Picture Book Review: Leilong the Library Bus

Leilong the Library Bus by Julia Liu

Leilong the Library Bus
by Julia LiuBei Lynn (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

Leilong the dinosaur wants to come inside the library with the children to listen at story time, but the librarian says he is too big. Leilong tries to peek his head in through the window to listen, but he shakes the entire library like an earthquake. The librarian might be able to find a solution so that Leilong can enjoy the books with the children.

This is such a cute book! I thought Leilong was completely adorable. He is so goofy and clumsy, and he really is sorry when he accidentally bumps into something or knocks things down. His one wish is to find books about dinosaurs. He is completely meek and mild when the children are riding on his back. It’s so cute!

Continue reading

Picture Book Review: Seahorses are Sold Out

Seahorses Are All Sold Out by Constanze Spengler

Seahorses Are All Sold Out
by Constanze Spengler
5 out of 5 stars

Mika begs her father to let her buy a pet. He is so busy with work that he lets her go to the pet shop and buy whatever pet she wants. She buys a little mouse, but the mouse gets lost in the house. So she buys a dog to find the mouse. One after another, Mika keeps buying more and more pets until she has a menagerie at home! However, she does not buy a seahorse. They are sold out.

This was such a fun and silly book! Mika is so adorable. She keeps getting more and more animals to solve problems with the previous animals and to keep them company. It keeps escalating more and more until her father finally stops working long enough to notice that there are animals everywhere!

Continue reading

Picture Book Reviews: That’s Not Normal, and Eso No Es Normal

¡Eso no es normal! by Mar Pavón
That's Not Normal! by Mar Pavón

That’s Not Normal!
by Mar Pavón (Goodreads Author), Laure du Faÿ
4 out of 5 stars

Elephant has an abnormally long nose, but no one really minds… except Hippo. Elephant uses his long nose to help the other animals, but Hippo keeps reminding everyone that Elephant’s nose is “not normal.” One day Baby Hippo goes wandering toward the lake, and the animals rush to save Baby Hippo from the lake crocodiles. Is there a way that Elephant’s long nose could help? Will Hippo ever stop teasing Elephant about his long nose?

I loved this sweet book! It has such positive messages of acceptance and love. Even if someone is different or “abnormal”, they deserve our respect and kindness. And you never know, someday you might need their help.

I was especially impressed with the positive messages of forgiveness from Elephant himself. He never tries to retaliate or get revenge on Hippo. It’s such a simple story, but this book has a powerful message!

Continue reading

Picture Book Review: The Tiny Woman’s Coat

The Tiny Woman's Coat by Joy Cowley

The Tiny Woman’s Coat
by Joy CowleyGiselle Clarkson (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

A tiny woman needs a coat. She looks for fabric, for a needle, for buttons, for thread, and the creatures of the forest help her to find what she needs to make herself a little coat.

This is such a cute story! The tiny woman is so resourceful and smart. She really inspires me to look at things in a different way. Maybe leaves could be like fabric. Maybe seeds could be used as buttons. Maybe everyday things that we don’t notice could actually be useful and beautiful.
It’s such a simple story, but it has a powerful message. Plus it’s just fun and interesting to see how she manages to make her coat.

Continue reading

Picture Book Review: Dulcinea in the Forbidden Forest

Dulcinea in the Forbidden Forest by Ole Konnecke

Dulcinea in the Forbidden Forest
by Ole Konnecke
5 out of 5 stars

Dulcinea has been told not to go in the forbidden forest, because an evil witch lives there. But when the witch puts her father under a spell, Dulcinea goes looking for the witch to find a way to save her father. She journeys through the forest, and outwits the old witch!

I loved this imaginative story so much! The creatures in the forest are so weird-looking, and the story is magical and exciting. There are also some really funny lines that had me laughing!

Dulcinea is so resourceful and smart! I was inspired by her courage and her love for her father. The way that Dulcinea tricks the witch was so interesting and unique.

Continue reading

Picture Book Review: Skywatcher

Skywatcher by Jamie Hogan

Skywatcher
by Jamie Hogan
3 out of 5 stars

Tamen lives in the city, and has never seen the stars. There is too much light pollution to be able to see the night sky. Tamen’s mother takes him to the country, where he discovers the beautiful constellations and the Milky Way. He sees nocturnal animals like owls and moths, and falls in love with the beauty of the stars.

This book was really sweet and meaningful. It highlights the importance of preserving some areas of our world where there are no artificial lights, so that our connection to the stars will never be lost.

Continue reading

Picture Book Review: Agent Llama

Agent Llama by Angela Woolfe

Agent Llama
by Angela WoolfeDuncan Beedie (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

Charlie is a fabulous spy. She is hot on the trail of a stolen pair of underwear, fighting off evil goons and saving the world from the dastardly duo, Bogdon Boom and Greta Grimm. She parachutes from a crashing plane. She skis down a mountain at high speed. She outwits the bad guys, and does it all with style.

This book is so hilarious! I loved the funny plot and the exciting adventures. The rhyming text is so much fun to read out loud. I am very picky about rhyming text in picture books, but I was so happy with the rhythm and rhymes in this story. It really is delightful to read!

Continue reading

Book Review: Fairy Tales for Brave Children

An Illustrated Collection of Fairy Tales for Brave Children by Hans Christian Andersen

An Illustrated Collection of Fairy Tales for Brave Children
by Hans Christian AndersenWilhelm GrimmJacob GrimmScott Plumbe (Author) (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

I am so impressed with this beautiful book of fairy tales! They are told in that traditional fairy tale style, and include some well-known favorites like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Hansel and Gretel” as well as a few lesser-known stories.
I especially liked “The Wild Swans” and “The Three Golden Hairs”. I had never read “The Spirit in the Bottle” or “The Selfish Giant” before, and I enjoyed those very much as well. Each story is so enchanting!

The art style is so beautiful! The subtle colors and the delicate lines are absolutely lovely and magical! I love how little details in the background will catch your attention, and add meaning to the story. It’s so delightful to see these stories come alive in the art work!

Continue reading

Book Review: Mermaids Rock The Coral Kingdom

The Coral Kingdom by Linda Chapman

The Coral Kingdom
by Linda ChapmanMirelle Ortega (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

Marina and her father have just moved to a new underwater neighborhood, and Marina makes some new friends at school while her father researches rare fish in the area. Marina has to put up with a snobby girl at school, but she happily joins the Save the Sea Creatures club with her friends. However, Marina and her friends are frightened by a strange creature that is evidently destroying the local coral reef caves. They find some weird clues, but no one has sighted the creature. Can they solve the mystery before the damage gets worse?

I loved this cute book! The mermaid culture is wonderfully imaginative, and I thought it was so fun to learn about Marina and her friends. We also get some real life facts about interesting fish and conservation in the ocean. The mystery had me in complete suspense! I was puzzling and wondering, What is this big sea monster creature that is destroying the coral?

Continue reading