Book Review – A House That Once Was by Julie Fogliano
Ever Wonder Who Once Lived In An Abandoned House? Description Deep in the woodsis a housejust a housethat once wasbut now isn’ta home. Who lived in that house? Who walked down its hallways? Why did they leave it, and where did they go? Two children set off to find the answers by piecing together clues found, books left behind, forgotten photos, and discarded toys, creating their own vision of those who came before, in thisRead More →
How to Give Your Cat a Bath In Five Easy Steps by Nicola Winstanley
Cat Owners and Non-Cat Owners Get Ready To Smile! Author: Nicola Winstanley Illustrator: John Martz Publisher: Tundra Books (January 2019) Hardcover: 40 pages Ages: 3 – 7 A pink-haired little girl struggles to show each step of bathing a white cat with a pink nose named Mr. Flea. Though each step sounds easy most of us know the hard part in this equation consists of one word: cat. Step One is to fill the bathRead More →
#BookReview ~ Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
Meet Characters Who Will Beg You To Keep Turning The Pages Author: Kate DiCamillo Publisher: Candlewick (October 2018) Ages: 10+ Hardback: 240 pages Audio Book: 3 hours and 35 minutes Kindle: 240 print pages I am going to write it all down, so that what happened to me will be known, so that if someone were to stand at their window at night and look up at the stars and think, My goodness, whatever happenedRead More →
Petra by Marianna Coppo
– Will An Optimistic Rock End Up Changing Its Attitude? – Author: Marianna Coppo Illustrator: Marianna Coppo Publisher: Tundra Books, Penguin Random House, (February 6, 2018) Pages: 48 Ages: 3 – 7 Petra is a smooth rock that we assume has been in the same place for some time. The rock imagines all sorts of things. “I am strong. I’m a fearsome, fearless, mighty, magnificent mountain!” Eventually, a dog picks Petra up andRead More →
A Beautiful Corpse: A Mystery by Christi Daugherty
A Harper McClain Mystery (Book 2) Author: Christi Daugherty Publisher: Minotaur Books (March 12, 2019) Paperback: 336 pages Audio Book: 11 hours and 43 minutes Kindle: 332 pages This is the second book in the Harper McClain series, the first being The Echo Killing. Naomi Scott, a law student who works part-time as a bartender to help make ends meet, is found dead in the heart of an affluent district. One of the main peopleRead More →
#BookReview ~ Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds
ABOUT THE BOOK Author: Peter H. ReynoldsIllustrator: Peter H. ReynoldsPublisher: Candlewick; Dot, Ish, Sky Color edition (August 2012) Pages: 32 Ages: 0+ The sky’s no limit as the author-illustrator of The Dot and Ish winds up his Creatrilogy with a whimsical tale about seeing the world a new way. Marisol loves to paint. So when her teacher asks her to help make a mural for the school library, she can’t wait to begin! But how can Marisol make aRead More →
The Secret Child by Caroline Mitchell
– A DI Amy Winter Thriller, Book 2 – Author: Caroline MitchellPublisher: Thomas & Mercer (April 18, 2019) Paperback: 335 pages (Available April 18, 2019) Audio Book: 9 hours and 43 minutes Kindle: 330 pages (Available March 7, 2019) DI Amy Winter is still dealing with the information she learned about her deranged birth mother when she is drawn into attempting to solve the kidnapping of Ellen, a four-year-old child. After Ellen disappears,Read More →
Cookies! An Interactive Recipe Book by Lotta Nieminen
– No Food Required! – Illustrator: Lotta Nieminen Publisher: Phaidon Press (October 25, 2018) Pages: 16 Ages: 2 – 4 Now, this is what I call inexpensive, no mess cooking. You may walk away from the kitchen a bit hungry but, hey, did I mention no mess? This fourth book in Nieminen’s COOK IN A BOOK series has a real cookie recipe for little readers to pretend they are making. This sturdy interactive boardRead More →
#BookReview ~ Maxi’s Secrets: (or what you can learn from a dog) by Lynn Plourde
A Story You Won’t Soon Forget ABOUT THE BOOK Author: Lynn PlourdePublisher: Puffin Books; Reprint edition (August 2017) Pages: 272 hardcover Ages: 10+ When a BIG, lovable, does-it-her-way dog wiggles her way into the heart of a loudmouth pipsqueak of a boy, wonderful things happen that help him become a bigger, better person. With its diverse cast, authentic narrator, and perfect blend of spot-on middle-grade humor, drama, and wisdom, this powerful debut is relatable, funny, bittersweet,Read More →
Mine. Yours. by Marsha Diane Arnold
Author: Marsha Diane Arnold Illustrator: Qin Leng Publisher: Kids Can Press (April 2, 2019) Pages: 40 Ages: 3-7 Three simple but meaningful words to get a message across, Mine, Yours and Ours. Little Panda wanders inside Big Panda’s den and looks around. Ours? Big Panda is in no mood for company and not inclined to share what is his. He announces, Mine. He exits his den with Little Panda, and sits him on a rockRead More →
