The holidays are a stressful and anxiety-filled time of year. In the U.S., our stress/anxiety levels are reaching new highs as we watch the administration sink to new lows.
My advice to the POTUS and the MAGA followers…
To everyone reading this notice…
AND
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From best-selling author Jimmy Vee comes a story about imagination, ingenuity, and the magic of making your own fun—because sometimes Plan B is better.
Every night, Hugo sleeps in his very own bed in his very own room. But tonight? Hugo has a bigger idea. He wants to sleep in his very own fort—in the room with the very big TV—and have a night filled with action, adventure, fun, and frights!
Armed with his Jumbo Book of Fort Building, a pile of pillows, and his fuzzy friend Joe, Hugo sets out to build the ultimate blanket fort. He stacks, balances, and engineers with big dreams and even bigger determination. But when his creations keep collapsing, Hugo learns that sometimes the best plans aren’t the biggest—they’re the simplest.
Read My Review on Reedsy Discovery!
Meet the Author
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Elizabeth McNeilly, PhD, lived in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta as a child and teen. Although she has always loved Canada, it was when she moved away that she truly grew to appreciate her home. This was when the idea of Bruno was born! Lizzy taught elementary and secondary English language arts for 14 years in the Baltimore, Maryland region before moving back home to Canada again. She now spends her time writing, teaching at the universities in Calgary, and hanging out with family, her partner Jan, her cat, Muriel, and two dogs, Yogi and Kaya.
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Wherever Mom and her boy go—beach, park, or brook—the curious child loves to stop and look. From frogs that leap to turtles that clutch, Mom always smiles and says, “Let’s Look, Not Touch.”
But when a birthday surprise pops up just right, will Mom’s rule change on this special night?
Let’s Look, Not Touch is a rhythmic read-aloud picture book for kids that celebrates a child’s curiosity, teaches respect for wildlife, and shares the gentle lessons of patience and care. With its repetitive refrain and heartwarming message, this book makes learning about nature and animals an adventure—and builds a love of wildlife that lasts a lifetime.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
Kids are inquisitive, and how they learn about the world changes over time. Babies and toddlers explore through touch. Their brain sends a signal instructing them to touch and feel everything. While some objects are safe to touch, others are not. Let’s Look, Not Touch is a rhythmic story that follows a mom and her little boy as they explore different locations, discovering new friends in nature, and learning to observe without touching. The beautiful story teaches young kids to respect nature and be kind to all living things, important lessons to begin learning at a young age.
Join the mom and son as they observe a starfish that has washed up on the beach. Teach kids to be mindful of snakes and spiders, especially when you don’t know whether they are poisonous. Take this engaging book to the park and feed the birds like the characters do in the story. Reminding kids to follow the book’s mantra: “Let’s look, not touch.” Listen to the frogs’ croak and watch as fireflies light up the night sky. Again, helping kids remember these four words: “Let’s look, not touch.” There is so much more to see and explore in this wonderful tale. The mom prompts the child to keep their hands away from certain animals and bugs, but there’s one animal the mom says yes they can touch. Read the story to find out what it is!
Kids do learn by touching objects, but they also learn through repetition. Repeating “Let’s look, not touch” in daily routines reinforces understanding of what is safe to touch and what should only be observed. I recommend sharing Let’s Look, Not Touch with your baby and/or toddler, especially before heading outside, to help instill respectful exploration habits early on. It’s beautifully written and illustrated. I even found the spider cute, and that is an amazing, artistic feat! My only small change, in the overall great story, would be the presentation of text. Placing the text on a solid color or less busy section of each page would make the words pop more. It was still a great read, though, and deserves four stars!
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤❤
Meet the Author
Amazon Author Page Link
Instagram Link
Reedsy Author Link
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Bunny leaps from the wolf’s belly with only one memory—she loves to dance. But something, or someone, is STILL MISSING!
Bellyrina delivers Once Upon a Dance’s signature blend of heartwarming stories and playful humor wrapped in the mission of inspiring joyful movement.
Dance-Along Fun with Once Upon a Dance features
• Interactive movement prompts
• Sweet, silly, and uplifting
• Screen-free fun that encourages connection
• Movement motivation photos
• Lessons in empathy that extend to all creatures
• Positive characters that celebrate strong girls
Perfect for ages 4–8, Bellyrina features adorable animals, fairy magic, gentle drama, and plenty of sparkle. Whether shared in classrooms, studios, or at home, this Dancing Ever After series debut invites children to dance their own happily ever after.
