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Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Candice Estes

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Timmy, Beth and Arthur are three friends trying to complete a science project, when they unexpectedly get drug into the middle of a town mystery and hunt for a missing time capsule. When Timmy is tasked with watching their former teacher’s dog while she’s in the hospital, he is also given a map that should help with locating the missing time capsule. With a dog that can wag in Morse Code, and his friends by his side, Timmy embarks on an adventure around town to try and solve the mystery. What none of them could be prepared for is all of the things that discover along the way. The best thing to remember here, is to trust your instincts and be careful what you wish for. This is a fun book that is easy to read and would be good for grade school age children who like a little mystery but aren’t ready for some of the “older” series.

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The Glow in Loretta’s Garden by Lois Wickstrom-Review by Victoria McQuigg

The Glow in Loretta's Garden (Loretta's Insects)The Glow in Loretta’s Garden by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Glow in Loretta’s Garden by Lois Wickstrom is a cute and educational children’s book that uses story telling to teach about the life cycle of fireflies. This story is the perfect way to trick your kiddos into doing something educational without their knowledge. I even learned some things that I did not know. I highly recommend this to anyone with kids! The illustrations are also stunning! 5 out of 5 stars.

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Loris Opens Up His Heart (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek – Review by Cindy Mayberry

Loris Opens Up His HeartLoris Opens Up His Heart by Dagmara Sitek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Being a new kid in any situation is hard, but being a new kid in foster care is even harder. Loris is the new kid, he is scared, withdrawn and angry. Even though Cam and Inaya try to befriend him he is having a hard time adapting. Will the kids give up on Loris? Will Loris come around? This author opened the eyes of many with this story. The emotion put into this story is spot on. Cam and Inaya are the best siblings and have opened their hearts to Loris, they understand what he is going through. I really enjoyed this story! The courage, love, and helping others, made this book a must have to all libraries.

Review@cinful

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Loris Opens Up His Heart (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek – Review by Megan Rea

Loris Opens Up His Heart: An Emotional Story For Kids (Courage Tales)Loris Opens Up His Heart: An Emotional Story For Kids by Dagmara Sitek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a beautiful children’s book about Loris who struggles to open up to his new foster home. This is a fantastic book that could be used to teach compassion, kindness, courage, overcoming fears, and so much more. I really love the empathy we feel from Cam and Inaya and the vulnerability we eventually get from Loris. This is a fantastic teaching tool for kids and the illustrations are phenomenal.
Reviewed by @meggs1717

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Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Megan Rea

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a really cute kids mystery that will intrigue all ages. You have to stick with it as the beginning is a bit jumpy and has you all over the place, but once Wickstrom hits her stride…you are in it for the long haul. Code Dog is the story of Timmy, Beth, and Arthur as they try to find a 200-year old time capsule so they can win the $1,000 prize. Luckily, Mrs. Vance has a map the kids can use while she is recuperating from surgery and Timmy is caring for Cody, her adored dog. However, along the way, the kids and readers learn that Cody has secrets of her own and may be the key in helping them find the missing time capsule before their time runs out. There is suspense, humor, and friendship. This is a great chapter book for blossoming readers as well as a fantastic read-a-long for bedtime. As always, Wickstrom does a fantastic job of not only telling a wonderful story, but weaving life lessons throughout.

Reviewed by @meggs1717
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Fay’s Kindness Parade (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Crystal Brehant

Fay's Kindness Parade (The Adventures of Cray)Fay’s Kindness Parade by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read a few of these books by G Pa Rhymes with my son. We always enjoy the adventure the characters go on. This time, it was an adventure of kindness. Fay and Cray start swimming to warmer waters. On their way, they find some animals who need help. These books always flow nicely and will keep kids entertained. They will also learn something along the way. At the end of each book, there is always extra fun included.

