Tag Archives: elementary school

October 28, 2022 · 7:00 am

My Cat Thinks He’s a Puppy by Patricia Allieri (Book Review)

A warm and beautifully illustrated picture book that will have your child in fits of giggles

My cat thinks he’s a puppy,
How strange is that!
He does cute puppy things,
But he’s a big tabby cat!

Cats are known for being independent, particular and maybe a little bit snooty.

But this cat isn’t like other cats. In fact, he’s much more like a puppy.

Puppy-Cat loves to go for a walk, dig about in the dirt and even loves to splash about in water!

In fact, if it wasn’t for this one little thing, you might not be able to tell he was a cat at all…

Inspired by playful cats everywhere, this book is a perfect addition to any cat lover’s bookshelf and will become a fast favorite for children and adults alike.

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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.

 

What a coincidence, I have a cat who thinks he’s a puppy too! I swear mine barks. Since I have an unusual cat, I was thrilled to read My Cat Thinks He’s a Puppy by Patricia Allieri. 

The cat in the story loves to play hide-and-seek, but he always peaks. Wow, you think you could trust a cat not to sneak a peek. My cat loves to chase a ball like the kitty in the story. I wonder if that cat returns them -mine doesn’t. 

The kitty in the story does something my cat would never do—get in a pool of water voluntarily. It would be so much fun to see my cat dive in a pool, swim laps, or (even take it one step farther) go surfing or paddle-boarding with me. I’ve witnessed videos of cats doing just that, but mine seem to suffer from aquaphobia (fear of water).

Cats love to explore, but what they love more is naps. I’ve adopted several cats, and (depending on the time of day) you’ll find them napping in different locations. However, when the humans converge on the couch at night, someone will have a furry friend on their lap. And that means you’re there until they wake up. Cats make the rule, don’t you know!

My Cat Thinks He’s a Puppy by Patricia Allieri is very short in length, making it perfect for Amazon’s recommended audience of 3 to 7-year-olds. Your child or class will be eager to share all the fun things their cat does. Maybe you’ll get some children to run off to teach their cat how to act like a dog. I would start with “stay” first. All my cats mastered that one on the first try. 

Novel Varius did a fantastic job on the illustrations. They are worthy of 5 stars! The whole book deserves 5 stars! 

Review submitted to Reedsy on 9/15/22.

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

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Meet the Author

Patricia was born and raised at the Jersey shore. Her love of the beach and the ocean is undeniable. She moved to Texas in the 1990’s, worked as a elementary school teacher, and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Patricia uses her background as a foundation for her children’s picture books.

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October 24, 2022 · 7:00 am

Madison: The Tale of a Corgi with no Tail by Susan Erickson Catucci (Book Review)

HOW CAN THIS BE?

Yesterday was just a typical day in the life of little Madison, a Corgi who lives with her family in a little blue house. She considers herself to be one of the luckiest animals within her world – even if she has to share the little blue house with Whiskers, a cat who tends to be grouchy and awfully prickly most of the time. But today, everything has changed! Madison has discovered she is not like the other animals around her. She is missing something and she needs to know why.

HOW CAN THIS BE?

And she hopes to find the answer.

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Meet the real Madison!

 

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

 

I don’t always read the dedication page, but I’m glad I didn’t skip over it today. It had a real-life photo of Madison, and the corgi is adorable! 

I acknowledge that I am unfamiliar with all the dog breeds, but I am acquainted with corgis. They appear to be jolly dogs. In Madison: The Tale of a Corgi with no Tail, the pup starts all smiles until they realize they have no tail. 

Madison goes on a mission to ask other animals why they have a tail. Each animal Madison meets is a teaching moment. For the wee ones, it helps teaches animal names. Maybe you could incorporate animal sounds too. For the slighter older listener, it teaches the function of different tails. For example, kids will learn about an opossum using its tail to hang from a branch and protect its young while they nap. 

