U-CUT: A Christmas Tree Story

Written by R.A. Becker

Illustrated by Michael Macakova

A book that celebrates a tradition that many families share: visiting a Christmas tree farm to find and cut the perfect Christmas tree.

One unusual Christmas tree has been passed over by visitors for many years, but when a boy and his family enter the farm this year, the ugly tree finally gets a chance to shine. This particular boy is attracted to the misshapen tree because he has also experienced gossip and mistreatment due to a scar on his face. When the boy spies the tree, he is immediately drawn to it. He convinces his family that this is the perfect tree for them. After bringing it home and decorating it, the ugly tree becomes a thing of beauty.

This book is perfect for families and teaches children that beauty comes from the goodness within, not physical, outward appearances.

An appropriate choice for children of any age.

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Bacon’s Very Important Christmas Job! (It’s Bacon’s World! Book 2)

Written and Illustrated by Tina Neely

Bacon, a pot-bellied pig, loves his family. He wants to be helpful. When his mom, dad, and grandma begin preparing for the Christmas holidays, Bacon tries his best to get involved. Unfortunately, he only gets in the way and gets rebuffed for his efforts.

This book series is based on the exploits of the author’s pet pig. Children get a preview with a genuine photo included at the end of the tale. I like the interactive feature, which requests readers to count the number of hearts on each page.

This book is a perfect holiday choice for families of primary grade readers.

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Skelly the GIANT Skeleton: A Hilarious Modern Day Halloween Book Parody Tribute to the GIANT Halloween Community!

Written by Hailee Oman

Illustrated by William Velasco

The illustrations in this book are creative and original. Rhymes hit the mark.

The author uses parody to illustrate the limits some people will go to in celebrating and decorating holidays like Halloween. Skelly is the physical manifestation of overindulgence.

Children and adults will laugh at the ridiculous scenario. The book is appropriate for all ages.

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Save the Scraps (Save the Earth Book 5)

Written and Illustrated by Bethany Stahl

Alex teaches Mateo a valuable food lesson. After finishing lunch, the two friends are ready to get rid of the trash. Alex shows Mateo the compost bin and explains how it can be used to grow more nutritious food.

They teach readers that not all trash can be composted. Their friends, Mr. Squiggles, the worm, and some friendly bees, join to complete the process.

At the end of the book, parents and teachers find a list of questions for children to answer, and a step-by-step list of directions for creating their own compost bin.

Another book in this author’s series that I recommend highly for preschool and primary grade readers.

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Jack’s Noisy Day Colouring and Activity Book: A Raucous Romp Through The Alphabet 

Written by Sarah Tinney

Illustrated by Ricky Audi

The author released this coloring book as a companion to Jack’s Noisy Day. I enjoyed this one even more than the sound alphabet book.

Here, the author allows the reader to add imaginative color drawings to fill in the black and white illustrations of the original. In addition, there is a word search, practice tracing the letters on pages, and unscrambling the words. Near the end of the book, readers face the challenge of placing letters of the alphabet in the correct order.

Differentiating the types of activities attracts young children who have different learning styles and provides a plethora of opportunities to learn the alphabet.

As a retired educator, I highly recommend this book to parents and teachers of toddlers and preschoolers.

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Jack’s Noisy Day: A Raucous Romp Through The Alphabet

Written by Sarah Tinney

Illustrated by Ricky Aldi

This book provides an effective strategy for teaching the alphabet to children with ADHD or those who have trouble sitting for long periods. Illustrations are large and simple. They are effective for toddlers and preschoolers.

I would especially recommend this book for parents and teachers of children in the two to five year old range.

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The Dinosaur Tree: A Calming Bedtime Story That Teaches Mindfulness Through Imagination | Dinosaur Adventure for Kids Ages 3-9 | Perfect for Restless Bedtimes

Written and Illustrated by Evan Collier

This beautifully illustrated dinosaur adventure is written in the second person. The author encourages the reader to lie back, close their eyes, and imagine being transported to a dinosaur jungle that existed long ago.

A young boy envisions his bedroom transformed into a giant tree, which he climbs to enter the dinosaur world. As he climbs, he meets creatures of this world and draws himself deeper into the ancient dinosaur world. What will happen when he awakens?

The soft, colorful, and expressive illustrations enhance the mood of this bedtime story, especially recommended for preschoolers, but appropriate for any school-age reader.

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I Have Feelings, Too: Understanding Dog Communication

Written by Anissa Svoboda

Illustrated by Aneta Knoppova

A wonderful teaching tool for children. It explains how dogs communicate with their bodies, unlike humans, who generally communicate with spoken words.

Readers learn that different breeds of dogs use different parts of their bodies to express different emotions. I enjoyed the parent paws section, which provides an easy-to-understand teaching point. Children learn empathy and respect for our four-legged friends, and how to better communicate with them.

The comprehension questions are useful for parents and teachers to review and reinforce the lessons taught.

I would highly recommend this book to parents and teachers of children ages three through ten.

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C is for Courageous: An A-Z Guide to Help Kids Build Courage and Confidence – One Rhyme at a Time (Courage Magic Book 1) 

Written by Shanita Liu

Illustrated by Nejla Shojaie

Another wonderful book in the series that encourages kids to be the best they can be.

The rhymes are clever and fun to read out loud. Add the colorful, positive illustrations that pop off the pages. Set in an alphabetical format, each letter is matched with actions that inspire readers to be courageous every day, both in words and actions.

This book is not only appropriate for learning the alphabet, but also as a resource for children or adults. Parents and teachers will delight in reading these messages of positivity to their children and students. There are lots of free bonus materials available to reinforce the message.

As a parent, grandparent, and retired educator, I highly recommend this book.

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Written by Leia Barrett

Illustrated by Shannon McKeon

This very short picture book of twenty pages is ideal for young children and reluctant readers.

It relates the tale of a rescue dog who finds herself in an animal shelter. Before her life in a shelter, she learns to survive on her own. Her other animal friends teach her their habits and lifestyle.

One day, the dog is adopted. Her new mom and dad find the dog’s strange habits unnerving, but, in the end, decide to accept her exactly the way her lifestyle has shaped her.

The author teaches young readers lessons of acceptance, love, and the value of being true to oneself.

Recommended for preschoolers and early elementary school-age readers.

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