The Power of Empathy - Book Review

Title: The Power of Empathy; Be the Friend You've Always Wanted

Author: Ruth Maille

Illustrator: Prayan Animation Studio

Publisher: BooksGoSocial

Publication Date: October 12, 2023

Length: 36 Pages

Children's Fiction

About the Author
Ruth Maille is the author of the multi-award-winning books in "The Power of…" series. Her interactive books focus on character traits that are essential to social and emotional learning.

Empathy is a Caring SuperPower
Orbit is a storyteller who looks like a walking world globe. He visits the children in a park and tells them about a superpower called EMPATHY. The children learn that empathy means understanding and also caring about how someone else is feeling.

The children also learn why it is important to talk about our emotions. There are both happy and unhappy emotions. 

Before leaving, Orbit reminds the children to be the friend they've always wanted.

My Thoughts
This book is a wonderful story to teach children about empathy. I like the way the characters are a diverse group of different races, nationalities, and children with physical disabilities.

The illustrations are beautiful and add value to the text. 

Empathy is not something that comes naturally to everyone. However, it is a skill that can be developed and improved over time. By practicing empathy, we can improve our emotional intelligence and build more meaningful relationships with others. 

Recommended for children of all ages.

MY RATING: 5 Stars Out Of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for an excellent reading opportunity.

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Hooray for Summer - Children's Book Review

Title: Hooray for Summer!

Author/Illustrator: Kazuo Iwamura

Publisher: NorthSouth

Publication Date: April 1, 2010

Length: 32 Pages

Grade Level: Preschool - Kindergarten

About the Author
Kazuo Iwamura was born in Tokyo. Japan. He is one of the most famous picture book artists in Japan. His work has won many awards. He lives in Tochigi, where he founded the Museum for Picture Book Illustrations.

Outdoor Summer Fun
Children love to play outdoors in the summer. Three squirrel siblings are playing outdoors when a sudden thunderstorm interrupts their fun. There is no time to run home, so they find shelter in a cave.

The squirrels discover they are not alone in the cave. A mouse brother and sister are also hiding from the storm. Soon a rabbit joins them.  

They are all very frightened of the thunder, lightning, and rain. Everyone trembles with fear. 

At last, the storm is over and the sky grows brighter. All the animals in the cave rush outside to play with their new "Summer Storm Friends". 

My Thoughts
I can personally relate to this story because I have been caught outside in several sudden Texas thunderstorms. This can be a frightening experience for people of all ages.

Little Molly Mouse was so frightened that she called out for her mother. The author did a good job illustrating the emotion of fear but he also provided safe shelter and the reassurance of the other animals.

Children will probably remember times when they were frightened just like little Molly. This story could lead to discussions on what to do when you are afraid.

The story had a happy ending when the storm passed over and the new friends went back outside to play. The illustrations are very expressive and add value to the story.

This book was first published in Japan in 1986. This is a timeless story that children of many generations will read and enjoy.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

Thank you to NetGalley for a wonderful reading experience.

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A Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe - A Review

A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree

Author: Colleen Monroe

Illustrator: Michael Glen Monroe

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Publication Date: December 1, 2011

Length: 32 pages. 


About the Author
This book contains illustrations by wildlife artist Michael Monroe and text from his wife, Colleen Monroe.

A Christmas Wish
An old tree on a Christmas tree farm is disappointed because he has never been chosen to go home with a family and be a decorated Christmas tree. He sees his sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, grandkids and great grandkids picked, one by one.

He is sobbing because he believes his dream has passed him by.

However, unknown to the old tree, he has some grateful friends in the forest. The squirrel finds his branches safe and warm. A cardinal says the tree keeps him safe from the wind.

A white-tale deer says the tree he is needed because he provides him with a soft bed of pine needles to lie down and rest.

The tree learns that he is much more than a Christmas tree to his forest friends. He is needed and appreciated all year long.

My Thoughts
The tree IS NOT too old to have a purpose in life. The animals in the forest let the tree know that he has been loved and appreciated all along. This story is about friendship and letting our loved ones know how much they mean to us. What a wonderful Christmas message! 

This story reminds me of the popular Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life. We have no idea how significantly our lives affect others. The old tree thought he was a failure, but he was pleasantly surprised when his friends expressed their heartfelt gratitude.

I read this book on my Kindle and the formatting is very good. The illustrations are outstanding and large enough to see the details. 