Madison heads home down because they do not have a tail. They think they are unlucky; however, Whiskers the cat tells them how lucky they are not to have one. The illustrations of poor Whiskers with his mouth stretched wide in an AHHHH moment will make your child laugh. 

Madison might not have a tail, but that’s okay. Dogs are loads of fun, with or without a tale!

While my daughter loved all the photos, she cracked up at the last image. She said, “Look at the dog’s big butt.” Her laughter brought a smile to my face. 

Madison: The Tale of a Corgi with no Tail held my daughter’s attention from beginning to end, and if you are a parent, you know that’s a sign of a well-crafted book. I encourage others to share this book with their youngsters. Also, show them pictures of the dearly departed Queen’s famous corgi companions. 

Review submitted to Reedsy on 9/13/22

 

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

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Meet the Author

I have loved reading and writing all my life, second only to art, especially illustrations. My co-author Susan Permuy was the real Madison’s mom and together we have brought her to life in order to share a valuable life lesson. My main focus is mindfulness and well being for children.

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October 20, 2022 · 7:00 am

Looking Up by Jayne Augustin (Book Review)

Explore the possibilities of your own capabilities with this story of a young girl who reimagined her entire existence with hopes of rising above the proclaimed narrative and bringing all those who look a bit like her along for the rise.

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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.

 

History has shown black and brown people have been mistreated. They are repeatedly treated differently because of their skin color. Fear and hate follow them wherever they go, and that’s not right. 

While the past does not paint a pretty picture, we must teach our children the harshness unleashed on them. We are also responsible for sharing all the excellent ways black and brown people have done in the world. They are fighting for injustice, then and now. They doctor the sick and injured. They teach, perform, create art, invent, and do much more. They are proud people who embrace their culture. They deserve to be celebrated, never feared. 

Looking Up by Jayne Augustin speaks and illustrates all the points made above. Brown and black people should be welcomed in every part of the world. Color shouldn’t define a person. Actions do. 

Looking Up by Jayne Augustin shows a little girl’s determination to love who she is and where she came from and encourages everyone to reach for the light. 

This world is getting darker every day, so I implore those reading this review to listen to the child in Looking Up. Look past skin color and help others reach their full potential – reach for greatness. 

No matter your skin tone, I encourage you to share Looking Up by Jayne Augustin with your children. Teach acceptance. Promote a strong community. 

Amazon didn’t have a recommended reading age when I wrote my review; however, I would suggest it’s for 3-year-olds and up. Toddlers might not grasp the message, but I think they’ll like the illustrations. Speaking of drawings, I couldn’t locate the illustrator’s name on the Reedsy file, but I’d like to congratulate them on their beautiful pictures. My eyes were watering at the image of the shadows chasing down the three people. Very moving! 

Review submitted to Reedsy on 8/6/22. 

 

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

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Meet the Author

Jayne Augustin: Greetings! I am a mom of six, wife, doula, author, caretaker, and strange (dang near abnormal) explorer. I celebrate the small things in life and people fascinate me. My hope is that my books sprinkle a little magical wonder over all who read them! Cheers and happy reading!

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September 21, 2022 · 7:00 am

The Sweet Friendship by Lisa R. Neuder (Book Review)


An idealistic, bright-eyed, lop-eared bunny (Baked Bean) is seeking the friendship and company of another bunny. But to her dismay, her new interest (Snowshoe) brings both joy and heartache. Will she be able to overcome her struggles with her new friend?

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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.

 

Before the first chapter, readers will meet all of Baked Bean’s friends through pictures. My favorite image was of Fancy Wat. I mean, you don’t see a mouse wearing a top hat every day. 

Chapters 1-3 gave insight into each friend’s personality and how each one was there for Baked Bean. For example, Biscuit has Snoopy-like ears and short legs but moves like lightning when he runs. Sometimes, his tongue would hang slightly out of his mouth when he sprinted across the field. 

