Tag Archives: nature

The Arctic is where Polar Bears live by Nina Cobb (Book Review)

This non fiction book about Polar Bears and the Arctic is both engaging and entertaining and centres on the world of the Arctic . The style is chatty, which is unusual for non-fiction and introduces the reader to many interesting facts which entertain and captivate.

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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.

 

No story is perfect, but I was shocked to see a punctuation error in the opening line of The Arctic is where Polar Bears live by Nina Cobb. The first sentence was a statement, and the author marked it as a question. That aside, the rest of the story was nicely constructed. I liked how the author posed questions to the readers/listeners, such as asking if they could locate the Arctic on a map. This sentence opened the door for a geography lesson which I loved immensely. Geography is neglected in many elementary schools. The author did include a map after the question, which was very helpful. There’s also an image featuring the North and South Pole. 

I thought the Great White Northern Bear picture on page seven was cute and funny. He was belly up in the water and looked like he was having a grand time. The sleeping bear photos were so sweet. They look so timid when they are napping. Not the case when their eyes pop open. 

Nina Cobb asked her viewing audience why they think polar bears live at the North Pole and then gave a breakdown of why. They discussed fur, eyelids, paws, and skin. I had no idea polar bears have three eyelids. Wow, that’s amazing! The comparison between the bear’s paw and a human’s hand was shocking. I knew they had big paws, but, dang, there’s paws are massive. 

The Arctic is where Polar Bears live also went over a bear’s dietary needs. The amount they consume in a single day is astronomical. FYI to parents: There’s an image of a parent and cubs eating a seal with blood covering their fur. If you think your child is too young to view this, you might opt to show them this photo. 

Seals are not just featured in the main course image. The author spotlights them by giving background on them as well.: body make-up, sleeping habits, etc.  

One of the final questions was if we should help the bears survive. I hope your family says yes! 

Update: I’ve been made aware (via a comment on Reedsy post) the punctuation error will be looked into.

My review was submitted to Reedsy on July 7th.

 

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

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Butterfly Love From Above by Melissa Stuart (Book Review / Guest Post)

 
“Always look up! I’m right here, little Star!”

This is the heartwarming story of one little girl’s journey through grief.
 
After losing her best friend-a butterfly named Twinkle-Star must search to rediscover her sunshine. The loss of Twinkle has kept Star under a dark cloud for some time, but her journey towards betterment will touch the hearts of all readers! Star is amazed to discover that she can reclaim her own sunshine by helping others who are also stuck under a dark cloud of their own! And she’ll realize that her light is even brighter than before!

Star’s love for Twinkle-and her pony, Luna-will show readers the beauty, joy, and healing power that animals can bring to our lives! Her journey will remind us that there is something beautiful to see when we take a moment to “always look up!”

 
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I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
 
Friends come in all shapes and sizes. They can be a human, animal, or (in this case) a butterfly. I’ve never read a story or heard of a butterfly best friend, but I found the pairing very cute. Twinkle went on any adventure with Star. Twinkle flew close to Star as she ran through the sunflower fields and jumped into the puddles. Twinkle also greeted Star when she came home from school. Okay, that one was just adorable! 


When Twinkle suddenly vanished, my heart broke for Star. She lost her best friend. I know Twinkle is just a butterfly, but a loss is a loss. The pain is real no matter whose life has ended. 


Star’s mom said it best, and I’d like to share a passage from Butterfly Love From Above by Melissa Stuart. 
 
“Twinkle is always going to be here,” said her mom, pointing to Star’s heart. “All the precious moments you shared are like a treasure chest to which only you hold the key! Those special memories are proof that love lasts forever, even when the one we love is no longer here.”
 
These words of wisdom can apply to anyone, regardless of age.
 
When Star’s mom surprised her with Luna, my heart filled with joy. Star’s smile returned, and Star then gave others a reason to smile too.
 
She’s a darling child, and this was a darling book.  


Kate Solenova: Your illustrations were lovely. My daughter loved Luna, the pony. She said she wanted to braid her tail 🙂

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

 
Melissa Stuart lives in Los Angeles, California with her family, their English Mastiff, Gucci, and their pony, Luna! Melissa and her husband stay busy traveling all over the country with their boys’ hockey teams. She loves being a Hockey Mom and watching her boys chase their dream of following in their dad’s footsteps to play in the NHL! Her happy place is with her little girl, Stella, at the barn surrounded by horses and their precious Luna. Sun Valley, Idaho is her family’s favorite summer getaway destination. When they’re there, Melissa feels most inspired to write sitting by the river, surrounded by mountains and nature! Her dream of becoming a published author for the first time came true in early 2021, as she shared her story “Find Your Sunshine” in a book co-written by 10 other inspiring authors—all of whom were sharing stories about shining their light and becoming difference makers in the world! Melissa hopes this story will inspire children to always look up. She wishes to teach them that true joy comes when we shine our own light and show kindness to others. That’s the secret to finding our sunshine!

