Emma loves butterflies. She is elated to find out the new class pet is a beautiful rainbow butterfly. Even though her teacher has warned the class not to open the lid of the tank, Emma cannot resist. The butterfly finds its way to the top and escapes to freedom.
Emma feels sad and anxious. She confides in her dad, who tells her she must be brave and tell her classmates what happened. His advice is to put one foot in front of another. Emma does just that, stomping, jumping, and twirling her way to school. When she arrives, she explains what happened. How will her teacher and classmates react?
This book teaches elementary school children to be brave and honest. Emma shows empathy toward the feelings of her classmates. She provides a good example for children who are afraid to admit their mistakes. The illustrations are bright and multicultural. Recommended for children ages four through eight.
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This chapter book features a five-year-old boy named Ronan
who is suddenly moved to join his parents at his Grandmother’s rural home in
Sri Lanka. Ronan and his parents lived in the urban area of Colombo.
Ronan is an anxious, lonely boy who does not like change.
His parents have moved in temporarily to help his ailing grandmother. Ronan’s
parents are kind and caring parents who do their best to assuage his fears. One
day while playing in the garden, Ronan finds a lizard named Scoot. Scoot can
talk. He explains to Ronan that she is a dinosaur. Ronan is skeptical, but he
learns to enjoy exploring with her and making friends with Tryx, her dinosaur
friend who lives in the trees.
When Ronan’s parents hear him talking aloud, they think he
is talking to himself and become concerned. So, they take him to visit a
neighbor next door who has a dog named Spike. Ronan is afraid of the dog, until
Scoot talks to the animal. Again, Ronan learns he has nothing to fear.
Ronan’s grandmother has a setback and must visit the
hospital. There he confides in his grandmother and reveals his secret. She
remembers her own youth spent with Scoot. The time has come to sell the house
and move to a nursing home. Ronan is devastated. Will Ronan ever see Scoot
again?
This is a wonderful book to share with children who like to
be alone or who experience anxieties. It gently explains that change is not
necessarily bad and that we grow from personal experiences both real and
imaginary. Targeted for children ages seven and older. I would especially
recommend it for ages nine through twelve as a portion of the vocabulary is
challenging.
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Dexter’s New Home: A Children’s Picture Story for 3-7 year olds about
Moving
Written by D L Madson
Illustrated by Rajiv Kumar
Dexter is dismayed to find that hedgehogs have moved into his home, and they won’t allow him to come back inside. Dexter searches the forest for a new home. The next day, Dexter finds a cute house with a fence around it and decides to buy it. The rabbit still feels sad and lonely until the squirrels tell another rabbit named Ben that someone new has moved into the neighborhood. Ben welcomes Dexter with flowers and invites Ben to visit him for dinner. Meanwhile Ben had convinced his friends, James and Molly to bring gifts to share with Dexter. Dexter learns how his new neighbors share many of his interests and he is now happy and secure in his new home.
This book teaches children about having empathy and that something that might seem scary like moving may turn out to be a good thing. The illustrations are lovely and appropriate for the target audience.
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Etty lives in the town of Brightwater, a seaside town that
is rumored to be inhabited by witches. Etty lives with her human father and her
mother who is a vampire hunter. Every day Etty must endure training sessions in
a secret room that is hidden away in the basement of her house. Etty has one
friend, a classmate named April Showers. They have not spent much time together
lately as Etty has spent the summer at a vampire hunting training camp.
When Etty and April return to school in September, things
become awkward. A new boy named Vladimir Dox has all the markings of a vampire,
dark glasses, red lips, pale skin, and strange behavior. April befriends Vladimir;
Etty is skeptical. Then two people are murdered, and April reveals her
grandmother has given her a ring for protection. Etty discovers that April
comes from a family of witches who don’t want vampire hunters interfering with
their work.
When a schoolmate and Etty’s mom disappear, April and Etty decide to take Vladimir with them to investigate. What will happen to this strange alliance? Is Etty’s mom in danger? Will they solve the murder mystery and discover who is the vampire lurking around the town? What will happen to the friendship between April and Etty?
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Publisher’s Synopsis: Wes Rockville, a disgraced law-enforcement agent, gets one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a 232-year-old secret government organization.
The Witches Protection Program.
His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar cosmetics company’s diabolical plan to use witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in witches…and believe in himself.
Filled with adventure and suspense, Michael Okon creates a rousing, tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern-day New York City.
Wes Rockville is berated by his father, Harris, who is the
head of an elite detective division. Wes and his team have just lost a prisoner
and Harris is furious about his son’s failure. Wes receives a new assignment,
which is to be his last chance. He is disappointed but not surprised. After
all, Wes is constantly compared to his successful siblings.
Wes takes the subway to the Dumbo neighborhood in Brooklyn,
where he will enter a world he could never imagine. He walks into a room full
of high-tech equipment and is shown a film about witches. Wes discovers that
twenty-first-century witches are real and that he has been assigned to the
Witches Protection Program. He enters a fast-moving world of good witches,
Davinas, and bad witches, Willas.
Wes will experience an adventure he could never conceive of. The plot involves an international conspiracy, a bit of romance, steampunk and a crime novel rolled into one. Characters are fanciful but believable and compelling. Readers are gripped as the story evolves with many twists and turns along the way. Recommended for young adult and adult readers who enjoy crime novels, fantasy, adventure, science fiction and romance.
Enter For A Chance To Win An Autographed Copy Of Witches Protection Program And A $100 Amazon Gift Card!
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
A copy of Witches Protection Program autographed by Michael Okon
A $100 Amazon gift card
Three (3) winners receive:
A copy of Witches Protection Program autographed by Michael Okon
Giveaway begins July 8, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends August 8, 2019, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
Open to legal residents of Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who are eighteen years of age or older in their state or territory of residence at the time of entry. Void where prohibited by law. Michael Okon is responsible for prize fulfillment.
