Tag Archives: nonfiction

TAG YOU’RE IT! by Jonathan Barnett (Book Review)

Tag for this father and daughter is definitely more than just a game. An exciting story for children and adults alike, Tag, You’re It explores life’s ups and downs through a simple game that’s been enjoyed through the ages. As father and daughter enjoy their nightly routine of playing tag, the conflict caused by ending the game each night, and the insight that can be gained, is celebrated in something as simple as a game of tag.

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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.

 

When I was younger, I recall playing two variations of tag every day on the playground: original and freeze. I had all the energy in the world and never wanted recess to end. Fast forward to adulthood, and I’m playing the game with my children, like the father in the story Tag You’re It! by Jonathan Tyler Barnett. 

Children grow up too fast; before you know it, they’ll want to hang out with their friends instead of their parents. Or, they’ll be off to work or college. Or they are starting a family of their own. Tag You’re It! shows how a father makes the most of his child’s younger years. It also shows how exhausting it is to keep up with a child who seems to have a tank full of gas 24-7. Kids are always on the move indoors and outdoors once they take their first step. I can empathize with the dad’s need to sit down and request a change in games. I was tired just watching them run around their home.

I adored the illustrations by Penny Weber. They truly brought the story to life. I could practically hear Sadie’s infectious giggle as her father chased after her. The father and daughter love each other very much, which shows in the adorable drawings. It’s also apparent in the images that the mom loves watching these two play together. As a mom, I also love watching my children play with their dad. 

Tag You’re It! was a true delight to read. The story’s core was only twenty-two pages short, making it the perfect size read for toddlers through four years of age. This story would also be an ideal choice for beginning readers. 

Your child will love the story and acting it out, too. In other words, get ready to read and run! 

 

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

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Meet the Author

Jonathan Tyler Barnett, self-published author of IngramSparks currently sells rank #1 in JUVENILE NONFICTION / Family / Multigenerational children/picture book titled “Tag You’re It!” Emergency RN, Father, Author, and Player of Tag!

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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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The Declutter Code: 10 Simple Steps to Clarity by Yvette Bowlin (Book Review)

 

Is your household busting at the seams with stuff everywhere? Has confusion and chaos at home and office become the norm? Are you facing anxiety and overwhelm with all the projects on your plate? Do your relationships suffer from all the demands you put on yourself and other people?

That’s all clutter–in mind, body, heart and home.

No matter what you do to clear the clutter from your life, does it always seem to creep back in?

If you’re nodding your head yes to any of these questions, this book is for you.

How do we begin to clean up our clutter? How do we regain clarity and peace? We lost it to overwhelming to-do lists, countless home- and work-life obligations, social media and cell phones. We lost it to keeping up with the Joneses.

So many books obsess over cleaning out drawers and closets to create an organized household, but that’s only scratching the surface of clutter. Those books miss the mark! There’s something else we have to clean first before we can declutter effectively. The mind.

Known to some as the bible for decluttering your life from the inside out, The Declutter Code is a 10-step journey that will transform how you deal with clutter. Using the same process that worked for herself and her clients, Yvette Bowlin walks you through clearing mental clutter like self-sabotage, stress, lies and limiting beliefs. Learn the secret behind your “clutter problem” so you can begin to deeply clear it away! Regain clarity and, quite possibly, your sanity.

 
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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
I agree with Yvette that we, as a whole, live a cluttered life. We also have difficulties simplifying our lives. This leads to stress, which leads to unhappiness. 
 
Yvette didn’t necessarily teach me anything new about what causes the “clutter” and how to “declutter” myself. (Sorry Yvette but I have been reading philosophy books since I was 19. 


BTW: Love the Lao Tzu quote. He is one of my favorite philosophers.) 
 
With that said, I do think she WILL TEACH many others how to quiet the chatter and live a more peaceful, less chaotic life. 
 
Her experiments might come across as challenging for some such as giving up tv, internet, everything, but it can be done.
 
Also, take her advice and try yoga or mediate. Folks, they really do calm the storm swirling around in our minds. 
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤
 
 
 
 

Yvette Bowlin has always been a student of the mind. It started with her undergraduate and Master’s work in Consumer Psychology and led to her studies of enlightenment and spirituality. Years of research and self-inquiry sent her down the path of discovering the root of our “clutter problem.” Her work has been featured on Huffington Post, Los Angeles Business Journal, several podcast interviews and more.

From observing herself and others, Bowlin has pinpointed the reasons most people keep themselves stuck in sabotage, suffering, struggle and stress. But we don’t have to stay stuck! Clutter stands in the way of peace, presence and clarity.

Bowlin learned the ‘art of hoarding’ early on in childhood, and has since been meticulous about decluttering her life. She’s created a simple process for doing just that, outlined in The Declutter Code: 10 Simple Steps to Clarity. The underlying premise of her book, seminars and speeches is that the most effective way to declutter is from the inside out—starting with the mind!

Also a certified yoga instructor, Bowlin loves to help others come into mind-body awareness to better facilitate deep decluttering. Read more about her at http://declutterist.com.

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