It has been a while since I shared a young adult novel. Today we are sharing one that deals with grief, science, pets, family, ethics, morals, and so much more! It is also perfect for the start of school as high school football is a huge part of this book. The book is Golden Boy by A. J. Symon. It is recommended for ages 12 and higher.
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Raven Howell to bring you this post.
Have you ever noticed that siblings can be very different from one another? They tend to have different likes and dislikes. It can be hard to decide what to do together and their differences can cause the sibling squabbling. Today we are sharing a fun picture book about dragon brothers who are having this problem. The book is A Day with the Dragons by Raven Howell and illustrated by Alexander Santos. After my review is a giveaway!
What does community mean to you? Many early childhood/elementary classes talk about community helpers in class, but how do kids really understand community? Today we are sharing three new picture books that have different themes on community. We will start with Luisa, at Your Service! by Sara Amini and illustrated by Juana Medina. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
The most important thing we can do for our kids is spend quality time with them. Today we are sharing three new picture books about parents spending time with their children. Two of them work on building kids' imagination and two are about bringing children to work. The first book is Indigo Hands by Sita Singh and illustrated by Maithili Joshi. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
As the school year begins, many teachers try to work mindfulness into the classroom. Many parents struggle to find ways to help kids quiet their minds as well. In our society there is so much noise and action. Kids are losing their attention spans because of all the constant input provided with screens. Today we get to share a wonderful picture book that introduces a bit of mindfulness and meditation and the importance of taking time to quiet one's mind. It is one of two books on this Virtual Book Tour. Both books are perfect for back to school! This one is The Boy and His Higher Self by Ricardo Santa Cruz and illustrated by Yuko Kondo. There is a giveaway at the end of this post for both books!
I have so many fun books to review this week that I am starting to share them on Sunday!! Today we are sharing three books all featuring animals in different ways. Each book is done very differently and there is a huge variety on the focus. We will start with a unique type of book called Babies: A Phototicular Book created by Dan Kainen and written by Mara Grunbaum. This book will be enjoyed by all ages!
When Hazel was young, we started her at a Waldorf School, and they believed in having kids look at wordless or nearly wordless books. Today we are sharing a book that does not have many words, but all the words it does have rhyme. The book is Go, Crow by Tjitske Kamphuis. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
There are times when it is so fun to just be silly. I remember a visit to my sister's place when Hazel was young. We had the best time taking silly selfies and just being silly with one another. We came up with a term, "funny up." It totally meant just be silly and make everyone laugh. As adults, my sister and I don't always get to be silly, but there are people who seem to live in a silly state of mind. They are the dreamers who add so much to our world. Today we are sharing a book that celebrates them and encourages the readers to embrace their silliness. The book is Here's to the Silly Ones by Seth Standley and illustrated by Valerie Hamill. It is recommended for ages 3 to 6.
This weekend marks one month until the beginning of the National Hispanic Heritage Month for this year. Today we are sharing two new picture books released by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Latino. The first book is Please Pass the Tamales! by Silvia López and illustrated by Mirelle Ortega. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Did you follow the story of Punch the Japanese macaque last summer? Everyone fell in love with the sweet baby snow monkey who needed a stuffie to survive. Today we get to share a sweet picture book that immortalizes the story. The book is A Hug for Punch by Caroline L. Perry and illustrated by Anoosha Syed. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
Family matters. In this day and age, our society sometimes forgets that. Relationships with grandparents can make huge differences in children's lives. Today we are sharing two new picture books that celebrate relationships with grandfathers. Each book has different lessons--one teaches Spanish words and the other is about cooking. We will start with the Spanish one. It is Hola, Lola! To the Bodega: A Bilingual First Words Book/¡Hola, Lola! A la bodega: Un libro bilingüe de primeras palabras by Sandra Equihua. It is recommended for ages 4 to 7.
