A charming picture book that teaches the true meaning of a friend, and how our relationships grow and change over time.
Ellery finds a purple bicycle with magical powers. She spends most of her time talking, singing, and playing with it. As she grows, the bicycle grows with her. Eventually, their relationship evolves and changes. Can their friendship survive the test of time?
This beautifully illustrated picture book teaches young children the value of friendship and the importance of maintaining relationships. Children see the value of empathy, kindness, and compassion. They learn the importance of developing good relationships.
I highly recommend it for preschoolers through the primary grades.
SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG FOR NEW BOOK REVIEWS EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group | ISBN-13: 978-1626349759
Publisher’s Book Synopsis: Can You Spot the Leopard? is author/artist Karen B. Winnick’s newest picture book, an adventuresome African safari presented through poems and full-color paintings. Readers begin at sunrise, climbing into a jeep for a bumpy ride to view the wondrous animals as they would on a real safari. All the poems are based on real observations of what animals do in the wild, related in an accessible way. There’s even a sighting, finally, of the elusive leopard, before returning to safari camp under a starry night. At the back of the book, further information is related about each animal. A fun, informational, educational adventure to read and reread.
Ms. Winnick is an animal enthusiast, president of the Los Angeles Zoo Commission, and author of more than a dozen picture books, including Gemina: The Crooked-Neck Giraffe, How Lucky Got His Shoe, and Mr. Lincoln’s Whiskers.
KAREN B. WINNICK is the author of more than a dozen picture books for children, most of which she illustrated. An animal lover, she serves on several boards devoted to the well-being of animals. She’s a graduate of Syracuse University, mother of three grown sons, grandmother of eight, and minder of five pups.
A beautiful adventure for the child with an active imagination. Winnick deftly authors the entire book in crisp rhymes that invite reading the tale over and over.
The illustrations are large and colorful, popping off the glossy pages. Young readers learn about animal habitats, food, family life, and survival. Children may have knowledge of elephants, rhinos, and giraffe but others like bushbucks, marabou, and bat-eared foxes are sure to intrigue the imagination.
Winnick presents the dangers in a non-threatening way. For adventurers who want to research, the glossary contains more information about thirty safari animals. This book is highly recommended as a reference book for a home or classroom library. It has appeal for elementary school and middle-grade readers, librarians, and teachers.
I look forward to reading more books by this talented author and illustrator.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win an awesome Dooney Press Gift Pack of books and more fun goodies!
Ten (10) winners receive:
– A signed copy of Can You Spot the Leopard? An African Safari
Dorothy Dormouse is curled up in her nest getting ready for her winter nap. Every time she dozes off, she is awakened by a loud noise. It seems that many animals like squirrels and badgers are busy gathering and storing food. Then Dorothy learns about other animals like bats and hedgehogs who want to hibernate as she does.
The book contains attractive illustrations with lots of action words to keep the script lively and fun to read out loud. It teaches children about hibernation and empathy for animals. Recommended for young children under the age of five as a wonderful bedtime story or read-aloud book.
SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG FOR NEW BOOK REVIEWS EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.
Publisher: West Margin Press | ISBN-13: 9781513134871
Publisher’s Book Summary: A sweet, whimsical story about the meaningfulness behind a person’s name and the power of accepting people just as they are.
Edimorwhitimormiligimmus Tug has a very special name that is all his own. But his teacher thinks it’s too long and hard to say. One day she shortens it to. . . Ed.
But he loves his name just the way it is. So he comes up with a plan—if he can teach everyone his name, maybe they’ll love it too!
Sweet and whimsical, My Name Is Not Ed Tug empowers readers to own their identities and proudly celebrate who they are.
Amy Nielander is a designer and award-winning children’s book author and illustrator who loves to create playful stories for kids. Growing up, she had her name frequently misspelled by others. My Name Is Not Ed Tug is inspired by this experience and by her time volunteering in her children’s classrooms. Amy lives near Detroit, Michigan.