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Loris Opens Up His Heart (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek – Review by Shelly Kittell

Loris Opens Up His HeartLoris Opens Up His Heart by Dagmara Sitek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the most heartwarming books I’ve read. It’s probably one of the closest I’ve seen to explain to foster children about family. I think Loris is a sweet child. I loved how the author explained the feelings of all the kids and how what he was feeling was normal. I wish we could get a copy of this book to every foster child or therapist.

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Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Shannon Fowler

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This story is about many things, Cody the Code Dog, a town with secrets, a monster in the woods, kids trying to decipher the code and discover the secrets all the while trying to be kids, homework, chores and creating a band. I’m tired just thinking about their adventures!

The beginning half of this story seems to be all over the place. The three friends, Beth, Timmy and Arthur, are all concerned about their own thing. Beth wants to finish the school project, Timmy wonders about the monster in the woods and Arthur wants to just keep writing songs for their band. They don’t really seem to get along as friends do. But then their teacher needs their help in finding the missing time capsule. Luckily there’s a map with clues, however, those clues don’t really make much sense and there are others looking for the capsule, as well.

Cute story with a cute dog and some very interesting characters. While I do love most of this author’s books, this one wasn’t my favorite. Will continue to read the stories from her and look forward to more.

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Oscar and Emmy Foster Kittens (Oscar and Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Crystal Brehant

Oscar and Emmy Foster KittensOscar and Emmy Foster Kittens by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

These Oscar and Emmy books are always so cute and informative about animals. This one specifically deals with fostering. Charlie and Abby learn so much through fostering three tiny kittens. These books always take real life pet and animal problems and bring them to an age appropriate level for children. Over crowding at animal shelters is a very real, very common thing. This touches on it gently and helps teach about what it’s like to take in kittens, but then to adopt them out so that you can take on more to help with the over population of cats.

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Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by Shannon Fowler

Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid's Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series)Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a cute rhyming story that explains the responsibility of owning a dog. Friends Lora and CJ both want a puppy. Their parents tell them they must learn the ways of dog owning. Puppies are serious lifelong responsibilities. Dogs of any age require care, love and understanding.

This is a cute quick read with a great start to dog ownership.

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Loris Opens Up His Heart (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek

🌈 .•°❤️°•.🌈 BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE 🌈 .•°❤️°•.🌈
Loris Opens Up His Heart (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek
Hosted by Itsy Bitsy Book Bits
Genre – Kids
Page Count – 52
Cover Designer – Lau Frank


Can your child understand BIG IDEAS like resilience and inner courage? Yes, and “Loris Opens Up His Heart” is a delightful solution.
DISCLAIMER: “Loris Opens Up His Heart” – is here to touch your heart. It’s an educational and emotionally resonant story about Loris, a boy in foster care.
Loris will take you on a journey that might not make you laugh, but will certainly make you feel. Open your heart to a story that is an experience of courage, kindness, and overcoming fears.
“Loris Opens Up His Heart” is a treasure trove of values you want to teach your kids. It beautifully illustrates that true bravery and strength can come from the simple act of opening up their hearts.
Discover why Loris loves hiding in his hoodie!
Loris has a secret from his past, and his hoodie is his safe spot. In his new foster home, he’s not into playing or joking, but when challenges pop up, Loris faces his fears like a superhero. His new family is in for a surprise!
Join Loris on his journey of transformation. What’s behind the hoodie? Unfold the mystery with Loris!
Who is this book for? This book is designed for ages 5 to 10. Perfect for beginner and young readers, it resonates with boys, girls, primary school students, teachers, and parents seeking a meaningful children’s book.
If you and your child appreciate stories with depth and soul, this is the book for you!��As a special bonus, enjoy freebies – downloadable worksheets on emotional intelligence or bullying prevention, and more! Find your exclusive gifts on the author’s website.

~ AMAZON ~

Click here to view the Book Trailer for Loris Opens Up His Heart (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek

Click here to experience a Chapter Reading of Loris Opens Up His Heart (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek

Dagmara is a Montreal-based mother of two, who is committed to children’s education and emotional well-being. Born in Poland, and living in Canada, Dagmara Sitek wears many hats—a mom, a wife, and a digital marketer in her 9-to-5 world.
Once a kid who loved drawing and writing, she jumped into writing children’s books because she realized something important – not all kids get a fair shot at life. Her debut as an author merges childhood passions with a new mission – to bring hope and awareness to children’s struggles.


