Picture Book Review: Un Vampiro Peligrozo

Un Vampiro Peligrozo by José Carlos Andrés

Un Vampiro Peligrozo
by José Carlos AndrésGómez (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

A little vampire tries to scare a girl, but he isn’t scary at all, and she only laughs at him. He needs to pass his exam to become a vampire, or he will be forced to work with the banana peelers. With the help of some adorable werewolves and bats and a friendly ghost, the little vampire might be able to give the girl a big scare, but only if she plays along and pretends to be scared.

Un pequeño vampiro intenta asustar a una nina, pero él no da miedo en absoluto y ella solo se ríe de él. Necesita aprobar su examen para ser vampiro, o se verá obligado a trabajar con los peladores de platanos. Con la ayuda de unos adorables hombres lobo y murciélagos y un fantasma amistoso, el pequeño vampiro podría darle un gran susto a la niña, pero solo si ella sigue el juego y finge estar asustada.

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Picture Book Review: The Last Hazelnut

The Last Hazelnut by Susanna Isern

The Last Hazelnut
by Susanna IsernMariana Ruiz Johnson (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

Tim and Teo love to eat hazelnuts together on top of their favorite mountain. When each of them thinks their friend selfishly took the last hazelnut instead of sharing, they have a huge argument! But who really took the last hazelnut? Tim and Teo spend the days missing each other and wishing they could be friends again. Can these friends ever forgive each other?

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Picture Book Review: The Tiny Baker

The Tiny Baker by Hayley  Barrett

The Tiny Baker
by Hayley Barrett (Author), Alison Jay (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

The tiny baker has the most dainty and delicious treats at her fashionable tearoom. Her insect customers are always well-behaved and elegantly dressed. But when the ladybug pastry chefs in the kitchen are called away to migrate, they leave a huge mess in the kitchen! How will the tiny baker clean up the mess and deliver delectable desserts to her fancy clientele? She discovers that true friends are always willing to help in a crisis.

I adore this book! Everything about it is perfection.
I love the positive messages about true friendship and jumping in to help someone in need.

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Picture Book Review: The Kiosk

The Kiosk by Anete Melece

The Kiosk
by Anete Melece
3 out of 5 stars

Olga, a very plump woman, lives in her newspaper kiosk, and dreams of travelling. She finds herself stuck in her kiosk, and unable to leave by the door because of her girth. So she picks up the kiosk structure and walks down the street looking for adventure with her kiosk on her back.

The illustrations are full of bright colors and little details in the setting that make the story come alive. Each character in the story has their own unique look. I like the whimsical art style.

I am concerned about stereotypes and unhealthy messages in this book. Olga lives in squalid conditions in her kiosk where she has an armchair, sink, and toilet squeezed into a small space. I worry about children getting confusing messages about the health of this woman and her extreme weight.

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Book Reviews: The Mystery Kitten and Little Lion Rescue

The Mystery Kitten by Holly Webb

The Mystery Kitten
by Holly WebbSophy Williams (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars
Elsa is worried about moving into a new house and having her own room, separate from her sister, Sara. When she hears scratching and mysterious noises coming from the attic, she is terrified. But then she discovers an adorable black kitten, and has to keep him a secret from her family.

Elsa meets new friends, solves the mystery of the kitten, and figures out how to convince her family to keep the kitten. I love Elsa’s character. She is smart and compassionate, but she is full of anxiety about moving to a new house. She learns to have more confidence and build stronger bonds with her family. I was impressed with her simple but powerful character development.

Little Lion Rescue by Rachel Delahaye

Little Lion Rescue (Little Animal Rescue, #1)
by Rachel Delahaye
4 out of 5 stars
Callie loves animals, especially lions. She is visiting the zoo with her class, when she is whisked away to the African Serengeti, where she rescues a lost lion cub and tries to find the lion’s family.

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Board Book Reviews: Quien Se Comio Mi Fruta? and Mi Pastel?