Chapters 4-17 focused on the actual story with plot, climax, and resolution. Baked Bean was longing for a bunny friend. Someone who does the things she does and eats the food she eats. Her wishes came true when she met Snowshoe. They laughed, ate grass, drank water, and explored the countryside together. 

One day, Snowshoe did not arrive to play as promised, and poor Baked Bean’s heart was crushed. When Snowshoe came days later, he acted like it was no big deal. These chapters will open doors for teachers and parents to discuss if listeners ever had someone break a promise and how they felt when it happened. It’ll give the reader the opportunity to encourage children to try their best not to break promises because a broken promise can make a person sad, just like Baked Bean in the story. 

As the story progressed, Snowshoe’s callous behavior worsened, and Baked Bean started feeling worse and worse. Baked Bean begun to feel insecure and question everything about herself. Again, this is another excellent time to discuss how this section makes the listener feel. Do they agree with how Snowshoe treats Baked Bean, and what’s the proper way to treat a friend?

The Sweet Friendship by Lisa Robin teaches children to value their friendships. Treat others how you want to be treated! 

Snowshoe might’ve not been the picture-perfect friend, but Baked Bean met somebunny who was superb! (FYI: Somebunny was written that way on purpose.) 

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

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Meet the Author

Lisa R. Neuder is a debut children’s author from Rockville, Maryland (US). She is a member of The Writers Guild and The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She is an organizer of a creative writing group. She is starting an MFA program in the Fall 2022.

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September 12, 2022 · 7:00 am

Grant’s Huge Choice by Aaron J. Parker (Book Review)

Grant has a choice to make, and so do you!

A big event is coming up for Grant. It’s his class picture day! Grant can’t contain his excitement to take pictures with all his classmates, but there’s one problem. His locs! Grant loves his locs. And after Ms. Jones tells him he won’t be able to join the class pictures unless he changes his hairstyle, Grant has to make the toughest decision of his life. The thought of missing his class pictures makes Grant sad, and the thought of cutting his hair doesn’t help much either. But after a powerful conversation with Daddy about choices, Grant gains the confidence he always needed to stand up for himself and do what is best for him. Join Grant as he learns a valuable lesson about choices and doing what makes YOU happy!

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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.

 

Class picture day is here! It’s an exciting day for a lot of students. They spend a great deal of time selecting the perfect outfit and styling their hair. 

Summary: Grant can’t contain his excitement to take pictures with all his classmates, but there’s one problem. His locs! Grant loves his locs. And after Ms. Jones tells him he won’t be able to join the class pictures unless he changes his hairstyle, Grant has to make the toughest decision of his life. The thought of missing his class pictures makes Grant sad, and the thought of cutting his hair doesn’t help much either.”

In 2019, it made national news a high schooler was forced to cut his dreadlocks during a wrestler competition. I can’t fathom the emotions coursing through his body that day. I know I was outraged. The actions of the adults that day were inappropriate, hurtful, and humiliating. I think that incident and many others like it have inspired Grant’s Huge Choice by Aaron J. Parker. I applaud the author for writing a story that will resonate with the black and brown community.

The image of Grant standing in front of the bathroom mirror, eyes wide and full of sadness, nearly broke my heart. Excellent work, Derreck Washington, on this and all the other powerful drawings! 

The father and son heart-to-heart discussion was beautifully written. Grant’s father’s response to his son’s painful predicament was perfect. “Grant, there is nothing wrong with your hair. Sometimes people try to change what they don’t understand.” He continues to say, “…no one else’s opinion matters but yours.” The father is correct. The school had no right to demand a child change his hair. 

I felt my eyes water when the father started crying during their chat. If I were in the same situation, I would’ve cried about my child’s choice. 

In the end, Grant made the right choice. Be true to who you are! 

Review submitted to Reedsy on 8/12/22.

#KamsPlace

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

image574
I am a Father to 4 beautiful children, married to the most amazing woman ever.
Being a community leader and mentor is of the highest priority to me.

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