I got completely absorbed in this middle-grade adventure. At the outset, readers meet Lucy who is arguing with her brother Tom. Readers feel at home in an average American family. When Lucy’s teacher introduces the topic of oceans, Lucy decides she is all-in on pursuing an adventure to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a boat without engines or sails.
Her determination and persistence convince her family, friends, and teacher to support Lucy in her adventure. She solicits sponsors, learns about navigation, secures supplies, accesses communication equipment, and prepares for the big day.
Readers share the elation of stars, sunsets, and serenity of the seas. They also experience its dangers at every turn. For forty-five days, they read her diary and the writings of her classmates at home.
I love the lessons of sea-faring knowledge, and the strong character displayed by the protagonist. This book is a page-turner and an enjoyable read for the target audience of ages seven through twelve, but I promise a rewardable experience for any age reader.
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Have You Seen My Sock? A Fun Seek-and-Find Rhyming Children’s Book for Ages 3-7.
Written by Barbara B. Thompson
Illustrated by Remesh Ram
I loved this rhyming picture book for toddlers and preschoolers. A little boy becomes increasingly frustrated when he cannot find his favorite dinosaur sock. The repetitive lines encourage vocabulary retention and early reading skills. Bright illustrations draw children into the story. It teaches them the necessity of patience and the ability to be patient as they learn to logically follow a sequence of steps to solve a problem. This book encourages interactivity and helps parents and teachers to guide their young charges to follow through and remain on task.
I highly recommend it for a home or classroom bookshelf.
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A beautiful rhyming picture book written for Christian children and their families.
What child does not love the mythical unicorn creature? Aden is introduced as a young yearling with spirit. He has a tender heart filled with compassion and kindness for others and never seems to put himself first.
One day Aden is gifted with a magical power. He is transformed into a unicorn. Rather than becoming impressed with this gift, Aden continues to be kind and unselfish. His love for others is soon tested. Will Aden ever fit in? Does he really want to be like all the others.
This book teaches children lessons from the Bible as well as strong character values.
I received a copy of this book from the author and voluntarily chose to read and review it with my honest opinions with no compensation.
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I was elated to receive book five in this author’s stunning picture book series about groundhogs, chipmunks, and squirrels. In this edition, adorable Fiston reveals the secrets of life as a chipmunk.
I love watching these adorable creatures prance around my backyard in the northeastern U.S. Snellings taught me how they eat, move, hibernate, raise their young, and protect themselves.
It is fascinating that these creatures can weigh only two to four ounces yet manage to collect as many as 165 acorns a day when preparing for hibernation! As a history buff, I was delighted to learn about the Iroquois myth connected to them and the analogy of their coloring to the uniforms of the Swiss Guards at the Vatican. The photography is spectacular. Children can visually understand and relate to the fascinating facts that Fiston reveals to his new friends.
I highly recommend adding this beautiful book both to a home or classroom library as a gem of knowledge and a beautiful piece of photography.
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Born in a Treacherous Time (Dawn of Humanity Book 1)
Written by Jacqui Murray
I read Jean Auel’s series and as other reviewers have mentioned, this series has a similar flavor.
The reader meets Lucy, a Homo Habilis creature, living in Africa 1.8 million years ago. She struggles each day to live to the next one. The author introduces a slew of characters. At the beginning of the book, it is difficult to sort them out, but they add depth to a plot that includes descriptions of ancient peoples struggles to communicate, to hunt and be hunted, and compete with an environment they did not know how to control.
This book is, of course, historical fiction. The amount of historical evidence is scant and much is left to our imagination. In my opinion, Murray does an excellent job of fitting the pieces together while adding compassion and empathy to soften the rough edges.
Recommended for readers ages ten and older who enjoy historical fiction, especially in the prehistory genre.
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Publisher’s Book Summary: Meet Toby: a young monster who has skin like a fish, fur like a dog, and smells like cotton candy when he gets excited. He lives with his family in the basement of Marymount Mansion and once a year ventures out into the real world when everyone is dressed for Halloween. Toby becomes frustrated with hiding below ground and sets off on an all-important quest.
Gregory G. Allen is an award-winning author, screenwriter, filmmaker, and actor. His children’s books include Chicken Boy: The Adventures of a Superhero with Autism, Chicken Boy Deals with Doctors & Dentists, and Irving the Theater Nut! He is a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and The Dramatist Guild. The idea for his monster book goes back to the first musical he ever wrote, which was produced for the stage when he was 15, with the message that it’s okay to be different.
Shelby Goodwin is an illustrator, letterer, graphic designer, and all-around creative living in Hoboken, NJ. She is extremely passionate about children’s media and the power of art to romanticize the everyday. When she is not making things, she can be found with her spouse and three cats exploring new places, eating pastries, or cuddling up in her favorite reading chair.
Enter for the chance to win a signed paperback copy of The Monsters of Marymount Mansion, a signed paperback copy of each of the author’s previous picture books** (Chicken Boy: The Amazing Adventures of a Superhero with Autism, Chicken Boy: A Superhero with Autism Deals with Doctors & Dentists, and Irving the Theater Nut!), and a $50 Amazon gift card to buy other books! **All books teach children not to fear those who are different and to be proud of themselves FOR those differences.
