Summertime with Snowman Paul by Yossi Lapid (Book Review)

Sure, Paul is a snowman – but should that preclude him from having fun with his best friend all year long (including the Summer)?

Snowman Paul doesn’t think so, but hot summer days do pose some obvious problems for a snowman.

Snowman Paul is ready to give up when his best friend (Dan) comes up with a brilliant idea that saves the day.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Joanna Pasek, marvelous job on all your illustrations. My family liked the images that dealt with summer activities. My daughter was curious what would’ve happened if Snoman Paul did a cannonball in the pool. We also pondered if the beach sand stuck to his snowy feet and backside.

I must give props to Richard Bruning for art direction, lettering, and design. First impressions matter and the cover for “Summertime with Snowman Paul” caught my eye immediately. If I saw this in a bookstore, I would buy it for sure!

For the majority of the book, the word choices were simple. I think only one word might trip up kids 4 – 8 year-olds (Amazon’s recommended reading age), and that’s chagrin. I know Yossi Lapid was trying to find a word to rhyme with “in,” but I would’ve stuck with a word that children understand. No offense, but I wondered how many adults know the meaning of “chagrin” or use it regularly in everyday interactions.

“Summertime with Snowman Paul” did have many positive qualities. The book teaches children about the seasons, which season was not the snowman’s favorite (at first), and why. These seasonal pages led to a lovely discussion with my child on which season is her favorite and why. She loves fall because it’s not too hot or too cold. It’s just right. Oh, and it has Halloween in it.

When you’re a snowman living in hot temperatures, you must think outside of the box to survive the heat from the sun. Summertime with Snowman Paul by Yossi Lapid teaches more than just the seasons. It teaches children how to problem-solve.

My daughter enjoyed “Summertime with Snowman Paul” by Yossi Lapid, and so did I. I will be recommending it to my parenting groups, especially those with children who are beginning readers.

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 

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Meet the Author

Yossi Lapid was born in a small town in Romania where toy stores were absent, but stories and snowmen were abundant. Lapid holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University. He has three children and lives with his wife Susan and a little dog named Sasha in New Mexico.

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Come and Play! Exploring Animal Friends by Heidi Dehncke (Book Review)

Kids love animals — and they love picture books about animals, too. Come and Play! Exploring Animal Friends takes children on a tour of fifteen types of animal friends. Discover what makes pandas, raccoons, spiders, cats, and frogs unique (just to name a few). Whether or how they play, and what makes them special. While this children’s animal book gives interesting and surprising facts, it is the original illustrations which makes this book a treasure. The animal illustrations magnify the beauty and distinctive qualities of each creature. Ultimately, kids learn they share many similarities with animals (both feelings and behavior), and they learn about the world around them.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.
I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

I had mixed feelings regarding Come and Play! Exploring Animal Friends by Heidi Dehncke. I loved the facts about various animals and insects. There was a lot of information that might be NEW to most children. 

Examples: “Raccoon” is an adopted Powhatan word meaning “animals that scratches with its hands.” While spiders don’t like to play, some play dead. I knew that raccoon tidbit, but I did not know the spider information. That just proves even adults can learn something new with Come and Play! Exploring Animal Friends, and that’s a beautiful thing.

While I adored all the facts presented in the book, I wasn’t a huge fan of all the images. Some drawings were lovely, such as the bald eagle bust, elephants, penguins, and butterflies. On the other hand, there were some that I didn’t particularly care for, and neither did my daughter: the peek-a-boo frog and the first primate page, for instance. 

Amazon’s recommended reading age is 3 – 9 years (Grade level: Preschool – 4). I think everyone in that bracket can benefit from the content. Three-year-olds might not fully grasp (retain) the information as quickly as a nine-year-old, but that’s okay. If you read Come and Play! Exploring Animal Friends time and again, one day, they’ll tell you the facts before you have a chance to read them. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

I originally attended Pratt Institute for illustration. Then I became a self taught editor and multimedia producer. I received my MS in journalism from Columbia University in 2000 and made the film Dust to Dust: The Health Effects of 9/11, (Sundance Channel, 2006). I also pursue fine art painting. 

