children’s book

Non Fiction Review: Awesome Brain Games for Kids

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Awesome Brain Games for Kids by Tori Cameron
Awesome Brain Games for Kids: STEAM Puzzles and Facts for Curious Minds
by Tori Cameron

5 out of 5 stars

Broken into sections for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, this book gives challenges, questions, factoids, word problems, puzzles, word search activities, mazes, crossword puzzles, secret codes to crack, and dozens of other activities! I especially liked the games about music and note values, since I am a musician.

Each game is worth a certain amount of points, and you can tally up your score for each section. In case you get stuck, the answers for each game are in the back of the book, along with a glossary for some of the larger words. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Skull of Truth

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The Skull of Truth by Bruce Coville
The Skull of Truth
by Bruce Coville, Gary A. Lippincott (Illustrator)

3 out of 5 stars

Charlie is a liar. He meets the Skull of Truth and is cursed to always tell the truth, and his life changes in unexpected ways. Telling the truth gets him into a lot of trouble, and the curse begins to affect other people around him.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as some of the others in the Magic Shop series. I thought some of the plot points didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the story. There were some radical leftist political ideas that I didn’t agree with. I was surprised to find them in a children’s book.

I was pleased to find that the skull himself is not scary at all. He’s a humorous and silly character, and there’s nothing frightening or creepy about him other than the fact that he’s a skull. Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Eyelike Stickers Series

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eye

by Workman Publishing

5 out of 5 stars

These books have hundreds of stickers, and glossy endpapers that can be used as a background for the stickers to be placed and reused in a scene. The stickers are sturdy and don’t lose their stickiness over time. I even tried placing a sticker on a plain piece of paper, and it stuck just fine and then came right off without leaving any sticky residue.

The designs for each sticker are colorful and fun! You could use them on the background scene provided with the book, or use them in notebooks, cards, journals, or on any hard surface. There are so many stickers to choose from! Some of them are duplicates, but most are individual designs. I love the vibrant colors!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Board Book Review: A Day at the Zoo

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My Big Wimmelbook—A Day at the Zoo by Carolin Gortler
My Big Wimmelbook—A Day at the Zoo
by Carolin Gortler

5 out of 5 stars


This is an entertaining search-and-find book with a beautiful chaos of different people and animals at the zoo. Everywhere you look there is something interesting happening and a story line to follow!

I love the colorful and detailed illustrations! Each page is beautifully drawn with fun little details to draw the reader in. I’m 38 years old, and I was fascinated with each intricate scene!

It’s so fun to search for people in the hustle and bustle of the scenery and follow them from page to page as their little story unfolds. Suzy is looking for her teddy bear, and Hamid is having trouble with his camera as a bee bothers him. Animals everywhere are eating and playing. People all over the zoo are acting out their own dramas and the animals are a focal point of the entire book. Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: We Love Babies!

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We Love Babies! by Jill Esbaum
We Love Babies!
by Jill Esbaum,  National Geographic Society 

5 out of 5 stars

This adorable picture book features dozens of baby animals from familiar species like the Elephant and Rabbit, to strange species like the Long-Eared Jerboa and the Serval. The photographs of these cute little babies are colorful and sweet! There are tiny cartoon characters drawn into the corners of the pages who cheer for the babies.

The text describes all the things we love about animal babies, their soft fur, their stripes, and fins. Their hooves, and paws. Their snuffles and snorts, their squawks and peeps. “Big or tiny, fast or slow” we definitely love animal babies!

Photographs of the animal babies are placed in a colorful background design that is sure to capture the attention of little readers.

Continue reading →

Non Fiction Review: Harriet Tubman

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Harriet Tubman by Barbara Kramer
Harriet Tubman
by Barbara Kramer

5 out of 5 stars


Harriet Tubman was born as a slave and escaped to freedom. She worked tirelessly to free other slaves and even served as a spy during the American Civil War. She is best known for her work as a “conductor,” guiding slaves to freedom through the “Underground Railroad,” a series of safe houses called “stations” that allowed slaves to travel undetected to the Northern United States and Canada.

I loved the simple writing style, easy for a beginner to understand. There are fact boxes in the corners that explain the meanings of words, and give direct quotes from Tubman. Continue reading →

Non-Fiction Review: Susan B. Anthony

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National Geographic Readers by Kitson Jazynka
National Geographic Readers: Susan B. Anthony
by Kitson Jazynka

5 out of 5 stars

Susan B. Anthony worked tirelessly to secure votes and liberty for women in the United States. This book gives an overview of her life and her work, with explanations about petitions, laws, newspaper articles, and how these things influenced Anthony’s work. There is also interesting information about clothing styles, employment, habits, and how people lived in at the turn of the century.

I loved the simple writing style, easy for a beginner to understand. There are sections for an adult to read aloud, and then a smaller section with easier words and larger font for the child to read. It’s a great way to teach a child new words, and get them involved in reading together!

The colorful design and old-timey photos captured my attention. There are also activities and questions that get the reader engaged and make them think carefully about the ideas in the book. I appreciated how thoughtful the questions are and how much goes into the design! Continue reading →

Non-Fiction Review: The Fascinating Animal Book

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The Fascinating Animal Book for Kids by Ginjer Clarke
The Fascinating Animal Book for Kids: 500 Wild Facts!
by Ginjer Clarke

5 out of 5 stars


Divided into chapters for mammals, insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and birds, this book gives amazing facts and information about each animal. Did you know that male lions will often sleep for 20 hours a day? Did you know that fireflies can speak to each other through the patterns of flashing lights? And that the smallest bird in the world is the bee hummingbird, which is only 2 inches long?

Every page is covered with beautiful photographs of animals in the wild. Each photo is vibrant and energetic, with the action of racing predators, diving birds, or a busy ant colony.
Continue reading →

Picture Book Reviews: In the Wild series

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Big Bear Hug by Nicholas OldlandMaking the Moose Out of Life by Nicholas OldlandThe Busy Beaver by Nicholas Oldland
Up the Creek by Nicholas OldlandWalk on the Wild Side by Nicholas Oldland
4 out of 5 stars to the “In the Wild” Series by Nicholas Oldland
These picture books are adorable! I love the cartoony illustrations with clear lines and bright colors. I love the simple storylines and funny plots.

Sweet and hilarious, these books are perfect for reading with young children!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of all these books from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

To read individual reviews of each picture book, continue reading….

Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: With All My Heart

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With All My Heart by Stephanie Stansbie
With All My Heart
by Stephanie Stansbie, Richard Smythe

5 out of 5 stars

This sweet picture book features die-cut openings in the pages that showcase an element in the illustrations or a word on the next opposing page of the book. The way the openings are set up is really clever, so that no matter which way you look through them, there is something lovely that adds to the words and illustrations.
The die-cuts also vary between heart shapes, flowers, clouds, leaves, and stars. The openings highlight shooting stars, the pitter-patter of rain, the shining moon, and lovely falling leaves. Continue reading →