I borrowed this ebook from the Prime Reading program available to subscribers of Amazon Prime. This book would make an excellent addition to your child's Kindle e-reader on Christmas morning. 

Highly recommended for children of all ages!

5 STARS OUT OF 5

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Kindle Books For Kids: Emily's Valentine by Elizabeth Purcell

Emily's Valentine

Author: Elizabeth Purcell
Illustrator: Alex Ferri Land

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Date: January 26, 2013



A Handmade Valentine
Little Emily makes a handmade Valentine card for her mommy, daddy and grandpa. She wants to buy her beloved Granny Boo a gift but she does not have enough money in her piggy bank.

Emily makes a beautiful handmade Valentine for her granny and signs it "From Emily with love."

On Valentine's Day, Emily and all her cousins go to visit Granny Boo and give her their gifts. The cousins laugh at Emily's handmade Valentine, but Granny Boo likes the handmade card the best.

Emily gave the gift of love...the greatest gift of all.

My Thoughts
This is a short and sweet rhyming story about a little girl and a handmade Valentine card. I have been making handmade cards for several years so this story is near and dear to my heart.

The lesson in this story is that it is the feelings behind the gift that counts. You don't need to spend money to express your love to those near you. A small handmade item means more than an expensive gift purchased with little thought or emotion.

I read this ebook on my Kindle Fire and found the formatting appropriate for young readers. There is a small color illustration and four lines of rhyming text on each screen view.

This is a wonderful story for Valentine's Day or any day. Highly recommended!

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

DYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com during a limited-time free promotion. Please check the current price before ordering.

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Kindle Books For Kids: Zombie-Kids Go Green by Julia Dweck

Zombie-Kids Go Green (KiteReaders Monster Series)

Author: Julia Dweck
Illustrator: Mark Draisey

Publisher: KiteReaders

Date: February 2, 2013



About The Author 
Julia Dweck writes children's stories for digital and traditional publication. Her stories span the spectrum of humor, fantasy, and edutainment in rhyme and in prose. Julia's background in elementary education affords her the opportunity to be in touch with what children want to read about and what makes them giggle.

Zombies Save The Planet
The 3R's....Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

This is a rhyming story about a group of Zombie kids who are green all over.
Their skin is green but they are also dedicated to preserve the earth's natural resources.

Each night, these kids go all over the community cleaning up trash, turning off dripping facets and taking care of the young plants in their gardens.
A zombie kid's age is marked and recorded by Earth Days. They celebrate with a birthday cake that is shaped like the earth.

The book is illustrated with beautiful full-screen color "zombie pictures" by Mark Draisey.

My Thoughts
I am totally blown away by this author's imagination. This is the kind of story that kids will love. They always want to find a "scary book"....the more monsters and zombies the better.

The nice thing about this story is the zombies stay very busy doing good deeds for our planet. There are many examples of reducing waste, reusing worn items and recycling discarded materials in this story. 

This book would make an excellent science lesson about ecology and conservation. It is both educational and entertaining (edutainment?).

I read this book on my Kindle Fire and found the formatting (landscape orientation) appropriate for sharing with a group or individual reading. The illustrations fill the entire screen and are very entertaining. Children need to take extra time just to enjoy these pictures! Each screen view features twelve lines of rhyming text in white print that contrasts with the background illustration...very easy reading.

*Parent Alert ~ It seems like young kids go crazy when they read/hear a story with a reference to "passing gas" in it. This book has one page that refers to a "zombie-kid's fart". There is a pictures of a girl zombie passing gas and a boy holding his nose. I think this is appropriate for a story like this and kids will find it hilarious.

I highly recommend this book for children of all ages. This is a perfect selection for Earth Day (April 22). 

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5  

This book is available as a FREE Kindle book at Amazon.Com TODAY! These promotions don't last very long so grab your copy NOW.

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Children's Book Review: Hugo's Cat Circus by Julia Dweck

Hugo's Cat Circus

Author: Julia Dweck
Illustrator: Maggie Swanson

Publisher: Kitereaders

Date: September 18, 2012



About The Author
Julia Dweck writes children's stories for digital and traditional publication. Her stories span the spectrum of humor, fantasy, and edutainment in rhyme and in prose. Julia's background in elementary education affords her the opportunity to be in touch with what children want to read about and what makes them giggle.

