Review: Joy to the World by Pamela Kennedy

Cute and festive, we tag along with the Veggie Tales for their Christmas show. With solo performances, songs performed and a reenactment of the First Christmas, their excitement infectious, brings joy to everyone showing them the importance of Christmas.

These books are such a joy to read. Colorful and brings a smile to the face. What a nice story to share with each other for the holidays.

If you’re not familiar with this series, make sure you check out the other wonderful books.

This book has 20 pages.

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Review: But Why...?: "do I have to get vaccinated" by Susan Kumar (But Why? Stem Series)

Kids are naturally curious. With this global disease that has changed the course of our lives from the past couple of years, here's a book that tries to relate the importance of vaccinations and protocols where kids can understand. It's beautiful illustrations and message shows other kids the bravery of this young girl who learns and go through the process of being vaccinated. It has good information and answers questions to hopefully satisfy their curiosity and relate important information in terms that are comprehensive to them

Overall, cute book with a wonderful message. This is part of a wonderful series that includes other books that address other topics related that will help them learn more and inspire conversation between you.

You can grab your copy on Amazon

Review: Lily and May: Learn Why Mom and Dad Work by Anthony C. Delauney and illustrated by Chiara Civati

If you are unfamiliar with the Owning the Dash series, please check out the first book, Dash and Nikki and the Jelly Bean Game. This is a wonderful series created for kids that teaches them financial lessons that will help them in their lives. The second book, Lily and May: Learn Why Mom and Dad Work shares a beautiful story helping them understand why their parents go to work and how their family benefits from the money they earn.

Just like the first book, I really enjoyed this family and how this important lesson was taught to their children. From its beautiful cover and illustrations, the book is complemented with a story that not only your kids will love but you as well. They learn the benefits of work and how the role of money helps their family. Also helpful with illustrations of services and things that we are responsible for and goals for the future. This overall wonderful lesson teaches them how work and earning money allows them the chance to enjoy life together.

Another wonderful book to the series that not only gives you a wonderful read but great takeaway lessons for them to learn.

Pages: 38

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Review: A Flood of Kindness by Ellen Leventhal and Illustrated by Blythe Russo

Summary

Perfect for all children experiencing loss or grief, A Flood of Kindness gracefully confronts difficult feelings and celebrates the healing power of kindness.

"The night the river jumped its banks, everything changed."

So begins A Flood of Kindness, a poignant picture book that addresses grief and loss and demonstrates how kindness can bring hope. Written in spare prose and told from an intimate first-person point of view, the story follows Charlotte, a young girl who watches floodwaters rise in her home and is forced to evacuate to a shelter with her parents. Kind people she doesn't know give her food, socks and shoes to keep her feet warm, and a place to sleep. As Charlotte adjusts to the shelter—a strange, crowded place that is not home—she grapples with feelings of anger and sadness. But as the days go by, Charlotte starts to realize how grateful she is for the things that she does have—her parents, a cot to sleep on, food to eat—and starts looking for ways to help others in the shelter.
All children deal with sadness and loss in some way, whether it stems from a natural disaster, the death of a pet, or moving to a new place. A Flood of Kindness acknowledges those difficult feelings and helps readers process them in a healthy way. Children will be encouraged to be kind to those who need a friend and to help others in whatever way they can, no matter how small.

Review

A Flood of Kindness is a beautiful story sharing the experience of a child being displaced by a flood. She goes through every emotion and is trying to work her way through understanding that her current situation is necessary but temporary. This has such a wonderful message being how children in times such as this don't understand leaving all that is familiar to you to the unknown. No matter how hard things might be, there are always people there to extend themselves. I love how everyone at the shelter, despite not having much, has everything to give including themselves. This presents such a wonderful lesson on being there for each other and making sacrifices for others who may need something you have more. Through dealing with her pain of loss and uncertainty, she gains the experience of strangers and their kindness, inspiring her to do the same.  

Pages: 32

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Review: You Wonder All the Time by by Deborah Farmer Kris and illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin

Summary

“Where do colors go at night, and why do shadows creep?” You Wonder All the Time celebrates curiosity and the thought-provoking questions children ask and supports them as they continue to learn. “Will you stay curious as you grow? It’s a brilliant part of you!”

Asking questions is an important part of learning that helps children grow and understand the world. Inspired by and containing questions from real kids, You Wonder All the Time explores and affirms all the questions children ask. The book features a series of engaging, playful, and curious what, when, where, why, and how questions from the child to the adult. “What if we rode a T-Rex and shook the forest floor?”

Its charming rhyme and heartwarming message that children’s many questions are welcomed and their wondering is loved make the book perfect for storytime, home, and the preschool classroom.

Review

You Wonder All the Time is a wonderful book in the All the Time series. If you haven't discovered this wonderful series, please check out the other books as well. In You Wonder All the Time, we see the best of a child's curiosity with one that asks endless questions. For some, it may test their patience but as we see in the book what happens when that curiosity is nurtured. It can be a wonderful experience that promotes knowledge and can be fun. The colorful illustrations make the book fun and engaging. My favorite part is how the child is encouraged by his mother and also assured that if she can't answer, they will explore together. So many kids get discouraged when their questions are turned away but when you have someone that promotes their enthusiasm to learn, you plant the seed for their mind to be limitless.

Pages: 32

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Audio Review: Good Night Owl by Greg Pizzoli

Summary

Owl tries his best to wrap up his night and settle in for a long sleep–after moving past a few bumps in the road—in this Geisel Honor-winning, giggle-worthy bedtime story.

Will Owl ever get a good night's sleep? He's ready for bed, but as soon as he settles in, he hears a strange noise. He looks everywhere—in his cupboard, underneath the floorboards—even in his walls. He'll never get to sleep unless he can figure out what's going on! But as he's busy tearing his house apart, he doesn't notice one tiny, squeaky, mouse-shaped detail—the culprit!

Every observant young reader will point again and again to the answer to Owl's persistent question, laughing all along the way. From the creator of The Watermelon Seed comes another pitch-perfect tale that's empowering, engaging, and entertaining.

Review

This was such a wonderful audiobook. The narrator did a wonderful job entertaining with the various inflections that made the story so engaging. He made such a good distinction of the characters with his voice that it was so natural to follow along. The transitions pique your curiosity. The sound effects complement the narrative. With seeing the visual, this really captures the imagination. This cute story would be a lovely bedtime listen.

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