 
 

“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway” — John Wayne

 
Growing up, I had experienced horseback riding a few times while traveling on vacations to Idaho, Yosemite, and Lake Tahoe. But little did I know that horses would one day be the one thing that gets me through the hardest time in my life.

After moving around the country for over a decade during my husband’s 16-year NHL career, we finally settled in the Los Angeles area. I had been teaching fitness classes for the past 15 years and it was finally going to be my time to live out my dream of opening a spin fitness studio. While searching for the perfect space for my studio, I had also fallen in love with horseback riding. One afternoon after riding, I fell to the floor and could not get up. I had ruptured my back and needed emergency surgery! Over the next two years, I had multiple spinal surgeries and all my dreams were shattered.

But something amazing happened! My little girl had caught the horse bug and fell in love with horses and riding herself. I found so much joy in just sitting at the barn watching her ride, surrounded by nature, butterflies, and the majestic horses! Often times, I would see beautiful yellow butterflies flying around my little girl while she was riding, like they used to do when I would ride. That made my heart so happy.

I will always believe our pony Luna was meant to be part of our family. We had been searching for about a year for the perfect pony and nothing felt quite right. I received an email from my trainer that she found one that she thinks would be a good fit. When I opened the picture, I got tears in my eyes. She looked just like the horse that I had a picture of hanging in my room at home! After my grandma had passed away, I purchased a picture that had a white horse with a dark mane with the words that read, “When you believe beyond what your eyes can see…signs from heaven show up to remind us that love never dies!” Luna looked just like the horse in my picture! She was already named Luna (which means moon) when we bought her, and my daughter’s name is Stella (which means star) and I just felt this was a match made in heaven!

These true-life events inspired me to write this story! Maybe I didn’t physically get back in the saddle, but having the courage to write my story and share it with the world or whoever is meant to read it, feels like a victory of its own! So, I’m going to ride this writing journey out and hope that my story touches as many hearts as possible!

 
connect with the author: 
website ~ facebook ~ instagram 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Eka and the Elephants by Once Upon a Dance (Book Review)

 

Dance along with Eka and Ballerina Konora in this interactive adventure story.

Eka’s family creates a garden, but Eka worries animals may destroy all their hard work. When playful elephants visit, will Eka find a way to save the vegetables and flowers?

Each Dance-It-Out! story is a kids’ dance performance for the imagination stage. Ballerina Konora joins the pages with dance photos and suggestions for movement exploration.

Three books in one: readers can
• enjoy the story
• act out the tale in their own way
• try Konora’s suggested activities, designed by an award-winning ballet teacher to develop body awareness and practice dance fundamentals

The Dance-It-Out! collection spans books ideal for kids 3-9, and Eka and the Elephants makes a great series introduction for children 4+. Eka and the Elephants features Eka (no pronouns), Eka’s brother and sister, Koda and Kanoni, and Eka’s parents, along with elephants and bunnies. Dance-It-Out!s are above level (language-wise) as they are often initially enjoyed with a caregiver or teacher. (~700Lexile)


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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.

 

I have found that children who tend to a garden, farm, orchard, etc., better understand and appreciate the food they consume. If you have children who might shy away from veggies, consider planting and managing a garden together.  

As I was reading Eka and the Elephants with my youngest, I noticed she was very fascinated with the girl on each page, what she was doing, and wanted to mimic her actions. She was more invested in that than the overall story. That wasn’t a bad thing, she was engaging with the story, so I was pleased. I believe an older child will like every aspect of the book more than a (barely) three-year-old. 

As for the overall writing, I loved the mental image certain lines painted in my mind, such as “the shoots looked like little green hands waving hello” and “they had long tendrils, like octopus legs reaching out in all directions.” 

I also liked the bit of trivia information weaved into the story, “Did you know elephants can eat seven times as much food, and drink five times as much water as a human? And elephants don’t like bees, even though they’re at least a hundred times bigger!” A fascinating tidbit to share with your friends! 

The illustrations by Cristian Gheorghita were outstanding. We adored the purple elephants. As an extended activity, we counted all the animals we could find. We talked about a vegetable or flower garden that would be more fun to grow. She chose a flower, of course. We made plans to start on our garden. So, while my youngest’s attention span wavered here and there, they did enjoy reading it. They are excited about our weekend plans of starting a mini garden, so this book is MOM approved. Daughter approved. 