Kaley Jergins is a spirited fourth-grader who loves playing basketball. While she enjoys practicing with her teammates, Kaley especially enjoys playing with her father, Kyle. Kyle played basketball in college and received a championship ring after participating in The Final Four matches several times.
One-night Kaley’s placid world is turned upside down when her father suffers a heart attack. After his death, she and her mother withdraw. Kaley gives up basketball because the memories of her father pain her too much. One day her former teammate, Drea begs her to attend a game, which Kaley reluctantly agrees to do after much cajoling. A surprise event propels Kaley from her lethargy and convinces her to move on with her life.
This short story is a good way to discuss the topic of death and dying in families who have experienced or who are about to experience a loss. Teachers might also use the book as a read-aloud for class discussion. The author writes an afterword in which she offers suggestions to young readers for coping with the loss of a family member. Recommended for middle-grade and young adult readers.
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GIVEAWAY Enter for a chance to win a copy of Kat Kronenberg’s Love Big, signed by Kat Kronenberg, and a school visit from the author valued at $550! Plus, everyone can be a winner by visiting Kat’s website and collecting all of the fun downloads.
This giveaway is part of The Children’s Book Review awareness book tour
Giveaway begins June 20, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends July 20, 2019, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
Giveaway open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 17 and older. Kat Kronenberg is responsible for prize fulfillment. *Date, time, and school for the visit is to be worked out between the winner and author Kat Kronenberg. The school must be within 2 hours driving distance of any major airport and on the mainline. Parent’s at the school must be offered a chance to buy Love Big so that their students have the opportunity to take home an autographed copy with their name in it – thrilling. Kat Kronenberg must be able to set up at least one more school visit in the area. Click here for the giveaway rules.
Publisher’s Synopsis: The once-thriving, African savanna has turned dry and desolate. Baboon watches animals who are so hungry that they seek only their own interest. Rhinoceros destroys Termite’s castle in his race to find food. Hare chooses not to share food with her family, and Lion steals from his pride. But after Baboon sees Rhinoceros give Hare his snack-on-a-stick, everything changes! Baboon realizes that a transformative power exists between the animals and the stardust that surrounds them once they share smiles and truly believe in themselves and each other. Read on to see if Baboon can save the savanna with this new secret and a very stinky, unlike hero…
Ages 3-10 | Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press | January 8, 2019, | ISBN-13: 978-1626346000 PURCHASE LINKS Amazon
This book is the first in a series that features Jerry, a squirrel who loves to invent things. Jerry uses his imagination to problem solve the issues of everyday life that confront him. One day Jerry decides to end the problem of not having his slippers next to his bed when he wakes up to a cold floor each morning. Jerry spends all day and night designing a pair of slippers that will come to him each morning. When Jerry succeeds in the task, he gets more than he bargained for. His slippers take charge and take him on a wild adventure. All the squirrel neighbors watch in fascination. They are eager to sign up for a pair of slippers just like Jerry’s.
The book contains other adventures. One of these deals with Jerry needing to come up with an idea fast when he fails to garner enough nuts for the winter and another chronicles his adventure with the nut beetles. All of them feature the trials and tribulations of Jerry’s career as an inventor who experiences success and failure.
This book might best be described as a series of short stories rather than a chapter book. Because it does not contain illustrations and the stories are short, it is a good choice for reluctant or beginning readers. It encourages creativity and independent solutions to problem-solving. I would recommend it for ages six through fourteen.
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Publisher’s Synopsis: Brina, a Scottish Terrier, has lots of fun thinking about what she would do if she were a person! But when she shares those ideas with her friends, she begins to realize just how special it is to be a dog. The simplicity of If I Were Human makes it ideal for early readers, but with its imaginative story and entertaining illustrations, adults and children alike will love it. And who knows―you just may discover that you’d rather be a dog!
Brina, a Scottish terrier lives with another dog, Winnie, and her human family. One day she is watching Genevieve playing a game when Genevieve remarks that Brina looks almost human. That gets Brina thinking about what it would be like to be a human. She imagines herself going to school, doing homework, playing on the swings and having a snack. Brina asks Winnie what she would do as a human and Winnie imagines a day at the office. As the story continues, a local squirrel and the dog next door imagine their own scenarios as a human.
By the end of the tale, Brina and Winnie decide maybe a dog’s life is not so bad, after all. This picture book contains simple, expressive digital art and simple text that is appropriate for a bedtime story or read aloud. Beginning readers will be able to tack the story independently. Recommended for readers ages three through seven.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a signed copy of If I Were Human, by W.B. Tyler, and a set of 2 adorable plush toy dogs!
One (1) winner receives:
An autographed copy of If I Were Human
An 8″ plush toy Scottie dog
An 8″ plush toy Westie dog
Nine (9) winners will receive:
An autographed copy of If I Were Human
Giveaway begins June 24, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends July 24, 2019, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
Open to the legal residents of Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who are thirteen years of age or older in their state or territory of residence at the time of entry. Void where prohibited by law.
Gracie loves to do math problems. When she finds a blank math worksheet on the table in the living room, she becomes excited. Gracie inquires of her parents where it came from. Both joke that they don’t know the answer. Gracie decides that it must have been placed there for her. She hurries to solve all the problems on the paper and feels elated when she accomplishes the task.
When Gracie’s younger brother discovers the completed worksheet, he becomes distraught. It turns out this was his homework. Gracie feels ashamed. She apologizes to her brother and learns a valuable lesson. This book is part of a series in which Gracie learns life lessons through personal experiences. The series is recommended for ages three through eleven but probably most appropriate for ages seven and older.
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August 7, 2019
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