Ten Little Sea Turtles by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Such a cute counting book. I loved the artwork, so beautiful, I had to look at each page thoroughly to take it all in. At the end, the search and find game is a nice touch to help kids count and play. I also really loved the facts about sea turtles, there were a couple as an adult that I actually didn’t know, so it is a fun book of learning for all ages.
Ten Little Sandpipers by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ten Little Sandpipers is a children’s book by Kim Ann that explores counting through animals. We get to go along with the sandpipers as they go about their day. We count them while they are having fun on the beach. Children get to see the things sandpipers get into while learning to count. The illustrations are beautiful. Children will love reciting the rhymes. Parents will appreciate all the facts that their little ones are learning.
Ten Little Starfish: Ocean and Marine Life Books for Children by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ten Little Starfish is the second book in the Marine Life Counting Collection series by Kim Ann. This book takes you on an adventure while counting starfish. The colorful illustrations will grab your child’s attention. The rhyming will help them to have fun while learning all about starfish. There are even more facts in the back of the book. This is a creative and fun way for children to learn to count while developing a love for ocean life. I think that this book and series will be read over and over.
Ten Little Sea Turtles: Ocean and Marine Life Books for Children by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ten Little Sea Turtles is a children’s book by Kim Ann. This is the third book in the Marine Life Counting Collection. We go from one to ten, following the appropriate number of sea turtles while they go about their day. The book has cute rhymes that children can follow while learning about what a sea turtle would do during its day. The illustrations are fun. This is a great book to start teaching your children about counting and the habits of sea turtles/the ocean.
Oscar and Emmy Weather a Hurricane by Terri Sabol
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Oscar and Emmy are at it again, this time they are teaching us how to weather a storm. My 7 year old daughter really enjoyed Oscar and Emmy Weather a Hurricane. She was very interested in what kind of things should be prepared in case of emergent weather. The book was just long enough to be engaging while being educational with wonderful illustrations.
Oscar and Emmy’s First Christmas: An adorable Christmas story of two kittens enjoying the holidays. Christmas cat book. by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have enjoyed all of the books that form part of this series so far, but I think this one must be my favourite so far. Partly, this is due to the fact my kids enjoyed it the most, with the Christmas theme to this one. They loved following the adventures of Oscar and Emmy during the festive period. It is also partly because of the images in this book. The whole series has been full of vivid and brilliant illustrations but the ones in this book are just incredible. They really bring the whole story to life and reinforce the festive feeling this books holds. The book was fun to read, and it one we have already read multiple times. We are all looking forward to what else is to come next.
Oscar and Emmy Weather a Hurricane by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is another fantastic addition to the adventures of Oscar and Emmy. I really do enjoy the way that the author tells these stories through the eyes of the cats, and how entertaining she makes it. It perfectly engages the intended audience with a fun yet educational story.
The illustrations are imaginative and beautifully drawn. They really bring the story to life and make it easy to picture everything that is going on. This book was another success in our house and I am looking forward to see what these cats will get up to next.
Oscar and Emmy Weather a Hurricane by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another adventure with Oscar and Emmy as the children help prepare emergency boxes for their pets while a hurricane is on the way. Well thought out about how to keep you pets safe and waiting out an impending storm.
This was another great story from in the Oscar and Emmy series. It is a well thought out book with a great way to open dialogue about the care of pets with young children. Wonderful illustrations.
The Puppy Adventures of Porter and Midge: Out and About by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
2.5 – 3 Stars
The Puppy Adventures of Porter and Midge: Out and About is the first book in the Porter and Midge Series by Jennie Chen & Giselle Nevada. I have come into the series a little backwards, starting on Book #4 and working my way back. Luckily each book in the series can be read as a standalone, as each one contains its own ‘adventure’/lessons.
I could tell right away that this is the first book in the series as it is a lot ‘busier’, ‘wordier’, and a bit of an ‘information’ and image overload. There was so much going on in each illustration, with so many smaller more ‘intricate’ details- as well as the ‘wordier’ story printed over the illustrations- making for a bit of a ‘cluttered’, chaotic look and feel.
While the information contained in the story was interesting, and helpful for people wanting to train/socialize the new fur-members of their family (vet checks, vaccinations, socialization, training, instilling confidence, building resilience etc)- unfortunately most of that was lost amongst all the ‘clutter’. And while the illustrations were neat- they don’t have the same cute and engaging quality of the later books (Books #2 – #5- and although Book #5 isn’t out yet I had a look at the cover, and it has the same ‘cute’ illustrations that we love). The illustrations that do accompany this instalment, I feel, don’t help to reinforce the ‘lessons’ in the book, or really ‘engage’ the reader. They are well-drawn and somewhat colourful, but because there is so much going on in them, with so much ‘detailing’ it felt more like a ‘Where’s Waldo/Where’s Wally’ puzzle book than a children’s puppy adventure story. I hope I am making sense here….
