Posts

The Promised Plan by Sharon Hughson – Review by Shannen Kern

/0 Comments/in /by

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

The Promised Plan was my first book by this author, and it was an absolute whirlwind of emotions for me. I loved the flow of this story and the way that the characters felt incredibly real. You really go on this journey the moment you open the book. I feel like every family has their own issues and works through them accordingly, but this story tells of a beautiful redemption and strong bonds. Prepare yourself for an amazingly woven journey where the deepest parts of their faith are tested. I highly recommend picking this one up. I can’t wait to see what Sharon Hughson has in store for us next!

 

Reviewed by @shannlynn

View all my reviews

The Promised Plan by Sharon Hughson – Review by Felicia Bates

/0 Comments/in /by

The Promised PlanThe Promised Plan by Sharon Hughson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A middle child with two sisters and a mother that passed away from cancer this past October, you’d probably assume I would want to steer clear of this book but I was really drawn in by the synopsis. Adult relationships are complex, especially those of mother/daughter and sibling variety and I really felt like the characters were very well written with great depth to them. I really enjoyed that the story is written in multiple perspectives and allowed for a glimpse in each character’s mind. While an emotional read, this book was truly inspirational and uplifting with several glimpses of hope and lessons that while things might not work out like you planned them, they might just work out the way they’re meant to. I really found comfort in this author’s writing style and would read more from her again.

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tanya Wall, June 2023

/0 Comments/in /by

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: 5 of 5 stars

This is a GREAT take on the story of the big bad wolf and the three pigs. The pigs are great problem solvers and come up with a solution to the problem of the wolf trying to blow their houses down. It’s a good thing for the wolf – and so everyone wins in the end! Shows that if you think through the problem, there might be a better solution!

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Carrie Reed

/0 Comments/in /by

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

A very cute take on The 3 Little Pigs, but in this story all the house stand against the wolf. The pigs aren’t scared, and they work together to come up with a solution to keep the wolf from trying to eat them, so they could all be happy. I like that each pig had a name, and had the knowledge to be successful in the building of each of their own houses.

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Stephanie Robb

/0 Comments/in /by

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: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this STEM retelling of the 3 little pigs. All of Lois’s stories bring a unique conversation adults can have with children when reading this book together. Her books are always accompanied by wonderful engaging images to reflect the story. Another great book from Lois.

View all my reviews

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jamie Burns

/0 Comments/in /by

What Do the Plants Say by Lois Wickstrom is a wonderful book about Alex the Inventor. Alex is exploring plants and decides that she wants to learn more about them and the way they communicate. So, Alex invents a translator to speak to the plants. Alex finds out that the plants would love to have a party.

This is by far one of my favorite books by Lois because it reminds me of my dad. He loved to plant flowers and had hindered of them around our house. Each day as he cared for them and watered them, he would talk to them. He would say, “plants need someone to talk to them to help them grow.”

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by La Toya Lewis

/0 Comments/in /by

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: 5 of 5 stars

Huff…Puff…Grind by Lois Wickstrom is a re-telling of The Three Little Pigs but with s S.T.E.M. twist. First of all, this book was so cute! The three little pigs ( Hal, Stella, and Brad) have all been to architecture school and have smartened up. They are able to outsmart the wolf and try to make him an ally. This book shows children how to rely on problem-solving and kindness to get things done. I also really loved the illustrations. This is another winner by this author.

View all my reviews

The Promised Plan by Sharon Hughson – Review by M Policicchio

/0 Comments/in /by

The Promised PlanThe Promised Plan by Sharon Hughson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not exactly sure what was the cause but a rift has settled between her daughter’s, Ruth makes a plan to take a vacation with her two daughters and one granddaughter to see if she can do something to heal it. The only problem is that Ruth is dying of cancer. She might not make the trip. As Ruth’s family gather for her birthday, she makes Merci, the granddaughter, promise that she will ensure the trip will happen if Ruth is there or not.

As the trip gets closer, the chasm between sisters has only gotten bigger. Merci is worried that she won’t be able to convince her mom to go on the trip. Merci is also hiding things from her family. She has decided that she will reveal them on this trip.

