Tag Archives: courage

The Adventures of Burnie & Chloe: Burnie Misses His Family by Andrea McLean (Book Review)

OUT TODAY!! 

In this enchanting story of The Adventures of Burnie & Chloe, Burnie Misses His Family, Ava’s family embarks on a weekend family trip. They leave their beloved dogs, Burnie and Chloe, in the care of the Camp Wag-A-Tail boarding facility. As the duo faces being away from home for the first time, Chloe’s bubbly spirit contrasts Burnie’s initial reluctance.

Camp Wag-A-Tail becomes a playground of emotions as Burnie grapples with homesickness, finding solace in a quiet corner. At the same time, Chloe tries to lift his spirits. A tale of determination and compassion unfolds as Chloe develops a plan to bring joy into Burnie’s world. With the help of their furry companions, the dogs engage in playful antics, turning the boarding facility into a haven of newfound friendships.

As the days pass, Chloe’s efforts work, and Burnie discovers the joy of making new friends and exploring the boarding facility. Join Burnie and Chloe on their unique journey of making friends and having fun in a new place.

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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.

 

We love our canine companions, and they love us right back. We grow attached to them, and it stands to reason they grow just as attached to us. Leaving your beloved pet at home alone can be stressful. Dogs might express themselves through destructive behavior, vocalization, or soiling the inside of your home. Some owners take their pet(s) to a doggie daycare during work hours to avoid unfavorable behavior and to give them a play friend for the day. When a person will be gone multiple days, like in the case of Burnie and Chloe’s owners, they ‘board’ their pet(s). Most dogs embrace the new location; it’s a place to make new friends, sniff out new scents, or play with new toys. But not every dog welcomes their temporary home. The new sounds, smells, and faces frighten them. They miss their human(s) and wish they would come back. 

Burnie isn’t thrilled Ava dropped him off at Camp Wag-A-Tail. (Cute name, by the way!) His accommodations were pretty sweet compared to most boarding facilities I’ve seen, but as homey as they were and looked, they still weren’t his home. Burnie missed his human. Missed his home. On the other hand, Chloe wanted to explore the new area and meet the other dogs. She encouraged Burnie to have fun while they were there. Burnie’s mood didn’t change once the pair were outdoors, so Chloe did what any good friend would do in a similar situation—she devised a plan to cheer him up—make his frown turn upside down!  

I loved the image of the five dogs hiding behind trees, mimicking the game of hide-and-seek. I can see why Burnie couldn’t resist joining in on the fun. Chloe taught Burnie to embrace the change and see it as a new and fun adventure. After reading this delightful story, I hope readers will follow Chloe’s example and be open to new adventures. I also hope they will be there for their friends when their buddies are sad, lonely, scared, or anxious. 

As lovely as the story was, I noticed minor text placement/presentation issues. For example, on page 23, the hook in the two y’s in “yummy” touches the roof’s ridge, almost making the y’s look like u’s. I would move the block text up a smidge to avoid overlapping letters with the scenery. I loved the glow effect behind the text on page 32. It made the text pop off the pages. I recommend using the text effect on every page in the next book. 

I recommend you share this spectacular story with your family and/or class. 

 

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

Andrea C. McLean is a champion of personal discovery. She is passionate about kindling diverse connections and watching the resultant magic unfold. When she’s not spinning captivating narratives, Andrea coaches individuals to uncover their superpowers and navigate life’s twists with resilience.

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

 

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The Adventures of Burnie & Chloe: Chloe Gets Scared by Andrea McLean (Book Review)

New Release! 

Step into a day of excitement and unexpected turns with Burnie and Chloe as they anticipate a fun day playing with new toys. The duo faces a mysterious and frightening banging noise while Ava, their owner, is unexpectedly outside the house. Chloe’s fear clashes with Burnie’s determination to find Ava. Together, they navigate through the house, barking loudly and confronting the source of the disturbance.

Burnie’s bravery shines in this heartwarming tale as he leads the way into the unknown, eventually uncovering the surprising culprit behind the loud banging. As the story unfolds, friendship, courage, and loyalty take center stage, leaving readers with a delightful and comforting conclusion. Willing to face their fears head-on, Chloe and Burnie prove that sometimes, the scariest situations can lead to the most unexpected resolutions.

The Adventures of Burnie & Chloe, Chloe Gets Scared, is a charming story that teaches young readers the importance of courage, friendship, and facing challenges together. Join Chloe and Burnie in this delightful, suspenseful story that will leave readers smiling at the outcome.

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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.

 

Dogs, like humans, have fears. These fears or phobias can manifest at any time or anywhere. When Chloe visits Burnie for a playdate, they both hear a loud banging noise. Burnie, being curious, wants to investigate the sound immediately, while Chloe prefers to wait for Ava, Burnie’s human, to return and help locate the source of the noise. 

Burnie asked Chloe more than once to join him in searching for the loud noise, but he couldn’t persuade her to come. Burnie’s curiosity led him to the noisy culprit in the laundry room. A washing machine can make quite the racket when it is overstuffed, has an unbalanced load, or is on uneven footing. I understand why the loud noise or shaking device can cause some pets to run for the doggie door. At least this washing machine wasn’t spewing white foam from its metaphoric mouth.  

The two canine buddies learned from Ava what caused the strange noise. Even though Burnie didn’t want to wait for an adult’s help, we should remind kids that it is perfectly okay to wait for backup. And there’s no shame in being afraid of anything! 

The Adventures of Burnie & Chloe: Chloe Gets Scared is a delightful story encouraging readers to face their fears or challenges. While the story was cute, I would’ve liked consistency in how the text was displayed. Some pages had the words presented on a white, rectangular backdrop, while others had the text directly on the scenery. I also noticed the inconsistencies in the various clock times. A minor detail that other readers might overlook. 

