picture books

Picture Book Review: Good Night, Toucan

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Good Night, Toucan! by Joanne Partis

Good Night, Toucan!
by Joanne Partis
5 out of 5 stars

Toucan invites his friends over for a sleepover, but then begins to worry that his decorations and snacks aren’t special enough. He flies through the jungle looking for more fluffy bedding, more colorful decorations, and sweeter snacks. But as Toucan is bringing all the “better” things back to his tree, he is overloaded with too much weight and disaster strikes! When Toucan’s friends see his ordinary decorations and plain snacks, they don’t mind. The only thing that makes a sleepover truly special is having it with their friend Toucan!

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Picture Book Review: Violet’s Tempest

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Violet's Tempest by Ian Eagleton

Violet’s Tempest
by Ian Eagleton, Clara Anganuzzi (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars

Violet has been cast in the part of Ariel in her class’s production of The Tempest, but Violet doesn’t feel light and airy like the fairy she is supposed to be playing. She feels heavy with sadness and worry. Her voice is a whisper, and she is petrified with stage fright. What can she do to find the courage to act in the play?

I loved that Violet’s grandmother encourages and guides her as Violet navigates this internal “tempest”. Her grandmother is so kind and patient. Violet’s uncles, who appear to be a homosexual couple, also try to encourage her.

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Picture Book Review: Mi Casa is My Home

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Mi Casa Is My Home by Laurenne Sala

Mi Casa Is My Home
by Laurenne Sala, Zara Gonzalez Hoang (Goodreads Author) (Illustrations)
4 out of 5 stars

Lucia invites the reader into her home, where she shows us the living room where she makes blanket forts, the kitchen where she helps her mother cook, the patio where she plays with her cousins, and her brother’s room and her own room where they laugh together. Lucia describes her beautiful family and all the fun things they do together!

I love the way this book explores two different cultures and how they blend together in one big crazy family. Lucia has family in Puerto Rico and in Spain, and all her cousins and aunts and grandparents come to visit. The text is mostly in English with many words and phrases in Spanish.

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Picture Book Review: Leilong the Library Bus

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Leilong the Library Bus by Julia Liu

Leilong the Library Bus
by Julia Liu, Bei Lynn (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

Leilong the dinosaur wants to come inside the library with the children to listen at story time, but the librarian says he is too big. Leilong tries to peek his head in through the window to listen, but he shakes the entire library like an earthquake. The librarian might be able to find a solution so that Leilong can enjoy the books with the children.

This is such a cute book! I thought Leilong was completely adorable. He is so goofy and clumsy, and he really is sorry when he accidentally bumps into something or knocks things down. His one wish is to find books about dinosaurs. He is completely meek and mild when the children are riding on his back. It’s so cute!

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Picture Book Review: Seahorses are Sold Out

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Seahorses Are All Sold Out by Constanze Spengler

Seahorses Are All Sold Out
by Constanze Spengler
5 out of 5 stars

Mika begs her father to let her buy a pet. He is so busy with work that he lets her go to the pet shop and buy whatever pet she wants. She buys a little mouse, but the mouse gets lost in the house. So she buys a dog to find the mouse. One after another, Mika keeps buying more and more pets until she has a menagerie at home! However, she does not buy a seahorse. They are sold out.

This was such a fun and silly book! Mika is so adorable. She keeps getting more and more animals to solve problems with the previous animals and to keep them company. It keeps escalating more and more until her father finally stops working long enough to notice that there are animals everywhere!

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Picture Book Reviews: That’s Not Normal, and Eso No Es Normal

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¡Eso no es normal! by Mar Pavón
That's Not Normal! by Mar Pavón

That’s Not Normal!
by Mar Pavón (Goodreads Author), Laure du Faÿ
4 out of 5 stars

Elephant has an abnormally long nose, but no one really minds… except Hippo. Elephant uses his long nose to help the other animals, but Hippo keeps reminding everyone that Elephant’s nose is “not normal.” One day Baby Hippo goes wandering toward the lake, and the animals rush to save Baby Hippo from the lake crocodiles. Is there a way that Elephant’s long nose could help? Will Hippo ever stop teasing Elephant about his long nose?

I loved this sweet book! It has such positive messages of acceptance and love. Even if someone is different or “abnormal”, they deserve our respect and kindness. And you never know, someday you might need their help.

I was especially impressed with the positive messages of forgiveness from Elephant himself. He never tries to retaliate or get revenge on Hippo. It’s such a simple story, but this book has a powerful message!

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Picture Book Review: The Tiny Woman’s Coat

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The Tiny Woman's Coat by Joy Cowley

The Tiny Woman’s Coat
by Joy Cowley, Giselle Clarkson (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

A tiny woman needs a coat. She looks for fabric, for a needle, for buttons, for thread, and the creatures of the forest help her to find what she needs to make herself a little coat.

This is such a cute story! The tiny woman is so resourceful and smart. She really inspires me to look at things in a different way. Maybe leaves could be like fabric. Maybe seeds could be used as buttons. Maybe everyday things that we don’t notice could actually be useful and beautiful.
It’s such a simple story, but it has a powerful message. Plus it’s just fun and interesting to see how she manages to make her coat.

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Picture Book Review: Dulcinea in the Forbidden Forest

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Dulcinea in the Forbidden Forest by Ole Konnecke

Dulcinea in the Forbidden Forest
by Ole Konnecke
5 out of 5 stars

Dulcinea has been told not to go in the forbidden forest, because an evil witch lives there. But when the witch puts her father under a spell, Dulcinea goes looking for the witch to find a way to save her father. She journeys through the forest, and outwits the old witch!

I loved this imaginative story so much! The creatures in the forest are so weird-looking, and the story is magical and exciting. There are also some really funny lines that had me laughing!

Dulcinea is so resourceful and smart! I was inspired by her courage and her love for her father. The way that Dulcinea tricks the witch was so interesting and unique.

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Spanish Picture Book: Un Lobo Con Mucha Hambre

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Un lobo con mucha hambre
by Silvia Borando
4 out of 5 stars

Un conejo corre por el bosque gritando a todos los que encuentra que hay un lobo hambriento en el bosque. Intenta que el caracol se escape, pero el caracol es demasiado lento. Intenta hacer que el lirón corra, pero el lirón tiene demasiado sueño. Intenta que el burro se escape, pero el burro es demasiado terco. ¿Puede el conejo salvarlos antes de que el lobo venga a comérselos a todos?

¡Este es un libro tan adorable! Pensé que la historia era muy divertida. Pensé que el conejo era muy ingenioso al tratar de ayudar a todos. Les grita a todos que huyan, y si no corren, simplemente los levanta y los lleva a un lugar seguro.

¡Me encantaron las ilustraciones! Cada página está llena de colores brillantes y lindos animales. Me encanta el dulce caracolito. ¡Es tan pequeño y lindo! ¡Qué libro tan adorable!

KEEP READING FOR THE REVIEW IN ENGLISH!

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