Tag Archives: race

Pete and Suzie by Samantha Ahearne (Book Review)

Pelicans and Seagulls are diving rivals and have been enemies for as long as anyone can remember. Pelicans and Seagulls are not alike. That is until Pete the Pelican and Suzie Seagull meet at morning yoga. Can these two very different birds become friends or will Suzie Seagull be eaten by a Pelican?

A heartwarming story about friendship and kindness.

Don’t judge a bird by it’s feathers!

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

Pete and Suzie is a fun read, showing how feathered enemies overcame differences and put aside a long-standing feud to become friends. 

 

The Pelicans and Seagulls have been enemies for as long as any feathered animal can remember. How or when the rivalry started is unknown; however, one incident cemented the dislike between the diving rivals: the fish nab at the (bird) Olympics. Oh, how I wish the pages dedicated to the “incident” were animated. I can’t be the only one who wants to watch various birds compete in synchronized swimming. I’d also like to see Sully the Seagull swoop down and relieve the Pelican of their fish. I can practically hear the gasps of horror from the Pelicans. The big-beaked birds never saw him (aka Sully) coming! 

The transition from this swimming scene to the present situation was not smooth. It almost felt like two different stories. As readers focus on the here and now, they quickly learn the birds may have similar physical characteristics but are not alike in many ways. Pelicans are quiet and love practicing in a neat line. Why? I have no idea. Seagulls are loud birds, which many young readers know from the animated film Nemo. The illustrator did a marvelous job showing readers how energic and “loud” seagulls can be. The up-close, squawking bird images deserve two thumbs up! 

The two water birds distanced themselves from one another until one sunny Saturday when Suzie Seagull’s brother double-dared her to talk to the Pelicans. Suzie didn’t bat an eye; she accepted his dare. If Suzie was scared, she never showed it. Her bravery was inspiring! As an introvert, I am not sure I could’ve spoken with the strangers without my anxiety levels rising. It’s good that she’s a brave bird because she (and we) learned so much from them. For example, we discovered what chakras are and what the seven colored chakras represent. Suzie’s visit also taught readers how to do a couple of yoga poses and breathing techniques that anyone can use to calm and center their mind. 

Of course, a tale of feuding birds wouldn’t be complete without a good old-fashioned misunderstanding. Without spoiling the fun, let’s just say that feathers were ruffled for no good reason. And the illustrations that bring this chaotic scene to life? They’re downright hilarious, especially when it comes to Suzie’s brother. What a drama king! 

Did the bird foes become friends? They sure did. I loved the scenes showcasing how they were not so different after all and the author’s adorable name choice for who made the birds’ beverages. Read the story for more details! 

Pete and Suzie is more than just a story about birds. It’s a lesson in empathy and understanding. It teaches us not to judge people without getting to know them, to be open to new friendships and experiences, and to put aside grudges and misunderstandings. It’s a call to kindness and unity, a reminder that we should build friendships, not walls.

Recommended reading age is 3-8 years.

 

Side note: “Seagulls” and Pelicans” were capitalized in the review to mimic how it was presented in the story.

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

 

Meet the Author

Samantha Ahearne is an eternal optimist, who hopes to inspire kindness and acceptance through her story writing. She was born and raised in London, England and now lives in Houston, Texas.
 

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Pete and Suzie and the Party Penguins by Samantha Ahearne (Book Review)

In Hazy Bay, the big debate concerns who might be the greatest diver of all time, a pelican or a seagull.

Imagine the disruption to the pelican seagull debate when penguins arrive to dive!

How will the pelicans and seagulls react to the new competition?