“Loris Opens Up His Heart” by Dagmara Sitek was inspired by the tragic story of 8-year-old Kamilek from Czestochowa, who died due to mistreatment by his stepfather. It is a testament to the power of empathy and compassion. It models positive interactions and helps kids put themselves in someone else’s shoes. More importantly, it encourages them to help one another and overcome fears.

Author Interview with Dagmara Sitek

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WEBSITE ~ FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER ~ PINTEREST ~ YOUTUBE ~ INSTAGRAMFACEBOOK GROUP ~ TIKTOK ~

Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Brandy Vaughn

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This chapter book is for more ages of 8-12 years, although I think it depends on the child’s reading level. It’s a lovely adventure of the best friends on a mystery quest to find a time capsule. There’s plenty of intrigue to keep the reader turning the page to see what happens next. I liked the dog character. If I had a dog like that when I was a kid, there would be plenty of adventures for sure!

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Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Darian Vester

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Such a great story for young readers, I’d recommend for upper grade school levels-middle grade. Although Timmy questioned it, I did like the friendship with the children. They went on this adventure to find the time capsule together, even Beth who was very worried about their science project. I loved Cody and so glad that the kids involved her in the search for the time capsule. I like how the author included a way for the kids to communicate with Cody that wasn’t a gimmicky talking dog. The story ends with a happy ending and I know this is a stand alone but honestly I would love to see more adventures with this trio and their dog.

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Fay’s Kindness Parade (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Kerry Baker

Fay's Kindness Parade (The Adventures of Cray)Fay’s Kindness Parade by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It was brilliant to get back into a story with Cray and his friends. Each one is always so entertaining and just as good as the last. This particular book is all about friendship and kindness and it was such as joy to read. the author takes the readers on such a fun journey, right alongside the characters. it is imaginative and engaging.
Each book that we read by this author is always one we enjoy. I love being able to read them to my children and they also enjoy connecting with the story. This author has really proved they know how to right a fantastic children’s story and we will be eagerly awaiting the next book.

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Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tausha Treadway

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom. This is my favorite children’s author and these are for a little older kids around 8-12 years old. Its a fun story about Timmy, Arthur & Ben who have been tasked with finding a time capsule that is over 200 years old. It was originally found 100 years ago and dug up and buried somewhere else. All they have to do is follow the map and they will get $1000 prize. Timmy is looking after someone’s dog and the dog Cody ends up being a huge help. She can track, she can tell your fortune and she can even speak in morse code. Will they find the time capsule? This author is so good, she always tells a great story but there are also lessons thrown in. These books are educational and fun!

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Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Alison Risher

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With students doing a science project together, what could go wrong? Typical group project dynamics- that’s what! One student doing the work while others can’t be bothered to assist. Will the students become distracted by the side quest of searching for a missing time capsule? Can a special dog that knows Morse Code help them? Will the group learn to work together? My hometown recently celebrated its sesquicentennial, so the time capsule intrigued me.

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Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by Felicia Bates

Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid's Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series)Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Porter and Midge Paws and Responsibilities is the first book I’ve read by this author. My seven year old daughter was delighted to see there were more books listed at the end of this one. We enjoyed the book and I felt it flowed very well. She was able to read a good majority with some assistance by me without a ton of frustration which is always great. Her favorite part was “seeing” the dog be groomed and learning about caring for a pet in that capacity. We will be reading more Porter and Midge in the near future.

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Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Regardless if it is one of her younger children picture books or the shorter chapter books for school age children, the author does a great job immersing her readings in a world full of vivid description and imagination. She created imaginative characters that you will not forget! Timmy, Arthur, and Beth are wonderful characters, who are inquisitive and up to help solve a mystery. Of course my favorite was Mrs. Vance’s dog Cody. A sweet and extremely intelligent pup who can talk in Morse code, track, and even tell your fortune! The kids all have to work together to solve a century old mystery within a certain amount of time if they want to win the prize. Definitely a great book for school age children, especially with the puzzles and codes to make it more engaging for readers.

