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Holding Up the Sky (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom

🌼 .•°*°•.🌼 BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE 🌼 .•°*°•.🌼
Holding Up the Sky (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom
Genre – Kids, Family
Page Count – 24
Cover Designer – Nicolas Milano

Coleen’s dad is a giant who doesn’t have a job. Or so people say. He walks around with his hands in the air and claims he’s holding up the sky. He steals crops and animals from farmers as he walks around holding up the sky. Nobody but Colleen believes him. One day, she invites the kids in her class to a party. Her dad stops holding up the sky to play with the kids. A star falls on her house and another one burns her yard. What will it take for everyone to believe the truth?

~ AMAZON ~

Click here to view the Book Trailer for Holding Up the Sky (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom

Click here to experience a Chapter Reading of Holding Up the Sky (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom

Lois is a former high school chemistry teacher and former head science teacher at Science in the City Summer Camp in Philadelphia. She has also been an adjunct science teacher at University of South Florida. Since retiring, she continues to take science classes. Her class in Forensic Biology led to Little Red, The Detective, in which Red is studying fingerprint identification, so she can tell that “Grandma” isn’t who she says she is.

Lois has taken so many science classes that she believes science is the solution to almost every problem, including the dilemmas in fairy tales. She has invented what she calls Science Folktales. In each science-based tale, the protagonist achieves a better ending than the original because of learning scientific principles. She has turned some of these tales into plays.

She has also created a series of Mermaid Science stories, which make use of water science.

Lois is married to the love of her life. She has two children, four grandchildren and a dog.

Author Interview with Lois Wickstrom

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Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh

Huff... Puff... Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get SmartHuff… Puff… Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars
Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom
Huff…Puff…Grind! The 3 little pigs get smart is a wonderfully written children’s book that fun retelling of a folktale. My five year old son loved this book so much we’ve read it several times already with lots of questions. The colorful bring the story to life. My son and I are huge fans of this author her many children’s books. I love that all her stories have a message and are educational as well. I highly recommend reading this book find out if the wolf can blow the house down? This is for children ages 3-8 but I think any age even adults can enjoy this story. We can’t wait to read more from this Author.

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Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Cindy Rushin

Huff... Puff... Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get SmartHuff… Puff… Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an enjoyable take on the story of the three little pigs. I like this author and I enjoy this series. The author has created fresh takes on the old standard fairy tales and it’s refreshing. I recommend this book to anyone with children that love to read. The author has found a way to give new life to the classic children’s stories and created a new exciting world.

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Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Shadel Ayerbe

Huff... Puff... Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get SmartHuff… Puff… Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Huff… Puff… Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart by Lois Wickstorm is a great unique children story

Another science- and STEM-related picture book has been created by Lois Wickstrom! The Three Little Pigs story has a twist since each pig attended school to study architecture. They start out making their homes to see whether they can develop wolf-proof ones. The pigs go through the process of drawing blueprints for their homes before starting to construct them individually.

Every page was exciting and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen. It is a very unique story with even more one-of-a-kind characters. The story really transports you into their world. I couldn’t put the book down.

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Huff… Puff…Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Anna Hirsch

Huff... Puff... Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get SmartHuff… Puff… Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Huff… Puff…Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom
4 Stars

This is the story of the three little pigs with a new ending. The wolf is hungry and comes to blow down their houses. Little does he know that they are architects and have built their houses strong and unbreakable. The three siblings put their heads together and come up with an ingenious idea to put all that hugging and puffing to good use.

The story encourages children to be kind and to be helpful even towards people who they think are mean. This is another fun addition to the author’s science folktales series.

Review by @Anna Hirsch
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The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tanya Wall, June 2023

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What happens when your kiddo doesn’t want to clean up his messes? Well, he can get some cute little alien guys to come to help. But then, they don’t really help the right way! This book is so cute – the story and the illustrations. This would make littles giggle and make for a good discussion starter!

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Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jennifer Reimer

Huff... Puff... Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get SmartHuff… Puff… Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a very interesting take on the original version. But I always love to see over people perspective and view on what they think something should be or written. So having these pigs build some incredible houses and then outsmarting the wolf and having him run the windmill was an incredible part of the story. my children who are 4 and 6 found this book very fascinated and wanted me to keep reading till the end. The excitement and guessing what was going to happen on the next page really made them think because this does not follow the normal fairy tale, which was why it brought so much joy to the kids.

