Picture Book Review: Want a Hug?

Want a Hug? by Christine Babinec MA  LPC  NCC

Want a Hug?: Consent and Boundaries for Kids
by Christine Babinec MA LPC NCC, Vivian Mineker (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

This book talks about consent and boundaries in a simple way that is easy for young children to understand. Sometimes we don’t want to hold hands or hug, and that is okay. Sometimes we are happy to say yes to a hug, and then might change our mind later. That is okay too. Maybe we don’t want to be pushed higher on the swings, or maybe we don’t want to be tickled. It’s good to say “No” politely. We need to respect when other people say “No” as well.

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Our World Board Book Series Review

Our World by Aya Khalil

Our World: Egypt (Board book)
by Aya Khalil ( Author), Magda Azab (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

In this colorful board book, a little girl begins her morning with hugs from her mother and father (Mama and Baba) and has a hearty breakfast of bread and ful (a breakfast dish of beans). She visits her grandparents (Geddo and Teita) and sings and dances with them. She watches the boats, buys fruit at the market, and finally goes to bed after a wonderful day in Egypt.

Our World by Aunyarat Watanabe

Our World: Japan
by Aunyarat Watanabe (Illustrator), Emily Satoko Seo

5 out of 5 stars

In this board book, two siblings wake up for an energetic morning in Japan. They greet the morning by saying “Ohayo!” They exercise under the cherry blossoms, have a delicious breakfast of rice with pickled plum, and visit the market to do some shopping. They bow politely to each person they meet. A visit to the garden shows us beautiful bamboo water fountains. In the evening, it’s time for a relaxing bath and a peaceful night on their traditional Japanese floor mattress.

Our World by Evelyne Holingue

Our World: France
by Evelyne Holingue (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator), Margaux Carpentier (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars

Children in France take their “dou-dou” stuffed animal toys with them for all types of activities. They eat breakfast together and say “miam miam” (yum). They count all the dogs at the park “un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq.” They listen to street musicians, eat at a fancy restaurant, play coucou (peekaboo), and finally settle down for a peaceful night of sleep.

I love all these beautiful board books that teach children about different cultures around the world! At the back of the books, there are explanations about the words that are in a different language, along with guides to learn how to pronounce them correctly.

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Book Review: The Folk of the Faraway Tree

The Folk of the Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

The Folk of the Faraway Tree (The Faraway Tree, #3)
by Enid Blyton

4 out of 5 stars

Three siblings and their friend, Connie, visit the wood behind their cottage, and at the center of the forest is the Faraway Tree. It is the largest tree in the world; so large that the top reaches the clouds, and at the very top the Faraway Tree connects to a magical land.

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Picture Book Review: Upside Down

Upside Down by Katarína Macurová

Upside Down
by Katarína Macurová

5 out of 5 stars

A gardener sees a little green plant growing in his rose garden. No matter how he waters it or tends to it, the plant does not bloom. Little does he know that underground a massive carrot is growing down into a rabbit hole. The rabbits have a grand feast, eating most of the carrot. What will the gardener say when he finds out the truth?

This is such a cute book! I actually laughed out loud when I read the ending. It’s so clever and fun!

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Non Fiction Book Review: Professor Wooford McPaw’s History of Astronomy

Professor Wooford McPaw's History of Astronomy by Elliot Krusynski

Professor Wooford McPaw’s History of Astronomy
by Elliot Krusynski

4 out of 5 stars

Professor McPaw teaches all about astronomy in this comic-style book. We learn the history of how man began discovering more and more about the planets and stars. Following the Ancient Greeks, Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and Albert Einstein, we learn how mankind has always asked questions about what lies beyond our horizon.

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Picture Book Review: Little Hearts

Little Hearts by Charles Ghigna

Little Hearts: Finding Hearts in Nature
by Charles Ghigna (Goodreads Author), Jacqueline East (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

The animals wander through the country, looking for things in nature that look like a heart. Flower petals look like little hearts. Strawberries, the inside of an apple, a spider web, or a bird’s wings can look like a heart. Some clouds look like a heart shape. Each one is a treasure that the friends discover together.

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Picture Book Review: Leo va a la peluqueria

Leo va a la peluquería by Britta Teckentrup

Leo va a la peluquería (Spanish Edition)
by Britta Teckentrup (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

Leo el León necesita un nuevo peinado para su melena. Después de un lavado con champú, el mono ayuda a Leo a experimentar con diferentes peinados. ¿Debe Leo llevar el pelo en trenzas o con rizos? ¿Quizás podría teñir su melena de rubio o de rojo? Podría complementar con una tiara o un lazo de bebé. Pero finalmente deciden que la melena de león de Leo es el estilo mejor.

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Book Review: The Enchanted Wood

The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton

The Enchanted Wood (The Faraway Tree, #1)
by Enid Blyton

4 out of 5 stars

Three siblings discover that the wood behind their cottage is magical, and at the center of the forest is the Faraway Tree. It is the largest tree in the world; so large that the top reaches the clouds, and at the very top the Faraway Tree connects to a magical land. But the magical connection changes every week, so that you never know which land will be at the top of the tree. It might be the Land of Birthdays where everyone gets a free birthday party. Or it might be the land of evil goblins. It might be a land that rolls and jumps with constant earthquakes. Whatever land there is, the three children and their fairy friends are sure to have a wild adventure!

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Book Review: The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles
by Julie Andrews Edwards

5 out of 5 stars

Three siblings meet a strange old professor who tells them about the mysterious Whangdoodle, a creature thought to be mythological. The professor assures the children that the Whangdoodle is real, and he can be found ruling over other fantastic creatures in a mystic land in another dimension. If only they can crack the science of imagination, they will be able to cross over into Whangdoodle land. However, there is a guardian of the Whangdoodle, the Prock, who will do everything possible to stop the children and Professor from reaching the Whangdoodle.

I loved this imaginative story! It’s so wild and weird. There are all kinds of strange creatures that the children meet. They have some wild adventures and fall into traps set by the Prock and his friends. But nothing can harm them if they rely on their common sense and courage.

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Book Review: The Railway Children

The Railway Children by E. Nesbit

The Railway Children
by E. Nesbit

5 out of 5 stars

Three siblings embark on a new adventure when they move to a country cottage near the railway. They quickly make friends with the railway employees, and memorize the train schedule. They run to the train track to wave hello to each train that passes, and the commuters begin to watch for them waving their little handkerchiefs every morning. But the railway is also a dangerous place to play. The children must learn the safety rules and signals. However, sometimes they find that they will need to break the rules to save the trains from certain disaster.

I love the old-fashioned charm of this book! It’s such a beautiful story and all the characters are so sweet. Of course, they have days when they are grumpy and they make mistakes too, but they always make it right in the end. I love the way the siblings bicker and fight sometimes, but they also really support and care for each other.

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