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Picture Book Review: Maisy’s Christmas Party

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Maisy's Christmas Party by Lucy Cousins
Maisy’s Christmas Party: With 6 Festive Letters and Secret Surprises!
by Lucy Cousins

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Maisy is inviting all her friends to a Christmas Party, and they each reply with a special letter. Eddie sends Maisy a little calendar to count down the days until the party. Cyril sends her a recipe for gingerbread. Tallulah sends Maisy a star to put on her tree. Charley includes a joke book with his letter, and Maisy laughs and laughs at his jokes. Finally, it’s the day of the party, and the friends have a good time together.

This is such a special Christmas book, with pockets for each of the letters the friends send to Maisy. Inside each envelope/pocket is a letter and a different decoration, recipe, or tiny booklet. Continue reading →

Non-Fiction Book: My Preschool Workbook

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My Preschool Workbook by Brittany Lynch
My Preschool Workbook: 101 Games & Activities that Prepare Your Child for School
by Brittany Lynch

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


This workbook has games, coloring pages, and activities to help little ones learn their colors, numbers, alphabet, and basic shapes. Including simple puzzles and challenges, this book teaches children that learning is fun, and coordinates with basic lessons they will be learning in preschool and kindergarten.

There are tracing pages to help little fingers learn how to draw letters and numbers. There are connect-the-dot games and matching games to get them thinking with logic, and to improve their memory. Moving from identifying basic colors into finally reading small words, there are even sections about rhyming words, and counting the syllables in a word. The pages gradually teach the reader their colors, shapes, numbers, alphabet, and simple spelling as they grow throughout the school year. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Magic Christmas Ornament

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The Magic Christmas Ornament by James Barbato
The Magic Christmas Ornament
by James and Victoria Barbato (Authors),  Joe Huffman (Illustrator)

2 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Three siblings hear the story about how their father found a magic ornament when he was a boy. When they examine the ornament on Christmas Eve, the children are whisked away to Santa’s Workshop in the North Pole, where they play with toys and meet Santa’s elves. They are given an ornament off Santa’s own Christmas tree, and they return home full of the joy of Christmas.

The writing is good, but has a stiff style, especially in the dialogue. It doesn’t flow as well as it could, but it’s not bad. The story is interesting, but rather simple. There isn’t anything particularly memorable or special in the plot, but it is a sweet story.

The illustrations really bothered me.

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NonFiction Review: One-Pot Weight Loss Plan

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The One-Pot Weight Loss Plan by Shelley Rael
The One-Pot Weight Loss Plan
by Shelley Rael

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

This book provides meal plans for 28 days, and 85 recipes to help readers lose weight and easily cook delicious meals. The recipes are all fairly simple with basic ingredients that are widely available.

At the beginning of the book, the author provides excellent advice about changing your lifestyle to be healthier, sleep better, reduce stress, and include gentle exercise into your daily routine. The book gives a positive picture of the whole person, instead of only focusing on diet. There are sections about portion control, calories, vitamins, and whole foods, but the book also mentions developing good habits of exercise, meditation, unplugging from technology and screens, and how to make time in your busy schedule for cooking. I really appreciated the balance in this common-sense approach. Continue reading →

Non-Fiction Book Review: Code This!

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Code This! by Jennifer Szymanski
Code This!: Puzzles, Games, Challenges, and Computer Coding Concepts for the Problem Solver in You
by  Jennifer Szymanski, Carlos Bueno 

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

This fascinating book teaches children the concepts and ideas behind computer programming, and provides simple coding problems to be solved. The challenges include activities, games, and crafts that can be completed to solve the puzzles, as the reader learns computer coding approaches like binary code, directions, algorithms, loops of code, debugging when there is a problem, and optimizing the commands given to the program. Using logic and simple commands, the reader learns to understand the basic structure of a computer program. Continue reading →

NonFiction Review: Encyclopedia of American Indian History and Culture

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National Geographic Kids Encyclopedia of American Indian Hist... by Cynthia O'Brien
Encyclopedia of American Indian History and Culture
by Cynthia O’Brien

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


This book lists the major characteristics and customs of over 160 Native American tribes, dedicating one or two pages to each tribe and including illustrations and photographs, both of historic cultures and modern people.

The book is grouped by region, showing how the environment and climate shaped their culture and livelihood. Time lines demonstrate the changes and historic events that developed their societies.
Each region section has a tribal story that is a part of that culture’s traditions and beliefs.

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Classic Review: A Woman of No Importance

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A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde
A Woman of No Importance
by Oscar Wilde

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Gerald is a young man who secures an appointment as secretary to the rich and flirtatious ambassador, Lord Illingworth. His mother objects to the moral character of his new employer, but can give no concrete reason without revealing her dark past. Gerald is determined to accept the post, because he is in love with a young American lady and needs the money to get married. Throughout the play, various rich and titled characters gossip about London high society, and flirt with each other, and say a lot of shameless nonsense.

One of the main reasons why I love Oscar Wilde’s hilarious plays is the silly dialogue. The characters say such idiotic things, and it always makes me laugh. Almost the entire first act is fluff and character introductions, but it is such entertaining fluff that I didn’t mind. Of course, the social commentary is an undercurrent that lies under every scene, exposing the rich elite as vapid, immoral, and selfish. Continue reading →

Book Review: Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake

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Doctor Dolittle And The Secret Lake by Hugh Lofting
Doctor Dolittle And The Secret Lake
by Hugh Lofting

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Doctor Dolittle returns to the Secret Lake hidden in the depths of Africa to interview the oldest living animal, a massive turtle named Mudface. His journey is perilous, but he has his trusty animals by his side. With the help of Chee-chee, Polynesia, Dab-Dab, Cheapside, Gub-Gub, Jip, and his faithful assistant Tommy Stubbins, the Doctor travels through swamps and jungles to find the old turtle and hear the story of the Flood.

I loved the plot in this one! The first part of the book is taken up with the Doctor’s preparations for the journey to Africa, and then his travels to get inland from the African coast to the Secret Lake. Once they find Mudface, the rest of the book chronicles his adventurous story about Noah and surviving the Great Flood.

The writing is charming and hilarious! The animals are all so funny and full of life, and the ridiculous situations are interesting. I’m amazed at how imaginative all of the Dolittle stories are, and the books never seem to run out of wild material for an adventure.

Classic Book Review: Agnes Grey

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Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë
Agnes Grey
by Anne Brontë

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Agnes goes to work as a governess for a rich family, and finds her young students difficult to manage. They throw tantrums, fight amongst themselves, torture their pets, and lie to their parents. Agnes is miserable and lonely, but strives to do her duty and influence her students to study and behave themselves. She meets a serious young preacher who inspires her and the two strike up a friendship. They help the poor and visit the sick, finding solace in doing good deeds for their neighbors.

I loved this book! The writing is elegant and delightful. The characters are vivid and lively. The plot is subtle and delicate, using small conversations and little coincidences to paint a larger picture. Every bit of dialogue holds waves of emotion and meaning that gently push the story forward. The writing is absolutely brilliant! Continue reading →