Slothee is off on another exciting adventure. He is determined to find the best coffee in the world. This adventure includes several countries notable for their coffee.
Slothee begins the journey in Peru, where he meets Lucia Llama and explores Machu Picchu. He introduces readers to the Mayan ruins in Mexico. Then he lands in Jamaica, before jetting off to far-away Uganda in Africa and Vietnam in Southeast Asia. Children learn about the types of coffee grown in each country, meet local animals, and sample local culture.
A good choice for elementary age readers to learn about local cultures, coffee, and the culture of several countries.
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A charming legend from Kenya relates the tale of an elephant who cooperates with the humans and animals of his village by watering the crops.
One day, a cabbage is missing from the fields. On subsequent days, more crops are missing. Elephant becomes distressed as do the other animals and humans of the village. The members of the beehive community invent a clever solution.
Readers discover the problem and the innovative solution after reading this book. They also learn facts about elephants, honeybees, the environment, and conservation.
A good choice for the classroom or home bookshelf for children who enjoy learning about animals, problem-solving, and conservation.
Recommended for ages six through twelve.
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The Fairies – Petal & Nettle and The Best Story Ever: A magical picture book celebrating friendship, imagination and the joys of storytelling!
Written by Kirstie Watson
Illustrated by Tilia Rand-Bell
A cute picture book about two friends who are fairies. When Nettle decides he will write the best story ever, he soon gets stuck.
Enter his friend Petal. She coaxes Nettle not to give up by revealing one at a time the elements necessary to a good story. Characters, setting, plot, and a problem to solve.
Together these two friends, along with others that they meet during their adventure, inspire young readers to persevere and never give up on their dreams. They also teach children the qualities and value of true friendship.
This book is appropriate for elementary and middle grade readers.
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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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The Wonder Of Thunder: Lessons From A Thunderstorm
Written by Sharon Purtill
Illustrated by Tamara Piper
This is a beautifully crafted rhyming picture book that is informative and entertaining.
Preschool and primary grade readers can enjoy the multicultural images while learning about the types and formation of clouds, the sounds of thunder, how lightning forms and acts, and the benefits of rain and thunderstorms.
For children who are afraid, the book allays their fears and explains the way this weather phenomenon acts on earth. The author makes sure to explain that children need to take cover until the storm passes.
I particularly enjoyed the comprehension questions and the fact sheet included so that readers may reread and absorb all the information presented.
Highly recommended for parents and teachers to place on their bookshelves.
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Curly Crow’s Family Feast: A Children’s Picture Book for Kids Ages 4-8 about Finding Strength in Challenges, Wisdom in Problem Solving, and Thanksgiving for Family (Curly Crow Children’s Book Series)
Written by Nicholas Aragon
Illustrated by Natalie Junqueira
An innovative picture book that teaches about problem solving and teamwork. In addition young readers receive knowledge about many species of birds along with the story about Curly Crow and her family.
Curly and her family are scavengers. When the dumpster outside the restaurant where they live is closed for Thanksgiving, the family has no food. Curly decides to visit the Rio Grande nearby to observe how other birds gather their food.
After much frustration, she observes similarities and differences and figures out a solution. Readers learn a lot about bird species and how to problem solve.
The book is highly recommended for preschoolers and primary grade readers.
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Publisher’s Book Summary: Alex, Kali, and Roman are three fifteen-year-old friends who live in a small town. Alex is a great communicator, Roman is a bit of an inventor, and Kali is an intuitive empath. It’s summertime, and an adventure is triggered when they find themselves in the middle of a protest outside the local library by people who want to ban certain books. During the protest, people are focused on what they believe to be their Constitutional rights, causing the three teenagers to realize how little they know about the Constitution.
In their search for answers, they discover a book with magical properties, which becomes a catalyst in helping them discover what the Constitution is really all about.
Join the teenagers as this mysterious book enables them to travel through time and space—bringing to life historical figures like Ben Franklin, Wyatt Earp, Alice Paul, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and many more. Each of these historical figures will teach them about the original Constitution and its amendments. Through the eyes of these three teenagers, you’ll be able to explore what it was like when the original Constitution was signed. You’ll even travel to other countries, like Russia, where you’ll meet Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in a field within the Gulag where he was imprisoned.
