childrens book

Non Fiction Book Review: Top Secret

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Top Secret by Crispin Boyer

Top Secret: Spies, Codes, Capers, Gadgets, and Classified Cases Revealed
by Crispin Boyer
5 out of 5 stars

This book has everything you could ever want to know about spies and secret codes. You can learn the history of spies and secret plans, and how to crack ciphers and codes. There are sections about famous spies, gadgets, secret fortresses, and classified information!

I love the design of this book! There are colorful photographs on every page, and the information is divided into boxes that make it easy to read all those factoids and snippets of history.

I especially liked the section about myths vs. facts, that debunks a lot of common misconceptions about secret agents and what they do. And there are cute things like how to come up with your own secret handshake to share with your friends, and how to create your own disguise.

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Picture Book Review: Sweet Pea Summer

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Sweet Pea Summer by Hazel Mitchell

Sweet Pea Summer
by Hazel Mitchell (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars

A little girl has to stay with her grandparents because her mother is sick. She starts working in her grandparents garden to grow the best sweet pea blossoms for the flower competition. There are challenges and set backs, but the little girl learns to weather the storm until her mother is better again.

This book was so cute! The little girl is so sweet and vulnerable, but she finds that inner strength and starts to gain confidence in her gardening abilities. The grandparents are loving and kind, and the whole atmosphere of the garden is soothing. I love all the positive messages in this book!

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Picture Book Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

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William Shakespeare's a Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare's Globe

William Shakespeare’s a Midsummer Night’s Dream
by Shakespeare’s Globe, Jane E. Ray (Illustrations), Georghia Ellinas (reteller)
3 out of 5 stars

When the Fairy Queen Titania and the Fairy King Oberon are fighting, no one is happy. Least of all Puck, who is tasked with finding the nectar of a magical flower that will make people fall in love. Puck is up to mischief, making all the wrong people fall in love. There is a lot of merriment in cases of mistaken identity, but can Puck put things right again?

This retelling of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream condenses the main story of the play, but keeps all the main characters and plot fairly intact. Even as much as it is condensed, the story still feels too long and complicated for a picture book for young children. I’m sure a child would have trouble keeping track of the many characters. The text is also too wordy and long for a picture book.

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Board Book Review: Made for Me/ Naciste Para Mi

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Made for Me by Zack Bush

Made for Me
by Zack Bush (Author), Gregorio De Laurentis (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars

A loving Dad tucks his baby child in at night, plays games, and washes their hair at bathtime. The Dad tells his child how much they are loved and cherished. Every new day is an adventure of discovery as the Dad watches their child explore their little world.

I really like that the toddler in the book could be a girl or a boy, so it will appeal to all children! The text is very sweet as the Dad describes how much they love their little baby. It’s a rhyming text, and the rhymes are good and the meter fits.

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Board Book Reviews: Things that Go, and What are Unicorns Made of?

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Things That Go by Lauren Crisp

Things That Go
by Lauren Crisp, Thomas Elliott (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

This board book helps little readers to explore the different types of planes, ships, and cars. As you lift each flap on the page, a new type of transportation is revealed. There is a hot air balloon hidden behind some clouds, and a surprise submarine hiding under the waves.

I think it’s very cool that all the flaps are different sizes. There are big ones and little ones to help develop hand-eye coordination in little baby readers. The flaps are fairly thick and sturdy, but the smaller ones are still liable to get torn if you aren’t careful.

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Non Fiction Book Reviews: 101 Life Hacks and Surprising Stories behind Everyday Stuff

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101 Life Hacks by Aubre Andrus

101 Life Hacks: Genius Ways to Simplify Your World
by Aubre Andrus (Goodreads Author)
4 out of 5 stars

This book has amazing hacks and tips for all kinds of things from making your own crafts to reusing objects in unexpected ways. You can make your own tablet holder, pom-poms, or tote bag out of old materials. You can reuse carbingers, rubber bands, or binder clips in new ways. There are recipes to cook, activities to do, and crafts to make. There are even studying hacks to help you do well in school.

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Board Book Reviews: Rosa Bilingual Series

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All About Rosa Series: https://www.goodreads.com/series/262295-all-about-rosa

by Jessica Spanyol, Yanitzia Canetti (Translator)

4 out of 5 stars

Rosa plays with her dinosaur toys, learns to play different types of sports, has a race with her toy cars, and tries to go down a ramp on her scooter.

These board books are so adorable! The illustrations are really cute and colorful. Sweet little Rosa has a lot of fun playing and learning. It’s a simple story that will appeal to little readers, especially if they love dinosaurs or cars as much as Rosa does.

KEEP READING TO SEE THE REVIEW IN SPANISH!

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Baby Board Books: Batch Reviews

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Baby's First Farm by Danielle McLean

Baby’s First Farm
by Danielle McLean, Craig Shuttlewood (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

As we visit the farm, we can lift the flaps to discover what animals are hiding in the sheds. The sheep with her little lambs, the hen with her chicks, and the cow with her calves all greet us with animal sounds. At the end there is a large fold-out of all the animals together in the barn.

I love this cute book! My little niece is just learning all the farm animals, so I’m very excited to share this book with her.

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Non Fiction Book Review: Take Me Home Forests of the World

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Take Me Home by Pavla Hanackova

Take Me Home: Forests of the World
by Pavla Hanackova, Linh Dao (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars
Charlie encounters animals that have been illegally smuggled away from their homes, and he determines to help them find their way back to their native forests. The panda goes back to the bamboo forest, the koala prefers a eucalyptus tree, the lemur finds a home in the spiny forest of Madagascar, and the sloth loves the heat of a tropical rainforest. There is even an otter who prefers the kelp forest underwater!

This book includes factoids about all types of forests. It has illustrations showing amazing animals and birds that live in each location. We learn about all the beautiful trees in each type of forest, and how the animals survive harsh climates.

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Non Fiction Book Review: Take Me Home Waters of the World

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Take Me Home by Pavla Hanackova

Take Me Home: Waters of the World
by Pavla Hanackova, Linh Dao (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars
Annie discovers several animals washed up on a beach and determines to help them find their homes again. The penguin returns to the polar sea, and the alligator returns to the wetland swamp, a piranha find his home in the Amazon river, and a little frog goes hopping into a lake.

This book includes factoids about all the types of bodies of water from rivers to coral reefs. It has illustrations showing amazing animals and fish that live in each location. We learn about all the weird and wild fish in the sea, and how they use disguises to fool their predators. We learn about the deepest lakes, the coldest seas, and all the cool oceans in between.

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