When You Meet a Dragon - Children's Book

 

Title: When You Meet a Dragon

Author: Tanya Lloyd Kyi

Illustrator: Udayana Lugo

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers

Publication Date: April 16, 2024

Reading/Interest Level - Grades K - 2

About the Author
Tanya Lloyd Kyi is the award-winning author of more than thirty books for children and young adults. 
Udayana Lugo is a self-taught illustrator of mixed heritage. 

It Takes A Village
Things look very bleak when a young girl sees a huge dragon in the sky above her. She knows she can't fight the dragon alone, so she starts recruiting friends, family, and community members to help her. She finds people of all races, ages, and ethnic groups to help fight the dragon. There are even animals that join the fight. 

This is a difficult battle but the girl and her friends do not give up. The dragon eventually grows tired and flies away. The girl knows that the dragon could return, but she also knows that she has nothing to fear.

My Thoughts
This is a wonderful story that spotlights the values of resiliency, perseverance, and courage. The young girl organizes a group of determined people who refuse to give up. I love the diversity of the people in the town. This is my favorite quote;

"You and your friends keep each other going. 'Don't give up,' you say. 'We can't give up!' You say it even when everything is dark. You whisper it when you're scared. You repeat it to anyone who will listen. We won't give up."

 The illustrations are outstanding and add great value to the story. 

The story ends on a positive note because the girl knows she is not alone.

MY RATING: 5 Stars Out Of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for an excellent reading opportunity.

A Book for Sensitive Children

 

Title: Sensitive

Author: Sara Levine

Illustrator: Mehrdokht Amini

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books

Publication Date: October 3, 2023

Length: 32 Pages

About the Author
Sara Levine is an author, educator, and veterinarian. Her book awards include AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books, the Utah Beehive Book Award, Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year, Cook Prize finalist for best STEM picture book, and the Mathical Book Award.

You Are Too Sensitive!
A young Asian-American girl comes to terms with the fact that she is sensitive.
The other children tease and taunt her for having thin skin and acting like a baby.
She learns that her feelings are real and she does not have to feel bad about her sensitivity. She writes her feelings out in a journal and realizes that being sensitive is actually her SUPERPOWER!
The author adds helpful tips for sensitive kids at the end of the story.

My Thoughts
I can relate to the girl in this story because I was also a sensitive child. The author does an amazing job illustrating in words and pictures the feelings a sensitive child deals with.

The mixed-media illustrations are outstanding and add great value to the text. 

I love the way the sensitive child writes in a journal to find joy and acceptance. She writes out her feelings and realizes that her sensitivity is not something to be ashamed of. 

This is a wonderful book to read-aloud to elementary school children. It could also be used by a counselor or mental health professional. I like everything about this story!!!

My Rating - Five Stars Out Of Five

Thank you to NetGalley for a wonderful reading opportunity.

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Children's Book - Sonia's Digital World

Title: Sonia's Digital World

Author: Shannon McClintock Miller

Illustrator: Clara Reschke

Publisher: Picture Window Books

Publication Date: August 1, 2023

Pages: 32 pages

Interest Level: Grades K - 2

Reading Level: Ages 5 - 7

About the Author
Shannon McClintock Miller, an international speaker and author, is the K-12 district teacher librarian at Van Meter Community School District in Iowa. She earned the Making it Happen Award by the International Society for Technology in Education in 2016 and was named the American Association of School Librarians Social Media Superstar Leadership Luminary in 2018. 

Sonia Uses Technology for Communication, Collaboration, and Learning
Sonia is a very tech-savvy young lady.

She uses technology (cell phone and camera) to stay in touch with friends and family. Her grandparents are far away but watch a school play on their laptop computer.

Sonia learns how to share new things she is learning by collaborating with other students on her tablet.

Sonia's teacher connects with classrooms across the world with technology. 

Sonia can look up information on the Internet and find answers to millions of questions.

Sonia learns how to use technology to help others in her community and the world.

The book ends with five questions that focus on the main ideas presented in the story.

My Thoughts
Most school-age children have an abundance of experience using technology for entertainment. They have watched videos and played games for many years.

This book emphasizes the use of technology for bringing people together and increasing knowledge. The author defines collaboration in a kid-friendly way...."We can put our minds together." 

The book contains very diverse characters. There are children of different races and nationalities. There is a boy in a wheelchair and several children wearing glasses. There is also generational diversity with children, parents, and grandparents participating in the story.

The story takes place in many different settings where technology is used. The color illustrations are excellent and add value to the story. If you take a close look at the pictures you will see examples of technology that are not mentioned in the text...cell phone tower, a drone, and an Internet dish on a building.

The questions at the end of the story are excellent for discussion. There is also a chart that displays the ISTE Standards.

I think this book provides a wonderful learning experience for young children. It combines learning and fun...a great combination!

RATING: 5 Stars Out of 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.

