stars

Solveig and her siblings have been sent to a frozen fjord in the mountains where they will be safe during a Viking war between clans. The winter cold freezes the sea, preventing any ships from getting to them. However, there appears to be a traitor in their midst among the soldiers and servants, and they are trapped until the spring thaw can bring help.

I loved the thoughtful writing style in this book! The writing brings important details to the forefront, giving the characters depth and enhancing the setting without slowing down the pacing.

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Picture Book Review: The Inventor in the Pink Pajamas

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The Inventor in the Pink Pajamas by David Pridham

The Inventor in the Pink Pajamas (If Not You, Then Who? #1)
by David Pridham, Emberli Pridham (Goodreads Author)
4 out of 5 stars

Brooke is ready for a big day at school. She has a huge presentation to make about one of her favorite inventors, and she spends the whole day learning about how ordinary things were invented. She even tries out inventing something herself while baking cookies in the kitchen. This book encourages the reader to be curious and explore and invent something amazing!

The story is fun and interesting, but very word-heavy with small print. Fifty pages makes for a long picture book. It almost reads more like a children’s chapter book, but there aren’t any chapters.

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Picture Book Review: Lee and Limbo

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Lee and Limbo by Uzoma R. Ezekwudo

Lee and Limbo
by Uzoma R. Ezekwudo, Zulfikar Rachmann
4 out of 5 stars

Limbo and Lee are two cats who are friends. When Lee moves away, Limbo thinks she will always be lonely. But a new family moves in with a new cat and a dog, and Limbo tries to make some new friends.

This is such a sweet story about the loneliness and grief of losing a friend who moves away. I love the hopeful message that it is important to open your heart to new friends.

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Picture Book Reviews: Sissies at the Sea, Sissies in the Mountains, Sissies Go to Mexico

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Sissies at the Sea ( A Board Book Celebrating the Magic of Si... by Marisa Howard

Sissies at the Sea (Sissies Adventures 1)
by Marisa Howard, Anyu Rouaux (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

Two little sisters are ready for a fun day at the beach. They collect seashells, swim in the kiddie pool, splash in the water, and build a sandcastle. They dig in the sand with their Dad, and eat popsicles with their Mom.

This book is full of bright sunshine and happy smiles! I love the energy and playfulness of the sisters as they discover how many things there are to do at the beach.

Sissies in the Mountains ( A Board Book Celebrating the Magic... by Marisa Howard

Sissies in the Mountains (Sissies Adventures 2)
5 out of 5 stars

Two little sisters are travelling to the mountains. They hike through the trails with their Mom and Dad. They climb rocks at the park, pick wildflowers, and eat ice-cream.

I love the bright energy in this book! The sisters play sweetly together and are ready to find little adventures around every corner.

Sissies Go To Mexico ( A Board Book Celebrating the Magic of ... by Marisa Howard

Sissies Go To Mexico (Sissies Adventures 3)
5 out of 5 stars

Two little sisters travel to Mexico, where they are fascinated by a huge iguana and a colorful parrot. They try on sombreros, eat quesadillas, take a siesta, and dance to Mexican music.

I love the beautiful Mexican dresses that the girls wear to the fiesta! They remind me of traditional dresses I wore when I was a little girl living in Mexico. The sisters have such a playful energy, full of appreciation for the traditions and landscape of Mexico.

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Board Book Review: Busy Day

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Busy Day by Lauren Crisp

Busy Day
by Lauren Crisp, Thomas Elliott (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

A lion and cub learn about different shapes and invite the reader to find similar shapes in the moving spinners. The sun is a circle, the house is a square, the moon is a crescent, and a kite is a diamond. An egg is an oval while the lions eat their snack. When it’s bath time, the bathtub is a rectangle.

Cuteness overload! I am so in love with this adorable book! The artwork is bright and enchanting with the cutest little lions playing and eating and washing and camping in a tent. I just love the charming illustrations!

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Board Book Review: My Book of Feelings

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My Book of Feelings by Nicola Edwards

My Book of Feelings (My World)
by Nicola Edwards, Thomas Elliot (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

“Feelings are never right or wrong. What matters is how we behave!”
This book explores different emotions of happiness, worry, peace, sadness, anger, and surprise. It asks the reader to identify how they feel about different places and experiences, and then use the emoji spinner to say what they feel. How do you feel about the beach? How do you feel about a trip to the dentist? What do you feel when you think about a tiger or bear? What emotion do you have if there is thunder and lightning?

This is such a fun way to get children to identify their different emotions and learn to navigate those strong feelings. This would be such a good book to read with a toddler when they are upset, and it would help them to calm down and use words to express themselves.

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Board Book Review: Sleep, Cat, Sleep!

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Sleep, Cat, Sleep! by Antje Damm

Sleep, Cat, Sleep!
by Antje Damm
5 out of 5 stars

“Hey! Shut the book. Don’t you see I want to sleep?”
A grumpy cat urges the reader to leave him alone so he can sleep, then invites the reader to take a cat nap with him. This book will have you yawning and stretching along with the sleepy cat until your eyes slowly blink closed in a peaceful slumber. But then the cat cries out, “Boo!”, apologizes for scaring you, and invites you to close this book and pick up another one.

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