children’s book

Picture Book Review: Snoozapalooza

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Snoozapalooza by Kimberlee Gard
Snoozapalooza
by Kimberlee Gard, Vivian Mineker (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars

This counting story follows ten animals as they snuggle into a nice warm den to hibernate through the winter. The mouse falls asleep, and is soon joined by a snail, squirrel, hedgehog, mole, rabbit, and more, until they are all snoring together in a big heap.

The text introduces each animal, and then has a repetitive rhyme that counts up the animals and describes how the animal den is growing from a tiny heap to a massive heap of snoozing animals all snoring together. The repetition is perfectly designed for young children, who love repetition and can learn to count and read along.

This is such a snuggly book! The gentle story is perfect for bedtime. There is also a lot of silliness that makes the book fun. I was laughing at the cute animals and the charming ending. Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: No Matter What

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No Matter What by Josh Shipp
No Matter What: A Foster Care Tale
by Josh Shipp, Yulia Pankratova (Illustrations)

4 out of 5 stars


Josh is a little squirrel looking for a family, but he misbehaves and pushes away anyone who tries to get close to him. He plays pranks and makes a nuisance of himself to prove that no one could ever really love him, until he meets an elephant couple who are patient and kind. They teach him about family and how to be there for each other no matter what.

I loved this sweet story! Josh is such a sad little character, but he is also cute and funny. I like how this book balances fun and silliness with the more serious subject material.

The illustrations are completely adorable, and I love all the various animal characters. The expressions on their faces really bring the story to life. I like the soft art style and the little details of the feathers and fur of the animals. Continue reading →

Board Book Review: Proud to be Latino: Comida

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Proud to Be Latino by Ashley Marie Mireles
Proud to Be Latino: Food/Comida
by Ashley Marie Mireles (Goodreads Author), Edith Valle (Illustrator)

2 out of 5 stars

This book explores Latino food traditions and gives some wonderful information about different culinary traditions from Latin America and the Caribbean. There are pages for rice and beans, meats, corn maize, potatoes, salsa, chocolate, and more. Each page has the text in English and Spanish, designed for bilingual children or anyone who is learning a new language.

I love how this book celebrates Latino culture, the rich foods, and the beautiful traditions surrounding food festivals and sharing a meal with friends and family.

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Activity Book Review: Origami City

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Origami Neighborhood by Taro Yaguchi
Origami City: 75 Models to Fold and Build: A Fold-by-Number Book
by Taro Yaguchi

5 out of 5 stars
This kit has everything you need to create an origami paper city! There are pre-printed papers and a book with instructions for folding 75 different elements in the city, like buildings, vehicles, trees, and even animals.

Gradually the book moves from simple designs to more complex designs that require more folds. Everything is explained with detailed instructions and diagrams that clearly show each fold. The thing that makes this so easy is the numbered lines on each piece of paper. You just have to find the number and fold along the pre-printed line.

I love the colorful designs for libraries, fire trucks, and trees. There is even a fountain and a clock tower! Each design has beautiful details that make it really special.
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Activity Book: Paint By Sticker Dogs

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Paint by Sticker by Workman Publishing
Paint by Sticker: Dogs
by Workman Publishing

5 out of 5 stars

This activity book has 12 beautiful designs, and hundreds of stickers in little mosaic shapes! Each design shows a different breed of dog running, playing, fetching a ball, swimming, or cuddling. It’s so easy to put the stickers into place, and the finished product looks wonderful. It’s very relaxing and helped me to get creative. You really feel a sense of accomplishment when you finish!

The stickers are sturdy and easy to remove from the sticker sheet. The colors are vibrant and it’s simple to follow the instructions to find the right placement for each sticker. I really loved that the pages are perforated, so that you can tear out the sticker sheet or the design or both. That way you don’t have to keep flipping back and forth in the book. Continue reading →

Book Review: Princess Pistachio Treasury

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Princess Pistachio Treasury by Marie-Louise Gay
Princess Pistachio Treasury
by Marie-Louise Gay

4 out of 5 stars

This treasury includes “Princess Pistachio”, “Princess Pistachio and the Pest”, and “Princess Pistachio and Maurice the Magnificent”.

In the first book, Pistachio is convinced that she is actually a kidnapped princess. She receives a mysterious crown in the mail, and believes that her real parents, the king and queen, will be coming to take her away to a palace. When she wears her crown to school, the other children make fun of her. Eventually, Pistachio learns to appreciate her family even if they aren’t royalty. She even learns to love her bratty little sister, Penny. Continue reading →

Picture Book Series Review: Timo’s Garden, Timo’s Party, Timo Goes Camping

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Timo's Garden by Victoria AllenbyTimo's Party by Victoria AllenbyTimo Goes Camping by Victoria Allenby
5 out of 5 stars
These children’s books are completely adorable! I loved every single one, and was very impressed with the lovely writing. The artwork is beautiful, and the stories are really special and sweet.
These books would be perfect for young readers who are just starting to read short chapter books on their own. Each “chapter” is 4-7 pages long.
Keep reading to read my review of each book!

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Baby Book: Al Galope!

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AL Galope! by Rufus Butler Seder
Al Galope!
by Rufus Butler Seder

5 out of 5 stars

The animals gallop, strut, run, jump, fly, swing, flutter, and swim across the pages. Each animal is brought to life as the illusion moves when you move the page. The butterfly is my favorite, because its wings look so delicate.

Los animales galopan, pavonean, corren, saltan, vuelan, balancean, revolotean y nadan a través de las páginas. Cada animal es llevado a la vida cuando la ilusión se mueve cuando mueve la página. La mariposa es mi favorita, porque sus alas parecen tan delicadas.

This book is so clever! I’m very impressed with the illusions and how clean the design is. So simple and yet so entertaining.

¡Este libro es genial! Estoy muy impresionada con las ilusiones y lo limpio que es el diseño. Tan simple y a la vez tan entretenido. Continue reading →

Baby Books: Te Amo, Bebe; Hola, Granja; Bebe, Vamos a Comer

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Indestructibles by Stephan Lomp
Indestructibles: Te amo, bebé / Love You, Baby
by Stephan Lomp (Illustrations), Amy Pixton (Creator)
5 out of 5 stars
All of these baby books are so cute! I love the sweet illustrations and simple designs.
¡Todos estos libros de bebés son tan lindos! Me encantan las ilustraciones dulces y diseños sencillos.
They are all available in both Spanish and English. These editions are bilingual, with the Spanish and English text side by side.

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Board Book Review: Danza Del Corral, El Libro del Ombligo, Cachorro Carinoso

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¡Danza del corral! / Barnyard Dance! Spanish Edition by Sandra Boynton
Cachorro cariñoso / Snuggle Puppy! Spanish Edition by Sandra Boynton¡El libro del ombligo! / The Belly Button Book! Spanish Edition by Sandra Boynton
These sweet board books by Sandra Boynton are in Spanish, but are also available in English. Or vice versa.
I can’t stop laughing! These books are so hilarious! I love the cute illustrations and the bright colors in the art.
¡No puedo dejar de reír! ¡Estos libros son tan graciosos! Amo las ilustraciones adorables y los colores brillantes en el arte.

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