books

Picture Book Review: You Can Be a Farmer, Too!

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You Can Be a Farmer, Too! by Becky Davies

You Can Be a Farmer, Too!
by Becky Davies, Charlotte Bruijn (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

Emily enjoys playing on the farm and helping to feed the animals. But Noah thinks the farmyard is too loud and scary. He’s afraid of the cows, and horses, and even some of the larger pigs. But Emily knows a way to make the farm fun and safe. She helps Noah to start small with some little chicks, and introduces each barnyard animal one at a time, until Noah feels safe and confident enough to make friends with a massive cow!

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Picture Book Review: This is Not My Hat, El Ladron Del Sombrero

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El Ladron Del Sombrero by Jon Klassen

El Ladron Del Sombrero
by Jon Klassen
5 out of 5 stars

Un pececito entra nadando con un sombrero que no es el suyo. Se lo robó a un pez mucho más grande mientras dormía. Pero seguramente ese pez grande no se despertará pronto. Y seguramente el pez grande no podrá encontrar al pececillo ladrón mientras se esconde entre las algas. ¿Correcto?

¡Este libro de imágenes es adorable! Con muy poco texto, teje una divertida historia sobre la imposibilidad de escapar de las consecuencias de tus tontos crímenes. ¡El pececito es tan divertido!

Algunas personas pueden oponerse a un libro para niños en el que el robo se trata con tanta ligereza y humor, pero yo entendí que era como un niño pequeño que “roba” la ropa de sus padres. Es como un niño que huye de sus padres y se “esconde” a plena vista, riendo detrás de una manta, esperando a que lo encuentren.

Me encantan las ilustraciones sencillas y el estilo minimalista. Con expresiones efectivas, el arte aporta humor y profundidad al cuento.

Keep reading for the review in English!

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Picture Book Review: La Burrita Baldomera

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La burrita Baldomera by Ismael F. Arias

La burrita Baldomera
by Ismael F. Arias, Enrique G. Ballesteros, Ayesha L. Rubio (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

Una burrita hace un amigo humano, Ismael, y disfrutan juntos de la paz del campo. Pero un día Ismael no regresa, y el burro se entristece y se pregunta a dónde podría haber ido su amigo.

Este libro ilustrado está inspirado en hechos reales, cuando el autor estuvo en cuarentena durante la pandemia de Covid-19 y no pudo visitar a su amigita en el campo. El cuento es dulce y emotiva, y una adorable amistad animal.

Me encantaron las ilustraciones suaves con colores atractivos y amplias escenas campestres. ¡El estilo artístico es absolutamente hermoso!

Keep reading for the review in English….

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YA Book Review: Lycanthropy and Other Illnesses

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Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses
by Kristen O’Neal 
1 out of 5 stars and Did Not Finish
Priya has Lyme disease, and wakes up every morning with pain and fatigue. She joins a support group online with other people who have chronic illnesses, and discovers that her best friend might be a werewolf.

In the first 50 pages of this book, nothing happens at all. Well, we get to see some sweet character introductions of Priya and her siblings for about 3 pages. And Priya joins the support group. That’s it. The entire first 50 pages could have been condensed into 5 pages.

And that’s when I got bored and stopped reading. I have a rule that I have to read at least to page 50 before I will let myself DNF a book, knowing that I gave it a fair chance.

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Picture Book Review: Pablo

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Pablo by Rascal

Pablo
by Rascal
5 out of 5 stars

Pablo is a shy little chick who is too big for his eggshell. He’s not quite ready to face the outside world, so he pecks one little hole in his shell to look around first. But one little hole leads to another little hole and another and another!

I loved this cute book! It’s so adorable how Pablo pecks little holes for his eyes, and then another for his ears, and his nose. As he discovers sight and sound and smells, the reader learns along with him about some of the different senses.

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Board Book Reviews: Daddy Loves You, and Mommy Loves You

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Daddy Loves You by Danielle McLean

Daddy Loves You
by Danielle McLean, Zoe Waring (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

Daddy Lion loves the baby lion. Daddy Zebra loves baby zebra. Daddy Hippo loves baby hippo. All these daddies play with their babies, give them hugs and kisses, and read stories with them. Each family of animals has their bedtime routine of singing lullabies, taking a bath, and a snuggling into bed.

Mommy Loves You by Danielle McLean

Mommy Loves You
by Danielle McLean, Zoe Waring (Illustrations)

Mommy Bear loves baby bear. Mommy Panda loves baby panda. Mommy Elephant loves baby elephant. All these mommies play with their babies, give them hugs, and snuggle them close. The animals families giggle together and sing together in the sweetest way!

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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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