One Jar of Magic -- new middle school novel about disappointment, dreams, friends, family and more

 

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

Today I get to share with you an amazing new middle grades novel. This post is part of the Awareness Tour hosted by The Children's Book Review which includes a giveaway!! I will start with the publishers information about the book. The book is One Jar of Magic by Corey Ann Haydu.

It's All Love -- A book of reflections for teens about love for selves, others, life and more

 

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

February is the month for love! It has Valentine's Day (14th) and Random Acts of Kindness Day (17th) in it. Yet in this world of ours love can be hard and hurtful. How do we teach our kids about love? Who should they love? Well for one thing they need to love themselves. Today I am sharing a book by teen actress Jenna Ortega. The book is It's All Love: Reflections for Your Heart & Soul. It is a book written for teens and will also be good for people in their 20's.

Multicultural Children's Book Day Review--Greenhorn #readyourworld

 

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

Are you ready for another multicultural children's book review? This week I am featuring two books by Anna Olswanger that share a bit of Jewish history. Today's book takes us to New York City post World War II. It is Greenhorn and was illustrated by Miriam Nerlove. 

In this book, a Holocaust survivor from Poland is brought to a Jewish boarding school in New York City. The young survivor does not speak English and carries with him a small box all the time. One boy at the school befriends him and tries to protect him from the teasing of the other boys however the friend stutters and is often teased himself. 

The story is about friendship and bravery. It is powerful and teaches a bit about the Holocaust. It is written for 8- to 12-year-olds. Through friendship the two boys find their own voices and are able to help one another through a tough time in each other's lives. The story is well written and interesting to read. There is the typical teasing and even bullying in the story but throughout it we learn about what Jews had to go through during the Holocaust. 

Anna Olswanger provides a discussion guide for families as well as one for teachers to go with this book and there is a short film made based on it. The photographs are from this film. Here is the trailer for it. 

The book itself is short and small but the story is based on real life. At the end of the book Anna shares that the real life boys in the story meet as adults and discover that each has made his own dreams come true. This book is perfect for any unit on the Holocaust to see a side not often discussed. I hope you will check it out.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8^th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators. Eight years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission & History HERE.

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Prgamaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com) Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Candlewick Press, Capstone, Hoopoe Books, KidLitTV, Peachtree Publishing Company Inc. Silver Sponsors: Charlotte Riggle, Connecticut Association of School Librarians, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Pack-N-Go Girls Bronze Sponsors: Agatha Rodi and AMELIE is IMPRESSED!, Barnes Brothers Books, Create and Educate Solutions, LLC, Dreambuilt Books, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin Real Estate, Snowflake Stories, Star Bright Books, TimTimTom Bilingual Personalized Books, Author Vivian Kirkfield, Wisdom Tales Press,  

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Poster Artist: Nat Iwata Authors: Author Afsaneh Moradian, Author Alva Sachs & Three Wishes Publishing Company, Author Angeliki Stamatopoulou-Pedersen, Author Anna Olswanger, Author Casey Bell , Author Claudine Norden, Author Debbie Dadey, Author Diana Huang & Intrepids, Author Eugenia Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Green Kids Club, Author Gwen Jackson, Author Janet Balletta, Author Josh Funk, Author Julia Inserro, Karter Johnson & Popcorn and Books, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, Author Keila Dawson, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Author Mia Wenjen, Michael Genhart, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Natalie Murray, Natalie McDonald-Perkins, Author Natasha Yim, Author Phe Lang and Me On The Page Publishing, Sandra Elaine Scott, Author Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher, Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids, Author Theresa Mackiewicz, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Author Toshia Stelivan, Valerie Williams-Sanchez & The Cocoa Kids Collection Books©, Author Vanessa Womack, MBA, Author Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series

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FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit Gallery of Our Free Posters FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

TWITTER PARTY! Register here!

