Picture Books to Celebrate November

 

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

November has begun!! November is a month full of so many things. Often here the weather is changing (although this year we have had warm weather thus far). The leaves are falling. There is Day of the Dead, Election Day, Veteran's Day and of course Thanksgiving! November is colorful leaves, pumpkins, turkeys, and a month of gratitude! Today we are sharing a roundup of picture books that are November themed!! They include the month, pumpkins, gratitude, and turkeys!! The first book is Meet November by April Martin. It is part of The Calendar Kids series. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Picture Books About Finding & Sharing the Best Parts of You and Life

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

I love picture books that share people finding confidence in themselves or sharing their light with others. Today we have three newly released picture books that are around these themes and one about seasons too! We will start with the season one. It is Lyric's Favorite Season by Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.

Emilia Wishing -- Picture Book Review

 

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

It has been said that we should appreciate what we have instead of wishing for more. There are many versions of this. Sometimes we spend time wishing for something instead of realizing how great what we have is. Today we are sharing a picture book about a young girl wishing for things but realizing how special her life is with what she has. The book is Emilia Wishing by Belen Medina and illustrated by Magdalena Mora. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. 

Fun Animal Themed Books

 

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

Spring has sprung and to me that means animals return. Some animals stay through the winter, but many migrate or hibernate. I love seeing the animals. This year we had baby foxes living in our yard. Today we are going to share three books (one board book and two picture books) that are animal themed. And let's face it, most kids love animals! We will start with the board book. It is Maxine the Dog Gets a Job by Alexandra Garyn and Bryan Reisberg and illustrated by Susan Batori. It is recommended for ages 3+.

Celebrate Mother's Day with These Fun Books!

 

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

Mother's Day is on Sunday!! How are you celebrating? When Hazel was young, I loved all the school Mother's Day events. Now she has big shows every Mother's Day, so I don't really get to see her. This year I am going to visit my mom. However part of what I loved about when she was young were the books, the cards and crafts, songs, etc. Today we are sharing two books perfect for kids to show how much they love mom and see a bit about what Mother's Day is about! The first book is from The World of Eric Carle with some of his beautiful illustrations! It is Thank You, Mom! from Baby Bear and Friends by Eric Carle and Odd Dot. It is a board book and recommended for babies to three. 

Asian Folktales for Children

 

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

When Hazel was young, she loved having me read folktales from different countries. She also loved fairy tales (and somewhat still does). These tales allowed us to travel with our imaginations and learn about different cultures and countries. May is Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and today's book is perfect for it and coming out just in time! It is Asian Folktales for Children retold by David Conger, Liana Romulo, Joan Suyenaga, and Marian Davies Toth and illustrated by Patrick Yee. It is recommended for ages 5 to 14. 

Zen and Tea -- Picture Book Reviews

 

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

Something I find missing in many people today is connections. People need connections with one another as well as nature. We also need to stop and just be. Today I am sharing two picture books that emphasize these messages. The first is My First Book of Zen: Simple Wisdom for Children by Tracy Gallup. It is recommended for ages 5 to 9. 

Rabbit Shoots the Sun: A Hopi Folktale

 

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

Happy November!! November brings some of my favorite times and things to celebrate! November is our month of gratitude. Something I feel each of us needs to focus more on. It is also Native American Heritage Month! My favorite of the heritage months along with Women's History Month. I have always been fascinated with the various Native American cultures and love learning about them!! Today I am sharing a new picture book that shares a Hopi folktale. The book is Rabbit Shoots the Sun: A Hopi Folktale retold by Terrie Fields and illustrated by Gerald Dawavendewa. The book is recommended for ages 4 to 8, but older readers will enjoy the story especially if studying Hopi culture!

Mimi and Ary -- Book Review & Giveaway

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital 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 Rashad Mirzayev to bring you this post.

Kids have many experiences that can make them feel scared or lonely. It takes time and experience to learn how to deal with these moments. Today I am sharing a book that helps teach these lessons in a fun and creative way. The book is Mimi and Ary by Rashad Mirzayev. There is a giveaway at the end of this post. 

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. 

Bunnies to the Rescue! -- Book Review & Giveaway with Bunny Craft Roundup

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital 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 Jeff Verney to bring you this post.

April brings thoughts of a certain bunny visiting, but today I am going to share a book about a different type of bunnies. They are the bunnies on Nantucket. I've only been to Nantucket a couple of times and once was for a job interview, but I know Cape Cod is full of bunnies. In fact, when I was young the estate next to my grandparents' street was called Bunny Haven. I always wanted to live there. Sadly, it was sold and turned into a street full of multiple houses. However, the bunnies still fill the yards of all the houses. In the summer the bunnies are everywhere. Needless to say, today's book hit an extra special chord with my heart. The book is Bunnies to the Rescue! by Jeff Verney and illustrated by Melissa Bailey. At the end of this post there is a giveaway and a bunny craft roundup!

Picture Books for Animal Lovers

 

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

Can you believe Thanksgiving is almost here? Time is flying by as usual. It is time to think about gift buying and the holidays. Today I am doing a round-up of picture books that are perfect gifts for animal lovers!! Do you know any young animal lovers? Perhaps kids who love the Wild Kratts like Hazel did?  To begin we will start with one with a thankful theme. It is from the World of Eric Carle. It is Little Book of Thanks from Brown Bear and Friends by Eric Carle and Odd Dot. It is recommended for babies through 3-year-olds. 

