Tag Archives: birds

September 9, 2022 · 7:00 am

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

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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.

Website Link

Instagram: @rcchizhov

 

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September 4, 2022 · 7:00 am

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.

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

 

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June 16, 2022 · 7:27 am

The Elegant Emu (Adventures in Harmony) by Karen Bobos (Book Review)

The magical sisters are enrolled in an etiquette class when their manners are not fit for the king and queen of the enchanted land of Harmony. Can Elizabeth the Emu help the royal sisters?

In the beautiful and peaceful land of Harmony, three magical sisters and royal daughters of the land, uproot the kingdom’s tranquility with some not-so-polite actions —nose-picking, belching, and other noisy…expulsions. Their parents, the King and Queen, enroll the sisters in the elegant Elizabeth the Emu’s etiquette class where they learn manners and other ways to self-improve like being on time, politeness, and proper personal hygiene.

Elizabeth the Emu explains to Angel Scarlet, Princess Daphne, and Fairy Cora that having proper etiquette is more than good manners, it’s about being kind and courteous. And for the sisters? Well, let’s just say that they will be needing more than one lesson from Elizabeth the Emu’s etiquette class.

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

 


Amazon has The Elegant Emu (Adventures in Harmony) by Karen Bobos for children 3 – 11 years. Children on the younger side will enjoy humorous moments such as burping and farting princesses. Oh, and let’s not forget Scarlett, digging for gold. Kids will crack up because those three things are always funny to a kid – big or small. 

Etiquette classes are not so common here in the states, but I imagine they are over in the UK, where royalty is a prominent fixture. When you read The Elegant Emu (Adventures in Harmony, it’s wise to ask your child(ren) or student(s) if they understand what etiquette means. Depending on the age of your reader/listener, several other words might need explaining: epitome, tranquility, drear, doting, and insight. 

I do believe some table manners are essential in any home. For instance, chew with your mouth closed and don’t talk with food in your mouth. I also think it’s unsafe to stab a piece of food with a knife and eat off of it. That’s an easy way to cut yourself! Hand washing should be encouraged, not just at meal times and not just for two seconds! My family already knew the happy birthday trick (singing it twice) regarding hand washing, but others may not, so this was a nice addition to the story. 

The final moments in the story made me smile. The poor Emu had a tough day at work, and it was sweet to see her hubby was waiting for her and drew her a bath. What a sweetheart! 

Special shout-out to Emily Hercock for your lovely illustrations. We loved them all, but Patrick the Peacock was our favorite drawing. 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

 

Meet the Author:

AUTHOR KAREN BOBOS

 
Bobos began writing poetry and stories at the early age of ten. She is a life-long Chicagoan who now raises her family in the downtown area. During the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic, Chicago also became a city of unrest. Trying to keep her three young daughters in a world of magic during such scary times, the Bobos Babes Adventures were born. Her goal was to create a world of Harmony for her family and hopefully for others to escape, even if only for a moment. The first book of the series, The Case of the Giggles, was published in December 2020. The Missing Egg launched in March 2021. The The Lion’s Secret was published in June 2021, a tribute to her mother and late father’s incredible love story.  The Lovey that Came to Life and The Bobcat Birthday party will be releasing in the upcoming months.​
 
connect with the author: 
website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
 
 

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May 29, 2022 · 7:00 am

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. 

Reedsy Link

 

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May 11, 2022 · 7:00 am

Greedy the Crow: Finders Keepers – Teaching Values to Children in a Fun Way by Mother Melania Salem (Book Review)

GREEDY THE CROW: FINDERS KEEPERS by Mother Melania
​Greedy the Crow’s greedy ways are going to get him in trouble! Will anybody help him?

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

 

When our children are very young, we begin teaching them about fire safety. We teach them the dangers of playing with matches or lighters, what to do if a fire starts (escape route/meet point), and what happens if you catch on fire (stop, drop and roll). 

Greedy the Crow: Finders Keepers – Teaching Values to Children in a Fun Way by Mother Melania Salem teaches children some helpful ways you can make your home safe from fires and what to do if a fire starts. 

 

Examples: 

Water and mow your lawn to prevent fires because tall, dry grass can easily catch on fire. 

Don’t block doorways and windows with trash because those are your potential escape exits. 

Have several escape routes because you never know where a fire might start or what exits are blocked. 

Get out quickly! 

All good points and solid advice!

 

Amazon has the recommended reading age of 3 – 8 years for Greedy the Crow: Finders Keepers – Teaching Values to Children in a Fun Way. I don’t think most 3-year-olds will be able to read this story yet, but 8-year-olds should be able to, for the most part. There might be a few words that might trip them up. 

No matter the age, though, every child will learn something through the text and very realistic illustrations by Cayce Grace Kruse. 

Special note: Greedy the Crow: Finders Keepers – Teaching Values to Children in a Fun Way contains a link to worksheets, which include a vocabulary page and vocabulary quiz. Check them out! 

 

 

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

Amazon
add to goodreads

 

 

 

Meet the Author:

Mother Melania is the Abbess of Holy Assumption Monastery in Calistoga, CA. She grew up in a house that always had tons of children around, her poor parents had to read to her till they were hoarse, and from the moment she learned to read, she always had her nose in a book. So, it was only natural for her to grow up to write children’s books. In her books, she strives to teach virtue in a fun, non-preachy way.
 
 

 

 

 

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