This heart wrenching story is from the POVs of all women involved. Each gets their say. Each gets to reveal their truth. An overarching theme is their faith, how that gets each through the hard times. One even faces a battle of questioning God and her faith due to the actions of others.

This story of love and family is beautifully told. Although not my usual fare, the story is just the get lost in your feels, tear-jerking, redemption story of sisterhood that would be best read on a beach with the warm breeze quickly drying the tears off your cheeks or in a garden of blooming posies.

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jenni Bishop

/0 Comments/in /by

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 is another fun folktale retelling by Lois. I have read most of her Folktale’s books to my grandchildren and they absolutely love them. It will make you smile as you follow along. 24 pages of interesting stuff.
The colourful pictures make it easy to dive into the story and have Lois’s words bring it to life. Lois’s stories have messages that we share with our children or grandchildren or those that we love. Being able to learn something always encourages little minds and open them to possibilities.
Children between the ages of 3 – 8 will delight in this tale and the smart little pigs.
Grab a copy today to find out what these little pigs get up to.

Reviewed by @jennadb

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kristan Anderson

/0 Comments/in /by

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 Three Little Pigs Get Smart by Lois Wickstrom is the authors scientific and creative take on the classic Three Little Pigs. The author has smartened up these little pigs and sent them off to architecture school. Thanks to their education, each pig is able to buy a house to withstand the big bad wolf. They are also able to devise a plan to work with the wolf as neighbors and so each of them gets something from the working relationship. It is always interesting to see where this author takes these classics! I also really loved the illustrations and how different words were emphasized. It made the story more fun.

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Julie Johnson

/0 Comments/in /by

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

Stella, Hal, and Brad are the stars of this classic retelling of a popular nursery story. They are once again trying to evade the Big Bad Wolf. In today’s day and age, they have new tools to combat the scary beast.

I loved the twists of this story and actually found myself laughing at the very end. Stella, Hal, and Brad are very witty!! There is a STEM focus on this book, as well as many others that Lois Wickstrom writes.

I would recommend this to be added to personal and school libraries and daycares asap! Kids will love the story as they think they already know it but will be pleasantly surprised by the twists.

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Rebeca Elliott Figueiras

/0 Comments/in /by

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

The author has yet again created a fun twist on a classic to inspire kids. I always love the author’s ability to take a classic and find the science that can be learnt from it.

The illustrations are lovely, and the language is accessible to children. The science included encourages children to take an interest in what materials are strong and how to measure this.

I would recommend this book to those with kids both as a fun story and a learning aid.

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Melissa Fink

/0 Comments/in /by

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2LJGU7FTP58FU/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

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: 5 of 5 stars

I love all the retelling stories Lois Wickstrom writes. Huff…Puff…Grind was retelling of The 3 Little Pigs. The world building and characters was good. The plot of the story was great. I love that the pictures matched the words on the pages. I read this book to my 9 year old and she really enjoyed it.

View all my reviews
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2650914260

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kerry Baker

/0 Comments/in /by

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 brilliant adaption of the 3 Little Pigs story. This author is already a favourite in our house but I think this book has to be the best by far. Or at least in my opinion. I thought it was so clever and well done. And I loved how much fun my kids found in it. This is a story that we are familiar with already and this take was so much fun to read.
This is one that we have all engaged with and the entertainment it has brought us has been endless. This is the first book by this author that I keep requesting we read, although I hear no arguments when I do. This author really does know how to create an amazing story that gets the whole family involved.

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Katie Matthews

/0 Comments/in /by

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

Another wonderful retelling of a traditional tale with a STEM twist from this author. I think this would definitely lead into conversations with children about the strength of different materials and getting them build their own houses and see which material is the strongest. The story was great and a lot of children would be engaged because they already know of the traditional tale it’s based on. The only one thing that does let this book down slightly is the illustrations, I kind of expected them to be like the newly updates front cover, but overall still a great story that children ill enjoy over and over again.

