Book reviews for the young and the old. This site reviews children, teen, and adult books with a few interesting things thrown into the mix. Check out the labels on the right hand side for specific genres or topics.
Monday, March 25, 2024
Skimmer & Finn: There Are No Pancakes on This Planet by Christopher Francis
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Daily Guided Gratitude Journal with Creative Prompts by MamTalk
Genre: Children's Journal
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
A wonderful book for children ages Kindergarten to fourth grade. If you want you child to write more then start with this book. This is a beginner journal. Parents can sit with their young child and read it to them and then have them draw pictures or tell the parent what to write. The older child can write and color. What a great way to get children interested in writing and help create a life-long love of writing. I love books by MamTalk.
This book is full of cute pictures. Each page starts with an example, a place to write the date, then a page for students to fill in with their own personal information. This is a wonderful way to show kids that they can write every day about things that are important to them.There are pictures to color which makes this a fun activity. I only wish that more parents would spend time daily with their children teaching them to journal like this, showing them that writing can be fun. It is a great way to teach children the importance of gratitude
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Easter Bible Story About Jesus for Children from MamTalk Publishing
Genre: Older Children
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my
This is another Easter Story from MamTalk. This one takes the reader from the reason for Jesus' arrival on Earth to how he helps us every day. The story talks about the miracles he performed. Then it goes into his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the last supper, and then into his arrest and crucifixion. It doesn't stop there, we next learn of his resurrection and why it was important. We learn that his death paved the way for our eternal life It ends with the ascension into Heaven. Children reading this book will learn about God's ultimate love.
I highly recommend this book for children 6-12. It is a great story with a great message.
Monday, April 25, 2022
Spinning Through the Universe by Helen Frost
Source: I own a copy
Sunday, April 24, 2022
One Last Word by Nikki Grimes
Genre: Middle Grade, Poetry
Source: I own this book
Sunday, February 20, 2022
Adventures With Scarlet and Twinkle by Janice Ford
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Genre: Children's Book
This author has once again given us five wonderful little
stories to share with our young loved ones.
A Little Girl and Her Doll
Scarlett received a stuffed elephant as a Christmas gift one
year. Now she and Twinkle play together every day. One day while climbing the
ladder to their treehouse Twinkle slips. Scarlet rushes down to help her
friend. They discover Twinkle’s skirt has gotten dirty. Scarlett knows what to
do, it is mom to the rescue.
Scarlet Loses Twinkle
Sometimes making a choice can be difficult. Scarlet and
Twinkle get permission to go to the park one day. Twinkle reminds Scarlet that
the next day is mom’s birthday. They decide to pick some berries for mom and surprise
her with them the next day. After picking berries Scarlet has to leave Twinkles
in the park so she can carry the berries and hide them. Unfortunately she has
to go to bed without Twinkles. When she wakes up the next morning Twinkles is
in the kitchen with mom. Mom knew that Twinkles had been left in the park and
went to get her and bring her safely back home. Leaving Twinkles behind had
been the hardest choice Scarlet had ever made.
Feeling Scared
School is the one place Scarlet can’t take Twinkles. When
her teacher announces they all must participate in the school play Scarlet is
scared. She explains her fear to her mother, who promises to help her memorize
her lines. She tells Twinkles who explains how speaking in front of others is
just like one of the adventures they have. She learns it is okay to be afraid
and that sometimes you have to face your fears.
Helping a Friend Out
Scarlet was play with Twinkle when she noticed a rip in her
shoulder. She took Twinkle to the house where her dad quickly fixed Twinkle
right up. As she went outside she saw her best friend from school crying. She
sat Twinkle down and went to Jennifer. Jennifer had secretly taken her doll to
school and forgot her. The school was closed and she would have to wait until
the next day to get her. Scarlet helped her out by letting Twinkle spend the
night with Jennifer so she wouldn’t be sad and lonely. This is a story that
teaches children about sharing and caring.
A Very Important Lesson
Scarlet and Twinkle get permission to explore their neighborhood
one day. They decide to go a different direction. At the end of their street
they see a forest and decide to enter it. The deeper they go the darker it gets.
When they decide they should go back they realize they don’t recognize the way
because it all looks the same. That is when they notice a ball of stuffing and
realize a hole in Twinkle’s foot has actually saved them. All they need to do
is follow the stuffing to get back out. Scarlett tells her parents about the
forest and the lesson she has learned about not going to unfamiliar places
without an adult.
The thing I love about Janice Ford’s books is that they are
simple stories for the youngest child with simple lessons.
Thursday, June 11, 2020
The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems by Paul B. Janeczko
Thursday, May 28, 2020
The Cat with the Yellow Star: Coming of Age in Terezin by Susan Goldman Rubin
Genre: Children, Biography, Holocaust
Source: I own a copy
When Ela Stein was a young child she and many other family members were shipped to Terazin. This was a Czech ghetto. Shortly before they were shipped to Terazin her father was taken away for expressing his opinion about Hitler. That was the last that Ela saw of her father. In the ghetto her mother made a hard choice to send Ela and her sister to a barrack that was specifically for girls around her age. The living conditions were somewhat better and they received a little more food. The girls in room 28 formed a tight group. Soon someone decided they were going to present an opera. They practiced and practiced. At one point the Nazis used their production for propaganda. This book is a book that shows us what friendship and music can do to help people survive. It was a ray of hope in their lives. This is a short book to read, but filled with so much information and lots of pictures to help understand.
