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Milo and the Big Yawn by Milt Lowe (Book Review)

In Milo and the Big Yawn, Milo Crenshaw is a mischievous boy with the annoying ability to make everyone yawn.

In other words, Milo is a bit of a brat.

He loves tormenting his sisters, teachers, classmates, police officers, and everyone else he sees. That is, until one day when Milo discovers the joy of being a hero instead. He learns that using his talent to deal with bullies and scary lions and helping kids and parents is a lot more fun and rewarding. Impossible to read without yawning in appreciation of the story, this humorous book makes the perfect bedtime reading.

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

 

Everyone is different to some degree. Your uniqueness might stem from a physical trait, talent, hobby, skill, life choices, etc. For Milo Crenshaw, nobody could yawn bigger than him.

Have you ever found yourself yawning just because someone near you did? I have, and the people occupying space near Milo couldn’t help but succumb to the need to stretch their faces and deliver one large yawn, too. Some individuals who witnessed Milo’s superpower didn’t just yawn once and go about their day. No, many people yawned and fell asleep like the principal and soccer players.  

You’ve heard the infamous line, “With great power comes great responsibility.” In the case of the two bullies, Milo used his superpower, aka his infectious yawns, to put the brother/bullies asleep. Nice move! His yawns also had a surprising effect on a zoo animal. (Identity withheld on purpose. Read the story to learn more.)

Milo became famous for his superpower. Parents called him, asking if he would use his power to get their kids to sleep at night.

If Milo’s power was present in the real world, he could’ve made a fortune working his sleepy time magic on all the world’s children!

Adult insomniacs would definitely utilize his power to get some much-needed zzzz’s.

I had mixed feelings regarding the illustrations. The zoo animal was cute. Bullies catching some zzz’s was funny. I didn’t care for the long and large round faces of the non-yawning people. Kids will likely find them humorous. On a separate note, I didn’t understand why Milo’s yawns didn’t affect every parent in the group yawn image (17). I would’ve also moved the text fully onto the purple background for easy visibility. Maybe even bump up font size on every page. (I am mentioning these suggestions because I had to enlarge the text on the PDF.)

Milo and the Big Yawn was a cute, funny, quick read that will induce yawns. The perfect time to read this book is at naptime or bedtime.

Amazon’s recommended reading age is 4-9 years.

 

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

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Meet the Author

A former copywriter at top New York City advertising agencies, Milt Lowe has won over 60 major awards -including Gold and Silver Lions at the TV Cannes Film Festival – and has written humor pieces for The New York Daily News and Advertising Age. Milt has written four children’s books so far.

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Sylvia Locke’s Cinderella and the Evil Fairy Godmother (Tairy Fails Book 2) by David Horn (Book Review)

Fairytale Land’s baddest girl is about to head to a prince’s ball. A modern, twisted retelling of Cinderella.

Once upon a time in Fairytale Land, there lived Sylvia Locke—the baddest girl around. So bad that her grandparents have shipped her off to live with her uptight Aunt Marjorie and two goody-two-shoes step-cousins. When an invitation to the prince’s ball arrives, Sylvia is determined to attend at any cost, even if it means enlisting the help of an evil fairy godmother (against Fairytale Land laws, but has that ever stopped her?).

Along this chaotic quest, Sylvia stumbles into some unexpectedly imperfect friends. But will she also learn to appreciate those who truly care for her? The second book in the Tairy Fails series of modern, twisted retelling that puts a hilarious, rebellious, new spin on the classic fairy tales. Perfect for elementary school kids and early chapter book readers.

 

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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.

 

Sylvia is back in another comical tale that has her embracing her dark side. This time, the story follows Sylvia as her grandparents force her to spend some time with her Aunt Majorie and step-cousins, Macey and Lacey, in Buttzville. Funny name, right?! Wait until you hear what the residents call themselves. It’s Buttonians! No joke! 

Sylvia is not thrilled to be vacationing with these “goody-goodies.” She is not like them; she has an aversion to being polite. She finds amusement in doing bad acts. For starters, Sylvia kicks the twins out of their room, forcing them to sleep in the basement with the biting spiders. The morning after she arrives, she’s all set to prank them with a fake tarantula when a messenger arrives from the royal family. Every 5th-grade girl with a B and higher average can attend the royal ball. The prince will select one girl to be his honorary princess until he reaches eighteen unless it is a leap year. The appointee will have to wave, smile, and do some schmoozing. Lacey and Macey think the idea is wonderful; Sylvia finds it lame. Cue another bad act courtesy of Silvia.