One (1) grand prize winner receives:
– A signed paperback copy of The Monsters of Marymount Mansion
– A signed paperback copy of Chicken Boy: The Amazing Adventures of a Superhero with Autism
– A signed paperback copy of Chicken Boy: A Superhero Deals with Doctors and Dentists
– A signed paperback copy of Irving the Theater Nut
– A $50 Amazon Gift Card
Four (4) winners receive:
– A signed paperback copy of The Monsters of Marymount Mansion
Celeste lives in an old mansion that has belonged to her family for years. She hides a secret. There are monsters living inside that no one else knows about. Toby is an eight-year-old who lives there with his younger sister and parents.
Most of the time it’s boring because he must hide whenever anyone visits the house. But this year Toby is excited because Halloween is coming an he is old enough to disguise himself among human trick or treaters on Halloween and venture outside the house.
This book contains adorable black and white illustrations that will captivate beginning readers. (as well as adults) Allen knows how to move the story along for beginning chapter readers. I appreciate the message that monsters (like humans) are unique and special. Children learn to appreciate our differences produce our strengths. Certainly, it’s what inside that counts.
As a parent and retired educator, I would recommend the book as a read aloud discussion for homeschool or classroom. Warning! Adults will enjoy this one as much as the kids.
Don’t wander off is the lesson young children receive from this picture book. The protagonist is an adorable puppy named Rosie. Curiosity gets the best of her as she races after a butterfly in the park. Before long, Rosie is lost. Jo, her owner, frantically searches for Rosie. Will Jo find her?
The illustrations are large and created with soft pastels. While this book is targeted for children as young as four, the sentences are rather long and some of the vocabulary is difficult. It will require explanation from an adult reader.
Parents and teachers may want to utilize the book to teach important safety lessons.
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A children’s picture book with a purpose. This book teaches children about one of our most valuable community helpers, firefighters. At the same time, young readers are introduced to a lovable bunch of toys who are looking for someone special to love them.
These toys have been hidden away in a box stored in the firehouse until a firefighter accidentally finds one of them. Read the story to find how how two little girls learn a lesson that pulls the community together and spreads that message of love and empathy to all it touches.
This book is appropriate for all elementary age readers and a suggested addition for a classroom lesson on community helpers.
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Publisher: Pages Street Kids | ISBN-13: 9781645679936
Publisher’s Book Summary: It’s just after midnight on Walton Wharf West, but there’s no time for sleeping―adventure awaits! Get dressed, grab your oars, let’s not delay. Lou Dozens is here, and we’re sailing to Firelight Bay!
In this modern, young, bold, and inventive adventure, Lou drags her more cautious friend on a daring voyage across the sea. Though their destination is a glorious land of year-round summers, long slides, and picnics a hundred yards wide, the children there have never seen rain, even once.
The mission is simple: bring Firelight Bay a cloud in a jar. But the journey is anything but. Readers will delight in the story’s twists, turns, and unexpected solutions―from a sail of patchwork handkerchiefs to a net crafted from recycled cell phone chargers that saves a beached whale. It’ll take every knick-knack in Lou’s pockets and all the cleverness the pair can muster to safely deliver their gift.
With captivating illustrations and whimsical yet delightfully intricate rhyming text reminiscent of classic children’s poetry, this seafaring quest is one young readers will not soon forget.
Aaron Lewis Krol lives with his family in Lowell, Massachusetts, where he writes about climate change science and solutions for the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative. Like many, his early education included many “invention challenges” where students were tasked with building structures from everyday materials, and he’s pretty sure that’s where the idea for Lou Dozens came from. A Cloud in a Jar is his first picture book.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Carlos Vélez Aguilera lived in the oceanside town of Puerto Vallarta for a time and drew from his memory of those beautiful landscapes and the sense of adventure they gave him while illustrating this book. He also poured in his general love of clouds, the sea, and whales. In addition to drawing, Carlos also likes to dance. He lives in Mexico City, Mexico, with his cat, Benito.
Tuesday, October 31, 2023Q&A with Deborah KalbAuthor Interview with Aaron Lewis Kroll
UP, UP, AND AWAY!
MY REVIEW OF THIS BOOK
A Cloud in a Jar
Written by Aaron Lewis Krol
Illustrated by Carlos Vélez Aguilera
Lou decides to bring her best friend on an adventure. She knocks on her friend’s window in Walton Wharf West to urge her to get up from her bed to sail away to Firelight Bay in her rowboat.
Their mission is to reach Firelight Bay where the residents enjoy endless summers and picnics all day long. Sounds wonderful, but one thing is missing. It never rains. The children can never dance in the rain or stomp in puddles. Lou decides to solve that problem by importing rain with a cloud she has trapped in a jar.
The journey seems doomed from the start as they face one mishap after another, but Lou has tricks up her sleeve. A beautiful sea creature appears when their boat breaks apart. Will the girlfriends reach safety? Can they achieve their mission?
Aquilera does a masterful job of creating bold, expressive illustrations that match the different moods of Krol’s poetic adventure. While the fantasy adventure book targets children ages four through eight, the advanced vocabulary might be more suitable as an independent read for middle grade readers.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for the chance to win a hardcover copy of A Cloud in a Jar!
This picture book features a comic book format. For fans of mermaids, sea creatures, and jokes, the first grade reading level makes it a good fit for a beginning reader. There is a bit of potty humor though it is not the focus of the jokes. Eel presents some puns and jokes about mermaids and later gets into a debate with a shrimp who has a much more serious demeanor.
The illustrations are colorful and engaging. I would suggest this short book as a good choice for children who are reluctant readers or comic book lovers.
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November 22, 2023
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