Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Sea Star -- Book Review & Giveaway with Sea Star Craft Roundup

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Kathleen Welton to bring you this post.

Happy First Day of Summer!! To kick off this season I get to share a fun book about sea creatures. Every summer Hazel and I always studied something about the ocean/beach. We always have a beach trip since we get the Cape house for a week. Plus, there are always great crafts to do with the treasures you find on a beach. So, to go with today's book I am sharing a roundup of sea star themed crafts! The book today is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Sea Star by Kathleen Welton and illustrated by Chau Pham. 

I LOVE Blueberries! -- Book Review with Blueberry Recipe & Craft Roundup

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Are you a berry lover? What is your favorite berry? Mine is blueberries. Perhaps that is why I'm so excited to share today's book. The book is I Love Blueberries! by Shannon Anderson and illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett. A few years ago, I reviewed their other book: I Love Strawberries! It is recommended for 5- to 9-year-olds.  At the end of this post I have a roundup of blueberry recipes and crafts. 

Whales in the City -- Picture Book Review with Whale Craft Roundup

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Earth Day is next month. I believe we all need to focus on our planet every day, however so many celebrate Earth Day. I always like to share books that help promote taking care of the planet and our natural resources and other life on our planet. Today I get to share a book that shares the story of whales in the water near New York City. The book is Whales in the City by Nancy F. Castaldo and illustrated by Chuck Groenink. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. 

Earthrise: The Story of the Photograph That Changed the Way We See Our Planet

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

This past weekend we returned from our spring break vacation in Florida. This year we decided to each choose a place we wanted to go and plan a day. Steve chose the Kennedy Space Center. He is a huge space enthusiast and wanted to see the rockets and buildings he has read about in real life. It was fun although I wish we had more time to explore even more there. It was the perfect timing as I have a book about a famous photograph taken during one of the first space missions. The book is Earthrise: The Story of the Photograph That Changed the Way We See Our Planet by Leonard S. Marcus. It is recommended for ages 10 to 14.

The Flicker -- Middle Grades Dystopia Novel Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

In our chaotic world, sometimes it is not hard to think about the end of the world. After all we have environmental problems everywhere. The wildfires have been raging around the world and certainly across the country. Hazel and I recently binge watched the show, The 100, on Netflix. It is about the human world after a nuclear war. Many people were able to leave Earth and live in space. However, their united ships are now running out of air and supplies. They decide to send 100 teenagers who have been imprisoned for breaking a law to Earth to see if it is inhabitable yet. As we were watching this show I began to read The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon. The book and show have many similarities as both are dystopia. There are some similar thoughts and ideas and yet they are so different. Today I get to share The Flicker with you. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12. 

I Love Salmon and Lampreys: A Native Story of Resilience -- Earth Day & Native American Picture Book Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Earth Day is coming up in April, however in this day and age we need to think about our world every day. Today I get to share a new book (released today) about how indigenous people and others saved the salmon and lampreys in California. It is written by a Native American who shares her point of view and her own participation in the protests. The book is I Love Salmon and Lampreys: A Native Story of Resilience by Brook M. Thompson and illustrated by Anastasia Khmelevska. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Why Wolves Matter: A Conservation Success Story -- Book Review & Giveaway with Craft Roundup

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Karen B. Winnick to bring you this post.

How much have you thought about wolves? They make appearances in fairy tales (the Big Bad Wolf is in several) as well as Native American folktales. We know our pet dogs evolved from wolves. You may have even seen a wolf or two. Or perhaps heard one howling or tried to howl like one. But do you know the importance of wolves to some ecosystems? People at Yellowstone Park do. When the wolf population went down it really affected the entire park. Today I get to share a book with you that tells the tale of the success story of bringing back the wolf population at Yellowstone National Park. The book is Why Wolves Matter: A Conservation Success Story by Karen B. Winnick. 

The Soil in Jackie's Garden

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Spring has sprung and school is almost out. That means it is time for gardening. There is so much to teach young ones in the garden. Today I get to share a new book (out today) that teaches about the soil and plant cycles. The book is The Soil in Jackie's Garden by Peggy Thomas with pictures by Nelly Daggett. This book is recommended for ages 6 to 8. 

Jigsaw Puzzles Perfect for Earth Day

 

Disclosure: I was sent each of these puzzles in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It is hard to believe that it is Earth Day again. Sadly, even with Earth Day celebrations I feel like our planet is getting worse. We hear that we should recycle, but then we find out our recycling has ended up in the ocean still or is treated the same as regular trash. We know we should conserve gas, but people keep buying large vehicles. Electric vehicles are hot right now, but their production is not great for the Earth and to be honest we produce electricity using fossil fuels, so it is not changing things that much. My electrical engineer husband says that wind and solar will not be enough to fix our energy problems. No matter what we still have a lot of work to do to save our planet. Today I thought I would share two puzzles that are made me think of Earth Day. They each share a different ecosystem that is endangered. We will begin with Asian Rainforest Wildlife 1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle by Hue Huynh.