@katiem
View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Bobbi Wagner

/0 Comments/in /by

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 is a children’s author that I have enjoyed from the first book I picked up from her. One of the things I enjoy about this author is her ability to make a story engaging and fun for children of all ages. There is an educational aspect to her books as well. This is a story about the three pigs and a wolf who couldn’t blow their houses down. I enjoyed how engaging the characters are and what they brought to the story. It is an interactive story that will keep your child’s attention to the end. A great story that any age child would enjoy. I highly recommend this book and this author.

View all my reviews

Review by @bjwagner

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Maikalani Alexander

/0 Comments/in /by

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor)What Do the Plants Say? by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very sweet children’s story to inspire invention and creative thinking. It’s a perfect short story for intermediate readers and a great 10 minute read for little ones. Inspiring your children to play outdoors in the garden or meadow amongst the flowers exploring.

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales Series Book #2) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Angela Hayes

/0 Comments/in /by

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

3 Stars

Huff…Puff…Grind! The 3 Little Pigs Get Smart is the second in the Science Folktales series by Lois Wickstrom. It is a cute Illustrated children’s fantasy story- a reimagining of the classic fairytale, The Three Little Pigs, with a bit of a twist.
The story encourages problem solving, kindness, negotiation, bargaining, and more…
But again, I really didn’t like the style of illustrations inside the storybook. I really hoped that the internal quality of the illustrations would match the quality of the ‘new’ cover picture- but the internal illustrations are in a very naïve/simplistic style, which just seemed a bit ‘bland’ to me. The illustrations don’t hold your attention like the cover image does, and I felt let down because of it.

The Science Folktales Series contains (so far):
-Chicken Little (Book #1)
-Huff…Puff…Grind! The Three Little Pigs Get Smart (Book #2)
-Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow! The Real Magic of the Beans (Book #3)
-Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Book #4)
-Little Red, the Detective (Book #5)
-Just One More Egg (Book #6)
-The Dwarves’ Dilemma (Book #7)
-Saving the Gingerbread House (Book #8)

There’s lots to explore in this STEM storybook series- with plenty of adventures to take, and lots of different things to learn along the way.
Looking forward to more from Ms. Wickstrom.
Happy reading…

 

Reviewed by @angelahayes

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Lorralei Hoerner

/0 Comments/in /by

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: 5 of 5 stars

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5 Stars

What a great retelling story of The 3 Little Pigs and definitely fun to read for the young and the young at heart. The illustrations are cute and I love how the little pigs, Stella, Hal and Brad, outsmart the pesky wolf by using their skills to build strong houses made of different materials so they can stay safe.

This is a wonderful retelling and I love the names of the 3 little pigs…its made me smile. Definitely one of my favorite books from this author.

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Shelly Kittell

/0 Comments/in /by

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: 5 of 5 stars

Another fun retelling of a classic fairy tale. The three pigs are master builders and the big bad wolf just couldn’t blow their houses down. The houses were built to withstand the wind. In reading this story to my grandson, we found it to be entertaining and fun. We also learned about house building and windmills. The story also taught a little about cooperation. This is a wonderful addition to our library.

View all my reviews

Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tonya Merritt

/0 Comments/in /by

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

Lois Wickstrom is a go to at redoing fairy tales. She always does an amazing spin on it to make sure you learn something from it. This story was a great spin of The Three Pigs and I have to say it’s my new favorite version.

View all my reviews

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

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

🌼 .•°*°•.🌼 BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE 🌼 .•°*°•.🌼
Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom
Amazon – https://amzn.to/41NIUIs
#ontour #ItsyBitsyBookBits #ItsyBitsyBookBitsTours #ITSYBITSYBOOKBITSPROMOTIONS #BookSpotlightShowcase #HuffPuffGrind #ScienceFolktales #LoisWickstrom #Kids #Family #childrensbooks #kidslit #science #picturebooks
Hosted by Itsy Bitsy Book Bits
Genre – Kids, Family
Page Count – 24
Cover Designer – Ada Konewki

The 3 Little Pigs have been to Architecture School. They know how to build Wolf-Proof houses

The wolf huffed and he puffed. But the pigs’ houses didn’t fall. The wolf-couldn’t get in. The pigs couldn’t go out. They were all hungry. The pigs knew that a problem can be a solution out-of-place.

