Tag Archives: elementary

Nope-Nope Emu by R.C. Chizhov (Book Review)

A funny and endearing tale about the power of persistence and never giving up.

An emu wins the emu-flap game every year. But when she loses her winning streak, she mopes around saying “Nope!” to every game. Follow her journey as she finds inspiration to say “Yes!”

and play emu-flap again.

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

Anastasia Yezhela did a phenomenal job with the illustrations. My daughter loved the emus. She liked their different hairstyles and clothing choices. She remarked that their shoes matched their outfit. Good catch! What an observant kiddo, and well done to the artist! My daughter was excited to see the emus wearing a crown since she plays dress-up and wears a crown too. She recognized the unicorn float from our local department store. 

We laughed together as the puppy chased his tail. In my daughter’s words, “Puppies are so silly.” I agree. We never see our kitties chasing after their tail.  

My daughter covered her eyes when she saw the pages with the magenta spider. I don’t blame her. They were rather big. Even though she kept her eyes closed, I read her the pages because spiders play an essential part in our daily lives. BTW: I thought the spiders were cute because they were fake. 

Nope-Nope Emu by R.C. Chizhov teaches children a valuable lesson: don’t give up when something is challenging; keep trying!

Nope-Nope Emu combines easy and complex words, perfect for homes or classrooms with varied reading levels. If your child is a non-reader, no sweat, they will enjoy the story too. 

 

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.

Instagram: @rcchizhov
 
 

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Why Is This My Name?: Not Just a Children’s Story by Aloysia Burgess (Book Review)

A young girl goes through her first day at a new school and struggles with her unique name as she introduces herself to new teachers and friends. With the encouragement from her family, she will soon discover how special her name really is.

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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.

 

Every child who ventures back to public school has their own feeling about stepping into a new school or classroom. Jitters. Excitement. Apprehension. Indifference. Most kids prep for the big day with a new haircut or selecting the perfect outfit. What they can’t prep for is how kids will interact or treat them. The little girl in the story went from excitement to nervousness because of her name. Why? Because people have trouble pronouncing it. This dilemma happens every day, all across the globe. 

When the little girl went to school, her fears came to life. The teacher had difficulty pronouncing it. Some kids snickered at it. BUT, she met kids who were kind. Students invited her to sit with them at the lunch table. 

When the child’s dad picked her up from school, she asked him why they chose that name and not something “normal.” To avoid spoilers, I will not disclose what her name is, why it was chosen, or its meaning. I will share a snippet of her father’s response, though. “Everyone has things that they may want to change about themselves, but what’s most important is loving yourself.” Words to live by! 

The second day of school went spectacularly well, and hooray for her! 

After Why Is This My Name? Not Just a Children’s Story, there’s a box where the child writes down the meaning of their name. I looked up mine and was shocked to find out it meant “crooked nose.” Since I did break my nose when I was a teenager, the meaning fits (now). 

Amazon didn’t list a reading age when I was writing my review. I think any preschool and elementary school child, new to a class or school, can relate to and find enjoyment in this story. Maybe teachers can read this story to their students on the first day of class and discuss the importance of being kind to others and embracing our differences. 

 

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

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Aloysia Burgess, née Colquhoun, is a wife and mother to two boys. She always had a love of literature and, as a child, would write her own stories. Her goal is to encourage acceptance and self-love through her writing.

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My cat brother, Sterling by Mayra Hernandez (Book Review)


A cat that barks, fetches the newspaper, and goes potty on trees?! How could that be?

Sterling idolizes his big brother Rocky and wants to be just like him. So much so, he actually believes he’s a DOG!

Rocky knows the truth about his cat brother, Sterling.

There’s only one problem! Rocky hasn’t told him yet! Or has he?

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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.

 

Aw, Sterling, the cat is so dang adorable. We loved the drawing of them, white as fresh powder snow and sporting a solid gray tail. We noticed a few illustrations had Sterling with a gray streak on his face, but others did not. There was a group shot of three cats together, and Sterling now had two stripes on his face. As the My cat brother, Sterling continued, the kitty gained more spots on his body. The inconsistencies in the design of Sterling couldn’t be overlooked.

We thought Sterling believing they were a dog was the cutest thing ever. FYI: We also have a cat who thinks they are a canine. Our cat barks like a dog, just like Sterling the cat did in My cat brother, Sterling by Mayra Hernandez. Our cat plays fetch too. However, our feline doesn’t pee outside on fire hydrants or head to the dog park. My kitty doesn’t dig in the trash either. They do stretch and sniff inside it quite often.

The similarities in coloring and hysterical canine behavior between Sterling and our furbaby made this story a home run in our house. Okay, we would’ve loved this story even if our cat didn’t look or act like Sterling. We loved the “Meet the real-life characters.” Your furry friends were just as adorable in person as they were in cartoon format.

