Mommy Has a Monster on Her Back!: A Story about Chronic Illness

Written by Liz Long

Illustrated by Ethan Roffler

The author and illustrator have succeeded in creating a beautiful picture book with an important message for young children.

This book is done in soft pastels and features words in bold that play on the different feelings engendered by chronic physical or mental illness. The illness is compared to a monster on mommy’s back. Some days are easy and others hard but mommy learns to deal with the illness and the child sees the need for resilience and acceptance. By using humor and analogies, even a preschooler can understand chronic illness.

Highly recommended for families and counselors who deal with chronic or physical illness.

Ghosts

Written and Illustrated by Fiona Dalwood

A cute picture book that will stimulate the imagination of the youngest readers. The author poses simple questions concerning common mysteries like “Why does buttered toast always land butter-side down?” and “Why does the internet get slow” Those little ghostly gremlins just might be responsible.

This book about ghosts presents them as non-threatening and not scary. The humor and light-hearted illustrations makes this book a great choice for a read aloud or bedtime story. Appropriate and fun for all ages beginning with preschool.

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Mommy Has a Monster on her Back!: A Story about Chronic Illness

Written by Liz Long

Illustrated by Ethan Roffler

The author and illustrator have succeeded in creating a beautiful picture book with an important message for young children.

This book is done in soft pastels and features words in bold that play on the different feelings engendered by chronic physical or mental illness. The illness is compared to a monster on mommy’s back. Some days are easy and others hard but mommy learns to deal with the illness and the child sees the need for resilience and acceptance. By using humor and analogies, even a preschooler can understand chronic illness.

Highly recommended for families and counselors who deal with chronic or physical illness.

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Mick and the Big Bone

Written by Shlomo Goldman

Batnadiv Hakarmi-Weinberg (Translator)

The author writes this rhyming picture book to teach young children about envy and jealousy.

In many ways, Mick, the puppy in this story, is typical in that his curiosity and impulsiveness can get the better of him. One day he goes to the beach with his owner. Mick is happy with his bone until he sees another one that is bigger and better. When Mick tries to snatch it, he finds himself in trouble.

Children learn the grass is not always greener and not to be greedy or envious of what other’s have in simple rhymes and pictures.

An ideal way to teach three to five year old children an important lesson.

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Would You Rather? Hanukkah Edition: Light Up the Season with a Hilarious Holiday Game for Kids

Written by Lindsey Daly

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zeitgeist Press and voluntarily decided to review with my honest opinions.

This book is filled with more than 160 questions about the Festival of Lights. The questions are aimed at readers in the eight to twelve year old audience. Each of these feature a choice with the reader being asked which is the preferred choice. Players of the game have fun while learning about the preferences of each participant. Judges choose the best answer based on humor, creativity, and logic. There are eight rounds to the game.

An enjoyable way to learn about the foods, rituals, history, and culture of Hanukkah while employing critical thinking skills. This book just might become and annual family Hanukkah tradition.

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How to Train Your Amygdala
Written by Anna Housley Juster
Illustrated by Cynthia Cliff

Most kids have never heard of the Amygdala, but it plays a vital role in keeping them safe. The author uses creative imagery to explain in simple language how it works. Sometimes worrying about what might happen can make the Amygdala work overtime so it is important to train it not to set off false alarms.

Juster provides children with strategies and techniques to relax and remain calm. Examples include deep breathing, relaxing, and connecting with favorite people. The interactive part of this book provides step by step directions for children and an accompanying guide for adults working with children.

Kudos to the author for writing this guide in simple, easily understandable language with large text and appealing illustrations. Recommended for children from preschool through primary grades and the caretakers who love and support them.

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Hamsters Invented Everything

Adisan Books

This colorful picture book is a quick, funny read as a bedtime story or classroom read aloud.

My children had hamsters as pets. We enjoyed watching their clever antics. In this story, readers learn that hamsters invented virtually everything useful that humans employ today. The foxes are the enemy who have tried to prevent hamsters from helping humans. They want to deny giving the foxes credit. When the humans decide to team up with the hamsters, the tables are turned.

Lots of humor, beautiful illustrations and entertainment for primary grade readers.

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A Period

Written and Illustrated by David Ross

A very clever book written with lots of subtle humor.

A period is born and begins its journey by rolling forward. As it continues, the period encounters the other punctuation marks in the English language. At first, the period seems to try to figure out how it fits in and what is its purpose. The journey continues as the reader finds out about the other punctuation marks and what they do.

The end of the book provides an excellent guide for students of grammar identifying the punctuation marks and how they function in language. While the book is recommended for children ages six and older, I believe middle grade and high school students will gain the most value from reading it.

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Gamermom: A bedtime story for moms who game

Written by Liane Joly

Illustrated by Jared Huber

A funny picture book for children who enjoy gaming and are part of a family of adults who enjoy the same hobby. Done in comic book style with illustrations that express the frustration of a loving mom who just cannot find time to enjoy her favorite hobby.

Recommended for elementary school-age readers.

Intergalactic Math

Written by David Ross

What a creative way to introduce math operations, place value, and the concept of zero in a funny, engaging graphic novel.

Illustrated with funny graphic space creatures and real photographs from the Hubble Space Telescope. The space creatures transport readers on an adventure into space where they meet and explain the mathematical symbols, zero, and place value while traveling through space.

This book might be used with children of different ages. Younger children learn the basics, while older children will better understand the more complex interrelationships presented in the adventure. Space enthusiasts will love the story line.

Highly recommended for parents and teachers of children ages seven and older.