Little Ed is so proud of his name. He is named after a grandfather, grandmother, great uncle, and aunt. Each of these family members passed down a particular skill.
Ed’s long name frustrates his teacher, Ms. Mell. She suggests he shorten it to Ed. That bothers Ed because he is proud of each part of his heritage. When a new student enters the class, he takes advantage of the opportunity to explain why every part of his name is important. Can Ed find a way to convince his classmates how important a name might be, even if unusually long. Names are part of a family’s history and the contributions made by those who bear them in the wider community. Being unique is a good thing, right?
I love the way the author included drawings of each member of the class which allows the reader to see the distinctive features of each student. This multicultural picture book encourages children to view themselves as a unique member and valued contributor to family, community, and country.
A highly recommended read-aloud to discuss with children in the primary grades.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a signed copy of My Name Is Not Ed Tug, the Potato-Noodle-Feel-Better Soup recipe featured in the story, and a Name Journal!
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
– A signed copy of My Name Is Not Ed Tug
– A Potato-Noodle-Feel-Better Soup recipe (soup is featured in the story). The digital download includes an “Ingredient Checklist coloring page” for kids.
– A Name Journal: A 3.5″ x 5″ pocket-sized journal with 32 blank pages (100% recycled paper).
Phyllis Schwartz is a married mother of two, who, after a highly successful career in the TV news business, finally has the luxury to indulge in and focus on her “civilian” writing. Even as a kid, she kept a diary and wrote little stories and poems, a creative release that continued well into adulthood. She wrote news by day and poetry by night. And despite battling three different types of cancer over more than three decades, she is still filled with energy, joy, and optimism, and she looks forward to writing more poetry and children’s books.
Her writing centers on the beauty she finds daily: Her friends, husband, and two children, as well as her garden and her beautiful beach town residence in dreamy Encinitas, provide continued inspiration for her verse.
A family pulls together to help their mother when she is sick with cancer. They make funny videos, bake cookies, color get-well cards, entertain her and do all they can to cheer her up.
The beautiful, colorful, multicultural illustrations and funny rhymes keep elementary grade children entertained while discussing a serious subject. Young readers learn lessons about compassion, love, empathy, and family resilience while working through a difficult situation.
I would highly recommend this book to parents and teachers, especially those undergoing a family illness as a model of strength and resilience to teach children strategies for dealing with the stress of a family crisis.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a copy of When Mom Feels Great, The We Do Too! and a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card!
An action adventure that is full of quirky characters, imagination, twists, and turns.
Eleven-year-old Bobby loves chocolate and will eat it until he gets sick. He has a pesky sister and a rather ordinary family.
Bog is the school bully who torments everyone. Bobby dreams of revenge. His plans go awry when Bog banishes Bobby to the sewer. Here the readers meet all sorts of disgusting creatures.
The book is illustrated with color images that correspond with the humor and fantastic wordplays. That makes the book appealing to reluctant readers. Unpredictable twists and turns keep the plot moving along quickly. This book should appeal to boys and girls whether beginning or middle-grade readers.
SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG FOR NEW BOOK REVIEWS EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.
An adorable, little counting book for toddlers and preschoolers. The illustrations are vibrant and fun; the text is easily read aloud.
The author uses sandpipers as her subject. Beach scenes feature counting from one to ten. The bonus features include a song to sing and interactive identification of other sea creatures for the young reader to search out and identify.
Highly recommended and fun for both children and adults.
SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG FOR NEW BOOK REVIEWS EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.
I Escaped the World’s Deadliest Shark Attack: The USS Indianapolis Disaster: WW2
Written by Scott Peters and Ellie Crowe
A powerful story of a historical adventure narrated through the eyes of a sixteen-year-old survivor. Josh enlisted with forged papers to avenge the death of his father at Pearl Harbor. He is straight out of boot camp serving on the USS Indianapolis when the battleship is struck by a Japanese torpedo. He struggles to escape the burning ship, but that is just the beginning of his troubles. No help is in sight; sharks infest the waters, and the survivors begin to turn against each other.
