Quagmire -- Middle Grade Novel Review & Giveaway

 

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 Sam Campbell to bring you this post.

Family, memories, loss, mystery, new friends...today's book has it all and it has words like its title that kids may never have heard before!! Today we are sharing a middle grade novel that is packed with mysterious things and people. It is called Quagmire and is by Sam Campbell. After my review is a giveaway.

Muppit Boy and the Wheel of Power -- Middle Grade Novel Review & Giveaway

 

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 Michael J. Bowler to bring you this post. 

Do you have someone who has trouble sitting still? Often in school, boys struggle to sit still and get in trouble for fidgeting or not "behaving" because they have so much energy that needs to be released. It is part of why recess and breaks where kids can run and play are so important. I remember when my nephew was visiting us and he was elementary school age; I found him running around our sectional couch in the family room after I put Hazel to bed. He was one of those boys that just had so much energy he needed to release it, and we had so much snow at the time he hadn't been able to get outside much. Today we are sharing a middle grade novel about such boys and a perfect read for such kids. It is actually the second book in a series, but we did not read the first and still found the book great! The book is Muppit Boy and the Wheel of Power by Michael J. Bowler. It is recommended for ages 9 to 12, and there is a giveaway after the review!

Hear Me Roar! I'm a HANUKKAHsaur -- Picture Book Review & Giveaway

 

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

The holidays are fast approaching. Halloween is just a couple weeks away and once it hits all the holidays seem to fly by. Today we are sharing a book about Hanukkah that is perfect for dinosaur lovers! The book is Hear Me Roar! I'm a HANUKKAHsaur by Naomi Gruer and illustrated by Mel Zohar. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. There is a giveaway after my review!

Lionborn and the Secret of Dark Rider -- Book Review & Giveaway

 

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 Sharique Zea to bring you this post.

I love a good fantasy book and really love a good fantasy series. Today we get to share the second book in the Lionborn series. You can check out our review of the first book here. This series is a fantasy series for ages 10 to 14 that is full of mystery, magic, adventure and friendship. The second book is Lionborn and the Secret of Dark Rider by Sharique Zea. After my review is a giveaway! Get ready to be amazed with the creativity of this book.

Brave Like Me -- Book Review & Giveaway

 

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 Karen Henrich to bring you this post.

Facing different things can be very scary especially for young children. It could be simple as facing a new place, having to do something for the first time or as difficult as going through treatment for a serious disease like cancer. One of the best ways for kids to be brave is to be with someone else they trust--family or friend. Let's face it all of us face tough times better with someone else to help. Today we are sharing a beautiful picture book that shares this message. The book is Brave Like Me by Karen Henrich and illustrated by Jordan Foster. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8 and there is a giveaway after my review!

A Forest, A Family, A Harbor, A Home -- Book Review & Giveaway

 

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 Norton Young Readers to bring you this post. 

What makes a home? What is your home? I remember taking a diversity awareness class when I was a pretty new teacher and one of the assignments was to write a paper about who you were and what made you that person. When we shared them, it was really interesting to hear the different stories and different backgrounds each of us had. The group of teachers was unfortunately mostly white but each of us had so many different things that mattered to us in our upbringing and life to create the person we each became. It is a project I would love to do again now that I have a family of my own and am on the other side of my career. Maybe someday I will. The book we are sharing today however reminded me of that assignment. It is A Forest, A Family, A Harbor, A Home by Nikki McClure. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. At the end of this post there is a giveaway!

Zicky: Wrath of the Rat King -- Graphic Novel Review & Giveaway

 

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 Shawn Hainsworth to bring you this post.

Do you have trouble getting your child to finish a book? As kids get older the books get longer and for the reluctant reader it can be hard to finish one. This is where graphic novels come in handy. Think about it, you have a kid who has always struggled with staying still and you are asking them to sit still and read a novel. Graphic novels are usually full of action and entertaining just like we found comic books when we were younger, but graphic novels are longer than most comic books, so they have more of a plot and count as reading a novel in most schools. For kids who cannot sit still, an action-packed graphic novel is perfect. Today we are sharing one that is great for those kids who need constant motion. The book is Zicky: Wrath of the Rat King created by Darin S. Cape and illustrated by Zeno Decrux and Hiorsh Gabotto. It is recommended for ages 9 and up and there is a giveaway at the end of this post!

Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal Book & Activity Book -- Review & Giveaway

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this set of books in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Ryan Cowan to bring you this post.

Do you love Halloween? Do your kids/students? A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to share this book with you and today I am reviewing it again with its activity book! It has been interesting re-reading the book. It has been a while since I have re-read novels. The book is Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal by Ryan Cowan, and it is accompanied by Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal Activity Book/Novel Study Grades 3-5 also by Ryan Cowan. Now the book has 31 chapters, and the activity book has activity pages for each chapter, so this book is amazing for a countdown to Halloween! After my review is a giveaway!!

Andy the Admiral and the USS Shipshape -- Picture Book Review & Giveaway

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital 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 Mark C. Fava to bring you this post.

Have you ever wondered how a navy ship is run? Do you have little ones who love ships and everything that moves? Today we are sharing a wonderful book that teaches the lessons from an admiral on a navy ship. The book is Andy the Admiral and the USS Shipshape by Mark C. Fava and illustrated by Agus Prajogo and Yohanes Bastia. After my review there is a giveaway!

