The Traveling Book Goes to School: A Little Free Library Book
Written by Charissa Bates
Illustrated by Nadja Bullis
Personally, I love little free libraries and was delighted to find this book!
Twisty is one of the books included in one of these new libraries. The house is unveiled at a local school. Soon the children are choosing books. One of these, named Twisty, gets its pages torn by a careless student. Twisty is afraid of not being chosen.
But soon Twisty is making the rounds of eager readers. Still, the book remains apprehensive of chances to continue his travels. Where will Twisty end up?
This book conveys many valuable messages. Each person is important just as each book contains valuable ideas. It teaches children this message as well as the need to take care of our belongings. The book also shows how teachers carefully transmit knowledge through these shared books.
I hope readers will take advantage of little free libraries in their communities and encourage our children to do the same.
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Publisher’s Book Summary: Tiki is an honest, fun, and adventurous boy full of integrity. Lately, his behavior has been too rambunctious and he needs guidance. He meets a magical spirit who gives him the guidance he is looking for and much more. The spirit grants him magical powers and sends him on a quest to save the village of TikiTown from the evil King Lauia. Come join Tiki and his friends as they go on a magical time-traveling journey to save TikiTown. Tiki and his friends must find King Lauia, take back the sacred magical Toku Mask, and return the mask to Tiki Town to unfreeze the town. If Tiki doesn’t succeed, TikiTown will remain frozen forever…
Creator JJ and Fates are the creative duo bringing you this fun and magical adventure.
Fates has been making cartoons for over 30 years, bringing stories to life through drawing and imagining. Fates wants the world to draw and dream just a little more every day.
Creator JJ is the creative writer who dreamed up the storylines and characters in their stories. By using their imagination, he believes that everyone can create characters, worlds and stories of your own.
Together, the goal is to use their creative talents to create fun stories and ignite the hearts and minds of young children for both educational and self-development purposes.
MY REVIEW OF THIS BOOK
Tiki Time: It’s My Turn
Written and illustrated by Creator JJ and Fates
This book is the first in a series. Tiki lives in a faraway magical, jungle village. He considers himself a noble warrior, but lately he has been acting strangely. His sister, Tari, advises him to take a long walk to clear his head and so begins the adventure.
On the journey, Tiki meets Fetu, a spirit who grants him superpowers of speed, strength, and time travel. There is a catch. Tiki must use them to defeat an evil sorcerer who wants to plunge his village into a dark, frozen wasteland.
Tiki amazes his friends with his new powers and recruits them in his quest. Will they be successful in saving the town and restoring Tiki’s reputation as a noble warrior?
I like the messages of bravery, courage, friendship, and teamwork presented to young readers. This book contains large, vivid, cartoon-style images in and 8 and ½ by 11-inch book with large print. However, the book must be turned and opened from the top to read it. I would have preferred the book to be spiral bound so that a reader might place it on the lap to open and read easily.
Fans of time travel, superheroes, and comic books will especially enjoy the tale targeted for ages six through eight.
GIVEAWAY
Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a signed copy of Tiki Time: It’s My Turn and a $100 Amazon Gift Card!
Faithful Trail: Women’s FictionHistorical Saga (Courage on the Oregon Trail: Book 2
Written by A. T. Butler
This book is a work of historical fiction appropriate for adults and young adults.
Olivia is an Virginia orphan raised by her aunt and uncle who treat her with little dignity. Her monotonous life changes when she meets a preacher and falls in love. When he decides to join a wagon train and head West to Oregon, she anticipates a great adventure but finds more hardship along the route. Will she be liberated by this marriage and promise of a new independent life or will she continue to find disappointment?
For the most part, the book is a historically accurate telling of life on the Oregon trail. The author reflects the experience from the point of view of different characters in the story. On the other hand, the book is marred by errors in proofreading which detracts from the flow of the story.
Fans of historical fiction will find it an enjoyable read.
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A fantasy/magic novel featuring wizards and magic, coming of age, and very smart kids.
The characters are likeable enough, and the action moves along. When Kase first arrives at the school, he knows he will immediately be in competition to prove himself with his sister, Cali, who is already a student there.
At the Academy, the students are organized into teams of four which must travel on a Quest to collect magical items, and deal with mythical creatures who will put them to the test. Each must face danger while continuing on a journey of self-growth and learning to work with others. Some of these contestants may prove to be enemies.
Lots of action, interesting characters, and dialogue that will please the middle-grade and young adult audience, particularly fantasy and wizardry fans.
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TAKE READING ON THE ROAD. Bring books on a picnic, to the park, visits to friends, and appointments.
SET AN EXAMPLE BY SHOWING YOUR CHILDREN THAT YOU LIKE TO READ. Encourage them to ask questions about what you are reading and ask for their opinions.
CHOOSE BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE INTO MOVIES. Encourage the child to read the book and then offer a movie night to watch the same story. Have a discussion about similarities and differences. Ask which version the child prefers.
SEARCH FOR READING INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. Local libraries offer summer reading incentive programs that reward children for reading. In the past organizations like Six Flags and Pizza Hut have offered rewards for reading programs.
SET UP YOUR OWN READATHON. This works well on a rainy day at home. Provide blankets and snacks and camp out in your living room with the family spending the day reading. You can also do this by spending a night under the stars in your backyard or arranging a sleepover with a child’s friends each bring their favorite books.