This book is a powerful story filled with raw emotions, adventure, and history. The authors provide readers with an action-packed tale filled with interesting facts about sharks and military history. It contains actual photographs, maps, and hand-drawn illustrations.
The book is little more than one hundred pages. Reluctant readers can easily navigate the short chapters with graphics. Targeted for middle grades but just as appealing to young adult and adult audiences.
SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG TO GET NEW BOOK REVIEWS EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.
Publisher: Beach Lane Books | ISBN-13: 9781534451056
About the Book: Discover the true story of how a shy miner’s daughter became one of the most legendary costume designers in Hollywood in this inspiring nonfiction picture book biography.
As a child in the small mining town of Searchlight, Nevada, Edith Head had few friends and spent most of her time dressing up her toys and pets and even wild animals using fabric scraps. She always knew she wanted to move somewhere full of people and excitement. She set her sights on Hollywood and talked her way into a job sketching costumes for a movie studio.
Did she know how to draw or sew costumes? No. But that didn’t stop her!
Edith taught herself and tirelessly worked her way up until she was dressing some of the biggest stars of the day, from Audrey Hepburn to Grace Kelly to Ginger Rogers. She became the first woman to head a major Hollywood movie studio costume department and went on to win eight Academy Awards for best costume design—and she defined the style of an era.
Jeanne Walker Harvey studied literature and psychology at Stanford University and has worn many job hats, ranging from being a roller coaster ride operator to an attorney, a middle school language arts teacher, and a long-time docent for school groups at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She is the author of several books for young readers, including the picture book biographies Dressing up the Stars: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head,Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas, and Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines. Jeanne lives in Northern California.
Diana Toledano is an illustrator, writer, and educator. She is also a Pisces who loves children’s books, patterns, and dancing her heart out. Originally from Spain, Diana (pronounced the Spanish way: dee-ah-na) grew up in Madrid where she studied art history and illustration. Now she lives in San Francisco with her husband and two fluffy cats. Her mixed media art seeks to capture the magic of the ordinary. Diana’s product designs, picture books, board books, and chapter books have been published and sold all over the world. Diana also teaches workshops for kids and adults. She enjoys doing school visits and speaking at conferences.
This is a beautifully illustrated picture book that relates the biography of Edith Head, the famous Hollywood costume designer.
Edith seemed an unlikely candidate for such a career. She grew up in isolated mining towns in the desert; her father worked as a mining engineer. Edith grew up with few friends, so she dressed up pets and invented make-believe friends with scraps of fabric. When she moved to Searchlight, Nevada, Edith created costumes for her two girlfriends.
Life changed when her mother sent her to high school in Los Angeles. There she fell in love with the movies. After attending college, she got a job drawing costumes. At first, she failed, but Edith worked hard until she became an Academy Award winning costume designer.
Edith provides a strong female role model for young girls everywhere, proving to them that through arduous work, determination, and perseverance, anyone can achieve a dream.
I would highly recommend this gorgeous picture book for primary grade readers, especially those interested in fashion design and the movies.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a set of five copies of Dressing Up the Stars: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head!
Five (5) winners receive:
A set of five copies of Dressing Up the Stars: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head
Written by Elizabeth Jenner, Kate Wilson, and Nia Roberts
Illustrated by Alex Scheffler
This book is available in kindle, audio, and paperback editions. It is laid out in a question-and-answer graphic novel format.
The characters ask questions about the origin, symptoms, spread, treatments, preventions, vaccines, and social-emotional issues. There is an effort to include examples of diversity and disabilities so that all types of children are included. It provides a great deal of information without advocating a specific approach.
I do think that the print size in the kindle edition could be made much larger. It is rather difficult to read. A larger easy-to-read font would be friendlier to those with visual problems.
SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEW BOOK REVIEWS EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.
October 30, 2022
bamauthor
Comments Off on THE LIFE CYCLE OF A FRIEND
Barbara Ann Mojica's BLOG 
You must be logged in to post a comment.