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Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Rayne East

Huff... Puff... Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get SmartHuff… Puff… Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

STEM children’s story
This is a scientific adaptation of the children’s story ‘The three little pigs’. It has great illustrations and was cleverly executed. This brings mini-lessons in science and engineering for little minds to ponder. Thoroughly enjoyable and would make a great addition to a home or school library.

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The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Rayne East

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cute & fun
This picture story book is a fun story aimed for 4-8 year olds. It has an underlying message of cleaning up after yourself, even when it’s not your mess which is done thing kids don’t like to do. Chester is a great character that most kids would relate to. The illustrations are bright and engaging and the writing is easy to read and follow. Recommend.

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Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jennifer Crain

Huff... Puff... Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get SmartHuff… Puff… Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I (and the children I shared this book with) loved the different font choices for the pigs’ names and vocabulary or cool words (lurking, overlapped) as well as the traditional story words (huff, puff, etc.).

Science concepts such as mica rock, grinding flour are also introduced. As an adult, I loved the twist ending, and it would be perfect for parents/educators/teachers that are doing compare/contrast between versions of the book- reminds me of The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, but yet another refreshing ending.

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@bookworm1909Huff… Puff… Grind!, Science Folktales, Lois Wickstrom, Review, Itsy Bitsy Book Bits, Kids, Family

 

The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Anna Hirsch

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois J Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom
4 Stars

Chester’s mother is tired of things being a mess and tells Chester to clean his room. Chester has surprise visitors that are causing a bigger mess which is frustrating his mother. Will his room ever get clean? This book is highly entertaining in more ways than one. There are colourful pictures, silly creatures and is easy to read. The author writes stories with lessons to be learned in amusing ways which will capture a child’s imagination.

Review by @Anna Hirsch
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The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Messy Kids is a whimsical and entertaining read with colorful illustrations that will surely engage children (of all ages). The story centers around Chester whose mom has asked him to clean his room, but he decides that he wants to go outside and clean the sandbox instead. While in the sandbox Chester meets a small group of aliens known as the messy kids. Instead of cleaning the sandbox they just make a bigger mess. When Chester goes inside to clean his room the messy kids help him by pushing all his toys under the bed. This does not make Chester’s mom very happy, and she tells him that he must clean it again and to show the messy kids how to clean it properly. An engaging read that will surely have you giggling over the antics of the messy kids. It teaches children how to lead by example and how rewarding it can be when they clean their room properly.

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The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kerry Baker

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is yet another fun and entertaining book that the whole family can really enjoy together. Our entire household has become such a huge fan of this author and we are yet to come across a book we don’t enjoy. I loved this one so much. I loved how it teaches kids to use their imagination. My daughter really enjoyed this book too. This is the first book by this author that she has tried to read herself, and not just listen to me read it for her. These books are great for those who are learning to read as they are short and punchy stories. I am already looking forward to the next book and having it read to me!

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The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tonya Merritt

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois J Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lois Wickstrom out here teaching your children everything. Her books include teaching science, imagination and values. In this book, we learn about the messy kids and Chester. A fun book for the younger children with imagination and learning! What will The Messy Kids mess up next?

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The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Angela Hayes

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

 

4 Stars

The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom is a fun children’s storybook with interesting, bright, and colourful illustrations that help to bring the story to life.
I found it to be a cute ‘adventure’ with lots of fun, aliens, a spaceship, and lessons about cleaning up after yourself. This is a bit of a quirky story with a touch of fantasy that proved to very engaging- feeding both the imagination, as well providing a few lessons along the way.
Suitable for children aged 4 to 8.
Happy reading!

Thank you, Lois Wickstrom!

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The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Julie Johnson

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois J Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Chester does not want to clean his room when his mom asked, so like any typical kid, he goes outside. While playing in his sand box, the “messy kids” come out to play. Eventually they follow him inside where Chester gets some help in cleaning up his room.

First of all, I LOVE the illustrations in this book! They are very vivid and appealing to the eye! Second, this is a story that kids can relate too. So can moms! It’s a good life learning story about the value of help, but also of teaching others what you need help with.