 

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

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Meet the Authors

Once Upon a Dance is a mother-daughter team. With 3 main kids’ dance series (21 books), they are on a mission to keep kids stuck at home connected with movement. Ballerina Konora is a professional ballet dancer, and Teacher Terrel taught dance for decades. Visit www.OnceUponADance.com.

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Doctoroo and the Case of the Red-Hot Hawaiians by ​Rachel B. Wellner (Book Review)

 

Doctoroo (also known as Dr. Marsha Roo) and her team―Kirby Koala, Louie Llama, and Terence Toad― may live in Australia, but they travel all over the world solving medical mysteries. In Doctoroo & the Case of the Red-Hot Hawaiians, they fly to The Big Island of Hawaii, where red, hot and very itchy hula dancers are in danger of missing their Big Dance Festival. Will they have to skip the Festival, or will Doctoroo help them in time?

 

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

My daughter was excited to see Doctoroo and the Case of the Red-Hot Hawaiians by ​Rachel B. Wellner because one of our favorite vacations took place in Hawaii. We loved the food, the weather, and the luau.

While there, we made sure we were coated with sunscreen. We also reapplied often. I don’t think any of us got a tan at all. Even when we are not vacationing, I make sure my children apply sunscreen before heading outside. One, they burn very easily. Two, I take the threat of skin cancer very seriously. 

I like the message behind the story, Doctoroo and the Case of the Red-Hot Hawaiians – protect your skin from the dangers of the sun. I also like that she chose pigs as the sunburn victims because I’m not sure how many kids or adults realize pigs can burn very easily. 

As for the illustrations by Irina Dringova, we (my daughter and I) enjoyed all of the images except for the giant spider and its web. Of course, this is probably because we both hate spiders. My daughter covered her ears as I read the pages with the spider on them. 

After reading the story, my daughter promptly asked if we could go back to Hawaii. You know what, that sounds like a brilliant idea – as long as we pack the sunscreen. 

Side note: Since this book discusses poison ivy and its effects, maybe follow up the biology lesson with images of plants that are harmful to you and helpful. This information would benefit those who like to hike, camp, or travel. 

 

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

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Meet the Author:
Dr. Rachel B. Wellner

Dr. Rachel Wellner MD, MPH, FACS, BACS, is a novelist, comedian, and breast cancer doctor dedicated to making the world a better place for her readers, audience, and patients.

Connect with the Author: 
Website ~ Facebook Goodreads

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Come and Play! Exploring Animal Friends by Heidi Dehncke (Book Review)

Kids love animals — and they love picture books about animals, too. Come and Play! Exploring Animal Friends takes children on a tour of fifteen types of animal friends. Discover what makes pandas, raccoons, spiders, cats, and frogs unique (just to name a few). Whether or how they play, and what makes them special. While this children’s animal book gives interesting and surprising facts, it is the original illustrations which makes this book a treasure. The animal illustrations magnify the beauty and distinctive qualities of each creature. Ultimately, kids learn they share many similarities with animals (both feelings and behavior), and they learn about the world around them.

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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.

 

I had mixed feelings regarding Come and Play! Exploring Animal Friends by Heidi Dehncke. I loved the facts about various animals and insects. There was a lot of information that might be NEW to most children. 

Examples: “Raccoon” is an adopted Powhatan word meaning “animals that scratches with its hands.” While spiders don’t like to play, some play dead. I knew that raccoon tidbit, but I did not know the spider information. That just proves even adults can learn something new with Come and Play! Exploring Animal Friends, and that’s a beautiful thing.

While I adored all the facts presented in the book, I wasn’t a huge fan of all the images. Some drawings were lovely, such as the bald eagle bust, elephants, penguins, and butterflies. On the other hand, there were some that I didn’t particularly care for, and neither did my daughter: the peek-a-boo frog and the first primate page, for instance. 

Amazon’s recommended reading age is 3 – 9 years (Grade level: Preschool – 4). I think everyone in that bracket can benefit from the content. Three-year-olds might not fully grasp (retain) the information as quickly as a nine-year-old, but that’s okay. If you read Come and Play! Exploring Animal Friends time and again, one day, they’ll tell you the facts before you have a chance to read them. 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

I originally attended Pratt Institute for illustration. Then I became a self taught editor and multimedia producer. I received my MS in journalism from Columbia University in 2000 and made the film Dust to Dust: The Health Effects of 9/11, (Sundance Channel, 2006). I also pursue fine art painting. 

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