The Constitution, by itself, can be a difficult document to read, but The Constitution Kids will bring it to life with unusual experiences, humor, and fun, no matter your age.
Gary J. Gabel, Ed.D., has spoken to groups throughout the United States on the subjects of personal takeover, accountability, and leadership. He has personally trained thousands of people, primarily in the areas of leadership, management, motivating performance, presentation effectiveness, sales, and customer service. He has worked with over 200 CEOs, helping them build high-performing teams.
Gary has written several books, including Day One, which was jointly authored with Tom Buck and published in 2020. Gary’s other book, Personal Takeover, was published in the United States by Career Press in 2003. It was translated into Korean in 2004, with an Arabic translation in 2005. The second edition of Personal Takeover was released in October 2019.
Gary was the 2001 Entrepreneur of the Year for Service Companies in Michigan. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Economics and a doctorate in Education. He formerly served as Chair of the National Council on Education and Human Development at The George Washington University. His current memberships include the Oakland Schools Education Foundation Board of Trustees and Mensa.
Gary’s presentations at TEDxDetroit and others can be viewed on YouTube. Gary lives with his wife, Lisa, in Michigan, and they have two children and three grandchildren.
MY REVIEW OF THIS BOOK:
THE CONSTITUTION IS ALIVE AND WELL The Constitution Kids Written by Gary Gabel
The author correctly points out that the subject of the Constitution rarely comes up in modern schools. Gabel decides to remedy that problem by incorporating its story within the pages of a time travel adventure containing three unlikely friends. Kali, Alex, and Roman who display unique interests and talents. Kali is an empath, Roman a science and tech prodigy, and Alex, an excellent communicator.
On a summer day, the three fifteen-year-old friends encounter a protest demonstration and demonstrators claiming the right to gather under the Constitution. Curious, the friends decide to research the Constitution in the library. When they find and open an old book, they meet Ben Franklin who initiates a time travel journey on which they investigate the Constitution, and the Amendments added to it.
During this journey, the teens meet famous people like Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein, and Wyatt Earp. In addition, they journey back and forward in time to colonial times, visit slaves, a gulag, and Nazi Germany, among other places. The threesome experience how the Constitution works and the reasons why for each amendment.
Gabel details the characters as relatable and integrates the past and present seamlessly. Modern readers learn not only what the Constitution contains but why it evolved and how it works.
This book is a wonderful tool to teach civics and responsibility. I recommend it for the bookshelves of middle-grade and high school readers.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win one of ten copies of The Constitution Kids. Enter below to bring this magical journey home!
Tuxedo is a penguin orphaned due to an oil spill. Two conure parrots decide to adopt him.
Tuxedo is curious and passionate about trying new things. Sometimes he forgets that he is not a parrot and gets in trouble for attempting things his penguin body cannot achieve. His parents are patient and urge him to exercise curiosity but also caution. As Tuxedo grows, he learns how to maximize his unique qualities and talents.
I enjoyed the bonus sections that provide readers with facts about conures and penguins as well as background about oil spills.
This charming book contains valuable lessons as well as solid educational information.
Recommended especially for primary grade readers but also beginning chapter book readers.
This book is written and illustrated by two people who have dedicated their lives to understanding and working with horses. Their passion is evident in the story and illustrations.
The plot features a young boy named Charlie who wants to be a cowboy. When he visits his grandparents’ ranch, Charlie learns the job entails a lot more work than he imagined. A cowboy works hard and trains hard.
The hand-drawn illustrations convery the mood of respect, kindness, empathy, responsibility, and hard work. They are simple and direct allowing preschoolers to visualize the message without understanding the words.
Highly recommended for children who love horses and might want to be a cowboy someday.
The protagonist is a heart who wandered among many hearts seeking to find out why she was named Love and what the word means. After much searching, Love comes to understand that it takes two separate hearts to make love come into being. It is something we cannot create within ourselves but must seek from another to make it complete.
The book makes the perfect Valentine’s Day present. Appropriate for any age.
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August 24, 2025
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