Hope and Other Super Powers

Hope and Other Superpowers: A Life-Affirming, Love-Defending, Butt-Kicking, World-Saving Manifesto

Author: John Pavlovitz

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Publication Date: November 6, 2018

Length: 256 Pages








About the Author
John Pavlovitz is a writer, pastor, and activist from Wake Forest, North Carolina. In the past four years his blog Stuff That Needs To Be Said has reached a diverse worldwide audience. A 20-year veteran in the trenches of local church ministry, John is committed to equality, diversity, and justice—both inside and outside faith communities.



What Kind of Person Does the World Need Right Now?
This book is a call to action. It is a call for activism and resistance against the upside-down world we live in. Americans (in general) and Christians (specifically) no longer seem burdened to love the least, or to be agents of compassion, or to care for your Muslim, gay, African, female, or poor neighbors as yourself.

The author uses popular comic book heroes to identify ways of cultivating key traits (ordinary superpowers) that will improve our lives and our outlook on the worldwide community. 

The book warns about the weaknesses (our personal Kryptonite) that leaves us vulnerable to the adversaries and villains that we will face on the journey.

Superpowers don't work alone but in teams of other people with the ultimate goal of creating a global movement of radical goodness. This book provides guidelines for locating like-minded heroes and how to join together to achieve common goals.

Mr. Pavlovitz shares stories of some ordinary superhumans to illustrate how they triumphed against adversity, despair and opposition. These stories serve as an example to launch us into our greater purpose and destiny.

The author recently made the following plea on his blog, and this book provides guidance on how to take meaningful action.

"You and I need to pick a hill worth dying on right now, and we need to ascend it without delay. We need to speak and write and work and protest, and do all the things we’ve been waiting for someone else to do."

My Thoughts
 I read this book from cover to cover and found it quite compelling. Mr. Pavlovitz is an excellent writer and expresses his ideas, views and opinions in a very articulate and meaningful manner. He has built a huge platform of supporters on social media sites and frequently expresses his dislike for President Trump and the current political environment in our country.

However, I don't think this book is about politics, religion or liberalism. I believe Mr. Pavlovitz is sincere in his desire to make this a better world. The purpose  for this book is to inspire and motivate ordinary people to get off the sidelines and take a stand for their beliefs and convictions. He warns that there will be a price to pay for taking a bold stand on controversial social, political and religious issues. You will face the scorn and rejection of family members, co-workers, church members...your mother might think your brother/sister is better than you. 

Put on your cape and use the superpowers described in this book to turn your back on fear and pick a hill worth dying on.

I feel like our country has lowered the bar on what is morally right and wrong. I don't even like watching the news anymore. The bad news just keeps coming. This book stirs something deep inside of me. It confirms the popular quotation by Edmund Burke; "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing."
Hope and Other Super Powers will be released on November 6...election day. A coincidence? No, I don't think so. 

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Thank you to Simon and Schuster for making this advance reading copy available.

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Children's Book Review: Trockle by Holly Jahangiri

Trockle

Author: Holly Jahangiri
Illustrator: Jordan M. Vinyard

Publisher: 4RV Publishing LLC

Date: April 19, 2008





About The Author
Holly Jahangiri is a professional writer with over twenty years' experience in technical writing, freelancing, fiction, poetry, and editing.

What Is Under The Bed?
Stephen believes there is a monster under his bed. The monster repellent that his mother sprayed in his room is not working because Stephen hears the monster snoring under his bed each night. The monster snores and he talks in his sleep. Stephen knows the monster's name is Trockle and he is afraid the little fellow will eat him. Stephen's parents promise him that there is no reason to be afraid and consent to leaving the light on.

Trockle talks in his sleep because he is afraid of the thing that lives above him. Trockle's wise mother tells him that a little boy lives above him and there is nothing to be afraid of. The little boy looks different and does strange things and Trockle is afraid the boy might eat him. Trockle's mother tells him that the boy in the bed is afraid of HIM! Trockle thinks that is very funny.

At the end of the story, Stephen and Trockle sleep soundly knowing there is nothing to be afraid of.  They have more things in common than they first thought.

My Thoughts
This story deals with children's fear of the dark and the unknown. This is a common problem that all parents of young children have to deal with at one time or another.

Ms. Jahangiri presents an interesting possibility in this story...what if there really is a monster under the bed and he is afraid of the little boy?
This story is an excellent resource to discuss "point-of-view" with children and to compare Stephen's experiences on top of the bed with Trockle's home under the bed.

There is another important lesson in this story. Children learn that there is much diversity in the world and they do not need to fear something that looks different or unusual.

Jordan Vinyard has done an excellent job illustrating this story in colored pencils and/or chalk. The pictures add a great deal of value to the story.

This book will delight pre-schoolers through early elementary grade children. Highly recommend for home and school libraries.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ The author sent me a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review.

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