Tag Archives: animals

The Little Girl and the Tortoise by Victoria Baker (Book Spotlight)

Inspired by a timeless fable, The Little Girl and the Tortoise is an encouraging story about friendship, perseverance, and discovering one’s unique strengths.

When a determined little girl sets out to help her friend, the tortoise, win a race against the rabbit, she journeys across the African landscape seeking advice from other animals. Each offers an answer, but none is particularly helpful. Discouraged but unwilling to give up, the girl continues her search until a wise elephant asks a simple yet life-changing question: What makes the tortoise special?

With this new perspective, the girl and the tortoise discover an unexpected solution.

Beautifully written and illustrated by Victoria Baker, this story gently reminds young readers that success doesn’t come from being the fastest, but from understanding who you are and using your own strengths.

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Meet the Author

Victoria Baker is the artist and author of The Little Girl and the Tortoise. She’s been a writer for as long as she can remember and ventured into art to gain access to another form of storytelling. She lives in Utah with her husband, preteen twins, and way too many cats and dogs.

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The Cheeky Capybara and the Emerald Boa by Kateryna Dronova (Book Spotlight)

Reader’s Favorite Five-Star Award Recipient


Help kids discover the power of teamwork with Tito the cheeky capybara!

The peaceful mangrove forest is thrown into a panic when Ramiro the pelican comes crashing down from the sky, squawking about something huge and green lurking in the trees. Could it be a dragon? A giant bird? Or something far more slithery?
The animals are frightened, but quite curious, and agree to investigate together… all except Tito. He’d rather handle it himself, because he is, after all, the bravest animal around. But Tito is about to learn the hard way that some things are simply too big to face alone.

The Cheeky Capybara and the Emerald Boa is a fun children’s book that teaches kids the importance of teamwork through a lovable and unlikely group of animals.

Inside, kids will discover:

  • Even the bravest adventurers can ask for help
  • Having friends can make even the scariest things seem easier – and much more fun!
  • Sometimes the silliest ideas turn out to be the cleverest ones
  • Bonus: a few fun facts about amazing animals!

Whether you’re looking for a giggle-filled animal adventure or a story with a heartfelt moral lesson – or both! – The Cheeky Capybara and the Emerald Boa delivers in a way that is sure to captivate young readers and leave them cheering for Tito and his friends.

 

 

Read My Review on Reedsy Discovery!

 

 

 

Meet the Author

 

Kateryna Dronova is a children’s writer who loves turning imagination into playful and heartfelt stories. Growing up surrounded by rich traditions and storytelling, she draws inspiration for her tales that nurture curiosity, courage, and kindness in young readers. Kateryna believes books can spark magic in every child—and she writes to share that wonder.


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Nickel’s Day at the Firehouse by Chuck Donnelly (Book Review)

Spend a day with Nickel the Buffalo, a firefighter who works hard, helps his community, and always leads wit~ heart. From morning chores at the station to racing out on emergency calls, Nickel shows young readers the courage, teamwork, and kindness that make a true hero.

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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.

 

When the siren sounds and the red truck rolls out, bystanders know the firefighters are en route to an emergency. In Nickel’s Day at the Firehouse, kids will follow the buffalo firefighter as they brave three different types of fires and a down live electrical wire. The buffalo’s work is not over when the hazards are contained, though. Readers will learn more responsibilities that come with the job, a job that many kids dream about becoming when they reach adulthood.

Firefighting is a tough job that requires intense training, quick thinking, courage, and teamwork. Nickel’s Day at the Firehouse captures all these moments and many more that kids might not realize their local heroes do. For example, next time when the snow blankets the ground, see if you notice the fire hydrants free from snow. If you can, know that firefighters were hard at work, keeping them accessible in case of an emergency.

Nickel’s Day at the Firehouse explores the tasks firefighters perform when they are not out on an emergency call. Nickel washes the trucks and the firehouse. He inspects all the gear to make sure it is in working order. The book also shows Nickel, the buffalo, training and exercising to tackle any job. If all that didn’t keep them busy enough, firefighters also visit with children, teaching them what to do in case of a fire: ”Stop, drop, and roll, and crawl down low.”

Rest assured, no matter the weather conditions, your local fire department is always ready to lend a helping hand. They love their community and want to keep everyone safe, which is lovingly captured in Nickel’s Day at the Firehouse.

Nickel’s Day at the Firehouse would be a great book to read during Fire Prevention Week (October) and when you are creating or practicing your fire escape plan. My recommended reading age is 2-7 years.

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

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Meet the Author

Chuck Donnelly is a firefighter from Cambridge, Massachusetts. His goal in writing this book is to teach children important values such as courage, teamwork, and kindness. Drawing from his experiences in the fire service, he hopes to inspire young readers to embrace these qualities.

