Maya and Filippo Show Hawaii

Written by Alina Rutkowski

Maya and Filippo live with their parents on a cruise ship named Fun Princess. The author provides clues for their next destination and invites young readers to guess. She describes the islands of Hawaii and talks about the language, customs, and culture. As the children arrive at Waikiki beach, readers learn about the ukulele, the flower lei, the hula dance, and the meaning of the word aloha. It does not simply mean hello and goodbye but describes the philosophy and way of living in Hawaii. The family spends a day at the beach before heading back to their cabin on the ship. Before ending their day, the children will have the opportunity to attend classes onboard to learn more about the hula dance and play the ukulele.

This book is colorfully illustrated in a cartoon-like format. Young would-be travelers will enjoy taking an armchair vacation with Maya and Filippo. I would especially recommend this book for children ages three through six.

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E is for Ethics: How to Talk to Kids About What Matters Most

Written by Ian James Corlett

Illustrated by R.A. Holt

The author is a Children’s TV writer and animator by trade. Distressed by the fact that schools no longer include ethics and civics teaching in their curriculum, he decided that he and his wife must assume that responsibility. Many years ago when his children were young, he and his wife decided to set one night a week as a family discussion time. Corlett developed a series of twenty-six stories that exemplified different aspects of moral behavior. Following each story, the children engaged in interactive questions for discussion as well as suggested activities.

The following is a list of the topics discussed in these stories: honesty, understanding, forgiveness, courage, perseverance, tact, politeness, loyalty, gratitude, truthfulness, sincerity, integrity, citizenship, responsibility, kindness, generosity, helpfulness, empathy, charity, trust, willingness, respect, fairness, acceptance, patience, and effort. There are simple colorful illustrations of a young child like the character of Lucy or Eliot featured in each story. A few famous quotations are sprinkled throughout.

This book provides a wonderful opportunity for parents to spend time getting to know what their children are thinking as well as fulfilling a necessary parental responsibility to guide and form a child’s character and values. Recommended for all ages in the family to enjoy and share.

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MEOW SAID THE COW

WRITTEN BY SARAH MAZOR

ILLUSTRATED BY ABIRA DAS

This is the second book in the Auntie Lily bedtime silly story collection. I liked it even more than the first. The lead character is a silly cow who tries to imitate other animals like a cat, hen, donkey, cheetah, monkey, snake and frog, to name just a few. In the process, children learn the characteristics of many animals. Rhymes are crisp and sharp, and the alliteration allows the sounds to roll off the tongue when reading aloud. Adults will enjoy this one as much as the children who are listening.

Illustrations are vivid and expressive, allowing even the youngest child to clearly get the message. This book is a perfect choice for an older sibling reading to a younger brother or sister. Perhaps my favorite part is the riddle section at the end that asks the child to answer ten riddles. After reading the book a few times, many readers will be able to create their own riddles. This series is a clever, creative, interactive approach to learning. Highly recommended as a bedtime story or read aloud for toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary school age children.

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Barbara Ann Mojica ANNOUNCES THE NINTH BOOK IN THE AWARD-WINNING CHILDREN’S BOOK SERIES…

Little Miss HISTORY Travels to The NORTH POLE

Ever feel like you’re standing on thin ice?  Here at the northernmost point on Earth, no land lies below. Are there seasons? Who lives here?   What does Santa look like and where does he live? Uncover the answers in Little Miss HISTORY Travels to The NORTH POLE, the newest release in the award-winning children’s nonfiction book series.

Barbara Ann Mojica is a historian and retired educator. She writes historical articles for the Columbia Insider under the banner “Passages.” Barbara is a licensed New York State educator with forty years’ experience in Elementary Education, Special Education, and School Administration. Using the whimsical Little Miss History character, Barbara hopes to inspire children to learn about historical people and places. Little Miss History’s antics make reading nonfiction a fun-filled adventure for all ages.

Book Series Awards include International Reader’s Favorite Awards, International Book Excellence Awards, Independent Author Network Awards, Eric Hoffer Award, Global e-book award, CLIPPA Principal’s Award, and B.R.A.G. Medallions to name a few.

For more information, resources, school visits, book signings, and book reviews of family-friendly books, visit me at:

Website:           http://www.littlemisshistory.com

AMAZON:        http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-Ann-Mojica

The Adventures of Joy Sun Bear: The Blue Amber of Sumatra

Written by Blanca Carranza and John Lee

This is the first book in a series of adventures featuring a bear named Joy. Set in the tropical rainforest of Sumatra, readers are rapidly propelled into a nonstop fantasy adventure. Joy will learn a lot about himself and teach his readers about courage, bravery, and standing up for themselves and others. Joy meets an assortment of magical characters, an exotic bird, a magical frog, orangutans, and a trickster fox to name a few.

