Tag Archives: family

Haunted House: Day & Night by Jaybie D (Book Review)

Embark on an enchanting journey with Mandy as she bravely confronts her fear of the dark during a thrilling family trip to a haunted house! In this captivating children’s picture book, readers join Mandy on an exclusive daytime behind-the-scenes tour, discovering the intricate inner workings of the haunting spectacle. Marvel at the meticulously placed, spine-chilling props that bring the eerie atmosphere to life. Peek behind the curtains to unveil the fascinating interplay of costumes, make-up, lighting, security, and electrical systems that add a touch of magic to the haunted house.

As night descends, a whole new level of enchantment unfolds. Mandy and her family immerse themselves in an extraordinary evening experience where the previously observed prop stages burst into vivid life. Prepare to be mesmerized by a symphony of special effects that will enchant your senses, casting an otherworldly glow over the surroundings. Vibrant colors dance in harmony with haunting melodies, amplifying the eerie atmosphere to its fullest.

Throughout the pages of this book, Mandy’s journey takes her into never-before-seen rooms that will captivate and ignite the reader’s imagination. It’s an unforgettable tale of bravery, imagination, and self-discovery as she discovers the transformative power of overcoming her fears.

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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.

 

Haunted House: Day & Night was a visual masterpiece! Jaybie D.’s graphic design skills knocked my socks off. Words glowed on the pages. Objects glowed as well, breathing life into unanimated objects. The lanterns, flashlights, twinkling lights, jack-o’-lanterns, moon, ghosts, the strange beast spitting fire, each illuminated object captured my attention, and it will capture your child’s too. They’ll be mesmerized by the swirling fluorescent orbs of lights, the sparkling night sky, and the fog that appears to be lifting off the pages so much they might forget there’s a story to read. Oh, they should read the story! 

Besides its enormous visual appeal, the book captures all the excitement and spookiness surrounding a haunted house. During the day, a behind-the-scenes view of a haunted house is quite remarkable. The author shows readers what it takes to pull off a scary night. Costumes, make-up applications, setting up props, scary sounds, display monitors, it’s quite the production. The house you just saw during the day takes on a new form when the sun sets. You must remind yourself that it’s all fake like Mandy did. 

If your family loves Halloween and haunted houses, you must read Haunted House: Day & Night. With radiating words, words written in wacky fonts, and wavy lines, young readers will love practicing their reading skills using this spooktacular story. Teachers and parents will love that the story blends beginning sight words and advanced text. Everyone will love the illustrations. 

Haunted House: Day & Night is a thrilling read for children five years and older. It’s the ideal book for October. If you have a child under five who understands monsters are not real, I would also share this book with them. It’s not scary, and I’m sure they love the pictures and storyline! Outstanding from beginning to end (family photo). 

 

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

It is a privilege to write and illustrate children’s picture books, encouraging them to explore their imagination! It fills my soul.

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The Dating Dance by Danielle Nowell (Book Review)

When Sarah Shuster meets Theodore Caddel, she’s certain she’s found the perfect man, although after what happened with Jake Leifhour, she’s hesitant to get involved in a relationship. Sarah has a good job as a dance teacher and a steady life in Grenvale. As their relationship blossoms, Sarah is presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity: a dream job in New York City. The problem? it’s over 2,000 miles away from Grenvale, and Theodore. Sarah is torn between her relationship with Theodore and her desire for career success. She doesn’t want to leave Theodore, but also knows turning down the job would be a huge mistake. As she grapples with this decision, Sarah starts to wonder what truly matters to her and what she’s willing to sacrifice for her own happiness. Will Sarah choose the guy or her career? Or is there a way to have both? Follow Sarah’s journey as she navigates the highs and lows of her relationship, professional ambition and search for fulfillment.

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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.

 

It’s hard to get back into the dating game when someone’s been burnt in a relationship. Fear of a repeat performance is never far from their mind. Sarah’s ex burned her badly eight months ago, so she’s hesitant to date again. Through her best friend’s pestering, Sarah reluctantly decided to join iMatch. Thanks to their algorithm, online dating apps are supposed to take the guesswork out of dating. However, no app is perfect, and Sarah’s first couple of dates were proof of that. 

An old proverb states you must “kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince.” Sarah didn’t technically kiss the toads, but she found her prince anyways. Theo was everything Sarah was looking for in a partner: well-read, sweet, thoughtful, hardworking, and kind. He made her homemade soup when she was sick. He wrote beautiful poetry and made her heart skip a beat by walking into a room. They had chemistry and fun together and seemed like a perfect fit. But, a secret was tearing them apart. 

