Tag Archives: picture book

July 14, 2022 · 7:00 am

Ruby’s Camping Adventure (Shiba of the North) by B.A. Tomka (Book Review)

Roasting marshmallows was the plan, until a rabbit hops by…

Ruby is a cute, cuddly Shiba Inu with a mind of her own and a knack for trouble. When Ruby gets lost in the forest on a camping trip with her best friend, Anna, she comes face-to-face with several forest animals who don’t welcome the fox-like dog. Through the darkness, Ruby searches for a kind friend who will see the little pup for who she really is.

Ruby’s Camping Adventure is a charming children’s book for young readers (ages 3 – 6) that will keep kids in suspense, while delivering a subtle message that stereotypes are hurtful.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 


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. The illustrations of Ruby and Shiba Inu were cute but not as cute as the real-life photos of the two. What an adorable duo! 

Natia Gogiashvili did a fantastic job illustrating all of Shiba Inu’s expressions. Without reading the text, you knew precisely what the dog was feeling. If you have a child who has difficulty reading emotional cues, these images would be a marvelous therapeutic tool. 

Shiba Inu is like most dogs; they love to chase things! Shiba Inu couldn’t resist chasing after a bunny in the forest, which led readers to meet some wildlife characters. For those teaching children the names of animals, several woodland creatures are featured in Ruby’s Camping Adventure. 

I do not have dogs, but I thought it was comical it preferred bacon and popcorn over freshly caught fish. I don’t blame the pooch; popcorn is delicious. Bacon, eh. It’s still better than unbreaded fish, though. 

If you have an early reader in your home, Ruby’s Camping Adventure would be an excellent book for your child to practice their reading skills with. There are a couple of tricky words, but it’s not a complex story to read. Most words are common except for boreal. That one might need explaining. I suggest showing them pictures of the northern lights. They are quite beautiful! 

I loved the B.A. Tomka included a pronunciation key for Shiba Inu because it would be a word that might trip up some early readers. I also liked how they defined Shiba Inu as well. According to the author, it’s a breed of hunting dog from Japan. 

Amazon’s recommended reading age is 3 – 6 years. Depending on your child’s reading level, even second graders could use Ruby’s Camping Adventure to sharpen their solo reading skills. 

I look forward to reading more works by B.A. Tomka.

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Authors

Mother-daughter writing team Bonnie and Anna Tomka — B.A. Tomka — live in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, with their Shiba Inu, Ruby, and two humans, Michael and Austin. The family shares a love of popcorn, bacon, and a good story. Their first book kicks off the Shiba of the North book series.

Reedsy Link

 

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July 4, 2022 · 7:00 am

Pensive Penelope Thinks About Words by Pat Blankenship (Book Review)

“Pensive Penelope woke up one day
Thinking about all the words she might say.
She thought she might mention the words in her head
When Mama and Papa got her out of bed.”

Filled with delightful rhyme and rhythm, this story follows Penny as she finds her voice in a matter of hours, moving quickly from easy basic words to complex concepts and ideas. And isn’t that exactly the way that works? Children go from making basic sounds to talking your ear off in what feels like no time at all!

Amazon Purchase Link

 

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

 

When you’re a parent, there’re many milestones you can’t wait for your child to reach: the first laugh, rolling over, the first step, feeding oneself, and the first word, to name a few. Each moment is filled with laughter, clapping, and shouts of glee from parents (sometimes from the child, too). 

When my children were (about) nine months old, they spoke their first word (Ma). Every day, their vocabulary was building and being shared with us, their parents. We were excited to wake up and see what our babies would say next. The toddler stage was connecting words, and then things got more interesting. This is when real conversations start to happen with our children. I loved this time. 

When kids start verbalizing more, they mimic sounds and words they hear. If you ever wonder if your child understands what you’re saying, this is the time when they parrot back your words. 

Pensive Penelope Thinks About Words by Pat Blankenship showcases all the words and thoughts that zip around a child’s brain and the excitement it brings to them and those around them when they finally can speak. 

Pensive Penelope Thinks About Words captured the realism of how tiring talking can be for a child and those listening to their chatter. I vividly recall when my kids learned to say, “Why?” Man, did they use that word often! “No” was also a favorite of theirs. 

Amazon recommends Pensive Penelope Thinks About Words by Pat Blankenship for birth to eight-year-olds. I think babies and toddlers will like the illustrations by Linden Eller. They were super cute! 

Preschoolers should be able to understand the happenings in the story, and school-age kids should be able to read most, if not all, the words with little to no assistance. 

I highly recommend parents share this book with their youngsters. 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Pat Blankenship: I am Leo, Gryffindor, first born, comfortable-casual clothes lover and a huge fan of kids. I am a yogi, a mother, a grandmother and a reader of newspapers and novels. I am an English major, a teacher, a retired lawyer and a writer.

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

 

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June 23, 2022 · 7:00 am

Hey Charlie, You’re Next!  by Michael B. Judkins (Book Spotlight / Author Interview)

 
Charlie finds himself in the midst of bullying on Basketball day at school and is unsure of how to speak up for himself. With a little bit of advice from his teacher and some hope, there is nothing that can tear him down.
​Hey Charlie, You’re Next offers readers a compelling story about overcoming negativity and gaining self confidence. It is the first book in the Hey Charlie series by Michael Judkins. Stay tune for the next books!
 