This instalment also lacks the great ‘rhyming rhythm’ of the storytelling in the other books, which makes them so much more engaging and enjoyable than this one.
I Thought that it might just be my opinion, but when I tried reading the story to my grandchildren (aged between 3years and 8 years), which I have done with all the other books in the series (and they have loved)- they didn’t even make it to the second page before they lost interest with this one, and started talking over the story, wondering why Porter, Midge, CJ, and Lora didn’t ‘look’ the same as the other books. That’s all they seemed to focus on…
Looking forward to getting back to the ‘Porter and Midge’ style we love- with ‘Paws and Pastries’ (Porter and Midge: Paws and Pastries: A Kid’s Guide to Homemade Dog Treats – Book #5).
Happy Reading…
Thank you, Jennie Chen & Giselle Nevada!
Reviewed by @angelahayes
The Puppy Adventures of Porter and Midge: Out and About by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Puppy Adventures of Porter and Midge: Out and About is a great way for kids to learn about animal care and their welfare when out and about in the public or just learning basic needs in everyday life.
This fun and engaging story has beautiful illustrations that help kids see what is being narrated and gives them a better appreciation of the story.
Giselle and Jennie also provide a checklist to use if you so choose on things to do and where you can take you puppies to help them on the right track to being their best selves.
Reviewed by @jennadb
The Puppy Adventures of Porter and Midge: Out and About by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Nevada and Chen have gone above and beyond AGAIN in this book to show what it takes to raise and train puppies. I cannot say enough about these two authors and how much research and time they put into their books to show not only kids but adults as well what is needed when deciding whether or not to get a pet. This installment focuses on the socialization aspect of pet ownership and the ups and downs of it and what you can do as a responsible pet owner. I love how thorough they are and the illustrations are phenomenal. They also do a fantastic job of weaving a story in as well.
Reviewed by @meggs1717
Ten Little Sandpipers by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ten Little Sandpipers by Kim Ann- review by Karrie Sears
Fun and interactive book for the younger readers (0-4 years) learning to count. Well written and great facts about sandpipers towards the end. The find and seek game at the end is well done. A quick little read before bedtime or nap time. Definitely recommend!
Ten Little Sandpipers , Kim Ann, Review, Itsy Bitsy Book Bits, Kids, Family
Karrie Sears
June 2024
Ten Little Starfish: Ocean and Marine Life Books for Children by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ten Little Starfish by Kim Ann – Review by Karrie Sears
Beautiful colors and well written. Easy read for little ones before bed, nap time or anytime. The tidbits of information on Starfish to help jump start knowledge on little ones is fantastic. I like that fact there is a song that can be played even if you’re not reading the book. Definitely one I’ll be reading to my littles.
Ten Little Starfish, Kim Ann, Review, Itsy Bitsy Book Bits, Kids, Family
Karrie Sears
June 2024
Ten Little Sea Turtles: Ocean and Marine Life Books for Children by Kim Ann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ten Little Sea Turtles (A Counting Collection) by Kim Ann – Review by
by Karrie Sears
This is such a fun and cute counting book. The story is so well written with the rhymes and ease of understanding for little ones. Most definitely going to be a go to for when the little ones are over. The fun facts about Sea turtles are a great addition. The illustrations for this children’s book are excellent! The QR code at the end with the song is a great idea!
Ten Little Sea Turtles, A Counting Collection, Kim Ann, Review, Itsy Bitsy Book Bits, Kids,Family
Karrie Sears June 2024
The Puppy Adventures of Porter and Midge: Out and About by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
As a parent or pet owner, you’re likely looking for a children’s book that not only entertains but also educates kids about responsible pet ownership. “The Puppy Adventures of Porter and Midge: Out and About” by Giselle Nevada and Jennie Chen is an excellent choice! This engaging tale follows CJ and Lora as they embark on a journey to train their puppies, Porter and Midge, for the Independence Day Parade. The story is both fun and informative, teaching kids the importance of early socialization and training for puppies.
What sets this book apart is its ability to balance entertainment with education. The colorful illustrations and lovable puppy characters will captivate young readers, while the helpful checklists and real-life adventures encourage kids to participate in their own pet’s socialization. The story is also relatable, as it highlights the challenges and rewards of training a puppy, but can be a little wordy at times.