We are in the dog days of summer, but back to school is quickly approaching. That means the change of seasons. Have you ever noticed each season has its own special wonders? Today we are sharing a beautiful picture book sharing some of the curiosities of each season and more. The book is Wonder: A Song of the Seasons by Julia Key and illustrated by Helen Cann. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Music is so important to our lives. The beat can help with movement. Music can affect mood and so much more. Today we are sharing a diverse picture book about a group of kids who know the importance of music for their special community festival and find a way to bring music to their festival's new location. The book is Sounds of Trash by Tina Athaide and illustrated by Neha Rawat. It is recommended for ages 4 to 7 and is part of the Steamworks Books Collection.
There are many alphabet books out there. They all have different themes and different styles. Some are about the letters giving them life and personalities. Some are themed picking words that begin with each letter. Today we are sharing a board book that is the second type, and it is actually part of a series of themed alphabet books. The book is Mrs. Peanuckle's Space Alphabet by Mrs. Peanuckle and illustrated by Jessie Ford. It is recommended for ages 0 to 3. After my review there is an outer space craft roundup with new crafts featured. You can see our last space roundup here.
August has begun and that means people start to think about back to school. Whether it is back to school shopping or getting back on a school schedule including bedtime, August is when it all begins. Kids begin to feel various emotions around the start of school and into the school year. Almost everyone feels nervous about a new school year. And I mean everyone--teachers and students. The Sunday scaries may begin again. A child also may be excited for the new year with hopes of doing new things and perhaps doing things on his or her own. Today we are sharing two new picture books that are about some of these emotions. The first book is Sunday Scaries by Debra Kempf Shumaker and illustrated by Lavanya Naidu. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
I love books that teach kids about different places and cultures. They provide a way to learn about the world without traveling. Today we are sharing an early reader chapter book that gives a glimpse into the nomadic life in Somalia. The book is the first in a series, called Rain Chaser, so more glimpses into it are to come! The book is A Song of Her Own by Saida J. Bulhan and illustrated by Moka Celess. It is recommended for ages 6 to 10.
Do you have a young dinosaur lover? Today we are sharing a fun board book about a playful dinosaur. It is perfect for the youngest dinosaur fans! The book is There's a Dinosaur in Your Book by Tom Fletcher. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
Summerween is upon us!! I know I just got invited to a Summerween Celebration. We have been sharing all sorts of fun Summerween/Halloween books to celebrate. Last week we focused on ghosts and this week it is more about witches. Since we live near Salem, Massachusetts witches are a year-round thing. Today's books include a beautiful board book about getting ready for Halloween and a picture book about a witch. We will start with the board book. It is Wonderful Halloween by Emily Winfield Martin. It is recommended for ages 0 to 3.
When Hazel was young, she loved fairies!! We made fairy gardens, had fairy parties and play dates, and did so many different fairy crafts!! We also used fairies to teach different things and like many families had visits from the tooth fairy. We have shared various books and stories about the tooth fairy and what she does with all the teeth. We have also shared about the Pumpkin Fairy which we learned about when she attended a Waldorf school. We have shared quite a few posts about Halloween themed fairies as well. Needless to say, we have quite a bit of experience with fairies in this household. Today we are sharing three new picture books all written and illustrated by Diane Alber. Each shares an untold story of a different fairy who helps kids grow healthy and all three of today's books help kids' teeth at different stages of life. Each book also has a craft for the kids to make to ease the fairy's visit to your home. The first book is An Untold Story of the Binky Fairy. It is recommended for ages 4 to 7, but I would say read it to even younger kids when you are trying to rid them of the pacifier.
Last week we introduced Summerween and three books with lots of ideas to celebrate! Today we are going to look at the ghost side of it. If you are celebrating Summerween or just excited to get new books for Halloween these books are for you. Today we are sharing two new ghost themed books. One is released this week and the other will be released next month! Starting with the one released this week, it is To Knit a Ghost with words by Z.B. Asterplume and pictures by Heather Brockman Lee. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