Since all attendees need proof of good grades to enter the ball, Sylvia alters her step-cousins’ report cards, giving each a C and D. Meanwhile, she is a solid B student thanks to a quick fix back in Farmington. (Read the story to discover why Sylvia needed to hide the actual contents of her report card from her grandparents.) Aunt Majorie tells Sylvia she can’t attend the ball despite her “good” grades. Sylvia has no desire to attend the ball, but being told she can’t do something only ignites her desire to defy her aunt. She’s known as Sylvia the bad for a reason. 

In the sweet Disney fairytale, Cinderella is the good girl, and her stepsisters are evil. In this version, the step-relatives are the good ones, and the third wheel, aka Sylvia, is the evil one. In both stories, a godmother appears in a mist of sparkles. But unlike Cinderella, Sylvia doesn’t get a sweet old lady wearing a hooded periwinkle cloak with giant sleeves and a big pink bow on the front. Oh no, Sylvia’s fairy godmother appears wearing all black, has spiky black hair and black lipstick, and carries wands that don’t always work as intended. Cinderella’s godmother has only good intentions, whereas Sylvia’s godmother only “helps” evildoers complete their evil tasks.  

I found the interactions between Pamela, the evil fairy godmother, and Sylvia amusing. Pamela complained about the used wand prices at the Fairy Farmer’s Market. When she waved it, it was a 50/50 chance the wand would work properly. You get what you pay for, right?! I laughed when Sylvia was confused about what cassette tapes and tracksuits were. She never grew to appreciate a cassette deck, but she did see the beauty of a tracksuit. She’s right; they feel great, are loose, and are easy to move in. 

There’s no pumpkin turning into a stunning coach. (Read the story to find out why!) There is a self-driving and talking car. It’s no KITT (from Knight Rider), but it does know how to move fast and handle itself in a car chase. Sylvia faces the same midnight deadline, which didn’t seem like a big deal to her at the start of the night, but her attitude changes as the night progresses, thanks to Prince Quinn. 

Read the story to discover what “souvenir” from the magical night reunites Prince Quinn with Sylvia.

Read the story to see if Sylvia and her grandparents leave Farmington to live with the royal family in Rainbow City. 

Read the story to discover if Sylvia becomes a “goody-goody” person like her aunt and cousins.

Read this story because it had many humorous moments, and the images are just as entertaining as the story. Love ROBO-MAID and their French maid outfit! 

Pick up the print edition for the bonus material: coloring sheets. 

As much as I did love the story, I wish the illustrations were in color. They were lovely as is, but I wanted to see the attendees’ outfits in something other than black, white, and gray tones. Kids will want to see Pamela’s drastic outfit change from goth to pink pajamas. There are two more items I want to note. For one, the story states the prince is wearing a red-and-gold tracksuit, but the image paired with the scene shows him wearing typical royal attire. It didn’t look like a tracksuit to me. And two, the writer mistakenly wrote Gram-Gram without a hyphen. The second is a quick editing change. 

I recommend reading both books in the Tairy Fails series. It will cause random outbursts of laughter and endless smiles. Its intended audience is elementary school kids and early chapter book readers.

 

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

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Meet the Author

David Horn lives in New Jersey with his wife, two daughters, and a funny dog named Trixie. He is the author of the popular Eudora Space Kid early reader humorous sci-fi chapter book series. He enjoys making kids laugh.

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How to Make a Sandwich by Lorena M. Proia (Book Review)

Making a sandwich is fun and easy! And Rae knows just how to do it. The bread is like the parents, it keeps the sandwich safe and happy. The turkey is the love, the lettuce is the fun. But every time Rae adds an ingredient, it disappears, and she soon realizes there is a sandwich-stealing thief intent on eating her creation!

Will Rae ever get to eat her lunch? Suddenly making a sandwich isn’t so easy after all!

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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.

 

Rae has a BIG imagination. With it, she can transform into anything she desires. On Mondays, she’s a budding artist, while Saturdays see her donning the role of a doctor for her stuffed toys. She’s also a scientist on Wednesdays, but today, she’s embracing her culinary skills as a chef. 

Feeling a little hungry, Rae heads to the kitchen with her kitty trailing close behind. I loved how Rae spoke to Nero (the cat) as if the feline understood every word. I do the same thing, and I’m sure many other pet owners do as well. While Nero was super cute, the real showstopper was another pet. Its identity is purposely hidden in this review not to spoil who’s stealing Rae’s sandwich contents. While her dad does snag pickle chips from her, the main bandit’s sorry expression will melt your heart and make you say aw, look at those big, sad eyes.