The Puppy Adventures of Porter and Midge: Out and About by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was quite the adventure. My grandson and I read this. He had a lot of questions about why they were training, etc. We love these stories. They are fun and they teach so much information. The pictures will gain your child’s attention. I really enjoyed how the story incorporated real challenges into the story and made them seem like normal events and how they were handled. A wonder addition for dog families.
Opposite Day for Dinopotamus by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3 Stars
Opposite Day For Dinopotamus is the third book in the Dinopotamus series by Lois Wickstrom. It’s a fun children’s storybook, with cute (naïve style) illustrations that help to ‘teach’ children what ‘opposite’ means, giving many examples.
Dinopotamus and all his classmates learn to do the opposite of what the teacher says. Having a bit of an adventure along the way.
This is a very quick and easy read. My grandson loves dinosaurs and he enjoyed the story.
Happy reading.
Reviewed by @angelahayes
.•°*°•. BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE .•°*°•.Bookbub – The Puppy Adventures of Porter and Midge: Out and About (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada
Jennie Chen has been active in purpose bred dogs since 2001 earning over 75 titles in conformation, competitive obedience, rally, herding, lure coursing, weight pull, drafting, water rescue, packing, and animal assisted therapy. Her first AKC Champion was a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Ch Dixieland Blazing Maximus, CGC, HIT, SS, SWET, WETT, HIC, WETX, WTXX, WPD, DD, WWDS, RN, CD, THDA, VGS, 2017 GSMDCA Ambassador of the Breed, “Mouse.” Mouse was the first Greater Swiss Mountain Dog to earn any Water Rescue titles, and he was spokesdog for the Keep Austin Dog Friendly trend for many years appearing in magazines, news clips, and serving the community as an animal assisted therapy dog. Keep Austin Dog Friendly was nominated for a Webby Award in 2016.
In addition to Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, she also owns a pride of Lowchen or The Little Lion Dogs. In 2019, she piloted her Lowchen, GCHS Musicbox Got Your Six at Roman Reign “Target” to #1 All-Systems, #1 OH for 2019 and 2020. Target went on to win the Breed at the AKC National Championship in 2019, Westminster in 2020, and Best in Specialty Show in 2021.
Jennie has served on various board and committee positions in the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Club of America, the Lowchen Club of America, as well as regional Newfoundland and Bernese Mountain Dog Clubs. She is a GSMDCA draft judge and weight pull judge.
Originally from the Philippines, Giselle came to the US to attend Wellesley College where she studied Economics. After graduation, she worked in managing risk/compliance teams, specializing in machine learning and more recently, risk policy.
Giselle has owned several mastiffs over the past 20 years, some from reputable breeders and others she rescued as adults. Her experience with rescuing and fostering mastiffs led her to become interested in socialization as a way of preventing future issues. She enjoys working with her dogs and has trained them in various canine sports such as carting, conformation, agility, rally, trick dog, nose work, and more. Her puppy, Porter, is an example of the success of early socialization, having earned multiple performance dog titles and even starred in a movie directed by Marian Yeager called “Match Me If You Can.”
Giselle is an active member of various dog clubs such as the Scentwork ATX Club, Capitol Dog Training Club of Austin, and the Mastiff Club of America. She has lived in Austin for over two decades, and her passion for dogs and socialization continues to inspire her work.
Opposite Day for Dinopotamus by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book! I love Dinopotamus and how fun he is in school. I loved how him and all the kid learned how Opposite Day works! I love that he plays with the kids and has a lot of fun! I’m gonna definitely read this book to my 3 year old! It’s something I definitely think he’d enjoy.
Opposite Day for Dinopotamus by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another great read by a favorite author! My favorite thing about this book (ok, so there are 2 things) is that there is a person in a wheelchair featured. It’s rare that this is seen in a children’s book but so very important as it opens up avenues for conversation. My second favorite thing about this book is the hand drawn and colored illustrations. I feel that it makes this book more authentic.
Dinopotamus is going to school again today but it’s “opposite day”. The teacher instructs everyone to the opposite of what she says. At first, it’s a bit confusing to Dinopotamus, but then it becomes more enjoyable.
A fun way to teach opposites!
Opposite Day for Dinopotamus by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Opposite Day for Dinopotamus was another fun children’s book by Lois Wickstrom. I always admire this author’s ability to craft a fun story while instilling knowledge. While reading this with my daughter, I remembered the childhood joy of insisting it was Opposite Day and giggling when someone said or did something ridiculous. This was a fun way to teach opposites and enjoy some great illustrations.