The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants -- New Picture Book Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Spring begins today here! With spring we usually see a lot of ants. Today I get to share a brand new book (released today) about ants. The book is The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants by Philip Bunting. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. I am also including an ant craft round-up to go with the book. 

Spectacular: Miracles of Nature -- Book Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Our planet is full of beauty. Often we take it for granted but when on vacation or in a moment of peace we notice how amazing it is. Today I am sharing a new book (released today) that shares some of the amazing places from around the world that show nature's beauty. Plus, there are even some notes about the science behind it. The book is Spectacular: Miracles of Nature by Philippe Nessmann and illustrated by Alex Asfour. It is recommended for ages 5 and up.

Earth Day Around the World CD Featuring Daria

 

Disclosure: Daria sent me a digital copy of this CD in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As usual, I'm a day late and a dollar short. Earth Day was yesterday. Although I see the importance of Earth Day I do believe that we need to focus on the meaning of Earth Day every day of the year. I tend not to celebrate Earth Day as a holiday of sorts. Its use is to remind us that we need to take care of our world. As a whole the human race is destroying our planet with the fumes from vehicles, trash, and consumption of natural products. This is an important message to be reminded of but I hope we all realize that we need to stop thinking about it as a day and think about it every day! Today I get to share with you a new CD that features Daria and others from around the world. It is Earth Day Around the World. 

No World Too Big -- Perfect Book for Earth Day & Women's History Month and so much more!

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

March is Women's History Month. April is National Poetry Month, and Earth Day is in April. Today I am sharing a book that works for all three of these special things plus shows kids other kids from around the world fighting global climate change. The book is No World Too Big edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley and illustrated by Jeanette Bradley. It is being released this week! It is recommended for ages 5 to 9. 

Haven Jacob Saves the Planet -- Book Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Do you have eco-anxiety? Do your kids? Do you know what eco-anxiety is? I will admit I didn't until I read today's book. Today I get to share the latest book from Barbara Dee. The book is Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet. Now if you have been reading my reviews for a few years, you know I love Barbara's books. This is probably my second favorite of them. My first is Maybe He Just Likes You. 

At the Sea -- New Picture Book with Flaps to Teach All About the Ocean

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Spring is here. That means summer is almost here and that means the beach! With Earth Day last week, we need to talk about the ocean. Today I am sharing a beautiful, oversized picture book about a trip to the sea that even goes into the Earth Day topics! The book is At the Sea by Emma Giuliani. It has a reading age of 8 to 12.

Animal Books & Crafts for Earth Day

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books (digital for stories and physical for crafts) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Happy Earth Day! I am one who believes every day is Earth Day but today is the day the world celebrates this amazing planet and the nature that fills it. To celebrate today I am sharing three new children's books about animals with perfect messages for Earth Day and craft round-ups to go with them as well as two craft books with animal themes. We will start with the first two books. They are from the Surviving Wild series by Remy Lai. The series are graphic novels for ages 6 to 9. The first is Surviving the Wild: Rainbow the Koala. 

The Wild Garden -- New Picture Book Perfect for Earth Day Everyday!

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Earth Day is this week! I wanted to share a book with you that screams Earth Day to me. Sadly, the book is not being released until May in the US, but it is the perfect book to talk about some of the Earth Day issues. The book is The Wild Garden by Cynthia Cliff. It is recommended for ages 5 to 9. I am also sharing a round-up of gardening crafts, activities, and recipes for kids.

Spring Means Gardening--Fruits, Vegetables & Cooking Farm Fresh!

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Spring is in the air!! Up in New England the weather is slowly getting warmer--or at least more consistent. We have been having a roller coaster of temperatures this year. As spring starts up people start thinking about about gardening and fresh fruits and vegetables. Today I am sharing three picture books that focus on just that--gardening, fruits, vegetables and cooking with fresh garden harvests. All three books have an age range of 4 to 9. And all three books are being released today!! The first is I Love Strawberries! by Shannon Anderson and illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett. 

The Leaf and The Tree -- We Are All Connected

 

Disclosure: I am working with The Children's Book Review and Bruce Nemovitz and will receive a small stipend for this post. I was sent a digital copy of the book in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.

We are in the middle of winter here in Massachusetts. The trees are bare, but I am dreaming of spring and warmer weather. Today's book is perfect for this dream. It is The Leaf and the Tree by Bruce Nemovitz and illustrated by Ani Ghosh. 

Learning about Climate Change on Groundhog Day with Fun Facts about Groundhogs & Craft Round-Up

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Did you see the Groundhog Day video I shared on Facebook? It is the annual Groundhog Day video of Ms. G, the official groundhog of Massachusetts. I like watching this video more than Punxsutawney Phil. One Ms. G is closer to me and has weather more like mine. Two, she isn't surrounded by all the news cameras with the extra lights to make shadows. Plus I love how they share a bit about groundhogs, animals and more. She lives at Mass Audubon's Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary. We loved visiting Drumlin Farm when Hazel was young. In the video they say Groundhog Day is also Climate Action Day. So today I'm going to share some fun facts about groundhogs with a small craft round-up and share with you a new book about climate change. We all need to be aware of climate change and take action to help stop/slow it.