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon Purchase Link
add the goodreads
 
 
 
Meet the Author:
Michael B. Judkins, is a local creative residing in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania. He holds an Associate in Science in Journalism, Bachelor of Science in Human Services, and a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling with over 20 years in the field of Human Services.

Michael self-published his first poetry collection titled, “Introduction to Sentimental Me”. After the release of this collection, Michael was signed to Aois 21 Media publishing house which published his second poetry collection released title, “Interlude to Sentimental Me.” In addition, to the “I Stand- Podcast” and “Interlude to Sentimental Book Tour (Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C, Bethlehem Pa, and Allentown, PA) which also included a virtual book tour (blog sites).

During this time, Michael started his independent film career in 2016, as a script supervisor on a short film produced in the Lehigh Valley area of PA. This project opened the door for Michael in the local film industry in the Lehigh Valley. After this, Michael worked on several film projects throughout the next few years as production manager, production assistant, Key Grip, and Producer. Michael also has written, produced, and directed his first stage play titled, “Interlude to Sentimental Me Stage Play.”

 

Do you have another profession besides writing?

I’ve been a mental health therapist for the past 20 years. I worked in various settings ranging from outpatient, residential, community, Inpatient, and Correctional.

 

How long have you been writing?

My writing journey started in High School.  I’d write short stories and poems and would not share the writing. I wrote a poem on the back of a global studies test and my teacher read the poem and graded me an A.

 

Where do you write?

I like to write mostly on my desktop. I craft out ideas, storylines, and characters throughout my walking day, and when it’s time to write I have my outline.

 

What is your next project?

 I have a short film in post-production titled Lonely Girl. I’m working on the second series to Hey Charlie and editing a potential short film to produce.

 

What is your writing schedule?

I don’t have a writing schedule. I like to draft notes daily and build characters and storylines when something is moving me.  So, I guess every day lol.

 

connect with the author: 
website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ youtube ~ goodreads ~ bookbub
 
 
 
 
 

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June 16, 2022 · 7:27 am

The Elegant Emu (Adventures in Harmony) by Karen Bobos (Book Review)

The magical sisters are enrolled in an etiquette class when their manners are not fit for the king and queen of the enchanted land of Harmony. Can Elizabeth the Emu help the royal sisters?

In the beautiful and peaceful land of Harmony, three magical sisters and royal daughters of the land, uproot the kingdom’s tranquility with some not-so-polite actions —nose-picking, belching, and other noisy…expulsions. Their parents, the King and Queen, enroll the sisters in the elegant Elizabeth the Emu’s etiquette class where they learn manners and other ways to self-improve like being on time, politeness, and proper personal hygiene.

Elizabeth the Emu explains to Angel Scarlet, Princess Daphne, and Fairy Cora that having proper etiquette is more than good manners, it’s about being kind and courteous. And for the sisters? Well, let’s just say that they will be needing more than one lesson from Elizabeth the Emu’s etiquette class.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

 

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

 


Amazon has The Elegant Emu (Adventures in Harmony) by Karen Bobos for children 3 – 11 years. Children on the younger side will enjoy humorous moments such as burping and farting princesses. Oh, and let’s not forget Scarlett, digging for gold. Kids will crack up because those three things are always funny to a kid – big or small. 

Etiquette classes are not so common here in the states, but I imagine they are over in the UK, where royalty is a prominent fixture. When you read The Elegant Emu (Adventures in Harmony, it’s wise to ask your child(ren) or student(s) if they understand what etiquette means. Depending on the age of your reader/listener, several other words might need explaining: epitome, tranquility, drear, doting, and insight. 

I do believe some table manners are essential in any home. For instance, chew with your mouth closed and don’t talk with food in your mouth. I also think it’s unsafe to stab a piece of food with a knife and eat off of it. That’s an easy way to cut yourself! Hand washing should be encouraged, not just at meal times and not just for two seconds! My family already knew the happy birthday trick (singing it twice) regarding hand washing, but others may not, so this was a nice addition to the story. 

The final moments in the story made me smile. The poor Emu had a tough day at work, and it was sweet to see her hubby was waiting for her and drew her a bath. What a sweetheart! 

Special shout-out to Emily Hercock for your lovely illustrations. We loved them all, but Patrick the Peacock was our favorite drawing. 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

 

Meet the Author:

AUTHOR KAREN BOBOS

 
Bobos began writing poetry and stories at the early age of ten. She is a life-long Chicagoan who now raises her family in the downtown area. During the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic, Chicago also became a city of unrest. Trying to keep her three young daughters in a world of magic during such scary times, the Bobos Babes Adventures were born. Her goal was to create a world of Harmony for her family and hopefully for others to escape, even if only for a moment. The first book of the series, The Case of the Giggles, was published in December 2020. The Missing Egg launched in March 2021. The The Lion’s Secret was published in June 2021, a tribute to her mother and late father’s incredible love story.  The Lovey that Came to Life and The Bobcat Birthday party will be releasing in the upcoming months.​
 
connect with the author: 
website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
 
 

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June 14, 2022 · 7:00 am

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)


Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

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: ❤❤❤❤

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

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.

Reedsy Link

 

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