Tag Archives: review

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

In this adorable tale, Pebbles wants to know what is the best number, so the butterfly takes flight in search of the answer. Every page weaves educational and fun facts during Pebbles’s visit to various locations: desert, tropical rainforest, the beach, snowy mountains, and even space.

Children will walk away from this book with a greater knowledge of many science, math, and animal facts. Maybe even adults will learn a thing or two as well! For example: “The hottest recorded temperature on Earth was 134 degrees Fahrenheit (57 degrees Celsius). It was measured in a California desert on July 10, 1913.” I didn’t know the following fun fact: “A standard American light bulb uses 120 volts of electricity. That means an electric eel could power 5 light bulbs.” And this math fact will blow children’s minds: “1 octillion has 27 zeros. It looks like this: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.”

I don’t want to disclose every fun fact, but the following science fact was fascinating, with droughts reported worldwide. “Most thunderstorm clouds hold more than 4 billion cups (1 billion liters) of water. Two of these clouds could provide every person on Earth with one cup of water!”

Children, parents, and educators will adore Pebbles and the Biggest by Joey Benun for many reasons. It has stunning illustrations, a storyline that draws in the reader, and it educates as it entertains young minds (5 and older). While the text is too difficult for babies and toddlers, I bet they’ll still love looking at the beautifully drawn images by Laura Watson. There are so many to admire, each more stunning than the last.

Pebbles and the Biggest Number has components that reach a wide variety of age groups, but I would recommend this lovely book to school-age children for overall comprehension. Finally, I would suggest reading “Dig Deeper,” which addresses the terminology and numbers in the story.

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

Meet the Author

Joey Benun has always thought BIG. His fascination with numbers began when he was five years old—the bigger, the better. Years later, a fortuitous conversation with his niece and nephews inspired him to write a book about BIG numbers for little kids. Thus, Pebbles and the Biggest Number was born

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Tagged as animals, biomes, children's book, Children's Environment & Ecology Books, educational, educators, elementary school, facts, fun facts, glossary, math, numbers, review, science, temperatures, trivia, young readers

January 2, 2023 · 7:00 am

The Mayor of Mardi Gras: A Memoir by Gregory L Fischer (Book Review)

New Orleans Mardi Gras parades date back to 1857. Many people attend Mardi Gras. Fewer people participate as members of a krewe, and still fewer work year-round as artists and float builders. My cousin McKinley “Mackie” J. Cantrell, III was one of the artists and builders who worked full-time to bring Mardi Gras to life. A third-generation float builder, Mackie’s grandfather began building floats during the Great Depression. By the mid-70s, “Big Mac” Cantrell had his own company, called McKinley J. Cantrell and Son and was captain of his own parade, the Krewe of Mardi Gras. Cantrell Floats lives on today, but Mackie died suddenly two days after Christmas in 2021. He was forty-seven. He was more of a brother to me, a mentor, who took me on to work with him for an entire year of Carnival preparation in 2011-12. This book is a telling of all my great memories of Mackie. It is a rare glimpse into New Orleans life from an artist’s perspective. As Mackie would say, “It’s a true story, stab-ah.”

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

The Cantrell family has a long history with Madris Gras, dating back to the Great Depression. Their legacy is quite impressive. In The Mayor of Mardi Gras: A Memoir, Gregory Fischer shares fond memories and photos of Mackie Cantrell, his cousin – best friend – and honorary brother.

Every page is a tribute to the man Gregory lost just two short days after Christmas 2021. If you ever have lost someone, you know the pain Mackie’s friends and family have experienced and probably are still experiencing. I didn’t know Mackie, but I felt like I did through Gregory’s storytelling.

Mackie was a Renaissance man, a person with many talents or areas of knowledge. He was an athlete in high school (football and wrestling), an artist, a musician, a singer, a songwriter, and loved books. His favorite was The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. He could snowboard, rode a wakeboard like a pro, and welds. His artistic ability amazed me. I was blown away by the Flintstone vehicle. I could not fathom how in the world he created it. Just WOW!

I’ve been to New Orleans, but I have not enjoyed the thrill of the Carnival Ball. I have seen photographs and news reports on the celebration but never really thought about the time it takes to bring a design to life or the toll it takes on a person’s body to create these elaborate floats and props. At Mackie’s passing, he made hundreds of floats and props. From the photos, he loved every moment he spent sweating over constructing and final touch-ups.

