Tag Archives: birds

Roofus the Rooster Shouted Cock-A-Doodle-Do All Day Long by JoAnn Hazeldene (Book Review)

Is Roofus’s love for crowing annoying to others?

Young children will enjoy and identify with Roofus the rooster. Roofus struggles with how others perceive him. He demonstrates emotional intelligence byidentifying and managing his own emotions as well as recognizing the emotions of others.This book encourages children to empathize with others and to compromise while maintaining a positive self-concept.

This easy-reader draws in the audience using repetition and language patterns, within a fun and interactive sing-song poem. The story introduces literary concepts such as plot, onomatopoeias, syntax, and prepositional phases. Children will not only interact with the print but actively participate in the story. The animal sounds are color coded for easy prereader participation. Parents and teachers will want to act out the story using movement and sounds.

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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.

 

Roofus the Rooster Shouted Cock-a-doodle-do All Day Long is a silly storybook encouraging viewer participation. 

If you live on a farm or have visited one, you know that some animals are very vocal. Roosters, for instance, love to greet the day, but their cock-a-doodle-doos do not stop when the sun is at its highest point. Like in real life, the rooster in the story shouted hello at first light and several other points in the day. 

First, the rooster woke the farmer, who told the bird, “Shhh!” Then, it moved to the fenced-in area where the rooster’s bellowing hello scared four horses. The rooster also startled several birds on a electrical line and annoyed a fluffy white cat. The rooster visited other animals, each having similar facial expressions to the loud cock-a doodle-doo. While the rooster didn’t think twice about his loud vocals, others did not appreciate his loud squawking. 

Readers will see a reaction written in bold, colorful letters at each pitstop. These reactions will repeat, in order, at the next location. For example, when the farmer said, “Shhh,” the word was repeated on stop two under the new sound: “Bang clang, shhh.” The story structure promotes child involvement, prediction, and memorization. The simple, repetitive text makes this story perfect for beginning readers. 

Roofus the Rooster Shouted Cock-a-doodle-do All Day Long is a wonderful book with humorous illustrations and predictable text. Parents and educators can use the book to teach toddlers their animal names or sounds. It can used as a starter book for young readers. 

Adult readers might notice the drawings looked pixelated. Children six years and younger will not notice or care about the graininess. The text was crystal clear, though!

 I recommend Roofus the Rooster Shouted Cock-a-doodle-do All Day Long to babies-first grade.  

 

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

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Meet the Author

I am an elementary school teacher turned author. I love to read books to children, and I have an appreciation of what makes for a good read-a-loud story. I love sharing stories with children that are fun and intriguing.

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Let’s Celebrate Being Different by Lainey Dee (Book Review)

Todd is different from all the other animals -with the head of a bird, the tummy of a bear and the legs of a tiger and he feels he doesn’t quite fit in anywhere! His family love him dearly but it’s hard for him to make friends.

During a visit to his grandmother’s, Todd express’s his concern and she tells him: ‘It’s okay to be different’.

Instilled with new confidence he sets out for the Friday Club, a place where all the animals gather and socialise with their friends. Will he find the courage to face his fears and embrace his differences?

He might be surprised to find some friends along the way! More importantly can he learn to accept himself?

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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.

 

“Todd is different from all the other animals -with the head of a bird, the tummy of a bear, and the legs of a tiger and he feels he doesn’t quite fit in anywhere! His family loves him dearly but it’s hard for him to make friends.” Since children probably have no idea how babies are created, they might not even question how a bird and a bear could make a baby together. But, if your child asks about the logistics, I’d say it’s a make-believe story, and it’s not possible in real life. 

Like so many others, Todd has traits that make them appear different from others. Todd’s grandma told him being different is okay, and she was correct. Many children can relate to Todd’s feelings regarding his uniqueness and what happens when others make a public spectacle of them. We should not point, stare, or cause others to feel sad, ashamed, or embarrassed about themselves. Kids are inquisitive, so if they make someone uncomfortable by asking questions about the other person’s body or condition, teach them always to apologize as Charlie did in the story. 

Animals come in different shapes, sizes, and coloring, and no two look identical. Humans also vary in size, shape, and color. Let’s Celebrate Being Different by Lainey Dee teaches children to accept those different from them and accept themselves for who they are! Two great messages! 

Let’s Celebrate Being Different mentions that Todd has no friends, and grandma claims it might be because he is homeschooled. I’ve known several homeschooling parents whom all say the lack of social interaction is a significant obstacle. Todd went to the local community center to meet his peers. Most libraries have events for children to interact with individuals their age. I would suggest speaking to your local library if they provide such events for the community.

The recommended reading age is 4-8. The overall story fits well in this age bracket. Depending on geographical location and the reader’s mental dictionary, children might not be familiar with some words. My child had no clue what a dungaree was until they saw the photo. 

Review submitted on 10/6/22

 

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

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Meet the Author

Lainey Dee was born in Birmingham and raised in Kidderminster. Lainey is a accredited nanny and holds the NNEB certificate. She presently takes care of a pair of twins. Lainey is a big art deco fan and her home is decorated in that period style.

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Magician Emu by R.C. Chizhov (Book Review)

Celebrate the magic of being YOU!

In old and charming Emu Town…an emu aspires to be like the great magician, Spikey Spike. But her magic goes all wrong and nothing like Spikey’s! Will the emu find her magic and dare to be different?

With award-winning author, R.C. Chizhov’s playful rhymes and Anastasia Yezhela’s colorful illustrations, Magician Emu is a funny and heartwarming tale of embracing who you are!

Perfect for holiday gifting, read aloud, classroom discussion and bedtime!

GRAB YOUR COPY NOW!

Other books in EMU TOWN STORIES:

  • Nope-Nope Emu
  • Adventure Emu
  • Yogic Emu (coming soon)

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

Anastasia Yezhela did an outstanding job with ALL the illustrations in Magician Emu. Children will adore EMU, who wears a magician’s cape and hat and has a lovely set of curly locks. Spikey Spike, another magical emu, looked quite adorable with their bowtie and Harry Potter-style glasses. 

As all great magicians will tell you, you can read how to do the trick a thousand times, but implementing the steps perfectly is not easy. It takes lots and lots of practice to master a magical feat. Some magicians make a trick seem easy; they make it look effortless. EMU realizes that magic is not easy at all. The unthinkable, the unplanned happens. But, you shouldn’t be discouraged. Keep practicing like EMU; one day, you’ll become a great magician too. 

As EMU practiced and his magic went awry, comedic moments did shine. I won’t disclose all of them, but I will note one. It’s slime time!! 

While EMU’s magic wasn’t precisely perfect, it did delight and entertain his friends. Their happiness made EMU happy. 

I recommend you check out Magician Emu by R.C. Chizhov. Make sure and catch all the books in the Emu Town series! 

 

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

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About R.C. Chizhov

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R.C. Chizhov grew up in India, moved to New York in 2005 and spent fourteen years as an investment banker before pursuing her childhood dream of becoming an author. She now lives in Florida with her ever-supportive husband and ever- energetic son. She is a member of SCBWI.

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Instagram: @rcchizhov

 

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Adventure Emu by R.C. Chizhov (Book Review)

Fasten your seatbelts for a tornado, funfair and adventure!

An emu whines about his mundane life and wishes for a grand adventure.

One day, a tornado whisks him away to a funfair! Life is as thrilling as it gets, but can the flightless emu find his way back home?

 

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

My family lives in an area with a threat of tornadoes every fall and spring. Heck, we’ve also been under warning for one during the wintertime. Crazy, but true! Therefore, my kiddos are well aware of the dangers—the destruction they cause. Even though my family has gone over our “tornado preparedness” plan several times, we went over it again. I encourage you to go over yours if you live in an area with twisters. If you don’t, maybe go over fire or earthquake instead; whatever disaster might strike your location.

One kiddo’s first remark about Adventure Emu was, “They wish our tornadoes took people to a carnival cause carnivals are fun.” My other child made an ick face regarding the kale and romaine lettuce. They said, “Who would pick salad over popcorn and nachos?” Their question led to a great discussion about the dietary needs of animals and humans. 

Since our town has a carnival every Fourth of July, we discussed the differences between Emu’s festival and ours. My children wish ours had a roller coaster and bumper cars. Me too; those are a lot of fun. 

Adventure Emu by R.C. Chizhov is a fun story that I’m sure your kids will love to read. Anastasia Yezhela once again knocks it out of the park with their illustrations. Congrats to both of you for creating a book my family loved, and I’m sure many others will too.

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

About R.C. Chizhov

ALX00719_315.png

R.C. Chizhov grew up in India, moved to New York in 2005 and spent fourteen years as an investment banker before pursuing her childhood dream of becoming an author. She now lives in Florida with her ever-supportive husband and ever- energetic son. She is a member of SCBWI.

Website Link

Instagram: @rcchizhov

 

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Federico Exaggerated by Hazel Pacheco (Book Review)

Federico enjoys exaggerating. Especially when it means all eyes are on him! One day his inflated story of his bravery on the Rio Grande is interrupted by the announcement of ripe hackberries. Left without an audience, Federico stomps off and accidentally stumbles onto a way to recapture his friends’ attention—well maybe. What he finds might teach him that truth can be incredible without exaggeration.

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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.

 

There were a few challenging words for young readers to decipher: covey, arroyo, bosque. There were also animals listed that might be unfamiliar to them: sagebrush sparrow and yellow-bellied sapsucker. I was happy to discover that Hazel Pacheco included a glossary after the story ended. 

I plan to use single words in spelling and vocabulary lessons in my classroom. I’ll also allow my class to explore the Rio Grande and look up real-life images of hackberry, roadrunners, sagebrush sparrow, and the yellow-bellied sapsucker. 

As a parent, I like to share the stories I get the privilege of reading with my child. She loved the suspense, the action, and the drawings. She pointed out that the feathers on the top of their heads resemble question marks. You know what, they do. Not all the time, but definitely in several spots. I don’t know if the artist (Kim Sponaugle) would be thrilled by the comparison, but I’m happy my daughter noticed a grammar mark. That means she’s retaining what she’s learning in school. She also said that the red on their head and fluffy white trim looked like Santa’s hat. What an observant child! I can also see what she’s talking about. Federico also had white feathers circling his head, giving him a Saint Nick appearance. I joked he must be Santa’s bird. That explanation delighted her. This whole story delighted her. 

Federico Exaggerated by Hazel Pacheco had action, suspense, and yummy watermelon. Not only did this story entertain my youngster, but it also made her ask for a slice of watermelon. She wanted one with seeds to eat like the birds in the story. She settled for seedless. 

Federico Exaggerated is perfect for school-age children who understand how to use a glossary. If you read this book to children six and under, explain the difficult words or substitute them for words they’ll understand. You can always define the more challenging words when they are a bit older. 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

 

About the Author

After retiring, Hazel Pacheco discovered a new passion–writing. Since her home is in New Mexico, you won’t find her taking long walks along the beach, but she does have plenty of sandy paths to walk in her native Land of Enchantment. That is how she became acquainted with the gambel quail.

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