Happy Thanksgiving

 

Today I thought I would share some of my thoughts. This year we celebrated Thanksgiving with a Sunday Brunch the Sunday before Thanksgiving. I attended a family wedding on Saturday, and we figured we would celebrate as a family while I was there so I wouldn't have to make the drive again. I have to say it felt so good to realize that I had a week without any real demands or plans. I feel like I am able to relax this week and it is wonderful! I bought some premarinaded turkey tips to have with some mashed potatoes and stuffing. However, Hazel is eating at a friend's house so it may just be Steve and myself. 

I have been reflecting on how grateful I am for my blessings. I am very happy that Hazel seems very happy with her school and social life. I am happy we realized something was wrong with our little kitty, Fidget, and got him to the animal hospital in time for the threads to be removed without having damage. I am grateful for my job, my family and our pets. There are so many things to be grateful for in my life. As I was thinking about the holiday, I always wonder why we bring it back to the pilgrims and Native Americans of Plymouth. At the time there were other colonists on the East coast, so the pilgrims were not the first Europeans in these parts. 

Sarah Josepha Hale is the reason we celebrate Thanksgiving still. She was a devout Christian and thought the entire country should celebrate Thanksgiving as one. Some states had their own Thanksgiving days previously. Although she was from New England, I wonder if she truly meant Thanksgiving to be a day to remember the myth of the pilgrims and Wampanoag celebrating back in 1600s. I also wonder why we focus so much on Plymouth. At the time there were other colonies already in the United States. The Mayflower itself was off course for where it was to land in America. One of the big things the pilgrims did was establish the Mayflower Compact which carried over to setting up the government of the United States many years later. I truly believe the idea of Thanksgiving should not be about remembering the history that has been distorted over the years, but rather a time to reflect on what each of us is thankful for this year. It is a time to gather with family and friends and enjoy each other's company. It is a time to personally reflect on your own gratitude. Whether you are religious or not, it does not matter as each of us has something to be thankful for. 

So I hope today you will take time to reflect on your own life and consider giving thanks for all the blessings in it. With a day to myself, I know I will be doing just that.

I know that I am grateful for my family and friends, my job, our pets, our lives,... I am also thankful for my inner peace that I have found lately, and the friendships Hazel has. There are so many wonderful things to be thankful for and it is so important for us to remember them and give them thanks! Over the years I have shared many books, crafts, and fun facts related to Thanksgiving in case you are looking for something to do today. 

Happy Thanksgiving!! Time to Express Gratitude

 

In the United States, today is Thanksgiving. Although I have become extremely busy in my nonblog life, I wanted to take time to talk about what I am thankful for this year. I will admit it has been a year full of frustration, sadness as well as growth and happiness. The past couple of months have been very hard on my family. 

Finding Oneself as the Pandemic is Hopefully Ending

 

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

The last two years have been tough on everyone. Everyone I talk to seems to be struggling in some way or another. And it is not because they lost a loved one (though many have) or that they or a family member caught Covid (though many have). It is because we are all tired. Tired of masks. Tired of restrictions. But mostly tired of fighting. America seems more divided than ever. We were divided by politics and that division has grown. We have been divided by racism which is coming to a forefront. Now we are also divided about masks, vaccinations and more. If a person or company does not have the same beliefs, people are fighting, debating and at sometimes getting violent. Then add in that there is a shortage of workers. Everywhere seems to be hiring and they are operating understaffed. People's patience is not there, and they are being rude to the few people who do show up to serve us. It is such a mess. All of these things have gotten me feeling down and miserable. For 2022 I have picked positivity as my word of the year. Let's face it we all need more positivity in our lives (just not positive Covid tests).

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. 

Crafting Calm: Art and Activities for Mindful Kids

 

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

Do you have or know an anxious kid? Or perhaps you are a bit stressed out right now? Let's face it with Covid and all the political happenings life is definitely full of anxiety for us and our kids. Today I am going to share a book written for ages 8 to 12 full of crafts and activities to help kids find ways to calm themselves as well as understand and properly express their emotions. The book is Crafting calm: Art and Activities for Mindful Kids by Megan Borgert-Spaniol and Lauren Kukla and illustrated by Aruna Rangarajan.

Word for 2021--What inspires you?

 

Do you pick a word for each year? I started a few years ago. In 2019 my word was flourish, and Hazel picked believe. I spent the year trying to encourage her to believe in herself. In 2020 my word was connect. I hoped to connect with more people as well as God in more meaningful ways. I feel I did connect but not as I expected to due to Covid. As I reflected on words I thought about gratitude and then picked inspire. Hazel is choosing between strength and confidence. I love that she chose those two on her own! It shows so much growth for her this year. (Her new school is such a blessing!) What will your focus for 2021 be? Need some help? I made this word find with over 60 word of the year choices. What are the first four words you see? Do they have meaning for you?

Christmas Crafts - Focus on the Nativity with Oriental Trading - a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Oriental Trading sent me these products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

So yesterday we had a Holiday Preview Party at work. We had to be festive even though it is only the beginning of November. I still have holiday nail stickers on. Yes, Santa is on my thumbs. It was fun though and it got me into the mood. Of course it also helps that Hazel has been pulling out holiday DVDs to watch for a couple of months now. Well I always like to find a way to bring the religious side into our holiday and am going to share some crafts and products that do just that. Now Oriental Trading has an amazing collection of religious Christmas products. Hazel and I looked through and choose a few fun things which mostly were crafts. I fell in love with the DIY Unfinished Wooden Nativity & Stable Set, which is no longer available. See their religious Christmas crafts for other ideas. 

Origami Kits -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Tuttle Publishing sent me these kits in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Wow, where did this week go? It has been very crazy here. What about with you? Tonight we are sharing three fun origami kits. With dragons, animals, and a city, there is a little something for everyone. We will start with Flying Dragons Paper Airplane Kit by Sam Ita and Paul Frasco.