Don’t judge a bird by it’s feathers.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

 

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

 

The Hazy Bay newspaper’s headline read that the penguins were selected to dive this year at the Hazy Bay Sports Day. This revelation stunned the pelican and seagull community. The water birds had no idea what a penguin was and if they could perform better than them. They assumed penguins could fly, which young kids discover is false. The illustrations showing the birds looking up at the sky in search of the penguins were amusing. Readers will feel the birds’ confusion as they look left, right, and behind them without sighting these mysterious penguin guests flying toward them. The funny, illustrative scenes continue as we watch all three types of birds strike a yoga pose. Yes, you read that right—these birds practice yoga! And Puffy’s (the penguin) demonstration of how they got their name was adorable! Oh, and Puffy’s dance skills were quite the showstopper, too. I would love to see Puffy and Mumble (Happy Feet) engage in a dance-off!

The pelicans and seagulls made the mistake of judging the penguins without getting to know them. However, they learned a profound lesson as they watched the penguins perform their diving routine: you cannot judge a bird by looks alone. This lesson is not just for birds, but for all of us. It’s a gentle reminder not to form opinions based on appearances, but to take the time to get to know someone and then form an opinion based on how they treat you and others.

Pete and Suzie and the Party Penguins is a wonderful story that teaches kids to be kind to others, not judgy. It’s marked for children 4-8 years, but kids of all ages will love the comical illustrations and the penguin’s remarkable water performance. I recommend sharing this story with your family or students. Great message. Nice introduction to yoga and affirmations. Plus, funny illustrations that’ll have your little ones giggling.

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

 

Meet the Author

Samantha Ahearne is an eternal optimist, who hopes to inspire kindness and acceptance through her story writing. She was born and raised in London, England and now lives in Houston, Texas.
 

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Bobby the Bear and the Great Race by Ryan O’Connor (Book Review)

“We all want to win, but we must never cheat.” In a world growing ever more competitive, people sometimes will do anything to win, even if it means sacrificing a friendship. In the third book in the Bobby the Bear series, Bobby the Bear and the Great Race explores the important themes of sportsmanship and integrity. Bobby and his forest friends decide to hold a community-wide race to find out who is the fastest animal in the forest, and the event turns dramatic. Tanya the Tiger learns in a showdown with Rachel Rabbit that winning is not always the most important thing. The results of the race will prove that playing fairly and honestly is the way to preserve trust in a friendship.
 
 
 
 
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
 

It’s human nature to want to win. We strive to be the best and bask in the euphoric high of being crowned champion. While many people train or follow the rules, there are those whose need to prevail victorious can lead them to cheat. The third book in the Bobby the Bear series, Bobby the Bear and the Great Race, focuses on one animal who veered off the path and took a shortcut to victory and how their friends reacted when they discovered the truth. The picture book explores sportsmanship, integrity, and doing what’s right. Three qualities that shape how we handle ourselves in various situations.

Bobby the Bear and his friends are enjoying a sunny day in the forest when the topic comes up about who their group’s fastest animal is. Not every animal claimed to be the fastest, but only Tanya the Tiger was laughed at for proclaiming she was the quickest. The snickering could affect someone’s mood or actions; in Tanya’s case, the laughter caused them to make a wrong decision in the race. The smiling tiger took a shortcut to ensure they crossed the finish line first, needing to win so badly after the animals laughed at her.

Ready. Set. Go. Bobby the Bear and the Great Race is a remarkable story for blossoming independent readers. Through easy-to-read text, young kids learn that everyone would like to win, but no one can win every time. The lovely book informs kids that cheating is wrong and can affect friendships; the deceitful act might end a friendship permanently. Though losing can be hard, it can and will happen to us all. It’s important to be a good sport and try again next time.

Tanya the Tiger’s initial actions were wrong, but, in the end, she made the right decision and apologized for cheating. Tanya’s tale teaches kids to play fair, be a good sport, and try their best. It also shows the effects laughing at someone can have. Remember, be kind and supportive of one another!

I strongly recommend adding Bobby the Bear and the Great Race to your library. It teaches invaluable lessons for kids three and up. It’s also a visual delight for babies and toddlers, making it a must-have for any young reader’s collection.

