Showing posts with label picture book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label picture book. Show all posts

Friday, June 18, 2021

(Feature} - Learn To Tie A Bow With Cleo


Learning to tie a bow can help children build confidence and self-esteem. 

 

I tied my first bow when I was a six-year-old in kindergarten class, where my classmates and I were learning how to tie shoestrings on big plastic shoes. At the time, I was used to wearing Velcro shoes, so I had a bit of trouble tying a shoelace bow. Well, that is until a fellow student, Andrea, taught me how to loop, swoop, and pull. From then on, I had no trouble tying shoestrings.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Holiday Gift Guide 2019: Gabby and the Dark


*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.


Gabby and the Dark
by Carrie Bolin and Jessica Firpi
Illustrated by John Graziano


Gabby's not afraid of the dark! Well, maybe just a little. Join Gabby as she explores the deep, dark ocean. Told from Gabby's point of view, kids will relate to how scary the dark can feel but, like Gabby, will be assured that they, too, can conquer their fear and maybe even make a new friend in the process!


Where To Purchase?




Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Spring Reads: I'm Going To Give You A Bear Hug!


ZonderKidz; 30 pages; $16.99; Amazon
To kickoff this year's first "Spring Reads" post, I'm featuring a review for the picture book "I'm Going To Give You A Bear Hug!" by author Caroline B. Cooney with illustrations by Tim Warnes. The book was published at the end of 2016 by Zonderkids. I've had a review copy for about two months and I"m just now getting around to reviewing it.

It's difficult for me to write a decent review for the title as the book doesn't have a plot of any kind. As the title suggests, the picture book is about giving hugs through the eyes of a child. The child in the story uses his imagination to give different kinds of hugs, such as a cat hug, a big hug, a bear hug, etc..


Friday, October 21, 2016

Review - The Berenstain Bears: Bedtime Devotional


ZonderKidz; 160 pages; $12.99; Amazon
During my early elementary days in the late 1980s, I was a big fan of The Berenstain Bears books by Stan and Jan Berenstain. I tried to collect every little picture book I could find in the series. Eventually, I got interested into other books and the Berenstain Bears titles just rested on a bookshelf collecting dust. Later, I let my aunt borrow the books for her kids to read, but I never saw the books again. Over the years, I have recollected several of those books; most of them I found at thrift stores.

Now available in bookstores from ZonderKidz is "The Berenstain Bears: Bedtime Devotional" by Mike Berenstain, the son of the late Stan and Jan Berenstain. It features 90 different devotions for young readers.

The small-size book kicks off with a one-page "Bedtime Prayer." The rest of the book is divided between nine chapters/sections - "God Loves You Very Much," "Be Kind and Helpful to Others," "Be Forgiving," "God's Gifts and Blessings," "Be Thankful," "Be Courageous," "Be a Good Friend," "Have Faith," and "Be Joyful."

Each devotion features one Bible verse, followed by a short story involving either Brother, Sister or Honey. Almost all the devotions have a "Carry, On Cub!" paragraph, which basically sums up the life lesson that was in the story. There is also a short rhyming prayer with every devotion.


Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Fall Reads: A Royal Christmas to Remember


Zonderkidz; 32 pages; $14.99; Barnes & Noble
I don't pay too much attention to new children book titles with a princess theme, but I have a little cousin who I thought would enjoy the picture book "A Royal Christmas to Remember," which is the only reason why I had signed up to review the title.

Published by Zonderkidz, A Royal Christmas to Remember is the 7th book in the "Princess Parables" series written by Jenna Young & Jacqueline Johnson. This entry is illustrated by Omar Aranda.

On Christmas Eve, Princesses Joy, Grace, Faith, Charity, and Hope are more excited about Christmas than anyone else in the kingdom

The princesses have decorated the grand castle with Christmas decorations, which they have so many that they will have to build a large storehouse to store all them next year. Inside the caste is a magnificent tree surrounded by dozens of gifts, all for the princesses.

Awaken from their sleep that night, the princesses learn there is an evil band of marauders who are raiding their village. As their father, the king, heads out to defend the village, the princesses are put in danger. In the end, the princesses will learn that Christmas is more about giving than receiving.


Friday, September 30, 2016

Reviw - Really Woolly: 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury


Tommy Nelson; 192 pages; $12.99; Amazon
Now available in bookstores from Tommy Nelson (a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers) is Really Woolly: 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury by Bonnie Rickner Jensen with illustrations by Donna Chapman and Julie Sawyer Phillips.

The Really Wolly brands was created by DaySpring greeting cards over fifteen years ago. The cute little sheep has been featured on cards, gifts, books, plush toys, and animated DVDs.