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The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jenni Bishop

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Messy Kids is a fun 30-page story with bright and colourful illustrations by Nicolas Milano. The pictures bring Lois’s words to life. Children as well as adults will enjoy. It is nice to read children’s books that bring such joy.
I like that Lois’s stories have messages within and that we get to share these with our children or grandchildren or those that we love. These books are geared for kids ages 4-8 years of age. It is nice to sit with them and watch as the gears turn, and their imaginations run wild.
Chester has better things to do and honestly what child likes to clean up after themselves especially when it is not him making the mess. All he has to do is teach cat-faced aliens. Easy, right?
An excellent book not just for special occasions.

Reviewed by @jennadb

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The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Lorralei Hoerner

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I always enjoy this author’s book and The Messy Kids is a fun story with full of imagination and wonderful illustrations.

Chester needs to clean his room up by his mothers request….but Chester has more fun things to think about and do. When he has The Messy Kids to help….will Chester be able to clean his room with the help and make his mother happy?

This story can be enjoyed for all ages and I know I certainly look forward to each book that this author writes as we all can learn how to be helpful and amazing!

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The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Carrie Reed

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Beautiful art work. Chester wants to to have the skills and qualities the messy kids have, he thinks they always do things better than he ever could, but, in the end, he is the leader, showing the messy kids how to clean up properly. I love this book showcases the good behind cleaning up your mess, being a leader instead of following along and, the imagination of children.

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The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Shelly Kittell

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the funniest book I’ve read. Chester learns how to clean up messes the right way. This is a humorous story. My grandson and I read it in a restaurant yesterday waiting for our meal. We were giggling at the messes Chester and the Messy Kids got into. The ending was our favorite parts. The illustrations are bright colorful. You can’t help but laugh with the story. It’s entertaining and teaches a wonderful lesson. This is the funniest book I’ve read. Chester learns how to clean up messes the right way. This is a humorous story. My grandson and I read it in a restaurant yesterday waiting for our meal. We were giggling at the messes Chester and the Messy Kids got into. The ending was our favorite parts. The illustrations are bright colorful. You can’t help but laugh with the story. It’s entertaining and teaches a wonderful lesson.

The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jennifer Crain

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois J Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have read several books by Lois Wickstrom, and all of them tell a message or solve a problem but through a narrative or story instead of being preachy. I can see kids making up their own imaginary friends, or even turning this into a STEAM experience and have them make a messy helper to remind them to clean their spaces.

I appreciate how the illustrator always depicts kids with different skin colors, disabilities, etc. as well as the central messages of the story line. Some picture books tend to be too wordy for young kids, but this one does not- I could see young kids really enjoying it!

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@bookworm1909

The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Bobbi Wagner

The Messy KidsThe Messy Kids by Lois J Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an author who writes fun and entertaining children’s books. I have enjoyed reading her books from the first book I picked up. They are great children’s stories that are engaging and have colorful pages that could tell the story without words. In this story Chester is asked to clean his room. But he finds cat-faced aliens who seem to get him in more trouble with his mother. Can he teach these aliens where his things belong or will he find himself in more trouble. I enjoyed Chester and his imaginary friends. They are great characters that any child will enjoy reading about and what happens to them. I highly recommend this book and the other books by this author.

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Review by @bjwagner

The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom

🌼 .•°*°•.🌼 BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE 🌼 .•°*°•.🌼
The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom
Genre – Kids, Family
Page Count – 28
Cover Designer – Nicolas Milano

Chester doesn’t want to clean his room. He says he wants to clean the sandbox first. Four cat-faced aliens arrive in a merry-go-round-shaped spaceship and make an even bigger mess than he did. When he finally goes inside, the aliens put all his toys under his bed. His mom is not pleased. And she can’t see the aliens. But, she tells Chester to teach the aliens where his things go. The aliens copy him again. Will his mom believe him?

~ AMAZON ~

Click here to view the Book Trailer for The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom

Click here to experience a Chapter Reading of The Messy Kids by Lois Wickstrom

Lois is a former science teacher. She has written a series of science-based folktales.  In each modernized tale, the protagonist achieves a better ending because of learning scientific principles. Lois likes to garden, ride her bike with her husband, cook, and she votes in every election.