Circus Fun
Once a year, the cats in Marseille buy a ticket to visit Le Cat Circus Show. Hugo is the head cat and the three-ring show master.

All the circus performers are talented and creative cats. There are cat clowns, cat gymnasts, cat singers and cat jugglers. Each breed of cat has a special talent that is featured in the circus show. Some cute mice join in the fun and are shot out of a cannon onto a tiny trampoline.

At the end of the evening, Hugo bids all the cats farewell and they return to their homes with happy memories of their circus adventure.

My Thoughts
This is a delightful ebook that will entertain and educate young readers. Children will love the cat circus performers. The text is written in rhyme and the color illustrations are excellent. Cat lovers will be thrilled to see their favorite feline breeds performing daring circus acts and stunts.

I read this book on my Kindle Fire HD and was very pleased with the landscape orientation of this story. Each screen view looks like a 2-page layout with an illustration and four lines of text on each page.

This ebook is great fun for young readers and an excellent introduction to a circus performance. Highly recommended for all ages!

FYI ~ I received this ebook from Amazon during a special FREE promotion. Please check the price before ordering.

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Kindle Books For Kids: Human Day by A.J. Cosmo

Human Day

Author: A.J. Cosmo

Publisher: Thought Bubble Publishing

Date: October 19, 2012

11 Pages


About The Author
A.J. Cosmo taught second grade special needs children. Now he spends his days helping people find their way in the world. He loves to write and entertain.

The Day After Halloween
One day a year, the day after Halloween, monsters dress up as human beings and pretend to be people for a day. They put on smiling human masks and go about doing things like shopping, going to school and driving a car.

This book is illustrated with colorful illustrations that are delightful and hilarious.

My Thoughts
Halloween is a day for children to dress up like monsters. The day AFTER Halloween is a day for monsters to dress up like humans. Great fun!

This story is sure to stimulate the imaginations of young children as they think about all the things that the monsters might do on "Human Day".  I read this story on my Kindle Fire and loved the color illustrations that seem to bring the monsters to life. This story is a good fit for the Kindle (landscape orientation works best). Each screen view has a color illustration and one or two lines of text.

At the end of the story, the monsters are sad to see the day come to an end because they have had so much fun. They mark the date "November 1" on next year's calendar.

Children tend to feel a little sad when Halloween is over and they have to put their costumes away for another year. This story is a wonderful day-after-Halloween book that is sure to put a smile on young reader's faces.

This story is very short but it is sure to be a hit with the kids. The illustrations are really remarkable ~ Children will be able to re-tell the story over and over again just by looking at the pictures.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

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Children's Book Review: Kayak Girl by Monica Devine

 Title: Kayak Girl


Author: Monica Devine
Illustrator: Mindy Dwyer

Publisher: University of Alaska Press

Date: September 15, 2012

 

About The Author

Monica Devine is the author of five children's books and a former nominee of the celebrated Golden Kite Award for her book, The Iditarod: The Greatest Win Ever (Cover-To-Cover Books).

Sorrow and Healing
Jana, a young Eskimo girl, is too tired to do the things that she did in the past. Since her mother died, Jana spends most of her time in her room looking out the cabin window.

One day, her grandfather comes from a village far up the river for a visit. He brings Jana a set of carving tools but she is not interested in carving. She watches while her grandfather carves a girl sitting in a boat from a piece of wood. He calls the girl "Kayak Girl" and tells Jana to take the girl down to the river and put her in the water. Jana doesn't want to walk to the river so Kayak Girl sits in a dusty corner and is forgotten.

When Jana's grandfather is ready to go home, he takes the carving and promises to put Kayak Girl in the river near his village. He asks Jana to walk down to the river each day and watch for Kayak Girl to return to her.

Over the next weeks and months, Jana walks down to the river each day and patiently waits for Kayak Girl. She deals with her feelings of fear, loneliness and grief as she stands by the river waiting for Kayak Girl to find her way home.

Eventually,  Kayak Girl finds her way back to Jana and she thanks the small wood carving for bringing back her spirit. She puts Kayak Girl back in the river and promises that she will not forget her.

Jana realizes that her mother still loves her and her spirit will always be with her.

My Thoughts
This is a beautiful children's story that deals with a very sensitive subject. Jana is dealing with the loss of her mother and can't work through her grief. She doesn't have the desire to leave her room or do any of the things she has done in the past. She appears to be depressed and has lost her desire to live a happy, productive life.