As Rae makes her sandwich, she compares it to her family. She remarks that the bread is like her parents, each keeping their ‘family’ safe and happy. Rae also draws interesting parallels between turkey, cheese, mayo and pickles and her family dynamic. My daughter does tell a lot of cheesy jokes and makes life interesting, so I agree she is the “cheese” of our sandwich, too! 

After reading the final page, I was left wondering what role did the avocado play in the family. I bet kids will have a theory on this! I also pondered what professions she pretended to play during the rest of the week. I bet your child or class will have input on this topic, too! 

How to Make a Sandwich is a delightful, humorous story that your family will love to read. It might even make your belly growl. After reading it, I recommend you and your kids put on your chef’s hat and make a sandwich together. Be sure to watch for sandwich-stealing furry friends or pickle-loving dads!

I recommend How to Make a Sandwich to children three years and up. It’s a cute story that will make your whole family smile from ear to ear!


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

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Meet the Author

When Lorena graduated with a BFA, she never imagined she’d become an Information Architect. She thought her creativity was lost until she was rescued by an Australian Shepherd named Phebe. How to Make a Sandwich is her first picture book. Find out more at www.lorenaproiabooks.com

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Fartasaurus by Milt Lowe (Book Review)

Fartasaurus is a young T-Rex dinosaur who has to leave his loving family for one year— according to dinosaur tribal law—because of his constant, embarrassing farting. (He even farted out the candles on his birthday cake!) 

Sent to live in a deep, dark forest,  the fun-loving farting dinosaur meets a wild and wacky group of other dinosaur misfits that bond over their uniqueness and discovers the value of friendship.

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

 

Farting is a normal part of our digestion system. It reduces belly pain from bloating. It can help alert patients and doctors of possible underlying health conditions. Whether you toot soft or loud or squeak out a silent but deadly fat, most of us agree that letting one rip usually leads to laughter. Well, unless you are a dinosaur that lived 200 million years ago. Dinos back then had a strong reaction to Fartasaurus breaking wind all the time, and it was not laughing out loud.

When you have a birthday cake, you normally blow out the candles with air coming from your mouth. Fartasaurus chose to blow them out with his rear end. Yes, readers, he broke wind and the gust of air extinguished his two birthday candles. I found this disgustingly funny! Kids will too! Unfortunately, the tribal leaders didn’t find Fartasaurus’s gassy booty funny in the slightest bit. As punishment for being an “embarrassment,” he was banished to the Forest of the Unwanted for one year. Poor T-Rex! Poor parents! All smiles will vanish when you see the three T-Rex faces’ sad looks. Heartbreaking!

As Fartasuiarus enters the Forest of the Unwanted, he’s met by other “misfits.” Their names coincide with their embarrassing acts. Without spilling the beans about every uniquely named prehistoric animal, I will disclose ONE—a small taste of the hilarity that awaits you.


“And once a day, Roarasaurus let out a roar that caused giant rocks to fall down a huge mountain and frighten all the dinosaurs, many of them running into one another and looking even sillier.”


As you read the above passage, I hope you envisioned two dinosaurs colliding as a triceratops roars close by, as that is the illustration that accompanies it.

They say that time flies when you are having fun. I think Fartarsaurus would agree. Once he befriended another dino in the forest, time zoomed by, and before he knew it, he was walking out of the Forest of the Unwanted. (Name withheld to avoid spoilers.)

 

Do you think farts are funny?

Do you like dinosaurs?

If you answered yes, then you’ll love Fartasaurus. I sure did!

The story idea was different and very funny. I enjoyed most of the illustrations, but I noticed some images looked off. For example, the brown dinosaur on the “best friends forever” page looked strange. The eyes seemed off. Also, the triceratops drawings needed to be more consistent. On the roaring panel, he had points on the edges of their frill, but they wre absent on the exit the forest page.

All in all, this was a very nice, short read. Perfect for dino fans and, of course, those who think farts are hilarious.

Amazon’s recommended age is 4-9 hours.

 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

A former copywriter at top New York City advertising agencies, Milt Lowe has won over 60 major awards -including Gold and Silver Lions at the TV Cannes Film Festival – and has written humor pieces for The New York Daily News and Advertising Age. Milt has written four children’s books so far.

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Blaze Union and the Puddin’ Head Schools by W.T. Kosmos (Book Review)

A divided nation has a ludicrous new hope.