The Really Woolly: 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury is a 192-page hardcover containing five previously releases titles - Bedtime Bible Promises; Bedtime Prayers; Bible Stories; Good Night, God; Little Book of Bible Verses; Nighttime Lullabies; and 12 Little Blessings.


Friday, September 23, 2016

Fall Reads: One Small Donkey: A Christmas Story


Tommy Nelson; 32 pages; $14.99; Amazon
Though Halloween is a lot closer than Christmas, I'm more in the mood for the Yuletide season than I am for All Hallows Eve, which might explain why I'm once again reading another Christmas title.

What did I read this time?

Well, yesterday I read One Small Donkey: A Christmas Story by Dandi Daley Mackall and illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens. Published by Tommy Nelson (a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers), the book will be available to purchase on September 27th in either a hardcover or a board book for "little ones."

One Small Donkey: A Christmas Story centers on a small donkey (the donkey's name is never mentioned) who wants to be tall and brave like the horse he sees marching in the grass each and everyday.

Then one day his master, Joseph, calls for him. It seems Joseph and his pregnant wife, Mary, are planning a trip to Bethlehem and it's the small donkey's responsibility to help carry Mary across the land.

When Mary goes into labor, Joseph knocks on the doors of every home in the city, hoping to find shelter. However, nobody will take them in. Luckily, they do find a manger just in the nick of time. 


Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Summer Reads: Pumpkin Patch Blessings


Zonderkidz; 18 pages; $8.99; Amazon

Arriving in bookstores on August 2nd from Zonderkidz is the  picture-board book, titled Pumpkin Patch Blessings. Written by Kim Washburn, the 18-page book features illustrations by Jacqueline East.

Yes, it's still summer, but the stores will be getting autumn clothes as well as Halloween goodies on their shelves next month. Zonderkidz is jumping the gun a little early with the August 2nd release of Pumpkin Patch Blessings. However, it'll give the title plenty of time to find young readers before autumn actually begins.

Like most Zonderkidz titles, this book does mention God a few times. There's not really an actual plot here, but the narration explains to the reader that autumn is God's creation; though the illustrations shows a young brother and sister exploring all the wonders of what the Fall season brings; such as crunching on the falling leaves, eating corn on the cob, going on a hayride, and picking out a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch.

Monday, June 6, 2016

Summer Reads: I Love You Just Because


Thomas Nelson; 20 pages; $9.99; Amazon
Arriving on my doorsteps this afternoon was a package containing the children board book, titled I Love You Just Because written by Donna Kieth with illustrations by Allison Edgson. Published by Thomas Nelson, the book will be released to bookstores tomorrow.

The first two "I Love You" books (I Love You All the Same and I Love You Even When) have sold over 75,000 copies.

I Love You Just Because You Are centers on a bear couple who have three different bear cubs - Brown Bear, Polar and Miss Panda.

The three young cubs are learning that even though they are siblings, they all have their own tastes and likes. Brown Bear and Polar likes to eat fish, but Miss Panda likes to eat bamboo. They quickly learn that while they aren't all the same size and look alike, they are all loved by their parents and by God.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Spring Reads: The Princess Twins and the Tea Party


32 pages; $3.99; Amazon
There is no better time than the present to get your kids into reading with the I Can Read! books, a series that has five different reading levels:

My First - ideal for sharing with emergent readers.
1 - simple sentences for eager new readers.
2 - high-interest stories for developing readers.
3 - complex plots for confident readers.
4 - the perfect bridge to chapter books.

Now available in bookstores from ZonderKidz is the picture book The Princess Twins and the Tea Party by author Mona Hodgson with pictures by Julie Olson.

The Princess Twins and the Tea Party centers on Emma and Abby, twin princess with big imaginations. Princess Emma is excited that today is Spring Tea Day, in which their friends will be coming over to their home for tea.

Everything has to be just perfect for tea party. Princess Emma double-checks to make sure the cakes have enough sugar in them, the table is set correctly and that the perfect tea is going to be used.

Friday, March 18, 2016

Spring Reads: The Princess Twins and the Birthday Party


ZonderKidz; $16.99; 32 pages; Amazon
I don't normally pay too attention to new books that are written for girls, but I have a much younger cousin, so I thought I would keep my eye out on any new titles which she might enjoy. When I saw that The Princess Twins and the Birthday Party was available to review through BookLook Bloggers, I eagerly signed up to review it.

Written by Mona Hodgson and published by ZonderKidz as an "I can Read!" series (1 - Beginning Reading), The Princess Twins and the Birthday Party centers on Emma and Abby, twin sisters who are princesses, and today is their birthday!