Jana learns to accept her mother's death by caring about the Kayak Girl and recalling happy memories of her mother. She learns that her mother's spirit is with her and she doesn't need to be sad.

The color illustrations are wonderful and do a very nice job spotlighting the Alaskan landscape. This book provides an outstanding example of the Alaskan culture and traditions. The story deals with feelings in a way that children will understand. I highly recommend this book for children of all ages.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review from the publisher.

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Kindle Books For Kids: C Is For China

C is for China
By Robyn Chance

Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing
(March 1, 2012)

About The Author
Robyn Chance lives in Olympia, Washington.  She is a teacher and an artist. Over the years she has developed a real passion for telling stories about the enchanting world in which we live. Her goal is to help children explore and become curious about the world around them.

Rhymes and Pictures
 "C Is For China" is a beautiful picture book that features some of China's history, mythology, language and character. The author wrote this book for her adopted daughter and for all children. She used rhyming text and beautiful watercolor paintings to illustrate the geography, history, people and culture of China.

This book consists of several lines of rhyming text and an illustration for each letter of the alphabet. Here is an example of the rhyming text;

G is for the Great Wall, which took years to create.
It was built for protection, and is anything but straight!
It careens through the mountains and dives through the valleys.
It was made from strong stone and it has many alleys.

The author encourages the young readers to look for Chinese characters that appear on each illustration. The Chinese character that appears on each page represents the main idea presented in that narrative.

My Thoughts
This ebook is a real visual feast. The watercolor illustrations are superb and the rhyming text is an excellent way to engage children in facts and fun.

I viewed this book on the small screen of a Kindle 3 with black-and-white illustrations. The illustrations were printed on the top 1/3 of the page and the text appeared under the  picture. The formatting was good and I could easily view the picture and text on each page. I also read the book on my Kindle for PC application on the big screen of my laptop computer. The large color illustrations were outstanding on the larger screen and I enjoyed seeing the details that were not visible in the smaller images on my Kindle.

It really is a small world and a book like this is a great way to make learning an enjoyable experience for kids. I loved this ebook and I think it is a valuable resource for children of all ages. Highly recommended.

My Rating:  5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I ordered this book when it was offered as a free download from Amazon.Com. Please check the price before ordering.

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Golden Oldies For Kids: Animated Numbers Book 1945

Animated Numbers Book

Created and Illustrated by William Wiesner
Text by Edward Ernest

Garden City Publishing Co, Inc.

Copyright, 1945
By Duenewald Printing Corporation

Lithographed in the United States of America








About the Author
William Wiesner was born on April 28, 1899, in Vienna, Austria. He was a practicing architect and interior designer in Austria before migrating to France and then to the United States in 1941. He worked with his wife in textile design and got commissions for murals and paintings from the Hilton Hotels in various cities.
Mr. Wiesner wrote and illustrated many children's books in the 1960s and 1970s.

A Movable Picture Book
This book makes it easy and fun for any young reader to learn numbers. It illustrates each number with animated objects: such as airplanes coming out of a factory, sheep trotting over a hill and animals hidden in a circus ring.

For each number there is a different game to play, with the fun of counting and identifying objects. The excitement of making the pictures move and the magic of the simple number games will give any young child hours of learning pleasure.

The first page of the book shows a young farmer with a pitch fork in his hand.
He is looking at a pig pen that appears to be empty. You pull a tab on the side of the page, and the pig magically shows up in the pen. This page features the number "0" and "1".

Where is the Pig?
First there is one
And then there is none!

The book presents numbers 1 - 10 to the young readers and introduces some simple addition at the end of the book. There are seven pages of movable parts and many pages have hidden pictures that children must look for.

My Thoughts
I love to hunt for vintage children's books at yard sales, flea markets and thrift shops. I found this treasure at the Spring Antique Fair in Warrenton, Texas. My copy is well worn but all the movable pieces are intact and I was thrilled to add it to my collection.

This book is loaded with illustrations that tell the story of our country during the 1940s. There are pictures of farm children, trains, airplanes, a factory, circus performers and an elevator in a department store (the elevator moves up and down when you pull a tab.)

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. This simple picture book is a great example of the value of a picture.

