Cray Saves the Day (The Adventures of Cray on the Bay)
Written by G Pa Rhymes
Illustrated by Erica Leigh
Cray the Crawfish is observing humans coming to the shore on a sunny day. He notices the trash they leave behind. Soon some of his fellow creatures are in trouble.
Cray mobilizes his friends to help, while enlisting the organizational skills of a mermaid. Maybe one day humans will learn environmental awareness from Cray and his sea friends.
The book teaches preschoolers and primary grade readers about environmental hazards and the need to clean them up. A suggestion list on how kids can help is provided at the end of this picture book written in rhyme.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this post.
Publisher’s Synopsis: Love knows no distance. I Miss You Most helps children through the heartache of distance by showing them how to hold their loved ones near. Whether exploring the seas as pirates or twirling like ballerinas, imagination can bridge even the greatest distance. Because time with those you love is the most magical thing of all!
Ages 3 and up | 28 Pages | Publisher: Tellwell Talent | ISBN-13: 978-0228836070
You can download lots of free activities for this book by clicking on the link below:
Cassie Hoyt is a children’s author and perfusionist. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two sons. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. Inspiration for her books typically comes from her silly boys or fond memories of her childhood. Learn more about Cassie’s upcoming works at www.cassiehoyt.com.
MY REVIEW OF THIS BOOK:
I Miss You Most
Written and illustrated by Cassie Hoyt
What a sweet and charming picture book for preschoolers and primary grade children! This book is written in short rhymes and contains illustrations that are large and vibrant. They are full of expressive, multicultural faces that nearly jump off the page.
The book helps young children from diverse cultures to understand that separation from loved ones is an opportunity for them to reflect about exactly what makes these relationships special. It makes a great gift for a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or child who is missing that special in person connection with someone, whether that it due to the pandemic, work, or living a great distance apart.
The author connects to a child’s favorite shared pastimes and activities. Some examples are pretend play, sports activities, cooking, reading, travel adventures, and aspirations for future careers.
Recommended as a read-aloud or bedtime story, especially for children ages three through eight. Librarians, parents, and teachers should check this one out.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win an autographed copy of Cassie Hoyt’s I Miss You Most and a $100 Barnes and Noble e-gift card!
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
A hardcover copy of I Miss You Most, autographed by Cassie Hoyt
A $100 Barnes and Noble e-gift card
Two (2) winners receive:
A hardcover copy of I Miss You Most, autographed by Cassie Hoyt
The giveaway begins January 7, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends February 7, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
In partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Harper Collins Book Publishers
My review of the book:
The Sea in Winter
Written by Christine Day
Maisie is a seventh-grade student in Seattle who feels like a fish out of water. Until recently, her entire life has revolved around ballet dancing. She has committed herself to a successful career in dance. That world came crashing down when she torn an ACL muscle. Now she has willingly withdrawn from her surroundings and lives a life of misery.
Maisie is part of a blended family. She is Native American. Her mother is Makah, and her stepfather is Piscataway. Maisie’s mother lost her husband during the war in Afghanistan: she later married and had a son, Connor. They are supportive parents who want to help Maisie. She tries hard to fight against the effects of her unforeseen accident and the love her family shower upon her. One thing she cannot resist is her six-year-old brother who adores Maisie.
The family is about to embark upon a trip to visit nearby Makah homelands. Maisie is hopeful that her recent physical therapy will lead her back to her dreams. But it turns out, this trip will not end the way she expects.
Will Maisie find a way back to complete recovery and fulfillment of her dreams or will she need to find a new course?
Day has a magical way of portraying each character in depth. Her description of the sights and sounds of their journey jump off the pages. This novel is a page turner that will have middle-grade readers gripped by the events and the emotions the characters feel as they each complete their journey. Readers will surely empathize and may find themselves associating those emotions with similar experiences. Highly recommended.
Enter for a chance to win a set of two books by Christine Day, including The Sea in Winter.
GIVEAWAY
A hardcover copy of The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
A hardcover copy of I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
Four (4) winners receive:
A hardcover copy of The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
The giveaway begins January 5, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends February 5, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
Publisher’s Synopsis: In this evocative and heartwarming novel for readers who loved The Thing About Jellyfish, the author of I Can Make This Promise tells the story of a Native American girl struggling to find her joy again.
It’s been a hard year for Maisie Cannon, ever since she hurt her leg and could not keep up with her ballet training and auditions.
Her blended family is loving and supportive, but Maisie knows that they just can’t understand how hopeless she feels. With everything she’s dealing with, Maisie is not excited for their family midwinter road trip along the coast, near the Makah community where her mother grew up.
But soon, Maisie’s anxieties and dark moods start to hurt as much as the pain in her knee. How can she keep pretending to be strong when on the inside she feels as roiling and cold as the ocean?
Christine Day is the author ofThe Sea in Winter and I Can Make This Promise, which was a best book of the year from Kirkus, School Library Journal, NPR, and the Chicago Public Library as well as an American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book and a Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book.
What a charming book to encourage children who have social anxiety fears! This book will certainly benefit children who are moving into new neighborhoods or schools or those who are shy and introverted.
Kayla has just begun class in a new school. She desperately wants to follow her grandma’s advice to try new things and the words, “What’s the worst that can happen,?” echo in her brain. But somehow she is afraid to approach classmates or new situations. She feels physical and mental anxiety.