Emma and Abby hop out of bed, both excited about their big day. They pick out the prettiest dresses, put on their crowns, and head downstairs to eat breakfast with their parents. Then the twins help set things up for their birthday party, like name cards, etc..

Before long, their friends arrive carring presents for the twins. Everyone seems to be having a great time, well, all except for Emma's friend Beth, who has vanished from the party. Where did Emma go?

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Review - Leo-Superhero: A Sunday Morning Adventure


Leo-SuperHero: A Sunday Morning Adventure
by The Brothers
Publisher: TheBrothers
Publ. Date: November 28, 2013
ASIN: B00EUX4C70
Pages: 25
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Since the Super Bowl doesn't start until tonight and the small fact that there is a few inches of snow on the ground, this would be a perfect to read to a good book.

I would like to recommend the picture book Leo-SuperHero: A Sunday Morning Adventure by The Brothers! The book centers on a seven-year-old boy named Leo who lives with his parents, a younger sister and a curious cat named Milkshake.

Early one Sunday morning while everyone else is a sleep, Milkshake wakes up Leo as the cat wants to show him something. Leo hops out of bed, slips on his superhero costume and follows Milkshake downstairs into the kitchen. That is where he discovers a hole in the wall and inside the hole is a frighten little mouse.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Review - There's A Mouse Hiding In This Book

There's A Mouse Hiding In This Book!
Tom & Jerry
By Benjamin Bird
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Pub. Date: September 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1623701253
Pages: 32

Review:

Tom & Jerry has been entertaining millions of cartoon fans since 1940 with its simple premise of a cat chasing a mouse. From theatrical shorts, animated series and made-to-video animated movies, the cat and mouse have stayed popular over the years with each  generation of children.

Arriving on in bookstores from Capstone Young Readers is the picture book, There's A Mouse Hiding In This Book staring Tom & Jerry.

Tom the cat is upset that Jerry the mouse has entered his picture book. Jerry has stepped into some paint and his footprints are on each page. Tom follows the footprints in the hopes of finally catching the mouse. From mousetraps to a dog, it seems Tom keeps running into anything and everything except for Jerry, as the mouse is too clever for him.

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Review - The Berenstain Bears: Easter Magic

The Berenstain Bears: Easter Magic
By Stan & Jan Berenstain
Publisher: Open Road Young Readers
Pub. Date: October 16, 2012
ASIN: B009HICHAC
Pages: 9

Review:

When I was a kid, I was crazy for The Berenstain Bears book series. I collected every book, well until I got older and became interested in other things. Now as an adult, I occasionally buy one of these delightful paperback books at thrift stores.

Sadly the original authors have both passed away, but oldand new books are still being released after fifty-years since the first book was printed. These timeless characters have even made it into the eBook generation. The Berenstain Bears: Easter Magic was released last fall as an electronic release only. It was originally written in 1997. The plot involves Brother and Sister Bear noticing that the winter weather is leaving and signs of spring are all around. That can mean only one thing; the Easter Bunny is on his way.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Review - Smart Piggy



Smarty Pig
BY: Molly Nero
PUBLISHED BY: Halo
PUBLISHED IN: December 2011
ISBN: 978-1-61244-048-4
Pages: 30
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

"Smarty Pig" is a delightful tale about a house full of little piggies. After school, they like to play cards, watch TV and play tag instead of doing their homework. Only one red-haired piggy does her homework and study for her tests. The other piggies call her “Teacher’s Pet”, but she surprises all of them when she is only one who gets good grades on report card day. The other piggies are upset and they all want to know how to get good grades. The red-haired piggy eagerly agrees to teach them math and science.

I enjoyed reading “Smarty Pig”, and I loved the beautiful illustrations throughout the picture book. Young readers can easily relate to story, as I am sure all them would rather be playing than studying or doing their homework. I liked how the little red-haired piggy in the story used simple household items, like play-money and cookies to help the piggies learn math and science. “Smarty Pig” is a cute read for young readers.

About the Author:




Molly Nero grew up in Texas loving to sing, dance, and read. She spent over 18 years teaching elementary school.  Reading to her own children, she was inspired to write. Molly Nero recently moved to Pennsylvania where she resides with her family, 2 dogs, and a leopard spotted Gecko and enjoys writing, cooking, and making snowmen.


www.smartypigbooks.com




Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Review - Ruthie & the Hippo's Fat Behind

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% mine.