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

Award-winning author and teacher Ryan O’Connor hails from Kansas, where his passion for writing and education developed. Ryan has spent the past fifteen years teaching English to students of all ages in the United States and China. After spending a decade living abroad, Ryan calls Kansas City home.

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

 

 

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Verbs on the Move: Adventures in Language Series, Book Three by G. L. Sinclair (Book Review)


Join the Verbs on the Move

Dive into an exciting adventure where storytelling meets language education! In “Verbs on the Move,” readers embark on a journey through vibrant tales that bring the world of verbs to life. This book seamlessly blends captivating stories with educational insights, making learning both fun and engaging.
Explore:

  • Action Verbs
  • Linking Verbs.
  • Helping (Auxiliary) Verbs:
  • Regular/Irregular Verbs
  • And more!

Join in this linguistic adventure and watch as verbs come alive, guiding you through life’s movements and challenges with kindness, playfulness, and purpose.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

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

 

G.L. Sinclair is the brilliant creator behind the Adventures in Language series. Punctuation Retreat, book one in the seriespresents information in a whimsical and fun way that entertains kids instead of their typical reaction to grammar lessons — yawns. Their last grammar book, Magical Noun Quest, helped elementary students discover the magic of nouns and how the world would crumble without them. This time, kids will dive into another exciting literary adventure, bringing the world of verbs to life. Action verbs. Linking verbs. Helping verbs. Transitive or intransitive verbs. The creator will educate and entertain their audience through a creative storyline and (sometimes) silly images. I snickered at the pink and purple elephant rocking a tutu as they danced through time with their comrades. The Verb Goblin looked adorable in his dictionary page-turned hat. It sparked a childhood memory of how we folded the weekend newspaper into hats that doubled as boats. There was so much to love about Verbs on the Move. Follow me as I summarize its eight chapters.

 

Alex was a curious ten-year-old who aspired to become a writer. He knew achieving his goals meant studying grammar. Today, Alex focused on verbs, the tiny but powerful words that made sentences come alive. As Alex relaxed in the treehouse with a book on verbs, his eyes grew heavy, and soon he was drifting off to sleep. No sooner had Alex closed his eyes in his fortress of solitude (aka the treehouse) than he was transported to Verb Village, where guests were about to discover which verb is the fastest. The racers had cutesy action word names, such as Running Rita and Dashing Dan. Even the race’s organizer had an action-infused name: Action Andy. The race was action-packed; unfortunately, readers won’t see any of it. However, there was a picture of the winning trophy, which had a unique feature. (No spoilers)

Alex’s time at Verb Village carried over into his next night’s sleep. Tonight’s mission is to assist Helping Harry in figuring out how to help the main verbs with the correct tense; a tedious mission unless you join Main Verb Mary’s learning game at the playground. Townspeople were leaping over exclamation point hedges, among other imaginative obstacles. Learning about present, past, and future verb tenses has never been this much fun! 

 

In chapter three, the Verb Goblin is being his mischievous self, turning verbs into nouns. We watch inanimate objects come to life, such as the table that sprouted arms and legs. I hoped more images were included featuring moments from the bizarre talent show, such as tables stacking dishes into towers or a joke courtesy of the winged stick of butter. But that said, kids will understand how to turn a noun into a verb through the writer’s creative storytelling. For example, by adding -ing to ‘book,’ the noun has been transformed into a verb (booking). 

 

As Alex’s adventure in Verb Village continues, we meet Stative Steve. Stative might be an unfamiliar literary term for most kids. It’s a verb that describes states of being. For example, if someone tells you they are feeling blue today, you understand they are sad. The author also explores transitive (verbs that need an object) and intransitive (verbs that don’t need an object), two more (possibly) confusing verb words. Transitive Tina and Intransitive Ian attempt to simplify a mind-twisting subject matter. Do they succeed in their quest? Yes, they do through (what I consider) a verb improv show. The performance might inspire classrooms to create an improv show. Wouldn’t that be fun! 