One day, Kayla is invited to a party that will open the door for her.. Kayla also reveals her kindness toward her younger autistic brother.
This beautifully illustrated multicultural book teaches empathy, kindness and social-emotional skills to primary grade children in an easy to understand format. Highly recommended to parents and teachers.
If you enjoyed reading this book, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
Superheroes Wear Masks: A picture book to help kids with social distancing and covid anxiety
Written by Chris Stead
Illustrated by Yohan Priyankara
A young boy narrates this story. He explains why he does not like wearing a mask. He cannot recognize the faces of people, they look scary, and these masks are uncomfortable to wear.
When he has a fight with this parents about wearing a mask, they ground him. That gives him time to think about people he knows who wear masks to protect themselves at work, like a doctor, a fireman, a construction worker, and a chemist. That reassures him. Maybe protecting yourself from harm is just being careful and smart.
This book is a good choice for parents and teachers to use in explaining the necessity of masks during the pandemic and reassuring the fears of young children.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
This book is a series of short stories to encourage empathy and acceptance of differences among members of the human race. The protagonist is named Flower. She is the daughter of the Sun and Moon.
Flower struggles to find her identity. She has trouble and sometimes disrespects her parents who try to teach her. When Flower becomes a bit older, she goes off to search why others do not accept her. Along her journey, Flower discovers that the most beautiful part of our Earth is the ability to respect and accept our uniqueness.
The illustrations in this book are beautiful. Cortes’ sends her readers many worthwhile lessons. However, young children may be confused and need guidance as to how to interpret them.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking the word Follow or hitting the RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
This children’s picture book is beautifully illustrated with soft colors and detailed images of a close-knit family living in a small cabin on the Canadian prairie at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Belle is one of eight children living with her parents. Christmas is nearly here. She is excited. Each family member receives one small gift. Belle cherishes her delightful wiener treat. When she wakes up the next morning, her gift has disappeared! Will her Christmas be spoiled? Read the heartwarming tale to find out.
This multicultural book entertains and educates children. They learn a bit of history, culture and family traditions. Bonus activities include a find the hidden picture on each page, discussion questions for parents and teachers to use after reading, a Christmas cookie recipe, and instructions for a walnut Christmas decoration.
I recommend this book for elementary school and middle school children and their families or classrooms to share.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
Eight-year-old Ethan lives with his hard-working dad. Ethan is not looking forward to summer when he will be alone six days a week. Ethan does not make friends easily; the neighborhood kids make fun of him because his last name is Broom.
Life changes when Ethan’s dad comes home with a box that he found. It contains two glass dragons. Ethan’s dad hopes they will entertain his son. Ethan does not think much of this gift until he picks one of the dragons up and is transported to a magical land called Steorra. He gets the opportunity to ride on a dragon, meet a talking penguin, and envision a sky filled with stars.
When Ethan’s neighbor, Amelia, comes to visit, she picks up the orange dragon. They are both transported to Steorra where more adventures and new characters await them. Amelia encourages Ethan to be more outgoing. The book ends with the promise of many more adventures.
I would classify this book as a beginning chapter book. It contains just over one hundred pages filled with black and white illustrations. It is also a good choice for reluctant readers or adults seeking a fun read-aloud that can be utilized as a serial bedtime story for younger children.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
Check out my award-winning book series and all my learning opportunities for the whole family at http://www.LittleMissHISTORY.COM
This middle-grade novel presents the triumphs and tribulations of Olivia Martin, a student beginning sixth grade in rural Spring Hope. She lives on a farm with her parents and older brother, Link. They all work hard to make ends meet.
Olivia’s best friends are a classmate named Isabelle, her cat, Sam, and her Palomino pony, Star. Olivia is saving up to buy a halter for Star because she hopes to enter him in The Spring Daze Festival next May. She will need to work hard to earn the money. Her plan is to create and sell beaded bracelets.
When Candace moves from New York City to Spring Hope, Olivia’s world is turned upside down. Candace is mean, bullying, and a gossip who tries to thwart Olivia at every turn. Olivia confides her problems to Sam by writing them down in her journal. Isabella proves to be a compassionate and wise friend who steadfastly stands behind her.
A series of unexpected events lead to successes and failures for Olivia, as well as the other characters in this touching tale. There are twists and turns that keep the plot interesting. Readers will empathize with Olivia’s trials and admire her tenacity and strength. The characters are so believable and relatable. The story brought me along a roller coaster of emotions. At times, I laughed, at other points in the story, I wanted to cry.
I applaud the authors for creating a deeply engaging plot and characters that will surely resonate with middle-grade readers. Highly recommended!
I received an advanced review copy of this book and voluntarily chose to read and review it with my honest opinions for no compensation.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
Fernando Invents Socks, A Gripping Story, About the Perils of Ocean Trash!
Written and lllustrated by Brad Pohl
An adorable rhyming picture book for elementary school eco conscious readers! The author employs clever rhymes, onomatopoeia, and alliteration to create this fun read-aloud.
The plot is original and creative. Fernando, a penguin, has a guest visiting him. Judith, a brown chicken is walking with Fernando along the Arctic shore when they both become entangled with yellow string around their feet. Fearful of becoming bait for sea lions, Fernando thinks quickly. He plucks two of Judith’s largest feathers.
What does he do with them and how does his discovery lead to an ingenious invention? Read this beautifully illustrated picture book to find out.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
January 27, 2021
bamauthor