Unfortunately, all parades were canceled in 2021 due to covid. Gregory stated Mackie worried about what 2022 would look like. Would they come back? Mackie’s work will be cherished and admired for years to come. His presence will be felt every year during Mardi Gras. And Mackie will be close to those in spirit—never far from Gregory’s thoughts.

Besides learning much about Mackie, I learned a few things about Mardi Gras floats. One, the first float rolled out in 1857. And two, the floats have a port-a-potty on them. Fascinating!

This book is a joy for anyone to read!

I want to end my review with parting words…

“I’m here for you. Come around anytime. You know where to find me.”

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

Meet the Author

Author Gregory L Fischer is a former Editor-In-Chief of the Weekly Citizen, The Chief, and the Post-South newspapers in Louisiana. He is currently the owner of Make It Write, a publishing services company in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he lives with his wife and stepchildren.

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Tagged as art, artist, builders, celebration, costumes, covid, family, festivity, floats, history, holiday tradition, Mardi Gras, masks, memoir, memories, New Orleans, pandemic, parades, party, photos, real stories, review, sculpture

December 21, 2022 · 7:00 am

The Littlest Dinosaur’s First Christmas by Steven Kothlow and Bryce Raffle (Book Review)

The Littlest Dinosaur is excited to play in the snow for the first time. He wishes he could play in the snow forever, but Christmas is a busy time of year, and Mama Tyrannosaur has plans for those presents under the tree!

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

I don’t recall playing with dinosaurs as a child, but I am a huge dinosaur fan as an adult. They are fascinating creatures.

The Littlest Dinosaur’s First Christmas had the most adorable illustrations. I loved the snow globe and wish it was real and for sale! Ty the Tyrannosaur was cute with his sock hat, scarf, and ice skates. He looked so relaxed, gliding across the ice. You almost forget he’s a carnivore and supposed to be feared.

After the dinosaurs went home, they were too excited to sleep. Visions of presents under the tree kept them awake. Kids and parents will relate to this predicament.

Christmas morning, the family went to deliver gifts to others. What a generous idea! It was then we met a Baryonyx. The name might not be familiar to some people, but if you watch Jurassic World, you’d recognize it.

Christmas is more than just getting gifts; it’s about giving and helping those around you have a happy holiday. This sweet children’s story should inspire kids to spread Christmas cheer.

Merry Christmas!

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

Meet the Authors

Authors with dinos

Bryce Raffle was the lead writer for the video game studio Ironclad Games. He also writes stories for young adults and designs book covers.

Steven Kothlow is making his debut as a children’s book writer. He hopes to tell many more stories that help spread a message of diversity and inclusion especially in children’s literature.

Tessa Verplancke is a sound designer by day and an illustrator by night. She lives to tell stories through as many mediums as possible.

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Tagged as charity, Christmas, community, dinosaur, dinsosaurs, family, first Christmas, friends, gifts, giving to others, Happy Holidays, helping others, Holidays, ice skating, presents, review, tree

December 9, 2022 · 7:00 am

Coney – A Trip to Luna Park by Jeffrey Lindberg (Book Review)

It is 1904, and a new amusement park is being built in Coney Island. Unfortunately, the construction is happening right on the dunes that Selena, a scrappy little rabbit, calls home! From her trolley car one day, Millie spots Selena, and the two become fast friends. Together, they discover and confront the men and the machines that are doing something extraordinary– building a modern, even futuristic, theme park – while also doing something destructive to the land and its inhabitants. Their mission to save Selena’s home becomes quite an adventure!

Filled with historical accuracy and a captivating tale in and of itself, this book takes readers on a ride through the old Coney Island. We follow Selena and Millie as they explore the sights and thrills of Luna Park for the first time. Against the fantastic and extravagant backdrop of creator Fred Thompson’s Luna Park, the story reaches a dramatic height in the nighttime Coney Island, lit up by thousands of Edison bulbs! We hold our breath as they also encounter the “mean” men with the bulldozers. Can Millie and Selena preserve the land and still reach for the stars?

Join Millie and Selena for a trip back in time to Luna Park, when for a few pennies, you could travel all the way to the MOON!