Publisher: Life Unfiltered Books | ISBN-13: 9781738414000
Publisher’s Book Summary: Join Milo – an adorable French Bulldog – as he embarks on his very first adventure! Simply by clapping his little paws together and jumping on his magic skateboard, Milo takes flight and explores Europe! This fun, heart-warming adventure will charm children and adults alike, while exploring different iconic places and cultures!
Kristina Tanso is an animal lover whose life changed the day she rescued Milo from the streets of Hong Kong in May 2019. Milo and His Magic Skateboard is inspired by the real-life adventures the duo have had since: prompted by Kristina’s affinity for travel, and Milo’s curious personality. Kristina is also the author of the critically acclaimed psychological thriller, Bad Things (2023); and is a producer on Searching/or Chinook, a documentary about the future survival of the last remaining Southern resident orcas, starring Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones).
An advocate for mental health and spiritual well-being, Kristina’s articles on the topic are regularly featured on Medium. Outside of writing, Kristina works at the University of Oxford, and serves as a guest professor at a university in Asia.
I once had a cat named Milo. That’s why I immediately identified with Milo.
In this picture book adventure, Milo is a French Bulldog living in Milan with a yen for travel. He loves being home with his mistress but when she departs for work, Milo picks up his magic skateboard and cruises across the continent.
Milo transports his reader friends to Paris, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Spain, and Rome where they are treated to a whirlwind tour of the famous sites in each country. Milo enjoys his adventures, but soon realizes something is missing. He longs to cuddle beside his owner.
Milo teaches us the value of experiencing new places, but, in the end, we long for the safety and comfort of home and the people we love.
Illustrations are simple, colorful, and appealing to the targeted primary grade reader. Rhymes add to the appeal of reading this adventure out loud.
GIVEAWAY
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win a signed hardcover copy of Milo and His Magic Skateboard and a customized sketch of Milo!
AS A BOOK REVIEWER FROM THE INCEPTION OF THIS EVENT, I AM PROUD TO SHARE TWO WONDERFUL NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK EXAMPLESWITH YOU.
📚 Join us for the 11th Multicultural Children’s Book Day on 1/25/24! https://shorturl.at/wG389 🌍 Founded by two book-loving moms, Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen, this non-profit initiative celebrates diverse books and authors. Let’s spread the joy of multicultural literature to young readers and educators. #MCBD2024 #ReadYourWorld 📖
It Is Not What You Think
Old Clothes for Dinner?
Written by Nathalie Alonso
Illustrated by Natalia Rojas Castro
This multicultural picture book is a delight for a young child’s eyes, ears, and taste buds. The book packs a ton of information as well as a delightful story of a Cuban family’s culture and homelife.
Magaly and her brother’s grandmother from Cuba have recently joined the family in America. They are delighted with the delicious native recipes she cooks for the family. One day, when Magaly asks what is for dinner, her “abuela” replies “ropa vieja.” That translates to old clothes in English. Magaly and her brother, Camilo, hurry to search for and hide their favorite clothes. Turns out the joke will be on them.
This book targets an audience of children ages four through eight, but it delighted this adult as well. In addition to the interesting tale, the author includes recipes from around the world including their history, facts about Cuba, and details on how to cook two of the Cuban recipes from the story.
THE TREASURE IS IN EVERYDAY THINGS
Treasure Hunt
Written by Stephanie Wildman
Illustrated by Estefanía Razo
When Luis sees a delivery person with a huge cardboard box, he at once thinks of his younger twin siblings, Roberto, and Flor. Luis asks the worker to leave the box behind.
Roberto and Flor return home from school expecting to watch TV and play video games, but Luis has a better idea. He asks them if they would like to go on a treasure hunt. The twins cannot hold their excitement. Roberto hides clues in the kitchen, the bedroom, and the living room.
Flor and Roberto are puzzled when they find and name the objects. Luis brings them to the backyard and the gigantic cardboard box. Immediately, the twins know exactly what to do with it.
This book displays a loving multicultural family with strong sibling relationships. Elementary grade readers will love this colorful picture book with endearing, curious, and intelligent characters. Wildman enriches its value by providing detailed instructions for readers to create their own treasure hunt complete with props.
I highly recommend this interactive book for primary grade boys and girls who seek opportunities for creativity and imaginative activities to engage in at home.
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This picture book is part of a series that features two sibling pups searching for adventure in new places. Lola is an experienced traveler, but her sister Mia longs to follow in her footsteps.
This time, the duo travels to the Arizona desert to view its beautiful sunsets. Along the way, the pair encounter snakes, reptiles, dust storms, cacti, and beautiful vistas. Young readers will enjoy the funny “dogisms” shared by the siblings and the illustrations that capture their rapidly changing emotions as they experience their adventure.
I would especially recommend the book to animal and nature lovers who are early elementary school age readers.
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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!
One Giant Leap has much to offer. A middle-grade read that leans a bit more to the upper grades of that range contains an interesting plot. Four students have won a science competition to take a trip to outer space from a space tourist organization, but both of Fin’s parents are in the hospital. He needs a guardian to participate.
A conflict of emotions and stress at the outset. Well, I will reveal that Fin accepts the prize, but not the details of this fantastic opportunity. The book combines lots of space trivia, factual scientific information, and middle-grade angst connected with coming of age. Its adventure plot moves swiftly.
I especially enjoyed the author’s approach of including rather advanced vocabulary definitions in the glossary and a section at the end separating fact from fiction. Space afficionados and science geeks will both enjoy the book. Even adults will not be disappointed.
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January 5, 2025
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