Sarah, a dance instructor, always dreamt of teaching at the New York City School of American Ballet. With her dream finally within her grasp, she faced a hard decision: choose love or follow her dream. Sarah met a tough decision, the biggest one of her life. She didn’t expect to find love. She never expected to fall in love again. 

Following most romance scripts, this story’s secret led to hurt feelings, leading to a time apart. And in true romance fashion, they realized life apart was unbearable. Readers will be delighted by the sweet, romantic reunion scene. The epilogue was also quite lovely. 

The Dating Dance by Danielle Nowell is a clean and wholesome love story with zero explicit love scenes. It’s roughly 150 pages, a perfect story for any time of year. 

 

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

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Meet the Author

Danielle Nowell currently resides in Orlando with her husband and two dogs; although she’s originally from Miami. When not hanging out at home, she can be found at the theme parks or exploring the city’s food scene. She enjoys the beach and also enjoys traveling and has been to many different countries.
 
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Justice: A Tale of the Nepali Civil War (The Graphic Novel Book #1) by Ram Khatri (Book Review)

Justice is the story “with all too familiar human challenges,” says Paul Levitz, former president at D.C. Comics. He further adds that it seems like “the world keeps getting smaller” with the emergence of such graphic novels.

Ram Khatri’s Justice: A Tale of the Nepali Civil War is the story of a young girl’s brave journey to reclaim the life she left behind during the unforgiving conflict of the Nepali Civil War. With its sublime settings, diverse characters, and riveting narrative, the young girl learns the truth about the life that she left behind.

During the decade-long “People’s War” in Nepal, more than 17,000 people were killed. Thousands of innocent civilians were also abducted and beaten by both government and Maoist forces. Even today, years after the war has ended, it is unknown what happen to many of the nearly 1,400 people who went missing. While the people mentioned in Justice are fiction, the story is based on events that actually occurred during and after the Civil War era in the country.

The graphic novel has two sections. The first section was illustrated in color by Sandipan Santra while the second was illustrated in black and white by Ingrid Lilamani.

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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.

 

Justice: A Tale of the Nepali Civil War (The Graphic Novel Book #1) by Ram Khatri is based on actual events that occurred during and after the Civil War era in Nepal. The people and places mentioned are fictional, but the story shows the magnitude war has on a country and its people despite using a fictional cast of characters. 

Before the graphic novel began, I read “A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR.” In it, the author informs the reader the book is divided into two sections. “The first section was illustrated in color by Sandipan Santra while the second was illustrated in black and white by Ingrid Lilamani. The purpose is to show how different artists from diverse backgrounds visualize the unique Nepali settings, characters, and its historical events.” As an avid reader of comics and graphic novels, this unique feature intrigued me because I have never witnessed any other book mimicking this setup. 

Going into the reading, I was unfamiliar with Nepal and enjoyed the brief overview of it. I learned many new facts. For instance, the currency is the Nepalese Rupee. Since geography is not my strong suit, I liked the zoomed-in image of Nepal on the map. 

Justice: A Tale of the Nepali Civil War (The Graphic Novel Book #1) shows war’s effects on a country. It affects every component: economy, citizens, and livelihood. Both illustrators did a lovely job of making the reader feel the family’s fear, sorrow, and regret. As the illustrated story demonstrates, no matter how hard you try to avoid getting involved, often, there’s no hiding from the battle. 

Justice: A Tale of the Nepali Civil War ends on a cliffhanger, making any reader eager to read what happened next for the major character. 

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading comics and graphic novels. I would also recommend this book to those who want to share the effects of war with their children (elementary age and older).

 

 
 
 
Meet the Author
 
Translator of Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’ in Nepali, Ram Khatri works in book publishing. He holds an M.S. in publishing from New York and an M.A. in English literature from Kathmandu. Ram is always fascinated by truly diverse, unrepresented, and heartwarming stories that touch lives.
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ASHA My First Pow Wow Dance by Jocelyn L Mackenzie (Book Review)


“ASHA My First Pow Wow Dance” is a heartwarming children’s book about a young girl who is eager to learn the art of Pow Wow dancing. Following in the footsteps of her cousin Kika, Asha begins her journey toward mastering the Fancy Shawl dance. With the guidance of her wise Gramma and the support of her loving family, Asha learns that through hard work and practice, anything is possible. Along the way, she faces challenges and setbacks, but with determination and the help of her family, she discovers the true magic of dancing. With vibrant illustrations and engaging storytelling, “ASHA My First Pow Wow Dance” invites young readers to join in the joy and excitement of traditional Indigenous dancing. This book is perfect for children ages 3-8 and families who want to share in the celebration of Indigenous traditions and culture.