Joy teaches readers the importance of family relationships, stewardship of Mother Earth, and respect for creatures of other cultures. Readers are exposed to the good and bad of humans as well as the inner struggles faced within oneself. The color illustrations move the story along for younger readers and help to illuminate the hidden storylines. The chapter book runs close to two hundred pages so it might be a challenge for beginning readers who might want to approach it in several phases; it would make an excellent teacher read aloud book to discuss in the classroom. Recommended audience is for ages six through ten, though I would classify it more as a middle-grade selection. I am looking forward to reading the next tale and following Joy’s growth journey.

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LIAM AND THE GRUMP

Written by Graham-Austin King

Illustrated by Sarah Heseltine

Liam is a young boy who has trouble controlling his temper. His father tells him to reach into his mouth, pull it out and throw it away. Liam attempts to do just that, but his temper comes alive and keeps growing every time Liam loses control. As the story continues, temper incidents escalate. Liam’s mother offers her son a different solution. She advises him to count to ten when he feels like he is losing control.

The illustrations are bright and expressive, perhaps a bit too scary for younger children. The author tries to approach the subject with humor, but some parents may think the message comes on too strong. While the book is targeted for a four to an eight-year-old audience, I would recommend it for the upper age range of that audience or advise parents of younger children to read the story with guidance.

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Fairies and Elves: Folktales from around the world (Bedtime stories, Fairy Tales for Kids ages 6-12)

Written by Teya Evans

This folktale collection consists of ten stories from around the world. They do not fit the mold of commonly repeated tales. Rather than centering on one part of the world, the author covers the globe and the continents. Featured tales originate in Iceland, South Africa, the United States, Japan, Brazil, Iran, Benin, and Wales. A human character interacts with magical spirits in each of the tales.

These nuggets of cultural traditions were passed down from generation to generation. They teach readers lessons about themselves, our relationships with the world around us, and how to honor and respect all forms of life both large and small. The advice to be truthful and to keep your promises is embedded throughout the stories.

The print is large and comfortable for young readers, although the passive voice is used frequently. I believe the stories might be even more interesting if a few illustrations were included. These are the reasons for my rating of three and a half stars. Recommended for readers in elementary and middle school.

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The Ghostly Night

Written by Jeanette W. Stickel

This book is a clever ghost tale written by a speech pathologist to introduce the letter g. Kristy cannot sleep. She fears there is a ghost in the room. Kristy sees the full moon casting shadows, the wind blowing the curtains, hears the branches scraping against the window, and an owl hooting. Her mother keeps peeking in to reassure her, but Kristy, despite her mother’s reassurances, remains fearful. Finally, she climbs out of bed and builds a tent with her animal friends. The last time Kristy calls her mom into the room, the tables are turned and there is a surprise ending.

Stylized and simple illustrations with simple text allow young readers to easily follow the story. Recommended for toddlers, preschoolers and primary grade children. The book doubles as a beginning reader.

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The Tyler Files #1: Smarty Pants

Written by Brian Rock

Illustrated by Joshua Dawson

Rock has created a clever chapter book that will keep readers chuckling and thinking long after they have finished reading it. Tyler is a fifth grader who experiences a unique problem. One day in school, his pants start talking to him. Tyler and his best friend, Paul, are mystified and neither can figure out how to solve the problem. As Tyler goes through his day at school, his pants’ chatter gets him in trouble at the library, in the gym, and how will he find the time to study for his math test? But his pants help him solve his problems with Rhino, the school bully, and allow him to impress Audrey, the girl he has a crush on. Will Tyler ever get his “smarty pants” to keep his mouth shut?

The author targets this book for readers in the seven to ten age range. It is a beginning chapter in the sense that the chapters are short and the font large. It also contains a few drawings done in Wimpy Kid style. The humor is infectious and appropriate to a fifth grader. I particularly enjoyed the extension activities at the end of the book. Rock asks what readers think about the characters and presents what-if scenarios to encourage further thinking about the plot. He includes fun facts and a few jokes to continue the fun.

I would recommend the book as a beginning chapter book for elementary school readers, but middle-grade students will also appreciate the quirky characters, humor, and coming of age sections of the plot.

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Jess and Wiggle (Imaginata Children’s Books Book 1)

Written and illustrated by Uvi Poznansky

Jess is a beautiful young child, but she lacks the ability to smile. She has an active imagination. One day Jess invents a friend that she calls Wiggle. Wiggle is a ribbon-like creature. Jess invokes a contest to see which of them will break down and smile first. I won’t ruin the surprise by revealing the ending.

The artwork is beautiful, soft and charming containing rhymes that are in sync. While the text font is beautiful, I did find it difficult to read at some points. There is a standard print version at the end of the tale. The targeted audience is children ages three to six, but older children will enjoy it as well.

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