This charming children’s book, The Adventures of Burnie & Chloe: Chloe Gets Scared, is specifically designed for children aged 1-8. Its engaging storyline, adorable characters, and simple text make it an ideal choice for independent readers. 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

 

Meet the Author

Andrea C. McLean is a champion of personal discovery. She is passionate about kindling diverse connections and watching the resultant magic unfold. When she’s not spinning captivating narratives, Andrea coaches individuals to uncover their superpowers and navigate life’s twists with resilience.

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

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Loris Opens Up His Heart: An Emotional Story For Kids (Courage Tales) by Dagmara Sitek (Book Review)

It takes courage to stand up for others. It takes even more to stand up for yourself.

When Loris is placed in a new foster home (again), his foster siblings just can’t make sense of him. He doesn’t play, joke, or laugh, and he certainly has no interest in the town’s charity race. But when things get tough, Loris amazes his newfound family with his hidden courage and resilience!

Join Loris and his newfound family on this journey of self-discovery and acceptance with this relatable children’s book perfect for home or the classroom.

“Loris Opens Up His Heart” by Dagmara Sitek is a testament to the power of empathy and compassion. It models positive interactions and helps kids put themselves in someone else’s shoes. More importantly, it encourages them to help one another through their grief and fears.

Children will learn that even though fears might be scary, facing them can lead to feelings of safety and love.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

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

 

According to Let it Be Us (website), there are approximately 400,000 children in foster care in the United States. Fifteen percent live in institutions or group homes—also, 26,000 “age out” of the system each year. Most kids in foster care move from home to home, never knowing stability. Due to childhood trauma that led them to be in the foster care system, it’s common for them to have mental problems and trust issues. In addition to that, when a kid enters the system, they don’t remain in one home but get bounced around from place to place. This causes more trust issues and takes a toll on them mentally, even more so if their foster parents are unkind.  

Loris didn’t have the best home life before living with Cam, Inaya, and their foster mom. Because of this, he closed himself off from everyone. Loris couldn’t accept their kindness. He mentally and physically shut the door on them. Loris displayed behavior that is typical of a lot of kids in his situation. Thankfully, his new family didn’t give up on him. Cam and Inaya tried to include Loris in the charity run, offered to tutor him in math and thanked him when he helped them out of a sticky situation. 

Foster kids are like every other child in the world. They need security, to feel loved, to know they belong, and their family has their back 100%. Loris shared with his siblings about his anger issues: how it can be like hot lava. In time, Loris realized he had found everything he wanted: people who cared about him and would literally and figuratively give him the shirt off their back. 

The book’s synopsis states, “It beautifully illustrates that true bravery and strength can come from the simple act of opening up their hearts.” I absolutely agree with their assessment. Loris’s story is touching and depicts a child’s emotional journey in the system. I recommend sharing Loris’s journey with your foster family and not just telling them but showing your new family member that they are in a safe place and are wanted and loved. 

Amazon’s recommended reading is 5-10 years. 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

Dagmara Sitek is a Montreal-based mother of two, passionate about teaching children valuable social and emotional life lessons through her beautifully illustrated, and relatable books about children in foster care.

Amazon Author Page Link

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

 

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Lion in Your Heart by R.C. Chizhov (Book Review)

 

Dennis has moved to a new home and is scared to sleep alone in his room. Mommy tells him that there is a friendly and dependable lion in his heart, always there to protect him. But Dennis is confused and curious:

Where is the lion, if he can’t see it?
Will the lion be with him all the time and everywhere he goes?
Does Mommy have a lion in her heart?

Dennis learns that there will always be times when we are frightened or nervous: at school or when we try something for the first time…or when we are orbiting to space! But the brave lion is inside all of our hearts, giving us the courage to conquer our fears.

“The Lion in Your Heart” book makes a thoughtful gift for ages 3,4,5,6,7 and up. Great for bedtime, read-aloud, confidence building, classroom discussions and improving children’s reading skills.

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

 

Story: The world can be a scary place. Kids will experience fear inside and outside of their homes at some point. Whether they are scared of strange noises, the dark, or something else, R.C. Chizhov shows young readers how to defeat their fear. R.C. Chizhov tells them they all have a lion inside them who’s strong and brave. If they embrace their inner lion, the child will become brave and strong too. I can practically hear many young children roaring each time the lion is shown. 

Illustrations:  I wasn’t too keen on the people’s faces; they came across as long and flat. However, I don’t think children will care or notice. Overall, Anil Yap did a marvelous job bringing life into the story. As a parent with a child who loves space, I can already guess which adventure will be her favorite to read. 🙂

I would recommend this book for anyone with young children. 

 

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

Kindle Purchase Link
Print Purchase Link

 

 

 

About R.C. Chizhov

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Children’s book author R.C. Chizhov grew up in India, moved to New York in 2005, and spent sixteen years in the financial services industry, before pursuing her childhood dream of publishing a book: her new picture book release, The Lion in Your Heart. 

R.C. thinks a good story is one that remains with the reader long after the book has closed and stays with them throughout their life. She hopes her young readers come away from her book understanding that everyone has fears, even adults, but that we are stronger than our fears and our hearts have enough courage to overcome them.

Inspired to write her story by her five-year-old son and his difficulty in sleeping in his bedroom alone, R.C. wanted to pen a tale that would show children that their bravery is always deep within them.

R.C. lives with her husband and son and when she isn’t writing heartwarming and poignant stories for children, she enjoys reading, traveling, dancing, solving jigsaw puzzles, and spending lots of time with family and friends. R.C. also loves anything math and numbers related. The Lion in Your Heart is her debut children’s book.

 

 
 

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