 

Welcome to Island Nation, where powerful knuckleheads have turned schools into battlegrounds between the Puddin’ Heads and Sweeties. Amidst this turmoil, hope emerges in the form of a courageous teen on a mission to lead the nation’s schools. Narrated by a sarcastic teacher, this 2023 Mark Twain Book Award finalist is a “gloriously absurd” adventure (Kirkus Reviews) in the spirit of George Orwell, Douglas Adams, and Terry Pratchett. Dive into a world of social absurdities and laugh-out-loud moments in this sharp, satirical romp through the madness of modern life.

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

 

Our nation is divided. People on the right and left sides of the aisle can’t come together and agree 100% on anything. Their gut reaction to hearing the opposing side draft an idea is to say, “No.” Every day, the U.S. is taking giant steps back. Blaze Union and the Puddin’ Head Schools take creative liberties over things that have occurred throughout history. That is happening today! In this chapter book, people are grouped into two categories: Smalls and Bigs. This grouping is related to a person’s hand size. Big-handed people are seen as “lesser than” beings and have more restrictions put upon them. They couldn’t lead anything, such as teams or bands, and had to pay higher school fees. Many BIGS drop out of school over the high fees.

Past or present, we’ve all witnessed people in power make decisions that suit their agendas. Citizens have lost some of their rights because of it. As our next BIG election nears, we could see more of our freedoms vanish. Blaze and Chopper are two teens who are ready to help make change happen in their fictional world. But, like in the real world, change won’t happen if brave individuals don’t stand up for their rights. Blaze and their growing numbers of supporters want the three F’s: freedom, fairness, and fabulous schools. Students, teachers, and parents do not want absurd rules thrust upon them.

What they do want is this: Stop with the book bans. Stop rewriting history. Encourage free thinkers. Executives should not be swimming in cash while middle and lower-class individuals fight to pay medical bills and school fees.

 

Blaze (Puddin’ Head) and Kai (Sweetie) were adversaries, each blaming all their problems on the opposing side. After visiting the five regions and seeing each other’s schools in action, they realized this was not a one-sided problem. It was a universal issue. The narrator quickly learned that there were schools worse off than theirs. Kai, Blaze, and Chopper soon realized that some schools, their curriculum, and their leaders were bat-shit crazy. (Talkin’ like a pirate School Boss J.R. as one example!)

 

Here’s one crazy school scene from each side

Cape Freedom, Puddin’ Head Region 3: Students are forced to eat spicy chips and boosters of varying degrees. Goal: They must handle the heat for one minute without drinking water. The longer they forego liquid assistance, the stronger the immunity from the Sweetie Zombies. An absurd idea, right?! Here’s another: At Sweetie Experimental High School, students are forced to handle extremely hot peppers (like the ghost pepper) with zero protective gear. This school was permanently harming and disfiguring their students. Another absurd idea! (Remember, readers, the author promised absurdity. *smiley face*)

 

Kai, Blaze, and Chopper didn’t have time or resources to tour every school; they agreed that there were good teachers out there, but things still needed to change. For that to happen, they needed cash. The supreme prime minister decided that whoever won the football (aka soccer) game would win the ultimate prize: Noble Deed for each winning team member. Their represented leader would be granted a hefty budget, too. The Sweeties versus Puddin’ game had a very shocking and funny moment. The game’s conflicting results set the stage for what would happen next. Hint: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

 

The author and narrator promised absurdity, and they delivered. I laughed at many scenes and dialogue. I’m going to find a way to include “Moldy fart tart” in a future conversation. While this story is built around absurdities, it does touch upon things in real life: demands to “build a wall,” banning books, political leaders doubling down on lies, and leaders with NO educational degree deciding what should or should not be taught in schools. The characters demonstrate that both sides (red and blue) can come together harmoniously for the betterment of all! Readers, don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for change. And remember to work with others instead of butting heads with them. Oh, and thank your lucky stars, you don’t have to play tag like the students had to at Hard Rocks High School.


Blaze Union and the Puddin’ Head Schools had comedic moments, but sometimes, the book moved at a snail’s pace. Also, a noogie between friends is done in jest, but Kai and Blaze were not friends and opposite sexes; therefore, I do not think Kai (boy) should’ve given Blaze (girl) a noogie. Some people (I won’t say which side of the aisle) might have issues with kids laying hands on the school boss, causing him to break several bones. Burning of school property might also be a hot-button item for some individuals. 

The recommended reading age for the satirical fiction story is 12-18 years.

 

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

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Meet the Author

W.T. Kosmos is a humorist author and playwright whose works include the award-winning Blaze Union and the Puddin’ Head Schools, the Maya and Waggers series, and The Golden One. W.T. Kosmos is the wry alter ego (pen name) of a life-long educator.

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