Quien Se Comio Mi Fruta? by Canizales

Quien Se Comio Mi Fruta?
by Canizales (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars
Little Cat has four pieces of fruit to eat, but one by one his fruit is all gone! He is so hungry. He has to find out who is eating all his fruit. It looks like the seal ate his pear. The fox ate his strawberry, and the rabbit ate the pineapple. What about the last fruit? What will be left for Little Cat?

El pequeño Gato tiene cuatro piezas de fruta para comer, ¡pero una por una su fruta se ha ido! Tiene tanta hambre. Tiene que averiguar quién comio toda su fruta. Parece que la foca se comió su pera. El zorro se comió su fresa, y el conejo se comió la piña. ¿Qué pasa con la última fruta? ¿Qué le quedará al Gato?

Quien Se Comio Mi Pastel? by Canizales

Quien Se Comio Mi Pastel?
by Canizales (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars
Little Cat is so hungry. He has four desserts to eat, a piece of pie, a cupcake, a donut, and chocolate cake. But one by one his desserts are eaten by other animals. Little Cat has to discover who is eating his treats!

Pequeno Gato tiene mucha hambre. Tiene cuatro postres para comer, un pastel de arandranos, una magdalena, una dona, y un pastel de chocolate. Pero uno a uno sus postres son comidos por otros animales. ¡Gatito tiene que descubrir quién está comiendo sus pasteles!

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Picture Book Reviews: Claris the Chicest Mouse in Paris, and Fashion Show Fiasco

Claris by Megan Hess

Claris: The Chicest Mouse in Paris
by Megan Hess

5 out of 5 stars

Claris dreams about moving to Paris, and she takes a leap of faith to make her dreams come true. She meets a mean cat in Paris, and has to use all her fashion wiles and personal compassion to win the day.

I just adore Claris! She is such a sweet and lovely little mouse. I love stories about mice anyway, but this little mouse takes the cake. I love all her pretty clothes. She is the epitome of elegance and refinement, but with a heart of compassion and humility.

Claris by Megan Hess

Claris: Fashion Show Fiasco
by Megan Hess

5 out of 5 stars

Claris and Monsieur Cat have to return a lost invitation to Fashion Week’s greatest show. They go on an adventure across half of Paris to track down the fashionista who has lost their important invitation.

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Book Review: Maylie and the Maze

Maylie and the Maze by M.L. Tarpley

Maylie and the Maze (Tales of a Travel Girl #1)
by M.L. Tarpley , Monica Bruenjes 

3 out of 5 stars
Maylie is finding it difficult to write a story, any story. She has plenty of ideas, but keeps second-guessing herself when she starts to write. Hoping to find inspiration, she goes on a trip to London with her aunt, her grandmother, and her twin brother, Camden.

Maylie is a great character. I liked being inside her head and seeing all her fears and anxieties, and how she manages to overcome those things. I liked Aunt Layla because she is always encouraging and inspiring. Camden got on my nerves (just like he is supposed to) as the annoying brother character, but I could also see hidden depths in his personality reminding me that he is more than just an immature class clown. There is some good character development for both Maylie and Camden.

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Classic Book Review: A Little Princess

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

A Little Princess
by Frances Hodgson BurnettTasha Tudor (illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars
Little Sara Crewe is wealthy heiress, and she is treated like a princess at Miss Minchin’s boarding school for girls. Her father loses all his money and dies abroad, so Sara is forced to work as a servant. But she never stops behaving like a noble princess with kindness and generosity to everyone.

I always love rereading this book. Sara has such a gentle personality, and she’s so intelligent and adorable. I love how imaginative she is and how she is always making up stories and living inside her head. She has a marvelous intuition about people around her, and she can see through their facades right to their heart.

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Picture Book Review: I Believe In You!

I Believe in You by Sabrina Moyle

I Believe in You
by Sabrina Moyle (Goodreads Author), Eunice Moyle (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

A unicorn helps a young dragon who wants to learn to fly. First they try a superhero cape, then a rocket ship, and finally a big bunch of balloons tied to the dragon to help him fly. All through their experiments with flying, the unicorn is supportive. The unicorn listens and encourages the dragon every step of the way.

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