 

Join us on Friday, Jan 29, 2021, at 9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children's Book Day Twitter Party! This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas. We will be giving away an 8-Book Bundle every 5 minutes plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. ** Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. See you all very soon on Twitter! Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

Middle Grade & Young Adult Novel Reviews

 

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

A week or so ago I shared a round-up of the picture books I have to review. I meant to do these books that same week but life got in the way. So I am continuing with some middle grade and young adult novels for gift ideas. I am focusing on the four gift idea and the fourth gift being something to read! Here are some ideas for something to read. The first two are middle grade books for ages 8 to 12 and the last two are young adult books usually 14+. 

The Prettiest -- a Middle School Must Read

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

Tell me when was the last time your middle school age daughter read a 300-page book in a matter of hours? That is what happened the day I received the book I am sharing with you today. I literally opened the package and showed the book to Hazel and she couldn't put it down. She read it all before she went to bed. I was surprised until I got my hands on the book and started reading it. The book is The Prettiest by Brigit Young. 

Picture Book Round-Up -- Picture Books for Everyone

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

Today I am going to clear off my picture book shelf and share with you eight books for younger kids! We will start with a book that is perfect for the new baby or mom. It is To the Moon and Back for You by Emilia Bechrakis Serhant and art by E.G. Keller. The suggested ages for this book is 4 to 8 but I am thinking that is for the child to read the book him or herself. 

Let's Talk About Love -- Books for Babies through Adults

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

With January coming to a bitterly cold end we turn are view to February and of course love. Valentine's Day can sneak up on you if you aren't paying attention. So today I am going to share with you books for all ages about love and the various kinds of love. I have everything from board books to an adult devotional. Yes we are talking love between parent and child as well as loving God and neighbors and even your favorite stuffed animal. We will go through by age so starting with the board books. The first one is If Animals Said I Love You by Ann Whitford Paul and pictures by David Walker.

Halloween, Dressing Up, Pretend Play, & Friend Picture Books

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

It is hard to believe it is already October. That means we need to think about Halloween. Now I have posted in the past how Halloween is not our favorite holiday and how Hazel hates October because of the gory and scary decorations in yards and stores. When Hazel was young we found some Halloween books she loved, but not too many. Today we are going to share two more Halloween books that are fun and two books that involve dressing up, being yourself and being kind and making friends. All of these books are for kids in the age range of 3 to 8. We will start with Skelly's Halloween by David Martin and illustrated by Lori Richmond. 

Books that Make Imaginations Soar for Ages 2 - 8

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

Today I am sharing some fun picture books that are for ages in the range of 2 to 8 and they make your imagination soar. The first book is Pop! by Jason Carter Eaton and illustrated by Matt Rockefeller. 

Picture Books Review

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

Do you have a child who loves picture books? Or maybe you are looking for something to spark his or her imagination this summer. I have a picture book for every child and they are full of creativity and imagination as well as other fun ideas. Our first book is An Atlas of Imaginary Places by Mia Cassany and illustrated by Ana de Lima. 

Friendship Novels for Grades 1 to 7

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

It can be tough being young. Friendships can change and people treat you differently than what you expect. And then there is peer pressure. Talk about stress!!  Today I am sharing five books about friendship and dealing with different issues. These books vary in the range of first grade to seventh grade. There are even some that are about a piece of history. We will start with the two for first grade through fourth. They are a bit of an easier read than the others. They are also part of The Fix-It Friends series from Macmillan Kids  by Nicole C. Kear with illustrations by Tracy Dockray. The Fix-It Friends is a group of friends that help others with problems that arise in regular life of kids. Veronica Conti is the self-claimed president. The group includes her older brother, Jude, and his best friend, Ezra, and Veronica's best friend, Cora. Each book in the series has the group helping someone through a problem. At the end of each book is a Fix-It Toolbox with strategies for dealing with the same issue. Today I am sharing books five and six. The first book today is Eyes on the Prize. 

