Tag Archives: humor

Fort Night by Jimmy Vee (Book Spotlight)

From best-selling author Jimmy Vee comes a story about imagination, ingenuity, and the magic of making your own fun—because sometimes Plan B is better.

Every night, Hugo sleeps in his very own bed in his very own room. But tonight? Hugo has a bigger idea. He wants to sleep in his very own fort—in the room with the very big TV—and have a night filled with action, adventure, fun, and frights!

Armed with his Jumbo Book of Fort Building, a pile of pillows, and his fuzzy friend Joe, Hugo sets out to build the ultimate blanket fort. He stacks, balances, and engineers with big dreams and even bigger determination. But when his creations keep collapsing, Hugo learns that sometimes the best plans aren’t the biggest—they’re the simplest.

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Read My Review on Reedsy Discovery!

 

 

 

Meet the Author

Jimmy was a creative kid who was always building, tinkering, and rigging up something around the house. These days, his kids say he just makes stuff up for a living—they’re right. As the owner of a creative marketing agency, Jimmy really does “make stuff up all day” for businesses and entrepreneurs.

 

 

 

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The Great Canadian Beaver Tales Series (featuring Bruno!): Tale 1. The Newfoundland Dam by Lizzy McNeilly (Book Spotlight)

Bruno has a big idea — maybe too big!

He’s going to build the greatest dam in history — one that connects Newfoundland to Labrador! With his cousin Netty and a team of hardworking beavers, Bruno’s plan seems unstoppable. But when Premier Gilberti shows up and chaos rolls in (literally!), Bruno’s dream turns into a hilarious disaster.

Can Bruno fix the mess he’s made, or will his big idea wash away for good?

Full of laughter, friendship, and East Coast spirit, The Newfoundland Dam! kicks off Bruno’s journey across Canada — where every big dream begins with a splash!

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Sample Pages
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author

Elizabeth McNeilly, PhD, lived in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta as a child and teen. Although she has always loved Canada, it was when she moved away that she truly grew to appreciate her home. This was when the idea of Bruno was born! Lizzy taught elementary and secondary English language arts for 14 years in the Baltimore, Maryland region before moving back home to Canada again. She now spends her time writing, teaching at the universities in Calgary, and hanging out with family, her partner Jan, her cat, Muriel, and two dogs, Yogi and Kaya.

 
 
 
 
 

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Azuzu Saves the Day by Kateryna Dronova (Book Review)

Azuzu is a little bee who is always eager to help his friends. However, he is a bit clumsy and always ends up making mistakes. One day, he crashes into the wall of the hive, creating a huge hole in it. Determined not to make things worse, Azuzu leaves the hive. But before he can get far, he senses that the hive is in danger. Will Azuzu finally be able to step up and help his friends?

Perfect for little readers ages 3–7, this beautifully illustrated story teaches children about courage, resilience, and believing in themselves—even when things go wrong.

A must-have for parents, teachers, and caregivers who want to help kids learn that:

🐝 Everyone makes mistakes
🐝 You can always try again
🐝 Kindness and bravery come in many forms

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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.

 

Azuzu is a sweet bee with a big problem: He’s much rounder than the other bees and a bit clumsy. He loves the smell of honey, the glow of the honeycombs, and his friends very much, so Azuzu is always ready to lend a hand; however, his good deeds don’t go as planned, leaving him feeling blue. Even though his bee friends and the queen didn’t make fun of or get mad at him for spilling honey and leaving a big hole in the wall of the honeycomb, Azuzu still felt terrible and decided to go off alone. His reaction was similar to how humans respond when they make a mistake or create a mess, prompting readers to empathize with the bee’s feelings.

Actions have consequences, and unfortunately, the large hole Azuzu made left the hive open for attack. The bee is facing a tough decision: Should he stay away or should he try to help fight off the wasp? Ask kids what they would do if their friends were in danger or what the bee should do.

Azuzu comes across as the story’s underdog. One might look at him and think there’s no way this bee can save the day. Oh, but looks are deceiving, and that’s why we should never judge a book by its cover. Or in the case of this delightful, suspenseful tale, we should never judge a bee by its large size and clumsy nature. How this bee saved the day from a wasp attack was very amusing. Too bad there wasn’t a better image (zoomed out view) of Azuzu’s clever idea. Still, I’m sure the scene will make young readers chuckle.

Azuzu Saves the Day teaches many great lessons. One, mistakes happen to all of us. Two, don’t be ashamed of how you look. Third, we are capable of incredible feats. Fourth, you should never judge someone by how they look. Lastly, help others in distress or call for help.

Azuzu Saves the Day is a suspenseful story with the right amount of humor. The illustrations did overpower the text in a couple of places, but it was still a great read. I agree with the synopsis’s target audience: 3 -7 years.

 

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

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Meet the Author

Kateryna Dronova is a children’s writer who loves turning imagination into playful and heartfelt stories. Growing up surrounded by rich traditions and storytelling, she draws inspiration for her tales that nurture curiosity, courage, and kindness in young readers. Kateryna believes books can spark magic in every child—and she writes to share that wonder.

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A Squirrely Christmas (Clover & Pumpkin) by Megan K Palmer (Book Review)

Get ready for a nutty adventure in the heart of the forest with A Squirrely Christmas – a funny and heartwarming Christmas picture book for kids!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and the forest animals, especially baby bunny can’t wait for their annual Christmas Tree Decorating Extravaganza. This year, the squirrels-Clover and Pumpkin-are in charge of decking out the grand Christmas tree. But are these two fluffy friends up for the challenge?