I hate to think of all the vintage children's books that have been destroyed throughout the years. I would like to encourage you to keep your eyes open and be prepared to rescue these treasures when you are lucky enough to find them.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Dr. Seuss is one of my very favorite children's book authors. It is really hard to choose my favorite Dr. Seuss book but I dearly love Horton Hatches the Egg, The Lorax and How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

Today the movie version of "The Lorax" opens in theatres around the country and I look forward to seeing it soon.

Dr. Seuss was born on March 2, 1904. I would like to share some of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotations to honor his 108th birthday.


“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”   

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”  

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”   

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”  

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”   
(Oh The Places You'll Go)

 “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
(I Can Read With My Eyes Shut)

“A person's a person, no matter how small.”
(Horton Hears A Who)

“Being crazy isn't enough.”

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not.”  
 (The Lorax)

“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!”  
 
“I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful one-hundred percent!”  
 (Horton Hatches The Egg)

“How did it get so late so soon?”    

“I'm afraid that sometimes you'll play lonely games too. Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you.”    

“Remember me and smile, for it's better to forget than to remember me and cry.”  

Thank you for the many hours of happy reading, Dr. Seuss! You will always be remembered.

What is your favorite Dr. Seuss quotation or book? Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Kindle Books for Kids: A Lovely Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all my family, friends and loyal readers! Love is in the air and this is a special day for lovers everywhere.

I recently read "A Lovely Day; A Valentine Picture Book for Children" by Sujatha Lalgudi. This is a story about a young boy who finds a perfect Valentine's Day gift for each member of his family.

About The Author
Sujatha Lalgudi was born in Bangalore and holds a Masters Degree in Computers. After working for several years in the Silicon Valley, she moved back to India. She is currently residing in Mysore, a heritage city. She and her husband Raghavendra Mocharla run and operate www.yumdeal.com and www.hippidoo.com.
Both her children, daughter aged 8 and son aged 3 love books. All her books pass through their test first :-)
Sujatha Lalgudi has written many ebooks for children. They are all available on the Amazon Kindle.

Valentine's Day
This is a very simple ebook for children that features a young boy and his family. Each page of the book shows him presenting a different family member or friend a Valentine's Day gift.

The boy gives his mommie a bouquet of red roses, his daddy some tasty cupcakes and his best friend a bunch of balloons. He gives his dog a special bone and his cat a cozy blanket. He presents his "Valentine" with a big red paper heart!

The story ends with a picture of the boy and his parents embracing and looking very happy ~ "lots of kisses, loads of hugs, all for me!"

My Thoughts
This 13-page ebook is a short and sweet story for young boys and girls. Each page includes a full-page color illustration and one sentence of text. The text is written above or below the illustration in big print.

I read this book on my Kindle 3 (black and white illustrations) and my Kindle for PC application (color illustrations). I enjoyed the pictures and text on the small screen of my Kindle. The formatting is very good and I did not have any problem reading the text.

The color illustrations are very expressive and truly convey the joy of giving that the boy experienced as he gave gifts to his family and friends. I love the way this book emphasizes the spirit of generosity. The gifts were all inexpensive and many of them were homemade.

The last page of the story is so sweet. It shows that the boy received the very best gift of all ~ Hugs and kisses from his loved ones.

I think this is an excellent story to share with young children on Valentine's Day. Highly recommended!

My Rating:  5 stars out of 5

FYI ~ I ordered this book from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free download. Please check the price before ordering.

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Kindle Books For Kids: Twelve Dresses, One Star

A little girl learns that if you want to be a star, you should be happy with who you are. "Twelve Dresses, One Star; A Silly Picture Book About Being Who You Are, by Robert Stanek, is a delightful ebook that will build self-esteem and self-acceptance in young children.



About The Author
Robert Stanek wrote novels for more than ten years before he ever tried to get published. While he wrote those other books, he wrote many, many stories and books for his kids, and he collected them for a few decades, until at his children's urging he set out to get them published for others to enjoy.

Twelve Dresses
A young girl learns that it doesn't matter what you do, what you like or what you wear. The important thing is that you accept yourself and that you "be you, every day, in every way."

The girl is wearing twelve different dresses in the full-page color illustrations. Children will enjoy counting the dresses and comparing the styles and colors.

My Thoughts
I really like the message in this book and I think it is an important concept to teach young children. This book could be used to teach lessons in self-esteem, self-discovery and self-acceptance. Children are never too young to learn that they are special and they are loved just for being themselves.