Ten Little Sea Turtles: Ocean and Marine Life Books for Children by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My niece and I have read a few books from this author and we love them. They are so much fun to read plus you learn as well. The pictures make the whole story come to life. I can’t wait to read another book from this author.
These cute little sea turtles are exploring the ocean but where do they all go? Read this cute fun book and find out.
Review by @heatherbass
View all my reviews
Ten Little Sea Turtles: Ocean and Marine Life Books for Children by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ten Little Sea Turtles is an adorable children’s book. The rhyming makes it really fun to read, and the illustrations are so bright and colorful and fun! The story is filled with fun facts, so it is educational as well. This would be great for preschool through young elementary school. While I read and enjoyed it as a kindle version, I would much rather have a paper copy to show my kiddo as I read aloud.
Reviewed by @way2gosmartguy
The Big Book of Booper Snoots by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a really super cute children’s book, that my kids absolutely loved. The book was very well illustrated, and it went well with every animal and snoot that went with what was on the page. It was done in alphabetical order from A – Z. it had super cute facts and some fun little facts on each page that my kids loved to hear about, they even loved to figure out if they could guess which animal I was going to be. This is a great fun book that all kids will enjoy, it was a great learning experience for them and all in fun.
The Big Book of Booper Snoots by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the cutest ABC’s book. The author Suzanna Lynn did such an amazing job with this book. The littles had so much fun reading this tonight. They really enjoyed trying to guess whose snoot it was. They even got a lot right woot woot lol. I loved all the information that the author provided and also the weird facts that were included. This ABC book is perfect for animal lovers, which we are( wild kratts household lol). Not going to lie i also enjoyed this book too because i learn some stuff i didn’t know before like; sloths can fall 100 ft without becoming injured 😲and that a group of zebras are called a zeal. If you haven’t gotten this yet i highly suggest you do!!!! I look forward to more from Suzanna Lynn
The Big Book of Booper Snoots by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I knew my kiddos and I would love this book the moment I saw it, but I definitely underestimated just how much we would love it! I brought it along with us to a dentist appointment because I figured it may lighten the mood a little bit or at the very least it would be a distraction. We were all giggling at the guessing games and then ooh-ing and ahh-ing at all of the educational facts! Time flew by at the dentist which I must say is an absolute first for us. You’ll get to walk through the alphabet and learn about each animal as well as get to boop their snoots. I am so happy to have found this gem. I highly recommend to anyone with young ones in their lives whether that is at school, daycare, or at home. I’m definitely older than the target audience but still enjoyed every single page!
Reviewed by @shannlynn
Opposite Day for Dinopotamus by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
3.5 stars
An interesting concept to teaching children opposite words. Aimed for children ages 4-8 the colourful illustrations make it easier for them to understand and pick up. Opposite Day for Dinopotamus is interactive and interesting making learning fun for kids. Read along as Dinopotamus and children have fun with Opposite’s Day and learn as they go each in their own way.
Whilst my four year old grandson had some trouble determining opposite’s my seven year old grandson was getting the hang of it by the story ended.
As always Lois’s books are good for anyone to enjoy from family, schools and libraries just to name a few.
Reviewed by @jennadb
The Big Book of Booper Snoots by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A booper snoot is the nose of different animals. This book is a fun interactive read for children and adults. I learned a few things about a variety of animals and found one I had never heard of before. The really wonderful thing about this book is it has a clue page with a close up of the nose and then you guess what the animal is. The book goes alphabetically and is filled with fun facts from A to Z of the animals showcased. Was highly entertaining.
Opposite Day for Dinopotamus by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wickstrom has done it again with another cute Dinopotamus story! I absolutely adore the illustrations and how colorful yet basic they are. The way Wickstrom has introduced how opposites work is one I’ve never seen before and I think that a lot of the littles will relate to it. I also really like how she works problem-solving into her story with Dinopotamus and I really think the way Wickstrom has done this is how a kid would work through opposites as well. This is another great story to add to your ever-growing Wickstrom collection!
Reviewed by @meggs1717
The Big Book of Booper Snoots by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is a fun yet educational book aimed at kids. It looks to teach them about different animals in an engaging and entertaining way. One of my son’s favourite things to currently do is to “boop” noses so I knew this would be a hit even before we started reading it. He loved the idea of doing it to animals, as was fascinated to learn about all the ones in this book. The enjoyment he got from the book made it even more fun for me to read. This is a brilliant children’s book that I would highly recommend.