Ruthie and the Hippo's Fat BehindRuthie & the Hippo’s Fat Behind
BY: Margot Finke
ILLUSTRATED BY: K.C. Snider
PUBLISHED BY: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
PRINT ISBN: 978-1-61633-059-0
EBook ISBN: 978-1-61633-060-6
Pages: 16
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

After moving to a new town, the always nice girl, Ruthie, changed into a grumpy kid. Her moods were no longer happy, but were now ugly. Her parents don’t understand what is wrong with her, but Ruthie knows. She misses her friends and the life that she left behind. Its not just her attitude that changes, but Ruthie appearance changed too. She wore pants that wrinkled around her knees, her socks were mismatched, and she stopped brushing her hair. Ruthie no longer respected her parents, and said ‘no’ to them when they asked for help with something, and ignored her chores. Can Ruthie find happiness in her new life? Will she find a friend?

Sometimes adults forget that that children has emotions too, like with Ruthie. She is an angry little girl because she was ripped from the life and the friends that she has known. That is a big event for child and parents should look for signs of emotional trauma and help them get through the adjustments of moving. The author, Margot Finke, has cleverly written Ruthie & the Hippo’s Fat Behind, and has created a character, Ruthie, that every child can relate too. I recommend the book to all parents and kids.




About the Author


Margot Finke is an Aussie transplant who writes midgrade adventure fiction and rhyming picture books. For many years she has lived in Oregon with her husband and family. Gardening, travel, and reading fill in the cracks between writing. Her husband is very supportive, and their three children are now grown and doing very well.

Margot didn't begin serious writing until the day their youngest left for college. This late start drives her writing, and pushes her to work at it every day. Margot said, "I really envy those who began young, and managed to slip into writing mode between kid fights, diaper changes, household disasters, and outside jobs. You are my heroes!"

Her first books, a 7x book rhyming series, "Wild and Wonderful," offers fun facts about animals from the US and Australia. Educational and fun, eBooks can be read on a computer, laptop, or various color e-Readers. They are great for classroom or home schooling moms.




STOP PRESS!



Write a comment on any participating blog during my June Book Tour,
and win a FREE COPY of this fun time-travel story.

NOTE:
One copy per person. Please leave your e-mail.
( Safe sample: mfinke AT frontier.com )

Friday, June 10, 2011

Review - Babysitting SugarPaw by VS Grenier


Babysitting SugarPaw
BY: VS Grenier
ILLUSTRATED BY: Kevin Collier
PUBLISHED BY: Halo Publishing International
PUBLISHED IN: July 2009
ISBN: 978-1-935268-0602
Pages: 32
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Babysitting SugarPawPapa and Mama Bear are going out for the night and they can’t leave young SugarPaw all alone, so they hire a babysitter, Bonnie Whiskers, to look after him. Papa and Mama Bear leave strict instructions for Bonnie to follow, but SugarPaw is sneaky. He sneaks into the kitchen and changes the rules. He can now watch TV for two hour more and his bedtime has been extended for two hours. He hides the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” book that Bonnie was suppose to read to him and he makes a mess with his paints. Will Bonnie be able to survive babysitting ? Will SugarPaw realize that rules shouldn’t be changed?

Babysitting SugarPaws is a cute picture book from author VS Grenier and has adorable illustrations by Kevin Collier. I can remember being a handful at SugarPaw’s age, I wanted to stay up pass my bedtime and watch television, but if I did, I would fall asleep during school the next days. Our parents makes rules because they love us, and we should abide by those rules. Both parents and children will enjoy reading about SugarPaw. I recommend the book to everyone.

*I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy to review.



About the Author:






Stories for Children Publishing will be touring award-winning author VS Grenier and her book, “Babysitting SugarPaw” a picture book about friendship and telling the truth all month long in June 2011.


VS Grenier is an award-winning children’s author, founder & owner of Stories for Children Publishing, LLC., award-winning editor-in-chief of Stories for Children Magazine and chief editor for Halo Publishing, Int.; in addition, to running her own editorial and critique services.

In 2007 & 2008, VS Grenier was voted one of the Top Ten Editors in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll, won 2nd place for her article on, “Yes, Virginia, There IS a Santa Claus” in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll for Best Nonfiction of 2007, and won 7th place for her article, “Dinosaur Tracks in My Backyard” in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll for Best Nonfiction of 2008.  
 
You can find out more about VS Grenier’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/BabysittingSugarPaw.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with VS Grenier and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions.


In addition, come listen to Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier, Kris Quinn Chirstopherson and Irene Roth will be chatting about Grenier’s picture book, writing, the publishing industry and experiences with virtual tours. Grenier will also be sharing writing tips and trials, and tribulations of the writer’s life.