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

Coney – A Trip to Luna Park by Jeffrey Lindberg was a period piece based on clothing and design that also contained elements based on fantasy. The flying boat was a cool idea but, sadly, not an actual mode of transportation. Yet. But if and when this becomes a reality, I’m buying a ticket!

Okay, I wouldn’t encourage my daughter to play a prank on someone to teach them a lesson about being nice. However, I did find it amusing the tricks Millie and Selena played on the mean man in the suit (Skip). The exploding cake was humorous.

I would tell your young listeners never to try these stunts at home. Fire is dangerous, and so is making someone trip on a high structure. Plus, pulling pranks could land you in hot water!

In Coney – A Trip to Luna Park, Selena’s home is in jeopardy due to construction. In real life, many animals lose their homes to humans. Rest assured, Selena got her happy ending. Skip learns to be nice to people and animals. And everyone lived happily ever after.

Coney – A Trip to Luna Park by Jeffrey Lindberg offers the viewing audience suspense, adventure, and comedy with a fantasy twist. Children too young to understand the dialogue and plot have plenty of animals in the story for them to look at. Jeffrey Lindberg did a remarkable job on every single image. Each page was beautifully designed.

I will be recommending Coney – A Trip to Luna Park by Jeffrey Lindberg to family, friends, and our local library.

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

About the Author

Jeffrey Lindberg is a professional illustrator and author whose new book is Coney – A Trip to Luna Park is forthcoming from Flying Rabbit Press in early fall, 2022. Coney is a 48-page, fully illustrated picture book; it will be printed offset in hardcover.

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Tagged as action, adventure, animals, children's book, historical fiction, humor, picture book, pranks, rabbit, review, suspense, young readers

December 3, 2022 · 7:00 am

Around The World with Moby- My First Trip! by Muzna Kazim (Book Review)

Around the World with Moby is about an awesome 8-year-old-boy with autism who suffers from travel anxiety. Moby is always scared to explore new things or go on a vacation. His parents were concerned that Moby is missing out on many new learning experiences as he likes to just stay at home and repeat the same schedule every single day. So, they decide to take him out on a short vacation to Minneapolis, Minnesota. A trip that includes a 3-hour flight, a hotel-stay and exploring the city of Minneapolis. The parents prepared for his trip by implementing helpful tools to cope with his fear and anxiety.

Will these tools help Moby stay calm?

Will they enable him to adapt to a brief change in his daily schedule?

Will he have fun?

Let’s find out in the story.

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

Adults have anxiety about traveling, so it’s not a far leap to think children would suffer from the same issue.

In Around The World with Moby- My First Trip! by Muzna Kazim, we meet Moby, an 8-year-old with autism who fears traveling. Moby’s Mama tries to soothe his fears. She tells him the trip to Minneapolis is only temporary. She gives him a calendar so he can prepare for the upcoming event. She read him stories about plane rides. They watch videos together. His Mama’s thoughtful and helpful ideas ease Moby’s fear and anxiety. When they reach the airport, Mama has more tricks to help her autistic child through this sensory-overloading adventure. Now, Moby’s Mama wasn’t the only one helping Moby feel calm during the adventure. His Dad was there, discussing the mechanics of the plane, which kept Moby’s mind at peace. What a blessed family!

The excursion was not smooth sailing. Bumps in the road will occur whether a child is on the autism spectrum or not. However, suppose they are, Around The World with Moby- My First Trip! gives parents valuable tools to help their child prepare for a trip, helps a child handle new experiences and challenges, and even shows families all the fun you can have in Minneapolis. There are even pages dedicated to when they came home. The ‘after the trip” events were just as important as the ‘let’s prepare for the trip’ sections. You don’t have to have an autistic child to benefit from any idea in the book. All children feel stress over new situations!

Around The World with Moby- My First Trip! by Muzna Kazim is a remarkable book. The illustrations by Rabindra Nath Barman were big, bold, and colorful and elevated an already fantastic story.

I recommend that families and schools add this book to their libraries.

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

Meet the Author

San Diego based author Muzna Kazim completed her Master’s in Public Health from National University in 2016. She majored in Health Promotion with a research study in Autism. She worked as a Behavior Interventionist for kids with autism and advocates inclusivity and equal opportunities for them.