Ten Rules Of The Birthday Wish by Beth Ferry
According to Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld Author: Beth Ferry Illustrator: Tom Lichtenheld Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers (February 2019) Pages: 48 Ages: 4 – 8 The rules being with this first page: There are, / there most definitely are, / 10 / very specific, tried and true, / and absolutely essential / Rules For The Making of / a Birthday Wish. Then the rules begin: Rule 1 It must beRead More →
Stay: A Girl, A Dog, A Bucket List by Katie Klise
– A Story Of True Friendship! – Author: Katie Klise Illustrator: Sarah Klise Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (July 2017) Approx. Word Count: 632 Pages: 32 Ages: 3 – 5 A white shaggy dog is sitting at the door to welcome the new baby girl into the family. Soon he becomes her bodyguard, her favorite pillow, and even at times her hiding place as she begins to grow. To put it quite simply, Astrid and herRead More →
Make: Edible Inventions by Kathy Ceceri
A Fun STEM Book! While searching for a book about frozen yogurt, I stumbled across a real find: Make: Edible Inventions, and I’m so glad I did. It’s partly a traditional cookbook, but mostly you’ll find it is much more. It explores STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) through different projects, information, inventions, growing ingredients, etc. And To Parents and Caregivers: You will be pleased to know that Safety Tips are included throughout. Plus,Read More →
The Cookie Stall by Jonathan Litton
A STEAM Story ( science, technology, engineering, art, and math) Author: Jonathan Litton Illustrator: Magali Mansilla Publisher: QEB Publishing (October 2018) Pages: 24 Size: 8 x 8 This STEAM story introduces different concepts of art, including drawing, design, and mixing colors through a story many children can relate to. Suzy and Max are hoping to sell home-made cookies at a table outside their house. Unfortunately, they look on as people walk right pastRead More →
What Are You Doing, Benny? by Cary Fagan
#NetGalley #WhatAreYouDoingBenny Pre-Order Now: Available April 23, 2019 Benny, the fox, is busy playing by himself: building a fort, making a paper airplane, riding his bike, etc. But his little brother is looking for a playmate, so he continually asks to join his older brother. But each question to his brother is met with an emphatic, NO! He doesn’t want to talk about what he’s doing or let his younger brother join him. Finally,Read More →
Did You Eat The Parakeet? by Mark Iacolina
Where Is The Missing Parakeet? In the first illustration, we see a girl wearing a yellow polka dot dress with a small animal in her pocket. She is standing with her back to a birdcage where a green parakeet is circling around and finally finding a place to land. When the girl turns back around she finds an empty cage. Who better to blame than the cat? “Did you eat the parakeet? / He wasRead More →
Leaping Lemmings! by John Briggs
– Who Is That Daring Guy? – Author: John Briggs Illustrator: Nicola Slater Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books (September 2016) Word Count: Approx. 427 Pages: 28 It is impossible to tell the difference in lemmings. That’s because they all look the same, sound alike, and act alike. Nearly all of the lemmings will follow the leader and jump off a cliff, dig tunnels to keep warm, squeal together and eat the same thing. Well, almostRead More →
Santa Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins
-Mistaken Identity Again! – This is the 4th book in the Mother Bruce series. To better understand Santa Bruce, it helps to know a little bit about the first book, Mother Bruce. Bruce the bear likes to keep to himself. That, and eat eggs. But when his hard-boiled goose eggs turn out to be real, live goslings, he starts to lose his appetite. And even worse, the goslings are convinced he’s their mother. Bruce triesRead More →
Book Review – Unshattered: Overcoming Tragedy And Choosing A Beautiful Life by Carol Decker
– A Remarkable Family You Won’t Soon Forget! – Description On June 10, 2008, Carol Decker walked through the hospital doors a healthy woman with flu-like symptoms and early labor contractions. Three months later, she returned home a blind triple-amputee struggling to bond with a daughter she would never see. Unshattered: Overcoming Tragedy and Choosing a Beautiful Life recounts Carol’s fight for survival against sepsis and its life-shattering complications. From excruciating skin grafts to learningRead More →
I Love You Already! by Jory John
I Love This Series Already! This odd couple return in their second book. We see these neighbors waking up in completely different ways. Duck has an alarm clock as a framed picture over his bed. He also has an I “heart” Bear cup and is reading 101 Walks to take with BEARS. He is obviously planning a fun-filled day for the two. In the next door house, Bear is looking happy with aRead More →