My Alien Life by J. Martain - Audiobook Review

Title: My Alien Life; a Novelette (Audiobook)

Author: J. Martain

Narrator: April Doty

Publisher: BooksGoSocial Audio

Publication Date: December 22, 2022

Length: 1 hour, 1 minute

About the Author
 J. Martain is a coastal North Carolina native who spends most of her time questioning the way the universe and all the beings in it work. Her characters are sometimes human, sometimes not, but they prefer not to be judged on that criteria.

Family Drama and Promise Keeping Young Lynette did not remember her mother. She was raised in rural North Carolina by her hard-working father. When Lynette's father died, the only relative willing to take Lynette was her great, great Aunt Magnolia. Lynette was nine years old and Aunt Mag promised to stay alive until Lynette was sixteen years old.

This is the poignant story of Lynette's seven years with her Great-great-aunt Magnolia Rose McClellan, the oldest sister of her mother's great-grandmother. Aunt Mag didn't have very much money, but she taught Lynette the meaning of love, commitment, and family.

The narration of the audiobook is very good. The southern dialect makes the characters come to life.

My Thoughts I listened to the audiobook and I also read a digital copy of the book. The narration of the audiobook is awesome and I enjoyed listening to the story. The characters were very authentic and I felt great empathy for Lynette, especially after her father died. I was not sure about her future with Aunt Mag, but the more I listened the more I realized that Lynette was in the right place.

Aunt Mag was totally committed to raising Lynette and keeping her promise. This short story will make your heart smile.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for a wonderful listening experience.

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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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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.

Sapphire's Adventure - Children's Book Review

Sapphire's Adventure: The Baby Blue Dragon (Volume 2) 

Author: Nell Kent

Publisher: Amazon CreateSpace

Publication Date: July 26, 2018

Length: 36 pages

Ages: 4 - 8 years.








About the Author
Nell Kent was born in Tyler, Texas in 1942.  Nell graduated from Southeastern State University in Durant, Oklahoma in 1973 with a degree in Fine Arts. She is an accomplished artist and loves working in various mediums. "The Baby Blue Dragon" was Nell's first book.

Sapphire Searches for Her Clan
Sapphire the dragon is back! This is Volume 2 of the author's first book; The Baby Blue Dragon.

Sapphire is eight and a half months old and it is time for her to leave the Dragon Rescue Farm in the Texas Hill Country. She needs to find a clan...a group of dragons that band together and make a family.

This story follows Sapphire around the country as she searches for a new family.

My Thoughts
The cover of this book is very appealing. A dragon with pink polka-dots, green tennis shoes, and glasses! What kid could resist a character like this?

This book is a real treat for children who read the first Sapphire book. I highly recommend the first book because it might be a little confusing to read this book alone.

Miss Dragon, the owner of the Dragon Rescue Farm, teaches Sapphire the rules for finding a clan. Children will love to learn that dragons must obey rules just like boys and girls.

Sapphire learns to read a large map of the United States and chooses two places that she might like. Children will be curious about the places that Sapphire visits and will want to learn more about them.

The book is illustrated by the author with lovely colored pencil drawings that add great value to the story. Each drawing tells a little story and adds details to the text.

There is a glossary and a word search puzzle at the end of the book. 

Recommended for all Sapphire the Dragon fans! Read both books and enjoy a wonderful fantasy adventure that will have you eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I purchased a print copy of this book with my own funds.

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Roosevelt Banks; Good Kid in Training - Children's Book Review

Title: Roosevelt Banks; Good-Kid-in-Training

Author: Laurie Calkhoven

Illustrator: Debbie Palen

Publisher: ONE ELM Books

Publication Date: January 7, 2020

Length: 128 Pages

Recommended for Grades 3 - 5.





About the Author
Laurie Calkhoven is a children's writer and editor living in New York City. She has written many historical children's books, including George Washington: An American Life and Harriet Tubman: Leading the Way to Freedom. You can visit her at lauriecalkhoven.com.

A Good Kid...EXCEPT When He Isn't
Roosevelt Theodore Banks is 10-years-old and in the fourth grade. His little sister's name is Kennedy and his dog's name is Millard Fillmore. Roosevelt's dad is a history professor at a local college and loves to talk about presidential trivia.

Roosevelt is an average kid who likes to have fun with his friends. He has two good friends that he hangs-out with every day after school. When his friend's father plans a thirty-mile bike ride and camping trip, Roosevelt will not be included because he does not have a bike.

