Scaredy Bat Books 1-3 Series Collection: Illustrated Vampire Detective Stories for Kids (Scaredy Bat Collection)

Written by Marina J. Bowman

I previously reviewed the first book in this series and enjoyed it so I jumped at the chance to obtain the boxed series.

Ellie is a vampire detective who is very smart, but she is limited by some very real fears. She has a crew of friends who supplement her weaknesses and team up with her to get to the bottom of each mystery.

This is a wonderful detective series for beginning or intermediate chapter book readers. There are lots of supplementary illustrations to keep the story interesting, along with a few puzzles and bonus pages to make the books interactive. Most children enjoy becoming involved with characters in a series as they are well-developed and interesting.

Highly recommended for budding detectives who love a good mystery with interesting characters and questions to answer.

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I enjoyed reading this poem to my children on Christmas Eve so I thought you might like to share this reading with yours.

Click the link below to access the video

I have a link to some fun activities below the video in the notes that you might enjoy with family and friends.

Hoping all your dreams come true this Christmas!

Barbara, aka. Little Miss HISTORY http://www.LittleMissHISTORY.com

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Spot the differences: Puzzle Game Book

Written by A. R. Soufiane

If you want to get the children away from the TV and video games, this is one solution. It would also be a good rainy day activity or family game night. Teachers might find it useful as a visual discrimination teaching supplementary tool.

The book is targeted to be enjoyed by children in the four to twelve age range. Challenge is to find seven differences between two pictures. Some of the sets are easy and child-like in illustration, others are more challenging to solve. This activity might also be used to foster cooperative learning among children of different ages.

In any case, it provides a unique way for families to share quality time while challenging the brain.

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Check out a zillion learning opportunities for the whole family at http://www.LittleMissHISTORY.com

Never ask a Dinosaur: Funny Read-Aloud Story Book for Toddlers, Preschoolers and Kids 3-6) Book 4

Written and illustrated by Melinda Kinsman

A little boy decides to bring his pet triceratops to school with him, thinking that they will both have lots of fun. At first, his friends think this is cool. His teachers, principal, cafeteria workers, and staffers don’t agree.

This book contains terrific illustrations that are colorful and expressive. The rhyming text flows well and is fun to read aloud. Children will love the humor and funny antics. The bonus puzzles, matching activities, and games keep the fun rolling along. Book 4 in this series does not disappoint. Preschoolers and primary grade readers can have lots of fun with this series of books.

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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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Title: I’M THANKFUL FOR…A Book About Being Grateful

Author: Uncle Amon

This is a charming book that contains five short stories for children about reasons for being grateful. Billy and his cousin Jillian are the main protagonists. Each of the stories contains a practical lesson that children and adults may share. For example, in the story about tools, Billy comes to the rescue for Jillian when her desk needs fixing. Later his mother gets in trouble and Billy is able to use both his tools and ingenuity to come to the rescue. His good deed results in an unexpected reward. Without giving away too much of the plots, the other tales focus on pets, older friends, school and fresh air and sunshine.

The stories are full of humor. There is quite a bit of dialogue that develops the characters and makes the story easy to follow for beginning readers. Although the book is targeted for ages four through ten, I would especially recommend it for the six to eight-year-old age group. Bonus features include mazes, puzzles, and a followup activity for each of the tales. Th perfect book for parents and children to share and enjoy. If you are looking for a Thanksgiving holiday book, this one is a good choice.

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Kid’s Travel Guide: San Francisco- The Fun Way to Discover San Francisco, Especially for Kids

Written by Kelsey Fox and Shiela H. Leon

Fun way to introduce school age children to the city of San Francisco. The book is a guide book and travel diary of sorts. Children will have lots of fun learning how to prepare for their trip and what to pack. Authors include a short history, what to see, and how to get around. Points of interest covered of special interest to kids are spots like Chinatown, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Telegraph Hill.

All of the information is presented by using fun activities, puzzles, games, coloring, and lots of interesting illustrations. Near the end of the book, children are encouraged to summarize their trip and are presented with the challenge of a fun to do quiz to test their vacations smarts. When all is said and done, the completed book becomes a souvenir for the child and all those who participated in the experience with her. Recommended for children ages six through twelve; a worthwhile investment for parents, grandparents and teachers.

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Review of: Captain Snatchit’s Parrot: Three Pirate Stories

Author: Emma Laybourn

This book actually consists of three separate adventure stories. Each of the books is set up as a chapter book. There is a lot of colorful, pirate language especially in the first book of the trilogy. Many children will love this feature even though it will make independent reading of the book more difficult. In the first book, which is titled The Pirate’s Parrot, we meet Neptune, Captain Snatchit’s mistreated parrot. When the ship is attacked, the pirates man the life boats and Neptune is cast off on his own. Just when he is at the point of exhaustion, Neptune spies an island which is inhabited by parrots and monkeys. He settles into a normal life with friends and fun. But soon after a ship is spied on the horizon and the parrots will have to find a way to dispose of the pirates.

In the second story called Captain Snatchit’s Revenge, the captain realizes he has been outwitted and finds a way to get back to the island by hijacking a fishing boat. The crafty parrots must again find a way to trick the pirates and sink their ship.  The fishermen suffer the loss of their fishing boat, but the parrots are sure they are rid of  those pirates for good this time!

Book Three is named The Wreck of the Seahag. The pirates return with a salvage ship ready to raise the Seaslug. Neptune realizes that Captain Snatchit will not give up. He despairs but Liana urges him on implying that they are smarter and can outwit him.  All the inhabitants of the island work together to come up with a clever scheme to defeat the pirates. Will they finally succeed in their mission and regain their peaceful home?  The book is an adventure filled with moral lessons. Underlying the story are  lessons like the value of team work and cooperation, the need to be honest, truthful, and courageous, the need to be strong, and not give in to your weaknesses.

The structure of the story allows the reader to stop at the end of each book or read it in one sitting. It is suitable for a read aloud or can be developed into a series of classroom discussions.  I recommend it as independent reading for ages five and six. Younger children will enjoy the simple pictures and the story when accompanied by the explanations of parent or teacher. As a bonus, you may visit the author’s website http://megamousebooks.com/puzzlepageslist.html to download a free pirate crossword puzzle!

Available at http://freekidsbooks.org/  for download, printing or as an e reader.