books.

Book Review: The Dragon in the Library

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The Dragon in the Library by Louie Stowell

The Dragon in the Library
by Louie Stowell, Davide Ortu (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

Kit doesn’t like to read. She can’t sit still. She would much rather be climbing trees or playing with matches or other dangerous things. Her friends, Alita and Josh, convince her to visit the library with them. Kit discovers magical properties within the books that propel her and her friends into a wizarding adventure.

I loved this book from start to finish! The characters, the plot, the world-building, the magic; everything is wonderful!

I liked that the plot is simple and straightforward, but has a few little surprises that keep the story fresh and exciting. The writing style is absolutely hilarious! There are so many cute bits of dialogue and funny scenes that had me laughing.

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Familius Affiliate Program

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I have read and reviewed a lot of books from Familius this past year, and I have fallen in love with their books! When they asked me to be part of their Affiliate Program, I said, “Absolutely Yes!”

This post is NOT sponsored, but does contain an affiliate link.

Familius Affiliate Link <— Click here to buy some Familius books!

If you make a purchase using this link, I may receive a small affiliate commission before taxes and at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and products that I actually enjoy myself, and all the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts. Thank you for your support!

The reason I am so excited about becoming a Familius Affiliate is because I really believe in their company. Familius is all about promoting family togetherness through reading. All their books are focused on helping families play together, eat together, work together, laugh together, and heal together.

Each of their books are high-quality and well-written. They publish books in various genres including children’s picture books, teen and middle grade books, memoirs, cookbooks, parenting and marriage, and gift books. Here are some of my favorites:

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Merry Christmas!

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Merry Christmas to all my bookish friends! I’m drinking Abuelita brand hot chocolate to bring back the Mexican Navidad of my childhood.

I’ve had a wonderful Christmas Eve with my family, eating, laughing, talking, and singing carols together, with me playing on the piano and my brother and Dad on their guitars.

I’ve been reading Christmas stories to my little nieces and nephew, especially from this Christmas compilation book. My favorite short story in here is “Christmas Every Day” by William Dean Howells. What is your favorite Christmas story to read at this time of year?

Non Fiction Book Review: Curly Kids

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Curly Kids by Lorraine Massey
Curly Kids: How to Help Your Child Care For and Love That Glorious Hair: A Handbook
by  Lorraine Massey,  Michele Bender

4 out of 5 stars

This book details how to use the Curly Girl method, no shampoo, conditioner-washing method for babies, toddlers, children, and teens. There is a lot of useful information with beautiful pictures, and helpful home recipes for hair products.

I really appreciated that this book details all the harmful chemical ingredients found in basic shampoos that are especially harmful for curly hair. Curly hair is way more sensitive to harsh chemicals like sulfates, and it dries out the hair creating that dreaded frizz. This book gives such good advice about looking for sulfate-free shampoos and silicone-free conditioners. Children’s hair can be especially fine and fragile, and the tips in this book help to manage unruly hair without damaging it. Continue reading →

Activity Book Review: Mega Maze Adventure

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Mega-Maze Adventure! by Scott Bedford
Mega-Maze Adventure!: A Journey Through the World’s Longest Maze in a Book
by Scott Bedford 

5 out of 5 stars


You might think I got this to share with kids, but no. This one is for me! All mine to enjoy and relax and have fun! I’m already on page three.

This book has a continual maze that takes you in one long line through cut-out portals in each page onto the next page and the next until you reach the end of the book at which point you will have drawn a line 607 feet (185m)long. “That’s four times the height of the Statue of Liberty!” Continue reading →

Non Fiction Book Review: Unplugged Play- Toddler

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Unplugged Play by Bobbi Conner
Unplugged Play: Toddler: 156 Activities Games for Ages 1-2
by Bobbi Conner 

5 out of 5 stars

My favorite part of the book is a quote from Fred Rogers that says, “Play is not trivial. When children play, they’re doing important work.” I love that this book celebrates the joy of childhood play!

This book is divided into sections with ideas for solo play, parent and child play, playing with others, and playing at a party. There is an introduction that goes deeper into why playing is so important for childhood development.

There are so many great ideas for simple games and crafts in this book! There are ball games, a bean bag toss, clapping and counting games, and role-playing as a cook, mailman, or doll mother. You can head outside for hide and seek games, hula-hoop target games, or floating plastic plates in a wading pool.
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Non Fiction Book: Amazing Islands

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Amazing Islands by Sabrina Weiss
Amazing Islands
by Sabrina Weiss

5 out of 5 stars


This book gives information about islands all over the world. There are river islands like Manhattan, and mysterious islands with ancient ruins, and disappearing islands that are eroding away. I especially liked the pages about artificial islands that have been created by man. There are factoids about animal life and history and different cultures around the globe.

The illustrations are eye-catching, and I loved the art style. The colors are bright, and each scene is beautifully designed.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the way they presented scientific theories as if they were fact, and they wrote about widely-accepted but unproven ideas as if they were fact.

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Picture Book Review: Little Pearl

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Little Pearl by Martin Widmark
Little Pearl
by Martin Widmark, Emilia Dziubak (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars


Grace tells the story of how her brother disappeared, and how she followed him into a land where she was tiny as a bug. She befriends some silly insects, but is then kidnapped by a monstrous crab and forced to dive deep into the river looking for pearls. How will Grace ever escape the crab and find her lost brother?

This story is so whimsical and imaginative! I love the mellow story-telling and the rich writing. The story has a positive message that together we can overcome any obstacle and rescue ourselves if we work together.

I adore the beautiful illustrations! The art is warm and delicate, and makes me think of sunny summer days and cool shade by the water. It’s a little window into a fantasy world.

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Picture Book Review: Benjamin’s Blue Feet

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Benjamin's Blue Feet by Sue Macartney
Benjamin’s Blue Feet
by Sue Macartney 

5 out of 5 stars


A wild bird with blue feet finds a discarded mirror and begins to worry that his feet are too blue, his wings are too big, or his beak is too long. He tries to hide his body image problems with hilarious results. Eventually, he learns to appreciate that his wonderful feet allow him to swim, his long beak is perfect for catching fish, and his big wings lift him into the air to fly with his family.

I loved this adorable book! Poor Benjamin gets so confused about his body image, but I love how he is curious and resourceful and he is willing to learn and accept his own wonderfully-created body. He tries to use trash to hide his wings and feet and shorten his beak, so there is also a good message about human trash affecting animals.

The best thing about this book is the rich wording and silly descriptions! Benjamin finds the old mirror and promptly calls it a “twink-um-doodle” because it twinkles in the sunshine. There are some fun descriptions as Benjamin “wobble-waddles” or “kick-flips, flap-slaps” or “churn-turns, worm-squirms” to get the pieces of trash off his body. It’s a delight to read aloud and sure to bring giggles and chuckles to little readers. Continue reading →