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Kris & The Pirates (The Adventures of Kris) by Art Blegen – Review by Lorralei Hoerner

Kris & The Pirates: The Adventures of KrisKris & The Pirates: The Adventures of Kris by Art Blegen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Kris & The Pirates is part of The Adventures of Kris series and what a delightful and fun read. This is a chapter book for ages 6-10 that is full of fun, adventure, sailors, pirates and animals. This story can be enjoyed even for the young at heart. I am already looking forward to more Adventures with Kris.

Kris is not loving the idea of having to go to a costume party….especially when it is in the month of March!! As her dad asks if she would like to dress up as a pirate..Kris only wants to be a knight. As she opens up her book to read and relax she is pulled into a story of sailing the high seas as a sailor. When Kris and her friend James spot land they want to explore and go swimming. When things do not go as planned and pirates take capture of all of Kris’ sailor friends…she embarks on a journey of adventure trying to help free the sailors…meeting new animal friends and helps Kris think how they can help…. will Kris be able to free all her sailor friends from the pirates?

Definitely read and find out….such a fun read.

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Kris & The Pirates (The Adventures of Kris) by Art Blegen – Review by Santana Hicks

Kris & The Pirates: The Adventures of KrisKris & The Pirates: The Adventures of Kris by Art Blegen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kris is supposed to go to a costume party later on in the day. She doesn’t want to go therefore she didn’t get a costume ready. She decided to just wear her Halloween costume that is now too small. Her father suggests going as a pirate since that appears to be a quick and easy costume but Kris insists that she hates pirates.

Kris settles into a book where she fully immerses herself into it and finds herself sailing the seas with some sailors. They find an island close by to go swimming. Little did they know that this island was full of pirates ready to capture the crew and steal their ship.

Kris is the only one who got away so it is up to her to rescue her fellow crew mates. Kris has to face her fear of pirates if she wants to return home. She meets some animal friends along the way to help her.

This book was very vividly written. The author went into such beautiful detail about the surrounding areas that it was easy to see myself there with Kris. I also really liked how the author gave the animals personalities close to their actual animal traits, throwing in some information about animals along this adventure.

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Queen of the Fairies by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Julie Johnson

Queen of the FairiesQueen of the Fairies by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A young girl is writing a story about the Queen of the Fairies. She starts questioning how the Queen would respond to different events. She doesn’t want to offend anyone either. How does one go about writing about someone so unique?

The illustrations are very colorful and vibrant. The images are also very well done. This is a story that boys and girls alike will enjoy! It has a theme of being respectful to others while also respecting yourself.

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Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by La Toya Lewis

Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid's Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series)Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada is the fourth book in the Porter and Midge series. We get to see Lora and CJ prepare themselves for getting a pet before they meet Porter and Midge. Once again kids get a thorough lesson while also having fun. The book takes you step by step into what to know before getting a pet. There are also plenty of great illustrations. This is the perfect book for the kiddos to learn about the responsibility of being a pet owner.

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The Glow in Loretta’s Garden (Loretta’s Insects) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Cindy Mayberry

The Glow in Loretta's Garden (Loretta's Insects)The Glow in Loretta’s Garden by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another fantastic story by this author. I knew this story would be educational, SHHHH! Don’t tell the kiddo’s. This story is all about bugs, and Loretta is just the right person for this job. She is observant and watches the bugs grow and change. Giving the readers valuable information. This author encourages her readers to look about their environment and discover the bugs in their yard. This story is well written and easy for children to follow. A real crowd pleaser, that needs to be in every child’s library.

