The Princess and the Grain of Rice -- Fairy Tales in Different Cultures 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 a while since I have had a Fairy Tale in Different Cultures post and this one is a great story!! Today I get to share a Korean version of the Princess and the Pea. Tina Cho looked for stories about princesses who were like herself and her daughter. They didn't seem to be in the stories nor the movies. She decided to change that by writing her own. She picked her favorite fairy tale and changed it by adding some Korean culture and history. The book is The Princess and the Grain of Rice by Tina Cho and illustrated by Honee Jang. The book is recommended for ages 4 to 8, but I would say older kids may enjoy it as well especially if doing a unit on fairy tales or other cultures.

Books About Love for Ages 10+ -- Valentine's Day Reads

 

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

In January we did two roundups of picture books for Valentine's Day. Young children are not the only ones who celebrate or need to read about love and relationships! Today we are sharing a roundup of novels for ages 10+. They include middle grade novels and young adult novels. These books I have either read completely or at least started but wanted to get them shared before Valentine's Day. We will be sharing them from youngest to oldest readers. The first book is Mountain Upside Down by Sara Ryan. It is recommended for older middle grade readers--ages 10 to 13. 

Children's Books Sharing Different Cultures and Languages

 

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

I love sharing books that teach us about different cultures and languages. Today I have four books to share with you and two of them are being released this week! The first book is about a Korean word that means so much and doesn't have an English equivalent. The book is Jeong Is Jeong by Jessica Yoon and illustrated by Michelle Lee. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. 

101 Books to Read Before You Grow Up -- 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 to bring you this post.

What are your favorite childhood books? Do you have ones from your own childhood or from your children's childhood? Perhaps you love the classics like Charlotte's Web or something new like one of our favorites, Princess in Black. Or maybe you are looking at picture books or middle grade novels. Not matter what your favorites are or what you are looking to read today's book has suggestions for you. The book is 101 Books to Ready Before You Grow Up (Revised Edition) by Bianca Schulze and illustrated by Samara Hardy. There is a giveaway at the end of this post too!

The Doggos: Charlotte & Boo Boo -- Book Review & Series Giveaway

 

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 Suzi K. Edwards to bring you this post.

Have you ever taken in a stray? I have but I was able to get it home to its actual owners several towns away. It was a stray cat. Today I get to share a book from a very special series of books about stray dogs and the kids who take them in. I am going to review Charlotte & Boo Boo by S. K. Edwards. It is part of The Doggos Series. And at the end of this post there is a giveaway for the whole series!!

Randy Rainbow and the Marvelously Magical Pink Glasses

 

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

The start of school is fast approaching and that means time to think about back-to-school. For some kids this is very stressful. School can be very tough for the kids who are different. They may be quiet and shy or outspoken and dress uniquely. At some point someone may bully them, and the truth is there is only so much the adults in kids' lives can do to help end bullying. Schools have rules and states have laws but the enforcing of either can be difficult. It is important for kids to be able to be themselves at school and be comfortable. If they are not comfortable, they are not going to really learn at school. Today we are sharing a fun picture book about a young boy finding the courage to be comfortable with himself and have the bullying end. The book is Randy Rainbow and the Marvelously Magical Pink Glasses by Randy Rainbow and illustrated by Jaimie MacGibbon. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Sharing Is Caring, Dragon! -- Picture 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 to bring you this post and giveaway. 

This week seems to be dragon week with the young adult book I shared yesterday and today's picture book. Plus, lunar new year begins next week. It will be the year of the snake, but let's face it dragons are always part of the lunar new year. Today I get to share with you a wonderful book with so many great themes for young kids to learn, and there is a giveaway at the end of the post! The book is Sharing Is Caring, Dragon! by Bianca Schulze and illustrated by Samara Hardy. I have had the pleasure of sharing another of the dragon series books previously.

Craft Books for Kids & Adults

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

I am still working on clearing my review shelf, so the roundups continue this week! Today we are looking at some great craft books for kids (and adults). These books range in abilities and topics. If you have a creative child in your life these books will make great gifts. We will start with the book for the youngest age 5 to 9. It is The Kids' Book of Craft Love by Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst. 

Halloween Children's Book Round-Up For the Easily Frightened Child with Crafts & More

 

October always has me thinking. When Hazel was young, we would avoid Halloween displays in stores. They scared her too much. It was hard to go anywhere, and the displays got put up earlier and earlier every year. She was easily frightened, and I had to be careful what I exposed her to. However, she loved dressing up for Halloween. (Perhaps this is why she wants to go into theater.) I have been thinking back to some of our favorite Halloween books and I thought I would share some of them and more with you! This round-up includes our favorite books and books we enjoyed when she was young and more recent ones as well as DVDs, costumes and some crafts and activities to go with the books. 

Sylvia Locke's Cinderella and the Evil Fairy Godmother -- 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 David Horn to bring you this post. 

I haven't done a fairy tale post in quite a while. Today I get to share a modernized Cinderella story!! If you haven't checked out my Fairy Tales in Different Cultures Series please do. They are some of my most popular posts. And Cinderella stories are the most frequent ones I feature! The book is Sylvia Locke's Cinderella and the Evil Fairy Godmother by David Horn and illustrated by Judit Tondora. It is the second book in the Tairy Fails Series. 