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A Very Chilling Mystery Kindle Edition by Steve A. Erickson (Book Review)

There are spine-chilling secrets hiding behind your refrigerator door!
When you close the refrigerator door, does light inside really go out? And if it doesn’t, what might be happening inside? Readers are about to discover the cold hard truth of what actually goes on within the walls of their seemingly dark and peaceful refrigerator.

 

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.  I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

A Very Chilling Mystery, written and illustrated by Steve Erickson, was a true delight to read. I’m not sure what my daughter loved more – the adorable antics of the refrigerator occupants or the drawings of the food, beverages, and condiments having a blast in the cold box. 

There was so much to love, so much to see and read; we read it more than once. In fact, we read it three times. We would have probably read it more if we had a physical book and not an advanced copy, a file. 

I thought the two potatoes leaning against the meatloaf while they watched t.v. was hilarious. Oh, and the drumstick arguing with the eggs about who came first made me snort. That argument has been around longer than I have been alive, but it’s the funniest version of that debate to date. 

My daughter loved the drumming beet, even though she had no idea what it was. She also liked the chillin’ ice cube. She said it reminded her of a frozen SpongeBob SquarePants. Yeah, I can see what she means. 

Amazon has the recommended reading age set to 4 – 6 years. I think families with even younger kids can find enjoyment in this story. You can use the images to teach the names of items such as carrots, mustard, bologna, and lettuce. Some should be familiar to them, but I think every kid might learn a new foodie name. For kids learning their colors, you could point to a product and ask them to name the color. 

If your child is like mine, they’ll run to the fridge to try and catch the food, beverages, and condiments in the act. My daughter was bummed no one was moving. I told her they must be all asleep. I have a feeling she’ll be opening and closing the fridge doors a lot more in the next few days to catch them when they are wide awake. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

After graduating from Drake University with a Fine Arts degree, I worked more than forty years in the advertising industry, first as an art director and then as a creative director. Recently retired, I now live near my three sons and six grandchildren in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with my dog Alex.

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Sunny and the Cats by Victoria Otto (Book Review / Author Interview)

SUNNY AND THE CATS by Victoria Otto
 
Everyone in meow village and woof village lived happily if they followed one very important rule…

​Dogs were not welcomed in meow village and any cat that stepped into woof village would be chased up a tree! But a special puppy named Sunny wants to become friends with the cats, so he breaks that rule to see if the cats might like to play.

What happened when Sunny went to meow village? Pick up this book to find out!


AMAZON ~ B&N
BAM ~ Walmart

add to goodreads
 
 
 
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 
My family is cat people. For the last 20+ years, we’ve had 1 to 3 adoptive kitties in our home. So, when I saw this story up for review, I jumped at the chance to read it. My daughter and I loved the cover. The inside was just as remarkable. 


From the initial pages, my daughter was hooked. She loved the name of the villages, meow and woof. She adored the background scenery very much on the story’s first page. We loved the creativity in the shape of the cat store and dog food buildingWe also liked the variety of feline and canine animals. They were all cute. Well done, Teguh Sulistio. We give your illustration TWO PAWS UP! 


The story contents themselves were just as entertaining. My daughter thought Sunny, the special puppy, was very sweet-looking. 


We both thought it was adorable how Victoria Otto labeled cats as clean, quiet, and calm while dogs are loud and smelly and filled with laughter. Out of the cats I’ve adopted, none had liked loud noises. My cats can get rowdy at times, but their energy level is nowhere near a dog’s, especially a puppy. They groom a lot, so the author is correct about their cleanliness. So, in a nutshell, I think Victoria Otto categorized them perfectly. 


Sunny and the Cats by Victoria Otto discussed how making new friends can be hard, but don’t give up trying. Be like Sunny, the playful puppy—try, try again. Also, help those in need because, you never know, the person (or feline) you help today just might be your new friend tomorrow. 
 

 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 
 
AMAZON ~ B&N
BAM ~ Walmart

add to goodreads
 
 
 
 
 
 
Author Victoria Otto

 
Victoria Otto is a children’s book author, born and raised in Metro-Detroit. She has a passion for children’s literature and strives to create picture books that are engaging, educational, and lots of fun for both children and parents to read. Victoria loves to make author visits at schools and organizations. So far, she has been able to read her books to and visit eight hundred children across the United States.