 

Alex’s journey into the land of verbs continues at The Greatest Verb Bake-Off. Like with the race, every contestant’s name begins with a verb. While the names were catchy, their unique skills captivated me the most. Mixing Mike’s arms spun like mixer beaters while Stirring Sarah dazzled audiences with pirouettes as she stirred not one…not two…but three bowls at once. Oh, how I would love for this scene… better yet, the entire book brought to life! It would be a perfect educational animated program for kids who enjoy cartoons like Wild Kratts or Magic School Bus. This chapter had to be my favorite. The chefs worked as a team to fix the Verb Goblin’s kitchen tricks. Read the story to find out what trick he played and how it affected the kitchen. Be ready to have your sweet tooth activated! 

 

I was amazed at the writer’s ability to develop scenes with witty dialogue that simplified the parts of speech. Whether we join Alex at the Verb Olympics, the racetrack, kitchen, playground, town square, festival, or other exciting areas in Verb Village, kids will realize verbs’ essential role in bringing sentences and stories to life! 

 

Verbs on the Move: Adventures in Language entertains and educates the audience through witty dialogue and action-packed scenes. It’s a must-have for your public or homeschool curriculum! 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

Meet the Author

I am an accountant by profession and have retired after many years of service. I always wanted to write a book. I developed a series of 6 books on punctuation/grammar for kids. This is a completely new experience for me, and I hope you like what I have written.

Amazon Author Page Link
Reedsy Author Link

 

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Fulami Wins The Race by Lamar Golden and Liana Golden (Book Review)

A sweet and inspirational story about a space girl who overcomes her weakness to achieve her goal.

This book will motivate your child to strive hard in all they do. Once you pick it up you will not want to put it down.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

 

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

Fulami, an elf with horns protruding from the top of her head, lives on Venesha, the largest planet in their universe. Fulami’s home planet somewhat resembled Earth. The illustrations showed lush greenery, colorful wildflowers, various creatures, and beautiful mountain ranges. Fulami’s town was much like many others; it had multiple stores, such as the cake shop, florist, bookstore, and grocery store. On one trip to the local grocery store, she saw a piece of paper floating by. It announced that there would be a “Young Creatures Relay Race” happening on Saturday. How exciting!

Fulami was overjoyed that her parents had signed her up for the race. Her excitement bubbled over when all her friends also agreed to participate in the race. Fulami and her friends practiced hard for the event, but the outcome differed from what Fulami expected. She could’ve sulked and vowed never to race again. She could have, BUT she didn’t. Fulami’s story shows readers that practice, patience, a positive attitude, and hard work can help them achieve their goals. Fulami also demonstrated how one should act if a person doesn’t win or perform as well as they hoped. Follow Fulami’s example—congratulate the winners because they worked hard to earn the trophy. Smile knowing that you did your best and should be proud of yourself for giving it your all.

Fulami did not hang up her sneakers and refused to try again. No, she got back out there and practiced even more, this time with her parents. Fulami is a great role model!

I loved the story’s vibrant colors. I also liked the alien animals peeking around plants, between leaves, and over flowers. It was like they were playing hide-and-seek with the reader. I also liked the trail of gold twinkling lights that floated around the characters on every page. I even like the panda-themed trash can!

I recommend sharing this story with kids aged 2-9.

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Authors

Lamar:  I am a Navy Veteran who has traveled the world, met wonderful people and have enjoyed the culture, diversity and cuisines from around the world. I enjoy making up stories with my daughter to pass time and love to smoke ribs, brisket and any other meat or fish that I think would taste good.

I love hunting and fishing and believe in passing on lessons learned down to the younger generation. My motto is reach for the stars and see where it takes you.

 

Liana:  Second grade student who enjoys playing with friends, going to KidZania & Disneyland, learning at school and spending time with my mom and dad.  I love the zoo, learning about nature which my dad alw

 

Social Media Handles

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

 

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized