Oliver and the Twisting Tornado (Navigating Natural Disasters Book 2)
Written by Chrissy Hobbs and Ben Jackson
Illustrated by Tanya Zeinalova
This book is part of the Navigating Disasters series for children. The text is written in clear language to prepare children who live in areas that are prone to tornadoes. Without being scary, it clearly defines the steps that are necessary to plan ahead and then the actions necessary to keep safe.
Oliver and Emma live on a farm. They learn what to do. Although the children are apprehensive, their parents have prepared their farm and storm shelter. Readers are provided with a checklist and a certificate to prove that they have carefully read the story and know how to prepare their families and communities to do the same.
I highly recommend the book for parents and teachers who live in communities that may be susceptible to tornadoes as an excellent resource guide.
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The Adventures of Pookie: Home is Where the Heart is
Written and Illustrated by Rebecca Yee
A story about animal adoption from the point of view of the dog being adopted.
Children meet Pookie, who is excited to meet her new owner. Readers follow her journey as she explores her new surroundings and the loving care of Pookie’s new human family.
The illustrations are simple yet expressive and evocative of the appropriate emotions. I would recommend this book to young children who want to adopt, and as a teaching tool to explain the shelter adoption system.
This book is recommended for toddlers, preschoolers, and primary-grade readers.
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Franklin The Firefly: The Glow Within (A young, un-glowing firefly finds out that anything is possible when you believe in yourself)
Written and Illustrated by Thomas J. Penisten
Franklin is a firefly lovingly raised by his family. He tries to be kind to his fellow community. As Franklin matures, he realizes that his light is not as bright as the others. While his family reassures Franklin, his peers begin to tease him. Soon, Franklin feels ostracized and seeks the company of less desirable friends.
One day, Franklin learns that his former firefly community is in trouble. They are in danger. Franklin makes a decision that will change his life and the fate of many others.
This clever picture book is written in catchy rhymes with vocabulary that challenges and enriches the reader. It is suitable for a kindergarten through sixth-grade audience.
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This adulting thing can be hard, very hard. That’s true whether you’re raising a family or just yourself. In some cases, we were warned by our parents. For the most part, though, becoming an adult looked amazing, with little to no downside.
As a child, you saw your parents doing what you thought was whatever they liked. Little did you know that their efforts were driven by a desire for you to have the best possible life. While that was the case, all you saw were people who got to stay up late and make the rules.
Wouldn’t that be awesome when you were finally able to do it? It’s something you begin to look forward to … growing up.
Your parents and other grown-ups jumped into their cars whenever they wanted and drove anywhere. They could go shopping or to a restaurant. They always had money to buy things. You never had money and certainly weren’t able to drive a car.
That desire for adult-like independence was the reason you couldn’t wait to learn to ride a bicycle. You felt like a grown-up because you had a sense of being able to get up and go and explore. You could jump on your bike and take off! The end of the block, or “just down the road,” felt like it was a million miles away. This was, to you, your first taste of grown-up freedom.
Fast-forward a few years, and you’re leaving high school. You’ve heard as long as you remember that you can become whatever you want to become. You can’t wait to officially enter adulthood. It’s going to be so sweet! Then you get out on your own at 18 or 20, or 25 years of age. What are all these responsibilities? There’s so much to do. Where is all the freedom and independence you thought your parents had when you were a kid? Why is life so tough?
Then the truth of the situation hits you. This grown-up thing isn’t very fun, and being a kid definitely was.
Ask any grown-up if they have enough leisure time, and they’ll look at you like you’re speaking a language from another planet. Of course, they don’t have enough time to do what they want? Why ask such a crazy question?
There’s never enough time for fun and playful activities. Only the independently wealthy can truly enjoy their lives, spending as much time as possible doing what they want rather than what they have to do.
That’s the number one reason grown-ups will give you if you ask why they don’t spend more time on enjoyable activities. They’ll tell you their job, family responsibilities, social commitments, and other “have to do” activities keep them from having any downtime. They have to be serious 24/7. There simply isn’t any time for humor and fun, and play.
Then there’s the fact that adults constantly worry.
Kids don’t. A child just does what he does for the sake of doing it. He’s not too concerned about consequences. He chases a butterfly or goes out of his way to splash in a rain puddle just because. It’s fun. So he does it.
The Top 10 Fears That Hold Adults Back
What is it that adults worry about most of the time? According to Inc. Magazine, in a blog post titled “The Top 10 Fears That Hold People Back in Life, According to a Psychotherapist”, here’s what your adult mind is stressing over most of the time. (They are listed in no particular order.)
Change (Good or Bad)
Being Lonely
Failing
Being Rejected
Uncertainty
The Results Are Going to Be Bad
Being Hurt
Judgment
Feelings of Inadequacy
A Loss of Freedom
As an adult, you need to understand that change is inevitable. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes bad, but it is guaranteed to happen. Many changes are out of your control. Instead of worrying and fretting over change coming into your life and wreaking havoc, accept that it will appear and stop stressing about it.
If you worry about being lonely, guess what’s going to happen? We often create self-fulfilling prophecies. This means that concerning yourself with loneliness can lead to that reality. The fear of loneliness can also keep you in less than healthy relationships rather than going it alone.
Look, everyone hates failing. Sometimes we adults would rather simply not try because we’re scared of what will happen if we fail. This mindset will always fill you with stress and anxiety, which means less fun and happiness in your life.
Adults are constantly worried about being rejected in relationships and on the job. They don’t attempt new things or reach out to connect with others because they’re uncertain about what’s going to happen. The result could be bad.
Adults fear getting their feelings hurt, especially by loved ones. If they reach out to others for a little fun or just less seriousness, what if they’re judged poorly? They might feel inadequate to those around them.
Finally, adults are often fearful of a loss of freedom. Be careful that this doesn’t lead you into a bad situation. Someone who embraces freedom may avoid getting a steady job, which can lead to financial issues.
If these and other grown-up worries are constantly rolling around in your head, force yourself to take a break. Call your friends for a night out on the town. Take a walk, cycle with your BFF, or watch a funny movie.
Play, laugh, and smile like a child again. Enjoying the present moment without expectations can help remove yourself from these bothersome adult worries that can cause physical and mental stress.
You Probably Have More Free Time Than You Think You Do
By the way, the common excuse that adults don’t have much free time for playing around and goofing off might not be correct. Consider this.
NBC News reported in September of 2021 that the “… sweet spot for free time is about 3 or 3.5 hours per day.”
Life satisfaction was at its highest when people “had in the neighborhood of 2.5 hours of free time a day.”
[American Psychology Association – Having Too Little or Too Much Time Is Linked to Lower Subjective Well-Being – Sharif, Mogilner, Hershfield]
Adults will tell you they don’t have anywhere near that amount of free time. They might agree that they would have a much better life if they could enjoy their hobbies or other playful activities for a few hours each day. As it turns out, most adult Americans have more free time than they think they do (or will admit to having).
As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), research from doctors Roland Sturm, Ph.D., and Deborah A Cohen, MD, reveals that you might have more leisure time than you realize. Here’s one big takeaway from that study.
“Americans averaged more than 5 hours of free time per day; no subgroup reported having less than 4.5 hours of free time per day.”
[Sturm R, Cohen, DA – Free Time and Physical Activity among Americans 15 Years or Older: Cross-Sectional Analysis of the American Time Use Survey]
No subset of the data had less than 4.5 hours of free time each day. This means people in their late teen years and twenties, thirties and forties, fifties, sixties, seventies, and older all had a minimum of 4.5 hours of leisure time.
CONCLUSION
Take an honest look at your life. How many 10 or 15 or 20-minute blocks of free time do you have? You don’t have to have fun in large doses. You can fill those small sections of your day with playtime and laughter rather than worry and stress.
We know that engaging in fun and enjoyable activities just for the sake of the activity itself, not for a specific result or achievement, is a great stress reliever. It can also put your life in perspective and help you learn not to take life too seriously all of the time.
It means that adults, including you, probably have a good bit of time to stop and smell the roses.
Prioritize play in your life. You never know when your number will be called, so why not have some fun? You know how good you feel when you laugh and smile. Schedule time for those activities that put a smile on your face. Hang out with that friend that makes you laugh.
Go out of your way to schedule more play and less seriousness. You can live a happier, healthier, and longer life. You can also find a lot more appreciation of your life, yourself, and the people in it.
Here’s to you smiling and laughing more and stressing out less.
The Fish and his Puffy Temper – A Marine Life Story Book for Kids (Waves and Tales 3)
Written by Barbara Pinke
Illustrated by Alvin Adhi
Puffy is a fish who has difficulty containing his anger. He desperately wants to make friends and play but his anger keeps getting in the way.
Puffy meets a seahorse who wants to help but over and over Puffy fails to control his temper. Then he meets a crab and shark who also teach him techniques. Finally his mother gives Puffy something to remind him of the three ways he has to squash his anger. Can Puffy succeed in his quest to stop his anger and make friends?
This book provides three practical and simple techniques to control temper. Even preschoolers can learn them. The book is recommended to parents, teachers, and counselors for children ages three through seven.
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The story begins with dark images of Salma, trapped under the rubble. Just a moment before, she was with her family. Now she is calling out for them.
Finally, she hears her brother’s voice. Then she meets a bird who asks where are her wings. Salma is confused. She wants to join her family, but apparently, this is not her time.
The author paints a picture of everyday life for children who live in war-torn areas. The illustrations carry the message perfectly.
This book will encourage discussion of the topic among children and their adult caretakers. Appropriate for older children and teens. Not recommended for primary grade readers but highly suggested for teachers and parents who want to discuss difficult topics with older children.
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A charming picture book that focuses on two children who accidentally meet. They are both new to the neighborhood. Although a bit apprehensive about their new surroundings, the girl and boy named Jazzy and Kettle decide to leave the confines of the yard and explore the area behind them.
They discover animals, plants, and springtime. Jazzy is braver and she gets herself in a bit of trouble. That leads to Kettle using his problem-solving skills and acting beyond his comfort zone. This multicultural book is appropriate for children ages three and older. It will be useful for children who have recently moved or who may be hesitant about making new friendships.
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Max’s Big Adventure: Traveling with Food Allergies
Written by Sally Huss and Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino
HUSS AND HAMILTON-GUARINO have addressed an important subject that affects the everyday lives of millions of children. Kudos to both authors for providing a teaching tool to entertain and educate kids about allergies and actionable resource links to guide their parents.
I love the way Max takes charge of his health and speaks intelligently and confidently to both adults and children about his problem. The list of resources is valuable to parents, grandparents, and teachers who need to get the most update information on food allergies.
Recommended highly to the growing number of families who face this problem.
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The Hedgehog Who Painted the Weather: A Heartwarming Tale of Magic, Friendship, and Nature
Written by Ingo Blum
Illustrated by Olha Taran
An adorable picture book about weather and the seasons that also teaches children the value of teamwork, problem-solving, friendship, and caring for nature.
Tom, a hedgehog, loves to paint. One day he finds several blank canvases and decides to paint them. Tom paints scenes of the weather and different seasons. He rotates hanging them on his wall. Then something strange happens. It seems that when hung, these pictures actually control the weather. Tom consults with his friends, Rudolph the squirrel and Michael, the Swallow. Together, the three friends come up with a solution to the problem.
This book includes charming characters with appealing illustrations that teach children about weather, friendship, teamwork, and taking care of nature,
Recommended for ages three through eight.
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September 10, 2025
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