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Mama Sheep and the Big Cruise Day Checklist by Carlie Guerrier (Book Review)

Mama Sheep has her checklist ready for the family’s first big cruise!

She’s packed, planned, and prepared for everything… or so she thinks.

With three playful lambs, a helpful Daddy Sheep, and plenty of bags to carry, things don’t go quite as planned.

A funny, lighthearted story about family, teamwork, and learning to laugh when things go a little off course.

Perfect for ages 3-7!

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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.

 

Family vacation prep can be stressful. There’s finding a pet and/or house sitter, packing, getting to your departure place on time, and remembering your identification and tickets. Mama Sheep has the fix to ensure everything goes off smoothly and nothing is forgotten; she’s created “The Big Cruise Day Checklist.” Mama Sheep methodically goes through the list with her family, making sure nothing is overlooked. Pack something special. Check, even though one child’s choice was a risky item for a ship! Put the suitcases in the taxi. Check! Deliver the pet and plants to the sitters. Check and check! Make sure you have the tickets! Check! Mama Sheep checks the list more than once, and everything seems to be in order. Now, it’s smooth sailing from here, right? Wrong!

No matter how well families prepare for a vacation, there’s always that one thing they forget. Maybe even a multiple of things! Ask your kid(s) to guess what they think the sheep family forgot before the story’s big unveiling. Teachers, also ask your class to share if they or their family ever forgot something for a trip. Mama Sheep took the missing vacation item(s) rather well, but it prompted her to add a new item to her vacation checklist: a very important item no one wants to overlook! (No spoilers!)

Mama Sheep and the Big Cruise Day Checklist was a fun read. Kids will enjoy watching the Sheep family prepare for a cruise. Parents and Educators will love that the story offers opportunities for group discussions and is also pleasing to the eye. The various animals in human clothing were cute, and so were the sheep’s heart-shaped noses. Kids as young as 2 will love the illustrations, but 3- to 7-year-olds will be more inclined to guess what was left behind and share their own vacation mishap memories. I encourage you to read Mama Sheep and the Big Cruise Day Checklist and Mama Sheep and the Mysterious Cup!

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

 

 

Meet the Author

Since her teenage years, Carlie Guerrier has had a deep passion for writing, finding both joy and comfort in storytelling. When she’s not bringing stories to life, she loves cooking delicious meals for her family and enjoying quality time together.

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Sofie Finds a Best Friend by Carrie and Corey Webber (Book Review)

Sofie the squirrel loves acorns, giggles, and her cozy treehouse—but what she wants most is a friend to share a tea party with. As Sofie kindly invites animals of all kinds to play, she discovers that not everyone likes the same things—and that’s okay. When she finally meets Chip the chipmunk, Sofie learns an important lesson about patience, perseverance, kindness, social skills and finding the friend who’s just right for you.

A warm, gentle story about friendship, belonging, acceptance, rejection, communication and remembering that the right friend is always worth the wait.

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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.

 

Is your child having difficulty making friends? Are they looking for that special someone who shares their interests and wants to be their best friend, but are not having any luck? In Sofie Finds a Best Friend, the bushy-tailed squirrel would love to find a friend to attend their tea party and eat acorns. The problem is, finding a friend is easier said than done. Sweet Sofie politely asks nineteen different species of animals if they would like to come to their tea party before hearing these exciting words, “YES, I WOULD LOVE TO!!!” with number twenty.

Sofie Finds a Best Friend is a great story for teaching young children the names of different animals and provides many opportunities for group discussion. For instance, what animals besides the owl and raccoon are nocturnal? What kinds of foods do animals eat? Sofie didn’t seem to let the rejections dampen her spirits, but how would they react if no one wanted to play with them? What do they like to do for fun, and what are some of their interests? This last one could lead to new friendships.

Sofie Finds a Best Friend reaches a broad audience thanks to its cute, colorful illustrations and sweet storyline. Whether you are teaching animal names, discussing what animals eat and their habitats, or emphasizing the power of kindness and perseverance, Sofie Finds a Best Friend is the book for you, your family, or your classroom.

Amazon lists the story for children 3-9 years. That is a great age for reading comprehension and discussions; however, I recommend it for babies and toddlers as well, since I think they will love the brightly colored animal scenes. Of course, even older children in the initial bracket will love the artwork. It is a great combination of sweet and funny.


Heart Rating System:

1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Meet the Author

Carrie and Corey Webber’s love of storytelling has ties to their own memories of favorite books as children, including one about little critters that lived inside a treehouse. They hope their readers come away from their story understanding the foundation of friendship, perseverance, and kindness.

 

 

 

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