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Classic Review: Sentimental Tommy
Sentimental Tommy
by J.M. Barrie
3 out of 5 stars
Tommy and his little sister Elspeth live in a poor apartment in London. When their mother dies of consumption, the children go to live in her old hometown in Scotland. Tommy is sent to a little school, where the teachers have high hopes of his academic skills, but he disappoints everyone by being more interested in playing and pretending rather than his studies.
Tommy and Elspeth befriend a prostitute’s child, Grizel, who is sensitive, complicated, and prickly. She is by far the best character in the entire book. She puts on a brave face and acts crabby to ward off people’s mean comments about her mother, but at heart she is sweet and good.
Continue readingPicture Book Review: Zee Grows A Tree
Zee Grows a Tree
by Elizabeth Rusch (Goodreads Author), Will Hillenbrand (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars
Zee and her fir tree grow up at the same time. When Zee is born, her seedling tree is in a greenhouse nursery. When Zee goes to kindergarten, her fir tree is planted outdoors. As Zee grows up, she measures her height and the height of her little tree. When there is a drought, Zee does everything she can to help her tree survive. She waters it and builds a shelter around it, and even camps outside in a tent to be near her tree in the night. With special love and care, Zee’s tree recovers from the drought.
I loved that this book has the main story about Zee, and includes little side text on each page about Douglas fir trees and how they grow. I like that it doesn’t slow down the pace of the main story, but also gives such good information about trees and tree farming.
Continue readingChildren’s Book Review: Bruno the Beekeeper
Bruno the Beekeeper: A Honey Primer
by Aneta Františka Holasová
3 out of 5 stars
This book gives detailed information about how to care for your own beehive. It includes the lifecycles of worker bees, drones, and the queens. We learn how to harvest honey, how to use the wax to make candles, and how to keep bees happy and healthy all year round.
The book is very text-heavy in some places. It does not read like a children’s picture book, but more like a textbook. It’s very interesting and thorough, and I enjoyed learning all about beekeeping. However, I don’t think you could really use this book to start beekeeping on your own. It doesn’t always explain the exact details of how to do things.
Continue readingPicture Book Review: La Selva de Zonia
La selva de Zonia
by Juana Martinez-Neal (Goodreads Author)
4 out of 5 stars
Zonia oye que la selva amazónica la llama y ella responde. Ella explora la selva cada mañana. Visita a sus amigos animales favoritos, y dice -Bienvenidos- a todos los bebés animales nuevos. Pero un día ve árboles en la jungla que han sido talados. La selva la está llamando otra vez, y Zonia decide responder y hacer todo lo posible para proteger su hogar en la jungla.
Me encantaron las hermosas ilustraciones de este libro. Las escenas de la jungla son atractivos. El arte es suave y de colores brillantes, mostrando las sombras bajo los árboles y el pelaje y las plumas de los animales. Hay una escena en la que la madre de Zonia está amamantando a un bebé, y el arte es apropiado y encantador con toda la belleza de la vida familiar.
Keep Reading for the Review in English!
Continue readingPicture Book Review: Ventanas
Ventanas
by Julia Denos (Goodreads Author), E.B. Goodale (Goodreads Author) (illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars
Mientras caminas por la calle al anochecer, las ventanas son como pequeños dibujos de la vida. Las luces brillan desde algunas ventanas y otras son oscuras. Algunas ventanas muestran un abrazo, un piano, una fiesta o alguien comiendo su cena. Cada uno tiene una historia que contar. Pero la mejor ventana de todas es tu propia ventana cuando llegas a tu hogar.
Este libro me hizo sentir tanta curiosidad acerca de cada pequeña ventana. La gente ordinaria que hacen cosas ordinarias se volvieron interesantes y asombrosos. El texto tiene un encanto que realmente te atrae y hace que las cosas básicas parezcan espléndidas.
(Keep Reading for the Review In English!)
Continue readingBoard Books Review: Papi and Mami
Papi
by Leslie Patricelli ( Author)
4 out of 5 stars
Papá y bebé se divierten jugando y cantando juntos. Pueden jugar a los caballos, y pretenden ser monstruos. Papá puede levantar al bebé en alto hasta el cielo. Papá es alto y fuerte. Otros papás pueden ser bajos o altos, barbudos o calvos, pero este papá es el mejor para este bebé.
¡Ver al bebé y papá jugando juntos es muy reconfortante!
Hay una ilustración que parece ser de niños con dos papás, que se incluye en este libro. Hay papás de muchas razas y etnias.
Mami
by Leslie Patricelli (Author)
4 out of 5 stars
Mamá y bebé juegan juntos, leen, dibujan y cantan juntos. Van al parque a jugar a las escondidas, y el bebé ve a muchas otras mamás con otros niños. ¡Pero la propia mamá del bebé es la mejor mamá del mundo!
¡Este libro de cartón es tan adorable! Me encantan las ilustraciones sencillas y los personajes lindos. El arte es colorida muy brilliante, y atraerá la atención de los pequeños lectores. ¡Ver al bebé y mama jugando juntos es muy dulce!
Hay una mención de un niño que tiene dos mamás. Hay mamás de muchas razas y etnias includios en este libro.
Keep reading for the review in English!
Continue readingBook Review: A Teeny-Tiny History of Philosophy
A Teeny-Tiny History of Philosophy: A Children’s Introduction to the Great Thinkers of the Philosophical Tradition (Philosophy Friends! Book 7)
by Francisco Mejia Uribe (Goodreads Author)
2 out of 5 stars
This book presents famous philosophers through history and gives an overview of their most popular ideas and beliefs. These include Aristotle, John Locke, Karl Marx, Nietzsche, and Descartes, with many others.
I certainly don’t agree with many of the philosophies presented in this book, but I think this would be a great way to introduce these ideas to young people and start a dialogue about why some of these philosophies don’t actually work in real life. Some of them have merit, but don’t align with reality. They are like dreams that sound nice, but lead to destruction. Other beliefs in this book are rooted in reality and have sound logic behind them.
Continue readingBoard Book Review: Where, Oh Where, Is Barnaby Bear?
Where, Oh Where, Is Barnaby Bear?
by Wendy Rouillard
5 out of 5 stars
We search for Barnaby Bear everywhere. We look at the beach, in the forest, in the ocean, and even in outerspace. He could be sailing, or having tea, or flying in a plane. We finally find Barnaby fast asleep in bed at the end of the day.
This board book is so cute! Barnaby is such an adventurer, and I love all the wild and crazy things he “could” be doing. He might be sailing on the back of a whale, or in a rocket ship to the moon!
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