The only way Roosevelt will get a new bike and go camping with his friends is to be "good" for two weeks. His parents promise him they will get him a bike if he passes the good kid requirement. That means he can't get in trouble at school and he must help with chores at home. 

Everything seems to go wrong while Roosevelt is trying to act right. There are lots of unexpected twists and turns before the end of the two weeks. Will his behavior be good enough?

My Thoughts
This is a good fast-paced chapter book for middle school readers. Boys will relate to the problems that Roosevelt faces in the story. The humor is outstanding and will have children laughing out loud while reading about some of Roosevelt's escapades.

The primary theme of this story is friendship. It is very important for children this age to be accepted by peers and have loyal friends. Roosevelt has to face rejection when his friends are preparing for the bike ride/camping trip and he no longer has a bike (his bike was wrecked while doing a science fair project).

Roosevelt's parents are supportive and help him resolve a problem that almost costs him the bike. Roosevelt learns that honesty is important in any relationship and taking responsibility for your actions is the best choice for success.

The illustrations add value and humor to the story.

I applaud the author for adding a few historical references to this story. I hope this will make young readers curious enough to head for the library and search for more information about U.S. presidents.

Recommended for students in grades 3 - 5.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI - I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for a fair review from NetGalley.

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A Baby Blue Dragon Named Sapphire

The Baby Blue Dragon

Author: Nell Kent

Publisher: CreateSpace 

Publication Date: August 15, 2017

Length: 28 pages

Recommended Ages: 4 - 8








About the Author
Nell Kent graduated from Southeastern State University in Durant Oklahoma in 1973 with a degree in Fine Arts. The Baby Blue Dragon was her first book and she has published a second book named Sapphire's Adventure.

A Rescue Farm for Dragons
Cassie and Emma, two sisters who live in the city, are visiting their Aunt Dragon. The girls have never visited their aunt's farm before. They soon discover that this is no ordinary farm. Aunt Dragon runs a rescue farm for dragons!

One stormy evening, the girls saw a strange blue creature land on Aunt Dragon's porch. When Aunt Dragon goes out to investigate, she discovers it is a baby blue dragon.

Aunt Dragon takes the dragon to her barn and names her Sapphire. In a few days she has grown to be eighteen feet tall and thirty feet long. Dragons grow very fast.

The girls want to know why Sapphire showed up on Aunt Dragon's porch. Did she get lost during the storm? How could they help Sapphire?

My Thoughts
Ms. Kent wrote this story, drew the illustrations and self-published the book on CreateSpace. This is an excellent example of how a talented writer/artist can make their book-writing dreams come true.

What child doesn't like to read a story about a friendly dragon? The author developed the plot in a way that will keep the reader anxious to find out what happens next. Children will like the idea that the rescue farm is a place where homeless dragons are taken care of in a safe environment. This could lead to a discussion about rescue organizations for dogs, cats and other homeless animals.

Ms. Kent used art markers and colored pencils to draw the illustrations in a pseudo-naïve style that children will find very attractive. I love the way the cover of the book shows an egg in a nest and the first illustration shows a newly hatched baby blue dragon. Children will be able to see how Sapphire was born and what she looked like before she arrived at the dragon rescue farm.

There is a glossary in the back of the book that defines a "dragon" as a mythical creature that has wings and a long tail. It defines "mythical" as a made-up or make-believe animal. Parents should review each word in the glossary with their child. This is an excellent way to test for comprehension and confirm that the child understands that this is a fantasy story.

There are two blank pages at the end of the book for the child to "draw your own dragon" and "write a story about your dragon".

Kudos to Ms. Kent for providing a creative and imaginative experience for children.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I purchased a paperback copy of this book with my own funds.

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Meet Me at the Farmers Market

Meet Me at the Farmers Market

Author: Lisa Pelto

Illustrator: Paula S. Wallace

Publisher: Reading is Key Publishing

Publication Date: June 17, 2017

Length: 33 Pages

Suggested Level: Grades PreK - 3





About the Author
Lisa Pelto has been working with authors and small publishers as a publishing consultant and author services provider for over three decades. In Spring and Summer, she opens a booth at Farmers Markets and other festivals, and she loves sharing her authors' books with as many people as possible each weekend. 

