Not for me, Please! I choose to act green

Written by Marie Godsey

Illustrated by Christoph J. Kellner

What a clever way to explain the concept of recycling to young children. Godsey uses a young boy presented in the guise of a superhero. At first, Luke is like most children who pay no attention to conserving the earth’s resources. When Luke notices trash all around him, he decides that he will become a part of the solution rather than the problem.

Luke shows his readers how to follow the three R’s: reduce, recycle and reuse. He discusses the problems of trash in the ocean, in our homes and in our schools. He talks about energy conservation tactics a child can practice like turning off faucets, being mindful of unnecessary electricity, and avoiding one-use plastics and paper. While the text is written in rhyme in simple language, the author includes teaching and discussion points at the bottom of each page. At the end of the book, a reflections page summarizes the content in the book and facilitates group discussion. This book is particularly targeted at the elementary school age child, but it is a richly illustrated and pleasing choice for a reader of any age.

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Written by Jenn Holt

Illustrated by Harry Aveira

Publisher’s Synopsis: Coach Jenn takes Alice and Izzy on the golf course to show them the value of positive self-talk,  a positive attitude, and to never give up, no matter how hard it gets. The story is told with some cute illustrations and is great for all sports kids.

Ages 0-7 | Publisher: Outskirts Press | October 29, 2018 | ISBN-13: 978-1977201263

My Review:

The author is an LPGA golf instructor. She has written this book to help children understand the game of golf and to encourage them to have a positive attitude when playing sports.

Izzy and Alice are two friends who enjoy playing golf. On this beautiful day, they are with their coach, Jenn, at the golf course. Izzy is doing well, but Alice is having difficulty with her shots. Alice is embarrassed and disappointed with her game. Jenn encourages Alice to think positive thoughts. Izzy, on the other hand, takes her hits and misses in stride. I like the way Alice struggles to succeed and learns not to give up. Izzy is a good friend who tries to support her. Children learn about the game of golf and the value of persistence and practice. Many children give up too easily when they do not immediately succeed in a sport.

The illustrations remind me of bobblehead figures. There are lots of animals popping up all over the golf course. I would have liked to have seen a glossary with some golf vocabulary to help readers who have never played golf understand the game better.

Recommended particularly for readers ages six through ten.

I received a copy of this book and voluntarily agreed to read and review for the Children’s Book Review and author Jenn Holt with my honest opinions for this blog tour.

                                           GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Jenn Holt’s Two Little Golfers Being Positive and one dozen pink golf balls and pink tees!

One (1) winner receives:

• An autographed copy of Two  Little Golfers Being Positive

• A set of one dozen pink golf balls and pink tees

Two (2) winners will receive:

• An autographed copy of Two  Little Golfers Being Positive

Giveaway begins June 10, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends July 10, 2019, at 11:59 P.M. PST.

Giveaway open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 17 and older.

The Frights of Fiji: (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions Series Book 1

Written by Sunayna Prasad

This is the first in a series of fantasy adventures for middle-grade readers. Alyssa is the twelve-year-old protagonist who lost her parents in an accident five years prior. Although her parents had named her Uncle Alex as her guardian, she is now living with her Uncle Bruce and his daughter, Hailey.

Bruce is a stern taskmaster; Alyssa lives a life of unending rules and drudgery. When magic becomes a part of her life, along with some strange-looking wizards and creatures, she believes there is the hope of escape from her plight. But then she learns that an evil wizard intends to capture her and remove Bruce from the picture.

Alyssa has been whisked away to Fiji where her situation goes from bad to worse. She is enslaved with several other children and forced to do the evil wizard’s bidding. Will Alyssa find a way to escape back to the United States and find refuge with her godfather?

There are many fantastical characters and a series of rather far-fetched incidents. Even though this book is a magical fantasy, some of the plot connections don’t come off as genuine.

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Once Upon a Bedtime

Written by Sarah Mazor

Illustrated by Sergii Zavadskyi

Another adorable rhyming book from Sarah Mazor. This delightful collection of rhymes features clever characters like a microphone riding a bike, cottage cheese skiing, a banana riding a horse, and a house dressed in a red blouse. Young children will laugh at the nonsensical but funny anecdotes. Not only will they learn common objects, but they will learn what’s wrong with this picture.

The illustrations are beautifully done in vivid colors and apt expressions. Bonuses include a generous collection of riddles for readers to solve once they finish the story. Mazor provides four possible answers for each as well as extension activities for the riddles to provide additional learning.

This is the first book in what promises to be a wonderful series. This book is geared toward toddlers and preschoolers, but older readers will also love it.

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Who Needs a Hug?: Everybody Needs a Hug

Written and Illustrated by Sally Huss

One morning a koala bear wakes up in an exceptionally good mood. He shouts out, “Who needs a hug?” A hippo passing by thinks a catch might be attached so he asks if it is free. The koala scampers down from his eucalyptus tree and hugs the hippo with all his might. Feeling satisfied, the hippo wanders off. The koala renews his offer, hugging any animal that responds to his request. Before long, he has added a giraffe, a porcupine, a brown bear, a snake, a badger, and a tiger to his hugging list. Eventually, the koala comes to a pond for a drink and repeats his question, “Who needs a hug?” This time the answer surprises him.

Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but children and adults can use a hug any time of the year. The illustrations in this book are whimsical and charming. They need not all be realistic, I enjoyed seeing a blue koala and a purple hippo. This book reminds preschoolers and primary grade children that expressing affection and kindness without expecting anything in return is a valuable reward in itself. Recommended as a bedtime story or read aloud discussion book.

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Hey Hilde

Written by Ross Hammond

Hilde is an adorable Capuchin monkey who leads a carefree life in the jungles of Bolivia until one day poachers come to capture her. Now Hilde is forced to do tricks while chained to a post by day and sleep in a cage every night. One day a volunteer from the rescue organization, CIWY arrives to rescue Hilde. After a long journey, she arrives at Machia Wildlife Sanctuary where she is free to roam with fellow wildlife creatures once more.

This real-life story teaches children empathy toward creatures who should live in the wild and affords them the opportunity to join the volunteer rescue organization. They raise money by creating awareness through products like this book. The illustrations and photographs are vivid and appealing in this richly illustrated picture book. Bonus activities include a coloring page and related activities. Highly recommended for all ages.

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The Yellow Suitcase

Written by Meera Sriram

Illustrated by Meera Sethi

Asha arrives at her grandmother’s house in India from California for her yearly visit, clutching her yellow suitcase. Each year Asha packs her suitcase with gifts for her grandmother and returns with little treasures that her grandmother has created for her. But this year the house is filled with relatives mourning her grandmother’s death. Asha struggles through her grief and becomes inconsolable until it is time to leave. She finds a wonderful gift that her grandmother has made for Asha just before she died.

This multicultural book is a colorful introduction to Indian culture and customs as well as a well-written book to help children understand the death of a close relative and the grieving process. Sethi’s hand-drawn illustrations are vivid and expressive. Perhaps the text could have been a bit larger, but the design of the book is clear and easy to read. Recommended for ages eight and older.

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THE PARROT: Short lessons and fables for children: Fable Collection Volume #2

Written and Illustrated by Christy Astremsky

This book contains a collection of five animal fables that teach children lessons about themselves and others. In the first story, the parrot mouths words he has been taught over and over, but the words have little worth. When the parrot escapes from his owners, he can do nothing more than repeat those inane words, he finds that others think little of him. The second story features a zebra who gets lost and finds himself among others unlike himself. He discovers that it is okay to be different. The sparrow and the pigeon teach children what true friendship entails, while the tiger and jackal story teaches to beware of letting one’s guard down. The last story features a butterfly who has a habit of taking from others without ever giving something in return.

The rhyming stories are short and have a few illustrations so the collection might appeal to a beginning reader. Parents and teachers could use the fables on issues that they would like to open with children or students for discussion or intervention. I would especially recommend the book for ages seven through ten though older children who enjoy animal stories will find them appealing.

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Goodnight Wishes!

Written by Leea Baltes

Illustrated by Elia Glinski

A family of mice lived in a rickety old farmhouse that suited their needs perfectly. One day people came and began tearing their home down. Mama mouse placed her children and some food in a basket and ran down to the lake. She wished upon the stars and moon to help her find a way to solve her plight. Suddenly, she heard a screeching sound. A truck swerved to avoid hitting an animal, and a large box fell off the truck. The moonlight illuminated a hollow tree that would make a perfect home. Upon exploring the contents of the box, Mama finds all the materials she needs to furnish their new home. She urges her children to make a wish upon the heavens because when you make a wish and are willing to work hard good things will follow.

This tale teaches children that wishing alone is not enough, one must work hard to achieve success. Christian parents might explain the moral in a Christian contest. The illustrations are done in beautiful watercolors. The rhyming text is crisp and sharp. Recommended for primary grade children.

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The Moth and the Moon

Written by David Kelley

This is an intriguing tale that is told in the first person by a newly hatched moth and the friends she makes on the windowsill of a garden shed. Upon opening her eyes, the moth is irresistibly drawn to the light from the moon shining through the window,

Readers follow her development as her friends name her Flutter. She learns quickly from her friends, Horsey the Wasp, her two ladybug friends, and Bumble, the bee. Flutter finds herself in trouble with their arch enemy, Sinister, the Spider. Flutter learns to develop trust and courage that she will one day find her moon.

There are many pitfalls along the way, and some of her friends will be lost to Spider. Will Flutter discover a way to achieve her dream and still retain her bonds with the friends who have nurtured and protected her?

This tale is written clearly and the story flows smoothly. Its length of approximately 100 pages is a bit long for a beginning reader even though the plot sustains interest. I would especially recommend it to middle-grade and young teens, but adults might enjoy it as well.

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