Paris Cat
by Dianne Hofmeyr
1 out of 5 stars

Paris Cat is born in a dirty alleyway where her cat relations eat fish bones. She runs into a dressmaker’s shop to get out of the rain, and begins sewing her own wardrobe from the fabric scraps. She visits a theater and dances onstage with Josephine Baker (who is a famous erotic dancer from history known for her skimpy costumes) and Chiquita the leopard. Eventually, she opens her own dancing club and cafe where her cat family and friends can benefit from her fabulous fashion creations and jazz music.

The reason for my low rating is the inclusion of Josephine Baker in this book in her skimpy costume. Paris Cat joins Josephine onstage for some erotic dancing in very revealing clothing.

Teaching Mrs. Muddle
by Sheryl McFarlane, Alice Carter (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

Kayla is anxious on her first day of kindergarten, but she quickly forgets her nerves when she has to help her teacher, Mrs. Muddle. The teacher gives everyone the wrong name tags, and the students have to figure out everyone’s names to give the right name tag to their classmates. Mrs. Muddle can’t find the gym, and takes the students to the library instead. Kayla was worried about getting lost, but discovers she can easily find her way around school when she has to step in to help Mrs. Muddle. At the end of the school day, the children have spent their whole class time teaching Mrs. Muddle, but they have learned more than they realize.

Kindness Grows: A Peek-through Picture Book
by Britta Teckentrup (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars

This book teaches the reader that mean words and arguments cause a crack to form between friends, but kind words and working together makes a tree of friendship grow. Thoughtlessness and selfishness only tear people apart, but forgiving and smiling at one another results in a happy atmosphere of support.

Bea by the Sea
by Jo Byatt
5 out of 5 stars

Bea loves lions. She is obsessed with everything to do with lions. But Bea hates going to the beach, because the sand is scratchy and gritty. When she goes to the beach with her mother, Bea meets a Sand Lion who helps her appreciate all the fun you can have with sandcastles and playing in the sand. Sand Lion is afraid of the water, so Bea helps him to not be afraid of the little waves on the shore.

When Pumpkins Fly
by Margaret Lawrence
4 out of 5 stars

Sanikiluaq is a remote town that gets all its supplies through cargo planes. At Halloween, the plane flies in pumpkins for the school children! Each class gets to carve a pumpkin, and they draw names to see who gets to take it home for their front porch. They light candles inside each pumpkin. The children don their costumes and get bags full of candy trick-or-treating at each house. Then the whole community gathers for a Halloween dance. But when they go to bed, the children wonder if the tunnaat spirits will come out and steal the pumpkins. Or will the pumpkins freeze when the candles burn out?

Scruff
by Alice Bowsher
4 out of 5 stars

Scruff is a scruffy dog, and his owner is scruffy too. But Scruff likes to be polished and pampered and clean. So Scruff’s owner gets polished and clean too. But is it enough for them to win a prize at the dog show with all the fancy dogs?

This book is adorable! It is told in a few comical words, and the writing is just perfect for little readers. The story is engaging and fun!

Rosa’s Big Pizza Experiment
by Jessica Spanyol
5 out of 5 stars

Rosa and her friends make pizza dough with yeast and flour. They let the dough rise, and then roll it into shape. After the toppings have been put on, the friends bake their pizzas. Each pizza comes out a little different, but they are all delicious.

Bibbit Jumps
by Bei Lynn
3 out of 5 stars

Bibbit is a frog who has forgotten how to swim. His frog friends try to teach him, but he gets confused. His tadpole baby sister tries to teach him, but he doesn’t have a tail anymore. Bibbit might not be able to swim, but he loves to jump! He jumps to the highest tree to collect a banana. He jumps up to help squirrel collect nuts in the trees. He even jumps high enough to touch a rainbow.

I Am Darn Tough
by Licia Morelli, Maine Diaz (Illustrations)
4 out of 5 stars

A girl begins running a race. But she falls and scrapes her knee. She gets a cramp in her side. She has to call up all her fortitude to continue the race. She discovers strength within herself, both internal strength and outward strength to keep going.

Calvin Gets the Last Word
by Margo Sorenson (Goodreads Author), Mike Deas (Illustrations)
4 out of 5 stars

Calvin’s older brother tells a funny joke right when Calvin takes a drink of milk, making Calvin squirt milk out of his nose at the family breakfast table. Calvin searches the dictionary for the perfect words to describe his annoying brother and plots a way to get his revenge.

I’m confused about the messages in this book. One minute Calvin is standing up to bullies who took a child’s pencil case, not allowing them to tease a younger child. The next minute Calvin is pranking his older brother by dumping an entire cup of water on his head while his brother is sitting in bed reading. How is that any different than the bully who pranked the other kid by taking their pencil case? And then the two brothers laugh about it and sit on the wet bed looking up the word “Family” in the dictionary. And who is gonna get out dry pajamas for the brother, and change those sheets, and dry out that mattress? What a mean prank to sneak up behind someone and dump a glass of water on their head! It’s way too destructive. I think it is supposed to come across as mischievous, but it is more malicious.