Could they make good use of all that huffing and puffing?

~ AMAZON ~

Click here to view the Book Trailer for Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom

Click here to experience a Chapter Reading of Huff… Puff… Grind! (Science Folktales) 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

~ FACEBOOK ~ INSTAGRAM ~ BOOKBUB ~ TWITTER ~ PINTEREST ~ GOODREADS ~ YOUTUBE ~ NEWSLETTER ~

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

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Rebeca Elliott Figueiras

/0 Comments/in /by

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor)What Do the Plants Say? by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love books by this author as they are always able to make learning fun for kids. This one is a little different, it seems to be more inspirational to follow dreams.

The illustrations are lovely, and the language used is accessible to kids. The science added into the story makes the learning more accessible to kids in a fun way

I’ll continue to look out for books by this author as they have done an amazing job.

View all my reviews

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Shannen Kern

/0 Comments/in /by

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor)What Do the Plants Say? by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a wonderful book by a beloved author! My two kiddos are always so excited when I bring in another Lois Wickstrom book, because we enjoy the stories and illustrations, but they always start an unexpected discussion. I feel that there could have been a little more depth, but my kids loved it. I enjoyed the scientific side of Alex the Inventor exploring different options to help the plants and communicate with them. I highly recommend picking this one up and letting your imagination collide with the little ones in your life!

Reviewed by @shannlynn

View all my reviews

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor)What Do the Plants Say? by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What Do the Plants Say? Is another beautifully written, entertaining, imaginative, and fun read by this talented author. When Alex heard the flowers in her garden making noises as they bloomed, she wondered what they were saying. Alex is an Inventor who loves to create things using old, and often discarded items. She decides to invent a machine so that she can listen to the flowers and talk to the plants. Using sound waves, Alex learns that the flowers want to do things like have a party and fly. I love how the author used a mix of science, creativity, imagination, and whimsy in how Alex spoke to and interacted with the flowers in the garden. This was an interesting approach to the idea of talking to plants that will spark imagination in the minds of young children. The illustrations are bright, fun, and really bring this cute story to life.

View all my reviews@tarab

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kerry Baker

/0 Comments/in /by

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor)What Do the Plants Say? by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another great book by a firm favourite author. Both of my kids are always so excited when we get a new book by her. This book was fun and very entertaining, although not one of the best we have read. This book felt a little more flat compared to the others we have read recently, but that could be just because they were so good. Either way, we still got great enjoyment out of this book. It was engaging and the kids loved to look at the pictures and see what was going on. As usual, we read this book multiple times and I am sure we will read it many times more.

View all my reviews

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Heather Goodman

/0 Comments/in /by

What Do the Plants Say? (Alex, the Inventor)What Do the Plants Say? by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My kid thoroughly enjoyed this book. She was asking so many questions about the different things. It’s a great educational but also entertaining book. It kept her enthralled in it from the first sentence to the last. Her only disappointment was that it wasn’t longer. This author has done it again.

View all my reviews

Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Heather Goodman

/0 Comments/in /by

Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans (Science Folktales)Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a cute spinoff of Jack and the beanstalk. My little girl loved it. She was drawn in from the first page and was captivated the whole time. Everything this author does hasn’t disappointed me.

View all my reviews

Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kelli Harper

/0 Comments/in /by

Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the BeansFee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lois Wickstrom is wonderful at telling children’s tales and this is yet another example of that. A retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, this book will teach children that everyone has situations that they may need help with. Great story with great illustrations that will teach a wonderful lesson to those who read it. I really enjoy sharing the books by Lois Wickstrom with my kids and my friends.

View all my reviews

Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jennie M Bechtel

/0 Comments/in /by

Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the BeansFee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A modern twist to Jack and the Beanstalk. This book was well written and illustrated. My 8-year-old son enjoyed it, as did I.

View all my reviews