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate:
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship" by Deborah Heiligman
This was a story unfamiliar to me. I am aware that during wartime they had the Kindertransport that took predominantly Jewish children away from parts of Europe that the Nazis were beginning to take control. There was an effort I was unaware of until this book. The CORB was an organization that took both poor and wealthy children and relocated them to Canada. From there some went to live with relatives or friends either in Canada or the United States.
The passenger ship SS City of Benares was one of these ships. There were 406 people on board this ship. This passenger ship was torpedoed and sank in 30 minutes. Only 148 people survived. This book tells the story of many of those courageous people. It shows how hope, determination and sometimes just human decency can mean everything when it comes to survival. The author has done a tremendous amount of research and her bibliography is so informational for people like me who would like to learn more. It was truly one of the best books for kids I have read on this time period. I highly recommend it.
Thursday, July 6, 2017
When Work Gets in Your Way or How to Forget to Post Reviews You Wrote
In this case, I was going through my composition notebooks preparing for my writing retreat and came across all types of papers. Some were notes to go into my writing notebook and some were school papers I'd scribbled a valuable writing idea on and kept the whole paper until I could transfer that small idea. In the midst of all of those papers I found not one book review, but ten I had written and never typed up. So, I might as well get them up now. I have a couple of other books that when I see them on my TBR list I keep searching for their review because I've read the book but can't find where I wrote the review, and I know I wrote it. Guess I need to just rewrite them and post them, because who knows when or where I will find them? I hope you enjoy these reviews. These have been some of the most popular books in my classroom or with other teachers in my school.
This is the second book in the Caden Chronicles and is what I call a clean read. Nick Caden has so many qualities for a reader to like. First and most important to me he loves to solve mysteries. He is trying to discover who murdered a man found dead on a golf course. As a fourteen year-old boy, Nick is a very likeable character for all ages who read this book. My students will love the fact that he puts himself in danger to solve murders. In this book they will love the creep factor of an old mansion. Who wouldn’t feel creeped out if locked in a creepy old mansion? Dead Low Tied is the third book in this series. I have not yet read it, but it will be purchased for my shelves at school. If you have read any of Max Elliot Anderson’s “Sam Cooper” books you will definitely enjoy this series. Highly recommended and on the to be purchased list for my granddaughter for Christmas.
Monday, June 5, 2017
Adunni Dares to Dream by Taiwo I Ajao
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
My Review:
This was a wonderful book, full of hope and faith. This is the true story of a young girl who with the help of her family and friends realized her dream of going to school. Throughout the book, we see how God worked in her life to bring her dream to reality. We also see how God worked in the life of a young man who loved her for so many years. Both of them realize their dreams. This is a book I would willingly put on the shelves of my middle-grade classes. It is a simple biography, historical fiction, yet has a message every child should hear. If you really want something, then you need to reach for the stars and let nothing stand in your way.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Two Middle Grades and Seven Children's Picture Books
Purple Pup -Karl Steam
Genre: Middle Grade, Science Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
This book exceeded my expectations. I loved the premise and the book didn't disappoint. Imagine a lab that is experimenting with genetics. Imagine one of those genetically modified animals is a purple puppy. I'd love a purple puppy. This lab has created a new set of animals. Two of the dogs have a heightened sense of smell and hearing, not to mention having camouflage colors. You know that if the military is involved that all cannot be good. What happens when the purple pup escapes and finds a family that treats him with love? When the purple pup is seen and put on the news things change. He is returned to the lab where he helps several of his friends escape. The adventures this little pup finds keeps you turning the pages. It was a quick read. I sat and read it in about two hours. This is one of those books that make you think how cool it would be to have some of these animals. Then you have to think about how fair it is to the animals. This would be great to read in conjunction with a science unit on genetics. The possibilities for conversations with students about genetically modified things could bring about some great discussions. Not only do I love this book because of educational reasons, but I love it because it is well written and sure to keep young and old alike reading.
The Left Behinds: Abe Lincoln and the Selfie that Saved the Union – David Potter
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Wonderful Books for the Imagination
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Morty's Travels by Anderson Atlas
Genre: Children, Science Fiction, Adventure
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
This is a strange and fun adventure story. Morty likes to play pranks on his dad. One morning he goes outside to find a slug to put in his dad's shoe. Instead, he finds a strange flower. The pollen from it causes him to sneeze and he is transported to another planet. He meets some friendly adventures and even finds a pet. This would make a great bed-time story. The pictures are wonderful.
Find out more about Anderson's work at: http://andersonatlas.com/
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Five More Wonderful Books by Chris Stead
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Two Fabulous Books by Murielle Bourdon
Monday, January 2, 2017
Eleven Wonderful Picture Books
“Smoke Over the Sea” When Oliver spots smoke out in the ocean, he, Jumpy and Joey go to help. They are captured by the people of the island. Will this turn out okay?