Dreams of Near and Far
by Martin Widmark

4 out of 5 stars

Noah is depressed because his dog died. He begins to see a cat in his dreams. Mia is an orphan searching for a home. Mia’s cat leads her on a journey across the country, and eventually Noah and Mia find each other.

This is an emotional story as Noah and Mia are both searching for happiness and belonging. The writing is very sentimental and introspective.

The Tale of the Tiny Man
by Barbro Lindgren, Eva Eriksson (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars

A lonely little man wishes for a friend, and befriends a stray dog. The two form a close bond, but the tiny man worries that the dog will leave him.

This is such an emotional story! The tiny man’s loneliness and sadness are very strong in the beginning. But his joy and delight when he makes friends is just as powerful at the end of the book. I love the quaint writing style and the way that the story brings little details to the forefront. The tiny man stops to notice the flowers blooming and stars shining, and each detail of life has a true meaning.

When the Sakura Bloom
by Narisa Togo

5 out of 5 stars

People caught up in the hustle and bustle of the city stop to notice the cherry blossoms as the trees begin to bloom in the Spring. It’s time for the Sakura Festival. People have picnics under the trees. There are food stalls set up and lanterns are hung. Everyone enjoys the beautiful pink blossoms until the festival is over and the blossoms fall to the ground, making room for new green leaves.

This is such a beautiful book! The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous! I love the soft art style. Every page is so lovely that you could frame it and hang it on your wall.

Through the Forest
by Yijing Li

3.5 out of 5 stars
A young boy wanders through the forest with an entity called “Emptiness”. Together they find objects that remind the boy of his special memories, and he realizes that his memories will guide him through life. Knowing that his memories are part of who he is, the boy is no longer lost in the forest.

I loved the beautiful illustrations in this book! The art style is soft and whimsical and flowing. It makes you feel that you are floating in the misty world of this little boy’s mind.

The Spider Who Lived in the Attic
by Jacqueline Regano, Pearly L. (Illustrator)

2 out of 5 stars

An artistic spider meets a butterfly, who encourages him to leave his dusty attic and share his art with the world.

The plot is adorable, and I liked the premise of this book. It does have positive messages about having the courage to share your gifts and talents with others.

However, the writing really needs an editor. There are multiple grammar, capitalization, and punctuation mistakes. I found it very odd that some of the story is told in rhyme, and other parts don’t rhyme at all. There is no apparent meter, and the parts that do rhyme are not good rhymes. It’s just very awkward.

All Around Bustletown: Nighttime
by Rotraut Susanne Berner

5 out of 5 stars

Everywhere in Bustletown people are settling in for the night. The cops are on the lookout for crime, children camp out for a sleepover, commuters catch a late train, and people gather for the fireworks show. Everywhere you look there is something interesting happening and a story line to follow!

Olaf Hajek’s Fantastic Fruits
by Olaf Hajek, Annette Roeder

3 out of 5 stars

This book pairs whimsical artwork of fruit together with history and myths about each fruit. Did you know that when pineapples were first introduced to Europe only the very wealthy could afford them? Legend says that spirits inhabit cherry trees. There is a story that a starving woman prayed for food, and the beads of her necklace were turned into blueberries for her to eat.