Saving Marty -- a Wonderful Middle School Book

Disclosure: Penguin Random House was sent me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Today I am going to share with you a book for middle schoolers that had me engrossed. The book is Saving Marty by Paul Griffin. Lorenzo Ventura is eleven and he lives with his mother and grandfather. His father died in the war. His best friend is a Colombian Korean American girl who wants to be a famous singer. His mother is always worried about money and keeping the farm. They live in rural Pennsylvania. When his mother sells the pigs that a neighbor left with them

Picture Books for Everyone

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

It can be hard to pick the right picture book for your child. There are so many choices out there with so many different themes, messages and more! Today I am going to share a variety of new picture books with you and I am sure there will be something for each child in this group!! 

If We Make It Home -- Mommy Time Book Review

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

Some friends come and go and others last a lifetime. What happens when you see one who you grew apart from? Are back to your old ways or is there a distance? What happens it is when you feel like your own life is falling apart and are just trying to escape the chaos of it? And of course there is the question of how well you really know someone. If We Make It Home by Christina Suzann Nelson takes three college roommates back to their college home before it gets torn down. Each is dealing with her own challenges and must come to terms with life, disappointment and each other.

New chapter books for grades 1-3

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

Today I am sharing some books for our beginning chapter book readers. The suggested ages for these books are grades 1 through 3. I will introduce the books in order of easiest to read to hardest. The first book is Joe and Sparky, Party Animals! by Jamie Michalak and illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. 

First Day of School Books

Disclosure: I was sent these books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Are you getting ready for school? Perhaps your child like mine is going to a new school this year. This is always added stress for the child and with two and half weeks of summer vacation left the stress is showing here. What if the kids are mean like at my old school? What if the teacher is mean? There are so many worries there. The first book I am sharing is a perfect book for this situation. It is Origami Peace Cranes: Friendships Take Flight by Sue DiCicco. 

Real Friends -- Book Review

Disclosure: Macmillan Publishers gave me copies of these books free of charge to review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

It always amazes me when I get a book at the perfect time for something in our lives. Today's book is one of those perfectly timed occurrences. Hazel has had a really tough school year and has had several issues with her classmates (as well as her teacher). A few weeks ago we pulled her from her school and I am homeschooling her for the rest of the year. She was in a very bad emotional state and we knew we had to get her out of it. She is mostly back to her normal happy self and will be once we have chosen a school for next year and that anxiety can be put to rest. The most important thing for us in choosing this school will be the classmates and the potential friends. Today's book helps her see that she is not the only one who has struggled with friends in school. The book is Real Friends by Shannon Hale and illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Now just seeing the author and illustrator was enough for me to know Hazel would love this book. They are also one of the authors and the illustrator of the Princess in Black series, which we love!!

Oh Susannah It's in the Bag

Disclosure: I was sent this book free of charge for this review in return for an honest review by The Children's Book Review & Carole P. Roman. All opinions in my review are my own and I will receive a small compensation for writing it.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation for your purchase.

Today we get to share a fun new book by Carole P. Roman and be part of the blog tour that includes a giveaway. Now I will admit we fell in love Carole's books back with the Captain No Beard series. Those books are wonderful picture books with imagination and lessons! Today's book is an early reader chapter book and it is her first! The book is Oh Susannah: It's in the Bag and it is illustrated by Mateya Arkova. The suggested age range for this book is 7 - 10 years old.

Well, That Was Awkward -- Book Review

Disclosure: Penguin Random House Books gave me a copy of this book free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

Do you remember your awkward middle school years? You know perhaps you all of a sudden liked someone you had known since kindergarten or perhaps it was your first date and everyone was involved in planning it. Or maybe you had an encounter with that popular kid that puts everyone down or just said something stupid. I can only imagine how much worse it is now with social media and texting. Rachel Vail's Well That Was Awkward has all of those moments and more. It really hit a chord with me and brought me back to eighth grade with the characters. I wish I had read this book back then.

Reflections on the work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther KIng, Jr. and a simple craft

As I thought about what I wanted to do this year for Martin Luther King Day for Kids I reflected on what we have done in the past. We have shared numerous books on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as other Civil Rights Activists. We have done various crafts about unity and diversity and peace. I'll be honest I wasn't sure what to do. Hazel understands the teachings of Dr. King and we have focused quite a bit on the Civil Rights Movement in the past. I want to first reflect on a few things.