Review@cinful

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Oscar and Emmy Foster Kittens (Oscar and Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh

Oscar and Emmy Foster KittensOscar and Emmy Foster Kittens by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars
Oscar and Emmy Foster Kittens (Oscar and Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol

Oscar and Emmy Foster Kittens is a wonderfully written children’s book that children of any age can enjoy. I love that it teaches children about the responsibilities of have a kitten or any pet for that matter. The illustrations are colorful and bring the story to life. This is part of the Oscar and Emmy series and we will definitely be looking into the ones we’ve missed. My loved this book and even asked if he could have a kitten. He took in every word I read to him and he was very eager to put what he learned yo the test. I highly recommend reading this book to children of all ages. We look forward to reading more from this Author.

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Mermaid Tails by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Melissa Fink

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1BQ7MHIXJ48XR/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Mermaid TailsMermaid Tails by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mermaid Tails was a cute kids book. I absolutely loved the illustrations. They were bright and beautiful. Some of the pictures gave me The Litter Mermaid vibes. I also enjoyed the little fun facts throughout the book. I recommend this book for kids between 8-12, its educational for them also.

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https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2488914430

Mermaid Tails by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Shannen Kern

Mermaid TailsMermaid Tails by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my first book by this author, but everyone in my house loves mermaids so it was a no-brainer! The illustrations were gorgeous, and we very much enjoyed seeing the different depictions of mermaids all over the world. Both of my kids favored the Orca mermaid and really got their imaginations going to create their own unique mermaids! The rhyming keeps their attention so well. We all learned many things with the fun facts at the bottom of the pages! I love how educational this book is, and the images are just as captivating. This was such an amazing way to show that diversity is everywhere and get the kids engaged with thinking about the different species. I highly recommend picking this up for the little ones in your life, but I bet you’ll learn something new as well!

Reviewed by @shannlynn

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Fay’s Kindness Parade (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Lisa Helmick

Fay's Kindness Parade (The Adventures of Cray)Fay’s Kindness Parade by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another enjoyable story from this author. Cray goes on a new adventure with Fay. They meet new friends and help other animals along the way. The story is very cute and helps making to discuss being kind with the littles. The illustration in here is rock solid! Good colors that will draw the eye of readers. I always look forward to more in the delightful series.

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The Glow in Loretta’s Garden (Loretta’s Insects) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tausha Treadway

The Glow in Loretta's Garden (Loretta's Insects)The Glow in Loretta’s Garden by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Glow in Loretta’s Garden (Loretta’s Insects) by Lois Wickstrom. This is mine and my nephews favorite author so we were super excited to read this one. Its the cutest story about Loretta finding glowing bugs in her flower garden. Loretta collects a few of them and puts them in her ant farm to study them. She gets scared when they quit glowing in her ant farm so she shakes them and they start glowing again making her happy. She finally decides that she needs to set them free and when she does she realizes they are fireflies! She then takes it upon herself to learn all she can about fireflies. She watches them and studies them all the time. This book is so good for kids to learn about fireflies and it’s also good for teachers to use in the classroom. All of the books by this author are very educational!

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Oscar and Emmy Foster Kittens (Oscar and Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Trish Ann

Oscar and Emmy Foster KittensOscar and Emmy Foster Kittens by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am writing this semi biased as I LOVE cats. This book was super cute and informative about fostering kittens for the target age. I would find this very appropriate to read with kids when considering fostering cats/kittens. I was able to connect with this in my own experience as someone who fostered a litter of kittens. I enjoyed the voice of this book and thought they handled the part where they had to let the kittens go very well. The children handled it better than I did!

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Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Katie Matthews

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another wonderful book from this talented children’s author. I really enjoy reading her books and I like these longer length books for older children. It’s such a great way to introduce them to longer reads that you can pick up and put down. The sci fi themes was good and would definitely get children’s imaginations going and capture their interest. There’s some very small twists in the story that will definitely get children guessing along with the characters about what might happen next. Great for encouraging children prediction skills! The story is well written and has a great pace to enable children to follow along easily. The characters were relatable and well developed.
Overall a great story for children aged from around 8 up to 12/13 I would say.

@katiem
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