Review: Akash and Mila and the Big Jump by Anthony Delauney and illustrator Chiara Civati

Akash and Mila and the Big Jump, the fifth book in the Owning the Dash Kids' Book series, deals with a topic that many kids will connect with and hopefully open the door for conversation that encourage empowerment and support.

When best friends Akash and Mila start their first gymnastics class, they were excited and couldn't wait to participate and do as good as everyone else. When Akash took his turn and it didn't go as planned, the fear of not being successful and what others thought about him overwhelmed his optimism and he and Mila lose their desire to continue.

When two other classmates stepped in and tried to support and encouraged him, he gained the strength to face his fears and try again. Surprised by the outpouring of support and encouragement from the class of his accomplishment, this inspired Mila to jump right in and land perfectly.

What I love about this book is the message that it's alright not to succeed when you try something new. Even though it's natural to fear and give up, the best part of having supportive people around to encourage you is to show that you aren't alone. Fear and self esteem can influence each other especially with kids and their perspective of themselves. What a great story to share to teach them the importance of lifting each other up rather than tearing them down.

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Review: There's a Yeti in My Tummy by Meredith Rusu and Martín Morón (Illustrator)

Synopsis: What happens when your inner yeti comes out to play?

Matthew is a young boy with BIG, BIG feelings—so big it sometimes feels like there’s a YETI just bursting to get out! And when Mathew’s yeti comes to play, he’s bound to stay all day. That silly yeti comes out of Matthew’s feet, his nose, his hair, his burp, and even his BUTT!

Bound to make any child roar with laughter, There’s a Yeti in My Tummy teaches kids that strong feelings are okay, and so are their inner yetis. Along with Matthew, kids learn to channel those feelings in constructive, positive, and loving ways. And parents will pick up a few tips on language to help children understand when and how to rely on their inner yeti.

An imaginative and fun story told in delightful rhyme by Meredith Rusu and crazy-fun illustrations by Martín Morón, There’s a Yeti in My Tummy is a big, bold, instant classic.

There’s a Yeti in My Tummy is the first book in The Mighty Moods series from 4U2B Books & Media, where we strive to create resources that enable children to become joyful, compassionate, and brave, and that empower parents and adults to instill those qualities in children.

Review

There's a Yeti in My Tummy is a wonderful book that validates the big feelings that children have inside. Relatable with colorful illustrations, the book will make them laugh but give them a great takeaway that will help them understand how to navigate those emotions when it gets too big. It doesn’t matter whether at home or school, there’s nothing wrong with our inner yetis, just sometimes, we have to show them some love so things can be channeled differently.

Reading Age: Preschool - 2nd Grade

Pages: 40

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Review: Michael and Hannah and the Magic Money Tree by Anthony C. Delauney and Chiara Civati (Illustrator)

Michael and Hannah and the Magic Money Tree is the fourth book in the Owning the Dash Kids Book series by Anthony Delauney. In this book, the kids gain a wonderful lesson on money management. As Michael, Hannah and their friends get wowed by the magical money tree, they soon discover that it’s not all what it seems. With some teamwork and compromise, the children gain a wonderful lesson about the value of and earning money.

Another wonderful book in the series. I enjoyed this one because kids generally see money as something that is easy to get but don’t understand the hard work that goes into earning it or how it affects you when there’s not enough. There is a great message that they will get from this and wonderful characters that they can connect with.

If you haven’t read the series, this is a great one to add to your reading list.

Pages: 40

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Review: First Words of Christmas by Worthy Kids and Illustrated by Madeleine Marie

About the Book

Share the Nativity story one inspiring word at a time with this simple and engaging board book for babies and toddlers.

Perfect for curious little ones, this book tells the story of Christmas in bite-sized pieces to encourage word learning. Short sentences and colorful illustrations guide children through that beloved night—from Mary and Joseph's journey all the way to the arrival of the wise men—while each page highlights a new word found in the biblical account—such as star, manger, and angel. Whether you use this book to encourage language development or to introduce the story of Christmas to a special little one, it's sure to make a great gift.

Review

First Words of Christmas is a beautiful book that introduces the young reader to the story of Christmas. I love how with each major point of the story, there’s a word with a picture for them to see and learn what it is. This is a great way to identify their meaning by visually understanding them. This would be a great addition to your collection and revisit and reflect upon.

Pages: 20

Baby - 3 Years

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Review: The First Christmas Night by Keith Christopher and Christine Kornacki, Illustrator

About the Book

This gorgeously illustrated picture book features a lyrical retelling of the birth of Christ, written in the style of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.“‘Twas the very first Christmas when all through the town, not a creature was stirring — there was not a sound.”

This beautiful retelling of the birth of Jesus celebrates that joyous night in Bethlehem so long ago. The poem begins with the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem and moves through Christ’s birth, the angels’ appearance to the shepherds, and the visit by the Wise Men. The simple, yet elegant, verses will appeal to little ones and are accompanied by the rich oil illustrations of Christine Kornacki.

Review

The First Christmas Night is a beautiful book that captures the first Christmas night. Beautifully illustrated and comforting to read, it would be wonderful to be read aloud and bring their story alive. It captures the progression of events leading up to the birth of Jesus and the wise men. 

This is a good book to add to the collection.

Pages: 32

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Review: You Can Always Find One Kind Thing to Say! by Rebecca Atanassova

You Can Always Find One Kind Thing to Say! Is a cute book that encourages kindness. No matter who you are, there’s always something kind you can say to someone. It gives wonderful examples to show children situations where it can be extended. I love the encouragement of pursuing kindness whenever there is a moment that can be captured.

Overall, a wonderful book with a message that will help them not only be kind but teach awareness of others and the importance of how kindness not only benefits others but them also.

Pages: 24

Reading Age: 3 - 9