A New Friend for Dragon -- Review & Giveaway Plus Dragon and Knight Craft Round-Up

 

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 to bring you this post.

With back to school there have been some great books coming out about differences. Let's face it when kids go back to school, they see people who are different from them in some way. It is important for kids to realizes that differences can be a good thing and that it is ok to be friends with people who are different. The book I'm sharing today is about just this. It is A New Friend for Dragon by Bianca Schulze and illustrated by Samara Hardy. 

Making Summer Fun and Educational

 

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

We are in final exam week at our school. The stress levels are high everywhere. But it also means that school is almost done, and summer is almost here. Summer can be so much fun, but it can also be a time for kids to lose some of their learning. Today I am sharing some products to give you and your kids some fun activities as well as learning in fun ways! We will begin with some creative activity books. Today (May 30th) is National Creativity Day and these books are perfect to get your kids and you creating and having fun! The first  are two books by Alberto Lot. There is Crayon Racing which I reviewed a couple of years ago and Crayon Adventures. They are recommended for ages 4 to 8 or as the publisher states 4 to 104. I know my high school students have been having lots of fun with them!

The Princess Protection Program -- Book Review

 

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

Now over the years we have loved fairy tales and princesses. We have explored fairy tales in different cultures as well as real life princesses and fictional princesses. When Hazel was young, she loved fairy tales. Now that she is older, she discusses the inappropriateness of some of them. These discussions remind me of today's book. The book is The Princess Protection Program by Alex London. It was released last week and is recommended for ages 8 to 12.

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess Activity Book -- a Multicultural Children's Book Day Review

 

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

Today I am sharing with you a fun growth mindset activity book. The book is part of the Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess series. It is Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess Activity Book by Deedee Cummings and illustrated by Charlene Mosley. The series is recommended for ages 4 to 8. 

Barbie Movie and a Barbie Birthday Cake

 

Have you seen the Barbie Movie yet? For my birthday this year, Hazel and I went to a matinee. I also decided to try to make a Barbie cake for myself. It is hard to hear some of the criticism of the movie from people who refuse to see it. For example, Rex Huppke's column in USA Today shares many of the things said about the movie. Now being a liberal and having many liberal friends, I have many friends who have different opinions. But I am going to begin by sharing a bit of my own background.

Small Knight and the Angry Prince -- Picture Book Review

 

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

Emotions can be hard. Whether you are dealing with your own or someone else's they can be difficult to navigate and often bad emotions can spread. Today I am sharing a book about one of the hardest ones to deal with--anger. It is called Small Knight and the Angry Prince by Manka Kasha. It is recommended for ages 3 to 6 and deals with some gender issues.

Museum of Lost Teeth -- Review & Giveaway

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Elyssa Friedland as part of the blog tour and will receive a small stipend for this post. All opinions are my own.

As a child did you ever wonder where the teeth go when the tooth fairy picks them up? I think it is a common thing to wonder about. That is until you find them hidden away in one of your parents' jewelry boxes or dresser. I mean what is a parent to do with all those baby teeth? I know I have Hazel's in my top dresser drawer, and I know my sisters and I found ours in my father's jewelry box. Where do you keep your children's lost teeth?

Anything But Pink -- a fun picture book about accepting one's own true colors

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am working with The Children's Book Review and J.C. Benthin and will receive a small stipend for this review. All opinions are my own.

What is your favorite color? Mine is pink. Would you want everything in your world to be your favorite color? I know I wouldn't. I don't even dress completely in pink ever. Today's book is about being a different color from everyone else. I will admit when I heard the title of the book, the first thought I had was of a baby girl. I remember getting a shower gift that was white with ladybugs. My friend who gave it to me said she got it so I would have something nonpink to put on my baby girl since everything for a baby girl is always pink. I figured the book would be about a girl who didn't like pink. I was very pleasantly surprised. This book is so much better than anything I was imagining. The book is Anything but Pink by J.C. Benthin and illustrated by Andy Catling. 

Steeped in Stories -- a Book about Reading Classic Children's Stories in Modern Times

 

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

What are the classic children's novels you read when you were little? Have you read them again as an adult? Have your children read them? Or are they on a banned list for the racism and other inappropriate things that are no longer acceptable in our modern society? Today I am sharing a book for adults about reading those stories as adults with or without kids and relating them to our modern world. Are you ready to reminisce? The book is Steeped in Stories: Timeless Children's Novels to Refresh Our Tired Souls by Mitali Perkins.

Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess: These Shoes Are Made for Dancing -- a Multicultural Children's Book Day Review

 

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

Have you ever had one of those bad days? You know when you think the world is against you? We all have them--even kids. Today I get to share with you a book for young readers that deals with just that! It is the fourth book in the Kayla: A Modern-Day Princess Series. The book is These Shoes Are Made for Dancing by Deedee Cummings and illustrated by Charlene Mosley. The series is recommended for ages 4 to 8. (To see my reviews of some more of Deedee Cummings' books, click here.)