I viewed this ebook on my Kindle 3 (black and white illustrations) and I was very pleased with the formatting. Each illustration fills the screen and there is one or two lines of text at the bottom of each picture. The illustrations of the young girl are large and the facial expressions are excellent.
I also view the book on my Kindle for PC application (color illustrations). I loved the colorful pictures and it was much easier to distinguish the differences in the twelve dresses in the color pictures.

I think pre-school children will find this ebook fun and entertaining. It is an excellent choice for young girls and boys. I think children will be happy to listen to this story over and over again.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I ordered this book from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.


Kindle Books For Kids: Franklin Goes To School

Franklin the Turtle has been a much-loved children's book character for many years. He is also a popular star of his own television show. Franklin is now on the Kindle!
Franklin Goes To School, by Paulette Bourgeous, is the classic story of Franklin's first day at school. This book was first published in 1995 and was released as a Kindle ebook in May, 2011.




About the Author
Paulette Bourgeois is best known for creating Franklin the Turtle, the character who appears in picture books illustrated by Toronto native Brenda Clark. The books have sold more than 60 million copies around the world and have been translated into 38 languages. An animated television series, merchandise, DVDs and full-feature movies are based on the character.

The First Day of School
Franklin was going to school for the very first time. He woke up very early and felt like his tummy was "full of jumping frogs".  Franklin's parents walked him to the bus stop and gave him a big hug. Franklin was worried...What if he wasn't smart enough to go to school? Who would be his teacher? Would he have any friends?

When Franklin got to school, his teacher discovered that he was a good artist. Franklin drew pictures, read a book and made a building of blocks. He had a wonderful day at school.

That evening Franklin gave his parents the two pictures he made at school and two big hugs!

A Perfect Story For The First Week of School
I read this story to the students in my school library many, many times. It is a perfect story for the first week of school. All kids are a little nervous when they begin a new school year. This story demonstrates that it is OK to be nervous but school is a friendly place for learning and fun.

This book (and many others in the "Franklin Series") is now available in digital format on the Kindle. I read the book on my Kindle 3 and was very pleased with the formatting and the entire visual experience.

I checked this book out from my public library. The process is very easy and the book is available for a 7 or 14 day period. If you finish the book sooner, you can return it to the library and check-out more digital books. I am very excited about the selection of children's ebooks that are available from the public library. I will writing about more ebooks from the public library over the next few weeks.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Kindle Books for Kids: Snow Man Is My Friend

Snow Man Is My Friend, written and illustrated by Steven Novak, is a poignant picture book about a lonely young boy and his quest for comfort and companionship. The boy is the son of an alcoholic father and an emotionally unavailable mother. He feels alone even when surrounded by others. The snow man understands.

Many children will understand this boy's plight. This is an excellent book to introduce children to the problem of substance abuse in the family.

About the Author
Born in Chicago Illinois, Steven Novak has spent the whole of his life creating. After attending The Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus Ohio for four years he moved to California where he married his wife, Tamara. While working as a freelance illustrator and graphic artist, he produced several successful blogs and began to slowly piece together the story that would eventually become "Forts." His work can be found online at www.novakillustration.com

A Sad and Lonely Boy
This is a story about a boy named Jacob who lives in a dysfunctional family. His father drinks and his mother stays in her room and cries. He feels lonely and hopeless, even when he is surrounded by children at school.

One cold winter night, Jacob runs away from home. He runs through the snowy forest and stops to notice the quietness of the trees and the frozen water in the lake. He is cold but he doesn't mind the cold. He rolls one ball of snow and then another and still another.

Jacob makes a snow man and shares the secrets of his heart with his new best friend. The snow man listens and does not judge. Jacob needed a sympathetic friend and he found one in the most unlikely place.

My Thoughts
I can only think of one word to describe this ebook: SPLENDID!!!
Mr. Novak has done an amazing job portraying the emotions and feelings of the boy in this story. The black-and-white illustrations complement the text and add in-depth emotion to the story. I love the close-up illustration of Jacob's face with such a sad, lonely look. A picture is truly worth a thousand words.

The first word of each line of text is in bold print. I think this adds more drama and emotion to the story. The formatting is very professional and the story has a great flow from text to illustration.

The subject of substance abuse in the family is often swept under the rug. I am very grateful to Mr. Novak for writing this top-notch children's book. I am giving the book a 5 STAR RATING, but I wish I could give it more. Excellent choice for children of all ages.

FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.

Pease share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.