Bella & Bird Explore Sadness -- Picture Book Review & Giveaway

 

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 Deana Plaskon to bring you this post.

Little kids and really all of us have BIG feelings sometimes. Little kids do not always know how to deal with them. Bella and Bird return in a new book focusing on sadness this time! The book is Bella and Bird Explore Sadness by Deana Plaskon, PhD, LMHC and illustrated by Lea Marie Ravotti. There is a giveaway for the series after my review.

How to Catch Challenge & Book Reviews

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in order to provide honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Have you discovered the How to Catch Series? Sourcebooks has been publishing the series for 10 years and have announced a How to Catch Challenge! It is for classrooms and families to enter!! There are many prizes including a child being a character in a future book in the series to the entire series for a school library. Be sure to check how to enter and all the details and prizes! Now to be honest, I had not read any of the series, so they sent me some books to check out and share with you. Two of them are perfect for Halloween. We will start with the Halloween themed books. The first one is called How to Catch a Witch by Alice Walstead and illustrated by Megan Joyce. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.

The Mystery of the Missing Falls -- Middle Grade Novel Review & Giveaway

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, Jen Weaver, and Gayle Veiterheimer. 

I love a good mystery. It is my favorite genre of books to read. Today we are sharing a middle grade mystery that is well written and does so much more than just entertain. The kid detectives in the book use prayer as their secret weapon. It is a very Christian book with some scripture in the story as well. The book is the first in the Kingswell Kid Detective Series. It is The Mystery of the Missing Falls by Jen Weaver and Gayle Veitenheimer. After my review there is a giveaway!

A Day with the Dragons -- Picture Book Review & Giveaway

 

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!

The Boy and His Higher Self -- Picture Book Review & Giveaway

 

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 Ricardo Santa Cruz to bring you this post. 

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!

Mrs. Gourd -- a Picture Book Review & Giveaway

 

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 Jody Bucher to bring you this post.

Do you have bedtime troubles? You know those nights when the kids won't listen and certainly won't calm down. How do you get them to bed on those nights? Today we are sharing a fun book filled with what seems like bedtime magic. It is the perfect tale to get those kids tucked in! The book is Mrs. Gourd by Jody Catherine Bucher and illustrated by Asha Butler and Monica Joy. After my review is a giveaway!!

The Adventure of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil -- Book Review & Giveaway

 

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 Alan J. Hesse to bring you this post.

Do you have a reader who loves graphic novels? Perhaps you want him/her to read more educational themed books? Today we are sharing a fun middle grade graphic novel about climate change and in particular about the Amazon Rain Forest and climate change. It is the fifth book in The Adventures of Captain Polo Series. The book is The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil by Alan J. Hesse. After my review is a giveaway for the whole series so far!

Simon the Scared Rottweiler -- Book Review & Giveaway

 

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 Nicole S. Kluemper to bring you this post.

Are you anxious? Or is your child? Anxiety is a real thing and for some it can disrupt their lives. I have seen it in students who just shut down when they are anxious. It can cause missing out of fun things, not completing work, and many arguments. Today we are sharing a fun book about a dog who is anxious. He learns some coping skills, and they are even tutorials later in the book for the reader to try. The book is Simon the Scared Rottweiler by Nicole S. Kluemper, Ph.D. There is a giveaway at the end of the book.

Alli the Alligator -- Book Review & Giveaway with Alligator Craft Roundup

 

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 Cindy Miller to bring you this post.

There are many sayings about kindness. "Sprinkle kindness like confetti." "In a world where you can be anything, be kind." We teach our kids to be kind. What does it really mean to be kind? When someone is teasing you should you be kind? Today we are sharing a beautiful story about an alligator who shows us what it is to be kind. The book is Alli the Alligator by Cindy Miller and illustrated by Joan Coleman. There is a giveaway at the end of the post and an alligator craft roundup to go with the book! The book does mention being created by God a few times but this is really the only religious reference.

Tall as the Sun -- Book Review & Giveaway

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with Stephanie Henson and The Children's Book Review to bring you this post.

Little kids always want to be taller. Think about it. When they are surrounded by adults or older kids, they cannot see above the people. It must be a bit frustrating. I think this is why so many of them want to be picked up or carried on someone's shoulders. Imagine the change in view when they are on someone's shoulders. It would be like climbing a ladder or perhaps even like being on the balcony of the penthouse of a high rise. Today I am sharing a fun book about a young girl and her imagination when her father puts her on his shoulders at the beach. The book is Tall as the Sun by Stephanie Henson and illustrated by Yasmin Akhtar. This review has a giveaway at the end of it!

Hop's Tales: The Kind Bunny -- Picture Book Review & Giveaway

 

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 Evelina Ruimy and The Children's Book Review to bring you this post.

Spring has sprung here. Have you been seeing any bunnies in the yard? We haven't yet but that may be due to the foxes that moved in. Bunnies are seen as such cute animals and tend to be a sign of spring. Today we are sharing a beautiful picture book about a bunny. It is Hop's Tales: The Kind Bunny by Evelina Ruimy and illustrated by Siska Kalla. There is a giveaway at the end of this post.