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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 story opens, showcasing Asha’s cousin Kika dancing at the Pow Wow in her beautiful regalia. The clothing represents community traditions and personal tastes. Gramma taught Kika how to dance to the drum song, and now it’s Asha’s turn to learn the heritage dance.

Gramma warned Asha that the dance takes practice, and Asha learned Gramma was telling the truth. We all react to failure in our own way, but it’s not uncommon for failed attempts to lead to tears, as in the case of Asha’s unsuccessful attempts to maintain her balance.

When Asha lay on the ground, she remembered an important life lesson from her Gramma, “When learning something new, it will take time and practice to get all the movements right.” In life, children must learn that success sometimes takes time to come. They must often put in time and practice to master a skill. Pick yourself up and try again when you fail, as Asha did in ASHA My First Pow Wow Dance.

This story teaches children not to fear asking for help when hurt or something is broken. Family is there to provide comfort, love, guidance, and support!

“ASHA My First Pow Wow Dance” references “bannock,” which I’ve never eaten. Lucky for readers, a recipe for “Poppa John’s Bannock” is included in the book. Baking with youngsters is fun, so I encourage you to read the book and then begin baking!

“ASHA My First Pow Wow Dance” is a lovely book spotlighting an important aspect of Native American culture. The illustrations, most importantly, the clothing, was spectacular.

I agree with Amazon’s recommended reading age: 3 – 8 years.

 

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

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Meet the Author

Jocelyn L Mackenzie resides in the Okanagan region of British Columbia, Canada. Her work is a celebration of family, community, and connection to culture. She believes sharing stories enables future generations to embrace all cultures.

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Little Sammy Square Finds His Voice by Lisa R. Thomas, M.Ed (Book Review)

In a family of circles, Little Sammy Square struggles to fit in. He is very different from the rest of his family members. They are all circles, and he is a little square. Everyone in his circle family plays an instrument, but not Little Sammy Square. This makes Sammy feel very sad. He doesn’t like to feel different. He wishes he could be just like everyone else. Little Sammy will soon discover a special treasure. This treasure will help him to see that he doesn’t have to be just like everyone else to fit in. Will Little Sammy find his treasure before it’s too late?

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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.

 

Little Sammy is a square who lives in a family of circles. Sammy wishes he could be round-shaped like them. He wishes he could play a musical instrument like them too. He wants to fit in. Period.

Sammy’s family loves to make music together. Each member excels with their instrument of choice. Macie plays the bass while the other sister, Tracie, tickles the ivories. Sammy’s dad harmonizes with his saxophone while mom adds the pounding beat of the drums. Sammy attempts to rock out with several instruments but can’t find his perfect match. The children’s book explains why Sammy couldn’t or wouldn’t play each musical device. 

Sammy was understandably sad when he tried unsuccessfully to “fit in.” It’s hard to feel like an outsider, especially in your own family. Many people can identify with Sammy’s mindset, young and old. 

As Sammy enjoyed a bubble bath, he went from humming a tune to belting out the lyrics. His family was surprised at his singing capabilities. They had no idea how the talent Sammy possessed, and neither did Sammy. 

Sammy found his musical instrument. In fact, he had it with him the entire time. 

Little Sammy Square Finds His Voice by Lisa Thomas teaches children that you don’t have to look like someone else to belong. Embrace your individuality! 

Amazon has Little Sammy Square Finds His Voice set for children between 5 and 9; however, preschoolers would also enjoy the story. The storyline is easy to follow, and the illustrations are big, bold, and fun. You could also share the book with toddlers to introduce instrument names.

This story would be perfect for a home or school setting. I would follow up on the book by having a jam session. Let your child or class pick their favorite musical instrument and rock out! 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

Lisa R. Thomas is a professional school counselor who works with grades PreK-8. She specializes in student advocacy, and the social/emotional development of young children. She writes books to give children strategies to live their best lives. In the end, she hopes her books make them smile.

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