Amazon’s recommended reading age is 3 – 8 years, and I agree with that assessment. Toddlers might not understand the dialogue, but I think they will get enjoyment out of the pictures. Kids love dogs and cats!

My cat brother, Sterling by Mayra Hernandez is absolutely, 100% brilliant. I will be recommending the book to my parenting groups, and my daughter said she would tell her friends about it too. We can’t wait to read more creations by Mayra Hernandez!

 

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

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Meet the Author

I am a former kindergarten teachers aide, now author. I hope to continue writing books for children to find joy and laughter in. I love watching true crime shows, and having family game nights. My husband and I live in the beautiful Sunshine State with Rocky, Katie, Pumpkin, and Sterling, of course.

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Ellery’s Magic Bicycle by Maria Monte (Book Review)

 

A touching picture book about a remarkable childhood bond between a little girl and her magic bicycle, perfect for children ages 4 to 7 and for fans of The Giving Tree.

Inspired by the author’s own childhood adventures, this heartfelt story will take readers on a whimsical journey through Ellery’s childhood with her magical bicycle in tow. Ellery and her bicycle share many wonderful new experiences together; lonely yet curious Ellery finds adventure, love, and friendship, as well as weathering sorrow and loss.

When she grows up, Ellery starts to forget her special bond with the bicycle. Will Ellery remember what’s important before it’s too late and the magical bike is lost forever?

A story of redemption, Ellery’s struggles, hopes, and triumph serve as an uplifting reminder to parents of their childhood bonds. Young readers will grow to love Ellery’s strong, kind, and compassionate spirit, and will see their own cherished bicycle in a new light.

  • A heartfelt and emotionally powerful read-aloud book
  • Books for kids ages 4 and up
  • Picture books for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary students.

 

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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.

 

The love of magic and magical books has been around for many years. Children love when inanimate objects come to life. They do this through their imagination all the time. They make teddy bears drink tea. They make toys move and speak. They create a wonderland in their backyard or right inside their home. Therefore, I believe children will love Ellery’s bike and wish their bike would also come to life. You might even catch your child speaking to their own bicycle, which would be adorable. 

Ellery’s Magic Bicycle by Maria Monte is not just all about magic. There was a life lesson weaved in the story. A boy picked on Ellery; she got revenge on him and felt terrible afterward. This section reinforces the old saying two wrongs don’t make a right. When you and your child or students read this section, ask them how Ellery should handle the situation differently? How would they have handled it? 

Ellery’s Magic Bicycle teaches children to forgive, apologize for inappropriate actions, and be open to making new friends in the unlikeliest places with the unlikeliest people. With all the turmoil in the world, I appreciate any story that shows people overcoming differences, becoming nice, and starting new friendships. 

My daughter loved Zoe Saunders’s illustrations. I agree; they were fantastic. She did a marvelous job on all the pages, but especially the page dedicated to Ellery growing up and the bike becoming bigger with her. As a parent, I was happy to see Zoe had Ellery and Charlie wearing a helmet when riding the bike. Even though it’s a special bike and could protect the rider, we must teach kids to be safe. 

I would absolutely recommend this Ellery’s Magic Bicycle by Maria Monte to others.

 

Amazon’s recommended reading age: 4 – 7 years

Grade level: kindergarten – 3

 

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

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About the Author

Maria Monte is an experienced communications specialist and has completed an honours degree in English literature. Her spare time is divided between family and caring for her young son. A native of Melbourne, Australia, Maria enjoys mochas and losing herself in wiki rabbit holes.

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Roger and Wesley by Elizabeth Hastings (Book Review)

 

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

Oh my goodness gracious, what an adorable book. Even the pages leading up to the story were cute. I loved the smiley faces on the glue bottles and teddy bears. (Illustrated by Brittney Hassinger). Roger and Wesley were also adorable. Their happy expressions made me smile. 

The page where the toy split and stuck to Wesley’s rear end was funny. I know young kids will be giggling over this image. 

At Roger and Wesley’s repair shop, you’ll meet a lot of animals who have a common dilemma—their favorite toys were broken. For toddlers, use this opportunity to teach or reinforce the names of animals and their unique sounds. You could also point to a picture and ask the color with all the vibrant colors utilized. Babies might not understand the words, but I think they’ll like all the colors! 

Roger and Wesley by Elizabeth Hastings is a good book for those learning to read on their own. There are one to three lines per page and house words that (for the most part) should be not too difficult for children to pronounce. I think maybe only a couple stand out, which might be tricky. With that being said, I give it a couple of attempts, and they’ll know those words too! 

Roger and Wesley has the potential to appeal and be used by toddlers through kindergarten.

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

 

Elizabeth Hastings lives in Manchester, Michigan with her husband, daughter, and two dogs. She never imagined writing was in her future, at least not until she had her daughter. She decided to capture those precious moments of inspiration after seeing her daughter’s love for her favorite dogs.

Reedsy Link

 

 

 

 

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