Non-Fiction Review: Susan B. Anthony

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: How To Raise a Reader

How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul
How to Raise a Reader
by Pamela Paul , Maria Russo

2 out of 5 stars


This book gives advice for encouraging a child to read at every stage of their lives into adulthood. There are guidelines for reading to newborn babies and toddlers, guiding a child to read on their own, encouraging a middle grader or preteen to love reading, and influencing a teenager in their reading choices. There are chapters for each age group with suggestions on when to let a child explore books on their own, and when to step in with a subtle influence and inspire them to read.

There were some things that I liked about this book. The writing style is good, but a little pretentious in places. The authors write as if they know everything there is to know about parenting, reading, and which books are best.
They criticized some of my favorite childhood books as being too “preachy” and “moral”, so right away they lost my respect for their opinions. They would have done better to be more accepting of different tastes in books, instead of being so quick to judge certain books as “boring” or unappealing to children. Well, those books were appealing to me when I was a child, and they are STILL my favorites! Continue reading

Picture Book Reviews: In the Wild series

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

Non Fiction Review: Toddler Activities Made Easy

Toddler Activities Made Easy by Krissy Bonning-Gould
Toddler Activities Made Easy: 100+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Busy Parents
by Krissy Bonning-Gould (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars


This book gives fun and engaging activities for toddlers that require very little set-up, materials, or preparation. In the first pages, there are lists of specific motor skills, language skills, and emotional intelligence that you can look for in your toddler based on their age. There are labels for different skills that are used in each activity.

The activities include things like matching games, pretending to be animals, recognizing shapes and letters, hopscotch, dance parties, and simple construction projects with materials like paper, cardboard, and rubber bands. Continue reading

Non Fiction Review: Grateful Together

Grateful Together by Vicky Perreault
4 out of 5 stars

This guided journal is for parents and children to write in together as a reminder to be grateful for something each day. The prompts include things like being grateful for friends, laughter, favorite books, pets, acts of kindness, and teachers.

A guided entry might ask the writer to do an act of kindness or generosity and then journal about it and how it made them feel to help someone. Another entry will ask the writer to write about a time when someone helped them, and how grateful they are for the generosity of others. Continue reading

Picture Book Review: With All My Heart

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

Non-Fiction Review: Real Science Experiments

Real Science Experiments by Jess Harris
Real Science Experiments: 40 Exciting STEAM Activities for Kids
by Jess Harris

5 out of 5 stars

Using ordinary items found around the house, these experiments are introduced in separate chapters for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. They range from simple activities that a young child could do alone, to more complex experiments that require an adults supervision. Each activity poses a scientific question, and asks the reader to create a theory, examine evidence, draw conclusions, and record their observations.

You can make your own microscope, track sound waves, build 3-D lenses, power a small boat with just a candle, build a robot that hops, create artwork with a pendulum, and weave a magical math square.
The instructions are clear and easy to follow, with photos that show children doing the actual experiments. There is even a glossary in the back for some of the more scientific terms. Continue reading

Picture Book Review: Bo the Brave

Bo the Brave by Bethan Woollvin
Bo the Brave
by Bethan Woollvin

5 out of 5 stars


Bo’s brothers go out monster hunting, and won’t let her come along. She decides to do some monster hunting by herself, and ends up befriending some creatures along the way.

This book is so cute! Bo is truly fearless and kind and smart, and I loved her sweet character. The story is interesting and funny, with a repetitive plot that is perfect for little readers. Children love repetition and this book has just the right balance in the writing.

The illustrations are captivating! The contrasting colors really focus the attention on key characters and items in the artwork, and the rest of the background is in black and white. It’s beautifully done, and I love the art style.

The messages of kindness and self-reliance are wonderful, and teach children a little lesson in a fun way. The whole book is perfection, and I enjoyed it so much!

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

Non Fiction Review: Real Chemistry Experiments

Real Chemistry Experiments by Edward P. Zovinka PhD
Real Chemistry Experiments: 40 Exciting STEAM Activities for Kids
by Edward P. Zovinka PhD

4 out of 5 stars

This one is for the problem-solvers, the explorers, and those with curious minds! This book begins with an introduction to the different areas of chemistry, and the types of chemists who study biochemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, even green chemistry which studies how to reduce waste.

The experiments are divided into chapters by Matter, Gases, Chemical Reactions, and Polymers. Although the book talks about atoms, protons, density, noble gases, air pressure, and other scientific terms, a child doesn’t have to understand the complexities of the science in order to do the experiments and have fun! Continue reading