It's Fun to Eat Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Learning Objective: Children will be made aware of where to find fruits and vegetables ( grocery store, fruit and vegetable stand, farmers market and garden.)

Seven-year-old Sophia and her mother grab their reusable grocery bags and travel to the farmers market each weekend in the spring, summer and fall. Sophia's mother has a long list of handmade and homegrown items that she wants to purchase.

Sophia loves to meet her friends at the farmers market and explore the many vendor's tables of delicious fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and meat. 

The market is much more than just a place to buy food. There are musicians entertaining the shoppers, face painting and balloon animals. The children visit "Annie's Treat's" to buy yummy popsicles and ice cream cones to beat the heat.

At the end of the day, Sophia and her mother leave the market with bags full of fresh food that will last them until their next visit.

My Thoughts  
This is an informative and entertaining book about an outing to the farmers market. The market is much more than just a place to buy food. It is also a place to meet friends and have fun. 

The beautiful watercolor illustrations add great value to the text. I read this book on a 7" Kindle e-reader. The formatting is excellent and allows the pictures to be "pulled out" to fill the entire sceen.

There is a large sign at the entrance of the market that says "Support Local". This book introduces children to an alternative to the common grocery store. 
All the food in the farmers market is grown by farmers in close proximity to the market. This guarantees freshness and quality that might not be available at the grocery store.

If you would like take a virtual tour of a farmers market, watch this video on YouTube:
KidVision Pre-KFarmers Market Field Trip.

This is a perfect summer-time selection for young readers.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book during a special promotion on Amazon.com.

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Monsters, Goblins, Trolls, Zombies and More Scary Stuff - Kindle Book for Kids

Title: Don't Ever Look Behind Door 32

Author: B.C.R. Regan

Illustrator: Lenny Wen

Publisher: Teleblade Press

Publication Date: March 14, 2018

About the Author

BCR Fegan is a multi-award-winning author who has written a number of fairy tales and fantasies for children and young adults.

Monsters, Goblins, Trolls, Zombies and More Scary Stuff

This story begins with a picture of two wide-eyed children standing in front of a huge magical castle. Welcome to the Hotel of Hoo. Mr. Nicholas Noo escorts the children to their room number 1. 

Mr. Noo encourages the children to explore the hotel. However, the children are warned to never look behind door 32. The curious children explore rooms number 2 - 31. They discover a wide array of colorful creatures, monsters and treasures.

Will the children look behind the forbidden door 32? What will they find there?

My Thoughts

What happens when you tell a child NOT to look at something?

The banned subject is much more appealing to a curious child. 

The children in this story are fearless explorers. They discover an entire world of delightful and frightful characters behind the doors of the Hotel of Hoo. Some of the discoveries are fun but some have them running for safety. There is a surprise behind each door!

This is a counting book in two different ways. The rooms are numbered from one to 32. When you go inside the room, you find a matching number of items to count. For example, when you open door number five, you find five dancing zombies. When you open door number 30, you find two old trolls who have a total of 30 spines protruding from their bodies.

I read a digital copy of this book on a 7" Kindle screen. The formatting is excellent. The details of the illustrations are captured in the digital edition and the rhyming text is an appropriate size for easy reading.

This book is designed to entertain and educate children. I am very impressed with the quality and presentation of this book. Children will read it over and over again...discovering new details in each reading.

Oh, what or who is behind door 32? Children will discover the answer to this question when they read the book.

MY RATING: 5 Stars Out of 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from Teleblade Press in exchange for a fair review.

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The Pillow Parade Teaches Children About Passion and Resilience - A Book Review

The Pillow Parade: Children's Bedtime Book

Author: Edward Dron

Illustrator: Hong Anh

Publisher: Noisy Orchard Press

Publication Date: December 9, 2017

Length: 38 Pages


About the Author
Ed Dron enjoys writing fun little stories that capture a child’s short attention span. He loves the challenge of condensing a story into as few words as possible, without losing its charm or narrative.

Ed believes that, first and foremost, a children’s book needs to be fun. It should not only nurture their curiosity but also spark a lifelong love of books and reading.

No Sleep - No Problem!
Olive the rabbit loves to leap and bounce all over the place. One day, she meets a sheep and challenges him to a race. He does not have time to race because he is late to his jumping club.

Members of the Pillow Parade Jumping Club jump over a fence to help children fall asleep at night. Everyone knows that counting sheep will make you sleepy, right?

