If you have a child who cannot get enough trivia and likes to show off his smarts, this book might be for you. It is targeted at late elementary and early middle-school ages.
The facts cover almost any subject imaginable. Readers learn what happens to children in China who cheat on tests, how many people believe in vampires, what happens when you eat too many apple seeds, and how penguins propose to one another. The organization of the book is random with no chapters or subheadings. There are lots of illustrations that make the book appealing to reluctant readers.
Despite its limitations, it is a quick read providing snippets of knowledge with some entertainment value.
This is a different slant on the Biblical story of Samson and Delilah. In this picture book, Samson possesses exceptional strength which he uses to keep bullies at bay. Delilah is his best friend, but one-day local bullies offer her all kinds of riches and power if she could uncover the secret of his strength.
The bullies convince Delilah to sell out her best friend. Samson is strong mentally as well as physically. Will he continue to resist?
Cute illustrations and simple text make this book appealing to young children under the age of eight.
The T-Rex twins are adorable characters. The book describes the wonderful adventures they experience together.
They do have a big problem. The twins have exceptionally long arms that make them an object of ridicule. No one wants to befriend them until outsiders realize the value of their physical differences.
Readers learn that it is okay to be different and that each individual has value. Fun and vibrant illustrations combined with well-written text that pops off the page. This book can serve as a bedtime story or a classroom discussion book. I highly recommend it for children up to age eight.
Millie the Cat Has Borderline Personality Disorder
Written by Jessie Shepherd
Some reviewers have criticized the book for being too simplistic. The author uses a cat named Millie as the protagonist with a borderline personality disorder. Using simple illustrations, Millie first explains the disorder by revealing the opposite emotions it brings on.
The second part of the book is my favorite part. Millie points out certain skills may be learned to control her emotions and then provides concrete examples of how persons suffering from this disorder have significant strengths and advantages as well as weaknesses and disadvantages.
I believe this book can be a valuable tool when used in conjunction with a skilled therapist or teacher. If read independently by a child, it will need adult explanation and elaboration to ensure there are no misunderstandings.
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A fanciful picture book for young readers who are obsessed with dinosaurs. The protagonist is a dinosaur who loves to eat. One day he ventures forth to discover the perfect food.
Readers follow him through deserts, mountains, forests, swamps, and rivers. After selecting what he believed to be the perfect ingredients, our dinosaur friend returns home to cook. Something seems to be missing so he visits Dr. Ham’s food technology factory to work on the missing ingredient. Will that dinosaur succeed in finding the perfect food?
Children who love silly humor and/or dinosaur tales will enjoy this picture book. Adults who read the book to children may want to remind them that many parts of the story are not factual.
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This book lives up to its title. It is a learning guide that focuses on familiar tunes from cultures across the world. The introduction section is important to spend time learning the basics. There are clear visuals and simple text explanations. This section must be mastered to proceed to the next level.
The book can be used with very young children with parent or teacher guidance. The songs are familiar to school children and fun to play. As the student gains more confidence, she can move up to level two in the series or graduate to more difficult sheet music.
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A warm and sensitive picture book that will captivate dads, granddads, and grandchildren alike.
Oliver reminisces about the grandfather he has never met. He decides to tell his grandfather about the son he has never known. As Oliver talks about his dad, readers learn about a father’s many roles as a friend, advisor, teacher, and playmate.
The soft, pastel watercolors of the illustrations perfectly complement the tale. I highly recommend the book for families of children ages four through eight.
Adventures Into the Heart: Playful Stories About Family Love for Kids Ages 3-5 (Perfect for Early Readers)
Written and illustrated by Eric Klassen
A read-aloud or bedtime story for toddlers and preschoolers. Papa Bear attempts to explain there are no limits to his love. Written in rhymes with vivid illustrations, the book is a feast for the eyes and a joy for the heart.
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Publisher’s Synopsis: Meow is definitely not a cat. Cats lick their butts. Follow along as this wild child’s unique way of following instructions ends up going a little bananas.
Meow Is Not Cat is a completely goofy story, guaranteed to make kids laugh. With a cynical cat, wild monkeys, butt jokes, and a banana cannon, even pre-readers will love shouting out their favorite parts as you read aloud. Nestled among the laughs is a lesson about how embracing a person’s different way of interpreting the world can lead to surprisingly good results —and bananas, lots of bananas.
Kelly Tills is the creator of her own uniquely shaped family. Kindness, neurodiversity, and potty humor are her jam. She writes silly stories for kids and believes even the smallest hat-tip, in the simplest of books, can teach our kids how to approach the world. Kelly’s children’s stories are perfect to read aloud to your little humans or to have your older kids read to you (hey, let them flex those new reading skills!). Either way, you’ll enjoy the giggles.
Tills authors this book to celebrate neurodiverse children who think and respond to situations differently from most children.
The protagonist is a young boy called Meow by his teacher. Meow protests he is not a cat and does not act like one. The author adds a cat as a character who ad-libs as the story proceeds. This boy just cannot seem to fall in line. He goes off in the opposite direction. When the class participates in an outing to feed the monkeys, the situation gets out of control. Will Meow find a way to fit in with the group? More importantly, is it fair that he even tries to do so?
The book is full of hilarious illustrations and situations that will have primary-grade readers laughing. They will learn the value of empathy, kindness, and respecting the rights of others regardless of physical or mental differences.
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Publisher’s Synopsis: Freedom for lobsters! The second in the Eudora Space Kid series: a hilariously funny, early reader sci-fi chapter book perfect for elementary-aged kids. Can Eudora and her best friend, Arnold, rescue her favorite lobsters from becoming the next meal at the spaceship’s New Year’s buffet?
Eudora is a normal third-grader who just happens to live on a 36 deck AstroLiner. In SPACE! As a math and science whiz who’s been adopted by what you might call . . . aliens, she has normal ambitions—like being the chief engineer on an AstroLiner. But when her favorite lobsters on board appear on the menu at Chef Franklin’s dinner buffet, Eudora and her best friend, Arnold, hatch a plan to break them out. Will they save their crustacean friends? Or will they end up locked in the ship’s brig? Again . . .
Brilliant for engaging emergent and early chapter book readers.
David Horn lives in New Jersey with his wife, two daughters, and a funny dog named Trixie. He is a huge science fiction fan and loves reading science fiction books from both the old and new greats. His daughters inherited his love of science fiction and love watching sci-fi shows like Star Trek, Babylon 5, Stargate, and Star Wars. The Eudora Space Kid early reader chapter book series started as funny stories he told his daughters at dinner to get milk to come out of their noses. He hopes your children love Eudora’s silly antics in space too and milk comes out of their noses too!
Eudora Jenkins is a third-grader who lives on a spaceship in the future. She is a math, science, and engineering genius. Her home, The Athena, is a space vessel protecting the Planetary Republic. Its crew consists of humans and space aliens.
This book is the second in the series but can easily be a stand-alone story. Readers quickly learn that Athena and her best friend, Arnold have a penchant for getting into trouble for their pranks and landing in the brig. At the beginning of the tale, they inject dancing music while the crew is engaged in a battle drill on the bridge. More trouble looms when they decide to rescue the lobsters doomed to be on the menu for a special buffet dinner. Eudora never runs out of clever ideas that get her into trouble. Will Eudora succeed? How long will the adults tolerate her schemes?
This sci-fi series contains humor, imagination, pranks, and clever characters. Perfect choice for elementary grade students learning to read chapter books. The black and white illustrations assist with attention retention and are enticing for reluctant readers. A bonus word search activity at the end continues the fun.
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