books.

Picture Book Review: Like a Shooting Star

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Like a Shooting Star by Rino Alaimo
Like a Shooting Star
by Rino Alaimo

4 out of 5 stars

A little boy mistakenly wishes on a firefly instead of a shooting star, and the firefly hears his wish and determines to fulfill it. The boy wishes for his father to come home safely from the war, and the firefly goes on a journey to find the boy’s father. The firefly’s wings are too small to fly, so it bounces and glides from place to place searching for the soldier. The message is that even when you seem too small and weak to do any good, you can always do something and help in some small way.
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Picture Book Review: It’s a Great Big Colorful World

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It's a Great, Big Colorful World by Tom Schamp
It’s a Great, Big Colorful World
by Tom Schamp

2 out of 5 stars


This book is much too chaotic, with a lot of random text all over the page and wild illustrations of random things. The whole thing is aimless, and doesn’t tell a story or have any structure other than to group colors together. It’s too busy for a child to be able to focus on anything. If it were 20 or even 30 items on the page, I would have enjoyed it more. I counted over 50 separate items on one page, not counting the text. Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: The Seedling That Didn’t Want To Grow

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The Seedling That Didn't Want to Grow by Britta Teckentrup
The Seedling That Didn’t Want to Grow
by Britta Teckentrup (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

Ant and Ladybird find a seedling that won’t grow, and they encourage it to sprout and grow into the sun. Gradually leaves begin to appear, and the little plant grows out and up looking for more sunshine away from the shade of other taller plants. The little plant begins to blossom and flourish with the help of her little animal and insect friends.

I loved the sweet story of encouragement and growth in this book! It’s such a simple story, but with a powerful message. I also love that the growth doesn’t happen all at once. The little seedling has to gradually journey up to the sun, in small steps day by day. The animal friends stay by the side of the little plant, guiding the growth, clearing the ground, and offering help and support. Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Luis and Tabitha

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Luis and Tabitha by Stephanie Campisi
Luis and Tabitha
by Stephanie Campisi, Hollie Mengert (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars 


Luis is a suave cat who lives on the streets and hangs out at the firehouse, but when he falls in love with Tabitha, a house cat, how can the two ever be together with the doors that separate them? Tabitha’s owner shoos Luis away whenever he comes near Tabitha, but Luis never gives up.

I just adore how dashing and gentlemanly Luis is, and how gentle and elegant Tabitha is. I was really rooting for those two and their forbidden romance! Luis brings sardines and flowers and does everything he can to woo Tabitha, but she is trapped inside the house, mournfully watching him through the windows. Luis’ cat friends tell him to just accept the situation, but Luis is indefatigable! I loved his energy and determination! Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Unicorn and Horse

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Unicorn by David W. Miles
Unicorn (and Horse)
by David W. Miles, Hollie Mengert (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

Horse is plain and frumpy. He’s jealous of the gorgeous Unicorn, who eats pink cupcakes and makes rainbows. Unicorn dances around spreading cheer and sunshine. Horse eats hay and scowls at everyone with a grumpy attitude. Can these two ever resolve their differences and becomes friends?

This story is hilarious! It’s so much fun that I read it three times in a row!
I laughed and laughed at the funny predicaments poor Horse has to deal with. The illustrations are a big part of the humor, with silly expressions on the character’s faces and background details that make the story even funnier. I just love the soft cartoon style of the illustrations. The artwork is bright and vibrant with adorable animal characters and plenty of action. Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Goodnight Whispers

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Goodnight Whispers by Michael Leannah
Goodnight Whispers
by Michael Leannah, Dani Torrent (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars


“You are strong. You are brave. You are so incredibly good.” A father whispers words of affirmation to his baby daughter as she falls asleep every night. She grows into a toddler, then a teen, and a young woman. Through every step of her life, she hears his voice encouraging her.

This book is so sweet and heartfelt that it actually made me cry! I am blessed to have a kind and loving father like the one in this book, and it brought back old memories of times that my Dad encouraged and supported me.

I love the soft illustrations and the muted color scheme. The artwork really brings the story home, and draws the reader into the emotions of the characters.

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Board Book Review: Little Fingers Ballet

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Little Fingers Ballet by Ashley Marie Mireles
Little Fingers Ballet
by Ashley Marie Mireles, Olga Skomorokhova 

5 out of 5 stars

This board book features finger holes where the reader can make leg movements for the ballerinas in the illustrations. There are even little “finger tights” that you can wear like little ballet slippers to match the costumes of the dancers!

I can’t stop playing with this book! It’s so adorable!
The ballet scenes are taken from famous ballets and includes characters like Romeo and Juliet, the Snow Queen, Coppelia, and Cinderella. The text also includes ballet terminology like “plies, grande battements, grand jete, pirouettes, chasse steps”, and more that I didn’t understand but would be fun to learn about! Continue reading →

Book and Puzzle Set Review: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Book and Puzzle Box Set by Rebecca Sorge
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Book and Puzzle Box Set
by Rebecca Sorge (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars


This boxed set of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book and puzzle makes a beautiful gift set! The paperback book has a beautiful cover just as shown on the front of the box, however there are no illustrations inside the book which was a little disappointing. I was hoping for more gorgeous artwork like the cover!

The puzzle is a 500 piece puzzle included inside its own separate box inside the gift set. The puzzle picture is the same as the cover. I just love that artwork and the bright colors and all the details in the background, which makes it perfect for a puzzle!

The box itself is a delight, with a magnetic clasp and lovely endpapers. You could use it like a treasure box if you didn’t want to keep the puzzle inside it. Continue reading →

Board Book Review: Let’s Make Yoga Magic

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Let's Make Yoga Magic by Heather Leah
Let’s Make Yoga Magic
by Heather Leah, Sandie Sonke (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

This board book has interactive levers, wheels, and pop ups that help to teach children about different yoga poses. The text explains the pose in very simple terms, along with something for the child to imagine while they do the pose.

For example, in bridge pose you can imagine that a river is flowing underneath you and your legs and arms are the bridge across the water. Children can pretend to be a snake, a dog, a mountain, a butterfly, a dancer, a tree, a plane, a pretzel, a boat, a warrior, and a dragon! All of these correspond with the traditional yoga pose, and add an element of fun and awareness to the practice of yoga.

The text is told in rhyme and beautifully written!

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Non Fiction Review: The Story of Abraham Lincoln

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The Story of Abraham Lincoln by Carla Jablonski
The Story of Abraham Lincoln: A Biography Book for New Readers
by Carla Jablonski

5 out of 5 stars


This children’s book tells the history of Abraham Lincoln, from his childhood to his death.
I like that the story is told with a simple writing style, easy for a child to understand, and there is a glossary at the back from some of the bigger or unfamiliar words. This would be a great book for 7-10 year old readers.

There are fun cartoon illustrations showing Abe as a young boy on the farm, as a young politician, as a family man, and finally as President of the United States. I really like the bright colors and design of the book! Continue reading →