Join a lovable cast of forest creatures in this playful Christmas book for children ages 2-7 that celebrates friendship, teamwork, and turning the chaos of the holidays into fun. Laugh along as Clover and Pumpkin learn the true meaning of the season-working together, slowing down, and sharing Christmas cheer!

With adorable illustrations and a playful speech bubble story, this Christmas book is perfect for holiday read-alouds with toddlers and preschoolers, teachers and librarians looking for festive Christmas books, or a great Christmas gift for readers who love forest animals and holiday humor.

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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.

 

Christmas is quickly approaching, and I found the perfect book to get you in the holiday spirit: A Squirrely Christmas by Megan Palmer. Each year, a different forest animal is selected to decorate a tree for the holiday; this year, it’s the squirrel’s turn to take the reins. The decorating extravaganza did not go smoothly for Pumpkin and Clover, the very energetic squirrel buddies. They quickly learned the repercussions for rushing the decorating process.

Christmas lights are pretty to look at, but more often than not, they can become a tangled mess, which is what these two forest friends experienced. They should have adopted the “slow and steady wins the race” approach to Christmas tree decorating, rather than competing to see who can finish first and becoming entangled in the strings. In the end, the squirrels learn the importance of taking their time and working together as a team.

A Squirrely Christmas is a wonderful and amusing holiday story. Kids will laugh at the colorful drawings of the squirrels’ bungled attempt to string the lights and Pumpkin’s face when he was caught eating on the job. Kids and adults will enjoy seeing the squirrels completed tree and the lovely polaroids of decorated trees from past years. Encourage your family or students to vote for the one they think wins best in show. I’m casting my ballot for team reindeer! Also, everyone is sure to learn something new about squirrels and evergreens on their facts page; I certainly did, so don’t skip these informative pages! Share your newfound knowledge with friends, classmates, and family members!

With a recommended reading age of 2-7 years, A Squirrely Christmas is the perfect choice for young readers. Its fun-filled storyline, amusing illustrations, and educational facts make it a must-have for the holiday season. Share this delightful book with your family and make it a part of your holiday traditions!

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤1/2
(rounded to 5 on Amazon and Goodreads)

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Meet the Author

Megan K. Palmer is a creator, writer, book reviewer, and educator. She’s obsessed with tears, laughter, and the writing process. Perhaps it’s because they go together at times. She graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with an Ed.M. education at Brigham Young University.

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Polly, Stubby & Al by Donahue B. Silvis (Book Review)

BEN and SARA DONOVAN live in a small community called Wolfe Lake with their two daughters, six year old MEGAN and eight year old KATIE. They have two pets, Polly a multi-colored talking parrot and Stubby a tan colored, bowlegged bulldog. Ben owns a small landscaping business. Sara is a housewife and animal lover. One day Sara, Megan, Katie and Stubby are walking in the woods. They see an injured black crow lying on the ground. Sara picks up the crow, takes him home and nurse’s him back to health. When healed and turned loose the crow does not return to the wild. He chooses to remain with the family. They name him Al and he becomes one of their pets.

The family had become used to Polly’s chatter but a week later they’re amazed when Al speaks. Their everyday life, as they know it, is about to take an abrupt and hilarious change. From that day forward nothing is the same, in the Donovan household, as Al becomes a funny and mischievous character.

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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.

 

Polly, Stubby & Al will make you laugh, make you cry, and might prompt your children to ask for a pet crow and not just any ordinary crow, one with a split tongue. Why this particular kind of crow, you may ask. We quickly learn that a crow’s split tongue enables them to speak. This ability generated many humorous scenes with Al, the talking crow, as the main star. Al wasn’t the only chatterbox in the Donovan household; Polly, the parrot, also entertained the family with their words. The real, unexpected jaw-dropping moment was when the parrot altered their voice to sound like Mama Sara and AL. They used this talent to prank the crow and Stubby, the bowlegged bulldog. Too funny.

Many families have dogs as pets. Some homes might even have a parrot, but a crow isn’t your typical idea of a family pet. So, how did Al, the crow, find his way into their family? It was a chance encounter. Sara saw the bird injured and nursed it back to health. She intended for him to live out in the wild; however, Al had other plans, and the family soon discovered he was indeed a very special bird. Al enjoyed joining Megan and Katie at the lake as the young sisters fished. He came when Mama Sara called his name. The crow’s word choices and his mischievous antics were very entertaining to watch.

Al’s naughtiness will have you laughing. If the text doesn’t make you giggle, some of the colorful illustrations will. As I said in the introduction, this story will make you laugh, but it’ll also make some cry. The storm scene was very moving. I cried when Al cried out for “Mama.” I figured he would be saved, but the journey to their reunion and then the reunion itself had me reaching for tissues again and again. Maybe they will for you, as well. Even though I adored every funny and sad scene, there were unfortunately several editing mistakes. That said, I recommend another editing pass.

Though the story needed more TLC, it is still a remarkable chapter book. I recommend sharing with your children, ages 5-10.

 

Author’s note: “Polly, Stubby & Al is a true story. It’s about my grandparents and their two young daughters, who are my mother and aunt. It took place in the 1920s.”

 

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

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Meet the Author

I’m an alumnus of the renowned Pasadena Playhouse Drama School; then, I graduated from Florida Atlantic University. As a member of the Screen Actors Guild, I worked in movies as an actor and screenwriter. I’ve also written seven novels, eight screenplays, and one illustrated children’s book.

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