Yesterday we shared some illustrated chapter books that featured dogs. Halloween is on Saturday so that means the holiday season is upon us. Today we are sharing a sticker book that is perfect for animal and art lovers! It makes a great small gift for either adult or child!! The book is Vanity Fur: The Alison Friend Sticker Book by Alison Friend. All of the stickers are portraits of animals!!
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Halloween is coming fast and that means Thanksgiving is also around the corner. There are so many good Thanksgiving books out there and we have shared quite a few as well as crafts and more. Some of the books are serious about gathering and sharing with others and some are quite fun and humorous. Today we are sharing a fun one. It is Turkey on the Run! by Alayne Kay Christian and illustrated by Neha Rawat. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
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!
Over the weekend we traveled to Michigan to see my goddaughter get married and visit two colleges. It was a lot and I will admit I was tired. We woke up Monday to discover our return flight was cancelled, and both Steven and Hazel had to be home for Tuesday, so their free option was not working for us. I decided to take yesterday off from writing book reviews so today I am combining my review for three books released yesterday! One is a board book and the other two are picture books. The board book is Bizzy Bear: It's Bedtime by Benji Davies. It is an interactive board book with tabs to push, pull and slide. It is recommended for ages 0 to 2 and is part of the Bizzy Bear series.
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!
Do you like to sketch? It can be so relaxing. So can doodling. Have you ever wondered how to become a better artist? Personally, I love to sketch and doodle but am not much of an artist when it comes to drawing. My students on the other hand have been amazing artists, and sketching was something that truly relaxes them. So, for today's Relaxing Friday post we are sharing an interesting and informative book about sketching and art. The book is Art Life Practice: The Guided Sketchbook by Berry Stein. This is not a children's book however tweens and teens may enjoy it as well as many adults.
Well, this Friday has not really been relaxing. New England is preparing for three days of a Nor'easter so let the winds and rain begin. However, I have been wanting to share these great coloring products with you so today is the day!! Today we are going to talk reverse coloring and new acrylic markers! Talk about fun Relaxing Friday products!! We will start with reverse coloring. Have you tried it? It is when the colors are provided and you have to draw the lines and create whatever picture you want. This is my first time trying it and I got to try it with A Year of Reverse Coloring Page-A-Day 2027 Calendar by Kendra Norton and Workman Calendars.
One of my favorite courses in college was Art Appreciation. The professor was amazing and truly just wanted the students to learn to love art for what it is. It taught some art history but also ways of looking at art. Today's products remind me a bit of that class. The first is a unique art history book. It is Scratch & Sniff Art History: A Smellable Guide to Becoming an Art Expert by Elizabeth Lunday. Talk about adding another dimension to art! It is recommended for ages 14+.
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.
My summer has been a bit crazy, and my relaxing Fridays have been quite different this year. Our summer began with a trip to Connecticut to celebrate my father's life. We squeezed in a tour of Yale while there. When we returned home, we did laundry and packed up for a two-week road trip for more college visits. We made our way to Washington DC and Pittsburgh with several stops in between. Then it was time for our week at the Cape house. Then the rest of July was getting ready for a surgery, having the surgery and I've been recovering since. So my Fridays at the end of July and throughout August have been mostly watching television with Hazel and napping. The only crafts I have been doing is diamond painting. However, I look forward to getting back to other crafts soon. Today I am sharing some paper and sticker supplies for crafts and ideas! We will start with a Paint by Sticker book. It is Paint by Sticker (Official): Portraits by Workman Publishing. This is a craft book for adults or older kids.
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.
Have you seen The Odyssey yet? We all loved it when we saw it opening weekend. Hazel and I have been watching the Percy Jackson television series this summer too. Needless to say, we are into mythology. Plus, it is the perfect time to talk monsters for Summerween. After all, Halloween is three months away! Today we are sharing a fun adult coloring book with a myth and monster theme! It is Pop Manga Myths and Monsters Coloring Book by Camilla d'Errico.
Do you know someone who helps everyone? Whatever is needed they are there. What happens when they need help? Today we are sharing two picture books about such "people". The first book is Big Rig Pig written by Claire Tattersfield and illustrated by Rob Sayegh, Jr. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
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!!
Summer is here and that means various things to different people. But many include days sitting on the beach or by the pool and reading! Do you have a good summer read for this year? How about your teens? Today we are sharing a heartwarming and heartbreaking young adult novel perfect for the summer. For me the fact that it takes place on Cape Cod mostly pulled me right in. The book is Last Kiss of Summer by Jessica M. Felleman. It is recommended for ages 16+.
As schools are closing down for the school year, teachers across the country are cleaning their classrooms and ready for the much-needed rest and recovery summer brings. In the back of every teacher's mind is next year. Questions like what should I do the first day, what books should I read, does the curriculum need adjusting and more are circling through their brains. Yes, as one year finishes, teachers often have an eye on the next one even though they badly need the rest that summer can bring. Today we are sharing two new books that are perfect for the new year and make amazing end of the year gifts for teachers or start of the year gifts for next year! The first book is Welcome to Our Classroom! by Alexandra Penfold and illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman. It is part of the All Are Welcome series and recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Have you caught World Cup Fever? I feel like every time I turn around, I am hearing about it or seeing merchandise for it. It is on the news almost daily and of course with some of the games being in the Boston area, it is all anyone is talking about. The first game in Boston is about a week away and people are getting excited for it, or they are dreading it because of the crowds that will be coming this week. However, I am looking at it like the Olympics. It is a positive time where countries gather and compete in a friendly way. Our world needs more friendly. The first book is a picture book. It is The World's Game by Yamile Saied Méndez and illustrated by Andrés Landazábal. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
With the United States celebrating its 250th anniversary on July 4th this year, I was sent a roundup of books about the United States. As I read them, I realized I didn't want to do just one huge roundup. The books are for different ages and teach about specific Americans, country history, states as well as about why we celebrate 4th of July. They are for different ages and a variety of types of books - from board books to middle grade books and even a graphic novel. Today we are sharing two books by the same team that give information about people. places and more. The first book is America's Dreaming by Ben McKinnon and illustrated by Thai My Phuong. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
How do you remember a loved one who has passed? This is a question I have been focusing on lately. My father passed in January, and we are planning his celebration of life. Today we are sharing a book about the Jewish tradition of the yahrzeit candle. It is a tradition I had not heard of. The book is A Flame Burns On by Richard Ho and illustrated by Carmel Ben Ami. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