Author Interview with Lois Wickstrom

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The Promised Plan by Sharon Hughson – Review by Heather Hoke

The Promised PlanThe Promised Plan by Sharon Hughson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Looking for a short novel to pull at ALL of your heart strings? HERE IT IS!!!!!
The story line is beautiful. How this family goes on a lovely trip to reconcile broken bonds.
This novel is very well put together. The way that Sharon makes sure to touch on each character just the right amount, it makes this booka very enjoyable read. It does have some very sad parts but they way it is written you feel like part of the family and like you are there.
This was a fantastic read!

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Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tori Mitton

<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/71668376-huff-puff-grind-the-3-little-pigs-get-smart” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Huff… Puff… Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1677889900l/71668376._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/71668376-huff-puff-grind-the-3-little-pigs-get-smart”>Huff… Puff… Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/331633.Lois_Wickstrom”>Lois Wickstrom</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5600815929″>5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This is a cute take on the three little pigs. But in this story the pigs and the wolf become a team and work together. The wolf helps to huff and puff on the windmill to grind flour, and the pigs make home made bread. Everyone is satisfied. So cute!
<br/><br/>
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Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Cindy Mayberry

Huff... Puff... Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get SmartHuff… Puff… Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a refreshing Folktale. This time around the little pigs went to school. They learned how to make their home wolf proof. The wolf on the other hand was hungry. Can the pigs come up with a plan that will benefit both themselves and the wolf? Once again this author retold a story with a twist. Opening up the minds of our young children and encouraging them to think ahead. Great story for both parents and children. This is a must have for all libraries.

Review@cinful

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Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Megan Conley

Huff...Puff...Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart: a science folktale (Science Folktales)Huff…Puff…Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart: a science folktale by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another fantastic retelling of the classic 3 Little Pigs. In this version, we have Stella, Hal, and Brad who are 3 very intelligent pigs who studied architecture and build wolf-proof houses. This obviously upset the wolf, but they were able to come to an agreement that was mutually beneficial to them all. I love how Wickstrom is able to weave science and life lessons together in her children’s books. She is one of my absolute favorite children’s authors. And as always, I love her illustrations!

Reviewed by @meggs1717

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The Promised Plan by Sharon Hughson – Review by Devon Pulliam

The Promised PlanThe Promised Plan by Sharon Hughson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book will make you cry, make you smile, make you thank God for the people you have but most of all it will warm your soul. This is several short stories placed together with some wonderful poems put in at the most perfect times.

Here you meet Krista, Merci and Lacey. Merci promises her grandmother shortly before she passes on that she will take the trip that has been planned for months with her mom and aunt and make them reconcile.

This book opens up the struggles they are all three having, not just with one another but with their faith. If you’ve been there you know exactly what that is like. If you’ve experienced a close loss of a family member you can feel the emotions in this book.

But can Merci get her mom and her aunt to reconcile? Can she manage to keep her promise to her grandmother? Can she live her own truth and spread her wings?

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Tally and the Angel: Book Two, Canada by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Shannen Kern

Canada (Tally and the Angel #2)Canada by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Not many series get better as you continue, but this is definitely one of them! I would recommend picking up the first book in order to follow along well and get the best experience. Tally has gone through so much in her life already, but her angel Jophiel has helped her through it. Now she must lean on him again in order to get back to her father. This story flows just as amazingly as the first one did! Eleanor Dixon has become an author to watch for sure, and she’s already one of my daughter’s absolute favorites. Even if the synopsis doesn’t sound like something you would enjoy, I’m telling you…it will catch you off-guard! Highly recommend this book and this series. Onward to book number three!

Reviewed by @shannlynn

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Tally and the Angel: Book One India by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Shannen Kern

India (Tally and the Angel, #1)India by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I know this book was written for kids, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it with my 11-year-old daughter! The author so expertly and flawlessly covers a very difficult topic for everyone, let alone kids, and that is grief. I enjoy the way they covered different cultures and really paints a beautiful picture of India as a whole. Tally definitely goes through some of the most difficult times in this story, but having a friend to lean on makes such a big difference. What a magnificent start to the series, we can’t wait to see what’s next!

Reviewed by @shannlynn

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