Book Review: Chopsticks (Friends For A Season)

Two 13-year-old girls compete in a song-writing contest. They both desperately need the $400.00 prize money to help others at Christmas.
Will their friendship survive?
Will this competition draw them closer together or tear them apart?
Will their Christian faith help them overcome the challenges that they face at home and at school?
Chopsticks, by Sandra Byrd, is a book for tweens/teens that includes fun, friends, family and faith.
About The Author
After earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd has now published more than three dozen books. A former textbook acquisitions editor, Sandra has also published many nonfiction articles and books. Sandra is also passionate about helping new writers develop their talent and their work toward traditional or self-publication. As such, she has mentored and coached hundreds of new writers and continues to coach dozens to success each year.

Two Young Musicians Become Friends
One girl sells the other a guitar and they seal their new friendship with a pair of chopsticks from a Chinese restaurant. The girls love music but their lives are very different.
Paige Winsome has always been in the shadow of her athletic brother and her academic sister. She feels like she has to fight for attention in her affluent family and that her musical talents are overlooked.
Kate Kennedy is an only child.  Her father is a pastor but has to work a second job to make ends meet. Kate uses her musical abilities in the youth group at church but she feels bad about always having to accept hand-outs from members of the church.
The girls both enter a singer/songwriter competition. The first place prize is $400.00 and an opportunity to sing at the annual Thanksgiving Day football game. Paige wants to use the prize money to donate to an animal rescue group. Kate wants to use the money to buy Christmas presents for needy American Indian children.
The girls are both talented and have what it takes to win the contest. The surprise ending of this story shows how faith and friendship can overcome all obstacles.


My Thoughts
This book is realistic Christian fiction for tweens/teens at it's best. The girls in the story face real-life challenges, pressures and heartaches. The one thing that gives them hope for a better future is their Christian faith.
The girls learn to put their own self-interests aside and concentrate on helping others. This book highlights strong family values without being overly saccharine or gooey. Highly recommended for tweens/teens ages 10 - 14!

The Friends For A Season Series
Chopsticks is Book #2 in the "Friends For A Season" series. It was first published as a paperback book in 2005 and was released in digital format in October, 2011.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: The Mystical Wood

"The Mystical Wood", by Simon Jenner, is a story about a boy and his dog. Max gets out of the yard through a hole under the gate and the boy runs to rescue him. The boy learns some very valuable life lessons as he searches for his beloved pet.
This ebook is available from Amazon and can be read on the Kindle and all of the Kindle applications.





About The Author
Simon Jenner is an independent author who lives in the United Kingdom with his wife and son. He has worked as an accountant for the past 20 years.

A Boy and His Dog
This is an exciting adventure story about a boy in search of his lost dog. The story is written in rhyme and has some repetitive text that children will love. The boy opens the gate to leave his yard and falls down into a magical kingdom. He meets a wizard who warns him,

"Little boy, oh little boy, what business have you here?
This wood is full of monsters and other things to fear."

The wizard gives the boy a magic green bag with three boxes inside. The wizard tells the boy that he can use the bag to help him find Max.

The boy walks through the woods and meets a dragon, a giant bumblebee and a T-Rex dinosaur. Each of these animals threaten to do great harm to the boy. The boy is brave and uses the magic green bag to barter with the monsters and go safely on his way.

Did the boy find his dog? You will be happy to discover the fate of Max at the end of this story.

My Thoughts
I found this book absolutely delightful. The color illustrations by Pierrre Fihue are wonderful. They add a great deal of excitement and suspense to the story.
The boy faces some very real dangers in the woods but he never gives in to fear. His determination to rescue his beloved pet is his only concern. This book will entertain young readers and teach them some valuable lessons about life.
I am so happy to see new books for kids being written for the Kindle. The  Kindle Fire has a color screen so this will make children's books very appealing to parents. I believe the future will be very bright for authors who write ebooks for children and young adults.

If you would like to learn more about "The Mystical Wood", please view The Mystical Wood [Book Trailer].

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Fifo "50 States"

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

Fifo "50 States" is a whimsical picture book that introduces children to each state in the United States. The book was written by Hayley Rose and illustrated by Jessie B. Orlet. This book was published by Inkwell Productions in 2010. (ISBN: 9780981464824)

Are you looking for an enjoyable way to introduce the 50 states to your child? This book is written in rhyme and illustrated with delightful color pictures. Your child will love learning about the United States with Fifo.