Olive wants to join the jumping club because of her passion for jumping and her desire to help the children. Unfortunately, only sheep are allowed to join the jumping club. Olive is a rabbit and would not be accepted in this exclusive club for sheep.

Olive does not let this rejection get her down and she does not give up. She BOUNCES into action and hatches a great plan for helping children who are not able to see the sheep jumping over the fence because they live in a tall apartment building.

But, Olive did not pout or cry.
She simply smiled and waved goodbye.
And as a clever bunny would,
She had a plan that was quite good.

Olive becomes an honorary member of the Pillow Parade Jumping Club because of her great jumping skill and her kind heart.

Never Give Up Until You Are Proud
This book illustrates a wonderful growth mindset and the power of passion, perseverance and resilience. 

The rhyming text is fun and the beautiful color illustrations provide value to the story. I read a digital version of this book on a 7" Kindle ereader and the formatting is very good.  

This book is a bedtime story for children and so much more. Rejection is very difficult to deal with for children (and adults). We all want to be accepted and embrace a feeling of belonging. When Olive was not allowed to join the Pillow Parade Jumping Club, she immediately started thinking about "Plan B". She did not waste time feeling sorry for herself or getting revenge on those who rejected her. She "had a plan that was quite good."

I highly recommend this book for children of all ages.  

My Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS

FYI ~ The author sent me a free digital copy of this book and asked me for an honest review. 

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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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Children's Christmas Book Review: Presents Through the Window by Taro Gomi

A non-traditional Santa Claus is coming to town in a high-tech helicopter. How will he choose the perfect present for each boy and girl?

Title: Presents Through the Window: A Taro Gomi Christmas Book

Author/Illustrator: Taro Gomi
Publisher: Chronicle Books, LLC
Year of Publication: 2016

(Originally published in Japan in 1983 by Kaisei-Sha Publishing. Copyright 1983 by Taro Gomi.)

About the Author
Taro Gomi is an internationally renowned author and illustrator who has created more than 350 books for readers of all ages. He lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Santa Peeks In the Window and Picks a Present!
Santa has a big bag of presents to deliver but no time to go inside the house.

So, he peeks in the window and observes a child sleeping in the bed. He picks a present out of his bag and tosses it through the window.

Sometimes looks can be deceiving. Things are not always as they seem.

Will the children be happy with their presents on Christmas morning?

My Thoughts
"Presents Through the Window" is an interactive picture book that includes die-cut windows to see into a sleeping child's bedroom. 

The text is very brief but the beautiful illustrations really make this book a WINNER!

Young children will have a blast looking in the windows and guessing who is inside. Does Santa choose the correct present? 

When one child accidentally gets two presents and another gets nothing, the story illustrates the joy of sharing. 

This book is a wonderful gift to all Taro Gomi fans. Children have been enjoying his stories for over 30 years. This book is available in print and Kindle editions. Recommended!

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI - I purchased this print book for $0.79 at Goodwill. An awesome thrift shop find!

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Children's Book Review: Beware Of The Teacher! by Jason Bardwell

Beware Of The Teacher!

Author: Jason Bardwell

Publisher: CreateSpace

Date: April 19, 2012

Number of Pages: 26




About The Author
Jason Bardwell is an author and artist who has written, illustrated and published two children's books.

The Big Bad Teacher
I think most kids wonder what their teacher does when he is not at school. This is a rhyming modern fairy tale about a big BAD teacher and his innocent little students.

The students at school notice that their teacher is twitching badly and doing strange things. The children have good reason to beware of the teacher because he EATS the bones of little children when he goes home at night!

The story ends with the following warning;

"Run home, run away,
As fast as you can,
Then you at least will not,
Be in his frying pan!"

My Thoughts
This story has a good vs. evil theme that is so popular in fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs.

Kids love to read stories with strange and unusual twists. Children will be surprised and delighted to read this funny fantasy about a teacher gone bad. The author has taken us out of our comfort zone and stretched our imaginations in a very different direction.

It is important for young readers to know that this story IS NOT REAL and that teachers do not eat or harm their students. This might lead to a discussion about how to determine the difference between fact and fiction. It would be fun to have students compare and contrast the teacher in the story with their own teacher.

This "bad teacher" story is sure to be a hit with kids. Students will realize how lucky they are to have a smart, kind and caring teacher in their classroom.

My Rating ~ 5 Stars Out Of 5

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

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