From the creators of over 40 dance books comes a fresh twist on a classic tale, great for
• Bedtime stories to get the wiggles out
• Dance classes and creative movement activities
• Family reading time with built-in physical play
• Gifts for little dancers, animal lovers, and active kids
Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale from the Belly of the Beast Movement & Learning Benefits
Physical Skills Development
• Full-body movements: stretching, jumping, bunny hops, twirls, spins
• Coordination patterns: arm sweeps, windmill arms, lasso movements
• Balance & control: tiptoeing, reaching, controlled falls
• Partner activities: hand-holding twirls, cooperative movement
Social-Emotional Learning Through Story
• Core themes: courage, resilience, kindness, friendship, and identity
• Emotional intelligence: recognizing and expressing joy, suspicion, and wonder
• Mindfulness concepts: breath awareness and finding stillness
• Character development: persistence, teamwork, and appreciation
Creative Expression & Social Skills
• Imaginative movement: gulping, sneezing, shivering for story context
• Free dance exploration and personal expression
• Interactive play that builds confidence
Transform reading time into active fun with giggles and wiggles for everyone!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
It’s time to get up and get movin’ with Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale from the Belly of the Beast by Once Upon a Dance! Follow the dancer’s movements demonstrated in the purple ovals. Challenge yourself with the “trickier” moves, such as “wolf creep.” Try your hand at matching the moves to the story. (Bonus feature) However, before you do all that, let’s take a look at the story and discover what or who is causing such a commotion.
Wolves in fairy tales tend to bite off more than they can chew, and the beast in this energetic and exciting story is no different. Luckily, Peter and his friends are there to wrangle and see him safely to the zoo, but this is not the last we’ve seen of the big bad wolf. Why? Because a pink bunny with selective amnesia says the wolf swallowed not just them but someone else, too, and that mystery animal is still trapped in the wolf’s belly. Let the rescue mission begin!
How does the friend group, along with the rabbit, plan to retrieve the imprisoned animal? Ah, that adorable plan will remain a secret. To find out the answer, you must get the book. I highly recommend you do. Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale from the Belly of the Beast features page after page of cuteness from the silly artwork to the amusing text.
The heart on the bunny’s belly was a sweet touch. The rescued animal looked adorable in their tutu. Milo’s (the cat’s) facial expression and sarcastic tone when meeting the bunny for the first time were quite humorous. The dance party scene will tickle some ribs. Plus, let’s not forget that every page encourages readers to get up and move with visual prompts.
There is so much to love about this book, from its amusing storyline to its interactive movement prompts. I encourage you to share it with your family or students, as it not only entertains but also promotes physical activity.
Amazon recommends a reading age of 4-8 years.
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤❤❤
Amazon Purchase Link
Meet the Team!
Discover a delightful way to introduce children to the world of dance. Once Upon a Dance combines whimsical stories with movement, breath, and connection to spark imagination and foster self-expression.
Their catalog (36 books across six series) offers positive role models, whimsy, humor, and diverse characters. Alongside movement and dance, books feature themes of empathy, friendship, the value of practice, self-acceptance, sibling relationships, anger management, and working toward goals.
Ballerina Konora is living her dreams as a full-fledged ballet Company Artist. Teacher Terrel arrived in Seattle after a Peace Corps stint teaching English and dance. Complementing decades of teaching dance, she worked in early childhood education and for non-profits supporting kids. Terrel was recognized by her local City Council for “embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community” for her work with young dancers. She also serves on Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Board of Directors.
Stories are lovingly crafted, and royalties are donated to charity partners. A few highlighted honors:
• Family Choice Award
• Mom’s Choice Gold Award Recipient
• PenCraft Award: First Place
• Firebird Book Award: First Place
• Royal Dragonfly Book Award: First Place
• Pinnacle Book Achievement Award – Best Book Juvenile Fiction
• Outstanding Creator Awards: Best Children’s Book, Top 10 Author of 2022 & 2023
• Kirkus Reviews Starred Review
@Once_UponADance (Instagram)
DanceStories.com
Amazon Author Page Link
Reedsy Author Link
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