Book Review: Little House on the Prairie

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Little House on the Prairie (Little House, #3)
by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Garth Williams (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

This is my umpteenth time reading this book, and I enjoyed it just as much as I did when I was a girl! There’s a simple charm to these stories of pioneer life that invites you in.

As always, Laura is my favorite character because she is spunky and brave and hilarious, while her sister Mary is prim and boring.

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Book Review: Guess How Much I Love You

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

Guess How Much I Love You: Deluxe Book and Toy Gift Set
by Sam McBratney, Anita Jeram (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare take turns trying to demonstrate how much they love each other. The little hare stretches out his little arms and says I love you this much! But then the big hare stretches out their arms a lot wider and says I love you THIS much! No matter what little hare does, they can’t hop higher, or stretch taller, or say anything to show their love, without the big hare saying something bigger and higher and taller. Finally, they say their love reaches all the way to the moon, and the big hare adds “to the moon and back”.

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Book Review: We the Sea Turtles

We the Sea Turtles by Michelle Kadarusman

We the Sea Turtles
by  Michelle Kadarusman (Goodreads Author)

2 out of 5 stars

This collection of short stories follows different children around the world who encounter sea turtles in some way. Each child is inspired by the turtles to live their life with courage and be true to themselves.

I enjoyed the basic stories, but I got so annoyed with the constant preaching about the environment that I DNF’d the book at page 103. It was even more annoying because some of the things the characters were saying about the environment and pollution and carbon footprints are only theories, not fact. So it was weird that they were talking about climate change, but not giving all the facts.

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Book Review: Out of the Valley of Horses

Out of the Valley of Horses by Wendy Orr

Out of the Valley of Horses
by Wendy Orr (Goodreads Author)

4.5 out of 5 stars

Honey and her family went on a road trip and discovered a hidden valley where a herd of wild horses live. Once they cross the river to enter the valley, they can never find the bridge again, and must live in the valley for the next seven years. Honey and her little brother, Rumi, grow up riding the wild horses, planting crops and fishing for food, and enjoying an idyllic life of peace. But when danger threatens their family, Honey must trust the horses to show them the way out of the valley when the time is right.

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3 Picture Books from Pajama Press

The Only Lonely Fairy by Lana Button

The Only Lonely Fairy
by Lana Button (Goodreads Author), Peggy Collins (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

Leah wants to play fairies, but none of the other children seem to want to play with her. They have their own friends to play other things. Leah is so busy feeling sorry for herself and being upset about her loneliness, that she doesn’t even notice that Allie likes fairies too. When she finally stops being so dramatic about being lonely, Leah looks around and discovers that there are plenty of friends to play with.

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8 Picture Books from Tiger Tales

Strong by Clara Anganuzzi

Strong
by Clara Anganuzzi

5 out of 5 stars

Most dragons are bold and ferocious, breathing fire and looking scary. But Maurice is quiet and gentle. He loves to arrange flowers and take care of plants. He thinks he will never be able to fit in or be accepted by the other dragons, until his brother goes missing. Only Maurice has the special knowledge and courage to find his brother and show all the other dragons that he has his own type of strength.

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Our World Series from Barefoot Books

Our World by Maree McCarthy Yoelu

Our World: Australia
by Maree McCarthy Yoelu

5 out of 5 stars

An Australian family have a perfect day fishing, playing at the beach, grilling out, and playing cricket! In the evening, they visit a food booth to eat traditional food. They fall asleep listening to the kookaburras laughing in the trees.

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Book Review: Basil in the Wild West

Basil in the Wild West by Eve Titus

Basil in the Wild West (Basil of Baker Street, #5)
by Eve Titus

5 out of 5 stars

Basil and his faithful friend, Dawson, are travelling from Mexico into the American West. They hear about a gang of smugglers who are stealing ancient artifacts from Mexico, smuggling them across the border disguised as ordinary souvenirs, and then selling them on the black market. A desperate hotel owner begs Basil to visit the Grand Canyon where their hotel is being terrorized by a mysterious “Thing”. Basil and Dawson travel through various areas of the Wild West, helping other creatures and solving mysteries along the way.

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Book Review: The Wind in the Willows

The Wind in the Willows by Lou Peacock

The Wind in the Willows
by Kenneth Grahame, Abridged by Lou Peacock, Kate Hindley (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars

I really liked this adaptation of Wind in the Willows. The story is condensed and simplified for a young audience, but still captures the charm of the original and has most of the main plot points. The editor did a great job abridging the story, but still keeping the integrity and grace of the original.

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Picture Books from Nosy Crow

My First Lift-The-Flap Nursery Rhymes by Ingela P. Arrhenius

My First Lift-The-Flap Nursery Rhymes
by Ingela P. Arrhenius (illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

These familiar nursery rhymes are made special by the inclusion of lift-the-flap designs that reveal a cute character or animal behind them. The reader can find Little Bo Peep’s sheep hiding behind a bush. The piggy that stayed at home is reading a book by a cozy fire. An energetic cow jumps over the moon. A spider is revealed inside Miss Muffet’s bowl of curds and whey. An elephant and fox row row row their boat. Humpty Dumpty takes a terrible fall behind the wall on the largest flap.

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