About the Author
Hayley Rose grew up in the beach side town of Pacific Palisades, California, to a family of visual artists. In the early 1990's she traveled the U.S. with her band Crush Violet. Along with writing children's books, Hayley has been working in entertainment business management for the past 15 years, specializing in concert touring. She is currently a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and resides dually in Los Angeles, CA and Scottsdale, AZ.
Her first book, Fifo "When I Grow Up" was published in 2002.

50 States and a Ton of Fun!
Fifo "Fifty States" is a charming picture book in rhyme. It is also a wonderful learning tool for children. Each state is featured with a rhyme and a delightful color picture. There is an amazing amount of information presented in the text and the illustrations complement and add more interesting details to the text. 

The book presents the following information about each of the 50 states;

• The geographic section of the country that the state is located in ( North, South, East, West, Midwest).
• The chronological order that the state entered the Union. (Ex. The 26th state)
• The name of the state capitol.
• The name of the state flower.
• The name of the state tree.
• The name of the state bird.
• The state motto.

The illustrations add even more details about the states;

• A small state map with a star to spotlight the capitol city.
• The state flag.
• A glimpse of the landscape and tourist attractions.
• Some of the main products and occupations (corn, cherries, mining, farming, livestock, etc.)
• Famous state events (Ex. Hot Air Balloons in New Mexico, Rodeos in Oklahoma, etc.)
• Famous events in the state's history.

The best thing about the illustrations is that Fifo is featured right in the middle of the page wearing a costume that is appropriate for the state that he is visiting!
I would like to share one page from the book so that you can feel the rhythm of the text and view one of the illustrations;

"Down in the south

lies the 28th state.

It is called Texas

and I hear it's just great.

Austin is the capitol

and there are many things to see,

like the Bluebonnet flower

and the yummy Pecan tree.

The crazy little Mockingbird

lives in Texas too.

It's a wonderful place to visit,

I'd like to go there, wouldn't you?"

Children will love to travel the country with Fifo the Bear. This book will make learning fun and kids will be eager to read it over and over again.

My Thoughts

Fifo "50 States" is fun, fantastic and full of facts! Kids will love the rhythm and repetition of the text. This book offers many opportunities for parents and teachers to share the joy of traveling with Fifo. I was overwhelmed by the detail in the illustrations. Children will spend hours exploring and investigating the fact-filled pictures.

The beautiful thing about this book is that it is appropriate for children of all ages. Young children will delight in hearing their parent/teacher reading the text and looking at the colorful pictures of Fifo. Older children will find this book educational and intriguing. I think this book will give students just enough information to make them go searching for more. I highly recommend this book to children, parents and teachers. This book rocks!

Fifo "50 States" was recently selected from over 1000 entries to be included on the K.A.R.T Kids Book List for the 2011/2012 school year. The book has also won a "Mom's Choice Award", a "2011 Readers Favorite Book Award" and many other honors.

You can download Fifo coloring sheets and word games from Fifo's Web Page. These resources will be very popular with young and old alike. Great fun for Fifo fans!


Fifo The Bear Books [Book Trailer]
If you would like to learn more about the Fifo the Bear books, please click HERE to view the book trailer.


Disclosure: I received a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review from the author.

Please share your thought in the Comments Section below.

Dreamer Handmade Bookmark

It is time for another one of Mo's Digital Challenges. This week the theme is "Anything BUT A Card!!" I decided to make a bookmark for my granddaughter. She will soon be starting 3rd grade and loves to read.

This is how I made this bookmark;
(1.) I started with a blank cream-colored book mark (with tassel) from The Paper Company. The bookmark measures 2 1/4" by 6". I lightly sponged some "Old Paper ~ Tim Holtz" distress ink around the edges of the bookmark.

(2.) I used blue/beige dotted patterned paper as the background. I used a Martha Stewart punch to make the loops in the top.

(3.) I used the digital image "They Grow So Fast " from Mo's Digital Pencil Shop. This is a cute image of Jack and the Beanstalk. I colored it with Prismacolor pencils and markers. I sponged some "Tumbled Glass ~ Tim Holtz" distress ink on the background to look like the sky.

(4.) I embellished the card with the "Dreamer" and butterfly stickers from K and Co.

This project was fun to make. I hope it inspires my granddaughter to be a SUPER reader in school this year.