 

 

1.) When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I attended an event, and someone recognized me from my children’s books and not my pageant life. At that moment, I realized, “Okay, I guess I’m a writer now.”

 

 

2.) Describe your writing space.

It’s either very messy or very clean. There is no in-between. When I start to come up with a story, I first write it on lined paper, then I move to my desk and start typing what I wrote onto my computer. You can always find loose papers scattered in my space.

 

 

3.) Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?

It depends. My readers, who are my close friends and family I always hear from, and occasionally a parent will email me pictures of their child reading my book, which I absolutely adore. But I would love, love, and love to hear from more of my readers, whether just a simple message or a picture. It brings me so much joy when I can connect with my readers and see how my book has impacted them. 

 

4.) Describe a typical writing day

Wake up at 6 am, make a cup of a honey lavender latte, and then head to the office to start writing for 3-4 hours.

 

 

5.) Writing can be an emotionally draining and stressful pursuit. Any tips for aspiring writers?

Remember that it is okay to take a break, whether you need a short break to gather your thoughts or a long break. There is no timeline for publishing, so go at your own pace.

 

 

7.) What advice would you give a new writer, someone just starting out?

Don’t be afraid to write anything. Try not to get in your head and overthink things because writing is a very subjective sport, one person may love your work, and another person may not like it. Always go with your gut feeling and write about things you genuinely care about. 

 
 
 
​If you would like Victoria to make an author visit at your school or organization, please email her.

connect with the author: twitter ~ instagram
 

 
 
 
 
 

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Alina All Alone by Laura Tava-Petrelli (Book Review)

 

This book summons up all the pain of separation and loss . . . and the joy of being reunited.

In an era of never-before-seen difficulties, our very young children have been challenged by feelings of solitude and frustration. This book attempts to demonstrate to our youngsters that these feelings are shared and understood.

This book is unique in that there is a very distinct and purposeful absence of any adult’s voice or perspective or commentary-there is no adult talking to Alina about what is happening. Alina’s voice and reactions to isolation are hers alone, but key.

Alina demonstrates to adults and children alike that long-term persistence wins in the end, and that sometimes the only way to react to situations is to “stamp your feet, cross your arms and scream and shout until you’re red in the face!”

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.
I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Children grow attached to objects and people. When someone or someone is missing, for whatever reason, they miss it or them dearly. In Alina All Alone by Laura Tava-PetrelliAlina loves visiting her neighbors and their doggies. They are an intricate part of her day and daily routine. When she knocked, and no person or animal answered, she went through many emotions. All these emotions were brilliantly expressed through Jupiters Muse’s illustrations. As a parent, a child screaming is rarely a cute moment, but the images of Alina screaming were very cute. All the various poses with all her treasures were also adorable. My daughter and I loved Alina wearing a mask while holding a cat, who was also wearing a mask. She looked so perturbed while the kitty looked excited to play dress-up. My daughter remarked she wished her kitty would allow her to play dress-up with it. I had to assure her it was a stuffed kitty so she’d let our feline sleep. 

The scene where the child was crying and whispering, “I miss you,” touched our hearts. As a mother, I never like to see a child sad. Alina won’t be crying long because you can’t have a picture book end with tears. Alina’s neighbors and doggies come home. HOORAY! Happy face returned on the pages and on my daughter’s face. 

For those reading Alina All Alone in the states, you will have to explain to your child that some familiar words are written differently in our country than in European countries, such as in Australia, where the author resides. We don’t add a U after the O in favorite or neighbors. We also tend to spell the color gray with an A instead of an E. 

Kids as young as 3-4 can follow the storyline with no issue. Young readers should have minor difficulty reading the text. Established readers should breeze through the pages with no problem. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

 

Meet the Author

Laura is an Early Childhood Teacher, currently working as the Director of a community-based preschool in a suburb of Sydney, Australia. She is a trained Mothercraft nurse, adult educator, mother to three adult children, and unofficial nonna to a few more.

Reedsy Link

 

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