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit Stories for Children Publishing at: http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Review - The Last Day of Kindergarten


The Last Day of Kindergarten
BY: Nancy Loewen
ILLUSTRATED BY: Sachiko Yoshikawa
PUBLISHED BY: Marshall Cavendish Children
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7614-5807-4
Pages: 34
Reviewed by Billy Burgess
Today is the last day of Mrs. Popinski’s kindergarten class through the eyes of a little girl. She reflects back on the first day of school when she hung up her book pack for the very first time. She remembered playing with the other students during Creative Playtime, dressing up for Halloween and students having birthday parties.

The last day of school was different than the first, as today the students were washing the tables, throwing away old crayons and dried-up paints, and collecting their drawings off the wall. The gather together with the teacher and talk about their favorite summer things and what they looked forward to in the first grade. The kids line up and head to the auditorium for their graduation.

The Last Day of Kindergarten is the heartwarming story of a little girl’s last day of kindergarten. I think every child is sad about their last day of kindergarten, so readers can easily connect with the main character. I believe the book could be a good tool for parents to read to their pre-schoolers about to expect during their first year of school. Plus, I can easily see teachers reading the book on the last day of school. Overall, I loved reading the book and enjoyed the colorful illustrations. I recommend the book to parents and young readers.

*I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy to review.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Review - The Brothers Foot: A Hare Raising Story







The Brothers Foot: A Hare Raising StoryThe Brothers Foot: A Hare Raising Story
BY: Steve Cormey
ILLUSTRATED BY: Ronda Eden
PUBLISHED BY: AuthorHouse
PUBLISHED IN: 2009
ISBN: 978-14389-4269-8
Pages: 55
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Foot was a rabbit who liked to play with his rabbit friends - Fluffy, Bunny O’Hare, Carrot Top, and Big Ears Ernie. His best friends in the whole wide world were his two brothers, Foot-Foot and Foot-Foot-Foot, and they liked to play rabbit games - hop, flop, skip, and thump! But their favorite thing to do was singing a happy song in the briar patch. Their song was so much fun; hunters would join in and sing along.

The Brothers Foot is a simple picture book about three brothers who love to sing and play. The illustrations are adorable. In the back of the book are the lyrics to the Foot-Foot Song. Along with the book that I reviewed, I received the music CD, featuring one song - The Foot-Foot Song, and a DVD containing The Foot-Foot music video. Overall I enjoyed reading the book and I recommend it to parents and younger readers.

*I would like to thank the Illustrator for sending me a copy to review.


About the Authors

Meet Steve Cormey
A third generation Coloradan, Steve Cormey has entertained the people of Grand County and Colorado for over thirty years. An award winning songwriter, he has written, produced and released six very successful CDs while playing an always full schedule of live performances.

His background in Folk ,bluegrass, rock and traditional music is evident whether live or on CD. Colorado Blue, Somewhere with a Beach, Never Summer..forever home, Walking Stick and the all solo-acoustic Pure & Simple CDs offer a potpourri of musical styles, and his Old Fashioned Christmas is a Yule Tide favorite. Steve’s live performances show off a talented mix of danceable music, humor and fun!

Steve makes his home in Grand County, Colorado. Although he has entertained in Australia, South Africa, Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii and around the country, you can usually catch his act in the shadows of the Never Summer Mountains of Colorado.





Meet Ronda Eden

Ronda Eden was born in Adelaide, South Australia and spent her childhood dreaming about horses. She’s spent most of her adult life wandering around in a state of confusion over what she really wanted to do and now, middle-aged, she’s living her childhood dream. Ronda’s been a factory worker, Chinese cook’s assistant, pharmacy assistant, teacher, storyteller, writer,  waitress, bartender, dishwasher, cleaner, touring art curator, gallery owner, horse trainer and artist A.O.T. (Among Other Things).

Ronda’s hobbies include the joy of  hiking, climbing, wind surfing, belly dancing, jogging, traveling, swimming, daydreaming, listening to music and of course, horse riding. Apart from the later, none of these activities get much of her attention these days. Especially travel! Ronda loves it right where she is, doing exactly what she is doing. Ya’see, Ronda lives in Laramie, Wyoming with her husband Mernie and together they run a horse boarding operation with 60 horses, 2 mules, a miniature donkey and a tough, bad boy tomcat. Ronda still manages to be an artist A.O.T (Among Other Things) in between feeding, riding and shoveling poop, but the horses come first. She does travel during the summers, but a couple of the horses go with her and together they cover hundreds of miles on the endurance trails of the Mountain Region. Ronda plans to be hoisting her creaky ole body onto a horse and riding high well into her old age!