Category: children’s

— ARC review, baby, book review, children's —

My First Book of House Pets by duopress labs and Åsa Gilland (ARC Review)

January 8, 2024
My First Book of House Pets

My First Book of House Pets is a beautiful introduction to the world of furry, fluffy, and all-around adorable pets for babies and toddlers. Like other titles in the earth-friendly series Terra Babies at Home, this book helps tots develop a connection with the natural world and is made with FSC materials and nontoxic inks.

Simple and quirky text pairs with charming art by Åsa Gilland in this book where animal lovers will learn about house pets in a friendly and easy way while being introduced to basic concepts of animal care and the environment.

“Cats purr to communicate. They purr when they are happy,” we read. “Dogs love to play, and you can teach them tricks.” Readers will learn to make a fish face, that hamsters are lively friends, and that lizards have cool names. And that’s not all: The book shows readers how to pick a pet from a local shelter and the importance of keeping a pet healthy and giving it tons of love!… Read More My First Book of House Pets by duopress labs and Åsa Gilland (ARC Review)

— baby, book review, children's —

Peekaboo Jungle: Baby’s First Crinkle Peek-A-Book by Surya Sajnani (Review)

October 18, 2023

Open out the soft pages of this beautiful, sensory-rich organic cloth book to explore a world deep in the jungle, and play peekaboo with Monkey, Jaguar, and Toucan.

Movable, crinkly, cloth jungle creatures are found inside, perfect entertainment for little hands and great at stimulating babies’ senses. Move Monkey’s tail, Jaguar’s body, and Toucan’s beak to see what is hiding behind each!

Presented in a sweet gift box, the pages are made with extra padding for an ultra-soft feel , making them ideal for the pram or play mat— and they’re machine washable!

Little hands will love to explore Wee Gallery Cloth Books . This successful partnership between Wee Gallery and Happy Yak presents beautiful illustrations, bold lines, whimsical animals, and repeating patterns; all designed to stimulate visual development in young infants , making this new quality cloth book series an ideal first gift… Read More Peekaboo Jungle: Baby’s First Crinkle Peek-A-Book by Surya Sajnani (Review)

— ARC review, book review, children's —

How This Book Got Red by Margaret Chiu Greanias and Melissa Iwai (ARC Review)

October 18, 2023
Blog post header for How This Book Got Red

In this clever picture book tale about the power of representation, a red panda decides to write her own story when she realizes that none of the other panda books include pandas that look like her.

When Red discovers a new book about pandas, she can’t wait to read it! Except it’s about only one kind of panda, and red pandas are completely left out. Red never gets to read stories about pandas like herself! So she decides to take matters into her own paws and write her own book.

But when Red looks around, it seems like the only kind of pandas the world cares about are the black and white kind. Will anyone want to read about red pandas? It’s up to Red to finish her story and share it with the world… Read More How This Book Got Red by Margaret Chiu Greanias and Melissa Iwai (ARC Review)

— ARC review, book review, children's —

Sam Francisco, King of the Disco by Sarah Tagholm and Binny Talib (ARC Review)

October 17, 2023

A toe-tapping adventure celebrating optimism in the face of adversity about a community of cool cats who just want to have fun.

Superstar DJ Sam Francisco’s party is keeping his neighbor Buzzkill Bill awake. Bill tries everything to shut it down—he sends his dogs, then pest control, the fire department, and the police! When Bill finally succeeds in pulling the plug, things look bleak, but luckily it’s the people (and the cats) who make a party, not the fancy equipment.

Written in verse, this exuberant celebration of dance, music, and self-expression begs to be read aloud over and over. Young readers and adults alike will delight in the humor, charm, and energy of Sarah Tagholm and Binny Talib’s fantastic felines led by Sam, the David Bowie of cats. Featuring a silver-foiled cover for full disco effect, readers are introduced to many musical genres, as each of Sam Francisco’s adversaries are gradually won over by the beat… Read More Sam Francisco, King of the Disco by Sarah Tagholm and Binny Talib (ARC Review)

— book review, children's —

I Will Read To You by Gideon Sterer and Charles Santoso (Review)

September 14, 2023

A gentle blend of spooky and sweet, I Will Read to You is a unique rhyming bedtime tale about empathy, storytime…and monsters.

Once upon a time, there was a boy who loved stories—scary ones about skeletons and witches, giants and ghosts, vampires, dragons, mummies and goblins. But he wondered…do monsters have anyone to read to them ? Armed with only a book and a flashlight (and with his bemused mother in tow), he travels through the night, calling together every monster he can think of to make sure they get the bedtime story they need.

Delightfully spooky and surprisingly tender, I Will Read to You celebrates monsters, stories, and the way a good book can bring us together… Read More I Will Read To You by Gideon Sterer and Charles Santoso (Review)

— book review, children's, comic/graphic novel, middle grade —

The Wolf Suit by Sid Sharp (Review)

April 19, 2023

Bellwether Riggwelter is, once again, out of blackberries. This time, rather than tiptoe through a forest full of predators, he comes up with a new plan. He will keep himself safe by blending in—he will sew a Wolf Suit! The disguise works perfectly . . . sort of. Bellwether realizes he can’t enjoy the forest in a bulky suit, and he may not be the only creature in the forest who feels that way. Perhaps not everyone is as wolfish as they appear.… Read More The Wolf Suit by Sid Sharp (Review)

— book review, children's —

Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting by Mary Kay Carson and John D. Dawson (Review)

February 15, 2023

With 448 full-color, highly-illustrated pages, Outdoor School is your indispensable tool for the outdoors.

This interactive field guide to plant and mushroom spotting includes:
– Immersive activities to get you exploring
– Write-in sections to journal about experiences
– Next-level adventures to challenge even seasoned nature lovers.

No experience is required—only curiosity and courage. Inside you’ll find easy-to-follow instructions on how to:
– Grow mushrooms with cardboard
– Compare bark types
– Count tree rings
– Survey leaf patterns
– Create fern spore prints
– Press and preserve wildflowers
And so much more!… Read More Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting by Mary Kay Carson and John D. Dawson (Review)

— ARC review, book review, children's —

If You Find a Unicorn, It Is Not Yours to Keep by DJ Corchin (ARC Review)

February 15, 2023

You have a choice to cast good spells or bad spells. Choose good spells.
People will tell you you can’t be a knight because you have magical abilities. They are wrong.
And remember…if you happen find a unicorn, it is not yours to keep!

DJ Corchin offers timeless wisdom with a mystical twist in this lighthearted rulebook for the whole family to enjoy. Plenty of enchanting lessons to live by paired with whimsical illustrations are sure to be passed down from generation to magical generation. A perfect graduation, birthday, or just-because gift for daughters of any age… Read More If You Find a Unicorn, It Is Not Yours to Keep by DJ Corchin (ARC Review)

— book review, children's —

What Are Your Words? by Katherine Locke & Anne Passchier (Review)

June 13, 2021
Blog post header for Flavia the Bibliophile's review for What Are Your Words?: A Book About Pronouns by Katherine Locke and Anne Passchier

Whenever Ari’s Uncle Lior comes to visit, they ask Ari one question: “What are your words?” Some days Ari uses she/her. Other days Ari uses he/him. But on the day of the neighborhood’s big summer bash, Ari doesn’t know what words to use. On the way to the party, Ari and Lior meet lots of neighbors and learn the words each of them use to describe themselves, including pronouns like she/her, he/him, they/them, ey/em, and ze/zir. As Ari tries on different pronouns, they discover that it’s okay to not know your words right away–sometimes you have to wait for your words to find you
… Read More What Are Your Words? by Katherine Locke & Anne Passchier (Review)